Unveiling crystallization mechanism for controlling nanocrystalline structure in glasses

Controlling nanocrystalline structure in glasses renders the exploration of new composite multiphase (glass-ceramic) materials with novel functionalities that determined by the precipitated nanocrystals and residual glassy matrix. Previous microstructural investigation of glass-ceramics focused only on one aspect of nanocrystalline structures, e.g., nano-polycrystalline or single nanocrystalline. The recognition of the microscopic mechanism of nanostructure formation in glasses is absent. Here, we use advanced microscopic techniques to show the formation of different nanocrystalline structures composed of nano-polycrystals and single nanocrystals in 80GeS₂·20In₂S₃ and 72.5GeS₂·14.5Sb₂S₃·13RbCl glasses, respectively. Crystallization mechanism for controlling the nanocrystalline structure in glasses was revealed to depend on whether the glass network former participates in crystallization process. The results may shed light not only on glass crystallization mechanism, but also on the fundamental nature of the network structure of chalcogenide glasses.     

马氏体不锈钢低温表面改性技术研究进展

综述了马氏体不锈钢的低温表面改性处理技术及其研究进展,重点介绍了马氏体不锈钢低温渗氮、低温渗碳、低温氮碳共渗和离子注入技术,以期为马氏体不锈钢的表面改性提供参考。     

Effect of Ba nonstoichiometry on the phase composition,microstructure, chemical stability and electrical conductivity of BaxCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ (0.9≤x≤1.1) proton conductors

The perovskite proton conductors Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (x=0.9, 0.94, 0.98, 1.0, 1.03, 1.06, and 1.1) have been successfully prepared by the conventional solid state reaction route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples indicate that Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (x≥1.0) samples possess a single phase orthorhombic structure, but a secondary phase (Y,Ce)O_2−δ exists in Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (x<1.0) samples. SEM photographs show that the grain size of Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ increases and the porosity decreases with Ba²⁺ content varying from x=0.9 to 1.1. Because of ZnO addition as sintering aid, the sintering temperature of the samples reduces from 1550 °C to 1250 °C. The chemical stability of the samples against CO₂ decreases with the increase in Ba content from x=0.9 to 1.1. All the samples show a excellent stability against water vapor at 850 °C. The conductivities of the samples increase and the activation energies reduce with the increase in Ba content. The present results suggest that it is very important to control the stoichiometry of cations to obtain desired perovskite type high temperature proton conductors.     

Enhance photocatalysis of TiO2 and ZnO ceramics by addition of fused silica as a UV guiding medium

We report a facile method to prepare porous TiO₂ and ZnO photo-catalytic ceramics in which colloidal silica was added to yield nano fused silica (FS). The colloidal silica forms continuous media within the porous ceramic structure, and when calcined at 550 °C, it converted to fused silica phase which is an excellent UV wave-guiding material. With light wave guiding effect of FS and capillary effect of reaction solution in the porous channels, the photo-catalytic reactions could occur at the vast active sites at interface inside the porous bulks, as well as at the external surfaces. Photo-catalysis experiments and kinetics were investigated and analyzed. The photo-catalytic efficiencies tested for methylene blue were enhanced by a factor of 4.1 for TiO₂/FS system and, astonishingly, by a factor of 34.6 for ZnO/FS system, when compared with pure TiO₂ and ZnO under identical testing conditions. A model of UV-waveguide ceramic systems was proposed and discussed. This study proposes a practical approach to construct UV-waveguide porous structures, of which the principle is also potentially applicable to other types of photo-catalytic materials, including visible light active photo-catalysts.     

A kinetic model involving oxidation and volatilization in SiC-B4C-xAl2O3 ceramics system

In this paper, a new kinetic model considering both oxidation and volatilization kinetics is established and applied to analyze the oxidation of SiC-B₄C-xAl₂O₃ ceramics and other systems in various oxidation conditions. The effects of diffusion area and volume changes during the oxidation process are considered in this model. The physical meaning of each parameter in this model is explicit and simple. According to this model, the diffusion coefficient of species and the corresponding diffusion activation energy are easily available. The practicability of this model is well verified by the experimental data of SiC-B₄C-xAl₂O₃ and other systems oxidized under different conditions. In addition, the practice shows that the model is applicable not only to the systems where oxidation and volatilization coexist, but also to the system where only oxidation plays a major role. We hope the model proposed in this work can be used in other materials with more complex environments.     

