The preparation and properties of N-doped carbon materials and their use for sodium storage

Defect engineering by heteroatom doping gives carbon materials some new characteristics such as a different electronic structure and a high electrochemical activity,making them suitable for high-performance applications.N-doping has been widely investigated because of its similar atom radius to carbon,high electronegativity as well as many different configurations.We summarize the preparation methods and properties of N-doped carbon materials,and discuss their possible use in sodium ion storage.The relationships between N content/configuration and crystallinity,electronic conductivity,wettability,chemical reactivity as well as sodium ion storage performance are discussed.

Novel wood-plastic composite fabricated via modified steel slag:Preparation,mechanical and flammability properties

A novel method was developed to enhance the utilization rate of steel slag(SS).Through treatment of SS with phosphoric acid and aminopropyl triethoxysilane(KH550),we obtained modified SS(MSS),which was used to prepare MSS/wood-plastic composites(MSS/WPCs)by replacing talcum powder(TP).The composites were fabricated through melting blending and hot pressing.Their mechanical and combustion properties,which comprise heat release,smoke release,and thermal stability,were systematically investigated.MSS can improve the mechanical strength of the composites through grafting reactions between wood powder and thermoplastics.Notably,MSS/WPC#50(16wt%MSS)with an MSS-to-TP mass ratio of 1:1 exhibited optimal comprehensive performance.Compared with those of WPC#0 without MSS,the tensile,flexural,and impact strengths of MSS/WPC#50 were increased by 18.5%,12.8%,and 18.0%,respectively.Moreover,the MSS/WPC#50 sample achieved the highest limited oxygen index of 22.5%,the highest vertical burning rating at the V-1 level,and the lowest horizontal burning rate at 44.2 mm/min.The formation of a dense and stable char layer led to improved thermal stability and a considerable reduction in heat and smoke releases of MSS/WPC#50.However,the partial replacement of TP with MSS slightly compromised the mechanical and flame-retardant properties,possibly due to the weak grafting caused by SS powder agglomeration.These findings suggest the suitability of MSS/WPCs for high-value-added applications as decorative panels indoors or outdoors.

Design,preparation,application of advanced array structured materials and their action mechanism analyses for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur battery(LSB)has brought much attention and concern because of high theoretical specific capacity and energy density as one of main competitors for next-generation energy storage systems.The widely commercial application and development of LSB is mainly hindered by serious“shuttle effect”of lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),slow reaction kinetics,notorious lithium dendrites,etc.In various structures of LSB materials,array structured materials,possessing the composition of ordered micro units with the same or similar characteristics of each unit,present excellent application potential for various secondary cells due to some merits such as immobilization of active substances,high specific surface area,appropriate pore sizes,easy modification of functional material surface,accommodated huge volume change,enough facilitated transportation for electrons/lithium ions,and special functional groups strongly adsorbing Li PSs.Thus many novel array structured materials are applied to battery for tackling thorny problems mentioned above.In this review,recent progresses and developments on array structured materials applied in LSBs including preparation ways,collaborative structural designs based on array structures,and action mechanism analyses in improving electrochemical performance and safety are summarized.Meanwhile,we also have detailed discussion for array structured materials in LSBs and constructed the structure-function relationships between array structured materials and battery performances.Lastly,some directions and prospects about preparation ways,functional modifications,and practical applications of array structured materials in LSBs are generalized.We hope the review can attract more researchers'attention and bring more studying on array structured materials for other secondary batteries including LSB.

Effect of preparation methods on the adsorption property of municipal solid waste-based carbon materials

Three different preparation methods including steam physical activation, catalytic carbonation and KOH chemical activation methods were used to prepare municipal solid waste- based carbon materials. The methylene blue （MB） adsorption value was applied to evaluate the adsorption capabilities of the prepared carbon materials. The effects of preparation methods on adsorption capability and yield of products were investigated. The yield of carbon materials with the catalytic carbonation method is the highest, and the KOH activation method is the second level. Considering the adsorption performance, the KOH activation method is much more favorable. Among the different components of municipal solid waste-based carbon materials, the adsorption properties of the single component of paperboard, the double components of tire and paperboard, the triple components of tire, paperboard and polyvinyl chloride （PVC）, and the multi-component mixtures are better than those of other single-, double-, triple- and multi-component mixtures, respectively.

