Scientific Output

Over 10.000 scientific papers have been published by members of the Materials Chain since the foundation of the University Alliance Ruhr in 2010. This tremendous output is proof of the excellent environment the Ruhr Area provides for research in the field of materials science and technology.

Below, you can either scroll through the complete list of our annually published material, search for a specific author or term via the free text search, or use the interactive keyword cloud to get to know our research strengths. You can also review the publication record of every Materials Chain member via his or her personal member’s page.

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• 2022 • 303	A sustainable ultra-high strength Fe18Mn3Ti maraging steel through controlled solute segregation and α-Mn nanoprecipitation Kwiatkowski da Silva, A. and Souza Filho, I.R. and Lu, W. and Zilnyk, K.D. and Hupalo, M.F. and Alves, L.M. and Ponge, D. and Gault, B. and Raabe, D. Nature Communications 13 (2022) The enormous magnitude of 2 billion tons of alloys produced per year demands a change in design philosophy to make materials environmentally, economically, and socially more sustainable. This disqualifies the use of critical elements that are rare or have questionable origin. Amongst the major alloy strengthening mechanisms, a high-dispersion of second-phase precipitates with sizes in the nanometre range is particularly effective for achieving ultra-high strength. Here, we propose an alternative segregation-based strategy for sustainable steels, free of critical elements, which are rendered ultrastrong by second-phase nano-precipitation. We increase the Mn-content in a supersaturated, metastable Fe-Mn solid solution to trigger compositional fluctuations and nano-segregation in the bulk. These fluctuations act as precursors for the nucleation of an unexpected α-Mn phase, which impedes dislocation motion, thus enabling precipitation strengthening. Our steel outperforms most common commercial alloys, yet it is free of critical elements, making it a new platform for sustainable alloy design. © 2022, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-30019-x

• 2022 • 302	Deformation and phase transformation in polycrystalline cementite (Fe3C) during single- and multi-pass sliding wear Tsybenko, H. and Tian, C. and Rau, J. and Breitbach, B. and Schreiber, P. and Greiner, C. and Dehm, G. and Brinckmann, S. Acta Materialia 227 (2022) Cementite (Fe3C) plays a major role in the tribological performance of rail and bearing steels. Nonetheless, the current understanding of its deformation behavior during wear is limited because it is conventionally embedded in a matrix. Here, we investigate the deformation and chemical evolution of bulk polycrystalline cementite during single-pass sliding at a contact pressure of 31 GPa and reciprocating multi-pass sliding at 3.3 GPa. The deformation behavior of cementite was studied by electron backscatter diffraction for slip trace analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Our results demonstrate activation of several deformation mechanisms below the contact surface: dislocation slip, shear band formation, fragmentation, grain boundary sliding, and grain rotation. During sliding wear, cementite ductility is enhanced due to the confined volume, shear/compression domination, and potentially frictional heating. The microstructural alterations during multi-pass wear increase the subsurface nanoindentation hardness by up to 2.7 GPa. In addition, we report Hägg carbide (Fe5C2) formation in the uppermost deformed regions after both sliding experiments. Based on the results of electron and X-ray diffraction, as well as atom probe tomography, we propose potential sources of excess carbon and mechanisms that promote the phase transformation. © 2022 The Author(s)
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2022.117694

• 2022 • 301	Effects of Cr/Ni ratio on physical properties of Cr-Mn-Fe-Co-Ni high-entropy alloys Wagner, C. and Ferrari, A. and Schreuer, J. and Couzinié, J.-P. and Ikeda, Y. and Körmann, F. and Eggeler, G. and George, E.P. and Laplanche, G. Acta Materialia 227 (2022) Physical properties of ten single-phase FCC CrxMn20Fe20Co20Ni40-x high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were investigated for 0 ≤ x ≤ 26 at%. The lattice parameters of these alloys were nearly independent of composition while solidus temperatures increased linearly by ∼30 K as x increased from 0 to 26 at.%. For x ≥ 10 at.%, the alloys are not ferromagnetic between 100 and 673 K and the temperature dependencies of their coefficients of thermal expansion and elastic moduli are independent of composition. Magnetic transitions and associated magnetostriction were detected below ∼200 K and ∼440 K in Cr5Mn20Fe20Co20Ni35 and Mn20Fe20Co20Ni40, respectively. These composition and temperature dependencies could be qualitatively reproduced by ab initio simulations that took into account a ferrimagnetic ↔ paramagnetic transition. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that plastic deformation occurs initially by the glide of perfect dislocations dissociated into Shockley partials on {111} planes. From their separations, the stacking fault energy (SFE) was determined, which decreases linearly from 69 to 23 mJ·m−2 as x increases from 14 to 26 at.%. Ab initio simulations were performed to calculate stable and unstable SFEs and estimate the partial separation distances using the Peierls-Nabarro model. While the compositional trends were reasonably well reproduced, the calculated intrinsic SFEs were systematically lower than the experimental ones. Our ab initio simulations show that, individually, atomic relaxations, finite temperatures, and magnetism strongly increase the intrinsic SFE. If these factors can be simultaneously included in future computations, calculated SFEs will likely better match experimentally determined SFEs. © 2022
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2022.117693

• 2022 • 300	Elevated-temperature cyclic deformation mechanisms of CoCrNi in comparison to CoCrFeMnNi Lu, K. and Knöpfle, F. and Chauhan, A. and Litvinov, D. and Schneider, M. and Laplanche, G. and Aktaa, J. Scripta Materialia 220 (2022) We report the cyclic deformation behavior of CoCrNi at 550 °C under a strain amplitude of ± 0.5% and compare it to that of CoCrFeMnNi. CoCrNi manifests cyclic hardening followed by minor softening and a near-steady state until failure. Transmission electron microscopy investigations of CoCrNi revealed that increasing the number of cycles from 10 to 2500/5000 leads to a transition of dislocation arrangements from slip bands to tangles. Compared to CoCrFeMnNi, CoCrNi exhibits higher strength, longer lifetime and persistent serrated flow. Owing to its lower stacking fault energy (even at 550 °C), planar slip is more pronounced in CoCrNi than CoCrFeMnNi, which additionally shows wavy slip. © 2022 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2022.114926

• 2022 • 299	Exploring stability of a nanoscale complex solid solution thin film by in situ heating transmission electron microscopy Manjón, A.G. and Zhang, S. and Völker, B. and Meischein, M. and Ludwig, Al. and Scheu, C. MRS Bulletin (2022) Abstract: Combining thin film deposition with in situ heating electron microscopy allows to understand the thermal stability of complex solid solution nanomaterials. From a CrMnFeCoNi alloy target a thin film with an average thickness of ~10 nm was directly sputtered onto a heating chip for in situ transmission electron microscopy. We investigate the growth process and the thermal stability of the alloy and compare our results with other investigations on bulk alloys or bulk-like films thicker than 100 nm. For the chosen sputtering condition and SiNx substrate, the sputter process leads to the Stranski–Krastanov growth type (i.e., islands forming on the top of a continuous layer). Directly after sputtering, we detect two different phases, namely CoNi-rich nanoscale islands and a continuous CrMnFe-rich layer. In situ annealing of the thin film up to 700°C leads to Ostwald ripening of the islands, which is enhanced in the areas irradiated by the electron beam during heating. Besides Ostwald ripening, the chemical composition of the continuous layer and the islands changed during the heating process. After annealing, the islands are still CoNi-rich, but lower amounts of Fe and Cr are observed and Mn was completely absent. The continuous layer also changed its composition. Co and Ni were removed, and the amount of Cr lowered. These results confirm that the synthesis of a CrMnFeCoNi thin film with an average thickness of ~10 nm can lead to a different morphology, chemical composition, and stability compared to thicker films (>100 nm). Impact statement: Exploring stability of a complex solid solution thin film by in situ heating transmission electron microscopy is a study of the thermal stability of sputtered complex solid solution thin films with thicknesses of ~10 nm. Complex solid solution materials have a promising electrocatalytic behavior due to the interplay of multi-element active sites. In order to understand their catalytic properties, it is important to identify the different structure-composition-activity correlations. Thus, our investigation helps to clarify and to understand the stability of nanoscale complex solid solution with an average film thickness of ~10 nm. Graphic abstract: Combining sputter deposition with in situ heating transmission electron microscopy allows to understand the thermal stability of nanoscale complex solid solution thin films. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2022, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1557/s43577-021-00217-x

• 2022 • 298	Exploring the Si-precursor composition for inline coating and agglomeration of TiO2 via modular spray-flame and plasma reactor López-Cámara, C.-F. and Dasgupta, M. and Fortugno, P. and Wiggers, H. Proceedings of the Combustion Institute (2022) Inline particle coating after the particle formation process to preserve its specific properties is hardly investigated scientifically. Tackling that issue, we have studied the use of three different vaporized organo-siloxanes (tetraethyl orthosilicate TEOS, hexamethyldisiloxane HMDSO, and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane OMCTS) as precursors for direct inline coating of pristine titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles made via spray-flame synthesis. The inline silica (SiO2) coating of the formed titanium dioxide nanoparticles is achieved by vaporizing and sending the chosen organo-siloxane precursors into a cylindrical coating nozzle downstream the particle formation zone of the spray-flame. To further explore the effects on morphology and the quality of the resultant TiO2|SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles, a plasma discharge - i.e., dielectric barrier discharge source - is applied after the coating step. The TiO2|SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles are characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis (BET), elemental analysis, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Results showed distinct core-shell nanoparticles with shell thicknesses of around 1.5 nm alongside the formation of unattached SiO2 nanoparticles due to homogenous nucleation of SiO2. As the precursor silicon content increased (TEOS < HMDSO < OMCTS), the homogenous nucleation rose to generate materials with high BET surface areas. When employing OMCTS, the high homogeneous nucleation rate led to SiO2 agglomeration, which resulted in large TiO2|SiO2 agglomerates. Morphologically, the phase composition of anatase/rutile of the produced coated nanoparticles did not vary significantly when compared with the reference uncoated TiO2 nanoparticles, indicating that the SiO2 coating is purely a surface phenomenon. Plasma discharge was shown to reduce coated particle agglomeration up to certain extend. Based on these findings, we conclude that the best studied parameters to benefit the synthesis of homogeneously coated TiO2|SiO2 nanoparticles are (i) using TEOS as a coating precursor to minimize SiO2 homogeneous nucleation and (ii) applying a plasma discharge to slightly reduce coated particle agglomeration. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.proci.2022.07.137

• 2022 • 297	Heat Treatments of Metastable β Titanium Alloy Ti-24Nb-4Zr-8Sn Processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Hein, M. and Lopes Dias, N.F. and Pramanik, S. and Stangier, D. and Hoyer, K.-P. and Tillmann, W. and Schaper, M. Materials 15 (2022) Titanium alloys, especially β alloys, are favorable as implant materials due to their promising combination of low Young’s modulus, high strength, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. In particular, the low Young’s moduli reduce the risk of stress shielding and implant loosening. The processing of Ti-24Nb-4Zr-8Sn through laser powder bed fusion is presented. The specimens were heat-treated, and the microstructure was investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The mechanical properties were determined by hardness and tensile tests. The microstructures reveal a mainly β microstructure with α” formation for high cooling rates and α precipitates after moderate cooling rates or aging. The as-built and α” phase containing conditions exhibit a hardness around 225 HV5, yield strengths (YS) from 340 to 490 MPa, ultimate tensile strengths (UTS) around 706 MPa, fracture elongations around 20%, and Young’s moduli about 50 GPa. The α precipitates containing conditions reveal a hardness around 297 HV5, YS around 812 MPa, UTS from 871 to 931 MPa, fracture elongations around 12%, and Young’s moduli about 75 GPa. Ti-24Nb-4Zr-8Sn exhibits, depending on the heat treatment, promising properties regarding the material behavior and the opportunity to tailor the mechanical performance as a low modulus, high strength implant material. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3390/ma15113774

• 2022 • 296	Impact of interstitial elements on the stacking fault energy of an equiatomic CoCrNi medium entropy alloy: theory and experiments Moravcik, I. and Zelený, M. and Dlouhy, A. and Hadraba, H. and Moravcikova-Gouvea, L. and Papež, P. and Fikar, O. and Dlouhy, I. and Raabe, D. and Li, Z. Science and Technology of Advanced Materials 23 376-392 (2022) We investigated the effects of interstitial N and C on the stacking fault energy (SFE) of an equiatomic CoCrNi medium entropy alloy. Results of computer modeling were compared to tensile deformation and electron microscopy data. Both N and C in solid solution increase the SFE of the face-centered cubic (FCC) alloy matrix at room temperature, with the former having a more significant effect by 240% for 0.5 at % N. Total energy calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) as well as thermodynamic modeling of the Gibbs free energy with the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) method reveal a stabilizing effect of N and C interstitials on the FCC lattice with respect to the hexagonal close-packed (HCP) CoCrNi-X (X: N, C) lattice. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) measurements of the width of dissociated ½<110> dislocations suggest that the SFE of CoCrNi increases from 22 to 42–44 mJ·m−2 after doping the alloy with 0.5 at. % interstitial N. The higher SFE reduces the nucleation rates of twins, leading to an increase in the critical stress required to trigger deformation twinning, an effect which can be used to design load-dependent strain hardening response. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by National Institute for Materials Science in partnership with Taylor & Francis Group.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1080/14686996.2022.2080512

• 2022 • 295	In Situ Carbon Corrosion and Cu Leaching as a Strategy for Boosting Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Multimetal Electrocatalysts Zhang, J. and Quast, T. and He, W. and Dieckhöfer, S. and Junqueira, J.R.C. and Öhl, D. and Wilde, P. and Jambrec, D. and Chen, Y.-T. and Schuhmann, W. Advanced Materials (2022) The number of active sites and their intrinsic activity are key factors in designing high-performance catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The synthesis, properties, and in-depth characterization of a homogeneous CoNiFeCu catalyst are reported, demonstrating that multimetal synergistic effects improve the OER kinetics and the intrinsic activity. In situ carbon corrosion and Cu leaching during the OER lead to an enhanced electrochemically active surface area, providing favorable conditions for improved electronic interaction between the constituent metals. After activation, the catalyst exhibits excellent activity with a low overpotential of 291.5 ± 0.5 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 43.9 mV dec−1. It shows superior stability compared to RuO2 in 1 m KOH, which is even preserved for 120 h at 500 mA cm−2 in 7 m KOH at 50 °C. Single particles of this CoNiFeCu after their placement on nanoelectrodes combined with identical location transmission electron microscopy before and after applying cyclic voltammetry are investigated. The improved catalytic performance is due to surface carbon corrosion and Cu leaching. The proposed catalyst design strategy combined with the unique single-nanoparticle technique contributes to the development and characterization of high-performance catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion. © 2022 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/adma.202109108

• 2022 • 294	Linear growth of reaction layer during in-situ TEM annealing of thin film Al/Ni diffusion couples Kostka, A. and Naujoks, D. and Oellers, T. and Salomon, S. and Somsen, C. and Öztürk, E. and Savan, A. and Ludwig, A. and Eggeler, G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 922 (2022) During reactive layer growth in binary diffusion couples new phases can nucleate and grow. In the present work we perform in- and ex-situ interdiffusion studies in the system Ni-Al using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We investigate the reaction between 270 °C and 500 °C. We show that in the early stages of the solid-state reaction a small polycrystalline aluminide layer forms, while preferential grain growth follows in the later stage. In the reaction layer we detect the presence of Al3Ni by XRD and electron diffraction. Local chemical analysis by EDX in the TEM suggests that a second aluminide phase forms simultaneously. An in-situ TEM study at 380 °C shows layer growth of about 0.042 nm/s with a linear time dependence. We interpret this rate law on the basis of an interface-controlled reaction and discuss our results in the light of what is known about layer growth in thin film diffusion couples (presence/absence of predicted phases, linear/parabolic rate laws) and in view of results from the Ni-Al system published in the literature. Areas in need of further work are identified. © 2022 The Authors
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.165926

• 2022 • 293	Microstructure and residual stress evolution in nanocrystalline Cu-Zr thin films Chakraborty, J. and Oellers, T. and Raghavan, R. and Ludwig, A. and Dehm, G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 896 (2022) Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were employed to study the microstructure evolution and stress development in the nanocrystalline Cu100−X-ZrX (2.5 at% ≤ x ≤ 5.5 at%) alloy thin films. Small Zr additions to Cu led to significant lattice parameter anisotropy in the as-deposited Cu-Zr thin films both due to macroscopic lattice strain and stacking faults in the Cu matrix. Strain free lattice parameters obtained after the XRD stress analysis of Cu-Zr thin films confirmed formation of a supersaturated substitutional Cu-Zr solid solution. For the first time, the study of film microstructure by XRD line profile analysis (XLPA) confirmed progressive generation of dislocations and planar faults with increasing Zr composition in Cu-Zr alloy films. These microstructural changes led to the generation of tensile stresses in the thin films along with considerable stress gradients across the films thicknesses which are quantified by the traditional dψhkl−Sin2ψ and GIXRD stress measurement methods. The origin of tensile stresses and stress gradients in the Cu-Zr film are discussed on the basis of film growth and heterogeneous microstructure with changing Zr composition. © 2021
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.162799

• 2022 • 292	Non-uniform He bubble formation in W/W2C composite: Experimental and ab-initio study Šestan, A. and Sreekala, L. and Markelj, S. and Kelemen, M. and Zavašnik, J. and Liebscher, C.H. and Dehm, G. and Hickel, T. and Čeh, M. and Novak, S. and Jenuš, P. Acta Materialia 226 (2022) Tungsten-tungsten carbide (W/W2C) composites are considered as possible structural materials for future nuclear fusion reactors. Here, we report on the effect of helium (He) implantation on microstructure evolution of polycrystalline W/W2C composite consolidated by field-assisted sintering technique (FAST), homogenously implanted at room temperature with 1 MeV 4He+ ions at the fluence of 8 × 1016 ions cm−2 and annealed at 1873 K for 20 minutes. Samples were analysed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy to study the presence and size of He bubbles. Monomodal He bubbles in W (30-80 nm) are limited to point defects and grain boundaries, with a considerable void denuded zone (150 nm). Bubbles do not form in W2C, but at the W|W2C interface and are considerably larger (200-400 nm). The experimental observations on He behaviour and migration in W and W2C were assessed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, suggesting He migration and accumulation in the composite are determined by the effective He-He binding in clusters, which will give rise to decohesion. In the presence of He clusters, the decohesion of bulk W into free surfaces is energetically highly favourable but not sufficient in the W2C; hence bubbles are only observed in W grains and interfaces and not within bulk W2C. © 2022
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.117608

• 2022 • 291	Quantitative analysis of grain boundary diffusion, segregation and precipitation at a sub-nanometer scale Peng, Z. and Meiners, T. and Lu, Y. and Liebscher, C.H. and Kostka, A. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Acta Materialia 225 (2022) Grain boundaries are intrinsic and omnipresent microstructural imperfections in polycrystalline and nanocrystalline materials. They are short-circuit diffusion paths and preferential locations for alloying elements, dopants, and impurities segregation. They also facilitate heterogeneous nucleation and the growth of secondary phases. Therefore, grain boundaries strongly influence many materials' properties and their stabilities during application. Here, we propose an approach to measure diffusion, segregation, and segregation-induced precipitation at grain boundaries at a sub-nanometer scale by combining atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Nanocrystalline multilayer thin films with columnar grain structure were used as a model system as they offer a large area of random high-angle grain boundaries and inherent short diffusion distance. Our results show that the fast diffusion flux proceeds primarily through the core region of the grain boundary, which is around 1 nm. While the spatial range that the segregated solute atoms occupied is larger: below the saturation level, it is 1,2 nm; as the segregation saturates, it is 2–3.4 nm in most grain boundary areas. Above 3.4 nm, secondary phase nuclei seem to form. The observed distributions of the solutes at the matrix grain boundaries evidence that even at a single grain boundary, different regions accommodate different amounts of solute atoms and promote secondary phase nuclei with different compositions, which is caused by its complex three-dimensional topology. © 2021 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.117522

• 2022 • 290	Surface Boron Modulation on Cobalt Oxide Nanocrystals for Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution Reaction Yu, M. and Weidenthaler, C. and Wang, Y. and Budiyanto, E. and Onur Sahin, E. and Chen, M. and DeBeer, S. and Rüdiger, O. and Tüysüz, H. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 61 (2022) Herein, we show that coupling boron with cobalt oxide tunes its structure and significantly boost its electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Through a simple precipitation and thermal treatment process, a series of Co−B oxides with tunable morphologies and textural parameters were prepared. Detailed structural analysis supported first the formation of an disordered and partially amorphous material with nanosized Co3BO5 and/or Co2B2O6 being present on the local atomic scale. The boron modulation resulted in a superior OER reactivity by delivering a large current and an overpotential of 338 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH electrolyte. Identical location transmission electron microscopy and in situ electrochemical Raman spectroscopy studies revealed alteration and surface re-construction of materials, and formation of CoO2 and (oxy)hydroxide intermediate, which were found to be highly dependent on crystallinity of the samples. © 2022 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/anie.202211543

• 2021 • 289	CALPHAD-informed phase-field modeling of grain boundary microchemistry and precipitation in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys Liu, C. and Garner, A. and Zhao, H. and Prangnell, P.B. and Gault, B. and Raabe, D. and Shanthraj, P. Acta Materialia 214 (2021) The grain boundary (GB) microchemistry and precipitation behaviour in high-strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys has an important influence on their mechanical and electrochemical properties. Simulation of the GB segregation, precipitation, and solute distribution in these alloys requires an accurate description of the thermodynamics and kinetics of this multi-component system. CALPHAD databases have been successfully developed for equilibrium thermodynamic calculations in complex multi-component systems, and in recent years have been combined with diffusion simulations. In this work, we have directly incorporated a CALPHAD database into a phase-field framework, to simulate, with high fidelity, the complex kinetics of the non-equilibrium GB microstructures that develop in these important commercial alloys during heat treatment. In particular, the influence of GB solute segregation, GB diffusion, precipitate number density, and far-field matrix composition, on the growth of a population of GB η-precipitates, was systematically investigated in a model Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy of near AA7050 composition. It is shown that the GB solute distribution in the early stages of ageing was highly heterogeneous and strongly affected by the distribution of GB η-precipitates. Significant Mg and Cu GB segregation was predicted to remain during overageing, while Zn was rapidly depleted. This non-trivial GB segregation behaviour markedly influenced the resulting precipitate morphologies, but the overall precipitate transformation kinetics on a GB were relatively unaffected. Furthermore, solute depletion adjacent to the GB was largely determined by Zn and Mg diffusion, which will affect the development of precipitate free zones during the early stages of ageing. The simulation results were compared with scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography characterisation of alloys of the similar composition, with good agreement. © 2021
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.116966

• 2021 • 288	Characterizing soot in TEM images using a convolutional neural network Sipkens, T.A. and Frei, M. and Baldelli, A. and Kirchen, P. and Kruis, F.E. and Rogak, S.N. Powder Technology 387 313-324 (2021) Soot is an important material with impacts that depend on particle morphology. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) represents one of the most direct routes to qualitatively assess particle characteristics. However, producing quantitative information requires robust image processing tools, which is complicated by the low image contrast and complex aggregated morphologies characteristic of soot. The current work presents a new convolutional neural network explicitly trained to characterize soot, using pre-classified images of particles from a natural gas engine; a laboratory gas flare; and a marine engine. The results are compared against other existing classifiers before considering the effect that the classifiers have on automated primary particle size methods. Estimates of the overall uncertainties between fully automated approaches of aggregate characterization range from 25% in dp,100 to 85% in DTEM. A consistent correlation is observed between projected-area equivalent diameter and primary particle size across all of the techniques. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.powtec.2021.04.026

• 2021 • 287	Combinatorial exploration of B2/L21 precipitation strengthened AlCrFeNiTi compositionally complex alloys Wolff-Goodrich, S. and Marshal, A. and Pradeep, K.G. and Dehm, G. and Schneider, J.M. and Liebscher, C.H. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 853 (2021) Using both novel high-throughput screening via combinatorial thin film deposition and conventional bulk alloy synthesis techniques, a large region of the AlCrFeNiTi composition space has been probed for alloys that could serve as low cost alternatives to nickel-base superalloys for medium-to-high temperature structural applications. Phase formation trends in this highly complex alloying system have been determined using characterisation techniques that span multiple length scales—from bulk X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry to atomically resolved scanning transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A large region of stability for both disordered A2 and ordered B2/L21 type phases is observed, with several compositions exhibiting fine-scaled precipitation structures of these two phases. For alloys with ≥20 at.% Al, the precipitation structure was further refined to a nano-scale lamellar arrangement of A2 and B2/L21 phases. Formation of C14 Laves phase, especially for compositions with >10 at.% Ti, has consistently been observed. We include a screening of the mechanical properties based on nanoindentation and macroscopic hardness test data correlated with scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations of the hardness indents. The phase formation trends observed by both combinatorial thin film deposition and bulk alloy synthesis are discussed in detail for samples in the as-deposited and as-cast conditions, respectively. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.156111

• 2021 • 286	Controlling the Surface Functionalization of Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles by Sequence-Defined Macromolecules van der Meer, S.B. and Seiler, T. and Buchmann, C. and Partalidou, G. and Boden, S. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Linders, J. and Prymak, O. and Oliveira, C.L.P. and Hartmann, L. and Epple, M. Chemistry - A European Journal 27 1451-1464 (2021) Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (diameter about 2 nm) were surface-functionalized with cysteine-carrying precision macromolecules. These consisted of sequence-defined oligo(amidoamine)s (OAAs) with either two or six cysteine molecules for binding to the gold surface and either with or without a PEG chain (3400 Da). They were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, 1H NMR diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The number of precision macromolecules per nanoparticle was determined after fluorescent labeling by UV spectroscopy and also by quantitative 1H NMR spectroscopy. Each nanoparticle carried between 40 and 100 OAA ligands, depending on the number of cysteine units per OAA. The footprint of each ligand was about 0.074 nm2 per cysteine molecule. OAAs are well suited to stabilize ultrasmall gold nanoparticles by selective surface conjugation and can be used to selectively cover their surface. The presence of the PEG chain considerably increased the hydrodynamic diameter of both dissolved macromolecules and macromolecule-conjugated gold nanoparticles. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/chem.202003804

• 2021 • 285	Correlating the Synthesis, Structure, and Catalytic Performance of Pt-Re/TiO2for the Aqueous-Phase Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acid Derivatives Haus, M.O. and Meledin, A. and Leiting, S. and Louven, Y. and Roubicek, N.C. and Moos, S. and Weidenthaler, C. and Weirich, T.E. and Palkovits, R. ACS Catalysis 11 5119-5134 (2021) Pt-Re bimetallic catalysts have many applications, ranging from catalytic reforming to the reduction of carboxylic acid derivatives. However, the exact role of Re in these systems has remained a matter of discussion, partly due to the plethora of suggested synthesis protocols and analysis conditions. This study presents an extensive comparison of such literature protocols and the resulting materials. In detail, characterization by N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction, CO pulse chemisorption, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed CO, scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is combined with catalytic testing to yield synthesis-structure-activity correlations. Accordingly, the investigated catalysts share common features, such as Pt0 nanoparticles (1-4 nm) decorated with partially reduced Re species (ReOx-y). The remaining rhenium oxide is spread over the TiO2 support and enhances Pt dispersion in sequential impregnation protocols. While differences in the number of active sites (Pt0/ReOx-y) mostly explain catalytic results, small variations in the extent of Re reduction and site composition cause additional modulations. The optimal bimetallic catalyst outperforms Ru/C (previous benchmark) in the reduction of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)succinimide, an important step in the production of a bio-based polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer. © 2021 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.0c05612

• 2021 • 284	Dislocation networks in gamma/gamma’-microstructures formed during selective laser melting of a Ni-base superalloy Heep, L. and Schwalbe, C. and Heinze, C. and Dlouhy, A. and Rae, C.M.F. and Eggeler, G. Scripta Materialia 190 121-125 (2021) A dislocation network which formed during selective laser melting (SLM) of a Ni-base superalloy was analyzed using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). This network traverses an ordered Gamma'-phase domain, in between two adjacent Gamma-solid solution regions. The Gamma’-phase region has formed when two Gamma’-phase particles have started to coalesce, trapping the dislocation network in this ordered region so that it formed two dislocation families with pairs of anti-phase boundary (APB) coupled super partial dislocations. The network features are presented and unusual features (twist character and low APB energies), not previously reported, are discussed. © 2020
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.08.019

• 2021 • 283	Effects of temperature on mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of the equiatomic CrFeNi medium-entropy alloy Schneider, M. and Laplanche, G. Acta Materialia 204 (2021) An equiatomic CrFeNi medium-entropy alloy (MEA) that constitutes a cornerstone of austenitic stainless steels and Fe-based superalloys is investigated. Anneals at various temperatures revealed that CrFeNi forms a stable face-centered cubic (FCC) solid solution above ~1223 K. Based on this result, this alloy was cold-worked and recrystallized between 1273 K and 1473 K to produce different grain sizes. Compression tests were carried out at 293 K to investigate grain boundary strengthening (Hall-Petch slope: 966 MPa µm1/2) and this contribution was then subtracted from the overall strength to reveal the intrinsic uniaxial lattice strength (80 MPa). Additional compression and tensile tests were performed between 77 K and 873 K to study the effect of temperature on mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms. Ductility, yield and ultimate tensile strengths increased with decreasing temperature. To reveal the active deformation mechanisms in CrFeNi with the coarsest grain size (160 µm), tensile tests at 77 K and 293 K were interrupted at different strains followed by transmission electron microscopy analyses. In all cases, the deformation was accommodated by dislocation glide at low strains, while twinning additionally occurred above a critical resolved shear stress of 165 MPa, which was roughly temperature independent. This value compares well with predictions (180 MPa) based on the Kibey's model for twin nucleation. Moreover, the fact that this value is roughly temperature-independent is also consistent with the Kibey's model since the twin nucleation barrier (unstable twin stacking fault energy) of FCC metals and alloys does not vary significantly with temperature. © 2020 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2020.11.012

• 2021 • 282	Epitaxy Induced Highly Ordered Sm2Co17-SmCo5Nanoscale Thin-Film Magnets Sharma, S. and Zintler, A. and Günzing, D. and Lill, J. and Meira, D.M. and Eilhardt, R. and Singh, H.K. and Xie, R. and Gkouzia, G. and Major, M. and Radulov, I. and Komissinskiy, P. and Zhang, H. and Skokov, K. and Wende, H. an... ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces (2021) Utilizing the molecular beam epitaxy technique, a nanoscale thin-film magnet of c-axis-oriented Sm2Co17 and SmCo5 phases is stabilized. While typically in the prototype Sm(Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)7.5-8 pinning-type magnets, an ordered nanocomposite is formed by complex thermal treatments, here, a one-step approach to induce controlled phase separation in a binary Sm-Co system is shown. A detailed analysis of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure confirmed the coexistence of Sm2Co17 and SmCo5 phases with 65% Sm2Co17 and 35% SmCo5. The SmCo5 phase is stabilized directly on an Al2O3 substrate up to a thickness of 4 nm followed by a matrix of Sm2Co17 intermixed with SmCo5. This structural transition takes place through coherent atomic layers, as revealed by scanning transmission electron microscopy. Highly crystalline growth of well-aligned Sm2Co17 and SmCo5 phases with coherent interfaces result in strong exchange interaction, leading to enhanced magnetization and magnetic coupling. The arrangement of Sm2Co17 and SmCo5 phases at the nanoscale is reflected in the observed magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity. As next-generation permanent magnets require designing of materials at an atomic level, this work enhances our understanding of self-assembling and functioning of nanophased magnets and contributes to establishing new concepts to engineer the microstructure for beyond state-of-the-art magnets. ©
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsami.1c04780

• 2021 • 281	From 1D to 3D Graphitic Carbon Nitride (Melon): A Bottom-Up Route via Crystalline Microporous Templates Stegmann, N. and Dai, Y. and Nürenberg, E. and Schmidt, W. Inorganic Chemistry 60 18957-18963 (2021) Herein, we present a novel bottom-up preparation route for heptazine-based polymers (melon), also known as graphitic carbon nitride. The growth characteristics of isolated 1D melon strings in microporous templates are presented and studied in detail. Removal of the microporous silicate template via etching is accompanied by the self-assembly of a 1D melon to stacked 3D structures. The advantages and limitations of the bottom-up approach are shown by using microporous templates with different pore sizes (ETS-10, ZSM-5, and zeolite Y). In accordance with the molecular size of the heptazine units (0.67 nm), a 1D melon can be deposited in ETS-10 with a pore width of about 0.78 nm, whereas its formation in the smaller 0.47 nm pores of ZSM-5 is sterically impeded. The self-assembly of isolated 1D melon to stacked 3D structures offers a novel experimental perspective to the controversial debate on the polymerization degree in 2D sheets of graphitic carbon nitride as micropore sizes below 1 nm confine the condensation degree of heptazine to isolated 1D strands at a molecular level. The growth characteristics and structural features were investigated by X-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption, scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, 13C CP-NMR spectroscopy, and attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy. © 2021 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02769

• 2021 • 280	Identification of Active Sites in the Catalytic Oxidation of 2-Propanol over Co1+xFe2–xO4 Spinel Oxides at Solid/Liquid and Solid/Gas Interfaces Falk, T. and Budiyanto, E. and Dreyer, M. and Pflieger, C. and Waffel, D. and Büker, J. and Weidenthaler, C. and Ortega, K.F. and Behrens, M. and Tüysüz, H. and Muhler, M. and Peng, B. ChemCatChem 13 2942-2951 (2021) A series of Co1+xFe2–xO4 (0≤x≤2) spinel nanowires was synthesized by nanocasting using SBA-15 silica as hard template, which was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The Co1+xFe2–xO4 spinels were applied in the aerobic oxidation of aqueous 2-propanol solutions to systematically study the influence of exposed Co and Fe cations on the catalytic properties. The activity of the catalysts was found to depend strongly on the Co content, showing an exponential increase of the reaction rate with increasing Co content. Ensembles of Co3+cus (coordinatively unsaturated) sites were identified as the active sites for selective 2-propanol oxidation, which are assumed to consist of more than six Co ions. In addition, gas-phase oxidation with and without water vapor co-feeding was performed to achieve a comparison with liquid-phase oxidation kinetics. An apparent activation energy of 94 kJ mol−1 was determined for 2-propanol oxidation over Co3O4 in the liquid phase, which is in good agreement with the gas-phase oxidation in the presence of water vapor. In contrast to gas-phase conditions, the catalysts showed high stability and reusability in the aqueous phase with constant conversion in three consecutive runs. © 2021 The Authors. ChemCatChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/cctc.202100352

• 2021 • 279	In situ investigation of nanometric cutting of 3C-SiC using scanning electron microscope Tian, D. and Xu, Z. and Liu, L. and Zhou, Z. and Zhang, J. and Zhao, X. and Hartmaier, A. and Liu, B. and Song, L. and Luo, X. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (2021) Experimentally revealing the nanometric deformation behavior of 3C-SiC is challenging due to its ultra-small feature size for brittle-to-ductile transition. In the present work, we elucidated the nanometric cutting mechanisms of 3C-SiC by performing in situ nanometric cutting experiments under scanning electron microscope (SEM), as well as post-characterization by electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In particular, a new method based on the combination of image processing technology and SEM online observation was proposed to achieve in situ measurement of cutting force with an uncertainty less than 1 mN. Furthermore, the cutting cross-section was characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM) to access the specific cutting energy. The results revealed that the specific cutting energy increase non-linearly with the decrease of cutting depth due to the size effect of cutting tool in nanometric cutting. The high-pressure phase transformation (HPPT) may play the major role in 3C-SiC ductile machining under the parameters of this experiment. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s00170-021-07278-x

• 2021 • 278	In-field detection method for imidacloprid by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy Hermsen, A. and Lamers, D. and Schoettl, J. and Mayer, C. and Jaeger, M. Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry (2021) Neonicotinoids such as imidacloprid are used in agriculture worldwide. Due to their hazardous potential, their occurrence is monitored. For pesticide identification in environmental samples, the major tool, high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, is not fit for field monitoring due to instrument size and technical requirements. To overcome this disadvantage, a method for fast on-site identification of imidacloprid was developed using a handheld Raman spectrometer and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. As enhancing agents, gold nanoparticles in solution and on textile support were compared for easy, fast and sensitive monitoring. Agglomeration of nanoparticles led to further signal enhancement. Several agglomeration reagents, filter paper and non-woven polylactide as substrates were tested for optimum enhancement. Addition of hydrochloric acid provided best amplification of imidacloprid signals in solution, while PLA as solid support yielded best sensitivity. Both the solution and solid support methods were estimated to be sufficiently sensitive for fieldable pesticide identification, which may precede standard laboratory analysis. Based on spectral analysis, a proposal for the imidacloprid-gold surface geometry was derived. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1080/02772248.2021.1991929

• 2021 • 277	Influence of the cobalt content in cobalt iron oxides on the electrocatalytic OER activity Saddeler, S. and Bendt, G. and Salamon, S. and Haase, F.T. and Landers, J. and Timoshenko, J. and Rettenmaier, C. and Jeon, H.S. and Bergmann, A. and Wende, H. and Roldan Cuenya, B. and Schulz, S. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 9 25381-25390 (2021) Sub 10 nm cobalt ferrite CoxFe3-xO4 (x ≤ 1.75) nanoparticles and cobalt-rich wüstite (Cox/3Fe(1-x)/3)O nanoparticles (x ≥ 2) were synthesized in a solvothermal approach and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), IR, Raman, and 57Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy. Their electrocatalytic activity in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was evaluated and the active state formation was tracked by operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Our studies demonstrate that the cobalt-rich wüstite (Cox/3Fe(1-x)/3)O nanoparticles underwent a phase-transformation into the spinels CoxFe3-xO4 (x ≥ 2) under the applied OER conditions. The overpotential η10 at 10 mA cm-2, serving as a benchmark for the OER activity of the cobalt ferrite nanoparticles in alkaline media, was lower than that of magnetite Fe3O4 even with low cobalt concentrations, reaching a minimum of 350 mV for Co2.25Fe0.75O4 with a Tafel slope of 50 mV dec-1. Finally, we identified that the catalytic activity is linked to the nanoparticle size as well as to the degree of Co redox activity and change in coordination during OER. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d1ta06568h

• 2021 • 276	Influence of the particle size on selective 2-propanol gas-phase oxidation over Co3O4 nanospheres Falk, T. and Anke, S. and Hajiyani, H. and Saddeler, S. and Schulz, S. and Pentcheva, R. and Peng, B. and Muhler, M. Catalysis Science and Technology 11 7552-7562 (2021) Co3O4 nanospheres with a mean diameter of 19 nm were applied in the selective oxidation of 2-propanol to acetone in the gas phase. Compared with 9 nm spheres, the 19 nm spheres exhibited superior catalytic activity and stability with 100% selectivity to acetone up to 500 K. Transmission electron microscopy, N2 physisorption, 2-propanol and O2 temperature-programmed desorption, and 2-propanol temperature-programmed surface reaction in O2 were applied to characterize the bulk and surface properties. Despite the smaller specific surface area (35 m2 g-1), an increased 2-propanol adsorption capacity was observed for the larger nanospheres ascribed to a preferential (110) surface orientation. Temperature-programmed oxidation experiments after reaction showed multilayer coke deposition and severe reduction of the Co3O4 surface, but excellent stability was maintained at 430 K using the 19 nm spheres in a steady-state oxidation experiment for 100 h with only 10% loss of the initial activity. The good agreement of the 2-propanol decomposition profiles indicates that the superior activity is caused by the enhanced interaction of the larger nanospheres with O2. A Mars-van Krevelen mechanism on the (110) surface was identified by density functional theory calculations with a Hubbard U term, favoring faster reoxidation compared with the (100) surface predominantly exposed by the 9 nm spheres. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d1cy00944c

• 2021 • 275	Laser-generated high entropy metallic glass nanoparticles as bifunctional electrocatalysts Johny, J. and Li, Y. and Kamp, M. and Prymak, O. and Liang, S.-X. and Krekeler, T. and Ritter, M. and Kienle, L. and Rehbock, C. and Barcikowski, S. and Reichenberger, S. Nano Research (2021) High entropy metallic glass nanoparticles (HEMG NPs) are very promising materials for energy conversion due to the wide tuning possibilities of electrochemical potentials offered by their multimetallic character combined with an amorphous structure. Up until now, the generation of these HEMG NPs involved tedious synthesis procedures where the generated particles were only available on highly specialized supports, which limited their widespread use. Hence, more flexible synthetic approaches to obtain colloidal HEMG NPs for applications in energy conversion and storage are highly desirable. We utilized pulsed laser ablation of bulk high entropy alloy targets in acetonitrile to generate colloidal carbon-coated CrCoFeNiMn and CrCoFeNiMnMo HEMG NPs. An in-depth analysis of the structure and elemental distribution of the obtained nanoparticles down to single-particle levels using advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods revealed amorphous quinary and senary alloy phases with slight manganese oxide/hydroxide surface segregation, which were stabilized within graphitic shells. Studies on the catalytic activity of the corresponding carbon-HEMG NPs during oxygen evolution and oxygen reduction reactions revealed an elevated activity upon the incorporation of moderate amounts of Mo into the amorphous alloy, probably due to the defect generation by atomic size mismatch. Furthermore, we demonstrate the superiority of these carbon-HEMG NPs over their crystalline analogies and highlight the suitability of these amorphous multi-elemental NPs in electrocatalytic energy conversion. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2021, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s12274-021-3804-2

• 2021 • 274	Mechanism of magnetization reduction in iron oxide nanoparticles Köhler, T. and Feoktystov, A. and Petracic, O. and Kentzinger, E. and Bhatnagar-Schöffmann, T. and Feygenson, M. and Nandakumaran, N. and Landers, J. and Wende, H. and Cervellino, A. and Rücker, U. and Kovács, A. and Dunin-Bor... Nanoscale 13 6965-6976 (2021) Iron oxide nanoparticles are presently considered as main work horses for various applications including targeted drug delivery and magnetic hyperthermia. Several questions remain unsolved regarding the effect of size onto their overall magnetic behavior. One aspect is the reduction of magnetization compared to bulk samples. A detailed understanding of the underlying mechanisms of this reduction could improve the particle performance in applications. Here we use a number of complementary experimental techniques including neutron scattering and synchrotron X-ray diffraction to arrive at a consistent conclusion. We confirm the observation from previous studies of a reduced saturation magnetization and argue that this reduction is mainly associated with the presence of antiphase boundaries, which are observed directly using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and indirectly via an anisotropic peak broadening in X-ray diffraction patterns. Additionally small-angle neutron scattering with polarized neutrons revealed a small non-magnetic surface layer, that is, however, not sufficient to explain the observed loss in magnetization alone. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d0nr08615k

• 2021 • 273	Metal-Ligand Interface and Internal Structure of Ultrasmall Silver Nanoparticles (2 nm) Wetzel, O. and Hosseini, S. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Prymak, O. and Bayer, P. and Beuck, C. and Schaller, T. and Niemeyer, F. and Weidenthaler, C. and Epple, M. Journal of Physical Chemistry B 125 5645-5659 (2021) Ultrasmall silver nanoparticles were prepared by reduction with NaBH4 and surface-terminated with glutathione (GSH). The particles had a solid core diameter of 2 nm as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). NMR-DOSY gave a hydrodynamic diameter of 2 to 2.8 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that silver is bound to the thiol group of the central cysteine in glutathione under partial oxidation to silver(+I). In turn, the thiol group is deprotonated to thiolate. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) together with Rietveld refinement confirmed a twinned (polycrystalline) fcc structure of ultrasmall silver nanoparticles with a lattice compression of about 0.9% compared to bulk silver metal. By NMR spectroscopy, the interaction between the glutathione ligand and the silver surface was analyzed, also with 13C-labeled glutathione. The adsorbed glutathione is fully intact and binds to the silver surface via cysteine. In situ 1H NMR spectroscopy up to 85 °C in dispersion showed that the glutathione ligand did not detach from the surface of the silver nanoparticle, i.e. the silver-sulfur bond is remarkably strong. The ultrasmall nanoparticles had a higher cytotoxicity than bigger particles in in vitro cell culture with HeLa cells with a cytotoxic concentration of about 1 μg mL-1 after 24 h incubation. The overall stoichiometry of the nanoparticles was about Ag∼250GSH∼155. © 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c02512

• 2021 • 272	Molecular Level Synthesis of InFeO3and InFeO3/Fe2O3Nanocomposites Nahrstedt, V. and Stadler, D. and Fischer, T. and Duchoň, T. and Mueller, D.N. and Schneider, C.M. and Mathur, S. Inorganic Chemistry 60 3719-3728 (2021) New heterometallic In-Fe alkoxides [InFe(OtBu)4(PyTFP)2] (1), [InFe2(OneoPen)9(Py)] (2), and [InFe3(OneoPen)12] (3) were synthesized and structurally characterized. The arrangement of metal centers in mixed-metal framework was governed by the In:Fe ratio and the coordination preferences of Fe(III) and In(III) centers to be in tetrahedral and octahedral environments, respectively. 3 displayed a star-shaped so-called "Mitsubishi"motif with the central In atom coordinated with three tetrahedral {Fe(OneoPen)4}- anionic units. The deterministic structural influence of the larger In atom was evident in 1 and 2 which displayed the coordination of neutral coligands to achieve the desired coordination number. Thermal decomposition studies of compounds 1-3 under inert conditions with subsequent powder diffraction studies revealed the formation of Fe2O3 and In2O3 in the case of 3 and 2, whereas 1 intriguingly produced elemental In and Fe. In contrary, the thermal decomposition of 1-3 under ambient conditions produced a ternary oxide, InFeO3, with additional Fe2O3 present as a secondary phase in a different stoichiometric ratio predetermined through the In:Fe ratio in 2 and 3. The intimate mixing of different phases in InFeO3/Fe2O3 nanocomposites was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy of solid residues obtained after the decomposition of 1 and 2. The pure InFeO3 particles demonstrated ferromagnetic anomalies around 170 K as determined by temperature-dependent field-cooled and zero-field-cooled magnetization experiments. A first-order magnetic transition with an increase in the ZFC measurements was explained by temperature-induced reduction of the Fe-Fe distance and the corresponding increase in superexchange. © 2021 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c03425

• 2021 • 271	Multidimensional thermally-induced transformation of nest-structured complex Au-Fe nanoalloys towards equilibrium Johny, J. and Prymak, O. and Kamp, M. and Calvo, F. and Kim, S.-H. and Tymoczko, A. and El-Zoka, A. and Rehbock, C. and Schürmann, U. and Gault, B. and Kienle, L. and Barcikowski, S. Nano Research (2021) Bimetallic nanoparticles are often superior candidates for a wide range of technological and biomedical applications owing to their enhanced catalytic, optical, and magnetic properties, which are often better than their monometallic counterparts. Most of their properties strongly depend on their chemical composition, crystallographic structure, and phase distribution. However, little is known of how their crystal structure, on the nanoscale, transforms over time at elevated temperatures, even though this knowledge is highly relevant in case nanoparticles are used in, e.g., high-temperature catalysis. Au-Fe is a promising bimetallic system where the low-cost and magnetic Fe is combined with catalytically active and plasmonic Au. Here, we report on the in situ temporal evolution of the crystalline ordering in Au-Fe nanoparticles, obtained from a modern laser ablation in liquids synthesis. Our in-depth analysis, complemented by dedicated atomistic simulations, includes a detailed structural characterization by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy as well as atom probe tomography to reveal elemental distributions down to a single atom resolution. We show that the Au-Fe nanoparticles initially exhibit highly complex internal nested nanostructures with a wide range of compositions, phase distributions, and size-depended microstrains. The elevated temperature induces a diffusion-controlled recrystallization and phase merging, resulting in the formation of a single face-centered-cubic ultrastructure in contact with a body-centered cubic phase, which demonstrates the metastability of these structures. Uncovering these unique nanostructures with nested features could be highly attractive from a fundamental viewpoint as they could give further insights into the nanoparticle formation mechanism under non-equilibrium conditions. Furthermore, the in situ evaluation of the crystal structure changes upon heating is potentially relevant for high-temperature process utilization of bimetallic nanoparticles, e.g., during catalysis. © 2021, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s12274-021-3524-7

• 2021 • 270	Near-threshold soot formation in premixed flames at elevated pressure Mi, X. and Saylam, A. and Endres, T. and Schulz, C. and Dreier, T. Carbon 181 143-154 (2021) Soot formation at lean-threshold conditions referred to as “near-threshold sooting conditions” (i.e., with stoichiometry, φ, around 1.90 for ethene as a fuel) are studied in laminar premixed ethylene/air flames at pressure from 1 to 10 bar. Laser extinction is used to measure the soot volume fraction. Time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (TiRe-LII) is used to determine particle diameters from the LII signal temporal decay after pulsed laser heating. Thermophoretic sampling is applied to extract particle samples from the flame and ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to measure particle sizes and morphology. The soot volume fraction scales with pressure in a power-law function with the parameter n as 1.4 to 1.9 for flames at the equivalence ratio (φ = 2.1) even at the onset of soot formation. The elevated dependence of soot volume fraction on height above burner is detected with increasing pressure in the near-threshold sooting conditions. The measured soot diameter increases with pressure and equivalence ratio and its sensitivity to the equivalence ratio increases with increasing pressure. The TiRe-LII signal decay varies only little with height above burner and laser fluence in the near-threshold sooting flame (φ = 1.90–1.95), which indicates that the soot particle surface growth and oxidation are balanced. For a slightly sooting flame, TEM measurements from thermophoretically-sampled soot agree well with the LIIsim-evaluated particle size, indicating the reliability of TiRe-LII particle diameter determination under near-threshold conditions. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2021.05.014

