Green preparation of vanadium carbide through one-step molten salt electrolysis

Vanadium carbide (VC) as excellent ceramic and functional material is usually prepared by carbothermal reduction of V₂O₅ which must be extracted from a typical V slag by complex processes. Pollutants, such as ammonia-nitrogen wastewater, NH₃ and CO₂ are inevitably discharged. A novel and green method for VC preparation was proposed by one-step co-electrolysis of soluble NaVO₃ and CO₂ in molten salt. It was found that VC with high purity was easily obtained by reducing electrolysis temperature and CO₂ flow rate to 600 °C and 10 mL min⁻¹ at 3.0 V. Besides VC with particles and layered stacking structure in products, a small amount of carbon and oxygen elements existed. The atomic percentage contents of C, V, and O elements in VC were about 50.0%, 44.5% and 3.8%, respectively. During electrolysis, CO₃²⁻ and VO₃⁻ was reduced at about −0.55 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and −1.38 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively. CO₃²⁻ ions were more easily reduced than VO₃⁻, and was firstly reduced to CO₂²⁻ and then converted to C. Then, VC was prepared by two routes from CO₂ and NaVO₃. One route is that VO₃⁻ ions are firstly electroreduced to VO₂⁻ ions and then are further electroreduced to VC with C. Another route is that VO₃⁻ ions are electroreduced to V which in-situ reacted with C to VC. Both VO₃⁻ and CO₃²⁻ ions are electroreduced by two-step process. In final, VC is in-situ deposited on cathode. It provides a novel and green way to prepare VC and also achieves the high value-added utilization of vanadium slag and CO₂.     

Stem Photosynthesis—A Key Element of Grass Pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) Acclimatisation to Salinity

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) is a leguminous plant of outstanding tolerance to abiotic stress. The aim of the presented study was to describe the mechanism of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) photosynthetic apparatus acclimatisation strategies to salinity stress. The seedlings were cultivated in a hydroponic system in media containing various concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, and 100 mM), imitating none, moderate, and severe salinity, respectively, for three weeks. In order to characterise the function and structure of the photosynthetic apparatus, Chl a fluorescence, gas exchange measurements, proteome analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis were done inter alia. Significant differences in the response of the leaf and stem photosynthetic apparatus to severe salt stress were observed. Leaves became the place of harmful ion (Na⁺) accumulation, and the efficiency of their carboxylation decreased sharply. In turn, in stems, the reconstruction of the photosynthetic apparatus (antenna and photosystem complexes) activated alternative electron transport pathways, leading to effective ATP synthesis, which is required for the efficient translocation of Na⁺ to leaves. These changes enabled efficient stem carboxylation and made them the main source of assimilates. The observed changes indicate the high plasticity of grass pea photosynthetic apparatus, providing an effective mechanism of tolerance to salinity stress.     

Corrosion behavior of T24, T92, VM12, and AISI 304 steels exposed to KCl–NaCl–K2SO4–Na2SO4 salt mixtures

The corrosion mechanisms of T24, T92, VM12, and AISI 304 steels are studied under the influence of NaCl–KCl, NaCl–Na₂SO₄, and KCl–K₂SO₄ salt mixtures in a dry air atmosphere at 650°C for 15 days. NaCl–KCl was the most aggressive deposit and AISI 304 stainless steel exhibited the highest corrosion resistance. There was no relation between the Cr content of the ferritic steels and their corrosion resistance in NaCl–KCl. In contrast, the resistance of high-Cr steels was better when exposed to NaCl–Na₂SO₄ and KCl–K₂SO₄. The high-Cr and the low-Cr steels were more susceptible to NaCl–Na₂SO₄ and to KCl–K₂SO₄, respectively.     

Effects of corrosion in liquid fluoride salt on the tensile strength of domestic SiC fibers

The relationship between the tensile strength of corroded domestic second-generation (2ed-gen) SiC fibers at various temperatures for 500 h in 46.5LiF-11.5NaF-42.0KF (mol. %) eutectic salt and the typical microstructure was studied. Weibull theory was used to analyze the critical defects that caused the tensile fracture, and the microstructure of fibers before and after corrosion was characterized. It is concluded that the decrease of tensile strength after corrosion at 800 °C is caused by the surface injury of fibers, which led to the shift of critical defects from the internal defects of virgin fibers to surface defects. Moreover, corrosion at higher temperature accelerates the corrosion process and dissolve the surface O-contained layer thoroughly. This shifts the critical defects back to the internal defects and will be helpful for the recovery of tensile strength of corroded fibers at the higher temperature.     

