In February I’ve started the XRD analysis of chosen Zn-Mo Alloy layers.
XRD analysis does not show the presence of molybdenum oxides, neither metallic molybdenum nor other molybdenum compounds (ZnMo7 and ZnMo22). It was found that only the hexagonal system of the Zn phase is present in the deposits The lack of any peak connected with molybdenum, regardless of the amount in the deposit, suggests that it has a nanometric or amorphous structure. The XRD studies have to be continued.

MEAM potential modelling for Al-Li alloys. Physical, dynamical et structural properties simulation in view of a new formulated MEAM potential. Imposing ternary interaction on MEAM potential and DFT study for binary alloys.

In my research I found a gleam of hope. It is possible to use EBSD technique to determine the crystallographic orientation of individual grains in the polycrystalline silicon wafer despite the fact that surface is not smooth. This means that I will be able to examine what is the actual effect of acid etching on the grains orientation and whether this method is really isotropic.

In addition, I found a nice link to the e-learning platform in photovoltaics:
http://pveducation.org/pvcdrom

Enjoy :)

This month I continued research on diffusion process in the polyelectrolyte multilayer films using CLSM imaging techniques. The experiment was performed at a temperature range of+25oC to +50oC. I also prepared a few variants of cross-linked and non-cross-linked samples for ATR-FTIR analysis which should gives me information about PEM coatings internal structure. The issue of chemical cross-linking was investigated in more details by a micro-hardness and AFM measurements.

My activities in January:

I wrote the article entitled: "Age hardening of Mg-3Zn-xCa (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0 ) wt.% alloys” which was sent to Materials Science Forum.The article was prepared fot the 6th International Light Metal Technology Conference organised by Specialist Research Institute of Brunel University.

Here you can read abstract:

"Alloys of nominal composition Mg-3Zn-xCa (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0) wt.% were prepared by resistance melting and casting under the protective argon atmosphere. All specimens were examined by hardness test during ageing at 175 °C. It was shown that calcium addition causes the increase in hardness. A detailed characteristic of microstructure of metastable phases has been carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Calcium addition resulted in much refined and more homogeneous distribution of the precipitates when compared with the binary Mg-3%Zn alloy. The age-hardening of ternary alloy is attributed to the fine disc-shape plates lying on the basal plane of the matrix."