High Q Dielectric Titanium Tellurite Thick Films on Alumina Substrates for High Frequency Telecommunications

The vital role of high-quality-factor (Q) high-frequency (f) dielectric resonators in the growing microwave telecommunication, satellite broadcasting and intelligent transport systems has long motivated the search for new, small size, and lightweight integrated components and packages, prepared by low cost and sustainable processes. One approach is replacing the currently used bulk ceramic dielectrics by thick films of low-sintering-temperature dielectrics fabricated by affordable processes. Here we demonstrate the fabrication of high-Q TiTe3O8 thick films directly on low loss Al2O3 substrates by electrophoretic deposition using sacrificial carbon layer. Nineteen-micrometre-thick TiTe3O8 films on Al2O3 sintered at 700 °C are found to have a relative permittivity εr of 32 and Q × f > 21,000 GHz. Being thus able to measure and provide for the first time the microwave dielectric properties of these films, our results suggest that TiTe3O8 films on Al2O3 substrates are suitable for microlayer microstrip array applications.

Ordered Porous TiO2@C Layer as an Electrocatalyst Support for Improved Stability in PEMFCs

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are the most promising clean energy source in the 21st century. In order to achieve a high power density, electrocatalytic performance, and electrochemical stability, an ordered array structure membrane electrode is highly desired. In this paper, a new porous Pt-TiO2@C ordered integrated electrode was prepared and applied to the cathode of a PEMFC. The utilization of the TiO2@C support can significantly decrease the loss of catalyst caused by the oxidation of the carbon from the conventional carbon layer due to the strong interaction of TiO2 and C. Furthermore, the thin carbon layer coated on TiO2 provides the rich active sites for the Pt growth, and the ordered support and catalyst structure reduces the mass transport resistance and improves the stability of the electrode. Due to its unique structural characteristics, the ordered porous Pt-TiO2@C array structure shows an excellent catalytic activity and improved Pt utilization. In addition, the as-developed porous ordered structure exhibits superior stability after 3000 cycles of accelerated durability test, which reveals an electrochemical surface area decay of less than 30%, considerably lower than that (i.e., 80%) observed for the commercial Pt/C.

Efficient oxygen evolution reaction on RuO2 nanoparticles decorated onion-like carbon (OLC)

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an important half-cell reaction of the electrical water splitting, for its high overpotential associated with sluggish OER kinetics. Therefore, it is critical to develop highly active and durable electrocatalysts to reduce the overpotential. Herein, ultra-small RuO2 nanoparticles (NPs) supported on onion-like carbon (OLC) and carbon nanotube (CNT) are successfully synthesized by means of wet impregnation combined with annealing treatment, respectively. The microstructure characterization results showed OLC perfect graphtic carbon layer structure, and the RuO2 NPs supported on the OLC possess larger particle size compared with the RuO2 NPs supported on the CNT. Moreover, the electronic structure of Ru in RuO2/OLC was also optimized by the OLC support to be beneficial for the OER. The OER performance of the catalysts were investigated in 1 M KOH solution. The results show RuO2/OLC has a comparable OER activity to the commercial RuO2, but a significantly higher mass activity than the commercial RuO2. When compared with the RuO2/CNT, RuO2/OLC not only exhibits lower overpotential and tafel slop, but also owns more active sites and higher TOF value, indicating the OLC support improved the OER activity of RuO2/OLC. Moreover, RuO2/OLC showed a superior stability compared with RuO2/CNT, which can be attributed to the excellent electrochemical oxidation-resistance of the OLC.

Preparation of Mn2+ Doped Piperazine Phosphate as a Char-Forming Agent for Improving the Fire Safety of Polypropylene/Ammonium Polyphosphate Composites

A piperazine phosphate doped with Mn2+ (HP-Mn), as a new char-forming agent for intumescent flame retardant systems (IFR), was designed and synthesized using 1-hydroxy ethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, piperazine, and manganese acetate tetrahydrate as raw materials. The effect of HP-Mn and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) on the fire safety and thermal stability of polypropylene (PP) was investigated. The results showed that the combined incorporation of 25 wt.% APP/HP-Mn at a ratio of 1:1 endowed the flame retardant PP (PP6) composite with the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 30.7% and UL-94 V-0 rating. In comparison with the pure PP, the peak heat release rate (PHRR), the total heat release (THR), and the smoke production rate (PSPR) of the PP6 were reduced by 74%, 30%, and 70%, respectively. SEM and Raman analysis of the char residues demonstrated that the Mn2+ displayed a catalytic cross-linking charring ability to form a continuous and compact carbon layer with a high degree of graphitization, which can effectively improve the flame retardancy of PP/APP composites. A possible flame-retardant mechanism was proposed to reveal the synergistic effect between APP and HP-Mn.

Investigation on mechanical properties of hybrid aluminum/composite tubes manufactured by filament winding and hand lay-up

Nowadays, composite tubes have a wide range of applications in industries. Composite tubes are appropriate alternatives for metal energy absorbers. In this investigation, aluminum-composite tubes are made using Filament Winding (FW) and hand lay-up methods. Carbon Fiber (CF) and Glass Fiber (GF) are used in the FW method, and for the hand lay-up method, glass cloth is used. Five samples were fabricated with different stacking sequences, specimens with one, two, and three glass layers, one carbon layer, and hybrid carbon/glass layers. Characterization is performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis and mechanical tests (bending, compressive, and fatigue). The maximum bending force in the triple-layer GF tube is higher than other samples, while the maximum compressive force is observed in the hybrid carbon and GF tube. On the other hand, the fatigue strength of single-layer CF tubes is higher than single-layer GF tubes, so that the fracture cycles of single-layer CF tubes (600597) is significantly more than that of single-layer GF tubes (470068) at the force of 35 N. In addition, the compressive and bending energies absorption of samples were calculated. The hybrid carbon and GF tube absorbed higher energy than other samples. In GF and CF hybrid tubes, failure did not occur suddenly but gradually. This appropriate failure mechanism in the hybrid tube resulted in higher energy absorption and made it a suitable choice for industrial applications.