The thermoelectric properties of Gd intercalated compounds GdxTiS2 have been investigated at the temperatures from 5 to 310 K. The results indicate that Gd intercalation into TiS2 leads to substantial decrease of both its electrical resistivity and its lattice thermal conductivity κL (κL is lowered by 20% and 46% at 300 K for x = 0.025 and 0.05, respectively). Specially, as compared to the pristine TiS2 the figure of merit ZT of the intercalated compound GdxTiS2 has been improved at all temperatures investigated, and specifically, the ZT value of Gd0.05TiS2 at 300 K is about three times as large as that of TiS2.

Polymeric fibers have been used since the 1980s for improvement of the concrete. However, high mechanical performance has been obtained at high cost and using complex technologies. At least two parameters are important here: dimensions and surface characteristics of the fibers. We have modified nylon 6,12 fiber surfaces by 5, 10, 50, and 100 kGy gamma irradiation dosages. Tensile strength of the irradiated fibers was determined and then the fibers mixed at 1.5%, 2.0%, and 2.5% in volume with Portland cement, gravel, sand, and water. The compressive strength of the fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) was evaluated and the results were compared with results for similar materials reported before. The highest values of the compressive strength of FRC are seen for fibers at 50 kGy and 2.0% in volume of fiber; the strength is 122.2 MPa, as compared to 35 MPa for simple concrete without fibers. We advance a mechanism by which the fiber structure can be affected by gamma irradiation resulting in the compressive strength improvement of the concrete.

High-density tungsten/metallic glass composites were fabricated by warm extrusion of two different powders. The first powder was a physical blend of −45 μm tungsten and Hf-based metallic glass powders and produced a relatively coarse distribution of tungsten particles within a continuous metallic glass matrix. The second powder was synthesized by mechanical milling the −45 μm tungsten and Hf-based metallic glass powders into composite particles composed of 20–500-nm layers of tungsten and metallic glass. The amorphous structure of the starting glass powders did not change during milling. Some macroscopic plasticity during compression testing was observed due to the formation of multiple shear bands at the interface between the coarse tungsten particles and the metallic glass matrix in the composite produced from blended powders. In contrast, shear localization without a decrease in strength occurred uniformly throughout the nano-grained tungsten and metallic glass phases in the sample obtained from extruded composite powders.

A new type of nanocrystalline samarium-doped-ceria/yttrium-stabilized-zirconia (SDC/YSZ) heterophase thin film electrolytes was synthesized on MgO and Si substrates by spin coating and thermal treatment of SDC-nanoparticle-incorporated polymeric precursors. In the heterophase films, SDC nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in a nanocrystalline YSZ matrix. The heterophase structure was stable when fired in air at temperatures up to 850 °C. The nanocrystalline heterophase thin films exhibited electrical conductivities significantly higher than that of the phase-pure YSZ and SDC nanocrystalline thin films at reduced temperatures. The effects of SDC grain size and volume fraction on the electrical conductivity of the heterophase films were also studied.

Nanoporous silica zeolite thin films are promising candidates for future generation low-dielectric constant (low-k) materials. During the integration with metal interconnects, residual stresses resulting from the packaging processes may cause the low-k thin films to fracture or delaminate from the substrates. To achieve high-quality low-k zeolite thin films, it is important to carefully evaluate their adhesion performance. In this paper, a previously reported laser spallation technique is modified to investigate the interfacial adhesion of zeolite thin film-Si substrate interfaces fabricated using three different methods: spin-on, seeded growth, and in situ growth. The experimental results reported here show that seeded growth generates films with the highest measured adhesion strength (801 ± 68 MPa), followed by the in situ growth (324 ± 17 MPa), then by the spin-on (111 ± 29 MPa). The influence of the deposition method on film–substrate adhesion is discussed. This is the first time that the interfacial strength of zeolite thin films-Si substrates has been quantitatively evaluated. This paper is of great significance for the future applications of low-k zeolite thin film materials.

A study is made of top-surface cracks induced in brittle trilayers by cyclic indentation with a hard sphere in water. The trilayers consist of an external brittle layer (veneer) fused to an inner stiff and hard ceramic support layer (core), in turn adhesively bonded to a thick compliant base (substrate). These structures are meant to simulate essential aspects of dental crowns, but their applicability extends to a range of engineering coating systems. The study follows on from like studies of brittle monoliths and brittle-plate/soft-substrate bilayers. Competing fracture modes in the outer brittle layer remain the same as before: outer and inner cone cracks and radial cracks, all of which form in the near-contact zone and propagate downward toward the veneer/core interface. Inner cone cracks and radial cracks are especially dangerous because of their relatively steep descent through the outer layer as well as enhanced susceptibility to mechanical fatigue. Experiments are conducted on model glass/alumina/polycarbonate systems, using video cameras to record the fracture evolution in the transparent glass layer in situ during testing. Each fracture mode can lead to failure, depending on the maximum contact load and other variables (plate thickness, sphere radius). The potentially beneficial role of a stiff intervening core is discussed, along with potentially deleterious side effects of residual thermal-expansion-mismatch stresses.

The yield strength of iron-carbon nanotube composites fabricated by in situ chemical vapor deposition of 2.2 vol% single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) inside an iron matrix showed substantial enhancement up to 45%, relative to that of similarly treated pure iron samples without carbon nanotubes of the same piece density. The work hardening coefficient and the Vickers hardness coefficient also significantly increased in these composites relative to the reference samples. X-ray diffraction together with energy dispersive x-ray measurements and micro-Raman spectroscopy indicated no concomitant formation of carbides and very little amorphous carbon during the vapor deposition process. Micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed spectral signatures and images, respectively, indicating the formation and dispersion of SWNTs within the cavities of the iron matrix. It is suggested that the increased strength of the nanocomposites was due to the mechanical support provided to these cavities by the extremely strong SWNTs.

Crystalline microtubes (inner diameter 240–2100 nm) consisting of C60 fullerene molecules were prepared in the mixture of C60-saturated pyridine and isopropyl alcohol kept at 0 °C. Characterization by transmission electron microscopy showed a linear relationship between the outer diameter and the inner diameter for the C60 fullerene tubes. Optical observations suggested that the specimens already had tubular structure when they were grown in the solution. Deposition of guest crystals inside the C60 fullerene tubes was performed by the following procedure: (i) ultrasonic pulverization to obtain the C60 fullerene tubes with open ends, (ii) absorption of methyl alcohol solution of KBr into the tubes by the capillary attraction, and (iii) evaporation of methyl alcohol to precipitate KBr inside the tubes. Columnar KBr crystals were then obtained by dissolving the fullerene tube walls in toluene.

The authors would like to take this opportunity to rectify a derivational error in our recently published research article. Equation (12) (p. 2824) in the original manuscript pertains to the calculation of the Young's modulus from nanoindentation data considering a Johnson, Kendall, Roberts (JKR) adhesion model: