Thermoelectric Properties of CuS Doped with P, As, Sb and Bi-Theoretical and Experimental Studies.

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of doping copper sulfide CuS with selected fifth-group elements, potentially having a positive effect on the thermoelectric properties of the resulting materials. For the selected model structures, theoretical calculations and an analysis of the electronic structure and changes in the enthalpy of formation due to doping were performed using the WIEN2k package employing the Full-Potential Linearized Augmented Plane Wave (FP-LAPW) method within density functional theory (DFT) formalism. Polycrystalline materials with the nominal composition of CuSX ( = P, As, Sb, Bi) were synthesized in quartz ampoules, then sintered using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique and "SPS melting" method.

Thermal Stability and Heat Transfer of Polyurethanes for Joints Applications of Wooden Structures.

Wood characterized by desired mechanical properties and wood joining material is essential for creating wooden structures. The polymer adhesives are suitable for such applications due to the possibility of energy dissipation from stresses generated by wooden structures and the elimination of thermal bridging, which are common problems in metal joining materials. This research focuses on the thermophysical properties of the laboratory-prepared flexible and rigid polyurethanes to select an appropriate polymer adhesive.

Determination of Contact Resistance of Thermal Interface Materials Used in Thermal Monitoring Systems of Electric Vehicle Charging Inlets.

The rapid growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market is observed. This is challenging from a materials point of view when it comes to the thermal monitoring systems of charging inlets, for which requirements are very restrictive. Because the thermal conductivity of the thermal interface material is usually measured, there is a significant research gap on the contact thermal resistance of novel materials used in the electric vehicle industry.

Temperature Evolution of Composition, Thermal, Electrical and Magnetic Properties of TiCT-MXene.

MXenes are a family of two-dimensional nanomaterials. Titanium carbide MXene (TiCT-MXene), reported in 2011, is the first inorganic compound reported among the MXene family. In the present work, we report on the study of the composition and various physical properties of TiCT-MXene nanomaterial, as well as their temperature evolution, to consider MXenes for space applications.

NDVI as a potential tool for forecasting changes in geographical range of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.).

Determining the natural range of Acer pseudoplatanus and the future directions of its spread is not clear. Modern technological achievements, including tools related to remote sensing, provide new opportunities to assess the degree of spread and adaptation of species to a changing climate. The aim of the work was to demonstrate the possibility of using NDVI to assess the habitat conditions of sycamore in Poland and the possibility of its natural expansion.

Copper, lead and zinc interactions during phytoextraction using Acer platanoides L.-a pot trial.

Of the many environmental factors that modulate the phytoextraction of elements, little has been learnt about the role of metal interactions. The study aimed to show how different concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn in the cultivation medium influenced the biomass, plant development and phytoextraction abilities of Acer platanoides L. seedlings.

Extremely Fast and Cheap Densification of CuS by Induction Melting Method.

The aim of this work was to obtain dense CuS superionic thermoelectric materials, homogeneous in terms of phase and chemical composition, using a very fast and cheap induction-melting technique. The chemical composition was investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with an energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) method, and the phase composition was established by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The thermoelectric figure of merit was determined on the basis of thermoelectric transport properties, i.

The Preparation of Dense Materials in the MgO-ZrO System by the Application of Nanometric Powders.

Crystallization under hydrothermal conditions allowed us to prepare nanometric powders in the MgO-ZrO system of different magnesia concentrations. Sintering runs of these powder compacts studied using dilatometry measurements during heating and cooling revealed essential differences in their behavior. The microstructure of the resulting polycrystal is strongly related to the magnesia content in the starting powder, which strongly influences the phase composition of the resulting material and its mechanical properties.

Microstructure and Hardness of Spark Plasma Sintered Inconel 625-NbC Composites for High-Temperature Applications.

The study focuses on obtaining Inconel 625-NbC composites for high-temperature applications, e.g., jet engines, waste-to-energy combusting systems or gas engine turbines, and characterizing them in terms of their microstructure and hardness improvement.

Thermoelectric Properties of CuSe Synthesized by Hydrothermal Method and Densified by SPS Technique.

The aim of the work was to obtain copper (I) selenide CuSe material with excellent thermoelectric properties, synthesized using the hydrothermal method and densified by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. Chemical and phase composition studies were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Measurements of thermoelectric transport properties, i.

Copper Chalcogenide-Copper Tetrahedrite Composites-A New Concept for Stable Thermoelectric Materials Based on the Chalcogenide System.

For the first time, an alternative way of improving the stability of Cu-based thermoelectric materials is proposed, with the investigation of two different copper chalcogenide-copper tetrahedrite composites, rich in sulfur and selenium anions, respectively. Based on the preliminary DFT results, which indicate the instability of Sb-doped copper chalcogenide, the CuS-CuSbS and CuSe-CuSbSe composites are obtained using melt-solidification techniques, with the tetrahedrite phase concentration varying from 1 to 10 wt.%.

Dense KNN Polycrystals Doped by ErO Obtained by Hot Pressing with Hexagonal Boron Nitride Protective Layer.

Analysis of dense Potassium Sodium Niobate (KNN) ceramic obtained by hot pressing (HP) method at 1100 °C are presented in this paper. The synthesis of KNN-based piezoelectrics meets the following challenges-low density of material, uncontrolled K/Na ratio, multiphase composition and formation of different KNN structures. The classical hot pressing approach results in contamination by carbon originating from graphite molds.

The Influence of Thermal Properties Anisotropy on Subtractive Laser Processing of BC/h-BN Composites.

