Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 compound

The layered cobaltite Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 was synthesized by the solid-state reaction. Their crystal structure was determined by the X-ray powder diffraction and CELL program. The prepared Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 compound has the monoclinic symmetry. The electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient were measured from room temperature to 700 degreesC in air. Both the properties increase while rising temperature. The thermoelectric power of Ca2.6Nd0.4Co4O9 is about 242.4 muV (.) K-1. The results imply a promising way to enhance the thermoelectric properties of the layered cobaltite oxides by optimizing their composition and microstructure.

Neodymium-cerium oxide as new thermal barrier coating material

Neodymium-cerium oxide (Nd2Ce2O7) was proposed as a new thermal barrier coating material in this work. Monolithic Nd2Ce2O7 powder was prepared by the solid-state reaction at 1400 degrees C. The phase composition, thermal stability and thermophysical properties of Nd2Ce2O7 were investigated. Nd2Ce2O7 with fluorite structure was thermally stable in the temperature range of interest for TBC applications. The results indicated that the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of Nd2Ce2O7 was higher than that of YSZ (6-8 Wt-% Y2O3 + ZrO2) and even more interesting was the TEC change as a function of temperature paralleling that of the superalloy bond coat. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of Nd2Ce2O7 is 30% lower than that of YSZ, which was discussed based on the theory of heat conduction. Thermal barrier coating of Nd2Ce2O7 was produced by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) using the spray-dried powder. The thermal cycling was performed with a gas burner test facility to examine the thermal stability of the as-prepared coating.

Synthesis, structural characterization and electrical property of new oxide ion conductors: La3MMo2O12 (M = In, Ga and Al)

New series of oxides, La3MMo2O12 (M = In, Ga and Al), have been prepared by the solid-state reaction. The composition and elemental distribution were analyzed by the energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. As determined by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), these compounds have similar crystal structures that can be indexed on a monoclinic cell at room temperature. AC impedance spectra and the DC electrical conductivity measurements in various atmospheres indicate that they are oxide ion conductors with ionic conductivities between 10(-2) and 10(-3) S/cm at 800 degrees C. The conductivity decreases in the order of La3GaMo2O12 > La3AlMo2O12 > La3InMo2O12, implying that the effect of cell volume and polarization associated with In3+, Ga3+ and Al3+ play an important role in the anion transport of these materials. The reversible phase transition was observed in all these compounds as confirmed by the differential thermal analysis (DTA) and dilatometric measurements.

New double-ceramic-layer thermal barrier coatings based on zirconia-rare earth composite oxides

A series of La2O3-ZrO2-CeO2 composite oxides were synthesized by solid-state reaction. The final product keeps fluorite structure when the molar ratio Ce/Zr >= 0.7/0.3, and below this ratio only mixtures of La2Zr2O7 (pyrochlore) and La2O3-CeO2 (fluorite) exist. Averagely speaking, the increase of CeO2 content gives rise to the increase of thermal expansion coefficient and the reduction of thermal conductivity, but La-2(Zr0.7Ce0.3)(2)O-7 has the lowest sintering ability and the lowest thermal conductivity which could be explained by the theory of phonon scattering. Based on the large thermal expansion coefficient of La2Ce3.25O9.5, the low thermal conductivities and low sintering abilities of La2Zr2O7 and La-2(Zr0.7Ce0.3)(2)O-7, double-ceramic-layer thermal barrier coatings were prepared. The thermal cycling tests indicate that such a design can largely improve the thermal cycling lives of the coatings. Since no single material that has been studied so far satisfies all the requirements for high temperature thermal barrier coatings, double-ceramic-layer coating may be an important development direction of thermal barrier coatings.

A new oxide ion conductor: La3GaMo2O12

A new oxide ion conductor, La3GaMo2O12, with a bulk conductivity of 2.7 X 10(-2) S.cm(-1) at 800 degrees C in air atmosphere was prepared by the traditional solid-state reaction. The room temperature X-ray diffraction data could be indexed on a monoclinic cell with lattice parameters of a=0.5602(2) nm, b=0.3224(1) nm, c= 1.5741(1) nm, beta= 102.555(0)degrees, V=0.2775(2) nm(3) and space group Pc(7). Ac impedance measurements in various atmospheres further support that it is an oxide ion conductor. This material was stable in various atmospheres with oxygen partial pressure P(O-2) ranging from 1.0 X 10(5) to 1.0 X 10(-7) Pa at 800 degrees C. A reversible polymorphic phase transition occurred at elevated temperatures as confirmed by the differential thermal analysis and dilatometric measurement.

The reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ in BaMgSiO4 : Eu prepared in air and the luminescence of BaMgSiO4 : Eu2+ phosphor

The reduction of Eu3+ to Eu2+ in air has been observed in a silicate matrix for the first time in BaMgSiO4:Eu prepared by high-temperature solid-state reaction. Emission and excitation spectra were employed to detect the presence of Eu2+ ions in the compound and this reduction was explained by a charge compensation model proposed previously. In BaMgSiO4 : Eu2+, Eu2+ ions occupy three different lattice sites by substitution for Ba2+ ions. Eu2+ ions on Ba(1) and Ba(2) sites gave emissions at about 500 nm while that on Ba(3) site showed an emission band at 398 nm. All the emissions of Eu2+ ions in BaMgSiO4 : Eu2+ were not quenched at room temperature.

Study on the reduction of Eu3+ -> Eu2+ in Sr4Al14O25: Eu prepared in air atmosphere

Compounds of Sr4Al14O15: Eu were prepared in air atmosphere by high temperature solid state reaction. The reduction of Eu3+--> Eu2+ was firstly observed in the aluminate phosphor of Sr4Al14O25: Eu synthesized in air condition. This made aluminate a new family and Sr4Al14O25 a new member of compounds in which Eu3+ ion could be reduced to Eu2+ form when fired in air atmosphere. The reduction of Eu3+ --> Eu2+ in Sr4Al14O25: Eu was explained by means of a charge compensation model. Experiments based on the model were designed and carried out, and the results supported this model.

VUV-UV excited luminescent properties of calcium borophosphate doped with rare earth ions

The VUV-UV spectra of rare earth ions activated calcium borophosphate, CaBPO5:RE (RE = Ce3+, sm(3+), Eu2+, Eu3+, Tb3+ and Dy3+) were determined. The bands at about 155 nm in the VUV excitation spectra are attributed to the host lattice absorptions. The bands at 166 and 190 nm for the sample CaBPO5:Sm have been considered as related to the f-d transition and the charge transfer band (CTB) of Sm3+ ions, and the band at 169 nm for the sample CaBPO5:Dy is assumed to be connected with the f-d transition of the Dy3+ ions in CaBPO5. The partial reduction of Eu3+ CaBPO5:Eu prepared by high temperature solid state reaction in air is confirmed by the VUV-UV spectra.

UV-VUV excited luminescence of SrBPO5 : Sm phosphor prepared in air

The high-resolution luminescent spectrum of divalent samarium excited by 355 nm UV light at 77 K, the VUV excitation spectra, the VUV excited emission spectra and EXAFS at Sm-L-3 edge were reported for samarium doped strontium borophosphate, SrBPO5:Sm prepared by solid state reaction in air at high temperature. The high-resolution luminescent spectrum showed that the divalent samarium ions occupied the C-2upsilon lattice sites. The VUV excitation spectra indicated that the sample exhibited absorption bands with the maxima at 129 and 148 nm, respectively. The performance of EXAFS at Sm-L3 absorption edge suggested that the samarium ions were nine-coordinated and the mean distances of bond Sm-O were 2.38 Angstrom.

VUV and Eu-L-3 edge XANES spectra of europium-doped strontium tetraborate prepared in air

VUV-UV and Eu-L-3 edge XANES spectra were measured for europium-doped strontium tetraborate prepared by solid state reaction at high temperature in air. The VUV-UV spectra show that the host absorption band of (SrBO7)-O-4 appears below 170 nm. The charge transfer band of Eu3+ doped in SrB4O7 is peaked at 272 nm. The 4f-5d transitions of Eu2+ consist of a band peaked at 310 nm with a shoulder at 280 nm and also include the bands peaked at 238 (weak) and 203 (strong) nm. The result of XANES spectrum at Eu-L3 edge of the synthesized sample indicates that Eu3+ and Eu2+ coexist in SrB4O7:Eu prepared in air, which is consistent with the results of the VUV-UV spectra.

