Microwave synthesis and characterization of Zn-doped nickel ferrite nanoparticles

Microwave assisted combustion method was used to synthesize nanocrystalline Zn_xNi_1−xFe₂O₄ from a stoichiometric mixture of corresponding metal nitrates and urea powders. The structural, chemical and magnetic properties of Ni–Zn ferrite was determined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and DC conductivity measurements. Results showed that the material was spinel structure with a high purity with an estimated crystallite size of 20 nm by X-ray line profile fitting. TEM analysis showed necked near-spherical particles with an average size of 20 nm, reflecting highly crystalline nature of these nanoparticles. Magnetic properties showed anomalities as the Zn doping level increased. This has been explained and attributed to the relative positions of Ni, Zn, and Fe ions in the crystal lattice.     

Measurement and estimation of species distribution in a direct methanol fuel cell

Determination of methanol concentration in a direct methanol fuel cell is crucial for design improvement and performance enhancement. Methanol and water concentrations in a direct methanol fuel cell are experimentally and numerically investigated. In the experimental program, a single cell direct methanol fuel cell is developed and an experimental setup is devised to measure methanol and water concentrations and performance of the cell depending on operating conditions. In theoretical program a mathematical model which includes fluid flow, species distribution, electric field and electrochemistry is adapted and numerically solved. The results showed that the performance of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) is mainly influenced by operating temperature. A large drop in methanol concentration methanol is measured at the inlet section of cell. The mathematical model is found to satisfactorily capture main physics involved in a DMFC.     

Engineering solid oxide fuel cell electrode microstructure by a micro-modeling tool based on estimation of TPB length

In this study, a typical solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrode microstructure is numerically optimized in terms of the volume fraction of the catalyst, electrolyte and pore phases via a novel tool based on Dream.3D for the synthetic microstructure reconstruction and COMSOL Multiphysics® Modeling for visualizing and computing three/triple phase boundaries (TPBs). First, the properties of the representative volume element are studied by a parameter independence analysis based on the average particle size. The results indicate that the size of the representative volume element should be at least 10 times greater than the largest average particle size in the microstructure, while the number of mesh elements should be selected such that the smallest average particle size in the system is divided into at least 5. The method is then validated with the available studies in the literature and seems to agree well. Therefore, numerical reconstruction of SOFC electrodes by the proposed method is found to be a very useful tool in the viewpoints of accuracy, flexibility and cost. Finally, SOFC electrode microstructures having the same particle size distribution of an average particle size of 0.5 μm for each phase but with various phase volume fractions are generated and the resultant TPBs are computed similarly. It is found out that the volume fraction of each phase should be close to each other as much as possible to maximize the active TPB density and among the cases considered, the highest active TPB density of 9.53 μm/μm³ is achieved for an SOFC electrode including 35 vol% catalyst, 35 vol% electrolyte and 30 vol% porosity. The active TPB density is also found to be around 93% of the total TPB density.     

Synthesis, dielectric and magnetic characteristics of poly(1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole) (PVTri)-barium hexaferrite composite

The production of PVTri-BaFe₁₂O₁₉ composites was carried out by in situ polymerization of PVTri in the presence of synthesized BaFe₁₂O₁₉ particles. Crystalline phase was determined as BaFe₁₂O₁₉ by XRD analysis and thermal analysis revealed an inorganic content of ∼45% in the composite. SEM and TEM analyses showed strongly agglomerated particles in the range of 200 nm to several micrometers in the composite. The dielectric function of the various temperatures showed frequency dependency in a reciprocal power law. The dissipation (or loss) of energy stored within the composite was found to obey the reciprocal rule of power law of the frequency dependency. The real part of electrical modulus formalism increased exponentially with frequency for various temperatures, reaching a constant value and finally saturated. The imaginary part showed a reciprocal power law against the applied frequency and shifted to higher frequency at elevated temperatures. Magnetization measurements revealed substantially lower saturation magnetization of the composite material as compared to the bulk barium ferrite powders, possibly due to pinning of some of the surface spins by the adsorption of the PVTri molecules to the surface of the BaFe₁₂O₁₉.     

Human Reliability Analysis in Spaceflight Applications,Part 2: Modified CREAM for Spaceflight

Human reliability analysis is a crucial for manned spaceflight success. Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Model (CREAM) has been developed and used by the nuclear industry in predicting human error. Previously, the authors have calculated the probability error for an International Space Station ingress procedure using performance shaping factors (PSF). In this paper, the procedural risk under both ideal and common conditions using the new spaceflight specific PSFs is calculated. The risk was found to vary from the risk calculated using standard PSFs and to vary greatly depending on the spacecraft specific conditions. Under ideal conditions, the risk was found to be 1 in 88, but under common conditions, the risk was 1 in 3. Then, the new PSFs were used to analyze the impact of the three styles of training used at NASA under common conditions. Of skill‐based training, task‐based training, and knowledge‐based training, the CREAM analysis using the new PSFs showed that skill‐based training resulted in the most significant improvement in the risk of human error, from 1 in 3 to 1 in 11. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Room temperature deposition of XRD-amorphous TiO2 thin films: Investigation of device performance as a function of temperature

