Sample records for nanostructured mg-ni bcc

  1. Fabry-Perot magnonic ballistic coherent transport across ultrathin ferromagnetic lamellar bcc Ni nanostructures between Fe leads

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khater, A.; Saim, L.; Tigrine, R.; Ghader, D.

    2018-06-01

    We propose thermodynamically stable systems of ultrathin lamellar bcc Ni nanostructures between bcc Fe leads, sbnd Fe[Ni(n)]Fesbnd , based on the available literature for bcc Ni overlayers on Fe(001) surfaces, and establish the necessary criteria for their structural and ferromagnetic order, for thicknesses n ≤ 6 bcc Ni monatomic layers. The system is globally ferromagnetic. A theoretical model is presented to investigate and understand the ballistic coherent scattering of Fe spin-waves, incident from the leads, at the ferromagnetic bcc Ni nanostructure. The Nisbnd Ni and Nisbnd Fe exchange are computed using the Ising effective field theory (EFT), and the magnetic ground state of the system is constructed in the Heisenberg representation. We compute the spin-wave eigenmodes localized on the bcc Ni nanostructure, using the phase field matching theory (PFMT), illustrating the effects of symmetry breaking on the confinement of localized spin excitations. The reflection and transmission scattering properties of spin-waves incident from the Fe leads, across the embedded Ni nanostructures are investigated within the framework of the same PFMT methodology. A highly refined Fabry-Perot magnonic ballistic coherent transmission spectra is observed for these sbnd Fe[Ni(n)]Fesbnd systems.

  2. Strong, Ductile, and Thermally Stable bcc-Mg Nanolaminates.

    PubMed

    Pathak, Siddhartha; Velisavljevic, Nenad; Baldwin, J Kevin; Jain, Manish; Zheng, Shijian; Mara, Nathan A; Beyerlein, Irene J

    2017-08-15

    Magnesium has attracted attention worldwide because it is the lightest structural metal. However, a high strength-to-weight ratio remains its only attribute, since an intrinsic lack of strength, ductility and low melting temperature severely restricts practical applications of Mg. Through interface strains, the crystal structure of Mg can be transformed and stabilized from a simple hexagonal (hexagonal close packed hcp) to body center cubic (bcc) crystal structure at ambient pressures. We demonstrate that when introduced into a nanocomposite bcc Mg is far more ductile, 50% stronger, and retains its strength after extended exposure to 200 C, which is 0.5 times its homologous temperature. These findings reveal an alternative solution to obtaining lightweight metals critically needed for future energy efficiency and fuel savings.

  3. Strong, Ductile, and Thermally Stable bcc-Mg Nanolaminates

    DOE PAGES

    Pathak, Siddhartha; Velisavljevic, Nenad; Baldwin, Jon Kevin Scott; ...

    2017-08-15

    Magnesium has attracted attention worldwide because it is the lightest structural metal. However, a high strength-to-weight ratio remains its only attribute, since an intrinsic lack of strength, ductility and low melting temperature severely restricts practical applications of Mg. Through interface strains, the crystal structure of Mg can be transformed and stabilized from a simple hexagonal (hexagonal close packed hcp) to body center cubic (bcc) crystal structure at ambient pressures. Here, we demonstrate that when introduced into a nanocomposite bcc Mg is far more ductile, 50% stronger, and retains its strength after extended exposure to 200°C, which is 0.5 times itsmore » homologous temperature. These findings reveal an alternative solution to obtaining lightweight metals critically needed for future energy efficiency and fuel savings.« less

  4. The BCC/B2 morphologies in Al xNiCoFeCr high-entropy alloys

    DOE PAGES

    Ma, Yue; Jiang, Beibei; Li, Chunling; ...

    2017-02-15

    Here, the present work primarily investigates the morphological evolution of the body-centered-cubic (BCC)/B2 phases in Al xNiCoFeCr high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with increasing Al content. It is found that the BCC/B2 coherent morphology is closely related to the lattice misfit between these two phases, which is sensitive to Al. There are two types of microscopic BCC/B2 morphologies in this HEA series: one is the weave-like morphology induced by the spinodal decomposition, and the other is the microstructure of a spherical disordered BCC precipitation on the ordered B2 matrix that appears in HEAs with a much higher Al content. The mechanical properties,more » including the compressive yielding strength and microhardness of the Al xNiCoFeCr HEAs, are also discussed in light of the concept of the valence electron concentration (VEC).« less

  5. Surface structure and electrochemical characteristics of Ti-V-Cr bcc-type solid solution alloys sintered with Ni

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tsuji, Yoichiro; Yamamoto, Osamu; Matsuda, Hiromu

    2000-07-01

    Ti-V-Cr bcc-type solid solution alloys can absorb a large amount of hydrogen and be applied to active materials of the negative electrode in Ni-MH batteries. However, because of the insolubility of Ni into these alloys, the electrochemical characteristics like discharge capacity and cycle life were poor. In order to increase the discharge capacity of hydrogen absorbing alloy electrodes, Ti-V-Cr bcc-type alloy powders were sintered with Ni in order to form Ni contained surface layer on the alloy surface. As sintering temperature rose up, the surface composition changed from TiNi to Ti{sub 2}Ni. TiNi surface layer showed better electrochemical characteristics. Formore » the Ni adding method, Ni electroless plating was preferred because of good adhesion. As a result of optimized conditions, a discharge capacity of 570 mAh/g and an improvement of cycle life were achieved.« less

  6. Nanostructured Mg 2Ni materials prepared by cold rolling and used as negative electrode for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pedneault, Sylvain; Huot, Jacques; Roué, Lionel

    In the present work, cold rolling has been investigated as a new means of producing Mg-based metal hydrides for nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. Structure and electrochemical evolution of 2Mg-Ni cold-rolled samples were investigated as a function of the number of rolling passes as well as heat treatment. It was found that nanocrystalline Mg 2Ni alloy can be obtained by an appropriate three step process involving rolling, heat treatment and rolling again. It was shown that the number of primary and secondary rolling passes must be carefully optimized in order to favour the complete formation of Mg 2Ni alloy having a nanocrystalline structure (∼10 nm in crystallite size) without excessive sample oxidation. Actually, the best result was obtained by first rolling 90 times, followed by a heat treatment at 400 °C for 4 h and roll again 20 times. The resulting material displayed an initial discharge capacity of 205 mAh g -1, which is quite similar to that obtained with ball-milled Mg 2Ni alloy.

  7. Highly destabilized Mg-Ti-Ni-H system investigated by density functional theory and hydrogenography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Broedersz, C. P.; Gremaud, R.; Dam, B.; Griessen, R.; Løvvik, O. M.

    2008-01-01

    Using hydrogenography, we recently mapped the thermodynamic properties of a large range of compositions in the quaternary Mg-Ti-Ni-H system. The enthalpy of hydride formation of Mg-Ni alloys is significantly altered upon Ti doping. For a small range of compositions, we find a hydrogenation enthalpy ΔH=-40kJ (molH2)-1 , which is the desired enthalpy for hydrogen storage at moderate temperature and pressure. This enthalpy value is surprising since it is significantly less negative than the ΔH of the Mg-Ni and Mg-Ti hydrides. The nanostructure of the Mg-Ti-Ni-H films hinders a direct determination of the hydride phases involved by x-ray diffraction. Using density functional theory calculations for various hydrogenation reaction paths, we establish that the destabilization of the Mg-Ni-H system by Ti doping is due to the formation of Mg2Ni and Ti-Ni intermetallics in the as-deposited state, which transform into a metastable Ti-doped Mg2NiH4 phase upon hydrogenation. The Ti-doped Mg2NiH4 phase can be considered as a heavily doped semiconductor.

  8. Elemental moment variation of bcc FexMn1-x on MgO(001)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bhatkar, H.; Snow, R. J.; Arenholz, E.; Idzerda, Y. U.

    2017-02-01

    We report the growth, structural characterization, and electronic structure evolution of epitaxially grown bcc FexMn1-x on MgO(001). It is observed that the 20 nm thick FexMn1-x alloy films remained bcc from 0.65≤x≤1, much beyond the bulk stability range of 0.88≤x≤1. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism show that both the Fe and Mn L3 binding energies slightly increase with Mn incorporation and that the elemental moment of Fe in the 20 nm crystalline bcc alloy film remain nearly constant, then shows a dramatic collapse near x 0.84. The Mn MCD intensity is found to be small at all compositions that exhibit ferromagnetism

  9. Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Properties of Ti-Ni-Si-O Nanostructures on Ti-Ni-Si Alloy

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Zhenbiao; Ning, Congqin

    2017-01-01

    Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructures were successfully prepared on Ti-1Ni-5Si alloy foils via electrochemical anodization in ethylene glycol/glycerol solutions containing a small amount of water. The Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructures were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and diffuse reflectance absorption spectra. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical water splitting properties of the Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructure films were investigated. It was found that, after anodization, three different kinds of Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructures formed in the α-Ti phase region, Ti2Ni phase region, and Ti5Si3 phase region of the alloy surface. Both the anatase and rutile phases of Ti-Ni-Si-O oxide appeared after annealing at 500 °C for 2 h. The photocurrent density obtained from the Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructure photoanodes was 0.45 mA/cm2 at 0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 1 M KOH solution. The above findings make it feasible to further explore excellent photoelectrochemical properties of the nanostructure-modified surface of Ti-Ni-Si ternary alloys. PMID:29088083

  10. Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting Properties of Ti-Ni-Si-O Nanostructures on Ti-Ni-Si Alloy.

    PubMed

    Li, Ting; Ding, Dongyan; Dong, Zhenbiao; Ning, Congqin

    2017-10-31

    Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructures were successfully prepared on Ti-1Ni-5Si alloy foils via electrochemical anodization in ethylene glycol/glycerol solutions containing a small amount of water. The Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructures were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and diffuse reflectance absorption spectra. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical water splitting properties of the Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructure films were investigated. It was found that, after anodization, three different kinds of Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructures formed in the α-Ti phase region, Ti₂Ni phase region, and Ti₅Si₃ phase region of the alloy surface. Both the anatase and rutile phases of Ti-Ni-Si-O oxide appeared after annealing at 500 °C for 2 h. The photocurrent density obtained from the Ti-Ni-Si-O nanostructure photoanodes was 0.45 mA/cm² at 0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 1 M KOH solution. The above findings make it feasible to further explore excellent photoelectrochemical properties of the nanostructure-modified surface of Ti-Ni-Si ternary alloys.

  11. Metastable bcc mischmetal-magnesium alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sabariz, A.L.R.

    1989-02-01

    The bcc phase in the MM-Mg system can be metastably retained at room temperature for magnesium composition within the range 16 at.% - 20 at.%. The retention of a lower composition was restricted by quenching rate and at higher concentrations by intermetallic compound precipitation. The lattice parameter for the pure bcc mischmetal phase was determined by extrapolation. The value obtained (a/sub E/ = 4.131 /angstrom/) was in good agreement with the theoretical value (a/sub t/ = 4.156 /angstrom/). Magnetic susceptibility data suggested that bcc mischmetal-magnesium alloys underwent a change from paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic behavior on cooling at /approximately/20 K, independentmore » of magnesium composition. The value found for the magnetic effective moment per gram-atom-magnetic-rare earth of each bcc MM-Mg alloy examined (MM - 16 Mg, MM - 18 Mg and MM - 20 Mg) was found to be constant (p/sub eff/ approx. 1.62 ..mu../sub B/), independent of the magnesium composition. The observed Curie-Weiss temperature values decreasing with the magnesium content increasing were due to magnetic dilution. The equilibrium reaction bcc ..-->.. dhcp + MMMg presented an undercooling effect of /approximately/40/degree/C around the eutectoid composition (/approximately/17 at.% Mg). The sluggish character of this reaction was considered the strongest effect for the bcc structure retention in the mischmetal-magnesium system. 16 refs., 27 figs.« less

  12. Vacancy-mediated fcc/bcc phase separation in Fe 1-xNi x ultrathin films

    DOE PAGES

    Mentes, T. O.; Stojic, N.; Vescovo, E.; ...

    2016-08-01

    The phase separation occurring in Fe-Ni thin lms near the Invar composition is studied by using high resolution spectromicroscopy techniques and density functional theory calculations. Annealed at temperatures around 300 C, Fe 0.70Ni 0.30 lms on W(110) break into micron-sized bcc and fcc domains with compositions in agreement with the bulk Fe-Ni phase diagram. Ni is found to be the di using species in forming the chemical heterogeneity. The experimentally-determined energy barrier of 1.59 0.09 eV is identi ed as the vacancy formation energy via density functional theory calculations. Thus, the principal role of the surface in the phase separationmore » process is attributed to vacancy creation without interstitials.« less

  13. Ultra-high Strength Nanostructured Mg

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-03-31

    27709-2211 Nanostructured Mg and Mg alloys, Mg metallic glass, Cryomilling, Powder consolidation, Spark plasma sintering , Deformation mechanisms REPORT...mechanically milled powder and high pressure on spark plasma sintering of Mg-Cu-Gd metallic glasses; (9) microstructure and mechanical behavior of Mg-10Li-3Al...pressure on spark plasma sintering of Mg– Cu–Gd metallic glasses, Acta Materialia , (07 2013): 4414. doi: Baolong Zheng, Ying Li, Weizong Xu

  14. Potentiometric Zinc Ion Sensor Based on Honeycomb-Like NiO Nanostructures

    PubMed Central

    Abbasi, Mazhar Ali; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Hussain, Mushtaque; Khan, Yaqoob; Khan, Azam; Nur, Omer; Willander, Magnus

    2012-01-01

    In this study honeycomb-like NiO nanostructures were grown on nickel foam by a simple hydrothermal growth method. The NiO nanostructures were characterized by field emission electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The characterized NiO nanostructures were uniform, dense and polycrystalline in the crystal phase. In addition to this, the NiO nanostructures were used in the development of a zinc ion sensor electrode by functionalization with the highly selective zinc ion ionophore 12-crown-4. The developed zinc ion sensor electrode has shown a good linear potentiometric response for a wide range of zinc ion concentrations, ranging from 0.001 mM to 100 mM, with sensitivity of 36 mV/decade. The detection limit of the present zinc ion sensor was found to be 0.0005 mM and it also displays a fast response time of less than 10 s. The proposed zinc ion sensor electrode has also shown good reproducibility, repeatability, storage stability and selectivity. The zinc ion sensor based on the functionalized NiO nanostructures was also used as indicator electrode in potentiometric titrations and it has demonstrated an acceptable stoichiometric relationship for the determination of zinc ion in unknown samples. The NiO nanostructures-based zinc ion sensor has potential for analysing zinc ion in various industrial, clinical and other real samples. PMID:23202217

  15. NiFeCo/Cu superlattices with high magnetoresistive sensitivity and weak hysteresis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bannikova, N. S.; Milyaev, M. A.; Naumova, L. I.; Krinitsina, T. P.; Patrakov, E. I.; Proglyado, V. V.; Chernyshova, T. A.; Ustinov, V. V.

    2016-10-01

    The microstructure and the magetoresistive characteristics of [NiFeCo/Cu]8 superlattices prepared by magnetron sputtering with various thickness of the buffer NiFeCr layer and exhibiting a giant magnetoresistive effect have been studied. It has been found that these nanostructures are formed with a strong or weak hysteresis depending on the structure (bcc or fcc) formed in the NiFeCr buffer layer. The method of the substantial decrease in the hysteresis loop width of the magnetoresistance by using the composite Ta/NiFeCr buffer layer has been suggested.

  16. Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of magnetically separable hexagonal Ni/ZnO nanostructure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Senapati, Samarpita; Srivastava, Suneel K.; Singh, Shiv B.

    2012-09-01

    The hexagonal zinc oxide coated nickel (Ni/ZnO) nanostructure photocatalyst has successfully been prepared by the reduction of nickel chloride hexahydrate using hydrazine hydrate through the solvothermal process at 140 °C followed by surface modification of the product by the reflux method at 110 °C for 1 h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that the `as prepared' sample consists of face centered cubic Ni and hexagonal wurtzite ZnO without any traces of impurity. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the formation of nickel nanoparticles under solvothermal conditions. These nickel nanoparticles, when subjected to reflux, formed the hexagonal zinc oxide coated nickel nanostructure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, photoluminescence (PL) and Raman studies also confirmed the presence of zinc oxide in the hybrid nanostructure. The growth mechanism for the development of the hexagonal zinc oxide coated nickel (Ni/ZnO) nanostructure has also been proposed. The appearance of the hysteresis loop, in the as-prepared Ni/ZnO hybrid nanostructure, demonstrated its ferromagnetic character at room temperature. The hexagonal Ni/ZnO nanostructure also acts as an efficient photocatalyst in the degradation of methylene blue under ultraviolet light irradiation. It is observed that the catalytic efficiency of the hybrid nanocatalyst is better compared to pure zinc oxide. Most importantly, the Ni/ZnO catalyst could also be easily separated, simply by applying an external magnetic field, and reused.The hexagonal zinc oxide coated nickel (Ni/ZnO) nanostructure photocatalyst has successfully been prepared by the reduction of nickel chloride hexahydrate using hydrazine hydrate through the solvothermal process at 140 °C followed by surface modification of the product by the reflux method at 110 °C for 1 h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that the `as prepared' sample consists of face

  17. Diffraction, microstructure and thermal stability analysis in a double phase nanocrystalline Al20Mg20Ni20Cr20Ti20 high entropy alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rameshbabu, A. M.; Parameswaran, P.; Vijayan, V.; Panneer, R.

    2017-12-01

    An effort has been made to develop a new composition of AlMgNiCrTi high entropy alloy (HEA) with a distinct properties includes squat density, intense strength and hardness, superior corrosion resistance, better oxidation resistance, high temperature resistance, fatigue load and crack resistance to congregate the necessity of aircraft applications. The equivalent atomic percentage for the above defined composition is established using analytical correlation for molar and atom renovation by trial and error method. The alloy is synthesized by powder metallurgy technique through mechanical alloying. Succeeding to mechanical alloying it is elucidated that the metal powder is primarily composed of single BCC solid solution with crystallite magnitude <10 nm. It is also observed that the alloy is thermally stable at prominent temperature about 800°C as it is retained its nanostructure which was revealed using differential scanning caloriemetry (DSC). This alloy powder was consolidated and sintered using spark plasma sintering at 800°C with 50 Mpa pressure to a density of 98.83%. Subsequent to sintering, Titanium carbide FCC phase evolved along with the BCC phase. The alloying behavior and phase transformation were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The homogeneity of the composition is confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The hardness of the alloy is found to be 710±20 HV. The evolutions of the phases and hardness imply that this alloy is apposite for both high strength and high temperature applications.

  18. Bioinspired peony-like beta-Ni(OH)2 nanostructures with enhanced electrochemical activity and superhydrophobicity.

    PubMed

    Cao, Huaqiang; Zheng, He; Liu, Kaiyu; Warner, Jamie H

    2010-02-01

    Constructing complex nanostructures has become increasingly important in the development of hydrogen storage, self-cleaning materials, and the formation of chiral branched nanowires. Several approaches have been developed to generate complex nanostructures, which have led to novel applications. Combining biology and nanotechnology through the utilization of biomolecules to chemically template the growth of complex nanostructures during synthesis has aroused great interest. Herein, we use a biomolecule-assisted hydrothermal method to synthesize beta-phase Ni(OH)(2) peony-like complex nanostructures with second-order structure nanoplate structure. The novel beta-Ni(OH)(2) nanostructures exhibit high-power Ni/MH battery performance, close to the theoretical capacity of Ni(OH)(2), as well as controlled wetting behavior. We demonstrate that this bioinspired route to generate a complex nanostructure has applications in environmental protection and green secondary cells. This approach opens up opportunities for the synthesis and potential applications of new kinds of nanostructures.

  19. Phase, microstructure and hydrogen storage properties of Mg-Ni materials synthesized from metal nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Shao, Huaiyu; Chen, Chunguang; Liu, Tong; Li, Xingguo

    2014-04-04

    After Mg and Ni nanoparticles were fabricated by hydrogen plasma metal reaction, Mg-rich MgxNi₁₀₀₋x(75 < x < 90) materials were synthesized from these metal nanoparticles to study the synergistic effects for hydrogen storage in these samples to show both good kinetics and high capacity. These MgxNi₁₀₀₋x materials may absorb hydrogen with a capacity of around 3.3-5.1 wt% in 1 min at 573 K. The Mg₉₀Ni₁₀ sample shows a hydrogen capacity of 6.1 wt%. The significant kinetic enhancement is thought to be due to the unique nanostructure from the special synthesis route, the catalytic effect of the Mg₂Ni nano phase, and the synergistic effects between the Mg₂Ni and Mg phases in the materials. An interesting phenomenon which has never been reported before was observed during pressure composition isotherm (PCT) measurements. One steep step in the absorption process and two obviously separated steps in the desorption process during PCT measurements of Mg₈₀Ni₂₀ and Mg₉₀Ni₁₀ samples were observed and a possible reason from the kinetic performance of the Mg₂Ni and Mg phases in absorption and desorption processes was explained. These MgxNi₁₀₀₋x materials synthesized from Mg and Ni nanoparticles show high capacity and good kinetics, which makes these materials very promising candidates for thermal storage or energy storage and utilization for renewable power.

  20. Hybridized boron-carbon nitride fibrous nanostructures on Ni substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yap, Yoke Khin; Yoshimura, Masashi; Mori, Yusuke; Sasaki, Takatomo

    2002-04-01

    Stoichiometric BC2N films can be deposited on Si (100) at 800 °C, however, they are phase separated as pure carbon and BN phases. Likewise, hybridized boron-carbon nitride (BCN) films can be synthesized on Ni substrates. On Ni, the carbon and BN phases are hybridized through carbon nitride and boron carbide bonds. These films appeared as fibrous nanostructures. Evidence indicates that the Ni substrate acts as a sink for the carbon and forces the carbon composites to grow on top of the B and N atoms. However, as these films are grown thicker, phase separation occurs again. These results indicate that hybridized BCN phases should now be regarded as semiconducting or superhard nanostructures. High-temperature deposition on Ni substrates might be a solution to the obstacle of preparing hybridized BCN phases.

  1. Effect of amorphous Mg{sub 50}Ni{sub 50} on hydriding and dehydriding behavior of Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guzman, D., E-mail: danny.guzman@uda.cl; Ordonez, S.; Fernandez, J.F.

    Composite Mg{sub 2}Ni (25 wt.%) amorphous Mg{sub 50}Ni{sub 50} was prepared by mechanical milling starting with nanocrystalline Mg{sub 2}Ni and amorphous Mg{sub 50}Ni{sub 50} powders, by using a SPEX 8000 D mill. The morphological and microstructural characterization of the powders was performed via scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The hydriding characterization of the composite was performed via a solid gas reaction method in a Sievert's-type apparatus at 363 K under an initial hydrogen pressure of 2 MPa. The dehydriding behavior was studied by differential thermogravimetry. On the basis of the results, it is possible to conclude that amorphous Mg{submore » 50}Ni{sub 50} improved the hydriding and dehydriding kinetics of Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy upon cycling. A tentative rationalization of experimental observations is proposed. - Research Highlights: {yields} First study of the hydriding behavior of composite Mg{sub 2}Ni (25 wt.%) amorphous Mg{sub 50}Ni{sub 50}. {yields} Microstructural characterization of composite material using XRD and SEM was obtained. {yields} An improved effect of Mg{sub 50}Ni{sub 50} on the Mg{sub 2}Ni hydriding behavior was verified. {yields} The apparent activation energy for the hydrogen desorption of composite was obtained.« less

  2. Fluorine-doped NiO nanostructures: Structural, morphological and spectroscopic studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Kulwinder; Kumar, Manjeet; Singh, Dilpreet; Singh, Manjinder; Singh, Paviter; Singh, Bikramjeet; Kaur, Gurpreet; Bala, Rajni; Thakur, Anup; Kumar, Akshay

    2018-05-01

    Nanostructured NiO has been prepared by co-precipitation method. In this study, the effect of fluorine doping (1, 3 and 5 wt. %) on the structural, morphological as well as optical properties of NiO nanostructures has been studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) has employed for studying the structural properties. Cubic crystal structure of NiO was confirmed by the XRD analysis. Crystallite size increased with increase in doping concentration. Nelson-Riley factor (NRF) analysis indicated the presence of defect states in the synthesized samples. Field emission scanning electron microscopy showed the spherical morphology of the synthesized samples and also revealed that the particle size varied with dopant content. The optical properties were studied using UV-Visible Spectroscopy. The results indicated that the band gap energy of the synthesized nanostructures decreased with increase in doping concentration upto 3% but increased as the doping concentration was further raised to 5%. This can be ascribed to the defect states variations in the synthesized samples. The results suggested that the synthesized nanostructures are promising candidate for optoelectronic as well as gas sensing applications.

  3. Statistical theory of diffusion in concentrated bcc and fcc alloys and concentration dependencies of diffusion coefficients in bcc alloys FeCu, FeMn, FeNi, and FeCr

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Vaks, V. G.; Khromov, K. Yu., E-mail: khromov-ky@nrcki.ru; Pankratov, I. R.

    2016-07-15

    The statistical theory of diffusion in concentrated bcc and fcc alloys with arbitrary pairwise interatomic interactions based on the master equation approach is developed. Vacancy–atom correlations are described using both the second-shell-jump and the nearest-neighbor-jump approximations which are shown to be usually sufficiently accurate. General expressions for Onsager coefficients in terms of microscopic interatomic interactions and some statistical averages are given. Both the analytical kinetic mean-field and the Monte Carlo methods for finding these averages are described. The theory developed is used to describe sharp concentration dependencies of diffusion coefficients in several iron-based alloy systems. For the bcc alloys FeCu,more » FeMn, and FeNi, we predict the notable increase of the iron self-diffusion coefficient with solute concentration c, up to several times, even though values of c possible for these alloys do not exceed some percent. For the bcc alloys FeCr at high temperatures T ≳ 1400 K, we show that the very strong and peculiar concentration dependencies of both tracer and chemical diffusion coefficients observed in these alloys can be naturally explained by the theory, without invoking exotic models discussed earlier.« less

  4. Engineering of high performance supercapacitor electrode based on Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO core/shell hybrid nanostructures

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Singh, Ashutosh K., E-mail: ashuvishen@gmail.com, E-mail: aksingh@bose.res.in; Mandal, Kalyan

    The present work reports on fabrication and supercapacitor applications of a core/shell Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO hybrid nanostructures (HNs) electrode. The core/shell Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO hybrid nanostructures have been fabricated through a two step method (nanowire fabrication and their controlled oxidation). The 1D hybrid nanostructure consists of highly porous shell layer (redox active materials NiO and Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and the conductive core (FeNi nanowire). Thus, the highly porous shell layer allows facile electrolyte diffusion as well as faster redox reaction kinetics; whereas the conductive FeNi nanowire core provides the proficient express way for electrons to travel to the current collector,more » which helps in the superior electrochemical performance. The core/shell Fe-Ni/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-NiO hybrid nanostructures electrode based supercapacitor shows very good electrochemical performances in terms of high specific capacitance nearly 1415 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 2.5 A g{sup −1}, excellent cycling stability and rate capability. The high quality electrochemical performance of core/shell hybrid nanostructures electrode shows its potential as an alternative electrode for forthcoming supercapacitor devices.« less

  5. Design and fabrication of Ni nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sada, Takao; Fujigaya, Tsuyohiko; Nakashima, Naotoshi

    2014-09-01

    We propose a concept for the design and fabrication of metal nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures inside the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane using a sacrificial metal. In this study, nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) were used as the base metal and the sacrificial metal, respectively. Alternating an applied potential between -0.4 and -1.0 V provided alternatively deposited Ni and Ag segments in a Ni-Ag `barcode' nanowire with a diameter of 18 or 35 nm. After etching away the Ag segments, we fabricated Ni nanowires with nanopores of 12 +/- 5.3 nm. Such nanostructure formation is explained by the formation of a Ni shell layer over the surface of the Ag segments due to the strong affinity of Ni2+ for the interior surfaces of AAO. The Ni shell layer allows the Ni segments to remain even after dissolution of the Ag segments. Because the electroplating conditions can be easily controlled, we could carefully adjust the size and pitch of the periodically hollow nanospaces. We also describe a method for the fabrication of Ni nanorods by forming an Ag shell instead of a Ni shell on the Ni-Ag barcode nanowire, in which the interior of the AAO surfaces was modified with a compound bearing a thiol group prior to electroplating.We propose a concept for the design and fabrication of metal nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures inside the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane using a sacrificial metal. In this study, nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) were used as the base metal and the sacrificial metal, respectively. Alternating an applied potential between -0.4 and -1.0 V provided alternatively deposited Ni and Ag segments in a Ni-Ag `barcode' nanowire with a diameter of 18 or 35 nm. After etching away the Ag segments, we fabricated Ni nanowires with nanopores of 12 +/- 5.3 nm. Such nanostructure formation is explained by the formation of a Ni shell layer over the surface of the Ag segments due to the strong affinity of Ni2+ for the

  6. Properties of mechanically alloyed Mg-Ni-Ti ternary hydrogen storage alloys for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruggeri, Stéphane; Roué, Lionel; Huot, Jacques; Schulz, Robert; Aymard, Luc; Tarascon, Jean-Marie

    MgNiTi x, Mg 1- xTi xNi and MgNi 1- xTi x (with x varying from 0 to 0.5) alloys have been prepared by high energy ball milling and tested as hydrogen storage electrodes. The initial discharge capacities of the Mg-Ni-Ti ternary alloys are inferior to the MgNi electrode capacity. However, an exception is observed with MgNi 0.95Ti 0.05, which has an initial discharge capacity of 575 mAh/g compared to 522 mAh/g for the MgNi electrode. The Mg-Ni-Ti ternary alloys show improved cycle life compared to Mg-Ni binary alloys with the same Mg/Ni atomic ratio. The best cycle life is observed with Mg 0.5Ti 0.5Ni electrode which retains 75% of initial capacity after 10 cycles in comparison to 39% for MgNi electrodes, in addition to improved high-rate dischargeability (HRD). According to the XPS analysis, the cycle life improvement of the Mg 0.5Ti 0.5Ni electrode can be related to the formation of TiO 2 which limits Mg(OH) 2 formation. The anodic polarization curve of Mg 0.5Ti 0.5Ni electrode shows that the current related to the active/passive transition is much less important and that the passive region is more extended than for the MgNi electrode but the corrosion of the electrode is still significant. This suggests that the cycle life improvement would be also associated with a decrease of the particle pulverization upon cycling.

  7. Design and fabrication of Ni nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Sada, Takao; Fujigaya, Tsuyohiko; Nakashima, Naotoshi

    2014-10-07

    We propose a concept for the design and fabrication of metal nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures inside the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane using a sacrificial metal. In this study, nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) were used as the base metal and the sacrificial metal, respectively. Alternating an applied potential between -0.4 and -1.0 V provided alternatively deposited Ni and Ag segments in a Ni-Ag 'barcode' nanowire with a diameter of 18 or 35 nm. After etching away the Ag segments, we fabricated Ni nanowires with nanopores of 12 ± 5.3 nm. Such nanostructure formation is explained by the formation of a Ni shell layer over the surface of the Ag segments due to the strong affinity of Ni(2+) for the interior surfaces of AAO. The Ni shell layer allows the Ni segments to remain even after dissolution of the Ag segments. Because the electroplating conditions can be easily controlled, we could carefully adjust the size and pitch of the periodically hollow nanospaces. We also describe a method for the fabrication of Ni nanorods by forming an Ag shell instead of a Ni shell on the Ni-Ag barcode nanowire, in which the interior of the AAO surfaces was modified with a compound bearing a thiol group prior to electroplating.

  8. Facile synthesis of mesoporous spinel NiCo2O4 nanostructures as highly efficient electrocatalysts for urea electro-oxidation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Rui; Qi, Li; Jia, Mingjun; Wang, Hongyu

    2014-01-01

    Mesoporous spinel nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) nanostructures were synthesized via a facile chemical deposition method coupled with a simple post-annealing process. The physicochemical properties were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and nitrogen sorption measurements. The electrocatalytic performances were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests. The obtained NiCo2O4 materials exhibit typical agglomerate mesoporous nanostructures with a large surface area (190.1 m2 g-1) and high mesopore volume (0.943 cm3 g-1). Remarkably, the NiCo2O4 shows much higher catalytic activity, lower overpotential, better stability and greater tolerance towards urea electro-oxidation compared to those of cobalt oxide (Co3O4) synthesized by the same procedure. The NiCo2O4 electrode delivers a current density of 136 mA cm-2 mg-1 at 0.7 V (vs. Hg/HgO) in 1 M KOH and 0.33 M urea electrolytes accompanied with a desirable stability. The impressive electrocatalytic activity is largely ascribed to the high intrinsic electronic conductivity, superior mesoporous nanostructures and rich surface Ni active species of the NiCo2O4 materials, which can largely boost the interfacial electroactive sites and charge transfer rates for urea electro-oxidation, indicating promising applications in future wastewater remediation, hydrogen production and fuel cells.Mesoporous spinel nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) nanostructures were synthesized via a facile chemical deposition method coupled with a simple post-annealing process. The physicochemical properties were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and nitrogen sorption measurements. The electrocatalytic performances were investigated by cyclic voltammetry

  9. Plasma sprayed metal supported YSZ/Ni-LSGM-LSCF ITSOFC with nanostructured anode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hwang, Changsing; Tsai, Chun-Huang; Lo, Chih-Hung; Sun, Cha-Hong

    Intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (ITSOFCs) supported by a porous Ni-substrate and based on Sr and Mg doped lanthanum gallate (LSGM) electrolyte, lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite (LSCF) cathode and nanostructured yttria stabilized zirconia-nickel (YSZ/Ni) cermet anode have been fabricated successfully by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). From ac impedance analysis, the sprayed YSZ/Ni cermet anode with a novel nanostructure and advantageous triple phase boundaries after hydrogen reduction has a low resistance. It shows a good electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen oxidation reactions. The sprayed LSGM electrolyte with ∼60 μm in thickness and ∼0.054 S cm -1 conductivity at 800 °C shows a good gas tightness and gives an open circuit voltage (OCV) larger than 1 V. The sprayed LSCF cathode with ∼30 μm in thickness and ∼30% porosity has a minimum resistance after being heated at 1000 °C for 2 h. This cathode keeps right phase structure and good porous network microstructure for conducting electrons and negative oxygen ions. The APS sprayed cell after being heated at 1000 °C for 2 h has a minimum inherent resistance and achieves output power densities of ∼440 mW cm -2 at 800 °C, ∼275 mW cm -2 at 750 °C and ∼170 mW cm -2 at 700 °C. Results from SEM, XRD, ac impedance analysis and I- V- P measurements are presented here.

  10. Nanostructural origin of semiconductivity and large magnetoresistance in epitaxial NiCo2O4/Al2O3 thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhen, Congmian; Zhang, XiaoZhe; Wei, Wengang; Guo, Wenzhe; Pant, Ankit; Xu, Xiaoshan; Shen, Jian; Ma, Li; Hou, Denglu

    2018-04-01

    Despite low resistivity (~1 mΩ cm), metallic electrical transport has not been commonly observed in inverse spinel NiCo2O4, except in certain epitaxial thin films. Previous studies have stressed the effect of valence mixing and the degree of spinel inversion on the electrical conduction of NiCo2O4 films. In this work, we studied the effect of nanostructural disorder by comparing the NiCo2O4 epitaxial films grown on MgAl2O4 (1 1 1) and on Al2O3 (0 0 1) substrates. Although the optimal growth conditions are similar for the NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/MgAl2O4 (1 1 1) and the NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/Al2O3 (0 0 1) films, they show metallic and semiconducting electrical transport, respectively. Post-growth annealing decreases the resistivity of NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/Al2O3 (0 0 1) films, but the annealed films are still semiconducting. While the semiconductivity and the large magnetoresistance in NiCo2O4 (1 1 1)/Al2O3 (0 0 1) films cannot be accounted for in terms of non-optimal valence mixing and spinel inversion, the presence of anti-phase boundaries between nano-sized crystallites, generated by the structural mismatch between NiCo2O4 and Al2O3, may explain all the experimental observations in this work. These results reveal nanostructural disorder as being another key factor for controlling the electrical transport of NiCo2O4, with potentially large magnetoresistance for spintronics applications.

  11. A biotemplated nickel nanostructure: Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ashtari, Khadijeh; Fasihi, Javad; Mollania, Nasrin

    Highlights: • Nickel nanostructure-encapsulated bacteria were prepared using electroless deposition. • Bacterium surface was activated by red-ox reaction of its surface amino acids. • Interfacial changes at cell surfaces were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. • TEM and AFM depicted morphological changes. • Antibacterial activity of nanostructure was examined against different bacteria strains. - Abstract: Nickel nanostructure-encapsulated bacteria were prepared using the electroless deposition procedure and activation of bacterium cell surface by red-ox reaction of surface amino acids. The electroless deposition step occurred in the presence of Ni(II) and dimethyl amine boran (DMAB). Interfacial changes at bacteria cell surfaces during themore » coating process were investigated using fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence of tryptophan residues was completely quenched after the deposition of nickel onto bacteria surfaces. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) depicted morphological changes on the surface of the bacterium. It was found that the Ni coated nanostructure was mechanically stable after ultrasonication for 20 min. Significant increase in surface roughness of bacteria was also observed after deposition of Ni clusters. The amount of coated Ni on the bacteria surface was calculated as 36% w/w. The antibacterial activity of fabricated nanostructure in culture media was examined against three different bacteria strains; Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Xantomonas campestris. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were determined as 500 mg/L, 350 mg/L and 200 mg/L against bacteria, respectively.« less

  12. Microstructure of hydrogenated Mg2Ni studied by SANS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mori, K.; Sugiyama, M.; Iwase, K.; Kawabe, S.; Onodera, Y.; Itoh, K.; Otomo, T.; Fukunaga, T.

    2010-10-01

    X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments were carried out for the hydrogenated and duterated Mg2Ni, respectively. According to the results of XRD experiments, both of them coexisted with unhydrogenated (or undeuterated) Mg2Ni in the hydrogen absorbing cycle. Furthermore, in the SANS experiments, a slope of SANS curve, I(Q), was roughly evaluated by using the following power law: I(Q) propto Q-m, where Q is the magnitude of the scattering vector, and m can be equated with a fractal dimensionality, DS (= 6 - m). In conclusion, the hydrogenated and duterated Mg2Ni showed DS~ 3 and ~ 2, respectively. The significant difference between DS's can be understood by considering the scattering length densities, ρ, of Mg2Ni, Mg2NiH4, and Mg2NiD4.

  13. Comparative study on the structure and electrochemical hydriding properties of MgTi, Mg 0.5Ni 0.5Ti and MgTi 0.5Ni 0.5 alloys prepared by high energy ball milling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rousselot, Steeve; Guay, Daniel; Roué, Lionel

    MgTi, Mg 0.5Ni 0.5Ti and MgTi 0.5Ni 0.5 alloys doped with 10 wt.% Pd were prepared by high energy ball milling and evaluated as hydrogen storage electrodes for Ni-MH batteries. X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that the Mg 0.5Ni 0.5Ti and MgTi 0.5Ni 0.5 alloys could be monophased or composed of a nanoscale mixture of MgTi + NiTi and MgTi + MgNi phases, respectively. Their hydrogen storage characteristics were investigated electrochemically in KOH electrolyte. No activation step was observed during the cycling of the Mg-Ti-Ni electrodes in contrast to that observed with the MgTi electrode. The highest hydrogen discharge capacity was obtained with the MgTi 0.5Ni 0.5 electrode (536 mAh g -1) compared to 401 and 475 mAh g -1 for the Mg 0.5Ni 0.5Ti and MgTi electrodes, respectively. The ternary Mg-Ti-Ni alloys showed a better cycle life with an average capacity decay rate per cycle lower than 1.5% compared to ∼7% for the binary MgTi electrode. The Mg-Ni-Ti electrodes also displayed a much higher discharge rate capability than the binary MgTi electrode, especially with the Mg 0.5Ni 0.5Ti electrode. The origin of this was established on the basis of the anodic polarization curves, where a substantial decrease of the concentration overpotential (reflecting a higher hydrogen diffusivity) was observed for the Mg 0.5Ni 0.5Ti electrode.

  14. Preparation of hierarchical β-Ni(OH)2 nanostructures and adsorption characterization of methyl orange dye

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiao, Shujie; Jin, Yimin; Du, Qian; Zhu, Chunguang; Gao, Shiyong; Wang, Dongbo; Wang, Jinzhong

    2018-05-01

    The β-Ni(OH)2 nanostructures have been prepared by hydrothermal with ammonia as alkali source. The morphology of β-Ni(OH)2 evolves from hexagon sheets to flower-like hierarchical structure built up from the nanosheets as increasing the amount of ammonia. Hierarchical β-Ni(OH)2 nanostructures have strong adsorption effect on methyl orange dyes. The adsorption mechanism of β-Ni(OH)2 has been investigated, which could be expressed by pseudo-second order kinetic model with best match.

  15. Stabilization of Reactive MgO Surfaces by Ni Doping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mazheika, Aliaksei; Levchenko, Sergey V.

    Ni-MgO solid solutions are promising materials for catalytic reduction of CO2 and dry reforming of CH4. To explain the catalytic activity, an ab initio study of Ni-substitutional defects in MgO (NiMg) has been performed. At first, the validation of the theory level was done. We compared results of CCSD(T) embedded-cluster calculations of NiMg formation energies and adsorption energies of CO, CO2 and H2 on them to the HSE(α) hybrid DFT functional with the fraction of the exact exchange α varied between 0 and 1. HSE(0.3) was found to be the best compromise in this study. Our periodic HSE(0.3) calculations show that NiMg defects are most stable at corner sites, followed by steps, and are least stable at (001) terraces. Thus, Ni-doping stabilizes stepped MgO surfaces. The dissociative adsorption of H2 on the terrace is found to be endothermic (+ 1 . 1 eV), whereas on (110) surface with NiMg it is highly exothermic (- 1 . 6 eV). Adsorbed CO2 is also significantly stabilized (- 0 . 6 vs. - 2 . 2 eV). These findings explain recent microcalorimetry measurements of H2 and CO2 adsorption at doped Ni-MgO samples. partially supported by UniCat (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft).

  16. Formation of bcc non-equilibrium La, Gd and Dy alloys and the magnetic structure of Mg-stabilized. beta. Gd and. beta. Dy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Herchenroeder, J.W.

    1989-02-01

    The high temperature bcc allotrope of a rare earth metal has the potential for substantially different magnetic properties than the room temperature hexagonal (hcp or dhcp) counterpart because of its more symmetrical crystal field. The stabilization by alloying and quenching of this bcc phase was studied for La-M alloys where M is an non-rare earth metal from Group II or III. The factors influencing the stabilization, such as size of M and quench rate, are discussed. ..gamma..La (bcc) could be retained over a composition range around the eutectoid composition by Mg or Cd alloying. A comparison of T/sub o/ curvesmore » of the various alloy systems suggest that the eutectoid temperature of the La-M system must be approximately equal to or less than a critical T/sub o/ temperature of 515/degree/C if the bcc phase is to be retained by quenching. The thermal stability of ..beta..Gd (bcc) was investigated by DTA and isothermal annealing. It was found to transform to an intermediate phase before reverting to the equilibrium phases in contrast to ..gamma..La alloys which decompose directly on heating to the equilibrium phases. 71 refs., 52 figs., 7 tabs.« less

  17. Development of a pH sensor using nanoporous nanostructures of NiO.

    PubMed

    Ibupoto, Z H; Khun, K; Willander, M

    2014-09-01

    Glass is the conventional material used in pH electrodes to monitor pH in various applications. However, the glass-based pH electrode has some limitations for particular applications. The glass sensor is limited in the use of in vivo biomedical, clinical or food applications because of the brittleness of glass, its large size, the difficulty in measuring small volumes and the absence of deformation (inflexibility). Nanostructure-based pH sensors are very sensitive, reliable, fast and applicable towards in vivo measurements. In this study, nanoporous NiO nanostructures are synthesized on a gold-coated glass substrate by a hydrothermal route using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a stabilizer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used for the morphological and crystalline studies. The grown NiO nanostructures are uniform and dense, and they possess good crystallinity. A pH sensor based on these NiO nanostructures was developed by testing the different pH values from 2-12 of phosphate buffered saline solution. The proposed pH sensor showed robust sensitivity of -43.74 ± 0.80 mV/pH and a quick response time of less than 10 s. Moreover, the repeatability, reproducibility and stability of the presented pH sensor were also studied.

  18. Hydrogen in La2MgNi9D13: the role of magnesium.

    PubMed

    Denys, Roman V; Yartys, Volodymyr A; Webb, Colin J

    2012-04-02

    Reversible hydrogen storage capacity of the La(3-x)Mg(x)Ni(9) alloys, charged by gaseous hydrogen or by electrochemical methods, reaches its maximum at composition La(2)MgNi(9). As (La,Mg)Ni(3-3.5) alloys are the materials used in advanced metal hydride electrodes in Ni-MH batteries, this raises interest in the study of the structure-properties interrelation in the system La(2)MgNi(9)-H(2) (D(2)). In the present work, this system has been investigated by use of in situ synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction in H(2)/D(2) gas and by performing pressure-composition-temperature measurements. The saturated La(2)MgNi(9)D(13.1) hydride forms via an isotropic expansion and crystallizes with a trigonal unit cell (space group R3m (No.166); a = 5.4151(1) Å; c = 26.584(2) Å; V = 675.10(6) Å(3)). The studied hybrid structure is composed of a stacking of two layers resembling existing intermetallic compounds LaNi(5) (CaCu(5) type) and LaMgNi(4) (Laves type). These are occupied by D to form LaNi(5)D(5.2) and LaMgNi(4)D(7.9). The LaNi(5)D(5.2) slab has a typical structure observed for all reported LaNi(5)-containing hybrid structures of the AB(5) + Laves phase types. However, the Laves type slab LaMgNi(4)D(7.9) is different from the characterized individual LaMgNi(4)D(4.85) hydride. This results from the filling of a greater variety of interstitial sites in the La(2)MgNi(9)D(13)/LaMgNi(4)D(7.9), including MgNi(2), Ni(4), (La/Mg)(2)Ni(2), and (La/Mg)Ni(3), in contrast with individual LaMgNi(4)D(4.85) where only La(2)MgNi(2) and Ni(4) interstitials are occupied. Despite a random distribution of La and Mg in the structure, a local hydrogen ordering takes place with H atoms favoring occupation of two Mg-surrounded sites, triangles MgNi(2) and tetrahedra LaMgNi(2). A directional bonding between Ni, Mg, and hydrogen is observed and is manifested by a formation of the NiH(4) tetrahedra and MgH(6) octahedra, which are connected to each other by sharing H vertexes to form a

  19. Metastable bcc phase formation in 3d ferromagnetic transition metal thin films sputter-deposited on GaAs(100) substrates

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Minakawa, Shigeyuki, E-mail: s-minakawa@futamoto.elect.chuo-u.ac.jp; Ohtake, Mitsuru; Futamoto, Masaaki

    2015-05-07

    Co{sub 100−x}Fe{sub x} and Ni{sub 100−y}Fe{sub y} (at. %, x = 0–30, y = 0–60) films of 10 nm thickness are prepared on GaAs(100) substrates at room temperature by using a radio-frequency magnetron sputtering system. The detailed growth behavior is investigated by in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction. (100)-oriented Co and Ni single-crystals with metastable bcc structure are formed in the early stage of film growth, where the metastable structure is stabilized through hetero-epitaxial growth. With increasing the thickness up to 2 nm, the Co and the Ni films start to transform into more stable hcp and fcc structures through atomic displacements parallel to bcc(110) slide planes,more » respectively. The stability of bcc phase is improved by adding a small volume of Fe atoms into a Co film. The critical thickness of bcc phase formation is thicker than 10 nm for Co{sub 100−x}Fe{sub x} films with x ≥ 10. On the contrary, the stability of bcc phase for Ni-Fe system is less than that for Co-Fe system. The critical thicknesses for Ni{sub 100−y}Fe{sub y} films with y = 20, 40, and 60 are 1, 3, and 5 nm, respectively. The Co{sub 100−x}Fe{sub x} single-crystal films with metastable bcc structure formed on GaAs(100) substrates show in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropies with the easy direction along GaAs[011], similar to the case of Fe film epitaxially grown on GaAs(100) substrate. A Co{sub 100−x}Fe{sub x} film with higher Fe content shows a higher saturation magnetization and a lower coercivity.« less

  20. Activation mechanism and dehydrogenation behavior in bulk hypo/hyper-eutectic Mg-Ni alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ding, Xin; Chen, Ruirun; Jin, Yinling; Chen, Xiaoyu; Guo, Jingjie; Su, Yanqing; Ding, Hongsheng; Fu, Hengzhi

    2018-01-01

    To investigate the effect of microstructure on the better de-/hydrogenation property of Mg-based alloy, hypo-eutectic Mg-8Ni (at. %) alloy and hyper-eutectic Mg-15Ni alloy are prepared by metallurgy method. The phase constitutions and microstructures are characterized by XRD and SEM/EDS. Mg-8/15Ni alloy is composed of primary Mg/Mg2Ni and eutectic Mg-Mg2Ni. In isothermal sorption test, Mg-15Ni alloy shows preferable activation performance and faster de-/hydrogenation rates than Mg-8Ni alloy. The respective hydrogen uptake capacity in 165min is 5.62 wt% and 5.76 wt% H2 at 300 °C 3 MPa. Intersections of Mg-Mg2Ni eutectic phase boundaries with particle surface provide excellent sites and paths for the dissociation and permeation of hydrogen. The de-/hydrogenation enthalpy and entropy values are determined by PCI measurement. Based on the DSC curves at different heating rates, the desorption behavior of Mg-8/15Ni hydride is revealed and the respective activation energy is calculated to be 134.67 kJ mol-1 and 88.34 kJ mol-1 H2 by Kissinger method. Synergic dehydrogenation occurs in eutectic MgH2-Mg2NiH4, which facilitates the primary MgH2 in Mg-8Ni hydride to decompose at a lower temperature. The rapid H diffusion and synergic effect in eutectic MgH2-Mg2NiH4 collectively contribute to the lower dehydrogenation energy barrier of Mg-15Ni hydride.

  1. Temperature dependence of Ni3S2 nanostructures with high electrochemical performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Y. L.; Wei, X. Q.; Li, M. B.; Hou, P. Y.; Xu, X. J.

    2018-04-01

    Different Ni3S2 nanostructures have been successfully synthesized at different temperatures by a facile and efficient solvothermal method. The Ni3S2 nanostructures with three-dimensional (3D) nanosheets array and silkworm eggs-like morphologies were obtained by adjusting the reaction temperature. A large number of 3D nanosheets are interconnected to form an open network structure with porous of Ni3S2 at 180 °C, and electrochemical tests showed that the special structure exhibited the outstanding specific capacitance (1357 F g -1 at 1 A g-1) and excellent cycling stability (maintained 91% after 3000 cycles). In comparison, the performance of Ni3S2 silkworm eggs-like structure is not very perfect. This may be due to the fact that the 3D nanosheets with porous structure can improve the electrochemical performance by shortening effectively the diffusion path of electrolyte ions and increasing the active sites during charging and discharging. Among them, the reaction temperature is the main factor to control the formation of the 3D nanosheets array. These results indicated the Ni3S2 nanosheets promising applications as high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.

  2. Pivotal ERIVANCE basal cell carcinoma (BCC) study: 12-month update of efficacy and safety of vismodegib in advanced BCC.

    PubMed

    Sekulic, Aleksandar; Migden, Michael R; Lewis, Karl; Hainsworth, John D; Solomon, James A; Yoo, Simon; Arron, Sarah T; Friedlander, Philip A; Marmur, Ellen; Rudin, Charles M; Chang, Anne Lynn S; Dirix, Luc; Hou, Jeannie; Yue, Huibin; Hauschild, Axel

    2015-06-01

    Primary analysis from the pivotal ERIVANCE BCC study resulted in approval of vismodegib, a Hedgehog pathway inhibitor indicated for treatment of adults with metastatic or locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) that has recurred after surgery or for patients who are not candidates for surgery or radiation. An efficacy and safety analysis was conducted 12 months after primary analysis. This was a multinational, multicenter, nonrandomized, 2-cohort study in patients with measurable and histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic BCC taking oral vismodegib (150 mg/d). Primary outcome measure was objective response rate (complete and partial responses) assessed by independent review facility. After 12 months of additional follow-up, median duration of exposure to vismodegib was 12.9 months. Objective response rate increased from 30.3% to 33.3% in patients with metastatic disease, and from 42.9% to 47.6% in patients with the locally advanced form. Median duration of response in patients with locally advanced BCC increased from 7.6 to 9.5 months. No new safety signals emerged with extended treatment duration. Limitations include low prevalence of advanced BCC and challenges of designing a study with heterogenous manifestations. The 12-month update of the study confirms the efficacy and safety of vismodegib in management of advanced BCC. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Self-organized layered hydrogenation in black Mg2NiHx switchable mirrors.

    PubMed

    Lohstroh, W; Westerwaal, R J; Noheda, B; Enache, S; Giebels, I A M E; Dam, B; Griessen, R

    2004-11-05

    In addition to a mirrorlike (Mg2Ni) and a transparent (Mg2NiH4) state, thin films of Mg2NiHx exhibit a remarkable black state with low reflection over the entire visible spectrum, essentially zero transmission and a low electrical resistivity. Such a black state is not explicable for a homogeneous layer since a large absorption coefficient always yields substantial reflection. We show that it results from a self-organized and reversible double layering of metallic Mg2NiH0.3 and semiconducting Mg2NiH4.

  4. Hydrogen Gas Sensing Characteristics of Nanostructured NiO Thin Films Synthesized by SILAR Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karaduman, Irmak; Çorlu, Tugba; Yıldırım, M. Ali; Ateş, Aytunç; Acar, Selim

    2017-07-01

    Nanostructured NiO thin films have been synthesized by a facile, low-cost successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method, and the effects of the film thickness on their hydrogen gas sensing properties investigated. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. The XRD results revealed that the crystallinity improved with increasing thickness, exhibiting polycrystalline structure. SEM studies showed that all the films covered the glass substrate well. According to optical absorption measurements, the optical bandgap decreased with increasing film thickness. The gas sensing properties of the nanostructured NiO thin films were studied as a function of operating temperature and gas concentration. The samples showed good sensing performance of H2 gas with high response. The maximum response was 75% at operating temperature of 200°C for hydrogen gas concentration of 40 ppm. These results demonstrate that nanostructured NiO thin films synthesized by the SILAR method have potential for application in hydrogen detection.

  5. Nickel antimony oxide (NiSb2O6): A fascinating nanostructured material for gas sensing application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Archana; Singh, Ajendra; Singh, Satyendra; Tandon, Poonam

    2016-02-01

    Fabrication of nanocrystalline NiSb2O6 thin films via sol-gel spin coating method towards the development of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sensor operable at room temperature (25 °C) is being reported. Nanostructural, surface morphological and optical properties of trirutile-type NiSb2O6 have been investigated in order to explore the parameters of interest. The crystallite size has been found to be 19 nm. A detailed sensing performance (sensitivity, sensor response, response and recovery times, reproducibility and long term stability) of NiSb2O6 nanostructures grown on alumina substrate has been investigated.

  6. Ohmic contacts to p-GaN Using Au/Ni-Mg-O Metallization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liday, Jozef; Vogrinčič, Peter; Hotový, Ivan; Bonanni, Alberta; Sitter, Helmut; Lalinský, Tibor; Vanko, Gabriel; Řeháček, Vlastimil; Breza, Juraj; Ecke, Gernot

    2010-11-01

    Electrical characteristics and elemental depth profiles of ohmic contacts to p-GaN using Au/Ni-Mg-Ox metallization have been investigated. The objective was to examine the possibilities of increasing the charge carrier concentration in the surface region of GaN by adding Mg, thus of a p-type dopant into the Au/NiOx metallization structure. For this purpose, a Ni-Mg-Ox layer with a low concentration of Mg was deposited on p-GaN by dc reactive magnetron sputtering. The top Au layer was deposited in a similar way. The fabricated contact structures were annealed in N2. When the Ni-Mg layer in the Au/Ni-Mg-Ox/p-GaN structure was deposited in an atmosphere with a low concentration of oxygen (0.2 at%), the structure exhibited a low resistance ohmic nature. The contact resistance was lower than in the case of a Au/Ni-Ox/p-GaN structure without the Mg dopant in the metallic layer. An increase in the concentration of oxygen in the working atmosphere resulted in higher values of the contact resistance of the Au/Ni-Mg-Ox/p-GaN structure. In our opinion the ohmic nature of the contact structure is related to the existence of a metal/p-NiO/p-GaN scheme. The measured values of the contact resistance in the Au/Ni-Mg-Ox/p-GaN structure in comparison with the Au/Ni-Ox/p-GaN structure are caused by an increased charge carrier concentration in the surface region of p-GaN, which is a consequence of Mg diffusion from the Ni-Mg-Ox layer.

  7. Structural properties and optical characterization of flower-like Mg doped NiO

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Allaedini, Ghazaleh, E-mail: jiny-ghazaleh@yahoo.com; Tasirin, Siti Masrinda; Aminayi, Payam

    In this study, un-doped and Mg doped NiO nanoparticles have been synthesized through a simple sol-gel method. To investigate the effect of Mg-doping on the structure of NiO, the obtained nanoparticles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Flower/star like morphology was clearly observed in the SEM micrographs. The BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) nitrogen absorption isotherm exhibits high specific surface area (∼37 m{sup 2} /g) for the Mg doped NiO nanoparticles. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) of the prepared Mg-NiO nanoparticles showed a face-centered cubic (f.c.c) structure, and the average particle size was estimated to be 32 nm using Scherrer’s formula. Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX)more » confirms that the NiO particles are successfully doped with Mg. Photoluminescence (PL) and UV-Vis optical absorption characteristics of the prepared nanoparticles have also been investigated in this study. The PL emission response showed a blue shift when NiO was doped with Mg, which is indicative of interstitial oxygen. The UV-Vis results demonstrate a band gap increase as NiO nanoparticles are doped with Mg.« less

  8. Exact ab initio transport coefficients in bcc Fe-X (X=Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, P, Si) dilute alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Messina, Luca; Nastar, Maylise; Garnier, Thomas; Domain, Christophe; Olsson, Pär

    2014-09-01

    Defect-driven diffusion of impurities is the major phenomenon leading to formation of embrittling nanoscopic precipitates in irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. Diffusion depends strongly on the kinetic correlations that may lead to flux coupling between solute atoms and point defects. In this work, flux coupling phenomena such as solute drag by vacancies and radiation-induced segregation at defect sinks are systematically investigated for six bcc iron-based dilute binary alloys, containing Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, P, and Si impurities, respectively. First, solute-vacancy interactions and migration energies are obtained by means of ab initio calculations; subsequently, self-consistent mean field theory is employed in order to determine the exact Onsager matrix of the alloys. This innovative multiscale approach provides a more complete treatment of the solute-defect interaction than previous multifrequency models. Solute drag is found to be a widespread phenomenon that occurs systematically in ferritic alloys and is enhanced at low temperatures (as for instance RPV operational temperature), as long as an attractive solute-vacancy interaction is present, and that the kinetic modeling of bcc alloys requires the extension of the interaction shell to the second-nearest neighbors. Drag occurs in all alloys except Fe(Cr); the transition from dragging to nondragging regime takes place for the other alloys around (Cu, Mn, Ni) or above (P, Si) the Curie temperature. As far as only the vacancy-mediated solute migration is concerned, Cr depletion at sinks is foreseen by the model, as opposed to the other impurities which are expected to enrich up to no less than 1000 K. The results of this study confirm the current interpretation of the hardening processes in ferritic-martensitic steels under irradiation.

  9. Microstructural and optical properties of Mn doped NiO nanostructures synthesized via sol-gel method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shah, Shamim H.; Khan, Wasi; Naseem, Swaleha; Husain, Shahid; Nadeem, M.

    2018-04-01

    Undoped and Mn(0, 5%, 10% and 15%) doped NiO nanostructures were synthesized by sol-gel method. Structure, morphology and optical properties were investigated through XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDS and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy techniques. XRD data analysis reveals the single phase nature with cubic crystal symmetry of the samples and the average crystallite size decreases with the doping of Mn ions upto 10%. FTIR spectra further confirmed the purity and composition of the synthesized samples. The non-spherical shape of the nanostructures was observed from SEM micrographs and gain size of the nanostructures reduces with Mn doping in NiO, whereas agglomeration increases in doped sample. Optical band gap was estimated using Tauc'srelation and found to increase on incorporation of Mn upto 10% in host lattice and then decreases for further doping.

  10. Evaluation of different approaches for improving the cycle life of MgNi-based electrodes for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rongeat, C.; Grosjean, M.-H.; Ruggeri, S.; Dehmas, M.; Bourlot, S.; Marcotte, S.; Roué, L.

    Several methods have been investigated to enhance the cycle life of amorphous MgNi used as the negative electrode for Ni-MH batteries. The first approach involves modifying its surface composition in different ways, including the electroless deposition of a chromate conversion coating, the addition of chromate salt or NaF into the electrolyte and the mechanical coating of the particles with various compounds (e.g. TiO 2). Another approach consists of developing (MgNi + AB 5) composite materials. However, the cycle life of these modified MgNi electrodes remains unsatisfactory. On the other hand, the modification of the bulk composition of the MgNi alloy with elements such as Ti and Al appears to be more effective. For instance, a Mg 0.9Ti 0.1NiAl 0.05 electrode retains 67% of its initial discharge capacity (404 mAh g -1) after 15 cycles compared to 29% for MgNi. The charging conditions also have a great influence on the electrode cycle life as demonstrated by the existence of a charge input threshold below which minor capacity decay occurs. In addition, the particle size has a major influence on the electrode performance. We have developed an optimized electrode constituted of Mg 0.9Ti 0.1NiAl 0.05 particles with the appropriate size (>150 μm) showing a capacity decay rate as low as ∼0.2% per cycle when charged at 300 mAh g -1.

  11. Microwave-assisted synthesis of NiS2 nanostructures for supercapacitors and cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic H2 production.

    PubMed

    Pang, Huan; Wei, Chengzhen; Li, Xuexue; Li, Guochang; Ma, Yahui; Li, Sujuan; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Jiangshan

    2014-01-06

    Uniform NiS2 nanocubes are successfully synthesized with a microwave-assisted method. Interestingly, NiS2 nanocubes, nanospheres and nanoparticles are obtained by controlling microwave reaction time. NiS2 nanomaterials are primarily applied to supercapacitors and cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic H2 production. Different morphologies of NiS2 nanostructures show different electrochemical and cocatalytic enhancing H2 production activities. Benefited novel nanostructures, NiS2 nanocube electrodes show a large specific capacitance (695 F g(-1) at 1.25 A g(-1)) and excellent cycling performance (the retention 93.4% of initial specific capacitance after 3000 cycles). More importantly, NiS2 nanospheres show highly cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic for H2 evolution, in which the photocatalytic H2 production is up to 3400 μmol during 12 hours under irradiation of visible light (λ>420 nm) with an average H2 production rate of 283 μmol h(-1).

  12. Microwave-assisted synthesis of NiS2 nanostructures for supercapacitors and cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic H2 production

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pang, Huan; Wei, Chengzhen; Li, Xuexue; Li, Guochang; Ma, Yahui; Li, Sujuan; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Jiangshan

    2014-01-01

    Uniform NiS2 nanocubes are successfully synthesized with a microwave-assisted method. Interestingly, NiS2 nanocubes, nanospheres and nanoparticles are obtained by controlling microwave reaction time. NiS2 nanomaterials are primarily applied to supercapacitors and cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic H2 production. Different morphologies of NiS2 nanostructures show different electrochemical and cocatalytic enhancing H2 production activities. Benefited novel nanostructures, NiS2 nanocube electrodes show a large specific capacitance (695 F g-1 at 1.25 A g-1) and excellent cycling performance (the retention 93.4% of initial specific capacitance after 3000 cycles). More importantly, NiS2 nanospheres show highly cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic for H2 evolution, in which the photocatalytic H2 production is up to 3400 μmol during 12 hours under irradiation of visible light (λ>420 nm) with an average H2 production rate of 283 μmol h-1.

  13. Enhanced sensitivity in non-enzymatic glucose detection by improved growth kinetics of Ni-based nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Urso, M; Pellegrino, G; Strano, V; Bruno, E; Priolo, F; Mirabella, S

    2018-04-20

    Ni-based nanostructures are attractive catalytic materials for many electrochemical applications, among which are non-enzymatic sensing, charge storage, and water splitting. In this work, we clarify the synthesis kinetics of Ni(OH) 2 /NiOOH nanowalls grown by chemical bath deposition at room temperature and at 50 °C. We applied the results to non-enzymatic glucose sensing, reaching a highest sensitivity of 31 mA cm -2 mM -1 . Using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry we found that the growth occurs through two regimes: first, a quick random growth leading to disordered sheets of Ni oxy-hydroxide, followed by a slower growth of well-aligned sheets of Ni hydroxide. A high growth temperature (50 °C), leading mainly to well-aligned sheets, offers superior electrochemical properties in terms of charge storage, charge carrier transport and catalytic action, as confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses. The reported results on the optimization and application of low-cost synthesis of these Ni-based nanostructures have a large potential for application in catalysis, (bio)sensing, and supercapacitors areas.

  14. Enhanced sensitivity in non-enzymatic glucose detection by improved growth kinetics of Ni-based nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Urso, M.; Pellegrino, G.; Strano, V.; Bruno, E.; Priolo, F.; Mirabella, S.

    2018-04-01

    Ni-based nanostructures are attractive catalytic materials for many electrochemical applications, among which are non-enzymatic sensing, charge storage, and water splitting. In this work, we clarify the synthesis kinetics of Ni(OH)2/NiOOH nanowalls grown by chemical bath deposition at room temperature and at 50 °C. We applied the results to non-enzymatic glucose sensing, reaching a highest sensitivity of 31 mA cm-2mM-1. Using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry we found that the growth occurs through two regimes: first, a quick random growth leading to disordered sheets of Ni oxy-hydroxide, followed by a slower growth of well-aligned sheets of Ni hydroxide. A high growth temperature (50 °C), leading mainly to well-aligned sheets, offers superior electrochemical properties in terms of charge storage, charge carrier transport and catalytic action, as confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses. The reported results on the optimization and application of low-cost synthesis of these Ni-based nanostructures have a large potential for application in catalysis, (bio)sensing, and supercapacitors areas.

  15. Correlation between charge input and cycle life of MgNi electrode for Ni-MH batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruggeri, Stéphane; Roué, Lionel

    Amorphous MgNi material has been prepared by mechanically alloying magnesium and nickel powders for 10 h. Its cycle life as a negative electrode for nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries has been studied with charge inputs varying from 0 to 600 mAh/g. For charge inputs lower than 400 mAh/g, the first cycle discharge capacity is superior to the charge input capacity. This surplus discharge capacity can be associated with the alloy oxidation to Mg(OH) 2 and Ni(OH) 2. For charge inputs higher than 400 mAh/g, the initial discharge capacity becomes inferior to the charge input capacity due to the progressive decrease of the charge efficiency related to the hydrogen evolution side reaction. From the second charge/discharge cycle, no additional discharge capacity appears and no discharge capacity degradation occurs for charge inputs inferior or equal to 233 mAh/g. In contrast, for higher charge input values, an important decay in the discharge capacity appears, which is accentuated with increasing charge input. The thresholds charge input of 233 mAh/g corresponds to an amount of hydrogen absorbed into the alloy of 0.8 wt.% (MgNiH 0.7). For higher absorbed hydrogen amounts, it is assumed that extended electrode pulverization occurs, which breaks the passive surface layer of Mg(OH) 2 formed during the first charge/discharge cycle. This creates unprotected fresh MgNi surfaces and consequently, leads to electrode capacity degradation. The stability of the MgNi electrode for absorbed hydrogen content lower than 0.8 wt.% may be related to its amorphous character, which favors a gradual volume expansion upon hydrogen absorption in contrast to crystalline compounds characterized by an abrupt α-to-β lattice expansion.

  16. Hierarchical α-MnO2 nanowires@Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes core-shell nanostructures for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hsin-Yi; Xiao, Fang-Xing; Yu, Le; Liu, Bin; Lou, Xiong Wen David

    2014-08-13

    A facile two-step solution-phase method has been developed for the preparation of hierarchical α-MnO2 nanowires@Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes core-shell nanostructures. Ultralong α-MnO2 nanowires were synthesized by a hydrothermal method in the first step. Subsequently, Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes were grown on α-MnO2 nanowires to form core-shell nanostructures using chemical bath deposition followed by thermal annealing. Both solution-phase methods can be easily scaled up for mass production. We have evaluated their application in supercapacitors. The ultralong one-dimensional (1D) α-MnO2 nanowires in hierarchical core-shell nanostructures offer a stable and efficient backbone for charge transport; while the two-dimensional (2D) Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanoflakes on α-MnO2 nanowires provide high accessible surface to ions in the electrolyte. These beneficial features enable the electrode with high capacitance and reliable stability. The capacitance of the core-shell α-MnO2 @Ni1-x Mnx Oy nanostructures (x = 0.75) is as high as 657 F g(-1) at a current density of 250 mA g(-1) , and stable charging-discharging cycling over 1000 times at a current density of 2000 mA g(-1) has been realized. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Microwave-assisted synthesis of NiS2 nanostructures for supercapacitors and cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic H2 production

    PubMed Central

    Pang, Huan; Wei, Chengzhen; Li, Xuexue; Li, Guochang; Ma, Yahui; Li, Sujuan; Chen, Jing; Zhang, Jiangshan

    2014-01-01

    Uniform NiS2 nanocubes are successfully synthesized with a microwave-assisted method. Interestingly, NiS2 nanocubes, nanospheres and nanoparticles are obtained by controlling microwave reaction time. NiS2 nanomaterials are primarily applied to supercapacitors and cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic H2 production. Different morphologies of NiS2 nanostructures show different electrochemical and cocatalytic enhancing H2 production activities. Benefited novel nanostructures, NiS2 nanocube electrodes show a large specific capacitance (695 F g−1 at 1.25 A g−1) and excellent cycling performance (the retention 93.4% of initial specific capacitance after 3000 cycles). More importantly, NiS2 nanospheres show highly cocatalytic enhancing photocatalytic for H2 evolution, in which the photocatalytic H2 production is up to 3400 μmol during 12 hours under irradiation of visible light (λ>420 nm) with an average H2 production rate of 283 μmol h−1. PMID:24389929

  18. Composite materials formed with anchored nanostructures

    DOEpatents

    Seals, Roland D; Menchhofer, Paul A; Howe, Jane Y; Wang, Wei

    2015-03-10

    A method of forming nano-structure composite materials that have a binder material and a nanostructure fiber material is described. A precursor material may be formed using a mixture of at least one metal powder and anchored nanostructure materials. The metal powder mixture may be (a) Ni powder and (b) NiAl powder. The anchored nanostructure materials may comprise (i) NiAl powder as a support material and (ii) carbon nanotubes attached to nanoparticles adjacent to a surface of the support material. The process of forming nano-structure composite materials typically involves sintering the mixture under vacuum in a die. When Ni and NiAl are used in the metal powder mixture Ni.sub.3Al may form as the binder material after sintering. The mixture is sintered until it consolidates to form the nano-structure composite material.

  19. Structural and optical properties of Mg2 Ni Hx switchable mirrors upon hydrogen loading

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lohstroh, W.; Westerwaal, R. J.; van Mechelen, J. L. M.; Chacon, C.; Johansson, E.; Dam, B.; Griessen, R.

    2004-10-01

    The structural, thermodynamic and optical properties of Mg2Ni thin films covered with Pd are investigated upon exposure to hydrogen. Similar to bulk, thin films of metallic Mg2Ni take up 4 hydrogen per formula unit and semiconducting transparent Mg2NiH4-δ is formed. The dielectric function γ˜ of Mg2Ni and fully loaded Mg2NiH4-δ is determined from reflection and transmission measurements using a Drude-Lorentz parametrization. Besides the two “normal” optical states of a switchable mirror—metallic reflecting and semiconducting transparent— Mg2NiHx exhibit a third “black” state at intermediate hydrogen concentrations with low reflection and essentially zero transmission. This state originates from a subtle interplay of the optical properties of the constituent materials and a self-organized double layering of the film during loading. Mg2NiH4-δ preferentially nucleates at the film/substrate interface and not—as intuitively expected—close to the catalytic Pd capping layer. Using γ˜Mg2Ni and γ˜Mg2NiH4 and this loading sequence, the optical response at all hydrogen concentrations can be described quantitatively. The uncommon hydrogen loading sequence is confirmed by x-ray diffraction and hydrogen profiling using the resonant nuclear reaction H1(N15,αγ)C12 . Pressure-composition isotherms suggest that the formation of Mg2NiH4-δ at the film/substrate interface is mainly due to locally enhanced kinetics.

  20. Nanostructured BN-Mg composites: features of interface bonding and mechanical properties.

    PubMed

    Kvashnin, Dmitry G; Krasheninnikov, Arkady V; Shtansky, Dmitry; Sorokin, Pavel B; Golberg, Dmitri

    2016-01-14

    Magnesium (Mg) is one of the lightest industrially used metals. However, wide applications of Mg-based components require a substantial enhancement of their mechanical characteristics. This can be achieved by introducing small particles or fibers into the metal matrix. Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the stability and mechanical properties of a nanocomposite made of magnesium reinforced with boron nitride (BN) nanostructures (BN nanotubes and BN monolayers). We show that boron vacancies at the BN/Mg interface lead to a substantial increase in BN/Mg bonding establishing an efficient route towards the development of BN/Mg composite materials with enhanced mechanical properties.

  1. Mechanism of magnetoresistance ratio enhancement in MgO/NiFe/MgO heterostructure by rapid thermal annealing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Chong-Jun; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Jing-Yan; Sun, Li; Ding, Lei; Zhang, Peng; Wang, Bao-Yi; Cao, Xing-Zhong; Yu, Guang-Hua

    2012-08-01

    To reveal thermal effects on the film quality/microstructure evolution and the resulted magnetoresistance (MR) ratio in MgO/NiFe/MgO heterostructures, positron annihilation spectroscopy studies have been performed. It is found that the ionic interstitials in the MgO layers recombine with the nearby vacancies at lower annealing temperatures (200-300 °C) and lead to a slow increase in sample MR. Meanwhile, vacancy defects agglomeration/removal and ordering acceleration in MgO will occur at higher annealing temperatures (450-550 °C) and the improved MgO and MgO/NiFe interfaces microstructure are responsible for the observed significant MR enhancement.

  2. Fabrication and characterization of nanostructured Mg-doped CdS/AAO nanoporous membrane for sensing applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shaban, Mohamed; Mustafa, Mona; Hamdy, Hany

    2016-04-01

    In this study, Mg-doped CdS nanostructure was deposited onto anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane substrate using sol-gel spin coating method. The AAO membrane was prepared by a two-step anodization process combined with pore widening process. The morphology, chemical composition, and structure of the spin- coated CdS nanostructure have been studied. The morphology of the fabricated AAO membrane and the deposited Mg-doped CdS nanostructure was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM of AAO illustrates a typical hexagonal and smooth nanoporous alumina membrane with interpore distance of ~ 100 nm, the pore diameter of ~ 60 nm. SEM of Mgdoped CdS shows porous nanostructured film of CdS nanoparticles. This film well adherents and covers the AAO substrate. The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) pattern exhibits the signals of Al, O from AAO membrane and Mg, Cd, and S from the deposited CdS. This indicates the high purity of the fabricated membrane and the deposited Mg-doped CdS nanostructure. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, Scherrer equation was used to calculate the average crystallite size. Additionally, the texture coefficients and density of dislocations were calculated. The fabricated CdS/AAO was applied to detect glucose of different concentrations. The proposed method has some advantages such as simple technology, low cost of processing, and high throughput. All of these factors facilitate the use of the prepared films in sensing applications.

