We have investigated the washing method of as-synthesized CdSe/ZnS core/shell structure quantum dots (QDs) and the effective surface passivation method of the washed QDs using PMMA. The quantum yield (QY%) of assynthesized QDs decreases with time, from 79.3% to 21.1%, owing to surface reaction with residual organics. The decreased QY% is restored to the QY% of as-synthesized QDs by washing. However, the QY% of washed QDs also decreases with time, owing to the absence of surface passivation layer. On the other hand, the PMMA-treated QDs maintained a relatively higher QY% after washing than that of the washed QDs that were kept in toluene solution for 30 days. Formation of the PMMA coating layer on CdSe/ZnS QD surface is confirmed by HR-TEM and FT-IR. It is found that the PMMA surface coating, when combined with washing, is useful to be applied in the storage of QDs, owing to its long-term stability.
This study investigates the main growth mechanism of InP during InP/ZnS reaction of quantum dots (QDs). The size of the InP core, considering a synthesis time of 1-30 min, increased from the initial 2.56 nm to 3.97 nm. As a result of applying the proposed particle growth model, the migration mechanism, with time index 7, was found to be the main reaction. In addition, after the removal of unreacted In and P precursors from bath, further InP growth (of up to 4.19 nm (5%)), was observed when ZnS was added. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the synthesized InP/ZnS quantum dots was found to be relatively uniform, measuring about 59 nm. However, kinetic growth mechanism provides limited information for InP / ZnS core shell QDs, because the surface state of InP changes with reaction time. Further study is necessary, in order to clearly determine the kinetic growth mechanism of InP / ZnS core shell QDs.
In this study, simple chemical synthesis of green emitting Cd-free InP/ZnS QDs is accomplished by reacting In, P, Zn, and S precursors by one-pot process. The particle size and the optical properties were tailored, by controlling various experimental conditions, including [In]/[MA] (MA: myristic acid) mole ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time. The results of ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), and of photoluminescence (PL), reveal that the exciton emission of InP was improved by surface coating, with a layer of ZnS. We report the correlation between each experimental condition and the luminescent properties of InP/ZnS core/shell QDs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) techniques were used to characterize the as-synthesized QDs. In contrast to core nanoparticles, InP/ZnS core/shell treated with surface coating shows a clear ultraviolet peak. Besides this work, we need to study what clearly determines the shell kinetic growth mechanism of InP/ZnS core shell QDs.
In this study, a finite element analysis approach is proposed to predict the fluid-structure interaction behavior of active materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), which are mainly composed of graphite powder. The porous matrix of graphite powder saturated with fluid electrolyte is considered a representative volume element (RVE) model. Three different RVE models are proposed to consider the uncertainty of the powder shape and the porosity. Pwave modulus from RVE solutions are analyzed based on the microstructure and the interaction between the fluid and the graphite powder matrix. From the results, it is found that the large surface area of the active material results in low mechanical properties of LIB, which leads to poor structural durability when subjected to dynamic loads. The results obtained in this study provide useful information for predicting the mechanical safety of a battery pack.
Silicon alloys are considered promising anode active materials to replace Li-ion batteries by graphite powder, because they have a relatively high capacity of up to 4200 mAh/g, and are environmentally friendly and inexpensive ECO-materials. However, its poor charge/discharge properties, induced by cracking during cycles, constitute their most serious problem as anode electrode. In order to solve these problems, Si-Ge-Al alloys with porous structure are designed as anode alloy powders, to improve cycling stability. The alloys are melt-spun to obtain the rapidly solidified ribbons, and then ball-milled to make fine powders. The powders are etched using 1 M HCl solution, which gives the powders a porous structure by removing the element Al. Subsequently, in this study, the microstructures and the characteristics of the etched powders are evaluated for application as anode materials. As a result, the etched porous powder shows better electrochemical properties than as-milled Si-Ge-Al powder.
Titanium carbide (TiC) powders are successfully synthesized by carburization of titanium hydride (TiH2) powders. The TiH2 powders with size lower than 45 μm (-325 Mesh) are optimally produced by the hydrogenation process, and are mixed with graphite powder by ball milling. The mixtures are then heat-treated in an Ar atmosphere at 800-1200oC for carburization to occur. It has been experimentally and thermodynamically determined that the dehydrogenation, “TiH2 = Ti + H2”, and carburization, “Ti + C = TiC”, occur simultaneously over the reaction temperature range. The unreacted graphite content (free carbon) in each product is precisely measured by acid dissolution and by the filtering method, and it is possible to conclude that the maximal carbon stoichiometry of TiC0.94 is accomplished at 1200oC.
