Nanocrystalline TiO2 photosensitized with natural polymers with enhanced efficiency from 400 to 600 nm

TiO₂ sensitization for solar applications requires not only efficient but also stable and inexpensive sensitizers. Different condensed tannins extracted from bark wastes of tropical wood trees were studied as possible sensitizers of TiO₂. These natural polymers adhere strongly to the TiO₂ even from aqueous solutions. Absorption spectra are presented for 1 mM aqueous sensitizing solutions prepared with lyophilized condensed tannins which absorb light in the visible range. Spectral photocurrent measurements and I–V characterization show that no bias is required for electron injection to the TiO₂ from all studied condensed tannins. Incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) analysis indicates that surface complexation originates absorption bands with different electron injection efficiencies. These play a dominant role in determining IPCE spectral shape. We propose that surface modification by the sensitizer changes the surface trap density, thereby decreasing recombination losses.     

Iterative finite element model of nonlinear viscoplastic analyses for blended granular porous media

The iterative finite element model, in which an element is used to represent a single particle, is generated to analyze the global behavior of multiple-material aggregates of materially nonlinear viscoplastic particles. The generalized Maxwell model is used to define four types of specific nonlinear viscoplastic materials, which are the elasto visco-plastic matter with linear viscosity, the plasto visco-plastic material with linear viscosity, the elasto visco-plastic media with nonlinear viscosity, and the plasto visco-plastic media with nonlinear viscosity. The theory and relevant penalty iterative algorithm are developed to analyze the four representative mixed granular systems consisting of materially nonlinear viscous particles. To verify precision of stress calculation, solutions of an axis-symmetric radial flow problem are compared with results of the literature and they are in a great agreement. The results present here provide significant insight into the fundamental behavior of granular media under compaction conditions, including prediction of the overall aggregates stress-strain response.     

Facile synthesis of nanocrystalline zinc ferrite via a self-propagating combustion method

Macroporous nanocrystalline zinc ferrite with single spinel-phase was prepared by a facile self-propagating combustion method using zinc nitrate, iron nitrate and glycine. The as-prepared ZnFe₂O₄ were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, N₂ adsorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS). The magnetic properties of the prepared ZnFe₂O₄ were also studied.     

Positively Thermo‐Sensitive Monodisperse Core–Shell Microspheres

In this paper, we report on a novel family of monodisperse thermo‐sensitive core–shell hydrogel microspheres that is featured with high monodispersity and positively thermo‐responsive volume phase transition characteristics with tunable swelling kinetics, i.e., the particle swelling is induced by an increase rather than a decrease in temperature. The microspheres were fabricated in a three‐step process. In the first step, monodisperse poly(acrylamide‐co‐styrene) seeds were prepared by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization. In the second step, poly(acrylamide) or poly[acrylamide‐co‐(butyl methacrylate)] shells were fabricated on the microsphere seeds by free radical polymerization. In the third step, the core–shell microspheres with poly‐ (acrylamide)/poly(acrylic acid) based interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) shells were finished by a method of sequential IPN synthesis. The proposed monodisperse core–shell microspheres provide a new mode of the phase transition behavior for thermo‐sensitive “smart” or “intelligent” monodisperse micro‐actuators that is highly attractive for targeting drug delivery systems, chemical separations, sensors, and so on.     

超细铁粉和氧化铁颗粒的研究

用透射电镜和图像分析仪等研究了超细铁粉和γ-Fe_2O_3粉末的结构、形貌、粒子的平均尺寸以及粒度分布。研究结果表明,多数超细铁粉粒子近似呈球形,并且,铁粉粒子由两相组成,粒子的核心部分是金屑a-Fe,表面的包裹层为氧化物层,它由Fe_3O_4和7-Fe_O_3的混合物组成。氧化层的平均厚度大约占整个粒子直径的20％左右。羰基铁粉粒子(含氧化层)的平均直径为16nm。直径在4～24nm范围的粒子数占总粒子数的91％,而7-Fe_2O_3粉末既有雪茄状粒子,也有小球状粒子。分析表明,球状粒子的平均直径为113nm,雪茄状粒子的平均直径(按<长 宽>/2计算)为148nm。由于超细铁粉粒子很细,且有磁性,制备电镜试样时分散比较困难。本文比较了几种分散方法后,使用了一种较好的分散方法——超声喷管分散法。     

金刚石薄膜中晶粒尺寸的研究

扫描电子显微研究表明，化学汽相沉积的金刚石薄膜中晶粒大小比较均匀。但随着沉积时间和薄膜厚度的增加，晶粒逐渐变大，且每一层内，存在少量的大金刚石颗粒，讨论了晶粒尺寸变化和大晶粒形成的原因和机制。     

Growth structure investigation of MgF2 and NdF3 films grown by molecular beam deposition on CaF2(111) substrates

The growth structure of MgF₂ and NdF₃ films grown on polished CaF₂(111) substrates deposited by molecular beam deposition has been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of microfractographical and surface replications as well as cross-sectional TEM, atomic force microscopy, packing density, and absorption measurements. It has been shown that by taking advantage of ultrahigh vacuum environments and a special stratification property of MgF₂ and NdF₃ films, the preparation of nanocrystalline films of high packing density and low optical absorption is possible at a substrate temperature of 425 K.     

Paste Residence Time in a Spouted Bed Dryer. II: Effect of Spout Operational Conditions

Residence time distributions for an aqueous solution of 10% sodium chloride in a spouted bed dryer of inert particles were determined using the stimulus-response technique. Glass and polyethylene beads with diameters 2.6 and 3.4 mm were used as inert bodies in a cylindrical column of 14.0 cm diameter and 60° conical base. The effects of inert bodies load, air, and paste flow rates on the mean residence times and RTD were determined following 2³ factorial designs. The RTD could be correlated to the perfect mixing cell model with R² varying from 0.8684 to 0.9815. The mean residence times in CSBD varied from 10.8 to 13.9 and 10.7 to 13.3 min for glass and polyethylene beads, respectively. For both inert particles, mean residence times increased with bed height and decreased with paste feed rates. Also, terms of interaction among the factors were significant in some cases, showing a complex behavior of paste residence times. Equations obtained by response surface regression could predict mean residence times on glass and polyethylene beads with deviations lower than ±10%.     

THERMAL RADIATION EFFECTS ON THE COMBUSTION BEHAVIOR OF POROUS CHAR PARTICLES

The effects of thermal radiation on the pseudosteady state and transient behavior of porous char particles exposed to an oxygen containing environment are investigated. The numerical simulation results show that particles that do not interchange radiant energy with their environment are characterized by wider ambient temperature regions where multiple steady states exist, higher combustion rates, and lower burning times