Characterization by Stm and Electrical Conductivity of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) prepared by a DC-Arc-Discharge and purified by a hydrothermal treatment followed by several steps of procedures including heating, burning, extracting and acid-washing are investigated by a conventional STM technique morphologically and spectroscopically. The electical resistivities of compacted pellets (mats) of SWCNT are measured as a function of temperature in the range from the room-temperature to 1.5K. The behaviors seems to be essentially originated in the metallic nature of individual SWCNT.     

Effects of different drying methods on the physical characteristics and flavor of dried hawthorns (Crataegus spp.)

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to compare the physical characteristics and flavor of dried hawthorns obtained by freeze-drying (FD), microwave freeze-drying (MFD), atmospheric freeze-drying (AFD), and heat pump drying (HPD). The parameters including moisture content, product temperature, rehydration ratio, chroma, hue angle, yellowness index, total color difference, and energy consumption were investigated. The use of fuzzy reasoning for the sensory evaluation of hawthorn quality was also performed. As expected, AFD, FD, and MFD produced better accepted dried hawthorn products than did HPD. Nevertheless, FD consumed the highest energy and had a long drying time, but its product was the best; AFD had a similar energy cost as HPD, but its drying time was the longest; and MFD had a higher energy cost and longer drying time than HPD, but its product quality was similar to that of FD products. As a result, MFD and AFD had potential to replace FD to yield dried hawthorns with high product quality and relatively low cost.     

Effect of scandia content on the thermal shock behavior of SYSZ thermal sprayed barrier coatings

Nanostructured 4SYSZ (scandia (3.5 mol%) yttria (0.5 mol%) stabilized zirconia) and 5.5 SYSZ (5 mol% scandia and 0.5 mol% yttria) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were deposited on nickel-based superalloy using NiCrAlY as the bond coat by plasma spraying process. The thermal shock response of both as-sprayed TBCs was investigated at 1000 °C. Experimental results indicated that the nanostructured 5.5SYSZ TBCs have better thermal shock performance in contrast to 4SYSZ TBCs due to their higher tetragonal phase content and higher fracture toughness of this coating     

Fibrous porous ceramics with devisable phenolic resin reinforcing layer

Fibrous porous ceramics with devisable phenolic resin reinforcing layer were fabricated using low cost atmospheric impregnation technology at room temperature. In combination with additional sealing method, phenolic resin reinforcing layer with controllable thickness could be obtained on the surface of fibrous porous ceramics. Typical gradient profile was observed along the thickness direction of impregnation. The effects of the phenolic resin reinforcing layer on mechanical properties and thermal insulation properties were studied. The results revealed that compressive strength increased from 1.70?MPa to 2.61?MPa, tensile strength increased from 0.78?MPa to 0.91?MPa, and flexural strength increased from 9.55?MPa to 10.89?MPa with the phenolic resin layer increasing from 0?mm to 9?mm. Simultaneously, room-temperature thermal conductivity increased from 0.051?W/(m·K) to 0.055?W/(m·K). In addition, the impact resistance of the surface of the material was obviously improved. The contact angel of the surface of the material exceeded 125°, which effectively improved the environmental adaptability.     

Bi-modal trend in the long-term corrosion of aluminium alloys

A wide range of literature data including in situ immersion, tidal, coastal atmospheric and industrial exposures is used to show that the trend for longer term corrosion of aluminium alloys is nearly always more consistent with a bi-modal model than with the classical power-law function. It is proposed the bi-modal characteristic results from the accumulation of corrosion products causing localised anoxic conditions. These permit a change from predominantly cathodic oxygen reduction to hydrogen ion reduction under anoxic autocatalytic conditions within pits. This mechanism is consistent with established theory for pitting corrosion in aluminium.     

