In-situ construction of abundant active centers on hierarchically porous carbon electrode toward high-performance phosphate electrosorption: Synergistic effect of electric field and capture sites

Phosphate removal is crucial for eutrophication control and water quality improvement.Electro-assisted adsorption,an eco-friendly elec-trosorption process,exhibited a promising potential for wastewater treatment.However,there are few works focused on phosphate electro-sorption,and reported electrodes cannot attach satisfactory removal capacities and rates.Herein,electro-assisted adsorption of phosphate via in-situ construction of La active centers on hierarchically porous carbon(LaPC)has been originally demonstrated.The resulted LaPC composite not only possessed a hierarchically porous structure with uniformly dispersed La active sites,but also provided good conductivity for interfacial electron transfer.The LaPC electrode achieved an ultrahigh phosphate electrosorption capability of 462.01 mg g^(-1) at 1 V,outperforming most existing electrodes.The superior phosphate removal performance originates from abundant active centers formed by the coupling of electricfield and capture sites.Besides,the stability and selectivity toward phosphate capture were maintained well even under comprehensive conditions.Moreover,a series of kinetics and isotherms models were employed to validate the electrosorption process.This work demonstrates a deep understanding and promotes a new level of phosphate electrosorption.

Overview of in-situ oxygen production technologies for lunar resources

The rich resources and unique environment of the Moon make it an ideal location for human expansion and the utilization of extraterrestrial resources.Oxygen,crucial for supporting human life on the Moon,can be extracted from lunar regolith,which is highly rich in oxygen and contains polymetallic oxides.This oxygen and metal extraction can be achieved using existing metallurgical techniques.Furthermore,the ample reserves of water ice on the Moon offer another means for oxygen production.This paper offers a detailed overview of the leading technologies for achieving oxygen production on the Moon,drawing from an analysis of lunar resources and environmental conditions.It delves into the principles,processes,advantages,and drawbacks of water-ice electrolysis,two-step oxygen production from lunar regolith,and one-step oxygen production from lunar regolith.The two-step methods involve hydrogen reduction,carbothermal reduction,and hydrometallurgy,while the one-step methods encompass fluorination/chlorination,high-temperature decomposition,molten salt electrolysis,and molten regolith electrolysis(MOE).Following a thorough comparison of raw materials,equipment,technology,and economic viability,MOE is identified as the most promising approach for future in-situ oxygen production on the Moon.Considering the corrosion characteristics of molten lunar regolith at high temperatures,along with the Moon's low-gravity environment,the development of inexpensive and stable inert anodes and electrolysis devices that can easily collect oxygen is critical for promoting MOE technology on the Moon.This review significantly contributes to our understanding of in-situ oxygen production technologies on the Moon and supports upcoming lunar exploration initiatives.

In vitro corrosion and biocompatibility of phosphating modified WE43 magnesium alloy

Phospahting coated WE43 magnesium alloy was prepared by an immersion method. The microstructure, corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of the coated alloy were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD） were used to examine the microstructure and the composition of the coated alloy. The corrosion resistance was studied by means of potentiodynamic polarization method and the biocompatibility of the surface modified WE43 alloy was evaluated by （3-（4,5）-Dimethylthiazol-2, yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide （MTT） and hemolysis test. The results show that the phosphating coating can enhance the corrosion resistance of WE43 alloy and can be a good candidate to increase the biocompatibility of WE43 alloy.

Self-healing mechanism of composite coatings obtained by phosphating and silicate sol post-sealing

Silicate sol post-treatment was applied to form a complete composite coating on the phosphated zinc layer. The chemical compositions of the coatings were investigated using XPS. The coated samples were firstly scratched and then exposed to the neutral salt spray(NSS) chamber for different time. The microstructure and chemical compositions of the scratches were studied using SEM and EDS. And the non-scratched coated samples were compared. The self-healing mechanism of the composite coatings was discussed. The results show that during corrosion, the self-healing ions in composite coatings dissolve, diffuse and transfer to the scratches or the defects, and then recombine with Zn2+ to form insoluble compound, which deposits and covers the exposed zinc. The corrosion products on the scratches contain silicon, phosphorous, oxygen, chloride and zinc, and they are compact, fine, needle and flake, effectively inhibiting the corrosion formation and expansion of the exposed zinc layer. The composite coatings have good self-healing ability.