• 2021 • 269	New tools to probe the protein surface: Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles carry amino acid binders van der Meer, S.B. and Hadrovic, I. and Meiners, A. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Knauer, S.K. and Bayer, P. and Schrader, T. and Beuck, C. and Epple, M. Journal of Physical Chemistry B (2021) A strategy toward epitope-selective functionalized nanoparticles is introduced in the following: ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (diameter of the metallic core about 2 nm) were functionalized with molecular tweezers that selectively attach lysine and arginine residues on protein surfaces. Between 11 and 30 tweezer molecules were covalently attached to the surface of each nanoparticle by copper-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), giving multiavid agents to target proteins. The nanoparticles were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, differential centrifugal sedimentation, and 1H NMR spectroscopy (diffusion-ordered spectroscopy, DOSY, and surface composition). The interaction of these nanoparticles with the model proteins hPin1 (WW domain; hPin1-WW) and Survivin was probed by NMR titration and by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The binding to the WW domain of hPin1 occurred with a KD of 41 ± 2 μM, as shown by ITC. The nanoparticle-conjugated tweezers targeted cationic amino acids on the surface of hPin1-WW in the following order: N-terminus (G) ≈ R17 > R14 ≈ R21 > K13 > R36 > K6, as shown by NMR spectroscopy. Nanoparticle recognition of the larger protein Survivin was even more efficient and occurred with a KD of 8 ± 1 μM, as shown by ITC. We conclude that ultrasmall nanoparticles can act as versatile carriers for artificial protein ligands and strengthen their interaction with the complementary patches on the protein surface. © XXXX American Chemical Society
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c09846

• 2021 • 268	Nickel nanoparticles supported on nitrogen–doped carbon nanotubes are a highly active, selective and stable CO2 methanation catalyst Gödde, J. and Merko, M. and Xia, W. and Muhler, M. Journal of Energy Chemistry 54 323-331 (2021) CO2 methanation using nickel-based catalysts has attracted large interest as a promising power-to-gas route. Ni nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped CNTs with Ni loadings in the range from 10 wt% to 50 wt% were synthesized by impregnation, calcination and reduction and characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, H2 temperature-programmed reduction, CO pulse chemisorption and transmission electron microscopy. The Ni/NCNT catalysts were highly active in CO2 methanation at atmospheric pressure, reaching over 50% CO2 conversion and over 95% CH4 selectivity at 340 °C and a GHSV of 50,000 mL g−1 h−1 under kinetically controlled conditions. The small Ni particle sizes below 10 nm despite the high Ni loading is ascribed to the efficient anchoring on the N-doped CNTs. The optimum loading of 30 wt%–40 wt% Ni was found to result in the highest Ni surface area, the highest degree of conversion and the highest selectivity to methane. A constant TOF of 0.3 s−1 was obtained indicating similar catalytic properties of the Ni nanoparticles in the range from 10 wt% to 50 wt% Ni loading. Long-term experiments showed that the Ni/NCNT catalyst with 30 wt% Ni was highly stable for 100 h time on stream. © 2020 Science Press
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jechem.2020.06.007

• 2021 • 267	On the long-term aging of S-phase in aluminum alloy 2618A Rockenhäuser, C. and Rowolt, C. and Milkereit, B. and Darvishi Kamachali, R. and Kessler, O. and Skrotzki, B. Journal of Materials Science (2021) The aluminum alloy 2618A is applied for engine components such as radial compressor wheels which operate for long time at elevated temperatures. This results in coarsening of the hardening precipitates and degradation in mechanical properties during the long-term operation, which is not taken into account in the current lifetime prediction models due to the lack of quantitative microstructural and mechanical data. To address this issue, a quantitative investigation on the evolution of precipitates during long-term aging at 190 °C for up to 25,000 h was conducted. Detailed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was combined with Brinell hardness measurements and thorough differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments. The results show that GPB zones and S-phase Al2CuMg grow up to < 1,000 h during which the GPB zones dissolve and S-phase precipitates form. For longer aging times, only S-phase precipitates coarsen, which can be well described using the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner theory of ripening. A thorough understanding of the underlying microstructural processes is a prerequisite to enable the integration of aging behavior into the established lifetime models for components manufactured from alloy 2618A. © 2021, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10853-020-05740-x

• 2021 • 266	On the state and stability of fuel cell catalyst inks Bapat, S. and Giehl, C. and Kohsakowski, S. and Peinecke, V. and Schäffler, M. and Segets, D. Advanced Powder Technology 32 3845-3859 (2021) Catalyst layers (CL), as an active component of the catalyst coated membrane (CCM), form the heart of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). For optimum performance of the fuel cell, obtaining suitable structural and functional characteristics for the CL is crucial. Direct tuning of the microstructure and morphology of the CL is non-trivial; hence catalyst inks as CL precursors need to be modulated, which are then applied onto a membrane to form the CCM. Obtaining favorable dispersion characteristics forms an important prerequisite in engineering catalyst inks for large scale manufacturing. In order to facilitate a knowledge-based approach for developing fuel cell inks, this work introduces new tools and methods to study both the dispersion state and stability characteristics, simultaneously. Catalyst inks were prepared using different processing methods, which include stirring and ultrasonication. The proposed tools are used to characterize and elucidate the effects of the processing method. Structural characterization of the dispersed particles and their assemblages was carried out by means of transmission electron microscopy. Analytical centrifugation (AC) was used to study the state and stability of the inks. Herein, we introduce new concepts, S score, and stability trajectory, for a time-resolved assessment of inks in their native state using AC. The findings were validated and rationalized using transmittograms as a direct visualization technique. The flowability of inks was investigated by rheological measurements. It was found that probe sonication only up to an optimum amplitude leads to a highly stable colloidal ink. © 2021 The Society of Powder Technology Japan
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apt.2021.08.030

• 2021 • 265	Parallel Dislocation Networks and Cottrell Atmospheres Reduce Thermal Conductivity of PbTe Thermoelectrics Abdellaoui, L. and Chen, Z. and Yu, Y. and Luo, T. and Hanus, R. and Schwarz, T. and Bueno Villoro, R. and Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. and Snyder, G.J. and Raabe, D. and Pei, Y. and Scheu, C. and Zhang, S. Advanced Functional Materials 31 (2021) Dislocations play an important role in thermal transport by scattering phonons. Nevertheless, for materials with intrinsically low thermal conductivity, such as thermoelectrics, classical models require exceedingly high numbers of dislocations (>1012 cm–2) to further impede thermal transport. In this work, a significant reduction in thermal conductivity of Na0.025Eu0.03Pb0.945Te is demonstrated at a moderate dislocation density of 1 × 1010 cm–2. Further characteristics of dislocations, including their arrangement, orientation, and local chemistry are shown to be crucial to their phonon-scattering effect and are characterized by correlative microscopy techniques. Electron channeling contrast imaging reveals a uniform distribution of dislocations within individual grains, with parallel lines along four <111> directions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows the parallel networks are edge-type and share the same Burgers vectors within each group. Atom probe tomography reveals the enrichment of dopant Na at dislocation cores, forming Cottrell atmospheres. The dislocation network is demonstrated to be stable during in situ heating in the TEM. Using the Callaway transport model, it is demonstrated that both parallel arrangement of dislocations and Cottrell atmospheres make dislocations more efficient in phonon scattering. These two mechanisms provide new avenues to lower the thermal conductivity in materials for thermal-insulating applications. © 2021 The Authors. Advanced Functional Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/adfm.202101214

• 2021 • 264	Partitioning of Solutes at Crystal Defects in Borides After Creep and Annealing in a Polycrystalline Superalloy Lilensten, L. and Kostka, A. and Lartigue-Korinek, S. and Gault, B. and Tin, S. and Antonov, S. and Kontis, P. JOM (2021) We have investigated the partitioning of solutes at crystal defects in intergranular Cr-rich M2B borides after creep at 850°C/185MPa and annealing at 850°C for approximately 3000 h in a polycrystalline nickel-based superalloy. Borides were found to coarsen in both cases, with the borides after creep being the thickest (800–1100 nm), compared to borides annealed in the absence of an external applied load (400–600 nm). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the coarsened borides have either a tetragonal I4/mcm structure, or an orthorhombic Fddd, with those two structures coexisting in a single particle. The presence of a very high density of planar faults was systematically observed within the coarsened borides. The faults were correlated with chemical fluctuations of B and Cr, revealed by atom probe tomography. In addition, partitioning of Ni and Co was observed at dislocations within the borides after creep, providing insights into the deformation of borides. © 2021, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s11837-021-04736-5

• 2021 • 263	Peptide-Conjugated Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles (2 nm) for Selective Protein Targeting Ruks, T. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Prymak, O. and Sehnem, A.L. and Oliveira, C.L.P. and Bayer, P. and Beuck, C. and Epple, M. ACS Applied Bio Materials 4 945-965 (2021) Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles with a metallic core diameter of 2 nm were surface-conjugated with peptides that selectively target epitopes on the surface of the WW domain of the model protein hPin1 (hPin1-WW). The binding to the gold surface was accomplished via the thiol group of a terminal cysteine. The particles were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and differential centrifugal sedimentation. The surface loading was determined by conjugating a FAM-labeled peptide, followed by UV-vis spectroscopy, and by quantitative 1H NMR spectroscopy, showing about 150 peptide molecules conjugated to each nanoparticle. The interaction between the peptide-decorated nanoparticles with hPin1-WW was probed by 1H-15N-HSQC NMR titration, fluorescence polarization spectroscopy (FP), and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The particles showed a similar binding (KD = 10-20 μM) compared to the dissolved peptides (KD = 10-30 μM). Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) showed that the particles were well dispersed and did not agglomerate after the addition of hPin1-WW (no cross-linking by the protein). Each nanoparticle was able to bind about 20 hPin1-WW protein molecules. An unspecific interaction with hPin1 was excluded by the attachment of a nonbinding peptide to the nanoparticle surface. The uptake by cells was studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The peptide-functionalized nanoparticles penetrated the cell membrane and were located in the cytosol. In contrast, the dissolved peptide did not cross the cell membrane. Peptide-functionalized nanoparticles are promising agents to target proteins inside cells. © 2021 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsabm.0c01424

• 2021 • 262	Phase decomposition in nanocrystalline Cr0.8Cu0.2 thin films Chakraborty, J. and Harzer, T.P. and Duarte, M.J. and Dehm, G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 888 (2021) Metastable Cr0.8Cu0.2 alloy thin films with nominal thickness of 360 nm have been deposited on Si(100) substrate by co-evaporation of Cu and Cr using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Phase evolution, microstructure, stress development, and crystallographic texture in Cr0.8Cu0.2 thin films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atom probe tomography (APT) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) during annealing of the films in the temperature range 200–450 °C. X-ray diffraction of the as-deposited thin film shows single phase bcc crystal structure of the film whereas APT observation of fine precipitates in the film matrix due to inherent compositional fluctuation indicates onset of phase separation via spinodal decomposition regime. XRD (in-situ) and APT investigation of 300 °C annealed film reveals that the early stage of phase separation involves localized formation of metastable intermediate bcc precipitate phase having 60 at% Cr and 40 at% Cu approximately (~Cr0.6Cu0.4). For longer duration of annealing at temperature ≥350 °C, such metastable bcc precipitates act as heterogeneous nucleation sites for the onset of precipitation of Cu rich fcc Cu(Cr) phase which indicates a change of phase separation mechanism from ‘spinodal decomposition’ to ‘nucleation and growth’. Annealing of the film at temperature ≥400 °C for longer duration leads to the formation of a two phase structure with Cu rich fcc precipitate phase in a Cr rich bcc matrix. Observed phase decomposition is accompanied by significant changes in the microstructure, residual stress and crystallographic texture in the Cr rich bcc film matrix which leads to the minimization of both surface and strain energies and thereby a reduction of total Gibbs free energy of the thin film. Thermodynamic model calculation has been presented in order to understand the nucleation pathway of Cu rich stable fcc Cu(Cr) precipitates via non-classical nucleation of metastable intermediate bcc Cr0.6Cu0.4 phase. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.161391

• 2021 • 261	Phase Stability of Nanolaminated Epitaxial (Cr1- xFex)2AlC MAX Phase Thin Films on MgO(111) and Al2O3(0001) for Use as Conductive Coatings Pazniak, H. and Stevens, M. and Dahlqvist, M. and Zingsem, B. and Kibkalo, L. and Felek, M. and Varnakov, S. and Farle, M. and Rosen, J. and Wiedwald, U. ACS Applied Nano Materials 4 13761-13770 (2021) In this study, we model the chemical stability in the (Cr1-xFex)2AlC MAX phase system using density functional theory, predicting its phase stability for 0 < x < 0.2. Following the calculations, we have successfully synthesized nanolaminated (Cr1-xFex)2AlC MAX phase thin films with target Fe contents of x = 0.1 and x = 0.2 by pulsed laser deposition using elemental targets on MgO(111) and Al2O3(0001) substrates at 600 °C. Structural investigations by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveal MAX phase epitaxial films on both substrates with a coexisting (Fe,Cr)5Al8 intermetallic secondary phase. Experiments suggest an actual maximum Fe solubility of 3.4 at %, corresponding to (Cr0.932Fe0.068)2AlC, which is the highest Fe doping level achieved so far in volume materials and thin films. Residual Fe is continuously distributed in the (Fe,Cr)5Al8 intermetallic secondary phase. The incorporation of Fe results in the slight reduction of the c lattice parameter, while the a lattice parameter remains unchanged. The nanolaminated (Cr0.932Fe0.068)2AlC thin films show a metallic behavior and can serve as promising candidates for highly conductive coatings. © 2021 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsanm.1c03166

• 2021 • 260	Pore penetration of porous catalyst supports by in-situ-adsorbed, agglomeration-quenched nanoparticles from pulsed laser ablation in supercritical CO2 Labusch, M. and Puthenkalam, S. and Cleve, E. and Barcikowski, S. and Reichenberger, S. Journal of Supercritical Fluids 169 (2021) To synthesize nanoparticles for catalytic applications, pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in liquids has been established as a cost-effective method complementary to wet-chemical synthesis routes. Due to mass transport limitations in water, recent studies conducted PLA in supercritical CO2 (scCO2) to use the superior transport properties. Unfortunately, PLA in scCO2 so far led to the formation of bigger particles and agglomerates, which are unfavorable for the application as catalytically active material. As will be shown in this paper, the former are being avoided by means of an in-situ deposition approach of gold and platinum in scCO2 in presence of mesoporous γ-Al2O3 support. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the resulting nanoparticle size is quenched while careful adjustment of the mixing conditions during PLA is shown to significantly reduce the agglomeration tendency. Cross-sections of the heterogeneous catalyst prove, that the nanoparticles penetrate the mesoporous support up to 109 nm deep. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.supflu.2020.105100

• 2021 • 259	Revisiting ω phase embrittlement in metastable β titanium alloys: Role of elemental partitioning Lai, M.J. and Li, T. and Yan, F.K. and Li, J.S. and Raabe, D. Scripta Materialia 193 38-42 (2021) The role of elemental partitioning between β and ω phase in embrittling an originally ductile ω-containing Ti–12Mo (wt.%) model alloy was studied using transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. It is revealed that the embrittlement of this alloy already occurs after aging at 400 °C for as short as 10 min, when the size, inter-particle spacing and volume fraction of the ω particles remain almost unchanged. The origin of the aging-induced embrittlement is attributed to the significant rejection of Mo (>5 at.%) from the ω particles during aging, which leads to remarkable increase in the shear modulus (>30 GPa) of the ω particles, promoting intense plastic flow localization and facilitating crack nucleation prior to macroscopic yielding. © 2020
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.10.031

• 2021 • 258	Searching novel complex solid solution electrocatalysts in unconventional element combinations Krysiak, O.A. and Schumacher, S. and Savan, A. and Schuhmann, W. and Ludwig, A. and Andronescu, C. Nano Research (2021) Despite outstanding accomplishments in catalyst discovery, finding new, more efficient, environmentally neutral, and noble metal-free catalysts remains challenging and unsolved. Recently, complex solid solutions consisting of at least five different elements and often named as high-entropy alloys have emerged as a new class of electrocatalysts for a variety of reactions. The multicomponent combinations of elements facilitate tuning of active sites and catalytic properties. Predicting optimal catalyst composition remains difficult, making testing of a very high number of them indispensable. We present the high-throughput screening of the electrochemical activity of thin film material libraries prepared by combinatorial co-sputtering of metals which are commonly used in catalysis (Pd, Cu, Ni) combined with metals which are not commonly used in catalysis (Ti, Hf, Zr). Introducing unusual elements in the search space allows discovery of catalytic activity for hitherto unknown compositions. Material libraries with very similar composition spreads can show different activities vs. composition trends for different reactions. In order to address the inherent challenge of the huge combinatorial material space and the inability to predict active electrocatalyst compositions, we developed a high-throughput process based on co-sputtered material libraries, and performed high-throughput characterization using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and conductivity measurements followed by electrochemical screening by means of a scanning droplet cell. The results show surprising material compositions with increased activity for the oxygen reduction reaction and the hydrogen evolution reaction. Such data are important input data for future data-driven materials prediction. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2021, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s12274-021-3637-z

• 2021 • 257	Sensing and electrocatalytic activity of tungsten disulphide thin films fabricated via metal-organic chemical vapour deposition Wree, J.-L. and Glauber, J.-P. and Öhl, D. and Niesen, A. and Kostka, A. and Rogalla, D. and Schuhmann, W. and Devi, A. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 9 10254-10265 (2021) The unique structural and electronic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and in particular tungsten disulphide (WS2) make them interesting for a variety of applications such as the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) for water splitting devices and chemiresistive gas sensors. The key parameter for the realisation of these devices is the controlled large-area growth of WS2 combined with tuning the surface morphology and electronic properties which is achieved by bottom-up fabrication methods such as chemical vapour deposition (CVD). In this study, 2H-WS2 films are fabricated by a new metal-organic CVD (MOCVD) process resulting in the growth of crystalline, pure, and stoichiometric films which was accomplished at temperatures as low as 600 °C as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS)/nuclear reaction analysis (NRA), and Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology of WS2 layers was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Following successful process development, the WS2 layers were deposited on conducting FTO/glass substrates and their catalytic activity for the HER was evaluated in a linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) experiment. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent sensor response towards NO2, CO, and NH3 was investigated for WS2 films deposited on special sensor chips, revealing a p-type response towards NO2 and NH3 and sensitivities of around 20% for NO2 and NH3 concentrations of 1.5 ppm and 7.6 ppm, respectively. These promising results demonstrate the effectiveness of scalable CVD-grown WS2 and pave the way for practical applications by modulating the properties of materials to achieve enhanced electrocatalytic and sensing performances employing WS2 layers. © 2021 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d1tc02417e

• 2021 • 256	Single Particle Nanoelectrochemistry Reveals the Catalytic Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity of Co3O4 Nanocubes Quast, T. and Varhade, S. and Saddeler, S. and Chen, Y.-T. and Andronescu, C. and Schulz, S. and Schuhmann, W. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 60 23444-23450 (2021) Co3O4 nanocubes are evaluated concerning their intrinsic electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by means of single-entity electrochemistry. Scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) provides data on the electrocatalytic OER activity from several individual measurement areas covering one Co3O4 nanocube of a comparatively high number of individual particles with sufficient statistical reproducibility. Single-particle-on-nanoelectrode measurements of Co3O4 nanocubes provide an accelerated stress test at highly alkaline conditions with current densities of up to 5.5 A cm−2, and allows to derive TOF values of up to 2.8×104 s−1 at 1.92 V vs. RHE for surface Co atoms of a single cubic nanoparticle. Obtaining such high current densities combined with identical-location transmission electron microscopy allows monitoring the formation of an oxy(hydroxide) surface layer during electrocatalysis. Combining two independent single-entity electrochemistry techniques provides the basis for elucidating structure–activity relations of single electrocatalyst nanoparticles with well-defined surface structure. © 2021 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/anie.202109201

• 2021 • 255	Structure and hardness of in situ synthesized nano-oxide strengthened CoCrFeNi high entropy alloy thin films Lee, S. and Chatain, D. and Liebscher, C.H. and Dehm, G. Scripta Materialia 203 (2021) In this study, we report on face-centered cubic structured CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy thin films with finely dispersed nano-oxide particles which are formed by internal oxidation. Analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging found that the particles are Cr2O3. The oxide particles contribute to the hardening of the film increasing its hardness by 14% compared to that of the film without precipitates, through the Orowan-type strengthening mechanism. Our novel approach paves the way to design medium- and high-entropy alloys with high strength by making use of oxide phases. © 2021
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.114044

• 2021 • 254	Structure determination and magnetic properties of the Mn-doped MAX phase Cr2GaC Siebert, J.P. and Mallett, S. and Juelsholt, M. and Pazniak, H. and Wiedwald, U. and Page, K. and Birkel, C.S. Materials Chemistry Frontiers 5 6082-6091 (2021) Introducing magnetic elements into the structure of layered ternary transition metal-based carbides that belong to the family of MAX phases has led to various intriguing phenomena, such as magnetic ordering close to or even above room temperature and structural changes accompanying magnetic transitions. However, synthesizing manganese-or even iron-containing-MAX phases has proven to be extremely challenging as a result of the intrinsic structural instability at higher electron counts of the later transition metals as well as the favored formation of thermodynamically stable competing phases. Owing to the available kinetic control over the reaction product coupled with (atomically) precise growth techniques, the thin film community has taken the lead in the synthesis of MAX phases that exhibit magnetic ordering. Producing bulk samples of sufficient quality to study the complex magnetic properties of Mn-containing MAX phase compounds poses a major obstacle, particularly if conventional high-temperature methods are used that promote the formation of stable side phases. Using a milder wet chemical-based approach, we have synthesized Mn-containing solid solutions of MAX phase Cr2GaC with Mn amounts ranging from 2 to 20 at% in the M-layers. The resulting (Cr1-xMnx)2GaC (x = 0.02-0.2) particles are structurally characterized using X-ray and neutron powder diffractometry, as well as scanning transmission electron microscopy to enable detailed magnetometry studies. We demonstrate that low amounts of Mn on the Cr site do not induce magnetic ordering, and a sample with a Mn content of x = 0.20 is also predominantly paramagnetic. Taking all side phases into account, locally ordered parts of the MAX phase could explain the magnetic order we observe at elevated temperatures. © 2021 the Partner Organisations.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d1qm00454a

• 2021 • 253	TEM replica analysis of particle phases in a tempered martensite ferritic Cr steel after long term creep Wang, H. and Kostka, A. and Goosen, W.E. and Eggeler, G. and Westraadt, J.E. Materials Characterization 181 (2021) Tempered martensite ferritic steels (TMFSs) have been and are being used for critical components in high temperature plant operating in the 600 °C range. They are exposed to creep conditions for long time periods, exceeding 100,000 h. In the present study we investigate a 12% Cr TMFS, after creep-testing at 550 °C at 120 MPa for 139,000 h. We had previously investigated this material in the TEM using thin foils. We now use an extraction replica technique to analyze four particle families: M23C6, MX, Laves-phase and Z-phase, considering statistically relevant numbers of particles (between 120 and 720). We show how EELS mapping can help in identifying Z-phase particles and use Cr-V-maps to differentiate between the four particle families. The chemical evolution of particles is investigated. The experimental results are discussed in the light of previous thin foil data and with respect to predictions from computational thermodynamics. The strength and weakness of thin foil and replica procedures are compared. Improvements for thermodynamic databases are suggested. © 2021
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matchar.2021.111396

• 2021 • 252	The influence of post-weld tempering temperatures on microstructure and strength in the stir zone of friction stir welded reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel Li, S. and Yang, X. and Vajragupta, N. and Tang, W. and Hartmaier, A. and Li, H. Materials Science and Engineering A 814 (2021) Reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels are among the most competitive candidates of structural materials for nuclear fusion reactors, due to their superior comprehensive properties. Friction stir welding (FSW) was investigated in joining RAFM steel, considering its potential advantages in obtaining an optimal microstructure and mechanical properties of welded joint. To evaluate the feasibility of FSW in joining RAFM steel, an in-depth understanding of the microstructure-property relationships for friction stir welded joints of RAFM steel is necessary. In this research, the quantitative relationships between microstructural evolution and tensile properties in the stir zone (SZ) of friction stir welded RAFM steel after post-weld tempering treatment (PWTT) were systematically studied. Three different post-weld tempering temperatures namely 720 °C, 760 °C, and 800 °C were adopted. Then the uniaxial tensile properties were tested at room temperature and 550 °C, respectively. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the Thermo-Calc Calphad software were adopted to systematically investigate the microstructural evolution. Martensite lath width, precipitate number density, equilibrium solid solubility of alloying elements in the matrix, and geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) density were analyzed quantitatively. With the results obtained, we assessed the contribution of each strengthening mechanism to the 0.2% offset yield strength. According to the effective inter-barrier spacing theory, a microstructure-sensitive yield strength model was obtained to well predict the change in yield strength at different conditions. Finally, the results calculated by equivalent strengthening effect indicated that the crucial microstructure determining the yield strength of the SZ for RAFM steel after PWTT is the high density of dislocation substructures. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2021.141224

• 2021 • 251	Thermoelastic properties and γ’-solvus temperatures of single-crystal Ni-base superalloys Horst, O.M. and Schmitz, D. and Schreuer, J. and Git, P. and Wang, H. and Körner, C. and Eggeler, G. Journal of Materials Science 56 7637-7658 (2021) Abstract: The present work shows that thermal expansion experiments can be used to measure the γʼ-solvus temperatures of four Ni-base single-crystal superalloys (SX), one with Re and three Re-free variants. In the case of CMSX-4, experimental results are in good agreement with numerical thermodynamic results obtained using ThermoCalc. For three experimental Re-free alloys, the experimental and calculated results are close. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the chemical compositions of the γ- and the γʼ-phases can be reasonably well predicted. We also use resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) to show how elastic coefficients depend on chemical composition and temperature. The results are discussed in the light of previous results reported in the literature. Areas in need of further work are highlighted. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2021, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10853-020-05628-w

• 2021 • 250	Towards synthetic L10-FeNi: Detecting the absence of cubic symmetry in Laser-Ablated Fe-Ni nanoparticles Lin, Q. and Nadarajah, R. and Hoglund, E. and Semisalova, A. and Howe, J.M. and Gökce, B. and Zangari, G. Applied Surface Science 567 (2021) The L10 crystal structure underlines an important class of chemically ordered alloys that exhibits uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The near-equiatomic L10-FeNi extracted from meteorites has demonstrated intriguing magnetic properties for permanent magnet applications. However, the synthesis of this chemically ordered non-cubic structure has been a longstanding challenge. Here, we demonstrate the absence of cubic symmetry in near-equiatomic Fe-Ni nanoparticles synthesized by picosecond-pulsed laser ablation in liquids. The non-cubic phase detected in these particles can only be L10-FeNi or hexagonal close-packed (HCP) FeNi, and the absence of cubic symmetry was unequivocal. The orientation relationship between the non-cubic phase and the adjacent cubic phase was characterized by a series of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, which consistently suggests that the formation of the non-cubic phase involves a martensitic transformation process. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150664

• 2021 • 249	Ultrastructural changes of bovine tooth surfaces under erosion in presence of biomimetic hydroxyapatite Fabritius-Vilpoux, K. and Enax, J. and Mayweg, D. and Meyer, F. and Herbig, M. and Raabe, D. and Fabritius, H.-O. Bioinspired, Biomimetic and Nanobiomaterials 10 132-145 (2021) Enamel and dentin are susceptible to acids from food sources leading to dental erosion, a global problem affecting millions of individuals. Particulate hydroxyapatite (HAP) on the tooth surface can influence the effects of acid attacks. Standardized bovine enamel and dentin samples with artificial saliva are used in an in vitro cyclic demineralization-remineralization protocol to analyze the structural changes experienced by tooth surfaces using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and to evaluate the potential of a HAP-based oral care gel in the protection of teeth from erosive attacks. The interfaces between HAP particle and enamel HAP crystallites are investigated using focused ion beam preparation and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that erosion with phosphoric acid severely affects enamel crystallites and dentin tubules, while artificial saliva leads to remineralization effects. The HAP-gel forms a microscopic layer on both enamel and dentin surfaces. Upon acid exposure, this layer is sacrificed before the native tooth tissues are affected, leading to significantly lower degrees of demineralization compared to the controls. This demonstrates that the use of particulate HAP as a biomaterial in oral care formulations can help protect enamel and dentin surfaces from erosive attacks during meals using a simple and effective protection principle. © 2021 ICE Publishing: All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1680/jbibn.21.00017

• 2021 • 248	Understanding creep of a single-crystalline Co-Al-W-Ta superalloy by studying the deformation mechanism, segregation tendency and stacking fault energy Volz, N. and Xue, F. and Zenk, C.H. and Bezold, A. and Gabel, S. and Subramanyam, A.P.A. and Drautz, R. and Hammerschmidt, T. and Makineni, S.K. and Gault, B. and Göken, M. and Neumeier, S. Acta Materialia 214 (2021) A systematic study of the compression creep properties of a single-crystalline Co-base superalloy (Co-9Al-7.5W-2Ta) was conducted at 950, 975 and 1000°C to reveal the influence of temperature and the resulting diffusion velocity of solutes like Al, W and Ta on the deformation mechanisms. Two creep rate minima are observed at all temperatures indicating that the deformation mechanisms causing these minima are quite similar. Atom-probe tomography analysis reveals elemental segregation to stacking faults, which had formed in the γ′ phase during creep. Density-functional-theory calculations indicate segregation of W and Ta to the stacking fault and an associated considerable reduction of the stacking fault energy. Since solutes diffuse faster at a higher temperature, segregation can take place more quickly. This results in a significantly faster softening of the alloy, since cutting of the γ′ precipitate phase by partial dislocations is facilitated through segregation already during the early stages of creep. This is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy analysis. Therefore, not only the smaller precipitate fraction at higher temperatures is responsible for the worse creep properties, but also faster diffusion-assisted shearing of the γ′ phase by partial dislocations. The understanding of these mechanisms will help in future alloy development by offering new design criteria. © 2021
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2021.117019

• 2021 • 247	Unraveling the Formation Mechanism of Nanoparticles Sputtered in Ionic Liquid Meischein, M. and Wang, X. and Ludwig, Al. Journal of Physical Chemistry C (2021) The formation of nanoparticles by sputtering on ionic liquids could occur at the surface or in the volume of the liquid. To clarify which process occurs, Cu was sputtered in inert and oxidative plasma onto two different ionic liquids. 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [Bmim][(Tf)2N] and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [Emim][(Tf)2N] were selected for their low solubility of oxygen and their different surface tensions to differentiate the influence of the ionic liquid characteristics on the formation process and characteristics of nanoparticles. The chemical state of nanoparticles in the ionic liquids, metallic or oxidized, was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy was performed to acquire nanoparticle size distributions and shapes. The results indicate that nanoparticle formation occurs within the ionic liquid volume, contradicting the prevailing assumption that nanoparticle formation begins at the ionic liquid surface. Nanoparticle size distributions indicate that a higher viscosity of the ionic liquid results in higher nanoparticle diameters. © 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c07621

• 2021 • 246	Unveiling the interface characteristics and their influence on the heat transfer behavior of hot-forged Cu–Cr/Diamond composites Jia, S.Q. and Bolzoni, L. and Li, T. and Yang, F. Carbon 172 390-401 (2021) Cu–Cr/55 vol% diamond composites with 1 wt % (Cu–1Cr/55Dia), 2 wt % (Cu–2Cr/55Dia), and 3 wt % (Cu–3Cr/55Dia) Cr additives, respectively, are fabricated by a hot forging method. The diamond particle surfaces are nearly completely covered by the formed carbides interface for the Cu–3Cr/55Dia composite, and the Cu–3Cr/55Dia has the highest measured thermal conductivity among the three fabricated composites (433 Wm−1K−1). High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy analyses suggest that a double-layered interface structure is formed between the copper matrix and the diamond particle in the Cu–3Cr/55Dia, which is composed of 160 nm-thick Cr3C2 and 2 nm-thick Cr23C6. This interface structure, together with high relative density of the composite, high interface coverage of diamond, thin interface layer, and formation of coherent atomic boundaries, significantly contributes to obtaining high thermal conductivity for the Cu–3Cr/55Dia composite. The Diffuse Mismatch Model and Differential Effective Medium model are modified for establishing the quantitative relationship among interface characteristics, interface thermal conductance, and the composite's thermal conductivity, based on considering the composite's interface structure and phonon transmission theory. The predicted thermal conductivity value is well matched with the measured value for the Cu–3Cr/diamond (487 Wm−1K−1 vs 433 Wm−1K−1). This helps understand heat transfer behavior in the Cu–Cr/diamond composites. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2020.10.036

• 2020 • 245	(Al, Zn)3Zr dispersoids assisted η′ precipitation in anAl-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr alloy Zhao, H. and Chen, Y. and Gault, B. and Makineni, S.K. and Ponge, D. and Raabe, D. Materialia 10 (2020) The influence of (Al,Zn)3Zr dispersoids on the precipitation of the main strengthening (Mg,Zn)-rich phases was investigated during isothermal aging of a model Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr alloy. Upon homogenization of the alloy, dispersoids of (Al,Zn)3Zr with a L12 structure are present. Isothermal aging at 120 °C for 0.5 h leads to the homogeneous formation of spherical GP zones in the α-Al matrix and heterogeneous nucleation on (Al,Zn)3Zr dispersoids. After 2 h of aging, GP zones remain present in the α-Al matrix while the accelerated transformation of GP zones to plate-shaped (Mg,Zn)-rich ηʹ precipitates is shown on the {111} planes at the interface of the L12 dispersoids. Even at grain boundaries, the similar composite structure comprising ηʹ precipitates on the coarser Zr-dispersoid is observed, along with 10-nm wide precipitate-free zones around them. The composition and structure of pre-existing dispersoids, their role in the formation of the composite structure are discussed. © 2020
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.mtla.2020.100641

• 2020 • 244	A new metalorganic chemical vapor deposition process for MoS2with a 1,4-diazabutadienyl stabilized molybdenum precursor and elemental sulfur Wree, J.-L. and Ciftyurek, E. and Zanders, D. and Boysen, N. and Kostka, A. and Rogalla, D. and Kasischke, M. and Ostendorf, A. and Schierbaum, K. and Devi, A. Dalton Transactions 49 13462-13474 (2020) Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is known for its versatile properties and hence is promising for a wide range of applications. The fabrication of high quality MoS2either as homogeneous films or as two-dimensional layers on large areas is thus the objective of intense research. Since industry requirements on MoS2thin films can hardly be matched by established exfoliation fabrication methods, there is an enhanced need for developing new chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes where a rational precursor selection is a crucial step. In this study, a new molybdenum precursor, namely 1,4-di-tert-butyl-1,4-diazabutadienyl-bis(tert-butylimido)molybdenum(vi) [Mo(NtBu)2(tBu2DAD)], is identified as a potential candidate. The combination of imido and chelating 1,4-diazadieneyl ligand moieties around the molybdenum metal center results in a monomeric compound possessing adequate thermal characteristics relevant for vapor phase deposition applications. Hexagonal MoS2layers are fabricated in a metalorganic CVD (MOCVD) process with elemental sulfur as the co-reactant at temperatures between 600 °C and 800 °C. The structure and composition of the films are investigated by X-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy revealing crystalline and stoichiometric MoS2films. The new MOCVD process developed for MoS2is highly promising due to its moderate process conditions, scalability and controlled targeted composition. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2020.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d0dt02471f

• 2020 • 243	A Universal Nano-capillary Based Method of Catalyst Immobilization for Liquid-Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy Tarnev, T. and Cychy, S. and Andronescu, C. and Muhler, M. and Schuhmann, W. and Chen, Y.-T. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 59 5586-5590 (2020) A universal nano-capillary based method for sample deposition on the silicon nitride membrane of liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (LCTEM) chips is demonstrated. It is applicable to all substances which can be dispersed in a solvent and are suitable for drop casting, including catalysts, biological samples, and polymers. Most importantly, this method overcomes limitations concerning sample immobilization due to the fragility of the ultra-thin silicon nitride membrane required for electron transmission. Thus, a straightforward way is presented to widen the research area of LCTEM to encompass any sample which can be externally deposited beforehand. Using this method, NixB nanoparticles are deposited on the μm-scale working electrode of the LCTEM chip and in situ observation of single catalyst particles during ethanol oxidation is for the first time successfully monitored by means of TEM movies. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/anie.201916419

• 2020 • 242	Analysis of strengthening due to grain boundaries and annealing twin boundaries in the CrCoNi medium-entropy alloy Schneider, M. and George, E.P. and Manescau, T.J. and Záležák, T. and Hunfeld, J. and Dlouhý, A. and Eggeler, G. and Laplanche, G. International Journal of Plasticity 124 155-169 (2020) CrCoNi exhibits the best combination of strength and ductility among all the equiatomic single-phase FCC subsets of the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy. Here, its yield strength was determined in compression as a function of grain size and temperature. Yield strength was also plotted as a function of "crystallite" size, which takes into account both annealing twin boundaries and grain boundaries. The resulting Hall-Petch slopes were straight lines but with different slopes that depend on the number of twin boundaries per grain. Scanning transmission electron microscopy of deformed specimens revealed the formation of dislocation pile-ups at grain and annealing twin boundaries indicating that the latter also act as obstacles to slip and contribute to strength. Using a simple pile-up model, the strengths of the grain and twin boundaries were estimated to lie in the range 900-1250 »MPa. Assuming that they have the same strength, in the case of twin boundaries this strength corresponds roughly to the stress required to constrict Shockley partials, which suggests that dissociated dislocations have to become compact before they can cross the annealing twin boundaries. © 2019 The Authors.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.ijplas.2019.08.009

• 2020 • 241	Atomic scale configuration of planar defects in the Nb-rich C14 Laves phase NbFe2 Šlapáková, M. and Zendegani, A. and Liebscher, C.H. and Hickel, T. and Neugebauer, J. and Hammerschmidt, T. and Ormeci, A. and Grin, J. and Dehm, G. and Kumar, K.S. and Stein, F. Acta Materialia 183 362-376 (2020) Laves phases belong to the group of tetrahedrally close-packed intermetallic phases, and their crystal structure can be described by discrete layer arrangements. They often possess extended homogeneity ranges and the general notion is that deviations from stoichiometry are accommodated by anti-site atoms or vacancies. The present work shows that excess Nb atoms in a Nb-rich NbFe2 C14 Laves phase can also be incorporated in various types of planar defects. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory calculations are employed to characterize the atomic configuration of these defects and to establish stability criteria for them. The planar defects can be categorized as extended or confined ones. The extended defects lie parallel to the basal plane of the surrounding C14 Laves phase and are fully coherent. They contain the characteristic Zr4Al3-type (O) units found in the neighboring Nb6Fe7 µ phase. An analysis of the chemical bonding reveals that the local reduction of the charge transfer is a possible reason for the preference of this atomic arrangement. However, the overall layer stacking deviates from that of the perfect µ phase. The ab initio calculations establish why these exceptionally layered defects can be more stable configurations than coherent nano-precipitates of the perfect µ phase. The confined defects are observed with pyramidal and basal habit planes. The pyramidal defect is only ~1 nm thick and resembles the perfect µ phase. In contrast, the confined basal defect can be regarded as only one single O unit and it appears as if the stacking sequence is disrupted. This configuration is confirmed by ab initio calculations to be metastable. © 2019
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.11.004

• 2020 • 240	Atomic Scale Origin of Metal Ion Release from Hip Implant Taper Junctions Balachandran, S. and Zachariah, Z. and Fischer, A. and Mayweg, D. and Wimmer, M.A. and Raabe, D. and Herbig, M. Advanced Science 7 (2020) Millions worldwide suffer from arthritis of the hips, and total hip replacement is a clinically successful treatment for end-stage arthritis patients. Typical hip implants incorporate a cobalt alloy (Co–Cr–Mo) femoral head fixed on a titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) femoral stem via a Morse taper junction. However, fretting and corrosion at this junction can cause release of wear particles and metal ions from the metallic implant, leading to local and systemic toxicity in patients. This study is a multiscale structural-chemical investigation, ranging from the micrometer down to the atomic scale, of the underlying mechanisms leading to metal ion release from such taper junctions. Correlative transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography reveals microstructural and compositional alterations in the subsurface of the titanium alloy subjected to in vitro gross-slip fretting against the cobalt alloy. Even though the cobalt alloy is comparatively more wear-resistant, changes in the titanium alloy promote tribocorrosion and subsequent degradation of the cobalt alloy. These observations regarding the concurrent occurrence of electrochemical and tribological phenomena are vital to further improve the design and performance of taper junctions in similar environments. © 2020 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/advs.201903008

• 2020 • 239	Bulk nanostructured AlCoCrFeMnNi chemically complex alloy synthesized by laser-powder bed fusion Jung, H.Y. and Peter, N.J. and Gärtner, E. and Dehm, G. and Uhlenwinkel, V. and Jägle, E.A. Additive Manufacturing 35 (2020) We report the synthesis of a bulk nanostructured alloy using laser-powder bed fusion. The equiatomic AlCoCrFeMnNi chemically complex alloy forms a nanoscale modulated structure, which is homogeneously distributed in the as-built condition. The nanostructure consists of Al & Ni-rich ordered and Cr & Fe-rich disordered BCC phases. The two phases form an interconnected phase network with coherent interface boundaries. Atom probe tomography and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis of the spatial distribution of the modulated structure suggests the occurrence of nano-scale spinodal decomposition. These results introduce a direct synthesis of bulk nanostructured alloys with promising geometric flexibility. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.addma.2020.101337

• 2020 • 238	Correlative chemical and structural investigations of accelerated phase evolution in a nanocrystalline high entropy alloy Li, Y.J. and Kostka, A. and Savan, A. and Ludwig, Al. Scripta Materialia 183 122-126 (2020) Based on our recently-developed combinatorial processing platforms for accelerated investigations of phase evolution in multinary alloys, a novel correlative atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy approach is proposed to study phase stability in a nanocrystalline CrMnFeCoNi alloy. We observed that the material can decompose at 250 °C for 5 h or 300 °C for 1 h, having the same decomposed products as in its coarse-grained counterpart after annealing at 500 °C for 500 days. A low apparent activation energy for the diffusion of Ni in the nanocrystalline alloy is derived and explains the fast kinetics of phase decomposition in nanocrystalline alloys. © 2020 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.03.016

• 2020 • 237	Could face-centered cubic titanium in cold-rolled commercially-pure titanium only be a Ti-hydride? Chang, Y. and Zhang, S. and Liebscher, C.H. and Dye, D. and Ponge, D. and Scheu, C. and Dehm, G. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. and Lu, W. Scripta Materialia 178 39-43 (2020) A face-centered cubic (FCC) phase in electro-polished specimens for transmission electron microscopy of commercially pure titanium has sometimes been reported. Here, a combination of atom-probe tomography, scanning transmission electron microscopy and low-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy is employed to study both the crystal structural and chemical composition of this FCC phase. Our results prove that the FCC phase is actually a TiHx (x ≥ 1) hydride, and not a new allotrope of Ti, in agreement with previous reports. The formation of the hydride is discussed. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2019.11.010

• 2020 • 236	Dynamics of chiral state transitions and relaxations in an FeGe thin plate: Via in situ Lorentz microscopy Chai, K. and Li, Z.-A. and Liu, R. and Zou, B. and Farle, M. and Li, J. Nanoscale 12 14919-14925 (2020) Studying the magnetic transition between different topological spin textures in noncentrosymmetric magnets under external stimuli is an important topic in chiral magnetism. Here, using in situ Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) we directly visualize the thermal-driven magnetic transitions and dynamic characteristics in FeGe thin plates. A novel protocol-dependent phase diagram of FeGe thin plates was obtained via pulsed laser excitation. Moreover, by setting the appropriate specimen temperature, the relaxation of chiral magnetic states in FeGe specimens was recorded and analyzed with an Arrhenius-type relaxation mechanism. We present the field-dependent activation energy barriers for chiral state transitions and the magnetic transition pathways of these spin textures for FeGe thin plates. Our results unveil the effects of thermal excitation on the topological spin texture transitions and provide useful information about magnetic dynamics of chiral magnetic state relaxation. © 2020 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d0nr03278f

• 2020 • 235	Early stage phase separation of AlCoCr0.75Cu0.5FeNi high-entropy powder at the nanoscale Peter, N.J. and Duarte, M.J. and Liebscher, C.H. and Srivastava, V.C. and Uhlenwinkel, V. and Jägle, E.A. and Dehm, G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 820 (2020) High entropy alloys are generally considered to be single phase material. This state is, however, typically a non-equilibrium state after fabrication at high cooling rates. Phase constitution after fabrication or heat treatment is mostly known for isothermal annealing only and for casts as well as rapidly quenched alloys. Knowledge on early phase separation stages of high entropy alloys and their mechanisms are missing so far. Here, we present results on phase separation at intermediate cooling rates, by characterization of gas atomized powder of the AlCoCr0.75Cu0.5FeNi alloy. Although investigation by X-ray diffraction and Electron Backscatter Diffraction indicates a single-phase nature of the powder particles, aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography reveal a nanoscale phase separation into Ni–Al-rich B2 and Fe–Cr-rich A2 regions as well as a high number density of 3.1 × 1024 Cu-rich clusters per m3 in the B2 matrix. The observed phase separation and cluster formation are linked to spinodal decomposition and nucleation processes, respectively. The study highlights that adequate characterization techniques need to be chosen when making statements about phase stability and structural evolution in compositionally complex alloys. © 2019 The Authors
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2019.153149

• 2020 • 234	Effect of Spray Parameters in a Spray Flame Reactor During FexOy Nanoparticles Synthesis Carvajal, L. and Buitrago-Sierra, R. and Santamaría, A. and Angel, S. and Wiggers, H. and Gallego, J. Journal of Thermal Spray Technology 29 368-383 (2020) Abstract: Synthesis and characterization of FexOy nanoparticles were carried out in order to study reaction parameters influence in a spray flame reactor. FexOy powders were prepared with three different precursors aiming to understand how the reactor conditions, dispersion gas flow, and precursor solution flow affect morphology, shape, particle size distribution, crystalline phases, and residue content of the obtained materials. Thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy were employed to characterize the materials. In addition, magnetic behavior of the obtained samples was evaluated. It was found that the evaluated parameters influenced the residue contents obtaining weight changes from 10 to 35%. Particle size distribution centers also showed differences between 17 and 24 nm. By XRD, Raman, and TEM, the presence of hematite (a-Fe2O3), maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), and magnetite (Fe3O4) was evidenced and explained based on the gas and liquid content in the flame. Additionally, the saturation magnetization was measured for selected samples, obtaining values between 26 and 32 emu g−1. These magnetic measurements were correlated with the crystalline phase composition and particle size distributions. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2020, ASM International.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s11666-020-00991-1

• 2020 • 233	Grain boundary segregation, phase formation, and their influence on the coercivity of rapidly solidified SmF e11Ti hard magnetic alloys Palanisamy, D. and Ener, S. and Maccari, F. and Schäfer, L. and Skokov, K.P. and Gutfleisch, O. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Physical Review Materials 4 (2020) SmFe11Ti-based alloys have potential as permanent magnet materials; however, until now, crystallographically textured bulk permanent magnets have not yet been produced from this alloy system. This is partly due to the lack of information on the morphology and composition of grain boundary phases present in the Fe-rich Sm-Fe-Ti alloys. Here we investigated the microstructure of a Sm1.25Fe11Ti alloy by using correlative transmission electron microscopy and atom-probe tomography, combined with magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) probing to relate the material's micro- and nanostructure to its properties. The grains of the Sm(Fe,Ti)12 matrix phase are separated by grain boundaries exhibiting a different composition over 3-4 nm width. They contain >75at% of the ferromagnetic element Fe, with an enrichment of Sm of up to 16.6 at% and a depletion in Ti, down to approx. 3.4 at%. We believe that the grain boundary is ferromagnetic at room temperature, which makes the magnetic decoupling of the grains practically impossible, which, in turn, leads to a low coercivity of SmFe11Ti-based alloys. MOKE measurements reveal the strong ferromagnetic coupling across the grain boundary, causing the nucleation of reversal magnetic domains when exposed to low magnetic fields. In a triple-junction area we identified three other ferromagnetic phases: Sm3(Fe,Ti)29,SmFe2, and Fe2Ti. These details bring out the scope of further adjustment of the coercivity in the Sm-Fe-Ti alloy system by grain boundary segregation engineering through the reduction of the presence of ferromagnetic phases to ensure a magnetic decoupling of the micrometer-sized Sm(Fe,Ti)12 grains. © 2020 authors. Published by the American Physical Society. Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI. Open access publication funded by the Max Planck Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevMaterials.4.054404

• 2020 • 232	High-throughput characterization of Ag–V–O nanostructured thin-film materials libraries for photoelectrochemical solar water splitting Kumari, S. and Helt, L. and Junqueira, J.R.C. and Kostka, A. and Zhang, S. and Sarker, S. and Mehta, A. and Scheu, C. and Schuhmann, W. and Ludwig, Al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 45 12037-12047 (2020) Ag–V–O thin-film materials libraries, with both composition (Ag22-77V23-78Ox) and thickness (123–714 nm) gradients were fabricated using combinatorial reactive magnetron co-sputtering aiming on establishing relations between composition, structure, and functional properties. As-deposited libraries were annealed in air at 300 °C for 10 h. High-throughput characterization methods of composition, structure and functional properties were used to identify photoelectrochemically active regions. The phases AgV6O15, Ag2V4O11, AgVO3, and Ag4V2O7 were observed throughout the composition gradient. The photoelectrochemical properties of Ag–V–O films are dependent on composition and morphology. An enhanced photocurrent density (~300–554 μA/cm2) was obtained at 30 to 45 at.% Ag along the thickness gradient. Thin films of these compositions show a nanowire morphology, which is an important factor for the enhancement of photoelectrochemical performance. The photoelectrochemically active regions were further investigated by high-throughput synchrotron-X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (Ag32V68Ox) which confirmed the presence of Ag2V4O11 as the dominating phase along with the minor phases AgV6O15 and AgVO3. This enhanced photoactive region shows bandgap values of ~2.30 eV for the direct and ~1.87 eV for the indirect bandgap energies. The porous nanostructured films improve charge transport and are hence of interest for photoelectrochemical water splitting. © 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.02.154

