Electrochemically deposited Fe2O3 nanorods on carbon nanofibers for free-standing anodes of lithium-ion batteries

Fe₂O₃ nanorod/carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites were prepared by the electrochemical deposition of Fe₂O₃ on a web of CNFs, which was then used as a free-standing anode. The conductive, three-dimensional structure of the CNF web allowed for the electrodeposition of the Fe₂O₃ nanorods, while its high conductivity made it possible to use the composite as a free-standing electrode in lithium-ion batteries. In addition, it was easy and cheap to fabricate by a simplification of a process of cell preparation. The nanorod-like Fe₂O₃ structures could only be electrodeposited on the CNFs; flake-like Fe₂O₃ was formed on flat conductive glass substrates. It can be attributed to the different growth mechanism of Fe₂O₃ on the CNFs because of the large number of reaction sites on the CNFs, differences in the precursor concentration and diffusivity within the CNF web. The formation of aggregates of the Fe₂O₃ particles on thicker CNFs also indicated that the CNFs had determined the Fe₂O₃ growth mechanism. The synthesised Fe₂O₃/CNF composite electrode exhibited stable rate capacities at different current densities. This suggested that CNF-based composite did not exhibit the intrinsic disadvantages of Fe₂O₃. Finally, carbon coatings were deposited on the Fe₂O₃/CNF composites to further improve their electronic conductivity and rate capability.     

A novel combination of precursor pyrolysis assisted sintering and rapid sintering for construction of multi-composition coatings to improve ablation resistance of SiOC ceramic modified carbon fiber needled felt preform composites

A double-layer coating composed of MoSi₂–SiO₂–SiC/ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC was designed and successfully constructed by a novel combination of precursor pyrolysis assisted sintering and rapid sintering to improve the ablation resistance of SiOC ceramic modified carbon fiber needled felt preform composites (CSs). The ZrB₂–MoSi₂–SiC inner layer coating was in relatively uniform distribution in the zone of 0–3 mm from the surface of CSs through the slurry/precursor infiltration in vacuum and SiOC precursor pyrolysis assisted sintering, which played a predominant role in improving oxidation and ablation resistance and maintaining the morphology of CSs. The MoSi₂–SiO₂–SiC outer layer coating was prepared by the spray and rapid sintering to further protect CSs from high-temperature oxidation. The ablation resistance of CSs coated with double-layer coating was evaluated by an oxygen-acetylene ablation test under the temperature of 1600–1800 °C with different ablation time of 1000 and 1500 s. The results revealed that the mass recession rates increased with the rise of ablation temperature and extension of ablation time, ranging from 0.47 g/(m²·s) to 0.98 g/(m²·s) at 1600–1800 °C for 1000 s and from 0.72 g/(m²·s) to 0.86 g/(m²·s) for 1000–1500 s at 1700 °C, while the linear recession rates showed negative values at 1700 °C due to the formation of oxides, such as SiO₂ and ZrO₂. The ablation mechanism of the double-layer coating was analyzed and found that a SiO₂–ZrO₂–Mo_4.8Si₃C_0.6 oxidation protection barrier would be formed during the ablation process to prevent the oxygen diffusion into the interior CSs, and this study provided a novel and effective way to fabricate high-temperature oxidation protective and ablation resistant coating.     

Effect of Ba nonstoichiometry on the phase composition,microstructure, chemical stability and electrical conductivity of BaxCe0.7Zr0.1Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ (0.9≤x≤1.1) proton conductors

The perovskite proton conductors Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (x=0.9, 0.94, 0.98, 1.0, 1.03, 1.06, and 1.1) have been successfully prepared by the conventional solid state reaction route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples indicate that Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (x≥1.0) samples possess a single phase orthorhombic structure, but a secondary phase (Y,Ce)O_2−δ exists in Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ (x<1.0) samples. SEM photographs show that the grain size of Ba_xCe_0.7Zr_0.1Y_0.1Yb_0.1O_3−δ increases and the porosity decreases with Ba²⁺ content varying from x=0.9 to 1.1. Because of ZnO addition as sintering aid, the sintering temperature of the samples reduces from 1550 °C to 1250 °C. The chemical stability of the samples against CO₂ decreases with the increase in Ba content from x=0.9 to 1.1. All the samples show a excellent stability against water vapor at 850 °C. The conductivities of the samples increase and the activation energies reduce with the increase in Ba content. The present results suggest that it is very important to control the stoichiometry of cations to obtain desired perovskite type high temperature proton conductors.     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of layered Li[Ni0.333Co0.333Mn0.293Al0.04]O2−zFz cathode materials prepared by the sol–gel method

