Identification of optimal composition with superior electrochemical properties along the zero Mn^(3+)line in Na_(0.75)(Mn-Al-Ni)O_(2)pseudo ternary system

Biphasic layered oxide cathodes,known for their superior electrochemical performance,are prime candidates for commercializing in Na-ion batteries.Herein,we unveil a series of P3/P2 monophasic and biphasic Al-substituted Na_(3/4)Mn_(5-x/8)Al_(2x/8)Ni_(3-x/8)O_(2)layered oxide cathodes that lie along the‘zero Mn^(3+)line’in the Na_(3/4)(Mn-Al-Ni)O_(2)pseudo-ternary system.The structural analysis showed a larger Na^(+)conduction bottleneck area in both P3 and P2 structures with a higher Al3+content,which enhanced their rate performance.In each composition,the P3/P2 biphasic compound with nearly equal fractions of P3 and P2 phases outperformed their monophasic counterparts in almost all electrochemical performance parameters.Operando synchrotron XRD measurements obtained for the monophasic P3 and biphasic P2/P3 samples revealed the absence of the O3 phase during cycling.The high structure stability and faster Na^(+)transport kinetics in the biphasic samples underpins the enhancement of electrochemical properties in the Al-substituted P3/P2 cathodes.These results highlight fixed oxidation state lines as a novel tool to identify and design layered oxide cathodes for Na-ion batteries in pseudo-ternary diagrams involving Jahn-Teller active cations.

Enhanced in-vitro degradation resistance and cytocompatibility of a thermomechanically processed novel Mg alloy:Insights into the role of microstructural attributes

The role of microstructural features on in-vitro degradation and surface film development of a thermomechanically processed Mg-4Zn-0.5Ca-0.8Mn alloy has been investigated employing electrochemical studies,scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.The specimen forged at 523 K temperature developed a coarse unimodal microstructure consisting of basal oriented grains,whereas the specimens forged at 623 K and 723 K temperatures exhibited bimodal microstructures containing randomly oriented fine grains and basal oriented coarse grains.The bimodal microstructures exerted higher resistance to corrosion compared to the unimodal microstructure in presence of a protective surface film.The optimum size distribution of fine and coarse grains as well as the prevalence of basal oriented grains led to the lowest anodic current density in the specimen forged at 623 K.The morphology of Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3)precipitates governed the cathodic kinetics by controlling the anode to cathode surface area ratio.Despite the specimen forged at 723 K comprised comparatively lower fraction of precipitates than at 623 K,the mesh-like precipitate morphology increased the effective cathodic surface area,leading to enhanced localised corrosion in the former specimen.Optimal microstructural features developed at 623 K forging temperature formed a well-protective surface film with lower Mg(OH)_(2)to MgO ratio,exhibiting distinctly high polarization resistance and superior cytocompatibility in terms of cell-proliferation and cell-differentiation.

Microstructural characterization,tribological and corrosion behavior of AA7075-TiC composites

Aluminum alloys are the potential materials in the automobile and aerospace sectors due to their lower density,easy forming and excellent corrosion resistance.The demand of high strength-to-weight ratio materials in structural applications needs the engineering industries to seek aluminum alloy with new versions of hard and brittle ceramic particles.The microstructure,hardness,wear and corrosion behaviors of AA7075 composites with 2.5wt.%and 5wt.%TiC particles were studied.Microscopic analysis is evident that the transformation of the strong dendritic morphology to non-dendritic morphology on the incorporation of TiC into AA7075.Furthermore,the precipitation of the second-phase compounds such as Al_(2)CuMg,Al_(2)Cu andFe-rich Al_6(Cu,Fe)/Al_(7)Cu_(2)Fe)is promoted by TiC particles at inter-and intra-dendritic regions.Accordingly,the hardness of composites is improved by grain boundary strengthening and particulate strengthening mechanisms.Both coefficient of friction and wear rate have an inverse relation with TiC concentration.The base alloy without TiC shows adhesive-type wear-induced deformation due to the formation of an oxide film,while composite samples exhibit a mechanically mixed layer and abrasive-type wear behavior.Composite samples shows a higher corrosion rate due to the presence of numerous precipitates which promote pitting corrosion.

