With the increasing demand for electronic products, the amount of multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) waste has also increased. Recycling technology has recently gained attention because it can simultaneously address raw material supply and waste disposal issues. However, research on recovering valuable metals from MLCCs and converting the recovered metals into high-value-added materials remains insufficient. Herein, we describe an electrospinning (E-spinning) process to recover nickel from MLCCs and modulate the morphology of the recovered nickel oxide particles. The nickel oxalate powder was recovered using organic acid leaching and precipitation. Nickel oxide nanoparticles were prepared via heat treatment and ultrasonic milling. A mixture of nickel oxide particles and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as the E-spinning solution. A PVP/NiO nanowire composite was fabricated via Espinning, and a nickel oxide nanowire with a network structure was manufactured through calcination. The nanowire diameters and morphologies are discussed based on the nickel oxide content in the E-spinning solution.

We report a method for preparing rare earth oxides (RexOy) from the recycling process for spent Ni-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. This process first involves a leaching of spent Ni-MH powders with sulfuric acid at 90℃, resulting in rare earth precipitates (i.e., NaRE(SO4)2·H2O, RE = La, Ce, Nd), which are converted into rare earth oxides via two different approaches: i) simple heat treatment in air, and ii) metathesis reaction with NaOH at 70℃. Not only the morphological features but also the crystallographic structures of all products are systematically investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD); their thermal behaviors are also analyzed. In particular, XRD results show that some of the rare earth precipitates are converted into oxide form (such as La2O3, Ce2O3, and Nd2O3) with heat treatment at 1200℃; however, secondary peaks are also observed. On the other hand, rare earth oxides, RExOy can be successfully obtained after metathesis of rare earth precipitates, followed by heat treatment at 1000℃ in air, along with a change of crystallographic structures, i.e., NaRE(SO4)2·H2O → RE(OH)3 → RExOy.

In this study, the electroless nickel plating method has been investigated for the coating of Ni nanoparticles onto fine Al powder as promising energetic materials. The adsorption of nickel nanoparticles onto the surface of Al powders has been studied by varying various process parameters, namely, the amounts of reducing agent, complexing agent, and pH-controller. The size of nickel nanoparticles synthesized in the process has been optimized to approximately 200 nm and they have been adsorbed on the Al powder. TGA results clearly show that the temperature at which oxidation of Al mainly occurs is lowered as the amount of Ni nanoparticles on the Al surface increases. Furthermore, the Ni-plated Al powders prepared for all conditions show improved exothermic reaction due to the selfpropagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) between Ni and Al. Therefore, Al powders fully coated by Ni nanoparticles show the highest exothermic reactivity: this demonstrates the efficiency of Ni coating in improving the energetic properties of Al powders.

Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres have been prepared by solvent displacement crystallization using a micro-injection device, and the effect of process parameters such as concentration and the relative ratio of the injection speed of the precursor solution, which is an aqueous solution of NiSO4·6H2O, to isopropyl alcohol of displacement solvent have been investigated. The crystal phases after NaOH treatment are in the β-phase for all process parameters. A higher concentration of NiSO4·6H2O aqueous solution is injected by a micro-injection device and bigger Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres with a narrower particle size distribution are formed. The crystallinity and hardness of the as-obtained powder are so poor that hydrothermal treatment of the as-obtained Ni(OH)2 at 120oC for 24 h in distilled water is performed in order to greatly improve the crystallinity. It is thought that a relative ratio of the injection speed of NiSO4·6H2O to that of isopropyl alcohol of at least more than 1 is preferable to synthesize Ni(OH)2 hollow spheres. It is confirmed that this solution- based process is very effective in synthesizing ceramic hollow spheres by simple adjustment of the process parameters such as the concentration and the injection speed.

In this study, solid solution heat treatment of consolidated nickel-based superalloy powders is carried out by hot isotactic pressing. The effects of the cooling rate of salt quenching, and air cooling on the microstructures and the mechanical properties of the specimens are analyzed . The specimen that is air cooled shows the formation of serrated grain boundaries due to their obstruction by the carbide particles. Moreover, the specimen that is salt quenched shows higher strength than the one that is air cooled due to the presence of fine and close-packed tertiary gamma prime phase. The tensile elongation at high temperatures improves due to the presence of grain boundary serrations in the specimen that is air cooled. On the contrary, the specimen that is salt quenched and consists of unserrated grain boundaries shows better creep properties than the air cooled specimen with the serrated grain boundaries, due to the negative creep phenomenon.

