Assessment of mechanical properties of concrete incorporating carbonated recycled concrete aggregates

An accelerated carbonation technique was employed to strengthen the quality of recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) in this study. The properties of the carbonated RCAs and their influence on the mechanical properties of new concrete were then evaluated. Two types of RCAs, an old type of RCAs sourced from demolished old buildings and a new type of RCAs derived from a designed concrete mixture, were used. The chosen RCAs were firstly carbonated for 24 h in a carbonation chamber with a 100% CO₂ concentration at a pressure level of 0.1 Bar and 5.0 Bar, respectively. The experimental results showed that the properties of RCAs were improved after the carbonation treatment. This resulted in performance enhancement of the new concrete prepared with the carbonated RCAs, especially an obvious increase of the mechanical strengths for the concrete prepared with the 100% carbonated new RCAs. Moreover, the replacement percentage of natural aggregates by the carbonated RCAs can be increased to 60% with an insignificant reduction in the mechanical properties of the new concrete.     

A new insight into promotion action of Co2+ in Ni-diamond composite electrodeposition

A new insight into the promotion action of Co²⁺ on both particle and metal deposition in Ni-diamond composite electrodeposition system was analyzed according to electrochemical measurements. The results showed that the addition of Co²⁺ made particles content in deposits increased remarkably. The change of particles content in deposits was related inversely to the change of cathodic zero potential with the increase of the concentration of cobalt sulfate. Zero charge potential of cathode was shifted to much more negative region. The negative shift of the zero potential, combining with positive shift of the zeta potential, increased the electrostatic force between the particle-adsorbed metallic cations and the cathode. It not only benefits to the transportation of particles in solution towards cathode, but also shortens their residence time on cathodic surface. Meanwhile, entry of particles is also promoted. For metals deposition, reduction resistance of metallic cations rises greatly and deposition current at cathodic potentiodynamic polarization decreases after cobalt sulfate has been added into electrolyte. These factors are favorable for increasing particles content in deposits. In addition, physical model of diamond particles deposition state before and after the addition of Co²⁺ has been discussed.     

Strong organic acid-assistant synthesis of holey graphitic carbon nitride for efficient visible light photocatalytic H2 generation

A facile and cost-effective method was developed for the synthesis of holey N-deficient graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (FCN) using trifluoroacetic-acid-treated urea as a precursor. The role of trifluoroacetic acid on the composition, structure and photocatalytic performance of the prepared catalysts was carefully investigated. The obtained samples displayed laminated porous morphology with nitrogen defects, larger specific surface areas, extended range of spectral response and enhanced electron mobility of charge carriers. Consequently, the optimized catalyst FCN-400 exhibited superb photocatalytic performance and excellent cycling stability for hydrogen evolution. The hydrogen evolution rate over FCN-400 reached 309.3 μmol/h under visible light irradiation, which is 11.3-fold of that of urea-derived graphitic carbon nitride (27.3 μmol/h).     

Cu-MOF assisted synthesis of CuS/CdS(H)/CdS(C): Enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light

CuS/CdS(H)/CdS(C) photocatalysts were synthesized via the hydrothermal method by employing thiourea, Cd(CH₃COO)₂·3H₂O and copper 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate MOF (CuBDC). The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, BET, TEM and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra. Interestingly, hexagonal CdS (CdS(H)) and cubic CdS (CdS(C)) were formed with phase junctions in one step when CuBDC was introduced in the synthesis process, in addition, CuS nanoparticles were deposited on CdS. However, only hexagonal CdS was obtained without CuBDC. It demonstrated that CuBDC was not only the precursor of CuS but also the structural modifier for CdS. With the reduction of re-combination of photo-induced electrons and holes caused by phase junctions and the enhancement of visible-light absorptions due to the loading of CuS, all CuS/CdS(H)/CdS(C) photocatalysts had higher photocurrent densities under visible-light irradiation, and consequently the higher rates of H₂ production than pure CdS(H). Typically, the catalyst with 2.89 wt% of Cu showed a highest rate of H₂ evolution at 2042 μmol/g/h.     

