The electrochemistry of zirconium in aqueous solutions at elevated temperatures and pressures

The electrochemistry of zirconium has been explored in borate buffer solution of pH = 6.94 at 250 °C with and without hydrogen by measuring the current, impedance, and capacitance as a function of potential. Data are interpreted in terms of modified point defect models (PDM) that recognize the existence of a thick oxide outer layer over a thin barrier layer. From thermodynamic analysis, it is postulated that a hydride barrier layer forms under PWR coolant conditions whereas an oxide barrier layer forms under BWR primary coolant conditions. Thus, the introduction of hydrogen into the solution lowers the corrosion potential of zirconium to the extent that the formation of ZrH₂ is predicted to be spontaneous rather than the ZrO₂. Mott–Schottky analysis shows that the passive film formed on zirconium is n-type, which is consistent with the PDM, corresponding to a preponderance of oxygen/hydrogen vacancies and/or zirconium interstitials in the barrier layer.     

A study on the thermal contact conductance in fin–tube heat exchangers with 7 mm tube

The thermal contact resistance has been frequently neglected in the process of design of heat exchangers because of the difficulty of measurement and the lack of accurate data. However, the thermal contact resistance is one of principal parameters in heat transfer mechanism of fin–tube heat exchangers. The objective of the present study is to investigate new factors such as fin types and manufacturing types of the tube affecting the thermal contact conductance and to find a correlation between the thermal contact conductance and the effective factors in fin–tube heat exchangers with 7 mm tube. The thermal contact conductances in the 22 heat exchangers with 7 mm tube have been investigated through the experimental–numerical method. A numerical scheme has been employed to calculate the thermal contact conductance and the portion of thermal resistances using the experimental data. As a result, the thermal contact conductance has been evaluated quantitatively, and a new correlation including the influence of new factors such as fin types and manufacturing types of the tube has been developed in the fin–tube heat exchanger with 7 mm tube. Also, the portion of each thermal resistance has been evaluated in each case.     

Development of a small DMFC bipolar plate stack for portable applications

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is regarded as a promising candidate in portable electronic power applications. Bipolar plate stacks were systematically studied by controlling the operating conditions, and by adjusting the stack structure design parameters, to develop more commercial DMFCs. The findings indicate that the peak power of the stack is influenced more strongly by the flow rate of air than by that of the methanol solution. Notably, the stack performance remains constant even as the channel depth is decreased from 1.0 to 0.6 mm, without loss of the performance in each cell. Furthermore, the specific power density of the stack was increased greatly from ∼60 to ∼100 W l⁻¹ for stacks of 10 and 18 cells, respectively. The current status of the work indicates that the power output of an 18-cell short stack reaches 33 W in air at 70 °C. The outer dimensions of this 18-cell short stack are only 80 mm × 80 mm × 51 mm, which are suitable for practical applications in 10–20 W DMFC portable systems.     

Molecular imprinting strategy for solvent molecules and its application for QCM-based VOC vapor sensing

Cross-linked polymers made of methyl methacrylate (MMA) as a monomer and divinylbenzene (DVB) as a cross-linking agent were prepared in the presence of toluene or p-xylene as a solvent. The cross-linked polymer prepared in toluene tended to sorb toluene vapor preferably, while the cross-linked polymer prepared in p-xylene sorbed p-xylene vapor preferably. The observed molecular recognition ability can be explained on the bases of an imprinting effect by solvent molecules. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) powders were blended with PMMA, and the blended films were coated on a piezoelectric quartz crystal with a view to preparing QCM-based VOC sensors. The imprint effect was clearly observed, even in these blended films. The response of the sensor towards toluene or p-xylene vapor was reversible; however, the response time was slow due to the existence of the matrix polymer around the MIP particles.     

Correlating microstructural features with wear resistance of dual phase steel

In order to explore the tribological potential of the dual phase (DP) steel as a wear resistant material, the wear characteristics of the dual phase (DP) steel have been investigated with varying amounts of martensite from 43 to 81 vol pct, developed by varying holding time at the intercritical annealing temperature of 780 °C. Dry sliding wear tests have been conducted on DP steels using a pin-on-disk machine under different normal loads of 61.3, 68.5, 75.7 and 82.6 N and at a constant sliding speed of 1.20 m/s. At these loads, the mechanism of wear is mainly delamination, which has been confirmed by SEM micrographs of the subsurface and wear debris of the samples. Wear and friction properties have been found to be improved with increasing martensite volume fraction in dual phase steels.     

