The control of paracetamol particle size and surface morphology through crystallisation in a spray dryer

The parameters governing the crystallisation of paracetamol using various conventional techniques has been extensively studied, however the factors influencing the drug crystallisation using spray drying is not as well understood. The aim of this work was to investigate the crystallisation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient through evaporative crystallisation using a spray dryer to study the physicochemical properties of the drug and to use semi-empirical equations to gain insight into the morphology and particle size of the dried powder. Paracetamol solutions were spray dried at various inlet temperatures ranging from 60 °C to 120 °C and also from a series of inlet feed solvent compositions ranging from 50/50% v/v ethanol/water to 100% ethanol and solid-state characterisation was done. The size and morphology of the dried materials were altered with a change in spray drying parameters, with an increase in inlet temperature leading to an increase in particle Sauter mean diameter (from 3.0 to 4.4 µm) and a decrease in the particle size with an increase in ethanol concentration in the feed (from 4.6 to 4.4 µm) as a result of changes in particle density and atomised droplet size. The morphology of the dried particles consisted of agglomerates of individual crystallites bound together into larger semi-spherical agglomerates with a higher tendency for particles having crystalline ridges to form at higher ethanol concentrations of the feed.     

H13钢等离子堆焊Ni60A/Cr3C2覆层的磨损及热疲劳性能

采用等离子堆焊技术在H13钢基体表面上制备了Ni60A/Cr₃C₂堆焊覆层,研究了覆层的磨损行为和热疲劳性能。在600 ℃下销盘试验的结果表明,镍基碳化铬复合覆层的耐磨性是Ni60A堆焊覆层的2.8倍和基材H13钢的11.6倍。镍基覆层可以显著降低H13钢的摩擦因数,加入碳化铬则会削弱覆层的摩擦性能。随着磨损的进行,主要磨损机理从氧化磨损演变为磨粒磨损和粘着磨损。在800 ℃到室温下的热疲劳测试结果表明,镍基碳化铬复合覆层在48个热循环后疲劳裂纹达到200 μm,早于镍基覆层的62次。这说明高温氧化促进热疲劳裂纹的产生。碳化铬增强相从镍基上剥离,导致镍基复合覆层热疲劳性能下降。     

Partitioning of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) in five coal-fired power plants in Guizhou,Southwest China

As indispensable strategic materials for high-tech industries, rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) have become particularly important in recent years, raising the demand of developing new approaches for reclamation of REY from REY-rich materials such as coal combustion products (CCPs). In this study, five coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) in Guizhou of southwest China were selected for investigating REY concentrations of solid samples, atmospheric emissions, and recovery potentials. REY concentrations of feed fuels are higher in this study (147.2–468.6 mg/kg) than what have been reported previously for coals in China and the world. REY atmospheric emissions are extremely low (38.70–180.11 mg REY/t coal). REY are enriched in bottom ash and fly ash, with average of 658 ± 296 mg/kg and maximum of 1257 mg/kg from the five CFPPs. Relative enrichment factors (REF) of REY in bottom ash and fly ash compared with the feed fuel are 0.86–1.02 and 0.91–1.04, respectively. REY concentrations in desulfurized gypsum are very low (6–17 mg/kg), and that is mostly inherited from limestone. Critical REY (Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, Y, and Er) in bottom/fly ash account for 34%–39% of the total REY and the outlook coefficients (C_outl) are in the range of 0.89–1.11. This study indicates a promising prospect to reclaim REY from REY-rich CCPs (bottom and fly ash) in CFPPs in Guizhou, especially in the central-north Guizhou, although such practices require further technology advancement.     

喷淋液滴在空气环境下的运动特性

本文以喷淋液滴在空气环境下运动特性为工程背景，建立单个液滴在常温、常压空气环境中的动量方程，分析液滴沉降特性、追赶特性及运动轨迹行为。计算结果表明，不同喷淋液滴初始条件下，短时间内存在重力大于曳力和重力小于曳力两种情况，但最终减速液滴均会达到受力平衡状态；液滴离开喷淋头后，垂向位移均迅速增大，液滴粒径越大、初始速度越大，垂向位移增长的速率也越大，达到相同位移的用时越短；液滴尺寸、初始速度相差越大，液滴追赶所用的时间越短，追赶位移越小，液滴尺寸、初始速度越接近，液滴追赶所用的时间越长，追赶位移越大；液滴初始速度越大、初始直径越大、喷射角度越大，横向速度消失越慢，达到的横向位移越大，喷射液滴覆盖的面积也越大。计算结果有助于优化工程实际中喷淋系统的设计与布置。     

Reaction synthesis of spark plasma sintered MoSi2-B4C coatings for oxidation protection of Nb alloy

MoSi₂-B₄C coatings with different B₄C contents were prepared on Nb alloy by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Powder mixtures of Mo, Si and B₄C were used as the coating starting materials. Besides MoSi₂ and B₄C phases, small amounts of SiC and MoB are also found in the coatings because of the reactions of Mo, Si and B₄C powders during sintering. Compared with single MoSi₂ coating, the MoSi₂-B₄C coatings show better oxidation resistance at 1450?℃, and dense B₂O₃-SiO₂ oxide scales form after 100?h oxidation. The B₄C or MoB in the MoSi₂-B₄C coatings can serve as the B donor for the formation of B₂O₃. A slight degradation in the microstructure of the MoSi₂-B₄C coatings after oxidation is observed, which can be attributed to the presence of an NbB layer in the inter-diffusion zone of the coatings that retards the inward diffusion of Si from the coating into the substrate alloy. The microstructure development and oxidation behavior of the MoSi₂-B₄C coatings have been discussed.     

