An overview on microwave processing of material: A special emphasis on glass melting

Material processing adopting microwave heating has emerged as an alternative tool owing to faster processing, a cleaner environment, and several other advantages. This review provides a summary of recent reports of microwave synthesis of materials. This study reviews the use of microwave energy for application in several material processing technologies apart from food processing. A special emphasis has been made in the processing of glass adopting microwave energy. Melting of glass comprising SiO₂, P₂O₅, B₂O₃ as the main building block has been discussed. It has been revealed that silica, a microwave transparent material as reported earlier, can be heated under microwave heating directly. Microwave absorption of raw materials and different glass system has been discussed. Dielectric properties, particularly loss tangent or loss factor, are presented for some glass composition. Less evaporation of ingredient and low contamination from the crucible wall are noticed during glass melting using microwave heating. Enhanced iron redox ratio (Fe⁺²/∑Fe) in microwave processing may be considered an advantage in the preparation of heat absorbing filter glass. Small-scale glass melting using the microwave heating has a significant impact on energy and time saving. However, the challenges associated with the upscaling glass melting with microwave heating and future scope have been talked about.     

Ultra-fast microwave aided synthesis of gold nanocages and structural maneuver studies

Gold nanocages (AuNcgs) are well-studied,hollow,metallic nanostructures that have fascinated researchers in the fields of nanotechnology,materials science,photoelectronics,biotechnology,and medical science for the last decade.However,the time-consuming synthesis of AuNcgs has limited their widespread use in materials science and nano-biotechnology.A novel,ultra-fast,simple,and highly convenient method for the production of AuNcgs using microwave heating is demonstrated herein.This quick method of AuNcg synthesis requires mild laboratory conditions for large-scale production of AuNcgs.The microwave heating technique offers the advantage of precise mechanical control over the temperature and heating power,even for the shortest reaction period (i.e.,seconds).Microwave-synthesized AuNcgs were compared with conventionally synthesized AuNcgs.Structural maneuver studies employing the conventionally produced AuNcgs revealed the formation of screw dislocations and a shift in the lattice plane.Detailed characterization of the microwave-generated AuNcgs was performed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM),scanning electron microscopy (SEM),X-ray powder diffraction (XRD),and spectroscopic techniques.     

Tuning the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency for 8-layer twinned hexagonal perovskite Ba<Subscript>8</Subscript>ZnTa<Subscript>6</Subscript>O<Subscript>24</Subscript> ceramics

High-Q dielectric materials ilmenite MgTiO₃, columbite MgNb₂O₆ and cubic perovskite Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ with negative temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ _f ) were selected as candidates for compensating the τ _f of hexagonal perovskite Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄. X-ray diffraction data shows that Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄ coexists with Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ but is not compatible with MgTiO₃ and MgNb₂O₆ at high temperature. The τ _f for the mixed hexagonal/cubic perovskite Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄–Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ system is tunable via the temperature compensation effect and its quality factor may be improved via annealing the ceramics at high temperature to enhance the cation ordering in the cubic component. Permittivity ε _r  ~ 22–25, Q×f > 30,000 GHz and tunable τ _f within ±10 ppm/°C were achieved in the range of about 50–80 wt% Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ for the hexagonal/cubic perovskite composite Ba₈ZnTa₆O₂₄–Ba₃NiTa₂O₉ ceramics, which is suitable for the application as dielectric resonators and filters.     

坑道内爆炸冲击波相似律问题探讨

为研究坑道内爆炸冲击波相似律问题,进行了不同药量坑道堵口爆炸实验,并利用ANSYS/LSDYNA软件对原型坑道与模型坑道爆炸冲击波进行数值计算。结果表明:与自由大气中不同,同一坑道内不同药量爆炸产生的冲击波不符合爆炸相似律;若原型坑道与模型坑道几何相似,装药量之比为几何相似比的三次方,则原型坑道与模型坑道内爆炸冲击波符合爆炸相似律;坑道内爆炸冲击波数值模拟时,若原型坑道与模型坑道网格尺寸符合相应的几何相似比,则冲击波计算结果满足相似律,当坑道截面网格密度为1675~2977时可以达到计算精度要求。     

快/慢烤试验中复合推进剂内部温度场的分布

为了研究不同烤燃条件下复合推进剂(PBT/HMX/Al/AP/BU)的响应特性,采用DSC研究了复合推进剂及单组分的热分解特性。复合推进剂的初始分解温度为187.27℃,单组分中BU初始分解温度最低,为192.95℃,表明复合推进剂的热分解过程是从BU开始;分别测量了在快/慢烤试验中,复合推进剂内部温度的变化。结果表明:1)快烤试验中,样品内部温度分布极不均匀。点火90 s后,样品发生反应,此时样品中心的温度为85℃,钢管端盖破裂,样品发生燃烧反应。2)慢烤试验中,样品内部温度分布均匀,几乎无温度差,样品发生反应时,样品内部温度与环境温度均为133℃,试验后样品钢管完全破碎,样品发生了爆轰。由此可见,慢烤试验中,由于样品内部温度分布均匀,发生反应时,大部分样品都处于临界反应温度,一旦激发,破坏效应比快烤试验更严重。     

电气石的环境功能属性及其复合功能材料应用研究

电气石是非金属矿物领域中较为重要的一类硅酸盐类矿物,属非可再生类天然矿物。电气石晶体具有化学成分复杂、晶形及颜色多样等特征。电气石晶体内部的物质及结构特征,使其具有压电性、热释电性、自发极化效应和释放负离子等特性。近年来,关于利用电气石的环境功能属性制备各类复合功能材料的研究已成为备受关注的热点。基于电气石的来源、分类、晶体内部物质成分与结构组成等,概述了电气石的理化结构特征及各环境功能属性,进而论述电气石及其复合功能材料在各个实际领域中的应用,归纳并总结电气石在现今环境污染治理应用当中存在的相关问题,最后对电气石及其复合功能材料的发展前景进行了展望。     

Contextual heat island assessment for pavement preservation

Pavement preservation (PP) is a planned set of construction and material interventions that can extend the pavement’s service life and may also impact sustainability through Heat Island (HI) mitigation. The HI mitigation potential can vary from location-to-location and with time. For agencies to widely adopt the PP, it is necessary to quantify the benefits based on the context of the project. A method to calculate the Global Warming Potential (GWP) for the HI effect was developed and illustrated for four cities in the US: Chicago, Austin, San Diego and Philadelphia, for hypothetical pavements with three preservation options: chip seals, a concrete inlay, and an asphalt concrete inlay. The use phase GWP with respect to HI was estimated for all cases given a 2-, 5-, 7- or 10-year service life. Overall, the HI in the use phase was found to dominate the total GWP relative to the materials and construction phases. The HI GWP savings increase over time, with the 10-year savings being greatest for San Diego using the concrete inlay (22.5?kg CO₂-eq/m²) and smallest for Chicago with a chip seal (8.0?kg CO₂-eq/m²). The savings were found to increase in areas that have a more pronounced HI and could offset GWP in the other phases. The proposed method allows agencies to estimate HI GWP for a specific preservation strategy, location and service life.