Scalable Jet-Based Fabrication of PEI-Hydrogel Particles for CO_(2) Capture

The capture,regeneration,and conversion of CO_(2) from ambient air and flue gas streams are critical aspects of mitigating global warming.Solid sorbents for CO_(2) absorption are very promising as they have high mass transfer areas without energy input and reduce emissions and minimize corrosion as compared to liquid sorbents.However,precisely tunable solid CO_(2) sorbents are difficult to produce.Here,we demonstrate the high-throughput production of hydrogel-based CO_(2)-absorbing particles via liquid jetting.By wrapping a liquid jet consisting of an aqueous solution of cross-linkable branched polyethylenimine(PEI)with a layer of suspension containing hydrophobic silica nanoparticles,monodisperse droplets with a silica nanoparticle coating layer was formed in the air.A stable Pickering emulsion containing PEI droplets was obtained after these ejected droplets were collected in a heated oil bath.The droplets turn into mm-sized particles after thermal curing in the bath.The diameter,PEI content,and silica content of the particles were systematically varied,and their CO_(2) absorption was measured as a function of time.Steam regeneration of the particles enabled cyclic testing,revealing a CO_(2) absorption capacity of 6.5±0.5 mol kg^(−1)solid PEI in pure CO_(2) environments and 0.7±0.3 mol kg^(−1)solid PEI for direct air capture.Several thousands of particles were produced per second at a rate of around 0.5 kg per hour,with a single nozzle.This process can be further scaled by parallelization.The complete toolbox for the design,fabrication,testing,and regeneration of functional hydrogel particles provides a powerful route toward novel solid sorbents for regenerative CO_(2) capture.

Interactions between nano-TiO2 particles and algal cells at moderate particle concentration

Nano-sized titanium dioxide （nano-TiO2） has wide industrial applications and therefore considerable chances of exposure are created for human beings and ecosystems. To better understand the interactions between nano-TiO2 and aquatic organisms, we first studied TiO2 uptake by algae exemplified by Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. P. subcapitata were exposed to nano-TiO2 in a series of concentrations and at various pH. TiO2 uptake was quantified using a sedimentation curve analysis technique. After exposure of algae to TiO2, the variation of zeta potential was measured and the morphology of algae-TiO2 aggregate was observed with scanning electron microscopy and the optical microscopy. The steady-state TiO2 uptake was found to be pH-dependent and the isotherms can be described well by Freundlich model. TiO2 deposited on algal surfaces causes the shift of pHzpc of TiO2-covered algae from that of algae toward that of TiO2. The attraction between TiO2-covered algal cells induces the agglomeration of algae and TiO2 and thus the formation of algae-TiO2 aggregates in the size of 12 to 50 μm. The 2-D fractal dimension of the aggregates is pH- dependent and ranges from 1.31 to 1.67. The theoretical analysis of the Gibbs energy of interaction indicates that both TiO2 uptake by algae and the formation of algae-TiO2 aggregate are influenced by the interaction between TiO2 particles.

Tribological properties of nanostructured Al_2O_3-40%TiO_2 multiphase ceramic particles reinforced Ni-based alloy composite coatings

The Ni-based alloy composite coatings reinforced by nanostructured Al2O3-40%TiO2 multiphase ceramic particles were prepared on the surface of 7005 aluminum alloy by plasma spray technology. The microstructure and tribological properties of the composite coatings were researched. The results show that the composite coatings mainly consist of γ-Ni, α-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3 and rutile-TiO2 etc, and exhibit lower friction coefficients and wear losses than the Ni-based alloy coatings at different loads and speeds. The composite coating bears low contact stress at 3 N and its wear mechanism is micro-cutting wear. As loads increase to 6-12 N, the contact stress is higher than the elastic limit stress of worn surface, and the wear mechanisms change into multi-plastic deformation wear, micro-brittle fracture wear and abrasive wear. With the increase of speeds, the contact temperature of worn surface increases. The composite coating experiences multi-plastic deformation wear, fatigue wear and adhesive wear.

