Modelling of phase diagrams of nanoalloys with complex metallic phases: application to Ni-Sn.

A method for modelling of size-dependent phase diagrams was developed by combining the semiempirical CALPHAD method and ab initio calculations of surface stresses for intermetallic phases. A novel approach was devised for the calculation of surface energy, free of systematic errors from the selection of different parameters of the software (e.g. number of the k-points) and for handling layered structures and off-stoichiometric slabs. Our approach allows the determination of complex size-dependent phase diagrams of systems with intermetallic phases, which was not possible up to now. The method was verified for the modelling of the phase diagram of the Ni-Sn system and basic comparison with rare experimental results was shown. There is reasonable agreement between the calculated and experimental results. The modelling of size-dependent phase diagrams of real systems allows the prediction of phase equilibria existing in nanosystems and possible changes in material properties. There is a need for such knowledge and the existence of reliable data for simpler systems is crucial for further application of this approach. This should motivate future experimental work.

Physical properties of {Ti,Zr,Hf}2Ni2Sn compounds.

Physical properties, i.e. electrical resistivity (4.2-800 K), Seebeck coefficient (300-800 K), specific heat (2-110 K), Vickers hardness and elastic moduli (RT), have been defined for single-phase compounds with slightly nonstoichiometric compositions: Ti2.13Ni2Sn0.87, Zr2.025Ni2Sn0.975, and Hf2.055Ni2Sn0.945. From X-ray single crystal and TEM analyses, Ti2+xNi2Sn1-x, x ∼ 0.13(1), is isotypic with the U2Pt2Sn-type (space group P42/mnm, ternary ordered version of the Zr3Al2-type), also adopted by the homologous compounds with Zr and Hf. For all three polycrystalline compounds (relative densities >95%) the electrical resistivity of the samples is metallic-like with dominant scattering from static defects mainly conditioned by off-stoichiometry. Analyses of the specific heat curves Cpvs. T and Cp/T vs. T2 reveal Sommerfeld coefficients of γTi2Ni2Sn = 14.3(3) mJ mol-1 K-2, γZr2Ni2Sn = 10(1) mJ mol-1 K-2, γHf2Ni2Sn = 9.1(5) mJ mol-1 K-2 and low-temperature Debye-temperatures: θLTD = 373(7)K, 357(14)K and 318(10)K. Einstein temperatures were in the range of 130-155 K. Rather low Seebeck coefficients (<15 µV K-1), power factors (pf < 0.07 mW mK-2) and an estimated thermal conductivity of λ < 148 mW cm-1 K-1 yield thermoelectric figures of merit ZT < 0.007 at ∼800 K. Whereas for polycrystalline Zr2Ni2Sn elastic properties were determined by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS): E = 171 GPa, ν = 0.31, G = 65.5 GPa, and B = 147 GPa, the accelerated mechanical property mapping (XPM) mode was used to map the hardness and elastic moduli of T2Ni2Sn. Above 180 K, Zr2Ni2Sn reveals a quasi-linear expansion with CTE = 15.4 × 10-6 K-1. The calculated density of states is similar for all three compounds and confirms a metallic type of conductivity. The isosurface of elf shows a spherical shape for Ti/Zr/Hf atoms and indicates their ionic character, while the [Ni2Sn]n- sublattice reflects localizations around the Ni and Sn atoms with a large somewhat diffuse charge density between the closest Ni atoms.

Mechanical and microwave absorbing properties of carbon-filled polyurethane.

Polyurethane (PU) matrix composites were prepared with various carbon fillers at different filler contents in order to investigate their structure, mechanical and microwave absorbing properties. As fillers, flat carbon microparticles, carbon microfibers and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were used. The microstructure of the composite was examined by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Mechanical properties, namely universal hardness, plastic hardness, elastic modulus and creep were assessed by means of depth sensing indentation test. Mechanical properties of PU composite filled with different fillers were investigated and the composite always exhibited higher hardness, elastic modulus and creep resistance than un-filled PU. Influence of filler shape, content and dispersion was also investigated.

Boron-phil and boron-phob structure units in novel borides Ni3Zn2B and Ni2ZnB: experiment and first principles calculations.

