Coatings, Volume 10, Issue 7 (July 2020) – 101 articles

Microstructural features have a vital effect on the comprehensive performance of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) and highly depend on the thermal spray processing parameters. Herein, a novel hybrid machine-learning method was proposed to predict the microstructural features of TBCs using thermal spray processing parameters based on a support vector machine method optimized by the cuckoo search algorithm (CS-SVM). In this work, atmospheric-plasma-sprayed (APS) TBCs samples with multifarious microstructural features were acquired by modifying the spray powder size, spray distance, and spray power during thermal spray processing. The processing parameters were used as the inputs for the CS-SVM model. Then, the porosity, the pore-to-crack ratio, the maximum Feret’s diameter, the aspect ratio, and the circularity were counted and treated as the targets for the CS-SVM model. After optimization and training procedure of the CS-SVM model, the predicted results were compared to the results of experimental data, as a result, the squared correlation coefficient (R²) of CS-SVM model showed that the prediction accuracy reached by over 95%, and the root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) were less than 0.1, which also verified the reliability of the CS-SVM model. Finally, this study proposed a novel and efficient microstructural feature prediction that could be potentially employed to improve the performance of TBCs in service. Full article

An essential characteristic of the new product development process is to develop a new marketable product in the shortest possible time with the lowest reasonable costs. Therefore, the key factor of the process is efficiency. The paints and coatings industry development process contain numerous laboratory tests to determine the appropriateness of new formulation. It is proven that digital transformation can reduce the number of laboratory tests and consequently shorten the throughput time of the development process. This raised the question of whether the faster development process also reduces the process’ cost, or they even increase due to information and communication technology implementation. Therefore, the research’s purpose was to determine whether reducing the number of laboratory tests, based on the implementation of information and communication technology (ICT), affects reducing costs in the paints and coatings development process. The conventional process and the redesigned process of paints and coatings development were used as the basis of the research. The comparative analysis of the costs incurred during the development process was made. The analysis compares the types and amount of incurred costs. The article proves that digital transformation has a significant impact on up to 48% on reducing costs of the paints and coatings development process. Full article

Titanium alloy is a major structural material with excellent high specific strength in aerospace applications. Cubic boron nitride (cBN) is a synthetic wear-resistant material with high hardness, similar to that of diamond, that is used in mechanical cutting and grinding. In addition, the thermal stability of cubic boron nitride particles is much better than that of diamond. In order to further enhance the wear resistance of the Ti6Al4V alloy, the laser cladding (LC) technology characteristics of metallurgical bonding were used to prepare cubic boron nitride/Ti6Al4V and Ni-plated cubic boron nitride/Ti6Al4V composite coatings on Ti6Al4V substrates in this paper. However, in the laser molten pool, it is difficult to retain the raw properties of cubic boron nitride particles under laser radiation. Both composite coatings were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The microstructures and interface bonding between cubic boron nitride particles and the Ti6Al4V matrix were examined using SEM, and the wear resistance and the worn track morphology of the composite coatings were evaluated using the ball-on-disc wear test and step profiler (WTM-2E). The results indicated that the Ni-plated cubic boron nitride/Ti6Al4V composite coating showed fewer thermal defects in comparison with the cubic boron nitride/Ti6Al4V coating. The Ni plating on the surface of cubic boron nitride particles was able to avoid the generation of thermal cracking of the cubic boron nitride particles in the composite coating. The TiN reaction layer was formed between the cubic boron nitride particles and Ti6Al4V matrix, which effectively prevented the further decomposition of the cubic boron nitride particles. The XRD and XPS results confirmed that the TiN reaction layer formed between the cubic boron nitride particles and Ti6Al4V. The Ni plating on the surface of the cubic boron nitride particles was also beneficial for increasing the wear resistance of the composite coating. Full article

The application of high-entropy alloys (HEA) in surface technology has great potential due to the high corrosion and wear resistance. A further improvement can be achieved by applying thermochemical treatments. Powder-pack boriding enables the formation of a protective precipitation layer. This process has already been applied for cast HEAs causing the formation of a diffusion-enriched surface layer and a distinct increase in wear resistance. In the current investigations, the alloy CrFeCoNi with a single-phase face-centred cubic (fcc) structure is considered. An efficient application can be achieved by limiting the material usage of HEAs to the surface. Therefore, the high-velocity-oxygen-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray process is applied. Boriding was conducted with an adapted powder-pack routine. Furthermore, borided bulk HEAs were considered as a reference. The influence of the production route and boriding treatment on the microstructure, phase formation, and properties was investigated in detail. For the coating and the cast HEA, a precipitation layer is formed. Hence, the hardness and wear resistance are significantly increased. The current study proves the suitability of the investigated process combination. Full article

The corrosion-inhibiting performance of (E)-N’-(4-bromobenzylidene)-2-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl) propanehydrazide (BPH) and (E)-N’-(4-(dimethylamino) benzylidene)-2-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl) propanehydrazide (MPH) for mild steel (MS) in 1.0 M HCl was investigated using electrochemical methods, weight loss measurements, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) analysis. Raising the concentration of both inhibitors towards an optimal value of 5 × 10⁻³ M reduced the corrosion current density (i_corr) and the corrosion rate of mild steel. The inhibitory effect of MPH, which showed the highest inhibition efficiency, was explored under a range of temperatures between 303 and 333 K. The inhibitory performance of both compounds significantly improved when the inhibitor concentration increased. The main result that flowed from potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) tests was that both compounds acted as mixed-type inhibitors, with a predominance cathodic effect. The adsorption of both compounds follows the Langmuir isotherm. SEM/EDX confirmed the excellent inhibition performance of tested compounds. Full article

Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are considered a promising solution for improving the efficiency of internal combustion engines. Among the thermal spray processes, the relatively newly developed suspension plasma spray (SPS) is an attractive candidate due to its unique microstructural features that have already demonstrated increased performance in gas turbine applications. To achieve these features, thermal spray conditions play an essential role. In specific uses, such as piston of diesel engines, parameters as spray angle and spray distance pose challenges to keep them constant during the whole spray process due to the complex geometry of the piston. To understand the effect of the spray distance and spray angle, a comprehensive investigation of the produced thermal spray microstructure on the piston geometry was conducted. Flat and complex geometry surfaces were coated using the same plasma parameters while the spray angle and distance were changed. Characterization was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with the image analysis technique to perceive the variation of the thickness and microstructures features such as pores, cracks, column density, and column orientation. The results showed that the changes in spray angles and spray distances due to the complex shape of the substrate have a significant influence on the microstructure and thermal properties (thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity) of the coatings. The thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity were calculated by modeling for the different regions of the piston and measured by laser flash analysis combined with modeling for the flat-surfaced coupon. It was shown that the modeling approach is an effective tool to predict the thermal properties and thus to understand the influence of the parameters on the coating properties. Connecting the observations of the work on the microstructural and thermal properties, the complex geometry’s influence on the produced coatings could be diminished by tailoring the process and generating the most desirable TBC for the internal combustion engines in future applications. Full article

The high dielectric constant ZrO₂, as one of the most promising gate dielectric materials for next generation semiconductor device, is expected to be introduced as a new high k dielectric layer to replace the traditional SiO₂ gate dielectric. The electrical properties of ZrO₂ films prepared by various deposition methods and the main methods to improve their electrical properties are introduced, including doping of nonmetal elements, metal doping design of pseudo-binary alloy system, new stacking structure, coupling with organic materials and utilization of crystalline ZrO₂ as well as optimization of low-temperature solution process. The applications of ZrO₂ and its composite thin film materials in metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) and thin film transistors (TFTs) with low power consumption and high performance are prospected. Full article

To solve the problem of contamination flashover of a catenary insulator in an electrified railway, the collision mechanism and deposition characteristics of contamination particles on the insulator surface should be studied to ensure the safe operation of traction power supply systems. This research used horizontal and oblique cantilever insulators as objects, and established the collision model between particles and insulator surface under different arrangements. The deposition conditions of particles on the insulator surface were obtained, and the simulation model of insulator contamination accumulation was established by using the Euler two-phase flow. The difference of contamination deposition characteristics between horizontal and oblique cantilever insulators was analyzed with the volume fraction of contamination particles as the characterization parameter. By comparing the cantilever insulator with the positive feeder insulator, this study analyzed the influence of shed structure on the contamination deposition characteristics. Results show that the installation method of an insulator has an impact on the contamination deposition on the insulator surface. When particle size and wind velocity are fixed, the degree of contamination accumulation on the surface of the oblique cantilever insulator is constantly higher than that of the horizontal cantilever insulator. The insulator shed structure also has a certain effect on the contamination deposition on the insulator surface. For the cantilever insulator, the degree of contamination accumulation of the windward side is higher than that of the leeward side. However, for the positive feeder insulator, the degree of contamination accumulation of the windward side is consistently less than that of the leeward side. Measures to deal with contamination flashover of catenary insulator are proposed. Full article

Amorphous carbon films with a high hardness usually suffer from high internal stress. To deposit films with a hard top surface but reduced internal stress, a simple bilayer approach was used. Films were prepared by plasma source ion implantation, using only hydrocarbon precursors. The single layer with the highest hardness (deposited by a low direct current (DC) voltage and radio frequency (RF) generation of the plasma) has the highest internal stress with more than 3.5 GPa. By adding an interlayer with a lower hardness, the resulting stress of the bilayer film can be reduced to below 1.4 GPa while maintaining the high hardness of the top layer. By avoiding metallic interlayers or dopants within the films, the deposition process can be kept simple and cost-effective, and it is also suitable for three-dimensional samples. Full article

Few-layer exfoliated black phosphorus (Ex-BP) has attracted tremendous attention owing to its promising applications, including in electrocatalysis. However, it remains a challenge to directly use few-layer Ex-BP as oxygen-involved electrocatalyst because it is quite difficult to restrain structural degradation caused by spontaneous oxidation and keep it stable. Here, a robust carbon-stabilization strategy has been implemented to prepare carbon-coated Ex-BP/N-doped graphene nanosheet (Ex-BP/NGS@C) nanostructures at room temperature, which exhibit superior oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity under alkaline conditions. Specifically, the as-synthesized Ex-BP/NGS@C hybrid presents a low overpotential of 257 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm⁻² with a small Tafel slope of 52 mV dec⁻¹ and shows high durability after long-term testing. Full article

Low-pressure carburizing followed by high-pressure quenching in single-piece flow technology has shown good results in avoiding distortions. For better control of specimen quality in these processes, developing numerical simulations can be beneficial. However, there is no commercial software able to simulate distortion formation during gas quenching that considers the complex fluid flow field and heat transfer coefficient as a function of space and time. For this reason, this paper proposes an algorithm scheme that aims for more refined results. Based on the physical phenomena involved, a numerical scheme was divided into five modules: diffusion module, fluid module, thermal module, phase transformation module, and mechanical module. In order to validate the simulation, the results were compared with the experimental data. The outcomes showed that the average difference between the numerical and experimental data for distortions was 1.7% for the outer diameter and 12% for the inner diameter of the steel element. Numerical simulation also showed the differences between deformations in the inner and outer diameters as they appear in the experimental data. Therefore, a numerical model capable of simulating distortions in the steel elements during high-pressure gas quenching after low-pressure carburizing using a single-piece flow technology was obtained, whereupon the complex fluid flow and variation of the heat transfer coefficient was considered. Full article

Herein, we performed a comparative study of plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of SnO₂ films using Sn(dmamp)₂ as the Sn source and either H₂O plasma or O₂ plasma as the oxygen source in a wide temperature range of 100–300 °C. Since the type of oxygen source employed in PEALD determines the growth behavior and resultant film properties, we investigated the growth feature of both SnO₂ PEALD processes and the various chemical, structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties of SnO₂ films, depending on the oxygen source. SnO₂ films from Sn(dmamp)₂/H₂O plasma (SH-SnO₂) and Sn(dmamp)₂/O₂ plasma (SO-SnO₂) showed self-limiting atomic layer deposition (ALD) growth behavior with growth rates of ~0.21 and 0.07–0.13 nm/cycle, respectively. SO-SnO₂ films showed relatively larger grain structures than SH-SnO₂ films at all temperatures. Interestingly, SH-SnO₂ films grown at high temperatures of 250 and 300 °C presented porous rod-shaped surface morphology. SO-SnO₂ films showed good electrical properties, such as high mobility up to 27 cm² V⁻¹·s⁻¹ and high carrier concentration of ~10¹⁹ cm⁻³, whereas SH-SnO₂ films exhibited poor Hall mobility of 0.3–1.4 cm² V⁻¹·s⁻¹ and moderate carrier concentration of 1 × 10¹⁷–30 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻³. This may be attributed to the significant grain boundary and hydrogen impurity scattering. Full article

The reduction of graphene oxide (GO) thin films deposited on substrates is crucial to achieve a technologically useful supported graphene material. However, the well-known thermal reduction process cannot be used with thermally unstable substrates (e.g., plastics and paper), in addition photo-reduction methods are expensive and only capable of reducing the external surface. Therefore, solid-state chemical reduction techniques could become a convenient approach for the full thickness reduction of the GO layers supported on thermally unstable substrates. Here, a novel experimental procedure for quantitative reduction of GO films on paper by a green and low-cost chemical reductant (L-ascorbic acid, L-aa) is proposed. The possibility to have an effective mass transport of the reductant inside the swelled GO solid (gel-phase) deposit was ensured by spraying a reductant solution on the GO film and allowing it to reflux in a closed microenvironment at 50 °C. The GO conversion degree to reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) in attenuated total reflectance (ATR) mode and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). In addition, morphology and wettability of GO deposits, before and after reduction, were confirmed by digital USB microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and contact angle measurements. According to these structural characterizations, the proposed method allows a bulky reduction of the coating but leaves to a GO layer at the interface, that is essential for a good coating-substrate adhesion and this special characteristic is useful for industrial exploitation of the material. Full article

This study presents the theoretical investigation of a roll-over thin layer formation under the lubrication approximation theory. The set of differential equations derived by lubrication approximation is solved by the optimal homotopy asymptotic method (OHAM) to obtain precise expressions for pressure and velocity gradients. Critical quantities such as velocity, pressure gradient, and coating layer depth are numerically estimated. The impact of parameters affecting the coating and layer formation is revealed in detail. Results indicate that the transport properties of the higher-grade fluid play an essential role in regulating velocity, pressure, and the final coated region. Moreover, couple stress effects on the properties of fluid particles to be coated on roller-surface have also been studied. Full article

SiO₂/ZrO₂ and SiO₂/ZrO₂/Al₂O₃ composite organic–inorganic coatings were prepared by the sol-gel technology. The structure of the coating was characterized by IR, particle size analyzer, SEM, and AFM, respectively. The results showed that ZrO₂, SiO₂ (inorganic component), and siloxane had undergone a hydrolytic condensation reaction, and the composite organic–inorganic coatings were formed with -O-M-O- (M is Si, Zr) as molecular skeleton network structure. Adding an appropriate ratio of ZrO₂ sol, no agglomeration and phase separation occurred, which could significantly improve the refractive index, hardness, and light transmittance of the coatings. Al₂O₃ sol could greatly improve the friction resistance of the composite organic–inorganic coatings, and the Bayer ratio of the composite coatings could reach 7.86. By adjusting the proportioning of composite sol solution, the refractive index of the composite transparent coatings could be controlled from 1.52 to 1.65. Full article

Studies have already established that the mechanical properties of Babbitt coatings significantly depend on the microstructural characteristics, such as the amount and distribution of intermetallic compounds dispersed in a soft solid solution matrix. For Sn–Sb–Cu-based Babbitt coatings, the formation of SbSn- and CuSn-based precipitates has a substantial influence on the resulting microhardness and thus determines the maximum load carrying capacity. Thermal spraying of Sn-based Babbitt coatings results in a relatively more refined structure of these precipitates than in common manufacturing processes, such as casting, due to the thermal processing conditions. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the temperature of the propellant gas and substrate temperature on the microstructural characteristics of Sn–Sb–Cu-based Babbitt coatings deposited by low pressure cold spraying (LPCS). The deposits were examined for their phase composition, microhardness and mesoscopic structure. It was found that the coatings were mainly composed of Sb₂Sn₂₃, Sb_0.49Sn_0.51 and Sorosite (CuSn or CuSb_0.115Sn_0.835), regardless of the substrate temperature or temperature of the propellant gas to be investigated. For a gas temperature above 300 °C, an increased microhardness was observed, which correlates with the appearance of a more homogenous distribution of Sb_0.49Sn_0.51 dispersed in a soft Sn-rich solid solution matrix. Full article

The Taidong Tomb in the imperial tombs of the Qing dynasties has great aesthetic value and a rich history. In this study, we conducted the first investigation ever performed on the raw materials used in the paintings in the Taidong Tomb. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), polarized light microscopy (PLM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Raman spectroscopy (m-RS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) were used to comprehensively analyze the painting of Long’en Hall, Xipei Hall and the ceiling of Minglou. In the conclusion of the study, the paintings were found to contain natural mineral and synthetic pigments, including atacamite (Cu₂Cl(OH)₃), azurite (2CuCO₃·Cu(OH)₂), vermilion (HgS), carbon black (C), anglesite (PbSO₄), white lead (2PbCO₃·Pb(OH)₂), synthetic emerald green (Cu(CH₃COO)₂·3Cu(AsO₂)₂) and ultramarine ((Na,Ca)₈(AlSiO₄)₆(SO₄,S,Cl)₂). This allows us to conclude that some of the architectural paintings were repainted in the mid-to-late 19th century. The mortar layer may consist of brick ash (albite, gismondine), lime water, tung oil and flour. The fiber layer material may be ramie. Researching the raw materials of the paintings in the Taidong Tomb is of great value because it provides scientific data for the future preservation of the paintings in the tomb. Full article

In recent years, food packaging has evolved from an inert and polluting waste that remains after using the product toward an active item that can be consumed along with the food it contains. Edible films and coatings represent a healthy alternative to classic food packaging. Therefore, a significant number of studies have focused on the development of biodegradable enveloping materials based on biopolymers. Animal and vegetal proteins, starch, and chitosan from different sources have been used to prepare adequate packaging for perishable food. Moreover, these edible layers have the ability to carry different active substances such as essential oils—plant extracts containing polyphenols—which bring them considerable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. This review presents the latest updates on the use of edible films/coatings with different compositions with a focus on natural compounds from plants, and it also includes an assessment of their mechanical and physicochemical features. The plant compounds are essential in many cases for considerable improvement of the organoleptic qualities of embedded food, since they protect the food from different aggressive pathogens. Moreover, some of these useful compounds can be extracted from waste such as pomace, peels etc., which contributes to the sustainable development of this industry. Full article

The YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x/LaAlO₃/YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x (YBCO/LAO/YBCO) heterogeneous trilayer film structures were prepared on the LaAlO₃ (001) single-crystal substrate via the sol-gel method. The characteristics of the phase, orientation, and superconducting properties were studied via an X-ray diffractometer and a comprehensive physical property measurement system. The results show that when the LAO layer was thin (<40 nm), the trilayer films were relatively pure and had a high c-axis orientation. When the nominal thickness of the LAO layer increased to 70 nm, non-c-axis oriented grains started to appear in the trilayer film. In this case, the top and bottom YBCO layers exhibited superconducting properties, and the resistance was found to be zero at 80.1 and 72.5 K, respectively. In addition, for the YBCO/LAO (40 nm)/YBCO structure, the intermediate LAO layer was too thin to completely cover the surface of the underlying YBCO. This resulted in point contact and micro-bridge contact in several micro-regions, thus forming a weak connection and exhibiting a current-voltage (I–V) characteristic similar to the direct-current (DC) Josephson effect. On the other hand, for the YBCO/LAO (70 nm)/YBCO structure, the thicker LAO layer could completely cover the underlying YBCO surface, which could isolate the superconducting current between the YBCO layers. Full article

