Ultrafast near infrared sintering of TiO2 layers on metal substrates for dye-sensitized solar cells

A limiting step to roll-to-roll production of dye-sensitized solar cells on metals is TiO2 sintering (10-30 min). Near infrared (NIR) heating is a novel process innovation which directly heats titanium substrates giving rapid binder removal and sintering. NIR heating (for 12.5 s) at varying power gave titanium temperatures of 545, 685 and 817 degrees Celsius yielding cells with efficiencies of 2.9, 2.8 and 2.5%. Identical cells prepared in a conventional oven (1800 s) at 500, 600 and 800 degrees Celsius gave 2.9, 2.6 and 0.2% efficiency. NIR sintering is ultrafast and has a wide process window making it ideal for rapid manufacturing on metals.

On the densification mechanisms and properties of Cu-Pb and Cu-Pb-TiB2 nanocomposites densified using spark plasma sintering

The present paper is aimed to understand the sub-processes triggered by rapid heating during spark plasma sintering as well as to assess the extent to which densification and properties of metallic materials can be enhanced using such superfast consolidation process. Using nanocrystalline Cu-Pb as a model system, the influence of Pb as well as TiB2 addition on the densification mechanisms and properties are discussed. Importantly, a high hardness of 2 GPa is achieved in Cu-based nanocomposites. (C) 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct Characterizing of Densification Mechanisms during Spark Plasma Sintering

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a convenient and rapid means of producing dense ceramic compacts. However, the mechanisms responsible for rapid densification have not been identified satisfactorily, with different studies using an indirect approach yielding varied values for the densification parameters. This study involved SPS in high purity nanocrystalline alumina with temperatures ranging from 1173 to 1423K and stresses from 25 to 100MPa. A direct approach, with analyses at a constant density, revealed a stress exponent of similar to 1 and an inverse grain size dependence of similar to 3, consistent with Coble creep process. Whereas the direct approach gives a stress exponent of similar to 1, the indirect approach used previously gives stress exponents ranging from similar to 2.2 to 3.5 with the same data, thereby revealing potentially spurious values of the densification parameters from conventional indirect approaches to characterizing densification. The rapid densification during SPS is related to the finer grain sizes retained with the rapid heating rates and the imposed stress that enhances the driving force for densification.

Influence of yttria and zirconia additions on spark plasma sintering of alumina composites

The mechanisms of densification and creep were examined during spark plasma sintering (SPS) of alumina doped with a low and high level of zirconia or yttria, over a temperature range of 1173-1573 K and stresses between 25 and 100 MPa. Large additions of yttria led clearly to in situ reactions during SPS and the formation of a yttrium-aluminum garnet phase. Dopants generally lead to a reduction in the densification rate, with substantial reductions noted in samples with similar to 5.5 vol% second phase. In contrast to a stress exponent of n similar to 1 for pure alumina, the doped aluminas displayed n similar to 2 corresponding to an interface-controlled diffusion process. The higher activation energies in the composites are consistent with previous data on creep and changes in the interfacial energies. The results reveal a compensation effect, such that an increase in the activation energy is accompanied by a corresponding increase in the pre-exponential term for diffusion.

Blue green emission from a Cu+-Doped transparent material prepared by sintering porous glass

A colorless transparent, blue green emission material was fabricated by sintering porous glass impregnated with copper ions. The emission spectral profile obtained from Cu+ -doped high silica glass (HSG) by 267-mn monochromatic light excitation matches that obtained by pumping with an 800-nm femtosecond laser, indicating that the emissions in both cases come from an identical origin. The upconversion emission excited by 800-nm femtosecond laser is considered to be a three-photon excitation process. A tentative scheme of upconverted emission from Cu+ -doped HSG was also proposed. The glass materials presented herein are expected to find application in lamps, high density optical storage, and three-dimensional color displays.

Fabrication, thermal stability and mechanical properties of novel composite hardmetals obtained by solid-state reaction and hot-pressing sintering

A novel cemented carbides (W0.7Al0.3)C-0.65-Co with different cobalt contents were prepared by solid-state reaction and hot-pressing technique. Hot-pressing technique as a novel technique was performed to fabricate the bulk bodies of the hard alloys. The novel cemented carbides have superior mechanical properties compared with WC-Co. The density, operate cost of the novel material were lower than WC-Co system. The novel materials were easy to process nanoscale sintering and get the rounded particles in the bulk materials. There is almost no eta-phase in the (W0.7Al0.3)C-0.65-Co cemented carbides system although the carbon deficient get the astonished 35% value.