In this study, TiO₂ thin films were fabricated by radio frequency sputtering at room temperature in pure Ar atmosphere starting from a 6?in. TiO₂ target. The thickness of the films was controlled by deposition time and the effect of Ar sputtering pressure on the characteristics of TiO₂ thin films was evaluated. Surface morphology and optical properties of TiO₂ films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Also, the refractive index and extinction coefficient of films were inferred by fitting spectrophotometric data. Schottky diode were fabricated by evaporation of Ni on TiO₂ films. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements of Ni/TiO₂ films showed that the rectifying properties of the device improves with the increasing of TiO₂ film density and thickness. Therefore, the best I-V characteristic of the device was investigated depending on the temperature. Also, Ni/n-TiO₂/p-Si/Al devices were fabricated to understand their transport mechanism.     

Reactive extraction and LSER model consideration of lactic acid with tripropylamine+organic solvent systems from aqueous solution at room temperature

The extraction of lactic acid was done by tripropylamine (TPA) dissolved in seven single solvents (isoamyl alcohol, heptan-1-ol, hexan-1-ol, octan-1-ol, nonan-1-ol, decan-1-ol, and dodecanol). All measurements were carried out at 298.15 K. The extent to which the organic phase may be loaded with lactic acid is expressed as loading ratio, Z, its value extraction efficiencies, E, and overall particular distribution coefficients, D, were calculated. Equilibrium complexation constants for (acid:amine) (1:1), (1:2) have been determined according to Bizek's approach. The maximum removal of lactic acid accomplished was about 81% with isoamyl alcohol having 1.935 mol dm^− 3 initial concentration of TPA. All of the obtained data have been correlated by linear solvation energy relationship (LSER) model. LSER model results were compared with the experimental results and well agreement between them was observed. Regression coefficient (R²) of LSER model is 0.972.     

A lumped-circuit model for the radiation impedance of a circular piston in a rigid baffle

The radiation impedance of a piston transducer mounted in a rigid baffle has been widely addressed in the literature. The real and imaginary parts of the impedance are described by the first order Bessel and Struve functions, respectively. Although there are power series expansions for both functions, the analytic formulation of a lumped circuit is not trivial. In this paper, we present an empirical approach to the derivation of a lumped-circuit model for the radiation impedance expression, based on observations on the near-field behavior of stored kinetic and elastic energy. The field analysis is carried out using a finite element method model of the piston and surrounding fluid medium. We show that fluctuations in the real and imaginary components of the impedance can be modeled by series and shunt tank circuits, each of which shape a certain section of the impedance curve. Because the model is composed of lumped-circuit elements, it can be used in circuit simulators. Consequently, the proposed model is useful for the analysis of transducer front-end circuits.     

Effects of electrolyte pattern on mechanical and electrochemical properties of solid oxide fuel cells

In order to enhance the electrochemical performance and reduce the operation temperature of a conventional electrolyte supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), a three layered electrolyte with various geometry is designed and fabricated. Novel three layered electrolytes comprise a dense and thin scandia alumina stabilized zirconia (ScAlSZ) electrolyte layer sandwiched between two hallow ScAlSZ electrolyte layers each having the same thickness as the support but machined into a filter like architecture in the active region with circular, rectangular and triangular cut off patterns. The percent of thin electrolyte layer in the active region is kept constant as 30% for all designs in order to investigate the effect of pattern geometry on the mechanical properties and the performance of the electrolytes. Single cells based on novel electrolytes are manufactured and electrochemical properties are evaluated. A standard electrolyte and electrolyte supported cell are also fabricated as a base case for comparison. Although the electrolyte having triangular patterns has the highest peak power at all operation temperatures considered, it exhibits the lowest flexural strength.     

Synthesis and NMR studies of the polymer membranes based on poly(4-vinylbenzylboronic acid) and phosphoric acid

Proton conduction in novel anhydrous membranes based on host polymer, poly(4-vinylbenzylboronic acid), (P4VBBA) and phosphoric acid, (H₃PO₄) as proton solvent was studied. The materials were prepared by the insertion of the proton solvent into P4VBBA at different stoichiometric ratios to get P4VBBA·xH₃PO₄ composite electrolytes. Homopolymer and the composite materials were characterized by FT-IR, ¹¹B MAS NMR and ³¹P MAS NMR. ¹¹B MAS NMR results suggested that acid doping favors or leads to a four-coordinated boron arrangement. ³¹P MAS NMR results illustrated the immobilization of phosphoric acid to the polymer through condensation with boron functional groups (B-O-P and/or B-O-P-O-B). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the condensation of composite materials starts approximately at 140 °C. An exponential weight loss above this temperature was attributed to intermolecular condensation of acidic units forming cross-linked polymer. The insertion of phosphoric acid into the matrix softened the materials shifting T_g to lower temperatures. The temperature dependence of the proton conductivity was modeled with Arrhenius relation. P4VBBA·2H₃PO₄ has a maximum proton conductivity of 0.0013 S/cm at RT and 0.005 S/cm at 80 °C.