Ultrafast high-temperature sintering of barium titanate ceramics with colossal dielectric constants

Application of Ultrafast High-temperature Sintering (UHS) technique to rapidly densify barium titanate ceramics has been explored for the first time. Bulk ceramic with ~94% density was obtained by UHS at ~1340 °C for 60 seconds. The densification process was accompanied with progressive sample discolouration from light to dark grey. Further analysis indicates that oxygen vacancy and its associated Ti-rich phase Ba₄Ti₁₂O₂₇ are present in the ceramics. Their roles in ultrafast densification and sample discoloration are discussed. Due to the presence of oxygen vacancies, the UHSed ceramics generally exhibit a colossal dielectric constant of ~ 15–30k at 1 kHz, with dielectric loss of ~0.07–0.10, while the ceramics without oxygen vacancy retain a dielectric constant of ~3000–6000 and dielectric loss of ~ 0.06 at 1 kHz which are comparable to that of the conventionally sintered ceramics. Furthermore, the challenges in applying UHS to sinter thick BT ceramics are discussed, aided by thermal simulations.     

Thermoelectric properties and thermal stability of metal-doped cuprous sulfide thermoelectrics

Mn doping and S-evaporation are strategies used to improve the thermoelectric properties and thermal stability of cuprous sulfide thermoelectric materials. Cu_1.8S and Mn-alloyed Cu_1.8S powders were prepared via ball milling, and different samples were obtained via current-assisted sintering at different times. It was found that Mn and S-evaporation optimized the carrier concentration and thus improved the figure of merit (ZT) of the samples. The introduction of pore defects induced by S-evaporation also improved the ZT. The maximum ZT of the optimized sample reached 0.89 at 500 °C. Mn in the samples reacted with oxygen to form an oxide film on the surface of the block, which inhibited the kinetic process of Cu_1.8S decomposition and improved the thermal stability of the samples. However, the reaction between Mn and oxygen led to a continuous loss of metal cations in the material, resulting in changes in the thermoelectric properties.     

Structural,dielectric and piezoelectric properties of (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3–(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3–Bi(Zn0.5Ti0.5)O3 thin films prepared by sol–gel method

Lead free (1−x)(0.8Bi_0.5Na_0.5Ti_0.5O₃–0.2Bi_0.5K_0.5TiO₃)–xBiZn_0.5Ti_0.5O₃ (x=0–0.06) (BNT–BKT–BZT) thin films were deposited on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by a sol–gel processing technique. The effects of BZT content on the structural, dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of the BNT–BKT–BZT thin films were investigated systematically. The BNT–BKT–BZT thin films undergo a transition from ferroelectric to relaxor phase with increasing temperature. The phase transition temperature decreases with the increase of BZT content. The BNT–BKT–BZT thin film with x=0.04 exhibits the best ferroelectric properties (P_max=40 µC/cm² and P_r=10 µC/cm²), largest dielectric constant (ε=560) and piezoelectric constant (d₃₃=40 pm/V). This finding demonstrates that the BNT–BKT–BZT thin film has an excellent potential for demanding high piezoelectric properties in lead free films.     

Microstructure and thermal expansion behavior of diamond/SiC/(Si) composites fabricated by reactive vapor infiltration

Diamond/SiC/(Si) composites were fabricated by Si vapor vacuum reactive infiltration. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of composites have been measured from 50 to 400 °C. With the diamond content increasing, CTE of composite decreased, simultaneously, the microstructure of the composites changed from core–shell particles embedded in the Si matrix to an interpenetrating network with the matrix. The CTEs of composites versus temperature matched well with those of Si. The Kerner model was modified according to the structural features of the composites, which exhibited more accurate predictions due to considering the core–shell structure of the composites. The thermal expansion behavior of the matrix was constrained by diamond/SiC network during heating.     

喷墨打印头陶瓷喷孔的皮秒激光加工研究

喷墨打印头的喷孔直径一般为几十微米,材料一般是有机薄膜、不锈钢薄片等。针对有机膜等作为喷嘴板材料的缺陷,采用氧化锆陶瓷代替,以提高耐磨能力和耐腐蚀性。采用皮秒激光打孔方法,可在多种材料上加工出直径几十微米的小孔,包括聚酰亚胺（厚度50μm）、氧化锆陶瓷（厚度120μm）和铜片（厚度70μm）。通过控制不同的参数变化,可制备出孔径约20μm、孔间距为140μm的喷孔阵列。对比不同参数下喷孔尺寸和微观形貌发现,较高功率密度、较低单点停留时间有助于得到圆孔,减少重铸层。     

The effect of pore necking on Knudsen diffusivity and collision frequency of gas molecules with pore walls

Straight pores whose walls were concave (for “Swiss cheese” type solids), convex (for “cannonball” type), or cylindrical (for capillary type) were simulated by computer. The pores having concave and convex walls were represented as an assemblage of spherical elements since any pore could be described merely by listing the radii and coordinates of the elements. Using a Monte Carlo method, molecular trajectories of gas molecules inside the pores were computed in the Knudsen regime to obtain the diffusivities, collision numbers and collision densities. These parameters were strongly dependent on the pore wall configuration. An equation was presented which enabled the prediction of Knudsen diffusivity from the mean pore size d̄ and (d_n/d_w)² (where d_n and d_w are the diameters of narrow and wide sections inside the pores, respectively). The average number of collisions per molecule J̄ was also correlated quite well with the ratio of geometric diffusion length to mean pore size L₀/d̄ for each type and was in the order capillary type > Swiss cheese type > cannonball type. It was found that the pore of capillary type had the preferred wall configuration among these three types from the view point of diffusivity and collision numbers of molecules. The results obtained here will have application to the design of micro- and macro-pore structures of supported catalysts.     

Electrical resistivity of pitch during heat treatment

The d.c. electrical resistivity of coal-tar pitch has been measured from ambient temperature to 450 °C. The change in resistivity with temperature up to 200 °C has been found to be consistent with viscosity-controlled diffusion of current carriers. In an isothermal study at 450 °C, the start of mesophase formation was found to be accompanied by a rapid rise in the pitch resistivity, which subsequently levelled off and remained nearly constant until the onset of mesophase coalescence and phase inversion. The resistivity of the resultant mesophase pitch was found to be less temperature susceptible than that of the parent pitch.     

Control of phase transition in TaSe3

Stabilization factors of the high and low temperature phases of TaSe₃ are investigated. The low temperature phase is stabilized by zirconium or titanium impurity. The high temperature phase is stabilized by oxygen impurity. Without oxygen impurity, the low temperature phase is stable up to decomposition temperature and the phase transition is completely suppressed by zirconium impurity.     

Transmission electron microscopy investigation of the transient oxides formed on the aluminide coating on Inconel 625 superalloy

A high activity aluminide coating was formed on the γ phase Inconel 625 superalloy by the pack cementation process. Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the structure of the transient oxides formed on the aluminide coating. The transient oxides formed on the coating after exposure in air at 1200 °C for 250 s were found to consist of highly oriented NiO, Ni(Al, Cr)₂O₄ and α-(Al, Cr)₂O₃.