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A-site deficient SrTiO3 ceramics are very promising n-type oxide thermoelectrics but currently limited by their low performance compared to more conventional materials. We show that incorporation of graphene or graphene oxide can significantly improve the transport properties and hence ZT of the ceramic matrix. Powders of Sr0.8La0.067Ti0.8Nb0.2O3−δ were prepared by the mixed oxide route; ceramics and composites with ≤3 wt% graphene or graphene oxide were densified by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1473 K for 5 minutes. The microstructures obtained were uniform with an average grain size of 5 μm; the carbon additions were uniformly distributed. Composites employing 'as-prepared' powders exhibited three orders of magnitude increase in electrical conductivity, a reduction in thermal conductivity from 4.00 to 2.64 W m−1 K−1, but very modest thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) values, less than 0.1. Graphene additions yielded superior thermoelectric performance to graphene oxide. Composites prepared with 'pre-reduced' oxide powders and 1 wt% graphene were at least 99% dense, with further improvement in electrical conductivity. There was strong anisotropy in their transport properties due to the alignment of the graphene flakes perpendicular to the pressing direction; electrical conductivity was significantly higher perpendicular to the pressing direction; thermal conductivity was lowest parallel to the pressing direction. The highest thermoelectric figure of merit (∼0.25 at 1000 K) was achieved for samples containing graphene measured parallel to the pressing direction. The control of thermoelectric transport properties by additions of carbon species, and the resulting anisotropy in properties could guide the development of processing routes to produce future target materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The angular dependence of the intensity of CKα radiation measured from a film of oriented carbon nanotubes shows an increase in the yield of x-ray fluorescence along the growth direction of the nanotubes. The angular distribution of the intensity of scattered x rays is close in magnitude to the angular distribution of the directivity of nanotubes in the film that is determined by analyzing an electron-microscope image. To explain the propagation of radiation along the nanotubes, two mechanisms are proposed on the basis of reflection from inner walls of a tube (channeling) and an anomalous dispersion of CKα photons in the carbon medium. © 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a green electrochemical oxidative approach to convert large quantities of graphite into graphene oxide (GO). The resulted GO flakes have been characterized using various analytical techniques. It was possible to control the degree of oxidation of the produced GO via controlling the electrochemical parameters of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in the design and fabrication of multifunctional nanostructured materials require characterization techniques capable of simultaneously mapping multiple material properties with nanoscale resolution. We show that this can be achieved by combining nanomechanical information from ultrasonic force microscopy (UFM) with simultaneously acquired friction force and conductivity measurements from contact mode scanning. This utilizes a ‘half and half’ approach, where the AFM is operated alternatively in UFM and contact mode, with the switching rate sufficiently fast that simultaneous contact mode and UFM information is acquired at each pixel of an image. We demonstrate the potential of such a multimodal approach through its application to composite systems consisting of graphene islands on a copper surface, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on a silicon oxide substrate, and a graphene epoxy composite. The half and half approach enables the friction force to be measured without topographical cross-talk. Application to the SWNT sample reveals a further advantage; due to the superlubricity of UFM it enables standard contact mode imaging techniques to be applied to delicate samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are materials with a thickness of one or a few atoms with intriguing electrical, chemical, optical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties. Therefore, they are deemed candidates for ubiquitous engineering applications. Films and three-dimensional (3D) structures made from 2D materials introduce a distinct assembly structure that imparts the inherent properties of pristine 2D materials on a macroscopic scale. Acquiring the adequate strength and toughness of 2D material structures is of great interest due to their high demand for numerous industrial applications. This work presents a comprehensive review of the mechanical properties and deformation behavior of robust films composed of 2D materials that help them to attain other extraordinary properties. Moreover, the various key factors affecting the mechanical performance of such thin films, such as the lateral size of nanoflakes, fabrication technique of the film, thickness of the film, post-processing, and strain rate, are elucidated.

