Reaction mechanism for in-situ β-SiAlON formation in Fe3Si-Si3N4-Al2O3 composites

In this work, Fe₃Si-Si₃N₄-Al₂O₃ composites were prepared at 1300℃ in an N₂ atmosphere using fused corundum and tabular alumina particles, Al₂O₃ fine powder, and ferrosilicon nitride (Fe₃Si-Si₃N₄) as raw materials and thermosetting phenolic resin as a binder. The effect of ferrosilicon nitride with different concentrations (0wt%, 5wt%, 10wt%, 15wt%, 20wt%, and 25wt%) on the properties of Fe₃Si-Si₃N₄-Al₂O₃ composites was investigated. The results show that the apparent porosity varies between 10.3% and 17.3%, the bulk density varies from 2.94 g/cm3 and 3.30 g/cm3, and the cold crushing strength ranges from 67 MPa to 93 MPa. Under the experimental conditions, ferrosilicon nitride, whose content decreases substantially, is unstable; part of the ferrosilicon nitride is converted into Fe₂C, whereas the remainder is retained, eventually forming the ferrosilicon alloy. Thermodynamic assessment of the Si₅AlON₇ indicated that the ferrosilicon alloy accelerated the reactions between Si₃N₄ and α-Al₂O₃ fine powder and that Si in the ferrosilicon alloy was nitrided directly, forming β-SiAlON simultaneously. In addition, fused corundum did not react directly with Si₃N₄ because of its low reactivity.     

Selective catalytic oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen over orderly mesoporous CuFe2O4 with high specific surface area

Orderly mesoporous CuFe2O4 spinel-type mixed oxide with high specific surface area was prepared successfully by a hard-template method in which KIT-6 mesoporous silica was selected as the hard template. The KIT-6 hard template and CuFe2O4 samples were charac- terized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spec- troscopy, X-ray fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen physisorption, and hydrogen-temperature programmed reduction. The KIT-6 hard template had perfect crystalli- zation and ordered mesoporous structure with a probable pore distribution of about 9.1 nm, large enough to be filled by the spinel precursor. The mesoporous CuFe2O4 spinel oxide synthesized inside the KIT-6 mesopores had a rela- tively small pore size （4.3 nm）, orderly arrangement, and high specific area （194 m2/g）. The catalytic activity of the mesoporous CuFe2O4 was tested for the selective oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen. The conversion of ammonia reached nearly 100 % at 300 ℃with a nitrogen selectivity as high as 96 %. The nitrogen selectivity remained high with increasing temperature and even maintained a value of 80 % at 600 ℃.     

Crystalline mesoporous metal oxide

Since the discovery of many types of mesoporous silicas, such as SBA-15, KIT-6, FDU-12 and SBA-16, porous crystalline transition metal oxides, such as Cr2O3, Co3O4, In2O3, NiO, CeO2, WO3, Fe2O3 and MnO2, have been synthesized using the mesoporous silicas as hard templates. Several synthetic methods have been developed. These new porous materials have high potential applications in catalysis, Li-ion rechargeable batteries and gas sensors. This article gives a brief review of the research of porous crystals of metal oxides in the last four years.     

复合添加炭黑对低碳铝碳材料显微结构与性能的影响

以板状刚玉颗粒、活性氧化铝微粉、Si粉为主要原料,以N220或N990炭黑为碳源,以热固性酚醛树脂为结合剂,在埋炭条件下制备低碳铝碳材料,研究添加不同炭黑对所制得试样显微结构、抗折强度及热震稳定性的影响。结果表明,添加N220炭黑有利于促进材料的致密化和有效发挥纳米炭黑粒子对热应力的吸收作用,降低热冲击对材料结构的破坏,而添加N990炭黑有助于改善铝碳材料的孔结构,有利于试样在高温下形成长径比更大的碳化硅晶须,从而提高材料的力学性能;复合添加N220、N990炭黑能提高低碳铝碳材料试样的强度和抗热震性。材料热震后的抗折强度为7.44 MPa、残余强度保持率为53%~62%。     