Effect of pre-twinning and heat treatment on formability of AZX311 Mg alloy

In this study,the effects of pre-strain-induced tensile twins(TTWs)and controlled heat treatment on the formability behavior of AZX311 Mg alloy sheets were investigated.A 4%compressive strain was applied to pre-strain the sheets using the in-plane compression(IPC)technique along the rolling direction(RD)to introduce TTWs.The pre-strained(PS)samples were subsequently heat-treated at 250℃,350℃,and 400℃ independently for 1 hr,and are termed as PSA1,PSA2,and PSA3,respectively.Erichsen cupping tests were conducted to assess the formability of the sheet samples under different initial conditions.The results showed that the PS sample heat-treated at 250℃ for 1hr exhibited a decrease in the Erichsen index(IE)compared to the as-rolled sample,whereas PSA2 and PSA3 samples showed an increase in IE values.Microtexture analysis revealed that most of the TTWs generated through pre-twinning were stable at 250℃;however,the twin volume fraction reduced to 41%at 350℃ compared to the PS samples due to enhanced thermal activity at that temperature.Furthermore,PSA2 samples showed severe grain coarsening in some areas of the sample,and the fraction of such grains increased in the PSA3 samples.The stretch formability(IE value)of PSA2 samples showed a 32.3%increase compared to the as-rolled specimens.Additionally,the analysis of the deformed specimen at failure under the Erichsen test indicated that considerable detwinning occurs in the PS and PSA1 samples,whereas dislocation slip activity dominates in the PSA2 and PSA3 samples during stretch forming.Apart from detwinning and dislocation slip,deformation twins were also observed in all samples after the Erichsen test.Thus,this work highlights the importance of texture control and its underlying mechanisms via pre-twinning followed by heat treatment and their impact on the room temperature(RT)stretch formability of AZX311 Mg alloy sheets.

Spark Plasma Sintering of Boron Carbide Using Ti_(3)SiC_(2) as a Sintering Additive

Boron carbide has unique properties for wide application possibilities;however,poor sinterability limits its applications.One approach to overcome this limitation is the addition of secondary phases into boron carbide.Boron carbide based composite ceramics are produced by the direct addition of secondary phases into the structure or via reactive sintering using a sintering additive.The present study investigated the effect of Ti_(3)SiC_(2) addition to boron carbide by reactive spark plasma sintering in the range of 1700-1900℃.Ti_(3)SiC_(2) phase decomposed at high temperatures and reacted with B4C to form secondary phases of TiB2 and SiC.The results demonstrated that the increase of Ti_(3)SiC_(2) addition(up to 15 vol%)effectively promoted the densification of B4C and yielded higher hardness.However,as the amount of Ti_(3)SiC_(2) increased further,the formation of microstructural inhomogeneity and agglomeration of secondary phases caused a decrease in hardness.

Evaluation of Dielectric Properties of CCTO-BT/Epoxy Composites for Electronic Applications

In the current study,the calcium copper titanate(CCTO)/epoxy,barium titanate(BT)/epoxy and CCTO-BT/epoxy composite samples with variable volume fractions of CCTO and BT are fabricated using hand lay-up and compression moulding process. The composite samples are characterized for the frequency dependence on dielectric properties,conductivity,impedance spectroscopy and electrical modulus.X-ray diffraction(XRD)representation of CCTO-BT/epoxy composite samples confirmed the presence of both CCTO and BT ceramic samples separately. The dielectric characteristics of hybrid CCTO-BT/epoxy composite samples with CCTO∶BT ratio of 40∶60, 60∶40,and 50∶50 was found relatively better than those of single ceramic filler reinforced epoxy composites. AC conductivity analysis shows improvement in the results of hybrid filler-filled CCTO-BT/epoxy composites in comparison with single filler-filled epoxy composite.50∶50 CCTO-BT/epoxy composite shows the best AC conductivity value of~ 2.2 ×10^(-5) ohm^(-1)·m^(-1) at a higher frequency of 1MHz. The impedance analysis confirms the higher insulating properties for hybrid 40∶60 and 60∶40 CCTO-BT/epoxy composites with respect to the single and other hybrid ceramic epoxy composites. The analysis suggests the hybrid CCTO-BT/epoxy composites to be adopted as a potential dielectric material for energy storage devices and other electronic applications.

