Effect of ionizing gamma radiation on vibrational properties of TiN nanoparticles

This work presents a novel method for producing metal matrix nanocomposite powders using an in situ precipitation technique. As a proof‐of‐concept, TiN nanoparticles are synthesized directly on the surface of FeTi intermetallic powder particles (d 90 < 8.0 μm) through plasma‐assisted nitriding treatment. An equipment is specially designed to enable the movement of powder particles under a controlled 33%H 2 + 67%N 2 atmosphere in a rotating drum anode placed around a hollow‐cathode discharge producing the nitrogen reactive species. Plasma operating parameters are fixed at −650 V (cathode potential) and 1.5 Torr (gas pressure), and the treatments are carried out at 550 °C for 4 h. Treated particles’ surface analysis indicated the formation of TiN spherical nanoparticles distributed all over the particle. In addition to the TiN phase, the diffractograms showed the formation of the α‐Fe (ferrite). The presence of N in the samples, as well as the chemical bond between Ti and N, is measured by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The results demonstrated the feasibility of producing nitride‐reinforced nanocomposite powders through an in situ technique using a new plasma‐assisted nitriding process for metallic powders. This approach opens up a huge field for the development of other metallic matrix nanocomposites.

Composites of Ti6Al4V reinforced with 1, 3, and 5 wt. % of three distinct refractory nitrides: h -BN, TiN, and AlN nanoparticles, were fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS). The sintered composites were characterized and investigated comparatively in terms of their microstructure, phase composition, densification, mechanical, and wear characteristics, achieved through the use of field-emission gun scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Archimedes’ method, nanoindentation technique, and ball-on-disk wear tests. The unreinforced alloy presented a two-phase microstructure comprising α and β phases. Reinforcement with refractory nitrides resulted in significant microstructural alterations and the development of nitride-rich secondary phases. The composites’ relative densities declined with increasing reinforcement content, falling from 98.4 to 97.4% for h -BN, 98.62 to 97.63% for TiN, and 98.64 to 95.14% for AlN. Compared to the unreinforced alloy, the nanoindentation results established that the sintered composites exhibit a continuous appreciation in hardness and elastic modulus with the highest values (70.782 ± 0.794 GPa and 356.76 ± 4.05 GPa, respectively) shown by Ti6A4V-5 wt. % h -BN. In addition, the unreinforced alloy exhibits a higher specific wear rate at each applied load than the composites, which is attributed to the improved hardness features of the refractory nitride-reinforced Ti6Al4V-based composites.

Tin nanoparticles (n-Sn) are expected to undergo a phase transition betweenα-Sn (a semiconductor with a diamond structure) andβ-Sn (a metal with a tetragonal structure) as a function of particle size, similar to the temperature-induced transition that occurs near room temperature. X-ray absorption fine structure measurements were conducted to identify the local structure and extract detailed structural parameters of n-Sn with a diameter of 24.7 Å. The nearest-neighbor atomic distance suggests that the local configuration of n-Sn resembles the diamond-like structure ofα-Sn. However, several experimental observations have indicated that n-Sn does not adopt a perfect diamond structure like that ofα-Sn, but rather exhibits an amorphous character. These observations include a decrease in the coordination number, an increase in the static component of the mean-squared relative displacement of the first atomic correlation, and the disappearance of all atomic correlations beyond the nearest-neighbor. Furthermore, the covalent bonds in n-Sn elongate with increasing temperature, in contrast to those inα-Sn which exhibits no temperature dependence. The covalent bond strength of n-Sn was also found to be weaker than that ofα-Sn.

Improving the Performance of Electroless Nickel Coatings Using TiN Nanoparticles on Gray Cast Iron

Nanocomposite Materials Based on Zinc Oxide, Silver, and Tin Nanoparticles as Electrocatalysts Towards the Azo Dyes

