First principles calculations of H-storage in sorption materials

A review of various contributions of first principles calculations in the area of hydrogen storage, particularly for the carbon-based sorption materials, is presented. Carbon-based sorption materials are considered as promising hydrogen storage media due to their light weight and large surface area. Depending upon the hybridization state of carbon, these materials can bind the hydrogen via various mechanisms, including physisorption, Kubas and chemical bonding. While attractive binding energy range of Kubas bonding has led to design of several promising storage systems, in reality the experiments remain very few due to materials design challenges that are yet to be overcome. Finally, we will discuss the spillover process, which deals with the catalytic chemisorption of hydrogen, and arguably is the most promising approach for reversibly storing hydrogen under ambient conditions.

Non-destructive evaluation of porosity and its effect on mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite materials

In this work, an attempt is made to induce porosity of varied levels in carbon fiber reinforced epoxy based polymer composite laminates fabricated using prepregs by varying the fabrication parameters such as applied vacuum, autoclave pressure and curing temperature. Different NDE tools have been utilized to evaluate the porosity content and correlate with measurable parameters of different NDE techniques. Primarily, ultrasonic imaging and real time digital X-ray imaging have been tried to obtain a measurable parameter which can represent or reflect the amount of porosity contained in the composite laminate. Also, effect of varied porosity content on mechanical properties of the CFRP composite materials is investigated through a series of experimental investigations. The outcome of the experimental approach has yielded interesting and encouraging trend as a first step towards developing an NDE tool for quantification of effect of varied porosity in the polymer composite materials.

Non-destructive evaluation of porosity and its effect on mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite materials

Structural adhesive bonding is widely used to execute assemblies in automobile and aerospace structures. The quality and reliability of these bonded joints must be ensured during service. In this context non destructive evaluation of these bonded structures play an important role. Evaluation of adhesively bonded composite single lap shear joints has been attempted through experimental approach. Series of tests, non-destructive as well as destructive were performed on different sets of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite lap joint specimens with varied bond quality. Details of the experimental investigations carried out and the outcome are presented in this paper.

Development of experimental setup for study of adsorption characteristics of porous materials down to 4.2 K

The knowledge of adsorption characteristics of activated carbon (porous material) in the temperature range from 5 to 20 K is essential when used in cryosorption pumps for nuclear fusion applications. However, such experimental data are very scarce in the literature, especially below 77 K. So, an experimental system is designed and fabricated to measure the adsorption characteristics of porous materials under variable cryogenic temperatures (from 5 K to 100 K). This is based on the commercially available micropore-analyser coupled to a closed helium cycle two-stage Gifford McMahon (GM) Cryocooler, which allows the sample to be cooled to 4.2 K. The sample port is coupled to the Cryocooler through a heat switch, which isolates this port from the cold head of the Cryocooler. By this, the sample temperature can now be varied without affecting the Cryocooler. The setup enables adsorption studies in the pressure range from atmospheric down to 10(-4) Pa. The paper describes the details of the experimental setup and presents the results of adsorption studies at 77 K for activated carbon with nitrogen as adsorbate. The system integration is now completed to enable adsorption studies at 4.2 K.

Metal cholate hydrogels: versatile supramolecular systems for nanoparticle embedded soft hybrid materials

This work describes the formation of hydrogels from sodium cholate solution in the presence of a variety of metal ions (Ca2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+ and Ag+). Morphological studies of the xerogels by electron microscopy reveal the presence of helical nanofibres. The rigid helical framework in the calcium cholate hydrogel was utilised to synthesize hybrid materials (AuNPs and AgNPs). Doping of transition metal salts into the calcium cholate hydrogel brings out the possibility of synthesising metal sulphide nano-architectures keeping the hydrogel network intact. These novel gel-nanoparticle hybrid materials have encouraging application potentials.

Size-dependent density of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials

We discuss the size-dependent density of nanoparticles and nanostructured materials keeping the recent experimental results in mind. The density is predicted to increase with decreasing size for nanoparticles but it can decrease with size for nanostructured materials that corroborates the experimental results reported in the literature. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategies for the Synthesis of Graphene, Graphene Nanoribbons, Nanoscrolls and Related Materials

Single-layer graphene (SLG), the 3.4 angstrom thick two-dimensional sheet of sp(2) carbon atoms, was first prepared in 2004 by mechanical exfoliation of graphite crystals using the scotch tape technique. Since then, SLG has been prepared by other physical methods such as laser irradiation or ultrasonication of graphite in liquid media. Chemical methods of synthesis of SLG are more commonly used; the most popular involves preparation of single-layer graphene oxide followed by reduction with a stable reagent, often assisted by microwave heating. This method yields single-layer reduced graphene oxide. Other methods for preparing SLG include chemical vapour deposition over surfaces of transition metals such as Ni and Cu. Large-area SLG has also been prepared by epitaxial growth over SIC. Few-layer graphene (FLG) is prepared by several methods; arc discharge of graphite in hydrogen atmosphere being the most convenient. Several other methods for preparing FLG include exfoliation of graphite oxide by rapid heating, ultrasonication or laser irradiation of graphite in liquid media, reduction of few-layer graphene oxide, alkali metal intercalation followed by exfoliation. Graphene nanoribbons, which are rectangular strips of graphene, are best prepared by the unzipping of carbon nanotubes by chemical oxidation or laser irradiation. Many graphene analogues of inorganic materials such as MoS2, MoSe2 and BN have been prepared by mechanical exfoliation, ultrasonication and by chemical methods involving high-temperature or hydrothermal reactions and intercalation of alkali metals followed by exfoliation. Scrolls of graphene are prepared by potassium intercalation in graphite or by microwave irradiation of graphite immersed in liquid nitrogen.

Digestive ripening: a synthetic method par excellence for core-shell, alloy, and composite nanostructured materials

The solvated metal atom dispersion (SMAD) method has been used for the synthesis of colloids of metal nanoparticles. It is a top-down approach involving condensation of metal atoms in low temperature solvent matrices in a SMAD reactor maintained at 77 K. Warming of the matrix results in a slurry of metal atoms that interact with one another to form particles that grow in size. The organic solvent solvates the particles and acts as a weak capping agent to halt/slow down the growth process to a certain extent. This as-prepared colloid consists of metal nanoparticles that are quite polydisperse. In a process termed as digestive ripening, addition of a capping agent to the as-prepared colloid which is polydisperse renders it highly monodisperse either under ambient or thermal conditions. In this, as yet not well-understood process, smaller particles grow and the larger ones diminish in size until the system attains uniformity in size and a dynamic equilibrium is established. Using the SMAD method in combination with digestive ripening process, highly monodisperse metal, core-shell, alloy, and composite nanoparticles have been synthesized. This article is a review of our contributions together with some literature reports on this methodology to realize various nanostructured materials.

Multi-component, Self-assembled, Functional Soft Materials

Supramolecular chemistry is an emerging tool for devising materials that can perform specified functions. The self-assembly of facially amphiphilic bile acid molecules has been extensively utilized for the development of functional soft materials. Supramolecular hydrogels derived from the bile acid backbone act as useful templates for the intercalation of multiple components. Based on this, synthesis of gel-nanoparticle hybrid materials, photoluminescent coating materials, development of a new enzyme assay technique, etc. were achieved in the author's laboratory. The present account highlights some of these achievements.

Organophotocatalysis in nanostructured soft gel materials as tunable reaction vessels: comparison with homogeneous and micellar solutions

Riboflavin tetraacetate-catalyzed aerobic photooxidation of 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol was investigated as a model reaction under blue visible light in different soft gel materials, aiming to establish their potential as reaction vessels for photochemical transformations. Three strategies involving different degrees of organization of the catalyst within the gel network were explored, and the results compared to those obtained in homogeneous and micellar solutions. In general, physical entrapment of both the catalyst and the substrate under optimized concentrations into several hydrogel matrices (including low-molecular-weight and biopolymer-based gels) allowed the photooxidation with conversions between 55 and 100% within 120 min (TOF similar to 0.045-0.08 min(-1); k(obs) similar to 0.011-0.028 min(-1)), albeit with first-order rates ca. 1-3-fold lower than in solution under comparable non-stirred conditions. Remarkably, the organogel made of a cyclohexane-based bisamide gelator in CH3CN not only prevented the photodegradation of the catalyst but also afforded full conversion in less than 60 min (TOF similar to 0.167 min(-1); k(obs) similar to 0.073 min(-1)) without the need of additional proton transfer mediators (e. g., thiourea) as it occurs in CH3CN solutions. In general, the gelators could be recycled without detriment to their gelation ability and reaction rates. Moreover, kinetics could be fine-tuned according to the characteristics of the gel media. For instance, entangled fibrillar networks with relatively high mechanical strength were usually associated with lower reaction rates, whereas wrinkled laminated morphologies seemed to favor the reaction. In addition, the kinetics results showed in most cases a good correlation with the aeration efficiency of the gel media.

