Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Ilya A. Morozov
Summary: Polyurethane elastomer was studied by atomic force microscopy under fast nanoindentation conditions to investigate surface characteristics. The research found that the hard phase is unevenly distributed with the soft phase, and the indentation rate is influenced by various factors.
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Guiyan Gao, Zheng Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the erosion mechanism of 2Cr13 stainless steel under ultrasonic cavitation, finding that cracks initiate and propagate along grain boundaries and subgrain boundaries, with a thickness of the strain layer not exceeding 23 μm.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Thompson Junior Avila Reis, Henrique Meckler Santos, Eliza Wilk Reis de Almeida, Leonardo Barbosa Godefroid
Summary: The study investigated the effects of isothermal treatments at 475 ℃ on the microstructure and mechanical properties of UNS S32304 lean duplex stainless steel. It was found that α-phase spinodal decomposition occurred with a tendency to saturation over time. Atomic/magnetic force microscopy analysis helped identify characteristic differences between the alloy in as received and aged conditions, with aging significantly reducing fracture toughness but increasing tensile strength and fatigue resistance.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tianyu Cui, Hongchang Qian, Weiwei Chang, Huaibei Zheng, Dawei Guo, Chi Tat Kwok, Lap Mou Tam, Dawei Zhang
Summary: The degradation of the passive film of stainless steel caused by Shewanella algae was studied using electrochemical tests, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM was used to obtain 3D topography of cell/passive film interfaces and manipulate cell movement. AFM also revealed electron injection from S. algae cells into the adjacent passive film, promoting the reduction of Fe3+ compounds and accelerating the degradation of the passive film.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Galina Melnikova, Tatyana Kuznetsova, Vasilina Lapitskaya, Agata Petrovskaya, Sergei Chizhik, Anna Zykova, Vladimir Safonov, Sergei Aizikovich, Evgeniy Sadyrin, Weifu Sun, Stanislav Yakovin
Summary: This paper focuses on the identification of microstructural, nanomechanical, and tribological properties of thin films of tantalum and its compounds deposited on stainless steel substrates by direct current magnetron sputtering. The coatings were found to be homogeneous with low roughness values, and the elastic modulus remained unchanged while microhardness values increased with the incorporation of oxygen and nitrogen atoms. The deposition of coatings led to a decrease in coefficient of friction, potentially extending the service life of the final product.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Nicolene van Rooyen, Madhumanti Bhattacharyya, Indrajit Charit, Michael R. Maughan
Summary: Simulated cracks in 304L stainless steel were repaired using low temperature friction stir welding. Indentation studies were conducted to understand the influence of microstructural features on mechanical properties across the weld and to measure the size of the weld zones quantitatively.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yi Xu, Youquan Jia, Carlo Antonini, Yakang Jin, Longquan Chen
Summary: By immersing substrate-supported polymeric nanofilms in water, interfacial nanoblisters are formed as natural platforms for evaluating their mechanical properties. High-resolution force spectroscopy studies reveal that indentation tests must be conducted on the freestanding region around the nanoblister apex under an appropriate loading force to obtain load-independent, linear elastic deformations. The stiffness of the nanoblister increases with decreasing size or increasing covering film thickness, and this size effect can be explained by an energy-based theoretical model. This proposed methodology can provide an exceptional determination of the elastic modulus of the film and has potential applications in relevant fields.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hikaru Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Imanaka, Koreyoshi Imamura, Naoyuki Ishida
Summary: This study directly measured the interactions between proteins and stainless steel surfaces using atomic force microscopy, revealing that adhesion forces are mainly influenced by electrostatic double-layer and steric repulsion. Different proteins exhibited varying adhesion forces on SS surfaces at different pH values, indicating the significance of local interactions between functional groups of proteins and the metal surface. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of proteins, such as hardness, also played a significant role in their adhesion to surfaces.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Balint Kiss, Zoltan Kis, Bernadett Palyi, Miklos S. Z. Kellermayer
Summary: The spikes on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 virus display dynamic motion and flexibility, allowing the virus to recover quickly from mechanical perturbations. While the global structure of the virus is temperature resistant, thermal exposure may lead to progressive denudation of spikes on the virion surface.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jhih H. Liang, Zac Milne, Mehdi Rouhani, Yi-Pan Lin, Rodrigo A. Bernal, Takaaki Sato, Robert W. Carpick, Yeau R. Jeng
Summary: This study presents the first in situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) investigation of diamond-like carbon (DLC) sliding on diamond. The tribological properties of amorphous carbon (a-C) are explored under the harsh condition of sliding against diamond in a vacuum. Real-time TEM imaging provides insights into wear mechanisms and damage. The study reveals that high contact stresses lead to increased adhesion and accelerated wear of a-C on diamond.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Wenyao Li, Tao Guo, Lining Xu, Lin Chen, Baolong Jiang, Xuehan Wang, Huanchun Wu, Lijie Qiao
Summary: This study investigates the pitting susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel weld joints that have been used for 6 years in a hydrocracking unit. The results show that the α/γ phase boundaries in the weld joints are preferential locations for pitting initiation and propagation, which are enriched in hydrogen. Hydrogen enrichment promotes the transformation of metastable pits to stable pits, thereby promoting the propagation of pitting.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dileep Pathote, Dheeraj Jaiswal, Vikrant Singh, R. K. Gautam, C. K. Behera
Summary: This study aims to improve the wear resistance and durability of 316L stainless steel by depositing a tantalum layer on its surface. The results of wear tests showed that the tantalum-coated stainless steel had a lower wear rate and higher hardness. This study contributes to enhancing the surface morphology of austenitic stainless steel.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tianyu Cui, Hongchang Qian, Yuntian Lou, Xudong Chen, Tong Sun, Dawei Zhang, Xiaogang Li
Summary: The degradation of passive films on stainless steel by S. algae was studied at the single-cell level. It was found that the passive film underneath adherent S. algae cells was significantly thinner compared to areas without bacterial coverage. Atomic force microscopy revealed nanoscale corrosion pits beneath the bacterial cells.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
T. S. Charlton, M. Goodarzi, M. Rouainia, A. C. Aplin, P. Cubillas
Summary: This study investigates the geomechanical properties of organic-rich, calcareous shales buried to 100-180 degrees C, finding that the elastic stiffness increases with thermal maturity due to intense carbonate cementation. A multiscale model accurately predicts stiffness at micro and core scales, showing a negative correlation between creep modulus and clay/kerogen content.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SOLID EARTH
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lingyun Kong, Fahimeh Hadavimoghaddam, Chunxiao Li, Kouqi Liu, Bo Liu, Amir Semnani, Mehdi Ostadhassan
Summary: This study compares the feasibility of using force spectroscopy methods and nanoindentation techniques to obtain elastic properties of shale. It was found that the modulus range in nanoindentation data is larger, but it becomes more difficult to identify organic matter from intermediary phases as thermal maturity increases. In contrast, AFM provides higher resolution modulus maps, allowing for more accurate distinction between different phases.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
C. Degueldre, D. T. Goddard, G. Berhane, A. Simpson, C. Boxall
Summary: This study applies Hume-Rothery rules to predict the speciation of fission products in spent uranium mononitride fuel. The predicted speciation includes solid solutions, nano-precipitates, and soluble substances.
JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jean Spiece, Sara Sangtarash, Marta Mucientes, Aday J. Molina-Mendoza, Kunal Lulla, Thomas Mueller, Oleg Kolosov, Hatef Sadeghi, Charalambos Evangeli
Summary: Layered crystals are ideal candidates for bulk thermoelectric applications, and the stacking of two-dimensional materials into heterostructures has attracted intense research attention due to their high Seebeck coefficient and possibilities for engineering thermoelectric properties. This study reveals that franckeite, a naturally occurring 2D heterostructure, has an extremely low thermal conductivity, making it a promising material for low-dimensional thermoelectric applications. This is attributed to the low Debye frequency of franckeite and scattering of phonon transport through van der Waals interface between different layers.
