(Cu1/3Nb2/3)4+ ionic substituting effects,low-temperature sintering behaviors,and improved temperature stability of Ba3Nb4Ti4O21 microwave dielectric ceramics

In this study, (Cu_1/3Nb_2/3)⁴⁺ complex cation and BaO–ZnO–B₂O₃ glass frit were adopted to solve the high sintering temperature and poor temperature stability of Ba₃Nb₄Ti₄O₂₁ ceramics. It is shown that pure Ba₃Nb₄Ti₄O₂₁ phase was formed when Ti site was partially replaced by (Cu_1/3Nb_2/3)⁴⁺ cation. The increasing number of dopants decreases the dielectric polarizability, correspondingly, the dielectric constant and temperature coefficient of the resonance frequency values are reduced consistently. The variation of the Q × f value is determined by internal ionic packing fraction and external sintering densification. The (Cu_1/3Nb_2/3)⁴⁺ cation effectively decreases the suitable sintering temperature from 1200 to 1050 °C while greatly improving the temperature stability. BaO–ZnO–B₂O₃ glass was used to further improve the low-temperature sintering characteristics of Ba₃Nb₄Ti₄O₂₁ ceramics. It is proven that the addition of glass frits effectively decreases the temperature to 925 °C with combinational excellent microwave dielectric properties: ε_r ～55.6, Q × f ～5700 GHz, τ_f ～3 ppm/^°C, making the Ba₃Nb₄Ti₄O₂₁ ceramics promising in the applications of low-temperature cofired ceramic technology.     

The effect of transition metal carbides MeC (Me = Ti,Zr, Nb,Ta, and W) on mechanical properties of B4C ceramics fabricated via pressureless sintering

In this study, boron carbide-metallic boride (B₄C-MeB_x, Me = Ti, Zr, Nb, Ta, or W) multiphase ceramics were fabricated via in situ pressureless sintering at 2250 °C for 1 h. The effects of transition metal carbides, namely, TiC, ZrC, NbC, TaC, and WC, on the phase composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the ceramics were investigated. The results showed that MeC could facilitate the sintering densification of B₄C by distributing second-phase particles uniformly throughout the B₄C. Additionally, the main phases observed were B₄C and (Me, W)B_x (Me = Ti, Zr, Nb, or Ta) due to the doping of a small amount of WC during the ball milling process. As a result, the mechanical properties of B₄C-MeB_x showed significant improvements when compared with those of single-phase B₄C ceramics. B₄C–NbB₂ ceramics were found to exhibit the best mechanical properties, with an elastic modulus of 393.0 GPa, a hardness of 28.7 GPa, a flexural strength of 368.0 MPa, and a fracture toughness of 6.94 MPa m^1/2.     

Investigation on La3+ and Dy3+ co-doped ceria ceramics with an optimized average atomic number of dopants for electrolytes in IT-SOFCs

In the present study, we investigate the fundamental properties of CeO₂ by selecting La³⁺ (57), and Dy³⁺ (66) as dopants with optimized average atomic number of 61.5, which lies in between Pm³⁺ (62) and Sm³⁺ (62) in accordance with the criteria for optimum doping. A system of co-doped ceria ceramics Ce_1–x–yLa_xDy_yO_2-δ ((x, y) = (0.00, 0.00), (0.025, 0.025), (0.05, 0.05), (0.075, 0.075), (0.10, 0.10), (0.00, 0.20) and (0.20, 0.00)) as electrolytes for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells were successfully prepared by a well-known sol-gel auto-combustion route. In order to obtain dense samples, the prepared pellets were sintered in air at 1300 °C for 4 h using conventional furnace and relative densities of all the samples were found to be higher than 95%. Single phase cubic structure, microstructural density and elemental composition analysis of all the samples were studied by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy techniques, respectively. Raman spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of concentrated O^2-–vacancies in the co-doped ceria system. Impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed the high value of total ionic conductivity and low activation energy for the composition Ce_0.85La_0.075Dy_0.075O_2?δ i.e., 2.08 × 10^–2 S cm^–1 and 0.58 eV, respectively. Linear thermal expansion analyses of all the samples revealed the matched thermal expansion coefficients. Finally, these results recommend that the Ce_0.85La_0.075Dy_0.075O_2?δ sample can be useful as a solid electrolyte in IT-SOFC applications.     

攀西钒钛磁铁矿尾矿制备储水泡沫陶瓷的研究

以攀西钒钛磁铁尾矿和废玻璃为主要原料通过高温烧结法制备储水泡沫陶瓷，研究原料配比和发泡剂（SiC）添加量对材料性能的影响。结果表明:随着钒钛磁铁矿尾矿含量的增加，材料的体积密度及抗压强度逐渐增大，平均气孔孔径逐渐减小；当尾矿添加量为50 wt%，材料的体积吸水率出现极值。当SiC添加量为0.3 wt%，材料内部气孔分布均匀，平均孔径约为2.93 mm。最终以50.0 wt%的钒钛磁铁矿尾矿和50.0 wt%的废玻璃为原料，外加3.0 wt%的石英，0.3 wt%的SiC，3.0 wt%的Na3PO4，在1040℃下制得性能最优的储水泡沫陶瓷，材料的体积密度为0.26 g/cm-3、体积吸水率为56.5%和抗压强度为0.68 MPa。采用SEM、XRD等检测手段研究材料的微观形貌及物相组成，结果表明储水泡沫陶瓷内部由三维立体结构组成，有利于储存水分；材料主要物相包括硅灰石、长石、透辉石和钛铁矿。      

Enhanced piezoelectric strain of BiFeO3–Ba(Zr0.02Ti0.98)O3 lead-free ceramics near the phase boundary