Top coating are usually moulded, painted or sprayed onto the wind blade Leading-Edge surface to prevent rain erosion due to transverse repeated droplet impacts. Wear fatigue failure analysis based on Springer model has been widely referenced and validated to quantitatively predict damage initiation. The model requires liquid, coating and substrate speed of sound measurements as constant input parameters to define analytically the shockwave progression due to their relative vibro-acoustic properties. The modelling assumes a pure elastic material behavior during the impact event. Recent coating technologies applied to prevent erosion are based on viscoelastic materials and develop high-rate transient pressure build-up and a subsequent relaxation in a range of strain rates. In order to analyze the erosion performance by using Springer model, appropriate impedance characterization for such viscoelastic materials is then required and represents the main objective of this work to avoid lack of accuracy. In the first part of this research, it is proposed a modelling methodology that allows one to evaluate the frequency dependent strain-stress behavior of the multilayer coating system under single droplet impingement. The computational tool ponders the operational conditions (impact velocity, droplet size, layer thickness, etc.) with the appropriate variable working frequency range for the speed of sound measurements. The second part of this research defines in a complementary paper, the ultrasonic testing characterization of different viscoelastic coatings and the methodology validation. The modelling framework is then used to identify suitable coating and substrate combinations due to their acoustic matching optimization and to analyze the anti-erosion performance of the coating protection system. Full article

Water-line corrosion is a highly concentrated type of localized corrosion. The conventional single electrode method is limited in its ability to obtain the kinetic information of the corrosion occurrence and development processes. Herein, the coating deterioration and underlying metal corrosion processes in water-line area were studied by a small wire beam electrode to monitor the current density distribution. The distance between each electrode was very small (interval: 0.3 mm), thus facilitating it to approach the practical metal component with a continuous surface. The results showed that cathodic and anodic sites tended to be weak points of the coating at the initial stage. With the continuous degradation of the coating, the cathodic zone tended to occur in the above the anodic zone due to the effect of differential aeration cells (DACs). Subsequently, the cathodic zone expanded to the waterline and the polarity reversed to the anodic zone, causing the coating to peel and blister continuously from the bottom up. When the cathodic zone extended to the gas phase area above the water line, this area became the strongest cathodic zone under the action of the thin liquid film, thus significantly accelerating the corrosion of the base metal at the bottom. The present study aims to achieve an in-depth understanding of coating deterioration and underlying metal corrosion processes in the water-line area, providing a new means of directly visualizing the role of DACs played in water line corrosion. Full article

TiN coating plays a positive role in improving the abrasion resistance and impact resistance of aero-engines in sand and dust environments. However, little research has been done on the laser cleaning of TiN coatings that failed on aircraft engines. In this paper, TiN coatings are deposited on Ti6Al4V alloys by magnetic filtered cathodic vacuum arc (MFCVA). The TiN coating was laser cleaned with different parameters. By analyzing coating morphology, surface composition and sample profile, the research reveals the morphological change of the TiN coating after cleaning and the laser cleaning mechanism. The results show that for TiN–Ti6Al4V structure, when the laser average power density is 2.54 × 10³ W/cm², the cleaning mechanism of the coating is thermal expansion; The laser average power density is increased to 5.08 × 10³ W/cm², the cleaning mechanism is thermal expansion, accompanied by the thermal melting of the substrate, a small amount of molten substrate overflows from the crack. When the laser average power density is 5.08 × 10³ W/cm² and the number of cleanings doubles, the cleaning direction is perpendicular to each other, the cleaning mechanism is thermal expansion and thermal melting, both the substrate and the coating are melted, and the cleaning is obviously effective. Full article

