Unipolar plasma electrolytic oxidation: Waveform optimisation for corrosion resistance of commercially pure titanium

This study deals with the anodisation of titanium grade 2 in 0.5-M sulphuric acid using a pulsed signal in a unipolar regime. The electrical parameters investigated are voltage, frequency and duty cycle. The use of duty cycles with a high percentage of anodic polarisation (90%), combined with high frequencies (1000 Hz) and the higher voltage tested (220 V), favoured the establishment of a plasma regime involving strong dielectric discharges, allowing the growth of thicker oxides but with rough architecture. The corrosion resistance of the formed film has been characterised by potentiodynamic tests in 0.5-M NaBr for localised corrosion resistance and by immersion tests in 10% v/v sulphuric acid solution for a uniform corrosion assessment. Current–time curves, visual observations and electron microscope analysis (scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) were the tools selected to provide a correlation between technological parameters and oxide growth mechanism. For localised and uniform corrosion, anodisation at 220 V with a high level of anodic polarisation (90%) and frequency (1000 Hz) was verified to be particularly advantageous.     

Structure,mechanical and thermal properties of Y-doped CrAlN coatings

CrAlYN coatings with different Y contents (0, 5 and 12 at.%) were deposited by cathodic arc evaporation to investigate the influence of Y-addition on the structure, mechanical and thermal properties of CrAlN coatings by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis and nanoindentation. The structural transformation of single phase cubic Cr_0.42Al_0.58N and Cr_0.39Al_0.56Y_0.05N coatings to cubic–wurtzite mixed Cr_0.32Al_0.56Y_0.12N coating leads to a drop in hardness from (30.2±0.7) GPa of Cr_0.42Al_0.58N and (32.0±1.0) GPa of Cr_0.39Al_0.56Y_0.05N to (25.2±0.7) GPa of Cr_0.32Al_0.56Y_0.12N. The incorporation of 5 at.% Y retards the thermal decomposition of CrAlN, verified by the postponed precipitation of w-AlN and N-loss upon annealing. Correspondingly, Cr_0.39Al_0.56Y_0.05N coating consistently exhibits the highest hardness value during thermal annealing. Nevertheless, alloying with Y exerts an adverse effect on the oxidation resistance of CrAlN.     

Mesoporous SmMnO3/CuMnOx catalyst for photothermal synergistic degradation of gaseous toluene

Mesoporous SmMnO₃/CuMnO_x catalyst was prepared by a two-step method using flaky CuMnO_x with high specific surface and excellent catalytic ability as the carrier, which was further applied to photothermal synergistic degradation of gaseous toluene. Quantitative analysis of O₂-TPD and H₂-TPR showed that SmMnO₃/CuMnO_x exhibited abundant of the surface oxygen species and oxygen vacancies content, which enabled it to convert free oxygen to lattice oxygen more quickly during the reaction, and thus improving the reaction process. I-t and photoluminescence experiments demonstrated the improvement of photogenerated electron and hole separation ability of SmMnO₃/CuMnO_x catalyst. UV–Vis analysis manifested the full spectral range of absorption. XPS analysis verified the unequal positions of valence band of the two materials, which can facilitate the separation of photogenerated electrons from holes and improve the ability of better electron transfer. SmMnO₃/CuMnO_x catalyst has higher adsorbed oxygen content and light absorption capacity, which is beneficial to the catalytic oxidation. In situ DRIFTs proved that the oxidation reaction on the catalyst followed the Mars-van Krevelen redox cycle. The VOCs test found that SmMnO₃/CuMnOx composite catalyst is with lower onset reaction temperature (T₉₀ = 190 °C, T₉₀, corresponding to 90% conversion) and good mineralization (100% at 275 °C).     

Excision of Oxidatively Generated Guanine Lesions by Competitive DNA Repair Pathways

The base and nucleotide excision repair pathways (BER and NER, respectively) are two major mechanisms that remove DNA lesions formed by the reactions of genotoxic intermediates with cellular DNA. It is generally believed that small non-bulky oxidatively generated DNA base modifications are removed by BER pathways, whereas DNA helix-distorting bulky lesions derived from the attack of chemical carcinogens or UV irradiation are repaired by the NER machinery. However, existing and growing experimental evidence indicates that oxidatively generated DNA lesions can be repaired by competitive BER and NER pathways in human cell extracts and intact human cells. Here, we focus on the interplay and competition of BER and NER pathways in excising oxidatively generated guanine lesions site-specifically positioned in plasmid DNA templates constructed by a gapped-vector technology. These experiments demonstrate a significant enhancement of the NER yields in covalently closed circular DNA plasmids (relative to the same, but linearized form of the same plasmid) harboring certain oxidatively generated guanine lesions. The interplay between the BER and NER pathways that remove oxidatively generated guanine lesions are reviewed and discussed in terms of competitive binding of the BER proteins and the DNA damage-sensing NER factor XPC-RAD23B to these lesions.     

Improved formic acid oxidation using electrodeposited Pd–Cd electrocatalysts in sulfuric acid solution

In the present research, nanostructured Pd–Cd alloy electrocatalysts with different compositions were produced using the electrodeposition process. The morphology of the samples was studied by scanning electron microscopy analysis. Also, the elemental composition of the samples was determined by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and elemental mapping tests. Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods were employed to determine the electrochemical corrosion properties of the synthesized samples in a solution containing 0.5 M sulfuric acid and 0.1 M formic acid. The linear sweep voltammetry, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry techniques were also employed to evaluate the electrocatalytic activity of prepared samples toward the oxidation of formic acid. In this respect, the influence of some factors such as formic acid and sulfuric acid concentrations and also potential scan rate was investigated. Compared to the pure Pd sample, the Pd–Cd samples were more reactive for the oxidation of formic acid. Besides, the sample with a lower amount of Pd (Pd_1·3Cd) demonstrated much higher electrocatalytic activity than the Pd_7·1Cd and Pd_2·1Cd samples. The observed high mass activity of 15.06 A mg^?1_Pd for the Pd_1·3Cd sample which is 21.1 times higher than Pd/C is an interesting result of this study.     

Radiation and slip effects on MHD Maxwell nanofluid flow over an inclined surface with chemical reaction

The numerical solutions of the upper-convected Maxwell (UCM) nanofluid flow under the magnetic field effects over an inclined stretching sheet has been worked out. This model has the tendency to elaborate on the characteristics of “relaxation time” for the fluid flow. Special consideration has been given to the impact of nonlinear velocity slip, thermal radiation and heat generation. To study the heat transfer, the modified Fourier and Fick's laws are incorporated in the modeling process. The mass transfer phenomenon is investigated under the effects of chemical reaction, Brownian motion and thermophoresis. With the aid of the similarity transformations, the governing equations in the ordinary differential form are determined and then solved through the MATLAB's package “bvp4c” numerically. This study also brings into the spotlight such crucial physical parameters, which are inevitable for describing the flow and heat transfer behavior. This has been done through graphs and tables with as much precision and exactitude as is possible. The ascending values of the magnetic parameter, the Maxwell parameter and the angle of the inclined stretching sheet cause decay in the dimensionless velocity while an assisting behavior of the thermal and concentration buoyancy parameters is noticed.     

新型无机内保温涂层的性能及应用

根据水泥烧成热耗的组成，降低高温设备表面散热是降低水泥烧成热耗的重要途径之一，而减少高温窑炉墙壁的热传导可有效降低设备的表面散热。本文在介绍无机内保温涂层隔热原理的基础上，对保温涂层的应用效果进行了对比研究，通过在传统耐火隔热材料的基础上增加新型无机内保温涂层，可有效降低高温设备外表面温度，减少水泥生产中的散热损失，达到节能降耗的目的。     

新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝构件受力的简化计算方法

针对常见泥石流防治结构被冲击破坏的问题，基于“柔性消能”理念，结合张弦梁结构和竖向预应力锚杆技术，提出一种既能改善结构受力性能、增加结构整体抗冲击能力、保证结构安全可靠，又能减小结构构件截面尺寸、节约成本、便于现场施工组装和后期运营维护的新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝，并阐述其技术原理。根据泥石流荷载分布和新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝的受力特征，给出其简化的内力计算方法；并利用SAP2000建立新结构有限元模型，分析了结构的整体受力，验证了构件简化计算方法的合理性；结合Python语言和Qt De? signer软件开发了相应的设计计算软件，对新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝的内力进行求解。结果表明：提出的新结构抗冲击性能好，构件受力均匀；以后设计中应关注竖杆的剪切脆性破坏和立柱偏心受力情况，保证结构安全；变形协调仅使底层张弦梁与竖杆内力偏大，实际工程应用时，应着重验算底层构件，防止其破坏；文中提出的简化计算方法能较准确的反映结构的受力特性，具有一定的合理性，研究可为新型地锚张弦梁式泥石流格栅坝的设计计算和推广应用提供理论依据和技术支持。     

Catalytic Activity of Ceramic Honeycombs in the Exhaust Gas Oxidation of a Waste Treatment Plant

The activity of ceramic honeycombs with varying material composition and degree of utilization is compared on a suitable model gas in a test plant. The tested honeycombs are standard products that have not been surface‐treated in any way. A propane‐air mixture was fed to the test plant and then oxidized in a high‐temperature furnace. The analysis of the conversion rate over the reaction temperature showed remarkable differences in activity. The honeycomb with the most promising results was further investigated with the exhaust gas from the drying process of a waste treatment plant. Finally, the activity of this honeycomb was assessed in a large‐scale trial in an existing running regenerative thermal oxidizer.