  3. Physical metallurgy of metastable Bcc lanthanide-magnesium alloys for R = La, Gd, and Dy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Herchenroeder, J.W.; Manfrinetti, P.; Gschneidner, K.A. Jr.

    1989-09-01

    Bcc La-Mg, Gd-Mg, and Dy-Mg alloys have been prepared by an ice water/acetone quench from liquid melts. Single-phase alloys could be retained in a window around the eutectoid composition: 13 to 22 at. pct Mg, 23.6 to 29 at. pct Mg, and 27 to 29 at. pct Mg for La, Gd, and Dy alloys, respectively. At the center of the windows, x-ray diffraction peaks are extremely sharp as in equilibrium bcc structures; however, as alloy composition is moved away from the eutectoid, line broadening is observed. Reversion of the bcc phase to the equilibrium microstructure for R-Mg alloys (R =more » La, Gd, or Dy) has been characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA) or differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isothermal annealing. La-Mg alloys revert directly to {alpha}La (dhcp) + LaMg at about 350{degrees}C when heated at 10{degrees}C/min. In contrast, the Gd and Dy alloys revert by a two-step process: first, a transition to an intermediate distorted hcp phase between 300{degrees}C and 400{degrees}C, and, second, the relaxation of this phase to {alpha}R (hcp) + RMg at about 490{degrees}C when heated at 10{degrees}C/min. Isothermal annealing and high temperature x-ray diffraction confirm the nature of these reactions.« less

  4. Broad range tuning of structural and optical properties of Zn x Mg1-x O nanostructures grown by vapor transport method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vanjaria, Jignesh V.; Azhar, Ebraheem Ali; Yu, Hongbin

    2016-11-01

    One-dimensional (1D) Zn x Mg1-x O nanomaterials have drawn global attention due to their remarkable chemical and physical properties, and their diverse current and future technological applications. In this work, 1D ZnMgO nanostructures with different magnesium concentrations and different morphologies were grown directly on zinc oxide-coated silicon substrates by thermal evaporation of zinc oxide, magnesium boride and graphite powders. Highly well-defined Mg-rich ZnMgO nanorods with a rock salt structure and Zn-rich ZnMgO nanostructures with a wurtzite structure have been deposited individually by careful optimization of the source mixture and process parameters. Structural and optical properties of the deposited products were studied by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Cathodoluminescence measurements demonstrate strong dominant peaks at 3.3 eV in Mg poor ZnMgO nanostructures and 4.8 eV in Mg rich nanostructures implying that the ZnMgO nanostructures can be used for the fabrication of deep UV optoelectronic devices. A mechanism for the formation and achieved diverse morphology of the ZnMgO nanostructures was proposed based on the characterization results.

  5. Hydrogen production via reforming of biogas over nanostructured Ni/Y catalyst: Effect of ultrasound irradiation and Ni-content on catalyst properties and performance

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sharifi, Mahdi; Reactor and Catalysis Research Center; Haghighi, Mohammad, E-mail: haghighi@sut.ac.ir

    2014-12-15

    Highlights: • Synthesis of nanostructured Ni/Y catalyst by sonochemical and impregnation methods. • Enhancement of size distribution and active phase dispersion by employing sonochemical method. • Evaluation of biogas reforming over Ni/Y catalyst with different Ni-loadings. • Preparation of highly active and stable catalyst with low Ni content for biogas reforming. • Getting H{sub 2}/CO very close to equilibrium ratio by employing sonochemical method. - Abstract: The effect of ultrasound irradiation and various Ni-loadings on dispersion of active phase over zeolite Y were evaluated in biogas reforming for hydrogen production. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray,more » Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, Fourier transform infrared analysis and TEM analysis were employed to observe the characteristics of nanostructured catalysts. The characterizations implied that utilization of ultrasound irradiation enhanced catalyst physicochemical properties including high dispersion of Ni on support, smallest particles size and high catalyst surface area. The reforming reactions were carried out at GHSV = 24 l/g.h, P = 1 atm, CH{sub 4}/CO{sub 2} = 1 and temperature range of 550–850 °C. Activity test displayed that ultrasound irradiated Ni(5 wt.%)/Y had the best performance and the activity remained stable during 600 min. Furthermore, the proposed reaction mechanism showed that there are three major reaction channels in biogas reforming.« less

  6. Electroactive Mg2+-Hydroxyapatite Nanostructured Networks against Drug-Resistant Bone Infection Strains.

    PubMed

    Andrés, Nancy C; Sieben, Juan M; Baldini, Mónica; Rodríguez, Carlos H; Famiglietti, Ángela; Messina, Paula V

    2018-06-13

    Surface colonization competition between bacteria and host cells is one of the critical factors involved in tissue/implant integration. Current biomaterials are evaluated for their ability both of withstanding favorable responses of host tissue cells and of resisting bacterial contamination. In this work, the antibacterial ability of biocompatible Mg 2+ -substituted nanostructured hydroxyapatite (HA) was investigated. The densities of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli strains were significantly decreased after culture in the presence of Mg-substituted HA materials in direct correlation with Mg 2+ -Ca 2+ switch in the HA lattice. It was noticed that this decrease was accompanied by a minimal alteration of bacterial environments; therefore, the Mg 2+ -HA antibacterial effect was associated with the material surface topography and it electroactive behavior. It was observed that 2.23 wt % Mg 2+ -HA samples exhibited the best antibacterial performance; it decreased 2-fold the initial population of E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus at the intermediate concentration (50 mg mL -1 of broth). Our results reinforce the potential of Mg-HA nanostructured materials to be used in antibacterial coatings for implantable devices and/or medicinal materials to prevent bone infection and to promote wound healing.

  7. Combination of lightweight elements and nanostructured materials for batteries.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jun; Cheng, Fangyi

    2009-06-16

    In a society that increasingly relies on mobile electronics, demand is rapidly growing for both primary and rechargeable batteries that power devices from cell phones to vehicles. Existing batteries utilize lightweight active materials that use electrochemical reactions of ions such as H(+), OH(-) and Li(+)/Mg(2+) to facilitate energy storage and conversion. Ideal batteries should be inexpensive, have high energy density, and be made from environmentally friendly materials; batteries based on bulk active materials do not meet these requirements. Because of slow electrode process kinetics and low-rate ionic diffusion/migration, most conventional batteries demonstrate huge gaps between their theoretical and practical performance. Therefore, efforts are underway to improve existing battery technologies and develop new electrode reactions for the next generation of electrochemical devices. Advances in electrochemistry, surface science, and materials chemistry are leading to the use of nanomaterials for efficient energy storage and conversion. Nanostructures offer advantages over comparable bulk materials in improving battery performance. This Account summarizes our progress in battery development using a combination of lightweight elements and nanostructured materials. We highlight the benefits of nanostructured active materials for primary zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-Mn), lithium-manganese dioxide (Li-Mn), and metal (Mg, Al, Zn)-air batteries, as well as rechargeable lithium ion (Li-ion) and nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. Through selected examples, we illustrate the effect of structure, shape, and size on the electrochemical properties of electrode materials. Because of their numerous active sites and facile electronic/ionic transfer and diffusion, nanostructures can improve battery efficiency. In particular, we demonstrate the properties of nanostructured active materials including Mg, Al, Si, Zn, MnO(2), CuV(2)O(6), LiNi(0.8)Co(0.2)O(2), LiFePO(4), Fe(2)O(3

  8. On the decrepitation mechanism of MgNi and LaNi 5-based electrodes studied by in situ acoustic emission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Etiemble, A.; Idrissi, H.; Roué, L.

    In situ monitoring of the pulverization of amorphous MgNi and crystalline LaNi 5-based alloys has been studied during their hydrogen charge by combining acoustic emission and electrochemical measurements. In both alloys, two classes of acoustic signals with specific temporal and energetic characteristics were detected during their charge: a P1 class related to the particle cracking and a P2 class due to the release of H 2 bubbles. By comparing the P1 activity on both materials as a function of the charge input, it was shown that the pulverization phenomenon becomes significant at a much lower charge input for the LaNi 5-based electrode (∼5-25 mAh g -1) than for the MgNi electrode (∼365 mAh g -1), reflecting the fact that the mechanism responsible of their decrepitation is not similar. Indeed, it was demonstrated that the cracking of the amorphous and porous MgNi material is mainly induced by the hydrogen evolution reaction whereas for the crystalline and denser LaNi 5-based material, the α-β lattice expansion is responsible of its decrepitation. It was also shown that the particle size and the charge current density have a major impact on the MgNi decrepitation. The correlation between the MgNi particle cracking and the discharge capacity decay with cycling was established.

  9. Influence of Ni Interlayer on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mg/Al Bimetallic Castings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Ning; Liu, Canchun; Liang, Chunyong; Zhang, Yongguang

    2018-05-01

    Dissimilar joining of magnesium and aluminum using a compound casting process was investigated in the present work. For the first time, a Ni interlayer prepared by plasma spraying was inserted between the two base metals to improve the interfacial characteristics. Examination of the interfacial regions using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron probe microanalysis, and X-ray diffraction revealed the formation of a three-layered interface between Mg and Al without the interlayer. The thickness of the interface was approximately 600 μm when the casting was performed at 700 °C and increased with increasing casting temperature. However, with the addition of the Ni interlayer, the Al-Mg reaction was successfully prevented, and metallurgical bonding between the Ni interlayer and two base metals was achieved at a casting temperature of 700 °C. Upon increasing this temperature, Mg-Ni and Al-Ni intermetallics were generated at the separate interfaces. The shear strength of the Mg/Al bimetallic castings with the Ni interlayer was substantially improved compared with that of the direct Mg/Al joint, with a maximum value of 25.4 MPa achieved at 700 °C. Fracture occurred mainly along the Mg/Ni interface for the Mg/Ni/Al multilayer structure castings.

  10. Highly sensitive ethanol chemical sensor based on Ni-doped SnO₂ nanostructure materials.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Mohammed M; Jamal, Aslam; Khan, Sher Bahadar; Faisal, M

    2011-10-15

    Due to potential applications of semiconductor transition doped nanostructure materials and the important advantages of synthesis in cost-effective and environmental concerns, a significant effort has been consummated for improvement of Ni-doped SnO(2) nanomaterials using hydrothermal technique at room conditions. The structural and optical properties of the low-dimensional (average diameter, 52.4 nm) Ni-doped SnO(2) nanostructures were demonstrated using various conventional techniques such as UV/visible spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The calcined doped material is an attractive semiconductor nanoparticle for accomplishment in chemical sensing by simple I-V technique, where toxic chemical (ethanol) is used as a target chemical. Thin-film of Ni-doped SnO(2) nanostructure materials with conducting coating agents on silver electrodes (AgE, surface area, 0.0216 cm(2)) revealed higher sensitivity and repeatability. The calibration plot is linear (R, 0.8440) over the large dynamic range (1.0 nM-1.0 mM), where the sensitivity is approximately 2.3148 μA cm(-2) mM(-1) with a detection limit of 0.6 nM, based on signal/noise ratio in short response time. Consequently on the basis of the sensitive communication among structures, morphologies, and properties, it is exemplified that the morphologies and the optical characteristics can be extended to a large scale in doping nanomaterials and proficient chemical sensors applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Formation of Multiple-Phase Catalysts for the Hydrogen Storage of Mg Nanoparticles by Adding Flowerlike NiS.

    PubMed

    Xie, Xiubo; Ma, Xiujuan; Liu, Peng; Shang, Jiaxiang; Li, Xingguo; Liu, Tong

    2017-02-22

    In order to enhance the hydrogen storage properties of Mg, flowerlike NiS particles have been successfully prepared by solvothermal reaction method, and are subsequently ball milled with Mg nanoparticles (NPs) to fabricate Mg-5 wt % NiS nanocomposite. The nanocomposite displays Mg/NiS core/shell structure. The NiS shell decomposes into Ni, MgS and Mg 2 Ni multiple-phases, decorating on the surface of the Mg NPs after the first hydrogen absorption and desorption cycle at 673 K. The Mg-MgS-Mg 2 Ni-Ni nanocomposite shows enhanced hydrogenation and dehydrogenation rates: it can quickly uptake 3.5 wt % H 2 within 10 min at 423 K and release 3.1 wt % H 2 within 10 min at 573 K. The apparent hydrogen absorption and desorption activation energies are decreased to 45.45 and 64.71 kJ mol -1 . The enhanced sorption kinetics of the nanocomposite is attributed to the synergistic catalytic effects of the in situ formed MgS, Ni and Mg 2 Ni multiple-phase catalysts during the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation process, the porthole effects for the volume expansion and microstrain of the phase transformation of Mg 2 Ni and Mg 2 NiH 4 and the reduced hydrogen diffusion distance caused by nanosized Mg. This novel method of in situ producing multiple-phase catalysts gives a new horizon for designing high performance hydrogen storage material.

  12. Large moments in bcc FexCoyMnz ternary alloy thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snow, R. J.; Bhatkar, H.; N'Diaye, A. T.; Arenholz, E.; Idzerda, Y. U.

    2018-02-01

    The elemental magnetic moments and the average atomic moment of 10-20 nm thick single crystal bcc (bct) FexCoyMnz films deposited on MgO(001) have been determined as a function of a broad range of compositions. Thin film epitaxy stabilized the bcc structure for 80% of the available ternary compositional space compared to only a 23% stability region for the bulk. The films that display ferromagnetism represent 60% of the available compositional possibilities compared to 25% for the bulk. A maximum average atomic moment of 3.25 ± 0.3 μB/atom was observed for a bcc Fe9Co62Mn29 film (well above the limit of the Slater-Pauling binary alloy curve of 2.45 μB/atom). The FexCoyMnz ternary alloys that exhibit high moments can only be synthesized as ultrathin films since the bcc structure is not stable in the bulk for those compositions.

  13. The fabrication of ordered arrays of exchange biased Ni/FeF2 nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Kovylina, M; Erekhinsky, M; Morales, R; Schuller, I K; Labarta, A; Batlle, X

    2010-04-30

    The fabrication of ordered arrays of exchange biased Ni/FeF(2) nanostructures by focused ion beam lithography is reported. High quality nano-elements, with controlled removal depth and no significant re-deposition, were carved using small ion beam currents (30 pA), moderate dwell times (1 micros) and repeated passages over the same area. Two types of nanostructures were fabricated: square arrays of circular dots with diameters from 125 +/- 8 to 500 +/- 12 nm and periodicities ranging from 200 +/- 8 to 1000 +/- 12 nm, and square arrays of square antidots (207 +/- 8 nm in edge length) with periodicities ranging from 300 +/- 8 to 1200 +/- 12 nm. The arrays were characterized using scanning ion and electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The effect of the patterning on the exchange bias field (i.e., the shift in the hysteresis loop of ferromagnetic Ni due to proximity to antiferromagnetic FeF(2)) was studied using magneto-transport measurements. These high quality nanostructures offer a unique method to address some of the open questions regarding the microscopic origin of exchange bias. This is not only of major relevance in the fabrication and miniaturization of magnetic devices but it is also one of the important proximity phenomena in nanoscience and materials science.

  14. Thermal desorption of hydrogen from Mg2Ni hydrogen storage materials.

    PubMed

    Hur, Tae Hong; Han, Jeong Seb; Kim, Jin Ho; Kim, Byung Kwan

    2011-07-01

    In order to investigate the influence of HCS on the hydrogen occupation site of Mg2Ni alloy, the thermal desorption technique has been applied to Mg2Ni hydride made by hydriding combustion synthesis (HCS). Mg2Ni was made under low temperature in a short time by the HCS compared to conventional melting process. At various initial hydride wt% from 0.91 to 3.52, the sample was heated to 623 K at a rate of 1.0 K/min. The starting temperature of the evolution of hydrogen goes higher as the initial hydride wt% increases. Only one peak is shown in the case of the small initial hydride wt%. But two peaks appeared with increasing initial hydride wt%. The activation energies obtained by the first and second peaks are 113.0 and 99.5 kJ/mol respectively. The two site occupation model by Darriet et al. was proved. The influence of HCS on the hydrogen occupation site of Mg2Ni alloy is nonexistent.

  15. A Strategy for Fabricating Porous PdNi@Pt Core-shell Nanostructures and Their Enhanced Activity and Durability for the Methanol Electrooxidation

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Xinyu; Xu, Guangrui; Chen, Yu; Lu, Tianhong; Tang, Yawen; Xing, Wei

    2015-01-01

    Three-dimensionally (3D) porous morphology of nanostructures can effectively improve their electrocatalytic activity and durability for various electrochemical reactions owing to big surface area and interconnected structure. Cyanogel, a jelly-like inorganic polymer, can be used to synthesize various three-dimensionally (3D) porous alloy nanomaterials owing to its double-metal property and particular 3D backbone. Here, 3D porous PdNi@Pt core-shell nanostructures (CSNSs) are facilely synthesized by first preparing the Pd-Ni alloy networks (Pd-Ni ANWs) core via cyanogel-reduction method followed by a galvanic displacement reaction to generate the Pt-rich shell. The as-synthesized PdNi@Pt CSNSs exhibit a much improved catalytic activity and durability for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in the acidic media compared to the commercial used Pt black because of their specific structural characteristics. The facile and mild method described herein is highly attractive for the synthisis of 3D porous core-shell nanostructures. PMID:25557190

  16. Hydrogen Storage Characteristics of Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Nd-Mg-Ni-Based NdMg12-Type Alloys Synthesized via Mechanical Milling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yanghuan; Shang, Hongwei; Hou, Zhonghui; Yuan, Zeming; Yang, Tai; Qi, Yan

    2016-12-01

    In this study, Mg was partially substituted by Ni with the intent of improving the hydrogen storage kinetics performance of NdMg12-type alloy. Mechanical milling technology was adopted to fabricate the nanocrystalline and amorphous NdMg11Ni + x wt pct Ni ( x = 100, 200) alloys. The effects of Ni content and milling duration on the microstructures and hydrogen storage kinetics of as-milled alloys have been systematically investigated. The structures were characterized by XRD and HRTEM. The electrochemical hydrogen storage properties were tested by an automatic galvanostatic system. Moreover, the gaseous hydrogen storage properties were investigated by Sievert apparatus and a differential scanning calorimeter connected with a H2 detector. Hydrogen desorption activation energy of alloy hydrides was estimated by using Arrhenius and Kissinger methods. The results reveal that the increase of Ni content dramatically ameliorates the gaseous and electrochemical hydrogen storage kinetics performance of the as-milled alloys. Furthermore, high rate discharge ability (HRD) reach the maximum value with the variation of milling time. The maximum HRDs of the NdMg11Ni + x wt pct Ni ( x = 100, 200) alloys are 80.24 and 85.17 pct. The improved gaseous hydrogen storage kinetics of alloys via increasing Ni content and milling time can be attributed to a decrease in the hydrogen desorption activation energy.

  17. Thermodynamical properties of La-Ni-T (T = Mg, Bi and Sb) hydrogen storage systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giza, K.; Iwasieczko, W.; Pavlyuk, V. V.; Bala, H.; Drulis, H.

    The hydrogen absorption properties of LaNi 4.8T 0.2 (T = Mg, Bi and Sb) alloys are reported. The effects of the substitution of Ni in the LaNi 5 compound with Mg, Bi and Sb are investigated. The ability of alloys to absorb hydrogen is characterized by the pressure-composition (p- c) isotherms. The p- c isotherms allow the determining thermodynamic parameters enthalpy (Δ H des) and entropy (Δ S des) of the dehydrogenation processes. The calculated Δ H des and Δ S des data helps to explain the decrease of hydrogen equilibrium pressure in alloys doped with Al, Mg and Bi and its increase in the Sb-doped LaNi 5 compound. Generally, partial substitution of Ni in LaNi 5 compound with Mg, Bi and Sb cause insignificant changes of hydrogen storage capacity compared to the hydrogen content in the initial LaNi 5H 6 hydride phase. However, it is worth to stress that, in the case of LaNi 4.8Bi 0.2, a small increase of H/f.u. up to 6.8 is observed. The obtained results in these investigations indicate that the LaNi 4.8T 0.2 (T = Al, Mg and Bi) alloys can be very attractive materials dedicated for negative electrodes in Ni/MH batteries.

  18. Effects of F-treatment on degradation of Mg 2Ni electrode fabricated by mechanical alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Jun Sung; Lee, Chang Rae; Choi, Jae Woong; Kang, Sung Goon

    The effects of surface fluorination on the electrochemical charge-discharge properties of a Mg 2Ni electrode, prepared by mechanical alloying in Ni-MH batteries are investigated. After 20 h milling, Mg and Ni powder form nanocrystalline Mg 2Ni. The discharge capacity of this alloy increases greatly on the initial cycle but, due to the formation of a Mg(OH) 2 passive layer, displays rapid degradation in alkaline solution within 10 cycles. In a 6 M KOH+ x M KF electrolyte ( x=0.5, 1, and 2), a continuous and stable fluorinated layer is formed and the durability of the Mg 2Ni electrode increases marketly and a high rate discharge capability is obtained (90-100 mAh/g). Addition of 2 M KF leads to the highest durability of all the electrodes tested. The improvement is due to a thin MgF 2—flourinated layer, which reduces the charge-transfer resistance and protects the Mg 2Ni electrode from forming a Mg(OH) 2 layer.

  19. Effect of NiO spin orientation on the magnetic anisotropy of the Fe film in epitaxially grown Fe/NiO/Ag(001) and Fe/NiO/MgO(001)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kim, W.; Jin, E.; Wu, J.

    Single crystalline Fe/NiO bilayers were epitaxially grown on Ag(001) and on MgO(001), and investigated by Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED), Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (MOKE), and X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD). We find that while the Fe film has an in-plane magnetization in both Fe/NiO/Ag(001) and Fe/NiO/MgO(001) systems, the NiO spin orientation changes from in-plane direction in Fe/NiO/Ag(001) to out-of-plane direction in Fe/NiO/MgO(001). These two different NiO spin orientations generate remarkable different effects that the NiO induced magnetic anisotropy in the Fe film is much greater in Fe/NiO/Ag(001) than in Fe/NiO/MgO(001). XMLD measurement shows that the much greater magnetic anisotropy inmore » Fe/NiO/Ag(001) is due to a 90{sup o}-coupling between the in-plane NiO spins and the in-plane Fe spins.« less

  20. Vacancy-mediated fcc/bcc phase separation in Fe1 -xNix ultrathin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Menteş, T. O.; Stojić, N.; Vescovo, E.; Ablett, J. M.; Niño, M. A.; Locatelli, A.

    2016-08-01

    The phase separation occurring in Fe-Ni thin films near the Invar composition is studied by using high-resolution spectromicroscopy techniques and density functional theory calculations. Annealed at temperatures around 300 ∘C ,Fe0.70Ni0.30 films on W(110) break into micron-sized bcc and fcc domains with compositions in agreement with the bulk Fe-Ni phase diagram. Ni is found to be the diffusing species in forming the chemical heterogeneity. The experimentally determined energy barrier of 1.59 ±0.09 eV is identified as the vacancy formation energy via density functional theory calculations. Thus, the principal role of the surface in the phase separation process is attributed to vacancy creation without interstitials.

  1. Phase Equilibria, Crystal Structure and Hydriding/Dehydriding Mechanism of Nd4Mg80Ni8 Compound

    PubMed Central

    Luo, Qun; Gu, Qin-Fen; Zhang, Jie-Yu; Chen, Shuang-Lin; Chou, Kuo-Chih; Li, Qian

    2015-01-01

    In order to find out the optimal composition of novel Nd-Mg-Ni alloys for hydrogen storage, the isothermal section of Nd-Mg-Ni system at 400 °C is established by examining the equilibrated alloys. A new ternary compound Nd4Mg80Ni8 is discovered in the Mg-rich corner. It has the crystal structure of space group I41/amd with lattice parameters of a = b = 11.2743(1) Å and c = 15.9170(2) Å, characterized by the synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (SR-PXRD). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) is used to investigate the microstructure of Nd4Mg80Ni8 and its hydrogen-induced microstructure evolution. The hydrogenation leads to Nd4Mg80Ni8 decomposing into NdH2.61-MgH2-Mg2NiH0.3 nanocomposites, where the high density phase boundaries provide a great deal of hydrogen atoms diffusion channels and nucleation sites of hydrides, which greatly enhances the hydriding/dehydriding (H/D) properties. The Nd4Mg80Ni8 exhibits a good cycle ability. The kinetic mechanisms of H/D reactions are studied by Real Physical Picture (RPP) model. The rate controlling steps are diffusion for hydriding reaction in the temperature range of 100 ~ 350 °C and surface penetration for dehydriding reaction at 291 ~ 347 °C. In-situ SR-PXRD results reveal the phase transformations of Mg to MgH2 and Mg2Ni to Mg2NiH4 as functions of hydrogen pressure and hydriding time. PMID:26471964

  2. The annealing temperature dependences of microstructures and magnetic properties in electro-chemical deposited CoNiFe thin films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Suharyadi, Edi, E-mail: esuharyadi@ugm.ac.id; Riyanto, Agus; Abraha, Kamsul

    2016-04-19

    CoNiFe thin films with various compositions had been successfully fabricated using electro-chemical deposition method. The crystal structure of Co{sub 65}Ni{sub 15}Fe{sub 20}, Co{sub 62}Ni{sub 15}Fe{sub 23}, and Co{sub 55}Ni{sub 15}Fe{sub 30} thin films was fcc, bcc-fcc mix, and bcc, respectively. The difference crystal structure results the difference in magnetic properties. The saturation magnetic flux density (Bs) of Co{sub 65}Ni{sub 15}Fe{sub 20}, Co{sub 62}Ni{sub 15}Fe{sub 23}, and Co{sub 55}Ni{sub 15}Fe{sub 30} thin films was 1.89 T, 1.93 T, and 2.05 T, respectively. An optimal annealing temperature was determined for controlling the microstructure and magnetic properties of CoNiFe thin films. Depending onmore » annealing temperature, the ratio of bcc and fcc structure varied without changing the film composition. By annealing at temperature of T ≥ 350°C, the intensity ratio of X-ray diffraction peaks for bcc(110) to fcc(111) increased. The increase of phase ratio of bcc(110) to fcc(111) caused the increase of Bs, from 1.89 T to 1.95 T. Coercivity (Hc) also increased after annealing, from 2.6 Oe to 18.6 Oe for fcc phase thin films, from 2.0 Oe to 12.0 Oe for fcc-bcc mix phase thin films, and 7.8 Oe to 8 Oe for bcc phase thin films. The changing crystal structures during annealing process indicated that the thermal treatment at high temperature cause the changing crystallinity and atomic displacement. The TEM bright-field images with corresponding selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns showed that there are strongly effects of thermal annealing on the size of fcc and bcc phase crystalline grain as described by size of individual spot and discontinuous rings. The size of crystalline grains increased by thermal annealing. The evolution of bcc and fcc structures of CoNiFe during annealing is though to be responsible for the change of magnetic properties.« less

  3. Mg Doping Induced Effects on Structural, Optical, and Electrical Properties as Well as Cytotoxicity of CeO2 Nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iqbal, Javed; Jan, Tariq; Awan, M. S.; Naqvi, Sajjad Haider; Badshah, Noor; ullah, Asmat; Abbas, Fazzal

    2016-04-01

    Here, Mg x Ce1- x O2 (where x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, and 0.05) nanostructures have been successfully synthesized by using a simple, easy, and cost-effective soft chemical method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns substantiate the single-phase formation of a CeO2 cubic fluorite structure for all samples. Infrared spectroscopy results depict the presence of peaks only related to Ce-O bonding, which confirms the XRD results. It has been observed via ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectroscopy that Mg doping has tuned the optical band gap of CeO2 significantly. The electrical conductivity of CeO2 nanostructures has been found to increase with Mg doping, which is attributed to enhancement in carrier concentration due to the different valance states of dopant and host ions. Selective cytotoxic behavior of Mg x Ce1- x O2 nanostructures has been determined for neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cancerous and HEK-293 healthy cells. Both doped and undoped CeO2 nanostructures have been found to be toxic for cancer cells and safe toward healthy cells. This selective toxic behavior of the synthesized nanostructures has been assigned to the different levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in different types of cells. This makes the synthesized nanostructures a potential option for cancer therapy in the near future.

  4. Kinetics of self-interstitial migration in bcc and fcc transition metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bukkuru, S.; Bhardwaj, U.; Srinivasa Rao, K.; Rao, A. D. P.; Warrier, M.; Valsakumar, M. C.

    2018-03-01

    Radiation damage is a multi-scale phenomenon. A thorough understanding of diffusivities and the migration energies of defects is a pre-requisite to quantify the after-effects of irradiation. We investigate the thermally activated mobility of self-interstitial atom (SIA) in bcc transition metals Fe, Mo, Nb and fcc transition metals Ag, Cu, Ni, Pt using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The self-interstitial diffusion involves various mechanisms such as interstitialcy, dumbbell or crowdion mechanisms. Max-Space Clustering (MSC) method has been employed to identify the interstitial and its configuration over a wide range of temperature. The self-interstitial diffusion is Arrhenius like, however, there is a slight deviation at high temperatures. The migration energies, pre-exponential factors of diffusion and jump-correlation factors, obtained from these simulations can be used as inputs to Monte Carlo simulations of defect transport. The jump-correlation factor shows the degree of preference of rectilinear or rotational jumps. We obtain the average jump-correlation factor of 1.4 for bcc metals and 0.44 for fcc metals. It indicates that rectilinear jumps are preferred in bcc metals and rotational jumps are preferred in fcc metals.

  5. Nanostructured NiO-based reagentless biosensor for total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein detection.

    PubMed

    Kaur, Gurpreet; Tomar, Monika; Gupta, Vinay

    2017-03-01

    Nanostructured nickel oxide (NiO) thin film has been explored as a matrix to develop a reagentless biosensor for free and total cholesterol as well as low density lipoprotein (LDL) detection. The redox property of the matrix has been exploited to enhance the electron transfer between the enzyme and the electrode as well as to eliminate the toxic mediator in solution. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were carried out to characterize the NiO thin film. Biosensing response studies were accomplished using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The developed biosensors exhibited a high sensitivity of 27 and 63 μA/mM/cm 2 over a linear range of 0.12-10.23 and 1-12 mM, respectively, for free and total cholesterol. Reagentless estimation of LDL was also achieved over the wide range 0.018-0.5 μM with a sensitivity of 0.12 mA/μM/cm 2 . The results are extremely promising for the realization of an integrated biosensor for complete detection of cholesterol in the serum samples. Graphical Abstract Reagentless sensing mechanism of (a) free cholesterol and (b) total cholesterol using nanostructured NiO matrix.

  6. A study of the properties and microstructure of Ni 81Fe 19 ultrathin films with MgO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Minghua; Han, Gan; Ding, Lei; Wang, Xiaocui; Liu, Yang; Feng, Chun; Wang, Haicheng; Yu, Guanghua

    2012-01-01

    The anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) of a Ta (5 nm)/MgO (3 nm)/Ni81Fe19 (10 nm)/MgO (2 nm)/Ta (3 nm) film with MgO-Nano Oxide Layer (NOL) increases dramatically from 1.05% to 3.24% compared with a Ta (5 nm)/Ni81Fe19 (10 nm)/Ta (3 nm) film without the MgO-NOL layer after annealing at 380 °C for 2 h. Although the MgO destroys the NiFe (1 1 1) texture, it enhances the specular electron scattering of the conduction electrons at the NOL interface and suppresses the interface reactions and diffusion at the Ta/NiFe and NiFe/Ta interfaces. The NiFe (1 1 1) texture was formed after the annealing, resulting in a higher AMR ratio. X-ray photoelectron spectroscope results show that Mg and Mg2+ were present in the MgOx films.

  7. Reconstructive structural phase transitions in dense Mg

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yao, Yansun; Klug, Dennis D.

    2012-07-01

    The question raised recently about whether the high-pressure phase transitions of Mg follow a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) → body centered cubic (bcc) or hcp → double hexagonal close-packed (dhcp) → bcc sequence at room temperature is examined by the use of first principles density functional methods. Enthalpy calculations show that the bcc structure replaces the hcp structure to become the most stable structure near 48 GPa, whereas the dhcp structure is never the most stable structure in the pressure range of interest. The characterized phase-transition mechanisms indicate that the hcp → dhcp transition is also associated with a higher enthalpy barrier. At room temperature, the structural sequence hcp → bcc is therefore more energetically favorable for Mg. The same conclusion is also reached from the simulations of the phase transitions using metadynamics methods. At room temperature, the metadynamics simulations predict the onset of a hcp → bcc transition at 40 GPa and the transition becomes more prominent upon further compression. At high temperatures, the metadynamics simulations reveal a structural fluctuation among the hcp, dhcp, and bcc structures at 15 GPa. With increasing pressure, the structural evolution at high temperatures becomes more unambiguous and eventually settles to a bcc structure once sufficient pressure is applied.

  8. Reconstructive structural phase transitions in dense Mg.

    PubMed

    Yao, Yansun; Klug, Dennis D

    2012-07-04

    The question raised recently about whether the high-pressure phase transitions of Mg follow a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) → body centered cubic (bcc) or hcp → double hexagonal close-packed (dhcp) → bcc sequence at room temperature is examined by the use of first principles density functional methods. Enthalpy calculations show that the bcc structure replaces the hcp structure to become the most stable structure near 48 GPa, whereas the dhcp structure is never the most stable structure in the pressure range of interest. The characterized phase-transition mechanisms indicate that the hcp → dhcp transition is also associated with a higher enthalpy barrier. At room temperature, the structural sequence hcp → bcc is therefore more energetically favorable for Mg. The same conclusion is also reached from the simulations of the phase transitions using metadynamics methods. At room temperature, the metadynamics simulations predict the onset of a hcp → bcc transition at 40 GPa and the transition becomes more prominent upon further compression. At high temperatures, the metadynamics simulations reveal a structural fluctuation among the hcp, dhcp, and bcc structures at 15 GPa. With increasing pressure, the structural evolution at high temperatures becomes more unambiguous and eventually settles to a bcc structure once sufficient pressure is applied.

  9. Fabrication of superconducting MgB2 nanostructures by an electron beam lithography-based technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Portesi, C.; Borini, S.; Amato, G.; Monticone, E.

    2006-03-01

    In this work, we present the results obtained in fabrication and characterization of magnesium diboride nanowires realized by an electron beam lithography (EBL)-based method. For fabricating MgB2 thin films, an all in situ technique has been used, based on the coevaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater, respectively. Since the high temperatures required for the fabrication of good quality MgB2 thin films do not allow the nanostructuring approach based on the lift-off technique, we structured the samples combining EBL, optical lithography, and Ar milling. In this way, reproducible nanowires 1 μm long have been obtained. To illustrate the impact of the MgB2 film processing on its superconducting properties, we measured the temperature dependence of the resistance on a nanowire and compared it to the original magnesium diboride film. The electrical properties of the films are not degraded as a consequence of the nanostructuring process, so that superconducting nanodevices may be obtained by this method.

  10. The structural, magnetic and optical properties of TMn@(ZnO)42 (TM = Fe, Co and Ni) hetero-nanostructure.

    PubMed

    Hu, Yaowen; Ji, Chuting; Wang, Xiaoxu; Huo, Jinrong; Liu, Qing; Song, Yipu

    2017-11-28

    The magnetic transition-metal (TM) @ oxide nanoparticles have been of great interest due to their wide range of applications, from medical sensors in magnetic resonance imaging to photo-catalysis. Although several studies on small clusters of TM@oxide have been reported, the understanding of the physical electronic properties of TM n @(ZnO) 42 is far from sufficient. In this work, the electronic, magnetic and optical properties of TM n @(ZnO) 42 (TM = Fe, Co and Ni) hetero-nanostructure are investigated using the density functional theory (DFT). It has been found that the core-shell nanostructure Fe 13 @(ZnO) 42 , Co 15 @(ZnO) 42 and Ni 15 @(ZnO) 42 are the most stable structures. Moreover, it is also predicted that the variation of the magnetic moment and magnetism of Fe, Co and Ni in TM n @ZnO 42 hetero-nanostructure mainly stems from effective hybridization between core TM-3d orbitals and shell O-2p orbitals, and a magnetic moment inversion for Fe 15 @(ZnO) 42 is investigated. Finally, optical properties studied by calculations show a red shift phenomenon in the absorption spectrum compared with the case of (ZnO) 48 .

  11. Enhanced hydrogen storage properties of MgH2 co-catalyzed with K2NiF6 and CNTs.

    PubMed

    Sulaiman, N N; Ismail, M

    2016-12-06

    The composite of MgH 2 /K 2 NiF 6 /carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is prepared by ball milling, and its hydrogenation properties are studied for the first time. MgH 2 co-catalyzed with K 2 NiF 6 and CNTs exhibited an improvement in the onset dehydrogenation temperature and isothermal de/rehydrogenation kinetics compared with the MgH 2 -K 2 NiF 6 composite. The onset dehydrogenation temperature of MgH 2 doped with 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 and 5 wt% CNTs is 245 °C, which demonstrated a reduction of 25 °C compared with the MgH 2 + 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 composite. In terms of rehydrogenation kinetics, MgH 2 doped with 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 and 5 wt% CNTs samples absorbed 3.4 wt% of hydrogen in 1 min at 320 °C, whereas the MgH 2 + 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 sample absorbed 2.6 wt% of hydrogen under the same conditions. For dehydrogenation kinetics at 320 °C, the MgH 2 + 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 + 5 wt% CNTs sample released 3.3 wt% hydrogen after 5 min of dehydrogenation. By contrast, MgH 2 doped with 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 released 3.0 wt% hydrogen in the same time period. The apparent activation energy, E a , for the dehydrogenation of MgH 2 doped with 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 reduced from 100.0 kJ mol -1 to 70.0 kJ mol -1 after MgH 2 was co-doped with 10 wt% K 2 NiF 6 and 5 wt% CNTs. Based on the experimental results, the hydrogen storage properties of the MgH 2 /K 2 NiF 6 /CNTs composite is enhanced because of the catalytic effects of the active species of KF, KH and Mg 2 Ni that are formed in situ during dehydrogenation, as well as the unique structure of CNTs.

  12. Nano-Ni induced surface modification relevant to the hydrogenation performances in La-Mg based alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Huaiwei; Fu, Li; Xuan, Weidong; Li, Xingguo

    2018-05-01

    Nano-Ni drived modification in LaMg3/Ni composite is investigated. The new phases of LaMg2 and MgNi2 can be formed on the sample surface during the milling process. There is almost no electric charge transfer process between Ni and La element through XPS analyses. The amorphization structure can be found on the alloy surface with the increasing of reaction duration, and the capacity and cycle stability are also greatly promoted. On the other hand, the milled alloys show the lower charge transfer resistance, better anti-corrosion ability and higher oxidation current density.

  13. Plasma-Sprayed High Entropy Alloys: Microstructure and Properties of AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ang, Andrew Siao Ming; Berndt, Christopher C.; Sesso, Mitchell L.; Anupam, Ameey; S, Praveen; Kottada, Ravi Sankar; Murty, B. S.

    2015-02-01

    High entropy alloys (HEAs) represent a new class of materials that present novel phase structures and properties. Apart from bulk material consolidation methods such as casting and sintering, HEAs can also be deposited as a surface coating. In this work, thermal sprayed HEA coatings are investigated that may be used as an alternative bond coat material for a thermal barrier coating system. Nanostructured HEAs that were based on AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi were prepared by ball milling and then plasma sprayed. Splat studies were assessed to optimise the appropriate thermal spray parameters and spray deposits were prepared. After mechanical alloying, aluminum-based and manganese-based HEA powders revealed contrary prominences of BCC and FCC phases in their X-ray diffraction patterns. However, FCC phase was observed as the major phase present in both of the plasma-sprayed AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi coatings. There were also minor oxide peaks detected, which can be attributed to the high temperature processing. The measured porosity levels for AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi coatings were 9.5 ± 2.3 and 7.4 ± 1.3 pct, respectively. Three distinct phase contrasts, dark gray, light gray and white, were observed in the SEM images, with the white regions corresponding to retained multicomponent HEAs. The Vickers hardness (HV0.3kgf) was 4.13 ± 0.43 and 4.42 ± 0.60 GPa for AlCoCrFeNi and MnCoCrFeNi, respectively. Both type of HEAs coatings exhibited anisotropic mechanical behavior due to their lamellar, composite-type microstructure.

  14. Investigation on hydrogenation performance of Mg{sub 2}Ni+10 wt.% NbN composite

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhao, Xin; Han, Shumin; State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004

    2015-01-15

    The Mg{sub 2}Ni+10 wt.% NbN composite was prepared by mechanical milling and its hydrogen absorption/desorption properties and microstructure were systematically investigated. XRD results indicated that NbN was stable during ball milling process while partly decomposed into NbN{sub 0.95} and NbH during hydriding/dehydriding cycles irreversibly. The composite exhibited excellent hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics performance with 2.71 wt.% hydrogen absorbed in 60 s at 423 K and 0.81 wt.% hydrogen released in 2 h at 523 K, respectively. The H diffusion constant of the composite reached 14.98×10{sup −5} s{sup −1} which was more than twice increased than that of pure Mg{sub 2}Ni powder. Themore » superior hydrogen storage properties of the composite were ascribed to the refined grain size and abundant N-defect points provided by NbN and NbN{sub 0.95} in the composite. - Graphical abstract: The Mg{sub 2}Ni+10 wt.% NbN composite displays improvements on particle size distribution as well as hydrogen storage properties compared with that of pure Mg{sub 2}Ni. - Highlights: • NbN is introduced into Mg{sub 2}Ni hydride by Ar protected ball-milling. • Surfaces of the additive NbN particle are reduced by Mg{sub 2}NiH{sub 4}. • Hydrogenation kinetic property at 423 K is double improved. • Dehydrogenation capacity at 523 K of composites is beyond double improved.« less

  15. Enhancing hydrogen storage performances of MgH2 by Ni nano-particles over mesoporous carbon CMK-3.

    PubMed

    Chen, Gang; Zhang, Yao; Chen, Jian; Guo, Xinli; Zhu, Yunfeng; Li, Liquan

    2018-06-29

    Nano-dispersed Ni particles over mesoporous carbon material CMK-3 (Ni/CMK-3) was fabricated by means of impregnation-reduction strategy using precursor NiCl 2  · 6H 2 O, which is beneficial to improving the de/rehydrogenation performances of MgH 2 . The dehydrogenation onset temperature of MgH 2 -Ni/CMK-3 is significantly lowered by 170 K from that of pristine MgH 2 (around 603 K). Totally 5.9 wt% of hydrogen absorption capacity is liberated within 1 h at a temperature of 423 K under a pressure of 3 MPa. This composite can absorb 3.9 wt% hydrogen even at a temperature of 328 K under 3 MPa H 2 . Activation energy values of both dehydrogenation (43.4 kJ mol -1 ) and rehydrogenation (37.4 kJ mol -1 ) for MgH 2 -Ni/CMK-3 are greatly enhanced from those of as-milled MgH 2 . Ni/CMK-3 also slightly destabilizes the dehydrogenation of MgH 2 by 1.5 kJ mol [Formula: see text] The enhanced performances can be attributed to the synergistic effects of both destabilization and activation from nano-dispersed Ni particles.

  16. Enhancing hydrogen storage performances of MgH2 by Ni nano-particles over mesoporous carbon CMK-3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Gang; Zhang, Yao; Chen, Jian; Guo, Xinli; Zhu, Yunfeng; Li, Liquan

    2018-06-01

    Nano-dispersed Ni particles over mesoporous carbon material CMK-3 (Ni/CMK-3) was fabricated by means of impregnation-reduction strategy using precursor NiCl2 · 6H2O, which is beneficial to improving the de/rehydrogenation performances of MgH2. The dehydrogenation onset temperature of MgH2–Ni/CMK-3 is significantly lowered by 170 K from that of pristine MgH2 (around 603 K). Totally 5.9 wt% of hydrogen absorption capacity is liberated within 1 h at a temperature of 423 K under a pressure of 3 MPa. This composite can absorb 3.9 wt% hydrogen even at a temperature of 328 K under 3 MPa H2. Activation energy values of both dehydrogenation (43.4 kJ mol‑1) and rehydrogenation (37.4 kJ mol‑1) for MgH2–Ni/CMK-3 are greatly enhanced from those of as-milled MgH2. Ni/CMK-3 also slightly destabilizes the dehydrogenation of MgH2 by 1.5 kJ mol {{{{H}}}2}-1. The enhanced performances can be attributed to the synergistic effects of both destabilization and activation from nano-dispersed Ni particles.

  17. Development of Erosion-Corrosion-Resistant Cold-Spray Nanostructured Ni-20Cr Coating for Coal-Fired Boiler Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, M.; Singh, H.; Singh, N.; Chavan, N. M.; Kumar, S.; Joshi, S. V.

    2015-12-01

    The erosion-corrosion (E-C) behavior of a cold-spray nanostructured Ni-20Cr coating was studied under cyclic conditions in a coal-fired boiler. This study was done for 15 cycles (1500 h), in which each cycle comprised 100 h of heating in the boiler environment, followed by 1 h of cooling under ambient air conditions. The E-C extent was evaluated in terms of thickness loss data of the samples. The eroded-corroded samples were characterized using XRD, SEM/EDS, and x-ray mapping analyses. The nanostructured coating offered excellent E-C protection to boiler tube material (SA 516 steel) under harsh live conditions of the boiler. This E-C resistance offered by investigated coating may be attributed to the presence of protective NiO and Cr2O3 phases in its oxide scale and its superior as-sprayed microhardness.

  18. Effect of Mg substitution on crystal structure and hydrogenation of Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}-type Pr{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Iwase, Kenji, E-mail: fbiwase@mx.ibaraki.ac.jp; Mori, Kazuhiro; Terashita, Naoyoshi

    2017-03-15

    The effect of Pr being substituted by Mg in Pr{sub 2}Ni{sub 7} with a Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}-type structure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and pressure−composition (P−C) isotherm measurements. The maximum hydrogen capacity of Pr{sub 2}Ni{sub 7} reached 1.24 H/M in the first absorption process. However, 0.61 H/M hydrogen remained in the sample after the first desorption and the reversible hydrogen capacity decreased to 0.63 H/M. Severe peak broadening was observed in the XRD profile of Pr{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}H{sub 5.4} after the first P−C isotherm cycle. The metal sublattice of Pr{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}H{sub 5.4} is deformed and changes from themore » Ce{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}-type structure to a lower symmetry during hydrogenation, with no detection of an amorphous phase. Pr{sub 1.5}Mg{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 7} consists of two phases: 80% Gd{sub 2}Co{sub 7}-type and 20% PuNi{sub 3}-type phases. Mg substitution leads to the relative stability of the Gd{sub 2}Co{sub 7}-type and PuNi{sub 3}-type structures. The Gd{sub 2}Co{sub 7}-type and PuNi{sub 3}-type structures are retained after the P-C isotherm. The reversible hydrogen capacity reached 1.05 H/M. The structural change during the hydrogen absorption−desorption cycle and the hydrogenation characteristics are changed by Mg atoms replacing Pr in the MgZn{sub 2}-type cell. - Graphical abstract: The maximum hydrogen capacity is 1.2 H/M in the first absorption process and the reversible capacity is 0.63 H/M.« less

  19. Enhanced hydrogen sorption kinetics of Mg 50Ni-LiBH 4 composite by CeCl 3 addition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gennari, F. C.; Puszkiel, J. A.

    Mg 50Ni-LiBH 4 and Mg 50Ni-LiBH 4-CeCl 3 composites have been prepared by short times of ball milling under argon atmosphere. Combination of HP-DSC and volumetric techniques show that Mg 50Ni-LiBH 4-CeCl 3 composite not only uptakes hydrogen faster than Mg 50Ni-LiBH 4, but also releases hydrogen at a lower temperature (225 °C). The presence of CeCl 3 has a catalytic role, but it does not modify the thermodynamic properties of the composite which corresponds to MgH 2. Experimental studies on the hydriding/dehydriding mechanisms demonstrate that LiBH 4 and Ni lead to the formation of MgNi 3B 2 in both composites. In addition, XRD/DSC analysis and thermodynamic calculations demonstrate that the addition of CeCl 3 accounts for the enhancement of the hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics through the interaction with LiBH 4. The in situ formation and subsequent decomposition of Ce(BH 4) 3 provides a uniform distribution of nanosize CeB 4 compound, which plays an important role in improving the kinetic properties of MgH 2.

  20. Influence of the nanofibrous morphology on the catalytic activity of NiO nanostructures: an effective impact toward methanol electrooxidation

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    In this study, the influence of the morphology on the electrocatalytic activity of nickel oxide nanostructures toward methanol oxidation is investigated. Two nanostructures were utilized: nanoparticles and nanofibers. NiO nanofibers have been synthesized by using the electrospinning technique. Briefly, electrospun nanofiber mats composed of polyvinylpyrolidine and nickel acetate were calcined at 700°C for 1 h. Interestingly, compared to nanoparticles, the nanofibrous morphology strongly enhanced the electrocatalytic performance. The corresponding current densities for the NiO nanofibers and nanoparticles were 25 and 6 mA/cm2, respectively. Moreover, the optimum methanol concentration increased to 1 M in case of the nanofibrous morphology while it was 0.1 M for the NiO nanoparticles. Actually, the one-dimensional feature of the nanofibrous morphology facilitates electrons' motion which enhances the electrocatalytic activity. Overall, this study emphasizes the distinct positive impact of the nanofibrous morphology on the electrocatalytic activity which will open a new avenue for modification of the electrocatalysts. PMID:24074313

  1. Nanohybrids from NiCoAl-LDH coupled with carbon for pseudocapacitors: understanding the role of nano-structured carbon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Chang; Yang, Juan; Zhao, Changtai; Fan, Xiaoming; Wang, Gang; Qiu, Jieshan

    2014-02-01

    Transition metal layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are one of the great potential electrode materials for pseudocapacitors. However, the aggregation and low conductivity of these metal compounds will constrain electrolyte ion and electron transfer and further affect their electrochemical performances. The nano-structured carbon coupled with the LDH matrix can act as an active component or conducting scaffold to enhance or improve the rate capacity and cycle life. Here, various nano-structured carbon species, including zero-dimensional carbon black (CB), one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs), two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (RGO), and CNT/RGO composites were used to couple with the NiCoAl-LDHs to construct LDH-carbon nanohybrid electrodes for pseudocapacitors, and the role of the nanostructured carbon was investigated and discussed in terms of the pore structure of nanohybrids and electrical conductivity. The results show that all of the carbons can be well incorporated into the LDH nanosheets to form homogeneous nanohybrid materials. The pore structure properties and electrical conductivity of nanohybrids have statistically significant effects on the electrochemical performances of the LDH-carbon nanohybrids. Of the electrodes adopted, the nanohybrid electrode consisting of NiCoAl-LDHs, CNTs, and RGO exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance as high as 1188 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 due to the synergistic effect of NiCoAl-LDHs, RGO, and CNTs, in which the RGO nanosheets are favorable for high specific surface area while the CNT has a fast electron transport path for enhancing the electrical conductivity of nanohybrids. This will shed a new light on the effect of nano-structured carbon within the electrode matrix on the electrochemical activity and open a new way for the carbon-related electrode configuration/design for supercapacitors, and other energy storage and conversion devices.Transition metal layered

  2. The influence of an MgO nanolayer on the planar Hall effect in NiFe films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Minghua, E-mail: mhli@ustb.edu.cn; Department of Electrical Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095; Zhao, Zhiduo

    2015-03-28

    The Planar Hall Effect (PHE) in NiFe films was studied using MgO as the buffer and capping layer to reduce the shunt effect. The thermal annealing was found to be effective in increasing the sensitivity. The sensitivity of the magnetic field reached as high as 865 V/AT in a MgO (3 nm)/NiFe (5 nm)/MgO(3 nm)/Ta(3 nm) structure after annealing at 500 °C for 2 h, which is close to the sensitivity of semiconductor Hall Effect (HE) sensors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used to study the sample. The results show that the top crystallization of MgO and NiFemore » (111) texture were improved by proper annealing. The smooth and clear bottom MgO/NiFe and top NiFe/MgO interface is evident from our data. In addition, the shunt current of Ta was decreased. These combined factors facilitate the improvement of the sensitivity of the magnetic field.« less

  3. On the amorphization behavior and hydrogenation performance of high-energy ball-milled Mg{sub 2}Ni alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kou, Hongchao; Hou, Xiaojiang; Zhang, Tiebang, E-mail: tiebangzhang@nwpu.edu.cn

    2013-06-15

    Amorphous Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy was prepared by high energy ball-milling starting with polycrystalline Mg{sub 2}Ni which was prepared with the help of a metallurgy method by using a SPEX 8000D mill. The microstructural and phase structure characterization of the prepared materials was performed via scanning electron microscopy, transition electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. The thermal stabilities were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The apparent activation energies were determined by means of the Kissinger method. The first and second crystallization reactions take place at ∼ 255 °C and ∼ 410 °C, and the corresponding activation energy of crystallization is E{sub a1}more » = 276.9 and E{sub a2} = 382.4 kJ/mol, respectively. At 3 MPa hydrogen pressure and 250 °C, the hydrogen absorption capacities of crystalline, partially and fully amorphous Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy are 2.0 wt.%, 3.2 wt.% and 3.5 wt.% within 30 min, respectively. - Graphical Abstract: We mainly focus on the amorphization behavior of crystalline Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy in the high energy ball-milling process and the crystallization behavior of the amorphous Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy in a follow-up heating process. The relationship of milling, microstructure and hydrogenation properties is established and explained by models. - Highlights: • Amorphous Mg{sub 2}Ni has been obtained by high energy ball milling the as-cast alloy. • The amorphization behavior of polycrystalline Mg{sub 2}Ni is presented. • The crystallization behavior of the amorphous Mg{sub 2}Ni alloy is illustrated. • Establish the relationship of milling, microstructure and hydrogenation properties.« less

  4. Effect of a CoFeB layer on the anisotropic magnetoresistance of Ta/CoFeB/MgO/NiFe/MgO/CoFeB/Ta films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Minghua; Shi, Hui; Dong, Yuegang; Ding, Lei; Han, Gang; Zhang, Yao; Liu, Ye; Yu, Guanghua

    2017-10-01

    The anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) and magnetic properties of NiFe films can be remarkably enhanced via CoFeB layer. In the case of an ultrathin NiFe film having a Ta/CoFeB/MgO/NiFe/MgO/CoFeB/Ta structure, the CoFeB/MgO layers suppressed the formation of magnetic dead layers and the interdiffusions and interface reactions between the NiFe and Ta layers. The AMR reached a maximum value of 3.56% at 450 °C. More importantly, a single NiFe (1 1 1) peak can be formed resulting in higher AMR values for films having CoFeB layer. This enhanced AMR also originated from the significant specular reflection of electrons owing to the crystalline MgO layer, together with the sharp interfaces with the NiFe layer. These factors together resulted in higher AMR and improved magnetic properties.

  5. Microemulsion based approach for nanospheres assembly into anisotropic nanostructures of NiMnO3 and their magnetic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jha, Menaka; Kumar, Sandeep; Garg, Neha; Ramanujachary, Kandalam V.; Lofland, Samuel E.; Ganguli, Ashok K.

    2018-02-01

    The present study focuses on synthesis of anisotropic nanostructures of nickel manganese oxide (NiMnO3) obtained by thermal decomposition of nanocrystalline nickel manganese oxalate precursor, Ni0.5Mn0.5(C2O4)·2H2O which crystallized as nanorods. The synthesis of the oxalate precursor has been carried out via microemulsion-mediated process with cationic and non-ionic surfactants. The microemulsion led to reverse micelles, and the film flexibility of the micelle in presence of non-ionic surfactant (Tergitol) was reduced by increasing the chain length of the co-surfactant (1-butanol, 1-hexanol and 1-octanol) which led to the increase in reaction rate and hence increase in the aspect ratio of the nickel manganese oxalate by up to four times. However, in the presence of cationic surfactant, highly uniform nickel manganese oxalate nanorods were obtained. Further, the decomposition of the oxalate precursor was optimized to maintain the anisotropy of the rods of ternary metal oxide (NiMnO3). An electron microscopy study showed that the rods were made up of an assembly of ultrafine nanospheres. The NiMnO3 nanostructures were all ferrimagnetic with Curie temperature ranging between 437 and 467 K showing increasing saturation magnetization with increase in aspect ratio of the nanorods.

  6. Nanocontainer-Enhanced Self-Healing for Corrosion-Resistant Ni Coating on Mg Alloy.

    PubMed

    Xie, Zhi-Hui; Li, Dan; Skeete, Zakiya; Sharma, Anju; Zhong, Chuan-Jian

    2017-10-18

    The ability to manipulate the functionalization of Ni coating is of great importance in improving the corrosion resistance of magnesium (Mg) alloy for many industrial applications. In the present work, MCM-41 type mesoporous silica nanocontainers (MSNs) loaded with corrosion inhibitor (NaF) were synthesized and employed as smart reinforcements to enhance the integrity and corrosion inhibition of the Ni coating. The incorporation of the F-loaded MSNs (F@MSNs) to enhance the corrosion resistant capacity of a metallic coating is reported for the first time. The mesoporous structures of the as-prepared MSNs and F@MSNs were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small angle X-rays scattering (SAXS), and N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) data demonstrated the successful immobilization of fluoride ion on the MSNs and formation of a magnesium fluoride (MgF 2 ) protective film at the corrosion sites of the Mg alloy upon soaking in a F@MSNs-containing NaCl solution. The results from potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for both bare Mg alloy and Ni coatings with and without F@MSNs have revealed a clear decrease in corrosion rate in a corrosive solution for a long-time immersion due to the introduction of F@MSNs. These findings open new opportunities in the exploration of self-healing metallic coatings for highly enhanced anticorrosion protection of Mg alloy.

  7. Self-discharge characteristic and mechanism of single-phase PuNi3-, Gd2Co7-, and Pr5Co19-type Nd-Mg-Ni-based alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jia, Zeru; Zhang, Lu; Zhao, Yumeng; Cao, Juan; Li, Yuan; Dong, Zhentao; Wang, Wenfeng; Han, Shumin

    2017-12-01

    To decrease the self-discharge rate of the nickel metal hydride batteries, the self-discharge characteristic and mechanism of single-phase PuNi3-, Gd2Co7-, and Pr5Co19-type Nd-Mg-Ni-based alloys are studied from the perspective of structure in this work. It is found that the self-discharge rate of the alloy electrodes gradually increases with a rising [NdNi5]/[NdMgNi4] subunit ratio. The factors resulting in reversible and irreversible self-discharge are analyzed by electrochemical pressure-composition isotherms, Tafel and SEM measurements. Electrochemical P-C isotherms show that with the increasing [NdNi5]/[NdMgNi4] subunit ratio, the hydrogen desorption plateau pressure sharply elevates, leading to less stability of the corresponding hydride and more reversible self-discharge of the alloys; whereas, corrosion current density of the three alloy electrodes gradually decreases and SEM shows that the amount of hydroxide accumulating on the alloy surface diminishes, indicating the oxidation/corrosion degree alleviates and less irreversible self-discharge with the higher [NdNi5]/[NdMgNi4] ratio. By calculating the proportion of reversible and irreversible self-discharge in total capacity loss, we find that the reversible self-discharge is nearly more than 90% for the three single-phase alloys, while irreversible self-discharge is less than 10%, which illustrates that reversible self-discharge is the dominate factor in self-discharge of Nd-Mg-Ni-based alloys in this study.

  8. Impact of interface manipulation of oxide on electrical transport properties and low-frequency noise in MgO/NiFe/MgO heterojunctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Jian-wei; Zhao, Chong-jun; Feng, Chun; Zhou, Zhongfu; Yu, Guang-hua

    2015-08-01

    Low-frequency noise and magnetoresistance in sputtered-deposited Ta(5 nm)/MgO (3 nm)/NiFe(10 nm)/MgO(3 nm)/Ta(3 nm) films have been measured as a function of different annealing times at 400°C. These measurements did not change synchronously with annealing time. A significant increase in magnetoresistance is observed for short annealing times (of the order of minutes) and is correlated with a relatively small reduction in 1/f noise. In contrast, a significant reduction in 1/f noise is observed for long annealing times (of the order of hours) accompanied by a small change in magnetoresistance. After annealing for 2 hours, the 1/f noise decreases by three orders of magnitude. Transmission electron microscopy and slow positron annihilation results implicate the cause being micro-structural changes in the MgO layers and interfaces following different annealing times. The internal vacancies in the MgO layers gather into vacancy clusters to reduce the defect density after short annealing times, whereas the MgO/NiFe and the NiFe/MgO interfaces improve significantly after long annealing times with the amorphous MgO layers gradually crystallizing following the release of interfacial stress.

  9. Impact of interface manipulation of oxide on electrical transport properties and low-frequency noise in MgO/NiFe/MgO heterojunctions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Li, Jian-wei; School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083; Zhao, Chong-jun

    2015-08-15

    Low-frequency noise and magnetoresistance in sputtered-deposited Ta(5 nm)/MgO (3 nm)/NiFe(10 nm)/MgO(3 nm)/Ta(3 nm) films have been measured as a function of different annealing times at 400°C. These measurements did not change synchronously with annealing time. A significant increase in magnetoresistance is observed for short annealing times (of the order of minutes) and is correlated with a relatively small reduction in 1/f noise. In contrast, a significant reduction in 1/f noise is observed for long annealing times (of the order of hours) accompanied by a small change in magnetoresistance. After annealing for 2 hours, the 1/f noise decreases by three ordersmore » of magnitude. Transmission electron microscopy and slow positron annihilation results implicate the cause being micro-structural changes in the MgO layers and interfaces following different annealing times. The internal vacancies in the MgO layers gather into vacancy clusters to reduce the defect density after short annealing times, whereas the MgO/NiFe and the NiFe/MgO interfaces improve significantly after long annealing times with the amorphous MgO layers gradually crystallizing following the release of interfacial stress.« less

  10. Solvothermal synthesis, characterization and optical properties of ZnO, ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO, mixed oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aslani, Alireza; Arefi, Mohammad Reza; Babapoor, Aziz; Amiri, Asghar; Beyki-Shuraki, Khalil

    2011-03-01

    ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO mixed oxides nanoparticles were produced from a solution containing Zinc acetate, Mg and Ni nitrate by Solvothermal method. The calcination process of the ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO composites nanoparticles brought forth polycrystalline two-phase ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles of 40-80 nm in diameters. ZnO, MgO and NiO were crystallized into würtzite and rock salt structures, respectively. The optical properties of ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles were obtained by solid state UV and solid state florescent. The XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopies of these nanoparticles were analyzed.

  11. Long-term safety and efficacy of vismodegib in patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma: final update of the pivotal ERIVANCE BCC study.

    PubMed

    Sekulic, Aleksandar; Migden, Michael R; Basset-Seguin, Nicole; Garbe, Claus; Gesierich, Anja; Lao, Christopher D; Miller, Chris; Mortier, Laurent; Murrell, Dedee F; Hamid, Omid; Quevedo, Jorge F; Hou, Jeannie; McKenna, Edward; Dimier, Natalie; Williams, Sarah; Schadendorf, Dirk; Hauschild, Axel

    2017-05-16

    In the primary analysis of the ERIVANCE BCC trial, vismodegib, the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved Hedgehog pathway inhibitor, showed objective response rates (ORRs) by independent review facility (IRF) of 30% and 43% in metastatic basal cell carcinoma (mBCC) and locally advanced BCC (laBCC), respectively. ORRs by investigator review were 45% (mBCC) and 60% (laBCC). Herein, we present long-term safety and final investigator-assessed efficacy results in patients with mBCC or laBCC. One hundred four patients with measurable advanced BCC received oral vismodegib 150 mg once daily until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary end point was IRF-assessed ORR. Secondary end points included ORR, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival, overall survival (OS), and safety. At data cutoff (39 months after completion of accrual), 8 patients were receiving the study drug (69 patients in survival follow-up). Investigator-assessed ORR was 48.5% in the mBCC group (all partial responses) and 60.3% in the laBCC group (20 patients had complete response and 18 patients had partial response). ORRs were comparable across patient subgroups, including aggressive histologic subtypes (eg, infiltrative BCC). Median DOR was 14.8 months (mBCC) and 26.2 months (laBCC). Median OS was 33.4 months in the mBCC cohort and not estimable in the laBCC cohort. Adverse events remained consistent with clinical experience. Thirty-three deaths (31.7%) were reported; none were related to vismodegib. This long-term update of the ERIVANCE BCC trial demonstrated durability of response, efficacy across patient subgroups, and manageable long-term safety of vismodegib in patients with advanced BCC. This study was registered prospectively with Clinicaltrials.gov , number NCT00833417 on January 30, 2009.

  12. Enhancement of the Co magnetic moment in bcc Co1-xMnx on MgO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Snow, Ryan; Bhatkar, Harsh; N'diaye, Alpha; Arenholz, Elke; Idzerda, Yves; Montana State University Team; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratries Team

    Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), we show that the elemental Co moment for MBE grown thin films of bcc Co1-xMnx grown on MgO(001) is enhanced by 40% to a maximum value of 2.1 μB at x =0.24. The net Mn moment is found to align parallel with Co for all concentrations and remains roughly constant until x =0.3, then drops steadily, up to x =0.7, where the total moment of the film abruptly collapses to zero. Using a low-concentration Mn moment of 3.0 μB, the average magnetization lies directly on the Slater-Pauling (SP) curve for concentrations up to about x =.25, where it reaches a maximum moment of 2.3 μB /atom. This peak is slightly shifted and the slope is steeper on the high-Mn concentration side of the peak relative to the standard SP curve. This is in stark contrast to the fcc CoMn and hcp CoCr bulk behavior which shows only a rapid total moment reduction with Mn concentration. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant ECCS-1542210. The Advanced Light Source is supported by the Director, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, of the U.S. Department of Energy under Con.

  13. Nanostructured LiMPO4 (M = Fe, Mn, Co, Ni) - carbon composites as cathode materials for Li-ion battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dimesso, L.; Spanheimer, C.; Nguyen, T. T. D.; Hausbrand, R.; Jaegermann, W.

    2012-10-01

    Nanostructured materials are considered to be strong candidates for fundamental advances in efficient storage and/or conversion. In nanostructured materials transport kinetics and surface processes play determining roles. This work describes recent developments in the synthesis and characterization of composites which consist of lithium metal phosphates (LiMPO4, M = Fe, Mn, Co, Ni) coated on nanostructured carbon supports (unordered nanofibers, foams). The composites have been prepared by coating the carbon structures in aqueous (or polyols) solutions containing lithium, metal ions and phosphates. After drying out, the composites have been thermally treated at different temperatures (between 600-780°C) for 5-12 hours under nitrogen. The formation of the olivine structured phase was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis on powders prepared under very similar conditions. The surface investigation revealed the formation of an homogeneous coating of the olivine phase on the carbon structures. The electrochemical performance on the composites showed a dramatic improvement of the discharge specific capacity (measured at a discharge rate of C/25 and room temperature) compared to the prepared powders. The delivered values were 105 mAhg-1 for M = Fe, 100 mAhg-1 for M = Co, 70 mAhg-1 for M = Mn and 30 mAhg-1 for M = Ni respectively.

  14. Effect of MgO spacer and annealing on interface and magnetic properties of ion beam sputtered NiFe/Mg/MgO/CoFe layer structures

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bhusan Singh, Braj; Chaudhary, Sujeet

    2012-09-15

    The effect of variation in the thickness of ion assisted ion beam sputtered MgO spacer layer deposited at oxygen ion assisted energy of 50 eV on the extent of magnetic coupling of NiFe and CoFe layers in Si/NiFe(10 nm)/Mg(1 nm)/MgO(2,4,6 nm)/CoFe(10 nm) sandwich structure is investigated. At MgO spacer layer thickness of 4 nm, the separate reversal of magnetizations of the two ferromagnetic layers is observed in the hystresis loop recorded along easy direction. This results in a 3.5 Oe wide plateau like region during magnetization reversal, which became 4.5 Oe at 6 nm thin MgO. At 2 nm thinmore » MgO, the absence of plateau during magnetization reversal region revealed ferromagnetic coupling between the two ferromagnetic layers, which is understood to arise due to the growth of very thin and low density (1.22 gm/cc) MgO spacer layer, indicating the presence of pinholes as revealed by x-ray reflectometry. After vaccum annealing (200 Degree-Sign C/1 h), the plateau region for 4 and 6 nm thin MgO case decreased to 1.5 Oe and 2.0 Oe, respectively, due to enhanced interface roughness/mixing. In addition, an enhancement of the in-plane magnetic anisotropy is also observed.« less

  15. Infrared spectroscopic study of the synthetic Mg-Ni talc series

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blanchard, Marc; Méheut, Merlin; Delon, Louise; Poirier, Mathilde; Micoud, Pierre; Le Roux, Christophe; Martin, François

    2018-05-01

    Five talc samples [(Mg,Ni)3Si4O10(OH)2] covering the entire Mg-Ni solid solution were synthesized following a recently developed and patented process (Dumas et al., Process for preparing a composition comprising synthetic mineral particles and composition, 2013a; Procédé de préparation d'une composition comprenant des particules minérales synthétiques et composition, 2013b), which produces sub-micron talc particles replying to industrial needs. Near- and mid-infrared spectra were collected and compared to infrared spectra modeled from first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. The good agreement between experimental and theoretical spectra allowed assigning unambiguously all absorption bands. We focused in particular on the four main OH stretching bands, which represent good probes of their local physical and chemical environment. The description of the vibrational modes at the origin of these absorption bands and the theoretical determination of absorption coefficients provide a firm basis for quantifying the talc chemical composition from infrared spectroscopy and for discussing the distribution of divalent cations in the octahedral sheet. Results confirm that these synthetic talc samples have a similar structure as natural talc, with a random distribution of Mg and Ni atoms. They only differ from natural talc by their hydrophilic character, which is due to their large proportion of reactive sites on sheet edges due to sub-micronic size of the particles. Therefore, the contribution on infrared spectra of hydroxyls adsorbed on edge sites has also been investigated by computing the infrared signature of hydroxyls of surface models.

  16. Structural, elastic and electronic properties of typical NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) alloys from ab initio calculation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Na; Zhang, Wei-bing; Tang, Bi-yu; Gao, Hai-Tao; He, En-jie; Wang, Lei

    2018-07-01

    The crystal structure, elastic and magnetic properties of important ternary Mg-based alloys NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) have been studied using reliable ab initio calculations. Both cohesive energy and charge density difference suggest that three alloys have good structural stability with the order: NdMgCo4 > NdMgNi4 > NdMgCu4. It shows that NdMgCo4 alloy has magnetic moments with the Co atoms being the main contribution, which is also in agreement with the calculated electronic structures. We find that NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) alloys are all ductile materials with bulk-to-shear modulus (B/G) values higher than 1.75. The trends of calculated values for the shear moduli Cs and C44 are consistent with that of shear modulus G and young's modulus E, proving that NdMgT4 (T = Co, Ni, Cu) alloys exhibit good plasticity with the trend: NdMgNi4 > NdMgCu4 > NdMgCo4. These calculated results give the basis guidance for the design of rare earth-magnesium-transition metal (R-Mg-T) alloys with improved mechanical properties.

  17. A Ti-V-based bcc phase alloy for use as metal hydride electrode with high discharge capacity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, X. B.; Wu, Z.; Xia, B. J.; Xu, N. X.

    2004-07-01

    The electrochemical characteristics of single bcc phase Ti-30V-15Cr-15Mn alloy were investigated. It was demonstrated that the single bcc phase alloy has high electrochemical discharge performance at high temperature. Its discharge capacity is closely related with temperature and discharge current. The first discharge capacities of 580-814 mAh g-1 of the alloy powder were obtained at discharge current of 45-10 mA g-1 in 6 M KOH solution at 353 K. Although the electrochemical cycle life of the alloy is unsatisfactory at present, it opens up prospects for developing a new hydrogen storage alloy with high hydrogen capacity for use as high performance metal hydride electrodes in rechargeable Ni-MH battery.

  18. A Ti-V-based bcc phase alloy for use as metal hydride electrode with high discharge capacity.

    PubMed

    Yu, X B; Wu, Z; Xia, B J; Xu, N X

    2004-07-08

    The electrochemical characteristics of single bcc phase Ti-30V-15Cr-15Mn alloy were investigated. It was demonstrated that the single bcc phase alloy has high electrochemical discharge performance at high temperature. Its discharge capacity is closely related with temperature and discharge current. The first discharge capacities of 580-814 mAh g(-1) of the alloy powder were obtained at discharge current of 45-10 mA g(-1) in 6 M KOH solution at 353 K. Although the electrochemical cycle life of the alloy is unsatisfactory at present, it opens up prospects for developing a new hydrogen storage alloy with high hydrogen capacity for use as high performance metal hydride electrodes in rechargeable Ni-MH battery.

  19. Linking morphology with activity through the lifetime of pretreated PtNi nanostructured thin film catalysts

    DOE PAGES

    Cullen, David A.; Lopez-Haro, Miguel; Bayle-Guillemaud, Pascale; ...

