Comprehensive Evaluation for Protective Coatings: Optical, Electrical, Photoelectrochemical, and Spectroscopic Characterizations

Numerous efficient semiconductors suffer from instability in aqueous electrolytes. Strategies utilizing protective coatings have thus been developed to protect these photoabsorbers against corrosion while synergistically improving charge separation and reaction kinetics. Recently, various photoelectrochemical (PEC) protective coatings have been reported with suitable electronic properties to ensure low charge transport loss and reveal the fundamental photoabsorber efficiency. However, protocols for studying the critical figures of merit for protective coatings have yet to be established. For this reason, we propose four criteria for evaluating the performance of a protective coating for PEC water-splitting: stability, conductivity, optical transparency, and energetic matching. We then propose a flow chart that summarizes the recommended testing protocols for quantifying these four performance metrics. In particular, we lay out the stepwise testing protocols to evaluate the energetics matching at a semiconductor/coating/(catalyst)/liquid interface. Finally, we provide an outlook for the future benchmarking needs for coatings.

Thermophysical Parameters of a Semi-Finished Watermelon Product as an Object of Dehumidification

Introduction. Pectin-based protective coatings can produce a perfect biodegradable edible film. Secondary watermelon raw materials are a promising resource for this type of food coating as it contains 13.4% of pectin components, of which 8.1% is protopectin. The present research objective was to find the density and thermophysical characteristics of the pectin extract in order to optimize the drying process. Study objects and methods. The research featured a pectin extract from watermelon rind. Its thermophysical properties were defined according to the thermocouple inertia method. The calorimetric method was used to change the aggregation state, while the pycnometric method was applied to calculate the density. The method of criterion equations helped to define the heat transfer coefficient. Results and discussion. The average density of the final film material was 652 kg/m3 and that of the liquid semi-finished product was 1,028 kg/m3. The research also revealed the dependence of physical density and humidity W, heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity. For different W, averaged were 3393, 3225, 3137, and 3113, respectively. The study also provided the criterion dependence for determining the heat transfer coefficient and modified α on the speed of the air coolant for artificial convection at conventional coolant temperature (≈ 100°C) in contact with the food product surface (≈ 80°C). Conclusion. The article introduces the thermophysical characteristics and physical density of watermelon gel for various humidity and thermal agent parameters, as well as a modified criterion dependence for determining the heat transfer coefficient. The research results can be used to design dehydration operations, other thermophysical processes, and their equipment.

Electroplating of Indium-Cadmium and Tin-Cadmium Alloy Coatings

Technological parameters for electroplating cadmium alloy (Cd (24)-In and Cd (33)-Sn) coatings from low toxic solutions have been proposed. Since the fabricated alloy coatings possess low internal stress and microhardness, good adhesion property, high corrosion and wear resistance, they can be used as protective coatings for machine building products to enhance reliability and operability thereof. The presence of good solderability and low values of transient electric resistance in climatic testing favor these coatings to be applied in hetero-structured contact systems of instrument making products for increasing their reliability and operability in a tropical marine climate.

Controlling the Stress State of the Coating during Plasma Spraying

Coatings obtained by spraying materials with a high-temperature gas jet onto a substrate followed by thermal treatment of the deposited materials (thermal gas coatings) are increasingly being used. The practical experience of using thermal spray coatings, accumulated over the past 20–30 years in industries, shows that in this way it is possible, as a rule, to reduce the wear of machine parts operating under various conditions by a factor of 2–5. The effectiveness of the technology has also been proven in the protection of products from corrosion and thermal damage. The efficiency of the applied materials is determined by their structure, which largely depends on the choice of the composition of the material, the method, and modes of application. A comprehensive solution to these issues with the study of the mechanism of the processes of formation of thermal gas coatings will create a scientific basis for the technology for its successful implementation in production. At the same time, the importance of studying the processes and optimizing the technological parameters of spraying and subsequent coating treatment increases. Optimization is carried out, as a rule, according to the results of experiments. Let us consider the study on the example of the development of wear-resistant composite coatings with solid lubricant inclusions with the substantiation of the technique and criteria for optimizing technological parameters taking into account the most important properties of sprayed protective coatings.