PMetro: Measurement of urban aerosols on a mobile platform

PMetro is an innovative time/space resolved urban aerosol monitoring and data management system. The core of the monitoring system is a customized optical particle counter (OPC) integrated on a cabin of the metro urban transport system in Perugia (Central Italy). This peculiar arrangement and setup allow regular, real-time measurement of aerosol particles on a well defined path through the city all over the day. The performances of the prototype OPC system have been customized and finally inter-compared with those of similar commercial devices placed at fixed points along the metro line. Data from the mobile system are integrated with environmental measurements from fixed monitoring stations along the metro path in order to attain models of the evolution of urban aerosol pollutants.     

Measurement and optimization of atmospheric plasma sprayed CoMoCrSi coatings parameters on Ti-6Al-4V substrates affecting microstructural and properties using hybrid abductor induction mechanism

A hybrid artificial intelligence method (AIM) is used to optimize the atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) processing parameters for CoMoCrSi coatings deposited on Ti-6Al-4V substrates. In the proposed approach, the Taguchi design method is used to obtain an initial solution for the optimal set of APS parameters. The true optimal values of the spray distance, chamber pressure, current, argon gas flow rate and hydrogen gas flow rate are then obtained using an artificial neural network (ANN) and genetic algorithm (GA). The coatings deposited using the processing parameters determined using the Taguchi design method alone have a porosity of 8.5%. However, following the ANN/GA optimization procedure, the porosity reduces to just 5.6%. The XRD analysis results show that the as-sprayed coatings contain Cr₃Si phase as a result of the high-temperature plasma flame. In addition, it is shown that the structure of the Ti phase in the coating transforms from a α-Ti crystal structure (i.e., HCP) to a β-Ti crystal structure (i.e., BCC) during thermal treatment at temperatures to 1200 °C. Finally, it is shown that the hardness of the annealed coatings increases with both an increasing annealing time and an increasing annealing temperature. The higher hardness under higher temperature conditions is attributed to the precipitation of Cr₃Si phase. Overall, the coatings obtained in the present study using the optimal spray-coating parameters have a low porosity, a high hardness and a good thermal stability at high temperatures.     

Comparison of influences of NaCl and CaCl2 on the corrosion of 11% and 17% Cr ferritic stainless steels during cyclic corrosion test

During the drying stage of the cyclic corrosion test on ferritic stainless steels in the NaCl environment, the current abruptly increased and then decreased to nearly zero, indicating that pits are initiated as the salt concentration is increased, which are then repassivated when the surface is completely dry. During the wet stage, the current remained high, suggesting that pits mainly propagate during the wet stage. In contrast, in the cyclic corrosion test in the CaCl₂ environment, the current was highest during the drying stage, indicating that the electrolyte is not completely dried and corrosion mainly propagates during the drying stage.     

Use of the gold markers method to predict the mechanisms of iron atmospheric corrosion

Iron corrosion under atmospheric conditions has been investigated by using the gold markers method. The corrosion experiments were performed in a climatic chamber with an accelerated treatment. The gold markers localization, carried out by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, revealed that the rust layer growth was essentially due to an internal development. Moreover, microRaman mappings allowed prediction of the mechanism of rust layer evolution during the ageing treatment. Finally these results were compared to samples corroded for several 100 years in order to extrapolate our observations to long term corrosion.     

Evaluation of Adhesion Improvement of a GFRP Treated with Atmospheric Plasma Torch

The applications (and repair) of glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites are increasing in different industries (wind turbines, boats, chassis of buses, etc.) due to specific strength and low cost. Their major disadvantage is the difficulty to shape complex components. This problem can be solved manufacturing different parts, being adhesively bonded afterwards. This work studies the effect of atmospheric pressure plasma torch compared to grit-blasting to improve adhesion. After surface treating different parts, the changes of wettability and surface energy were measured. Treated samples were bonded with polyurethane and epoxy adhesives, and the quality of the bond was evaluated using pull-off adhesion tests and fracture strength test under cleavage loads. Obtained results allow to select the most adequate treatment in terms of mechanical requirements.