Nickel powders were prepared under solvothermal condition by precipitation from metal nitrates with aqueous ammonium hydroxide. The powders were obtained at in a temperature range of 190-250 oC for 6h. The morphology and size of nickel powders were studied as a function of reaction temperature. The synthesis of nickel crystalline particles is possible under a solvothermal conditions in ethylene glycol solution. Characterization of the synthesized nickel powders were studied by XRD, SEM(FE-SEM) and TG/DSC. X-ray diffraction analysis of the synthesized powders indicated the formation of nickel structure after reaction. The average crystalline sizes of the synthesized nickel powders were in the range of 200-1000 nm; and the distribution of the powders was broad. The shape of the synthesized nickel particles was almost spherical. The morphology of synthesized nickel powders changed with reaction condition. It was possible to synthesize nickel powders directly in ethylene glycol without reducing agent.

The conductive polymer composites have attracted considerable attention in the field of industry due to their electrical properties. To understand electrical properties of the composites, their volume specific resistance was measured. Electrical conductivity results showed percolation phenomena. Percolation theories are frequently applied to describe the insulator-to-conductor transitions in the composites composed of conductive filler and insulating matrix. It was found that the percolation threshold strongly depends on the aspect ratio of filler particles. The critical concentration of percolation formed is defined as the percolation threshold. The purpose of this study was to examine electrical properties of the epoxy resins filled with nickel. The sample was prepared using vehicle such as epoxy resin replenished with nickel powder, and the evaluation on their practical use was performed in order to apply them to electric and electronic industry as well as general field. The volume specific resistance of epoxy resin composites was 4.666~13.074 when using nickel powder. Weight loss of the conductive composites took place at 350℃~470℃.

In this study, nanocrystalline Cu-Ni bulk materials with various compositions were cold compacted by a shock compaction method using a single-stage gas gun system. Since the oxide layers on powder surface disturbs bonding between powder particles during the shock compaction process, each nanopowder was hydrogen-reduced to remove the oxide layers. X-ray peak analysis shows that hydrogen reduction successfully removed the oxide layers from the nano powders. For the shock compaction process, mixed powder samples with various compositions were prepared using a roller mixer. After the shock compaction process, the density of specimens increased up to 95% of the relative density. Longitudinal cross-sections of the shock compacted specimen demonstrates that a boundary between two powders are clearly distinguished and agglomerated powder particles remained in the compacted bulk. Internal crack tended to decrease with an increase in volumetric ratio of nano Cu powders in compacted bulk, showing that nano Cu powders has a higher coherency than nano Ni powders. On the other hand, hardness results are dominated by volume fraction of the nano Ni powder. The crystalline size of the shock compacted bulk materials was greatly reduced from the initial powder crystalline size since the shock wave severely deformed the powders.

In this study, nanocrystalline nickel powders were cold compacted by a dynamic compaction method usinga single-stage gas gun system. A bending test was conducted to measure the bonding strengths of the compacted regionsand microstructures of the specimen were analyzed using a scanning electron microscopy. The specimen was separatedinto two parts by a horizontal crack after compaction. Density test shows that the powder compaction occurred only inthe upper part of the specimen. Brittle fracture was occurred during the bending test of the compact sample. Dispersionof shock energy due to spalling highly affected the bonding status of the nanocrystalline nickel powder.

Nickel-based superalloy IN 713C powders have been consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing). The microstructure and mechanical properties of the superalloys were investigated at the HIPing temperature ranging from 1030o C to 1230o C. When the IN 713C powder was heated above γ' solvus temperature (about 1180o C), the microstruc- ture was composed of the austenitic FCC matrix phase γ plus a variety of secondary phases, such as γ' precipitates in γ matrix and MC carbides at grain boundaries. The yield and tensile strengths of HIPed specimens at room temperature were decreased while the elongation and reduction of area were increased as the processing temperature increased. At 700o C, the strength was similar regardless of HIPing temperature; however, the ductility was drastically increased with increasing the temperature. It is considered that these properties compared to those of cast products are originated from the homogeneity of microstructure obtained from a PM process.

An attempt was made to evaluate creep reliability of two commercial Ni-based superalloys by using ultrasonic wave. The materials include fine-grained PM alloy fabricated by mechanical alloying and subsequent hot isostatic pressing, and IN738LC cast alloy with a grain size of a few cm. Microstructural parameters (fraction of creep cavity and size of precipitates) and ultrasonic parameters (velocity, attenuation) were measured to try to find relationships between them. Ultrasonic velocity decreased with creep cavity formation in PM alloy. On the other hand, no distinct changing trend of ultrasonic velocity was observed for IN738LC alloy. Ultrasonic attenuation was found to have a linear correlation with the size of precipitates and was suggested as a potential parameter for monitoring creep reliability of IN738LC alloy.

