Synthesis and application of bilayer-surfactant-enveloped Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanoparticles: water-based bilayer-surfactant-enveloped ferrofluids

Superparamagnetic carbon-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with high magnetization (85 emu·g-1) and high crystallinity were synthesized using polyethylene glycol-4000 (PEG (4000)) as a carbon source. Fe₃O₄ water-based bilayer-surfactant-enveloped ferrofluids were subsequently prepared using sodium oleate and PEG (4000) as dispersants. Analyses using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicate that the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with a bilayer surfactant coating retain the inverse spinel-type structure and are successfully coated with sodium oleate and PEG (4000). Transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and particle-size analysis results indicate that the coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles also retain the good saturation magnetization of Fe₃O₄ (79.6 emu·g-1) and that the particle size of the bilayer-surfactant-enveloped Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles is 42.97 nm, which is substantially smaller than that of the unmodified Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (486.2 nm). UV–vis and zeta-potential analyses reveal that the ferrofluids does not agglomerate for 120 h at a concentration of 4 g·L-1, which indicates that the ferrofluids are highly stable.     

Microwave absorption properties of SiC@SiO2@Fe3O4 hybrids in the 2-18 GHz range

To enhance the microwave absorption performance of silicon carbide nanowires (SiCNWs), SiO₂ nanoshells with a thickness of approximately 2 nm and Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were grown on the surface of SiCNWs to form SiC@SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ hybrids. The microwave absorption performance of the SiC@SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ hybrids with different thicknesses was investigated in the frequency range from 2 to 18 GHz using a free-space antenna-based system. The results indicate that SiC@SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ hybrids exhibit improved microwave absorption. In particular, in the case of an SiC@SiO₂ to iron(Ⅲ) acetylacetonate mass ratio of 1:3, the microwave absorption with an absorber of 2-mm thickness exhibited a minimum reflection loss of -39.58 dB at 12.24 GHz. With respect to the enhanced microwave absorption mechanism, the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles coated on SiC@SiO₂ nanowires are proposed to balance the permeability and permittivity of the materials, contributing to the microwave attenuation.     

Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of Cr7C3/γ-Fe Ceramal Composite Coating Fabricated by Plasma Cladding

A new type in situ Cr7C3/γ-Fe ceramal composite coating was fabricated on substrate of hardened and tempered grade C steel by plasma cladding with Fe-Cr-C alloy powders. The ceramal composite coating has a rapidly solidified microstructure consisting of primary Cr7C3/γ- and the Cr7C3/γ-Fe eutectics, and is metallurgically bonded to the degree C steel substrate. The corrosion resistances of the coating in water solutions of 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 and 3.5% NaCl were evaluated utilizing the electrochemical polarization corrosion-test method. Because of the inherent excellent corrosion-resisting properties of the constituting phase and the rapidly solidified homogeneous microstructure, the plasma clad ceramal composite coating exhibits excellent corrosion resistance in the water solutions of 0.5 mol/L H2SO4 and 3.5% NaCl.     

The electrical property of MnCo<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> and its application for SUS 430 metallic interconnect

The conductivity of MnCo₂O₄ spinel, the best route to form the MnCo₂O₄ protective coating applied by the sol-gel process, and its effect on the intermediate temperature oxidation behavior of SUS 430 alloy, a typical material for the interconnect of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), was investigated. The phase structure and surface morphology of the coating and surface oxides were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDS; the “4-probe” method was employed to determine the conductivity of MnCo₂O₄ spinel and the area specific resistance (ASR) of the surface oxides. The conductivity of MnCo₂O₄ spinel is excellent, which is 2 orders of magnitude better than that of MnCr₂O₄ spinel. Long-term thermally cyclic oxidation at 750°C in SOFC cathode atmosphere and ASR measurement have shown that calcined in reducing atmosphere followed by pre-oxidation in the air is the best technique for forming the MnCo₂O₄ protective coating, which enhances the oxidation resistance, and improves the electrical conductivity and adherence of coated SUS 430 alloy significantly. As a result, the MnCo₂O₄ spinel is the most potential candidate for SOFC metallic interconnect protective coating application.     

