Corrosion and Wear Behaviors of Cr-Doped Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings

A combination of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition and magnetron sputtering techniques has been employed to deposit chromium-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings on stainless steel, silicon and glass substrates. The concentrations of Cr in the coatings are varied by changing the parameters of the bipolar pulsed power supply and the argon/acetylene gas composition. The coatings have been studied for composition, morphology, surface nature, nanohardness, corrosion resistance and wear resistance properties. The changes in I _D /I _G ratio with Cr concentrations have been obtained from Raman spectroscopy studies. Ratio decreases with an increase in Cr concentration, and it has been found to increase at higher Cr concentration, indicating the disorder in the coating. Carbide is formed in Cr-doped DLC coatings as observed from XPS studies. There is a decrease in sp ³/sp ² ratios with an increase in Cr concentration, and it increases again at higher Cr concentration. Nanohardness studies show no clear dependence of hardness on Cr concentration. DLC coatings with lower Cr contents have demonstrated better corrosion resistance with better passive behavior in 3.5% NaCl solution, and corrosion potential is observed to move toward nobler (more positive) values. A low coefficient of friction (0.15) at different loads is observed from reciprocating wear studies. Lower wear volume is found at all loads on the Cr-doped DLC coatings. Wear mechanism changes from abrasive wear on the substrate to adhesive wear on the coating.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Quenched and Crystalline Phases: Q-Carbon,Q-BN,Diamond and Phase-Pure c-BN

We report the synthesis and characterization of quenched (Q-carbon and Q-BN) and crystalline (diamond and c-BN) phases using a non-equilibrium technique. These phases are formed as a result of the melting and subsequent quenching of amorphous carbon and nanocrystalline h-BN in a super undercooled state by using high-power nanosecond laser pulses. Pulsed laser annealing also leads to the formation of nanoneedles, microneedles and single-crystal thin films of diamond and c-BN. This formation is dependent on the nucleation and growth times, which are controlled by laser energy density and thermal conductivities of substrate and as-deposited thin film. The diamond nuclei present in the Q-carbon structure (~ 80% sp³) can also be grown to larger sizes using the equilibrium hot filament chemical vapor deposition process. The texture of diamond and c-BN crystals is 〈111〉 under epitaxial growth and 〈110〉 under rapid unseeded crystallization. Our nanosecond laser processing opens up a roadmap to the fabrication of novel phases on heat-sensitive substrates.     

Preparation and high-frequency soft magnetic property of FeCo-based thin films

A series of FeCo-based thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering without applying an induced magnetic field.The microstructure,electrical properties,magnetic properties and thermal stability of FeCo,FeCoSiN monolayer thin film and[FeCoSiN/SiN_x]_n multilayer thin film were investigated systematically.When FeCo thin film was doped with Si and N,the resistivity and soft magnetic properties of the obtained FeCoSiN thin film can be improved effectively.The coercivity(H_c),resistivity(ρ) and ferromagnetic resonance frequency(f_r) can be further optimized for the[FeCoSiN/SiN_x]_n multilayer thin film.When the thickness of FeCoSiN layer and SiN_x layer is maintained at 7 and 2 nm,the H_c,p and f_r for[FeCoSiN/SiN_x]_n multilayer thin film are 225 A·m~(-1)392 μΩ·cm~(-1) and 4.29 GHz,respectively.In addition,the low coercivity of easy axis(H_(ce) ≈ 506 A·m~(-1)) of[FeCoSiN/SiN_x]_n multilayer thin film can be maintained after annealing at 300 ℃ in air for 2 h.     

Optical Parameters of Spray-Deposited CdS<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript>Te<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> Thin Films

CdS _x Te_1?x and CdS_1?y Te _y solid solutions are usually formed in the interfacial region in CdS/CdTe solar cells during the deposition of the CdTe layer and/or the processing steps of the device. In this work, indium-doped CdS_1?y Te _y thin films were prepared by first producing CdS:In thin films by the spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates, then annealing the films in nitrogen atmosphere in the presence of elemental tellurium. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and transmittance measurements. The transmittance was used to deduce the reflectance from which the optical parameters were computed. The extinction coefficient, refractive index, the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant, optical conductivity, and energy loss were computed, and their dependence on the composition was investigated. In addition, the dispersion of the refractive index was analyzed by the single oscillator model, and dispersion parameters were investigated.     

Features of the thermal behavior of PMMA/C<Subscript>60</Subscript> film composites

Polymethylmethacrylate-based film composites containing small additives of fullerenes (up to 3 wt %) are obtained. The thermal behavior of the obtained materials is studied by DSC in the temperature range from 25 to 130°C. It is found that the character of the DSC curve depends on the composite composition. For films containing up to 0.1 wt % C₆₀, one glass transition temperature (T _g ^soft) is observed, while in the case of films with a higher concentration of the filler, two glass transition temperatures (T _g ^soft and T _g ^solid) are observed. It is found that the dependence of T _g ^soft value on the content of fullerenes is nonmonotonic with a minimum at 0.5 wt % of C60.     

Experimental Investigation of Newly Synthesized Gemini Cationic Surfactants as Corrosion Inhibitors of Mild Steel in 1.0 M HCl

Three Gemini cationic surfactants named N¹,N¹,N³,N³-tetramethyl-N¹,N³-bis(3-octanamidopropyl) propane-1,3-diaminium bromide (C8-S3-C8), N¹,N¹,N³,N³-tetramethyl-N¹,N³-bis(3-dodecanamidopropyl) propane-1,3-diaminium bromide (C12-S3-C12) and N¹,N¹,N³,N³-tetramethyl-N¹,N³-bis(3-hexadecanamidopropyl) propane-1,3-diaminium bromide (C16-S3-C16) were evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in 1.0 M HCl. The corrosion rate of mild steel in 1.0 M HCl at three different temperatures 25, 45 and 60oC was investigated gravimetrically. The corrosion rate of mild steel was confirmed electrically at 25oC. The corrosion inhibition efficiency directly proportionally with the hydrophobic chain length of inhibitors. The inhibition efficiency exhibit a positive trend with raising the solution temperatures. The potentiostatic polarization study revealed that the tested gemini cationic surfactants act as mixed type inhibitors with predominant control of cathodic reaction. The Villamil isotherm provide the best describing of the adsorption process on the selected steel in 1.0 M HCl. The adsorption of the tested inhibitors on the steel surface is a mixture of chemical and physical adsorption.     

Change in the magnetization of multilayer Fe/Si nanostructures during synthesis and subsequent heating

The magnetization of multilayer Fe/Si films made of nanolayers and fabricated by thermal evaporation in an ultrahigh vacuum is studied. The magnetization of (Fe/Si) _n films and its temperature gradient are found to depend on the Fe layer thickness. This dependence is shown to result from the formation of a chemical compound (nonmagnetic phase) at the Fe-Si interface during synthesis. The fraction of this phase accounts for up to 50% of the Fe layer thickness. The irreversible change in the magnetization of these nanostructures is analyzed, and a procedure is proposed for the estimation of the kinetic coefficients of the synthesis of the nonmagnetic phase (silicide) in the multilayer Fe/Si nanostructures at high temperatures. An Fe(1.2 nm)/Si(1.5 nm)/Fe(1.2 nm)/Si(1.5 nm)/Fe(1.2 nm)/Si(10 nm) film is used as an example in order to determine the activation energy E _a and the diffusion coefficient D ₀ of this process with this procedure.     

Influence of Space Charge During the Oxidation of Metal Surfaces

In this work we present a model for the surface oxide film growth considering the influence of space charge. The space charge field E_sp is assumed proportional to the charge of moving metal ions and electrons in the oxide layer. The surface charge field E_ox decreases as the Cabrera and Motts’ oxide thickness X grows to its limit X₁ (E_ox = V_M/X). E_ox remains constant for further growth of the oxide film (E_ox = V_M/X₁). The obtained equation for the growing rate of the oxide film covers two stages. The first stage is characterized by a negligible space charge and is described by the typical inverse logarithmic law. During transition from thin to thick film, the oxidation growth rate is described by a direct logarithmic law which is confirmed by many experiments. At the end of this stage, the drift of metal ions is replaced by their diffusion that leads to parabolic law.     

