Metal hollow sphere electrocatalysts

Metal micro-/nano hollow spheres have been widely applied in numerous fields during the last decade. This review will only focus on the synthetic strategies to synthesize hollow spherical structures in the enhancement of their electrocatalytic activity, especially the metal hollow spherical materials. We present a comprehensive overview of synthetic strategies for metal hollow spherical structures which have been approached specifically in electrochemical reactions. These synthetic methods are mainly categorized as hard templates, soft templates, sacrificial templates and without templates. The review further includes electrocatalytic approaches of hollow spherical metals in different electrochemical processes, especially the methanol electro-oxidation reaction for methanol fuel cell application and hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions in water electrolyzer, as metal hollow spherical materials are especially applied in these specific reactions.     

Angular absorptance and thermal degradation analysis of TiB2/Ti(B,N)/SiON/SiO2 multilayer solar absorber coating

Multilayer solar selective absorber coatings have been developed in the last few decades. The thermal stability in terms of microstructure gives an insightful understanding of the optical properties of such coatings. In this context, we extensively utilized transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis to establish the thermal stability of TiB₂/Ti(B,N)/SiON/SiO₂ coating, under thermal cycling/continuous heating to 500°C in vacuum for 250 h. In particular, this work reports the variation in the solar absorptance of TiB₂/Ti(B,N)/SiON/SiO₂ coating with different angles of incidence of the solar radiation. Extensive analysis using the TEM technique reveals the presence of oxide interlayers that act as diffusion barrier layers to enhance the thermal stability of the coating. Computational simulation using SCOUT software validates the measured reflectance spectrum of the developed multilayer coating. The minor changes in absorptance and emissivity after heat treatment in vacuum at 500°C, together with high solar absorptance over a broad angular variation, establish the potential application of TiB₂/Ti(B,N)/SiON/SiO₂ as a selective coating in concentrated solar power systems.     

Using light to control the interactions between self-rotating assemblies of active gels

Polymer gels undergoing the oscillating Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction exhibit an autonomous, periodic swelling and deswelling, where the mechanical oscillations are driven by the chemical reaction within the polymer network. Using computer simulations, we show that these BZ gels can undergo a form of auto-chemotaxis, enabling the gels to spontaneously move in response to self-generated chemical gradients. Focusing on four millimeter-sized pieces of these BZ gels, we show that the pieces can organize into self-rotating clusters that resemble a moving pinwheel or gear. By analyzing the factors that promote the formation of a single self-rotating cluster, we attempt to design systems of multiple, interacting gears. We show that light, which suppresses the oscillations of the gels, can be harnessed to promote the formation of two self-rotating clusters. These studies point to a novel form of photo-chemo-mechanical transduction, where light is utilized to control the conversion of chemical and mechanical energy in the system. Moreover, the interaction between the BZ gel gears reveals a new form of entrainment between these moving units. Namely, their coordinated motion is achieved through chemical coupling or communication, rather than a mechanical coupling. These findings can lead to the formation of chemically “communicating” devices that can be programmed to perform autonomous work through the use of light.     

Investigation of Eccentric Open Eye Formation in a Slab Caster Tundish

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - Inert gas shrouding in tundish can result in the formation of a tundish open eye (TOE) due to the presence of reversed flows on the upper surface of the...     

Studies on Transport Phenomena during Continuous Casting of an Al-Alloy in Presence of Electromagnetic Stirring

In the present work, a numerical study is performed to predict the transport phenomena during continuous casting of an aluminum alloy (A356) in presence of weak stirring. A set of volume averaged single phase conservation equations (mass, momentum, energy and species) is used to represent the casting process. The electromagnetic forces are incorporated in the momentum equations. The governing equations are solved based on the pressure-based finite volume method according to the SIMPLER algorithm using TDMA solver along with an enthalpy update scheme. The simulation predicts the temperature, solid fraction and species in the computational domain. A parametric study is also performed.     

