Interface Interactions of Dissimilar Materials at Elevated Temperatures

This paper reviews some of the chemical interactions that occurred at the interface of ceramic/molten metal liquids. Control of interfacial reactions between dissimilar materials is an important issue in numerous technological applications, such as brazing of ceramics to metals, design of ceramic–metal composites, coatings of ceramics on metal substrates, and development of crucibles for melting of refractory metals. In ceramic/metal systems, wetting of the ceramic surface by the liquid metal is typically accompanied to some extent by interfacial reactions. The chemical incompatibility between the metal and non‐metallic materials can result in the formation of undesirable phases, due to the chemical and metallurgical reactions that take place during processing or in service. There is a need, therefore, to characterize the governing factors and reaction pathways at these interfaces. So, when the reaction products obtained during interdiffusion processing are not favorable, the diffusion pathway can be modified to control their formation.     

REVIEW OF SOME PROCESSES FOR CERAMIC-TO-METAL JOINING

Various methods are discussed for the joining of ceramics to metals and vice versa. State-of-the-art techniques including refractory metallizations and active metal brazing are detailed from both a processing and applications standpoint. Various approaches to forming ceramic/metal joints or thin film coatings have been developed over the years to address the need to combine the properties of both types of materials for both electrical and structural applications. These methods address not only physical and chemical compatibility concerns but also the need for bonds between dissimilar materials to survive the rigors of use generated by such inevitable mismatches as can be found in expansion, elastic, reactive and thermal cycling behavior.     

Fundamentals, processes and applications of high-permittivity polymer-matrix composites

There is an increasing need for high-permittivity (high-k) materials due to rapid development of electrical/electronic industry. It is well-known that single composition materials cannot meet the high-k need. The combination of dissimilar materials is expected to be an effective way to fabricate composites with high-k, especial for high-k polymer-matrix composites (PMC). This review paper focuses on the important role and challenges of high-k PMC in new technologies. The use of different materials in the PMC creates interfaces which have a crucial effect on final dielectric properties. Therefore it is necessary to understand dielectric properties and processing need before the high-k PMC can be made and applied commercially. Theoretical models for increasing dielectric permittivity are summarized and are used to explain the behavior of dielectric properties. The effects of fillers, fabrication processes and the nature of the interfaces between fillers and polymers are discussed. Potential applications of high-k PMC are also discussed.     

Making the most of your electrons: Challenges and opportunities in characterizing hybrid interfaces with STEM

Inspired by the unique architectures composed of hard and soft materials in natural and biological systems, synthetic hybrid structures and associated hard-soft interfaces have recently evoked significant interest. Soft matter is typically dominated by structural fluctuations even at room temperature, while hard matter is governed by rigid mechanical behavior. This dichotomy offers considerable opportunities to leverage the disparate properties offered by these components across a wide spectrum spanning from basic science to engineering insights with significant technological overtones. Such hybrid structures, which include polymer nanocomposites, DNA functionalized nanoparticle superlattices, and metal organic frameworks to name a few, have delivered promising insights into the technologically relevant applications such as catalysis, environmental remediation, optoelectronics, and medicine.The interfacial structure between the hard and soft phases demonstrates features across a variety of length scales and often strongly influence the functionality of hybrid systems. While scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) has proven to be a valuable tool for acquiring intricate molecular and nanoscale details of these interfaces, the unusual nature of hybrid composites presents a suite of challenges that make assessing or establishing structure–property relationships especially difficult. There are additional considerations at all stages of sample analysis from preparing electron-transparent samples to obtaining sufficient contrast to resolve the interface between dissimilar materials given the dose sensitivity of soft materials.We discuss each of these challenges and supplement a review of recent developments in the field with additional experimental investigations and simulations to present solutions for attaining a nano or molecular-level understanding of these interfaces. These solutions present a host of opportunities for investigating the role interfaces play in this unique class of functional materials.     

Strain effects in low-dimensional transition metal oxides

Transition metal oxides offer a wide spectrum of properties which provide the foundation for a broad range of potential applications. Many of these properties originate from intrinsic coupling between lattice deformation and nanoscale electronic and magnetic ordering. Lattice strain thus has a profound influence on the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties of these materials. Recent advances in materials processing have led to the synthesis of low-dimensional single-crystal transition metal oxides, namely, epitaxial ultra-thin films and free-standing nano/microwires. Unlike bulk materials, these systems allow external tuning of uniform strain in these materials to tailor their properties and functionalities.This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in studies of strain effects in transition metal oxide ultra-thin films and nano/microwires. In epitaxial thin films, biaxial strain is developed as a result of lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate. By choosing different substrates, a wide range of strain can be established at discrete values that allows for exploration of new phase space, enhancement of order parameters, creation of complicated domain textures, and stabilization of new phases. On the other hand, continuous tuning of uniaxial strain is possible in nano/microwires, where a variety of phase transitions and their dynamics could be probed at the single or few-domain scale. We focus on the work of strain-controlled electromechanical response in piezoelectric oxides and strain-induced metal–insulator transitions as well as domain physics in strongly correlated electron oxides. Related nanoscale device applications such as strain sensing and power generation will be highlighted as well.     

Latest Developments in Modeling and Characterization of Joining Metal Based Hybrid Materials

Advanced materials consist of several materials systems that exhibit complementary properties for multi‐purpose applications. Joining of dissimilar materials is a critical and challenging advanced manufacturing technique to develop novel hybrid materials with properties fully transferred. The “bonding strength” of a joint is crucial for its integrity and performance. The bonding strength is affected by a range of parameters that can be better understood, controlled, and optimized via both experimental and analytical approaches. In this paper, the authors review the theoretical and experimental studies of the interface inside several metal based composites. The scope includes interface bonding's critical parameters, characterization techniques of joining processes, potential applications, and their future perspectives. The review is significant to develop advanced manufacturing techniques for heterogeneous materials and to design innovative heterogeneous systems for various medical, electrical, electronics, industrial, and other daily life applications that involve the broad range of “joining” processes.

     

Strong Anisotropy and Ultralow Percolation Threshold in Multiscale Composites Modified by Carbon Nanotubes Coated Hollow Glass Fiber

Inspired by biological materials, the use of combined fillers of different types and sizes has led to multiscale, hierarchical composites which are considered to be the multifunctional materials of the next generation. However, the effects of hierarchical architecture on the electrical properties and percolation behavior remain poorly understood. Here, a multiscale polymer‐based micro‐/nano‐composite with hollow glass fibers coated by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been produced based on a simple dip‐coating approach. Besides a significant increase in electrical performance, the composites exhibit a very strong anisotropy of electrical properties with the difference of 2–5 orders of magnitude in different directions. In the longitudinal direction of composites, an ultralow percolation threshold is found. These unique properties are shown to be related to the hierarchical morphology, which gives rise to the existence of two percolation levels with different thresholds: a local threshold in the nanoscale 2D CNT networks at the fiber‐polymer interfaces and a global threshold in 3D network formed by the fibers. This study helps to deeper understand the macroscopic electrical performance of the hierarchical composites, potentially opening up new ways for designing novel materials via flexible tailoring the orientation of fiber and the morphology of interfaces.

     

Laser dissimilar welding of CoCrFeMnNi-high entropy alloy and duplex stainless steel

High entropy alloys(HEAs)have superior mechanical properties that have enabled them to be used as structural materials in nuclear and aerospace applications.As a dissimilar joint design is required for these applications,we created a dissimilar joint between CoCrFeMnNi-HEA and duplex stainless steel(DSS)through laser beam welding;a technique capable of producing a sound joint between the two materials.Microstructure examination using SEM/EBSD/XRD analysis revealed that the weld metal(WM)exhibits an FCC phase regardless of the postweld heat treatment(PWHT)temperature(800 and 1000℃)without forming detrimental intermetallic compounds or microsegregation.The heat-affected zone of the CoCrFeMnNi-HEA showed CrMn oxide inclusions while that of the DSS showed no inclusions.Moreover,a lower hardness was recorded by the WM compared to the base metal after welding.After PWHT,the hardness of the WM,CoCrFeMnNi-HEA,and DSS decreased with an increase in the PWHT temperature.However,the decrease in the hardness of the HEA was more significant than in the WM and DSS.The cause for this reduction in hardness was attributed to recrystallization and grain growth.In addition,a strength of 584 MPa with low ductility was recorded after welding.The obtained strength was lower than that of the BMs,but comparable to that of the welded CoCrFeMnNi-HEA.The application of PWHT resulted in over a 20％increment in ductility,with only a marginal reduction in strength.The deformation mechanism in the as-weld joint was mainly dominated by dislocation while that for the PWHT joint was twinning.We propose laser beam offset welding as a technique to improve the mechanical properties of the dissimilar joint,which will be the subject of future studies.     

Ceramic matrix composites containing carbon nanotubes

Due to the remarkable physical and mechanical properties of individual, perfect carbon nanotubes (CNTs), they are considered to be one of the most promising new reinforcements for structural composites. Their impressive electrical and thermal properties also suggest opportunities for multifunctional applications. In the context of inorganic matrix composites, researchers have particularly focussed on CNTs as toughening elements to overcome the intrinsic brittleness of the ceramic or glass material. Although there are now a number of studies published in the literature, these inorganic systems have received much less attention than CNT/polymer matrix composites. This paper reviews the current status of the research and development of CNT-loaded ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials. It includes a summary of the key issues related to the optimisation of CNT-based composites, with particular reference to brittle matrices and provides an overview of the processing techniques developed to optimise dispersion quality, interfaces, and density. The properties of the various composite systems are discussed, with an emphasis on toughness; a comprehensive comparative summary is provided, together with a discussion of the possible toughening mechanism that may operate. Last, a range of potential applications are discussed, concluding with a discussion of the scope for future developments in the field.     

Melt Infiltration: an Emerging Technique for the Preparation of Novel Functional Nanostructured Materials

The rapidly expanding toolbox for design and preparation is a major driving force for the advances in nanomaterials science and technology. Melt infiltration originates from the field of ceramic nanomaterials and is based on the infiltration of porous matrices with the melt of an active phase or precursor. In recent years, it has become a technique for the preparation of advanced materials: nanocomposites, pore‐confined nanoparticles, ordered mesoporous and nanostructured materials. Although certain restrictions apply, mostly related to the melting behavior of the infiltrate and its interaction with the matrix, this review illustrates that it is applicable to a wide range of materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, and metal hydrides and oxides. Melt infiltration provides an alternative to classical gas‐phase and solution‐based preparation methods, facilitating in several cases extended control over the nanostructure of the materials. This review starts with a concise discussion on the physical and chemical principles for melt infiltration, and the practical aspects. In the second part of this contribution, specific examples are discussed of nanostructured functional materials with applications in energy storage and conversion, catalysis, and as optical and structural materials and emerging materials with interesting new physical and chemical properties. Melt infiltration is a useful preparation route for material scientists from different fields, and we hope this review may inspire the search and discovery of novel nanostructured materials.     

Electroceramics: Characterization by Impedance Spectroscopy

Electroceramics are advanced materials whose properties and applications depend on the close control of structure, composition, ceramic texture, dopants and dopant (or defect) distribution. Impedance spectroscopy is a powerful technique for unravelling the complexities of such materials, which functions by utilizing the different frequency dependences of the constituent components for their separation. Thus, electrical inhomogeneities in ceramic electrolytes, electrode/electrolyte interfaces, surface layers on glasses, ferroelectricity, positive temperature coefficient of resistance behavior and even ferrimagnetism can all be probed, successfully, using this technique.     

Effective Interfacial Thickness in Dissimilar Materials through Nanoindentation

The nanoindentation technique is used to quantify the interfaces between dissimilar materials. The interfaces can be generally referred as to the transition regions in polymers due to environmental aging, or the regions between fibers and polymer matrix in composites, or other similar situations. It is proposed to use a nanoindenter equipped with small spherical tip to cross-indent the interfaces of dissimilar materials. The nanoindentation tests were carried out through 3-dimensional finite element simulations with varying properties of the two dissimilar materials, including various combinations of modulus (E₁/E₂), yield strength (σ_y1/σ_y2), hardening index (n₁/n₂), and the interface sizes (R/T). The mechanical properties are calculated across the interfaces and a quantitative model for predicting the effective interfacial thickness is established.     

