Effect of gamma irradiation on structural,morphological and optical properties of thermal spray pyrolysis deposited CuO thin film

This study reports the influences of gamma irradiation (GI) in the range of 20–100 kGy on CuO thin films via thermal spray pyrolysis technique on the glass substrates. The results demonstrate significant influences of GI on the crystallographic, microstructural and optical characteristics of CuO thin films. The obtained XRD results showed that the crystallinity of the films deteriorates by gradually decreasing crystallite size (from 59.13 to 46 nm) as applied gamma doses increases. However, the basic monoclinic crystal structure remains same. The dislocation density and lattice strain increased with the rise of GI absorbed dose due to the creation of defects. The values of number of crystallites per unit surface area increased as dose increased indicating the abundance of crystallization of nano CuO thin films. A UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometer was utilized to determine the optical properties and obtained results indicated that the optical energy band gap (OBG) energies reduced from 2.00 to 1.72 eV as the doses increased from 0 to 100 kGy. No distinctions of the monoclinic phase of virgin CuO thin film have been perceived under applied absorbed doses, notwithstanding the slight deterioration of the crystallinity and narrowing the OBG.     

Efficient fault diagnosis method of PEMFC thermal management system for various current densities

The temperature of a fuel cell has a considerable impact on the saturation of a membrane, electrochemical reaction speed, and durability. So thermal management is considered one of the critical issues in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Therefore, the reliability of the thermal management system is also crucial for the performance and durability of a fuel cell system. In this work, a methodology for component-level fault diagnosis of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell thermal management system for various current densities is proposed. Specifically, this study suggests fault diagnosis using limited data, based on an experimental approach. Normal and five component-level fault states are diagnosed with a support vector machine model using temperature, pressure, and fan control signal data. The effects of training data at different operating current densities on fault diagnosis are analyzed. The effects of data preprocessing method are investigated, and the cause of misdiagnosis is analyzed. On this basis, diagnosis results show that the proposed methodology can realize efficient component-level fault diagnosis using limited data. The diagnosis accuracy is over 92% when the residual basis scaling method is used, and data at the highest operating current density is used to train the support vector machine.     

Crystal structure and functional properties of Nd1.6Ca0.4Ni1-yCuyO4+δ as prospective cathode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Complex oxides Nd_1.6Ca_0.4Ni_1-yCu_yO_4+δ (y = 0.0–0.4) have been prepared by a pyrolysis of glycerol-nitrate compositions. According to the X-ray diffraction analysis, the materials are single-phase up to y = 0.3 and crystallize in an orthorhombic structure (Bmab) at room temperature. High-temperature studies assert that they all undergo a phase transition from orthorhombic to tetragonal (I4/mmm) structure in a range of 300–400 °C. With Cu doping, the over-stoichiometric oxygen content δ decreases from 0.07 (y = 0.0) down to 0.00 (y = 0.3). The studies on the compact samples reveal the maximum value of total conductivity (165 S cm^?1 at 420 °C) and the minimum value of the linear coefficient of thermal expansion (11.9·10^?6 K^?1 in a range of 400–1000 °C in air) at y = 0.2. Chemical compatibility of the Nd_1.6Cа_0.4Ni_1-yCu_yO_4+δ (y = 0.0, 0.2) oxides with oxygen- and proton conducting electrolytes (Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95, Ce_0.8Sm_0.2O_1.9 and BaCe_0.5Zr_0.3Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3-δ) up to a temperature of 1100 °C is demonstrated.     

Novel mixed ligand complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) with 1,10-phenanthroline and acesulfame. Synthesis,structural analysis and hydrogen adsorption study

Four novel metal organic framework (MOF) structures containing acesulfame (ace) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands of Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ metal cations were synthesized. The crystal structure analysis of three compounds (1, 2, and 3) was also performed. The structural formula for complex 4 is proposed based on spectroscopic and thermal analysis data. It has been determined that structures 1, 2, and 4 are in a distorted octahedral geometry. It has been suggested that the charge balance of the coordination sphere with 2+ is provided by two monoanionic ace ligands located outside the coordination sphere as counter-ion. In structure 3, there are two Cu^II metal cations, two phen ligands coordinated as bidentate to each metal cation and ace ligand that provides monoanionic-monodentate coordination. The Cu²⁺ cation has distorted bipyramidal geometry. The maximum hydrogen gas adsorption has been found 1.4575 mL/g (0.046 wt%) for the Ni complex.     