• 2020 • 231	Irreversible Structural Changes of Copper Hexacyanoferrate Used as a Cathode in Zn-Ion Batteries Lim, J. and Kasiri, G. and Sahu, R. and Schweinar, K. and Hengge, K. and Raabe, D. and La Mantia, F. and Scheu, C. Chemistry - A European Journal 26 4917-4922 (2020) The structural changes of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF), a Prussian blue analogue, which occur when used as a cathode in an aqueous Zn-ion battery, are investigated using electron microscopy techniques. The evolution of ZnxCu1−xHCF phases possessing wire and cubic morphologies from initial CuHCF nanoparticles are monitored after hundreds of cycles. Irreversible introduction of Zn ions to CuHCF is revealed locally using scanning transmission electron microscopy. A substitution mechanism is proposed to explain the increasing Zn content within the cathode material while simultaneously the Cu content is lowered during Zn-ion battery cycling. The present study demonstrates that the irreversible introduction of Zn ions is responsible for the decreasing Zn ion capacity of the CuHCF cathode in high electrolyte concentration. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/chem.201905384

• 2020 • 230	Microstructure characteristics of non-monodisperse quantum dots: On the potential of transmission electron microscopy combined with X-ray diffraction Neumann, S. and Menter, C. and Mahmoud, A.S. and Segets, D. and Rafaja, D. CrystEngComm 22 3644-3655 (2020) Although the concept of quantum confinement was introduced more than thirty years ago, a wide application of quantum dots is still limited by the fact that monodisperse quantum dots with controlled optoelectronic properties are typically synthesized on a relatively small scale. Larger scale synthesis techniques are usually not able to produce monodisperse nanoparticles yet. In this contribution, we illustrate the capability of the combination of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to reveal detailed and scale-bridging information about the complex microstructure of non-monodisperse quantum dots, which is the first step towards further upscaling of the techniques for production of quantum dots with controlled properties. As a model system, CdSe quantum dots synthesized using an automated robotic hot-injection method at different temperatures were chosen. The combined microstructure analytics revealed the size and shape of the CdSe nanocrystals and the kind, density and arrangement of planar defects. The role of the planar defects in the particle coarsening by oriented attachment and the effect of the planar fault arrangement on the phase constitution, on the crystallographic coherence of the counterparts and on the optoelectronic properties are discussed. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2020.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d0ce00312c

• 2020 • 229	Multicomponent diffusion of F, Cl and OH in apatite with application to magma ascent rates Li, W. and Chakraborty, S. and Nagashima, K. and Costa, F. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 550 (2020) Chemical zoning in igneous minerals is a potential record of the time, processes, and thermal evolution during the lifetime of a given magma reservoir. Abundances of volatiles (OH, Cl and F) in apatite from terrestrial and extraterrestrial plutonic and volcanic rocks have been used to study volatile behavior in magmas, however, volatile diffusivities in apatite are poorly constrained. Here we report new experimental results on Cl, F and OH diffusivities in apatite and apply them to estimate magma ascent times and rates. The experiments were carried out on oriented natural Durango fluorapatite crystals at 800–1100 °C, 1-atm, and oxygen fugacity at the wüstite-magnetite buffer. Experimental charges and chemical profiles were investigated with a variety of methods, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and nuclear reaction analysis. We find that the concentration profiles of Cl show evidence of uphill diffusion that is likely related to the co-existence of three monovalent anions, i.e., OH−, Cl−, F−, at the same site of the apatite structure. Chemical gradients of OH, Cl and F were reproduced using a multicomponent diffusion model to extract the tracer diffusion coefficient (Di⁎) of each component (i). The calculated values of Di⁎ parallel to the c-axis show a general relation of DF⁎>DCl⁎>DOH⁎, and define the following Arrhenius relations (parallel to the c-axis, at 1 bar) as: [Formula presented] [Formula presented] [Formula presented] The activation energy for Cl diffusion that we determined (294 kJ⋅mol−1) is within the range of that reported by Brenan (1994), but the pre-exponential factor is smaller and thus we obtain in general slower diffusivities than Brenan (1994). DCl⁎ and DOH⁎ parallel to the a-axis are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude slower than those parallel to the c-axis, indicating anisotropic diffusion of Cl and OH. Preliminary results on S diffusivity (parallel to the c-axis) at 800–900 °C show values between those of Cl and OH. The diffusion coefficients and model proposed in this study can be used to estimate the timescales of volatile re-equilibration in apatite in a variety of contexts from plutonic rocks and layered intrusions, to volcanic rocks and meteorites. We show that, for example, magma ascent rates can be determined by modelling Cl zoning in volcanic apatite. These applications provide new opportunities for understanding the influence of magma ascent rates on the eruption styles of volcanoes, thus having potential contributions to improving volcano forecasting and hazard assessments. © 2020
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116545

• 2020 • 228	On the atomic solute diffusional mechanisms during compressive creep deformation of a Co-Al-W-Ta single crystal superalloy He, J. and Zenk, C.H. and Zhou, X. and Neumeier, S. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. and Makineni, S.K. Acta Materialia 184 86-99 (2020) We investigated the solute diffusional behavior active during compressive creep deformation at 150 MPa / 975 °C of a Co-Al-W-Ta single crystal superalloy in the [001] orientation. We report the formation of shear-bands that involves re-orientation of γ/γʹ rafts to {111} from {001} planes, referring to as γ/γ′ raft-rotation. In the shear-band regions, we observed abundant micro-twins, stacking faults (SFs), disordered zones within the γʹ termed as ‘γ pockets’ and also few geometrically-close-packed (GCP) phases. We used a correlative approach blending electron microscopy and atom probe tomography to characterize the structure and composition of these features. The SFs were identified as intrinsic and exhibit a W enrichment up to 14.5 at.% and an Al deficiency down to 5.1 at.%, with respect to the surrounding γʹ phase. The micro-twin boundaries show a solute enrichment similar to the SFs with a distinct W compositional profile gradients perpendicular from the boundaries into the twin interior, indicating solute diffusion within the micro-twins. The γ-pockets have a composition close to that of γ but richer in W/Ta. Based on these observations, we propose (i) a solute diffusion mechanism taking place during micro-twinning, (ii) a mechanism for the γ/γʹ raft-rotation process and evaluate their influence on the overall creep deformation of the present Co-based superalloy. © 2019
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.11.035

• 2020 • 227	On the reversible deactivation of cobalt ferrite spinel nanoparticles applied in selective 2-propanol oxidation Anke, S. and Falk, T. and Bendt, G. and Sinev, I. and Hävecker, M. and Antoni, H. and Zegkinoglou, I. and Jeon, H. and Knop-Gericke, A. and Schlögl, R. and Roldan Cuenya, B. and Schulz, S. and Muhler, M. Journal of Catalysis 382 57-68 (2020) CoFe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by using a colloidal one-pot synthesis method based on the decomposition of metal acetylacetonates in the presence of oleyl amine. The characterization by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and N2 physisorption revealed non-porous spinel phase CoFe2O4 NPs with an average particle size of 4 nm. The unsupported metal oxide NPs were applied in the selective oxidation of 2-propanol in a continuously operated fixed-bed reactor under quasi steady-state conditions using a heating rate of 0.5 k min−1. 2-Propanol was found to be oxidatively dehydrogenated over CoFe2O4 yielding acetone and H2O with high selectivity. Only to a minor extent dehydration to propene and total oxidation to CO2 was observed at higher temperatures. The detected low-temperature reaction pathway with maxima at 430 and 510 K was inhibited after the initial 2-propanol oxidation up to 573 K, but an oxidative treatment in O2 or N2O atmosphere led to full regeneration. No correlation between the desorbing amount or the surface oxygen species investigated by O2 temperature-programmed desorption experiments and the low-temperature activity was observed. The amounts of evolving CO2 during the TPO experiments indicate deactivation due to formation of carbonaceous species. Inhibition experiments with pre-adsorbed reaction intermediates and infrared spectroscopy identified acetate species as reversible poison, whereas carbonates are rather spectators. In addition, carbon deposition was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which also revealed a minor influence of cobalt reduction during the deactivation process as confirmed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy studies. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jcat.2019.12.007

• 2020 • 226	On the stress and temperature dependence of low temperature and high stress shear creep in Ni-base single crystal superalloys Bürger, D. and Dlouhý, A. and Yoshimi, K. and Eggeler, G. Materials Science and Engineering A 795 (2020) In the present work, we investigate the stress and temperature dependence of low-temperature (750 ± 20 °C) and high-stress (300 ± 20 MPa) shear creep of a Ni-base single crystal superalloy. From continuous isothermal experiments and stress and temperature change tests the stress exponent n and the apparent activation energy Qapp of the phenomenological Sherby-Dorn equation were determined for the two macroscopic crystallographic shear systems (MCSS) [011¯](111) and [112¯](111). The activation parameters of creep, the stress exponents and the apparent activation energies were identified as 16 and 620 kJ/mol (MCSS: [011¯](111)) and 14 and 460 kJ/mol (MCSS: [112¯](111)). We show that during shear creep testing these phenomenological parameters do not change between the early (0.5–1% strain) and later stages of creep (4.5–5% strain), in contrast to what was observed for uniaxial tensile testing. The results are discussed in the light of what is known about stress and temperature dependencies of deformation rates in the creep literature and in view of the recent work by Bürger et al., 2020, who combined shear creep testing with analytical transmission electron microscopy to identify the elementary deformation mechanism, which governs low temperature and high stress creep. © 2020 The Authors
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2020.139961

• 2020 • 225	Phase decomposition in a nanocrystalline CrCoNi alloy Li, Y.J. and Kostka, A. and Savan, A. and Ludwig, Al. Scripta Materialia 188 259-263 (2020) Phase stability of a nanocrystalline CrCoNi alloy is investigated using the combinatorial processing platform approach, which enables synthesis, processing and direct atomic-scale characterizations of alloys by atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. Phase decomposition with formation of CoNi-rich phase occurs faster in the smaller (10 nm) grain-sized region than the larger one (20 nm), both being present in the same sample. Chemical analyses indicate that diffusion of Co and Cr plays an important role in phase decomposition. Comparison of phase stability between CrMnFeCoNi and CrCoNi implies that elemental segregation may promote phase decomposition by providing an additional chemical driving force for it. © 2020 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.07.054

• 2020 • 224	Revealing the two-step nucleation and growth mechanism of vanadium carbonitrides in microalloyed steels Wang, H. and Li, Y. and Detemple, E. and Eggeler, G. Scripta Materialia 187 350-354 (2020) Combining high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and 3-dimensional atom probe tomography (3D-APT), the early stages of nucleation and growth of vanadium carbonitrides (VCN) were revealed. VCN nucleation starts with locally distorted body-centered cubic (bcc) lattices due to a substitution of Fe atoms by V atoms, which results in the formation of an intermediate coherent crystal structure within the ferrite matrix. Misfit strain self-accommodation leads to twining within the VCN particles. As the particles grow, the precipitates gradually lose coherency and grow into discs or plates. Simultaneously, the intermediate crystal structure of the nucleus transforms into the equilibrium VCN-structure. © 2020
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2020.06.041

• 2020 • 223	Self-organization of silicates on different length scales exemplified by amorphous mesoporous silica and mesoporous zeolite beta using multiammonium surfactants Castro, M. and Losch, P. and Farès, C. and Haouas, M. and Taulelle, F. and Breynaert, E. and Kirschhock, C. and Park, W. and Ryoo, R. and Schmidt, W. RSC Advances 10 20928-20938 (2020) In this study the structure directing effect of a gemini-type piperidine-based multi-ammonium surfactant during hydrothermal zeolite synthesis was investigated for two cases: with and without a source of aluminum. The absence of an aluminum source led to the formation of an amorphous mesoporous MCM-48 type silica material, while the presence of aluminum guaranteed the formation of zeolite beta with a hierarchical pore system. The two opposing cases were studied in a time and temperature-dependent manner. The mobility and through space interaction of these large surfactant molecules were studied by liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) at a temperature relevant to hydrothermal synthesis (363 K) in pure water and upon addition of an aluminum and silicon source. In the gel state, at different stages of aging and hydrothermal synthesis, low angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) and solid state magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (1H MAS NMR) spectrometry determined the developing order within the system. At each of these different synthesis steps the respective intermediate materials were calcined. Transmission electron microscopy then allowed closer inspection of the locally developing mesoscopic order, while N2physisorption was used to follow the evolution of porosity. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2020.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/d0ra03828h

• 2020 • 222	Synergistic Effect of Molybdenum and Tungsten in Highly Mixed Carbide Nanoparticles as Effective Catalysts in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction under Alkaline and Acidic Conditions Fu, Q. and Peng, B. and Masa, J. and Chen, Y.-T. and Xia, W. and Schuhmann, W. and Muhler, M. ChemElectroChem 7 983-988 (2020) Monometallic Mo and W carbides as well as highly mixed (Mo,W) carbides with various Mo/W ratios were synthesized directly on oxygen-functionalized carbon nanotubes (OCNTs), and used as noble-metal-free electrocatalysts in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under both acidic and alkaline conditions. A purely orthorhombic structure was found in both monometallic and mixed carbide samples by X-ray diffraction. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the carbide particles were highly dispersed on the OCNTs with well-controlled particle size. The homogeneous distribution of Mo and W in the carbides was confirmed by elemental mapping. (Mo,W)2C/OCNT with a Mo/W ratio of 3 : 1 showed the lowest overpotential to reach a current density of 10 mA/cm2 (87 mV in 0.1 M KOH and 92 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4), and the smallest Tafel slope of 34 mV/dec. Long-term stability under both alkaline and acidic conditions was demonstrated for 24 h. Our results revealed that an optimal amount of W in the mixed carbide can significantly improve its performance in the HER following the Tafel reaction pathway, most likely due to the weakened Mo−Hads bond. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/celc.202000047

• 2020 • 221	Tailored CNTs buckypaper membranes for the removal of humic acid and separation of oil-in- water emulsions Elnabawy, E. and Elsherbiny, I.M.A. and Abdelsamad, A.M.A. and Anis, B. and Hassan, A. and Ulbricht, M. and Khalil, A.S.G. Membranes 10 (2020) Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a robust material and proven as a promising candidate for a wide range of electronic, optoelectronic and environmental applications. In this work, two different methods were utilized for the preparation of CNTs exhibiting different aspect ratios via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The as-prepared CNTs were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 adsorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy in order to investigate their morphological and structural properties. Free-standing CNTs “buckypaper” membranes were fabricated, characterized and tailored to meet the requirements of two applications, i.e., (1) the removal of humic acid (HA) from water and (2) separation of oil-in-water emulsions. It was revealed that the hydrophobic buckypapers showed high separation performance for Shell oil-in-water emulsions filtration, with up to 98% through the accumulation of oil droplets onto the membrane surface. The absorption capacity of buckypaper membranes for various organic liquids (oil, chloroform and toluene) was evaluated over 10 absorption cycles to investigate their recyclability and robustness. Moreover, surface modification was introduced to the pristine CNTs to increase their surface hydrophilicity and improve the pure water permeability of buckypapers. These modified buckypapers showed high flux for HA solutions and excellent HA rejection efficiency up to 95%via size exclusion and electrostatic repulsion mechanisms. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3390/membranes10050097

• 2020 • 220	Tantalum and zirconium induced structural transitions at complex [111] tilt grain boundaries in copper Meiners, T. and Duarte, J.M. and Richter, G. and Dehm, G. and Liebscher, C.H. Acta Materialia 190 93-104 (2020) Alloying nanocrystalline copper (Cu) with immiscible elements, such as tantalum (Ta) and zirconium (Zr), is a promising technique to manipulate grain boundary properties and by this suppress grain growth at elevated temperatures. However, insights on the atomistic origins on the influence of impurity elements on grain boundaries are lacking. In this study, the atomistic effects of Ta and Zr on [111] tilt grain boundaries in Cu are investigated by high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques. In case of Ta, the formation of spherical, nano-scale precipitates in close vicinity to the grain boundaries is observed, but no sign of segregation. The particles induce a repelling force to migrating boundaries and act as local pinning points. The segregation of Zr is observed to occur either at confined grain boundary steps or homogeneously along the boundaries without steps. In both cases a strong disordering of the defect or grain boundary structure is revealed. Furthermore, at low Zr concentrations it induces structural grain boundary transitions and partial atomic reordering of the grain boundary structural units. © 2020 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2020.02.064

• 2020 • 219	Temperature-Induced Stress Relaxation in Alloyed Silver-Gold Nanoparticles (7-8 nm) by in Situ X-ray Powder Diffraction Prymak, O. and Grasmik, V. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Epple, M. Crystal Growth and Design 20 107-115 (2020) Alloyed silver-gold nanoparticles (spherical, 8 nm) were wet-chemically prepared by reduction with sodium citrate/tannic acid and colloidally stabilized by poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), in steps of 10 atom %, including pure silver nanoparticles (35 nm) and pure gold nanoparticles (7 nm). The nanoparticles were subjected to in situ X-ray powder diffraction up to 850 °C to induce internal stress relaxation and recrystallization. The stress-induced negative deviation from Vegard's rule that was present in the original alloyed nanoparticles vanished between 150 and 250 °C, indicating the internal healing of defects. Simultaneously, a discontinuous increase in the crystallite size and a drop in the microstrain were observed. After heating to 850 °C, the original gradient structure (silver-rich shell, gold-rich core) had changed to a homogeneous elemental distribution as shown by high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM/EDX). Thus, there is a considerable mobility of the metal atoms inside the nanoparticles that starts as low as 150 °C. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.cgd.9b00728

• 2020 • 218	Unraveling Complexity: A Strategy for the Characterization of Anisotropic Core Multishell Nanoparticles Lin, W. and Greve, C. and Härtner, S. and Götz, K. and Walter, J. and Wu, M. and Rechberger, S. and Spiecker, E. and Busch, S. and Schmutzler, T. and Avadhut, Y. and Hartmann, M. and Unruh, T. and Peukert, W. and Segets, D. Particle and Particle Systems Characterization 37 (2020) In this work, a widely applicable routine to characterize the core, surface, stability, and optical properties of CdSe/CdS/ZnS core–shell–shell nanorods after multiple growth steps is established. First, size, shape, and shell thickness of the nanorods are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), and small angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS). In the next step, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and SANS measurements are applied to determine the surface species of nanorods. Then, the colloidal stability of the nanorods is investigated by UV–vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) after different washing cycles. Finally, photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the nanorods during washing and sample storage is determined. With this highly complementary routine for particle characterization, the core, surface, stability, and optical properties of nanorods after multiple growth steps are resolved. The results demonstrate the importance of the developed toolbox to characterize such highly complex, anisotropic nanorods for a technical environment. This is of major importance for the handling of colloidal quantum materials and their quality control in industrial applications. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/ppsc.202000145

• 2020 • 217	Unravelling the nucleation, growth, and faceting of magnetite-gold nanohybrids Nalench, Y.A. and Shchetinin, I.V. and Skorikov, A.S. and Mogilnikov, P.S. and Farle, M. and Savchenko, A.G. and Majouga, A.G. and Abakumov, M.A. and Wiedwald, U. Journal of Materials Chemistry B 8 3886-3895 (2020) The chemical synthesis of nanoparticles with a preassigned size and shape is important for an optimized performance in any application. Therefore, systematic monitoring of the synthesis is required for the control and detailed understanding of the nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles. Here, we study Fe3O4-Au hybrid nanoparticles in detail using probes of the reaction mixture during synthesis and their thorough characterization. The proposed approach eliminates the problem of repeatability and reproducibility of the chemical synthesis and was carried out using laboratory equipment (standard transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and magnetometry) for typically 10 μL samples instead of, for example, a dedicated synthesis and inspection at a synchrotron radiation facility. From the three independent experimental techniques we extract the nanoparticle size at 12 stages of the synthesis. These diameters show identical trends and good quantitative agreement. Two consecutive processes occur during the synthesis of Fe3O4-Au nanoparticles, the nucleation and the growth of spherical Fe3O4nanoparticles on the surface of Au seeds during the heating stage and their faceting towards octahedral shape during reflux. The final nanoparticles with sizes of 15 nm Fe3O4and 4 nm Au exhibit superparamagnetic behavior at ambient temperature. These are high-quality, close to stoichiometric Fe3O4nanocrystals with nearly volumetric magnetic behavior as confirmed by the presence of the Verwey transition. Understanding the processes occurring during the synthesis allows the nanoparticle size and shape to be adjusted, improving their capabilities in biomedical applications. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2020.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c9tb02721a

• 2019 • 216	Achieving ultra-high strength and ductility in equiatomic CrCoNi with partially recrystallized microstructures Slone, C.E. and Miao, J. and George, E.P. and Mills, M.J. Acta Materialia 165 496-507 (2019) Despite having otherwise outstanding mechanical properties, many single-phase medium and high entropy alloys are limited by modest yield strengths. Although grain refinement offers one opportunity for additional strengthening, it requires significant and undesirable compromises to ductility. This work therefore explores an alternative, simple processing route to achieve strength by cold-rolling and annealing an equiatomic CrCoNi alloy to produce heterogeneous, partially recrystallized microstructures. Tensile tests reveal that our approach dramatically increases the yield strength (to ∼1100 MPa) while retaining good ductility (total elongation ∼23%) in the single-phase CrCoNi alloy. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy indicate that the strengthening is due to the non-recrystallized grains retaining their deformation-induced twins and very high dislocation densities. Load-unload-reload tests and grain-scale digital image correlation are also used to study the accumulation of plastic deformation in our highly heterogeneous microstructures. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.12.015

• 2019 • 215	Advances in in situ nanomechanical testing Minor, A.M. and Dehm, G. MRS Bulletin 44 438-442 (2019) In situ nanomechanical testing provides critical insight into the fundamental processes that lead to deformation phenomena in materials. Often, in situ tests are performed in relevant conditions such as high or low temperatures, tribological contact, gas environments, or under radiation exposure. Modern diffraction and imaging methods of materials under load provide high spatial resolution and enable extraction of quantitative mechanical data from local microstructure components or nano-sized objects. The articles in this issue cover recent advances in different types of in situ nanomechanical testing methods, spanning from dedicated nanomechanical testing platforms and microelectromechanical systems devices to deformation analyses via in situ diffraction and imaging methods. This includes scanning electron microscopy, advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction, and synchrotron techniques. Emerging areas such as in situ tribology enable novel insights into the origin of deformation mechanisms, while the evolution of microelectromechanical systems for controlled in situ testing provide opportunities for advanced control and loading strategies. Discussion on the current state of the art for in situ nanomechanical testing and future opportunities in imaging, strain sensing, and testing environments are also addressed. Copyright © Materials Research Society 2019.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1557/mrs.2019.127

• 2019 • 214	Aggregation control of Ru and Ir nanoparticles by tunable aryl alkyl imidazolium ionic liquids Schmolke, L. and Lerch, S. and Bülow, M. and Siebels, M. and Schmitz, A. and Thomas, J. and Dehm, G. and Held, C. and Strassner, T. and Janiak, C. Nanoscale 11 3773-3779 (2019) Metal-nanoparticles (M-NPs) were synthesized in a wet-chemical synthesis route in tunable aryl alkyl ionic liquids (TAAILs) based on the 1-aryl-3-alkyl-substituted imidazolium motif from Ru3(CO)12 and Ir4(CO)12 by microwave-heating induced thermal decomposition. The size and size dispersion of the NPs were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to an average diameter of 2.2(±0.1) to 3.9(±0.3) nm for Ru-NPs and to an average diameter of 1.4(±0.1) to 2.4(±0.1) nm for Ir-NPs. The TAAILs used contain the same bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anion but differ in the substituents on the 1-aryl ring, e.g. 2-methyl-, 4-methoxy- and 2,4-dimethyl groups and in the 3-alkyl chain lengths (C4H9, C5H11, C8H17, C9H19, C11H23). All used TAAILs are suitable for the stabilization of Ru- and Ir-NPs over months in the IL dispersion. Different from all other investigations on M-NP/IL systems which we are aware of the particle separation properties of the TAAILs vary strongly as a function of the aryl substituent. Good NP separation can be achieved with the 4-methoxyphenyl- and 2,4-dimethylphenyl-substituted ILs, irrespective of the 3-alkyl chain lengths. Significant aggregation can be observed for 2-methylphenyl-substituted ILs. The good NP separation can be correlated with a negative electrostatic potential at the 4-methoxyphenyl or 4-methylphenyl substituent that is in the para-position of the aryl ring, whereas the 2-(ortho-)methylphenyl group assumes no negative potential. ϵ-ePC-SAFT calculations were used to validate that the interactions between ILs and the washing agents (required for TEM analyses) do not cause the observed aggregation/separation behaviour of the M-NPs. Ru-NPs were investigated as catalysts for the solvent-free hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane under mild conditions (70 °C, 10 bar) with activities up to 760 (mol cyclohexane) (mol Ru)-1 h-1 and over 95% conversion in ten consecutive runs for Ru-NPs. No significant loss of catalytic activity could be observed. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c8nr10286d

• 2019 • 213	Alkylated Aromatic Thioethers with Aggregation-Induced Emission Properties—Assembly and Photophysics Riebe, S. and Saccone, M. and Stelzer, J. and Sowa, A. and Wölper, C. and Soloviova, K. and Strassert, C.A. and Giese, M. and Voskuhl, J. Chemistry - An Asian Journal 14 814-820 (2019) In this contribution, we present the synthesis and self-assembly of alkylated thioethers with interesting photophysical properties. To this end, the emission, absorption and excitation spectra in organic solvents and as aggregates in water were measured as well as the corresponding photoluminescence quantum yields and lifetimes. The aggregates in aqueous media were visualized and measured using transmission electron microscopy. Besides that, crystal structures of selected compounds allowed a detailed discussion of the structure–property relationship. Furthermore, the mesomorphic behavior was investigated using polarized optical microscopy (POM) as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). © 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/asia.201801564

• 2019 • 212	Bimetallic silver-platinum nanoparticles with combined osteo-promotive and antimicrobial activity Breisch, M. and Grasmik, V. and Loza, K. and Pappert, K. and Rostek, A. and Ziegler, N. and Ludwig, Al. and Heggen, M. and Epple, M. and Tiller, J.C. and Schildhauer, T.A. and Köller, M. and Sengstock, C. Nanotechnology 30 (2019) Bimetallic alloyed silver-platinum nanoparticles (AgPt NP) with different metal composition from Ag10Pt90 to Ag90Pt10 in steps of 20 mol% were synthesized. The biological effects of AgPt NP, including cellular uptake, cell viability, osteogenic differentiation and osteoclastogenesis as well as the antimicrobial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were analyzed in comparison to pure Ag NP and pure Pt NP. The uptake of NP into human mesenchymal stem cells was confirmed by cross-sectional focused-ion beam preparation and observation by scanning and transmission electron microscopy in combination with energy-dispersive x-ray analysis. Lower cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity were observed for AgPt NP compared to pure Ag NP. Thus, an enhanced Ag ion release due to a possible sacrificial anode effect was not achieved. Nevertheless, a Ag content of at least 50 mol% was sufficient to induce bactericidal effects against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In addition, a Pt-related (≥50 mol% Pt) osteo-promotive activity on human mesenchymal stem cells was observed by enhanced cell calcification and alkaline phosphatase activity. In contrast, the osteoclastogenesis of rat primary precursor osteoclasts was inhibited. In summary, these results demonstrate a combinatory osteo-promotive and antimicrobial activity of bimetallic Ag50Pt50 NP. © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/1361-6528/ab172b

• 2019 • 211	Cellulose acetate/layered double hydroxide adsorptive membranes for efficient removal of pharmaceutical environmental contaminants Raicopol, M.D. and Andronescu, C. and Voicu, S.I. and Vasile, E. and Pandele, A.M. Carbohydrate Polymers 214 204-212 (2019) The increasing amount of residual pharmaceutical contaminants in wastewater has a negative impact on both the environment and human health. In the present study, we developed new cellulose acetate/Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (Mg-Al LDH) nanocomposite membranes as an efficient method to remove pharmaceutical substances from wastewater. The morphology, porosity, surface properties and thermal stability of nanocomposite membranes containing various amounts of nanofiller were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray microtomography (μCT), contact angle measurements and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Mg-Al LDH nanofiller showed a high degree of exfoliation in the polymer matrix, evidenced by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The hydrodynamic properties and adsorption capacity were evaluated with pure water and aqueous solutions of two common drugs, diclofenac sodium (DS) and tetracycline (TC), and the nanocomposite membranes showed an improved permeability compared with neat cellulose acetate. The membrane prepared with 4 wt.% Mg-Al LDH loading exhibited the highest water flux compared with the pure polymer one (529 vs 36 L·m −2 ·h -1 ) and a tenfold increase in adsorption capacity for DS. This enhancement is attributed to electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged drug molecule and positively charged Mg-Al LDH layers. Conversely, in the case of TC, the increase in adsorption capacity was smaller and was assigned to hydrogen bonding interactions between the drug molecule and the nanofiller. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.03.042

• 2019 • 210	Click Chemistry on the Surface of Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles (2 nm) for Covalent Ligand Attachment Followed by NMR Spectroscopy Van Der Meer, S.B. and Loza, K. and Wey, K. and Heggen, M. and Beuck, C. and Bayer, P. and Epple, M. Langmuir 35 7191-7204 (2019) Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (core diameter 2 nm) were surface-conjugated with azide groups by attaching the azide-functionalized tripeptide lysine(N3)-cysteine-asparagine with ∼117 molecules on each nanoparticle. A covalent surface modification with alkyne-containing molecules was then possible by copper-catalyzed click chemistry. The successful clicking to the nanoparticle surface was demonstrated with 13C-labeled propargyl alcohol. All steps of the nanoparticle surface conjugation were verified by extensive NMR spectroscopy on dispersed nanoparticles. The particle diameter and the dispersion state were assessed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS), and 1H-DOSY NMR spectroscopy. The clicking of fluorescein (FAM-alkyne) gave strongly fluorescing ultrasmall nanoparticles that were traced inside eukaryotic cells. The uptake of these nanoparticles after 24 h by HeLa cells was very efficient and showed that the nanoparticles even penetrated the nuclear membrane to a very high degree (in contrast to dissolved FAM-alkyne alone that did not enter the cell). About 8 fluorescein molecules were clicked to each nanoparticle. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00295

• 2019 • 209	Composition of the nanosized orthorhombic O′ phase and its direct transformation to fine α during ageing in metastable β-Ti alloys Li, T. and Lai, M. and Kostka, A. and Salomon, S. and Zhang, S. and Somsen, C. and Dargusch, M.S. and Kent, D. Scripta Materialia 170 183-188 (2019) The structure and chemistry of the orthorhombic O′ phase after quenching of a Ti-23 at.%Nb-2 at.%O was measured using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. The nanosized O′ phase, formed in the vicinity of ω, is enriched with oxygen and slightly depleted in Nb. Upon annealing, ω dissolves and the O′ phase develops in β up to 350 °C, above which temperature it transforms to colonies of fine α phase. Another needle-like form of α with lower Nb content is thought to nucleate from Nb-lean regions related to spinodal decomposition of β. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2019.06.008

• 2019 • 208	Correlation between sputter deposition parameters and I-V characteristics in double-barrier memristive devices Zahari, F. and Schlichting, F. and Strobel, J. and Dirkmann, S. and Cipo, J. and Gauter, S. and Trieschmann, J. and Marquardt, R. and Haberfehlner, G. and Kothleitner, G. and Kienle, L. and Mussenbrock, T. and Ziegler, M. and Kers... Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology B: Nanotechnology and Microelectronics 37 (2019) Sputter deposition is one of the most important techniques for the fabrication of memristive devices. It allows us to adjust the concentration of defects within the fabricated metal-oxide thin film layers. The defect concentration is important for those memristive devices whose resistance changes during device operation due to the drift of ions within the active layer while an electric field is applied. Reversible change of the resistance is an important property for devices used in neuromorphic circuits to emulate synaptic behavior. These novel bioinspired hardware architectures are ascertained in terms of advantageous features such as lower power dissipation and improved cognitive capabilities compared to state-of-the-art digital electronics. Thus, memristive devices are intensively studied with regard to neuromorphic analog systems. Double-barrier memristive devices with the layer sequence Nb/Al/Al2O3/NbOx/Au are promising candidates to emulate analog synaptic behavior in hardware. Here, the niobium oxide acts as the active layer, in which charged defects can drift due to an applied electric field causing analog resistive switching. In this publication, crucial parameters of the process plasma for thin film deposition, such as floating potential, electron temperature, and the energy flux to the substrate, are correlated with the I-V characteristics of the individual memristive devices. The results from plasma diagnostics are combined with microscopic and simulation methods. Strong differences in the oxidation state of the niobium oxide layers were found by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations indicate the impact of the defect concentration within the NbOx layer on the I-V hysteresis. The findings may enable a new pathway for the development of plasma-engineered memristive devices tailored for specific application. © 2019 Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1116/1.5119984

• 2019 • 207	Creep properties of single crystal Ni-base superalloys (SX): A comparison between conventionally cast and additive manufactured CMSX-4 materials Bürger, D. and Parsa, A.B. and Ramsperger, M. and Körner, C. and Eggeler, G. Materials Science and Engineering A 762 (2019) The present work compares the microstructures and the creep properties of two types of single crystal Ni-base superalloy CMSX-4 materials (SXs). One was produced by conventional directional solidification Bridgman processing. The other was manufactured by selective electron beam melting (SEBM). The microstructures of the two types of materials are compared with emphasis placed on the large (dendritic/interdendritic regions) and small scale (γ-matrix/γ′-precipitates) microstructural heterogeneities, which characterize SX microstructures and their evolution during processing, heat treatment and creep. It is shown that heat treated SEBM materials have creep properties, which match or even outperform those of conventionally processed SX materials. Creep properties were assessed using a miniature creep test technique where [001] miniature tensile creep specimens were tested in the high temperature/low stress (1050 °C, 160 MPa) and in the low temperature/high stress (850 °C, 600 MPa) creep regimes. The creep behavior is interpreted based on microstructural results, which were obtained using analytical scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). © 2019 The Authors
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2019.138098

• 2019 • 206	Crystal growth, microstructure, and physical properties of SrMnSb2 Liu, Y. and Ma, T. and Zhou, L. and Straszheim, W.E. and Islam, F. and Jensen, B.A. and Tian, W. and Heitmann, T. and Rosenberg, R.A. and Wilde, J.M. and Li, B. and Kreyssig, A. and Goldman, A.I. and Ueland, B.G. and McQueeney, R.... Physical Review B 99 (2019) We report on the crystal and magnetic structures and magnetic and transport properties of SrMnSb2 single crystals grown by the self-flux method. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal an antiferromagnetic (AFM) transition at TN=295(3) K. Above TN, the susceptibility slightly increases and forms a broad peak at T∼420 K, which is a typical feature of two-dimensional magnetic systems. Neutron diffraction measurements on single crystals confirm the previously reported C-type AFM structure below TN. Both de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) and Shubnikov-de Haas (SdH) effects are observed in SrMnSb2 single crystals. Analysis of the oscillatory component by a Fourier transform shows that the prominent frequencies obtained by the two different techniques are practically the same within error regardless of sample size or saturated magnetic moment. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals the existence of stacking faults in the crystals, which result from a horizontal shift of Sb atomic layers suggesting possible ordering of Sb vacancies in the crystals. Increase of temperature in susceptibility measurements leads to the formation of a strong peak at T∼570 K that upon cooling under magnetic field the susceptibility shows a ferromagnetic transition at TC∼580 K. Neutron powder diffraction on crushed single crystals does not support a ferromagnetic phase above TN. Furthermore, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) measurements of a single crystal at the L2,3 edge of Mn shows a signal due to induced canting of AFM moments by the applied magnetic field. All evidence strongly suggests that a chemical transformation at the surface of single crystals occurs above 500 K concurrently producing a minute amount of ferromagnetic impurity phase. © 2019 American Physical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.99.054435

• 2019 • 205	Density, distribution and nature of planar faults in silver antimony telluride for thermoelectric applications Abdellaoui, L. and Zhang, S. and Zaefferer, S. and Bueno-Villoro, R. and Baranovskiy, A. and Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. and Yu, Y. and Amouyal, Y. and Raabe, D. and Snyder, G.J. and Scheu, C. Acta Materialia 178 135-145 (2019) Defects such as planar faults in thermoelectric materials improve their performance by scattering phonons with short and medium mean free paths (3–100 nm), thereby reducing the lattice thermal conductivity,κl. Understanding statistically the microscopic distribution of these extended defects within the grains and in low angle grain boundaries is necessary to tailor and develop materials with optimal thermoelectric performance for waste heat harvesting. Herein, we analyze these defects from the millimeter down to the nanometer scale in a AgSbTe2 thermoelectric material with low angle grain boundaries. The investigations were performed using electron channeling contrast imaging combined with transmission electron microscopy. The microstructure study was complemented by estimating the effect of planar faults on the phonon scattering using the Debye-Callaway model. AgSbTe2 is a promising thermoelectric material, which exhibits extremely low thermal conductivity, κ, of 0.5 Wm−1K−1 at room temperature. In contrast to conventional alloys or intermetallic materials, in the present material small angle grain boundaries are not composed of individual dislocations but of a dense arrangement of stacked planar faults with fault densities up to NPF=1.6⋅108m−1. We explain their abundance based on their low interfacial energy of about 186 mJm−2 calculated ab-initio. The current findings show, that it is possible to reach very high densities of phonon-scattering planar faults by the correct microstructure engineering in AgSbTe2 thermoelectric materials. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.07.031

• 2019 • 204	Direct Growth of Highly Strained Pt Islands on Branched Ni Nanoparticles for Improved Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Activity Alinezhad, A. and Gloag, L. and Benedetti, T.M. and Cheong, S. and Webster, R.F. and Roelsgaard, M. and Iversen, B.B. and Schuhmann, W. and Gooding, J.J. and Tilley, R.D. Journal of the American Chemical Society 141 16202-16207 (2019) The direct growth of Pt islands on lattice mismatched Ni nanoparticles is a major synthetic challenge and a promising strategy to create highly strained Pt atoms for electrocatalysis. By using very mild reaction conditions, Pt islands with tunable strain were formed directly on Ni branched particles. The highly strained 1.9 nm Pt-island on branched Ni nanoparticles exhibited high specific activity and the highest mass activity for hydrogen evolution (HER) in a pH 13 electrolyte. These results show the ability to synthetically tune the size of the Pt islands to control the strain to give higher HER activity. Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/jacs.9b07659

• 2019 • 203	Durability study of platinum nanoparticles supported on gas-phase synthesized graphene in oxygen reduction reaction conditions Bertin, E. and Münzer, A. and Reichenberger, S. and Streubel, R. and Vinnay, T. and Wiggers, H. and Schulz, C. and Barcikowski, S. and Marzun, G. Applied Surface Science 467-468 1181-1186 (2019) Ligand-free platinum nanoparticles were prepared by pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) and employed as a benchmarking catalyst to evaluate the durability of a new gas-phase synthesized graphene support in oxygen reduction conditions. Raman measurements showed that the graphene, as compared to Vulcan, was almost defect free. Transmission electron microscopy and initial electrochemically active surface area measurements confirmed good dispersion of the catalysts on both supports. During durability tests, graphene supported Pt nanoparticles showed much better ECSA retention (75% on graphene as compared to 38% on Vulcan), ultimately retaining a higher ECSA than a commercial sample subjected to the same procedure. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.10.061

• 2019 • 202	Electrical conductivity of silver nanoparticle doped carbon nanofibres measured by CS-AFM Ali, W. and Shabani, V. and Linke, M. and Sayin, S. and Gebert, B. and Altinpinar, S. and Hildebrandt, M. and Gutmann, J.S. and Mayer-Gall, T. RSC Advances 9 4553-4562 (2019) In this work, a pioneering study on the electrical properties of composite carbon nanofibres (CNFs) using current-sensitive atomic force microscopy (CS-AFM) has been demonstrated. CNFs are highly interesting materials which are usable in a wide array of applications e.g. electrode materials for biosensors, lithium ion batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors. CNFs offer a high specific surface area and thus have a high contact area for charge transfer. CNFs can be produced using spinnable polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as a precursor for carbonisation. For the purpose of developing efficient CNFs with high conductivity and power density, silver nanoparticle (AgNPs)-containing PAN solutions were electrospun to form composite nanofibres which was followed by heat treatment. The applied voltage of the spinning setup and the content of both PAN and the silver nanoparticles in the spinning solution were varied in order to study their influence on the morphology and the electrical properties of the nanofibres. The resultant morphologies and fibre diameters were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The formation of silver nanoparticles was characterised in solution by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS), while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were carried out to investigate the presence as well as the average diameter of the AgNPs. The electrical properties of the CNFs were investigated using CS-AFM. This technique gives us the possibility to explore the electrical properties of single fibers and hence derive relationships between the structural features and the electrical properties. Our results show that the composite CNFs have a higher electrical conductivity than the neat CNFs and both the average diameter of the fibers and the electrical conductivity increase with an increasing AgNP content. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/C8RA04594A

• 2019 • 201	Elemental re-distribution inside shear bands revealed by correlative atom-probe tomography and electron microscopy in a deformed metallic glass Balachandran, S. and Orava, J. and Köhler, M. and Breen, A.J. and Kaban, I. and Raabe, D. and Herbig, M. Scripta Materialia 168 14-18 (2019) A density variation in shear bands visible by electron microscopy is correlated with compositionally altered locations measured by atom-probe tomography in plastically-deformed Al 85.6 Y 7.5 Fe 5.8 metallic-glass ribbons. Two compositionally distinct regions are identified along shear bands, one is Al-rich (~92 at.%), the other is Al-depleted (~82.5 at.%) and both regions show marginal concentration fluctuations of Y and Fe. The elemental re-distribution is observed within shear bands only, and no chemical exchange with the surrounding glassy matrix is observed. © 2019
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2019.04.014

• 2019 • 200	Epitaxial strain adaptation in chemically disordered FeRh thin films Witte, R. and Kruk, R. and Wang, D. and Schlabach, S. and Brand, R.A. and Gruner, M.E. and Wende, H. and Hahn, H. Physical Review B 99 (2019) Strain and strain adaptation mechanisms in modern functional materials are of crucial importance for their performance. Understanding these mechanisms will advance innovative approaches for material properties engineering. Here we study the strain adaptation mechanism in a thin film model system as a function of epitaxial strain. Chemically disordered FeRh thin films are deposited on W-V buffer layers, which allow for large variation of the preset lattice constants, e.g., epitaxial boundary condition. It is shown by means of high-resolution x-ray reciprocal space maps and transmission electron microscopy that the system reacts with a tilting mechanism of the structural units in order to adapt to the lattice constants of the buffer layer. This response is explained by density functional theory calculations, which evidence an energetic minimum for structures with a distortion of c/a≈0.87. The experimentally observed tilting mechanism is induced by this energy gain and allows the system to remain in the most favorable structure. In general, it is shown that the use of epitaxial model heterostructures consisting of alloy buffer layers of fully miscible elements and the functional material of interest allows to study strain adaptation behaviors in great detail. This approach makes even small secondary effects observable, such as the directional tilting of the structural domains identified in the present case study. © 2019 American Physical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.99.134109

• 2019 • 199	Experimental and numerical study of mechanical properties of multi-phase medium-Mn TWIP-TRIP steel: Influences of strain rate and phase constituents Benzing, J.T. and Liu, Y. and Zhang, X. and Luecke, W.E. and Ponge, D. and Dutta, A. and Oskay, C. and Raabe, D. and Wittig, J.E. Acta Materialia 177 250-265 (2019) In the current work we investigate the room temperature tensile properties of a medium-Mn twinning- and transformation-induced plasticity (TWIP-TRIP) steel from quasi-static to low-dynamic strain rates (ε˙ = 10−4 s−1 to ε˙ = 102 s−1). The multi-phase microstructure consists of coarse-grained recovered α'-martensite (inherited from the cold-rolled microstructure), multiple morphologies of ultrafine-grained (UFG) austenite (equiaxed, rod-like and plate-like), and equiaxed UFG ferrite. The multi-phase material exhibits a positive strain-rate sensitivity for yield and ultimate tensile strengths. Thermal imaging and digital image correlation allow for in situ measurements of temperature and local strain in the gauge length during tensile testing, but Lüders bands and Portevin Le Chatelier bands are not observed. A finite-element model uses empirical evidence from electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), plus constitutive equations to dissect the microstructural influences of grain size, dislocation density and TWIP-TRIP driving forces on tensile properties. Calibration of tensile properties not only captures the strain rate sensitivity of the multi-phase TWIP-TRIP steel, but also provides opportunity for a complete parametric analysis by changing one variable at a time (phase fraction, grain size, strain-induced twin fraction and strain-induced ε-martensite fraction). An equivalent set of high-rate mechanical properties can be matched by changing either the austenite phase fraction or the ratio of twinning vs. transformation to ε-martensite. This experimental-computational framework enables the prediction of mechanical properties in multi-phase steels beyond the experimental regime by tuning variables that are relevant to the alloy design process. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.07.036

• 2019 • 198	Impact of Preparation Method and Hydrothermal Aging on Particle Size Distribution of Pt/γ-Al 2 O 3 and Its Performance in CO and NO Oxidation Ogel, E. and Casapu, M. and Doronkin, D.E. and Popescu, R. and Störmer, H. and Mechler, C. and Marzun, G. and Barcikowski, S. and Türk, M. and Grunwaldt, J.-D. Journal of Physical Chemistry C (2019) The influence of the preparation method and the corresponding particle size distribution on the hydrothermal deactivation behavior at 600-800 °C and performance during CO/NO oxidation was systematically investigated for a series of Pt/Al 2 O 3 catalysts. Representative conventional (incipient wetness impregnation) and advanced preparation methods (flame spray pyrolysis, supercritical fluid reactive deposition, and laser ablation in liquid) were selected, which generated samples containing narrow and homogeneous but also heterogeneous particle size distributions. Basic characterization was conducted by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, N 2 physisorption, and X-ray diffraction. The particle size distribution and the corresponding oxidation state were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The systematic study shows that oxidized Pt nanoparticles smaller than 2 nm sinter very fast, already at 600 °C, but potential chlorine traces from the catalyst precursor seem to stabilize Pt nanoparticles against further sintering and consequently maintain the catalytic performance. Samples prepared by flame spray pyrolysis and laser ablation showed a superior hydrothermal resistance of the alumina support, although, due to small interparticle distance in case of laser synthesized particles, the particle size distribution increases considerably at high temperatures. Significant deceleration of the noble metal sintering process was obtained for the catalysts containing homogeneously distributed but slightly larger Pt nanoparticles (supercritical fluid reactive deposition) or for particles deposited on a thermally stable alumina support (flame spray pyrolysis). The correlations obtained between Pt particle size distribution, oxidation state, and catalytic performance indicate different trends for CO and NO oxidation reactions, in line with their structure sensitivity. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11065

• 2019 • 197	Impact of Preparation Method and Hydrothermal Aging on Particle Size Distribution of Pt/γ-Al2O3 and Its Performance in CO and NO Oxidation Ogel, E. and Casapu, M. and Doronkin, D.E. and Popescu, R. and Störmer, H. and Mechler, C. and Marzun, G. and Barcikowski, S. and Türk, M. and Grunwaldt, J.-D. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123 5433-5446 (2019) The influence of the preparation method and the corresponding particle size distribution on the hydrothermal deactivation behavior at 600-800 °C and performance during CO/NO oxidation was systematically investigated for a series of Pt/Al2O3 catalysts. Representative conventional (incipient wetness impregnation) and advanced preparation methods (flame spray pyrolysis, supercritical fluid reactive deposition, and laser ablation in liquid) were selected, which generated samples containing narrow and homogeneous but also heterogeneous particle size distributions. Basic characterization was conducted by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, N2 physisorption, and X-ray diffraction. The particle size distribution and the corresponding oxidation state were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The systematic study shows that oxidized Pt nanoparticles smaller than 2 nm sinter very fast, already at 600 °C, but potential chlorine traces from the catalyst precursor seem to stabilize Pt nanoparticles against further sintering and consequently maintain the catalytic performance. Samples prepared by flame spray pyrolysis and laser ablation showed a superior hydrothermal resistance of the alumina support, although, due to small interparticle distance in case of laser synthesized particles, the particle size distribution increases considerably at high temperatures. Significant deceleration of the noble metal sintering process was obtained for the catalysts containing homogeneously distributed but slightly larger Pt nanoparticles (supercritical fluid reactive deposition) or for particles deposited on a thermally stable alumina support (flame spray pyrolysis). The correlations obtained between Pt particle size distribution, oxidation state, and catalytic performance indicate different trends for CO and NO oxidation reactions, in line with their structure sensitivity. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.8b11065

• 2019 • 196	Influence of composition and precipitation evolution on damage at grain boundaries in a crept polycrystalline Ni-based superalloy Kontis, P. and Kostka, A. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Acta Materialia 166 158-167 (2019) The microstructural and compositional evolution of intergranular carbides and borides prior to and after creep deformation at 850 °C in a polycrystalline nickel-based superalloy was studied. Primary MC carbides, enveloped within intergranular γ′ layers, decomposed resulting in the formation of layers of the undesirable η phase. These layers have a composition corresponding to Ni3Ta as measured by atom probe tomography and their structure is consistent with the D024 hexagonal structure as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Electron backscattered diffraction reveals that they assume various misorientations with regard to the adjacent grains. As a consequence, these layers act as brittle recrystallized zones and crack initiation sites. The composition of the MC carbides after creep was altered substantially, with the Ta content decreasing and the Hf and Zr contents increasing, suggesting a beneficial effect of Hf and Zr additions on the stability of MC carbides. By contrast, M5B3 borides were found to be microstructurally stable after creep and without substantial compositional changes. Borides at 850 °C were found to coarsen, resulting in some cases into γ′- depleted zones, where, however, no cracks were observed. The major consequences of secondary phases on the microstructural stability of superalloys during the design of new polycrystalline superalloys are discussed. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.12.039

