Optical properties and radiation stability of SiO2/ZnO composite pigment prepared by co-sintering method

Thermal control coatings (TCCs) are an essential part of the thermal control systems in the spacecraft. Solar absorptance and emittance are the key performance parameters of TCCs. To develop an ultra-low solar absorption and stable inorganic TCCs for surface radiator, different TCCs were prepared by co-sintering ZnO and SiO₂ nanoparticles to form Zn₂SiO₄/SiO₂ pigment in this work, and the optical properties and radiation stability were systematically studied. It is found that the coating based on composite pigment has high reflectivity in the ultraviolet band and excellent optical performance possessing the low solar absorption of 0.06. In addition, the Zn₂SiO₄/SiO₂ coating demonstrates the highest proton and electron radiation stability because that SiO₂ between Zn₂SiO₄ particles acts as the relaxation center of the defects caused by radiation.     

Impact of TiO2 nanoparticles and nanowires on corrosion protection performance of chemically bonded phosphate ceramic coatings

The impact of the addition of TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanowires on the morphology, phase characteristics, contact angle, and electrochemical performance of chemically bonded phosphate ceramic coatings (CBPCs) was investigated. The chemical composition and surface morphology of the TiO₂ nanoparticle and nanowire modified with and without (heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetradecyl) trimethoxysilane were characterized. Results indicated that the hydrophobic –CF₂– and –CF₃ groups were successfully introduced into the TiO₂ nanoparticles and nanowires after modification. Corrosion resistance of CBPCs with TiO₂ was evidently improved compared with that without TiO₂. Such improvement was mainly due to the combined effects of low surface energy materials and micro/nano structures. In addition, CBPCs with TiO₂ nanowires exhibited higher hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance than those with TiO₂ nanoparticles because of the special columnar structure of the nanowires.     

Thermal properties of hierarchical YSZ and LZO ceramic microspheres with multi-scaled voids investigated by using theoretical,experimental and simulation methods

Heat transfer within ceramic feedstock powders is still unclear, which impedes optimization of the thermal and mechanical properties of the thermal sprayed coatings. The microspheres (yttria-stabilized zirconia YSZ and lanthanum zirconate LZO) were prepared via the electro-spraying assisted phase inversion method (ESP). The thermal properties of the two ESP microspheres and a commercial hollow spherical powder (HOSP) were investigated by using theoretical, experimental, and simulation methods. Thermal conductivity of the single microsphere was estimated via a novel nest model that was derived from the Maxwell-Eucken 1 and the EMT model. Thermal conductivity of a single YSZ/LZO-ESP microsphere prepared at 1100–1200 °C was within 0.36–0.75 W/m K, which was ～ 20 % lower than that of a single YSZ-HOSP microsphere with a similar porosity. Heat flux simulation showed that high tortuosity around the multi-scaled voids of the ESP microsphere led to a more efficient decrease in thermal conductivity compared with total porosity.     

Microstructure,mechanical, tribological,and oxidizing properties of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings with different modulated thicknesses

Multilayer structure design is one of the most promising methods for improving the comprehensive performance of AlCrN-based hard coatings applied to cutting tools. In this study, four types of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings, with different modulated thicknesses, were deposited to investigate their microstructure, mechanical, tribological, and oxidizing properties. All multilayer coatings exhibited grain growth along the crystallographic plane of (200) with a NaCl-type face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. The results show that, as the modulation thickness decreases from ～35 nm to ～10 nm, (1) the grain refinement effect is increasingly evident; (2) all multilayer coatings show a hardness of >30 GPa and an elastic modulus of >300 GPa. Both the ability to resist elastic strain to failure and the plastic deformation of multilayer coatings increase. In addition, their resistance to cracking reduces; (3) the wear rates of these multilayer coatings reduce successively from 1.78 × 10^?16 m³ N^?1 m^?1 to 7.7 × 10^?17 m³ N^?1 m^?1. This is attributed to an increase in self-lubricating VO_x and a decrease in adhesives from the counterparts; (4) the best high-temperature oxidation resistance was obtained for the multilayer coating with a modulated thickness of ～15 nm.     

Compatible performance of low thermal conductivity and high infrared radiation of Sm2O3-HfO2 series ceramics applied for thermal protection coatings

Sm₂O₃-HfO₂ series ceramics were synthesized at high temperature using the solid-state reaction. The phase stability, thermo-physical and infrared emission properties of Sm₂Hf₂O₇ (SHO) and Sm₂Hf₂O₇-44.83 wt%HfO₂ (25S/H) composite ceramics were comparatively investigated. Furthermore, their calcium magnesium aluminosilicate (CMAS) corrosion was conducted at 1250°C for different times. The results reveal that both SHO and 25S/H ceramics have excellent phase stability at 1600°C as well as excellent sintering resistance. SHO still exhibits slightly lower thermal conductivity and lower hardness and Young's modulus, higher thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) and fracture toughness as well as higher infrared emittance (0.899 at 800°C) than 25S/H composite with the excessive HfO₂ inside. Both SHO and 25S/H ceramics react with CMAS to form a relatively compact reaction layer, which can effectively prevent the penetration of CMAS. These results preliminarily indicate that SHO ceramic can be proposed as an alternative material of the traditional YSZ for high-temperature thermal protective applications thanks to its compatible performance of low thermal conductivity and high infrared radiation, etc.     

