A novel technique for making open-cell Al_2O_3-ZrO_2 ceramic foam with plant seed template

The aim of the present research is to provide a technique for preparing open-cell Al2O3-ZrO2 ceramic foams with uniform cell size.This technique used plant seeds to array templates and centrifugal slip casting to obtain cell struts with high packing density.Aqueous Al2O3-ZrO2 slurries with up to 50 vol.% solid contents were prepared and the rheological characteristic of the slurries was investigated.Consolidation was performed at an acceleration of 2,860 g for 60 min.The effect of the characteristic of plant seeds on the drying behavior of Al2O3-ZrO2 green compact was analyzed.The effects of the solid contents of slurries on segregation phenomena of Al2O3 and ZrO2 particles and green compact uniformity were investigated.The compressive stress-strain curve and deformation behavior of Al2O3-ZrO2 ceramic foams prepared using plant seed template were analyzed.The results showed segregation phenomenon is negligible for highly stable slurry with 50 vol.% solid loading.The prepared cell struts of Al2O3-ZrO2 foams have high green density (61.9% TD), sintered density (99.1% TD) and homogeneous microstructure.When sintered at 1,550 ℃ for 2 h, the cell size of Al2O3-ZrO2 foam is approximately uniform and the diameter is about 1.1 mm.The porosity and compressive strength of sintered products is 66.2% and 5.86 MPa, respectively.

Predicting model on ultimate compressive strength of Al_2O_3-ZrO_2 ceramic foam filter based on BP neural network

In present study, BP neural network model was proposed for the prediction of ultimate compressive strength of Al2O3-ZrO2 ceramic foam filter prepared by centrifugal slip casting. The inputs of the BP neural network model were the applied load on the epispastic polystyrene template （F）, centrifugal acceleration （v） and sintering temperature （T）, while the only output was the ultimate compressive strength （（7）. According to the registered BP model, the effects of F, v, T on 0 were analyzed. The predicted results agree with the actual data within reasonable experimental error, indicating that the BP model is practically a very useful tool in property prediction and process parameter design of the Al2O3-ZrO2 ceramic foam filter prepared by centrifugal slip casting.

Effects of Interlayer Composition on Bond Strength and Interfacial Microstructure of Green Joined CePO_4-ZrO_2 Ceramics

Effects of interlayer composition on bonding strength and interfacial microstructure of green joined CePO_4-ZrO_2 ceramics were studied. Green bodies of 25%CePO_4/ZrO_2 and ZrO_2 ceramics were joined by using interlayer composed of CePO_4 and ZrO_2 at 1450 ℃ for 120 min without applied pressure.The effects of CePO_4/(CePO_4+ZrO_2) ratio on the bond strength of the joints were investigated. Under the experimental conditions, the grain size of the particles grown in the joint is smaller than those in joined ceramics. The microstructure of the joint is more homogeneous than that of the matrix and without obvious cracks, pores and other defects.

Modeling and analysis of porosity and compressive strength of gradient Al_2O_3-ZrO_2 ceramic lter using BP neural network

BP neural network was used in this study to model the porosity and the compressive strength of a gradient Al2Q-ZrO2 ceramic foam filter prepared by centrifugal slip casting. The influences of the load applied on the epispastic polystyrene template （F）, the centrifugal acceleration （V） and sintering temperature （T） on the porosity （P） and compressive strength （a） of the sintered products were studied by using the registered three-layer BP model. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparing the BP model predicted results with the experimental ones. Results show that the model prediction agrees with the experimental data within a reasonable experimental error, indicating that the three-layer BP network based modeling is effective in predicting both the properties and processing parameters in designing the gradient Al203-ZrO2 ceramic foam filter. The prediction results show that the porosity percentage increases and compressive strength decreases with an increase in the applied load on epispastic polystyrene template. As for the influence of sintering temperature, the porosity percentage decreases monotonically with an increase in sintering temperature, yet the compressive strength first increases and then decreases slightly in a given temperature range. Furthermore, the porosity percentage changes little but the compressive strength first increases and then decreases when the centrifugal acceleration increases.

Properties of Ultra-low Thermal Expansion LAS Transparent Glass-ceramics Prepared by Spodumene

The glass-ceramics were prepared with the spodumene mineral as the main raw material,and the effects of ZrO_(2)replacing TiO_(2)on the samples were systematically investigated.The results show that the substitution of ZrO_(2)for TiO_(2)is not conductive to precipitate𝛽β-quartz solid solution phase,but can improve the transparency and flexural strength of glass-ceramics.And the glass-ceramic with the highest visible light transmittance(87%)and flexural strength(231.80 MPa)exhibits an ultra-low thermal expansion of-0.028×10^(-7)K^(-1)in the region of 30-700℃.

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)/℃.

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.

