Robust and Tunable Ferroelectricity in Ba/Co Codoped (K_(0.5)Na_(0.5))NbO_(3) Ceramics

The 0.98(K_(0.5)Na_(0.5))NbO_(3)-0.02Ba(Nb_(0.5)Co_(0.5))O_(3-δ) ceramics with doped Ba^(2+) and Co^(2+) ions are fabricated,and the impacts of the thermal process are studied.Compared with the rapidly cooled (RC) sample,the slowly cooled (SC) sample possesses superior dielectric and ferroelectric properties,and an 11 K higher ferroelectricparaelectric phase transition temperature,which can be attributed to the structural characteristics such as the grain size and the degree of anisotropy.Heat treatment can reversibly modulate the content of the oxygen vacancies,and in turn the ferroelectric hysteresis loops of the samples.Finally,robust and tunable ferroelectric property is achieved in SC samples with good structural integrity.

Preeminent energy storage properties and superior stability of(Ba_((1-x))Bi_(x))(Ti_((1-x))Mg_(2 x/3)Ta_(x/3))O_(3)relaxor ferroelectric ceramics via elongated rod-shaped grains and domain structural regulation

(Ba_((1-x))Bi_(x))(Ti_((1-x))Mg_(2 x/3)Ta_(x/3))O_(3)(BBTMT-x,x=0.075,0.1,0.125,and 0.15)ceramics were manufactured via a solid-phase reaction method.The pseudo-cubic BaTiO_(3)(BT)as the primary phase and Ba_(4)MgTi_(11)O_(27)as the secondary phase were detected in BBTMT-x ceramics.The elongated rod-shaped grains therein be-came numerous as x increased.The introduction of Bi/Mg/Ta(BMT)elements transformed BT ceramics from ferroelectrics to relaxor ferroelectrics and induced the formation of short-range order polar nanore-gions(PNRs),which were beneficial for the preeminent energy storage properties(ESPs).The highest ESPs(a giant recoverable energy-storage density W_(rec) of 5.97 J cm^(-3)with a high-efficiencyηof 87.4%)were achieved in BBTMT-0.1 ceramics at 710 kV cm^(-1).BBTMT-0.1 ceramics also possessed excellent fre-quency(1-500 Hz),temperature(30-150°C),and fatigue(cycle number of 1-100,000)stabilities.Finite element simulations(FES)demonstrated that elongated rod-shaped grains had stronger obstacles to the development of electrical branches,which was beneficial to improving the comprehensive ESPs.

High-strength,multifunctional and 3D printable mullite-based porous ceramics with a controllable shell-pore structure

The quest for lightweight and functional materials poses stringent requirements on mechanical performance of porous materials.However,the contradiction between high strength and elevated porosity of porous materials severely limits their application scenarios in emerging fields.Herein,high-strength multifunctional mullite-based porous ceramic monoliths were fabricated utilizing waste fly ash hollow microspheres(FAHMs)by the protein gelling technique.Owing to their unique shell-pore structure inspired by shell-protected biomaterials,the monoliths with porosity of 54.69%–70.02% exhibited a high compressive strength(32.3–42.9 MPa)which was 2–5 times that of mullite-based porous ceramics with similar density reported elsewhere.Moreover,their pore structure and properties could be tuned by regulation of the particle size and content of the FAHMs,and the resultant monoliths demonstrated superior integrated performances for multifunctional applications,such as broadband sound insulation,efficient thermal insulation,and high-temperature fire resistance(>1300℃).On this basis,mullite-based porous ceramic lattices(porosity 68.28%–84.79%)with a hierarchical porous structure were successfully assembled by direct ink writing(DIW),which exhibited significantly higher compressive strength(3.02–10.77 MPa)than most other ceramic lattices with comparable densities.This unique shell-pore structure can be extended to other porous materials,and our strategy paves a new way for cost-effective,scalable and green production of multifunctional materials with well-defined microstructure.