Here, a new concrete hydrophobic treatment method is developed using SiO₂ sol and silane emulsion. The effectiveness of the modification for concrete protection is evaluated through testing water absorption and chloride diffusion. Two types of concrete with different strength grades (C40, C50) are used as the research object. The results show that the water capillary absorption coefficient and chloride ion diffusion coefficient of concrete decrease greatly under the protection of SiO₂ sol and silane emulsion. Additionally, the protection effect is better with the increase of SiO₂ consumption. Contact angle test results reveal that when the coating amount of SiO₂ sol and silane emulsion is 300 g/m², respectively, the contact angle reaches 150.2°, indicating the concrete (C40) surface reaches the superhydrophobic state. Through scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation, it is found that the hydrophobic effect of the SiO₂ sol/silane emulsion is mainly due to the change in the surface morphology of concrete (C40). Full article

This article presents the influence of the anodizing parameters and thermo-chemical treatment of Al₂O₃ coatings made on aluminum alloy EN AW-5251 on the surface free energy. The oxide coating was produced by DC (Direct Current) anodizing in a ternary electrolyte. The thermo-chemical treatment of the oxide coatings was carried out using distilled water, sodium dichromate and sodium sulphate. Micrographs of the surface of the Al₂O₃ coatings were characterized using a scanning microscope (SEM). The chemical composition of the oxide coatings was identified using EDS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) microanalysis. Surface free energy (SFE) calculations were performed by the Owens–Wendt method, based on wetting angle measurements made using the sessile drop technique. The highest value of surface free energy for the only anodized coatings was 46.57 mJ/m², and the lowest was 37.66 mJ/m². The contact angle measurement with glycerine was 98.06° ± 2.62°, suggesting a hydrophobic surface. The thermo-chemical treatment of the oxide coatings for most samples contributed to a significant increase in SFE, while reducing the contact angle with water. The highest value of surface free energy for the coatings after thermo-chemical treatment was 77.94 mJ/m², while the lowest was 34.98 mJ/m². Taking into account the contact angle measurement with glycerine, it was possible to obtain hydrophobic layers with the highest angle of 109.82° ± 4.79° for the sample after thermal treatment in sodium sulphate. Full article

Having established that sulphur presence in the mould materials appears to have an important contribution in graphite degeneration at least in the casting surface layer, a research program is undertaken to explore the possible beneficial effect of sulphur diffusion blocking at the metal–mould interface. Test samples, with and without a thin steel sheet (up to 3 mm thickness) application on the inner surface of the mould cavity, before iron melt pouring, are considered for structure analysis. A higher nodulizing potential (0.048% Mg_res, 0.015% Ce_res, and 0.006% La_res) decreases the occurrence of surface graphite degeneration in castings obtained in rigid chemically bonded resin sand moulds, using P-toluol sulfonic acid (PTSA) hardener (S-including), but it is not enough to avoid this phenomenon (200–400 μm skin in present experimental conditions). The casting skin appears to have different values, depending on the evaluation technique (un- and Nital-etching direct measurement, or graphite parameters variation on the casting section). In the presence of a thin steel sheet at the metal–mould interface, the casting skin thickness decreases or is just excluded. It is supposed that it acts as a barrier, blocking S-diffusion from the mould media into the iron melt. Without this S-diffusion, the graphite degeneration in the casting surface layer could be avoided, or at least diminished. For industrial application, the increasing of residual content of nodulizing elements is a limited solution, and it is recommended to use barriers to block S transfer on the mould/metal surface, such as dense coatings or coatings with desulphurization capacity. Full article

Silica nanospheres with a well-controlled particle size were prepared via a nucleation-to-growth synthesis process. A facile method is proposed for improving the self-assembly behavior of silica colloidal particles in droplet coatings by the simple controlling of the drying temperature. It is shown that a periodically arranged, opal-structured, photonic crystal film with a large area of approximately 4.0 cm² can be prepared, even when the particle size is up to 840 nm. When the band gap of the silica photonic crystals falls in the visible-light region, the crystals exhibit distinct structural colors. Moreover, the wavelength of the reflected light increases with an increasing particle size of silica. When the photonic band gap overlaps the wavelength of the laser source, the overall Raman spectrum intensity is significantly enhanced. Accordingly, the proposed nucleation-to-growth process and drop-coating method provides a cheap and simple approach for the manufacture of uniform sized silica and surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates, respectively. Full article

