Separation of manganese from calcium and magnesium in sulfate solutions via carbonate precipitation

The separation of manganese from sulfate solutions containing 14.59 g/L Mn2+, 1.89 g/L Mg2+ and 1.54 g/L Ca2+ was preformed successfully by carbonate precipitation. The results of thermodynamic analysis and tests indicate that carbonate precipitation holds better selectivity for manganese over magnesium than hydroxide precipitation and the feeding method is the most critical factor for minimizing the co-precipitation of calcium and magnesium. Furthermore, with adding MnSO4 solution to NH4HCO3 solution, the effects of the initial NH4HCO3 concentration, NH4HCO3 amount, solution pH value, reaction temperature and time on carbonate precipitation were evaluated and the optimum precipitation conditions were obtained. Under the optimum conditions, the precipitation rates of Mn2+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ are 99.75%, 5.62% and 1.43%, respectively. Moreover, the prepared manganese carbonate was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results demonstrate that the product can be indexed to the rhombohedral structure of MnCO3.

Recovery of cobalt and nickel in the presence of magnesium and calcium from sulfate solutions by Versatic 10 and mixtures of Versatic 10 and Cyanex 301

The extraction and stripping characteristics of Versatic 10 and its mixtures with Cyanex 301 were investigated for the recovery of cobalt and nickel from sulfate solutions containing magnesium and calcium. The optimum extraction factors of Versatic 10 were initial pH of 2.5, O/A ratio of 1/3, and saponification rate of 60%. The loaded Versatic 10 was stripped by using 2 mol/L H2SO4 at O/A ratio of 1/1. The optimum volume ratio of Versatic 10 to Cyanex301 was 7/3 in the mixtures, which could effectively reduce the equilibrium pH to 3.50. And the loaded mixtures were stripped by using 2 mol/L H2SO4at O/A ratio of 1/2. The reaction principle of Versatic10 and metal ions is an ion exchange reaction. However, in the extraction reaction of and metal ions, besides the ion exchange reaction, the strong coordination effect between Cyanex 301 and metal ions also exists, which is much weakened in the extraction reaction of the mixtures and metal ions.

Novel mechanism for the modification of Al_2O_3-based inclusions in ultra-low carbon Al-killed steel considering the effects of magnesium and calcium

Many researchers have explored the inclusion modification mechanism to improve non-metallic inclusion modifications in steelmaking. In this study, two types of industrial trials on inclusion modifications in liquid steel were conducted using ultra-low-carbon Al-killed steel with different Mg and Ca contents to verify the effects of Ca and Mg contents on the modification mechanism of Al_2O_3-based inclusions during secondary refining. The results showed that Al_2O_3-based inclusions can be modified into liquid calcium aluminate or a multi-component inclusion with the addition of a suitable amount of Ca. In addition, [Mg] in liquid steel can further reduce CaO in liquid calcium aluminate to drive its evolution into CaO–MgO–Al_2O_3 multi-component inclusions. Thermodynamic analysis confirmed that the reaction between [Mg] and CaO in liquid calcium aluminate occurs when the MgO content of liquid calcium aluminate is less than 3 wt% and the temperature is higher than 1843 K.

Effects of Paper Mill Sludge on Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium Concentrations in Different Soybean Cultivars

A field experiment was conducted on a sandy loam soil at an Experimental Farm in Taejon, South Korea, to determine the effects of paper mill sludge compost application rates on K, Na, Ca and Mg concentrations of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) aboveground tissues and the genotypic effects on the concentrations of these elements. Sludge compost treatments of 0, 75, and 150 t ha-1 were applied to 30 diverse soybean cultivars. Concentrations of K, Na, Ca, and Mg in aboveground tissues harvested 69 days after …

Bio-cementation for tidal erosion resistance improvement of foreshore slopes based on microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation

In most coastal and estuarine areas,tides easily cause surface erosion and even slope failure,resulting in severe land losses,deterioration of coastal infrastructure,and increased floods.The bio-cementation technique has been previously demonstrated to effectively improve the erosion resistance of slopes.Seawater contains magnesium ions(Mg^(2+))with a higher concentration than calcium ions(Ca^(2+));therefore,Mg^(2+)and Ca^(2+)were used together for bio-cementation in this study at various Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios as the microbially induced magnesium and calcium precipitation(MIMCP)treatment.Slope angles,surface strengths,precipitation contents,major phases,and microscopic characteristics of precipitation were used to evaluate the treatment effects.Results showed that the MIMCP treatment markedly enhanced the erosion resistance of slopes.Decreased Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios resulted in a smaller change in angles and fewer soil losses,especially the Mg^(2+)concentration below 0.2 M.The decreased Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratio achieved increased precipitation contents,which contributed to better erosion resistance and higher surface strengths.Additionally,the production of aragonite would benefit from elevated Mg^(2+)concentrations and a higher Ca^(2+)concentration led to more nesquehonite in magnesium precipitation crystals.The slopes with an initial angle of 53°had worse erosion resistance than the slopes with an initial angle of 35°,but the Mg^(2+)/Ca^(2+)ratios of 0.2:0.8,0.1:0.9,and 0:1.0 were effective for both slope stabilization and erosion mitigation to a great extent.The results are of great significance for the application of MIMCP to improve erosion resistance of foreshore slopes and the MIMCP technique has promising application potential in marine engineering.

Defect Engineering:Can it Mitigate Strong Coulomb Effect of Mg^(2+)in Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries?

Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs)have been considered a promising“post lithium-ion battery”system to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the emerging electric vehicle and grid energy storage market.However,the sluggish diffusion kinetics of bivalent Mg^(2+)in the host material,related to the strong Coulomb effect between Mg^(2+)and host anion lattices,hinders their further development toward practical applications.Defect engineering,regarded as an effective strategy to break through the slow migration puzzle,has been validated in various cathode materials for RMBs.In this review,we first thoroughly understand the intrinsic mechanism of Mg^(2+)diffusion in cathode materials,from which the key factors affecting ion diffusion are further presented.Then,the positive effects of purposely introduced defects,including vacancy and doping,and the corresponding strategies for introducing various defects are discussed.The applications of defect engineering in cathode materials for RMBs with advanced electrochemical properties are also summarized.Finally,the existing challenges and future perspectives of defect engineering in cathode materials for the overall high-performance RMBs are described.

Potassium and calcium channels in different nerve cells act as therapeutic targets in neurological disorders

The central nervous system, information integration center of the body, is mainly composed of neurons and glial cells. The neuron is one of the most basic and important structural and functional units of the central nervous system, with sensory stimulation and excitation conduction functions. Astrocytes and microglia belong to the glial cell family, which is the main source of cytokines and represents the main defense system of the central nervous system. Nerve cells undergo neurotransmission or gliotransmission, which regulates neuronal activity via the ion channels, receptors, or transporters expressed on nerve cell membranes. Ion channels, composed of large transmembrane proteins, play crucial roles in maintaining nerve cell homeostasis. These channels are also important for control of the membrane potential and in the secretion of neurotransmitters. A variety of cellular functions and life activities, including functional regulation of the central nervous system, the generation and conduction of nerve excitation, the occurrence of receptor potential, heart pulsation, smooth muscle peristalsis, skeletal muscle contraction, and hormone secretion, are closely related to ion channels associated with passive transmembrane transport. Two types of ion channels in the central nervous system, potassium channels and calcium channels, are closely related to various neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. Accordingly, various drugs that can affect these ion channels have been explored deeply to provide new directions for the treatment of these neurological disorders. In this review, we focus on the functions of potassium and calcium ion channels in different nerve cells and their involvement in neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, epilepsy, autism, and rare disorders. We also describe several clinical drugs that target potassium or calcium channels in nerve cells and could be used to treat these disorders. We concluded that there are few clinical drugs that can improve the pathology these diseases by acting on potassium or calcium ions. Although a few novel ion-channelspecific modulators have been discovered, meaningful therapies have largely not yet been realized. The lack of target-specific drugs, their requirement to cross the blood–brain barrier, and their exact underlying mechanisms all need further attention. This review aims to explain the urgent problems that need research progress and provide comprehensive information aiming to arouse the research community's interest in the development of ion channel-targeting drugs and the identification of new therapeutic targets for that can increase the cure rate of nervous system diseases and reduce the occurrence of adverse reactions in other systems.

Corrosion resistance of cerium-doped zinc calcium phosphate chemical conversion coatings on AZ31 magnesium alloy

Zinc calcium phosphate （Zn-Ca-P） coating and cerium-doped zinc calcium phosphate （Zn-Ca-Ce-P） coating were prepared on AZ31 magnesium alloy. The chemical compositions, morphologies and corrosion resistance of coatings were investigated through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, electron probe micro-analysis （EPMA） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） together with hydrogen volumetric and electrochemical tests. The results indicate that both coatings predominately contain crystalline hopeite （Zn3（PO4）2·4H2O）, Mg3（PO4）2 and Ca3（PO4）2, and traces of non-crystalline MgF2 and CaF2. The Zn-Ca-Ce-P coating is more compact than the Zn-Ca-P coating due to the formation of CePO4, and displays better corrosion resistance than the Zn-Ca-P coating. Both coatings protect the AZ31 Mg substrate only during an initial immersion period. The micro-galvanic corrosion between the coatings and their substrates leads to an increase of hydrogen evolution rate （HER） with extending the immersion time. The addition of Ce promotes the homogenous distribution of Ca and formation of hopeite. The Zn-Ca-Ce-P coating has the potential for the primer coating on magnesium alloys.

Corrosion behavior of micro-arc oxidation coating on AZ91D magnesium alloy in NaCl solutions with different concentrations

Ceramic oxide coatings were prepared on AZ91D magnesium alloys in alkaline silicate solution using micro-arc oxidation（MAO） technique.The corrosion behavior of MAO coating on AZ91D magnesium alloys in NaCl solutions with different concentrations（0.1%,0.5%,1.0%,3.5% and 5.0% in mass fraction） was evaluated by electrochemical measurements and immersion tests.The results showed that the corrosion rate of the MAO coated AZ91D increased with increasing chloride ion concentration.The main form of corrosion failure was localized corrosion for the MAO coated AZ91D immersed in higher concentration NaCl solutions（1.0%,3.5% and 5.0%）,while it was general corrosion in dilute NaCl solutions（0.1% and 0.5%）.Two different stages of the failure process of the MAO coated AZ91D could be identified：1） occurrence of the metastable pits and 2） growth of the pits.Different equivalent circuits were also proposed based on the results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy（EIS） for the MAO coated AZ91D immersed in different concentrations of NaCl solutions for 120 h.

Influence of copper ions and calcium ions on adsorption of CMC on chlorite

The effects of copper ions and calcium ions on the depression of chlorite using CMC（carboxymethyl cellulose） as a depressant were studied through flotation tests,adsorption measurements,ζ potential tests and co-precipitation experiments.The results show that the electrostatic repulsion between the CMC molecules and the chlorite surfaces hinders the approach of the CMC to the chlorite while the presence of copper ions and calcium ions enhances the adsorption density of CMC.The action mechanisms of these two types of ions are different.Calcium ions can not adsorb onto the mineral surfaces,but they can interact with the CMC molecules,thus reducing the charge of the CMC and enhancing adsorption density.Copper ions can adsorb onto the mineral surfaces,which facilitates the CMC adsorption through acid/base interaction.The enhanced adsorption density is also attributed to the decreased electrostatic repulsion between the CMC and mineral surfaces as copper ions reduce the surface charge of both the mineral surfaces and the CMC molecules.

Removal of magnesium and calcium from electric furnace titanium slag by H_3PO_4 oxidation roasting-leaching process

H3PO4 oxidation roasting followed by HCl acid leaching was proposed to remove magnesium and calcium from electric furnace titanium slag containing 3.12% MgO and 0.86% CaO. XRF, XRD and SEM techniques were used to characterize the composition, mineral phase component and microstructure of the titanium slag. The H3PO4 oxidation thermodynamic, mineral phase transformation, microstructure, element distribution in titanium slag during H3PO4 oxidation process and leaching process were investigated. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that H3PO4 could promote the decomposition of MgTi2O5 and CaSiO3. The results indicated that H3PO4 could effectively promote the transformation of titanium-bearing mineral to rutile and enrich the impurities in MxTi（3-x）O5 into phosphate which could be removed by acid leaching process. Under the studied conditions, the leaching rates of magnesium and calcium reached 94.68% and 87.19%, respectively. The acid leached slag containing 0.19% MgO and 0.13% CaO（mass fraction） was obtained.

Effects of Foliar Spraying of Magnesiumpotassium Sulfate Fertilizer on Absorption of Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium in Differentposition Tobacco Leaves

