Ni Sn Alloys Research Articles

Production of multilayer graphene using molten Sn–Ni alloy as catalyst in a bubble column

Production of multilayer graphene using molten Sn–Ni alloy as catalyst in a bubble column

Developing an Efficient Anode for Li-Ion Batteries Based on Vertically-Aligned CNTs Decorated with Sn-Ni Alloy

Developing an Efficient Anode for Li-Ion Batteries Based on Vertically-Aligned CNTs Decorated with Sn-Ni Alloy

Excellent sodium metal deposition enabled by three-dimensional porous structures with natrophilic Ni-Sn alloy

Na metal has long been an ideal potential anode material for sodium secondary batteries due to its own superiority; however, the Na dendrite problem during cycling makes it face a great obstacle in application. Here, we grow sodiophilic thin film materials with tin and nickel-tin components uniformly on three-dimensional nickel foam (3D-Ni) to obtain a 3D sodiophilic composite framework (namely 3D-NiSn) using a reproducible and mass-produced electrodeposition strategy. The combination of sodiophilic film (NiSn) and 3D porous framework could lower nucleation overpotential of Na and accelerate ions diffusion, hence inducing the uniform deposition and reversible stripping of sodium and inhibiting the growth of Na dendrites, which makes the 3D-NiSn/Na composite anode exhibit good performance compared to 3D-Ni/Na and Na-foil. The symmetrical cells with 3D-NiSn/Na can maintain up to 2500 h at 2 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2 with a low overpotential of around 30 mV during the whole cycling process. Additionally, the 3D-NiSn/NaǁNa3V2(PO4)3 full cells deliver good cycle stability with a high specific capacity of around 98.1 mAh g−1 at 3C for over 600 cycles. This work provides an idea for constructing low-cost and commercially available Na metal electrodes toward high-performance SIBs.

Enhanced high-rate lithium storage of nanosphere composites with in-situ formed graphene interface bridging Ni3Sn4-based nanoparticles and carbon matrix

The nanosphere composites with in-situ formed graphene interface bridging intermetallic Ni3Sn4-based nanoparticles and carbon matrix (Ni3Sn4@g-C) are successfully fabricated through a facile organic–inorganic coordination complex-derived method. In this novel composite, numerous Ni3Sn4-based nanoparticles with a size of 10 ∼ 80 nm are homogeneously decorated in a carbon nanosphere with a diameter of 200 ∼ 400 nm, and at the interfaces between Ni3Sn4-based nanoparticles and the carbon matrix, several layers of graphene are in-situ formed during the fabrication process due to the catalytic effect of Ni species. When used as the anode in lithium ion batteries (LIBs), intermetallic Ni3Sn4 alloy can not only effectively alleviate the severe volume variation of Sn due to the incorporation of Ni component, but also further improve the mechanical stability and enhance the electrical conductivity of the resultant product owing to the formation of the graphene interface layers. As a result, the hierarchical Ni3Sn4@g-C composite displays high reversible capacities (547.0 mAh/g after 200 cycles at 200 mA g−1, and 542.8 mAh/g after 500 cycles at 1000 mA g−1), excellent cycling stability and superior rate properties (341.3 mAh/g even at a high rate of 2 A g−1). The unique microstructures and special introduction of Ni element in the hierarchical Ni3Sn4@g-C nanospheres are responsible for the enhanced electrochemical lithium storage properties.

Effects of Direct and Pulse Plating on the Co-Deposition of Sn-Ni/TiO2 Composite Coatings.

