Thermoelectric properties of Zn– and Ce–alloyed In2O3 and the effect of SiO2 nanoparticle additives

Thermoelectric materials are considered promising candidates for thermal energy conversion. This study presents the fabrication of Zn– and Ce–alloyed In2O3 with a porous structure. The electrical conductivity was improved by the alloying effect and an ultra–low thermal conductivity was observed owing to the porous structure, which concomitantly provide a distinct enhancement of ZT. However, SiO2 nanoparticle additives react with the matrix to form a third-phase impurity, which weakens the electrical conductivity and increases the thermal conductivity. A thermoelectric module was constructed for the purpose of thermal heat energy conversion. Our experimental results proved that both an enhancement in electrical conductivity and a suppression in thermal conductivity could be achieved through nano–engineering. This approach presents a feasible route to synthesize porous thermoelectric oxides, and provides insight into the effect of additives; moreover, this approach is a cost-effective method for the fabrication of thermoelectric oxides without traditional hot-pressing and spark–plasma–sintering processes.

Effects of seawater corrosion environment on the impact behavior of multi-walled carbon nanotube and SiO2 reinforced basalt/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites

In this study, the impact behaviors of nano silica (SiO2 nanoparticles), MWCNTs (multi-walled carbon nanotube), and SiO2+MWCNTs (nano silica vs multi-walled carbon nanotube hybrid) nanoparticle additives in basalt fiber reinforced composites exposed to seawater corrosion were investigated. The Mediterranean was chosen as the corrosive sea water due to its high salinity. Basalt fiber reinforced composites immersed in seawater have quick mass absorption during the first 30 days. However, it can also vary between the first 28 and 40 days depending on the structure of the composite and environmental conditions. Immersion times were determined as 0, 10, 20, and 40 days. Tensile and low velocity impact tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical performance after seawater corrosion. Low velocity impact tests were carried out at 10 and 20 J energy levels. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of corrosion caused by quick mass absorption on the tensile and impact behaviors of basalt fiber reinforced composites. And also to investigate the contribution of SiO2 and MWCNT nanoparticle additives to the mass absorption mechanism and mechanical performance of basalt fiber reinforced composites. SiO2 and MWCNT nanoparticle additives increased the tensile and impact strength of basalt fiber reinforced composites. However, the tensile and impact behaviors of nanoparticle filled and nanoparticles unfilled basalt fiber reinforced composites were adversely affected by the seawater corrosion environment. Due to the geometric structure of SiO2 nanoparticles, the best mechanical performance was observed in SiO2 filled basalt fiber reinforced composites.

A Review of Friction Performance of Lubricants with Nano Additives

It has been established in literature that the addition of nanoparticles to lubricants at an optimum concentration results in a lower coefficient of friction compared to lubricants with no nanoparticle additives. This review paper shows a comparison of different lubricants based on the COF (coefficient of friction) with nanoadditives. The effect of the addition of nanoparticles on the friction coefficient was analyzed for both synthetic and biolubricants separately. The limitations associated with the use of nanoparticles are explained. The mechanisms responsible for a reduction in friction when nanoparticles are used as an additive are also discussed. Various nanoparticles that have been most widely used in recent years showed good performance within lubricants, including CuO (copper oxide), MoS2 (molybdenum disulfide), and TiO2 (titanium dioxide). The paper also indicates some research gaps that need to be addressed.

Experimental study of the effect of adding nanoparticles on the rheological properties of oil-based drilling fluids

A systematic study of the effect of nanoparticles of various concentrations and sizes on the rheological properties of various oil-based drilling fluids with nanoparticle additives has been carried out. The concentration of nanoparticles in drilling emulsions varied from 0.25 to 2 wt%, and the average size of nanoparticles ranged from 18 to 100 nm. As a result of numerous laboratory experiments, formulations and technology for the preparation of stable oil-based drilling fluids with additives of nanoparticles have been developed. The effect of nanoparticles on the viscosity and rheological properties of these drilling fluids has been studied.