Comparison in composite performance after thermooxidative aging of injection molded polyamide 6 with glass fiber,talc, and a sustainable biocarbon filler

Degradation is an unavoidable part of a material's life making it important to both monitor and control the aging behavior of plastics. This study compares thermooxidative degraded composites of a novel bio-based and sustainable filler, Biocarbon (MBc), against that of traditional and commercially available fillers (glass fiber and talc) used in the automotive industry. The influence of thermooxidative degradation on the composites was studied under accelerated heat aging for 1000 h at 140°C. The mechanical properties of the composites were evaluated using notched Izod impact as well as both tensile and flexural tests. Morphological structure of the composites was investigated using a scanning electron microscopy. Dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were used to evaluate the physical transitions both before and after aging. The glass-filled composites displayed the best performance; while, both the talc and biocarbon composites possessed similar strength and ductility performances. Advantageously, the biocarbon composites experienced an 11% reduction in density as compared to talc-filled composites with similar weight content. After aging, all composites exhibited reduced tensile and flexural strengths ranging from 5 to 67% partly due to chain scission. Whereas, the modulus of all composites increased with a range of 1–24% due to an annealing effect. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48618.     

Wear of zirconia/leucite glass-ceramics composites: A chewing simulator study

Leucite and zirconia are commonly used in the production of prosthetic dental materials. Leucite presents attractive optical properties but low toughness and wear resistance, which limits its use. Zirconia has much higher toughness, but due to aesthetic reasons and ageing issues, needs to be glass veneered. Chipping of such veneer is usually responsible for the abnormal wear induced on the antagonist teeth. Leucite reinforced with 25% of nano-zirconia is a promising alternative to overcome these issues, allowing the production of dental restorations without veneer. This study aims to investigate if leucite-zirconia composites have suitable optical, mechanical and tribological properties to be used in dental restoration. Samples with different compositions of leucite and/or nano-zirconia were produced by unidirectional compression and characterized concerning density, surface morphology, roughness, hardness, toughness, and translucency. Wear tests were performed in a chewing simulator using human cusps as counterbodies. Tests were also performed in glazed zirconia for comparison. 25% ZrO₂ leads to the lowest wear of the tribological pair among the studied systems, except 100% ZrO₂. This can be attributed to the toughening effect of zirconia and reduced size of third body particles. Abrasion was the main wear mechanism observed in this pair. In addition, this was the composite that presented the highest translucency.     

Preparation of composite cathode material by using the extracted lead (Pb) of waste lead acid battery for LT-SOFC

The extraction of Pb from the waste lead acid batteries offers the conservation of energy resources and reduction of pollution load in the environment. The recycling of waste lead acid batteries than discarding by conventional methods is the best way. In the present studies, for LT-SOFC, three composite cathode materials (Pb_0.1Fe_0.4Co_0.5O_4-δ, Pb_0.2Fe_0.3Co_0.5O_4-δ and Pb_0.3Fe_0.2Co_0.5O_4-δ) were produced by extracting Pb from the waste lead acid batteries, cobalt nitrate [Co(NO₃)₃.6H₂O] and iron nitrate [Fe(NO₃)₃.9H₂O] using standard solid state reaction method. Thermal stability, morphological and structural characteristics were studied by TGA, SEM and XRD analyses. FTIR spectra were used to investigate the types of metal oxide bonding in the prepared ceramic composite cathode materials. Fuel cell testing and DC four probes were used to investigate electrochemical properties. The measurement of average crystalline size of the composites was found to be in the range of 12–37 nm.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that composite materials are porous and suitable to diffuse the gases. The maximum conductivities of 1.6 Scm^?1, 2.05 Scm^?1 and 2.6 Scm^?1 have been obtained for Pb_0.1Fe_0.4Co_0.5O_4-δ, Pb_0.2Fe_0.3Co_0.5O_4-δ and Pb_0.3Fe_0.2Co_0.5O_4-δ, respectively. At 600 °C, the high OCV (0.95V) and the maximum power density (439 mW/cm²) have been achieved using hydrogen as the fuel. Lower value of activation energy (0.36ev) of Pb_0.3Fe_0.2Co_0.5O_4-δ confirms that it is the efficient material to convert electrochemically hydrogen fuel into valuable electricity.     

