Plating Deposition Research Articles

Synthesis of Ni-P / Graphite Composite Coatings by Two Step Method of Aqueous Electrophoretic Deposition and Electroless Plating

Synthesis of Ni-P / Graphite Composite Coatings by Two Step Method of Aqueous Electrophoretic Deposition and Electroless Plating

Effect of PVD deposition method on indentation and friction wear characteristics with hydrogen embrittlement of CrN coated stainless steel for electric vehicle hydrogen valves

In this investigation, a chromium nitride layer was deposited on general austenite stainless steel (UNS S31603) by means of the physical vapor deposition coating method to improve the hardness, wear resistance, and hydrogen embrittlement resistance. Accordingly, the purpose of this investigation is to study the effect of different physical deposition methods on mechanical characteristics due to hydrogen embrittlement. Both the indentation and friction characteristics of the chromium nitride layer with in response to hydrogen embrittlement were examined. The ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) and arc ion plating (AIP) methods were used to densely deposit the coating layer with a thickness of approximately 2.0∼2.5 μm, and the hardness increased by around 1180.9 HV and 1638.6 HV, respectively, when compared with the base material (292.6 HV). In terms of the coating layer deposited using the IBAD method, all the base material was exposed after hydrogen embrittlement for 3 h, whereas in the case of the coating deposited using the AIP method, the base material began to be exposed locally following hydrogen embrittlement for 12 h. For the IBAD- and AIP-deposited coatings, the average friction coefficient was calculated as 0.52 and 0.34, respectively. In the case of the coating layer deposited using the IBAD method, the average friction coefficient increased by 0.29 after hydrogen embrittlement for 3 h, whereas the average friction coefficient of the coating layer deposited using the AIP method increased by 0.04 after hydrogen embrittlement for 48 h. Therefore, it can be seen that the AIP method is significantly better than IBAD in terms of mechanical characteristics with hydrogen embrittlement.

Geochemistry of the North Gondwana Paleozoic Araba and Naqus formation siliciclastics, Sinai: implications for provenance, paleoweathering, and tectonic setting

ABSTRACT The Araba and Naqus formations in Ras Milan, Sinai, constitute part of the major continuous Paleozoic clastic belt stretching across northern Gondwana. They are sandstone-dominated successions, resting on Precambrian granitic basement, with lowermost thin basal polymictic conglomerate deposits (1–2 m), marking the unconformity. The Araba Formation section is composed mainly of varicoloured violet to reddish brown, fine to coarse-grained laminated and planner and overturned cross-bedded sandstones, while the overlying Naqus Formation is characterized by chaotically distributed poorly sorted quartz pebbles to cobbles within a moderately-sorted coarse- to medium-grained quartz arenite and by abundance and variety of large-scale tabular and trough cross bedding. Modal QFL classification of Araba and Naqus formation sandstones revealed that they are merely quartzose sandstones (quartz arenites). Geochemistry of the succession shows extremely wide compositional ranges for almost all major elements, but the Araba Formation is relatively enriched in SiO2, TiO2, Fe2O3*, Na2O, P2O5, and depleted in Al2O3, MgO, CaO and K2O relative to Naqus Formation. Only the Araba Formation samples are depleted in the transition elements Ni, Cr and Co and oppositely possess extreme enrichment in the HFSEs (i.e. Zr, Hf, Y, Nb, Ta, Th, U), whereas both formations show variable depletion in the LILE Rb, K and Ba, and excessive REE abundances relative to the PAAS and UCC, and LREE-enriched patterns with marked negative Eu anomalies. The provenance of the Naqus and Araba formations could be an earlier felsic magmatic source, which has undergone extensive sedimentary recycling. They possess high compositional maturity and were subjected to intensive to moderate weathering during humid climatic conditions. Passive margin tectonic setting is implied which denotes the derivation of Araba and Naqus formation siliciclastics from stable continental regions or plate interiors and deposition in intracratonic basins.

