High-pressure stabilization of open-shell bromine fluorides.

Halogen fluorides are textbook examples of how fundamental chemical concepts, such as molecular orbital theory or the valence-shell electron-repulsion (VSEPR) model, can be used to understand the geometry and properties of compounds. However, it is still an open question whether these notions are applicable to matter subject to high pressure (>1 GPa). In an attempt to gain insight into this phenomenon, we present a computational study on the phase transitions and reactivity of bromine fluorides at pressures of up to 100 GPa (≈106 atm). We predict that at a moderately high pressure of 15 GPa, the bonding preference in the Br/F system should change considerably with BrF3 becoming thermodynamically unstable and two novel compounds emerging as stable species: BrF2 and BrF6. Calculations indicate that both these compounds contain radical molecules while being non-metallic. We propose a synthetic route for obtaining BrF2 which does not require the use of highly reactive elemental fluorine. Finally, we show how molecular orbital diagrams and the VSEPR model can be used to explain the properties of compressed bromine fluorides.

DFT stimulation and experimental insights of chiral Cu(II)-salen scaffold within the pocket of MWW-zeolite and its catalytic study.

A Cu(II)-salen complex encapsulated in MWW-framework as an efficient chiral organocatalyst was developed for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2-(1H)-one (DHPMs) derivatives via an asymmetric pathway. In order to confirm its structural properties, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder XRD, BET, XPS, FE-SEM, EDX, UV-Vis, and FTIR spectra were used. Using computer-assisted DFT calculations, the Cu(II)-salen complex has been fine-tuned to fit into the pocket of the porous MWW support while keeping its chirality. This organocatalyst was shown to be a potent catalyst for the formation of the desired DHPMs product under short reaction times. Furthermore, this green protocol allows rapid and simple isolation of active MWW-trapped Cu(II)-salen scaffolds and its reusability in at least five consecutive runs without losing much of its activity.

Study on Biogenic Spindle-Shaped Iron-Oxide Nanoparticles by Pseudostaurosira trainorii in Field of Laser Desorption/Ionization Applications.

Nanostructures-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (NALDI-MS) is gaining attention for the analysis of a wide range of molecules. In this present investigation, Pseudostaurosira trainorii mediated biosynthesized iron-oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been utilized as nanostructures assisting ionization and desorption for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS). The chain forming diatom, P. trainorii showed efficiency in the production of IONPs against 0.01 M Fe+3 (pH 2) aqueous solution at the intracellular and extracellular level. The whole biomass and external media turned dark orange in color after 3 days of reaction with Fe3+ solution. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images illustrated that the surface of Fe3+ exposed frustules of P. trainorii were entirely covered by synthesized nanostructures contrasting with the natural surface ornamentation of control cells. The IONPs loaded frustules also exhibited catalytic properties by decolorizing yellow colored nitrophenol after 3 h of reaction. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images confirmed that the produced particles are spindle-shaped with ~50-70 nm length and ~10-30 nm width. The biogenic IONPs were utilized as an inorganic matrix in LDI-MS and showed high sensitivity towards small molecules as glucose, alanine and triacylglycerols at nano- and picomolar level per spot, respectively. The presented biocompatible technique offers new perspectives in nanobiotechnology for the production of spindle-shaped IONPs that can be applied in future for the preparation of NALDI plates.

Synthesis, Physicochemical Characterization, and Antibacterial Performance of Silver-Lactoferrin Complexes.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose one of the major threats to human health worldwide. The issue is fundamental in the case of chronic wound treatment. One of the latest trends to overcome the problem is the search for new antibacterial agents based on silver. Thus, the aim of this research was to synthesize the silver-lactoferrin complex as a new generation of substances for the treatment of infected wounds. Moreover, one of the tasks was to investigate the formation mechanisms of the respective complexes and the influence of different synthesis conditions on the features of final product. The batch-sorption study was performed by applying the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models for the process description. Characterization of the complexes was carried out by spectroscopy, spectrometry, and separation techniques, as well as with electron microscopy. Additionally, the biological properties of the complex were evaluated, i.e., the antibacterial activity against selected bacteria and the impact on L929 cell-line viability. The results indicate the formation of a heterogeneous silver-lactoferrin complex that comprises silver nanoparticles. The complex has higher antibacterial strength than both native bovine lactoferrin and Ag+, while being comparable to silver toxicity.

