Abstract: A method for producing a titanium nitride coating on the surface of a titanium or titanium alloy substrate may include: a) immersing the titanium or titanium alloy substrate as an electrode in a non-aqueous electrolyte comprising an ionic liquid having nitrogen ions in the presence of a counter electrode; and b) activating an electrochemical process of nitriding the substrate by applying an electric potential between the electrode, and the counter electrode, to generate an anodic electric current to decompose the nitrogen ions by releasing the nitrogen contained therein. The liberated nitrogen penetrates the titanium or titanium alloy substrate until it leads to the conversion to titanium nitride of a surface layer of the substrate, thereby generating a nitrided diffusion surface layer that forms a nitrided surface coating. The electric potential and/or the anodic electric current are modulated in time according to the desired thickness for the nitrided surface coating.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a braking band may include providing a braking band with a base band having an upper face and a lower face, where the base band being is made of titanium or titanium alloy. The method may also include directly depositing a material in particulate form consisting of ceramic and metal and/or intermetallic particles above at least the upper face and/or the lower face so to create an upper coating layer and/or lower coating layer. A braking band for a brake disc may have a base band entirely made of titanium alloy and having an upper face and a lower face, an upper coating layer, and a lower coating layer joined to the base band along the lower face. The upper coating layer and the lower coating layer consist of a mixture of ceramic and metal and/or intermetallic particles.

Abstract: A method for making a brake disc may include the following steps: a) preparing a brake disc having a braking band provided with two opposite braking surfaces, (b) subjecting at least one of the braking surfaces to a working process adapted to increase the surface roughness thereof; c) nitrocarburizing the braking surface with increased surface roughness to obtain on the surface a nitrocarburized surface layer; (d) depositing on the nitrocarburized surface layer a material in particle form having: —Cr3C2 and NiCr, or —NiCr, Fe, Mo, Co, Mn and Al, which forms a base protective coating; and e) depositing on the base protective coating a material in particle form consisting of WC, Fe, Cr and Al, thus forming a surface protective coating of WC and Fe, Cr and Al.

Abstract: A method for making a brake disc may include the following steps: a) preparing a brake disc having a braking band provided with two opposite braking surfaces, (b) subjecting at least one of the braking surfaces to a working process adapted to increase the surface roughness thereof; c) nitrocarburizing the braking surface with increased surface roughness to obtain on the surface a nitrocarburized surface layer; (d) depositing on the nitrocarburized surface layer a material in particle form having: —Cr3C2 and NiCr, or —NiCr, Fe, Mo, Co, Mn and Al, which forms a base protective coating; and e) depositing on the base protective coating a material in particle form consisting of WC, Fe, Cr and Al, thus forming a surface protective coating of WC and Fe, Cr and Al.

Abstract: The invention relates to electrocatalysts comprising a carbonitride (CN) shell featuring good electrical conductivity, coordinating suitable catalytically active sites. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the aforesaid carbonitride shell coordinates nanoparticles or aggregates of nanoparticles, on which the active sites of the electrocatalyst are located. In a preferred form of the invention, said carbonitride shell covers suitable cores with good electrical conductivity. Said electrocatalysts are obtained through a process involving the pyrolysis of suitable precursors; in one aspect of the invention, the preparation process requires certain further steps. In one preferred aspect, the steps comprise one or more of the following: chemical treatments; electrochemical treatments; further pyrolysis processes.

Abstract: The invention refers to hierarchical nanocomposites including layered materials supported on suitable carriers. In a preferential aspect of the invention, the layered materials consist of graphene and related materials. In a preferential aspect of the invention, the carrier consists of nanoparticles characterized by a Mohs hardness higher than that of the layered materials included in the hierarchical nanocomposite. These materials, which consist of “core” nanoparticles (the carrier) wrapped by layered systems (the “shell”) such as graphene, graphene oxide and other graphene and related materials (GRMs), are suitable precursors to obtain inks with water. The hierarchical “core-shell” nanocomposites are obtained by a preparation procedure including at least one “in situ” mechanical exfoliation step of the layered materials.

Abstract: The invention relates to electrocatalysts comprising a carbonitride (CN) shell featuring good electrical conductivity, coordinating suitable catalytically active sites. In a preferred aspect of the invention, the aforesaid carbonitride shell coordinates nanoparticles or aggregates of nanoparticles, on which the active sites of the electrocatalyst are located. In a preferred form of the invention, said carbonitride shell covers suitable cores with good electrical conductivity. Said electrocatalysts are obtained through a process involving the pyrolysis of suitable precursors; in one aspect of the invention, the preparation process requires certain further steps. In one preferred aspect, the steps comprise one or more of the following: chemical treatments; electrochemical treatments; further pyrolysis processes.

Abstract: The use of particles of at least one crystalline oxide, preferably metal oxide, having an average particle size of less than 500 nm and a fluorine content of between 0.5 and 30% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1.0 and 4%, for the preparation of solid-state electrolytes, is described. Also described is a solid-state electrolyte, containing particles of at least one crystalline oxide, preferably metal oxide, having an average particle size of less than 500 nm, preferably between 10 and 500 nm, even more preferably between 50 and 300 nm; a fluorine content as noted above; an alkali or alkaline-earth metal content of between 0.5 and 10% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1 and 4%. Furthermore an inorganic-organic hybrid electrolyte obtainable by means of reaction of the aforementioned solid-state electrolyte with ionic liquids is described.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte is provided that uses an ionic liquid. The electrolyte generally has a formula of IL-(ZRnXq-n)v(MYm)w, where Z is Al, B, P, Sb, or As; R is an organic radical (alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, phenyl, benzyl, amido); X and Y are halogens (F, Cl, Br, I); M is an alkali or alkaline metal. IL is an ionic liquid that contains an organic cation (e.g. 1-alkyl-3methylimidazolium, 1-alkylpyridinium, N-methyl-N-alkylpyrrolidinium, ammonium salts) and a halide anion (F?, Cl?, Br?, or T).

Abstract: The use of particles of at least one crystalline oxide, preferably metal oxide, having an average particle size of less than 500 nm and a fluorine content of between 0.5 and 30% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1.0 and 4%, for the preparation of solid-state electrolytes, is described. Also described is a solid-state electrolyte, containing particles of at least one crystalline oxide, preferably metal oxide, having an average particle size of less than 500 nm, preferably between 10 and 500 nm, even more preferably between 50 and 300 nm; a fluorine content of between 0.5 and 30% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1 and 4%; an alkali or alkaline-earth metal content of between 0.5 and 10% by weight, preferably between 0.5 and 5%, even more preferably between 1 and 4%. Furthermore an inorganic-organic hybrid electrolyte obtainable by means of reaction of the aforementioned solid-state electrolyte with ionic liquids is described.