The cathode-active materials, layered Li[Ni_0.333Co_0.333Mn_0.293Al_0.04]O_2−zF_z (0 ≤ z ≤ 0.1), were synthesized from a sol–gel precursor at 900 °C in air. The influence of Al–F co-substitution on the structural and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared samples was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electrochemical experiments. The results showed that Li[Ni_0.333Co_0.333Mn_0.293Al_0.04]O_2−zF_z has a typical hexagonal structure with a single phase, the particle sizes of the samples tended to increase with increasing fluorine content. It has been found that Li[Ni_0.333Co_0.333Mn_0.293Al_0.04]O_1.95F_0.05 showed an improved cathodic behavior and discharge capacity retention compared to the undoped samples in the voltage range of 3.0–4.3 V. The electrodes prepared from Li[Ni_0.333Co_0.333Mn_0.293Al_0.04]O_1.95F_0.05 delivered an initial discharge capacity of 158 mAh⁻¹ g and an initial coulombic efficiency is 91.3%, and the capacity retention at the 20th cycle was 94.9%. Though the F-doped samples had lower initial capacities, they showed better cycle performances compared with F-free samples. Therefore, this is a promising material for a lithium-ion battery.     

A foam engulfment model for lost foam casting of aluminum

In lost foam casting of aluminum, pressure equilibrium between the liquid metal and the decomposing foam can produce a variety of different shapes for the metal flow front, ranging from convex to concave. In extreme cases, the flow front can become so strongly concave that small pieces of the foam pattern begin to break off inside the concave hollow of the flow front and become enveloped by the advancing liquid metal. When this happens, the entire mechanism of foam decomposition changes from steady ablation to a more chaotic motion in which the metal seems to “chew” its way through the pattern, creating large bubbles of vaporizing polymer liquid in its wake. These bubbles usually lead to undesirable anomalies in the final casting. In most cases, the nonlinear equations that govern the shape of the flow front depend on a single nondimensional number, which relates the onset of the engulfing motion to specific material, geometric, and process parameters. Numerical solutions to these equations are obtained for several special cases. These solutions help to explain a number of experimental observations that until now have been poorly understood.     

在离子液体[BMIM]BF_4-水中制备Cu_2O粒子

以CuCl2.2H2O和NaOH为原料,离子液体1-丁基-3-甲基咪唑四氟硼酸盐[BMIM]BF4-水混合溶剂为介质,利用化学还原法在112℃反应12 h合成了Cu2O粒子,考察了[BMIM]BF4对产物的影响。用XRD、ESEM/EDS和TEM/SAED对Cu2O粒子进行了结构和形貌表征;用FTIR和TG/DSC证实了离子液体修饰在Cu2O粒子的表面,从而有效地阻止了Cu2O粒子的氧化和团聚;用紫外-可见吸收光谱估测了Cu2O粒子的带隙能量为2.38 eV。离子液体在反应中发挥了还原剂、稳定剂、分散剂和模板剂的多重作用。     

Cu-Ce-Mn-O/SiO_2/CC作催化剂还原脱除NO研究

以硅胶改性堇青石蜂窝陶瓷为载体,分别制备了3种不同CuO负载量的Cu-Ce-Mn-O/S iO2/CC催化剂。以CO(NH2)2为还原剂,在固定床反应器中进行选择性催化还原NO的研究。采用XRD、SEM、TPR等测试方法对催化剂进行表征。结果表明,在300~500℃CuO负载量为33%的Cu-Ce-Mn-O/S iO2/CC催化剂效果最好。反应温度为450℃,空速为8 000 h-1时催化剂催化还原NO的转化率可达到88%。     

Hot Deformation Behavior of Mg2[KG-*2]B2[KG-*2]O5 Whiskers Reinforced Al Composite

The hot deformation behavior of Mg2B2O5w/Al composite was investigated by compression test at different temperatures and different strain rates. The constitutive equation was established by taking peak stresses as the function of temperatures and strain rates. It was found that the hyperbolic sine law creep equation is in good agreement with the experimental results and can be applied to all flow stresses under various deformation conditions. The apparent activation energy of the composite is 138. 64 kJ /mol, which is approximately equal to that of lattice self-diffusion of pure Al.     

锆在镁及镁合金中的作用

镁合金作为一种新型的工程材料具有许多独特的优点,锆作为微量元素加入到镁合金中,可以细化合金的微观组织,显著提高材料的力学性能,减少夹杂,改善镁合金的抗腐蚀性能等。论述了锆元素对镁合金各项性能的作用机理、锆元素细化镁合金晶粒的机制,提出合金制备过程中的加锆方式应是含锆镁合金今后研究的重点。