Papers by Author: S. Mondal

Abstract: Polycondensations (condensation polymerization) are stepwise reactions between bifunctional or polyfunctional compoents, with elimination of simple molecules such as water or alcohol and the formation of macromolecular substances. Polyborate ester , formed by this process, gives ceramic materials during pyrolysis. Polymer pyrolysis offers an attractive alternative to the typical high temperature powder processing approach in the fabrication of high-performance ceramics. This approach might also prove to be useful in the fabrication of fibers, coatings, and composites. It is within this framework that the present study was undertaken; its aim is the preparation of boron-containing oligomeric precursors which gives boron nitride after pyrolysis. The precursor was synthesized by the condensation reaction between boric acid and urea (or other N-containing reactive multifunctional compounds). The oligomeric precursor and its pyrolysed products were thoroughly characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR, XRD, Thermal Analysis and Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM). The elemental analysis results of the oligomer are---- C-13.40%, H-5.97%, N-32.44% and B-17.09%. X-ray diffraction and TEM studies showed that boron nitride obtained from this system possess tetragonal structure.

Abstract: Nitrides remain a relatively unexplored class of materials primarily due to the difficulties associated with their synthesis and characterization. Several synthetic routes, including high temperature reactions, microwave assisted synthesis, and the use of plasmas, to prepare binary and ternary nitrides have been explored. Transition metal nitrides form a class of materials with unique physical properties, which give them varied applications, as high temperature ceramics, magnetic materials, superconductors or catalysts. They are commonly prepared by high temperature conventional processes, but alternative synthetic approaches have also been explored, more recently, which utilize moderate temperature condition. Transition metal nitrides particularly, molybdenum nitride, niobium nitride, and tungsten nitride have important applications as catalyst in hydrodenitridation reactions. These nitrides have been traditionally synthesized using high temperature nitridation treatments of the oxides. The nitridation temperatures are very high (> 800- 1000 oC). The aim of our work is to synthesize molybdenum nitride by a simple, low-temperature route. The method involves pyrolysis of a polymeric precursor, which was prepared from the condensation reaction between triethanolamine and molybdic acid. The melting point of the product is 180oC. The polymeric precursor and its pyrolyzed products are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). X-ray diffraction shows that molybdenum nitride (MoN) obtained from this method has hexagonal crystal structure. MoN is obtained by this method at very low temperature (~ 400 oC).