Enhanced dielectric and piezoelectric properties in Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15 ceramics with Pr-doping

The bismuth layer-structured Na_0.5Bi_4.5-xPr_xTi₄O₁₅ (x?=?0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5) (NBT-xPr³⁺) ceramics were fabricated using the traditional solid reaction process. The effect of different Pr³⁺ contents on dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of Na_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics were investigated. The grain size of Pr³⁺-doping ceramics was found to be smaller than that of pure one, the maximum dielectric constant and Curie temperature T_c gradually decreased with increasing Pr³⁺ contents, and the dielectric loss decreased at high temperature by Pr³⁺-doping. Moreover, the activation energy (E_a), resistivity (Z’), remanent polarization (2P_r) and piezoelectric constant (d₃₃) increased by Pr³⁺-doping. The NBT-xPr³⁺ ceramics with x?=?0.3 achieved the optimal properties with the maximum dielectric constant of 1109.18, minimum loss of 0.00822 (250?kHz), E_a of 1.122?eV, Z’ of 7.9?kΩ?cm (725 ºC), d₃₃ of 18 pC/N, 2P_r of 12.04 μC/cm². The enhancement was due to the addition of Pr³⁺ which suppressed the decreasing of resistivity at high temperature and made it possible for NBT-xPr³⁺ ceramics to be poled in perpendicular direction, implying that it is a great improvement for Na_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ ceramics in electrical properties.     

Fabrication and photocatalytic performance of one-dimensional Ag3PO4 sensitized SrTiO3 nanowire

The 1D Ag₃PO₄ sensitized SrTiO₃ nanowires are prepared by simple route of electrospinning-in situ deposition technique. The results of the thermogravimetry (TG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–Vis) indicate that the Ag₃PO₄ nanoparticles has been deposited on the surface of the SrTiO₃ nanowires successfully. Experimental results showed that compared with pure SrTiO₃, the as-prepared 1D Ag₃PO₄ sensitized SrTiO₃ nanowires exhibit obvious enhancement of photocatalytic performance and stability. Especially, the Ag₃PO₄/SrTiO₃ (3AS sample) had a satisfactory photocatalytic activity for degrading methylene blue (MB) more than 98% under visible light irradiation. As to pure SrTiO₃ and Ag₃PO₄, only 9.8% and 49% of MB was decomposed after 35?min irradiation respectively. Furthermore, the mechanism of the enhancing photocatalytic activity could be ascribed to the nano-heterojunction of the Ag₃PO₄/SrTiO₃, the visible light response of the Ag₃PO₄, and the 1D structure of the nanowires.     

Structural properties and sensing performance of CeTiO3 ceramic films as a solid-state pH sensor

In this paper, we have studied the impact of postannealing treatment on the structural properties and sensing characteristics of CeTiO₃ ceramic membranes deposited on Si substrate by sputtering for solid-state electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) pH sensors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy were used to study the chemical compositions, elemental depth profiles, film structures, and surface morphologies of CeTiO₃ ceramic membranes treated at three rapid thermal annealing (RTA) temperatures of 700, 800 and 900?°C. The sensing performance of the CeTiO₃ ceramic membranes annealed at three different RTA temperatures is strongly correlated to their structural properties. The CeTiO₃ EIS device after RTA at 800?°C exhibited the best sensing characteristics (pH sensitivity, hysteresis voltage and drift rate) among these RTA temperatures. We attribute this behavior to the optimal RTA temperature enhancing the Ce³⁺/Ce⁴⁺ ratio of CeTiO₃ ceramic membrane, reducing an interfacial layer at the CeTiO₃-Si interface, and increasing its surface roughness.     

Synthesis and characterization of calcium aluminate compounds from gehlenite by high-temperature solid-state reaction

The mineral transition mechanism and self-pulverization property of the sintered products in the Ca₂Al₂SiO₇-CaO system were systematically studied using pre-synthesized gehlenite determined by XRD, SEM, FTIR and particle size analyses. The minerals of Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃, CaAl₂O₄, Ca₃SiO₅ and Ca₂SiO₄ are formed by the direct reactions of Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ with CaO. CaAl₂O₄ reacts with CaO to form Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃ or Ca₃Al₂O₆, while Ca₃SiO₅ reacts with Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ to form Ca₂SiO₄ and calcium aluminate compounds. The sintered products mainly contain CaAl₂O₄, Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃ and Ca₂SiO₄ at 1350?°C or above 1500?°C when the molar ratio of CaO to Al₂O₃ is 1.0. Increasing the sintering duration or the CaO consumption promotes the transition of Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ to Ca₂SiO₄ and calcium aluminate compounds when sintered at 1350?°C, which accordingly improves the self-pulverization property of the sintered products. The formed minerals of Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃, CaAl₂O₄ and Ca₂SiO₄ transform into Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ again when the sintering temperature is between 1400?°C and 1450?°C, and the corresponding self-pulverization property of the sintered products deteriorates sharply.     

Synthesis and photoluminescent properties of high-efficient color-tunable Ba3Y2B6O15: Ce3+, Tb3+ phosphors

High-efficient Ce³⁺/Tb³⁺ co-doped Ba₃Y₂B₆O₁₅ phosphors with multi color-emitting were firstly prepared, and their structural and luminescent properties were studied by XRD Rietveld refinement, emission/excitation spectra, fluorescence lifetimes as well as temperature-variable emission spectra. Upon 365?nm excitation, the characteristic blue Ce³⁺ band along with green Tb³⁺ peaks were simultaneously found in the emission spectra. Moreover, by increasing concentration of Tb³⁺, a blue-to-green tunable emitting color could be realized by effective Ce³⁺→Tb³⁺ energy transfer. Furthermore, all Ba₃Y₂B₆O₁₅: Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺ phosphors exhibit high internal quantum efficiency of ~?90%, while the temperature-variable emission spectra reveal that the phosphors possess impressive color stability as well as good thermal stability (T₅₀ =?~?120?°C). The results indicate that these efficient color-tuning Ba₃Y₂B₆O₁₅: Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺ might be candidate as converted phosphor for UV-excited light-emitting diodes.     

Hyperbranched Polyethylenimine Modified Waste Fiberboard Activated Carbon for Enhanced Adsorption of Hexavalent Chromium

The objective of this work is to prepare a hyperbranched polyethylenimine (HBPEI) grafted activated carbon obtained from waste fiberboard for effectively removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The waste fiberboard activated carbon (WFAC) was modified by HBPEI and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA). The optimal modified conditions were as follows: HBPEI molecular weight 10,000 g/mol, HBPEI/WFAC (w/w) 0.5, GA concentration 0.25%, reaction time 60 min. Both pristine WFAC and HBPEI–WFAC were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), and Roman spectra. XPS data showed the obvious increase in nitrogen (from 0.72% to 6.65%) after modification. The results of FTIR and XPS suggested that HBPEI was chemically bonded onto the WFAC by the glutaraldehyde (GA) between the amine groups of WFAC and that of HBPEI. HBPEI was also probably grafted onto WFAC through the intermolecular interaction between the carboxylate groups of WFAC and the amine groups of HBPEI. However, the BET surface area of modified WFAC declined slightly (about 200 m²/g). The I_D/I_G of modified WFAC decreased from 0.92 to 0.82, which indicated that the modification process had no significant effect on the graphitization of activated carbon. The adsorption property onto HBPEI–WFAC and the factors containing contact time, pH value, and Cr(VI) concentration were also investigated. Analysis of the Cr(VI) adsorption data was well simulated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, and maximum Cr(VI) uptake of HBPEI–WFAC was 500 mg/g.     

Internal structure visualization of flow and flame by process tomography and PLIF data fusion

To address the increasing demands on pollution control and energy saving, the study of low-emission and high-efficiency burners has been emphasized worldwide. Swirl-induced environmental burners (EV-burners), have notable features aligned with these requirements. In this study, an EV burner is investigated by both an ECT system and an OH-PLIF system. The aim is to detect the structure of a flame and obtain more information about the combustion process in an EV burner. 3D ECT sensitivity maps are generated for the measurement and OH-PLIF images are acquired in the same combustion zone as for the ECT measurements. The experimental images of a flame by ECT are in good agreement with the OH radical distribution pictures captured by OH-PLIF, which provide a mutual verification of the visualization method.     

High efficiency synthesis of Nd:YAG powder by a spray co-precipitation method for transparent ceramics

A spray co-precipitation method was developed to efficiently synthesize Nd:YAG nano-powders. The effects of spray speeds and solution concentrations on the crystallization processes of calcined precursors have been studied. The results indicated that the pure phase of YAG could be obtained by three different crystallization processes owing to different homogeneity levels of Y and Al mixing. Pure YAG powder was obtained at 850?°C and the phase purity persisted to 1600?°C. Using the obtained powders, transparent ceramics with the in-line transmittance up to 80.2%@400 nm and 83.1%@1064?nm were fabricated by gel-casting method and hot isostatic pressing sintering. Furthermore, the microstructure and laser properties of the transparent ceramics have been measured. The maximum laser output of 7.015?W has been obtained with an oscillation threshold and a slope efficiency of 0.235?W and 59.4%, respectively.     

基于多参数特征保留的载荷谱加速耐久性编辑

为了得到时间更短加载效果相同的加速耐久性试验载荷谱,提出了基于多参数特征保留的载荷谱编辑方法。该方法同时考虑载荷谱的损伤、功率谱密度以及统计参数等信息,对零部件载荷谱的时间进行压缩。以汽车悬架螺旋弹簧的载荷谱为例,采用该方法进行缩减,同时从多个参数特征方面与传统的基于损伤保留的编辑方法所得到的载荷谱进行对比。为了进一步验证编辑效果,采用编辑谱和原始谱对弹簧进行疲劳仿真。结果表明,该方法能够有效缩短汽车零部件的载荷谱,可得到与原始载荷谱具有相同加载效果的编辑载荷谱。     

Mechanisms of EGFR Resistance in Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Despite numerous efforts to target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), commonly dysregulated in GBM, approaches directed against EGFR have not achieved the same degree of success as seen in other tumor types, particularly as compared to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). EGFR alterations in glioblastoma lie primarily in the extracellular domain, unlike the kinase domain alterations seen in NSCLC. Small molecule inhibitors are difficult to develop for the extracellular domain. Monoclonal antibodies can be developed to target the extracellular domain but must contend with the blood brain barrier (BBB). We review the role of EGFR in GBM, the history of trialed treatments, and the potential paths forward to target the pathway that may have greater success.