National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

The evaluation of corrosion inhibition of mild steel (M-S) in 1.0 M HCl solution in the absence and the presence of different concentrations of (E)-3-(5-bromo-2-hydroxystyryl)quinoxalin-2(1H)-one (FR178) and (E)-3-(5-fluoro-2-hydroxystyryl)quinoxalin-2(1H)-one (FR179) was studied by electrochemical,and theoretical measurements. These organic inhibitors have proven to be effective corrosion inhibitors for the protection of mild steel. Increasing concentrations of inhibitors contributed to high inhibition efficiencies, which were attributed to the simple blocking action of the anodic and cathodic sites by adsorption of the inhibitors molecules onto the M-S surface. Their inhibition efficiencies can reach about 90.9 % and 91.5 % when the optimal concentration is 10-3M for the two inhibitors FR178 and FR179 respectively.On the other hand, as the temperature rises, the anticorrosion capability of both FR178 and FR179 diminishes slightly and attains 82 % and 84 % respectively at the temperature of 328 K.Potentiodynamique polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrated that both inhibitors examined act as mixed-type inhibitors.Furthermore, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) measurements indicated the formation of a protective layer adsorbed on the mild steel surface. The density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to examine the correlation between molecular and chemical reactivity. The obtained results were found to be consistent with the experimental findings.

A multi-step ion-exchange methodology was developed for the fabrication of Cu(LaTa2O7)(2) lamellar architectures capable of wastewater depollution. The (001) diffraction line of RbLaTa2O7 depended on the guest species hosted by the starting material. SEM and TEM images confirmed the well-preserved lamellar structure for all intercalated layered perovskites. The UV-Vis, XPS, and photocurrent spectroscopies proved that Cu intercalation induces a red-shift band gap compared to the perovskite host. Moreover, the UV-Vis spectroscopy elucidated the copper ions environment in the Cu-modified layered perovskites. H-2-TPR results confirmed that Cu species located on the surface are reduced at a lower temperature while those from the interlayer occur at higher temperature ranges. The photocatalytic degradation of phenol under simulated solar irradiation was used as a model reaction to assess the performances of the studied catalysts. Increased photocatalytic activity was observed for Cu-modified layered perovskites compared to RbLaTa2O7 pristine. This behavior resulted from the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers and light absorption induced by copper spacer insertion.

Two novel fluorescent mesoporous silica-based hybrid materials were obtained through the covalent grafting of [4-hydrazinyl-7-nitrobenz-[2,1,3-d]-oxadiazole (NBDH) and N-1-(7-nitrobenzo[c][1,2,5]-oxadiazol-4-yl) benzene-1,2-diamine (NBD-PD), respectively, inside the channels of mesoporous silica SBA-15. The presence of fluorescent organic compounds (nitrobenzofurazan derivatives) was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal analysis (TG), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The nitrogen physisorption analysis showed that the nitrobenzofurazan derivatives were distributed uniformly on the internal surface of SBA-15, the immobilization process having a negligible effect on the structure of the support. Their antioxidant activity was studied by measuring the ability to reduce free radicals DPPH (free radical scavenging activity), in order to formulate potential applications of the materials obtained. Cytotoxicity of the newly synthesized materials, SBA-NBDH and SBA-NBD-PD, was evaluated on human B16 melanoma cells. The morphology of these cells, internalization and localization of the investigated materials in melanoma and fibroblast cells were examined through fluorescence imaging. The viability of B16 (3D) spheroids after treatment with SBA-NBDH and SBA-NBD-PD was evaluated using MTS assay. The results showed that both materials induced a selective antiproliferative effect, reducing to various degrees the viability of melanoma cells. The observed effect was enhanced with increasing concentration. SBA-NBD-PD exhibited a higher antitumor effect compared to SBA-NBDH starting with a concentration of 125 mu g/mL. In both cases, a significantly more pronounced antiproliferative effect on tumor cells compared to normal cells was observed. The viability of B16 spheroids dropped by 40% after treatment with SBA-NBDH and SBA-NBD-PD at 500 mu g/mL concentration, indicating a clear cytotoxic effect of the tested compounds. These results suggest that both newly synthesized biomaterials could be promising antitumor agents for applications in cancer therapy.