    2015-04-10

    In this study, the nanoscale morphology of highly active Pt 3Ni 7 nanostructured thin film fuel cell catalysts is linked with catalyst surface area and activity following catalyst pretreatments, conditioning and potential cycling. The significant role of fuel cell conditioning on the structure and composition of these extended surface catalysts is demonstrated by high resolution imaging, elemental mapping and tomography. The dissolution of Ni during fuel cell conditioning leads to highly complex, porous structures which were visualized in 3D by electron tomography. Quantification of the rendered surfaces following catalyst pretreatment, conditioning, and cycling shows the important role pore structure playsmore » in surface area, activity, and durability.« less

  20. A solid solution series of atacamite type Ni{sub 2x}Mg{sub 2−2x}Cl(OH){sub 3}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bette, Sebastian; Dinnebier, Robert E.; Röder, Christian

    2015-08-15

    For the first time a complete solid solution series Ni{sub 2x}Mg{sub 2−2x}Cl(OH){sub 3} of an atacamite type alkaline main group metal chloride, Mg{sub 2}Cl(OH){sub 3}, and a transition group metal chloride, Ni{sub 2}Cl(OH){sub 3}, was prepared and characterized by chemical and thermal analysis as well as by Raman and IR spectroscopy, and high resolution laboratory X-ray powder diffraction. All members of the solid solution series crystallize in space group Pnam (62). The main building units of these crystal structures are distorted, edge-linked Ni/MgO{sub 4}Cl{sub 2} and Ni/MgO{sub 5}Cl octahedra. The distribution of Ni{sup 2+}- and Mg{sup 2+}-ions among these twomore » metal-sites within the solid solution series is discussed in detail. The crystallization of the solid solution phases occurs via an intermediate solid solution series, (Ni/Mg)Cl{sub 2x}(OH){sub 2−2x}, with variable Cl: OH ratio up to the 1:3 ratio according to the formula Ni{sub 2x}Mg{sub 2−2x} Cl(OH){sub 3}. For one isolated intermediate solid solution member, Ni{sub 0.70}Mg{sub 0.30}Cl{sub 0.58}(OH){sub 1.42}, the formation and crystal structure is presented as well. - Graphical abstract: For the first time a complete solid solution series, Ni{sub 2x}Mg{sub 2−2x} Cl(OH){sub 3}, was synthesized and characterized. Structure solution by revealed that Ni{sup 2+} prefers to occupy the Jahn–Teller-like distorted hole, out of two available cation sites. Substitution of Ni{sup 2+} by Mg{sup 2+} in atacamite type Ni{sub 2}Cl(OH){sub 3} results in systematic band shifts in Raman and IR spectra as well as in systematic changes in thermal properties. The α-polymorphs M{sub 2}Cl(OH){sub 3} with M=Mg{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+} and other divalent transition metal ions, as described in literature, were identified as separate compounds. - Highlights: • First synthesis of solid solution series between main and transition metal chloride. • Ni{sup 2+} prefers to occupy Jahn–Teller-like distorted

  1. Pulsed current activated synthesis and rapid consolidation of a nanostructured Mg2Al4Si5O18 and its mechanical properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shon, In-Jin; Kang, Hyun-Su; Doh, Jung-Mann; Yoon, Jin-Kook

    2015-03-01

    Nanocrystalline materials have received much attention as advanced engineering materials, with improved mechanical properties. Attention has been directed to the application of nanomaterials, as they possess excellent mechanical properties (high strength, high hardness, excellent ductility and toughness). A singlestep synthesis and consolidation of nanostructured Mg2Al4Si5O18 was achieved by pulsed current heating, using the stoichiometric mixture of MgO, Al2O3 and SiO2 powders. Before sintering, the powder mixture was high-energy ball milled for 10 h. From the milled powder mixture, a highly dense nanostructured Mg2Al4Si5O18 compound could be obtained within one minute, under the simultaneous application of 80 MPa pressure, and a pulsed current. The advantage of this process is that it allows an instant densification to the near theoretical density, while sustaining the nanosized microstructure of raw powders. The sintering behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg2Al4Si5O18 were evaluated. The fracture toughness of a nanostructured Mg2Al4Si5O18 compound was higher than that of sub-micron Mg2Al4Si5O18 compound.

  2. High-Capacity Mg-Organic Batteries Based on Nanostructured Rhodizonate Salts Activated by Mg-Li Dual-Salt Electrolyte.

    PubMed

    Tian, Jing; Cao, Dunping; Zhou, Xuejun; Hu, Jiulin; Huang, Minsong; Li, Chilin

    2018-04-24

    A magnesium battery is a promising candidate for large-scale transportation and stationary energy storage due to the security, low cost, abundance, and high volumetric energy density of a Mg anode. But there are still some obstacles retarding the wide application of Mg batteries, including poor kinetics of Mg-ion transport in lattices and low theoretical capacity in inorganic frameworks. A Mg-Li dual-salt electrolyte enables kinetic activation by dominant intercalation of Li-ions instead of Mg-ions in cathode lattices without the compromise of a stable Mg anode process. Here we propose a Mg-organic battery based on a renewable rhodizonate salt ( e. g., Na 2 C 6 O 6 ) activated by a Mg-Li dual-salt electrolyte. The nanostructured organic system can achieve a high reversible capacity of 350-400 mAh/g due to the existence of high-density carbonyl groups (C═O) as redox sites. Nanocrystalline Na 2 C 6 O 6 wired by reduced graphene oxide enables a high-rate performance of 200 and 175 mAh/g at 2.5 (5 C) and 5 A/g (10 C), respectively, which also benefits from a high intrinsic diffusion coefficient (10 -12 -10 -11 cm 2 /s) and pesudocapacitance contribution (>60%) of Na 2 C 6 O 6 for Li-Mg co-intercalation. The suppressed exfoliation of C 6 O 6 layers by a firmer non-Li pinning via Na-O-C or Mg-O-C and a dendrite-resistive Mg anode lead to a long-term cycling for at least 600 cycles. Such an extraordinary capacity/rate performance endows the Mg-Na 2 C 6 O 6 system with high energy and power densities up to 525 Wh/kg and 4490 W/kg (based on active cathode material), respectively, exceeding the level of high-voltage insertion cathodes with typical inorganic structures.

  3. Improved electrochemical properties of amorphous Mg 65Ni 27La 8 electrodes: Surface modification using graphite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, D. C.; Li, Lu; Liang, G. Y.; Guo, Y. L.; Wu, H. B.

    Amorphous Mg 65Ni 27La 8 alloy is prepared by melt-spinning. The alloy surface is modified using different contents of graphite to improve the performances of the Mg 65Ni 27La 8 electrodes. In detail, the electrochemical properties of (Mg 65Ni 27La 8) + xC (x = 0-0.4) electrodes are studied systematically, where x is the mass ratio of graphite to alloy. Experimental results reveal that the discharge capacity, cycle life, discharge potential characteristics and electrochemical kinetics of the electrodes are all improved. The surface modification enhances the electrocatalytic activity of the alloy, reduces the contact resistance of the electrodes and obstructs the formation of Mg(OH) 2 on the alloy surface. An optimal content of graphite has been obtained. The (Mg 65Ni 27La 8) + 0.25 C electrode has the largest discharge capacity of 827 mA h g -1, which is 1.47 times as large as that of the electrode without graphite, and the best electrochemical kinetics. Further increasing of graphite content will lead to the increase of contact resistance and activation energy for charge-transfer reaction of the electrode, resulting in the degradation of electrode performance.

  4. Interface Mediated Nucleation and Growth of Dislocations in fcc-bcc nanocomposite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Ruifeng; Wang, Jian; Beyerlein, Irene J.; Germann, Timothy C.

    2011-03-01

    Heterophase interfaces play a crucial role in determining material strength for nanostructured materials because they can block, store, nucleate, and remove dislocations, the essential defects that enable plastic deformation. Much recent theoretical and experimental effort has been conducted on nanostructured Cu-Nb multilayer composites that exhibited extraordinarily high strength, ductility, and resistance to radiation and mechanical loading. In decreasing layer thicknesses to the order of a few tens of nanometers or less, the deformation behavior of such composites is mainly controlled by the Cu/Nb interface. In this work, we focus on the cooperative mechanisms of dislocation nucleation and growth from Cu/Nb interfaces, and their interaction with interface. Two types of experimentally observed Cu/Nb incoherent interfaces are comparatively studied. We found that the preferred dislocation nucleation sites are closely related to atomic interface structure, which in turn, depend on the orientation relationship. The activation stress and energies for an isolated Shockley dislocation loop of different sizes from specific interface sites depend strongly on dislocation size, atomic interface pattern, and loading conditions. Such findings provide important insight into the mechanical response of a wide range of fcc/bcc metallic nanocomposites via atomic interface design.

  5. Novel electrolyte chemistries for Mg-Ni rechargeable batteries.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Garcia-Diaz, Brenda; Kane, Marie; Au, Ming

    2010-10-01

    Commercial hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) serve as means to reduce the nation's dependence on oil. Current electric vehicles use relatively heavy nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) rechargeable batteries. Li-ion rechargeable batteries have been developed extensively as the replacement; however, the high cost and safety concerns are still issues to be resolved before large-scale production. In this study, we propose a new highly conductive solid polymer electrolyte for Mg-Ni high electrochemical capacity batteries. The traditional corrosive alkaline aqueous electrolyte (KOH) is replaced with a dry polymer with conductivity on the order of 10{sup -2} S/cm, as measuredmore » by impedance spectroscopy. Several potential novel polymer and polymer composite candidates are presented with the best-performing electrolyte results for full cell testing and cycling.« less

  6. Ternary oxide nanostructures and methods of making same

    DOEpatents

    Wong, Stanislaus S [Stony Brook, NY; Park, Tae-Jin [Port Jefferson, NY

    2009-09-08

    A single crystalline ternary nanostructure having the formula A.sub.xB.sub.yO.sub.z, wherein x ranges from 0.25 to 24, and y ranges from 1.5 to 40, and wherein A and B are independently selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, As, Au, B, Ba, Br, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cl, Cm, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Dy, Er, Eu, F, Fe, Ga, Gd, Ge, Hf, Ho, I, In, Ir, K, La, Li, Lu, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, Os, P, Pb, Pd, Pr, Pt, Rb, Re, Rh, Ru, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Si, Sm, Sn, Sr, Ta, Tb, Tc, Te, Ti, Tl, Tm, U, V, W, Y, Yb, and Zn, wherein the nanostructure is at least 95% free of defects and/or dislocations.

  7. Influence of Laser Power on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Laser Welded-Brazed Mg Alloy/Ni-Coated Steel Dissimilar Joint

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Caiwang; Xiao, Liyuan; Liu, Fuyun; Chen, Bo; Song, Xiaoguo; Li, Liqun; Feng, Jicai

    2017-05-01

    In this work, we describe a method to improve the bonding of an immiscible Mg/steel system using Ni as an interlayer by coating it on the steel surface. Laser welding-brazing of AZ31B Mg alloy to Ni-coated Q235 steel using Mg-based filler was performed in a lap configuration. The influence of laser power on the weld characteristics, including joint appearance, formation of interfacial reaction layers and mechanical properties was investigated. The results indicated that the presence of the Ni-coating promoted the wetting of the liquid filler metal on the steel surface. A thermal gradient along the interface led to the formation of heterogeneous interfacial reaction layers. When using a low laser power of 1600 W, the reaction products were an FeAl phase in the direct laser irradiation zone, an AlNi phase close to the intermediate zone and mixtures of AlNi phase and an (α-Mg + Mg2Ni) eutectic structure near the interface at the seam head zone. For high powers of more than 2000 W, the FeAl phase grew thicker in the direct laser irradiation zone and a new Fe(Ni) transition layer formed at the interface of the intermediate zone and the seam head zone. However, the AlNi phase and (α-Mg + Mg2Ni) eutectic structure were scattered at the Mg seam. All the joints fractured at the fusion zone, indicating that the improved interface was not the weakest joint region. The maximum tensile-shear strength of the Mg/Ni-coated steel joint reached 190 N/mm, and the joint efficiency was 70% with respect to the Mg alloy base metal.

  8. High-performance transition metal-doped Pt 3Ni octahedra for oxygen reduction reaction

    DOE PAGES

    Huang, Xiaoqing; Zhao, Zipeng; Cao, Liang; ...

    2015-06-11

    Bimetallic platinum-nickel (Pt-Ni) nanostructures represent an emerging class of electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells, but practical applications have been limited by catalytic activity and durability. We surface-doped Pt 3Ni octahedra supported on carbon with transition metals, termed M-Pt 3Ni/C, where M is vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, molybdenum (Mo), tungsten, or rhenium. The Mo-Pt 3Ni/C showed the best ORR performance, with a specific activity of 10.3 mA/cm2 and mass activity of 6.98 A/mgPt, which are 81- and 73-fold enhancements compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst (0.127 mA/cm 2 and 0.096 A/mg Pt). In conclusion, theoretical calculationsmore » suggest that Mo prefers subsurface positions near the particle edges in vacuum and surface vertex/edge sites in oxidizing conditions, where it enhances both the performance and the stability of the Pt3Ni catalyst.« less

  9. Electrical properties of Mg doped ZnO nanostructure annealed at different temperature

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mohamed, R., E-mail: ruziana12@gmail.com; Mamat, M. H., E-mail: hafiz-030@yahoo.com; Rusop, M., E-mail: nanouitm@gmail.com

    In this work, ZincOxide (ZnO) nanostructures doped with Mg were successfully grown on the glass substrate. Magnesium (Mg) metal element was added in the ZnO host which acts as a doping agent. Different temperature in range of 250°C to 500°C was used in order to investigate the effect of annealing temperature of ZnO thin films. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) was used to investigate the physical characteristic of ZnO thin films. FESEM results have revealed that ZnO nanorods were grown vertically aligned. The structural properties were determined by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. XRD results showed Mg doped ZnOmore » thin have highest crystalinnity at 500°C annealing temperature. The electrical properties were investigating by using Current-Voltage (I-V) measurement. I-V measurement showed the electrical properties were varied at different annealing temperature. The annealing temperature at 500°C has the highest electrical conductance properties.« less

  10. Structural and magnetic properties of FexNi100-x alloys synthesized using Al as a reducing metal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srakaew, N.; Jantaratana, P.; Nipakul, P.; Sirisathitkul, C.

    2017-08-01

    Iron-nickel (Fe-Ni) alloys comprising nine different compositions were rapidly synthesized from the redox reaction using aluminum foils as the reducing metal. Compared with conventional chemical syntheses, this simple approach is relatively safe and allows control over the alloy morphology and magnetic behavior as a function of the alloy composition with minimal oxidation. For alloys having low (10%-30%) Fe content the single face-centered cubic (FCC) FeNi3 phase was formed with nanorods aligned in the (1 1 1) crystalline direction on the cluster surface. This highly anisotropic morphology gradually disappeared as the Fe content was raised to 40%-70% with the alloy structure possessing a mixture of FCC FeNi3 and body-centered cubic (BCC) Fe7Ni3. The FCC phase was entirely replaced by the BCC structure upon further increase the Fe content to 80%-90%. The substitution of Ni by Fe in the crystals and the dominance of the BCC phase over the FCC structure gave rise to enhanced magnetization. By contrast, the coercive field decreased as a function of increasing Fe because of the reduction in shape anisotropy and the rise of saturation magnetization.

  11. Laser Cladding of Ni, Nb, and Mg Alloys for Improved Environmental Resistance at High Temperature

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-01-01

    v*LASER CLADDING OF NI , Nb AND Mg ALLOYS < FOR 7IMPR-OVED ENVIIONM ENTAL I RESISTANCE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE Final Report for Research Conducted through...resistance at high temperature. Major emphasis has been on Ni -Cr-Al-Hf system. Microstructural evolution and oxidation properties of Ni and Nb alloys ...metastable crystalline and amorphous structure on a) the high temperature oxidation properties of laser clad Ni and Nb alloys , and b) the corrosion

  12. Synthesis of Ammonia-Assisted Porous Nickel Ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) Nanostructures as an Electrode Material for Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Bhojane, Prateek; Sharma, Alfa; Pusty, Manojit; Kumar, Yogendra; Sen, Somaditya; Shirage, Parasharam

    2017-02-01

    In this work, we report a low cost, facile synthesis method for Nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanostructures obtained by chemical bath deposition method for alternate transition metal oxide electrode material as a solution for clean energy. We developed a template free ammonia assisted method for obtaining porous structure which offering better supercapacitive performance of NiFe₂O₄ electrode material than previously reported for pure NiFe₂O₄. Here we explore the physical characterizations X-ray diffraction, FESEM, HRTEM performed to under-stand its crystal structure and morphology as well as the electrochemical measurements was performed to understand the electrochemical behaviour of the material. Here ammonia plays an important role in governing the structure/morphology of the material and enhances the electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance of 541 Fg⁻¹ is achieved at 2 mVs⁻¹ scan rate which is highest for the pure NiFe₂O₄ electrode material without using any addition of carbon based material, heterostructure or template based method.

  13. Microstructure and mechanical properties of Ni and Fe-base boride-dispersion-strengthened microcrystalline alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wade, C.S.; Park, H.G.; Hoagland, R.G.

    This paper considers the relation between microstructure and mechanical properties of two Ni-base and two Fe-base Boride-Dispersion-Strengthened Microcrystalline (BDSM) alloys. In these very fine grained materials the borides were primarily Cr, Mo, and MoFe in a fcc matrix in three of the alloys, and a bcc in one of the Fe-base alloys. Strength data and resistance to stress corrosion cracking are reported and, in the latter case, extraordinary resistance to SCC in NaCl, Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3} and boiling MgCl{sub 2} environments was observed in every case. The fcc BDSM alloys also demonstrated excellent thermal stability in terms of strengthmore » and fracture roughness up to 1000 C. The bcc alloy suffered severe loss of toughness. The fracture mode involved ductile rupture in all alloys and they display a reasonably linear correlation between K{sub Ic} and the square root of particle spacing.« less

  14. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... identification card (BCC). 41.33 Section 41.33 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE VISAS VISAS: DOCUMENTATION... BCC or the BCC portion of a Canadian B-1/B-2 Visa/BCC issued to a permanent resident of Canada... officer may revoke a BCC or a B-1/B-2 Visa/BCC issued in Canada at any time under the provisions of § 41...

  15. Negative tunneling magnetoresistance of Fe/MgO/NiO/Fe magnetic tunnel junction: Role of spin mixing and interface state

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Y.; Yan, X. H.; Guo, Y. D.; Xiao, Y.

    2017-08-01

    Motivated by a recent tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) measurement in which the negative TMR is observed in MgO/NiO-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), we have performed systematic calculations of transmission, current, and TMR of Fe/MgO/NiO/Fe MTJ with different thicknesses of NiO and MgO layers based on noncollinear density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green's function theory. The calculations show that, as the thickness of NiO and MgO layers is small, the negative TMR can be obtained which is attributed to the spin mixing effect and interface state. However, in the thick MTJ, the spin-flipping scattering becomes weaker, and thus, the MTJs recover positive TMR. Based on our theoretical results, we believe that the interface state at Fe/NiO interface and the spin mixing effect induced by noncollinear interfacial magnetization will play important role in determining transmission and current of Fe/MgO/NiO/Fe MTJ. The results reported here will be important in understanding the electron tunneling in MTJ with the barrier made by transition metal oxide.

  16. Mg-catalyzed autoclave synthesis of aligned silicon carbide nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Xi, Guangcheng; Liu, Yankuan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Wang, Xiaoqing; Qian, Yitai

    2006-07-27

    In this article, a novel magnesium-catalyzed co-reduction route was developed for the large-scale synthesis of aligned beta-SiC one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures at relative lower temperature (600 degrees C). By carefully controlling the reagent concentrations, we could synthesize beta-SiC rodlike and needlelike nanostructures. The possible growth mechanism of the as-synthesized beta-SiC 1D nanostructures has been investigated. The structure and morphology of the as-synthesized beta-SiC nanostructures are characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared absorption, and scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Raman and photoluminescence properties are also investigated at room temperature. The as-synthesized beta-SiC nanostructures exhibit strong shape-dependent field emission properties. Corresponding to their shapes, the as-synthesized nanorods and nanoneedles display the turn-on fields of 12, 8.4, and 1.8 V/microm, respectively.

  17. Magnetic, Electric and Optical Properties of Mg-Substituted Ni-Cu-Zn Ferrites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kabbur, S. M.; Ghodake, U. R.; Kambale, Rahul C.; Sartale, S. D.; Chikhale, L. P.; Suryavanshi, S. S.

    2017-10-01

    The Ni0.25- x Mg x Cu0.30Zn0.45Fe2O4 ( x = 0.00 mol, 0.05 mol, 0.10 mol, 0.15 mol, 0.20 mol and 0.25 mol) magnetic oxide system was prepared by a sol-gel auto-combustion method using glycine as a fuel. X-ray diffraction study reveals the formation of pure spinel lattice symmetry along with the presence of a small fraction of unreacted Fe2O3 phase as a secondary phase due to incomplete combustion reaction between fuel and oxidizer. The lattice constant ( a) was found to decrease with the increase of Mg2+ content; the average crystallite size ( D) is observed in the range of 26.78-33.14 nm. At room temperature, all the samples show typical magnetic hysteresis loops with the decrease of magnetic moment ( n B) of Ni-Cu-Zn ferrites with the increase of Mg2+ content. The intrinsic vibrational absorption bands for the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the spinel structure were confirmed by infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The optical parameters such as refractive index ( η), velocity of IR waves ( v) and jump rates ( J 1, J 2, J) were studied and found to be dependent on the variation of the lattice constant. The Curie temperature ( T c) of Ni-Cu-Zn mixed ferrite was found to decrease with Mg2+ addition. The composition x = 0.15 mol.% with a low dielectric loss tangent of 2% seems to have potential for multilayer chip inductor applications at a wide range of frequencies.

  18. Synthesis and structural characterization of transition metal doped MgO: Mg0.95Mn0.01TM0.04O (TM = Co, Ni, Cu)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Islam, Ishtihadah; Khandy, Shakeel Ahmad; Hafiz, Aurangzeb Khurram

    2018-05-01

    In the present work, preparation and characterization of transition metal doped MgO: Zn0.94Mn0.01TM0.05O (TM = Co, Ni and Cu) nano-particles have been reported. Transition metal doped samples of MgO were synthesized by Sol gel auto combustion method. Structural characterisation from XRD and SEM show the formation of single-phase primary particles, nearly of spherical shaped nano-crystallites. The crystallite size was found to be 78.2, 67.02, 78.11 and 64 nm for pure, Co, Cu and Ni doped MgMnO nano-particles, respectively. Hence, the average crystallite size increases monotonously from Co to Cu doping.

  19. Hydrogen absorption properties of Mg-Ni alloys prepared by bulk mechanical alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuji, Toshiro

    2001-04-01

    The thermodynamic properties of the hydrides of Mg2-xNi (x=0-0.5) alloys produced by bulk mechanical alloying (BMA) were determined from pressure-composition (PC) isotherms for absorption over temperatures from 623 to 423 K. The vant Hoff plot for the plateau pressures of isotherms clearly indicated the existence of high and low temperature hydrides with different entropy and enthalpy for hydride formation. It was found that both the entropy and enthalpy values for the high temperature hydride were more negative than for the low temperature hydride. The phase transition temperature was 525 K for Mg2.0Ni and decreased while increasing the value of x. This allotropic transformation was well confirmed by in-situ XRD observations from RT to 673 K under hydrogen atmosphere or in vacuum.

  20. Vibrational and elastic properties of silicate spinels A2SiO4 (A = Mg, Fe, Ni, and Co)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kushwaha, A. K.; Ma, C.-G.; Brik, M. G.; Akbudak, S.

    2018-06-01

    A six-parameter bond-bending force constant model is used to calculate the zone-center (Γ = 0) Raman and infrared phonon mode frequencies, elastic constants and related properties, the Debye temperatures, and sound velocities along high-symmetry directions for A2SiO4 (A = Mg, Fe, Ni, and Co) spinels. The main outcomes of the calculations are that the interactions between Si and O atoms (first-neighbor interaction) are stronger than those between A and Oatoms (A = Mg, Fe, Ni, and Co) (second-neighbor interaction). The elastic constants C11, C12, and C44 decrease in the order Mg > Fe > Ni > Co. The calculated bulk modulus, Poisson's ratio, and anisotropy decrease in the sequence Fe2SiO4 → Ni2SiO4 → Co2SiO4 → Mg2SiO4. On comparison, we find overall good agreement with the available experimental and previously calculated data.

  1. One-Step Condensation and Hydrogenation of Furfural-Acetone Using Mixed and Single Catalyst Based on Ni/M-Oxide [M=Al; Mg

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ulfa, S. M.; Pramesti, I. N.; Mustafidah, H.

    2018-01-01

    Modification of furfural by condensation and hydrogenation reaction is a promising approach to produce higher alkane derivatives (C8-C13) as diesel fraction. This research investigated the catalytic activity of Ni/MgO as bifunctional catalyst compared with MgO-Ni/Al2O3 mixed catalyst for condensation-hydrogenation reaction. The Ni/MgO and Ni/Al2O3 with 20% Ni loading were prepared by wet impregnation methods using Ni(NO3)2.6H2O salt, calcined and reduced at 500°C. The catalyst performance was tested for one-step condensation-hydrogenation reaction using autoclave oil batch reactor. The reaction was conducted by reacting furfural and acetone in 1:1 ratio using water as solvent. Condensation reaction was performed at 100°C for 8 hours, followed by hydrogenation at 120°C during 7 hours. Analysis by gas chromatography showed that C=C double bond of furfurylidene acetone were successfully hydrogenated. Using Ni/MgO catalyst at 120°C, the products were identified as 1,5-bis-(2-furanyl)-1,4-penta-1-ene-3-one (2.68%) and 1,5-bis-(2-furanyl)-1,4-pentan-3-one (trace amount). On the other hand, reaction using mixed catalyst, MgO-Ni/Al2O3 showed better activity over bifunctional Ni/MgO at the same reaction temperature. The products were identified as 4-(2-furanyl)-3-butan-2-one (27.30%); 1,5-bis-(2-furanyl)-1,4-penta-1-ene-3-one (3.82%) and 1,5-bis-(2-furanyl)-1,4-pentan-3-one (1.11%). The impregnation of Ni on MgO decrease the physical properties of catalyst, confirmed by surface area analysis (SAA).

  2. The influence of incorporating MgO into Ni-based cermets by plasma spraying on anode microstructural and chemical stability in dry methane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lay, E.; Metcalfe, C.; Kesler, O.

    2012-11-01

    The Solution Precursor Plasma Spray (SPPS) process was successfully used to deposit cermet coatings that exhibit fine microstructures with high surface area. MgO addition in Ni-YSZ and Ni-SDC cermets results in (Ni,Mg)O solid solution formation, and nickel particles after reduction are finer than in coatings without magnesia. The influence of MgO on the chemical stability of cermets in anodic operating conditions is discussed. It was found that a sufficient amount of magnesia addition (Ni0.9(MgO)0.1) helps to reduce carbon deposition in dry methane.

  3. Resonance Raman of BCC and normal skin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Cheng-hui; Sriramoju, Vidyasagar; Boydston-White, Susie; Wu, Binlin; Zhang, Chunyuan; Pei, Zhe; Sordillo, Laura; Beckman, Hugh; Alfano, Robert R.

    2017-02-01

    The Resonance Raman (RR) spectra of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and normal human skin tissues were analyzed using 532nm laser excitation. RR spectral differences in vibrational fingerprints revealed skin normal and cancerous states tissues. The standard diagnosis criterion for BCC tissues are created by native RR biomarkers and its changes at peak intensity. The diagnostic algorithms for the classification of BCC and normal were generated based on SVM classifier and PCA statistical method. These statistical methods were used to analyze the RR spectral data collected from skin tissues, yielding a diagnostic sensitivity of 98.7% and specificity of 79% compared with pathological reports.

  4. Magnetic response of hybrid ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic core-shell nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khan, U.; Li, W. J.; Adeela, N.; Irfan, M.; Javed, K.; Wan, C. H.; Riaz, S.; Han, X. F.

    2016-03-01

    The synthesis of FeTiO3-Ni(Ni80Fe20) core-shell nanostructures by a two-step method (sol-gel and DC electrodeposition) has been demonstrated. XRD analysis confirms the rhombohedral crystal structure of FeTiO3(FTO) with space group R3&cmb.macr;. Transmission electron microscopy clearly depicts better morphology of nanostructures with shell thicknesses of ~25 nm. Room temperature magnetic measurements showed significant enhancement of magnetic anisotropy for the permalloy (Ni80Fe20)-FTO over Ni-FTO core-shell nanostructures. Low temperature magnetic measurements of permalloy-FeTiO3 core-shell structure indicated a strong exchange bias mechanism with magnetic coercivity below the antiferromagnetic Neel temperature (TN = 59 K). The exchange bias is attributed to the alignment of magnetic moments in the antiferromagnetic material at low temperature. Our scheme opens a path towards optimum automotive systems and wireless communications wherein broader bandwidths and smaller sizes are required.The synthesis of FeTiO3-Ni(Ni80Fe20) core-shell nanostructures by a two-step method (sol-gel and DC electrodeposition) has been demonstrated. XRD analysis confirms the rhombohedral crystal structure of FeTiO3(FTO) with space group R3&cmb.macr;. Transmission electron microscopy clearly depicts better morphology of nanostructures with shell thicknesses of ~25 nm. Room temperature magnetic measurements showed significant enhancement of magnetic anisotropy for the permalloy (Ni80Fe20)-FTO over Ni-FTO core-shell nanostructures. Low temperature magnetic measurements of permalloy-FeTiO3 core-shell structure indicated a strong exchange bias mechanism with magnetic coercivity below the antiferromagnetic Neel temperature (TN = 59 K). The exchange bias is attributed to the alignment of magnetic moments in the antiferromagnetic material at low temperature. Our scheme opens a path towards optimum automotive systems and wireless communications wherein broader bandwidths and smaller sizes are

  5. Hierarchical NiCo2 S4 Nanotube@NiCo2 S4 Nanosheet Arrays on Ni Foam for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Haichao; Chen, Si; Shao, Hongyan; Li, Chao; Fan, Meiqiang; Chen, Da; Tian, Guanglei; Shu, Kangying

    2016-01-01

    Hierarchical NiCo2 S4 nanotube@NiCo2 S4 nanosheet arrays on Ni foam have been successfully synthesized. Owing to the unique hierarchical structure, enhanced capacitive performance can be attained. A specific capacitance up to 4.38 F cm(-2) is attained at 5 mA cm(-2) , which is much higher than the specific capacitance values of NiCo2 O4 nanosheet arrays, NiCo2 S4 nanosheet arrays and NiCo2 S4 nanotube arrays on Ni foam. The hierarchical NiCo2 S4 nanostructure shows superior cycling stability; after 5000 cycles, the specific capacitance still maintains 3.5 F cm(-2) . In addition, through the morphology and crystal structure measurement after cycling stability test, it is found that the NiCo2 S4 electroactive materials are gradually corroded; however, the NiCo2 S4 phase can still be well-maintained. Our results show that hierarchical NiCo2 S4 nanostructures are suitable electroactive materials for high performance supercapacitors. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Phase Transformation and Aging Behavior of Al0.5CoCrFeNiSi0.2 High-Entropy Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, C.; Wu, G. F.; Dai, P. Q.

    2015-05-01

    An Al0.5CoCrFeNiSi0.2 high-entropy alloy was prepared by vacuum arc melting. The alloy was aged from 700 to 1100 °C. The effects of aging on the phase transformation and mechanical performances were explored. The as-cast alloy showed a dendritic (DR) microstructure. The DR region was an Fe,Cr-rich FCC phase, while the interdendritic (ID) region was a spinodal structure composed of Fe,Cr-rich BCC (A2) and Ni,Al-rich BCC (B2) phases. At aging temperatures between 700 and 900 °C, the Fe,Cr-rich BCC (A2) phase in the ID region transformed into σ and Fe,Cr-rich FCC phases. Meanwhile, some Ni,Al-rich FCC phase particles precipitated from the DR region. During aging at 1100 °C, the DR microstructure disappeared, and a microstructure composed of Fe,Cr-rich FCC and Ni,Al-rich BCC (B2) phases both possessing a lamellar shape was developed. The alloy exhibited evident hardening and lower tensile strain when the aging temperature was lower than 1000 °C, which was mainly attributed to the generation of the σ phase in the ID region. However, a contrasting behavior was observed when the aging temperature was higher than 1000 °C, which was attributed to the redissolution of the σ phase and the microstructure coarsening.

  7. Low-cost and facile synthesis of Ni(OH)2/ZnO nanostructures for high-sensitivity glucose detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strano, V.; Mirabella, S.

    2018-01-01

    An efficient electrode for non-enzymatic glucose detection is produced with low-cost techniques on a Cu wire. ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown on a Cu wire by chemical bath deposition and were used as the substrate for pulsed electrodeposition of nanostructured Ni(OH)2 flakes. The effect of the electrodeposition potential on the final morphology and electrochemical behavior of the Ni(OH)2/ZnO/Cu structures is reported. ZnO NRs resulted to be well dressed by Ni(OH)2 flakes and were tested as glucose sensing electrodes in 0.1 M NaOH solution, showing high sensitivities (up to 3 mA mM-1 cm-2) and long-term stability. The presence of ZnO NRs was shown to improve the performance of the glucose sensor in terms of electrochemical stability over the time and sensitivity compared to Ni(OH)2/Cu sample. The reported data demonstrate a simple, versatile and low-cost fabrication approach for effective glucose sensing system within a urban mines framework.

  8. Surface morphology, optical, and electrochromic properties of nanostructured nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) prepared by sol-gel method: effects of Ni/Fe molar ratios

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bazhan, Z.; Ghodsi, F. E.; Mazloom, J.

    2016-05-01

    Nanostructured nickel ferrite (NF) was prepared by the sol-gel method and calcined at 500 °C for 2 h. The effect of Ni/Fe molar ratios (0, 10, 30, 50 %) on structural, morphological, compositional, optical, and magnetic properties of samples was investigated using analytical tools. XRD patterns indicated the presence of hematite phase in the pure and 10 % NF samples. The samples of 30 and 50 % Ni/Fe molar ratios showed the formation of nickel ferrite structure. Using AFM images, power spectrum density analysis were performed for Ni/Fe with different molar ratio. Also the effect of thickness on morphology of 30 % sample was studied. The fractal dimension increases by increasing the Ni/Fe molar ratio. Optical parameters were evaluated by theoretical approach, and compositional dependence of these parameters was discussed comprehensively. Band gap narrowing was observed in nickel ferrite thin films by increasing the nickel contents from 10 to 50 %. Magnetic analysis revealed that increasing nickel content improved the saturation magnetization. Electrochemical measurements indicated that NF thin films have higher total charge density rather than Fe2O3 thin films and the ion storage capacitance of NF thin films increased by increasing the Ni/Fe content.

  9. Surface-modified Mg{sub 2}Ni-type negative electrode materials for Ni-MH battery

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cui, N.; Luan, B.; Bradhurst, D.

    1997-12-01

    In order to further improve the electrode performance of Mg{sub 1.9}Y{sub 0.1}Ni{sub 0.9}Al{sub 0.1} alloy at ambient temperature, its surface was modified by an ultrasound pretreatment in the alkaline solution and microencapsulation with Ni-P coating. The effects of various surface modifications on the microstructure and electrochemical performance of the alloy electrodes were investigated and compared in this paper. It was found that the modification with ultrasound pretreatment significantly improved the electrocatalytic activity of the negative electrode and then reduced the overpotential of charging/discharging, resulting in a remarkable increase of electrode capacity and high-rate discharge capability but having little influence onmore » the cycle life. However, the electrode fabricated from the microencapsulated alloy powder showed a higher discharge capacity, better high-rate discharge capability and longer cycle life as well.« less

  10. Spectroscopy of charge transfer states in Mg1 - x Ni x O

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Churmanov, V. N.; Sokolov, V. I.; Pustovarov, V. A.; Gruzdev, N. B.; Mironova-Ulmane, N.

    2016-10-01

    Photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectra of solid solution Mg1- x Ni x O ( x = 0.008) have been analyzed. The contributions of charge transfer electronic states and nonradiative Auger relaxation to the formation of the photoluminescence spectrum are discussed.

  11. Nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xianluo; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Xiaoxiao; Mei, Yueni; Huang, Yunhui

    2015-04-21

    The development of advanced energy storage devices is at the forefront of research geared towards a sustainable future. Nanostructured materials are advantageous in offering huge surface to volume ratios, favorable transport features, and attractive physicochemical properties. They have been extensively explored in various fields of energy storage and conversion. This review is focused largely on the recent progress in nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials including molybdenum oxides (MoO(x), 2 ≤ x ≤ 3), dichalconides (MoX2, X = S, Se), and oxysalts for rechargeable lithium/sodium-ion batteries, Mg batteries, and supercapacitors. Mo-based compounds including MoO2, MoO3, MoO(3-y) (0 < y < 1), MMo(x)O(y) (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Ca, Mn, Zn, Mg, or Cd; x = 1, y = 4; x = 3, y = 8), MoS2, MoSe2, (MoO2)2P2O7, LiMoO2, Li2MoO3, etc. possess multiple valence states and exhibit rich chemistry. They are very attractive candidates for efficient electrochemical energy storage systems because of their unique physicochemical properties, such as conductivity, mechanical and thermal stability, and cyclability. In this review, we aim to provide a systematic summary of the synthesis, modification, and electrochemical performance of nanostructured Mo-based compounds, as well as their energy storage applications in lithium/sodium-ion batteries, Mg batteries, and pseudocapacitors. The relationship between nanoarchitectures and electrochemical performances as well as the related charge-storage mechanism is discussed. Moreover, remarks on the challenges and perspectives of Mo-containing compounds for further development in electrochemical energy storage applications are proposed. This review sheds light on the sustainable development of advanced rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors with nanostructured Mo-based electrode materials.

  12. Field emission properties and strong localization effect in conduction mechanism of nanostructured perovskite LaNiO{sub 3}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kamble, Ramesh B., E-mail: rbk.physics@coep.ac.in; Department of Physics, College of Engineering, Pune 411005, Maharashtra; Tanty, Narendra

    2016-08-22

    We report the potential field emission of highly conducting metallic perovskite lanthanum nickelate (LaNiO{sub 3}) from the nanostructured pyramidal and whisker shaped tips as electron emitters. Nano particles of lanthanum nickelate (LNO) were prepared by sol-gel route. Structural and morphological studies have been carried out. Field emission of LNO exhibited high emission current density, J = 3.37 mA/cm{sup 2} at a low threshold electric field, E{sub th} = 16.91 V/μm, obeying Fowler–Nordheim tunneling. The DC electrical resistivity exhibited upturn at 11.6 K indicating localization of electron at low temperature. Magnetoresistance measurement at different temperatures confirmed strong localization in nanostructured LNO obeying Anderson localization effect at low temperature.

  13. Effects of Mg substitution on the structural and magnetic properties of Co0.5Ni0.5-x Mg x Fe2O4 nanoparticle ferrites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    R, M. Rosnan; Z, Othaman; R, Hussin; Ali, A. Ati; Alireza, Samavati; Shadab, Dabagh; Samad, Zare

    2016-04-01

    In this study, nanocrystalline Co-Ni-Mg ferrite powders with composition Co0.5Ni0.5-x Mg x Fe2O4 are successfully synthesized by the co-precipitation method. A systematic investigation on the structural, morphological and magnetic properties of un-doped and Mg-doped Co-Ni ferrite nanoparticles is carried out. The prepared samples are characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The XRD analyses of the synthesized samples confirm the formation of single-phase cubic spinel structures with crystallite sizes in a range of ˜ 32 nm to ˜ 36 nm. The lattice constant increases with increasing Mg content. FESEM images show that the synthesized samples are homogeneous with a uniformly distributed grain. The results of IR spectroscopy analysis indicate the formation of functional groups of spinel ferrite in the co-precipitation process. By increasing Mg2+ substitution, room temperature magnetic measurement shows that maximum magnetization and coercivity increase from ˜ 57.35 emu/g to ˜ 61.49 emu/g and ˜ 603.26 Oe to ˜ 684.11 Oe (1 Oe = 79.5775 A·m-1), respectively. The higher values of magnetization M s and M r suggest that the optimum composition is Co0.5Ni0.4Mg0.1Fe2O4 that can be applied to high-density recording media and microwave devices. Project supported by the Ibnu Sina Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research, Physics Department of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and the Ministry of Education Malaysia (Grant Nos. Q.J130000.2526.04H65).

  14. Discovery of Ni-smectite-rich saprolite at Loma Ortega, Falcondo mining district (Dominican Republic): geochemistry and mineralogy of an unusual case of "hybrid hydrous Mg silicate - clay silicate" type Ni-laterite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tauler, Esperança; Lewis, John F.; Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina; Aiglsperger, Thomas; Proenza, Joaquín A.; Domènech, Cristina; Gallardo, Tamara; Longo, Francisco; Galí, Salvador

    2017-10-01

    Hydrous Mg silicate-type Ni-laterite deposits, like those in the Falcondo district, Dominican Republic, are dominated by Ni-enriched serpentine and garnierite. Recently, abundant Ni-smectite in the saprolite zone have been discovered in Loma Ortega, one of the nine Ni-laterite deposits in Falcondo. A first detailed study on these Ni-smectites has been performed (μXRD, SEM, EPMA), in addition to a geochemical and mineralogical characterisation of the Loma Ortega profile (XRF, ICP-MS, XRD). Unlike other smectite occurrences in laterite profiles worldwide, the Loma Ortega smectites are trioctahedral and exhibit high Ni contents never reported before. These Ni-smectites may be formed from weathering of pyroxene and olivine, and their composition can be explained by the mineralogy and the composition of the Al-depleted, olivine-rich parent ultramafic rock. Our study shows that Ni-laterites are mineralogically complex, and that a hydrous Mg silicate ore and a clay silicate ore can be confined to the same horizon in the weathering profile, which has significant implications from a recovery perspective. In accordance, the classification of "hybrid hydrous Mg silicate - clay silicate" type Ni-laterite deposit for Loma Ortega would be more appropriate.

  15. Influence of laser power on microstructure and mechanical properties of laser welded-brazed Mg to Ni coated Ti alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tan, Caiwang; Lu, Qingshuang; Chen, Bo; Song, Xiaoguo; Li, Liqun; Feng, Jicai; Wang, Yang

    2017-03-01

    AZ31B Magnesium (Mg) and Ti-6Al-4V titanium (Ti) alloys with Ni coating were joined by laser welding-brazing process using AZ92 Mg based filler. The influence of laser power on microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. Ni coating was found to significantly promote good wetting-spreading ability of molten filler on the Ti sheet. Acceptable joints without obvious defects were obtained within a relatively wide processing window. In the process metallurgical bonding was achieved by the formation of Ti3Al phase at direct irradiation zone and Al-Ni phase followed by a layer of Mg-Al-Ni ternary compound adjacent to the fusion zone at the intermediate zone. The thickness of reaction layers increased slowly with the increasing laser power. The tensile-shear test indicated that joints produced at the laser power of 1300 W reached 2387 N fracture load, representing 88.5% joint efficiency with respect to the Mg base metal. The corresponding failure occurred in the fusion zone of the Mg base metal, while joints fractured at the interface at lower/higher laser power due to the crack or excessive intermetallic compound (IMC) formation along the interface.

  16. Structural discrimination via density functional theory and lattice dynamics: Monoclinic Mg2NiH4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herbst, J. F.; Hector, L. G., Jr.

    2009-04-01

    Two distinct crystal structures for the monoclinic, low-temperature phase of Mg2NiH4 , which we designate as LTI and LTII, are available in the published literature. We demonstrate that density functional theory and lattice dynamics can easily identify LTII as the preferable structure at two levels of inquiry. First, enthalpies of formation ΔH calculated using three different forms for the exchange-correlation energy functional are in better agreement with experiment for LTII. Second, the phonon spectrum calculated for LTII contains no anomalies while that for LTI exhibits a variety of soft modes. By analyzing the soft modes in LTI as well as those we find for the known CaMgNiH4 structure with Ca replaced by Mg we derive a crystal structure that closely approximates LTII.

  17. Structures and Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage Properties of the As-Spun RE-Mg-Ni-Co-Al-Based AB2-Type Alloys Applied to Ni-MH Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Yanghuan; Yuan, Zeming; Shang, Hongwei; Li, Yaqin; Qi, Yan; Zhao, Dongliang

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, the La0.8- x Ce0.2Y x MgNi3.5Co0.4Al0.1 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2) alloys were synthesized via smelting and melt spinning. The effect of Y content on the structure and electrochemical hydrogen storage characteristics of the as-cast and spun alloys was investigated. The identifications of XRD and SEM demonstrate that the experimental alloys possess a major phase LaMgNi4 and a minor phase LaNi5. The variation of Y content results in an obvious transformation of the phase abundance rather than phase composition in the alloys, namely LaMgNi4 phase increases while LaNi5 phase decreases with Y content growing. Furthermore, the replacement of Y for La causes the lattice constants and cell volume to clearly decrease and markedly refines the alloy grains. The electrochemical tests reveal that these alloys can obtain the maximum values of discharge capacity at the first cycling without any activation needed. With Y content growing, the discharge capacity of the alloys obviously declines, but its cycle stability remarkably improves. Moreover, the electrochemical dynamics of the alloys, involving the high-rate discharge ability, hydrogen diffusion coefficient ( D), limiting current density ( I L), and charge transfer rate, initially augment and then decrease with rising Y content.

  18. Synthesis, crystal structure and spectroscopy properties of Na 3AZr(PO 4) 3 ( A=Mg, Ni) and Li 2.6Na 0.4NiZr(PO 4) 3 phosphates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chakir, M.; El Jazouli, A.; de Waal, D.

    2006-06-01

    Na 3AZr(PO 4) 3 ( A=Mg, Ni) phosphates were prepared at 750 °C by coprecipitation route. Their crystal structures have been refined at room temperature from X-ray powder diffraction data using Rietveld method. Li 2.6Na 0.4NiZr(PO 4) 3 was synthesized through ion exchange from the sodium analog. These materials belong to the Nasicon-type structure. Raman spectra of Na 3AZr(PO 4) 3 ( A=Mg, Ni) phosphates present broad peaks in favor of the statistical distribution in the sites around PO 4 tetrahedra. Diffuse reflectance spectra indicate the presence of octahedrally coordinated Ni 2+ ions.

  19. Mechanical properties, microstructural and thermal evolution of Mg65Ni20Y15-xSix (X = 1, 2, 3) alloys by mechanical alloying

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kursun, Celal; Gogebakan, Musa; Eskalen, Hasan

    2018-03-01

    We report on a work of the influence of the mechanical alloying on the microstructure, thermal and mechanical features of Mg65Ni20Y15-xSix (X = 1, 2, 3) alloys. The Mg-based alloys were produced by mechanical alloying technique from mixtures of pure crystalline Mg, Ni, Y and Si powders. These alloys were investigated using a variety of analytical techniques including x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDX) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The mechanical properties of the alloys were investigated by Vickers microhardness (HV) tester. After 75 h of milling time, three different intermetallic phases were obtained. These phases were defined as Mg24Y5, Mg2Ni3Si and Mg2Ni by XRD data. The particle and crystallite sizes of the Mg-based alloys were decreased by increasing milling time and they were calculated 2 μm and ˜9 nm, respectively. From the EDX analysis, it was determined that compositional homogeneity of the Mg-based alloys was fairly high. The microhardness values of the Mg65Ni20Y15-xSix (X = 1, 2, 3) alloys increased by increasing Si into the alloys and were determined 101, 131 and 158 HV, respectively.

  20. Hydrogenation thermodynamics of melt-spun magnesium rich Mg-Ni nanocrystalline alloys with the addition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and TiF3

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, Xiaojiang; Hu, Rui; Zhang, Tiebang; Kou, Hongchao; Li, Jinshan

    2016-02-01

    Based on the complexity of hydrogen absorption/desorption process and from the perspective of overall control, the as-cast Mg-10wt%Ni (Mg10Ni) alloy has been successively optimized by melt-spinning and surface catalyzed to realize the internal refinement as well as surface modification. The isothermal hydrogenation behavior of modified Mg-rich alloys has been investigated in this work. The results indicate that melt-spun Mg10Ni catalyzed by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) coupling with TiF3 possesses superior activation properties and can absorb 6.23 wt% at 250 °C under 2.5 MPa. It is worth mentioning that the hydrogenation capacities of Mg10Ni-MWCNTs-TiF3 are 5.93 wt% and 5.99 wt% within the initial 1 min and 5 min, respectively. Meanwhile, the catalytic effect of MWCNTs and TiF3 has been discussed. The improved activation performance as well as the thermodynamics properties of Mg10Ni catalyzed by MWCNTs and TiF3 is attributed to the synergistic effect on dissociation of H2 molecules, diffusion of H-atoms and heterogeneous nucleation of hydrides.

  1. Nearly metastable rhombohedral phases of bcc metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mehl, Michael J.; Finkenstadt, Daniel

    2008-02-01

    The energy E(c/a) for a bcc element stretched along its [001] axis (the Bain path) has a minimum at c/a=1 , a maximum at c/a=2 , and an elastically unstable local minimum at c/a>2 . An alternative path connecting the bcc and fcc structures is the rhombohedral lattice. The primitive lattice has R3¯m symmetry, with the angle α changing from 109.4° (bcc), to 90° (simple cubic), to 60 ° (fcc). We study this path for the non-magnetic bcc transition metals (V, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W) using both all-electron linearized augmented plane wave and projector augmented wave VASP codes. Except for Ta, the energy E(α) has a local maximum at α=60° , with local minima near 55° and 70° , the latter having lower energy, suggesting the possibility of a metastable rhombohedral state for these materials. We first examine the elastic stability of the 70° minimum structure, and determine that only W is elastically stable in this structure, with the smallest eigenvalue of the elastic tensor at 4GPa . We then consider the possibility that tungsten is actually metastable in this structure by looking at its vibrational and third-order elastic stability.

  2. Magnetism of CrO overlayers on Fe(001)bcc surface: first principles calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Félix-Medina, Raúl Enrique; Leyva-Lucero, Manuel Andrés; Meza-Aguilar, Salvador; Demangeat, Claude

    2018-04-01

    Riva et al. [Surf. Sci. 621, 55 (2014)] as well as Calloni et al. [J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26, 445001 (2014)] have studied the oxydation of Cr films deposited on Fe(001)bcc through low-energy electron diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. In the present work we perform a density functional approach within Quantum Expresso code in order to study structural and magnetic properties of CrO overlayers on Fe(001)bcc. The calculations are performed using DFT+U. The investigated systems include O/Cr/Fe(001)bcc, Cr/O/Fe(001)bcc, Cr0.25O0.75/Fe(001)bcc, as well as the O coverage Ox/Cr/Fe(001)bcc (x = 0.25; 0.50). We have found that the ordered CrO overlayer presents an antiferromagnetic coupling between Cr and Fe atoms. The O atoms are located closer to the Fe atoms of the surface than the Cr atoms. The ground state of the systems O/Cr/Fe(001)bcc and Cr/O/Fe(001)bcc corresponds to the O/Cr/Fe(001)bcc system with a magnetic coupling c(2 × 2). The effect of the O monolayer on Cr/Fe(001)bcc changes the ground state from p(1 × 1) ↓ to c(2 × 2) and produces an enhancement of the magnetic moments. The Ox overlayer on Cr/Fe(001)bcc produces an enhancement of the Cr magnetic moments.

  3. Hydrogen atom distribution and hydrogen induced site depopulation for the La{sub 2-x}Mg{sub x}Ni{sub 7}-H system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Guzik, Matylda N., E-mail: Matylda.Guzik@ife.no; Physics Department, Institute for Energy Technology, P.O. Box 40, NO-2027 Kjeller; Hauback, Bjorn C.

    2012-02-15

    La{sub 2-x}Mg{sub x}Ni{sub 7} and its hydrides/deuterides were investigated by high resolution synchrotron powder X-ray and neutron diffraction. Upon deuteration the single phase sample of the intermetallic compound with the refined composition La{sub 1.63}Mg{sub 0.37}Ni{sub 7} (space group: P6{sub 3}/mmc) expands isotropically, in contrast to the Mg free phase. The hydrogen uptake, {approx}9 D/f.u., is higher than in La{sub 2}Ni{sub 7}D{sub 6.5}. The refined composition accounts for La{sub 1.63}Mg{sub 0.37}Ni{sub 7}D{sub 8.8} (beta-phase). Rietveld refinements using the neutron and synchrotron diffraction data suggest that deuterium atoms occupy 5 different interstitial sites within both AB{sub 2} and AB{sub 5} slabs, eithermore » in an ordered or a disordered way. All determined D sites have an occupancy >50% and the shortest D-D contact is 1.96(3) A. It is supposed that a competition between the tendency to form directional bonds and repulsive D-D (H-H) interactions is the most important factor that influences the distribution of deuterium atoms in this structure. A hitherto unknown second, alpha-phase with composition La{sub 1.63}Mg{sub 0.37}Ni{sub 7}D{sub 0.56}, crystallizing with the same hexagonal symmetry as La{sub 1.63}Mg{sub 0.37}Ni{sub 7}D{sub 8.8}, has been discovered. The unit cell parameters for this D-poor phase differ slightly from those of the intermetallic. Alpha-phase displays only one D site (4f, space group: P6{sub 3}/mmc) occupied >50%, which is not populated in the D-rich beta-phase. This hydrogen/deuterium induced site depopulation can be explained by repulsive D-D (H-H) interactions that are likely to influence non-occupancy of certain interstices in metal lattice when absorbing hydrogen. - Graphical abstract: The detailed D atoms arrangement in La{sub 1.63}Mg{sub 0.37}Ni{sub 7}D{sub 8.8} differs significantly from the previously reported La{sub 1.5}Mg{sub 0.5}Ni{sub 7}D{sub 8.9(9.1)}. The present model consists of only five deuterium

  4. Effects of cerium on the hydrogen absorption-desorption properties of rare earth-Mg-Ni hydrogen-absorbing alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yasuoka, Shigekazu; Ishida, Jun; Kishida, Kyosuke; Inui, Haruyuki

    2017-04-01

    The influence of Ce addition on the phase constitution, microstructure, hydrogen absorption/desorption properties and battery performances of newly developed rare earth (RE)-Mg-Ni hydrogen-absorbing superlattice alloys for negative electrode materials in Ni-metal hydride (MH) batteries were investigated. The partial substitution of RE (La and Nd) with Ce results in a higher discharge performance and a lower cycle life in the battery. The Ce addition greatly affects the phase constitution, which is mainly characterized by increased formation of the AB2 phase (A = RE or Mg and B = Ni or Al). The existence of the AB2 phase is found to accelerate alloy pulverization and oxidation when the alloys are used as negative electrode materials in Ni-MH model cells. The accelerated pulverization and oxidation are considered to be responsible for the observed higher discharge performance and lower cycle life in the batteries, respectively.

  5. Dye-doped nanostructure polypyrrole film for electrochemically switching solid-phase microextraction of Ni(II) and ICP-OES analysis of waste water.

    PubMed

    Shamaeli, Ehsan; Alizadeh, Naader

    2012-01-01

    A nanostructure fiber based on conducting polypyrrole synthesized by an electrochemical method has been developed, and used for electrochemically switching solid-phase microextraction (ES-SPME). The ES-SPME was prepared by the doping of eriochrome blue in polypyrrole (PPy-ECB) and used for selectively extracting the Ni(II) cation in the presence of some transition and heavy metal ions. The cation-exchange behavior of electrochemically prepared polypyrrole on stainless-steel with and without eriochrome blue (ECB) dye was characterized using ICP-OES analysis. The effects of the scan rate for electrochemical synthesis, uptake and the release potential on the extraction behavior of the PPy-ECB conductive fiber were studied. Uptake and release time profiles show that the process of electrically switched cation exchange could be completed within 250 s. The results of the present study point concerning the possibility of developing a selective extraction process for Ni(II) from waste water was explored using such a nanostructured PPy-ECB film through an electrically switched cation exchange. 2012 © The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry

  6. Magnetic response of hybrid ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic core-shell nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Khan, U; Li, W J; Adeela, N; Irfan, M; Javed, K; Wan, C H; Riaz, S; Han, X F

    2016-03-21

    The synthesis of FeTiO3-Ni(Ni80Fe20) core-shell nanostructures by a two-step method (sol-gel and DC electrodeposition) has been demonstrated. XRD analysis confirms the rhombohedral crystal structure of FeTiO3(FTO) with space group R3[combining macron]. Transmission electron microscopy clearly depicts better morphology of nanostructures with shell thicknesses of ∼25 nm. Room temperature magnetic measurements showed significant enhancement of magnetic anisotropy for the permalloy (Ni80Fe20)-FTO over Ni-FTO core-shell nanostructures. Low temperature magnetic measurements of permalloy-FeTiO3 core-shell structure indicated a strong exchange bias mechanism with magnetic coercivity below the antiferromagnetic Neel temperature (TN = 59 K). The exchange bias is attributed to the alignment of magnetic moments in the antiferromagnetic material at low temperature. Our scheme opens a path towards optimum automotive systems and wireless communications wherein broader bandwidths and smaller sizes are required.

  7. Tuning magnetic properties of magnetoelectric BiFeO 3-NiFe 2O 4 nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crane, S. P.; Bihler, C.; Brandt, M. S.; Goennenwein, S. T. B.; Gajek, M.; Ramesh, R.

    2009-02-01

    Multifunctional thin film nanostructures containing soft magnetic materials such as nickel ferrite are interesting for potential applications in microwave signal processing because of the possibility to shrink the size of device architecture and limit device power consumption. An essential prerequisite to future applications of such a system is a firm understanding of its magnetic properties. We show that nanostructures composed of ferrimagnetic NiFe 2O 4 pillars in a multiferroic BiFeO 3 matrix can be tuned magnetically by altering the aspect ratio of the pillars by depositing films of varying thickness. Magnetic anisotropy is studied using ferromagnetic resonance, which shows that the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy in the growth direction changes sign upon increasing the film thickness. The magnitude of this anisotropy contribution can be explained via a combination of shape and magnetostatic effects, using the object-oriented micromagnetic framework (OOMMF). The key factors determining the magnetic properties of the films are shown to be the aspect ratio of individual pillars and magnetostatic interactions between neighboring pillars.

  8. In situ Ni-doping during cathodic electrodeposition of hematite for excellent photoelectrochemical performance of nanostructured nickel oxide-hematite p-n junction photoanode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Phuan, Yi Wen; Ibrahim, Elyas; Chong, Meng Nan; Zhu, Tao; Lee, Byeong-Kyu; Ocon, Joey D.; Chan, Eng Seng

    2017-01-01

    Nanostructured nickel oxide-hematite (NiO/α-Fe2O3) p-n junction photoanodes synthesized from in situ doping of nickel (Ni) during cathodic electrodeposition of hematite were successfully demonstrated. A postulation model was proposed to explain the fundamental mechanism of Ni2+ ions involved, and the eventual formation of NiO on the subsurface region of hematite that enhanced the potential photoelectrochemical water oxidation process. Through this study, it was found that the measured photocurrent densities of the Ni-doped hematite photoanodes were highly dependent on the concentrations of Ni dopant used. The optimum Ni dopant at 25 M% demonstrated an excellent photoelectrochemical performance of 7-folds enhancement as compared to bare hematite photoanode. This was attributed to the increased electron donor density through the p-n junction and thus lowering the energetic barrier for water oxidation activity at the optimum Ni dopant concentration. Concurrently, the in situ Ni-doping of hematite has also lowered the photogenerated charge carrier transfer resistance as measured using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is expected that the fundamental understanding gained through this study is helpful for the rational design and construction of highly efficient photoanodes for application in photoelectrochemical process.

  9. The Role of Rhenium on the Temporal Evolution of the Nanostructure of a Model Ni-Al-Cr-Re Superalloy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yoon, Kevin E.; Noebe, Ronald D.; Seidman, David N.

    2004-01-01

    Rhenium (2 at.%) additions to a model Ni-8.5 at.% Cr-10 at.% Al alloy are studied with respect to its effects on the temporal evolution of the nanostructure and the partitioning behavior of the four elements between the gamma (fcc) and gamma' (L1(sub 2)) phases. Chemical evolution of this quaternary alloy aged at 1073 K from 0.25 to 264 h, is investigated by three-dimensional atom-probe (3DAP) microscopy. The morphology of gamma'-precipitates remains spheroidal, even at an aging time of 264 h. The results demonstrate that Re slows the coarsening of gamma'-precipitates, in comparison to the ternary Ni-10 at.% A1-8.5 at.% Cr alloy at 1073 K.

  10. ε-MnO2 nanostructures directly grown on Ni foam: a cathode catalyst for rechargeable Li-O2 batteries.

    PubMed

    Hu, Xiaofei; Han, Xiaopeng; Hu, Yuxiang; Cheng, Fangyi; Chen, Jun

    2014-04-07

    A sponge-like ε-MnO2 nanostructure was synthesized by direct growth of ε-MnO2 on Ni foam through a facile electrodeposition route. When applied as a self-supporting, binder-free cathode material for rechargeable nonaqueous lithium-oxygen batteries, the ε-MnO2/Ni electrode exhibits considerable high-rate capability (discharge capacity of ∼6300 mA h g(-1) at a current density of 500 mA g(-1)) and enhanced cyclability (exceeding 120 cycles) without controlling the discharge depth. The superior performance is proposed to be associated with the 3D nanoporous structures and abundant oxygen defects as well as the absence of side reactions related to carbon-based conductive additives and binders.

  11. Structural and electrical properties of nanostructured Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7}

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dhaouadi, Hassouna, E-mail: dhaouadihassouna@yahoo.fr; Kouass, Salah; Jaouad, Najeh

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nanostructured pyrophosphate Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} were synthesized and characterized by XRD and SEM. • The ac-conductivity at different values of temperature for Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanomaterials shows frequency independence in the lower frequency range. • Obvious improvements of the electrical conductivity and the electrochemical properties are achieved comparatively Mn{sub 2}P{sub 2}O{sub 7}. • The electrochemical behaviors of Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} were studied using cyclic voltammetry. - Abstract: The nanostructured pyrophosphate Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} was prepared. The synthesis technique was based on the hydrothermal method at 150 °Cmore » using poly-ethylene-glycol (PEG-10000) as surfactant with further calcination at 500 °C. A structural analysis of Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} compound was carried out by applying X-ray diffraction (XRD) and using the Rietveld method. Morphological characterizations were performed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A comparative study of the electrical conductivity of Mn{sub 2}P{sub 2}O{sub 7} and Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanomaterials was carried out by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 500–680 °C. The activation energies for MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} and Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} were 2.00 and 0.88 eV, respectively. Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanomaterial presents a good electric conductivity compared to Mn{sub 2}P{sub 2}O{sub 7}, due to the substitution effect. The improvement of the electronic and ionic conductivity makes the Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanomaterial possible electrode materials for rechargeable batteries. The electrochemical behaviors of Ni{sub 0.25}Co{sub 0.75}MnP{sub 2}O{sub 7} were studied using cyclic voltammetry.« less

  12. Effect of stoichiometry and Cu-substitution on the phase structure and hydrogen storage properties of Ml-Mg-Ni-based alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yuan; Tao, Yang; Huo, Quan

    2015-01-01

    To improve the electrochemical properties of rare-earth-Mg-Ni-based hydrogen storage alloys, the effects of stoichiometry and Cu-substitution on the phase structure and thermodynamic properties of the alloys were studied. Nonsubstituted Ml0.80Mg0.20(Ni2.90Co0.50-Mn0.30Al0.30) x ( x = 0.68, 0.70, 0.72, 0.74, 0.76) alloys and Cu-substituted Ml0.80Mg0.20(Ni2.90Co0.50- y Cu y Mn0.30Al0.30)0.70 ( y = 0, 0.10, 0.30, 0.50) alloys were prepared by induction melting. Phase structure analysis shows that the nonsubstituted alloys consist of a LaNi5 phase, a LaNi3 phase, and a minor La2Ni7 phase; in addition, in the case of Cu-substitution, the Nd2Ni7 phase appears and the LaNi3 phase vanishes. Thermodynamic tests show that the enthalpy change in the dehydriding process decreases, indicating that hydride stability decreases with increasing stoichiometry and increasing Cu content. The maximum discharge capacity, kinetic properties, and cycling stability of the alloy electrodes all increase and then decrease with increasing stoichiometry or increasing Cu content. Furthermore, Cu substitution for Co ameliorates the discharge capacity, kinetics, and cycling stability of the alloy electrodes.

  13. A CuNi bimetallic cathode with nanostructured copper array for enhanced hydrodechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE).

    PubMed

    Liu, Bo; Zhang, Hao; Lu, Qi; Li, Guanghe; Zhang, Fang

    2018-09-01

    To address the challenges of low hydrodechlorination efficiency by non-noble metals, a CuNi bimetallic cathode with nanostructured copper array film was fabricated for effective electrochemical dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE) in aqueous solution. The CuNi bimetallic cathodes were prepared by a simple one-step electrodeposition of copper onto the Ni foam substrate, with various electrodeposition time of 5/10/15/20 min. The optimum electrodeposition time was 10 min when copper was coated as a uniform nanosheet array on the nickel foam substrate surface. This cathode exhibited the highest TCE removal, which was twice higher compared to that of the nickel foam cathode. At the same passed charge of 1080C, TCE removal increased from 33.9 ± 3.3% to 99.7 ± 0.1% with the increasing operation current from 5 to 20 mA cm -2 , while the normalized energy consumption decreased from 15.1 ± 1.0 to 2.6 ± 0.01 kWh log -1  m -3 . The decreased normalized energy consumption at a higher current density was due to the much higher removal efficiency at a higher current. These results suggest that CuNi cathodes prepared by simple electrodeposition method represent a promising and cost-effective approach for enhanced electrochemical dechlorination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Enhancing the light-extraction efficiency of AlGaN deep-ultraviolet light-emitting diodes using highly reflective Ni/Mg and Rh as p-type electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maeda, Noritoshi; Yun, Joosun; Jo, Masafumi; Hirayama, Hideki

    2018-04-01

    Improving the light-extraction efficiency (LEE) is a major issue for the development of deep-ultraviolet (DUV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). For this improvement, we introduced a transparent p-AlGaN contact layer and a reflective p-type electrode. In this work, we investigated the improvements obtained by replacing conventional Ni/Au p-type electrodes with highly reflective Ni/Mg and Rh electrodes. The external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 279 nm DUV LEDs were increased from 4.2 to 6.6% and from 3.4 to 4.5% by introducing Ni/Mg and Rh p-type electrodes, respectively. The LEE enhancement factors for the Ni/Mg and Rh electrodes were 1.6 and 1.4, respectively. These results are explained by the fact that the measured reflectances of the Ni/Mg and Rh electrodes were approximately 80 and 55%, respectively. Moreover, it was concluded that a passivation layer is required for Ni/Mg electrodes to prevent the degradation of the LED properties by the oxidation of Mg.

  15. The effect of milling time on the synthesis of Cu{sub 54}Mg{sub 22}Ti{sub 18}Ni{sub 6} alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kursun, C., E-mail: celalkursun@ksu.edu.tr; Gogebakan, M., E-mail: gogebakan@ksu.edu.tr

    In the present work, nanocrystalline Cu{sub 54}Mg{sub 22}Ti{sub 18}Ni{sub 6} alloy was produced by mechanical alloying from mixtures of pure crystalline Cu, Mg, Ti and Ni powders using a Fritsch planetary ball mill with a ball to powder ratio of 10:1. Morphological changes, microstructural evolution and thermal behaviour of the Cu-Mg-Ti-Ni powders at different stages of milling were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray detection (SEM/EDX) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). This alloy resulted in formation of single phase solid solution with FCC structure α-Cu (Mg, Ti, Ni) after 80 h of milling. In the initialmore » stage of milling different sized and shaped elemental powders became uniform during mechanical alloying. The homogeneity of the Cu{sub 54}Mg{sub 22}Ti{sub 18}Ni{sub 6} alloy increased with increasing milling time. The EDX result also confirmed the compositional homogeneity of the powder alloy. The crystallite size of alloy was calculated below 10 nm from XRD data.« less

  16. Wear behavioral study of as cast and 7 hr homogenized Al25Mg2Si2Cu4Ni alloy at constant load

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harlapur, M. D.; Sondur, D. G.; Akkimardi, V. G.; Mallapur, D. G.

    2018-04-01

    In the current study, the wear behavior of as cast and 7 hr homogenized Al25Mg2Si2Cu4Ni alloy has been investigated. Microstructure, SEM and EDS results confirm the presence of different intermetallic and their effects on wear properties of Al25Mg2Si2Cu4Ni alloy in as cast as well as aged condition. Alloying main elements like Si, Cu, Mg and Ni partly dissolve in the primary α-Al matrix and to some amount present in the form of intermetallic phases. SEM structure of as cast alloy shows blocks of Mg2Si which is at random distributed in the aluminium matrix. Precipitates of Al2Cu in the form of Chinese script are also observed. Also `Q' phase (Al-Si-Cu-Mg) be distributed uniformly into the aluminium matrix. Few coarsened platelets of Ni are seen. In case of 7 hr homogenized samples blocks of Mg2Si get rounded at the corners, Platelets of Ni get fragmented and distributed uniformly in the aluminium matrix. Results show improved volumetric wear resistance and reduced coefficient of friction after homogenizing heat treatment.

  17. On Weak-BCC-Algebras

    PubMed Central

    Thomys, Janus; Zhang, Xiaohong

    2013-01-01

    We describe weak-BCC-algebras (also called BZ-algebras) in which the condition (x∗y)∗z = (x∗z)∗y is satisfied only in the case when elements x, y belong to the same branch. We also characterize ideals, nilradicals, and nilpotent elements of such algebras. PMID:24311983

  18. In-situ catalyzation approach for enhancing the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics of MgH2 powders with Ni particles

    PubMed Central

    El-Eskandarany, M. Sherif; Shaban, Ehab; Ali, Naser; Aldakheel, Fahad; Alkandary, Abdullah

    2016-01-01

    One practical solution for utilizing hydrogen in vehicles with proton-exchange fuel cells membranes is storing hydrogen in metal hydrides nanocrystalline powders. According to its high hydrogen capacity and low cost of production, magnesium hydride (MgH2) is a desired hydrogen storage system. Its slow hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics and high thermal stability are the major barriers restricting its usage in real applications. Amongst the several methods used for enhancing the kinetics behaviors of MgH2 powders, mechanically milling the powders with one or more catalyst species has shown obvious advantages. Here we are proposing a new approach for gradual doping MgH2 powders with Ni particles upon ball milling the powders with Ni-balls milling media. This proposed is-situ method showed mutually beneficial for overcoming the agglomeration of catalysts and the formation of undesired Mg2NiH4 phase. Moreover, the decomposition temperature and the corresponding activation energy showed low values of 218 °C and 75 kJ/mol, respectively. The hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics examined at 275 °C of the powders milled for 25 h took place within 2.5 min and 8 min, respectively. These powders containing 5.5 wt.% Ni performed 100-continuous cycle-life time of hydrogen charging/discharging at 275 °C within 56 h without failure or degradation. PMID:27849033

  19. In-situ catalyzation approach for enhancing the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics of MgH2 powders with Ni particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    El-Eskandarany, M. Sherif; Shaban, Ehab; Ali, Naser; Aldakheel, Fahad; Alkandary, Abdullah

    2016-11-01

    One practical solution for utilizing hydrogen in vehicles with proton-exchange fuel cells membranes is storing hydrogen in metal hydrides nanocrystalline powders. According to its high hydrogen capacity and low cost of production, magnesium hydride (MgH2) is a desired hydrogen storage system. Its slow hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics and high thermal stability are the major barriers restricting its usage in real applications. Amongst the several methods used for enhancing the kinetics behaviors of MgH2 powders, mechanically milling the powders with one or more catalyst species has shown obvious advantages. Here we are proposing a new approach for gradual doping MgH2 powders with Ni particles upon ball milling the powders with Ni-balls milling media. This proposed is-situ method showed mutually beneficial for overcoming the agglomeration of catalysts and the formation of undesired Mg2NiH4 phase. Moreover, the decomposition temperature and the corresponding activation energy showed low values of 218 °C and 75 kJ/mol, respectively. The hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics examined at 275 °C of the powders milled for 25 h took place within 2.5 min and 8 min, respectively. These powders containing 5.5 wt.% Ni performed 100-continuous cycle-life time of hydrogen charging/discharging at 275 °C within 56 h without failure or degradation.

  20. BCC skin cancer diagnosis based on texture analysis techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chuang, Shao-Hui; Sun, Xiaoyan; Chang, Wen-Yu; Chen, Gwo-Shing; Huang, Adam; Li, Jiang; McKenzie, Frederic D.

    2011-03-01

    In this paper, we present a texture analysis based method for diagnosing the Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) skin cancer using optical images taken from the suspicious skin regions. We first extracted the Run Length Matrix and Haralick texture features from the images and used a feature selection algorithm to identify the most effective feature set for the diagnosis. We then utilized a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) classifier to classify the images to BCC or normal cases. Experiments showed that detecting BCC cancer based on optical images is feasible. The best sensitivity and specificity we achieved on our data set were 94% and 95%, respectively.

  1. Understanding the effect of compositions on electronegativity, atomic radius and thermal stability of Mg-Ni-Y amorphous alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deshmukh, A. A.; Kuthe, S. A.; Palikundwar, U. A.

    2018-05-01

    In the present paper, the consequences of variation in compositions on the electronegativity (ΔX), atomic radius difference (δ) and the thermal stability (ΔTx) of Mg-Ni-Y bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are evaluated. In order to understand the effect of variation in compositions on ΔX, δ and ΔTx, regression analysis is performed on the experimentally available data. A linear correlation between both δ and ΔX with regression coefficient 0.93 is observed. Further, compositional variation is performed with δ and then it is correlated to the ΔTx by deriving subsequent equations. It is observed that concentration of Mg, Ni and Y are directly proportional to the δ with regression coefficients 0.93, 0.93 and 0.50 respectively. The positive slope of Ni and Y stated that ΔTx will increase if it has more contribution from both Ni and Y. On the other hand negative slope stated that composition of Mg should be selected in such a way that it will have more stability with Ni and Y. The results obtained from mathematical calculations are also tested by regression analysis of ΔTx with the compositions of individual elements in the alloy. These results conclude that there is a strong dependence of ΔTx of the alloy on the compositions of the constituting elements in the alloy.

  2. Room-temperature ferromagnetic transitions and the temperature dependence of magnetic behaviors in FeCoNiCr-based high-entropy alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Na, Suok-Min; Yoo, Jin-Hyeong; Lambert, Paul K.; Jones, Nicholas J.

    2018-05-01

    High-entropy alloys (HEAs) containing multiple principle alloying elements exhibit unique properties so they are currently receiving great attention for developing innovative alloy designs. In FeCoNi-based HEAs, magnetic behaviors strongly depend on the addition of alloying elements, usually accompanied by structural changes. In this work, the effect of non-magnetic components on the ferromagnetic transition and magnetic behaviors in equiatomic FeCoNiCrX (X=Al, Ga, Mn and Sn) HEAs was investigated. Alloy ingots of nominal compositions of HEAs were prepared by arc melting and the button ingots were cut into discs for magnetic measurements as functions of magnetic field and temperature. The HEAs of FeCoNiCrMn and FeCoNiCrSn show typical paramagnetic behaviors, composed of solid solution FCC matrix, while the additions of Ga and Al in FeCoNiCr exhibit ferromagnetic behaviors, along with the coexistence of FCC and BCC phases due to spinodal decomposition. The partial phase transition in both HEAs with the additions of Ga and Al would enhance ferromagnetic properties due to the addition of the BCC phase. The saturation magnetization for the base alloy FeCoNiCr is 0.5 emu/g at the applied field of 20 kOe (TC = 104 K). For the HEAs of FeCoNiCrGa and FeCoNiCrAl, the saturation magnetization significantly increased to 38 emu/g (TC = 703 K) and 25 emu/g (TC = 277 K), respectively. To evaluate the possibility of solid solution FCC and BCC phases in FeCoNiCr-type HEAs, we introduced a parameter of valence electron concentration (VEC). The proposed rule for solid solution formation by the VEC was matched with FeCoNiCr-type HEAs.

  3. Synthesis of AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7) alloy powders by mechanical alloying

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Maulik, Ornov; Kumar, Vinod, E-mail: vkt.meta@mnit.ac.in; Adjunct Faculty, Materials Research Centre, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur 302017

    2015-12-15

    Novel AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7 mol) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were synthesized by mechanical alloying. The effect of Mg content on the phase evolution of HEAs was investigated using X-Ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern analysis. The particle morphology and composition of HEAs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and analyzed to explain the formation of a solid solution. XRD analysis revealed BCC as major phase and FCC as a minor phase in as-milled AlFeCuCr and AlFeCuCrMg{sub 0.5} HEAs. Also, XRD analysis of as-milledmore » AlFeCuCrMg, AlFeCuCrMg{sub 1.7} confirmed the formation of two BCC phases (BCC 1 and BCC 2). TEM–SAED analysis of AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} HEAs concurred with XRD results. Microstructural features and mechanism for solid solution formation have been conferred in detail. Phase formation of the present HEAs has been correlated with calculated thermodynamic parameters. Differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA) of these alloys confirmed that there is no substantial phase change up to 500 °C. - Highlights: • Novel AlFeCuCrMg{sub x} (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7) HEAs were prepared by mechanical alloying. • Phase evolution and lattice parameter were studied by X-Ray Diffraction. • Crystallite size and lattice microstrain calculated failed to obey the Williamson–Hall method. • Criterions for formation of simple solid solution were compared to the thermodynamic parameters of the present HEAs. • Increase in the Mg concentration in AlMg{sub x}FeCuCr (x = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.7) HEAs supports the formation of BCC phase.« less

  4. Effect of synthesis route on the uptake of Ni and Cd by MgFe2O4 nanopowders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Najar, B.; Khezami, L.; Judith Vijaya, J.; Lemine, O. M.; Bououdina, M.