Preparation methods,biological activities,and potential applications of marine algae oligosaccharides:a review

Marine algae are valuable sources of health-promoting molecules that have been consumed by Asians for decades.Among aquatic flora,marine algae stand out in terms of high content of marine algae polysaccharides(MAP)such as carrageenan,alginate,fucoidan,laminaran,agarose,rhamnan,and ulvan.When hydrolyzed,MAP generate marine algae oligosaccharides(MAO),which have attracted interest in recent years due to their superior solubility compared with MAP.Besides,MAO have been demonstrated numerous biological activities including antioxidant,antidiabetic,anti-inflammatory,antimicrobial,and prebiotic activities.Thus,this review summarizes the main chemical classes of MAO,their sources,and the main processes used for their production(i.e.,physical,chemical,and biological methods),coupled with a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of these methods.Highlights of the biological activities of MAO and their potential applications in food,nutraceutical,and pharmaceuticals would also be discussed and summarized.

Influence of nanosized magnesia on the hydration of borehole-sealing cements prepared using different methods

Gas drainage is an efective technology for gas control in coal mines.A high borehole-sealing quality is the fundamental precondition for efcient gas drainage.The expansibilities of cement pastes used in borehole-sealing processes are critical for the borehole-sealing efect.Nanosized magnesia expansive agents are used to improve the expansibilities of cement pastes and improve the borehole-sealing efect.Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy were adopted to study the efects of nanosized magnesia on the hydration of borehole-sealing cements used with diferent preparation methods.The results showed that an increase in the mass fraction of the nanosized magnesia promoted cement hydration,and the mass fraction was positively correlated with the promotion efect.The use of diferent preparation methods did not change the water-phase distribution in the cement.When using the wet-mixing preparation method,nanosized magnesia promoted the induction,acceleration,and deceleration periods of hydration;when using the dry-mixing preparation method,the nanosized magnesia promoted the induction period of cement hydration,and the promotion efect was less obvious than that seen when using the wet-mixing method.When using the wet-mixing preparation method,the nanosized magnesia was uniformly dispersed,thus enlarging the surface area of the reaction,which provided more nucleation sites for the hydration products of the cement and therefore accelerated the hydration reaction.When using the dry-mixing preparation method,the nanosized magnesia powders were dispersed nonuniformly and aggregated.Under these conditions,only a few nanosized magnesia particles on the surfaces of the aggregated clusters took part in hydration,so only a small number of nucleation sites were provided for the hydration products of cement.This led to inconsistent hydration of cement pastes prepared using the dry-mixing method.The surface porosity of the cement prepared with the wet-mixing preparation method frst decreased and then increased with increases in the mass fraction of the nanosized magnesia.The cement surface exhibited compact hydration products and few pores,and the surface was relatively smooth.In comparison,the surface porosity of the cement prepared using the dry-mixing method fuctuated with increasing mass fraction of the nanosized magnesia,resulting in a rough cement surface and microfractures on some surfaces.The two preparation methods both reduced the surface porosity of the cement.The wet-mixing preparation was more efective and consistent in improving the compactness of the cement than the dry-mixing preparation.These results provide important guidance on the addition of nanosized magnesia in borehole-sealing engineering and the selection of cement preparation methods,and they also lay a solid foundation for realizing safe and efcient gas drainage.

Methanation of carbon dioxide on Ni/ZrO_2-Al_2O_3 catalysts:Effects of ZrO_2 promoter and preparation method of novel ZrO_2-Al_2O_3 carrier

The novel nickel-based catalysts with a nickel content of 12 wt% were prepared with the zirconia-alumina composite as the supports. The new carriers, ZrO2 improved alumina, were synthesized by three methods, i.e., impregnation-precipitation, co-precipitation, and impregnation method. The catalytic properties of these catalysts were investigated in the methanation of carbon dioxide, and the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscope （XPS）, temperature-programmed reduction （TPR） and temperature-programmed desorption （TPD） techniques. The new catalysts showed higher catalytic activity and better stability than Ni/γ-Al2O3. Furthermore, as a support for new nickel catalyst, the ZrO2-Al2O3 composite prepared by the impregnation-precipitation method was more efficient than the other supports in the methanation of carbon dioxide. The highly dispersed zirconium oxide on the surface of γ-Al2O3 inhibited the formation of nickel aluminate-like phase, which was responsible for the better dispersion of Ni species and easier reduction of NiO species, leading to the enhanced catalytic performance of corresponding catalyst.