Preparation, Structures Nano TiO_2 Particles, and the properties of TiH_2 Coated with Nano TiO_2

The surface of Titanium Hydride (TiH 2) is coated by Nano Titanium Dioxide (TiO 2) particles prepared in both of methods of hydrolysis reaction of Ti(OC 4H 9) 4 and base precipitation reaction of Ti(SO 4) 2. TiH 2 coated with nano TiO 2 particles, in which there is an oxidation film on its surface, shown in the experiments, will obviously achieve good effects on releasing hydrogen slowly in high temperature. There are different structures and properties of TiH 2 coated by nano TiO 2 particles prepared in different ways in high temperature, which can influence on releasing hydrogen.

Synthesis,characterization and gas-sensing properties of Pd-doped SnO_2 nano particles

SnO2 nano particles with various Pd-doping concentrations were prepared using a template-free hydrothermal method.The effects of Pd doping on the crystal structure,morphology,microstructure,thermal stability and surface chemistry of these nano particles were characterized by transmission electron microscope,X-ray diffractometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope respectively.It was observed that Pd-doping had little effect on the grain sizes of the obtained SnO2 nano particles during the hydrothermal route.During thermal annealing,Pd-doping could restrain the growth of grain sizes below 500℃ while the grain growth was promoted when the temperature increased to above 700℃.XPS results revealed that Pd existed in three chemical states in the as-synthesized sample as Pd^0,Pd^2＋ and Pd^4＋,respectively.Pd^4＋ was the main state which was responsible for improving the gas-sensing property.The optimal Pd-doping concentration for better gas-sensing property and thermal stability was 2.0%-2.5% （mole fraction）.

Distribution and engulfment behavior of TiB_2 particles or clusters in wedge-shaped copper casting ingot

Wedge-shaped copper casting experiment was conducted to study the engulfment behavior of TiB2 particle and the interaction between particle or cluster and the solid/liquid front in commercial pure aluminum matrix. The experimental results show that the particle size distribution obeys two separate systems in the whole wedge-cast sample. Furthermore, it is found that the big clusters are pushed to the center of the wedge shaped sample and the single particle or small clusters consisting of few particles are engulfed into the α-Al in the area of the sample edge. The cluster degree of particles varies in different areas, and its value is 0.2 and 0.6 for the cluster fraction in the edge and in the center of the wedge sample, respectively. The cluster diameter does not obey the normal distribution but approximately obeys lognormal distribution in the present work. More importantly, in the whole sample, the particle size obeys two separate log-normal distributions.

Mathematical modeling and simulations of stress mitigation by coating polycrystalline particles in lithium-ion batteries

A chemo-mechanical model is developed to investigate the effects on the stress development of the coating of polycrystalline Ni-rich LiNixMnyCo_(z)O_(2)(x≥0.8)(NMC)particles with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)(PEDOT).The simulation results show that the coating of primary NMC particles significantly reduces the stress generation by efficiently accommodating the volume change associated with the lithium diffusion,and the coating layer plays roles both as a cushion against the volume change and a channel for the lithium transport,promoting the lithium distribution across the secondary particles more homogeneously.Besides,the lower stiffness,higher ionic conductivity,and larger thickness of the coating layer improve the stress mitigation.This paper provides a mathematical framework for calculating the chemo-mechanical responses of anisotropic electrode materials and fundamental insights into how the coating of NMC active particles mitigates stress levels.

Characteristics of two Al based functionally gradient composites reinforced by primary Si particles and Si/in situ Mg_2Si particles in centrifugal casting

Two kinds of Al based functionally gradient composite tubes reinforced by primary Si particles alone and primary Si/in situ Mg2Si particles jointly were successfully prepared by centrifugal casting,and their structural and mechanical characters were compared.It is found that the composite reinforced with primary Si particles takes a characteristic of particles distribution both in the inner and outer layers.However,composite reinforced with primary Si/Mg2Si particles jointly takes a characteristic of particles distribution only in the inner layer and shows a sudden change of particles distribution across the section of inner and outer layers.The hardness and wear resistance of Al-19Si-5Mg tube in the inner layer are greatly higher than that in the other layers of Al-19Si-5Mg tube and Al-19Si tube.Theoretical analysis reveals that the existence of Mg2Si particles is the key factor to form this sudden change of gradient distribution of two kinds of particles.Because Mg2Si particles with a lower density have a higher centripetal moving velocity than primary Si particles,in a field of centrifugal force,they would collide with primary Si particles and then impel the later to move together forward to the inner layer of the tube.

Preparation and Characterization of CeO_2-ZrO_2 Solid Solution Ultrafine Particles Using Reversed Microemulsion

Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 solid solution ultrafine particle was prepared in the cyclohexane/water/OP-10/n-hexanol reversed microemulsion. The quasi-ternary phase diagram investigations showed that the system has narrow W/O type microemulison region, so it is the proper system to prepare Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 solid solution ultrafine particle. Some physical-chemical techniques such as TG/DTA, XRD, BET, and HRTEM are used to characterize the resultant powders. The results show that the fluorite cubic Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 solid solution is obtained at 400 ℃. The surface area is （146.7 m^2·g^-1）, which is higher than the surface area for sol-gel prepared sample （59.5m^2·g^-1）. HRTEM images indicated that the Ce0.6Zr0.4O2 solid solution ultrafine particle is well-crystallized, narrow size distribution, less agglomeration, within mean size of 5 -7 nm.

Antibacterial and Preservation Effects of Silver-doped TiO_2 Nanoparticles on Nanfeng Citrus

[Objective] This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial and preservation effects of silver-doped nano-TiO2 on Nanfeng citrus. [Method] Silverdoped nano-TiO2 preservative film was prepared, to investigate its preservation effects on Nanfeng citrus ripe fruits under novel preservation conditions and detect the influences of nano-composite coating on physiological quality indicators of Nanfeng citrus ripe fruits. [ Result ] Compared with the control, applying nano-compesite coating preservation technology could prevent fruit corruption and water loss and delay the rapid reductioh in contents of citric acid and Vc, without adverse influences on fruit quality. [ Conclusion] Silver-doped nano-TiO2 composite coating can be promoted and applied in frozen storage and preservation practices of Nanfeng citrus.

Improvement of high-temperature strength of 6061 Al matrix composite reinforced by dual-phased nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3)particles

Nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3) particles were simultaneously utilized in a 6061 Al matrix composite to improve the high-temperature strength.According to the SEM and TEM characterization,nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3) particles are uniformly distributed in the Al matrix.Brinell hardness results indicate that different from the traditional 6061 Al matrix alloy,the aging kinetics of the composite is obviously accelerated by the reinforcement particles.The T6-treated composite exhibits excellent tensile properties at both room temperature and elevated temperature.Especially at 350℃,the T6-treated composite not only has a high yield strength of 121 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 128 MPa,but also exhibits a large elongation of 11.6%.Different strengthening mechanisms of nano-AlN and submicron-Al_(2)O_(3) particles were also discussed in detail.

Effective dynamics for a spin-1/2 particle constrained to a curved layer with inhomogeneous thickness

We derive an effective Hamiltonian for a spin-1/2 particle confined within a curved thin layer with non-uniform thickness using the confining potential approach.Our analysis reveals the presence of a pseudo-magnetic field and effective spin–orbit interaction(SOI)arising from the curvature,as well as an effective scalar potential resulting from variations in thickness.Importantly,we demonstrate that the physical effect of additional SOI from thickness fluctuations vanishes in low-dimensional systems,thus guaranteeing the robustness of spin interference measurements to thickness imperfection.Furthermore,we establish the applicability of the effective Hamiltonian in both symmetric and asymmetric confinement scenarios,which is crucial for its utilization in one-side etching systems.