    2017-01-01

    In this study, MgFe2O4 nanopowders were synthesized through two different methods, sol-gel method (SG) and modified sol-gel with Ammonia (MSG-A). The influence of synthesis route was investigated in terms of phase stability, pores size and surface area, magnetic properties and uptake of Ni and Cd metals from aqueous solution. Rietveld refinements of x-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of single spinel phase for SG sample, while minor impurity was detected for SGM-A sample (few amount of MgO). The crystallite size was found to be sensitive to the preparation method; it ranges from 4 nm for SG to 15 nm for MSG-A. Magnetization experiment at room temperature showed ferromagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization ( M s) ranging from 5.39 emu/g for SG to 9.93 emu/g for MSG-A. Preliminary results showed that SG and MSG-A samples are efficient adsorbent for Ni and Cd metal ions from aqueous solution. Maximum quantity of 62.67 and 61.2 mg of Ni(II) and 36.49 and 32.84 mg of Cd(II) was adsorbed per gram of MgFe2O4 synthesized by SG and MSG-A, respectively.

  5. Thermodynamic Modeling of Poorly Complexing Metals in Concentrated Electrolyte Solutions: An X-Ray Absorption and UV-Vis Spectroscopic Study of Ni(II) in the NiCl2-MgCl2-H2O System

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Ning; Brugger, Joël; Etschmann, Barbara; Ngothai, Yung; Zeng, Dewen

    2015-01-01

    Knowledge of the structure and speciation of aqueous Ni(II)-chloride complexes is important for understanding Ni behavior in hydrometallurgical extraction. The effect of concentration on the first-shell structure of Ni(II) in aqueous NiCl2 and NiCl2-MgCl2 solutions was investigated by Ni K edge X-ray absorption (XAS) and UV-Vis spectroscopy at ambient conditions. Both techniques show that no large structural change (e.g., transition from octahedral to tetrahedral-like configuration) occurs. Both methods confirm that the Ni(II) aqua ion (with six coordinated water molecules at R Ni-O = 2.07(2) Å) is the dominant species over the whole NiCl2 concentration range. However, XANES, EXAFS and UV-Vis data show subtle changes at high salinity (> 2 mol∙kg-1 NiCl2), which are consistent with the formation of small amounts of the NiCl+ complex (up to 0.44(23) Cl at a Ni-Cl distance of 2.35(2) Å in 5.05 mol∙kg-1 NiCl2) in the pure NiCl2 solutions. At high Cl:Ni ratio in the NiCl2-MgCl2-H2O solutions, small amounts of [NiCl2]0 are also present. We developed a speciation-based mixed-solvent electrolyte (MSE) model to describe activity-composition relationships in NiCl2-MgCl2-H2O solutions, and at the same time predict Ni(II) speciation that is consistent with our XAS and UV-Vis data and with existing literature data up to the solubility limit, resolving a long-standing uncertainty about the role of chloride complexing in this system. PMID:25885410

  6. Simple synthesis of amorphous NiWO4 nanostructure and its application as a novel cathode material for asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Niu, Lengyuan; Li, Zhangpeng; Xu, Ye; Sun, Jinfeng; Hong, Wei; Liu, Xiaohong; Wang, Jinqing; Yang, Shengrong

    2013-08-28

    This study reports a simple synthesis of amorphous nickel tungstate (NiWO4) nanostructure and its application as a novel cathode material for supercapacitors. The effect of reaction temperature on the electrochemical properties of the NiWO4 electrode was studied, and results demonstrate that the material synthesized at 70 °C (NiW-70) has shown the highest specific capacitance of 586.2 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) in a three-electrode system. To achieve a high energy density, a NiW-70//activated carbon asymmetric supercapacitor is successfully assembled by use of NiW-70 and activated carbon as the cathode and anode, respectively, and then, its electrochemical performance is characterized by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The results show that the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor can be cycled reversibly between 0 and 1.6 V with a high specific capacitance of 71.1 F g(-1) at 0.25 A g(-1), which can deliver a maximum energy density of 25.3 Wh kg(-1) at a power density of 200 W kg(-1). Furthermore, this asymmetric supercapacitor also presented an excellent, long cycle life along with 91.4% specific capacitance being retained after 5000 consecutive times of cycling.

  7. Anchored nanostructure materials and method of fabrication

    DOEpatents

    Seals, Roland D; Menchhofer, Paul A; Howe, Jane Y; Wang, Wei

    2012-11-27

    Anchored nanostructure materials and methods for their fabrication are described. The anchored nanostructure materials may utilize nano-catalysts that include powder-based or solid-based support materials. The support material may comprise metal, such as NiAl, ceramic, a cermet, or silicon or other metalloid. Typically, nanoparticles are disposed adjacent a surface of the support material. Nanostructures may be formed as anchored to nanoparticles that are adjacent the surface of the support material by heating the nano-catalysts and then exposing the nano-catalysts to an organic vapor. The nanostructures are typically single wall or multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

  8. The effect of topical diclofenac 3% and calcitriol 3 μg/g on superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC) and nodular basal cell carcinoma (nBCC): A phase II, randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Brinkhuizen, Tjinta; Frencken, Kiki J A; Nelemans, Patty J; Hoff, Marlou L S; Kelleners-Smeets, Nicole W J; Zur Hausen, Axel; van der Horst, Michiel P J; Rennspiess, Dorit; Winnepenninckx, Véronique J L; van Steensel, Maurice A M; Mosterd, Klara

    2016-07-01

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and vitamin-D derivatives can target signaling pathways activated in basal cell carcinoma (BCC). We investigated the efficacy of topically applied diclofenac sodium 3% gel, calcitriol 3 μg/g ointment, and a combination of both in superficial BCC (sBCC) and nodular BCC. Patients with a primary, histologically proven sBCC (n = 64) or nodular BCC (n = 64) were randomized to topical diclofenac, calcitriol, combination of both, or no topical treatment (control group). After self-application twice daily under occlusion (8 weeks), tumors were excised. Primary outcome was posttreatment expression levels of proliferation (Ki-67) and antiapoptosis (B-cell lymphoma [Bcl-2]) immunohistochemical markers. Secondary outcomes were histologic clearance, adverse events, application-site reactions, and patient compliance. sBCC treated with diclofenac showed a significant decrease in Ki-67 (P < .001) and Bcl-2 (P = .001), and after combination therapy for Ki-67 (P = .012). Complete histologic tumor regression was seen in 64.3% (P = .0003) of sBCC (diclofenac) and 43.8% (P = .007) of sBCC (combination therapy) compared with 0.0% of controls. No significant changes were found in nodular BCC. Application-site reactions were mostly mild to moderate. The sample size was small. Our results suggest that topical diclofenac is a promising new treatment for sBCC. Its mode of action differs from available noninvasive therapies, and thus has an additive value. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Cascade morphology transition in bcc metals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Setyawan, Wahyu; Selby, A.; Juslin, Niklas

    2015-06-10

    Energetic atom collisions in solids induce shockwaves with complex morphologies. In this paper, we establish the existence of a morphological transition in such cascades. The order parameter of the morphology is defined as the exponent,more » $b$, in the defect production curve as a function of cascade energy ($$N_F$$$ \\sim$$$E_{MD}^b$$). Response of different bcc metals can be compared in a consistent energy domain when the energy is normalized by the transition energy, $$\\mu$$, between the high- and the low-energy regime. Using Cr, Fe, Mo and W data, an empirical formula of $$\\mu$$ as a function of displacement threshold energy, $$E_d$$, is presented for bcc metals.« less

  10. Cascade morphology transition in bcc metals

    DOE PAGES

    Setyawan, Wahyu; Selby, Aaron P.; Juslin, Niklas; ...

    2015-05-18

    Energetic atom collisions in solids induce shockwaves with complex morphologies. In this paper, we establish the existence of a morphological transition in such cascades. The order parameter of the morphology is defined as the exponent, b, in the defect production curve as a function of cascade energy (N-F similar to E-MD(b)). Response of different bcc metals can be compared in a consistent energy domain when the energy is normalized by the transition energy, mu, between the high-and the low-energy regime. Using Cr, Fe, Mo and W data, an empirical formula of mu as a function of displacement threshold energy, E-d,more » is presented for bcc metals.« less

  11. Steam reforming of simulated bio-oil on K-Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3: The effect of K

    DOE PAGES

    Yu, Ning; Rahman, Muhammad Mahfuzur; Chen, Jixiang; ...

    2018-04-10

    Steam reforming of simulated bio-oil (ethanol, acetone, phenol, and acetic acid) and phenol has been studied on K-Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3 composite catalysts. Complementary characterization techniques, such as nitrogen sorption, XRD, H 2-TPR, H 2-TPD, CO-TPD, CO-DRIFTS, and in situ XPS, were used to correlate surface structure and functionality to catalytic performance of potassium (K) doped catalysts. K doping of the Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3 catalyst created a Ni°/Ni 2+ mixed active phase, which not only enhanced steam reforming activity, but also suppressed the methanation reaction. In addition, K doping changed the surface acid-basic properties of the catalyst, which instead favor themore » gasifcation and water-gas shift reactions. In conclusion, with the combination of these effects, K doping of Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3 catalysts led to higher C1 yield and much lower methane formation, favoring hydrogen production in steam reforming of both phenol and simulated bio-oil.« less

  12. Steam reforming of simulated bio-oil on K-Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3: The effect of K

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yu, Ning; Rahman, Muhammad Mahfuzur; Chen, Jixiang

    Steam reforming of simulated bio-oil (ethanol, acetone, phenol, and acetic acid) and phenol has been studied on K-Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3 composite catalysts. Complementary characterization techniques, such as nitrogen sorption, XRD, H 2-TPR, H 2-TPD, CO-TPD, CO-DRIFTS, and in situ XPS, were used to correlate surface structure and functionality to catalytic performance of potassium (K) doped catalysts. K doping of the Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3 catalyst created a Ni°/Ni 2+ mixed active phase, which not only enhanced steam reforming activity, but also suppressed the methanation reaction. In addition, K doping changed the surface acid-basic properties of the catalyst, which instead favor themore » gasifcation and water-gas shift reactions. In conclusion, with the combination of these effects, K doping of Ni-Cu-Mg-Ce-O/Al 2O 3 catalysts led to higher C1 yield and much lower methane formation, favoring hydrogen production in steam reforming of both phenol and simulated bio-oil.« less

  13. Preparation of a Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst with high activity and resistance to potassium poisoning during direct internal reforming of methane in molten carbonate fuel cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jang, Won-Jun; Jung, You-Shick; Shim, Jae-Oh; Roh, Hyun-Seog; Yoon, Wang Lai

    2018-02-01

    Steam reforming of methane (SRM) is conducted using a series of Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalysts for direct internal reforming (DIR) in molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFCs). Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalysts are prepared by the homogeneous precipitation method with a variety of MgO loading amounts ranging from 3 to 15 wt%. In addition, each precursor concentrations are systemically changed (Ni: 1.2-4.8 mol L-1; Mg: 0.3-1.2 mol L-1; Al: 0.4-1.6 mol L-1) at the optimized composition (10 wt% MgO). The effects of MgO loading and precursor concentration on the catalytic performance and resistance against poisoning of the catalyst by potassium (K) are investigated. The Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst with 10 wt% MgO and the original precursor concentration (Ni: 1.2 mol L-1; Mg: 0.3 mol L-1; Al: 0.4 mol L-1) exhibits the highest CH4 conversion and resistance against K poisoning even at the extremely high gas space velocity (GHSV) of 1,512,000 h-1. Excellent SRM performance of the Ni-MgO-Al2O3 catalyst is attributed to strong metal (Ni) to alumina support interaction (SMSI) when magnesium oxide (MgO) is co-precipitated with the Ni-Al2O3. The enhanced interaction of the Ni with MgO-Al2O3 support is found to protect the active Ni species against K poisoning.

  14. Grain boundary phases in bcc metals

    DOE PAGES

    Frolov, T.; Setyawan, W.; Kurtz, R. J.; ...

    2018-01-01

    Evolutionary grand-canonical search predicts novel grain boundary structures and multiple grain boundary phases in elemental body-centered cubic (bcc) metals represented by tungsten, tantalum and molybdenum.

  15. Martensitic Transformation in a β-Type Mg-Sc Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogawa, Yukiko; Ando, Daisuke; Sutou, Yuji; Somekawa, Hidetoshi; Koike, Junichi

    2018-03-01

    Recently, we found that a Mg-Sc alloy with a bcc (β) phase exhibits superelasticity and a shape memory effect at low temperature. In this work, we examined the stress-induced and thermally induced martensitic transformation of the β-type Mg-Sc alloy and investigated the crystal structure of the thermally induced martensite phase based on in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The lattice constants of the martensite phase were calculated to be a = 0.3285 nm, b = 0.5544 nm, and c = 0.5223 nm when we assumed that the martensite phase has an orthorhombic structure (Cmcm). Based on the lattice correspondence between a bcc and an orthorhombic structures such as that in the case of β-Ti shape memory alloys, we estimated the transformation strain of the β Mg-Sc alloy. As a result, the transformation strains along the 001, 011, and 111 directions in the β phase were calculated to be + 5.7, + 8.8, and + 3.3%, respectively.

  16. Insight into the phase evolution of a NiMgAl catalyst from the reduction stage to the post-reaction stage during the dry reforming of methane [Insight into the phase evolution of NiMgAl catalyst from reduction to post-reaction for dry reforming of methane

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bao, Zhenghong; Zhan, Yiqiu; Street, Jason

    Herein, phase evolution of a NiMgAl oxide catalyst at the reduction stage was qualitatively analysed and quantitatively determined by employing the continuous changes in its XRD intensity and TPR information. In conclusion, the stable crystallite size of both the active metal and spinel support was responsible for the long stability of the NiMgAl catalyst without carbon deposition during the DRM reaction.

  17. Insight into the phase evolution of a NiMgAl catalyst from the reduction stage to the post-reaction stage during the dry reforming of methane [Insight into the phase evolution of NiMgAl catalyst from reduction to post-reaction for dry reforming of methane

    DOE PAGES

    Bao, Zhenghong; Zhan, Yiqiu; Street, Jason; ...

    2017-05-04

    Herein, phase evolution of a NiMgAl oxide catalyst at the reduction stage was qualitatively analysed and quantitatively determined by employing the continuous changes in its XRD intensity and TPR information. In conclusion, the stable crystallite size of both the active metal and spinel support was responsible for the long stability of the NiMgAl catalyst without carbon deposition during the DRM reaction.

  18. Coating of biodegradable magnesium alloy bone implants using nanostructured diopside (CaMgSi2O6)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Razavi, Mehdi; Fathi, Mohammadhossein; Savabi, Omid; Beni, Batoul Hashemi; Razavi, Seyed Mohammad; Vashaee, Daryoosh; Tayebi, Lobat

    2014-01-01

    Magnesium alloys with their biodegradable characteristic can be a very good candidate to be used in orthopedic implants. However, magnesium alloys may corrode and degrade too fast for applications in the bone healing procedure. In order to enhance the corrosion resistance and the in vitro bioactivity of a magnesium alloy, a nanostructured diopside (CaMgSi2O6) film was coated on AZ91 magnesium alloy through combined micro-arc oxidation (MAO) and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) methods. The crystalline structures, morphologies and compositions of the coated and uncoated substrates were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and immersion test in simulated body fluid (SBF) were employed to evaluate the corrosion resistance and the in vitro bioactivity of the samples. The results of our investigation showed that the nanostructured diopside coating deposited on the MAO layer increases the corrosion resistance and improves the in vitro bioactivity of the biodegradable magnesium alloy.

  19. Structural characterization of Mg substituted on A/B sites in NiFe_2O_4 nanoparticles using autocombustion method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    De, Manojit; Tewari, H. S.

    2017-07-01

    In the present paper, we are reporting the synthesis of pure nickel and magnesium ferrite [NiFe_2O_4, MgFe_2O_4] and magnesium-substituted nickel ferrite (Ni_{1-x}Mg_{x/y}Fe_{2-y}O_4; x=y=0.60) on A/B sites with particles size in nanometer range using autocombustion technique. In this study, it has been observed that with increase in sintering temperature, the estimated bulk density of the materials increases. The XRD patterns of the samples show the formation of single-phase materials and the lattice parameters are estimated from XRD patterns. From Raman spectra, the Raman shift of pure NiFe_2O_4 and MgFe_2O_4 are comparable with the experimental values reported in literature. The Raman spectra give five Raman active modes (A_{{1g}} + Eg + 3F_{2g}) which are expected in the spinel structure.

  20. Structural study of Ni- or Mg-based complexes incorporated within UiO-66-NH{sub 2} framework and their impact on hydrogen sorption properties

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Žunkovič, E.; Mazaj, M.; Mali, G.

    2015-05-15

    Nickel and magnesium acetylacetonate molecular complexes were post-synthetically incorporated into microporous zirconium-based MOF (UiO-66-NH{sub 2}) in order to introduce active open-metal sites for hydrogen sorption. Elemental analysis, nitrogen physisorption and DFT calculations revealed that 5 molecules of Ni(acac){sub 2} or 2 molecules of Mg(acac){sub 2} were incorporated into one unit cell of UiO-66-NH{sub 2}. {sup 1}H–{sup 13}C CPMAS and {sup 1}H MAS NMR spectroscopy showed that, although embedded within the pores, both Ni- and Mg-complexes interacted with the UiO-66-NH{sub 2} framework only through weak van der Waals bonds. Inclusion of metal complexes led to the decrease of hydrogen sorption capacitiesmore » in Ni-modified as well as in Mg-modified samples in comparison with the parent UiO-66-NH{sub 2}. The isosteric hydrogen adsorption enthalpy slightly increased in the case of Ni-modified material, but not in the case of Mg-modified analogue. - Graphical abstract: A post-synthesis impregnation of Mg- and Ni-acetylacetonate complexes performed on zirconium-based MOF UiO-66-NH{sub 2} does influence the hydrogen sorption performance with respect to the parent matrix. The structural study revealed that Mg- and Ni-acetylacetonate molecules interact with zirconium-terephthalate framework only by weak interactions and they are not covalently bonded to aminoterephthalate ligand. Still, they remain confined into the pores even after hydrogen sorption experiments. - Highlights: • Mg- and Ni-acetylacetonate molecules embedded in the pores of UiO-66-NH{sub 2} by PSM. • Molecules of complexes interact with framework only by van der Waals interactions. • Type/structure of deposited metal-complex impact hydrogen enthalpy of adsorption.« less

  1. Hierarchical NiCo2 O4 nanosheets grown on Ni nanofoam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Gao, Guoxin; Wu, Hao Bin; Ding, Shujiang; Liu, Li-Min; Lou, Xiong Wen David

    2015-02-18

    A high-performance electrode for supercapacitors is designed and synthesized by growing electroactive NiCo2 O4 nanosheets on conductive Ni nanofoam. Because of the structural advantages, the as-prepared Ni@NiCo2 O4 hybrid nanostructure exhibits significantly improved electrochemical performance with high capacitance, excellent rate capability, and good cycling stability. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Ni-catalysed WO3 nanostructures grown by electron beam rapid thermal annealing for NO2 gas sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandrasekaran, Gopalakrishnan; Sundararaj, Anuraj; Therese, Helen Annal; Jeganathan, K.

    2015-07-01

    Ni-catalysed WO3 (Ni-WO3) nanowires and nanosheets were grown on Si (100) substrates using electron beam evaporation followed by electron beam-assisted rapid thermal annealing process. Gas-sensing measurements were performed for various concentrations of NO2 in dry air at a temperature range of 50-400 °C. Nanowires and nanosheets show optimum sensor response of 229 and 197 at operating temperatures of 200 and 250 °C, respectively, for 100 ppm of NO2 exposure. Nanowires demonstrated a rapid response time of 66 s, but a slow recovery time of 204 s owing to poor rate of desorption of the adsorbed NO2 gas molecules from the internal porous structure of nanowires. In contrast, the recovery time for nanosheet was 126 s due to higher desorption rate of the adhered NO2 molecules associated with low surface area and less porous structure of nanosheet. The gas-sensing mechanism of WO3 nanostructure is discussed briefly.

  3. In operando neutron diffraction study of LaNdMgNi9H13 as a metal hydride battery anode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nazer, N. S.; Denys, R. V.; Yartys, V. A.; Hu, Wei-Kang; Latroche, M.; Cuevas, F.; Hauback, B. C.; Henry, P. F.; Arnberg, L.

    2017-03-01

    La2MgNi9-related alloys are superior metal hydride battery anodes as compared to the commercial AB5 alloys. Nd-substituted La2-yNdyMgNi9 intermetallics are of particular interest because of increased diffusion rate of hydrogen and thus improved performance at high discharge currents. The present work presents in operando characterization of the LaNdMgNi9 intermetallic as anode for the nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery. We have studied the structural evolution of LaNdMgNi9 during its charge and discharge using in situ neutron powder diffraction. The work included experiments using deuterium gas and electrochemical charge-discharge measurements. The alloy exhibited a high electrochemical discharge capacity (373 mAh/g) which is 20% higher than the AB5 type alloys. A saturated β-deuteride synthesized by solid-gas reaction at PD2 = 1.6 MPa contained 12.9 deuterium atoms per formula unit (D/f.u.) which resulted in a volume expansion of 26.1%. During the electrochemical charging, the volume expansion (23.4%) and D-contents were found to be slightly reduced. The reversible electrochemical cycling is performed through the formation of a two-phase mixture of the α-solid solution and β-hydride phases. Nd substitution contributes to the high-rate dischargeability, while maintaining a good cyclic stability. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to characterize the anode electrode on cycling. A mathematical model for the impedance response of a porous electrode was utilized. The EIS showed a decreased hydrogen transport rate during the long-term cycling, which indicated a corresponding slowing down of the electrochemical processes at the surface of the metal hydride anode.

  4. Impact of initial catalyst form on the 3D structure and performance of ball-milled Ni-catalyzed MgH 2 for hydrogen storage

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    House, Stephen D.; Vajo, John J.; Ren, Chai

    Although it has been shown that the hydrogen storage kinetics of metal hydrides can be significantly improved by the addition of transition metal-based catalysts, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact that the form in which these catalysts are introduced during synthesis has on the resulting structure and how this alters performance. Two mixtures of MgH 2 doped with Ni were prepared via high-energy ball-milling under identical conditions, one using a pure Ni nanopowder catalyst and the other using anhydrous NiCl 2. The resulting Ni catalyst particles of the NiCl 2-doped material were 10-100 times smaller, as wellmore » as more uniform in size and shape. Electron tomography revealed that the additive form also altered its incorporation and 3D spatial distribution, with Ni particles limited to the outer surface in the NiCl 2-doped case. The significantly lower desorption performance measured in the NiCl 2-doped material is attributed to regions of MgCl 2 acting as barriers between the MgH 2 and Ni, hindering the ability of the latter to effectively catalyze the reactions. Finally, this work demonstrates the hazards in assuming different catalyst forms produce similar final structures and highlights the potential of catalyst form as a synthesis tool for optimizing the material structure and performance.« less

  5. Impact of initial catalyst form on the 3D structure and performance of ball-milled Ni-catalyzed MgH 2 for hydrogen storage

    DOE PAGES

    House, Stephen D.; Vajo, John J.; Ren, Chai; ...

    2017-02-24

    Although it has been shown that the hydrogen storage kinetics of metal hydrides can be significantly improved by the addition of transition metal-based catalysts, relatively little attention has been paid to the impact that the form in which these catalysts are introduced during synthesis has on the resulting structure and how this alters performance. Two mixtures of MgH 2 doped with Ni were prepared via high-energy ball-milling under identical conditions, one using a pure Ni nanopowder catalyst and the other using anhydrous NiCl 2. The resulting Ni catalyst particles of the NiCl 2-doped material were 10-100 times smaller, as wellmore » as more uniform in size and shape. Electron tomography revealed that the additive form also altered its incorporation and 3D spatial distribution, with Ni particles limited to the outer surface in the NiCl 2-doped case. The significantly lower desorption performance measured in the NiCl 2-doped material is attributed to regions of MgCl 2 acting as barriers between the MgH 2 and Ni, hindering the ability of the latter to effectively catalyze the reactions. Finally, this work demonstrates the hazards in assuming different catalyst forms produce similar final structures and highlights the potential of catalyst form as a synthesis tool for optimizing the material structure and performance.« less

  6. Bi-Component Nanostructured Arrays of Co Dots Embedded in Ni80Fe20 Antidot Matrix: Synthesis by Self-Assembling of Polystyrene Nanospheres and Magnetic Properties.

    PubMed

    Coïsson, Marco; Celegato, Federica; Barrera, Gabriele; Conta, Gianluca; Magni, Alessandro; Tiberto, Paola

    2017-08-23

    A bi-component nanostructured system composed by a Co dot array embedded in a Ni 80 Fe 20 antidot matrix has been prepared by means of the self-assembling polystyrene nanospheres lithography technique. Reference samples constituted by the sole Co dots or Ni 80 Fe 20 antidots have also been prepared, in order to compare their properties with those of the bi-component material. The coupling between the two ferromagnetic elements has been studied by means of magnetic and magneto-transport measurements. The Ni 80 Fe 20 matrix turned out to affect the vortex nucleation field of the Co dots, which in turn modifies the magneto-resistance behaviour of the system and its spinwave properties.

  7. Surface microstructure and in vitro analysis of nanostructured akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O7) coating on biodegradable magnesium alloy for biomedical applications.

    PubMed

    Razavi, Mehdi; Fathi, Mohammadhossein; Savabi, Omid; Hashemi Beni, Batoul; Vashaee, Daryoosh; Tayebi, Lobat

    2014-05-01

    Magnesium (Mg) alloys, owing to their biodegradability and good mechanical properties, have potential applications as biodegradable orthopedic implants. However, several poor properties including low corrosion resistance, mechanical stability and cytocompatibility have prevented their clinical application, as these properties may result in the sudden failure of the implants during the bone healing. In this research, nanostructured akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O7) powder was coated on the AZ91 Mg alloy through electrophoretic deposition (EPD) assisted micro arc oxidation (MAO) method to modify the properties of the alloy. The surface microstructure of coating, corrosion resistance, mechanical stability and cytocompatibility of the samples were characterized with different techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrochemical corrosion test, immersion test, compression test and cell culture test. The results showed that the nanostructured akermanite coating can improve the corrosion resistance, mechanical stability and cytocompatibility of the biodegradable Mg alloy making it a promising material to be used as biodegradable bone implants for orthopedic applications. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Possible metastable rhombohedral states of the bcc transition metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mehl, Michael; Finkenstadt, Daniel

    2007-03-01

    The energy E(c/a) for a bcc element stretched along its [001] axis (the Bain path) has a minimum at c/a = 1, a maximum at c/a = √2, and an elastically unstable local minimum at c/a > √2. A rhombohedral strain is an alternative method of connecting the bcc and fcc structures. The primitive lattice keeps R3m symmetry, with the angle α changing from 109.4^o (bcc), to 90^o (simple cubic), to 60^o (fcc). We studied this path for the non-magnetic bcc transition metals (V, Nb, Mo, Ta, and W) using both a full-potential LAPW and PAW VASP. Except for Ta, the energy E(α) has a local maximum at α=60^o, with local minima near 55^o and 70^o, the later having lower energy. We studied the elastic stability of the 70^o minimum structure. Only W is elastically stable in this structure, with the smallest eigenvalue of the elastic tensor at 4 GPa, while the other three elements are unstable. We discuss the possibility that Tungsten is actually metastable in this structure. We also consider the possible epitaxial growth of this structure. M. J. Mehl, A. Aguayo, L. L. Boyer, and R. De Coss, Phys. Rev. B 70, 014105 (2004).

  9. Evaluation and comparision of dc resistivity of NiZr x Co x Fe2-2x O4, Ni0.5Sn0.5Co x Mn x Fe2-2x O4, Mg1-x Ca x Ni y Fe2-y O4 and Mg1-x Ni x Co y Fe2-y O4 nanocrytalline materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ali, Rajjab; Gilani, Zaheer Abbas; Shahzad Shifa, Muhammad; Asghar, H. M. Noor Ul Huda Khan; Azhar Khan, Muhammad; Naeem Anjum, Muhammad; Nauman Usmani, Muhammad; Farooq Warsi, Muhammad; Khawaja, Imtiaz U.

    2017-11-01

    Four series nanocrystalline ferrites with nominal composition, NiZr x Co x Fe2-2x O4 (x  =  0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) Ni0.5Sn0.5Co x Mn x Fe2-2x O4 (x  =  0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8), Mg1-x Ca x Ni y Fe2-y O4 (x  =  0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8; y  =  0, 04, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6) and Mg1-x Ni x Co y Fe2-y O4 (x,y  =  0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) have been fabricated using the microemulsion synthesis route. The synthesized materials are investigated for dc electrical resistivity measurements. The variation of dc electrical resistivity of these materials has been explainedon the basis of hopping mechanism of both holes and electrons.

  10. Na, Mg, Ni and Cs distribution and speciation after long-term alteration of a simulated nuclear waste glass: A micro-XAS/XRF/XRD and wet chemical study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Curti, Enzo; Dähn, Rainer; Farges, François; Vespa, Marika

    2009-04-01

    Microscopic distribution and speciation of Na, Mg, Ni and Cs in a simulated (inactive) nuclear waste glass were studied using micro X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) and micro X-ray absorption spectroscopy (μ-XAS), after aqueous leaching during 12 years at 90 °C. Na and Mg are major constituents of the glass that can be used to determine the progress of the glass corrosion process and the nature of secondary alteration phases. Ni and Cs represent dose determining long-lived radionuclides ( 59Ni, 135Cs) in vitrified nuclear waste. The Na-Mg μ-XRF maps revealed that the core regions of the glass fragments are apparently unaltered and compositionally homogeneous, whereas rims and interstitial spaces are enriched with Mg-rich smectite formed during the leaching process. The micro X-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) spectra collected at the Mg K-edge in the altered zones show three sharp resonances typical for crystalline Mg-silicates. These resonances are distinctive of Mg occupying undistorted octahedral positions. In contrast, the μ-XANES spectra collected in the core zones of the glass fragments lack this resonance pattern and are identical to the spectra measured on the pristine (unleached) MW glass. Micro extended X-ray absorption fine structure (μ-EXAFS) and μ-XANES analyses at the Ni K-edge revealed three distinct Ni(II) species: (a) Ni uniformly distributed in the glass matrix, (b) micro-inclusions with high Ni concentrations and (c) Ni associated to the Mg-clay. The comparison with reference spectra of unleached MW and other Ni-bearing silicate glasses indicated that species (a) represents the original coordinative environment of Ni in the glass. The μ-EXAFS analyses revealed that species (b) is structural Ni in trevorite (NiFe 2O 4), which probably formed through unmixing processes during the cooling of the glass melt. The μ-EXAFS of species (c) could be successfully modeled assuming specific adsorption or incorporation of Ni into the lattice of

  11. NiMg/Ceria-Zirconia Cylindrical Pellet Catalysts for Tri-reforming of Surrogate Biogas

    DOE PAGES

    Zhao, Xianhui; Walker, Devin; Maiti, Debtanu; ...

    2017-12-22

    Cylindrical NiMg/Ce 0.6Zr 0.4O 2 pellet catalysts with two different sizes (large: radius = 1.59 mm; and small: radius = 0.75 mm) were produced by extrusion of powder catalysts. The small catalyst pellets had a higher specific surface area, pore volume, average pore size, radial crush strength, and resistance to breakage than the large ones. Tri-reforming tests with surrogate biogas were conducted at 3 bar and 882 °C, with the feed molar ratios of CH 4: CO 2: air fixed at 1.0: 0.7: 0.95 and the H 2O/CH 4 molar feed ratio (0.35 – 1.16) varied. The small catalyst pelletsmore » exhibited lower internal mass transfer resistance and higher coking resistance, compared to the large ones. CO 2 conversion decreased and H 2/CO molar ratio increased with the increase of H 2O/CH 4 molar feed ratio, which are consistent with the trends predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. Finally, the results indicate that the NiMg/Ce 0.6Zr 0.4O 2 catalyst pellets are promising for commercial scale applications.« less

  12. Molecular dynamics study of melting and fcc-bcc transitions in Xe.

    PubMed

    Belonoshko, A B; Ahuja, R; Johansson, B

    2001-10-15

    We have investigated the phase diagram of Xe over a wide pressure-temperature range by molecular dynamics. The calculated melting curve is in good agreement with earlier experimental data. At a pressure of around 25 GPa and a temperature of about 2700 K we find a triple fcc-bcc liquid point. The calculated fcc-bcc boundary is in nice agreement with the experimental points, which, however, were interpreted as melting. This finding suggests that the transition from close-packed to bcc structure might be more common at high pressure and high temperature than was previously anticipated.

  13. Effect of the nanostructure and the surface composition of bimetallic Ni-Ru nanoparticles on the performance of CO methanation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jing; Yuan, Changkun; Yao, Nan; Li, Xiaonian

    2018-05-01

    The Ni/SiO2 catalysts with trace Ru promoter were prepared by either polyethylene glycol (PEG)-assisted or PEG-free impregnation method and were used in CO methanation reaction. The presence of PEG molecules was beneficial to form bimetallic Ni-Ru particles with smaller size, better anti-sintering property and low-temperature reducibility on SiO2 support than the conventional PEG-free derived NiRu/SiO2 catalyst. Moreover, it was found that the low-temperature reduction at 573 K was favorable to form bimetallic Ni-Ru particles with more surface Ru atoms. This nanostructure not only allowed the electron transfer happening from Ru0 to Ni0 which led to its higher electron cloud density, but also could reduce the deposition of less reactive carbon on the catalyst. Therefore, the low-temperature reduction enhanced the reaction stability of NiRu/SiO2 catalyst. The increase of reduction temperature from 573 K to 693 K did not change the size of metallic particles, but decreased the amount of surface Ru atoms. It deactivated the catalyst due to the deposition of more less reactive carbon. Although the higher reduction temperature (e.g. 693 and 793 K) was unfavorable to the reaction stability, it created more surface defects. The amount of defects showed a volcano-shaped correlation with the reduction temperature which was consistent with the variation tendency of turnover frequency of CO conversion. Consequently, it evidenced that the amount of surface Ru atoms and defects on the bimetallic Ni-Ru particle played the critical roles on the stability and the intrinsic activity of methanation, respectively.

  14. In situ preparation of MgCo2O4 nanosheets on Ni-foam as a binder-free electrode for high performance hybrid supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Vijayakumar, Subbukalai; Nagamuthu, Sadayappan; Ryu, Kwang-Sun

    2018-05-15

    A binder-free, MgCo2O4 nanosheet-like architecture was prepared on Ni-foam using a hydrothermal method. MgCo2O4/Ni-foam was characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The FESEM image revealed a nanosheet array-like architecture. The MgCo2O4 nanosheets grown on Ni-foam exhibited the maximum specific capacity of 947 C g-1 at a specific current of 2 A g-1. Approximately 96% of the specific capacity was retained from the maximum specific capacity after 5000 continuous charge-discharge cycles. This hybrid device exhibited a maximum specific capacity of 52 C g-1 at a specific current of 0.5 A g-1, and also exhibited a maximum specific energy of 12.99 W h kg-1 at a specific power of 448.7 W kg-1. These results confirmed that the binder-free MgCo2O4 nanosheets grown on Ni-foam are a suitable positive electrode material for hybrid supercapacitors.

  15. Hydrogen storage and hydrolysis properties of core-shell structured Mg-MFx (M=V, Ni, La and Ce) nano-composites prepared by arc plasma method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mao, Jianfeng; Zou, Jianxin; Lu, Chong; Zeng, Xiaoqin; Ding, Wenjiang

    2017-10-01

    In this work, core-shell structured Mg-MFx (M = V, Ni, La and Ce) nano-composites are prepared by using arc plasma method. The particle size distribution, phase components, microstructures, hydrogen sorption properties of these composites and hydrolysis properties of their corresponding hydrogenated powders are carefully investigated. It is shown that the addition of MFx through arc plasma method can improve both the hydrogen absorption kinetics of Mg and the hydrolysis properties of corresponding hydrogenated powders. Among them, the Mg-NiF2 composite shows the best hydrogen absorption properties at relatively low temperatures, which can absorb 3.26 wt% of H2 at 373 K in 2 h. Such rapid hydrogen absorption rate is mainly due to the formation of Mg2Ni and MgF2 on Mg particles during arc evaporation and condensation. In contrast, measurements also show that the hydrogenated Mg-VF3 composite has the lowest peak desorption temperature and the fastest hydrolysis rate among all the hydrogenated Mg-MFx composites. The less agglomeration tendency of Mg particles and VO2 covered on MgH2 particles account for the reduced hydrogen desorption temperature and enhanced hydrolysis rate.

  16. Incorporation of Mg and Ca into nanostructured Fe2O3 improves Fe solubility in dilute acid and sensory characteristics in foods.

    PubMed

    Hilty, Florentine M; Knijnenburg, Jesper T N; Teleki, Alexandra; Krumeich, Frank; Hurrell, Richard F; Pratsinis, Sotiris E; Zimmermann, Michael B

    2011-01-01

    Iron deficiency is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies worldwide. Food fortification can be an effective and sustainable strategy to reduce Fe deficiency but selection of iron fortificants remains a challenge. Water-soluble compounds, for example, FeSO(4), usually demonstrate high bioavailability but they often cause unacceptable sensory changes in foods. On the other hand, poorly acid-soluble Fe compounds, for example FePO(4), may cause fewer adverse sensory changes in foods but are usually not well bioavailable since they need to be dissolved in the stomach prior to absorption. The solubility and the bioavailability of poorly acid-soluble Fe compounds can be improved by decreasing their primary particle size and thereby increasing their specific surface area. Here, Fe oxide-based nanostructured compounds with added Mg or Ca were produced by scalable flame aerosol technology. The compounds were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fe solubility in dilute acid. Sensory properties of the Fe-based compounds were tested in 2 highly reactive, polyphenol-rich food matrices: chocolate milk and fruit yoghurt. The Fe solubility of nanostructured Fe(2)O(3) doped with Mg or Ca was higher than that of pure Fe(2)O(3). Since good solubility in dilute acid was obtained despite the inhomogeneity of the powders, inexpensive precursors, for example Fe- and Ca-nitrates, can be used for their manufacture. Adding Mg or Ca lightened powder color, while sensory changes when added to foods were less pronounced than for FeSO(4). The combination of high Fe solubility and low reactivity in foods makes these flame-made nanostructured compounds promising for food fortification. Practical Application: The nanostructured iron-containing compounds presented here may prove useful for iron fortification of certain foods; they are highly soluble in dilute acid and likely to be well absorbed in the gut but cause less severe

  17. Sorption Properties of Iron-Magnesium and Nickel-Magnesium Mg2FeH6 and Mg2NiH4 Hydrides

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matysina, Z. A.; Zaginaichenko, S. Yu.; Shchur, D. V.; Gabdullin, M. T.

    2016-06-01

    Based on molecular-kinetic representations, theory of hydrogen absorption-desorption processes in binary Mg-Fe and Mg-Ni alloys is developed. Free energies of hydrides of these alloys are calculated. Equations of their thermodynamically equilibrium state determining the P-T-c diagrams are derived. A temperature dependence of the desorbed hydrogen concentration is established. A maximal desorption temperature is estimated. The state diagrams determining the concentration dependence of the maximal desorption temperature are constructed. Isopleths and isotherms of hydrogen solubility in the alloys are calculated. The possibility of manifestation of the hysteresis effect in hydrogen solubility isotherms is revealed and the decrease of the width and length of a hysteresis loop with increasing temperature is demonstrated together with the influence of the magnesium hydrate MgH2 in Mg2FeH6 samples and running of chemical reactions on the behavior of the isotherms and the occurrence of bends and jumps in them. All established functional dependences of the sorption properties of the examined alloys are compared with experimental data available from the literature.

  18. Density functional theory study of small X-doped Mg(n) (X = Fe, Co, Ni, n = 1-9) bimetallic clusters: equilibrium structures, stabilities, electronic and magnetic properties.

    PubMed

    Kong, Fanjie; Hu, Yanfei

    2014-03-01

    The geometries, stabilities, and electronic and magnetic properties of Mg(n) X (X = Fe, Co, Ni, n = 1-9) clusters were investigated systematically within the framework of the gradient-corrected density functional theory. The results show that the Mg(n)Fe, Mg(n)Co, and Mg(n)Ni clusters have similar geometric structures and that the X atom in Mg(n)X clusters prefers to be endohedrally doped. The average atomic binding energies, fragmentation energies, second-order differences in energy, and HOMO-LUMO gaps show that Mg₄X (X = Fe, Co, Ni) clusters possess relatively high stability. Natural population analysis was performed and the results showed that the 3s and 4s electrons always transfer to the 3d and 4p orbitals in the bonding atoms, and that electrons also transfer from the Mg atoms to the doped atoms (Fe, Co, Ni). In addition, the spin magnetic moments were analyzed and compared. Several clusters, such as Mg₁,₂,₃,₄,₅,₆,₈,₉Fe, Mg₁,₂,₄,₅,₆,₈,₉Co, and Mg₁,₂,₅,₆,₇,₉Ni, present high magnetic moments (4 μ(B), 3 μ(B), and 2 μ(B), respectively).

  19. Nanopatterning of magnetic domains: Fe coverage of self-assembled alumina nanostructure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wu, Qibin; Wang, Bo -Yao; Lin, Wen -Chin

    2015-08-19

    Nanosized ultrathin magnetic films were prepared by controlling the deposition of Fe onto an oxidized NiAl(001) surface with an alumina nanostructure on it. Because the ultrathin ferromagnetic Fe films on the bare NiAl(001) surface are separated by paramagnetic Fe nanoparticles on the alumina stripes, as determined by scanning electron microscopy with spin analysis, they form rectangular domains with sizes ranging from tens of nanometer to larger than a micrometer. Furthermore, magnetic domain patterning can thus be achieved by controlling the Fe coverage and nanostructured template.

  20. Direct and indirect measurement of the magnetocaloric effect in bulk and nanostructured Ni-Mn-In Heusler alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghahremani, Mohammadreza; Aslani, Amir; Hosseinnia, Marjan; Bennett, Lawrence H.; Della Torre, Edward

    2018-05-01

    A systematic study of the magnetocaloric effect of a Ni51Mn33.4In15.6 Heusler alloy converted to nanoparticles via high energy ball-milling technique in the temperature range of 270 to 310 K has been performed. The properties of the particles were characterized by x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and magnetometer techniques. Isothermal magnetic field variation of magnetization exhibits field hysteresis in bulk Ni51Mn33.4In15.6 alloy across the martensitic transition which significantly lessened in the nanoparticles. The magnetocaloric effects of the bulk and nanoparticle samples were measured both with direct method, through our state of the art direct test bed apparatus with controllability over the applied fields and temperatures, as well as an indirect method through Maxwell and thermodynamic equations. In direct measurements, nanoparticle sample's critical temperature decreased by 6 K, but its magnetocaloric effect enhanced by 17% over the bulk counterpart. Additionally, when comparing the direct and indirect magnetocaloric curves, the direct method showed 14% less adiabatic temperature change in the bulk and 5% less adiabatic temperature change in the nanostructured sample.

  1. Magnetic properties of Mg12O12 nanocage doped with transition metal atoms (Mn, Fe, Co and Ni): DFT study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Javan, Masoud Bezi

    2015-07-01

    Binding energy of the Mg12O12 nanocage doped with transition metals (TM=Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) in endohedrally, exohedrally and substitutionally forms were studied using density functional theory with the generalized gradient approximation exchange-correlation functional along 6 different paths inside and outside of the Mg12O12 nanocage. The most stable structures were determined with full geometry optimization near the minimum of the binding energy curves of all the examined paths inside and outside of the Mg12O12 nanocage. The results reveal that for all stable structures, the Ni atom has a larger binding energy than the other TM atoms. It is also found that for all complexes additional peaks contributed by TM-3d, 4s and 4p states appear in the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap of the host MgO cluster. The mid-gap states are mainly due to the hybridization between TM-3d, 4s and 4p orbitals and the cage π orbitals. The magnetic moment of the endohedrally doped TM atoms in the Mg12O12 are preserved to some extent due to the interaction between the TM and Mg12O12 nanocage, in contrast to the completely quenched magnetic moment of the Fe and Ni atoms in the Mg11(TM)O12 complexes. Furthermore, charge population analysis shows that charge transfer occurs from TM atom to the cage for endohedrally and substitutionally doping.

  2. Effects of Ni content on nanocrystalline Fe-Co-Ni ternary alloys synthesized by a chemical reduction method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chokprasombat, Komkrich; Pinitsoontorn, Supree; Maensiri, Santi

    2016-05-01

    Magnetic properties of Fe-Co-Ni ternary alloys could be altered by changing of the particle size, elemental compositions, and crystalline structures. In this work, Fe50Co50-xNix nanoparticles (x=10, 20, 40, and 50) were prepared by the novel chemical reduction process. Hydrazine monohydrate was used as a reducing agent under the concentrated basic condition with the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone). We found that the nanoparticles were composed of Fe, Co and Ni with compositions according to the molar ratio of the metal sources. Interestingly, the particles were well-crystalline at the as-prepared state without post-annealing at high temperature. Increasing Ni content resulted in phase transformation from body centered cubic (bcc) to face centered cubic (fcc). For the fcc phase, the average particle size decreased when increased the Ni content; the Fe50Ni50 nanoparticles had the smallest average size with the narrowest size distribution. In additions, the particles exhibited ferromagnetic properties at room temperature with the coercivities higher than 300 Oe, and the saturation magnetiation decreased with increasing Ni content. These results suggest that the structural and magnetic properties of Fe-Co-Ni alloys could be adjusted by varying the Ni content.

  3. Ab initio model potential calculations on the electronic spectrum of Ni2 + -doped MgO including correlation, spin-orbit and embedding effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Llusar, Rosa; Casarrubios, Marcos; Barandiarán, Zoila; Seijo, Luis

    1996-10-01

    An ab initio theoretical study of the optical absorption spectrum of Ni2+-doped MgO has been conducted by means of calculations in a MgO-embedded (NiO6)10-cluster. The calculations include long- and short-range embedding effects of electrostatic and quantum nature brought about by the MgO crystalline lattice, as well as electron correlation and spin-orbit effects within the (NiO6)10- cluster. The spin-orbit calculations have been performed using the spin-orbit-CI WB-AIMP method [Chem. Phys. Lett. 147, 597 (1988); J. Chem. Phys. 102, 8078 (1995)] which has been recently proposed and is applied here for the first time to the field of impurities in crystals. The WB-AIMP method is extended in order to handle correlation effects which, being necessary to produce accurate energy differences between spin-free states, are not needed for the proper calculation of spin-orbit couplings. The extension of the WB-AIMP method, which is also aimed at keeping the size of the spin-orbit-CI within reasonable limits, is based on the use of spin-free-state shifting operators. It is shown that the unreasonable spin-orbit splittings obtained for MgO:Ni2+ in spin-orbit-CI calculations correlating only 8 electrons become correct when the proposed extension is applied, so that the same CI space is used but energy corrections due to correlating up to 26 electrons are included. The results of the ligand field spectrum of MgO:Ni2+ show good overall agreement with the experimental measurements and a reassignment of the observed Eg(b3T1g) excited state is proposed and discussed.

  4. Interactions of foreign interstitial and substitutional atoms in bcc iron from ab initio calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    You, Y.; Yan, M. F.

    2013-05-01

    C and N atoms are the most frequent foreign interstitial atoms (FIAs), and often incorporated into the surface layers of steels to enhance their properties by thermochemical treatments. Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Nb and Mo are the most common alloying elements in steels, also can be called foreign substitutional atoms (FSAs). The FIA and FSA interactions play an important role in the diffusion of C and N atoms, and the microstructures and mechanical properties of surface modified layers. Ab initio calculations based on the density functional theory are carried out to investigate FIA interactions with FSA in ferromagnetic bcc iron. The FIA-FSA interactions are analyzed systematically from five aspects, including interaction energies, density of states (DOS), bond populations, electron density difference maps and local magnetic moments.

  5. Pyrolysis and gasification of landfilled plastic wastes with Ni-Mg-La/Al2O3 catalyst.

    PubMed

    Kaewpengkrow, Prangtip; Atong, Duangduen; Sricharoenchaikul, Viboon

    2012-12-01

    Pyrolysis and gasification processes were utilized to study the feasibility of producing fuels from landfilled plastic wastes. These wastes were converted in a gasifier at 700-900 degrees C. The equivalence ratio (ER) was varied from 0.4-0.6 with or without addition ofa Ni-Mg-La/Al2O3 catalyst. The pyrolysis and gasification of plastic wastes without catalyst resulted in relatively low H2, CO and other fuel gas products with methane as the major gaseous species. The highest lower heating value (LHV) was obtained at 800 degrees C and for an ER of 0.4, while the maximum cold gas efficiency occurred at 700 degrees C and for an ER of 0.4. The presence of the Ni-Mg-La/Al2O3 catalyst significantly enhanced H2 and CO production as well as increasing the gas energy content to 15.76-19.26 MJ/m3, which is suitable for further usage as quality fuel gas. A higher temperature resulted in more H2 and CO and other product gas yields, while char and liquid (tars) decreased. The maximum gas yield, gas calorific value and cold gas efficiency were achieved when the Ni-Mg-La/Al2O3 catalyst was used at 900 degrees C. In general, addition of prepared catalyst resulted in greater H2, CO and other light hydrocarbon yields from superior conversion of wastes to these gases. Thus, thermochemical treatment of these problematic wastes using pyrolysis and gasification processes is a very attractive alternative for sustainable waste management.

  6. High-strain-rate superplasticity of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with Fe and Ni additions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kotov, A. D.; Mikhaylovskaya, A. V.; Borisov, A. A.; Yakovtseva, O. A.; Portnoy, V. K.

    2017-09-01

    During high-strain-rate superplastic deformation, superplasticity indices, and the microstructure of two Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr alloys with additions of nickel and iron, which contain equal volume fractions of eutectic particles of Al3Ni or Al9FeNi, have been compared. It has been shown that the alloys exhibit superplasticity with 300-800% elongations at the strain rates of 1 × 10-2-1 × 10-1 s-1. The differences in the kinetics of alloy recrystallization in the course of heating and deformation at different temperatures and rates of the superplastic deformation, which are related to the various parameters of the particles of the eutectic phases, have been found. At strain rates higher than 4 × 10-2, in the alloy with Fe and Ni, a partially nonrecrystallized structure is retained up to material failure and, in the alloy with Ni, a completely recrystallized structure is formed at rates of up to 1 × 10-1 s-1.

  7. Ab initio theory of noble gas atoms in bcc transition metals.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Chao; Zhang, Yongfeng; Gao, Yipeng; Gan, Jian

    2018-06-18

    Systematic ab initio calculations based on density functional theory have been performed to gain fundamental understanding of the interactions between noble gas atoms (He, Ne, Ar and Kr) and bcc transition metals in groups 5B (V, Nb and Ta), 6B (Cr, Mo and W) and 8B (Fe). Our charge density analysis indicates that the strong polarization of nearest-neighbor metal atoms by noble gas interstitials is the electronic origin of their high formation energies. Such polarization becomes more significant with an increasing gas atom size and interstitial charge density in the host bcc metal, which explains the similar trend followed by the unrelaxed formation energies of noble gas interstitials. Upon allowing for local relaxation, nearby metal atoms move farther away from gas interstitials in order to decrease polarization, albeit at the expense of increasing the elastic strain energy. Such atomic relaxation is found to play an important role in governing both the energetics and site preference of noble gas atoms in bcc metals. Our most notable finding is that the fully relaxed formation energies of noble gas interstitials are strongly correlated with the elastic shear modulus of the bcc metal, and the physical origin of this unexpected correlation has been elucidated by our theoretical analysis based on the effective-medium theory. The kinetic behavior of noble gas atoms and their interaction with pre-existing vacancies in bcc transition metals have also been discussed in this work.

  8. Structural, optical, and electrical properties of unintentionally doped NiO layers grown on MgO by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Budde, Melanie; Tschammer, Carsten; Franz, Philipp; Feldl, Johannes; Ramsteiner, Manfred; Goldhahn, Rüdiger; Feneberg, Martin; Barsan, Nicolae; Oprea, Alexandru; Bierwagen, Oliver

    2018-05-01

    NiO layers were grown on MgO(100), MgO(110), and MgO(111) substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy under Ni-flux limited growth conditions. Single crystalline growth with a cube-on-cube epitaxial relationship was confirmed by X-ray diffraction measurements for all used growth conditions and substrates except MgO(111). A detailed growth series on MgO(100) was prepared using substrate temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 900 °C to investigate the influence on the layer characteristics. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated close-to-stoichiometric layers with an oxygen content of ≈ 47 at. % and ≈ 50 at. % grown under low and high O-flux, respectively. All NiO layers had a root-mean-square surface roughness below 1 nm, measured by atomic force microscopy, except for rougher layers grown at 900 °C or using molecular oxygen. Growth at 900 °C led to a significant diffusion of Mg from the substrate into the film. The relative intensity of the quasi-forbidden one-phonon Raman peak is introduced as a gauge of the crystal quality, indicating the highest layer quality for growth at low oxygen flux and high growth temperature, likely due to the resulting high adatom diffusion length during growth. The optical and electrical properties were investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry and resistance measurements, respectively. All NiO layers were transparent with an optical bandgap around 3.6 eV and semi-insulating at room temperature. However, changes upon exposure to reducing or oxidizing gases of the resistance of a representative layer at elevated temperature were able to confirm p-type conductivity, highlighting their suitability as a model system for research on oxide-based gas sensing.

  9. Solid state amorphization of metastable Al 0.5TiZrPdCuNi high entropy alloy investigated by high voltage electron microscopy

    DOE PAGES

    Nagase, Takeshi; Takeuchi, Akira; Amiya, Kenji; ...

    2017-07-18

    Here, the phase stability of high entropy alloy (HEA), Al 0.5TiZrPdCuNi, under fast electron irradiation was studied by in-situ high voltage electron microscopy (HVEM). The initial phase of this alloy quenched from the melt was dependent on cooling rate. At high cooling rates an amorphous phase was obtained, whereas a body-centered cubic ( b.c.c.) phase were obtained at low cooling rates. By thermal crystallization of the amorphous phase b.c.c. phase nano-crystals were formed. Upon fast electron irradiation solid state amorphization (SSA) was observed in b.c.c. phase regardless of the initial microstructure (i.e., “coarse crystalline structure” or “nano-crystalline structure with grainmore » boundaries as a sink for point defects”). SSA behavior in the Al 0.5TiZrPdCuNi HEAs was investigated by in-situ transmission electron microscopy observations. Because the amorphization is very rarely achieved in a solid solution phase under fast electron irradiation in common metallic materials, this result suggests that the Al 0.5TiZrPdCuNi HEA from other common alloys and the other HEAs. The differences in phase stability against the irradiation between the Al 0.5TiZrPdCuNi HEA and the other HEAs were discussed. This is the first experimental evidence of SSA in HEAs stimulated by fast electron irradiation.« less

  10. Engineering firecracker-like beta-manganese dioxides@spinel nickel cobaltates nanostructures for high-performance supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuang, Min; Wen, Zhong Quan; Guo, Xiao Long; Zhang, Sheng Mao; Zhang, Yu Xin

    2014-12-01

    An effective and rational strategy is developed for large-scale growth of firecracker-like Ni-substituted Co3O4 (NiCo2O4) nanosheets on β-MnO2 nanowires (NWs) with robust adhesion as high-performance electrode for electrochemical capacitors. The NiCo2O4-MnO2 nanostructures display much higher specific capacitance (343 F g-1 at current density of 0.5 A g-1), better rate capability (75.3% capacitance retention from 0.5 A g-1 to 8 A g-1) and excellent cycle stability (5% capacitance loss after 3000 cycles) than Co3O4-MnO2 nanostructures. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor based on NiCo2O4-MnO2 NWs as the positive electrode and activated graphenes (AG) as the negative electrode achieves an energy density of 9.4 Wh kg-1 and a maximum power density of 2.5 kW kg-1. These attractive findings suggest this novel core-shell nanostructure promising for electrochemical applications as an efficient supercapacitive electrode.

  11. Study of reversible magnetization in FeCoNi alloy nanowires with different diameters by first order reversal curve (FORC) diagrams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samanifar, S.; Kashi, M. Almasi; Ramazani, A.

    2018-05-01

    Magnetic nanowires electrodeposited into solid templates are of high interest due to their tunable properties which are required for magnetic recording media and spintronic devices. Here, highly ordered arrays of FeCoNi NWs with varied diameters (between 60 and 150 nm) were fabricated into nanopores of hard-anodized aluminum oxide templates using pulsed ac electrodeposition technique. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated the formation of FeCoNi NWs with fcc FeNi and bcc FeCo alloy phases, being highly textured along the bcc [110] direction. Magnetic properties were studied by hysteresis loop measurements at room temperature and they showed reductions in coercivity and squareness values by increasing diameter. First-order reversal curve measurements revealed that, with increasing diameter from 60 to 150 nm, besides a transition from a single domain (SD) state to a pseudo SD state, an increase in the reversible magnetization component of the NWs from 11% to 24% occurred.

  12. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  13. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  14. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  15. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  16. Analysis of the structural, electronic and optic properties of Ni doped MgSiP{sub 2} semiconductor chalcopyrite compound

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kocak, Belgin, E-mail: koakbelgin@gmail.com; Ciftci, Yasemin Oztekin, E-mail: yasemin@gazi.edu.tr

    2016-03-25

    The structural, electronic band structure and optic properties of the Ni doped MgSiP{sub 2} chalcopyrite compound have been performed by using first-principles method in the density functional theory (DFT) as implemented in Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP). The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) in the scheme of Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof (PBE) is used for the exchange and correlation functional. The present lattice constant (a) follows generally the Vegard’s law. The electronic band structure, total and partial density of states (DOS and PDOS) are calculated. We present data for the frequency dependence of imaginary and real parts of dielectric functions ofmore » Ni doped MgSiP{sub 2}. For further investigation of the optical properties the reflectivity, refractive index, extinction coefficient and electron energy loss function are also predicted. Our obtained results indicate that the lattice constants, electronic band structure and optical properties of this compound are dependent on the substitution concentration of Ni.« less

  17. Large enhancement of Blocking temperature by control of interfacial structures in Pt/NiFe/IrMn/MgO/Pt multilayers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Xi; Wang, Shouguo, E-mail: sgwang@ustb.edu.cn; Han, Gang

    2015-09-15

    The Blocking temperature (T{sub B}) of Pt/NiFe/IrMn/MgO/Pt multilayers was greatly enhanced from far below room temperature (RT) to above RT by inserting 1 nm thick Mg layer at IrMn/MgO interface. Furthermore, the exchange bias field (H{sub eb}) was increased as well by the control of interfacial structures. The evidence for a significant fraction of Mn-O bonding at IrMn/MgO interface without Mg insertion layer was provided by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The bonding between Mn and O can decrease the antiferromagnetism of IrMn film, leading to lower value of T{sub B} in Pt/NiFe/IrMn/MgO/Pt multilayers. Ultrathin Mg film inserted at IrMn/MgO interface actingmore » as an oxygen sinking layer can suppress the oxidation reactions between Mn and O and reduce the formation of Mn-O bonding greatly. The oxidation suppression results in the recovery of the antiferromagnetism of IrMn film, which can enhance T{sub B} and H{sub eb}. Furthermore, the high resolution transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that the Mg insertion layer can efficiently promote a high-quality MgO (200) texture. This study will enhance the understanding of physics in antiferromagnet-based spintronic devices.« less

  18. Solid-liquid interface free energies of pure bcc metals and B2 phases

    DOE PAGES

    Wilson, S. R.; Gunawardana, K. G. S. H.; Mendelev, M. I.

    2015-04-07

    The solid-liquid interface (SLI) free energy was determined from molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for several body centered cubic (bcc) metals and B2 metallic compounds (space group: Pm3¯m ; prototype: CsCl). In order to include a bcc metal with a low melting temperature in our study, a semi-empirical potential was developed for Na. Two additional synthetic “Na” potentials were also developed to explore the effect of liquid structure and latent heat on the SLI free energy. The obtained MD data were compared with the empirical Turnbull, Laird, and Ewing relations. All three relations are found to predict the general trend observedmore » in the MD data for bcc metals obtained within the present study. However, only the Laird and Ewing relations are able to predict the trend obtained within the sequence of “Na” potentials. The Laird relation provides the best prediction for our MD data and other MD data for bcc metals taken from the literature. Overall, the Laird relation also agrees well with our B2 data but requires a proportionality constant that is substantially different from the bcc case. It also fails to explain a considerable difference between the SLI free energies of some B2 phases which have nearly the same melting temperature. In contrast, this difference is satisfactorily described by the Ewing relation. Thus, the Ewing relation obtained from the bcc dataset also provides a reasonable description of the B2 data.« less

  19. Solid-liquid interface free energies of pure bcc metals and B2 phases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, S. R.; Gunawardana, K. G. S. H.; Mendelev, M. I.

    2015-04-01

    The solid-liquid interface (SLI) free energy was determined from molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for several body centered cubic (bcc) metals and B2 metallic compounds (space group: P m 3 ¯ m ; prototype: CsCl). In order to include a bcc metal with a low melting temperature in our study, a semi-empirical potential was developed for Na. Two additional synthetic "Na" potentials were also developed to explore the effect of liquid structure and latent heat on the SLI free energy. The obtained MD data were compared with the empirical Turnbull, Laird, and Ewing relations. All three relations are found to predict the general trend observed in the MD data for bcc metals obtained within the present study. However, only the Laird and Ewing relations are able to predict the trend obtained within the sequence of "Na" potentials. The Laird relation provides the best prediction for our MD data and other MD data for bcc metals taken from the literature. Overall, the Laird relation also agrees well with our B2 data but requires a proportionality constant that is substantially different from the bcc case. It also fails to explain a considerable difference between the SLI free energies of some B2 phases which have nearly the same melting temperature. In contrast, this difference is satisfactorily described by the Ewing relation. Moreover, the Ewing relation obtained from the bcc dataset also provides a reasonable description of the B2 data.

  20. Solid-liquid interface free energies of pure bcc metals and B2 phases.

    PubMed

    Wilson, S R; Gunawardana, K G S H; Mendelev, M I

    2015-04-07

    The solid-liquid interface (SLI) free energy was determined from molecular dynamics (MD) simulation for several body centered cubic (bcc) metals and B2 metallic compounds (space group: Pm3̄m; prototype: CsCl). In order to include a bcc metal with a low melting temperature in our study, a semi-empirical potential was developed for Na. Two additional synthetic "Na" potentials were also developed to explore the effect of liquid structure and latent heat on the SLI free energy. The obtained MD data were compared with the empirical Turnbull, Laird, and Ewing relations. All three relations are found to predict the general trend observed in the MD data for bcc metals obtained within the present study. However, only the Laird and Ewing relations are able to predict the trend obtained within the sequence of "Na" potentials. The Laird relation provides the best prediction for our MD data and other MD data for bcc metals taken from the literature. Overall, the Laird relation also agrees well with our B2 data but requires a proportionality constant that is substantially different from the bcc case. It also fails to explain a considerable difference between the SLI free energies of some B2 phases which have nearly the same melting temperature. In contrast, this difference is satisfactorily described by the Ewing relation. Moreover, the Ewing relation obtained from the bcc dataset also provides a reasonable description of the B2 data.

  1. Nanostructured CdO-NiO composite for multifunctional applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karthik, K.; Dhanuskodi, S.; Gobinath, C.; Prabukumar, S.; Sivaramakrishnan, S.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, CdO, NiO, and CdO-NiO nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized and investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. XRD detected cubic structures with average crystallite sizes of 45 nm for CdO, 25 nm for NiO, and 30 nm for CdO-NiO. The band gap was estimated based on the ultraviolet-visible spectra. The near band edge emission was determined according to the luminescence spectrum. The antibacterial activities were tested against seven foodborne pathogens and the zones of inhibition with the Gram-negative bacterium Bacillus subtilis measured as 30 mm with CdO, 20 mm NiO, and 27 mm with CdO-NiO. The death of the bacterial cells was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscope analysis. Cytotoxicity assays indicated the non-toxic effects of the NCs on normal healthy red blood cells. Furthermore, the in vitro cytotoxic effects of the CdO, NiO, and CdO-NiO NCs were examined using the human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line based on 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays with normal mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NH3T3) under identical conditions.

  2. 1D Ni-Co oxide and sulfide nanoarray/carbon aerogel hybrid nanostructures for asymmetric supercapacitors with high energy density and excellent cycling stability.

    PubMed

    Hao, Pin; Tian, Jian; Sang, Yuanhua; Tuan, Chia-Chi; Cui, Guanwei; Shi, Xifeng; Wong, C P; Tang, Bo; Liu, Hong

    2016-09-15

    The fabrication of supercapacitor electrodes with high energy density and excellent cycling stability is still a great challenge. A carbon aerogel, possessing a hierarchical porous structure, high specific surface area and electrical conductivity, is an ideal backbone to support transition metal oxides and bring hope to prepare electrodes with high energy density and excellent cycling stability. Therefore, NiCo 2 S 4 nanotube array/carbon aerogel and NiCo 2 O 4 nanoneedle array/carbon aerogel hybrid supercapacitor electrode materials were synthesized by assembling Ni-Co precursor needle arrays on the surface of the channel walls of hierarchical porous carbon aerogels derived from chitosan in this study. The 1D nanostructures grow on the channel surface of the carbon aerogel vertically and tightly, contributing to the enhanced electrochemical performance with ultrahigh energy density. The energy density of NiCo 2 S 4 nanotube array/carbon aerogel and NiCo 2 O 4 nanoneedle array/carbon aerogel hybrid asymmetric supercapacitors can reach up to 55.3 Wh kg -1 and 47.5 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 400 W kg -1 , respectively. These asymmetric devices also displayed excellent cycling stability with a capacitance retention of about 96.6% and 92% over 5000 cycles.

  3. Engineering Nanostructures by Decorating Magnetic Nanoparticles onto Graphene Oxide Sheets to Shield Electromagnetic Radiations.

    PubMed

    Mural, Prasanna Kumar S; Pawar, Shital Patangrao; Jayanthi, Swetha; Madras, Giridhar; Sood, Ajay K; Bose, Suryasarathi

    2015-08-05

    In this study, a minimum reflection loss of -70 dB was achieved for a 6 mm thick shield (at 17.1 GHz frequency) employing a unique approach. This was accomplished by engineering nanostructures through decoration of magnetic nanoparticles (nickel, Ni) onto graphene oxide (GO) sheets. Enhanced electromagnetic (EM) shielding was derived by selectively localizing the nanoscopic particles in a specific phase of polyethylene (PE)/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blends. By introduction of a conducting inclusion (like multiwall carbon nanotubes, MWNTs) together with the engineered nanostructures (nickel-decorated GO, GO-Ni), the shielding efficiency can be enhanced significantly in contrast to physically mixing the particles in the blends. For instance, the composites showed a shielding efficiency >25 dB for a combination of MWNTs (3 wt %) and Ni nanoparticles (52 wt %) in PE/PEO blends. However, similar shielding effectiveness could be achieved for a combination of MWNTs (3 wt %) and 10 vol % of GO-Ni where in the effective concentration of Ni was only 19 wt %. The GO-Ni sheets facilitated in an efficient charge transfer as manifested from high electrical conductivity in the blends besides enhancing the permeability in the blends. It is envisioned that GO is simultaneously reduced in the process of synthesizing GO-Ni, and this facilitated in efficient charge transfer between the neighboring CNTs. More interestingly, the blends with MWNTs/GO-Ni attenuated the incoming EM radiation mostly by absorption. This study opens new avenues in designing polyolefin-based lightweight shielding materials by engineering nanostructures for numerous applications.

  4. Theoretical investigation on the magnetostatic interaction between two wire-tube nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Riveros, A.; Salazar-Aravena, D.; Escrig, J.

    2017-04-01

    In this paper we have calculated analytically the magnetostatic interaction between two wire-tube nanostructures as a function of their magnetic and geometric parameters. As expected, the interaction energy increases as the nanostructures approach, but interestingly when the nanostructures are close enough, a non-monotonic behavior with the wire-tube portions is reported. Besides, we investigate the hysteresis loop for two interacting Ni81Fe19 wire-tube nanostructures by micromagnetic simulations in order to study how the interaction affects the magnetic properties of these nanostructures. This work allows for the study of magnetostatic interactions between wire-tube nanostructures that have been proposed as an interesting alternative to store information or even perform logic functions, because to their ability to pin a domain wall.

  5. Effect of Er3+ ions on the phase formation and properties of In2O3nanostructures crystallized upon microwave heating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lemos, Samantha C. S.; Romeiro, Fernanda C.; de Paula, Leonardo F.; Gonçalves, Rosana F.; de Moura, Ana P.; Ferrer, Mateus M.; Longo, Elson; Patrocinio, Antonio Otavio T.; Lima, Renata C.

    2017-05-01

    Regular sized nanostructures of indium oxide (In2O3) were homogeneously grown using a facile route, i.e. a microwave-hydrothermal method combined with rapid thermal treatment in a microwave oven. The presence of Er3+ doping plays an important role in controlling the formation of cubic (bcc) and rhombohedral (rh) In2O3 phases. The samples presented broad photoluminescent emission bands in the green-orange region, which were attributed to the recombination of electrons at oxygen vacancies. The photocatalytic activities of pure bcc-In2O3 and a bcc-rh-In2O3 mixture towards the UVA degradation of methylene blue (MB) were also evaluated. The results showed that Er+3 doped In2O3 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with a photonic efficiency three times higher than the pure oxide. The improved performance was attributed to the higher surface area, the greater concentration of electron traps due the presence of the dopant and the possible formation of heterojunctions between the cubic and rhombohedral phases.

  6. Landau free energy for a bcc-hcp reconstructive phase transformation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sanati, Mahdi; Saxena, A.; Lookman, T.

    We study the bcc-hcp phase transition in Ti and Zr with the use of first-principles calculations. We have determined the complete energy surface from the bcc to hcp structure. The results are used to find an appropriate Landau free energy density for describing this transformation. The proposed Landau free energy density has two relevant order parameters: shear and shuffle. Through first-principles calculations, we show that the bcc structure is unstable with respect to the shuffle of atoms (TA{sub 1} N-point phonon) rather than the shear. Therefore, we reduce the two order parameter Landau free energy to an effective one ordermore » parameter (shuffle) potential, which is a reasonable approximation. In general, the effective Landau free energy is a triple-well potential. From the phonon dispersion data and the change in entropy at the transition temperature we find the free energy coefficients for Ti and Zr.« less

  7. Thermolysis synthesis of pure phase NiO from novel sonochemical synthesized Ni(II) nano metal-organic supramolecular architecture.

    PubMed

    Hanifehpour, Younes; Morsali, Ali; Mirtamizdoust, Babak; Joo, Sang Woo; Soltani, Behzad

    2017-07-01

    Nano-structures of a new supramolecular coordination compound of divalent nickel with the pyrazol (pzH) containing the terminal azide anions, [Ni(pzH) 2 (N 3 ) 2 ] (1), with discrete molecular architecture (DMA) in solid state was synthesized via sonochemical method. The new nanostructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, IR, and elemental analysis. Compound 1 was structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and the single-crystal X-ray data shows that the coordination number of Ni (II) ions is six, (NiN 6 ), with four N-donor atoms from neutral "pzH" ligands and two N-donors from two terminal azide anions. The supramolecular features in these complexes are guided and controlled by weak directional intermolecular interactions. The structure of the title complex was optimized by density functional theory calculations. Calculated structural parameters and IR spectra for the title complex are consistent with the crystal structure. The NiO nanoparticles were obtained by thermolysis of 1 at 180°C with oleic acid as a surfactant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Effect of annealing on structural, optical, and electrical properties of nickel (Ni)/indium tin oxide (ITO) nanostructures prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sobri, M.; Shuhaimi, A.; Hakim, K. M.; Ganesh, V.; Mamat, M. H.; Mazwan, M.; Najwa, S.; Ameera, N.; Yusnizam, Y.; Rusop, M.

    2014-06-01

    Nickel (Ni)/indium tin oxide (ITO) nanostructures were deposited on glass and silicon (1 1 1) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering using nickel and ITO (In-Sn, 90-10%) targets. The post-deposition annealing has been performed for Ni/ITO films in air. The effect of annealing temperature on the electrical, optical and structural properties of ITO films was studied. We found the appearance of (6 2 2) peak in addition to (4 0 0) and (2 2 2) major peaks, which indicates an enhancement of the film crystallinity at high temperature annealing of 650 °C. The samples show higher transmittance of more than 90% at 470 nm after annealing which is suitable for blue light emitting diode (LED) application. The optical energy bandgap is shifted from 3.51 to 3.65 eV for the Ni/ITO film after annealing at 650 °C. In addition, increasing the annealing temperature improves the film electrical properties. The resistivity value decreases from 3.77 × 10-5 Ω cm to 1.09 × 10-6 Ω cm upon increasing annealing temperature.

  9. Mixed oxides of sodium, antimony (5+) and divalent metals (Ni, Co, Zn or Mg)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Politaev, V. V.; Nalbandyan, V. B.; Petrenko, A. A.; Shukaev, I. L.; Volotchaev, V. A.; Medvedev, B. S.

    2010-03-01

    A family of α-NaFeO 2-type oxides Na xM (1+x)/3Sb (2-x)/3O 2 ( M=Ni, Co, Zn, Mg; x≈0.8 or 0.9) has been prepared by solid state reactions and characterized by powder XRD. At x=1, ordering occurs with tripling the unit cells and formula units. The powder patterns for Na 3M2SbO 6 ( M=Ni, Co) comply with both trigonal P3 112 cell and monoclinic C2/ m cell. The Ni compound exhibits also a series of extremely weak reflections ( I<0.3%) that need doubling of the c axis, and the final cell is C2/ c, a=5.3048(3), b=9.1879(4), c=10.8356(7), β=99.390(5). These ambiguities are explained by stacking faults. The compounds absorb atmospheric moisture with c-axis expansion up to 29%. A delafossite-related superlattice Ag 3Co 2SbO 6 has been prepared by ion exchange and refined: P3 112, a=5.3842(2), c=18.6613(10). Ionic conductivity of the Na 0.8Ni 0.6Sb 0.4O 2 ceramics, 0.4 S/m at 300 °C, is greater than reported previously, presumably owing to the grain orientation produced by hot pressing.

  10. Fabrication of ordered Fe–Ni nitride film with equiatomic Fe/Ni ratio

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Takata, Fumiya; Ito, Keita; Suemasu, Takashi

    2018-05-01

    We successfully grew a single-phase tetragonal FeNiN film with an equiatomic ratio of Fe, Ni, and N on a MgO(001) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. We then demonstrated the formation of Fe2Ni2N films by extracting N atoms from the FeNiN film. These results suggested that Fe and Ni atoms in the Fe2Ni2N film were L10-ordered along the film plane direction because of the a-axis orientation growth of the FeNiN film on the MgO(001) substrate.

