Improved flotation performance of hematite fines using citric acid as a dispersant

In this study, citric acid was used as a dispersant to improve the flotation performance of hematite fines. The effect and mechanism of citric acid on the reverse flotation of hematite fines were investigated by flotation tests, sedimentation experiments, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta-potential measurements, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results of SEM analysis and flotation tests reveal that a strong heterocoagulation in the form of slime coating or coagulation in hematite fine slurry affects the beneficiation of hematite ores by froth flotation. The addition of a small amount of citric acid (less than 300 g/t) favorably affects the reverse flotation of hematite fines by improving particle dispersion. The results of sedimentation experiments, zeta-potential measurements, and XPS measurements demonstrate that citric acid adsorbs onto hematite and quartz surfaces via hydrogen bonding, thereby reducing the zeta potentials of mineral surfaces, strengthening the electrical double-layer repulsion between mineral particles, and dispersing the pulp particles.     

Effect of current density on the morphology of Zn electrodeposits

The effect of current density on the morphology of Zn electrodeposits prepared by a flow-channel cell was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the morphology of Zn electrodeposits evolves from thin-layered hexagonal η-phase crystals to pyramidal η-phase particles with increasing the current density. The morphological evolution at various flow rates was also examined and the results show that the morphological evolution at a lower flow rate is more remarkable than that at a higher flow rate with increasing the current density. To reveal the mechanism of the morphological evolution in detail, the atomic configuration on both (0001)_η and {1100}_η planes under different current densities was investigated, it was noted that a specify current density could provide a good condition for the layered epitaxial growth of hexagonal η-phase.     

Synthesis, Characterization and Photoluminescence of Well-Ordered ZnO Micropillars Grown on ZnO Buffer Layers

Using ZnO buffer layers prepared by simply thermal oxidation of ion beam sputtered Zn films, highly oriented and uniformly aligned single-crystalline ZnO micropillars arrays have been synthesized by thermal evaporation of Zn powder with flee catalysts at low temperature of 430℃ The ZnO micropillars show sharp hexagonal umbrella-like tips with thin ZnO nanowire grown on the tips. The umbrella-like tips grow in a layer-by-layer mode along the direction of [001]. The growth mechanism has been discussed. The formation of the micropillars basically depends on the gradually decreasing Zn vapor pressure and subsequently cooling process. The photoluminescence （PL） spectrum indicates a moderately good crystal quality of the ZnO micropillars. Our results may reinforce the understanding of the formation mechanism of different ZnO nano/microstructures. This kind of complex microstructures may find potential applications in multifunctional microdevices, optoelectronic and field emission devices.     

Characterization and chemical surface texturization of bulk ZnTe crystals grown by temperature gradient solution growth

Using tellurium as a solvent, we grew ZnTe ingots of 30 mm in diameter and 70 mm in length by a temperature gradient solution growth method. Hall tests conducted at 300 K indicated that the as-grown ZnTe exhibits p-type conductivity, with a carrier concentration of approximately 1014 cm-3, a mobility of approximately 300 cm2·V-1·s-1, and a resistivity of approximately 102 Ω·cm. A simple and effective method was proposed for chemical surface texturization of ZnTe using an HF:H₂O₂:H₂O etchant. Textures with the sizes of approximately 1 μm were produced on {100}, {110}, and {111}_Zn surfaces after etching. The etchant is also very promising in crystal characterization because of its strong anisotropic character and Te-phase selectivity.     

Effects of Ti additive on HPHT diamond synthesis in Fe-Ni-C system

Diamond crystals with low nitrogen concentration were synthesized from the Fe-Ni-C system with Ti additive at high pressure and high temperature （HPHT） in a china-type cubic high pressure apparatus （CHPA）. The synthesis pressure range was 4.8-5.2 GPa, and the temperature range was 1420-1600 K. The lowest synthesis pressure for diamond fell first and then rose with the increase of Ti additive. The color, shape, surface morphology and nitrogen impurity concentration of the synthesized diamond crystals were characterized using optical microscopy （OM）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and micro Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectrometry. The results show that the Ti additive has significant effects on color, growth rate, crystal shape, surface morphology and nitrogen impurity con- centration of the synthesized diamond crystals. The color of diamond crystals synthesized without Ti additive is yellow, while that with Ti additive becomes light and nearly colorless. The growth rate without Ti additive is higher than that with Ti additive. The crystal shapes of as-grown diamond crystals vary with the increase of Ti additive. The {111} crystal faces become dominant and some {311} crystal faces appear with the increase of Ti additive. The concentration of nitrogen impurity in diamond crystals without Ti additive is higher than that with Ti additive.     

