Showing papers on "Alloy published in 2019"

Engineering bunched Pt-Ni alloy nanocages for efficient oxygen reduction in practical fuel cells

Abstract: Development of efficient and robust electrocatalysts is critical for practical fuel cells. We report one-dimensional bunched platinum-nickel (Pt-Ni) alloy nanocages with a Pt-skin structure for the oxygen reduction reaction that display high mass activity (3.52 amperes per milligram platinum) and specific activity (5.16 milliamperes per square centimeter platinum), or nearly 17 and 14 times higher as compared with a commercial platinum on carbon (Pt/C) catalyst. The catalyst exhibits high stability with negligible activity decay after 50,000 cycles. Both the experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal the existence of fewer strongly bonded platinum-oxygen (Pt-O) sites induced by the strain and ligand effects. Moreover, the fuel cell assembled by this catalyst delivers a current density of 1.5 amperes per square centimeter at 0.6 volts and can operate steadily for at least 180 hours.

Tuning element distribution, structure and properties by composition in high-entropy alloys.

Abstract: High-entropy alloys are a class of materials that contain five or more elements in near-equiatomic proportions1,2. Their unconventional compositions and chemical structures hold promise for achieving unprecedented combinations of mechanical properties3–8. Rational design of such alloys hinges on an understanding of the composition–structure–property relationships in a near-infinite compositional space9,10. Here we use atomic-resolution chemical mapping to reveal the element distribution of the widely studied face-centred cubic CrMnFeCoNi Cantor alloy2 and of a new face-centred cubic alloy, CrFeCoNiPd. In the Cantor alloy, the distribution of the five constituent elements is relatively random and uniform. By contrast, in the CrFeCoNiPd alloy, in which the palladium atoms have a markedly different atomic size and electronegativity from the other elements, the homogeneity decreases considerably; all five elements tend to show greater aggregation, with a wavelength of incipient concentration waves11,12 as small as 1 to 3 nanometres. The resulting nanoscale alternating tensile and compressive strain fields lead to considerable resistance to dislocation glide. In situ transmission electron microscopy during straining experiments reveals massive dislocation cross-slip from the early stage of plastic deformation, resulting in strong dislocation interactions between multiple slip systems. These deformation mechanisms in the CrFeCoNiPd alloy, which differ markedly from those in the Cantor alloy and other face-centred cubic high-entropy alloys, are promoted by pronounced fluctuations in composition and an increase in stacking-fault energy, leading to higher yield strength without compromising strain hardening and tensile ductility. Mapping atomic-scale element distributions opens opportunities for understanding chemical structures and thus providing a basis for tuning composition and atomic configurations to obtain outstanding mechanical properties. In high-entropy alloys, atomic-resolution chemical mapping shows that swapping some of the atoms for larger, more electronegative elements results in atomic-scale modulations that produce higher yield strength, excellent strain hardening and ductility.

Verification of Short-Range Order and Its Impact on the Properties of the CrCoNi Medium Entropy Alloy

Abstract: Traditional metallic alloys are mixtures of elements where the atoms of minority species tend to distribute randomly if they are below their solubility limit, or lead to the formation of secondary phases if they are above it. Recently, the concept of medium/high entropy alloys (MEA/HEA) has expanded this view, as these materials are single-phase solid solutions of generally equiatomic mixtures of metallic elements that have been shown to display enhanced mechanical properties. However, the question has remained as to how random these solid solutions actually are, with the influence of chemical short-range order (SRO) suggested in computational simulations but not seen experimentally. Here we report the first direct observation of SRO in the CrCoNi MEA using high resolution and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy. Increasing amounts of SRO give rise to both higher stacking fault energy and hardness. These discoveries suggest that the degree of chemical ordering at the nanometer scale can be tailored through thermomechanical processing, providing a new avenue for tuning the mechanical properties of MEA/HEAs.

Highly efficient decomposition of ammonia using high-entropy alloy catalysts.

Abstract: Ammonia represents a promising liquid fuel for hydrogen storage, but its large-scale application is limited by the need for precious metal ruthenium (Ru) as catalyst. Here we report on highly efficient ammonia decomposition using novel high-entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts made of earth abundant elements. Quinary CoMoFeNiCu nanoparticles are synthesized in a single solid-solution phase with robust control over the Co/Mo atomic ratio, including those ratios considered to be immiscible according to the Co-Mo bimetallic phase diagram. These HEA nanoparticles demonstrate substantially enhanced catalytic activity and stability for ammonia decomposition, with improvement factors achieving >20 versus Ru catalysts. Catalytic activity of HEA nanoparticles is robustly tunable by varying the Co/Mo ratio, allowing for the optimization of surface property to maximize the reactivity under different reaction conditions. Our work highlights the great potential of HEAs for catalyzing chemical transformation and energy conversion reactions. Alloys are important materials for catalysis but are usually limited by miscibility gaps present in their phase diagrams. Here the authors break this limitation by developing high-entropy alloy catalysts made of five earth-abundant elements and demonstrate great catalytic enhancements for ammonia decomposition.

Guiding Uniform Li Plating/Stripping through Lithium-Aluminum Alloying Medium for Long-Life Li Metal Batteries.

Abstract: The uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites upon cycling might result in low coulombic efficiency and severe safety hazards. Herein, a lithiophilic binary lithium-aluminum alloy layer, which was generated through an in situ electrochemical process, was utilized to guide the uniform metallic Li nucleation and growth, free from the formation of dendrites. Moreover, the formed LiAl alloy layer can function as a Li reservoir to compensate the irreversible Li loss, enabling long-term stability. The protected Li electrode shows superior cycling over 1700 h in a Li|Li symmetric cell.

Ruthenium-Based Single-Atom Alloy with High Electrocatalytic Activity for Hydrogen Evolution

Abstract: Cui-Hong Chen, Deyao Wu, Zhe Li, Rui Zhang, Chun-Guang Kuai, Xue-Ru Zhao, Cun-Ku Dong, Shi-Zhang Qiao, Hui Liu and Xi-Wen Du

Ensemble Effect in Bimetallic Electrocatalysts for CO2 Reduction

Abstract: Alloying is an important strategy for the design of catalytic materials beyond pure metals. The conventional alloy catalysts however lack precise control over the local atomic structures of active ...

Nanoporous Al-Ni-Co-Ir-Mo High-Entropy Alloy for Record-High Water Splitting Activity in Acidic Environments

Abstract: Ir-based binary and ternary alloys are effective catalysts for the electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic solutions. Nevertheless, decreasing the Ir content to less than 50 at% while maintaining or even enhancing the overall electrocatalytic activity and durability remains a grand challenge. Herein, by dealloying predesigned Al-based precursor alloys, it is possible to controllably incorporate Ir with another four metal elements into one single nanostructured phase with merely ≈20 at% Ir. The obtained nanoporous quinary alloys, i.e., nanoporous high-entropy alloys (np-HEAs) provide infinite possibilities for tuning alloy's electronic properties and maximizing catalytic activities owing to the endless element combinations. Particularly, a record-high OER activity is found for a quinary AlNiCoIrMo np-HEA. Forming HEAs also greatly enhances the structural and catalytic durability regardless of the alloy compositions. With the advantages of low Ir loading and high activity, these np-HEA catalysts are very promising and suitable for activity tailoring/maximization.

An Electron/Ion Dual-Conductive Alloy Framework for High-Rate and High-Capacity Solid-State Lithium-Metal Batteries

Abstract: The solid-state Li battery is a promising energy-storage system that is both safe and features a high energy density. A main obstacle to its application is the poor interface contact between the solid electrodes and the ceramic electrolyte. Surface treatment methods have been proposed to improve the interface of the ceramic electrolytes, but they are generally limited to low-capacity or short-term cycling. Herein, an electron/ion dual-conductive solid framework is proposed by partially dealloying the Li-Mg alloy anode on a garnet-type solid-state electrolyte. The Li-Mg alloy framework serves as a solid electron/ion dual-conductive Li host during cell cycling, in which the Li metal can cycle as a Li-rich or Li-deficient alloy anode, free from interface deterioration or volume collapse. Thus, the capacity, current density, and cycle life of the solid Li anode are improved. The cycle capability of this solid anode is demonstrated by cycling for 500 h at 1 mA cm-2 , followed by another 500 h at 2 mA cm-2 without short-circuiting, realizing a record high cumulative capacity of 750 mA h cm-2 for garnet-type all-solid-state Li batteries. This alloy framework with electron/ion dual-conductive pathways creates the possibility to realize high-energy solid-state Li batteries with extended lifespans.

Role of melt pool boundary condition in determining the mechanical properties of selective laser melting AlSi10Mg alloy

Abstract: We describe here a comprehensive study on the effect of cellular structure and melt pool boundary (MPB) condition on the mechanical properties, deformation and failure behavior of AlSi10Mg alloy processed by selective laser melting (SLM). The morphology of melt pool (MP) on the load bearing face of tensile samples was significantly different with build directions. It resulted in different mechanical properties of the samples with different build directions. Furthermore, the microstructure analysis revealed that the MP in the SLM AlSi10Mg alloy mainly consisted of columnar α-Al grains which were made of ultra-fine elongated cellular structure. Electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis revealed that the long axis of cellular structure and columnar grains were parallel to , which resulted in fiber texture in SLM AlSi10Mg alloy. However, Schmid factor calculation demonstrated that the anisotropy of mechanical properties of the SLM AlSi10Mg alloy built with different direction was mainly dependent on the distribution of MPB on the load bearing face, and not texture. The defects including pores, residual stress and heat affected zone (HAZ) located at MPB made it the weakest part in the SLM AlSi10Mg. The sample built along horizontal direction exhibited good combination of strength and plasticity and is attributed to the lowest fraction of MPBs that withstand load during tensile. MPB had strong influence on the mechanical properties and failure behavior of SLM AlSi10Mg built with different directions.

Effect of wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) process parameters on bead geometry and microstructure

Abstract: This paper discusses the effects of process parameters in TIG based WAAM for specimens created using Hastelloy X alloy (Haynes International) welding wire and 304 stainless-steel plate as the substrate. The Taguchi method and ANOVA were used to determine the effects of travel speed, wire feed rate, current, and argon flow rate on the responses including bead shape and size, bead roughness, oxidation levels, melt through depth, and the microstructure. Travel speed and current were found to have the largest effect on the responses. Increasing travel speed or decreasing current caused a decrease in melt through depth and an increase in roughness. Printing strategies were tested using specimens of multiple layers and no significant difference was found between printing layers in the same direction and printing layers in alternating directions. No observable interface between the layers was present suggesting a complete fusion between layers with no oxidation. Three distinct zones were identified within the three- and eight-layer samples. The zones were characterized by the size and distribution of the molybdenum carbide formations within the matrix grain formations.

Influence of AlN particles on microstructure, mechanical and tribological behaviour in AA6351 aluminum alloy

Abstract: In the current trend, the hard ceramic particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) is extensively being exploited as a composite which shall be utilized for various engineering applications. In the present research, the Al-Si-Mg (AA6351) composite incorporated with aluminium nitride (AlN) filler were prepared via novel and low cost melt stirring process. This study was conducted using AA6351 aluminum alloy in conjunction with AlN particles whose percentages of incorporation were 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and 20 wt.% in the ascending. The stir casted composites and the base alloy were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). EDAX and XRD plots prove the occurrence of AlN filler contents in the synthesized AMCs. SEM studies exhibit the even dispersion of the reinforcement particles in the Al matrix. The effects of AlN contents on the mechanical characteristics of AA6351 matrix composites were examined. The dry sliding wear characteristics of the prepared composites was tested employing pin on disc machine. The mechanical and wear behavior of the AMCs had shown a great enhancement by the incorporation of AlN particles into AA6351 matrix alloy. The test outcomes discovered that Al/20 wt.% AlN composites had revealed superior wear resistance, hardness, yield strength and tensile strength than the AA6351 base alloy

A review of electrodeposited Ni-Co alloy and composite coatings: Microstructure, properties and applications

Abstract: Ni Co alloy electrodeposits have been widely employed in industry due to their good corrosion and wear resistance, high mechanical strength, moderate thermal conductivity and outstanding electrocatalytic and magnetic properties. This review aims to provide an insight into the mechanism of electrodeposition and effect of operational parameters and deposit microstructure, together with the mechanical, electrochemical and tribological characteristics of Ni Co alloys and included particle, composite deposits. Potential applications of the coatings have also been considered in applications as diverse as additive manufacturing, micro-tools, micro-sensors, electronic imaging and electrochemical energy conversion.

NiCo Alloy/Carbon Nanorods Decorated with Carbon Nanotubes for Microwave Absorption

Abstract: Fabricating high-performance electromagnetic absorbents with strong absorbing intensity and wide effective absorbing bandwidth at low filler loading is still a challenge. Herein, hierarchical NiCo alloy/carbon nanorod@carbon nanotube (NiCo alloy/carbon nanorod@CNT) structures were prepared by a carbonization process using NiCo-MOF-74 nanorods as precursors in Ar flow, in which the aspect ratio of the NiCo alloy/carbon nanorod and the coating density of the CNTs could be easily controlled by the ratio of Ni/Co in the precursor. When the Ni/Co molar ratio was 1:1, a dual electric network was easily formed among the NiCo alloy/carbon nanorods as well as between the intertwined coating CNTs due to the higher aspect ratio and larger coating density, which induced significant enhancement of the comprehensive microwave absorbing properties of the NiCo alloy/carbon nanorod@CNT composites. By adding only 5 wt % to paraffin, the resulting composite displayed a maximum reflection loss of −58.8 dB and a covered an ef...