ABSTRACT In metal additive manufacturing, one of the biggest challenges is achieving integrated manufacturing that simultaneously fulfils structural and performance requirements. The performance of the stainless-steel components is primarily determined by mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. This study utilises laser-gas-powder synergy to generate TiO₂ and TiN nanoparticles through in-situ Ti-O-N chemical reactions in the laser powder bed fusion process. These particles simultaneously refine grains and suppress sensitisation, thereby significantly improving mechanical properties and the corrosion resistance of the stainless steel. The grain size is markedly refined from 16.5 μm to 0.68 μm, resulting in an increase in yield strength from 537 MPa to over 1 GPa, while maintaining an elongation of 31.4%. The corrosion current density is reduced from 3.122 × 10−⁷ A·cm−² to 5.068 × 10−⁸ A·cm−², which is attributed to the suppression of sensitisation via the adsorption of impurity elements by titanium. Additionally, the innovative use of an N2 atmosphere ensures the complete conversion of residual titanium to TiN, effectively preventing titanium segregation and promoting microstructural homogeneity. This study demonstrates the potential of in-situ Ti-O-N chemical reactions to strengthen stainless steel for use in extreme environments, including nuclear reactors and marine equipment.

We first optimized a simple and low-cost polyol-based synthesis route for the preparation of stable and monodisperse sub-10 nm copper nanoparticles. Building on this robust approach, we extended the method to tin and succeeded in producing tin nanoparticles that stabilized in an unconventional α-Sn phase, which is remarkable given the metastable character of this phase under ambient conditions. The resulting α-Sn nanoparticles exhibited excellent resistance to oxidation, together with long-term colloidal stability in air, enabling further processing for potential applications. In both cases, inexpensive commercial precursors and mild conditions (80 °C, aqueous or polyol solvents, ascorbic acid as the sole reducing agent, and no inert atmosphere or additional stabilizers) were employed. The nanoparticles were characterized using TEM, UV-visible spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR, ICP-OES, and XPS.

Solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (SSLSBs) hold immense promise for next-generation energy storage due to their high energy density and enhanced safety. However, their practical application is hindered by sluggish reaction kinetics and poor reversibility of the sulfur cathode. This work introduces a multifunctional catholyte interlayer capable of inducing the generation of highly active S3 •- radical: a carbon nanotube (CNTs) coating supporting TiN nanoparticles, infiltrated with a 1,2-dimethylimidazole (DMIm) based deep eutectic electrolyte (DEE). The flexible CNTs matrix ensures tight contact between the sulfur cathode and the solid-state electrolyte (SSE), facilitating efficient charge transport. TiN nanoparticles strongly adsorb lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Crucially, the highly polar DEE promotes the generation and stabilization of S3 •- radical intermediates, providing additional reaction pathways, thereby improving sulfur utilization and accelerating kinetics. Consequently, the SSLSBs achieve stable operation for over 1300 cycles at 0.2 C and maintain a high capacity of 929.7 mAh g-1 at 1.5 C. This work provides an effective strategy for strengthening the SSE/sulfur cathode interface and accelerating reaction kinetics in SSLSBs.

ABSTRACT Metal dusting is a critical corrosion phenomenon in industrial processes using carbonaceous gases and high temperatures. Cu can suppress metal dusting when added in sufficient amounts to pure Ni. In this study, metal dusting attack on Monel® 400 alloy (Ni with 29–30 wt.% Cu, 1 Mn wt.%, and 1–2.5 wt.% Fe) processed via additive manufacturing (AM) was investigated in detail. To determine the role of Mn and Ti in the metal dusting attack, AM Monel® 400 without Mn, with higher Mn content (2 wt.% Mn), and with TiN nanoparticles were examined and compared to Ni70Cu30 and Ni69Cu30Mn1 model alloys. Increasing Mn content or adding TiN promoted mass gain mainly through carbon uptake and graphite precipitation. The catalytic roles of Mn and Ti oxide in carbon uptake are discussed in detail. In this metal dusting attack, oxidation, catalysis, carbon dissolution, carbon diffusion, and carbon precipitation play a significant role and drive the degradation depending on the alloy composition.

