High-temperature oxidation behavior of monolithic Zr3[Al(Si)]4C6 and its composite incorporating 30vol% ZrB2-SiC: Providing a basis for broadening the service temperature

To provide a basis for the high-temperature oxidation of ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs), the oxidation behavior of Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆ and a novel Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆-ZrB₂-SiC composite at 1500 °C were investigated for the first time. From the calculation results, the oxidation kinetics of the two specimens follow the oxidation dynamic parabolic law. Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆ exhibited a thinner oxide scale and lower oxidation rate than those of the composite under the same conditions. The oxide scale of Zr₃[Al(Si)]₄C₆ exhibited a two-layer structure, while that of the composite exhibited a three-layer structure. Owing to the volatilization of B₂O₃ and the active oxidation of SiC, a porous oxide layer formed in the oxide scale of the composite, resulting in the degradation of its oxidation performance. Furthermore, the cracks and defects in the oxide scale of the composite indicate that the reliability of the oxide scale was poor. The results support the service temperature of the obtained ceramics.     

Structural Aspects of P2-Type Na0.67Mn0.6Ni0.2Li0.2O2 (MNL) Stabilization by Lithium Defects as a Cathode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries

A known strategy for improving the properties of layered oxide electrodes in sodium-ion batteries is the partial substitution of transition metals by Li. Herein, the role of Li as a defect and its impact on sodium storage in P2-Na_0.67Mn_0.6Ni_0.2Li_0.2O₂ is discussed. In tandem with electrochemical studies, the electronic and atomic structure are studied using solid-state NMR, operando XRD, and density functional theory (DFT). For the as-synthesized material, Li is located in comparable amounts within the sodium and the transition metal oxide (TMO) layers. Desodiation leads to a redistribution of Li ions within the crystal lattice. During charging, Li ions from the Na layer first migrate to the TMO layer before reversing their course at low Na contents. There is little change in the lattice parameters during charging/discharging, indicating stabilization of the P2 structure. This leads to a solid-solution type storage mechanism (sloping voltage profile) and hence excellent cycle life with a capacity of 110 mAh g^-1 after 100 cycles. In contrast, the Li-free compositions Na_0.67Mn_0.6Ni_0.4O₂ and Na_0.67Mn_0.8Ni_0.2O₂ show phase transitions and a stair-case voltage profile. The capacity is found to originate from mainly Ni³⁺/Ni⁴⁺ and O^2-/O^2-δ redox processes by DFT, although a small contribution from Mn⁴⁺/Mn⁵⁺ to the capacity cannot be excluded.     

Current advances concerning the most cited metal ions doped bioceramics and silicate-based bioactive glasses for bone tissue engineering

Studies related to biomaterials that stimulate the repair of living tissue have increased considerably, improving the quality of many people's lives that require surgery due to traumatic accidents, bone diseases, bone defects, and reconstructions. Among these biomaterials, bioceramics and bioactive glasses (BGs) have proved to be suitable for coating materials, cement, scaffolds, and nanoparticles, once they present good biocompatibility and degradability, able to generate osteoconduction on the surrounding tissue. However, the role of biomaterials in hard tissue engineering is not restricted to a structural replacement or for guiding tissue regeneration. Nowadays, it is expected that biomaterials develop a multifunctional role when implanted, orchestrating the process of tissue regeneration and providing to the body the capacity to heal itself. In this way, the incorporation of specific metal ions in bioceramics and BGs structure, including magnesium, silver, strontium, lithium, copper, iron, zinc, cobalt, and manganese are currently receiving enhanced interest as biomaterials for biomedical applications. When an ion is incorporated into the bioceramic structure, a new category of material is created, which has several unique properties that overcome the disadvantages of primitive material and favors its use in different biomedical applications. The doping can enhance handling properties, angiogenic and osteogenic performance, and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the effect of selected metal ion dopants into bioceramics and silicate-based BGs in bone tissue engineering. Furthermore, new applications for doped bioceramics and BGs are highlighted, including cancer treatment and drug delivery.     

Investigation on thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Si3N4 ceramics via one-step sintering

High thermal conductivity Si₃N₄ ceramics were fabricated using a one-step method consisting of reaction-bonded Si₃N₄ (RBSN) and post-sintering. The influence of Si content on nitridation rate, β/(α+β) phase rate, thermal conductivity and mechanical properties was investigated in this work. It is of special interest to note that the thermal conductivity showed a tendency to increase first and then decrease with increasing Si content. This experimental result shows that the optimal thermal conductivity and fracture toughness were obtained to be 66 W (m K)^-1 and 12.0 MPa m^1/2, respectively. As a comparison, the nitridation rate and β/(α+β) phase rate in a static pressure nitriding system, i.e., 97% (MS10), 97% (MS15), 97% (MS20) and 8.3% (MS10), 8.3% (MS15), 8.9% (MS20), respectively, have obvious advantages over those in a flowing nitriding system, i.e., 91% (MS10), 91% (MS15), 93% (MS20) and 3.1% (MS10), 3.3% (MS15), 3.3% (MS20), respectively. Moreover, high lattice integrity of the β-Si₃N₄ phase was observed, which can effectively confine O atoms into the β-Si₃N₄ lattice using MgO as a sintering additive. This result indicates that one-step sintering can provide a new route to prepare Si₃N₄ ceramics with a good combination of thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.     

Energy conversion performances during biomass air gasification process under microwave irradiation

Biomass gasification technology under microwave irradiation is a new and novel method, and the energy conversion performances during the process play a guiding role in improving the energy conversion efficiencies and developing the gasification simulation models. In order to improve the energy utilization efficiency of microwave biomass gasification system, this study investigated and presented the energy conversion performances during biomass gasification process under microwave irradiation, and these were materialized through detailing (a) the energy conversion performance in the microwave heating stage, and (b) the energy conversion performance in the microwave assisted biomass gasification stage. Different forms of energies in the biomass microwave gasification process were calculated by the method given in this study based on the experimental data. The results showed that the useful energy (energy in silicon carbide (SiC), 18.73 kJ) accounted for 31.22% of the total energy input (electrical energy, 60.00 kJ) in the heating stage, and the useful energy (energy in the products, 758.55 kJ) accounted for 63.41% of the total energy input (electrical and biomass energy, 1196.28 kJ) in the gasification stage. During the whole biomass gasification process under microwave irradiation, the useful energy output (energy in the products, 758.55 kJ) accounted for 60.38% of the total energy input (electrical and biomass energy, 1256.28 kJ), and the energy in the gas (523.40 kJ) product played a dominate role in product energy (758.55 kJ). The energy loss mainly included the heat loss in the gas flow (89.20 kJ), magnetron loss (191.80 kJ) and microwave dissipation loss (198.00 kJ), which accounted for 7.10%, 15.27% and 15.76% of the total energy, respectively. The contents detailed in this study not only presented the energy conversion performances during microwave assisted gasification process but also supplied important data for developing gasification simulation models.     

Impact of gypsum on flotation of scheelite and fluorite using sodium oleate as collector

ABSTRACT

In this study, effect of calcium and gypsum on scheelite and fluorite was investigated using sodium oleate as collector. Micro-flotation and contact angle results showed that the adsorption of calcium could inhibit the hydrophobicity of scheelite and fluorite. Moreover, sulfate could enhance the inhibition. FT-IR results showed that calcium could be priori precipitated into calcium oleate and adsorb on mineral surface. The adsorption of calcium could increase the scheelite potential to IEP, while it showed limited effect on fluorite potential. However, the interaction of calcium on scheelite and fluorite in gypsum solution was more complex than that in calcium solution.     

Revealing Electrical-Poling-Induced Polarization Potential in Hybrid Perovskite Photodetectors

Despite recent rapid advances in metal halide perovskites for use in optoelectronics, the fundamental understanding of the electrical-poling-induced ion migration, accounting for many unusual attributes and thus performance in perovskite-based devices, remain comparatively elusive. Herein, the electrical-poling-promoted polarization potential is reported for rendering hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite photodetectors with high photocurrent and fast response time, displaying a tenfold enhancement in the photocurrent and a twofold decrease in the response time after an external electric field poling. First, a robust meniscus-assisted solution-printing strategy is employed to facilitate the oriented perovskite crystals over a large area. Subsequently, the electrical poling invokes the ion migration within perovskite crystals, thus inducing a polarization potential, as substantiated by the surface potential change assessed by Kelvin probe force microscopy. Such electrical-poling-induced polarization potential is responsible for the markedly enhanced photocurrent and largely shortened response time. This work presents new insights into the electrical-poling-triggered ion migration and, in turn, polarization potential as well as into the implication of the latter for optoelectronic devices with greater performance. As such, the utilization of ion-migration-produced polarization potential may represent an important endeavor toward a wide range of high-performance perovskite-based photodetectors, solar cells, transistors, scintillators, etc.     

Irradiation-induced large bubble formation and grain growth in super nano-grained ceramic

In this work, 0.5TRPO•0.5Gd₂Zr₂O₇ ceramic with an average grain size of only ∼15 nm was prepared by a high pressure (5 GPa/520 °C) sintering method. Phase evolutions and microstructure changes of the as-fabricated super nano and micron-grained ceramics under a high-dose displacement damage induced by 300 keV Kr²⁺ ions were investigated. The results show that the super nano-grained ceramic has low degree of amorphization, obvious grain growth (2–3 times in grain size) and big Kr bubbles (10–68 nm) formation after irradiation. The micron-grained ceramic was severely amorphized after irradiation and many microcracks were formed parallel to its surface. The formation mechanism of Kr bubbles in the super nano-grained ceramic is on account of grain boundary diffusion and migration induced by the accumulation of the injecting Kr ions and irradiation defects. Nevertheless, microcracks formed in the micron-grained sample are caused by the accumulation of Kr atoms.