Application of ultrasonic methods to determine elastic anisotropy of polycrystalline copper processed by equal-channel angular pressing

Anisotropy of elastic properties of ultrafine-grained polycrystalline copper after one, two and four passes of equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) is investigated by means of ultrasonic methods. For each material, Young’s and shear moduli in the principal processing directions are evaluated and the symmetry and orientation of the anisotropy are identified. The relation between the determined symmetry and the processing mechanisms is discussed. It is shown that the material after one and two passes of ECAP exhibits a measurable anisotropy, while the material after the fourth pass behaves isotropically. Within the discussion, it is shown that the origin of the observed anisotropy may be attributed to the spatial arrangement of grain boundaries rather than to the crystallographic texture. In the light of this conclusion, the obtained results correspond well with optical and transmission electron microscopy observations of the microstructures of ECAPed materials documented in the literature.     

Sensing of silver ions by nanotubular polyaniline film deposited on quartz-crystal in a microbalance

Nanotubular polyaniline film was deposited onto the electrode of the quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the form of emeraldine base was exposed to a solution of silver nitrate. The reduction for silver ions took place and silver nanoparticles were produced at the film surface. The deposition of silver was monitored by using the QCM and the UV–vis spectroscopy. The morphology of the film before and after the silver deposition was studied by the scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Silver nanoparticles had sizes of about 50–120 nm and globular and triangular shape. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure of the composite. The present approach could be used for noble-metal recovery in waste waters.     

Self-assembled polyaniline 12-tungstophosphate micro/nanostructures

Polyaniline (PANI) micro/nanostructures were synthesized by the external-template-free oxidative polymerization of aniline in aqueous solution of 12-tungstophosphoric acid (WPA), using ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS) as an oxidant and starting the oxidation of aniline from slightly acidic media (pH 5.4–5.9). The effect of the initial weight ratio of WPA to aniline on molecular structure, morphology, and physicochemical properties of polyaniline 12-tungstophosphate (PANI-WPA) was investigated by FTIR, Raman and inductively coupled plasma optical emission (ICP-OES) spectroscopies, elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and conductivity measurements. The morphological change of polymerization products during a single polymerization process, from non-conducting submicro-/microspherical oligoaniline intermediates to semiconducting PANI-WPA consisted of self-assembled nanotubes and/or nanorods co-existing with submicro-/microspheres, has been revealed by SEM and TEM. The average diameter of nanorods in PANI-WPA samples decreased with increasing the initial WPA/aniline weight ratio. The incorporation of 12-tungstophosphate counter-ions into PANI matrix has been proved by FTIR, Raman and ICP-OES spectroscopies, TGA and DTA analysis. Electrical conductivity of PANI-WPA increased in the range (2.5–5.3) × 10^?3 S cm^?1 with the increase of the initial WPA/aniline weight ratio. The presence of branched structures and phenazine units besides the ordinary paramagnetic and diamagnetic emeraldine salt structural features in PANI-WPA was proved by FTIR and Raman spectroscopies.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of hot pressed Al2O3/SiC nanocomposites

Al₂O₃/SiC micro/nano composites containing different volume fractions (5, 10, 15, and 20 vol.%) of SiC were prepared by mixing a sub-micron alumina powder with respective amounts of either micro- or nano-sized silicon carbide powders. The powder mixtures were hot pressed 1 h at 1740 °C and 30 MPa in the atmosphere of Ar. The effect of SiC addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties, i.e. hardness, fracture toughness, and room temperature flexural strength were investigated. The flexural strength increased with increasing volume fraction of silicon carbide particles. The maximum flexural strength (655 ± 90 MPa) was achieved for the composite containing 20 vol.% of coarse-grained SiC, which is more than twice as high as in the Al₂O₃ reference. Hardness and fracture toughness were also moderately improved. The observed improvement of mechanical properties is mainly attributed to alumina matrix grain refinement and grain boundary reinforcement.     

Effect of acids and bases on electrophoretic deposition of alumina and zirconia particles in 2-propanol

The effects of acids (monochloroacetic, dichloracetic, trichloroacetic and sulfuric acids) and bases (diethanolamine, triethanolamine, piperidine) on electrophoretic mobility and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of particles of amphoteric Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ in anhydrous 2-propanol were studied. It was found that the ζ-potential of Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ particles had in acidic and alkaline 2-propanol media opposite charge to that in aqueous medium. This phenomenon was explained by the low dissociation constants of acids and bases in 2-propanol. This enables electrosteric stabilization of Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ particles by acid anions and base cations. Similar electrophoretic behaviour of Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ particles in 2-propanolic dispersions stabilized by MCAA allowed the preparation of compact, regular layered laminates with high cohesion at the interface of layers.     