Sn-Ni alloy matrix coatings co-deposited with TiO2 nanoparticles (Evonik P25) were produced utilizing direct (DC) and pulse electrodeposition (PC) from a tin-nickel chloride-fluoride electrolyte with a loading of TiO2 nanoparticles equal to 20 g/L. The structural and morphological characteristics of the resultant composite coatings were correlated with the compositional modifications that occurred within the alloy matrix and expressed via a) TiO2 co-deposition rate and b) composition of the matrix; this was due to the application of different current types (DC or PC electrodeposition), and different current density values. The results demonstrated that under DC electrodeposition, the current density exhibited a more significant impact on the composition of the alloy matrix than on the incorporation rate of the TiO2 nanoparticles. Additionally, PC electrodeposition favored the incorporation rate of TiO2 nanoparticles only when applying a low peak current density (Jp = 1 Adm-2). All of the composite coatings exhibited the characteristic cauliflower-like structure, and were characterized as nano-crystalline. The composites' surface roughness demonstrated a significant influence from the TiO2 incorporation rate. However, in terms of microhardness, higher co-deposition rates of embedded TiO2 nanoparticles within the alloy matrix were associated with decreased microhardness values. The best wear performance was achieved for the composite produced utilizing DC electrodeposition at J = 1 Adm-2, which also demonstrated the best photocatalytic behavior under UV irradiation. The corrosion study of the composite coatings revealed that they exhibit passivation, even at elevated anodic potentials.

Continuous production of 1,2-pentanediol from furfuryl alcohol over highly stable bimetallic Ni–Sn alloy catalysts

A bimetallic NiSn/ZnO catalyst converts biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol into 1,2-PDO continuously, yielding 91.0% over 400 hours.

Correction: Continuous production of 1,2-pentanediol from furfuryl alcohol over highly stable bimetallic Ni–Sn alloy catalysts

Correction for ‘Continuous production of 1,2-pentanediol from furfuryl alcohol over highly stable bimetallic Ni–Sn alloy catalysts’ by Ajaysing S. Nimbalkar et al., Green Chem., 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4GC02757D.

Boosting effect of single-atom Sn on catalytic activity of Ni towards synthesis of carbon nanofibers from ethylene

Nickel and its alloys are widely used for the synthesis of carbon nanofibers via catalytic chemical vapor deposition of various hydrocarbons. In the present research, a series of Ni-Sn alloys with tin loading varied in a range from 0.1 to 25.0 at% were prepared and characterized. Alloying of nickel with a small amount of tin was found to accelerate significantly the catalytic process of ethylene decomposition accompanied by carbon deposition. For the NiSn(0.25) sample, the carbon yield reaches 195 g/gcat after 30 min at 550 °C. At the highest Sn loading (25.0 at%), the process is completely suppressed. A new mechanism explaining the observed interaction of ethylene with Ni-Sn alloys was proposed. Single-atom Sn species are responsible for the increased catalytic activity. A single-atom Ni-Sn alloy is considered an efficient catalyst with enhanced stability for the production of carbon nanofibers.

Effects of the wheel rotation speed during the melt-spinning process on the structural morphology and the thermoelectric properties of Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn alloy

Half-Heusler alloys based on (Ti, Hf, Zr)NiSn possess excellent mechanical and chemical properties as well as high thermal stability, making them promising materials for high-performance thermoelectric (TE) power generators. However, the high cost of Hf limits its use in these alloys. Therefore, Hf-free (Ti, Zr)NiSn alloys synthesised using a rapid process offer a cost-effective approach to reducing product costs. In this study, we employed the fast synthesis melt-spinning (MS) method to prepare an Hf-free Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn alloy while systematically optimising MS conditions. We found that by varying the rotation speed of the copper wheel in the MS system from 1000 to 4000 rpm, a marked change in the structural morphology of the melt-spun ribbons occurred. Grain growth during the spark plasma sintering process significantly affected TE properties of the bulk Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn alloy depending on the structural morphology. As a result, a maximum ZT of ~1.1 at 823 K was achieved for a wheel rotation speed of 3000 rpm, which is comparable to ZT values obtained from the (Ti, Hf, Zr)NiSn-based half-Heusler alloys prepared by other methods.

The influence of microalloying and preparation process on phase transformation, mechanical properties, and friction/corrosion behavior of Cu–Ni–Sn alloys: A review

This review provides an overview of Cu–Ni–Sn alloys, which have great advantages as a potential substitute for beryllium bronze. The characteristics of spinodal decomposition in Cu–Ni–Sn alloys are thoroughly discussed by conducting a comprehensive analysis of thermodynamics and the phase diagram. The traditional casting process for Cu–Ni–Sn alloys is subject to several limitations, including segregation during solidification as a primary constraint. Another significant limitation is the occurrence of discontinuous precipitation during aging. Thus, the strategies to overcome these limitations are further elaborated. Commonly used methods include thermal-mechanical processing and composition design. Finally, the application of Cu–Ni–Sn alloys in friction and corrosion is discussed. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of the research progress and significant limitations encountered in Cu–Ni–Sn spinodal alloys. This includes a discussion of traditional casting methods as well as novel preparation techniques. The aim is to serve as a valuable reference for the development of new manufacturing methods and the future advancement of Cu–Ni–Sn spinodal alloys.