Luminescence Sensing Method for Degradation Analysis of Bioactive Glass Fibers.

The effects of Sm3+ content on the optical properties and bioactivity of 13-93 bioactive glass were presented. Sm3+ doped glass fibers drawn from bioactive glass were analyzed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for the determination of ion release. Optical analysis of the Sm3+ ions in bioactive glass fibers was used for degradation monitoring. While the fibers were immersed in SBF solution, changes in their luminescence spectra under 405 nm laser excitation were measured continuously for 48 h. The morphology of the fibers after the immersion process was determined by SEM/EDS. It was shown that the proposed approach to the analysis of changes in Sm3+ ion luminescence is a sensitive method for the monitoring of degradation processes and the formation of hydroxycarbonate-apatite (HCA) layers on glass fiber surfaces. SEM/EDS measurements showed a significant deterioration on the surface of the fibers and the formation of HCA on 13-93_02Sm bioactive glass. The optical analysis of the time constant indicated that bioactive glass fibers doped with 2 %mol Sm3+ degrade at a rate almost five times slower than 13-93_02Sm.

Chemical short-range order in derivative Cr-Ta-Ti-V-W high entropy alloys from the first-principles thermodynamic study.

The development of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) focuses on exploring compositional regions in multi-component systems with all alloy elements in equal or near-equal atomic concentrations. Initially it was based on the main idea that high mixing configurational entropy contributions to the alloy free energy could promote the formation of a single solid solution phase. By using the ab-initio based Cluster Expansion (CE) Hamiltonian model constructed for the quinary bcc Cr-Ta-Ti-V-W system in combination with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we show that the phase stability and chemical short-range order (SRO) of the equiatomic quinary and five sub-quaternary systems, as well as their derivative alloys, can dramatically change the order-disorder transition temperatures (ODTT) as a function of alloy compositions. In particular, it has been found, that the equiatomic quaternary Ta-Ti-V-W and Cr-Ta-Ti-W alloys had the lowest order-disorder transition temperature (500 K) among all the analysed equiatomic compositions. In all investigated alloy systems, the strongest chemical ordering has been observed between Cr and V, which led to the conclusion that decreasing the concentration of either Cr or V might be beneficial in terms of decreasing the ODTT. It also predicts that increasing concentration of Ti significantly decreases the ODTT. Our analysis of chemical SRO as a function of alloy composition allows to understand the microstructure evolution of HEAs as a function of temperature in excellent agreement with available experimental observations. Importantly, our free energy of mixing and SRO calculations predict that the origin of precipitates formed by Cr- and V-rich in the sub-quaternary Cr-Ta-V-W system is driven by the thermodynamics. The modelling results are in an excellent agreement with experimental observation of Cr and V segregation in the W0.38Ta0.36Cr0.15V0.11 alloy which in turns shows an exceptional radiation resistance.

Halogenation of SiGe monolayers: robust changes in electronic and thermal transport.

Phonon and electronic transport of buckled structured SiGe monolayer and halogenated SiGe monolayers (X2-SiGe, X = F, Cl, and Br) are investigated for the first-time using ab initio density functional theory (DFT). The phonon calculations reveal complete dynamical stability of SiGe and fluorinated (F2-SiGe) monolayers in contrast to earlier reported works, where a small magnitude of imaginary frequency in SiGe monolayer near the zone centre of the Brillouin zone (BZ) is observed. The phonon calculations of chlorinated and brominated SiGe reveal no dynamical stability even with very high convergence parameters and better computational accuracy. The lower value of lattice thermal conductivity in the case of F2-SiGe is attributed to the strong phonon anharmonic scattering and larger contribution of the three phonon process to anharmonic scattering. The semimetallic nature of the SiGe monolayer turns to semiconducting after halogenation. We have also calculated the electron relaxation time to study their precise thermoelectric parameters. The enhancement of the Seebeck coefficient and reduction in lattice thermal conductivity in the SiGe monolayer is observed after halogenation which results in the improvement of the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). The room temperature figure of merit, ZT, which is 0.112 for the SiGe monolayer, enhances significantly to 0.737 after addition of fluorine atoms. Our study suggests that the halogenation of two-dimensional materials can improve their thermoelectric properties.

From Well-Defined Alkylzinc Phosphinates to Quantum-Sized ZnO Nanocrystals.

Despite various applications of alkylzinc carboxylates in chemistry and materials science, the corresponding organozinc derivatives of organophosphorus compounds still represent an insufficiently explored area. To fill this gap, we report on the synthesis of alkylzinc phosphinates and their use as efficient precursors of phosphinate-coated ZnO nanocrystals in the quantum size regime. Examples of a series of alkylzinc phosphinates with the general formula [RZn(O2 PR'2 )] (R=tBu or Et) have been prepared through equimolar reactions between ZnR2 and a selected phosphinic acid, namely dimethylphosphinic acid (dmpha-H), methylphenylphosphinic acid (mppha-H), diphenylphosphinic acid (dppha-H), or bis(4-methoxyphenyl)phosphinic acid (dmppha-H). The reactivities of alkylzinc phosphinate complexes toward H2 O and O2 have also been investigated, which resulted in the isolation of two oxo-zinc phosphinate clusters, that is, [Zn4 (µ4 -O)(dppha)6 ] and [Zn4 (µ4 -O)(dmppha)6 ], as well as the unique alkoxy(oxo)zinc cluster [Zn4 (µ4 -O)(µ2 -OtBu)(dppha)5 ]. Analysis of the crystal structures has revealed that organozinc complexes incorporating phosphinate ligands exhibit a unique capacity for shape-driven self-assembly to produce extended networks, including noncovalent quasi-porous materials. Finally, monodispersed and quantum-sized ZnO NCs coated with phosphinate ligands have been prepared using a non-external-surfactant-assisted wet-chemical organometallic approach based on well-defined [RZn(O2 PR'2 )]-type compounds. The resulting brightly luminescent ZnO NCs exhibit average core sizes and hydrodynamic diameters in the ranges 2-4.5 nm and 5-8 nm, respectively. The size of the inorganic core is slightly affected by the character of the incorporated phosphinate ligand, being smallest for ZnO NCs coated by asymmetrically substituted mppha ligands. Regardless of whether or not various phosphinate coating ligands could be controllably applied on the ZnO NC surface, no significant differences were found in the luminescence profiles of the analyzed nanosystems.

Scanning electron microscopy image representativeness: morphological data on nanoparticles.

A sample of a nanomaterial contains a distribution of nanoparticles of various shapes and/or sizes. A scanning electron microscopy image of such a sample often captures only a fragment of the morphological variety present in the sample. In order to quantitatively analyse the sample using scanning electron microscope digital images, and, in particular, to derive numerical representations of the sample morphology, image content has to be assessed. In this work, we present a framework for extracting morphological information contained in scanning electron microscopy images using computer vision algorithms, and for converting them into numerical particle descriptors. We explore the concept of image representativeness and provide a set of protocols for selecting optimal scanning electron microscopy images as well as determining the smallest representative image set for each of the morphological features. We demonstrate the practical aspects of our methodology by investigating tricalcium phosphate, Ca3 (PO4 )2 , and calcium hydroxyphosphate, Ca5 (PO4 )3 (OH), both naturally occurring minerals with a wide range of biomedical applications.

Atomic-scale computational design of hydrophobic RE surface-doped Al2O3 and TiO2.

Intrinsically hydrophobic rare-earth oxides (REOs) have emerged as a robust class of ceramics for a variety of applications. Recently, the hydrophobicity of REOs has been observed experimentally and subsequently scrutinized using electronic structure density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In this work, we applied the DFT method to analyze the possibility of tuning the wettability of commonly used hydrophilic Al2O3 and TiO2 by surface doping with Ce. The calculations indicate that Ce can preferentially segregate to the surface of Al2O3 and TiO2 and form a Ce-rich oxide layer, which is stable under a wide range of oxygen chemical potentials. A remarkable increase in the water contact angle is predicted for Ce-doped Al2O3(0001), whereas the water contact angle calculated for Ce-doped TiO2(110) remains unchanged, regardless of the Ce concentration. The wetting properties of Ce-doped Al2O3 are governed by two factors: (1) the unique electronic structure of the rare-earth metal promotes hydrogen bond formation between H2O and surface oxygen; (2) significant relaxation of the surface Ce and O atoms hampers direct interaction between H2O and Al cations, preventing dissociative water adsorption. These results provide a valuable opportunity for Al2O3 surface modification, in terms of achieving hydrophobicity.

Microstructure and nanomechanical properties of single stalks from diatom Didymosphenia geminata and their change due to adsorption of selected metal ions.

We present topographical and nanomechanical characterization of single Didymosphenia geminata stalk. We compared the samples before and after adsorption of metal ions from freshwater samples. Transmission electron microscopy studies of single stalk cross-sections have shown three distinct layers and an additional thin extra coat on the external layer (called "EL"). Using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM), we found that topography of single stalks after ionic adsorption differed significantly from topography of pristine stalks. AFM nanoindentation studies in ambient conditions yielded elastic moduli of 214 ± 170 MPa for pristine stalks and 294 ± 108 MPa for stalks after ionic adsorption. Statistical tests showed that those results were significantly different. We conducted only preliminary comparisons between ionic adsorption of several stalks in air and in water. While the stalks with ions were on average stiffer than the pristine stalks in air, they became more compliant than the pristine stalks in water. We also heated the stalks and detected EL softening at 50°C ± 15°C. AFM nanoindentation in air on the softened samples yielded elastic moduli of 26 ± 9 MPa for pristine samples and 43 ± 22 MPa for stalks with absorbed metal ions. Substantial decrease of the EL elastic moduli after heating was expected. Significantly different elastic moduli for the samples after ionic adsorption in both cases (i.e., for heated and nonheated samples), as well as behavior of the stalks immersed in water, point to permanent structural EL changes due to ions.

Insight on the Interaction of Methanol-Selective Oxidation Intermediates with Au- or/and Pd-Containing Monometallic and Bimetallic Core@Shell Catalysts.

Using density functional theory (DFT), the interaction of crucial molecules involved in the selective partial oxidation of methanol to methyl formate (MF) with monometallic Au and Pd and bimetallic Au/Pd and Pd/Au core@shell catalysts is systematically investigated. The core@shell structures modeled in this study consist of Au(111) and Pd(111) cores covered by a monolayer of Pd and Au, respectively. Our results indicate that the adsorption strength of the molecules examined as a function of catalytic surface decreases in the order of Au/Pd(111) > Pd(111) > Au(111) > Pd/Au(111) and correlates well with the d-band center model. The preadsorption of oxygen is found to have a positive impact on the selective partial oxidation reaction because of the stabilization of CH3OH and HCHO on the catalyst surface and the simultaneous intensification of MF desorption. On the basis of a dynamical matrix approach combined with statistical thermodynamics, we propose a simple route for evaluating the Gibbs free energy of adsorption as a function of temperature. This method allows us to anticipate the relative temperature stability of molecules involved in the selective partial oxidation of methanol to MF in terms of catalytic surface.

Ultrastructural and molecular characterization of diversity among small araphid diatoms all lacking rimoportulae. I. Five new genera, eight new species.

Pennate diatoms are important contributors to primary production in freshwater and marine habitats. But the extent of their diversity, ecology, and evolution is still largely unknown. This is particularly evident among the clades of pennate diatoms without raphe slits, whose diversity is likely underestimated due to their small size and features that can be difficult to discern under light microscopy. In this study, we described five new araphid genera with eight new species based on morphological observations (light and electron microscopy) and molecular data (nuclear-encoded small subunit ribosomal RNA and chloroplast-encoded rbcL and psbC): Serratifera varisterna, Hendeyella rhombica, H. dimeregrammopsis, H. lineata, Psammotaenia lanceolata, Castoridens striata, C. hyalina, and Cratericulifera shandongensis. We also transferred Dimeregramma dubium to Hendeyella dubia. Phylogenetic analysis of the molecular data revealed that all the newly established taxa fell into a monophyletic group, with Fragilariforma virescens located at the base. The group was composed by two subclades: one comprising Castoridens, Cratericulifera, and Plagiostriata, and the larger including also the rest of the new genera plus some of the smallest known diatoms, such as Nanofrustulum, Opephora, Pseudostaurosira, Staurosirella, and Staurosira with a high level of support. This study enhances the general knowledge on the phylogeny and biodiversity of a group of small araphid diatoms that have been generally poorly described both by electron microscopy and DNA sequence data.

tert-Butyl(tert-butoxy)zinc hydroxides: hybrid models for single-source precursors of ZnO nanocrystals.

Alkylzinc alkoxides, [RZnOR']4, have received much attention as efficient precursors of ZnO nanocrystals (NCs), and their "Zn4O4 " heterocubane core has been regarded as a "preorganized ZnO". A comprehensive investigation of the synthesis and characterization of a new family of tert-butyl(tert-butoxy)zinc hydroxides, [(tBu)4 Zn4 (µ3-OtBu)x (µ3-OH)4-x], as model single-source precursors of ZnO NCs is reported. The direct reaction between well-defined [tBuZnOH]6 (16) and [tBuZnOtBu]4 (24) in various molar ratios allows the isolation of new mixed cubane aggregates as crystalline solids in a high yield: [(tBu)4 Zn4 (µ3-OtBu)3 (µ3-OH)] (3), [(tBu)4Zn4 (µ3-OtBu)2 (µ3-OH)2] (4), [(tBu)4 Zn4 (µ3-OtBu)(µ3-OH)3] (5). The resulting products were characterized in solution by (1) H NMR and IR spectroscopy, and in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The thermal transformations of 2-5 were monitored by in situ variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric measurements. The investigation showed that the Zn-OH groups appeared to be a desirable feature for the solid-state synthesis of ZnO NCs that significantly decreased the decomposition temperature of crystalline precursors 3-5.

[Dental plaque as a biofilm - a risk in oral cavity and methods to prevent]. / Plytka bakteryjna jako biofilm ­ zagrozenia w jamie ustnej oraz sposoby zapobiegania.

Bacteria living constantly in the oral cavity are in the form of a biofilm. The biofilm formed on a solid base such as the enamel of the teeth, fillings, restorations, orthodontic appliances or obturators is dental plaque. Disturbance of homeostasis of biofilm, excessive growth or increase in the number of acid-forming bacteria leads to the development of the most common diseases of the oral cavity, i.e. dental caries and periodontal disease. The presence of bacterial biofilm on the walls of the root canal or at the top of the root on an outer wall leads to complications and failure in endodontic treatment. The aim of the study was to present the latest information on the occurrence, development and the role of biofilm in the etiopathogenesis of oral diseases and its control. Based on the literature analyzed, it can be concluded that the biofilm, due to its complex structure and numerous mechanisms of bacteria adaptation, is an effective barrier against the traditional agents with antibacterial properties. There are now great hopes for nanotechnology as an innovative method for obtaining new structures of nanometric size and different properties than source materials. The use of antibacterial properties of nano-silver used in dentistry significantly reduces the metabolic activity and the number of colony forming bacteria and lactic acid production in the biofilm.

Characterization of polymer based nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes.

The paper concerns investigation of the processing methods influence on the electrical, thermal and mechanical properties of the polymer matrix nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as a filler. The focus is put on the relation between microstructure and properties dependently on the parameters of mixing, epoxy matrix curing parameters, neat epoxy resin viscosity, carbon nanotubes modified with different functional groups, as well as carbon nanotubes weight fraction. Nanocomposites with the CNTs varied from 0.05 to 5 wt.% were obtained by dispersion methods such as: mechanical stirring, ultrasonication and combination both of them, as well as calendaring. Three epoxy resin systems were tested, varied in viscosity and curing temperature. Also CNTs nonmodified and modified with amino, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups were used. The choice of the best epoxy resin system and kind of CNTs for fabrication of conductive nanocomposites was done. The lower neat epoxy resin viscosity the better dispersion of CNTs can be achieved. The distribution of CNTs in the epoxy matrix was evaluated using high resolution scanning electron microscopy, supported by image analysis. Electrical conductivity, as well as thermal stability and thermodynamic properties of polymers filled with CNTs were determined. Activation energy of decomposition process was calculated from thermogravimetric curves by Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method. The deterioration of thermal stability was obtained, while mechanical properties increase with the CNTs weight fraction growth up to 0.1%. Calendaring was found as the best method of CNTs dispersion in the polymer matrix.

The Influence of Environmental Factors on the Degradation of PLA/Diatomaceous Earth Composites.

