Synthesis of steel slag ceramics: chemical composition and crystalline phases of raw materials

Two types of porcelain tiles with steel slag as the main raw material （steel slag ceramics） were synthesized based on the CaO-A1203-SiO2 and CaO--MgO-SiO2 systems, and their bending strengths up to 53.47 MPa and 99.84 MPa, respectively, were obtained. The presence of anorthite, a-quartz, magnetite, and pyroxene crystals （augite and diopside） in the steel slag ceramics were very different from the composition of traditional ceramics. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and electron probe X-ray microanalysis （EPMA） results illustrated that the addition of steel slag reduced the temperature of extensive liquid generation and further decreased the firing temperature. The considerable contents of glass-modifying oxide liquids with rather low viscosities at high temperature in the steel slag ceramic adobes promoted element diffusion and crystallization. The results of this study demonstrated a new approach for extensive and effective recycling of steel slag.

Determination of Particle Sizes and Crystalline Phases on Colloidal Silicon Nanoparticle Suspensions

Particle size and crystallinity of silicon nanoparticles were determined by analyzing the optical extinction spectra of colloidal suspensions. Experimental results from these colloids were anaiyzed using Mie theory in connection with effective medium theory, in order to determine particle sizes and their internal structure with the simple technique of optical transmission spectroscopy. By modeling an effective refractive index for the particles, the crystalline volume fraction can be extracted from extinction spectra in addition to information about the size. The crystalline volume fraction determined in this way were used to calibrate the ratio of the Raman cross sections for nanocrystalline and amorphous silicon, which was found to be σc./σa = 0.66

Organic Compounds Possessing the Plastic Crystalline Phase: Calculation of Their Fusion Enthalpies

For the first time, for different organic and inorganic compounds possessing the plastic crystalline phase, a new semiempirical equation describing dependence of their fusion enthalpies on such physico-chemical quantities as normal melting temperature, surface tension, molar volume and critical molar volume is received on the base of the principle of corresponding states and the energy equipartition theorem. Moreover, the proposed equation allows one to take into account the particularities of one-particle molecular rotation in the plastic crystalline phase.

Influence of film stretching on crystalline phases and dielectric properties of a 70/30 mol%poly(vinylidenefluoride-tetrafluoroethylene)copolymer

Polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)-based copolymers with tetrafluoroethylene(P(VDF-TFE)),trifluoroethylene(P(VDF-TrFE))or hexafluoropropylene(P(VDF-HFP))are of strong interest due to the underlying fundamental mechanisms and the potential ferro-,pyro-and piezo-electrical applications.Their flexibility and their adaptability to various shapes are advantageous in comparison to inorganic ferroelectrics.Here,we study the influence of stretching temperature on the crystalline phases and the dielectric prop-erties in P(VDF-TFE)films by means of Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy(DRS),Fourier-Transform InfraRed spectroscopy(FTIR),Wide-Angle X-ray Diffraction(WAXD),Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC)and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis(DMA).Especially,the effect of stretching and the influence of the temperature of stretching on the mid-temperature(T_(mid))transi-tion are studied in detail.The results show that stretching has a similar effect as that on PVDF,and we observe an increase in the fraction of ferroelectric b-phase with a simultaneous increment in both melting point(T_(m))and crystallinity(X_(c))of the copolymer.While an increase in the stretching temperature does not have a profound impact on the amount of ferroelectric phase,the stability of the ferroelectric phase seems to improve-as seen in the reduction of the Full Width at Half Maximum(FWHM)of the WAXD peaks in both parallel and perpendicular directions to the molecular chain axis.The observation is also supported by the reduction of dissipation losses with an increase in stretching temperature-as seen in DRS measurements.Finally,both stretching itself and the temperature of stretching affect the various molecular processes taking place in the temperature range of the T_(mid) transition.

