Evolution of chemistry and morphology during the carbonization and combustion of rice husk

Both fine carbon/silica and pure silica powders can be obtained by carbonization and combustion of rice husk under non-isothermal conditions, and the products can be used for preparation of high-quality ceramic materials. Studies on the morphology, chemical and physical characteristics of products were carried out by N₂-adsorptionmeter, SEM, XRD, FTIR, ICP-MS and EA. Results indicate that decreasing the heating rate increased the specific surface area, pore volume and pore diameter. At a heating rate of 5 °C/min, the specific surface areas of both the carbon/silica and pure silica powders were 261 and 235 m²/g, and the average pore diameters were 2.2 and 5.4 nm, respectively. The products obtained from various heating rates were all amorphous. Thermogravimetric analysis was employed to study the reaction characteristics during carbonization or combustion, indicating that decomposition process of rice husk could be divided into three temperature zones. This results of the study can also provide the important information on the recovery of biomass material from rice husk.     

基于ZMP的双足机器人稳定性分析

引入双足机器人研究中一个重要物理量——零力矩点ZMP（zero Moment Point）,研究其计算和测量方法,利用其分析双足机器人在单腿和双腿支撑时的作用范围,最后在二维和三维平面内对机器人的ZMP计算进行探讨,为稳定步态的设计做了理论铺垫。     

利用Liapanov直接方法判定差分方程稳定性

研究差分方程稳定性的强有力的方法是Liapanov直接方法,这一方法的核心思想是针对所研究的方程,构造出其相应的Liapanov函数,利用它来判定方程的稳定性．     

Thermal analysis of montmorillonites modified with quaternary phosphonium and ammonium surfactants

The thermal stability of seven organically modified montmorillonites (‘organoclays’) has been investigated using differential thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetry in conjunction with X-ray diffractometry. Six organoclays were synthesised by replacing the interlayer inorganic cations, initially present, with quaternary phosphonium and ammonium surfactant cations. The samples modified with tetrabutylphosphonium (TBP), and butyltriphenylphosphonium (BTPP) ions have an appreciably higher thermal stability than the octadecyltrimethylammonium (ODTMA)-modified clays. Thus, in the case of TBP- and BTPP-modified montmorillonites, the onset temperature of decomposition is close to 300 °C. Samples modified with hexadecyltributylphosphonium (HDTBP) ions have a lower onset temperature of decomposition of 225 °C. In comparison, the onset temperature for ODTMA-montmorillonites (obtained at different concentrations of ODTMA-bromide) ranges from 158 to 222 °C, being highest where the concentration of intercalated surfactant is lowest. The onset temperature for a commercial alkylsilane-treated quaternary ammonium-modified organoclay (S-BEN N-400FP) is 207 °C. The basal spacing of the TBP- and BTPP-modified clays is 1.7–1.8 nm, indicating a monolayer arrangement of quaternary phosphonium ions in the interlayer space, while the value of 2.5 nm for HDTBP-montmorillonite indicates a more open structure. The ODTMA-modified samples have basal spacings ranging from 1.9 to 2.1 nm, indicative of a bilayer to pseudo-trilayer arrangement. The exceptionally high basal spacing of 3.4 nm for the S-BEN N-400FP organoclay might be due to interlayer penetration of organosilane hydrolysis products during synthesis. The thermal properties of organoclays are apparently related to the nature of the surfactants and their arrangement in the interlayer space of montmorillonite.     

Immobilizing chromium in stainless steel slags with MnO addition

This work investigates the stabilizing impact of MnO on the leaching behavior of hazardous Cr-containing CaO-SiO₂-Al₂O₃-Cr₂O₃-MnO stainless steel slags after equilibrating at various elevated temperatures and evaluates the potential immobilization of Cr into a MnCr₂O₄ spinel phase from the existing Cr₂O₃ phase. The MnCr₂O₄ spinel phase was found to be an excellent Cr-stabilizer in stainless steel slags, where the leaching tendency of potentially hazardous Cr-related ions decreased with higher MnO content and lower equilibration temperatures within the range of 0 to 15 mass pct. and 1500 to 1300°C, respectively. Thermodynamic calculations by conducting the phase stability diagram also showed that the MnCr₂O₄ spinel phase was relatively stable and the Ca₃Si₂O₇ (Ca_3-xMn_xSi₂O₇) phase was relatively unstable compared with other crystal phases in acid extractant with pH value of 3.2. Combined with the scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction results along with the thermodynamic calculations, the leached Cr-related ions was predominantly originating from the unstable amorphous glass phase.     

Effect of thermal insulation on microstructural homogeneity and onset temperature of flash sintered materials

The present work aimed to reduce the microstructure heterogeneity inherent to flash sintering by using alumina blankets as a thermal insulator around ZnO cylindrical samples during the sintering process, under different electric field conditions. Thermal insulation significantly reduced the flash onset temperature and the grain size heterogeneity. For higher electric fields, a temperature reduction as high as 480 °C was observed, which also led to lower densification. These findings were discussed in terms of changes in the heat loss dynamics coupled with the adsorbed water retention, both promoted by the applied thermal insulation. A model to estimate the temperature at stage III of flash sintering was proposed. The final temperature reached with thermal insulation did not differ significantly from the ones without it. Thus, thermal insulation could represent an alternative route to flash sinter materials with lower furnace temperatures with energy savings up to 78 % and a more homogeneous microstructure.     

Image-based extended finite element modeling of thermal barrier coatings

Further advances in Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) design are linked with the evolution of numerical models for TBCs. The present paper, therefore, enhances the idea of a currently available FEM package (OOF) that has been designed for microstructural level simulations. The approach of Extended FEM (XFEM) is incorporated in an in-house developed program to account for the existence of cracks in TBCs; both for stress-strain analysis and for heat transfer analysis. The new XFEM program is then employed to carry out the analyses of a YSZ deposit and a multilayered TBC to predict the effective Young's moduli, the overall thermal conductivities, and to assess the fracture behavior of the coating.     

Thermophysical properties of a Ti–44%Al–8%Nb–1%B alloy in the solid and molten states

The families of titanium aluminide intermetallic alloys have attractive high temperature mechanical properties which make them potential candidate materials for a wide range of applications, particularly in the aeronautic and automobile sectors. The development of appropriate manufacturing techniques is an essential stage in the engineering exploitation of these materials, e.g., Induction Skull Melting is one of the techniques which needs to be optimised for the casting of titanium aluminides. Research is underway to develop a computer model of this process but data are required for the key thermophysical properties. Pulse-heating techniques have been used to measure properties for the Ti–44Al–8Nb–1B system. Rectangular samples have been prepared and are resistively heated as part of a fast capacitor discharge circuit. Time-resolved measurements with sub-μs resolution of currents through the specimen were made with a Pearson probe current monitor using the induction principle. Voltages across the specimen were determined with knife-edge contacts and voltage dividers, and radiance temperatures of the sample were measured with a pyrometer. These measurements allow the calculation of specific heat and dependencies between enthalpy, electrical resistivity and temperature of the alloy up into the liquid phase. Data for thermal diffusivity have been obtained by using the Wiedeman–Franz relation. The results are compared with those obtained using DSC and the four-probe method to measure the temperature dependence of the resistivity.     

Temperature stability and fracture toughness of Nd-Fe-B magnets

Temperature stability and toughness of magnets are very important properties especially for application in motor. In this paper, it is found that temperature stability and toughness of magnets are improved when Fe is substituted with Co andheavy rare earth is substituted for Nd in part and suitable rich B grain-boundary phase is added. In addition, heavy rare earth substitution decreases the remanence temperature coefficient greatly, but has a little effect on Curie temperature of the magnets, which is beneficial to Nd-Fe-B magnets for the application in motor.