Evolution of Local Structural Ordering and Chemical Distribution upon Delithiation of a Rock Salt–Structured Li1.3Ta0.3Mn0.4O2 Cathode

Lithium‐rich disordered rock‐salt oxides have attracted great interest owing to their promising performance as Li‐ion battery cathodes. While experimental and theoretical efforts are critical in advancing this class of materials, a fundamental understanding of key property changes upon Li extraction is largely missing. In the present study, single‐crystal synthesis of a new disordered rock‐salt cathode material, Li_1.3Ta_0.3Mn_0.4O₂ (LTMO), and its use as a model compound to investigate Li concentration–driven evolution of local cationic ordering, charge compensation, and chemical distribution are reported. Through the combined use of 2D and 3D X‐ray nanotomography, it is shown that Li removal accompanied by oxygen oxidation is correlated with the development of morphological defects such as particle cracking. Chemical heterogeneity, quantified by subparticle level distribution of Mn valence state, is minimal during Mn redox, which drastically increases upon the formation of cracks during oxygen redox. Density functional theory and bond valence sum mismatch calculations reveal the presence of local short‐range ordering in the pristine oxide, which gradually disappears along with the extraction of Li. The study suggests that with cycling the transformation into true cation–disordered state can be expected, which likely impacts the voltage profile and obtainable energy density of the oxide cathodes.     

Ni,Cr, and Fe surfaces corroded by molten ZnCl2

Understanding the corrosion of molten ZnCl₂ on metal surfaces is significant for the corrosion protection of metals, sustainable use of molten salts, preparation of ZnO coatings, and so on. In this paper, surfaces of pure Ni, Cr, and Fe corroded by molten ZnCl₂ were investigated. The results show that Ni suffered very slight corrosion, while Cr experienced more serious corrosion than Ni, but lighter corrosion than Fe. The morphology of the corrosion of Cr and Fe, respectively, presented pitting and intergranular corrosion characteristics. Furthermore, nanostructured ZnO coatings were obtained on the surfaces of Ni and Fe, but not on the surface of Cr. The ZnO coating on the Ni surface was doped with a small amount of Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂, and the ZnO coating on the Fe surface was doped with ZnFe₂O₄ and Zn₂OCl₂. The coatings on the Ni and Fe surfaces had an average thickness of 1.5 and 50 μm, respectively.     

Formation and properties of high entropy oxides in Co-Cr-Fe-Mg-Mn-Ni-O system: Novel (Cr,Fe,Mg,Mn,Ni)3O4 and (Co,Cr,Fe,Mg,Mn)3O4 high entropy spinels

Possibility of formation of quinary and senary equimolar high entropy oxides from the Co-Cr-Fe-Mg-Mn-Ni-O system is presented. Different proposed compositions are synthesized using the solid-state reaction route at high temperatures (900−1100 °C) and quenched to room temperature. Phase composition of the samples is studied, showing tendency toward formation of two main phases: rock salt-structured Fm-3 m and spinel-structured Fd-3 m. It is documented that the annealing temperature has a profound effect on stability of both structures, and at 1100 °C usually the highest content of Fm-3 m phase is usually observed. Three different oxides, namely, (Co,Cr,Fe,Mn,Ni)₃O₄, (Co,Cr,Fe,Mg,Mn)₃O₄ and (Cr,Fe,Mg,Mn,Ni)₃O₄ are obtained as single-phase materials, which structure can be described as the high entropy Fd-3 m spinel one. The latter two compounds have not been previously reported in the literature. Activated character of the electrical conductivity dependence on temperature is observed, with relatively high total conductivity at high temperatures and corresponding high absolute values of Seebeck coefficient.     

细节决定采输卤的成败

通过认真学习《细节决定成败》，结合井矿盐开采的实际，分别以生产过程中的三个细节为主，讨论了在采输卤生产技术控制中的细节的重要性。     

高抗挤厚壁套管的性能及应用效果评价

中原油田套管损坏的主要原因是现有套管强度不够,无法抵抗盐膏层段的巨大外挤力。开发了TP130TT型高抗挤厚壁套管,其强度能很好地抵抗盐膏层巨大外挤力。实验室试验表明,各项性能指标达到了设计要求,现场使用取得了很好的效果,解决了中原油田盐膏层段套管强度不足的难题。