Table of Contents

Natural copper patina is usually formed over several decades. This work investigates the possibility of obtaining a stable artificial patina based on brochantite in a more reasonable time. The patination process was based on patina formation from a humid atmosphere containing sulphur dioxide. The studied parameters were humidity (condensation and condensation/drying), sulphur dioxide concentration (4.4–44.3 g·m⁻³) and surface pre-treatments (grinding, pre-oxidation and pre-patination) prior to the patination process. Samples were evaluated by mass change, digital image analysis, spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A resistometric method was employed in order to observe the patina formation continuously during the exposure. Conditions inside the chamber were monitored during the exposure (pH of water and concentration of SO₂ in gaseous phase). According to XRD, it was possible to deliberately grow a brochantite patina of reasonable thickness (approx. 30 µm), even within a couple of days of exposure. The drying phase of the condensation cycle increased the homogeneity of the deposited patina. Formation kinetics were the fastest under a condensation/drying cycle, starting with 17.7 g·m⁻³ sulphur dioxide and decreasing dosing in the cycle, with an electrolyte pH close to 3. The higher sulphur dioxide content above 17.7 g·m⁻³ forms too aggressive a surface electrolyte, which led to the dissolution of the brochantite. The pre-oxidation of copper surface resulted in a significant improvement of patina homogeneity on the surface. Full article

Harnessing nuclear fusion is a challenging task, in particular because of the demands put on the used materials. In tokamaks, future energy sources, the inner-most chambers are to be coated with dense coatings of W, or W-Cr-based alloys. So far, the attempts for such coatings formation by other methods failed due to oxidation, high porosity, insufficient adhesion, high specific surface, or even insufficient thickness below 10 $\mathsf{\mu }$ m. Cold spraying seems a promising technology for the task. In our study, we demonstrate the first successful fabrication of thick pure W coatings. W-Cr and W-Cr-Ti coatings were further prepared without oxidation of the metals. All coatings exhibited high hardness levels, good interface quality with three tested substrates and, importantly, a promising potential for formation of stable Cr ${}_2$ WO ${}_x$ phases. Full article

Thermally sprayed stainless-steel coatings were produced with a wide range of deposition parameters. The electrochemical behavior of polished coatings was monitored for 3 weeks in 3.5 wt.% NaCl aqueous solution and compared to that of reference materials including a wrought stainless steel plate and a bulk ingot produced by arc melting of the spraying powder feedstock. Transitions in the polarization behavior are discussed based on the observed changes in coating microstructures as well as on the shifts in X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). Results show that the deposition parameters have a strong effect on the coating microstructures but the small differences in the polarization behavior of coatings mostly disappear after 1 week of testing. Microstructure evidence shows preferential corrosion at splats experiencing melting prior to deposition. Pitting and corrosion products between splat boundaries are also reported. XPS analysis shows that the coating surfaces are enriched in chromium oxides and hydroxides. Comparison between the coating and bulk stainless steels suggests that coating inherent defects play a major role on their impaired corrosion resistance. Full article

Magnesium fluoride (MgF₂) materials are commonly used for near/medium infrared anti-reflection optical coatings due to their low refractive index and wide-range transparency. Ion assistant deposition is an important technique to increase the density of MgF₂ and reduce absorption around 2.94 µm caused by high porosity and moisture adsorption. However, the excessive energy of Argon ion will induce a color center and; therefore, lead to UV/Visible absorption. In this paper, oxygen ion was introduced to reduce the color center effect in MgF₂ thin film deposited using electron beam evaporation with ion assistant. The films were deposited on Bk7 and single crystal silicon substrates under various oxygen ion beam currents. The microstructure, optical constant, film density, stress, and adhesion are investigated, including the absorption properties at the infrared hydroxyl (–OH) vibration peak. The results show that as the oxygen ion beam current increases, the absorption value at the position of the infrared OH vibration, defects, and stress of the film decrease, while the refractive index increases. However, MgF₂ has poor adhesion using oxygen ion-assisted deposition. Thin MgF₂ film without ion beam assistant was used as adhesive layer, high density, and low absorption MgF₂ film with good adhesion was obtained. Full article

