Alumina Substrates Research Articles

Robust, Self-Healing, and Multi-Use Poly(Urethane-Urea-Imide) Elastomer as a Durable Adhesive for Thermal Interface Materials.

Currently, research on thermal interface materials (TIMs) is primarily focused on enhancing thermal conductivity. However, strong adhesion and multifunctionality are also important characteristics for TIMs when pursing more stable interface heat conduction. Herein, a novel poly(urethane-urea-imide) (PUUI) elastomer containing abundant dynamic hydrogen bonds network and reversible disulfide linkages is successfully synthesized for application as a TIM matrix. The PUUI can self-adapt to the metal substrate surface at moderate temperatures (80°C) and demonstrates a high adhesion strength of up to 7.39 MPa on aluminum substrates attributed its noncovalent interactions and strong intrinsic cohesion. Additionally, the PUUI displays efficient self-healing capability, which can restore 94% of its original mechanical properties after self-healing for 6 h at room temperature. Furthermore, PUUI composited with aluminum nitride and liquid metal hybrid fillers demonstrates a high thermal conductivity of 3.87 W m-1 K-1 while maintaining remarkable self-healing capability and adhesion. When used as an adhesive-type TIM, it achieves a low thermal contact resistance of 22.1 mm2 K W-1 at zero pressure, only 16.7% of that of commercial thermal pads. This study is expected to break the current research paradigm of TIMs and offers new insights for the development of advanced, reliable, and sustainable TIMs.

Polyethylene ionomers as thermally reversible and aging resilient adhesives

Low-density Polyethylene (LDPE) is a widely used thermoplastic polymer in various industries due to its versatility and cost-effectiveness. However, its inherent limitations, including low strength, poor UV resistance, and poor adhesion properties, have spurred efforts to enhance its applicability. We recently developed a LDPE ionomer based on ion pair comonomers (IPC) that can extend the range of application where traditional LDPE are limited. In this work, we report the effect of the reaction conditions on IPC content and melt flow index (MFI) for the PE ionomer obtained by copolymerizing ethylene with the ion pair dimethyl-amino methacrylate and methacrylic acid. The resulting ionomers exhibited improved mechanical properties, including higher elongation and stress at break, making them superior to conventional LDPE. The developed ionomers display enhanced adhesion properties on aluminum substrates with respect to LDPE. Remarkably, the adhesives exhibit thermal reversibility, making them suitable for applications requiring disassembly. Accelerated aging tests demonstrate the ionomers' durability, with some even showing increased adhesion after exposure to harsh conditions. Overall, this study highlights the potential of PE-based ionomers as advanced materials that combine the benefits of thermosets and thermoplastics, while offering outstanding adhesive properties when the IPC content is higher than 1 mol %.

ICEMS Characterization of NixFe3-xO4 (0.7 ≤ x ≤ 1.7) thin films grown by ion beam sputtering on (0001) Al2O3 substrates

We report here on the ICEMS characterization of nickel ferrite (NixFe3−xO4) thin films having different nickel contents grown on alumina substrates by Ion Beam Sputtering. The spectra corresponding to the films with nominal x = 0.7, 1.0 and 1.2 are characteristic of compounds crystallizing in a spinel-related structure showing two different magnetic sextets associated with Fe3+ located in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of such structure. The spectra show an additional broad third sextet with a large isomer shift which suggests the occurrence of electron hopping between Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions sitting in the octahedral sites. With increasing nickel content, the linewidth of the sextets increases and their corresponding hyperfine magnetic fields decrease. This is an indication of an increase in structural disorder in the deposited films as their nickel concentrations increase. The cation distribution of the iron ions over the tetrahedral and octahedral sites appears also to depend on the nickel content. The film with x = 1.2 shows a significant increase in the fraction of octahedral iron ions as compared with the expected nominal value suggesting that, for this composition, some Ni2+ could also occupy tetrahedral sites. The Mössbauer spectrum corresponding to the film with x = 1.7 shows a magnetic pattern with very broad lines similar to those shown by amorphous or disordered materials. The average isomer shift is quite high (around 0.40 mms− 1) and characteristic of Fe3+ in octahedral oxygen coordination. This indicates that for the largest nickel content studied (x = 1.7), the film does not contain Fe3+ in tetrahedral environments suggesting that the spinel structure is no longer present. This correlates well with the X-Ray Diffraction data which indicate a structural change from spinel to a disordered rock-salt structure for this particular film with high nickel content.

Analysis and Study of the Electrical Properties of Nano ZnO.Cu/Al Schottky Diode

Schottky diode (semiconductor/metal) ZnO.Cu/Al was prepared by using the bar-coating method to prepare films of ZnO.Cu on aluminum substrate. Powders of zinc oxide doped with copper were previously prepared with different Cu doping ratios. These powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction showed the have a polycrystalline structure, and also using a field emission scanning electron microscope to confirm the morphology of the prepared powders, which it turned out to be nanostructures with a relatively uniform distribution. The properties of the prepared Schottky diode were studied, and the diode parameters were calculated, including voltage barrier, saturation current, ideality factor, and rectification factor through the relationship between current and voltage at forward and reverse bias as a function to the different Cu doping ratio and the best rectification factor was 4.91at highest Cu doping ratio.

The effect of time and heat exposure on the wettability and glossiness of CAA and FPL coatings for aluminum substrates

The use of anodized coatings as a substrate for adhesive bonding of aluminum is widespread and generally accepted. However, with time and exposure to heat, the coating’s behavior changes and its wettability decrease. We examine the coating’s wettability by measuring the contact angle. Aluminum sheets are coated with two types of anodizing and FPL coatings for this study. The results indicate that the wettability of all coatings remains stable for 16 h post application. However, there is a significant decrease in wettability over extended time periods, with the anodized coating exhibiting more pronounced changes after 30 days compared to the FPL coating. Also, in both types of coatings, as the heating temperature increases, the wettability decreases and the contact angle increases. The changes in the anodized coatings are more pronounced than in FPL coatings. Measuring the glossiness of the coating before and after heating shows that the gloss and the surface roughness of the coating remain unchanged.

Impact of gas bubbles on bacterial adhesion on super-hydrophobic aluminum surfaces

Super-hydrophobic surface (SHS), which traps micro/nano-scale gas bubbles on solid walls, has been reported to greatly reduce bacterial adhesion and biofouling. However, it is unclear whether and how the trapped gas bubbles reduce the bacterial adhesion. Here, we examine the role of the trapped gas on the bacterial adhesion by measuring the spatial distributions of attached bacteria on SHS using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two SHSs, one with regular micro-grooves, and the other with randomly roughed textures at micro/nano-scales, both created on aluminum substrates, were tested. We found that for a SHS where gas bubbles are trapped between roughness elements, bacteria only attach to the surface areas that are not covered by gas (e.g., top of roughness elements), while the areas covered by gas bubbles - gaps between roughness elements - are free of bacteria. In contrast, for a rough surface with the same texture geometry as that of SHS but no hydrophobic chemistry, bacteria are distributed evenly to the top and gap of roughness elements. Our results suggest that the SHS may reduce biofouling by providing a physical barrier of gas-liquid interface which separates bacteria from the solid walls. Furthermore, we showed that nano-scale roughness on SHS is insufficient to prevent bacterial adhesion. Our results should provide useful guidance for the future engineering design of efficient anti-biofouling materials.

Drop-on-demand metal jetting of pure copper: On the interaction of molten metal with ceramic and metallic substrates

Copper, renowned for its exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity at a low cost, holds great promise in electronic applications. While additive manufacturing of copper has attracted interest, the exploration of applying Drop-on-demand Metal Jetting (DoD-MJ) to 3D print pure copper remains uncharted. To fill this research gap, we employed an in-house DoD-MJ platform, MetalJet, to generate Cu microdroplets and deposit them onto ceramic and metallic substrates, a first-time achievement in this research context. Our study demonstrates the successful generation of uniform Cu microdroplets, emphasising the pivotal role of oxygen content control in preventing nozzle-level reactions, a factor that can disrupt droplet formation. Both alumina and aluminium nitride substrates exhibited poor wettability with molten Cu droplets, and no interface formed between these surfaces due to thermodynamically unfavourable reactions. Nevertheless, the irregular surface of alumina displayed an interesting capability to enable the adhesion of Cu droplets to the substrate through an interlocking mechanism. Lastly, the electrical resistivity of MetalJet printed pillars was measured as low as 6.75×10-8Ωm without any post-treatment, offering exciting possibilities for applications in 3D electronics.

Improvement of Bonding Strength and Thermal Shock Reliability for Ag Sinter Joining Direct on Al Substrate

Ag sinter paste joining as a proven die bonding technology have been used in the electric vehicle. However, for the Ag sinter paste joining, metallization layers on substrate are usually necessary such as Ni-P/Au or Ni-P/Ag to get a good bonding quality. The direct bonding on DBC (direct bonded copper) or DBA (Direct Bonded Aluminum) substrates without metallization layers are very attractive. In this study, we investigated the direct bonding on an aluminum (Al) substrate by Ag sinter paste and propose an abrasive blasting processes to treat the Al surface to increase the initial bonding quality. The result show that the shear strength of SiC/Al joint structure by Ag sinter paste can be improved by treating the Al surface. The shear strength of joint structure without surface treatment increased from 26.9 MPa to 32.2 MPa for a strong blasting treatment on Al surface. In addition, the results of thermal shock test (-40 ℃~150℃) also show that the blasting treatment on Al surface can improve the shear strength and reliability of SiC/Al joint structure.

Investigation of sensing performances of thick-film resistors sintered on fluorophlogopite glass-ceramic substrates

Strain gauges made of thick-film resistors (TFRs) offer a promising solution for monitoring the structural health of civil engineering projects, owing to their exceptional durability and stability. To address the issue of strain mismatch between alumina substrates and concrete materials, fluorophlogopite glass-ceramic (FGC), which has a low elastic modulus and good machinability, was utilized as a substrate for thick-film resistors. Compatibility between resistor pastes and substrates should be considered, as the substrate can significantly impact the performance of thick-film resistors. TFRs with varying concentrations of RuO2 were screen printed and fired at different temperatures on both FGC and 96% Al2O3 (as a control) substrates. The sheet resistivity, temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR), and gauge factor (GF) of TFRs were evaluated. The strain sensing performances of TFRs on FGC evaluated under compressive loading. The results indicate that TFRs on FGC substrates exhibit higher hot TCRs, lower sheet resistivities, and lower gauge factors than those on Al2O3 substrates under typical firing conditions of 850°C for 10 minutes. As the concentration of RuO2 increases, the differences in properties between TFRs on the two substrates become less pronounced. Microstructural analyses of the interface between the resistor layer and substrate indicate that changes in properties of TFRs on FGC substrates are primarily attributed to variations in RuO2 concentration and glass phase composition, which result from interactions between the resistor layer and FGC substrate. The interaction between the FGC substrate and the resistor layer can be significantly alleviated by lowering the firing temperature from 850°C to 750°C, resulting in TFRs on FGC substrates with properties comparable to those on alumina substrates. The TFRs on FGC exhibit favorable sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, and hysteresis within the input compression strain range of 0–3043με, thus showcasing significant potential for application in structural health monitoring (SHM) in civil engineering.

Micro-alloyed aluminium alloys as anodes for aluminium-air batteries with a neutral electrolyte

Aluminium (Al)-air batteries possess a low cost, high theoretical capacity, efficiency, and good recyclability. However, aluminium metal, as the anode material, suffers from low anodic efficiency and limited battery storage life. In this study, three extruded micro-alloyed Al alloys (Al-0.1Fe-0.3Si, Al-0.2Fe-0.2Si, and Al-0.2Fe-0.8Si) were investigated as anode materials for Al-air batteries in a neutral electrolyte. These three alloy anodes were also discharged in an alkaline electrolyte for comparison purposes. The results indicate that the micro-alloying elements Fe and Si accelerate corrosion in a neutral electrolyte. The composition of Fe and Si micro-alloying adversely affects the anodic performance of Al-air batteries but benefits the electrochemical activity of the aluminium substrate. In alkaline electrolytes, aluminium alloy anodes suffer severe self-corrosion and exhibit low anodic efficiency. Additionally, Al-0.1Fe-0.3Si and Al-0.2Fe-0.2Si alloys exhibit better battery performance than Al-0.2Fe-0.8Si at the current densities <10 mA·cm−2 in a neutral electrolyte.

A 53–125 GHz chip to double‐ridge rectangular waveguide transition

AbstractA novel chip to double‐ridge rectangular waveguide transition, with an ultra‐broadband operation bandwidth exceeding three standard rectangular waveguide (WR) bands of WR15, WR12, and WR10 is demonstrated for the first time in this letter, to the best of authors' knowledge. This bandwidth is achieved by coupling the microstrip mode directly to the fundamental TE mode of the waveguide. A unique feature of this transition is that the transition design can be implemented on substrates with a high dielectric constant, which makes it suitable for integration with monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). A back‐to‐back transition is realized using a split‐block assembly and 254 thickness alumina substrate ( at 80 GHz). The latter acts as an MMIC substrate substitute, including a tapered microstrip and a 50 coplanar waveguide pad for probe‐based measurement. Two novel mechanical assembly concepts, involving die‐attach‐foil and indium solder, are used to build two split‐block prototypes. The simulated and measured S‐parameters of the transition are demonstrated from 35 to 125 GHz.

PH-Responsive, Thermoset Polymer Coatings for Active Protection against Aluminum Corrosion.

This paper describes the synthesis and use of multifunctional methacrylic monomers, which contain basic (amine) functional groups, including an example in which an acid-labile tert-butylcarbamate-protected glycine is used to form a novel methacrylic monomer. The "protected" amino acid-derived functional monomer (BOC-Gly-MA) is copolymerized with an epoxide functional methacrylic monomer (GMA), to deliver novel multifunctional polymers, which are processed into powder coatings and used to study filiform corrosion at the surface of an aluminum substrate. The BOC-Gly-MA-containing copolymers were shown to improve a coating's anticorrosion performance, presenting the lowest average filiform corrosion (FFC) track length, total FFC number, and total corroded surface area (CSA) of the coatings investigated. Further to this, a mode of action for the role of BOC-Gly functional polymers in corrosion protection is proposed, supported by both solution and polymer-aluminum interface studies, delivering new insights into the mode of action of pH-responsive polymer coatings.

Rapid and accurate identification of bacteria utilizing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Timely and accurate identification of harmful bacterial species in the environment is paramount for preventing the spread of diseases and ensuring food safety. In this study, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technology was utilized, combined with four machine learning methods - KNN, PCA-KNN, RF, and SVM, to conduct classification and identification research on 7 different types of bacteria, adhering to various substrate materials. The experimental results showed that despite the nearly identical elemental composition of these bacteria, differences in the intensity of elemental spectral lines provide crucial information for identification of bacteria. Under conditions of high-purity aluminum substrate, the identification rates of the four modeling methods reached 74.91%, 84.05%, 85.36%, and 96.07%, respectively. In contrast, under graphite substrate conditions, the corresponding identification rates reached 96.87%, 98.11%, 98.93%, and 100%. Graphite is found to be more suitable as a substrate material for bacterial classification, attributed to the fact that more characteristic spectral lines are excited in bacteria under graphite substrate conditions. Additionally, the emission spectral lines of graphite itself are relatively scarce, resulting in less interference with other elemental spectral lines of bacteria. Meanwhile, SVM exhibited the highest precision rate and recall rate, reaching up to 1, making it the most effective classification method in this experiment. This study provides a valuable approach for the rapid and accurate identification of bacterial species based on LIBS, as well as substrate selection, enhancing efficient microbial identification capabilities in fields related to social security and military applications.