• 2019 • 195	Multi-scale characterization of austenite reversion and martensite recovery in a cold-rolled medium-Mn steel Benzing, J.T. and Kwiatkowski da Silva, A. and Morsdorf, L. and Bentley, J. and Ponge, D. and Dutta, A. and Han, J. and McBride, J.R. and Van Leer, B. and Gault, B. and Raabe, D. and Wittig, J.E. Acta Materialia 166 512-530 (2019) A medium-Mn steel (Fe-12Mn-3Al-0.05C wt%) was designed using Thermo-Calc ® simulations to balance the fraction and stacking fault energy of reverted austenite. Intercritical annealing for 0.5, 8 and 48 h was carried out at 585 °C to investigate the microstructural evolution. X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), 3-dimensional EBSD, energy-dispersive spectroscopy via scanning-transmission electron microscopy (STEM-EDS) and atom probe tomography (APT) enable characterization of phase fraction, grain area, grain morphology and alloy partitioning. An increase in annealing time from 0.5 h to 48 h increases the amount of ultrafine-grained (UFG) reverted austenite from 3 to 40 vol %. EBSD and TEM reveal multiple morphologies of UFG austenite (equiaxed, rod-like and plate-like). In addition, most of the remaining microstructure consists of recovered α′-martensite that resembles the cold-rolled state, as well as a relatively small fraction of UFG ferrite (i.e., only a small amount of martensite recrystallization occurs). Multi-scale characterization results show that the location within the cold-rolled microstructure has a strong influence on boundary mobility and grain morphology during austenite reversion. Results from APT reveal Mn-decoration of dislocation networks and low-angle lath boundaries in the recovered α′-martensite, but an absence of Mn-decoration of defects in the vicinity of austenite grains, thereby promoting recovery. STEM-EDS and APT reveal Mn depletion zones in the ferrite/recovered α′-martensite near austenite boundaries, whereas gradients of C and Mn co-partitioning are visible within some of the austenite grains after annealing for 0.5 h. Relatively flat C-enriched austenite boundaries are present even after 8 h of annealing and indicate certain boundaries possess low mobility. At later stages the growth of austenite followed the local equilibrium (LE) model such that the driving force between two equilibrium phases moves the mobile interface, as confirmed by DICTRA simulations (a Thermo-Calc ® diffusion module). The sequence of austenite reversion is: (i) formation of Mn- and C-enriched face-centered-cubic nuclei from decorated dislocations and/or particles; (ii) co-partitioning of Mn and C and (iii) growth of austenite controlled by the LE mode. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.01.003

• 2019 • 194	Nanoscale Physical and Chemical Structure of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetic Particle Imaging Hufschmid, R. and Landers, J. and Shasha, C. and Salamon, S. and Wende, H. and Krishnan, K.M. Physica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science 216 (2019) In this work, the role of the nanoscale chemical and magnetic structure on relaxation dynamics of iron oxide nanoparticles in the context of magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is investigated with Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Two samples of 27 nm monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles are compared, with and without an additional oxidation optimization step, with corresponding differences in structure and properties. Iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized in the presence of sufficient oxygen form single crystalline, inverse-spinel magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) and display magnetic properties suitable for MPI. A secondary wüstite (FeO) phase is observed in the diffraction pattern of unoptimized nanoparticles, which is antiferromagnetic and therefore unsuitable for MPI. Mössbauer spectra confirm the composition of the optimized nanoparticles to be ≈70% magnetite, with the remaining 30% oxidized to maghemite; in contrast, the as-synthesized particles (without the oxidation step) contained about 40% wüstite and 60% magnetite. The authors use scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to probe iron 2p-3d electronic transitions and correlate their intensities with the oxidation state with sub-nanometer spatial resolution. The optimally oxidized nanoparticles are uniform in crystallography and phase, while the mixed phase nanoparticles are core-shell wüstite/magnetite. Further confirming the core-shell structure of the mixed phase nanoparticles, considerable spin canting in the in-field Mössbauer spectrum, likely caused by interface coupling, is observed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/pssa.201800544

• 2019 • 193	Nonbasal Slip Systems Enable a Strong and Ductile Hexagonal-Close-Packed High-Entropy Phase Bu, Y. and Li, Z. and Liu, J. and Wang, H. and Raabe, D. and Yang, W. Physical Review Letters 122 (2019) Linear defects, referred to as dislocations, determine the strength, formability, and toughness of crystalline metallic alloys. The associated deformation mechanisms are well understood for traditional metallic materials consisting of one or two prevalent matrix elements such as steels or aluminum alloys. In the recently developed high-entropy alloys (HEAs) containing multiple principal elements, the relationship between dislocations and the mechanical behavior is less understood. Particularly HEAs with a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure can suffer from intrinsic brittleness due to their insufficient number of slip systems. Here we report on the surprisingly high formability of a novel high-entropy phase with hcp structure. Through in situ tensile testing and postmortem characterization by transmission electron microscopy we reveal that the hcp phase in a dual-phase HEA (Fe50Mn30Co10Cr10, at. %) activates three types of dislocations, i.e., a ©, ccopy;, and +a©. Specifically, nonbasal c+a© dislocations occupy a high line fraction of ∼31% allowing for frequent double cross slip which explains the high deformability of this high-entropy phase. The hcp structure has a c/a ratio of 1.616, i.e., below the ideal value of 1.633. This modest change in the structure parameters promotes nonbasal c+a© slip, suggesting that ductile HEAs with hcp structure can be designed by shifting the c/a ratio into regimes where nonbasal slip systems are activated. This simple alloy design principle is particularly suited for HEAs due to their characteristic massive solid solution content which readily allows tuning the c/a ratio of hcp phases into regimes promoting nonbasal slip activation. © 2019 American Physical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.075502

• 2019 • 192	On the compositional partitioning during phase transformation in a binary ferromagnetic MnAl alloy Palanisamy, D. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Acta Materialia 174 227-236 (2019) We introduce a new perspective on the classical massive mode of solid-state phase transformation enabled by the correlative use of atomic-scale electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. This is demonstrated in a binary MnAl alloy which has Heusler-like characteristics. In this system, the τ phase formed by a massive transformation from the high-temperature ε phase is metastable and ferromagnetic. The transformation results in a high density of micro-twins inside the newly grown τ phase. Atomic-scale compositional analysis across the interface boundaries and atomic structure of the micro-twins reveals the involvement of both structural modification and also the compositional partitioning during the growth of the τ phase. This is assisted by the migrating τ/ε interface boundary during transformation. Finally, the role of micro-twins on nucleating the equilibrium phases and the influence of the defects and phase formation on the magnetic properties are discussed. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.05.037

• 2019 • 191	On the evolution of dislocation cell structures in two Al-alloys (Al-5Mg and Al-11Zn) during reciprocal sliding wear at high homologous temperatures Parsa, A.B. and Walter, M. and Theisen, W. and Bürger, D. and Eggeler, G. Wear 1-12 (2019) The formation of dislocation substructures in up to 10 µm deep subsurface regions of two aluminium alloys, Al-5Mg and Al-11Zn, was investigated under conditions of high homologous temperature reciprocal sliding wear (HT-RSW). Under creep conditions, Al-5Mg shows a solid solution type of inverse primary creep. In contrast, Al-11Zn creeps obstacle controlled and exhibits normal primary creep. These two materials were subjected to reciprocal sliding wear at 200 and 300 °C for 100 and 1000 cycles. Flat polished disks were exposed to the 1 mm reciprocal movements of a spherical aluminium oxide counterbody under normal forces of 5 and 10 N at an oscillation frequency of 1 Hz. Using focused ion beam (FIB) micromachining thin electron transparent foils were prepared from the surface regions of the as received and worn material states. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to study the evolution of nano and micro grain sizes in the surface regions. Despite the different creep behavior, the two materials behave similar under conditions of reciprocal sliding wear. The results obtained in the present work show that subgrain sizes decrease with increasing numbers of wear cycles and increasing normal forces. Subgrain sizes also increase with increasing temperature. At 300 °C, dynamic recrystallization was observed in both Al-alloys. The results of the present work are discussed in the light of previous results reported in the literature. Areas in need of further work are highlighted. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.wear.2018.10.018

• 2019 • 190	On the influence of the heat treatment on microstructure formation and mechanical properties of near-α Ti-Fe alloys Sandlöbes, S. and Korte-Kerzel, S. and Raabe, D. Materials Science and Engineering A 748 301-312 (2019) We study the microstructure formation and mechanical properties of Ti-1Fe (wt%) and Ti-3Fe (wt%) alloys for different heat treatments in the β-phase and α + β-phase regions. By applying different heat treatment routes, we observe different microstructure formation mechanisms causing a wide range of mechanical properties from high strength (1.3 GPa) and low ductility (2%) to intermediate strength (700 MPa) and high ductility (30%) in these simple binary alloys. We performed microstructure characterizsation using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography to show that the alloying content and heat treatment significantly affect the local martensitic and / or diffusional phase transformations causing the substantial changes in the mechanical behavior. © 2018
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2018.12.071

• 2019 • 189	On the mechanism of extraordinary strain hardening in an interstitial high-entropy alloy under cryogenic conditions Wang, Z. and Lu, W. and Raabe, D. and Li, Z. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 734-743 (2019) We investigate the cryogenic deformation response and underlying mechanisms of a carbon-doped interstitial high-entropy alloy (iHEA) with a nominal composition of Fe49.5Mn30Co10Cr10C0.5 (at. %). Extraordinary strain hardening of the iHEA at 77 K leads to a substantial increase in ultimate tensile strength (∼1300 MPa) with excellent ductility (∼50%) compared to that at room temperature. Prior to loading, iHEAs with coarse (∼100 μm) and fine (∼6 μm) grain sizes show nearly single face-centered cubic (FCC) structure, while the fraction of hexagonal close-packed (HCP) phase reaches up to ∼70% in the cryogenically tensile-fractured iHEAs. Such an unusually high fraction of deformation-induced phase transformation and the associated plasticity (TRIP effect) is caused by the strong driving force supported by the reduced stacking fault energy and increased flow stress at 77 K. The transformation mechanism from the FCC matrix to the HCP phase is revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations. In addition to the deformation-induced phase transformation, stacking faults and dislocation slip contribute to the deformation of the FCC matrix phase at low strains and of the HCP phase at medium and large strains, suggesting dynamic strain partitioning among these two phases. The combination of TRIP and dynamic strain partitioning explain the striking strain hardening capability and resulting excellent combination of strength and ductility of iHEAs under cryogenic conditions. The current investigation thus offers guidance for the design of high-performance HEAs for cryogenic applications. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.12.061

• 2019 • 188	Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysis of a Single MOF-Derived Composite Nanoparticle on the Tip of a Nanoelectrode Aiyappa, H.B. and Wilde, P. and Quast, T. and Masa, J. and Andronescu, C. and Chen, Y.-T. and Muhler, M. and Fischer, R.A. and Schuhmann, W. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition 58 8927-8931 (2019) Determination of the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity of nanomaterials by means of macroelectrode techniques is compromised by ensemble and film effects. Here, a unique “particle on a stick” approach is used to grow a single metal–organic framework (MOF; ZIF-67) nanoparticle on a nanoelectrode surface which is pyrolyzed to generate a cobalt/nitrogen-doped carbon (CoN/C) composite nanoparticle that exhibits very high catalytic activity towards the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with a current density of up to 230 mA cm−2 at 1.77 V (vs. RHE), and a high turnover frequency (TOF) of 29.7 s−1 at 540 mV overpotential. Identical location transmission electron microscopy (IL-TEM) analysis substantiates the “self-sacrificial” template nature of the MOF, while post-electrocatalysis studies reveal agglomeration of Co centers within the CoN/C composite during the OER. “Single-entity” electrochemical analysis allows for deriving the intrinsic electrocatalytic activity and furnishes insight into the transient behavior of the electrocatalyst under reaction conditions. © 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/anie.201903283

• 2019 • 187	Oxygen-mediated deformation and grain refinement in Cu-Fe nanocrystalline alloys Guo, J. and Duarte, M.J. and Zhang, Y. and Bachmaier, A. and Gammer, C. and Dehm, G. and Pippan, R. and Zhang, Z. Acta Materialia 166 281-293 (2019) Light elements play a crucial role on the microstructure and properties of conventional alloys and steels. Oxygen is one of the light elements which is inevitably introduced into nanocrystalline alloys during manufacturing. Here, we report that severe plastic deformation can fragment the oxides formed in powder processing and eventually cause oxygen dissolution in the matrix. A comparative investigation on Cu-Fe nanocrystalline alloys generated from different initial materials, blended powders and arc-melted bulk materials which have different oxygen contents, reveals that fragmented oxides at grain boundaries effectively decrease the grain boundary mobility, markedly facilitating grain refinement. In contrast, those oxygen atoms dissolved as interstitials in the Cu-Fe matrix lead to lattice expansion and significant decrease of stacking fault energy locally as validated by density functional theory. Such oxygen-mediated microstructure gives rise to enhanced strength and superior structural stability. The remarkable tailoring effect of oxygen can be employed to engineer nanocrystalline materials with desired properties for different applications. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.12.040

• 2019 • 186	Perforating Freestanding Molybdenum Disulfide Monolayers with Highly Charged Ions Kozubek, R. and Tripathi, M. and Ghorbani-Asl, M. and Kretschmer, S. and Madauß, L. and Pollmann, E. and O'Brien, M. and McEvoy, N. and Ludacka, U. and Susi, T. and Duesberg, G.S. and Wilhelm, R.A. and Krasheninnikov, A.V. and Ko... Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 10 904-910 (2019) Porous single-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) is a promising material for applications such as DNA sequencing and water desalination. In this work, we introduce irradiation with highly charged ions (HCIs) as a new technique to fabricate well-defined pores in MoS 2 . Surprisingly, we find a linear increase of the pore creation efficiency over a broad range of potential energies. Comparison to atomistic simulations reveals the critical role of energy deposition from the ion to the material through electronic excitation in the defect creation process and suggests an enrichment in molybdenum in the vicinity of the pore edges at least for ions with low potential energies. Analysis of the irradiated samples with atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals a clear dependence of the pore size on the potential energy of the projectiles, establishing irradiation with highly charged ions as an effective method to create pores with narrow size distributions and radii between ca. 0.3 and 3 nm. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.8b03666

• 2019 • 185	Precision Plasmonics with Monomers and Dimers of Spherical Gold Nanoparticles: Nonequilibrium Dynamics at the Time and Space Limits Schumacher, L. and Jose, J. and Janoschka, D. and Dreher, P. and Davis, T.J. and Ligges, M. and Li, R. and Mo, M. and Park, S. and Shen, X. and Weathersby, S. and Yang, J. and Wang, X. and Meyer Zu Heringdorf, F. and Sokolowski-Ti... Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123 13181-13191 (2019) Monomers and dimers of spherical gold nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit highly uniform plasmonic properties at the single-particle level due to their high structural homogeneity (precision plasmonics). Recent investigations in precision plasmonics have largely focused on static properties using conventional techniques such as transmission electron microscopy and optical dark-field microscopy. In this Feature Article, we first highlight the application of femtosecond time-resolved electron diffraction for monitoring the nonequilibrium dynamics of spherical gold NPs after ultrafast optical excitation. The analysis of the transient diffraction patterns allows us to directly obtain quantitative information on the incoherent excitation of the lattice, that is, heating upon electron-lattice equilibration, as well as on the development of strain due to lattice expansion on picosecond time scales. The controlled assembly of two spherical gold NPs into a dimer with a few nanometers gap leads to unique optical properties. Specifically, extremely high electric fields (hot spot) in the gap are generated upon resonant optical excitation. Conventional optical microscopy cannot spatially resolve this unique hot spot due to the optical diffraction limit. We therefore employed nonlinear photoemission electron microscopy to visualize hot spots in single dimers of spherical gold NPs. A quantitative comparison of different single dimers confirms the homogeneity of the hot spots on the single-particle level. Overall, these initial results are highly encouraging because they pave the way to investigate nonequilibrium dynamics in highly uniform plasmonic nanostructures at the time and space limits. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b01007

• 2019 • 184	Role of hole confinement in the recombination properties of InGaN quantum structures Anikeeva, M. and Albrecht, M. and Mahler, F. and Tomm, J.W. and Lymperakis, L. and Chèze, C. and Calarco, R. and Neugebauer, J. and Schulz, T. Scientific Reports 9 (2019) We study the isolated contribution of hole localization for well-known charge carrier recombination properties observed in conventional, polar InGaN quantum wells (QWs). This involves the interplay of charge carrier localization and non-radiative transitions, a non-exponential decay of the emission and a specific temperature dependence of the emission, denoted as “s-shape”. We investigate two dimensional In0.25Ga0.75N QWs of single monolayer (ML) thickness, stacked in a superlattice with GaN barriers of 6, 12, 25 and 50 MLs. Our results are based on scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (STEM and HR-TEM), continuous-wave (CW) and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements as well as density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We show that the recombination processes in our structures are not affected by polarization fields and electron localization. Nevertheless, we observe all the aforementioned recombination properties typically found in standard polar InGaN quantum wells. Via decreasing the GaN barrier width to 6 MLs and below, the localization of holes in our QWs is strongly reduced. This enhances the influence of non-radiative recombination, resulting in a decreased lifetime of the emission, a weaker spectral dependence of the decay time and a reduced s-shape of the emission peak. These findings suggest that single exponential decay observed in non-polar QWs might be related to an increasing influence of non-radiative transitions. © 2019, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-45218-8

• 2019 • 183	Selective 2-Propanol Oxidation over Unsupported Co3O4 Spinel Nanoparticles: Mechanistic Insights into Aerobic Oxidation of Alcohols Anke, S. and Bendt, G. and Sinev, I. and Hajiyani, H. and Antoni, H. and Zegkinoglou, I. and Jeon, H. and Pentcheva, R. and Roldan Cuenya, B. and Schulz, S. and Muhler, M. ACS Catalysis 9 5974-5985 (2019) Crystalline Co3O4 nanoparticles with a uniform size of 9 nm as shown by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were synthesized by thermal decomposition of cobalt acetylacetonate in oleylamine and applied in the oxidation of 2-propanol after calcination. The catalytic properties were derived under continuous flow conditions as a function of temperature up to 573 K in a fixed-bed reactor at atmospheric pressure. Temperature-programmed oxidation, desorption (TPD), surface reaction (TPSR), and 2-propanol decomposition experiments were performed to study the interaction of 2-propanol and O2 with the exposed spinel surfaces. Co3O4 selectively catalyzes the oxidative dehydrogenation of 2-propanol, yielding acetone and H2O and only to a minor extent the total oxidation to CO2 and H2O at higher temperatures. The high catalytic activity of Co3O4 reaching nearly full conversion with 100% selectivity to acetone at 430 K is attributed to the high amount of active Co3+ species at the catalyst surface as well as surface-bound reactive oxygen species observed in the O2 TPD, 2-propanol TPD, TPSR, and 2-propanol decomposition experiments. Density functional theory calculations with a Hubbard U term support the identification of the 5-fold-coordinated octahedral surface Co5c3+ as the active site, and oxidative dehydrogenation involving adsorbed atomic oxygen was found to be the energetically most favored pathway. The consumption of surface oxygen and reduction of Co3+ to Co2+ during 2-propanol oxidation derived from X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements before and after reaction and poisoning by strongly bound carbonaceous species result in the loss of the low-temperature activity, while the high-temperature reaction pathway remained unaffected. © 2019 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.9b01048

• 2019 • 182	Shape-preserving machining produces gradient nanolaminate medium entropy alloys with high strain hardening capability Guo, W. and Pei, Z. and Sang, X. and Poplawsky, J.D. and Bruschi, S. and Qu, J. and Raabe, D. and Bei, H. Acta Materialia 170 176-186 (2019) A high density of grain boundaries can potentially increase structural materials' strength, but at the expense of losing the materials' strain hardening ability at high flow stress levels. However, endowing materials with grain size gradients and a high density of internal interfaces can simultaneously increase the strength and strain hardening ability. This applies particularly for through-thickness gradients of nanoscale interface structures. Here we apply a machining method that produces metals with nanoscale interface gradients. Conventional bulk plastic deformation such as rolling, a process applied annually to about 2 billion tons of material, aims to reduce the metal thickness. We have modified this process by introducing severe strain path changes, realized by leading the sheet through a U-turn while preserving its shape, an approach known as ‘hard turning’. We applied this process at both room temperature and 77 K to a NiCrCo medium entropy alloy. Micropillar compression was conducted to evaluate the mechanical response. After hard turning at room temperature, the surface microstructure obtained a ∼50% increase in yield stress (0.9 GPa) over the original state with homogeneous grain size (0.4 GPa), but the initial strain hardening rate did not show significant improvement. However, after hard turning at 77 k, the gradient nanolaminate structure tripled in yield stress and more than doubled its initial strain hardening rate. The improvements were achieved by introducing a specific microstructure that consists of gradient nanolaminates in the form of nanospaced twins and martensite in the face center cubic (fcc) phase. This microstructure was formed only at cryogenic temperature. It was found after turning at room temperature that only nanospaced twins were present in the fcc phase inside nanolaminates that had formed at the surface. The origin of the enhanced strain hardening mechanism was studied. Joint density functional theory (DFT) and axial next nearest neighbor Ising (ANNNI) models were used to explain the temperature-dependent phase formation of the NiCrCo nanolaminate at the surface of the hard-turned material. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.03.024

• 2019 • 181	Sol-gel based synthesis and enhanced processability of MAX phase Cr2GaC Siebert, J.P. and Bischoff, L. and Lepple, M. and Zintler, A. and Molina-Luna, L. and Wiedwald, U. and Birkel, C.S. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 7 6034-6040 (2019) MAX phases are typically prepared by high-temperature (oftentimes high-pressure) solid-state methods. Here, we report a new wet chemistry based synthesis technique starting from an aqueous solution of metal nitrates and citric acid to prepare MAX phase Cr2GaC. This solution-processable precursor mixture has the potential to be easily scaled, painted, printed or fabricated onto supports-an advantage that is demonstrated by the formation of hollow carbon microspheres which are decorated with Cr2GaC particles. A small amount of chromium carbide and oxide remains in the product, however, the amount of the latter can be reduced by a larger excess in citric acid in the precursor gel. The transformation mechanism of the initial amorphous gel into highly crystalline and anisotropic MAX phase particles is investigated by detailed thermal analysis. Transmission electron microscopy studies are conducted to elucidate the microstructure of the sol-gel-prepared particles as well as the decorated hollow microspheres. From magnetic susceptibility measurements, the density of states at the Fermi level is deduced reflecting the quality of the Pauli paramagnet Cr2GaC. © 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c9tc01416k

• 2019 • 180	Solution NMR Spectroscopy with Isotope-Labeled Cysteine ( 13 C and 15 N) Reveals the Surface Structure of l -Cysteine-Coated Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles (1.8 nm) Ruks, T. and Beuck, C. and Schaller, T. and Niemeyer, F. and Zähres, M. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Hagemann, U. and Mayer, C. and Bayer, P. and Epple, M. Langmuir 35 767-778 (2019) Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 1.8 nm were synthesized by reduction of tetrachloroauric acid with sodium borohydride in the presence of l-cysteine, with natural isotope abundance as well as 13 C-labeled and 15 N-labeled. The particle diameter was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and differential centrifugal sedimentation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of metallic gold with only a few percent of oxidized Au(+I) species. The surface structure and the coordination environment of the cysteine ligands on the ultrasmall gold nanoparticles were studied by a variety of homo- and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopic techniques including 1 H- 13 C-heteronuclear single-quantum coherence and 13 C- 13 C-INADEQUATE. Further information on the binding situation (including the absence of residual or detached l-cysteine in the solution) and on the nanoparticle diameter (indicating the well-dispersed state) was obtained by diffusion-ordered spectroscopy ( 1 H-, 13 C-, and 1 H- 13 C-DOSY). Three coordination environments of l-cysteine on the gold surface were identified that were ascribed to different crystallographic sites, supported by geometric considerations of the nanoparticle ultrastructure. The particle size data and the NMR-spectroscopic analysis gave a particle composition of about Au 174 (cysteine) 67 . © 2018 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b03840

• 2019 • 179	Solution NMR Spectroscopy with Isotope-Labeled Cysteine (13C and 15N) Reveals the Surface Structure of l -Cysteine-Coated Ultrasmall Gold Nanoparticles (1.8 nm) Ruks, T. and Beuck, C. and Schaller, T. and Niemeyer, F. and Zähres, M. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Hagemann, U. and Mayer, C. and Bayer, P. and Epple, M. Langmuir 35 767-778 (2019) Ultrasmall gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 1.8 nm were synthesized by reduction of tetrachloroauric acid with sodium borohydride in the presence of l-cysteine, with natural isotope abundance as well as 13C-labeled and 15N-labeled. The particle diameter was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and differential centrifugal sedimentation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of metallic gold with only a few percent of oxidized Au(+I) species. The surface structure and the coordination environment of the cysteine ligands on the ultrasmall gold nanoparticles were studied by a variety of homo- and heteronuclear NMR spectroscopic techniques including 1H-13C-heteronuclear single-quantum coherence and 13C-13C-INADEQUATE. Further information on the binding situation (including the absence of residual or detached l-cysteine in the solution) and on the nanoparticle diameter (indicating the well-dispersed state) was obtained by diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (1H-, 13C-, and 1H-13C-DOSY). Three coordination environments of l-cysteine on the gold surface were identified that were ascribed to different crystallographic sites, supported by geometric considerations of the nanoparticle ultrastructure. The particle size data and the NMR-spectroscopic analysis gave a particle composition of about Au174(cysteine)67. © 2018 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b03840

• 2019 • 178	Strength of hydrogen-free and hydrogen-doped Ni 50 Ti 50 shape memory platelets Weiser, A. and Buršíková, V. and Jarý, M. and Dymáček, P. and Dugáček, J. and Frenzel, J. and Čermák, J. and Dlouhý, A. Scripta Materialia 162 151-155 (2019) Small-punch and nano-indentation tests were used for the first time to probe strength of 500 μm thin Ni 50 Ti 50 shape memory platelets in their hydrogen-free and hydrogen-doped states. Results show excellent reproducibility and suggest that hydrogen penetrates the alloy more efficiently during the cathodic charging at ambient temperatures as compared to heat treatments in a controlled hydrogen atmosphere. Hydrogen content exceeding 100 wtppm results in a retransformation from the B19′ martensite to the R lattice and causes a systematic drop of the rupture strength. The retransformation events in thin surface lamellae were documented by the transmission electron microscopy. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.10.044

• 2019 • 177	Strength of hydrogen-free and hydrogen-doped Ni50Ti50 shape memory platelets Weiser, A. and Buršíková, V. and Jarý, M. and Dymáček, P. and Dugáček, J. and Frenzel, J. and Čermák, J. and Dlouhý, A. Scripta Materialia 162 151-155 (2019) Small-punch and nano-indentation tests were used for the first time to probe strength of 500 μm thin Ni50Ti50 shape memory platelets in their hydrogen-free and hydrogen-doped states. Results show excellent reproducibility and suggest that hydrogen penetrates the alloy more efficiently during the cathodic charging at ambient temperatures as compared to heat treatments in a controlled hydrogen atmosphere. Hydrogen content exceeding 100 wtppm results in a retransformation from the B19′ martensite to the R lattice and causes a systematic drop of the rupture strength. The retransformation events in thin surface lamellae were documented by the transmission electron microscopy. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.10.044

• 2019 • 176	Stress-induced formation of TCP phases during high temperature low cycle fatigue loading of the single-crystal Ni-base superalloy ERBO/1 Meid, C. and Eggeler, M. and Watermeyer, P. and Kostka, A. and Hammerschmidt, T. and Drautz, R. and Eggeler, G. and Bartsch, M. Acta Materialia 168 343-352 (2019) The microstructural evolution in the single crystal Ni-base superalloy ERBO/1 (CMSX 4 type) is investigated after load controlled low cycle fatigue (LCF) at 950 °C (load-ratio: 0.6, tensile stress range: 420–740 MPa, test frequency: 0.25 Hz, fatigue rupture life: about 1000 - 3000 cycles). Bulk topologically close packed (TCP) phase particles precipitated and were analyzed by three-dimensional focus ion beam slice and view imaging and analytical transmission electron microscopy. The particles did not precipitate homogenously but at locations with enhanced levels of local stresses/strains, such as isolated γ-channels subjected to cross channel stresses, shear bands and in front of micro cracks. The influence of stress/strain is furthermore apparent in the spatial arrangement and the shape of the TCP phase particles. Only μ-phase TCP particles were found by electron diffraction. Results of a structure-map analysis suggest that most of these TCP particles observed after LCF testing would not precipitate in thermodynamic equilibrium. In order to rationalize this effect, the atomic volume was analyzed that transition-metal (TM) elements take in unary fcc and in unary μ-phase crystal structures and found that all TM elements except Zr and V take a larger volume in a unary μ phase than in a unary fcc phase. This trend is in line with the observed localized precipitation of TCP phases that are rich in Ni and other late TM elements. The experimental and theoretical findings suggest consistently that formation of TCP particles in LCF tests is considerably influenced by the local tensile stress/strain states. © 2019 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.02.022

• 2019 • 175	Structures of carbonaceous nanoparticles formed in various pyrolysis systems Jander, H. and Borchers, C. and Böhm, H. and Emelianov, A. and Schulz, C. Carbon 150 244-258 (2019) In the pyrolysis of different hydrocarbon/carbon suboxid fuels formation of carbon particles with the special view to their structures was examined. For this, the following three very different pyrolysis systems were investigated experimentally i)a pyrolysis reactor, ii)a shock tube and iii)a plasma reactor with respect to the influence of varying reaction parameters on the carbonaceous nanoparticles. The particles formed in these reaction systems were studied in view of their morphology and state of crystallization by use of electron microscopy (Philips CM30)at low- and high resolution combined with micro-diffraction measurements. As to be seen at low resolution of the transmission electron microscopy studies, the particle sizes in the pyrolysis reactor and shock tube do not differ significantly, but distinguished considerably from those particle sizes obtained in the plasma reactor. While the particles obtained in the pyrolysis reactor and shock-tube had particle diameters of about d≈ 30 nm, the particles in the plasma reactor consisted of fluffy-like units, and their sizes were about d≈ 4 nm. The various carbon layers consisted of different polyaromatic hydrocarbon units with variable sizes arranged to diverse states in the course of graphitization. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2019.02.034

• 2019 • 174	Synthesis, microstructure, and hardness of rapidly solidified Cu-Cr alloys Garzón-Manjón, A. and Christiansen, L. and Kirchlechner, I. and Breitbach, B. and Liebscher, C.H. and Springer, H. and Dehm, G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 794 203-209 (2019) Cu-Cr alloys with ∼32 at.% Cr were rapidly solidified by splat quenching or laser melting techniques with the intention to form a very fine grained, non-equilibrium nanostructure similar to those obtained by severe plastic deformation or thin film deposition. The rapidly solidified Cu-Cr alloys were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Both synthesis techniques lead to a similar two-phase microstructure with a nearly pure fcc Cu matrix with μm grain sizes and bcc Cr particles highly supersaturated with Cu. Splat quenching provides finer bcc particles with dimensions of less than 50 nm compared to laser melting with particle sizes of 100–2000 nm. In case of laser melting, (14 ± 2) at.% Cu are contained in the bcc phase, while splat quenching freezes (20 ± 2) at.% Cu in the bcc particles. The microstructures are discussed and compared to the non-equilibrium microstructures reported in literature using severe plastic deformation and thin films deposition. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2019.04.209

• 2019 • 173	The effect of feedstock origin and temperature on the structure and reactivity of char from pyrolysis at 1300–2800 °C Surup, G.R. and Foppe, M. and Schubert, D. and Deike, R. and Heidelmann, M. and Timko, M.T. and Trubetskaya, A. Fuel 235 306-316 (2019) This study reports the effect of feedstock origin, residence time, and heat treatment temperature on CO2 and O2 reactivities, nanostructure and carbon chemistry of chars prepared at 1300, 1600, 2400, and 2800 °C in a slow pyrolysis reactor. The structure of char was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The CO2 and O2 reactivity of char was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. Results showed that the ash composition and residence time influence the char reactivity less than the heat treatment temperature. The heat treatment temperature and co-pyrolysis of pinewood char with biooil decreased the CO2 reactivity, approaching that of metallurgical coke. Importantly from a technological standpoint, the reactivities of char from high temperature pyrolysis (2400–2800 °C) were similar to those of metallurgical coke, emphasizing the importance of graphitizing temperatures on the char behavior. Moreover, graphitization of chars from wood and herbaceous biomass increased with the increasing heat treatment temperature, leading to formation of graphitizing carbon. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.fuel.2018.07.093

• 2019 • 172	Thermally stable iridium contacts to highly doped p-In0:53Ga0:47As for indium phosphide double heterojunction bipolar transistors Brahem, M. and Mogilatenko, A. and Stoppel, D. and Berger, D. and Hochheim, S. and Rentner, D. and Ostermay, I. and Reiner, M. and Boppel, S. and Nosaeva, K. and Weimann, N. Microelectronic Engineering 215 (2019) We report on surface pretreatment for ohmic contacts to p-doped In0.53Ga0.47 As with improved thermal stability. It is found that the cleaning of In0.53Ga0.47 As surface by ammonium sulfide or sulfuric acid offers the optimum surface treatment prior to metal deposition. Contacts using an iridium contact layer and palladium diffusion barrier were fabricated and compared to a conventional platinum-based contact Pt/Ti/Pt/Au. Pt-based metal stack suffered from void formation and high reactivity with the semiconductor when annealed at 240 °C for a few hours, as examined by transmission electron microscopy. As a result, the Pt-based stack exhibited strong deterioration of the resistivity. On the other hand, the Ir contact maintained its integrity during thermal stress. The improved contact exhibited a void and reaction-free microstructure and offered stable resistivity values with annealing. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.mee.2019.111017

• 2019 • 171	Tungsten carbide as a deoxidation agent for plasma-facing tungsten-based materials Šestan, A. and Zavašnik, J. and Kržmanc, M.M. and Kocen, M. and Jenuš, P. and Novak, S. and Čeh, M. and Dehm, G. Journal of Nuclear Materials 524 135-140 (2019) Tungsten (W) and various composites are being considered as the primary plasma-facing materials for fusion reactors. Like all engineering materials, they contain certain levels of impurities, which can have an important impact on mechanical properties. In the present work, oxygen was identified as a major impurity in our starting tungsten powder. At elevated temperatures, the presence of interstitial elements such as oxygen leads to the formation of an oxide-rich tungsten phase at the tungsten grain boundaries. In this study, we determined the capacity of tungsten carbide (WC) nanoparticles to remove the oxide impurities from a tungsten body. Tungsten composites with 0.05, 0.25 and 0.51 wt. % carbon (C) in the form of WC were sintered using a field-assisted sintering technique (FAST) at 1900 °C for 5 min. The sintered samples were characterized using field-emission scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Thermodynamic and kinetic considerations allowed us to determine the optimum theoretical amount of WC to prevent the in-situ formation of WO2. © 2019 Andreja Šestan, Janez Zavašnik, Marjeta Maček Kržmanc, Matej Kocen, Petra Jenuš, Saša Novak, Miran Čeh, Gerhard Dehm
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.06.030

• 2018 • 170	Ag-Segregation to Dislocations in PbTe-Based Thermoelectric Materials Yu, Y. and Zhang, S. and Mio, A.M. and Gault, B. and Sheskin, A. and Scheu, C. and Raabe, D. and Zu, F. and Wuttig, M. and Amouyal, Y. and Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 10 3609-3615 (2018) Dislocations have been considered to be an efficient source for scattering midfrequency phonons, contributing to the enhancement of thermoelectric performance. The structure of dislocations can be resolved by electron microscopy whereas their chemical composition and decoration state are scarcely known. Here, we correlate transmission Kikuchi diffraction and (scanning) transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with atom probe tomography to investigate the local structure and chemical composition of dislocations in a thermoelectric Ag-doped PbTe compound. Our investigations indicate that Ag atoms segregate to dislocations with a 10-fold excess of Ag compared with its average concentration in the matrix. Yet the Ag concentration along the dislocation line is not constant but fluctuates from ∼0.8 to ∼10 atom % with a period of about 5 nm. Thermal conductivity is evaluated applying laser flash analysis, and is correlated with theoretical calculations based on the Debye-Callaway model, demonstrating that these Ag-decorated dislocations yield stronger phonon scatterings. These findings reduce the knowledge gap regarding the composition of dislocations needed for theoretical calculations of phonon scattering and pave the way for extending the concept of defect engineering to thermoelectric materials. © 2018 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsami.7b17142

• 2018 • 169	Atomic Layer Deposition of Nickel on ZnO Nanowire Arrays for High-Performance Supercapacitors Ren, Q.-H. and Zhang, Y. and Lu, H.-L. and Wang, Y.-P. and Liu, W.-J. and Ji, X.-M. and Devi, A. and Jiang, A.-Q. and Zhang, D.W. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 10 468-476 (2018) A novel hybrid core-shell structure of ZnO nanowires (NWs)/Ni as a pseudocapacitor electrode was successfully fabricated by atomic layer deposition of a nickel shell, and its capacitive performance was systemically investigated. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicated that the NiO was formed at the interface between ZnO and Ni where the Ni was oxidized by ZnO during the ALD of the Ni layer. Electrochemical measurement results revealed that the Ti/ZnO NWs/Ni (1500 cycles) electrode with a 30 nm thick Ni-NiO shell layer had the best supercapacitor properties including ultrahigh specific capacitance (∼2440 F g-1), good rate capability (80.5%) under high current charge-discharge conditions, and a relatively better cycling stability (86.7% of the initial value remained after 750 cycles at 10 A g-1). These attractive capacitive behaviors are mainly attributed to the unique core-shell structure and the combined effect of ZnO NW arrays as short charge transfer pathways for ion diffusion and electron transfer as well as conductive Ni serving as channel for the fast electron transport to Ti substrate. This high-performance Ti/ZnO NWs/Ni hybrid structure is expected to be one of a promising electrodes for high-performance supercapacitor applications. © 2017 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsami.7b13392

• 2018 • 168	Atomic scale analysis of grain boundary deuteride growth front in Zircaloy-4 Breen, A.J. and Mouton, I. and Lu, W. and Wang, S. and Szczepaniak, A. and Kontis, P. and Stephenson, L.T. and Chang, Y. and da Silva, A.K. and Liebscher, C.H. and Raabe, D. and Britton, T.B. and Herbig, M. and Gault, B. Scripta Materialia 156 42-46 (2018) Zircaloy-4 (Zr-1.5%Sn-0.2%Fe-0.1%Cr wt%) was electrochemically charged with deuterium to create deuterides and subsequently analysed with atom probe tomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy to understand zirconium hydride formation and embrittlement. At the interface between the hexagonal close packed (HCP) α-Zr matrix and a face centred cubic (FCC) δ deuteride (ZrD1.5–1.65), a HCP ζ phase deuteride (ZrD0.25–0.5) has been observed. Furthermore, Sn is rejected from the deuterides and segregates to the deuteride/α-Zr reaction front. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.06.044

• 2018 • 167	Bidirectional Transformation Enables Hierarchical Nanolaminate Dual-Phase High-Entropy Alloys Lu, W. and Liebscher, C.H. and Dehm, G. and Raabe, D. and Li, Z. Advanced Materials 30 (2018) Microstructural length-scale refinement is among the most efficient approaches to strengthen metallic materials. Conventional methods for refining microstructures generally involve grain size reduction via heavy cold working, compromising the material's ductility. Here, a fundamentally new approach that allows load-driven formation and permanent refinement of a hierarchical nanolaminate structure in a novel high-entropy alloy containing multiple principal elements is reported. This is achieved by triggering both, dynamic forward transformation from a faced-centered-cubic γ matrix into a hexagonal-close-packed ε nanolaminate structure and the dynamic reverse transformation from ε into γ. This new mechanism is referred to as the “bidirectional transformation induced plasticity” (B-TRIP) effect, which is enabled through a near-zero yet positive stacking fault energy of γ. Modulation of directionality in the transformation is triggered by local dissipative heating and local micromechanical fields. The simple thermodynamic and kinetic foundations for the B-TRIP effect render this approach generally suited for designing metastable strong and ductile bulk materials with hierarchical nanolaminate substructures. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/adma.201804727

• 2018 • 166	Carbide types in an advanced microalloyed bainitic/ferritic Cr–Mo Steel – TEM observations and thermodynamic calculations [Karbide in einem mikrolegierten bainitisch-ferritischen Cr–Mo-Stahl – TEM Charakterisierung und thermodynamische Berechnungen] Wang, H. and Somsen, C. and Eggeler, G. and Detemple, E. Materialwissenschaft und Werkstofftechnik 49 726-740 (2018) The strength and toughness of low alloyed ferritic/bainitic steels depend on their microstructure, which evolves during thermo-mechanical treatments along the processing chain. Chromium-molybdenum steel microstructures are complex. Therefore, only a limited number of attempts have been made to fully characterize carbide populations in such steels. In the present work, analytical transmission electron microscopy is employed to study the microstructure of a low alloyed chromium-molybdenum steel, which features ferritic (F, mainly α-iron and niobium-carbides) and bainitic (B, α-phase, dislocation, grain/subgrain boundaries, various MxCy carbides) regions. The crystal structure and chemical nature of more than 200 carbides are determined and their distributions in the two microstructural regions are analyzed. The present work shows how particles can be identified in an effective manner and how the microstructural findings can be interpreted on the basis of thermodynamic calculations. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/mawe.201700186

• 2018 • 165	Comparative biological effects of spherical noble metal nanoparticles (Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au) with 4-8 nm diameter Rostek, A. and Breisch, M. and Pappert, K. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Köller, M. and Sengstock, C. and Epple, M. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 9 2763-2774 (2018) For a comparative cytotoxicity study, nanoparticles of the noble metals Rh, Pd, Ag, Pt, and Au (spherical, average diameter 4 to 8 nm) were prepared by reduction in water and colloidally stabilized with poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). Thus, their shape, size, and surface functionalization were all the same. Size and morphology of the nanoparticles were determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS), analytical disc centrifugation (differential centrifugal sedimentation, DCS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Cell-biological experiments were performed to determine the effect of particle exposure on the viability of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Except for silver, no adverse effect of any of the metal nanoparticles was observed for concentrations up to 50 ppm (50 mg L-1) incubated for 24 h, indicating that noble metal nanoparticles (rhodium, palladium, platinum, gold) that do not release ions are not cytotoxic under these conditions. © 2018 Rostek et al.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3762/bjnano.9.258

• 2018 • 164	Crystallographic characterization of laser-generated, polymer-stabilized 4 nm silver-gold alloyed nanoparticles Prymak, O. and Jakobi, J. and Rehbock, C. and Epple, M. and Barcikowski, S. Materials Chemistry and Physics 207 442-450 (2018) Monometallic silver and gold nanoparticles and bimetallic silver-gold (AgAu) nanoparticles were prepared by laser ablation in liquids in the atomic composition range of Ag:Au from 0:100 to 100:0 with steps of 10 at% and colloidally stabilized with poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). As metallic bulk targets for laser ablation, pure silver, pure gold, and alloyed AgAu foils with the desired composition were used. Size separation by centrifugation and freeze-drying gave monodisperse spherical nanoparticles with a diameter of 4 nm as determined by differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A crystallographic characterization of the nanoparticles was carried out by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement, leading to highly precise cubic lattice parameters (fcc crystal system) and crystallite sizes. For comparison, the same analysis including the determination of the microstrain was carried out for the bulk target materials (AgAu alloys in the full concentration range). Both nanoparticles and bulk target materials obeyed Vegard's rule, with only slight deviations. The fact that the crystallite size as determined by XRD was identical to the hydrodynamic diameter by DCS and the Feret diameter by TEM indicates that the particles consist of only one domain, i.e. they are single crystals. The combination of UV-vis spectroscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) as line scan along the nanoparticle showed a homogenous distribution of the gold and silver inside the nanoparticles, indicating solid solution alloys, in contrast to what was observed earlier for chemically prepared AgAu nanoparticles by reduction of metal ions in water. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2017.12.080

• 2018 • 163	Crystallographic examination of the interaction between texture evolution, mechanically induced martensitic transformation and twinning in nanostructured bainite Morales-Rivas, L. and Archie, F. and Zaefferer, S. and Benito-Alfonso, M. and Tsai, S.-P. and Yang, J.-R. and Raabe, D. and Garcia-Mateo, C. and Caballero, F.G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 752 505-519 (2018) The deformation mechanisms operating in nanostructured bainite, leading to its excellent combination of strength and ductility, are far from being understood. Its nanocrystalline nature and its multiphase-evolving structure underlie the plastic flow and the strain-hardening behaviour. In this work, the microstructural and crystallographic bulk changes of a high-C nanostructured bainite under tensile testing have been evaluated. The influence of the mechanically-induced transformation of the C-enriched retained austenite into α martensite and other deformation mechanisms on the texture evolution has been analysed by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Additionally, the undeformed and the deformed conditions have been examined by electron channelling contrast imaging (ECCI) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results reveal the presence of plate martensite and suggest a strong variant selection during the transformation, mainly responsible for the texture observed. Mechanical twinning in austenite seems to be basically the mechanism of accommodation of the displacive bainitic transformation, while some direct interaction with the applied stress also appears. © 2018
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.04.189

• 2018 • 162	Deformation mechanisms, activated slip systems and critical resolved shear stresses in an Mg-LPSO alloy studied by micro-pillar compression Chen, R. and Sandlöbes, S. and Zehnder, C. and Zeng, X. and Korte-Kerzel, S. and Raabe, D. Materials and Design 154 203-216 (2018) We study the micro-mechanical behaviour of single-crystalline long-period-stacking ordered (LPSO) structures, α-Mg and bi-crystalline Mg/LPSO micro-pillars, all cut from the same Mg97Y2Zn1 (at.%) alloy. To investigate the deformation and co-deformation mechanisms of Mg-LPSO alloys we performed micro-pillar compression experiments with micro-pillars of an orientation inclined by 7°, 46° and 90° to (0001) orientation, respectively. Electron backscatter diffraction-assisted slip trace analysis and post-mortem transmission electron microscopy analysis showed predominant deformation by basal 〈a〉 dislocation slip in 46°(0001) and 7°(0001) oriented micro-pillars. In 7°(0001) oriented micro-pillars additional non-basal dislocation slip and the formation of micro shear bands along pyramidal planes were activated in the α-Mg and the LPSO structure, respectively. In 90°(0001) oriented micro-pillars 11¯001¯1¯20 prismatic slip was predominantly activated during the early deformation stages. The relative magnitude of the critical stresses depends on the crystal phase as well as the crystallographic orientation, i.e. the activated slip system. Specifically, basal 〈a〉 slip has the lowest critical resolved shear stress in both, α-Mg and the LPSO structure, while the CRSS of prismatic 〈a〉 slip is about 5 times higher than basal 〈a〉 slip in α-Mg and about 15 times higher than basal 〈a〉 slip in LPSO. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.05.037

• 2018 • 161	Deposition of polycrystalline zinc substituted hydroxyapatite coatings with a columnar structure by RF magnetron sputtering: Role of in-situ substrate heating Prosolov, K.A. and Belyavskaya, O.A. and Rau, J.V. and Prymak, O. and Epple, M. and Sharkeev, Y.P. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 1115 (2018) Zn incorporation into hydroxyapatite structure leads to enhanced osteointegration and antibacterial activity of deposited coatings. Radiofrequency magnetron sputtering is a physical vapor deposition technique which can be used to create thin coatings with a controlled level of crystallinity. The material state is a crucial parameter for biocoatings as it governs cell response. Bioactive Zn substituted hydroxyapatite coatings were deposited onto Ti by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering at increased substrate temperatures (100, 200, 300 and 400°C). XRD showed crystallization of the coatings at elevated substrate temperatures starting from 300°C. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy showed a polycrystalline columnar grain structure of Zn substituted coatings deposited at 400°C substrate temperature. An amorphous TiO 2 sublayer of several monolayers thickness was detected in the interface between the polycrystalline coating and the Ti substrate. In-column energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed coatings to be substoichiometric with the average Ca/P ratio being 1.5. It is established that it is possible to deposit Zn substituted hydroxyapatite in a form of a well-crystalline coating when the substrate temperature is exceeding 400°C. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/1115/3/032077

• 2018 • 160	Effect of substrate orientation on local magnetoelectric coupling in bi-layered multiferroic thin films Naveed-Ul-Haq, M. and Webers, S. and Trivedi, H. and Salamon, S. and Wende, H. and Usman, M. and Mumtaz, A. and Shvartsman, V.V. and Lupascu, D.C. Nanoscale 10 20618-20627 (2018) In this study we explore the prospect of strain-mediated magnetoelectric coupling in CoFe2O4-BaTiO3 bi-layers as a function of different interfacial boundary conditions. Pulsed laser deposition fabricated thin films on Nb:SrTiO3(100) and Nb:SrTiO3(111) single crystal substrates were characterized in terms of their peculiarities related to the structure-property relationship. Despite the homogeneous phase formation in both films, transmission electron microscopy showed that the bi-layers on Nb:SrTiO3(100) exhibit a higher number of crystallographic defects when compared to the films on Nb:SrTiO3(111). This signifies an intrinsic relationship of the defects and the substrate orientation. To analyze the consequences of these defects on the overall magnetoelectric coupling of the bi-layered films, piezoresponse force microscopy was performed in situ with an applied magnetic field. The local magnetic field dependence of the piezoresponse was obtained using principal component analysis. A detailed analysis of this dependence led to a conclusion that the bi-layers on Nb:SrTiO3(111) exhibit better strain-transfer characteristics between the magnetic and the piezoelectric layer than those which were deposited on Nb:SrTiO3(100). These strain transfer characteristics correlate well with the interface quality and the defect concentration. This study suggests that in terms of overall magnetoelectric coupling, the Nb:SrTiO3(111) grown bi-layers are expected to outperform their Nb:SrTiO3(100) grown counterparts. © 2018 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c8nr06041j