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Alexander Scott Ditter, Danil E. Smiles, Daniel Lussier, Alison B. Altman, Mukesh Bachhav, Lingfeng He, Michael W. Mara, Claude Degueldre, Stefan G. Minasian, David K. Shuh
Summary: Soft X-ray spectromicroscopy was used to analyze focused ion beam sections of spent nuclear fuel, providing chemical information on a sub-micrometer scale. A modified non-negative matrix factorization method was developed for data analysis, allowing accurate distinction between different components and revealing the oxidation state at the sample surface.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xintai Wang, Sara Sangtarash, Angelo Lamantia, Herve Dekkiche, Leonardo Forcieri, Oleg Kolosov, Samuel P. Jarvis, Martin R. Bryce, Colin J. Lambert, Hatef Sadeghi, Benjamin J. Robinson
Summary: In this study, an alternative strategy for enhancing the thermoelectric performance of molecular thin-films is demonstrated. By controlling the thickness of the films and using pi-pi stacking, the Seebeck coefficient is improved and thermal conductance is reduced.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS-ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Steven McGowan, Hao Zhang, Claude Degueldre
Summary: The extraction of uranium from seawater using various biomaterials was studied. It was found that certain fruit and vegetable materials showed good uranium sorption ability, with citrus peel and potato skin exhibiting the highest sorption. The presence of polyphenols was found to enhance sorption, and a positive correlation was observed between polyphenol concentration and sorption efficiency.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Giorgos Antoniou, Nathan R. Halcovitch, Marta Mucientes, William I. Milne, Arokia Nathan, Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll, Oleg V. Kolosov, George Adamopoulos
Summary: This work investigates a solution process for yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin film deposition involving the addition of yttria nanoparticles, at 400 degrees C, in air. Different yttrium doping levels in the YSZ were studied and a wide range of optical, structural, surface, dielectric, and electronic transport properties were also investigated. An optimum yttrium doping level of 5% mol. resulted in the smoothest films (R-RMS similar to 0.5 nm), a wide bandgap (similar to 5.96 eV), a dielectric constant in excess of 26, and a leakage current of similar to 0.3 nA cm(-2) at 2 MV/cm. The solution-processed YSZ films were incorporated as gate dielectrics in thin films transistors with solution-processed In2O3 semiconducting channels. Excellent operational characteristics, such as negligible hysteresis, low operational voltages (5 V), electron mobility in excess of 36 cm(2) V-1 s(-1), high on/off current modulation ratio on the order of 10(7), and low interfacial trap density states (< 10(12) cm(-2)), were demonstrated. In addition, excellent film homogeneity was achieved over a large area (16 x 16 cm(2)), with both film thickness and capacitance deviation of < 1.2%.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zaiqing Que, Bojan Zajec, Stefan Ritter, Tommi Seppanen, Timo Saario, Aki Toivonen, Aleksandra Treichel, Valentin Lautaru, Fabio Scenini
Summary: Surface treatments of primary circuit components in light water reactors are considered as a possible solution for reducing environmentally-assisted cracking (EAC). Tests showed that the EAC initiation susceptibility is the lowest for the advanced face milled surface and the highest for the shot peened surface. However, the differences between the surface conditions were not significant.
CORROSION ENGINEERING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Roman Bender, Damien Feron, Douglas Mills, Stefan Ritter, Ralph Baessler, Dirk Bettge, Iris De Graeve, Arne Dugstad, Sabrina Grassini, Theo Hack, Maros Halama, En-Hou Han, Thomas Harder, Gareth Hinds, Jean Kittel, Romina Krieg, Christofer Leygraf, Laure Martinelli, Arjan Mol, Delphine Neff, Jan-Olov Nilsson, Inger Odnevall, Steve Paterson, Shiladitya Paul, Tomas Prosek, Michael Raupach, Reynier I. Revilla, Francois Ropital, Helmut Schweigart, Elizabeth Szala, Herman Terryn, Johan Tidblad, Sannakaisa Virtanen, Polina Volovitch, David Watkinson, Marc Wilms, George Winning, Mikhail Zheludkevich
Summary: The Paris Agreement and the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are driving a global transition towards more sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy systems. This poses a challenge for the corrosion industry, as the development of climate-resilient energy systems and infrastructures requires considering the long-term behavior of structural materials, particularly metals and alloys. "Corrosion Challenges Towards a Sustainable Society" presents a series of cases that emphasize the importance of corrosion protection for metals and alloys in energy production, aiming to promote the understanding of corrosion science and raise awareness of the need for research and the consequences of corrosion in the public and political arenas.