Waterborne silicate composite coatings were prepared to replace existing solvent-based coatings for ships. A series of complex coatings were prepared by adding anticorrosive pigments to the silicate resin. Adhesion, pencil hardness, and impact resistance were investigated, and corrosion performance in 3.5% NaCl solution was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that adhesion and impact resistance are high, and that pencil hardness can reach 4H. The curing mechanism for the coatings were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanism of curing reaction in the studied waterborne silicate paint was found to be different from that reported in the literature. When the coatings were immersed in 3.5% NaCl solution for 8 h, there is only one time constant in the Bode plot, and coating capacitance (Q_c) gradually increases while coating resistance (R_c) gradually decreases. Glass flake composite coatings have better corrosion resistance by comprehensive comparison of Q_c and R_c. Full article

In this paper, a new semiempirical probability model, allowing for prediction of the composition of multimaterial cold spray coating in dependence on the initial percentage of blend components, is developed and applied. The proposed modeling approach takes into account the deposition efficiencies and the particle sizes of each component of the spraying powder blend. The experimental validation using several Cu/Cr₂C₃NiCr mixtures with different percentages of copper and cermet powders showed that the simulation results were in a good agreement with the experimental data. It was demonstrated that the deposition efficiency of the Cr₂C₃NiCr cermet powder strongly decreased when its mass percentage in the Cu/Cr₂C₃NiCr mixture increased from 5% to 75%. It was also shown that the dependence of the Cr₂C₃NiCr content in the coating on the initial percentage in the blend was nonlinear and the standard rule of mixtures was not applicable for prediction of copper–cermet coating composition. Full article

This paper presents the realization of a flexible thermoelectric (TE) generator as a textile fabric that converts human body heat into electrical energy for portable, low-power microelectronic products. In this study, an organic non-toxic conductive coating was used to dip rayon wipes into conductive TE fabrics so that the textile took advantage of the TE currents which were parallel to the temperature gradient. To this end, a dyed conductive cloth was first sewn into a TE unit. The TE unit was then sewn into an array to create a temperature difference between the human body and the environment for TE power harvesting. The prototype of the TE fabric consisted of 48 TE units connected by conductive wire over an area of 275 × 205 mm², and the TE units were sewn on a T-shirt at the chest area. After fabrication and property tests, a Seebeck coefficient of approximately 20 μV/K was measured from the TE unit, and 0.979 mV voltage was obtained from the T-shirt with TE textile fabric. Since the voltage was generated at a low temperature gradient environment, the proposed energy solution in actual fabric applications is suitable for future portable microelectronic power devices. Full article

Friction stir processing (FSP) has evolved as an important technique in fabrication of metal matrix composites. The surface properties enhancement is obtainable by insertion of desired discontinuous particular reinforcements into base alloy using FSP. Despite having high specific strength, more applications of Al alloys are restricted due to their poor surface properties under various loading conditions. In this study, the main focus is on enhancing the microhardness and wear properties of Al 7075 base alloy by means of uniform dispersion of silicon carbide and graphite (SiC/Gr) nano particles into the base alloy using the FSP technique. The tool rotational speed (w: 500, 1000, 1500 rpm), tool traverse speed (v: 20, 30, 40 mm/min), reinforcement particles hybrid ratio (HR: 60:40, 75:25, 90:10) and volume percentage (vol%: 4%, 8%, 12%) are used as independent parameters. The effect of these parameters on microstructure, micro hardness and wear properties of surface composites are studied in detail. For desired wear rate and microhardness as responses, the aforementioned independent parameters are optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). The significance of factors and their interactions for maximizing hardness and minimizing wear rate and coefficient of friction (COF) were determined. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for responses has been carried out, and the models were found to be significant in all three responses. The minimum wear rate of 0.01194 mg/m was obtained for parameters w 1500 rpm, v 40 mm/min, HR 60:40, vol% 4 (Run 10). The maximum micro hardness of 300 HV obtained for parameters w 1000 rpm, v 30 mm/min, HR 75:25, vol% 12 (Run 14). The presence and uniform distribution of SiC and Gr into the base alloy was confirmed through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) imaging, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and mapping tests. The wear rate and COF decreased significantly due to graphitized mechanically mixed layer developed at the sliding contacts. The microhardness of resultant composites observed to be dependent on effect of the independent parameters on extent of inherent precipitates dissolution and grain size strengthening in the resultant materials. Full article

