Effect of PyC interface phase on the cyclic ablation resistance and flexural properties of two-dimensional Cf/HfC composites

Composites based on hafnium carbide and reinforced with continuous naked carbon fiber with and without PyC interface were prepared at low temperature by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis and chemical vapor deposition method. The microstructure, mechanical property, cyclic ablation and fiber bundle push-in tests of the composites were investigated. The results show that after three times ablation cycles, the bending strength of samples without PyC interface decreased by 63.6 %; the bending strength of samples with PyC interface only decreased by 37.8 %. The force displacement curve of the samples with PyC interface presented a well pseudoplastic deformation state. The mechanical behavior difference of two kinds of composites was due to crucial function of PyC interface phase including protection of fiber and weakening of fiber/matrix interface.     

Recent advances in carbon nanotubes-based microwave absorbing composites

With the blossom of information industry, electromagnetic wave technology shows increasingly potential in many fields. Nevertheless, the trouble caused by electromagnetic waves has also drawn extensive attention. For instance, electromagnetic pollution can threaten information safety in vital fields and the normal function of delicate electronic devices. Consequently, electromagnetic pollution and interference become an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become a potential candidate to deal with these problems due to many advantages, such as high dielectric loss, remarkable thermodynamic stability, and low density. With the appearance of climbing demands, however, the carbon nanotubes combining various composites have shown greater prospects than the single CNTs in microwave absorbing materials. In this short review, recent advances in CNTs-based microwave absorbing materials were comprehensively discussed. Typically, we introduced the electromagnetic wave absorption mechanism of CNTs-based microwave absorbing materials and generalized the development of CNTs-based microwave absorbers, including CNTs-based magnetic metal composites, CNTs-based ferrite composites, and CNTs-based polymer composites. Ultimately, the growing trend and bottleneck of CNTs-based composites for microwave absorption were analyzed to provide some available ideas to more scientific workers.     

Technical review: Improvement of mechanical properties and suitability towards armor applications – Alumina composites

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) have many interesting properties, mainly light weight, cost efficiency, low density, high compressive strength, high hardness and durability. Hence, they emerged as a boon to the development of personnel armors in the past. The current work aims to review various new methodologies adapted for the reinforcement of Alumina (Al₂O₃) CMCs in recent times, including some of the interesting results obtained with respect to mechanical properties, suitability of the synthesized composites for armor applications, and the upcoming reinforcement trends. Finally, studies related to reinforcement in Al₂O₃ CMCs, specifically towards armor applications have been consolidated to arrive at some of the important inferences for concluding reasonably.     

CuxNi1-xO nanostructures and their nanocomposites with reduced graphene oxide: Synthesis,characterization, and photocatalytic applications

NiO nanostructure was synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method and was embedded on reduced graphene oxide surface via ultrasonication. Structural investigations were made through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and functional groups were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). XRD analysis revealed the grain size reduction with doping. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of metal-oxygen bond in pristine and doped NiO nanostructure as well as the presence of carbon containing groups. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that the particle size decreased when NiO nanostructure was doped with copper. BET surface area was found to increase almost up to 43 m²/g for Cu doped NiO nanostructure/rGO composite. Current-voltage measurements were performed using two probe method. UV–Visible spectroscopic profiles showed the blue and red shift for Cu doped NiO nanostructure and Cu doped NiO Nanostructure/rGO composite respectively. Rate constant for Cu doped NiO nanostructure/rGO composite found to increase 4.4 times than pristine NiO nanostructure.     

Relationships between the accumulative damage and dielectric properties of woven BN-coated Hi-Nicalon™ SiC fibre-reinforced SiC matrix composites

The accumulative damage behaviour of BN-coated Hi-Nicalon™ SiC fibre-reinforced SiC matrix composite was examined under tensile cyclic loading at room and elevated temperatures. The accumulative damage occurring during the cyclic loading was quantitatively characterised using the damage parameter obtained by the hysteresis loop curves. The damage parameter increased with increasing applied stress beyond the matrix cracking stress, and it subsequently retained a nearly constant value until just before fracture. Moreover, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent of the composite were measured before and after the fracture in the frequency range 1–1000 MHz. The dielectric properties had similar frequency dependency before and after the fracture. However, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent were lower in the post-fractured specimens than in the pristine ones. The reduction of the dielectric properties was associated with the accumulative damage stored in the specimens. In addition, the relationships between the dielectric properties and the damage parameter were described in detail.     

Effects of SiC content on mechanical,thermal and ablative properties of carbon/phenolic composites

Silicon carbide (SiC) particles were utilized to improve the mechanical, thermal and anti-ablative properties of carbon/phenolic (C/Ph) composites. SiC–C/Ph composites were fabricated with different weight percentage of SiC by vacuum impregnation method. The mechanical and thermal properties were characterized by compression tests, thermal conductivity tests, and thermogravimetric analysis; meanwhile, ablation resistance was investigated using plasma wind tunnel tests and scanning electron microscopy. Experimental results showed that 5 wt% SiC modified C/Ph composites owned the optimum properties. Moreover, introducing SiC particles could result in an obvious decrease of compression strength, but an increase of thermal stability, thermal conductivity and anti-ablative performance. Notably, the ablation rate reached its the lowest point at 5% the SiC content in resin matrix composites.     