One-pot synthesis of PVP-coated Ni<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Fe<Subscript>2.4</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> nanocrystals

Novel poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP)-coated nickel ferrite nanocrystals were prepared by simultaneously pyrolyzing nickel(II) acetylacetonate (Ni(acac)₂) and iron(III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)₃) in N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP). The PVP coating was formed in situ through polymerization of NVP. The crystalline structure of the resultant nickel ferrite was analyzed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction patterns, and powder X-ray diffraction. In addition, the valence state of Ni and the metal contents of Ni and Fe in different valence states were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic absorption and the phenanthroline method. The surface coating layer of PVP and its binding states were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in combination with XPS. Colloidal stability experiments revealed that the nanocrystals could be dispersed well in both phosphate-buffered saline and Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium.     

Synthesis of highly ordered SnO2／Fe2O3 composite nanowire arrays by electrophoretic deposition method

Highly ordered SnO2/Fe2O3 composite nanowire arrays have been synthesized by electrophoretic deposition method. The morphology and chemical composition of SnO2/Fe2O3 composite nanowire arrays are characterized by SEM, TEM, EDX, XPS, and XRD. The results show that the SnO2/Fe2O3 composite nanowires are about 180 nm in width and tens of microns in length, and they are composed of small nanoparticles of tetraganal SnO2 and rhombohedral α-Fe203 with diameters of 10-15nm. The SnO2/Fe2O3 composite nanowires are formed by a series of chemical reactions.     

Structural and electrical properties of HCl-polyaniline-Ag composites synthesized by polymerization using Ag-coated (NH4)2S2O8 powder

Ag nanoparticles were sputter-deposited on ammonium persulfate ((NH₄)₂S₂O₈) powder to obtain (NH₄)₂S₂O₈-Ag powder, which was used to synthesize the HCl-doped polyaniline-Ag (HCl-PANI-Ag) composite via a polymerization procedure. The Ag nanoparticles were dispersed in the HCl-PANI matrix, and their sizes mainly ranged from 3 to 6 nm. The Ag nanoparticles did not affect the structure of emeraldine salt in the composite, and they increased the ordered crystalline regions in the HCl-PANI matrix. The HCl-PANI-Ag composite had a conductivity of (6.8 ±0.1) S/cm, which is about four times larger than that of the HCl-PANI. The charge transport mechanism in the composite is explained by the three-dimensional Mott variable-range hopping (3D-Mott-VRH).     

High-temperature synthesis in nonpolar solvent for CsPbBr<Subscript>3</Subscript> and CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>NH<Subscript>3</Subscript>PbBr<Subscript>3</Subscript> perovskite nanocrystals with high-efficient luminescence

We report a method to synthesize both organicinorganic CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and all-inorganic CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals in nonpolar solvent at high temperature. The cesium oleate and CH₃NH₃Br (MABr) are prepared and then injected into the nonpolar solvent of octadecene including oleic acid, oleylamine, and lead halide. In the synthesis of organic-inorganic perovskites of CH₃NH₃PbBr₃, the frequently-used polar solvent of dimethylformamide or other polar solvents are not used. The prepared CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals are spherical nanoparticles with the diameter of 250 nm. The CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskites are micro- scale hexagonal nanoplatelets. The colloidal perovskites exhibit high-efficient fluorescence and excellent stability.     

Synthesis and modification of well-ordered layered cathode oxide LiNi<Subscript>2/3</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1/3</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Oxalic-acid-based co-precipitation method was employed to prepare LiNi_2/3Mn_1/3O₂ sample with a high-ordered structure. Li⁺, Ni²⁺ and Mn²⁺ acetates were used as starting materials. The influence of the amount of lithium source in the starting materials on Li⁺ content, disorder of Li⁺-Ni²⁺ ions, and electrochemical performance has been investigated. Rietveld refinement shows that the sample prepared with 20% excess Li-source in the starting materials exhibits a perfect ordered structure. A specific discharge capacity is as high as 172 mAh/g at C/20 in the voltage range of 4.35–2.7 V. However, the cyclability is not satisfactory: about 25.3% fade in capacity was observed over 50 cycles. Chemically stable SiO2 was coated on the surface of LiNi_2/3Mn_1/3O₂ particles. A significant improvement in cyclability was attained with 3 wt% SiO2 coating, which is ascribable to the protection of LiNi_2/3Mn_1/3O₂ particles from being dissolved into the electrolyte.     

