Synthesis and Characterization of Cerium-Doped Lutetium Aluminum Garnet Phosphors by Nitrate-citrate Sol-Gel Combustion Process

Nanosized cerium-doped lutetium aluminum garnet （LuAG：Ce） phosphors were prepared by nitrate-citrate solgel combustion process using 1：1 ratio of the citrate：nitrate. The prepared LuAG：Ce phosphors were characterized by XRD, TEM, photoluminescence and radioluminescence spectra excited by UV and X-ray, respectively. The purified crystalline phase of LuAG：Ce was obtained at 900 ℃ by directly crystallizing from amorphous materials. The resultant Lu- AG：Ce phosphors were uniform and had good dispersivity with an average particle size of about 30 urn. Both photoluminescence and radioluminescence were well-known Ce^3＋ emissions located in the range of 470 -600 nm consisting of two emission bands because of the transition from the lowest 5d excited state （2D） to the 4f ground state of Ce^3＋, which matched well with the sensitivity curve of the Si-photodiode. There was a little red shift for the emission components from the UV-excited emission spectrum to the X-ray-excited emission spectrum. The fast scintillation decay component of 26 ns satisfies the requirements of fast scintillators.

Adaptive sliding mode control of petrochemical flare combustion process based on radial basis function network

Steam-assisted combustion elevated flares are currently the most widely used type of petrochemical flares.Due to the complex and variable composition of the waste gas they handle,the combustion environment is severely affected by meteorological conditions.Key process parameters such as intake composition,flow rate,and real-time data of post-combustion residues are difficult to measure or exhibit lag in data availability.As a result,the control methods for these flares are limited,leading to poor control effectiveness.To address this issue,this paper proposes an adaptive sliding mode control method based on the radial basis function(RBF)network.Firstly,the operational characteristics of the petrochemical flare combustion process are analyzed,and a control model for the combustion process is established based on carbon dioxide detection.Secondly,an RBF neural network-based unknown function approximator is designed to identify the nonlinear part of the actual operating system.Finally,by combining the control model of the petrochemical flare combustion and designing the RBF sliding mode controller with its adaptive control law,fast and stable control of the flare combustion state is achieved.Simulation results demonstrate that the designed control strategy can achieve tracking control of the petrochemical flare combustion state,and the adaptive law also accomplishes system identification.

Preparation and Characterization of Pb(Zr_(0.52)Ti_ (0.48))O_3 Ultrafine Powders by a Sol-gel Combined with Combustion Process

A simple and rapid process for synthesizing lead zirconate titanate,Pb（Zr0.52Ti0.48）O3（PZT）,ferroclectric powders was developed.This process,combining the sol-gel and combustion process.offers several advantages over conventional methods.including rapid solution synthesis,use of commercially available materials lower synthesis temperature and ease of obtaining ultrafine powders.The precursor solution for synthesizing powders was prepared from lead nitrate.zireonium nitrate.titanium oxynitrate,citric acid and deionized water.The precarsor was investigated by DSC-TG,and the PZT powders were investigated by powder-XRD,IR spectra and TEM.XRD analysis shous that the powders possess a single phase perovskite type structure,no pyrochlore phase exists.and TEM image shows that the grain size of the powders is about 40nm.

Absorption Property of YAG∶Sm Phosphors Prepared using Sol-Gel Combustion Method

Samarium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG∶Sm3+) phosphors were synthesized by nitrate-citrate sol-gel combustion method. Phase evolution, morphology and absorbency of the obtained materials were characterized by XRD, FESEM, reflection spectrum, respectively. The experimental results showed that single-phase cubic YAG∶Sm3+ crystalline was directly obtained at 800 ℃ from amorphous precursor, and mostly developed at 900 ℃. The prepared powders were relatively agglomerated with an average particle size of 300 nm. The reflection spectrum showed that there were several apparent characteristic absorption peaks due to the 4f→4f inner shell electron transitions from the 6H5/2 ground state to 6FJ (J=9/2, 7/2 and 5/2) excited state of Sm3+. Moreover, the intensity of the characteristic peaks was enhanced with the increasing concentration of Sm3+ ions.