Nickel-Tin Nanoalloy Supported ZnO Catalysts from Mixed-Metal Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks for Selective Conversion of Glycerol to 1,2-Propanediol.

The successful synthesis of finely tuned Ni1.5 Sn nanoalloy phases containing ZnO catalyst with a small particle size (6.7 nm) from a mixed-metal zeolitic imidazolate framework (MM-ZIF) is investigated. The catalyst was evaluated for the efficient production of 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) from crude glycerol and comprehensively characterized using several analytical techniques. Among the catalysts, 3Ni1Sn/ZnO (Ni/Sn=3/1) showed the best catalytic performance and produced the highest yield (94.2 %) of 1,2-PDO at ~100 % conversion of glycerol; it also showed low apparent activation energy (15.4 kJ/mol) and excellent stability. The results demonstrated that the synergy between Ni-Sn alloy, finely dispersed Ni metallic sites, and the Lewis acidity of SnOx species-loaded ZnO played a pivotal role in the high activity and selectivity of the catalyst. The confirmation of acetol intermediate and theoretical calculations verify the Ni1.5 Sn phases provide the least energetic pathway for the formation of 1,2-PDO selectively. The reusability of solvent for successive ZIF synthesis, along with the excellent recyclability of the ZIF-derived catalyst, enables an overall sustainable process. We believe that the present synthetic protocol that uses MM-ZIF for the conversion of various biomass-derived platform chemicals into valuable products can be applied to various nanoalloy preparations.

Improved thermoelectric properties of Sb-doped Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn alloy with refined structure induced by rapid synthesis processes

Thanks to the great advantage of preparation methods, the thermoelectric (TE) alloy materials can be fast synthesized with controllable structural morphology for optimizing charge and phonon transport properties, thereby improving the TE efficiency of the material. Herein, a series of Sb-doped Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn1−xSbx based half-Heusler alloy was prepared via a combined fast procedure of arc melting (AC), melt spinning (MS) followed by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The detailed analyses of morphology, phase structure, and composition reveal high-quality samples through processes for enhanced TE properties. High ZT values over one are achieved for all samples with slight Sb doping content variation from x = 0.0025–0.02. The enhanced TE performance of the Sb-doped Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn1−xSbx alloys here results from the synergistic between the approaches such as doping, alloying, nanostructuring, and the presence of nano-precipitates induced by MS. The highest ZT values of ∼1.2 at 847 K with an average ZT of 0.798 and estimated TE conversion efficiency reached 12.8% in the temperature range from 300 K to 847 K were achieved for the 1.25% Sb doped sample. In addition, the thermal cycling test through continuous measurement of five and a half cycles confirmed the high thermal stability of the bulk alloy. High ZT and thermal stability based on Hf-free Ti0.5Zr0.5NiSn1−xSbx alloy and fast synthesis are well matched for commercial requirements.

Revealing the role of Sn in NiSn for enhancing hydrogen evolution performance by density functional theory

Doping Sn into transition metal Ni can gain an enhanced hydrogen evolution performance. Optimizing H binding free energy (ΔGH) is considered as the main function of Sn. However, the detailed action mechanism of Sn in NiSn catalyst is still ambiguous. Herein, the functional role of Sn in NiSn was systematically inspected using density functional theory (DFT) method. The difference site Ni of Ni slab was replaced by Sn to build NiSn with the difference distribution of Sn. The calculations about the barrier of H2O dissociation and ΔGH show that surface Ni in NiSn is the main active site for catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the distribution of Sn in NiSn alloy directly decides the main role of Sn in promoting HER. Only replacing surface Ni with Sn, the main role of Sn is to reduce the adsorption of H and promote the H desorption step of HER. When Sn locates at sub-surface or surface and sub-surface Sn exist simultaneously, ΔGH on NiSn has no reduction and accelerating the H2O dissociation is the main function of Sn.