A major challenge in materials engineering is the development of new materials and methods and/or novel combination of existing ones, all fostering innovation. For that reason, this study aims at the synergy between low-pressure cold spray (LPCS) as a tool for coating deposition and sol-gel technique for fabrication of the feedstock powder. The complementarity of both methods is important for the examined topic. On one side, the LPCS being automized and quick mean provides the solid-state of feedstock material in nondestructive conditions and hence the hydrophobicity imparted on the sol-gel route is preserved. On the other side, the sol-gel synthesis enables the production of oxide materials with enhanced deformability due to amorphous form which supports the anchoring while LPCS spraying. In the paper, several aspects including optimal fluoroalkylsilane (FOTS) concentration or substrate roughness are examined initially for altering the superhydrophobicity of produced coatings. Further, it is shown that the appropriate optimization of feedstock powder, being submicron silica matrices covered with two-layer FOTS sheath, may facilitate the anchoring process, support roughening the substrate or cause enhancement the coating hydrophobicity. All the discussion is supported by the characteristics including surface morphology, wettability and thermal behaviour examined by electron microscopy, water contact angle measurements and thermal analysis (TGA/DSC), respectively. The coatings presented in the paper are characterized by an uneven thickness of up to a few silica particles, but final hydrophobicity is provided uniformly on the surface by the formation of multi-level roughness by a detachment of outer layer from the SiO₂ particles. Thus, the presented approach constitutes a simple and fast solution for the fabrication of functionalized coatings using LPCS including industrial potential and fundamental research character. Full article

The effect of chitosan/nano-titanium dioxide coating with antimicrobial agents on ready to eat cantaloupe fruit by chilling was investigated. In comparison with uncoated samples, ascorbic acid and juice leakage in chitosan/nano-titanium dioxide (CH/TiO₂) treated fruit were significantly maintained. Likewise, the decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) and total soluble solids (TSS) in chitosan/nano-titanium dioxide/thymol/tween (CH/TiO₂/TT) coated fruits was also inhibited. Total mold and yeast population counts decreased from 2.60 to 1.60 log CFU/g, respectively. Moreover, activities of water (AW) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) were also much lower than those in control sample fruit. The results indicated that (CH/TiO₂/TT) coating was effective in enhancing the shelf life with acceptable in the internal and the external cantaloupe fruit quality. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of chitosan–tomato plant extract (C-TPE) edible coating (EC) on the physicochemical, microbiological, sensory, and antioxidant capacity changes of pork during storage. Edible coatings prepared with chitosan 1%, acetic acid 1%, glycerol, and TPE (0.1% and 0.3%) were tested. Slices of pork were submerged in different treatments (T1: C 1%; T2: C 1% + TPE 0.1%; T3: C 1% + TPE 0.3%; T4: control) and stored at 4 °C. The different treatments showed the best results in physicochemical and microbiological analyses, with reduced microbial population relative to the control. The highest antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content were shown in T3, and the overall acceptance was better in T2. The results show that the application of C with the addition of natural extracts, such as the tomato plant with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, can be an alternative method for preserving pork. Full article

In this study, films with different fluorine contents were prepared on an AZ31 magnesium alloy by using plasma electrolytic oxidation to study the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of the alloy. The morphology of the coating surface, phase, and chemical elements were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). The changes in the corrosion resistance with different fluorine contents were investigated by electrochemical experiments, hydrogen evolution, and long-term immersion tests. In addition, murine fibroblast L-929 cells were adopted for in vitro cytotoxicity tests using the cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay, and the morphology of the cells was observed simultaneously by inverted microscopy. The results showed that the main form of the fluorine ions in the plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings was magnesium fluoride (MgF₂). In addition, the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibilities of the coatings were improved by the addition of fluoride ions. When the content of potassium fluoride reached 10 g/L, the cell compatibility and corrosion resistance were the best, a finding which provides a basis for the clinical applications of the AZ31 magnesium alloy in the biomedical field. Full article

The main objective of this study was to develop an efficient coating to increase the wear resistance of cold work die steel at different temperatures. The microstructures of high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF)-sprayed WC-CoCr coatings were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of temperature on the tribological properties of the coatings and the reference Cr12MoV cold work die steel were both investigated by SEM, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and a pin-on-disk high-temperature tribometer. The coating exhibited a significantly lower wear rate and superior resistance against sliding wear as compared to the die steel at each test temperature, whereas no major differences in terms of the variation tendency of the friction coefficient as a function of temperature were observed in both the coatings and the die steels. These can be attributed to the presence of nanocrystalline grains and the fcc-Co phase in the coating. Moreover, the wear mechanisms of the coatings and the die steels were compared and discussed. The coating presented herein provided a competitive approach to improve the sliding wear performance of cold work die steel. Full article

