Silica based hybrid organic-inorganic materials for PEMFC application

It is of key importance to develop membrane assembly electrodes (MEAs) offering high conductivity, thermal stability and suitable performance in the fuel cell. The mesoporous materials functionalized with acid groups are appropriate candidates to improve membrane's properties. The goal of this work was to assess the addition of functionalized porous silica, bearing different acid groups, on the MEA performance in a PEM type single fuel cell. Ni₅₉Nb₄₀Pt_0.6Fe_0.4 -based amorphous alloys were applied as anode electrocatalysts. The synthesis of functionalized mesoporous silica (UGM-fx) with different acid groups, namely [SO₃H], [COOH] and [PO(OH)₂], was carried out following a nonaqueous sol gel method. The results showed that the MEA containing silica with PO(OH)₂ groups leads to an outstanding fuel cell performance compared to that of the other organic groups-based MEAs and that it outperformed a commercial Pt-based sample. This might be due to the higher proton conductivity exhibited by the phosphonic groups.     

Evaluation of Ca-doped BaZrO3 as the crucible refractory for melting TiAl alloys

In this study, a new Ca-doped BaZrO₃ refractory was designed by using thermodynamics approaches and tested for its applicability for vacuum induction melting (VIM) of TiAl alloys. The influence of CaO on the BaZrO₃ phase constitution and microstructure, as well as the key features of the TiAl melt interaction with the Ca-doped BaZrO₃ crucibles were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results revealed that the Ca-doped BaZrO₃ refractory consisted of Ba_1-xCa_xZrO₃ and CaO phases. An obvious interaction occurred during the melting of the TiAl alloy in the Ca-doped BaZrO₃ crucible along with the generation of BaAl₂O₄ as a reaction product, with formation of a reaction layer up to 5?µm thick. Dissolution of Ca-doped BaZrO₃ refractory in the TiAl melt was the main reason for the alloy-crucible reaction. Moreover, the Ca-doped BaZrO₃ crucible was found to substantially reduce the contamination of the TiAl alloy, with lower oxygen concentration as compared with other conventional oxide crucibles. Overall results confirmed that vacuum induction melting using the Ca-doped BaZrO₃ refractory can be considered as an appropriate method for the fabrication of TiAl alloys.     

Effect of intermetallics on susceptibility of Mg alloy welds to liquation cracking

ABSTRACT

The circular-patch welding test was used to study the liquation and liquation cracking of AZ-series Mg alloys. A heat treatment was carried out on the as-received AZ91 alloy to dissolve the γ(Mg₁₇Al₁₂) particles before welding. The circular-patch welding test was then conducted on the heat-treated, as-received AZ91 alloy using AZ61 and AZ91 filler wires. The results showed that the susceptibility of AZ91 alloy to liquation and liquation cracking was significantly reduced by the dissolution of massive γ(Mg₁₇Al₁₂) particles via a heat treatment before welding as the liquation mechanism was changed. Both constitutional liquation and incipient melting occurred in the partially melted zone of the as-received AZ91 welds, while only incipient melting occurred in the heat-treated AZ91 welds.     

Anomalous crystal structure of γ" phase in the Mg-RE-Zn(Ag) series alloys:Causality clarified by ab initio study

The crystal structure of the single-unit-cell thickness γ " phase,as a key strengthening phase in Mg-REZn(Ag) series alloys,has been extensively studied,and several structural models have been proposed in the past two decades.However,these reported models,and even the lattice constants at the same proposed structure,are scattered severely,which has led to considerable confusion and not available for further mechanical property simulation and prediction of Mg alloys containing this phase.In this study,by using first-principles calculations,the crystal structure of y" phase is clarified,resolving the discrepancies among different experiments,and its intrinsic mechanical properties have also been studied for the first time.It is verified that the γ " phase contains quasi-five atomic layers,instead of the previously reported tri-layer,and surprisingly,its crystal structure has many variants,which would change with the alloy composition.Besides,with the help of the simulated selected area electron diffraction(SAED) patterns,it is found that the atoms in the central layer remain partially ordered distribution,and this ordered extent primarily depends on the atomic ratio of RE:Zn(Ag) and the solute content in an alloy.That is,the ordered extent increases with decreasing the atomic ratio of RE:Zn(Ag) and/or increasing solute content of alloy,and vice versa.Ag and Zn dissolved in the γ" phase would produce almost opposed mechanical anisotropy for the γ " phase under the identical crystal structure,and the addition of Ag shows more efficient on increasing the shear modulus of γ" phase.