Good dielectric performance and broadband dielectric polarization in Ag,Nb co-doped TiO2

Due to the demand of miniaturization and integration for ceramic capacitors in electronic components market, TiO₂-based ceramics with colossal permittivity has become a research hotspot in recent years. In this work, we report that Ag⁺/Nb⁵⁺ co-doped (Ag_1/4Nb_3/4)_xTi_1−xO₂ (ANTOx) ceramics with colossal permittivity over a wide frequency and temperature range were successfully prepared by a traditional solid–state method. Notably, compositions of ANTO0.005 and ANTO0.01 respectively exhibit both low dielectric loss (0.040 and 0.050 at 1 kHz), high dielectric permittivity (9.2 × 10³ and 1.6 × 10⁴ at 1 kHz), and good thermal stability, which satisfy the requirements for the temperature range of application of X9R and X8R ceramic capacitors, respectively. The origin of the dielectric behavior was attributed to five dielectric relaxation phenomena, i.e., localized carriers' hopping, electron–pinned defect–dipoles, interfacial polarization, and oxygen vacancies ionization and diffusion, as suggested by dielectric temperature spectra and valence state analysis via XPS; wherein, electron-pinned defect–dipoles and internal barrier layer capacitance are believed to be the main causes for the giant dielectric permittivity in ANTOx ceramics.     

Substrate temperature-controlled precursor reaction mechanism of PEALD-deposited MoOx thin films

Journal of Materials Science - Molybdenum oxide (MoOx) films had been grown by using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with Mo(CO)6 precursor and O2 plasma reactant in a substrate...     

High-temperature oxidation behavior of monolithic Zr3[Al(Si)]4C6 and its composite incorporating 30vol% ZrB2-SiC: Providing a basis for broadening the service temperature

To provide a basis for the high-temperature oxidation of ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs), the oxidation behavior of Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆ and a novel Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆-ZrB₂-SiC composite at 1500 °C were investigated for the first time. From the calculation results, the oxidation kinetics of the two specimens follow the oxidation dynamic parabolic law. Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆ exhibited a thinner oxide scale and lower oxidation rate than those of the composite under the same conditions. The oxide scale of Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆ exhibited a two-layer structure, while that of the composite exhibited a three-layer structure. Owing to the volatilization of B₂O₃ and the active oxidation of SiC, a porous oxide layer formed in the oxide scale of the composite, resulting in the degradation of its oxidation performance. Furthermore, the cracks and defects in the oxide scale of the composite indicate that the reliability of the oxide scale was poor. The results support the service temperature of the obtained ceramics.     

Eco-friendly and degradable red phosphorus nanoparticles for rapid microbial sterilization under visible light

Pathogens pose a serious challenge to environmental sanitation and a threat to public health.The frequent use of chemicals for sterilization in recent years has not only caused secondary damage to the environment but also increased pathogen resistance to drugs,which further threatens public health.To address this issue,the use of non-chemical antibacterial means has become a new trend for environmental disinfection.In this study,we developed red phosphorus nanoparticles(RPNPs),a safe and degradable photosensitive material with good photocatalytic and photothermal properties.The red phosphorus nanoparticles were prepared using a template method and ultrasonication.Under the irradiation of simulated sunlight for 20 min,the RPNPs exhibited an efficiency of 99.98%in killing Staphylococcus aureus due to their excellent photocatalytic and photothermal abilities.Transmission electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy revealed that the RPNPs exhibited degradability within eight weeks.Both the RPNPs and their degradation products were nontoxic to fibroblast cells.Therefore,such RPNPs are expected to be used as a new type of low-cost,efficient,degradable,biocompatible,and eco-friendly photosensitive material for environmental disinfection.     

