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This experimental investigation reports the impact of boron carbide (B4Cp) particles on Al2214/3%Grp/xB4Cp hybrid metal matrix composites (HMMCs) at a constant weight percentage of Grp (3 wt.%) and x wt.% of B4Cp particles (x = 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6) produced by a conventional stir casting metallurgical route with bottom pouring facilities. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) shows reasonable uniform distributions of particles in the matrix phase, and a spectrum of elements present in hybrid composites with various intensities. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed for the phase characterisation of hybrid composites. Further, the mechanical properties of Al2214 alloy and Al2214/3%Grp/xB4Cp hybrid composites were studied. The experimental results of the hybrid composite revealed improved hardness and tensile properties with the addition of wt.% B4C particles. The tensile fractured surface (SEM) micrographs revealed the root causes and mechanisms of failures in hybrid composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the optical and structural properties of nitrogen-doped Carbon Quantum Dots (NCQDs) on Titanium dioxide (TiO2). We synthesized the NCQDs via direct pyrolysis using varying amount of nitrogen precursor. We used a UV-visible, Fluorescence and Fourier Transform Infrared spectrophotometer, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to probe the samples. The introduction of nitrogen enhanced the intrinsic activities and electron dynamics of the CQD films, leading to improved confinement, charge extraction, and light harvesting. The optical response of the NCQDs strongly hinged on the nitrogen doping content. Sensitizing different amounts of NCQDs on TiO2 surface reduced their bandgap energies. XRD analysis confirms the preservation of the TiO2 anatase phase nanoparticle after the introduction of NCQDs, with no substantial changes to the crystal lattice and phase purity of the resulting photoanodes, indicating the presence of NCQDs on the surface. However, the deposition of NCQDs decreased the crystallite size. SEM images show well-dispersed morphologies with non-clustered NCQDs films. NCQDs can serve as promising photosensitizers in photovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]