Improved crack resistance and thermal conductivity of cubic zirconia containing graphene nanoplatelets

Composites of 8 mol.% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) with graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) have been pointed as alternative interconnectors in SOFC due to their mixed ionic-electronic conduction. Here we show that GNP addition provides rising crack-resistance behavior, with long crack toughness up to 78% higher than that of 8YSZ, also improving its thermal conductivity (up to 6 times for the in-plane direction). Toughness versus crack length is measured for 7 and 11 vol.% of GNP using single edge V-notched beam technique and ultrashort pulsed laser notching; and thermal behavior is analyzed by the laser flash method. Materials also have highly anisotropic coefficient of thermal expansion. These properties contribute to enhance their performance under the harsh operating conditions of SOFC, as thermal residual stresses could be reduced while significantly improving the system mechanical stability. Moreover, the heat transfer may be enhanced especially along the interface direction which would increase the system efficiency.     

Relationships between the accumulative damage and dielectric properties of woven BN-coated Hi-Nicalon™ SiC fibre-reinforced SiC matrix composites

The accumulative damage behaviour of BN-coated Hi-Nicalon™ SiC fibre-reinforced SiC matrix composite was examined under tensile cyclic loading at room and elevated temperatures. The accumulative damage occurring during the cyclic loading was quantitatively characterised using the damage parameter obtained by the hysteresis loop curves. The damage parameter increased with increasing applied stress beyond the matrix cracking stress, and it subsequently retained a nearly constant value until just before fracture. Moreover, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent of the composite were measured before and after the fracture in the frequency range 1–1000 MHz. The dielectric properties had similar frequency dependency before and after the fracture. However, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent were lower in the post-fractured specimens than in the pristine ones. The reduction of the dielectric properties was associated with the accumulative damage stored in the specimens. In addition, the relationships between the dielectric properties and the damage parameter were described in detail.     

Manganese ferrite-polyaniline hybrid materials: Electrical and magnetic properties

Magnetic MnFe₂O₄ nanopowders were synthesized by an original solvothermal method in the absence and in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) and Tween 80 (TW) as surfactants. Manganese ferrite/polyaniline (PANI) hybrid materials were synthesized by in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of MnFe₂O₄ using ammonium persulfate as oxidant. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the two surfactants on the properties of the MnFe₂O₄ powders and of their composites with PANI. The specific surface area, the cumulative surface area of pores and the cumulative volume of pores are influenced by the nature of surfactant in case of MnFe₂O₄ powders and are higher by comparison to those of the MnFe₂O₄/PANI hybrid materials. The values of saturation magnetization in case of MnFe₂O₄ powders are higher than those of the hybrid materials and are not influenced by the surfactant nature. These features revealed that MnFe₂O₄ powders can be efficiently used as adsorbents for the purification of wastewaters. The values of the electrical conductivity of the composites exhibit a significant increase in comparison to the MnFe₂O₄ powders and depend on the surfactant nature. The highest value of electrical conductivity was achieved by the composite obtained using Tween 80 as surfactant (σ_DC = 54.5·10^?5S?m^?1) which was close to that of PANI (σ_DC = 61.2·10^?5 S?m^?1). The fact that the magnetic and electric properties of the synthesized MnFe₂O₄/PANI composites can be changed by design, demonstrate the high potential of these materials to be used in magneto-electric applications.     

Facile growth of novel morphology correlated Ag/Co-doped ZnO nanowire/flake-like composites for superior photoelectrochemical water splitting activity

In this paper, novel morphology correlation between silver nanowires (AgNWs) and cobalt (Co)-doped ZnO (Co-ZnO) flake-like thin films (nanowire/flake-like) has been proposed for enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting activity. Here in, high-quality AgNWs/Co-ZnO heterostructures enabled superior visible light water splitting activity compared to the pure ZnO and AgNWs/ZnO. To address the strategic effect of AgNWs coupling and transition metal (Co-2?at%) doping into the ZnO host lattice, we have carried out the X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–Vis transmittance, water contact angle and PEC analyses. In this way, PEC water splitting activity was mainly examined by linear sweep voltammetry (I-V), amperometric I-t and photoconversion efficiency (η) studies. The experimental results provide clear evidence of morphology correlation between AgNWs and Co-ZnO flake-like structures for strong visible light absorption. Specifically, AgNWs/Co-ZnO composites exhibited significant enhancement in the photocurrent density (7.0?×?10^?4 A/cm²) than AgNWs/ZnO (3.2?×?10^?4 A/cm²) and pure ZnO (1.5?×?10^?6 A/cm²). As a result, detailed AgNWs/Co-ZnO geometry has great potential for photoconversion efficiency (0.73%). In a word, the merits of controllable AgNWs/Co-ZnO heterostructure are proposed to improve the visible light harvesting and charge carrier generation for energy conversion devices.     

