In Situ Observations of Phase Transitions in Metastable Nickel (Carbide)/Carbon Nanocomposites.

ABSTRACT: Nanocomposite thin films comprised of metastable metal carbides in a carbon matrix have a wide variety of applications ranging from hard coatings to magnetics and energy storage and conversion. While their deposition using nonequilibrium techniques is established, the understanding of the dynamic evolution of such metastable nanocomposites under thermal equilibrium conditions at elevated temperatures during processing and during device operation remains limited. Here, we investigate sputter-deposited nanocomposites of metastable nickel carbide (Ni₃C) nanocrystals in an amorphous carbon (a-C) matrix during thermal postdeposition processing via complementary in situ X-ray diffractometry, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. At low anneal

SUBMITTER: Bayer BC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5056405 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature