Topic Review
Cermet and Cercer Dual-Phase Membrane
Based on different permeation mechanism, membrane for hydrogen separation can be categorized as mixed protonic–electronic conducting (MPEC) membrane, dense metal membrane, and porous inorganic membrane. Each membrane also has its own advantages and disadvantages. Cermet membrane is composed of a ceramic phase and a metal phase. The ceramic phase is benefit to improve the mechanical stability and high protonic conductivity of the membrane while the metal phase is used to enhance the electronic conductivity and surface-exchange kinetic. In order to overcome the drawbacks of cermet membranes, researchers developed another kind of dual-phase membrane (cercer membranes), in which a ceramic with high electronic conductivity replaces the metal as the electronic conducting phase.
  • 405
  • 14 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Clay Bricks
Clay bricks are extensively used as building material worldwide. Natural soil deposits are in constant reduction due to the frequent use of clay to manufacture bricks. About 1600 billion bricks are produced annually by the consumption of millions of tons of natural resources.
  • 6.5K
  • 18 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Critical Minerals
Critical minerals are paramount to the successful deployment of low-carbon technologies in future transportation, defense, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure. They have a significant economic importance and their insecure supplies may hinder the development and industrial application of new technologies. An implementation of large quantities of minerals, in particular metals, into the clean energy transition will create new economic opportunities but also bring new challenges to energy security that could lead to unexpected dependencies on raw materials.
  • 559
  • 30 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Crystal Structure of GeFe2O4
The brunogeierite GeFe2O4 is a rare mineral of germanium, with a normal spinel structure and amazing functional properties. Its spectroscopic, optical, magnetic and electronic properties are known. For many years it was left behind, but recently a renewed interest in this oxide has arisen, particularly for its application in the electrochemical field, as anode in Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries and as electrocatalyst for urea oxidation reaction.
  • 410
  • 22 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Crystallization of LiNbO3
Due to its piezoelectric, ferroelectric, nonlinear optics, and pyroelectric properties, LiNbO3 crystal has found its wide applications in surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices, optical waveguides, optical modulators, and second-harmonic generators (SHG). LiNbO3 crystallized as R3c space group below Curie temperature shows spontaneous polarization that leads to its ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. Physical and chemical characteristics of LiNbO3 are mainly determined by Li/Nb ratio, impurity cations, vacancies in a cation sublattice. Different sizes of LiNbO3 ranging from nanoscale and microscale to bulk size have been synthesized by solid state method, hydrothermal/solvothermal method, Czochralski (Cz) growth method, etc. Most basic and applied studies of LiNbO3 focus on its bulk single crystal.
  • 1.5K
  • 17 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Deposition Parameters on the Microstructure of Multilayer Films
Multilayer films with high-density layer interfaces have been studied widely because of the unique mechanical and functional properties. Magnetron sputtering is widely chosen to fabricate multilayer films because of the convenience in controlling the microstructure. 
  • 575
  • 28 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Effect of Grain Size on B4C and β-SiC
Nanocrystalline materials are categorized as having average grain sizes below 100 nm with a larger volume fraction of grain boundaries (GBs), leading to significant changes in their mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Lightweight polycrystalline ceramics possess promising physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, which can be used in a variety of important structural applications. However, these ceramics with coarse-grained structures are brittle and have low fracture toughness due to their rigid covalent bonding (more often consisting of high-angle grain boundaries) that can cause catastrophic failures. Owing to these failure mechanisms in polycrystalline ceramics, a reduction in grain size to a nano-regime, which is expected to enhance the combination of hardness (or strength), toughness, and ductility, provides a promising nanomechanical research direction compared to counterpart micro-sized polycrystalline ceramics. Apart from the effects of grain size itself, the mechanical properties of B4C and SiC also show high dependency on their properties such as composition variation, anisotropy, density, etc.
  • 542
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Extraction of Alkalis from Amorphous Silicate Materials
The main building materials widely used worldwide are those based on cement, glass, and ceramics. Taking into account the fact that the raw material base for the production of these materials is narrowing, and the quality of raw materials is declining, methods are being used to modify the structure of silicate materials in order to improve their properties when using cheaper raw materials and industrial waste, which should help reduce the energy intensity of their production. One of the ways to reduce energy consumption is the use of alkaline components in the chemical composition of silicate materials, which makes it possible to reduce the temperature of their synthesis. However, the presence of alkalis in the material at the stage of the operation is undesirable since it contributes, for example, to a decrease in the chemical resistance of silicate glasses or leads to the phenomenon of alkaline corrosion in cement products. 
  • 418
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Fine-Grained YSZ–NiO(Ni) Anode Material
Reduction–oxidation (redox) cycling of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) due to leakage of a fuel or standby and shutdown cycling is an issue that has attracted the attention of many research groups for a long time. The researchers mainly note the harmful effects of redox cycling on the microstructure of SOFC constituents and search for ways to mitigate or diminish them.
  • 167
  • 10 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Gelatin and Bioactive Glass Composites
Nano-/micron-sized bioactive glass (BG) particles are attractive candidates for both soft and hard tissue engineering. They can chemically bond to the host tissues, enhance new tissue formation, activate cell proliferation, stimulate the genetic expression of proteins, and trigger unique anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer functionalities. Composites based on biopolymers and BG particles have been developed with various state-of-the-art techniques for tissue engineering. Gelatin, a semi-synthetic biopolymer, has attracted the attention of researchers because it is derived from the most abundant protein in the body, viz., collagen. It is a polymer that can be dissolved in water and processed to acquire different configurations, such as hydrogels, fibers, films, and scaffolds.
  • 357
  • 28 Jan 2023
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