National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Structural analysis of the Eu2+-doped BaCl2 nanocrystals and the doping process was monitored and characterized via electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Structural analysis has shown a slight distortion of the cell which is reflected in the low value of microstrain and the Eu2+-doping effect is limited to the first order chlorine ions neighbors of Ba2+. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements have indicated the presence of the Eu2+-dopant ions in the BaCl2 host matrix with a solubility limit of about 2%. From the spectra simulation, the isotropic g-value g(iso) = 1.9951(7), the isotropic hyperfine coupling constant A(iso)= 42.4 MHz and the high-order zero-field splitting parameters from the crystal field B-2(0) = 21 MHz and B-2(2)= -493 MHz were obtained. During X-ray irradiation, defects are produced and stabilized by the Eu2+ dopant ions. The single dominant thermoluminescence peak at 132 degrees C (activation energy E = 1.1 eV) was assigned to the recombination of the F(Cl)-center with Eu2+ related hole centers. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanocomposites of polyvinylidene fluoride loaded with various amounts of gamma-Fe2O nanoparticles, with an average size ranging between 20 and 40 nm, have been obtained by melt mixing and investigated using various experimental techniques [Superconducting Quantum Interference Device, Mossbauer, and Thermogravimetric Analysis]. Magnetic and Mossbauer measurements confirmed the presence of maghemite and a trace of a paramagnetic iron compound. Magnetic data are consistent with a blocking temperature close to room temperature (RT), showing a decrease in the coercive field as the temperature is increased. A weak exchange bias was noticed in all nanocomposites investigated at all temperatures and tentatively ascribed to surface spin disorder. The temperature dependence of the coercive field obeys the Kneller law. The nanocomposites exhibit superparamagnetic behavior near RT. Most magnetic measurements have been performed below the blocking temperature, revealing thus a complex behavior. The dependence of the mass loss derivative versus temperature, as obtained by thermogravimetric analysis, exhibits a single peak due to the thermal degradation of the polymeric matrix. A weak increase in the thermal stability of the polymeric matrix upon loading with maghemite is reported.

VDM 780 Premium is a recently developed Ni-based superalloy designed for working at high service temperatures (above 650 degrees C) while keeping the good workability of alloy 718. VDM 780 Premium is based on the austenitic matrix (gamma phase) strengthened by intermetallic Ni3Al-like precipitates (gamma' phase, fcc L1(2) structure). Other co-precipitates may be formed in function of the applied heat treatment, such as Ni3Nb-based (delta phase, orthorhombic DOa structure) or Ni3Ti-based (eta phase, hexagonal DO24 structure) precipitates. The amount as well as the size and morphology of the different precipitates depend on the heat treatments performed on the alloy, playing an important role in improving the creep properties or the behavior during forging and recrystallization. This work contains a complex study using various techniques of analytical electron microscopy and synchrotron diffraction intended to clarify the structure of the high-temperature phase formed in the newly developed VDM 780 Premium alloy. The atomic structure of the high-temperature plate-like precipitates formed in VDM 780 Premium after two different thermal treatments has been investigated in relation with the surrounding matrix lattice, proving the stacked delta/eta structure of the precipitates. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Powders of beta-tricalcium phosphate [beta-TCP, beta-Ca-3(PO4)(2)] and composite powders of beta-TCP and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were synthesized by using wet precipitation methods. First, the conditions for the preparation of single phase beta-TCP have been delineated. In the co-precipitation procedure, calcium nitrate and diammonium hydrogen phosphate were used as calcium and phosphorous precursors, respectively. The pH of the system was varied in the range 7-11 by adding designed amounts of ammonia solution. The filtered cakes were desiccated at 80 degrees C and subsequently calcined at different temperatures in the range between 700-1100 degrees C. Later on, rifampicin form II was used to produce drug-loaded beta-TCP and PVA/beta-TCP powders. All the synthesized materials have been characterized from morphological (by scanning electron microscopy) and structural-chemical (by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) point of view. The drug loading capacity of the selected pure beta-TCP powder has been assessed. The biological performance (cytocompatibility in fibroblast cell culture and antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) has been tested with promising results. Application perspectives of the designed drug-bioceramic-polymer blends are advanced and discussed. [GRAPHICS] .

The particle reinforcement of fusion-relevant tungsten through the incorporation of tungsten sub-carbide W2C particles at the grain boundaries is demonstrated as an effective way of eliminating the harmful W oxide, enhancing densification and stabilising the composite's microstructure and flexural strength at room and high temperatures. The W2C particles are formed in situ during the sintering by carbon diffusion from WC nano-particles added as a precursor to the W matrix. Even in an extremely fast sintering process using Field-Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST, 1900 degrees C, 5 min), the added WC completely transforms to W2C, resulting in a W-W2C composite. While at least 5 vol % of WC nanoparticles are needed to eliminate the oxide, approximately 10 vol % result in a W-W2C composite with favourable characteristics: high density, high flexural strength at RT (>1200 MPa) as well as at elevated temperatures, and high thermal conductivity, which remains above 100 W/mK up to 1000 degrees C.