Hydroxyapatite-modified micro/nanostructured titania surfaces with different crystalline phases for osteoblast regulation

Surface structures and physicochemical properties critically influence osseointegration of titanium(Ti)implants.Previous studies have shown that the surface with both micro-and nanoscale roughness may provide multiple features comparable to cell dimensions and thus efficiently regulate cell-material interaction.However,less attention has been made to further optimize the physicochemical properties(e.g.,crystalline phase)and to further improve the bioactivity of micro/nanostructured surfaces.Herein,micro/nanostructured titania surfaces with different crystalline phases(amorphous,anatase and anatase/rutile)were prepared and hydroxyapatite(HA)nanorods were deposited onto the as-prepared surfaces by a spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly method without greatly altering the initial multi-scale morphology and wettability.The effects of crystalline phase,chemical composition and wettability on osteoblast response were investigated.It is noted that all the micro/nanostructured surfaces with/without HA modification presented superamphiphilic.The activities of MC3T3-E1 cells suggested that the proliferation trend on the micro/nanostructured surfaces was greatly influenced by different crystalline phases,and the highest proliferation rate was obtained on the anatase/rutile surface,followed by the anatase;but the cell differentiation and extracellular matrix mineralization were almost the same among them.After ultrathin HA modification on the micro/nanostructured surfaces with different crystalline phases,it exhibited similar proliferation trend as the original surfaces;however,the cell differentiation and extracellular matrix mineralization were significantly improved.The results indicate that the introduction of ultrathin HA to the micro/nanostructured surfaces with optimized crystalline phase benefits cell proliferation,differentiation and maturation,which suggests a favorable biomimetic microenvironment and provides the potential for enhanced implant osseointegration in vivo.

Influence of substituting B_(2)O_(3) with Li_(2)O on the viscosity,structure and crystalline phase of low-reactivity mold flux

The low-reactivity mold flux with low SiO_(2)content is considered suitable for the continuous casting of high-aluminum steel since it can significantly reduce the reaction between Al in steel and SiO_(2)in mold flux.However,the traditional low-reactivity mold flux still presents some problems such as high viscosity and strong crystallization tendency.In this study,the co-addition of Li_(2)O and B_(2)O_(3)in CaO–Al_(2)O_(3)–10wt%Si O_(2)based low-reactivity mold flux was proposed to improve properties of mold flux for high-aluminum steel,and the effect of Li_(2)O replacing B_(2)O_(3)on properties of mold flux was investigated.The viscosity of the mold flux with 2wt%Li_(2)O and 6wt%B_(2)O_(3)reached a minimum value of 0.07 Pa·s.The break temperature and melting point showed a similar trend with the viscosity.Besides,the melt structure and precipitation of the crystalline phase were studied using Raman and X-ray diffraction spectra to better understand the evolution of viscosity.It demonstrated that with increasing Li_(2)O content in the mold flux from 0 to 6 wt%,the degree of polymerization of aluminate and the aluminosilicate network structure increased because of increasing Li+released by Li_(2)O,indicating the added Li_(2)O was preferentially associated with Al^(3+)as a charge compensator.The precipitation of LiAlO_(2)crystalline phase gradually increased with the replacement of B_(2)O_(3)by Li_(2)O.Therefore,Li_(2)O content should be controlled below 2wt%to avoid LiAlO_(2)precipitation,which was harmful to the continuous casting of highaluminum steels.

Laser additive manufacturing of Si/ZrO_(2)tunable crystalline phase 3D nanostructures

The current study is directed to the rapidly developing field of inorganic material 3D object production at nano-/micro scale.The fabrication method includes laser lithography of hybrid organic-inorganic materials with subsequent heat treatment leading to a variety of crystalline phases in 3D structures.In this work,it was examined a series of organometallic polymer precursors with different silicon(Si)and zirconium(Zr)molar ratios,ranging from 9:1 to 5:5,prepared via sol-gel method.All mixtures were examined for perspective to be used in 3D laser manufacturing by fabricating nano-and micro-feature sized structures.Their spatial downscaling and surface morphology were evaluated depending on chemical composition and crystallographic phase.The appearance of a crystalline phase was proven using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,which revealed a lower crystallization temperature for microstructures compared to bulk materials.Fabricated 3D objects retained a complex geometry without any distortion after heat treatment up to 1400℃.Under the proper conditions,a wide variety of crystalline phases as well as zircon(ZrSiO_(4)-a highly stable material)can be observed.In addition,the highest new record of achieved resolution below 60 nm has been reached.The proposed preparation protocol can be used to manufacture micro/nano-devices with high precision and resistance to high temperature and aggressive environment.

