Ceramics composites from iron ore tailings and blast furnace slag

The search for materials and methods capable of reducing human impacts on the environment is of utmost importance nowadays. This study's primary purpose was to analyze the technical feasibility of ceramic composites production utilizing Fundão Dam's Iron Ore Tailings (IOT), Blast Furnace Slag (BFS) from charcoal, and Foundry Sand (FS) as partial substitutes for the traditional raw materials – sand and clay – for application in building industry materials. The composites were molded in rectangular specimens and fired at temperatures of 900, 950, 1000, 1050, and 1200 °C. The developed materials were analyzed and characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Thermogravimetry (TGA), and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA). The obtained materials had flexural strength modulus of up to 12.19 MPa, water absorption ranging from 2 to 22%, linear shrinkage ranging from 0.02 to 6.50%, and apparent density ranging from 2.03 to 1.63 g/cm³. The study of the internal structure formation process revealed the formation of amorphous structures in the composites. The results demonstrated that these waste materials may be jointly used in construction materials, contributing to the reduction of natural resource extraction, besides enabling their correct disposal, minimizing environmental impacts, and improving the life quality of the surrounding communities.     

Understanding on the hydrogen detection of plasma sprayed tin oxide/tungsten oxide (SnO2/WO3) sensor

The plasma spray technique was well proven in producing metal oxide based gas sensors in the last two decades using different powder feedstocks. However, limited research was made to fabricate hydrogen gas sensor from tin oxide layer coated over tungsten oxide layer. This paper attempts to interpret the hydrogen gas sensing performances of plasma sprayed coating derived by depositing tin oxide layer over tungsten oxide (SnO₂/WO₃) layer. Plasma sprayed SnO₂/WO₃ sensor showed maximum response of 90% at 150 °C in contrast to stand-alone WO₃ (89% at 350 °C) and stand-alone SnO₂ (89% at 250 °C). The lower operating temperature of SnO₂/WO₃ sensor without compromising gas response was attributed to the WO₃–SnO₂ hetero-junction. SnO₂/WO₃ sensor showed selective sensing towards hydrogen with respect to carbon monoxide and methane gases. This sensor also possessed repeatable characteristics after 39 days from the initial measurement. In a nut-shell, plasma spayed SnO₂/WO₃ sensor showed stability of base resistance, repeatability after successive response and recovery cycles, selective sensing towards 500 ppm H₂ with significant magnitude of gas response of 90%, response time of 35 s and recovery time of 269 s at a temperature of 150 °C.     

Preparation and pore-forming mechanism of MgO–Al2O3–CaO-based porous ceramics using phosphorus tailings

A simple strategy for preparing MgO–Al₂O₃–CaO-based porous ceramics (MACPC) with high strength and ultralow thermal conductivity has been proposed in this work based on the raw material of phosphorus tailings. The effects of phosphorus tailings content, carbon black addition and heat treatment temperature on the properties of MACPC were studied, and their pore-forming mechanism during sintering was revealed. The results showed that the main phase composition of MACPC was magnesia alumina spinel and calcium aluminate after sintering at 1225 °C. Furthermore, the MACPC exhibited excellent comprehensive properties when 60 wt% phosphorus tailings and 40 wt% alumina were added, whose apparent porosity was 62.8%, cold compressive strength was 14.8 MPa, and the thermal conductivity was 0.106 W/(m·K) at 800 °C. The synchronously enhanced strength and thermal insulation properties of MACPC were related to the formation of uniformly distributed micropores (<2 μm) and passages in the matrix, which originated from the decomposition of phosphorus tailings and the burnt out of carbon black during the sintering process. The preparation of MACPC with high temperature resistance and excellent mechanical and thermal insulation properties with the raw material of phosphorus tailings provided an effective method for the high-value utilization of phosphorus tailings.     

广西箭猪坡矿床首次发现的石英脉型锡矿体特征及 锡石微量元素地球化学意义

箭猪坡矿床是丹池成矿带南端的一个以铅锌锑为主的矿床，随着2012-2014年在箭猪坡矿床钻孔中石英脉型锡矿体的首次发现，打开了箭猪坡矿床新的找矿空间。新发现的锡矿体矿石矿物组合类型主要为锡石+闪锌矿+脆硫锑铅矿+黄铁矿+石英及锡石+脆硫锑铅矿+石英+方解石。箭猪坡矿床锡石呈自形-半自形粒状，锡石粒径多在0.1～0.2mm，少数0.02～0.05mm，分布在含硫化物的石英脉裂隙中。物相分析显示箭猪坡矿床锡主要赋存在锡石中，锡石物相占83.33%～100%。阴极发光（CL）图像显示箭猪坡矿床中的锡石经历了两期结晶作用：早期锡石（Ⅰ）和晚期锡石(Ⅱ），早期锡石CL荧光亮度较小，呈暗灰色至黑色；晚期CL荧光亮度较大，呈白色至浅灰色。锡石单矿物SnO2含量91.623%～96.288%，平均94.03%，杂质主要有Fe、W、In等，其中FeO含量0.02%～0.52%，WO3含量多在0.02～1.34%，In2O3含量在0.476%～0.954%，Sn与FeO、In2O3呈负相关，锡石中FeO、WO3、Ta2O5、Nb2O5、MnO含量指示箭猪坡锡形成于中低-中温热液环境，成矿热液来源于高度分异演化的花岗质岩浆。通过与大厂矿田西矿带上部脉状锡矿体的类比分析，具有相似的成矿条件及矿物组合，推测所揭露到的脉状锡矿（化）体相当于西矿带上部脉状锡矿（化）体，而下部的网脉状、似层状锡矿体尚未揭露到，由此预测箭猪坡矿床深部找矿空间及找矿潜力大。     