Effects of Yttrium Ion on Formation Mechanism of ZrO_2-Y_2O_3 Ceramic Coatings Formed by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation on Al-12Si Alloy

ZrO2-Y2O3 ceramic coating was produced by plasma electrolytic oxidation （PEO） on ZAlSil2Cu3Ni2 alloy. The microstructure and phase composition of the coating were investigated by SEM and XRD.： The results show that adding an appropriate amount of yttrium ion can improve the growing rate of ceramic coating at different oxidation stages and decrease arc voltage. The thickness of ZrO2-Y2O3 coating is 16 μn thicker than that of ZrO2 coating and the maximum oxidation rate improves by 0.6 μm/min. In addition, the arc voltage decreases from 227 to 172 V. It can be seen that the rate of oxidation firstly increases to some extent and then decreases with the content of yttrium ion increasing. The growth rate reaches the maximum while the content of yttrium ion is 0.05 g-L-1The maximum thickness is 90 μm.Compared to ZrO2 coating, the micropores of ZrO2-Y2O3 coating are less and the ceramic layer is repeatedly deposited by ZrO2 and Y2O3 ceramic particles. Meanwhile, the binding force between coating and substrate is better and the coating is uniform and compact. The ceramic layer is mainly composed of c-Y0.15Zr0.85O1.93□0.07, m-ZrO2, α-Al2O3, ,γ-Al2O3 and Y2O3. It is indicated that ZrO2 has beert fully stabilized by yttrium ion through the formation of solid solution.

Effect of Nano-ZrO_2 on Microstructure and Thermal Shock Behaviour of Al_2O_3/SiC Composite Ceramics Used in Solar Thermal Power

The Al2O3-ZrO2（3Y）-SiC composite ceramics used in solar thermal power were prepared by micrometric Al2O3,nano-ZrO2 and SiC powders under the condition of pressureless sintering.The bulk density and bending strength of samples with 10vol% nano-ZrO2 sintered at 1480℃ were 3.222 g/cm3 and 160.4MPa,respectively.The bending strength of samples after 7 times thermal shock tests （quenching from 1000℃ to 25℃ in air medium） is 132.0MPa,loss rate of bending strength is only 17%.The effect of nano-ZrO2 content on the microstructure and performance of Al2O3-ZrO2（3Y）-SiC composite ceramic was investigated.The experimental results show that the bending strength of samples with above 10vol% nano-ZrO2 content has decreased,because the volume expansion resulting from t-ZrO2 to m-ZrO2 phase transformation is excessive;Adding proper nano-ZrO2 would be contributed to improve the thermal shock resistance of the composite ceramics.The Al2O3-ZrO2（3Y）-SiC composite ceramic has promising potential application in solar thermal power.

Oxidation of O'-SiAlON-ZrO_2 Composite Ceramics

The oxidation kinetics of O'-SiAlON-ZrO2 composite ceramics in the temperature range of 1373-1773K has been studied. The oxidation experiments with powder and plates of O'-SiAlON-ZrO2 composite ceramics in air have been carried out. The overall activation energy of oxidation reaction is 263.69 kJ/mol. The products and structures of O'-SiAlON-ZrO2 oxidation layer have been analysed by XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscope) and AFM (atomic force microscope).

Synthesis of Biodiesel Using ZrO_2 Polycrystalline Ceramic Foam Catalyst in a Tubular Reactor

With the help of the ceramic foam research efforts and preparation techniques, the ZrO2 polycrystalline ceramic foam catalyst was synthesized, and its characteristics, including the crystal structure, the phase composition, the acid–base properties, and the microstructure, were analyzed by XRD, SEM, Py-IR, and BET techniques. The performance of the ZrO2 polycrystalline ceramic foam catalyst in a tubular reactor was investigated via biodiesel synthesis using S. wilsoniana oil and methanol. The effects of reaction conditions(i.e., reaction temperature, reaction pressure, and volume ratio of methanol to S. wilsoniana oil) on transesterification efficiency were investigated, and the reaction conditions were optimized using RSM. The optimum reaction temperature, reaction pressure, and volume ratio of methanol to S. wilsoniana oil were determined to be 290 ℃, 10 MPa, and 4:1, respectively. Under this condition, the FAME content in the product oil reached 98.38%. The performance of the ZrO2 polycrystalline ceramic foam catalyst synthesized in this work for biodiesel synthesis from S. wilsoniana oil with a moisture content of 7.1% and an acid value of 130.697 mg KOH/g was examined, and the FAME content in the product oil was found to be 93% and 97.67%, respectively. The FAME content in the product oil exceeded 97% after five consecutive cycles(12 h per cycle of use) of the catalyst. The proposed catalyst represents a new type of solid catalyst with excellent acid resistance, water resistance, esterification efficiency, and catalytic stability.

