High efficient separation of olefin from fluid catalytic cracking naphtha: Separation mechanism and universal simulation method

The fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) naphtha critical component-oriented separation process is an efficient method to produce ultra-low-sulfur (<10 μg/g) gasoline with minimal loss of octane number (<1 RON). However, the product quality is highly dependent on the structure of the components of FCC naphtha. Aromatics and thiophene sulfides without a methyl side chain favor the separation of olefin. The major impulse of olefin separation is the solvent-induced dipole of aromatics or thiophene sulfides, leading to a “Plane-to-Plane” combination between the solvent and aromatics or thiophene sulfides, accompanied by a steric hindrance due to their side chains. This condition resulted in 2–3 times greater θ of benzene and thiophene compared with that of toluene and 3-methylthiophene. In addition, an improved non-random two-liquid model was proposed based on the above results, and a simulation method for FCC naphtha solvent extraction process was established. The calculation results accorded well with industry data.     

Turbulence damping above the cloud height in suspensions of concentrated slurries in stirred tanks

Poor mixing in the clear liquid layer above the cloud height has been reported by several authors. This study uses LDV measurements to quantify turbulence above the cloud using a liquid level of 1.5 T to remove the barrier of a free surface at H = T. A D = T/3, down-pumping PBT was used at an off-bottom clearance of C = T/3. Three slurries were tested at impeller speeds 0.8, 1, and 1.2N_js. The change in turbulence was quantified using the normalized root mean square (RMS) of the fluctuating velocity summed and averaged over each radial traverse. A significant difference between the fluctuating values of the cloud height—minimum, average, and maximum—was observed. The turbulence decays until the maximum cloud height. Beyond that, it remains constant and near zero. The effects of both particle size and solids concentration prove to be important.     

Study of filtered interphase heat transfer using highly resolved CFD–DEM simulations

Accurately predicting the complex inhomogeneous heat transfer behavior in gas–solid fluidized beds is of fundamental importance. In this work, we constitute an enhanced filtered interphase heat transfer coefficient (IHTC) closure by systematically filtering the dataset from highly resolved three-dimensional (3D) computational fluid dynamics–discrete element model simulations. Particularly, effects of several potential filtered variable markers on filtered IHTC predictions are examined by statistical analysis. We reveal the formulated filtered IHTC correction closure manifests a systematic dependence on filtered interphase temperature difference as an additional marker. The proposed closure shows good agreement with the filtered fine-grid simulation data in an a priori analysis. Moreover, the difference of filtered IHTC corrections deduced from 3D Euler–Euler and Euler–Lagrange simulations is quantified. Finally, the comparative analysis between our proposed filtered IHTC formulation and those in literature is implemented. This work holds a potential to facilitate the development of thermal gas–solid flow modeling.     

Study on performance characteristics of fused deposition modeling 3D-printed composites by blending and lamination

Component contacting degree in a composite material is an important reference for evaluation the performance characteristics. In this article, two composite material systems involving polylactic acid (PLA) with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and PLA with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were prepared by blending and laminating through fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing technology. The mechanical and thermal properties of the as-prepared composite materials were examined. The results indicated that PLA and TPU played a dominant role in tensile strength and breaking elongation, respectively, in individual composite material. ABS and TPU changed the glass transition peek, crystallinity, and modulus of PLA. The results also suggested that although the processing design of the blending method was more suitable for the contact between two components, but the mechanical properties of laminated composites were closer to theoretical predictions. The structural design and processing technology provide a comparative method and reference basis for studying the performance characteristics of composite materials.     

Importance of Mullins effect in commercial silicone elastomer formulations for soft robotics

Silicone elastomers are used in a wide range of applications, including artificial muscles, biomedical devices, and soft robotics, for which chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability are important requirements that these elastomers must fulfill. However, to ensure that silicone elastomers' properties and performance remain constant under long-term deployment, it is necessary to examine and account for the Mullins effect, which has the potential to significantly alter certain elastomer properties of interest. In this article, the mechanical properties of soft and hard commercial silicone elastomers and two blends of commercial silicone elastomers are investigated—specifically their softening behavior due to the Mullins effect. Ultimate stresses, ultimate strains, and Young's moduli are obtained from uniaxial tensile tests. Results show that the point of softening greatly depends on both the elastomer type and its strain history. Furthermore, a significant permanent set is observed in the softest commercial formulations.     

Upcycling by grafting onto semi-crystalline polymers using supercritical CO2

The creation of graft copolymers by selectively grafting a second polymer to the amorphous fraction of a semi-crystalline polymer in supercritical CO₂ is demonstrated herein. The graft copolymer is synthesized by free radical polymerization of a vinyl monomer within the semi-crystalline polymer below its melt temperature. Such conditions afford selective grafting on the amorphous regions (block “B”) while leaving the crystalline domains (block “A”) unmodified. Accordingly, unique A-B, A-B-A, A-B-A-B-A, and so forth. block structures are formed. In this work, styrene is polymerized within polyamide 6, polyethylene terephthalate, and isotactic polypropylene. Purification of these material is performed to remove the un-grafted homopolymer, allowing for determination of the graft yield, the portion of polymer which covalently bonds to the semi-crystalline matrix. Grafting yields achieved in polyamide 6, polyethylene terephthalate, and isotactic polypropylene were 98%, 59%, and 15%, respectively. Property enhancements were observed upon further characterization of polystyrene-polyamide 6 copolymers, including high glass transition temperatures, the ability to be remelted, and tunable grafting molecular weight. Additionally, hydrophobicity is controlled by varying polystyrene composition. The remarkable range of accessed properties demonstrates this as a potential route to upcycling plastics.     

Sequential ion-electron irradiation of zirconium carbide ceramics: Microstructural analysis

Zirconium Carbide (ZrC_x) was irradiated with 10 MeV Au³⁺ ions to a dose of 10 displacements per atoms (dpa) and subsequently with 100 and 300 keV electrons in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). After ion irradiation, dislocation loops were observed in the microstructure and an increase in the number of carbon vacancies was revealed by Raman spectroscopy. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis showed that neither amorphization nor oxidation occurred during ion irradiation of the specimen. Subsequent electron irradiation of the pre-implanted ZrC_x foil led to formation of nanosized tetragonal ZrO₂ precipitates (5−10 nm diameter) on the surface of the TEM lamella. The formation of the new oxide phase was not related to the electron beam-induced heating of the specimen, but to electron stimulated oxidation caused by the residual oxygen inside the transmission electron microscope. Changes in size and density of ZrO₂ crystallites were observed between the pristine and ion irradiated ZrC_x regions following electron irradiation, suggesting that the initial microstructure of the ZrC_x substrate played a key role in the nucleation and growth of the oxide islands. The obtained results provide insights into the microstructural response of ZrC_x to different types of radiation and the inadvertent effects of the electron beam during TEM analysis of in-situ and ex-situ ion irradiated ZrC_x. Additionally, the findings of this work suggest a method to prepare local ZrO₂ nanoprecipitates within ZrC_x grains by selective electron beam irradiation.     

原位合成ZrC颗粒增强锆基非晶复合材料及力学性能

利用zr与TiC粉末之间的原位反应经铜模铸造方法制备了zrC颗粒增强zr41Til4Cul2.5Ni10Be22．5块状非晶复合材料结果表明：原位合成的ZrC颗粒尺寸细小、形状规整并均匀地分布在非晶基体上．与锆非晶合金相比，复合材料的压缩强度得到提高，塑性得到改善．对ZrC颗粒原位合成及强化机理进行了讨论．     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of laser solid formed 30Cr–Mn–Si–Ni–2A ultra-high-strength steel

ABSTRACT

Microstructure and mechanical properties of laser solid formed 30Cr–Mn–Si–Ni–2A steel are investigated. The deposits consist of epitaxial columnar grains, equiaxed grains or direction changed dendrites can be observed in the bulk specimens. The microstructure at the bottom of deposits is mainly composed of tempered martensite; the middle to top zone of the deposits are characterised by martensite and bainite. With the increasing of deposition height, the volume fraction of bainite increases, the size of martensite laths increases but its volume fraction decreases. The microhardness shows a decrease from the bottom zone to the middle–upper zone, and then a significant increase at the top of the deposits. Anisotropic and unevenly distributed tensile properties are observed for the deposits. Samples after heat treatment demonstrate tensile strength of 1720?MPa and elongation rate of 8.7%.