Low Temperature Sol-Gel Preparation of Nanocrystalline TiO2 Thin Films

TiO₂ nanocrystalline thin films with varying degree of porosity have been prepared using a low temperature method. TiO₂ films of the anatase form have been obtained by using a polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified sol-gel method. Densification and crystallization of the films was found to result from the thermal treatment of the dip coated films in boiling water. The films have been characterized by Raman, XRD, FTIR, AFM and optical methods. Highly transparent films with transmission in excess of 85% and porosity as high as 58% are formed predominantly of anatase crystallites of dimensions of the order of 5 nm. Initial results on lithium intercalation into these films resulting in an efficient optical modulation in the visible and near infrared regions demonstrate a good potential of these films for electrochromic applications.     

溶胶-凝胶法合成纳米铬酸锶镧的工艺研究

以硝酸镧、硝酸铬、硝酸锶为原料，乙二醇为分散剂，柠檬酸为胶溶剂，用溶胶-凝胶法合成纳米级的铬酸锶镧粉体。利用TG，DSC，XRD分析研究了粉料的晶化过程。利用HREM分析了煅烧温度、含锶量对粉料粒径的影响。研究表明，获得纳米晶的最佳烧结温度在800℃。随着锶掺杂量的增加，粉料的粒径逐渐变小。     

纳米晶复合Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe合金制备与磁性能的研究

采用熔体快淬及晶化处理工艺制备Nd11Fe71Co8V1.5Cr1B7.5纳米晶合金。经21m·s-1快淬及640℃ 4min晶化处理后,制成的粘结磁体的磁性能最佳,为:Br=0.64T,JHc=903.5kA·m-1,(BH)max=71kJ·m-3。添加Cr元素可提高内禀矫顽力,从而提高最大磁能积。     

乙醇 /水混合溶剂沉淀制备纳米BaF2及粒径控制

采用水和乙醇混合溶剂沉淀的方法制备了不同粒径的BaF₂纳米粉体。用XRD、TEM和FSEM表征了粉体的粒径和形貌。研究了陈化时间、水和乙醇的体积比对BaF₂纳米粉体的粒径和形貌的影响。结果表明，随混合溶剂中乙醇含量升高，沉淀粒径减小。BaF₂沉淀粒径的倒数和溶剂介电常数的倒数呈线性关系，据此关系可以控制BaF₂纳米粉体的粒径。     

The role of complexing ligands in the formation of non-aggregated nanoparticles of zirconia

The hydrolysis and condensation of zirconium n-propoxide in n-propanol have been chemically controlled via the complexation of the zirconium precursor with acetylacetone. The size of the zirconium oxide-based particles is mainly controlled by the complexation ratio x=[acac]/[Zr]. the mean size increases from nanometric to submicronic range when x decreases from 1 to 0.1. Amorphous colloidal particles are obtained at room temperature. They result from a competitive growth/termination mechanism of zirconium-oxo species in the presence of acac surface capping agents. However non-aggregated nanocrystalline particles of tetragonal zirconia, about 2 nm in diameter are formed upon aging at 60°C when hydrolysis is performed in the presence of paratoluene sulfonic acid (PTSA).     

Nanocrystalline cellulose/fluorinated polyacrylate latex via RAFT‐mediated surfactant‐free emulsion polymerization and its application as waterborne textile finishing agent

A simple method for nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC)/fluorinated polyacrylate was developed by RAFT‐mediated surfactant‐free emulsion polymerization, in which the nanocomposites formed a core‐shell spherical morphology. The influence of the content of NCC‐g‐(PAA‐b‐PHFBA) (AA was acrylic acid, HFBA was hexafluorobutyl acrylate) on the properties of latex and film were systematically studied. The monomer conversion, the tensile strength, and water–oil repellency of film increased first and then decreased, the latex particle size decreased first and then decreased, when the content of NCC‐g‐(PAA‐b‐PHFBA) increased from 1 to 6 wt %. Elongation at break and thermal stability distinctly decreased when the content of NCC‐g‐(PAA‐b‐PHFBA) gradually increased. XPS showed that the fluorine‐containing groups well concentrated at the film–air interfaces during the annealing process. SEM analysis revealed that the treated fiber had a rugged surface, and the treated fabric had an excellent water repellency. In addition, this green grafting method in water offered a new perspective for the fabrication of exceptional NCC‐based nanocomposites with NCC as the core and also helped to promote the potential applicability of NCC in a range of multipurpose applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1305–1314     

Inverse Hall–Petch like behaviour in a mechanically milled nanocrystalline Al5Fe2 intermetallic phase

In the present investigation, the indentation study on the high-energy ball-milled nanocrystalline Al₅Fe₂ intermetallic compound has established the inverse Hall–Petch (IHP) behaviour. The structural characterisation of the milled powder particles by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy has shown the evolution of nanocrystalline phase. Micro-indentation measurements have revealed the increase in hardness with decreasing grain size, reaching to a maximum of 9.0 ± 0.3 GPa up to a grain size of 32 ± 4 nm, followed by a decrease. The decrease in hardness with further refinement, an indication of grain size softening, demonstrates the IHP-like behaviour. The deviation from the Hall–Petch behaviour has been discussed using various models based on the dislocations and grain boundary-mediated processes. From the analysis, it appears that the model based on mesocopic grain boundary sliding phenomena is more appropriate to account for the observed grain size softening.     

Effect of nanocrystallinity on lattice dynamics in Bi2Te3 based thermoelectrics

The lattice dynamics in as‐cast and nanocrystalline thermoelectric Bi₂Te₃ based p‐type and n‐type material were investigated using inelastic neutron scattering. Generalized densities of phonon states show substantial agreement between the lattice dynamics in as‐cast samples and previous studies. The lattice dynamics in the nanocrystalline materials differ significantly from its as‐cast counterparts in the acoustic phonon regime. In nanocrystalline p‐type and n‐type compounds, the average acoustic phonon group velocity was found to be reduced to 80(5)% and 95(2)% of the value in as‐cast material. It is argued that point‐defect and strain contrast scattering may play an important role for the understanding of lattice thermal conductivity in (nanocrystalline) Bi₂Te₃ based thermoelectrics beside the observed decrease of sound velocity. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Thermal stability of amorphous SiOC/crystalline Fe composite

We examined the thermal stability of amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and crystalline Fe composite by in situ and ex situ annealing. The Fe/SiOC multilayer thin films were grown via magnetron sputtering with controlled length scales on a surface-oxidized Si (100) substrate. These Fe/SiOC multilayers were in situ or ex situ annealed at temperature of 600 °C or lower. The thin multilayer sample (~10 nm) was observed to have a layer breakdown after 600 °C annealing. Diffusion starts from low groove angle triple junctions in Fe layers. In contrast, the thick multilayer structure (~70 nm) was found to be stable and an intermixed layer (Fe_xSi_yO_z) was observed after 600 °C annealing. The thickness of the intermixed layer does not vary as annealing time goes up. The results suggest that the Fe_xSi_yO_z layer can impede further Fe, Si and O diffusion, and assists in maintaining morphological stability.     

Inorganic Double‐Helix Nanotoroid of Simple LithiumPhosphorus Species

A theoretical study of Li₉₀P₉₀, which possesses a circular double‐helix structure that resembles the Watson–Crick DNA structure, is reported. This is a new bonding motif in inorganic chemistry. The calculations show that the molecule might become synthesized and that it could be a model for other inorganic species which possess a double‐helix structure.