Fabrication of Ni-, Co- and NiCo-coated Graphite Microspheres by Heterogeneous Precipitation

The precursors with NiCO3.2Ni（OH）2.2H2O, Co2（OH）2CO3, or both NiCO3.2Ni（OH）2.2H2O and Co2（OH）2CO3 coated graphite microspheres were prepared respectively by the aqueous heterogeneous precipitation using nickel sulfate, cobalt nitrate, sodium carbonate, ammonium bicarbonate and graphite microspheres as the main starting materials. Subsequently, Ni-, Co- and NiCo-coated graphite microspheres were successfully obtained by thermal reduction of the as-prepared precursors at 500 ℃ for 2 h, respectively. These metal-coated graphite microspheres were characterized with a smooth, cohesive surface consisting of fine metallic particles. Optimized precipitation processing parameters of the concentration of graphite microspheres （10 g/L）, the rate of adding reactants （3 mL/min） and pH value （8.0） were determined by a trial and error method. The thermal analysis of the precursors was investigated by TG. Powders of the precursors and the resultant metal-（Ni, Co and NiCo alloy） coated graphite microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）.

A Novel Processing Route for Ni-doped Alumina Composites

Alumina-based composites containing 0-15wt% Ni metallic phase were produced by hot press-sintering Ni-coated alumina powders. The Ni-coated alumina powders were prepared by the aqueous heterogeneous precipitation of alumina micro-powders and nickel sulfate salt followed by reduction process. The microstructural features and dispersion of Ni phase in Ni-coated alumina powders and the subsequent alumina-Ni cermets were investigated using scanning electron microscope （SEM）, X-ray diffractometer （XRD）, and transmission electron microscope （TEM）. The relative density of the hot press-sintered composites was measured with the Archimedes＇ method while the fracture strength and the fracture toughness were defined with the three-point bending method and the micro-indentation fracture method. In the formation of alumina-Ni cermets from sintered Ni-coated alumina powders, Ni phase to some extent limits the densification rate and stifles the coarsening and growing process of alumina grains. The Ni phase is found to be located at the interfaces and the triple-joint junctions of alumina grains which results into alteration of the fracture mode of alumina and its increased fracture strength and fracture toughness if compared with monolithic alumina.

Fabrication of magnetic nanosized γ-FeNi-coated ceramic core-shell microspheres by heterogeneous precipitation and thermal reduction

Precursors with NiCO3-2Ni（OH）2.2H2O- and Fe203.nH20-coated alumina, graphite and cenosphere were synthesized by precipitation using ferrous sulfate, nickel sulfate, ammonium bicarbonate, alumina, graphite and cenosphere as the main starting materials. Magnetic γ-FeNi-coated alumina, graphite and cenosphere core-shell structural microspheres were subsequently prepared by thermal reduction of the as-prepared precursors at 600℃ for 2 h. Precipitation parameters, e.g. concentration of ceramic micropowders （lOg/L）, sulfate solution （0.2mol/L）, rate of adding reactants （3 mL/min） and pH value were optimized by a trial-and-error method. Powders of the precursors and the resulting coating of γ-FeNi with grain size below 40 nm on alumina, graphite and cenosphere microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The magnetic properties of the nanosize γ-FeNi-coated alumina, graphite and cenosphere microspheres were measured by vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM）. The results show that the core-shell structural γ-FeNi-coated ceramic microspheres exhibited higher coercivity than pure γ-FeNi powders, indicating that these materials can be used for high-Derformance functional materials and devices.

Precipitation on stacking faults in Mg–9.8wt%Sn alloy

In this work,we have systematically investigated precipitation ofβ’-Mg3Sn phase on intrinsic stacking faults I1 and I2 in a Mg-9.8 wt%Sn alloy using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.All observed I1 faults are generated by the dissociation of c+a perfect dislocations and bounded by Frank partial dislocations having a Shockley component.Precipitation ofβ’on I1 involves a shear of 1/3<0110>α,similar to its formation directly from theα-Mg matrix.Theβ’phase often nucleates at one end of an I1 fault due to the interaction between shear strain fields ofβ’and the Shockley component of the Frank partial at that end,and subsequently grows towards the other end of the fault.When theβ’reaches to the other end,the Shockley partial bounding the lengthening end of theβ’reacts with the Frank partial bounding the fault,generating an a perfect dislocation that can glide away from the precipitate and the fault.The observed I2 faults are generated by the dissociation of a perfect dislocations and bounded by Shockley partials.Precipitation ofβ’on I2 does not need a shear of 1/3<01-10>α,since the pre-existing I2 fault already provides an ABCA four-layer structure ofβ’.Thickening of theβ’that has already formed on the I2 involves the successive occurrence of three crystallographically equivalent shears of 1/3<01-10>αon every second(0002)αplane of theα-Mg matrix.Although this thickening mechanism is similar to that of theβ’formed directly from theα-Mg matrix,an a perfect dislocation will be produced when theβ’is thickened to eight layers,and it can again glide away from the precipitate and the fault.