Possible alternatives to critical elements in coatings for extreme applications

Surface functionalisation and protection have been used since a long time for improving specific properties of materials such as lubrication, water repellence, brightness, and for increasing durability of objects and tools. Among the different kinds of surface treatments used to achieve the required properties, the use of coatings is fundamental to guarantee substrate durability in harsh environments. Extreme working conditions of temperature, pressure, irradiation, wear and corrosion occur in several applications, thus very often requiring bulk material protection by means of coatings. In this study, three main classes of coatings used in extreme conditions are considered: i) hard and superhard coatings for application in machining tools, ii) coatings for high temperatures (thermal barrier coatings), and iii) coatings against corrosion. The presence of critical elements in such coatings (Cr, Y, W, Co, etc.) is analysed and the possibility to use CRMs-free substitutes is reviewed. The role of multilayers and nanocomposites in tailoring coating performances is also discussed for thermal barrier and superhard coatings

The methodologies and strategies for the development of novel material systems and coatings for applications in extreme environments - a critical review

The aim of this paper is to present a critical analysis of existing methodologies, approaches and strategies used to develop materials systems and coatings for uses in extreme environments. The extreme or harsh conditions encompass a large variety of in-service forms such as: extreme temperatures, abrasion, corrosion, impact and radiation that can exist in various applications such as those associated with aerospace and aeronautical engineering, land and marine transport, manufacturing machinery, and even microelectronics products. This article describes how working environment and required service performance of a particular part or structure could affect the choice of materials and surfaces to which it is composed. In addition, the paper explains the relevance that abusive working environments have for industry, especially relating to their costs, being followed by an overview of surface deposition approaches that are currently popularly used to improve performance of mechanical devices that need to combat adverse conditions. Finally, a material system and three kinds of protective coatings that could be used in applications in extreme conditions are described. The critical review is an outcome of the strategic review from the EU H2020 SUPERMAT project which deals with materials and manufacture for the products/structural parts used in extreme conditions

Review on Synthesis and Properties of Lithium Lanthanum Titanate

The rapid development of portable electronic devices and the efforts to find alternatives to fossil fuels have triggered the rapid development of battery technology. The conventional lithium-ion batteries have reached a high degree of sophistication. However, improvements related to specific capacity, charge rate, safety and sustainability are still required. Solid state batteries try to answer these demands by replacing the organic electrolyte of the standard battery with a solid (crystalline, but also polymer and hybrid) electrolyte. One of the most promising solid electrolytes is Li3xLa2/3−xTiO3 (LLTO). The material nevertheless presents a set of key challenges that must be resolved before it can be used for commercial applications. This review discusses the synthesis methods, the crystallographic and the ionic conduction properties of LLTO and the main limitations encountered through a number of selected studies on this material

Preparation of silica doped titania nanoparticles with thermal stability and photocatalytic properties and their application for leather surface functionalization

Doped nanoparticles based on titanium dioxide are of interest for their multifunctional properties and enlarged photocatalytic activity in visible domain. Silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method and their structural characteristics and photocatalytic activity were determined, in order to be used for leather coating as alternative to halogen based flame retardants and dry cleaning solvents. A range of concentrations from 2% to 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (% denotes the theoretical weight percent of Si) was synthesized and characterized by ICP-OES, FT-IR, UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, HRTEM and DLS. Titanium dioxide network penetration was supported by Si-O-Ti and OH identification in FT-IR spectra mainly on surface of 10% and 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The increase of Si-O-Ti bonds with Si dopant concentration acts as efficient barriers against sinterization and growth of TiO2 particles and explains the low particle size identified in HRTEM analyses as compared to undoped TiO2NPs. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra of doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles showed the shifting of absorption band to visible domain for 10% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The crystallite sizes were calculated from XRD spectra, ranging between 16.2 and 18.1 nm. HRTEM measurement of hydrothermally synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles showed anatase crystallites in the range of 8.8–27 nm, while in the 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticle sample smaller crystallite with sizes between 2.7 nm and 3.5 nm was identified due to the constraints of the SiO2-based amorphous matrix. Nano sizes of 64 nm and 72 nm were found in water dispersions of 10% and 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the Zeta potentials were of −53.6 mV and −52.9 mV, which indicate very good stabilities. The leather surface treated with composites of film forming polymers and 10% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles displayed photocatalytic properties against methylene blue dye under UV and visible light exposure, attributed to reactive species generation with effect on surface hydrophilicity increase. The activation energies for decomposition of leathers treated with 10% and 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles were 2.083 × 104 J/mol and 2.36 × 104 J/mol respectively, as compared to 6.576 × 103 J/mol for untreated leathers, showing increased thermal stability according to DSC measurements. The hydrothermal route for silica doped nanoparticle preparation proved advantages in enhancing photocatalytic properties in the visible domain and thermal resistance, with prospect for multifunctional applications

Chapter Nanostructured Pure and Doped Zirconia: Synthesis and Sintering for SOFC and Optical Applications

Zirconia is a multifunctional material with potential applications in wide domains. Rare-earth doped zirconia and stabilized zirconia yield interesting properties based on the phase transitions induced by the sintering conditions. Zirconia nanopowders were prepared by hydrothermal technique. Synthesis methods of zirconia with various rare earths are discussed here. An overview of the sintering of zirconia-based ceramics is presented in particular for SOFC and sensors and optical applications