石墨烯对搅拌摩擦加工铝基复合材料性能的影响

采用结合粉末工艺的两步法搅拌摩擦加工制备石墨烯增强铝基复合材料,研究了石墨烯添加量对复合材料力学性能和导电性能的影响。结果表明,石墨烯的添加对铝基复合材料性能有明显的影响,随石墨烯添加量增加,复合材料的硬度逐渐提高、塑性持续下降,而抗拉强度和电导率均呈先增后减的趋势。石墨烯体积分数为3.7%时,复合材料的抗拉强度最高,达到146.5 MPa,与同等加工条件下的纯铝相比,提高了78.7%,而石墨烯体积分数为1.3%时,复合材料的电导率最高,达到30.62 MS/m,较同等加工条件下的纯铝基体提高了53.4%。     

Preparation,characterization and hydrogen storage studies of carbon nanotubes and their composites: A review

Current challenge for researchers worldwide is to construct a reliable, efficient, and affordable medium that can store hydrogen reversibly at ambient temperature and pressure for on-board applications. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their composites are considered as leading source of solid-state reversible hydrogen storage medium owing to its unique characteristics including high surface area, nanoporous structure, tuneable properties, low mass density, cage like structure, chemical stability, dissociation of hydrogen molecule, and easy synthesis method. Nanocrystalline metal or metal oxide or hydride is doped/embedded into pristine CNTs via in-situ reduction, wetness impregnation, high-energy ball milling and sputtering method. Characterization techniques of pristine and composites are utilized to study morphological, thermal, qualitative, quantative, and elemental analysis. Nanocomposite hydrogen uptake capacity is frequently measured by volumetric and gravimetric methods. Multifold enhancement of hydrogen storage of composites compared to pristine CNTs is attributed to activation, acidification, purification, ball milling and spillover of physisorbed hydrogen by metal catalyst onto CNTs via spillover mechanism. Hydrogen uptake of CNTs and composites follow monotonous dependence on hydrogen pressure. Composites not only present high hydrogen uptake as compared to pristine CNTs but also shows significant cyclic stability upon successive adsorption–desorption cycles.     

氮化铝基导热复合材料的制备及性能

以AlN角形粉和AlN球形粉为填料,以PDMS为有机基体,制备不同固含量的导热复合材料,研究了AlN形态、AlN填充分数及粉体表面改性等对导热复合材料粘度及热导率的影响。研究结果表明,与角形AlN粉体相比,球形AlN粉体可显著降低复合材料的粘度,因而有利于获得更高的填充分数和更大的复合热导率。利用KH570对AlN粉体进行表面改性,有利于降低界面热阻,提高复合热导率,改性浓度(质量分数)为2.0%时,复合材料热导率可提高22.5%。     

石墨烯/碱式硫酸镁晶须/PVC复合材料的制备及性能表征

以改进的Hummers法制备还原氧化石墨烯(RGO),以RGO和碱式硫酸镁晶须(MHSHw)为填料,采用机械球磨法制备RGO/MHSHw/PVC复合粉料,经平板硫化机热压成型得三相复合板材。考察了RGO和MHSHw对复合材料电阻率、阻燃性能及力学性能的影响。结果表明:RGO具有很好的片层结构和导电性;当MHSHw添加量为5%,RGO添加量为1%时,RGO/MHSHw/PVC复合板材的表面电阻率为4×106Ω/square,比纯PVC下降8个数量级,达到了商业抗静电效果,拉伸强度达到最大值17.61 MPa,比纯PVC提高了44.04%,复合板材氧指数>33%,具有阻燃性能,得到力学性能优良兼具有抗静电和阻燃性能的复合材料。     

改性石墨烯对天然橡胶/丁腈橡胶复合材料热性能的影响

采用超声辅助超临界CO2方法制备石墨烯,经3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(APTES)改性后,采用"预混合"的方法,得到硬脂酸/石墨烯母料。通过机械共混法制备天然橡胶(NR)/改性石墨烯(GNs)与丁腈橡胶(NBR)/GNs复合材料。通过分析复合材料的导热性能、热管理性能和压缩生热性能的变化情况,验证石墨烯的性能与硬脂酸/石墨烯"预混合"对石墨烯分散的影响。结果表明,添加3份GNs时,NRC-3、NBRC-3的导热性能分别提升了108%和194%,压缩温升降低了8. 9℃和9. 9℃。该方法制备的石墨烯导热性能优秀,硬脂酸/石墨烯的"预混合"有效改善了石墨烯在聚合物中的分散性。