[Objective] ln the Mg-deficient （exchangeable Ca/Mg ratio ＆gt; 20） tobacco-growing areas in Qujing City of Yunnan Province, the ratio of Ca/Mg was adjusted by applying Mg fertilizer in soil and spraying Mg fertilizer on tobacco leaves. ln ad-dition, the effects of Mg fertilization on the absorption of K, Ca and Mg in flue-cured tobacco leaves were investigated, providing theoretical basis and production guidance for the balanced fertilization technology in the Mg-deficient flue-cured to-bacco-growing areas in Qujing City of Yunnan Province. [Method] The field plot test and randomized complete block design were adopted in this research. The group without Mg fertilization was treated as control. There were 3 treatment groups for foliar spraying of magnesium-potassium sulfate fertilizer and 2 treatment groups for soil application ＋ foliar spraying of magnesium-potassium sulfate fertilizer. The tobac-co roots, stems, lower leaves, middle leaves and upper leaves were dried and weighed. They were grinded for the determination of K, Ca and Mg content. The total K, Ca and Mg content in upper （B2F）, middle （C3F） and lower （X2F） flue-cured tobacco leaves in each plot was measured. [Result] The foliar spraying and soil application ＋ foliar spraying al increased the absorption of Mg and K in middle and lower tobacco leaves and the absorption of Ca in lower tobacco leaves, but de-creased the absorption of Mg, K and Ca in upper leaves and the absorption of Ca in middle leaves. Among the positions, the accumulated distribution of Mg, K and Ca ranked as middle leaves ＆gt; lower leaves ＆gt; upper leaves. With the application of Mg fertilizer, the Ca/Mg ratio and K/Mg ratio al decreased in middle and upper to-bacco leaves; while the Ca/Mg ratio increased in the lower tobacco leaves, and the K/Mg ratio showed no significant difference among treatment groups. [Conclusion] The foliar spraying and soil application ＋ foliar spraying of magnesium-potassium sulfate fertilizer affected the Ca/Mg ratio and K/Mg ratio in tobacco leaves mainly through affecting the absorption of Mg.

Synthesis of platy potassium magnesium titanate and its application in removal of copper ions from aqueous solution

Platy potassium magnesium titanate (K0.8Mg0.4Ti1.6O4, KMTO) was synthesized by a flux method. The potential application of KMTO in removing copper ions from water pollutants was investigated. The crystal phases of specimens were identified by XRD. The morphology and structural information were characterized by SEM and TEM. The adsorption behavior under different conditions was investigated, including different pH values and different initial copper ion concentrations. The results show that the maximum adsorption capacity of Cu(II) ions is 290.697 mg/g, and almost 99.9% of Cu(II) ions can be removed, which is much higher than that of other sorbents reported. The kinetics of KMTO for the adsorption of Cu(II)ions was studied and the best fit can be obtained by the pseudo-second-order model. Adsorption isothermal data can be well interpreted by the Freundlich equation (R2=0.991). In conclusion, this study highlights that KMTO is a potential material for the efficient removal of heavy metal ions in polluted water. It also opens up a new opportunity for the applications of platy KMTO.

Highly Efficient and Selective Removal of Pb（II） ions by Sulfur-Containing Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles

A facile one-step co-precipitation method was demonstrated to fabricate amorphous sulfurcontaining calcium phosphate （SCP） nanoparticles, in which the sulfur group was in-situ introduced into calcium phosphate. The resulting SCP exhibited a noticeable enhanced performance for Pb（II） removal in comparison with hydroxyapatite （HAP）, being capable of easily reducing 20 ppm of Pb（II） to below the acceptable standard for drinking water within less than 10 min. Remarkably, the saturated removal capacities of Pb（II） on SCP were as high as 1720.57 mg/g calculated by the Langmuir isotherm model, exceeding largely that of the previously reported absorbents. Significantly, SCP displayed highly selective removal ability toward Pb（II） ions in the presence of the competing metal ions （Ni（II）, Co（II）, Zn（II）, and Cd（II））. Further investigations indicated that such ultra-high removal efficiency and preferable affinity of Pb（II） ions on SCP may be reasonably ascribed to the formation of rodlike hydroxypyromorphite crystals on the surface of SCP via dissolution-precipitation and ion exchange reactions, accompanied by the presence of lead sulfide precipitates. High removal efficiency, fast removal kinetics and excellent selectivity toward Pb（II） made the obtained SCP material an ideal candidate for Pb（II） ions decontamination in practical application.

Effects of clay and calcium ions on coal flotation

The microflotation of three single minerals,mixed coal–kaolinite and mixed coal–montmorillonite were examined to study the effects of clay and calcium ions on coal flotation.The results show that the ash content of flotation concentrate increases by 3%in the presence of clay minerals,and the ash content would further increase by 3%in co-presence of clay minerals and high concentration of Ca2+.Scanning electron microscope(SEM)images and elemental spectrum analysis indicate that fne clay particles that coat on the coal surface,which is called slime coating,can affect the coal flotation.The slime coating would be induced much more easily in the presence of Ca2+.

