Interface structure and formation mechanism of diffusion-bonded joints of TiAl-based alloy to titanium alloy

Vacuum diffusion bonding of a TiAl based alloy (TAD) to a titanium alloy (TC2) was carried out at 1 273 K for 15～120 min under a pressure of 25 MPa . The kinds of the reaction products and the interface structures of the joints were investigated by SEM, EPMA and XRD. Based on this, a formation mechanism of the interface structure was elucidated. Experimental and analytical results show that two reaction layers have formed during the diffusion bonding of TAD to TC2. One is Al rich α(Ti)layer adjacent to TC2,and the other is (Ti 3Al+TiAl)layer adjacent to TAD,thus the interface structure of the TAD/TC2 joints is TAD/(Ti 3Al+TiAl)/α(Ti)/TC2.This interface structure forms according to a three stage mechanism,namely(a)the occurrence of a single phase α(Ti)layer;(b)the occurrence of a duplex phase(Ti 3Al+TiAl)layer;and(c)the growth of the α(Ti)and (Ti 3Al+TiAl)layers.

Theoretical Studies on the Si(001)-SiO_2 Interface Structure

Novel models （2× 1） of Si（001）-SiO2 interface structure have been established. The method of the first-principle General Gradient Approximation （GGA） is employed to structurally optimize the established theoretical models under the K-point space of periodic boundary condition. The structures after optimization have been analyzed, and the results show that the interfaces present in disordered state and both Si-O-Si and Si=O structures exist. Meanwhile, the bonding of surface structure is analyzed via the graphics of electron localization function（ELF）.

Dye-sensitized solar cells: Atomic scale investigation of interface structure and dynamics

Recent progress in dye-sensitized solar cells （DSC） research is reviewed, focusing on atomic-scale investigations of the interface electronic structures and dynamical processes, including the structure of dye adsorption onto Ti02, ultrafast electron injection, hot-electron injection, multiple-exciton generation, and electron-hole recombination. Advanced exper- imental techniques and theoretical approaches are briefly summarized, and then progressive achievements in photovoltaic device optimization based on insights from atomic scale investigations are introduced. Finally, some challenges and oppor- tunities for further improvement of dye solar cells are presented.

CRYSTAL DEFECTS AND GRAIN INTERFACE STRUCTURE OF ION-NITRIDED LAYERS

Observation under high resolution electron microscope shows that the continuous bombing of high speed ions produces a great amount of vacant site defects.The assembly of vacancies forms vacant dish,and the collapase of vacant dish forms stacking fault tetrahedrons and oth- er crystal defects.The interfaces between phase ε(Fe_(2-3)N)and phase γ'(Fe_4N)are smooth, straight and coherent,and they have the orientation relationships of(11)//(0001)and [110]/[110] .

Tailoring the surface and interface structures of photocatalysts to enhance hydrogen production

Photocatalytic water splitting using semiconductor photocatalysts is a promising approach for the production of carbon-neutral,sustainable and clean hydrogen fuel.However,the separation and transport of photoinduced carriers are generally considered to be rate-limiting steps,and their low efficiency remains a major challenge.Therefore,much effort has been devoted to developing new strategies in surface/interface engineering of photocatalysts to improve the dynamics of charge separation/transport.This feature article briefly summarizes recent advances in photocatalyst surface/interface engineering by our research group,which have been achieved through the design of various novel photocatalysts,including interfacial modulation,heterostructure construction,heteroatom doping,single atom and diatom sites.The article is divided into three parts:first,we briefly introduce the three key processes involved in solar water splitting and reveal relationships between the properties of nanostructural photocatalysts and the fundamentals of water splitting;second,we detail methods and strategies for surface and interfacial structures to improve the efficiency of the fundamental processes,especially charge separation;finally,we explore prospects for photocatalytic water splitting applications.This article provides a valuable resource and strategies for researchers currently working in the field of photocatalytic water splitting.

A Modified Model for Soil–Structure Interface Considering Random Damage of Mesoscopic Contact Elements

The interaction between soil and marine structures like submarine pipeline/pipe pile/suction caisson is a complicated geotechnical mechanism process.In this study,the interface is discretized into multiple mesoscopic contact elements that are damaged randomly throughout the shearing process due to the natural heterogeneity.The evolution equation of damage variable is developed based on the Weibull function,which is able to cover a rather wide range of distribution shapes by only two parameters,making it applicable for varying scenarios.Accordingly,a statistical damage model is established by incorporating Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion,in which the interfacial residual strength is considered whereby the strain softening behavior can be described.A concept of“semi-softening”characteristic point on shear stress–displacement curve is proposed for effectively modeling the evolution of strain softening.Finally,a series of ring shear tests of the interfaces between fine sea sand and smooth/rough steel surfaces are conducted.The predicted results using the proposed model are compared with experimental data of this study as well as some results from existing literature,indicating that the model has a good performance in modeling the progressive failure and strain softening behavior for various types of soil–structure interfaces.