Effects of Hydroxylamine Sulfate and Sodium Nitrite on Microstructure and Friction Behavior of Zinc Phosphating Coating on High Carbon Steel

Hydroxylamine sulfate （HAS） and sodium nitrite are used as the accelerators for zinc phos- phate coating on high carbon steel. Phase evolution of phosphate coating was investigated by X-ray diffraction. It is found that the phosphating coatings are mainly composed of hopeite Zn3Fe（PO4）2.4H2O and phosphophyllite Zn2Fe（PO4）2.4H2O. The microstructural changes of the phosphate coating, as a function of phosphating time, were evaluated by scanning elec- tron microscopy. Four-ball friction experiments reveal that hydroxylamine sulfate instead of sodium nitrite can effectively reduce the friction coefficient of lubricated phosphating coat- ing. Therefore, it may be expected that HAS will be widely used as a fast and ECO-friendly accelerator in phosphate industry.

Composition and Performance of the Composite Coatings Obtained by Phosphating and Cerium Nitrate Post-Sealing on Galvanized Steel

To improve the corrosion resistance of phosphate coatings, the phosphated hot-dip galvanized (HDG) steel was post-sealed with cerium nitrate solution. The morphology, composition, corrosion resistance of the coatings was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and neutral salt spray (NSS) tests. The results show that after post-sealing the phosphated HDG samples with cerium nitrate solution, the pores among the zinc phosphate crystals are sealed by the compounds containing phosphorus, oxygen and cerium; the zinc phosphate crystals are covered by the flocculent cerium compounds; and the continuous composite coatings are formed on HDG steel. The corrosion resistance of the composite coatings, which increases with the increase in phosphating time and cerium nitrate post-sealing time, is far higher than that of the single phosphate coatings. The composite coatings with the optimal corrosion resistance are obtained for phosphating 300 s and post-sealing 300 s; and the corrosion resistance is more outstanding than that of the chromate coatings.

Zinc phosphating of 6061-Al alloy using REN as additive

Zinc phosphate coating formed on 6061-A1 alloy was studied with the help of electrochemical measurements, Fourier Transform Infrared （FTIR）, and Scanning Electron Microscopy （SEM）, after dipping it in phosphating solutions containing different concentrations of Rare Earth Nitrate （REN）. REN, which acted as an accelerator in the phosphating solution, could catalyze the surface reaction and accelerate the phosphating process. REN mainly enabled the P in the phosphate coating to exist in the form of PO4^3- and promoted the hydrolysis of phosphatic acid in a liquid layer at the cathodes. This resulted in the evolution of H2 at the cathodes, which increased the local pH value and in turn drove the precipitation of the phosphate coating. Additionally, REN was adsorbed on the surface of the aluminum substrates to form a gel during the phosphating process. These gel particles were good crystal seeds, which helped to form phosphate crystal nuclei and possess the function of a nucleation agent that could decrease the phosphate crystal size. The corrosion resistance of the formed zinc phosphate coatings was improved.

Self-healing Performance of Composite Coatings Prepared by Phosphating and Cerium Nitrate Post-sealing

The phosphated and cerium nitrate post-sealed galvanized steel was firstly scratched to expose zinc layer and then placed in neutral salt spray （NSS） chamber for different durations. The microstructure and compositions of the scratches were investigated using SEM and EDS. The phases of the corrosion products were examined through XRD. The self-healing mechanism of the composite coatings was discussed. The experimental results show that the composite coatings have an excellent corrosion resistance. The corrosion products increase with corrosion time and finally cover the whole scratch. They contain phosphorous, cerium, oxygen, chloride and zinc, and are fine needle and exceedingly compact. The composite coatings are favorable self-healing. During corrosion, the self-healing ions such as Ce3＋, Ce4＋, PO43-, Zn2＋ in the composite coatings were dissolved, migrated, recombined, and covered the exposed zinc, impeding zinc corrosion. The self-healing process of the scratches on the composite coatings can be divided into three stages, about 2 h, 4 h, and 24 h, respectively.

Study on phosphating treatment of aluminum alloy:role of yttrium oxide

Zinc phosphate coatings formed on 6061-Al alloy, after dipping in phosphating solutions containing different amounts of Y2O3（yttrium oxide）, were studied by scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and electrochemical measurements. Significant variations in the morphology and corrosion resistance afforded by zinc phosphate coating were especially observed as Y2O3 in phosphating solution varied from 0 to 40 mg/L. The addition of Y2O3 changed the initial potential of the interface between aluminum alloy substrate and phosphating solution and increased the number of nucleation sites. The phosphate coating thereby was less porous structure and covered the surface of aluminum alloy completely within short phosphating time. Phosphate coating was mainly composed of Zn3（PO4）2·4H2O （hopeite） and AlPO4（aluminum phosphate）. Y2O3, as an additive of phosphatization, accelerated precipitation and refined the gain size of phosphate coating. The corrosion resistance of zinc phosphate coating in 3% NaCl solution was improved as shown by polarization measurement. In the present research, the optimal amount of Y2O3 was 10-20 mg/L, and the optimal phosphating time was 600 s.

