10Cu/(10NiO-NiFe₂O₄) cermets doped with Yb₂O₃ were prepared by conventional powder metallurgy technique. The effects of Yb₂O₃ content and sintering temperature on the relative density, phase composition, microstructure of the sintered cermets and the corrosion resistance to Na₃AlF₆-Al₂O₃ melts were investigated by sintered density test, XRD analysis and SEM. YbFeO₃ phase, which distributes in the ceramics grain boundary as particles or film, is produced by the reaction between Yb₂O₃ and ceramics. The addition of Yb₂O₃ accelerates the sintering process of ceramics matrix, eliminates pores in the boundary and results in coarsened crystalline grain. The relative density of the cermets with about 1% (mass fraction) Yb₂O₃ sintered at 1 275 ℃ increases to above 95%. Addition of about 1.0% Yb₂O₃ can inhibit obviously the corrosion of NiFe₂O₄ grain boundary and Cu phase in Na₃AlF₆-Al₂O₃ melts.

The nanocomposite WC-Co powders were prepared through planetary ball milling method. Effects of grain growth inhibitor addition and the vacuum sintering parameters on the microstructure and properties of ultrafine WC-10Co cemented carbides were investigated using X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope and mechanical property tester. The results show that VC and NbC additions can refine the WC grains, decrease the volume fraction of Co₃W₃C phase in ultrafine WC-10Co cemented carbides, and increase the hardness and fracture toughness of the base alloys. After sintering for 60 min at 1 400 ℃, the average grain size and hardness of ultrafine-grained WC-10Co-1VC cemented carbide are 470 nm and HRA 91.5, respectively. The fracture toughness of cemented carbide WC-10Co-1NbC alloy is over 7 MN·m^−3/2.

The relationship between sintering process and vaporization of the Bi₂O₃ in ZnO-Bi₂O₃-based varistor ceramics was investigated. The phase and microstructure evolution during the sintering process were examined. The results show that the higher the sintering temperature or the longer the sintering time is, the more the Bi₂O₃ is volatilized. The heating rate has little effects on the Bi₂O₃ volatilized in ZnO-Bi₂O₃-based varistor ceramics. This is in accordance with the relative X-ray diffraction peak area ratio analysis. The results also show that the sintering temperature has the greatest impact on the vaporization of the Bi₂O₃, then followed by sintering time, and the effect of the heating rate is the minimum.

Rapid surface resolidification with a high powered CO₂-laser was performed in preparing directionally solidified Al₂O₃/YAG/ZrO₂ ternary eutectic ceramic in situ composite. The effects of laser processing parameters on the solidification microstructure characteristics and thermal properties were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and synthetically thermal analysis (STA). Detailed investigations of the influence     of laser power and scanning rate on the preparation and microstructural parameters of the ternary eutectic were presented. Moreover, the eutectic phase separation rule at high temperature was discussed. The results indicate that solidification microstructure of     the ternary eutectic composite is greatly influenced by the laser processing parameters. The synthetically thermal analysis shows   that the eutectic temperature of ternary Al₂O₃/YAG/ZrO₂ composite is 1 738 ℃, well matching the phase diagram of Al₂O₃-Y₂O₃-ZrO₂.

The theory of functionally graded material (FGM) was applied in the fabrication process of PEN (Positive- Electrolyte-Negative), the core component of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). To enhance its electrochemical performance, the functionally graded PEN of planar SOFC was prepared by atmospheric plasma spray (APS). The cross-sectional SEM micrograph and element energy spectrum of the resultant PEN were analyzed. Its interface resistance was also compared with that without the graded layers to investigate the electrochemical performance enhanced by the functionally graded layers. Moreover, a new process, suspension plasma spray (SPS) was applied to preparing the SOFC electrolyte. Higher densification of the coating by SPS, 1.61%, is observed, which is helpful to effectively improve its electrical conductivity. The grain size of the electrolyte coating fabricated by SPS is also smaller than that by APS, which is more favourable to obtain the dense electrolyte coatings. To sum up, all mentioned above can prove that the hybrid process of APS and SPS could be a better approach to fabricate the PEN of SOFC stacks, in which APS is for porous electrodes and SPS for dense electrolyte.

The Fe40Al-xWC (x=0, 10, 12, 15) coatings with dense structure were successfully deposited by high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying of a mixture of Fe, Al and WC powders. The objective of the present work is to provide insight into the oxidation behavior of the as-deposited coatings at 650 ℃ under 0.1 MPa flowing pure O₂. The present results show differences in the oxidation behavior of Fe40Al coating and Fe40Al-xWC composite coatings. The irregular Fe₂O₃ layer is seen on the top surface of the composite coatings. Fe40Al coating and Fe40Al-15WC composite coating both suffer a catastrophic corrosion due to the formation of a porous structure during 24 h of oxidation. However, Fe40Al-10WC and Fe40Al-12WC composite coatings show a good oxidation resistance behavior due to their dense structure.

Nitrogen-doped fluorinated diamond-like carbon (FN-DLC) films were prepared on single crystal silicon substrate by radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) under different deposited conditions with CF₄, CH₄ and nitrogen as source gases. The influence of nitrogen content on the structure and electrical properties of the films was studied. The films were investigated in terms of surface morphology, microstructure, chemical composition and electrical properties. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) results revealed that the surface morphology of the films became smooth due to doping nitrogen. Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrometry (FTIR) results showed that amouts of C=N and C≡N bonds increased gradually with increasing nitrogen partial pressure r (r=p(N₂)/p(N₂+CF₄+CH₄)). Gaussian fit results of C 1s and N 1s in X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) showed that the incorporation of nitrogen presented mainly in the forms of β-C₃N₄ and a-CN_x (x=1, 2, 3) in the films. The current−voltage (I−V) measurement results showed that the electrical conductivity of the films increased with increasing nitrogen content.

Three kinds of single layer coatings of Zn, Zn15Al, 316L stainless steel and two kinds of double layer coatings with inner layer of Zn or Zn15Al and outer layer of, 316L stainless steel by arc spraying were developed to protect the metal ends of prestressed high-strength concrete (PHC) pipe piles against soil corrosion. The corrosion behaviors of the coated Q235 steel samples in the simulated Dagang soil solution were investigated by potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and natural immersion tests. The results show that the corrosion of the matrix Q235 steel is effectively inhibited by Zn, Zn15Al, Zn+316L and Zn15Al+316L coatings. The corrosion rate value of Zn15Al coated samples is negative. The corrosion products on Zn and Zn15Al coated samples are compact and firm. The corrosion resistance indexes of both Zn and Zn15Al coated samples are improved significantly with corrosion time, and the latter are more outstanding than the former. But the corrosion resistance of 316L coated samples is decreased quickly with the increase in immersion time. When the coatings are sealed with epoxy resin, the corrosion resistance of the coatings will be enhanced significantly.