In-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction and crystal plasticity modeling to predict the evolution of te
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
SEARCH · Search NASA
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The emergence of atomically thin crystals has allowed extending materials integration to lateral heterostructures where different 2D materials are covalently connected in the plane. The concept of lateral heterostructures can be generalized to thicker layered crystals, provided that a suitably faceted seed crystal presents edges to which a compatible second van der Waals material can be attached layer by layer. Here, we examine the possibility of integrating multilayer crystals of the group IV monochalcogenides SnS and GeSe, which have the same crystal structure, small lattice mismatch, and similar bandgaps. In a two-step growth process, lateral epitaxy of GeSe on the sidewalls of multilayer SnS flakes (obtained by vapor transport of a SnS 2 precursor on graphite) yields heterostructures of laterally stitched crystalline GeSe and SnS without any detectable vertical overgrowth of the SnS seeds and with sharp lateral interfaces. Combined cathodoluminescence spectroscopy and ab initio calculations show the effects of small band offsets on carrier transport and radiative recombination near the interface. Further, the results demonstrate the possibility of forming atomically connected lateral interfaces across many van der Waals layers, which is promising for manipulating optoelectronics, photonics, and for managing charge- and thermal transport.
Single-crystal microstructure can bring high performance for many materials includingpiezoelectrics1, 2, semiconductors3, 4, and cuprate superconductors5. Unlike single-crystal metalsthat can be machined into complex components6, most single-crystal ceramics are limited to theshape of thin films or plates due to their brittleness. However, more designs of advanced devicesneed to break these geometric limitations. 3D-ink-printing can efficiently fabricate complex architectured ceramics, but the microstructure is polycrystals. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate a route to grow single-crystal on 3D printed ceramic-YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO)superconductors that can simultaneously have complex architectures and high critical currentdensity. An ink containing precursor powders was 3D extruded and sintered to obtain polycrystalYBCO micro-lattices. A single-crystal seed is then utilized to grow single crystal on 3D-printedmicro-lattices by melt growth method. We found that the geometric details of 3D printed microlatticecan survive after it went through liquid + solid phase region above its peritectic temperature.More complex YBCO single-crystal parts, such as horizontal and toroidal coils, were thensuccessfully fabricated. In addition, Origami can be implemented on our 3D printed sample to increase their complexity. This research provides a new way to develop superconducting devicessuch as undulators for synchrotron radiation and microwave cavities for dark-matter axion search7.We expect this new process will inspire more studies about 3D printing of single-crystal ceramics. For example, 3D printing of BaTiO3 can be developed to grow a single crystal8 for the applications of dielectric capacitors and transducers.
Geometric frustration commonly occurs in materials where magnetic rare-earth ions are arranged on a two-dimensional triangular lattice. These compounds have been gaining significant attention lately, as they hold the promise of revealing unique quantum states of matter. However, little attention has been devoted to cases where spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ rare-earth ions are substituted with ions exhibiting higher spin multiplicities. Here, we successfully synthesize high-quality single crystal samples of Ba 3 Er(BO 3 ) 3 , which is part of the family of triangular lattice compounds. In our experiments, conducted at extremely low temperatures (around 100 millikelvin), we observe two sublattice exchange interactions in Ba 3 Er(BO 3 ) 3 , resulting in the hexagonal lattice spins exhibiting a mixture of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic tendencies. Our theoretical analysis suggest that this behavior may be attributed to the distinct positions of magnetic ions within the crystal lattice. However, the presence of quantum effects adds an extra layer of complexity to our findings, calling for further exploration.
The influence of orientation of the stress rupture behavior of Mar-M247 single crystals was studied. Stress rupture tests were performed at 724 MPa and 774 C where the effect of anisotropy is prominent. The mechanical behavior of the single crystals was rationalized on the basis of the Schmid factors for the operative slip systems and the lattice rotations which the crystals underwent during deformation. The stress rupture lives were found to be greatly influenced by the lattice rotations required to produce intersecting slip, because steady-state creep does not begin until after the onset of intersecting slip. Crystals which required large rotations to become oriented for intersecting slip exhibited a large primary creep strain, a large effective stress level at the onset of steady-state creep, and consequently a short stress rupture life. A unified analysis was attained for the stress rupture behavior of the Mar-M247 single crystals tested in this study at 774 C and that of the Mar-M200 single crystals tested in a prior study at 760 C. In this analysis, the standard 001-011-111 stereographic triangle was divided into several regions of crystallographic orientation which were rank ordered according to stress rupture life for this temperature regime. This plot indicates that those crystals having orientations within about 25 deg of the 001 exhibited significantly longer lives when their orientations were closer to the 001-011 boundary of the stereographic triangle than to the 001-111 boundary.
