Role of the activation process on catalytic properties of iron supported catalyst in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Monometallic Fe and bimetallic Ru–Fe supported catalysts were prepared by impregnation method and tested in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (F-T). Their physicochemical properties were characterized by BET, SEM-EDS, FTIR, XRD, H₂-TPR, TPD-NH₃ techniques. The catalytic activity tests showed that the activation process has a huge impact on the reactivity properties in the studied process. The most active system in F-T reaction was 40%Fe/Al₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ catalyst which exhibited CO conversion equal 89.9% and the selectivity towards liquid product of 66.6%. The liquid products obtained in F-T process on 40%Fe/Al₂O₃–Cr₂O₃ consisted mainly of linear (76.8%), branched (17.7%) and unsaturated (5.5%) hydrocarbons. The chain growth probability in F-T process was estimated using an Anderson-Schulz–Flory distribution of obtained liquid product for all tested catalysts. The calculated α value for the most active catalyst was 0.76. The activity results indicate that iron carbides formed during activation process affects on the catalytic activity and selectivity of the iron catalyst during F-T synthesis. The activity measurements showed that the activity of the iron supported catalysts depends strongly on the catalyst phase composition and their acidic properties. XRD results confirmed that the most active catalyst in the investigated process exhibited the highest concentration of iron carbides phases on its surface.     

Activation of graphene aerogel with phosphoric acid for enhanced electrocapacitive performance

We present a facile and efficient route to introduce in-plane nanopores on the graphene sheets by activation of graphene aerogel (GA) with phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄). Results from N₂ adsorption and TEM images showed that H₃PO₄ activation created mesopores with pore size of 2–8 nm on the graphene sheets. With such nanopores on graphene sheets, the activated GA exhibits a specific capacitance of 204 F g⁻¹, enhanced rate capability (69% capacitance retention from 0.2 to 30 A g⁻¹), reduced equivalent series resistance (3.8 mΩ) and shortened time constant (0.73 s) when comparing with the hydrothermally-derived pristine GA and thermally annealed GA in the absent of H₃PO₄. The excellent capacitive properties demonstrate that introduction of nanopores on GA by H₃PO₄ activation not only provides large ion-accessible surface area for efficient charge storage, but also promotes the kinetics of electrolyte across the graphene two-dimensional planes.     

Electronic transport in composites of graphite oxide with carbon nanotubes

We show that the presence of electrically insulating graphite oxide (GO) within a single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) network strongly enhances electrical conductivity, whereas reduced graphite oxide, even though electrically conductive, suppresses electrical conductivity within a composite network with SWCNTs. Measurements of Young’s modulus and of Raman spectra strongly support our interpretation of the “indirect” role of the oxide groups, present in GO within the SWCNT-GO composite, through electronic doping of metallic SWCNTs.     

Study on the erosion mechanism of acid coal slag interactions with silicon carbide materials in the simulated atmosphere of a coal gasifier

In this paper, the dynamic erosion of silicon carbide interaction with acid coal slag was studied in an improved rotary drum furnace under the simulated conditions of a slagging gasifier at temperature of 1500 °C. Microstructures of corroded samples were observed by SEM, and the erosion mechanism was investigated by thermodynamic simulation based on SEM analysis. This revealed that SiC reacted with FeO to form a Si-Fe-C alloy on the sample surface, and the active oxidation of SiC was conducted in the experimental atmosphere. Furthermore, SiO₂(s), SiO(g), CO(g), and CO₂(g) were formed. Finally, SiO₂ dissolved in the molten slag, and SiO(g), CO(g), and CO₂(g) spread continuously. The pore structures on were altered by the oxidation reaction, which facilitated slag penetration into the samples through the pores to form a thin reaction layer.     

3D printed ceramic phosphor and the photoluminescence property under blue laser excitation

An Al₂O₃/YAG: Ce³⁺ ceramic phosphor was fabricated for high-flux laser lighting using the digital lighting process (DLP)-based 3D printing method for the first time. The photocurable ceramic suspension for 3D printing was prepared by blending well-treated Al₂O₃/YAG: Ce³⁺ composite powders with photosensitive resin monomers and photo-initiators. The printing parameters, debinding and sintering processes were designed delicately to fabricated the dense sub-millimeter-sized cylinder ceramic with high dimensional accuracy. The ceramic showed excellent luminescence property under blue laser excitation with a threshold of 20.7 W/mm², higher than that prepared via dry-pressing followed by vacuum sintering. The luminescence properties and the microstructures of both ceramics were further comparatively investigated to find the possible interpretations for improvement of laser flux for the 3D-printed ceramic. The present work indicated that the new developed 3D printing method was promising for preparing luminescent ceramics for high-flux laser lighting in a rapid, effective, low-cost and precision-controlled manner.     

