Influence rules of early transition elements on rapid solidified structure and nanocrystallization behaviors of Fe-Si-B-Cu soft magnetic alloys with high Cu content

Unique rapid solidified structure and nanocrystallization mechanism enable the Fe-based nanocrystalline alloys with high Cu content excellent soft magnetic properties and good manufacturability,and also results in unusual phenomena in terms of alloying effects.In the present work,we systematically studied the influence rules of early transition elements on the rapid solidified structure and nanocrystallization behaviors of Fe-Si-B-Cu soft magnetic alloys with high Cu content and explored the related mechanisms.In terms of rapid solidified structure,the additions of early transition elements always inhibit the for-mation of pre-existingα-Fe crystals even eliminate them,and the additions that could produce larger atomic mismatch parameter(δ)and negative mixing enthalpy(△H_(mix))show stronger effects.In terms of nanocrystallization behaviors,the increases inδand negative△H_(mix) weaken the competitive growth between the pre-existing nanocrystals during annealing and then coarsen the nanostructure of the an-nealed alloys and deteriorate their magnetic softness,while the excessive increases inδand negativeHmix could significantly suppress the growth ofα-Fe crystals by diffusion inhibition during annealing and thus remarkable refine the nanostructure of the annealed alloys and improve their magnetic softness.

Strengthening-softening transition and maximum strength in Schwarz nanocrystals

Recently,a Schwarz crystal structure with curved grain boundaries(GBs)constrained by twin-boundary(TB)networks was discovered in nanocrystalline Cu through experiments and atomistic simulations.Nanocrystalline Cu with nanosized Schwarz crystals exhibited high strength and excellent thermal stability.However,the grainsize effect and associated deformation mechanisms of Schwarz nanocrystals remain unknown.Here,we performed large-scale atomistic simulations to investigate the deformation behaviors and grain-size effect of nanocrystalline Cu with Schwarz crystals.Our simulations showed that similar to regular nanocrystals,Schwarz nanocrystals exhibit a strengthening-softening transition with decreasing grain size.The critical grain size in Schwarz nanocrystals is smaller than that in regular nanocrystals,leading to a maximum strength higher than that of regular nanocrystals.Our simulations revealed that the softening in Schwarz nanocrystals mainly originates from TB migration(or detwinning)and annihilation of GBs,rather than GB-mediated processes(including GB migration,sliding and diffusion)dominating the softening in regular nanocrystals.Quantitative analyses of simulation data further showed that compared with those in regular nanocrystals,the GB-mediated processes in Schwarz nanocrystals are suppressed,which is related to the low volume fraction of amorphous-like GBs and constraints of TB networks.The smaller critical grain size arises from the suppression of GB-mediated processes.

Room-temperature synthesis of full-component APbX_(3)perovskite nanocrystal inks for optoelectronic applications

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals(PNCs)have received great research interests due to their excellent optoelectronic properties.However,high temperature,inert gas protection and insulating long-chain ligands are used during the conventional hot-injection synthesis of PNCs,which limits their practical applications.In this work,we first develop a simple and scalable polar-solvent-free method for the preparation of full-component APbX_(3)(A=Cs,methylammonium(MA),formamidinium(FA),X=Cl,Br,I)PNCs under ambient condition.Through an exothermic reaction between butylamine(BA)and propionic acid(PA)short ligands,the PbX_(2) precursors could be well dissolved without use of any polar solvent.Meanwhile,the relatively lower growth rate of PNCs in our room-temperature reaction enables us to modulate the synthetic procedure to enhance the scalability(40-fold)and achieve large-scale synthesis.The resultant short ligands passivated PNC inks are compatible with varying solution depositing technique like spray coating for large-area film.Finally,we showcase that adopting the as-prepared MAPbI_(3) PNC inks,a self-powered photodetector is fabricated and shows a high photoresponsivity.These results demonstrate that our ambient-condition synthetic approach can accelerate the preparation of tunable and ready-to-use PNCs towards commercial optoelectronic applications.