Preparation of Al_2O_3-SiO_2-TiO_2-ZrO_2 Composite Ceramic Membranes by Sol-Gel Method

Al 2O 3-SiO 2-TiO 2-ZrO 2 supported membranes were prepar ed by Sol-Gel method. These composite ceramic membranes are level, even and no macro crack. There exist several crystalline phases such as Al 2O 3, TiO 2(a natase), Al 2SiO 5, and ZrO 2 in these membranes. Changing the molar ratio of Al∶Si∶Ti∶Zr,the kinds and content of crystal phases of composite membranes could be different, which may lead to a variety of microstructure of membranes. The surface nanoscale topography and microstructure of membranes were investiga ted by XRD,SEM,AFM,EPMA. The effects of additives and heat treatments on the sur face nanoscale topography and microstructure of composite ceramic membranes were also analyzed.

Improved microwave dielectric properties of MgAl_(2)O_(4)spinel ceramics through(Li_(1/3)Ti_(2/3))^(3+)doping

A series of nominal compositions MgAl_(2-x)(Li_(1/3)Ti_(2/3))_(x)O_(4)(x=0,0.04,0.08,0.12,0.16,and 0.20)ceramics were successfully prepared via the conventional solid-state reaction route.The phase compositions,microstructures,and microwave dielectric properties were investigated.The results of x-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)showed that a single phase of MgAl_(2-x)(Li_(1/3)Ti_(2/3))_(x)O_(4)ceramics with a spinel structure was obtained at x≤0.12,whereas the second phase of MgTi_(2)O_(5)appeared when x>0.12.The cell parameters were obtained by XRD refinement.As the x values increased,the unit cell volume kept expanding.This phenomenon could be attributed to the partial substitution of(Li_(1/3)Ti_(2/3))^(3+)for Al^(3+).Results showed that(Li_(1/3)Ti_(2/3))^(3+)doping into MgAl_(2)O_(4)spinel ceramics effectively reduced the sintering temperature and improved the quality factor(Q_f)values.Good microwave dielectric properties were achieved for a sample at x=0.20 sintering at 1500℃in air for 4 h:dielectric constantε_(r)=8.78,temperature coefficient of resonant frequencyτ_(f)=-85 ppm/℃,and Q_(f)=62300 GHz.The Q_(f)value of the x=0.20 sample was about 2 times higher than that of pure MgAl_(2)O_(4)ceramics(31600 GHz).Thus,MgAl_(2-x)(Li_(1/3)Ti_(2/3))_(x)O_(4)ceramics with excellent microwave dielectric properties can be applied to 5G communications.

Structure and Dielectric Properties of Sb_2O_5-Doped ZrO_2-SnO_2-TiO_2 Microwave Ceramics

The microwave dielectric properties of ZrO2-SnO2-TiO2 （ZST） system ceramics were studied as a function of the amount of Sb2O5 dopant. With the addition of 0-0.5% Sb2O5（molar ratio）, the substitution of Ti4^＋ ions with Sb^5＋ ions decreased the sintering temperature and increased the quality factor Q due to the reduction of oxygen vacancies, When the amount of Sb^5＋ increased further （above 0.5%）, Q was decreased by increasing the electron concentration. When the system doped with 0.5% Sb2O5 was sintered at 1 150℃ for 6 h, the relative dielectric constant ε, Qf0, and the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency （TCF） were 38.46, 44 500 GHz, 20.0×10^-6/℃, respectively, at 6 GHz,

The Coupled Thermo-Chemo-Mechanical Peridynamics for ZrB_(2) Ceramics Ablation Behavior

The ablation of ultra-high-temperature ceramics(UTHCs)is a complex physicochemical process including mechanical behavior,temperature effect,and chemical reactions.In order to realize the structural optimization and functional design of ultra-high temperature ceramics,a coupled thermo-chemo-mechanical bond-based peridynamics(PD)model is proposed based on the ZrB_(2) ceramics oxidation kinetics model and coupled thermomechanical bond-based peridynamics.Compared with the traditional coupled thermo-mechanical model,the proposedmodel considers the influenceof chemical reactionprocessonthe ablation resistanceof ceramicmaterials.In order to verify the reliability of the proposed model,the thermo-mechanical coupling model,damage model and oxidation kinetic model are established respectively to investigate the applicability of the proposedmodel proposed in dealing with thermo-mechanical coupling,crack propagation,and chemical reaction,and the results show that the model is reliable.Finally,the coupled thermo-mechanical model and coupled thermo-chemo-mechanical model are used to simulate the crack propagation process of the plate under the thermal shock load,and the results show that the oxide layer plays a good role in preventing heat transfer and protecting the internal materials.Based on the PD fully coupled thermo-mechanical model,this paper innovatively introduces the oxidation kinetic model to analyze the influence of parameter changes caused by oxide layer growth and chemical growth strain on the thermal protection ability of ceramics.The proposed model provides an effective simulation technology for the structural design of UTHCs.