The In-situ Reinforcement of Calcium Phosphate Cement and Its Micro-structural Analysis

Carbon nanotubes （ CNTs ） and polyacrylic acid were employed to modify the setting process and hydration products of β-TCP/TTCP calcium phosphate cement. The micro-structure of hydration product and the fashion of how additives and hydration particles interconnected were investigated. With the modification effect of CNTs , the setting particles and CNTs got winded and interconnected and thus made the composite more compact and denser.

Phosphating process of AZ31 magnesium alloy and corrosion resistance of coatings

Zinc phosphate films were formed on AZ31 magnesium alloy by immersing into a phosphatation bath to enhance the corrosion resistance of AZ31. Different films were prepared by changing the processing parameters such as immersing time and temperature. The corrosion protection of the coatings was studied by electrochemical measurements such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization curves, and the structure of the films were studied by metalloscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that, the film formed at 80 ℃, 10 min has the highest corrosion resistance. The XRD patterns show that the film consists of hopeite (Zn3(PO4)2·xH2O).

Novel interface engineering of LDH-based materials on Mg alloy for efficient photocatalytic systems considering the geometrical linearity of condensed phosphates

This study presents a facile and rapid method for synthesizing novel Layered Double Hydroxide(LDH)nanoflakes,exploring their application as a photocatalyst,and investigating the influence of condensed phosphates'geometric linearity on their photocatalytic properties.Herein,the Mg O film,obtained by plasma electrolysis of AZ31 Mg alloys,was modified by growing an LDH film,which was further functionalized using cyclic sodium hexametaphosphate(CP)and linear sodium tripolyphosphate(LP).CP acted as an enhancer for flake spacing within the LDH structure,while LP changed flake dispersion and orientation.Consequently,CP@LDH demonstrated exceptional efficiency in heterogeneous photocatalysis,effectively degrading organic dyes like Methylene blue(MB),Congo red(CR),and Methyl orange(MO).The unique cyclic structure of CP likely enhances surface reactions and improves the catalyst's interaction with dye molecules.Furthermore,the condensed phosphate structure contributes to a higher surface area and reactivity in CP@LDH,leading to its superior photocatalytic performance compared to LP@LDH.Specifically,LP@LDH demonstrated notable degradation efficiencies of 93.02%,92.89%,and 88.81%for MB,MO,and CR respectively,over a 40 min duration.The highest degradation efficiencies were observed in the case of the CP@LDH sample,reporting 99.99%for MB,98.88%for CR,and 99.70%for MO.This underscores the potential of CP@LDH as a highly effective photocatalyst for organic dye degradation,offering promising prospects for environmental remediation and water detoxification applications.

Exploring the mechanism of a novel cationic surfactant in bastnaesite flotation via the integration of DFT calculations,in-situ AFM and electrochemistry

Effectively separating bastnaesite from calcium-bearing gangue minerals(particularly calcite)presents a formidable challenge,making the development of efficient collectors crucial.To achieve this,we have designed and synthesized a novel,highly efficient,water-soluble cationic collector,N-dodecylisopropanolamine(NDIA),for use in the bastnaesite-calcite flotation process.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations identified the amine nitrogen atom in NDIA as the site most susceptible to electrophilic attack and electron loss.By introducing an OH group into the traditional collector dodecylamine(DDA)structure,NDIA provided additional adsorption sites,enabling synergistic adsorption on the surface of bastnaesite,thereby significantly enhancing both the floatability and selectivity of these minerals.The recovery of bastnaesite was 76.02%,while the calcite was 1.26%.The NDIA markedly affected the zeta potential of bastnaesite,while its impact on calcite was relatively minor.Detailed Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)results elucidated that the―NH―and―OH groups in NDIA anchored onto the bastnaesite surface through robust electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions,thereby enhancing bastnaesite's affinity for NDIA.Furthermore,in situ atomic force microscopy(AFM)provided conclusive evidence of NDIA aggregation on the bastnaesite surface,improving contact angle and hydrophobicity,and significantly boosting the flotation recovery of bastnaesite.

