| 1. |
- Hugosson, Håkan Wilhelm, et al.
(författare)
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Phase stabilities and structural relaxations in substoichiometric TiC1-x
- 2001
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Ingår i: Physical Review B. Condensed Matter and Materials Physics. - 1098-0121 .- 1550-235X. ; 6316:16, s. 165116-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- First-principles calculations have been used to study the effect of vacancies and relaxation around the vacancy sites in substoichiometric TiC1-x. The effect of relaxation on phase stabilities, equilibrium volumes. and electronic structure of the substoichiometric phases was studied using a combined approach of pseudopotential plane wave and full-potential linear muffin-tin orbital methods. A relaxation away from the vacancies was found for the titanium atoms, the magnitude of which increased with vacancy concentration and the inclusion of nearest-neighbor carbon atom relaxation. The inclusion of local relaxations was found to correctly predict the off-stoichiometric equilibrium composition of titanium carbide. The anomalous volume behavior of TiC at small vacancy concentration is explained as an effect of the local relaxation of the atoms surrounding the vacancy sites, but we do not find that the lattice parameter of any of the studied stoichiometries is larger than that of ideal stoichiometric TiC.
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| 2. |
- Hugosson, Håkan Wilhelm, et al.
(författare)
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Surface energies and work functions of the transition metal carbides
- 2004
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Ingår i: Surface Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0039-6028 .- 1879-2758. ; 557:03-jan, s. 243-254
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have performed an ab initio study of the surface energies, surface electronic structures and work functions for the (10 0) surface of the, existent and hypothetical, cubic 3d (Sc-Cu), 4d (Zr-Ag) and 5d (La-Au) transition metal carbides. The calculated surface energies have been compared to predictions using a so-called bond-cutting model and a model based on the so-called bonding energies. The absolute values and rough trends of the surface energies are fairly well predicted within the simple bond-cutting model, as compared to fully self-consistent calculations, while both trends and absolute values are well reproduced within the bonding energy model. The electronic structure (densities of states) of the transition metal carbides at the surface and in the bulk have been calculated. The trends are discussed in relation to the behavior of the surface energy and the work function across the series.
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| 3. |
- Grennberg, Helena, et al.
(författare)
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Functionalization and Area-Selective Deposition of Magnetic Carbon-Coated Iron Nanoparticles from Solution
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Nanotechnology. - : Hindawi publishing. - 1687-9503 .- 1687-9511. ; , s. 342368-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A route to area-selective deposition of carbon-coated iron nanoparticles, involving chemical modification of the surface of the particles, is described. Partial oxidative etching of the coating introduces carboxylic groups, which then are esterified. The functionalized particles can be selectively deposited on the Si areas of Si/SiO2 substrates by a simple dipping procedure. Nanoparticles and nanoassemblies have been analyzed using SEM, TEM, and XPS.
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| 4. |
- Lewin, Erik, 1979-
(författare)
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Design of carbide-based nanocomposite coatings
- 2009
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this thesis research on synthesis, microstructure and properties of carbide-based coatings is reported. These coatings are electrically conducting, and can be tailored for high hardness, low friction and wear, along with load-adaptive behaviour. Tailoring these properties is achieved by controlling the relative phase content of the material. Coatings have been synthesised by dc magnetron sputtering, and their structures have been characterised, mainly by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.It has been shown that nanocomposites comprising of a nanocrystalline transition metal carbide (nc-MeCx, Me = Ti, Nb or V) and an amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix can result in low contact resistance in electrical contacts. Such materials also exhibit low friction and high resistance to wear, making them especially suitable for application in sliding contacts. The lowest contact resistance is attained for small amounts of the amorphous carbon phase.It has been shown that specific bonding structures are present in the interface between nc-TiCx and the a-C phases in the nanocomposite. It was found in particular that Ti3d and C2p states are involved, and that considerable charge transfer occurs across the interface, thereby influencing the structure of the carbide.Further design possibilities were demonstrated for TiCx-based nanocomposites by alloying them with weakly carbide-forming metals, i.e., Me = Ni, Cu or Pt. Metastable supersaturated solid solution carbides, (T1-xMex)Cy, were identified to result from this alloying process. The destabilisation of the TiCx-phase leads to changes in the phase distribution in the deposited nanocomposites, thus providing further control over the amount of carbon phase formed. Additional design possibilities became available through the decomposition of the metastable (Ti1-xMex)Cy phase through an appropriate choice of annealing conditions, yielding either more carbon phase or a new metallic phase involving Me. This alloying concept was also studied theoretically for all 3d transition metals using DFT techniques.It has also been demonstrated that Ar-ion etching (commonly used in the analysis of carbide based nanocomposites) can seriously influence the result of the analysis, especially for materials containing metastable phases. This implies that more sophisticated methods, or considerable care are needed in making these analyses, and that many of the earlier published results could well be in error.