Filter Paper-Derived Three-Dimensional Carbon Fibers Film Supported Fe<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> as a Superior Binder-Free Anode Material for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

Highly uniform and tight adhering of Fe₃O₄ particles on carbon fiber film (Fe₃O₄/CFF) is achieved through a simple in-situ thermal oxidation method. Particularly, 3D CFF with interconnected structure can shorten transfer path and buffer the volume expansion during charge-discharge cycling. Herein, the obtained Fe₃O₄/CFF anode exhibits a stable cycling performance and excellent high rate capability. The cell delivers a reversible capacity of 1 711 mAh·g^–1 at a current density of 100 mA·g^–1 after 100 cycles. Even at a high rate density of 2 A·g^–1, the specific capacity also can maintain 1 034 mAh·g^–1 after 100 cycles. The simplified fabrication is featured with low-cost and this binder-free perspective holds great potential in mass-production of high-performance metal oxide electrochemical devices.     

Recovery of alkali and alumina from Bayer red mud by the calcification–carbonation method

Red mud produced in the Bayer process is a hazardous solid waste because of its high alkalinity; however, it is rich in valuable components such as titanium, iron, and aluminum. In this study, a novel calcification–carbonation method was developed to recover alkali and alumina from Bayer red mud under mild reaction conditions. Batch experiments were performed to evaluate the potential effects of important parameters such as temperature, amount of CaO added, and CO₂ partial pressure on the recovery of alkali and alumina. The results showed that 95.2% alkali and 75.0% alumina were recovered from red mud with decreases in the mass ratios of Na₂O to Fe₂O₃ and of Al₂O₃ to Fe₂O₃ from 0.42 and 0.89 to 0.02 and 0.22, respectively. The processed red mud with less than 0.5wt% Na₂O can potentially be used as a construction material.     

Facile cathodic electrosynthesis and characterization of iron oxide nano-particles

Fe2O3 nano-particles have been synthesized by simple cathodic electrodeposition from the low-temperature nitrate bath.The morphology and crystal structure of the obtained oxide powder were analyzed by means of scanning and transmission microscopy(SEM and TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD) and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy.Thermal behavior and phase transformation during the heat treatment of as-deposited sample were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and thermogramimetric analysis(TGA).The results showed that the deposited Fe2O3 was composed of the nanoparticles with grain size of approximately 10-60 nm.A serious problem during cathodic electrodeposition of iron oxide was splashing of deposit into electrolyte due to its low adhesion.This problem was tackled by reducing the bath temperature and dielectric constant of solvent.     

Effect of Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> on the crystallization behavior of glass-ceramics produced from naturally cooled yellow phosphorus furnace slag

CaO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ (CAS) glass-ceramics were prepared via a melting method using naturally cooled yellow phosphorus furnace slag as the main raw material. The effects of the addition of Fe₂O₃ on the crystallization behavior and properties of the prepared glass-ceramics were studied by differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The crystallization activation energy was calculated using the modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami equation. The results show that the intrinsic nucleating agent in the yellow phosphorus furnace slag could effectively promote the crystallization of CAS. The crystallization activation energy first increased and then decreased with increasing amount of added Fe₂O₃. At 4wt% of added Fe₂O₃, the crystallization activation energy reached a maximum of 676.374 kJ·mol-1. The type of the main crystalline phase did not change with the amount of added Fe₂O₃. The primary and secondary crystalline phases were identified as wollastonite (CaSiO₃) and hedenbergite (CaFe(Si₂O₆)), respectively.     

Size-controlled synthesis of Fe3O4 and Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles and their superparamagnetic properties tailoring

Superparamagnetic properties and fine-tuning of colloidal Fe₃O₄nanoparticles are important for their widespread biomedical applications. Herein, colloidal Fe₃O₄nanoparticles(NPs) of different sizes(8–20 nm) were prepared,and their hydrophilization with SiO₂shell coating to be Fe₃O₄@SiO₂core-shell had been realized successively.The size of Fe₃O₄NPs was controlled by different heating rate...     