Preparation and properties of nanocrystal SmBO_3 by nitrate-citrate sol-gel combustion method

Nanocrystal SmBO3 powders were synthesized by nitrate-citrate sol-gel combustion method. The phase evolution, morphologies and absorbency of the synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Field emission scanning electronic microscope （FESEM）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FFIR） and UV-3101PC spectrophotometer （UVPC）, respectively. XRD and FESEM results showed that pure SmBO3 phase was obtained at 750 ℃, with an average original particle size of about 100 nm. FTIR showed that there were apparently concentrated absorbent peaks between 500 and 1400 cm^-1. Moreover, the reflectivity of the powders apparently decreased at the wavelength between 1.05 and 1.15 μm. Therefore, SmBO3 might be a kind of absorbent material for infrared laser.

Effect of Potassium on Sol-Gel Cerium and Lanthanum Oxide Catalysis for Soot Combustion

The catalytic activity in the soot combustion is reported for a series of potassium-promoter alumina supported catalysts prepared by the sol-gel method to be used in the catalytic combustion of soot. The studied systems correspond to CeO2-Al2O3 and La2O3-Al2O3 with charges of 3 and 5 wt% of CeO2 and La2O3. Potassium impregnation is performed to reach 3 atoms of K per nm2 of the mixed oxide. The effect of the potassium incorporation increases its reducibility, decreases the surface area and forms a new type of oxygen that is stronger than the oxygen in mixed oxides with similar chemical nature. The existence of potassium oxides, K2O and oxygen responsible for the vacancies and/or lattice defects (O2−) are related to good catalytic activity. Additionally, the presence of alkali affects the structural and textural characteristics of the catalyst, promoting the catalytic activity in soot combustion.

The Process of a Laser-Supported Combustion Wave Induced by Millisecond Pulsed Laser on Aluminum Alloy

We study the process of a laser-supported combustion wave （LSCW） when an aluminum alloy is irradiated by a millisecond pulse laser based on the method of laser shadowgraphy. Under the condition of different laser parameters, the obtained results include the velocity, ignition threshold of LSCW and the variation law. The speed of LSCW increases with the laser energy under the same irradiation laser pulse width, and the speed of LSCW reduces with the increase of the laser pulse width under the same irradiation laser energy. Moreover, the ignition time of LSCW becomes shorter by increasing the laser number of the pulse and is not effected by changing the frequencies, when keeping the laser pulse width and energy unchanged. The results of the study can be applied in the laser propulsion technology and metal surface laser heat treatment, etc.

The Process of TiB_2-Cu Composite Phase and Structure Formation during Combustion Synthesis

The reaction process of combustion synthesis for TiB2 -Cu was investigated in detail using combustion-wave arresting experiment, X-ray diffraction （ XRD ） analysis, SEM analysis and differential thermal analysis （ DTA ）. The XRD analysis results for the different parts of the quenched specimen show that TiCux intermetallic phase firstly forms with the propagation of combustion wave, and then Ti1.87 B50 and Ti3B4 metastable phases come forth due to the diffusion of B atoms and finally the stable TiB2 phase forms because of the continuous diffusion of B atoms. The formation of TiB2 phase is uot completed by one step, but undergoes several transient processes. The process of reaction synthesis for Ti-B-Cu ternary system can be divided into three main stages： melting of Cu and Ti , and the formation of Cu- Ti melt and few TiCux , TiBx intermetallic phases ; large numbers of TiCux intermetallic phases formation and some fine TiB2 particles precipitation ; and the TiB2 particles coarsening and the stable TiB2 and Cu two phases formation in the final product.