The circuitry landscape of perovskite solar cells:An in-depth analysis

The extensive research and development in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have rekindled the hopes of converting solar energy into electricity.An elusive understanding of underlying mechanisms is required for the development of efficient PSCs.Over the years,Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) characterization,along with complementary techniques,has proven to be an effective way to understand and analyze the charge transport and recombination at interface and bulk of PSCs.The IS of PSCs have been analyzed,interpreted,and improvised continuously,revealing intricate details about the work.However,there is a lack of centralized source of these details,which make it tougher to account for the generalized approach to understand the device properties.The present work is focused on compiling the research done on various PSC device architectures via IS to construct a comprehensive foundation of information on impedance plots,equivalent circuits,and associated processes.

Mitigating Carbon Emissions:A Comprehensive Analysis of Transitioning to Hydrogen-Powered Plants in Japan’s Energy Landscape Post-Fukushima

One of the impacts of the Fukushima disaster was the shutdown of all nuclear power plants in Japan,reaching zero production in 2015.In response,the country started importing more fossil energy including coal,oil,and natural gas to fill the energy gap.However,this led to a significant increase in carbon emissions,hindering the efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.In the current situation,Japan is actively working to balance its energy requirements with environmental considerations,including the utilization of hydrogen fuel.Therefore,this paper aims to explore the feasibility and implications of using hydrogen power plants as a means to reduce emissions,and this analysis will be conducted using the energy modeling of the MARKAL-TIMES Japan framework.The hydrogen scenario(HS)is assumed with the extensive integration of hydrogen into the power generation sector,supported by a hydrogen import scheme.Additionally,this scenario will be compared with the Business as Usual(BAU)scenario.The results showed that the generation capacities of the BAU and HS scenarios have significantly different primary energy supplies.The BAU scenario is highly dependent on fossil fuels,while the HS scenario integrates hydrogen contribution along with an increase in renewable energy,reaching a peak contribution of 2,160 PJ in 2050.In the HS scenario,the target of reducing CO_(2) emissions by 80%is achieved through significant hydrogen penetration.By 2050,the total CO_(2) emissions are estimated to be 939 million tons for the BAU scenario and 261 million tons for the Hydrogen scenario.In addition,the contribution of hydrogen to electricity generation is expected to be 153 TWh,smaller than PV and wind power.

Artificial Neural Network and Fuzzy Logic Based Techniques for Numerical Modeling and Prediction of Aluminum-5%Magnesium Alloy Doped with REM Neodymium

In this study, the mechanical properties of aluminum-5%magnesium doped with rare earth metal neodymium were evaluated. Fuzzy logic (FL) and artificial neural network (ANN) were used to model the mechanical properties of aluminum-5%magnesium (0-0.9 wt%) neodymium. The single input (SI) to the fuzzy logic and artificial neural network models was the percentage weight of neodymium, while the multiple outputs (MO) were average grain size, ultimate tensile strength, yield strength elongation and hardness. The fuzzy logic-based model showed more accurate prediction than the artificial neutral network-based model in terms of the correlation coefficient values (R).

Influence of Non-Natural Ageing Temperature on the Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Cast Aluminum 6063 Alloy

This research considered the effect of non-natural aging on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of as-cast aluminum 6063 alloys. The samples were developed through a sand casting process and machined into tensile and impact test samples before carrying out solution heat treatment at 550?C (0.83 Tm) on two parts of the samples while retaining one part as the control. The two parts were further divided into sets denoted A and B and were aged at 180?C (0.27 Tm) and 160?C (0.24 Tm), respectively, for 12 hours. The results showed that sample A has the optimal yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of 192 and 206 MPa, respectively. Likewise, the sample gave the highest impact strength value of about 9.63 J/mm2. The observed results were supported by the optical micrograph, which revealed that the sample has evenly dispersed precipitates in its microstructure. This is deemed responsible for the observed increase in strength of the sample.