Colloidal epitaxial heterostructures are nanoparticles composed of two different materials connected at an interface, which can exhibit properties different from those of their individual components. Combining dissimilar materials offers exciting opportunities to create a wide variety of functional heterostructures. However, assessing structural compatibility–the main prerequisite for epitaxial growth–is challenging when pairing complex materials with different lattice parameters and crystal structures. This complicates both the selection of target heterostructures for synthesis and the assignment of interface models when new heterostructures are obtained. Here, we demonstrate Ogre as a powerful tool to accelerate the design and characterization of colloidal heterostructures. To this end, we implemented developments tailored for the high-efficiency prediction of epitaxial interfaces between ionic/polar materials, which encompass most colloidal semiconductors. These include the use of pre-screening candidate models based on charge balance at the interface and the use of a classical potential for fast energy evaluations, with parameters automatically calculated based on the input bulk structures. These developments are validated for perovskite-based CsPbBr 3 /Pb 4 S 3 Br 2 heterostructures, where Ogre produces interface models in excellent agreement with density functional theory and experiments. Furthermore, we use Ogre to rationalize the templating effect of CsPbCl 3 on the growth of lead sulfochlorides, where perovskite seeds induce the formation of Pb 4 S 3 Cl 2 rather than Pb 3 S 2 Cl 2 due to better epitaxial compatibility. Finally, combining Ogre simulations with experimental data enables us to unravel the structure and composition of the hitherto unsolved CsPbBr 3 /Bi x Pb y S z interface, and to assign a structure to several other reported metal halide- and oxide-based interfaces. The Ogre package is available on GitHub or via the OgreInterface desktop application, available for Windows, Linux, and Mac.
Abstract The non‐trivial polarization topology of bound states in the continuum (BICs) provides new strategies in nanophotonics. The polarization topology depends on the geometric parameters and energy‐momentum dispersion of the system and can be engineered to add specific functionalities for light molding. Herein, such a possibility is investigated by studying the topology of the polarization states associated with the optical field radiated by BICs when Dirac‐cone‐degeneracy is lifted. The opening of a pseudogap in the Dirac cone dispersion of square‐lattice dielectric photonic crystal slabs is achieved by tuning the slab thickness. First, the emergence of half‐integer topological charges without the requirement of BIC annihilation is theoretically shown, which instead occurs when in‐plane inversion symmetry is broken. Then, using spin‐to‐orbital angular momentum conversion, the theory of half‐integer topological charges mediated by BICs is demonstrated and experimentally proved. The same device is able to give rise to vortices with different orbital angular momentum depending on the way it is illuminated, thus improving the potential of optical multiplexing. In addition, the additive character of the topology‐induced phase‐vortex generation is finally demonstrated for both integer and half‐integer charges using also vortex states as input beams, which is of relevance for information delivery.
Abstract Given the consensus that pressure improves cation ordering in most of known materials, a discovery of pressure‐induced disordering could require recognition of an order–disorder transition in solid‐state physics/chemistry and geophysics. Double perovskites Y 2 CoIrO 6 and Y 2 CoRuO 6 polymorphs synthesized at 0, 6, and 15 GPa show B‐site ordering, partial ordering, and disordering, respectively, accompanied by lattice compression and crystal structure alteration from monoclinic to orthorhombic symmetry. Correspondingly, the long‐range ferrimagnetic ordering in the B‐site ordered samples are gradually overwhelmed by B‐site disorder. Theoretical calculations suggest that unusual unit‐cell compressions under external pressures unexpectedly stabilize the disordered phases of Y 2 CoIrO 6 and Y 2 CoRuO 6 .
Topology optimization (TO) is commonly applied to design the unit cells of periodic structures. For example, metamaterials, lattice structures, phononic crystals (PhC), and photonic crystals (PC) have all been previously designed via TO. Unfortunately, the optimal structures for certain design objectives, e.g., bandgaps, are often impossible to manufacture as they have disconnected regions or “islands” of solid material (ISM) that are not self-supporting. Additionally, designs with enclosed void space (EVS) are problematic for additive manufacturing (AM) since support material or pre-sintered powder cannot be removed after manufacturing. We present a series of constraints that may be incorporated into any TO framework to ensure structures are self-supporting without enclosed voids. Additionally, we employ homogenization-based constraints that allow the designer to tune the elastic stiffness and isotropy of the optimized design. The proposed constraints are evaluated on example microstructures and utilized in a simple optimization test problem to highlight their abilities and limitations so that guidelines for appropriate combinations of constraints may be proposed. Effective constraint combinations are demonstrated on the design of 3D photonic crystals for maximum bandgap subject to manufacturing and stiffness constraints.
