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.     

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.     

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.     

Intense laser induced field ionization of C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>2</Subscript>, C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>4</Subscript>, and C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>6</Subscript>

Using HOMO Field Ionization Model, the tunneling probabilities and the theoretical threshold intensities of the field ionizations of acetylene, ethylene, and ethane in intense laser field are calculated. C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6 were irradiated by 800 nm, 100 fs laser pulses with the intensity range of 10^13-10^14 W/cm^2. A TOF-mass spectrometer was coupled to the laser system and used to experimentally investigate the field ionization of these molecules. The experimental ionization threshold intensities are obtained. The calculating results of the three molecules agree well with the experimental results, indicating that HOMO Field Ionization Model is valid for the ionization of polyatomic molecules in intense laser field.     

Comparative study on the corrosion behavior of X52, 3Cr,and 13Cr steel in an O2-H2O-CO2 system:products,reaction kinetics,and pitting sensitivity

The corrosion behaviors of X52, 3Cr low-alloy steel, and 13Cr stainless steel were investigated in an O₂-H₂O-CO₂ environment at various temperatures and O₂-CO₂ partial-pressure ratios. The results showed that the corrosion rates of X52, 3Cr, and 13Cr steels increased with increasing temperature. The corrosion rates slowly increased at temperatures less than 100℃ and increased sharply when the temperature exceeded 100℃. In the absence of O₂, X52, 3Cr, and 13Cr exhibited uniform corrosion morphology and FeCO₃ was the main corrosion product. When O₂ was introduced into the system, various forms of Fe₂O₃ appeared on the surface of the samples. The Cr content strongly influenced the corrosion resistance. The 3Cr steel with a low Cr content was more sensitive to pitting than the X52 or 13Cr steel. Thus, pitting occurred on the surface of 3Cr when 1.25 MPa of O₂ was added; this phenomenon is related to the non-uniform distribution of Cr in 3Cr.     

Electrical conductivity optimization of the Na3AlF6-Al2O3-Sm2O3 molten salts system for Al-Sm intermediate binary alloy production

Metal Sm has been widely used in making Al-Sm magnet alloy materials. Conventional distillation technology to produce Sm has the disadvantages of low productivity, high costs, and pollution generation. The objective of this study was to develop a molten salt electrolyte system to produce Al-Sm alloy directly, with focus on the electrical conductivity and optimal operating conditions to minimize the energy consumption. The continuously varying cell constant (CVCC) technique was used to measure the conductivity for the Na₃AlF₆-AlF₃-LiF-MgF₂-Al₂O₃-Sm₂O₃ electrolysis medium in the temperature range from 905 to 1055℃. The temperature (t) and the addition of Al₂O₃ (W(Al₂O₃)), Sm₂O₃ (W(Sm₂O₃)), and a combination of Al₂O₃ and Sm₂O₃ into the basic fluoride system were examined with respect to their effects on the conductivity (κ) and activation energy. The experimental results showed that the molten electrolyte conductivity increases with increasing temperature (t) and decreases with the addition of Al₂O₃ or Sm₂O₃ or both. We concluded that the optimal operation conditions for Al-Sm intermediate alloy production in the Na₃AlF₆-AlF₃-LiF-MgF₂-Al₂O₃-Sm₂O₃ system are W(Al₂O₃) + W(Sm₂O₃)=3wt%, W(Al₂O₃):W(Sm₂O₃)=7:3, and a temperature of 965 to 995℃, which results in satisfactory conductivity, low fluoride evaporation losses, and low energy consumption.     

Fabrication of porous alumina templates with a large-scale tunable interpore distance in a H<Subscript>2</Subscript>C<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript>-C<Subscript>2</Subscript>H<Subscript>5</Subscript>OH-H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O solution

Highly ordered porous alumina templates with a large-scale tunable interpore distance （100-445 nm） have been successfully fabricated under an electric field of 40-180 V by modifying oxalic acid solution with adequate alcohol. The results under our experimental conditions show that the phenomena of burning and breakdown during the high-field anodization process can be avoided by adding a proper amount of alcohol to the oxalic acid solution. An excellent linear relationship between interpore distance and anodization voltage is obtained under 40-170 V, and the maximum anodization voltage that could be used to avoid burning and breakdown is 180 V.     

Synthesis, characterization and properties of ruthenium-substituted polyoxometallic acid H_6Ru(H_2O)FeW_(11)O_(39)·18H_2O with Keggin structure

The ruthenium-substituted polyoxometallic acid H6 [Ru(H2O)FeW 11O39 ]·18H2O was synthesized by stepwise acidification and stepwise addition of solutions of the component elements, and an ion-exchange-cooling method. The product was characterized using inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Ultraviolet Spectroscopy (UV), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that this complex has the Keggin structure. The determination of the thermal stability and proton conductivi...     

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.     

Effect of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O on gasification dissolution and deep reaction of coke

To more comprehensively analyze the effect of CO₂ and H₂O on the gasification dissolution reaction and deep reaction of coke, the reactions of coke with CO₂ and H₂O using high temperature gas-solid reaction apparatus over the range of 950-1250℃ were studied, and the thermodynamic and kinetic analyses were also performed. The results show that the average reaction rate of coke with H₂O is about 1.3-6.5 times that with CO₂ in the experimental temperature range. At the same temperature, the endothermic effect of coke with H₂O is less than that with CO₂. As the pressure increases, the gasification dissolution reaction of coke shifts to the high-temperature zone. The use of hydrogen-rich fuels is conducive to decreasing the energy consumed inside the blast furnace, and a corresponding high-pressure operation will help to suppress the gasification dissolution reaction of coke and reduce its deterioration. The interfacial chemical reaction is the main rate-limiting step over the experimental temperature range. The activation energies of the reaction of coke with CO₂ and H₂O are 169.23 kJ·mol-1 and 87.13 kJ·mol-1, respectively. Additionally, water vapor is more likely to diffuse into the coke interior at a lower temperature and thus aggravates the deterioration of coke in the middle upper part of blast furnace.     

Immobilization of hemoglobin on platinum nanoparticles-modified glassy carbon electrode for H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> sensing

This work described an amperometric hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) biosensor based on immobilization of hemoglobin (Hb) on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified by platinum nanoparticles, which was prepared by an in situ chemical reductive growth method. The electrochemical impedance measurements confirmed that the Hb was immobilized on the platinum nanoparticles-modified glassy carbon surface and has a synergistic effect with platinum nanoparti-cles in improving the catalytic reduction of H2O2. The Hb immobili...     

Electro-deoxidation of V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> in molten CaCl<Subscript>2</Subscript>-NaCl-CaO

The electro-deoxidation of V₂O₃ precursors was studied. Experiments were carried out with a two-terminal electrochemical cell, which was comprised of a molten electrolyte of CaCl₂ and NaCl with additions of CaO, a cathode of compact V₂O₃, and a graphite anode under the potential of 3.0 V at 1173 K. The phase constitution and composition as well as the morphology of the samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 3 g of V₂O₃ could be converted to vanadium metal powder within the processing time of 8 h. The kinetic pathway was investigated by analyzing the product phase in samples prepared at different reduction stages. CaO added in the reduction path of V₂O₃ formed the intermediate product CaV₂O₄.     

Nonlinear optical properties of Eu<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> doped 5ZnO-20Nb<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript>-75TeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> glasses

The third-order optical nonlinearities, including third-order nonlinear susceptibility X^(3), nonlinear refractive index (n2) and temporal response, were measured with forward DFWM using Nd:YAG mode-locked pulse laser. The results show that Eu203 doped 5ZnO-20Nb2O5-75TeO2 glasses have large n2 and ultra-fast temporal response. Raman spectra show that Eu2O3 dopant induces the changes in the local structure of glasses. The higher the dopant concentration, the larger the nonlinear refractive n2 and the faster the temporal response. The enhancement on the third-order optical nonlinearities can be attributed to the deformation of the electronic clouds in [TeO4] enhanced by Eu2O3 dopant.     

Investigation of the deterioration of passive films in H<Subscript>2</Subscript>S-containing solutions

The effect of H₂S on the corrosion behavior of 316L stainless steel was investigated using electrochemical methods by changing the gas condition from CO₂ to H₂S and then back to CO₂. The presence of H₂S showed an acceleration effect on the corrosion of 316L stainless steel in comparison with CO₂. The acceleration effect remained even after the complete removal of H₂S by CO₂, indicating that the passive film was irreversibly damaged. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated that the passive film was composed of Cr₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, and FeS₂ after being immersed in H₂S-containing solutions. The semiconducting property of the passive film was then investigated by using the Mott-Schottky approach. The presence of sulfides resulted in higher acceptor and donor densities and thus was responsible for the deterioration of passive films.     