A review of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> nanoparticles

Climate change and the consumption of non-renewable resources are considered as the greatest problems facing humankind.Because of this,photocatalysis research has been rapidly expanding.TiO2 nanoparticles have been extensively investigated for photocatalytic applications including the decomposition of organic compounds and production of H2 as a fuel using solar energy. This article reviews the structure and electronic properties of TiO2,compares TiO2 with other common semiconductors used for photocatalytic applications and clarifies the advantages of using TiO2 nanoparticles.TiO2 is considered close to an ideal semi- conductor for photocatalysis but possesses certain limitations such as poor absorption of visible radiation and rapid recombination of photogenerated electron/hole pairs.In this review article,various methods used to enhance the photocatalytic characteristics of TiO2 including dye sensitization,doping,coupling and capping are discussed.Environmental and energy applications of TiO2, including photocatalytic treatment of wastewater,pesticide degradation and water splitting to produce hydrogen have been summarized.     

Chemical quenching and inhibition of positronium in Cr<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts

The pore structure of Cr2O3/Al2O3 catalysts and the surface chemical properties of these pores were characterized by positron lifetime and coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) measurements. Four lifetime components could be resolved from the positron lifetime spectrum, with two long lifetime components and two short lifetime components. The two long lifetimes τ4 and τ3 are attributed to ortho-positronium (o-Ps) annihilation in large pores and microvoids, respectively. With increasing Cr2O3 content, both τ4 and its intensity I4 show sharp decrease, while τ3 and its intensity I3 keep nearly unchanged. The Doppler broadening S parameters also show sharp decrease with increasing Cr2O3 content. Detailed analysis of the CDB spectrum reveals that the parapositronium (p-Ps) intensity also decreases with increasing Cr2O3 content. This indicates that the change of o-Ps lifetime τ4 is due to the chemical quenching by Cr2O3 but not spin-conversion of positronium. The decrease of o-Ps intensity I4 indicates that Cr2O3 also inhibits positronium formation.     

Electrochemical properties of LiNi<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>1.3</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>0.2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>/Li<Subscript>4</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>5</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> cells

Spinel compounds LiNi_0.5Mn_1.3Ti_0.2O₄ (LNMTO) and Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) were synthesized by different methods. The particle sizes of LNMTO and LTO are 0.5–2 and 0.5–0.8 μm, respectively. The LNMTO/LTO cell exhibits better electrochemical properties at both a low current rate of 0.2C and a high current rate of 1C. When the specific capacity was determined based on the mass of the LNMTO cathode, the LNMTO/LTO cell delivered 137 mA·h·g⁻¹ at 0.2C and 118.2 mA·h·g⁻¹ at 1C, and the corresponding capacity retentions after 30 cycles are 88.5% and 92.4%, respectively.     

Research on C<Subscript>3</Subscript>N<Subscript>4</Subscript> superhard compound thin film and its application

By combination of DC reactive magnetron sputtering with multiple arcplating, the alternating C₃N₄/TiN compound film is deposited onto HSS. The core level binding energy and the contents of carbon and nitrogen are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectrum. X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that compound thin film contains hard crystalline phases of α-C₃N₄ and β-C₃N₄. The Knoop microhardness in the load range of 50, 5–54, 1 GPa is measured. According to acoustic emission scratch test, the critical load values for the coatings on HSS substrates are in the range of 40–80 N. The metal coated with C₃N₄/TiN compound films has a great improvement in the resistance against corrosion. Many tests show that such a coating has a very high wearability. Compared with the uncoated and TiN coated tools, the C₃N₄/TiN coated tools have a much longer cutting life. Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (19875037) Biography: Wu Da-we( (1941-), male, Professor, research direction; thin film and its application.     

Dissolution of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>TiO<Subscript>5</Subscript> inclusions in CaO-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> slags at 1823 K

Al-Ti-O inclusions always clog submerged nozzles in Ti-bearing Al-killed steel. A typical synthesized Al₂TiO₅ inclusion was immersed in a CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃ molten slag for different durations at 1823 K. The Al₂TiO₅ dissolution paths and mechanism were revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Decreased amounts of Ti and Al and increased amounts of Si and Ca at the dissolution boundary prove that inclusion dissolution and slag penetration simultaneously occur. SiO₂ diffuses or penetrates the inclusion more quickly than CaO, as indicated by the w(CaO)/w(SiO₂) value in the reaction region. A liquid product (containing 0.7–1.2 w(CaO)/w(SiO₂), 15wt%–20wt% Al₂O₃, and 5wt%–15wt% TiO₂) forms on the inclusion surface when Al₂TiO₅ is dissolved in the slag. Al₂TiO₅ initially dissolves faster than the diffusion rate of the liquid product toward the bulk slag. With increasing reaction time, the boundary reaches its largest distance, the Al₂TiO₅ dissolution rate equals the liquid product diffusion rate, and the dissolution process remains stable until the inclusion is completely dissolved.     

