Advances in cold sintering : Improving energy consumption and unlocking new potential in component manufacturing

Ceramics are traditionally sintered at high temperatures (~80% melting temperature (Tm)). There are numerous incentives to reduce processing temperature: the reduction in processing energy; integration of polymeric and non-noble metals; greater control of microstructure and final component geometries. ‘Cold sintering’ has been developed as a novel method of densification which uses a transient liquid phase, pressure and heat to achieve dense ceramics. This review explores the process of cold sintering and its potential to densify various ceramic materials and components at low temperatures (<300°C), primarily describing recent results at The University of Sheffield, UK

The atomic structure and chemistry of Fe-rich steps on antiphase boundaries in Ti-doped Bi_0.9Nd_0.15FeO3

Stepped antiphase boundaries are frequently observed in Ti-doped Bi&lt;sub&gt;0.85&lt;/sub&gt;Nd&lt;sub&gt;0.15&lt;/sub&gt;FeO&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;, related to the novel planar antiphase boundaries reported recently. The atomic structure and chemistry of these steps are determined by a combination of high angle annular dark field and bright field scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging, together with electron energy loss spectroscopy. The core of these steps is found to consist of 4 edge-sharing FeO&lt;sub&gt;6&lt;/sub&gt; octahedra. The structure is confirmed by image simulations using a frozen phonon multislice approach. The steps are also found to be negatively charged and, like the planar boundaries studied previously, result in polarisation of the surrounding perovskite matrix

Maghemite-like regions at crossing of two antiphase boundaries in doped BiFeO3

We report the observation of a novel structure at the point where two antiphase boundaries cross in a doped bismuth ferrite of composition (Bi0.85Nd0.15)(Fe0.9Ti0.1)O0.3. The structure was investigated using a combination of high angle annular dark field imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy spectrum imaging in the scanning transmission electron microscope. A three-dimensional model was constructed by combining the position and chemistry data with previous results and assuming octahedral coordination of all Fe and Ti atoms. The resulting structure shows some novel L shaped arrangements of iron columns, which are coordinated in a similar manner to FeO6 octahedra in maghemite. It is suggested that this may lead to local ferromagnetic orderings similar to those in maghemite

Use of spatially distributed time-integrated sediment sampling networks and distributed fine sediment modelling to inform catchment management

Under the EU Water Framework Directive, suspended sediment is omitted from environmental quality standards and compliance targets. This omission is partly explained by difficulties in assessing the complex dose-response of ecological communities. But equally, it is hindered by a lack of spatially distributed estimates of suspended sediment variability across catchments. In this paper, we demonstrate the inability of traditional, discrete sampling campaigns for assessing exposure to fine sediment. Sampling frequencies based on Environmental Quality Standard protocols, whilst reflecting typical manual sampling constraints, are unable to determine the magnitude of sediment exposure with an acceptable level of precision. Deviations from actual concentrations range between −35 and +20% based on the interquartile range of simulations. As an alternative, we assess the value of low-cost, suspended sediment sampling networks for quantifying suspended sediment transfer (SST). In this study of the 362 km2 upland Esk catchment we observe that spatial patterns of sediment flux are consistent over the two year monitoring period across a network of 17 monitoring sites. This enables the key contributing sub-catchments of Butter Beck (SST: 1141 t km2 yr−1) and Glaisdale Beck (SST: 841 t km2 yr−1) to be identified. The time-integrated samplers offer a feasible alternative to traditional infrequent and discrete sampling approaches for assessing spatio-temporal changes in contamination. In conjunction with a spatially distributed diffuse pollution model (SCIMAP), time-integrated sediment sampling is an effective means of identifying critical sediment source areas in the catchment, which can better inform sediment management strategies for pollution prevention and control

Crystal Structure, Infrared Spectra, and Microwave Dielectric Properties of Temperature-Stable Zircon-Type (Y,Bi)VO<inf>4</inf> Solid-Solution Ceramics