In this work, we report the synthesis of calcium phosphate-chitosan composite layers. Calcium phosphate layers were deposited on titanium substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering technique by varying the substrate temperature from room temperature (25 degrees C) up to 100 and 300 degrees C. Further, chitosan was deposited by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique on the calcium phosphate layers. The temperature at the substrate during the deposition process of calcium phosphate layers plays an important role in the embedding of chitosan, as scanning electron microscopy analysis showed. The degree of chitosan incorporation into the calcium phosphate layers significantly influence the physico-chemical properties and the adherence strength of the resulted layers to the substrates. For example, the decreases of Ca/P ratio at the addition of chitosan suggests that a calcium deficient hydroxyapatite structure is formed when the CaP layers are generated on Ti substrates kept at room temperature during the deposition process. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of the samples suggest that the PO43-/CO32- substitution is possible. The X-ray diffraction spectra indicated that the crystalline structure of the calcium phosphate layers obtained at the 300 degrees C substrate temperature is disturbed by the addition of chitosan. The adherence strength of the composite layers to the titanium substrates is diminished after the chitosan deposition. However, no complete exfoliation of the layers was observed.

A quaternary Fe-Pt-Nb-B alloy has been fabricated by the melt spinning method with the purpose of the formation of crystallographically coherent multiple magnetic phases, emerging from the same metastable precursor, as well as to investigate the phase interactions and the influence of their coupling on magnetic performances. For this purpose, extended structural and magnetic investigations were undertaken by making use of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Fe-57 Mossbauer spectroscopy, as well as magnetic measurements using SQUID magnetometry. It was documented that intermediate metastable phases formed during primary crystallization, in intermediate stages of annealing, and a growth-dominated mode was encountered for the secondary crystallization stage upon annealing at 700 degrees C and 800 degrees C where fcc Fe3Pt and fct Fe2B polycrystalline were formed. The Mossbauer investigations have documented rigorously the hyperfine parameters of each of the observed phases. The fcc A1 FePt phase was shown to exhibit a peculiar ferromagnetic transition, and this transition has been proven to occur gradually between 300 K and 77 K. The magnetic measurements allowed us to identify the annealing at 700 degrees C as optimal for obtaining good magnetic features. Coercive field dependence shows similarities to the random anisotropy model for samples annealed at 500 degrees C to 700 degrees C which are nanocrystalline. These results show good perspectives for use in applications where different magnetic states are required at different operating temperatures.

High density (94-98% of the theoretical density) MgB2 samples added with C6H10Ge2O7 and cubic BN with compositions (MgB2)(1-x)(Ge2C6H10O7)(0.0028)(cBN)(x) (x = 0.003, 0.005, 0.007, 0.01) and (MgB2)(1-y)(Ge2C6H10O7)(y)(cBN)(0.005) (y = 0.0014, 0.0028, 0.005, 0.0075) were obtained by spark plasma sintering technique. For optimum doped samples with x = 0.005-0.007 and y = 0.0028-0.005, a weak enhancement of zero-field critical current density J(c0), irreversibility field H-irr, and volume pinning force F-p,F-max was determined. This behavior is very different from similar samples added with a single additive for which H-irr has a large enhancement. Consequently, it suggests the presence of opposite structural and microstructural effects induced by the additives. These effects, on the one hand, are discussed to decrease the sensitivity of MgB2 superconducting properties in the co-added samples comparative to samples added with C6H10Ge2O7, and, on the other hand, they contribute to anomalies that were found when assessing the pinning force-related parameters by the universal scaling law.

We report on hydroxyapatite (HA) of biological-origin doped with lithium carbonate (LiC) and lithium phosphate (LiP) coatings synthesized by Pulsed laser deposition onto Ti6Al4V substrates fabricated by the Additive manufacturing technique. A detailed comparison from the structural, morphological, chemical composition, wetting behavior and bonding strength standpoints of as-deposited (NTT) and post-deposition thermal-treated (TT) coatings at temperatures ranging from 400 to 700 degrees C (i.e., TT400-TT700), was performed. Structural investigations indicated a complete crystallization of the initially amorphous HA-based layers at temperatures in excess of 500 degrees C. The morphological analyses emphasized the rough appearance of the film surfaces, consisting of particulates whose dimensions increased at higher temperatures, with an emphasis on LiC coatings. AFM investigations evidenced rough surfaces, with a clear tendency to increase in corrugation with the applied temperature, in the case of LiC coatings. A hydrophobic behavior was observed for control, NTT and TT400 samples, whilst a radical shift towards hydrophilicity was demonstrated for both types of structures at higher temperatures. In the case of TT500-TT700 coatings, the pull-out adherence values increased considerably compared to control ones. Taking into consideration the obtained results, the positive influence of post-deposition thermal treatments (performed at higher temperatures) on the physical-chemical and mechanical properties of LiC and LiP coatings was indicated. Alongside these improved characteristics observed at elevated temperatures, the sustainable nature of the used BioHA materials should recommend them as viable alternatives to synthetic HA ones for bone implant applications.