  11. Highly Reflective Nonalloyed Ni/Ag/Pt Contact to Mg-Si Codoped p-GaN for Enhanced Efficiency of Light-Emitting Diodes.

    PubMed

    Oh, Munsik; Kim, Hyunsoo

    2015-10-01

    The authors report enhanced efficiency of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) fabricated with highly reflective nonalloyed Ni/Ag/Pt contact. The Ni/Ag/Pt contact formed on the Mg-Si codoped p-GaN produced the low specific contact resistance of 7.9 x 10(-4) Ωcm2 under as-deposited condition, which is comparable to the reference reflector (annealed at 500 °C for 1 min in oxygen ambient). Current-voltage-temperature measurements and the secondary ion mass spectroscopy revealed that the ohmic mechanism of the nonalloyed Ni/Ag/Pt contact is due to the more generated deep-level states associated with Mg-Si codoping, which act as the efficient hopping centers for the carrier transport at the contact/p-GaN interface. Due to the absence of interfacial reaction, the nonalloyed Ni/Ag/Pt contact showed much higher optical reflectivity (93.4% at 450 nm) as compared to the annealed sample (57.7%), resulting in a 40.5% brighter light output power as compared to the reference LEDs.

  12. Study of Structural and Magnetic Properties of Silica and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG-4000)-Encapsulated Magnesium Nickel Ferrite (Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4) Nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deswardani, F.; Maulia, R.; Suharyadi, E.

    2017-05-01

    Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 has been successfully synthesized by using co-precipitation method. Two series of Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 silica encapsulated have been prepared by varying the concentration of silica and variation of PEG-4000 concentration. Analysis of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that nanoparticles contained Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 spinel phase and γ-Fe2O3 phase with a particle size of 5.1 nm. The various of silica encapsulation give rise to produce a new phase of SiO2 and increase the particle size to 16.1 nm. PEG-4000 encapsulation affected to create a new phase of γ-FeO(OH), and reduce the particle size down to 4.5 nm. Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) for Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 showed absorption peaks around 300-600 cm-1 which are M-O bond vibration. After silica encapsulation, there was new bond vibration typical of silica such as Si-O-Si (1049.28 cm-1), Si-OH (779.24 cm-1), and Si-O-Fe (570.93 cm-1). The PEG-4000 encapsulation creates a new vibration for typical of PEG-like of C-O (1103.28 cm-1) and C-H (925.83, 1481.33, and 2924.09 cm-1). Both of encapsulations series have M-O bond vibration indicating the presence of Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4. After silica encapsulation, the coercivity of Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 decreased from 47 Oe to 10 Oe due to the decrease of particle size. Even though, the discrepancy of particle size as the effect of PEG-4000 encapsulation, the coercivity just slightly reduced to 46 Oe. The saturation magnetization of Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 decreased from 4.7 emu/g to 1 emu/g after silica encapsulation because diamagnetic SiO2. Otherwise, the saturation magnetization increased to 7.7 emu/g after PEG-4000 encapsulation because of domination of Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4 phase ratio.

  13. Preparation and characterization of mechanically alloyed AB3-type based material LaMg2Ni5Al4 and its solid-gaz hydrogen storage reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaafar, Hassen; Aymard, Luc; Dachraoui, Walid; Demortière, Arnaud; Abdellaoui, Mohieddine

    2018-04-01

    We developed in the present paper the synthesis of a new AB3-type compound LaMg2Ni5Al4 by mechanical alloying (MA) process. ​​X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was used to determine the structural properties and the phase evolution of the powder mixtures. Two different synthesis pathways have been investigated. The first starting from elemental metals and the second from a mixture of two binary compounds LaNi5 (CaCu5-type structure, P6/mmm space group) and Al(Mg) solid solution (cubic Fm-3 m space group). The results show multiphase alloys which contain LaMg2Ni5Al4 main phase with hexagonal PuNi3-type structure (R-3 m space group). Rietveld analysis shows that using a planetary ball mill, we obtain a good yield of LaMg2Ni5Al4 compound after 5 h of mechanical alloying for both synthesis pathways. TEM analysis confirmed XRD results. SEM-EDX analysis of the final product was in agreement with the nominal chemical formula. A setup of possible solid-gaz hydrogenation reaction will be described so far at the end of this work. Electrochemical results demonstrate evidence on hydrogen absorption in the AB3 material and the discharge capacity was equal to 5.9 H/f.u.

  14. Crystal nucleation and metastable bcc phase in charged colloids: A molecular dynamics study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ji, Xinqiang; Sun, Zhiwei; Ouyang, Wenze; Xu, Shenghua

    2018-05-01

    The dynamic process of homogenous nucleation in charged colloids is investigated by brute-force molecular dynamics simulation. To check if the liquid-solid transition will pass through metastable bcc, simulations are performed at the state points that definitely lie in the phase region of thermodynamically stable fcc. The simulation results confirm that, in all of these cases, the preordered precursors, acting as the seeds of nucleation, always have predominant bcc symmetry consistent with Ostwald's step rule and the Alexander-McTague mechanism. However, the polymorph selection is not straightforward because the crystal structures formed are not often determined by the symmetry of intermediate precursors but have different characters under different state points. The region of the state point where bcc crystal structures of large enough size are formed during crystallization is narrow, which gives a reasonable explanation as to why the metastable bcc phase in charged colloidal suspensions is rarely detected in macroscopic experiments.

  15. Boron diffusion in bcc-Fe studied by first-principles calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xianglong, Li; Ping, Wu; Ruijie, Yang; Dan, Yan; Sen, Chen; Shiping, Zhang; Ning, Chen

    2016-03-01

    The diffusion mechanism of boron in bcc-Fe has been studied by first-principles calculations. The diffusion coefficients of the interstitial mechanism, the B-monovacancy complex mechanism, and the B-divacancy complex mechanism have been calculated. The calculated diffusion coefficient of the interstitial mechanism is D0 = 1.05 × 10-7 exp (-0.75 eV/kT) m2 · s-1, while the diffusion coefficients of the B-monovacancy and the B-divacancy complex mechanisms are D1 = 1.22 × 10-6 f1 exp (-2.27 eV/kT) m2 · s-1 and D2 ≈ 8.36 × 10-6 exp (-4.81 eV/kT) m2 · s-1, respectively. The results indicate that the dominant diffusion mechanism in bcc-Fe is the interstitial mechanism through an octahedral interstitial site instead of the complex mechanism. The calculated diffusion coefficient is in accordance with the reported experiment results measured in Fe-3%Si-B alloy (bcc structure). Since the non-equilibrium segregation of boron is based on the diffusion of the complexes as suggested by the theory, our calculation reasonably explains why the non-equilibrium segregation of boron is not observed in bcc-Fe in experiments. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51276016) and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2012CB720406).

  16. Facile preparation of Ni nanowire embedded nitrogen and sulfur dual-doped carbon nanofibers and its superior catalytic activity toward urea oxidation.

    PubMed

    Liu, Dong; Li, Wenjia; Li, Libo; Ling, Hao; You, Tianyan

    2018-06-08

    A novel hairy-shaped Ni nanowire embedded nitrogen and sulfur dual-doped carbon nanofibers (Ni/N,S-CNFs) with superior electrocatalytic properties for urea oxidation reaction (UOR) was reported. The Ni/N,S-CNFs was prepared by electrospinning and carbonization process, using melamine-trithiocyanuric acid (MTCA) aggregates as both the N and S element sources. Noteworthy, MTCA also favored the formation of Ni nanowire via vapor liquid-solid mechanism, while Ni nanoparticles loaded CNFs (Ni/CNFs) was obtained without MTCA. For UOR tests, a high peak current intensity of 37.0 mA mg -1 was obtained on Ni/N,S-CNFs at 0.42 V (vs. SCE), 2-times higher of that on Ni/CNFs. Besides, the catalytic stability of Ni/N,S-CNFs was also improved. The enhanced catalytic properties of Ni/N,S-CNFs for UOR were ascribed to its unique Ni nanowires structure as well as the N, S dual-doping. Our work reveals that the property improvement of metal-based catalysts could be achieved by the heteroatom doping to fine the metal nanostructure. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  17. Dependence of phase configurations, microstructures and magnetic properties of iron-nickel (Fe-Ni) alloy nanoribbons on deoxidization temperature in hydrogen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jing, Panpan; Liu, Mengting; Pu, Yongping; Cui, Yongfei; Wang, Zhuo; Wang, Jianbo; Liu, Qingfang

    2016-11-01

    Iron-nickel (Fe-Ni) alloy nanoribbons were reported for the first time by deoxidizing NiFe2O4 nanoribbons, which were synthesized through a handy route of electrospinning followed by air-annealing at 450 °C, in hydrogen (H2) at different temperatures. It was demonstrated that the phase configurations, microstructures and magnetic properties of the as-deoxidized samples closely depended upon the deoxidization temperature. The spinel NiFe2O4 ferrite of the precursor nanoribbons were firstly deoxidized into the body-centered cubic (bcc) Fe-Ni alloy and then transformed into the face-centered cubic (fcc) Fe-Ni alloy of the deoxidized samples with the temperature increasing. When the deoxidization temperature was in the range of 300 ~ 500 °C, although each sample possessed its respective morphology feature, all of them completely reserved the ribbon-like structures. When it was further increased to 600 °C, the nanoribbons were evolved completely into the fcc Fe-Ni alloy nanochains. Additionally, all samples exhibited typical ferromagnetism. The saturation magnetization (Ms) firstly increased, then decreased, and finally increased with increasing the deoxidization temperature, while the coercivity (Hc) decreased monotonously firstly and then basically stayed unchanged. The largest Ms (~145.7 emu·g-1) and the moderate Hc (~132 Oe) were obtained for the Fe-Ni alloy nanoribbons with a mixed configuration of bcc and fcc phases.

  18. Dependence of phase configurations, microstructures and magnetic properties of iron-nickel (Fe-Ni) alloy nanoribbons on deoxidization temperature in hydrogen.

    PubMed

    Jing, Panpan; Liu, Mengting; Pu, Yongping; Cui, Yongfei; Wang, Zhuo; Wang, Jianbo; Liu, Qingfang

    2016-11-23

    Iron-nickel (Fe-Ni) alloy nanoribbons were reported for the first time by deoxidizing NiFe 2 O 4 nanoribbons, which were synthesized through a handy route of electrospinning followed by air-annealing at 450 °C, in hydrogen (H 2 ) at different temperatures. It was demonstrated that the phase configurations, microstructures and magnetic properties of the as-deoxidized samples closely depended upon the deoxidization temperature. The spinel NiFe 2 O 4 ferrite of the precursor nanoribbons were firstly deoxidized into the body-centered cubic (bcc) Fe-Ni alloy and then transformed into the face-centered cubic (fcc) Fe-Ni alloy of the deoxidized samples with the temperature increasing. When the deoxidization temperature was in the range of 300 ~ 500 °C, although each sample possessed its respective morphology feature, all of them completely reserved the ribbon-like structures. When it was further increased to 600 °C, the nanoribbons were evolved completely into the fcc Fe-Ni alloy nanochains. Additionally, all samples exhibited typical ferromagnetism. The saturation magnetization (M s ) firstly increased, then decreased, and finally increased with increasing the deoxidization temperature, while the coercivity (H c ) decreased monotonously firstly and then basically stayed unchanged. The largest M s (~145.7 emu·g -1 ) and the moderate H c (~132 Oe) were obtained for the Fe-Ni alloy nanoribbons with a mixed configuration of bcc and fcc phases.

  19. Energy barrier of bcc-fcc phase transition via the Bain path in Yukawa system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kiyokawa, Shuji

    2018-05-01

    In the Yukawa system with the dimensionless screening parameter κ>1.5 , when bcc-fcc transition occurs via Bain path, we show that spontaneous transitions do not occur even if the system temperature reaches the transition point of bcc-fcc because it is necessary to increase once the free energy in the process of transition from bcc to fcc through Bain deformation. Here, we refer the temporary increment of the free energy during Bain deformation as Bain barrier. Since there are the Bain barriers at the transitions between bcc and fcc phases, these phases may coexist as metastable state in the wide region (not a coexistence line) of κ and the coupling constant Γ. We study the excess energy of the system and the free energy difference between bcc and fcc phases by the Monte Carlo method, where the simulation box is divided into a large number of elements with small volume and a particle in the box is restricted be placed in one of these elements. By this method, we can tabulate the values of the interparticle potential and can calculate the internal energy fast and precisely.

  20. Shock induced crystallization of amorphous Nickel powders

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cherukara, Mathew; Strachan, Alejandro

    2015-06-01

    Recent experimental work has shown the efficacy of amorphous Ni/crystalline Al composites as energetic materials, with flame velocities twice that of a comparable crystalline Ni/crystalline Al system. Of further interest is the recrystallization mechanisms in the pure amorphous Ni powders, both thermally induced and mechanically induced. We present large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of shock-induced recrystallization in loosely packed amorphous Nickel powders. We study the time dependent nucleation and growth processes by holding the shocked samples at the induced pressures and temperatures for extended periods following the passage of the shock (up to 6 ns). We find that the nanostructure of the recrystallized Ni and time scales of recrystallization are dependent on the piston velocity. At low piston velocities, nucleation events are rare, leading to long incubation times and a relatively coarse nanostructure. At higher piston velocities, local variations in temperature due to jetting phenomena and void collapse, give rise to multiple nucleation events on time scales comparable to the passage of the shock wave, leading to the formation of a fine-grained nanostructure. Interestingly, we observe that the nucleation and growth process occurs in two steps, with the first nuclei crystallizing into the BCC structure, before evolving over time into the expected FCC structure. U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, HDTRA1-10-1-0119 (Program Manager Suhithi Peiris).

  1. Microwave processed NiMg ferrite: Studies on structural and magnetic properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandra Babu Naidu, K.; Madhuri, W.

    2016-12-01

    Ferrites are magnetic semiconductors realizing an important role in electrical and electronic circuits where electrical and magnetic property coupling is required. Though ferrite materials are known for a long time, there is a large scope in the improvement of their properties (vice sintering and frequency dependence of electrical and magnetic properties) with the current technological trends. Forth coming technology is aimed at miniaturization and smart gadgets, electrical components like inductors and transformers cannot be included in integrated circuits. These components are incorporated into the circuit as surface mount devices whose fabrication involves low temperature co-firing of ceramics and microwave monolithic integrated circuits technologies. These technologies demand low temperature sinter-ability of ferrites. This article presents low temperature microwave sintered Ni-Mg ferrites of general chemical formula Ni1-xMgxFe2O4 (x=0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1) for potential applications as transformer core materials. The series of ferrites are characterized using X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and vibrating sample magnetometer for investigating structural, morphological and magnetic properties respectively. The initial permeability is studied with magnesium content, temperature and frequency in the temperature range of 308 K-873 K and 42 Hz-5 MHz.

  2. Polymorphism of the bivalent metal vanadates MeV 2O 6 ( Me = Mg, Ca, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mocała, Krzysztof; Ziółkowski, Jacek

    1987-08-01

    Based on the literature data, our former findings and additional DTA and high-temperature X-ray studies performed for CdV 2O 6, MgV 2O 6, and MnV 2O 6, a consistent scheme of the phase transformations of the MeV 2O 6 ( Me = Mg, Ca, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd) metavanadates is constructed at normal pressure between room temperature and melting points. Three types of structures exist for the considered compounds: brannerite type (B), pseudobrannerite type (P), and NiV 2O 6 type (N). The following phase transformations have been observed: Me = Mg, B → P at 535°C; Me = Mn, B → P at 540°C; Me = Co, N → B at 660°C; Me = Cu, B (with triclinic distortion) → B at 625°C (secondary order); and Me = Cd, B → P at 170°. CaV 2O 6P, NiV 2O 6N, and ZnV 2O 6B exist in unique form in the entire temperature range. P-form seems to be favored by Me of larger ionic radii. N-form seems to appear at a peculiar d-shell structure and small Me size. Preliminary explanation of the dependence of the structure type on Me size is offered. New X-ray data are given for CdV 2O 6B, CdV 2O 6P, MgV 2O 6B, MgV 2O 6P, and MnV 2O 6P.

  3. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies of the Co(II) and Ni(II) ions removal from aqueous solutions by Ca-Mg phosphates.

    PubMed

    Ivanets, A I; Srivastava, V; Kitikova, N V; Shashkova, I L; Sillanpää, M

    2017-03-01

    The aim of this work was to study the sorption kinetics and thermodynamics of Co(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solutions by sorbents on the basis of hydrogen (PD-1) and tertiary (PD-2) Ca-Mg phosphates depending on the solution temperature and sorbents chemical composition. Kinetic studies of adsorption of Co(II) and Ni(II) ions onto samples of phosphate sorbents were performed in batch experiment at the temperatures 288, 303, 318 and 333 K. The sorbent dose was fixed at 10 g L -1 , initial pH value 2.6, and contact time varied from 5 to 600 min. The kinetics of Co(II) and Ni(II) adsorption were analyzed by using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion models. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°) for the sorption of Co(II) and Ni(II) were determined using the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. The calculated kinetic parameters and corresponding correlation coefficients revealed that Co(II) and Ni(II) uptake process followed the pseudo-second order rate expression. Thermodynamic studies confirmed the spontaneous and endothermic nature of removal process which indicate that sorption of Co(II) and Ni(II) ions onto both phosphate sorbents is favoured at higher temperatures and has the chemisorptive mechanism. The data thus obtained would be useful for practical application of the low cost and highly effective Ca-Mg phosphate sorbents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Dislocation dynamics: simulation of plastic flow of bcc metals

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lassila, D H

    This is the final report for the LDRD strategic initiative entitled ''Dislocation Dynamic: Simulation of Plastic Flow of bcc Metals'' (tracking code: 00-SI-011). This report is comprised of 6 individual sections. The first is an executive summary of the project and describes the overall project goal, which is to establish an experimentally validated 3D dislocation dynamics simulation. This first section also gives some information of LLNL's multi-scale modeling efforts associated with the plasticity of bcc metals, and the role of this LDRD project in the multiscale modeling program. The last five sections of this report are journal articles that weremore » produced during the course of the FY-2000 efforts.« less

  5. Metal oxide nanostructures: preparation, characterization and functional applications as chemical sensors.

    PubMed

    Zappa, Dario; Bertuna, Angela; Comini, Elisabetta; Kaur, Navpreet; Poli, Nicola; Sberveglieri, Veronica; Sberveglieri, Giorgio

    2017-01-01

    Preparation and characterization of different metal oxide (NiO, WO 3 , ZnO, SnO 2 and Nb 2 O 5 ) nanostructures for chemical sensing are presented. p-Type (NiO) and n-type (WO 3 , SnO 2 , ZnO and Nb 2 O 5 ) metal oxide nanostructures were grown on alumina substrates using evaporation-condensation, thermal oxidation and hydrothermal techniques. Surface morphologies and crystal structures were investigated through scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, different batches of sensors have been prepared, and their sensing performances towards carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide have been explored. Moreover, metal oxide nanowires have been integrated into an electronic nose and successfully applied to discriminate between drinking and contaminated water.

  6. Electronic and magnetic structure of ultra-thin Ni films grown on W(110)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Calloni, A.; Bussetti, G.; Berti, G.; Yivlialin, R.; Camera, A.; Finazzi, M.; Duò, L.; Ciccacci, F.

    2016-12-01

    We studied the electronic structure of thin Ni films grown on a W(110) single crystal, as a function of the Ni thickness, by means of angle-resolved photoemission and inverse photoemission spectroscopy, also with spin resolution. The results are discussed in the light of the different stages characterizing the transition from the pseudomorphic bcc to the fully relaxed fcc phase. A clear spin polarization is detected as soon as a bulk-like electronic structure is observed. In these conditions, we characterized the exchange splitting of the occupied bands at the Γbar and Mbar points of the surface Brillouin zone, providing further experimental support to previous interpretations of photoemission spectra from bulk Ni.

  7. Enhanced exchange bias and improved ferromagnetic properties in Permalloy-BiFe0.95Co0.05O3 core-shell nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Javed, K; Li, W J; Ali, S S; Shi, D W; Khan, U; Riaz, S; Han, X F

    2015-12-14

    Hybrid core-shell nanostructures consisting of permalloy (Ni80Fe20) and multiferroic(BiFeO3, BFO/BiFe0.95Co0.05O3, BFC) materials were synthesized by a two-step method, based on wet chemical impregnation and subsequent electrodeposition within porous alumina membranes. Structural and magnetic characterizations have been done to investigate doping effect on magnetic properties and exchange bias. The magnetometry analysis revealed significant enhancements of the exchange bias and coercivity in NiFe-BFC core-shell nanostructures as compared with NiFe-BFO core-shell nanostructures. The enhancements can be attributed to the effective reduction of ferromagnet domain sizes between adjacent layers of core-shell structure. It indicates that it is possible to improve properties of multiferroic composites by site-engineering method. Our approach opens a pathway to obtain optimized nanostructured multiferroic composites exhibiting tunable magnetic properties.

  8. Enhanced exchange bias and improved ferromagnetic properties in Permalloy–BiFe0.95Co0.05O3 core–shell nanostructures

    PubMed Central

    Javed, K.; Li, W. J.; Ali, S. S.; Shi, D. W.; Khan, U.; Riaz, S.; Han, X. F.

    2015-01-01

    Hybrid core–shell nanostructures consisting of permalloy (Ni80Fe20) and multiferroic(BiFeO3, BFO/BiFe0.95Co0.05O3, BFC) materials were synthesized by a two-step method, based on wet chemical impregnation and subsequent electrodeposition within porous alumina membranes. Structural and magnetic characterizations have been done to investigate doping effect on magnetic properties and exchange bias. The magnetometry analysis revealed significant enhancements of the exchange bias and coercivity in NiFe-BFC core-shell nanostructures as compared with NiFe-BFO core-shell nanostructures. The enhancements can be attributed to the effective reduction of ferromagnet domain sizes between adjacent layers of core-shell structure. It indicates that it is possible to improve properties of multiferroic composites by site-engineering method. Our approach opens a pathway to obtain optimized nanostructured multiferroic composites exhibiting tunable magnetic properties. PMID:26658956

  9. Atomic-deficient nanostructurization in water-sorption alumomagnesium spinel ceramics MgAl2O4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ingram, A.

    2018-02-01

    Atomic-deficient nanostructurization in alumomagnesium MgAl2O4 ceramics sintered at 1100-1400 °C caused by water sorption are studied employing positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. Detected PAL spectra are reconstructed from unconstrained x4-term decomposition, and further transformed to x3-term form to be applicable for analysis with x3-x2-CDA (coupling decomposition algorithm). It is proved that water-immersion processes reduce positronium (Ps) decaying in large-size holes of ceramics (1.70-1.84 nm in radius) at the expense of enhanced trapping in tiny ( 0.2 nm in radius) Ps-traps. The water sorption is shown to be more pronounced in structurally imperfect ceramics sintered at T s = 1100-1200 °C due to irreversible transformations between constituting phases, while reversible physical-sorption processes are dominated in structurally uniform ceramics composed of main spinel phase.

  10. Temporal Evolution of the Nanostructure and Phase Compositions in a Model Ni-Al-Cr Alloy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sudbrack, Chantal K.; Yoon, Kevin E.; Seidman, David N.; Seidman, David N.

    2006-01-01

    In a Ni-5.2 Al-14.2 Cr at.% alloy with moderate solute supersaturations and a very small gamma/gamma prime lattice parameter misfit, the nanostructural and compositional pathways during gamma prime(L12) precipitation at 873 K are investigated using atom-probe tomography, conventional transmission electron microscopy, and hardness measurements. Nucleation of high number densities (N(sub v) greater than 10(sup 23) per cubic meters) of solute-rich precipitates (mean radius = [R] = 0.75 nm), with a critical nucleus composition of Ni-18.3 plus or minus 0.9 Al-9.3 plus or minus 0.7 Cr at.%, initiates between 0.0833 and 0.167 h. With increasing aging time (a) the solute concentrations decay in spheroidal precipitates ([R] less than 10 nm); (b) the observed early-stage coalescence peaks at maximum N(sub v) in coincidence with the smallest interprecipitate spacing; and (c) the reaction enters a quasi-stationary regime where growth and coarsening operate concomitantly. During this quasi-stationary regime, the c (face-centered cubic)-matrix solute supersaturations decay with a power-law dependence of about -1/3, while the dependencies of [R] and N(sub v) are 0.29 plus or minus 0.05 and -0.64 plus or minus 0.06 at a coarsening rate slower than model predications. Coarsening models allow both equilibrium phase compositions to be determined from the compositional measurements. The observed early-stage coalescence is discussed in further detail.

  11. fcc-bcc phase transition in plasma crystals using time-resolved measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dietz, C.; Bergert, R.; Steinmüller, B.; Kretschmer, M.; Mitic, S.; Thoma, M. H.

    2018-04-01

    Three-dimensional plasma crystals are often described as Yukawa systems for which a phase transition between the crystal structures fcc and bcc has been predicted. However, experimental investigations of this transition are missing. We use a fast scanning video camera to record the crystallization process of 70 000 microparticles and investigate the existence of the fcc-bcc phase transition at neutral gas pressures of 30, 40, and 50 Pa. To analyze the crystal, robust phase diagrams with the help of a machine learning algorithm are calculated. This work shows that the phase transition can be investigated experimentally and makes a comparison with numerical results of Yukawa systems. The phase transition is analyzed in dependence on the screening parameter and structural order. We suggest that the transition is an effect of gravitational compression of the plasma crystal. Experimental investigations of the fcc-bcc phase transition will provide an opportunity to estimate the coupling strength Γ by comparison with numerical results of Yukawa systems.

  12. bcc-iron as a promising new monochromator material for thermal neutrons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirscht, Patrick; Sobolev, Oleg; Eckold, Götz

    2018-04-01

    The development of high-performance neutron monochromators is a long-standing and still actual topic in neutron instrumentation. Due to its high scattering cross section, iron is a particularly interesting material since it offers the possibility to obtain high reflectivities at small wavelength and good resolution. Phase transitions between bcc- and fcc-phases hindered the growth of large and high-quality single crystals in the past and only recently bcc-crystals became commercially available. We have characterized the reflecting properties of as-grown and deformed crystals using γ-rays and thermal neutrons. Absolute reflectivities well above 30% for neutron wavelengths near 1 Å could be obtained that are superior to that of all other existing monochromator materials. Hence, the progress in crystal growth along with the knowledge of directed plastic deformation makes the development of bcc-Fe neutron monochromators feasible. Their application in crystal-monochromator instruments is suitable to increase the useful neutron flux at large energies considerably.

  13. A first-principles study of the preventive effects of Al and Mg doping on the degradation in LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 cathode materials.

    PubMed

    Min, Kyoungmin; Seo, Seung-Woo; Song, You Young; Lee, Hyo Sug; Cho, Eunseog

    2017-01-18

    First-principles calculations have been used to investigate the effects of Al and Mg doping on the prevention of degradation phenomena in Li(Ni 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 )O 2 cathode materials. Specifically, we have examined the effects of dopants on the suppression of oxygen evolution and cation disordering, as well as their correlation. It is found that Al doping can suppress the formation of oxygen vacancies effectively, while Mg doping prevents the cation disordering behaviors, i.e., excess Ni and Li/Ni exchange, and Ni migration. This study also demonstrates that formation of oxygen vacancies can facilitate the construction of the cation disordering, and vice versa. Delithiation can increase the probabilities of formation of all defect types, especially oxygen vacancies. When oxygen vacancies are present, Ni can migrate to the Li site during delithiation. However, Al and Mg doping can inhibit Ni migration, even in structures with preformed oxygen defects. The analysis of atomic charge variations during delithiation demonstrates that the degree of oxidation behavior in oxygen atoms is alleviated in the case of Al doping, indicating the enhanced oxygen stability in this structure. In addition, changes in the lattice parameters during delithiation are suppressed in the Mg-doped structure, which suggests that Mg doping may improve the lattice stability.

  14. Ni-Al films induced surface modification of La2Mg17 alloy leading to improved dehydrogenation properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Huaiwei; Fu, Li; Xuan, Weidong; Qin, Haiying; Ji, Zhenguo

    2018-05-01

    The effects of surface coating with Ni-Al nano-films to the hydrogenation properties of the La2Mg17 alloy are studied in the paper. The reversible hydrogen storage capacities, thermodynamics and kinetics process are all improved for the coating samples, and the comprehensive performances reach the best when the sputtering time is 5min with the film thickness 71.7 nm. The dehydrogenation temperature of the coating sample can be reduced to about 560K from above 720K comparing to the body alloy. The XPS analysis shows that the Ni-Al film coating layer can act as the catalyst in the dehydrogenation process.

  15. Limitations of BCC_CSM's ability to predict summer precipitation over East Asia and the Northwestern Pacific

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gong, Zhiqiang; Dogar, Muhammad Mubashar Ahmad; Qiao, Shaobo; Hu, Po; Feng, Guolin

    2017-09-01

    This study examines the ability of the Beijing Climate Center Climate System Model (BCC_CSM) to predict the meridional pattern of summer precipitation over East Asia-Northwest Pacific (EA-NWP) and its East Asia-Pacific (EAP) teleconnection. The differences of summer precipitation modes of the empirical orthogonal function and the bias of atmospheric circulations over EA-NWP are analyzed to determine the reason for the precipitation prediction errors. Results indicate that the BCC_CSM could not reproduce the positive-negative-positive meridional tripole pattern from south to north that differs markedly from that observed over the last 20 years. This failure can be attributed to the bias of the BCC_CSM hindcasts of the summer EAP teleconnection and the low predictability of 500 hPa at the mid-high latitude lobe of the EAP. Meanwhile, the BCC_CSM hindcasts' deficiencies of atmospheric responses to SST anomalies over the Indonesia maritime continent (IMC) resulted in opposite and geographically shifted geopotential anomalies at 500 hPa as well as wind and vorticity anomalies at 850 hPa, rendering the BCC_CSM unable to correctly reproduce the EAP teleconnection pattern. Understanding these two problems will help further improve BCC_CSM's summer precipitation forecasting ability over EA-NWP.

  16. Defect formation in LaGa(Mg,Ni)O3-δ : A statistical thermodynamic analysis validated by mixed conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Naumovich, E. N.; Kharton, V. V.; Yaremchenko, A. A.; Patrakeev, M. V.; Kellerman, D. G.; Logvinovich, D. I.; Kozhevnikov, V. L.

    2006-08-01

    A statistical thermodynamic approach to analyze defect thermodynamics in strongly nonideal solid solutions was proposed and validated by a case study focused on the oxygen intercalation processes in mixed-conducting LaGa0.65Mg0.15Ni0.20O3-δ perovskite. The oxygen nonstoichiometry of Ni-doped lanthanum gallate, measured by coulometric titration and thermogravimetric analysis at 923-1223K in the oxygen partial pressure range 5×10-5to0.9atm , indicates the coexistence of Ni2+ , Ni3+ , and Ni4+ oxidation states. The formation of tetravalent nickel was also confirmed by the magnetic susceptibility data at 77-600K , and by the analysis of p -type electronic conductivity and Seebeck coefficient as function of the oxygen pressure at 1023-1223K . The oxygen thermodynamics and the partial ionic and hole conductivities are strongly affected by the point-defect interactions, primarily the Coulombic repulsion between oxygen vacancies and/or electron holes and the vacancy association with Mg2+ cations. These factors can be analyzed by introducing the defect interaction energy in the concentration-dependent part of defect chemical potentials expressed by the discrete Fermi-Dirac distribution, and taking into account the probabilities of local configurations calculated via binomial distributions.

  17. Deposition and characterization of magnetron sputtered bcc tantalum

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patel, Anamika

    The goal of this thesis was to provide scientific and technical research results for developing and characterizing tantalum (Ta) coatings on steel substrates deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. Deposition of tantalum on steel is of special interest for the protection it offers to surfaces, e.g. the surfaces of gun barrels against the erosive wear of hot propellant gases and the mechanical damage caused by the motion of launching projectiles. Electro-plated chromium is presently most commonly used for this purpose; however, it is considered to be carcinogenic in its hexavalent form. Tantalum is being investigated as non-toxic alternative to chromium and also because of its superior protective properties in these extreme environments. DC magnetron sputtering was chosen for this investigation of tantalum coatings on steel substrates because it is a versatile industrial proven process for deposition of metals. Sputter deposited Ta films can have two crystallographic structures: (1) body center cubic (bcc) phase, characterized by high toughness and high ductility and (2) a tetragonal beta phase characterized by brittleness and a tendency to fail under stress. It was found in this work that the bcc Ta coatings on steel can be obtained reliably by either of two methods: (1) depositing Ta on a submicron, stoichiometric TaN seed layer reactively sputtered on unheated steel and (2) depositing Ta directly on steel heated above a critical temperature. For argon sputtering gas this critical temperature was found to be 400°C at a pressure of 5 mtorr. With the heavier krypton gas, this critical temperature is reduced to 350°C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the structure of tantalum and nitride films, and the composition of the nitride films was measured by nuclear reaction analyses (NRA), which were used to study in detail the enhancement of the bcc phase of Ta on steel. The scratch adhesion tests performed with a diamond hemispherical tip of radius 200 mum

  18. Honeycomb-Ordered Na 3Ni 1.5M 0.5BiO 6 (M = Ni, Cu, Mg, Zn) as High-Voltage Layered Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wang, Peng -Fei; Guo, Yu -Jie; Duan, Hui

    Developing high-voltage layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) has always been a severe challenge. Herein, a new family of honeycomb-layered Na 3Ni 1.5M 0.5BiO 6 (M = Ni, Cu, Mg, Zn) with a monoclinic superstructure has been shown to combine good Na + (de)intercalation activity with a competitive 3.3 V high voltage. By coupling the electrochemical process with ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy as well as in situ X-ray diffraction, the charge compensation mechanism and structural evolution of these new cathodes are clearly investigated. Interestingly, both Ni 2+/Ni 3+ and Cu 2+/Cu 3+ participate in the redox reaction upon cycling,more » and the succession of single-phase, two-phase, or three-phase regions upon Na+ extraction/insertion were identified with rather good accuracy. Furthermore, this research strategy could provide insights into the structure–function–property relationships on a new series of honeycomb-ordered materials with the general formula Na 3Ni 1.5M 0.5BiO 6 and also serve as a bridge to guide future design of high-performance cathodes for SIBs.« less

  19. Honeycomb-Ordered Na 3Ni 1.5M 0.5BiO 6 (M = Ni, Cu, Mg, Zn) as High-Voltage Layered Cathodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

    DOE PAGES

    Wang, Peng -Fei; Guo, Yu -Jie; Duan, Hui; ...

    2017-11-01

    Developing high-voltage layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) has always been a severe challenge. Herein, a new family of honeycomb-layered Na 3Ni 1.5M 0.5BiO 6 (M = Ni, Cu, Mg, Zn) with a monoclinic superstructure has been shown to combine good Na + (de)intercalation activity with a competitive 3.3 V high voltage. By coupling the electrochemical process with ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy as well as in situ X-ray diffraction, the charge compensation mechanism and structural evolution of these new cathodes are clearly investigated. Interestingly, both Ni 2+/Ni 3+ and Cu 2+/Cu 3+ participate in the redox reaction upon cycling,more » and the succession of single-phase, two-phase, or three-phase regions upon Na+ extraction/insertion were identified with rather good accuracy. Furthermore, this research strategy could provide insights into the structure–function–property relationships on a new series of honeycomb-ordered materials with the general formula Na 3Ni 1.5M 0.5BiO 6 and also serve as a bridge to guide future design of high-performance cathodes for SIBs.« less

  20. Nanostructured MgTiO3 thick films obtained by electrophoretic deposition from nanopowders prepared by solar PVD

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Apostol, Irina; Mahajan, Amit; Monty, Claude J. A.; Venkata Saravanan, K.

    2015-12-01

    A novel combination of solar physical vapor deposition (SPVD) and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) that was developed to grow MgTiO3 nanostructured thick films is presented. Obtaining nanostructured MgTiO3 thick films, which can replace bulk ceramic components, a major trend in electronic industry, is the main objective of this work. The advantage of SPVD is direct synthesis of nanopowders, while EPD is simple, fast and inexpensive technique for preparing thick films. SPVD technique was developed at CNRS-PROMES Laboratory, Odeillo-Font Romeu, France, while the EPD was performed at University of Aveiro - DeMAC/CICECO, Portugal. The nanopowders with an average crystallite size of about 30 nm prepared by SPVD were dispersed in 50 ml of acetone in basic media with addition of triethanolamine. The obtained well-dispersed and stable suspensions were used for carrying out EPD on 25 μm thick platinum foils. After deposition, films with thickness of about 22-25 μm were sintered in air for 15 min at 800, 900 and 1000 °C. The structural and microstructural characterization of the sintered thick films was carried out using XRD and SEM, respectively. The thickness of the sintered samples were about 18-20 μm, which was determined by cross-sectional SEM. Films sintered at 900 °C exhibit a dielectric constant, ɛr ∼18.3 and dielectric loss, tan δ ∼0.0012 at 1 MHz. The effects of processing techniques (SPVD and EPD) on the structure, microstructure and dielectric properties are reported in detail. The obtained results indicate that the thick films obtained in the present study can be promising for low loss materials for microwave and millimeter wave applications.

  1. The influence of different nanostructured scaffolds on fibroblast growth

    PubMed Central

    Chung, I-Cheng; Li, Ching-Wen; Wang, Gou-Jen

    2013-01-01

    Skin serves as a protective barrier, modulating body temperature and waste discharge. It is therefore desirable to be able to repair any damage that occurs to the skin as soon as possible. In this study, we demonstrate a relatively easy and cost-effective method for the fabrication of nanostructured scaffolds, to shorten the time taken for a wound to heal. Various scaffolds consisting of nanohemisphere arrays of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), polylactide and chitosan were fabricated by casting using a nickel (Ni) replica mold. The Ni replica mold is electroformed using the highly ordered nanohemisphere array of the barrier-layer surface of an anodic aluminum oxide membrane as the template. Mouse fibroblast cells (L929s) were cultured on the nanostructured polymer scaffolds to investigate the effect of these different nanohemisphere arrays on cell proliferation. The concentration of collagen type I on each scaffold was then measured through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to find the most effective scaffold for shortening the wound-healing process. The experimental data indicate that the proliferation of L929 is superior when a nanostructured PLGA scaffold with a feature size of 118 nm is utilized. PMID:27877586

  2. The Current Status of Hydrogen Storage Alloy Development for Electrochemical Applications.

    PubMed

    Young, Kwo-Hsiung; Nei, Jean

    2013-10-17

    In this review article, the fundamentals of electrochemical reactions involving metal hydrides are explained, followed by a report of recent progress in hydrogen storage alloys for electrochemical applications. The status of various alloy systems, including AB₅, AB₂, A₂B₇-type, Ti-Ni-based, Mg-Ni-based, BCC, and Zr-Ni-based metal hydride alloys, for their most important electrochemical application, the nickel metal hydride battery, is summarized. Other electrochemical applications, such as Ni-hydrogen, fuel cell, Li-ion battery, air-metal hydride, and hybrid battery systems, also have been mentioned.

  3. Solution growth of NiO nanosheets supported on Ni foam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Hailong; Zhang, Deyang; Xu, Jinyou; Lu, Yang; Liu, Yunxin; Qiu, Kangwen; Zhang, Yihe; Luo, Yongsong

    2014-08-01

    Well-aligned nickel oxide (NiO) nanosheets with the thickness of a few nanometers supported on a flexible substrate (Ni foam) have been fabricated by a hydrothermal approach together with a post-annealing treatment. The three-dimensional NiO nanosheets were further used as electrode materials to fabricate supercapacitors, with high specific capacitance of 943.5, 791.2, 613.5, 480, and 457.5 F g-1 at current densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 A g-1, respectively. The NiO nanosheets combined well with the substrate. When the electrode material was bended, it can still retain 91.1% of the initial capacitance after 1,200 charging/discharging cycles. Compared with Co3O4 and NiO nanostructures, the specific capacitance of NiO nanosheets is much better. These characteristics suggest that NiO nanosheet electrodes are promising for energy storage application with high power demands.

  4. Solution growth of NiO nanosheets supported on Ni foam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Yan, Hailong; Zhang, Deyang; Xu, Jinyou; Lu, Yang; Liu, Yunxin; Qiu, Kangwen; Zhang, Yihe; Luo, Yongsong

    2014-01-01

    Well-aligned nickel oxide (NiO) nanosheets with the thickness of a few nanometers supported on a flexible substrate (Ni foam) have been fabricated by a hydrothermal approach together with a post-annealing treatment. The three-dimensional NiO nanosheets were further used as electrode materials to fabricate supercapacitors, with high specific capacitance of 943.5, 791.2, 613.5, 480, and 457.5 F g(-1) at current densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 A g(-1), respectively. The NiO nanosheets combined well with the substrate. When the electrode material was bended, it can still retain 91.1% of the initial capacitance after 1,200 charging/discharging cycles. Compared with Co3O4 and NiO nanostructures, the specific capacitance of NiO nanosheets is much better. These characteristics suggest that NiO nanosheet electrodes are promising for energy storage application with high power demands.

  5. Morphology controlled synthesis of 2-D Ni-Ni3S2 and Ni3S2 nanostructures on Ni foam towards oxygen evolution reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chaudhari, Nitin Kaduba; Oh, Aram; Sa, Young Jin; Jin, Haneul; Baik, Hionsuck; Kim, Sang Gu; Lee, Suk Joong; Joo, Sang Hoon; Lee, Kwangyeol

    2017-03-01

    Catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions (OER) are at the heart of key renewable energy technologies, and development of non-precious metal catalysts with high activity and stability remain a great challenge in this field. Among various material candidates, metal sulfides are receiving increasing attention. While morphology-dependent catalytic performances are well established in noble metal-based catalysts, relatively little is known for the morphology‒catalytic performance relationship in metal sulfide catalysts. In this study, uniform spider web-like Ni nanosheets-Ni3S2 and honeycomb-like Ni3S2 structures are deposited on nickel foam (Ni3S2/NF) by a facile one-step hydrothermal synthetic route. When used as an oxygen evolution electrode, the spider web-like Ni-Ni3S2/NF with the large exposed surface area shown excellent catalytic activity and stability with an overpotential of 310 mV to achieve at 10 mA/cm2 and a Tafel slope of 63 mV/dec in alkaline media, which is superior to the honeycomb-like structure without Ni nanosheet. The low Tafel slope of the spider web-like Ni-Ni3S2/NF represents one of the best OER kinetics among nickel sulfide-based OER catalysts. The results point to the fact that performance of the metal sulfide electrocatalysts might be fine-tuned and optimized with morphological controls.

  6. Self-assembly of metal nanostructures on binary alloy surfaces

    PubMed Central

    Duguet, T.; Han, Yong; Yuen, Chad; Jing, Dapeng; Ünal, Barış; Evans, J. W.; Thiel, P. A.

    2011-01-01

    Deposition of metals on binary alloy surfaces offers new possibilities for guiding the formation of functional metal nanostructures. This idea is explored with scanning tunneling microscopy studies and atomistic-level analysis and modeling of nonequilibrium island formation. For Au/NiAl(110), complex monolayer structures are found and compared with the simple fcc(110) bilayer structure recently observed for Ag/NiAl(110). We also consider a more complex codeposition system, (Ni + Al)/NiAl(110), which offers the opportunity for fundamental studies of self-growth of alloys including deviations for equilibrium ordering. A general multisite lattice-gas model framework enables analysis of structure selection and morphological evolution in these systems. PMID:21097706

  7. Microstructure and thermal conductivity of surfactant-free NiO nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sahoo, Pranati; Misra, Dinesh K.; Salvador, Jim; Makongo, Julien P. A.; Chaubey, Girija S.; Takas, Nathan J.; Wiley, John B.; Poudeu, Pierre F. P.

    2012-06-01

    High purity, nanometer sized surfactant-free nickel oxide (NiO) particles were produced in gram scale using a solution combustion method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), gas pycnometry and gas adsorption analysis (BET). The average particle size of the as-synthesized NiO increases significantly with the preheating temperature of the furnace, while the specific surface area decreases. A BET specific surface area of ∼100 m2/g was obtained for NiO nanoparticles with size as small as 3 nm synthesized at 300 °C. The thermal conductivity (κ) of pressed pellets of the synthesized NiO nanoparticles obtained using spark plasma sintering (SPS) and uniaxial hot pressing is drastically decreased (∼60%) compared to that of NiO single crystal. This strong reduction in κ with particle size suggests the suitability of the synthesized surfactant-free NiO nanoparticles for use as nanoinclusions when designing high performance materials for waste heat recovery.

  8. Preparation and characterization of Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite alloy coatings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Yurong; He, Jiawei; Wang, Wenchang; Shi, Jianhua; Mitsuzaki, Naotoshi; Chen, Zhidong

    2014-02-01

    The preparation of Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite alloy coating on the surface of copper was achieved by co-deposition of Ni3.1B nanoparticles with Ni-P coating during electroless plating. Ni-P-B alloy coating was obtained by heat-treating the as-plated Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite coating. The effect of the concentration of sodium alginate, borax, thiourea, Ni3.1B, temperature, and pH value on the deposition rate and B content were investigated and determined to be: 30 g L-1, 10 g L-1, 2 mg L-1, 20 mg L-1, 70 °C and 9.0 , respectively. Sodium alginate and thiourea were played as surfactant for coating Ni3.1B nanoparticles and stabilizer for the plating bath, respectively. Ni-P/Ni3.1B composite coating had good performance such as corrosion resistance and solderability.

  9. Thermal stability and chemical resistance of (Ti,Al)N-Cu and (Ti,Al)N-Ni metal-ceramic nanostructured coatings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belov, D. S.; Blinkov, I. V.; Volkhonskii, A. O.; Kuznetsov, D. V.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, F. V.; Pustov, Yu. A.; Sergevnin, V. S.

    2016-12-01

    This work represents the results of research on thermal stability, oxidation resistance at temperatures of up to 800 °C and electrochemical behaviour of (Ti,Al)N-(∼3 at.%)Cu and (Ti,Al)N-(∼8 at.%)Ni nanocrystalline coatings in acidic and alkaline media. The coatings were deposited by the arc-PVD method with a thickness of approximately 4 μm and crystallite size of less than 20 nm. It has been demonstrated that the composition and properties of the coating structures do not change when the coatings are heated in 10-4 Pa vacuum at temperatures of 600, 700 °C for 1.5 h. Heating up to 800 °C caused an increase of crystallite size and reduction microstrain in the crystal lattice of the ceramic phase. The process is accompanied by deterioration of the coating hardness from 48 to 52 to 33-36 GPa. The (Ti,Al)N-Cu and (Ti,Al)N-Ni metal-ceramic nanostructured coatings are characterized by heat resistance up to the temperatures of 700 and 800 °C respectively. The coatings under study have tendency for self-passivation and resistance to pitting corrosion.

  10. Reliable contact fabrication on nanostructured Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric materials.

    PubMed

    Feng, Shien-Ping; Chang, Ya-Huei; Yang, Jian; Poudel, Bed; Yu, Bo; Ren, Zhifeng; Chen, Gang

    2013-05-14

    A cost-effective and reliable Ni-Au contact on nanostructured Bi2Te3-based alloys for a solar thermoelectric generator (STEG) is reported. The use of MPS SAMs creates a strong covalent binding and more nucleation sites with even distribution for electroplating contact electrodes on nanostructured thermoelectric materials. A reliable high-performance flat-panel STEG can be obtained by using this new method.

  11. Application of STEM characterization for investigating radiation effects in BCC Fe-based alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Parish, Chad M.; Field, Kevin G.; Certain, Alicia G.

    2015-04-20

    This paper provides a general overview of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques used for characterization of irradiated BCC Fe-based alloys. Advanced STEM methods provide the high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis necessary to understand the irradiation response of BCC Fe-based alloys. The use of STEM with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for measurement of radiation-induced segregation (RIS) is described, with an illustrated example of RIS in proton- and self-ion irradiated T91. Aberration-corrected STEM-EDX for nanocluster/nanoparticle imaging and chemical analysis is also discussed, and examples are provided from ion-irradiated oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys. In conclusion, STEM techniques for void,more » cavity, and dislocation loop imaging are described, with examples from various BCC Fe-based alloys.« less

  12. Antireflective nanostructures for CPV

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buencuerpo, Jeronimo; Torne, Lorena; Alvaro, Raquel; Llorens, Jose Manuel; Dotor, María Luisa; Ripalda, Jose Maria

    2017-09-01

    We have optimized a periodic antireflective nanostructure. The optimal design has a theoretical broadband reflectivity of 0.54% on top of GaInP with an AlInP window layer. Preliminary fabrication attempts have been carried out on top of GaAs substrates. Due to the lack of a window layer, and the need to fine tune the fabrication process, the fabricated nanostructures have a reflectivity of 3.1%, but this is already significantly lower than the theoretical broadband reflectance of standard MgF2/ZnS bilayers (4.5%).

  13. Addressing the instability of DNA nanostructures in tissue culture.

    PubMed

    Hahn, Jaeseung; Wickham, Shelley F J; Shih, William M; Perrault, Steven D

    2014-09-23

    DNA nanotechnology is an advanced technique that could contribute diagnostic, therapeutic, and biomedical research devices to nanomedicine. Although such devices are often developed and demonstrated using in vitro tissue culture models, these conditions may not be compatible with DNA nanostructure integrity and function. The purpose of this study was to characterize the sensitivity of 3D DNA nanostructures produced via the origami method to the in vitro tissue culture environment and identify solutions to prevent loss of nanostructure integrity. We examined whether the physiological cation concentrations of cell culture medium and the nucleases present in fetal bovine serum (FBS) used as a medium supplement result in denaturation and digestion, respectively. DNA nanostructure denaturation due to cation depletion was design- and time-dependent, with one of four tested designs remaining intact after 24 h at 37 °C. Adjustment of medium by addition of MgSO4 prevented denaturation. Digestion of nanostructures by FBS nucleases in Mg(2+)-adjusted medium did not appear design-dependent and became significant within 24 h and when medium was supplemented with greater than 5% FBS. We estimated that medium supplemented with 10% FBS contains greater than 256 U/L equivalent of DNase I activity in digestion of DNA nanostructures. Heat inactivation at 75 °C and inclusion of actin protein in medium inactivated and inhibited nuclease activity, respectively. We examined the impact of medium adjustments on cell growth, viability, and phenotype. Adjustment of Mg(2+) to 6 mM did not appear to have a detrimental impact on cells. Heat inactivation was found to be incompatible with in vitro tissue culture, whereas inclusion of actin had no observable effect on growth and viability. In two in vitro assays, immune cell activation and nanoparticle endocytosis, we show that using conditions compatible with cell phenotype and nanostructure integrity is critical for obtaining reliable

  14. Orientation-dependent deformation mechanisms of bcc niobium nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bian, J. J.; Yang, L.; Niu, X. R.; Wang, G. F.

    2018-07-01

    Nanoparticles usually exhibit pronounced anisotropic properties, and a close insight into the atomic-scale deformation mechanisms is of great interest. In present study, atomic simulations are conducted to analyse the compression of bcc nanoparticles, and orientation-dependent features are addressed. It is revealed that surface morphology under indenter predominantly governs the initial elastic response. The loading curve follows the flat punch contact model in [1 1 0] compression, while it obeys the Hertzian contact model in [1 1 1] and [0 0 1] compressions. In plastic deformation regime, full dislocation gliding is dominated in [1 1 0] compression, while deformation twinning is prominent in [1 1 1] compression, and these two mechanisms coexist in [0 0 1] compression. Such deformation mechanisms are distinct from those in bulk crystals under nanoindentation and nanopillars under compression, and the major differences are also illuminated. Our results provide an atomic perspective on the mechanical behaviours of bcc nanoparticles and are helpful for the design of nanoparticle-based components and systems.

  15. Constructing Two-, Zero-, and One-Dimensional Integrated Nanostructures: an Effective Strategy for High Microwave Absorption Performance.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yuan; Xu, Jianle; Qiao, Wen; Xu, Xiaobing; Zhang, Weili; Zhang, Kaiyu; Zhang, Xing; Chen, Xing; Zhong, Wei; Du, Youwei

    2016-11-23

    A novel "201" nanostructure composite consisting of two-dimensional MoS 2 nanosheets, zero-dimensional Ni nanoparticles and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was prepared successfully by a two-step method: Ni nanopaticles were deposited onto the surface of few-layer MoS 2 nanosheets by a wet chemical method, followed by chemical vapor deposition growth of CNTs through the catalysis of Ni nanoparticles. The as-prepared 201-MoS 2 -Ni-CNTs composites exhibit remarkably enhanced microwave absorption performance compared to Ni-MoS 2 or Ni-CNTs. The minimum reflection loss (RL) value of 201-MoS 2 -Ni-CNTs/wax composites with filler loading ratio of 30 wt % reached -50.08 dB at the thickness of 2.4 mm. The maximum effective microwave absorption bandwidth (RL< -10 dB) of 6.04 GHz was obtained at the thickness of 2.1 mm. The excellent absorption ability originates from appropriate impedance matching ratio, strong dielectric loss and large surface area, which are attributed to the "201" nanostructure. In addition, this method could be extended to other low-dimensional materials, proving to be an efficient and promising strategy for high microwave absorption performance.

  16. Solution growth of NiO nanosheets supported on Ni foam as high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Well-aligned nickel oxide (NiO) nanosheets with the thickness of a few nanometers supported on a flexible substrate (Ni foam) have been fabricated by a hydrothermal approach together with a post-annealing treatment. The three-dimensional NiO nanosheets were further used as electrode materials to fabricate supercapacitors, with high specific capacitance of 943.5, 791.2, 613.5, 480, and 457.5 F g-1 at current densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 A g-1, respectively. The NiO nanosheets combined well with the substrate. When the electrode material was bended, it can still retain 91.1% of the initial capacitance after 1,200 charging/discharging cycles. Compared with Co3O4 and NiO nanostructures, the specific capacitance of NiO nanosheets is much better. These characteristics suggest that NiO nanosheet electrodes are promising for energy storage application with high power demands. PMID:25276099

  17. A discrete mechanics approach to dislocation dynamics in BCC crystals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramasubramaniam, A.; Ariza, M. P.; Ortiz, M.

    2007-03-01

    A discrete mechanics approach to modeling the dynamics of dislocations in BCC single crystals is presented. Ideas are borrowed from discrete differential calculus and algebraic topology and suitably adapted to crystal lattices. In particular, the extension of a crystal lattice to a CW complex allows for convenient manipulation of forms and fields defined over the crystal. Dislocations are treated within the theory as energy-minimizing structures that lead to locally lattice-invariant but globally incompatible eigendeformations. The discrete nature of the theory eliminates the need for regularization of the core singularity and inherently allows for dislocation reactions and complicated topological transitions. The quantization of slip to integer multiples of the Burgers' vector leads to a large integer optimization problem. A novel approach to solving this NP-hard problem based on considerations of metastability is proposed. A numerical example that applies the method to study the emanation of dislocation loops from a point source of dilatation in a large BCC crystal is presented. The structure and energetics of BCC screw dislocation cores, as obtained via the present formulation, are also considered and shown to be in good agreement with available atomistic studies. The method thus provides a realistic avenue for mesoscale simulations of dislocation based crystal plasticity with fully atomistic resolution.

  18. Genome Characterization of Oleaginous Aspergillus oryzae BCC7051: A Potential Fungal-Based Platform for Lipid Production

    DOE PAGES

    Thammarongtham, Chinae; Nookaew, Intawat; Vorapreeda, Tayvich; ...

    2017-09-01

    The selected robust fungus, Aspergillus oryzae strain BCC7051 is of interest for biotechnological production of lipid-derived products due to its capability to accumulate high amount of intracellular lipids using various sugars and agro-industrial substrates. Here in this paper, we report the genome sequence of the oleaginous A. oryzae BCC7051. The obtained reads were de novo assembled into 25 scaffolds spanning of 38,550,958 bps with predicted 11,456 protein-coding genes. By synteny mapping, a large rearrangement was found in two scaffolds of A. oryzae BCC7051 as compared to the reference RIB40 strain. The genetic relationship between BCC7051 and other strains of A.more » oryzae in terms of aflatoxin production was investigated, indicating that the A. oryzae BCC7051 was categorized into group 2 nonaflatoxin-producing strain. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the structural genes focusing on the involvement in lipid metabolism among oleaginous yeast and fungi revealed the presence of multiple isoforms of metabolic enzymes responsible for fatty acid synthesis in BCC7051. The alternative routes of acetyl-CoA generation as oleaginous features and malate/citrate/pyruvate shuttle were also identified in this A. oryzae strain. The genome sequence generated in this work is a dedicated resource for expanding genome-wide study of microbial lipids at systems level, and developing the fungal-based platform for production of diversified lipids with commercial relevance.« less

  19. Genome Characterization of Oleaginous Aspergillus oryzae BCC7051: A Potential Fungal-Based Platform for Lipid Production

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Thammarongtham, Chinae; Nookaew, Intawat; Vorapreeda, Tayvich

    The selected robust fungus, Aspergillus oryzae strain BCC7051 is of interest for biotechnological production of lipid-derived products due to its capability to accumulate high amount of intracellular lipids using various sugars and agro-industrial substrates. Here in this paper, we report the genome sequence of the oleaginous A. oryzae BCC7051. The obtained reads were de novo assembled into 25 scaffolds spanning of 38,550,958 bps with predicted 11,456 protein-coding genes. By synteny mapping, a large rearrangement was found in two scaffolds of A. oryzae BCC7051 as compared to the reference RIB40 strain. The genetic relationship between BCC7051 and other strains of A.more » oryzae in terms of aflatoxin production was investigated, indicating that the A. oryzae BCC7051 was categorized into group 2 nonaflatoxin-producing strain. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the structural genes focusing on the involvement in lipid metabolism among oleaginous yeast and fungi revealed the presence of multiple isoforms of metabolic enzymes responsible for fatty acid synthesis in BCC7051. The alternative routes of acetyl-CoA generation as oleaginous features and malate/citrate/pyruvate shuttle were also identified in this A. oryzae strain. The genome sequence generated in this work is a dedicated resource for expanding genome-wide study of microbial lipids at systems level, and developing the fungal-based platform for production of diversified lipids with commercial relevance.« less

  20. Development of a Nanostructured α-MnO2/Carbon Paper Composite for Removal of Ni2+ / Mn2+ ions by Electrosorption.

    PubMed

    Li, Pengju; Gui, Yang; Blackwood, Daniel John

    2018-05-22

    Toxic metal ions, such as Ni2+ and Mn2+, in industrial waste streams are non-biodegradable and can cause damage to the human body. Electrochemical cleaning techniques are attractive as they offer more control and produce less sludge than chemical / biological approaches without the high pressures needed for membranes. Here nanoneedle structured α-MnO2/carbon fiber paper (CFP) composites were synthesized by a hydrothermal approach and used as electrodes for combined electro-adsorption and capacitive deionization removal of nickel and manganese ions from pseudo industrial waste streams. The specific performance of α-MnO2/CFP (16.4 mg Ni2+ per gram of active material) not only shows a great improve in comparison with its original CFP substrate (0.034 Ni2+ mg per gram), but is over six times that of activated carbon (2.5 mg Ni2+ per gram). The high performance of α-MnO2/CFP composite is attributed to its high surface area, desirable mesoporosity and pore size distribution that permits the further access of ions, and the property as a pseudocapacitor, which contributes to a more efficient electron/charge transfer in the faradic process. Unfortunately, it was also found that some Mn2+ ions are released due to partial reduction of the MnO2 when operated as a negative electrode. For the removal of Mn2+ ions an asymmetric arrangement, consisting of a MnO2/CFP positive electrode and an activated carbon negative electrode was employed. This arrangement reduced the Mn2+ concentration from 100 ppm to less than 2 ppm, a vast improvement over a systematical two activated carbon electrodes system that could only reach 42 ppm under the same conditions. It was also observed that as long as the MnO2/CFP composite was maintained as a positive electrode it was completely stable. The technique was able to reduce both Ni2+ and Mn2+ ions to well below the 10 ppm requirement for discharge into public sewers in Singapore.

  1. Identification of a new pseudo-binary hydroxide during calendar corrosion of (La, Mg)2Ni7-type hydrogen storage alloys for Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Monnier, J.; Chen, H.; Joiret, S.; Bourgon, J.; Latroche, M.

    2014-11-01

    To improve the performances of Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries, an important step is the understanding of the corrosion processes that take place in the electrode material. In particular, the present study focuses for the first time on the model (La, Mg)2Ni7 system. The calendar corrosion in 8.7 M KOH medium was investigated from 6 h to 16 weeks immersion. By a unique combination of structural and elemental characterisations, the corrosion products are evidenced in those systems. In particular, we demonstrate that Ni and Mg combine in a pseudo-binary hydroxide Mg1-xNix(OH)2 whereas La corrodes into nanoporous La(OH)3 needles with inner hollow nanochannels.

  2. MgO buffer layers on rolled nickel or copper as superconductor substrates

    DOEpatents

    Paranthaman, Mariappan; Goyal, Amit; Kroeger, Donald M.; List, III, Frederic A.

    2001-01-01

    Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled-Ni and/or Cu substrates for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as MgO/Ag/Pt/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Ni, MgO/Ag/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Cu, MgO/Ag/Pt/Cu, and MgO/Ag/Cu. Techniques used to deposit these buffer layers include electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), combustion CVD, and spray pyrolysis.

  3. Tensile strength of Fe-Ni and Mg-Al nanocomposites: Molecular dynamic simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pogorelko, V. V.; Mayer, A. E.

    2018-01-01

    In this work, molecular dynamic simulations of the tensile strength of Fe-Ni and Mg-Al nanocomposites in the conditions of high-rate uniaxial tension were carried out. Two different mechanisms of fracture were identified. In the case of nickel inclusion in iron matrix, the fracture begins on the interface between the inclusion and the matrix, a formed void penetrates both into the inclusion and into the matrix; presence of inclusion reduces the tensile strength. In the case of aluminum inclusion in magnesium matrix, fracture takes place into magnesium matrix and does not touch the inclusion; presence of inclusion has practically no effect on the tensile strength. Molecular dynamic simulations were carried out in a wide range of strain rates and temperatures.

  4. Promotion of water-mediated carbon removal by nanostructured barium oxide/nickel interfaces in solid oxide fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Yang, Lei; Choi, YongMan; Qin, Wentao; Chen, Haiyan; Blinn, Kevin; Liu, Mingfei; Liu, Ping; Bai, Jianming; Tyson, Trevor A; Liu, Meilin

    2011-06-21

    The existing Ni-yttria-stabilized zirconia anodes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) perform poorly in carbon-containing fuels because of coking and deactivation at desired operating temperatures. Here we report a new anode with nanostructured barium oxide/nickel (BaO/Ni) interfaces for low-cost SOFCs, demonstrating high power density and stability in C(3)H(8), CO and gasified carbon fuels at 750°C. Synchrotron-based X-ray analyses and microscopy reveal that nanosized BaO islands grow on the Ni surface, creating numerous nanostructured BaO/Ni interfaces that readily adsorb water and facilitate water-mediated carbon removal reactions. Density functional theory calculations predict that the dissociated OH from H(2)O on BaO reacts with C on Ni near the BaO/Ni interface to produce CO and H species, which are then electrochemically oxidized at the triple-phase boundaries of the anode. This anode offers potential for ushering in a new generation of SOFCs for efficient, low-emission conversion of readily available fuels to electricity.

  5. Promotion of water-mediated carbon removal by nanostructured barium oxide/nickel interfaces in solid oxide fuel cells

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Lei; Choi, YongMan; Qin, Wentao; Chen, Haiyan; Blinn, Kevin; Liu, Mingfei; Liu, Ping; Bai, Jianming; Tyson, Trevor A.; Liu, Meilin

    2011-01-01

    The existing Ni-yttria-stabilized zirconia anodes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) perform poorly in carbon-containing fuels because of coking and deactivation at desired operating temperatures. Here we report a new anode with nanostructured barium oxide/nickel (BaO/Ni) interfaces for low-cost SOFCs, demonstrating high power density and stability in C3H8, CO and gasified carbon fuels at 750°C. Synchrotron-based X-ray analyses and microscopy reveal that nanosized BaO islands grow on the Ni surface, creating numerous nanostructured BaO/Ni interfaces that readily adsorb water and facilitate water-mediated carbon removal reactions. Density functional theory calculations predict that the dissociated OH from H2O on BaO reacts with C on Ni near the BaO/Ni interface to produce CO and H species, which are then electrochemically oxidized at the triple-phase boundaries of the anode. This anode offers potential for ushering in a new generation of SOFCs for efficient, low-emission conversion of readily available fuels to electricity. PMID:21694705

  6. Thermodynamic modeling and experimental validation of the Fe-Al-Ni-Cr-Mo alloy system

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Teng, Zhenke; Zhang, F; Miller, Michael K

    2012-01-01

    NiAl-type precipitate-strengthened ferritic steels have been known as potential materials for the steam turbine applications. In this study, thermodynamic descriptions of the B2-NiAl type nano-scaled precipitates and body-centered-cubic (BCC) Fe matrix phase for four alloys based on the Fe-Al-Ni-Cr-Mo system were developed as a function of the alloy composition at the aging temperature. The calculated phase structure, composition, and volume fraction were validated by the experimental investigations using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and atom probe tomography. With the ability to accurately predict the key microstructural features related to the mechanical properties in a given alloy system, the established thermodynamic model inmore » the current study may significantly accelerate the alloy design process of the NiAl-strengthened ferritic steels.« less

  7. BCc1, the novel antineoplastic nanocomplex, showed potent anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo.

    PubMed

    Kalanaky, Somayeh; Hafizi, Maryam; Fakharzadeh, Saideh; Vasei, Mohammad; Langroudi, Ladan; Janzamin, Ehsan; Hashemi, Seyed Mahmoud; Khayamzadeh, Maryam; Soleimani, Masoud; Akbari, Mohammad Esmaeil; Nazaran, Mohammad Hassan

    2016-01-01

    In spite of all the efforts and researches on anticancer therapeutics, an absolute treatment is still a myth. Therefore, it is necessary to utilize novel technologies in order to synthesize smart multifunctional structures. In this study, for the first time, we have evaluated the anticancer effects of BCc1 nanocomplex by vitro and in vivo studies, which is designed based on the novel nanochelating technology. Human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts were used for the in vitro study. Antioxidant potential, cell toxicity, apoptosis induction, and CD44 and CD24 protein expression were evaluated after treatment of cells with different concentrations of BCc1 nanocomplex. For the in vivo study, mammary tumor-bearing female Balb/c mice were treated with different doses of BCc1 and their effects on tumor growth rate and survival were evaluated. BCc1 decreased CD44 protein expression and increased CD24 protein expression. It induced MCF-7 cell apoptosis but at the same concentrations did not have negative effects on mouse embryonic fibroblasts viability and protected them against oxidative stress. Treatment with nanocomplex increased survival and reduced the tumor size growth in breast cancer-bearing balb/c mice. These results demonstrate that BCc1 has the capacity to be assessed as a new anticancer agent in complementary studies.

  8. Coercivity scaling in antidot lattices in Fe, Ni, and NiFe thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gräfe, Joachim; Schütz, Gisela; Goering, Eberhard J.

    2016-12-01

    Antidot lattices can be used to artificially engineer magnetic properties in thin films, however, a conclusive model that describes the coercivity enhancement in this class of magnetic nano-structures has so far not been found. We prepared Fe, Ni, and NiFe thin films and patterned each with 21 square antidot lattices with different geometric parameters and measured their hysteretic behavior. On the basis of this extensive dataset we are able to provide a model that can describe both the coercivity scaling over a wide range of geometric lattice parameters and the influence of different materials.

  9. NiCo2S4 nanorod embedded rGO sheets as electrodes for supercapacitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarkar, Aatreyee; Bera, Supriya; Chakraborty, Amit Kumar

    2018-04-01

    We report the synthesis of a hybrid nanostructure based on NiCo2S4 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) following a facile hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electron microscopy (FESEM and HRTEM) analyses showed rod-like NiCo2S4 nanostructures embedded in rGO sheets. The electrochemical analysis of the synthesized nanohybrid using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) revealed specific capacitance of 410 F/gm indicating its suitability as a good electrode material for supercapacitor.

  10. Cesium under pressure: First-principles calculation of the bcc-to-fcc phase transition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carlesi, S.; Franchini, A.; Bortolani, V.; Martinelli, S.

    1999-05-01

    In this paper we present the ab initio calculation of the structural properties of cesium under pressure. The calculation of the total energy is done in the local-density approximation of density-functional theory, using a nonlocal pseudopotential including the nonlinear core corrections proposed by Louie et al. The calculation of the pressure-volume diagram for both bcc and fcc structures allows us to prove that the transition from bcc to fcc structure is a first-order transition.

  11. Calculated temperature dependence of elastic constants and phonon dispersion of hcp and bcc beryllium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hahn, Steven; Arapan, Sergiu; Harmon, Bruce; Eriksson, Olle

    2011-03-01

    Conventional first principle methods for calculating lattice dynamics are unable to calculate high temperature thermophysical properties of materials containing modes that are entropically stabilized. In this presentation we use a relatively new approach called self-consistent ab initio lattice dynamics (SCAILD) to study the hcp to bcc transition (1530 K) in beryllium. The SCAILD method goes beyond the harmonic approximation to include phonon-phonon interactions and produces a temperature-dependent phonon dispersion. In the high temperature bcc structure, phonon-phonon interactions dynamically stabilize the N-point phonon. Fits to the calculated phonon dispersion were used to determine the temperature dependence of the elastic constants in the hcp and bcc phases. Work at the Ames Laboratory was supported by the Department of Energy-Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358.

  12. The Current Status of Hydrogen Storage Alloy Development for Electrochemical Applications

    PubMed Central

    Young, Kwo-hsiung; Nei, Jean

    2013-01-01

    In this review article, the fundamentals of electrochemical reactions involving metal hydrides are explained, followed by a report of recent progress in hydrogen storage alloys for electrochemical applications. The status of various alloy systems, including AB5, AB2, A2B7-type, Ti-Ni-based, Mg-Ni-based, BCC, and Zr-Ni-based metal hydride alloys, for their most important electrochemical application, the nickel metal hydride battery, is summarized. Other electrochemical applications, such as Ni-hydrogen, fuel cell, Li-ion battery, air-metal hydride, and hybrid battery systems, also have been mentioned. PMID:28788349

  13. Effect of Er{sup 3+} ions on the phase formation and properties of In{sub 2}O{sub 3}nanostructures crystallized upon microwave heating

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lemos, Samantha C.S.; Romeiro, Fernanda C.; Paula, Leonardo F. de

    Regular sized nanostructures of indium oxide (In{sub 2}O{sub 3}) were homogeneously grown using a facile route, i.e. a microwave-hydrothermal method combined with rapid thermal treatment in a microwave oven. The presence of Er{sup 3+} doping plays an important role in controlling the formation of cubic (bcc) and rhombohedral (rh) In{sub 2}O{sub 3} phases. The samples presented broad photoluminescent emission bands in the green-orange region, which were attributed to the recombination of electrons at oxygen vacancies. The photocatalytic activities of pure bcc-In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and a bcc-rh-In{sub 2}O{sub 3} mixture towards the UVA degradation of methylene blue (MB) were also evaluated.more » The results showed that Er{sup +3} doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with a photonic efficiency three times higher than the pure oxide. The improved performance was attributed to the higher surface area, the greater concentration of electron traps due the presence of the dopant and the possible formation of heterojunctions between the cubic and rhombohedral phases. - Graphical abstract: Photodegradation curves as a function of irradiation time of the samples obtained upon rapid microwave heating. - Highlights: • Efficient and rapid microwave heating to obtain Er{sup 3+} doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanostructures. • Er{sup 3+} ions doping is fundamental to stabilizing the crystalline rhombohedral phase. • Symmetry breaking induced by vacancies in the lattice leads to photoluminescence. • Surface area of doped sample was two times higher than the surface of pure oxide. • The presence of defects in the lattice structure favors photocatalytic activity.« less

  14. Electroplated Fe-Co-Ni films prepared in ammonium-chloride-based plating baths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yanai, T.; Koda, K.; Kaji, J.; Aramaki, H.; Eguchi, K.; Takashima, K.; Nakano, M.; Fukunaga, H.

    2018-05-01

    We electroplated Fe-Co-Ni films in ammonium-chloride-based plating baths, and investigated the effect of the Co content on the magnetic properties and the structural ones of the as-plated films. The coercivity increased abruptly when the Co content become more than 60 at.%. As the rough surfaces were observed in the high Co content region, we considered that degradation of the surface is a factor of the abrupt increase in the coercivity. From the XRD analysis, we found that another factor of the abrupt increase is fcc-bcc phase transformation, and concluded that we need to keep the fcc structure to obtain Fe-Co-Ni films with low coercivity.

  15. A Novel Nanocomposite as an Efficient Adsorbent for the Rapid Adsorption of Ni(II) from Aqueous Solution

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Ximing; Chen, Zhangjing

    2017-01-01

    A sulfhydryl-lignocellulose/montmorillonite (SLT) nanocomposite was prepared using a chemical intercalation reaction. The SLT nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), the results demonstrated that an intercalated-exfoliated nanostructure was formed in the SLT nanocomposite. Batch experiments were conducted to optimize parameters such as SLT nanocomposite dosage, the initial concentration of Ni(II), solution pH, temperature, and time. The results indicated that the attractive adsorption capacity reached 1134.08 mg/g with 0.05 g of SLT at an initial concentration of Ni(II) of 700 mg/L, solution pH of 5.5, adsorption temperature of 50 °C, and adsorption time of 40 min, meanwhile, the Ni(II) adsorption capacity significantly decreased with the increase in ionic strength. The pseudo-second order kinetic model could describe the whole adsorption process well, and the isotherm adsorption equilibrium conformed to the Freundlich model. The adsorption mechanism of SLT was also discussed by means of FTIR and Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (EDX). Dramatically, the introduction of sulfhydryl achieves the increased activated functional groups content of SLT nanocomposite, leading to remarkably higher adsorption amount on Ni(II). The desorption capacity of SLT was dependent on parameters such as HNO3 concentration, desorption temperature, and ultrasonic desorption time. The satisfactory desorption capacity and desorption efficiency of 458.21 mg/g and 40.40% were obtained at an HNO3 concentration, desorption temperature, and ultrasonic desorption time of 0.4 mol/L, 40 °C, and 30 min, respectively. The regeneration studies showed that the adsorption capacity of SLT was consistent for four cycles without any appreciable loss and confirmed that the SLT was reusable. Owing to such outstanding features, the novel SLT nanocomposite proved the

  16. Vertically integrated (Ga, In)N nanostructures for future single photon emitters operating in the telecommunication wavelength range

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winden, A.; Mikulics, M.; Grützmacher, D.; Hardtdegen, H.

    2013-10-01

    Important technological steps are discussed and realized for future room-temperature operation of III-nitride single photon emitters. First, the growth technology of positioned single pyramidal InN nanostructures capped by Mg-doped GaN is presented. The optimization of their optical characteristics towards narrowband emission in the telecommunication wavelength range is demonstrated. In addition, a device concept and technology was developed so that the nanostructures became singularly addressable. It was found that the nanopyramids emit in the telecommunication wavelength range if their size is chosen appropriately. A p-GaN contacting layer was successfully produced as a cap to the InN pyramids and the top p-contact was achievable using an intrinsically conductive polymer PEDOT:PSS, allowing a 25% increase in light transmittance compared to standard Ni/Au contact technology. Single nanopyramids were successfully integrated into a high-frequency device layout. These decisive technology steps provide a promising route to electrically driven and room-temperature operating InN based single photon emitters in the telecommunication wavelength range.

