Microstructure,mechanical, tribological,and oxidizing properties of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings with different modulated thicknesses

Multilayer structure design is one of the most promising methods for improving the comprehensive performance of AlCrN-based hard coatings applied to cutting tools. In this study, four types of AlCrSiN/AlCrVN/AlCrNbN multilayer coatings, with different modulated thicknesses, were deposited to investigate their microstructure, mechanical, tribological, and oxidizing properties. All multilayer coatings exhibited grain growth along the crystallographic plane of (200) with a NaCl-type face-centered cubic (FCC) structure. The results show that, as the modulation thickness decreases from ～35 nm to ～10 nm, (1) the grain refinement effect is increasingly evident; (2) all multilayer coatings show a hardness of >30 GPa and an elastic modulus of >300 GPa. Both the ability to resist elastic strain to failure and the plastic deformation of multilayer coatings increase. In addition, their resistance to cracking reduces; (3) the wear rates of these multilayer coatings reduce successively from 1.78 × 10^?16 m³ N^?1 m^?1 to 7.7 × 10^?17 m³ N^?1 m^?1. This is attributed to an increase in self-lubricating VO_x and a decrease in adhesives from the counterparts; (4) the best high-temperature oxidation resistance was obtained for the multilayer coating with a modulated thickness of ～15 nm.     

Thermomechanical stability and inelastic energy dissipation as durability criteria for fuel cell gas diffusion media with pre-assembly effects

In this article, pre-assembly hot-press pressure and thermal expansion effects in gas-diffusion layers (GDLs) are addressed to explore the practicalities of the constitutive model reported in the companion article. A facile technique is proposed to include deformation history dependent residual strain effects. The model is implemented in the numerical environment and compared with widely followed conventional models such as isotropic and orthotropic material models. With the normal and accelerated thermal expansion effects no significant variation in stresses or strains is reported with the compressible GDL model in contrast to the conventional incompressible form of the GDL model. The present work identifies the critical differences with advanced and extended variants of the model along with conventional GDL material models in terms of planar stress/strain distribution and the membrane response. Finally, the model is simulated for micro-cyclic stress loads of varying amplitudes that imitate the real working conditions of fuel cell. The inelastic energy dissipation in GDLs is predicted using the proposed model, which is utilized further to distinguish the safe (elastic) and unsafe (inelastic shakedown) operating limits. The inelastic collapse of GDLs is shown to be a active function of high amplitude micro-cyclic load with high initial clamping load.     

Study on ice-melting performance of gradient gas diffusion layer in proton exchange membrane fuel cell

In this study, a three-dimensional model was established using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) to study the internal ice melting process of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The single-point second-order curved boundary condition was adopted. The effects of GDL carbon fiber number, growth slope of the number of carbon fibers and carbon fiber diameter on ice melting were studied. The results were revealed that the temperature in the middle and lower part of the gradient distribution GDL is significantly higher than that of the no-gradient GDL. With the increase of the growth slope of the number of carbon fiber, the temperature and melting rate gradually increase, and the position of the solid-liquid interface gradually decreases. The decrease in the number of carbon fibers has a similar effect as the increase in the growth slope of the number of carbon fibers. In addition, as the diameter of the carbon fiber increases, the position of the solid-liquid interface gradually decreases first and then increases.     

Analysis of surface and interior degradation of gas diffusion layer with accelerated stress tests for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

The effects of surface and interior degradation of the gas diffusion layer (GDL) on the performance and durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have been investigated using three freeze-thaw accelerated stress tests (ASTs). Three ASTs (ex-situ, in-situ, and new methods) are designed from freezing ?30 °C to thawing 80 °C by immersing, supplying, and bubbling, respectively. The ex-situ method is designed for surface degradation of the GDL. Change of surface morphology from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by surface degradation of GDL causes low capillary pressure which decreased PEMFC performance. The in-situ method is designed for the interior degradation of the GDL. A decrease in the ratio of the porosity to tortuosity by interior degradation of the GDL deteriorates PEMFC performance. Moreover, the new method showed combined effects for both surface and interior degradation of the GDL. It was identified that the main factor that deteriorated the fuel cell performance was the increase in mass transport resistance by interior degradation of GDL. In conclusion, this study aims to investigate the causes of degraded GDL on the PEMFC performance into the surface and interior degradation and provide the design guideline of high-durability GDL for the PEMFC.     

Symmetric and asymmetric membranes based on La0.5Sr0.5Fe0.7Ga0.3O3-δ perovskite with high oxygen semipermeation flux performances and identification of the rate-determining step of oxygen transport

This work focuses on identifying the rate-determining step of oxygen transport through La_0.5Sr_0.5Fe_0.7Ga_0.3O_3-δ membranes with symmetric and asymmetric architectures. The best oxygen semipermeation fluxes are 3.4 10⁻³ mol. m^-2.s^-1 and 6.3 10⁻³ mol. m^-2.s^-1 at 900 °C for the symmetric membrane and asymmetric membrane with a modified surface. The asymmetric membrane with a modified surface leads to an increase of approximately 7 times the oxygen flux compared to that obtained with the La_0.5Sr_0.5Fe_0.7Ga_0.3O_3-δ dense membrane without surface modification. This work also shows that the oxygen flux is mainly governed by gaseous oxygen diffusion through the porous support of asymmetric La_0.5Sr_0.5Fe_0.7Ga_0.3O_3-δ membranes.     

组合式精馏塔在甲烷氯化物装置精馏系统中的应用

通过对规整填料塔与板式塔的特点进行分析,运用规整填料的低压降、大通量、高效率等特点,以及板式塔的操作稳定性结合在甲烷氯化物精馏塔的改造,通过流程模拟结果及创新性的采用填料与塔板复合的型式,结合填料塔与浮阀塔各自优点形成组合塔,优化了精馏塔运行。     

A signal adaptive diffusion filter for video coding: Mathematical framework and complexity reductions

In this paper we combine video compression and modern image processing methods. We construct novel iterative filter methods for prediction signals based on Partial Differential Equation (PDE) based methods. The mathematical framework of the employed diffusion filter class is given and some desirable properties are stated. In particular, two types of diffusion filters are constructed: a uniform diffusion filter using a fixed filter mask and a signal adaptive diffusion filter that incorporates the structures of the underlying prediction signal. The latter has the advantage of not attenuating existing edges while the uniform filter is less complex. The filters are embedded into a software based on HEVC with additional QTBT (Quadtree plus Binary Tree) and MTT (Multi-Type-Tree) block structure. In this setting, several measures to reduce the coding complexity of the tool are introduced, discussed and tested thoroughly. The coding complexity is reduced by up to 70% while maintaining over 80% of the gain. Overall, the diffusion filter method achieves average bitrate savings of 2.27% for Random Access having an average encoder runtime complexity of 119% and 117% decoder runtime complexity. For individual test sequences, results of 7.36% for Random Access are accomplished.     

Effect of lanthanum doping on water content and diffusion properties of corundum for producing transparent ceramics

The effect of doping corundum with lanthanum on the content of water and other gas impurities, on the diffusion characteristics, on the unit cell size and static strength of fine-crystalline corundum synthesized under thermovapours conditions in a supercritical water fluid was studied.Content, release and diffusion coefficients of water and other volatile impurities in corundum were measured by kinetic thermodesorption mass spectrometry. Water is the main volatile impurity in fine-crystalline corundum. It was found that the introduction of lanthanum into the structure of corundum reduces several times the content of water and other gas-liquid impurities. An increase in the diffusion coefficient of water during the doping of corundum with lanthanum leads to an increase in the degassing rate of fine-crystalline raw materials. When doping corundum, lanthanum, being localized in structural defects, not only displaces structural hydroxyl groups with the formation of strong aluminate-like bonds, but also decreases in the unit cell and increases in the average static strength of the crystals. La-doped corundum, due to the reduced content of water and other gas impurities, is a promising raw material for the production of transparent ceramics.     

聚酯类增塑剂的合成与应用研究进展

综述了国内外聚酯增塑剂的合成及应用的最新研究进展，重点介绍了超支化、生物基、石油基聚酯增塑剂的合成与制备方法以及不同类型聚酯增塑剂在聚氯乙烯(PVC)、淀粉、聚乳酸、聚氨酯弹性体与橡胶制品中的最新应用研究进展；并对聚酯增塑剂未来发展方向做了展望。     

Recent progress of the gas diffusion layer in proton exchange membrane fuel cells: Material and structure designs of microporous layer

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have become the most attractive power supply units for stationary and mobile applications. The operation, design characteristics, as well as performance of PEMFCs, are closely related to the multiphase transport of mass, heat, and electricity in the cell, a critical of which is the gas diffusion layer (GDL). It is very important to guarantee the transmission of water and gasses under high current density, and which is the weakness of PEMFCs at present. Microporous layer (MPL) is considered to be the key variable for mass transfer, so varieties of works focus on modification of MPL materials and its structure design. However, there is still a lack of special review to summarize and prospect the progress of MPL in recent years. This review article therefore focuses on the insights and comprehensive understanding of four critical issues of the MPL, the porosity, pore size distribution, wettability, structural design and the durability of MPL. At last, the conclusion and recommendations section summarized the future prospects and recommendations for possible research opportunities.