Charge carrier dynamics in different crystal phases of CH_(3)NH_(3)PbI_(3)perovskite

Despite that organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites have attracted enormous scientific attention for energy conversion applications over the recent years,the influence of temperature and the type of the employed hole transport layer(HTL)on the charge carrier dynamics and recombination processes in perovskite photovoltaic devices is still largely unexplored.In particular,significant knowledge is missing on how these crucial parameters for radiative and non-radiative recombinations,as well as for efficient charge extraction vary among different perovskite crystalline phases that are induced by temperature variation.Herein,we perform micro photoluminescence(pPL)and ultrafast time resolved transient absorption spectroscopy(TAS)in Glass/Perovskite and two dierent Glass/ITO/HTL/Perovskite configurations at temperatures below room temperature,in order to probe the charge carrier dynamics of different perovskite crystalline phases,while considering also the effect of the employed HTL polymer.Namely,CH_(3)NH_(3)Pbb films were deposited on Glass,PEDOT:PSS and PTAA polymers,and the developed Glass/CH_(3)NH_(3)PbI_(3)and Glass/ITO/HTL/CH_(3)NH_(3)PbI_(3)architectures were studied from 85 K up to 215 K in order to explore the charge extraction dynamics of the CH_(3)NH_(3)PbI_(3)orthorhombic and tetragonal crystalline phases.It is observed an unusual blueshift of the bandgap with temperature and the dual emission at temperature below of 100 K and also,that the charge carrier dynamics,as expressed by hole injection times and free carrier recombination rates,are strongly depended on the actual pervoskite crystal phase,as well as,from the selected hole transport material.

Effect of ZrO_2 Crystalline Phase on the Performance of Ni-B/ZrO_2 Catalyst for the CO Selective Methanation

Amorphous Ni-B/ZrO2 catalysts were prepared by coprecipitation-chemical reduction with KBH4 aqueous solution,and various crystalline phase ZrO2(amorphous-ZrO2,tetragonal-ZrO2 and monoclinic-ZrO2) supported Ni-B catalysts were obtained by thermal treatment in 5%H2-N2 stream at different temperature.The effect of ZrO2 polymorphs and the treatment temperature on the catalytic performance for the CO selective methanation were investigated,and the catalysts were characterized by N2 physisorption,Powder X-ray diffraction(XRD), Temperature-Programmed Desorption(CO-TPD and H2-TPD),and Differential Scanning Calorimeter(DSC).The treatment temperature affected strongly the crystalline structure of ZrO2,and the CO methanation activity and selectivity of the Ni-B/ZrO2 catalysts were significantly influenced by the crystalline phase of ZrO2.Of the three forms of ZrO2 polymorphs(amorphou-ZrO2,tetragonal-ZrO2 and monoclinic-ZrO2),the amorphous-ZrO2 supported nickle catalyst showed highest CO methanation activity,attributing in large part to the largest specific surface area and the optimum CO/H2 absorption intensity of the Ni-B/amorphous-ZrO2 catalyst.