Coal tar pitch (CTP) is a residue formed from the distillation of coal tar and is widely used as a carbonizable and graphitizable binder for many industrial applications. However, CTP is fossil-derived and has recently been classified as a "sunset" status material under REACH due to its toxicity, which makes finding a sustainable alternative vital. In this work, bio-oil was synthesized from the pyrolysis of fresh eucalyptus sawdust, from which wood tar biopitch (WTB) was subsequently produced by a second distillation process. Chemical characterization revealed the presence of higher amounts of aromatic compounds and PAHs in the industrially used CTP relative to the WTB. Sulfur is widely used as a graphitization promoter for CTP but has not yet been used for biopitch alternatives. Hence, graphite/WTB and graphite/CTP composites were fabricated with varying amounts of sulfur and were subsequently carbonized and graphitized at 850 and 2500 °C, respectively. The use of WTB as a binder led to less porous composites after carbonization/graphitization with higher levels of shrinkage than those based on CTP, whereas the carbon yield was very similar for both systems. The incorporation of sulfur was found to promote more compact structures with higher levels of graphitization, leading to improved electrical and mechanical properties, particularly for the composites based on CTP due to the higher levels of graphitization achieved relative to the WTB. The electrical and mechanical performance found for the WTB-based composites, combined with the much lower toxicity, evidences the promise of WTB as a sustainable alternative to traditional CTP binders., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

We present a novel method to significantly enhance the thermoelectric performance of ceramics in the model system SrTi 0.85 Nb 0.15 O 3 through the use of the precursor ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (0.5-2% w/w additions). After sintering the precursor-infused green body at 1700 K for 24 h in 5% H 2 /Ar, single-crystal-like electron transport behavior developed with electrical conductivity reaching ∼3000 S/cm at ∼300 K, almost a magnitude higher than that in the control sample. During processing, the precursor transformed into MoS 2 , then into MoO x , and finally into Mo particles. This limited grain growth promoted secondary phase generation but importantly helped to reduce the grain boundary barriers. Samples prepared with additions of the precursor exhibited vastly increased electrical conductivity, without significant impact on Seebeck coefficients giving rise to high power factor values of 1760 μW/mK 2 at ∼300 K and a maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit zT of 0.24 at 823 K. This processing strategy provides a simple method to achieve high charge mobility in polycrystalline titanate and related materials and with the potential to create "phonon-glass-electron-crystal" oxide thermoelectric materials.

Graphene-related materials (GRMs) are subject to intensive investigations and considerable progress has been made in recent years in terms of safety assessment. However, limited information is available concerning the hazard potential of GRM-containing products such as graphene-reinforced composites. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the potential biological effects of particles released through an abrasion process from reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-reinforced composites of polyamide 6 (PA6), a widely used engineered thermoplastic polymer, in comparison to as-produced rGO. First, a panel of well-established in vitro models, representative of the immune system and possible target organs such as the lungs, the gut, and the skin, was applied. Limited responses to PA6-rGO exposure were found in the different in vitro models. Only as-produced rGO induced substantial adverse effects, in particular in macrophages. Since inhalation of airborne materials is a key occupational concern, we then sought to test whether the in vitro responses noted for these materials would translate into adverse effects in vivo. To this end, the response at 1, 7 and 28 days after a single pulmonary exposure was evaluated in mice. In agreement with the in vitro data, PA6-rGO induced a modest and transient pulmonary inflammation, resolved by day 28. In contrast, rGO induced a longer-lasting, albeit moderate inflammation that did not lead to tissue remodeling within 28 days. Taken together, the present study suggests a negligible impact on human health under acute exposure conditions of GRM fillers such as rGO when released from composites at doses expected at the workplace., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Microgels (MGs) are crosslinked polymer particles that swell when the pH approaches the pKa of the constituent polymer. Our earlier work showed that concentrated MG dispersions can be covalently interlinked to form macroscopic hydrogels, which are termed doubly crosslinked microgels (DX MGs). Here, we study for the first time the effects of intra-MG crosslinking on the swelling of the MGs and the mechanical properties of the DX MGs. The MGs were synthesised by emulsion copolymerisation of ethyl acrylate (EA) or methacrylic acid (MAA) and divinylbenzene (DVB). The latter was a crosslinking monomer. For comparison, MGs were prepared where DVB was replaced by either 1,4-butanediol diacrylate (BDDA) or a 1 : 1 mixture of both DVB and BDDA. The MG swelling behaviours were studied by dynamic light scattering; whereas, the DX MG mechanical properties were studied by dynamic rheology and uniaxial compression measurements. Inclusion of DVB within the MGs resulted in both highly swelling MGs and highly ductile DX MGs. The average strain-at-break value for the DVB-containing DX MGs was 76% which represents the highest value yet reported for a DX MG prepared using commercially available monomers. It was also shown that good tuneability of the DX MG properties could be obtained simply by controlling the DVB and BDDA contents within the MG particles. Analysis of the swelling and compression data enabled relationships between the volume-swelling ratio of the MGs and either the modulus or strain-at-break values for the DX MGs. These relationships also applied to a DVB-free system prepared with a low BDDA content. An interesting conclusion from this study is that the DX MGs can be thought of mechanically as macroscopic MG particles. The results of this study provide design tools for improving DX MG ductility and hence increasing the range of potential applications for this new class of hydrogel.