• 2018 • 159	Effects of strain rate on mechanical properties and deformation behavior of an austenitic Fe-25Mn-3Al-3Si TWIP-TRIP steel Benzing, J.T. and Poling, W.A. and Pierce, D.T. and Bentley, J. and Findley, K.O. and Raabe, D. and Wittig, J.E. Materials Science and Engineering A 711 78-92 (2018) The effects of quasi-static and low-dynamic strain rate (ε̇ = 10−4 /s to ε̇ = 102 /s) on tensile properties and deformation mechanisms were studied in a Fe-25Mn-3Al-3Si (wt%) twinning and transformation-induced plasticity [TWIP-TRIP] steel. The fully austenitic microstructure deforms primarily by dislocation glide but due to the room temperature stacking fault energy [SFE] of 21 ± 3 mJ/m2 for this alloy, secondary deformation mechanisms such as mechanical twinning (TWIP) and epsilon martensite formation (TRIP) also play an important role in the deformation behavior. The mechanical twins and epsilon-martensite platelets act as planar obstacles to subsequent dislocation motion on non-coplanar glide planes and reduce the dislocation mean free path. A high-speed thermal camera was used to measure the increase in specimen temperature as a function of strain, which enabled the use of a thermodynamic model to predict the increase in SFE. The influence of strain rate and strain on microstructural parameters such as the thickness and spacing of mechanical twins and epsilon-martensite laths was quantified using dark field transmission electron microscopy, electron channeling contrast imaging, and electron backscattered diffraction. The effect of sheet thickness on mechanical properties was also investigated. Increasing the tensile specimen thickness increased the product of ultimate tensile strength and total elongation, but had no significant effect on uniform elongation or yield strength. The yield strength exhibited a significant increase with increasing strain rate, indicating that dislocation glide becomes more difficult with increasing strain rate due to thermally-activated short-range barriers. A modest increase in ultimate tensile strength and minimal decrease in uniform elongation were noted at higher strain rates, suggesting adiabatic heating, slight changes in strain-hardening rate and observed strain localizations as root causes, rather than a significant change in the underlying TWIP-TRIP mechanisms at low values of strain. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2017.11.017

• 2018 • 158	Electrostatic Self-Assembly Enabling Integrated Bulk and Interfacial Sodium Storage in 3D Titania-Graphene Hybrid Xu, G.-L. and Xiao, L. and Sheng, T. and Liu, J. and Hu, Y.-X. and Ma, T. and Amine, R. and Xie, Y. and Zhang, X. and Liu, Y. and Ren, Y. and Sun, C.-J. and Heald, S.M. and Kovacevic, J. and Sehlleier, Y.H. and Schulz, C. and Matt... Nano Letters 18 336-346 (2018) Room-temperature sodium-ion batteries have attracted increased attention for energy storage due to the natural abundance of sodium. However, it remains a huge challenge to develop versatile electrode materials with favorable properties, which requires smart structure design and good mechanistic understanding. Herein, we reported a general and scalable approach to synthesize three-dimensional (3D) titania-graphene hybrid via electrostatic-interaction-induced self-assembly. Synchrotron X-ray probe, transmission electron microscopy, and computational modeling revealed that the strong interaction between titania and graphene through comparably strong van der Waals forces not only facilitates bulk Na+ intercalation but also enhances the interfacial sodium storage. As a result, the titania-graphene hybrid exhibits exceptional long-term cycle stability up to 5000 cycles, and ultrahigh rate capability up to 20 C for sodium storage. Furthermore, density function theory calculation indicated that the interfacial Li+, K+, Mg2+, and Al3+ storage can be enhanced as well. The proposed general strategy opens up new avenues to create versatile materials for advanced battery systems. © 2017 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.7b04193

• 2018 • 157	Elemental segregation to twin boundaries in a MnAl ferromagnetic Heusler alloy Palanisamy, D. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Scripta Materialia 155 144-148 (2018) Electron microscopy and atom probe tomography were combined to investigate the crystallography and chemistry of a single twin boundary (TB) in a rare-earth-free ferromagnetic MnAl Heusler alloy. The results establish a significant segregation of Mn along the twin boundaries. An enrichment of approx. ~8 at.% Mn was measured along the twin boundary with a confined depletion outside the twin boundary, suggesting short range solute diffusion occurring during massive transformation. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.06.037

• 2018 • 156	Ex situ and in situ TEM investigations of carbide precipitation in a 10Cr martensitic steel Wang, H. Journal of Materials Science 53 7845-7856 (2018) An ex situ approach combining fast quenching experiments in a dilatometer and postmortem microstructural observation in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used to observe the dynamic microstructure change during differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) ramping of an Fe–10Cr–0.15C (wt%) alloy fabricated from high-purity components. The DSC measurements reveal two exothermic events at temperatures about 270 and 600 °C in a heating process. The two events were discerned by TEM investigations on specimens interrupted during thermal ramping in a dilatometer. It is found that precipitation and growth of M3C carbide occurred first in a temperature range between 200 and 400 °C, following the Bagaryatskii orientation relationship. Subsequently, M7C3 carbides precipitate on prior martensitic laths boundaries in a temperature range between 500 and 700 °C at the expense of M3C. M23C6 carbides were found precipitating on the interface between M7C3 and matrix at approximately the same time with the precipitation of M7C3. The obtained results are also compared with an in situ TEM heating experiment, and differences between the two approaches are discussed. © 2018, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10853-018-2075-0

• 2018 • 155	Formation of eta carbide in ferrous martensite by room temperature aging Lu, W. and Herbig, M. and Liebscher, C.H. and Morsdorf, L. and Marceau, R.K.W. and Dehm, G. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 158 297-312 (2018) For several decades, the formation of carbon(C)-rich domains upon room temperature aging of supersaturated martensite has been a matter of debate. C-rich tweed-like patterns are observed to form after short aging times at room temperature and coarsen upon further aging. Here, we present a systematic atomic-scale investigation of carbide formation in Fe-15Ni-1C (wt.%) martensite after two to three years of isothermal room temperature aging by a combination of atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. Owing to the sub-zero martensite start temperature of −25 °C, a fully austenitic microstructure is maintained at room temperature and the martensitic phase transformation is initiated during quenching in liquid nitrogen. In this way, any diffusion and redistribution of C in martensite is suppressed until heating up the specimen and holding it at room temperature. The microstructural changes that accompany the rearrangement of C atoms have been systematically investigated under controlled isothermal conditions. Our results show that after prolonged room temperature aging nanometer-sized, plate-shaped η-Fe2C carbides form with a macroscopic martensite habit plane close to {521}. The orientation relationship between the η-Fe2C carbides and the parent martensite grain (α′) follows [001]α’//[001]η, (1¯10) α’//(020)η. The observation of η-Fe2C–carbide formation at room temperature is particularly interesting, as transition carbides have so far only been reported to form above 100 °C. After three years of room temperature aging a depletion of Fe is observed in the η carbide while Ni remains distributed homogenously. This implies that the substitutional element Fe can diffuse several nanometers in martensite at room temperature within three years. © 2018
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.07.071

• 2018 • 154	Formation of nickel nanoparticles and magnetic matrix in nickel phthalocyanine by doping with potassium Manukyan, A.S. and Avakyan, L.A. and Elsukova, A.E. and Zubavichus, Y.V. and Sulyanov, S.N. and Mirzakhanyan, A.A. and Kolpacheva, N.A. and Spasova, M. and Kocharian, A.N. and Farle, M. and Bugaev, L.A. and Sharoyan, E.G. Materials Chemistry and Physics 214 564-571 (2018) A method for synthesis of nickel nanoparticles in a magnetic nickel phthalocyanine anions matrix has been developed. The method is based on intercalation of potassium atoms to the nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) polycrystalline powder at 300 °C. The structure of (K2NiPc) was investigated by using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopes. Magnetic properties were studied by SQUID magnetometry and magnetic resonances methods. It is revealed that the resultant compound contains of 1 wt% Ni nanoparticles with the average size of 15 nm. The measured values of the magnetization and absorption of the ferromagnetic resonance considerably exceed the magnetism which can be attributed to metallic Ni nanoparticles. The obtained results indicate the presence of room temperature molecular ferromagnetism caused by anionic molecules of NiPc. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2018.04.068

• 2018 • 153	Fracture toughness of Mo2BC thin films: Intrinsic toughness versus system toughening Soler, R. and Gleich, S. and Kirchlechner, C. and Scheu, C. and Schneider, J.M. and Dehm, G. Materials and Design 154 20-27 (2018) The fracture behaviour and microstructure evolution of sputtered Mo2BC films as a function of their deposition temperature is studied. Bipolar pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering was used to deposit Mo2BC thin films onto Si (100) wafers at substrate temperatures ranging from 380 to 630 °C. Microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy revealed that increasing the deposition temperature induces larger and more elongated grains, and a higher degree of crystallinity, transitioning from a partially amorphous to a fully crystalline film. The intrinsic fracture toughness of the Mo2BC films was studied by focussed ion beam milled micro-cantilever bending tests. A mild dependency of the intrinsic fracture toughness on the substrate deposition temperature was found. Fractograph analysis showed that the fracture behaviour was dominated by intergranular fracture or by fracture within the amorphous regions. Additionally, nanoindentation based fracture toughness measurements were used to probe the fracture behaviour of the Mo2BC/Si system, where residual stresses define the ‘apparent’ fracture toughness of the system. Depending on the substrate deposition temperature either compressive or tensile residual stresses developed in the films. This causes a relative change in the system toughness by up to one order of magnitude. The fracture experiments clearly reveal that notched cantilevers provide intrinsic toughness values of a material, while nanoindentation probes the toughness of the entire coating-substrate system. The combination of both techniques provides valuable design information for enhancing fracture resistance of Mo2BC films. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.05.015

• 2018 • 152	Fully automated primary particle size analysis of agglomerates on transmission electron microscopy images via artificial neural networks Frei, M. and Kruis, F.E. Powder Technology 332 120-130 (2018) There is a high demand for fully automated methods for the analysis of primary particle size distributions of agglomerates on transmission electron microscopy images. Therefore, a novel method, based on the utilization of artificial neural networks, was proposed, implemented and validated. The training of the artificial neural networks requires large quantities (up to several hundreds of thousands) of transmission electron microscopy images of agglomerates consisting of primary particles with known sizes. Since the manual evaluation of such large amounts of transmission electron microscopy images is not feasible, a synthesis of lifelike transmission electron microscopy images as training data was implemented. The proposed method can compete with state-of-the-art automated imaging particle size methods like the Hough transformation, ultimate erosion and watershed transformation and is in some cases even able to outperform these methods. It is however still outperformed by the manual analysis. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.powtec.2018.03.032

• 2018 • 151	Germanium Template Assisted Integration of Gallium Arsenide Nanocrystals on Silicon: A Versatile Platform for Modern Optoelectronic Materials Schmitt, S.W. and Sarau, G. and Speich, C. and Döhler, G.H. and Liu, Z. and Hao, X. and Rechberger, S. and Dieker, C. and Spiecker, E. and Prost, W. and Tegude, F.J. and Conibeer, G. and Green, M.A. and Christiansen, S.H. Advanced Optical Materials (2018) Metal organic vapor phase epitaxy is used to grow gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanocrystals (NCs) on germanium (Ge) templates on nanoscopic silicon (Si) threads prepared by reactive ion etching. Scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray measurements shows an epitaxial growth of the GaAs on the Ge template that is supported by the Si thread, and that Ge doping is induced to the GaAs by the template. On Ge templates of about 60 nm diameter, as-grown GaAs NCs show a very regular rhombic-dodecahedral outer shape that can be explained by a preferential growth along the <110> plane. Photoluminescence measurements of the Ge/GaAs structures reveal radiative emission peaks on top of the GaAs band-to-band emission and at sub-band gap energies. While high energy peaks are originating from Ge acceptor levels in GaAs, sub-band gap peaks can be explained by radiation from Ge donor and acceptor bands that are amplified by photonic modes hosted in the rhombic-dodecahedral GaAs NCs. This study shows that a template-assisted crystal growth at the nanoscale opens up routes for a versatile integration of strongly emitting nanomaterials for a use in on-chip solid state lighting and photonics. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/adom.201701329

• 2018 • 150	How evolving multiaxial stress states affect the kinetics of rafting during creep of single crystal Ni-base superalloys Cao, L. and Wollgramm, P. and Bürger, D. and Kostka, A. and Cailletaud, G. and Eggeler, G. Acta Materialia 158 381-392 (2018) Miniature tensile creep specimens are used to investigate the effect of mild circular notches on microstructural evolution during [001] tensile creep of a Ni-base single crystal superalloy. Creep deformed material states from a uniaxial (950 °C, uniaxial stress: 300 MPa) and a circular notched creep specimen (950 °C, net section stress in notch root: 300 MPa) are compared. For both types of tests, creep experiments were interrupted after 81, 169 and 306 h. Quantitative scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to assess the evolution of the γ/γ′-microstructure from rafting to topological inversion. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was applied to study the evolution of dislocation densities during creep. As a striking new result it is shown that in circular notched specimen, the microstructural evolution is well coupled to the kinetics of the stress redistribution during creep. Rafting, the directional coarsening of the γ′-phase, and the increase of γ-channel dislocation density, start in the notch root before the center of the specimen is affected. When stresses in the circular notched specimens are fully redistributed, the microstructural differences between the notch root and the center of the circular notched specimen disappear. The comparison of the mechanical data and the microstructural findings in uniaxial and circular notched specimens contribute to a better understanding of the role of mild notches, of stress multiaxiality and of strain accumulation in the microstructure evolution of single crystal Ni-base superalloys during creep. The results obtained in the present work are discussed in the light of previous work published in the literature. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.07.061

• 2018 • 149	Kinetic study of gold nanoparticles synthesized in the presence of chitosan and citric acid Simeonova, S. and Georgiev, P. and Exner, K.S. and Mihaylov, L. and Nihtianova, D. and Koynov, K. and Balashev, K. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 557 106-115 (2018) In this work colloidal gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are prepared using a citrate-reduction route, in which citric acid serves as reductive agent for the gold precursor HAuCl4. We demonstrate that a temperature variation on the one hand enables to tune the reaction rate of GNP formation and on the other hand allows modifying the morphology of the resulting metal nanoparticles. The use of chitosan, a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer with a multitude of functional amino and hydroxyl groups, facilitates the simultaneous synthesis and surface modification of GNPs in one pot. The resulting GNPs, which are stabilized by a network of chitosan and ß-ketoglutaric acid units, are characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and reveal an average diameter of about 10 nm at the end of the synthesis. The kinetics of GNP formation is studied by calculating activation parameters based on UV–vis and AFM data such as the apparent activation energy, entropy and free energy applying the concept of the Finke-Watzky model and harmonic transition state theory. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.02.045

• 2018 • 148	Low intrinsic c-axis thermal conductivity in PVD grown epitaxial Sb2Te3 films Rieger, F. and Kaiser, K. and Bendt, G. and Roddatis, V. and Thiessen, P. and Schulz, S. and Jooss, C. Journal of Applied Physics 123 (2018) Accurate determination and comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic c-axis thermal conductivity κc of thermoelectric layered Sb2Te3 is of high importance for the development of strategies to optimize the figure of merit in thin film devices via heterostructures and defect engineering. We present here high precision measurements of κc of epitaxial Sb2Te3 thin films on Al2O3 substrates grown by physical vapor deposition in the temperature range of 100 K to 300 K. The Kapitza resistances of the involved interfaces have been determined and subtracted from the film data, allowing access to the intrinsic thermal conductivity of single crystalline Sb2Te3. At room temperature, we obtain κc = 1.9 W/m K, being much smaller than the in-plane thermal conductivity of κab = 5 W/m K and even lower than the thermal conductivity of nano crystalline films of κnc ≈ 2.0-2.6 W/m K published by Park et al. [Nanoscale Res. Lett. 9, 96 (2014)]. High crystallinity and very low defect concentration of the films were confirmed by x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Our data reveal that the phonon mean free path lmfpT is not limited by defect scattering and is of intrinsic nature, i.e., due to phonon-phonon scattering similar to other soft van der Waals type bonded layered systems. © 2018 Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.5025491

• 2018 • 147	Low-temperature MOCVD deposition of Bi2Te3 thin films using Et2BiTeEt as single source precursor Bendt, G. and Gassa, S. and Rieger, F. and Jooss, C. and Schulz, S. Journal of Crystal Growth 490 77-83 (2018) Et2BiTeEt was used as single source precursor for the deposition of Bi2Te3 thin films on Si(1 0 0) substrates by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) at very low substrate temperatures. Stoichiometric and crystalline Bi2Te3 films were grown at 230 °C, which is approximately 100 °C lower compared to conventional MOCVD processes using one metal organic precursors for each element. The Bi2Te3 films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The elemental composition of the films, which was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, was found to be strongly dependent of the substrate temperature. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2018.03.021

• 2018 • 146	Mechanochemical synthesis of porous carbon at room temperature with a highly ordered sp2 microstructure Casco, M.E. and Badaczewski, F. and Grätz, S. and Tolosa, A. and Presser, V. and Smarsly, B.M. and Borchardt, L. Carbon 139 325-333 (2018) Carbon nanostructures with a well-developed turbostratic sp2 structure and high porosity are synthesized at room temperature inside a planetary ball mill. The obtained carbons were analyzed in-depth by means of gas adsorption, wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our approach involves the solvent-free reaction between calcium carbide (CaC2) and hexachlorobenzene (C6Cl6) conducted under mechanochemical conditions. After certain mechanical activation time, the exothermic nature of the reaction (−492 kcal) provokes a combustion-like event that results in innocuous salt (CaCl2) and a carbonaceous material. Carbon with a high degree of structural order in the constituting graphene and the graphene stacks, possessing almost no internal surface, can be obtained after 5 min of milling time with a mass ratio CaC2/C6Cl6 of 0.9, while carbon exhibiting a surface area as high as 915 m2/g can be obtained after 2 h of milling time with a mass ratio CaC2/C6Cl6 of 5.1. WAXS results and TEM observations reveal a mixture of amorphous carbon and non-graphitic phases. Among the last one, spherical-shaped carbons and curved nanosized strips can be easily distinguished. © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.carbon.2018.06.068

• 2018 • 145	Microstructure and mechanical properties in the thin film system Cu-Zr Oellers, T. and Raghavan, R. and Chakraborty, J. and Kirchlechner, C. and Kostka, A. and Liebscher, C.H. and Dehm, G. and Ludwig, Al. Thin Solid Films 645 193-202 (2018) A composition-spread Cu-Zr thin film library with Zr contents from 2.5 up to 6.5 at.% was synthesized by magnetron sputtering on a thermally oxidized Si wafer. The compositional and microstructural variations of the Cu-Zr thin film across the composition gradient were examined using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy of cross-sections fabricated by focused ion beam milling. Composition-dependent hardness and elastic modulus values were obtained by nanoindentation for measurement areas with discrete Zr contents along the composition gradient. Similarly, the electrical resistivity was investigated by 4-point resistivity measurements to study the influence of Zr composition and microstructural changes in the thin film. Both, the mechanical and electrical properties reveal a significant increase in hardness and resistivity with increasing Zr content. The trends of the mechanical and functional properties are discussed with respect to the local microstructure and composition of the thin film library. © 2017
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2017.10.030

• 2018 • 144	Microstructure and mechanical properties of Al0.7CoCrFeNi high-entropy-alloy prepared by directional solidification Liu, G. and Liu, L. and Liu, X. and Wang, Z. and Han, Z. and Zhang, G. and Kostka, A. Intermetallics 93 93-100 (2018) The high-entropy-alloy Al0.7CoCrFeNi (molar ratio) was prepared by vacuum arc melting followed by directional solidification (DS) with <001> oriented seed. The unique lamellar-dendrite microstructure was obtained over a wide cooling rate range. During solidification, Fe and Co are prone to segregate to the dendrite, while Cr and Al segregate to interdendrite. The solute pile-up of Cr and Al at the solid/liquid interface leads to the dendritic solidification. During the following cooling process, the BCC phase precipitates from the FCC dendrite to form the lamellar structure, while the ordered B2 phase precipitates from the interdendrite. Moreover, the lamellar spacing is significantly refined with increasing cooling rate, resulting in the higher hardness and compressive yield strength. Directional solidification is proved to be an efficient way to improve the mechanical properties of multi-phases high-entropy alloys. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.intermet.2017.11.019

• 2018 • 143	Modifying the nanostructure and the mechanical properties of Mo2BC hard coatings: Influence of substrate temperature during magnetron sputtering Gleich, S. and Soler, R. and Fager, H. and Bolvardi, H. and Achenbach, J.-O. and Hans, M. and Primetzhofer, D. and Schneider, J.M. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. Materials and Design 142 203-211 (2018) A reduction in synthesis temperature is favorable for hard coatings, which are designed for industrial applications, as manufacturing costs can be saved and technologically relevant substrate materials are often temperature-sensitive. In this study, we analyzed Mo2BC hard coatings deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures, ranging from 380 °C to 630 °C. Transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed that a dense structure of columnar grains, which formed at a substrate temperature of 630 °C, continuously diminishes with decreasing substrate temperature. It almost vanishes in the coating deposited at 380 °C, which shows nanocrystals of ~1 nm in diameter embedded in an amorphous matrix. Moreover, Argon from the deposition process is incorporated in the film and its amount increases with decreasing substrate temperature. Nanoindentation experiments provided evidence that hardness and Young's modulus are modified by the nanostructure of the analyzed Mo2BC coatings. A substrate temperature rise from 380 °C to 630 °C resulted in an increase in hardness (21 GPa to 28 GPa) and Young's modulus (259 GPa to 462 GPa). We conclude that the substrate temperature determines the nanostructure and the associated changes in bond strength and stiffness and thus, influences hardness and Young's modulus of the coatings. © 2018 The Authors
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.01.029

• 2018 • 142	Multiscale Characterization of Microstructure in Near-Surface Regions of a 16MnCr5 Gear Wheel After Cyclic Loading Medghalchi, S. and Jamebozorgi, V. and Bala Krishnan, A. and Vincent, S. and Salomon, S. and Basir Parsa, A. and Pfetzing, J. and Kostka, A. and Li, Y. and Eggeler, G. and Li, T. JOM 1-7 (2018) The dependence of the microstructure on the degree of deformation in near-surface regions of a 16MnCr5 gear wheel after 2.1 × 106 loading cycles has been investigated by x-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography. Retained austenite and large martensite plates, along with elongated lamella-like cementite, were present in a less deformed region. Comparatively, the heavily deformed region consisted of a nanocrystalline structure with carbon segregation up to 2 at.% at grain boundaries. Spheroid-shaped cementite, formed at the grain boundaries and triple junctions of the nanosized grains, was enriched with Cr and Mn but depleted with Si. Such partitioning of Cr, Mn, and Si was not observed in the elongated cementite formed in the less deformed zone. This implies that rolling contact loading induced severe plastic deformation as well as a pronounced annealing effect in the active contact region of the toothed gear during cyclic loading. © 2018 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s11837-018-2931-z

• 2018 • 141	Nano-laminated thin film metallic glass design for outstanding mechanical properties Kontis, P. and Köhler, M. and Evertz, S. and Chen, Y.-T. and Schnabel, V. and Soler, R. and Bednarick, J. and Kirchlechner, C. and Dehm, G. and Raabe, D. and Schneider, J.M. and Gault, B. Scripta Materialia 155 73-77 (2018) We report the enhancement of fracture toughness and strength of a cobalt‑tantalum-based metallic glass thin film with increasing boron content. The improvement of the mechanical performance is attributed to the formation of a compositionally lamellar compared to uniform glass microstructure, which becomes thinner with increasing boron content as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Compositional variations across the lamellar structure are revealed by atom probe tomography. Cobalt- and boron-rich regions alternate sequentially, whereas tantalum exhibits slight variations across the lamellae. Our results can be utilized in future design efforts for metallic glass thin films with outstanding mechanical performance. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.06.015

• 2018 • 140	On the diffusive phase transformation mechanism assisted by extended dislocations during creep of a single crystal CoNi-based superalloy Makineni, S.K. and Kumar, A. and Lenz, M. and Kontis, P. and Meiners, T. and Zenk, C. and Zaefferer, S. and Eggeler, G. and Neumeier, S. and Spiecker, E. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Acta Materialia 155 362-371 (2018) We propose here a deformation-induced diffusive phase transformation mechanism occurring during shearing of γ′ ordered phase in a γ/γ′ single crystalline CoNi-based superalloy. Shearing involved the creation and motion of a high density of planar imperfections. Through correlative electron microscopy and atom probe tomography, we captured a superlattice intrinsic stacking fault (SISF) and its associated moving leading partial dislocation (LPD). The structure and composition of these imperfections reveal characteristic chemical – structural contrast. The SISF locally exhibits a D019 ordered structure coherently embedded in the L12 γ′ and enriched in W and Co. Interestingly, the LPD is enriched with Cr and Co, while the adjoining planes ahead of the LPD are enriched with Al. Quantitative analysis of the three-dimensional compositional field in the vicinity of imperfections sheds light onto a new in-plane diffusion mechanism as the LPD moves on specific {111} planes upon application of stress at high temperature. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.05.074

• 2018 • 139	On the Ni-Ion release rate from surfaces of binary NiTi shape memory alloys Ševčíková, J. and Bártková, D. and Goldbergová, M. and Kuběnová, M. and Čermák, J. and Frenzel, J. and Weiser, A. and Dlouhý, A. Applied Surface Science 427 434-443 (2018) The study is focused on Ni-ion release rates from NiTi surfaces exposed in the cell culture media and human vascular endothelial cell (HUVEC) culture environments. The NiTi surface layers situated in the depth of 70 μm below a NiTi oxide scale are affected by interactions between the NiTi alloys and the bio-environments. The finding was proved with use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and electron microscopy experiments. As the exclusive factor controlling the Ni-ion release rates was not only thicknesses of the oxide scale, but also the passivation depth, which was two-fold larger. Our experimental data strongly suggested that some other factors, in addition to the Ni concentration in the oxide scale, admittedly hydrogen soaking deep below the oxide scale, must be taken into account in order to rationalize the concentrations of Ni-ions released into the bio-environments. The suggested role of hydrogen as the surface passivation agent is also in line with the fact that the Ni-ion release rates considerably decrease in NiTi samples that were annealed in controlled hydrogen atmospheres prior to bio-environmental exposures. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.08.235

• 2018 • 138	On the origin of the improvement of shape memory effect by precipitating VC in Fe–Mn–Si-based shape memory alloys Lai, M.J. and Li, Y.J. and Lillpopp, L. and Ponge, D. and Will, S. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 155 222-235 (2018) We studied the role of VC precipitation in improving the shape memory effect (SME) of the as-solution treated Fe–Mn–Si-based shape memory alloys by examining the microstructures developed during aging and deformation using transmission electron microscopy and electron channeling contrast imaging. Our results suggest that VC particles are not the only product of aging. Upon aging at 650 °C, the precipitation of VC particles is accompanied by the formation of profuse dislocations (2.26 ± 0.098 × 1013 m−2). In this case, the SME is not improved compared to the as-solution treated reference state. Upon aging at high temperatures (700–900 °C), a number of stacking faults are formed accompanying the VC precipitation and the SME is significantly improved, where the recovery ratios reach almost twice that of the as-solution treated state (<50%). For these high-temperature aged states, in situ straining experiments reveal that the stacking faults rather than the VC particles play an important role in the stress-induced martensitic transformation, leading to the formation of very thin (<3 nm) martensite plates with a single crystallographic variant within each grain. These martensite plates are in contrast to the very thick (from tens to hundreds of nanometers) and multi-variant martensite plates that prevail in the as-solution treated state. By comparing the characteristics of the martensite plates between the as-solution treated and the high-temperature aged states, the reasons for the improvement of SME by precipitating VC were discussed. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.06.008

• 2018 • 137	Operando Raman spectroscopy on CO2 methanation over alumina-supported Ni, Ni3Fe and NiRh0.1 catalysts: Role of carbon formation as possible deactivation pathway Mutz, B. and Sprenger, P. and Wang, W. and Wang, D. and Kleist, W. and Grunwaldt, J.-D. Applied Catalysis A: General 556 160-171 (2018) The methanation of CO2, as a part of the power-to-gas concept, was studied under various industrially relevant feed compositions with a focus on the formation and influence of carbonaceous species. For this purpose, 5 wt.% Ni/Al2O3, 5 wt.% Ni3Fe/Al2O3 and 3.4 wt.% NiRh0.1/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). During the methanation of CO2, the Ni3Fe catalyst emerged as the most active and selective catalyst in the mid-temperature regime (300–350 °C). At 400 °C, all three tested catalysts showed high conversion of CO2 (67–75%; Ni > Ni3Fe > NiRh0.1) and selectivity towards CH4 (95–98%). Operando Raman spectroscopy was applied to elucidate the possible influence of carbonaceous species on the performance of the catalysts. Notably, no carbon deposition was observed under various feed compositions, even in CO2 or CO2/CH4 mixtures, e.g. as provided by biogas plants. Only in pure CH4 atmosphere an intensive carbon deposition with graphitic structure occurred as uncovered by operando Raman spectroscopy. Experiments in the lab-scale reactor and a spectroscopic microreactor could be correlated and revealed a strong catalytic deactivation of the carbon covered catalysts including a pronounced shift of the selectivity towards CO. The initial activity could be recovered after reactivation in H2 at elevated temperatures, which led to a removal of the deposits especially from the metal particles. Raman spectroscopy, supported by the results from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and EELS, revealed that carbon remained on the support material. The latter did not have any significant influence on the catalytic activity and could be removed in an oxidizing atmosphere. © 2018
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apcata.2018.01.026

• 2018 • 136	Primary particle diameter differentiation and bimodality identification by five analytical methods using gold nanoparticle size distributions synthesized by pulsed laser ablation in liquids Letzel, A. and Gökce, B. and Menzel, A. and Plech, A. and Barcikowski, S. Applied Surface Science 435 743-751 (2018) For a known material, the size distribution of a nanoparticle colloid is a crucial parameter that defines its properties. However, measured size distributions are not easy to interpret as one has to consider weighting (e.g. by light absorption, scattering intensity, volume, surface, number) and the way size information was gained. The radius of a suspended nanoparticle can be given as e.g. sphere equivalent, hydrodynamic, Feret or radius of gyration. In this study, gold nanoparticles in water are synthesized by pulsed-laser ablation (LAL) and fragmentation (LFL) in liquids and characterized by various techniques (scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), analytical disc centrifugation (ADC), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV–vis spectroscopy with Mie-Gans Theory) to study the comparability of different analytical techniques and determine the method that is preferable for a given task related to laser-generated nanoparticles. In particular, laser-generated colloids are known to be bimodal and/or polydisperse, but bimodality is sometimes not analytically resolved in literature. In addition, frequently reported small size shifts of the primary particle mode around 10 nm needs evaluation of its statistical significance related to the analytical method. Closely related to earlier studies on SAXS, different colloids in defined proportions are mixed and their size as a function of the nominal mixing ratio is analyzed. It is found that the derived particle size is independent of the nominal mixing ratio if the colloid size fractions do not overlap considerably. Conversely, the obtained size for colloids with overlapping size fractions strongly depends on the nominal mixing ratio since most methods cannot distinguish between such fractions. Overall, SAXS and ADC are very accurate methods for particle size analysis. Further, the ability of different methods to determine the nominal mixing ratio of sizes fractions is studied experimentally. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.11.130

• 2018 • 135	Strain-Induced Asymmetric Line Segregation at Faceted Si Grain Boundaries Liebscher, C.H. and Stoffers, A. and Alam, M. and Lymperakis, L. and Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. and Gault, B. and Neugebauer, J. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. and Raabe, D. Physical Review Letters 121 (2018) The unique combination of atomic-scale composition measurements, employing atom probe tomography, atomic structure determination with picometer resolution by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy, and atomistic simulations reveals site-specific linear segregation features at grain boundary facet junctions. More specific, an asymmetric line segregation along one particular type of facet junction core, instead of a homogeneous decoration of the facet planes, is observed. Molecular-statics calculations show that this segregation pattern is a consequence of the interplay between the asymmetric core structure and its corresponding local strain state. Our results contrast with the classical view of a homogeneous decoration of the facet planes and evidence a complex segregation patterning. © 2018 American Physical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.015702

• 2018 • 134	Subsurface characterization of high-strength high-interstitial austenitic steels after impact wear Mujica Roncery, L. and Agudo Jácome, L. and Aghajani, A. and Theisen, W. and Weber, S. Wear 402-403 137-147 (2018) The microstructure of the subsurface after impact wear of three high-strength high interstitial austenitic steels has been analysed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in alloys with C and N as interstitial elements. In all cases, a nanocrystalline region followed by a transition zone and a cold-worked area are present. Additionally, microhardness and nano-scratching tests were conducted to study the wear-related properties of the impact subsurface and the base material. The results of the microstructural analysis reveal that the following mechanisms are involved during impact wear: abrasion (ploughing), microcrack formation associated with contact fatigue, entrapment and adhesion of SiO2 particles. The analysis of the wear-related properties indicates that the subsurface acts as a self-protective layer that prevents the deterioration of the substrate. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.wear.2018.02.016

• 2018 • 133	Sulfur – induced embrittlement in high-purity, polycrystalline copper Meiners, T. and Peng, Z. and Gault, B. and Liebscher, C.H. and Dehm, G. Acta Materialia 156 64-75 (2018) Tensile tests were carried out in high-purity, polycrystalline copper alloys with three concentrations of sulfur impurities (14, 27 and 7920 at ppm) at temperatures between 20 °C and 400 °C. The ductility drops with increasing sulfur concentration and temperature while the ultimate tensile strength increases. The alloys exhibit a grain size of several millimeters and contain mostly random grain boundaries (GBs). The microstructure and composition is investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT). The microstructure of the samples with sulfur contents of 14 and 27 ppm consists of globular grains and neither of the microanalytical techniques employed reveals the formation of Cu-sulfides or sulfur segregation to GBs. Even after annealing at 500 °C, no sulfide formation or sulfur segregation to GBs was detected. In the alloy with a sulfur content of 7920 ppm, a dendritic structure is observed and in the interdendritic region monoclinic Cu2S precipitates with a size range from 5 nm to several μm are observed at GBs and also within the grains. The influence of S on the ductility is discussed considering the TEM and APT results. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.06.013

• 2018 • 132	Synthesis and biological characterization of alloyed silver-platinum nanoparticles: From compact core-shell nanoparticles to hollow nanoalloys Grasmik, V. and Breisch, M. and Loza, K. and Heggen, M. and Köller, M. and Sengstock, C. and Epple, M. RSC Advances 8 38582-38590 (2018) Bimetallic nanoparticles consisting of silver and platinum were prepared by a modified seeded-growth process in water in the full composition range in steps of 10 mol%. The particles had diameters between 15-25 nm as determined by disc centrifugal sedimentation (DCS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Whereas particles with high platinum content were mostly spherical with a solid silver core/platinum shell structure, mostly hollow alloyed nanoparticles were observed with increasing silver content. The internal structure and the elemental distribution within the particles were elucidated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The particles were cytotoxic for human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) above 50 mol% silver. This was explained by dissolution experiments where silver was only released at and above 50 mol% silver. In contrast, platinum-rich particles (less than 50 mol% silver) did not release any silver ions. This indicates that the presence of platinum inhibits the oxidative dissolution of silver. © 2018 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c8ra06461j

• 2018 • 131	Synthesis and stabilization of a new phase regime in a Mo-Si-B based alloy by laser-based additive manufacturing Makineni, S.K. and Kini, A.R. and Jägle, E.A. and Springer, H. and Raabe, D. and Gault, B. Acta Materialia 151 31-40 (2018) Mo-Si-B alloys are potential creep resistant materials for accessing harsh loading scenarios beyond Ni-based superalloys due to their excellent mechanical performance at ultra-high temperatures (> 1200 °C). Here, we report on the fabrication through laser additive manufacturing of a Mo rich Mo-Si-B alloy with and without dispersion of oxide (La2O3) particles. The major phase in the solidified material is dendritic α-Mo. The inter-dendritic regions contain a mixture of the Mo5Si3 (T1) + Mo5SiB2 (T2) phases, and not the expected equilibrium Mo3Si + Mo5SiB2 (T2) phases. This combination of phases is shown to yield improved high temperature creep resistance but was only accessible through by addition of Nb, W or Ti that substitute Mo in the intermetallic phases. Whereas here it is attributed to the large undercooling in the small melt pool produced during laser processing. We show that this phase mixture, upon annealing, is stable at 1200 °C for 200 h. We also demonstrate successful dispersion of oxide particles mainly in the inter-dendritic regions leading to a high indentation fracture toughness of ∼18 MPa√m at room temperature. Toughening originates from crack trapping in the ductile α-Mo and the formation of micro-cracks and crack deflection in the vicinity of oxide particles. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.03.037

• 2018 • 130	Synthesis of rare-earth metal and rare-earth metal-fluoride nanoparticles in ionic liquids and propylene carbonate Siebels, M. and Mai, L. and Schmolke, L. and Schütte, K. and Barthel, J. and Yue, J. and Thomas, J. and Smarsly, B.M. and Devi, A. and Fischer, R.A. and Janiak, C. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 9 1881-1894 (2018) Decomposition of rare-earth tris(N, N'-diisopropyl-2-methylamidinato)metal(III) complexes [RE(MeC(N(iPr)2))3] (RE(amd)3; RE = Pr(III), Gd(III), Er(III)) and tris(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)europium(III) (Eu(dpm)3) induced by microwave heating in the ionic liquids (ILs) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIm][BF4]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIm][NTf2]) and in propylene carbonate (PC) yield oxide-free rare-earth metal nanoparticles (RE-NPs) in [BMIm][NTf2] and PC for RE = Pr, Gd and Er or rare-earth metal-fluoride nanoparticles (REF3-NPs) in the fluoridedonating IL [BMIm][BF4] for RE = Pr, Eu, Gd and Er. The crystalline phases and the absence of significant oxide impurities in RE-NPs and REF3-NPs were verified by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and highresolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The size distributions of the nanoparticles were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) to an average diameter of (11 ± 6) to (38 ± 17) nm for the REF3-NPs from [BMIm][BF4]. The RE-NPs from [BMIm][NTf2] or PC showed diameters of (1.5 ± 0.5) to (5 ± 1) nm. The characterization was completed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). © 2018 Siebels et al.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3762/bjnano.9.180

• 2018 • 129	Temperature-Dependent Ultrastructure Transformation of Au-Fe Nanoparticles Investigated by in Situ Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Kamp, M. and Tymoczko, A. and Schürmann, U. and Jakobi, J. and Rehbock, C. and Rätzke, K. and Barcikowski, S. and Kienle, L. Crystal Growth and Design 18 5434-5440 (2018) Three-dimensional morphology changes of bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) with nominal composition Au50Fe50 and Au20Fe80, generated by pulsed laser ablation in liquid, are monitored in situ and ex situ via scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography. The samples are made up of a chemically segregated core-shell (CS) NPs structure, with an Au-rich shell and Fe-rich core, and solid solution (SS) NPs in the pristine state. Further, the examinations reveal information about a sequence of characteristic changes from the pristine metastable and intermediate ultrastructures up to thermodynamically stable products. In the case of the Au20Fe80 sample, a metastable spherical CS morphology is transformed at equilibrium conditions into a cube-shaped Fe-rich core faceted by truncated Au-rich pyramids. For the Au50Fe50 sample, the Au-rich shell is solved into the Fe-rich core, and chemically homogeneous (SS) NPs are formed. Interestingly, this transformation was proven to occur via an intermediate ultrastructure with lamellar segregation, not previously reported as a transient state during in situ heating. On the basis of these observations, a correlation between the composition and the morphology at equilibrium is suggested, in accordance with the bulk phase diagram of Au-Fe. At the same time, our examinations directly prove that laser ablation synthesis creates nonequilibrium NP morphologies, frozen in metastable, spherical core-shell particles. Copyright © 2018 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.cgd.8b00809

• 2018 • 128	Thermal stability of nanocomposite Mo2BC hard coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering Gleich, S. and Breitbach, B. and Peter, N.J. and Soler, R. and Bolvardi, H. and Schneider, J.M. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. Surface and Coatings Technology 349 378-383 (2018) The investigation of hard coatings under thermal load is crucial in order to obtain information on the thermal stability and possible changes of microstructure and mechanical properties. In addition, advanced heating studies may also provide feedback for the grain growth mechanism occurring during annealing and thus, help to predict optimum post-growth annealing conditions for producing high-performance hard coatings. Here, we investigate the thermal response of Mo2BC, deposited by bipolar pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering in an industrial chamber on a silicon substrate at a substrate temperature of 380 °C. Ex-situ and in-situ X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies are performed at elevated temperatures to track changes in the structure. Whereas the as-deposited nanocomposite coating exhibits small spherical nanocrystals (1.2 nm in diameter) embedded in an amorphous matrix, a fully crystalline structure, mainly consisting of elongated and interconnected crystals with lengths of up to 1 μm, is obtained at elevated annealing temperatures. Hardness and Young's modulus increase by ~8% and ~47%, respectively, compared to the as-deposited coating. Delamination from the silicon substrate only occurs at temperatures above 840 °C. Thus, our detailed study of the micro- and nanostructure evolution upon thermal annealing suggests that heat treatments below 840 °C are a suitable method to improve the crystallinity and mechanical properties of nanocomposite Mo2BC coatings. © 2018
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.06.006

• 2018 • 127	Towards Reproducible Fabrication of Nanometre-Sized Carbon Electrodes: Optimisation of Automated Nanoelectrode Fabrication by Means of Transmission Electron Microscopy Wilde, P. and Quast, T. and Aiyappa, H.B. and Chen, Y.-T. and Botz, A. and Tarnev, T. and Marquitan, M. and Feldhege, S. and Lindner, A. and Andronescu, C. and Schuhmann, W. ChemElectroChem 5 3083-3088 (2018) The reproducible fabrication of nanometre-sized carbon electrodes poses great challenges. Especially, the field of single entity electrochemistry has strict requirements regarding the geometry of these electrochemical probes. Herein, an automated setup for the fabrication of carbon nanoelectrodes based on the pyrolysis of a propane/butane gas mixture within pulled quartz capillaries by means of a moving heating coil is presented. It is shown that mere electrochemical characterisation with conventional redox mediators does not allow for a reliable assessment of the electrode's geometry and quality. Therefore, high-throughput transmission electron microscopy is used in parallel to evaluate and optimise preparation parameters. Control of the latter gives access to three different electrode types: nanopipettes, nanosamplers and nanodisks. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/celc.201800600

• 2018 • 126	ω phase acts as a switch between dislocation channeling and joint twinning- and transformation-induced plasticity in a metastable β titanium alloy Lai, M.J. and Li, T. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 151 67-77 (2018) We have investigated the twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) and transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) as well as the influence of ω phase on these two phenomena in a metastable β-type Ti–25Nb–0.7Ta–2Zr (at.%) alloy. We set off with two starting states: one is ω-free and the other one contains a high number density (3.20 ± 0.78 × 1024 m−3) of nanometer-sized (∼1.23 nm) ω particles. Deformation experiments demonstrate that the plastic deformation of the ω-free alloy is mediated by stress-induced β → α” martensitic transformation, {332} twinning and dislocation slip, where the former two induce joint TRIP and TWIP effects and the latter one carries the majority of the plastic strain. In the ω-enriched alloy, the ω particles fully suppress the TWIP and TRIP effects and promote localization of dislocation plasticity into specific ω-devoid channels. Atom probe tomography analysis reveals that the elemental partitioning between β and ω results in only subtle enrichment of solutes in the β matrix, which cannot sufficiently stabilize the matrix to prevent martensitic transformation and twinning. A new mechanism based on the shear modulus difference between β and ω is proposed to explain the suppression of TRIP and TWIP effects by ω particles. © 2018 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.03.053

• 2017 • 125	An inverted supramolecular amphiphile and its step-wise self-assembly into vesicular networks Samanta, K. and Zellermann, E. and Zähres, M. and Mayer, C. and Schmuck, C. Soft Matter 13 8108-8112 (2017) A host-guest interaction between a multi-cationic dendrimer 1 functionalized with 16 guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole (GCP) groups on its surface and naphthalene diimide dicarboxylic acid (NDIDC) in a 1:8 ratio leads to the formation of a new type of inverted amphiphile. This amphiphile further self-assembles in a step-wise manner first into reverse micelles and then into reverse vesicles, which adhere to form an extensive 3D network several micrometers in length. Self-assembly is based on the aromatic stacking interactions of the surface-bound NDIDC. Furthermore, these aggregates only form at neutral pH but not in acidic or basic solutions in which no ion pairing between 1 and NDIDC is possible. The step-wise self-assembly process of the inverted amphiphile which follows a theoretical prediction recently proposed for hyperbranched polymers was studied and visualized in detail using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). © 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c7sm01641g

• 2017 • 124	Analysis of dislocation structures in ferritic and dual phase steels regarding continuous and discontinuous loading paths Gerstein, G. and Clausmeyer, T. and Gutknecht, F. and Tekkaya, A.E. and Nürnberger, F. Minerals, Metals and Materials Series Part F6 203-210 (2017) In sheet-bulk metal forming processes the hardening behavior of the material depends on the sequence of deformation steps and the type of deformation. Loading path changes induce transient hardening phenomena. These phenomena are linked to the formation and interaction of oriented dislocation structures. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of continuous and discontinuous loading path changes on the dislocation microstructure in ferritic and ferritic-martensitic dual-phase steel, respectively. For the experiments a biaxial test stand was used, which permits to continuously change the load from tension to shear. In the ferrite single-phase steel transmission-electron microscopy reveals a reduced evolution of oriented dislocation structures for continuous loading path changes compared to discontinuous loading path changes. This evolution is further decreased in dual-phase steel compared to the ferritic steel. Microstructural results for the ferritic steel are accompanied by simulation results with a transient hardening model. © The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2017.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-51493-2_20

• 2017 • 123	Annealing induced void formation in epitaxial Al thin films on sapphire (α-Al2O3) Hieke, S.W. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. Acta Materialia 140 355-365 (2017) In this work faceted voids are studied which were induced by solid state dewetting at 600 °C of tetracrystalline Al thin films covered with a native oxide layer. Hexagonally shaped voids are observed in a few locations where Al is uniformly redistributed to the surrounding thin film. Although faceted, the majority of the voids exhibit irregular shapes caused by pinning of distinct sides of the retracting Al thin film. The two different Al|void shapes (hexagonal or irregular) are investigated by site-specific cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The TEM studies reveal Al|void regions with and without rims and ridges. The presence of rims and ridges is explained by a discontinuous void formation process caused by pinning of the retracting Al film. During annealing, crystallization and a thickness increase of the surface oxide, which is still continuously covering the Al thin film as well as the void, occurs. The surface scale undergoes a phase transformation from the amorphous state to γ-Al2O3, which is confirmed locally on the nanometer scale using scanning TEM techniques including electron energy loss near-edge structure investigations. Spherical aberration corrected atomic column resolved scanning TEM revealed a cube-on-cube orientation relationship between the Al thin film and the γ-Al2O3 surface oxide. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.08.050

• 2017 • 122	Automated synthesis of quantum dot nanocrystals by hot injection: Mixing induced self-focusing Salaheldin, A.M. and Walter, J. and Herre, P. and Levchuk, I. and Jabbari, Y. and Kolle, J.M. and Brabec, C.J. and Peukert, W. and Segets, D. Chemical Engineering Journal 320 232-243 (2017) The hot injection technique for the synthesis of quantum dots (QDs) is a well-established and widely used method in the lab. However, scale-up rules do not exist. One reason is that in particular the role of process parameters like mixing on particle formation is largely unknown, as systematic examination of the latter is impossible for the laborious and complex manual synthesis. Herein we studied the mixing induced self-focusing of particle size distributions (PSDs) of CdSe QDs using automation in combination with a defined stirrer geometry. Basis for our study is a platform that allows parallelization with inline temperature monitoring, defined injection rate, accurate sampling times as well as controlled stirring. Reproducibility in terms of optical product properties was analyzed by absorption and emission whereas reproducibility in terms of the PSD was verified by deconvolution of UV/Vis absorbance spectra and especially by analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) complemented by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In line with previous results, AUC confirmed that even QDs made by hot injection in an automated setup are polydisperse with multimodal size distributions. Finally, reproducibility in combination with early stage sampling and controlled mixing allowed us for the first time to analyze the influence of stirring on focusing and defocusing of PSDs, that has been expressed in terms of the evolution of the relative standard deviation (RSD). Our work paves the way to gain in-depth understanding of often forgotten process-structure relationships of colloidal nanoparticles which eventually is a first step in the direction of the development of scalable synthesis and reliable application of high-quality QDs in technical applications. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2017.02.154