Solvothermal Synthesis of TiO2/Bi2WOs Heterojunction Photocatalyst with Optimized Interface Structure and Enabled Photocatalytic Performance

TiO2/Bi2WO6 （TB） heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully synthesized and characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, UV-Vis and photoluminescence measurement. The heterojunction interface structure of TB heterojunction photocatalyst was optimized via adjusting the ethylene glycol/water （EG/W） ratio. Based on XRD, SEM and TEM, the crystal size of Bi2WO6 reduced from 14.6 nm to 8.8 nm, and the interface structure between Bi2WO6 nanosheets and TiO2 particle significantly changed with increasing EG concentration. Furthermore, the photoeatalytic activity and the related mechanism of TB heterojunction photocatalyst were systematically discussed. Among them, TBEG/w sample shows the highest normalized apparent rate constant, which is attributed to its highest electron-hole pairs separation ability driven by optimized heterojunction interface between two semiconductors.

Fine structure characterization of an explosively-welded GH3535/316H bimetallic plate interface

An explosion-welded technology was induced to manufacture the GH3535/316H bimetallic plates to provide a more cost-effective structural material for ultrahigh temperature,molten salt thermal storage systems.The microstructure of the bonding interfaces were extensively investigated by scanning electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectrometry,and an electron probe microanalyzer.The bonding interface possessed a periodic,wavy morphology and was adorned by peninsula-or island-like transition zones.At higher magnification,a matrix recrystallization region,fine grain region,columnar grain region,equiaxed grain region,and shrinkage porosity were observed in the transition zones and surrounding area.Electron backscattered diffraction demonstrated that the strain in the recrystallization region of the GH3535 matrix and transition zone was less than the substrate.Strain concentration occurred at the interface and the solidification defects in the transition zone.The dislocation substructure in 316H near the interface was characterized by electron channeling contrast imaging.A dislocation network was formed in the grains of 316H.The microhardness decreased as the distance from the welding interface increased and the lowest hardness was inside the transition zone.

Segregation of Si and Mg at Fe(110)/Al(110) Interface

The interface structure and electronic properties of Fe(110)/Al(110) are investigated by the first-principles plane-wave pseudopotential method. The interface segregation position of Si and Mg is determined, and the effect of Mg and Si on the interface binding of Fe(110)/Al(110) is analyzed by combining the work of separation and charge density. The results show that the Fe(110)/Al(110) interface energy of FeHollow coordination is smaller and the interface structure is more stable. The Fe(110)/Al(110) interface separation surface in the form of Fe-Hollow coordination appears at the sub interface layer on the side of Al(110)near the interface. The interface structure of Mg and Si segregation is similar to that of undoped alloy elements.The calculations also suggest that Mg and Si segregate on the Al(110) side of the interface and occupy the Al lattice on the Al(110) side. The segregation of Mg and Si elements will reduce the interface binding, primarily because the Fe-Si bond and Fe-Mg bond are weaker than Fe-Al bond.

The role of melt cooling rate on the interface between 18R and Mg matrix in Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(2) alloys

The role of melt cooling rate on the interface morphology and dislocation configuration between 18R long-period stacking ordered(LPSO)structure and Mg matrix in Mg_(97)Zn_(1)Y_(2)(at.%)alloys was investigated by atomic-scale HAADF-STEM imaging.The 18R/Mg interface is step-like both in the near-equilibrium alloy and non-equilibrium alloy.Lower cooling rate makes the step size more regular and larger.Only 54R structure can be observed at the interface in the near-equilibrium alloy,and the dislocations are highly ordered.54R and 54R′structure sandwiched by b1 and b2+b3 dislocation arrays,and new dislocation configuration can be detected at the interface in the non-equilibrium alloy,but the dislocations are less ordered.18R/Mg interface containing 54R or 54R′in equilibrium width,parallel to the(010)plane,should be most stable based on elastic calculation.The segregation of solute atoms and its strong interaction with dislocations dominate the LPSO/Mg interface via diffusion-displacive transformation.