Development of low-cost advanced thermal/environmental barrier coating (T/EBC) materials with acceptable thermal and mechanical properties is essential for safeguarding ceramic composites substrate against thermal and chemical degradation, thereby enhancing the efficiency of components in the high-temperature section of gas turbine engines. To this end, here we employed density functional theory-based approaches to predict the thermodynamic, mechanical, and thermal properties of rare earth disilicates based on abundant rare earth elements, namely La 2 Si 2 O 7 and Ce 2 Si 2 O 7 , as potential alternatives to the current-state-of-the-art ytterbium disilicate EBCs that uses expensive and scarce element Yb. The present study predicts that G-phase Ce 2 Si 2 O 7 has an ultralow thermal conductivity (0.26 W/m/K at 1500 K) and the apparent bulk coefficient of thermal expansion (ABCTE) (≈6.9x10 -6 K -1 ) slightly higher than SiC, demonstrating great potential as low-cost high-performance T/EBC. However, La 2 Si 2 O 7 and Ce 2 Si 2 O 7 undergo an A- to G-phase polymorphic transition at around 1470 K, resulting in significant changes to crystal structure and lattice parameters, and accordingly CTE and lattice thermal conductivity.
A machine learning-enabled multiscale framework is developed for modeling the mechanical response of both pure metal and nanoparticle-reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs). Using aluminum–silicon carbide (Al-SiC) as an example MMNC, atomistic simulations reveal three distinct deformation mechanisms (i.e., defect-free, dislocation-based, and interface separation) governed by the interfaces between the Al matrix and SiC nanoparticles. As compared with single crystal Al, the lattice undergoes a more abrupt failure once the dislocation network becomes extensive and void nucleation initiates, whereas in Al-SiC, nanoparticle interfaces enable a more gradual progression of damage. These mechanisms are captured through a combined classification-regression neural network surrogate model that bridges atomic-scale insights with continuum-scale finite element analysis. Machine learning-enabled multiscale modeling of pure Al accurately predicted strain localization and confirmed by in-situ scanning electron microscopic tensile testing on perforated Al specimens. This study underscores the promise of integrating physics-informed machine learning with hierarchical modeling to capture the interface dominated phenomena and guide the design of advanced MMNCs.
We report on the assembly of gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) superlattices at the liquid/vapor interface and in the bulk of their suspensions. Interparticle distances in the assemblies are achieved on multiple length scales by varying chain lengths of surface grafted AuNPs by polyethylene glycol (PEG) with molecular weights in the range 2000–40,000 Da. Crystal structures and lattice constants in both 2D and 3D assemblies are determined by synchrotron-based surface-sensitive and small-angle X-ray scattering. Here, assuming knowledge of grafting density, we show that experimentally determined interparticle distances are adequately modeled by spherical brushes close to the θ point (Flory–Huggins parameter, x ≈ 1/2) for 2D superlattices at a liquid interface and a nonsolvent (χ = ∞) for the 3D dry superlattices.
We report that a combination of electrodeposition and thermal reduction methods have been utilized for the synthesis of ligand-free FeNiCo alloy nanoparticles through a high-entropy oxide intermediate. These phases are of great interest to the electrocatalysis community, especially when formed by a sustainable chemistry method. This is successfully achieved by first forming a complex five element amorphous FeNiCoCrMn high-entropy oxide (HEO) phase via electrodeposition from a nanodroplet emulsion solution of the metal salt reactants. The amorphous oxide phase is then thermally treated and reduced at 570–600 °C to form the crystalline FeNiCo alloy with a separate CrMnO x cophase. The FeNiCo alloy is fully characterized by scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy elemental analysis and is identified as a face-centered cubic crystal with the lattice constant a = 3.52 Å. The unoptimized, ligand-free FeNiCo NPs activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction is evaluated in alkaline solution and found to have an ~185 mV more cathodic onset potential than the Pt metal. Beyond being able to synthesize highly crystalline, ligand-free FeNiCo nanoparticles, the demonstrated and relatively simple two-step process is ideal for the synthesis of tailor-made nanoparticles where the desired composition is not easily achieved with classical solution-based chemistries.