A novel hybrid electrode composited Ni-Sn alloys with SnOx for supercapacitors

Hybrid electrodes consisting of battery-type and capacitive-type materials show excellent electrochemical performance, which have attracted much attention for high-performance supercapacitors recently. This work proposes a novel strategy to fabricate Ni-Sn alloys enhanced hybrid electrodes by an ingenious one-step thermal treatment process, and the obtained Ni@a-SnOx samples are composed of SnOx, Ni and Ni-Sn alloys (c-Ni3Sn, h-Ni3Sn). Thereinto, the existence of Ni-Sn alloys would enhance the electrochemical performance of samples due to their high electrical conductivity as well as extra Faradaic redox reactions. During electrochemical measurements, the Ni@a-SnOx electrodes exhibit both capacitive-type and battery-type behaviors, and the maximum specific capacitance achieves 29.6 mAh·g−1 (or 177.6 F·g−1) at a current density of 1 A·g−1, which shows outstanding rate capability. Besides, capacitance retention of the optimal Ni@a-SnOx sample increases first and then decreases slightly during 1000 charge-discharge cycles, reaching 2.7 times higher than the original value after 600 cycles, implying superior electrochemical performance. Furthermore, the facile method could be extended to fabricate other kinds of alloy-enhanced metal oxide electrodes for new generation supercapacitors in the future.

Effect of Undercooling on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Hyper-eutectic Ni–Sn Alloy

In this study, container-less solidification of hyper-eutectic Ni–Sn alloy has been performed by using the electromagnetic levitation technique. The effect of undercooling on the formed microstructure and on the mechanical properties have been investigated. Growth velocities were determined by high-speed video-imaging of the solidification process. A step change in the growth velocities that are increasing with increasing undercooling is observed. This aligns with an observed first change in the microstructure between low and intermediate undercoolings. At the lower undercoolings, a pro-eutectic Ni3Sn phase along with lamellar eutectic structure in the inter-dendritic region is found. At intermediate undercooling of 100–150 K, a divorced eutectic microstructure is observed whereas at undercoolings above 165 K α-Ni precipitates are observed within β-Ni3Sn dendrites. Microhardness testing revealed higher strength for the lamellar phase as compared to the non-lamellar phase. Nano-indentation has been performed to determine the hardness and strength of individual phases in the microstructure.

Synergy between Ni3Sn2 alloy and Lewis acidic ReOx enables selectivity control of furfural hydrogenation to cyclopentanone

Selectivity controlling is a crucial and challenging issue for the hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) to cyclopentanone (CPO). Herein, Ni3Sn2-ReOx/TiO2 is synthesized via successive impregnation and exhibits full conversion and 92.5 % CPO selectivity under 3.0 MPa H2 at 140 °C, which are much higher than those of Ni/TiO2 and Ni3Sn2/TiO2. Characterizations show that Ni3Sn2 is the main active phase that remarkably restrains the over-hydrogenation of the furan ring, while ReOx plays an electrophile or Lewis acid site to activate C-OH of furfuryl alcohol and induces its rearrangement. DFT calculations verify that Sn doping weakens the furan ring adsorption on Ni3Sn2 and shifts its adsorption configuration, which consequently inhibits side reactions and favors the metal-acid (Ni3Sn2-ReOx) synergy. The catalyst is stable, recyclable and also active at even 0.5 MPa H2 and 80 °C. This study provides an advanced strategy for the rational design of superior catalysts for tuning product selectivity, with practical potential for upgrading biomass-derived platform molecules.

Hydrogen evolution at Ni foam electrodes and Ni-Sn coated Ni foam electrodes

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was investigated in 1.0 M KOH at 25 °C at Ni foams with different pore sizes (450–1200 µm), and at the Ni-Sn/Ni foam electrodes, where Ni-Sn alloys were electrodeposited from the pyrophosphate-glycine bath using controlled potential coulometry (CPC) technique. The cross-section analysis revealed that rough Ni-Sn alloy covers complete available inner and outer foam surface, while investigated coating composition varied from 62 to 80 at% Ni (20–38 at% Sn). Comparing the HER polarization curves, the overpotential at j = −200 mA cm−2 was 427 mV lower for Ni-Sn samples than for bare Ni foams, while Tafel slopes changed from − 120 mV dec−1 at bare Ni foams to − 50 mV dec−1 for Ni-Sn/Ni foam samples. The lowest overpotential at − 100 mA cm−2 achieved is as low as − 77 mV. These cathodes could be promising 3D materials for industrial water electrolysis in zero-gap membrane flow cells.

