Effect of Ni addition on the glass-forming ability and soft-magnetic properties of FeNiBPNb metallic glasses

The effect of Ni addition on the glass-forming ability (GFA) and soft-magnetic properties of an (Fe1-xNix)75.5B14.5P7Nb3 (x=0-0.6) alloy system were investigated. We found that the addition of Ni was effective in allowing the alloy to approach a eutectic point as well as increasing the thermal stability of the supercooled liquid. By increasing the amount of Ni,the supercooled liquid region (ΔTx),the reduced glass transition temperature Trg (Tg/Tl) and the Y parameter [Tx/(Tg+Tl)] increased from 49 to 75 K,0...     

Rapid reductive degradation of azo dyes by a unique structure of amorphous alloys

An Fe-based amorphous alloy was found to significantly enhance the reductive degradation of an azo dye in aqueous solution. The surface-area normalized rate constant was up to 2.0 L m-2 min-1 at room temperature,an order of magnitude larger than any previously reported value. The activation energy of the degradation process was calculated according to the Arrhenius equation,and a much lower value than those previously reported was obtained. Valence band measurement indicated that a depressed valence band maximum and a widened empty band were established in the amorphous ribbon. The unique structure of the amorphous alloy is important-it may reduce the activation energy of the degradation process and enhance the activity of the electrons,thus accelerating the degradation process.     

Lipids of sulfate-reducing bacteria and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria found in the Dongsheng uranium deposit

U-bearing sandstones from the Dongsheng deposit in Ordos Basin contain abundant C15-C18 fatty acids. The fatty acids may have been derived from modern and ancient organisms including organisms from the intervals of U mineralization. A certain amount of i15:0, a15:0, a17:0 fatty acids coexist with small amounts of i17:1ω7c and 10me16:0, characteristic biomarkers of Desulfovibrio and Desulfobacter sp., respectively. This indicates the existence of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the sandstones. The presence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), such as Beggiatoa and Thioploca, is indicated by significant amounts of 16:1ω7c and 18:1ω7c fatty acids. The existence of the SRB in the deposit, as inferred from the fatty acids, is consistent with results from fossilized microorganisms and isotopic compositions of ore-stage pyrite. This suggests that the environment may have been favorable for the SRB to grow since ore formation (9.8-22 Ma). The bacteria may have degraded hydrocarbons directly, or indirectly utilized hydrocarbons degraded by oxic microbes in the deposits. This process may have produced 12C-rich calcite and prominent baseline humps of unresolved complex mixtures (UCM), and 25-demethylated hopanes and tricyclic terpanes. The existence of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria in the deposit may have resulted in bacterial sulfate reduction to sulfide, re-oxidization of the sulfide to sulfate and subsequent reduction of the sulfate to sulfide. This assertion is supported by ore-stage pyrite with δ34S values as low as-39.2‰, and the lightest sulfate (about 11‰) measured during the Phanerozoic, a difference of more than 46‰.     

Spatial prisoner’s dilemma games with increasing size of the interaction neighborhood on regular lattices

We studied the evolution of cooperation in the prisoner’s dilemma game on a square lattice where the size of the interaction neighborhood is considered. Firstly, the effects of noise and the cost-to-benefit ratio on the maintenance of cooperation were investigated. The results indicate that the cooperation frequency depends on the noise and cost-to-benefit ratio: cooperation reaches a climax as noise increases, but it monotonously decreases and even vanishes with the ratio increasing. Furthermore, we investigated how the size of the interaction neighborhood affects the emergence of cooperation in detail. Our study demonstrates that cooperation is remarkably enhanced by an increase in the size of the interaction neighborhood. However, cooperation died out when the size of the interaction neighborhood became too large since the system was similar to the mean-field system. On this basis, a cluster-forming mechanism acting among cooperators was also explored, and it showed that the moderate range of the neighborhood size is beneficial for forming larger cooperative clusters. Finally, large-scale Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to visualize and interpret these phenomena explicitly.     