Effects of Co_(2)O_(3)Addition on Microstructure and Properties of SiC Composite Ceramics for Solar Absorber and Storage

SiC composite ceramics for solar absorber and storage integration are new concentrating solar power materials.SiC composite ceramics for solar absorber and storage integration were fabricated using SiC,black corundum and kaolin as the raw materials,Co_(2)O_(3)as the additive via pressureless graphite-buried sintering method in this study.Influences of Co_(2)O_(3)on the microstructure and properties of SiC composite ceramics for solar absorber and storage integration were studied.The results indicate that sample D2(5wt%Co_(2)O_(3))sintered at 1480℃exhibits optimal performances for 119.91 MPa bending strength,93%solar absorption,981.5 kJ/kg(25-800℃)thermal storage density.The weight gain ratio is 12.58 mg/cm2after 100 h oxidation at 1000℃.The Co_(2)O_(3)can decrease the liquid phase formation temperature and reduce the viscosity of liquid phase during sintering.The liquid with low viscosity not only promotes the elimination of pores to achieve densification,but also increases bending strength,solar absorption,thermal storage density and oxidation resistance.A dense SiO_(2) layer was formed on the surface of SiC after 100 h oxidation at 1000℃,which protects the sample from further oxidation.However,excessive Co_(2)O_(3)will make the microstructure loose,which is disadvantageous to the performances of samples.

A robust fluorine-containing ceramic cathode for direct CO_(2) electrolysis in solid oxide electrolysis cells

Stro ntium-doped lanthanum ferrite(LSF)is a potential ceramic cathode for direct CO_(2) electrolysis in solid oxide electrolysis cells(SOECs),but its application is limited by insufficient catalytic activity and stability in CO_(2)-containing atmospheres.Herein,a novel strategy is proposed to enhance the electrolytic performance as well as chemical stability,achieved by doping F into the O-site of the perovskite LSF.Doping F does not change the phase structure but reduces the cell volume and improves the chemical stability in a CO_(2)-rich atmosphere.Importantly,F doping favors oxygen vacancy formation,increases oxygen vacancy concentration,and enhances the CO_(2) adsorption capability.Meanwhile,doping with F greatly improves the kinetics of the CO_(2) reduction reaction.For example,kchem increases by 78%from3.49×10^(-4) cm s^(-1) to 6.24×10^(-4) cm s^(-1),and Dchem doubles from 4.68×10^(-5) cm^(2) s^(-1) to 9.45×10^(-5)cm^(2) s^(-1).Consequently,doping F significantly increases the electrochemical performance,such as reducing R_(p) by 52.2%from 0.226Ωcm^(2) to 0.108Ωcm^(2) at 800℃.As a result,the single cell with the Fcontaining cathode exhibits an extremely high current density of 2.58 A cm^(-2) at 800℃and 1.5 V,as well as excellent durability over 200 h for direct CO_(2) electrolysis in SOECs.

In Situ Reaction Strengthening and Toughening of B_(4)C/TiSi_(2)Ceramics

B_(4)C-SiC-TiB_(2)ceramics were prepared by in situ reactive hot-pressing sintering with TiSi_(2)as an additive.The reaction pathways of TiSi_(2)and B_(4)C were investigated.The sintering was found to be a multistep process.The reaction started at approximately 1000℃,and TiB_(2)was formed first.Part of Si and C started to react at 1300℃,and the unreacted Si melted at 1400℃to form a liquid phase.TiSi_(2)predominantly affected the intermediate sintering process of B_(4)C and increased the sintering rate.Due to the unique reaction process of TiSi_(2)and B_(4)C,a large number of aggregates composed of SiC and TiB_(2)were generated.The results showed that composite ceramics with the optimal flexural strength of 807 MPa,fracture toughness of 3.2 MPa·m1/2,and hardness of 32 GPa,were obtained when the TiSi_(2)content was 10 wt%.

Effect of CaO/SiO_(2) Slag Mass Ratio on Dissolution Rate of Alumina-based Refractory Ceramics

The dissolution of alumina-based refractory ceramics in CaO-Al2O3-SiO_(2)slag melts was performed based on the in-situ observation system of an ultra-high-temperature laser confocal microscope,and the effect of the CaO/SiO_(2)slag mass ratio(C/S ratio)on the dissolution rate of alumina-based refractory ceramics was investigated.The results indicate that the dissolution rate increases with an increase of the C/S ratio and is mainly controlled by diffusion.During the early stage of dissolution,for all C/S ratios,the dissolution process conforms to the classical invariant interface approximation model.During the later stage of dissolution,when the C/S ratio is≥6,the dissolution process is significantly different from the model above because of the formation of a thick interfacial layer,which can be explained by dissolution kinetics.