What are the main challenges in the development of thermal barrier coatings?5 answersThe main challenges in the development of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) include improving their high temperature behavior, increasing their resistance to harsh environments, and enhancing their lifetime prediction methods. Another challenge is to develop coating materials and methods that can effectively combat erosion and degradation at elevated temperatures in gas turbines. Additionally, there is a need to focus on increasing the life of the underlying substrate during the coating process. The development of advanced coating-fabrication techniques, such as electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD), suspension plasma spray (SPS), additive manufacturing (AM), functionally graded material (FGM), and incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in manufacturing of TBCs, also presents challenges that need to be addressed. Overall, the challenges in the development of TBCs involve improving their performance, durability, and resistance to high temperatures and harsh environments, as well as advancing the coating materials and fabrication techniques used.
What are the current challenges in the sic process?5 answersThe current challenges in the sic process include the ability of a university to identify a target company for a given technology, the ability of scientists to identify and locate technologies of interest, and the slowness and inflexibility of universities in formulating agreements. In addition, the security aspects in ad hoc networks pose challenges due to the variation in networking approaches and the need to balance security and performance. The semiconductor industry faces challenges in the uniform and homogeneous deposition of silicon carbide on large components, requiring knowledge of gas flow in the CVD reactor. Implementing International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) at the organizational level presents challenges such as lack of education and training, securing executive-level support, and capturing necessary information for reporting. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) encounter issues in their creation and functioning, leading to limited performance and difficulties in upscaling. These issues occur at various parts of SFSCs and can be characterized using the SCOR model.
What are the main challenges in etching SiC wafers?3 answersThe main challenges in etching SiC wafers include the development of a fast and scalable etching process that can produce a sub-nanometer roughness semiconductor surface while reducing the total thickness variation across a wafer. Additionally, SiC is nearly inert with respect to wet-etching, so predominantly dry-etching techniques are used, but these techniques may not provide the desired etching contrasts. Furthermore, the increasing thinness of wafers poses challenges during transport and the backgrinding process, leading to wafer warpage. Lastly, as wafers become thinner, traditional blade dicing processes encounter yield issues, and alternative methods such as laser grooving need to be explored.
What are the challenges of sintering SiC without additives?5 answersSintering SiC without additives presents challenges in achieving densification at temperatures below 2000°C. Previous studies have shown that SiC can be densified using oxide and nonoxide additives such as Al2O3, B4C, and the Al-B-C system. However, without the use of additives, it is difficult to achieve densification even with spark plasma sintering (SPS). The addition of sintering additives is essential for enhancing the densification of SiC due to its high covalent bonding nature and low self-diffusivity. The selection of effective sintering additives is based on the Gibbs free energy to predict the reactivity between the additive and SiC, particularly for liquid phase sintering at high temperatures. The electrical conductivity of the additives also plays a role in the sintering process, controlling power dissipation and the development of gaseous/liquid/solid phases.
How is hafnium obtained?5 answersHafnium can be obtained through various methods. One method involves dissolving tetrachloride hafnium solid into deionized water to obtain an oxygen hafnium chloride solution. Sodium hydroxide solution is then added to the oxygen hafnium chloride solution, followed by pouring the mixed liquid into a high-pressure water thermal reaction kettle. The resulting suspension liquid is poured into a flask, and the solid obtained through centrifugation is cleaned with ethyl alcohol and deionized water. After drying, hafnium oxide is obtained. This hafnium oxide is then mixed with an excessive amount of calcium powder and subjected to reduction in a sealed reactor to obtain high-purity metal hafnium. Another method involves extracting and separating zirconium and hafnium through a counter current chromatograph using tributyl phosphate and P204. Additionally, hafnium oxide can be prepared from hafnium-titanium enrichment slag through a process involving dissolution, extraction separation, washing, reverse extraction, and precipitation.
What are the challenges and opportunities in the field of nanomaterial synthesis?5 answersNanomaterial synthesis faces challenges and opportunities. Traditional methods have adverse effects on the environment and human health, consume more energy, and are expensive. However, the green synthesis of nanoparticles using natural reagents offers a promising and environmentally friendly approach, reducing the carbon footprint and promoting sustainable development. Nanoparticles possess unique properties such as enhanced thermal and electrical conductivity, catalytic activity, and biocompatibility, making them attractive for various applications. The logical design of nanoparticles allows for high surface area and tailored properties through size, shape, and synthesis conditions regulation. Gas-phase synthesis, specifically magnetron-sputtering inert-gas condensation, enables the growth of engineered nanoparticles optimized for specific applications, such as energy, catalysis, sensing, and neuromorphic devices. Continuous flow reactors based on microfluidic principles offer advantages in terms of reproducibility and control over particle size, shape, and chemical composition. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles show potential as nanocarriers for drug delivery in the diagnosis and therapy of atherosclerosis, offering high drug loading capacity and biocompatibility.