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.

The characteristics of hot swaged NiAl intermetallic compounds with ternary additions consolidated by HIP techniques

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

Ishiyama, S.; Eto, M.; Mishima, Y.

Stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric NiAl intermetallics with ternary additives, such as Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo or Mo/e, W, Mn, Fe, Cu and B, fabricated with the combination of Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) and hot swaging techniques have been investigated. The mechanical properties of hot swaged NiAl with various ternary additives, consolidated by ion beam casting or HIP techniques, have been tested at temperatures ranging from R.T. to 1,000 C. It is found that significant tensile elongation at room temperature can be achieved by hot swaged as-HIP`ed NiAl compounds with Mo or Mo/Re additives, whereas cast and hotmore » swaged compounds with Mo addition resulted in some elongation above 400 C.« less

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.

Thermoelectric properties of Co(x)Ni(4-x)Sb(12-y)Sn(y) ternary skutterudites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackey, Jon A.; Dynys, Frederick W.; Sehirlioglu, Alp

2014-01-01

Thermoelectric materials based on the skutterudite crystal structure have demonstrated enhanced performance (ZT greater than 1), along with good thermal stability and favorable mechanical properties. Binary skutterudites, with single and multiple fillers, have been intensively studied in recent years. Compared to binary skutterudites, the ternary systems have received less attention, e.g. Ni4Sb8Sn4. Ternary skutterudites are isoelectronic variants of binary skutterudites; cation substitutions appear to be isostructural to their binary analogues. In general, ternary skutterudites exhibit lower thermal conductivity. Ternary systems of Ni4Bi8Ge4, Ni4Sb8Ge4, and Ni4Sb8Sn4 were investigated using combined solidification and sintering steps. Skutterudite formation was not achieved in the Ni4Bi8Ge4 and Ni4Sb8Ge4 systems; skutterudite formation occurred in Ni4Sb8Sn4 system. P-type material was achieved by Co substitution for Ni. Thermoelectric properties were measured from 298 K to 673 K for Ni4Sb8Sn4, Ni4 Sb7Sn5 and Co2Ni2Sb7Sn5. N-type Ni4Sb8Sn4 exhibit the highest figure of merit of 0.1 at 523 K.

Divergent synthesis routes and superconductivity of ternary hydride MgSiH6 at high pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yanbin; Duan, Defang; Shao, Ziji; Yu, Hongyu; Liu, Hanyu; Tian, Fubo; Huang, Xiaoli; Li, Da; Liu, Bingbing; Cui, Tian

2017-10-01

We predict a new ternary hydride MgSiH6 under high pressures, which is a metal with an ionic feature and takes on a simple cubic structure with space group P m -3 above 250 GPa. Our first-principles calculations show that the cubic MgSiH6 is a potential high-temperature superconductor with a superconducting transition temperature Tc of ˜63 K at 250 GPa. Further analysis suggests that phonon softening along mainly Γ -X and Γ -M directions induced by Fermi surface nesting plays a crucial role in the high-temperature superconductivity. Herein we propose the "triangle straight-line method" which provides a clear guide to determine the specific A + B → D type formation routes for ternary hydrides of the Mg-Si-H system and it effectively reveals two divergent paths to obtain MgSiH6 under high pressures: MgH2+SiH4→MgSiH6 and MgSi + 3 H2→MgSiH6 . This method might be applicable to all ternary compounds, which will be very significant for further experimental synthesis.

Nanostructured starch combined with hydroxytyrosol in poly(vinyl alcohol) based ternary films as active packaging system.

PubMed

Luzi, Francesca; Fortunati, Elena; Di Michele, Alessandro; Pannucci, Elisa; Botticella, Ermelinda; Santi, Luca; Kenny, José Maria; Torre, Luigi; Bernini, Roberta

2018-08-01

Novel ternary films have been realized by using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as polymeric matrix, nanostructured starch as reinforcement phase and hydroxytyrosol (HTyr), a low-molecular phenolic compound present in olive oil, as antioxidant agent. Nanostructured starch, in the form of starch nanocrystals (NC) and nanoparticles (NP) obtained by acid hydrolysis and ultrasound irradiation of starch derived from the bread wheat variety Cadenza (WT, amylose content 33%) and a derived-high amylose line (HA, amylose content 75%), was considered. The developed multifunctional films were characterized in terms of morphological, thermal and optical properties, water absorption capacity, overall and specific migration into a food simulant and antioxidant properties. Experimental data showed a prolonged release of HTyr from all ternary films and the released HTyr retained a strong antioxidant activity. The data, compared to those of PVA/HTyr binary films, demonstrated the key role of nanostructured starch in the ternary formulations in promoting a gradual release of HTyr. Overall, PVA fillm combined with nanoparticles from low amylose starch and hydroxytyrosol resulted as the most promising ternary formulation for food packaging applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystal structures of the new ternary stannides La3Mg4-xSn2+x and LaMg3-xSn2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solokha, P.; De Negri, S.; Minetti, R.; Proserpio, D. M.; Saccone, A.

2016-01-01

Synthesis and structural characterization of the two new lanthanum-magnesium-stannides La3Mg4-xSn2+x (0.12≤x≤0.40) and LaMg3-xSn2 (0.33≤x≤0.78) are reported. The crystal structures of these intermetallics were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and confirmed by Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the corresponding samples. The La3Mg4-xSn2+x phase crystallizes in the hexagonal Zr3Cu4Si2 structure type (P6bar2m, hP9, Z=3, x=0.12(1), a=7.7974(7), c=4.8384(4) Å), which represents an ordered derivative of the hP9-ZrNiAl prototype, ubiquitous among equiatomic intermetallics. The LaMg3-xSn2 phase is the second representative of the trigonal LaMg3-xGe2 type, which is a superstructure of the LaLi3Sb2 structure type (P3bar1c, hP34-0.12, Z=6, x=0.35(1), a=8.3222(9), c=14.9546(16) Å). The scheme describing the symmetry reduction/coloring with respect to the parent type is reported here with the purpose to discuss the LaMg3-xSn2 off-stoichiometry from the geometrical point of view. Structural relationships between the La-Mg-Sn ternary phases, including the already known equiatomic LaMgSn compound (oP12-TiNiSi), are presented in the framework of the AlB2-related compounds family and discussed with the aid of group-subgroup relations in the Bärnighausen formalism.

Superhard self-lubricating AlMgB14 films for microelectromechanical devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Y.; Bastawros, A. F.; Lo, C. C. H.; Constant, A. P.; Russell, A. M.; Cook, B. A.

2003-10-01

Performance and reliability of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) components can be enhanced dramatically through the incorporation of protective thin-film coatings. Current-generation MEMS devices prepared by the lithographie-galvanoformung-abformung (LIGA) technique employ transition metals such as Ni, Cu, Fe, or alloys thereof, and hence lack stability in oxidizing, corrosive, and/or high-temperature environments. Fabrication of a superhard self-lubricating coating based on a ternary boride compound AlMgB14 described in this letter has great potential in protective coating technology for LIGA microdevices. Nanoindentation tests show that the hardness of AlMgB14 films prepared by pulsed laser deposition ranges from 45 GPa to 51 GPa, when deposited at room temperature and 573 K, respectively. Extremely low friction coefficients of 0.04-0.05, which are thought to result from a self-lubricating effect, have also been confirmed by nanoscratch tests on the AlMgB14 films. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that the as-deposited films are amorphous, regardless of substrate temperature; however, analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectra suggests that the higher substrate temperature facilitates the formation of the B12 icosahedral framework, therefore leading to the higher hardness.

Mixing effects in a ternary Hf-Zr-Ni metallic melt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowak, B.; Holland-Moritz, D.; Yang, F.; Evenson, Z.; Meyer, A.

2018-03-01

We study the effect of the substitution of Zr by Hf on the dynamical behavior in the Zr36Ni64 melt. A reduced measured self-diffusion coefficient and a higher measured melt viscosity for an increased amount of Hf were observed. The ternary Hf10Zr25Ni65 melt, which exhibits a pronounced deviation from Arrhenius behavior over a studied temperature range of 550 K, can be accurately described by the scaling law of mode-coupling theory (MCT) with almost equal parameters for the self-diffusion and the viscosity. Although we only substitute alloy components with a nearly equal atomic size and the measured overall packing fraction remains almost unchanged, the dynamics in Hf10Zr25Ni65 are slower compared to Zr36Ni64 . This corresponds also to a higher critical temperature Tc and might be induced by different chemical interactions in the melts. The increased Tc results in a significantly smaller difference between liquidus and critical temperature Δ TLC=TL-Tc for the ternary melt in comparison with Zr36Ni64 , which may favor the glass formation in the Hf10Zr25Ni65 melt.

Effect of Ni-Co Ternary Molten Salt Catalysts on Coal Catalytic Pyrolysis Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Xin; Qi, Cong; Li, Liang; Li, Yimin; Li, Song

2017-08-01

In order to facilitate efficient and clean utilization of coal, a series of Ni-Co ternary molten salt crystals are explored and the catalytic pyrolysis mechanism of Datong coal is investigated. The reaction mechanisms of coal are achieved by thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), and a reactive kinetic model is constructed. The microcosmic structure and macerals are observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The catalytic effects of ternary molten salt crystals at different stages of pyrolysis are analyzed. The experimental results show that Ni-Co ternary molten salt catalysts have the capability to bring down activation energy required by pyrolytic reactions at its initial phase. Also, the catalysts exert a preferable catalytic action on macromolecular structure decomposition and free radical polycondensation reactions. Furthermore, the high-temperature condensation polymerization is driven to decompose further with a faster reaction rate by the additions of Ni-Co ternary molten salt crystal catalysts. According to pyrolysis kinetic research, the addition of catalysts can effectively decrease the activation energy needed in each phase of pyrolysis reaction.

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

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.

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.

Hierarchical ternary Ni-Co-Se nanowires for high-performance supercapacitor device design.

PubMed

Guo, Kailu; Cui, Shizhong; Hou, Hongwei; Chen, Weihua; Mi, Liwei

2016-12-06

Large-scale uniform Ni-Co-Se bimetallic ternary nanowires have been successfully synthesized through a successive cation exchange. First, NiSe nanowires in situ grown on nickel foam (NF) were prepared by a facile solvothermal route. Next, a series of ternary materials possessing different proportions of Ni and Co were fabricated by a Co-exchange method using the Ni@NiSe material as a template, which effectively achieved morphological inheritance from the parent material. To explore the electrochemical performance, all synthetic materials were assembled into asymmetric supercapacitor devices. Among asymmetric supercapacitor devices, the Ni@Ni 0.8 Co 0.2 Se//active carbon (AC) device exhibited a high specific capacitance of 86 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 and excellent cycling stability with virtually no decrease in capacitance after 2000 continuous charge-discharge cycles. This device still delivered an energy density of 17 Wh kg -1 even at a high power density of 1526.8 W kg -1 . These superior electrochemical properties of Ni@Ni 0.8 Co 0.2 Se as an electrode material for supercapacitor devices confirmed the synergistic effect between Co and Ni ions, suggesting their potential application in the field of energy storage.

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.

Porous nickel hydroxide-manganese dioxide-reduced graphene oxide ternary hybrid spheres as excellent supercapacitor electrode materials.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Zhou, Shuxue; Wu, Limin

2014-06-11

This paper reports the first nickel hydroxide-manganese dioxide-reduced graphene oxide (Ni(OH)2-MnO2-RGO) ternary hybrid sphere powders as supercapacitor electrode materials. Due to the abundant porous nanostructure, relatively high specific surface area, well-defined spherical morphology, and the synergetic effect of Ni(OH)2, MnO2, and RGO, the electrodes with the as-obtained Ni(OH)2-MnO2-RGO ternary hybrid spheres as active materials exhibited significantly enhanced specific capacitance (1985 F·g(-1)) and energy density (54.0 Wh·kg(-1)), based on the total mass of active materials. In addition, the Ni(OH)2-MnO2-RGO hybrid spheres-based asymmetric supercapacitor also showed satisfying energy density and electrochemical cycling stability.

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

Acute Toxicity of Ternary Cd-Cu-Ni and Cd-Ni-Zn Mixtures to Daphnia magna: Dominant Metal Pairs Change along a Concentration Gradient.

PubMed

Traudt, Elizabeth M; Ranville, James F; Meyer, Joseph S

2017-04-18

Multiple metals are usually present in surface waters, sometimes leading to toxicity that currently is difficult to predict due to potentially non-additive mixture toxicity. Previous toxicity tests with Daphnia magna exposed to binary mixtures of Ni combined with Cd, Cu, or Zn demonstrated that Ni and Zn strongly protect against Cd toxicity, but Cu-Ni toxicity is more than additive, and Ni-Zn toxicity is slightly less than additive. To consider multiple metal-metal interactions, we exposed D. magna neonates to Cd, Cu, Ni, or Zn alone and in ternary Cd-Cu-Ni and Cd-Ni-Zn combinations in standard 48 h lethality tests. In these ternary mixtures, two metals were held constant, while the third metal was varied through a series that ranged from nonlethal to lethal concentrations. In Cd-Cu-Ni mixtures, the toxicity was less than additive, additive, or more than additive, depending on the concentration (or ion activity) of the varied metal and the additivity model (concentration-addition or independent-action) used to predict toxicity. In Cd-Ni-Zn mixtures, the toxicity was less than additive or approximately additive, depending on the concentration (or ion activity) of the varied metal but independent of the additivity model. These results demonstrate that complex interactions of potentially competing toxicity-controlling mechanisms can occur in ternary-metal mixtures but might be predicted by mechanistic bioavailability-based toxicity models.

Anomalous temperature dependence of yield stress and work hardening coefficient of B2-stabilized NiTi alloys

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

Hosoda, Hideki; Mishima, Yoshinao; Suzuki, Tomoo

Yield stress and work hardening coefficient of B2-stabilized NiTi alloys are investigated using compression tests. Compositions of NiTi alloys are based on Ni-49mol.%Ti, to which Cr, Co and Al are chosen as ternary elements which reduce martensitic transformation temperatures of the B2 phase. Mechanical tests are carried out in liquid nitrogen at 77 K, air at room temperature (R.T.) and in an argon atmosphere between 473 K and 873 K. Only at 77 K, some alloys show characteristic stress-strain curves which indicate stress induced martensitic transformation (SIMT), but the others do not. Work hardening coefficient is found to be betweenmore » 2 and 11GPa in all the test temperature range. The values are extremely high compared with Young`s modulus of B2 NiTi. Yield stress and work hardening coefficient increase with test temperature between R.T. and about 650 K in most alloys. The anomalous temperature dependence of mechanical properties is not related to SIMT but to precipitation hardening and/or anomalous dislocation motion similar to B2-type CoTi. Solution hardening by adding ternary elements is evaluated to be small for Cr and Co additions, and large for Al addition, depending on difference in atomic size of the ternary element with respect to Ni or Ti.« less

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

Characterization of the Ternary Compound Pd5Pt3Ni2 for PEMFC Cathode Electrocatalysts

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

Jarvis, Karalee; Zhao, J; Allard Jr, Lawrence Frederick

2010-01-01

Research on proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) has increased over the last decade due to an increasing demand for alternative energy solutions. Most PEMFCs use Pt on carbon support as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) [1]. Due to the high cost of Pt, there is a strong drive to develop less expensive catalysts that meet or exceed the performance of Pt. Binary and ternary Pt alloys with less expensive metals are a possible route [1]. In this work, a ternary alloy with composition Pd5Pt3Ni2 was studied as a potential cathode material. Preliminary results showed similar catalytic performance tomore » pure Pt in single-cell tests. However, to enhance its performance, it is necessary to understand how this ternary catalyst behaves during fuel cell operation. Various electron microscopy techniques were used to characterize the ternary Pd5Pt3Ni2 catalysts within the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) both before and after fuel cell operation.« less

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.

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.

The ternary system K2SO4MgSO4CaSO4

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rowe, J.J.; Morey, G.W.; Silber, C.C.

1967-01-01

Melting and subsolidus relations in the system K2SO4MgSO4CaSO4 were studied using heating-cooling curves, differential thermal analysis, optics, X-ray diffraction at room and high temperatures and by quenching techniques. Previous investigators were unable to study the binary MgSO4CaSO4 system and the adjacent area in the ternary system because of the decomposition of MgSO4 and CaSO4 at high temperatures. This problem was partly overcome by a novel sealed-tube quenching method, by hydrothermal synthesis, and by long-time heating in the solidus. As a result of this study, we found: (1) a new compound, CaSO4??3MgSO4 (m.p. 1201??C) with a field extending into the ternary system; (2) a high temperature form of MgSO4 with a sluggishly reversible inversion. An X-ray diffraction pattern for this polymorphic form is given; (3) the inversion of ??-CaSO4 (anhydrite) to ??-CaSO4 at 1195??C, in agreement with grahmann; (1) (4) the melting point of MgSO4 is 1136??C and that of CaSO4 is 1462??C (using sealed tube methods to prevent decomposition of the sulphates); (5) calcium langbeinite (K2SO4??2CaSO4) is the only compound in the K2SO4CaSO4 binary system. This resolved discrepancies in the results of previous investigators; (6) a continuous solid solution series between congruently melting K2SOP4??2MgSO4 (langbeinite) and incongruently melting K2SO4??2CaSO4 (calcium langbeinite); (7) the liquidus in the ternary system consists of primary phase fields of K2SO4, MgSO4, CaSO4, langbeinite-calcium langbeinite solid solution, and CaSO4??3MgSO4. The CaSO4 field extends over a large portion of the system. Previously reported fields for the compounds (K2SO4??MgSO4??nCaSO4), K2SO4??3CaSO4 and K2SO4??CaSO4 were not found; (8) a minimum in the ternary system at: 740??C, 25% MgSO4, 6% CaSO4, 69% K2SO4; and ternary eutectics at 882??C, 49% MgSO4, 19% CaSO4, 32% K2SO4; and 880??, 67??5% MgSO4, 5% CaSO4, 27??5% K2SO4. ?? 1967.

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

Characterization of Ternary NiTiPt High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rios, Orlando; Noebe, Ronald; Biles, Tiffany; Garg, Anita; Palczer, Anna; Scheiman, Daniel; Seifert, Hans Jurgen; Kaufman, Michael

2005-01-01

Pt additions substituted for Ni in NiTi alloys are known to increase the transformation temperature of the alloy but only at fairly high Pt levels. However, until now only ternary compositions with a very specific stoichiometry, Ni50-xPtxTi50, have been investigated and then only to very limited extent. In order to learn about this potential high-temperature shape memory alloy system, a series of over twenty alloys along and on either side of a line of constant stoichiometry between NiTi and TiPt were arc melted, homogenized, and characterized in terms of their microstructure, transformation temperatures, and hardness. The resulting microstructures were examined by scanning electron microscopy and the phase compositions quantified by energy dispersive spectroscopy."Stoichiometric" compositions along a line of constant stoichiometry between NiTi to TiPt were essentially single phase but by any deviations from a stoichiometry of (Ni,Pt)50Ti50 resulted in the presence of at least two different intermetallic phases, depending on the overall composition of the alloy. Essentially all alloys, whether single or two-phase, still under went a martensitic transformation. It was found that the transformation temperatures were depressed with initial Pt additions but at levels greater than 10 at.% the transformation temperature increased linearly with Pt content. Also, the transformation temperatures were relatively insensitive to alloy stoichiometry within the range of alloys examined. Finally, the dependence of hardness on Pt content for a series of Ni50-xPtxTi50 alloys showed solution softening at low Pt levels, while hardening was observed in ternary alloys containing more than about 10 at.% Pt. On either side of these "stoichiometric" compositions, hardness was also found to increase significantly.

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.

Atomistic modeling for interfacial properties of Ni-Al-V ternary system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Wei-ping; Lee, Byeong-Joo; Chen, Zheng

2014-05-01

Interatomic potentials for Ni-Al-V ternary systems have been developed based on the second-nearest-neighbor modified embedded-atom method potential formalism. The potentials can describe various fundamental physical properties of the relevant materials in good agreement with experimental information. The potential is utilized for an atomistic computation of interfacial properties of Ni-Al-V alloys. It is found that vanadium atoms segregate on the γ-fcc/L12 interface and this segregation affects the interfacial properties. The applicability of the atomistic approach to an elaborate alloy design of advanced Ni-based superalloys through the investigation of the effect of alloying elements on interfacial properties is discussed.

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

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.

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

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.

Ternary eutectic growth of nanostructured thermoelectric Ag-Pb-Te materials

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

Wu, Hsin-jay; Chen, Sinn-wen; Foo, Wei-jian

2012-07-09

Nanostructured Ag-Pb-Te thermoelectric materials were fabricated by unidirectionally solidifying the ternary Ag-Pb-Te eutectic and near-eutectic alloys using the Bridgeman method. Specially, the Bridgman-grown eutectic alloy exhibited a partially aligned lamellar microstructure, which consisted of Ag{sub 5}Te{sub 3} and Te phases, with additional 200-600 nm size particles of PbTe. The self-assembled interfaces altered the thermal and electronic transport properties in the bulk Ag-Pb-Te eutectic alloy. Presumably due to phonon scattering from the nanoscale microstructure, a low thermal conductivity ({kappa} = 0.3 W/mK) was achieved of the eutectic alloy, leading to a zT peak of 0.41 at 400 K.

Prediction of superconducting ternary hydride MgGeH6: from divergent high-pressure formation routes.

PubMed

Ma, Yanbin; Duan, Defang; Shao, Ziji; Li, Da; Wang, Liyuan; Yu, Hongyu; Tian, Fubo; Xie, Hui; Liu, Bingbing; Cui, Tian

2017-10-18

Invigorated by the high temperature superconductivity in some binary hydrogen-dominated compounds, we systematically explored high-pressure phase diagrams and superconductivity of a ternary Mg-Ge-H system using ab initio methods. Stoichiometric MgGeH 6 with high hydrogen content exhibiting Pm3[combining macron] symmetry was predicted from a series of high-pressure synthesis paths. We performed an in-depth study on three distinct formation routes to MgGeH 6 , i.e., Mg + Ge + 3H 2 → MgGeH 6 , MgGe + 3H 2 → MgGeH 6 and MgH 2 + GeH 4 → MgGeH 6 at high pressures. By directly squeezing three elemental solids Mg + Ge + 3H 2 , we obtained ternary MgGeH 6 at 200 GPa. By adding a little bit of the MgGe alloy into hydrogen, we found that MgGeH 6 can form and stabilize at about 200 GPa. More intriguingly, upon compressing MgH 2 and GeH 4 to 250 GPa, we also predicted the same MgGeH 6 . Electron structure calculations reveal that the cubic MgGeH 6 is a good metal and takes on ionic character. Electron-phonon coupling calculation reveals a large λ = 1.16 for MgGeH 6 at 200 GPa. In particular, we found that ternary MgGeH 6 could be a potential high temperature superconductor with a superconducting transition temperature T c of ∼67 K at 200 GPa.

Crystal structures of the new ternary stannides La{sub 3}Mg{sub 4−x}Sn{sub 2+x} and LaMg{sub 3−x}Sn{sub 2}

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

Solokha, P., E-mail: pavlo.solokha@unige.it; De Negri, S.; Minetti, R.

2016-01-15

Synthesis and structural characterization of the two new lanthanum–magnesium–stannides La{sub 3}Mg{sub 4−x}Sn{sub 2+x} (0.12≤x≤0.40) and LaMg{sub 3−x}Sn{sub 2} (0.33≤x≤0.78) are reported. The crystal structures of these intermetallics were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and confirmed by Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the corresponding samples. The La{sub 3}Mg{sub 4−x}Sn{sub 2+x} phase crystallizes in the hexagonal Zr{sub 3}Cu{sub 4}Si{sub 2} structure type (P6¯2m, hP9, Z=3, x=0.12(1), a=7.7974(7), c=4.8384(4) Å), which represents an ordered derivative of the hP9-ZrNiAl prototype, ubiquitous among equiatomic intermetallics. The LaMg{sub 3–x}Sn{sub 2} phase is the second representative of the trigonal LaMg{sub 3−x}Ge{sub 2}more » type, which is a superstructure of the LaLi{sub 3}Sb{sub 2} structure type (P3¯1c, hP34-0.12, Z=6, x=0.35(1), a=8.3222(9), c=14.9546(16) Å). The scheme describing the symmetry reduction/coloring with respect to the parent type is reported here with the purpose to discuss the LaMg{sub 3−x}Sn{sub 2} off-stoichiometry from the geometrical point of view. Structural relationships between the La–Mg–Sn ternary phases, including the already known equiatomic LaMgSn compound (oP12-TiNiSi), are presented in the framework of the AlB{sub 2}-related compounds family and discussed with the aid of group-subgroup relations in the Bärnighausen formalism. - Graphical abstract: Crystal structure of LaMg{sub 3−x}Sn{sub 2} viewed along the (001) direction together with the puckered layer of Mg and Sn atoms hosting Mg2, Mg3 and vacancy □. - Highlights: • Crystal structures of the new La{sub 3}Mg{sub 4−x}Sn{sub 2+x} and LaMg{sub 3−x}Sn{sub 2} phases were determined. • The off-stoichiometry of LaMg{sub 3−x}Sn{sub 2} was discussed from geometrical point of view. • Structural relations between the known La–Mg–Sn phases were established. • The studied

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.

Short and Medium-Range Order in Liquid Ternary Al80Co10Ni10, Al72.5Co14.5Ni13, and Al65Co17.5Ni17.5 Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roik, Oleksandr S.; Samsonnikov, Oleksiy; Kazimirov, Volodymyr; Sokolskii, Volodymyr

2010-01-01

A local short-to-intermediate range order of liquid Al80Co10Ni10, Al72.5Co14.5Ni13, and Al65Co17.5Ni17.5 alloys was examined by X-ray diffraction and the reverse Monte Carlo modelling. The comprehensive analysis of three-dimensional models of the liquid ternary alloys was performed by means of the Voronoi-Delaunay method. The existence of a prepeak on the S(Q) function of the liquid alloys is caused by medium range ordering of 3d-transition metal atoms in dense-packed polytetrahedral clusters at temperatures close to the liquidus. The non-crystalline clusters, represented by aggregates of pentagons that consist of good tetrahedra, and chemical short-range order lead to the formation of the medium range order in the liquid binary Al-Ni, Al-Co and ternary Al-Ni-Co alloys.

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.

The Ni-rich part of the Al–Ge–Ni phase diagram

PubMed Central

Jandl, Isabella; Reichmann, Thomas L.; Richter, Klaus W.

2013-01-01

The Ni-rich part of the ternary system Al–Ge–Ni (xNi > 50 at.%) was investigated by means of optical microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The two isothermal sections at 550 °C and 700 °C were determined. Within these two sections a new ternary phase, designated as τ4, AlyGe9−yNi13±x (hP66, Ga3Ge6Ni13-type) was detected and investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Another ternary low temperature phase, τ5, was found only in the isothermal section at 550 °C around the composition AlGeNi4. This compound was found to crystallise in the Co2Si type structure (oP12, Pnma). The structure was identified by Rietveld refinement of powder data. The NiAs type (B8) phase based on binary Ge3Ni5 revealed an extended solid solubility of Al and the two isotypic compounds AlNi3 and GeNi3 form a complete solid solution. Based on DTA results, six vertical sections at 55, 60, 70, 75 and 80 at.% Ni and at a constant Al:Ni ratio of 1:3 were constructed. Furthermore, the liquidus surface projection and the reaction scheme (Scheil diagram) were completed by combining our results with previous results from the Ni-poor part of the phase diagram. Six invariant ternary reactions were identified in the Ni-rich part of the system. PMID:27087754

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

Tribological Properties of HVOF-Sprayed TiB2-NiCr Coatings with Agglomerated Feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zichun; Li, Hui; Yang, Tianlong; Zhu, Hongbin

2018-04-01

Boride materials have drawn great attention in surface engineering field, owing to their high hardness and good wear resistance. In our previous work, a plasma-sprayed TiB2-based cermet coating was deposited, but the coating toughness was significantly influenced by the formation of a brittle ternary phase (Ni20Ti3B6) derived from the reaction between TiB2 and metal binder. In order to suppress such a reaction occurred in the high-temperature spraying process, the high-velocity oxygen-fuel spraying technique was applied to prepare the TiB2-NiCr coating. Emphasis was paid on the microstructure, the mechanical properties, and the sliding wearing performance of the coating. The result showed that the HVOF-sprayed coating mainly consisted of hard ceramic particles including TiB2, CrB, and the binder phase. No evidence of Ni20Ti3B6 phase was found in the coating. The mechanical properties of HVOF-sprayed TiB2-NiCr coating were comparable to the conventional Cr3C2-NiCr coating. The frictional coefficient of the TiB2-NiCr coating was lower than the Cr3C2-NiCr coating when sliding against a bearing steel ball.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Examination of Multiphase (Zr,Ti)(V,Cr,Mn,Ni)2 Ni-MH Electrode Alloys: Part II. Solid-State Transformation of the Interdendritic B2 Phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bendersky, L. A.; Wang, K.; Boettinger, W. J.; Newbury, D. E.; Young, K.; Chao, B.

2010-08-01

Solidification microstructure of multicomponent (Zr,Ti)-Ni-(V,Cr,Mn,Co) alloys intended for use as negative electrodes in Ni-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries was studied in Part I of this series of articles. Part II of the series examines the complex internal structure of the interdendritic grains formed by solid-state transformation and believed to play an important role in the electrochemical charge/discharge characteristics of the overall alloy composition. By studying one alloy, Zr21Ti12.5V10Cr5.5Mn5.1Co5.0Ni40.2Al0.5Sn0.3, it is shown that the interdendritic grains solidify as a B2 (Ti,Zr)44(Ni,TM)56 phase, and then undergo transformation to Zr7Ni10-type, Zr9Ni11-type, and martensitic phases. The transformations obey orientation relationships between the high-temperature B2 phase and the low-temperature Zr-Ni-type intermetallics, and consequently lead to a multivariant structure. The major orientation relationship for the orthorhombic Zr7Ni10 type is [011]Zr7Ni10//[001]B2; (100)Zr7Ni10//(100)B2. The orientation relationship for the tetragonal Zr9Ni11 type is [001]Zr9Ni11//[001]B2; (130)Zr9Ni11//(100)B2. Binary Ni-Zr and ternary Ti-Ni-Zr phase diagrams were used to rationalize the formation of the observed domain structure.

Solvothermal one-step synthesis of Ni-Al layered double hydroxide/carbon nanotube/reduced graphene oxide sheet ternary nanocomposite with ultrahigh capacitance for supercapacitors.

PubMed

Yang, Wanlu; Gao, Zan; Wang, Jun; Ma, Jing; Zhang, Milin; Liu, Lianhe

2013-06-26

A Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH), mutil-wall carbon nanotube (CNT), and reduced graphene oxide sheet (GNS) ternary nanocomposite electrode material has been developed by a facile one-step ethanol solvothermal method. The obtained LDH/CNT/GNS composite displayed a three-dimensional (3D) architecture with flowerlike Ni-Al LDH/CNT nanocrystallites gradually self-assembled on GNS nanosheets. GNS was used as building blocks to construct 3D nanostructure, and the LDH/CNT nanoflowers in turn separated the two-dimensional (2D) GNS sheets, which preserved the high surface area of GNSs. Furthermore, the generated porous networks with a narrow pore size distribution in the LDH/CNT/GNS composite were also demonstrated by the N2 adsorption/desorption experiment. Such morphology would be favorable to improve the mass transfer and electrochemical action of the electrode. As supercapacitor electrode material, the LDH/CNT/GNS hybrid exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, including ultrahigh specific capacitance (1562 F/g at 5 mA/cm(2)), excellent rate capability, and long-term cycling performance, which could be a promising energy storage/conversion material for supercapacitor application.

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.

The effect of Mn/Ni on thermodynamic properties of critical nucleus in Fe-Cu-Mn (Ni) ternary alloys

DOE PAGES

Li, Boyan; Zhang, Lei; Li, Chengliang; ...

2018-04-18

The aging- or radiation-induced hardening of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitates in Fe alloys is one of property degradation mechanisms in structural materials in nuclear reactors. Experiments show that aging or radiation leads the formation of Cu-rich precipitates, and the addition of Mn or Ni elements enhances the precipitation kinetics. In this study, the phase-field model coupled with the constrained string method have been applied to investigate the thermodynamic properties of critical nuclei such as the minimum energy path of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitation in Fe-Cu-Mn and Fe-Cu-Ni ternary alloys. The chemical free energies used in the model are taken from CALPHAD. The simulation resultsmore » show that the formation of Cu/Mn/Ni clusters needs to overcome an energy barrier, and the precipitate has a Core-Shell structure. The thermodynamic properties of the critical nucleus are influenced by temperature and Cu/Mn/Ni overall concentrations, which are in accordance with the simulation results as well as the experimental observations.« less

The effect of Mn/Ni on thermodynamic properties of critical nucleus in Fe-Cu-Mn (Ni) ternary alloys

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

Li, Boyan; Zhang, Lei; Li, Chengliang

The aging- or radiation-induced hardening of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitates in Fe alloys is one of property degradation mechanisms in structural materials in nuclear reactors. Experiments show that aging or radiation leads the formation of Cu-rich precipitates, and the addition of Mn or Ni elements enhances the precipitation kinetics. In this study, the phase-field model coupled with the constrained string method have been applied to investigate the thermodynamic properties of critical nuclei such as the minimum energy path of Cu/Mn/Ni precipitation in Fe-Cu-Mn and Fe-Cu-Ni ternary alloys. The chemical free energies used in the model are taken from CALPHAD. The simulation resultsmore » show that the formation of Cu/Mn/Ni clusters needs to overcome an energy barrier, and the precipitate has a Core-Shell structure. The thermodynamic properties of the critical nucleus are influenced by temperature and Cu/Mn/Ni overall concentrations, which are in accordance with the simulation results as well as the experimental observations.« less

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).

Fabrication of wide-band-gap Mg{sub x}Zn{sub 1-x}O quasi-ternary alloys by molecular-beam epitaxy

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

Tanaka, Hiroshi; Fujita, Shigeo; Fujita, Shizuo

2005-05-09

A series of wurtzite MgZnO quasi-ternary alloys, which consist of wurtzite MgO/ZnO superlattices, were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on sapphire substrates. By changing the thicknesses of ZnO layers and/or of MgO layers of the superlattice, the band-gap energy was artificially tuned from 3.30 to 4.65 eV. The highest band gap, consequently realized by the quasi-ternary alloy, was larger than that of the single MgZnO layer, we have ever reported, keeping the wurtzite structure. The band gap of quasi-ternary alloys was well analyzed by the Kronig-Penny model supposing the effective masses of wurtzite MgO as 0.30m{sub 0} and (1-2)m{sub 0} formore » electrons and holes, respectively.« less

High-temperature site preference and atomic short-range ordering characteristics of ternary alloying elements in γ'-Ni3Al intermetallics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriş, Rasim; Mekhrabov, Amdulla O.; Akdeniz, M. Vedat

2017-10-01

Remarkable high-temperature mechanical properties of nickel-based superalloys are correlated with the arrangement of ternary alloying elements in L12-type-ordered γ‧-Ni3Al intermetallics. In the current study, therefore, high-temperature site occupancy preference and energetic-structural characteristics of atomic short-range ordering (SRO) of ternary alloying X elements (X = Mo, W, Ta, Hf, Re, Ru, Pt or Co) in Ni75Al21.875X3.125 alloy systems have been studied by combining the statistico-thermodynamical theory of ordering and electronic theory of alloys in the pseudopotential approximation. Temperature dependence of site occupancy tendencies of alloying X element atoms has been predicted by calculating partial ordering energies and SRO parameters of Ni-Al, Ni-X and Al-X atomic pairs. It is shown that, all ternary alloying element atoms (except Pt) tend to occupy Al, whereas Pt atoms prefer to substitute for Ni sub-lattice sites of Ni3Al intermetallics. However, in contrast to other X elements, sub-lattice site occupancy characteristics of Re atoms appear to be both temperature- and composition-dependent. Theoretical calculations reveal that site occupancy preference of Re atoms switches from Al to both Ni and Al sites at critical temperatures, Tc, for Re > 2.35 at%. Distribution of Re atoms at both Ni and Al sub-lattice sites above Tc may lead to localised supersaturation of the parent Ni3Al phase and makes possible the formation of topologically close-packed (TCP) phases. The results of the current theoretical and simulation study are consistent with other theoretical and experimental investigations published in the literature.

Thermoelastic martensitic transformations in ternary Ni50Mn50- z Ga z alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belosludtseva, E. S.; Kuranova, N. N.; Marchenkova, E. B.; Popov, A. G.; Pushin, V. G.

2016-01-01

We have studied the effect of gallium alloying on the structure, phase composition, and physical properties of ternary alloys of the Ni50Mn50- z Ga z (0 ≤ z ≤ 25 at %) quasi-binary section in a broad temperature range. Dependences of the type of crystalline structure of the high-temperature austenite phase and martensite, as well as the critical temperatures of martensitic transformations on the alloy composition, are determined. A phase diagram of the structural and magnetic transformations is constructed. Concentration boundaries of the existence of tetragonal L10 (2 M) martensite and martensitic phases (10 M and 14 M) with complex multilayer crystalline lattices are found. It is established that the predominant martensite morphology is determined by the hierarchy of packets of thin coherent nano- and submicrocrystalline plates with habit planes close to {011} B2, pairwise twinned along one of 24 equivalent {011}<011> B2 twinning shear systems.

Free-standing ternary NiWP film for efficient water oxidation reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yunpeng; Zhou, Kuo; Ma, Lili; Liang, Yanqin; Yang, Xianjin; Cui, Zhenduo; Zhu, Shengli; Li, Zhaoyang

2018-03-01

High-efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of great concern in improving energy efficiency for water splitting. Here we report a high-performance OER electrocatalyst of nickel-tungsten-phosphorus (NiWP) film prepared by template method. This free-standing ternary electrocatalyst exhibits a remarkable electrocatalytic activity of OER in alkaline medium due to the synergetic effect among these elements and the good electrical conductivity. The reported NiWP composite catalyst has an overpotential of as low as 0.4 V (vs. RHE) at 30 mA cm-2, better than that of the commercial RuO2 catalyst. Moreover, a small charge transfer resistance of 4.06 Ω and a Tafel slope of 68 mV dec-1 demonstrate the outstanding catalytic activity.

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.

Re-evaluation of the impact of ternary additions of Ni and Cu on the A1 to L1{sub 0} transformation in FePt films

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

Wang, B.; Barmak, K.

2011-06-15

The impact of ternary additions of Ni (1.6-21.5 at. %) and Cu (1.3-17.3 at. %) on the A1 (face centered cubic, fcc) to L1{sub 0} phase transformation in FePt films has been re-evaluated based on compositions obtained using energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS). The data presented here serve as corrections to results reported in six previous studies [D. C. Berry and K. Barmak, J. Appl. Phys. 102, 024912 (2007); 101, 014905 (2007); 99, 08G901 (2006); D. C. Berry, J. Kim, K. Barmak, K. Wierman, E. B. Svedberg, and J. K. Howard, Scr. Mater. 53, 423 (2005); K. Barmak, J. Kim,more » D. C. Berry, W. N. Hanani, K. Wierman, E. B. Svedberg, and J. K. Howard, J. Appl. Phys. 97, 024902 (2005); K. Barmak, J. Kim, D. C. Berry, K. W. Wierman, E. B. Svedberg, and J. K. Howard, ibid. 95, 7486 (2004)]. The new EDS compositions do not change the following conclusions of these previous studies: (i) when ternary FeNiPt and FeCuPt alloys are compared with binary FePt alloys with the same Pt content, it is seen that additions of Ni slow the transformation kinetics, whereas additions of Cu have no measurable impact on the kinetics, (ii) the Curie temperature of the L1{sub 0} phase is lowered by additions of Ni or Cu, (iii) the Curie temperature of the A1 phase is increased by additions of Ni, but lowered by additions of Cu, and (iv) the transformation enthalpy is lowered by large additions of Ni, but is unaffected by additions of Cu. The ordering behavior of FeCuPt alloys as evidenced by the kinetic ordering temperature is compared with other reports in the literature based on magnetic measurements.« less

Wetting Behavior of Ternary Au-Ge-X (X = Sb, Sn) Alloys on Cu and Ni

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, S.; Valenza, F.; Novakovic, R.; Leinenbach, C.

2013-06-01

Au-Ge-based alloys are potential substitutes for Pb-rich solders currently used for high-temperature applications. In the present work, the wetting behavior of two Au-Ge-X (X = Sb, Sn) ternary alloys, i.e., Au-15Ge-17Sb and Au-13.7 Ge-15.3Sn (at.%), in contact with Cu and Ni substrates has been investigated. Au-13.7Ge-15.3Sn alloy showed complete wetting on both Cu and Ni substrates. Total spreading of Au-15Ge-17Sb alloy on Cu was also observed, while the final contact angle of this alloy on Ni was about 29°. Pronounced dissolution of Cu substrates into the solder alloys investigated was detected, while the formation of Ni-Ge intermetallic compounds at the interface of both solder/Ni systems suppressed the dissolution of Ni into the solder.

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.

Equiaxed and columnar dendrite growth simulation in Al-7Si- Mg ternary alloys using cellular automaton method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Rui; Xu, Qingyan; Liu, Baicheng

2015-06-01

In this paper, a modified cellular automaton (MCA) model allowing for the prediction of dendrite growth of Al-Si-Mg ternary alloys in two and three dimensions is presented. The growth kinetic of S/L interface is calculated based on the solute equilibrium approach. In order to describe the dendrite growth with arbitrarily crystallographic orientations, this model introduces a modified decentered octahedron algorithm for neighborhood tracking to eliminate the effect of mesh dependency on dendrite growth. The thermody namic and kinetic data needed for dendrite growth is obtained through coupling with Pandat software package in combination with thermodynamic/kinetic/equilibrium phase diagram calculation databases. The effect of interactions between various alloying elements on solute diffusion coefficient is considered in the model. This model has first been used to simulate Al-7Si (weight percent) binary dendrite growth followed by a validation using theoretical predictions. For ternary alloy, Al-7Si-0.5Mg dendrite simulation has been carried out and the effects of solute interactions on diffusion matrix as well as the differences of Si and Mg in solute distribution have been analyzed. For actual application, this model has been applied to simulate the equiaxed dendrite growth with various crystallographic orientations of Al-7Si-0.36Mg ternary alloy, and the predicted secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) shows a reasonable agreement with the experimental ones. Furthermore, the columnar dendrite growth in directional solidification has also been simulated and the predicted primary dendrite arm spacing (PDAS) is in good agreement with experiments. The simulated results effectively demonstrate the abilities of the model in prediction of dendritic microstructure of Al-Si-Mg ternary alloy.

Combinatorial study of Ni-Ti-Pt ternary metal gate electrodes on HfO{sub 2} for the advanced gate stack

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

Chang, K.-S.; Green, M. L.; Suehle, J.

2006-10-02

The authors have fabricated combinatorial Ni-Ti-Pt ternary metal gate thin film libraries on HfO{sub 2} using magnetron co-sputtering to investigate flatband voltage shift ({delta}V{sub fb}), work function ({phi}{sub m}), and leakage current density (J{sub L}) variations. A more negative {delta}V{sub fb} is observed close to the Ti-rich corner than at the Ni- and Pt-rich corners, implying smaller {phi}{sub m} near the Ti-rich corners and higher {phi}{sub m} near the Ni- and Pt-rich corners. In addition, measured J{sub L} values can be explained consistently with the observed {phi}{sub m} variations. Combinatorial methodologies prove to be useful in surveying the large compositionalmore » space of ternary alloy metal gate electrode systems.« less

Ternary NiFeX as soft biasing film in a magnetoresistive sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Mao-Min; Gharsallah, Neila; Gorman, Grace L.; Latimer, Jacquie

1991-04-01

The properties of NiFeX ternary films (X being Al, Au, Nb, Pd, Pt, Si, and Zr) have been studied for soft-film biasing of the magnetoresistive (MR) trilayer sensor. In general, the addition of the element X into the NiFe alloy film decreases the saturation magnetization Bs and magnetoresistance coefficient of the film, while increasing the film's electrical resistivity ρ. One of the desirable properties of a soft film for biasing is high sheet resistance for minimum current flow. A figure of merit Bsρ that takes into account both the rate of increase in Bs and the rate of decrease in ρ when adding X element was derived to compare the effectiveness of various X elements in reducing the current shunting through the soft-film layer. Using this criterion, NiFeNb and NiFeZr emerge as good soft-film materials having a maximum sheet resistance relative to the MR layer. Other critical properties such as magnetoresistance coefficient, magnetostriction, coercivity, and anisotropy field were also examined and are discussed in this paper.

Intrinsic properties and strengthening mechanism of monocrystalline Ni-containing ternary concentrated solid solutions

DOE PAGES

Jin, K.; Gao, Y. F.; Bei, H.

2017-04-07

Ternary single-phase concentrated solid solution alloys (SP-CSAs), so-called "medium entropy alloys", not only possess notable mechanical and physical properties but also form a model system linking the relatively simple binary alloys to the complex high entropy alloys. Our knowledge of their intrinsic properties is vital to understand the material behavior and to prompt future applications. To this end, three model alloys NiCoFe, NiCoCr, and NiFe-20Cr have been selected and grown as single crystals. We measured their elastic constants using an ultrasonic method, and several key materials properties, such as shear modulus, bulk modulus, elastic anisotropy, and Debye temperatures have beenmore » derived. Furthermore, nanoindentation tests have been performed on these three alloys together with Ni, NiCo and NiFe on their (100) surface, to investigate the strengthening mechanisms. NiCoCr has the highest hardness, NiFe, NiCoFe and NiFe-20Cr share a similar hardness that is apparently lower than NiCoCr; NiCo has the lowest hardness in the alloys, which is similar to elemental Ni. The Labusch-type solid solution model has been applied to interpret the nanoindentation data, with two approaches used to calculate the lattice mismatch. Finally, by adopting an interatomic spacing matrix method, the Labusch model can reasonably predict the hardening effects for the whole set of materials.« less

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

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.

Ternary semiconductors NiZrSn and CoZrBi with half-Heusler structure: A first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiedler, Gregor; Kratzer, Peter

2016-08-01

The ternary semiconductors NiZrSn and CoZrBi with C 1b crystal structure are introduced by calculating their basic structural, electronic, and phononic properties using density functional theory. Both the gradient-corrected PBE functional and the hybrid functional HSE06 are employed. While NiZrSn is found to be a small-band-gap semiconductor (Eg=0.46 eV in PBE and 0.60 eV in HSE06), CoZrBi has a band gap of 1.01 eV in PBE (1.34 eV in HSE06). Moreover, effective masses and deformation potentials are reported. In both materials A B C , the intrinsic point defects introduced by species A (Ni or Co) are calculated. The Co-induced defects in CoZrBi are found to have a higher formation energy compared to Ni-induced defects in NiZrSn. The interstitial Ni atom (Nii) as well as the VNiNii complex introduce defect states in the band gap, whereas the Ni vacancy (VNi) only reduces the size of the band gap. While Nii is electrically active and may act as a donor, the other two types of defects may compensate extrinsic doping. In CoZrBi, only the VCoCoi complex introduces a defect state in the band gap. Motivated by the reported use of NiZrSn for thermoelectric applications, the Seebeck coefficient of both materials, both in the p -type and the n -type regimes, is calculated. We find that CoZrBi displays a rather large thermopower of up to 500 μ V /K when p doped, whereas NiZrSn possesses its maximum thermopower in the n -type regime. The reported difficulties in achieving p -type doping in NiZrSn could be rationalized by the unintended formation of Nii2 + in conjunction with extrinsic acceptors, resulting in their compensation. Moreover, it is found that all types of defects considered, when present in concentrations as large as 3%, tend to reduce the thermopower compared to ideal bulk crystals at T =600 K. For NiZrSn, the calculated thermodynamic data suggest that additional Ni impurities could be removed by annealing, leading to precipitation of a metallic Ni2ZrSn phase.

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.

Wear and friction characteristics of electroless Ni-B-W coatings at different operating temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, Arkadeb; Barman, Tapan Kumar; Sahoo, Prasanta

2018-02-01

Sodium borohydride reduced electroless nickel alloy coatings have high wear resistance and low coefficient of friction. The present work investigates the deposition and tribological behavior of a ternary variant of the borohydride reduced coating i.e. Ni-B-W. Electroless Ni-B-W coatings were deposited on AISI 1040 steel substrates. In order to improve the mechanical properties of the deposits, they were heat treated at 350 °C for 1 h. The coatings in their as-deposited and heat treated conditions were characterized by scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray analysis and x-ray diffraction techniques. Ni-B-W coatings are amorphous in their as-deposited state while they become crystalline on heat treatment. In fact a high microhardness of Ni-B-W coatings is also observed in as-deposited condition. The microhardness further improves on heat treatment. Tribological behavior of the heat treated coatings with varying load (10-50 N), sliding speed (0.25-0.42 m s-1) and operating temperature (25 °C-500 °C) were evaluated on a pin-on-disc type test setup while the wear mechanisms were also studied. Tribological behavior of Ni-B-W coatings is enhanced at 500 °C operating temperature in comparison with 100 or 300 °C due to formation of protective oxide scales and microstructural changes due to in-situ heat treatment effect.

