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A ceramic-metal composite was produced by using the sol–gel method and the electrospinning technique as a potential enhancement substrate for infrared spectroscopy. The precursor solution of tetraethyl orthosilicate, aluminum nitrate, and zirconium butoxide was mixed with polyvinylpyrrolidone and then electrospun into nonwoven fibrous membranes. The membranes were sintered, decorated with silver nanoparticles, and characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The ceramic membranes were composed of cylindrical fibers with an average diameter of ∼190 nm with a smooth surface and spherical particles with an average diameter of ∼9 nm embedded evenly on top. The enhancement capacity of the substrates was tested using pyridine at different concentrations with infrared spectroscopy. An enhancement factor of approximately 1 × 106 times for the signal of pyridine 1 nM was achievable, showing the material is a promising alternative to a low-cost nanostructured surface enhancement substrate for infrared spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work shows the optimization of the preparation of nanosized titanium carbide in situ through mechanical alloying. Metallic titanium powders, along with two carbon sources, carbon nanotubes, and stearic acid, were used to reduce the particle size (around 11 nm) using an SPEX 800 high-energy mill. The combined use of 2 wt % of these carbon sources and n-heptane as a liquid process control agent proved crucial in generating nanoscale powder composites through a simple and scalable synthesis process within a 4 h timeframe. The uses of 20 wt % of both carbon sources were compared to determine the ability of carbon nanotubes to form carbides and the decomposition of process control agent during mechanical milling. The structure of the composites and starting materials were evaluated through X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, while the morphology features (average particle size and shape) were monitored via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]