This work concerns boron carbide matrix composites with the addition of hexagonal boron nitride particles (h-BN) as a solid lubricate. The composite materials were hot-pressed and analysed in terms of phase, structure, and microstructure changes in relation to the h-BN content. The uniaxial pressure applied during the manufacturing process allowed the orientation of single h-BN particles and its agglomerates in perpendicular direction to the pressing axis.

Piezoelectric Particulate Composite for Energy Harvesting from Mechanical Vibration.

Energy harvesting from mechanical vibration of buildings is usually realized by the use of devices, in which the main element is a prismatic beam with a rectangular cross-section. The beam has been the subject of scientific research; it is usually constructed with a carrying substrate that does not have piezoelectric characteristics and from piezoelectric material. In contrast, this investigation sought to create a beam structure with a piezoelectric composite only.

Multimodal imaging of brain reorganization in hearing late learners of sign language.

The neural plasticity underlying language learning is a process rather than a single event. However, the dynamics of training-induced brain reorganization have rarely been examined, especially using a multimodal magnetic resonance imaging approach, which allows us to study the relationship between functional and structural changes. We focus on sign language acquisition in hearing adults who underwent an 8-month long course and five neuroimaging sessions.

Ultraviolet Lithography-Based Ceramic Manufacturing (UV-LCM) of the Aluminum Nitride (AlN)-Based Photocurable Dispersions.

In this work, three-dimensional (3D) shaping of aluminum nitride (AlN) UV-curable dispersions using CeraFab 7500 device equipped with the light engine emitting 365 nm wavelength (a UV-LCM device) is presented. The purpose of this study was the shaping of AlN pieces with microchannels for the future potential use as microchannel heat exchangers. The dispersions were characterized by the means of the particle size distribution, rheological measurements, and the cure depth evaluation.

Water Interactions in Hybrid Polyacrylate-Silicate Hydrogel Systems.

Hybrid polyacrylate-silicate hydrogels were obtained in the presence of ,'-methylenebisacrylamide (NNMBA) as the cross-linking monomer and sodium thiosulphate/potassium persulphate (NTS/KPS) as the redox initiators. The results of the tests allowed us to conclude that a hybrid structure with a polyacrylate scaffolding and a silicate matrix had been obtained. The results of the rheological analysis revealed that the hydrogel sample with a 1:7 mass ratio of sodium water glass to the sodium polyacrylate is characterized by the highest complex viscosity.

Ash dieback, soil and deer browsing influence natural regeneration of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.).

European ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) dieback affects both overstory trees and natural regeneration. The decline of ash caused by severe crown defoliation and branch mortality has a high impact on ash natural regeneration.

Early deafness leads to re-shaping of functional connectivity beyond the auditory cortex.

Early sensory deprivation, such as deafness, shapes brain development in multiple ways. Deprived auditory areas become engaged in the processing of stimuli from the remaining modalities and in high-level cognitive tasks. Yet, structural and functional changes were also observed in non-deprived brain areas, which may suggest the whole-brain network changes in deaf individuals.

Heating Conditions Influence on Solidification of Inconel 625-WC System for Additive Manufacturing.

In this study, an Inconel 625-tungsten carbide (WC) composite system was investigated by means of microstructure changes affected by both heating rate and WC content. In order to investigate how the system behaves while exposed to fast thermal processing, controlled melting using a differential thermal analysis (DTA) apparatus was performed on the powders. Two WC powders with different average grain size were used to obtain six compositions of Inconel 625-WC powder mixtures (10, 20, and 30 wt.

Distribution and habitat preferences of the stag beetle Lucanus cervus (L.) in forested areas of Poland.

The incorporation of Lucanus cervus (L.) in Annex 2 of the EU Habitats Directive imposed on EU member countries the obligation to prepare protection plans and undertake adequate measures aimed at the preservation of this species. A necessary precondition for their implementation was connected with the identification of current localities of L.

Standard Hot Pressing as a Possible Solution to Obtain Dense KNaNbO Ceramic Doped by ErO and YbO.

In this study, the influence of the addition of rare earth oxides on the phase composition and density of KNN piezoelectric ceramics was investigated. The initial powders of NaCO and KCO were dried at 150 °C for 2 h. Then, a powder mixture for synthesis was prepared by adding a stoichiometric amount of NbO and 5 and 10 wt % overabundance of NaCO.

Grain-Boundary Interaction between Inconel 625 and WC during Laser Metal Deposition.

In this study, the laser metal deposition (LMD) of the Inconel 625⁻tungsten carbide (WC) metal matrix composite was investigated. The composite coating was deposited on Inconel 625 substrate by powder method. A powder mixture containing 10 wt% of WC (5 µm) was prepared by wet mixing with dextrin binder.

Salix viminalis L. - A highly effective plant in phytoextraction of elements.

The aim of the study was to compare specimens of Salix viminalis L. able to grow in polluted mining sludge (A1) with specimens of the same willow clone growing in two unpolluted areas (A2 and A3). Plants from the polluted area were characterized by the highest accumulation of the majority of elements in their organs with a clear limitation of their uptake to roots and effective translocation to aboveground organs.

Arsenic forms and their combinations induce differences in phenolic accumulation in Ulmus laevis Pall.

Total phenolics and the profile of phenolic acids and flavonoids were investigated in the roots and leaves of Ulmus laevis cultured on the medium with inorganic and organic arsenic - As(III), As(V) and DMA(V) at 0.06mM and their equimolar combinations. Further, the accumulation of salicylic acid (free and glucoside-bound) and lipid oxidation were assayed following a three-month long experiment.