0000000000022089
AUTHOR
Hugh Middleton
High temperature oxidation of Mg2(Si-Sn)
Abstract High temperature oxidation of Mg 2 Si 1- x Sn x alloys ( x = 0.1 ⿿ 0.6) has been investigated. The oxidation rate was slow for temperatures below 430 °C. In the temperature range between 430⿿500 °C all the alloys exhibited breakaway oxidation. The onset temperature of the breakaway region in general decreased with increasing level of Sn in the alloy. The breakaway behavior is explained by a combination of the formation of a non-protective MgO layer and the formation of Sn-rich liquid at the interface between the oxide and Mg depleted Mg 2 Sn.
Evaluation of metastable pitting on titanium by charge integration of current transients
Abstract The metastable pitting of titanium has been studied under potentiostatic control in solutions containing chloride ions. An approach based on the charge integration of current transients was proposed for a quantitative determination of metastable pitting. A pit density (dmpit) was defined as the number of metastable pits per unit area per unit time (cm−2 h−1) with a typical size, instead of a size distribution. The calculated dmpit of titanium at 0.5 VSCE in 0.6 M NaCl was about 1.0 × 103 cm−2 h−1 with a typical radius of 0.12 μm. An exponential potential dependence of dmpit was obtained through the integration approach.
Design, assembly and characterization of silicide-based thermoelectric modules
ID: 1143 In: Energy conversion and management, 13-21. Summary: Highlights•Novel silicide-based thermoelectric modules were experimentally investigated.•The modules produced high power of 1.04 W at 405 °C and 3.24 W at 735 °C.•An estimated module efficiency of 5.3% represent the highest reported for silicide systems.AbstractSilicides have attracted considerable attention for use in thermoelectric generators due mainly to low cost, low toxicity and light weight, in contrast to conventional materials such as bismuth and lead telluride. Most reported work has focused on optimizing the materials properties while little has been done on module testing. In this work we have designed and tested mod…
Methods for Enhancing the Thermal Durability of High-Temperature Thermoelectric Materials
Author's version of an article in the journal: Journal of Electronic Materials. Also available from the publisher at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11664-013-2917-0 Thermoelectric materials, for example skutterudites and magnesium silicides, are being investigated as promising materials for medium-to-high-temperature waste heat recovery in transport and in industry. A crucial aspect of the success of a thermoelectric material is its stability over time when exposed to rapid heating and cooling. In this work different aspects of the degradation of these thermoelectric materials at high temperature were examined. Initial thermal durability was studied, and several candidate coatings were evaluat…
Investigation of pitting resistance of titanium based on a modified point defect model
Abstract The pitting resistance of titanium was studied under potential control in solutions containing chloride ions. The results evidenced that Cl − concentration had an effect on the metastable pitting intensity, but no significant influence on the uniform corrosion. XPS characterization revealed that some Cl − ions were present in the outer hydroxide layer, but few in the inner oxide layer, indicating that the inner oxide layer was impervious to Cl − ions. A cation–anion-vacancy condensation mechanism was considered for pit initiation based on the point defect model (PDM). The experimental results analyzed by the charge integration technique were in agreement with the derived relations.
Effect of silicon on corrosion resistance of Ti–Si alloys
Abstract The corrosion resistance of Ti–Si alloys has been studied in acid solutions and the alloys exhibit a high resistance to corrosion. SEM examinations combined with EDAX allowed to conclude that the passive films on Ti–Si alloys are mainly composed of TiO 2 /SiO 2 oxides. XPS analysis indicated the formation of Si–O and Si–O–Ti bonds in the passive film, respectively corresponding to SiO 2 and Si-doping TiO 2 . The effect of silicon on the corrosion was correlated to the formation of a stable SiO 2 film, Si-doping on TiO 2 and the extended lattice imperfections formed along TiO 2 /SiO 2 grain boundaries and phase-boundaries. The calculated donor densities based on the point defect mod…
Design and characterization of bi-functional electrocatalytic layers for application in PEM unitized regenerative fuel cells
Abstract Results concerning the development and characterization of bi-functional electrocatalytic layers for application in unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs) based on proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology are reported. Carbon-supported hydrophobic (10 wt.% of PTFE) Pt catalysts (40 wt.% of Pt), and Pt and Ir black powders of large specific areas have been synthesized. Their structure, morphology and electrochemical properties have been investigated using SEM, TEM, XRD analysis, and by measurements of polarization curves and cyclic voltammograms. Current–voltage curves have been recorded during water electrolysis and H 2 /O 2 fuel cell experiments to evaluate their performances a…
Investigation on passivity of titanium under steady-state conditions in acidic solutions
Abstract The passivity of titanium was studied using potentiostatic polarization combined with Mott–Schottky analysis in acidic solutions. The oxide layer was characterized as an n-type semiconducting, oxygen deficient oxide (TiO1.993–1.996) with a donor density in the range of 1019–1020 cm−3 depending on electrode potential and electrolyte pH. The calculated thickness for the inner oxide layer was in the range of 1–4 nm, increasing linearly with applied potential and exponentially with electrolyte pH. The potential- and pH-dependence of the inner oxide thickness was interpreted by a modified point defect model for the migration-controlled oxide growth, in which the rate-determining step in…
A comparative evaluation of palladium and platinum nanoparticles as catalysts in proton exchange membrane electrochemical cells
The goal of the present study is the development and comparative characterisation of carbon-supported and nanostructured Pd- and Pt-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) H2/O2(air) fuel cells and proton reduction in PEM water electrolysers. Catalysts have been synthesised in a solution using a combined impregnation/reduction polyol method. They have been characterised using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and cyclic voltammetry. NanoPt, nanoPd and nanoPt-Pd catalysts deposited onto a carbon carrier have been used to prepare Membrane-Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) which, in turn,…