Solidification/Stabilization of Chromium in Red Mud-based Geopolymer

Up to 1.5wt%of Cr(Ⅲ)salts(CrCl_(3),and Cr_(2)O_(3))and Cr(Ⅵ)salts(Na_(2)CrO_(4),and CaCr_(2)O_(7))were incorporated into red mud-based geopolymers,respectively.The solidification/stabilization,compressive strength,and durability of the Cr-containing geopolymers were investigated.The experimental results indicate that the red mud-based geopolymer could effectively solidify/stabilize different types of Cr salts with solidification/stabilization rates of above 99.61%.Geopolymers are environmentally safe when the dosage of CaCr_(2)O_(7)is≤1.0wt%,or the dosage of CrCl_(3),Cr_(2)O_(3),and Na_(2)CrO_(4)is≤1.5wt%,respectively.The effects of Cr salts on the compressive strength varies with the type and content of Cr salts.The freeze-thaw cycle is more destructive to geopolymer properties than sulfate attack or acid rain erosion.The solidification/stabilization of Cr is mainly attributed to the following reasons:a)The chemical binding of Cr is related to the formation of Cr-containing hydrates(eg,magnesiochromite((Mg,Fe)(Cr,Al)_(2)O_(4)))and doping into N-A-S-H gel and C-A-S-H gel framework;b)The physical effect is related to the encapsulation by the hydration products(e g,N-A-S-H gel and C-A-S-H gel).This study provides a reference for the treatment of hazardous Cr-containing wastes by solid waste-based geopolymers.

A frequency servo SoC with output power stabilization loop technology for miniaturized atomic clocks

A frequency servo system-on-chip(FS-SoC)featuring output power stabilization technology is introduced in this study for high-precision and miniaturized cesium(Cs)atomic clocks.The proposed power stabilization loop(PSL)technique,incorporating an off-chip power detector(PD),ensures that the output power of the FS-SoC remains stable,mitigating the impact of power fluctuations on the atomic clock's stability.Additionally,a one-pulse-per-second(1PPS)is employed to syn-chronize the clock with GPS.Fabricated using 65 nm CMOS technology,the measured phase noise of the FS-SoC stands at-69.5 dBc/Hz@100 Hz offset and-83.9 dBc/Hz@1 kHz offset,accompanied by a power dissipation of 19.7 mW.The Cs atomic clock employing the proposed FS-SoC and PSL obtains an Allan deviation of 1.7×10^(-11) with 1-s averaging time.

Effect of Co on Solidification Characteristics and Microstructural Transformation of Non-equilibrium Solidified Cu-Ni Alloys

Non-equilibrium solidification structures of Cu55Ni45 and Cu55Ni43Co2 alloys were prepared by the molten glass purification cycle superheating method.The variation of the recalescence phenomenon with the degree of undercooling in the rapid solidification process was investigated using an infrared thermometer.The addition of the Co element affected the evolution of the recalescence phenomenon in Cu-Ni alloys.The images of the solid-liquid interface migration during the rapid solidification of supercooled melts were captured by using a high-speed camera.The solidification rate of Cu-Ni alloys,with the addition of Co elements,was explored.Finally,the grain refinement structure with low supercooling was characterised using electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The effect of Co on the microstructural evolution during nonequilibrium solidification of Cu-Ni alloys under conditions of small supercooling is investigated by comparing the microstructures of Cu55Ni45 and Cu55Ni43Co2 alloys.The experimental results show that the addition of a small amount of Co weakens the recalescence behaviour of the Cu55Ni45 alloy and significantly reduces the thermal strain in the rapid solidification phase.In the rapid solidification phase,the thermal strain is greatly reduced,and there is a significant increase in the characteristic undercooling degree.Furthermore,the addition of Co and the reduction of Cu not only result in a lower solidification rate of the alloy,but also contribute to the homogenisation of the grain size.

Preparation of Laser Cladding Coating Undercooling Cu-based Alloy and Co on Non-equilibrium Solidification Structure

The effect of the gradient content of Co element on the solidification process of Cu-based alloy under deep under cooling conditions was explored.The non-equilibrium solidification structure of the under cooled alloy samples were analyzed.It is found that the rapidly solidified alloy has undergone twice grain refinement during the undercooling process.Characterization and significance of the maximum undercooling refinement structure of Cu60Ni35Co5 at T=253 K were analyzed.High-density defects were observed,such as dislocations,stacking faults networks,and twinning structures.The standard FCC diffraction pattern represents that it is still a single-phase structure.Based on the metallographic diagram,EBSD and TEM data analysis,it is illustrated that the occurrence of grain refinement under high undercooling is due to stress induced recrystallization.In addition,the laser cladding technology is used to coat Co-based alloy(Stellite12) coating on 304 stainless steel substrate;the microstructure of the coating cross-section was analyzed.It was found that the microstructure of the cross-section is presented as columnar crystals,planar crystals,and disordered growth direction,so that the coating has better hardness and wear resistance.By electrochemical corrosion of the substrate and coating,it can be seen that the Co and Cr elements present in the coating are more likely to form a dense passivation film,which improved the corrosion resistance of the coating.

Stabilization Controller of An Extended Chained Nonholonomic System With Disturbance:An FAS Approach

This study examines the stabilization issue of extended chained nonholonomic systems(ECNSs)with external disturbance.Unlike the existing approaches,we transform the considered system into a fully actuated system(FAS)model,simplifying the stabilizing controller design.We implement a separate controller design and propose exponential stabilization controller and finite-time stabilization controller under finite-time disturbance observer(FTDO)for the two system inputs.In addition,we discuss the specifics of global stabilization control design.Our approach demonstrates that two system states exponentially or asymptotically converge to zero under the provided switching stabilization control strategy,while all other system states converge to zero within a finite time.

A NOTE ON THE GENERAL STABILIZATION OF DISCRETE FEEDBACK CONTROL FOR NON-AUTONOMOUS HYBRID NEUTRAL STOCHASTIC SYSTEMS WITH A DELAY

Discrete feedback control was designed to stabilize an unstable hybrid neutral stochastic differential delay system(HNSDDS) under a highly nonlinear constraint in the H_∞ and exponential forms.Nevertheless,the existing work just adapted to autonomous cases,and the obtained results were mainly on exponential stabilization.In comparison with autonomous cases,non-autonomous systems are of great interest and represent an important challenge.Accordingly,discrete feedback control has here been adjusted with a time factor to stabilize an unstable non-autonomous HNSDDS,in which new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals and some novel technologies are adopted.It should be noted,in particular,that the stabilization can be achieved not only in the routine H_∞ and exponential forms,but also the polynomial form and even a general form.

Effect of solidification cooling rate on microstructure and tribology characteristics of Zn-4Si alloy

The main objective of this work was to modify the microstructure and enhance the tribological properties of a new Zn-4Si al-loy through a high solidification cooling rate(SCR).According to the results,by increasing the SCR from 2.0 to 59.5℃/s the average size of primary Si particles and that of the grains reduced from 76.1 and 3780μm to less than about 14.6 and 460μm,respectively.Augment-ing the SCR also enhanced the microstructural homogeneity,decreased the porosity content(by 50%),and increased the matrix hardness(by 36%).These microstructural changes enhanced the tribological behavior.For instance,under the applied pressure of 0.5 MPa,an in-crease in the SCR from 2.0 to 59.5℃/s decreased the wear rate and the average friction coefficient of the alloy by 57%and 23%,respect-ively.The wear mechanism was also changed from the severe delamination,adhesion,and abrasion in the slowly-cooled alloy to the mild tribolayer delamination/abrasion in the high-cooling-rate-solidified sample.

Output Feedback Stabilization of High-Order Nonlinear Time-Delay Systems With Low-Order and High-Order Nonlinearities

Dear Editor,to This letter deals with the output feedback stabilization of a class of high-order nonlinear time-delay systems with more general low-order and high-order nonlinearities.By constructing reduced-order observer,based on homogeneous domination theory together with the adding a power integrator method,an output feedback controller is developed guarantee the equilibrium of the closed system globally uniformly asymptotically stable.

Irregular initial solidification by mold thermal monitoring in the continuous casting of steels:A review

Occasional irregular initial solidification phenomena,including stickers,deep oscillation marks,depressions,and surface cracks of strand shells in continuous casting molds,are important limitations for developing the high-efficiency continuous casting of steels.The application of mold thermal monitoring(MTM) systems,which use thermocouples to detect and respond to temperature variations in molds,has become an effective method to address irregular initial solidification phenomena.Such systems are widely applied in numerous steel companies for sticker breakout prediction.However,monitoring the surface defects of strands remains immature.Hence,indepth research is necessary to utilize the potential advantages and comprehensive monitoring of MTM systems.This paper summarizes what is included in the irregular initial solidification phenomena and systematically reviews the current state of research on these phenomena by the MTM systems.Furthermore,the influences of mold slag behavior on monitoring these phenomena are analyzed.Finally,the remaining problems of the formation mechanisms and investigations of irregular initial solidification phenomena are discussed,and future research directions are proposed.

Passivity-Based Stabilization for Switched Stochastic Nonlinear Systems

Dear Editor,This letter addresses the passivity-based mean square exponential stabilization problem for switched stochastic nonlinear systems.A concept of generalized small-time norm-observability is presented and an appropriate test condition is also provided.For pre-given passivity rate and average dwell time,a set of feedback controllers is designed by use of the passivity property.

Set Stabilization of Large-Scale Stochastic Boolean Networks:A Distributed Control Strategy

Dear Editor,This letter deals with the set stabilization of stochastic Boolean control networks(SBCNs)by the pinning control strategy,which is to realize the full control for systems by imposing control inputs on a fraction of agents.

Nonlinear Robust Stabilization of Ship Roll by Convex Optimization

Dear Editor,This letter presents a nonlinear robust controller design method for ship roll stabilization by combining the dual of Lyapunov's stability theorem with the sum of squares(SOS) technique. Varying initial metacentric height and ship speed are regarded as uncertainties, sea waves are considered as external disturbances, and then the robust nonlinear controller is designed. Taking a container ship as an example, simulations are performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed design scheme.

Volume-averaged modeling of multiphase solidification with equiaxed crystal sedimentation in a steel ingot

Macrosegregation is a critical factor that limits the mechanical properties of materials.The impact of equiaxed crystal sedimentation on macrosegregation has been extensively studied,as it plays a significant role in determining the distribution of alloying elements and impurities within a material.To improve macrosegregation in steel connecting shafts,a multiphase solidification model that couples melt flow,heat transfer,microstructure evolution,and solute transport was established based on the volume-averaged Eulerian-Eulerian approach.In this model,the effects of liquid phase,equiaxed crystals,columnar dendrites,and columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)during solidification and evolution of microstructure can be considered simultaneously.The sedimentation of equiaxed crystals contributes to negative macrosegregation,where regions between columnar dendrites and equiaxed crystals undergo significant A-type positive macrosegregation due to the CET.Additionally,noticeable positive macrosegregation occurs in the area of final solidification in the ingot.The improvement in macrosegregation is beneficial for enhancing the mechanical properties of connecting shafts.To mitigate the thermal convection of molten steel resulting from excessive superheating,reducing the superheating during casting without employing external fields or altering the design of the ingot mold is indeed an effective approach to control macrosegregation.

Exploration of the coupled lattice Boltzmann model based on a multiphase field model:A study of the solid-liquid-gas interaction mechanism in the solidification process

A multiphase field model coupled with a lattice Boltzmann(PF-LBM)model is proposed to simulate the distribution mechanism of bubbles and solutes at the solid-liquid interface,the interaction between dendrites and bubbles,and the effects of different temperatures,anisotropic strengths and tilting angles on the solidified organization of the SCN-0.24wt.%butanedinitrile alloy during the solidification process.The model adopts a multiphase field model to simulate the growth of dendrites,calculates the growth motions of dendrites based on the interfacial solute equilibrium;and adopts a lattice Boltzmann model(LBM)based on the Shan-Chen multiphase flow to simulate the growth and motions of bubbles in the liquid phase,which includes the interaction between solid-liquid-gas phases.The simulation results show that during the directional growth of columnar dendrites,bubbles first precipitate out slowly at the very bottom of the dendrites,and then rise up due to the different solid-liquid densities and pressure differences.The bubbles will interact with the dendrite in the process of flow migration,such as extrusion,overflow,fusion and disappearance.In the case of wide gaps in the dendrite channels,bubbles will fuse to form larger irregular bubbles,and in the case of dense channels,bubbles will deform due to the extrusion of dendrites.In the simulated region,as the dendrites converge and diverge,the bubbles precipitate out of the dendrites by compression and diffusion,which also causes physical phenomena such as fusion and spillage of the bubbles.These results reveal the physical mechanisms of bubble nucleation,growth and kinematic evolution during solidification and interaction with dendrite growth.

Lunar In Situ Large-Scale Construction:Quantitative Evaluation of Regolith Solidification Techniques

Lunar habitat construction is crucial for successful lunar exploration missions.Due to the limitations of transportation conditions,extensive global research has been conducted on lunar in situ material processing techniques in recent years.The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review,precise classification,and quantitative evaluation of these approaches,focusing specifically on four main approaches:reaction solidification(RS),sintering/melting(SM),bonding solidification(BS),and confinement formation(CF).Eight key indicators have been identified for the construction of low-cost and highperformance systems to assess the feasibility of these methods:in situ material ratio,curing temperature,curing time,implementation conditions,compressive strength,tensile strength,curing dimensions,and environmental adaptability.The scoring thresholds are determined by comparing the construction requirements with the actual capabilities.Among the evaluated methods,regolith bagging has emerged as a promising option due to its high in situ material ratio,low time requirement,lack of hightemperature requirements,and minimal shortcomings,with only the compressive strength falling below the neutral score.The compressive strength still maintains a value of 2–3 MPa.The proposed construction scheme utilizing regolith bags offers numerous advantages,including rapid and large-scale construction,ensured tensile strength,and reduced reliance on equipment and energy.In this study,guidelines for evaluating regolith solidification techniques are provided,and directions for improvement are offered.The proposed lunar habitat design based on regolith bags is a practical reference for future research.

Nonlinear robust adaptive control for bidirectional stabilization system of all-electric tank with unknown actuator backlash compensation and disturbance estimation

Since backlash nonlinearity is inevitably existing in actuators for bidirectional stabilization system of allelectric tank,it behaves more drastically in high maneuvering environments.In this work,the accurate tracking control for bidirectional stabilization system of moving all-electric tank with actuator backlash and unmodeled disturbance is solved.By utilizing the smooth adaptive backlash inverse model,a nonlinear robust adaptive feedback control scheme is presented.The unknown parameters and unmodelled disturbance are addressed separately through the derived parametric adaptive function and the continuous nonlinear robust term.Because the unknown backlash parameters are updated via adaptive function and the backlash effect can be suppressed successfully by inverse operation,which ensures the system stability.Meanwhile,the system disturbance in the high maneuverable environment can be estimated with the constructed adaptive law online improving the engineering practicality.Finally,Lyapunov-based analysis proves that the developed controller can ensure the tracking error asymptotically converges to zero even with unmodeled disturbance and unknown actuator backlash.Contrast co-simulations and experiments illustrate the advantages of the proposed approach.

Structural and electrochemical stabilization enabling high-energy P3-type Cr-based layered oxide cathode for K-ion batteries

Layered-type transition metal(TM)oxides are considered as one of the most promising cathodes for K-ion batteries because of the large theoretical gravimetric capacity by low molar mass.However,they suffer from severe structural change by de/intercalation and diffusion of K^(+)ions with large ionic size,which results in not only much lower reversible capacity than the theoretical capacity but also poor power capability.Thus,it is important to enhance the structural stability of the layered-type TM oxides for outstanding electrochemical behaviors under the K-ion battery system.Herein,it is investigated that the substitution of the appropriate Ti^(4+)contents enables a highly enlarged reversible capacity of P3-type KxCrO_(2) using combined studies of first-principles calculation and various experiments.Whereas the pristine P3-type KxCrO_(2) just exhibits the reversible capacity of∼120 mAh g^(−1) in the voltage range of 1.5-4.0 V(vs.K^(+)/K),the∼0.61 mol K^(+)corresponding to∼150 mAh g^(−1) can be reversible de/intercalated at the structure of P3-type K0.71[Cr_(0.75)Ti_(0.25)]O_(2) under the same conditions.Furthermore,even at the high current density of 788 mA g^(−1),the specific capacity of P3-type K0.71[Cr_(0.75)Ti_(0.25)]O_(2) is∼120 mAh g^(−1),which is∼81 times larger than that of the pristine P3-type KxCrO_(2).It is believed that this research can provide an effective strategy to improve the electrochemical performances of the cathode materials suffered by severe structural change that occurred during charge/discharge under not only K-ion battery system but also other rechargeable battery systems.