Temporal and spatial distribution of tropospheric CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> over China based on satellite observations

Mid-troposphere CO₂ data retrieved by the AIRS (atmospheric infrared sounder) were validated with five ground-based stations and aircraft measurements in the Northern Hemisphere. AIRS CO₂ products show good agreement with ground and aircraft observations. The data had a monthly average accuracy better than 3 ppmv. In this study, the spatial and temporal distribution of mid-troposphere CO₂ from January 2003 to December 2008 was analyzed based on this satellite product. The average concentration of atmospheric CO₂ was higher in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere. The yearly average results show a gradual increase from 2003 to 2008. In China, the annual growth rate was about 2 ppmv/a, similar to the United States, Europe, Australia and India, but was slightly lower than Canada and Russia. Mid-troposphere CO₂ concentrations were higher over northern China than over southern areas, due to differences in natural conditions and industrial layout. There were four centers of high CO₂ concentration between 35° and 45°N over China, with low concentrations over Yunnan Province. There was a significant seasonal CO₂ variation with peak concentration in spring and the lowest concentration in autumn.     

A novel process for comprehensive utilization of vanadium slag

Traditional processes for treating vanadium slag generate a huge volume of solid residue and a large amount of harmful gas, which cause serious environmental problems. In this study, a new process for the comprehensive utilization of vanadium slag was proposed, wherein zeolite A and a V₂O₅/TiO₂ system were synthesized. The structural properties of the as-synthesized zeolite A and the V₂O₅/TiO₂ system were characterized using various experimental techniques, including X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The results reveal that zeolite A and the V₂O₅/TiO₂ system are successfully obtained with high purity. The results of gas adsorption measurements indicate that the prepared zeolite A exhibits high selectivity for CO₂ over N₂ and is a candidate material for CO₂ capture from flue-gas streams.     

Comparison of reduction disintegration characteristics of TiO2-rich burdens prepared with sintering process and composite agglomeration process

To reveal the impact of the composite agglomeration process (CAP) on the reduction disintegration properties of TiO₂-rich ironmaking burden for a blast furnace, the reduction disintegration indices (RDIs), mineral constituents, and microstructure of the products prepared by the CAP and the traditional sintering process (TSP) were investigated. The results showed that, compared to the sinter with a basicity of 2.0 prepared by the TSP, the RDI_+6.3 and the RDI_+3.15 of the CAP product with the same basicity increased by 28.2wt% and 13.7wt%, respectively, whereas the RDI_-0.5 decreased by 2.7wt%. The analysis of the mineral constituents and microstructure of the products indicated that the decreasing titanohematite content decreased the volume expansion during reduction. Meanwhile, the decreasing perovskite content decreased its detrimental effect on the reduction disintegration properties. In addition, the higher silicoferrite of calcium and aluminum (SFCA) content improved the strength of the CAP product. Together, these factors result in an improvement of the RDI of the CAP products. In addition, compared to the sinter, the reduced CAP products clearly contained fewer cracks, which also led to mitigation of reduction disintegration.     

Effects of mechanical strain amplitude on the isothermal fatigue behavior of H13

Isothermal fatigue (IF) tests were performed on H13 tool steel subjected to three different mechanical strain amplitudes at a constant temperature to determine the effects of mechanical strain amplitude on the microstructure of the steel samples. The samples' extent of damage after IF tests was compared by observation of their cracks and calculation of their damage parameters. Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to observe the microstructure of the samples. Cracks were observed to initiate at the surface because the strains and stresses there were the largest during thermal cycling. Mechanical strain accelerated the damage and softening of the steel. A larger mechanical strain caused greater deformation of the steel, which made the precipitated carbides easier to gather and grow along the deformation direction, possibly resulting in softening of the material or the initiation of cracks.     

Tunable water-based lubrication behavior of alkyl- and fluoroalkyl-silanes

In this paper,we report the tribological properties of self-assembled molecular(SAM) films of fluoroalkylsilanes and non-fluoroalkylsilanes,with different chain-lengths,adsorbed on Si substrate surfaces by covalent bonds.The SAM films were characterized using a universal ball-disk experimental tester in aqueous solutions.The substrate surface was examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and the SAM films adsorbed on the Si surfaces were inspected by contact angle measurements and XPS.Lubrication studies revealed that several kinds of fluoroalkylsilanes had similar friction coefficients;the small differences were attributed to the chain flexibility.In contrast,differences in the aqueous lubrication properties of SAM films of non-fluoroalkylsilanes were clearly identified.It is suggested that substitution with fluorine atoms and the surface affinities of fluoroalkylsilanes contributed to redistribution of surface changes,causing variations in lubrication behaviors.