Preparation and Photostriction Properties of BiFeO_(3)-BaTiO_(3)Ceramics

Under illumination by 405,520 and 655 nm monochromatic visible light(light intensity of 30 kW/m^(2)),large photostriction(ΔL/L)of 0.19%,0.13%and 0.26%for 67BiFeO_(3)-33BaTiO_(3)(67BF-33BT)lead-free ferroelectric ceramics are obtained,respectively.By studying the ferroelectric and photoelectric properties in conjunction with in situ Raman spectroscopy,it is found that the photostrictive effect of 67BF-33BT is not caused by the electrical strain induced by abnormal photovoltaic voltage,but related to the optical induced oxygen octahedral distortion.The 67BF-33BT lead-free ferroelectric material with excellent photostrictive response in the visible light region is expected to play an important role in the field of optical drive electromechanical devices.

Microstructure Characteristics and Possible Phase Evolution of the Coal Gangue-Steel Slag Ceramics Prepared by the Solid-State Reaction Methods

Industrial wastes such as steel slag and coal gangue etc.were chosen as raw materials for preparing ceramic via the conventional solid-state reaction method.With steel slag and coal gangue mixed in various mass ratios,from 100%steel slag to 100%coal gangue at 10%intervals,microstructure and possible phase evolution of the coal gangue-steel slag ceramics were investigated using X-ray powder diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,mercury intrusion porosimetry and Archimedes boiling method.The experimental results suggest that the phase compositions of the as-prepared ceramics could be altered with the increased amount of coal gangue in the ceramics.The anorthite-diopside eutectic can be formed in the ceramics with the mass ratios of steel slag to coal gangue arranged from 8:2 to 2:8,which was responsible for the melting of the steel slag-coal gangue ceramics at relatively high temperature.Further investigations on the microstructure suggested that the addition of the proper amount of steel slag in ceramic compositions was conducive to the pore formation and further contributed to an increment in porosity.

A critical review of direct laser additive manufacturing ceramics

The urgent need for integrated molding and sintering across various industries has inspired the development of additive manu-facturing(AM)ceramics.Among the different AM technologies,direct laser additive manufacturing(DLAM)stands out as a group of highly promising technology for flexibly manufacturing ceramics without molds and adhesives in a single step.Over the last decade,sig-nificant and encouraging progress has been accomplished in DLAM of high-performance ceramics,including Al_(2)O_(3),ZrO_(2),Al_(2)O_(3)/ZrO_(2),SiC,and others.However,high-performance ceramics fabricated by DLAM face challenges such as formation of pores and cracks and resultant low mechanical properties,hindering their practical application in high-end equipment.Further improvements are necessary be-fore they can be widely adopted.Methods such as field-assisted techniques and post-processing can be employed to address these chal-lenges,but a more systematic review is needed.This work aims to critically review the advancements in direct selective laser sintering/melting(SLS/SLM)and laser directed energy deposition(LDED)for various ceramic material systems.Additionally,it provides an overview of the current challenges,future research opportunities,and potential applications associated with DLAM of high-perform-ance ceramics.

ZrC-SiC closed-cell ceramics with low thermal conductivity:Exploiting unique spherical closed-cell structure through tape casting and CVI techniques

Porous ultra-high temperature ceramics(UHTCs)are recognized as novel candidates for fulfilling the requirements of thermal protection systems of hypersonic aircrafts,as they possess excellent high-temperature resistance and low thermal conductivity.Currently,the reported porous UHTCs predominantly exhibit an open pore structure.By contrast,closed-cell UHTCs,formed by employing ceramic hollow microspheres(HMs)as pore-forming agents,hold great potential for achieving superior thermal insulation performance.Unfortunately,the implementation of this strategy has been hindered by the scarcity of raw materials and preparation techniques.In this paper,ZrC-SiC closed-cell ceramics were first successfully prepared through a combination of tape casting and chemical vapor infiltration(CVI)techniques,utilizing the self-developed ZrC HMs as the primary raw material.The morphology,microstructure,and thermal insulation properties of the obtained ZrC-SiC closed-cell ceramics were investigated.The results indicate that when the content of ZrC HMs is 30 vol.%,the density of the prepared porous ceramics is 2.09 g cm^(-3),with a closed porosity of 14.05%and a thermal conductivity of 1.69 W(m K)^(-1).The results clearly prove that the CVI process can successfully convert ZrC HMs into closed pore structures within porous ceramics.The introduction of ZrC HMs suppresses the contribution of free electrons to thermal conductivity and brings about a large number of solid-gas interfaces,which increases the interfacial thermal resistance and significantly reduces the phonon thermal conductivity.Consequently,the as-prepared ZrC-SiC closed-cell ceramics show excellent thermal insulation properties.This study provides a new idea and method for the development of porous UHTCs and offers a more reliable material choice for thermal protection systems.

