Characterization of Physical and Structural Properties of Aluminium Carbide Powder: Impact of Biofield Treatment

What is it about?

Aluminium carbide (Al4C3) has gained extensive attention due to its abrasive and creep resistance properties. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of biofield treatment on physical and structural properties of Al4C3 powder. The Al4C3 powder was divided into two parts i.e. control and treated. Control part was remained as untreated and treated part received biofield treatment. Subsequently, control and treated Al4C3 samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), surface area analyser and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). XRD data revealed that lattice parameter and unit cell volume of treated Al4C3 samples were increased by 0.33 and 0.66% respectively, as compared to control. The density of treated Al4C3 samples was reduced upto 0.65% as compared to control. In addition, the molecular weight and crystallite size of treated Al4C3 samples were increased upto 0.66 and 249.53% respectively as compared to control. Furthermore, surface area of treated Al4C3 sample was increased by 5% as compared to control. The FT-IR spectra revealed no significant change in absorption peaks of treated Al4C3 samples as compared to control. Thus, XRD and surface area results suggest that biofield treatment has substantially altered the physical and structural properties of treated Al4C3 powder.

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Why is it important?

Aluminium carbide (Al4C3) is known for its abrasive and creep resistance properties. Generally, it is produced by reaction of aluminium with carbon in electric arc furnace [1]. Al4C3 plays a major role in production of some important structures such as diamond related structures, nanostructure carbons, and growth of diamonds on boron nitride etc. In addition, Al4C3 react with water under high pressure and generates methane [2]. Moreover, Al4C3 particles are used as fine dispersion in aluminium alloy to strengthen the material. In aluminium matrix, Al4C3 particles increase the creep resistance, especially with silicon carbide, which is widely utilizing in automobile and aircraft industries [3]. In order to improve the creep resistance of material, its crystal structure and crystallite size plays an important role. Furthermore, Al4C3 is also used as an abrasive material in cutting tools, where its crystallite size plays a crucial role. After considering the vast importance of Al4C3 in several industries, authors wish to investigate an approach that could be beneficial to modify the physical and structural properties of Al4C3 powder. Energy is considered as the ability to do work, which interrelates with matter as E=mc2 (Einstein’s famous equation). The energy can effectively interact with any matter at a distance and cause action. In addition, energy also exists with various fields such as electric, magnetic etc. Furthermore, researchers have confirmed that bio magnetic fields are present around the human body, which have been evidenced by electromyography (EMG), Electrocardiography (ECG) and Electroencephalogram (EEG) [4]. Scientists have postulated that it is due to the flow of bioelectricity (generated from heart, brain functions or due to the motion of charged particles such as protons, electrons, and ions) in the human body. As per the basic fundamental law in physics, when an electrical signal passes through any material, a magnetic field is generated in the surrounding space [5]. Due to this, a human has ability to harness the energy from environment/universe and can transmit into any object (living or non-living) around the Globe. The object(s) always receive the energy and responded into useful way that is called biofield energy. This process is termed as biofield treatment. These healing treatments suggest their mechanism upon modulating patient-environmental energy fields [6]. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) considered this biofield treatment (therapy) in subcategory of energy therapies [7]. Furthermore, Mr. Trivedi’s unique biofield treatment is known as Trivedi Effect®. Mr.Trivedi’s biofield treatment has substantially altered the physical, structural and atomic characteristic in various metals [8-10] and ceramics [11,12]. Additionally, the influence of biofield treatment was significantly studied in the field of microbiology [13,14], biotechnology [15,16], and agriculture [17-19]. Recently, it was reported that biofield treatment had increased the particle size by six fold and enhanced the crystallite size by two fold in zinc powder [20]. Our group previously reported that biofield treatment has substantial altered the atomic, structural and physical properties in silicon carbide [21] and carbon allotropes [22]. Based on the outstanding results achieved by biofield treatment on metals and ceramics, an attempt was made to evaluate the effect of biofield treatment on physical and structural properties of Al4C3 powder.

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