The precursor method was employed to prepare ZnAl2_xCrxO4 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1) using tartaric acid as a ligand. Five tartarate compounds were isolated as precursors for the obtaining of zinc aluminate and chromium -substituted zinc aluminate. These coordination compounds were characterized by elemental chemical analysis, infrared (IR) and ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. The influence of Cr3+ substi-tution on the structure, morphology and optical properties of the synthesized mixed oxides was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), infrared, Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption - desorption analysis. The XRD patterns and Raman spectra confirmed the formation of spinel structure. The mean crystallite size varied from 18 to 22 nm SEM and EDS showed uniform composition and microstructure of the ZnAl2_xCrxO4 nanocrystalline powders. The values of the optical energy bandgap for the samples were found to be in the 3.92 - 2.85 eV range. The photocatalytic performance in the degradation reaction of Eosin Y (EY) under visible light irradiation was evaluated. The Eosin Y degradation efficiency values were obtained between 48% and 80% after 75 min. The best photocatalytic result was obtained for the sample with the highest amount of chromium.

The paper considers the new effects of the nanoscale state of matter, which open up prospects for the development of electronic devices using new physical principles. The contacts of chemically homogeneous nanoparticles of yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide (ZrO2-x mol% Y2O3, x = 0, 3, 4, 8; YSZ) with different sizes of 7.5 nm and 9 nm; 7.5 nm and 11 nm; and 7.5 nm and 14 nm, respectively, was studied on direct current using nanostructured objects in the form of compacts obtained by high-hydrostatic pressure (HP-compacts of 300MPa). A unique size effect of the nonlinear (rectifying-type contact) dependence of the electrical properties (in the region U < 2.5 V, I <= 2.7 mA) of the contact of different-sized YSZ nanoparticles of the same chemical composition is revealed, which indicates the possibility of creating semiconductor structures of a new type (homogeneous electronics). The electronic structure of the near-surface regions of nanoparticles of studied oxide materials and the possibility of obtaining specifically rectifying properties of the contacts were studied theoretically. Models of surface states of the Tamm-type are constructed considering the Coulomb long-range action. The discovered energy variance and its dependence on the curvature of the surface of nanoparticles made it possible to study the conditions for the formation of a contact potential difference in cases of nanoparticles of the same radius (synergistic effect), different radii (doped and undoped variants), as well as to discover the possibility of describing a group of powder particles within the Anderson model. The determined effect makes it possible to solve the problem of diffusion instability of semiconductor heterojunctions and opens up prospects for creating electronic devices with a fundamentally new level of properties for use in various fields of the economy and breakthrough critical technologies.

The microcrystallization effects induced by the real-time laser annealing in Cr-Al-C ion-sputtered films with an off-stoichiometric composition are studied. The laser annealing has been performed during Raman experiments with tunable laser power densities. Morphostructural changes induced during laser annealing were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. It has been proven that real-time laser annealing in the high-laser-power-density mode promotes quite clearly the formation of nanograins through surface microcrystallization. Detailed Raman analysis allowed for the observation of the optical modes that unequivocally identifies the low-symmetry 211 MAX phase in both low- and high-power-density modes. Such findings confirming the microcrystallization as well as the stabilization of the grain boundaries by carbon nanoclustering are confirmed by X-ray diffraction results, where the single-phase hexagonal 211 was unequivocally proven to form in the high-laser-power-density mode. The microcrystallization via laser annealing was also found to be beneficial for the elastic behavior, as the hardness values between 16 and 26 GPa were found after laser annealing, accompanied by a significantly high Young's bulk modulus. Such large values, larger than those in bulk compounds, are explicable by the nanometric grain sizes accompanied by the increase of the grain boundary regions.