Microstructure and electrolysis behavior of self-healing Cu-Ni-Fe composite inert anodes for aluminum electrowinning

The microstructure evolution and electrolysis behavior of (Cu₅₂Ni₃₀Fe₁₈)-xNiFe₂O₄ (x=40wt%, 50wt%, 60wt%, and 70wt%) composite inert anodes for aluminum electrowinning were studied. NiFe₂O₄ was synthesized by solid-state reaction at 950℃. The dense anode blocks were prepared by ball-milling followed by sintering under a N₂ atmosphere. The phase evolution of the anodes after sintering was determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results indicate that a substitution reaction between Fe in the alloy phase and Ni in the oxide phase occurs during the sintering process. The samples were also examined as inert anodes for aluminum electrowinning in the low-temperature KF-NaF-AlF₃ molten electrolyte for 24 h. The cell voltage during electrolysis and the corrosion scale on the anodes were analyzed. The results confirm that the scale has a self-repairing function because of the synergistic reaction between the alloy phase with Fe added and the oxide phase. The estimated wear rate of the (Cu₅₂Ni₃₀Fe₁₈)-50NiFe₂O₄ composite anode is 2.02 cm·a-1.     

Novel approaches to produce Al2O3– TiC/TiCN– Fecomposite powders directly from ilmenite

Al2O3 –TiC/TiCN–Fe composite powders were successfully prepared directly from ilmenite at 1300–1400℃.The effects of Al/C ratio,sintering atmosphere,and reaction temperature and time on the reaction products were investigated.Results showed that the nitrogen atmosphere was bene cial to the reduction of ilmenite and the formation of Al2O3 –TiC/TiCN–Fe composite powders.When the reaction temperature was between 600 and 1100℃,the intermediate products,TiO2,Ti3O5 and Ti4O7 were found,which changed to TiC or TiCN at higher temperature.Al/C ratio was found to affect the reaction process and synthesis products.When Al addition was 0.5 mol,the Al2O3 phase did not appear.The content of carbon in TiCN rose when the reaction temperature was increased.     

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.     

In situ reaction mechanism of MgAlON in Al-Al2O3-MgO composites at 1700℃ under flowing N2

The Al-Al₂O₃-MgO composites with added aluminum contents of approximately 0wt%, 5wt%, and 10wt%, named as M₁, M₂, and M₃, respectively, were prepared at 1700℃ for 5 h under a flowing N₂ atmosphere using the reaction sintering method. After sintering, the Al-Al₂O₃-MgO composites were characterized and analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that specimen M₁ was composed of MgO and MgAl₂O₄. Compared with specimen M₁, specimens M₂ and M₃ possessed MgAlON, and its production increased with increasing aluminum addition. Under an N₂ atmosphere, MgO, Al₂O₃, and Al in the matrix of specimens M₂ and M₃ reacted to form MgAlON and AlN-polytypoids, which combined the particles and the matrix together and imparted the Al-Al₂O₃-MgO composites with a dense structure. The mechanism of MgAlON synthesis is described as follows. Under an N₂ atmosphere, the partial pressure of oxygen is quite low; thus, when the Al-Al₂O₃-MgO composites were soaked at 580℃ for an extended period, aluminum metal was transformed into AlN. With increasing temperature, Al₂O₃ diffused into AlN crystal lattices and formed AlN-polytypoids; however, MgO reacted with Al₂O₃ to form MgAl₂O₄. When the temperature was greater than (1640 ±10)℃, AlN diffused into Al₂O₃ and formed spinel-structured AlON. In situ MgAlON was acquired through a solid-solution reaction between AlON and MgAl₂O₄ at high temperatures because of their similar spinel structures.     

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.     