Effect of Bi3+ Ion Substitution on Magnetic Properties of Cobalt Nano Ferrites Prepared by Sol-Gel Combustion Method

Bismuth substituted cobalt nano ferrites with the chemical composition Co Bix Fe2-x O4 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 & 0.25) were prepared by sol-gel combustion method. The phase identification of prepared samples is characterised by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) method, which confirms the formation of a single phase fcc spinal structure. The mean crystallite sizes of all prepared samples were obtained within the range of 21 (±5) nm. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images also confirmed the crystallite size of all the synthesised samples was in nano range. With the effect of Bi3+ ion substitution on spinal cobalt ferrite, the magnetic properties were investigated by using Vibration Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The obtained hysteresis (M-H) curves of all the samples were analysed under the applied magnetic field of range ± 10 K Oe at 300 K. The magnetic properties such as saturation magnetisation (Ms), remnant magnetization (Mr) and coercivity (Hc) values are tabulated, which show a decrease in trend as the bismuth ion concentration increases. This is due to the addition of Bi3+ ion in the place of Fe3+ ion (octahedral site) and hence the Bi3+-Fe3+ ion interaction predominates as compared with the Fe2+-Fe3+ ion interaction. The data obtained from magnetic studies, the variation among the magnetic properties have been investigated for all the prepared samples.

Study of the Combustion Process inside an Ethanol-Diesel Dual Direct Injection Engine Based on a Non-Uniform Injection Approach

The use of ethanol is a promising method to reduce the emissions of diesel engines.The present study has been based on the installation of a gasoline electronic injection system in a single-cylinder diesel engine to control the amount of ethanol entering the cylinder during the compression(while diesel has been injected into the cylinder by the original pump injection system).The injection time has been controlled by crank angle signal collected by an AVL angle indicator.In the tests ethanol and diesel each accounted for half of the fuel volume,and the total heat energy supply of the fuel was equivalent to that of the diesel under the operating conditions of the original engine.A three-dimensional combustion model of the diesel engine has been implemented by using the CFD software FIRE.Simulations have been carried out assuming uniform and non-uniform injections rate for the different holes and the different results have been compared.According to these results,a non-uniform injection rate can produce early ignition and cause an increase in the maximum in-cylinder pressure and the maximum average incylinder temperature.Moreover,in such conditions NO emissions are larger while soot emission is slightly lower.

Synthesis and Structural Properties of Bismuth Doped Cobalt Nanoferrites Prepared by Sol-Gel Combustion Method

A series of Bismuth doped Cobalt nanoferrites of chemical composition CoBixFe2-xO4 (where x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20 & 0.25) were prepared by sol-gel combustion method and calcinated at 600℃. The structural and morphological studies were carried out by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra showing the single phase spinal structure. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed a single phase fcc crystal. The crystallite size of all the compositions was calculated using Debye-Scherrer equation and found in the range of 17 to 26 nm. The lattice parameters were found to be decreased as Bi3+ ion doping increases. The surface morphology was studied by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and particle size was confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The EDS plots revealed existence of no extra peaks other than constituents of the taken up composition. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) studies were made in the frequency range 350 - 900 cm-1 and observed two strong absorption peaks. The frequency band is found at 596 cm-1 where as the lower frequency band at 393 cm-1. It is clearly noticed that the two prominent absorption bands were slightly shifted towards higher frequency side with the increase of Bi3+ ion concentration.

Evaluation of spontaneous combustion tendency of sulfide ore heap based on nonlinear parameters

To explore a new evaluation method for spontaneous combustion tendency of different areas in sulfide ore heap, ore samples from a pyrite mine in China were taken as experimental materials, and the temperature variations of the measuring points of simulated ore heap were measured. Combined with wavelet transform and nonlinear parameters extraction, a new method for spontaneous combustion tendency of different areas in sulfide ore heap based on nonlinear parameters was proposed and its reliability was verified by field test. The results indicate that temperature field evolution of the simulated ore heap presents significant spatial difference during self-heating process. Area with the maximum increasing extent of temperature in sulfide ore heap changes notably with the proceeding of self-heating reaction. Self-heating of sulfide ore heap is a chaotic evolution process, which means that it is feasible to evaluate spontaneous combustion tendency of different areas by nonlinear analysis method. There is a relatively strong correlation between the maximum Lyapunov exponent and spontaneous combustion tendency with the correlation coefficient of 0.9792. Furthermore, the sort of the maximum Lyapunov exponent is consistent with that of spontaneous combustion tendency. Therefore, spontaneous combustion tendency of different areas in sulfide ore heap can be evaluated by means of the maximum Lyapunov exponent method.