• 2017 • 121	Coarsening of Y-rich oxide particles in 9%Cr-ODS Eurofer steel annealed at 1350 °C Sandim, M.J.R. and Souza Filho, I.R. and Bredda, E.H. and Kostka, A. and Raabe, D. and Sandim, H.R.Z. Journal of Nuclear Materials 484 283-287 (2017) Oxide-dispersion strengthened (ODS) Eurofer steel is targeted for structural applications in future fusion nuclear reactors. Samples were cold rolled down to 80% reduction in thickness and annealed at 1350 °C up to 8 h. The microstructural characterization was performed using Vickers microhardness testing, electron backscatter diffraction, scanning and scanning transmission electron microscopies. Experimental results provide evidence of coarsening of the Y-rich oxide particles in ODS-Eurofer steel annealed at 1350 °C within delta ferrite phase field. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.12.025

• 2017 • 120	Confined chemical and structural states at dislocations in Fe-9wt%Mn steels: A correlative TEM-atom probe study combined with multiscale modelling Kwiatkowski da Silva, A. and Leyson, G. and Kuzmina, M. and Ponge, D. and Herbig, M. and Sandlöbes, S. and Gault, B. and Neugebauer, J. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 124 305-315 (2017) We investigated a high-purity cold-rolled martensitic Fe-9wt%Mn alloy. Tensile tests performed at room temperature after tempering for 6 h at 450 °C showed discontinuous yielding. Such static strain ageing phenomena in Fe are usually associated with the segregation of interstitial elements such as C or N to dislocations. Here we show by correlative transmission electron microscopy (TEM)/atom probe tomography (APT) experiments that in this case Mn segregation to edge dislocations associated with the formation of confined austenitic states causes similar effects. The local chemical composition at the dislocation cores was investigated for different tempering temperatures by APT relative to the adjacent bcc matrix. In all cases the Mn partitioning to the dislocation core regions matches to the one between ferrite and austenite in thermodynamic equilibrium at the corresponding tempering temperature. Although a stable structural and chemical confined austenitic state has formed at the dislocation cores these regions do not grow further even upon prolonged tempering. Simulation reveals that the high Mn enrichment along the edge dislocation lines (25 at.%Mn at 450 °C) cannot be described merely as a Cottrell atmosphere formed by segregation driven by size interaction. Thermodynamic calculations based on a multiscale model indicate that these austenite states at the dislocation cores are subcritical and defect-stabilized by the compression stress field of the edge dislocations. Phenomenologically, these states are the 1D equivalent to the so-called complexions which have been extensively reported to be present at 2D defects, hence have been named linear complexions. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.11.013

• 2017 • 119	Cross-Linking of a Hydrophilic, Antimicrobial Polycation toward a Fast-Swelling, Antimicrobial Superabsorber and Interpenetrating Hydrogel Networks with Long Lasting Antimicrobial Properties Strassburg, A. and Petranowitsch, J. and Paetzold, F. and Krumm, C. and Peter, E. and Meuris, M. and Köller, M. and Tiller, J.C. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 9 36573-36582 (2017) A hemocompatible, antimicrobial 3,4en-ionene (PBI) derived by polyaddition of trans-1,4-dibromo-2-butene and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-propanediamine was cross-linked via its bromine end groups using tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) to form a fast-swelling, antimicrobial superabsorber. This superabsorber is taking up the 30-fold of its weight in 60 s and the granulated material is taking up 96-fold of its weight forming a hydrogel. It fully prevents growth of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The PBI network was swollen with 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate and glycerol dimethacrylate followed by photopolymerization to form an interpenetrating hydrogel (IPH) with varying PBI content in the range of 2.0 to 7.8 wt %. The nanophasic structure of the IPH was confirmed by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The bacterial cells of the nosocomial strains Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are killed on the IPH even at the lowest PBI concentration. The antimicrobial activity was retained after washing the hydrogels for up to 4 weeks. The IPHs show minor leaching of PBI far below its antimicrobial active concentration using a new quantitative test for PBI detection in solution. This leaching was shown to be insufficient to form an inhibition zone and killing bacterial cells in the surroundings of the IPH. © 2017 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsami.7b10049

• 2017 • 118	Dislocation activities at the martensite phase transformation interface in metastable austenitic stainless steel: An in-situ TEM study Liu, J. and Chen, C. and Feng, Q. and Fang, X. and Wang, H. and Liu, F. and Lu, J. and Raabe, D. Materials Science and Engineering A 703 236-243 (2017) Understanding the mechanism of martensitic transformation is of great importance in developing advanced high strength steels, especially TRansformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels. The TRIP effect leads to enhanced work-hardening rate, postponed onset of necking and excellent formability. In-situ transmission electron microscopy has been performed to systematically investigate the dynamic interactions between dislocations and α′ martensite at microscale. Local stress concentrations, e.g. from notches or dislocation pile-ups, render free edges and grain boundaries favorable nucleation sites for α′ martensite. Its growth leads to partial dislocation emission on two independent slip planes from the hetero-interface when the austenite matrix is initially free of dislocations. The kinematic analysis reveals that activating slip systems on two independent {111} planes of austenite are necessary in accommodating the interfacial mismatch strain. Full dislocation emission is generally observed inside of austenite regions that contain high density of dislocations. In both situations, phase boundary propagation generates large amounts of dislocations entering into the matrix, which renders the total deformation compatible and provide substantial strain hardening of the host phase. These moving dislocation sources enable plastic relaxation and prevent local damage accumulation by intense slipping on the softer side of the interfacial region. Thus, finely dispersed martensite distribution renders plastic deformation more uniform throughout the austenitic matrix, which explains the exceptional combination of strength and ductility of TRIP steels. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2017.06.107

• 2017 • 117	Dislocation interaction and twinning-induced plasticity in face-centered cubic Fe-Mn-C micro-pillars Choi, W.S. and Sandlöbes, S. and Malyar, N.V. and Kirchlechner, C. and Korte-Kerzel, S. and Dehm, G. and De Cooman, B.C. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 132 162-173 (2017) Deformation twinning contributes to a high work-hardening rate through modification of the dislocation structure and a dynamic Hall-Petch effect in polycrystalline steel. Due to the well-defined compression axis and limited deformation volume of micro-pillars, micro-compression testing is a suitable method to investigate the mechanisms of deformation twinning and the interactions of dislocations with twin boundaries. The material investigated is an austenitic Fe-22 wt%Mn-0.6 wt%C twining-induced plasticity steel. Micro-pillars oriented preferentially for deformation twinning and dislocation glide are compressed and the activated deformation systems are characterized. We observe that deformation twinning induces higher flow stresses and a more unstable work-hardening behavior than dislocation glide, while dislocation glide dominated deformation results in a stable work-hardening behavior. The higher flow stresses and unstable work-hardening behavior in micro-pillars oriented for deformation twinning are assumed to be caused by the activation of secondary slip systems and accumulated plastic deformation. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.04.043

• 2017 • 116	Duplex stainless steel fabricated by selective laser melting - Microstructural and mechanical properties Hengsbach, F. and Koppa, P. and Duschik, K. and Holzweissig, M.J. and Burns, M. and Nellesen, J. and Tillmann, W. and Tröster, T. and Hoyer, K.-P. and Schaper, M. Materials and Design 133 136-142 (2017) In the scope of the present study, microstructural and mechanical characterizations of duplex stainless steel UNS S31803 processed by selective laser melting (SLM) are conducted. The findings shed light on the phase arrangement evolving in the as-built condition and in several heat-treated conditions. In the as-built condition, austenite formation is almost suppressed due to process-related high cooling rates. Therefore, several heat treatments ranging from 900 °C to 1200 °C for 5 min each were performed in order to adjust to the desired austenitic-ferritic microstructure. Results generated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveal a high dislocation density induced during SLM fabrication, such that a recrystallized microstructure prevails after the heat treatment. Tensile tests display the severe impact of the heat treatment on the resulting mechanical response. The nearly complete ferritic as-built specimens obtain a higher ultimate tensile strength and a reduced elongation at fracture compared to the heat-treated specimens. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2017.07.046

• 2017 • 115	Electronic structure of metastable bcc Cu-Cr alloy thin films: Comparison of electron energy-loss spectroscopy and first-principles calculations Liebscher, C.H. and Freysoldt, C. and Dennenwaldt, T. and Harzer, T.P. and Dehm, G. Ultramicroscopy 178 96-104 (2017) Metastable Cu-Cr alloy thin films with nominal thickness of 300nm and composition of Cu67Cr33 (at%) are obtained by co-evaporation using molecular beam epitaxy. The microstructure, chemical phase separation and electronic structure are investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The thin film adopts the body-centered cubic crystal structure and consists of columnar grains with ~50nm diameter. Aberration-corrected scanning TEM in combination with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirms compositional fluctuations within the grains. Cu- and Cr-rich domains with composition of Cu85Cr15 (at%) and Cu42Cr58 (at%) and domain size of 1-5nm are observed. The alignment of the interface between the Cu- and Cr-rich domains shows a preference for (110)-type habit plane. The electronic structure of the Cu-Cr thin films is investigated by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and is contrasted to an fcc-Cu reference sample. The experimental EEL spectra are compared to spectra computed by density functional theory. The main differences between bcc-and fcc-Cu are related to differences in van Hove singularities in the electron density of states. In Cu-Cr solid solutions with bcc crystal structure a single peak after the L3-edge, corresponding to a van Hove singularity at the N-point of the first Brillouin zone is observed. Spectra computed for pure bcc-Cu and random Cu-Cr solid solutions with 10at% Cr confirm the experimental observations. The calculated spectrum for a perfect Cu50Cr50 (at%) random structure shows a shift in the van Hove singularity towards higher energy by developing a Cu-Cr d-band that lies between the delocalized d-bands of Cu and Cr. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2016.07.011

• 2017 • 114	Experimental and Theoretical Understanding of Nitrogen-Doping-Induced Strong Metal-Support Interactions in Pd/TiO2 Catalysts for Nitrobenzene Hydrogenation Chen, P. and Khetan, A. and Yang, F. and Migunov, V. and Weide, P. and Stürmer, S.P. and Guo, P. and Kähler, K. and Xia, W. and Mayer, J. and Pitsch, H. and Simon, U. and Muhler, M. ACS Catalysis 7 1197-1206 (2017) By doping the TiO2 support with nitrogen, strong metal-support interactions (SMSI) in Pd/TiO2 catalysts can be tailored to obtain high-performance supported Pd nanoparticles (NPs) in nitrobenzene (NB) hydrogenation catalysis. According to the comparative studies by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and diffuse reflectance CO FTIR (CO-DRIFTS), N-doping induced a structural promoting effect, which is beneficial for the dispersion of Pd species on TiO2. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy study of Pd on N-doped TiO2 confirmed a predominant presence of sub-2 nm Pd NPs, which are stable under the applied hydrogenation conditions. XPS and CO-DRIFTS revealed the formation of strongly coupled Pd-N species in Pd/TiO2 with N-doped TiO2 as support. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations over model systems with Pdn (n = 1, 5, or 10) clusters deposited on TiO2(101) surface were performed to verify and supplement the experimental observations. In hydrogenation catalysis using NB as a model molecule, Pd NPs on N-doped TiO2 outperformed those on N-free TiO2 in terms of both catalytic activity and stability, which can be attributed to the presence of highly dispersed Pd NPs providing more active sites, and to the formation of Pd-N species favoring the dissociative adsorption of the reactant NB and the easier desorption of the product aniline. (Figure Presented). © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.6b02963

• 2017 • 113	Formation Mechanism of Laser-Synthesized Iron-Manganese Alloy Nanoparticles, Manganese Oxide Nanosheets and Nanofibers Zhang, D. and Ma, Z. and Spasova, M. and Yelsukova, A.E. and Lu, S. and Farle, M. and Wiedwald, U. and Gökce, B. Particle and Particle Systems Characterization 34 1600225 (2017) Laser ablation in liquids (LAL) has emerged as a versatile approach for the synthesis of alloy particles and oxide nanomaterials. However, complex chemical reactions often take place during synthesis due to inevitable atomization and ionization of the target materials and decomposition/hydrolysis of solvent/solution molecules, making it difficult to understand the particle formation mechanisms. In this paper, a possible route for the formation of FeMn alloy nanoparticles as well as MnOx nanoparticles, -sheets, and -fibers by LAL is presented. The observed structural, compositional, and morphological variations are clarified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The studies suggest that a reaction between Mn atoms and Fe ions followed by surface oxidation result in nonstoichiometric synthesis of Fe-rich FeMn@FeMn2O4 core-shell alloy particles. Interestingly, a phase transformation from Mn3O4 to Mn2O3 and finally to Ramsdellite γ-MnO2 is accompanied by a morphology change from nanosheets to nanofibers in gradually increasing oxidizing environments. High-resolution TEM images reveal that the particle-attachment mechanism dominates the growth of different manganese oxides. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/ppsc.201600225

• 2017 • 112	Formation of nanometer-sized Cu-Sn-Se particles in Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin-films and their effect on solar cell efficiency Schwarz, T. and Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. and Mousel, M. and Redinger, A. and Raabe, D. and Choi, P.-P. Acta Materialia 132 276-284 (2017) Atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy are used to study the formation of nano-sized Cu-Sn-Se particles in Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin-films. For a Cu-rich precursor, which was deposited at 320 °C under Cu- and Zn-rich growth conditions, Cu2-xSe grains at the surface are detected. During annealing the precursor at 500 °C in a SnSe + Se atmosphere most of the Cu2-xSe is transformed to Cu2ZnSnSe4 via the consumption of excessive ZnSe and incorporation of Sn. However, atom probe tomography studies also reveal the formation of various nanometer-sized Cu-Sn-Se particles close to the CdS/Cu2ZnSnSe4 interface. One of those particles has a composition close to the Cu2SnSe3 compound. This phase has a smaller band gap than Cu2ZnSnSe4 and is proposed to lead to a significant drop in the open-circuit voltage and could be the main cause for a detrimental p-n junction and the zero efficiency of the final device. Possible effects of the other phases on solar cell performance and formation mechanisms are discussed as well. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.04.056

• 2017 • 111	Functional NiTi grids for in situ straining in the TEM Schürmann, U. and Chluba, C. and Wolff, N. and Smazna, D. and Lima de Miranda, R. and Junker, P. and Adelung, R. and Quandt, E. and Kienle, L. Ultramicroscopy 182 10-16 (2017) In situ measurements are a pivotal extension of conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By means of the shape memory alloy NiTi thin film Functional Grids were produced for in situ straining as alternative or at least complement of expensive commercial holders. Due to the martensite-austenite transition temperature straining effects can be observed by use of customary heating holders in the range of 50 to 100  °C. The grids can be produced in diversified designs to fit for different strain situations. Micro tensile tests were performed and compared with finite element simulations to estimate the applied forces on the sample and to predict the functionality of different grid designs. As a first example of this Functional Grid technology, we demonstrate the impact of applying a strain to a network of ZnO tetrapods. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2017.06.003

• 2017 • 110	Identification of a ternary μ-phase in the Co-Ti-W system – An advanced correlative thin-film and bulk combinatorial materials investigation Naujoks, D. and Eggeler, Y.M. and Hallensleben, P. and Frenzel, J. and Fries, S.G. and Palumbo, M. and Koßmann, J. and Hammerschmidt, T. and Pfetzing-Micklich, J. and Eggeler, G. and Spiecker, E. and Drautz, R. and Ludwig, Al. Acta Materialia 138 100-110 (2017) The formation of a ternary μ-phase is documented for the system Co-Ti-W. The relevant compositional stability range is identified by high-throughput energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electrical resistance and X-ray diffraction maps from a thin-film materials library (1 μm thickness). Bulk samples of the identified compositions were fabricated to allow for correlative film and bulk studies. Using analytical scanning and transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate that in both, thin film and bulk samples, the D85 phase (μ-phase) coexists with the C36-phase and the A2-phase at comparable average chemical compositions. Young's moduli and hardness values of the μ-phase and the C36-phase were determined by nanoindentation. The trends of experimentally obtained elastic moduli are consistent with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. DFT analysis also supports the experimental findings, that the μ-phase can solve up to 18 at.% Ti. Based on the experimental and DFT results it is shown that CALPHAD modeling can be modified to account for the new findings. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.07.037

• 2017 • 109	In-situ tracking the structural and chemical evolution of nanostructured CuCr alloys Zhang, Z. and Guo, J. and Dehm, G. and Pippan, R. Acta Materialia 138 42-51 (2017) We report the thermal stability of supersaturated CuCr nanocrystallines alloys at the atomic resolution using modern spherical aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM) via performing in-situ structural and spectroscopy experiments. It is found that CuCr nanocrystallines are not only subjected to a structural change but also undergo a chemical evolution upon annealing. Chemical destabilization of supersaturated CuCr nanocrystallines occurs at a quite low temperature. Heating triggers a rapid separation of Cu and Cr grains at the forced intermixing zone, accompanied by an obvious decrease of average interface width whereas the grain growth is not significant. Elemental profiles and images recorded in real time reveal that the local compositions vary with heating, which in turn permits to derive the concentration of excess vacancy generated by deformation and observe its evolution with temperature, further to analyze the dynamic behavior in nanocrystalline materials. Electronic structure changes at the interface forced intermixing zone are revealed by the fine structure analysis. The study uncovers the interplay between the thermal stability and chemical decomposition process of bulk nanostructured materials in real-time. © 2017
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.07.039

• 2017 • 108	Influence of rhenium on γ′-strengthened cobalt-base superalloys Kolb, M. and Zenk, C.H. and Kirzinger, A. and Povstugar, I. and Raabe, D. and Neumeier, S. and Göken, M. Journal of Materials Research 32 2551-2559 (2017) The element Re is known to be a very potent strengthener concerning the creep properties of Ni-base superalloys. In this paper the influence of Re on the properties of new γ′-strengthened Co-base superalloys is addressed. Atom probe tomography reveals that Re partitions preferentially to the γ phase, but not as pronounced as in ni-base superalloys. Nanoindentation and micro-pillar compression tests of the γ′ phase indicate an increase of the hardness and the critical resolved shear stress caused by a considerable concentration of Re in the γ′ phase. Creep investigations show that the positive effect of Re is by far not as pronounced as in Ni-base superalloys. Several effects, which can contribute to this behavior, such as the lower Re concentration in γ and hence a slightly reduced effective diffusion coefficient, a smaller diffusion barrier of Re in Co compared to Ni, a slightly lower lattice misfit and γ′ volume fraction of the Re-containing alloy, are discussed. © Materials Research Society 2017.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1557/jmr.2017.242

• 2017 • 107	In–situ TEM study of diffusion kinetics and electron irradiation effects on the Cr phase separation of a nanocrystalline Cu–4 at.% Cr thin film alloy Harzer, T.P. and Duarte, M.J. and Dehm, G. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 695 1583-1590 (2017) The Cr phase separation process and kinetics of a metastable Cu96Cr4 alloy film were investigated by isothermal annealing at different temperatures of up to 500 °C using transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that the Cr phase separation proceeds predominantly via enrichment of Cr at grain boundaries and grain boundary diffusion. Temperature dependent diffusion coefficients and the activation energy for grain boundary diffusion of Cr in face–centered cubic Cu are determined from analytical in–situ transmission electron microscopy experiments. In addition, the influence of electron beam irradiation on the diffusion kinetics is considered. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.10.302

• 2017 • 106	Kinetics and crystallization path of a Fe-based metallic glass alloy Duarte, M.J. and Kostka, A. and Crespo, D. and Jimenez, J.A. and Dippel, A.-C. and Renner, F.U. and Dehm, G. Acta Materialia 127 341-350 (2017) The thermal stability and the quantification of the different transformation processes involved in the overall crystallization of the Fe50Cr15Mo14C15B6 amorphous alloy were investigated by several characterization techniques. Formation of various metastable and stable phases during the devitrification process in the sequence α-Fe, χ-Cr6Fe18Mo5, M23(C,B)6, M7C3, η-Fe3Mo3C and FeMo2B2 (with M = Fe, Cr, Mo), was observed by in-situ synchrotron high energy X-ray diffraction and in-situ transmission electron microscopy. By combining these techniques with differential scanning calorimetry data, the crystallization states and their temperature range of stability under continuous heating were related with the evolution of the crystallized fraction and the phase sequence as a function of temperature, revealing structural and chemical details of the different transformation mechanisms. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.01.031

• 2017 • 105	Laser-induced growth of YVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles from sequential flowing aqueous suspension Wang, H. and Lau, M. and Sannomiya, T. and Gökce, B. and Barcikowski, S. and Odawara, O. and Wada, H. RSC Advances 7 9002-9008 (2017) Ligand-free lanthanide ion-doped oxide nanoparticles have critical biological applications. An environmentally friendly and chemically green synthesis of YVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles with high crystallinity is achieved using a physical method, laser irradiation from sequential flowing aqueous suspension in a free liquid reactor. The fabricated nanoparticles have an ovoid or spindle shape depending on the number of laser irradiation cycles. A transmission electron microscopy study showed that spindle-like particles are single-crystalline with high crystallinity, which is beneficial for high luminescence efficiency. Strong light emission even from a single particle was confirmed by cathodoluminescence mapping. A possible mechanism of nanoparticle formation was proposed as follows. Primary nanocrystals were produced from the plasma plume and self-assembled into ovoid-like nanoparticles via oriented attachment. After several cycles of laser irradiation, we observed spindle-like nanoparticles that were much longer than the ovoid-like particles. The spindle-like nanoparticles grew as a result of the diffusion and coalescence of the ovoid-like nanoparticles during repetitive laser irradiation. These findings provide useful information for the formation of ligand-free luminescent nanoparticles with different sizes based on YVO4. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c6ra28118d

• 2017 • 104	Linear and nonlinear behaviour of near-IR intersubband transitions of cubic GaN/AlN multi quantum well structures Wecker, T. and Jostmeier, T. and Rieger, T. and Neumann, E. and Pawlis, A. and Betz, M. and Reuter, D. and As, D.J. Journal of Crystal Growth 477 149-153 (2017) The linear and nonlinear behaviour of intersubband transitions of cubic GaN/AlN multi quantum well (QW) structures in the IR spectral region is investigated. In this study photoluminescence, IR absorption as well as pump-probe measurements are done. Two cubic GaN/AlN multi quantum wells with Si content of NSi ~1019 cm-3 in the cubic GaN quantum wells were grown on 3C-SiC (001) substrate by radio-frequency plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. A broad IR absorption with a FWHM of 370meV was found with a maximum at 0.7eV, corresponding to the intersubband transition of the multi quantum wells. The nonlinear optical measurement reveals a clear change of transmission for a pump pulse with an angle of incidence of 65°. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy measurements are used to determine the real layer thicknesses. These thickness values are exploited in the calculation with the Schrödinger-Poisson solver nextnano3. The simulated transition energies agree very well with the experimental data for the photoluminescence and the absorption measurement. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2017.01.022

• 2017 • 103	Maintaining strength in supersaturated copper–chromium thin films annealed at 0.5 of the melting temperature of Cu Raghavan, R. and Harzer, T.P. and Djaziri, S. and Hieke, S.W. and Kirchlechner, C. and Dehm, G. Journal of Materials Science 52 913-920 (2017) The thermal stability of evaporated copper–chromium alloy films was studied by correlating hardness trends from nanoindentation to nanostructural–compositional changes from transmission electron microscopy. In particular, the hardness evolution with ageing time at ambient and elevated temperatures of two compositions, dilute (Cu96Cr4) and chromium-rich (Cu67Cr33) solutions, was studied. Due to the negligible mutual miscibility of copper and chromium, the chosen solid solutions are trapped in metastable states as supersaturated solid solutions with face-centred cubic and body-centred cubic phases. Nano-mechanical probing of the nanostructural evolution as a function of temperature provided interesting insights into the phase separation of these systems. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10853-016-0386-6

• 2017 • 102	Nanostructure of and structural defects in a Mo2BC hard coating investigated by transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography Gleich, S. and Fager, H. and Bolvardi, H. and Achenbach, J.-O. and Soler, R. and Pradeep, K.G. and Schneider, J.M. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. Journal of Applied Physics 122 (2017) In this work, the nanostructure of a Mo2BC hard coating was determined by several transmission electron microscopy methods and correlated with the mechanical properties. The coating was deposited on a Si (100) wafer by bipolar pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering from a Mo2BC compound target in Ar at a substrate temperature of 630 °C. Transmission electron microscopy investigations revealed structural features at various length scales: bundles (30 nm to networks of several micrometers) consisting of columnar grains (∼10 nm in diameter), grain boundary regions with a less ordered atomic arrangement, and defects including disordered clusters (∼1.5 nm in diameter) as well as stacking faults within the grains. The most prominent defect with a volume fraction of ∼0.5% is the disordered clusters, which were investigated in detail by electron energy loss spectroscopy and atom probe tomography. The results provide conclusive evidence that Ar is incorporated into the Mo2BC film as disordered Ar-rich Mo-B-C clusters of approximately 1.5 nm in diameter. Hardness values of 28 ± 1 GPa were obtained by nanoindentation tests. The Young's modulus of the Mo2BC coating exhibits a value of 462 ± 9 GPa, which is consistent with ab initio calculations for crystalline and defect free Mo2BC and measurements of combinatorically deposited Mo2BC thin films at a substrate temperature of 900 °C. We conclude that a reduction of the substrate temperature of 270 °C has no significant influence on hardness and Young's modulus of the Mo2BC hard coating, even if its nanostructure exhibits defects. © 2017 Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.4999304

• 2017 • 101	On the threshold for ion track formation in CaF2 Karlušić, M. and Ghica, C. and Negrea, R.F. and Siketić, Z. and Jakšić, M. and Schleberger, M. and Fazinić, S. New Journal of Physics 19 (2017) There is an ongoing debate regarding the mechanism of swift heavy ion (SHI) track formation in CaF2. The objective of this study is to shed light on this important topic using a range of complementary experimental techniques. Evidence of the threshold for ion track formation being below 3 keV nm-1 is provided by both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy in the channelling mode, which has direct consequences for the validity of models describing the response of CaF2 to SHI irradiation. Furthermore, information about the elemental composition within the ion tracks is obtained using scanning TEM, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and with respect to the stoichiometry of the materials surface by in situ time of flight elastic recoil detection analysis. Advances in the analyses of the experimental data presented here pave the way for a better understanding of the ion track formation. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/1367-2630/aa5914

• 2017 • 100	Potential of an alumina-supported Ni3Fe catalyst in the methanation of CO2: Impact of alloy formation on activity and stability Mutz, B. and Belimov, M. and Wang, W. and Sprenger, P. and Serrer, M.A. and Wang, D. and Pfeifer, P. and Kleist, W. and Grunwaldt, J.-D. ACS Catalysis 7 6802-6814 (2017) A promising bimetallic 17 wt % Ni3Fe catalyst supported on γ-Al2O3 was prepared via homogeneous deposition-precipitation for the application in the methanation of CO2 to gather more detailed insight into the structure and performance of the catalyst compared to state-of-the-art methanation systems. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, detailed investigations using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis (EDX) of single particles as well as larger areas, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging, temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), and in-depth interpretation of Raman bands led to the conclusion that a high fraction of the Ni and Fe formed the desired Ni3Fe alloy resulting in small and well-defined nanoparticles with 4 nm in size and a dispersion of 24%. For comparison, a monometallic catalyst with similar dispersion using the same preparation method and analysis was prepared. Using a fixed-bed reactor, the Ni3Fe catalyst showed better low-temperature performance compared to a monometallic Ni reference catalyst, especially at elevated pressures. Longterm experiments in a microchannel packed bed reactor under industrially relevant reaction conditions in competition with a commercial Ni-based methanation catalyst revealed an improved performance of the Ni3Fe system at 358°C and 6 bar involving enhanced conversion of CO2 to 71%, selectivity to CH4 > 98%, and most notably a high stability. Deactivation occurred only at lower temperatures, which was related to carbon deposition due to an increased CO production. Kinetic measurements were compared with literature models derived for Ni/Al2O3 catalysts, which fit well but underestimate the performance of the Ni3Fe system, emphasizing the synergetic effect of Ni and Fe. © 2017 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.7b01896

• 2017 • 99	Reasons for the superior mechanical properties of medium-entropy CrCoNi compared to high-entropy CrMnFeCoNi Laplanche, G. and Kostka, A. and Reinhart, C. and Hunfeld, J. and Eggeler, G. and George, E.P. Acta Materialia 128 292-303 (2017) The tensile properties of CrCoNi, a medium-entropy alloy, have been shown to be significantly better than those of CrMnFeCoNi, a high-entropy alloy. To understand the deformation mechanisms responsible for its superiority, tensile tests were performed on CrCoNi at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) and room temperature (293 K) and interrupted at different strains. Microstructural analyses by transmission electron microscopy showed that, during the early stage of plasticity, deformation occurs by the glide of 1/2<110> dislocations dissociated into 1/6<112> Shockley partials on {111} planes, similar to the behavior of CrMnFeCoNi. Measurements of the partial separations yielded a stacking fault energy of 22 ± 4 mJ m−2, which is ∼25% lower than that of CrMnFeCoNi. With increasing strain, nanotwinning appears as an additional deformation mechanism in CrCoNi. The critical resolved shear stress for twinning in CrCoNi with 16 μm grain size is 260 ± 30 MPa, roughly independent of temperature, and comparable to that of CrMnFeCoNi having similar grain size. However, the yield strength and work hardening rate of CrCoNi are higher than those of CrMnFeCoNi. Consequently, the twinning stress is reached earlier (at lower strains) in CrCoNi. This in turn results in an extended strain range where nanotwinning can provide high, steady work hardening, leading to the superior mechanical properties (ultimate strength, ductility, and toughness) of medium-entropy CrCoNi compared to high-entropy CrMnFeCoNi. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.02.036

• 2017 • 98	Role of Nanostructuring and Microstructuring in Silver Antimony Telluride Compounds for Thermoelectric Applications Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. and Abdellaoui, L. and Nagli, M. and Zhang, S. and Yu, Y. and Scheu, C. and Raabe, D. and Wuttig, M. and Amouyal, Y. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 9 14779-14790 (2017) Thermoelectric (TE) materials are of utmost significance for conversion of heat flux into electrical power in the low-power regime. Their conversion efficiency depends strongly on the microstructure. AgSbTe2-based compounds are high-efficiency TE materials suitable for the mid-temperature range. Herein, we explore an Ag16.7Sb30Te53.3 alloy (at %) subjected to heat treatments at 380 °C for different durations aimed at nucleation and coarsening of Sb2Te3-precipitates. To characterize the Sb2Te3-precipitation, we use a set of methods combining thermal and electrical measurements in concert with transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. We find correlations between the measured TE transport coefficients and the applied heat treatments. Specifically, the lowest electrical and thermal conductivity values are obtained for the as-quenched state, whereas the highest values are observed for alloys aged for 8 h. In turn, long-term heat treatments result in intermediate values of transport coefficients. We explain these findings in terms of interplay between precipitate formation and variations in the matrix composition, highlighting the importance of thermal stability of the material under service conditions. © 2017 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsami.7b00689

• 2017 • 97	Room temperature deformation of LPSO structures by non-basal slip Chen, R. and Sandlöbes, S. and Zeng, X. and Li, D. and Korte-Kerzel, S. and Raabe, D. Materials Science and Engineering A 682 354-358 (2017) We investigated the deformation mechanisms of long period stacking ordered (LPSO) structures in an extruded Mg97Y2Zn1 (at%) alloy. Tensile deformation was performed in such a way that basal slip and kink band formation were inhibited. Slip trace analysis and transmission electron microscopy reveal a predominant activity of non-basal < a&gt; slip. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2016.11.056

• 2017 • 96	Stability, phase separation and oxidation of a supersaturated nanocrystalline Cu-33 at.% Cr thin film alloy Harzer, T.P. and Dehm, G. Thin Solid Films 623 48-58 (2017) A binary nanocrystalline Cu67Cr33 thin film alloy consisting of columnar grains was synthesized via co-evaporation of the constituent elements under non-equilibrium ultra-high vacuum conditions using molecular beam epitaxy. In the as-deposited state, the alloy film is a supersaturated solid solution with a single-phase body-centered cubic structure. In order to study the thermal stability of the microstructure and phase separation behavior towards the two phase equilibrium structure, isothermal annealing experiments in a temperature range of 150 °C – 500 °C were conducted inside a transmission electron microscope and compared to data obtained by X-ray diffraction under protective N2 atmosphere. It is shown that the single-phase nature of the alloy film is maintained for annealing temperatures of ≤ 300 °C, whereas heat treatment at temperatures of ≥ 400 °C results in the formation of a second phase, i.e. the equilibrium face-centered cubic phase of Cu. Phase separation proceeds predominantly by a spinodal-type decomposition process but a simultaneous diffusion of Cr along the columnar grain boundaries to the surface of the alloy film is observed as well. Temperature dependent diffusion coefficients for volume and grain boundary diffusion along with the activation energy for volume diffusion of Cr within the crystal lattice of the alloy film in a temperature range between 400 °C – 500 °C are determined from analytical in situ transmission electron microscopy experiments. Moreover, grain boundary diffusion of Cr leads to the growth of an external Cr-rich oxide scale. It is found that the growth kinetics of this oxide scale exhibits a transition from a linear to a nearly parabolic growth rate. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2016.12.048

• 2017 • 95	Strengthening and strain hardening mechanisms in a precipitation-hardened high-Mn lightweight steel Yao, M.J. and Welsch, E. and Ponge, D. and Haghighat, S.M.H. and Sandlöbes, S. and Choi, P. and Herbig, M. and Bleskov, I. and Hickel, T. and Lipinska-Chwalek, M. and Shanthraj, P. and Scheu, C. and Zaefferer, S. and Gault, B. an... Acta Materialia 140 258-273 (2017) We report on the strengthening and strain hardening mechanisms in an aged high-Mn lightweight steel (Fe-30.4Mn-8Al-1.2C, wt.%) studied by electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atom probe tomography (APT) and correlative TEM/APT. Upon isothermal annealing at 600 °C, nano-sized κ-carbides form, as characterized by TEM and APT. The resultant alloy exhibits high strength and excellent ductility accompanied by a high constant strain hardening rate. In comparison to the as-quenched κ-free state, the precipitation of κ-carbides leads to a significant increase in yield strength (∼480 MPa) without sacrificing much tensile elongation. To study the strengthening and strain hardening behavior of the precipitation-hardened material, deformation microstructures were analyzed at different strain levels. TEM and correlative TEM/APT results show that the κ-carbides are primarily sheared by lattice dislocations, gliding on the typical face-centered-cubic (fcc) slip system {111}<110>, leading to particle dissolution and solute segregation. Ordering strengthening is the predominant strengthening mechanism. As the deformation substructure is characterized by planar slip bands, we quantitatively studied the evolution of the slip band spacing during straining to understand the strain hardening behavior. A good agreement between the calculated flow stresses and the experimental data suggests that dynamic slip band refinement is the main strain hardening mechanism. The influence of κ-carbides on mechanical properties is discussed by comparing the results with that of the same alloy in the as-quenched, κ-free state. © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.08.049

• 2017 • 94	Surface optical phonon propagation in defect modulated nanowires Venkatesan, S. and Mancabelli, T. and Krogstrup, P. and Hartschuh, A. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. Journal of Applied Physics 121 (2017) Planar defects, such as stacking faults and twins, are the most common defects in III-V semiconductor nanowires. Here we report on the effect of surface perturbation caused by twin planes on surface optical (SO) phonon modes. Self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires with varying planar defect density were grown by molecular beam epitaxy and investigated by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SO phonon peaks have been detected, and the corresponding spatial period along the nanowire axis were measured to be 1.47 μm (±0.47 μm) and 446 nm (±35 nm) for wires with twin densities of about 0.6 (±0.2) and 2.2 (±0.18) per micron. For the wires with extremely high density of twins, no SO phonon peaks were detected. TEM analysis of the wires reveal that the average distance between the defects are in good agreement with the SO phonon spatial period determined by Raman spectroscopy. © 2017 Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.4976564

• 2017 • 93	Tailoring microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of NiTi thin films by controlling in-situ annealing temperature Momeni, S. and Biskupek, J. and Tillmann, W. Thin Solid Films 628 13-21 (2017) Magnetron sputtered near equiatomic NiTi thin films were deposited on Si (100) and hot work tool steel substrates. The deposited thin films were in-situ annealed at four different temperatures viz., 80 °C, 305 °C, 425 °C, and 525 °C. The effect of the in-situ annealing temperature on the microstructure of the film, the morphology, as well as mechanical and tribological properties was studied using X-ray diffraction, synchrotron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, ball-on-disc, scratch test, and three dimensional optical microscopy. The obtained results revealed how the variation of in-situ annealing temperature affects the crystallization, microstructure evolution, as well as mechanical and tribological properties of NiTi thin films. © 2017
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2017.02.052

• 2017 • 92	The Production of Cu Nanoparticles on Large Area Graphene by Sputtering and in-Flight Sintering Ünlü, C.G. and Acet, M. and Tekgül, A. and Farle, M. and Atakan, Ş. and Lindner, J. Crystal Research and Technology 52 (2017) We have developed a simple method to synthesize Cu nanoparticles on graphene, which is a composite that is currently investigated for use as biosensors. Firstly, large area graphene (2 × 2 cm2) was prepared by chemical vapor deposition on Cu foils and then transferred onto SiO2 substrates by a transfer process. The Cu nanoparticles were collected on graphene/SiO2 by magnetron sputtering. The presence of graphene was verified by optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The structure of graphene decorated with Cu nanoparticles was determined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the Cu nanoparticles acquire a cubic structure on graphene. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/crat.201700149

• 2017 • 91	Transmission electron microscopy study of the microstructural evolution during higherature and low-stress (011) [11] shear creep deformation of the superalloy single crystal LEK 94 Agudo Jácome, L. and Göbenli, G. and Eggeler, G. Journal of Materials Research 32 4491-4502 (2017) The present work describes the shear creep behavior of the superalloy LEK 94 at temperatures between 980 and 1050 °C and shear stresses between 50 and 140 MPa for loading on the macroscopic crystallographic shear system (MCSS) (011) . The strain rate versus strain curves show short primary and extended secondary creep regimes. We find an apparent activation energy for creep of Q app = 466 kJ/mol and a Norton-law stress exponent of n = 6. With scanning transmission electron microscopy, we characterize three material states that differ in temperature, applied stress, and accumulated strain/time. Rafting develops perpendicular to the maximum principal stress direction, γ channels fill with dislocations, superdislocations cut γ′ particles, and dislocation networks form at γ/γ′ interfaces. Our findings are in agreement with previous results for higherature and low-stress [001] and [110] tensile creep testing, and for shear creep testing of the superalloys CMSX-4 and CMSX-6 on the MCSSs (111) and (001)[100]. The parameters that characterize the evolving γ/γ′ microstructure and the evolving dislocation substructures depend on creep temperature, stress, strain, and time. © 2017 Materials Research Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1557/jmr.2017.336

• 2016 • 90	Are Mo2BC nanocrystalline coatings damage resistant? Insights from comparative tension experiments Djaziri, S. and Gleich, S. and Bolvardi, H. and Kirchlechner, C. and Hans, M. and Scheu, C. and Schneider, J.M. and Dehm, G. Surface and Coatings Technology 289 213-218 (2016) Mo2BC nanocrystalline coatings were deposited on Cu substrates to compare their mechanical performance with bench-mark TiAlN, and pure Mo, Al and Al2O3 reference coatings. The Mo2BC coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy to analyze the microstructure. In order to study the damage behavior, the coatings were subjected to uniaxial tensile loading and the crack spacing with increasing strain was monitored using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Based on crack density measurements, the Mo2BC coatings were found to be significantly less prone to cracking than the bench-mark TiAlN coatings. The higher resistance to cracking arises from the electronic structure of the Mo2BC nanolaminates, which imparts moderate ductility to the deformation behavior. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.02.010

• 2016 • 89	Autonomous Filling of Grain-Boundary Cavities during Creep Loading in Fe-Mo Alloys Zhang, S. and Fang, H. and Gramsma, M.E. and Kwakernaak, C. and Sloof, W.G. and Tichelaar, F.D. and Kuzmina, M. and Herbig, M. and Raabe, D. and Brück, E. and van der Zwaag, S. and van Dijk, N.H. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science 47 4831-4844 (2016) We have investigated the autonomous repair of creep damage by site-selective precipitation in a binary Fe-Mo alloy (6.2 wt pct Mo) during constant-stress creep tests at temperatures of 813 K, 823 K, and 838 K (540 °C, 550 °C, and 565 °C). Scanning electron microscopy studies on the morphology of the creep-failed samples reveal irregularly formed deposits that show a close spatial correlation with the creep cavities, indicating the filling of creep cavities at grain boundaries by precipitation of the Fe2Mo Laves phase. Complementary transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography have been used to characterize the precipitation mechanism and the segregation at grain boundaries in detail. © 2016, The Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s11661-016-3642-0

• 2016 • 88	Barrierless growth of precursor-free, ultrafast laser-fragmented noble metal nanoparticles by colloidal atom clusters - A kinetic in situ study Jendrzej, S. and Gökce, B. and Amendola, V. and Barcikowski, S. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 463 299-307 (2016) Unintended post-synthesis growth of noble metal colloids caused by excess amounts of reactants or highly reactive atom clusters represents a fundamental problem in colloidal chemistry, affecting product stability or purity. Hence, quantified kinetics could allow defining nanoparticle size determination in dependence of the time. Here, we investigate in situ the growth kinetics of ps pulsed laser-fragmented platinum nanoparticles in presence of naked atom clusters in water without any influence of reducing agents or surfactants. The nanoparticle growth is investigated for platinum covering a time scale of minutes to 50 days after nanoparticle generation, it is also supplemented by results obtained from gold and palladium. Since a minimum atom cluster concentration is exceeded, a significant growth is determined by time resolved UV/Vis spectroscopy, analytical disc centrifugation, zeta potential measurement and transmission electron microscopy. We suggest a decrease of atom cluster concentration over time, since nanoparticles grow at the expense of atom clusters. The growth mechanism during early phase (<1. day) of laser-synthesized colloid is kinetically modeled by rapid barrierless coalescence. The prolonged slow nanoparticle growth is kinetically modeled by a combination of coalescence and Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner kinetic for Ostwald ripening, validated experimentally by the temperature dependence of Pt nanoparticle size and growth quenching by Iodide anions. © 2015.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2015.10.032

• 2016 • 87	Beam-induced atomic migration at Ag-containing nanofacets at an asymmetric Cu grain boundary Peter, N.J. and Liebscher, C.H. and Kirchlechner, C. and Dehm, G. Journal of Materials Research 32 968-982 (2016) Besides the high spatial resolution achieved in aberration-corrected scanning transmission microscopy, beam-induced dynamic effects have to be considered for quantitative chemical characterization on the level of single atomic columns. The present study investigates the influence of imaging conditions in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope on the beam-induced atomic migration at a complex Ag-segregated, nanofaceted Cu grain boundary. Three distinct imaging conditions including static single image and serial image acquisition have been utilized. Chemical information on the Ag column occupation of single atomic columns at the grain boundary was extracted by the evolution of peak intensity ratios and compared to idealized scanning transmission electron microscopy image simulations. The atomic column occupation is underestimated when using conventional single frame acquisition due to an averaging of Ag atomic migration events during acquisition. Possible migration paths for the beam-induced atomic motion at a complex Cu grain boundary are presented. Copyright © Materials Research Society 2016
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1557/jmr.2016.398

• 2016 • 86	Characterization of the oleic acid/iron oxide nanoparticle interface by magnetic resonance Masur, S. and Zingsem, B. and Marzi, T. and Meckenstock, R. and Farle, M. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 415 8-12 (2016) The synthesis of colloidal nanoparticles involves surfactant molecules, which bind to the particle surface and stabilize nanoparticles against aggregation. In many cases these protecting shells also can be used for further functionalization. In this study, we investigated monodisperse single crystalline iron oxide core/shell nanoparticles (FexOy-NPs) in situ covered with an oleic acid layer which showed two electron spin resonance (ESR) signals. The nanoparticles with the ligands attached were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ferro- and paramagnetic resonance (FMR, EPR). Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the functional groups and revealed that the oleic acid (OA) is chemisorbed as a carboxylate on the iron oxide and is coordinated symmetrically to the oxide atoms. We show that the EPR signal of the OA ligand molecule can be used as a local probe to determine the temperature changes at the surface of the nanoparticle. © 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2016.03.045

• 2016 • 85	Conjugation of thiol-terminated molecules to ultrasmall 2 nm-gold nanoparticles leads to remarkably complex 1H-NMR spectra Schuetze, B. and Mayer, C. and Loza, K. and Gocyla, M. and Heggen, M. and Epple, M. Journal of Materials Chemistry B 4 2179-2189 (2016) Gold nanoparticles, functionalized by aliphatic and aromatic mercapto-functionalized carboxylic acids and by two small peptides (CG and CGGRGD), respectively, were synthesized by the reduction of HAuCl4 with NaBH4 in the presence of the above ligands. After purification by centrifugation or filtration and redispersion, the dispersed nanoparticles were analysed by differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and a variety of NMR spectroscopic techniques: 1H-NMR, 1H,1H-COSY and 1H-DOSY. The hydrodynamic diameter of the particles was between 1.8 and 4.4 nm, as determined by DOSY, in good agreement with the DCS and HRTEM results. Diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) turned out to be a valuable and non-destructive tool to determine the hydrodynamic diameter of dispersed nanoparticles and to control the purity of the final particles. The coordination of the organic molecules to the gold nanoparticles resulted in distinct and complex changes in the 1H-NMR spectra. These were only partially explainable but clearly caused by the vicinity of the molecules to the gold nanoparticle. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c5tb02443a

• 2016 • 84	Cr2O3 Nanoparticles on Ba5Ta4O15 as a Noble-Metal-Free Oxygen Evolution Co-Catalyst for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting Soldat, J. and Busser, G.W. and Muhler, M. and Wark, M. ChemCatChem 8 153-156 (2016) The (1 1 1)-layered perovskite material Ba5Ta4O15 represents a suitable photoabsorber with remarkable photocatalytic activity in overall water splitting. We are the first to demonstrate overall water splitting without the presence of a noble-metal-based co-catalyst over this catalyst. The photocatalytic activity of Ba5Ta4O15 was investigated by overall water splitting after reductive photodeposition of amorphous Cr2O3. The formation of Cr2O3 nanoparticles for water splitting was evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The reductive photodeposition of very low amounts of Cr2O3 on Ba5Ta4O15 induces stable rates in overall water splitting up to 465 μmol h-1 H2 and 228 μmol h-1 O2. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/cctc.201500977

• 2016 • 83	Decomposition of the single-phase high-entropy alloy CrMnFeCoNi after prolonged anneals at intermediate temperatures Otto, F. and Dlouhý, A. and Pradeep, K.G. and Kuběnová, M. and Raabe, D. and Eggeler, G. and George, E.P. Acta Materialia 112 40-52 (2016) Among the vast number of multi-principal-element alloys that are referred to as high-entropy alloys (HEAs) in the literature, only a limited number solidify as single-phase solid solutions. The equiatomic HEA, CrMnFeCoNi, is a face-centered cubic (FCC) prototype of this class and has attracted much attention recently because of its interesting mechanical properties. Here we evaluate its phase stability after very long anneals of 500 days at 500-900 °C during which it is reasonable to expect thermodynamic equilibrium to have been established. Microstructural analyses were performed using complementary analysis techniques including scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM/STEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction (SAD), and atom probe tomography (APT). We show that the alloy is a single-phase solid solution after homogenization for 2 days at 1200 °C and remains in this state after a subsequent anneal at 900 °C for 500 days. However, it is unstable and forms second-phase precipitates at 700 and 500 °C. A Cr-rich σ phase forms at 700 °C, whereas three different phases (L10-NiMn, B2-FeCo and a Cr-rich body-centered cubic, BCC, phase) precipitate at 500 °C. These precipitates are located mostly at grain boundaries, but also form at intragranular inclusions/pores, indicative of heterogeneous nucleation. Since there is limited entropic stabilization of the solid solution state even in the extensively investigated CrMnFeCoNi alloy, the stability of other HEAs currently thought to be solid solutions should be carefully evaluated, especially if they are being considered for applications in vulnerable temperature ranges. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.04.005

• 2016 • 82	Double minimum creep of single crystal Ni-base superalloys Wu, X. and Wollgramm, P. and Somsen, C. and Dlouhy, A. and Kostka, A. and Eggeler, G. Acta Materialia 112 242-260 (2016) Low temperature (750°C) and high stress (800 MPa) creep curves of single crystal superalloy ERBO/1 tensile specimens loaded in the (001) direction show two creep rate minima. Strain rates decrease towards a first sharp local creep rate minimum at 0.1% strain (reached after 30 min). Then deformation rates increase and reach an intermediate maximum at 1% (reached after 1.5 h). Subsequently, strain rates decrease towards a global minimum at 5% (260 h), before tertiary creep (not considered in the present work) leads to final rupture. We combine high resolution miniature creep testing with diffraction contrast transmission electron microscopy and identify elementary processes which govern this double-minimum type of creep behavior. We provide new quantitative information on the evolution of microstructure during low temperature and high stress creep, focusing on γ-channel dislocation activity and stacking fault shear of the γ′-phase. We discuss our results in the light of previous work published in the literature and highlight areas in need of further work. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.04.012

• 2016 • 81	Efficient synthesis of polyoxazoline-silica hybrid nanoparticles by using the "grafting-onto" approach Bissadi, G. and Weberskirch, R. Polymer Chemistry 7 1271-1280 (2016) Well-defined silica poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) nanoparticles were prepared via the "grafting to" method employing either click chemistry or silane coupling using different reaction conditions. In the first approach, alkyne-functionalized poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline), P1, was prepared by ring opening cationic polymerization and clicked on azide-functionalized silica nanoparticles (SNPs), which led to the fabrication of hybrid nanoparticles. In the second approach, trimethoxysilane-functionalized poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline), P2, was prepared similar to P1 and grafted on the surface of SNPs using coupling reactions between trimethoxysilane and hydroxyl groups of the silica nanoparticle. Hybrid particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and elemental analysis (EA). The grafting density ranged from 0.183 chains per nm2 for the click chemistry approach up to 0.45 chains per nm2 when using trimethoxysilane-functionalized P2 in acetonitrile at 80 °C. The water-in-oil microemulsion approach resulted still in a relatively high grafting density of 0.353 chains per nm2 and has the advantage of a one-step process and mild reaction conditions. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c5py01775k

