Ball Milling Process Research Articles

Ultraviolet (UV) assisted fabrication and characterization of lignin containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) from wood residues.

This study aimed to explore the synergistic mechanism of lignin chromophore modifications via UV treatment and to analyze the effects of mechanical treatments on LCNF properties for future uses. The procedure involved two steps: first, lignin's chromophore modification via UV illumination, and then the ball milling process was proceeded for 1 h, followed by high-intensity ultrasonic for 15-135 min. Characterization included preserved lignin content percentage, FTIR, UV-vis NMR, and color analysis for UV-modified samples, and to access the influence of mechanical treatment on LCNF samples further yield, zeta potential analysis, XRD, thermogravimetric analysis, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were performed. LCNFs S-120 demonstrated a zeta potential of -21.7 mV, indicating enhanced stability compared to the S-135 sample (-10.95 mV). The S-120 sample also showed the highest yield (74.02 %) and TGA at 391 °C. In XRD analysis, the S-120 sample demonstrated the highest CrI 64.3 %, than the S-15 sample (48.2 %). Preserved lignin in the LCNFs led to a slight reduction in crystallinity across all samples but improved thermal stability for all the prepared LCNFs samples. The UV and ultrasonication improved the homogeneity and durability of the LCNF samples, enabling a process that may be used to industries.

A Green Chemistry Approach to Catalytic Synthesis of Ethyl Levulinate

Esterification of levulinic acid with ethanol was investigated using deep eutectic systems based on choline chloride and oxalic or p-toluenesulfonic acid as catalysts under conventional heating and alternative energy inputs, namely microwave, ultrasound, and mechanochemical treatment. The experiments were performed under varying operating conditions such as catalyst type and loading, alcohol to carboxylic acid molar ratio, temperature, or time. The obtained results demonstrate the overall better catalytic performance of the p-toluenesulfonic acid-based deep eutectic mixture in comparison with the oxalic acid-based analogue. The best results: levulinic acid conversion of 76% and 58%, for p-toluenesulfonic and oxalic acid containing deep eutectic systems, respectively, with 100% selectivity for both cases, were achieved for microwave-assisted synthesis with 5 wt.% of catalyst and excess alcohol to acid (molar ratio 5), at 413.15 K and for 10 min. The main advantage of all of the alternative activation methods studied (microwaves, ultrasounds, and ball mill processing) was the significant reduction in the reaction time.

Green massive mechanical synthesis of highly efficient Zn-Doped Cs3Cu2I5 for LED and X-ray imaging applications

As a new generation of environmentally friendly halide materials, Cs3Cu2I5 shows up the promising application in scintillation, LED, and photoelectric detection fields. However, liquid phase methods cannot produce Cs3Cu2I5 on a large scale, and the preparation process is accompanied by serious pollution. Although the ball milling method can solve the problems caused by the liquid phase synthesis method, the Cs3Cu2I5 obtained has many surface defects and low luminescence efficiency. In this work, a strategy of doping-assisted ball-milling synthesis using ZnI2 is proposed. Similar to the chemical preparation of Cs3Cu2I5, the iodine-rich environment during the modified ball milling process can also play a role in repairing surface defects. And it has been demonstrated through experiments and first principles calculations that the distortion of [Cu2I5]3- under ground/excited state can be adjusted through doping Zn into the Cu1 site, the formation barrier of self-trapped excitons is reduced, and the luminous efficiency of Cs3Cu2I5 is significantly improved. Subsequently, using the simple hot-pressing method, the representative Cs3Cu2I5:1.0Zn sample was combined with commercially available polypropylene to fabricate Cs3Cu2I5:1.0Zn@PP film. Finally, the potential applications of the newly-developed film in portable and customizable WLED and scintillation fields were explored.

Microstructure and Corrosion Resistance of 7075 Aluminium Alloy Composite Material Obtained from Chips in the High-Energy Ball Milling Process.

