Search results for "scanning"

Electrochemical behaviour and electrical percolation in graphite-epoxy electrodes

1994

The electrochemical properties of mouldable graphite-epoxy composite electrodes have been studied as a function of graphite content. The shape of ferri-ferrocyanide voltammograms relates to the ratio of graphite and an adsorption process. The dielectric constant from spectroelectrochemical impedance measurement of this composite electrode is maximum when the proportion of graphite is ca. 60 wt%. An electrochemical equivalent circuit is proposed. The graphite-epoxy composite acts as a multi-microelectrode near this proportion.

Shape restoration effect in Ag-SiO2 core-shell nanowires.

2014

The combination of two different materials in a single composite core–shell heterostructure can lead to improved or even completely novel properties. In this work we demonstrate the enhancement of the mechanical properties of silver (Ag) nanowires (NW) achieved by coating them with a silica (SiO2) shell. In situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) nanomechanical tests of Ag–SiO2 core–shell nanowires reveal an improved fracture resistance and an electron-beam induced shape restoration effect. In addition, control experiments are conducted separately on uncoated Ag NWs and on empty SiO2 shells in order to gain deeper insight into the peculiar properties of Ag–SiO2. Test conditions are simulate…

Influence of reactive element oxide coatings on the high temperature cyclic oxidation of chromia-forming steels

2003

Abstract The beneficial effects of reactive element oxide coatings, Y2O3, Nd2O3 and Yb2O3, on the cyclic oxidation behaviour of a Fe–30Cr model alloy, were studied at 950 °C in air under atmospheric pressure. The oxide scale grown on uncoated samples started to spall after 2 cycles, because of its poor adherence. The coated specimens remarkably resisted to the thermal shocks, since no oxide scale spallation or cracks could be observed, even after 1000 h of cycling experiments. The surface oxide scale consisted of facetted oxide grains on the uncoated samples. On the contrary, it exhibited a fine-grained structure on the coated specimens. The reactive element beneficial effect was ascribed t…

Synthesis of bulk FeAl nanostructured materials by HVOF spray forming and Spark Plasma Sintering

2006

Abstract This paper examines the efficiency of two consolidation processing techniques: High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) spray forming and Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) to obtain bulk nanostructured materials from an Y 2 O 3 reinforced Fe–40Al (at.%) milled powder. The microstructures of the sintered end-products were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) in order to gain new insights in their microstructure formation mechanisms. HVOF spray forming is more effective to retain fine nanograins, in particular within retained unmelted powder particles. The drawbacks of this technique are that it inevitably leads to a high fraction of porosity…

Preliminary study on the laser cleaning of stainless steels after high temperature oxidation

2000

Abstract The objective of the present work was to estimate the influence of pulsed laser irradiation on the removal of the oxide layer, which is developed on the surface of stainless steels during their exposure to high temperature oxidation. In general, this layer is a protective one, mainly against corrosion. However, in many manufacturing applications or maintenance work, the removal of the oxides is necessary; for example, the metallic surfaces should be cleaned before welding, otherwise the presence of oxides increases the tendency to brittle behaviour of the joint. In this study, a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (λ=1.064 μm, 10 ns) was used for the surface cleaning of three stainless steels with…

The synthesis of micrometer- and submicrometer-size spheres of ordered mesoporous oxide MCM-41

1997

Tritium distribution and chemical forms in the irradiated beryllium pebbles before and after thermoannealing

2011

Abstract Beryllium pebbles are foreseen as a neutron multiplier in the tritium breeding blanket of the future fusion devices. Tritium inventory in the beryllium as a result of neutron-induced transmutations is a significant safety and technological issue for the operation of the breeding blanket. In this study, beryllium pebbles from 3 different irradiation experiments: BERYLLIUM, EXOTIC 8/3-13 and PBA, performed at High Flux Reactor HFR have been investigated. The distribution of tritium in the bulk of the pebbles and the abundance ratios of chemical forms of tritium T 0 , T + and T 2 have been analysed before and after the different thermo-annealing experiments. In order to determine the …

Ti-Al Membranes for Microfiltration

2016

Porous membranes made of Ti – 48 at. % Al intermetallic compound was obtained by elemental powder synthesis. These disks can be used as microfiltration membranes due to their low pores size and interconnected porosity. During this study titanium (purity 99.5%) and aluminum (purity 99 %) with low particle size range were mixed in corresponding ratios. The powder mixture was pressed at 500 MPa and the samples were heat treated in two stages. In the first step is the forming of Al3Ti compound by a solid state reaction at a temperature of 640 °C, slightly below the melting point of aluminum. In the second step the Ti-Al compound was formed at the temperature of 1300 °C and the sintering the por…

Properties of spark plasma sintered nanostructured Zn1+xSb

2011

Engineering materials with specific physical properties has recently focused on the effect of nanoscopic inhomogeneities at the 10 nm scale. Such features are expected to scatter medium and long-wavelength phonons lowering thereby the thermal conductivity of the system without simultaneously decreasing the charge transport (phonon–glass electron–crystal concept). A new Zn1+xSb nanophase obtained by a wet chemical approach was densified by spark plasma sintering (SPS). Investigations on compounds subsumed as “Zn4Sb3” always suffer from its low thermal stability and the contamination of the nanoparticles with solvents and additives used in the synthesis. In order to gain insight into this com…

Control of barium ferrite decomposition during spark plasma sintering: Towards nanostructured samples with anisotropic magnetic properties

2014

Abstract The sintering of barium ferrite (BaM) nano-sized powders by spark plasma sintering was studied. At the surface of the samples, an iron-rich layer (magnetite) was formed due to the decomposition of BaM and segregation in the secondary phases. To prevent the formation of secondary phases different protection layers between the graphite mould and the sample were used. Their effect on the sample microstructure was studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The most suitable protection layer was a highly dense sintered disc of aluminium oxide. Using this dense protection layer, sintered discs of BaM with 82% of theoretical density and grains of 90 ± 50 nm were obtain…