Soluble network polymers based on trifluoropropyl-substituted open-cage silsesquioxane: Synthesis,properties, and application for surface modifiers

Fluorinated completely condensed polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (F-CC-POSSs) are widely utilized as surface modifiers for polymeric materials because of their polyhedral and fluorine-rich structures, which generate polymers with lower surface energies under molecular-level control. In contrast, their derivatives, fluorinated incompletely condensed or open-cage POSSs (F-IC-POSSs), have similarly intriguing structures, but their utilization for polymer synthesis remains undeveloped. Herein, fluorinated network polymers were prepared based on a 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl-substituted IC-POSSs via hydrosilylation polymerization with isobutyl- and phenyl-substituted IC-POSS under optimized conditions. In addition to their good thermal stability and tunable refractive indices, these polymers exhibited solution processability and their casting films showed excellent optical transparency, indicating their potential for constructing fluorinated polymers. Their utilization as surface modifiers was examined by addition to poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) films. Intriguingly, modified PMMA films with 2.0 and 0.5 wt% addition showed similar hydrophobicity and surface energies to the films prepared with only fluorinated network polymers.     

Structure,mechanical and thermal properties of Y-doped CrAlN coatings

CrAlYN coatings with different Y contents (0, 5 and 12 at.%) were deposited by cathodic arc evaporation to investigate the influence of Y-addition on the structure, mechanical and thermal properties of CrAlN coatings by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis and nanoindentation. The structural transformation of single phase cubic Cr_0.42Al_0.58N and Cr_0.39Al_0.56Y_0.05N coatings to cubic–wurtzite mixed Cr_0.32Al_0.56Y_0.12N coating leads to a drop in hardness from (30.2±0.7) GPa of Cr_0.42Al_0.58N and (32.0±1.0) GPa of Cr_0.39Al_0.56Y_0.05N to (25.2±0.7) GPa of Cr_0.32Al_0.56Y_0.12N. The incorporation of 5 at.% Y retards the thermal decomposition of CrAlN, verified by the postponed precipitation of w-AlN and N-loss upon annealing. Correspondingly, Cr_0.39Al_0.56Y_0.05N coating consistently exhibits the highest hardness value during thermal annealing. Nevertheless, alloying with Y exerts an adverse effect on the oxidation resistance of CrAlN.     

Phase composition,microstructure and thermophysical properties of the Srx(Zr0.9Y0.05Yb0.05)O1.95+x ceramics

Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7) ceramics were prepared by solid state reaction sintering. The sintered Sr_1.0(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_2.95 is a single-phase solid solution while the sintered Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=0.9?0.7) are composites, and a significant grain growth inhibition is observed in the sintered Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9). Rare-earth elements distribution in the bulk materials indicates that Yb and Y preferentially substitute Zr-sites in SrZrO₃, and the highest solubility of RE₂O₃ in pure SrZrO₃ is ～0.8 mol%. The sintered Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x have high thermal expansion coefficients up to ～11.0×10^?6 K^-1 (1200°C). Sr_0.8(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_2.75 has the lowest thermal conductivity of 1.38 W·m^-1·K^-1 at 800°C. Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9, 0.8) show no phase transition from 600 to 1400°C, whereas Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=0.9, 0.8) have excellent high-temperature phase stability over the whole investigated temperature range. Therefore, Sr_x(Zr_0.9Y_0.05Yb_0.05)O_1.95+x (x=1.0, 0.9, 0.8) are considered as promising TBCs materials that might be operated at higher temperatures compared to YSZ.     

Thermodynamic modeling of selected ternary systems containing Y and CALPHAD simulation of CoNiCrAlY metallic coatings

Metallic coatings can improve the high temperature resistance of superalloys serving in the gas turbines. In general they are Al–Co–Cr–Ni alloys with small Y additions to improve oxide scale adherence.In order to complete the construction of a thermodynamic database for coatings, thermodynamic assessments of four ternary systems have been performed by means of the CALPHAD method, namely Al–Co–Y, Al–Ni–Y, Al–Cr–Y and Co–Ni–Y. All of the experimental phase diagrams and thermodynamic data available in the literature were critically reviewed. The liquid, fcc, bcc and hcp phases were modeled as substitutional solutions. The order-disorder model has been adopted to describe the A1/L1₂ and A2/B2 phase relations. A series of ternary compounds have been modeled during the present work according to the crystal structure or composition. As a result a satisfactory agreement was obtained between our calculations and the experimental data used in the assessment.Finally, interaction parameters calculated in this work have been merged in the thermodynamic database for the simulation of Al–Co–Cr–Ni–Y alloys. This has been validated by comparing our calculations with experimental data regarding selected Ni-based and Co-based alloy coatings.     

Crack-healing behaviour of MoSi2 dispersed Yb2Si2O7 environmental barrier coatings

MoSi₂ doped Yb₂Si₂O₇ composites were designed to extend the lifetime of Yb₂Si₂O₇ environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) via self-healing cracks during high-temperature applications. Yb₂Si₂O₇–Yb₂SiO₅–MoSi₂ composites with different mass fractions were prepared by applying spark plasma sintering. X-ray diffraction results confirmed that the composites consisted of Yb₂Si₂O₇, Yb₂SiO₅, and MoSi₂. The thermal expansion coefficients (CTEs) of the composites increased with an increase in the MoSi₂ content. The average CTE of the 15 wt% MoSi₂ doped Yb₂Si₂O₇ composite was 5.24 × 10^?6 K^?1, indicating that it still meets the CTE requirement of EBC materials. After being pre-cracked by using the Vickers indentation technique, the samples were annealed for 0.5 h at 1100 or 1300 °C to evaluate the crack-healing ability. Microstructural studies showed that cracks in 15 wt% MoSi₂ doped Yb₂Si₂O₇ composites were fully healed during annealing at 1300 °C. Two mechanisms may be responsible for crack healing. First, the cracks were filled with SiO₂ glass formed by MoSi₂ oxidation. Second, the formed SiO₂ continued to react with Yb₂SiO₅ to form Yb₂Si₂O₇, which can cause cracks to heal owing to volumetric expansion. The Yb₂Si₂O₇ formation with smaller volume expansion is more beneficial.