The high-energy ball milling process was applied to fabricate a composite material from 7075 aluminium alloy milling chips, silicon carbide, and titanium dioxide powders. Raw materials were ground, and the obtained powders were cold pressed and sintered. It was demonstrated that this method can be used in the recycling of aluminium alloy scrap characterised by a high surface-to-volume ratio, and also that chemical removal of the oxide layer from chips is not necessary. The finest particles, with 50 vol.% of their population below 36 μm, were obtained after grinding for 60 min at a 1000 rpm rotational speed. Such an intensive grinding was necessary to fabricate the compact composite material with a homogeneous microstructure and a low porosity of 0.7%. The corrosion resistance of the composites was studied in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and corrosion rates in the range of ca. 342 and 3 μA∙cm-2 were obtained. The corrosion mechanism includes aluminium alloy dissolution at the matrix/reinforcement interphase and around intermetallic particles localised within the matrix grains.

Effect of Al and Zn on Oxygen Evolution Reaction of (FeCoNiMnCu)3O3.2

AbstractBecause of its low cost and abundant sources, hydrogen serves as a clean energy alternative capable of successfully substituting fossil fuels. A highly efficient method for generating hydrogen energy currently is by the electrolysis of water. The oxygen‐extraction reaction (OER), a component of water electrolysis, requires a complex chemical pathway that involves multiproton and multielectron interactions. To enhance reaction efficiency in the OER process, catalysts are crucial; thus, the search for high‐performance, cost‐effective catalysts is underway. This experimental study involved the enhancement of the five‐membered high‐entropy oxide (FeCoNiMnCu)3O3.2 by incorporating a sixth group element (Zn, Al). The organization, morphology, and OER properties were analyzed following the preparation utilizing a mechanical ball milling process. A series of rock salt‐type hexagonal high entropy oxides with differing ball milling durations were synthesized to investigate the influence of the production method on the surface shape and catalytic properties of high entropy oxides. The results indicated that the single‐phase rock salt structure of (FeCoNiMnCuAl)3O3.5, a high‐entropy oxide, exhibited significantly altered diffraction peaks, hence improving OER performance. Optimization of the preparation technique revealed that a 72‐h ball milling duration resulted in an overpotential of merely 293 mV and an electrochemically active surface area approximately double that of the other milling durations.

Hydroconversion of waste polyethylene plastics under mild conditions using mechanically mixed bifunctional catalysts: Impact of metal-acid balance and proximity

The disposal of non-biodegradable waste polyolefin plastics poses a serious environmental threat, highlighting the need for cleaner and more efficient thermochemical recycling technologies. This study introduces a scalable mechanical method to synthesize a metal-acid bifunctional catalyst. The mechanical ball milling process not only exposes more acidic sites but also enhances metal-acid proximity without blocking the pores. By varying the metal-acid balance (MAB) through different mixing ratios, we achieved higher yields and selectivity for soluble products at the optimal MAB level. Under mild conditions (250°C) for 8 h, polyethylene (PE) is efficiently converted into liquid phase iso-paraffins with an isomer selectivity of up to 56 % in the diesel and aviation kerosene fractions (C11-C18). This research underscores the importance of the accessibility of acidic sites to long-chain macromolecules, metal-acid site distance, and their balance in the hydrocracking of PE. It provides valuable theoretical insights and catalytic strategies for converting waste PE plastics into high-value fuel fractions.