Multi-scale characteristics of magnesium potassium phosphate cement modified by metakaolin

Workability and early-ages mechanical properties are important indicators of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) as a repair material. The effect of metakaolin (MK) on the setting time, fluidity and early-ages strength of MKPC paste was studied, and its influence mechanism was analyzed through pore structure, microstructure and nanomechanical properties. The results show that 10% and 20% of MK prolong the setting time of MKPC paste, but excessive MK shortens the setting time of MKPC paste. Meanwhile, incorporating MK reduces the fluidity of MKPC paste, and the early-ages strength of MKPC specimens increases when the substitution ratio of MK is 10%. When 10% of MK is incorporated to the MKPC paste, the 30-d shrinkage of the sample is only 69% of the control group. Meanwhile, a proper amount of MK can improve the pore structure of the MKPC specimen and make its microstructure denser by generating amorphous aluminosilicate phosphate gel. It is observed from the nano-scale characteristics that incorporating 10% MK can reduce the content of pore phase and unreacted MgO phase, and increase the volume fraction of hydration products.     

Contact lenses and the rate of evaporation measured in vitro; the influence of wear,squalene and wax

Accelerated evaporation of tears may contribute to dry eye symptoms. It is not clear whether contact lenses decrease or increase the rate of evaporation of tears. In this study, the rates of evaporation through contact lenses (ERTCL) were measured in vitro to gain insight to this question. Contact lenses were equilibrated with various solutions to determine if they influenced ERTCL in vitro. ERTCL was measured gravimetrically. ERTCL measured in vitro for used contact lenses was about 20% faster than for buffer alone suggesting that natural tear components bound to the lenses changed the ERTCL. One natural tear component that binds to contact lenses is waxes. Equilibration of contact lenses with wax increased the ERTCL by about 30% suggesting that waxes might potentially increase ERTCL in vivo. Squalene, found in sebum and possibly meibum was infused into the contact lenses as a step toward decreasing the ERTCL. Squalene decreased ERTCL by over 60% in vitro. Soaking a contact lens in DuraSite^® with benzalkonium chloride (BAK) did not alter the ERTCL. ERTCL were about 40% higher than the evaporation rate of DuraSite^® alone or without BAK.In addition to lowering the ERTCL, the squalene in contact lenses could be a source of terpenoids to replace the terpenoids deficient in patients with MGD. If the ERTCL could be minimized in vivo, contact lenses could potentially be used to relieve dry eye symptoms in patients with evaporative dry eye.     

Mass and heat transfer enhancement at the wall of cylindrical agitated vessel by turbulence promoters

Rates of liquid–solid mass transfer at a wall of stirred tank reactor lined with an array of vertical tubes turbulence promoter were studied using the dissolution of copper in acidified dichromate technique. Parameters studied are physical properties of the solution, impeller geometry, impeller rotation speed, cylinder diameter, circumferential distance between the vertical cylinders, and the effect of drag reducing polymers. The presence of vertical cylinders at the reactor wall increased the volumetric mass transfer coefficient compared to the presence of the wall without the cylinders by an amount ranging from 12.5% to 214.5%. The presence of Polyox WSR-301 drag reducing polymer decreased the rate of mass transfer by an amount ranging from 3.5% to 32.26% depending on polymer concentration and impeller rotation speed. All data were correlated by dimensionless mass transfer equations. The importance of the present results in building high space time yield catalytic reactors suitable for conducting diffusion controlled reactions was highlighted, also the possible role of the vertical tube array as a secondary built in heat transfer facility which assists external cooling jacket was noted.     

On the determination of the thermal shock parameter of MAX phases: A combined experimental-computational study

Thermal shock resistance is one of the performance-defining properties for applications where extreme temperature gradients are required. The thermal shock resistance of a material can be described by means of the thermal shock parameter R_T. Here, the thermo-mechanical properties required for the calculation of R_T are quantum-mechanically predicted, experimentally determined, and compared for Ti₃AlC₂ and Cr₂AlC MAX phases. The coatings are synthesized utilizing direct current magnetron sputtering without additional heating, followed by vacuum annealing. It is shown that the R_T of both Ti₃AlC₂ and Cr₂AlC obtained via simulations are in good agreement with the experimentally obtained ones. Comparing the MAX phase coatings, both experiments and simulations indicate superior thermal shock behavior of Ti₃AlC₂ compared to Cr₂AlC, attributed primarily to the larger linear coefficient of thermal expansion of Cr₂AlC. The results presented herein underline the potential of ab initio calculations for predicting the thermal shock behavior of ionically-covalently bonded materials.