Chemical Synthesis,Sintering and Piezoelectric Properties of Ba0.85Ca0.15 Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 Lead‐Free Ceramics

The preparation of Ba_0.85Ca_0.15 Zr_0.1Ti_0.9O₃ (BCZT) powders by wet chemical methods has been investigated, and the powders used to explore relationships between the microstructure and piezoelectric properties (d₃₃ coefficient) of sintered BCZT ceramics. Sol–gel synthesis has been shown to be a successful method for the preparation of BCZT nanopowders with a pure tetragonal perovskite phase structure, specific surface area up to 21.8 m²/g and a mean particle size of 48 nm. These powders were suitable for the fabrication of dense BCZT ceramics with fine‐grain microstructures. The ceramics with the highest density of 95% theoretical density (TD) and grain size of 1.3 μm were prepared by uniaxial pressing followed by a two‐step sintering approach which contributed to the refinement of the BCTZ microstructure. A decrease in the grain size to 0.8–0.9 μm was achieved when samples were prepared using cold isostatic pressing. Using various sintering schedules, BCZT ceramics with broad range of grain sizes (0.8–60.5 μm) were prepared. The highest d₃₃ = 410.8 ± 13.2 pC/N was exhibited by ceramics prepared from sol–gel powder sintered at 1425°C, with the relative density of 89.6%TD and grain size of 36 μm.     

Stability and rheology of dilute TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-water nanofluids

The apparent wall slip (AWS) effect, accompanying the flow of colloidal dispersions in confined geometries, can be an important factor for the applications of nanofluids in heat transfer and microfluidics. In this study, a series of dilute TiO₂ aqueous dispersions were prepared and tested for the possible presence of the AWS effect by means of a novel viscometric technique. The nanofluids, prepared from TiO₂ rutile or anatase nanopowders by ultrasonic dispersing in water, were stabilized by adjusting the pH to the maximum zeta potential. The resulting stable nanofluid samples were dilute, below 0.7 vol.%. All the samples manifest Newtonian behavior with the fluidities almost unaffected by the presence of the dispersed phase. No case of important slip contribution was detected: the Navier slip coefficient of approximately 2 mm Pa^-1 s^-1 would affect the apparent fluidity data in a 100-μm gap by less than 1%.     

Anticorrosion efficiency of organic coatings depending on the pigment volume concentration of polyaniline phosphate

Polyaniline (PANI) was synthesized by reaction in an aqueous solution of ammonium peroxodisulfate and phosphoric acid. PANI was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy and its physical–chemical properties were determined. Simultaneously with the synthesized PANI epoxy-ester coatings containing 3, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 24 vol.% of PANI as a corrosion inhibitor were formulated. The coatings were tested for their mechanical properties, film hardness and corrosion resistance. The testing of the anticorrosion efficiency of PANI as corrosion inhibitor was based on accelerated corrosion tests: in condensed water, NaCl mist, and condensing water and SO₂. The prepared PANI displayed inhibition effects in corrosion reactions progressing on a steel base under the organic coating. The synthesized PANI provides good anticorrosion efficiency in an epoxy-ester coating. The studied system does not contain any heavy metals harmful to the environment.     

Hydrogenation of phenylacetylene and 3-phenylpropyne using Rh(diene) complexes under homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions

Hydrogenation of phenylacetylene (PA) and 3-phenylpropyne (PP) was carried out using [Rh(diene)Cl]₂ complexes (diene is hexadiene (HD), cycloocta-1,5-diene (COD), norborna-2,5-diene (NBD)) in their immobilized forms and compared with hydrogenation in homogeneous arrangement. Immobilization brings significant increase of the catalytic activity and product selectivity in the step-wise hydrogenation to corresponding vinyl-resp. allyl-benzenes. Diene-ligand effect was apparent in PA hydrogenation; the product selectivity decreased in order Rh(HD) > Rh(NBD) > Rh(COD) and catalytic activity decreased in order Rh(HD) > Rh(COD) > Rh(NBD).     

Polyaniline-coated silver nanowires

Two non-conducting chemicals, aniline and silver nitrate, dissolved in formic acid solutions, yielded a composite of two conducting products, polyaniline and silver. As the concentration of formic acid increased, an alternative reaction, the reduction of silver nitrate with formic acid to silver became dominant, and the content of silver in the composites increased. The formation of polyaniline was confirmed by UV–visible, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopies. The typical conductivity of composites was 43 S cm^?1 at 84 wt.% of silver. Silver nanowires coated with polyaniline nanobrushes are produced at low concentrations of formic acid, the granular silver particles covered with polyaniline dominate at high acid concentrations.