Three-dimensional (3D) fibrous networks based on metal oxides were obtained by a bio-inspired approach: the replication of an ecological daily-waste, the eggshell membrane (ESM). The biomorphic process consists in the immersion of the ESM into aqueous solutions containing the metal salt precursors followed by the calcination of the metal ions impregnated ESM. Biomorphic ZnO, CuO and ZnO-CuO composite networks were obtained, their morphological, structural, compositional, optical, photocatalytical and electrical properties being evaluated. The scanning electron microscopy investigations proved that the hierarchical structure of the original organic template is perfectly replicated into inorganic architectures consisting of interconnected fibers containing metal oxide nanoparticles as building blocks. The photocatalytical properties of the metal oxide networks under solar simulator irradiation were tested through the degradation of methylene blue. Using Si/SiO2 patterned with interdigitated metallic electrodes as substrates during the calcination step, the electrical properties of the selfcontacted metal oxide networks were investigated. Thus, by replicating the unique architecture of the ESM, 3D metal oxide interwoven meshwork can be easily developed for various applications in fields such as photocatalysis, sensing, optoelectronic devices, etc.

We developed a new type of chalcohalide glasses with physicochemical and nonlinear optical properties that are tunable by composition. It is found that more than 60 mol.% CdCl2 heavy metal halide can be dissolved into the ternary Ge Sb S system and forming stable glasses. The visible-light transparency range is extended to shorter wavelengths with the addition of CdCl2, which is beneficial for the optical quality control and infra-red (IR) system alignment. The third-order optical nonlinearity (TONL) is studied using the femtosecond Z-scan method. The results show that both the nonlinear refractive index and two photon absorption co-efficient decrease with CdCl2. Benefiting from the favorable property-tailoring effects of CdCl2, the TONL figure of merit (FOM) can be improved to meet the requirement (FOM < 1) for all-optical switching and IR photonic applications.

Magnetic Fe@Y composites (carbon-coated magnetic iron nanoparticles incorporated in zeolite Y) with 5-8 wt % Fe were synthesized and characterized. Overall acidity of the samples ranged between 2.0 and 2.47 mmol/g and is mostly attributed to Lewis acid sites. The obtained materials were proven to catalyze the hydrolysis of the marine sulfated polysaccharide ulvan with high conversion rates. The distribution of the reaction products depended on the reaction conditions and the concentration of ulvan. The catalytic property catalytic performance correlations clearly showed that the acid zeolite Y is the active phase for the hydrolysis of ulvan, while the iron nanoparticles enable the catalyst separation in a magnetic field. Under oxygen pressure, the selectivity was completely changed to favor succinic acid production. All Fe@Y composites were recycled 10 times with no change in their catalytic performance after recovery via a simple magnetic separation and washing with water.

Carbon layers are deposited on 100 nm thick atomically clean (001) lead zirconate titanate (PZT) in ultrahigh vacuum, ruling out the presence of any contaminants. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to assess the substrate surface or interface composition, substrate polarization and the thickness of carbon layers, which ranges from less than one monolayer (1 ML) of graphene to several monolayers. Atomically clean PZT(001) exhibit inwards polarization, and this polarization reverses the sign upon carbon deposition. Cationic vacancies are detected near the PZT surface, consistent with heavy p doping of these films near the surface. The carbon layers exhibited a consistent proportion of atoms forming in-plane sp(2) bonds, as detected by near-edge absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) analysis and confirmed partially by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). In situ poling with simultaneous in-plane transport measurements revealed the presence of resistance anti-hysteresis versus the polarization orientation for films with less than 1 ML carbon amount, evolving towards 'normal' hysteresis for thicker carbon films. The anti-hysteresis is explained in terms of a mixed screening mechanism, involving charge carriers from the sp(2) carbon layers together with holes or ionized acceptors in PZT(001) near the interface. For thicker films, the compensation mechanism becomes extrinsic, involving mostly electrons and holes from carbon, yielding the expected hysteresis.

There is significant research showing that essential oils extracted from the plants have antibacterial effects. The purpose of this study was to develop a biocomposite based on hydroxyapatite coated with Artemisia absinthium essential oil and to highlight its antibacterial activity. Therefore, present studies are aimed at developing new materials combining hydroxyapatite with Artemisia absinthium essential oil, in order to avoid postoperative infections. The purpose of this work is to highlight the antimicrobial properties of the Artemisia absinthium essential oil-hydroxyapatite composites obtained by a simple method and at low costs. The structural properties and antimicrobial efficiency of the Artemisia absinthium essential oil-hydroxyapatite composite have been studied. The samples based on Artemisia absinthium essential oil analyzed in this study showed that wormwood essential oil presented the highest efficacy against the fungal strain of C. parapsilosis. It has been shown that wormwood essential oil has a strong antimicrobial effect against the microbial strains tested in this study. Furthermore, the antimicrobial properties of the biocomposites based on hydroxyapatite and essential oil are due to the presence of the essential oil in the samples.