Energy-Transfer in CsPbBr_(3)Nanocrystals:Sensitization of Porphyrin Triplets

Sensitizing molecular triplets by colloidal nanocrystals via triplet energy transfer is important for applications such as upconversion or organic synthesis.Typically two step triplet energy transfer(TET)are included in these applications:firstly the triplet energy stored in nanocrystals are extracted into surface ligands,and then the ligands further transfer triplet energy into molecules in bulk solution.Here we report one-step TET application from CsPbBr_(3)perovskite nanocrystals(NCs)to surface-anchored metalloporphyrin derivative molecules(MP).Compared to conventional two-step TET,the one-step TET mechanism possess lower energy loss and higher TET efficiency which is more generally implementable.In this scheme,photoexcitation of CsPbBr_(3)NCs leads to the sensitization of MP ligands triplets which efficiently emit phosphorescence.The enhanced light absorption of MP ligands and down-shifted photon emission can be useful in devices such as luminescent solar concentrators.

Self-assembly of perovskite nanocrystals:From driving forces to applications

Self-assembly of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals(NCs)into superlattices can exhibit unique collective properties,which have significant application values in the display,detector,and solar cell field.This review discusses the driving forces behind the self-assembly process of perovskite NCs,and the commonly used self-assembly methods and different self-assembly structures are detailed.Subsequently,we summarize the collective optoelectronic properties and application areas of perovskite superlattice structures.Finally,we conclude with an outlook on the potential issues and future challenges in developing perovskite NCs.

Efficient energy transfer from self-trapped excitons to Mn^(2+) dopants in CsCdCl_(3):Mn^(2+) perovskite nanocrystals

Mn^(2+)doping has been adopted as an efficient approach to regulating the luminescence properties of halide perovskite nano-crystals(NCs).However,it is still difficult to understand the interplay of Mn^(2+)luminescence and the matrix self-trapped exciton(STE)emission therein.In this study,Mn^(2+)-doped CsCdCl_(3) NCs are prepared by hot injection,in which CsCdCl_(3) is selected because of its unique crystal structure suitable for STE emission.The blue emission at 441 nm of undoped CsCdCl_(3) NCs originates from the defect states in the NCs.Mn^(2+)doping promotes lattice distortion of CsCdCl_(3) and generates bright orange-red light emission at 656 nm.The en-ergy transfer from the STEs of CsCdCl_(3) to the excited levels of the Mn^(2+)ion is confirmed to be a significant factor in achieving efficient luminescence in CsCdCl_(3):Mn^(2+)NCs.This work highlights the crucial role of energy transfer from STEs to Mn^(2+)dopants in Mn^(2+)-doped halide NCs and lays the groundwork for modifying the luminescence of other metal halide perovskite NCs.

Nonlinear Absorption and Low-threshold Two-photon Pumped Amplified Stimulated Emission from FAPbBr_(3) Nanocrystals

Formamidinium lead bromide(FAPbBr_(3))nanocrystals(NCs)have been considered to be a good optoelectronic material due to their pure green emission,excellent stability and superior carrier transport characteristics.However,two-photon pumped amplified spontaneous emission(ASE)and the corresponding nonlinear optical properties of FAPbBr_(3) NCs are scarcely revealed.Herein,we synthesized colloidal FAPbBr_(3) NCs with different sizes by changing the molar ratio of FABr/PbBr_(2) in the precursor solution,using ligand assisted precipitation(LARP)technology at room temperature.Photoluminescence(PL)and time resolved photoluminescence(TRPL)spectroscopy were measured to characterize their ASE properties.And their nonlinear optical properties were studied through the Zscan technique and the two-photon excited fluorescence method.The stimulated emission properties including oneand two-photon pumped ASE have been realized from FAPbBr_(3) NCs.With large two-photon absorption coefficient(0.27 cm/GW)and high non-linear absorption cross-section(7.52×10^(5) GM),ASE with threshold as low as 9.8μJ/cm^(2) and 487μJ/cm^(2) have been obtained from colloidal FAPbBr_(3) NCs using one-and two-photon excitations.These results indicate that as a new possible green-emitting frequency-upconversion material with low thresholds,FAPbBr_(3) NCs hold great potential in the development of high-performance two-photon pump lasers.

Optimization of Cellulose Nanocrystal Isolation from Ayous Sawdust Using Response Surface Methodology

This study focuses on the extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), derived from Ayous sawdust. The process involves multiple steps and a large amount of chemical products. The objective of this research was to determine the effects of factors that impact the isolation process and to identify the optimal conditions for CNC isolation by using the response surface methodology. The factors that varied during the process were the quantity of MCC, the concentration of sulfuric acid, the hydrolysis time and temperature, and the ultrasonic treatment time. The response measured was the yield. The study found that with 5.80 g of microcrystalline cellulose, a sulfuric acid concentration of 63.50% (w/w), a hydrolysis time of 53 minutes, a hydrolysis temperature of 69˚C, and a sonication time of 19 minutes are the ideal conditions for isolation. The experimental yield achieved was (37.84 ± 0.99) %. The main factors influencing the process were the sulfuric acid concentration, hydrolysis time and temperature, with a significant influence (p < 0.05). Infrared characterization results showed that nanocrystals were indeed isolated. With a crystallinity of 35.23 and 79.74, respectively, for Ayous wood fiber and nanocrystalline cellulose were observed by X-ray diffraction, with the formation of type II cellulose, thermodynamically more stable than native cellulose type I.

Isolative Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose and Cellulose Nanocrystals from Typha angustifolia

The application potential of cellulosic materials in natural composites and other fields needs to be explored to develop innovative, sustainable, lightweight, functional biomass materials that are also environmentally friendly. This study investigated Typha angustifolia (Typha sp.) as a potential new raw material for extracting cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for application in wastewater treatment composites. Alkaline treatments and bleaching were used to remove cellulose from the stem fibres. The CNCs were then isolated from the recovered cellulose using acid hydrolysis. The study showed a few distinct functional groups (O-H, -C-H, =C-H and C-O, and C-O-C) in the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the smooth surface of CPC and CNCs, which resulted from removing lignin and hemicellulose from powdered Typha angustifolia. Based on the crystalline index, the powdered Typha angustifolia, CPC, and CNCs were 42.86%, 66.94% and 77.41%. The loss of the amorphous section of the Typha sp. fibre resulted in a decrease in particle size. It may be inferred from the features of a Typha sp. CNC that CNCs may be employed as reinforcement in composites for wastewater treatment.

Effects of surface nanocrystallization on corrosion resistance of β-type titanium alloy

Surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) was performed on biomedicalβ-type TiNbZrFe alloy for 60 min at room temperature to study the effect of surface nanocrystallization on the corrosion resistance of TiNbZrFe alloy in physiological environment. The surface nanostructure was characterized by TEM, and the electrochemical behaviors of the samples with nanocrystalline layer and coarse grain were comparatively investigated in 0.9% NaCl and 0.2% NaF solutions, respectively. The results indicate that nanocrystallines with the size of 10-30 nm are formed within the surface layer of 30 μm in depth. The nanocrystallized surface behaves higher impedance, more positive corrosion potential and lower corrosion current density in 0.9%NaCl and 0.2%NaF solutions as compared with the coarse grain surface. The improvement of the corrosion resistance is attributed to the rapid formation of stable and dense passive film on the nanocrystallized surface of TiNbZrFe alloy.

Synthesis and upconversion luminescence of Lu_2O_3:Yb^(3+),Tm^(3+) nanocrystals

Lutetium oxide nanocrystals codoped with Tm3＋ and Yb3＋ were synthesized by the reverse-like co-precipitation method, using ammonium hydrogen carbonate as precipitant. Effects of the Tm3＋, Yb3＋ molar fractions and calcination temperature on the structural and upconversion luminescent properties of the Lu2O3 nanocrystals were investigated. The XRD results show that all the prepared nanocrystals can be readily indexed to pure cubic phase of Lu2O3 and indicate good crystallinity. The experimental results show that concentration quenching occurs when the mole fraction of Tm3＋ is above 0.2%. The optimal Tm3＋ and Yb3＋ doped molar fractions are 0.2% and 2%, respectively. The strong blue （490 nm） and the weak red （653 nm） emissions from the prepared nanocrystals were observed under 980 nm laser excitation, and attributed to the 1G4→3H6 and IG4→3F4 transitions of Tm3＋, respectively. Power-dependent study reveals that the 1G4 levels of Tm3＋ can be populated by three-step energy transfer process. The upconversion emission intensities of 490 nm and 653 nm increase gradually with the increase of calcination temperature. The enhancement of the upconversion luminescence is suggested to be the consequence of reducing number of OH- groups and the enlarged nanoerystal size.