Preparation and radar-absorbing properties of Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/Yb<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> composite powder

Al₂O₃/TiO₂/Fe₂O₃/Yb₂O₃ composite powder was synthesized via the sol-gel method. The structure, morphology, and radar-absorption properties of the composite powder were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and RF impedance analysis. The results show that two types of particles exist in the composite powder. One is irregular flakes (100-200 nm) and the other is spherical Al₂O₃ particles (smaller than 80 nm). Electromagnetic wave attenuation is mostly achieved by dielectric loss. The maximum value of the dissipation factor reaches 0.76 (at 15.68 GHz) in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz. The electromagnetic absorption of waves covers 2-18 GHz with the matching thicknesses of 1.5-4.5 mm. The absorption peak shifts to the lower-frequency area with increasing matching thickness. The effective absorption band covers the frequency range of 2.16-9.76 GHz, and the maximum absorption peak reaches -20.18 dB with a matching thickness of 3.5 mm at a frequency of 3.52 GHz.     

Surface tension and specific heat of liquid Ni<Subscript>70.2</Subscript>Si<Subscript>29.8</Subscript> alloy

The thermophysical properties of liquid alloys in me-tastable state are of importance for liquid-solid phase transformation under nonequilibrium conditions[1―10]. Sur-face tension and specific heat, two of the most important thermophysical properties, have significant influences on the process of crystal nucleation and growth. Furthermore, it is necessary to obtain these data so as to perform quan-titative research on rapid solidification[3―10]. The tradi-tional measurement methods, however,…     

Synthesis of NiCr<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> spinel coatings with high emissivity by plasma spraying

Air plasma spraying (APS) was used to produce high emissivity coatings with a NiCr₂O₄ spinel structure. The relationship between the emissivity and the crystal structure was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses show that NiCr₂O₄ spinel has been fabricated with the space group Fd3m. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs show that the coating consists of a laminated structure with homogeneous grains and high porosity because of the unique feature of plasma spraying. The emissivity measurement and Fourier transformation infrared radiation (FT-IR) spectra show that NiCr₂O₄ has a high emissivity of about 0.91 because of its special spinel structure. APS is a suitable method to produce high emissivity coatings.     

Synthesis and characterization of wormhole-like mesoporous Ce0.6Zr0.35Y0.05O2 solid solutions

Nanoparticles of Ce0.6Zr0.35Y0.05O2 (CZY) solid solution have been prepared by the CTAB (hexadecyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide), CTAB-EG (ethylene glycol) templating, and CTAB-EG-NaCl (in which the pores of the precursor synthesized by the CTAB-EG method is filled by a certain amount of NaCl) method, respectively. The physical properties of these materials were characterized by means of tech-niques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and N2 adsorp-tion-desorption measurements. The CZY samples synthesized by the above three methods display wormhole-like mesoporous morphology and cubic crystal structures. The materials are narrow in pore size distribution (averaged pore diameter = 5.3―7.1 nm), high in surface areas (95―119 m2/g), and large in pore volumes (0.16―0.18 cm3/g). It has been demonstrated that the introduction of NaCl is capable of retaining the pore structures of solid nanomaterials at high-temperature calcination.     

Analysis of the factors affecting the magnetic characteristics of nano-Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> particles

We prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles using chemical coprecipitation and studied the factors affecting the magnetic characteristics of nano-Fe3O4 particles.We identified four factors and three levels of an orthogonal experiment and investigated these four factors that affect the magnetic characteristics of the Fe3O4 particles.We obtained important information from this investigation.The Fe3+ to Fe2+ molar ratio,the iron precursor salt,the amount of surfactant and the amount of alkali were found to be important.We also studied the influence of the order of alkali and surfactant addition,the aging time and the stirring speed on the magnetic characteristics of the nano-Fe3O4 particles.The Fe3O4 preparation process was also analyzed.     

Synthesis, Characterization and Calorimetry of Ni（C4H8N2O3）2Cl2

A coordination complex was synthesized from NiCl2 and dipeptide glycylglycine（GG）. It was characterized by element analysis, NMR and TG methods, and then was determined to be Ni（C4HsN2O3）2Cl2. Using an isoperibolic reaction calorimeter, the standard molar enthalpy of formation of Ni（GG）2Cl2（solid） has been determined to be -（1 674.66±2.02） kJ · mol^-1 at 298.15 K.