Leaching of a copper flotation concentrate with ammonium persulfate in an autoclave system

The leaching behavior of a copper flotation concentrate was investigated using ammonium persulfate （APS） in an autoclave systee. The decomposition products of APS, active oxygen, and acidic medium were used to extract metals from the concentrate. Leaching experiments were performed to compare the availability of APS as an oxidizing agent for leaching of the concentrate under atmospheric conditions and in an autoclave system. Leaching temperature and APS concentration were found to be important parameters in both leaching systems. Atmospheric leaching studies showed that the metal extractions increased with the increase in APS concentration and temperature （up to 333 K）. A similar tendency was determined in the autoclave studies up to 423 K. It was also determined that the metal extractions decreased at temperatures above 423 K due to the passivation of the particle surface by molten elemental sulfur. The results showed that higher copper extractions could be achieved using an autoclave system.

Effects of mechanical vibration on the physical,metallurgical and mechanical properties of cast A308(LM21)aluminum alloy

This study investigated the microstructure,physical,and mechanical properties of die-cast A308 alloy subjected to mechanical vibration during solidification.Different frequencies(0,20,30,40,and 50 Hz)at constant amplitude(31μm)were employed using a power amplifier as the power input device.X-ray diffraction,optical microscopy,and scanning electron microscopy were used to examine the morphological changes in the cast samples under stationary and vibratory conditions.Metallurgical features of the castings were evaluated using Image J software.The average values of metallurgical features,including primaryα-Al grain size,dendrite arm spacing,average area of eutectic silicon,aspect ratio,and percentage porosity,reduced by 34%,59%,56%,22%,and 62%,respectively,at 30 Hz frequency compared with stationary casting.Mechanical tests of the cast samples showed that the yield strength(YS),ultimate tensile strength(UTS),percentage elongation(%EL),and microhardness(HV)increased by 8%,13%,17%,and 16%,respectively,at 30 Hz frequency compared with stationary casting.The fractured surface of the tensile specimens exhibited mixed-mode fracture behavior because of brittle facets,cleavage facets,ductile tearing,and dimple morphologies.The presence of small dimples showed that plastic deformation occurred before fracture.

Investigation of point defect evolution and Voronoi cluster analysis for magnesium during nanoindentation

The present study investigates the effect of nanoindentation on single-crystal magnesium specimens using the embedded-atom method potential in molecular dynamics simulation.Analyses are done under dynamic loading where the load-bearing capacity and change in the structural configuration are studied on the basal(Z-direction)and two prismatic planes(X-and Y-directions)with varying indenter velocities.The investigation of structural evolution is done using atomic displacement analyses to measure the net magnitude of displacement,atomic strain analyses to evaluate the shear strain developed in the process,and Wigner-Seitz defect analyses to calculate the total vacancies at varied timesteps.Furthermore,Voronoi analyses are done when indented on the basal plane to identify the cluster distribution at different planar depths of the specimen.From the analyses,it has been observed that the load-bearing capacity of the specimen varies with the indentation velocity and the direction of indentation on the specimen.Additionally,it is seen that the observed shear and total atomic displacement in the Z-direction is the least in comparison to the other two axes.The partial dislocation 1/3<-12-10>is seen to be majorly present and the population of dislocation loops is more abundant for lower indenter velocities.Furthermore,clusters<0,4,4,6>and<0,6,0,8>are the major indices developed during nanoindentation on the basal plane where they exhibit symmetrical distribution as observed from the Z-direction.

Influence of second phase precipitates on mechanical and in-vitro corrosion behaviour of Mg-4Zn-0.5Ca-0.8Mn alloy in optimum homogenized conditions

