Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti3SiC2 ceramic and TC11 alloy joint diffusion bonded with a Cu interlayer

Reliable joints of Ti₃SiC₂ ceramic and TC11 alloy were diffusion bonded with a 50 μm thick Cu interlayer. The typical interfacial structure of the diffusion boned joint, which was dependent on the interdiffusion and chemical reactions between Al, Si and Ti atoms from the base materials and Cu interlayer, was TC11/α-Ti + β-Ti + Ti₂Cu + TiCu/Ti₅Si₄ + TiSiCu/Cu(s, s)/Ti₃SiC₂. The influence of bonding temperature and time on the interfacial structure and mechanical properties of Ti₃SiC₂/Cu/TC11 joint was analyzed. With the increase of bonding temperature and time, the joint shear strength was gradually increased due to enhanced atomic diffusion. However, the thickness of Ti₅Si₄ and TiSiCu layers with high microhardness increased for a long holding time, resulting in the reduction of bonding strength. The maximum shear strength of 251 ± 6 MPa was obtained for the joint diffusion bonded at 850 °C for 60 min, and fracture primarily occurred at the diffusion layer adjacent to the Ti₃SiC₂ substrate. This work provided an economical and convenient solution for broadening the engineering application of Ti₃SiC₂ ceramic.     

Reconstructed Water Oxidation Electrocatalysts: The Impact of Surface Dynamics on Intrinsic Activities

Electroreduction of small molecules such as H₂O, CO₂, and N₂ for producing clean fuels or valuable chemicals provides a sustainable approach to meet the increasing global energy demands and to alleviate the concern on climate change resulting from fossil fuel consumption. On the path to implement this purpose, however, several scientific hurdles remain, one of which is the low energy efficiency due to the sluggish kinetics of the paired oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In response, it is highly desirable to synthesize high-performance and cost-effective OER electrocatalysts. Recent advances have witnessed surface reconstruction engineering as a salient tool to significantly improve the catalytic performance of OER electrocatalysts. In this review, recent progress on the reconstructed OER electrocatalysts and future opportunities are discussed. A brief introduction of the fundamentals of OER and the experimental approaches for generating and characterizing the reconstructed active sites in OER nanocatalysts are given first, followed by an expanded discussion of recent advances on the reconstructed OER electrocatalysts with improved activities, with a particular emphasis on understanding the correlation between surface dynamics and activities. Finally, a prospect for clean future energy communities harnessing surface reconstruction-promoted electrochemical water oxidation will be provided.     

Effect of TiB on the local texture of α phases in titanium matrix composites

Journal of Materials Science - The crystallographic orientation of TiB is one of the main factors that influence the microstructure and texture evolution of Ti-TiB composites. Different...     

Substrate temperature-controlled precursor reaction mechanism of PEALD-deposited MoOx thin films

Journal of Materials Science - Molybdenum oxide (MoOx) films had been grown by using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with Mo(CO)6 precursor and O2 plasma reactant in a substrate...     

Gamma ray-irradiated induced effects on SCN ligand-based MMTC single crystals for optoelectronic applications synthesized by SR method

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Nonlinear optical organometallic single crystal of manganese mercury thiocyanate (MMTC) has been grown by SR method in aqueous solution. The...     

Evolution of precursor powders prepared by oxalate freeze drying towards high performance Bi-2212 wires

Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x (Bi-2212) precursor powders were synthesized by the oxalate freeze drying (OFD) method. In comparison with the traditional method, the novel method could shorten the processing steps and thus improve the fabrication efficiency of precursor powder. The phase, microstructure and superconducting properties of Bi-2212 precursor powders and wires were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and four-probe method, respectively. The thermal behavior, surface area and particle size of powders were also discussed. The results indicated that large surface area and small particle size might improve the reactivity and uniformity of powders. These properties were beneficial for the rapid and homogeneous formation of Bi-2212. High-purity crystallized Bi-2212 powders without Bi-2201 and alkaline-earth cuprates phases could be achieved. Furthermore, multi-filamentary Bi-2212 wires with OFD powders showed good microstructures without noticeable pores and large secondary particles. Therefore, high engineering critical current densities (J_e) of 1619 A/mm² and critical current densities (J_c) of 7039 A/mm² were obtained in Bi-2212 wires at 4.2K, self field. It indicated that the oxalate freeze drying method would be a potential candidate for the mass production of high performance Bi-2212 wires.     