Structure-design strategy of 0–3 type (Bi0.32Sr0.42Na0.20)TiO3/MgO composite to boost energy storage density,efficiency and charge-discharge performance

A novel 0–3 type (Bi_0.32Sr_0.42Na_0.20)TiO₃/MgO composite is investigated in this work, which possesses a high stored energy storage density w_s˜2.50 J/cm³, recoverable energy storage density W_R˜2.09 J/cm³ with high efficiency η˜84% under low electric field (20 kV/mm). The excellent performance is owning to the increase of breakdown strength (BDS) value and the intrinsic mechanism for enhanced BDS value by MgO incorporation is disclosed by numerical simulations (COMSOL). Moreover, the studied composite exhibits excellent charge-discharge performance, the current density (C_D) and power density (P_D) are 1671 A/cm² and 150 MW/cm³, respectively, which are much superior to that of other ceramics. Besides, most of the stored energy is discharged within ˜0.15 μs via charge-discharge tests. This work not only provides a novel technique to designing bismuth-based ceramic capacitors with simultaneously high W_d, η and excellent charge-discharge performance, but also deepens the understandings of the role for the metallic oxide in the composite.     

Highly efficient chemical mechanical polishing method for SiC substrates using enhanced slurry containing bubbles of ozone gas

In this study, a highly efficient method for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of silicon carbide (SiC) substrates using enhanced slurry was proposed and developed. The enhanced slurry contains bubbles of ozone gas generated by ozone gas generator in pure water mixed with a conventional commercially available slurry. Therefore, the enhanced slurry has an oxidizing effect on the Si-face of SiC substrates. To confirm the effectiveness of bubbles enclosing ozone gas, both nano-indentation test and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis were conducted. As a result, the hardness decrease of the Si-face of the SiC substrate was confirmed through the nano-indentation test, and the generation of reaction products was confirmed on Si-face of SiC substrate in the XPS analysis. According to a series of experimental results of our proposed highly efficient CMP method for SiC substrates, the removal rate can be increased when the enhanced slurry was applied, comparing with that for the not only conventional commercially available slurry but also commercially available dedicated slurry.     

Chemically engineered graphene oxide as high performance cathode materials for Li-ion batteries

The development of environment-friendly electrode materials is highly desired for the clean and sustainable Li-ion batteries (LIBs) system. Organic cathode materials that involve conducting polymers, organic carbonyl/sulfur compounds are expected to be promising candidates for future LIBs with a concept of “green and sustainable”. However, their battery performances are relatively worse than that of inorganic counterparts due to their low electronic conductivity and unwanted dissolution reactions occurring in electrolytes. Aimed to alter their performances, we herein focuses on the preparation of upgraded organic materials by chemical engineering of graphene oxide (GO) and the systematic study of their electrochemical performance as positive electrodes for LIBs. The obtained decarboxylated GO and carbonylated/hydroxylated GO electrodes show significantly enhanced electrochemical performance compared with that of the GO electrode. Our results demonstrate that the manipulation of oxygen functional groups on GO is an effective strategy to greatly improve the Li storage property of GO-based materials for advanced LIBs cathodes.     

Mechanical and electrical properties of aligned carbon nanotube/carbon matrix composites

To synthesize carbon nanotube/carbon matrix (CNT/C) composites rivaling or exceeding the mechanical and electrical properties of current carbon fiber/carbon matrix composites, it is essential to align carbon nanotubes in the composite. In this work, we fabricated CNT/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor composites with high degree of CNT alignment, and carbonized and graphitized them at high temperatures. Carbonizing the precursor composites significantly improved their elastic modulus, strength, and electrical conductivity. The matrix was uniformly carbonized and highly graphitized. The excellent mechanical and electrical properties make the CNT/C composites promising for many high temperature aerospace applications.     

Improved tensile strength of carbon fibers undergoing catalytic growth of carbon nanotubes on their surface

We demonstrate that the tensile strength of carbon fibers (CFs) can be increased by more than 14% by the catalytic growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto their surface. Repair to some of the damage incurred during the formation of catalyst nanoparticles, an increase in the carbon crystal size, and the formation of crosslinks of neighboring crystals by CNTs all occur during the chemical vapor deposition process, and are the main reasons for the improvement. The interfacial shear strength of the CFs is also shown to be significantly improved due to the CNTs grown on the CF surface.