溶剂处理对烟梗梗丝内在质量的影响

为比较溶剂处理梗丝和常规工艺生产的梗丝的差别,采用溶剂处理烟梗梗条后在烟梗制丝线上制备梗丝,研究溶剂处理对梗丝内在质量的影响.通过仪器分析与感官质量对比,结果表明:与传统制备工艺相比,溶剂处理对烟梗的持水性、耐加工性和梗丝结构的影响较小,梗丝的填充值增加11.4%;其主要化学成分及致香成分含量有较大变化,对梗丝内在质量有一定程度的改善.     

工业硅炉外吹气精炼除硼研究进展

冶金法太阳能级多晶硅技术具有能耗低、成本低和环境友好等特点,正逐步取代投资大、成本高的化学法而成为全球研究的热点.硼是工业硅中最难去除的非金属杂质之一,本文阐述了工业硅的生产过程和吹气炉外精炼除硼的原理,综述了国内外工业硅炉外氧气、湿氢、湿氧、湿二氧化碳以及吹气-熔渣联合精炼等工艺技术,并对本课题组湿氧精炼除硼的研究进行了重点介绍,分析了吹气精炼过程硅的损失问题,最后指出吹气-熔渣联合法是冶金法炉外精炼的发展方向.     

由二元合金相图提取无限稀活度系数（英文）

提出了由二元相图提取定温下无限稀活度系数的方法,分别在正规溶液和Richardson假设条件下,计算了31个二元液态合金体系两组元无限稀活度系数,并与相应的实验值比较,所获得的平均相对误差为:共晶体系为23.2%和20.7%;含固溶体体系为19.4%和18.3%;含化合物体系为39.5%和46.1%;分层体系为25.8%和14.3%.结果表明:由共晶相图、含固溶体相图提取无限稀活度系数,有效性较好,由含化合物相图提取无限稀活度系数有效性较差.引入Richardson假设后,对计算值的精度有所提高.研究表明,运用二元相图提取无限稀活度系数方法提取二元合金体系无限稀活度系数是可行的.     

水对室温熔盐[Bpy]BF_4结构与性质的影响

采用分子动力学模拟方法研究了298.15 K、0.1 MPa下摩尔分数为0.05~0.95的水对室温熔盐1-丁基吡啶四氟硼酸([Bpy]BF4)结构与性质的影响.获得了体系的径向分布函数、配位数和空间分布函数等微观结构及其密度、自扩散系数、电导率和粘度等物理化学性质.模拟密度与实验结果符合很好;体系中各组分间的径向分布函数和配位数均随水摩尔分数的增加有规律的变化;获得了各组分之间的三维空间分布情况;随水摩尔分数的增加,阴阳离子之间的相互作用被削弱,同时水与阴离子、阳离子及水分子之间的相互作用逐渐增强,水、阴离子和阳离子的自扩散系数增大,体系粘度降低,电导率升高.研究工作揭示了水对[Bpy]BF4中各组分的存在形式、相互作用及其对体系物理化学及输运性质的影响,为其在冶金与材料制备方面的应用提供理论依据和参考.     

Effect of thermal insulation on microstructural homogeneity and onset temperature of flash sintered materials

The present work aimed to reduce the microstructure heterogeneity inherent to flash sintering by using alumina blankets as a thermal insulator around ZnO cylindrical samples during the sintering process, under different electric field conditions. Thermal insulation significantly reduced the flash onset temperature and the grain size heterogeneity. For higher electric fields, a temperature reduction as high as 480 °C was observed, which also led to lower densification. These findings were discussed in terms of changes in the heat loss dynamics coupled with the adsorbed water retention, both promoted by the applied thermal insulation. A model to estimate the temperature at stage III of flash sintering was proposed. The final temperature reached with thermal insulation did not differ significantly from the ones without it. Thus, thermal insulation could represent an alternative route to flash sinter materials with lower furnace temperatures with energy savings up to 78 % and a more homogeneous microstructure.