采用旋转电极的金刚石表面镀镍方法及工艺

针对目前常用的固定电极滚镀法存在的镀覆效率低、镀层不均匀等问题,提出基于旋转电极的金刚石表面滚镀方法,并开发相应的滚镀装置。分析金刚石旋转电极滚镀法的镀覆机理,通过试验研究镀覆工艺参数对金刚石表面镀层沉积速率和镀层形貌的影响。结果表明:旋转电极可以驱动磨料堆增加其翻转频率和磨粒间的分散能力,提高磨粒堆与电极和镀液接触的均匀性,从而提高镀层的均匀性和表面质量。采用旋转电极滚镀法的最佳工艺参数为:镀覆电流为4 A,阴极转速为20 r/min,阴极转子直径为22.5 mm,金刚石粒度代号为70/80。增加磨粒堆的翻滚频率使磨粒间接触均匀性得到改善,增大滚镀空间和电极尺寸,进而增加单次镀覆的装载量。结果显示:采用旋转电极滚镀方法在2 L容量镀瓶中最大装载量可达700 g,约为相同条件下的固定电极装载量的2倍,显著提高了金刚石镀镍的生产效率。      

超薄切割片的加工变形研究现状

超薄切割片在工作中极易出现径向加工变形。从应力和变形的理论分析、有限元模拟分析和试验研究等方面,对超薄切割片的加工变形研究现状进行总结。此外,分析研究中存在的问题,介绍具有相似结构的砂轮和圆锯片的相关研究成果。结果发现:切割片转速对超薄切割片变形影响的研究比较系统,但磨削深度和进给速度对其影响的相关研究还有一定的差距。同时,切入工件时测量方法的缺失也限制了研究的深入。因此,需要不断完善理论公式并充分应用有限元模拟,持续推进相关研究,优化和补偿超薄切割片的变形,提高工件的加工精度。      

First-principles calculations on the Jahn–Teller distortion in layered LiMnO2

First-principles calculations within the spin-polarized generalized gradient approximation framework are performed on rhombohedral and its Jahn–Teller distorted monoclinic LiMnO₂ with different spin configurations. It is found that the Jahn–Teller (JT) effect is driven by high-spin Mn³⁺ ion and it should disappear in low-spin state. With JT distortion, the initially degenerate e_g states is split by a gap of 687 meV, which responds for the semiconduction of monoclinic LiMnO₂. Based on the analyses of the changes induced by JT distortion in the crystal, electronic structures and chemical bondings, approaches to suppress the JT effect and synthesize rhombohedral LiMnO₂ are suggested. At last, the JT effect is decomposed into an electronic and an elastic term.     

Modeling of permeation and damage in graphite/epoxy laminates for cryogenic tanks in the presence of delaminations and stitch cracks

Composites are extensively used for various aerospace applications and one of its important potential uses is as cryogenic fuel tank material for crew launch vehicles. Composites offer high specific strength and stiffness, and therefore are preferred over many other materials. However under structural mechanical loads and/or thermal loads, transverse micro-cracks develop in the polymer matrix. These cracks along with interlaminar delaminations produced at the crack tips, lead to permeation of cryogenic fuel permeation through the laminates. In this study, mathematical models have been proposed to determine the delaminated crack opening displacement (DCOD) for each ply of a damaged laminate and the permeability associated with it. In addition, a stitch crack model has been proposed to address experimental observations. The through-thickness DCOD distribution for a damaged composite under the action of thermal and/or mechanical load is predicted using a five-layer model which is developed based on first order shear deformation theory. The DCOD predicted by this mathematical model, with and without stitch cracks, shows good agreement with two dimensional finite element analysis. The DCOD values predicted for IM7/5250-4 laminate of lay-up [0/45/−45/90]_S were used to predict permeability using Darcy’s law for fluid flow through porous media. The analysis results were benchmarked using test data from Air Force Research Laboratory. A parametric study for permeability conducted with varying stitch crack lengths shows that the permeability of the composite is sensitive to this form of damage in individual plies.     

Increase the current density and reduce the defects of ZnO by modification of the band gap edges with Cu ions implantation for efficient,flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs)

Flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (FDSSCs) have good potential in future photovoltaic technology. The spin coating method deposited the ZnO films on indium-tin-oxide-coated polyethylene terephthalate (ITO-PET) flexible plastic substrates. These films are implanted with Cu-ions with 1 × 10¹³ ions/cm², 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm², and 1 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm². All the films have a hexagonal structure. The film irradiated with 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² showed high crystallinity and crystallite size. Important optical properties like bandgap energy (E_g), band edges, refractive index, extinction coefficient, and dielectric constants are measured by UV–Vis spectroscopy. Bandgap energy decreases, and the refractive index increases at the fluence of Cu ions. The maximum decrease in E_g is observed at the 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² dose. Photoluminescence spectra suggest that defects-related emission peaks are decreased at 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² Cu ions fluency. J-V measurements have significantly improved photovoltaic performance compared to pristine ZnO-based solar cells. The highest efficiency (2.30%) is observed at a 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² dose. The efficiency increase is related to improving the charge transfer ratio and shifting the fermi level toward the conduction band.