Linear birefringence studies on the ferroelastic phase transition in betaine borate crystal

Linear birefringence studies were performed for the BBO crystal in the temperature range of 120-300 K. The linear birefringence changes induced by the ferroelastic phase transition at about 145 K were analysed and the critical index β was determined. The layered ferroelastic domain structure with domain walls oriented along the c- and a-axis was observed on the b-plate.     

A Microscopic study of the transformation of sphalerite particles during the roasting of zinc concentrate

The formation of zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) during the roasting of iron-bearing zinc concentrates requires substantial additional processing to recover the zinc from this compound by leaching and to eliminate the iron from the leachate. The phase changes that occur in the particles of a typical industrial zinc sulfide concentrate during roasting in a fluidized bed at 1223 K were investigated by the use of light microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and SEM with EDS. The processes which the iron undergoes during its eventual transformation into ferrite have been clarified by examination of the phases and the morphology of partially roasted marmatitic sphalerite particles (Zn, Fe)S, and by reference to the known phase equilibria involved in the Zn-Fe-S-0 system. The oxidation of ironbearing sphalerite occurs in three stages. The first involves the selective diffusion of most of the iron to the particle surface resulting in the formation of an iron oxide shell enclosing a largely unreacted zinc sulfide kernel. In the second stage, this kernel is oxidized to form a solid solution of zinc oxide and iron oxide. The iron is initially present in the ferrous state but, with the disappearance of the sulfide kernel, is oxidized to ferric iron. In the final stage, this dissolved iron oxide and the iron oxide shell react with the surrounding zinc oxide to form the refractory spinel zinc ferrite.     

Long-term low-dose calcitriol treatment in predialysis chronic renal failure: can it prevent hyperparathyroid bone disease?

In an uncontrolled open study 13 patients with moderate to preterminal renal failure were treated with low doses (average 0.36 micrograms/day) of calcitriol up to the time of renal transplantation, which was performed before dialysis had been initiated. A transiliac bone biopsy was obtained both at the start and at the end of the treatment period, the latter coinciding with renal transplantation. All patients who started calcitriol treatment at a creatinine clearance (Ccr) above 30 ml/min had normal bone histology at the time of transplantation, but this was not observed when calcitriol treatment was started at Ccr below 30 ml/min. The study suggests that full benefit of calcitriol at the bone level is obtained only if prophylactic administration is started early in the course of renal failure.     

The thermal ignition of lignocellulosics in infinite slab and cubic geometries

Wood shaving samples were heated in both cubic baskets and in a previously described system realising the conditions of the ‘infinite slab’ in thermal ignition. Results from the two sets of experiment were found to be totally consistent with each other.     

The adsorption/impregnation of catalytic precursors on pure and composite oxides

Three intrinsically connected phenomena occur during adsorption/impregnation of aqueous electrolytes onto oxide carriers. They are: pH-dependent development of surface charge carriers on the oxide; pH-dependent aqueous speciation of catalytic precursors; surface adsorption by complexation and coordination. Modeling of these processes yields basic thermodynamic properties of the adsorbed phase, which could provide useful information of the catalytic properties of the metal, support, and reveal metal-support interactions, thus contributing to design criteria for supported-metal catalysts.

The spectrum of catalytic systems that can be studied using the above approach is greatly extended when both pure and composite oxide carriers are considered. This presentation will focus on three metal/support systems, each of which provides results of both practical and fundamental importance.