Noncentrosymmetric Tetrel Pnictides RuSi4P4 and IrSi3P3: Nonlinear Optical Materials with Outstanding Laser Damage Threshold

Noncentrosymmetric (NCS) tetrel pnictides have recently generated interest as nonlinear optical (NLO) materials due to their second harmonic generation (SHG) activity and large laser damage threshold (LDT). Herein nonmetal-rich silicon phosphides RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ are synthesized and characterized. Their crystal structures are reinvestigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction and ²⁹Si and ³¹P magic angle spinning NMR. In agreement with previous report RuSi₄P₄ crystallizes in NCS space group P1, while IrSi₃P₃ is found to crystallize in NCS space group Cm, in contrast with the previously reported space group C2. A combination of DFT calculations and diffuse reflectance measurements reveals RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ to be wide bandgap (E_g) semiconductors, E_g = 1.9 and 1.8 eV, respectively. RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ outperform the current state-of-the-art infrared SHG material, AgGaS₂, both in SHG activity and laser inducer damage threshold. Due to the combination of high thermal stabilities (up to 1373 K), wide bandgaps (≈2 eV), NCS crystal structures, strong SHG responses, and large LDT values, RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ are promising candidates for longer wavelength NLO materials.     

Influence of surfactants on rheological behaviors of polyacrylonitrile/dimethyl sulfoxide/silicon blending polymer solutions

KH550, KH560, CTAB, and F127 were adopted to modify silicon (Si) to improve the dispersity and stability of Si in the polyacrylonitrile/dimethyl sulfoxide (PAN/DMSO) polymer solutions. The influence of surfactants on rheological behaviors of PAN/DMSO/Si blending polymer solutions was investigated by an advanced solution and melt rotation rheometer. The homogeneity and stability were also studied. The results showed that the surfactants could change the viscosity dependence of blending polymer solutions on shear rate, temperature and storage time by increase the steric hindrance of Si. Among the four solutions, PAN/DMSO/Si blending polymer solution with F127 exhibited the lowest viscosity, activation energy and the smallest structural viscosity index and exhibited the trend close to the Newtonian fluids. Moreover, PAN/DMSO/Si blending polymer solution with F127 exhibited the best dispersity and stability, indicating its best physical properties and machinability.     

Solution-Synthesized Multifunctional Janus Nanotree Microswimmer

Synthetic active matters are perfect model systems for non-equilibrium thermodynamics and of great potential for novel biomedical and environmental applications. However, most applications are limited by the complicated and low-yield preparation, while a scalable synthesis for highly functional microswimmers is highly desired. In this paper, an all-solution synthesis method is developed where the gold-loaded titania-silica nanotree can be produced as a multi-functional self-propulsion microswimmer. By applying light, heat, and electric field, the Janus nanotree demonstrated multi-mode self-propulsion, including photochemical self-electrophoresis by UV and visible light radiation, thermophoresis by near-infrared light radiation, and induced-charge electrophoresis under AC electric field. Due to the scalable synthesis, the Janus nanotree is further demonstrated as a high-efficiency, low-cost, active adsorbent for water decontamination, where the toxic mercury ions can be reclaimed with enhanced efficiency.     

Nanogrooved carbon microtubes for wet three‐dimensional printing of conductive composite structures

Recent advances in three‐dimensional (3D) printing have enabled the fabrication of interesting structures which are not achievable using traditional fabrication approaches. The 3D printing of carbon microtube composite inks allows fabrication of conductive structures for practical applications in soft robotics and tissue engineering. However, it is challenging to achieve 3D printed structures from solution‐based composite inks, which requires an additional process to solidify the ink. Here, we introduce a wet 3D printing technique which uses a coagulation bath to fabricate carbon microtube composite structures. We show that through a facile nanogrooving approach which introduces cavitation and channels on carbon microtubes, enhanced interfacial interactions with a chitosan polymer matrix are achieved. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the 3D printed composites improve when nanogrooved carbon microtubes are used, compared to untreated microtubes. We show that by carefully controlling the coagulation bath, extrusion pressure, printing distance and printed line distance, we can 3D print composite lattices which are composed of well‐defined and separated printed lines. The conductive composite 3D structures with highly customised design presented in this work provide a suitable platform for applications ranging from soft robotics to smart tissue engineering scaffolds. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry