Advanced Materials Research Vols. 55-57

Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) microparticle was synthesized by hydrothermal route using zinc acetate and ammonium hydroxide as the starting precursors in the mole ratio of 1:6. The final mixture solution was adjust with pH of 9 and treated in PTFE-line autoclave at 100 oC for 2, 4 and 6 h. The precipitate was washed with deionized water until the final pH solution of 7 and then dried at 100 oC for 4h. The phase structure was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). A single phase hexagonal structure was obtained without calcination step. Microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The particle size of ZnO was in the range of 0.15-1.5 µm with irregular in shape. The chemical composition was identified by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS). The elemental composition of ZnO showed the characteristic X-ray energy value as follows: zinc of Lα = 1.012 keV, Kα = 8.630 keV and Kβ = 9.570 keV and oxygen of Kα = 0.525 keV, respectively.

Abstract: Glasses in the system 20Na2O-Al2O3-13B2O3-6.3CaO-0.2Sb2O3-1.5PbO2-(58-x)SiO2-xCuO were prepared with x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mol% respectively. ESR absorption spectra due to Cu2+ (3d9) ions show that the ESR signal at 0.2 and 0.4 mol%CuO were similarity, the perpendicular g-value,g^ can be observed at 2.06 whereas the parallel g-value,g// cannot be observed. The line width of board line centers were depends on the increasing of concentration of CuO-doped. CuO-doped glasses give rise light blue green color. Confirm from optical absorption techniques as UV-VIS measurment reported were recorded at room temperature. The absorption band near 800 nm (2B1g®2B2g) is due to Jahn-Teller effect of Cu2+. Also absorption band at around 400 nm (2B1g®2Eg) could be found due to d-d transition of Cu2+ ion in the CuO doped glasses. The results obtained suggest that Cu ions substitutes as an accepted center for [SiO2]4+ in oxygen octahedral rhombohedral distortion.

Abstract: Pure TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the modified sol-gel method using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) precursor dissolved in absolute ethanol. A pouch type cellophane membrane was employed as barrier between the precursor solution and the mixture of absolute ethanol (1:1 v/v) and distilled water with 0.5-1.0 % concentrated of ammonia in order to fix the reaction activity inside the pouch and control diffusion rate of hydrolysis and condensation reaction. The doping of TiO2 nanoparticles with 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 at.% Ru was performed by the impregnation method using ruthenium acetyl acetonate in toluene as dopant. The properties of the all samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET)-specific surface area, Scanning electron microscopy-Energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystalline size of pure TiO2 and Ru-doped TiO2 nanopaticles were found to be in the range of 10-20 nm. The photocatalytic mineralization of formic acid, oxalic acid, sucrose and glucose was investigated using Degussa P25, pure TiO2 and Ru-doped TiO2 nanoparticles as photocatalysts in aqueous solutions under UVA irradiation. The rate of 50% mineralization of formic acid by 0.1 at.% Ru-doped TiO2 was 1.53 times and 1.34 times higher than that of pure TiO2 and Degussa P25, respectively showing the enhancement of the photocatalytic performance of TiO2 by doping with an optimum amount of ruthenium.

Abstract: ABINIT program package based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) within the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) and plane wave basis set are used to calculate the magnetic properties of Mn doped NiO. It was found that the magnetic properties of Mn doped NiO were changed from anti-ferromagnetic (pure NiO) to ferromagnetism. Increasing the concentrations of Mn, the magnetization of Mn doped NiO were increased (Ni31MnO32 = 66.69 µB, Ni30Mn2O32 = 69.59 µB and Ni29Mn3O32 = 72.42 µB).

Abstract: In this study, the uptake of fluoride by raw diatomite and diatomite activated by heat treatment was investigated. Influential parameters such as contact time, pH and adsorption isotherm were also studied. The results showed that the diatomite heated to 500 oC performed better than other heat treatment products and the equilibration time needed for fluoride removal by the adsorbents was reached at 60 min. Results revealed that the capacity of the adsorbents for removing fluoride is independent of the pH when the pH is higher than 4. The adsorption isotherm of the 500 oC treated diatomite showed its Langmuir behavior. The maximum adsorption capacity of raw diatomite and 500 oC calcinated diatomite are 2.253 and 4.162 mg/g, respectively. Based on the results it can be concluded that the diatomite appears to be an economical and environmentally friendly material for defluoridation of water.

Abstract: Glasses with composition xBi2O3:(60-x)BaO:40B2O3 with 10£x£50 (in mol%) have been prepared using the normal melt-quench technique. The optical absorption spectra of the glasses have been recorded in the wavelength range 400-700 nm. The fundamental absorption edge has been identified from the optical absorption spectra. The values of optical band gap are decreased with the addition of Bi2O3. The density and molar volume studies indicated that Bi2O3 in these glasses is acting partly as network modifier and partly as network former.Values of the theoretical optical basicity are also reported and discuss in term of oxide ion polarizability.

Abstract: A corundum-type structure of cobalt niobate (Co4Nb2O9) has been synthesized by a solid-state reaction. The formation of the Co4Nb2O9 phase in the calcined powders was investigated as a function of calcination conditions by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Morphology and particle size have been determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the minor phases of unreacted Co3O4 tend to form together with the columbite CoNb2O6 phase at a low calcination temperature and short dwell time. It seems that the single-phase of Co4Nb2O9 in a corundum phase can be obtained successfully at the calcination conditions of 900°C for 60 min, with heating/cooling rates of 20°C /min.

Abstract: This research work studies the effects of processing conditions on mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites. Polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites reinforced with 0.5 and 2.5 %wt multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared via melt compounding and formed by injection molding. 2k Full Factorial design was used to plan the experiments and determine the influences of the processing conditions on mechanical properties and carbon nanotube dispersion in the nanocomposites. These conditions consist of five factors: (a) %wt content of MWCNTs (0.5 and 2.5 %wt), (b) barrel temperature (190 and 220°C), (c) injection velocity (25 and 45 mm/sec), (d) screw rotational speed (75 and 227 rpm) and (e) holding pressure (45 and 65 bar) while injection pressure and cooling time were set at 75 bar and 50 sec, respectively, for all conditions. The samples were examined by Young’s modulus and tensile strength using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM). In addition, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was applied to study the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the nanocomposites. The results showed that PP/MWCNT nanocomposites had Young’s modulus of 1,740 MPa and tensile strength of 34.5 MPa while original PP had 1,450 MPa and 28 MPa, respectively. Therefore, the mechanical properties were improved significantly with the content of MWCNTs. Full Factorial experiments investigate that significant factors are %wt, barrel temperature, injection velocity, and screw rotational speed. Moreover, SEM showed that a high content of MWCNTs led to a highly oriented skin layer with well-dispersed MWCNTs.

Abstract: CdTe thin films with different substrate temperatures have been deposited by thermal evaporation method on glass substrate in vacuum chamber having low pressure about 3.0x10-5 mbar. According to XRD analysis, CdTe thin films are polycrystalline belonging to cubic structure with preferential orientation of (111) plane. The strongest peak intensity of XRD is observed in the film prepared with substrate temperature of 150°C. Band gap and band tail values of the as-deposited films were evaluated from the optical transmission spectra. The lowest dark sheet resistance value was obtained from the film prepared with substrate temperature of 150°C as well. Regarding to our experimental results, it may be indicated that the 150°C substrate temperature is the most suitable condition in preparing CdTe thin films for solar cell applications.