Impact of morphology of hydrophilic and hydrophobic bentonites on improving the pour point in the recycling of waste cooking oils

Waste Cooking Oils (WCOs) are generated worldwide through industrial food processing and household use, posing environmental concerns upon disposal. Bentonites often showed to be effective in removing minor contaminants in vegetable oil refining. The present research focused on the processing of raw WCOs using four bentonites, two commercials and two obtained by ball milling of the latest. The different bentonites (hydrophobic and hydrophilic) were characterized before and after ball milling (BM) procedure, including an exhaustive analyses of crystal structure, morphology and surface area via x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N2-physisorption technique. Optimization of BM processing in terms of milling time was achieved within 60 min. The milled powders were then tested as adsorbents for recycling WCOs with different degrees of decomposition (expressed in terms of free fatty acids, FFAs, content). Employing a design of experiments approach, the impact of five parameters (FFAs content, temperature, specific surface area, stirring, BM time) on the resulting pour point (PP), taken as a quality benchmark for recycled oil, was assessed. Quantitative multivariate statistical analysis revealed temperature's negligible role and identified the significant impact of two characteristics of the bentonite (specific superficial area and ball milling time), as well as the relevant role of the stirring during the treatment. At the end, hydrophilic bentonite resulted able to improve the PP of waste oils with a low content of free fatty acids of about 10 °C.

The PDINH decorated NH2-UiO-67 MOF for promoted photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction: Performance, and mechanism

A series of composite materials comprising NH₂-UiO-67 metal-organic framework (MOF) and highly π-conjugated 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PDINH) was synthesized via a facile ball-milling process. These hetero-conjugated MOFs, denoted as PNU-67(X) with varying amounts of PDINH (X = 0.5 %, 1 %, 2 %, and 3 % wt), were evaluated for their photoreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) under visible light irradiation. Systematic investigations revealed a direct correlation between increasing PDINH content and enhancing the conductivity of the MOFs. Additionally, the incorporation of PDINH motifs significantly improved CO₂ capture capability by increasing charge transfer, charge separation, and light absorption. To elucidate the impact of various factors on the photocatalytic performance of PNU-67(3) in Cr(VI) remediation, a comprehensive study was conducted. These factors included pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, catalyst dosage, scavengers, and scavenger concentration. Notably, PNU-67(3) (5 mg/L) demonstrated 100 % photoreduction efficiency within 35 min, highlighting its potential application in catalyst loading and efficiency compared to other reported UiO-type MOFs. Furthermore, the composites exhibited exceptional stability and reproducibility throughout multiple experimental cycles. Overall, this research presents a promising avenue for constructing heterojunction photocatalysts by integrating MOFs and organic PDINH molecules, offering a viable solution for wastewater remediation.

Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Production in a Ce0.9Zr0.05Y0.05O2−δ/Ag and Molten Carbonates Membrane Reactor

This study proposes a new dense membrane for selectively separating CO2 and O2 at high temperatures and simultaneously producing syngas. The membrane consists of a cermet-type material infiltrated with a ternary carbonate phase. Initially, the co-doped ceria of composition Ce0.9Zr0.05Y0.05O2−δ (CZY) was synthesized by using the conventional solid-state reaction method. Then, the ceramic was mixed with commercial silver powders using a ball milling process and subsequently uniaxially pressed and sintered to form the disk-shaped cermet. The dense membrane was finally formed via the infiltration of molten salts into the porous cermet supports. At high temperatures (700–850 °C), the membranes exhibit CO2/N2 and O2/N2 permselectivity and a high permeation flux under different CO2 concentrations in the feed and sweeping gas flow rates. The observed permeation properties make its use viable for CO2 valorization via the oxy-CO2 reforming of methane, wherein both CO2 and O2 permeated gases were effectively utilized to produce hydrogen-rich syngas (H2 + CO) through a catalytic membrane reactor arrangement at different temperatures ranging from 700 to 850 °C. The effect of the ceramic filler in the cermet is discussed, and continuous permeation testing, up to 115 h, demonstrated the membrane’s superior chemical and thermal stability by confirming the absence of any chemical interaction between the material and the carbonates as well as the absence of significant sintering concerns with the pure silver.