F–TiO₂ was prepared by a simple precipitation method using titanium sulfate as the titanium source, hydrogen fluoride as the fluorine source and ammonia as the precipitant. CdS/F–TiO₂ composites were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis of CdS and F–TiO₂. The surface morphology, crystal phase composition, ultraviolet absorption band, fluorescence intensity, element composition, valence state, specific surface and pore structure of the samples were characterized by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet visible absorption spectrum (UV-Vis-Abs), Molecular fluorescence spectrophotometer (PL) and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Surface area analyzer (BET), respectively. The effects of the dosage of the photocatalyst, pH value, the concentration of methyl orange and the addition of H₂O₂ on the photocatalytic performance were investigated with methyl orange solution as the target degradation product. The results showed the optimum condition for photodegradation of methyl orange by 1% CdS/F–TiO₂ is that the pH value, the solid-liquid ratio, the concentration of methyl orange and the dosage of H₂O₂ is 2, 2 g/L, 10 mg/L and 3%, respectively. Under the same conditions, the degradation rate of methyl orange by 1% CdS/F–TiO₂ was 93.36% when 300 W metal halide lamp was irradiated for 20 minutes, which was significantly higher than that of F–TiO₂. CdS has a significant effect on the morphology, crystallinity, grain size and the compound probability of electrons and holes after the F–TiO₂ modification. The composite causes a significant red shift at the edge of the F–TiO₂ light absorption band. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange by 1% CdS/F–TiO₂ follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood first-order kinetic model. Full article

InP layers grown on Si (001) were achieved by the two-step growth method using gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The effects of growth temperature of nucleation layer on InP/Si epitaxial growth were investigated systematically. Cross-section morphology, surface morphology and crystal quality were characterized by scanning electron microscope images, atomic force microscopy images, high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD), rocking curves and reciprocal space maps. The InP/Si interface and surface became smoother and the XRD peak intensity was stronger with the nucleation layer grown at 350 °C. The Results show that the growth temperature of InP nucleation layer can significantly affect the growth process of InP film, and the optimal temperature of InP nucleation layer is required to realize a high-quality wafer-level InP layers on Si (001). Full article

NiAl matrix composite coatings were prepared using atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The mechanical and tribocorrosion properties of the NiAl matrix composite coatings, incorporated with Cr₂O₃ and Mo, were investigated, and the synergistic effect between corrosion and wear was studied in detail. The microhardness of the composite coating improved from 195.1 to 362.2 HV through the addition of Cr₂O₃ and Mo. Meanwhile, the Cr₂O₃ and Mo phases were distributed uniformly in the composite coatings. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks of Ni-based solid solution slightly shifted to the right after adding the Mo. This was probably due to the solid solution of Mo into the matrix. The NiAl–Cr₂O₃–Mo composite coating had the lowest corrosion current density, wear rate and friction coefficient of 9.487 × 10⁻⁶ A/cm², 3.63 × 10⁻⁶ mm³/Nm, and 0.18, in all composite coatings as well as showing excellent tribocorrosion properties. Full article

Sand erosion has always been a key threat to the performance and service life of aero-engines. The compressor, the key component installed at the front of the aero-engine, suffers the most from sand erosion, especially compressors serving in deserts. Ceramic hard coating is a traditional way to improve the hardness and wear resistance of cutting and grinding tools. It may also be used to improve the erosion resistance of aero- engine compressor. However, the mechanism of erosion damage is complicated, which may include wear, secondary erosion, anisotropic erosion, impact, and fatigue. Recent research discovered the major problems with ceramic hard coating on aero-engine compressors. In this paper, these following problems are discussed: the design of coating material and structure, the preparation method and technology, the effects of droplets and clusters of coating surface, microstructure and characteristics of interface. The review of the major problems and possible solutions discussed in this paper may contribute to the future research on erosion coating theoretically and practically. Full article