Numerical analysis of functionally graded piezoelectric bionic fishtail based on Hermite element-free method

Piezoelectric bionic fishtails have good flexibility, response speed, anti-interference ability, and have great application prospects in ocean exploration. However, the inherent drawbacks of the mechanical properties of traditional homogeneous piezoelectric materials significantly affect the propulsion performance and reliability of the piezoelectric bionic fishtails. To fill this gap, this paper develops a functionally graded piezoelectric bionic fishtail (FGPBF) by imitating the tail characteristics of groupers. The geometric structure and working principle of the FGPBF are introduced in detail. Based on the first-order shear deformation theory and Hermite element-free method, an element-free model for the FGPBF is established. The effects of gradient factor, substrate material, substrate thickness and electrical load on the propulsion performance of the FGPBF are addressed. The results show that the current results are in good agreement with the finite element results. The deformation of the FGPBF is negatively correlated with the thickness and stiffness of the substrate and linearly positively correlated with the electrical load. As the gradient factor increases, the deflection of the FGPBF first increases and then decreases. When the gradient factor is 2, the potential is 200 V, the dimensionless aluminum substrate thickness is 1, the propulsion performance of the FGPBF is improved by 28% compared to the homogeneous piezoelectric bionic fishtail.

Sol–gel derived highly hydrophobic Polystyrene/SiO2 spray coatings on polished stainless steel and textured aluminium substrates

ABSTRACT In this study, sol–gel derived spray coatings of highly hydrophobic nature consisting of polystyrene (PS) and SiO2 nanoparticles were developed on polished stainless steel 321 (SS) and textured 6061 aluminium (Al) alloy substrates. The micro-structures on the Al surface were created through ultraprecision machining, known as single-point diamond turning (SPDT) machining. The polished SS and micro-structured Al were coated with PS/SiO2 using a spray coating technique by maintaining a pressure of 4–5 kPa, and positioning the nozzle 20–30 cm away from the substrates. The textured surface of Al was characterised using coherent correlational interferometry (CCI). The PS modified SiO2 nanoparticles and their coatings were characterised using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The resulting coating exhibited a micro-nano hierarchical roughness due to the presence of SiO2 nanoparticles and their fine size clusters. The polished SS surface showed static water contact angles of 93.3° and 143.5° before and after coating, respectively. Similarly, the polished and coated structured Al surface exhibited water contact angles of 85.6° and 144.3° before and after coatings. Such coatings can exhibit a great potential particularly in the field of self-cleaning technologies.

Low traces of acetone detection with WO3-based chemical sensors

This work presents the ability of WO3-based sensors to detect low traces of acetone, specifically within the range of 0.25–5 ppm, specific to the in-field atmosphere. The WO3 powder was synthesised through the hydrothermal method. Morpho-structural investigations showed a monoclinic structure and a good crystallization of the WO3 powder, containing well-grown and faceted grains along low-index crystallographic planes. The paste obtained by mixing the powder with propanediol was screen-printed as a thick layer onto commercial alumina substrates, obtaining the chemical sensors. A dynamic computer-controlled Gas Mixing System was utilized to ensure controlled airflow with variable relative humidity and acetone concentrations. The sensor response was explained based on physico-chemical equations, taking into consideration pre-adsorbed species of oxygen and water, both of which are relevant constituents of atmospheric conditions. The results highlight the applicative potential of WO3, having a good signal-to-noise ratio in relative humidity conditions up to 90% and a pronounced sensitive selectivity to acetone.

Unprecedented superoleophobicity achieved with fluorinated wrinkle mesoporous silica

Superoleophobic surfaces can be facilely fabricated by utilizing fluoroalkyl-modified wrinkled mesoporous silica (F-WMS). Initially, a hydrophilic wrinkled mesoporous silica (WMS) (average particle size ∼400 nm) with radial pores and narrow silica walls was prepared, and subsequently modified with a fluoroalkylsilane, specifically 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl trimethoxysilane (FAS-17), to impart low surface energy. Preservation of the WMS pore structure was observed even at a 20 mol% FAS-17 feeding ratio; thus, the resulting F-WMS was designated as F20-WMS. An aluminum substrate was coated with an epoxy resin (EP) for adhesion, followed by spray-coating the F20-WMS suspension onto the EP layer. The resulting EP/F20-WMS coating displayed a notably high static water contact angle (CA) of 172.3° and a low roll-off angle (RA) of 1° Notably, the coating exhibited exceptional oil repellency, showcasing a hexadecane CA of 165.1° and an RA of 4.3°, surpassing the performance of most reported superoleophobic coatings. Plotting cos (CAs on EP/F20-WMS) against (CAs on a flat surface coated with FAS-17), utilizing CA data with various liquids (water – dodecane, 72.1 – 25.3 mN/m, respectively), indicated that the liquids were consistently in Cassie states with a contacting fraction of approximately 0.03 between the liquid droplets and the surface. The unprecedented superoleophobicity of EP/F20-WMS was attributed to the extremely low contact fraction and the presence of a re-entrant texture. Moreover, the coatings exhibited exceptional mechanical durability in tape-peeling tests (50 cycles) and achieved the highest adhesion rating (5 B) in cross-cut tests. This superior oleophobicity, coupled with high durability, opens up opportunities for real-life applications necessitating liquid-free surfaces.