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of highly dispersed Li_(4)Ti_(5)O_(12)nanocrystalline for lithium secondary batteries

A sol-gel method using lauric acid as surfactant was used to synthesize Li4Ti5O12 nanocrystals with an ultra-fine particle size distribution between 120 and 250 nm.In order to obtain the electrode materials with the best electrochemical performance,the content of lauric acid during Li4Ti5O12 synthesis was systematically studied.The physical and electrochemical properties of the synthesized samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction（XRD）,field emission scanning electron microscopy（FESEM）,transmission electron microscopy（TEM）,laser particle size analysis,alternating current impedance（AC） and galvanostatic charge-discharge experiments.The highly dispersed Li4Ti5O12 nanocrystals obtained at 800 ℃ for 10 h can deliver a specific capacity of 163.3 mA-h/g at 1C rate without obvious capacity fade up to 50 cycles.The results suggest that well dispersed Li4Ti5O12 nanocrystals shorten the Li-ion diffusion length and enhance the electrochemical kinetics of the samples,which are very crucial to high rate capability.

Growth Kinetics of Nanocrystals and Nanorods by Employing Small-angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and Other Techniques

In this article, we report the results of our detailed investigations of the growth kinetics of zero-dimensional nanocrystals as well as one-dimensional nanorods by the combined use of small angel X-ray scattering （SAXS）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） along with other physical techniques. The study includes growth kinetics of gold nanocrystals formed by the reduction of HAuCl4 by tetrakis（hydroxymethyl） phosphonium chloride in aqueous solution, of CdSe nanocrystals formed by the reaction of cadmium stearate and selenium under solvothermal conditions, and of ZnO nanorods formed by the reaction of zinc acetate with sodium hydroxide under solvothermal conditions in the absence and presence of capping agents. The growth of gold nanocrystals does not follow the diffusion-limited Ostwald ripening, and instead follows a Sigmoidal rate curve. The heat change associated with the growth determined by isothermal titration calorimetry is about 10 kcal·mol^-1 per I nm increase in the diameter of the nanocrystals. In the case of CdSe nanocrystals also, the growth mechanism deviates from diffusion-limited growth and follows a combined model containing both diffusion and surface reaction terms. Our study of the growth kinetics of uncapped and poly（vinyl pyrollidone） （PVP）-capped ZnO nanorods has yielded interesting insights. We observe small nanocrystals next to the ZnO nanorods after a lapse of time in addition to periodic focusing and defocusing of the width of the length distribution. These observations lend support to the diffusion-limited growth model for the growth of uncapped ZnO nanorods. Accordingly, the time dependence on the length of uncapped nanorods follows the L3 law as required for diffusion-limited Ostwald ripening. The PVP-capped nanorods, however, show a time dependence, which is best described by a combination of diffusion （L^3） and surface reaction （L^2） terms.

Facile synthesis of tin oxide nanocrystals and their photocatalytic activity

Tin oxide nanociystals with diameters smaller than 10 nm were synthesized using Na2SnO3 and CO2 as reactants and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide（CTAB） as stabilizer under mild conditions.As a mild acidic gas,CO2 is favorable for the accurate adjustment of pH value of Na2SnO3 solution.Stannate salt is stable,cheap and easy in operation.The effects of Na2SnO3concentration,CTAB concentration,aging temperature,and aging time on the nanociystals were studied.It was found that,with the increasing Na2SnO3 concentration,aging temperature and aging time,SnO2 nanociystals size decreases.The formation of SnO2nanociystals can be interpreted by electrostatic-interaction mechanism.SnO2 nanociystals show high photocatalytic activities in the degradation of Rhodamine B solution.The catalytic activity of small nanocrystals is higher than that of large ones.

In vitro - in vivo - in silico approach in the development of inhaled drug products: Nanocrystal-based formulations with budesonide as a model drug

This study aims to understand the absorption patterns of three different kinds of inhaled formulations via in silico modeling using budesonide(BUD)as a model drug.The formulations investigated in this study are:(i)commercially available micronized BUD mixed with lactose(BUD-PT),(ii)BUD nanocrystal suspension(BUD-NC),(iii)BUD nanocrystals embedded hyaluronic acid microparticles(BUD-NEM).The deposition patterns of the three inhaled formulations in the rats’lungs were determined in vivo and in silico predicted,which were used as inputs in GastroPlus TM software to predict drug absorption following aerosolization of the tested formulations.BUD pharmacokinetics,estimated based on intravenous data in rats,was used to establish a drug-specific in silico absorption model.The BUD-specific in silico model revealed that drug pulmonary solubility and absorption rate constant were the key factors affecting pulmonary absorption of BUD-NC and BUD-NEM,respectively.In the case of BUD-PT,the in silico model revealed significant gastrointestinal absorption of BUD,which could be overlooked by traditional in vivo experimental observation.This study demonstrated that in vitro-in vivo-in silico approach was able to identify the key factors that influence the absorption of different inhaled formulations,which may facilitate the development of orally inhaled formulations with different drug release/absorption rates.

