Anodic behavior of gold in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate ionic liquid with chloride anion

The anodic behavior of gold has been investigated in presence of chloride and/or water in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (BMI CH₃SO₃) ionic liquid (IL). The cyclic voltammetry (CVs) in presence of chloride ions shows two waves attributed to the oxidation of the gold electrode which occurs under two steps: the first one is attributed to the electrochemical dissolution of gold into to gold(I), while the second one is attributed to an overlap of the chloride oxidation step as well as the oxidation of Au(I) to Au(III). Furthermore the determination of water and chloride content in IL allowed observing that the passive layer induced by water could be removed under chloride. Thanks to those results we were able to clarify the conditions of gold recovering in this kind of electrolyte.     

The Effect of Silver Chloride Formation on the Kinetics of Silver Dissolution in Chloride Solution

The precipitation and growth of AgCl on silver in physiological NaCl solution were investigated. AgCl was found to form at bottom of scratches on the surface which may be the less effective sites for diffusion or the favorable sites for heterogeneous nucleation. Patches of silver chloride expanded laterally on the substrate until a continuous film formed. The ionic transport path through this newly formed continuous film was via spaces between AgCl patches. As the film grew, the spaces between AgCl patches closed and ion transport was primarily via micro-channels running through AgCl patches. The decrease of AgCl layer conductivity during film growth were attributed to the clogging of micro-channels or decrease in charge carrier concentration inside the micro-channels. Under thin AgCl layer, i.e. on the order of a micrometer, the dissolution of silver substrate was under mixed activation-Ohmic control. Under thick AgCl layer, i.e. on the order of tens of micrometers, the dissolution of silver substrate was mediated by the Ohmic resistance of AgCl layer.     

Is the ubiquitous presence of barium carbonate responsible for the poor aqueous processing ability of barium titanate?

The ubiquitous presence of barium carbonate (BaCO₃ – BC) as an impurity in barium titanate (BaTiO₃ – BT) has been pointed out as the main reason for the well-known difficulties found by many investigators when attempting to process BT powders in aqueous media. Different and controversial arguments have been put forward to justify the observed aqueous processing difficulties of BT, but a satisfactory explanation is still to be found. With this aim, a systematic study was here undertaken to shed further light on the solid/liquid interactions occurring at the surface of BC and BT particles and their impact on the dispersion ability of both powders, separately and mixed in certain proportions. Long term colloidal stability and high solid loadings (60 vol.%) were obtained for BC, while colloidal instability and a lower maximum content of solids (50 vol.%) could be achieved for BT. This responds to the question risen in the title.     

THE DISSOLUTION OR GROWTH OF A SPHERE

The problem of the dissolution or growth of an isolated, stationary, sphere in a large fluid body is analyzed. The motion of the boundary as well as the resulting motion in the liquid are properly taken into account. The governing equations are solved using a recently developed technique (Subramanian and Weinberg, 1981) which employs an asymptotic expansion in time. Results for the radius of the sphere as a function of time are calculated. The range of utility of the present solution is established by comparison with a numerical solution of the governing equations obtained by the method of finite differences.     

Crystal Structures and Phase Behavior of Sulfadiazine and a Method for the Preparation of Aggregates with Good Performance

The solvate and the solvent‐free form of sulfadiazine (SD) were investigated. SD was found to exist in one solvent‐free form and the N‐methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvate form. The NMP solvate was shown to be a channel‐type compound. The intrinsic properties of the solvents were used to evaluate the effects of solubility on the phase transformation of SD and the NMP solvate. The SD phase could transform to the NMP solvate by NMP‐mediated phase transformation, which was governed by crystallization of the NMP solvate. The crystalline NMP solvate could transform to the solvent‐free solid state through solid‐solid transformation upon heating or water penetration‐mediated phase transformation. The rate of this water penetration‐mediated phase transformation of the NMP solvate to SD was unusually fast. It can be used to obtain SD aggregates of well‐defined shape and good powder properties.     

Solution calorimetry: A novel perspective into the dissolution process of food powders

The enthalpy of dissolution of two food powders, maltodextrin and skim milk, was studied by means of isothermal solution calorimetry. The effects of the moisture content and the physical state of the samples were investigated. A reduced exothermic response was found as the moisture content of the samples increased. It was shown that this effect is reversible upon re-drying of the solid, unless crystallization occurs. In the skim milk powder, crystallization of lactose occurred, leading to a less exothermic response. In addition, the dissolution kinetics of single particles was followed in situ with real time video acquisition and a novel image analysis technique. The data showed a significant effect of the physical state of the powder on the dissolution kinetics. Fully amorphous skim milk powder dissolved significantly faster than the recrystallized counterpart. A clear relation was observed between the physical state of the powders, their thermodynamic response and the dissolution kinetics.     