Microstructure and Oxidation Behavior of ZrB_(2)-SiC Ceramics Fabricated by Tape Casting and Reactive Melt Infiltration

ZrB_(2)-based ceramics typically necessitate high temperature and pressure for sintering,whereas ZrB_(2)-SiC ceramics can be fabricated at 1500℃using the process of reactive melt infiltration with Si.In comparison to the conventional preparation method,reactive synthesis allows for the more facile production of ultra-high temperature ceramics with fine particle size and homogeneous composition.In this work,ZrSi_(2),B4C,and C were used as raw materials to prepare ZrB_(2)-SiC via combination of tape casting and reactive melt infiltration herein referred to as ZBC ceramics.Control sample of ZrB_(2)-SiC was also prepared using ZrB_(2) and SiC as raw materials through an identical process designated as ZS ceramics.Microscopic analysis of both ceramic groups revealed smaller and more uniformly distributed particles of the ZrB_(2) phase in ZBC ceramics compared to the larger particles in ZS ceramics.Both sets of ceramics underwent cyclic oxidation testing in the air at 1600℃for a cumulative duration of 5 cycles,each cycle lasting 2 h.Analysis of the oxidation behavior showed that both ZBC ceramics and ZS ceramics developed a glassy SiO_(2)-ZrO_(2) oxide layer on their surfaces during the oxidation.This layer severed as a barrier against oxygen.In ZBC ceramics,ZrO_(2) is finely distributed in SiO_(2),whereas in ZS ceramics,larger ZrO_(2) particles coexist with glassy SiO_(2).The surface oxide layer of ZBC ceramics maintains a dense structure because the well-dispersed ZrO_(2) increases the viscosity of glassy SiO_(2),preventing its crystallization during the cooling.Conversely,some SiO_(2) in the oxide layer of ZS ceramics may crystallize and form a eutectic with ZrO_(2),leading to the formation of ZrSiO_(4).This leads to cracking of the oxide layer due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients,weakening its barrier effect.An analysis of the oxidation resistance shows that ZBC ceramics exhibit less increase in oxide layer thickness and mass compared to ZS ceramics,suggesting superior oxidation resistance of ZBC ceramics.

Low-firing and temperature stability regulation of tri-rutile MgTa_(2)O_(6)microwave dielectric ceramics

A glass frit containing Li_(2)O-MgO-ZnO-B_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)component was used to explore the low-temperature sintering behaviors and microwave dielectric characteristics of tri-rutile MgTa_(2)O_(6)ceramics in this study.The good low-firing effects are presented due to the high matching relevance between Li_(2)O-MgO-ZnO-B_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)glass and MgTa_(2)O_(6)ceramics.The pure tri-rutile MgTa_(2)O_(6)structure remains unchanged,and high sintering compactness can also be achieved at 1150℃.We found that the Li_(2)O-MgO-ZnO-B_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)glass not only greatly improves the low-temperature sintering characteristics of MgTa_(2)O_(6)ceramics but also maintains a high(quality factor(Q)×resonance frequency(f))value while still improving the temperature stability.Typically,great microwave dielectric characteristics when added with 2wt%Li_(2)O-MgO-ZnO-B_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)glass can be achieved at 1150℃:dielectric constant,ε_(r)=26.1;Q×f=34267 GHz;temperature coefficient of resonance frequency,τ_(f)=-8.7×10^(-6)/℃.