The crystal structures of two novel borides in the Ni-Zn-B system, τ5-Ni3Zn2B and τ6-Ni2ZnB, were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRSC) in combination with selected area electron diffraction in a transmission electron microscope (SAED-TEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Both compounds crystallize in unique structure types (space group C2/m, a = 1.68942(8) nm, b = 0.26332(1) nm, c = 0.61904(3) nm, ß = 111.164(2)°, RF = 0.0219 for Ni3Zn2B, and space group C2/m, a = 0.95296(7) nm, b = 0.28371(2) nm, c = 0.59989(1) nm, ß = 93.009(4)°, RF = 0.0163 for Ni2ZnB). Both compounds have similar building blocks: two triangular prisms centered by boron atoms are arranged along the c-axis separated by Zn layers, which form empty octahedra connecting the boron centered polyhedra. Consistent with the (Ni+Zn)/B ratio, isolated boron atoms are found in τ5-Ni3Zn2B, while B-B pairs exist in τ6-Ni2ZnB. The crystal structure of Ni2ZnB is closely related to that of τ4-Ni3ZnB2, i.e. Ni2ZnB can be formed by removing the nearly planar nickel layer in Ni3ZnB2 and shifting the origin of the unit cell to the center of the B-B pair. The electrical resistivity and specific heat of τ5-Ni3Zn2B reveal the metallic behavior of this compound with an anomaly at low temperature, possibly arising from a Kondo-type interaction. Further analysis on the lattice contribution of the specific heat reveals similarity with τ4-Ni3ZnB2 with some indications of lattice softening in τ5-Ni3Zn2B, which could be related to the increasing metal content and the absence of B-B bonding in τ5-Ni3Zn2B. For the newly found phases, τ5-Ni3Zn2B and τ6-Ni2ZnB as well as for τ3-Ni21Zn2B20 and τ4-Ni3ZnB2 density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed by means of the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package (VASP). Total energies and forces were minimized in order to determine the fully relaxed structural parameters, which agree very well with experiment. Energies of formations in the range of -25.2 to -26.9 kJ mol-1 were calculated and bulk moduli in the range of 179.7 to 248.9 GPa were derived showing hardening by increasing the B concentration. Charge transfer is discussed in terms of Bader charges resulting in electronic transfer from Zn to the system and electronic charge gain by B. Ni charge contributions vary significantly with crystallographic position depending on B located in the neighbourhood. The electronic structure is presented in terms of densities of states, band structures and contour plots revealing Ni-B and Ni-Zn bonding features.

Charge transport in thin layer Na x CoO2 (x ∼ 0.63) studied by terahertz spectroscopy.

Charge transport in Na0.63CoO2 thin film deposited by a spin-coating method was investigated experimentally by time-domain terahertz spectroscopy and theoretically using Monte Carlo calculations of charge response in nano-structured materials. The dominating type of transport mechanism over the entire investigated range of temperatures (20-300 K) is a metallic-like conductivity of charges partly confined in constituting nano-sized grains. Due to the granular character of our thin film, the scattering time at low temperatures is limited by scattering on grain boundaries and the conductivity is strongly suppressed due to capture of a major fraction of charge carriers in deep traps. Nevertheless, our experimental setup and the applied model allowed us to distinguish the parameters related to the grain interior from those influenced by grain boundaries, and to conclude that the metallic type of conductivity is the intrinsic property relevant to single crystal materials.

Phase relations and crystal structures in the system Ta-V-Ge.

Phase equilibria have been derived for the isothermal section of the Ta-V-Ge system at 1500 °C (for concentrations <45 at% Ge) on the basis of X-ray powder diffraction, EPMA and TEM analyses of argon arc melted alloys annealed in high vacuum at 1500 °C up to 200 hours. Four ternary phases have been identified within the isothermal section, out of which three were characterized by Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data. τ(1)-(Ta(1-x)V(x))(5)Ge(3) (0.21 ≤ x ≤ 0.63) adopts the Mn(5)Si(3)-type and τ(2)-Ta(Ta(x)V(1-x-y)Ge(y))(2), x = 0.02, y = 0.12 was found to be a MgZn(2)-type Laves phase. Detailed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in several crystallographic directions confirmed lattice parameters and crystal symmetry of this phase and rejected the presence of any superstructure. τ(3)-Ta(9-x+y)V(4+x-y-z)Ge(1+z), x = 0.32, y = 0.51, z = 0.98 crystallizes with the Nb(9)Co(4)Ge-type, whereas the structure of τ(4) is not yet known. Although a MgCu(2)-type cubic Laves phase is not present in the Ta-V binary at this temperature, additions of Ge stabilize this phase in the ternary system: C15-Ta(Ta(x)V(1-x-y)Ge(y))(2), x = 0.04, y = 0.05. V(11)Ge(8) (Cr(11)Ge(8) type) shows a large solubility up to (Ta(x)V(1-x))(11)Ge(8), x = 0.64 at 1500 °C.