Manganese ferrite-polyaniline hybrid materials: Electrical and magnetic properties

Magnetic MnFe₂O₄ nanopowders were synthesized by an original solvothermal method in the absence and in the presence of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB) and Tween 80 (TW) as surfactants. Manganese ferrite/polyaniline (PANI) hybrid materials were synthesized by in situ polymerization of aniline on the surface of MnFe₂O₄ using ammonium persulfate as oxidant. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of the two surfactants on the properties of the MnFe₂O₄ powders and of their composites with PANI. The specific surface area, the cumulative surface area of pores and the cumulative volume of pores are influenced by the nature of surfactant in case of MnFe₂O₄ powders and are higher by comparison to those of the MnFe₂O₄/PANI hybrid materials. The values of saturation magnetization in case of MnFe₂O₄ powders are higher than those of the hybrid materials and are not influenced by the surfactant nature. These features revealed that MnFe₂O₄ powders can be efficiently used as adsorbents for the purification of wastewaters. The values of the electrical conductivity of the composites exhibit a significant increase in comparison to the MnFe₂O₄ powders and depend on the surfactant nature. The highest value of electrical conductivity was achieved by the composite obtained using Tween 80 as surfactant (σ_DC = 54.5·10^?5S?m^?1) which was close to that of PANI (σ_DC = 61.2·10^?5 S?m^?1). The fact that the magnetic and electric properties of the synthesized MnFe₂O₄/PANI composites can be changed by design, demonstrate the high potential of these materials to be used in magneto-electric applications.     

Sintering behaviour of fluorapatite–silicate composites produced from natural fluorapatite and quartz

In this work, the sintering behaviour of fluorapatite (FAp)–silicate composites prepared by mixing variable amounts of natural quartz (2.5 wt% to 20 wt%) and FAp was studied. The composites were pressureless sintered in air at temperatures from 1000 °C to 1350 °C. The effects of temperatures on the densification, phase formation, chemical bonding and Vickers hardness of the composites were evaluated. All the samples exhibited mixed phase, comprising FAp and francolite as the major constituents along with some minor phases of cristobalite, wollastonite, dicalcium silicate and/or whitlockite dependent on the quartz content and sintering temperature. The composite containing 2.5 wt% quartz exhibited the best sintering properties. The highest bulk density of 3 g/cm³ and a Vickers hardness of >4.2 GPa were obtained for the 2.5 wt% quartz–FAp composite when sintered at 1100 °C. The addition of quartz was found to alter the microstructure of the composites, where it exhibited a rod-like morphology when sintered at 1000 °C and a regular rounded grain structure when sintered at 1350 °C. A wetted grain surface was observed for composites containing high quartz content and was believed to be associated with a transient liquid phase sintering.     

Improved quantum efficiency of Sr(Al,Si)5(O,N)7:Ce3+ by selection of Ce raw material

The luminescence properties of yellow-emitting Ce³⁺-doped Sr-containing sialon phosphor Sr(Al,Si)₅(O,N)₇:Ce³⁺ were notably improved by the Ce raw material selection. By changing the Ce raw material from oxides to nitrides or chlorides, the emission wavelength shifted to above 560 nm, which is beneficial for higher color rendering index white light-emitting diodes. This result from an increase in the covalency of the host crystal being associated with a decrease in the oxygen content. When Ce chloride was used, both the absorption and internal quantum efficiency increased, resulting in an increase in the external quantum efficiency up to 65%–72%. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and electron spin resonance measurements showed that the reason for the absorption increase is an increase in Ce³⁺ content and suppression of the generation of the second phase, and the reason for the increase in the internal quantum efficiency is a decrease in the host crystal absorption via suppression of anion vacancy generation. It was found that Ce chloride not only suppresses oxygen impurities but also acts as a flux that results in improved crystallinity.     

Sintering,microstructure, and mechanical properties of vitrified bond diamond composite

The demand for high-performance grinding wheels is gradually increasing due to rapid industrial development. Vitrified bond diamond composite is a versatile material for grinding wheels used in the backside grinding step of Si wafer production. However, the properties of the vitrified bond diamond composite are controlled by the characteristics of the diamond particles, the vitrified bond, and pores and are very complicated. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of SiO₂–Na₂O–B₂O₃–Al₂O₃–Li₂O–K₂O–CaO–MgO–ZrO₂–TiO₂–Bi₂O₃ glass powder on the sintering, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the vitrified bond diamond composite. The elemental distributions of the composite were analyzed using electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) to clarify the diffusion behaviors of various elements during sintering.The results showed that the relative density and transverse rupture strength of the composite sintered at 620 °C were 91.7% and 126 MPa, respectively. After sintering at 680 °C, the glass powder used in this study exhibited a superior forming ability without an additional pore foaming agent. The relative density and transverse rupture strength of the composite decreased to 48.2% and 49 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the low sintering temperature of this glass powder protected the diamond particles from graphitization during sintering, as determined by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrum. Furthermore, the EPMA results indicate that Na diffused and segregated at the interface between the diamond particles and vitrified bond, contributing to the improved bonding. The diamond particles can remain effectively bonded by the vitrified bond even after fracture.