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

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polyaniline/MnO 2 ternary coaxial nanostructures for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiang; Liu, Jianhua; Zou, Jianhua; Chunder, Anindarupa; Chen, Yiqing; Zhai, Lei

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polyaniline (PANI)/MnO 2 (MPM) ternary coaxial structures are fabricated as supercapacitor electrodes via a simple wet chemical method. The electrostatic interaction between negative poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS) molecules and positive Mn 2+ ions causes the generation of MnO 2 nanostructures on MWCNT surfaces while the introduction of PANI layers with appropriate thickness on MWCNT surfaces facilitates the formation of MWCNT/PANI/MnO 2 ternary coaxial structures. The thickness of PANI coatings is controlled by tuning the aniline/MWCNT ratio. The effect of PANI thickness on the subsequent MnO 2 nanoflakes attachment onto MWCNTs, and the MPM structures is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results suggest that appropriate thickness of PANI layers is important for building MPM ternary coaxial structures without the agglomeration of MnO 2 nanoflakes. The MPM ternary coaxial structures provide large interaction area between the MnO 2 nanoflakes and electrolyte, and improve the electrochemical utilization of the hydrous MnO 2, and decrease the contact resistance between MnO 2 and PANI layer coated MWCNTs, leading to intriguing electrochemical properties for the applications in supercapacitors such as a specific capacitance of 330 Fg -1 and good cycle stability.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Co(x)Ni(4-x)Sb(12-y)Sn(y) Ternary Skutterudites: Processing and Thermoelectric Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackey, Jon; Sehirlioglu, Alp; Dynys, Fred

2014-01-01

Skutterudites have proven to be a useful thermoelectric system as a result of their high figure of merit, favorable mechanical properties, and good thermal stability. Binary skutterudites have received the majority of interest in recent years, as a result of successful double and triple filling schemes. Ternary skutterudites, such as Ni4Sb7Sn5, also demonstrate good thermoelectric performance, with high power factor and low thermal conductivity. Ternary skutterudites, as contrasted to binary systems, provide more possibility for tuning electronic structure as substitutions can be studied on three elements. The Co(x)Ni(4-x)Sb(12-y)Sn(y) system has been investigated as both a p- and n-type thermoelectric material, stable up to 200 C. The system is processed through a combination of solidification, mechanical alloying, and hot pressing steps. Rietveld structure refinement has revealed an interesting occupancy of Sn on both the 24g Wyckoff position with Sb as well as the 2a position as a rattler. In addition to thermoelectric properties, detailed processing routes have been investigated on the system.

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.

Solid-state reactions during mechanical alloying of ternary Fe-Al-X (X=Ni, Mn, Cu, Ti, Cr, B, Si) systems: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadef, Fatma

2016-12-01

The last decade has witnessed an intensive research in the field of nanocrystalline materials due to their enhanced properties. A lot of processing techniques were developed in order to synthesis these novel materials, among them mechanical alloying or high-energy ball milling. In fact, mechanical alloying is one of the most common operations in the processing of solids. It can be used to quickly and easily synthesize a variety of technologically useful materials which are very difficult to manufacture by other techniques. One advantage of MA over many other techniques is that is a solid state technique and consequently problems associated with melting and solidification are bypassed. Special attention is being paid to the synthesis of alloys through reactions mainly occurring in solid state in many metallic ternary Fe-Al-X systems, in order to improve mainly Fe-Al structural and mechanical properties. The results show that nanocrystallization is the common result occurring in all systems during MA process. The aim of this work is to illustrate the uniqueness of MA process to induce phase transformation in metallic Fe-Al-X (X=Ni, Mn, Cu, Ti, Cr, B, Si) systems.

Ultratrace determination of arsenic in water samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after pre-concentration with Mg-Al-Fe ternary layered double hydroxide nano-sorbent.

PubMed

Abdolmohammad-Zadeh, Hossein; Jouyban, Abolghasem; Amini, Roghayeh

2013-11-15

A selective solid phase extraction method, based on nano-structured Mg-Al-Fe(NO3(-)) ternary layered double hydroxide as a sorbent, is developed for the pre-concentration of ultra-trace levels of arsenic (As) prior to determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. It is found that both As(III) and As(V) could be quantitatively retained on the sorbent within a wide pH range of 4-12. Accordingly, the presented method is applied to determination of total inorganic As in aqueous solutions. Maximum analytical signal of As is achieved when the pyrolysis and atomization temperatures are close to 900 °C and 2300 °C, respectively. Several variables affecting the extraction efficiency including pH, sample flow rate, amount of nano-sorbent, elution conditions and sample volume are optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the limit of detection (3Sb/m) and the relative standard deviation are 4.6 pg mL(-1) and 3.9%, respectively. The calibration graph is linear in the range of 15.0-650 pg mL(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9979, sorption capacity and pre-concentration factor are 8.68 mg g(-1) and 300, respectively. The developed method is validated by the analysis of a standard reference material (SRM 1643e) and is successfully applied to the determination of ultra-trace amounts of As in different water samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

Surface Segregation in Ternary Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Good, Brian; Bozzolo, Guillermo H.; Abel, Phillip B.

2000-01-01

Surface segregation profiles of binary (Cu-Ni, Au-Ni, Cu-Au) and ternary (Cu-Au-Ni) alloys are determined via Monte Carlo-Metropolis computer simulations using the BFS method for alloys for the calculation of the energetics. The behavior of Cu or Au in Ni is contrasted with their behavior when both are present. The interaction between Cu and Au and its effect on the segregation profiles for Cu-Au-Ni alloys is discussed.

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.

First-principles study on the electronic structure and elastic properties of Mo2NiB2 doped with V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jinming; Li, Xiaobo; Gao, Haiyun; Peng, Dian

2018-04-01

The content of this study is to analyze the electronic structure and elastic properties that the different structures of Mo2NiB2 and doping with V of the tetragonal M3B2 (Mo2Ni1‑xVxB2 and Mo2‑yNi1‑yV2yB2) (x = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and y = 0.125, 0.25, 0.375) by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) combined with the projection-plus-wave method. But the calculated formation energy shows that V atoms prefer to substitute the Mo and Ni atoms of the tetragonal Mo2NiB2. Moreover, with the increase of V content, the formation enthalpy of tetragonal Mo2NiB2 is reduced, and the formation enthalpy of Mo1.625Ni0.625V0.75B2 is the least as ‑53.23 kJ/mol. The calculated elastic constant suffices the condition of mechanical stability, indicate that they are stable. The calculated elastic modulus illustrates that Mo2NiB2 having better mechanical properties when V elements are at Mo and Ni sites instead of Ni sites. The calculated and analyzed density of states of Mo1.625Ni0.625V0.75B2 has the smallest the density of states at the Fermi level indicating that it has the more stable structure. For the theoretical analysis of the first-principles calculations, the addition of 15 atom% of the V and V doping modes of Mo and Ni are preferentially replaced by V atoms of Mo2NiB2 ternary boride has the best performance.

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.

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).

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.

A theoretical investigation of mixing thermodynamics, age-hardening potential, and electronic structure of ternary M11–xM2xB2 alloys with AlB2 type structure

PubMed Central

Alling, B.; Högberg, H.; Armiento, R.; Rosen, J.; Hultman, L.

2015-01-01

Transition metal diborides are ceramic materials with potential applications as hard protective thin films and electrical contact materials. We investigate the possibility to obtain age hardening through isostructural clustering, including spinodal decomposition, or ordering-induced precipitation in ternary diboride alloys. By means of first-principles mixing thermodynamics calculations, 45 ternary M11–xM2xB2 alloys comprising MiB2 (Mi = Mg, Al, Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta) with AlB2 type structure are studied. In particular Al1–xTixB2 is found to be of interest for coherent isostructural decomposition with a strong driving force for phase separation, while having almost concentration independent a and c lattice parameters. The results are explained by revealing the nature of the electronic structure in these alloys, and in particular, the origin of the pseudogap at EF in TiB2, ZrB2, and HfB2. PMID:25970763

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Fiber Laser Welding-Brazing Characteristics of Dissimilar Metals AZ31B Mg Alloys to Copper with Mg-Based Filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xiaoye; Tan, Caiwang; Meng, Shenghao; Chen, Bo; Song, Xiaoguo; Li, Liqun; Feng, Jicai

2018-03-01

Fiber laser welding-brazing of 1-mm-thick AZ31B Mg alloys to 1.5-mm-thick copper (T2) with Mg-based filler was performed in a lap configuration. The weld appearance, interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated with different heat inputs. The results indicated that processing windows for optimizing appropriate welding parameters were relatively narrow in this case. Visually acceptable joints with certain strength were achieved at appropriate welding parameters. The maximum tensile-shear fracture load of laser-welded-brazed Mg/Cu joint could reach 1730 N at the laser power of 1200 W, representing 64.1% joint efficiency relative to AZ31Mg base metal. The eutectic structure (α-Mg + Mg2Cu) and Mg-Cu intermetallic compound was observed at the Mg/Cu interface, and Mg-Al-Cu ternary intermetallic compound were identified between intermetallics and eutectic structure at high heat input. All the joints fractured at the Mg-Cu interface. However, the fracture mode was found to differ. For laser power of 1200 W, the surface was characterized by tearing edge, while that with poor joint strength was almost dominated by smooth surface or flat tear pattern.

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.

Interpenetration of a 3D Icosahedral M@Ni12 (M=Al, Ga) Framework with Porphyrin-Reminiscent Boron Layers in MNi9 B8.

PubMed

Zheng, Qiang; Wagner, Frank R; Ormeci, Alim; Prots, Yurii; Burkhardt, Ulrich; Schmidt, Marcus; Schnelle, Walter; Grin, Yuri; Leithe-Jasper, Andreas

2015-11-09

Two ternary borides MNi9 B8 (M=Al, Ga) were synthesized by thermal treatment of mixtures of the elements. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data reveal AlNi9 B8 and GaNi9 B8 crystallizing in a new type of structure within the space group Cmcm and the lattice parameters a=7.0896(3) Å, b=8.1181(3) Å, c=10.6497(4) Å and a=7.0897(5) Å, b=8.1579(4) Å, c=10.6648(7) Å, respectively. The boron atoms build up two-dimensional layers, which consist of puckered [B16 ] rings with two tailing B atoms, whereas the M atoms reside in distorted vertices-condensed [Ni12 ] icosahedra, which form a three-dimensional framework interpenetrated by boron porphyrin-reminiscent layers. An unusual local arrangement resembling a giant metallo-porphyrin entity is formed by the [B16 ] rings, which, due to their large annular size of approximately 8 Å, chelate four of the twelve icosahedral Ni atoms. An analysis of the chemical bonding by means of the electron localizability approach reveals strong covalent B-B interactions and weak Ni-Ni interactions. Multi-center dative B-Ni interaction occurs between the Al-Ni framework and the boron layers. In agreement with the chemical bonding analysis and band structure calculations, AlNi9 B8 is a Pauli-paramagnetic metal. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

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.

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.

Dendrimer-magnetic nanostructure: a Monte Carlo simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabar, A.; Masrour, R.

2017-11-01

In this paper, the magnetic properties of ternary mixed spins (σ,S,q) Ising model on a dendrimer nanostructure are studied using Monte Carlo simulations. The ground state phase diagrams of dendrimer nanostructure with ternary mixed spins σ = 1/2, S = 1 and q = 3/2 Ising model are found. The variation of the thermal total and partial magnetizations with the different exchange interactions, the external magnetic fields and the crystal fields have been also studied. The reduced critical temperatures have been deduced. The magnetic hysteresis cycles have been discussed. In particular, the corresponding magnetic coercive filed values have been deduced. The multiples hysteresis cycles are found. The dendrimer nanostructure has several applications in the medicine.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Study on the Mg-Li-Zn ternary alloy system with improved mechanical properties, good degradation performance and different responses to cells.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Wu, Yuanhao; Bian, Dong; Gao, Shuang; Leeflang, Sander; Guo, Hui; Zheng, Yufeng; Zhou, Jie

2017-10-15

Novel Mg-(3.5, 6.5wt%)Li-(0.5, 2, 4wt%)Zn ternary alloys were developed as new kinds of biodegradable metallic materials with potential for stent application. Their mechanical properties, degradation behavior, cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility were studied. These potential biomaterials showed higher ultimate tensile strength than previously reported binary Mg-Li alloys and ternary Mg-Li-X (X=Al, Y, Ce, Sc, Mn and Ag) alloys. Among the alloys studied, the Mg-3.5Li-2Zn and Mg-6.5Li-2Zn alloys exhibited comparable corrosion resistance in Hank's solution to pure magnesium and better corrosion resistance in a cell culture medium than pure magnesium. Corrosion products observed on the corroded surface were composed of Mg(OH) 2 , MgCO 3 and Ca-free Mg/P inorganics and Ca/P inorganics. In vitro cytotoxicity assay revealed different behaviors of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) and Human Aorta Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMCs) to material extracts. HUVECs showed increasing nitric oxide (NO) release and tolerable toxicity, whereas VSMCs exhibited limited decreasing viability with time. Platelet adhesion, hemolysis and coagulation tests of these Mg-Li-Zn alloys showed different degrees of activation behavior, in which the hemolysis of the Mg-3.5Li-2Zn alloy was lower than 5%. These results indicated the potential of the Mg-Li-Zn alloys as good candidate materials for cardiovascular stent applications. Mg-Li alloys are promising as absorbable metallic biomaterials, which however have not received significant attention since the low strength, controversial corrosion performance and the doubts in Li toxicity. The Mg-Li-Zn alloy in the present study revealed much improved mechanical properties higher than most reported binary Mg-Li and ternary Mg-Li-X alloys, with superior corrosion resistance in cell culture media. Surprisingly, the addition of Li and Zn showed increased nitric oxide release. The present study indicates good potential of Mg-Li-Zn alloy as

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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).

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.

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.

Carbon-Coated Honeycomb Ni-Mn-Co-O Inverse Opal: A High Capacity Ternary Transition Metal Oxide Anode for Li-ion Batteries

PubMed Central

McNulty, David; Geaney, Hugh; O’Dwyer, Colm

2017-01-01

We present the formation of a carbon-coated honeycomb ternary Ni-Mn-Co-O inverse opal as a conversion mode anode material for Li-ion battery applications. In order to obtain high capacity via conversion mode reactions, a single phase crystalline honeycombed IO structure of Ni-Mn-Co-O material was first formed. This Ni-Mn-Co-O IO converts via reversible redox reactions and Li2O formation to a 3D structured matrix assembly of nanoparticles of three (MnO, CoO and NiO) oxides, that facilitates efficient reactions with Li. A carbon coating maintains the structure without clogging the open-worked IO pore morphology for electrolyte penetration and mass transport of products during cycling. The highly porous IO was compared in a Li-ion half-cell to nanoparticles of the same material and showed significant improvement in specific capacity and capacity retention. Further optimization of the system was investigated by incorporating a vinylene carbonate additive into the electrolyte solution which boosted performance, offering promising high-rate performance and good capacity retention over extended cycling. The analysis confirms the possibility of creating a ternary transition metal oxide material with binder free accessible open-worked structure to allow three conversion mode oxides to efficiently cycle as an anode material for Li-ion battery applications. PMID:28186183

Carbon-Coated Honeycomb Ni-Mn-Co-O Inverse Opal: A High Capacity Ternary Transition Metal Oxide Anode for Li-ion Batteries.

PubMed

McNulty, David; Geaney, Hugh; O'Dwyer, Colm

2017-02-10

We present the formation of a carbon-coated honeycomb ternary Ni-Mn-Co-O inverse opal as a conversion mode anode material for Li-ion battery applications. In order to obtain high capacity via conversion mode reactions, a single phase crystalline honeycombed IO structure of Ni-Mn-Co-O material was first formed. This Ni-Mn-Co-O IO converts via reversible redox reactions and Li 2 O formation to a 3D structured matrix assembly of nanoparticles of three (MnO, CoO and NiO) oxides, that facilitates efficient reactions with Li. A carbon coating maintains the structure without clogging the open-worked IO pore morphology for electrolyte penetration and mass transport of products during cycling. The highly porous IO was compared in a Li-ion half-cell to nanoparticles of the same material and showed significant improvement in specific capacity and capacity retention. Further optimization of the system was investigated by incorporating a vinylene carbonate additive into the electrolyte solution which boosted performance, offering promising high-rate performance and good capacity retention over extended cycling. The analysis confirms the possibility of creating a ternary transition metal oxide material with binder free accessible open-worked structure to allow three conversion mode oxides to efficiently cycle as an anode material for Li-ion battery applications.

Phase relations in the pseudo ternary system In2O3-TiO2-BO (B: Zn, Co and Ni) at 1200 °C in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Francisco; Jacobo-Herrera, Ivan Edmundo; Alvarez-Montaño, Victor Emmanuel; Kimizuka, Noboru; Hirano, Tomonosuke; Sekine, Ryotaro; Denholme, Saleem J.; Miyakawa, Nobuaki; Kudo, Akihiko; Iwase, Akihide; Michiue, Yuichi

2018-02-01

Phase relations in the pseudo ternary systems In2O3-TiO2-ZnO, In2O3-TiO2-CoO and In2O3-TiO2-NiO at 1200 °C in air were determined by means of a classic quenching method. In6Ti6BO22 (B: Zn, Co and Ni) which has the monoclinic In(Fe1/4Ti3/4)O27/8-type of structure with a 4-dimensional super space group exists in a stable form. There exist homologous phases In1+x(Ti1/2Zn1/2)1-xO3(ZnO)m (m: natural number, 0ternary system In2O3-TiO2-ZnO. All the ions are on the trigonal lattice points, the In(III) is in the octahedral coordination with the oxygen and the {Inx(Ti1/2Zn1/2)1-xZnm} is in the trigonalbipyramidal coordination with oxygen in the crystal structures of each homologous compound. They have R 3 bar m (No. 166) for m = odd or P63/mmc (No. 194) for m = even in space group. Lattice constants for each of the homologous compounds as a hexagonal setting and In6Ti6BO22 as the monoclinic system were determined by means of the powder X-ray diffraction method at room temperature. The temperature dependence of resistivity for In1+x(Ti1/2Zn1/2)1-x(ZnO)4 (0.15 ≤ x ≤ 1) showed semiconducting-like behavior for all samples examined at T(K) = 2-300. The resistivity increased systematically with decreasing x (0.7 ≤ x ≤ 1), and it was found that samples where x ≤ 0.7 became insulators. The optical band gap Eg (eV) of In1+x(Ti1/2Zn

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.

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.

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

High temperature behavior of B2-based ruthenium aluminide systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Fang

Ru-modified NiAl-based bond coats have the potential to improve the durability of Superalloy-Thermal Barrier Coating systems (TBCs) for advanced gas turbine engines. A fundamental understanding of the high temperature mechanical behavior across the Ni-Al-Ru B2 phase field can provide direction for the development of these new bond coats for TBCs. The purpose of this study has been to describe the fundamental processes of creep deformation in single phase B2 Ru-Al-Ni ternary alloys which would form the basis for the bond coats. To accomplish this, five ternary alloys with compositions located within the B2 field across the NiAl-RuAl phase region were fabricated and investigated. Special emphasis was placed on characterizing creep deformation and describing the operative creep mechanisms in these alloys. At room temperature, brittle failure was observed in the Ni-rich alloys in compression, while improved strength and ductility were displayed in two Ru-rich ternary alloys at temperatures up to 700°C. Exceptional creep strength was observed in these alloys, as compared to other high melting temperature B2 intermetallics. A continuous increase of the melting temperature and creep resistance with the increasing of the Ru/Ni ratio in these alloys was observed. Post-creep dislocation analyses identified the presence of <100> and <110> edge dislocations in the Ni-rich alloys, while uniformly distributed jogged <100> screw dislocations predominated in the Ru-rich ternary alloys. A transition of the creep mechanism from viscous glide controlled to jogged screw motion in these Ru-Al-Ni ternary B2 alloys with increasing Ru/Ni ratio is demonstrated by the characteristics of the creep deformation process, stress change creep tests, post-creep dislocation analyses, and numerical modeling. Additionally, the knowledge of the cyclic oxidation behavior of ruthenium aluminide-based alloy is essential, as many high-temperature applications for which this intermetallic might be

Alternative solution model for the ternary carbonate system CaCO3 - MgCO3 - FeCO3 - I. A ternary Bragg-Williams ordering model

USGS Publications Warehouse

McSwiggen, P.L.

1993-01-01

The minerals of the ternary carbonate system CaCO3 - MgCO3 - FeCO3 represent a complex series of solid solutions and ordering states. An understanding of those complexities requires a solution model that can both duplicate the subsolidus phase relationships and generate correct values for the activities. Such a solution model must account for the changes in the total energy of the system resulting from a change in the ordering state of the individual constituents. Various ordering models have been applied to binary carbonate systems, but no attempts have previously been made to model the ordering in the ternary system. This study derives a new set of equations that allow for the equilibrium degree of order to be calculated for a system involving three cations mixing on two sites, as in the case of the ternary carbonates. The method is based on the Bragg-Williams approach. From the degree of order, the mole fractions of the three cations in each of the two sites can be determined. Once the site occupancies have been established, a Margules-type mixing model can be used to determine the free energy of mixing in the solid solution and therefore the activities of the various components. ?? 1993 Springer-Verlag.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Phase equilibria in the La–Mg–Ge system at 500 °C and crystal structure of the new ternary compounds La{sub 11}Mg{sub 2}Ge{sub 7} and LaMg{sub 3−x}Ge{sub 2}

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

De Negri, S., E-mail: serena.denegri@unige.it; Solokha, P.; Skrobańska, M.

2014-10-15

The whole 500 °C isothermal section of the La–Mg–Ge ternary system was constructed. The existence and crystal structure of three ternary compounds were confirmed: La{sub 2+x}Mg{sub 1−x}Ge{sub 2} (τ{sub 2}, P4/mbm, tP10–Mo{sub 2}FeB{sub 2}, 0≤x≤0.25), La{sub 4}Mg{sub 5}Ge{sub 6} (τ{sub 3}, Cmc2{sub 1}, oS60–Gd{sub 4}Zn{sub 5}Ge{sub 6}) and La{sub 4}Mg{sub 7}Ge{sub 6} (τ{sub 4}, C2/m, mS34, own structure type). Five novel compounds were identified and structurally characterized: La{sub 11}Mg{sub 2}Ge{sub 7} (τ{sub 1}, P4{sub 2}/ncm, tP88-8, own structure type, a=1.21338(5), c=1.57802(6) nm), LaMg{sub 3−x}Ge{sub 2} (τ{sub 5}, P3{sup ¯}1c, hP34-0.44, own structure type, x=0.407(5), a=0.78408(4), c=1.45257(7) nm), La{sub 6}Mg{sub 23}Gemore » (τ{sub 6}, Fm3{sup ¯}m, cF120–Zr{sub 6}Zn{sub 23}Si, a=1.46694(6) nm), La{sub 4}MgGe{sub 10−x} (τ{sub 7}, x=0.37(1), C2/m, mS60-1.46, own structure type, a=0.88403(8), b=0.86756(8), c=1.7709(2) nm, β=97.16°(1) and La{sub 2}MgGe{sub 6} (τ{sub 8}, Cmce, oS72–Ce{sub 2}(Ga{sub 0.1}Ge{sub 0.9}){sub 7}, a=0.8989(2), b=0.8517(2), c=2.1064(3) nm). Disordering phenomena were revealed in several La–Mg–Ge phases in terms of partially occupied sites. The crystal structures of La{sub 11}Mg{sub 2}Ge{sub 7} and LaMg{sub 3−x}Ge{sub 2} are discussed in details. The latter is a √3a×√3a×2c superstructure of the LaLi{sub 3}Sb{sub 2} structure type; the symmetry reduction scheme is shown in the Bärnighausen formalism terms. - Graphical abstract: La–Mg–Ge isothermal section at 500 °C and group–subgroup relation between the LaLi{sub 3}Sb{sub 2} (parent type) and LaMg{sub 3−x}Ge{sub 2} (derivative) structures. - Highlights: • Novel La−Mg−Ge compounds structure determination from X-ray single crystal data. • Disordering phenomena as common features of the studied germanides. • Bärnighausen formalism as a useful tool for accurate structure determination. • Full isothermal section of the

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

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.

Study of certain features of the electronic structure of the ternary alloys Ni2(Mn, Fe) and Ni3(Mn, Co)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhukova, V. M.; Fadin, V. P.

1981-01-01

The changes in electronic structure related to transport processes occurring during the alloying of he alloy Ni3Mn with iron and cobalt, and the ordering of the ternary alloys thus formed are presented. The Hall effect, the absolute thermal emf, the internal saturation induction, the Nernst-Ettingshausen constant, and the electrical resistivity were measured. Results show a decrease in the contribution of hole sections of the Fermi surface to the transport process occurs together with a considerable increase in the contribution of electron sections. In this case, the mobility of 3 dimensional holes decreases and the mobility of 4s electrons increases considerably.

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

Superconductivity of ternary silicide with the AlB(2)-type structure Sr(Ga(0.37),Si(0.63))(2).

PubMed

Imai, M; Abe, E; Ye, J; Nishida, K; Kimura, T; Honma, K; Abe, H; Kitazawa, H

2001-08-13

A ternary silicide Sr(Ga(0.37),Si(0.63))(2) was synthesized by a floating zone method. Electron diffraction and powder x-ray diffraction measurements indicate that the silicide has the AlB(2)-type structure with the lattice constants of a = 4.1427(6) A and c = 4.7998(9) A, where Si and Ga atoms are arranged in a chemically disordered honeycomb lattice and Sr atoms are inercalated between them. The silicide is isostructural with the high-temperature superconductor MgB(2) reported recently. Electrical resistivity and dc magnetization measurements revealed that it is a type-II superconductor with onset temperature of 3.5 K.

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.

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 .

Colloidal synthesis of Cu-ZnO and Cu@CuNi-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals with controlled morphologies and multifunctional properties.

