Robust Metallic Actuators Based on Nanoporous Gold Rapidly Dealloyed from Gold–Nickel Precursors

Dealloyed nanoporous gold (np-Au) has applications as oxygen reduction catalysis in Li-air batteries and fuel cells, or as actuators to convert electricity into mechanical energy. However, it faces the challenges of coarsening-induced structure instability, mechanical weakness due to low relative densities, and slow dealloying rates. Here, monolithic np-Au is dealloyed from a single-phase Au₂₅Ni₇₅ solid-solution at a one-order faster dealloying rate, ultra-low residual Ni content, and importantly, one-third more relative density than np-Au dealloyed from conventional Au₂₅Ag₇₅. The small atomic radius and low dealloying potential of the sacrificing element Ni are intrinsically beneficial to fast produce high relative density np-Au, as predicted by a general model for dealloying of binary alloys and validated by experiments. Stable, durable, and reversible actuation of np-Au takes place under cyclic potential triggering in alkaline and acidic electrolytes with negligible coarsening-induced strain-shift. The thermal and mechanical robustness of bulk np-Au is confirmed by two-order slower ligament coarsening rates during annealing at 300 °C and 45 MPa macroscopic yielding strength distinctive from the typical early onset of plastic yielding. This article opens a rich direction to achieve high relative density np-Au which is essential for porous network connectivity, mechanical strength, and nanostructure robustness for electrochemical functionality.     

某铁矿强磁尾矿反浮选回收试验研究

针对我国西部某铁矿强磁选尾矿进行了反浮选回收铁资源的试验研究, 探讨了pH值、抑制剂可溶性淀粉用量、阳离子捕收剂十二胺用量对浮选指标的影响。结果表明, 在矿浆pH=10、可溶性淀粉用量2 400 g/t、十二胺用量400 g/t条件下进行一粗一精(精选药剂用量减半)闭路反浮选, 可获得铁品位43.88%、回收率50.93%的铁精矿产品。     

Performance of BaZrO3/Y2O3 dual-phase refractory applied to TiAl alloy melting

Vacuum induction melting is a potential process for the preparation of TiAl alloys with good homogeneity and low cost. But the crucial problem is a selection of high stability refractory. In this study, a BaZrO₃/Y₂O₃ dual-phase refractory was prepared and its performance for melting TiAl alloys was studied and compared with that of a Y₂O₃ refractory. The results showed the dual-phase refractory consisted of BaZr_1-xY_xO_3-δ and Y₂O₃(ZrO₂), exhibited a thinner interaction layer (30 μm) than the Y₂O₃ refractory (90 μm) after melting the TiAl alloy. Although the TiAl alloys melted in the dual-phase and Y₂O₃ refractory exhibited similar oxygen contamination (<0.1 wt%), the alloy melted in the dual-phase refractory had smaller Y₂O₃ inclusion content and size than that in the Y₂O₃ refractory, indicating that the dual-phase refractory exhibited a better melting performance than the Y₂O₃ refractory. This study provides insights into the process of designing highly stable refractory for melting TiAl alloys.     

Maskless Preparation of Spatially-Resolved Plasmonic Nanoparticles on Polydimethylsiloxane via In Situ Fluoride-Assisted Synthesis

Here, a fluoride-assisted route for the controlled in-situ synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) (i.e., AgNPs, AuNPs) on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is reported. The size and coverage of the NPs on the PDMS surface are modulated with time and over space during the synthetic process, leveraging the improved yield (10×) and faster kinetics (100×) of NP formation in the presence of F⁻ ions, compared to fluoride-free approaches. This enables the maskless preparation of both linear and step gradients and patterns of NPs in 1D and 2D on the PDMS surface. As an application in flexible plasmonics/photonics, continuous and step-wise spatial modulations of the plasmonic features of PDMS slabs with 1D and 2D AgNP gradients on the surface are demonstrated. An excellent spatially resolved tuning of key optical parameters, namely, optical density from zero to 5 and extinction ratio up to 100 dB, is achieved with AgNP gradients prepared in AgF solution for 12 minutes; the performance are comparable to those of commercial dielectric/interference filters. When used as a rejection filter in optical fluorescence microscopy, the AgNP-PDMS slabs are able to reject the excitation laser at 405 nm and retain the green fluorescence of microbeads (100 µm) used as test cases.     

Degradation mechanism of high alumina refractory bricks by reaction with deposits in a rotary kiln for fluxed iron ore pellets production

The formed deposits wear out of refractory wall linings in the rotary kiln and may cause production disturbances. This study describes the chemical composition and mineralogical phase components at the deposit/refractory interface in the rotary kiln for fluxed iron ore pellets production. The main phases of refractory bricks are corundum and mullite, while the deposits mainly contain hematite and silicates. The main phases in the deposit/refractory brick contact zone are hematite, anorthite (CaAl₂Si₂O₈), mullite, corundum, and silicates. Moreover, the hematite phases in the deposit/brick interface averagely contain 6.98 wt% Al and 1.38 wt% Ti. The silicates in the contact zone contain higher aluminium content and lower iron content than the silicates in the deposits. Finally, the thermodynamic analysis indicates that the main phases in the deposits can react with the refractory to form Al₂Fe₂O₆, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, feldspar, and liquid phases lead to the degradation of bricks in the kiln during the iron ore pellets production.     