Metal oxide and hydroxide nanoarrays: Hydrothermal synthes is and applications as superc apacitors and nanocatalysts

The development of nanotechnology in recent decades has brought new opportunities in the exploration of new materials for solving the issues of fossil fuel consumption and environment pollution.Materials with nano-array architecture are emerging as the key due to their structure advantages,which offer the possibility to fabricate high-performance electrochemical electrodes and catalysts for both energy storage and effcient use of energy.The main challenges in this feld remain as rational structure design and corresponding controllable synthesis.This article reviews recent progress in our laboratory related to the hydrothermal synthesis of metal oxide and hydroxide nanoarrays,whose structures are designed aiming to the application on supercapacitors and catalysts.The strategies for developing advanced materials of metal oxide and hydroxide nanoarrays,including NiO,Ni(OH)2,Co3O4,Co3O4@Ni–Co–O,cobalt carbonate hydroxide array,and mixed metal oxide arrays like Co3 xFex O4and Znx Co3 xO4,are discussed.The different kinds of structure designs such as 1D nanorod,2D nanowall and hierarchical arrays were involved to meet the needs of the high performance materials.Finally,the future trends and perspectives in the development of advanced nanoarrays materials are highlighted.     

Antilocalization sensing of interactions between two-dimensional electrons and surface species

We apply antilocalization measurements to experimentally study the interactions and exchange between InAs surface accumulation electrons and local magnetic moments of the rare earth ions Sm3?,Gd3?,Ho3?,and Dy3?,of the transition metal ions Ni2?,Co2?,and Fe3?,and of Fe3O4nanoparticles and Fe3?-phthalocyanine deposited on the surface.The influence of the deposited species on the surface electrons is observed through the changes in the spin–orbit scattering and magnetic spin-flip scattering rates,which carry information about magnetic interactions.Experiments indicate a temperature-dependent magnetic spin-flip scattering for Ho3?,Dy3?,Ni2?,and Co2?.Concerning the spin–orbit scattering rate,we observe an increase,except for the cases of Ni2?,Fe3?,Fe3O4nanoparticles and Fe3?-phthalocyanine.We also observe an increase in SO scattering in another system where we study the interactions of Au nanoparticles and ferromagnetic Co0.6Fe0.4nanopillars and an In0.53Ga0.47As quantum well.Experimental results are analyzed and compared to theoretical models.Our method provides a controlled way to probe the quantum properties of two-dimensional electron systems,either on the surface of InAs or in a quantum well.     

Synthesis of Mg2B2O5 whiskers via coprecipitation and sintering process

Mg₂B₂O₅ whiskers with high aspect ratio were synthesized by coprecipitation and sintering process using MgCl₂·6H₂O, H₃BO₃, and NaOH as raw materials and KCl as a flux. Their formation process was investigated by thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microcopy (SEM). It is found that the products synthesized at 832°C are monoclinic Mg₂B₂O₅ whiskers with a diameter of 200?C400 nm and a length of 50?C80 ??m. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analyses show that the whiskers obtained at 832°C are single crystalline and grow along with the [010] direction. The growth mechanism of Mg₂B₂O₅ whiskers was also presented.     

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.     

Corrosion behavior of ferritic ODS steel prepared by adding YH_2 nanoparticles in supercritical water at 600 °C

The corrosion behavior of the ferritic oxide dispersion strengthened(ODS)steel(14Cr-3Al-2W-0.1Ti)prepared by adding YH_2nanoparticles(NPs)was investigated in supercritical water(SCW)at 600°C for 1500 h.The mass gain of the ODS steel(215.5 mg/dm~2)was lower than that of SUS430 steel(357.2 mg/dm~2).A dual oxide layer generated on the surface of ODS steel after corrosion in SCW.The outer layer was composed of Fe_2O_3and Fe_3O_4,while the inner layer composed of the spinel-type FeCr_2O_4together with Al_2O_3.The generation of Y_2Ti_2O_7NPs in the ODS steel by adding YH_2NPs prohibits the formation of Y-Al-O particles and leaves more Al available to form a continuous protective oxide scale to improve the corrosion resistance.Moreover,the Y_2Ti_2O_7NPs act as efficient barriers to suppress the outward diffusion of metal atoms.This novel ODS steel shows potential applications in supercritical water.     

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.