High-entropy ferroelastic rare-earth tantalite ceramic: (Y0.2Ce0.2Sm0.2Gd0.2Dy0.2)TaO4

In this study, high-entropy rare-earth tantalate ceramics (Y_0.2Ce_0.2Sm_0.2Gd_0.2Dy_0.2)TaO₄ ((5RE_0.2)TaO₄) have been successfully fabricated. The possibility of formation of (5RE_0.2)TaO₄ was verified via first-principles calculations. In addition, the phase structure, ferroelastic toughening mechanism, thermophysical, and mechanical properties were systematically investigated. The (5RE_0.2)TaO₄ ceramics have lower phonon thermal conductivity (1.2–2.6 W·m^–1·K^–1) in the entire temperature range than that of RETaO₄ and YSZ. (5RE_0.2)TaO₄ has a higher fracture toughness and lower brittleness index than YSZ. The thermal expansion coefficients of (5RE_0.2)TaO₄ are as high as 10.3 × 10^-6 K^–1 at 1200°C and Young's modulus is 66–189 GPa, and thus, (5RE_0.2)TaO₄ possesses great potential for application in thermal barrier coatings (TBCs).     

The structure and electrical properties of lithium doped pyrochlore Gd2Zr2O7

The lithium-doped phases Gd_1.7Li_0.3Zr₂O_6.7 and Gd₂Zr_1.7Li_0.3O_6.55 with a pyrochlore structure were prepared by the modified Pechini method using citric acid and glycerol. Monitoring of the lithium content by using a nuclear microanalysis showed that a significant loss of lithium occurred after heat treatment above 1200 °C. Dense ceramics with a stoichiometric lithium content can be prepared by a low temperature microwave sintering (1100 °C). The introduction of lithium in the Gd-sublattice was accompanied by a decrease in the unit cell parameter (a = 10.5208 (1) Å vs 10.5346 (2) Å for Gd₂Zr₂O₇) and during doping at the Zr-sites with lithium, the cell parameter increased (10.5720 (1) Å). The doping in both cases led to an increase in the free cell volume. The impedance spectroscopy results showed that the bulk conductivity can be enhanced by the Li⁺-doping at the Gd³⁺-site by almost an order of magnitude. The sample Gd₂Zr_1.7Li_0.3O_6.55 had a conductivity lower than that of Gd_1.7Li_0.3Zr₂O_6.7 due to the possible trapping of oxygen vacancies by a high-charged acceptor defect LiZr???. The conductivity?pO₂ measurements showed that the Li-containing phase was a pure oxide-ion conductor at T < 800 °C.     

Development of low-loss lead-germanate glass for mid-infrared fiber optics: II. preform extrusion and fiber fabrication

For lead-germanate glass fibers, reducing the content of hydroxyl (OH) groups and the formation of metallic Pb species is essential to pave the way for their applications as low-loss mid-IR fiber optics since OH and metallic Pb species cause intense absorption and scattering loss, respectively, in the mid-IR spectral range. The first part of this study reported the optimization of the glass melting procedure to obtain low amount of OH while preventing formation of metallic Pb species in lead-germanate glass. Here, the second part of this study reports the investigation of the process conditions to fabricate low-loss lead-germanate glass fiber through further understanding of the co-effects of glass melting and heat treatment atmospheres on the formation of nano- and micron-scale metallic Pb species in both the as-produced and heat treated lead-germanate glasses. Finally, using this advance in knowledge, we successfully fabricated low-loss lead-germanate glass fibers with no presence of reduced metallic Pb particles by optimizing dehydration agent, glass melting, preform extrusion and fiber drawing conditions. The optimized fabrication conditions reduced the unstructured fiber loss by almost one order to <0.3 dB/m at 1.55 μm.     