Influence of Fe_2O_3 and V_2O_5 on Crystalline Structure of Mg-Al Spinel Synthesized by Waste Aluminum Slag

Mg-Al spinel is synthesized by using industrial waste-residue and basic magnesium carbonate in the aluminum factory as the main raw materials. The influence of V2O5 and Fe2O3 mineralizers on the structure, cell parameters and microscopic morphology of synthesized Mg-Al spinel has been discussed. The Mg-Al spinel is characterized by using XRD, SEM and relevant analytical software, such as Philips plus, Rietveld quantification and so on. The experimental results show that certain amounts of V2O5 and Fe2O3 are beneficial to the formation of Mg-Al spinel, and the optimum addition of V2O5 and Fe2O3 is respectively 2wt% and 3wt%. V2O5 has few effects on cell parameters of Mg-Al spinel; but Fe2O3 can form solid solution with Mg-Al spinel in which Mg-Fe spinel can also dissolve to form continuous solid solution. Therefore, with the increase of Fe2O3 content, the cell parameters of Mg-Al approximately present linear increase.

Crystalline Phase and Decomposition Dynamics of Aluminum Titanate at Different Temperature

The crystalline phase formed during aluminum titanate at 750-1300 ℃ as well as the relationship between its content change and decomposition dynamics was mainly discussed in this paper.Dynamical equation was established for calculating the reaction activation energy.It aimed at providing dynamics basic data for taking up necessary measures to inhibit the decomposition of aluminum titanate.Experimental results showed that aluminum titanate would decompose into TiO2 and corundum at 750-1300 ℃.Content of aluminum titanate would reduce with the increase of decomposition time,and the order of decomposition rates at different temperature was 1100 1200 1000 900 ℃.The decomposition was a chemical reaction with control steps,and could meet the first order reaction dynamic equation-F（G） = [（1-G）-2/3-1] = Kt.According to the calculation,rate constants of different decomposition reaction dynamic equations were K900 = 2.2×10-3,K1000 = 1.2×10-2,K1100 = 4×10-1 and K1200 = 1.5×10-1,and the reaction activation energy ΔGave = 203.21 KJ/mol.

The Formula of Dependence of Mechanical Characteristics of Materials on Crystalline Phase Composition in the Matrix

Objective: For materials science and generally, for long-term operation of work-pieces in industry the significant role is attributed to dependence of macro-mechanical properties of consolidated body on crystalline phase composition, its dimensions, form, distribution in matrix and the form factor. While working in responsible fields of technology of ceramics and ceramic composites the above referred properties are attributed extremely great role with the view of durability and endurance at the terms of heavy mechanical loads. For description of the resistance of any concrete type work-piece, the crystalline phase plays the greatest role in mechanical strength or deformation of any material. It plays the important role in correlative explanation of materials mechanics and matrix properties. In our case, in the process of destruction of ceramic materials and composites, which will give us exhaustive response to the role of macro- and micro-mechanical properties of materials, the role of a macro- and micro-structural component, that is, of crystalline phase in the process of transition of stable state of materials into meta-stable state is extremely big. Our study aims to develop a formula of dependence of macro-mechanical properties of ceramic and ceramic composites on crystalline phase, the most powerful component of their structure, which will enable theorists and practitioners to select and develop technologies and technological processes correctly. Method: On the basis of the study of micro- and macro-mechanical properties of ceramics and ceramic composites and the morphology of crystalline phase and the analysis of the study we determined and created parameters of the formula. Results: The formula covers macro-mechanical properties, that is when the work-piece is thoroughly destructed: mechanic at bending at three and four-point load, mechanic at contraction;among morphological characteristics: composition of crystalline phase and their spreading in matrix, their sizes, form factor;correlative dependence of the above listed properties. Absolutely new definition of a factor of spreading of crystalline phase in matrix is offered. Conclusion: The created formula is of consolidated nature and it can be used in technology of any ceramic material and ceramic composites. The formula will help practitioners to plan correctly and fulfill accurately all positions of technology of production of work-pieces, to carry out the most responsible thermal treatment process of technology of manufacture of work-pieces;to determine correlation between mechanical and matrix properties of materials.