Manganese nanoparticles catalyzed the formation of mesoporous helical nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes enabled aldosterone biosensing

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the foremost form of secondary hypertension that affects 5–20 % of healthy humans via the excessive secretion of aldosterone (ALD), which increases the level of potassium excretion and thus produces various critical combined diseases. Thus, determining trace-level ALD content in human blood or urine samples is a crucial factor in diagnosing a life-threatening disease called PA. Herein, nanosized manganese particles encapsulated within the tunable helical-shaped N-doped mesoporous carbon nanotubes (Mnx@H-NCNTs) are synthesized by a simple and facile ball-milling method at different reaction times (1, 6, 12, and 18 h). The influence of ball-milling process time on the final morphology of the as-synthesized Mnx@H-NCNTs nanostructures is systematically investigated. In order to fabricate an ALD biosensor electrode, the immobilization of Anti-ALD antibodies (Anti-ALD) on the surface of the Mn@H-NCNTs-12H electrode (Anti-ALD/Mn@H-NCNTs-12H) is achieved via the interactions of combined interactions of hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals’ force, negatively charged carboxylic acid functionalities of antibodies and positively charged metal centers, and π-π stacking interaction between nucleosides of Anti-ALD and mesoporous H-NCNTs. In addition, BSA was used as a blocking additive for covering non-specific adsorption sites of Anti-ALD/Mnx@H-NCNTs (BSA/Anti-ALD/Mn@H-NCNTs-12H) nanostructured electrodes. The BSA/Anti-ALD/Mn@H-NCNTs-12H can be used as an effective signal amplifying probe for ALD detection through a noticeable reduction in the amperometric i-t current response over a linear range from 1 to 2500 pM, with a LOD of 0.72 pM (S/N = 3). The practical applicability of BSA/Anti-ALD/Mn@H-NCNTs-12H is further demonstrated by the detection of ALD from 1 to 20 nM in human blood or urine samples with a recovery ranging from 90.5 to 97.0 %, indicating its potential use in clinical analysis.

Enhancing Electrochemical Performance of Si@CNT Anode by Integrating SrTiO3 Material for High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon (Si) has attracted worldwide attention for its ultrahigh theoretical storage capacity (4200 mA h g−1), low mass density (2.33 g cm−3), low operating potential (0.4 V vs. Li/Li+), abundant reserves, environmentally benign nature, and low cost. It is a promising high-energy-density anode material for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), offering a replacement for graphite anodes owing to the escalating energy demands in booming automobile and energy storage applications. Unfortunately, the commercialization of silicon anodes is stringently hindered by large volume expansion during lithiation–delithiation, the unstable and detrimental growth of electrode/electrolyte interface layers, sluggish Li-ion diffusion, poor rate performance, and inherently low ion/electron conductivity. These present major safety challenges lead to quick capacity degradation in LIBs. Herein, we present the synergistic effects of nanostructured silicon and SrTiO3 (STO) for use as anodes in Li-ion batteries. Si and STO nanoparticles were incorporated into a multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) matrix using a planetary ball-milling process. The mechanical stress resulting from the expansion of Si was transferred via the CNT matrix to the STO. We discovered that the introduction of STO can improve the electrochemical performance of Si/CNT nanocomposite anodes. Experimental measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy provide evidence for the enhanced mobility of Li-ions facilitated by STO. Hence, incorporating STO into the Si@CNT anode yields promising results, exhibiting a high initial Coulombic efficiency of approximately 85%, a reversible specific capacity of ~800 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1, and a high-rate capability of 1400 mA g−1 with a capacity of 800 mA h g−1. Interestingly, it exhibits a capacity of 350 mAh g−1 after 1000 lithiation and delithiation cycles at a high rate of 600 mA hg−1. This result unveils and sheds light on the design of a scalable method for manufacturing Si anodes for next-generation LIBs.

Dramatic Enhancement Enabled by Introducing TiN into Bread-like Porous Si-Carbon Anodes for High-Performance and Safe Lithium Storage.