  17. Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Fe-Co-Ni/C Nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Muratov, D. G.; Kozhitov, L. V.; Karpenkov, D. Yu.; Yakushko, E. V.; Korovin, E. Yu.; Vasil'ev, A. V.; Popkova, A. V.; Kazaryan, T. M.; Shadrinov, A. V.

    2018-03-01

    Nanoparticles of the Fe-Co-Ni ternary alloy, encapsulated in the carbon matrix of nanocomposites, have been synthesized, The structure, phase composition, and magnetic properties of the obtained materials have been determined with the help of diffractometry and magnetometry. It has been established that nanoparticles of the ternary alloy are formed due to solution of cobalt in the Fe-Ni alloy. The composition of the nanoparticles of the alloy depends on the mass percent ratio of the metas in the precursor. With growth of the iron content, nanoparticles of the ternary alloy with various composition are formed with FCC and BCC crystal lattice structure. As the synthesis temperature and relative iron content are increased, the magnetization of the Fe-Co-Ni/C nanocomposites increases from 26 to 157 A·m2/kg. The coercive force is determined by the synthesis temperature, the size of the nanoparticles, and the composition of the alloy, and its value varies from 330 to 43 Oe.

  18. FeCoNi coated glass fibers in composite sheets for electromagnetic absorption and shielding behaviors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Joonsik; Jung, Byung Mun; Lee, Sang Bok; Lee, Sang Kwan; Kim, Ki Hyeon

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate the electromagnetic (EM) absorption and shield of magnetic composite sheet, we prepared the FeCoNi coated glass fibers filled in composite sheet. The FeCoNi was coated by electroless plating on glass fiber as a filler. The coated FeCoNi found that consist of mixtures of bcc and fcc phase. The magnetization and coercivity of coated FeCoNi are about 110 emu/g and 57 Oe, respectively. The permittivity and permeability of the FeCoNi composite sheet were about 21 and 1, respectively. Power absorption increased 95% with the increment of frequency up to 10 GHz. Inter-decoupling of this composite sheet showed maximum 30 dB at around 5.3 GHz, which is comparable to that of a conductive Cu foil. Shielding effectiveness (SE) was measured by using rectangular waveguide method. SE of composite obtained about 37 dB at X-band frequency region.

  19. Direct Observation of the BCC (100) Plane in Thin Films of Sphere-forming Diblock Copolymers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ji, Shengxiang; Nagpal, Umang; Liao, Wen; de Pablo, Juan; Nealey, Paul

    2010-03-01

    In sphere-forming diblock copolymers, periodic arrays of spheres are arranged in a body-centred cubic (BCC) lattice structure in bulk. However, in thin films different surface morphologies were observed as a function of the film thickness, and the transition from the hexagonal array to the BCC (110) arrangement of spheres on film surfaces was located with respect to the increase of the film thickness. Here we report the first direct observation of the BCC (100) plane in thin films of poly (styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers on homogeneous substrates. By balancing the surface energies of both blocks, the lower energy BCC (100) plane corresponding to a square arrangement of half spheres, formed on film surfaces when the film thickness was commensurate with the spacing, L100, between (100) planes or greater than 2 L100. A hexagonal arrangement of spheres was only observed when the thickness was less than 2 L100 and incommensurate with 1 L100. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation confirmed our experimental observation and was used to investigate the transition of the arrangement of spheres as a function of the film thickness.

  20. Fabrication of Mg-X-O (X = Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Mn, Ti, V, and Zn) barriers for magnetic tunnel junctions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yakushiji, K.; Kitagawa, E.; Ochiai, T.; Kubota, H.; Shimomura, N.; Ito, J.; Yoda, H.; Yuasa, S.

    2018-05-01

    We fabricated magnetic tunnel junctions with a 3d-transition material(X)-doped MgO (Mg-X-O) barrier, and evaluated the effect of the doping on magnetoresistance (MR) and microstructure. Among the variations of X (X = Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Mn, Ti, V, and Zn), X = Fe and Mn showed a high MR ratio of more than 100%, even at a low resistance-area product of 3 Ωμm2. The microstructure analysis revealed that (001) textured orientation formed for X = Fe and Mn despite substantial doping (about 10 at%). The elemental mappings indicated that Fe atoms in the Mg-Fe-O barrier were segregated at the interfaces, while Mn atoms were evenly involved in the Mg-Mn-O barrier. This suggests that MgO has high adaptability for Fe and Mn dopants in terms of high MR ratio.

  1. Preparation of Sandwich-like NiCo2O4/rGO/NiO Heterostructure on Nickel Foam for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Delong; Gong, Youning; Wang, Miaosheng; Pan, Chunxu

    2017-04-01

    A kind of sandwich-like NiCo2O4/rGO/NiO heterostructure composite has been successfully anchored on nickel foam substrate via a three-step hydrothermal method with successive annealing treatment. The smart combination of NiCo2O4, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and NiO nanostructure in the sandwich-like nano architecture shows a promising synergistic effect for supercapacitors with greatly enhanced electrochemical performance. For serving as supercapacitor electrode, the NiCo2O4/rGO/NiO heterostructure materials exhibit remarkable specific capacitance of 2644 mF cm-2 at current density of 1 mA cm-2, and excellent capacitance retentions of 97.5% after 3000 cycles. It is expected that the present heterostructure will be a promising electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

  2. Improvement of the functional properties of nanostructured Ti-Ni shape memory alloys by means of thermomechanical processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kreitcberg, Alena

    Severe plastic deformation (SPD) is commonly used for nanostructure formation in Ti-Ni shape memory alloys (SMAs), but it increases the risk of damage during processing and, consequently, negatively affects functional fatigue resistance of these materials. The principal objective of this project is, therefore, to study the interrelations between the processing conditions, damageability during processing, microstructure and the functional properties of Ti-Ni SMAs with the aim of improving long-term functional performances of these materials by optimizing their processing conditions. First, microstructure and fatigue properties of Ti-Ni SMAs were studied after thermomechanical treatment (TMT) with different combinations of severe cold and warm rolling (CR and WR), as well as intermediate and post-deformation annealing (IA and PDA) technological steps. It was shown that either when WR and IA were introduced into the TMT schedule, or CR intensity was decreased, the fatigue life was improved as a consequence of less processing-induced damage and higher density of the favorable B2-austenite texture. This improvement was reached, however, at a price of a lower multi-cycle functional stability of these materials, the latter being a direct consequence of the microstructure coarsening after higher-temperature lower-intensity processing. At the end of this study, however, it was not possible to distinguish between contributions to the functional performances of Ti-Ni SMAs from different processing-related features: a) grain/subgrain size; b) texture; and c) level of rolling-induced defects. To be capable of separating contributions to the functional properties of Ti-Ni alloys from grain/subgrain size and from texture, the theoretical crystallographic resource of recovery strain after different TMTs and, therefore, different textures, were calculated and compared with the experiment. The comparative analysis showed that the structural factors (grain/subgrain size) strongly

  3. Preparation of Ni3B2O6 nanosheet-based flowerlike architecture by a precursor method and its electrochemical properties in lithium-ion battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liang, Pan; Du, Lu; Wang, Xia; Liu, Zhi-Hong

    2014-11-01

    A novel flower-like nickel borate of Ni3B2O6 nanostructure was prepared through a hydrothermal treatment and sequential thermal decomposition of precursor without employing any template or surfactant. All the samples were characterized by XRD, IR, XPS, TG-DTA, nitrogen adsorption, SEM and TEM. The flower-like Ni3B2O6 nanostructure was self-assembled by nanosheets with the thickness of about 40 nm. The electrochemical properties in lithium-ion battery of flower-like Ni3B2O6 nanostructure were studied by the cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic cycling test, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which showed it had a high initial discharge capacity and a good reversibility.

  4. Ni-CeO2 spherical nanostructures for magnetic and electrochemical supercapacitor applications.

    PubMed

    Murugan, Ramachandran; Ravi, Ganesan; Vijayaprasath, Gandhi; Rajendran, Somasundharam; Thaiyan, Mahalingam; Nallappan, Maheswari; Gopalan, Muralidharan; Hayakawa, Yasuhiro

    2017-02-08

    The synthesis of nanoparticles has great control over the structural and functional characteristics of materials. In this study, CeO 2 and Ni-CeO 2 spherical nanoparticles were prepared using a microwave-assisted method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized via thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The pure CeO 2 sample exhibited a flake-like morphology, whereas Ni-doped CeO 2 showed spherical morphology with uniform shapes. Spherical morphologies for the Ni-doped samples were further confirmed via TEM micrographs. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed that decomposition varies with Ni-doping in CeO 2 . XRD revealed that the peak shifts towards lower angles for the Ni-doped samples. Furthermore, a diamagnetic to ferromagnetic transition was observed in Ni-doped CeO 2 . The ferromagnetic property was attributed to the introduction of oxygen vacancies in the CeO 2 lattice upon doping with Ni, which were confirmed by Raman and XPS. The pseudo-capacitive properties of pure and Ni-doped CeO 2 samples were evaluated via cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies, wherein 1 M KOH was used as the electrolyte. The specific capacitances were 235, 351, 382, 577 and 417 F g -1 corresponding to the pure 1%, 3%, 5% and 7% of Ni doped samples at the current density of 2 A g -1 , respectively. The 5% Ni-doped sample showed an excellent cyclic stability and maintained 94% of its maximum specific capacitance after 1000 cycles.

  5. Atom redistribution and multilayer structure in NiTi shape memory alloy induced by high energy proton irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Haizhen; Yi, Xiaoyang; Zhu, Yingying; Yin, Yongkui; Gao, Yuan; Cai, Wei; Gao, Zhiyong

    2017-10-01

    The element distribution and surface microstructure in NiTi shape memory alloys exposed to 3 MeV proton irradiation were investigated. Redistribution of the alloying element and a clearly visible multilayer structure consisting of three layers were observed on the surface of NiTi shape memory alloys after proton irradiation. The outermost layer consists primarily of a columnar-like TiH2 phase with a tetragonal structure, and the internal layer is primarily comprised of a bcc austenite phase. In addition, the Ti2Ni phase, with an fcc structure, serves as the transition layer between the outermost and internal layer. The above-mentioned phenomenon is attributed to the preferential sputtering of high energy protons and segregation induced by irradiation.

  6. Hierarchical NiO-SiO2 composite hollow microspheres with enhanced adsorption affinity towards Congo red in water.

    PubMed

    Lei, Chunsheng; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Zhu, Bicheng; Yu, Jiaguo; Ho, Wingkei

    2016-03-15

    Hollow microspheres and hierarchical porous nanostructured materials with desired morphologies have gained remarkable attention for their potential applications in environmental technology. In this study, NiO-SiO2 hollow microspheres were prepared by co-precipitation with SiO2 and nickel salt as precursors, followed by dipping in alkaline solution and calcination. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synthesized hollow spheres were composed of a SiO2 shell and hierarchical porous NiO nanosheets on the surface. Adsorption experiments suggested that NiO-SiO2 composite particles were powerful adsorbents for removal of Congo red from water, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 204.1 mg/g. The high specific surface areas, hollow structures, and hierarchical porous surfaces of the hollow composite particles are suitable for various applications, including adsorption of pollutants, chemical separation, and water purification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Ni Foam-Ni3 S2 @Ni(OH)2 -Graphene Sandwich Structure Electrode Materials: Facile Synthesis and High Supercapacitor Performance.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaobing; Hu, Jiangjiang; Su, Yichang; Hao, Jin; Liu, Fanggang; Han, Shuang; An, Jian; Lian, Jianshe

    2017-03-23

    A novel Ni foam-Ni 3 S 2 @Ni(OH) 2 -graphene sandwich-structured electrode (NF-NN-G) with high areal mass loading (8.33 mg cm -2 ) has been developed by sulfidation and hydrolysis reactions. The conductivity of Ni 3 S 2 and Ni(OH) 2 were both improved. The upper layer of Ni(OH) 2 , covered with a thin graphene film, is formed in situ from the surface of the lower layer of Ni 3 S 2 , whereas the Ni 3 S 2 grown on Ni foam substrate mainly acts as a rough support bridging the Ni(OH) 2 and Ni foam. The graphene stabilized the Ni(OH) 2 and the electrochemical properties were effectively enhanced. The as-synthesized NF-NN-G-5mg electrode shows a high specific capacitance (2258 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 or 18.81 F cm -2 at 8.33 mA cm -2 ) and an outstanding rate property (1010 F g -1 at 20 Ag -1 or 8.413 F cm -2 at 166.6 mA cm -2 ). This result is around double the capacitance achieved in previous research on Ni 3 S 2 @Ni(OH) 2 /3DGN composites (3DGN=three-dimensional graphene network). In addition, the as-fabricated NF-NN-G-5mg composite electrode has an excellent cycle life with no capacitance loss after 3000 cycles, indicating a potential application as an efficient electrode. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Structure dependent electrical properties of Ni-Mg-Cu nano ferrites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Choudhari, Nagabhushan J., E-mail: nagabhushanchoudhari@gmail.com; Kakati, Sushanth S.; Hiremath, Chidanandayya S.

    2016-05-06

    Nano ferrites with the general chemical formula Ni{sub 0.5}Mg{sub x}Cu{sub 1-x} Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} were synthesized by chemical route. They were characterized by x-ray diffraction by powder method. The diffraction patterns confirm the formation of single phase ferrites. The particle size is calculated by Scherrer formula which varies between 20nm to 60nm. DC resistivity was measured as a function of composition from room temperature to 700{sup o} C by two probe method. These ferrites show higher resistivity than those synthesized by ceramic method, due to control over composition and morphology. This leads to the elimination of domain wall resonance somore » that the materials can work at higher frequencies. AC resistivity was measured as a function of frequency at room temperature. Dielectric dispersion obeys Maxwell - Wagner model, in accordance with Koop’s phenomenological theory. The variation of loss angle follows the variation of ac resistivity with frequency and composition. The change in ac conductivity with frequency obeys the power law σ{sub a} = B.ω{sup n}. Such a behavior suggests that conductivity is due to polarons in all the samples.« less

  9. Nanostructure investigation of magnetic nanomaterial Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.3}Cu{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} synthesized by sol-gel method

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pransisco, Prengki, E-mail: prengkipransisco@gmail.com; Badan Lingkungan Hidup Derah Kabupaten Empat Lawang South of Sumatera; Shafie, Afza, E-mail: afza@petronas.com.my

    2015-07-22

    Magnetic nanomaterial Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.3}Cu{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} was successfully prepared by using sol-gel method. Heat treatment on material is always giving defect on properties of material. This paper investigates the effect of heat treatment on nanostructure of magnetic nanomaterial Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.3}Cu{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}. According to thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) that after 600°C there is no more weight loss detected and it was decided as minimum calcination temperature. Intensity, crystallite size, structure, lattice parameter and d-spacing of the material were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD). High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) was used to examine nanostructure, nanosize,more » shape and distribution particle of magnetic material Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.3}Cu{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and variable pressure field emission scanning electron microscope (VP-FESEM) was used to investigate the surface morphology and topography of the material. The XRD result shows single-phase cubic spinel structure with average crystallite size in the range of 25.6-95.9 nm, the value of the intensity of the material was increased with increasing temperature, and followed by lattice parameter was increased with increasing calcination temperature, value of d-spacing was relatively decreased with accompanied increasing temperature. From HRTEM result the distribution of particles was tend to be agglomerates with particle size of 7.8-17.68 nm. VP-FESEM result shows that grain size of the material increases with increasing calcination temperature and the surface morphology shows that the material is in hexagonal shape and it was also proved by mapping result which showing the presence each of constituents inside the compound.« less

  10. Method for making MgO buffer layers on rolled nickel or copper as superconductor substrates

    DOEpatents

    Paranthaman, Mariappan; Goyal, Amit; Kroeger, Donald M.; List, III, Frederic A.

    2002-01-01

    Buffer layer architectures are epitaxially deposited on biaxially-textured rolled-Ni and/or Cu substrates for high current conductors, and more particularly buffer layer architectures such as MgO/Ag/Pt/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Ni, MgO/Ag/Ni, MgO/Ag/Pd/Cu, MgO/Ag/Pt/Cu, and MgO/Ag/Cu. Techniques used to deposit these buffer layers include electron beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, rf magnetron sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), combustion CVD, and spray pyrolysis.

  11. Magnetic nanoparticles through organometallic synthesis: evolution of the magnetic properties from isolated nanoparticles to organised nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Dumestre, Fréderic; Martinez, Susana; Zitoun, David; Fromen, Marie-Claire; Casanove, Marie-José; Lecante, Pierre; Respaud, Marc; Serres, Arnaud; Benfield, Robert E; Amiens, Catherine; Chaudret, Bruno

    2004-01-01

    Co and NiFe nanoparticles (2.7 to 3.3 nm mean diameter) of narrow size distribution have been obtained through the decomposition of organometallic precursors in organic solutions of long alkyl chain ligands, namely oleic acid and hexadecylamine. Materials of various volume fractions were produced. The particles have been structurally characterised by WAXS. Both adopt the bulk structure: HCP in the case of cobalt; a mixture of FCC and BCC for NiFe. Their aptitude to self-assemble either on flat supports or in bulk solid state has been investigated by means of TEM and SAXS. This study suggests the crystallisation of the nanoparticles upon solvent evaporation, especially a local FCC arrangement was observed for the NiFe material. Magnetic measurements (SQUID) confirm this tendency. The blocking temperature depends on the metal volume fraction, i.e. on the anisotropy generated by the dipolar couplings (Ki). We show that, for dense samples, the particles of high intrinsic anisotropy, Ku, (Co) still display an individual behaviour while the soft ones (NiFe) display a collective behaviour.

  12. Nanostructure array plasmas generated by femtosecond pulses at highly relativistic intensities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hollinger, R. C.; Wong, Y.; Wong, S.; Rockwood, A.; Glasby, J.; Shlyaptsev, V.; Rocca, J. J.; Capeluto, M. G.; Kaymak, V.; Pukhov, A.

    2017-10-01

    The irradiation of high aspect ratio ordered nanostructure arrays with ultra-high contrast femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensity provides a unique combination of nearly complete optical absorption and drastically enhanced light penetration into near-solid density targets. This allows the material to be volumetrically heated deep into the ultra-high energy density regime. In previous experiments we have shown that irradiation of Ni and Au nanostructures with femtosecond pulses focused to an intensity of 5x1018 Wcm-2 generate multi-KeV near solid density plasmas in which atoms are ionized to the Ni+26 and Au+52 charge states. Here we present the first results of the irradiation of nanostructure arrays with highly relativistic pulses of intensities up to 5x1021Wcm-2. Silver and Rhodium nanowire arrays were irradiated with frequency-doubled pulses of 30 fs duration from a petawatt-class Ti:Sa laser. Time integrated x-ray spectra show the presence of He-like and Li-like emission. Results of experiments conducted with a variety of different nanowires diameters with a range of interwire spacings will be presented and compared to the result of 3D particle-in-cell-simulations. This work was supported by the Fusion Energy Program, Office of Science of the U.S Department of Energy.

  13. MgCoAl and NiCoAl LDHs synthesized by the hydrothermal urea hydrolysis method: Structural characterization and thermal decomposition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chagas, L.H., E-mail: lhchagas-prometro@inmetro.gov.br; Instituto Nacional de Metrologia Qualidade e Tecnologia, Divisão de Metrologia de Materiais, 25250-020 Duque de Caxias, RJ; De Carvalho, G.S.G.

    Highlights: • We synthesized MgCoAl and NiCoAl LDHs by the urea hydrolysis method. • Aluminum rich and crystalline materials have been formed. • The calcination of the LDHs generated mixed oxides with high surface areas. - Abstract: Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with Mg/Co/Al and Ni/Co/Al were synthesized for the first time by the urea hydrolysis method. The experimental conditions promoted aluminum rich and crystalline materials. The formation of LDHs was investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, solid state nuclear magnetic resonance with magic angle spinning ({sup 27}Al-MAS-NMR), simultaneous thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM),more » and N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption experiments. A single phase corresponding to LDH could be obtained in all the investigated compositions. Thermal calcination of these LDHs at 500 °C resulted in the formation of solid solutions in which Al{sup 3+} was dissolved. All the calcined materials have rock-salt like structures and high surface areas.« less

  14. Automatic development of normal zone in composite MgB2/CuNi wires with different diameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jokinen, A.; Kajikawa, K.; Takahashi, M.; Okada, M.

    2010-06-01

    One of the promising applications with superconducting technology for hydrogen utilization is a sensor with a magnesium-diboride (MgB2) superconductor to detect the position of boundary between the liquid hydrogen and the evaporated gas stored in a Dewar vessel. In our previous experiment for the level sensor, the normal zone has been automatically developed and therefore any energy input with the heater has not been required for normal operation. Although the physical mechanism for such a property of the MgB2 wire has not been clarified yet, the deliberate application might lead to the realization of a simpler superconducting level sensor without heater system. In the present study, the automatic development of normal zone with increasing a transport current is evaluated for samples consisting of three kinds of MgB2 wires with CuNi sheath and different diameters immersed in liquid helium. The influences of the repeats of current excitation and heat cycle on the normal zone development are discussed experimentally. The aim of this paper is to confirm the suitability of MgB2 wire in a heater free level sensor application. This could lead to even more optimized design of the liquid hydrogen level sensor and the removal of extra heater input.

  15. Investigations of mechanical, electronic, and magnetic properties of non-magnetic MgTe and ferro-magnetic Mg0.75 TM 0.25Te (TM = Fe, Co, Ni): An ab-initio calculation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Q, Mahmood; S, M. Alay-e.-Abbas; I, Mahmood; Mahmood, Asif; N, A. Noor

    2016-04-01

    The mechanical, electronic and magnetic properties of non-magnetic MgTe and ferro-magnetic (FM) Mg0.75 TM 0.25Te (TM = Fe, Co, Ni) in the zinc-blende phase are studied by ab-initio calculations for the first time. We use the generalized gradient approximation functional for computing the structural stability, and mechanical properties, while the modified Becke and Johnson local (spin) density approximation (mBJLDA) is utilized for determining the electronic and magnetic properties. By comparing the energies of non-magnetic and FM calculations, we find that the compounds are stable in the FM phase, which is confirmed by their structural stabilities in terms of enthalpy of formation. Detailed descriptions of elastic properties of Mg0.75 TM 0.25Te alloys in the FM phase are also presented. For electronic properties, the spin-polarized electronic band structures and density of states are computed, showing that these compounds are direct bandgap materials with strong hybridizations of TM 3d states and Te p states. Further, the ferromagnetism is discussed in terms of the Zener free electron model, RKKY model and double exchange model. The charge density contours in the (110) plane are calculated to study bonding properties. The spin exchange splitting and crystal field splitting energies are also calculated. The distribution of electron spin density is employed in computing the magnetic moments appearing at the magnetic sites (Fe, Co, Ni), as well as at the non-magnetic sites (Mg, Te). It is found that the p-d hybridization causes not only magnetic moments on the magnetic sites but also induces negligibly small magnetic moments at the non-magnetic sites.

  16. Ag-nanoparticles-decorated NiO-nanoflakes grafted Ni-nanorod arrays stuck out of porous AAO as effective SERS substrates.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Qitao; Meng, Guowen; Huang, Qing; Zhu, Chuhong; Tang, Haibin; Qian, Yiwu; Chen, Bin; Chen, Bensong

    2014-02-28

    NiO-nanoflakes (NiO-NFs) grafted Ni-nanorod (Ni-NR) arrays stuck out of the porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template are achieved by a combinatorial process of AAO-confined electrodeposition of Ni-NRs, selectively etching part of the AAO template to expose the Ni-NRs, wet-etching the exposed Ni-NRs in ammonia to obtain Ni(OH)2-NFs grafted onto the cone-shaped Ni-NRs, and annealing to transform Ni(OH)2-NFs in situ into NiO-NFs. By top-view sputtering, Ag-nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are decorated on each NiO-NFs grafted Ni-NR (denoted as NiO-NFs@Ni-NR). The resultant Ag-NPs-decorated NiO-NFs@Ni-NR (denoted as Ag-NPs@NiO-NFs@Ni-NR) arrays exhibit not only strong surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity but also reproducible SERS-signals over the whole array. It is demonstrated that the strong SERS-activity is mainly ascribed to the high density of sub-10 nm gaps (hot spots) between the neighboring Ag-NPs, the semiconducting NiO-NFs induced chemical enhancement effect, and the lightning rod effect of the cone-shaped Ni-NRs. The three-level hierarchical nanostructure arrays stuck out of the AAO template can be utilized to probe polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, a kind of global environmental hazard) with a concentration as low as 5 × 10(-6) M, showing promising potential in SERS-based rapid detection of organic environmental pollutants.

  17. Elastic moduli and thermal expansion coefficients of medium-entropy subsystems of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy

    DOE PAGES

    Laplanche, Guillaume; Gadaud, P.; Barsch, C.; ...

    2018-02-23

    Elastic moduli of a set of equiatomic alloys (CrFeCoNi, CrCoNi, CrFeNi, FeCoNi, MnCoNi, MnFeNi, and CoNi), which are medium-entropy subsystems of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy were determined as a function of temperature over the range 293 K–1000 K. Thermal expansion coefficients were determined for these alloys over the temperature range 100 K–673 K. All alloys were single-phase and had the face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure, except CrFeNi which is a two-phase alloy containing a small amount of body-centered cubic (BCC) precipitates in a FCC matrix. The temperature dependences of thermal expansion coefficients and elastic moduli obtained here are useful formore » quantifying fundamental aspects such as solid solution strengthening, and for structural analysis/design. Furthermore, using the above results, the yield strengths reported in literature for these alloys were normalized by their shear moduli to reveal the influence of shear modulus on solid solution strengthening.« less

  18. Elastic moduli and thermal expansion coefficients of medium-entropy subsystems of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Laplanche, Guillaume; Gadaud, P.; Barsch, C.

    Elastic moduli of a set of equiatomic alloys (CrFeCoNi, CrCoNi, CrFeNi, FeCoNi, MnCoNi, MnFeNi, and CoNi), which are medium-entropy subsystems of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy were determined as a function of temperature over the range 293 K–1000 K. Thermal expansion coefficients were determined for these alloys over the temperature range 100 K–673 K. All alloys were single-phase and had the face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure, except CrFeNi which is a two-phase alloy containing a small amount of body-centered cubic (BCC) precipitates in a FCC matrix. The temperature dependences of thermal expansion coefficients and elastic moduli obtained here are useful for quantifying fundamental aspects suchmore » as solid solution strengthening, and for structural analysis/design. Furthermore, using the above results, the yield strengths reported in literature for these alloys were normalized by their shear moduli to reveal the influence of shear modulus on solid solution strengthening.« less

  19. NiO-Microflower Formed by Nanowire-weaving Nanosheets with Interconnected Ni-network Decoration as Supercapacitor Electrode

    PubMed Central

    Ci, Suqing; Wen, Zhenhai; Qian, Yuanyuan; Mao, Shun; Cui, Shumao; Chen, Junhong

    2015-01-01

    We propose a ‘weaving’ evolution mechanism, by systematically investigating the products obtained in controlled experiments, to demonstrate the formation of Ni-based ‘microflowers’ which consists of multiple characteristic dimensions, in which the three dimensional (3D) NiO ‘microflower’ is constructed by a two-dimensional (2D) nanosheet framework that is derived from weaving one-dimensional (1D) nanowires. We found such unique nanostructures are conducive for the generation of an electrically conductive Ni-network on the nanosheet surface after being exposed to a reducing atmosphere. Our study offers a promising strategy to address the intrinsic issue of poor electrical conductivity for NiO-based materials with significant enhancement of utilization of NiO active materials, leading to a remarkable improvement in the performance of the Ni-NiO microflower based supercapacitor. The optimized Ni-NiO microflower material showed a mass specific capacitance of 1,828 F g−1, and an energy density of 15.9 Wh kg−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. This research not only contributes to understanding the formation mechanism of such ‘microflower’ structures but also offers a promising route to advance NiO based supercapacitor given their ease of synthesis, low cost, and long-term stability. PMID:26165386

  20. A general strategy toward the rational synthesis of metal tungstate nanostructures using plasma electrolytic oxidation method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Yanan; Liu, Baodan; Zhai, Zhaofeng; Liu, Xiaoyuan; Yang, Bing; Liu, Lusheng; Jiang, Xin

    2015-11-01

    A new method based on conventional plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) technology has been developed for the rational synthesis of metal tungstate nanostructures. Using this method, ZnWO4 and NiWO4 nanostructures with controllable morphologies (nanorods, nanosheets and microsheets) and superior crystallinity have been synthesized. It has been found that the morphology diversity of ZnWO4 nanostructures can be selectively tailored through tuning the electrolyte concentration and annealing temperatures, showing obvious advantages in comparison to traditional hydrothermal and sol-gel methods. Precise microscopy analyses on the cross section of the PEO coating and ZnWO4 nanostructures confirmed that the precursors initially precipitated in the PEO coating and its surface during plasma discharge process are responsible for the nucleation and subsequent growth of metal tungstate nanostructures by thermal annealing. The method developed in this work represents a general strategy toward the rational synthesis of metal oxide nanostructures and the formation mechanism of metal tungstate nanostructures fabricated by the PEO method is finally discussed.

  1. Misfit dislocation patterns of Mg-Nb interfaces

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Youxing; Shao, Shuai; Liu, Xiang-Yang

    The role of heterogeneous interfaces in improving mechanical properties of polycrystalline aggregates and laminated composites has been well recognized with interface structure being of fundamental importance in designing composites containing multiple interfaces. In this paper, taking the Mg (hexagonal close-packed (hcp))/Nb (body-centered cubic (bcc)) interface as an example, we develop Mg-Nb interatomic potentials for predicting atomic configurations of Mg/Nb interfaces. We systematically characterize interface dislocations of Mg/Nb interfaces with Nishiyama-Wassermann (NW) and Kurdjumov-Sachs (KS) orientation relationships and propose a generalized procedure of characterizing interface structure by combining atomistic simulation and interface dislocation theory, which is applicable for not only hcp/bccmore » interfaces, but also other systems with complicated interface dislocation configurations.Here, in Mg/Nb, interface dislocation networks of two types of interfaces are significantly different although they originate from partial dislocations of similar character: the NW interface is composed of three sets of partial dislocations, while the KS interface is composed of four sets of interface dislocations - three sets of partial dislocations and one set of full dislocations that forms from the reaction of two close partial dislocations.« less

  2. Ordered arrays of multiferroic epitaxial nanostructures.

    PubMed

    Vrejoiu, Ionela; Morelli, Alessio; Biggemann, Daniel; Pippel, Eckhard

    2011-01-01

    Epitaxial heterostructures combining ferroelectric (FE) and ferromagnetic (FiM) oxides are a possible route to explore coupling mechanisms between the two independent order parameters, polarization and magnetization of the component phases. We report on the fabrication and properties of arrays of hybrid epitaxial nanostructures of FiM NiFe(2)O(4) (NFO) and FE PbZr(0.52)Ti(0.48)O(3) or PbZr(0.2)Ti(0.8)O(3), with large range order and lateral dimensions from 200 nm to 1 micron. The structures were fabricated by pulsed-laser deposition. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and high angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate the microstructure and the epitaxial growth of the structures. Room temperature ferroelectric and ferrimagnetic domains of the heterostructures were imaged by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM), respectively. PFM and MFM investigations proved that the hybrid epitaxial nanostructures show ferroelectric and magnetic order at room temperature. Dielectric effects occurring after repeated switching of the polarization in large planar capacitors, comprising ferrimagnetic NiFe2O4 dots embedded in ferroelectric PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 matrix, were studied. These hybrid multiferroic structures with clean and well defined epitaxial interfaces hold promise for reliable investigations of magnetoelectric coupling between the ferrimagnetic / magnetostrictive and ferroelectric / piezoelectric phases.

  3. A first-principles investigation on the effects of magnetism on the Bain transformation of α-phase FeNi systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rahman, Gul; Gee Kim, In; Bhadeshia, H. K. D. H.

    2012-03-01

    The effects of magnetism on the Bain transformation of α-phase FeNi systems are investigated by using the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method based on the generalized gradient approximation. We found that Ni impurity in bcc Fe increases the lattice constant in the ferromagnetic (FM) states, but not in the nonmagnetic (NM) states. The shear modulus, G, and Young's modulus, E, of bcc Fe are also increased by raising the concentration of nickel. All the compositions considered show high shear anisotropy, and the ratio of the bulk to shear modulus is greater than 1.75, implying ductility. The mean sound velocities in the [100] directions are greater than in the [110] directions. The Bain transformation, which is a component of martensitic transformation, has also been studied to reveal that NixFe1-x alloys are elastically unstable in the NM states, but not so in the FM states. The electronic structures explain these results in terms of the density of states at the Fermi level. It is evident that magnetism cannot be neglected when dealing with the Bain transformation in iron and its alloys.

  4. Pressure-induced effects and phase relations in Mg2NiH4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gavra, Z.; Kimmel, G.; Gefen, Y.; Mintz, Moshe H.

    1985-05-01

    The low-temperature (<210 °C) crystallographic structure, electrical conductivity, and thermal stability of Mg2NiH4 powders compacted under isostatic pressures of up to 10 kbar were studied. A comparison is made with the corresponding properties of the noncompressed material. It has been concluded that under stress-free hydriding conditions performed below 210 °C, a two-phase hydride mixture is formed. Each of the hydride particles consists of an inner core composed of an hydrogen-deficient monoclinic phase coated by a layer of a stoichiometric orthorhombic phase. The monoclinic phase has a metalliclike electrical conductivity while the orthorhombic phase is insulating. High compaction pressures cause the transformation of the orthorhombic structure into the monoclinic one, thereby resulting in a pressure-induced insulator-to-conductor transition. Reduced decomposition temperatures are obtained for the compressed hydrides. This reduction is attributed to kinetic factors rather than to a reduced thermodynamic stability.

  5. Kinetics of Static Strain Aging in Polycrystalline NiAl-based Alloys

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weaver, M. L.; Kaufman, M. J.; Noebe, R. D.

    1996-01-01

    The kinetics of yield point return have been studied in two NiAl-based alloys as a function of aging time at temperatures between 300 and 700 K. The results indicate that the upper yield stress increment, Delta sigma(sub u) (i.e., stress difference between the upper yield point and the final flow stress achieved during prestraining), in conventional purity (CP-NiAl) and in high purity carbon-doped (NiAl-C) material first increased with a t(exp 2/3) relationship before reaching a plateau. This behavior suggests that a Cottrell locking mechanism is the cause for yield points in NiAl. In addition, positive y-axis intercepts were observed in plots of Delta sigma(sub u) versus t(exp 2/3) suggesting the operation of a Snoek mechanism. Analysis according to the Cottrell Bilby model of atmosphere formation around dislocations yields an activation energy for yield point return in the range 70 to 76 kJ/mol which is comparable to the activation energy for diffusion of interstitial impurities in bcc metals. It is, thus, concluded that the kinetics of static strain aging in NiAl are controlled by the locking of dislocations by Cottrell atmospheres of carbon atoms around dislocations.

  6. Dye-sensitized MIL-101 metal organic frameworks loaded with Ni/NiOx nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen generation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xin-Ling; Wang, Rong; Zhang, Ming-Yi; Yuan, Yu-Peng; Xue, Can

    2015-10-01

    The Ni/NiOx particles were in situ photodeposited on MIL-101 metal organic frameworks as catalysts for boosting H2 generation from Erythrosin B dye sensitization under visible-light irradiation. The highest H2 production rate of 125 μmol h-1 was achieved from the system containing 5 wt. % Ni-loaded MIL-101 (20 mg) and 30 mg Erythrosin B dye. Moreover, the Ni/NiOx catalysts show excellent stability for long-term photocatalytic reaction. The enhancement on H2 generation is attributed to the efficient charge transfer from photoexcited dye to the Ni catalyst via MIL-101. Our results demonstrate that the economical Ni/NiOx particles are durable and active catalysts for photocatalytic H2 generation.

  7. Ternary mixed metal Fe-doped NiCo2O4 nanowires as efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, Kai-Li; Shang, Xiao; Li, Zhen; Dong, Bin; Li, Xiao; Gao, Wen-Kun; Chi, Jing-Qi; Chai, Yong-Ming; Liu, Chen-Guang

    2017-09-01

    Designing mixed metal oxides with unique nanostructures as efficient electrocatalysts for water electrolysis has been an attractive approach for the storage of renewable energies. The ternary mixed metal spinel oxides FexNi1-xCo2O4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 0.9, 1) have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal approach and calcination treatment using nickel foam as substrate. Fe/Ni ratios have been proved to affect the nanostructures of FexNi1-xCo2O, which imply different intrinsic activity for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). SEM images show that Fe0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 has the uniform nanowires morphology with about 30 nm of the diameter and 200-300 nm of the length. The OER measurements show that Fe0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 exhibits the better electrocatalytic performances with lower overpotential of 350 mV at J = 10 mA cm-2. In addition, the smaller Tafel slope of 27 mV dec-1 than other samples with different Fe/Ni ratios for Fe0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 is obtained. The improved OER activity of Fe0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 may be attributed to the synergistic effects from ternary mixed metals especially Fe-doping and the uniform nanowires supported on NF. Therefore, synthesizing Fe-doped multi-metal oxides with novel nanostructures may be a promising strategy for excellent OER electrocatalysts and it also provides a facile way for the fabrication of high-activity ternary mixed metal oxides electrocatalysts.

  8. Role of Hf on Phase Formation in Ti45Zr(38-x)Hf(x)Ni17 Liquids and Solids

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wessels, V.; Sahu, K. K.; Gangopadhyay, A. K.; Huett, V. T.; Canepari, S.; Goldman, A. I.; Hyers, R. W.; Kramer, M. J.; Rogers, J. R.; Kelton, K. F.; hide

    2008-01-01

    Hafnium and zirconium are very similar, with almost identical sizes and chemical bonding characteristics. However, they behave differently when alloyed with Ti and Ni. A sharp phase formation boundary near 18-21 at.% Hf is observed in rapidly-quenched and as-cast Ti45Zr38-xHfxNi17 alloys. Rapidly-quenched samples that contain less than 18 at.% Hf form the icosahedral quasicrystal phase, whiles samples containing more than 21 at.% form the 3/2 rational approximant phase. In cast alloys, a C14 structure is observed for alloys with Hf lower than the boundary concentration, while a large-cell (11.93 ) FCC Ti2Ni-type structure is found in alloys with Hf concentrations above the boundary. To better understand the role of Hf on phase formation, the structural evolution with supercooling and the solidification behavior of liquid Ti45Zr38-xHfxNi17 alloys (x=0, 12, 18, 21, 38) were studied using the Beamline Electrostatic Levitation (BESL) technique using 125keV x-rays on the 6ID-D beamline at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. For all liquids primary crystallization was to a BCC solid solution phase; interestly, an increase in Hf concentration leads to a decrease in the BCC lattice parameter in spite of the chemical similarity between Zr and Hf. A Reitveld analysis confirmed that as in the cast alloys, the secondary phase that formed was the C14 below the phase formation boundary and a Ti2Ni-type structure at higher Hf concentrations. Both the liquidus temperature and the reduced undercooling change sharply on traversing the phase formation boundary concentration, suggesting a change in the liquid structure. Structural information from a Honeycutt-Anderson index analysis of reverse Monte Carlo fits to the S(q) liquid data will be presented to address this issue.

  9. Origin of steps in magnetization loops of martensitic Ni-Mn-Ga films on MgO(001)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laptev, Aleksej; Lebecki, Kristof; Welker, Gesa; Luo, Yuansu; Samwer, Konrad; Fonin, Mikhail

    2016-09-01

    We study the temperature dependent magnetization properties of (010)-oriented Ni-Mn-Ga epitaxial films on MgO(001) substrates. In the martensitic phase, we observe pronounced abrupt slope changes in the magnetization loops for all studied samples. Our experimental findings are discussed in conjunction with the micromagnetic simulations, revealing that the characteristic magnetization behavior is governed solely by the magnetization switching within the specific martensitic variant pattern, and no reorientation of twin variants is involved in the process. Our study emphasizes the important role of the magnetostatic interactions in the magnetization behavior of magnetic shape memory alloy thin films.

  10. Classification of different kinds of pesticide residues on lettuce based on fluorescence spectra and WT-BCC-SVM algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Xin; Jun, Sun; Zhang, Bing; Jun, Wu

    2017-07-01

    In order to improve the reliability of the spectrum feature extracted by wavelet transform, a method combining wavelet transform (WT) with bacterial colony chemotaxis algorithm and support vector machine (BCC-SVM) algorithm (WT-BCC-SVM) was proposed in this paper. Besides, we aimed to identify different kinds of pesticide residues on lettuce leaves in a novel and rapid non-destructive way by using fluorescence spectra technology. The fluorescence spectral data of 150 lettuce leaf samples of five different kinds of pesticide residues on the surface of lettuce were obtained using Cary Eclipse fluorescence spectrometer. Standard normalized variable detrending (SNV detrending), Savitzky-Golay coupled with Standard normalized variable detrending (SG-SNV detrending) were used to preprocess the raw spectra, respectively. Bacterial colony chemotaxis combined with support vector machine (BCC-SVM) and support vector machine (SVM) classification models were established based on full spectra (FS) and wavelet transform characteristics (WTC), respectively. Moreover, WTC were selected by WT. The results showed that the accuracy of training set, calibration set and the prediction set of the best optimal classification model (SG-SNV detrending-WT-BCC-SVM) were 100%, 98% and 93.33%, respectively. In addition, the results indicated that it was feasible to use WT-BCC-SVM to establish diagnostic model of different kinds of pesticide residues on lettuce leaves.

  11. Ammonia-evaporation-induced construction of three-dimensional NiO/g-C3N4 composite with enhanced adsorption and visible light-driven photocatalytic performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tzvetkov, George; Tsvetkov, Martin; Spassov, Tony

    2018-07-01

    Novel visible light-driven heterostructured NiO/g-C3N4 photocatalyst has been designed and successfully prepared via ammonia-evaporation-induced method. The synthetic strategy consists of grafting the surface of g-C3N4 with Ni(NH3)62+ complex followed by its hydrolysis at lower pH to form nano-wrinkled thin film of α-Ni(OH)2. The final NiO/g-C3N4 hybrid was obtained after calcination of the Ni(OH)2/g-C3N4 precursor at 350 °C. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, N2 adsorption/desorption, UV-vis diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the resulting material. Our results revealed the formation of meso-/macroporous three-dimensional hierarchical honeycomb-like structure with high BET surface area (141 m2 g-1). The photocatalytic performance of the composite under visible light (λ > 400 nm) irradiation was evaluated through degradation of Malachite Green (MG) from aqueous medium at room temperature (25 °C). For the sake of comparison, the physico-chemical and photocatalytic properties of the pristine g-C3N4 and nanostructured NiO were also examined. Results indicated that NiO/g-C3N4 is much more active than pristine g-C3N4 and NiO in the photodegradation of MG. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the composite was mainly attributed to the combination of high adsorption capacity which facilitates the direct redox reactions of dye and the efficient inhibition of photo-generated electron-hole pair recombination. Superoxide radicals (•O2-) and photo-generated holes (h+) were found to be the main active species in the process.

  12. Capture of Hydrogen Using ZrNi

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Patton, Lisa; Wales, Joshua; Lynch, David; Parrish, Clyde

    2005-01-01

    Water, as ice, is thought to reside in craters at the lunar poles along with CH4 and H2 . A proposed robotic mission for 2012 will utilize metal/metal hydrides for H2 recovery. Specifications are 99% capture of H2 initially at 5 bar and 100C (or greater), and degassing completely at 300C. Of 47-systems examined using the van't Hoff equation, 4 systems, Mg/MgH2, Mg2Ni/Mg2NiH4, ZrNi/ZrNiH2.8, and Pd/PdH0.77, were considered likely candidates for further examination. It is essential, when selecting a system, to also examine questions regarding activation, kinetics, cyclic stability, and gas impurity effects. After considering those issues, ZrN1 was selected as the most promising candidate, as it is easily activated and rapidly forms ZrNiH 2.8 . In addition, it resists oxide poisoning by CO2, and H2O, while some oxidation by O2 is recommended for improved activation . The presence of hydrogen in the as received Zr-Ni alloy from Alfa Aesar posed additional technical problems. X-ray diffraction of the Zr-Ni powder (-325 mesh), with a Zr:Ni wt% ratio of 70:30, was found to consist of ZrH2, ZrNiH2.8, and ZrNi. ZrH2 in the alloy presented the risk that after degassing that both Zr and ZrNi would be present, and thus lead to erroneous results regarding the reactivity of ZrNi with H2 . Fortunately, ZrH2 is a highly stable hydride that does not degas H2 to any significant extent at temperatures below 300C. Based on equilibrium calculations for the decomposition of ZrH2, only 1 millionth of the hydride decomposed at 300C under a N2 atmosphere flowing at 25 ccm for 64 hours, the longest time for pretreatment employed in the investigation. It was possible, from the X-ray results and knowledge of the Zr:Ni ratio, to compute the composition of a pretreated specimen as being 76 wt% ZrNi and the balance ZrH2.

  13. Electron transport theory in magnetic nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choy, Tat-Sang

    Magnetic nanostructure has been a new trend because of its application in making magnetic sensors, magnetic memories, and magnetic reading heads in hard disks drives. Although a variety of nanostructures have been realized in experiments in recent years by innovative sample growth techniques, the theoretical study of these devices remain a challenge. On one hand, atomic scale modeling is often required for studying the magnetic nanostructures; on the other, these structures often have a dimension on the order of one micrometer, which makes the calculation numerically intensive. In this work, we have studied the electron transport theory in magnetic nanostructures, with special attention to the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) structure. We have developed a model that includes the details of the band structure and disorder, both of which are both important in obtaining the conductivity. We have also developed an efficient algorithm to compute the conductivity in magnetic nanostructures. The model and the algorithm are general and can be applied to complicated structures. We have applied the theory to current-perpendicular-to-plane GMR structures and the results agree with experiments. Finally, we have searched for the atomic configuration with the highest GMR using the simulated annealing algorithm. This method is computationally intensive because we have to compute the GMR for 103 to 104 configurations. However it is still very efficient because the number of steps it takes to find the maximum is much smaller than the number of all possible GMR structures. We found that ultra-thin NiCu superlattices have surprisingly large GMR even at the moderate disorder in experiments. This finding may be useful in improving the GMR technology.

  14. Porous LaCo1-xNixO3-δ Nanostructures as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation and for a Zinc-Air Battery.

    PubMed

    Vignesh, Ahilan; Prabu, Moni; Shanmugam, Sangaraju

    2016-03-09

    Perovskites have emerged as promising earth-abundant alternatives to precious metals for catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, we report the synthesis of a series of porous perovskite nanostructures, LaCo0.97O3-δ, with systematic Ni substitution in Co octahedral sites. Their electrocatalytic activity during the water oxidation reaction was studied in alkaline electrolytes. The electrocatalytic OER activity and stability of the perovskite nanostructure was evaluated using the rotating disk electrode technique. We show that the progressive replacement of Co by Ni in the LaCo0.97O3-δ perovskite structure greatly altered the electrocatalytic activity and that the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ composition exhibited the lowest OER overpotential of 324 and 265 mV at 10 mA cm(-2) in 0.1 M KOH and 1 M KOH, respectively. This value was much lower than that of the noble metal catalysts, IrO2, Ru/C, and Pt/C. Furthermore, the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ nanostructure showed outstanding electrode stability, with no observable decrease in performance up to 114th cycle in the auxiliary linear sweep voltammetry that lasted for 10 h in chronoamperometry studies. The excellent oxygen evolution activity of the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ perovskite nanostructure can be attributed to its intrinsic structure, interconnected particle arrangement, and unique redox characteristics. The enhanced intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of the La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ catalyst was correlated with several parameters, such as the electrochemical surface area, the roughness factor, and the turnover frequency, with respect to variation in the transition metals of the perovskite structure. Subsequently, La(Co0.71Ni0.25)0.96O3-δ was utilized as the air cathode in a zinc-air battery application.

  15. The delayed luminescence spectroscopy as tool to investigate the cytotoxic effect on human cancer cells of drug-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grasso, R.; Gulino, M.; Scordino, A.; Musumeci, F.; Campisi, A.; Bonfanti, R.; Carbone, C.; Puglisi, G.

    2016-05-01

    The first results concerning the possibility to use Delayed Luminescence spectroscopy to evaluate the in vitro induction of cytotoxic effects on human glioblastoma cells of nanostructured lipid carrier and drug-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier are showed in this contribution. We tested the effects of nanostructured lipid carrier, ferulic acid and ferulic acidloaded nanostructured lipid carrier on U-87MG cell line. The study seems to confirm the ability of Delayed Luminescence to be sensible indicator of alterations induced on functionality of the mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I in U-87MG cancer cells when treated with nanostructured lipid carriers.

  16. Synthesis of Novel Double-Layer Nanostructures of SiC–WOxby a Two Step Thermal Evaporation Process

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    A novel double-layer nanostructure of silicon carbide and tungsten oxide is synthesized by a two-step thermal evaporation process using NiO as the catalyst. First, SiC nanowires are grown on Si substrate and then high density W18O49nanorods are grown on these SiC nanowires to form a double-layer nanostructure. XRD and TEM analysis revealed that the synthesized nanostructures are well crystalline. The growth of W18O49nanorods on SiC nanowires is explained on the basis of vapor–solid (VS) mechanism. The reasonably better turn-on field (5.4 V/μm) measured from the field emission measurements suggest that the synthesized nanostructures could be used as potential field emitters. PMID:20596292

  17. Ultrafast surface modification of Ni3S2 nanosheet arrays with Ni-Mn bimetallic hydroxides for high-performance supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zou, Xu; Sun, Qing; Zhang, Yuxin; Li, Guo-Dong; Liu, Yipu; Wu, Yuanyuan; Yang, Lan; Zou, Xiaoxin

    2018-03-14

    Amorphous Ni-Mn bimetallic hydroxide film on the three-dimensional nickle foam (NF)-supported conductive Ni 3 S 2 nanosheets (denoted as Ni-Mn-OH@Ni 3 S 2 /NF) is successfully synthesized by an ultrafast process (5 s). The fascinating structural characteristic endows Ni-Mn-OH@Ni 3 S 2 /NF electrodes better electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance of 2233.3 F g -1 at a current density of 15 A g -1 can achieve high current density charge and discharge at 20/30 A g -1 that the corresponding capacitance is 1529.16 and 1350 F g -1 , respectively. As well as good cycling performance after 1000 cycles can maintain 72% at 15 A g -1 . The excellent performance can be attributed to unique surface modification nanostructures and the synergistic effect of the bimetallic hydroxide film. The impressive results provide new opportunity to produce advanced electrode materials by simple and green route and this material is expected to apply in high energy density storage systems.

  18. Defect-related photoluminescence in Mg-doped GaN nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reshchikov, M. A.; Shahedipour-Sandvik, F.; Messer, B. J.; Jindal, V.; Tripathi, N.; Tungare, M.

    2009-12-01

    Thin film of GaN:Mg, pyramidal GaN:Mg on GaN, sapphire and AlN substrates were grown in a MOCVD system under same growth conditions and at the same time. In samples with Mg-doped GaN pyramids on GaN:Si template a strong ultraviolet (UVL) band with few phonon replicas dominated at low temperature and was attributed to transitions from shallow donors to shallow Mg acceptor. In samples grown on sapphire and AlN substrates the UVL band appeared as a structureless band with the maximum at about 3.25 eV. There is a possibility that the structureless UVL band and the UVL band with phonon structure have different origin. In addition to the UVL band, the blue luminescence (BL) band peaking at 2.9 eV was observed in samples representing GaN:Mg pyramids on GaN:Si substrate. It is preliminary attributed to transitions from shallow donors to Zn acceptor in GaN:Si substrate.

  19. Role of Ni-tolerant Bacillus spp. and Althea rosea L. in the phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated soils.

    PubMed

    Khan, Waheed Ullah; Yasin, Nasim Ahmad; Ahmad, Sajid Rashid; Ali, Aamir; Ahmed, Shakil; Ahmad, Aqeel

    2017-05-04

    In our current study, four nickel-tolerant (Ni-tolerant) bacterial species viz, Bacillus thuringiensis 002, Bacillus fortis 162, Bacillus subtilis 174, and Bacillus farraginis 354, were screened using Ni-contaminated media. The screened microbes exhibited positive results for synthesis of indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophore production, and phosphate solubilization. The effects of these screened microbes on Ni mobility in the soil, root elongation, plant biomass, and Ni uptake in Althea rosea plants grown in Ni-contaminated soil (200 mg Ni kg -1 ) were evaluated. Significantly higher value for water-extractable Ni (38 mg kg -1 ) was observed in case of Ni-amended soils inoculated with B. subtilis 174. Similarly, B. thuringiensis 002, B. fortis 162, and B. subtilis 174 significantly enhanced growth and Ni uptake in A. rosea. The Ni uptake in the shoots and roots of B. subtilis 174-inoculated plants enhanced up to 1.7 and 1.6-fold, respectively, as compared to that in the un-inoculated control. Bacterial inoculation also significantly improved the root and shoot biomass of treated plants. The current study presents a novel approach for bacteria-assisted phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated areas.

  20. Structural, optical and photo-catalytic activity of nanocrystalline NiO thin films

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Al-Ghamdi, Attieh A.; Abdel-wahab, M. Sh., E-mail: mshabaan90@yahoo.com; Materials Science and Nanotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef

    2016-03-15

    Highlights: • Synthesis of nanocrystalline NiO thin films with different thicknesses using DC magnetron sputtering technique. • Effect of film thickness and particle size on photo-catalytic degradation of methyl green dye under UV light was studied. • The deposited NiO thin films are efficient, stable and possess high photo-catalytic activity upon reuse. - Abstract: Physical deposition of nanocrystalline nickel oxide (NiO) thin films with different thickness 30, 50 and 80 nm have been done on glass substrate by DC magnetron sputtering technique and varying the deposition time from 600, 900 to 1200 s. The results of surface morphology and opticalmore » characterization of these films obtained using different characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–vis spectrophotometry provide important information like formation of distinct nanostructures in different films and its effect on their optical band gap which has decreased from 3.74 to 3.37 eV as the film thickness increases. Most importantly these films have shown very high stability and a specialty to be recycled without much loss of their photo-catalytic activity, when tested as photo-catalysts for the degradation of methyl green dye (MG) from the wastewater under the exposure of 18 W energy of UV lamp.« less

  1. Spatially resolved resistance of NiO nanostructures under humid environment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jacobs, Christopher B; Ievlev, Anton; Collins, Liam F

    2016-01-01

    The spatially resolved electrical response of polycrystalline NiO films composed of 40 nm crystallites was investigated under different relative humidity levels (RH). The topological and electrical properties (surface potential and resistance) were characterized with sub 25nm resolution using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive scanning probe microscopy under argon atmosphere at 0%, 50%, and 80% relative humidity. The dimensionality of surface features obtained through autocorrelation analysis of topological maps increased linearly with increased relative humidity, as water was adsorbed onto the film surface. Surface potential decreased from about 280mV to about 100 mV and resistance decreased from about 5more » G to about 3 G , in a nonlinear fashion when relative humidity was increased from 0% to 80%. Spatially resolved surface potential and resistance of the NiO films was found to be heterogeneous throughout the film, with distinct domains that grew in size from about 60 nm to 175 nm at 0% and 80% RH levels, respectively. The heterogeneous character of the topological, surface potential, and resistance properties of the polycrystalline NiO film observed under dry conditions decreased with increased relative humidity, yielding nearly homogeneous surface properties at 80% RH, suggesting that the nanoscale potential and resistance properties converge with the mesoscale properties as water is adsorbed onto the NiO film.« less

  2. Predicting the Crystal Structure and Phase Transitions in High-Entropy Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    King, D. M.; Middleburgh, S. C.; Edwards, L.; Lumpkin, G. R.; Cortie, M.

    2015-06-01

    High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have advantageous properties compared with other systems as a result of their chemistry and crystal structure. The transition between a face-centered cubic (FCC) and body-centered cubic (BCC) structure in the Al x CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy system has been investigated on the atomic scale in this work. The Al x CoCrFeNi system, as well as being a useful system itself, can also be considered a model HEA material. Ordering in the FCC structure was investigated, and an order-disorder transition was predicted at ~600 K. It was found that, at low temperatures, an ordered lattice is favored over a truly random lattice. The fully disordered BCC structure was found to be unstable. When partial ordering was imposed (lowering the symmetry), with Al and Ni limited specific sites of the BCC system, the BCC packing was stabilized. Decomposition of the ordered BCC single phase into a dual phase (Al-Ni rich and Fe-Cr rich) is also considered.

  3. Synthesis and characterization of β-Ni(OH)2 embedded with MgO and ZnO nanoparticles as nanohybrids for energy storage devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, C. R. Ravi; Santosh, M. S.; Nagaswarupa, H. P.; Prashantha, S. C.; Yallappa, S.; Kumar, M. R. Anil

    2017-06-01

    In this study, the electrode material (nickel hydroxide powder) has been synthesized by a co-precipitation method using sodium hydroxide and nickel sulphate as precipitator and nickel source, respectively. The obtained nickel hydroxide powder has been subsequently embedded with biosynthesized MgO and ZnO nanoparticles as nanohybrids, which have been investigated as a novel hybrid electrode material for power-storage applications. The powder x-ray diffraction pattern of nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2)-based nanohybrid materials reveals a typical β-phase. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the embedded structures of nanohybrids and thermal stability by thermogravimetry and differential thermal) analysis. The electrochemical properties of these materials have been studied using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The specific capacitance values are found to be 439, 1076, and 622 F g-1 for bare β-Ni(OH)2, and for β-Ni(OH)2 embedded with ZnO and MgO nanohybrids, respectively, at a scan rate of 10 mVs-1. The enhanced capacitance of nanohybrids is also evident from EIS measurements. Galvanostatic charge-discharge tests for these designed nanohybrids show excellent capacitance performance in battery and supercapacitor applications. These innovative results could be considered for the expansion of novel resources to scale for power-storage applications and may contribute to the development of this niche area at large.

  4. Enhanced Sintering of TiNi Shape Memory Foams under Mg Vapor Atmosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aydoğmuş, Tarik; Bor, Şakir

    2012-12-01

    TiNi alloy foams are promising candidates for biomaterials to be used as artificial orthopedic implant materials for bone replacement applications in biomedical sector. However, certain problems exist in their processing routes, such as formation of unwanted secondary intermetallic phases leading to brittleness and deterioration of shape memory and superelasticity characteristics; and the contamination during processing resulting in oxides and carbonitrides which affect mechanical properties negatively. Moreover, the eutectic reaction present in Ti-Ni binary system at 1391 K (1118 °C) prevents employment of higher sintering temperatures (and higher mechanical properties) even when equiatomic prealloyed powders are used because of Ni enrichment of TiNi matrix as a result of oxidation. It is essential to prevent oxidation of TiNi powders during processing for high-temperature (>1391 K i.e., 1118 °C) sintering practices. In the current study, magnesium powders were used as space holder material to produce TiNi foams with the porosities in the range of 40 to 65 pct. It has been found that magnesium prevents secondary phase formation and contamination. It also prevents liquid phase formation while enabling employment of higher sintering temperatures by two-step sintering processing: holding the sample at 1373 K (1100 °C) for 30 minutes, and subsequently sintering at temperatures higher than the eutectic temperature, 1391 K (1118 °C). By this procedure, magnesium may allow sintering up to temperatures close to the melting point of TiNi. TiNi foams produced with porosities in the range of 40 to 55 pct were found to be acceptable as implant materials in the light of their favorable mechanical properties.

  5. Rational Design of Hierarchically Core-Shell Structured Ni3 S2 @NiMoO4 Nanowires for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

    PubMed

    Chen, Fangshuai; Ji, Shan; Liu, Quanbing; Wang, Hui; Liu, Hao; Brett, Dan J L; Wang, Guoxiu; Wang, Rongfang

    2018-05-30

    Rational design and controllable synthesis of nanostructured materials with unique microstructure and excellent electrochemical performance for energy storage are crucially desired. In this paper, a facile method is reported for general synthesis of hierarchically core-shell structured Ni 3 S 2 @NiMoO 4 nanowires (NWs) as a binder-free electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors. Due to the intimate contact between Ni 3 S 2 and NiMoO 4 , the hierarchical structured electrodes provide a promising unique structure for asymmetric supercapacitors. The as-prepared binder-free Ni 3 S 2 @NiMoO 4 electrode can significantly improve the electrical conductivity between Ni 3 S 2 and NiMoO 4 , and effectively avoid the aggregation of NiMoO 4 nanosheets, which provide more active space for storing charge. The Ni 3 S 2 @NiMoO 4 electrode presents a high areal capacity of 1327.3 µAh cm -2 and 67.8% retention of its initial capacity when current density increases from 2 to 40 mA cm -2 . In a two-electrode Ni 3 S 2 @NiMoO 4 //active carbon cell, the active materials deliver a high energy density of 121.5 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 2.285 kW kg -1 with excellent cycling stability. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Fabrication and characterization of nickel oxide nanoparticles/silicon NiO NPS/Si

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shuihab, Aliyah; Khalf, Surour

    2018-05-01

    In this study, (NiO) thin film which prepared by chemical method and deposited by drop casting technique on glass. The structural, optical and chemical analyses have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements relieve that the (NiO) thin film was polycrystalline, cubic structure and there is no trace of the other material. UV-Vis measurements reveal that the energy gap of (NiO) thin film was found 1.8 eV. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum of (NiO) thin film shows NiO nanoparticles had its IR peak of Ni-O stretching vibration and shifted to blue direction. Due to their quantum size effect and spherical nanostructures, the FTIR absorption of NiO nanoparticles is blue-shifted compared to that of the bulk form.

  7. Crystal structures of NiSO4·9H2O and NiSO4·8H2O: magnetic properties, stability with respect to morenosite (NiSO4·7H2O), the solid-solution series (Mg x Ni1-x )SO4·9H2O

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fortes, A. D.; Knight, K. S.; Gibbs, A. S.; Wood, I. G.

    2018-02-01

    Since being discovered initially in mixed-cation systems, a method of forming end-member NiSO4·9H2O and NiSO4·8H2O has been found. We have obtained powder diffraction data from protonated analogues (with X-rays) and deuterated analogues (using neutrons) of these compounds over a range of temperatures, allowing us to determine their crystal structures—including all H-atoms—and to characterise the transitions on warming from 220 to 278 K; glass → 9-hydrate → 8-hydrate + ice → 7-hydrate + ice → partial melt (7-hydrate + liquid). NiSO4·8D2O is triclinic, space-group P\\bar {1} , Z = 2, with unit cell parameters at 150 K, a = 6.12463(8) Å, b = 6.8401(1) Å, c = 12.5339(2) Å, α = 92.846(1)°, β = 97.822(1)°, γ = 96.627(1)° and V = 515.58(1) Å3. The structure consists of two symmetry-inequivalent Ni(D2O)6 octahedra on sites of \\bar {1} symmetry. These are directly joined by a water-water H-bond to form chains of octahedra parallel with the c-axis at x = 0. Two interstitial water molecules serve both to bridge the Ni(D2O)6 octahedral chains in the b-c plane and also to connect with the SO4 2- tetrahedral oxyanion. These tetrahedra are linked by the two interstitial water molecules in a reticular motif to form sheets perpendicular to c. NiSO4·9D2O is monoclinic, space-group P21/c, Z = 4, with unit-cell parameters at 150 K, a = 6.69739(6) Å, b = 11.8628(1) Å, c = 14.5667(1) Å, β = 94.9739(8)° and V = 1152.96(1) Å3. The structure is isotypic with the Mg analogue described elsewhere (Fortes et al., Acta Cryst B 73:47‒64, 2017b). It shares the motif of H-bonded octahedral chains with NiSO4·8D2O, although in the enneahydrate these run parallel with the b-axis at x = 0. Three interstitial water molecules bridge the Ni(D2O)6 octahedra to the SO4 2- tetrahedral oxyanion. The tetrahedra sit at x ≈ 0.5 and are linked by two of the three interstitial water molecules in a pentagonal motif to form ribbons parallel with b. A solid-solution series

  8. Ni-Co bimetal nanowires filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes for the highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic glucose sensor applications

    PubMed Central

    Ramachandran, K.; Raj kumar, T.; Babu, K. Justice; Gnana kumar, G.

    2016-01-01

    The facile, time and cost efficient and environmental benign approach has been developed for the preparation of Nickel (Ni)-Cobalt (Co) alloy nanowires filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with the aid of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN)/Ni-Co catalyst. The controlled incorporation of Ni-Co nanostructures in the three dimensional (3D) pore structures of MSN yielded the catalytically active system for the MWCNT growth. The inner surface of MWCNTs was quasi-continuously filled with face-centered cubic (fcc) structured Ni-Co nanowires. The as-prepared nanostructures were exploited as non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor probes for the reliable detection of glucose. The electrochemical measurements illustrated that the fabricated sensor exhibited an excellent electrochemical performance toward glucose oxidation with a high sensitivity of 0.695 mA mM−1 cm−2, low detection limit of 1.2 μM, a wide linear range from 5 μM–10 mM and good selectivity. The unprecedented electrochemical performances obtained for the prepared nanocomposite are purely attributed to the synergistic effects of Ni-Co nanowires and MWCNTs. The constructed facile, selective and sensitive glucose sensor has also endowed its reliability in analyzing the human serum samples, which wide opened the new findings for exploring the novel nanostructures based glucose sensor devices with affordable cost and good stability. PMID:27833123

  9. Ni-Co bimetal nanowires filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes for the highly sensitive and selective non-enzymatic glucose sensor applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramachandran, K.; Raj Kumar, T.; Babu, K. Justice; Gnana Kumar, G.

    2016-11-01

    The facile, time and cost efficient and environmental benign approach has been developed for the preparation of Nickel (Ni)-Cobalt (Co) alloy nanowires filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with the aid of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN)/Ni-Co catalyst. The controlled incorporation of Ni-Co nanostructures in the three dimensional (3D) pore structures of MSN yielded the catalytically active system for the MWCNT growth. The inner surface of MWCNTs was quasi-continuously filled with face-centered cubic (fcc) structured Ni-Co nanowires. The as-prepared nanostructures were exploited as non-enzymatic electrochemical sensor probes for the reliable detection of glucose. The electrochemical measurements illustrated that the fabricated sensor exhibited an excellent electrochemical performance toward glucose oxidation with a high sensitivity of 0.695 mA mM-1 cm-2, low detection limit of 1.2 μM, a wide linear range from 5 μM-10 mM and good selectivity. The unprecedented electrochemical performances obtained for the prepared nanocomposite are purely attributed to the synergistic effects of Ni-Co nanowires and MWCNTs. The constructed facile, selective and sensitive glucose sensor has also endowed its reliability in analyzing the human serum samples, which wide opened the new findings for exploring the novel nanostructures based glucose sensor devices with affordable cost and good stability.

  10. Tunneling-Magnetoresistance Ratio Comparison of MgO-Based Perpendicular-Magnetic-Tunneling-Junction Spin Valve Between Top and Bottom Co2Fe6B2 Free Layer Structure.

    PubMed

    Lee, Du-Yeong; Lee, Seung-Eun; Shim, Tae-Hun; Park, Jea-Gun

    2016-12-01

    For the perpendicular-magnetic-tunneling-junction (p-MTJ) spin valve with a nanoscale-thick bottom Co2Fe6B2 free layer ex situ annealed at 400 °C, which has been used as a common p-MTJ structure, the Pt atoms of the Pt buffer layer diffused into the MgO tunneling barrier. This transformed the MgO tunneling barrier from a body-centered cubic (b.c.c) crystallized layer into a mixture of b.c.c, face-centered cubic, and amorphous layers and rapidly decreased the tunneling-magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio. The p-MTJ spin valve with a nanoscale-thick top Co2Fe6B2 free layer could prevent the Pt atoms diffusing into the MgO tunneling barrier during ex situ annealing at 400 °C because of non-necessity of a Pt buffer layer, demonstrating the TMR ratio of ~143 %.

  11. Abundances of O, Mg, S, Cr, Mn, Ti, NI and Zn from absorption lines of neutral gas in the Large Magellanic Cloud in front of R136

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Boer, K. S.; Fitzpatrick, E. L.; Savage, B. D.

    1985-11-01

    The authors have searched six high-dispersion IUE spectra of R136 for weak absorption lines of C I, O I, Mg I, Mg II, Si I, Si II, P I, Cl I, Cr II, Mn II, Fe I, Ni II, Zn II, CO and C2. The absorption detected is from neutral gas in front of the 30 Doradus H II region. For the first time abundances of Mg, Cr, Mn, Ti, Ni, and Zn are determined for an extragalactic system. The LMC abundances from the absorption lines are a factor of 2 to 3 below those of the Milky Way, in agreement with general results from emission line studies. The density and temperature of the neutral gas are estimates from the observed excitation and ionization at approximately n(H) = 300 cm-3 and T = 100K, implying a gas pressure of about 3×104cm-3K.

  12. Short-range order clustering in BCC Fe-Mn alloys induced by severe plastic deformation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shabashov, V. A.; Kozlov, K. A.; Sagaradze, V. V.; Nikolaev, A. L.; Lyashkov, K. A.; Semyonkin, V. A.; Voronin, V. I.

    2018-03-01

    The effect of severe plastic deformation, namely, high-pressure torsion (HPT) at different temperatures and ball milling (BM) at different time intervals, has been investigated by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy in Fe100-xMnx (x = 4.1, 6.8, 9) alloys. Deformation affects the short-range clustering (SRC) in BCC lattice. Two processes occur: destruction of SRC by moving dislocations and enhancement of the SRC by migration of non-equilibrium defects. Destruction of SRC prevails during HPT at 80-293 K; whereas enhancement of SRC dominates at 473-573 K. BM starts enhancing the SRC formation at as low as 293 K due to local heating at impacts. The efficiency of HPT in terms of enhancing SRC increases with increasing temperature. The authors suppose that at low temperatures, a significant fraction of vacancies are excluded from enhancing SRC because of formation of mobile bi- and tri-vacancies having low efficiency of enhancing SRC as compared to that of mono vacancies. Milling of BCC Fe100-xMnx alloys stabilises the BCC phase with respect to α → γ transition at subsequent isothermal annealing because of a high degree of work hardening and formation of composition inhomogeneity.

  13. Identifying self-interstitials of bcc and fcc crystals in molecular dynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bukkuru, S.; Bhardwaj, U.; Warrier, M.; Rao, A. D. P.; Valsakumar, M. C.

    2017-02-01

    Identification of self-interstitials in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is of critical importance. There exist several criteria for identifying the self-interstitial. Most of the existing methods use an assumed cut-off value for the displacement of an atom from its lattice position to identify the self-interstitial. The results obtained are affected by the chosen cut-off value. Moreover, these chosen cut-off values are independent of temperature. We have developed a novel unsupervised learning algorithm called Max-Space Clustering (MSC) to identify an appropriate cut-off value and its dependence on temperature. This method is compared with some widely used methods such as effective sphere (ES) method and nearest neighbor sphere (NNS) method. The cut-off radius obtained using our method shows a linear variation with temperature. The value of cut-off radius and its temperature dependence is derived for five bcc (Cr, Fe, Mo, Nb, W) and six fcc (Ag, Au, Cu, Ni, Pd, Pt) crystals. It is seen that the ratio of the cut-off values "r" to the lattice constant "a" lies between 0.23 and 0.3 at 300 K and this ratio is on an average smaller for the fcc crystals. Collision cascade simulations are carried out for Primary knock-on Atom (PKA) energies of 5 keV in Fe (at 300 K and 1000 K) and W (at 300 K and 2500 K) and the results are compared using the various methods.

  14. Improved ethanol electrooxidation performance by shortening Pd-Ni active site distance in Pd-Ni-P nanocatalysts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Lin; Lu, Lilin; Zhu, Hengli; Chen, Yueguang; Huang, Yu; Li, Yadong; Wang, Leyu

    2017-01-01

    Incorporating oxophilic metals into noble metal-based catalysts represents an emerging strategy to improve the catalytic performance of electrocatalysts in fuel cells. However, effects of the distance between the noble metal and oxophilic metal active sites on the catalytic performance have rarely been investigated. Herein, we report on ultrasmall (~5 nm) Pd-Ni-P ternary nanoparticles for ethanol electrooxidation. The activity is improved up to 4.95 A per mgPd, which is 6.88 times higher than commercial Pd/C (0.72 A per mgPd), by shortening the distance between Pd and Ni active sites, achieved through shape transformation from Pd/Ni-P heterodimers into Pd-Ni-P nanoparticles and tuning the Ni/Pd atomic ratio to 1:1. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the improved activity and stability stems from the promoted production of free OH radicals (on Ni active sites) which facilitate the oxidative removal of carbonaceous poison and combination with CH3CO radicals on adjacent Pd active sites.

  15. Electrochemical synthesis of three-dimensional porous networks of nickel with different micro-nano structures for the fabrication of Ni/MnOx nanocomposites with enhanced supercapacitive performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ashassi-Sorkhabi, H.; La'le Badakhshan, P.

    2017-10-01

    We have electrochemically synthesized 3D-porous Ni/MnOx nanocomposites for supercapacitor applications. 3D porous micro-nanostructured networks of nickel were prepared using hydrogen bubbles as a dynamic template at different deposition potentials and times. The prepared nickel films were used then as 3D-porous substrates for anodic deposition of manganese oxide nanostructures. The effects of deposition potential and time on the structure of the prepared nickel scaffolds and especially on the capacitive behavior of the subsequently fabricated 3D-porous Ni/MnOx nanocomposites were investigated. The results show that the areal capacitance and especially the rate capability of prepared Ni/MnOx nanocomposites have improved with increasing the deposition potential or optimizing the deposition time of nickel films in the nanocomposites. The prepared 3D-porous Ni/MnOx nanocomposite, in which the nickel scaffold has been deposited at the potential of -6 V and duration of 90s, show almost the highest capacitive performance among all other prepared nanocomposites. This prepared nanocomposite, with the loading mass of 1.65 mg cm-2, showed the high areal capacitance of 654 mF cm-2 (396.4 F g-1) at the current density of 0.5 mA cm-2 (0.3 A g-1) in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solution. This nanocomposite also revealed the highest rate capability; the capacitance retention is about 63% (412 mF cm-2) with increasing the discharge rate from 0.5 to 20 mA cm-2, which is almost twice the observed amount of retention when the deposition potential of Ni films was -2 V (31%) or their deposition time was 45 s (34%). In addition, the prepared nanocomposite exhibited an outstanding cycling stability. The capacitance retention was about 98.91% after performing 2000 charge-discharge cycles.