Analysis of Plastic Flow Instability During Superplastic Deformation of the Zn-Al Eutectoid Alloy Modified with 2 wt.% Cu

The aim of this work is to analyze the plastic flow instability in Zn-21Al-2Cu alloy deformed under 10^?3 s^?1 and 513 K, which are optimum conditions for inducing superplastic behavior in this alloy. An evaluation using the Hart and Wilkinson–Caceres criteria showed that the limited stability of plastic flow observed in this alloy is related to low values of the strain-rate sensitivity index (m) and the strain-hardening coefficient (γ), combined with the tendency of these parameters to decrease depending on true strain (ε). The reduction in m and γ values could be associated with the early onset of plastic instability and with microstructural changes observed as function of the strain. Grain growth induced by deformation seems to be important during the first stage of deformation of this alloy. However, when ε > 0.4 this growth is accompanied by other microstructural rearrangements. These results suggest that in this alloy, a grain boundary sliding mechanism acts to allow a steady superplastic flow only for ε < 0.4. For ε values between 0.4 and 0.7, observed occurrences of microstructural changes and severe neck formation lead to the supposition that there is a transition in the deformation mechanism. These changes are more evident when ε > 0.7 as another mechanism is thought to take over.     

X-ray diffraction determination of root-mean-square displacements of atoms in <Emphasis Type="Italic">B</Emphasis>2 and <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis> phases of titanium nickelide

Intensities of 15 fundamental and 11 superlattice reflections of the B2 phase have been measured in a titanium nickelide single crystal using X-ray Mo Kα radiation. Structure factors for these reflections and root-mean-square displacements of nickel and titanium atoms from the crystal-lattice sites have been calculated. The mean squared displacements of nickel atoms are equal to 〈u ²〉_Ni=0.087 ± 0.006 Ų; those of titanium atoms, 〈u ²〉_Ti = 0.039 ± 0.003 Ų. The temperature dependence of root-mean-square displacements in the B2 phase and in the temperature range of the B2 → R transformation has been determined. Root-mean-square atomic displacements in the R phase have been calculated. The Debye temperature has been determined and the root-mean-square atomic displacements in the B2 phase have been separated into static and dynamic ones.     

Size dependence of the melting temperature of metallic nanoclusters from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic theory of similarity

The generalized Thomson formula T_m = T_m^(∞)(1-δ)R for the melting point of small objects T_m has been analyzed from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic theory of similarity, where R is the radius of the particle and T_m^(∞) is the melting point of the corresponding large crystal. According to this formula, the parameter δ corresponds to the value of the radius of the T_m(R^-1) particle obtained by the linear extrapolation of the dependence to the melting point of the particle equal to 0 K. It has been shown that δ = αδ₀, where α is the factor of the asphericity of the particle (shape factor). In turn, the redefined characteristic length δ₀ is expressed through the interphase tension σ_sl at the boundary of the crystal with its own melt, the specific volume of the solid phase v_s and the macroscopic value of the heat of fusion λ_∞:δ₀ = 2σ_slv_s/λ_∞. If we go from the reduced radius of the particle R/δ to the redefined reduced radius R/r₁ or R/d, where r₁ is the radius of the first coordination shell and d ≈r₁ is the effective atomic diameter, then the simplex δ/r₁ or δ/d will play the role of the characteristic criterion of thermodynamic similarity. At a given value of α, this role will be played by the simplex Estimates of the parameters δ₀ and δ₀/d have been carried out for ten metals with different lattice types. It has been shown that the values of the characteristic length δ₀ are close to 1 nm and that the simplex δ₀/d is close to unity. In turn, the calculated values of the parameter δ agree on the order of magnitude with existing experimental data.     

