Freezing of aqueous specimens: an X-ray diffraction study

The effects on water of two cooling methods, immersion in a liquid cryogen and high-pressure freezing, were studied by X-ray cryodiffraction on different sucrose solutions. The nature of the ice formed by each method depends on both the sucrose concentration and the specimen thickness. In order to compare the two methods, we mainly studied specimens having a thickness of 0.2 mm. Under these conditions, freezing by immersion gives rise to hexagonal (IH), cubic (IC) and amorphous (IV) ices when the sucrose concentration (weight/weight) has a value within the range 0–30%, 30–60%, 60% and higher, respectively. The temperature of the phase transitions IV–IC, IC–IH depends on the sucrose concentration. High-pressure freezing gives rise to two specific forms of ice: an amorphous and a crystalline ice (ice III). Ice III is observed when pure water samples are high-pressure frozen provided that the sample temperature does not rise above −150 °C. Above this temperature, ice III transforms into hexagonal ice. Amorphous ice is formed when the sucrose concentration is higher than 20%. The amorphous ice formed under high pressure has a similar, but not identical, X-ray diffraction pattern to that of amorphous ice formed at atmospheric pressure. While the X-ray diffraction pattern of amorphous ice formed at atmospheric pressure (IV) shows a broad ring at a position corresponding to 0.37 nm, that of high-pressure amorphous ice (IVHP) shows a broader ring, located at 0.35 nm. IVHP presents a phase transition (IVHP–IV) at temperatures that depend on the sucrose concentration. We also observed that some precautions have to be taken in order to minimize the alcohol contamination of high-pressure frozen samples. The ice-phase diagram presented in this paper should be taken into account in all methods dedicated to the structural study of frozen biological specimens.     

Catalytic-free growth of VACNTs for energy harvesting

Abstract

The present study introduces a process to grow micro-honeycomb (µ-HC) vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) using thermal chemical vapor deposition technique. Methane is used as a source of carbon and hydrogen gas as a reducing agent. Where, the fabricated µ-HC structure reported in literature involves complex synthesis process and requires a catalyst layer, the novelty of the process used here lies in the fact that no catalyst layer is used for the growth of CNT network, rather copper foil is used as a substrate. The in-situ cracking of CNTs due to water treatment leads to the formation of µ-HC CNT network, which is confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Further scanning electron microscopy analysis shows that the length of developed µ-HC CNT is ～5?µm. Hexagonal µ-HC network shows more than 94% absorption in UV-Vis-NIR wavelength region. The designed process provides high-yield with a low-cost synthesis of vertically aligned CNTs having 3?D microarchitecture. The fabricated CNT network can be used as an electrode for supercapacitor, as an active layer in a photovoltaic cell and most of the energy harvesting devices.     

六角片状氢氧化铝的制备

介绍了一种制备六角片状氢氧化铝的方法。对影响氢氧化铝晶体形状的因素如添加剂、铝酸钠溶液的分解温度、分解时间、分解率以及产物氢氧化铝的性质等进行了深入的研究。结果表明，控制适当的分解条件可以产出适用于造纸涂层材料的六角片状氢氧化铝，其平均粒度为2μm左右，白度≥95％，比表面积6.5-8m^2/g。     

加筋格宾挡墙地震反应与动土压力分析

本文通过大型的模型试验,研究了以红砂岩为填料在水平地震作用下加筋格宾挡土墙的地震反应。输入不同类型和幅值的地震波激励,探讨地震作用下模型挡墙的动力特性与动力响应规律。试验结果表明,加筋格宾结构为优良的抗震结构,其墙内对输入加速度有明显的放大效应。沿墙高方向水平加速度放大倍数的增量坡度比较平缓,随着墙高的增大,水平加速度有增大的趋势。墙内各质点对ELCE＿NS地震波的水平加速度放大倍数为1～1.88倍,对HACHI＿EW地震波的放大倍数为1～2.78倍。墙面板的水平加速度放大倍数随振幅增大呈现明显的递减趋势,变化基本上为线性的。竖向加速度峰值响应在墙面及墙顶显著增大,可达到台面水平加速度峰值的44%~56%。推导了加筋格宾挡墙在水平地震荷载作用下的竖向动土压力的振动方程。     

Effects of h-BN content on properties of Ni-Cr/h-BN composite

Ni-Cr/h-BN self-lubricating composities were prepared by powder metallurgy (P/M) method. The effects of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) content on the mechanical and tribological properties of the Ni-Cr/h-BN composites were investigated. The corresponding frictional models were established to analyze the formation of the lubricant h-BN films on the surfaces of the Ni-Cr/h-BN composites. The results show that, when the content of h-BN increases from 5% to 15% (mass fraction), the bending strength of the Ni-Cr/h-BN composite decreases from 96.670 MPa to 17.319 MPa, and the hardness (HB) decreases from 33 to 14. The friction coefficient of the Ni-Cr/h-BN composite decreases firstly from 0.385 to 0.216, and then increases to 0.284, while the wear rate decreases firstly from 4.14×10⁻⁹ kg/(N·m) to 1.35×10⁻⁹ kg/(N·m), then increases to 2.36×10⁻⁹ kg/(N·m). The best comprehensive mechanical and tribological properties can be obtained between 10% and 12% h-BN addition.     

Hexagonal hematite platelets synthesized from pyrite cinders by hydrothermal process

Well-crystallized hexagonal hematite (α-Fe2O3) platelets were synthesized by hydrothermal process,using a highly concentrated ferric hydroxide as precursor.The precursor was prepared by adding ammonia to the ferric sulfate solution which was obtained by leaching pyrite cinders with sulfuric acid.Structure and morphology of the synthesized products were investigated by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope,transmission electron microscope and selected area electron diffraction.The results reveal tha...     

Ba3La2Ti2Ta2O15: A New Microwave Dielectric of A5B4O15-type Cation-deficient Perovskites

The synthesis, structure and properties of a new A5B4O15-type cation-deficient perovskite Ba3La2Ti2Ta2O15 were discribed. The compound was prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction route. The phase and structure of the ceramics were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results reveal that the compound is successfully synthesized. The compound crystallizes in the trigonal system with unit cell parameter a=5.6730(2) A, c=11.6511(2) A, V=324.93(1) A3 and Z=1. The microwave dielectric properties of the ceramic are studied using a network analyzer, and it shows a high dielectric constant of 45.1, a high quality factors with Q×f of 21029GHz, and a positive τf of 5.3ppm℃-1.     

Ba3La2Ti2Ta2O15: A new microwave dielectric of A5B4O15-type cation-deficient perovskites

The synthesis, structure and properties of a new A5B4O15-type cation-deficient perovskite Ba3La2Ti2Ta2O15 were discribed. The compound was prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction route. The phase and structure of the ceramics were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The results reveal that the compound is successfully synthesized. The compound crystallizes in the trigonal system with unit cell parameter a=5.6730（2） A, c=11.6511（2） A, V=324.93（1） A^3 and Z=1. The microwave dielectric properties of the ceramic are studied using a network analyzer, and it shows a high dielectric constant of 45.1, a high quality factors with Q×fof21 029 GHz, and a positive τf of 5.3 ppm℃^-1.