Microstructural,hydraulic conductivity and geochemical changes of drying mature fine oil sand tailings in column experiments

This study offers new insights into two-lift deposition of mature fine tailings under atmospheric drying. The interaction of newly added lift and former lift(s) was evaluated using column experiments in terms of volumetric water content, electrical conductivity (EC), hydraulic conductivity, geochemistry and microstructure. Water content and EC followed the same trend and decreasing of water content appears to be responsible for significant reduction in EC. Evaporation on top of the column reduced the water content to almost zero. The obtained results support the coupling between the hydraulic and chemical processes that should be considered by active operators.     

细粒尾矿综合利用技术研究

姑山矿业公司为提高细粒尾矿的综合利用率，研究分析了细粒尾矿的性质，系统研究了尾矿含量、煅烧工艺制度对不同成分体系尾矿陶粒堆积密度、表观密度、空隙率、吸水率、筒压强度及软化系数的影响。研究得出了全尾矿陶粒、细粒尾矿+污泥陶粒、细粒尾矿+污泥+粉煤灰陶粒3种成分体系的尾矿陶粒较优的尾矿含量及煅烧工艺制度，且3种尾矿陶粒均可代替石头用作粗集料。     

Experimental study and thermodynamic modeling of the Cu–Sn–Si–O system and sub-systems

Phase equilibria between slag, Cu–Sn alloy and solid oxide phases, SnO₂ (cassiterite) or SiO₂ (tridymite, cristobalite) are important for oxidizing fire refining of black copper produced during the recycling of copper scrap and waste electrical and electronic equipment. Integrated experimental and thermodynamic modeling study is presented for the Cu–Sn–Si–O chemical system and its sub-systems. Experimental technique involved high-temperature equilibration, followed by rapid quenching and direct measurement of Cu, Sn and Si concentrations in the liquid and solid phases using the electron probe X-ray microanalysis. Experimental results and literature data have been used to develop the thermodynamic database for the system. The database works within the environment of FactSage software, as well as ChemApp, ChemSheet and SimuSage. Combined with other assessments, it can be used to optimize and develop recycling processes using the black copper route.     

Effects of hydrogen plasma treatment on the physical and chemical properties of tin oxide thin films for ambipolar thin-film transistor applications

In this study, we investigated the physical and chemical properties of H₂ plasma-treated tin oxide (SnO_X) thin films, followed by their applications in ambipolar thin-film transistors (TFTs). Finely controlled H₂ implantation was carried out using a reactive-ion-etching system at a radio frequency power of 30 W and under various exposure times. H₂ plasma treatments induced changes in the chemical structures and surface morphologies of the SnO_X thin films, including a partial phase transformation of Sn and SnO to SnO₂. The defects originating from oxygen vacancies (O_Vacs) in the SnO_X thin films were passivated by H via the formation of Sn–H bonds, which decreased the density of subgap states in the SnO_X thin films. The H₂ plasma-treated SnO_X TFTs showed considerably improved ambipolarity and electrical performance. Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) logic inverters comprising H₂-plasma-treated ambipolar SnO_X TFTs exhibited a maximum gain of 34.5 V/V at a supply voltage of 10 V. The results of this study present the meaningful investigation of H₂ plasma-treated ambipolar SnO_X TFTs that can be used to fabricate CMOS circuits for various applications.     

磁铁尾矿与石灰石双掺生产优质水泥

受环保压力影响，西乡公司生产水泥用河道淤沙供应紧张，难以满足生产需求且价格上涨幅度较大，严重影响到水泥生产及成本，我们开展了磁铁尾矿在水泥中的应用研究工作，通过连续几个月的生产实践，对物料配比优化，磨机技术改造，实现利用磁铁尾矿与石灰石双掺解决混合材紧缺问题，降低了水泥生产成本，水泥质量及性能稳定。     

南美白对虾进食前后发声信号特点分析

为了探索南美白对虾进食前后发声信号特点和规律,首先进行了养殖虾塘环境下的实验,利用水听器与采集器采集信号;然后利用Matlab软件对信号进行频谱分析和时频分析,得到南美白对虾的发声信号规律。实验证明,在淡水养殖环境下,南美白对虾产生的声信号具有一定的规律,一般情况单个脉冲信号时长为0.005 s,主峰频率在2～10 kHz之间,投饵后主峰频率有所扩大,约在5～15 kHz之间。投饵后南美白对虾随着咀嚼活动的展开产生的信号增多,并且时频域特征明显与投饵前不同。该实验结果为利用南美白对虾产生的信号来控制投饵机实现按需投饵提供了可能。