Oxidation dynamics in gamma-irradiated TiN nanoparticles after annealing

Surface icing poses a great challenge to the safe operation and energy output of wind turbines in low-temperature freezing rain environments. To address the problem of ice cover, we designed a durable superhydrophobic MWCNTs@[F-SiO2/TiN] composite anti-icing coating with a double-layer structure, where carbon nanotubes serve as the bottom layer and titanium nitride and fluorinated silica particles serve as the top layer. The introduction of TiN nanoparticles enhances the solidification rheological uniformity of the dispersion system of silica, resulting in the formation of a dense surface with a uniform micro/nanostructure. Such a micro/nanostructure not only endows the coating with excellent superhydrophobicity, with a large contact angle of about 171° and a small rolling angle of less than 1°, but also significant anti-icing performance. The freezing time of the water droplet on this composite coating was significantly delayed to 730 s at -20 °C in the static anti-icing experiment, which is about twice that of the pure silica coating. The simulated dynamic freezing rain experiments also show that this superhydrophobic coating can effectively prevent ice formation on the surfaces of fan blades. This composite coating also exhibits excellent electrical and photothermal effects, derived from its special double-layer structure and the ability of the titanium nitride external filler to reduce heat dissipation. Under the combined action of photothermal and electrothermal effects, this composite coating demonstrates excellent deicing ability, achieving rapid deicing within 206 s, about 25.2% improvement in deicing efficiency compared to coatings without TiN. In addition, this composite coating also exhibits superior structural and performance stability, even after thermal cycling, sand and water impact, and prolonged immersion in acid/alkali corrosion. The current results suggest that the designed superhydrophobic coating with a double-layer structure is a very promising candidate for practical anti-icing and deicing applications.

Titanium nitride has garnered much attention owing to its high charge carrier density and low work function. These merits compensate for the shortcomings of traditional photocatalysts. Herein we report on the synthesis of TiN/TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) as a new Schottky-barrier-free plasmonic photocatalyst (SBFPP) through the oxidation of commercially available TiN NPs. Our SBFPP possesses abundant oxygen vacancies (OVs) and the ability to generate hot charge carriers. The TiN NPs oxidized at 400 °C for 2 h, which is designated as TiN-2, exhibit broad light absorption and a high OV concentration. Theoretical calculations have revealed that the presence of OVs and nitrogen dopants leads to the formation of defect electronic states in TiO2. Hot electrons from TiN can efficiently migrate to these defect states, hindering the rapid electron-hole recombination. Besides the efficient photocatalytic nitrogen fixation, the TiN-2 NPs also exhibit excellent hydrogen generation performance. Furthermore, the photocatalytic film formed by combining the TiN/TiO2 NPs and a porous poly(vinyl alcohol) film dramatically improves the photocatalytic nitrogen fixation performance, giving an enhancement of ∼4.4 times in comparison with the TiN-2 NPs. This study unveils a promising avenue for the rational design of plasmonic photocatalysts and facilitates the development of practical applications in the field of photocatalysis.

TiN nanoparticles anchored on porous carbon black: The synergistic effect of porosity, surface roughness and surface plasmon on high-performance broadband infrared absorption

As human activities intensify, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water pose growing threats to human health, ecosystems, and environmental stability. Conventional photothermal superhydrophobic sponges have shown promise in adsorbing and evaporating VOCs, but their effectiveness is limited by stationary adsorption and relatively low efficiency. Here, we introduce a photothermal-magnetic driven superhydrophobic sponge, synthesized with Fe3O4 and TiN nanoparticles, designed to significantly enhance both the mobility and adsorption capacity of VOCs. The Fe3O4 component endows the sponge with magnetic responsiveness, allowing it to move to areas with higher VOC concentration, while TiN nanoparticles have a plasmonic effect, providing superior photothermal conversion, achieving an impressive organic evaporation rate of 27.9 kg m-2 h-1. Remarkably, this sponge can support loads up to 10 times its weight under light-driven motion with a loading efficiency exceeding 900%. This multifunctional material presents a breakthrough approach to VOC pollution, offering unprecedented mobility, adsorption, and evaporation capabilities. Our work showcases a transformative strategy for VOC remediation, aligning with critical environmental and public health needs.

Abstract The plasmonic properties of metal nanoparticles have been extensively studied, not least because of their use in applications such as solar cells and other optical devices. A recent addition to the studies of plasmonic particles is the tin droplet, which is used to produce extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light by plasma formation after laser irradiation. This EUV light is used in the most advanced lithographic technology for resolutions down to ≈ 3 nm in integrated circuits. Controlling the plasmon properties of tin particles is therefore attractive for such technological applications. In this work, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSP) of tin nanoparticles is modified by introducing a silver nano‐antenna at one side, effectively forming a Janus nanoparticle. As the LSP of the silver nanoparticle antenna is active in the visible light domain, the LSP of tin, which is located more in the ultraviolet (UV) range, can be complemented with more favorable plasmonic response energies. With electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), the surface and bulk plasmon resonances of this tin‐silver nanocomposite particle are studied, which forms a first step in precise tailoring of LSP properties, up to EUV energies.

