Angela Möller

Bilayer graded Al/B4C/rice husk ash composite: Wettability behavior, thermo-mechanical, and electrical properties:

In this study, wettability behavior of B4C substrate as well as B4C/crystalline rice husk ash and B4C/amorphous rice husk ash substrates with two aluminum alloys were studied. The electrical resistivity, thermal expansion coefficients, and thermal diffusivity of bilayer Al/B4C/rice husk ash composite fabricated by one-step pressureless infiltration were measured and the obtained data were systemically analyzed using the Taguchi method and analysis of variance. Boron carbide substrates after addition of amorphous or crystalline rice husk ash display good wettability with molten aluminum alloys. The results show that, electrical resistivity of Al/B4C/rice husk ash composites is mainly influenced by initial preform porosity, while the coefficient of thermal expansion of composites is determined by the chemical composition of infiltrated alloys. The measured values for coefficient of thermal expansion (10.5 × 10−6/℃) and electrical resistivity (0.60 × 10−5 Ω.m) of Al/B4C/rice husk ash composites, fabricated according to analysis of variances optimal conditions are in good agreement with those of the projected values (11.02 × 10−6/℃ and 0.65 × 10−5 Ω.m, respectively). The difference between the corresponding values obtained from verification tests and projected values, for electrical resistivity and coefficient of thermal expansion are less than 5%. Finally, as a material selection approach, the strengths and weaknesses of the composites have been graphed in the form of radar diagrams.

Electronic excitations and lattice dynamics of coordinatively "unsaturated" complex transition metal compounds.

Single crystal polarized Raman and infrared spectra of the series Na(5)[MO(2)][X] with M = Co(I), Ni(I), and Cu(I) and X = S(2-) and CO(3)(2-), are reported. All phonon modes are assigned to the lattice eigenmodes based on the group theory analysis and first principles lattice dynamics calculations. The energies of the fundamental symmetric and asymmetric vibrations of the [MO(2)](3-) complex are discussed on the basis of their electronic structure and variation in M-O interatomic distances. Electronic Raman scattering and luminescence are observed for the magnetic members of the series (Co(I), d(8), and Ni(I), d(9)). Ligand field theory is employed to account for the electronic effects which originate from states split by spin-orbit coupling.

The surface chemistry of iron oxide nanocrystals: surface reduction of γ-Fe2O3 to Fe3O4 by redox-active catechol surface ligands

The effect of surface functionalization on the structural and magnetic properties of catechol-functionalized iron oxide magnetic (γ-Fe2O3) nanocrystals was investigated. γ-Fe2O3 nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized from iron acetyl acetonate in phenyl ether with 1,2-tetradecanediol, oleic acid, and oleylamine. X-ray powder diffraction in combination with Mossbauer spectroscopy revealed the presence of γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite) particles only. Replacement of oleic acid (OA) with catechol-type 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid (DHCA) or polydentate polydopamine acrylate (PDAm) surface ligands leads to a pronounced change of the magnetic behavior of the γ-Fe2O3 nanocrystals and separated them into two distinctive magnetic entities. XPS and Mossbauer spectroscopy revealed the shell to be reduced with a magnetite (Fe3O4) contribution of up to 33% of the total mass while the core remained maghemite (γ-Fe2O3). The magnetic interaction between the maghemite core and the magnetite shell strongly reduced the anisotropy constant of the nanocrystals and the effective magnetization. Our experiments show that the surface chemistry strongly affects the phase distribution and the macroscopic magnetic properties of iron oxide nanopowders.