Atmospheric plasma treatment of CFRP composites to enhance structural bonding investigated using surface analytical techniques

This paper considers the effects of an atmospheric plasma treatment (APT) on the surface properties of an amine cured carbon fibre/epoxy resin composite, and how those effects manifest over time. In particular, the ability of the APT to remove a thin layer of silicone-containing, proprietary, release agent (Chemlease^® 41 EZ), typically used in the production of composite components, has been investigated. It was concluded that the reduction in water contact angle (WCA) after APT for both the solvent wiped and contaminated surfaces was as a result of an increase in oxygen containing species at the surface, as determined through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Further, it was found that the APT slightly reduced the failure strength of lap shear specimens for solvent wiped surfaces, whereas an increase in failure strength was observed for silicone contaminated samples. WCA and XPS results suggest that the contaminant layer was not removed, but instead transformed to a more stable inorganic form.     

Effects of Sr2+ substitution on the crystal structure,Raman spectra,bond valence and microwave dielectric properties of Ba3-xSrx(VO4)2 solid solutions

The effects of Sr²⁺ substitution for Ba²⁺ on microwave dielectric properties and crystal structure of Ba_3-xSr_x(VO₄)₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 3, BSVO) solid solution were investigated. Such Sr²⁺ substitution contributes to significant reduction in sintering temperature from 1400 °C to 1150 °C. Both permittivity (∑_r) and quality factor (Q × f) values decreased with increasing x value, which was determined to be related with the descending values of average polarizability and packing fraction, whereas the increase in τ_f value was explained by the decreased average VO bond length, A-site bond valence. BSVO ceramics possessed encouraging dielectric performances with ∑_r = 12.2–15.6 ± 0.1, Q × f = 44,340 - 62,000 ± 800 GHz, and τ_f = 24.5–64.5 ± 0.2 ppm/°C. Low-temperature sintering was manipulated by adding B₂O₃ as sintering additive for the representative Sr₃V₂O₈ (SVO) ceramic and only 1 wt.% B₂O₃ addition successfully contributed to a 21.7% decrease in sintering temperature to 900 °C, showing good chemical compatibility with silver electrodes, which render BSVO series and SVO ceramics potential candidates in multilayer electronic devices fabrication.     

Preceramic paper-derived Ti3Al(Si)C2-based composites obtained by spark plasma sintering

The paper describes the structure and properties of preceramic paper-derived Ti₃Al(Si)C₂-based composites fabricated by spark plasma sintering. The effect of sintering temperature and pressure on microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites was studied. The microstructure and phase composition were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. It was found that at 1150 °C the sintering of materials with the MAX-phase content above 84 vol% leads to nearly dense composites. The partial decomposition of the Ti₃Al(Si)C₂ phase becomes stronger with the temperature increase from 1150 to 1350 °C. In this case, composite materials with more than 20 vol% of TiC were obtained. The paper-derived Ti₃Al(Si)C₂-based composites with the flexural strength > 900 MPa and fracture toughness of >5 MPa m^1/2 were sintered at 1150 °C. The high values of flexural strength were attributed to fine microstructure and strengthening effect by secondary TiC and Al₂O₃ phases. The flexural strength and fracture toughness decrease with increase of the sintering temperature that is caused by phase composition and porosity of the composites. The hardness of composites increases from ~9.7 GPa (at 1150 °C) to ~11.2 GPa (at 1350 °C) due to higher content of TiC and Al₂O₃ phases.     