Computational Modeling of Directed Energy Deposition of Titanium Aluminide Plate Geometries

In this work, transient thermomechanical analysis of the laser-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED) process was carried out to predict melt pool dimensions, thermal cycles and residual stress during Titanium Aluminide (TiAl) plate deposition. The predicted melt pool length, width, and depth increased as the laser power was increased from 250 W to 350 W at a constant travel speed of 15 mm/s. The melt pool length increased from 0.425 mm to 0.55 mm, while the depth increased from 0.1 to 0.29 mm, and the width increased from 0.412 to 0.5 mm. The plate's edges (tracks 1 and 6) were found to experience a slightly higher temperature than the middle tracks, which may contribute to higher thermal gradients at the edges. The highest Principal stress of 140 MPa was found in track 1. The magnitude of Principal stresses diminished as track deposition progressed from track 2 to 6 due to the variation of the thermal gradient along the tracks.

(Invited) Electrocatalytic Reduction of Carbon Dioxide over Aluminum-Added Coppor Oxide Gas Diffusion Electrode

Electrochemical cells are the key technologies for construction of carbon neutral society to produce hydrogen from water and produce useful chemicals from carbon dioxide utilizing renewable energy. Copper species are the unique catalysts for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) with capable of producing C2+ products such as ethanol and ethylene. Selective production of target chemical is one of the most important requirements for the catalysts, and addition of different elements and surface modifications have been reported to be beneficial for the selective production.In the present study, copper oxides-based catalysts prepared with electroless plating techniques were examined for electrochemical CO2RR. To conduct CO2RR at relatively high current densities, the catalysts were examined in the form of gas diffusion electrode (GDE). The Cu2O based GDE was prepared by the combination of physical vapor deposition and electroless plating on hydrophobized carbon paper coated with mesoporous carbon layer. After the electroless plating treatment, the metal precursors were successfully converted to core-shell structured electrocatalyst with Cu2O shell and Cu core. By introducing different elements such as aluminum to the precursor, metallic Cu, the different element added catalysts were successfully prepared in the shape of GDE. Addition of different element significantly improved durability of the core-shell structured catalysts and, as a result, faradaic efficiency of ethylene of 24 hours after starting electrolysis was increase from 32% to 47% under applying cathodic current of 260 mAcm-2. Further surface modifications with Nafion enhanced the durability and the faradaic efficiency of ethylene maintained >50% for over 48 hours and reached about 60% in maximum.In the presentation, we will discuss about the detailed structure of the electrocatalysts, results of full-cell test, and longer durability test over 100 hours.

Treatment of paraffin deposition behavior in gas-condensate wells with chemical inhibitors

As deep gas-condensate reservoirs are explored, the problem of paraffin deposition is becoming more prominent. Therefore, this paper collects condensate samples from representative paraffin deposition gas-condensate wells and analyzes basic physical properties. The cold plate deposition device is employed to study paraffin deposition behavior under well conditions and to divide the critical regions for paraffin deposition in gas-condensate wells. The experimental apparatus, such as the crude oil dynamic paraffin deposition rate tester, is utilized to investigate the preventive effect of paraffin dispersants and paraffin crystal modifier. The results show that there is significant phase change behavior in gas-condensate wells and gas phase is dominant form, but there is also phase evolution. It can be identified from the experiments that paraffin deposition is mainly located in the 1000 ~ 1500 m region, and a paraffin deposition identification chart has been established. The maximum deposition rate could reach 15.50 mm/year, which matched the temperature and pressure conditions of 45 ℃ and 70 MPa. The preventive effect of paraffin crystal modifiers greatly exceeds that of paraffin dispersants, with paraffin prevention rates of 85–95% at the optimal concentrations of 0.25–0.50 wt.%. The dissolving paraffin rate can reach 0.0169 g/min. It decreases the paraffin appearance temperature approximately 40% and significantly changes the paraffin crystal morphology. Increased deposition surface area of the cold plate structural design describes the paraffin deposition. This diagram facilitates the reliable identification of paraffin deposition areas and the deposition rates in the wellbore during production. The optimum amounts of BZ and PI paraffin inhibitors are quantified. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the paraffin deposition behavior, and scientific basis and guidance for the selection of paraffin inhibitors in gas-condensate wells.

