Key Engineering Materials Vol. 751

Abstract: Fe-doped NiO nanoparticles was prepared by the co-precipitation method. The precipitation solution were used the concentration of FeSO₄ mixing NiCl₂ for 0.5 M. The precipitation process was used a magnetic stirrer of 1100 rpm, a temperature of 30-60 ^OC for 0.5 h and the dropping a NaOH of 0.5 M in the mixing solution. The precipitate product was dried at the temperature of 120 ^OC for 9 h and calcined in a furnace at the temperature of 400 ^OC for 4 h in air atmosphere. The powder product was analyzed a crystal structure by a x-rays diffractometer, calculated an energy band gap by UV-VIS spectrophotometer, measured a magnetic properties by a vibrating sample magnetometer and explained morphology by a scanning electron microscope. It was found that the crystal structure was shown face center cubic. The nanoparticles in the range of 30-100 nm was observed the morphology of the optimum product. However, the coercive, the magnetic moment and the energy band gap was found the optimum at the doping Fe of 8 wt% at the precipitation temperature of 40 ^OC.

Abstract: The fabrication of lead-free (1-x)Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃ - xKNbO₃ or (1-x)BNT-xKN ceramics where x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 was carried out by the modified two-step mixed oxide method. The effects of KNbO₃ on structure, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties were systematically investigated. XRD results revealed that the (1-x)BNT-xKN ceramics with low KN content of x less than 0.05 contained ferroelectric phase with a rhombohedral symmetry while the ceramics with x = 0.05 possessed pseudocubic structure. The higher KN content (x ≥ 0.10) ceramics had symmetries rhombohedral structure. At room temperature, the highest P_r and low E_c were obtained when the composition of x = 0.05. Moreover, the results showed the moderate KN addition could enhance the piezoelectric response. The d₃₃ of 0.95BNT-0.05KN reached as high as 125 pC/N.

Abstract: It has been generally accepted that doping of dielectric materials could significantly contribute to compositional and microstructural evolution, which consequently lead to alteration in dielectric properties. In this study, the effects of adding magnesium (Mg) at 5,10 and 20at% on the chemical composition, microstructure and dielectric constant of calcium titanate (CaTiO₃) synthesized by solid state reaction was assessed. Chemical composition analysis using an X-ray diffraction technique CaTiO₃ doped with 5 at% Mg has been found to contain a single phase whereas samples doped with 10 and 20 at% Mg both exhibited apparent secondary phase (MgO). Microstructural examination however, revealed that no significant variation in particle size, grain size and density were evident among the samples of different Mg contents. Average dielectric constants obtained from the entire samples ranged from 245.9 to 387.6 (at 1 MHz) and the sample with the highest dielectric constant was that doped with 5 at% Mg. Enhancement of dielectric constant in the samples with the lowest level of Mg doping has been attributed largely to the homogeneity of its chemical composition.

Abstract: Natural opal, an amorphous, hydrous form of silica (SiO₂-n-H₂O), has been one of the favored precious gemstones for many centuries. Though beautiful, opal is very fragile and is damaged quite easily. Thus, opals of all varieties have been synthesized experimentally and commercially. The objective of this project was to synthesize and to compare crystalline opals. In this work, the development of powder sintered glass ceramics process based on soda lime silica glass waste with metal oxide powder enable jewelry applications. The substantial viscous flow of the glass led to dense products for rapid treatments at relatively low temperatures (900–1,000°C), whereas glass/metal powder interactions resulted in the formation of color agent crystals, provide enhancing optical properties. Several techniques were applied for characterization of the ingots. The chemical analysis was performed by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED-XRF). The mineralogical compositions of the samples were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Raman spectroscopy was applied for optical characterization. The results were compared with a natural common opal. The present investigation demonstrated that the common opal with both color and colorless appearance can be synthesized by the technique, as the crystalline phase of opal structure was identified by XRD measurement. There is a great potential for such materials with novel functionalities for artificial gemstone application, i.e. opal forming.

Abstract: It has been accepted that compositions and microstructures significantly affected dielectric properties of materials. In general, chemical compositions were influenced by additive contents, while consolidation techniques controlled microstructure of the materials to have appropriate grain sizes. This study, therefore, aimed at examining effects of aluminium contents and consolidation techniques on chemical compositions and microstructures of the strontium titanate. Experimental results revealed that at higher aluminium contents, only small quantities of TiO 2 secondary phase were present, while grain sizes generally decreased. The results also indicated that the cold isostatic pressing technique led to high sintered density. The greatest dielectric constant (281.5 at 1 MHz) obtained in this study was achieved in strontium titanate sample with 30 at% of Al addition, pressed by cold isostatic pressing. Enhancement of dielectric constant of the sample was attributed to low secondary phase, fine grain sizes and high sintered density.