The present study investigates the mechanical and in-vitro corrosion behavior of Mg-4Zn-0.5Ca-0.8Mn alloy in optimum homogenized conditions.The optimization of the homogenization parameters has been carried out employing thermodynamic calculations and kinetic modeling.The model utilizes the inter-diffusivity of the solute elements and predicts that∼6–24 h of homogenization at 633 K effectively redistributes the elements in the Mg matrix.Based on the insights obtained from the simulations,the as-cast Mg-4Zn-0.5Ca-0.8Mn alloy was subjected to homogenization heat treatment process for 6–24h.The microstructural study through optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)revealed that the interconnected network of second phase precipitates substantially dissolve within 24 h,implying adequate homogenization.Moreover,fine Mg-Zn based precipitates with varied morphology and phase fractions also evolved during homogenization treatment,as confirmed through SEM and transmission electron microscopy.In the 12 h homogenized specimen,the highest fraction of uniformly dispersed fine precipitates resulted in the highest strength(∼225 MPa).On the other hand,a substantial disruption in coarse precipitate network and lower aspect ratio of fine Mg-Zn precipitates led to the highest ductility(∼8%)in this specimen.In the 24 h homogenized specimen,the ductility reduced marginally owing to higher aspect ratio of fine precipitates.The immersion and electrochemical tests(viz.,potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy)carried out in Hank’s solution revealed that the 24 h homogenized specimen exhibits the best corrosion properties.The least fraction of Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3)phase with maximum disruption in interconnectivity,in combination with a small fraction of fine equilibrium MgZn_(2)precipitates,resulted in suppression of localized corrosion in this specimen.This promotes the formation of the most stable and compact product layer over the specimen,resulting in the highest corrosion resistance.

Thermal debinding dynamics of novel binder system

The thermal debinding dynamics of newly developed binders for cemented carbides extrusion molding was studied. It is shown that the thermal debinding processes can be divided into two stages: low temperature region, in which the low molecular mass components (LMMCs) are removed; and high temperature region, in which the polymer components are removed. The rate of thermal debinding is controlled by diffusion mechanism. The thermal debinding activation energies were solved out by differential method and integral method. The results show that the addition of other components acted as a catalyzer can effectively decrease the activation energy of thermal debinding processes.

Hydrometallurgical Purification of Some Clay Deposits for High Temperature Applications

The characterization of five different Nigerian clay deposits has been carried out by employing three different characterization techniques (X-ray Diffraction, X-ray Fluorescence and Scanning Electron Microscopy/EDX). The clays obtained from the various deposits were carefully prepared for the analyses and the results obtained were compared to confirm the consistency and reliability of the different methods employed. The results revealed the various desirable (SiO2 and Al2O3) and deleterious (Fe3O4, K2O, MgO, MnO and Na2O) elements and compounds contained in the clay samples in the various proportions and the appropriate purification technique required for preparing the clays for high temperature applications. Consequent upon the identification of the deleterious impurities, oxalic acid at different concentrations was used to leach the impurities out of the various clays. However, three out of the five deposits were chosen for purification because they possess the least quantities of the most deleterious (Fe2O3) of the impurities.

Rules for Amalgamating the Reliability of Elements of Powertrain Systems at Maintenance

The amalgamation procedure is actual when using structural methods of reliability.This may apply as the case of the action of a complex of damaging processes on a structural element and the case of the action of a certain damaging process on a system of elements.Classical methods of reliability are poorly adapted for powertrain mechanical systems with a series structural scheme of elements subjected to the gradual influence of several degradation processes.The problem of amalgamation of individual indicators is exacerbated at the stage of operation when diagnosing the technical state of the mechanical system.The application of the classical rule of amalgamation by multiplying the probabilities of survival leads to the effect of over-maintenance.New rules of amalgamation have been developed,which deprive the assessment of the reliability of excessive conservatism.The complex index of the technical condition is offered—the resource safety index(RSI).Its use determines the remaining lifetime.The algorithm for searching the RSI contains an assessment of the criticality of the failure.The search of RSI under the influence of the complex of damaging processes on the element of the powertrain system is demonstrated.The efficiency of the RSI method is shown by the example of the reliability assessment of aircraft bolts.Application of the RSI method increases the guaranteed lifetime by 4-10 times compared with traditional methods.