PubMed

Zeng, Deqian; Gong, Pingyun; Chen, Yuanzhi; Zhang, Qinfu; Xie, Qingshui; Peng, Dong-Liang

2016-06-02

Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals have received extensive attention owing to their multiple functionalities which can find wide technological applications. The utilization of low-cost non-noble metals to construct novel metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals is important and meaningful for their large-scale applications. In this study, a facile solution approach is developed for the synthesis of Cu-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals with well-controlled morphologies, including nanomultipods, core-shell nanoparticles, nanopyramids and core-shell nanowires. In the synthetic strategy, Cu nanocrystals formed in situ serve as seeds for the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of ZnO, and it eventually forms various Cu-ZnO hetero-nanostructures under different reaction conditions. These hybrid nanocrystals possess well-defined and stable heterostructure junctions. The ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectra reveal morphology-dependent surface plasmon resonance absorption of Cu and the band gap absorption of ZnO. Furthermore, we construct a novel Cu@CuNi-ZnO ternary hetero-nanostructure by incorporating the magnetic metal Ni into the pre-synthesized colloidal Cu nanocrystals. Such hybrid nanocrystals possess a magnetic Cu-Ni intermediate layer between the ZnO shell and the Cu core, and exhibit ferromagnetic/superparamagnetic properties which expand their functionalities. Finally, enhanced photocatalytic activities are observed in the as-prepared non-noble metal-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals. This study not only provides an economical way to prepare high-quality morphology-controlled Cu-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals for potential applications in the fields of photocatalysis and photovoltaic devices, but also opens up new opportunities in designing ternary non-noble metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals with multifunctionalities.

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.

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.

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.

Phase Structure and Site Preference Behavior of Ternary Alloying Additions to PdTi and PtTi Shape-Memory Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bozzolo, Guillermo; Mosca, Hugo O.; Noebe, Ronald D.

2006-01-01

The phasc structure and concentration dependence of the lattice parameter and energy of formation of ternary Pd-'I-X and Pt-Ti-X alloys for a large number of ternary alloying additions X (X = Na, Mg, Al, Si, Sc. V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Ag, Cd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir) are investigated with an atomistic modeling approach. In addition, a detailed description of the site preference behavior of such additions showing that the elements can be grouped according to their absolute preference for a specific site, regardless of concentration, or preference for available sites in the deficient sublattice is provided.

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

Synthesis and characterization of (Ni{sub 1−x}Co{sub x})Se{sub 2} based ternary selenides as electrocatalyst for triiodide reduction in dye-sensitized solar cells

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

Theerthagiri, J.; Senthil, R.A.; Buraidah, M.H.

2016-06-15

Ternary metal selenides of (Ni{sub 1−x}Co{sub x})Se{sub 2} with 0≤x≤1 were synthesized by using one-step hydrothermal reduction route. The synthesized metal selenides were utilized as an efficient, low-cost platinum free counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells. The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revealed that the Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} counter electrode exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity and lower charge transfer resistance at the counter electrode/electrolyte interface than the other compositions for reduction of triiodide to iodide. Ternary selenides of Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} offer a synergistic effect to the electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of triiodide that might bemore » due to an increase in active catalytic sites and small charge transfer resistance. The DSSC with Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} counter electrode achieved a high power conversion efficiency of 6.02%, which is comparable with that of conventional platinum counter electrode (6.11%). This present investigation demonstrates the potential application of Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Se{sub 2} as counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells.« less

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

Screening of Possible Re-Substitutional Elements in Single-Crystal Ni-Based Superalloys: A Viewpoint From Interdiffusion Coefficients in Ni-Al-X Ternaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Juan; Zhang, Lijun; Lu, Xiao-Gang

2018-05-01

A popular area of research in the field of high-temperature alloys concerns the search of substitutional elements for Re in order to manufacture single-crystal Ni-based superalloys with less or even no Re addition. To find the elements with similar or even lower diffusion coefficients than Re is an effective strategy. Based on 29 fcc diffusion couples in ternary Ni-Al-X (X = Re, Os, and Ir) systems, high-throughput measurement of composition- and temperature-dependent interdiffusivity matrices was performed using our recently developed numerical inverse method implemented in HitDIC software. The reliability of the determined interdiffusivities was validated by comprehensively comparing the model-predicted composition/interdiffusion flux profiles for each diffusion couple with the corresponding experimental data. Moreover, we also conducted a comparison with the interdiffusivities evaluated using the traditional Matano-Kirkaldy method as well as those from the literature and in boundary binary systems. After that, a comprehensive comparison of the interdiffusion coefficients in fcc Ni-2 wt pct Al-6 wt pct X (X = Ti, Co, Ni, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt) alloys at 1423 K to 1573 K was conducted. Results indicate that the diffusion rate of Re is lower than that of Os at 1473 K and 1523 K; but higher at 1573 K, while the diffusion rate of Ir is always slightly higher than those of Os and Re at 1473 K to 1573 K. Further analysis of the magnitude of the interdiffusion coefficient correlates with the alloying concentration, activation energy, atomic number, and atomic radius of different diffusing transition metal species (i.e., Ti, Co, Ni, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt) was conducted, which is expected to provide useful information regarding element choice in the development of new-generation Ni-based single-crystal superalloys.

Screening of Possible Re-Substitutional Elements in Single-Crystal Ni-Based Superalloys: A Viewpoint From Interdiffusion Coefficients in Ni-Al-X Ternaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Juan; Zhang, Lijun; Lu, Xiao-Gang

2018-07-01

A popular area of research in the field of high-temperature alloys concerns the search of substitutional elements for Re in order to manufacture single-crystal Ni-based superalloys with less or even no Re addition. To find the elements with similar or even lower diffusion coefficients than Re is an effective strategy. Based on 29 fcc diffusion couples in ternary Ni-Al-X (X = Re, Os, and Ir) systems, high-throughput measurement of composition- and temperature-dependent interdiffusivity matrices was performed using our recently developed numerical inverse method implemented in HitDIC software. The reliability of the determined interdiffusivities was validated by comprehensively comparing the model-predicted composition/interdiffusion flux profiles for each diffusion couple with the corresponding experimental data. Moreover, we also conducted a comparison with the interdiffusivities evaluated using the traditional Matano-Kirkaldy method as well as those from the literature and in boundary binary systems. After that, a comprehensive comparison of the interdiffusion coefficients in fcc Ni-2 wt pct Al-6 wt pct X (X = Ti, Co, Ni, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt) alloys at 1423 K to 1573 K was conducted. Results indicate that the diffusion rate of Re is lower than that of Os at 1473 K and 1523 K; but higher at 1573 K, while the diffusion rate of Ir is always slightly higher than those of Os and Re at 1473 K to 1573 K. Further analysis of the magnitude of the interdiffusion coefficient correlates with the alloying concentration, activation energy, atomic number, and atomic radius of different diffusing transition metal species ( i.e., Ti, Co, Ni, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt) was conducted, which is expected to provide useful information regarding element choice in the development of new-generation Ni-based single-crystal superalloys.

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.

Mesoscale Modeling of Kinetic Phase Behaviors in Mg-B-H (Subcontract Report)

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

Yu, H.; Thornton, K.; Wood, B. C.

Storage of hydrogen on board vehicles is one of the critical enabling technologies for creating hydrogenfueled transportation systems that can reduce oil dependency and mitigate the long-term effects of fossil fuels on climate change. Stakeholders in developing hydrogen infrastructure are currently focused on highpressure storage at 350 bar and 700 bar, in part because no viable solid-phase storage material has emerged. Nevertheless, solid-state materials, including high-density hydrides, remain of interest because of their unique potential to meet all DOE targets and deliver hydrogen at lower pressures and higher on-board densities. A successful solution would significantly reduce costs and ensure themore » economic viability of a U.S. hydrogen infrastructure. The Mg(BH 4) 2-MgB 2 system represents a highly promising solution because of its reasonable reaction enthalpy, high intrinsic capacity, and demonstrated reversibility, yet suffers from poor reaction kinetics. This subcontract aims to deliver a phase-field model for the kinetics of the evolution of the relevant phases within the Mg-B-H system during hydrogenation and dehydrogenation. This model will be used within a broader theory, synthesis, and characterization framework to study the properties of geometry-selected nanoparticles of pristine and doped MgB 2/Mg(BH 4) 2 with two aims: (1) understand the intrinsic limitations in (de)hydrogenation; (2) devise strategies for improving thermodynamics and kinetics through nanostructuring.« less

Colloidal synthesis of Cu-ZnO and Cu@CuNi-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals with controlled morphologies and multifunctional properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Deqian; Gong, Pingyun; Chen, Yuanzhi; Zhang, Qinfu; Xie, Qingshui; Peng, Dong-Liang

2016-06-01

Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals have received extensive attention owing to their multiple functionalities which can find wide technological applications. The utilization of low-cost non-noble metals to construct novel metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals is important and meaningful for their large-scale applications. In this study, a facile solution approach is developed for the synthesis of Cu-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals with well-controlled morphologies, including nanomultipods, core-shell nanoparticles, nanopyramids and core-shell nanowires. In the synthetic strategy, Cu nanocrystals formed in situ serve as seeds for the heterogeneous nucleation and growth of ZnO, and it eventually forms various Cu-ZnO hetero-nanostructures under different reaction conditions. These hybrid nanocrystals possess well-defined and stable heterostructure junctions. The ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectra reveal morphology-dependent surface plasmon resonance absorption of Cu and the band gap absorption of ZnO. Furthermore, we construct a novel Cu@CuNi-ZnO ternary hetero-nanostructure by incorporating the magnetic metal Ni into the pre-synthesized colloidal Cu nanocrystals. Such hybrid nanocrystals possess a magnetic Cu-Ni intermediate layer between the ZnO shell and the Cu core, and exhibit ferromagnetic/superparamagnetic properties which expand their functionalities. Finally, enhanced photocatalytic activities are observed in the as-prepared non-noble metal-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals. This study not only provides an economical way to prepare high-quality morphology-controlled Cu-ZnO hybrid nanocrystals for potential applications in the fields of photocatalysis and photovoltaic devices, but also opens up new opportunities in designing ternary non-noble metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals with multifunctionalities.Metal-semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals have received extensive attention owing to their multiple functionalities which can find wide technological applications

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.

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.

Improved electron transfer and plasmonic effect in dye-sensitized solar cells with bi-functional Nb-doped TiO2/Ag ternary nanostructures.

PubMed

Park, Jung Tae; Chi, Won Seok; Jeon, Harim; Kim, Jong Hak

2014-03-07

TiO2 nanoparticles are surface-modified via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with a hydrophilic poly(oxyethylene)methacrylate (POEM), which can coordinate to the Ag precursor, i.e. silver trifluoromethanesulfonate (AgCF3SO3). Following the reduction of Ag ions, a Nb2O5 doping process and calcination at 450 °C, bi-functional Nb-doped TiO2/Ag ternary nanostructures are generated. The resulting nanostructures are characterized by energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy (EF-TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-visible spectroscopy. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on the Nb-doped TiO2/Ag nanostructure photoanode with a polymerized ionic liquid (PIL) as the solid polymer electrolyte shows an overall energy conversion efficiency (η) of 6.9%, which is much higher than those of neat TiO2 (4.7%) and Nb-doped TiO2 (5.4%). The enhancement of η is mostly due to the increase of current density, attributed to the improved electron transfer properties including electron injection, collection, and plasmonic effects without the negative effects of charge recombination or problems with corrosion. These properties are supported by intensity modulated photocurrent/voltage spectroscopy (IMPS/IMVS) and incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency (IPCE) measurements.

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.

Differences observed in the surface morphology and microstructure of Ni-Fe-Cu ternary thin films electrochemically deposited at low and high applied current densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarac, U.; Kaya, M.; Baykul, M. C.

2016-10-01

In this research, nanocrystalline Ni-Fe-Cu ternary thin films using electrochemical deposition technique were produced at low and high applied current densities onto Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coated conducting glass substrates. Change of surface morphology and microstructural properties of the films were investigated. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements showed that the Ni-Fe-Cu ternary thin films exhibit anomalous codeposition behaviour during the electrochemical deposition process. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, it was revealed that there are two segregated phases such as Cu- rich and Ni-rich within the films. The crystallographic structure of the films was face-centered cubic (FCC). It was also observed that the film has lower lattice micro-strain and higher texture degree at high applied current density. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that the films have rounded shape particles on the base part and cauliflower-like structures on the upper part. The film electrodeposited at high current density had considerably smaller rounded shape particles and cauliflower-like structures. From the atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses, it was shown that the film deposited at high current density has smaller particle size and surface roughness than the film grown at low current density.

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

Effect of Mg interlayer on perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of CoFeB films in MgO/Mg/CoFeB/Ta structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Q. L.; Iihama, S.; Kubota, T.; Zhang, X. M.; Mizukami, S.; Ando, Y.; Miyazaki, T.

2012-09-01

The effects of Mg metallic interlayer on the magnetic properties of thin CoFeB films in MgO/Mg (tMg)/CoFeB (1.2 nm)/Ta structures were studied in this letter. Our experimental result shows that the CoFeB film exhibits perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) when the CoFeB and MgO layers are separated by a metallic Mg layer with a maximum thickness of 0.8 nm. The origin of PMA was discussed by considering the preferential transmission of the Δ1 symmetry preserved by the Mg interlayer in crystallized MgO/Mg/CoFeB/Ta. In addition, the thin Mg interlayer also contributes to enhancing the thermal stability and reducing the effective damping constant and coercivity of the CoFeB film.

Interdiffusion in Ternary Magnesium Solid Solutions of Aluminum and Zinc

DOE PAGES

Kammerer, Catherine; Kulkarni, Nagraj S; Warmack, Robert J Bruce; ...

2016-01-11

Al and Zn are two of the most common alloying elements in commercial Mg alloys, which can improve the physical properties through solid solution strengthening and precipitation hardening. Diffusion plays a key role in the kinetics of these and other microstructural design relevant to Mg-alloy development. However, there is a lack of multicomponent diffusion data available for Mg alloys. Through solid-to-solid diffusion couples, diffusional interactions of Al and Zn in ternary Mg solid-solution at 400° and 450 °C were examined by an extension of the Boltzmann-Matano analysis based on Onsager s formalism. Concentration profiles of Mg-Al-Zn ternary alloys were determinedmore » by electron probe microanalysis, and analyzed to determine the ternary interdiffusion coefficients as a function of composition. Zn was determined to interdiffuse the fastest, followed by Mg and Al. Appreciable diffusional interactions among Mg, Al, and Zn were observed by variations in sign and magnitude of cross interdiffusion coefficients. In particular, Zn was found to significantly influence the interdiffusion of Mg and Al significantly: the and ternary cross interdiffusion coefficients were both negative, and large in magnitude, in comparison to and , respectively. Al and Mg were observed influence the interdiffusion of Mg and Al, respectively, with positive and interdiffusion coefficients, but their influence on the Zn interdiffusion was negligible.« less

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.

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

Controllable synthesis of high aspect ratio Mg2B2O5 nanowires and their applications in reinforced polyhydroxyalkanoate composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Zhao-Jun; Chen, Jin-Peng; Lin, Jing; Fan, Ying; Liang, Chun-Yong; Wang, Hong-Shui; Xu, Xue-Wen; Hu, Long; Tang, Cheng-Chun

2014-05-01

Highly pure magnesium borate (Mg2B2O5) nanowires with an average diameter of ~ 30 nm, an average length of ~ 15 μm, and a high aspect ratio of ~ 500 have been synthesized on a large scale via a two-step method. MgBO2(OH) nanowires with high aspect ratios were first prepared via a PVP-assisted hydrothermal technique. Using these nanowires as precursors, single crystalline Mg2B2O5 nanowires were synthesized by post-annealing treatment at a relatively low temperature of 700 °C. The important effect of the MgBO2(OH)—Mg2B2O5 conversion process on the morphology of the Mg2B2O5 nanowires was investigated and it was indicated that the recrystallization process plays an important role in the protection of the one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure. Moreover, the rigidity and the toughness of the Mg2B2O5 nanowire-reinforced PHA composites were tremendously improved compared to those of the pure PHA. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of Mg2B2O5 nanowires for reinforcement applications in polymer composites.

Quench dynamics in MgB2 Rutherford cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cubero, A.; Navarro, R.; Kováč, P.; Kopera, L.; Rindfleisch, M.; Martínez, E.

2018-04-01

The generation and propagation of quench induced by a local heat disturbance or by overcurrents in MgB2 Rutherford cables have been studied experimentally. The analysed cable is composed of 12 strands of monocore MgB2/Nb/Cu10Ni wire and has a transposition length of about 27 mm. Measurements of intra- and inter-strand voltages have been performed to analyse the superconducting-to-normal transition behaviour of these cables during quench. In case of external hot-spots, two different time-dynamic regimes have been observed, a slow stage for the formation of the minimum propagation zone (MPZ), and a fast dynamics once the quench is triggered and propagates to the rest of the cable. Significant local variations of the quench propagation velocity across the strands around the MPZ have been observed, but with average quench propagation velocities closely correlated with the predictions given by one-dimensional-geometry models. For quench induced by overcurrents (i.e. with applied currents higher than the critical current) the nucleation of many normal zones distributed within the cable, which overlap during quench propagation, gives a distinctive and faster quench dynamics.

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

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

High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrode Based on Cobalt Oxide-Manganese Dioxide-Nickel Oxide Ternary 1D Hybrid Nanotubes.

PubMed

Singh, Ashutosh K; Sarkar, Debasish; Karmakar, Keshab; Mandal, Kalyan; Khan, Gobinda Gopal

2016-08-17

We report a facile method to design Co3O4-MnO2-NiO ternary hybrid 1D nanotube arrays for their application as active material for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. This as-prepared novel supercapacitor electrode can store charge as high as ∼2020 C/g (equivalent specific capacitance ∼2525 F/g) for a potential window of 0.8 V and has long cycle stability (nearly 80% specific capacitance retains after successive 5700 charge/discharge cycles), significantly high Coulombic efficiency, and fast response time (∼0.17s). The remarkable electrochemical performance of this unique electrode material is the outcome of its enormous reaction platform provided by its special nanostructure morphology and conglomeration of the electrochemical properties of three highly redox active materials in a single unit.

One-Pot Synthesis of Mesoporous Ni-Ti-Al Ternary Oxides: Highly Active and Selective Catalysts for Steam Reforming of Ethanol.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Alexandre A S; Faustino, Patrícia B; Assaf, José M; Jaroniec, Mietek

2017-02-22

One-pot synthesis of nanostructured ternary oxides of Ni, Al, and Ti was designed and performed via evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA). For the purpose of comparison, analogous oxides were also prepared by the impregnation method. The resulting materials were applied in two catalytic reactions: steam reforming of ethanol (SRE) for H 2 production (subjected to prior activation with H 2 ) and ethanol dehydration (ED; used without prior activation), to in situ analyze carbon accumulation by ethylene depletion when ethanol interacts with acidic sites present on the support. Modification of Ni-Al mixed oxides with titania was shown to have several benefits. CO 2 , NH 3 , and propylamine sorption data indicate a decrease in the strength of acidic and basic sites after addition of titania, which in turn slowed down the carbon accumulation during the ED reaction. These changes in interactions between ethanol and byproducts with the support led to different reaction pathways in SRE, indicating that the catalysts obtained by EISA with titania addition showed higher ethylene selectivity and CO 2 /CO ratios. The opposite was observed for the impregnated catalysts, which were less coke-stable during ED reactions and showed no ethylene selectivity in SRE. Carbon formed during ED reactions was shown to be thermodynamically less favorable and easier to decompose in the presence of titania. All catalysts studied displayed similar and high selectivities (∼80%) and yields (∼5.3 mol H2 /mol ethanol ) toward H 2 , which place them among the most active and selective catalysts for SRE. These results indicate the importance of tailoring the support surface acidity to achieve high reforming performance and higher selectivity toward SRE, one of the key processes to produce cleaner and efficient fuels. For an efficient reforming process, the yield of byproducts is low but still they affect the catalyst stability in the long-run, thus this work may impact future studies toward

Electrochemical Synthesis of Binary and Ternary Refractory Compounds in the System Ti-Si-B from Chloride-Fluoride Melts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devyatkin, Sergei V.

2007-09-01

Electrochemical synthesis of binary and ternary compounds in the system Ti-Si-B from chloridefluoride melts has been investigated by voltammetry and electrolysis. Electrochemical syntheses of titanium diboride, four titanium silicides (TiSi2, TiSi, Ti5Si4, Ti5Si3), silicon tetraboride and a new ternary compound, Ti5Si3B3, have been found to be one-step processes. The stoichiometry of the deposited compounds has been found to correlate with the bulk concentration of Ti, Si and B ions in the melt.

Ternary gradient metal-organic frameworks.

PubMed

Liu, Chong; Rosi, Nathaniel L

2017-09-08

Gradient MOFs contain directional gradients of either structure or functionality. We have successfully prepared two ternary gradient MOFs based on bMOF-100 analogues, namely bMOF-100/102/106 and bMOF-110/100/102, via cascade ligand exchange reactions. The cubic unit cell parameter discrepancy within an individual ternary gradient MOF crystal is as large as ∼1 nm, demonstrating the impressive compatibility and flexibility of the component MOF materials. Because of the presence of a continuum of unit cells, the pore diameters within individual crystals also change in a gradient fashion from ∼2.5 nm to ∼3.0 nm for bMOF-100/102/106, and from ∼2.2 nm to ∼2.7 nm for bMOF-110/100/102, indicating significant porosity gradients. Like previously reported binary gradient MOFs, the composition of the ternary gradient MOFs can be easily controlled by adjusting the reaction conditions. Finally, X-ray diffraction and microspectrophotometry were used to analyse fractured gradient MOF crystals by comparing unit cell parameters and absorbance spectra at different locations, thus revealing the profile of heterogeneity (i.e. gradient distribution of properties) and further confirming the formation of ternary gradient MOFs.

Low Pt-content ternary PdCuPt nanodendrites: an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

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

Fu, Shaofang; Zhu, Chengzhou; Song, Junhua

2017-01-01

Dendritic nanostructures are capturing increasing attentions in electrocatalysis owing to their unique structural features and low density. Herein, we report for the first time bromide ions mediated synthesis of low-Pt-content PdCuPt ternary nanodendrites via galvanic replacement reaction between Pt precursor and PdCu template in aqueous solution. The experimental results show that the ternary PdCuPt nanodendrites present enhanced electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction in acid solution compared with commercial Pt/C as well as some state-of-the-art catalysts. In details, the mass activity of the PdCuPt catalyst with optimized composition is 1.73 A/mgPt at 0.85 V vs RHE, which is 14 timesmore » higher than that of commercial Pt/C catalyst. Moreover, the long-term stability test demonstrates its better durability in acid solution. After 5k cycles, there is still 70% electrochemical surface area maintained. This method provides an efficient way to synthesize trimetallic alloys with controllable composition and specific structure for oxygen reduction reaction.« less

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.

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.

Corrosive sliding wear behavior of laser clad Mo 2Ni 3Si/NiSi intermetallic coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, X. D.; Wang, H. M.

2005-05-01

Many ternary metal silicides such as W 2Ni 3Si, Ti 2Ni 3Si and Mo 2Ni 3Si with the topologically closed-packed (TCP) hP12 MgZn 2 type Laves phase crystal structure are expected to have outstanding wear and corrosion resistance due to their inherent high hardness and sluggish temperature dependence and strong atomic bonds. In this paper, Mo 2Ni 3Si/NiSi intermetallic coating was fabricated on substrate of an austenitic stainless steel AISI321 by laser cladding using Ni-Mo-Si elemental alloy powders. Microstructure of the coating was characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). Wear resistance of the coating is evaluated under corrosive sliding wear test condition. Influence of corrosion solutions on the wear resistance of the coating was studied and the wear mechanism was discussed based on observations of worn surface morphology. Results showed that the laser clad Mo 2Ni 3Si/NiSi composite coating have a fine microstructure of Mo 2Ni 3Si primary dendrites and the interdendritic Mo 2Ni 3Si/NiSi eutectics. The coating has excellent corrosive wear resistance compared with austenitic stainless steel AISI321 under acid, alkaline and saline corrosive environments.

Site preference of ternary alloying additions to NiTi: Fe, Pt, Pd, Au, Al, Cu, Zr and Hf

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bozzolo, Guillermo; Noebe, Ronald D.; Mosca, Hugo O.

2004-01-01

Atomistic modeling of the site substitution behavior of Pd in NiTi (J. Alloys and Comp. (2004), in press) has been extended to examine the behavior of several other alloying additions, namely, Fe, Pt, Au, Al, Cu, Zr and Hf in this important shape memory alloy. It was found that all elements, to a varying degree, displayed absolute preference for available sites in the deficient sublattice. How- ever, the energetics of the different substitutional schemes, coupled with large scale simulations indicate that the general trend in all cases is for the ternary addition to want to form stronger ordered structures with Ti.

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.

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.

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

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.

3D-nanostructured Au electrodes for the event-specific detection of MON810 transgenic maize.

PubMed

Fátima Barroso, M; Freitas, Maria; Oliveira, M Beatriz P P; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Lobo-Castañón, María Jesús; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2015-03-01

In the present work, the development of a genosensor for the event-specific detection of MON810 transgenic maize is proposed. Taking advantage of nanostructuration, a cost-effective three dimensional electrode was fabricated and a ternary monolayer containing a dithiol, a monothiol and the thiolated capture probe was optimized to minimize the unspecific signals. A sandwich format assay was selected as a way of precluding inefficient hybridization associated with stable secondary target structures. A comparison between the analytical performance of the Au nanostructured electrodes and commercially available screen-printed electrodes highlighted the superior performance of the nanostructured ones. Finally, the genosensor was effectively applied to detect the transgenic sequence in real samples, showing its potential for future quantitative analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Kinetic analysis of MgB2 layer formation in advanced internal magnesium infiltration (AIMI) processed MgB2 wires

PubMed Central

Li, G. Z.; Sumption, M. D.; Collings, E. W.