MATERIALS AND CORROSION-WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mujeeb Ahmad, Khushboo Agarwal, Sergio Gonzalez Munoz, Abhishek Ghosh, Nisha Kodan, Oleg Victor Kolosov, Bodh Raj Mehta
Summary: This study reports a significant enhancement of the thermoelectric power factor in Sb2Te3/MoS2 multilayer structures and introduces a new method to determine the thermal conductivity values of nanometer-thick multilayer samples. The findings lay the foundation for the development of novel and viable thermoelectric materials by exploiting the properties of 2D/3D interfaces.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jianming Tao, Yue Chen, Aman Bhardwaj, Lang Wen, Jiaxin Li, Oleg V. Kolosov, Yingbin Lin, Zhensheng Hong, Zhigao Huang, Sanjay Mathur
Summary: This study focuses on the incorporation of piezo-/ferroelectric BaTiO3 nanofibers into solid electrolytes and how it affects the growth of Li filaments in solid-state Li-metal batteries. The addition of BaTiO3 nanofibers effectively regulates the nucleation and growth of Li dendrites, leading to improved interfacial stability and safety in the batteries. The experimental results confirm the potential of BaTiO3 as an additive for enhancing the performance and scalability of Li metal anodes in solid-state batteries.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xintai Wang, Angelo Lamantia, Michael Jay, Hatef Sadeghi, Colin J. Lambert, Oleg Kolosov, Benjamin J. Robinson
Summary: A non-destructive method for probing the electrical and thermoelectric properties of small assemblies of molecules within a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) has been developed. The method combines a modified thermal-electric force microscopy approach with density functional theory calculations to quantify the electrical quantum transport properties of single molecules and small clusters. This approach allows for simultaneous measurement of the SAM's nanomechanical properties, as well as electrical and/or thermoelectric response, enabling correlation of film properties.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ruth Sang Jones, Sergio Gonzalez-Munoz, Ian Griffiths, Philip Holdway, Koen Evers, Santamon Luanwuthi, Barbara M. Maciejewska, Oleg Kolosov, Nicole Grobert
Summary: This study reports the synthesis of macroscopic sheet assemblies called buckypapers composed of carbon/boron nitride core-shell heteronanotubes (MWCNT@BNNT) or boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). The MWCNT@BNNTs were synthesized using Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (APCVD) and a safe h-BN precursor ammonia borane. These buckypapers showed improved thermal conductivity compared to control samples, as measured using a novel technique called piercing SThM (pSThM). The results of this work provide valuable insights into the thermal properties of MWCNT@BNNT buckypapers and BNNT buckypapers synthesized by low-energy techniques.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Mariia Zimina, Stefan Ritter, Bojan Zajec, Marc Vankeerberghen, Liberato Volpe, Anna Hojna, Rik-Wouter Bosch, Fabio Scenini, Zaiqing Que, Alberto Saez-Maderuelo, P. Jill Meadows, Michael Grimm, Matthias Herbst, Andraz Legat, Agostino Maurotto, Radek Novotny, Hans-Peter Seifert
Summary: The MEACTOS project aimed to investigate the effectiveness of various surface machining procedures in mitigating environmentally-assisted cracking (EAC) in typical light water reactor structural materials and environments. Tests were conducted on cold-worked (CW) type 316L austenitic stainless steel and nickel-based weld metal Alloy 182 specimens, with different surface treatments applied. Results showed minimal or no significant improvements in EAC initiation susceptibility compared to standard face milling. The stress thresholds for EAC initiation determined in constant load tests were consistent with results from the CERT tests. This paper provides a summary of the key findings and conclusions regarding EAC initiation behavior under PWR and BWR conditions for CW 316L and Alloy 182.
Article
Electrochemistry
Kai Chen, Adrianna Mackiewicz, Sannakaisa Virtanen, Pascal V. Grundler, Hans-Peter Seifert, Stefan Ritter
Summary: The effect of zinc injection on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) initiation of Alloy 182 weld metal and 20% cold-worked type 316L stainless steel under simulated light water reactor conditions was studied. The results showed that Alloy 182 had higher SCC initiation susceptibility than the 316L stainless steel without zinc injection. However, when zinc was injected, there was a tendency towards higher stress thresholds or lower crack densities for SCC initiation in both materials, indicating a mitigation effect of zinc water chemistry on SCC initiation. The improved SCC performance is believed to be due to the optimized, zinc-treated oxide film.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mangayarkarasi Nagarathinam, Cindy Soares, Yue Chen, Valerie R. Seymour, Vlastimil Mazanek, Mark A. Isaacs, Zdenek Sofer, Oleg Kolosov, John M. Griffin, Nuria Tapia-Ruiz
Summary: This study presents a comprehensive investigation on the use of ammonium vanadate (Vo2) as a cathode material in AZIBs, which has not been explored before.