This study is carried out to obtain basic data regarding oxidation and reduction reactions, originated on the recycling of waste tungsten hard scraps by oxidation and reduction processes. First, it is estimated that the theoretical Gibbs free energy for the formation reaction of WO2 and WO3 are calculated as ΔG1,000K= -407.335 kJ/mol and ΔG1,000K = -585.679 kJ/mol, from the thermodynamics data reported by Ihsan Barin. In the experiments, the oxidation of pure tungsten rod by oxygen is carried out over a temperature range of 700-1,000oC for 1 h, and it is possible to conclude that the oxidation reaction can be represented by a relatively linear relationship. Second, the reduction of WO2 and WO3 powder by hydrogen is also calculated from the same thermodynamics data, and it can be found that it was difficult for the reduction reaction to occur at 1,027oC, in the case of WO2, but it can happen for temperatures higher than 1127oC. On the other hand, WO3 reduction reaction occurs at the relatively low temperature of 827oC. Based on these results, the reduction experiments are carried out at a temperature range of 500-1,000oC for 15 min to 4 h, in the case of WO3 powder, and it is possible to conclude that the reduction at 900oC for 2h is needed for a perfect reduction reaction.
The effects of the heat treatment temperature and of the atmosphere on the dehydrogenation and hydrogen reduction of ball-milled TiH2-WO3 powder mixtures are investigated for the synthesis of Ti-W powders with controlled microstructure. Homogeneously mixed powders with refined TiH2 particles are successfully prepared by ball milling for 24 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses show that the powder mixture heat-treated in Ar atmosphere is composed of Ti, Ti2O, and W phases, regardless of the heat treatment temperature. However, XRD results for the powder mixture, heat-treated at 600oC in a hydrogen atmosphere, show TiH2 and TiH peaks as well as reaction phase peaks of Ti oxides and W, while the powder mixture heat-treated at 900oC exhibits only XRD peaks attributed to Ti oxides and W. The formation behavior of the reaction phases that are dependent on the heat treatment temperature and on the atmosphere is explained by thermodynamic considerations for the dehydrogenation reaction of TiH2, the hydrogen reduction of WO3 and the partial oxidation of dehydrogenated Ti.
Fecralloy coating layer with large surface area is suitable for use as a filter media for efficient removal of hot gaseous pollutants exhausted from combustion processes. For uniform preparation of a Fecralloy coating layer with large surface area and strong adhesion to substrate, electrospray coating and thermal treatment processes are experimentally optimized in this study. A nano-colloidal solution with 0.05 wt% Fecralloy nanoparticles is successfully prepared. Optimized electrospraying conditions are experimentally discovered to prepare a uniform coating layer of Fecralloy nanocolloidal solution on a substrate. Drying the electrospray coated Fecralloy nano-colloidal solution layer at 120oC and subsequent heating at 600oC are the best post-treatment for enhancing the adhesion force and surface roughness of the Fecralloy coating layer on a substrate. An electrospray coating system, consisting of several multi-groove nozzles, is also experimentally confirmed as a reasonable device for uniform coating of Fecralloy nano-colloid on a large area substrate
In this study, we report the microstructure and the high-temperature oxidation behavior of Fe-Ni alloys by spark plasma sintering. Structural characterization is performed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The oxidation behavior of Fe-Ni alloys is studied by means of a high-temperature oxidation test at 1000oC in air. The effect of Ni content of Fe-Ni alloys on the microstructure and on the oxidation characteristics is investigated in detail. In the case of Fe-2Ni and Fe-5Ni alloys, the microstructure is a ferrite (α) phase with body centered cubic (BCC) structure, and the microstructure of Fe-10Ni and Fe-20Ni alloys is considered to be a massive martensite (α’) phase with the same BCC structure as that of the ferrite phase. As the Ni content increases, the micro-Vickers hardness of the alloys also increases. It can also be seen that the oxidation resistance is improved by decreasing the thickness of the oxide film.