Development of Porous Films Based on Polyanionic Cellulose to Form Functional Coatings

New porous films based on polyanionic cellulose with AlOOH nanoparticles have been developed. The morphology of the films has been studied by electron microscopy: the size of the formed pores is 1000-500 microns; the total surface porosity of the films is 30%. Using infrared microscopy, it was shown that during the formation of porous films, their chemical composition remains unchanged. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to determine the threshold for thermal destruction of porous films: 306 С. The possibility of using the obtained materials as antifriction coatings when filling the pores with solid lubricant MoS2 is considered. It is shown that for a steel sample protected by a porous coating with MoS2, the friction coefficient decreases by 50% compared to the friction coefficient for a steel surface under a load of up to 450 MPa.

CNT-ZnO Core-Shell Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

Solar-driven water splitting is a promising route toward clean H2 energy and the photoelectrochemical approach attracts a strong interest. The oxygen evolution reaction is widely accepted as the performance limiting stage in this technology, which emphasizes the need of innovative anode materials. Metal oxide semiconductors are relevant in this respect owing to their cost-effectiveness and broad availability. The combination of chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition was implemented in this study for the synthesis of randomly oriented CNT-ZnO core-shell nanostructures forming an adhering porous coating. Relative to a directly coated ZnO on Si, the porous structure enables a high interface area with the electrolyte and a resulting 458% increase of the photocurrent density under simulated solar light irradiation. The photoelectrochemical characterization correlates this performance to the effective electrons withdrawing along the carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and the resulting decrease of the onset potential. In terms of durability, the CNT-ZnO core–shell structure features an enhanced photo-corrosion stability for 8 h under illumination and with a voltage bias.

Enhanced osseointegration through direct energy deposition porous coating for cementless orthopedic implant fixation

Direct energy deposition (DED) is a newly developed 3D metal printing technique that can be utilized on a porous surface coating of joint implants, however there is still a lack of studies on what advantages DED has over conventional techniques. We conducted a systematic mechanical and biological comparative study of porous coatings prepared using the DED method and other commercially available technologies including titanium plasma spray (TPS), and powder bed fusion (PBF). DED showed higher porosity surface (48.54%) than TPS (21.4%) and PBF (35.91%) with comparable fatigue cycle. At initial cell adhesion, cells on DED and PBF surface appeared to spread well with distinct actin stress fibers through immunofluorescence study. It means that the osteoblasts bind more strongly to the DED and PBF surface. Also, DED surface showed higher cell proliferation (1.27 times higher than TPS and PBF) and osteoblast cell activity (1.28 times higher than PBF) for 2 weeks culture in vitro test. In addition, DED surface showed better bone to implant contact and new bone formation than TPS in in vivo study. DED surface also showed consistently good osseointegration performance throughout the early and late period of osseointegration. Collectively, these results show that the DED coating method is an innovative technology that can be utilized to make cementless joint implants.

Ways to Improve Wear Resistance and Damping Properties of Radial Bearings Taking into Account Inertial Forces

This article considers a radial sliding bearing of infinite length whose moving part consists of the support, the porous layer, and the liquid lubricant. The analysis of the existing design calculation methods for such sliding bearings shows that they are very approximate because they do not consider the inertial forces applied, the electric conductivity of the lubricant, the permeability anisotropy, as well as the impacts of the electric field vector, magnetic induction vector, and incomplete filling of the working gap (pre-accident condition). The authors demonstrate how these factors impact the stable operation of the device facilitating the hydrodynamic regime. The authors find the asymptotic solution for the zero, first, and second approximation taking into account the inertial forces for the “thin layer”. By solving the produced equations using the Gauss-Seidel method, the authors determine the key operating parameters of the friction couple in question: the carrying capacity and the friction force. The authors provide an impact assessment for the parameters characterizing the permeability of the porous coating, the electric conductivity, and viscosity of the lubricant, as well as the length of the loaded area and the impacts of inertial forces on the carrying capacity and the friction force.

Comparing Internal and Interparticle Space Effects of Metal–Organic Frameworks on Polysulfide Migration in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

One of the critical issues hindering the commercialization of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries is the dissolution and migration of soluble polysulfides in electrolyte, which is called the ‘shuttle effect’. To address this issue, previous studies have focused on separators featuring specific chemical affinities or physical confinement by porous coating materials. However, there have been no studies on the complex effects of the simultaneous presence of the internal and interparticle spaces of porous materials in Li–S batteries. In this report, the stable Zr-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), UiO-66, have been used as a separator coating material to provide interparticle space via size-controlled MOF particles and thermodynamic internal space via amine functionality. The abundant interparticle space promoted mass transport, resulting in enhanced cycling performance. However, when amine functionalized UiO-66 was employed as the separator coating material, the initial specific capacity and capacity retention of Li–S batteries were superior to those materials based on the interparticle effect. Therefore, it is concluded that the thermodynamic interaction inside internal space is more important for preventing polysulfide migration than spatial condensation of the interparticle space.