A series of (Bi 1-x Y x )VO 4 (0.4 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) ceramics were synthesized using the traditional solid-state reaction method. In the composition range of 0.4 ≤ x ≤ 1.0, a zircon-type solid solution was formed between 900 and 1550 °C. Combined with our previous work (scheelite monoclinic and zircon-type phases coexist in the range of x < 0.40), a pseudobinary phase diagram of BiVO 4 -YVO 4 is presented. As x decreased from 1.0 to 0.40, the microwave permittivity (ϵ r ) of (Bi 1-x Y x )VO 4 ceramics increased linearly from 11.03 to 30.9, coincident with an increase in the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) from -61.3 to +103 ppm/°C. Excellent microwave dielectric properties were obtained for (Bi 0.3 Y 0.7 )VO 4 sintered at 1025 °C and (Bi 0.2 Y 0.8 )VO 4 sintered at 1075 °C with ϵ r ∼ 19.35, microwave quality factor (Qf) ∼ 25 760 GHz, and TCF ∼ +17.8 ppm/°C and ϵ r ∼ 16.3, Qf ∼ 31 100 GHz, and TCF ∼ -11.9 ppm/°C, respectively. Raman spectra, Shannon's additive rule, a classical oscillator model, and far-infrared spectra were employed to study the structure-property relations in detail. All evidence supported the premise that Bi-based vibrations dominate the dielectric permittivity in the microwave region

Designing pseudocubic perovskites with enhanced nanoscale polarization

A crystal-chemical framework has been proposed for the design of pseudocubic perovskites with nanoscale ferroelectric order, and its applicability has been demonstrated using a series of represen- tative solid solutions that combined ferroelectric (K 0.5 Bi 0.5 TiO 3 , BaTiO 3 , and PbTiO 3 ) and antifer- roelectric (Nd-substituted BiFeO 3 ) end members. The pseudocubic structures obtained in these systems exhibited distortions that were coherent on a scale ranging from sub-nanometer to tens of nanometers, but, in all cases, the macroscopic distortion remained unresolvable even if using high- resolution X-ray powder diffraction. Different coherence lengths for the local atomic displacements account for the distinctly different dielectric, ferroelectric, and electromechanical properties exhib- ited by the samples. The guidelines identified provide a rationale for chemically tuning the coher- ence length to obtain the desired functional response

Novel Flaxseed Gum Nanocomposites are Slow Release Iron Supplements

Nanocomposites, based on iron salts and soluble flaxseed gum (FG), were prepared as potential treatments of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). FG was extracted, characterized, and formulated into iron-loading nanocomposites via ion-exchange against FeCl_3, Fe_2(SO_4)_3, FeCl_2, and FeSO_4·7H_2O. FG-iron nanocomposites preparation condition was optimized, and physicochemical properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. In vitro release kinetics of iron in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) was also evaluated. FG heteropolysaccharide, consisting of rhamnose (33.73%), arabinose (24.35%), xylose (14.23%), glucose (4.54%), and galactose (23.15%) monosaccharides, linked together via varieties of glycosidic bonds, was a good recipient for both ferric and ferrous irons under screened conditions (i.e., 80 °C, 2 h, I/G = 1:2). Iron loaded contents in the nanocomposites prepared from FG-FeCl_3, FG-Fe_2(SO_4)_3, FG-FeCl_2, and FG-FeSO_4·7H_2O were 25.51%, 10.36%, 5.83%, and 22.83%, respectively. Iron in these nanocomposites was mostly in a bound state, especially in FG-FeCl_3, due to chelation forming bonds between iron and polysaccharide hydroxyl or carboxyl groups and formed stable polysaccharide-iron crystal network structures. Free iron ions were effectively removed by ethanol treatments. Because of chelation, the nanocomposites delayed iron release in SGF and the release kinetics were consistent with Korsmeyer-Peppas model. This indicates that such complexes might reduce side effects of free iron in human stomach. Altogether, this study indicates that these synthetic FG-iron nanocomposites might be developed as novel iron supplements for iron deficiency, in which FG-FeCl_3 is considered as the best option

Equivalent circuit parameter extraction of low-capacitance high-damping PTs

Existing equivalent circuit extraction techniques are inaccurate for piezoelectric transformers (PTs) with low-input capacitance or high damping. A new method is presented, offering improved accuracy in both damping resistance and resonant frequency extraction compared with state-of-the-art methods. Effectiveness is evaluated on two sample PTs, with the proposed method achieving up to 84% decrease in error compared with previous methods

Cyclo­linopeptide A methanol solvate

Crystals of the title compound, C57H85N9O9·CH4O, the methanol solvate of a nine peptide polypeptide, cyclo-(Pro-Pro-Phe-Phe-Leu-Ile-Ile-Leu-Val), were obtained after separation of the cyclic peptide from flax oil. The cyclo­linopeptide A (CLP-A) mol­ecules are linked in chains along the a axis by N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Each methanol O atom is hydrogen bonded to one O atom and two N—H groups in the same CLP-A mol­ecule. There are a total of eight hydrogen bonds in each CLP-A–MeOH unit