Characterization of Interface State Density of Ni/p-GaN Structures by Capacitance/Conductance-Voltage-Frequency Measurements

For the frequency range of I kHz-lOMHz, the interface state density of Ni contacts on p-GaN is studied using capacitance-voltage （C-V） and conductance-frequency-voltage （G-f-V） measurements at room temperature. To obtain the real capacitance and interface state density of the Ni/p-GaN structures, the effects of the series resistance （Rs） on high-frequency （SMHz） capacitance values measured at a reverse and a forward bias are investigated. The mean interface state densities obtained from the CHF-CLF capacitance and the conductance method are 2 ×1012 e V-1 cm-2 and 0.94 × 1012 eV-1 cm-2, respectively. Furthermore, the interface state density derived from the conductance method is higher than that reported from the Ni/n-GaN in the literature, which is ascribed to a poor crystal quality and to a large defect density of the Mg-doped p-GaN.

STRUCTURE AND INTERFACE PROPERTIES OF Fe/C MULTILAYERS

Fe/C multilayer thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering. Small angle X-ray diffraction measurements show very well periodicity of the samples. The modulation period determined from a modified Bragg equation agrees well with that determined from deposition rate. The interfacial roughness parameter ξof several samples calculated by X-ray diffraction is between 3.5(?) and 5.6(?).

FINE STRUCTURES OF BOTH INTERFACES AND INTERFACIAL REACTION PRODUCTS

The characteristic of interface depending on the atomic structure exerts an inportant,and sometime controlling,influence on performance of the interacial materials. The present paper reviews the main studies on fine structure of both the materials inter- faces and interfacial reaction products in semiconductor uperlattice,metal multilayer ceram- ics and composite materials by mean of selected area electron doffraction patterns and high resolution electron microscopy. The following features of interfaces are reviewed:the orientation relationships;the char- acteristic of steps,facets and ronghness of interfaces;atomic bonding across the interface;the degree of coherency,the structure of misfit dislocations and elastic relaxations at the inter- faces:the presence of defects at the onterfaces:the structure of the interfacial reaction prod- ucts as well as the reaction kinetics and reaetion mechanism.

Earth Ecosystem Theory: Ⅲ Structure and Interface

By applying the segmentation and composition principles of ecosystem,the structure and interface of earth ecosystem are fully elaborated,and corresponding model diagrams are established to display its composition and interconversion. The research finds that earth ecosystem includes three sub-ecosystems： terrestrial ecosystem,marine ecosystem and atmospheric ecosystem. The impact sequence of sub-ecosystems on earth ecosystem is atmospheric ecosystem 〉 marine ecosystem 〉 terrestrial ecosystem. Based on the segmentation and composition principles of ecosystem and the application of earth ecosystem structure and interface,we give new explanations to Taoism and Taiji with the eight diagrams,which contributes to theoretical research of natural science.

Superb creep lives of Ni-based single crystal superalloy through size effects and strengthening heterostructure γ/γ' interfaces

This study presents a design strategy to enhance the high-temperature creep resistance of Ni-based superalloys.This strategy focuses on two principles:(1)minimizing the dimensions ofγ/γ′interfaces andγchannels by reducing the size of theγ′phase;(2)key alloy composition control to strengthen the heterostructureγ/γ′interfaces.This strategy proved very effective by the designed three superalloys'prolonged creep lives.An alloy exhibits ultra-long creep life by 388 h at 1100°C/137 MPa,which runs at the highest level among those alloys without Ru addition.With Ru addition,an alloy that lasted for 748 h with a creep strain of~6%at 1110°C/137 MPa is developed.This study provides a new route of high-temperature creep lives through heterostructure interfacial design with size effects and key alloying elements.

Microstructure and shear strength of the brazed joint of Ti(C,N)-based cermet to steel

Firm joins were obtained between Ti（C,N）-based cermet and steel with Ag-Cu-Zn-Ni filler metal by vacuum brazing. The effects of technological parameters such as brazing temperature, holding time, and filler thickness on the shear strength of the joints were investigated. The microstructure of welded area and the reaction products of the filler metal were examined by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, metallographic microscope （OM）, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis （EDS）, and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The brazing temperature of 870℃, holding time of 15 min, and filler thickness of 0.4 mm are a set of optimum technological parameters, under which the maximum shear strength of the joints, 176.5 MPa, is achieved. The results of microstructure show that the wettability of the filler metal on Ti（C,N）-based cermet and steel is well. A mutual solution layer and a diffusion layer exist between the welding base materials and the filler metal.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of BP/7A04 Al matrix composites

The microstructures and interface structures of basalt particle reinforced 7A04 Al matrix composites (BP/7A04 Al) were analyzed by using OM, TEM, SEM and EDS, and the mechanical properties of 7A04 Al alloy were compared with those of BP/7A04 Al matrix composites. The results show that the basalt particles are dispersed in the Al matrix and form a strong bonding interface with the Al matrix. SiO2 at the edge of the basalt particles is continuously replaced by Al2O3 formed in the reaction, forming a high-temperature reaction layer with a thickness of several tens of nanometers, and Al2O3 strengthens the bonding interface between basalt particles and Al matrix. The dispersed basalt particles promote the dislocation multiplication, vacancy formation and precipitation of the matrix, and the precipitated phases mainly consist of plate-like η(MgZn2) phase and bright white band-shaped or ellipsoidal T (Al2Mg3Zn3) phase. The bonding interface, high dislocation density and dispersion strengthening phase significantly improve the mechanical properties of the composites. The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of BP/7A04 Al matrix composites are up to 665 and 699 MPa, which increase by 11.4% and 10.9% respectively compared with 7A04 Al alloy without basalt particles.