Orbital-free density functional theory constitutes a computationally highly effective tool for modeling electronic structures of systems ranging from room-temperature materials to warm dense matter. Its accuracy critically depends on the employed kinetic energy (KE) density functional, which has to be supplied as an external input. In this work we consider several nonlocal and Laplacian-level KE functionals and use an external harmonic perturbation to compute the static density response at T = 0 K in the linear and beyond-linear response regimes. We test for the satisfaction of exact conditions in the limit of uniform densities and for how approximate KE functionals reproduce the density response of realistic materials (e.g., Al and Si) against the Kohn-Sham DFT reference, which employs the exact KE. The results illustrate that several functionals violate exact conditions in the uniform electron gas (UEG) limit. We find a strong correlation between the accuracy of the KE functionals in the UEG limit and in the strongly inhomogeneous case. This empirically demonstrates the importance of imposing the limit of UEG response for uniform densities and validates the use of the Lindhard function in the formulation of kernels for nonlocal functionals. This conclusion is substantiated by additional calculations for bulk aluminum (Al) with a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice and silicon (Si) with an fcc lattice, body-centered cubic (bcc) lattice, and semiconducting crystal diamond state. The analysis of fcc Al, and fcc as well as bcc Si data follows closely the conclusions drawn for the UEG, allowing us to extend our conclusions to realistic systems that are subject to density inhomogeneities induced by ions.
Here, we study the effects of flux creep on the linear AC response of the vortex lattice in single crystals Ca 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 by measuring the Campbell penetration depth, 𝜆 C (𝑇,𝐻,𝑡) . Thermal fluctuations release vortices from shallow pinning sites, only for them to become re-trapped by deeper potential wells, causing an initial increase of the effective Labusch parameter, which is proportional to the pinning well curvature. This effect cannot be detected in conventional magnetic relaxation measurements but is revealed by our observation of a nonmonotonic time evolution of 𝜆 C (𝑇,𝐻,𝑡) , which directly probes the average curvature of the occupied pinning centers. The time evolution of 𝜆 C (𝑇,𝐻,𝑡) was measured at different temperatures in samples with different densities of pinning centers produced by electron irradiation. The curves can be collapsed together when plotted on a logarithmic time scale 𝑡 → 𝑇 ln (𝑡/𝑡 0 ) confirming that the time evolution is driven by flux creep. The 𝜆 C (𝑇,𝐻,𝑡) is hysteretic with a noticeable nonmonotonic relaxation in the presence of a vortex density gradient (after zero-field cooling), but is monotonic after field cooling, where the vortex density is uniform. This result quantitatively corroborates the novel picture of vortex creep based on the strong pinning theory.
Recently, gahnite (ZnAl 2 O 4 ) is gaining attraction as a potential refractory ceramic because of the similarity of its structure and properties with those of magnesium aluminate (MgAl 2 O 4 ) spinel refractories. Formation of MgO and hibonite solid solution (CaMg x Al 12−x O 19−0.5x ; 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.18), CAM-I (Ca 2 Mg 2−3x Al 28+2x O 46 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3), and CAM-II (CaMg 2−3x Al 16+2x O 27 , 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) phases with platelet and interlocking microstructure in the CaO–Al 2 O 3 –MgO ternary system significantly enhances the high temperature mechanical properties of refractory castables. The CaO–Al 2 O 3 –ZnO ternary system has been studied, for the first time to our knowledge, in a selected compositional range with reference to the CaO–Al 2 O 3 –MgO system from 1650°C to 1700°C. The formation of ZnO and hibonite solid solution (CaZn x Al 12−x O 19−0.5x ; 0 < x < 0.18), CAZ-I (Ca 2 Zn 2−3x Al 28+2x O 46 ; 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3), and CAZ-II (CaZn 2−3x Al 16+2x O 27 ; 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) phases with platelet and interlocking morphology have been found. The crystal structures and lattice parameters of ZnO and hibonite solid solution, CAZ-I, and CAZ-II are comparable, respectively, with MgO and hibonite solid solution, CAM-I, and CAM-II. Furthermore, CAZ-I and CAZ-II phases also form due to reaction between hibonite (CaO·6Al 2 O 3 ) and ZnAl 2 O 4 .
We performed microwave spectroscopic studies of two dimensional electron systems (2DES) exhibiting the quantum Hall effect (QHE) in GaAs/Al${_x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As heterostructures. A common theme of the proposed work is electron solids, of which the simplest is the Wigner crystal, a triangular lattice of individual carriers. The solids are stabilized by carrier-carrier interaction and occur under conditions when the kinetic energy of the system is "frozen out" by high magnetic field, $B$. One of the main reasons for microwave spectroscopic study of 2DES is that the solid phases have striking microwave or rf spectra. In the low wave vector ($q$) limit these spectra exhibit a resonance that is understood as a pinning mode, a small collective oscillation of pieces of the solid within the disorder potential. Pinning modes can be very sharp, with quality factors up to around 30, and are valuable as signatures of the electron solids, and can reveal a solid even when standard dc transport shows an insulator, an integer QHE, or even a fractional QHE The pinning mode also is sensitive to the solid properties, and can reveal transitions between solids.
Crystal structure and lattice parameter effects on single and polycrystalline metals adhesion, friction and wear properties, discussing basal slip hexagonal metals