• 2016 • 80	Formation of polyoxazoline-silica nanoparticles: Via the surface-initiated cationic polymerization of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline Bissadi, G. and Weberskirch, R. Polymer Chemistry 7 5157-5168 (2016) Well-defined polyoxazoline-silica hybrid nanoparticles were prepared by coating silica nanoparticles (SNPs) with poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) using a surface-initiated cationic ring-opening polymerization process. First, reverse microemulsion was used to synthesize monodisperse SNPs followed by immobilizing (chloromethyl)phenylethyl)trimethoxysilane on the surface of the nanoparticles acting as an initiator. The grafting density of the polymeric shell was controlled by varying the polymerization time, PSNPs-A, and the monomer/initiator ratio concentration, PSNPs-B. Hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The molecular weight and polydispersity indices of the polymer chains were determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) after etching the silica core. The hybrid nanoparticles were further functionalized with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and folic acid (FA) as a fluorescence imaging molecule and a cancer-targeting ligand, respectively. Moreover, hybrid nanoparticles with Rubpy as a fluorophore encapsulated in the silica core and the poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) shell were prepared. © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c6py01034b

• 2016 • 79	Gas-phase synthesis of Fe-Bi metastable and dumbbell particles Ünlü, C.G. and Li, Z.-A. and Acet, M. and Farle, M. Crystal Research and Technology 51 333-336 (2016) Fe-Bi nanoparticles were prepared in the gas-phase by DC magnetron sputtering and in-fight annealing. The morphological, structural and compositional properties were investigated by High-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. High-resolution microscopy studies show that primary particles produced without in-flight annealing are spherical with a diameter of about 50 nm. Particles sintered at 773 K acquire a dumbbell structure with Fe-FeO and Bi sections. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/crat.201500329

• 2016 • 78	Growth of bainitic ferrite and carbon partitioning during the early stages of bainite transformation in a 2 mass% silicon steel studied by in situ neutron diffraction, TEM and APT Timokhina, I.B. and Liss, K.D. and Raabe, D. and Rakha, K. and Beladi, H. and Xiong, X.Y. and Hodgson, P.D. Journal of Applied Crystallography 49 399-414 (2016) In situ neutron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT) have been used to study the early stages of bainite transformation in a 2 mass% Si nano-bainitic steel. It was observed that carbon redistribution between the bainitic ferrite and retained austenite at the early stages of the bainite transformation at low isothermal holding occurred in the following sequence: (i) formation of bainitic ferrite nuclei within carbon-depleted regions immediately after the beginning of isothermal treatment; (ii) carbon partitioning immediately after the formation of bainitic ferrite nuclei but substantial carbon diffusion only after 33 min of bainite isothermal holding; (iii) formation of the carbon-enriched remaining austenite in the vicinity of bainitic laths at the beginning of the transformation; (iv) segregation of carbon to the dislocations near the austenite/ferrite interface; and (v) homogeneous redistribution of carbon within the remaining austenite with the progress of the transformation and with the formation of bainitic ferrite colonies. Bainitic ferrite nucleated at internal defects or bainite/austenite interfaces as well as at the prior austenite grain boundary. Bainitic ferrite has been observed in the form of an individual layer, a colony of layers and a layer with sideplates at the early stages of transformation. © 2016 International Union of Crystallography.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1107/S1600576716000418

• 2016 • 77	Heat-Induced Phase Transformation of Three-Dimensional Nb3O7(OH) Superstructures: Effect of Atmosphere and Electron Beam Betzler, S.B. and Harzer, T. and Ciston, J. and Dahmen, U. and Dehm, G. and Scheu, C. Crystal Growth and Design 16 4309-4317 (2016) Nanostructured niobium oxides and hydroxides are potential candidates for photochemical applications due to their excellent optical and electronic properties. In the present work the thermal stability of Nb3O7(OH) superstructures prepared by a simple hydrothermal approach is investigated at the atomic scale. Transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy provide insights into the phase transformation occurring at elevated temperatures and probe the effect of the atmospheric conditions. In the presence of oxygen, H2O is released from the crystal at temperatures above 500 °C, and the crystallographic structure changes to H-Nb2O5. In addition to the high thermal stability of Nb3O7(OH), the morphology was found to be stable, and first changes in the form of a merging of nanowires are not observed until 850 °C. Under reducing conditions in a transmission electron microscope and during electron beam bombardment, an oxygen-deficient phase is formed at temperatures above 750 °C. This transformation starts with the formation of defects in the crystal lattice at 450 °C and goes along with the formation of pores in the nanowires which accommodate the volume differences of the two crystal phases. © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.cgd.6b00386

• 2016 • 76	High-Temperature Stable Ni Nanoparticles for the Dry Reforming of Methane Mette, K. and Kühl, S. and Tarasov, A. and Willinger, M.G. and Kröhnert, J. and Wrabetz, S. and Trunschke, A. and Scherzer, M. and Girgsdies, F. and Düdder, H. and Kähler, K. and Ortega, K.F. and Muhler, M. and Schlögl, R. an... ACS Catalysis 6 7238-7248 (2016) Dry reforming of methane (DRM) has been studied for many years as an attractive option to produce synthesis gas. However, catalyst deactivation by coking over nonprecious-metal catalysts still remains unresolved. Here, we study the influence of structural and compositional properties of nickel catalysts on the catalytic performance and coking propensity in the DRM. A series of bulk catalysts with different Ni contents was synthesized by calcination of hydrotalcite-like precursors NixMg0.67-xAl0.33(OH)2(CO3)0.17·mH2O prepared by constant-pH coprecipitation. The obtained Ni/MgAl oxide catalysts contain Ni nanoparticles with diameters between 7 and 20 nm. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed a nickel aluminate overgrowth on the Ni particles, which could be confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In particular, catalysts with low Ni contents (5 mol %) exhibit predominantly oxidic surfaces dominated by Ni2+ and additionally some isolated Ni0 sites. These properties, which are determined by the overgrowth, effectively diminish the formation of coke during the DRM, while the activity is preserved. A large (TEM) and dynamic (microcalorimetry) metallic Ni surface at high Ni contents (50 mol %) causes significant coke formation during the DRM. © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.6b01683

• 2016 • 75	High-yield and scalable synthesis of a Silicon/Aminosilane-functionalized Carbon NanoTubes/Carbon (Si/A-CNT/C) composite as a high-capacity anode for lithium-ion batteries Sehlleier, Y.H. and Dobrowolny, S. and Plümel, I. and Xiao, L. and Mahlendorf, F. and Heinzel, A. and Schulz, C. and Wiggers, H. Journal of Applied Electrochemistry 46 229-239 (2016) In this study, we present a novel anode architecture for high-performance lithium-ion batteries based on a Silicon/3-aminosilane-functionalized CNT/Carbon (Si/A-CNT/C) composite. A high-yield, low-cost approach has been developed to stabilize and support silicon as an active anode material. Silicon (Si) nanoparticles synthesized in a hot-wall reactor and aminosilane-functionalized carbon nanotubes (A-CNT) were dispersed in styrene and divinylbenzene (DVB) and subsequently polymerized forming a porous Si/A-CNT/C composite. Transmission electron microscopy showed that this method enables the interconnection and a uniform encapsulation of Si nanoparticles within a porous carbon matrix especially using aminosilane-functionalized CNT (A-CNT). Electrochemical characterization shows that this material can deliver a delithiation capacity of 2293 mAh g−1 with a capacity retention of more than 90 % after 200 cycles at lithiation and delithiation rate of 0.5 C. We conclude that the porous Si/A-CNT/C composite material can accommodate sufficient space for Si volume expansion and extraction and improve the electronic and ionic conduction. Excellent electrochemical performance during repeated cycling can thus be achieved. © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10800-015-0897-x

• 2016 • 74	Hollow Zn/Co Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF) and Yolk-Shell Metal@Zn/Co ZIF Nanostructures Rösler, C. and Aijaz, A. and Turner, S. and Filippousi, M. and Shahabi, A. and Xia, W. and Van Tendeloo, G. and Muhler, M. and Fischer, R.A. Chemistry - A European Journal 22 3304-3311 (2016) Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) feature a great possibility for a broad spectrum of applications. Hollow MOF structures with tunable porosity and multifunctionality at the nanoscale with beneficial properties are desired as hosts for catalytically active species. Herein, we demonstrate the formation of well-defined hollow Zn/Co-based zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) by use of epitaxial growth of Zn-MOF (ZIF-8) on preformed Co-MOF (ZIF-67) nanocrystals that involve in situ self-sacrifice/excavation of the Co-MOF. Moreover, any type of metal nanoparticles can be accommodated in Zn/Co-ZIF shells to generate yolk-shell metal@ZIF structures. Transmission electron microscopy and tomography studies revealed the inclusion of these nanoparticles within hollow Zn/Co-ZIF with dominance of the Zn-MOF as shell. Our findings lead to a generalization of such hollow systems that are working effectively to other types of ZIFs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/chem.201503619

• 2016 • 73	Ionically Cross-Linked Shape Memory Polypropylene Raidt, T. and Hoeher, R. and Meuris, M. and Katzenberg, F. and Tiller, J.C. Macromolecules 49 6918-6927 (2016) An ionically cross-linked syndiotactic polypropylene (ix-sPP) was synthesized by subsequent grafting of maleic anhydride (MA) to the polymer followed by compounding with ZnO. The polymer network was investigated by X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and various thermal and mechanical analyses. The optimized polymer network with 1 wt % MA grafting and 20 wt % ZnO exhibits a crystal melting temperature of 125 °C and rubber elastic behavior up to 203 °C and becomes a viscous polymer melt at higher temperatures. This process is fully reversible. Further, ix-sPP is an exceptionally stable ionic polymer network that matches the stability of the respective covalently cross-linked polymer in terms of shape memory properties. Additionally, the ionic cross-linking affords thermoplastic processability and shape memory assisted self-healing. © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b01387

• 2016 • 72	Laser-induced incandescence from laser-heated silicon nanoparticles Menser, J. and Daun, K. and Dreier, T. and Schulz, C. Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics 122 (2016) This work describes the application of temporally and spectrally resolved laser-induced incandescence to silicon nanoparticles synthesized in a microwave plasma reactor. Optical properties for bulk silicon presented in the literature were extended for nanostructured particles analyzed in this paper. Uncertainties of parameters in the evaporation submodel, as well as measurement noise, are incorporated into the inference process by Bayesian statistics. The inferred nanoparticle sizes agree with results from transmission electron microscopy, and the determined accommodation coefficient matches the values of the preceding study. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s00340-016-6551-4

• 2016 • 71	Local Platinum Environments in a Solid Analogue of the Molecular Periana Catalyst Soorholtz, M. and Jones, L.C. and Samuelis, D. and Weidenthaler, C. and White, R.J. and Titirici, M.-M. and Cullen, D.A. and Zimmermann, T. and Antonietti, M. and Maier, J. and Palkovits, R. and Chmelka, B.F. and Schüth, F. ACS Catalysis 6 2332-2340 (2016) Combining advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis by incorporating active species on a solid support is often an effective strategy for improving overall catalyst performance, although the influences of the support are generally challenging to establish, especially at a molecular level. Here, we report the local compositions, and structures of platinum species incorporated into covalent triazine framework (Pt-CTF) materials, a solid analogue of the molecular Periana catalyst, Pt(bpym)Cl2, both of which are active for the selective oxidation of methane in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid. By using a combination of solid-state 195Pt nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), important similarities and differences are observed between the Pt-CTF and Periana catalysts, which are likely related to their respective macroscopic reaction properties. In particular, wide-line solid-state 195Pt NMR spectra enable direct measurement, identification, and quantification of distinct platinum species in as-synthesized and used Pt-CTF catalysts. The results indicate that locally ordered and disordered Pt sites are present in as-synthesized Pt-CTF, with the former being similar to one of the two crystallographically distinct Pt sites in crystalline Pt(bpym)Cl2. A distribution of relatively disordered Pt moieties is also present in the used catalyst, among which are the principal active sites. Similarly XAS shows good agreement between the measured data of Pt-CTF and a theoretical model based on Pt(bpym)Cl2. Analyses of the absorption spectra of Pt-CTF used for methane oxidation suggests ligand exchange, as predicted for the molecular catalyst. XPS analyses of Pt(bpym)Cl2, Pt-CTF, as well as the unmodified ligands, further corroborate platinum coordination by pyridinic N atoms. Aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field STEM proves that Pt atoms are distributed within Pt-CTF before and after catalysis. The overall results establish the close similarities of Pt-CTF and the molecular Periana catalyst Pt(bpym)Cl2, along with differences that account for their respective properties. (Figure Presented). © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.5b02305

• 2016 • 70	Magnetic microstructure in a stress-annealed Fe73.5Si15.5B7Nb3Cu1 soft magnetic alloy observed using off-axis electron holography and Lorentz microscopy Kovács, A. and Pradeep, K.G. and Herzer, G. and Raabe, D. and Dunin-Borkowski, R.E. AIP Advances 6 (2016) Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloys are attractive for high frequency applications due to their low coercivity and high saturation magnetization. Here, we study the effect of stress annealing on magnetic microstructure in Fe73.5Si15.5B7Nb3Cu1 using off-axis electron holography and the Fresnel mode of Lorentz transmission electron microscopy. A stress of 50 MPa was applied to selected samples during rapid annealing for 4 s, resulting in uniaxial anisotropy perpendicular to the stress direction. The examination of focused ion beam milled lamellae prepared from each sample revealed a random magnetic domain pattern in the sample that had been rapidly annealed in the absence of stress, whereas a highly regular domain pattern was observed in the stress-annealed sample. We also measured a decrease in domain wall width from ∼ 94 nm in the sample annealed without stress to ∼ 80 nm in the stress-annealed sample. © 2016 Author(s).
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.4942954

• 2016 • 69	Microstructure evolution and critical stress for twinning in the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy Laplanche, G. and Kostka, A. and Horst, O.M. and Eggeler, G. and George, E.P. Acta Materialia 118 152-163 (2016) At low homologous temperatures (down to cryogenic temperatures), the CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy possesses good combination of strength, work hardening rate (WHR), ductility, and fracture toughness. To improve understanding of the deformation mechanisms responsible for its mechanical properties, tensile tests were performed at liquid nitrogen and room temperature (77 K and 293 K) and interrupted at different strains to quantify the evolution of microstructure by transmission electron microscopy. Dislocation densities, and twin widths, their spacings, and volume fractions were determined. Nanotwins were first observed after true strains of ∼7.4% at 77 K and ∼25% at 293 K; at lower strains, deformation occurs by dislocation plasticity. The tensile stress at which twinning occurs is 720 ± 30 MPa, roughly independent of temperature, from which we deduce a critical resolved shear stress for twinning of 235 ± 10 MPa. In the regime where deformation occurs by dislocation plasticity, the shear modulus normalized WHR decreases with increasing strain at both 77 K and 293 K. Beyond ∼7.4% true strain, the WHR at 77 K remains constant at a high value of G/30 because twinning is activated, which progressively introduces new interfaces in the microstructure. In contrast, the WHR at room temperature continues to decrease with increasing strain because twinning is not activated until much later (close to fracture). Thus, the enhanced strength-ductility combination at 77 K compared to 293 K is primarily due to twinning starting earlier in the deformation process and providing additional work hardening. Consistent with this, when tensile specimens were pre-strained at 77 K to introduce nanotwins, and subsequently tested at 293 K, flow stress and ductility both increased compared to specimens that were not pre-strained. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.07.038

• 2016 • 68	Multiple mechanisms of lath martensite plasticity Morsdorf, L. and Jeannin, O. and Barbier, D. and Mitsuhara, M. and Raabe, D. and Tasan, C.C. Acta Materialia 121 202-214 (2016) The multi-scale complexity of lath martensitic microstructures requires scale-bridging analyses to better understand the deformation mechanisms activated therein. In this study, plasticity in lath martensite is investigated by multi-field mapping of deformation-induced microstructure, topography, and strain evolution at different spatial resolution vs. field-of-view combinations. These investigations reveal site-specific initiation of dislocation activity within laths, as well as significant plastic accommodation in the vicinity of high angle block and packet boundaries. The observation of interface plasticity raises several questions regarding the role of thin inter-lath austenite films. Thus, accompanying transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments are carried out to investigate the stability of these films to mechanical loading, and to discuss alternative boundary sliding mechanisms to explain the observed interface strain localization. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.09.006

• 2016 • 67	Nanostructured Ternary FeCrAl Oxide Photocathodes for Water Photoelectrolysis Kondofersky, I. and Müller, A. and Dunn, H.K. and Ivanova, A. and Štefanić, G. and Ehrensperger, M. and Scheu, C. and Parkinson, B.A. and Fattakhova-Rohlfing, D. and Bein, T. Journal of the American Chemical Society 138 1860-1867 (2016) A sol-gel method for the synthesis of semiconducting FeCrAl oxide photocathodes for solar-driven hydrogen production was developed and applied for the production of meso- and macroporous layers with the overall stoichiometry Fe0.84Cr1.0Al0.16O3. Using transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, phase separation into Fe- and Cr-rich phases was observed for both morphologies. Compared to prior work and to the mesoporous layer, the macroporous FeCrAl oxide photocathode had a significantly enhanced photoelectrolysis performance, even at a very early onset potential of 1.1 V vs RHE. By optimizing the macroporous electrodes, the device reached current densities of up to 0.68 mA cm-2 at 0.5 V vs RHE under AM 1.5 with an incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) of 28% at 400 nm without the use of catalysts. Based on transient measurements, this performance increase could be attributed to an improved collection efficiency. At a potential of 0.75 V vs RHE, an electron transfer efficiency of 48.5% was determined. © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/jacs.5b08040

• 2016 • 66	New insights into the phase transformations to isothermal ω and ω-assisted α in near β-Ti alloys Li, T. and Kent, D. and Sha, G. and Stephenson, L.T. and Ceguerra, A.V. and Ringer, S.P. and Dargusch, M.S. and Cairney, J.M. Acta Materialia 106 353-366 (2016) For multicomponent near-β alloys, we have investigated the mechanisms responsible for the β-to-ω and ω-to-α phase transformations upon isothermal ageing at 573 K. Experimental evidence from atom probe tomography and aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicates that the formation of isothermal ω involves a structural reconstruction assisted by nanoscale spinodal decomposition of the β matrix, prior to the specific chemistry change required to form ω, rather than a mixed-mode process with structure and chemistry changes occurring simultaneously as has been previously suggested. First, incommensurate embryonic ω evolve via a displacive mechanism within Mo-lean regions created by second-order coherent spinodal decomposition of the β matrix. The subtle spinodal decomposition in β and chemistry of embryonic ω are carefully analysed by an advanced atom probe data analysis algorithm. When the size of embryonic É·exceeds a critical value, commensurate isothermal É·forms through the exit of the other alloying solutes. O-rich regions present at the isothermal ω/β interface provide potent sites for the formation of α. The concurrent compositional partitioning of solutes in É·and α indicates the transformation from ω to α involves both a rapid lattice reconstruction at the ω/α interface and a slow Al diffusion at the α/β, therefore a mixed-mode displacive-diffusive process. This study provides novel experimental evidence to understand the much-disputed transformation processes and elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these important phase transformations. © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.12.046

• 2016 • 65	On the Crystallography of Silver Nanoparticles with Different Shapes Helmlinger, J. and Prymak, O. and Loza, K. and Gocyla, M. and Heggen, M. and Epple, M. Crystal Growth and Design 16 3677-3687 (2016) The crystallographic properties of silver nanoparticles with different morphologies (two different kinds of spheres, cubes, platelets, and rods) were derived from X-ray powder diffraction and electron microscopy. The size of the metallic particle core was determined by scanning electron microscopy, and the colloidal stability and the hydrodynamic particle diameter were analyzed by dynamic light scattering. The preferred crystallographic orientation (texture) as obtained by X-ray powder diffraction, including pole figure analysis, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy showed the crystallographic nature of the spheres (almost no texture), the cubes (terminated by {100} faces), the platelets (terminated by {111} faces), and the rods (grown from pentagonal twins along [110] and terminated by {100} faces). The crystallite size was determined by Rietveld refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data and agreed well with the transmission electron microscopic data. © 2016 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.cgd.6b00178

• 2016 • 64	On the mechanism of {332} twinning in metastable β titanium alloys Lai, M.J. and Tasan, C.C. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 111 173-186 (2016) {332} twinning, an unusual twinning mode in other body-centered cubic (bcc) metals and alloys, has been demonstrated to be a fundamental deformation mode in bcc metastable β titanium alloys. Recent studies suggest that this twinning mode plays an important role in enhancing the work hardening and thus improving the mechanical properties. Here, we studied the mechanism of this twinning mode in a metastable β Ti-36Nb-2Ta-3Zr (wt.%) alloy. Tensile tests were performed to induce the formation of {332} twins. By using electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and in situ scanning electron microscopy, the surface-to-bulk microstructures and the initiation and propagation of {332} twins were investigated. In addition to the previously reported high densities of straight dislocations within the twin, we have observed that an α″ martensite band is present near the surface adjacent to the twin. During annealing at 900°C, the α″ martensite band transforms into the adjacent twin rather than into the matrix, indicating that {332} twin nucleates within α″ martensite. Further evidence for this is the constitution of the twin in the initial stage of its formation, where the first portion formed consists of α″ martensite. During propagation, the twins propagating to the opposite directions can merge together when their lateral boundaries impinge on each other. Based on the experimental observations, an α″-assisted twinning mechanism is proposed and the origin of the dislocations within {332} twin is discussed accordingly. © 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.03.040

• 2016 • 63	Optical and electron microscopy study of laser-based intracellular molecule delivery using peptide-conjugated photodispersible gold nanoparticle agglomerates Krawinkel, J. and Richter, U. and Torres-Mapa, M.L. and Westermann, M. and Gamrad, L. and Rehbock, C. and Barcikowski, S. and Heisterkamp, A. Journal of Nanobiotechnology 14 (2016) Background: Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) can act as carriers for therapeutic molecules such as drugs and genetic constructs for medical applications. The triggered release of the molecule into the cytoplasm can be crucial to its effective delivery. Hence, we implemented and characterized laser interaction with defined gold nanoparticle agglomerates conjugated to CPPs which enables efficient endosomal rupture and intracellular release of molecules transported. Results: Gold nanoparticles generated by pulsed laser ablation in liquid were conjugated with CPPs forming agglomerates and the intracellular release of molecules was triggered via pulsed laser irradiation (λ = 532 nm, τpulse = 1 ns). The CPPs enhance the uptake of the agglomerates along with the cargo which can be co-incubated with the agglomerates. The interaction of incident laser light with gold nanoparticle agglomerates leads to heat deposition and field enhancement in the vicinity of the particles. This highly precise effect deagglomerates the nanoparticles and disrupts the enclosing endosomal membrane. Transmission electron microscopy images confirmed this rupture for radiant exposures of 25 mJ/cm2 and above. Successful intracellular release was shown using the fluorescent dye calcein. For a radiant exposure of 35 mJ/cm2 we found calcein delivery in 81 % of the treated cells while maintaining a high percentage of cell viability. Furthermore, cell proliferation and metabolic activity were not reduced 72 h after the treatment. Conclusion: CPPs trigger the uptake of the gold nanoparticle agglomerates via endocytosis and co-resident molecules in the endosomes are released by applying laser irradiation, preventing their intraendosomal degradation. Due to the highly localized effect, the cell membrane integrity is not affected. Therefore, this technique can be an efficient tool for spatially and temporally confined intracellular release. The utilization of specifically designed photodispersible gold nanoparticle agglomerates (65 nm) can open novel avenues in imaging and molecule delivery. Due to the induced deagglomeration the primary, small particles (~5 nm) are more likely to be removed from the body. © 2016 Krawinkel et al.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1186/s12951-015-0155-8

• 2016 • 62	Orientation of FePt nanoparticles on top of a-SiO2/Si(001), MgO(001) and sapphire(0001): Effect of thermal treatments and influence of substrate and particle size Schilling, M. and Ziemann, P. and Zhang, Z. and Biskupek, J. and Kaiser, U. and Wiedwald, U. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 7 591-604 (2016) Texture formation and epitaxy of thin metal films and oriented growth of nanoparticles (NPs) on single crystal supports are of general interest for improved physical and chemical properties especially of anisotropic materials. In the case of FePt, the main focus lies on its highly anisotropic magnetic behavior and its catalytic activity, both due to the chemically ordered face-centered tetragonal (fct) L10 phase. If the c-axis of the tetragonal system can be aligned normal to the substrate plane, perpendicular magnetic recording could be achieved. Here, we study the orientation of FePt NPs and films on a-SiO2/Si(001), i.e., Si(001) with an amorphous (a-) native oxide layer on top, on MgO(001), and on sapphire(0001) substrates. For the NPs of an approximately equiatomic composition, two different sizes were chosen: "small" NPs with diameters in the range of 2-3 nm and "large" ones in the range of 5-8 nm. The 3 nm thick FePt films, deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), served as reference samples. The structural properties were probed in situ, particularly texture formation and epitaxy of the specimens by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and, in case of 3 nm nanoparticles, additionally by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) after different annealing steps between 200 and 650 °C. The L10 phase is obtained at annealing temperatures above 550 °C for films and 600 °C for nanoparticles in accordance with previous reports. On the amorphous surface of a-SiO2/Si substrates we find no preferential orientation neither for FePt films nor nanoparticles even after annealing at 630 °C. On sapphire(0001) supports, however, FePt nanoparticles exhibit a clearly preferred (111) orientation even in the as-prepared state, which can be slightly improved by annealing at 600-650 °C. This improvement depends on the size of NPs: Only the smaller NPs approach a fully developed (111) orientation. On top of MgO(001) the effect of annealing on particle orientation was found to be strongest. From a random orientation in the as-prepared state observed for both, small and large FePt NPs, annealing at 650 °C for 30 min reorients the small particles towards a cube-on-cube epitaxial orientation with a minor fraction of (111)-oriented particles. In contrast, large FePt NPs keep their as-prepared random orientation even after doubling the annealing period at 650 °C to 60 min. © 2016 Schilling et al.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3762/bjnano.7.52

• 2016 • 61	Phase selection and nanocrystallization in Cu-free soft magnetic FeSiNbB amorphous alloy upon rapid annealing Morsdorf, L. and Pradeep, K.G. and Herzer, G. and Kovács, A. and Dunin-Borkowski, R.E. and Povstugar, I. and Konygin, G. and Choi, P. and Raabe, D. Journal of Applied Physics 119 (2016) Nucleation of soft magnetic Fe3Si nanocrystals in Cu-free Fe74.5Si15.5Nb3B7 alloy, upon rapid (10 s) and conventional (30 min) annealing, was investigated using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and atom probe tomography. By employing rapid annealing, preferential nucleation of Fe3Si nanocrystals was achieved, whereas otherwise there is simultaneous nucleation of both Fe3Si and undesired Fe-B compound phases. Analysis revealed that the enhanced Nb diffusivity, achieved during rapid annealing, facilitates homogeneous nucleation of Fe3Si nanocrystals while shifting the secondary Fe-B crystallization to higher temperatures resulting in pure soft magnetic nanocrystallization with very low coercivities of ∼10 A/m. © 2016 AIP Publishing LLC.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.4944595

• 2016 • 60	Plasmonic Au/TiO2 nanostructures for glycerol oxidation Dodekatos, G. and Tüysüz, H. Catalysis Science and Technology 6 7307-7315 (2016) Au nanoparticles supported on P25 TiO2 (Au/TiO2) were prepared by a facile deposition-precipitation method with urea and investigated for surface plasmon-assisted glycerol oxidation under base-free conditions. Au/TiO2 samples were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The adopted synthetic methodology permits deposition of Au nanoparticles with similar mean particle sizes up to 12.5 wt% loading that allows for the evaluation of the influence of the Au amount (without changing the particle size) on its photocatalytic performance for glycerol oxidation. The reaction conditions were optimized by carrying out a systematic study with different Au loadings on TiO2, reaction times, temperatures, catalyst amounts, O2 pressures and Au particle sizes for photocatalytic reactions as well as traditional heterogeneous catalysis. It has been shown that visible light irradiation during the reaction has a beneficial effect on the conversion of glycerol where the best catalytic results were observed for 7.5 wt% Au loading with an average particle size of around 3 nm. The main product observed, with selectivities up to 63%, was high-value dihydroxyacetone that has important industrial applications, particularly in the cosmetic industry. © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c6cy01192f

• 2016 • 59	Strain hardening by dynamic slip band refinement in a high-Mn lightweight steel Welsch, E. and Ponge, D. and Hafez Haghighat, S.M. and Sandlöbes, S. and Choi, P. and Herbig, M. and Zaefferer, S. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 116 188-199 (2016) The strain hardening mechanism of a high-Mn lightweight steel (Fe-30.4Mn-8Al-1.2C (wt%)) is investigated by electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The alloy is characterized by a constant high strain hardening rate accompanied by high strength and high ductility (ultimate tensile strength: 900 MPa, elongation to fracture: 68%). Deformation microstructures at different strain levels are studied in order to reveal and quantify the governing structural parameters at micro- and nanometer scales. As the material deforms mainly by planar dislocation slip causing the formation of slip bands, we quantitatively study the evolution of the slip band spacing during straining. The flow stress is calculated from the slip band spacing on the basis of the passing stress. The good agreement between the calculated values and the tensile test data shows dynamic slip band refinement as the main strain hardening mechanism, enabling the excellent mechanical properties. This novel strain hardening mechanism is based on the passing stress acting between co-planar slip bands in contrast to earlier attempts to explain the strain hardening in high-Mn lightweight steels that are based on grain subdivision by microbands. We discuss in detail the formation of the finely distributed slip bands and the gradual reduction of the spacing between them, leading to constantly high strain hardening. TEM investigations of the precipitation state in the as-quenched state show finely dispersed atomically ordered clusters (size < 2 nm). The influence of these zones on planar slip is discussed. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.06.037

• 2016 • 58	Structural and optical properties of (1122) InGaN quantum wells compared to (0001) and (1120) Pristovsek, M. and Han, Y. and Zhu, T. and Oehler, F. and Tang, F. and Oliver, R.A. and Humphreys, C.J. and Tytko, D. and Choi, P.-P. and Raabe, D. and Brunner, F. and Weyers, M. Semiconductor Science and Technology 31 (2016) We benchmarked growth, microstructure and photo luminescence (PL) of (112-2) InGaN quantum wells (QWs) against (0001) and (112-0). In incorporation, growth rate and the critical thickness of (112-2) QWs are slightly lower than (0001) QWs, while the In incorporation on (112-0) is reduced by a factor of three. A small step-bunching causes slight fluctuations of the emission wavelength. Transmission electron microscopy as well as atom probe tomography (APT) found very flat interfaces with little In segregation even for 20% In content. APT frequency distribution analysis revealed some deviation from a random InGaN alloy, but not as severe as for (112-0). The slight deviation of (112-2) QWs from an ideal random alloy did not broaden the 300 K PL, the line widths were similar for (112-2) and (0001) while (112-0) QWs were broader. Despite the high structural quality and narrow PL, the integrated PL signal at 300 K was about 4 lower on (112-2) and more than 10 lower on (112-0). © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/0268-1242/31/8/085007

• 2016 • 57	Synthesis and structure of strontium ferrite nanowires and nanotubes of high aspect ratio Ebrahimi, F. and Ashrafizadeh, F. and Bakhshi, S.R. and Farle, M. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 77 708-717 (2016) Abstract: Strontium hexaferrite nanowires and nanotubes were synthesized in porous anodic aluminum oxide templates. Different solution-based synthesis techniques (spin coating, vacuum suction, and dip coating) were investigated. Strontium ferrite nanopowders were also synthesized by a similar sol–gel process. The morphology, structure, and composition of the embedded hexaferrite nanostructures were examined by field emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Strontium ferrite wires with Fe/Sr ratios from 10 to 12 under different annealing temperatures of 500–700 °C were studied. The results showed that dip coating could produce fine and uniform strontium ferrite nanowires. The ratio of Fe/Sr of 11 and a calcination temperature of 650 °C were found to be optimum conditions. The produced material may be of importance for novel microwave-frequency nanoscale devices. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2015, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10971-015-3902-2

• 2016 • 56	The effect of stress, temperature and loading direction on the creep behaviour of Ni-base single crystal superalloy miniature tensile specimens Wollgramm, P. and Bürger, D. and Parsa, A.B. and Neuking, K. and Eggeler, G. Materials at High Temperatures 33 346-360 (2016) In the present work, we use a miniature test procedure to investigate the tensile creep behaviour of the single crystal superalloy ERBO1. We test precisely oriented [0 0 1], [1 1 0] and [1 1 1] creep specimens and determine the stress and the temperature dependence of characteristic creep rates in limited stress and temperature regimes, where the stress and temperature dependence of characteristic creep rates can be well described by power law and Arrhenius type of relations, with stress exponents n and apparent activation energies Qapp. n-values increase with stress and decrease with temperature. Qapp-values, on the other hand, increase with increasing temperature and decrease with increasing stress. Creep curve shapes gradually evolve from the high temperature low stress to the low temperature high stress (LTHS) regime. This implies that there is a gradual change in elementary deformation and softening mechanisms, which is qualitatively confirmed using transmission electron microscopy. While at high temperatures different loading directions only have a moderate influence on creep, there is a very strong effect of loading direction at low temperatures. The [1 1 0] tests show the fastest deformation rates and the shortest rupture times. In the LTHS creep regime, we confirm the double minimum (DM) type of creep behaviour, which was previously reported but never explained. Further work is required to rationalise DM-creep. The implications of this type of creep behaviour on scatter and on extrapolation of creep data is discussed in the light of previous results published in the literature. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1080/09603409.2016.1186414

• 2016 • 55	The role of metastable LPSO building block clusters in phase transformations of an Mg-Y-Zn alloy Kim, J.-K. and Ko, W.-S. and Sandlöbes, S. and Heidelmann, M. and Grabowski, B. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 112 171-183 (2016) We present a systematic atomic scale analysis of the structural evolution of long-period-stacking-ordered (LPSO) structures in the (i) α-Mg matrix and in the (ii) interdendritic LPSO phase of an Mg97Y2Zn1 (at. %) alloy annealed at 500°C, using high resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). Various types of metastable LPSO building block clusters have been observed in both regions. The thermodynamic phase stabilities computed by density-functional-theory calculations explain the diversity of the LPSO structures which are distinguished by their different arrangements of the Y/Zn enriched LPSO building blocks that have a local fcc stacking sequence on the close packed planes. A direct evidence of the transformation from 18R to 14H is presented. This finding suggests that LPSO structures can change their separation distance - quantified by the number of α-Mg layers between them - at a low energy penalty by generating the necessary Shockley partial dislocation on a specific glide plane. Based on our results the most probable transformation sequence of LPSO precipitate plates in the α-Mg matrix is: single building block → various metastable LPSO building block clusters → 14H, and the most probable transformation sequence in the interdendritic LPSO phase is: 18R→ various metastable LPSO building block clusters → 14H. The thermodynamically most stable structures in both the α-Mg matrix and the interdendritic LPSO phase are a mixture of 14H and α-Mg. © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2016.04.016

• 2016 • 54	The role of ω in the precipitation of α in near-β Ti alloys Li, T. and Kent, D. and Sha, G. and Cairney, J.M. and Dargusch, M.S. Scripta Materialia 117 92-95 (2016) To identify the conditions under which ω assists α formation in a near-β Ti alloy, we employed transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography to study α precipitation in alloys designed to contain two different types of ω. Coherent incommensurate embryonic ω formed upon isothermal ageing, does not directly assist α precipitation. When this incommensurate embryonic ω grows to a critical size, it transforms into commensurate isothermal ω, during which stress is thought to be the dominant factor. Regions of O enrichment at the semi-coherent isothermal ω/β interfaces are observed, which is thought to promote α formation. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2016.02.026

• 2016 • 53	Use of small-angle X-ray scattering to resolve intracellular structure changes of Escherichia coli cells induced by antibiotic treatment Von Gundlach, A.R. and Garamus, V.M. and Willey, T.M. and Ilavsky, J. and Hilpert, K. and Rosenhahn, A. Journal of Applied Crystallography 49 2210-2216 (2016) The application of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to whole Escherichia coli cells is challenging owing to the variety of internal constituents. To resolve their contributions, the outer shape was captured by ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering and combined with the internal structure resolved by SAXS. Building on these data, a model for the major structural components of E. coli was developed. It was possible to deduce information on the occupied volume, occurrence and average size of the most important intracellular constituents: ribosomes, DNA and proteins. E. coli was studied after treatment with three different antibiotic agents (chloramphenicol, tetracycline and rifampicin) and the impact on the intracellular constituents was monitored. A combination of small- and ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering enabled the resolution of important intracellular constituents in Escherichia coli (ribosomes, DNA and proteins). The impact of treatment with three antibiotic agents was monitored. © A. R. von Gundlach et al. 2016.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1107/S1600576716018562

• 2016 • 52	Zeolite Beta Formation from Clear Sols: Silicate Speciation, Particle Formation and Crystallization Monitored by Complementary Analysis Methods Castro, M. and Haouas, M. and Lim, I. and Bongard, H.J. and Schüth, F. and Taulelle, F. and Karlsson, G. and Alfredsson, V. and Breyneart, E. and Kirschhock, C.E.A. and Schmidt, W. Chemistry - A European Journal 22 15307-15319 (2016) The formation of silicate nanoaggregates (NAs) at the very early stages of precursor sols and zeolite beta crystallization from silicate nanoparticles (NPs) are investigated in detail using a combination of different analysis methods, including liquid-state29Si,27Al,14N, and1H NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy at cryogenic temperatures (cryo-TEM). Prior to hydrothermal treatment, silicate NAs are observed if the Si/OH ratio in the reaction mixture is greater than 1. Condensation of oligomers within the NAs then generates NPs. Aluminum doped into the synthesis mixtures is located exclusively in the NPs, and is found exclusively in a state that is fourfold connected to silicate, favoring their condensation and aggregation. These results are in agreement with general trends observed for other systems. Silicate NAs are essential intermediates for zeolite formation and are generated by the aggregation of hydrated oligomers, aluminate, and templating cations. Subsequent further intra-nanoaggregate silicate condensation results in the formation of NPs.1H and14N liquid NMR as well as diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments provide evidence for weakly restricted rotational and translational mobility of the organic template within NAs as a consequence of specific silicate–template interactions. NAs thus appear as key species in clear sols, and their presence in the precursor sol favors silicate condensation and further crystallization, promoted either by increasing the Si/OH ratio or by heating. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/chem.201600511

• 2015 • 51	Amorphous and Crystalline Sodium Tantalate Composites for Photocatalytic Water Splitting Grewe, T. and Tüysüz, H. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 7 23153-23162 (2015) A facile hydrothermal synthesis protocol for the fabrication of sodium tantalates for photocatalytic water splitting is presented. Mixtures of tantalum and sodium ethoxide precursors were dispersed in ethanol, and ammonium hydroxide solution was used as mineralizer. By adjusting the amount of mineralizer, a variety of sodium tantalates with various morphologies, textural parameters, band gaps, crystal phases, and degrees of crystallinity were fabricated. The reaction was carefully monitored with a pressure sensor inside the autoclave reactor, and the obtained samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N2-physisorption, and ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy. Among the series, the amorphous sample and the composite sample that consists of amorphous and crystalline phases showed superior activity toward photocatalytic hydrogen production than highly crystalline samples. Particularly, an amorphous sodium tantalate with a small fraction of crystalline nanoparticles with perovskite structure was found to be the most active sample, reaching a hydrogen rate of 3.6 mmol h-1 from water/methanol without the use of any cocatalyst. Despite its amorphous nature, this photocatalyst gave an apparent photocatalyst activity of 1200 μmol g-1 L-1 h-1 W1-, which is 4.5-fold higher than highly crystalline NaTaO3. In addition, the most active sample gave promising activity for overall water splitting with a hydrogen production rate of 94 μmol h-1, which is superior to highly crystalline NaTaO3 prepared by conventional solid-solid state route. © 2015 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acsami.5b06965

• 2015 • 50	Chemical vapor deposition of Si/SiC nano-multilayer thin films Weber, A. and Remfort, R. and Wöhrl, N. and Assenmacher, W. and Schulz, S. Thin Solid Films 593 44-52 (2015) Stoichiometric SiC films were deposited with the commercially available single source precursor Et3SiH by classical thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as well as plasma-enhanced CVD at low temperatures in the absence of any other reactive gases. Temperature-variable deposition studies revealed that polycrystalline films containing different SiC polytypes with a Si to carbon ratio of close to 1:1 are formed at 1000°C in thermal CVD process and below 100°C in the plasma-enhanced CVD process. The plasma enhanced CVD process enables the reduction of residual stress in the deposited films and offers the deposition on temperature sensitive substrates in the future. In both deposition processes the film thickness can be controlled by variation of the process parameters such as the substrate temperature and the deposition time. The resulting material films were characterized with respect to their chemical composition and their crystallinity using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XRD), atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, secondary ion mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, Si/SiC multilayers of up to 10 individual layers of equal thickness (about 450 nm) were deposited at 1000°C using Et3SiH and SiH4. The resulting multilayers features amorphous SiC films alternating with Si films, which feature larger crystals up to 300 nm size as measured by transmission electron microscopy as well as by XRD. XRD features three distinct peaks for Si(111), Si(220) and Si(311). © 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2015.08.042

• 2015 • 49	Complex Nanotwin Substructure of an Asymmetric Σ9 Tilt Grain Boundary in a Silicon Polycrystal Stoffers, A. and Ziebarth, B. and Barthel, J. and Cojocaru-Mirédin, O. and Elsässer, C. and Raabe, D. Physical Review Letters 115 (2015) Grain boundaries in materials have substantial influences on device properties, for instance on mechanical stability or electronic minority carrier lifetime in multicrystalline silicon solar cells. This applies especially to asymmetric, less ordered or faceted interface portions. Here, we present the complex atomic interface structure of an asymmetric Σ9 tilt grain boundary in silicon, observed by high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) and explained by atomistic modeling and computer simulation. Structural optimization of interface models for the asymmetric Σ9 and related symmetrical Σ9 and Σ3 tilt grain boundaries, by means of molecular-statics simulations with empirical silicon potentials in combination with first-principles calculations, results in a faceted asymmetric interface structure, whose grain-boundary energy is so low that it is likely to exist. The simulated local atomic structures match the observed HR-STEM images very well. © 2015 American Physical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.235502

• 2015 • 48	Cysteine-containing oligopeptide β-sheets as redispersants for agglomerated metal nanoparticles Mizutaru, T. and Sakuraba, T. and Nakayama, T. and Marzun, G. and Wagener, P. and Rehbock, C. and Barcikowski, S. and Murakami, K. and Fujita, J. and Ishii, N. and Yamamoto, Y. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 3 17612-17619 (2015) Oligopeptide β-sheets comprising a fluorenyl methoxy carbonyl (Fmoc) group on its N-terminus and five amino acid residues of cysteine, lysine and valine displays redispersive properties with respect to agglomerated metal nanoparticles (MNPs, M = Au, Cu, Pt and Pd). The ligand-free MNPs prepared by a laser ablation technique in liquid maintain a high dispersion state due to the inherent surface charges delivered by anionic species present in solution, but may agglomerate after the preparation depending on concentration or salinity. We show how the agglomerated MNPs can be returned to the dispersed state by adding the Fmoc-oligopeptide β-sheets in methanol, as characterized by photoabsorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Systematic studies in which we vary the concentration, the amino acid sequences and the secondary structures of a series of the oligopeptides clarify that the β-sheet structure is essential for the redispersion of the MNPs, where metal-binding thiol groups are integrated on one side and positively charged amino groups are located on the other side of the β-sheet. A possible mechanism for the redispersion may be that the agglomerated MNPs are subsequently enwrapped by the flexible β-sheets and gradually separated due to the reconstruction of peptide β-sheets under the assembly/disassembly equilibrium. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c5ta02098k

• 2015 • 47	Damage resistance in gum metal through cold work-induced microstructural heterogeneity Zhang, J.-L. and Tasan, C.C. and Lai, M.L. and Zhang, J. and Raabe, D. Journal of Materials Science 50 (2015) Cold-worked alloys exhibit high strength, but suffer from limited ductility. In contrast, Ti-based gum metal was reported to exhibit high strength combined with good ductility upon severe pre-straining. Motivated by this anomaly, we systematically studied the evolution of gum metal microstructure during severe cold working (swaging and rolling) and the resulting deformation and damage micro-mechanical mechanisms during follow-up tensile deformation. To this end, various experimental in situ and post-mortem methodologies are employed, including scanning electron microscopy imaging, high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction mapping and transmission electron microscopy. These observations reveal that intense grain refinement takes place through dislocation plasticity-dominated deformation banding upon cold working. The observed enhancement in crack blunting and failure resistance which prolongs the post-necking ductility of gum metal during follow-up tensile straining can be attributed to the deformation-induced development of local heterogeneities in texture and grain size. © 2015 Springer Science+Business Media New York
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1007/s10853-015-9105-y

• 2015 • 46	Deformation mechanism of ω-enriched Ti-Nb-based gum metal: Dislocation channeling and deformation induced ω-β transformation Lai, M.J. and Tasan, C.C. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 100 290-300 (2015) Gum metal, a class of multifunctional β titanium alloys, has attracted much attention in the past decade due to its initially-proposed dislocation-free deformation mechanism based on giant faults, i.e., macroscopic planar defects carrying significant plastic strain. Special deformation features were observed in these alloys, such as plastic flow localization, pronounced surface steps, low work hardening, and large elongation. These were all proposed to arise from the special giant fault mechanism activated in the β-Ti matrix, while the initial presence or mechanically-induced formation of other phases was debated in several follow-up studies. Here, we set off with Ti-Nb-based gum metal samples with confirmed presence of large amounts of nanometer-sized hexagonal ω particles. Deformation experiments demonstrate all the features observed in the original reports, mentioned above. However, careful characterization reveals that the deformation bands (similar to giant faults) where plastic flow localized are "dislocation channels" that are depleted of ω phase. These channels are proposed to form by a {1 1 2}<1 1 1> dislocation dissociation mechanism, promoting reverse transformation of the ω phase into the β phase. The deformation induced ω-β transformation and the associated dislocation channeling process can explain the presence of the aforementioned special deformation features in the current gum metal. © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.08.047

• 2015 • 45	Enhanced biomedical heat-triggered carriers via nanomagnetism tuning in ferrite-based nanoparticles Angelakeris, M. and Li, Z.-A. and Hilgendorff, M. and Simeonidis, K. and Sakellari, D. and Filippousi, M. and Tian, H. and Van Tendeloo, G. and Spasova, M. and Acet, M. and Farle, M. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 381 179-187 (2015) Biomedical nanomagnetic carriers are getting a higher impact in therapy and diagnosis schemes while their constraints and prerequisites are more and more successfully confronted. Such particles should possess a well-defined size with minimum agglomeration and they should be synthesized in a facile and reproducible high-yield way together with a controllable response to an applied static or dynamic field tailored for the specific application. Here, we attempt to enhance the heating efficiency in magnetic particle hyperthermia treatment through the proper adjustment of the core-shell morphology in ferrite particles, by controlling exchange and dipolar magnetic interactions at the nanoscale. Thus, core-shell nanoparticles with mutual coupling of magnetically hard (CoFe2O4) and soft (MnFe2O4) components are synthesized with facile synthetic controls resulting in uniform size and shell thickness as evidenced by high resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging, excellent crystallinity and size monodispersity. Such a magnetic coupling enables the fine tuning of magnetic anisotropy and magnetic interactions without sparing the good structural, chemical and colloidal stability. Consequently, the magnetic heating efficiency of CoFe2O4 and MnFe2O4 core-shell nanoparticles is distinctively different from that of their counterparts, even though all these nanocrystals were synthesized under similar conditions. For better understanding of the AC magnetic hyperthermia response and its correlation with magnetic-origin features we study the effect of the volume ratio of magnetic hard and soft phases in the bimagnetic core-shell nanocrystals. Eventually, such particles may be considered as novel heating carriers that under further biomedical functionalization may become adaptable multifunctional heat-triggered nanoplatforms. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2014.12.069

• 2015 • 44	From in situ characterization to process control of quantum dot systems Segets, D. and Peukert, W. Procedia Engineering 102 575-581 (2015) Quantum confined semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots, QDs) are promising candidates for various applications in emerging fields like electronics, solar cells, sensors and diagnostics. However, a larger scale production of QDs at high product quality is still missing. One of the key requirements to address this issue in the near future was identified to be a fast and in situ applicable characterization method. Suitable characterization requires knowledge on the full shape of the particle size distributions (PSDs) under investigation. Thus, determination of a mean particle size together with the width of the PSD is not sufficient. In the following, a method will be presented that allows the derivation of arbitrary shaped PSDs for QDs with direct band gap based on their optical absorbance spectra. After validation of the technique by means of ZnO nanoparticles the transfer of the concept to other QD materials like PbS and PbSe will be proven. Therefore we will extend our methodology and show how our approach can be used to derive spectral properties like the size dependent band gap energy. This is realized by proper calibration of the calculation results against PSDs determined by an independent analysis technique like transmission electron microscopy (TEM). © 2015 The Authors.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.proeng.2015.01.129