Reinforcement of Protective Coatings Based on Powder Paints with Alumina Nanofibers

The paper deals with the production and study of nanocomposite powder paints based on alumina nanofibers. For nanodispersed fillers, the nature of the surface states on the filler particles is important. The problem of introducing nanomaterials into a polymer matrix cannot provide an effective solution without matching the surface states of the nanomaterial filler and the polymer matrix for the resulting composite materials. The consistency of the surface states of the nanomaterial filler and the polymer matrix determines the quality of transfer of the necessary properties to the resulting polymer composite. In order to increase the affinity of alumina nanofibers with a matrix of powder paint, the nanofibers were treated with 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO) in toluene. It is shown in the work that the addition of alumina nanofibers leads to a hardening of the coating, an increase in its elasticity, and an increase in corrosion resistance. Finishing of alumina nanofibers in a solution of silane in toluene leads to its functionalization, which is sufficient for the distribution of nanofibers in the polymer matrix of the paint and improvement of its operational properties.

Coupled Modeling Approach for Laser Shock Peening of AA2198-T3: From Plasma and Shock Wave Simulation to Residual Stress Prediction

Laser shock peening (LSP) is a surface modification technique to improve the mechanical properties of metals and alloys, where physical phenomena are difficult to investigate, due to short time scales and extreme physical values. In this regard, simulations can significantly contribute to understand the underlying physics. In this paper, a coupled simulation approach for LSP is presented. A global model of laser–matter–plasma interaction is applied to determine the plasma pressure, which is used as surface loading in finite element (FE) simulations in order to predict residual stress (RS) profiles in the target material. The coupled model is applied to the LSP of AA2198-T3 with water confinement, 3×3mm2 square focus and 20 ns laser pulse duration. This investigation considers the variation in laser pulse energy (3 J and 5 J) and different protective coatings (none, aluminum and steel foil). A sensitivity analysis is conducted to evaluate the impact of parameter inaccuracies of the global model on the resulting RS. Adjustment of the global model to different laser pulse energies and coating materials allows us to compute the temporal pressure distributions to predict RS with FE simulations, which are in good agreement with the measurements.

Wearproof Composite Coatings on Ti

In this work the formation of protective coatings on VT1-0 commercially pure titanium by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and subsequent fluoropolymer treatment is presented. The structure, morphology, corrosion, and mechanical properties of the formed composite coatings were studied. It was established that PEO coatings are an excellent basis for the formation of a solid composite layer with high adhesion to its surface. The presence of polytetrafluoroethylene in the composition of the coating reduces the corrosion current density by 4 orders of magnitude and increases the wear resistance by 2 orders of magnitude in comparison with the base PEO coating.

Active Corrosion Protection by Epoxy Coating on Li2CO3-Pretreated Anodized Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3

The fast leaching and robust barrier property of inhibitors are the basic fundamentals for the formation of active protective coatings to protect aluminum alloys. Herein, an active protective surface was developed based on an epoxy coating and an underlying lithium carbonate (Li2CO3)-treated anodized aluminum alloy 2024-T3. The morphology of the Li-LDH layer was studied to know its formation mechanism. The electrochemical studies revealed that the fast and adequate leaching of lithium led to a substantial increment of corrosion resistance of the scratched coating in 3.5 wt% NaCl from 1 to 8 days. Time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) results indicated that Li was distributed in the lateral direction and covered the scratched area. The 3D images indicated that different lithium compounds were formed and 90% of the scratched area was covered with the lithium protective layer over immersion time. A combined approach of morphology observations, electrochemical measurements, and ToF-SIMS showed the lithium protective layer offered good corrosion resistance. On the contrary, lithium provided fast and adequate leaching from the coating, demonstrating good active protection for aluminum and its alloys.