Aerosol-assisted vapor phase synthesis of powder composites in the target system GaN/TiN for potential electronic applications

Synthesis and investigations of composites in the system GaN/TiN may help in understanding complex phenomena observed at GaN/titanium metal interfaces as well as expand a potential area of modern electronic/ceramic applications for such materials. Herein, powder composites in the system GaN/TiN are synthesized by means of the aerosol-assisted vapor phase synthesis (AAVS) method that was already successfully used to make nanopowders of BN and GaN as well as the magnetic semiconductor “GaMnN”.     

Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) technology and its applications to metals and ceramics

This review examines some of the components of this increasingly exploited technology as well as the application of which will surely increase as a result of constant development in equipment design and extensive research in the field of ceramic and metal materials in general for the production of fully dense and reliable parts. Newly developed high temperature HIP equipment can offer potential improvements to material properties relative to more conventional techniques as a possible solution to the manufacture of ceramic and metal components for airframe and structural components where critical and highly stressed applications are required. By the use the near net shape techniques, exotic materials can be used more cost effectively than machining from solid. Designers and manufacturers alike can make better products by introducing HIP to their production route.     

Multiferroic bismuth ferrite-based materials for multifunctional applications: Ceramic bulks,thin films and nanostructures

Among the different types of multiferroic compounds, bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃; BFO) stands out because it is perhaps the only one being simultaneously magnetic and strongly ferroelectric at room temperature. Therefore, in the past decade or more, extensive research has been devoted to BFO-based materials in a variety of different forms, including ceramic bulks, thin films and nanostructures. Ceramic bulk BFO and their solid solutions with other oxide perovskite compounds show excellent ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties and are thus promising candidates for lead-free ferroelectric and piezoelectric devices. BFO thin films, on the other hand, exhibit versatile structures and many intriguing properties, particularly the robust ferroelectricity, the inherent magnetoelectric coupling, and the emerging photovoltaic effects. BFO-based nanostructures are of great interest owing to their size effect-induced structural modification and enhancement in various functional behaviors, such as magnetic and photocatalytic properties. Although to date several review papers on BFO and BFO-based materials have been published, they were each largely focused on one particular form of BFO. There have been very few papers addressing the different forms of BFO in a comprehensive manner and providing a comparison across the different forms. As BFO has been extensively studied over the past more than one decade especially in the past several years, there have been new phenomena arising more recently. Naturally they were not included in the early reviews. Here, we provide an updated comprehensive review on the progress of BFO-based materials made in the past fifteen years in the different forms of ceramic bulks, thin films and nanostructures, focusing on the pathways to modify different structures and to achieve enhanced physical properties and new functional behavior. We also prospect the future potential development for BFO-based materials in the cross disciplines and for multifunctional applications. We hope that this comprehensive review will serve as a timely updating and reference for researchers who are interested in further exploring bismuth ferrite-based materials.     

Micromechanics of Amorphous Metal/Polymer Hybrid Structures with 3D Cellular Architectures: Size Effects,Buckling Behavior,and Energy Absorption Capability

By designing advantageous cellular geometries and combining the material size effects at the nanometer scale, lightweight hybrid microarchitectured materials with tailored structural properties are achieved. Prior studies reported the mechanical properties of high strength cellular ceramic composites, obtained by atomic layer deposition. However, few studies have examined the properties of similar structures with metal coatings. To determine the mechanical performance of polymer cellular structures reinforced with a metal coating, 3D laser lithography and electroless deposition of an amorphous layer of nickel‐boron (NiB) is used for the first time to produce metal/polymer hybrid structures. In this work, the mechanical response of microarchitectured structures is investigated with an emphasis on the effects of the architecture and the amorphous NiB thickness on their deformation mechanisms and energy absorption capability. Microcompression experiments show an enhancement of the mechanical properties with the NiB thickness, suggesting that the deformation mechanism and the buckling behavior are controlled by the brittle‐to‐ductile transition in the NiB layer. In addition, the energy absorption properties demonstrate the possibility of tuning the energy absorption efficiency with adequate designs. These findings suggest that microarchitectured metal/polymer hybrid structures are effective in producing materials with unique property combinations.     