Application of g-C_(3)N_(4)/sol-gel nanocomposite on AM60B magnesium alloy and investigation of its properties

To protect the AM60B magnesium alloy from corrosion,a sol-gel coating containing hydroxylated g-C_(3)N_(4)nanoplates was applied.The chemical composition of the hydroxylated g-C_(3)N_(4)nanoplates was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).The hydroxylation process did not affect the crystal size,specific surface area,pore volume,average pore diameter,and thermal stability of the g-C_(3)N_(4)nanoplates.After incorporating pristine and hydroxylated g-C_(3)N_(4)nanoplates,dense sol-gel coatings were obtained.Transmission electron microscopy(TEM)revealed the uniform distribution of the modified g-C_(3)N_(4)in the coating.The average roughness of the coating was also reduced after adding the modified nanoplates due to the decreased aggregation tendency.Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS)examinations in simulated acid rain revealed a significant improvement in the anticorrosion properties of the sol-gel film after the addition of the modified g-C_(3)N_(4)due to the chemical bonding of the coating to the nanoplates.

Recent advances in the in-plane shear testing of Mg alloy sheets

Sheet-metal products are integral parts of engineering industries and academia research. Various testing techniques have revealed the deformation behaviors of sheet metals under complex stress states. Information obtained from tensile and compression tests, however, are insufficient for the identification of material parameters relevant to modern constitutive laws, which require experimental setups capable of generating various loading conditions and applying great amounts of strain to sheet metals. In-plane shear testing has emerged as an important method to overcome the challenges associated with tension and compression tests and can provide additional information about deformation behaviors under large plastic strains. Materials such as Mg alloys with poor levels of both ductility and formability cannot accommodate large plastic strains. Therefore, tension and compression tests have limitations in explaining the material behaviors that occur during sheet metal forming where large plastic strains are introduced. Many studies have been conducted to explain the deformation behaviors of Mg alloys under shear deformation techniques. These include severe plastic deformation(SPD), especially the equal channel angular pressing(ECAP)and equal channel angular extrusion, rolling combined with shear deformation i.e. differential speed rolling(DSR), and also in-plane shear for sheet metals, particularly under large levels of plastic strain. These in-plane shear technique involves the Miyauchi shear test, ASTM shear test, and twin bridge shear tests. Moreover, many experimental results have revealed that the evolution of microstructure and texture during in-plane shear is closely related to the failure behavior of materials. Therefore, this review is focused on techniques for in-plane shear testing that have been reported thus far, on the effect of in-plane shear on the microstructure development of Mg alloy sheets, and on the usefulness of in-plane shear testing to evaluate the formability of Mg alloy sheets.

Novel PA encapsulated PCL hybrid coating for corrosion inhibition of biodegradable Mg alloys:A triple triggered self-healing response for synergistic multiple protection

Surface coatings have been extensively used to control the degradation rate of Mg alloys for bioimplant applications.However,these coatings only act as passive barriers.In corrosive media,structural damage impairs their barrier properties,resulting in rapid degradation of Mg alloys.The present study incorporates phytic acid(PA)as a healing agent in polycaprolactone(PCL)microcapsules with a unique honeycomb core matrix to obtain a self-healing PA-PCLcaps coating.The contact between simulated body fluid(SBF)and PA-PCLcaps coated ZM21 exhibited Cassie-Baxter interfacial states,resulting in significant hydrophobicity with a contact angle(CA)of 116.3.The corrosion potential(Ecorr)and current density(Icorr)were found to be-0.28 V and 1.1×10^(-9)A/cm^(2),respectively,for PA-PCLcaps coating,resulting in biosafe corrosion rate of 2.5×10^(-4)mm/year.After mechanical scratching,rapid HA mineralization at scratched regions recovered the hydrogen evolution rate(HER,0.36 mL/cm^(2)/day)and pH change(pH 7.10)of scratched PA-PCLcaps coated ZM21 samples to corresponding unscratched samples within one day of immersion.The coating’s self-healing ability could be attributed to PA released from punctured microcapsules,which facilitates HA chelation.The pH-triggered(pH 10)and Mg(II)-triggered(5 mM)conditions enhanced PA release from PA-PCLcaps coating by 2.5 and 3.1 times,respectively.As a result,dense HA mineralization occurred,which protects the coating from structural defects and ensures its durability in stimulating conditions.The findings of present study provide new insight for design of multiple stimuli-feedback based self-healing coatings on biodegradable Mg alloys.