Doping modifications and surface coatings are effective methods to slow volume dilatation and boost the conductivity in silicon (Si) anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, using low-cost ferrosilicon from industrial production as the energy storage material, a bread-like nitrogen-doped carbon shell-coated porous Si embedded with the titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticle composite (PSi/TiN@NC) was synthesized by simple ball milling, etching, and self-assembly growth processes. Remarkably, the porous Si structure formed by etching the FeSi2 phase in ferrosilicon alloys can provide buffer space for significant volume expansion during lithiation. Highly conductive and stable TiN particles can act as stress absorption sites for Si and improve the electronic conductivity of the material. Furthermore, the nitrogen-doped porous carbon shell further helps to sustain the structural stability of the electrode material and boost the migration rate of Li-ions. Benefiting from its unique synergistic effect of components, the PSi/TiN@NC anode exhibits a reversible discharge capacity up to 1324.2 mAh g-1 with a capacity retention rate of 91.5% after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g-1 (vs fourth discharge). Simultaneously, the electrode also delivers good rate performance and a stable discharge capacity of 923.6 mAh g-1 over 300 cycles. This research can offer a potential economic strategy for the development of high-performance and inexpensive Si-based anodes for LIBs.

Experimental and simulation studies to optimize the mechanical alloying process of ODS-FeCrAl alloy powder

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) FeCrAl alloy exhibits superior mechanical qualities at high temperatures and resistance to neutron irradiation, making it a highly promising material for accident-tolerant fuel cladding. The preparation of ODS-FeCrAl alloy powder by mechanical alloying can mix Y2O3 and FeCrAl alloy powder uniformly and promote the uniform dispersion of nanoscale oxide particles in the alloy matrix. The preparation of ODS-FeCrAl alloy powder by the mechanical alloying method is greatly influenced by the rotational speed. Therefore, this study uses a combination of experiments and numerical simulation to investigate the effects of different rotational speeds on the microscopic morphology, particle size and force of alloy powder during the ball milling process. The mechanically alloyed powder was subjected to XRD inspection to determine the optimum ball milling time at each rotational speed by means of the maximum lattice distortion, and then the powder micromorphology and particle size were analyzed. Then the forces on the powder and grinding ball during the ball milling process were analyzed by numerical simulation, and it was found that the collision force and normal force played a dominant role in the ball milling process. The combined experimental and simulation results determined that the ODS-FeCrAl alloy powder obtained by ball milling at 300 rpm for 35 h had the largest lattice distortion, fine grain size and uniform particle size, which achieved the best mechanical alloying effect.

In situ treatment of contaminated soil using persulfate activated by sulfidated zero-valent iron

Soil contamination with hazardous substances like phenol poses significant environmental and health risks. In situ soil mixing can be a promising technological solution to this challenge. A persulfate and sulfidated zero-valent iron (S-ZVIbm) system for remediating contaminated soil was developed and tested to be suited to in situ soil mixing. S-ZVIbm was synthesized using a ball mill process, and the optimal sulfur to iron molar ratio for effectively removing phenol from soil removal without pyrophoric risks was 0.12. Soil slurry experiments were performed, and the best phenol oxidation results (high stoichiometric efficiency and sustained oxidation after mixing) were achieved at a persulfate to S-ZVIbm molar ratio of 2:1 and a persulfate to phenol molar ratio of 8:1. A high organic matter content of the silty clay fraction of the soil strongly suppressed persulfate activation, so suppressed phenol removal and increased persulfate consumption. Electron spin resonance and radical scavenging tests confirmed that hydroxyl and sulfate radicals were present during the degradation of phenol. While sulfate radicals predominantly facilitated degradation in the soil, both sulfate and hydroxyl radicals were crucial in the aqueous phase in the absence of soil organic matter. In situ soil mixing simulation tests indicated that the persulfate and S-ZVIbm doses and the mixing rate and duration strongly affected the efficacy of the system, and the optimal conditions for phenol removal were determined. The results indicated that the persulfate/S-ZVIbm system could be tuned to achieve sustained persulfate activation and to remediate contaminated soil employing in situ soil mixing technique.