Ultra-fast phosphating synthesis of metastable crystalline phase-controllable ultra-small MPX/CNT(M = Pd, Pt, Ru) for polyalcohol electrooxidation

A general approach is reported for ultra-fast phosphating synthesis of a series of ultra-small(<5 nm)noble metal phosphides(MPX/CNT,M=Pd,Pt,Ru)which are successfully produced in just 75 s for the first time.The catalytic performance of the catalysts can be optimized by controlling the nanomaterials as the metastable crystalline phases.By altering the phosphorus source under the same conditions,the hexagonal structured Pd_(7)P_(3)(NaH_(2)PO_(2).H_(2)O as P source)and monoclinic structured Pd_(6)P(Na_(4)P_(2)O_(7) as P source)can be prepared successfully.Both of them exhibit excellent polyol oxidation performance in alkaline media.Monoclinic Pd_(6)P/CNT and hexagonal Pd_(7)P_(3)/CNT have large ECSA which are confirmed as 82.1 m2 g^(-1)and 86.2 m2 g^(-1),respectively.Hexagonal Pd_(7)P_(3)/CNT has the highest mass activity of 6.14 A mgPd^(-1)(3.21 A mgPd^(-1)for Pd_(6)P/CNT)for GOR,which far exceeded Pt/C(2.81 A mgPt^(-1)).Meanwhile,the mass activity of monoclinic Pt_(5)P_(2)/CNT for EGOR achieved 12.4 A mg_(Pt)^(-1),which far exceeded Pt/C(6.8 A mg_(Pt)^(-1)).The stability test proved that the activity decay of these catalysts was negligible after the 12-hour durability test.Meanwhile,they have excellent CO anti-poisoning abilities.

Atomic-Ordering-Induced Quantum Phase Transition between Topological Crystalline Insulator and Z_2 Topological Insulator

Topological phase transition in a single material usually refers to transitions between a trivial band insulator and a topological Dirac phase, and the transition may also occur between different classes of topological Dirac phases.It is a fundamental challenge to realize quantum transition between Z_2 nontrivial topological insulator（TI） and topological crystalline insulator（TCI） in one material because Z_2 TI and TCI have different requirements on the number of band inversions. The Z_2 TIs must have an odd number of band inversions over all the time-reversal invariant momenta, whereas the newly discovered TCIs, as a distinct class of the topological Dirac materials protected by the underlying crystalline symmetry, owns an even number of band inversions. Taking PbSnTe_2 alloy as an example, here we demonstrate that the atomic-ordering is an effective way to tune the symmetry of the alloy so that we can electrically switch between TCI phase and Z_2 TI phase in a single material. Our results suggest that the atomic-ordering provides a new platform towards the realization of reversibly switching between different topological phases to explore novel applications.

SYNTHESIS AND PHASE BEHAVIOR OF LIQUID CRYSTALLINE 4'-ALKYLOXY-4-HYDROXYBIPHENYLS

The synthesis and phase behavior of a series of 4'-alkyloxy -4-hydroxy biphenyls were discribed.The effects of reaction conditions on the yields of products were investigated.The characterizations of thermotropic liquid crystalline products for the type and thermal properties are discussed through the use of differential scanning calorimetry,polarizing microscopy.

Restructuring of 4H Phase Au Nanowires and its Catalytic Behavior toward CO Electro-oxidation

Au nanowires in 4H crystalline phase(4H Au NWs)are synthesized by colloid solution methods.The crys-talline phase and surface structure as well as its performance toward electrochemical oxidation of CO be-fore and after removing adsorbed oleylamine molecules(OAs)intro-duced from its synthesis are evaluat-ed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HR-TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),underpoten-tial deposition of Pb(Pb-upd)and cyclic voltammetry.Different methods,i.e.acetic acid cleaning,electrochemical oxidation cleaning,and diethylamine replacement,have been tried to remove the adsorbed OAs.For all methods,upon the removal of the adsorbed OAs,the morphology of 4H gold nanoparticles is found to gradually change from nanowires to large dumbbell-shaped nanoparticles,accompanying with a transition from the 4H phase to the face-centered cubic phase.On the other hand,the Pb-upd results show that the sample sur-faces have almost the same facet composition before and after removal of the adsorbed OAs.After electrochemical cleaning with continuous potential scans up to 1.3 V,CO electro-oxida-tion activity of the 4H Au sample is significantly improved.The CO electro-oxidation activi-ty is compared with results on the three basel Au single crystalline surfaces reported in the lit-erature,possible origins for its enhancement are discussed.

