A pure ferrite and epoxy samples as well as the epoxy/ferrite composites with different 20 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 40 wt.%, and 50 wt.% weight ferrite contents have been prepared by the chemical co-precipitation method. AC-conductivity and dielectric properties such as the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the prepared samples have been studied. The obtained results showed that the samples had a semiconductor behavior. The dielectric constant of the composites has been calculated theoretically using several models. For the composite sample that contains 20 wt.% of ferrites, these models give satisfactory compliance, while for the composite samples with a higher percentage of nanofillers, more than 30 wt.% theoretical results do not coincide with experimental data. The investigated polymer has very low conductivity, so this type of polymer can be useful for high-frequency applications, which can reduce the losses caused by eddy current. Thus, the prepared samples are promising materials for practical use as elements of microwave devices.
Using the auto combustion flash method, (x = 0, 0.2, 0.6, 0.8 and 1) nano-ferrites were synthesized. All samples were thermally treated at 973 K for 3 h. The structural analysis for the synthesized samples was performed using XRD, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and FTIR. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was undertaken to explore the surface morphology of all the samples. The thermal stability of these samples was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). XRD data show the presence of a single spinel phase for all the prepared samples. The intensity of the principal peak of the spinel phase decreases as Mg content increases, showing that Mg delays crystallinity. The Mg content raised the average grain size (D) from 0.084 μm to 0.1365 μm. TGA shows two stages of weight loss variation. The vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurement shows that magnetic parameters, such as initial permeability (μi) and saturation magnetization (Ms), decay with rising Mg content. The permeability and magnetic anisotropy at different frequencies and temperatures were studied to show the samples’ magnetic behavior and determine the Curie temperature (TC), which depends on the internal structure. The electrical resistivity behavior shows the semi-conductivity trend of the samples. Finally, the dielectric constant increases sharply at high temperatures, explained by the increased mobility of charge carriers, and decreases with increasing frequency.
Nanocomposite films based on spinel ferrite (Mg0.8Zn0.2Fe1.5Al0.5O4) in a PVA matrix were obtained. An increase in the spinel concentration to 10 wt.% caused an avalanche-like rise in roughness due to the formation of nanoparticle agglomerates. The lateral mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) allowed us to trace the agglomeration dynamics. An unexpected result was that the composite with 6 wt.% of filler had a low friction coefficient in comparison with similar composites due to the successfully combined effects of low roughness and surface energy. The friction coefficient decreased to 0.07 when the friction coefficient of pure PVA was 0.72. A specially developed method for measuring nano-objects’ surface energy using AFM made it possible to explain the anomalous nature of the change in tribological characteristics.
Today, an actual task of photovoltaics is the search for new light-absorbing materials for solar cells, which will make them more efficient and economically affordable. Semiconductor Cu2NiSn(S,Se)4 (CNTSSe) thin films are promising materials due to suitable optical and electrical properties. This compound consists of abundant, inexpensive, and low-toxicity elements. However, few results of studying the properties of CNTSSe films have been presented in the literature. This paper presents the results of studying the morphology, phase composition, and crystal structure of the CNTSSe films, which were first obtained by high-temperature annealing of electrodeposited Ni/Cu/Sn/Ni precursors on glass/Mo substrates in chalcogen vapor. The films were studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It has been found that sequential electrochemical deposition makes it possible to obtain the Ni/Cu/Sn/Ni precursors of the required quality for further synthesis of the films. It is shown that high-temperature annealing in chalcogen vapor in air makes it possible to synthesize stable polycrystalline CNTSSe films. The obtained results confirm that the production of CNTSSe films is suitable for use in solar cells by the proposed method, which can be improved by more precise control of the precursor composition and annealing conditions.
Hybrid dysprosium-doped borate glassy samples [B-Gly/Dy]HDG (Borate Glass/Dysprosium)Hybrid Doped Glass were prepared in this study via the melt-quenching method. Its linear/nonlinear optical, photoluminescence, hardness indentation, and micro-creep properties were analyzed. The amorphous structure for all the prepared samples was confirmed from the XRD patterns. In addition, density functional theory (DFT), optimized by TD-DFT and Crystal Sleuth, was used to study the structure and crystallinity of the [B-Gly/Dy]HDG as isolated molecules and agreed with the peaks of experimental XRD patterns. Additionally, theoretical lattice types were studied using Polymorph, a content studio software, and orthorhombic Pc21b (29) and triclinic P-1 (2) structures were provided. Both mechanical and optical properties were responses to different concentrations of Dy2O3 in the glassy borate system. It was found that the length of indentation increases by increasing the load time, and the hardness decreases by increasing the load time. The stress exponent value also increased from 4.1 to 6.3. The indentation strain increases by increasing the load time. The direct optical band gap was evaluated using the Davis–Mott relation. Urbach energy and its connection to the disorder degree in materials were studied depending on the Dy2O3 concentration. The acquired optical parameters were also analyzed to determine the nonlinear refractive index as well as the linear and third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of the investigated glass samples. The photoluminescence emission spectra were recorded, and their attributed transitions were studied. The mechanical studies showed that the hardness values increased by increasing Dy2O3 concentrations from 4160.54 to 5631.58 Mpa. The stress exponent value also increased from 4.1 to 6.3. Therefore, the higher value of stress exponent (S) is more resistant to indentation creep.