Preparation and physical properties of the layered niobate Cu0.5Nb3O8: Application to photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The new layered niobate Cu_0.5Nb₃O₈ is synthesized by soft chemistry in aqueous electrolyte via Cu²⁺→H⁺ exchange between copper nitrate and HNb₃O₈·H₂O. The characterization of the exchanged product is made by means of thermal gravimetry, chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Thermal analysis shows a conversion to anhydrous compound above 500 °C. The oxide displays a semiconductor like behavior; the thermal variation of the conductivity shows that d electrons are strongly localized and the conduction is thermally activated with activation energy of 0.13 eV. The temperature dependence of the thermopower is indicative of an extrinsic conductivity; the electrons are dominant carriers in conformity with an anodic photocurrent. Indeed, the Mott–Schottky plot confirms n-type conduction from which a flat band potential of −0.82 V_SCE, an electronic density of 8.72×10¹⁹ m⁻³ and a depletion width of 4.4 nm are determined. The upper valence band, located at ~5.8 eV below vacuum is made up predominantly of Cu²⁺: 3d with a small admixture of O²⁻: 2p orbitals whereas the conduction band consists of empty Nb⁵⁺: 5s level. The energy band diagram shows the feasibility of the oxide for the photocatalytic hydrogen production upon visible light (29 mW cm⁻²) with a rate evolution of 0.31 mL g⁻¹ min⁻¹.     

Separation of hematite from banded hematite jasper (BHJ) by magnetic coating

The separation of iron oxide from banded hematite jasper(BHJ) assaying 47.8% Fe, 25.6% Si O2 and 2.30%Al2O3 using selective magnetic coating was studied. Characterization studies of the low grade ore indicate that besides hematite and goethite,jasper, a microcrystalline form of quartzite, is the major impurity associated with this ore. Beneficiation by conventional magnetic separation technique could yield a magnetic concentrate containing 60.8% Fe with 51% Fe recovery. In order to enhance the recovery of the iron oxide minerals, fine magnetite, colloidal magnetite and oleate colloidal magnetite were used as the coating material. When subjected to magnetic separation, the coated ore produces an iron concentrate containing 60.2% Fe with an enhanced recovery of56%. The AFM studies indicate that the coagulation of hematite particles with the oleate colloidal magnetite facilitates the higher recovery of iron particles from the low grade BHJ iron ore under appropriate conditions.     

The effects of electrical comminution on the mineral liberation and surface chemistry of a porphyry copper ore

The surface chemistry and mineral liberation changes of a porphyry copper ore after high voltage pulse (HVP) electrical comminution have been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and mineral liberation analysis (MLA). Previous studies suggest that electrical comminution has the potential to improve downstream flotation recoveries, due to increased mineral liberation. However, until now the effects on the surface chemistry have not been investigated in detail.The mineral liberation results showed that chalcopyrite was more liberated in the electrical comminution product than in mechanical comminution, noticeably in the coarser size fractions. The surface chemistry of pure chalcopyrite was investigated, using XPS, and high resolution scans of iron and sulphur showed that both comminution methods led to iron oxidising preferentially leaving behind a passivating film of copper sulphides. However, the HVP product oxidisation was more severe with more iron oxide being produced and further oxidation of the remaining copper sulphides into copper sulphate. An attrition grinding stage may be useful in removing the oxidised layer from the surface of the particles prior to flotation separation. This paper presents a new application of the HVP technology in hybrid procedures using electrical comminution and mechanical grinding to prepare the flotation feed, rather than using excessive pulse energy to fully disintegrate ore to the flotation size. Better liberation and flotation performance were achieved through the hybrid procedures than the comparative mechanical comminution.     

Sol-Gel Preparation and Luminescence Properties of BaMgAl10O17∶Eu2+ Phosphors

The synthesis of BaMgAl10O17∶ Eu2 (BAM) phosphors using the sol-gel method and their luminescence properties were reported. The blue-light emitting BAM was synthesized using citric acid and ethylene glycol as chelating materials. Emission of blue-light was obtained from these phosphors. The luminescent intensity increases as the temperature of heat treatment is increased. This study investigated the effects of the molar ratio of ethylene glycol to citric acid (Φ value), with respect to the phase formation and luminescence properties of BAM. The variation of the Φ value resulted in the change of the sol-gel reaction mechanism and the microstructures of the resultant powders. An increase in Φ value leads to an increase in the rate of BAM phase formation. The photoluminescent intensity of the prepared phosphors increases with heating temperatures because of enhanced crystallization.     