• 2015 • 43	High-quality functionalized few-layer graphene: Facile fabrication and doping with nitrogen as a metal-free catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction Sun, Z. and Masa, J. and Weide, P. and Fairclough, S.M. and Robertson, A.W. and Ebbinghaus, P. and Warner, J.H. and Tsang, S.C.E. and Muhler, M. and Schuhmann, W. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 3 15444-15450 (2015) Functionalization of graphene is fundamental to facilitating its processing and offers a wide scope for advanced applications. Here we demonstrate a facile, highly efficient and mild covalent functionalization of graphene using HNO<inf>3</inf> vapour. This results in functionalized few-layer graphene (FLG) that is high in both quantity and quality. We fully characterized the structure and defect level of functionalized FLG by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results from this analysis show the tunability of the surface oxygen functionalities of FLG achieved through controlling the oxidation temperature without affecting the major intrinsic properties of graphene. This allows for further doping for applications, for example with nitrogen as a metal-free catalyst in the oxygen reduction reaction. © 2015 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c5ta02248g

• 2015 • 42	Impact of ambient pressure on titania nanoparticle formation during spray-flame synthesis Hardt, S. and Wlokas, I. and Schulz, C. and Wiggers, H. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 15 9449-9456 (2015) Nanocrystalline titania was synthesized via liquid-fed spray-flame synthesis in a hermetically closed system at various pressures. Titanium tetraisopropoxide dissolved in isopropanol was used as precursor. The size, crystal structure, degree of agglomeration, morphology and the band gap of the as-prepared particles were investigated ex situ by nitrogen adsorption, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. In comparison to synthesis at atmospheric pressure it was found that decreasing pressure has a significant influence on the particle size distribution leading to smaller particles with reduced geometric standard deviation while particle morphology and crystal structure are not affected. Computational fluid dynamics simulations support the experimental findings also indicating a significant decrease in particle size at reduced pressure. Although it is well known that decreasing pressure leads to smaller particle sizes, it is (to our knowledge) the first time that this relation was investigated for spray-flame synthesis. Copyright © 2015 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1166/jnn.2015.10607

• 2015 • 41	Microstructural evolution in a Ti-Ta hightemperature shape memory alloy during creep Rynko, R. and Marquardt, A. and Paulsen, A. and Frenzel, J. and Somsen, C. and Eggeler, G. International Journal of Materials Research 106 331-341 (2015) Alloys based on the titanium-tantalum system are considered for application as high-temperature shape memory alloys due to their martensite start temperatures, which can surpass 200 °C. In the present work we study the evolution of microstructure and the influence of creep on the phase transformation behavior of a Ti70Ta30 (at.%) high-temperature shape memory alloy. Creep tests were performed in a temperature range from 470 to 530 °C at stresses between 90 and 150 MPa. The activation energy for creep was found to be 307 kJ mol-1 and the stress exponent n was determined as 3.7. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy investigations were carried out to characterize the microstructure before and after creep. It was found that the microstructural evolution during creep suppresses subsequent martensitic phase transformations. © Carl Hanser Verlag GmbH & Co. KG.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3139/146.111189

• 2015 • 40	Microstructure design and mechanical properties in a near-α Ti-4Mo alloy Tarzimoghadam, Z. and Sandlöbes, S. and Pradeep, K.G. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 97 291-304 (2015) Abstract We study the effects of different heat treatment routes on microstructure engineering and the resulting mechanical response in a plain binary Ti-4Mo (wt%) model alloy. We observe a broad variety of microstructure formation mechanisms including diffusion driven allotropic phase transformations as well as shear and/or diffusion dominated modes of martensitic transformations, enabling a wealth of effective microstructure design options even in such a simple binary Ti alloy. This wide variety of microstructures allows tailoring the mechanical properties ranging from low yield strength (350 MPa) and high ductility (30-35% tensile elongation) to very high yield strength (1100 MPa) and medium ductility (10-15% tensile elongation) as well as a variety of intermediate states. Mechanical testing and microstructure characterization using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy based techniques, transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography were performed revealing that minor variations in the heat treatment cause significant changes in the resulting microstructures (e.g. structural refinement, transition between diffusive and martensitic transformations). The experimental results on microstructure evolution during the applied different heat treatment routes are discussed with respect to the mechanical properties. © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.06.043

• 2015 • 39	Nanostructuring graphene by dense electronic excitation Ochedowski, O. and Lehtinen, O. and Kaiser, U. and Turchanin, A. and Ban-D'Etat, B. and Lebius, H. and Karlušić, M. and Jakšić, M. and Schleberger, M. Nanotechnology 26 (2015) The ability to manufacture tailored graphene nanostructures is a key factor to fully exploit its enormous technological potential. We have investigated nanostructures created in graphene by swift heavy ion induced folding. For our experiments, single layers of graphene exfoliated on various substrates and freestanding graphene have been irradiated and analyzed by atomic force and high resolution transmission electron microscopy as well as Raman spectroscopy. We show that the dense electronic excitation in the wake of the traversing ion yields characteristic nanostructures each of which may be fabricated by choosing the proper irradiation conditions. These nanostructures include unique morphologies such as closed bilayer edges with a given chirality or nanopores within supported as well as freestanding graphene. The length and orientation of the nanopore, and thus of the associated closed bilayer edge, may be simply controlled by the direction of the incoming ion beam. In freestanding graphene, swift heavy ion irradiation induces extremely small openings, offering the possibility to perforate graphene membranes in a controlled way. © 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/26/46/465302

• 2015 • 38	Reversible or Not? Distinguishing Agglomeration and Aggregation at the Nanoscale Sokolov, S.V. and Tschulik, K. and Batchelor-McAuley, C. and Jurkschat, K. and Compton, R.G. Analytical Chemistry 87 10033-10039 (2015) Nanoparticles are prone to clustering either via aggregation (irreversible) or agglomeration (reversible) processes. It is exceedingly difficult to distinguish the two via conventional techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), or electron microscopy imaging (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) as such techniques only generally confirm the presence of large particle clusters. Herein we develop a joint approach to tackle the issue of distinguishing between nanoparticle aggregation vs agglomeration by characterizing a colloidal system of Ag NPs using DLS, NTA, SEM imaging and the electrochemical nanoimpacts technique. In contrast to the conventional techniques which all reveal the presence of large clusters of particles, electrochemical nanoimpacts provide information regarding individual nanoparticles in the solution phase and reveal the presence of small nanoparticles (<30 nm) even in high ionic strength (above 0.5 M KCl) and allow a more complete analysis. The detection of small nanoparticles in high ionic strength media evidence the clustering to be a reversible process. As a result it is concluded that agglomeration rather than irreversible aggregation takes place. This observation is of general importance for all colloids as it provides a feasible analysis technique for a wide range of systems with an ability to distinguish subtly different processes. © 2015 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b02639

• 2015 • 37	Size and orientation effects in partial dislocation-mediated deformation of twinning-induced plasticity steel micro-pillars Choi, W.S. and De Cooman, B.C. and Sandlöbes, S. and Raabe, D. Acta Materialia 98 391-404 (2015) Abstract Bulk and micro-pillar single crystals were used to investigate the twinning-induced plasticity mechanism in austenitic Fe-22 wt%Mn-0.6 wt%C TWIP steel. Compression of micro-pillars oriented either for deformation-induced twinning or for perfect dislocation glide was carried out for pillars with diameters in the range of 600 nm to 4 μm. The same size dependence of the critical resolved shear stress was observed for both orientations. The critical micro-pillar diameter for size-independent plasticity was approximately 7.6 μm. Partial dislocation-mediated formation of twins and ε-martensite was observed in micro-pillars oriented for twinning by transmission electron microscopy. The elastic-plastic transition in micro-pillars oriented for deformation twinning did not involve twinning, and dislocation-dislocation interactions were a necessary precondition for twin formation. © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2015.06.065

• 2015 • 36	Stability of Dealloyed Porous Pt/Ni Nanoparticles Baldizzone, C. and Gan, L. and Hodnik, N. and Keeley, G.P. and Kostka, A. and Heggen, M. and Strasser, P. and Mayrhofer, K.J.J. ACS Catalysis 5 5000-5007 (2015) We provide a comprehensive durability assessment dedicated to a promising class of electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (i.e., porous platinum nanoparticles). The stability of these nanoengineered open structures is tested under two accelerated degradation test conditions (ADT), particularly selected to mimic the potential regimes experienced by the catalyst during the operative life of a fuel cell (i.e., load cycles (up to 1.0 V<inf>RHE</inf>) and start-up cycles (up to 1.4 V<inf>RHE</inf>)). To understand the evolution of the electrochemical performance, the catalyst properties are investigated by means of fundamental rotating disc electrode studies, identical location-transmission electron microscopy (IL-TEM) coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy chemical mapping (IL-EELS), and post-use chemical analysis and online highly sensitive potential resolved dissolution concentration monitoring by scanning flow cell inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SFC-ICP-MS). The experimental results on the nanoporous Pt revealed distinctive degradation mechanisms that could potentially affect a wide range of other nanoengineered open structures. The study concludes that, although providing promising activity performance, under the relevant operational conditions of fuel cells, the nanoporosity is only metastable and subjected to a progressive reorganization toward the minimization of the nanoscale curvature. The rate and pathways of this specific degradation mechanism together with other well-known degradation mechanisms like carbon corrosion and platinum dissolution are strongly dependent on the selected upper limit potential, leading to distinctly different durability performance. © 2015 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acscatal.5b01151

• 2015 • 35	Swift Heavy Ion Induced Optical and Electronic Modifications of Graphene-TiO2 Nanocomposites Mishra, M. and Meinerzhagen, F. and Schleberger, M. and Kanjilal, D. and Mohanty, T. Journal of Physical Chemistry C 119 21270-21277 (2015) The effect of swift heavy ions irradiation on optical and electronic properties of chemically synthesized graphene-TiO<inf>2</inf> nanocomposites is presented. Modification of surface properties of these nanocomposites by irradiation with three different ions and with varying fluence was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning Kelvin probe microscopy techniques. Raman spectra of irradiated samples exhibit systematic changes in the characteristic peaks of both graphene and TiO<inf>2</inf>. The nanocrystallite dimension calculated from Raman peak intensity decreases with fluence, indicating the occurrence of peripheral fragmentation. Furthermore, measurement of the surface contact potential difference using scanning Kelvin probe reveals that the work function of graphene-titanium dioxide nanocomposites can be effectively increased by more than 1 eV. © 2015 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b07297

• 2015 • 34	The influence of partitioning on the growth of intragranular α in near-β Ti alloys Li, T. and Ahmed, M. and Sha, G. and Shi, R. and Casillas, G. and Yen, H.-W. and Wang, Y. and Pereloma, E.V. and Cairney, J.M. Journal of Alloys and Compounds 643 212-222 (2015) Abstract We report on partitioning of alloying elements during the formation of fine intragranular α plates in a Ti-55521 alloy after thermo-mechanical processing (TMP) and isothermal ageing at 923 K. The microstructures were characterised using atom probe tomography and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The partitioning of Mo, V and Al are strongly affected by their diffusivities and their mutual interaction. This leads to a deviation of the measured contents of alloying elements in the two phases from the predicted equilibrium values. The alloying elements at the broad faces and tips of α plates were found to exhibit different pile-up and segregation behaviours, which is thought to affect the lengthening and thickening kinetics of the α plates. As a result, the aspect ratio of α plates decreased rapidly with increasing ageing time. This study suggests that careful selection of alloying elements could be an effective way in controlling the growth anisotropy of α plates and thus α + β microstructures in near-β Ti alloys. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2015.04.143

• 2015 • 33	The mechanism of ω-assisted α phase formation in near β-Ti alloys Li, T. and Kent, D. and Sha, G. and Dargusch, M.S. and Cairney, J.M. Scripta Materialia 104 75-78 (2015) Partitioning of alloying elements during the ω-to-α phase transformation in a near-β alloy after isothermal ageing at 573 K was measured using atom probe tomography and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. O-rich regions associated with ω precipitates were observed for the first time, and likely serve as nucleation sites for the α phase. The partitioning behaviours of Al and O, unlike other elements, are different for α and ω, suggesting a mixed-mode mechanism for the ω-to-α phase transformation. © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2015.04.007

• 2015 • 32	Uniform 2 nm gold nanoparticles supported on iron oxides as active catalysts for CO oxidation reaction: Structure-activity relationship Guo, Y. and Gu, D. and Jin, Z. and Du, P.-P. and Si, R. and Tao, J. and Xu, W.-Q. and Huang, Y.-Y. and Senanayake, S. and Song, Q.-S. and Jia, C.-J. and Schüth, F. Nanoscale 7 4920-4928 (2015) Uniform Au nanoparticles (∼2 nm) with narrow size-distribution (standard deviation: 0.5-0.6 nm) supported on both hydroxylated (Fe-OH) and dehydrated iron oxide (Fe-O) have been prepared by either deposition-precipitation (DP) or colloidal-deposition (CD) methods. Different structural and textural characterizations were applied to the dried, calcined and used gold-iron oxide samples. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) showed high homogeneity in the supported Au nanoparticles. The ex situ and in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) characterization monitored the electronic and short-range local structure of active gold species. The synchrotron-based in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), together with the corresponding temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen (H<inf>2</inf>-TPR), indicated a structural evolution of the iron-oxide supports, correlating to their reducibility. An inverse order of catalytic activity between DP (Au/Fe-OH < Au/Fe-O) and CD (Au/Fe-OH > Au/Fe-O) was observed. Effective gold-support interaction results in a high activity for gold nanoparticles, locally generated by the sintering of dispersed Au atoms on the oxide support in the DP synthesis, while a hydroxylated surface favors the reactivity of externally introduced Au nanoparticles on Fe-OH support for the CD approach. This work reveals why differences in the synthetic protocol translate to differences in the catalytic performance of Au/FeO<inf>x</inf> catalysts with very similar structural characteristics in CO oxidation. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c4nr06967f

• 2015 • 31	Van der Waals epitaxial MOCVD-growth of (BixSb1-x)2Te3 (0 < x < 1) films Bendt, G. and Sonntag, J. and Lorke, A. and Assenmacher, W. and Hagemann, U. and Schulz, S. Semiconductor Science and Technology 30 (2015) Epitaxial (Bi<inf>x</inf>Sb<inf>1-x</inf>)<inf>2</inf>Te<inf>3</inf> films with (0 < x < 1) were grown by the metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) process at 400 °C using the tailor-made precursors Et<inf>2</inf>Te<inf>2</inf>, i-Pr<inf>3</inf>Sb and Et<inf>3</inf>Bi. The films grown on Al<inf>2</inf>O<inf>3</inf>(0001) substrates show a very smooth surface morphology as shown by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while those grown on Si(100) are rather polycrystalline. The chemical composition of the crystalline films (x-ray powder diffraction (XRD)) was investigated by energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the in-plane transport properties were measured, and a strong dependency from the bismuth content was found, which allows the tuning of the carrier concentration and mobility in a wide range. © 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/0268-1242/30/8/085021

• 2014 • 30	Effect of a side reaction involving structural changes of the surfactants on the shape control of cobalt nanoparticles Comesaña-Hermo, M. and Estivill, R. and Ciuculescu, D. and Li, Z.-A. and Spasova, M. and Farle, M. and Amiens, C. Langmuir 30 4474-4482 (2014) Cobalt nanoparticles with different sizes and morphologies including spheres, rods, disks, and hexagonal prisms have been synthesized through the decomposition of the olefinic precursor [Co(η3-C 8H13)(η4-C8H12)] under dihydrogen, in the presence of hexadecylamine and different rhodamine derivatives, or aromatic carboxylic acids. UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, low and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and electron tomography have been used to characterize the nanomaterials. Especially, the Co nanodisks formed present characteristics that make them ideal nanocrystals for applications such as magnetic data storage. Focusing on their growth process, we have evidenced that a reaction between hexadecylamine and rhodamine B occurs during the formation of these Co nanodisks. This reaction limits the amount of free acid and amine, usually at the origin of the formation of single crystal Co rods and wires, in the growth medium of the nanocrystals. As a consequence, a growth mechanism based on the structure of the preformed seeds rather than oriented attachment or template assisted growth is postulated to explain the formation of the nanodisks. © 2014 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/la5005165

• 2014 • 29	Ligand-free gold atom clusters adsorbed on graphene nano sheets generated by oxidative laser fragmentation in water Lau, M. and Haxhiaj, I. and Wagener, P. and Intartaglia, R. and Brandi, F. and Nakamura, J. and Barcikowski, S. Chemical Physics Letters 610-611 256-260 (2014) Over three decades after the first synthesis of stabilized Au 55-clusters many scientific questions about gold cluster properties are still unsolved and ligand-free colloidal clusters are difficult to fabricate. Here we present a novel route to produce ultra-small gold particles by using a green technique, the laser ablation and fragmentation in water, without using reductive or stabilizing agents at any step of the synthesis. For fabrication only a pulsed laser, a gold-target, pure water, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide are deployed. The particles are exemplarily hybridized to graphene supports showing that these carbon-free colloidal clusters might serve as versatile building blocks. © 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.cplett.2014.07.047

• 2014 • 28	On the physical nature of tribolayers and wear debris after sliding wear in a superalloy/steel tribosystem at 25 and 300°C Rynio, C. and Hattendorf, H. and Klöwer, J. and Eggeler, G. Wear 317 26-38 (2014) Dry sliding wear of metals is strongly affected by the formation of oxide particles and their incorporation into compacted oxide layers, so-called glaze layers. A high-temperature reciprocating pin-on-disc tribometer was used to study the tribological response of a Ni-based Alloy 80A pin on a cast iron disc at ambient temperature and at 300. °C. Alloy 80A is used for valves and specific cast irons are used for valve seat-inserts in automotive diesel engines, where wear limits the service life of the valve/seat-insert tribosystems. Measurements of the friction coefficient, the total linear wear and the electrical contact resistance were used to monitor the formation of oxide layers during the experiments. Electron dispersive X-ray (EDX) element mappings from the surface regions with wear scars provide clear evidence for the formation of glaze layers and material transfer between pin and disc. Focused ion beam (FIB) micromachining was used to cut out thin lamellae from specific surface regions of glaze layers and from metallic wear particles. These lamellae were investigated in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was shown that the glaze layers generated at 25 and 300. °C exhibit distinct differences, which led to a reduction in wear rate by a factor of five at the higher temperature. We also report on the mechanical mixing of oxide particles and metal matrix that results in a metal/oxide nanocomposite directly below the sliding surfaces. Such composite structures were also observed inside of metallic wear debris. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.wear.2014.04.022

• 2014 • 27	Probing the electronic transport on the reconstructed Au/Ge(001) surface Krok, F. and Kaspers, M.R. and Bernhart, A.M. and Nikiel, M. and Jany, B.R. and Indyka, P. and Wojtaszek, M. and Möller, R. and Bobisch, C.A. Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 5 1463-1471 (2014) By using scanning tunnelling potentiometry we characterized the lateral variation of the electrochemical potential μec on the goldinduced Ge(001)-c(8 × 2)-Au surface reconstruction while a lateral current flows through the sample. On the reconstruction and across domain boundaries we find that μec shows a constant gradient as a function of the position between the contacts. In addition, nanoscale Au clusters on the surface do not show an electronic coupling to the gold-induced surface reconstruction. In combination with high resolution scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we conclude that an additional transport channel buried about 2 nm underneath the surface represents a major transport channel for electrons. © 2014 Krok et al.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.3762/bjnano.5.159

• 2014 • 26	Separating strain from composition in unit cell parameter maps obtained from aberration corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging Schulz, T. and Duff, A. and Remmele, T. and Korytov, M. and Markurt, T. and Albrecht, M. and Lymperakis, L. and Neugebauer, J. and Cheze, C. and Skierbiszewski, C. Journal of Applied Physics 115 033113 (2014) Based on the evaluation of lattice parameter maps in aberration corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy images, we propose a simple method that allows quantifying the composition and disorder of a semiconductor alloy at the unit cell scale with high accuracy. This is realized by considering, next to the out-of-plane, also the in-plane lattice parameter component allowing to separate the chemical composition from the strain field. Considering only the out-of-plane lattice parameter component not only yields large deviations from the true local alloy content but also carries the risk of identifying false ordering phenomena like formations of chains or platelets. Our method is demonstrated on image simulations of relaxed supercells, as well as on experimental images of an In0.20Ga0.80N quantum well. Principally, our approach is applicable to all epitaxially strained compounds in the form of quantum wells, free standing islands, quantum dots, or wires. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.4862736

• 2014 • 25	Transmission electron microscopy and ferromagnetic resonance investigations of tunnel magnetic junctions using Co2MnGe Heusler alloys as magnetic electrodes Belmeguenai, M. and Genevois, C. and Zighem, F. and Roussigné, Y. and Chérif, S.M. and Westerholt, K. and El Bahoui, A. and Fnidiki, A. and Moch, P. Thin Solid Films 551 163-170 (2014) High resolution transmission electron microscopy, nano-beam electronic diffraction, energy dispersive X-rays scanning spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) techniques are used in view of comparing (static and dynamic) magnetic and structural properties of Co 2MnGe(13 nm)/Al2O3(3 nm)/Co(13 nm) tunnel magnetic junctions (TMJs), deposited on various single crystalline substrates (a-plane sapphire, MgO(100) and Si(111)). They allow for providing a correlation between these magnetic properties and the fine structure investigated at atomic scale. The Al2O3 tunnel barrier is always amorphous and contains a large concentration of Co atoms, which, however, is significantly reduced when using a sapphire substrate. The Co layer is polycrystalline and shows larger grains for films grown on a sapphire substrate. The VSM investigation reveals in-plane anisotropy only for samples grown on a sapphire substrate. The FMR spectra of the TMJs are compared to the obtained ones with a single Co and Co2MnGe films of identical thickness deposited on a sapphire substrate. As expected, two distinct modes are detected in the TMJs while only one mode is observed in each single film. For the TMJ grown on a sapphire substrate, the FMR behavior does not significantly differ from the superposition of the individual spectra of the single films, allowing for a conclusion that the exchange coupling between the two magnetic layers is too small to give rise to observable shifts. For TMJs grown on a Si or on a MgO substrate, the resonance spectra reveal one mode which is nearly identical to the obtained one in the single Co film, while the other observed resonance shows a considerably smaller intensity and cannot be described using the magnetic parameters appropriate to the single Co2MnGe film. The large Co concentration in the Al2O3 interlayer prevents for a simple interpretation of the observed spectra when using Si or MgO substrates. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.11.090

• 2013 • 24	Basal and non-basal dislocation slip in Mg–Y Sandlöbes, S. and Friák, M. and Neugebauer, J. and Raabe, D. Materials Science and Engineering A 576 61-68 (2013) The activation of non-basal slip systems is of high importance for the ductility in hcp Mg and its alloys. In particular, for Mg–Y alloys where a higher activation of pyramidal dislocation slip causes an increased ductility detailed characterization of the activated slip systems is essential to understand and describe plasticity in these alloys. In this study a detailed analysis of the activated dislocations and slip systems via post-mortem TEM and SEM-EBSD based slip band analysis in 3% deformed Mg–3 wt% Y is presented. The analysis reveals a substantial activity of pyramidal <c+a> dislocations with different Burgers vectors. The obtained dislocation densities and active slip systems are discussed with respect to atomistic simulations of non-basal dislocations in hcp Mg. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2013.03.006

• 2013 • 23	Blocking growth by an electrically active subsurface layer: The effect of si as an antisurfactant in the growth of GaN Markurt, T. and Lymperakis, L. and Neugebauer, J. and Drechsel, P. and Stauss, P. and Schulz, T. and Remmele, T. and Grillo, V. and Rotunno, E. and Albrecht, M. Physical Review Letters 110 (2013) Combining aberration corrected high resolution transmission electron microscopy and density functional theory calculations we propose an explanation of the antisurfactant effect of Si in GaN growth. We identify the atomic structure of a Si delta-doped layer (commonly called SiNx mask) as a SiGaN3 monolayer that resembles a √3×√3 R30 surface reconstruction containing one Si atom, one Ga atom, and a Ga vacancy (V Ga) in its unit cell. Our density functional theory calculations show that GaN growth on top of this SiGaN3 layer is inhibited by forming an energetically unfavorable electrical dipole moment that increases with layer thickness and that is caused by charge transfer between cation dangling bonds at the surface to VGa bound at subsurface sites. © 2013 American Physical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.036103

• 2013 • 22	Composition-dependent crystal structure and martensitic transformation in Heusler Ni-Mn-Sn alloys Zheng, H. and Wang, W. and Xue, S. and Zhai, Q. and Frenzel, J. and Luo, Z. Acta Materialia 61 4648-4656 (2013) In the present work, modulated four- and five-layered orthorhombic, seven-layered monoclinic (4O, 10M and 14M) and unmodulated double tetragonal (L10) martensites are characterized in Heusler Ni-Mn-Sn alloys using X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction techniques and thermal analysis. All modulated layered martensites exhibit twins and stacking faults, while the L10 martensite shows fewer structural defects. The substitution of Sn with Mn in Ni 50Mn37+xSn13-x (x = 0, 2, 4) enhances the martensitic transition temperatures, while the transition temperatures decrease with increasing Mn content for constant Sn levels in Ni50-yMn37+ySn13 (y = 0, 2, 4). The compositional dependence of the martensitic transition temperatures is mainly attributed to the valence electron concentration (e/a) and the unit-cell volume of the high-temperature phase. With increasing transition temperatures (or e/a), the resultant martensitic crystal structure evolves in a sequence of 4O → 10M → 14M → L10 in bulk Ni-Mn-Sn alloys. © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2013.04.035

• 2013 • 21	Magnetization dynamics in Co2MnGe/Al2O3/Co tunnel junctions grown on different substrates Belmeguenai, M. and Tuzcuoglu, H. and Zighem, F. and Chérif, S.-M. and Roussigné, Y. and Westerholt, K. and Moch, P. and El Bahoui, A. and Genevois, C. and Fnidiki, A. Sensor Letters 11 2043-2048 (2013) We study static and dynamic magnetic properties of Co2MnGe (13 nm)/Al2O3 (3 nm)/Co (13 nm) tunnel magnetic junctions, deposited on various single crystalline substrates (a-plane sapphire, MgO(100), Si(111)). The results are compared to the magnetic properties of Co and of Co2MnGe single films lying on sapphire substrates. X-rays diffraction always shows (110) orientation of the Co2MnGe films. Structural observations obtained by high resolution transmission electron microscopy confirmed the high quality of the tunnel magnetic junction grown on sapphire. Our vibrating sample magnetometry measurements reveal in-plane anisotropy only in samples grown on a sapphire substrate. Depending on the substrate, the ferromagnetic resonance spectra of the tunnel magnetic junctions, studied by the microstrip technique, show one or two pseudo-uniform modes. In the case of MgO and of Si substrates only one mode is observed: it is described by magnetic parameters (g-factor, effective magnetization, in-plane magnetic anisotropy) derived in the frame of a simple expression of the magnetic energy density; these parameters are practically identical to those obtained for the Co single film. With a sapphire substrate two modes are present: one of them does not appreciably differ from the observed mode in the Co single film while the other one is similar to the mode appearing in the Co2MnGe single film: their magnetic parameters can thus be determined independently, using a classical model for the energy density in the absence of interlayer exchange coupling. Copyright © 2013 American Scientific Publishers.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1166/sl.2013.3064

• 2013 • 20	Preparation of cubic ordered mesoporous silicon carbide monoliths by pressure assisted preceramic polymer nanocasting Wang, J. and Oschatz, M. and Biemelt, T. and Lohe, M.R. and Borchardt, L. and Kaskel, S. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials 168 142-147 (2013) Ordered mesoporous silicon carbide monoliths (OMSCMs) with three-dimensional (3D) bi-continuous cubic structure (Ia3d) have been successfully prepared using KIT-6 silica as the hard template and the commercial polycarbosilane (PCS-800) as the preceramic precursor. Tablet-like SiC/KIT-6 composite monoliths were formed via nanocasting of PCS-800 into the mesopores of KIT-6 silica by the wet impregnation, followed by pressing the PCS-800/KIT-6 composite powder with the addition of triblock copolymer P123 as a binder, and subsequent pyrolysis at 1073, 1273, or 1473 K in argon. The KIT-6 silica template was then dissolved in hydrogen fluoride (HF) solution to generate the silicon carbide (SiC) replicated monoliths with cubic ordered mesoporous structure. The OMSCMs demonstrated good macroscopic tablet-like appearances and no any cracks could be found in spite of the evident shrinkage. They were characterized by small-angle and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), elemental analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nitrogen adsorption and small-angle XRD measurements showed that the OMSCMs had very high stability even after re-treatment at 1673 K under argon. And the transformation of amorphous into nano-crystalline state for SiC framework in the OMSCMs proceeded with the retention of the tablet-like morphology. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2012.09.037

• 2012 • 19	Electron transport in partially filled iron carbon nanotubes Migunov, V. and Li, Z.-A. and Spasova, M. and Farle, M. Solid State Phenomena 190 498-501 (2012) We report electron transport properties of iron filled multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with outer diameters of 30 to 80 nm and lengths of 1 to 10 μm. Our study is combined with a structural investigation of the iron core using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). It was found that high current densities of 1.8×107A/cm2 increase the conductivity of the MWCNT by a factor of two at 300 K, while the Fe core disappears probably forming defect states in the carbon shells. The enhanced diffusion of iron is most probably the result of local heating of the iron followed by implantation of iron atoms in the nanotube layers. © (2012) Trans Tech Publications.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.190.498

• 2012 • 18	Growth optimization and characterization of lattice-matched Al 0.82In 0.18N optical confinement layer for edge emitting nitride laser diodes Kim-Chauveau, H. and Frayssinet, E. and Damilano, B. and De Mierry, P. and Bodiou, L. and Nguyen, L. and Vennéguès, P. and Chauveau, J.-M. and Cordier, Y. and Duboz, J.Y. and Charash, R. and Vajpeyi, A. and Lamy, J.-M. and Akhte... Journal of Crystal Growth 338 20-29 (2012) We present the growth optimization and the doping by the metal organic chemical vapor deposition of lattice-matched Al 0.82In 0.18N bottom optical confinement layers for edge emitting laser diodes. Due to the increasing size and density of V-shaped defects in Al 1-xIn xN with increasing thickness, we have designed an Al 1-xIn xN/GaN multilayer structure by optimizing the growth and thickness of the GaN interlayer. The Al 1-xIn xN and GaN interlayers in the multilayer structure were both doped using the same SiH 4 flow, while the Si levels in both layers were found to be significantly different by SIMS. The optimized 8×(Al 0.82In 0.18N/GaN=54/6 nm) multilayer structures grown on free-standing GaN substrates were characterized by high resolution X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, along with the in-situ measurements of stress evolution during growth. Finally, lasing was obtained from the UV (394 nm) to blue (436 nm) wavelengths, in electrically injected, edge-emitting, cleaved-facet laser diodes with 480 nm thick Si-doped Al 1-xIn xN/GaN multilayers as bottom waveguide claddings. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2011.10.016

• 2011 • 17	Axial pn-junctions formed by MOVPE using DEZn and TESn in vaporliquidsolid grown GaAs nanowires Regolin, I. and Gutsche, C. and Lysov, A. and Blekker, K. and Li, Z.-A. and Spasova, M. and Prost, W. and Tegude, F.-J. Journal of Crystal Growth 315 143-147 (2011) We report on axial pn-junctions in GaAs nanowires. The nanowires were grown by MOVPE on (1 1 1)B GaAs substrates using the vaporliquidsolid mechanism in combination with Au seed particles. At the low growth temperature of 400 °C any additional growth on the nanowire sidewalls can be excluded such that a pure axial pn-junction is realized. p-Type doping was provided by diethyl zinc, while tetraethyl tin was introduced for n-type doping. The impact of dopant supply was investigated both on structural properties and on carrier density. The carrier type was independently verified by processed nanowire metalinsulator FETs. The lengths of the whole pn-GaAs nanowires reach up to 20 μm while their diameters are up to a few 100 nm, as defined by the Au seed particles used. The pn-GaAs nanowire device exhibits diode-like IV characteristics and strong electroluminescence. While the reverse current is in the low pA-regime, the forward current reaches a few μA, limited by the n-doped side. A diffusion voltage VD=1.4 V is determined, which corresponds to the GaAs band gap energy. To our knowledge this is the first axial GaAs pn-diode realized in a single GaAs nanowire. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2010.08.028

• 2011 • 16	Photoluminescent zinc oxide polymer nanocomposites fabricated using picosecond laser ablation in an organic solvent Wagener, P. and Faramarzi, S. and Schwenke, A. and Rosenfeld, R. and Barcikowski, S. Applied Surface Science 257 7231-7237 (2011) Nanocomposites made of ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in thermoplastic polyurethane were synthesized using picosecond laser ablation of zinc in a polymer-doped solution of tetrahydrofuran. The pre-added polymer stabilizes the ZnO nanoparticles in situ during laser ablation by forming a polymer shell around the nanoparticles. This close-contact polymer shell has a layer thickness up to 30 nm. Analysis of ZnO polyurethane nanocomposites using optical spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that oxidized and crystalline ZnO nanoparticles were produced. Those nanocomposites showed a green photoluminescence emission centred at 538 nm after excitation at 350 nm, which should be attributed to oxygen defects generated during the laser formation mechanism of the monocrystalline nanoparticles. Further, the influence of pulse energy and polymer concentration on the production rate, laser fluence and energy-specific mass productivity was investigated. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2011.03.097

• 2011 • 15	Planar-defect characteristics and cross-sections of 〈001〉, 〈111〉, and 〈112〉 InAs nanowires Li, Z.-A. and Mller, C. and Migunov, V. and Spasova, M. and Farle, M. and Lysov, A. and Gutsche, C. and Regolin, I. and Prost, W. and Tegude, F.-J. and Ercius, P. Journal of Applied Physics 109 (2011) We report on detailed structural and morphological characterizations of InAs nanowires of 〈001〉, 〈111〉, and 〈112〉 crystallographic directions grown on (001)B InAs wafer substrates using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. We find that 〈001〉 -oriented InAs nanowires are cubic zincblende-type structure and free of planar defects. The 〈111〉- and 〈112〉-oriented InAs nanowires both have densely twinned (111) planar defects that are perpendicular and parallel to the growth direction, respectively. The cross sections of all three types of InAs nanowires are obtained from 3D reconstructions using electron tomography. The characteristics of the planar defects and the 3D wire shape should provide better estimations of microstructure-relevant physical properties, such as conductivity and Young's modulus of InAs nanowires. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1063/1.3592186

• 2011 • 14	Shape transformation mechanism of silver nanorods in aqueous solution Damm, C. and Segets, D. and Yang, G. and Vieweg, B.F. and Spiecker, E. and Peukert, W. Small 7 147-156 (2011) The spontaneous shape transformation of silver nanorods with an initial length of several hundred nanometers towards spherical particle shapes in aqueous solution is investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, anodic stripping voltammetry, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The consolidation of the results reveals an increase in the particle number density with time. Moreover, HRTEM image analysis along the cross section of the rods evidences the presence of fivefold twinning defects which extend along the whole rod length. According to the analytical model of Monk et al. this kind of rod structure is only thermodynamically stable if the rod length is below a critical value at a given diameter. The rods investigated in the present work do not fulfill the stability criterion as they exceed the critical length. Thus, the rods decay into smaller "nanobuns" and defective as well as defect-free spheres. A mechanism based on findings from the literature, HRTEM image analysis of former rods, transition states, and the final particle structures is proposed. The defects along the surface are seen as starting points for the dissolution of material, which is reintegrated into the solid phase by homogeneous as well as heterogeneous nucleation and growth. The decay process of silver nanorods in aqueous suspension is investigated. During ageing the aspect ratio decreases with time whereas the absolute particle number increases. Defects play a decisive role in rod decay and underline how crystal structure influences particle shape. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/smll.201001600

• 2011 • 13	Stoichiometry of alloy nanoparticles from laser ablation of PtIr in acetone and their electrophoretic deposition on PtIr electrodes Jakobi, J. and Menéndez-Manjón, A. and Chakravadhanula, V.S.K. and Kienle, L. and Wagener, P. and Barcikowski, S. Nanotechnology 22 (2011) Charged Pt-Ir alloy nanoparticles are generated through femtosecond laser ablation of a Pt9Ir target in acetone without using chemical precursors or stabilizing agents. Preservation of the target's stoichiometry in the colloidal nanoparticles is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), high angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)-EDX elemental maps, high resolution TEM and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) measurements. Results are discussed with reference to thermophysical properties and the phase diagram. The nanoparticles show a lognormal size distribution with a mean Feret particle size of 26nm. The zeta potential of - 45mV indicates high stability of the colloid with a hydrodynamic diameter of 63nm. The charge of the particles enables electrophoretic deposition of nanoparticles, creating nanoscale roughness on three-dimensional PtIr neural electrodes within a minute. In contrast to coating with Pt or Ir oxides, this method allows modification of the surface roughness without changing the chemical composition of PtIr. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/0957-4484/22/14/145601

• 2011 • 12	Structural and magnetic characterization of self-assembled iron oxide nanoparticle arrays Benitez, M.J. and Mishra, D. and Szary, P. and Badini Confalonieri, G.A. and Feyen, M. and Lu, A.H. and Agudo, L. and Eggeler, G. and Petracic, O. and Zabel, H. Journal of Physics Condensed Matter 23 (2011) We report about a combined structural and magnetometric characterization of self-assembled magnetic nanoparticle arrays. Monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles with a diameter of 20nm were synthesized by thermal decomposition. The nanoparticle suspension was spin-coated on Si substrates to achieve self-organized arrays of particles and subsequently annealed at various conditions. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, and bright and dark field high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The structural analysis is compared to magnetization measurements obtained by superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. We can identify either multi-phase FexO/γ-Fe2O3 or multi-phase Fe xO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The Fe xO/γ-Fe2O3 system shows a pronounced exchange bias effect which explains the peculiar magnetization data found for this system. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/0953-8984/23/12/126003

• 2011 • 11	Structure, morphology, and aging of Ag-Fe dumbbell nanoparticles Elsukova, A. and Li, Z.-A. and Möller, C. and Spasova, M. and Acet, M. and Farle, M. and Kawasaki, M. and Ercius, P. and Duden, T. Physica Status Solidi (A) Applications and Materials Science 208 2437-2442 (2011) Dumbbell-shaped or Janus-type nanocomposites provide multifunctional properties with various diagnostic and therapeutic applications in biomedicine. We have prepared dumbbell Ag-Fe nanoparticles by magnetron sputtering with subsequent in-flight annealing. Structural properties and chemical compositions of freshly prepared and 5-month aged particles were examined by means of transmission electron microscopy including high-resolution imaging, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and 3D electron tomography. Fresh particles consist of a faceted Ag part on a Fe-Fe 3O 4 composite particle of more spherical shape. Aging changes the crystallinity and morphology of the particles. The aged nanocomposite consists of a silver spherical particle that is attached to a hollow iron oxide sphere containing one or several silver clusters inside. TEM images of the fresh (a) and aged (b) Ag-Fe nanoparticles. (c) 3D reconstructed image of an aged Ag-Fe particle with color segmentation. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/pssa.201127104

• 2010 • 10	An injectable paste of calcium phosphate nanorods, functionalized with nucleic acids, for cell transfection and gene silencing Klesing, J. and Chernousova, S. and Kovtun, A. and Neumann, S. and Ruiz, L. and Gonzalez-Calbet, J.M. and Vallet-Regi, M. and Heumann, R. and Epple, M. Journal of Materials Chemistry 20 6144-6148 (2010) Calcium phosphate nanorods which are typically used as paste for bone substitution were functionalized by DNA or siRNA. The structure and morphology of the nanorods did not change by the functionalization as indicated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). With a load of nucleic acids of about 2.7 wt%, the nanorods were used for transfection with HeLa and T24 cells, and for gene silencing with HeLa-EGFP cells. Removal of the water by filtration gave an injectable paste with a content of nucleic acids of about 2 wt%, and a water content of 43 wt%. This leads to a bioactive paste as hard-tissue regeneration material. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1039/c0jm01130d

• 2010 • 9	Annealing behavior of ferritic-martensitic 9%Cr-ODS-Eurofer steel Sandim, H.R.Z. and Renzetti, R.A. and Padilha, A.F. and Raabe, D. and Klimenkov, M. and Lindau, R. and Möslang, A. Materials Science and Engineering A 527 3602-3608 (2010) Oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic-martensitic steels are potential candidates for applications in future fusion power plants. High creep resistance, good oxidation resistance, reduced neutron activation and microstructural long-term stability at temperatures of about 650-700°C are required in this context. In order to evaluate its thermal stability in the ferritic phase field, samples of the reduced activation ferritic-martensitic 9%Cr-ODS-Eurofer steel were cold rolled to 50% and 80% reductions and further annealed in vacuum from 300 to 800°C for 1h. The characterization in the annealed state was performed by scanning electron microscopy in the backscattered electron mode, high-resolution electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Results show that the fine dispersion of Y-based particles (about 10nm in size) is effective to prevent recrystallization. The low recrystallized volume fraction (< 0.1) is associated to the nuclei found at prior grain boundaries and around large M23C6 particles. Static recovery was found to be the predominant softening mechanism of this steel in the investigated temperature range. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2010.02.051

• 2010 • 8	Epitaxially stabilized TiN/(Ti,Fe,Co)N multilayer thin films in (pseudo-)fcc crystal structure by sequential magnetron sputter deposition Klever, C. and Seemann, K. and Stüber, M. and Ulrich, S. and Brunken, H. and Ludwig, Al. and Leiste, H. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 43 (2010) Multilayer thin films were grown by non-reactive sequential magnetron sputter deposition from ceramic TiN and metallic FeCo targets addressing a combination of wear resistance and sensoric functionality. Coatings with bilayer period values ranging from 449 nm down to 2.6 nm were grown with the total amount of either material maintained constant. The multilayer thin films were post-annealed ex situ at 600 °C for 60 min in vacuum. X-ray diffraction results imply the multilayer thin films undergo significant changes in their crystalline structure when the bilayer period is decreased. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy as well as selected-area electron diffraction it is shown that in the case of multilayer thin films with bilayer periods of several tens of nanometres and higher, FeCo layers and TiN layers in their respective common CsCl-and NaCl-type crystal structures alternate. In contrast, in the multilayer thin films with bilayer periods of only a few nanometres, grain growth across the interfaces between the individual layers takes place and a strongly textured microstructure is formed which features columns in (pseudo-)fcc crystal structure grown in heteroepitaxial growth mode. It is suggested that the experimental findings imply the latter multilayer thin films to be alternately composed of TiN layers and (Ti,Fe,Co)N solid solution layers which have been formed by a solid-state reaction during the deposition process. As a consequence, heteroepitaxially stabilized columnar grains in strongly textured (pseudo-)fcc crystal structure are formed. This crystal structure is preserved after the annealing procedure which qualifies these coatings for use in applications where temperatures of up to 600 °C are reached. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/0022-3727/43/39/395406

• 2010 • 7	Growth of single-crystal mesoporous carbons with im 3̄ m symmetry Gu, D. and Bongard, H. and Meng, Y. and Miyasaka, K. and Terasaki, O. and Zhang, F. and Deng, Y. and Wu, Z. and Feng, D. and Fang, Y. and Tu, B. and Schüth, F. and Zhao, D. Chemistry of Materials 22 4828-4833 (2010) Highly ordered mesoporous carbon FDU-16 rhombic dodecahedral single crystals with body-centered cubic structure (space group Im3̄m) have been successfully synthesized by employing an organic-organic assembly of triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 (EO106PO70EO106) and phenol/formaldehyde resol in basic aqueous solution. Synthetic factors (including reaction time, temperature, and stirring rate) are explored for controlling the formation of rhombic dodecahedral single crystals. The optimal stirring rate and the reaction temperature are 300 ± 10 rpm and ∼66 °C, respectively. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and ultramicrotomy are applied to study the fine structures of the carbon single crystals. The mesopores are arranged in body-centered cubic symmetry throughout the entire particle. Surface steps are clearly observed in the {110} surface, which suggests a layer-by-layer growth of the mesoporous carbon FDU-16 single crystals. Cryo-SEM results from the reactant solution confirm the formation of resol/F127 unit micelles, further supporting the layer-by-layer growth process. The mesoporous carbon FDU-16 single crystals grow up to the final size of 2-4 μm within 2 days. These findings may have consequences for the growth mechanism of other carbon materials in aqueous solution; moreover, the high-quality single crystals also have potential applications in nanodevice technologies. © 2010 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/cm101648y

• 2010 • 6	Identification of magnetic properties of few nm sized FePt crystalline particles by characterizing the intrinsic atom order using aberration corrected S/TEM Biskupek, J. and Jinschek, J.R. and Wiedwald, U. and Bendele, M. and Han, L. and Ziemann, P. and Kaiser, U. Ultramicroscopy 110 820-825 (2010) Hard-magnetic nanomaterials like nanoparticles of FePt are of great interest because of their promising potential for data storage applications. The magnetic properties of FePt structures strongly differ whether the crystal phases are face centered cubic (fcc) or face centered tetragonal (fct). We evaluated aberration corrected HRTEM, electron diffraction and aberration corrected HAADF-STEM as methods to measure the chemical degree of order S that describes the ordering of Pt and Fe atoms within the crystals unit cells. S/TEM experiments are accompanied by image calculations. The findings are compared with results obtained from X-ray diffraction on a FePt film. Our results show that STEM is a reasonable fast approach over HRTEM and electron diffraction to locally determine the chemical degree of order S. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2010.02.043

• 2010 • 5	Observation of breathing-like modes in an individual multiwalled carbon nanotube Spudat, C. and Müller, M. and Houben, L. and Maultzsch, J. and Goss, K. and Thomsen, C. and Schneider, C.M. and Meyer, C. Nano Letters 10 4470-4474 (2010) We study collective vibrational breathing modes in the Raman spectrum of a multiwalled carbon nanotube. In correlation with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, we find that these modes have energies differing by more than 23% from the radial breathing modes of the corresponding single-walled nanotubes. This shift in energy is explained with intershell interactions using a model of coupled harmonic oscillators. The strength of this interaction is related to the coupling strength expected for few-layer graphene. © 2010 American Chemical Society.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1021/nl102305a

• 2010 • 4	Segregation in metastable Fe-Cu nanoparticles Yelsukova, A. and Zi-An, L. and Acet, M. and Spasova, M. and Farle, M. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 200 (2010) Fe-Cu nanoparticles have been prepared by sputtering and subsequent in-flight sintering. Particles deposited onto amorphous carbon are examined by electron diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray line-scans and electron energy loss spectroscopy using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results show that non-sintered particles form a metastable Fe-Cu alloy, whereas the sintered particles undergo a spinoidal decomposition leading to an iron-rich core and a Cu-rich shell. The investigations are carried out on particles of various sizes ranging from 5-50 nm. Within this size range, the sintered particles show similar compositional properties. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/200/7/072109

• 2010 • 3	Structural characterization of a Cu/MgO(001) interface using C S-corrected HRTEM Cazottes, S. and Zhang, Z.L. and Daniel, R. and Chawla, J.S. and Gall, D. and Dehm, G. Thin Solid Films 519 1662-1667 (2010) Epitaxial Cu(001) layers were deposited on MgO(001) substrates by magnetron sputtering and the atomic structure of the Cu-MgO interface was characterized by spherical aberration (CS)-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The interface structure and the misfit dislocation network were determined by imaging in both the < 100&gt; and < 110&gt; directions. The dislocation network was found to lie along the < 100&gt; directions with a Burgers vector of 1/2 aCu < 100&gt; deduced from HRTEM images and geometrical phase analysis. The dislocations do not fully accommodate the lattice mismatch, yielding residual stress at the interface and an elongation of the Cu lattice along the [001] direction. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2010.09.017

• 2010 • 2	The ferromagnetic shape memory system Fe-Pd-Cu Hamann, S. and Gruner, M.E. and Irsen, S. and Buschbeck, J. and Bechtold, C. and Kock, I. and Mayr, S.G. and Savan, A. and Thienhaus, S. and Quandt, E. and Fähler, S. and Entel, P. and Ludwig, Al. Acta Materialia 58 5949-5961 (2010) A new ferromagnetic shape memory thin film system, Fe-Pd-Cu, was developed using ab initio calculations, combinatorial fabrication and high-throughput experimentation methods. Reversible martensitic transformations are found in extended compositional regions, which have increased fcc-fct transformation temperatures in comparison to previously published results. High resolution transmission electron microscopy verified the existence of a homogeneous ternary phase without precipitates. Curie temperature, saturation polarization and orbital magnetism are only moderately decreased by alloying with nonmagnetic Cu. Compared to the binary system; enhanced Invar-type thermal expansion anomalies in terms of an increased volume magnetostriction are predicted. Complementary experiments on splat-fabricated bulk Fe-Pd-Cu samples showed an enhanced stability of the disordered transforming Fe70Pd30 phase against decomposition. From the comparison of bulk and thin film results, it can be inferred that, for ternary systems, the Fe content, rather than the valence electron concentration, should be regarded as the decisive factor determining the fcc-fct transformation temperature. © 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2010.07.011

• 2010 • 1	Where Does the Lithium Go? - A Study of the Precipitates in the Stir Zone of a Friction Stir Weld in a Li-containing 2xxx Series Al Alloy Rao, J.C. and Payton, E.J. and Somsen, C. and Neuking, K. and Eggeler, G. and Kostka, A. and Dos Santos, J.F. Advanced Engineering Materials 12 298-303 (2010) The main strengthening precipitates of aluminum alloy 2198-T8, which are of the T1 phase, dissolve during friction stir welding, sending many Li atoms into solid solution. The stir zone precipitates are characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and selected area diffraction techniques to begin answering questions about the microstructural evolution and the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties in friction stir welding of the next generation of lightweight Li-containing Al alloys. © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
  	view abstract	doi: 10.1002/adem.200900284