Soil stabilization with waste materials based binder

This paper describes a laboratory trial to study the effectiveness of a waste-based binder to stabilize expansive soils. The proposed binders viz., Fly ash and/or Ground granulated Blast furnace slag (GGBS) were mixed with the expansive soil along with a small amount of lime to increase soil pH and enable pozzolanic reactions. The geotechnical characteristics of the various combinations of samples were investigated through the compaction tests, unconfined compression tests etc. It was found that the addition of GGBS with and without fly ash and lime has significant influence on the geotechnical characteristics of the soil.

Tribological response of soft materials sliding against hard surface textures at various numbers of cycles

In the present investigation, various kinds of textures were attained on the steel surfaces. Roughness of the textures was varied using different grits of emery papers or polishing powders. Pins made of pure Al, Al-4Mg alloy and pure Mg were then slid against prepared steel plate surfaces at various numbers of cycles using an inclined pin-on-plate sliding tester. Tests were conducted at a sliding velocity of 2mms(-1) in ambient conditions under both dry and lubricated conditions. Normal loads were increased up to 110N during the tests. The morphologies of the worn surfaces of the pins and the formation of transfer layer on the counter surfaces were observed using a scanning electron microscope. Surface roughness parameters of the plate were measured using an optical profilometer. In the experiments, it was observed that the coefficient of friction and formation of a transfer layer (under dry and lubricated conditions) only depended on surface texture during the first few sliding cycles. The steady-state variation in the coefficient of friction under both dry and lubrication conditions was attributed to the self-organisation of texture of the surfaces at the interface during sliding. Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Conditions for the onset of elastic and material instabilities in hyperelastic materials

Several constitutive inequalities have been proposed in the literature to quantify the notion that ‘stress increases with strain’ in an elastic material. Due to some inherent shortcomings in them, which we discuss, we propose a new tensorial criterion for isotropic materials. We also present necessary conditions in terms of elasticity tensors for the onset of elastic instabilities.

Cavitation in materials with distributed weak zones: Implications on the origin of brittle fracture in metallic glasses

Several experimental studies have shown that fracture surfaces in brittle metallic glasses (MGs) generally exhibit nanoscale corrugations which may be attributed to the nucleation and coalescence of nanovoids during crack propagation. Recent atomistic simulations suggest that this phenomenon is due to large spatial fluctuations in material properties in a brittle MG, which leads to void nucleation in regions of low atomic density and then catastrophic fracture through void coalescence. To explain this behavior, we propose a model of a heterogeneous solid containing a distribution of weak zones to represent a brittle MG. Plane strain continuum finite element analysis of cavitation in such an elastic-plastic solid is performed with the weak zones idealized as periodically distributed regions having lower yield strength than the background material. It is found that the presence of weak zones can significantly reduce the critical hydrostatic stress for the onset of cavitation which is controlled uniquely by the local yield properties of these zones. Also, the presence of weak zones diminishes the sensitivity of the cavitation stress to the volume fraction of a preexisting void. These results provide plausible explanations for the observations reported in recent atomistic simulations of brittle MGs. An analytical solution for a composite, incompressible elastic-plastic solid with a weak inner core is used to investigate the effect of volume fraction and yield strength of the core on the nature of cavitation bifurcation. It is shown that snap-cavitation may occur, giving rise to sudden formation of voids with finite size, which does not happen in a homogeneous plastic solid. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbonaceous nickel oxide nano-composites: as electrode materials in electrochemical capacitor applications

Carbonaceous nickel oxide powder samples have been synthesized from an adducted nickel beta-ketoester complex used as a ``single source precursor'' through a solution-based microwave-assisted chemical route. Comprehensive analysis of the resulting powder material has been carried out using various characterization techniques. These analysis reveal that, depending on the solvent used, either NiO/C or Ni/NiO/C composites are formed, wherein Ni and/or NiO nanocrystals are enveloped in amorphous carbon. As the components emerge from the same molecular source, the composites are homogeneous on a fine scale, making them promising electrode materials for supercapacitors. Electrochemical capacitive behavior of these oxide composites is studied in a three-electrode configuration. With a specific capacitance of 113 F g(-1), Ni/NiO/C is superior to NiO/C as capacitor electrode material, in 0.1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. This is confirmed by impedance measurements, which show that charge-transfer resistance and equivalent series resistance are lower in Ni/NiO/C than in NiO/C, presumably because of the presence of metallic nickel in the former. The cyclic voltammograms are nearly rectangular and the electrodes display excellent cyclability in different electrolytes: Na2SO4, KOH and Ca(NO3)(2)center dot 4H(2)O. Specific capacitance as high as 143 F g(-1), is measured in Ca(NO3)(2)center dot 4H(2)O electrolyte.