Investigation of GaN Growth Directly on Si (001) by ECR Plasma Enhanced MOCVD

Direct growth of GaN films on Si(001) substrate at low temperatures (620～720℃) by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) microwave plasma enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PEMOCVD).The crystalline phase structures of the films are investigated.The results of high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X ray diffraction (XRD) indicate that high c axis oriented crystalline wurtzite GaN is grown on Si(001) but there is an amorphous layer formed naturally at GaN/Si interface.Both faces of the amorphous layer are flat and sharp,and the thickness of the layer is 2nm approximately cross the interface.The analysis supports that β GaN phase is not formed owing to the N x Si y amorphous layer induced by the reaction between N and Si during the initial nucleation stage.The results of XRD and atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicate that the conditions of substrate surface cleaned in situ by hydrogen plasma,GaN initial nucleation and subsequent growth are very important for the crystalline quality of GaN films.

Microstructure and magnetic properties of electrodeposited Gd-Co alloy films

Gd-Co alloy films were synthesized by potentiostatic electrolysis on Cu substrates in urea-acetamide-NaBr-KBr melt at 353 K. The electroreduction of Co^2＋ and Gd^3＋ was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The reduction of Co^2＋ is an irreversible process. Gd^3＋ cannot be reduced alone, but it can be inductively co-deposited with Co^2＋. Both the Gd content and microstructure of the prepared Gd-Co alloy films can be controlled by the deposited potential. The content of Gd was analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer （ICPES）, and the microstructure was observed by scanning electron micrograph （SEM）. The films were crystallized by heat-treatment at 823 K for 30 s in Ar atmosphere, and then were investigated by XRD. The hysteresis loops of the Gd-Co alloy films were measured by a vibrating sample magnetometer （VSM）. The experimental results reveal that the deposited Gd-Co alloy films are amorphous, while the annealing causes the samples to change from amorphous to polycrystalline, thus enhancing their magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity. Moreover, the magnetic properties of the Gd-Co alloy films depend strongly on the Gd content.

Mg-Cu-Zn-Y-Zr bulk metallic glassy composite with high strength and plasticity

Mg65Cu20Zn5Y9Zr1 bulk metallic glass matrix composite with a diameter of 2 mm was produced by copper mold casting. Upon cooling the Mg65Cu20Zn5Y9Zr1 melt, Mg2Cu acicular crystalline phase precipitates uniformly with a size of about 20 μm long and 1 μm thick while the remaining melt undergoes glass transition. Room temperature compression tests revealed that the high fracture strength up to 830 MPa and the plastic strain of 2.4% before failure are obtained for the Mg-based bulk metallic glass matrix composite. The formation of the Mg2Cu phase was proposed to contribute to high strength and plastic deformation of the material.

ZIF-67 derived CoSx/NC catalysts for selective reduction of nitro compounds

Transition metal sulfides(TMSs)-based materials have been extensively investigated as effective non-noble catalysts for various applications.However,the exploration of TMSs-based catalysts for hydrogenation of nitro compounds is limited.Herein,CoSx/NC catalysts were prepared by solvothermal sulfurization of ZIF-67,followed by high-temperature annealing(300–600℃)under NH3 atmosphere.It was found that the structures and compositions of the as-prepared CoSx/NC can be readily tuned by varying the annealing temperature.Particularly,CoSx/NC-500,which possesses higher degree of S defects and larger specific surface areas,can achieve high conversion,selectivity and stability for catalytic reduction of nitro compounds into amines under mild reaction conditions.