Microstructure and strength of brazed joints of TiB_2 cermet to TiAl-based alloys

In this study, TiB 2 cermet and TiAl based alloy are vacuum brazed successfully by using Ag Cu Ti filler metal. The microstructural analyses indicate that two reaction products, Ti(Cu, Al) 2 and Ag based solid solution (Ag(s.s)), are present in the brazing seam, and the interface structure of the brazed joint is TiB 2/TiB 2+ Ag(s.s) /Ag(s.s)+Ti(Cu, Al) 2/Ti(Cu, Al) 2/TiAl. The experimental results show that the shear strength of the brazed TiB 2/TiAl joints decreases as the brazing time increases at a definite brazing temperature. When the joint is brazed at 1 223 K for 5 min , a joint strength up to 173 MPa is achieved.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of Cu/Al joints brazed using(Cu,Ni,Zr,Er)-modified Al−Si filler alloys

To design a promising Al−Si filler alloy with a relatively low melting-point,good strength and plasticity for the Cu/Al joint,the Cu,Ni,Zr and Er elements were innovatively added to modify the traditional Al−Si eutectic filler.The microstructure and mechanical properties of filler alloys and Cu/Al joints were investigated.The result indicated that the Al−Si−Ni−Cu filler alloys mainly consisted of Al(s,s),Al_(2)(Cu,Ni)and Si(s,s).The Al−10Si−2Ni−6Cu filler alloy exhibited relatively low solidus(521℃)and liquidus(577℃)temperature,good tensile strength(305.8 MPa)and fracture elongation(8.5%).The corresponding Cu/Al joint brazed using Al−10Si−2Ni−6Cu filler was mainly composed of Al_(8)(Mn,Fe)_(2)Si,Al_(2)(Cu,Ni)3,Al(Cu,Ni),Al_(2)(Cu,Ni)and Al(s,s),yielding a shear strength of(90.3±10.7)MPa.The joint strength was further improved to(94.6±2.5)MPa when the joint was brazed using the Al−10Si−2Ni−6Cu−0.2Er−0.2Zr filler alloy.Consequently,the(Cu,Ni,Zr,Er)-modified Al−Si filler alloy was suitable for obtaining high-quality Cu/Al brazed joints.

Structures and reactivities of the CeO2/Pt(111)reverse catalyst:A DFT+U study

For heterogeneous catalysts,the build-up of interface contacts can influence markedly their activities.Being different from the conventional supported metal/oxide catalysts,the reverse type of oxide/metal structures,e.g.the ceria/Pt composite,have emerged as novel catalytic materials in many fields.However,it remains challenging to determine the optimal interface structure and/or the metal-oxide synergistic effect that can boost catalytic activities.In this work,we conducted density functional theory calculations with on-site Coulomb interaction correction to determine the optimal structures and investigate the physical as well as catalytic properties of various Ce O2/Pt(111)composites containing Ce O2(111)monolayer,bilayer,and trilayer at Pt(111).We found that the interaction strength between Ce O2(111)and Pt(111)substrate first reduces as the ceria slab grows from monolayer to bilayer,and then largely gets converged when the trilayer occurs.Such trend was well rationalized by analyzing the number and distances of O–Pt bonds at the interface.Calculated Bader charges uncovered the significant charge redistribution occurring around the interface,whereas the net electron transfer across the interface is non-significant and decreases as ceria thickness increases.Moreover,comparative calculations on oxygen vacancy formation energies clarified that oxygen removal can be promoted on the Ce O2/Pt(111)composites,especially at the interface.We finally employed CO oxidation as a model reaction to probe the surface reactivity,and determined an intrinsic activity order of monolayer Ce O2(111)>monolayer Ce O2(111)/Pt(111)>regular Ce O2(111).More importantly,we emphasized the significant role of the moderate ceria-Pt interaction at the interface that endows the Ce O2/Pt reverse catalyst both good thermostability and high catalytic activity.The monolayer Ce O2(111)/Pt(111)composite was theoretically predicted highly efficient for catalyzing CO oxidation.