Key Engineering Materials Vol. 445

Abstract: Barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanoparticles were prepared by a two-step thermal　decomposition method using barium titanyl oxalate nanoparticles of size 30 nm with and without dry-jet milling. Dry-jet milled barium titanyl oxalate nanoparticles (BTO-B) were well-dispersed whereas those without the dry-jet milling procedure (BTO-A) were partially aggregated. A heat annealing of obtained BaTiO3 nanoparticles at the same temperature resulted in crystallite sizes of the BTO-A derived BaTiO3 nanoparticles much smaller than those of the BTO-B derived. A mesoscopic particle structure analysis of revealed much thinner surface cubic layer thickness of the BTO-B derived BaTiO3 nanoparticles compared with the BTO-A derived BaTiO3 nanoparticles. This indicated the particle growth rate to be the most important parameter for the surface cubic layer thickness determination. A relationship between the surface cubic layer thickness and the particle growth rate was investigated precisely in this study.

Abstract: The conditions for strontium titanate (SrTiO3, ST) nucleation and particle growth were investigated for preparation of ST/ barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) complex nanoparticles. The conditions with and without ST nucleation were clarified. Epitaxial growth of ST layer on the BT substrate particles was studied using both conditions. Unfortunately, the ST/BT complex nanoparticles with heteroepitaxial interface were not prepared, but a new two-step solvothermal reaction method was developed. Finally, the ST/BT complex nanoparticles without heteroepitaxial interface were successfully prepared.

Abstract: Correlation between surface crystallization behavior of BaO-TiO2-GeO2 (BTG) glass and the thermal stability parameter measured by Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) was examined. We have proposed normalized thermal stability ΔTnorm of the BTG glass using crystallization temperature (Tx), glass transition temperature (Tg), and melting temperature (Tm). It was found that surface crystallization occurred in the BTG glass possessing ΔTnorm (= (Tx-Tg)/Tm) value larger than 0.08. Compared ΔTnorm value of bulk state with that of powdered state, it has been revealed that Ba2TiGe2O8 was precipitated independently of thermal stabilities whereas BaTiGe3O9 or BaGe4O9 was precipitated in precursor glasses possessing high surface stability.

Abstract: Barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3, ST) nanocube particles were prepared by a solvothermal method. The prepared particles were collected by a centrifugal separator. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement and a transmittance electron microscope (TEM) observation confirmed the formation of perovskite BT and ST nanocube particles with sizes of around 17 nm. These nanocube particles were monodistributed in hexane with tri-n-butylphosphine oxide (TBPO) as dispersant, separately, and then, the accumulations composed of the BT and ST nanocubes were built up using a selective catalytic reaction between 3-bromopropylphosphonic acid (BP) and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AM) as smart glue. The TEM observation confirmed that a part of accumulations showed a hetrointerface connection between BT and ST.

Abstract: We report the synthesis and photocatalytic activity of CaZnGe2O6, which contains Ca2+ ions and one-dimensional GeO4 chains (Ge4+: d10 electronic configuration). This sample demonstrated the water splitting phenomenon by loading with RuO2 cocatalysis. Moreover, Ln-doped CaZnGe2O6 (where Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, or Sm) shows a higher photocatalytic activity than CaZnGe2O6.

Abstract: Low-dimensional structure compounds as layered perovskite shows high photocatalytic activity in water splitting. In this study, we investigated that synthesis and characterization of photocatalytic activity of BaGeGa6O12 with a one-dimensional structure. BaGeGa6O12 with loading 0.3wt% RuO2 showed a photocatalytic activity for water splitting into H2 (70.6 μ mol / h) and O2 (28.1 μ mol / h).

Abstract: To design an electromagnetic wave absorber with good absorption properties at frequencies above 1 GHz, the frequency dependences of the relative complex permeability μr*, the relative complex permittivity εr*, and return loss were investigated for the composite made of both sendust (an alloy of Al 5%, Si 10%, and Fe 85%) and aluminum particles dispersed in polystyrene resin. It was found that the frequency dependence of μr* for this composite can be changed by adjusting the particle size of aluminum and the volume mixture ratio of sendust and aluminum. Therefore, a flexible design of an absorber with good absorption characteristics was proposed based on the ability to control μr*. The composite made of both sendust and aluminum was found to exhibit a return loss of less than −20 dB in the frequency range of not only several GHz but also around 20 GHz if appropriate volume mixture ratio and particle size were selected.

Abstract: Highly aligned carbon nanotube arrays (HACNTAs) were synthesized on a stainless steel substrate from a methanol solution of Co(Ⅲ) acetylacetonate by the one-step liquid-phase synthesis, and effects of H2O addition on the HACNTA growth were examined. The growth rate was considerably accelerated, and the lifetime of the catalysts was prolonged by addition of a small amount of H2O. HACNTAs with over 400 m thickness were formed on the side surfaces of the substrate by resistance-heating for one hour. This suggests that the added H2O removes deposited amorphous carbons from the catalyst surfaces and consequently accelerates the growth rate.

Abstract: The relationship between Al and Li during diffusion was studied using Al-implanted ZnO. The Al donor in ZnO acts to increase the concentration of Li contamination from the atmosphere during the annealing. It is difficult to decompose the relationship formed by diffusion between Al and Li during high-temperature annealing. The most effective method to decompose the relationship is to anneal the as-implanted ZnO at a pressure of 5×10-3 torr. This annealing increases the Al solubility limit because the ZnO surface evaporates.

Abstract: InN belongs to the III-group nitride materials and is known to have a low decomposition temperature which causes intractable grain growth compared to the other nitrides, GaN, AlN, etc. We prepared InNs with a flower-like shape as well as film structure by Atmospheric Pressure Halide CVD process, in which InN is synthesized by CVD under atmospheric pressure. In the present study, growth mechanisms of the flower structured InN prepared on Si(100) and a-plane sapphire substrates is reported.