Bulletin of Materials Science

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) study of the valence band and the core levels of amorphous Fe40Ni40B20 are presented. The oxides which formed at the surface of as-received sample are due to oxidation of iron and boron. For etched samples, the presence of oxide is not discernible, and the chemical environment is predominantly iron-boron-like, while nickel remains unassociated. The valence band has a high density of states at Fermi levels of amorphous Fe40Ni40B20 are presented. The oxides which formed at the surface of B2s and Fe3d states, and metalloids-states respectively.

New hybrid inorgano-organic materials were synthesized by anchoring organic moieties, ortho chlorophenol and para chlorophenol onto metal (IV) tungstates viz. tin tungstate (SnW), titanium tungstate (TiW) and zirconium tungstate (ZW) to give SnWoCP, SnWpCP, TiWoCP, TiWpCP, ZWoCP and ZWpCP, respectively. The materials were characterized for elemental analysis, thermal analysis (TGA, DSC), X-ray analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. Chemical resistivity of these materials were assessed in several acidic, basic and organic media. Further, the study of transport properties of these materials has been explored by measuring proton conductivity at different temperatures in the range 30–175°C using HP4192A impedance analyser over a frequency range 5 Hz-13 MHz at a signal level below 1 V. Based on the specific conductance data and Arrhenius plots, a suitable mechanism was proposed and conductance performance of derivatized and nonderivatized materials compared.

$$\upalpha $$ - $$\hbox {LiIO}_{3}$$ is an excellent optical material exhibiting strong nonlinear optical, piezoelectric and elasto-optic properties. However, its practical applications are limited by the insufficient reproducibility of the mentioned properties caused by the strong influence of the growth conditions, and, in particular, pH of the solution from which $$\upalpha $$ - $$\hbox {LiIO}_{3}$$ crystal is grown. Herein, we investigate to grow bulk size good quality crystals of $$\upalpha $$ - $$\hbox {LiIO}_{3}$$ based on the observed problems during its crystallization process. A systematic investigation was carried out to find the effect of pH on solubility, crystal growth, structural, surface and laser damage properties of $$\upalpha $$ - $$\hbox {LiIO}_{3}$$ single crystals. The structure and phase of $$\hbox {LiIO}_{3}$$ were confirmed by powder X-ray diffractometer analysis. The functional groups of the compound were identified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Surface defects of the grown crystals were studied by etch patterns. The crystal grown at pH 10 showed 10% optical transmission enhancement in comparison to the crystals grown at pH 2. The indirect optical bandgap of the crystal was reinvestigated using ultraviolet–Visible–near-infrared transmittance spectrum. The laser damage threshold studies of the crystals grown at pH 10 reveal the higher optical radiation stability against 532 nm laser. The second-order nonlinear optical behaviour of $$\upalpha $$ - $$\hbox {LiIO}_{3}$$ crystals grown at different pH conditions have been investigated by using Kurtz and Perry powder technique with Nd:YAG laser pulses at the wavelength of 1064 nm.

Elastic constants relate technological, structural and safety aspects to various materials phenomena and to their fundamental interatomic forces. Hence, they are of fundamental importance in almost all engineering applications. Thus its determination is of utmost importance. The aim of the present investigation is to study the behaviour of elastic constants and the variation on heat treatment in a nickel base super alloy Nimonic 263 by ultrasonic velocity measurements. From the present study it is evident that the elastic moduli of the material are very sensitive to any minor compositional changes, resulting due to the formation of intermetallic phases on heat treatment and can be effectively monitored by ultrasonic.

The interaction of different metal oxides such as Co3O4, NiO, Al2O3, Cr2O3, Fe2O3 and SiO2 with Na2SO4 at a temperature of 1100 and 1200 K in flowing oxygen has been studied. The thermogravimetric studies for each system were carried out as a function of Na2SO4 in the mixture. The presence of different constituents in the reaction products were identified by X-ray diffraction analysis and the morphologies of the reaction products were characterized using metallography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The formation of products was also investigated by thermodynamic computation of free energies of the reactions and the study of relevant equilibrium phase diagrams. The soluble species in the aqueous solutions of the reaction products were determined quantitatively using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The high temperature interaction products usually contain a 3-phase structure namely, Na2O·M2O x , M2O x and metal sulphide and/or metal sulphate. The formation of Na2O·M2O x depends upon the solid state solubility of metal oxide in the molten salt at high temperatures. Under limited solubility conditions Na2O·M2O x is invariably formed, but as soon as this condition is relaxed the oxide. M2O x , precipitates and forms a separate phase.

This critical review highlights the recent advances in synthesizing high-quality multi-emissive silicon quantum dots (MESiQDs), focusing on their biological and analytical applications. We focus on some of the major challenges that remain still now, and lessons learnt when working with MESiQD. Photo-physical properties of SiQDs are summarized to understand both the excitation wavelength-dependent and independent fluorescence (emission). The emission features depend on the silicon nanostructures, including QD surface configurations and conformations. Possible photoluminescence mechanisms have been elucidated to ascertain the future challenges towards the industrial use of silicon-based tunable multi-colour light emitters.

In this work, SnO2 thin films were deposited onto alumina substrates at 350°C by spray pyrolysis technique. The films were studied after annealing in air at temperatures 550°C, 750°C and 950°C for 30 min. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical absorption spectroscopy technique. The grain size was observed to increase with the increase in annealing temperature. Absorbance spectra were taken to examine the optical properties and bandgap energy was observed to decrease with the increase in annealing temperature. These films were tested in various gases at different operating temperatures ranging from 50–450°C. The film showed maximum sensitivity to H 2S gas. The H2S sensing properties of the SnO2 films were investigated with different annealing temperatures and H 2S gas concentrations. It was found that the annealing temperature significantly affects the sensitivity of the SnO2 to the H 2S. The sensitivity was found to be maximum for the film annealed at temperature 950°C at an operating temperature of 100°C. The quick response and fast recovery are the main features of this film. The effect of annealing temperature on the optical, structural, morphological and gas sensing properties of the films were studied and discussed.

A novel approach is followed to successfully fabricate nanoporous thin Ag template using partial sintering of elemental Ag and Zn (both have 99.9% purity) and subsequent dezincification. The starting materials for dezincification are partially sintered Ag-Zn aggregates (2.5, 5 and 10 wt% Zn). Partial sintering is done in order to achieve only interfacial bonding with the aim to maintain maximum potential difference between Ag and Zn particles during dezincification process in 1 N HCl and 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions. Two different dissolution methods, namely, simple immersion for 45 days and electrochemical way (holding the sample at critical potential), are employed. Electrochemical polarization tests are carried out to determine the critical potential for subsequent chrono-amperometry. X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are carried out to examine microstructural evolution, size, distribution and nature of pores in sintered aggregate as well as in template.

The influence of incident beam divergence on the length of the streak intercepted by the Ewald sphere is considered, as a relpHK·L of a faulted hexagonal crystal, mounted about itsc-axis on the goniometer head attached to the ø-circle, is brought into diffracting condition for the bisecting setting of a 4-circle diffractometer. For the special crystal mounting correction factors required to convert the measured intensities corresponding to a fixed length of the streak are derived. A procedure for experimentally verifying the mathematical approach employed in these derivations is also presented.