A novel (W-Al)-C-Co composite cemented carbide prepared by mechanical alloying and hot-pressing sintering

Novel cemented carbides (W0.4Al0.6)C-0.5-Co With different cobalt contents were prepared by mechanical alloying and hot-pressing technique. Hot-pressing technique as a common technique was performed to fabricate the bulk bodies of the hard alloys. The novel cemented carbides have good mechanical properties compared with WC-Co. The density and operation cost of the novel material were much lower than the WC-Co system. It was easy to process submicroscale sintering with the novel materials and obtain the rounded particles in the bulk materials. There is almost no eta-phase in the (W0.4Al0.6)C-0.5-CO cemented carbides system although the carbon deficient obtains the astonishing value of 50%.

Bulk ultrafine binderless (W0.4Al0.6)C prepared by high pressure sintering

Pure (W0.4Al0.6)C powder of about 1 mu m in diameter was sintered by the high pressure sintering (HPS) process without the addition of any binder phase. The microstructure, Vickers micro hardness and density versus the sintering time and temperature are well described. The most suitable sintering condition under pressure of 4.5 GPa is 1873 K for 8 min. Under this sintering condition, the hardness can reach 2295 kg mm(-2) and the relative density can reach 98.6%.

Nanostructured novel cemented hard alloy obtained by mechanical alloying and hot-pressing sintering and its applications

A novel cemented carbides (W0.8Al0.2)C-0.7-Co with different cobalt contents were prepared by mechanical alloying and hot-pressing technique. Hot-pressing technique as a common technique was performed to fabricate the bulk bodies of the hard alloys. The novel cemented carbides have superior mechanical properties compared with WC-Co. The density, operate cost of the novel material were much lower than WC-Co system. The novel materials were easy to process nanoscale sintering and get the rounded particles in the bulk materials.

Energy transfer and tunable luminescence properties of Eu3+ in TbBO3 microspheres via a facile hydrothermal process

Tb(1-x)BO3:xEu(3+) (x = 0-1) microsphere phosphors have been successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal process directly without further sintering treatment. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), photoluminescence (PL), low-voltage cathodoluminescence (CL), and time-resolved emission spectra as well as lifetimes were used to characterize the samples.

An in-situ modified sol-gel process for monolith catalyst preparation used in the partial oxidation of methane

An in-situ modified sol-gel method for the preparation of a Ni-based monolith-supported catalyst is reported. With the presence of a proper amount of plasticizer and binder, and at an optimized pH value, the stable boehmite sol was modified with metal ions (Ni, Li, La) successfully without distinct growth of the particle size. Monolith-supported Ni-based/gamma-Al2O3 catalysts were obtained using the modified sol as the coating medium with several cycles of dip-coating and calcination. Combined BET, SEM-EDS, XRD and H-2-TPR investigations demonstrated that the derived monolith catalysts had a high specific surface area, a relatively homogeneous surface composition, and a high extent of interaction between the active component and the support. These catalysts showed relatively stable catalytic activities for partial oxidation of methane (POM) to syngas under atmospheric pressure. The monolith catalysts prepared by this sol-gel method also demonstrated an improved resistance to sintering and loss of the active component during the reaction process.

Co-tape casting fabrication, field assistant sintering and evaluation of a coke resistant La0.2Sr0.7TiO3-Ni/YSZ functional gradient anode supported solid oxide fuel cell

The ability to directly utilize hydrocarbons and other renewable liquid fuels is one of the most important issues affecting the large scale deployment of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Herein we designed La_0.2Sr_0.7TiO₃-Ni/YSZ functional gradient anode (FGA) supported SOFCs, prepared with a co-tape casting method and sintered using the field assisted sintering technique (FAST). Through SEM observations, it was confirmed that the FGA structure was achieved and well maintained after the FAST process. Distortion and delamination which usually results after conventional sintering was successfully avoided. The La_0.2Sr_0.7TiO₃-Ni/YSZ FGA supported SOFCs showed a maximum power density of 600mWcm^-2 at 750°C, and was stable for 70h in CH₄. No carbon deposition was detected using Raman spectroscopy. These results confirm the potential coke resistance of La_0.2Sr_0.7TiO₃-Ni/YSZ FGA supported SOFCs.

Thermoelectric materials: a new rapid synthesis process for non-toxic and high-performance tetrahedrite compounds

The feasibility to synthesize, in large quantity, pure and non-toxic tetrahedrite compounds using high-energy mechanical-alloying from only elemental precursors is reported in the present paper for the first time. Our processing technique allows a better control of the final product composition and leads to high thermoelectric performances (ZT of 0.75 at 700 K), comparable to that reported on sealed tube synthesis samples. Combined with spark plasma sintering, the production of highly pure and dense samples is achieved in a very short time, at least 8 times shorter than in conventional liquid-solid-vapor synthesis process. The process described in this paper is a promising way to produce high performance tetrahedrite materials for cost-effective and large-scale thermoelectric applications.