Novel Strategy for Synthesis of High Quality CdTe Nanocrystals in Aqueous Solution

A novel aqueous route for the synthesis of high-quality CdTe nanocrystals（NCs） is presented in this article. With both glutathione（GSH） and cysteine[n（GSH）：n（cysteine）=1：3] as stabilizers, high-quality CdTe NCs with controllable photoluminescence（PL） wavelength from 500 to 630 nm can be prepared within 4 h. As-prepared CdTe NCs show higher photoluminescence quantum yields（PLQY） compared with CdTe NCs prepared via other aqueous methods. When the fluorescent emission peak appeared in orange-red window, the PLQY reaches 70% or above at room temperature without any post-preparative treatment.

Nanocrystals precipitation and up-conversion luminescence in Yb^(3+)-Tm^(3+) co-doped oxyfluoride glasses

Rare earth ions doped oxyfluoride glass with composition of 28SiO2·22AlO1.5·40PbF2·10PbO·（4.8-x） GdFy0.1NdF3.xYbF3·0.1TmF3 （x=-0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 4.8） in molar ratio was developed. When the oxyfluoride glasses were heat-treated at the first crystallization temperature, the glasses gave transparent glass-ceramics in which rare earth containing fluorite-type nanocrystals of about 17.2 nm in diameter uniformly precipitated in the glass matrix. Compared with the glasses before heat treatment, the glass-ceramics exhibited very strong blue up-conversion luminescence under 800 nm light excitation. Rare earth containing nanocrystals were also space selectively precipitated upon laser irradiation in an oxyfluoride glass, the size of precipitated nanocrystals could be controlled by laser power and scan speed. The intensity of the blue up-conversion luminescence was strongly dependent on the precipitation of β-PbF2 nanocrystal and the YbF3 concentration. The reasons for the highly efficient Tm^3＋ up-conversion luminescence after laser irradiation were discussed.

EFFECT OF NANOCRYSTALLIZATION ON OXIDATION RESISTANCE OF TiAl INTERMETALLIC COMPOUND

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Upconversion Luminescence Properties of Ho^(3+),Tm^(3+),Yb^(3+) Co-Doped Nanocrystal NaYF_4 Synthesized by Hydrothermal Method

Nanocrystal of upconversion （UC） phosphor Ho^3＋, Tm^3＋ , and Yb^3＋ co-doped NaYF4 was prepared by the hydrothermal method in the presence of the complexing agent EDTA. Under 980 nm diode laser excitation, the impact of different concentrations of Ho^3＋ ion on the UC luminescence intensity was discussed. The law of luminescence intensity versus pump power shows that the 474 nm blue emission, 538 nm green emission, and 642 nm red emission are all due to the two-photon process, while the 450 nm blue emission is a three-photon process. The UC mechanism and processes were also analyzed. The sample was characterized by transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The result shows that Ho^3＋ ,Tm^3＋ , and Yb^3＋ co-doped NaYF4 prepared by the hydrothermal method exhibits a hexagonal nanocrystal.

Gaseous Nitriding Process of Surface Nanocrystallized (SNCed) Steel

The behavior of gaseous nitriding on the surface nanocrystallized (SNCed) steel was investigated. The mild steel discs were SNCed on one side by using the method of ultrasonic shot peening. The opposite side of the discs maintained the original coarse-grained condition. The gaseous nitriding was subsequently carried out at three different temperatures: 460, 500 and 560℃. The compound layer growth and diffusion behavior were then studied. It was revealed that SNC pretreatment greatly enhances both diffusion coefficient D and surface reaction rate. As a result, nitriding time could be reduced to the half. It was also found that the growth of compound layer with nitriding time conformed with parabolic relationship from the start of nitriding process in the SNCed samples.