Modifying agent selection for Al-7Si alloy by Miedema model

To determine the modifying agents for Al-7Si alloys, microstructure observation and mixing enthalpy analysis using Miedema model for Al-7Si alloy with additions of different rare earth elements were performed, and the effects of rare earth elements on the modifica-tion of eutectic silicon morphology were investigated. The results of mixing enthalpy analysis show that these four rare earth elements, La, Sm, Pr, and Ce, which have the large negative mixing enthalpies with Si, can be selected as modifying agents for eutectic silicon morphology. The element with the largest negative mixing enthalpy is Ce. Furthermore, the microstructures indicate that these four elements can effec-tively modify the eutectic （α）Al-Si crystals in Al-7Si alloy, and the most effective one is also Ce. Differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） results show that the eutectic temperature depressions due to the additions of modifying agents are the important reasons for the modification of eutectic （α）Al-Si crystals.

Experiments of Applying the Rare-Earth Modifying Agents in New Dental Materials Preparation

Harmless rare-earth modifying agents were prepared by orthogonal experiments. A new resin material was synthesized with the qualities such as rigidity, rubbing abrasion, aging, luster and plasticity better than the dental resin materials in common used. It could be used as the substitutes for the applied resin teeth materials.

Preparation of high acidity coefficient slag wool fiber with blast furnace slag and modifying agents

Preparation of high acidity coefficient slag wool fiber with molten slag and modifying agents is considered to be a positive approach for value-added utilization of blast furnace slag. In order to achieve the multi-purposes of fiber-forming, energy saving, and waste heat recovery, the modifying agents that can improve the acidity coefficient of slag effectively, economically, and environmentally were investigated. Three agents with different acidity coefficients were adopted to modify slag and manufacture wool fibers. The effect of agent and slag proportion on the melting temperature and viscosity of molten slag was studied at a fixed acidity coefficient of 1.8 and 2.0. The results indicate that the sample modified with high acidity coefficient agent and high slag proportion has lower melting temperature and viscosity. The effect of agent and slag temperature on the fiber diameter was also investigated when the acidity coefficient of slag is 2.0. At a fixed slag proportion of 50 wt.%, the mean diameter decreases with increasing temperature and decreasing viscosity coefficient. Besides, the temperature drops caused by the addition of agents and energy consumption of samples for heating the slag were also analyzed.

RESEARCH OF ANTIMICROBIAL AND RESISTANCE MODIFYING AGENTS FROM BENINESE PLANTS USED IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

In a world of increasing resistance to current antibiotics,search of novel therapeutic options is urgently needed.The aim of this work was to screen plant crude extracts for direct or indirect(inhibition of resistance)antimicrobial activity.Four crude extracts from 12 plants traditionally used in Benin for the treatment of infections were

Sorption of Heavy Metal and Organic Pollutants on Modified Soils

Sorption characteristics of both an organic pollutant (phenol) and a heavy metal (cadmium ion) on the clay layer of a Lou soil (Eum-orthic Anthrosol in Chinese Soil Taxonomy) along with the sorption mechanism were investigated using three soil treatments: modification with a cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide added at an amount equivalent to 50% and 100% of the soil CEC (50%CB and 100%CB), modification with an amphoteric surface-modifying agent dodecyldimethylbetaine (commercially known as BS-12) added at an amount equivalent to 50% and 100% of the soil CEC (50% BS and 100%BS), and an unmodified control (CK). Results showed that the BS soil treatments increased sorption of both the heavy metal Cd2+ and the organic pollutant phenol. The equilibrium sorption amount of Cd2+ decreased in the order: 50%BS > 100%BS > CK > 50%CB > 100%CB, with the BS soil treatments being about 1.3 to 1.8 times higher and the CB soil treatments about 23% to 41% lower than CK. Both the single-site and two-site Langmuir models could be applied to describe the sorption of Cd2+ in each soil treatment. The equilibrium sorption amount of phenol on the soil samples decreased in the order: 100%CB > 50%CB > 100%BS > 50%BS > CK, with the CB soil treatments being 41.0 to 79.6 times higher and the BS soil treatments 4.0 to 8.3 times higher than CK. The Freundlich equation could also be used to describe the sorption characteristics of phenol. In the BS soil treatments, both an organophobic long carbon chain and hydrophilic charged groups resulted in a relatively strong sorption ability for both heavy metals and organic pollutants. In addition, the sorption ratio K, the ratio of phenol sorption amount of the modified soil to that of CK, increased initially and decreased later with the amount of phenol added, and the critical sorption ratio KC, the peak value of the sorption ratio curve plotted against the added phenol concentration, was a good index for evaluating the sorption ability of phenol in the soil.

Cement-fly Ash Stabilization of Cold In-place Recycled (CIR) Asphalt Pavement Mixtures for Road Bases or Subbases

For lack of laboratory and field performance data on stabilization of reclaimed asphalt pavement （RAP） aggregate and stabilized soil （S） for road bases and subbases construction, the influences of RAP/S ratio, cement and fly ash content, modifying agent （MA） on the compact, unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength and water stability of the CIR mixtures were investigated. The experimental results showed that the maximum dry density and the optimum moisture content of the mixture changed significantly with the RAP/S ratio and cement-fly ash content. Unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength and water stability were improved significantly by the addition of MA, and the water stability was improved by nearly 20% on average. Scanning electron microscopy（SEM） images indicated that MA accelerated the hydration of cement-fly ash system. Needle-like AFt and fibrous C-S-H gel were observed in the mixtures, which resulted in the cementation effect among the CIR mixture particles and a more compact microstructure. All these could be the cause of high strength of the CIR mixtures with MA.

Use of Chemical Admixtures to Modify the Rheological Behavior of Cementitious Systems Containing Manufactured Aggregates

The use of local materials is an important part of sustainability for the concrete industry. The declining availability of aggregate resources in many areas has the potential to result in the use of alternative aggregates of lower quality, which can require higher cementitious materials contents, or the use of aggregates shipped from greater distance. In some markets, manufactured sands are replacing natural sands, which can adversely impact the rheology of cementitious mixtures. The use of certain chemical admixtures has been found to often minimize the need to increase cement and water contents in order to overcome the loss of workability that can accompany aggregate sources which feature flat, elongated, angular, and rough particles. In this study, a wide range of natural and manufactured sands were characterized for gradation, mineralogy, shape, texture, and cleanliness, and also evaluated for their effect on mortar rheology with and without a VMA （viscosity modifying agent） type chemical admixture. Use of the VMA is shown to mitigate the rheological effect of certain sands, and in some cases can allow for optimizing the mixture to lower paste contents. In the case of PCP （polycarboxylate）-based superplasticizers, attention is drawn to the increased dose required to achieve target workability versus superplasticizers based on NSFC （naphthalene sulfonate condensate） when swellable clays are present in the very fine fraction of certain aggregate sources. The use of sands with higher fines contents are also shown to increase the workability provided the fines are of appropriate quality.