Carbothermal conversion of self-supporting organic/inorganic interpenetrating networks to porous metal boride monoliths

In this work, we present a general sol-gel protocol for the synthesis of highly porous monolithic transition metal borides via carbothermal conversion of the organic/inorganic interpenetrating networks (IPNs). The formation of organic/inorganic IPNs is clearly demonstrated by simple oxidation and boiling water treatment. A series of transition metal boride porous monoliths, including CrB₂, ZrB₂, TiB₂, Cr₃C₂/CrB, and ZrB₂/ZrC with porosities ranging from 70% to 85% and pore sizes ranging from 0.5 to 35 μm, have been prepared. In each case, a porous hybrid monolith is obtained by drying the wet gel under ambient pressure. It is believed that the formation of organic/inorganic IPNs strengthens the gel network, so that it can withstand the severe changes during desiccation to give out a monolithic xerogel. Samples are characterized by TG-DSC, XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, BET, and MIP, and the ceramic monoliths are shown to be well defined and rather homogeneous.     

Advances in statistical mechanics of rock masses and its engineering applications

To efficiently link the continuum mechanics for rocks with the structural statistics of rock masses,a theoretical and methodological system called the statistical mechanics of rock masses(SMRM)was developed in the past three decades.In SMRM,equivalent continuum models of stressestrain relationship,strength and failure probability for jointed rock masses were established,which were based on the geometric probability models characterising the rock mass structure.This follows the statistical physics,the continuum mechanics,the fracture mechanics and the weakest link hypothesis.A general constitutive model and complete stressestrain models under compressive and shear conditions were also developed as the derivatives of the SMRM theory.An SMRM calculation system was then developed to provide fast and precise solutions for parameter estimations of rock masses,such as full-direction rock quality designation(RQD),elastic modulus,Coulomb compressive strength,rock mass quality rating,and Poisson’s ratio and shear strength.The constitutive equations involved in SMRM were integrated into a FLAC3D based numerical module to apply for engineering rock masses.It is also capable of analysing the complete deformation of rock masses and active reinforcement of engineering rock masses.Examples of engineering applications of SMRM were presented,including a rock mass at QBT hydropower station in northwestern China,a dam slope of Zongo II hydropower station in D.R.Congo,an open-pit mine in Dexing,China,an underground powerhouse of Jinping I hydropower station in southwestern China,and a typical circular tunnel in Lanzhou-Chongqing railway,China.These applications verified the reliability of the SMRM and demonstrated its applicability to broad engineering issues associated with jointed rock masses.     

Torque and bending moment acting on a flexible shaft agitated by disk turbines in a gas–liquid stirred vessel

The torque and bending moment acting on a flexible overhung shaft in a gas–liquid stirred vessel agitated by a Rushton turbine and three different curved-blade disk turbines(half circular blades disk turbine, half elliptical blades disk turbine, and parabolic blades disk turbine) were experimentally measured by a customized moment sensor. The results show that the amplitude distribution of torque can be fitted by a symmetric bimodal distribution for disk turbines, and generally the distribution is more dispersive as the blade curvature or the gas flow rate increases. The amplitude distribution of shaft bending moment can be fitted by an asymmetric Weibull distribution for disk turbines. The relative shaft bending moment manifests a "rising-falling-rising" trend over the gas flow number, which is a corporate contribution of the unstable gas–liquid flow around the impeller, the gas cavities behind the blades, and the direct impact of gas on the impeller. And the "falling" stage is greater and lasts wider over the gas flow number for Rushton turbine than for the curved-blade disk turbines.     

The perfluoropolymer upper bound

Perfluoropolymers have fundamentally distinct thermodynamic partitioning properties compared to those of their hydrocarbon counterparts. However, current upper bound theory assumes hydrocarbon solubility behavior for all polymers. Herein, the fundamental presupposition of invariance in solubility behavior to upper bound performance is critically assessed for perfluoropolymers and hydrocarbon polymers. By modifying solubility relationships, theoretical perfluoropolymer upper bounds are established, showing a positive shift of the upper bound front as a result of beneficial solubility selectivities for certain gas pairs, including N₂/CH₄, He/H₂, He/N₂, He/CH₄, and He/CO₂. Within the framework of the solution–diffusion model, an analysis is presented to compare two independent approaches often pursued in efforts to surpass the polymer upper bound: (a) achieving solubility selectivity via perfluoropolymers and (b) improving diffusion selectivity via rigid hydrocarbon polymers. This analysis demonstrates the significant benefit that can be achieved by considering both the chemical composition and morphology of solid-state macromolecules when designing membrane materials.