Effect of preparation method on the bimetallic NiCu/SAPO-11 catalysts for the hydroisomerization of n-octane

The bimetallic NiCu/SAPO-11 catalysts were prepared by co-impregnation, sequential impregnation, coprecipitation, and mechanical mixing methods. Powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption,temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia, transmission electron microscopy, temperatureprogrammed reduction of hydrogen, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the physicochemical properties of the catalysts. The catalytic performance of the catalysts was assessed by the hydroisomerization of n-octane. Results indicated that the conversion of n-octane and selectivity to n-octane isomers were related to the preparation methods of the catalysts. The catalysts with Ni-Cu alloy effectively restrained the hydrogenolysis reaction that decreases the selectivity of isomerization. The catalyst prepared by the mechanical mixing of NiO and CuO hardly formed Ni-Cu alloy, showing obvious hydrogenolysis and low selectivity to n-octane isomers. The unbalance between the metal and acid sites resulted in the low conversion of n-octane and selectivity to n-octane isomers. Among all the catalysts,the catalyst prepared by the co-impregnation method exhibited high catalytic activity and selectivity to n-octane isomers.

Influence of preparation methods on CuO-CeO_2 catalysts in the preferential oxidation of CO in excess hydrogen

Influence of three different preparation methods, i.e. impregnation, coprecipitation, and inverse coprecipitation, on the preferential oxidation of CO in excess hydrogen （PROX） over CuO-CeO2 catalysts has been investigated and CuO-CeO2 catalysts are characterized using BET, XPS, XRD, UV Raman, and TPR techniques. The results show that the catalysts prepared by coprecipitation have smaller particle sizes, well-dispersed CuOx species, more oxygen vacancies, and are more active in the PROX than those prepared by the other methods. However. the inverse coprecipitation depresses the catalytic performance of CuO-CeO2 catalysts and causes the growth of CuO-CeO2 because of different pH value in the precipitation process.

Influence of the preparation method on the catalytic activity of Mg-Al hydrotalcites as solid base catalysts

Mg-Al hydrotalcites were synthesized using different preparation methods(a co-precipitation method, a urea method, and a simple one) to analyze their effect on the catalytic activity of these solid base catalysts. The method strongly affected the structure of their layers(e.g., the growth and stacking of the layers, and the type of intercalated anions) and, accordingly, their catalytic activity. The Mg-Al hydrotalcite prepared by co-precipitation showed the best catalytic performance in the isomerization of glucose into fructose, due to the small crystallite size and sand rose morphology enhancing the exposure of surface active sites to reactants.

Influence of preparation methods on the physicochemical properties and catalytic performance of MnO_x-CeO_2 catalysts for NH_3-SCR at low temperature

This work examines the influence of preparation methods on the physicochemical properties and catalytic performance of MnOx‐CeO2 catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3 (NH3‐SCR) at low temperature. Five different methods, namely, mechanical mixing, impregnation,hydrothermal treatment, co‐precipitation, and a sol‐gel technique, were used to synthesizeMnOx‐CeO2 catalysts. The catalysts were characterized in detail, and an NH3‐SCR model reaction waschosen to evaluate the catalytic performance. The results showed that the preparation methodsaffected the catalytic performance in the order: hydrothermal treatment > sol‐gel > co‐precipitation> impregnation > mechanical mixing. This order correlated with the surface Ce3+ and Mn4+ content,oxygen vacancies and surface adsorbed oxygen species concentration, and the amount of acidic sitesand acidic strength. This trend is related to redox interactions between MnOx and CeO2. The catalystformed by a hydrothermal treatment exhibited excellent physicochemical properties, optimal catalyticperformance, and good H2O resistance in NH3‐SCR reaction. This was attributed to incorporationof Mnn+ into the CeO2 lattice to form a uniform ceria‐based solid solution (containing Mn‐O‐Cestructures). Strengthening of the electronic interactions between MnOx and CeO2, driven by thehigh‐temperature and high‐pressure conditions during the hydrothermal treatment also improved the catalyst characteristics. Thus, the hydrothermal treatment method is an efficient and environment‐friendly route to synthesizing low‐temperature denitrification (deNOx) catalysts.