Coupling effect of cement-stabilization and biopolymer-modification on the mechanical behavior of dredged sediment

Nowadays,biopolymer stabilization as a promising eco-friendly approach in soft ground improvement has attracted wide attentions.However,the feasibility of using biopolymer as a green additive of cementstabilized dredged sediment(CDS)with high water content is still unknown.In this study,guar gum(GG)and xanthan gum(XG)were adopted as typical biopolymers,and a series of unconfined compressive strength(UCS),splitting tensile strength(STS)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical and microstructural properties of XG-and GG-modified CDSs considering several factors including biopolymer modification,binderesoil ratio and wateresolid ratio.Furthermore,the micro-mechanisms revealing the evolutions of mechanical properties of biopolymermodified CDS were analyzed.The results indicate that the addition of XG can effectively improve the strength of CDS,while the GG has a side effect.The XG content of 9%was recommended,which can improve the 7 d-and 28 d-UCSs by 196%and 51.8%,together with the 7 d-and 28 d-STSs by 118.3%and 42.2%,respectively.Increasing the binderesoil ratio or decreasing the wateresolid ratio significantly improved the strength gaining but aggravated the brittleness characteristics of CDS.Adding XG to CDS contributed to the formation of microstructure with more compactness and higher cementation degrees of ordinary Portland cement(OPC)-XG-stabilized DS(CXDS).The micro-mechanism models revealing the interactions of multiple media including OPC cementation,biopolymer film bonding and bridging effects inside CXDS were proposed.The key findings confirm the feasibility of XG modification as a green and high-efficiency mean for improving the mechanical properties of CDS.

Finite-Time Stabilization for Constrained Discrete-time Systems by Using Model Predictive Control

In this paper, a model predictive control(MPC)framework is proposed for finite-time stabilization of linear and nonlinear discrete-time systems subject to state and control constraints. The proposed MPC framework guarantees the finite-time convergence property by assigning the control horizon equal to the dimension of the overall system, and only penalizing the terminal cost in the optimization, where the stage costs are not penalized explicitly. A terminal inequality constraint is added to guarantee the feasibility and stability of the closed-loop system.Initial feasibility can be improved via augmentation. The finite-time convergence of the proposed MPC is proved theoretically,and is supported by simulation examples.

Striking Stabilization Effect of Spinel Cobalt Oxide Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts in Neutral pH by Dual-Sites Iron Incorporation

Developing stable and efficient nonprecious-metal-based oxygen evolution catalysts in the neutral electrolyte is a challenging but essential goal for various electrochemical systems.Particularly,cobalt-based spinels have drawn a considerable amount of attention but most of them operate in alkali solutions.However,the frequently studied Co-Fe spinel system never exhibits appreciable stability in nonbasic conditions,not to mention attract further investigation on its key structural motif and transition states for activity loss.Herein,we report exceptional stable Co-Fe spinel oxygen evolution catalysts(~30%Fe is optimal)in a neutral electrolyte,owing to its unique metal ion arrangements in the crystal lattice.The introduced iron content enters both the octahedral and tetrahedral sites of the spinel as Fe^(2+)and Fe^(3+)(with Co ions having mixed distribution as well).Combining density functional theory calculations,we find that the introduction of Fe to Co_(3)O_(4)lowers the covalency of metal-oxygen bonds and can help suppress the oxidation of Co^(2+/3+)and 0^(2-).It implies that the Co-Fe spinel will have minor surface reconstruction and less lattice oxygen loss during the oxygen evolution reaction process in comparison with Co_(3)O_(4)and hence show much better stability.These findings suggest that there is still much chance for the spinel structures,especially using reasonable sublattices engineering via multimetal doping to develop advanced oxygen evolution catalysts.