Regional evaluation method of ground stress in shale oil reservoirs-taking the Triassic Yanchang formation in northern Shaanxi area as an example

Estimating in-situ stress in shale oil reservoirs is critical for predicting hydraulic fracture height. However, the varied longitudinal lithology and transverse isotropy challenge the regional evaluation of ground stress. A new method based on the Kaiser effect method and the Sn Model was proposed to evaluate regional ground stress from point to point. Kaiser tests obtained the regional tectonic stress coefficients. Combined with the dynamic and static transformation of elastic parameters, the Sn ground stress calculation model suitable for the Northern Shaanxi Area was constructed. According to the calculation results of ground stress in the Chang 7 section of 600 wells in this region, the plane distribution maps of maximum horizontal ground stress (SH) and the difference between SH and Minimum horizontal stress (Sh) were drawn. It was found that the SH in this area was between 20 and 60 MPa, and the So was between 2.6 and 8.8 MPa. Compared with the 3D finite element method simulation results, the forward modeling results coincided well with the inversion results in this research. The causes of the plane distribution of ground stress in the Chang 7 section were explained by regional tectonic stress and paleo topography. It was found that the movement of plate and shell and deposition were critical factors of regional ground stress distribution. The research results provide a reference for further integration of geologic and engineering in evaluating shale oil reservoirs.

A Comprehensive Review on Combinatorial Film via High-Throughput Techniques.

Numerous technological advancements in the 21st century depend on the creation of novel materials possessing enhanced properties; there is a growing reliance on materials that can be optimized to serve multiple functions. To efficiently save time and meet the requirements of diverse applications, high-throughput and combinatorial approaches are increasingly employed to explore and design superior materials. Among them, gradient thin-film deposition is one of the most mature and widely used technologies for high-throughput preparation of material libraries. This review summarizes recent progress in gradient thin-film deposition fabricated by magnetron sputtering, multi-arc ion plating, e-beam evaporation, additive manufacturing, and chemical bath deposition, providing readers with a fundamental understanding of this research field. First, high-throughput synthesis methods for gradient thin films are emphasized. Subsequently, we present the characteristics of combinatorial films, including microstructure, oxidation, corrosion tests, and mechanical properties. Next, the screening methods employed for evaluating these properties are discussed. Furthermore, we delve into the limitations of high-throughput preparation and characterization techniques for combinatorial films. Finally, we provide a summary and offer our perspectives.

Influence of impact medium particle size on mechanical deposition layer formation process based on discrete element method

Based on the discrete element method, this study has simulated the movement of materials in the plated barrel using EDEM software to investigate the effect of the impact medium with different particle sizes on the mechanical deposition plating. The simulation analyzed the interaction between five impact mediums with different particle sizes (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mm) and the base body while determining the particle size ratio of the impact medium. The rationality of the particle size ratio was verified by the simulation analysis of the interreaction of two groups of mixed particle size impact medium and the base body. The samples of mechanically deposited zinc coating were prepared. The average thickness, relative density, and average deviation of the coating were measured. The results show that When the particle size is 2 and 3 mm, the effective collision frequency of the materials is higher. When it is 3, 4, and 5 mm, the kinetic energy of collision between materials fluctuates evenly. When it is 4 and 5 mm, the collision contact force of the materials changes regularly. Consequently, the obtained particle size ratio (second group) is 2 mm 23%; 3 mm 23%; 4 mm 23%; 5 mm 27%; and 6 mm 4%. Compared with mixed impact media with 20% of each of the five particle sizes (first group), in the second group of assorted particle size simulation test, the collision frequency between materials is high. The contact force changes more regularly between materials. The average thickness, relative density, and average deviation of the mechanically deposited galvanized layer are consistent with the simulation results of the two groups of mixed particle sizes. The average thickness and relative density of the galvanized layer in the second group are higher, the average deviation is smaller, and the compactness and uniformity are the best.