Effect of Al2O3 and Y2O3 on the corrosion behavior of ZrO2-benzotriazole nanostructured coatings applied on AA2024 via a sol-gel method

zirconia-based nanostructured coatings were deposited on AA2024 to improve the corrosion resistance properties. Three different nanostructured coatings, namely, zirconia-benzotriazole, zirconia-alumina-benzotriazole, and zirconia-yttria-benzotriazole, were applied on AA2024 via a sol-gel method using the dip-coating technique. Next, the coatings were annealed at 150℃ after each dipping period. The phases and morphologies of the coatings were investigated using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The corrosion properties were evaluated using electrochemical methods, including polarization and electrochemical impedance techniques in 3.5wt% NaCl solution. The obtained results confirm the formation of homogeneous and crack free zirconia-benzotriazole-based nanostructured coatings. The average roughness values for zirconia-benzotriazole, zirconia-alumina-benzotriazole, and zirconia-yttria-benzotriazole nanostructured coatings were 30, 8, and 6 nm, respectively. The presence of alumina as a stabilizer on zirconia coating was found to have a beneficial impact on the stability of the corrosion resistance for different immersion times. In fact, the addition of alumina resulted in the dominance of the healing behavior in competition with the corrosion process of zirconia-benzotriazole nanostructured coating.     

Adsorption and catalytic combustion of ARB on CuO-Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>

CuO-Fe2O3 composite material with strong magnetism and a large surface area is prepared by the co-precipitate method. Its adsorption properties towards Acid Red B (ARB) and the regeneration by catalytic combastion of organic compounds have been studied. The results show that the prepared CuO-Fe2O3 composite is an excellent adsorbent for ARB adsorption at acid condition. The presence of Cl^- has no effect on ARB adsorption. But the SO4^2- can inhibit ARB adsorption. After being recovered by the magnetic separation method, the adsorbent can be regenerated by catalytic oxidation of absorbate at 300℃ in air atmosphere. The combustion reactions of ARB in the presence or absence of CuO-Fe2O3 are studied by in situ diffuse refieclion FTIR. The results indicate that, in the presence of CuO-Fe2O3, the degradation temperature is significantly lowered by the catalysis of CuO-Fe2O3, and ARB can be oxidized completely without volatile organic compound by-product; in comparison, in the absence of CuO-Fe2O3, the temperature needed for oxidation of ARB is higher and the reaction is incomplete with some N-containing harmful compounds produced. The reusability of CuO-Fe2O3 is also studied in successive seven adsorption-regeneration cycles.     

Studies of several systems with air electrode electro-synthesizing H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> on the spot for degrading aniline in aqueous

A gas diffusion electrode (air electrode) with a high current efficiency of electro-synthesizing H₂O₂ using O₂ in air was prepared. The several systems with air electrode as cathode of electro-synthesizing H₂O₂ on the reaction spot for degrading aniline in aqueous—electro-Fenton system, photo-excitation electro-H₂O₂ system and photo-electro-Fenton system, were developed. The rates of decomposition of H₂O₂ and mineralization of aniline were experimentally measured respectively under different conditions, and the results indicated there has an excellent parallel relation between decomposition rate of H₂O₂ and mineralization rate of aniline. Especially, photo-electro-Fenton system, where H₂O₂ is decomposed the fastest, is the best system of oxidizing and degrading organic toxicants. Compared photo-electro-Fenton system with photo-Fenton system, important role is revealed in the interface of air electrode. In this paper, the mineralization mechanism of aniline in the photo-electro-Fenton system was also discussed. Foundation item: Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (200710026) and Foundation of Environmental Sciences Academy of Jiangsu Province. Biography: Cao xiao-yu (1979-), male, Master candidate, research direction: Electrochemistry     

Mineral-phase evolution and sintering behavior of MO-SiO2-Al2O3-B2O3 (M=Ca,Ba) glass-ceramics by low-temperature liquid-phase sintering

In this work, network former SiO₂ and network intermediate Al₂O₃ were introduced into typical low-melting binary compositions CaO·B₂O₃, CaO·2B₂O₃, and BaO·B₂O₃ via an aqueous solid-state suspension milling route. Accordingly, multiple-phase aluminosilicate glass-ceramics were directly obtained via liquid-phase sintering at temperatures below 950℃. On the basis of liquid-phase sintering theory, mineral-phase evolutions and glass-phase formations were systematically investigated in a wide MO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃ (M=Ca, Ba) composition range. The results indicate that major mineral phases of the aluminosilicate glass-ceramics are Al₂₀B₄O₃₆, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, and BaAl₂Si₂O₈ and that the glass-ceramic materials are characterized by dense microstructures and excellent dielectric properties.     

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.     

Character and fabrication of Al/Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>/Al tunnel junctions for qubit application

The superconductive Josephson junction is the key device for superconducting quantum computation. We have fabricated Al/Al2O3/Al tunnel junctions using a double angle evaporation method based on a suspended shadow mask. The Al2O3 junction barrier has been formed by introducing pure oxygen into the chamber during the fabrication process. We have adjusted exposure conditions by changing either the oxygen pressure or the oxidizing time during the formation of tunnel barriers to control the critical current density Jc and the junction specific resistance Rc. Measurements of the leakage in Al/Al2O3/Al tunnel junctions show that the devices are suitable for qubit applications.