风机主轴锻件锻后热处理工艺优化

通过对42CrMo4风机主轴结构尺寸、性能要求、材质特点等方面进行分析,对原有锻后热处理工艺进行优化,制定出既能达到锻后热处理效果又经济节能的工艺参数。     

High-temperature electrical properties of polymer-derived ceramic SiBCN thin films fabricated by direct writing

The in situ temperature monitoring of hot components in harsh environments remains a challenging task. In this study, SiBCN thin-film resistance grids with thicknesses of 1.8 μm were fabricated on alumina substrates via direct writing. Owing to their dense microscopic morphology and extremely high graphitisation level, the produced SiBCN films exhibited large high-temperature oxidation resistance and electrical conductivity. The resistance–temperature, stability, and repeatability characteristics of these films were examined in an aerobic environment at temperatures up to 800 °C. The obtained results revealed that the thermistor resistance decreased monotonously with increasing temperature from room temperature to 800 °C. The SiBCN film resistance variations observed during repeated temperature cycling in the regions of 505–620 °C and 610–720 °C were 0.09% and 1.7%, respectively. The high cyclability and stability of the SiBCN thin film thermistor suggested its potential applicability for the in situ temperature monitoring of hot components in harsh environments.     

Fabrication and characterization of In doped Li13.9Sr0.1Zn(GeO4+δ)4 electrolytes for proton-conducting solid oxide fuel cells

Li_13.9Sr_0.1Zn(GeO_4+δ)₄ (LSZG) materials can exhibit proton conduction by Li⁺/H⁺ ion exchange in hydrogen atmosphere. It can be used in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as an electrolyte. In this study, In³⁺ doped LSZG powders are synthesized by sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analyzer, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to investigate the effects of In doping on LSZG. All Li_13.9-xIn_xSr_0.1Zn(GeO_4+δ)₄ (LISZG, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) ceramics exhibit the same phase with LSZG. The dopant of In promotes the sintering activity and Li⁺/H⁺ ion exchange rate of LSZG. The optimum doping of In is x = 0.2. At 600 °C, Li_13.7In_0.2Sr_0.1Zn(GeO_4+δ)₄ (0.2LISZG) shows a proton conductivity of 0.094 S/cm under 0.9 V direct current bias voltage. In addition, the single cell based on 0.2LISZG electrolyte is prepared, and it has been demonstrated that the practical utilization of 0.2LISZG in IT-SOFCs is feasible.     

Rapid synthesis of garnet-type Li7La3Zr2O12 solid electrolyte with superior electrochemical performance

Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂-based garnet-type solid electrolytes are promising candidates for use in all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). However, their potential in large-scale commercial applications is largely hindered by the time/energy-consuming and lithium-wasting synthetic method which typically needs a long-duration high temperature solid state reaction process. Herein we invent a fast preparation route that involves a short-period thermal reaction (1100 °C for 10 min) in laboratory muffle furnaces following by conventional hot pressing technique to get almost fully dense (Al, Ga, Ta, Nb)-doped garnet-type electrolytes with high phase purity (>99.9 %). The large and compact grains, low porosity and high phase purities of garnet ceramic electrolytes synthesized in this study ensure superior electrochemical performance. Particularly, Ga-doped cubic Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ shows extremely low E_a values (0.17?0.18 eV) and record-high lithium ionic conductivities (>2 × 10^?3 S cm^-1 at 25 °C).     

Double pyrovanadates CaMgV2O7: Formation mechanism,phase structure,and thermodynamic properties

A double pyrovanadate CaMgV₂O₇ sample was synthesized via a facile solid-state route under an air atmosphere. The nonequilibrium formation pathways of the CaMgV₂O₇ were investigated via powder X-ray diffraction. A multistep reactions path (metavanadates–pyrovanadates–double pyrovanadate CaMgV₂O₇) was proposed to describe the formation of the CaMgV₂O₇ considering the thermodynamic and kinetic factors. The cell unit parameters of the CaMgV₂O₇ sample indicated the crystallization according to a monoclinic system with space group P12/c1(14), and the lattice parameters of a = 6.756 Å, b = 14.495 Å, c = 11.253 Å, β = 99.12, and V = 108.806 Å³. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy also confirmed the +5 oxidation state vanadium in CaMgV₂O₇. The endothermic effects at 1033 and 1143 K were related to the incongruent melting and liquidus temperatures of CaMgV₂O₇, respectively. The comprehensive thermodynamic properties of CaMgV₂O₇ were established in both low- and high-temperature regions, utilizing a physical property measurement system and multi-high-temperature calorimetry (96 lines). The heat capacity (200 J mol K⁻¹) and entropy (198 J mol K⁻¹) at 298.15 K were computed based on the low-temperature heat capacity values, and the enthalpy of formation at 298.15 K was also estimated. The fitted high-temperature capacity can be used to obtain the changes in the enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy. This study is part of building a reliable thermodynamic database of the CaO–MgO–V₂O₅ system.