Preparation of Perovskite-Type Oxides La_(1-x)Sr_xFe_(1-y)Co_yO_3 Using EDTA Sol-Gel Method

Two series of perovskite-type oxides with composition (La_(1-x))Sr_xFeO_3(x≤0.8)and La_(1-x)Sr_xFe_(1-y)Co_yO_3(x=0.2; y=0.2, 0.4)powder productions were synthesized by EDTA complexing sol-gel method. The products were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, BET method(N_2 adsorption)and laser granularity analysis for different synthesis conditions to obtain the optimum conditions for the preparation process. Single-phased, uniform perovskite-type oxides with small particle size were obtained by EDTA sol-gel process with high stability and repeatability, and the process temperature is much lower than that of solid state reaction method.

Preparation and optical characteristics of ZnO films by chelating sol-gel method

The effect of different annealing temperatures on the structure, morphology,and optical properties of ZnO thin films prepared by the chelating sol-gel method was investigated.Zinc-oxide thin films were coated on quartz glass substrates by dip coating. Zinc nitrate, absoluteethanol, and citric acid were used as precursor, solvent, and chelating agent, respectively. Theresults show that ZnO films derived from zinc-citrate have lower crystallization temperature (below400℃), and that the crystal structure is wurtzite. The films, treated over 500℃, consist ofnano-particles and show to be porous at 600℃. The particle size of the film increases with theincrease of the annealing temperature. The largest particle size is 60 nm at 600℃. The opticaltransmittances related to the annealing temperatures become 90% higher in the visible range. Thefilm shows a starting absorption at 380 nm, and the optical band-gap of the thin film (fired at500℃) is 3.25 eV and close to the intrinsic band-gap of ZnO (3.2 eV).

A novel specimen preparation method for TJ-1 lunar soil simulant in hollow cylinder apparatus

Conventional methods for hollow cylinder apparatus （HCA） specimen preparation are not applicable for T J-1 lunar soil simulant due to its wide particle size distribution. A novel method to prepare uniform T J-1 specimen for HCA tests is put forward. The method is a combination of the multi-layering dry-rodding method and a new under-compaction criterion in the multi-layer with under-compaction method （UCM）. In the novel method, the specimen is prepared with 5 layers by dry-rodding and the UCM is used to determine the height after each layer is compacted. The density uniformity of specimen is evaluated by the freezing method to find out the best under-compaction criterion. Two HCA specimens with the same target density are prepared by the novel method and examined in the tests of pure rotation of the principal stresses. Their conformable mechanical behaviors ascertain the effectiveness of the method to produce uniform and reproducible HCA specimens. Four groups of HCA tests are carried out to investigate the anisotropic and non-coaxial behaviors of TJ-I lunar soil simulant. The results indicate that the principal stress direction, the deviator stress ratio, the stress level and the coefficient of the intermediate principal stress significantly influence the strength and deformation properties of T J-1 lunar soil simulant.

Analysis and discussion of different methods of artificial ice-high specimen preparation

Because ice-high foundation soil is widely distributed in permafrost regions,the correct preparation of ice-high specimens is of critical interest in engineering design for foundation stability.Past research has shown that the uniaxial compression strength of ice-high frozen soils changes as the ice or total water content increases; the differences of different methods of specimen preparation are analyzed here and the advantages and disadvantages of them are presented.It is confirmed that the role of crushed ice is significantly different from that of naturally frozen ice in frozen soils,and the size and amount of crushed ice will influence the strength and deformation mechanism of frozen soils.Therefore,it is strongly recommended that when a ice-high specimen is artificially prepared,the ice should be frozen through natural means and not be replaced with crushed ice.