Pedogenic and Anthropogenic Influence on Calcium and Magnesium Behaviors in Stagnic Anthrosols

The formation of Stagnic Anthrosols is closely related to rice planting and parent materials. Six representative pedons, two from each of three Stagnic Anthrosol subgroups, Vertic Haplic-, Vertic Gleyic-, and Sulfic Gleyic-Stagnic Anthrosols, from different parent materials and soil formation processes, from Liaoning Province, China, were selected and used along with additional supporting data to assess the potential impact in each soil subgroup combination of both pedogenic and anthropogenic factors on the migration and geochemical characteristics of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) and their relations to soil particle-size composition. Results revealed that exchangeable Mg was correlated positively with clay and silt content, but negatively with sand content, suggesting that clay and silt could retain more exchangeable Mg than sand. Also, in the six pedons exchangeable Ca/Mg ratios generally decreased with depth, which was most likely due to the preferential retention of Mg below the Apl horizon and the effects of bio-cycling in rice-soil systems. The pedons with high pH had smaller exchangeable Ca/Mg ratios than those with low pH. Thus, it was concluded that exchangeable Ca/Mg ratios could be helpful in classification of Stagnic Anthrosols.

Refinement Role of Electromagnetic Stirring and Calcium in AZ91 Magnesium Alloy

Effects of calcium addition and electromagnetic stirring on the microstructure of AZ91 magnesium alloy and refinement mechanism were investigated. The results show that calcium addition ranging from 0.1wt% to 0.3 wt% does not lead to formation of any new phases but cause the refinement of ascast microstructure.However, combined calcium alloying and electromagnetic stirring significantly decrease the grain size, change the morphologies of the β-Mg17Al12 phases,and reduce their volume percentage. The minimum grain size of AZ91 alloy is obtained in the case of the addition of 0.2 wt%Ca with exciting voltage of 100 V. The microstructural refinement is attributed to the increase of the degree of undercooling and nucleation temperature of primary α-Mg phases on the basis of DTA analysis results.

Recent advances in hydrothermal modification of calcium phosphorus coating on magnesium alloy

Magnesium(Mg) and its alloys have emerged as a favored candidate for bio-regenerative medical implants due to their superior biocompatibility, biodegradability and the elastic modulus close to that of human bone. Unfortunately, the rapid and uncontrollable degradation rate of Mg alloys in chloride-rich body microenvironments limits their clinical orthopedic applications. Recently, Calcium Phosphate(Ca-P)biomaterials, especially Hydroxyapatite(HA), have been broadly applied in the surface functional modification of metal-based biomaterials attributed to their excellent bioactivity and biocompatibility. Hydrothermal modification of Ca-P coatings on Mg alloys has been extensively exploited by researchers for its significant superiorities in controlling coating structure and improving interfacial bonding strength for better osseointegration and corrosion resistance. This work focuses on the up-to-the-minute advances in Ca-P coatings on the surface of Mg and its alloys via hydrothermal methods, including the strategies and mechanisms of hydrothermal modification. Herein, we are inclined to share some feasible and attractive hydrothermal surface modification strategies. From the perspectives of hydrothermal manufacturing technique innovation and coating structure optimization, we evaluate how to foster the corrosion resistance, coating bonding strength, osseointegration and antibacterial properties of Mg alloys with Ca-P coatings synthesized by hydrothermal method. The challenges and future perspectives on the follow-up exploration of Mg alloys for orthopedic applications are also elaborately proposed.

The Role of Calcium in Microstructural Refinement of AZ91 Magnesium Alloy

The effect of calcium addition on the microstructures of AZ91 magnesium alloy was investigated. It was found that a small amount of calcium in AZ91 allay produced a large decrease in the α- Mg grain size and the dispersed fine β-Mgt7 Alt2 phases. In addition, some Al4Ca particles were found to exist in the AZ91 alloy containing 0.5wt% Ca. EDS analysis and water-quenched technique revealed that the grain-refining mechanism of calcium for the AZ91 alloys was mainly attributed to the role of restricting growth of calcium in the primary α-Mg crystals.

Synthesis of Environmentally Friendly Multifunctional Metal (Calcium,Magnesium) Oleate Detergent with Antioxidation Property

This article covers a method for synthesizing environmentally friendly multifunctional metal (calcium,magnesium) oleate detergents with antioxidation property.These multifunctional metal (calcium,magnesium) oleate detergents with antioxidation property were synthesized using oil-soluble liquid antioxidants (PPIBP,PPIBTSTBP,and PPIBPDA) as reactive functional materials.These oil-soluble liquid antioxidants have the potential to be used as functional materials for application in synthesizing other kinds of substrate detergents.