Fabrication and thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3–TiO2 composite ceramics

The paper presents the results of preparing biphase SrTiO₃–TiO₂ ceramics as a promising system for n-type thermoelectrics using the features of a two-dimensional electron gas. Ceramics was obtained by reactive spark plasma sintering of SrCO₃ and TiO₂. The dynamics of phase transformations are shown; it is clarified that phase transformations are not the driving force of sintering. The mutual stabilization of the SrTiO₃ and TiO₂ phases is shown. Unique data on the assessment of the temperature gradient in the system have been obtained. A comparison of the thermoelectric characteristics of biphasic ceramics and its constituent phases allows concluding that the role of the two-dimensional electron gas is reduced to modulating the properties of bulk phases. Clear signs of size quantization were detected by the X-ray luminescence method, which is expressed in the blueshift of the luminescence spectrum by 22.3 ± 0.8 meV.     

Design and characterization study of LaFeO3 and CaTiO3 composites at microwave frequencies and their applications as dielectric resonator antennas

Technological development leads to the demand for innovation and the discovery of new materials properties. In telecommunications, DRAs (antennas with a dielectric block as radiant element) are a viable option for high frequency applications, where low profile and low losses are desirable, and essential requirements in several cases. A study of the properties of composites of lanthanum ortoferrite LFO (LaFeO₃) and calcium titanate CTO (CaTiO₃) as cylindrical dielectric resonator antennas is presented for the first time. In order to carry out the analysis, the material was produced through the solid state route, and resonators of LFO-CTO solid solutions were manufactured for seven different values of CTO weight fraction (0; 0.15; 0.20; 0.36; 0,56, 0,60 and 1). X-ray diffractometry, dielectric characterization, measurement of antenna parameters and subsequent comparison of measured values with theoretical and simulated values were performed. The antennas in this work showed good gain, good impedance matching, consistent values of return loss, high temperature stability and resonance frequency; all operating at the S band and beginning of the C band of the microwave spectrum.     

Photoluminescence properties of Eu-doped WO3-Eu2(WO4)3 composites and single-phase Eu2(WO4)3 powders

The development of highly stable and efficient oxide-based red phosphors is urgently required for next-generation lighting devices. Herein, we report the micro/crystal structures and luminescent properties of single-phase Eu₂(WO₄)₃ and Eu³⁺-doped WO₃-Eu₂(WO₄)₃ composite phosphors prepared by a one-step conventional solid-state reaction method in air atmosphere. As increasing Eu contents in the mixtures of WO₃ and Eu₂O₃, the intensities of the X-ray diffraction peaks of Eu₂(WO₄)₃ increased while that of WO₃ decreased. The photoluminescence intensity of the synthesized phosphors increased with increase in the Eu content when calcined at 900 °C, while it degraded at a higher temperature. Red-emitting single-phase Eu₂(WO₄)₃ powders were successfully obtained when the WO₃ and Eu₂O₃ powders were calcined in the ratio of 3:1. The intensity of the red emission spectra of the Eu₂(WO₄)₃ phosphor was higher than those of the 6, 12, and 24 at.% Eu-added WO₃ composites at excitation wavelengths of 394 and 465 nm. On the other hand, the intensity of emission from the single-phase phosphor was lower than that of the Eu-doped WO₃-Eu₂(WO₄)₃ composites under excitation of UV light at 254 nm. Thus, we propose two prospective phosphors for application as red phosphors at various wavelengths.     

Microstructure and thermal expansion behavior of diamond/SiC/(Si) composites fabricated by reactive vapor infiltration

Diamond/SiC/(Si) composites were fabricated by Si vapor vacuum reactive infiltration. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of composites have been measured from 50 to 400 °C. With the diamond content increasing, CTE of composite decreased, simultaneously, the microstructure of the composites changed from core–shell particles embedded in the Si matrix to an interpenetrating network with the matrix. The CTEs of composites versus temperature matched well with those of Si. The Kerner model was modified according to the structural features of the composites, which exhibited more accurate predictions due to considering the core–shell structure of the composites. The thermal expansion behavior of the matrix was constrained by diamond/SiC network during heating.