The preparation of nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanocrystals with exposed {001} facets and their visible-light photocatalytic performances

Anatase TiO2with exposed{001}facets has been deepgoingly studied for optimizing its photocatalytic activity.In this study,we synthesized N-doped TiO2 nanocrystals with exposed{001}facets by sol–gel method and solvothermal method,respectively.The physical and chemical properties of as-synthesized samples,such as morphology,crystal phase,surface elements composition,porous structure,specific surface area,and optical response,were characterized in detail.The photocatalytic performances of all samples were evaluated by photocatalytic decoloration of methylene blue under visible-light irradiation(k[420 nm).The results showed that the as-prepared samples present high visible-light photocatalytic performances,which can be ascribed to the excellent crystallization,the enhancement of absorbance in the visible-light region,and the strong adsorption performance,and calcination treatment is helpful to further improve the visible-light photocatalytic performance of N-doped TiO2 nanocrystals with exposed{001}facets.     

Effects of Temperature and Catalyst Concentration on the Growth of Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

The effects of preheating and pyrolysis temperatures and catalyst concentration on the synthesis of aligned carbon nanotubes （CNTs） using ferrocene as the catalyst and xylene as the carbon source in chemical vapor deposition were experimentally studied. The as-grown aligned CNTs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy, high-resolution transmission electronic microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The growth rate, the diameters, and the degree of crystal structure of the aligned CNTs were all found to depend on the preheating and pyrolysis temperatures and the catalyst concentration. The optimized conditions for the growth of aligned CNTs resulted in a rapid growth rate of 20.4 um/min, with the CNTs having a good, uniform crystal structure, and clean surfaces with little amorphous carbon. The results also show that higher preheating temperatures and lower ferrocene concentrations favor the growth of single-walled CNTs.     

Observation of Pt-{100}-p(2×2)-O reconstruction by an environmental TEM

The surface structure of noble metal nanoparticles usually plays a crucial role during the catalytic process in the fields of energy and environment. It has been studied extensively by surface analytic methods, such as scanning tunneling microscopy. However, it is still challenging to secure a direct observation of the structural evolution of surfaces of nanocatalysts in reaction(gas and heating) conditions at the atomic scale. Here we report an in-situ observation of atomic reconstruction on Pt {100} surfaces exposed to oxygen in an environmental transmission electron microscope(TEM). Our high-resolution TEM images revealed that Pt-{100}-p(2×2)-O reconstruction occurs during the reaction between oxygen atoms and{100} facets. A reconstruction model was proposed, and TEM images simulated according to this model with different defocus values match the experimental results well.     

Microstructure and texture evolution of cold-rolled deep-drawing steel sheet during annealing

In accordance with experimental results about the annealing microstructure and texture of cold-rolled deepdrawing sheet based on the compact strip production (CSP) process, a two-dimensional cellular automation simulation model, considering real space and time scale, was established to simulate recrystallization and grain growth during the actual batch annealing process. The simulation results show that pancaked grains form during recrystallization. {111} advantageous texture components become the main parts of the recrystallization texture. After grain growth, the pancaked grains coarsen gradually. The content of {111} advantageous texture components in the annealing texture increases from 55vol% to 65vol%; meanwhile, the contents of {112}〈110〉 and {100}〈110〉 texture components decrease by 4% and 8%, respectively, compared with the recrystallization texture. The simulation results of microstructure and texture evolution are also consistent with the experimental ones, proving the accuracy and usefulness of the model.     

