An image encryption scheme based on precision limited chaotic system

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In recent years, various chaotic maps have been used for image encryption. However, most of these image encryption algorithms entail a lot of floating-point...     

YSZ/MoS2 self-lubricating coating fabricated by thermal spraying and hydrothermal reaction

Thermal sprayed ceramic coatings have extensively been used in components to protect them against friction and wear. However, the poor lubricating ability severely limits their application. Herein, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/MoS₂ composite coatings were successfully fabricated on steel substrate with the combination of thermal spraying technology and hydrothermal reaction. Results show that the synthetic MoS₂ powders are composed of numbers of ultra-thin sheets (about 7 ~ 8?nm), and the sheet has obvious lamellar structure. After vacuum impregnation and hydrothermal reaction, numbers of MoS₂ powders, look like flowers, generate inside the plasma sprayed YSZ coating. Moreover, the growing point of the MoS₂ flower is the intrinsic micro-pores of YSZ coating. The friction and wear tests under high vacuum environment indicate that the composite coating has an extremely long lifetime (>?100,000 cycles) and possesses a low friction coefficient less than 0.1, which is lower by about 0.15 times than that of YSZ coating. Meanwhile, the composite shows an extremely low wear rate (2.30?×?10^?7 mm³ N^?1 m^?1) and causes slight wear damage to the counterpart. The excellent lubricant and wear-resistant ability are attributed to the formation of MoS₂ transfer films and the ultra-smooth of the worn surfaces of hybrid coatings.     

含煤盆地深层“超饱和”煤层气形成条件

中国深层煤层气资源丰富，但总体勘探和认识程度较低，尚未形成较为系统的深层煤层气地质理论。通过解剖分析准噶尔盆地白家海凸起和鄂尔多斯盆地临兴区块深层"超饱和"煤层气井的试气/生产动态，估算原地游离气的含气量，分析了深层"超饱和"煤层气的形成条件。研究表明：①深层"超饱和"煤层气储层中除吸附气外，还含有原地游离气，用常规试气方法可直接获得气流，煤层气的产出不明显依赖于排水降压；②埋藏超过一定深度，在煤阶和温度的综合作用下，煤的吸附能力将随埋深的继续增加而降低，煤层中吸附气的饱和度有增加的趋势，在达到吸附饱和后，出现原地游离气并形成"超饱和"煤层气，盆地深层具有"超饱和"煤层气形成的优势条件；③由于地温梯度和压力梯度的不同，不同盆地"超饱和"煤层气出现的临界深度不同，异常高压和异常高热流可以降低深层"超饱和"煤层气形成的临界深度；④深层"超饱和"煤层气开发具有大大缩短见气时间、充分利用地层能量和累积产水量低等优势，有望成为未来煤层气勘探开发的一个重要领域。     

Corrosion resistance of Al–Cr-slag containing chromium–corundum refractories to slags with different basicity

Al–Cr slag is the solid waste generated by the smelting of Cr metal. It presents a range of environmental hazards. This study addressed the corrosion resistance of Al–Cr slag containing chromium–corundum refractories to slags with different basicity. Herein, we provide suggestions for the use of Cr–corundum of different basicity in kilns. Al–Cr slag, brown fused Al₂O₃, and chrome green were used as the raw materials, with pure calcium aluminate cement being used as a binder. The brick samples, prepared using different blends of chrome green and corundum, were fired at 1600?°C, and subsequently subjected to a slag corrosion test. After corrosion by slag of different basicity, the phase composition and microstructure of the sample were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectrometer and scanning electron microscopy. There were two major findings. First, Cr–corundum brick made from Al–Cr slag has a better slag corrosion resistance than that made from Cr₂O₃ and brown fused Al₂O₃. Second, Cr–corundum brick made from Al–Cr slag has superior corrosion resistance to slag with a CaO:SiO₂ ratio of 2:1.     

Formation of a protective layer against corrosion on Mg alloy via alkali pretreatment followed by vanillic acid treatment

Although Mg alloy possesses high specific strength, low density, and good biocompatibility, poor corrosion resistance hinders its further applications. In the present study, an innovative protective layer against corrosion was prepared on the AZ31 Mg alloy via alkali pretreatment followed by vanillic acid treatment. The alkali pretreatment supplied –OH for the AZ31 Mg alloy surface to react with vanillic acid. The vanillic acid treatment played a crucial role in enhancing the corrosion resistance due to the excellent ability to act as a barrier and retard aqueous solution penetration, which effectively isolated the underlying Mg alloy from the corrosive environment. The corrosion current density of alkali and vanillic acid-treated Mg alloy (AZ31V) almost showed two orders of magnitude lower values in comparison with that of the AZ31 Mg alloy, and the corrosion potential of AZ31V Mg alloy increased from −1.41 to −1.25 V. The immersion tests proved that there was no occurrence of severe corrosion. Hence, the alkali pretreatment and vanillic acid treatment may represent a promising method to improve the corrosion resistance of Mg alloy.     

Computational Fluid Dynamics Study on a Top-Blown Smelting Process with Lance Failure in an Isa Furnace

JOM - The Isa/Ausmelt smelting technology with a top submerged lance (TSL) has been extensively used in copper smelting processes. However, the TSL is extremely vulnerable to damage and failure...     

In-situ crystal growth and photoluminescence properties of YBO3: Tb3+ microstructures

Three-dimensional (3D) YBO₃:Tb³⁺ flower-like and dense flower-like hierarchitecture constituted of nanoflakes are solvothermally synthesized in the presence of polyborate precursors in the mixture of ethanol and water. The growth process of the YBO₃:Tb³⁺ flowers and dense flowers was explored based on the time-dependent experiment and the results showed that the growth mechanism follows an in situ growth rather than self-assembly process as reported previously. YBO₃:Tb³⁺ morphologies composed of nanoflakes are achieved by controlling the concentration of ethanol and dependence of photoluminescence on morphology was studied. Remarkable photoluminescence enhancement was observed for YBO₃:Tb³⁺ with flower-like morphology demonstrating the potential of the microstructure in future applications as a green phosphor. Such a synthetic method and growth mechanism may be applied to fabricate complex 3D architectures of other materials.