Optimize Process Parameter of FDM Techniques to Improve Mechanical Properties of Aerospace Application

The Fused Deposition modelling technique is widely accepted by industries as it is the one of the most convenient modern technology. The fused deposition modelling (FDM) is one of the additive manufacturing techniques which are largely used for printing of metal/thermoplastic materials with ease of design flexibilities the proposed research had been carried out for the investigation and optimization of process parameters for product or application development through FDM. The FDM- (Fused deposition Modelling) is widely used for product development and do contain various control variables. Here the process relates to nozzle temperature, base plate temperature, filament feed, filament material and deposition speed. The research presented here had been conducted considering nozzle temperature, layer thickness, and internal profile as variables for specimen manufacturing. In Aerospace application, optimization process is highly required for the Properties of material, weight and other effects. Hence the tensile specimen had been prepared to represent an aerospace application of ducts for airflow. The full factorial design of experiments had been considered for experimental investigation. The design of experiment had been conducted with three factors; three no. of parameters at three different levels Hence, A total no. of 27 representation samples had been prepared for tensile test and surface roughness for the Optimum result. The results had given considerable parametric effect as an outcome. The optimized results had been manufactured on an Ultimaker3D printer machine and tested which confirmed the results. The outcomes will assure optimal manufacturing process parameters of FDM for improved mechanical properties.

Investigation of electroless copper plating with high plating coverage in small BVH for next generation fine pattern SAP

Printed wiring board (PWB) used for package substrates are required to have higher circuit densities. We anticipate that PWB circuit patterns and blind via hole (BVH) will continue to be miniaturized due to higher density requirements. The electroless copper plating solution generally used has less chemical material supply to the inside of the BVH than the surface of the substrate. As a result, the copper thickness at the bottom of the BVH tends to be thinner than that on the surface of the substrate. It is difficult to uniformly deposit the electroless copper plating in the BVH on the package substrate by the semi-additive process (SAP), especially when the BVH are becoming smaller. Therefore, we investigated additives that suppress the electroless copper plating deposition on the surface of the substrate and additives that improve the permeability of the plating solution into the BVH. Two additives have been discovered that dramatically improve the plating uniformity in the small BVH compared to the conventional bath. In addition, we used this plating solution with the new additives to evaluate the internal stress and peel strength of the electroless copper plating film. As a result, it was confirmed that both internal stress and peel strength were improved compared to the conventional bath.

A compound Kinoform/Fresnel zone plate lens with 15 nm resolution and high efficiency in soft x-ray

X-ray microscope as an important nanoprobing tool plays a prevailing role in nano-inspections of materials. Despite the fast advances of high resolution focusing/imaging reported, the efficiency of existing high-resolution zone plates is mostly around 5% in soft x-ray and rapidly goes down to 1%–2% when the resolution approaches 10 nm. It is well known that the rectangular zone shape, beamstop, limited height/width ratios, material absorption of light and structural defects are likely responsible for the limited efficiency. Although zone plates with Kinoform profile are supposed to be efficient, progress for achieving both high resolution (<30 nm) and high efficiency (>5%) have hardly been addressed in soft x-ray. In this work, we propose a compound Kinoform/Fresnel zone plate (CKZP) by combing a dielectric Kinoform zone plate with a 15 nm resolution zone plate. Greyscale electron beam lithography was applied to form the 3D Kinoform zone plate and atomic layer deposition was carried out to form the binary zone plate. Optical characterizations demonstrated 15 nm resolution focusing/imaging with over 7.8% efficiency in soft x-ray. The origin of the efficiency improvement behind the proposed compound lens is theoretically analyzed and discussed.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of FeCoCrNiAl0.1N high entropy alloy nitride coatings synthesized by cathodic arc ion plating using alloy target