Effect of indium addition in Sn-rich solder on the dissolution of Cu metallization

An investigation has been carried out to study the dissolution of the Cu pad of the ball-grid-array (BGA) substrate into the molten Sn–9%In–3.5%Ag–0.5%Cu, Sn–3.5%Ag–0.5%Cu and Sn–0.7%Cu (wt.%) solder alloys. A fixed volume of BGA solder ball (760 μm dia) was used on a 13 μm thick Cu pad with a diameter of 650 μm. The dissolution measurement was carried out by measuring the change of Cu pad thickness as a function of time and temperature. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the microstructure of the solder joint and to measure the consumed thickness of Cu. The dissolution of Cu in Sn–3.5%Ag–0.5%Cu solder is higher than the other two lead-free solders. The presence of indium in the solder plays a major role in inhibiting the consumption of Cu in the soldering reaction. The intermetallic compounds (IMCs) formed at the Sn–9%In–3.5%Ag–0.5%Cu/Cu interface are determined as a scallop-shaped Cu₆(Sn, In)₅. Bulk of the Sn–9%In–3.5%Ag–0.5%Cu solder also contains Cu₆(Sn, In)₅ and Ag–In–Sn precipitates embedded in the Sn-rich matrix. It is also found that more Cu-containing Sn–0.7%Cu solder shows lower Cu consumption than Sn–3.5%Ag–0.5%Cu solder at the same heat treatment condition.     

Supercritical direct extraction of neodymium using TTA and TBP

Extraction of a metal ion from its oxide using ligand assisted supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO₂) comprises namely ionisation of metal oxide, in-situ chelation of metal cation with the ligand to form metal chelate/adduct and subsequently its extraction. Understanding of the mass transfer of chelate/adduct is very important in deciding the overall performance of the in-situ supercritical fluid extraction (ISCFE) process. For the present study neodymium (Nd) is selected as a model metal ion for its extraction from oxide using a mixed ligand system containing thenoyl tri-fluoroacetone (TTA) and tri-butylphosphate (TBP). Extraction studies have been performed at 35 MPa and 60°C for the prepared Nd-TTA-TBP adduct as well as for neodymium oxide (Nd₂O₃). The rate of dissolution starting from oxide and TTA-TBP adduct of Nd have been calculated and compared with the equilibrium values based on dissolution studies at the same conditions of temperature and pressure. During the extraction starting from oxide, the ligands TTA and TBP are also co-extracted with the adduct as these are highly soluble in SC CO₂. Mass transfer coefficient has also been estimated for the steady state during the dynamic extraction. It is observed that the rate of extraction and mass transfer coefficient increase with flow rate of SC CO₂.     

海底甲烷水合物溶解和分解辨析及其地质意义

甲烷水合物的溶解和分解过程是甲烷水合物成藏的关键科学问题，同时也是造成环境灾害事件的重要因素。近年来，在阅读甲烷水合物相关文献中发现有些作者对甲烷水合物溶解和分解的复杂动力学过程产生了一些混淆，并由此可能对甲烷水合物的成藏机理及其对环境气候变化影响的认识造成偏差。基于前人的大量研究成果，并结合作者多年对甲烷水合物形成和分解动力学过程的系统研究，认为海底存在一种甲烷气体的动态存储与排泄平衡作用，甲烷水合物的溶解和分解是海底甲烷气的主要排泄方式，也是甲烷水合物失稳后的2种不同的重要过程，同时，海底甲烷气的排泄量、运移方式和排放速率都与甲烷水合物成藏与否密切相关，因此深入认识甲烷水合物溶解和分解过程的控制机理，对海底甲烷水合物形成机制、成藏过程的研究和对全球碳循环、气候变化的评估有着重要的科学意义。     

Effects of alteration on shear characteristics of compacted Ca-bentonite immersed in alkaline solutions

This study evaluated the shear characteristics of compacted Ca-bentonite immersed in 0.1 mol/L of NaOH, KOH, and KOH–NaOH and 0.005 mol/L of Ca(OH)₂ at 40℃ over a maximum period of 1710 days. Triaxial compression tests were performed on the immersed specimens, and the mineral composition, mean layer charge, leachable cations, and microstructure were investigated. The dissolution of cristobalite was significant at high pH levels, whereas phillipsite was precipitated in the specimens immersed in the NaOH and NaOH–KOH solutions. The amount of leachable cations increased substantially, indicating that soluble secondary products (non-crystalline phase) were present in the specimens, as was proven by the observation of gel-like products comprised of Ca and Si on the microphotograph. An increase and decrease in the maximum deviator stress occurred as a result of the dissolution and precipitation. A structural parameter was proposed in this study by assuming the contribution of the secondary products to the cementation of the soil skeleton. This provided a series state transition of the compacted bentonite, where the maximum deviator stress increased with the cementation of the non-crystalline secondary phase. However, the progressing dissolution of the primary minerals decreased the dry density, thereby loosening the cemented structure and reducing the maximum deviator stress.