Frequency dependence of plasma characteristics at different pressures in cylindrical inductively coupled plasma source

The effects of driving frequency on plasma parameters and electron heating efficiency are studied in cylindrical inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source. Measurements are made in an Ar discharge for driving frequency at 13.56/2 MHz, and pressures of 0.4–1.2 Pa. In 13.56 MHz discharge, higher electron density (n_e) and higher electron temperature (T_e) are observed in comparison with 2 MHz discharge at 0.6–1.2 Pa. However, slightly highern_e andT_e are observed in 2 MHz discharge at 0.4 Pa. This observation is explained by enhanced electron heating efficiency due to the resonance between the oscillation of 2 MHz electromagnetic field and electron-neutral collision process at 0.4 Pa. It is also found that the variation ofT_e distribution is different in 13.56 and 2 MHz discharge. For ICP at 13.56 MHz, T_e shows an edge-high profile at 0.4–1.2 Pa. For 2 MHz discharge,T_e remains an edge-high distribution at 0.4–0.8 Pa. However, the distribution pattern involves into a center-high profile at 0.9–1.2 Pa. The spatial profiles ofn_e remain a center-high shape in both 13.56 and 2 MHz discharges, which indicates the nonlocal kinetics at low pressures. Better uniformity could be achieved by using 2 MHz discharge. The effects of gas pressure on plasma parameters are also examined. An increase in gas pressure necessitates the rise ofn_e in both 13.56 and 2 MHz discharges. Meanwhile, T_e drops when gas pressure increases and shows a flatter distribution at higher pressure.     

The effect of atmospheric plasma treatment of recycled carbon fiber at different plasma powers on recycled carbon fiber and its polypropylene composites

To increase the mechanical properties of recycled carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites, recycled carbon fibers (RCF) were subjected to atmospheric plasma treatment at different plasma powers (100, 200, and 300 W). The changes on surface topography and roughness of RCF were examined by atomic force microscopy. Plasma treatment of RCF increased the roughness value of RCF. The variation of surface elemental compositions and tensile strength of RCF were determined by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and tensile test, respectively. Plasma-treated RCF-reinforced PP composites were fabricated using high speed thermo-kinetic mixer. Plasma treatment of RCF at 100 W increased the tensile and flexural strength values of RCF-reinforced PP composites considerably by 17 and 11%, respectively. However, plasma treatment of RCF at higher plasma powers (200 W and 300 W) decreased tensile and flexural strength values of composites because of the etching of RCF. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47131.     

多层介质膜脉宽压缩光栅清洗方法研究

采用SPM (Sulfuric-Peroxide Mixtures, 98wt%H₂SO₄+30wt%H₂O₂)+兆声(方法1)和氧等离子体+HPM (Hydrochloric/Peroxide Mixture, 37wt%HCl+30wt%H₂O₂+DIH₂O)+兆声(方法2)两种清洗方法对多层介质膜脉宽压缩光栅进行清洗, 并对清洗前后样品的表面元素含量、衍射效率、表面粗糙度、表面温升以及激光损伤阈值等参数进行测量以评估两种清洗方法清洗效果。在入射角70°, 脉宽12 ns, s偏振, 波长1064 nm的激光辐照下, 经过清洗方法1清洗后的光栅样品单脉冲激光损伤阈值为7.55 J/cm ², 而方法2清洗后的样品损伤阈值为5.32 J/cm ²。另外, 虽然经过方法2清洗后样品表面杂质含量更低, 但是在衍射效率、表面粗糙度和表面温升都劣于经方法1清洗后的样品, 进一步分析发现方法2中氧等离子体清洗过程引入的Fe元素影响了其样品损伤性能和温升性能。因此, SPM清洗方法可以作为多层介质膜脉宽压缩光栅提升抗激光损伤性能的优化清洗方案。     

Nonreciprocal properties of 1D magnetized plasma photonic crystals with the Fibonacci sequence

In this paper, the nonreciprocal properties of a novel kind of 1D magnetized plasma photonic crystals(MPPCs) with the Fibonacci sequence are investigated. The isolation of the proposed 1D MPPCs is also used to analyze the nonreciprocal properties. Compared to the conventional 1D MPPCs with periodic structure, the nonreciprocal performance can be significantly improved.The effects of several parameters of the proposed 1D MPPCs on the nonreciprocal properties are studied by the transfer matrix method, which includes the incident angle, order of the Fibonacci sequence, plasma frequency, plasma cyclotron frequency and plasma filling factor. The obtained results show that the nonreciprocal propagation properties can be improved by increasing the values of the plasma cyclotron frequency and incident angle, but they will worsen by blindly increasing the order of the Fibonacci sequence, plasma frequency and filling factor of plasma.The peaks of transmittance also are obviously reduced. In addition, the value of isolation will increase with increasing the incident angle, order of Fibonacci sequence, plasma frequency and plasma filling factor. However, when the plasma cyclotron frequency is increased, the value of isolation will be increased at lower frequencies, but is almost unchanged at higher frequencies.