Carbon nanotubes have distinctive characteristics, but their needle-like fibre shape has been compared to asbestos, raising concerns that widespread use of carbon nanotubes may lead to mesothelioma, cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos. Here we show that exposing the mesothelial lining of the body cavity of mice, as a surrogate for the mesothelial lining of the chest cavity, to long multiwalled carbon nanotubes results in asbestos-like, length-dependent, pathogenic behaviour. This includes inflammation and the formation of lesions known as granulomas. This is of considerable importance, because research and business communities continue to invest heavily in carbon nanotubes for a wide range of products under the assumption that they are no more hazardous than graphite. Our results suggest the need for further research and great caution before introducing such products into the market if long-term harm is to be avoided.

Sulphur has been recognised as a growth promoter for carbon fibres and carbon nanotubes for over 30 years. Moreover, the Fe-C-S system, in particular, has been extensively studied for more than half a century in the fields of steelmaking and cast iron. In the present work we examine the role of sulphur in the iron-catalysed growth of carbon nanotubes during the process of direct spinning of fibres from the gas phase. A detailed microstructural characterisation of the reaction products was conducted by high resolution TEM and EELS composition mapping on a dedicated FEG STEM (VG HB 501) equipped with Cs aberration correctors. Our results agree with previous works in classical metallurgy, indicating that sulphur forms a layer on the surface of the catalyst particles that plays a role in encouraging nanotube growth by surface diffusion.

We report on the mechanical properties of fibers consisting of pure carbon nanotube fibers directly spun from an aerogel formed during synthesis by chemical vapor deposition. The continuous withdrawal of product from the gas phase imparts a high commercial potential to the process, either for the production of particularly strong fibers or for the economic production of bulk quantities of carbon nanotubes. Tensile tests were performed on fibers produced from the dissociation of three different hydrocarbons, namely, ethanol, ethylene glycol, and hexane, with a range of iron (catalyst) concentrations. The conditions were chosen to lie within the range known to enable satisfactory continuous spinning, the iron concentration being varied within this range. Increasing proportions of single wall nanotubes were found as the iron concentration was decreased, conditions which also produced fibers of best strength and stiffness. The maximum tensile strength obtained was 1.46 GPa (equivalent to 0.70 N/tex assuming a density of 2.1 g/cm(3)). The experiments indicate that significant improvements in the mechanical properties can be accomplished by optimizing the process conditions.

We describe the formation of novel, leaf-like Mg2SiO4 structures, via iodine vapour transport of magnesium onto quartz substrates.