Diluted chemical bath deposition of CdZnS as prospective buffer layer in CIGS solar cell

In this study, dilute chemical bath deposition technique has been used to deposit CdZnS thin films on soda-lime glass substrates. The structural, morphological, optoelectronic properties of as-grown films have been investigated as a function of different Zn²⁺ precursor concentrations. The X-ray diffractogram of CdS thin-film reveals a peak corresponding to (002) plane with wurtzite structure, and the peak shift has been observed with the increase of the Zn²⁺ concentration upon formation of CdZnS thin film. From morphological studies, it has been revealed that the diluted chemical bath deposition technique provides homogeneous distribution of film on the substrate even at a lower concentration of Zn²⁺. Optical characterization has shown that the transparency of the film is influenced by Zn²⁺ concentration and when the Zn²⁺ concentration is varied from 0 M to 0.0256 M, bandgap values of resulting films range from 2.42 eV to 3.90 eV while. Furthermore, electrical properties have shown that with increasing zinc concentration the resistivity of the film increases. Finally, numerical simulation validates and suggests that CdZnS buffer layer with composition of 0.0032 M Zn²⁺ concentration would be a promising candidate in CIGS solar cell.     

Noncentrosymmetric Tetrel Pnictides RuSi4P4 and IrSi3P3: Nonlinear Optical Materials with Outstanding Laser Damage Threshold

Noncentrosymmetric (NCS) tetrel pnictides have recently generated interest as nonlinear optical (NLO) materials due to their second harmonic generation (SHG) activity and large laser damage threshold (LDT). Herein nonmetal-rich silicon phosphides RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ are synthesized and characterized. Their crystal structures are reinvestigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction and ²⁹Si and ³¹P magic angle spinning NMR. In agreement with previous report RuSi₄P₄ crystallizes in NCS space group P1, while IrSi₃P₃ is found to crystallize in NCS space group Cm, in contrast with the previously reported space group C2. A combination of DFT calculations and diffuse reflectance measurements reveals RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ to be wide bandgap (E_g) semiconductors, E_g = 1.9 and 1.8 eV, respectively. RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ outperform the current state-of-the-art infrared SHG material, AgGaS₂, both in SHG activity and laser inducer damage threshold. Due to the combination of high thermal stabilities (up to 1373 K), wide bandgaps (≈2 eV), NCS crystal structures, strong SHG responses, and large LDT values, RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ are promising candidates for longer wavelength NLO materials.     

Effect of carbon nanotubes grown temperature on the fracture behavior of carbon fiber reinforced magnesium matrix composites: Interlaminar shear strength and tensile strength

The design of an interfacial structure is particularly important for load transfer in composites. In this paper, different amounts of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grafted onto the carbon fiber (CF) surface by adjusting grown temperature using injection chemical vapor deposition (ICVD). The prepared CF preform grafted with CNTs (CNTs-CF) were used to reinforce magnesium alloy by squeeze casting process. The microstructures were analyzed by means of optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and tensile strength of the composites were determined by double-notch shear test and tensile test. The results indicated that moderate ILSS was more conducive to improving the tensile properties of carbon fiber reinforced magnesium matrix (C_f/Mg) composites. Compared with C_f/Mg, the tensile strength of composite with CNTs increased by about 80%. For C_f/Mg composites grafted with CNTs, CNTs had the effects of delaying crack propagation and increasing energy consumption by the pull-out and bridging mechanism, which were the main reasons for improving the strength. The analysis of shear fracture surface showed that the crack propagation path can be optimized by adjusting the amounts of grafted CNTs. The presence of CNTs affects the stress distribution and consequently the crack initiation as well as the crack propagation.     

Symmetry Breaking in Monometallic Nanocrystals toward Broadband and Direct Electron Transfer Enhanced Plasmonic Photocatalysis

Metallic nanocrystals manifest themselves as fascinating light absorbers for applications in plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis and solar energy harvesting. The essential challenges lie in harvesting the full-spectrum solar light and harnessing the plasmon-induced hot carriers at the metal–acceptor interface. To this end, a cooperative overpotential and underpotential deposition strategy is proposed to mitigate both the challenges. Specifically, by utilizing both ionic additive and thiol passivator to introduce symmetry-breaking growth over gold icosahedral nanocrystals, the microscopic origin can be attributed to the site-specific nucleation of stacking faults and dislocations. By adopting asymmetric crystal shape and unique surface facets, such nanocrystals attain high activity toward photocatalytic ammonia borane hydrolysis, arising from combined broadband plasmonic properties and enhanced direct transfer of hot electrons across the metal–adsorbate interface.     

Condition based maintenance of the two-beam laser welding in high volume manufacturing of piezoelectric pressure sensor

Two-beam laser welding (TBLW) is an advanced process for precise, low distortion joining of cylindrical miniature parts. The process is composed of a laser source, optics and various actuators, which form a sophisticated system for control and maintenance in high volume manufacturing. A well-established method for identifying welding defects and ensuring welding quality is the monitoring of plasma light emission in TBLW. Although such monitoring systems can detect a change in process status, they are not able to diagnose the nature of the fault. The main challenge in this research was to extend the use of quality-based monitoring systems to measure additional deterioration-related parameters and to estimate system deterioration from them by using expert knowledge.This paper shows a novel condition-based maintenance (CBM) for the TBLW system, which performs condition identification using online monitoring of plasma light emission in combination with offline inspection of the seam macrographs. A combination of quality parameters derived from seam macrographs of defective parts is used to identify process deterioration, such as contamination of the optics, misalignment of the optomechanical system, or reduced laser power. The information obtained is used to make predefined process adjustments based on expert domain knowledge. The implementation of the developed CBM in high volume manufacturing of piezoelectric pressure sensors resulted in more predictable TBLW by reducing system failures as well as shorter diagnosis times.     