Effect of Preparation Method on Surface Area and Crystalline Form of CeO_2-ZrO_2 Solid Solution

The CeO_2-ZrO_2 solid solutions were prepared by a reverse microemulsion method. The effect of preparation parameters on the surface area and crystalline form of the solid solutions were studied by the BET surface area and XRD analysis. The studies indicate that the separation of the microemulsion phase during the preparation procedure can decrease the specific surface area of sample, adding hydrogen peroxide in the matrix solution can increase the specific surface area and stability of sample. The surface area of sample calcined at 550 ℃ for 5 h is 149 m^2·g^(-1), and that calcined at 900 ℃ for 6 h is 88 m^2·g^(-1). The sample with tetragonal symmetry Ce_(0.5)Zr_(0.5)O_2 phase has a higher stability.

Preparation of BaCe_(0.5)Zr_(0.4)Y_(0.1)O_(3-α) by Sol-Gel Method and Its Electrical Properties

A precursor of BaCe0.5Zr0.4Y0. 1O3-α electrolytes was synthesized by the sol-gel method and sintered at temperature which were 150 - 250 ℃ lower than by solid state reaction. The AC impedance spectrums of electrolytes were measured by AUTOLAB PGSTA30 electrochemical measuring device at different temperatures. The conductivities of the electrolytes are 1.62×10^-4 - 6.43×10^-3, 2.52×10^-5 - 3.73×10^-3S·cm^-1 in the temperature range of 350-800℃. The activity energies are 0.54 and 0.84 eV. At the same time BaCe0.9Y0.1O3-α was prepared by direct solid state reaction. The conductivity of BaCe0.9Y0.1O3-α is 1 × 10^-4- 4×10^-3 S·cm^-1 and the activation energy is 0.50 eV at the same condition. The results show that conduction of electrolyte prepared by sol-gel method is higher than the one by solid state reaction. As far as BaCe0.9Y0.1O3-α concerned, its conductivity of the Zr-substituted specimens is decreased.

Recent Advances on Preparation Method of Ti-Based Hydrogen Storage Alloy

Ti-based hydrogen storage alloy is one of the most common solid-state hydrogen storage materials due to its high hydrogen absorption capacity, low dehydrogenation temperature and rich resources. This paper mainly presents the influence of several different preparation methods of Ti-based hydrogen storage alloys on the hydrogen storage performance including traditional preparation methods (smelting, rapid quenching and mechanical alloying) and novel methods by plastic deformation (cold rolling, equal channel angular pressing and high-pressure torsion). The microstructure analysis and hydrogen storage properties of Ti-based alloy are summarized thoroughly corresponding with the preparation processes mentioned above. It was found that slight introduction of lattice defects including dislocation, grain boundary, sub-grain boundary and cracks by severe plastic deformation (SPD) was beneficial to improve the hydriding/dehydriding kinetic characteristic. However, the nonuniform composition and residual stress of the alloy may be caused by SPD, which is not conducive to the improvement of hydrogen storage capacity. In the future, it would be expected that new methods and technologies combined with dopant and modification are applied to Ti-based hydrogen storage alloys to make breakthroughs in practical application.

Preparation and Magnetic Properties of (Fe_7Co_3)_(0.15)(SiO_2)_(0.85)Granular Solids Using the Sol-Gel Method

(Fe7Co3)0.15(SiO2)0.85 granular alloy solid was prepared successfully using sol-gel method. The samples with different reducing temperatures were investigated by X-ray diffractometer(XRD),transmission electron micrography(TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer(VSM). The av-erage particIe sizes of the samples were also calculated from Scherrer formula. The magnetic properties of (Fe7Co3 )o. 15 (SiO2)0.85 were studied in detail.

Preparation of High-Quality Poly-Si Films by a Solid Phase Crystallizing Method

A solid phase crystallizing method has been developed to grow a Si crystal at tem-peratures as low as 550 ℃. Using this method, a high-quality thin-film polycrystalline silicon (Poly-Si) was obtained. The largest grain size, examined with X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy images of recrystallized samples, is approximately 1 /μm for substrate temperature at 300 ℃ and annealed at 550℃ for 3 hours.