Enhanced random vector functional link based on artificial protozoa optimizer to predict wear characteristics of Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites

Owing to the absence of scientific methods for predicting nanocomposites' wear rates, a freshly updated machine learning method that uses an Artificial Protozoa Optimizer (APO) to forecast the tribological performance of Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites was proposed. The updated model was used to predict the coefficients of friction and wear rates of Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites produced in this work. Copper-zirconia nanocomposite powders were fabricated utilizing the ball milling process, varying in milling time and ZrO2 weight percentage. The effect of reinforcement percentage and milling time on the morphology and microstructure of the copper composite powders was characterized. The study concentrated on the effects of high-energy ball milling on the morphology, microstructure, and microhardness of the resulting composites. After cold compaction at 700 MPa of pressure, the resultant powders were sintered for 2 h at 950 °C in a hydrogen atmosphere. Based on the results, a 20-h milling time is the best option for creating a Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposite with evenly distributed reinforcement. The microhardness and wear rate of the Cu-15%ZrO2 nanocomposites are improved by 66.2 %, and 81.1 %, respectively, when compared to pure copper. The crystallite size decreases significantly with the addition of ZrO2, reaching 32.5 and 11.1 nm for samples containing 5 and 15 % weight percent ZrO2. That is why there is a rise in wear and mechanical properties. For Cu-ZrO2 nanocomposites with reinforcement content up to 15 %, the model constructed using the APO method demonstrated excellent forecasting of the wear rate and coefficient of friction.

A novel coarse-grained modeling and simulation for microstructure and shear evolution of induced dipole dominant electrorheological fluid

Induced dipole dominant electrorheological fluid (ID-ERF) is a new type of ERF. After high energy ball milling (HEBM) process, dielectric particles produce a large number of oxygen vacancies, and the dipoles formed by the polarization of these oxygen vacancies provide excellent ER properties. ID-ERF has the advantages of high shear stress, low current density, long service life, anti-sedimentation, simple preparation method, etc. It should be a new generation of ERF material suitable for practical application. In this work, facing at the shortcomings of traditional particle MD simulation of ERF system, a coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) model is constructed. The evolution of ID-ERF is simulated under the conditions of no electric field and 5 kV/mm electric field. Proves that there is an adsorption layer of carrier liquid on the surface of ER particles, and shows BCT lattice arrangement under electric field. The sinusoidal shear strain is applied to the model, and calculate the variation of strain amplitude, loss factor, storage modulus and loss modulus. In addition, we prepared ID-ERF and tested its performance to compare with the simulation results.

Beneficial utilization of ball-milled carbon sand to activate peroxymonosulfate oxidation: Quantitation of ROS using probe-based kinetic models and mechanism insights

In this study, the oil sand was treated with an integrated process of pyrolysis and ball milling, and the obtained ball-milled carbon sand (BMCS) was utilized as peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activator to treat wastewater containing aniline (AN). Quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) confirmed the existence of sulfate radical (SO4∙‐), hydroxyl radical (·OH) and singlet oxygen (O12) in the BMCS/PMS system. A probe-based kinetic model was constructed to describe the degradation process of pollutants in the BMCS/PMS system, quantified the exposure of each reactive oxygen species and their contributions to AN degradation. BMCS activated PMS to quickly produce SO4∙‐ and gradually generate ·OH. The O12 exposure showed a rapid increasing trend and the largest total exposure, while its contribution to AN degradation was small. Ball milling time and BMCS dosage demonstrated significant effect on the exposure of ·OH and O12. The main active sites for BMCS to activate PMS were iron oxides, defective carbon and oxygen-containing functional groups. This study provides a green and low-cost process for value-added transformation of pyrolytic residue of oil sand (PROS), so as to promote PROS treatment mode from harmless disposal to resource utilization.