Review on Sol-Gel Derived Coatings: Process, Techniques and Optical Applications

Sol-gel process is one of the simplest techniques to manufacture thin films. The quality of the prepared films depends on the parameters of the sol-gel process and the used technique for deposition. A great variety of the sol-gel derived films have been prepared for different applications. We present a review on the sol-gel derived coatings. The description of the process is introduced in details. Different sol-gel deposition techniques are mentioned. The optical applications of the sol-gel derived coatings are reviewed.

Effects of fractal surface on rheological behavior and combustion kinetics of modified brown coal water slurries

The paper reports the effects of surface fractal structures on the rheological behavior and combustion kinetics of raw brown coal and three modified coal water slurries （CWSs）. The results show that the fractal structures and physicochemical properties of samples are dependent on various modification processes. The apparent viscosities of the coal water slurries increase with increasing surface fractal dimensions （D）, especially with decreasing shear rates. Fur- thermore, it has been proved that the ignition temperatures and apparent activation energies of modified CWSs are lower than that of raw coal water slurry. Compared with the traditional qualitative analysis of the effect of pore structures on CWSs properties, D can more efficiently indicate the quantificational effect of pore structures on the rheological behavior and combustion kinetics of CWSs.

SYNTHESIS OF MESOPOROUS POLY(STYRENE-co-MALEIC ANHYDRIDE)/SILICA HYBRID MATERIALS VIA A NONSURFACTANT-TEMPLATED SOL-GEL PROCESS

Mesoporous poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)/silica hybrid materials have been prepared. The synthesis was achieved by the HCl-catalyzed sol-gel reactions of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer in the presence of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) as a coupling agent and citric acid as a nonsurfactant template or pore-forming agent, followed by ethanol extraction. Characterization results from nitrogen sorption isotherms and powder X-ray diffraction indicate that polymer-modified mesoporous materials with large specific surface areas (e.g. 900 m(2)/g) and pore volumes (e.g. 0.6 cm(3)/g) could be prepared. As the citric acid concentration is increased, the specific surface areas, pore volumes and pore diameters of the hybrid materials increase.

Preparation of layered oxide Li(Co_(1/3)Ni_(1/3)Mn_(1/3))O_2 via the sol-gel process

To obtain homogenous layered oxide Li（Co1/3Ni1/3Mn1/3）O2 as a lithium insertion positive electrode material, the sol-gel process using citric acid as a chelating agent was applied. The material Li（Co1/3Ni1/3Mn1/3）O2 was synthesized at different calcination temperatures. XRD experiment indicated that the layered Li（Co1/3Ni1/3Mn1/3）O2 material could be synthesized at a lower temperature of 800℃, and the oxidation state of Co, Ni, and Mn in the cathode confirmed by XPS were ＋3, ＋2, and ＋4, respectively. SEM observations showed that the synthesized material could form homogenous particle morphology with the particle size of about 200 nm. In spite of different calcination temperatures, the charge-discharge curves of all the samples for the initial cycle were similar, and the cathode synthesized at 900℃ showed a small irreversible capacity loss of 11.24% and a high discharge capacity of 212.2 mAh·g^-1 in the voltage range of 2.9-4.6 V.