The pure Cu coating was plated on the surface of silicon carbide particles (SiC_P) by two different methods, hydrazine hydrate direct reduction method and hydrazine with glucose pre-reduction method. The hydrazine with glucose pre-reduction method is more suitable for Cu plating on the surface of SiC_P in terms of morphology and microstructure. AZ61 composites reinforced with different volume fractions (3~15%) uncoated and Cu-coated SiC_P were prepared by powder metallurgy followed by hot extrusion. The effect of Cu coating on the morphology of SiC_P/AZ61 composite was analyzed by optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), electronic probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The properties of the composite were characterized by Brinell hardness tester and mechanical testing machine. The effects of Cu coating on the micro-hardness, tensile strength and elongation of SiC_P/AZ61 composite were analyzed. The tensile strength of AZ61 composite reinforced with Cu-coated SiC_P increased by 3.5~6.3% and the elongation increased by 7.4~35.0% compared with AZ61 composite reinforced with uncoated SiC_P. Therefore, the Cu coating can ameliorate the microstructure and properties of the SiC_P/AZ61 composite effectively, reduce the defect rate in the composite, and improve the hardness, relative density, tensile strength, elongation of the composite. Full article

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of aluminum in electrolytes containing CeO₂ and Eu₂O₃ powders in various concentrations was used for creating Al₂O₃ coatings doped with Ce³⁺ and Eu²⁺ ions. Phase and chemical composition, surface morphology, photoluminescence (PL) properties and energy transfer from Ce³⁺ to Eu²⁺ were investigated. When excited by middle ultraviolet radiation, Al₂O₃:Ce³⁺/Eu²⁺ coatings exhibited intense and broad emission PL bands in the ultraviolet/visible spectral range, attributed to the characteristic electric dipole 4f⁰5d¹→4f¹ transition of Ce³⁺ (centered at about 345 nm) and 4f⁶5d¹→4f⁷ transition of Eu²⁺ (centered at about 405 and 500 nm). Due to the overlap between the PL emission of Al₂O₃:Ce³⁺ and the PL excitation of Al₂O₃:Eu²⁺, energy transfer from Ce³⁺ sensitizer to the Eu²⁺ activator occurs. The energy transfer is identified as an electric dipole–dipole interaction. The critical distance between Eu²⁺ and Ce³⁺ ions in Al₂O₃ was estimated to be 8.6 Å by the spectral overlap method. Full article

In this study, three kinds of coatings, AlTiN, AlTiN–Ni, and AlTiN–Cu were deposited via the cathodic arc evaporation method. The microstructure, mechanical properties, oxidation resistance, and cutting behavior of these coatings were then investigated. The incorporation of Cu(Ni) into AlTiN eliminated its columnar structure and led to an increase in the growth defects of its macroparticles. The addition of Cu and Ni decreased the hardness of the coatings, their elastic moduli, and their friction coefficients. All of the AlTiN, AlTiN–Ni, and AlTiN–Cu coatings presented sufficient adhesion strength values. The oxidation resistance of these three coatings was determined to be in the following order: AlTiN > AlTiN–Ni > AlTiN–Cu. Titanium turning experiments indicated that the cutting force was reduced and the tool life was improved through doping with Cu(Ni) elements, dependent on cutting speed. The AlTiN–Ni coating showed the best performance at a high cutting speed, whereas the AlTiN–Cu coating was more successful at a lower cutting speed. Full article

In this study, the results about the influence of the surface morphology of layers based on montmorillonite (MMT) and silver (Ag) on antimicrobial properties are reported. The coating depositions were performed in the plasma of a radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering discharge. The studied layers were single montmorillonite layers (MMT) and silver/montmorillonite multilayers (MMT-Ag) obtained by magnetron sputtering technique with a different surface thickness. The resultant MMT-Ag biocomposite multilayers exhibited a uniform distribution of constituent elements and enhanced antimicrobial properties against fungal biofilm development. Glow-discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) analysis revealed the formation of MMT-Ag biocomposite multilayers following the deposit of a silver layer for an MMT layer that was initially deposited on a Si substrate. The surface morphology and thickness evaluation of deposited biocomposite layers were performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A qualitative analysis of the chemical composition of thin layers was performed and the elements O, Ag, Mg, Fe, Al, and Si were identified in the MMT-Ag biocomposite multilayers. The in vitro antifungal assay proved that the inhibitory effect against the growth of Candida albicans ATCC 101231 CFU was more emphasized in the case of MMT-Ag biocomposite multilayers that in the case of the MMT layer. Cytotoxicity studies performed on HeLa cells showed that the tested layers did not show significant toxicity at the time intervals during which the assay was performed. On the other hand, it was observed that the MMT layers exhibited slightly higher biocompatible properties than the MMT-Ag composite layers. Full article

The aim of the current study is to present an analytical and numerical treatment of a two-dimensional peristaltic channel along with the coating of laminar layers of nanoparticles with non-Newtonian (Williamson) base liquid. In addition to this, convective heat transfer and magnetic field effects also take into consideration. The geometry is considered as an asymmetric two dimensional channel experiencing sinusoidal waves propagating across the walls. The walls are supposed to have heat convection at the upper wall and the lower wall is having no temperature gradient. The problem is manufactured under the theory of lubrication approach. The mathematical models are evolved by using appropriate transformations. The obtained nonlinear differential equations are solved analytically. Graphical features are presented to find the influence of emerging physical parameters on the stream function, velocity of the nanofluid, heat transfer, nanoparticles concentration, pressure gradient, and pressure increase. It is found that the velocity decreases in the lower part while increasing in the upper side of the channel in the presence of nanoparticles. The temperature is becoming large with increasing amount of nanoparticles and heat convection at the boundaries. It is also observed that nanoparticle concentration is getting higher with Brownian motion parameter, but fluid becomes less thermal against thermophoresis parameter. The streamlines phenomenon clearly reflects the asymmetry of the channel. The characteristics of viscous fluid can be recovered by switching the Weissenbureg number (We) to zero. Full article

Ni–W/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings were synthesized from aqueous sulphate-citrate electrolyte containing Cr₂O₃ nanoparticles on a steel surface using conventional electrodeposition technique. This study was aimed at investigating the influence of Cr₂O₃ nanoparticle content on the microstructure, corrosion resistance, and mechanical properties of electrodeposited Ni–W/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings. Ni–W binary alloy coatings were deposited and optimized before addition of the nanoparticles to produce high-quality coatings. The microstructure and chemical composition of the Ni–W/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings were evaluated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), and XRD. Corrosion resistance properties were evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization (Tafel) measurements in 3.5 wt.% NaCl medium. The corrosion resistance and microhardness are significantly higher in Ni–W/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings compared to pure Ni–W binary alloy and increase with the increase in content of Cr₂O₃ nanoparticles in the coatings. Wear resistance is also higher in Ni–W/Cr₂O₃ nanocomposite coatings. Full article

Biomaterials used for the manufacture of biomedical devices must have suitable surface properties avoiding bacterial colonization and/or proliferation. Most biomaterial-related infections start during the surgery. Bacteria can begin colonization of the surface of a device right after implantation or in the next few hours. This time may also be sufficient to begin the deterioration of a biodegradable implant. This work explores the surface changes that hydrophobic films of poly(lactic) acid reinforced with Mg particles, prepared by solving-casting, undergone after in vitro degradation at different times. Hydrophobicity, surface tension, zeta potential, topography, and elemental composition were obtained from new and aged films. The initial degradation for 4 h was combined with unspecific bacterial adhesion and viability tests to check if degraded films are more or less susceptible to be contaminated. The degradation of the films decreases their hydrophobicity and causes the appearance of a biocompatible layer, composed mainly of magnesium phosphate. The release of Mg²⁺ is very acute at the beginning of the degradation process, and such positive charges may favor the electrostatic approach and attachment of Staphylococci. However, all bacteria attached on the films containing Mg particles appeared damaged, ensuring the bacteriostatic effect of these films, even after the first hours of their degradation. Full article

This article is intended to investigate the microwave heating performance of asphalt mixtures containing magnetite powders (MPAM). For this purpose, the surface temperatures of asphalt mixtures containing different dosages of magnetite powders were measured during microwave heating. The low-temperature bending test and water sensitivity test were also conducted to evaluate the performance of MPAM. Heating rate and reflection loss of different thicknesses of MPAM were determined using a microwave heating test and arch reflectivity test, respectively. The results showed that because its main components are triiron tetroxide and iron oxide, which have excellent microwave-absorbing properties, magnetite powders can be used as microwave absorbers to improve the ability of microwave absorption and increase the heating rate of asphalt mixtures. The heating rate of the asphalt mixtures increased with the increase of the amount of magnetite powder. The addition of magnetite powder improved the low-temperature properties of the asphalt mixture, but it reduced the water stability of the asphalt mixture. Considering that the microwave-absorbing asphalt mixture used for melting snow and ice should have good water stability, the recommended dosage of magnetite powders was 60%. The microwave-absorbing properties of MPAM were related to its thickness in the pavement structure and frequency of microwaves. In order to greatly enhance the absorbing efficiency, future work should be focused on matching thickness and matching frequency. Full article