An ionic liquid crystal functionalized nanocellulose lubricant additives

Cellulose, one of nature's most abundant, clean, and sustainable resources, has often shown unsatisfactory results when used as bio-lubricant additives. Herein, nanocellulose (NC) from amorphous waste natural poplar was extracted using deep eutectic solvent encapsulation treatment and chlorine bleaching process. Subsequently, 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide was integrated onto NC using a one-step hydrothermal treatment (high-temperature and high-pressure environment) to obtain ionic liquid crystal (ILC) functionalized products (named as ILC-NC). After ball-milling process and solid phase separation step, ILC-NC exhibits excellent dispersion stability and lubrication properties in the liquid phase (including water and vegetable oil). Based on the polar and colloidal activity properties of ILC, it can form an ordered molecular layer on NC surface and form a lubricating film-like structure, making NC smoother and sliding well. Compared to ILC/NC aqueous dispersion, ILC-NC reduces the coefficient of friction and wear rate on steel disk surface by 68.75 % and 74.07 %, respectively. The minimum coefficient of friction was further reduced to 0.032 as dispersing ILC-NC in sunflower oil, showing a reduction of 0.134 (77.91 %) compared to pure sunflower oil. Finally, the lubrication theoretical model calculation reveals the lubrication state of ILC-NC on the steel disk surface and proposes the lubrication mechanism.

Microcrystalline Engineering of Anthracite-Based Carbon Via Salt-Assisted Ball Milling for Enhanced Sodium Storage Performance.

Coal-based carbon material, characterized by abundant resources and low cost, has gained considerable interests as a promising anode candidate for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the coal-based carbon generally shows inferior Na-storage performance due to its highly-ordered microstructure with narrow interlayer spacing. Herein, a salt-assisted mechanical ball-milling strategy is proposed to disrupt the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon structure in anthracite molecules, thereby reducing the microcrystalline regularity of the derived carbon during following pyrolysis process. In addition, the induced C─O─C bonds during ball-milling process can alter the pyrolysis behavior of anthracite and restrain the formation of surface defects. Consequently, in contrast to pristine anthracite-based pyrolytic carbon, which exhibits a Na-storage capacity of 198.4 mAh g-1 with a low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 65.1%, the ball-milling modified carbon assisted by NaCl salt (NAC), with enhanced structural disordering and reduced surface defects, demonstrate significantly improved Na-storage capacity of 332.1 mAh g-1 and ICE value of 82.0%. The NAC electrode also realizes excellent cycle and rate performance, retaining a capacity of 196.0 mAh g-1 at 1 C after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, when coupled with NaNi1/3Fe1/3Mn1/3O2 cathode, the assembled Na-ion full cell deliveres an exceptional electrochemical performance, highlighting its promising prospect as high-performance anode for SIBs.

A novel sustainable AZ31 based Mg matrix composite reinforced with recycled IN718 powder for circular materials economy

The pursuit of sustainable practices in manufacturing has sparked an increased interest in recycling and reusing materials to reduce waste and environmental effect. One interesting technique is incorporating recycled materials to develop advanced composite materials. In this study, we focus on utilizing recycled Inconel IN718 powders as reinforcement particles in AZ31D. Powders of IN718 finer than 37 μm, developed from machining chips through high energy ball milling process, are infused into AZ31 through friction stir processing (FSP), enabling a circular economy practice in advanced material development. The resulting composite material is evaluated for its microstructure and mechanical performance. Microstructural study reveals a uniform distribution of reinforcement particle inside the matrix throughout the processed zone. Strong interfacial bonding between the matrix and reinforcement, and the addition of dispersion strengthening mechanisms helped reducing the tension/compression yield asymmetry problem. The study highlights the use of recycled materials in composites to achieve sustainability in manufacturing.