Abstract: Zeolite A from natural kaolin have been successfully synthesized via calcination and hydrothermal. However, these techniques have one drawback since, the impurities in kaolin such as muscovite and quartz in the kaolin structure, which depend on temperature and alkaline activation. This work was separated into two steps, first step was used calcination technique, and second step was used hydrothermal technique. Reaction of temperature in the first step was studied the influence of temperature from 500°C to 800°C for 3 hours. In this step, kaolin transformed to metakaolin and remain the impurities. Next, reaction of alkaline activation in second step was studied about the influence of NaOH. The concentration of NaOH in hydrothermal was varied from 1M to 4M and mixed with metakaolin at 90°C for 72 hours. X-ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used for characterization. The solid products were formed to zeolite A at 1M NaOH hydrothermal with 500°C to 800°C calcination and it can be seemed good of euhedral structure at 700°C

Abstract: The (Ba_1-xCa_x)(Ti_0.92Sn_0.08)O₃ (x = 0 and 0.02) lead-free ceramics were prepared by using different ball-milling method and time (common ball milling 24 h, high energy ball milling 1 and 3 h). The two-step sintering method was used for sintered the samples. The densification, structure, dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the ceramics were investigated. The results showed that Ca addition could reduce sintering temperature effectively and enhanced densification at lower temperature when using the common ball-milling type. The XRD patterns of (Ba_1-xCa_x) (Ti_0.92Sn_0.08)O₃ ceramics revealed the change in crystal symmetries from tetragonal to cubic phase with increasing Ca content from 0 to 0.02. However, the crystal structure did not change due to the effect of ball-milling method. Ca incorporation caused a decrease of the grain size and Curie temperature. Moreover, the largest grain size was found in the x = 0 ceramics with 24 h-common ball-milling, whereas the small size (< 5 µm) was obtained for the x = 0.02 ceramics. The dielectric and piezoelectric properties were also affected to Ca addition and ball-milling. High piezoelectric coefficient of d₃₃ = 173 pC/N, dielectric constant ε_r ~ 3200 and dissipation factor tand ~ 0.05 were obtained for the x = 0 sample with high energy ball-milling for 1 h.

Abstract: We synthesized a reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) nanocomposite film via layer by layer (LBL) assembly. This structure was prepared by vacuum filtration and heat-treated at a low temperature of 500°C. The morphology of the sample was determined by field emission electron spectroscopy (FE-SEM). The structural detail and the chemical analysis were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) curve of r-GO/MWCNTs nanocomposite appeared nearly rectangular in shape. The current density (A/g) was gradually increased by increasing the scan rate of the voltage, as high as a scan rate of 500 mVs^-1. At a current density of 10 mAg^-1, the specific capacitance of the nanocomposite, estimated by galvanostatic (GA) charge/discharge measurement, is 150 Fg^-1. These nanocomposites can be developed for supercapacitor electrodes.

Abstract: Microbial extracellular electron transfer is a significant process in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). Owing to many potential losses in the electron transfer from microorganism to an electrode, a promotion of microbial attachment to electrode should be a productive solution to this difficulty of MFC. We also introduced here a prior colonization of microbes on electrode instead of a conventional immobilization which entirely occurred in a MFC reactor to expedite an attachment of microorganisms on the electrode surface. Coconut shell-based granular activated carbons (CGACs) used as one of the electrodes in the upflow bio-filter circuit microbial fuel cell were immersed in Lysogeny broth (LB) at pH 7 before an inoculation of anaerobic consortium from a wastewater treatment plant was performed. The immobilization was proceeded in an Erlenmeyer flask at 30°C with a shaking speed of 100 rpm throughout an experiment. CGACs taken from a collection of flasks were examined a surface with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On the 3^rd day of immobilization, SEM images showed that a colonization was seen obviously in large pores on CGAC surface. There were quite plentiful possessions on a rough surface while smooth surface not supporting well at the beginning got worse in attraction of bacteria on day 9 of immobilization. An addition of fresh LB into immobilization solution was conducted to improve the microbial attachment to smooth surface of CGAC. At 9 days after inoculation, the consequence of fresh medium filling did obviously raise the number of bacteria on the plain surface as opposed to earlier experiment.

Abstract: This research was focused on the effect of solid crystallization additive namely 1,4-dichlorobenzene (PDCB) in the 1:2 (w/w) active layer of benzothiadiazole/thiophene-based copolymers (PFTBzTT) to [6,6]-phenyl-C₆₁ butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) on the morphology and performance of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells. The active layer was deposited by spin-coating with chloroform solutions by different PDCB additive concentrations from 0-52 mg/ml. The inclusion of additive into the polymer solution was able to improve the performance of BHJ solar cells. The maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.84% achieved for a cell with PDCB concentration of 36 mg/ml after annealing at 180 °C for 20 min. The XRD and TEM techniques used to analyse the crystal structure and morphology of the thin films. From these results were found that PDCB additive presented higher level of PCBM crystal structure by more aggregation of PCBM and a larger extent of phase separation than those of the films without additive. The AFM results demonstrated that the optimum PDCB concentration and annealing process helped PCBM aggregated into micron sized crystal rods.