To promote the industrial application of high entropy alloy nitride (HEAN) coatings, the cathodic arc ion plating deposition process was explored to deposit FeCoCrNiAl0.1 N using casting HEA alloy targets. We investigated the impacts of nitrogen pressure and bias voltage on the microstructure, mechanical characteristics, and friction behaviors. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze the microstructures. It was found that compositions for all coatings were uniformly and the coatings mainly consisted of FCC-HEA, CrN, AlN, and FeN phases. The nano hardness and plastic deformation resistance, characterized by nano-indentation, both increased with the nitrogen pressure and certain bias voltage (<150 V). Coating deposited with 2.0 Pa and 150 V presented the maximum hardness of 32.9 GPa and the highest H3/E2 value of 0.1 GPa. The hardening mechanism was focused. Coatings deposited with low nitrogen pressure presented better crack resistance under scratch load. The friction behaviors were presented based on the combined studies of friction curves, wear track profiles, and morphologies. FeCoCrNiAl0.1 N coatings revealed excellent wear resistance with relatively lower COF (ranging from 0.43 to 0.51).

Mechanical performances of the interface between the substrate and deposited material in aluminium wire Direct Energy Deposition

Wire and Arc Additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a Direct Energy Deposition process suitable for the manufacture of large aluminium components. Additive Manufacturing can enable the production of functionally graded structure which could be done by integrating the substrate required to start the deposition into the final component. This paper aims to assess the possibility of including a substrate in a component by investigating the mechanical performances of the interface between a wrought plate and WAAM deposit. Four substrates alloys and 2319 WAAM alloy were investigated. Inter-layer rolling and heat treatment, process steps known for improving the properties of WAAM deposit, were implemented. Each interface was examined using microhardness profiles, tensile tests, post rupture fractography and microstructural analysis. The WAAM deposit hardness was lower than that of the substrate in the as-deposited condition. Although the interface had no impact when using the same alloy for both substrate and wire, the weakest point of the combination was at the interface in dissimilar alloy combination. Heat treatment reduced the properties difference between the substrate and WAAM deposit. Inter-pass rolling strengthen the WAAM deposit without impacting the substrate and eliminated the micro crack that occasionally formed in the fusion zone in the as-deposited condition.

Surface functionalized 3D printed metal structures as next generation recyclable SERS substrates.

Combining the design flexibility and rapid prototyping capabilities of additive manufacturing with photocatalytic and plasmonic functionalities is promising for the development of next-generation SERS applications such as point of care diagnostics and in situ monitoring of chemical reactions in fuels and chemical processing. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) is a well-matured additive manufacturing technique which generates metallic structures through localised melting and joining of metal powders using a laser. LPBF reduces material wastage during manufacturing, is applicable to a wide range of metals and alloys, and allows printing of complex internal structures. This feature article elaborates the use of soot templating, chemical vapour deposition and electroless plating techniques for grafting plasmonic and semiconductor nanoparticles on the surface of LPBF manufactured metallic substrates. The capability to fabricate different types of intricate metallic lattices using additive manufacturing is demonstrated and technical challenges in their adequate functionalization are elaborated. The developed methodology allows tailoring of the substrate structure, composition, morphology, plasmonic and photocatalytic activities and thus unveils a new class of recyclable SERS substrates.

Efficient PEC H2O2 production using Au modified BiPO4 photocathode irradiated using different light sources

Au-modified BiPO4 nanorod film for photoelectrochemical (PEC) H2O2 production was prepared by anodization of Bi plate and photoelectric deposition method. Au nanoparticles with size of around 20 nm are randomly dispersed on the surface of BiPO4 nanorods with diameters of 80–160 nm. Under visible light, Au/BiPO4 film shows effective H2O2 production from only H2O and O2 due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Au, while BiPO4 exhibits no visible-light activity. Up to 219 μM of H2O2 can be produced in 1 h on the optimal 3-Au/BiPO4 film (with 2.4 wt% Au loading) under visible light without needing bias. On the other hand, under UV light, the 3-Au/BiPO4 film exhibits the highest PEC H2O2 production activity of 510 μM within 1 h at −0.6 V, 1.85 times that of the bare BiPO4 film. The enhanced activity is attributed to the efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes, originating from the Au loading. Moreover, the optimal 3-Au/BiPO4 film can be reused at least 5 times on PEC H2O2 production without significant decay, showing good recyclability and stability.