Electrodeposition Process and Performance of CuIn(Se<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>S<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>)<Subscript>2</Subscript> Film for Absorption Layer of Thin-Film Solar Cells

CuIn(Se _x S_1?x )₂ thin film is prepared by the electrodeposition method for the absorption layer of the solar cell. The CuIn(Se _x S_1?x )₂ films are characterized by cyclic voltammetry measurement for the reduction of copper, indium, selenium and sulfur in selenium and sulfur in aqueous solutions with sodium citrate and without sodium citrate. In the four cases, the defined reduction process for every single element is obtained and it is observed that sodium citrate changes the reduction potentials. A linear relationship between the current density of the reduction peak and (scan rate v)^1/2 for copper and indium is achieved, indicating that the process is diffusion controlled. The diffusion coefficients of copper and indium ions are calculated. The diffusional coefficient D value of copper is higher than that of indium, and this is the reason why the deposition rate of copper is higher. When four elements are co-deposited in the aqueous solution with sodium citrate, the quaternary compound of CuIn(Se _x S_1?x )₂ is deposited together with Cu₃Se₂ impure phases after annealing, as found by XRD spectra. Morphology is observed by SEM and AFM. The chemical state of the films components is analyzed by XPS. The UV-Visible spectrophotometer and electrochemistry workstation are employed to measure the photoelectric properties. The results show that the smooth, uniform and compact CuIn(Se _x S_1?x )₂ film is a semiconductor with a band gap of 1.49 eV and a photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 0.45%.     

Superconducting cellular MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>

A new composite superconducting material in the form of a cellular structure consisting of large Mg grains surrounded by thin MgB₂ layers has been prepared. The superconducting properties of such a cellular structure were found to depend on the thickness of the superconducting layer d _s. As d _s decreases from ～30 to 1 μm, the critical temperature decreases by more than 10 K. The derivative of the upper critical field with respect to the temperature (dH _c2/dT) near T _c increases from ～0.2 T/K at high d _s to ～0.35 T/K at d _s ～6 μm. The critical current density of the cellular samples calculated for the area of the superconductor section is above 10⁵ A/cm² (T = 4.2 K and H = 1 T).     

The energy of adsorption of methane on microporous carbon adsorbents

Differential molar isosteric and integral heats of methane adsorption on a range of microporous carbon adsorbents of different origin have been calculated. The values of densities of integral heats Ω of methane adsorption on the sorbents under study Ω have been determined as the ratio between integral heat of adsorption and micropore volume. The dependence of density of integral heat of adsorption on standard characteristic energy of adsorption E ₀ has been estimated. It has been shown that the value of density Ω increases as E ₀ increases. The results of calculation of specific amount of accumulated methane V _sp depending on energy and structural parameters of adsorbents have been presented.     

Kinetics of the hydration reaction at the electrolyte–insulator interface

The instability of the dc operating point in the pH-sensitive ion-selective field effect transistors (ISFETs) has been ascribed to a chemical ageing at the electrolyte–insulator. This instability, commonly referred to as a drift, is believed to involve formation of a chemically-modified insulator surface layer as a result of hydration of the insulator material. A kinetic model for hydration of the amorphous insulator material is presented. The kinetics of hydration is limited by the hopping and/or trap-limited transport mechanism known as dispersive transport, the key characteristic of which is a power-law time dependence of the diffusion coefficient. The power-law time dependence of the diffusion coefficient will be shown to lead to a stretchedexponential decay in the form exp[–(t/τ)^β] for the excess density of sites or traps occupied by the hydrating chemical species undergoing dispersive diffusion, where τ is the time constant associated with a structural relaxation and β is the dispersion parameter satisfying 0 < β < 1. The kinetics associated with a hydration reaction limited by the dispersive diffusion has been shown to lead to a hydrated layer thickness exhibiting a time dependence in the form {1–exp[–(t/τ)^β]}. The first order rate equation describing the kinetics of the hydration reaction is characterized by the time-dependent rate coefficient.     