Clay Materials for Ceramics Application from N’Djamena in the Chad Republic: Mineralogical, Physicochemical and Microstructural Characterization

Herein, we report some characteristics of the clayey materials (CMs) collected from Kaliwa (C1), Kabé (C2) and Malo (C3) district in N’Djamena (Chad). Three samples were characterized applying XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM. In addition, TGA/DSC were performed to control decomposition/mass loss and show phase transitions respectively of CMs. Geochemical analysis by XRF reveals the following minerals composition: SiO2 (~57% - 66%), Al2O3 (~13% - 15%), Fe2O3 (~6% - 10%), TiO2 (~1% - 2%) were the predominant oxides with a reduced proportion in C1, and (~7%) of fluxing agents (K2O, CaO, Na2O). Negligible and trace of MgO (~1%) and P2O5 was noted. The mineralogical composition by XRD shows that, C1, C2 and C3 display close mineralogy with: Quartz (~50%), feldspar (~20%) as non-clay minerals, whereas clays minerals were mostly kaolinite (~15%), illite (~5%) and smectite (~10%). FTIR analysis exhibits almost seemingly similar absorption bands characteristic of hydroxyls elongation, OH valence vibration of Kaolinite and stretching vibration of some Metal-Oxygen bond. SEM micrographs of the samples exhibit microstructureformed by inter-aggregates particles with porous cavities. TGA/DSCconfirm the existence of quartz (570˚C to 870˚C), carbonates (600˚C - 760˚C), kaolinite (569˚C - 988˚C), illite (566˚C - 966˚C), MgO (410˚C - 720˚C) and smectite (650˚C - 900˚C). The overall characterization indicates that, these clayey soils exhibit good properties for ceramic application.

Preparation and Spectral Properties of Er,Na∶CaF_(2) Transparent Ceramics

Er^(3+),Na^(+)co-doped CaF_(2) transparent ceramics with Er^(3+)dopant concentration of 3% and Na^(+)of 0%,0.5%,1.0%,1.5% and 2.0% were fabricated by the vacuum hot pressing method with 16 mm in diameter and 3 mm in thickness.The average grain size of the obtained Er,Na∶CaF_(2) powders varied from 28 nm to 36 nm with the shape of sphere.The effects of Na^(+)doping on the transmittance,microstructure and spectral properties of Er^(3+)∶CaF_(2) transparent ceramics were investigated.The transmittance of all the obtained ceramic samples is above 84%in the wavelength of 1000 nm.The results show that after introducing Na^(+)into Er^(3+)∶CaF_(2) transparent ceramics,charge-neutralized Er^(3+)-Na^(+)structure formed which prevent Er^(3+)from clustering.The emission spectra of Er^(3+)in CaF_(2) transparent ceramics at around 1.5 and 2.7μm could be modulated by adjusting the concentration of Na^(+)and the near-infrared fluorescence lifetime at around 1.5μm increase with the increasing of Na^(+)concentration,reaching a maximum of 56.75 ms.

Study on Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Deformation Damage Process of Zirconia Ceramics

Zirconia ceramics have become increasingly widely used in recent years and are favored by relevant enterprises. From the traditional dental field to aerospace, parts manufacturing has been used, but there is limited research on the deformation and damage process of zirconia ceramics. This article analyzes the acoustic emission characteristics of each stage of ceramic damage from the perspective of acoustic emission, and explores its deformation process characteristics from multiple perspectives such as time domain, frequency, and EWT modal analysis. It is concluded that zirconia ceramics exhibit higher brittleness and acoustic emission strength than alumina ceramics, and when approaching the fracture, it tends to generate lower frequency acoustic emission signals.

The B-site ordering in RFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)ceramics and its effect on magnetic properties