Improvement in the properties of low carbon MgO-C refractories through the addition of graphite-SiC micro-composite

Graphite–SiC micro-composites have been prepared in–house by carbothermal reduction process. Controlling the process parameters including the weight ratio of SiO₂ to graphite as well as carbothermal reduction temperature during the micro-composite preparation favors the homogeneous formation of SiC with preferred morphologies like ribbons and whiskers/fibers. The micro-composite modified low carbon MgO-C refractories have exhibited significantly improved bulk properties over the standard composition. To understand the beneficial role of SiC reinforcement on hot strength performance under air oxidizing conditions, we propose a scaling parameter known as strength factor (fs) based on the ratio of hot strength (HMOR) to cold strength (CCS). Correlating the strength factor data (fs) with oxidative damage provides new insights into the reinforcing effects of distinct SiC morphologies in this new class of micro-composite fortified refractory systems over the standard compositions.     

Black phosphorous nanosheets–gold nanoparticles–cisplatin for photothermal/photodynamic treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma

To improve five-year survival rate of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the development of a novel composite material of black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for tumor treatment was carried out. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cytostatic effects of BPNSs, AuNPs loaded with cisplatin (CDDP) on human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells lines (SCC-9), and 7,12-dimethylbenz anthracene induced cheek squamous cell carcinoma was validated in golden hamsters animal models. The results showed that BPNSs could efficiently inhibit the metastasis and growth of OSCC compared with CDDP and AuNPs. And a combination composite of AuNPs–BPNSs loaded with CDDP could more effectively inhibit the metastasis and growth of OSCC, which might be due to the high drug-loading capacity, excellent photothermal properties and the combination of photodynamic and photothermal therapy of BPNSs and AuNPs, as well as the synergistic effects of AuNPs, BPNSs and CDDP.     

配加蒙古精矿对球团矿性能的影响

对蒙古精矿在包钢624 m2带式球团的合理利用进行了全面研究。研究表明，随着蒙古精矿配比增加，球团矿品位提高，还原膨胀率增加，当配比小于20%时，还原膨胀率小于20.0%，主要是由于还原后球团矿矿物组成中析出大量金属铁，在浮氏体(FexO)转变为铁的阶段，铁晶粒自浮士体表面向外长出晶须，晶须的生长让晶粒产生位移或晶粒开裂，导致球团结构疏松发生膨胀。通过添加适量矽石，可显著降低球团还原膨胀率，当配加30%～50%的蒙古精矿时，可通过添加1.0%～2.0%的矽石，将球团还原膨胀率降低至20%以内，球团矿质量满足高炉冶炼生产要求。     

Rapid Synthesis and Antiproliferative Properties of Polyazamacrocycle-Based Bi- and Tetra-Gold(I) Phosphine Dithiocarbamate Complexes

A family of bi- and tetrametallic gold(I) phosphine dithiocarbamate complexes were synthesized, starting from cyclam and dimethylcyclam polyazamacrocycles, respectively, along with their monometallic gold(I) chloridophosphine precursors. Their antiproliferative properties were evaluated on two cancer cell lines (A549 and NSCLC-N6-L16). Most of the mono- and bimetallic complexes displayed strong activities and, in particular, one bimetallic derivative showed antiproliferative properties in the low micromolar range. Insights into the structure–activity relationships are given, along with determination of the thioredoxin reductase inhibition potential, two-photon imaging of the fluorescent derivatives, and evaluation of gold uptake.     

Decomposition process of bastnaesite concentrate in NaOH-CaO-H_2O system

A novel process of calcification-leaching for bastnaesite concentrate(REFCO_3) was proposed. The prior calcification was carried out in the system of NaOH-CaO-H_2O and the lgC-pH pattern for Ce-F-Ca-C-H_2O system was drawn. The thermodynamics result indicates that decomposition for bastnaesite requires certain alkaline condition, but excessive alkalinity also causes decomposition of CaF_2. XRD and SEM-EDS analyses on the calcification-leaching process reveal that bastnaesite first decomposes into RE(OH)_3 and CaF_2. Then, by HCl leaching rare earths were extracted,while CaF_2 was left in the leaching residue. In addition, effects of temperature, time, NaOH and CaO on the calcification were investigated. The results show that the leaching rate of rare earths(REs)reaches 72.5 wt%, at the same time 99.2 wt% of F is left in leaching residue with 20 wt% NaOH and 38 wt% CaO at 493 K for 180 min.