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| 5. |
- Lewin, Erik, et al.
(författare)
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Industrialisation Study of Nanocomposite nc-TiC/a-C Coatings for Electrical Contact Applications
- 2009
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Ingår i: Plasma Processes and Polymers. - : WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. - 1612-8850. ; 6:S1, s. S928-S934
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Nanocomposite nc-TiC/a-C coatings were prepared by non-reactive magnetron sputtering in industrial scale equipment, under varying deposition conditions in order to investigate upscaling and possible industrialisation. The coatings were found to have similar microstructure and performance compared to previous laboratory scale experiments. The samples were characterised with XRD, XPS and SEM as well with ball-on-disc, nanoindentation and electrical measurements. Coatings containing a small fraction of a-C matrix phase were found to have promising both electrical properties (rho < 400 mu Omega cm and contact resistances down to 0.34 m Omega at 40 N) and tribological properties (f < 0.3 for 10 000 laps).
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| 6. |
- Dahlqvist, Martin, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of boron vacancies on phase stability, bonding and structure of MB2 (M = Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W) with AlB2 type structure
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 0953-8984 .- 1361-648X. ; 27:43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Transition metal diborides in hexagonal AlB2 type structure typically form stable MB2 phases for group IV elements (M = Ti, Zr, Hf). For group V (M = V, Nb, Ta) and group VI (M = Cr, Mo, W) the stability is reduced and an alternative hexagonal rhombohedral MB2 structure becomes more stable. In this work we investigate the effect of vacancies on the B-site in hexagonal MB2 and its influence on the phase stability and the structure for TiB2, ZrB2, HfB2, VB2, NbB2, TaB2, CrB2, MoB2, and WB2 using first-principles calculations. Selected phases are also analyzed with respect to electronic and bonding properties. We identify trends showing that MB2 with M from group V and IV are stabilized when introducing B-vacancies, consistent with a decrease in the number of states at the Fermi level and by strengthening of the B-M interaction. The stabilization upon vacancy formation also increases when going from M in period 4 to period 6. For TiB2, ZrB2, and HfB2, introduction of B-vacancies have a destabilizing effect due to occupation of B-B antibonding orbitals close to the Fermi level and an increase in states at the Fermi level.
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| 7. |
- Halim, Joseph, 1985-
(författare)
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Synthesis and Characterization of 2D Nanocrystals and Thin Films of Transition Metal Carbides (MXenes)
- 2014
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Two dimensional (2D) materials have received growing interest because of their unique properties compared to their bulk counterparts. Graphene is the archetype 2D solid, but other materials beyond graphene, such as MoS2 and BN have become potential candidates for several applications. Recently, a new family of 2D materials of early transition metal carbides and carbonitrides (Ti2CTx, Ti3C2Tx, Ti3CNTx, Ta4C3Tx, and more), labelled MXenes, has been discovered, where T stands for the surface-terminating groups.Before the present work, MXenes had only been synthesized in the form of exfoliated and delaminated powders, which is not suitable for electronic applications. In this thesis, I demonstrate the synthesis of MXenes as epitaxial thin films, a more suitable form for electronic and photonic applications. Results show that 2D epitaxial Ti3C2Tx films - produced by HF and NH4HF2 etching of magnetron sputter-grown Ti3AlC2 - exhibit metallic conductive behaviour down to 100 K and are 90% transparent to light in the visible-infrared range. The results from this work may open the door for MXenes as potential candidates for transparent conductive electrodes as well as in electronic, photonic and sensing applications.MXenes have been shown to intercalate cations and molecules between their layers that in turn can alter the surface termination groups. There is therefore a need to study the surface chemistries of synthetized MXenes to be able to study the effect of intercalation as well as altering the surface termination groups on the electronic structure and chemical states of the elements present in MXene layers. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) in-depth characterization was used to investigate surface chemistries of Ti3C2Tx and Ti2CTx. This thesis includes the discussion of the effect of Ar+ sputtering and the number of layers on the surface chemistry of MXenes. This study serves as a baseline for chemical modification and tailoring of the surface chemistry groups to potential uses and applications.New MXene phases, Nb2CTx and V2CTx, are shown in this thesis to be produced from HF chemical etching of Nb2AlC and V2AlC powders. Characterization of the produced MXenes was carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and XPS. Nb2CTx and V2CTx showed promising performance as electrodes for Li-ion batteries.In this thesis, electrochemical etching was used in an attempt to produce 2D metal carbides (MXene) from their ternary metal carbides, Ti3SiC2, Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC MAX phases. MAX phases in the form of highly dense bulk produced by Hot Isostatic Press. Several etching solutions were used such as HF, NaCl and HCl. Unlike the HF chemical etching of MAX phases, which results in MXenes, the electrochemical etching resulted in Carbide Derived Carbon (CDC). Here, I show the characterization of the produced CDC using several techniques such as XRD, TEM, Raman spectroscopy, and XPS. Electrochemical characterization was performed in the form of cyclic voltammetry, which sheds light on the etching mechanism.