To insight into the B-site ordering in RFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)ceramics,a series of RFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)ceramics(R=La,Y,Lu)were synthesized by the sol-gel method,and the structural and magnetic properties were systemically investigated.By using the Rietveld refinement of all samples,it is found that the structural distortion is increased as the R ionic radius decreases,leading to the weakened interactions between Fe/Cr ions.Moreover,the Fe and Cr are arranged in disorder in LaFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3),but partially ordered in YFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)and LuFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3),showing an increasing trend of the proportion of ordered domains with the decrease of R ionic radius.Through fitting the temperature-dependent magnetizations,it is identified that the magnetization reversal(MR)in disorder LaFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)is resulted from the competition between the moments of Cr and Fe sublattices.In the partially ordered YFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)and LuFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)ceramics,because of the presence of Fe-O-Cr networks in the ordered domains whose moment is antiparallel to that of Fe-O-Fe and Cr-O-Cr in the disordered domains,the compensation temperature T_(comp)of MR is increased by nearly 50 K.These results suggest that the changing of R-site ions could be used very effectively to modify the Fe-O-Cr ordering,apart from the structural distortion,which has a direct effect on the magnetic exchange interactions in RFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)ceramics.Then at values of composition where ordered domains are expected to be larger in number as compared to disordered domains and with a weaker structural distortion,one can expect a higher transition temperature Tcomp,providing a different view for adjustment of the magnetic properties of RFe_(0.5)Cr_(0.5)O_(3)ceramics for practical applications.

Oxidation behavior of amorphous and nanocrystalline SiBCN ceramics–Kinetic consideration and microstructure

In this study,the structural evolution of SiBCN ceramics during crystallization and its effects on oxidation behavior involving different atomic units or formed phases in amorphous or crystalline SiBCN ceramics were analyzed.The amorphous structure has exceptionally high oxidation activity but presents much better oxidation resistance due to its synchronous oxidation of atomic units and homogeneous composition in the generated oxide layer.However,the oxidation resistance of SiBCN ceramic will degrade during the continual crystallization process,especially for the formation of the nanocapsule-like structure,due to heterogeneous oxidation caused by the phase separation.Besides,the activation energy and rate-controlling mechanism of the atomic units and phases in SiBCN ceramics were obtained.The BNCx(Ea=145 kJ/mol)and SiC(2-x)(Ea=364 kJ/mol)atomic units in amorphous SiBCN structure can be oxidized at relatively lower temperatures with much lower activation energy than the corresponding BN(C)(Ea=209 kJ/mol)and SiC(Ea=533 kJ/mol)phases in crystalline structure,and the synchronous oxidation of the SiC(2-x)and BNCx units above 750C changes the oxidation activation energy of BNCx(Ea=332 kJ/mol)to that similar to SiC(2-x).The heterogeneous oxide layer formed from the nanocapsule-like structure will decrease the activation energy SiC(Ea=445 kJ/mol)and t-BN(Ea=198 kJ/mol).

Porous high-entropy rare-earth phosphate(REPO_(4),RE=La,Sm,Eu,Ce,Pr and Gd)ceramics with excellent thermal insulation performance via pore structure tailoring

Thermal insulation materials play an increasingly important role in protecting mechanical parts functioning at high temperatures.In this study,a new porous high-entropy(La_(1/6)Ce_(1/6)Pr_(1/6)Sm_(1/6)Eu_(1/6)Gd_(1/6))PO_(4)(HE(6RE_(1/6))PO_(4))ceramics was prepared by combining the high-entropy method with the pore-forming agent method and the effect of different starch contents(0–60vol%)on this ceramic properties was systematically investigated.The results show that the porous HE(6RE_(1/6))PO_(4)ceramics with 60vol%starch exhibit the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.061 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)at room temperature and good pore structure stability with a linear shrinkage of approximately1.67%.Moreover,the effect of large regular spherical pores(>10μm)on its thermal insulation performance was discussed,and an optimal thermal conductivity prediction model was screened.The superior properties of the prepared porous HE(6RE_(1/6))PO_(4)ceramics allow them to be promising insulation materials in the future.

Physics-embedded machine learning search for Sm-doped PMN-PT piezoelectric ceramics with high performance

Pb(Mg_(1/3)Nb_(2/3))O_(3)–PbTiO_(3)(PMN-PT)piezoelectric ceramics have excellent piezoelectric properties and are used in a wide range of applications.Adjusting the solid solution ratios of PMN/PT and different concentrations of elemental doping are the main methods to modulate their piezoelectric coefficients.The combination of these controllable conditions leads to an exponential increase of possible compositions in ceramics,which makes it not easy to extend the sample data by additional experimental or theoretical calculations.In this paper,a physics-embedded machine learning method is proposed to overcome the difficulties in obtaining piezoelectric coefficients and Curie temperatures of Sm-doped PMN-PT ceramics with different components.In contrast to all-data-driven model,physics-embedded machine learning is able to learn nonlinear variation rules based on small datasets through potential correlation between ferroelectric properties.Based on the model outputs,the positions of morphotropic phase boundary(MPB)with different Sm doping amounts are explored.We also find the components with the best piezoelectric property and comprehensive performance.Moreover,we set up a database according to the obtained results,through which we can quickly find the optimal components of Sm-doped PMN-PT ceramics according to our specific needs.

Effect of additives on properties of aluminium titanate ceramics

The influence of some additives on bulk density,phase composition,mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance of aluminium titanate （AT） ceramics was investigated.AT ceramics with different additives of MgO,SiO2 and Fe2O3 were prepared by reaction sintering.Properties of AT ceramics were tested by using Archimedes,three-point bending and thermal cycling tests.It was found that additives of MgO,SiO2 and Fe2O3 or their compound additives are favorable to reduce the porosities of AT,enhance mechanical strength and thermal shock resistance.The role of additives can be rationalized in terms of promotion of sintering process,formation of new phases and influence on lattice constant c of AT ceramics.

Preparation and properties of porous silicon carbide ceramics through coat-mix and composite additives process

The core-shell structure silicon-resin precursor powders were synthesized through coat-mix process and addition of Al2O3-SiO2-Y2O3 composite additives.A series of porous silicon carbide ceramics were produced after molding,carbonization and sintering.The phase,morphology,porosity,thermal conductivity,thermal expansion coefficient,and thermal shock resistance were analyzed.The results show that porous silicon carbide ceramics can be produced at low temperature.The grain size of porous silicon carbide ceramic is small,and the thermal conductivity is enhanced significantly.Composite additives also improve the thermal shock resistance of porous ceramics.The bending strength loss rate after 30 times of thermal shock test of the porous ceramics which were added Al2O3-SiO2-Y2O3 and sintered at 1 650 ℃ is only 6.5%.Moreover,the pore inside of the sample is smooth,and the pore size distribution is uniform.Composite additives make little effect on the thermal expansion coefficient of the porous silicon carbide ceramics.

In-situ Raman observation on crack tips of Vickers indent in PLZT ceramics

Vickers indentation was introduced into the originally in-plane and out-of-plane poled PLZT ceramics.The Raman spectra were in-situ recorded at selected crack tips before and after the indentations,as well as after the applications of external electric field.The results show that the changes in Raman intensities of optical modes could be sensitively related to 90° domain switching around the crack tips which are strongly dependent on the directions of original polarization and geometric locations.When the direction of electric field was perpendicular to the direction of original polarization,the 90° domain switching at crack tips of the Vickers indentation on the originally in-plane poled PLZT ceramics caused most significant change in the Raman intensity,which inhibited the crack growth.However,when the direction of electric field was parallel to the direction of original polarization,the growth of crack tips became predominantly without the 90° domain switching,which led to the crack growth.

High temperature oxidation behavior of electroconductive TiN/O′-Sialon ceramics prepared from high titania slag-based mixture

The oxidation behavior of electroconductive TiN/O′-Sialon ceramics prepared using high titania slag as main starting material was studied at 1 200-1 300 °C in air. The isothermal and non-isothermal oxidation processes were investigated by DTA-TG. Phase compositions and morphologies of the oxidized products were analyzed by XRD, SEM and EDS. The results indicate that the oxidation of TiN and O′-Sialon occurs at about 500 °C and 1 050 °C, respectively. After oxidation at 1 200-1 300 °C, a protective scale that consists of Fe2MgTi3O10, SiO2 and TiO2 is formed on the surface of the materials, which effectively prevents the oxidation process. The formation of a protective scale is relative to TiN content and apparent porosity of the samples, the amount of SiO2 and amorphous phase in the oxidation product. At the initial oxidation stage, the oxidation kinetics of the materials follows perfectly the linear law with the apparent activation energy of 1.574×105 J/mol, and at the late-mid stage, the oxidation of the samples obeys the parabolic law with the apparent activation energy of 2.693×105 J/mol. With the increase of TiN content, mass gain of the materials increases significantly.