Analysis of the carbon source for diamond crystal growth

The lattice constants of diamond and graphite at high pressure and high temperature （HPHT） were calculated on the basis of linear expansion coefficient and elastic constant. According to the empirical electron theory of solids and molecules （EET）, the valence electron structures （VESs） of diamond, graphite crystal and their common planes were calculated. The relationship between diamond and graphite structure was analyzed based on the boundary condition of the improved Thomas-Fermi-Dirac theory by Cheng （TFDC）. It was found that the electron densities of common planes in graphite were not continuous with those of planes in diamond at the first order of approximation. The results show that during the course of diamond single crystal growth at HPHT with metal catalyst, the carbon sources forming diamond structure do not come from the graphite structure directly. The diamond growth mechanism was discussed from the viewpoint of valence electron structure.     

Science Letters：Solvothermal synthesis of nanosized CoSb3 skutterudite

Nanostructures enhance phonon scattering and improve the figure of merit of thermoelectric materials. Nanosized CoSb3 skutterudite was synthesized by solvothermal methods using COC12 and SbCl3 as the precursors. A “two-step“ model was suggested for the formation of CoSb3 based on the X-ray diffraction analysis. The first step is the formation of cobalt diantimonide in the earlier stage during the synthesis process. Diantimonide was then combined with antimony atoms to form the skutterudite structured triantimonide, CoSb3, in the later stage of the synthesis process as the second step. The synthesized CoSb3 powders consist of irregular particles with sizes of about 20 nm and sheets of about 80nm.     

Production and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles and porous particles by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis using a zinc nitrate precursor

ZnO nanoparticles and porous particles were produced by an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method using a zinc nitrate precursor at various temperatures under air atmosphere. The effects of reaction temperature on the size and morphology of ZnO particles were investigated. The samples were characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. ZnO particles were obtained in a hexagonal crystal structure and the crystallite shapes changed from spherical to hexagonal by elevating the reaction temperature. The crystallite size grew by increasing the temperature, in spite of reducing the residence time in the heated zone. ZnO nanoparticles were obtained at the lowest reaction temperature and ZnO porous particles, formed by aggregation of ZnO nanoparticles due to effective sintering, were prepared at higher temperatures. The results showed that the properties of ZnO particles can be controlled by changing the reaction temperature in the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method.     

Morphological characteristics of α-Al_2O_3 crystallites obtained directly from hydro/solvothermal solvents

The morphological characteristics of α_Al-2O-3 crystallites obtained directly from hydro/solv othermal solvents are reported and the formation mechanisms of corundum morphology are discussed from crystal growth and crystal chemistry principles. The crystal growth process is considered as a process of incorporation of growth units on the growth interfaces, and the crystal morphology is determined by the linkage of the coordinated polyhedra.     

Alloying and dealloying of CuPt bimetallic nanocrystals

Bimetallic CuPt nanocrystals with size ranging from 3 to 30 nm were synthesized in the presence of either hexadecylamine or poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a capping agent.Different growth stages of CuPt nanoparticles prepared with hexadecylamine have been investigated and a non-classic mechanism governing the formation of the metal alloy was revealed.It was found that the precursor molecules aggregate into amorphous spheres at a very early stage,followed by surface multiple nucleation,formation and combination of crystalline islands to produce a core-shell structure with surface-to-core extension of the crystallization to achieve single crystals.CuPt nanocrystals synthesized with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) grew via the classic route.Dealloying treatment was applied on these CuPt nanoalloys to selectively remove Cu.Large particles(30 nm) with Cu-rich cores exhibited hollow structures after dealloying while 3 nm particles remained solid,demonstrating that particle size and composition have a great influence on the final morphology of dealloyed particles.     

Characteristic and mechanism of inactivating algae with O3 and ClO2

Both O3 and ClO2 have a high effect on inactivating-algae in source water with no forming THMs which do harm to human in producing drinking water, so they will be favorably substituted for Cl2. In order to make certain of the mechanism of inactivating algae with O3 and ClO2, the algal cell number change and its different characteristics of figures and structures in treated and untreated water have been studied by the microscopy and SEM and the mode of inactivating algae has been inferred. The results show that the mechanism of inactivating algae by O3 is not completely identical with that by ClO2. The actual reaction process and efficiency have been controlled by many factors, such as the different characteristics of oxidants and algal cells.     