Wearable nonwoven fabric decorated with Fe3O4/rGO/PANI/Ni-P for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

The design of three-dimensional (3D) architectures with different multi-interface and the identification of suitable nanomaterials have significantly progressed in recent years. However, balancing increasing electrical conductivity and optimising impedance matching is substantially important and requires special architecture. Here, we devised lightweight wearable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with promising microwave absorption performances. Layer-by-layer integration of conducting and magnetic nanomaterials onto the porous structure of the nonwoven fabric was performed using dielectric and magnetic loss to enhance the absorption capability of the composite. The EMI shielding effectiveness of the 1-layer, 2-layer, and 3-layer reach up to 27, 42, and 81 dB, respectively, revealing excellent performances in the X-band. The synthesis of hierarchical Ni-P nanospheres on fibres with heterojunctions and multi-interfaces as polarisation centres results in excellent microwave absorption performance. Furthermore, Ni-P electroless plating and Ni-B chemical deposition were conducted to improve permittivity, conductivity, and permeability in addition to increasing the impedance matching of the EM shielding material. It provides an avenue for the architecture of promising wearable functional materials with superior absorption activity, flexibility, durability, and breathability.

Industrial Arc Ion Plating and Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering Coating Deposition: Static and Fatigue Performances of TiAlN-Coated SKH51 Tool Steel

Industrial Arc Ion Plating and Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering Coating Deposition: Static and Fatigue Performances of TiAlN-Coated SKH51 Tool Steel

Increasing the structural and compositional diversity of ion-track templated 1D nanostructures through multistep etching, plastic deformation, and deposition

Ion-track etching represents a highly versatile way of introducing artificial pores with diameters down into the nm-regime into polymers, which offers considerable synthetic flexibility in template-assisted nanofabrication schemes. While the mechanistic foundations of ion-track technology are well understood, its potential for creating structurally and compositionally complex nano-architectures is far from being fully tapped. In this study, we showcase different strategies to expand the synthetic repertoire of ion-track membrane templating by creating several new 1D nanostructures, namely metal nanotubes of elliptical cross-section, funnel-shaped nanotubes optionally overcoated with titania or nickel nanospike layers, and concentrical as well as stacked metal nanotube-nanowire heterostructures. These nano-architectures are obtained solely by applying different wet-chemical deposition methods (electroless plating, electrodeposition, and chemical bath deposition) to ion-track etched polycarbonate templates, whose pore geometry is modified through plastic deformation, consecutive etching steps under differing conditions, and etching steps intermitted by spatially confined deposition, providing new motifs for nanoscale replication.

In Situ Investigation of Lithium Metal–Solid Electrolyte Anode Interfaces with ToF‐SIMS

AbstractSolid‐state batteries with a lithium metal anode (LMA) are promising candidates for the next generation of energy storage systems with high energy and power density. However, successful implementation of the LMA requires deeper insight into the lithium metal–solid electrolyte (Li|SE) interface. Since lithium is highly reactive, reaction products form when it comes into contact with most solid electrolytes (SEs) and the resulting interphase can have detrimental effects on cell performance. To better understand the formation of interphases, Li|SE interfaces are studied with time‐of‐flight secondary‐ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS), which provides chemical information with high sensitivity in 2D as well as 3D and is a valuable complement to commonly used techniques. To investigate the interphase, lithium is deposited in situ on SE pellets either through lithium vapor deposition or electrochemical lithium plating. Subsequent depth profiling provides information about the stability of the Li|SE interface and about the microstructure of the formed interphase. At the Li|Li6PS5Cl interface of lithium metal with argyrodite‐type Li6PS5Cl, an apparently covering Li2S‐rich layer is found as major part of the interphase. Independent of the deposition method, a combination of ToF‐SIMS and atomic force microscopy indicates a thickness of about 250 nm for the Li2S‐rich interlayer.