Effects of post-mercury-control fly ash on fresh and hardened concrete properties

Activated carbon injection is the most mature technology for mercury capture from coal burning power plants; however, this technology increases the carbon content and mercury concentration in the fly ash. This, in turn, may reduce the suitability of fly ash for use in concrete and call into question the safety of using fly ash derived from this process. The focus of this paper is to investigate the reuse potential of post-mercury-control fly ash in concrete by examining the influence of three fly ashes derived from the activated carbon injection on the air content, compressive strength, permeability, and resistance to freezing and thawing of concrete mixtures. Laboratory testing confirmed the influence of the carbon on the air content of the concrete. However there was no difficulty in entraining air in activated carbon injection fly ash concretes within the recommended dosage range of the air-entraining admixture. All air-entrained fly ash concretes exhibited excellent characteristics in compressive strength (?32.0 MPa, 4641 psi at 28 days), resistance to chloride-ion penetration (moderate to low at 28 days of age) and freeze–thaw (?90 average durability factor after 300 cycles). The possible leaching of toxic elements including mercury from one fly ash sample used in this study was also evaluated using the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure. The test results indicated that the leaching of toxic elements was much lower than the contamination level.     

Influence of Die Lubricants on Pickling and Conversion Treatment of High‐Pressure Die‐Cast AM30 Magnesium Alloy

The pre‐treatment of magnesium‐based components plays an important role in surface engineering technology to guarantee good adhesion of the final coating system to the magnesium substrate in order to achieve good corrosion resistance. This paper focuses on the influence of two different die lubricants—one based on mineral oil, the other on siloxane—on the pickling and conversion treatment of an AM30 alloy. The surface conditions after casting, pickling, and conversion treatment were determined by X‐ray‐induced photoelectron spectroscopy, spark erosion, optical emission spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (including EDX). The influence of the different die lubricants on the result of the pickling treatment in terms of surface morphology and composition was significant. The mineral–oil‐based lubricant was found to be removed more easily and uniformly from the surface. Only sufficient removal of the die lubricants can guarantee homogeneous and uniform formation of the conversion coating.     

On experimental methods to investigate the effect of layer thickness on the fracture behavior of adhesively bonded joints

A number of different experimental methods are used at two independent laboratories to evaluate the influence of layer thickness on the fracture properties of one batch of a crash resistant epoxy adhesive. Both mode I and II are considered. Novel, as well as state of the art methods are used. In mode I, the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and two versions of the Tapered Double Cantilever Beam (TDCB) specimens are utilized; in mode II, two versions of the End Notch Flexure (ENF) and the End-Loaded Shear Joint (ELSJ) specimens are used. Good agreement between the test results is achieved for thin layers in both fracture modes. For thicker layers the variation is larger.     

Doping Rules and Doping Prototypes in A2BO4 Spinel Oxides

A₂BO₄ spinels constitute one of the largest groups of oxides, with potential applications in many areas of technology, including (transparent) conducting layers in solar cells. However, the electrical properties of most spinel oxides remain unknown and poorly controlled. Indeed, a significant bottleneck hindering widespread use of spinels as advanced electronic materials is the lack of understanding of the key defects rendering them as p‐type or n‐type conductors. By applying first‐principles defect calculations to a large number of spinel oxides the major trends controlling their dopability are uncovered. Anti‐site defects are the main source of electrical conductivity in these compounds. The trends in anti‐sites transition levels are systemized, revealing fundamental “doping rules”, so as to guide practical doping of these oxides. Four distinct doping types (DTs) emerge from a high‐throughput screening of a large number of spinel oxides: i) donor above acceptor, both are in the gap, i.e., both are electrically active and compensated (DT‐1), ii) acceptor above donor, and only acceptor is in the gap, i.e., only acceptor is electrically active (DT‐2), iii) acceptor above donor, and only donor is in the gap, i.e., only donor is electrically active (DT3), and iv) acceptor above donor in the gap, i.e., both donor and acceptor are electrically active, but not compensated (DT‐4). Donors and acceptors in DT‐1 materials compensate each other to a varying degree, and external doping is limited due to Fermi level pinning. Acceptors in DT‐2 and donors in DT‐3 are uncompensated and may ionize and create holes or electrons, and external doping can further enhance their concentration. Donor and acceptor in DT‐4 materials do not compensate each other, and when the net concentration of carriers is small due to deep levels, it can be enhanced by external doping.