Composites of few layered graphene (G) and platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (NP) with different loadings of Pt were used as counter electrode (CE) in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). NPs were deposited directly on to G using pulsed laser ablation method (PLD). DSSCs formed using the composite CEs show improved performance compared to conventional Pt thin film electrode (Std Pt) and unsupported Pt NPs. Composite with 27% loading of Pt shows 45% higher efficiency (η = 2.9%), greater short circuit current (J(sc) = 6.67 mA cm(-2)), and open circuit voltage (V(oc) = 0.74 V) without any loss of the fill factor (FF = 58%) as compared to the cells fabricated using Std Pt electrodes. Values of η, J(sc) and V(oc) for DSSC using Std Pt CE were 2%, 5.05 mA cm(-2) and 0.68 V, respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy using I(-)(3)/I(-) redox couple confirm lower values of charge transfer resistance for the composite electrodes, e.g., 2.36 Ω cm(2) as opposed to 7.73 Ω cm(2) of Std Pt. The better catalytic activity of these composite materials is also reflected in the stronger I(-)(3) reduction peaks in cyclic voltammetry scans.

The surface morphology of bucky papers (BPs) made from single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is modified by plasma treatment resulting in the formation of vertical microstructures on the surface. The shapes of these structures are either pillarlike or conelike depending on whether the gas used during plasma treatment is Ar or CH(4) . A complex interplay between different factors, such as the electric field within the plasma sheath, polarization of the CNT, intertubular cohesive forces, and ion bombardment, result in the formation of these structures. The roles played by these factors are quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The final material is flexible, substrate-free, composite-free, made only of CNTs, and has discrete vertically aligned structures on its surface. It shows enhanced field emission and electrochemical charge-storage capabilities. The field enhancement factor is increased by 6.8 times, and the turn-on field drops by 3.5 times from an initial value of 0.35 to 0.1 V μm(-1) as a result of the treatment. The increase in Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area results in about a fourfold improvement in the specific capacitance of the BP electrodes. Capacitance values before and after the treatments are 75 and 290 F g(-1) , respectively. It is predicted that this controlled surface modification technique could be put to good use in several applications based on macroscopic CNT films.

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Development of alumina/glass composites with minimal residual porosity and superior mechanical properties requires systematic studies on glass infiltration into porous alumina. This work has examined the effect of alumina particle size and the resulting pore size distribution on glass infiltration. Samples were prepared by slip‐casting a coarser alumina powder and blends of the coarse (d50 ~ 3.4 μm) and a finer (d50 ~ 0.7 μm) alumina powder. After presintering (1200°C) and following a single cycle of infiltration (1100°C), the sample with 50:50 (wt%) coarse and fine alumina showed highest flexural strength. Improvement in flexural strength could be imputed to the better glass infiltration.

The 3-4 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is widely used as a material for thermal barrier coating; however, the corrosive constituents present in fuel typically result in mechanical disintegration of YSZ coatings. The 3-4 mol% YSZ coatings with respective porosity of~3% and~22% have been undertaken with the objective to compare the hot corrosion behavior in air and sulfur-rich atmospheres. The coatings are kept in contact with V 2 O 5 + MgO powder mixture at 750°C for different dwell times of 24 and 76 h. The samples kept in air have shown intact YSZ layer for both the coatings, whereas a delamination of YSZ layer is observed for high porosity sample kept in sulfur-rich atmosphere. XRD patterns of all the samples treated in sulfur-rich atmosphere have indicated a phase transformation in YSZ from tetragonal to monoclinic. However, no such phase transformation has been found for samples treated in air. The V 2 O 5 -induced hot corrosion attack on YSZ coating in air has been successfully inhibited by MgO, which forms a thermally stable Mg 3 V 2 O 8 compound. However, in sulfur-rich atmosphere, MgO is partially consumed to form sulfates, which allows certain fraction of V 2 O 5 to react with Y 2 O 3 causing the degradation of top coat.