Structural phase transition in the layered perovskite compound BaTb2Mn2O7

A distorted layered perovskite compound BaTb2Mn2O7 was synthesized by the solid state reaction in pure argon. There is a structural phase transition in the BaTb2Mn2O7 compound. The phase transition was characterized by the DSC and high temperature Xray diffraction. The heat capacity of BaTb2Mn2O7 was calculated. The thermal anomaly corresponding to the phase transition was observed at about 740K. The lattice parameters were calculated by the CELL program for BaTb2Mn2O7, It has Tb-type orthorhombic symmetry with a = 0.3908 nm, b = 0.3866 nm, c = 2.0163 nm, and space group Immm at room temperature. With the increase of temperature, the lattice parameters gradually increase until 673K. From 723K to 973K, the compound translates to tetragonal with a = 0.39078 nm, c = 2.0277 nm and S.G. I4/mmm. This result is fairly in accordance with that of heat capacity.

The VUV spectra properties of (Y,Gd)BO3 : Eu

The (Y, Gd) BO3 : Eu phosphor was synthesized by solid-state reaction, The UV spectra showed that in a certain range of Gd3+ concentration, more Gd3+ absorbed energy and transferred it to Eu3+ with its increasing concentration. From the spectra in VUV region, it was observed that both the doping and the concentrations of Gd3+, Eu3+ greatly affected the absorption of the host lattice. The absorbances at 147 nm and 170 nm increased when the Gd3+ was doped which can be explained as that Gd3+ transferred energy to BO4. The optical properties of (Y, Gd)BO3 : Eu were the best when the concentration of Eu3+ was about 0.04.

Optical spectroscopy properties and charge compensation of BaLiF3 doped with Ce3+

The excitation and emission spectra of the BaLiF3:Ce3+ phosphors synthesized through solid state reaction have been measured. By investigating the properties of the excitation spectra we point out that the variation in the excitation spectra with the amount of CeF3 dopant results from the different patterns of charge compensation in the matrices. The vacancies of Li+ ions are the favorable charge compensation pattern at low concentration of CeF3 doped, but interstitial F- ions are the major charge compensation pattern when the concentration of CeF3 doped goes beyond a certain value. (C) 2000 Academic Press

The reduction of RE3+ in SrB6O10 prepared in air and the luminescence of SrB6O10 : RE2+ (RE=Eu, Sm, Tm)

The reduction of RE3+ to RE2+ (RE=Eu, Sm and Tm) in SrB6O10 prepared in air by high-temperature solid state reaction was observed. The luminescent properties of Eu2+ and Tm2+ show f-d transition and Sm2+ shows f-f transition at room temperature. Three crystallographic sites for Sm2+ in matrix are available. Vibronic transition of D-5(0)-F-7(0) of Sm2+ was studied. The coupled phonon energy about 108 cm(-1), was determined: from the vibronic transition. Due to the thermal population from D-5(0) level, (D1-FJ)-D-5-F-7 (J=0, 1, 2) transitions of Sm2+ were observed at room temperature. A charge compensation mechanism is proposed as a possible explanation.

Vibrational spectrum and luminescence properties of the system Al2O3-B2O3-Eu2O3

The system Al2O3-B2O3-Eu2O3, with Al/B ratio varying from 4.5 to 2 and Eu/(Al+B)=0.02, was synthesized by solid state reaction. The vibrational spectra of the system Al2O3-B2O3-Eu2O3 were investigated. It was found that no definite change in the regions of 1200 similar to 1000 cm(-1) due to the adsorption BO4 groups with decreasing Al/B ratio, indicating no Al3+ ion was substituted by Eu3+ ions and other changes revealed that there was an amorphous phase and Eu3+ ions may dope into the amorphous phase. The studies on the luminescent properties of the system Al2O3-B2O3 also show that Eu3+ ions dope into amorphous phase. The investigations on the phonon sideband of Eu3+ indicate that electron-phonon coupling strength decreases with Al/B ratio change from 3 to 2, leading to the non-radiative decay rate decreases and the Eu3+-emission intensity increase.