Effects of Rare Earths on Toughness of 31Mn2SiRE Wear-Resistance Cast Steel

The toughness of 31Mn2SiRE wear-resistance cast steel were increased by means of RE compound modification and high temperature austenitizing. The results show that the microstructures can be refined, needle and network ferrite are eliminated, the dislocation density and the quantity of dislocated martensite are increased remarkably, and the shape and distribution of inclusions are improved by the addition of RE. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the modified steel can be greatly increased, especially the toughness (αK) by 44%, yield strength (σs) by 10%, and elongation (δ5) by 42%.     

The effect of ionic cross-links on the deformation behavior of homoblends made of poly(styrene-co-styrenesulfonic acid) and poly(styrene-co-4-vinylpyridine)

Deformation behavior of stoichiometric blends made from poly(styrene-co-styrenesulfonic acid) (SPS) and poly(styrene-co-4-vinylpyridine) (SVP) was investigated by TEM observation of strained thin films. An FTIR investigation revealed that ionic cross-links were formed between the component polymers upon blending due to intermolecular ion-ion interactions, which arose from proton transfer from sulfonic acid groups to pyridine groups. TEM observations indicate that the deformation mode of the blends changed from crazing only to crazing plus shear deformation, with the shear contribution becoming larger, as the ion content in the blends increased. Such changes in deformation mode can be understood as arising from an increase in the ‘effective’ strand density due to the formation of ionic cross-links upon blending. It was also found that the ionic cross-links via pyridinium cation/sulfonate anion ion pairs were more effective in inducing the transition of deformation mode than ionic cross-links via -SO₃⁻/Na⁺ or -SO₃⁻/Ca²⁺ ion pairs.     

Effect of Stoichiometry on Properties of Rare-Earth-Based Hydrogen Storage Alloy for Nickel-Metal Hydride Secondary Battery

Effect of stoichiometry on microstructures, electrochemical properties and PCT characteristics of the alloys MI(Ni0.71Co0.15-Al0.06Mn0.08)x (MI=Lanthanum-rich Michmetal, x=4.6~5.2) have been investigated. The lattice constants a, c, and cellvolumes of non-stoichiometric alloys are bigger than those of the stoichiometric alloy. With the increasing stoichiometry x,the value of a decreases, and the value of c and cell volume increases except for those of the stoichiometric alloy; the plateaupressure of PCT curve, discharge capacity and cycling stability all increase. The alloy with x=5.2 shows the highest dischargecapacity and the best cycling stability among the studied alloys.     

聚合物载体－稀土金属络合物的研究 ⅩⅢ．聚［苯乙烯－甲基丙烯酸β（甲基亚硫酰基）乙酯］的结构与其稀土金属络合物催化丁二烯聚合的活性

从测得的竞聚率计算了单体链节在聚［苯乙烯－甲基丙烯酸β（甲基亚硫酰基）乙酯］（ＰＳＭ）中的序列分布。苯乙烯（Ｓ）或甲基丙烯酸β（甲基亚硫酰基）乙酯（Ｍ）的长序列的概率随着ＰＳＭ中相应单体含量的增加而增加。对于Ｓ和Ｍ摩尔分数大致相等的ＰＳＭ，单体链节的长序列分布函数值相接近。用与此结构相近的ＰＳＭ合成的稀土金属络合物，其催化活性不佳。在Ｍ短序列分布和Ｓ长序列分布较高的情况下，络合物的催化活性最好。所得聚丁二烯的微观结构与ＰＳＭ中单体单元的分布无关。     

Ionic transport in amorphous anodic titania stabilised by incorporation of silicon species

Incorporation of silicon species from an alloy substrate into anodic titania is shown to stabilise the structure of the film, facilitating investigation of the ionic transport processes in amorphous titania grown at high efficiency. Thus, an amorphous anodic film developed on a sputtering-deposited Ti-6 at.%Si alloy formed to 100 V in phosphoric acid electrolyte in contrast to a partially crystalline film developed on relatively pure titanium at <20 V. Silicon species, which are immobile and act as marker species in the growing film, are present in the inner 58% of the film thickness. Evidently, the film material forms simultaneously at the film/electrolyte and alloy/film interfaces by co-operative transport of cations and anions, as is usual in amorphous anodic oxides. The phosphate anions incorporated from the electrolyte migrate inward at 0.34 times the rate of O²⁻ ions and hence are present in the outer 62% of the film thickness.     

HPMBP与伯胺N_(1923)对希土元素(Ⅲ)的协同萃取

本文研究了HPMBP与伯胺N_(1923)的二甲苯溶液,从盐酸介质中协同萃取希土(Ⅲ)的机理。用斜率法、恒摩尔法确定了协萃配合物的组成为:RNH_3Ln(PMBP)_4。求得关于Pr(Ⅲ)协萃反应的平衡常数及协萃配合物的生成常数分别为:logK_(12)=-1.95;logβ_(12)=3.94。实验发现,协萃系数(R)随希土元素的原子序数(Z)递变而呈现“双峰效应”。还研究了协萃配合物的IR,NMR谱。