In the present study, tests were carried out on composite samples on a polylactide matrix containing 25% by weight of mineral filler in the form of diatomaceous earth, base, and silanized with GPTMOS (3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane), OTES (n-octyltriethoxysilane), and MTMOS (methyltrimethoxysilane) silanes. The addition of two types of waxes, synthetic polyamide wax and natural beeswax, were used as a factor to increase the rheological properties of the composites. The obtained samples were characterized in terms of the effect of filler silanization on the degradation rate of the composites. The tests were conducted under different conditioning conditions, i.e., after exposure to strong UV radiation for 250 and 500 h, and under natural sunlight for 21 days. The conditioning carried out under natural conditions showed that the modified samples exhibit up to twice the degradation rate of pure polylactide. The addition of synthetic wax to the composites increases the tendency to agglomerate diatomaceous earth, while natural wax has a positive effect on filler dispersion. For composites modified with GPTMOS and OTES silanes, it was noted that the addition of natural wax inhibited the degree of surface degradation, compared to the addition of synthetic wax, while the addition of MTMOS silane caused the opposite effect and samples with natural wax degraded more strongly. It was shown that, despite the high degree of surface degradation, the process does not occur significantly deep into the composite and stops at a certain depth.

In Vitro Effects of Silver Nanoparticles on Pathogenic Bacteria and on Metabolic Activity and Viability of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

The rapid development of nanotechnology has led to the use of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in various biomedical fields. However, the effect of Ag-NPs on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) is not fully understood. Moreover, too frequent an exposure to products containing nanosilver in sublethal amounts raises widespread concerns that it will lead to the development of silver-resistant microorganisms. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the mechanism of action of Ag-NPs on hMSCs by analyzing the cellular uptake of Ag-NPs by the cells and its effect on their viability and to assess antimicrobial activity of Ag-NPs against emerging bacterial strains, including multidrug-resistant pathogens. For metabolic activity and viability evaluation, hMSCs were incubated with different concentrations of Ag-NPs (14 µg/mL, 7 µg/mL, and 3.5 µg/mL) for 10 min., 1 h and 24 h and subsequently analyzed for their viability by live-dead staining and metabolic activity by the MTS assay. The effect of Ag-NPs on bacterial pathogens was studied by determining their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). In conclusion, it was observed that exposure of hMSCs to Ag-NPs of size <10 nm has no cytotoxic effect on the metabolic activity of the cells at the concentration of 3.5 µg/mL, with minimal cytotoxic effect being observed at the concentration of 14 µg/mL after 24 h of incubation. Our findings also confirmed that Ag-NPs at the concentration of 4 µg/mL are effective broad-spectrum bactericidal agents, regardless of the antibiotic-resistance mechanism present in bacteria.

The effect of high pressure torsion on structural refinement and mechanical properties of an austenitic stainless steel.

In the present study, the high pressure torsion (HPT) was used to refine the grain structure down to the nanometer scale in an austenitic stainless steel. The principles of HPT lay on torsional deformation under simultaneous high pressure of the specimen, which results in substantial reduction in the grain size. Disks of the 316LVM austenitic stainless steel of 10 mm in diameter were subjected to equivalent strains epsilon of 32 at RT and 450 degrees C under the pressure of 4 GPa. Furthermore, two-stage HPT processes, i.e., deformation at room temperature followed by deformation at 450 degrees C, were performed. The resulting microstructures were investigated in TEM observations. The mechanical properties were measured in terms of the microhardness and in tensile tests. HPT performed at two-stage conditions (firstly at RT next at 450 degrees C) gives similar values of microhardness to the ones obtained after deforming only at 450 degrees C but performed to higher values of the overall equivalent strain epsilon. The effect of high pressure torsion on structural refinement and mechanical properties of an austenitic stainless steel was evaluated.

Characterization of Sc2O3&CeO2-stabilized ZrO2 powders via co-precipitation or hydrothermal synthesis.

As the presence of Sc2O3 and CeO2 is known to largely enhance the ionic conductivity in the temperature range of 600-800°C, compared with the conventional yttria-stabilized ZrO2, Sc2O3&CeO2-stabilized ZrO2 provide its applicability as electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells. The current study introduces the methodology to synthesize Sc2O3&CeO2-stabilized ZrO2 powders by using co-precipitation technique or high-temperature hydrothermal reaction, and further describes the structural characterization of the zirconia powders synthesized by the above-mentioned two methods. The co-precipitation technique was found to allow obtaining powders of cubic phase, whereas high-temperature hydrothermal synthesis results in the presence of a monoclinic phase as well. The scanning transmission electron microscope observations also confirm that the size of the synthesized ZrO2 powders in this study is found to be much smaller than that of commercially available powders.