Coordination environment tuning of Ni-Sn catalysts by glu-carbon to optimize cellulose hydrogenolysis to oxygenated chemicals

Bimetallic alloys are currently being developed as promising catalysts for the utilization of biomass. However, further study is required to understand their multifunctionality and to conduct computational screening. In this work, we synthesized Ni-Sn alloy-rich catalysts using glucose molecules to assist in cellulose hydrogenolysis. Our experimental findings demonstrated successful synthesis of Ni-Sn alloys (Ni3Sn2 and Ni3Sn4) with strong interactions and Lewis acid generation. Upon closer inspection, we discovered that glucose not only released reducing gas but also facilitates the formation of glu-carbon during calcination, which enhanced metal dispersion and modified the surface amphipathy. The multifunctional Ni-Sn catalyst directly converted to polyols and ketols in one-pot reaction, yielding a remarkable 54.6% of C2,3 polyols and 12.3% of C3,4 ketols. Density functional theory (DFT) provided the insight into the role of Ni3Sn2 and Ni3Sn4 alloys in producing C2-4 oxygenated chemicals. Specially, the Ni3Sn4 (20-1) facet enhanced the adsorption of key C2 intermediate through Ni-O bond formation via electrons transformation, while Ni3Sn2 (1-10) contributed to the catalytic activity for C3 intermediate. Furthermore, these alloy-rich catalysts exhibited superior thermal stability, effectively by preventing metal etching. This work presented a novel fabrication strategy for alloy-rich catalysts and provided an understanding of intrinsic mechanism underlying the catalytic roles of NixSny alloys in the hydrothermal conversion.

Oxygen vacancy region formation in BaTiO3 adjacent to the interface between the internal electrode and the dielectric layer in Ni–Sn internal electrode multilayer ceramic capacitor exhibiting leakage current suppression

This study underlines the ceramic BaTiO3 dielectric layer adjacent to the electrode of long-term reliability-improved Ni–Sn alloy internal electrode BaTiO3-based multilayer ceramic capacitor to clarify the cause of electric barrier formation. Electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements of the Ti L 3,2 near the edges and the O K near the edge structure changes to characterize the existence of an oxygen vacancy region, approximately 60 nm in width, and generated in BaTiO3 adjacent to the interface. Accordingly, the n-type semiconductor layer of BaTiO3 that originated from the oxygen vacancies, led to the formation of a rigid Schottky barrier at the interface.

The semiconductor properties and tin segregation mechanism in the passive film formed on the electrodeposited Ni-Sn coatings

The nanocrystalline Ni-Sn coatings (average grain size 15.78 nm) formed of relatively ordered circular particles covering the entire surface characterized with nodule-like endings were successfully electrodeposited using pulse electrodeposition technique. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyse the film microstructure. The corrosion resistance and semiconducting properties of Ni-Sn coatings were investigated in borate buffer solution. The EIS measurements showed that Ni-Sn alloys developed, in the passive zone, a good corrosion resistance as demonstrated by a thin film thickness, the low capacitance value, high polarization resistance, and the high value of electric field strength. Mott-Schottky analysis showed that the passive film formed on Ni-Sn coatings presents an p-n heterojunction characteristic indicating that the charge carrier densities are composed of cation (NA) and anion (ND) vacancies. The high density of point defects (NA + ND ∼ 1021cm−3) induces a high electronic conductivity in the Ni-Sn coatings passive film. The XPS analysis showed that the passive film formed on Ni-Sn alloys is composed of NiO, Ni(OH)2, NiOOH, SnO, and SnO2 species and an enrichment of Sn in the passive film. The mechanisms of passive film growth and Sn segregation in the Ni-Sn passive film are suggested in conjunction with the Point Defect Model (PDM). The good corrosion resistance and high electronic conductivity achieved in this work suggest that Ni-Sn Coating is a good candidate for water electrolysis applications.