Green chemistry solutions for sol–gel micro-encapsulation of phase change materials for high-temperature thermal energy storage

NaNO3 has been selected as phase change material (PCM) due to its convenient melting and crystallization temperatures for thermal energy storage (TES) in solar plants or recovering of waste heat in industrial processes. However, incorporation of PCMs and NaNO3 in particular requires its protection (i.e. encapsulation) into containers or support materials to avoid incompatibility or chemical reaction with the media where incorporated (i.e. corrosion in metal storage tanks). As a novelty, in this study, microencapsulation of an inorganic salt has been carried out also using an inorganic compound (SiO2) instead of the conventional polymeric shells used for organic microencapsulations and not suitable for high temperature applications (i.e. 300–500 °C). Thus, NaNO3 has been microencapsulated by sol–gel technology using SiO2 as shell material. Feasibility of the microparticles synthetized has been demonstrated by different experimental techniques in terms of TES capacity and thermal stability as well as durability through thermal cycles. The effectiveness of microencapsulated NaNO3 as TES material depends on the core:shell ratio used for the synthesis and on the maximum temperature supported by NaNO3 during use

Development of 3D ZnO-CNT Support Structures Impregnated with Inorganic Salts

Carbon-based materials are promising candidates for enhancing thermal properties of phase change materials (PCMs) without lowering its energy storage capacity. Nowadays, researchers are trying to find a proper porous structure as PCMs support for thermal energy storage applications. In this context, the main novelty of this paper consists in using a ZnO-CNT-based nanocomposite powder, prepared by an own hydrothermal method at high pressure, to obtain porous 3D printed support structures with embedding capacity of PCMs. The morphology of 3D structures, before and after impregnation with three PCMs inorganic salts (NaNO3, KNO3 and NaNO3:KNO3 mixture (1:1 vol% saturated solution) was investigated by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). For structure impregnated with nitrates mixture, SEM cross-section morphology suggest that the inorganic salts impregnation started into micropores, continuing with the covering of the 3D structure surface and epitaxial growing of micro/nanostructured crystals, which led to reducing the distance between the structural strands. The variation of melting/crystallization points and associated enthalpies of impregnated PCMs and their stability during five repeated thermal cycles were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and simultaneous DSC-thermogravimetry (DSC-TGA). From the second heating-cooling cycle, the 3D structures impregnated with NaNO3 and NaNO3-KNO3 mixture are thermally stable

Solvothermal method as a green chemistry solution for micro-encapsulation of phase change materials for high temperature thermal energy storage

Thermal energy storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) as latent heat storage are one of the main challenges at European level in improving the performances and efficiency of concentrated solar power energy generation due to their high energy density. PCM with high working temperatures in the temperature range 300–500 °C are required for these purposes. However their use is still limited due to the problems raised by the corrosion of the majority of high temperature PCMs and lower thermal transfer properties. Micro-encapsulation was proposed as one method to overcome these problems. Different micro-encapsulation methods proposed in the literature are presented and discussed. An original process for the micro-encapsulation of potassium nitrate as PCM in inorganic zinc oxide shells based on a solvothermal method followed by spray drying to produce microcapsules with controlled phase composition and distribution is proposed and their transformation temperatures and enthalpies measured by differential scanning calorimetry are presented

Solvothermal method as a green chemistry solution for micro-encapsulation of phase change materials for high temperature thermal energy storage

Thermal energy storage systems using phase change materials (PCMs) as latent heat storage are one of the main challenges at European level in improving the performances and efficiency of concentrated solar power energy generation due to their high energy density. PCM with high working temperatures in the temperature range 300–500 °C are required for these purposes. However their use is still limited due to the problems raised by the corrosion of the majority of high temperature PCMs and lower thermal transfer properties. Micro-encapsulation was proposed as one method to overcome these problems. Different micro-encapsulation methods proposed in the literature are presented and discussed. An original process for the micro-encapsulation of potassium nitrate as PCM in inorganic zinc oxide shells based on a solvothermal method followed by spray drying to produce microcapsules with controlled phase composition and distribution is proposed and their transformation temperatures and enthalpies measured by differential scanning calorimetry are presented

Critical Raw Materials Saving by Protective Coatings under Extreme Conditions: A Review of Last Trends in Alloys and Coatings for Aerospace Engine Applications

Several applications, where extreme conditions occur, require the use of alloys often containing many critical elements. Due to the ever increasing prices of critical raw materials (CRMs) linked to their high supply risk, and because of their fundamental and large utilization in high tech products and applications, it is extremely important to find viable solutions to save CRMs usage. Apart from increasing processes’ efficiency, substitution, and recycling, one of the alternatives to preserve an alloy and increase its operating lifetime, thus saving the CRMs needed for its manufacturing, is to protect it by a suitable coating or a surface treatment. This review presents the most recent trends in coatings for application in high temperature alloys for aerospace engines. CRMs’ current and future saving scenarios in the alloys and coatings for the aerospace engine are also discussed. The overarching aim of this paper is to raise awareness on the CRMs issue related to the alloys and coating for aerospace, suggesting some mitigation measures without having the ambition nor to give a complete overview of the topic nor a turnkey solution