Topologically engineered 3D printed architectures with superior mechanical strength

Materials that are lightweight yet exhibit superior mechanical properties are of compelling importance for several technological applications that range from aircrafts to household appliances. Lightweight materials allow energy saving and reduce the amount of resources required for manufacturing. Researchers have expended significant efforts in the quest for such materials, which require new concepts in both tailoring material microstructure as well as structural design. Architectured materials, which take advantage of new engineering paradigms, have recently emerged as an exciting avenue to create bespoke combinations of desired macroscopic material responses. In some instances, rather unique structures have emerged from advanced geometrical concepts (e.g. gyroids, menger cubes, or origami/kirigami-based structures), while in others innovation has emerged from mimicking nature in bio-inspired materials (e.g. honeycomb structures, nacre, fish scales etc.). Beyond design, additive manufacturing has enabled the facile fabrication of complex geometrical and bio-inspired architectures, using computer aided design models. The combination of simulations and experiments on these structures has led to an enhancement of mechanical properties, including strength, stiffness and toughness. In this review, we provide a perspective on topologically engineered architectured materials that exhibit optimal mechanical behaviour and can be readily printed using additive manufacturing.     

Smart Eutectic Gallium–Indium: From Properties to Applications

Eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn), a liquid metal with a melting point close to or below room temperature, has attracted extensive attention in recent years due to its excellent properties such as fluidity, high conductivity, thermal conductivity, stretchability, self-healing capability, biocompatibility, and recyclability. These features of EGaIn can be adjusted by changing the experimental condition, and various composite materials with extended properties can be further obtained by mixing EGaIn with other materials. In this review, not only the are unique properties of EGaIn introduced, but also the working principles for the EGaIn-based devices are illustrated and the developments of EGaIn-related techniques are summarized. The applications of EGaIn in various fields, such as flexible electronics (sensors, antennas, electronic circuits), molecular electronics (molecular memory, opto-electronic switches, or reconfigurable junctions), energy catalysis (heat management, motors, generators, batteries), biomedical science (drug delivery, tumor therapy, bioimaging and neural interfaces) are reviewed. Finally, a critical discussion of the main challenges for the development of EGaIn-based techniques are discussed, and the potential applications in new fields are prospected.     

Integrating spin-based technologies with atomically controlled van der Waals interfaces

As the feature sizes of electronic devices continue to shrink, new technologies—in particular spintronics and derived interfacial architectures—become increasingly pivotal. In this context, two-dimensional van der Waals materials and their interfaces are particularly attractive, relying on their ultimate atomic thicknesses and exceptional spin-related properties. This review provides a critical evaluation on the state-of-the-art of van der Waals interfaces and projected technological applications in spintronics, highlights major challenges and a viable solution—an all-in-situ growth and characterization strategy, and finally identifies several emerging spin-based technologies that might significantly benefit from the versatile van der Waals interfaces enabled by the strategy.     

陶瓷连接技术及其应用

金属与陶瓷的连接逐渐成为现代制造业中重要的加工手段,连接技术的发展使陶瓷材料可以与传统的金属材料组合使用,并且二者可以互相弥补彼此的不足。此外,由于使用环境越来越苛刻,对连接接头的耐高温性能以及机械性能均提出了更高的要求,因此更加需要大力发展连接工艺。介绍了几种主要的陶瓷连接技术,包括活性金属钎焊、高温活性钎焊、超声辅助陶瓷连接、反应空气钎焊、玻璃连接、过渡液相连接和部分过渡液相连接,对各种陶瓷连接技术的机理进行了相应阐述,同时对缓解陶瓷/金属连接接头残余应力常用的中间层法进行了重点论述。最后,对近年来陶瓷连接技术和发展趋势以及应用做出了展望。