Microstructural characterization and mechanical properties of(TiC+TiB)/TA15 composites prepared by an in-situ synthesis method

Titanium matrix composites reinforced with ceramic particles are considered a promising engineering material due to their combination of high specific strength,low density,and high modulus.In this study,the TA15-based composites reinforced with a volume fraction of 10% to 25%(TiB+TiC)were prepared using powder metallurgy and casting technique.Microstructural characterization and phase constitution were examined using optical microscopy(OM),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and X-ray diffraction(XRD).In addition,the microhardness,room temperature(RT)and high temperature(HT)tensile properties of the composites were evaluated.Results revealed that the reinforcements are distributed uniformly even in the composites with a high volume of TiB and TiC.However,as the volume fraction exceeds 15%,TiB and TiC particles become coarsening and exhibit rod-like and dendritic-like morphology.Microhardness increases gradually from 321.2 HV for the base alloy to a maximum of 473.3 HV as the reinforcement increases to 25vol.%.Tensile test results indicate that a reinforcement volume fraction above 20% is beneficial for enhancing tensile strength and yield strength at high temperatures,but it has an adverse effect on room temperature elongation.Conversely,if the reinforcement volume fraction is below 20%,it can improve high-temperature elongation when the temperature exceeds 600℃.

Recent advances and key perspectives of in-situ studies for oxygen evolution reaction in water electrolysis

Electricity-driven water splitting to produce hydrogen is one of the most efficient ways to alleviate energy crisis and environmental pollution problems,in which the anodic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is the key half-reaction of performance-limiting in water splitting.Given the complicated reaction process and surface reconstruction of the involved catalysts under actual working conditions,unraveling the real active sites,probing multiple reaction intermediates and clarifying catalytic pathways through in-situ characterization techniques and theoretical calculations are essential.In this review,we summarize the recent advancements in understanding the catalytic process,unlocking the water oxidation active phase and elucidating catalytic mechanism of water oxidation by various in-situ characterization techniques.Firstly,we introduce conventionally proposed traditional catalytic mechanisms and novel evolutionary mechanisms of OER,and highlight the significance of optimal catalytic pathways and intrinsic stability.Next,we provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamental working principles,different detection modes,applicable scenarios,and limitations associated with the in-situ characterization techniques.Further,we exemplified the in-situ studies and discussed phase transition detection,visualization of speciation evolution,electronic structure tracking,observation of reaction active intermediates,and monitoring of catalytic products,as well as establishing catalytic structure-activity relationships and catalytic mechanism.Finally,the key challenges and future perspectives for demystifying the water oxidation process are briefly proposed.

Enhancing sustainability in phosphate ore processing:Performance of frying oil as alternative flotation collector for carbonate removal

Recycling waste frying oils for the synthesis of flotation reagents presents a promising avenue for sustainable waste management.Moreover,it offers a cost-effective solution for crafting a specialized collector designed to efficiently remove carbonates and enhance phosphate enrichment in froth flotation processes.This study focuses on the synthesis of an anionic collector using the saponification reaction of a frying oil sample,subsequently applied to the flotation of calcite and dolomite.To elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of the frying oil collector(FrOC)and sodium oleate,a reference collector,on fluorapatite,calcite,dolomite,and quartz surfaces,comprehensive experiments were conducted,including zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Results revealed diverse adsorption affinities of the molecules towards these minerals.To assess the practical performance of the collector,flotation tests were conducted using a natural phosphate ore mixture,employing a BoxBehnken experimental design.Notably,under optimized conditions(pH 9,1000 g/t of FrOC,3.5 min of conditioning,and 6 min of flotation),FrOC exhibited excellent performance,with calcite and dolomite recoveries exceeding 80%,while apatite recovery in the concentrate fraction remained below 10%.This work exemplifies both circular economy practices and the distinctive approach to sustainable mineral processing.

Morphology and corrosion resistance of composite coatings obtained by phosphating and molybdate post-sealing on galvanized steel

The phosphated hot-dip galvanized(HDG) sheets were post-sealed with sodium molybdate solution to improve the corrosion resistance of phosphate coatings. The morphology,chemical composition and corrosion resistance of the coatings were investigated using scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS),Tafel polarization measurements and neutral salt spray(NSS) tests,and were compared with those of the single coatings. The results show that post-sealing the phosphated HDG steel with molybdate solution,the pores among the zinc phosphate crystals are sealed with molybdate films containing Zn,P,O and Mo,and the continuous composite coatings are formed. The suppression of both the anodic and the cathodic processes of zinc corrosion on the samples are enhanced significantly. The synergistic corrosion protection effect of the single phosphate coatings and molybdate films for zinc is evident. The corrosion resistance of the composite coatings increases with phosphating time up to 300 s.