Abstract The application of ruthenium‐based catalysts in proton‐exchange membrane water electrolyzers is impeded by lattice oxygen mechanism and the subsequent structural collapse. Herein, a design strategy for the preparation of N‐doped RuO₂ using TiN nanoparticles as the nitrogen source is presented. The in‐ situ characterization and theoretical calculation reveal the optimized oxygen evolution reaction (OER) mechanism on the resulting N‐RuO2/TiN catalyst. The incorporation of low‐electronegativity N and the formation of interfacial Ru−O−Ti bridge structure lead to the redistribution of electron density on adjacent Ru sites, weakening the Ru–O covalency and inhibiting the reactivity of lattice oxygen during electrocatalytic OER. Meanwhile, the altered electronic structures also optimize the adsorption energy of intermediates, consequently facilitating the formation of the pivotal intermediate *OOH and enhancing the electrocatalytic activity. The N‐RuO2/TiN electrocatalyst displays a extremely low OER overpotential of 159 mV at 10 mA cm−2 in 0.5 m H2SO4. Particularly, the water electrolysis single cell with N‐RuO2/TiN as anode electrocatalyst conveys an extremely low voltage of 1.78 V at 3A cm−2 and degradation rate of 26 µV h−1 during a 1100 h operation at 1 A cm−2. This work also provides an excellent catalyst for industrial‐level electrolysis.

Abstract In this paper, we report a novel method, namely the exploding wire technique, to synthesize tin nanoparticles, utilizing tin wire and plate. The prepared colloidal suspension of silvery-black colour, was centrifuged. The nanoparticles collected after centrifugation were collected, dried and subjected to further grinding to finally obtain the powder nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals tetragonal crystal structure of Sn nanoparticles having lattice parameters a = b = 5.8238 Å and c = 3.1806 Å. The crystallite sizes within the 35–69 nm range were determined through the Debye–Scherrer relation and Williamson–Hall analysis. However, much smaller size Sn nanoparticles of 5–16 nm were observed through field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and elemental mapping analyses. The crystal volume and strain were calculated and differential scanning calorimetry measurements determined the reduced value of melting temperature for prepared Sn nanoparticles. The optical processes occurring in prepared nanoparticles were probed with the help of ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies could identify the functional groups/bondings present in the prepared nanoparticles.

Abstract Direct absorption solar collectors use nanofluids to absorb and convert solar radiation. Despite the limitations of the photothermal properties of these nanofluids within the absorption spectra range, modifying the surface structure of the nanoparticles can broaden their absorption spectrum, thereby significantly improving the solar thermal conversion efficiency. This paper utilizes the finite element method to investigate the influence of surface pits on the photothermal properties of plasmonic nanoparticles, considering both material composition and surface micro-nano structures. Based on the findings, a novel TiN nanoparticle is proposed to enhance photothermal performance. This nanoparticle exhibits the lowest average reflectance (0.0145) in the 300–1100 nm wavelength range and the highest light absorption intensity across the solar spectrum, enabling highly efficient solar energy conversion. It not only reduces material costs but also effectively broadens the light absorption spectrum of spherical plasmonic nanoparticles. The distributions of the electric field, magnetic field, and energy field of the nanoparticles indicate that the combination of the “lightning rod” effect and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) significantly enhances both the electric and magnetic fields, thereby increasing the localized heating effect and improving the photothermal performance. Additionally, the number and size of the pits have a significant impact on the absorption efficiency (η abs) of TiN nanoparticles. When the surface of the nanoparticles has 38 pits, η abs can reach 90%, with the minimum optical penetration depth (h) of the nanofluid being 7 mm and the minimum volume fraction (f v) being 6.95 × 10−6. This study demonstrates that nanoparticles with micro-nano structures have immense potential in solar thermal applications, particularly in the field of direct absorption solar collectors.

Immobilization of zero valent cobalt and tin nanoparticles in sodium alginate/graphitic carbon nitride beads for efficient reduction of organic pollutants