Mathematical model of a ferromagnetic lubricant in the presence of a porous coating in the bearing structure

Based on the flow equation of a ferromagnetic liquid lubricant for a “thin layer”, the continuity equation and Darcy’s equation describing the flow of a lubricant in a porous body, an exact self-similar solution of wedge-shaped sliding support with a porous coating of the surface of the support ring is found, taking into account the dependence of the viscosity of the ferromagnetic lubricant and the permeability of the porous coating with the incomplete filling of the working gap. Analytical dependencies for the velocity and pressure fields in the lubricating and porous layer are obtained. Also, the main operating characteristics are determined load-bearing capacity and friction force. The numerical analysis of the theoretical results showed that the bearing capacity of the bearings can be increased by 8-12% in the range of the studied load-speed modes. At the same time, the coefficient of friction is reduced by 14-16%. To verify and confirm the effectiveness of the obtained theoretical models, an experimental study of a modified wedge-shaped sliding support on TP-22C, MS-20 oil and their mixture with various additives was carried out. As a result of theoretical and experimental studies, tribotechnical characteristics were determined that allow us to judge the presence of a long-term friction mode.

CARBON NANOCOMPOSITE COATED TEXTILE-BASED SENSOR: SENSING MECHANISM AND DURABILITY

Carbon nanotube (CNT) composite films are deposited onto stretchable knit fabrics using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) and dip-coating techniques, which are industrially scalable processes for producing future wearable sensors. The deposited CNTs create an electrically conductive nanocomposite film on the surface of the fibers. These nanocomposite coated fabrics exhibit piezoresistive properties; under mechanical deformation/stretching, a large change in the electrical resistance is observed. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized carbon nanotubes deposited using EPD create a uniform, extremely thin porous coating on the fiber. Initial results show ultrahigh sensitivity of the carbon nanotube coated fabric when tested on elbow/knee to detect range of motion. The sensitivity of these sensors is exceptionally high when compared to a typical carbon nanotube-based polymer nanocomposite. The nanocomposite coating does not affect fabric's breathability or flexibility, making the sensor comfortable to wear. Because of these unique properties, tremendous potential exists for their use in functional/smart garments. Changes in electrical resistance for these fabrics are influenced by a combination of electron tunneling between the carbon nanotubes and the microstructure of the fabric. To investigate and characterize the unique sensing mechanism, the nanotube coated knit fabric's electromechanical response is studied at different length scales, from individual yarns to fabric levels. For applications in wearable sensors, the durability of the nanotube coating on the fabric is critical for repeatable and reliable sensing response. Durability testing of the sensing fabric for washing loads was conducted to study the nanotube coating's robustness. CNT coating's adhesion quality is evaluated based on the weight loss in the specimen and loss in electrical conductivity in each wash cycle. This research addresses the potential of these sensors for functional/smart garments by examining the underlying mechanism of the sensor response and the durability of the carbon nanotube coating.

Tribological Characteristics of Carbon Nanotubes-Reinforced Plasma-Sprayed Al2O3-TiO2 Ceramic Coatings

Thermal-sprayed coatings are widely used in various oil and gas industries for wear and corrosion applications. However, increasing performance and requirements make conventional coatings inadequate for future needs. Furthermore, the heat conductivity of bulk materials cannot be minimized easily. Therefore, the use of low porous coating with nanocomposite doping is an effective way to produce coatings with reduced thermal conductivity. Plasma-sprayed Al2O3-TiO2 coatings are found in a wide range of applications recently in many industries because of their exceptional properties including low expenses and ease of availability. In this work, the wear-resistant and low porous coatings of Al2O3 + 3 wt%TiO2 and respective carbon nanotube (CNT) doped coatings are prepared and characterized. The coatings are deposited on the AISI 1020 steel substrate using air plasma spraying. The impact of CNTs reinforcement on the percentage of pores and wear performance of coatings is investigated. Also, wear tracks morphology is investigated to determine the wear mechanism that is responsible for the wear of coatings. From the analysis, it is observed that the formation of cracks as well as micropores is decreased by the addition of carbon nanotubes. Moreover, uniform CNT distribution and good adhesion of coatings with the substrate are the major factors that improve the wear performance of the coated surface.

THE USE OF A MONOMOLECULAR PROTECTIVE FILM ON THE SURFACE OF FRICTION UNITS TO INCREASE THE RELIABILITY OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY

One of the factors limiting the reliability of machines and mechanisms is the wear of the contacting surfaces of friction units, which affects their service life. To prevent it, the friction units are treated with lubricants. Surfactants containing fluorinated hydrocarbon radicals are of the greatest interest as an additive to lubricants. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in studying the effect of a protective monomolecular film of fluorinated surfactants on the processes of friction and wear occurring on the surfaces of friction units under conditions of boundary and hydrodynamic friction. (Materials and methods) The structure of the metal was studied before and after the application of a monomolecular protective film, the contact potential difference and the hardness of the samples were determined. The influence of surface energy on the oil absorption of materials was evaluated. (Results and discussion) It was revealed using the contact potential difference method, the process of applying a monomolecular protective film ends after 1.5-3.0 minutes and further exposure in the composition does not lead to a change in the contact potential difference. The values of the adhesion action and wetting energy for surfaces with this coating indicate that the surface energy does not depend on the material, but is determined by the coating of the monomolecular protective film of the test sample. The compositions of 0.05 percent of solutions of fluorinated surfactants form a more porous coating compared to the concentration of 0.5 percent. (Conclusions) Fluorinated surfactants have a high tribotechnical efficiency as antifriction and anti-wear nanomaterials. Their use makes it possible to protect the contact surfaces with a film 3-6 nm thick both under boundary and under hydrodynamic friction. The specified protective film performs the function of a "compensator" for various lubrication modes.