Thermal expansion and P-V-T equation of state of cubic silicon nitride

We performed in-situ X-ray diffraction measurements of polycrystalline cubic silicon nitride samples at high temperatures under atmospheric pressure and at simultaneous high-pressure-temperature conditions. In air, cubic silicon nitride survives metastably up to 1733 K without oxidation. The temperature dependence of the thermal expansion coefficient was determined to be α(T) = a₁ + a₂T – a₃T⁻² where a₁ = 1.34(6) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹, a₂ = 5.06(44) × 10⁻⁹ K⁻², and a₃ = 0.20(10) K. Using all the experimental data obtained under atmospheric and high pressures, a complete set of parameters of the high-temperature third-order Birch Murnaghan equation of state was obtained: K₃₀₀,₀ = 303(5) GPa, K′_300,0 = 5.1(8), and (∂K_T,0/∂T)_P = –0.017(1) GPa K⁻¹, where K₀, K′₀, and (∂K_T,0/∂T)_P are the isothermal bulk modulus, its pressure derivative, and its temperature derivative, respectively. These parameters are necessary to calculate the equilibrium phase boundary between the β and cubic phases in silicon nitride.     

Negative thermal expansion properties of Cu1.5Mg0.5V2O7

Cu_1.5Mg_0.5V₂O₇ was prepared by a solid state method. Its phase, microstructure, thermal expansion property, and Raman spectra were analyzed in detail. Results show that Cu_1.5Mg_0.5V₂O₇ maintains a monoclinic crystal structure and exhibits an excellent linear negative thermal-expansion property with coefficient of thermal expansion of ?8.72?×?10^?6?K^?1 over a wide temperature range of 153–673?K. The mechanism underlying the negative thermal expansion of Cu_1.5Mg_0.5V₂O₇ involves the coupling effect of the tetrahedron caused by the lateral vibration of the bridge oxygen atom and the tensile effect of the tetrahedron, The partial collapse caused by the loss of the oxygen atoms also plays an important role in the mechanism.     

Investigation of thermal and magnetic behaviour of mixed valence iron hydroxyphosphate from Fe3(PO4)2(OH)2 lipscombite systems

Iron hydroxyphosphates are promising candidates for applications as cathode materials for Li-ion batteries, for example and present low production cost and reduced toxicity. In this work, a new fast method is proposed for the synthesis of mixed valence iron hydroxyphosphate from Fe₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₂ lipscombite systems. The as-obtained products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements were carried out. Thermal treatment performed at 300 °C and 500 °C for 4 h indicate the formation of other lipscombite phases in accordance with thermogravimetric analysis where two weight loss steps were observed at ∼200 °C and ∼450 °C. A complex magnetic behaviour is observed with antiferromagnetic interactions at T_N ∼140 K for the pristine lipscombite Fe₃(PO₄)₂(OH)₂ compound related to the strong magnetic interactions in the 3D crystal structure with small values for Fe-Fe distances and super-exchange contribution through PO₄ tetrahedra.     

Synthesis and physicochemical characterization of silica aerogels by rapid seed growth method

Thanks to the high optical transparency and ultra-low thermal conductivity, silica aerogels are ideal materials for energy-saving windows. However, their preparation is commonly based on either one-step base-catalyzed method, or two-step acid-base catalyzed method, which is difficult to inhibit the aggregation of clusters while keeping the size of clusters as small as possible and thus degrading silica aerogel's properties. Here, a new idea for synthesizing silica aerogels is presented from the viewpoint of controlling the growth and aggregation of silica clusters. A certain amount of Tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) used as seed precursor is firstly added into the mixture of methanol and distilled water for hydrolysis. A certain time later, the additional TMOS and a defined amount of ammonia are added to the obtained sol for promoting the rapid formation of the gel in several minutes. The silica aerogels prepared by this method have higher optical transparency and lower thermal conductivity than those prepared by the other two methods. This approach may also shed substantial light on controlling the microstructure of other materials prepared by sol-gel process.     

Effect of chlorite on the flotation of pyrrhotite and its implications for elimination by different methods

The effect of chlorite on the flotation of pyrrhotite was systematically investigated through flotation tests, adsorption studies, optical microscopy experiments, inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer tests, zeta potential measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Results showed that fine chlorite impaired the flotation of pyrrhotite due to slime coating. To eliminate the adverse effect of chlorite, two different methods were employed. Carboxymethyl cellulose and quartz could remove the slime coating of chlorite and improve the flotation recovery of pyrrhotite, whereas the addition of quartz provided better results. The key to eliminating the adverse effect of chlorite on the flotation of pyrrhotite is to remove the slime coating of chlorite by changing the surface charge of chlorite.     

Dynamics and control of a thermally self-sustaining energy storage system using integrated solid oxide cells for an islanded building

A solid oxide cell-based energy system is proposed for a solar-powered stand-alone building. The system is comprised of a 5 kW_el solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a 9.5 kW_el solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC), and the required balance of plant. The SOFC supplies: 1- building demand in the absence of sufficient solar power, 2- heat for SOEC in endothermic and standby modes. Thermal integration of SOFC and SOEC is implemented through a network of heat exchangers, combined with set of control algorithms. Two control strategies were implemented to actuate the SOFC in response to endothermic heat demands of SOEC by manipulating: 1- electric power, 2- fuel utilization. The results of dynamic simulation of system for two scenarios (sunny day and cloudy day) showed successful compliance of temperature constraints with both methods. Manipulation of fuel utilization, however, resulted in better system performance in terms of efficiency and H₂ balance.