Reconstructive bone surgery of the head and neck could prove challenging in terms of postoperative healing and recovery. Fighting infection during the healing period is one of the critical factors of the long-term survival of an implant. The aim of the study was to develop an innovative composition suitable for an antibacterial craniofacial implant that should have the capacity to continuously and constantly release the amount of gentamicin necessary to prevent the post-surgical infections. For this purpose, a series of composite materials based on dimethacrylic monomers, hydroxyapatite and ZrO₂, with (series B) or without the addition of polymethyl methacrylate (series A), reinforced with woven E-glass fibers (FRC) were obtained using the laminate lay-up process. Gentamicin was included in all FRC sample matrices to confer an antimicrobial effect. The results show that after extraction of the residual monomers from the FRC samples in different solvents (chloroform, acetone and ethyl alcohol), the cumulative amount of released gentamicin after 12 days was between 7.05–11.38 mg for A samples and 11.21–14.52 mg for B samples. The microbiological protocol showed that gentamicin induces a two weeks-lasting antimicrobial effect maintained over the minimal inhibitory concentration for P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. Full article

The effect of temperature on the network formation of polysiloxane hybrids was evaluated since this type of material is currently in high demand. In the last decades, the deposition of these coatings on different substrates, mostly metals, has demonstrated anticorrosion properties. Sol-gel hybrids were prepared by mixing 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTS) and tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) with a molar ratio of 1. The formation, thickness and composition of these hybrid materials were evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results showed that the temperature plays an important role in the network formation, the total condensation degree and the total dimensionality of the hybrid materials. At room temperature, the polysiloxane hybrids presented total condensation degrees lower than 75% and a total dimensionality (d_total) = 2.5, while those obtained at 65 °C presented total condensation degrees higher than 80% and a d_total = 2.8. The ideal conditions to prepare polysiloxane hybrids are 65 °C for 4 h, where this shows a higher atomic percentage of Si and a greater thickness. Full article

A high-frequency ultrasonic approach for testing and evaluating sprayed coating thickness is proposed in this paper. This technique is based on the maximum frequency interval method of the magnitude spectrum of the acoustic pressure reflection coefficient that adopts Welch spectrum estimation. The acoustic propagation model was set up at normal incidence, and the relationship between the maximum frequency interval by the Welch power spectrum and the coating thickness was established to provide the principle for determining coating thickness. According to this principle, the thickness of a series of stainless steel coatings and ZrO₂–Y₂O₃ (yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)) coatings were detected by scanning acoustic microscopy. The relative error was less than 4% with the microscope method, indicating that the proposed ultrasonic method provides a reliable nondestructive way to measure sprayed coating thickness. The uniformity of the sprayed coating thickness could be intuitively observed from C-scan images by programming. Full article

UV–curable polyacrylate is widely used in free–radical type UV–cure coating systems, the disadvantages of which including poor thermal stability and UV resistance can be overcome through chemical modification by silicone. However, it is a remarkable fact that the strategies for fabrication UV–cured silicone modified polyacrylates are somewhat complicated and the price of the products may be much expensive than pure UV–cured polyacrylates. In this work, an easy fabrication method to prepare inexpensive UV–cured transparent silicone modified polyacrylate coatings with good adhesion and UV resistance performance was developed from copolymers of acylates and thiol silicone resin by UV initiated thiol–ene click reaction without UV initiator. The striking results with a high application value should be emphasized that when the amount of thiol silicone resin is only one wt.% of the copolymer of acrylates, the UV–cured coatings obtained exhibit fairly good performance. These coatings prepared exhibit transparency higher than 96% (800 nm), adhesion property to glass slides can reach grade 0, pencil hardness can reach 6H, water absorption is less than 0.16%. In particular, it is observed obviously that the silicone modified polyacrylate coatings exhibit better UV resistance performance than the coating prepared with only copolymers of acrylates initiated by UV initiator 1173. It is proved that it is actually an easy fabrication method to prepare inexpensive UV–cured transparent silicone modified polyacrylate coatings with high performance by UV initiated thiol–ene click reaction of copolymers of acylates and thiol silicone resin. Full article