The role of airborne particles and environmental considerations in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19)caused by the novel coronavirus,results in an acute respiratory condition coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)and is highly infectious.The recent spread of this virus has caused a global pandemic.Currently,the transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 are being established,especially the role of environmental transmission.Here we review the environmental transmission routes and persistence of SARS-CoV-2.Recent studies have established that the transmission of this virus may occur,amongst others,in the air,water,soil,cold-chain,biota,and surface contact.It has also been found that the survival potential of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is dependent on different environmental conditions and pollution.Potentially important pathways include aerosol and fecal matter.Particulate matter may also be a carrier for SARS-CoV-2.Since microscopic particles can be easily absorbed by humans,more attention must be focused on the dissemination of these particles.These considerations are required to evolve a theoretical platform for epidemic control and to minimize the global threat from future epidemics.

Microstructural evolution of copper-titanium alloy during in-situ formation of TiB_2 particles

Bulk Cu-Ti alloy reinforced by TiB2 nano particles was prepared using in-situ reaction between Cu 3.4%Ti and Cu-0.7%B master alloys along with rapid solidification and subsequent heat treatment for 1-10 h at 900 ℃. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM） characterization showed that primary TiB2 nano particles and TiB whiskers were formed by in-situ reaction between Ti and B in the liquid copper. The formation of TiB whiskers within the melt led to coarsening of TiB2 particles. Primary TiB2 particles were dispersed along the grain boundaries and hindered grain growth at high temperature, while the secondary TiB2 particles were formed during heat treatment of the alloy by diffusion reaction of solute titanium and boron inside the grains. Electrical conductivity and hardness of the composite were evaluated during heat treatment. The results indicated that the formation of secondary TiB2 particles in the matrix caused a delay in hardness reduction at high temperature. The electrical conductivity and hardness increased up to 8 h of heat treatment and reached 33.5% IACS and HV 158, respectively.

Numerical Analysis on the Characteristics of Soot Particles in C2H4/CO2/O2/N2 Combustion

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of soot particles in C2H4/CO2/O2/N2 com- bustion at equivalence ratio of 3.0-5.0. As the oxidant is switched from conventional air to CO2/O2/N2 mixture, the key species C2H2, C3H3 responsible for formation of first aromatic ring, the apical aromatics and 4zring aromatics total production rate all decrease greatly. In addition, with CO2 mole fraction from 0.2 to 0.5 in the mixture, the soot particle number density, volume fraction, surface area density, which are three most important parameters to soot oarticle orooertv, are suooressed obviously. Furthermore, the increasing content of C02 in the oxidizer influences mostly H, OH radical concentrations by two reactins CO ＋ OH == CO2＋ H and H ＋ O2===O＋ OH, and the procluction rate ofvo reactions declined, which revealed that C02 in mixture has an inhibiting ef- fect on soot particle generation.

Controlling Shell Thickness of PS/SiO_2 Core-Shell Particles and Their Crystallization into 3-D Ordered Thin Film

PS/SiO2 particles with core-shell structure were synthesized by coating silica on surface of polystyrene(PS) colloidal particles.The reaction parameters,such as initial tetraethyl orthosilicate(TEOS) concentration,water concentration and reaction temperature,have been investigated to control the thickness of silica shells.The shell thickness was prepositional to the square root of the initial concentration of TEOS and first increased with increasing water concentration,reached a maximum at about 2.0 mol/L and then started decreasing beyond that concentration.It was also found that the shell thickness decreased firstly with the reaction temperature added,then tended to a constant.The so-synthesized PS/SiO2 core-shell particles were directly crystallized into 3-D ordered thin film,then sintered at 570℃ into the ordered macroporous thin film.Compared with the conditional method,the present approach avoids repeatedly filling the precursor in the templetes and save time more.

