Single crystals which exhibit mechanical flexibility are promising materials for advanced technological applications. Before such materials can be used, a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of bending is needed. Using single crystal X-ray diffraction and microfocus Raman spectroscopy, we study in atomic detail the high-pressure response of the plastically flexible coordination polymer [Zn(μ-Cl)2(3,5-dichloropyridine)2]n (1). Contradictory to three-point bending, quasi-hydrostatic compression of (1) is completely reversible, even following compression to over 9 GPa. A structural phase transition is observed at ca. 5 GPa. DFT calculations show this transition to result from the pressure-induced softening of low-frequency vibrations. This phase transition is not observed during three-point-bending. Microfocus synchrotron X-ray diffraction revealed that bending yields significant mosaicity, as opposed to compression. Hence, our studies indicate of overall disparate mechanical responses of bulk flexibility and quasi-hydrostatic compression within the same crystal lattice. We suspect this to be a general feature of plastically bendable materials.
The oxides, hydroxides, and oxo-hydroxides of iron belong to the most abundant materials on earth. They also feature a wide range of practical applications. In many environments, they can undergo facile phase transformations and crystallization processes.
Water appears to play a critical role in many of these processes. Despite numerous attempts, the role of water has not been fully revealed yet. We present a new approach to study the influence of water in the crystallization and phase transformations of iron oxides.
The approach employs model-type iron oxide films that comprise a defined homogeneous nanostructure. The films are exposed to air containing different amounts of water reaching up to pressures of 10 bar. Ex situ analysis via scanning electron microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and X-ray diffraction is combined with operando near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to follow water-induced changes in hematite nd ferrihydrite. Water proves to be critical for the nucleation of ematite domains in ferrihydrite, the resulting crystallite orientation, and the underlying crystallization mechanism.
To understand the impact of dissolved water on structure and properties, four boron-rich glasses of molar compositions 15-x Na2O x CaO 15 SiO2 70 B2O3 (with x=0, 7.5, 10) and 10 Na2O 15 SiO2 75 B2O3 were prepared and subsequently hydrated (up to 8 wt% H2O). Density measurements show a non-linear trend upon hydration implying large structural changes in particular at water contents<2 wt%. Near-infrared spectroscopy shows hydroxyl groups are the dominant species in all glasses upon the entire range of water content. Molecular H2O is detectable only at total water contents>2 wt%. 11B MAS NMR spectra show that the abundance of BO4 species is mainly controlled by ratio of (Na2O+CaO)/B2O3 while incorporation of water plays a minor role.
Compared to borate glasses, the efficiency of formation of BO4 tetrahedra is favored by crosslinking of the network by SiO4-units. The glass transition temperatures, determined by differential thermal analysis, decreases continuously with water content due to breakage of B-O-B bonds by hydrolysis. However, compared to Silicates and aluminosilicates, the effect of dissolved water is less pronounced which can be explained by weaker B-O-B bonds in comparison to Si-O-Si bonds.
Protein folding, unfolding and misfolding have become critically important to a range of health and industry applications. Increasing high temperature and high pressure are used to control and speed up reactions. A number of studies have indicated that these parameters can have a large effecton protein structure and function. Here we describe the additive effects of these parameters on the small angle scattering behaviour of ribonuclease A. We find that alternate unfolded structures can be obtained with combined high pressure and temperature treatment of the protein.
To resist the corrosive geothermal environment during carbon capture and storage CCS -such as: heat, pressure, salinity of the aquifer, CO2-partial pressure, properties of pipe steels-require certain specification. For evaluation samples of differently heat treated high alloyed stainless injection-pipe steels AISI 420 X46Cr13, AISI 420J X20Cr13 as well as X5CrNiCuNb16–4 AISI 630 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h up to 8000 h in a CO2-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to a possible geological situation in the northern German Basin. Corrosion rates and scale growth are lowest after long term exposure for steels hardened and tempered at 600 °C to 670 °C and pits -indicating local corrosion- decrease in diameter but increase in number as a function of carbon content of the steel. Martensitic microstructure is preferred with respect to these particular conditions.
The structural investigation of hydrated borate glasses provides new insights on the influence of water on boron speciation using spectroscopic methods. In the present study three soda–lime–borate glasses (NCBx with x = 5, 15 and 25 corresponding to xNa2O, 10CaO, 90 - xB2O3 in mol%) were prepared with water content up to 8 wt.%. The water speciation in the glasses was derived by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy while boron speciation was investigated by 11B MAS NMR (Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance). For the three glasses effective molar absorption coefficients were determined experimentally for the bands at 5200 cm- 1 and 4600 cm- 1, corresponding to combination modes of H2O molecules and OH-groups, respectively. In contrast to silicate glasses, in which at most ~ 2 wt.% H2O are dissociated to OH-groups, the amount of dissociated H2O may even exceed 5 wt.% in borate glasses. The fraction of tetrahedral to total boron (N4 = BIV / BIV + BIII) is predominantly controlled by the ratio of Na2O + CaO / B2O3, but only weakly affected by the water content of the glasses. When increasing the H2O content from 0 to 8 wt.%, N4 increases from 25% to 26% for NCB5 and from 42% to 47% for NCB25 glasses.
Design of a high pressure system for in-situ tests on the corrosion fatigue of metallic materials
(2014)
In geothermal power plants pumps are exposed to corrosive and oscillating loads. This leads to corrosion fatigue and reduces the lifetime of certain components. Usually underwater power pumps are placed inside the borehole. In this case an installation depth of 600 to 800 meters below ground level is typical. In these depths an additional load due to high pressure and high temperature is introduced which is based on geothermal brine. Therefore the material which is used for the pump is steel.For fatigue testing at loads existing in deep geological layers an appropriate system for fatigue tests under in-situ conditions was set up. The requirements of the design are: temperature of the corrosion medium of 200 °C pressure of 200 bars and the complete immersion of the specimen in flowing corrosion medium containing mixtures of corrosive gasses during the entire test period.The test system has three main components the corrosion chamber the heating module and the reservoir. It is important that the corrosion chamber is only fixed onto the specimen which allows for highest flexibility of the test system operational in many different test machines. The heating module heats the corrosion medium up to 200 °C. The reservoir make sure that the volume of the corrosion medium satisfies requirements of the DIN 50905 Part 1 is conformed providing minimum required corrosive medium of 10 ml/cm² in relation to the sample surface.This innovative fatigue test system aims at performing in- situ fatigue corrosion tests simultaneously at high pressure and high temperature in liquid and gaseous corrosive environment. Results from the tests will allow determining the fatigue life of several materials influenced by pressure and temperature under corrosive conditions.
OEMs perceive diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings as part of a strategy for low frictional tribosystems. Especially the automotive industry anticipates a benefit in applying such coatings in association with the lightweight construction of mechanical parts, for instance in gears and engines. In previous investigations it was shown, that DLC, amorphous carbon (a-C) and tetragonal amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings can be slip-rolling resistant at least up to ten million load cycles at Hertzian contact pressures P0max of 2.9 GPa lubricated by engine oil at 120°C, Further improvements in load carrying capacity up to P0mean of 2.62 GPa (FN= 5,000 N) were achieved with alternative, available Steel metallurgies as Substrates for thin film coatings. Additional factors, such as influences of the lubrication on the surface chemistry (additives and base oils), wear and friction behavior were investigated.
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings are perceived as part of a strategy for low frictional tribosystems. Especially the automotive industry anticipates a benefit in applying such coatings in association with the lightweight construction of mechanical parts, for instance in gear and engine components. Therefore, in previous investigations amorphous carbon (a-C) and tetragonal amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings were inspected. For up to ten million cycles at Hertzian contact pressures P0max of 2.9 GPa it was shown that these coatings are slip-rolling resistant not only at room temperature in the presence of unaddivated paraffin oil, but also up to 120 °C oil temperature. The steel substrates in this investigation were made of the hardened and tempered steels 100Cr6H and Cronidur 30. The aim of the current work is manifold. The Hertzian contact pressures should be increased up to P0max of 4.2 GPa by using new steel metallurgies as substrates for thin film coatings. These steel metallurgies are also assessed, if they can compete as uncoated couples. Two high toughness spring steels and an ultra-high toughness aerospace steel were tested in a twin disc tribometer of the Amsler type as well as in an Optimol 2Disk test rig under mixed/boundary conditions in a factory fill SAE 0W-30 engine oil. Different factors such as influences of the lubrication, surface chemistry and wear behaviour were investigated.