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The microstructure of the ceramic topcoat has a great influence on the service performance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). In this study, conventional layered-structure TBCs, nanostructured TBCs, and novel-structured TBCs with a unique microstructure were fabricated by air plasma spraying. The relationship between the microstructure and properties of the three different TBCs was analysed. Their thermal insulation ability, sintering resistance, and durability were systematically evaluated. Additionally, their failure modes after being subjected to two kinds of thermal shock tests were analysed. The results revealed that the novel-structured TBCs had remarkably superior performances in all the examined aspects. The thermal conductivity of the novel-structured TBCs was significantly lower than those of the conventional and nanostructured TBCs both in the as-sprayed state and after thermal treatment for 500 h at 1100 °C. The macroscopic elastic modulus of the novel-structured TBCs after sintering at 1300 °C for 100 h was similar to those of the conventional and nanostructured TBCs in the as-sprayed state. During both a burner rig thermal shock test and a furnace cyclic oxidation test, the thermal shock lifetime of the novel-structured TBCs was much longer than those of the conventional and nanostructured TBCs. This study has demonstrated novel-structured plasma-sprayed TBCs with high thermal insulation ability and high durability.

A new perspective of localized shear strain accumulation was proposed to elucidate the formation mechanism of fine granular area (FGA) generated in a high strength steel under very-high-cycle fatigue (VHCF). On the one hand, experiments of VHCF under the negative stress ratio of -1 was carried out, and the microstructure of FGA was found and characterized by using Scanning Electron Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction. The results show that the FGA consists of high-density dislocations, sub-grains, and fine grains with high angle grain boundaries. On the other hand, the evolution of shear strain and fatigue damage at the vicinity of an inclusion was modelled by using crystal plasticity finite element method at both positive and negative stress ratios. The results show that although the overall strain in VHCF is negligible, significant shear strain is accumulated at the vicinity of the inclusion. Such a large local strain is the driving force for the formation of FGA. The results also suggest that with the accumulation of shear strain and damage, the positive stress ratio is gradually evolved into negative. This may explain why FGA has also been reported at positive stress ratios in some literatures.

The properties of coating materials can be improved via microstructural design. This study proposed a structure control strategy for plasma sprayed YSZ coatings. A non-conventional powder feeding method was used to controllably embed second-phase particles into a conventional coating matrix during plasma splaying, that is, two types of powder were fed at two specific locations into the plasma jet whereby producing a controlled composite thermal barrier coating (TBC) comprising a conventional coating matrix containing porous micro-agglomerated particles. Properties improvements can be attributed to this new structure. The thermal insulation ability, anti-sintering properties and thermal shock resistance of the novel TBC were superior to conventional TBCs. This structure control strategy provided a new approach to the design and development of advanced coatings and shows great promise for application in next generation thermal barrier coatings.

A new organic host material, PCT comprising pyridine, carbazole and triazole moieties, was doped with a blue emitter bis[2-(4,6"difluorophenyl)pyridinato-C2,N](pico]inato)iridium(III) (FIrpic) to be an emitting layer (EML) of a phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes device (PhOLED). With various FIrpic concentration (12%, 15% and 18% by volume ratio) in the EML, a series of high efficiency blue PhOLED was demonstrated showing the external quantum efficiency over 20%.

In order to improve the performances of dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM), a higher-order resonant cantilever which is driven at its second order or even higher-order resonant frequency instead of its first order resonant frequency is proposed. Due to the increase in the frequency and quality factor of the higher-order resonant cantilever, the response time, air damping coefficient are reduced and the detecting sensitivity of the cantilever is improved. Meanwhile, because the angular deflection of the cantilever under higher-order resonant vibration is larger than that under the first order resonant vibration, the optical magnification level of the higher-order resonant cantilever is several times larger than that of the first order when the optical lever method is adopted to detect the variation of the cantilever. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the scanning method done by a higher-order cantilever is effective and feasible, and the scanning characteristics of dynamic AFM with the higher-order resonant cantilever are promoted obviously compared with that of the AFM operated in the first-order.