  16. Three-dimensional hierarchical NiCo2O4 nanowire@Ni3S2 nanosheet core/shell arrays for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Bo; Kong, Dezhi; Huang, Zhi Xiang; Mo, Runwei; Wang, Ye; Han, Zhaojun; Cheng, Chuanwei; Yang, Hui Ying

    2016-05-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 core/shell arrays on Ni foam were synthesized by a facile, stepwise synthesis approach. The 3D heterogeneous NiCo2O4 nanostructure forms an interconnected web-like scaffold and serves as the core for the Ni3S2 shell. The as-prepared NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 nanowire array (NWA) electrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, such as high specific areal capacitance and excellent cycling stability. The specific areal capacitance of 3.0 F cm-2 at a current density of 5 mA cm-2 is among the highest values and the only 6.7% capacitance decay after 10 000 cycles demonstrates the excellent cycling stability. A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated with activated carbon (AC) as the anode and the obtained NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 NWAs as the cathode. The ASC device exhibited a high energy density of 1.89 mW h cm-3 at 5.81 W cm-3 and a high power density of 56.33 W cm-3 at 0.94 mW h cm-3. As a result, the hybrid nanoarchitecture opens a new way to design high performance electrodes for electrochemical energy storage applications.Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 core/shell arrays on Ni foam were synthesized by a facile, stepwise synthesis approach. The 3D heterogeneous NiCo2O4 nanostructure forms an interconnected web-like scaffold and serves as the core for the Ni3S2 shell. The as-prepared NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 nanowire array (NWA) electrodes exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, such as high specific areal capacitance and excellent cycling stability. The specific areal capacitance of 3.0 F cm-2 at a current density of 5 mA cm-2 is among the highest values and the only 6.7% capacitance decay after 10 000 cycles demonstrates the excellent cycling stability. A flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated with activated carbon (AC) as the anode and the obtained NiCo2O4@Ni3S2 NWAs as the cathode. The ASC device exhibited a high energy density of 1.89 mW h cm-3 at 5.81 W cm-3 and a high power

  17. A Novel Type of Battery-Supercapacitor Hybrid Device with Highly Switchable Dual Performances Based on a Carbon Skeleton/Mg2Ni Free-Standing Hydrogen Storage Electrode.

    PubMed

    Li, Na; Du, Yi; Feng, Qing-Ping; Huang, Gui-Wen; Xiao, Hong-Mei; Fu, Shao-Yun

    2017-12-27

    The sharp proliferation of high power electronics and electrical vehicles has promoted growing demands for power sources with both high energy and power densities. Under these circumstances, battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices are attracting considerable attention as they combine the advantages of both batteries and supercapacitors. Here, a novel type of hybrid device based on a carbon skeleton/Mg 2 Ni free-standing electrode without the traditional nickel foam current collector is reported, which has been designed and fabricated through a dispersing-freeze-drying method by employing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a hybrid skeleton. As a result, the Mg 2 Ni alloy is able to deliver a high discharge capacity of 644 mAh g -1 and, more importantly, a high cycling stability with a retention of over 78% after 50 charge/discharge cycles have been achieved, which exceeds almost all the results ever reported on the Mg 2 Ni alloy. Simultaneously, the electrode could also exhibit excellent supercapacitor performances including high specific capacities (296 F g -1 ) and outstanding cycling stability (100% retention after 100 cycles). Moreover, the hybrid device can switch between battery and supercapacitor modes immediately as needed during application. These features make the C skeleton/alloy electrode a highly promising candidate for battery-supercapacitor hybrid devices with high power/energy density and favorable cycling stability.

  18. Mg(II) and Ni(II) induce aggregation of poly(rA)poly(rU) to either tetra-aggregate or triplex depending on the metal ion concentration.

    PubMed

    Biver, Tarita; Busto, Natalia; García, Begoña; Leal, José M; Menichetti, Luisa; Secco, Fernando; Venturini, Marcella

    2015-10-01

    The ability of magnesium(II) and nickel(II) to induce dramatic conformational changes in the synthetic RNA poly(rA)poly(rU) has been investigated. Kinetic experiments, spectrofluorometric titrations, melting experiments and DSC measurements contribute in shedding light on a complex behaviour where the action of metal ions (Na(+), Mg(2+), Ni(2+)), in synergism with other operators as the intercalating dye coralyne and temperature, all concur in stabilising a peculiar RNA form. Mg(2+) and Ni(2+) (M) bind rapidly and almost quantitatively to the duplex (AU) to give a RNA/metal ion complex (AUM). Then, by the union of two AUM units, an unstable tetra-aggregate (UAUA(M2)*) is formed which, in the presence of a relatively modest excess of metal, evolves to the UAUM triplex by releasing a single AM strand. On the other hand, under conditions of high metal content, the UAUA(M2)* intermediate rearranges to give a more stable tetra-aggregate (UAUA(M2)). As concerns the role of coralyne (D), it is found that D strongly interacts with UAUA(M2). Also, in the presence of coralyne, the ability of divalent ions to promote the transition of AUD into UAUD is enhanced, according to the efficiency sequence [Ni(2+)]≫[Mg(2+)]≫[Na(+)]. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Selective antibacterial effects of mixed ZnMgO nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vidic, Jasmina; Stankic, Slavica; Haque, Francia; Ciric, Danica; Le Goffic, Ronan; Vidy, Aurore; Jupille, Jacques; Delmas, Bernard

    2013-05-01

    Antibiotic resistance has impelled the research for new agents that can inhibit bacterial growth without showing cytotoxic effects on humans and other species. We describe the synthesis and physicochemical characterization of nanostructured ZnMgO whose antibacterial activity was compared to its pure nano-ZnO and nano-MgO counterparts. Among the three oxides, ZnO nanocrystals—with the length of tetrapod legs about 100 nm and the diameter about 10 nm—were found to be the most effective antibacterial agents since both Gram-positive ( B. subtilis) and Gram-negative ( E. coli) bacteria were completely eradicated at concentration of 1 mg/mL. MgO nanocubes (the mean cube size 50 nm) only partially inhibited bacterial growth, whereas ZnMgO nanoparticles (sizes corresponding to pure particles) revealed high specific antibacterial activity to Gram-positive bacteria at this concentration. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that B. subtilis cells were damaged after contact with nano-ZnMgO, causing cell contents to leak out. Our preliminary toxicological study pointed out that nano-ZnO is toxic when applied to human HeLa cells, while nano-MgO and the mixed oxide did not induce any cell damage. Overall, our results suggested that nanostructured ZnMgO, may reconcile efficient antibacterial efficiency while being a safe new therapeutic for bacterial infections.

  20. Fabrication of transition metal-containing nanostructures via polymer templates for a multitude of applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Jennifer Qing

    Nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes and semiconducting nanowires offer great technological promise due to their remarkable properties. The lack of a rational synthesis method prevents fabricating these nanostructures with desirable and consistent properties at predefined locations for device applications. In this thesis, employing polymer templates, a variety of highly ordered catalytically active transition metal nanostructures, ranging from single metallic nanoparticles of Fe, Co, Ni, Au and bimetallic nanoparticles of Ni/Fe and Co/Mo to Fe-rich silicon oxide nanodomains with uniform and tunable size and spacing have been successfully synthesized. These nanostructures have been demonstrated to be excellent catalyst systems for the synthesis of carbon nanotube and silicon nanowire. High quality, small diameter carbon nanotubes and nanowires with narrow size distribution have been successfully attained. Because these catalytically active nanostructures are uniformly distributed and do not agglomerate at the growth temperatures, uniform, high density and high quality carbon nanotube mats have been obtained. Since this polymer template approach is fully compatible with conventional top-down photolithography, lithographically selective growth of carbon nanotubes on a surface or suspended carbon nanotubes across trenches have been produced by using existing semiconductor processing. We have also shown the feasibility of producing carbon nanotubes and silicon nanowires at predefined locations on a wafer format and established a wafer-level carbon nanotube based device fabrication process. The ability of the polymer template approach to control catalyst systems at the nano-, micro- and macro-scales paves a pathway for commercialization of these 1D nanostructure-enabled devices. Beside producing well-defined, highly ordered discrete catalytically active metal-containing nanostructures by the polymer template approach, Au and Ag nanotextured surfaces have also been

  1. Room-Temperature Chemical Welding and Sintering of Metallic Nanostructures by Capillary Condensation.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Sung-Soo; Khang, Dahl-Young

    2016-06-08

    Room-temperature welding and sintering of metal nanostructures, nanoparticles and nanowires, by capillary condensation of chemical vapors have successfully been demonstrated. Nanoscale gaps or capillaries that are abundant in layers of metal nanostructures have been found to be the preferred sites for the condensation of chemically oxidizing vapor, H2O2 in this work. The partial dissolution and resolidification at such nanogaps completes the welding/sintering of metal nanostructures within ∼10 min at room-temperature, while other parts of nanostructures remain almost intact due to negligible amount of condensation on there. The welded networks of Ag nanowires have shown much improved performances, such as high electrical conductivity, mechanical flexibility, optical transparency, and chemical stability. Chemically sintered layers of metal nanoparticles, such as Ag, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Co, have also shown orders of magnitude increase in electrical conductivity and improved environmental stability, compared to nontreated ones. Pertinent mechanisms involved in the chemical welding/sintering process have been discussed. Room-temperature welding and sintering of metal nanostructures demonstrated here may find widespread application in diverse fields, such as displays, deformable electronics, wearable heaters, and so forth.

  2. Complex magnetic structure of clusters and chains of Ni and Fe on Pt(111)

    PubMed Central

    Bezerra-Neto, Manoel M.; Ribeiro, Marcelo S.; Sanyal, Biplab; Bergman, Anders; Muniz, Roberto B.; Eriksson, Olle; Klautau, Angela B.

    2013-01-01

    We present an approach to control the magnetic structure of adatoms adsorbed on a substrate having a high magnetic susceptibility. Using finite Ni-Pt and Fe-Pt nanowires and nanostructures on Pt(111) surfaces, our ab initio results show that it is possible to tune the exchange interaction and magnetic configuration of magnetic adatoms (Fe or Ni) by introducing different numbers of Pt atoms to link them, or by including edge effects. The exchange interaction between Ni (or Fe) adatoms on Pt(111) can be considerably increased by introducing Pt chains to link them. The magnetic ordering can be regulated allowing for ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic configurations. Noncollinear magnetic alignments can also be stabilized by changing the number of Pt-mediated atoms. An Fe-Pt triangularly-shaped nanostructure adsorbed on Pt(111) shows the most complex magnetic structure of the systems considered here: a spin-spiral type of magnetic order that changes its propagation direction at the triangle vertices. PMID:24165828

  3. Controlled synthesis of different metal oxide nanostructures by direct current arc discharge.

    PubMed

    Su, Yanjie; Zhang, Jing; Zhang, Liling; Zhang, Yafei

    2013-02-01

    Direct current (DC) arc discharge method gives high temperature in a short time, which has been widely used to prepare carbon nanotubes. We use this simple approach to synthesize metal oxide nanostructures (MgO, SnO2) without any catalyst. Different morphologies (nanowires, nanobelts, nanocubes, and nanodisks) of metal oxide nanostructures can be controllably synthesized by changing the content of air in buffer gas. The growth mechanisms for these nanostructures are discussed in detail. Oxygen partial pressure is supposed to be one of the most important key factors. The methodology might be used to synthesize similar nanostructures of other functional oxide materials and non-oxide materials.

  4. Mechanism of carrier injection in (Ni/Au)/p-AlxGa1-xN:Mg(0<=x<0.1) Ohmic contacts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nikishin, S.; Chary, I.; Borisov, B.; Kuryatkov, V.; Kudryavtsev, Yu.; Asomoza, R.; Karpov, S. Yu.; Holtz, M.

    2009-10-01

    We report the mechanism of current injection in (Ni/Au)/p-AlxGa1-xN:Mg(0≤x<0.1) Ohmic contacts based on the temperature dependence of hole concentrations (p) and specific contact resistance (ρc). The injection mechanism is found to be thermionic emission in all cases. A model is developed to describe the temperature dependences of p and ρc for Mg concentrations from 1019 to 1020 cm-3. The model takes into account splitting in the valence band structure, hole activation energy, and Schottky barrier height. For GaN (AlGaN) these are found to be 132-140 (135-150) meV and 66-88 (84-93) meV, respectively.

  5. Optical properties of Ni2+ and radiation defects in MgF sub 2 and MnF sub 2

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feuerhelm, L. N.

    1980-03-01

    The radiation defects in pure MgF2 were made by observating the polarized absorption, luminescence, and excitation spectra in electron-irradiated MgF2. Additionally, studies of the absorption, emission, excitation, and temperature dependence of the lifetimes of transitions in nickel-doped MgF2 and MnF2 were accomplished, as well as the observation of radiation effects on these crystals. The absorption band at about 320 nm in irradiated MgF2 is identified to be due to the F2(D2b) center, and to have an emission at about 450 nm. Analysis of the temperature dependence of this band indicates a dominant phonon mode of 255 cm(-1) for the excited state. The F2(C1) center is identified with an absorption of about 360 nm and an emission of 410 nm. An absorption peak at 300 nm, for which no corresponding emission was found, is tentatively identified to be the F3-center, and to have a dominant phonon mode of 255 cm(-1). The temperature dependence of the lifetimes of transitions in nickel-doped MgF2 is analyzed by the quantum mechanical single configuration coordinate model of Struck and Fonger, and a complete configuration coordinate model is made for this crystal. Similar studies are made in MnF2:Ni.

  6. Comparative study of synthesis, structural and magnetic properties of Cu2+ substituted Co-Ni, Co-Zn and Co-Mg nano ferrites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ramakrishna, A.; Murali, N.; Margarette, S. J.; Samatha, K.; Veeraiah, V.

    2018-02-01

    Mixed ferrites of the form Co0.5M0.1Cu0.4Fe2O4 (M = Ni, Zn and Mg) have been synthesized using the sol-gel auto combustion technique. Structural analyses are carried out using powder X-ray diffraction to idntify pure ferrite phases. SEM analysis revealed clear crystal morphology with relatively uniform grain sizes with polygonal structures. The FT-IR studies also confirm the bond formation and cation vibrations at low (365-392 cm-1) and high (579-587 cm-1) bands that correspond to the tetrahedral and octahedral sites, respectively. The magnetic properties studied through vibrating sample magnetometer showed that the Ni substituted sample has more magnetic character by exhibiting the highest saturation magnetization.

  7. Synthesis of FeCoNi nanoparticles by galvanostatic technique

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Budi, Setia, E-mail: setiabudi@unj.ac.id; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jl. Pemuda No.10, Rawamangun, Jakarta 13220; Hafizah, Masayu Elita

    Soft magnetic nanoparticles of FeCoNi have been becoming interesting objects for many researchers due to its potential application in electronic devices. One of the most promising methods for material preparation is the electrodeposition which capable of growing nanoparticles alloy directly onto the substrate. In this paper, we report our electrodeposition studies on nanoparticles synthesis using galvanostatic electrodeposition technique. Chemical composition of the synthesized FeCoNi was successfully controlled through the adjustment of the applied currents. It is revealed that the content of each element, obtained from quantitative analysis using atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS), could be modified by the adjustment of currentmore » in which Fe and Co content decreased at larger applied currents, while Ni content increased. The nanoparticles of Co-rich FeCoNi and Ni-rich FeCoNi were obtained from sulphate electrolyte at the range of applied current investigated in this work. Broad diffracted peaks in the X-ray diffractograms indicated typical nanostructures of the solid solution of FeCoNi.« less

  8. Using Chelator-Buffered Nutrient Solutions to Induce Ni-Deficiency in the Ni-Hyperaccumulator Alyssum murale

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Ni is essential for all plants due to its role in urease. Many Alyssum species are known to hyperaccumulate Ni to over 20 g kg-1 dry weight (DW) while normal plants require only about 0.1 mg kg-1 DW. As part of our research on Ni hyperaccumulation by plants, we conducted experiments to measure the...

  9. Structural and electrochemical properties of nanostructured nickel silicides by reduction and silicification of high-surface-area nickel oxide

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Xiao; Zhang, Bingsen; Li, Chuang

    Graphical abstract: Nanostructured nickel silicides have been synthesized by reduction and silification of high-surface-area nickel oxide, and exhibited remarkably like-noble metal property, lower electric resistivity, and ferromagnetism at room temperature. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NiSi{sub x} have been prepared by reduction and silification of high-surface-area NiO. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The structure of nickel silicides changed with increasing reaction temperature. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Si doping into nickel changed the magnetic properties of metallic nickel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NiSi{sub x} have remarkably lower electric resistivity and like-noble metal property. -- Abstract: Nanostructured nickel silicides have been prepared by reduction and silicification of high-surface-area nickel oxide (145 m{sup 2} g{sup -1})more » produced via precipitation. The prepared materials were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, magnetic and electrochemical measurements. The nickel silicide formation involves the following sequence: NiO (cubic) {yields} Ni (cubic) {yields} Ni{sub 2}Si (orthorhombic) {yields} NiSi (orthorhombic) {yields} NiSi{sub 2} (cubic), with particles growing from 13.7 to 21.3 nm. The nickel silicides are ferromagnetic at room temperature, and their saturation magnetization values change drastically with the increase of Si content. Nickel silicides have remarkably low electrical resistivity and noble metal-like properties because of a constriction of the Ni d band and an increase of the electronic density of states. The results suggest that such silicides are promising candidates as inexpensive yet functional materials for applications in electrochemistry as well as catalysis.« less

  10. Ab initio theory of noble gas atoms in bcc transition metals

    DOE PAGES

    Jiang, Chao; Zhang, Yongfeng; Gao, Yipeng; ...

    2018-01-01

    Systematic ab initio calculations based on density functional theory have been performed to gain fundamental understanding of the interactions between noble gas atoms (He, Ne, Ar and Kr) and bcc transition metals in groups 5B (V, Nb and Ta), 6B (Cr, Mo and W) and 8B (Fe).

  11. High Ni in Archean tholeiites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arndt, Nicholas T.

    1991-03-01

    Archean tholeiites generally have higher Ni, Co. Cr and Fe than most younger tholeiites with similar MgO contents. These characteristics cannot be attributed to high T or P batch melting in the Archean mantle, because, although such melts are enriched in siderophile elements, they have higher MgO than normal tholeiites. As primary melts fractionate to lower MgO, they lose Ni, Co and Cr. Nor can the differences between Archean and younger tholeiites be attributed to secular variation in mantle compositions because Archean komatiites have Ni, Co, Cr contents similar to modern (Gorgona) komatiites. It is suggested that the high siderophile element content of Archean tholeiites results from mixing of either komatiitic with basaltic magmas, as might occur in an ascending, melting mantle plume or column, or of komatiite and more evolved rocks, as may take place when komatiite encounters and assimilates crustal rocks.

  12. Band gap bowing in NixMg1−xO

    PubMed Central

    Niedermeier, Christian A.; Råsander, Mikael; Rhode, Sneha; Kachkanov, Vyacheslav; Zou, Bin; Alford, Neil; Moram, Michelle A.

    2016-01-01

    Epitaxial transparent oxide NixMg1−xO (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) thin films were grown on MgO(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. High-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis indicate that the thin films are compositionally and structurally homogeneous, forming a completely miscible solid solution. Nevertheless, the composition dependence of the NixMg1−xO optical band gap shows a strong non-parabolic bowing with a discontinuity at dilute NiO concentrations of x < 0.037. Density functional calculations of the NixMg1−xO band structure and the density of states demonstrate that deep Ni 3d levels are introduced into the MgO band gap, which significantly reduce the fundamental gap as confirmed by optical absorption spectra. These states broaden into a Ni 3d-derived conduction band for x > 0.074 and account for the anomalously large band gap narrowing in the NixMg1−xO solid solution system. PMID:27503808

  13. MD modeling of screw dislocation influence upon initiation and mechanism of BCC-HCP polymorphous transition in iron

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dremov, V. V.; Ionov, G. V.; Sapozhnikov, F. A.; Smirnov, N. A.; Karavaev, A. V.; Vorobyova, M. A.; Ryzhkov, M. V.

    2015-09-01

    The present work is devoted to classical molecular dynamics investigation into microscopic mechanisms of the bcc-hcp transition in iron. The interatomic potential of EAM type used in the calculations was tested for the capability to reproduce ab initio data on energy evolution along the bcc-hcp transformation path (Burgers deformation + shuffe) and then used in the large-scale MD simulations. The large-scale simulations included constant volume deformation along the Burgers path to study the origin and nature of the plasticity, hydrostatic volume compression of defect free samples above the bcc to hcp transition threshold to observe the formation of new phase embryos, and the volume compression of samples containing screw dislocations to study the effect of the dislocations on the probability of the new phase critical embryo formation. The volume compression demonstrated high level of metastability. The transition starts at pressure much higher than the equilibrium one. Dislocations strongly affect the probability of the critical embryo formation and significantly reduce the onset pressure of transition. The dislocations affect also the resulting structure of the samples upon the transition. The formation of layered structure is typical for the samples containing the dislocations. The results of the simulations were compared with the in-situ experimental data on the mechanism of the bcc-hcp transition in iron.

  14. Coexistence pressure for a martensitic transformation from theory and experiment: Revisiting the bcc-hcp transition of iron under pressure

    DOE PAGES

    Zarkevich, N. A.; Johnson, D. D.

    2015-05-12

    We revisit results from decades of pressure experiments on the bcc ↔ hcp transformations in iron, which are sensitive to non-hydrostatic conditions and sample size. We emphasize the role of martensitic stress in the observed pressure hysteresis and address the large spread in values for onset pressures of the nucleating phase. From electronic-structure calculations, we find a bcc ↔ hcp equilibrium coexistence pressure of 8.4 GPa. Accounting for non-hydrostatic martensitic stress and a stress-dependent transition barrier, we suggest a pressure inequality for better comparison to experiment and observed hysteresis. We construct the equation of state for bcc and hcp phasesmore » under hydrostatic pressure, and compare to experiments and previous calculations.« less

  15. In-situ formation of Ni4Ti3 precipitate and its effect on pseudoelasticity in selective laser melting additive manufactured NiTi-based composites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Dongdong; Ma, Chenglong

    2018-05-01

    Selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing technology was applied to synthesize NiTi-based composites via using ball-milled Ti, Ni, and TiC mixed powder. By transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization, it indicated that the B2 (NiTi) matrix was obtained during SLM processing. In spite of more Ti content (the Ti/Ni ratio >1), a mass of Ni-rich intermetallic compounds containing Ni4Ti3 with nanostructure features and eutectic Ni3Ti around in-situ Ti6C3.75 dendrites were precipitated. Influence of the applied laser volume energy density (VED) on the morphology and content of Ni4Ti3 precipitate was investigated. Besides, nanoindentation test of the matrix was performed in order to assess pseudoelastic recovery behavior of SLM processed NiTi-based composites. At a relatively high VED of 533 J/mm3, the maximum pseudoelastic recovery was obtained due to the lowest content of Ni4Ti3 precipitates. Furthermore, the precipitation mechanism of in-situ Ni4Ti3 was present based on the redistribution of titanium element and thermodynamics analysis, and then the relationship of Ni4Ti3 precipitate, VED and pseudoelastic recovery behavior was also revealed.

  16. Auger electron diffraction study of Fe 1- xNi x alloys epitaxially grown on Cu(100)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, M. G.; Foy, E.; Chevrier, F.; Krill, G.; Asensio, M. C.

    1999-08-01

    We have combined Auger electron diffraction (AED), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) to examine the structure of Fe xNi 1- x alloys when the Fe content approaches 65%. At this concentration, the 'invar effect' takes place, so the magnetization falls to zero, and the thermal expansion coefficient is very small. The Fe xNi 1- x alloys, grown as metastable thin films by molecular-beam epitaxy on Cu(100) substrates, were studied as a function of the x stoichiometry. In contrast to the related bulk alloy compounds, we observe the collapse of the fcc-to-bcc structural transition in the Fe-rich films. Furthermore, the local atomic structure around Fe and Ni in the alloy has been simultaneously determined by the angular intensity distributions of Fe L 3VV (703 eV) and Ni L 3VV (848 eV) Auger electrons measured as a function of polar and azimuthal angles. For the films deposited at room temperature, we have confirmed the pseudomorphic growth morphology and the uniformity of the alloys.

  17. Dye-sensitized MIL-101 metal organic frameworks loaded with Ni/NiO{sub x} nanoparticles for efficient visible-light-driven hydrogen generation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liu, Xin-Ling; Wang, Rong; Yuan, Yu-Peng, E-mail: yupengyuan@ahu.edu.cn, E-mail: cxue@ntu.edu.sg

    2015-10-01

    The Ni/NiO{sub x} particles were in situ photodeposited on MIL-101 metal organic frameworks as catalysts for boosting H{sub 2} generation from Erythrosin B dye sensitization under visible-light irradiation. The highest H{sub 2} production rate of 125 μmol h{sup −1} was achieved from the system containing 5 wt. % Ni-loaded MIL-101 (20 mg) and 30 mg Erythrosin B dye. Moreover, the Ni/NiO{sub x} catalysts show excellent stability for long-term photocatalytic reaction. The enhancement on H{sub 2} generation is attributed to the efficient charge transfer from photoexcited dye to the Ni catalyst via MIL-101. Our results demonstrate that the economical Ni/NiO{sub x}more » particles are durable and active catalysts for photocatalytic H{sub 2} generation.« less

  18. Improved electrochemical performance of spinel LiMn(1.5)Ni(0.5)O4 through MgF2 nano-coating.

    PubMed

    Wu, Qing; Zhang, Xiaoping; Sun, Shuwei; Wan, Ning; Pan, Du; Bai, Ying; Zhu, Huiyuan; Hu, Yong-Sheng; Dai, Sheng

    2015-10-14

    A spinel LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMNO) cathode material synthesized by a sol-gel method is modified by MgF2 nano-coating via a wet coating strategy. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed that the MgF2 nano-coating layers do not physically change the bulk structure of the pristine material. Compared with the pristine compound, the MgF2-coated LMNO electrodes display enhanced cycling stabilities. Particularly, the 5 wt% MgF2-coated LMNO demonstrates the best reversibility, with a capacity retention of 89.9% after 100 cycles, much higher than that of the pristine material, 69.3%. The dQ/dV analysis and apparent Li(+) diffusion coefficient calculation prove that the kinetic properties are enhanced after MgF2 surface modification, which partly explains the improved electrochemical performances. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data confirm that the MgF2 coating layer helps in suppressing the fast growth of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film in repeated cycling, which effectively stabilizes the spinel structure. Additionally, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests show that the MgF2 nano-coating layer also helps in enhancing the thermal stability of the LMNO cathode.

  19. Controlled Growth of NiCo2O4 Nanorods and Ultrathin Nanosheets on Carbon Nanofibers for High-performance Supercapacitors

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Genqiang; (David) Lou, Xiong Wen

    2013-01-01

    Two one-dimensional hierarchical hybrid nanostructures composed of NiCo2O4 nanorods and ultrathin nanosheets on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are controllably synthesized through facile solution methods combined with a simple thermal treatment. The structure of NiCo2O4 can be easily controlled to be nanorods or nanosheets by using different additives in the synthesis. These two different nanostructures are evaluated as electrodes for high performance supercapacitors, in view of their apparent advantages, such as high electroactive surface area, ultrathin and porous features, robust mechanical strength, shorter ion and electron transport path. Their electrochemical performance is systematically studied, and both of these two hierarchical hybrid nanostructures exhibit high capacitance and excellent cycling stability. The remarkable electrochemical performance will undoubtedly make these hybrid structures attractive for high-performance supercapacitors with high power and energy densities. PMID:23503561

  20. Interface Promoted Reversible Mg Insertion in Nanostructured Tin-Antimony Alloys

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cheng, Yingwen; Shao, Yuyan; Parent, Lucas R.

    This paper demonstrates intermetallic compounds SnSb are highly active materials for reversibly hosting Mg ions. Compared with monometallic Sn and Sb, SnSb alloy exhibited exceptionally high reversible capacity (420 mAh/g), excellent rate capability and good cyclic stability. Mg insertion into pristine SnSb involves an activation process to complete, which induces particle breakdown and results in phase segregation to Sn-rich and Sb-rich phases. Both experimental analysis and DFT simulation suggest that the Sn-rich phase is particularly active and provides most of the capacity whereas the Sb-rich phase is not as active, and the interface between these two phases play a keymore » role in promoting the formation and stabilization of the cubic Sn phase that is more favorable for fast and reversible Mg insertion. We further show that activated SnSb alloy has good compatibility with simple Mg electrolytes. Overall, this work could provide new approaches for designing materials capable of reversible Mg ion insertion and new opportunities for understanding Mg electrochemistry.« less

  1. Steam Reforming of Ethylene Glycol over MgAl₂O₄ Supported Rh, Ni, and Co Catalysts

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mei, Donghai; Lebarbier, Vanessa M.; Xing, Rong

    Steam reforming of ethylene glycol (EG) over MgAl₂O₄ supported metal (15 wt.% Ni, 5 wt.% Rh, and 15 wt.% Co) catalysts were investigated using combined experimental and theoretical methods. Compared to highly active Rh and Ni catalysts with 100% conversion, the steam reforming activity of EG over the Co catalyst is comparatively lower with only 42% conversion under the same reaction conditions (500°C, 1 atm, 119,000 h⁻¹, S/C=3.3 mol). However, CH₄ selectivity over the Co catalyst is remarkably lower. For example, by varying the gas hour space velocity (GHSV) such that complete conversion is achieved for all the catalysts, CH₄more » selectivity for the Co catalyst is only 8%, which is much lower than the equilibrium CH₄ selectivity of ~ 24% obtained for both the Rh and Ni catalysts. Further studies show that varying H₂O concentration over the Co catalyst has a negligible effect on activity, thus indicating zero-order dependence on H₂O. These experimental results suggest that the supported Co catalyst is a promising EG steam reforming catalyst for high hydrogen production. To gain mechanistic insight for rationalizing the lower CH₃ selectivity observed for the Co catalyst, the initial decomposition reaction steps of ethylene glycol via C-O, O-H, C-H, and C-C bond scissions on the Rh(111), Ni(111) and Co(0001) surfaces were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Despite the fact that the bond scission sequence in the EG decomposition on the three metal surfaces varies, which leads to different reaction intermediates, the lower CH₄ selectivity over the Co catalyst, as compared to the Rh and Ni catalysts, is primarily due to the higher barrier for CH₄ formation. The higher S/C ratio enhances the Co catalyst stability, which can be elucidated by the facile water dissociation and an alternative reaction path to remove the CH species as a coking precursor via the HCOH formation. This work was financially supported by the

  2. The effect of Mn and B on the magnetic and structural properties of nanostructured Fe60Al40 alloys produced by mechanical alloying.

    PubMed

    Rico, M M; Alcázar, G A Pérez; Zamora, L E; González, C; Greneche, J M

    2008-06-01

    The effect of Mn and B on the magnetic and structural properties of nanostructured samples of the Fe60Al40 system, prepared by mechanical alloying, was studied by 57Fe Mössbauer spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. In the case of the Fe(60-x)Mn(x)Al40 system, 24 h milling time is required to achieve the BCC ternary phase. Different magnetic structures are observed according to the temperature and the Mn content for alloys milled during 48 h: ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, spin-glass, reentrant spin-glass and superparamagnetic behavior. They result from the bond randomness behaviour induced by the atomic disorder introduced by the MA process and from the competitive interactions of the Fe-Fe ferromagnetic interactions and the Mn-Mn and Fe-Mn antiferromagnetic interactions and finally the presence of Al atoms acting as dilutors. When B is added in the Fe60Al40 alloy and milled for 12 and 24 hours, two crystalline phases were found: a prevailing FeAl BCC phase and a Fe2B phase type. In addition, one observes an additional contribution attributed to grain boundaries which increases when both milling time and boron composition increase. Finally Mn and B were added to samples of the Fe60Al40 system prepared by mechanical alloying during 12 and 24 hours. Mn content was fixed to 10 at.% and B content varied between 0 and 20 at.%, substituting Al. X-ray patterns show two crystalline phases, the ternary FeMnAl BCC phase, and a (Fe,Mn)2B phase type. The relative proportion of the last phase increases when the B content increases, in addition to changes of the grain size and the lattice parameter. Such behavior was observed for both milling periods. On the other hand, the magnetic hyperfine field distributions show that both phases exhibit chemical disorder, and that the contribution attributed to the grain boundaries is less important when the B content increases. Coercive field values of about 10(2) Oe slightly increase with boron content

  3. Phytoremediation of Ni-contaminated soil by Salicornia iranica.

    PubMed

    Kaviani, Elina; Niazi, Ali; Moghadam, Ali; Taherishirazi, Mohsen; Heydarian, Zohreh

    2017-10-16

    Although nickel (Ni) is useful and is used in various industries, it is one of the most usual and important sources of heavy metals pollutants in the world. In this study, Salicornia iranica was used in order to phytoremediate Ni-contaminated soil. Possible mechanisms of plant tolerance to Ni pollution and its detoxification were studied through using expression analysis of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and measurement of involved key physiological components. The concentration of the chlorophylls a, b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids were significantly decreased in 500 mg/kg Ni at 3, 24, 48 h, and 90 days after the treatment. Free proline significantly increased in the tissues. The absorption and concentration of Ni increased in tissues, so that Ni concentration at 50, 250, and 500 mg Ni/kg soil significantly increased to 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 fold compared with the lowest Ni level respectively. In addition, the GST expression was significantly increased both in the 50 and 500 mg/kg Ni treatment. The highest concentration of Ni affected plant growth parameters such as the root and shoot lengths. Therefore, S. iranica is able to accumulate Ni and it can be used as an environmental biotechnological study for phytoremediation of Ni-polluted soils. ABA: abscisic acid; ABRE: ABA-responsive element; As +3 : arsenic; Cd 2+ : cadmium; ef1: elongation factor; FW: fresh weight; GSH: glutathione; GST: glutathione-S-transferase; GSTU: tau class GST; Hcl: hydrochloric acid; Hg 2+ : mercury; HgCl 2 : mercury(II) chloride; MYB: myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog; Ni +2 : nickel; Pb: lead; SiGSTU: Salicornia iranica GSTU; ZnSO 4 : zinc sulfate.

  4. Martensitic transformation in as-grown and annealed near-stoichiometric epitaxial Ni2MnGa thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Machain, P.; Condó, A. M.; Domenichini, P.; Pozo López, G.; Sirena, M.; Correa, V. F.; Haberkorn, N.

    2015-08-01

    Magnetic shape memory nanostructures have a great potential in the field of the nanoactuators. The relationship between dimensionality, microstructure and magnetism characterizes the materials performance. Here, we study the martensitic transformation in supported and free-standing epitaxial Ni47Mn24Ga29 films grown by sputtering on (0 0 1) MgO using a stoichiometric Ni2MnGa target. The films have a Curie temperature of ~390 K and a martensitic transition temperature of ~120 K. Similar transition temperatures have been observed in films with thicknesses of 1, 3 and 4 μm. Thicker films (with longer deposition time) present a wider martensitic transformation range that can be associated with small gradients in their chemical concentration due to the high vapour pressure of Mn and Ga. The magnetic anisotropy of the films shows a strong change below the martensitic transformation temperature. No features associated with variant reorientation induced by magnetic field have been observed. Annealed films in the presence of a Ni2MnGa bulk reference change their chemical composition to Ni49Mn26Ga25. The change in the chemical composition increases the martensitic transformation temperature, being closer to the stoichiometric compound, and reduces the transformation hysteresis. In addition, sharper transformations are obtained, which indicate that chemical inhomogeneities and defects are removed. Our results indicate that the properties of Ni-Mn-Ga thin films grown by sputtering can be optimized (fixing the chemical concentration and removing crystalline defects) by the annealing process, which is promising for the development of micromagnetic shape memory devices.

  5. PREFACE: Self-organized nanostructures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rousset, Sylvie; Ortega, Enrique

    2006-04-01

    the EUROCORES SONS Programme under the auspices of the European Science Foundation and the VI Framework Programme of the European Community. It was also funded by CNRS `formation permanente'. Major topics relevant to self-organization are covered in these papers. The first two papers deal with the physics of self-organized nucleation and growth. Both metal and semiconductor templates are investigated. The paper by Meyer zu Heringdorf focuses on the mesoscopic patterns formed by the Au-induced faceting of vicinal Si (001). Repain et al describe how uniform and long-range ordered nanostructures are built on a surface by using nucleation on a point-defect array. Electronic properties of such self-organized systems are reviewed by Mugarza and Ortega. The next three papers deal with molecules and self-organization. In the paper presented by Kröger, molecules are deposited on vicinal Au surfaces and are studied by STM. A very active field in self-organized nanostructures is the chemical route for nanoparticle synthesis. The paper by Piléni deals with self-organization of inorganic crystals produced by evaporation of a solution, also called colloids. Their physical properties are also treated. Gacoin et al illustrate chemical synthesis, including the template approach, using organized mesoporous silica films for the production of semiconductor or metal arrays of particles. An alternative method is developed in the paper by Allongue and Maroun which is the electrochemical method of building arrays of nanostructures. Ultimately, self-organization is a very interdisciplinary field. There is also an attempt in this issue to present some of the challenges using biology. The paper by Belamie et al deals with the self-assembly of biological macromolecules, such as chitin and collagen. Finally, Molodtsov and co-workers describe how a biological template can be used in order to achieve novel materials made of hybrid metallo-organic nanostructures.

  6. Wulff polyhedra derived from morse potentials and crystal habits of bcc and fcc metal particles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saito, Yahachi

    1981-05-01

    Using the broken-bond method and the pairwise potentials of Morse type, relative surface energies were calculated to derive the Wulff polyhedra for bcc and fcc metals. When only the first and the second nearest neighbour interactions are taken into account, the resulting Wulff polyhedron is a rhombic dodecahedron truncated by {100} faces and an octahedron truncated by {100} and {100} faces for bcc and fcc metals, respectively. The truncation degrees calculated are in good agreement with those measured from smoke particles grown in an atmosphere of rarefied inactive gas. The effect of the higher order terms of interactions is simply to make the edges and corners round.

  7. Peculiarities of thermoelectric half-Heusler phase formation in Gd-Ni-Sb and Lu-Ni-Sb ternary systems

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Romaka, V.V., E-mail: romakav@lp.edu.ua; Romaka, L.; Horyn, A.

    The phase equilibria in the Gd–Ni–Sb and Lu-Ni-Sb ternary systems were studied at 873 K by X-ray and metallographic analyses in the whole concentration range. The interaction of the elements in the Gd–Ni–Sb system results the formation of five ternary compounds at investigated temperature: Gd{sub 5}Ni{sub 2}Sb (Mo{sub 5}SiB{sub 2}-type), Gd{sub 5}NiSb{sub 2} (Yb{sub 5}Sb{sub 3}-type), GdNiSb (MgAgAs-type), Gd{sub 3}Ni{sub 6}Sb{sub 5} (Y{sub 3}Ni{sub 6}Sb{sub 5}-type), and GdNi{sub 0.72}Sb{sub 2} (HfCuSi{sub 2}-type). At investigated temperature the Lu-Ni-Sb system is characterized by formation of the LuNiSb (MgAgAs-type), Lu{sub 5}Ni{sub 2}Sb (Mo{sub 5}SiB{sub 2}-type), and Lu{sub 5}Ni{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 2.44} (Yb{sub 5}Sb{sub 3}-type)more » compounds. The disordering in the crystal structure of half-Heusler GdNiSb and LuNiSb was revealed by EPMA and studied by means of Rietveld refinement and DFT modeling. The performed electronic structure calculations are in good agreement with electrical transport property studies. - Graphical abstract: Crystal structure model and electron localization function of Lu{sub 5}Ni{sub 2}Sb. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Gd-Ni-Sb and Lu-Ni-Sb phase diagrams were constructed at 873 K. • GdNiSb and LuNiSb are characterized by disordered crystal structure. • Crystal structure optimization with DFT calculations confirmed crystal structure disorder in GdNiSb and LuNiSb.« less

  8. Structure and creep of Russian reactor steels with a BCC structure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sagaradze, V. V.; Kochetkova, T. N.; Kataeva, N. V.; Kozlov, K. A.; Zavalishin, V. A.; Vil'danova, N. F.; Ageev, V. S.; Leont'eva-Smirnova, M. V.; Nikitina, A. A.

    2017-05-01

    The structural phase transformations have been revealed and the characteristics of the creep and long-term strength at 650, 670, and 700°C and 60-140 MPa have been determined in six Russian reactor steels with a bcc structure after quenching and high-temperature tempering. Creep tests were carried out using specially designed longitudinal and transverse microsamples, which were fabricated from the shells of the fuel elements used in the BN-600 fast neutron reactor. It has been found that the creep rate of the reactor bcc steels is determined by the stability of the lath martensitic and ferritic structures in relation to the diffusion processes of recovery and recrystallization. The highest-temperature oxide-free steel contains the maximum amount of the refractory elements and carbides. The steel strengthened by the thermally stable Y-Ti nanooxides has a record high-temperature strength. The creep rate at 700°C and 100 MPa in the samples of this steel is lower by an order of magnitude and the time to fracture is 100 times greater than that in the oxide-free reactor steels.

  9. Effects of Rhenium Addition on the Temporal Evolution of the Nanostructure and Chemistry of a Model Ni-Cr-Al Superalloy. 1; Experimental Observations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yoon, Kevin E.; Noebe, Ronald D.; Seidman, David N.

    2006-01-01

    The temporal evolution of the nanostructure and chemistry of a model Ni-8.5 at.% Cr-10 at. % Al alloy, with the addition of 2 at.% Re, aged at 1073 K from 0.25 to 264 h, was studied. Transmission electron microscopy and atom-probe tomography were used to measure the number density and mean radius of the gamma prime (L1(sub 2) structure)-precipitates and the chemistry of the gamma prime-precipitates and the gamma (face-centered cubic)-matrix, including the partitioning behavior of all alloying elements between the gamma- and gamma prime-phases and the segregation behavior at gamma/gamma prime interfaces. The precipitates remained spheroidal for an aging time of up to 264 h and, unlike commercial nickel-based superalloys containing Re, there was not confined (nonmonotonic) Re segregation at the gamma/gamma prime interfaces.

  10. Microstructure and Tribological Properties of AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 High-Entropy Alloy in Hydrogen Peroxide Solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yu, Y.; Liu, W. M.; Zhang, T. B.; Li, J. S.; Wang, J.; Kou, H. C.; Li, J.

    2014-01-01

    Microstructure and tribological properties of an AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 high-entropy alloy in high-concentration hydrogen peroxide solution were investigated in this work. The results show that the sigma phase precipitates and the content of bcc2 decrease during the annealing process. Meanwhile, the complex construction of the interdendrite region changes into simple isolated-island shape, and much more spherical precipitates are formed. Those changes of microstructure during the annealing process lead to the increase of hardness of this alloy. In the testing conditions, the AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 alloy shows smoother worn surfaces and steadier coefficient of friction curves than does the 1Cr18Ni9Ti stainless steel, and SiC ceramic preserves better wear resistance than ZrO2 ceramic. After annealing, the wear resistance of the AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 alloy increases coupled with SiC counterface but decreases with ZrO2 counterface.

  11. Nanofoaming to Boost the Electrochemical Performance of Ni@Ni(OH)2 Nanowires for Ultrahigh Volumetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Xu, Shusheng; Li, Xiaolin; Yang, Zhi; Wang, Tao; Jiang, Wenkai; Yang, Chao; Wang, Shuai; Hu, Nantao; Wei, Hao; Zhang, Yafei

    2016-10-10

    Three-dimensional free-standing film electrodes have aroused great interest for energy storage devices. However, small volumetric capacity and low operating voltage limit their practical application for large energy storage applications. Herein, a facile and novel nanofoaming process was demonstrated to boost the volumetric electrochemical capacitance of the devices via activation of Ni nanowires to form ultrathin nanosheets and porous nanostructures. The as-designed free-standing Ni@Ni(OH) 2 film electrodes display a significantly enhanced volumetric capacity (462 C/cm 3 at 0.5 A/cm 3 ) and excellent cycle stability. Moreover, the as-developed hybrid supercapacitor employed Ni@Ni(OH) 2 film as positive electrode and graphene-carbon nanotube film as negative electrode exhibits a high volumetric capacitance of 95 F/cm 3 (at 0.25 A/cm 3 ) and excellent cycle performance (only 14% capacitance reduction for 4500 cycles). Furthermore, the volumetric energy density can reach 33.9 mWh/cm 3 , which is much higher than that of most thin film lithium batteries (1-10 mWh/cm 3 ). This work gives an insight for designing high-volume three-dimensional electrodes and paves a new way to construct binder-free film electrode for high-performance hybrid supercapacitor applications.

  12. High hydrogen desorption properties of Mg-based nanocomposite at moderate temperatures: The effects of multiple catalysts in situ formed by adding nickel sulfides/graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xie, Xiubo; Chen, Ming; Liu, Peng; Shang, Jiaxiang; Liu, Tong

    2017-12-01

    Nickel sulfides decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been produced by co-reducing Ni2+ and graphene oxide (GO), and is subsequently ball milled with Mg nanoparticles (NPs) produced by hydrogen plasma metal reaction (HPMR). The nickel sulfides of about 800 nm completely in situ change to MgS, Mg2Ni and Ni multiple catalysts after first hydrogenation/dehydrogenation process at 673 K. The Mg-5wt%NiS/rGO nanocomposite shows the highest hydrogen desorption kinetics and capacity properties, and the catalytic effect order of the additives is NiS/rGO, NiS and rGO. At 573 K, the Mg-NiS/rGO nanocomposite can quickly desorb 3.7 wt% H2 in 10 min and 4.5 wt% H2 in 60 min. The apparent hydrogen absorption and desorption activation energies of the Mg-5wt%NiS/rGO nanocomposite are decreased to 44.47 and 63.02 kJ mol-1, smaller than those of the Mg-5wt%rGO and Mg-5wt%NiS samples. The best hydrogen desorption properties of the Mg-5wt%NiS/rGO nanocomposite can be explained by the synergistic catalytic effects of the highly dispersed MgS, Mg2Ni and Ni catalysts on the rGO sheets, and the more nucleation sites between the catalysts, rGO sheets and Mg matrix.

  13. Atomistic Simulation of Interstitial Dislocation Loop Evolution under Applied Stresses in BCC Iron

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Long, Xue Hao; Wang, Dong; Setyawan, Wahyu

    Evolution of an interstitial 1/2⟨111⟩ dislocation loop under tensile, shear, and torsion stresses is studied with molecular statics method. Under a tensile stress, the dependence of ultimate tensile strength on size of loop is calculated. The formation of small shear loops around the initial prismatic loop is confirmed as an intermediate state to form the final dislocation network. Under a shear stress, the rotation of a loop is observed not only by a change of the habit plane but also through a transformation between a shear and a prismatic loop. Under torsion, a perfect BCC crystal may undergo a BCCmore » to FCC or BCC to HCP transformation. The present work indicates that a 1/2⟨111⟩ loop can delay these transformations, resulting in the formation of micro-crack on the surface.« less

  14. Loss of Endothelial Barrier in Marfan Mice (mgR/mgR) Results in Severe Inflammation after Adenoviral Gene Therapy

    PubMed Central

    Weymann, Alexander; Arif, Rawa; Weber, Antje; Zaradzki, Marcin; Richter, Karsten; Ensminger, Stephan; Robinson, Peter Nicholas; Wagner, Andreas H.; Karck, Matthias; Kallenbach, Klaus

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder of connective tissue. The vascular complications of Marfan syndrome have the biggest impact on life expectancy. The aorta of Marfan patients reveals degradation of elastin layers caused by increased proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In this study we performed adenoviral gene transfer of human tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (hTIMP-1) in aortic grafts of fibrillin-1 deficient Marfan mice (mgR/mgR) in order to reduce elastolysis. Methods We performed heterotopic infrarenal transplantation of the thoracic aorta in female mice (n = 7 per group). Before implantation, mgR/mgR and wild-type aortas (WT, C57BL/6) were transduced ex vivo with an adenoviral vector coding for human TIMP-1 (Ad.hTIMP-1) or β-galactosidase (Ad.β-Gal). As control mgR/mgR and wild-type aortas received no gene therapy. Thirty days after surgery, overexpression of the transgene was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and collagen in situ zymography. Histologic staining was performed to investigate inflammation, the neointimal index (NI), and elastin breaks. Endothelial barrier function of native not virus-exposed aortas was evaluated by perfusion of fluorescent albumin and examinations of virus-exposed tissue were performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results IHC and ISZ revealed sufficient expression of the transgene. Severe cellular inflammation and intima hyperplasia were seen only in adenovirus treated mgR/mgR aortas (Ad.β-Gal, Ad.hTIMP-1 NI: 0.23; 0.43), but not in native and Ad.hTIMP-1 treated WT (NI: 0.01; 0.00). Compared to native mgR/mgR and Ad.hTIMP-1 treated WT aorta, the NI is highly significant greater in Ad.hTIMP-1 transduced mgR/mgR aorta (p = 0.001; p = 0.001). As expected, untreated Marfan grafts showed significant more elastolysis compared to WT (p = 0.001). However, elastolysis in Marfan aortas was not reduced by adenoviral overexpression of hTIMP-1

  15. Nanostructured materials detect epidermal growth factor receptor, neuron specific enolase and carcinoembryonic antigen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stefan-van Staden, Raluca-Ioana; Comnea-Stancu, Ionela Raluca; Surdu-Bob, Carmen Cristina; Badulescu, Marius

    2015-09-01

    New nanostructured materials based on thin films of Cu and Ni deposited on textile material (veil), as well as gold nanostructured microspheres were used for the design of new stochastic sensors. The stochastic sensors were able to detect simultaneously a panel of biomarkers comprising epidermal growth factor receptor, neuron specific enolase, and carcinoembryonic antigen from whole blood samples with high reliabilities - recovery tests higher than 97.00%, with a RSD (%) lower than 0.1%. The stochastic sensors had shown high sensitivities and low determination levels for the detection of the proposed panel of biomarkers making early detection of lung cancer possible by fast screening of whole blood.

  16. Ab-initio study of high temperature lattice dynamics of BCC zirconium (β-Zr) and uranium (γ-U)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ghosh, Partha S., E-mail: parthasarathi13@gmail.com; Arya, A., E-mail: parthasarathi13@gmail.com; Dey, G. K., E-mail: parthasarathi13@gmail.com

    2014-04-24

    Using self consistent ab-initio lattice dynamics calculations, we show that bcc structures of Zr and U phases become stable at high temperature by phonon-phonon interactions. The calculated temperature dependent phonon dispersion curve (PDC) of β-Zr match excellently with experimental PDC. But the calculated PDC for γ-U shows negative phonon frequencies even at solid to liquid transition temperature. We show that this discrepancy is due to an overestimation of instability depth of bcc U phase which is removed by incorporation of spin-orbit coupling in the electronic structure calculations.

  17. Premelting hcp to bcc Transition in Beryllium

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lu, Y.; Sun, T.; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, P.; Zhang, D.-B.; Wentzcovitch, R. M.

    2017-04-01

    Beryllium (Be) is an important material with wide applications ranging from aerospace components to x-ray equipment. Yet a precise understanding of its phase diagram remains elusive. We have investigated the phase stability of Be using a recently developed hybrid free energy computation method that accounts for anharmonic effects by invoking phonon quasiparticles. We find that the hcp → bcc transition occurs near the melting curve at 0

  18. Controlling the Biodegradation of Magnesium Implants Through Nanostructured Calcium-Phosphate Coating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iskandar, Maria Emil

    Magnesium (Mg) alloys, a novel class of degradable, metallic biomaterials, have attracted growing interest as a promising alternative for medical implant and device applications due to their advantageous mechanical and biological properties. Moreover, Mg is biodegradable in the physiological environments. However, the major obstacle for Mg to be used as medical implants is its rapid degradation in physiological fluids. Therefore, the present key challenge lies in controlling Mg degradation rate in the physiological environment. The objective of this study was to develop a nanostructured-hydroxyapatite (nHA) coating on polished Mg implants to control the degradation and bone tissue integration of the implants. The nHA coatings were deposited on Mg using the Spire's patented TPA process to moderate the aggressive degradation of Mg and to improve quick osteointegration between Mg and natural bone. Nanostructured-HA coatings mimic the nanostructure and chemistry of natural bone, which will provide a desirable environment for bone tissue regeneration. Surface morphology, element compositions, and crystal structures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffractometry (XRD), respectively. SEM images of the deposited nHA-coating was analyzed using ImageJ's quantitative image analysis tool, to determine the nHA-coating particle size and thickness. The degradation of nHA-coated and non-coated Mg samples was investigated by incubating samples in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and revised simulated body fluid (r-SBF), under standard cell culture conditions. To mimic the in vivo cell response in the physiological environment, rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) were harvested and cultured with nHA-coated and non-coated polished Mg samples to determine cytocompatibilty. The degradation results suggested that the nanocoatings positively mediated Mg degradation. It can therefore be concluded that n

  19. Improved electrochemical performance of spinel LiMn 1.5Ni 0.5O 4 through MgF 2 nano-coating

    DOE PAGES

    Wu, Qing; Zhang, Xiaoping; Sun, Shuwei; ...

    2015-07-08

    In this paper, a spinel LiMn 1.5Ni 0.5O 4 (LMNO) cathode material synthesized by a sol–gel method is modified by MgF 2 nano-coating via a wet coating strategy. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed that the MgF 2 nano-coating layers do not physically change the bulk structure of the pristine material. Compared with the pristine compound, the MgF 2-coated LMNO electrodes display enhanced cycling stabilities. Particularly, the 5 wt% MgF 2-coated LMNO demonstrates the best reversibility, with a capacity retention of 89.9% after 100more » cycles, much higher than that of the pristine material, 69.3%. The dQ/dV analysis and apparent Li + diffusion coefficient calculation prove that the kinetic properties are enhanced after MgF 2 surface modification, which partly explains the improved electrochemical performances. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data confirm that the MgF 2 coating layer helps in suppressing the fast growth of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film in repeated cycling, which effectively stabilizes the spinel structure. Finally and additionally, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) tests show that the MgF 2 nano-coating layer also helps in enhancing the thermal stability of the LMNO cathode.« less

  20. Micromagnetic Simulation of Thermal Effects in Magnetic Nanostructures

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-01-01

    NiFe magnetic nano- elements are calculated. INTRODUCTION With decreasing size of magnetic nanostructures thermal effects become increasingly important...thermal field. The thermal field is assumed to be a Gaussian random process with the following statistical properties : (H,,,(t))=0 and (H,I.(t),H,.1(t...following property DI " =VE(M’’) - [VE(M"’)• t] t =0, for k =1.m (12) 186 The optimal path can be found using an iterative scheme. In each iteration step the

  1. Fabrication and magnetic properties of Ni nanospheres encapsulated in a fullerene-like carbon.

    PubMed

    Pol, S V; Pol, V G; Frydman, A; Churilov, G N; Gedanken, A

    2005-05-19

    A very simple, efficient, and economical synthetic technique, which produces fascinating fullerene-like Ni-C (graphitic) core-shell nanostructures at a relatively low temperature, is reported. The thermal dissociation of Ni acetylacetonate is carried out in a closed vessel cell (Swagelok) that was heated at 700 degrees C for 3 h. The encapsulation of ferromagnetic Ni nanospheres into the onion structured graphitic layers is obtained in a one-stage, single precursor reaction, without a catalyst, that possesses interesting magnetic properties. The magnetoresistance (MR) property of Ni nanospheres encapsulated in a fullerene-like carbon was measured, which shows large negative MR, of the order of 10%. The proposed mechanism for the formation of the Ni-C core-shell system is based on the segregation and the surface flux formed in the Ni and carbon particles during the reaction under autogenic pressure at elevated temperature.

  2. Formation of Ultrafine Metal Particles by Gas-Evaporation VI. Bcc Metals, Fe, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saito, Yahachi; Mihama, Kazuhiro; Uyeda, Ryozi

    1980-09-01

    The crystal structures and habits of bcc metal particles have been investigated systematically by electron microscopy. The habits for the bcc structure are rhombic dodecahedra truncated by six {100} faces with various degrees of truncation from 0 to 100%. The truncation degree for Fe and V particles grown in the intermediate zone of a metal smoke is in good agreement with that for the Wulff polyhedron expected from the surface energies calculated for {110} and {100} faces. Particles of Cr, Mo and W have the A-15 type structure besides the ordinary bcc structure. The present results support the hypothesis that the A-15 type structure is stable when the particle size is small. The habits for the A-15 type structure are rhombic dodecahedra (Cr), {211} icositetrahedra (Cr and Mo) and rounded cubes (Mo and W).

  3. Synthesis and characterization of transition metal oxide/sulfide nanostructures for electrochemical applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yilmaz, Gamze

    This thesis is essentially oriented to develop low-cost nanostructured transition metal (nickel and vanadium) oxides and sulfides with high energy density, power density and electrochemical stability via strategies of structural design, hybridization, functionalization and surface engineering. Metal oxide and metal oxide/sulfide hybrid nanostructures in several designs, including hierarchical porous nanostructures, hollow polyhedrons, nanocubes, nanoframes, octopod nanoframes, and nanocages, were synthesized to study the contribution of structural design, compositional engineering, functionalization and surface engineering to the electrochemical properties of the materials. Modulated compositional and structural features disclosed the opportunities of large accessible active sites, facile ion transport, robustness and enhanced electrical conductivity. The best electrochemical performance with merits of highest energy density (38.9 Wh kg-1), power density (7.4 kW kg-1) and electrochemical stability (90.9% after 10000 cycles) was obtained for nickel cobalt layered double hydroxide/cobalt sulfide (NiCo-LDH/Co9S8) hybrid hollow polyhedron structure.

  4. Thin film thermocouples for thermoelectric characterization of nanostructured materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grayson, Matthew; Zhou, Chuanle; Varrenti, Andrew; Chyung, Seung Hye; Long, Jieyi; Memik, Seda

    2011-03-01

    The increased use of nanostructured materials as thermoelectrics requires reliable and accurate characterization of the anisotropic thermal coefficients of small structures, such as superlattices and quantum wire networks. Thin evaporated metal films can be used to create thermocouples with a very small thermal mass and low thermal conductivity, in order to measure thermal gradients on nanostructures and thereby measure the thermal conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient of the nanostructure. In this work we confirm the known result that thin metal films have lower Seebeck coefficients than bulk metals, and we also calibrate the Seebeck coefficient of a thin-film Ni/Cr thermocouple with 50 nm thickness, showing it to have about 1/4 the bulk value. We demonstrate reproducibility of this thin-filmSeebeck coefficient on multiple substrates, and we show that this coefficient does, in fact, change as a function of film thickness. We will discuss prototype measurement designs and preliminary work as to how these thin films can be used to study both Seebeck coefficients and thermal conductivities of superlattices in various geometries. The same technology can in principle be used on integrated circuits for thermal mapping, under the name ``Integrated On-Chip Thermocouple Array'' (IOTA).

  5. Nanostructured Transparent Conducting Oxides for Device Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutta, Titas

    2011-12-01

    transmittance (≥ 80%) and low resistivity of ˜ 10-4 O-cm. The optimized NiO1+x / GZO and MoOx / GZO bilayers showed significant increase in work function values (˜5.3 eV). The work function of the bilayer films was tuned by varying the processing conditions and doping of over layers. Preliminary test device results of the organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) based on these surfaces modified TCO layers have shown an increase in the open circuit voltage (Voc) and/or increase in Fill factor (FF) and the power conversion efficiency of these devices. These results suggest that the surface modified GZO films have a potential to substitute for ITO in transparent electrode applications. To gain a better understanding of the fundamentals and factors affecting the properties of p-type TCO, NiO thin films have been grown on c-sapphire and glass substrates with controlled properties. Growth of NiO on c-sapphire occurs epitaxially in [111] direction with two types of crystalline grains rotated by 60° with respect to each other. We have also investigated the effects of the deposition parameters and Li doping concentration variations on the electrical and optical properties of NiO thin films. The analysis of the resistivity measurement showed that doped Li+ ions occupy the substitutional sites in the NiO films, enhancing the p-type conductivity. The minimum resistivity of 0.15 O-cm was obtained for Li0.07Ni 0.93O film. The results of this research help to understand the conduction mechanisms in TCOs and are critical to further improvement and optimization of TCO properties. This work has also demonstrated interesting possibilities for fabricating a p-LixNi1-xO/ i-MgZnO /n-ZnO heterojunction diode on c-sapphire. It has been demonstrated that epitaxial LixNi 1-xO can be grown on ZnO integrated with c-sapphire. Heteroeptaxial growth of the p-n junction is technologically important as it minimizes the electron scattering at the interface. The insertion of i-MgZnO between the p and n layer led

  6. To study the effect of dopant NiO concentration and duration of calcinations on structural and optical properties of MgO-NiO nanocomposites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kumar, Rajesh, E-mail: rkkaushik06@gmail.com; Deptt. of Physics,Vaish College of Engineering, Rohtak-124001, Haryana; Praveen,

    2016-05-06

    In present work Magnesium oxide (MgO) samples were doped with different concentration of Transition metal Nickel Oxide(NiO) by using Chemical co-precipitation method. The doping levels were varied from NiO (5%, 10%, 15%) and all the samples were calcined at 600°C for 4hrs and 8hrs respectively. Structural analysis of these calcined materials is carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques which reveals that average crystalline sizes are in nano region i.e. 21.77nm-31.13 nm and tabulated in table 1. The powder of calcined samples were also characterized by using various other techniques i.e. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Visiblemore » spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) etc. The effects of dopant concentration, calcined temperature, calcinations duration on samples were studied and also investigate the effect of varying dopant concentration on morphology and optical properties of calcined nanomaterials. From results it was observed that the crystallite size of nanocomposites increases with increases dopant concentration or increases calcinations duration. The optical band gap decreases with increases sintering time and increase with increases dopant concentrations. TEM results coincide with XRD results and show that particles are polycrystalline in nature. FTIR spectra show that for all samples particles are pure in composition and transmission rate increases with calcinations duration.« less

  7. Deposition of nanostructured fluorine-doped hydroxyapatite-polycaprolactone duplex coating to enhance the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of Mg alloy for biomedical applications.

    PubMed

    Bakhsheshi-Rad, H R; Hamzah, E; Kasiri-Asgarani, M; Jabbarzare, S; Iqbal, N; Abdul Kadir, M R

    2016-03-01

    The present study addressed the synthesis of a bi-layered nanostructured fluorine-doped hydroxyapatite (nFHA)/polycaprolactone (PCL) coating on Mg-2Zn-3Ce alloy via a combination of electrodeposition (ED) and dip-coating methods. The nFHA/PCL composite coating is composed of a thick (70-80 μm) and porous layer of PCL that uniformly covered the thin nFHA film (8-10 μm) with nanoneedle-like microstructure and crystallite size of around 70-90 nm. Electrochemical measurements showed that the nFHA/PCL composite coating presented a high corrosion resistance (R(p)=2.9×10(3) kΩ cm(2)) and provided sufficient protection for a Mg substrate against galvanic corrosion. The mechanical integrity of the nFHA/PCL composite coatings immersed in SBF for 10 days showed higher compressive strength (34% higher) compared with the uncoated samples, indicating that composite coatings can delay the loss of compressive strength of the Mg alloy. The nFHA/PCL coating indicted better bonding strength (6.9 MPa) compared to PCL coating (2.2 MPa). Immersion tests showed that nFHA/PCL composite-coated alloy experienced much milder corrosion attack and more nucleation sites for apatite compared with the PCL coated and uncoated samples. The bi-layered nFHA/PCL coating can be a good alternative method for the control of corrosion degradation of biodegradable Mg alloy for implant applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Pitting and Stress Corrosion Cracking Susceptibility of Nanostructured Al-Mg Alloys in Natural and Artificial Environments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Mala M.; Ziemian, Constance W.

    2008-12-01

    The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of two developmental nanocrystalline 5083 alloys with varied composition and processing conditions was studied. The results were compared to a commercial aluminum AA 5083 (H111) alloy. The pitting densities, size and depths, and residual tensile strengths were measured after alternate immersion in artificial seawater and atmospheric exposure under different loading conditions. Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX was used to analyze the fracture surfaces of failed specimen after removal at selected intervals and tensile testing. One of the nanostructured Al-Mg alloys exhibited significantly superior pitting resistance when compared to conventional microstructured AA 5083. Under conditions where pitting corrosion showed up as local tunnels toward phase inclusions, transgranular cracking was observed, whereas under conditions when pitting corrosion evolved along grain boundaries, intergranular cracking inside the pit was observed. Pit initiation resistance of the nano alloys appears to be better than that of the conventional alloys. However, long-term pit propagation is a concern and warrants further study. The objective of this investigation was to obtain information regarding the role that ultra-fine microstructures play in their degradation in marine environments and to provide insight into the corrosion mechanisms and damage processes of these alloys.

  9. Tailoring magnetic behavior of CoFeMnNiX (X = Al, Cr, Ga, and Sn) high entropy alloys by metal doping

    DOE PAGES

    Zuo, Tingting; Gao, Michael C.; Ouyang, Lizhi; ...

    2017-03-07

    Magnetic materials with excellent performances are desired for functional applications. Based on the high-entropy effect, a system of CoFeMnNiX (X = Al, Cr, Ga, and Sn) magnetic alloys are designed and investigated. The dramatic change in phase structures from face-centered-cubic (FCC) to ordered body-centered-cubic (BCC) phases, caused by adding Al, Ga, and Sn in CoFeMnNiX alloys, originates from the potent short-range chemical order in the liquid state predicted by ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. This phase transition leads to the significant enhancement of the saturation magnetization (M s), e.g., the CoFeMnNiAl alloy has M s of 147.86 Am 2/kg.more » In conclusion, first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations on the electronic and magnetic structures reveal that the anti-ferromagnetism of Mn atoms in CoFeMnNi is suppressed especially in the CoFeMnNiAl HEA because Al changes the Fermi level and itinerant electron-spin coupling that lead to ferromagnetism.« less

  10. Influence of Mg and Ni substitution on structural, microstructural and magnetic properties of Sr2Co2-xMgx/2Nix/2Fe12O22 (Co2Y) hexaferrite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alizad Farzin, Y.; Mirzaee, O.; Ghasemi, A.

    2014-12-01

    In this study, Mg and Ni substituted Y-type hexaferrite particles with narrow size distribution have been prepared by using a sol-gel auto combustion method. The effects on structural, microstructure and magnetic properties have been investigated by substituting Mg2+ and Ni2+ at Co2+ sites. XRD patterns showed that Y-type hexaferrite phase formation has not been affected by substituting magnesium and nickel with cobalt in the range of 0.0≤x≤0.75. Various parameters such as lattice constants, cell volume and crystallite size have been calculated based on XRD data. The morphology and size distribution of the particles have been studied using high resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). It was also understood that the average crystallite size of particles increased from 45 to 63 nm with an increase of x content at Co2Y compound. Magnetic properties were determined using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The magnetic results revealed that by increasing the Mg and Ni in octahedral and tetrahedral sites, the coercivity was also increased from 949 to 1066 Oe, whereas saturation magnetization and Remnant magnetization were decreased from 47.98 to 40.78 emu/g and 23.05 to 20.99 emu/g, respectively.

  11. Anomalous fast diffusion in Cu-NiFe nanolaminates.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jankowski, Alan F.

    2017-09-01

    For this work, the decomposition of the one-dimensional composition wave in Cu-NiFe nanolaminate structures is examined using x-ray diffraction to assess the kinetics of phase decomposition. The anomalously high diffusivity value found for long-term aging at room temperature is attributed to the inherent nanostructure that features paths for short-circuit diffusion in nanolaminates as attributed to interlayer grain boundaries.

  12. Melanin-templated rapid synthesis of silver nanostructures

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background As a potent antimicrobial agent, silver nanostructures have been used in nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays for the detection of food relevant analytes such as organic molecules, aroma, chemical contaminants, gases and food borne pathogens. In addition silver based nanocomposites act as an antimicrobial for food packaging materials. In this prospective, the food grade melanin pigment extracted from sponge associated actinobacterium Nocardiopsis alba MSA10 and melanin mediated synthesis of silver nanostructures were studied. Based on the present findings, antimicrobial nanostructures can be developed against food pathogens for food industrial applications. Results Briefly, the sponge associated actinobacterium N. alba MSA10 was screened and fermentation conditions were optimized for the production of melanin pigment. The Plackett-Burman design followed by a Box-Behnken design was developed to optimize the concentration of most significant factors for improved melanin yield. The antioxidant potential, reductive capabilities and physiochemical properties of Nocardiopsis melanin was characterized. The optimum production of melanin was attained with pH 7.5, temperature 35°C, salinity 2.5%, sucrose 25 g/L and tyrosine 12.5 g/L under submerged fermentation conditions. A highest melanin production of 3.4 mg/ml was reached with the optimization using Box-Behnken design. The purified melanin showed rapid reduction and stabilization of silver nanostructures. The melanin mediated process produced uniform and stable silver nanostructures with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against food pathogens. Conclusions The melanin pigment produced by N. alba MSA10 can be used for environmentally benign synthesis of silver nanostructures and can be useful for food packaging materials. The characteristics of broad spectrum of activity against food pathogens of silver nanostructures gives an insight for their potential applicability in incorporation of food

  13. Facile One-Pot Synthesis of Flower Like Cobalt Oxide Nanostructures on Nickel Plate and Its Supercapacitance Properties.

    PubMed

    Kandasamy, N; Venugopal, T; Kannan, K

    2018-06-01

    A flower like cobalt oxide nanostructured thin film (Co2O3) on Nickel (Ni) plate as have been successfully developed via alcoholic Seed Layer assisted chemical bath Deposition (SLD) process. Through the controlled alkaline electrolytes, the flower and paddles like Co2O3 nanoarchitectures were formed. The prepared thin film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM and EDX), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Raman spectroscopy techniques. Electron micrograph reveals the flower and paddles like nanostructured Co2O3 thin film deposited on Ni plates. The electrochemical characteristics were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge-discharge and AC impedance spectroscopy in different aqueous electrolytes such as NaOH, KOH, and LiOH. The maximum specific capacitance of 856 Fg-1 was attained with 2 M KOH electrolyte with 2 mVs-1 of the Co2O3 thin film coated Ni plate at 80 °C using SLD method. The capacitance values obtained with various electrolytes are in the order of KOH > NaOH > LiOH. The results indicate that the present method is economical and the material is ecofriendly with enhanced capacitance property.

  14. Nanovoid growth in BCC α-Fe: influences of initial void geometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Shuozhi; Su, Yanqing

    2016-12-01

    The growth of voids has a great impact on the mechanical properties of ductile materials by altering their microstructures. Exploring the process of void growth at the nanoscale helps in understanding the dynamic fracture of metals. While some very recent studies looked into the effects of the initial geometry of an elliptic void on the plastic deformation of face-centered cubic metals, a systematic study of the initial void ellipticity and orientation angle in body-centered cubic (BCC) metals is still lacking. In this paper, large scale molecular dynamics simulations with millions of atoms are conducted, investigating the void growth process during tensile loading of metallic thin films in BCC α-Fe. Our simulations elucidate the intertwined influences on void growth of the initial ellipticity and initial orientation angle of the void. It is shown that these two geometric parameters play an important role in the stress-strain response, the nucleation and evolution of defects, as well as the void size/outline evolution in α-Fe thin films. Results suggest that, together with void size, different initial void geometries should be taken into account if a continuum model is to be applied to nanoscale damage progression.

  15. Bcc and Fcc transition metals and alloys: a central role for the Jahn-Teller effect in explaining their ideal and distorted structures.

    PubMed

    Lee, Stephen; Hoffmann, Roald

    2002-05-01

    Transition metal elements, alloys, and intermetallic compounds often adopt the body centered cubic (bcc) and face centered cubic (fcc) structures. By comparing quantitative density functional with qualitative tight-binding calculations, we analyze the electronic factors which make the bcc and fcc structures energetically favorable. To do so, we develop a tight-binding function, DeltaE(star), a function that measures the energetic effects of transferring electrons within wave vector stars. This function allows one to connect distortions in solids to the Jahn-Teller effect in molecules and to provide an orbital perspective on structure determining deformations in alloys. We illustrate its use by considering first a two-dimensional square net. We then turn to three-dimensional fcc and bcc structures, and distortions of these. Using DeltaE(star), we rationalize the differences in energy of these structures. We are able to deduce which orbitals are responsible for instabilities in seven to nine valence electron per atom (e(-)/a) bcc systems and five and six e(-)/a fcc structures. Finally we demonstrate that these results account for the bcc and fcc type structures found in both the elements and binary intermetallic compounds of group 4 through 9 transition metal atoms. The outline of a theory of metal structure deformations based on loss of point group operation rather than translational symmetry is presented.

  16. Construction of Core-Shell NiMoO4@Ni-Co-S Nanorods as Advanced Electrodes for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chao; Yan, Dan; Luo, Xin; Gao, Wenjia; Huang, Guanjie; Han, Ziwu; Zeng, Yan; Zhu, Zhihong

    2018-02-07

    In this work, hierarchical core-shell NiMoO 4 @Ni-Co-S nanorods were first successfully grown on nickel foam by a facile two-step method to fabricate a bind-free electrode. The well-aligned electrode wrapped by Ni-Co-S nanosheets displays excellent nanostructural properties and outstanding electrochemical performance, owing to the synergistic effects of both nickel molybdenum oxides and nickel cobalt sulfides. The prepared core-shell nanorods in a three-electrode cell yielded a high specific capacitance of 2.27 F cm -2 (1892 F g -1 ) at a current density of 5 mA cm -2 and retained 91.7% of the specific capacitance even after 6000 cycles. Their electrochemical performance was further investigated for their use as positive electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors. Notably, the energy density of the asymmetric supercapacitor device reached 2.45 mWh cm -3 at a power density of 0.131 W cm -3 , and still retained a remarkable 80.3% of the specific capacitance after 3500 cycles. There is great potential for the electrode composed of the core-shell NiMoO 4 @Ni-Co-S nanorods for use in an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device.

  17. The magnetic Curie temperature and exchange coupling between cations in tetragonal spinel oxide Mn2.5M0.5O4 (M = Co, Ni, Mn, Cr, and Mg) films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuo, K.; Cheng, C. W.; Chern, G.

    2012-04-01

    Mn3O4 is a Jahn-Taller tetragonal ferrite that has a relatively low Curie temperature (Tc) of ˜43 K due to weak coupling between the canting spins. In this study, we fabricated a series of 100-nm-thick Mn2.5M0.5O4 (M = Co, Ni, Mn, Cr, and Mg) films via oxygen-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and measured the structural and magnetic properties of these films. These films show single phase quality, and the c-axis lattice parameter of pure Mn3O4 is 0.944 nm, with a c/a ratio ˜1.16, consistent with the bulk values. The replacement of Mn by M (M = Co, Ni, Cr, and Mg) changes the lattice parameters, and the c/a ratio varies between 1.16 and 1.06 depending upon the cation distribution of the films. The magnetic Curie temperatures of these films also vary in the range of 25-66 K in that Ni and Co enhance the Tc whereas Mg reduces the Tc (Cr shows no effect on the Tc). These changes to the Tc are related to both the element electronic state and the cation distributions in these compounds. As a non-collinear spin configuration can induce electrical polarization, the present study provides a systematic way to enhance the magnetic transition temperature in tetragonal spinel ferrites.

  18. Impact of El Niño and La Niña on SeaWiFS, MODIS-A and VIIRS Chlorophyll-a Measurements Along the Equator During 1997 to 2016

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Halpern, D.; Franz, B. A.; Kuring, N. A.

    2016-12-01

    The Ocean Biology Processing Group at NASA's GSFC recently reprocessed satellite ocean color measurements (SeaWiFS, MODIS-A and VIIRS) to improve accuracy and enhance time-series interoperability and consistency between multi-mission datasets. We chose the 1°S-1°N region along the equator to examine the behavior of Chl-a in El Niño and La Niña events because this latitudinal width represented the scale of Ekman upwelling, which is hypothesized to be a primary mechanism of Chl-a variations along the equator. An El Niño (La Niña) event has five consecutive 3-month-average sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) greater (less) than 0.5°C in the 5°S-5°N, 170°W-120°W region and a super El Niño event occurs when SSTA is greater than 2.0°C. The September 1997 (onset of SeaWiFS data) to July 2016 period contained two super El Niño events, four typical El Niño events and four La Niña events. In the equatorial Pacific Ocean from 135°E (longitude of the westernmost data) to 150°E, the average typical El Niño and La Niña values were approximately the same (0.13 mg m-3). From 150°E to 165°W, the approximate bowl-shaped longitudinal pattern of Chl-a data in the average typical El Niño reached minimum (0.08 mg m-3) at 170°E and then increased to a relatively uniform value of 0.20 mg m-3 from 160°W to the Galapagos, where Chl-a reached 0.45 mg m-3. Eastward from 150°E, Chl-a values in the average typical La Niña increased approximately linearly to 0.21 mg m-3 at 170°E, where Chl-a was 175% larger than that in the average typical El Niño. Chl-a values in the average typical La Niña were approximately 0.22 mg m-3 until the Galapagos, where values reached 0.55 mg m-3. Average Chl-a values in the super El Niño event in 2015-2016 were similar to those associated with the average typical El Niño, but the bottom of the bowl-shaped pattern was shallower and wider. However, the longitudinal pattern of Chl-a in the super El Niño of 1997-1998 differed

  19. Metallic glassy Zr70Ni20Pd10 powders for improving the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation behavior of MgH2

    PubMed Central

    El-Eskandarany, M. Sherif

    2016-01-01

    Because of its low density, storage of hydrogen in the gaseous and liquids states possess technical and economic challenges. One practical solution for utilizing hydrogen in vehicles with proton-exchange fuel cells membranes is storing hydrogen in metal hydrides. Magnesium hydride (MgH2) remains the best hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen capacity and low cost of production. Due to its high activation energy and poor hydrogen sorption/desorption kinetics at moderate temperatures, the pure form of MgH2 is usually mechanically treated by high-energy ball mills and catalyzed with different types of catalysts. These steps are necessary for destabilizing MgH2 to enhance its kinetics behaviors. In the present work, we used a small mole fractions (5 wt.%) of metallic glassy of Zr70Ni20Pd10 powders as a new enhancement agent to improve its hydrogenation/dehydrogenation behaviors of MgH2. This short-range ordered material led to lower the decomposition temperature of MgH2 and its activation energy by about 121 °C and 51 kJ/mol, respectively. Complete hydrogenation/dehydrogenation processes were successfully achieved to charge/discharge about 6 wt.%H2 at 100 °C/200 °C within 1.18 min/3.8 min, respectively. In addition, this new nanocomposite system shows high performance of achieving continuous 100 hydrogen charging/discharging cycles without degradation. PMID:27220994

  20. Effect of the Sm content on the structure and electrochemical properties of La 1.3 - xSm xCaMg 0.7Ni 9 ( x = 0-0.3) hydrogen storage alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tang, Rui; Wei, Xuedong; Liu, Yongning; Zhu, Changchun; Zhu, Jiewu; Yu, Guang

    La 1.3 - xSm xCaMg 0.7Ni 9 (x = 0-0.3) hydrogen storage alloys were prepared by inductive melting and the effect of the Sm content on the structure and electrochemical properties was investigated in the paper. The Sm substitution for La in La 1.3 - xSm xCaMg 0.7Ni 9 (x = 0-0.3) alloys does not change the main phase structure (the rhombohedral PuNi 3-type structure), but leads to a shrinkage of unit cell and a decrease of hydrogen storage capacity. With the increase of the Sm content in the alloys, the maximum discharge capacity of electrode decreases from 400.2 (x = 0) to 346.6 mAh g -1 (x = 0.3), but the high-rate dischargeability and cycling stability is improved. After 100 cycles, the capacity retention rate increases from 75 (x = 0) to 85% (x = 0.3).

  1. Fe-Ni-bearing serpentines from the saprolite horizon of Caribbean Ni-laterite deposits: new insights from thermodynamic calculations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina; Domènech, Cristina; Tauler, Esperança; Galí, Salvador; Tassara, Santiago; Proenza, Joaquín A.

    2017-10-01

    Fe-Ni-bearing serpentine from the saprolite horizon is the main Ni ores in hydrous silicate-type Ni laterites and formed by chemical weathering of partially serpentinized ultramafic rocks under tropical conditions. During lateritization, Mg, Si, and Ni are leached from the surface and transported downwards. Fe2+ is oxidized to Fe3+ and fixed as insoluble Fe-oxyhydroxides (mostly goethite) that incorporate Ni. This Ni is later leached from goethite and incorporated in secondary serpentine and garnierite. As a result, a serpentine-dominated saprolite horizon forms over the ultramafic protolith, overlapped by a Fe-oxyhydroxide-dominated limonite horizon. The serpentine from the protolith (serpentine I) is of hydrothermal origin and yields similar Ni (0.10-0.62 wt.% NiO) and lower Fe (mostly 1.37-5.81 wt.% FeO) concentrations than the primary olivine. In contrast, Fe-Ni-bearing serpentine from the saprolite (serpentine II) shows significantly higher and variable Fe and Ni contents, typically ranging from 2.23 to 15.59 wt.% Fe2O3 and from 1.30 to 7.67 wt.% NiO, suggesting that serpentine get enriched in Fe and Ni under supergene conditions. This study presents detailed mineralogical, textural, and chemical data on this serpentine II, as well as new insights by thermodynamic calculations assuming ideal solution between Fe-, Ni- and Mg-pure serpentines. The aim is to assess if at atmospheric pressure and temperature Fe-Ni-bearing serpentine can be formed by precipitation. Results indicate that the formation of serpentine II under atmospheric pressure and temperature is thermodynamically supported, and pH, Eh, and the equilibrium constant of the reaction are the parameters that affect the results more significantly.

  2. Nonprotective Alumina Growth in Sulfur-Doped NiAl(Zr)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smialek, James L.

    2000-01-01

    The 1200 C oxidation behavior of NiAl was examined at various levels of sulfur and zirconium dopants to test the possibility of a critical S/Zr ratio required for adhesion. Cyclic furnace testing for 200 1 -hr cycles and interrupted testing for 500 hr were used as screening tests. Pure NiAl and NiAl(Zr) with 0. 14 at.% Zr were chosen as model base compositions; they exhibited normal, slow-growing scales (3 Mg/sq cm) with excellent adhesion for the Zr-doped alloys. NiAl with about 120 ppma S exhibited a substantial weight loss (-20 Mg/sq cm) in cyclic tests and a very large weight gain (+60 Mg/sq cm) in interrupted tests. The major surface phase remained as alpha -Al2O3. Sulfur doping the NiAl(Zr) alloy caused massive weight gains of 80 - 100 Mg/sq cm, swelling, cracking, and nearly complete conversion into NiAl2O4, and alpha- Al2O3. The initial objective of determining critical S/Zr ratios for adhesion was therefore unattainable. Initiation of the catastrophic attack was examined after a 10 hr exposure, revealing a few sites of broad, raised, and cracked ridges. In cross-section, the ridges appeared as modular intrusions, with a complex, fractal, oxide-metal interface. They were primarily alumina (with occasional entrapped islands of NiAl2O4 or pure Ni metal). They possessed a unique microstructure consisting of 0.3 microns lamellae, separated by 0.1 microns open channels. This allowed for rapid growth controlled by gaseous diffusion. The microstructure is discussed in terms of SO2 evolution and a sulfur-driven de-passivation process.

  3. Premelting hcp to bcc Transition in Beryllium.

    PubMed

    Lu, Y; Sun, T; Zhang, Ping; Zhang, P; Zhang, D-B; Wentzcovitch, R M

    2017-04-07

    Beryllium (Be) is an important material with wide applications ranging from aerospace components to x-ray equipment. Yet a precise understanding of its phase diagram remains elusive. We have investigated the phase stability of Be using a recently developed hybrid free energy computation method that accounts for anharmonic effects by invoking phonon quasiparticles. We find that the hcp → bcc transition occurs near the melting curve at 0

  4. In situ grown Ni9S8 nanorod/O-MoS2 nanosheet nanocomposite on carbon cloth as a free binder supercapacitor electrode and hydrogen evolution catalyst

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Songzhan; Chen, Tian; Wen, Jian; Gui, Pengbin; Fang, Guojia

    2017-11-01

    Transition metal sulfide nanostructure composites have received significant attention as energy conversion and storage devices. In this work, we report a three-dimension (3D) nanostructure with the Ni9S8 nanorods embedded in oxygen-incorporated MoS2 (O-MoS2) nanosheets for supercapacitors and hydrogen evolution catalysts. The in situ grown Ni9S8/O-MoS2 nanocomposite on carbon cloth can be used as a free binder supercapacitor electrode and hydrogen evolution catalyst. The Ni9S8/O-MoS2 nanocomposite exhibits electrochemical behaviors with a specific capacitance of 907 F g-1 (at 2 A g-1) and good cycle stability after 1200 cycles due to its unique mutual embedding 3D nanostructure. Furthermore, the Ni9S8/O-MoS2 nanocomposite also shows highly electrocatalytic features for hydrogen production with an onset overpotential of ˜150 mV and a low Tafel slope of ˜81 mV dec-1. The oxygen incorporation of MoS2 provides more active sites to participate in the catalytic process for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

  5. Inter-Wire Antiferromagnetic Exchange Interaction in Ni/Si-Ferromagnetic/Semiconductor Nanocomposites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Granitzer, P.; Rumpf, K.; Hofmayer, M.; Krenn, H.; Pölt, P.; Reichmann, A.; Hofer, F.

    2007-04-01

    A matrix of mesoporous silicon offering an array of quasi 1-dimensional oriented pores of high aspect ratio perpendicular to the sample surface has been produced. This porous silicon (PS) skeleton is filled with Ni in a further process-step to achieve ferromagnetic metallic nanostructures within the channels. This produced silicon based nanocomposite is compatible with state-of-the-art silicon technology. Beside the vertical magnetic surface anisotropy of this Ni-filled composite the nearly monodisperse distribution of pore diameters and its regular arrangement in a quasi 2-dimensional lattice provides novel magnetic phenomena like a depression of the magnetization curve at magnetic fields beyond 2T, which can be interpreted as a field induced antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between Ni-wires which is strongly influenced by magnetostrictive stresses at the Ni/Si-interface. 2007 American Institute of Physics

  6. First-principles calculation of defect free energies: General aspects illustrated in the case of bcc Fe

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murali, D.; Posselt, M.; Schiwarth, M.

    2015-08-01

    Modeling of nanostructure evolution in solids requires comprehensive data on the properties of defects such as the vacancy and foreign atoms. Since most processes occur at elevated temperatures, not only the energetics of defects in the ground state, but also their temperature-dependent free energies must be known. The first-principles calculation of contributions of phonon and electron excitations to free formation, binding, and migration energies of defects is illustrated in the case of bcc Fe. First of all, the ground-state properties of the vacancy, the foreign atoms Cu, Y, Ti, Cr, Mn, Ni, V, Mo, Si, Al, Co, O, and the O-vacancy pair are determined under constant volume (CV) as well as zero-pressure (ZP) conditions, and relations between the results of both kinds of calculations are discussed. Second, the phonon contribution to defect free energies is calculated within the harmonic approximation using the equilibrium atomic positions determined in the ground state under CV and ZP conditions. In most cases, the ZP-based free formation energy decreases monotonously with temperature, whereas for CV-based data both an increase and a decrease were found. The application of a quasiharmonic correction to the ZP-based data does not modify this picture significantly. However, the corrected data are valid under zero-pressure conditions at higher temperatures than in the framework of the purely harmonic approach. The difference between CV- and ZP-based data is mainly due to the volume change of the supercell since the relative arrangement of atoms in the environment of the defects is nearly identical in the two cases. A simple transformation similar to the quasiharmonic approach is found between the CV- and ZP-based frequencies. Therefore, it is not necessary to calculate these quantities and the corresponding defect free energies separately. In contrast to ground-state energetics, the CV- and ZP-based defect free energies do not become equal with increasing supercell

  7. Flexible Hybrid Membranes with Ni(OH)2 Nanoplatelets Vertically Grown on Electrospun Carbon Nanofibers for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Longsheng; Ding, Qianwei; Huang, Yunpeng; Gu, Huahao; Miao, Yue-E; Liu, Tianxi

    2015-10-14

    The practical applications of transition metal oxides and hydroxides for supercapacitors are restricted by their intrinsic poor conductivity, large volumetric expansion, and rapid capacitance fading upon cycling, which can be solved by optimizing these materials to nanostructures and confining them within conductive carbonaceous frameworks. In this work, flexible hybrid membranes with ultrathin Ni(OH)2 nanoplatelets vertically and uniformly anchored on the electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNF) have been facilely prepared as electrode materials for supercapacitors. The Ni(OH)2/CNF hybrid membranes with three-dimensional macroporous architectures as well as hierarchical nanostructures can provide open and continuous channels for rapid diffusion of electrolyte to access the electrochemically active Ni(OH)2 nanoplatelets. Moreover, the carbon nanofiber can act both as a conductive core to provide efficient transport of electrons for fast Faradaic redox reactions of the Ni(OH)2 sheath, and as a buffering matrix to mitigate the local volumetric expansion/contraction upon long-term cycling. As a consequence, the optimized Ni(OH)2/CNF hybrid membrane exhibits a high specific capacitance of 2523 F g(-1) (based on the mass of Ni(OH)2, that is 701 F g(-1) based on the total mass) at a scan rate of 5 mV s(-1). The Ni(OH)2/CNF hybrid membranes with high mechanical flexibility, superior electrical conductivity, and remarkably improved electrochemical capacitance are condsidered as promising flexible electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.

  8. In situ x-ray diffraction studies of a new LiMg{sub 0.125}Ni{sub 0.75}O{sub 2} cathode material

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yang, X.Q.; Sun, X.; McBreen, J.

    A Synchrotron x-ray source was used for In Situ x-ray diffraction studies during charge on a new LiMg{sub 0.125}Ti{sub 0.125}Ni{sub 0.75} cathode material synthesized by FMC Corp. It had been demonstrated by Gao that this new material has superior thermal stability than LiNiO{sub 2} and LiCo{sub 0.2}Ni{sub 0.8}O{sub 2} at over-charged state. In this current paper, studies on the relationship between the structural changes and thermal stability at over-charged state for these materials are presented. For the first time, the thermal stability of these materials are related to their structural changes during charge, especially to the formation and lattice constantmore » change of a hexagonal phase (H3). The spectral evidence support the hypothesis that the improvement of thermal stability is obtained by suppressing the formation of H3 phase and reducing the shrinkage of its lattice constant c when charged above 4.3 V.« less

  9. Steam reforming of fast pyrolysis-derived aqueous phase oxygenates over Co, Ni, and Rh metals supported on MgAl 2O 4

    DOE PAGES

    Xing, Rong; Dagle, Vanessa Lebarbier; Flake, Matthew; ...

    2016-02-03

    In this paper we examine the feasibility of steam reforming the mixed oxygenate aqueous fraction derived from fast pyrolysis bio-oils. Catalysts selective towards hydrogen formation and resistant to carbon formation utilizing feeds with relatively low steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratios are desired. Rh (5 wt%), Pt (5 wt%), Ru (5 wt%), Ir (5 wt%), Ni (15 wt%), and Co (15 wt%) metals supported on MgAl2O4 were evaluated for catalytic performance at 500 °C and 1 atm using a complex feed mixture comprising acids, polyols, cycloalkanes, and phenolic compounds. The Rh catalyst was found to be the most active and resistant to carbonmore » formation. The Ni and Co catalysts were found to be more active than the other noble metal catalysts investigated (Pt, Ru, and Ir).« less

  10. Magnetic characteristics of M2FeV3O11 (M = Mg, Zn, Pb, Co, Ni) compounds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Groń, T.; Blonska-Tabero, A.; Filipek, E.; Stokłosa, Z.; Duda, H.; Sawicki, B.

    2018-02-01

    The unusual physical characteristics of the multicomponent oxide systems renewed the interest as the potential cathode materials in high-energy cells. Since the earlier magnetic characteristics were not entirely conclusive, we report the results of dc magnetic measurements including higher harmonics of ac magnetic susceptibility of the M2FeV3O11 (M = Mg, Zn, Pb, Co, Ni) compounds. Ferrimagnetic long-range and antiferromagnetic short-range interactions for all compounds under study at low temperatures as well as superparamagnetic-like behavior with the blocking temperature of 29 K and the freezing parameter of 0.013 were observed. These effects are discussed within the framework of superexchange and double exchange magnetic interactions as well as the mixed valence band of iron ions.

  11. Structural stability of characteristic interface for NiTi/Nb Nanowire: First-Principle study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, G. F.; Zheng, H. Z.; Shu, X. Y.; Peng, P.

    2016-01-01

    Compared with some other conventional interface models, the interface of NiTi(211)/Nb(220) in NiTiNb metal nanocomposite had been simulated and analyzed carefully. Results show that only several interface models, i.e., NiTi(100)/Nb(100)(Ni⃡Nb), NiTi(110)/Nb(110) and NiTi(211)/Nb(220), can be formed accordingly with their negative formation enthalpy. Therein the cohesive energy Δ E and Griffith rupture work W of NiTi(211)/Nb(220) interface model are the lowest among them. Density of states shows that there exists only one electronic bonding peak for NiTi(211)/Nb(220) interface model at -2.5 eV. Electron density difference of NiTi(211)/ Nb(220) shows that the Nb-Nb, Nb-Ti and Nb-Ni bonding characters seem like so peaceful as a fabric twisting every atom, which is different from conventional metallic bonding performance. Such appearance can be deduced that the metallic bonding between Nb-Nb, Nb-Ti and Nb-Ni in NiTi(211)/Nb(220) may be affected by its nanostructure called nanometer size effect. Thus, our findings open an avenue for detailed and comprehensive studies of nanocomposite.

  12. Electrodeposition of Zn-doped α-nickel hydroxide with flower-like nanostructure for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    You, Zheng; Shen, Kui; Wu, Zhicheng; Wang, Xiaofeng; Kong, Xianghua

    2012-08-01

    Zn-doped α-nickel hydroxide materials with flower-like nanostructures are synthesized by electrochemical deposition method. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electrochemical measurements. XRD spectra indicate nickel hydroxide doped with Zn is α-Ni(OH)2 with excellent crystallization. The SEM observation shows that the formation of Zn-doped Ni(OH)2 includes two steps: a honeycomb-like film forms on the substrate first, then flower-like particles forms on the films. The nickel hydroxide doped with 5% Zn can maintain a maximum specific capacitance of 860 F g-1, suggesting its potential application in electrochemical capacitors.

  13. Three-dimensional hole transport in nickel oxide by alloying with MgO or ZnO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alidoust, Nima; Carter, Emily A.

    2015-11-01

    It has been shown previously that the movement of a hole in nickel oxide is confined to two dimensions, along a single ferromagnetic plane. Such confinement may hamper hole transport when NiO is used as a p-type transparent conductor in various solar energy conversion technologies. Here, we use the small polaron model, along with unrestricted Hartree-Fock and complete active space self-consistent field calculations to show that forming substitutional MxNi1-xO alloys with M = Mg or Zn reduces the barrier for movement of a hole away from the ferromagnetic plane to which it is confined. Such reduction occurs for hole transfer alongside one or two M ions that have been substituted for Ni ions. Furthermore, the Mg and Zn ions do not trap holes on O sites in their vicinity, and NiO's transparency is preserved upon forming the alloys. Thus, forming MxNi1-xO alloys with M = Mg or Zn may enhance NiO's potential as a p-type transparent conducting oxide, by disrupting the two-dimensional confinement of holes in pure NiO.

  14. Monodisperse core/shell Ni/FePt nanoparticles and their con-version to Ni/Pt to catalyze oxygen reduction

    DOE PAGES

    Zhang, Sen; Hao, Yizhou; Su, Dong; ...

    2014-10-28

    We report a size-controllable synthesis of monodisperse core/shell Ni/FePt nanoparticles (NPs) via a seed-mediated growth and their subsequent conversion to Ni/Pt NPs. Preventing surface oxidation of the Ni seeds is essential for the growth of uniform FePt shells. These Ni/FePt NPs have a thin (≈ 1 nm) FePt shell, and can be converted to Ni/Pt by acetic acid wash to yield active catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Tuning the core size allow for optimization of their electrocatalytic activity. The specific activity and mass activity of 4.2 nm/0.8 nm core/shell Ni/FePt reach 1.95 mA/cm² and 490 mA/mg Pt at 0.9more » V ( vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE), which are much higher than those of benchmark commercial Pt catalyst (0.34 mA/cm² and 92 mA/mg Pt at 0.9 V). Our studies provide a robust approach to monodisperse core/shell NPs with non-precious metal core, making it possible to develop advanced NP catalysts with ultralow Pt content for ORR and many other heterogeneous reactions.« less

  15. Rational construction of three dimensional hybrid Co3O4@NiMoO4 nanosheets array for energy storage application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Wei; Wang, Jinqing; Gong, Peiwei; Sun, Jinfeng; Niu, Lengyuan; Yang, Zhigang; Wang, Zhaofeng; Yang, Shengrong

    2014-12-01

    Electrodes with rationally designed hybrid nanostructures can offer many opportunities for the enhanced performance in electrochemical energy storage. In this work, the uniform 2D Co3O4-based building blocks have been prepared through a facile chemical etching assistant approach and a following treatment of thermal annealing. The obtained nanosheets array has been directly employed as 2D backbone for the subsequent construction of hybrid nanostructure of Co3O4@NiMoO4 by a simple hydrothermal synthesis. As a binder-free electrode, the constructed 3D hybrid nanostructures exhibit a high specific capacitance of 1526 F g-1 at a current density of 3 mA cm-2 and a capacitance retention of 72% with the increase of current density from 3 mA cm-2 to 30 mA cm-2. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor based on this hybrid Co3O4@NiMoO4 and activated carbon can deliver a maximum energy density of 37.8 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 482 W kg-1. The outstanding electrochemical behaviors presented here suggest that this hybrid nanostructured material has potential applications in energy storage.

  16. One-Pot Solvothermal in Situ Growth of 1D Single-Crystalline NiSe on Ni Foil as Efficient and Stable Transparent Conductive Oxide Free Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

    PubMed

    Bao, Chao; Li, Faxin; Wang, Jiali; Sun, Panpan; Huang, Niu; Sun, Yihua; Fang, Liang; Wang, Lei; Sun, Xiaohua

    2016-12-07

    One-dimensional single-crystal nanostructural nickel selenides were successfully in situ grown on metal nickel foils by two simple one-step solvothermal methods, which formed NiSe/Ni counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The nickel foil acted as the nickel source in the reaction process, a supporting substrate, and an electron transport "speedway". Electrochemical testing indicated that the top 1D single-crystal NiSe exhibited prominent electrocatalytic activity for I 3 - reduction. Due to the metallic conductivity of Ni substrate and the outstanding electrocatalytic activity of single-crystal NiSe, the DSSC based on a NiSe/Ni CE exhibited higher fill factor (FF) and larger short-circuit current density (J sc ) than the DSSC based on Pt/FTO CE. The corresponding power conversion efficiency (6.75%) outperformed that of the latter (6.18%). Moreover, the NiSe/Ni CEs also showed excellent electrochemical stability in the I - /I 3 - redox electrolyte. These findings indicated that single-crystal NiSe in situ grown on Ni substrate was a potential candidate to replace Pt/TCO as a cheap and highly efficient counter electrode of DSSC.

  17. Influence of media with different acidity on structure of FeNi nanotubes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shumskaya, Alena; Kaniukov, Egor; Kutuzau, Maksim; Bundyukova, Victoria; Tulebayeva, Dinara; Kozlovskiy, Artem; Borgekov, Daryn; Kenzhina, Inesh; Zdorovets, Maxim

    2018-04-01

    A detailed analysis of the structure features of FeNi nanotubes exposed at environment with different acidity is carried out. It is demonstrated that the exposure of the nanostructures in the environment with high acidity causes the structure deformation, leading to sharply increasing of the presents of oxide phases and partial amorphization of nanotubes walls that determined the rate of FeNi nanotubes destruction. It was established that the evolution of the crystal structure parameters concerned with appearance of oxide phases and with formation of disorder regions as a result of oxidation processes.

  18. Micro/nanostructured porous Fe-Ni binary oxide and its enhanced arsenic adsorption performances.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shengwen; Kang, Shenghong; Wang, Guozhong; Zhao, Huijun; Cai, Weiping

    2015-11-15

    A simple method is presented to synthesize micro/nano-structured Fe-Ni binary oxides based on co-precipitation and subsequent calcination. It has been found that the Fe-Ni binary oxides are composed of the porous microsized aggregates built with nanoparticles. When the atomic ratio of Fe to Ni is 2 to 1 the binary oxide is the micro-scaled aggregates consisting of the ultrafine NiFe2O4 nanoparticles with 3-6nm in size, and shows porous structure with pore diameter of 3nm and a specific surface area of 245m(2)g(-1). Such material is of abundant surface functional groups and has exhibited high adsorption performance to As(III) and As(V). The kinetic adsorption can be described by pseudo-second order model and the isothermal adsorption is subject to Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacity on such Fe-Ni porous binary oxide is up to 168.6mgg(-1) and 90.1mgg(-1) for As(III) and As(V), respectively, which are much higher than the arsenic adsorption capacity for most commercial adsorbents. Such enhanced adsorption ability for this material is mainly attributed to its porous structure and high specific surface area as well as the abundant surface functional groups. Further experiments have revealed that the influence of the anions such as sulfate, carbonate, and phosphate, which commonly co-exist in water, on the arsenic adsorption is insignificant, exhibiting strong adsorption selectivity to arsenic. This micro/nano-structured porous Fe-Ni binary oxide is hence of good practicability to be used as a highly efficient adsorbent for arsenic removal from the real arsenic-contaminated waters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Towards the Development of Electrical Biosensors Based on Nanostructured Porous Silicon

    PubMed Central

    Recio-Sánchez, Gonzalo; Torres-Costa, Vicente; Manso, Miguel; Gallach, Darío; López-García, Juan; Martín-Palma, Raúl J.

    2010-01-01

    The typical large specific surface area and high reactivity of nanostructured porous silicon (nanoPS) make this material very suitable for the development of sensors. Moreover, its biocompatibility and biodegradability opens the way to the development of biosensors. As such, in this work the use of nanoPS in the field of electrical biosensing is explored. More specifically, nanoPS-based devices with Al/nanoPS/Al and Au-NiCr/nanoPS/Au-NiCr structures were fabricated for the electrical detection of glucose and Escherichia Coli bacteria at different concentrations. The experimental results show that the current-voltage characteristics of these symmetric metal/nanoPS/metal structures strongly depend on the presence/absence and concentration of species immobilized on the surface.

  20. Production and characterization of multi-polysaccharide degrading enzymes from Aspergillus aculeatus BCC199 for saccharification of agricultural residues.

    PubMed

    Suwannarangsee, Surisa; Arnthong, Jantima; Eurwilaichitr, Lily; Champreda, Verawat

    2014-10-01

    Enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars is a key step in the conversion of agricultural by-products to biofuels and value-added chemicals. Utilization of a robust microorganism for on-site production of biomass-degrading enzymes has gained increasing interest as an economical approach for supplying enzymes to biorefinery processes. In this study, production of multi-polysaccharide-degrading enzymes from Aspergillus aculeatus BCC199 by solid-state fermentation was improved through the statistical design approach. Among the operational parameters, yeast extract and soybean meal as well as the nonionic surfactant Tween 20 and initial pH were found as key parameters for maximizing production of cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes. Under the optimized condition, the production of FPase, endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, xylanase, and β-xylosidase was achieved at 23, 663, 88, 1,633, and 90 units/g of dry substrate, respectively. The multi-enzyme extract was highly efficient in the saccharification of alkaline-pretreated rice straw, corn cob, and corn stover. In comparison with commercial cellulase preparations, the BCC199 enzyme mixture was able to produce remarkable yields of glucose and xylose, as it contained higher relative activities of β-glucosidase and core hemicellulases (xylanase and β-xylosidase). These results suggested that the crude enzyme extract from A. aculeatus BCC199 possesses balanced cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities required for the efficient saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks, and supplementation of external β-glucosidase or xylanase was dispensable. The work thus demonstrates the high potential of A. aculeatus BCC199 as a promising producer of lignocellulose-degrading enzymes for the biomass conversion industry.

  1. Hierarchical flower-like C/NiO composite hollow microspheres and its excellent supercapacitor performance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Tao; Jiang, Chuanjia; Cheng, Bei; You, Wei; Yu, Jiaguo

    2017-08-01

    Nickel (II) oxide (NiO) nanosheet grown on N-doped carbon hollow spheres (NiO/NCHS) with hierarchical pore structure are obtained via facile chemical bath deposition followed by calcination at 350 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. Phase structure measurements indicate that the material is composed of NiO and N-doped carbon. The NiO/NCHS composite exhibits a unique flower-like morphology, where ultrathin NiO nanosheets are vertically grown on the surface of NCHS. This hierarchical nanostructure is beneficial for facilitating electron and electrolyte ion transport and accelerating the reversible redox reaction. The specific capacitance of the NiO/NCHS composite (585 F g-1 at 1 A g-1) is higher than that of pure NiO particle (453 F g-1 at 1 A g-1). Meanwhile, the NiO/NCHS composite exhibits excellent rate performance and superior cycling stability over 6000 cycles. The enhanced supercapacitive performance of the NiO/NCHS nanocomposite indicates that it can be an appealing candidate electrode material for supercapacitors.

  2. Optical properties of 3d transition-metal-doped MgAl2O4 spinels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Izumi, K.; Miyazaki, S.; Yoshida, S.; Mizokawa, T.; Hanamura, E.

    2007-08-01

    Strong emission bands in the visible region are observed in MgAl2O4 crystals doped with transition-metal ions under excitation at the band-to-band transitions. We report optical responses of Cr-, Co-, and Ni-doped MgAl2O4 and present optical models for M -doped MgAl2O4 ( M=Ti , V, Cr, Mn, Co, and Ni) to describe the charge-transfer transitions and the transitions between multiplet levels of 3d electrons, which are observed competitively or coexisting, depending on the number of 3d electrons. While the optical responses of Cr- and Ni-doped MgAl2O4 are dominated by the multiplet-multiplet transitions, those of Ti- and V-doped MgAl2O4 are governed by the charge-transfer transitions. The two kinds of transitions coexist in the Mn- and Co-doped MgAl2O4 . These behaviors are well understood based on the numerical results of unrestricted Hartree-Fock approximation.

  3. One-pot facile synthesis of reusable tremella-like M1@M2@M1(OH)2 (M1 = Co, Ni, M2 = Pt/Pd, Pt, Pd and Au) three layers core-shell nanostructures as highly efficient catalysts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Yadong; Fang, Zhen; Kuai, Long; Geng, Baoyou

    2014-07-01

    In this work, a general, facile, successive and eco-friendly method for multilayer nanostructures has been established for the first time. We take full advantage of the structural and compositional character of M1@M2 (M1 = Co, Ni, M2 = Pt/Pd, Pt, Pd and Au) core-shell nanostructures to prepare a series of reusable tremella-like M1@M2@M1(OH)2 three layer core-shell or yolk-shell nanocomposites with a magnetic core, a porous noble metal shell, and an ultrathin cobalt or nickel hydroxide shell. We evaluated their catalytic performance using a model reaction based on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. These novel M1@M2@M1(OH)2 nanomaterials with a unique internal micro environment promoted the efficiency of the catalytic reaction, prolonged the service life of the catalyst and enhanced the overall activity of the catalyst in the catalytic process. The novel three layer core-shell nanocomposites can be extended to other applications such as biomedical detection, energy conversion and storage systems.In this work, a general, facile, successive and eco-friendly method for multilayer nanostructures has been established for the first time. We take full advantage of the structural and compositional character of M1@M2 (M1 = Co, Ni, M2 = Pt/Pd, Pt, Pd and Au) core-shell nanostructures to prepare a series of reusable tremella-like M1@M2@M1(OH)2 three layer core-shell or yolk-shell nanocomposites with a magnetic core, a porous noble metal shell, and an ultrathin cobalt or nickel hydroxide shell. We evaluated their catalytic performance using a model reaction based on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. These novel M1@M2@M1(OH)2 nanomaterials with a unique internal micro environment promoted the efficiency of the catalytic reaction, prolonged the service life of the catalyst and enhanced the overall activity of the catalyst in the catalytic process. The novel three layer core-shell nanocomposites can be extended to other applications such as biomedical detection, energy conversion and

  4. Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe, and Ni abundance for a sample of solar analogues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    López-Valdivia, Ricardo; Bertone, Emanuele; Chávez, Miguel

    2017-05-01

    We report on the determination of chemical abundances of 38 solar analogues, including 11 objects previously identified as super-metal-rich stars. We have measured the equivalent widths for 34 lines of 7 different chemical elements (Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Fe and Ni) in high-resolution (R ˜ 80 000) spectroscopic images, obtained at the Observatorio Astrofísico Guillermo Haro (Sonora, Mexico), with the Cananea High-resolution Spectrograph. We derived chemical abundances using atlas12 model atmospheres and the Fortran code moog. We confirmed the super-metallicity status of six solar analogues. Within our sample, BD+60 600 is the most metal rich star ([Fe/H] = +0.35 dex), while for HD 166991, we obtained the lowest iron abundance ([Fe/H] = -0.53 dex). We also computed the so-called [Ref] index for 25 of our solar analogues, and we found that BD+60 600 ([Ref] = +0.42) and BD+28 3198 ([Ref] = +0.34) are good targets for exoplanet search.

  5. Supergene neoformation of Pt-Ir-Fe-Ni alloys: multistage grains explain nugget formation in Ni-laterites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aiglsperger, Thomas; Proenza, Joaquín A.; Font-Bardia, Mercè; Baurier-Aymat, Sandra; Galí, Salvador; Lewis, John F.; Longo, Francisco

    2017-10-01

    Ni-laterites from the Dominican Republic host rare but extremely platinum-group element (PGE)-rich chromitites (up to 17.5 ppm) without economic significance. These chromitites occur either included in saprolite (beneath the Mg discontinuity) or as `floating chromitites' within limonite (above the Mg discontinuity). Both chromitite types have similar iridium-group PGE (IPGE)-enriched chondrite normalized patterns; however, chromitites included in limonite show a pronounced positive Pt anomaly. Investigation of heavy mineral concentrates, obtained via hydroseparation techniques, led to the discovery of multistage PGE grains: (i) Os-Ru-Fe-(Ir) grains of porous appearance are overgrown by (ii) Ni-Fe-Ir and Ir-Fe-Ni-(Pt) phases which are overgrown by (iii) Pt-Ir-Fe-Ni mineral phases. Whereas Ir-dominated overgrowths prevail in chromitites from the saprolite, Pt-dominated overgrowths are observed within floating chromitites. The following formation model for multistage PGE grains is discussed: (i) hypogene platinum-group minerals (PGM) (e.g. laurite) are transformed to secondary PGM by desulphurization during serpentinization; (ii) at the stages of serpentinization and/or at the early stages of lateritization, Ir is mobilized and recrystallizes on porous surfaces of secondary PGM (serving as a natural catalyst) and (iii) at the late stages of lateritization, biogenic mediated neoformation (and accumulation) of Pt-Ir-Fe-Ni nanoparticles occurs. The evidence presented in this work demonstrates that in situ growth of Pt-Ir-Fe-Ni alloy nuggets of isometric symmetry is possible within Ni-laterites from the Dominican Republic.

  6. Nanostructured titanate with different metal ions on the surface of metallic titanium: a facile approach for regulation of rBMSCs fate on titanium implants.

    PubMed

    Ren, Na; Li, Jianhua; Qiu, Jichuan; Sang, Yuanhua; Jiang, Huaidong; Boughton, Robert I; Huang, Ling; Huang, Wei; Liu, Hong

    2014-08-13

    Titanium (Ti) is widely used for load-bearing bio-implants, however, it is bio-inert and exhibits poor osteo-inductive properties. Calcium and magnesium ions are considered to be involved in bone metabolism and play a physiological role in the angiogenesis, growth, and mineralization of bone tissue. In this study, a facile synthesis approach to the in situ construction of a nanostructure enriched with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) on the surface of titanium foil is proposed by inserting Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) into the interlayers of sodium titanate nanostructures through an ion-substitution process. The characteriz 0.67, and 0.73 nm ation results validate that cations can be inserted into the interlayer regions of the layered nanostructure without any obvious change of morphology. The cation content is positively correlated to the concentration of the solutions employed. The biological assessments indicate that the type and the amount of cations in the titanate nanostructure can alter the bioactivity of titanium implants. Compared with a Na(+) filled titanate nanostructure, the incorporation of divalent ions (Mg(2+) , Ca(2+) ) can effectively enhance protein adsorption, and thus also enhance the adhesion and differentiation ability of rat bone-marrow stem cells (rBMSCs). The Mg(2+) /Ca(2+) -titanate nanostructure is a promising implantable material that will be widely applicable in artificial bones, joints, and dental implants. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Microstructures and Nanostructures for Environmental Carbon Nanotubes and Nanoparticulate Soots

    PubMed Central

    Murr, L. E.

    2008-01-01

    This paper examines the microstructures and nanostructures for natural (mined) chrysotile asbestos nanotubes (Mg3 Si2O5 (OH)4) in comparison with commercial multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), utilizing scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Black carbon (BC) and a variety of specific soot particulate (aggregate) microstructures and nanostructures are also examined comparatively by SEM and TEM. A range of MWCNTs collected in the environment (both indoor and outdoor) are also examined and shown to be similar to some commercial MWCNTs but to exhibit a diversity of microstructures and nanostructures, including aggregation with other multiconcentric fullerenic nanoparticles. MWCNTs formed in the environment nucleate from special hemispherical graphene “caps” and there is evidence for preferential or energetically favorable chiralities, tube growth, and closing. The multiconcentric graphene tubes (∼5 to 50 nm diameter) differentiate themselves from multiconcentric fullerenic nanoparticles and especially turbostratic BC and carbonaceous soot nanospherules (∼8 to 80 nm diameter) because the latter are composed of curved graphene fragments intermixed or intercalated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) isomers of varying molecular weights and mass concentrations; depending upon combustion conditions and sources. The functionalizing of these nanostructures and photoxidation and related photothermal phenomena, as these may influence the cytotoxicities of these nanoparticulate aggregates, will also be discussed in the context of nanostructures and nanostructure phenomena, and implications for respiratory health. PMID:19151426

  8. Twinning to slip transition in ultrathin BCC Fe nanowires

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sainath, G.; Choudhary, B. K.

    2018-04-01

    We report twinning to slip transition with decreasing size and increasing temperature in ultrathin <100> BCC Fe nanowires. Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on different nanowire size in the range 0.404-3.634 nm at temperatures ranging from 10 to 900 K. The results indicate that slip mode dominates at low sizes and high temperatures, while deformation twinning is promoted at high sizes and low temperatures. The temperature, at which the nanowires show twinning to slip transition, increases with increasing size. The different modes of deformation are also reflected appropriately in the respective stress-strain behaviour of the nanowires.

  9. Magnetic scattering effects in two-band superconductor: the ferromagnetic dopants in MgB₂.

    PubMed

    Li, W X; Zeng, R; Poh, C K; Li, Y; Dou, S X

    2010-04-07

    This paper demonstrates the magnetic scattering effects on the electron-phonon interaction in two-band superconductors based on the transition-metal-doped MgB₂ to clarify the effects of magnetic dopants on multi-band superconductivity. The phonon properties of polycrystalline Mg(1-x)M(x)B₂ (M = Fe, Ni and Co), with x up to 0.05, were studied, with the investigation based on the normal state Raman spectra, especially the variation of the E(2g) mode. The magnetic scattering effect of Fe is much weaker than that of Mn in MgB₂, while it is stronger than that of Ni. The weak magnetic scattering effects are responsible for the superconducting behaviors of Mg(1 - x)Fe(x)B₂ and Mg(1 - x)Ni(x)B₂. Co shows almost no magnetic scattering effects on the superconductivity, while the depression of the critical temperature, T(c), in Mg(1 - x)Co(x)B₂ is attributed to the phonon behavior and is independent of the ferromagnetic nature of cobalt.

  10. Atomistic modeling of crystal-to-amorphous transition and associated kinetics in the Ni-Nb system by molecular dynamics simulations.

    PubMed

    Dai, X D; Li, J H; Liu, B X

    2005-03-17

    With the aid of ab initio calculations, an n-body potential of the Ni-Nb system is constructed under the Finnis-Sinclair formalism and the constructed potential is capable of not only reproducing some static physical properties but also revealing the atomistic mechanism of crystal-to-amorphous transition and associated kinetics. With application of the constructed potential, molecular dynamics simulations using the solid solution models reveal that the physical origin of crystal-to-amorphous transition is the crystalline lattice collapsing while the solute atoms are exceeding the critical solid solubilities, which are determined to be 19 atom % Ni and 13 atom % Nb for the Nb- and Ni-based solid solutions, respectively. It follows that an intrinsic glass-forming ability of the Ni-Nb system is within 19-87 atom % Ni, which matches well with that observed in ion beam mixing/solid-state reaction experiments. Simulations using the Nb/Ni/Nb (Ni/Nb/Ni) sandwich models indicate that the amorphous layer at the interfaces grows in a layer-by-layer mode and that, upon dissolving solute atoms, the Ni lattice approaches and exceeds its critical solid solubility faster than the Nb lattice, revealing an asymmetric behavior in growth kinetics. Moreover, an energy diagram is obtained by computing the energetic sequence of the Ni(x)Nb(100)(-)(x) alloy in fcc, bcc, and amorphous structures, respectively, over the entire composition range, and the diagram could serve as a guide for predicting the metastable alloy formation in the Ni-Nb system.

  11. Efficient acetone sensor based on Ni-doped ZnO nanostructures prepared by spray pyrolysis technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Darunkar, Swapnil S.; Acharya, Smita A.

    2018-05-01

    Ni-doped ZnO thin film was prepared by home-built spray pyrolysis unit for the detection of acetone at 300°C. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of as-developed thin film of undoped ZnO exhibits large quantity of spherical, non-agglomerated particles with uniform size while in Ni-doped ZnO, particles are quite non-uniform in nature. The particle size estimated by using image J are obtained to be around 20-200 nm. Ni-doping effect on band gaps are determined by UV-vis optical spectroscopy and band gap of Ni-doped ZnO is found to be 3.046 eV. Nickel doping exceptionally enhances the sensing response of ZnO as compared to undoped ZnO system. The major role of the Ni-doping is to create more active sites for chemisorbed oxygen on the surface of sensor and correspondingly, to improve the sensing response. The 6 at.% of Ni-doped ZnO exhibits the highest response (92%) for 100 ppm acetone at 300 °C.

  12. Template-assisted electrodeposition of Ni and Ni/Au nanowires on planar and curved substrates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guiliani, Jason; Cadena, John; Monton, Carlos

    2018-02-01

    We present a variant of the template-assisted electrodeposition method that enables the synthesis of large arrays of nanowires (NWs) on flat and curved substrates. This method uses ultra-thin (50 nm-10 μm) anodic aluminum oxide membranes as a template. We have developed a procedure that uses a two-polymer protective layer to transfer these templates onto almost any surface. We have applied this technique to the fabrication of large arrays of Ni and segmented composition Ni/Au NWs on silicon wafers, Cu tapes, and thin (0.2 mm) Cu wires. In all cases, a complete coverage with NWs is achieved. The magnetic properties of these samples show an accentuated in-plane anisotropy which is affected by the form of the substrate (flat or curve) and the length of the NWs. Unlike current lithography techniques, the fabrication method proposed here allows the integration of complex nanostructures into devices, which can be fabricated on unconventional surfaces.

  13. Low-Temperature Synthesis of Superconducting Nanocrystalline MgB 2

    DOE PAGES

    Lu, Jun; Xiao, Zhili; Lin, Qiyin; ...

    2010-01-01

    Magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) is considered a promising material for practical application in superconducting devices, with a transition temperature near 40 K. In the present paper, nanocrystalline MgB 2 with an average particle size of approximately 70 nm is synthesized by reacting LiBH 4 with MgH 2 at temperatures as low as 450 ° C. This synthesis approach successfully bypasses the usage of either elemental boron or toxic diborane gas. The superconductivity of the nanostructures is confirmed by magnetization measurements, showing a superconducting critical temperature of 38.7 K.

  14. Effect of Nano-TiC Dispersed Particles and Electro-Codeposition Parameters on Morphology and Structure of Hybrid Ni/TiC Nanocomposite Layers.

    PubMed

    Benea, Lidia; Celis, Jean-Pierre

    2016-04-06

    This research work describes the effect of dispersed titanium carbide (TiC) nanoparticles into nickel plating bath on Ni/TiC nanostructured composite layers obtained by electro-codeposition. The surface morphology of Ni/TiC nanostructured composite layers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composition of coatings and the incorporation percentage of TiC nanoparticles into Ni matrix were studied and estimated by using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). X-ray diffractometer (XRD) has been applied in order to investigate the phase structure as well as the corresponding relative texture coefficients of the composite layers. The results show that the concentration of nano-TiC particles added in the nickel electrolyte affects the inclusion percentage of TiC into Ni/TiC nano strucured layers, as well as the corresponding morphology, relative texture coefficients and thickness indicating an increasing tendency with the increasing concentration of nano-TiC concentration. By increasing the amount of TiC nanoparticles in the electrolyte, their incorporation into nickel matrix also increases. The hybrid Ni/nano-TiC composite layers obtained revealed a higher roughness and higher hardness; therefore, these layers are promising superhydrophobic surfaces for special application and could be more resistant to wear than the pure Ni layers.

  15. Effect of Nano-TiC Dispersed Particles and Electro-Codeposition Parameters on Morphology and Structure of Hybrid Ni/TiC Nanocomposite Layers

    PubMed Central

    Benea, Lidia; Celis, Jean-Pierre

    2016-01-01

    This research work describes the effect of dispersed titanium carbide (TiC) nanoparticles into nickel plating bath on Ni/TiC nanostructured composite layers obtained by electro-codeposition. The surface morphology of Ni/TiC nanostructured composite layers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composition of coatings and the incorporation percentage of TiC nanoparticles into Ni matrix were studied and estimated by using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). X-ray diffractometer (XRD) has been applied in order to investigate the phase structure as well as the corresponding relative texture coefficients of the composite layers. The results show that the concentration of nano-TiC particles added in the nickel electrolyte affects the inclusion percentage of TiC into Ni/TiC nano strucured layers, as well as the corresponding morphology, relative texture coefficients and thickness indicating an increasing tendency with the increasing concentration of nano-TiC concentration. By increasing the amount of TiC nanoparticles in the electrolyte, their incorporation into nickel matrix also increases. The hybrid Ni/nano-TiC composite layers obtained revealed a higher roughness and higher hardness; therefore, these layers are promising superhydrophobic surfaces for special application and could be more resistant to wear than the pure Ni layers. PMID:28773395

  16. Hierarchically-structured hollow NiO nanospheres/nitrogen-doped graphene hybrid with superior capacity retention and enhanced rate capability for lithium-ion batteries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Jiayuan; Wu, Xiaofeng; Liu, Ya; Gong, Yan; Wang, Pengfei; Li, Wenhui; Mo, Shengpeng; Tan, Qiangqiang; Chen, Yunfa

    2017-12-01

    A facile template-free synthesis strategy is demonstrated to fabricate nanostructured NiO/N-doped graphene hybrid, in which NiO hollow nanospheres with hierarchically mesoporous structure are tightly anchored on N-doped graphene matrix. The mesoporous shell of NiO can not only provide sufficient electrode/electrolyte contact areas to accelerate ion diffusion and electron exchange, but also efficiently mitigate the volume change that occurs during long-time reactions. Simultaneously, the reduced graphene oxide with doping nitrogen atoms are employed as effectively conductive backbone, further enhancing the electrochemical performances. When used as anodic material for lithium ion batteries, the synergistic system delivers a reversible capacity up to 1104.6 mAh g-1 after 150 cycles at a current density of 0.08 A g-1 and 422.3 mAh g-1 at a high charging rate of 4 A g-1, which is better than those of the bare counterparts and most other NiO-based materials reported in the previous literatures. The hierarchically hollow NiO nanostructure combined with N-doped graphene matrix provides a promising candidate applied in advanced anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

  17. Cadinane sesquiterpenoids from the basidiomycete Stereum cf. sanguinolentum BCC 22926.

    PubMed

    Bunyapaiboonsri, Taridaporn; Yoiprommarat, Seangaroon; Nopgason, Rujirek; Komwijit, Somjit; Veeranondha, Sukitaya; Puyngain, Pucharapa; Boonpratuang, Thitiya

    2014-09-01

    Stereumins Q-U, together with known stereumins A, B, K, L, and N, as well as ent-strobilols E and G were isolated from the culture of Stereum cf. sanguinolentum BCC 22926. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses. The absolute configurations of stereumins A and Q, as well as ent-strobilol E were established by application of the modified Mosher's method. Stereumin T displayed antibacterial activity against Bacilluscereus with a MIC value of 3.97μM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Influence of the local-spin-density correlation functional on the stability of bcc ferromagnetic iron

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Singh, D.; Clougherty, D.P.; MacLaren, J.M.

    1991-10-01

    The influence of local-spin-dependent correlation effects on the predicted stable ground-state phase of iron is reexamined with use of general-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave calculations. Differences in the form of the Vosko-Wilk-Nusair (VWN) local-spin-density functional used in previous studies are noted, since in previous studies significant additional approximations were made with respect to those of Vosko, Wilk, and Nusan (Can. J. Phys. 58, 1200 (1980)) and of MacLaren, Clougherty, and Albers (Phys. Rev. B 42, 3205 (1990)). While the results of previous linear muffin-tin orbital calculations using the VWN functional predict a bcc ferromagnetic ground state, the present calculations show that themore » VWN spin-correlation effects fail to stabilize a bcc ground state. Considerable sensitivity to the form of the spin interpolation is found.« less

  19. Temporal Evolution of Nanostructures in a Model Nickel-Base Superalloy: Experiments and Simulations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sudbrack, Chantal K.; Yoon, Kevin E.; Mao, Zugang; Noebe, Ronald D.; Isheim, Dieter; Seidman, David N.

    2003-01-01

    The temporal evolution of the nanostructure of a model Ni-base superalloy (Ni-5.2 at.% Al-14.2 at.% Cr) is studied experimentally employing three-dimensional atom-probe (3DAP) microscopy in conjunction with kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations at 600 C. It is demonstrated that not only can the mean compositions of individual gamma' (Ni3Al with the Li2 structure) precipitates be measured but the Ni, Al, and Cr concentration profiles within the precipitates can also be determined for precipitates with a mean radius () as small as 0.85 nm. The three asymptotic tinie dependencies of the Lifshitz-Slyzov-Wagner (LSW) theory of coarsening (Ostwald ripening) are measured and found to deviate from its theoretical predictions: possible explanations for these discrepancies are discussed. At 0.25 hr. there is 3DAP microscope evidence for the presence of precipitates of another nickel-rich phase. ="Ni3Cr" (Ni3Cr(1-x)Al(x)), which exhibits short-range order (SRO) and that is metastable with respect to Ni3Al. This metastable phase is also found by KMC simulations and has the composition Ni3Cr(1-x)Al(x), which is Ni-2.91 at.% Al-21.98 at.% Cr at 16 hours. Our results demonstrate that the decomposition of gamma the primary gamma (FCC) phase results in the concurrent formation of an ordered phase and a disordered phase by 0.25 hours.

  20. C-IOP/NiO/Ni7S6 composite with the inverse opal lattice as an electrode for supercapacitors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sukhinina, Nadezhda S.; Masalov, Vladimir M.; Zhokhov, Andrey A.; Zverkova, Irina I.; Emelchenko, Gennadi A.

    2015-06-01

    In this work, we demonstrate the results of studies on the synthesis, the structure and properties of carbon inverted opal (C-IOP) nanostructures, the surface of which is modified by oxide and sulfide of nickel. It is shown that the modification of the matrix C-IOP by nickel compounds led to a decreasing the specific surface area more than three times and was 250 m2/g. The specific capacitance of the capacitor with the C-IOP/NiO/Ni7S6 composite as electrode has increased more than 4 times, from 130 F/g to 600 F/g, as compared with the sample C-IOP without the modification by nickel compounds. The significant contribution of the faradaic reactions in specific capacitance of the capacitor electrodes of the composites is marked.

  1. Nanostructured magnesium oxide biosensing platform for cholera detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patel, Manoj K.; Azahar Ali, Md.; Agrawal, Ved V.; Ansari, Z. A.; Ansari, S. G.; Malhotra, B. D.

    2013-04-01

    We report fabrication of highly crystalline nanostructured magnesium oxide (NanoMgO, size >30 nm) film electrophoretically deposited onto indium-tin-oxide (ITO) glass substrate for Vibrio cholerae detection. The single stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA) probe, consisting of 23 bases (O1 gene sequence) immobilized onto NanoMgO/ITO electrode surface, has been characterized using electrochemical, Fourier Transform-Infra Red, and UltraViolet-visible spectroscopic techniques. The hybridization studies of ssDNA/NanoMgO/ITO bioelectrode with fragmented target DNA conducted using differential pulse voltammetry reveal sensitivity as 16.80 nA/ng/cm2, response time of 3 s, linearity as 100-500 ng/μL, and stability of about 120 days.

  2. Porous Ni0.1Mn0.9O1.45 microellipsoids as high-performance anode electrocatalyst for microbial fuel cells.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Lizhen; Zhang, Wenguang; Xia, Pan; Tu, Wenqiang; Ye, Changchun; He, Miao

    2018-04-15

    A novel bi-component composite of porous self-assembled micro-/nanostructured Ni 0.1 Mn 0.9 O 1.45 microellipsoids as high-performance anode electrocatalyst for microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is successfully synthesized via a simple coprecipitation reaction in microemulsion and calcination method in air atmosphere. The morphology and structural characterization indicate that the as-fabricated Ni 0.1 Mn 0.9 O 1.45 product is consist of Mn 2 O 3 and NiMn 2 O 4 (n(Mn 2 O 3) : n(NiMn 2 O 4 ) = 0.35: 0.1) and has a porous microellipsoidal morphology. The microellipsoids are compose of numerous layered micro-/nanostructured blocks and the special porous microellipsoids structure of Ni 0.1 Mn 0.9 O 1.45 offers a large specific surface area for bacteria adhesion. The porous Ni 0.1 Mn 0.9 O 1.45 microellipsoids as anode electrocatalyst for MFCs exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity to promote the extracellular electron transfer (EET) between the anode and bacteria, hence improves the performance of MFC. The MFC equipped with Ni 0.1 Mn 0.9 O 1.45 /CF anode achieves a maximum power density of 1.39 ± 0.02Wm -2 , is significantly higher than that of commercial carbon felt anode. This work proposes a new method for the synthesis of high-performance and environmentally friendly anode electrocatalyst for MFCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Grain boundaries in bcc-Fe: a density-functional theory and tight-binding study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jingliang; Madsen, Georg K. H.; Drautz, Ralf

    2018-02-01

    Grain boundaries (GBs) have a significant influence on material properties. In the present paper, we calculate the energies of eleven low-Σ ({{Σ }}≤slant 13) symmetrical tilt GBs and two twist GBs in ferromagnetic bcc iron using first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results demonstrate the importance of a sufficient sampling of initial rigid body translations in all three directions. We show that the relative GB energies can be explained by the miscoordination of atoms at the GB region. While the main features of the studied GB structures were captured by previous empirical interatomic potential calculations, it is shown that the absolute values of GB energies calculated were substantially underestimated. Based on DFT-calculated GB structures and energies, we construct a new d-band orthogonal tight-binding (TB) model for bcc iron. The TB model is validated by its predictive power on all the studied GBs. We apply the TB model to block boundaries in lath martensite and demonstrate that the experimentally observed GB character distribution can be explained from the viewpoint of interface energy.

  4. Effect of Barothermal Treatment on the Structure and the Mechanical Properties of a High-Strength Eutectic Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Ni Aluminum Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akopyan, T. K.; Padalko, A. G.; Belov, N. A.; Karpova, Zh. A.

    2017-11-01

    The effect of barothermal treatment by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) on the structure and the properties of castings of a promising high-strength cast aluminum alloy, namely, nikalin ATs6N4 based on the Al‒Zn-Mg-Cu-Ni system, has been studied using two barothermal treatment regimes different in isothermal holding temperature. It is shown that the casting porosity substantially decreases after barothermal treatment; eutectic phase Al3Ni particles are additionally refined during exposure to the barothermal treatment temperature: the higher the HIP temperature, the more substantial the refinement. The improvement of the casting structure after HIP increases their mechanical properties. It is found, in particular, that the plasticity of the alloy in the state of the maximum hardening increases by a factor of more than 8 as compared to the initial state (from 0.82 to 6.9%).

  5. LiNi(0.5)Mn(1.5)O4 porous nanorods as high-rate and long-life cathodes for Li-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaolong; Cheng, Fangyi; Yang, Jingang; Chen, Jun

    2013-06-12

    Spinel-type LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 porous nanorods assembled with nanoparticles have been prepared and investigated as high-rate and long-life cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. One-dimensional porous nanostructures of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 with ordered P4332 phase were obtained through solid-state Li and Ni implantation of porous Mn2O3 nanorods that resulted from thermal decomposition of the chain-like MnC2O4 precursor. The fabricated LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 delivered specific capacities of 140 and 109 mAh g(-1) at 1 and 20 C rates, respectively. At a 5 C cycling rate, a capacity retention of 91% was sustained after 500 cycles, with extremely low capacity fade (<1%) during the initial 300 cycles. The remarkable performance was attributed to the porous 1D nanostructures that can accommodate strain relaxation by slippage at the subunits wall boundaries and provide short Li-ion diffusion distance along the confined dimension.

  6. Modelling irradiation-induced softening in BCC iron by crystal plasticity approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiao, Xiazi; Terentyev, Dmitry; Yu, Long; Song, Dingkun; Bakaev, A.; Duan, Huiling

    2015-11-01

    Crystal plasticity model (CPM) for BCC iron to account for radiation-induced strain softening is proposed. CPM is based on the plastically-driven and thermally-activated removal of dislocation loops. Atomistic simulations are applied to parameterize dislocation-defect interactions. Combining experimental microstructures, defect-hardening/absorption rules from atomistic simulations, and CPM fitted to properties of non-irradiated iron, the model achieves a good agreement with experimental data regarding radiation-induced strain softening and flow stress increase under neutron irradiation.

  7. Dislocation loop formation by swift heavy ion irradiation of metals.

    PubMed

    Khara, Galvin S; Murphy, Samuel T; Duffy, Dorothy M

    2017-07-19

    A coupled two-temperature, molecular dynamics methodology is used to simulate the structural evolution of bcc metals (Fe and W) and fcc metals (Cu and Ni) following irradiation by swift heavy ions. Electronic temperature dependent electronic specific heat capacities and electron-phonon coupling strengths are used to capture the full effects of the variation in the electronic density of states. Tungsten is found to be significantly more resistant to damage than iron, due both to the higher melting temperature and the higher thermal conductivity. Very interesting defect structures, quite different from defects formed in cascades, are found to be created by swift heavy ion irradiation in the bcc metals. Isolated vacancies form a halo around elongated interstitial dislocation loops that are oriented along the ion path. Such configurations are formed by rapid recrystallization of the molten cylindrical region that is created by the energetic ion. Vacancies are created at the recrystallization front, resulting in excess atoms at the core which form interstitial dislocation loops on completion of crystallization. These unique defect structures could, potentially, be used to create metal films with superior mechanical properties and interesting nanostructures.

  8. Dislocation loop formation by swift heavy ion irradiation of metals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khara, Galvin S.; Murphy, Samuel T.; Duffy, Dorothy M.

    2017-07-01

    A coupled two-temperature, molecular dynamics methodology is used to simulate the structural evolution of bcc metals (Fe and W) and fcc metals (Cu and Ni) following irradiation by swift heavy ions. Electronic temperature dependent electronic specific heat capacities and electron-phonon coupling strengths are used to capture the full effects of the variation in the electronic density of states. Tungsten is found to be significantly more resistant to damage than iron, due both to the higher melting temperature and the higher thermal conductivity. Very interesting defect structures, quite different from defects formed in cascades, are found to be created by swift heavy ion irradiation in the bcc metals. Isolated vacancies form a halo around elongated interstitial dislocation loops that are oriented along the ion path. Such configurations are formed by rapid recrystallization of the molten cylindrical region that is created by the energetic ion. Vacancies are created at the recrystallization front, resulting in excess atoms at the core which form interstitial dislocation loops on completion of crystallization. These unique defect structures could, potentially, be used to create metal films with superior mechanical properties and interesting nanostructures.

  9. Growth and evolution of nickel germanide nanostructures on Ge(001).

    PubMed

    Grzela, T; Capellini, G; Koczorowski, W; Schubert, M A; Czajka, R; Curson, N J; Heidmann, I; Schmidt, Th; Falta, J; Schroeder, T

    2015-09-25

    Nickel germanide is deemed an excellent material system for low resistance contact formation for future Ge device modules integrated into mainstream, Si-based integrated circuit technologies. In this study, we present a multi-technique experimental study on the formation processes of nickel germanides on Ge(001). We demonstrate that room temperature deposition of ∼1 nm of Ni on Ge(001) is realized in the Volmer-Weber growth mode. Subsequent thermal annealing results first in the formation of a continuous NixGey wetting layer featuring well-defined terrace morphology. Upon increasing the annealing temperature to 300 °C, we observed the onset of a de-wetting process, characterized by the appearance of voids on the NixGey terraces. Annealing above 300 °C enhances this de-wetting process and the surface evolves gradually towards the formation of well-ordered, rectangular NixGey 3D nanostructures. Annealing up to 500 °C induces an Ostwald ripening phenomenon, with smaller nanoislands disappearing and larger ones increasing their size. Subsequent annealing to higher temperatures drives the Ni-germanide diffusion into the bulk and the consequent formation of highly ordered, {111} faceted Ni-Ge nanocrystals featuring an epitaxial relationship with the substrate Ni-Ge (101); (010) || Ge(001); (110).

  10. Reverse Shape Memory Effect Related to α → γ Transformation in a Fe-Mn-Al-Ni Shape Memory Alloy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Peng, Huabei; Huang, Pan; Zhou, Tiannan; Wang, Shanling; Wen, Yuhua

    2017-05-01

    In this study, we investigated the shape memory behavior and phase transformations of solution-treated Fe43.61Mn34.74Al13.38Ni8.27 alloy between room temperature and 1173 K (900 °C). This alloy exhibits the reverse shape memory effect resulting from the phase transformation of α (bcc) → γ (fcc) between 673 K and 1073 K (400 °C and 800 °C) in addition to the shape memory effect resulting from the martensitic reverse transformation of γ' (fcc) → α (bcc) below 673 K (400 °C). There is a high density of hairpin-shaped dislocations in the α phase undergoing the martensitic reverse transformation of γ' → α. The lath γ phase, which preferentially nucleates and grows in the reversed α phase, has the same crystal orientation with the reverse-transformed γ' martensite. However, the vermiculate γ phase, which is precipitated in the α phase between lath γ phase, has different crystal orientations. The lath γ phase is beneficial to attaining better reverse shape memory effect than the vermiculate γ phase.

  11. Hot Corrosion Resistance and Mechanical Behavior of Atmospheric Plasma Sprayed Conventional and Nanostructured Zirconia Coatings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saremi, Mohsen; Keyvani, Ahmad; Heydarzadeh Sohi, Mahmoud

    Conventional and nanostructured zirconia coatings were deposited on In-738 Ni super alloy by atmospheric plasma spray technique. The hot corrosion resistance of the coatings was measured at 1050°C using an atmospheric electrical furnace and a fused mixture of vanadium pent oxide and sodium sulfate respectively. According to the experimental results nanostructured coatings showed a better hot corrosion resistance than conventional ones. The improved hot corrosion resistance could be explained by the change of structure to a dense and more packed structure in the nanocoating. The evaluation of mechanical properties by nano indentation method showed the hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E) of the YSZ coating increased substantially after hot corrosion.

  12. High Strength, Nano-Structured Mg-Al-Zn Alloy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    ADDRESS(ES) 6. AUTHORS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAMES AND ADDRESSES U.S. Army Research Office P.O. Box 12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211...University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA b Weapons and Materials Research Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory...being researched and implemented. To that effect,muchprogress has been achieved in thedevelopment of high strengthMg alloys through solid solution

  13. Insight into destabilization mechanism of Mg-based hydrides interstitially co-doped with nonmetals: a DFT study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Zhen; Zhu, Luying; Yang, Fusheng; Zhang, Zaoxiao; Nyamsi, Serge N.

    2018-04-01

    Mg-based metal hydride is one of the most promising materials for hydrogen energy storage. However, the high thermal stability due to strong bonding effects between the atoms limits its practical application. In order to reduce the thermal stability, a method of doping double nonmetals into Mg-based system was proposed in this study. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation results showed that the thermal stabilities of both the B-N co-doped Mg-based alloy and its hydride are reduced compared with pure Mg-based system. The relative formation enthalpies of the alloy and its hydride are 0.323 and 0.595 eV atom-1, respectively. The values are much higher than those for either singly B- or N-doped Mg-based system. The more significant destabilization by doping double nonmetal elements than single element is mainly attributed to a dual effect in weakening Mg-Ni/NiH4 bonds, caused by criss-cross interactions between B-Ni and N-Mg bonds.

  14. Tailoring the morphology followed by the electrochemical performance of NiMn-LDH nanosheet arrays through controlled Co-doping for high-energy and power asymmetric supercapacitors.

    PubMed

    Singh, Saurabh; Shinde, Nanasaheb M; Xia, Qi Xun; Gopi, Chandu V V M; Yun, Je Moon; Mane, Rajaram S; Kim, Kwang Ho

    2017-10-14

    Herein, we tailor the surface morphology of nickel-manganese-layered double hydroxide (NiMn-LDH) nanostructures on 3D nickel-foam via a step-wise cobalt (Co)-doping hydrothermal chemical process. At the 10% optimum level of Co-doping, we noticed a thriving tuned morphological pattern of NiMn-LDH nanostructures (NiCoMn-LDH (10%)) in terms of the porosity of the nanosheet (NS) arrays which not only improves the rate capability as well as cycling stability, but also demonstrates nearly two-fold specific capacitance enhancement compared to Co-free and other NiCoMn-LDH electrodes with a half-cell configuration in 3 M KOH, suggesting that Co-doping is indispensable for improving the electrochemical performance of NiMn-LDH electrodes. Moreover, when this high performing NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode is employed as a cathode material to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an anode material, excellent energy storage performance (57.4 Wh kg -1 at 749.9 W kg -1 ) and cycling stability (89.4% capacitive retention even after 2500 cycles) are corroborated. Additionally, we present a demonstration of illuminating a light emitting diode for 600 s with the NiCoMn-LDH (10%)//rGO ASC device, evidencing the potential of the NiCoMn-LDH (10%) electrode in fabricating energy storage devices.

  15. Atomistic simulations of shock-induced alloying reactions in Ni /Al nanolaminates

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Shijin; Germann, Timothy C.; Strachan, Alejandro

    2006-10-01

    We employ molecular dynamics simulations with a first principles-based many body potential to characterize the exothermic alloying reactions of nanostructured Ni /Al multilayers induced by shock loading. We introduce a novel technique that captures both the initial shock transit as well as the subsequent longer-time-scale Ni3Al alloy formation. Initially, the softer Al layers are shock heated to a higher temperature than the harder Ni layers as a result of a series of shock reflections from the impedance-mismatched interfaces. Once initiated, the highly exothermic alloying reactions can propagate in a self-sustained manner by mass and thermal diffusion. We also characterize the role of voids on the initiation of alloying. The interaction of the shock wave with the voids leads not only to significant local heating (hot spots) but also directly aids the intermixing between Al and Ni; both of these phenomena contribute to a significant acceleration of the alloying reactions.

  16. Chemical insights into the roles of nanowire cores on the growth and supercapacitor performances of Ni-Co-O/Ni(OH)2 core/shell electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Yin, Xuesong; Tang, Chunhua; Zhang, Liuyang; Yu, Zhi Gen; Gong, Hao

    2016-01-01

    Nanostructured core/shell electrodes have been experimentally demonstrated promising for high-performance electrochemical energy storage devices. However, chemical insights into the significant roles of nanowire cores on the growth of shells and their supercapacitor behaviors still remain as a research shortfall. In this work, by substituting 1/3 cobalt in the Co3O4 nanowire core with nickel, a 61% enhancement of the specific mass-loading of the Ni(OH)2 shell, a tremendous 93% increase of the volumetric capacitance and a superior cyclability were achieved in a novel NiCo2O4/Ni(OH)2 core/shell electrode in contrast to a Co3O4/Ni(OH)2 one. A comparative study suggested that not only the growth of Ni(OH)2 shells but also the contribution of cores were attributed to the overall performances. Importantly, their chemical origins were revealed through a theoretical simulation of the core/shell interfacial energy changes. Besides, asymmetric supercapacitor devices and applications were also explored. The scientific clues and practical potentials obtained in this work are helpful for the design and analysis of alternative core/shell electrode materials. PMID:26857606

  17. Chemical insights into the roles of nanowire cores on the growth and supercapacitor performances of Ni-Co-O/Ni(OH)₂ core/shell electrodes.

    PubMed

    Yin, Xuesong; Tang, Chunhua; Zhang, Liuyang; Yu, Zhi Gen; Gong, Hao

    2016-02-09

    Nanostructured core/shell electrodes have been experimentally demonstrated promising for high-performance electrochemical energy storage devices. However, chemical insights into the significant roles of nanowire cores on the growth of shells and their supercapacitor behaviors still remain as a research shortfall. In this work, by substituting 1/3 cobalt in the Co3O4 nanowire core with nickel, a 61% enhancement of the specific mass-loading of the Ni(OH)2 shell, a tremendous 93% increase of the volumetric capacitance and a superior cyclability were achieved in a novel NiCo2O4/Ni(OH)2 core/shell electrode in contrast to a Co3O4/Ni(OH)2 one. A comparative study suggested that not only the growth of Ni(OH)2 shells but also the contribution of cores were attributed to the overall performances. Importantly, their chemical origins were revealed through a theoretical simulation of the core/shell interfacial energy changes. Besides, asymmetric supercapacitor devices and applications were also explored. The scientific clues and practical potentials obtained in this work are helpful for the design and analysis of alternative core/shell electrode materials.

  18. Paramagnetic decoration of DNA origami nanostructures by Eu³⁺ coordination.

    PubMed

    Opherden, Lars; Oertel, Jana; Barkleit, Astrid; Fahmy, Karim; Keller, Adrian

    2014-07-15

    The folding of DNA into arbitrary two- and three-dimensional shapes, called DNA origami, represents a powerful tool for the synthesis of functional nanostructures. Here, we present the first approach toward the paramagnetic functionalization of DNA origami nanostructures by utilizing postassembly coordination with Eu(3+) ions. In contrast to the usual formation of toroidal dsDNA condensates in the presence of trivalent cations, planar as well as rod-like DNA origami maintain their shape and monomeric state even under high loading with the trivalent lanthanide. Europium coordination was demonstrated by the change in Eu(3+) luminescence upon binding to the two DNA origami. Their natural circular dichroism in the Mg(2+)- and Eu(3+)-bound state was found to be very similar to that of genomic DNA, evidencing little influence of the DNA origami superstructure on the local chirality of the stacked base pairs. In contrast, the magnetic circular dichroism of the Mg(2+)-bound DNA origami deviates from that of genomic DNA. Furthermore, the lanthanide affects the magnetic properties of DNA in a superstructure-dependent fashion, indicative of the existence of superstructure-specific geometry of Eu(3+) binding sites in the DNA origami that are not formed in genomic DNA. This simple approach lays the foundation for the generation of magneto-responsive DNA origami nanostructures. Such systems do not require covalent modifications and can be used for the magnetic manipulation of DNA nanostructures or for the paramagnetic alignment of molecules in NMR spectroscopy.

  19. Sintering of (Ni,Mg)(Al,Fe)2O4 Materials and their Corrosion Process in Na3AlF6-AlF3-K3AlF6 Electrolyte

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Yibiao; Li, Yawei; Yang, Jianhong; Sang, Shaobai; Wang, Qinghu

    2017-06-01

    The application of ledge-free sidewalls in the Hall-Héroult cells can potentially reduce the energy requirement of aluminum production by about 30 pct (Nightingale et al. in J Eur Ceram, 33:2761-2765, 2013). However, this approach poses great material challenges since such sidewalls are in direct contact with corrosive electrolyte. In the present paper, (Ni,Mg)(Al,Fe)2O4 materials were prepared using fused magnesia, reactive alumina, nickel oxide, and iron oxide powders as the starting materials. The sintering behaviors of specimens as well as their corrosion resistance to molten electrolyte have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The results show that after firing at temperature ranging from 1673 K (1400 °C) up to 1873 K (1600 °C), all the specimens prepared are composed of single-phase (Ni,Mg)(Al,Fe)2O4 composite spinel, the lattice parameter of which increases with increasing Fe3+ ion concentration. Increasing the iron oxide content enhances densification of the specimens, which is accompanied by the formation of homogeneously distributed smaller pores in the matrix. The corrosion tests show that corrosion layers consist of fluoride and Ni(Al,Fe)2O4 composite spinel grains are produced in specimens with Fe/Al mole ratio no more than 1, whereas dense Ni(Al,Fe)2O4 composite spinel layers are formed on the surface of the specimens with Fe/Al mole ratio more than 1. The dense Ni(Al,Fe)2O4 composite spinel layers formed improve the corrosion resistance of the specimens by inhibiting the infiltration of electrolyte and hindering the chemical reaction between the specimen and electrolyte.

  20. Synthesis of novel amperometric urea-sensor using hybrid synthesized NiO-NPs/GO modified GCE in aqueous solution of cetrimonium bromide.

    PubMed

    Parsaee, Zohreh

    2018-06-01

    In this study NiO nanostructures were synthesized via combinational synthetic method (ultrasound-assisted biosynthesis) and immobilized on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as a highly sensitive and selective enzyme-less sensor for urea detection. NiO-NPs were fully characterized using SEM, EDX, XRD, BET, TGA, FT-IR, UV-vis and Raman methods which revealed the formation of NiO nanostructures in the form of cotton like porous material and crystalline in nature with the average size of 3.8 nm. GCE was modified with NiO-NPs in aqueous solution of cetrimonium bromide(CTAB). Highly adhesive NiO/CTAB/GO nanocomposite membrane has been formed on GCE by immersing NiO/CTAB modified GCE in GO suspension. CTAB has a major role in the production and immobilization of the nanocomposites on the GCE surface and the binding NiO nanoparticles on GO plates. In addition, CTAB/GO composition made a highly adhesive surface on the GCE. The resulting NiO/CTAB/GO/GCE contains potently sensitive to urea in aqueous environments. The response of as developed amperometric sensor was linear in the range of 100-1200 µM urea with R 2 value of 0.991 and limit of detection (LOD), 8 µM. The sensor responded negligibly to various interfering species like glucose, uric acid and ascorbic acid. This sensor was applied successfully for determining urea in real water samples such as mineral water, tap water and river water with acceptable recovery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.