To improve the reliability and safety of the mistuned blisk (integrally bladed disk), a novel strategy for passive vibration reduction by the hard coating was developed, and the vibration and damping characteristics of the HCM (hard-coating mistuned) blisk were investigated in this work. Firstly, by the proposed criterion called FDSD (frequency difference and its standard deviation), a classical reduced-order model established by the component mode synthesis method was modified to carry out modal analysis for high computational efficiency. Then, forced vibration responses of the HCM blisk were achieved by the Rayleigh damping model. Next, a specific benchmark of a mistuned blisk deposited NiCoCrAlY + YSZ hard coating was chosen to conduct numerical calculations, and the results were compared with those obtained from the FOM (full-order model) and experimental test, respectively. Finally, the influence of the hard coating and coating thickness on the mistuned blisk were investigated, in particular. Full article

In this paper, hydrophobic nanocomposite coatings based on polyurethane (PUR) modified by nano-silica and silane-based compounds were manufactured by spraying. The main challenge was to assess and improve the hydrophobic as well as anti-icing properties of initially hydrophilic polymer coatings. The prepared nanocomposite coatings were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical profilometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results obtained showed that in order to achieve hydrophobicity, appropriate amounts of nano-silica must be incorporated in the coating, and complete coverage by nano-silica particles is necessary for achieving hydrophobicity. Coating adhesion and the durability of the hydrophobic behaviour were also studied by scratch test and frosting/defrosting cycles, respectively. The results show that use of both nano-silica and silane-based compounds improve the hydrophobic and anti-icing properties of the coating as compared to a non-modified PUR topcoat. A synergistic effect of both additives was observed. It was also found that the anti-icing behaviour does not necessarily correlate with surface roughness and the materials’ wetting properties. Full article

Ta–Al multilayer coatings were fabricated through cyclical gradient concentration deposition by direct current magnetron co-sputtering. The as-deposited coatings presented a multilayer structure in the growth direction. The oxidation behavior of the Ta–Al multilayer coatings was explored. The results specified that Ta-rich Ta–Al multilayer coatings demonstrated a restricted oxidation depth after annealing at 600 °C in 1% O₂–99% Ar for up to 100 h. This was attributed to the preferential oxidation of Al, the formation of amorphous Al-oxide sublayers, and the maintenance of a multilayer structure. By contrast, Ta₂O₅ formed after exhausting Al in the oxidation process in an ambient atmosphere at 600 °C which exhibited a crystalline Ta₂O₅-amorphous Al-oxide multilayer structure. Full article

This article presents a computational approach for comparing various broadband monitoring strategies, taking into account the positive and negative effects associated with the correlation of thickness errors caused by the monitoring procedure. The approach is based on statistical estimates of the strength of the error self-compensation effect and the expected level of thickness errors. Its application is demonstrated by using a 50-layer, nonpolarizing edge filter. The presented approach is general and can be applied to verify the prospects of broadband monitoring for the production of various types of optical coatings. Full article

Nature continues to inspire scientists to adapt solutions in order to satisfy human needs, mainly in the maritime domain with metallic surface corrosion and its mechanical friction. In this research, the source of innovation comes from the lotus leaf and its well-known super-hydrophobicity. In this study, we have investigated the lotus leaf as a model for a super-hydrophobic maritime surface. The hydrothermal technique, which is considered to be a simple, low-cost, and scalable coating method, is applied to create zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs), and an evaporation method is used to apply octadecyltrimethoxysilane (ODS). We apply such eco-green coatings onto commercial epoxy paints. Superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) are obtained on maritime aluminum substrates. The characterization of SHS indicates improved behavior of water droplets on the treated surface: higher water static contact angles (WCA) from 98° to more than 152° and reduced sliding angles (SA) from 46° to 7°. Sliding speeds (SS) have been largely raised from 54 in the epoxy case to 1300 mm·s⁻¹ after treatment. These results clearly demonstrate the real opportunity to apply ZnO-based nanomaterials onto existing commercial maritime coatings. Full article