Nanostructures of solid electrolyte interphases and their consequences for microsized Sn anodes in sodium ion batteries

Abstract: There has been increasing evidence that ether-based electrolytes offer more stable anode performance in sodium ion batteries, even for microsized alloy electrodes which suffer huge volume change upon charge/discharge cycling. It is speculated that ether-based electrolytes may give rise to more robust solid electrolyte interphases (SEIs), but the detailed mechanism remains unknown, due to the structural complexity and the extremely vulnerable nature of SEIs. In this work, we unveil the characteristic SEI structure at Sn electrode surfaces in both carbonate- and ether-based electrolytes. We adopt cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to probe the pristine SEI structure, in combination with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. An ultrathin SEI forms in the ether-based electrolyte, with amorphous particles dispersed in the polymer-like matrix. This unique nanostructure exhibits superior mechanical elasticity and renders anomalous stability against the large volume change of alloy electrodes, as evidenced by both electrochemistry measurement and atomic force microscopy. Our work unravels the causes for the superiority of ether-based electrolytes in sodium-ion batteries, and we expect the potential of such an optimized SEI to enable the application of high-capacity anodes such as microsized alloys.

High-performance oxygen evolution electrocatalysis by boronized metal sheets with self-functionalized surfaces

Abstract: The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key half-reaction involved in many important electrochemical reactions, but this process is quite sluggish and the materials needed usually show unsatisfactory activity, stability or corrosion resistance in the harsh electrocatalysis environment. Here we report an effective boronization strategy for the value-added transformation of inexpensive, commercially available metal sheets (Ni, Co, Fe, NiFe alloys and steel sheets) into highly active and stable, corrosion resistant oxygen evolution electrodes. The boronized metal sheets exhibit OER activities that are an order of magnitude higher than those of the corresponding metal sheets, and show significantly improved catalytic stability and corrosion resistance in the operating environment. The in situ formed, ultrathin (2–5 nm), metaborate-containing oxyhydroxide thin films on metal boride surfaces are identified as a self-functionalized, highly active catalytic phase for the OER. In particular, a boronized NiFe alloy sheet is demonstrated to exhibit intrinsic catalytic activity higher than those of the state-of-the-art materials in 1 M KOH, while retaining such catalytic activity for over 3000 hours. Additionally, the boronized NiFe alloy and steel sheets are also demonstrated to have good catalytic activity as well as excellent catalytic stability and corrosion resistance in 30% KOH solution, a widely-adopted electrolyte in commercial water–alkali electrolyzers.

Graphene's Latest Cousin: Plumbene Epitaxial Growth on a "Nano WaterCube".

Abstract: While theoretical studies predicted the stability and exotic properties of plumbene, the last group-14 cousin of graphene, its realization has remained a challenging quest. Here, it is shown with compelling evidence that plumbene is epitaxially grown by segregation on a Pd1-x Pbx (111) alloy surface. In scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), it exhibits a unique surface morphology resembling the famous Weaire-Phelan bubble structure of the Olympic "WaterCube" in Beijing. The "soap bubbles" of this "Nano WaterCube" are adjustable with their average sizes (in-between 15 and 80 nm) related to the Pb concentration (x < 0.2) dependence of the lattice parameter of the Pd1-x Pbx (111) alloy surface. Angle-resolved core-level measurements demonstrate that a lead sheet overlays the Pd1-x Pbx (111) alloy. Atomic-scale STM images of this Pb sheet show a planar honeycomb structure with a unit cell ranging from 0.48 to 0.49 nm corresponding to that of the standalone 2D topological insulator plumbene.

Study of heat treatment parameters for additively manufactured AlSi10Mg in comparison with corresponding cast alloy

Abstract: A solution, quenching and ageing heat treatment is often performed on additive manufactured AlSi10Mg parts to dissolve the anisotropy due to the layer-by-layer building. This study investigates the influence of temperature and duration of solution and ageing treatment on microstructure, hardness and density of AlSi10Mg alloy produced by direct metal laser sintering. A parallel investigation is carried out on AlSi10Mg samples produced by gravity casting to analyse the different response to the same heat treatment conditions. The highest hardness, combined with an acceptable increase of porosity, is reached after selected heat treatment parameters. It was also found that, compared to the as-produced condition, this treatment leads to a decrease of ultimate tensile strength, without affecting the yield strength of additive manufactured samples, and reduces the difference in properties along the two building directions. The high properties of the as-produced samples are related to the finer microstructure and, as proved by the differential scanning calorimetric measurements, to the self-quenching phenomenon.