In-situ additive manufacturing of high strength yet ductility titanium composites with gradient layered structure using N_(2)

It has always been challenging work to reconcile the contradiction between the strength and plasticity of titanium materials.Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF) is a convenient method to fabricate innovative composites including those inspired by gradient layered materials.In this work,we used LPBF to selectively prepare Ti N/Ti gradient layered structure(GLSTi)composites by using different N_(2)–Ar ratios during the LPBF process.We systematically investigated the mechanisms of in-situ synthesis Ti N,high strength and ductility of GLSTi composites using microscopic analysis,TEM characterization,and tensile testing with digital image correlation.Besides,a digital correspondence was established between the N_(2) concentration and the volume fraction of LPBF in-situ synthesized Ti N.Our results show that the GLSTi composites exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to pure titanium fabricated by LPBF under pure Ar.Specifically,the tensile strength of GLSTi was more than 1.5times higher than that of LPBF-formed pure titanium,reaching up to 1100 MPa,while maintaining a high elongation at fracture of 17%.GLSTi breaks the bottleneck of high strength but low ductility exhibited by conventional nanoceramic particle-strengthened titanium matrix composites,and the hetero-deformation induced strengthening effect formed by the Ti N/Ti layered structure explained its strength-plasticity balanced principle.The microhardness exhibits a jagged variation of the relatively low hardness of 245 HV0.2 for the pure titanium layer and a high hardness of 408 HV0.2 for the N_(2) in-situ synthesis layer.Our study provides a new concept for the structure-performance digital customization of 3D-printed Ti-based composites.

In-situ interfacial passivation and self-adaptability synergistically stabilizing all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

The function of solid electrolytes and the composition of solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)are highly significant for inhibiting the growth of Li dendrites.Herein,we report an in-situ interfacial passivation combined with self-adaptability strategy to reinforce Li_(0.33)La_(0.557)TiO_(3)(LLTO)-based solid-state batteries.Specifically,a functional SEI enriched with LiF/Li_(3)PO_(4) is formed by in-situ electrochemical conversion,which is greatly beneficial to improving interface compatibility and enhancing ion transport.While the polarized dielectric BaTiO_(3)-polyamic acid(BTO-PAA,BP)film greatly improves the Li-ion transport kinetics and homogenizes the Li deposition.As expected,the resulting electrolyte offers considerable ionic conductivity at room temperature(4.3 x 10~(-4)S cm^(-1))and appreciable electrochemical decomposition voltage(5.23 V)after electrochemical passivation.For Li-LiFePO_(4) batteries,it shows a high specific capacity of 153 mA h g^(-1)at 0.2C after 100 cycles and a long-term durability of 115 mA h g^(-1)at 1.0 C after 800 cycles.Additionally,a stable Li plating/stripping can be achieved for more than 900 h at 0.5 mA cm^(-2).The stabilization mechanisms are elucidated by ex-situ XRD,ex-situ XPS,and ex-situ FTIR techniques,and the corresponding results reveal that the interfacial passivation combined with polarization effect is an effective strategy for improving the electrochemical performance.The present study provides a deeper insight into the dynamic adjustment of electrode-electrolyte interfacial for solid-state lithium batteries.

Effect of safety valve types on the gas venting behavior and thermal runaway hazard severity of large-format prismatic lithium iron phosphate batteries

The safety valve is an important component to ensure the safe operation of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).However,the effect of safety valve type on the thermal runaway(TR)and gas venting behavior of LIBs,as well as the TR hazard severity of LIBs,are not known.In this paper,the TR and gas venting behavior of three 100 A h lithium iron phosphate(LFP)batteries with different safety valves are investigated under overheating.Compared to previous studies,the main contribution of this work is in studying and evaluating the effect of gas venting behavior and TR hazard severity of LFP batteries with three safety valve types.Two significant results are obtained:(Ⅰ)the safety valve type dominates over gas venting pressure of battery during safety venting,the maximum gas venting pressure of LFP batteries with a round safety valve is 3320 Pa,which is one order of magnitude higher than other batteries with oval or cavity safety valve;(Ⅱ)the LFP battery with oval safety valve has the lowest TR hazard as shown by the TR hazard assessment model based on gray-fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.This study reveals the effect of safety valve type on TR and gas venting,providing a clear direction for the safety valve design.