The xBiFeO₃-(1-x)Ba(Zr_0.02Ti_0.98)O₃ + 1.0 mol% MnO₂ (xBF-BZT) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method. The structure, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that xBF-BZT ceramics exhibited pure perovskite structure with the coexistence of tetragonal and rhombohedral phases (0.66 ≤ x ≤ 0.74). The Curie temperature T_c, the dielectric constant ε_r (1 kHz), dielectric loss tanδ (1 kHz), piezoelectric constant d₃₃, coercive field E_c (80 kV/cm), and remnant polarization P_r (80 kV/cm) of 0.7BF-0.3BZT-Mn ceramics were 491°C, 633, 0.044, 165 pC/N, 35.6 kV/cm, and 22.6 μC/cm², respectively. The unipolar strain of 0.7BF-0.3BZT reached up to 0.20% under the electric field of 60 kV/cm, which is larger than that (0.15%) of BiFeO₃–BaTiO₃ ceramics. These results indicated that the xBF-BZT ceramics were promising candidates for high-temperature piezoelectric materials.     

Enhanced transduction coefficient in piezoelectric PZT ceramics by mixing powders calcined at different temperatures

Large transduction coefficient ($d_{33}\times g_{33}$) is difficult to obtain in piezoelectric ceramics because these two parameters show opposite trends with compositional modifications. Herein, the Pb(Zr_0.53Ti_0.47)O₃ ceramic powders were calcinated under different temperatures (A:830 °C, B:860 °C, and C:890 °C), and then mixed together according to different weight ratios (1A:1B:1C, 1A:2B:1C, 1A:2B:3C and 3A:2B:1C) for ceramics preparation. Both d₃₃ and g₃₃ are improved successfully, and the transduction coefficient with the weight ratio of 1A:2B:3C reaches up to 17,500 × 10⁻¹⁵ m²/N, which is 60 % higher than that with the powders calcinated under 830 °C, and at least twice those of commercial PZT-4, PZT-5A and PZT-8 ceramics. The improved transduction coefficient is owing to the enhanced piezoelectric constant and spontaneous polarization resulted from the increased grain size, relative density and the fraction of tetragonal phase. These results indicate that this is a simple but effective way to tailor the transduction coefficient in piezoelectric ceramics.     

Erbium doped Bi2O3-B2O3 glass-ceramics containing Bi3B5O12 and CaF2 nanocrystallites for 1.53 μm fiber lasers

Trivalent erbium ions doped Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ transparent glass ceramics containing CaF₂ were prepared and characterized through X -ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared absorption, optical absorption, and near infrared emission for 1.53 μm fiber lasers. The glass ceramics obtained by applying thermal treatment at 575 °C for 5 h and 575 °C for 10 h contain Bi₃B₅O₁₂ and CaF₂ crystallites. The Judd-Ofelt theory was applied to evaluate various spectroscopic and laser characteristic properties. The NIR emission corresponding to the ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2 (∼1.53 μm) transition was studied by exciting the samples at 514.5 nm laser radiation. The stimulated emission cross-sections of ∼1.53 μm luminescence were also obtained applying the Mc Cumber theory. The experimental results confirm that the transparent glass ceramic obtained at a thermal treatment of 575 °C for 10 h is more suitable to design fiber lasers for diverse applications in the fields of industry, medicine and scientific research.     

Structural and dielectric properties of B2O3/Li2O-added Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 multilayer ceramics for tunable devices

B₂O₃ and Li₂O (B/L)-added Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃ (BST) ceramics sintered at 940 °C exhibited a dense microstructure with large grains. The amount of B/L additive was 4.5 wt% with a B/L ratio of 1.5:1. The B/L-related liquid phase assisted the densification of the BST ceramics. This BST ceramic displayed a large dielectric constant (ε_r) of 2834 with a low dielectric loss (tan δ) of 0.21% at 1.0 MHz. It also displayed a large tunability (28.2% at 10 kV/cm) and a high figure of merit (FOM) of 134. BST thick-films were synthesized using the tape casting method. The thick-film densified at 940 °C exhibited a large tunability of 18.7% at 10.0 kV/cm and an FOM of 208; these are higher than the values reported in the literature. Multilayer ceramics (MLCs) consisting of five layers of 40-μm-thick BST thick-films and Ag electrodes were also fabricated at 940 °C. No diffusion occurred between the Ag electrode and BST thick-film. A large tunability of 67.6% at 52 kV/cm with a high FOM of 294 was obtained from this MLC. This verified that the B/L-added BST ceramic is effective for application in tunable multilayer devices.     

A cathode support structure for use in a magnetron oscillator experiment

A low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) material system has been used to develop a protype field emission cathode structure for use in an experimental magnetron oscillator. The structure is designed for used with 30 gated field emission array (GFEA) die electrically connected through silver metal traces and electrical vias. To approximate a cylinder, the cathode structure (48 mm long and 13.7 mm in diameter) is comprised of 10 faceted plates which cover the GFEA dies. Slits in the facet plates allow electron injection. The GFEA die (3 mm × 8 mm) are placed in axial columns of 3 and spaced azimuthally around a cylindrical support structure in a staggered configuration resulting in 10 azimuthal locations. LTCC manufacturing techniques were developed in order to fabricate the newly designed cathode with seven layers wrapped to form the cylinder with electrical traces and vias. Two different cathode wrapping techniques and two different via filling techniques were studied and compared. Two different facet plate manufacturing techniques were studied. Finally, four different support stand configurations for firing the cylindrical structure were also compared with a square post stand having the best circularity and linearity measurements of the fired structure.