Dispersion polymerization of aniline using hydroxypropylcellulose as stabilizer: role of rate of polymerization

Hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) has been used as a steric stabilizer for preparing polyaniline dispersions using the route of oxidative dispersion polymerization of aniline. Using strongly acidic conditions (1 mol l^?1 HCl), low temperature of about 2 °C and a concentration of aniline as low as 0.5%, ammonium peroxodisulfate at 1.25% and hydroxypropylcellulose concentrations at 0.5–1 g d l^?1, unstable dispersions were obtained not only in water but also in aqueous alcohols (ethanol and methanol) up to at least 70 vol% alcohol. In contrast, dispersions that remained stable for at least 72 h were obtained when the alcohol concentration of the medium was as high as about 80 vol%. Kinetic studies of the polymerization systems suggested that success in the latter case was due to a lowering of the rate of polymerization. Transmission electron microscopy studies showed that dispersion particles prepared in 80 vol% alcohol media are spherical in shape and their diameter decreases with increasing stabilizer concentration. However, a change of morphology from spherical to aggregated needle‐shaped was observed when the rate was increased by increasing the aniline concentration from 0.5% to 0.75% g d l^?1 in the above recipe. The aggregated particles were found to be broken down to spherical nanoparticles when the as‐prepared dispersions were sonicated for about 30 min. The sonicated dispersion on drying showed the presence of fractal clusters of polyaniline particles in the dried film. The fractal dimension was determined to be 1.77 which agreed well with the theoretical value determined by computer simulation based on a diffusion limited cluster–cluster aggregation model in three dimensions. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry     

The Ageing Population – Local Implications

The implications of the ageing of the Australian population can be experienced at a micro level in any number of municipalities around Victoria and Australia. The cyclical nature of household formation is such that disproportionate representations of specific age groups can be evident in particular areas at particular times.     

Influence of martensite morphology on the work-hardening behavior of high strength ferrite–martensite dual-phase steel

This study concerns influence of martensite morphology on the work-hardening behavior of high-strength ferrite–martensite dual-phase (DP) steel. A low-carbon microalloyed steel was subjected to intermediate quenching (IQ), step quenching (SQ), and intercritical annealing (IA) to develop different martensite morphologies, i.e., fine and fibrous, blocky and banded, and island types, respectively. Analyses of work-hardening behavior of the DP microstructures by differential Crussard–Jaoul technique have demonstrated three stages of work-hardening for IQ and IA samples, whereas the SQ sample revealed only two stages. Similar analyses by modified Crussard–Jaoul technique showed only two stages of work-hardening for all the samples. Among different treatments, IQ route has yielded the best combination of strength and ductility due to its superior work-hardening behavior. The influence of martensite morphology on nucleation and growth of microvoids/microcracks has been correlated with the observed tensile ductility.     

Utilization pattern of fuelwood plants by the Halam community of Tripura,Northeast India

The present study was undertaken to identify the fuelwood plant species and their utilization pattern by the Halam community of Tripura. The main objective of this study was to assess the species preference as fuelwood, the total value index, and the fuelwood value index (FVI) of 22 species. The majority of the households use the plant resources for domestic purpose. Although the community’s mostly preferred fuelwood species were Tectona grandis L.f, Shorea robusta C. F. Gaertn, and Gmelina arborea Roxb, a total of 22 species were reported from the study site. Trewia nudiflora L., Albizia procera Benth., Dysoxylum procerum Hierm., and Cassia siamea Lam. were also reported as fuelwood species with good wood quality (FVI). Thus awareness on the use of these species as fuelwood can be increased in the community to reduce stress on the preferred species and the surrounding forest.     

Physical and Mathematical Modeling of Inert Gas-Shrouded Ladle Nozzles and Their Role on Slag Behavior and Fluid Flow Patterns in a Delta-Shaped, Four-Strand Tundish

Inert gas shrouding practices were simulated using a full-scale, four-strand water model of a 12-tone, delta-shaped tundish. Compressed air was aspirated into the ladle shroud to model volumetric flow rates that range between 2 and 10 pct of steel entry flows. Bubble trajectories, slag layer movements, and flow fields, were visualized. Flow fields were visualized using particle image velocimetry (PIV). A numerical model also was developed using discrete phase modeling (DPM) along with the standard k-ε turbulence model with two-way turbulence coupling. Predicted flow fields and bubble trajectories corresponded with the water model experiments.