Presenting an engineering classification system for coal spontaneous combustion potential

The phenomenon of coal spontaneous combustion is one of the common hazards in coal mines and also one of the important reasons for the loss of coal in piles and mines. Based on previous researches, different types of coals have different spontaneous combustion characteristics. For coal loss prevention, a measure is necessary for prediction of coal spontaneous combustion. In this study, a new engineering classification system called ＂Coal Spontaneous Combustion Potential Index （CSCPI）＂ is presented based on the Fuzzy Delphi Analytic Hierarchy Process （FDAHP） approach. CSCPI classifies coals based on their spontaneous combustion capability. After recognition of the roles of the effective parameters influencing the initiation of a spontaneous combustion, a series of intrinsic, geological, and mining characteristics of coal seams are investigated. Then, the main stages of the implementation of the FDAHP method are studied and the weight of each parameter involved is calculated. A classification list of each parameter is formed, the CSCPI system is described, and the engineering classifying system is subsequently presented. In the CSCPI system, each coal seam can be rated by a number from 0 to 100; a higher number implies a greater ease for the coal spontaneous combustion capability. Based on the CSCPI system, the propensity of spontaneous combustion of coal can be classified into three potential levels： low, medium, and high. Finally, using the events of coal spontaneous combustion occurring in one of the Iranian coal mines, Eastern Alborz Coal Mines, an initial validation of the mentioned systematic approach is conducted. Comparison of the results obtained in this study illustrate a relatively good agreement.

Reaction dynamics in the combustion synthesis system of Al-CrO_3-Al_2O_3-NaF-N_2-O_2

A new material with heat-resistant and adiabatic characteristics and high strength was prepared using the combustion synthesis method by mixed powders of CrO3, Al, Al2O3, and NaF in atmospheric gas. The reaction dynamic process of the Al-CrO3-NaF-Al2O3-N2-O2 new material system by the combustion synthesis method was discussed based on the observation results by SEM, EDS, and XRD in combination with the combustion front quenching method （CFQM） and the relation curves between reaction free enthalpies and the corresponding temperatures. The combustion synthesis mechanism and the formation reasons of the phase in the combustion product were analyzed.

Mechanism of Phase Transformation and Formation of Barium Hexafer rite Doped with Rare-Earths in Sol-Gel Process

The phase-transformation in sol-gel preparation of barium hexaferrite and the formation of barium hexaferrite doped with La 3+ were studied by chemical p hase analysis, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectrometry analysis. The expe rimental results show that phase transformation reactions of FeCO 3, Fe 2O 3 and BaFe 2O 4, barium hexaferrite and γ-Fe 2O 3 take place in the heat tr eatment of gel. While the doping lanthanide ion replace barium ion, an equivalen t quantity of Fe 3+ are reduced to Fe 2+ to maintain the charge equili brium.

Methane reforming with CO_2 to syngas over CeO_2-promoted Ni/Al_2O_3-ZrO_2 catalysts prepared via a direct sol-gel process

CeO2-promoted Ni/Al2O3-ZrO2 （Ni/Al2O3-ZrO2-CeO2） catalysts were prepared by a direct sol-gel process with citric acid as gelling agent. The catalysts used for the methane reforming with CO2 was studied by infrared spectroscopy （IR）, thermal gravimetric analysis （TGA）, microscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）. The catalytic performance for CO2 reforming of methane to synthesis gas was investigated in a continuous-flow micro-reactor under atmospheric pressure. TGA, IR, XRD and microscopic analysis show that the catalysts prepared by the direct sol-gel process consist of Ni particles with a nanostructure of around 5 nm and an amorphous-phase composite oxide support. There exists a chemical interaction between metallic Ni particles and supports, which makes metallic Ni well dispersed, highly active and stable. The addition of CeO2 effectively improves the dispersion and the stability of Ni particles of the prepared catalysts, and enhances the adsorption of CO2 on the surface of catalysts. The catalytic tests for methane reforming with CO2 to synthesis gas show that the Ni/Al2O3-ZrO2-CeO2 catalysts show excellent activity and stability compared with the Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. The excellent catalytic activity and stability of the Ni/Al2O3-ZrO2-CeO2 are attributed to the highly, uniformly and stably dispersed small metallic Ni particles, the high reducibility of the Ni oxides and the interaction between metallic Ni particles and the composite oxide supports.