Additive manufacturing of zirconia ceramics by material jetting

The possibility of additive manufacturing of ceramics has been reported widely in scientific literature. This study investigates the potential of direct inkjet printing or material jetting of 3Y-TZP ceramics by assessing the microstructure and mechanical properties of the sintered printed parts. The technique allows to print in layers of 10.5 μm, with an as-printed green density of 58 % and nearly fully sintered density of 6.03 ± 0.1 g/cm³ (99.7 % TD). The dimensions of the green and sintered parts were highly accurate but showed an anisotropic roughness in function of the building direction, mainly due to the support structures. The biaxial bending and 4-point bending strength of the sintered material was found to be substantially higher in the XY direction than in the building (Z) direction. SEM and X-Ray computed tomography revealed the presence of delamination cracks, agglomerates and spherical pores, which were identified as fracture origins on fractured surfaces.     

SLM printing of cermet powders: Inhomogeneity from atomic scale to microstructure

It is very challenging for 3D printing based on the selective laser melting (SLM) technology to obtain cermet bulk materials with high density and homogeneous microstructures. In this work, the SLM process of the cermet powders was studied by both simulations and experiments using the WC-Co cemented carbides as an example. The results indicated that the evolution of the ceramic and metallic phases in the cermet particle during the heating, melting and solidification processes were all significantly inhomogeneous from atomic scale to mesoscale microstructures. As a consequence, the microstructural defects were caused intrinsically in the printed bulk material. The formation and growth of the bonding necks between the particles were mainly completed at the later stage of laser heating and the early stage of solidification. Both simulations and experiments demonstrated that thin amorphous layers formed at the ceramics/metal interfaces. This work disclosed the mechanisms for the evolution from the atomic scale to microstructure during the SLM printing of cermet powders, and discovered the origin of the defects in the printed cermet bulk materials.     

A review on direct synthesis of dimethoxymethane

Polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers are recognized as the prospective diesel additive to decrease the pollutant emission from the light-duty vehicles, which can be polymerize form the monomer of dimethoxymethane (DMM). The industrial synthesis of DMM is mainly involved two-step process: methanol is oxidized to form the formaldehyde in fixed bed reactor and then reacted with the generated formaldehyde through acetalization in continuous stirred-tank reactor. Due to huge energy consumption, this typical synthesis route of DMM needs to be upgraded and more green routes should be determined. In this review, four state-of-the-art one-step direct synthetic routes, including two upgrading routes (methanol direct oxidation and direct dehydrogenation) and two green routes (methanol diethyl ether direct oxidation and carbon oxides direct hydrogenation), have been summarized and compared. Combination with the reaction mechanism and catalytic performance on the different catalysts, the challenges and opportunities for every synthetic route are proposed. The relationships between catalyst structure and property in different synthesis strategy are also investigated and then the suggestions of the design of catalyst are given about future research directions that efforts should be made in. Hopefully, this review can bridge the gap between newly developed catalysts and synthesis technology to realize their commercial applications in the near future.     

Direct additive manufacturing of melt growth Al2O3-ZrO2 functionally graded ceramics by laser directed energy deposition

Functionally graded ceramics (FGC), which combine properties of different ceramics in one part, usually have better comprehensive function and structural efficiency. In this study, four different gradient transition Al₂O₃-ZrO₂ FGC samples were prepared by laser directed energy deposition (LDED) method. The results show that there is an obvious interface in direct transition sample. The transition section bears tensile stress caused by difference of thermophysical properties of materials, resulting in significant longitudinal cracks. Element transition in interface region shows a step sharp transition. The direct transition sample shows intergranular fracture and the bonding strength is very low. Gradient transition mode can effectively suppress cracks, and avoid the step transition of microstructure and elements. Elements, microhardness of 25, 20 wt% FGC samples realized a nearly linear smooth transition. The interface fracture of FGC samples changed to transgranular fracture, bonding strength was significantly improved, and the maximum flexural strength reached 160.19 MPa.     

The effects of fuel variability on the electrical performance and durability of a solid oxide fuel cell operating on biohythane

Biohythane is typically composed of 60/30/10 vol% CH₄/CO₂/H₂ and can be produced via two-stage anaerobic digestion of renewable and low carbon biomass with much greater efficiency compared with CH₄/CO₂ biogas. This work investigates the effects of fuel variability on the electrical performance and fuel processing of a commercially available anode supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operating on biohythane mixtures at 750 °C. Cell electrical performance was characterised using current-voltage curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Fuel processing was characterised using quadrupole mass spectroscopy. It is shown that when H₂/CO₂ is blended with CH₄ to make biohythane, the SOFC efficiency is significantly increased, high SOFC durability is achieved, and there are considerable savings in CH₄ consumption. Enhanced electrical performance was due to the additional presence of H₂ and promotion of CH₄ dry reforming, the reverse Boudouard and reverse water-gas shift reactions. These processes alleviated carbon deposition and promoted electrochemical oxidation of H₂ as the primary power production pathway. Substituting 50 vol% CH₄ with 25/75 vol% H₂/CO₂ was shown to increase cell power output by 81.6% at 0.8 V compared with pure CH₄. This corresponded to a 3.4-fold increase in the overall energy conversion efficiency and a 72% decrease in CH₄ consumption. A 260 h durability test demonstrated very high cell durability when operating on a typical 60/30/10 vol% CH₄/CO₂/H₂ biohythane mixture under high fuel utilisation due to inhibition of carbon deposition. Overall, this work suggests that decarbonising gas grids by substituting natural gas with renewably produced H₂/CO₂ mixtures (rather than pure H₂ derived from fossil fuels), and utilising in SOFC technology, gives considerable gains in energy conversion efficiency and carbon emissions savings.