The influence of the conditions of synthesis on the composition and mechanical properties of silicon oxycarbonitride nanocomposite films

Dielectric films of hydrogenated silicon oxycarbonitride SiC _x N _y O _z :H were prepared by plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition using gas mixtures of 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) or 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisilazane (TMDS) with oxygen and nitrogen in the temperature range of 373–973 K. The effect of the conditions of synthesis on the chemical and phase composition of the films was studied, in the amorphous part of which nanocrystals belonging to the phases of the Si–C–N system α-Si₃N₄, α-Si_3–x C _x N₄, and graphite were distributed. To measure the hardness and Young’s modulus, the nanoindentation method was used. The influence that the synthesis temperature and nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio in the initial gas mixtures HMDS + O₂ + xN₂ and TMDS + O₂ + xN₂ have on the hardness and Young’s modulus of the resulting SiC _x N _y O _z :H films was investigated. The maximum obtained values of these parameters were 20.4 and 201.5 GPa, respectively.     

Inverse magnetocaloric effect in the uniaxial paramagnet with non-Kramers ions

It has been shown that, in a uniaxial paramagnet with non-Kramers ions with a spin of S = 1 and single-ion anisotropy of the easy-plane type (DS _Z ² ), there is a low-field (μ₀ H ≤ D) and low-temperature (k _B T < 0.68D) region in which the isothermal magnetization along the hard direction H||OZ increases the magnetic entropy by ΔS _M (T, ΔH = H _f - H _i > 0) > 0 and the adiabatic magnetization along the same direction reduces the sample temperature by ΔT _ad(T, ΔH > 0) < 0 (inverse magnetocaloric effect (MCE)). The main features of the inverse MCE in uniaxial paramagnets with large spins (S = 2, 3, …) of the non-Kramers ions have been discussed.     

Creep correlations of metals at elevated temperatures

Creep data for pure metals at temperatures above those at which rapid recovery occurs (above about 0.45 the melting temperature) are correctable by means of the equations ? = f (te^?ΔH/RT, σ) and σ = f (?&#x0307 _s e^ΔH/RT). These correlations were applied successfully to data for aluminum, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, platinum, gold, and lead as well as for simple alloys. For a given metal, ΔH is a constant about equal to the activation energy for self-diffusion.     

Study on the Hot Workability of SiCp/Al Composites Based on a Critical Strain Map

We used the isothermal compression test (conducted in a Gleeble-3500 system) to study the hot deformation behaviors of SiCp/Al composites over a wide range of temperatures (623-773 K) and strain rates (0.001-10 s^?1). A 3D hot-processing map was constructed based on the Malas stability criteria and experimental data. An artificial neural network model of four hot work quality characteristic parameters (strain rate sensitivity m, its derivative m′, temperature sensitivity s, and its derivative s′) were established. A new hot-processing map, known as a hot-processing critical strain map, has been proposed based on the smallest strain prior to instability. Two optimized processing regions at 623-660 K, 0.05-0.075 s^?1 and 720-773 K, 0.04-0.18 s^?1 were determined based on this map.     

Magnetotransport of Cu<Subscript>2</Subscript>ZnSnS<Subscript>4</Subscript> single crystals in two regimes of variable–range hopping conduction

The resistivity, ρ(T), and the magnetoresistance (MR) of Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) single crystals are investigated at temperatures T = 2–300 K in pulsed magnetic fields of B up to 20 T. The Mott variable–range hopping (VRH) conductivity over localized states of the defect acceptor band is observed between T ~ 50–150 K. The Shklovskii–Efros (SE) VRH conduction over the states of the Coulomb gap is found below T ~ 3–4 K. The positive MR is observed at all temperatures and magnetic fields, its value decreasing with T. In the Mott VRH conduction region, MR follows the law ln ρ(B) ∝ B ² up to the highest applied fields. The joint analysis of the resistivity and MR data in this region has yielded values of the localization radius as well as a set of important microscopic parameters, including the mobility threshold in the acceptor band, the values of the density of localized states near the Fermi level and the critical concentration of the metal–insulator transition. In the SE region, the MR law above is observed only in much smaller fields, transformed into those of lnρ(B) ∝ B ^2/3 or ∝ B ^3/4 when B increases. Such transformation, accompanied by a strong increase of the localization radius, give evidence for an important role of scattering and interference phenomena in the VRH conduction at low temperatures.