Effect of Al–10Sr Addition on Tensile and Wear Properties of 20 wt%SiC/A359 Composites

The Al–10Sr master alloy is used to modify the A359/20 wt% SiC composite, aiming to enhance its tensile properties and wear characteristics concurrently. This modification yields improvements surpassing those observed in pure A359 alloys, a phenomenon attributed to the preferential formation of Al–Si–Sr compounds adjacent to SiC particles. The results elucidate that the integration of SiC, serving as a wear‐resistant phase, substantially augments the wear resistance of the alloy. Abrasion marks incurred from singular friction events are discernibly more superficial on eutectic silicon in contrast to the aluminum substrate. Furthermore, the metamorphosis of eutectic silicon from an elongated to a granular form mitigates stress concentrations. This morphological alteration is pivotal, enhancing wear resistance and diminishing the likelihood of particle detachment.

Electrochemical deposition of hydrothermally pretreated TiO2 on aluminium substrate through the formation of peroxotitanium complex and their application towards visible light assisted photocurrent generation

Herein, we report a novel method for the electrochemical deposition of TiO2 on Al substrate through the formation of peroxotitanium complex without any post heat treatment process. The alkaline treated titanium precursors were used as an electrolyte and TiO2 was deposited onto aluminium substrate by both cathodic reduction and electrophoretic deposition through the formation of peroxotitanium complex. The electrodeposition process was optimized by varying the pH, concentration of the electrolyte, deposition voltage, time and area of the electrode respectively. The optimized condition to obtain a maximum yield is as follows: voltage (4.5 V), time (2.5 h), pH (5) and area of the electrode 3 × 3 cm2. The deposits were then characterized using various material characterization techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy respectively. The morphological analysis showed the deposition of nanocrystalline TiO2 with irregular morphology on Al substrate. The AFM revealed a non-uniform deposition of TiO2 with high surface roughness (average roughness: 44.60 nm). The XRD pattern and Raman spectrum confirmed the presence of anatase phase of TiO2. The obtained TiO2 were then subjected to photoelectrochemical studies by coating over an ITO electrode. The nanocrystalline TiO2 showed excellent photocurrent response which could be due to the short hole retrieval and fast electron transport across the electrode-electrolyte interface. The proposed method can be promising towards the industrial application for the extraction and recovery of TiO2 from the mineral ore residues and spent mining waste.

Optimization of Deposition Parameters of SnO2 Particles on Tubular Alumina Substrate for H2 Gas Sensing

Resistive gas sensors, which are widely used for the detection of various toxic gases and vapors, can be fabricated in planar and tubular configurations by the deposition of a semiconducting sensing layer over an insulating substrate. However, their deposition parameters are not often optimized to obtain the highest sensing results. Here, we have investigated the effect of deposition variables on the H2 gas sensing performance of commercially available SnO2 particles on tubular alumina substrate. Utilizing a tubular alumina substrate equipped with gold electrodes, we varied the number of deposited layers, rotational speed of the substrate, and number of rotations of the substrate on the output of the deposited sensor in terms of response to H2 gas. Additionally, the effect of annealing temperatures (400, 500, 600, and 700 °C for 1 h) was investigated. According to our findings, the optimal conditions for sensor fabrication to achieve the best performance were the application of one layer of the sensing material on the sensor with ten rotations and a rotation speed of 7 rpm. In addition, annealing at a lower temperature (400 °C) resulted in better sensor performance. The optimized sensor displayed a high response of ~12 to 500 ppm at 300 °C. This study demonstrates the importance of optimization of deposition parameters on tubular substrates to achieve the best gas sensing performance, which should be considered when preparing gas sensors.