2015-01-01

Significantly enhanced critical current density (Jc) for MgB2 superconducting wires can be obtained following the advanced internal Mg infiltration (AIMI) route. But unless suitable precautions are taken, the AIMI-processed MgB2 wires will exhibit incomplete MgB2 layer formation, i.e. reduced superconductor core size and hence suppressed current-carrying capability. Microstructural characterization of AIMI MgB2 wires before and after the heat treatment reveals that the reaction mechanism changes from a “Mg infiltration-reaction” at the beginning of the heat treatment to a “Mg diffusion-reaction” once a dense MgB2 layer is formed. A drastic drop in the Mg transport rate from infiltration to diffusion causes the termination of the MgB2 core growth. To quantify this process, a two-stage kinetic model is built to describe the MgB2 layer formation and growth. The derived kinetic model and the associated experimental observations indicate that fully reacted AIMI-processed MgB2 wires can be achieved following the optimization of B particle size, B powder packing density, MgB2 reaction activation energy and its response to the additions of dopants. PMID:26973431

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

Phase separation within NiSiN coatings during reactive HiPIMS discharges: A new pathway to grow NixSi nanocrystals composites at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keraudy, J.; Boyd, R. D.; Shimizu, T.; Helmersson, U.; Jouan, P.-Y.

2018-10-01

The precise control of the growth nanostructured thin films at low temperature is critical for the continued development of microelectronic enabled devices. In this study, nanocomposite Ni-Si-N thin films were deposited at low temperature by reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. A composite Ni-Si target (15 at.% Si) in combination with a Ar/N2 plasma were used to deposit films onto Si(0 0 1) substrates, without any additional substrate heating or any post-annealing. The films microstructure changes from a polycrystalline to nanocomposite structure when the nitrogen content exceeds 16 at.%. X-ray diffraction and (scanning) transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal that the microstructure consists of nanocrystals, NixSi (x > 1) 7-8 nm in size, embedded in an amorphous SiNx matrix. It is proposed that this nanostructure is formed at low temperatures due to the repeated-nucleation of NixSi nanocrystals, the growth of which is restricted by the formation of the SiNx phase. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the trace presence of a ternary solid solution mainly induced by the diffusion of Ni into the SiNx matrix. Four-probe electrical measurements reveal all the deposited films are electrically conducting.

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) study on surface modified CVD diamond/Si(111) film post implanted Fe-B and NiFe-B related to GMR properties

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

Purwanto, Setyo, E-mail: setyo-p@batan.go.id, E-mail: purwantosetyo@yahoo.com; Dimyati, A., E-mail: arbi-dimyati@hotmail.com; Iskandar, R.

Nanostructure investigation on the post implantation by Fe-B and NiFe-B on CVD diamond/Si(111) film have been studied by means of STEM related to their GMR phenomena. Two samples were investigated carefully, firstly sample is post NiFe-B at E=70keV and dose= 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2} (denoted as A-E3D1). Secondly, is post FeB at E=20 keV and dose= 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2} (denoted as B-E1D1). Based on FPP measurement at room temperature (RT) and H{sub applied} = 8 kOe, A-E3D1 sample has MR ratio almost 80% and MR ratio in B-E1D1 sample is 45%. Based on STEM-EDX investigation, there are two aspectsmore » of how MR ratio of A-E3D1 more higher than those of B-E1D1. Firstly, surface nanostructure on the top of A-E3D1 film is more grazing than on the top of B-E1D1. Analysis with Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) equipped with Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) the growth of amorphous carbon layer on top of the implanted diamond film with thickness around 100 nm and only 20 nm on the no implanted sample have observed. Boron atoms were found inside the carbon amorphous layer distributed homogenously. Secondly, oxygen content at the interface between diamond film and silicon substrate in sample A-E3D1 was lower than those in B-E1D1 sample. This condition gives the resistance value in A-E3D1 lower than value in B-E1D1. This result is close to the Raman Spectroscopy data measurement which obviously suggests changes on the Raman spectrum due to implantation related to Oxygen excitation from B-E1D1 sample.« less

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.

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.

Observation of the spin-orbit components of the 3B 2g( 3A 2g) ground state in the system Ni 2+:MgF 2 by fluorescence line narrowing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tonucci, R. J.; Jacobsen, S. M.; Yen, W. M.

1990-10-01

Using a tunable narrow-band infrared laser, we demonstrate for the first time infrared-fluorescnece line narrowing in the system Ni 2+:MgF 2. High-resolution emission spectra were obtained by pumping the lowest spin-orbit component B 3 ( 3T 2g) (orthorhombic notation with octahedral notation in parentheses) of the 3T 2g multiplet and observing the B 3( 3T 2g)→B 1, A, B 2( 3A 2g) luminescent transitions at low temperature. By tuning the narrow-band laser over the B 3( 3T 2g) band, resonant and non-resonant fluorescence were obtained which narrowed with respect to the inhomogeneously broadened profile, and additional lines were observed. The spectra can be understood in terms of a simultaneous excitation of two different subsets of Ni 2+ ions which have their B 2( 3A 2g)→B 3( 3T 2g) and A( 3A 2g)→B 3( 3T 2g) transitions in resonance with the laser. The A( 3A 2g) and B 1( 3A 2g) spin-orbit components of the ground-state multiplet lie 1.9 cm -1 and 6.5 cm -1 above the B 2( 3A 2g) ground state, respectively, at 2 K.

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

Ternary particle yields in 249Cf(nth,f)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsekhanovich, I.; Büyükmumcu, Z.; Davi, M.; Denschlag, H. O.; Gönnenwein, F.; Boulyga, S. F.

2003-03-01

An experiment measuring ternary particle yields in 249Cf(nth,f) was carried out at the high flux reactor of the Institut Laue-Langevin using the Lohengrin recoil mass separator. Parameters of energy distributions were determined for 27 ternary particles up to 30Mg and their yields were calculated. The yields of 17 further ternary particles were estimated on the basis of the systematics developed. The heaviest particles observed in the experiment are 37Si and 37S; their possible origin is discussed.

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

ZnO nanorod array/CuAlO2 nanofiber heterojunction on Ni substrate: synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties.

PubMed

Ding, Juan; Sui, Yongming; Fu, Wuyou; Yang, Haibin; Zhao, Bo; Li, Minghui

2011-07-22

A novel ZnO nanorod array (NR)/CuAlO(2) nanofiber (NF) heterojunction nanostructure was grown on a substrate of Ni plates using sol-gel synthesis for the NFs and hydrothermal reaction for the NRs. Compared with a traditional ZnO/CuAlO(2) laminar film nanostructure, the photocurrent of this fibrous network heterojunction is significantly increased. A significant blue-shift of the absorption edge and a favorable forward current to reverse current ratio at applied voltages of -2 to +2 V were observed in this heterojunction with the increase of Zn(2+) ion concentration in the hydrothermal reaction. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical properties were investigated and the highest photocurrent of 3.1 mA cm(-2) was obtained under AM 1.5 illumination with 100 mW cm(-2) light intensity at 0.71 V (versus Ag/AgCl). This novel 3D fibrous network nanostructure plays an important role in the optoelectronic field and can be extended to other binary or ternary oxide compositions for various applications.

ZnO nanorod array/CuAlO2 nanofiber heterojunction on Ni substrate: synthesis and photoelectrochemical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Juan; Sui, Yongming; Fu, Wuyou; Yang, Haibin; Zhao, Bo; Li, Minghui

2011-07-01

A novel ZnO nanorod array (NR)/CuAlO2 nanofiber (NF) heterojunction nanostructure was grown on a substrate of Ni plates using sol-gel synthesis for the NFs and hydrothermal reaction for the NRs. Compared with a traditional ZnO/CuAlO2 laminar film nanostructure, the photocurrent of this fibrous network heterojunction is significantly increased. A significant blue-shift of the absorption edge and a favorable forward current to reverse current ratio at applied voltages of - 2 to + 2 V were observed in this heterojunction with the increase of Zn2 + ion concentration in the hydrothermal reaction. Furthermore, the photoelectrochemical properties were investigated and the highest photocurrent of 3.1 mA cm - 2 was obtained under AM 1.5 illumination with 100 mW cm - 2 light intensity at 0.71 V (versus Ag/AgCl). This novel 3D fibrous network nanostructure plays an important role in the optoelectronic field and can be extended to other binary or ternary oxide compositions for various applications.

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

First-principles interatomic potentials for transition-metal aluminides. III. Extension to ternary phase diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widom, Mike; Al-Lehyani, Ibrahim; Moriarty, John A.

2000-08-01

Modeling structural and mechanical properties of intermetallic compounds and alloys requires detailed knowledge of their interatomic interactions. The first two papers of this series [Phys. Rev. B 56, 7905 (1997); 58, 8967 (1998)] derived first-principles interatomic potentials for transition-metal (TM) aluminides using generalized pseudopotential theory (GPT). Those papers focused on binary alloys of aluminum with first-row transition metals and assessed the ability of GPT potentials to reproduce and elucidate the alloy phase diagrams of Al-Co and Al-Ni. This paper addresses the phase diagrams of the binary alloy Al-Cu and the ternary systems Al-Co-Cu and Al-Co-Ni, using GPT pair potentials calculated in the limit of vanishing transition-metal concentration. Despite this highly simplifying approximation, we find rough agreement with the known low-temperature phase diagrams, up to 50% total TM concentration provided the Co fraction is below 25%. Full composition-dependent potentials and many-body interactions would be required to correct deficiencies at higher Co concentration. Outside this troublesome region, the experimentally determined stable and metastable phases all lie on or near the convex hull of a scatter plot of energy versus composition. We verify, qualitatively, reported solubility ranges extending binary alloys into the ternary diagram in both Al-Co-Cu and Al-Co-Ni. Finally, we reproduce previously conjectured transition-metal positions in the decagonal quasicrystal phase.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

The role of the non-magnetic material in spin pumping and magnetization dynamics in NiFe and CoFeB multilayer systems

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

Ruiz-Calaforra, A., E-mail: ruiz@physik.uni-kl.de; Brächer, T.; Lauer, V.

2015-04-28

We present a study of the effective magnetization M{sub eff} and the effective damping parameter α{sub eff} by means of ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy on the ferromagnetic (FM) materials Ni{sub 81}Fe{sub 19} (NiFe) and Co{sub 40}Fe{sub 40}B{sub 20} (CoFeB) in FM/Pt, FM/NM, and FM/NM/Pt systems with the non-magnetic (NM) materials Ru, Cr, Al, and MgO. Moreover, for NiFe layer systems, the influence of interface effects is studied by way of thickness dependent measurements of M{sub eff} and α{sub eff}. Additionally, spin pumping in NiFe/NM/Pt is investigated by means of inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) measurements. We observe a large dependence ofmore » M{sub eff} and α{sub eff} of the NiFe films on the adjacent NM layer. While Cr and Al do not induce a large change in the magnetic properties, Ru, Pt, and MgO affect M{sub eff} and α{sub eff} in different degrees. In particular, NiFe/Ru and NiFe/Ru/Pt systems show a large perpendicular surface anisotropy and a significant enhancement of the damping. In contrast, the magnetic properties of CoFeB films do not have a large influence of the NM adjacent material and only CoFeB/Pt systems present an enhancement of α{sub eff}. However, this enhancement is much more pronounced in NiFe/Pt. By the introduction of the NM spacer material, this enhancement is reduced. Furthermore, a difference in symmetry between NiFe/NM/Pt and NiFe/NM systems in the output voltage signal from the ISHE measurements reveals the presence of spin pumping into the Pt layer in all-metallic NiFe/NM/Pt and NiFe/Pt systems.« less

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.

First principle study of UHTC ternary diboride, Cr2AlB2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastogi, Anugya; Rajpoot, Priyanka; Verma, U. P.

2018-04-01

In this paper ab-initio study of the structural, electronic and optical properties of ternary metal boride Cr2AlB2 using full potential linear augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method based on the density functional theory (DFT). The study of structural properties shows that Cr2AlB2 is metallic in nature and have orthorhombic crystal structure. The optical properties show that it possess anisotropic behavior, which have wide applications in electricity production through concentration of solar power (CSP) technology. To the best of our knowledge, theoretical study of the optical properties of Cr2AlB2 is reported for the first time.

Hierarchical MnO2/SnO2 heterostructures for a novel free-standing ternary thermite membrane.

PubMed

Yang, Yong; Zhang, Zhi-Cheng; Wang, Peng-Peng; Zhang, Jing-Chao; Nosheen, Farhat; Zhuang, Jing; Wang, Xun

2013-08-19

We report the synthesis of a novel hierarchical MnO2/SnO2 heterostructures via a hydrothermal method. Secondary SnO2 nanostructure grows epitaxially on the surface of MnO2 backbones without any surfactant, which relies on the minimization of surface energy and interfacial lattice mismatch. Detailed investigations reveal that the cover density and morphology of the SnO2 nanostructure can be tailored by changing the experimental parameter. Moreover, we demonstrate a bottom-up method to produce energetic nanocomposites by assembling nanoaluminum (n-Al) and MnO2/SnO2 hierarchical nanostructures into a free-standing MnO2/SnO2/n-Al ternary thermite membrane. This assembled approach can significantly reduce diffusion distances and increase their intimacy between the components. Different thermite mixtures were investigated to evaluate the corresponding activation energies using DSC techniques. The energy performance of the ternary thermite membrane can be manipulated through different components of the MnO2/SnO2 heterostructures. Overall, our work may open a new route for new energetic materials.

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.

A low temperature co-fired ceramic power inductor manufactured using a glass-free ternary composite material system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuanxun; Xie, Yunsong; Xie, Ru; Chen, Daming; Han, Likun; Su, Hua

2018-03-01

A glass-free ternary composite material system (CMS) manufactured employing the low temperature ( 890 ° C ) co-fired ceramic (LTCC) technique is reported. This ternary CMS consists of silver, NiCuZn ferrite, and Zn2SiO4 ceramic. The reported device fabricated from this ternary CMS is a power inductor with a nominal inductance of 1.0 μH. Three major highlights were achieved from the device and the material study. First, unlike most other LTCC methods, no glass is required to be added in either of the dielectric materials in order to co-fire the NiCuZn ferrite, Zn2SiO4 ceramic, and silver. Second, a successfully co-fired silver, NiCuZn, and Zn2SiO4 device can be achieved by optimizing the thermal shrinkage properties of both NiCuZn and Zn2SiO4, so that they have a very similar temperature shrinkage profile. We have also found that strong non-magnetic elemental diffusion occurs during the densification process, which further enhances the success rate of manufacturing co-fired devices. Last but not least, elemental mapping suggests that strong magnetic elemental diffusion between NiCuZn and Zn2SiO4 has been suppressed during the co-firing process. The investigation of electrical performance illustrates that while the ordinary binary CMS based power inductor can deal with 400 mA DC, the ternary CMS based power inductor is able to handle higher DC currents, 700 mA and 620 mA DC, according to both simulation and experiment demonstrations, respectively.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Composite Ni/NiO-Cr2O3 Catalyst for Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

PubMed Central

Bates, Michael K.; Jia, Qingying; Ramaswamy, Nagappan; Allen, Robert J.; Mukerjee, Sanjeev

2015-01-01

We report a Ni–Cr/C electrocatalyst with unprecedented mass-activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline electrolyte. The HER kinetics of numerous binary and ternary Ni-alloys and composite Ni/metal-oxide/C samples were evaluated in aqueous 0.1 M KOH electrolyte. The highest HER mass-activity was observed for Ni–Cr materials which exhibit metallic Ni as well as NiOx and Cr2O3 phases as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analysis. The onset of the HER is significantly improved compared to numerous binary and ternary Ni-alloys, including Ni–Mo materials. It is likely that at adjacent Ni/NiOx sites, the oxide acts as a sink for OHads, while the metallic Ni acts as a sink for the Hads intermediate of the HER, thus minimizing the high activation energy of hydrogen evolution via water reduction. This is confirmed by in situ XAS studies that show that the synergistic HER enhancement is due to NiOx content and that the Cr2O3 appears to stabilize the composite NiOx component under HER conditions (where NiOx would typically be reduced to metallic Ni0). Furthermore, in contrast to Pt, the Ni(Ox)/Cr2O3 catalyst appears resistant to poisoning by the anion exchange ionomer (AEI), a serious consideration when applied to an anionic polymer electrolyte interface. Furthermore, we report a detailed model of the double layer interface which helps explain the observed ensemble effect in the presence of AEI. PMID:26191118

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.

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.

Single crystal growth and physical properties of the new ternary compound Eu2Mg4Si3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Numakura, Ryosuke; Iizuka, Ryosuke; Michimura, Shinji; Katano, Susumu; Kosaka, Masashi

2018-05-01

We have studied the magnetic and electrical properties of new ternary europium magnesium silicide Eu2Mg4Si3. The single crystalline Eu2Mg4Si3 has been prepared by the Mg self-flux method. The compound crystalizes in the hexagonal Hf2Co4P3-type structure with space group P 6 bar 2 m with unit cell parameters a = 14.78 (3) Å and c = 4.434 (6) Å . Magnetic, electrical, and thermal properties indicate that the system undergoes two successive phase transitions, occurring at TN1 = 9.6 K and TN2 = 8.4 K . The estimated effective magnetic moment is close to the moment of free Eu2+ ion. The electrical resistivity data ρ (T) for Eu2Mg4Si3 show a metallic-like behavior from room temperature down to about 100 K. However, the ρ (T) data exhibit a notable upturn below 80 K and a maximum around TN1 and then suddenly decrease with decreasing temperature. These features are strongly suppressed by applying magnetic fields and a metallic temperature dependence eventually exhibits over the whole temperature range in a magnetic field of 30 kOe. Such behavior is observed in some magnetoresistive compounds.

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.

Chemical synthesis of hierarchical NiCo2S4 nanosheets like nanostructure on flexible foil for a high performance supercapacitor.

PubMed

Kim, D -Y; Ghodake, G S; Maile, N C; Kadam, A A; Sung Lee, Dae; Fulari, V J; Shinde, S K

2017-08-29

In this study, hierarchical interconnected nickel cobalt sulfide (NiCo 2 S 4 ) nanosheets were effectively deposited on a flexible stainless steel foil by the chemical bath deposition method (CBD) for high-performance supercapacitor applications. The resulting NiCo 2 S 4 sample was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and electrochemical measurements. XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the formation of the ternary NiCo 2 S 4 sample with a pure cubic phase. FE-SEM and HR-TEM revealed that the entire foil surface was fully covered with the interconnected nanosheets like surface morphology. The NiCo 2 S 4 nanosheets demonstrated impressive electrochemical characteristics with a specific capacitance of 1155 F g -1 at 10 mV s -1 and superior cycling stability (95% capacity after 2000 cycles). These electrochemical characteristics could be attributed to the higher active area and higher conductivity of the sample. The results demonstrated that the interconnected NiCo 2 S 4 nanosheets are promising as electrodes for supercapacitor and energy storage applications.

Interaction of human low density lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B with ternary lipid microemulsion. Physical and functional properties.

PubMed

Chun, P W; Brumbaugh, E E; Shiremann, R B

1986-12-31

Based on data from sedimentation velocity experiments, electrophoresis, electron microscopy, cellular uptake studies, scanning molecular sieve chromatography using a quasi-three-dimensional data display and flow performance liquid chromatography (FPLC), models for the interaction of human serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) and of apolipoprotein B (apo B) with a ternary lipid microemulsion (ME) are proposed. The initial step in the interaction of LDL (Stokes radius 110 A) with the ternary microemulsion (Stokes radius 270 A) appears to be attachment of the LDL to emulsion particles. This attachment is followed by a very slow fusion into particles having a radius of approx. 280 A. Sonication of this mixture yields large aggregates. Electron micrographs of deoxycholate-solubilized apo B indicate an arrangement of apo B resembling strings of beads. During incubation, these particles also attach to the ternary microemulsion particles and, upon sonication, spherical particles result which resemble native LDL particles in size. Scanning chromatography corroborates the electron microscopy results. By appropriate choice of display angles in a quasi-three-dimensional display of the scanning data (corrected for gel apparent absorbance) taken at equal time intervals during passage of a sample through the column, changes in molecular radius of less than 10 A can be detected visually. Such a display gives a quantitative estimate of 101 +/- 2 A for these particles (compared to 110 A for native LDL). The LDL-ME particles and apo B-ME particles compete efficiently with native LDL for cellular binding and uptake. Cellular association studies indicate that both LDL- and apo B-ME particles are effective vehicles for lipid delivery into cells.

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).

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.

Hardness and Second Phase Percentage of Ni-Ti-Hf Compounds After Heat Treatment at 700C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Malcolm K.

2017-01-01

The Vickers hardness and second phase precipitation of three ternary intermetallic Ni-Ti-Hf compounds containing either 1, 3 or 5 at.% Hf were compared to 60-Nitinol (55 at.% Ni - 45 at.% Ti). Heat treatment either at 700 C or with a subsequent aging step, hardened the 3 and 5 at.% Hf-containing ternaries to approximately 620 HV (56 HRC). Heat treatment increased the hardness of the 1 at.% Hf compound by more than 25 percent. Average hardness of the 3 and 5 at.% Hf ternaries, though higher than that of the binary Ni-Ti or the Ni-Ti-Hf compound containing 1 at.% Hf, appeared to be fairly insensitive to the different heat treatments. There was a drastic reduction of fatigue-enhancing second phase precipitates for the 5 at.% Hf ternaries compared to the other compounds. These results should guide materials selection for development of aerospace componentry.

Bactericidal action of binary and ternary mixtures of carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol against Listeria innocua.

PubMed

García-García, Rebeca; López-Malo, Aurelio; Palou, Enrique

2011-03-01

The bactericidal effect of 3 natural agents (carvacrol, thymol, and eugenol) was evaluated as well as their binary and ternary mixtures on Listeria innocua inactivation in liquid model systems. Minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of these agents were determined, and then binary and ternary mixtures were evaluated. Culture media were inoculated with L. innocua and incubated for 72 h at 35 °C. Turbidity of studied systems were determined every 24 h. The most effective individual antimicrobial agent was carvacrol, followed by thymol and then eugenol with MBCs of 150, 250, and 450 mg kg(-1), respectively. It was observed that the most effective binary mixture was 75 mg kg(-1) carvacrol and 62.5 mg kg(-1) thymol. Furthermore, the ternary mixture carvacrol-thymol-eugenol in concentrations of 75, 31.25, and 56.25 mg kg(-1), correspondingly, was the most effective for L. innocua inactivation. Several binary and ternary mixtures of these 3 natural antimicrobial agents worked adequately to inactivate L. innocua.

Pinning in high performance MgB2 thin films and bulks: Role of Mg-B-O nano-scale inhomogeneities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prikhna, Tatiana; Shapovalov, Andrey; Eisterer, Michael; Shaternik, Vladimir; Goldacker, Wilfried; Weber, Harald W.; Moshchil, Viktor; Kozyrev, Artem; Sverdun, Vladimir; Boutko, Viktor; Grechnev, Gennadiy; Gusev, Alexandr; Kovylaev, Valeriy; Shaternik, Anton

2017-02-01

The comparison of nano-crystalline MgB2 oxygen-containing thin film (140 nm) and highly dense bulk materials showed that the critical current density, Jc, depends on the distribution of Mg-B-O nano-scale inhomogeneities. It has been shown that MgB2 bulks with high Jc in low (∼106 A/cm2 in 0-1 T at 10 K) and medium magnetic fields contain MgB0.6-0.8O0.8-0.9 nano-inclusions, where δTc or a combined δTc (dominant) / δl pinning mechanism prevails, while in bulk MgB2 with high Jc in high magnetic fields (Birr(18.5 K) = 15 T, Bc2(0 K) = 42.1 T) MgB1.2-2.7O1.8-2.5 nano-layers are present and δl pinning prevails. The structure of oxygen-containing films with high Jc in low and high magnetic fields (Jc (0 Т) = 1.8 × 107 А/сm2 and Jc (5 Т) = 2 × 106 А/сm2 at 10 К) contains very fine oxygen-enriched Mg-B-O inhomogeneities and δl pinning is realized. The results of DOS calculations in MgB2-xOx cells for x = 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 demonstrate that all compounds are conductors with metal-like behaviour. In the case of ordered oxygen substitution for boron the binding energy, Eb, does not increase sufficiently as compared with that for MgB2, while when oxygen atoms form zigzag chains the calculated Eb is even lower (Eb = -1.15712 Ry).

Reactivity of the Ni-->B dative sigma-bond in the nickel boratrane compounds [kappa4-B(mimBut)3]NiX (X=Cl, OAc, NCS, N3): synthesis of a series of B-functionalized tris(2-mercapto-1-tert-butylimidazolyl)borato complexes, [YTmBut)]NiZ.

PubMed

Pang, Keliang; Tanski, Joseph M; Parkin, Gerard

2008-02-28

The nickel boratrane complexes [kappa4-B(mimBut))3]Ni(kappa1-OAc), [kappa4-B(mimBut)3]NiNCS and [kappa4-B(mimBut)3]NiN3 are obtained via metathesis of the chloride ligand of [kappa4-B(mimBut)3]NiCl with TlOAc, KSCN and NaN3, respectively; the Ni-->B bond in these complexes is a site of reactivity, thereby providing a means of synthesizing nickel complexes that feature B-functionalized tris(mercaptoimidazolyl)borate derivatives, [YTmBut]NiZ.

Processing and Mechanical Properties of NiAl-Based In-Situ Composites. Ph.D. Thesis Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, David Ray

1994-01-01

In-situ composites based on the NiAl-Cr eutectic system were successfully produced by containerless processing and evaluated. The NiAl-Cr alloys had a fibrous microstructure while the NiAl-(Cr,Mo) alloys containing 1 at. percent or more molybdenum exhibited a lamellar structure. The NiAl-28Cr-6Mo eutectic displays promising high temperature strength while still maintaining a reasonable room temperature fracture toughness when compared to other NiAl-based materials. The Laves phase NiAlTa was used to strengthen NiAl and very promising creep strengths were found for the directionally solidified NiAl-NiAlTa eutectic. The eutectic composition was found to be near NiAl-15.5Ta (at. percent) and well aligned microstructures were produced at this composition. An off-eutectic composition of NiAl-14.5Ta was also processed, consisting of NiAl dendrites surrounded by aligned eutectic regions. The room temperature toughness of these two phase alloys was similar to that of polycrystalline NiAl even with the presence of the brittle Laves phase NiAlTa. Polyphase in-situ composites were generated by directional solidification of ternary eutectics. The systems investigated were the Ni-Al-Ta-X (X=Cr, Mo, or V) alloys. Ternary eutectics were found in each of these systems and both the eutectic composition and temperature were determined. Of these ternary eutectics, the one in the NiAl-Ta-Cr system was found to be the most promising. The fracture toughness of the NiAl-(Cr,Al)NiTa-Cr eutectic was intermediate between those of the NiAl-NiAlTa eutectic and the NiAl-Cr eutectic. The creep strength of this ternary eutectic was similar to or greater than that of the NiAl-Cr eutectic.

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.

Microscale Interface Synthesis of Ni-B Amorphous Nanoparticles from NiSO4 by Sodium Borohydride Reduction in Microreactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lei; Peng, Jinhui; Meng, Binfang; Li, Wei; Liu, Bingguo; Luo, Huilong

2016-09-01

Amorphous nanoparticles have attracted a large amount of interest due to their superior catalytic activity and unique selectivity. The Ni-B amorphous nanoparticles were synthesized from aqueous reduction of NiSO4 by sodium borohydride in microscale interface at room temperature. The size, morphology, elemental compositions, and the chemical composition on the surface of Ni-B amorphous nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All the results showed that the synthesized particles are Ni-B amorphous nanoparticles with uniform in size distribution and having good dispersion. The mean particle diameter of Ni-B amorphous nanoparticles was around 9 nm. The present work provides an alternative synthesis route for the Ni-B amorphous nanoparticles.

A Comparative Biocompatibility Analysis of Ternary Nitinol Alloys

PubMed Central

Haider, Waseem; Munroe, Norman; Pulletikurthi, Chandan; Singh Gill, Puneet K.; Amruthaluri, Sushma

2009-01-01

Nitinol alloys are rapidly being utilized as the material of choice in a variety of applications in the medical industry. It has been used for self-expanding stents, graft support systems, and various other devices for minimally invasive interventional and endoscopic procedures. However, the biocompatibility of this alloy remains a concern to many practitioners in the industry due to nickel sensitivity experienced by many patients. In recent times, several new Nitinol alloys have been introduced with the addition of a ternary element. Nevertheless, there is still a dearth of information concerning the biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of these alloys. This study compared the biocompatibility of two ternary Nitinol alloys prepared by powder metallurgy (PM) and arc melting (AM) and critically assessed the influence of the ternary element. ASTM F 2129-08 cyclic polarization in vitro corrosion tests were conducted to evaluate the corrosion resistance in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The growth of endothelial cells on NiTi was examined using optical microscopy. PMID:19956791

A Comparative Biocompatibility Analysis of Ternary Nitinol Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haider, Waseem; Munroe, Norman; Pulletikurthi, Chandan; Gill, Puneet K. Singh; Amruthaluri, Sushma

2009-08-01

Nitinol alloys are rapidly being utilized as the material of choice in a variety of applications in the medical industry. It has been used for self-expanding stents, graft support systems, and various other devices for minimally invasive interventional and endoscopic procedures. However, the biocompatibility of this alloy remains a concern to many practitioners in the industry due to nickel sensitivity experienced by many patients. In recent times, several new Nitinol alloys have been introduced with the addition of a ternary element. Nevertheless, there is still a dearth of information concerning the biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of these alloys. This study compared the biocompatibility of two ternary Nitinol alloys prepared by powder metallurgy (PM) and arc melting (AM) and critically assessed the influence of the ternary element. ASTM F 2129-08 cyclic polarization in vitro corrosion tests were conducted to evaluate the corrosion resistance in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The growth of endothelial cells on NiTi was examined using optical microscopy.

A Comparative Biocompatibility Analysis of Ternary Nitinol Alloys.

PubMed

Haider, Waseem; Munroe, Norman; Pulletikurthi, Chandan; Singh Gill, Puneet K; Amruthaluri, Sushma

2009-08-01

Nitinol alloys are rapidly being utilized as the material of choice in a variety of applications in the medical industry. It has been used for self-expanding stents, graft support systems, and various other devices for minimally invasive interventional and endoscopic procedures. However, the biocompatibility of this alloy remains a concern to many practitioners in the industry due to nickel sensitivity experienced by many patients. In recent times, several new Nitinol alloys have been introduced with the addition of a ternary element. Nevertheless, there is still a dearth of information concerning the biocompatibility and corrosion resistance of these alloys. This study compared the biocompatibility of two ternary Nitinol alloys prepared by powder metallurgy (PM) and arc melting (AM) and critically assessed the influence of the ternary element. ASTM F 2129-08 cyclic polarization in vitro corrosion tests were conducted to evaluate the corrosion resistance in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The growth of endothelial cells on NiTi was examined using optical microscopy.

Enthalpy of mixing of liquid systems for lead free soldering: Ni-Sb-Sn system.

PubMed

Elmahfoudi, A; Fürtauer, S; Sabbar, A; Flandorfer, H

2012-04-20

The partial and integral enthalpies of mixing of liquid ternary Ni-Sb-Sn alloys were determined along five sections x Sb / x Sn  = 3:1, x Sb / x Sn  = 1:1, x Sb / x Sn  = 1:3, x Ni / x Sn  = 1:4, and x Ni / x Sb  = 1:4 at 1000 °C in a large compositional range using drop calorimetry techniques. The mixing enthalpy of Ni-Sb alloys was determined at the same temperature and described by a Redlich-Kister polynomial. The other binary data were carefully evaluated from literature values. Our measured ternary data were fitted on the basis of an extended Redlich-Kister-Muggianu model for substitutional solutions. Additionally, a comparison of these results to the extrapolation model of Toop is given. The entire ternary system shows exothermic values of Δ mix H ranging from approx. -1300 J/mol, the minimum in the Sb-Sn binary system down to approx. -24,500 J/mol towards Ni-Sb. No significant ternary interaction could be deduced from our data.

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.

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.

Fabrication and Properties of Novel NiWFeB Amorphous Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiajia; Liu, Wensheng; Ma, Yunzhu; Ye, Xiaoshan; Wu, Yayu

2017-09-01

In this work, we reported the successful synthesis of four quaternary NiWFeB amorphous alloys (Ni53.9W4.3Fe24.2B17.6, Ni49.7W9.7Fe22.3B18.3, Ni46.2W14.1Fe20.8B18.9 and Ni42.2W19.2Fe18.9B19.7 in at.%) via melt spinning method. The synthesized amorphous alloys are characterized by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimeter, scanning electron microscopy and Vickers indenters. The results showed that the crystallization temperatures T x1 of four amorphous alloys with increased W contents, derived from the exothermic peaks in DSC, were 705, 715, 851, and 965 K, respectively. The Vickers hardness ( H v) of the corresponding four amorphous alloys at room temperature was 8.5, 9.8, 10.3, and 11.4 GPa, respectively. The much finer shear bands in the deformation region underneath the Vickers indenter were observed as the tungsten content increases. All the results showed a tendency that the higher the tungsten content, the greater the thermal stability and hardness. The results indicated the NiWFeB amorphous alloys could be easier fabricated by continuing to increase the tungsten content, and those NiWFeB amorphous alloys would have a promising application in nuclear energies and military defenses.

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.

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

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.

Development of B2 Shape Memory Intermetallics Beyond NiAl, CoNiAl and CoNiGa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerstein, G.; Firstov, G. S.; Kosorukova, T. A.; Koval, Yu. N.; Maier, H. J.

2018-06-01

The present study describes the development of shape memory alloys based on NiAl. Initially, this system was considered a promising but unsuccessful neighbour of NiTi. Later, however, shape memory alloys like CoNiAl or CoNiGa were developed that can be considered as NiAl derivatives and already demonstrated good mechanical properties. Yet, these alloys were still inferior to NiTi in most respects. Lately, using a multi-component approach, a CoNiCuAlGaIn high entropy intermetallic compound was developed from the NiAl prototype. This new alloy featured a B2 phase and a martensitic transformation along with a remarkable strength in the as-cast state. In the long-term, this new approach might led to a breakthrough for shape memory alloys in general.

Internal versus External Dose for Describing Ternary Metal Mixture (Ni, Cu, Cd) Chronic Toxicity to Lemna minor.

PubMed

Gopalapillai, Yamini; Hale, Beverley A

2017-05-02

Simultaneous determinations of internal dose ([M] tiss ) and external doses ([M] tot , {M 2+ } in solution) were conducted to study ternary mixture (Ni, Cu, Cd) chronic toxicity to Lemna minor in alkaline solution (pH 8.3). Also, concentration addition (CA) based on internal dose was evaluated as a tool for risk assessment of metal mixture. Multiple regression analysis of dose versus root growth inhibition, as well as saturation binding kinetics, provided insight into interactions. Multiple regressions were simpler for [M] tiss than [M] tot and {M 2+ }, and along with saturation kinetics to the internal biotic ligand(s) in the cytoplasm, they indicated that Ni-Cu-Cd competed for uptake into plant, but once inside, only Cu-Cd shared a binding site. Copper inorganic complexes (hydroxides, carbonates) played a role in metal bioavailability in single metal exposure but not in mixtures. Regardless of interactions, the current regulatory approach of using CA based on [M] tot can sufficiently predict mixture toxicity (∑TU close to 1), but CA based on [M] tiss was closest to unity across a range of doses. Internal dose integrates all metal-metal interactions in solution and during uptake into the organism, thereby providing a more direct metric describing toxicity.

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

MgO-Al2O3-ZrO2 Amorphous Ternary Composite: A Dense and Stable Optical Coating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaoo, Naba K.; Shapiro, Alan P.

1998-01-01

The process-parameter-dependent optical and structural properties of MgO-Al2O3-ZrO2 ternary mixed-composite material were investigated. Optical properties were derived from spectrophotometric measurements. The surface morphology, grain size distributions, crystallographic phases, and process- dependent material composition of films were investigated through the use of atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction analysis, and energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. Energy-dispersive x-ray analysis made evident the correlation between the optical constants and the process-dependent compositions in the films. It is possible to achieve environmentally stable amorphous films with high packing density under certain optimized process conditions.

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.

Examination of Multiphase (Zr,Ti)(V,Cr,Mn,Ni)2 Ni-MH Electrode Alloys: Part I. Dendritic Solidification Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boettinger, W. J.; Newbury, D. E.; Wang, K.; Bendersky, L. A.; Chiu, C.; Kattner, U. R.; Young, K.; Chao, B.

2010-08-01

The solidification microstructures of three nine-element Zr-Ni-based AB2 type C14/C15 Laves hydrogen storage alloys are determined. The selected compositions represent a class of alloys being examined for usage as an MH electrode in nickel metal-hydride batteries that often have their best properties in the cast state. Solidification is accomplished by dendritic growth of hexagonal C14 Laves phase, peritectic solidification of cubic C15 Laves phase, and formation of cubic B2 phase in the interdendritic regions. The B2 phase decomposes in the solid state into a complex multivariate platelike structure containing Zr-Ni-rich intermetallics. The observed sequence C14/C15 upon solidification agrees with predictions using effective compositions and thermodynamic assessments of the ternary systems, Ni-Cr-Zr and Cr-Ti-Zr. Experimentally, the closeness of the compositions of the C14 and C15 phases required the use of compositional mapping with an energy dispersive detector capable of processing a very high X-ray flux to locate regions in the microstructure for quantitative composition measurement and transmission electron microscope examination.

Multicritical points in the mixed ferromagnetic-ferrimagnetic ternary alloy with a single-ion anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobák, A.; Abubrig, F. O.; Balcerzak, T.

2003-12-01

The phase diagram of the ABpC1-p ternary alloy consisting of Ising spins SA=3/2, SB=1, and SC=5/2 in the presence of a single-ion anisotropy is investigated by the use of a mean-field theory based on the Bogoliubov inequality for the Gibbs free energy. To simulate the structure of the ternary metal Prussian blue analog such as (NiIIpMnII1-p)1.5[CrIII(CN)6]ṡzH2O, we assume that the A and X (either B or C) ions are alternately connected and the couplings between the A and X ions include both ferromagnetic (JAB>0) and antiferromagnetic (JAC<0) interactions. At the finite temperatures by changing values of the parameters of the model many different types of phase diagrams are obtained, including a variety of multicritical points such as tricritical points, fourth-order point, critical end points, isolated critical points, and triple points.

Fabrication of biodegradable Zn-Al-Mg alloy: Mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, cytotoxicity and antibacterial activities.

PubMed

Bakhsheshi-Rad, H R; Hamzah, E; Low, H T; Kasiri-Asgarani, M; Farahany, S; Akbari, E; Cho, M H

2017-04-01

In this work, binary Zn-0.5Al and ternary Zn-0.5Al-xMg alloys with various Mg contents were investigated as biodegradable materials for implant applications. Compared with Zn-0.5Al (single phase), Zn-0.5Al-xMg alloys consisted of the α-Zn and Mg 2 (Zn, Al) 11 with a fine lamellar structure. The results also revealed that ternary Zn-Al-Mg alloys presented higher micro-hardness value, tensile strength and corrosion resistance compared to the binary Zn-Al alloy. In addition, the tensile strength and corrosion resistance increased with increasing the Mg content in ternary alloys. The immersion tests also indicated that the corrosion rates in the following order Zn-0.5Al-0.5MgMgMgMg alloy presents higher viability of MC3T3-E1 cell compared to the Zn-0.5Al alloy, which suggested good biocompatibility. The antibacterial activity result of both Zn-0.5Al and Zn-0.5Al-Mg alloys against Escherichia coli presented some antibacterial activity, while the Zn-0.5Al-0.5Mg significantly prohibited the growth of Escherichia coli. Thus, Zn-0.5Al-0.5Mg alloy with appropriate mechanical properties, low corrosion rate, good biocompatibility and antibacterial activities was believed to be a good candidate as a biodegradable implant material. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interaction of intermetallic compound formation in Cu/SnAgCu/NiAu sandwich solder joints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Yanghua; Lu, Chuanyan; Chang, Junling; Xie, Xiaoming

2006-05-01

The interaction between Cu/solder interface and solder/Ni interface at a Cu/SnAgCu/NiAu sandwich solder joint with various surface finishes and solder heights was investigated. The interfacial microstructure and composition of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) were characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The phase structure of IMC was identified by x-ray diffraction (XRD). It is found that ternary (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 IMCs form at both interfaces. The composition, thickness, and morphology of the ternary IMCs depend not only on the interface itself, but also on the opposite interface. That is to say, strong coupling effects exist between the two interfaces. Lattice parameters of (Cu,Ni)6Sn5 shrink with increasing Ni content, in agreement with Vegard’s law. The mechanism of ternary IMC formation and interface coupling effects are discussed in this paper.

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.

Superconductivity in the ternary germanide La3 Pd4 Ge4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, H.; Mochiku, T.; Takeya, H.; Sato, A.

2005-12-01

The ternary germanide La3Pd4Ge4 has been prepared by arc melting. This compound takes a body-centered lattice with an orthorhombic unit cell with the lattice parameters of a=4.2200(3)Å,b=4.3850(3)Å , and c=25.003(2)Å . The crystal structure of La3Pd4Ge4 is U3Ni4Si4 -type with the space group of Immm , consisting of the combination of structural units of AlB2 -type and BaAl4 -type layers. This compound is a type-II superconductor with a critical temperature (Tc) of 2.75 K. The lower critical field Hc1(0) is estimated to be 54 Oe. The upper critical field Hc2(0) estimated by linear extrapolation of the Hc2(T) curves is about 4.0 kOe, whereas the Werthamer-Hefland-Hohemberg theory gives Hc2(0)WHH=3.0kOe . This is an interesting observation of superconductivity in the compounds with U3Ni4Si4 -type structure. The coherence length ξ(0) of 330 Å and the penetration depth λ(0) of 2480 Å are derived.

Microwave surface resistance of MgB2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhukov, A. A.; Purnell, A.; Miyoshi, Y.; Bugoslavsky, Y.; Lockman, Z.; Berenov, A.; Zhai, H. Y.; Christen, H. M.; Paranthaman, M. P.; Lowndes, D. H.; Jo, M. H.; Blamire, M. G.; Hao, Ling; Gallop, J.; MacManus-Driscoll, J. L.; Cohen, L. F.

2002-04-01

The microwave power and frequency dependence of the surface resistance of MgB2 films and powder samples were studied. Sample quality is relatively easy to identify by the breakdown in the ω2 law for poor-quality samples at all temperatures. The performance of MgB2 at 10 GHz and 21 K was compared directly with that of high-quality YBCO films. The surface resistance of MgB2 was found to be approximately three times higher at low microwave power and showed an onset of nonlinearity at microwave surface fields ten times lower than the YBCO film. It is clear that MgB2 films are not yet optimized for microwave applications.

Development of ternary alloy cathode catalysts for phosphoric acid fuel cells: Final report

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

Jalan, V.; Kosek, J.; Giner, J.

The overall objective of the program was the identification development and incorporation of high activity platinum ternary alloys on corrosion resistant supports, for use in advanced phosphoric acid fuel cells. Two high activity ternary alloys, Pr-Cr-Ce and Pt-Ni-Co, both supported on Vulcan XC-72, were identified during the course of the program. The Pr-Ni-Co system was selected for optimization, including preparation and evaluation on corrosion resistant supports such as 2700/degree/C heat-treated Vulcan XC-72 and 2700/degree/ heat-treated Black Pearls 2000. A series of tests identified optimum metal ratios, heat-treatment temperatures and heat-treatment atmospheres for the Pr-Ni-Co system. During characterization testing, it wasmore » discovered that approximately 50% of the nickel and cobalt present in the starting material could be removed, subsequent to alloy formation, without degrading performance. Extremely stable full cell performance was observed for the Pt-Ni-Co system during a 10,000 hour atmosphere pressure life test. Several theories are proposed to explain the enhancement in activity due to alloy formation. Recommendations are made for future research in this area. 62 refs., 23 figs., 27 tabs.« less

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).

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.

Evaluation of Young’s modulus of MgB2 filaments in composite wires for the superconducting links for the high-luminosity LHC upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugano, Michinaka; Ballarino, Amalia; Bartova, Barbora; Bjoerstad, Roger; Gerardin, Alexandre; Scheuerlein, Christian

2016-02-01

MgB2 wire is a promising superconductor for the superconducting links for the high-luminosity upgrade of the large Hadron collider at CERN. The mechanical properties of MgB2 must be fully quantified for the cable design, and in this study, we evaluate the Young’s modulus of MgB2 filaments in wires with a practical level of critical current. The Young’s moduli of MgB2 filaments by two different processes, in situ and ex situ, were compared. Two different evaluation methods were applied to an in situ MgB2 wire, a single-fiber tensile test and a tensile test after removing Monel. In addition, the Young’s modulus of the few-micron-thick Nb-Ni reaction layer in an ex situ processed wire was evaluated using a nanoindentation testing technique to improve the accuracy of analysis based on the rule of mixtures. The Young’s moduli of the in situ and ex situ MgB2 wires were in the range of 76-97 GPa and no distinct difference depending on the fabrication process was found.

Prediction of novel stable Fe-V-Si ternary phase

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

Nguyen, Manh Cuong; Chen, Chong; Zhao, Xin

Genetic algorithm searches based on a cluster expansion model are performed to search for stable phases of Fe-V-Si ternary. Here, we identify a new thermodynamically, dynamically and mechanically stable ternary phase of Fe 5V 2Si with 2 formula units in a tetragonal unit cell. The formation energy of this new ternary phase is -36.9 meV/atom below the current ternary convex hull. The magnetic moment of Fe in the new structure varies from -0.30-2.52 μ B depending strongly on the number of Fe nearest neighbors. The total magnetic moment is 10.44 μ B/unit cell for new Fe 5V 2Si structure andmore » the system is ordinarily metallic.« less

Prediction of novel stable Fe-V-Si ternary phase

DOE PAGES

Nguyen, Manh Cuong; Chen, Chong; Zhao, Xin; ...

2018-10-28

Genetic algorithm searches based on a cluster expansion model are performed to search for stable phases of Fe-V-Si ternary. Here, we identify a new thermodynamically, dynamically and mechanically stable ternary phase of Fe 5V 2Si with 2 formula units in a tetragonal unit cell. The formation energy of this new ternary phase is -36.9 meV/atom below the current ternary convex hull. The magnetic moment of Fe in the new structure varies from -0.30-2.52 μ B depending strongly on the number of Fe nearest neighbors. The total magnetic moment is 10.44 μ B/unit cell for new Fe 5V 2Si structure andmore » the system is ordinarily metallic.« less

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.

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.

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.

Enhanced vibronic interaction caused by local lattice symmetry lowering in the (Fe, Mg)As2 ternary system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pishtshev, A.; Rubin, P.

2018-04-01

By means of periodic density functional theory (DFT) electronic structure calculations, we investigate iron-site doping effects in a structural model of bulk FeAs2. Simulations performed within the projector augmented-wave method-Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized gradient approximation (GGA) functional scheme reveal that the impacts of the two stoichiometric substitutions Fe → Mg and Fe → Ni are radically different with respect to the structural and electronic behavior of the dopants. In particular, unlike the Ni dopant, the Mg dopant incorporated in FeAs2 occupies a noncentral equilibrium position characterized by an off-center displacement from the reference higher-symmetry position. Analysis of the respective electron and vibrational factors allows us to explain this result in terms of the local pseudo Jahn-Teller effect (pJTE). On the basis of DFT calculations, we deduce which electron orbitals and lattice vibrational modes are appropriate for promoting the local instability at the origin of the pJTE. Quantitative evaluations of the pJTE parameters performed within the polyatomic formalism of an effective tight-binding model show that it is just the enhanced vibronic interaction in the Mg-[FeAs6] cluster that is responsible for the local lattice symmetry breaking.

Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of Ni-B/ZIF-8 as electrode materials for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhen; Gao, Yilong; Wu, Jianxiang; Zhang, Wei; Tan, Yueyue; Tang, Bohejin

2016-09-01

Ni-B/Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks-8 (Ni-B/ZIF-8) is synthesized via a series of solvothermal, incipient wetness impregnation and chemical reduction methods. The ZIF-8 serves as the host for the growth of Ni-B forming a Ni-B/ZIF-8 composite. Characterization by X-ray diffraction and Transmission electron microscope reveals the dispersion of Ni-B in ZIF-8. As electrode materials for supercapacitors, ZIF-8, Ni-B and Ni-B/ZIF-8 electrodes exhibit specific capacitances of 147, 563 and 866 F g-1, respectively at a scan rate of 5 mV s-1 and good stability over 500 cycles. In particular, Ni-B/ZIF-8 is a promising material for supercapacitors.

Understanding micro-diffusion bonding from the fabrication of B4C/Ni composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Miao; Wang, Wen-xian; Chen, Hong-sheng; Li, Yu-li

2018-03-01

A Ni-B4C macroscopic diffusion welding couple and a Ni-15wt%B4C composite fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) were used to understand the micro-scale diffusion bonding between metals and ceramics. In the Ni-B4C macroscopic diffusion welding couple a perfect diffusion welding joint was achieved. In the Ni-15wt%B4C sample, microstructure analyses demonstrated that loose structures occurred around the B4C particles. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses revealed that during the SPS process, the process of diffusion bonding between Ni and B4C particles can be divided into three stages. By employing a nano-indentation test, the room-temperature fracture toughness of the Ni matrix was found to be higher than that of the interface. The micro-diffusion bonding between Ni and B4C particles is quite different from the Ni-B4C reaction couple.

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.

The distribution alloying elements in alnico 8 and 9 magnets: Site preference of ternary Ti, Fe, Co, and Ni additions in DO 3 Fe 3Al, Co 3Al, and Ni 3Al based intermetallic phases

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

Samolyuk, G. D.; Újfalussy, B.; Stocks, G. M.

Recently, interest in alnico magnetic alloys has been rekindled due to their potential to substitute for rare-earth based permanent magnets provided modest improvements in their coercivity can be achieved without loss of saturation magnetization. Recent experimental studies have indicated that atomic and magnetic structure of the two phases (one AlNi-based, the other FeCo-based) that comprise these spinodally decomposed alloy is not as simple as previously thought. A key issue that arises is the distribution of Fe, Co and Ti within the AlNi-based matrix phase. In our paper we report the results of first-principles calculations of the site preference of ternarymore » alloying additions in DO 3 Fe 3Al, Co 3Al and Ni 3Al alloys, as models for the aluminide phase. For compound compositions that are Al rich, which corresponds to experimental situation, Ti and Fe are found to occupy the sites, while Co and Ni prefer the sites of the DO 3 lattice. Finally, an important finding is that the magnetic moments of transition metals in Fe 3Al and Co 3Al are ordered ferromagnetically, whereas the Ni3Al were found to be nonmagnetic unless the Fe or Co are added as a ternary element.« less

The distribution alloying elements in alnico 8 and 9 magnets: Site preference of ternary Ti, Fe, Co, and Ni additions in DO 3 Fe 3Al, Co 3Al, and Ni 3Al based intermetallic phases

DOE PAGES

Samolyuk, G. D.; Újfalussy, B.; Stocks, G. M.

2014-11-07

Recently, interest in alnico magnetic alloys has been rekindled due to their potential to substitute for rare-earth based permanent magnets provided modest improvements in their coercivity can be achieved without loss of saturation magnetization. Recent experimental studies have indicated that atomic and magnetic structure of the two phases (one AlNi-based, the other FeCo-based) that comprise these spinodally decomposed alloy is not as simple as previously thought. A key issue that arises is the distribution of Fe, Co and Ti within the AlNi-based matrix phase. In our paper we report the results of first-principles calculations of the site preference of ternarymore » alloying additions in DO 3 Fe 3Al, Co 3Al and Ni 3Al alloys, as models for the aluminide phase. For compound compositions that are Al rich, which corresponds to experimental situation, Ti and Fe are found to occupy the sites, while Co and Ni prefer the sites of the DO 3 lattice. Finally, an important finding is that the magnetic moments of transition metals in Fe 3Al and Co 3Al are ordered ferromagnetically, whereas the Ni3Al were found to be nonmagnetic unless the Fe or Co are added as a ternary element.« less

Infiltration sintering properties of Ni-4B-4Si(wt.%) alloy powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Q.; Zhang, X. C.; Wang, F. L.; Zou, J. T.

2018-01-01

The Ni-4B-4Si(wt.%) alloy powders were infiltrated into the nickel skeletons, the effects of sintering temperatures (1050-1150 °C) and skeletons (loose and compact nickel powders) on the microstructures and hardness of the sintered alloys were investigated. The Ni-B-Si alloy sintered at 1100 °C consisted of γ-Ni and Ni3B, and Si mainly solid soluted in the γ-Ni. The loose nickel powders favored to the infiltration of Ni-B-Si liquid alloy into the nickel skeletons, the sintered alloys exhibited dense microstructures and good interfacial bonding with Ni substrates. The interfacial hardness was equal to that of the sintered alloys and Ni substrates. Loose nickel powders ensured the density and interfacial bonding of the sintered alloys, the infiltration sintering process can be simplified and easily applied to practice.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of NiCo2O4 Double-Shelled Hollow Spheres for High-Performance Sodium Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiong; Zhou, Yanping; Luo, Bin; Zhu, Huacheng; Chu, Wei; Huang, Kama

2018-03-01

The ternary transitional metal oxide NiCo2O4 is a promising anode material for sodium ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity and superior electrical conductivity. However, its sodium storage capability is severely limited by the sluggish sodiation/desodiation reaction kinetics. Herein, NiCo2O4 double-shelled hollow spheres were synthesized via a microwave-assisted, fast solvothermal synthetic procedure in a mixture of isopropanol and glycerol, followed by annealing. Isopropanol played a vital role in the precipitation of nickel and cobalt, and the shrinkage of the glycerol quasi-emulsion under heat treatment was responsible for the formation of the double-shelled nanostructure. The as-synthesized product was tested as an anode material in a sodium ion battery, was found to exhibit a high reversible specific capacity of 511 mAh g-1 at 100 mA g-1, and deliver high capacity retention after 100 cycles. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Differential Conductance Measurements of MgB2/I/Pb Heterojunctions and all-MgB2 Junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cusick, David; Eckhardt, Matthew; Dai, Wenqing; Li, Qi; Chen, Ke; Cunnane, Daniel; Zhuang, C. G.; Xi, X. X.; Naito, Michio; Ramos, Roberto

2015-03-01

We present our work characterizing several types of Magnesium Diboride Josephson junctions, including MgB2/I/Pb heterojunctions and all-MgB2 junctions. We will report on the I-V and dI/dV-V data collected at various temperatures using both a cryocooler-based experimental platform between 2 and 20 Kelvin and using a 3He probe platform between 0.3 and 1.0 Kelvin. These were both developed by undergraduates in a liberal arts university. Using high-sampling rates with a 24-bit data acquisition card and access to a broad of range of temperatures, we track and report energy gap distributions and temperature-dependent features of dI/dV peaks of MgB2, comparing these with theoretical predictions. R.C.R. acknowledges support from National Science Foundation Grant # DMR-1206561.

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.

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.

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.

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

True ternary fission, the collinear cluster tripartition (CCT) of {sup 252}Cf

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

Oertzen, W. von; Pyatkov, Y. V.; Kamanin, D.

2012-10-20

In systematic work over the last decade (see Pyatkov et al. [12] and refs therein), the ternary fission decay of heavy nuclei, in {sup 235}U(n,fff) and {sup 252}Cf(sf) has been studied in a collinear geometry. The name used for this process is (CCT), with three fragments of similar size in a collinear decay, it is the true ternary fission. This decay has been observed in spontaneous fission as well as in a neutron induced reaction. The measurements are based on different experimental set-ups, with binary coincidences containing TOF and energy determinations. With two detector telescopes placed at 180 Degree-Sign ,more » the measurements of masses and energies of each of the registered two fragments, give complete kinematic solutions. Thus the missing mass events in binary coincidences can be determined, these events are obtained by blocking one of the lighter fragments on a structure in front of the detectors. The relatively high yield of CCT (more than 10{sup -3} per binary fission) is explained. It is due to the favourable Q-values (more positive than for binary) and the large phase space of the ternary CCT-decay, dominated by three (magic) clusters: e.g. isotopes of Sn, Ca and Ni, {sup 132}Sn+{sup 50}Ca+{sup 70}Ni. It is shown that the collinear (prolate) geometry has the favoured potential energy relative to the oblate shapes. The ternary fission is considered to be a sequential process. With this assumption the kinetic energies of the fragments have been calculated by Vijay et al.. The third fragments have very low kinetic energies (below 20 MeV) and have thus escaped their detection in previous work on 'ternary fission', where in addition an oblate shape and a triangle for the momentum vectors have been assumed.« less

The crystal structures of Ni{sub 3+x}Sn{sub 4}Zn and Ni{sub 6+x}Sn{sub 8}Zn and their structural relations to Ni{sub 3+x}Sn{sub 4}, NiSn and Ni{sub 5−δ}ZnSn{sub 4}

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

Schmetterer, Clemens, E-mail: clemens.schmetterer@univie.ac.at; Effenberger, Herta Silvia; Rajamohan, Divakar

2016-06-15

The crystal structures of two new compounds were determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements: Ni{sub 3+x}Sn{sub 4}Zn, (x~1.35, a=7.110(2) Å, b=4.123(1) Å, c=10.346(3) Å, β=90.23(2)°, space group I2/m, Z=2. R1=0.025, wR2=0.059 for 748 unique reflections, 35 variable parameters) and Ni{sub 6+x}Sn{sub 8}Zn, x~1.35 (a=12.379(3) Å, b=4.095(1) Å, c=12.155(3) Å, β=116.25(3)°, space group C2/m, Z=2. R1=0.026, wR2=0.052 for 1346 unique reflections, 60 variable parameters). In addition, a structural refinement was performed for Ni{sub 3+x}Sn{sub 4}, x~0.13 (a=12.264(3) Å, b=4.066(1) Å, c=5.223(2) Å, β=104.85(3)°, space group C2/m, Z=2. R1=0.019, wR2=0.046 for 617 unique reflections, 29 variable parameters). The three compounds show pronouncedmore » similarities among each other as well as to the crystal structures of surrounding binary Ni–Sn and ternary Ni–Sn–Zn compounds. In particular, the two new compounds form a homologous series with Ni{sub 3+x}Sn{sub 4}, x~0.13. They contain “Ni{sub 4}Sn{sub 4}” and “Ni{sub 2}Sn{sub 4}” building blocks which by different interconnection build up the distinct structures. Topological relations with NiSn and Ni{sub 5−δ}Sn{sub 4}Zn, δ~0.25 are evident. - Graphical abstract: Projection of the structure of Ni{sub 6+x}ZnSn{sub 8}, x~1.35 and constituent building blocks. Display Omitted - Highlights: • The crystal structures of Ni{sub 6+x}Sn{sub 8}Zn and Ni{sub 3+x}Sn{sub 4}Zn were determined using single crystal XRD. • Topological relations to Ni–Sn and Ni–Sn–Zn compounds were established and discussed. • Common structural units were identified and their interconnection patterns described.« less

Electron microscopy characterization of Ni-Cr-B-Si-C laser deposited coatings.

PubMed

Hemmati, I; Rao, J C; Ocelík, V; De Hosson, J Th M

2013-02-01

During laser deposition of Ni-Cr-B-Si-C alloys with high amounts of Cr and B, various microstructures and phases can be generated from the same chemical composition that results in heterogeneous properties in the clad layer. In this study, the microstructure and phase constitution of a high-alloy Ni-Cr-B-Si-C coating deposited by laser cladding were analyzed by a combination of several microscopy characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy in secondary and backscatter imaging modes, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The combination of EDS and EBSD allowed unequivocal identification of micron-sized precipitates as polycrystalline orthorhombic CrB, single crystal tetragonal Cr5B3, and single crystal hexagonal Cr7C3. In addition, TEM characterization showed various equilibrium and metastable Ni-B, Ni-Si, and Ni-Si-B eutectic products in the alloy matrix. The findings of this study can be used to explain the phase formation reactions and to tune the microstructure of Ni-Cr-B-Si-C coatings to obtain the desired properties.

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

[Study on high temperature oxidation of Ni-Cr ceramic alloys. Effects of Cr and Mo].

PubMed

Mizutani, M

1990-03-01

The effects of Cr and Mo addition to Ni-Cr alloys on high temperature oxidation were investigated. The alloys were prepared with the composition of Cr ranging from 5 to 40 wt%. Also 2, 4 and 9 wt% of Mo was added to both Ni-5% Cr and Ni-20% Cr binary alloys. The alloys were heated at 800 degrees C, 900 degrees C and 1000 degrees C for 15 minutes in air, and the weight change after heat treatment was measured by electric automatic balance. The weight change during heating was measured by thermogravimetric measurement (TG). The products after heat treatment were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results are summarized as follows: The Ni-Cr binary alloys were classified into three types of Cr ranging from 5 to 20 wt%, Cr 25% and Cr from 30 wt% to 40 wt% according to the weight gains with oxidation. In the case of the more than 25 wt% Cr content of the Ni-Cr binary alloys, the weight gain was extremely low and the heating temperature effects on the weight change were also small. X-ray diffraction study showed that NiO, NiCr2O4 and Cr2O3 formed on the surface of the Ni-Cr binary alloys whose composition of Cr ranged from 5 to 25 wt%, whereas NiO and NiCr2O4 rarely formed on the Ni-Cr binary alloys whose composition of Cr ranged from 30 to 40 wt%. This suggests that the formation of Cr2O3 prevents the formation of NiO on the alloy with a high Cr content. The weight gain of the Ni-Cr-Mo ternary alloys was smaller than that of the Ni-Cr binary alloys without Mo, and the temperature effects on the weight gain of the Ni-Cr-Mo ternary alloys were different for each Cr content. However, the effect of the amounts of Mo was small. NiO, NiCr2O4, Cr2O3 and MoO2 were identified by X-ray diffraction on the surface of the Ni-Cr-Mo ternary alloys. According to the SEM observation, it seems that NiO was formed at the outermost layer, both NiCr2O4 and Cr2O3 at the inside layer, and MoO2 at the innermost layer. The formation of both NiO and Cr

Improved ethanol electrooxidation performance by shortening Pd–Ni active site distance in Pd–Ni–P nanocatalysts

PubMed Central

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. PMID:28071650

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Alternative solution model for the ternary carbonate system CaCO3 - MgCO3 - FeCO3 - II. Calibration of a combined ordering model and mixing model

USGS Publications Warehouse

McSwiggen, P.L.

1993-01-01

Earlier attempts at solution models for the ternary carbonate system have been unable to adequately accommodate the cation ordering which occurs in some of the carbonate phases. The carbonate solution model of this study combines a Margules type of interaction model with a Bragg-Williams type of ordering model. The ordering model determines the equilibrium state of order for a crystal, from which the cation distribution within the lattice can be obtained. The interaction model addresses the effect that mixing different cation species within a given cation layer has on the total free energy of the system. An ordering model was derived, based on the Bragg-Williams approach; it is applicable to ternary systems involving three cations substituting on two sites, and contains three ordering energy parameters (WCaMg, WCaFe, and WCaMgFe). The solution model of this study involves six Margules-type interaction parameters (W12, W21, W13, W31, W23, and W32). Values for the two sets of energy parameters were calculated from experimental data and from compositional relationships in natural assemblages. ?? 1993 Springer-Verlag.

Improving the Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Mg(BH 4) 2 for Hydrogen Storage

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

Wood, Brandon; Klebanoff, Lennie; Stavila, Vitalie

The objective of this project is to (1) combine theory, synthesis, and characterization across multiple scales to understand the intrinsic kinetic and thermodynamic limitations in MgB 2/Mg(BH 4) 2; (2) construct and apply a flexible, validated, multiscale theoretical framework for modeling (de)hydrogenation kinetics of the Mg-B-H system and related metal hydrides; and (3) devise strategies for improving kinetics and thermodynamics, particularly through nanostructuring and doping. The project has an emphasis on understanding and improving rehydrogenation of MgB 2, which has generally been less explored and is key to enabling practical use.

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

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.

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

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.

Static magnetic susceptibility of radiopaque NiTiPt and NiTiEr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chovan, Drahomír; Gandhi, Abbasi; Butler, James; Tofail, Syed A. M.

2018-04-01

Magnetic properties of metallic alloys used in biomedical industry are important for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If the alloys were to be used for long term implants or as guiding devices, safety of the patient as well as the medical staff has to be ensured. Strong response to the external magnetic field can cause mechanical damage to the patients body. In this paper we present magnetic susceptibility of nickel rich, ternary NiTiPt and NiTiEr to static magnetic field. We show that the magnetic susceptibility of these radiopaque alloys has values in low paramagnetic region comparable to the binary nickel-titanium. Furthermore, we studied the effect of the thermal and mechanical treatments on magnetic properties. Despite deviation from linear M (H) treated samples spanning small region around H = 0 , the linearity of the M (H) and χ =d M /d H values suggest that these ternary alloys are safe to use under MRI conditions.

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

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.

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.

Superconducting MgB2 wires with vanadium diffusion barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hušek, I.; Kováč, P.; Melišek, T.; Kulich, M.; Rosová, A.; Kopera, L.; Szundiová, B.

2017-10-01

Single-core MgB2 wires with a vanadium barrier and Cu stabilization have been made by the in situ powder-in-tube (PIT) and internal magnesium diffusion (IMD) into boron processes. Heat treatment of PIT wires was done at the temperature range of 650 °C-850 °C/30 min. Critical currents of differently treated MgB2/V/Cu wires have been measured and related with the structure of MgB2. It was found that critical current density of MgB2/V wire annealed above 700 °C decreases rapidly. The obtained results clearly show that vanadium is a well formable metal and can be applied as an effective diffusion barrier for MgB2 wires heat-treated at temperatures ≤700 °C. This temperature limit is well applicable for MgB2 wires with high current densities made by PIT and also by the IMD process.

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.

Formation, Characteristics and Electrocatalytic Properties of Nanoporous Metals Formed by Dealloying of Ternary-Noble Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vega Zuniga, Adrian A.

Nanoporous metals formed by electrochemical dealloying of silver from Ag-Au-Pt alloys, with 77 at.% silver and platinum contents of 1, 2 and 3 at.%, have been studied. The presence of platinum, which is immobile relative to gold, refine the ligament size and stabilized the nanostructure against coarsening, even under experimental conditions that would be expected to promote coarsening (e.g., exposure to high temperature, longer dealloying times). By adding only 1 at.% Pt to the alloy precursor, the ligament/pore size was reduced by 50% with respect to that in nanoporous gold (NPG), which was formed on a Ag-Au alloy with the same silver content as ternary alloys. A further decrease in the ligament size was observed by increasing the platinum content of the precursor; however, most of the improvement occurred with 1 at.% Pt. The adsorbate-induced surface segregation of platinum was also investigated for these nanoporous metals. By exposing freshly-dealloyed nanostructures to moderate temperatures in the presence of air, platinum segregated to the ligament surface; in contrast, in an inert atmosphere (Ar-H 2), platinum mostly reverted to the bulk of the ligaments. This thermally activated process was thermodynamically driven by the interaction between platinum and oxygen; however, at the desorption temperature of oxygen, platinum de-segregated from the surface. Moreover, the co-segregation of platinum and oxygen hindered the thermal coarsening of the ligaments. Finally, the electrocatalytic abilities of these nanostructures were studied towards methanol and ethanol electro-oxidation, in alkaline and acidic media, showing significantly improved response in comparison to that observed in NPG. The synergistic effect between gold and platinum atoms and the smaller feature size of the nanostructures were directly associated with this behaviour. In alkaline electrolyte, the nanostructure formed on the alloy with 1 at.% Pt showed higher catalytic response than the other two

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

Dry cryomagnetic system with MgB2 coil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abin, D. A.; Mineev, N. A.; Osipov, M. A.; Pokrovskii, S. V.; Rudnev, I. A.

2017-12-01

MgB2 may be the future superconducting wire material for industrial magnets due to it’s higher operation temperature and potentially lower cost than low temperature superconductors (LTS) have. We designed a compact cryomagnetic system with the use of MgB2. The possibility of creating a magnet with a central field of 5 T from a commercial MgB2 wire by the “react and wound” method was investigated. The magnetic system is cooled by a cryocooler through a copper bus. The magnet has a warm bore diameter of 4 cm. The design of a magnet consisting of three concentric solenoids is proposed: an internal one of high-temperature superconductor (HTS), an average of MgB2, and an external of NbTi. The operating current of the system is 100 A. Two pairs of current leads are used. A separate pair of current leads for power supplying NbTi coil allows testing of MgB2 and HTS coils in an external field. The load curves for each of the magnets are calculated.

Performance of polyethylene based radiation grafted anion exchange membrane with polystyrene-b-poly (ethylene/butylene)-b-polystyrene based ionomer using NiCo2O4 catalyst for water electrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Gaurav; Scott, Keith; Mamlouk, Mohamed

2018-01-01

A soluble anion exchange ionomer with high OH- ion conductivity comparable to that of H+ conductivity of Nafion is synthesised by chloromethylation of polystyrene-b-poly (ethylene/butylene)-b-polystyrene (SEBS) and used with NiCo2O4 electro-catalyst for water electrolysis. The ionomer has an ion exchange capacity of 1.9 mmol g-1 and ionic conductivity of 0.14 S cm-2 at 50 °C. The cell voltage at 20 °C at 100 mA cm-2 is 1.77 and 1.72 V in, 0.1 and 1.0 M NaOH, respectively, for an optimum loading of 10 mg cm-2 NiCo2O4. At 10 mg cm-2 NiCo2O4 electrolyser cell performance is at least equal to or superior to that of IrO2 at 2 mg cm-2 with excellent stability over 1 h. When the catalyst is sprayed on the GDL instead of CCM, the performance is further improved to 1.65 V at 100 mA cm-2 at 60 °C & 0.1 M KOH. The limited AEM electrolyser performance when operating with deionised water in comparison to PEM and alkaline electrolyser arises from the sluggish OER in the AEM environment equivalent to pH of 11.5 and the two orders of magnitude lower HER activity with respect to acid medium combined with the high Tafel slope of 120 mV dec-1.

Tribological Behavior and Corrosion Resistance of Electroless Ni-B-W Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukhopadhyay, Arkadeb; Barman, Tapan Kumar; Sahoo, Prasanta

The present study considers the tribological behavior and corrosion resistance of electroless Ni-B-W coatings deposited on AISI 1040 steel substrates. Coating is characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction technique. In as-deposited condition, coatings are found to be amorphous. On heat treatment, precipitation of crystalline Ni (1 1 1) and its borides take place. For as-deposited coating, the microhardness is obtained as ˜759HV100 which increases to ˜1181HV100 and ˜1098HV100 when heat treated at 350∘C and 450∘C, respectively. Incorporation of W in Ni-B coating results in an increase of hardness by 89HV100 in as-deposited condition. Heat treatment also results in increase in crystallite size of Ni (1 1 1). Wear rate and coefficient of friction (COF) of the coatings are evaluated on a pin-on-disc setup under both dry and lubricated sliding conditions. Wear resistance is observed to improve on heat treatment with an increase in crystallite size while COF deteriorates. However, in as-deposited condition, wear rate and COF of Ni-B-W coatings improve by ˜5 and ˜3 times, respectively, compared with Ni-B coatings. Wear and friction performance of the coatings are enhanced under lubrication due to the columnar structure of the coatings that retain lubricants. Corrosion resistance of Ni-B-W coating in 3.5% NaCl solution gets improved on heat treatment.

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.

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.

Pressure-Responsive, Surfactant-Free CO2-Based Nanostructured Fluids

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Microemulsions are extensively used in advanced material and chemical processing. However, considerable amounts of surfactant are needed for their formulation, which is a drawback due to both economic and ecological reasons. Here, we describe the nanostructuration of recently discovered surfactant-free, carbon dioxide (CO2)-based microemulsion-like systems in a water/organic-solvent/CO2 pressurized ternary mixture. “Water-rich” nanodomains embedded into a “water-depleted” matrix have been observed and characterized by the combination of Raman spectroscopy, molecular dynamics simulations, and small-angle neutron scattering. These single-phase fluids show a reversible, pressure-responsive nanostructuration; the “water-rich” nanodomains at a given pressure can be instantaneously degraded/expanded by increasing/decreasing the pressure, resulting in a reversible, rapid, and homogeneous mixing/demixing of their content. This pressure-triggered responsiveness, together with other inherent features of these fluids, such as the absence of any contaminant in the ternary mixture (e.g., surfactant), their spontaneous formation, and their solvation capability (enabling the dissolution of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules), make them appealing complex fluid systems to be used in molecular material processing and in chemical engineering. PMID:28846386

Material properties of perovskites in the quasi-ternary system LaFeO3-LaCoO3-LaNiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tietz, F.; Arul Raj, I.; Ma, Q.; Baumann, S.; Mahmoud, A.; Hermann, R. P.

2016-05-01

An overview is presented on the variation of electrical conductivity, oxygen permeation, and thermal expansion coefficient as a function of the composition of perovskites in the quasi-ternary system LaFeO3-LaCoO3-LaNiO3. Powders of thirteen nominal perovskite compositions were synthesized under identical conditions by the Pechini method. The powder X-ray diffraction data of two series, namely La(Ni0.5Fe0.5)1-xCoxO3 and LaNi0.5-xFexCo0.5O3, are presented after the powders had been sintered at 1100 °C for 6 h in air. The measurements revealed a rhombohedral structure for all compositions except LaNi0.5Fe0.5O3 for which 60% rhombohedral and 40% orthorhombic phase was found. The maximum DC electrical conductivity value of the perovskites at 800 °C was 1229 S cm-1 for the composition LaCoO3 and the minimum was 91 S cm-1 for the composition LaCo0.5Fe0.5O3. The oxygen permeation of samples with promising conductivities at 800 °C was one order of magnitude lower than that of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.8Fe0.2O3 (LSCF). The highest value of 0.017 ml cm-2 min-1 at 950 °C was obtained with LaNi0.5Co0.5O3. The coefficients of thermal expansion varied in the range of 13.2×10-6 K-1 and 21.9×10-6 K-1 for LaNi0.5Fe0.5O3 and LaCoO3, respectively. 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was used as probe for the oxidation states, local environment and magnetic properties of iron ions as a function of chemical composition. The substitution had a great influence on the chemical properties of the materials.

Crystal Nucleation and Growth in Undercooled Melts of Pure Zr, Binary Zr-Based and Ternary Zr-Ni-Cu Glass-Forming Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herlach, Dieter M.; Kobold, Raphael; Klein, Stefan

2018-03-01

Glass formation of a liquid undercooled below its melting temperature requires the complete avoidance of crystal nucleation and subsequent crystal growth. Even though they are not part of the glass formation process, a detailed knowledge of both processes involved in crystallization is mandatory to determine the glass-forming ability of metals and metallic alloys. In the present work, methods of containerless processing of drops by electrostatic and electromagnetic levitation are applied to undercool metallic melts prior to solidification. Heterogeneous nucleation on crucible walls is completely avoided giving access to large undercoolings. A freely suspended drop offers the additional benefit of showing the rapid crystallization process of an undercooled melt in situ by proper diagnostic means. As a reference, crystal nucleation and dendrite growth in the undercooled melt of pure Zr are experimentally investigated. Equivalently, binary Zr-Cu, Zr-Ni and Zr-Pd and ternary Zr-Ni-Cu alloys are studied, whose glass-forming abilities differ. The experimental results are analyzed within classical nucleation theory and models of dendrite growth. The findings give detailed knowledge about the nucleation-undercooling statistics and the growth kinetics over a large range of undercooling.

Nanostructured core-shell electrode materials for electrochemical capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Long-bo; Yuan, Xing-zhong; Liang, Jie; Zhang, Jin; Wang, Hou; Zeng, Guang-ming

2016-11-01

Core-shell nanostructure represents a unique system for applications in electrochemical energy storage devices. Owing to the unique characteristics featuring high power delivery and long-term cycling stability, electrochemical capacitors (ECs) have emerged as one of the most attractive electrochemical storage systems since they can complement or even replace batteries in the energy storage field, especially when high power delivery or uptake is needed. This review aims to summarize recent progress on core-shell nanostructures for advanced supercapacitor applications in view of their hierarchical architecture which not only create the desired hierarchical porous channels, but also possess higher electrical conductivity and better structural mechanical stability. The core-shell nanostructures include carbon/carbon, carbon/metal oxide, carbon/conducting polymer, metal oxide/metal oxide, metal oxide/conducting polymer, conducting polymer/conducting polymer, and even more complex ternary core-shell nanoparticles. The preparation strategies, electrochemical performances, and structural stabilities of core-shell materials for ECs are summarized. The relationship between core-shell nanostructure and electrochemical performance is discussed in detail. In addition, the challenges and new trends in core-shell nanomaterials development have also been proposed.

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

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

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.

Experimental and theoretical insight into the cooperativity effect in composite wax powder and ternary complex of coronene with CH4 and Mn+ (Mn+ = Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+ or Ca2+)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Le-tao; Bai, Pei-kang; Wang, Jian-hong; Liu, Bin; Li, Yu-xin

2018-01-01

The experimental infrared (IR) spectrum of composite wax powder was investigated. The frequency shifts of the C=C anti-symmetrical stretching mode were observed and the experimental cooperativity effect involving Na+...π interaction was suggested. In order to further reveal the nature of cooperativity effect, the interaction energies in Mn+...coronene...CH4 (Mn+ = Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+ or Ca2+) as the model systems of composite wax powder were calculated by using the B3LYP, M06-2X and MP2 methods with 6-311++G** basis set. The results show that the Mn+...π interactions were strengthened upon the formation of ternary complexes. Although the changes of absolute values of the interactions between CH4 and coronene were not obvious, the relative values were considerably significant upon the formation of ternary complexes. The cooperativity effect was perhaps the reason for the formation of notable advantage of composite wax powder upon the introduction of surfactant with cation into wax powder. Reduced density gradient and atoms-in-molecules analysis confirm the cooperativity effect in Mn+...coronene...CH4, and reveal the nature of the formation of the predominant advantage of composite wax powder.

Electronic structure of scandium-doped MgB2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de La Peña, Omar; Agrestini, Stefano

2005-03-01

Recently has been reported the synthesis of a new superconducting alloy based on MgB2, where Mg is partially substituted with Sc. In order to analyze the effect of Sc doping on the structural and superconducting properties of Mg1-xScxB2, we have performed a detailed study of the electronic structure for this new diboride. The calculations have been done using the first-principles LAPW method, within the supercell approach for modeling the doping. In this work we report results for the electronic band structure, Fermi surface, and density of states. The effect of the Sc-d orbitals on the structural and electronic properties of Mg1-xScxB2 is analyzed. Increasing the Sc concentration (x) the σ-band is gradually filled, because Sc have one valence electron more than Mg. Interestingly, the analysis of the band structure shows that even for ScB2 the top of the σ-band remain above the Fermi level, nevertheless the σ-band presents high dispersion and has an important contribution of d states. In this way, in addition to the band filling effect, Sc doping gradually reduces the two-dimensional character of the σ- band in Mg1-xScxB2 as a result of increasing the sp(B)-d(Sc) hybridization. This research was partially supported by Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnolog'ia (CONACYT, M'exico) under Grant. No. 43830-F

Giant magnetic coercivity in YNi4B-type SmNi3TB (T=Mn-Cu) solid solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Jinlei; Yan, Chang; Yapaskurt, V. O.; Morozkin, A. V.

2016-12-01

The effects of transition metal substitution for Ni on the magnetic properties of the YNi4B-type SmNi4B via SmNi3TB (T=Mn, Fe, Co, Cu) solid solutions have been investigated. SmNi4B, SmNi3MnB, SmNi3FeB, SmNi3CoB and SmNi3CuB show ferromagnetic ordering at 40 K, 210 K, 322 K, 90 K and 57 K and field sensitive metamagnetic-like transitions at 15 K, 100 K, 185 K, 55 K and 15 K in a magnetic field of 10 kOe, respectively. The magnetocaloric effects of SmNi3TB (T=Mn-Cu) were calculated in terms of isothermal magnetic entropy change (ΔSm). The magnetic entropy ΔSm reaches value of -0.94 J/kg K at 40 K for SmNi4B, -1.5 J/kg K at 205 K for SmNi3MnB, -0.54 J/kg K at 320 K for SmNi3FeB, -0.49 J/kg K at 90 K for SmNi3CoB and -0.54 J/kg K at 60 K for SmNi3CuB in field change of 0-50 kOe around the Curie temperature. They show positive ΔSm of +0.71 J/kg K at ~10 K for SmNi4B, +1.69 J/kg K at 30 K for SmNi3MnB, +0.89 J/kg K at 110 K for SmNi3FeB, +1.08 J/kg K at 25 K for SmNi3CoB and +1.12 J/kg K at 10 K for SmNi3CuB in field change of 0-50 kOe around the low temperature metamagnetic-like transition. Below the field induced transition temperature (change of magnetic structure), SmNi3TB (T=Mn-Cu) exhibits giant magnetic coercivity of 74 kOe at 5 K for SmNi4B, 69 kOe at 20 K (90 kOe at 10 K) for SmNi3MnB, 77 kOe at 60 K for SmNi3FeB, 88 kOe at 20 K for SmNi3CoB and 52 kOe at 5 K for SmNi3CuB.

Chromium Grain-boundary Segregation and Effect of Ion Beam Cleaning on Fe-Ni-Cr Alloys

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

Saraf, Laxmikant V.

2011-04-01

The grain boundaries play important role to control the mechanical strength of ternary alloys. From spacecrafts to naval vessels to nuclear reactors, stress corrosion cracking, brittleness, oxidation mostly originates at the grain boundaries and cause long term structural stability problems in most of the metallic structures [1]. Fe-Ni-Cr based ternary metal alloys have been widely studied for more than fifty years [2, 3]. Despite of vast amount of research, chromium diffusion in stainless steel or other Ni-Fe-Cr based ternary alloys is still an open scientific problem with challenges in structural stability and corrosion resistance [4]. Particularly, austenite Fe-Ni-Cr is lookedmore » upon favorably in space and jet engine industry for their improved resistance to stress corrosion cracking [5]. In solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), Ni-alloys are frequently used as interconnects and seals [6]. In this communication, simultaneous energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) mapping is utilized to study chemical and structural aspects of chromium segregation in Fe-Ni-Cr alloy. A focused Ga-ion beam is also utilized to study the effect of ion beam cleaning on EBSD image quality (IQ) and inverse pole figure (IPF) maps of Fe-Ni-Cr alloy.« less

Simple, Green, and High-Yield Production of Boron-Based Nanostructures with Diverse Morphologies by Dissolution and Recrystallization of Layered Magnesium Diboride Crystals in Water.

PubMed

Gunda, Harini; Das, Saroj Kumar; Jasuja, Kabeer

2018-04-05

Layered metal diborides that contain metal atoms sandwiched between boron honeycomb planes offer a rich opportunity to access graphenic forms of boron. We recently demonstrated that magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) could be exfoliated by ultrasonication in water to yield boron-based nanosheets. However, knowledge of the fate of metal boride crystals in aqueous phases is still in its incipient stages. This work presents our preliminary findings on the discovery that MgB 2 crystals can undergo dissolution in water under ambient conditions to result in precursors (prenucleation clusters) that, upon aging, undergo nonclassical crystallization preferentially growing in lateral directions by two-dimensional (2D) oriented attachment. We show that this recrystallization can be utilized as an avenue to obtain a high yield (≈92 %) of boron-based nanostructures, including nanodots, nanograins, nanoflakes, and nanosheets. These nanostructures comprise boron honeycomb planes chemically modified with hydride and oxy functional groups, which results in an overall negative charge on their surfaces. This ability of MgB 2 crystals to yield prenucleation clusters that can self-seed to form nanostructures comprising chemically modified boron honeycomb planes presents a new facet to the physicochemical interaction of MgB 2 with water. These findings also open newer avenues to obtain boron-based nanostructures with tunable morphologies by varying the chemical milieu during recrystallization. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ternary ceramic thermal spraying powder and method of manufacturing thermal sprayed coating using said powder

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

Vogli, Evelina; Sherman, Andrew J.; Glasgow, Curtis P.

The invention describes a method for producing ternary and binary ceramic powders and their thermal spraying capable of manufacturing thermal sprayed coatings with superior properties. Powder contain at least 30% by weight ternary ceramic, at least 20% by weight binary molybdenum borides, at least one of the binary borides of Cr, Fe, Ni, W and Co and a maximum of 10% by weight of nano and submicro-sized boron nitride. The primary crystal phase of the manufactured thermal sprayed coatings from these powders is a ternary ceramic, while the secondary phases are binary ceramics. The coatings have extremely high resistance againstmore » corrosion of molten metal, extremely thermal shock resistance and superior tribological properties at low and at high temperatures.« less

Scalable Preparation of Ternary Hierarchical Silicon Oxide-Nickel-Graphite Composites for Lithium-Ion Batteries

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

Wang , Jing; Bao, Wurigumula; Ma, Lu

2015-11-09

Silicon monoxide is a promising anode candidate because of its high theoretical capacity and good cycle performance. To solve the problems associated with this material, including large volume changes during charge-discharge processes, we report a ternary hierarchical silicon oxide–nickel–graphite composite prepared by a facile two-step ball-milling method. The composite consists of nano-Si dispersed silicon oxides embedded in nano-Ni/graphite matrices (Si@SiOx/Ni/graphite). In the composite, crystalline nano-Si particles are generated by the mechanochemical reduction of SiO by ball milling with Ni. These nano-Si dispersed oxides have abundant electrochemical activity and can provide high Li-ion storage capacity. Furthermore, the milled nano-Ni/graphite matrices stickmore » well to active materials and interconnect to form a crosslinked framework, which functions as an electrical highway and a mechanical backbone so that all silicon oxide particles become electrochemically active. Owing to these advanced structural and electrochemical characteristics, the composite enhances the utilization efficiency of SiO, accommodates its large volume expansion upon cycling, and has good ionic and electronic conductivity. The composite electrodes thus exhibit substantial improvements in electrochemical performance. This ternary hierarchical Si@SiOx/Ni/graphite composite is a promising candidate anode material for high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, the mechanochemical ball-milling method is low cost and easy to reproduce, indicating potential for the commercial production of the composite materials.« less

Scalable Preparation of Ternary Hierarchical Silicon Oxide-Nickel-Graphite Composites for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Wang, Jing; Bao, Wurigumula; Ma, Lu; Tan, Guoqiang; Su, Yuefeng; Chen, Shi; Wu, Feng; Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil

2015-12-07

Silicon monoxide is a promising anode candidate because of its high theoretical capacity and good cycle performance. To solve the problems associated with this material, including large volume changes during charge-discharge processes, we report a ternary hierarchical silicon oxide-nickel-graphite composite prepared by a facile two-step ball-milling method. The composite consists of nano-Si dispersed silicon oxides embedded in nano-Ni/graphite matrices (Si@SiOx /Ni/graphite). In the composite, crystalline nano-Si particles are generated by the mechanochemical reduction of SiO by ball milling with Ni. These nano-Si dispersed oxides have abundant electrochemical activity and can provide high Li-ion storage capacity. Furthermore, the milled nano-Ni/graphite matrices stick well to active materials and interconnect to form a crosslinked framework, which functions as an electrical highway and a mechanical backbone so that all silicon oxide particles become electrochemically active. Owing to these advanced structural and electrochemical characteristics, the composite enhances the utilization efficiency of SiO, accommodates its large volume expansion upon cycling, and has good ionic and electronic conductivity. The composite electrodes thus exhibit substantial improvements in electrochemical performance. This ternary hierarchical Si@SiOx /Ni/graphite composite is a promising candidate anode material for high-energy lithium-ion batteries. Additionally, the mechanochemical ball-milling method is low cost and easy to reproduce, indicating potential for the commercial production of the composite materials. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photoeletrocatalytic activity of an n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TNA ternary heterojunction electrode for tetracycline degradation.

PubMed

Li, Jinhua; Lv, Shubin; Liu, Yanbiao; Bai, Jing; Zhou, Baoxue; Hu, Xiaofang

2013-11-15

In this study, a novel ternary heterojunction n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TiO2 nanotube arrays (n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TNA) nanophotocatalyst with a sandwich-like nanostructure was constructed and applied for the photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) degradation of typical PPCPs, tetracycline (TC). The ternary heterojunction n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TNA was obtained by depositing Cu2O on the surface of TNA via sonoelectrochemical deposition (SED) and subsequently building a layer of ZnO onto the p-Cu2O/n-TNA surface through hydrothermal synthesis. After being deposited by the Cu2O, the absorption-band edge of the p-Cu2O/n-TNA was obviously red-shifted to the visible region (to 505 nm), and the band gap was reduced from its original 3.20 eV to 2.46 eV. The band gap absorption edge of the ternary n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TNA is similar to that of p-Cu2O/n-TN and extends the visible spectrum absorption to 510 nm, corresponding to an Eg value of about 2.43 eV. Under illumination of visible light, the photocurrent density of the ternary heterojunction n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TNA electrode at 0.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was more than 106 times as high as that of the pure TNAs electrode, 3.6 times as high as that of the binary heterojunction p-Cu2O/n-TNA electrode. The degradation of TC indicated that the ternary heterojunction n-ZnO/p-Cu2O/n-TNA electrode maintained a very high photoelectrocatalytic activity and excellent stability and reliability. Such kind of ternary heterojunction electrode material has a broad application prospect not only in pollution control but also in many other fields. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

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.

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

Microstructure and wear properties of laser clad Ti2Ni3Si/Ni3Ti multiphase intermetallic coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H. M.; Tang, H. B.; Cai, L. X.; Cao, F.; Zhang, L. Y.; Yu, R. L.

2005-05-01

Wear resistant Ti2Ni3Si/Ni3Ti multiphase intermetallic coatings with a microstructure consisting of Ti2Ni3Si primary dendrites and interdendritic Ti2Ni3Si/Ni3Ti eutectic were fabricated on a substrate of 0.2% C plain carbon steel by a laser cladding process with Ti-Ni-Si alloy powders. The Ti2Ni3Si/Ni3Ti coatings have excellent wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction under metallic dry sliding wear test conditions with hardened 0.45% C carbon steel as the silide-mating counterpart. The excellent tribological properties of the coating are attributed to the high hardness, strong covalent-dominant atomic bonds of the ternary metal silicide Ti2Ni3Si and to the high yield strength and strong yield anomaly of the intermetallic compound Ni3Ti.

Highly mesoporous α-Fe2O3 nanostructures: preparation, characterization and improved photocatalytic performance towards Rhodamine B (RhB)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bharathi, S.; Nataraj, D.; Mangalaraj, D.; Masuda, Y.; Senthil, K.; Yong, K.

2010-01-01

Single-crystalline porous hematite nanorods and spindle-like nanostructures were successfully synthesized by a low temperature reflux condensation method. Two different iron sources, namely, FeCl3·6H2O and Fe(NO3)3·9H2O, were hydrolyzed in the presence of urea to selectively prepare nanorods and spindle-like nanostructures. Initially, the akagenite phase was obtained by refluxing the precursor for 12 h and then the as-prepared akagenite nanostructures were transformed to porous hematite nanostructures upon calcination at 300 °C for 1 h. The shape and the aspect ratio of the 12 h refluxed sample was retained even after calcination and this shows the topotactic transformation of the nanostructure. TEM and HRTEM investigations have shown the porous nature of the prepared sample. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and Barret-Joyner-Halenda measurements have shown a large surface area and distribution of mesopores in the nanorods sample. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared nanostructures towards RhB has reflected this variation in the pore size distribution and specific surface area, by showing a higher activity for the nanorods sample. Magnetic studies by VSM have shown a weak ferromagnetic behaviour in both the samples due to shape anisotropy.

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.

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.

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.

Flower-like hydrogenated TiO2(B) nanostructures as anode materials for high-performance lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhonghua; Zhou, Zhenfang; Nie, Sen; Wang, Honghu; Peng, Hongrui; Li, Guicun; Chen, Kezheng

2014-12-01

Flower-like hydrogenated TiO2(B) nanostructures have been synthesized via a facile solvothermal approach combined with hydrogenation treatment. The obtained TiO2(B) nanostructures show uniform and hierarchical flower-like morphology with a diameter of 124 ± 5 nm, which are further constructed by primary nanosheets with a thickness of 10 ± 1.2 nm. The Ti3+ species and/or oxygen vacancies are well introduced into the structures of TiO2(B) after hydrogen reduction, resulting in an enhancement in the electronic conductivity (up to 2.79 × 10-3 S cm-1) and the modified surface electrochemical activity. When evaluated for lithium storage capacity, the hydrogenated TiO2(B) nanostructures exhibit enhanced electrochemical energy storage performances compared to the pristine TiO2(B) nanostructures, including high capacity (292.3 mA h g-1 at 0.5C), excellent rate capability (179.6 mA h g-1 at 10C), and good cyclic stability (98.4% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 10C). The reasons for these improvements are explored in terms of the increased electronic conductivity and the facilitation of lithium ion transport arising from the introduction of oxygen vacancies and the unique flower-like morphologies.

Fusel Alcohols Regulate Translation Initiation by Inhibiting eIF2B to Reduce Ternary Complex in a Mechanism That May Involve Altering the Integrity and Dynamics of the eIF2B Body

PubMed Central

Taylor, Eleanor J.; Campbell, Susan G.; Griffiths, Christian D.; Reid, Peter J.; Slaven, John W.; Harrison, Richard J.; Sims, Paul F.G.; Pavitt, Graham D.; Delneri, Daniela

2010-01-01

Recycling of eIF2-GDP to the GTP-bound form constitutes a core essential, regulated step in eukaryotic translation. This reaction is mediated by eIF2B, a heteropentameric factor with important links to human disease. eIF2 in the GTP-bound form binds to methionyl initiator tRNA to form a ternary complex, and the levels of this ternary complex can be a critical determinant of the rate of protein synthesis. Here we show that eIF2B serves as the target for translation inhibition by various fusel alcohols in yeast. Fusel alcohols are endpoint metabolites from amino acid catabolism, which signal nitrogen scarcity. We show that the inhibition of eIF2B leads to reduced ternary complex levels and that different eIF2B subunit mutants alter fusel alcohol sensitivity. A DNA tiling array strategy was developed that overcame difficulties in the identification of these mutants where the phenotypic distinctions were too subtle for classical complementation cloning. Fusel alcohols also lead to eIF2α dephosphorylation in a Sit4p-dependent manner. In yeast, eIF2B occupies a large cytoplasmic body where guanine nucleotide exchange on eIF2 can occur and be regulated. Fusel alcohols impact on both the movement and dynamics of this 2B body. Overall, these results confirm that the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, eIF2B, is targeted by fusel alcohols. Moreover, they highlight a potential connection between the movement or integrity of the 2B body and eIF2B regulation. PMID:20444979

Hybrid Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheet Supported Mn-Ni-Co Ternary Oxides for Aqueous Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Wu, Chun; Cai, Junjie; Zhu, Ying; Zhang, Kaili

2017-06-07

Hybrid reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheet supported Mn-Ni-Co ternary oxides (MNCO) are prepared through a facile coprecipitation reaction with a subsequent calcination process as electrodes for supercapacitors. Electrochemical measurements prove that RGO can significantly improve the supercapacitive behaviors, compared with the pure MNCO electrode. A high specific capacity of 646.1 C g -1 at 1 A g -1 can be achieved and about 89.6% of the capacity can be remained at 30 A g -1 relative to that of the low-current capacity, indicating attractive rate capability of the RGO-MNCO electrode. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device is fabricated with nitrogen-enriched RGO as the negative electrode and the synthesized RGO-MNCO as the positive electrode. Electrochemical performances investigated at different potential range reveal that the ASC device presents excellent capacitive behavior and reversibility. A maximum energy density of 35.6 Wh kg -1 at power density of 699.9 W kg -1 can be delivered. Furthermore, stable cycle capability with 100% Coulombic efficiency and 77.2% the capacitance retention is also achieved after 10000 cycles. The achieved outstanding electrochemical properties indicate that the obtained RGO-MNCO electrode materials are fairly ideal for progressive supercapacitors.

Synthesis, investigation and spectroscopic characterization of piroxicam ternary complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with glycine and DL-phenylalanine.

PubMed

Mohamed, Gehad G; El-Gamel, Nadia E A

2004-11-01

The ternary piroxicam (Pir; 4-hydroxy-2-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide 1,1-dioxide) complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with various amino acids (AA) such as glycine (Gly) or DL-phenylalanine (PhA) were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, IR, UV-Vis, magnetic moment, diffuse reflectance and X-ray powder diffraction. The UV-Vis spectra of Pir and the effect of metal chelation on the different interligand transitions are discussed in detailed manner. IR and UV-Vis spectra confirm that Pir behaves as a neutral bidentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the pyridine-N and carbonyl group of the amide moiety. Gly molecule acted as a uninegatively monodentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic group, in addition PhA acted as a uninegatively bidentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic and amino groups. All the chelates have octahedral geometrical structures while Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-ternary chelates with PhA have square planar geometrical structures. The molar conductance data reveal that most of these chelates are non electrolytes, while Fe(III)-Pir-Gly, Co(II)-, Ni(II)-, Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-Pir-PhA chelates were 1:1 electrolytes. X-ray powder diffraction is used as a new tool to estimate the crystallinity of chelates as well as to elucidate their geometrical structures.

Synthesis, investigation and spectroscopic characterization of piroxicam ternary complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with glycine and DL-phenylalanine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Gehad G.; El-Gamel, Nadia E. A.

2004-11-01

The ternary piroxicam (Pir; 4-hydroxy-2-methyl- N-(2-pyridyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide 1,1-dioxide) complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with various amino acids (AA) such as glycine (Gly) or DL-phenylalanine (PhA) were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, IR, UV-Vis, magnetic moment, diffuse reflectance and X-ray powder diffraction. The UV-Vis spectra of Pir and the effect of metal chelation on the different interligand transitions are discussed in detailed manner. IR and UV-Vis spectra confirm that Pir behaves as a neutral bidentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the pyridine- N and carbonyl group of the amide moiety. Gly molecule acted as a uninegatively monodentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic group, in addition PhA acted as a uninegatively bidentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic and amino groups. All the chelates have octahedral geometrical structures while Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-ternary chelates with PhA have square planar geometrical structures. The molar conductance data reveal that most of these chelates are non electrolytes, while Fe(III)-Pir-Gly, Co(II)-, Ni(II)-, Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-Pir-PhA cheletes were 1:1 electrolytes. X-ray powder diffraction is used as a new tool to estimate the crystallinity of chelates as well as to elucidate their geometrical structures.

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

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

Electrochemical synthesis of superconductive MgB 2 from molten salts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshii, Kenji; Abe, Hideki

2003-05-01

We have found that superconductive MgB2 can be electrochemically synthesized from molten salts. The electrolysis was performed in an Ar flow at 600 °C on fused mixtures composed of MgCl2, MgB2O4, Na2B2O4 and alkali halides such as KCl, NaCl, and LiCl. Superconductivity was observed for a wide variety of electrolytes. It was also found that the magnetic and electrical transport properties are the most improved for samples prepared from MgCl2-NaCl-KCl-MgB2O4 electrolytes.

Electrotransport-induced unmixing and decomposition of ternary oxides

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

Chun, Jakyu; Yoo, Han-Ill, E-mail: hiyoo@snu.ac.kr; Martin, Manfred

A general expectation is that in a uniform oxygen activity atmosphere, cation electrotransport induces a ternary or higher oxide, e.g., AB{sub 1+ξ}O{sub 3+δ}, to kinetically unmix unless the electrochemical mobilities of, say, A{sup 2+}and B{sup 4+} cations are identically equal, and eventually to decompose into the component oxides AO and BO{sub 2} once the extent of unmixing exceeds the stability range of its nonmolecularity ξ. It has, however, earlier been reported [Yoo et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 252103 (2008)] that even a massive cation electrotransport induces BaTiO{sub 3} to neither unmix nor decompose even at a voltage far exceedingmore » the so-called decomposition voltage U{sub d}, a measure of the standard formation free energy of the oxide (|ΔG{sub f}{sup o}| = nFU{sub d}). Here, we report that as expected, NiTiO{sub 3} unmixes at any voltage and even decomposes if the voltage applied exceeds seemingly a threshold value larger than U{sub d}. We demonstrate experimentally that the electrochemical mobilities of Ni{sup 2+} and Ti{sup 4+} should be necessarily unequal for unmixing. Also, we show theoretically that equal cation mobilities appear to be a sufficiency for BaTiO{sub 3} only for a thermodynamic reason.« less

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.