Atomic scale KMC simulation of {100} oriented CVD diamond film growth under low substrate temperature-Part II Simulation of CVD diamond film growth in C-H system and in Cl-containing systems

The growth of {100}-oriented CVD diamond film under two modifications of J-B-H model at low substrate temperatures was simulated by using a revised KMC method at atomic scale. The results were compared both in Cl-containing systems and in C-H system as follows: (1) Substrate temperature can produce an important effect both on film deposition rate and on surface roughness; (2) Aomic Cl takes an active role for the growth of diamond film at low temperatures; (3) {100}-oriented diamond film cannot deposit under single carbon insertion mechanism, which disagrees with the predictions before; (4) The explanation of the exact role of atomic Cl is not provided in the simulation results.     

Direct electroless nickel plating on silicon surface

Direct electroless nickel plating on n-Si(100) wafers in alkaline solutions was demonstrated without any activation procedure in advance, the effect of pH and temperature of the solutions on size of metal particles in deposits was examined, and also the element contents of deposits were analyzed by energy disperse spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicated that the size of metal particles increases with increasing temperature or decreasing pH. The possible mechanism of nickel deposition on n-Si(100) was discussed in terms of semiconductor electrochemistry, and the formation of nickel seed crystal on Si was mainly attributed to the generation of atomic hydrogen by electron capture of water molecule from the semiconductor in alkaline solutions.     

Visualization of Coherent Structures in Acoustically Forced, Gas-Particle Turbulent Round Jet

To show the effects of the particles and forced disturbances on the instantaneous large-scale vortex structures in a gas-particle round jet, coherent structures in gas-particle turbulent round jets were investigated experimentally by flow visualization. The 45-μm and 350-μm diameter glass beads were used as the particles in the experiments. An acoustic speaker was used to introduce velocity perturbations at the jet exit. The Strouhal number based on the nozzle diameter, exit velocity, and forcing frequency was varied from 0,1 to 0.9. The Reynolds number was 9400. The coherent structures were visualized in unforced and forced single-phase jet flows and unforced and forced particle-laden jet flows with different diameter glass beads. The experimental results show that the particles have significant effects on the gas phase coherent structures. The coherent structures are controlled by the large 350-μm diameter particles, while the structures are mainly dominated by the forced disturbances in the flows with 45-μm diameter particles.     

Effect of 6H-SiC crystal growth shapes on thermo-elastic stress in the growing crystal

The effect of 6H-SiC crystal growth shapes on the thermo-elastic stress distribution in the growing crystal was systematically investigated by using a finite element method. The thermo-elastic stress distribution in the crystal with a flat growth shape was more homogeneous than that in the crystals with concave and convex growth shapes, and the value of thermo-elasticity in the crystal with a flat growth shape was also smaller than that in the two other types of crystals. The maximum values of thermo-elastic stress appeared at interfaces between the crystal and the graphite lid. If the lid was of the same properties as 6H-SiC, the thermo-elastic stress would decrease in two orders of magnitude. Thus, to grow 6H-SiC single crystals of high quality, a transition layer of SiC formed by deposition or reaction is suggested; meanwhile the thermal field in the growth chamber should be adjusted to maintain the crystals with flat growth shapes.     

Diffusion effects on formation process of mesoporous molecular sieve MCM-41

The regular mesoporous molecular sieve MCM-41 has been investigated at different stages during its formation,using high resolution transmission electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction.The results not only support the liquid-crystal templating mechanism previously postulated,but allow the extension fo its scope to discribe ditails of MCM-41 formation.It has been observed that formation of the hexagonal liquid crystal phase on the one hand and of silica aggregates on the other,occurs simultaneously at the inception of gel formation and throughout the crystallisation.This process is most probably affected by diffusion of both the surfactant molecules and the oligomeric silicate ions.With this postulate it becomes possible to explain several experimental observation(both old and new)and to develop a multi-step synthesis method to grow large particles of MCM-41 using small calcined crystals of MCM-41 as seeds.