Discharge mode and particle transport in radio frequency capacitively coupled Ar/O_(2) plasma discharges

Simulations are conducted on capacitively coupled Ar/O_(2)mixed gas discharges employing a one-dimensional fluid coupled with an electron Monte Carlo(MC)model.The research explores the impact of different O_(2)ratio and pressures on the discharge characteristics of Ar/O_(2)plasma.At a fixed Ar/O_(2)gas ratio,with the increasing pressure,higher ion densities,as well as a slight increase in electron density in the bulk region can be observed.The discharge remains dominated by the drift-ambipolar(DA)mode,and the flux of O(3P)at the electrode increases with the increasing pressure due to higher background gas density,while the fluxes of O(1D)and Ardecrease due to the pronounced loss rate.With the increasing proportion of O_(2),a change in the dominant discharge mode from a mode to DA mode can be detected,and the O_(2)-associated charged particle densities are significantly increased.However,Ar+density shows a trend of increasing and then decreasing,while for neutral fluxes at the electrode,Arflux decreases,and O(3P)flux increases with the reduced Ar gas proportion,while trends in O(1D)flux show slight differences.The evolution of the densities of the charged particle and the neutral fluxes under different discharge parameters are discussed in detail using the ionization characteristics as well as the transport properties.Hopefully,more comprehensive understanding of Ar/O_(2)discharge characteristics in this work will provide a valuable reference for the industry.

Effect of TiO_(2)nano-ceramic particles on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al_(0.4)CoCrFe_(2)Ni_(2)high-entropy alloy

Al_(0.4)CoCrFe_(2)Ni_(2)high-entropy alloys with different additions of TiO_(2) nanoceramic particles(0,1.25vol.%,2.5vol.%,3.75vol.%and 5vol.%,respectively)were prepared by using the vacuum arc melting method.The effects of TiO_(2) addition on the crystal structure,microstructures and mechanical properties of the alloy were investigated by X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),and tensile testing.The microstructure analysis shows that the TiO_(2)nano-ceramic particles added in the alloy are decomposed,and a small amount of Al_(2)O_(3)and a great number of intermetallic compounds(γ'phases)with simple cube structure are formed.Theγ'phases are enriched at inter-dendrite,which increases the resistance of dislocation movement during the deformation of the alloy,thus balancing the problem of high plasticity and low strength of the alloy.When the addition of TiO_(2)is 2.5vol.%,the strength of the high-entropy alloy reaches the maximum of 489 MPa,which is 11.1%higher than the matrix alloy composed of single FCC phase.

A Facile Synthesis of ZnCo2O4 Nanocluster Particles and the Performance as Anode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries

ZnCo_2O_4 nanocluster particles(NCPs) were prepared through a designed hydrothermal method, with the assistance of a surfactant, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate. The crystalline structure and surface morphology of ZnCo_2O_4 were investigated by XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, and BET analyses. The results of SEM and TEM suggest a clear nanocluster particle structure of cubic ZnCo_2O_4(*100 nm in diameter), which consists of aggregated primary nanoparticles(*10 nm in diameter), is achieved. The electrochemical behavior of synthesized ZnCo_2O_4 NCPs was investigated by galvanostatic discharge/charge measurements and cyclic voltammetry. The ZnCo_2O_4 NCPs exhibit a high reversible capacity of 700 mAh g^(-1) over 100 cycles under a current density of 100 mA g^(-1) with an excellent coulombic efficiency of 98.9% and a considerable cycling stability. This work demonstrates a facile technique designed to synthesize ZnCo_2O_4 NCPs which show great potential as anode materials for lithium ion batteries.

Synthesis and Characterization of Superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@SiO₂Core-Shell Composite Nanoparticles

The Fe3O4@SiO2 composite nanoparticles were obtained from as-synthesized magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles through the modified St?ber method. Then, the Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Fe3O4@SiO2 composite nanoparticles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Recently, the studies focus on how to improve the dispersion of composite particle and achieve good magnetic performance. Hence effects of the volume ratio of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and magnetite colloid on the structural, morphological and magnetic properties of the composite nanoparticles were systematically investi-gated. The results revealed that the Fe3O4@SiO2 had better thermal stability and dispersion than the magnetite nanoparticles. Furthermore, the particle size and magnetic property of the Fe3O4@SiO2 composite nanoparticles can be adjusted by changing the volume ratio of TEOS and magnetite colloid.