Nickel powders were synthesized by the hydrazine reduction of nickel chloride solution containing ammonia in DEA solutions. The size distribution of nickel powders were investigated as a function of ammonia concentration, hydrazine concentration and the mixed composition ratio of diethanolammine (DEA) and triethanolammine (TEA). Nickel powders with the size in submicron range were obtained at for 45 minutes by hydrazine reduction of nickel chloride solution in DEA solutions. The hydrazine concentrations showed significant effects on the particle size and shape distribution of nickel powders under molar ratio of 2.0 condition. As the mixed volume ratio of TEA and DEA increased, nickel powders with relatively larger particle size and low agglomeration were obtained. Nickel powders with particle size in the ranged from 0.4 to were obtained at the 50 of TEA.

Submicron nickel powders were prepared from aqueous solution under hydrothermal condition. The experimental conditions including the types of protective agents, concentration of the solution and the pH were studied in detail. Starting concentration of nickel ion is a dominant factor affecting particle size. It was shown that the subsequent addition of Poly Vinyl Pyrrolidone(PVP) and Sodium Dodecyle Sulfate(SDS) can help to disperse the nickel powder. X-ray diffraction and SEM were employed to characterize the products.

In this study, nano-sized powder of Ni-ferrite was fabricated by spray pyrolysis process using the Fe-Ni complex waste acid solution generated during the shadow mask processing. The average particle size of the produced powder was below 100 nm. The effects of the reaction temperature, the inlet speed of solution and the air pressure on the properties of powder were studied. As the reaction temperature increased from 80 to 110, the average particle size of the powder increased from 40 nm to 100 nm, the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase was also on the rise, and the surface area of the powder was greatly reduced. As the inlet speed of solution increased from 2 cc/min. to 10 cc/min., the average particle size of the powder greatly increased, and the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase was on the rise. As the inlet speed of solution increased to 100 cc/min., the average particle size of the powder decreased slightly and the distribution of the particle size appeared more irregular. Along with the increase of the inlet speed of solution more than 10 cc/min., the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase was decreased. As the air pressure increased up to 1 , the average particle size of the powder and the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase was almost constant. In case of 3 air pressure, the average particle size of the powder and the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase remarkably decreased.

Nano-sized Ni-ferrite powder was fabricated by spray pyrolysis process using the waste solution resulting from shadow mask processing. The average particle size of the powder was below 100 nm. The effects of the concentration of raw material solution, the nozzle tip size and air pressure on the properties of powder were studied. As the concentration increased, the average particle size of the powder gradually increased and its specific surface area decreased, but size distribution was much wider and the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase greatly increased as the concentration increasing. As the nozzle tip size increased from 1 mm to 2 mm, the average particle size of the powder decreased. In case of 3 mm nozzle tip size, the average particle size of the powder increased slightly. On the other hand, in case of 5 mm nozzle tip size, average particle size of the powder decreased. Size distribution of the powder was unhomogeneous, and the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase decreased as the nozzle tip size increasing. As air pressure increased up to 1 kg/, the average particle size of the powder decreased slightly, on the other hand, the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase was almost constant. In case of 3kg/ air pressure, average particle size of the powder and the fraction of the Ni-ferrite phase remarkably decreased, but size distribution was narrow.

Biaxially textured Ni tapes were fabricated by a cold working and recrystallization heat treatment processes from powder compact rods. The processing parameters associated with the cube texture formation in Ni tapes were systematically investigated by using X-ray diffraction and pole-figure analysis. The Ni powder used in this study was 5 m in size and 99.99% in purity. To find the optimum sintering temperature, tensile tests were performed for Ni rods sintered at various temperatures. The Ni rods sintered at 100 showed poor elongation and low fracture strength, while the Wi rods sintered above 100 revealed good mechanical properties. The higher elongation and fracture strength of the Ni rods sintered at higher temperatures than 100 are attributed to the full densification of the sintered rods. The sintered Ni rods were cold-rolled with 5% reduction to the final thickness of 100 m and then annealed for development of rube texture in rolled Ni tapes. The annealed Ni tapes depicted strong cube texture with FWHM(full-width at half-maximum) of in-plane and out-of-plane in the range of 8 to 10. The NiO deposited on the Ni tapes by MOCVD process showed good epitaxy with FWHM=10, which indicates that the Ni tapes can be used as a substrate for YBCO coated conductors.