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| 8. |
- Isaeva, Leyla, et al.
(författare)
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Amorphous W-S-N thin films: the atomic structure behind ultra-low friction
- 2015
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Ingår i: Acta Materialia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1359-6454 .- 1873-2453. ; 82, s. 84-93
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Amorphous W–S–N in the form of thin films has been identified experimentally as an ultra-low friction material, enabling easy sliding by the formation of a WS2 tribofilm. However, the atomic-level structure and bonding arrangements in amorphous W–S–N, which give such optimum conditions for WS2 formation and ultra-low friction, are not known. In this study, amorphous thin films with up to 37 at.% N are deposited, and experimental as well as state-of-the-art ab initio techniques are employed to reveal the complex structure of W–S–N at the atomic level. Excellent agreement between experimental and calculated coordination numbers and bond distances is demonstrated. Furthermore, the simulated structures are found to contain N bonded in molecular form, i.e. N2, which is experimentally confirmed by near edge X-ray absorption fine structure and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Such N2 units are located in cages in the material, where they are coordinated mainly by S atoms. Thus this ultra-low friction material is shown to be a complex amorphous network of W, S and N atoms, with easy access to W and S for continuous formation of WS2 in the contact region, and with the possibility of swift removal of excess nitrogen present as N2 molecules.
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| 9. |
- Kádas, Krisztina, et al.
(författare)
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Formation of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides on TiC1-xAx surfaces (A=S, Se, Te) : A theoretical study
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Materials Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0884-2914 .- 2044-5326. ; 29:2, s. 207-214
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using first principle density functional calculations, we study the formation of 2D transition metaldichalcogenides (TMDs) on TiC1-xAx, (A = S, Se, and Te) surfaces. We examine the structural misfits between chalcogen-containing TiC and different TMDs and demonstrate that the conditions for formation of TMDs are fulfilled in TiC1-xAx. We also demonstrate the influence of chalcogens on the cohesive properties and electronic structure of the carbides. We find that they react with W and form W-dichalcogenides. In the experimentally reported Ti–C–S nanocomposite coatings, the carbide grains are embedded in an amorphous carbon matrix. We discuss here the role ofthis matrix in the reaction. We propose that TiC1-xTex and TiC1-xSex are the favorable sources fordichalcogenide formation and suggest an alternative way to produce 2D materials in general. Furthermore, we argue that using Ti–C–Te or Ti–C–Se in nanocomposite coatings may be more advantageous for tribological applications than that of Ti–C–S.
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| 10. |
- Malinovskis, Paulius, et al.
(författare)
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Synthesis and characterisation of Mo-B-C thin films deposited by non-reactive DC magnetron sputtering
- 2017
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Ingår i: Surface & Coatings Technology. - : ELSEVIER SCIENCE SA. - 0257-8972 .- 1879-3347. ; 309, s. 506-515
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thin films in the Mo-B-C system with varying carbon content (up to 37 at.%) were deposited using non-reactive DC magnetron sputtering. The phase composition and microstructure were determined and the potential use of the films in sliding electrical contact applications was evaluated. Films with lower than 23 at.% carbon content consisted of nanocrystalline MoB2 - x grains surrounded by an amorphous tissue phase (a-B for binary, and a-BCx for ternary films). With increasing carbon content grain sizes was found to decrease (from 16 to 5 nm), and above 23 at.% carbon the films deposited at room temperature were X-ray amorphous. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy reveal that these films contain Mo-rich and Mo-poor regions, and thus are two-phase amorphous nanocomposites. Low-carbon content samples exhibited a friction coefficient against the steel counter surface of 1.1; this was reduced to 0.8 for high carbon-content films. Analysis of the tribofilm revealed formation of molybdenum oxide and amorphous carbon, however without significant lubricating effect at room temperature. Hardness and elastic modulus decrease with carbon content from similar to 29 to similar to 22 GPa and similar to 526 to similar to 326 GPa. These values give an WE ratio of 0.06 to 0.07, indicating brittle material. Resistivity was found to increase with carbon content from similar to 175 mu Omega cm for binary Mo-B to similar to 395 mu Omega cm for Mo-B-C thin film with 37 at.% of C. Therefore all the above results suggest that the Mo-B-C films are not suitable for sliding electrical contacts.
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