Ion Concentration Ratio Research Articles

Rapid and efficient separation of radioactive cesium ion/other radioactive ions by reduced graphene oxide membrane

Separation of cesium ions from other radioactive ions is of great significance for recycling and utilization of radioactive sources, facilitating the management of highly radioactive liquid waste (HLW), as well as for environmental protection. We achieved a highly selective and efficient separation of binary mixtures of 137Cs/60Co, Cs+/Co2+, Cs+/Ni2+, and Cs+/Zn2+ using amino-hydrothermal reduced graphene oxide membranes. The separation factor for non-radioactive binary mixtures is up to 4290, with a water permeance of 50.8 L m−2 h−1 bar−1. The separation factor for radioactive 137Cs/60Co is 623, which is somewhat underestimated due to the detection limit of the high-purity germanium spectrometer. The rGO membranes has the high water permeance of 72.4 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, with a thickness of ∼300 nm. The rGO membrane achieved effective separation of cesium and cobalt ions over a wide range of cesium-to-cobalt ion concentration ratios, with the best results achieved at a concentration ratio of 100:1 for cesium and cobalt. In addition, the rGO membranes showed outstanding stability. The superior performance is attributed to the amino hydrothermal treatment, which reduced oxygen functional groups and directly inserted nitrogen atoms into the GO lattice, ultimately forming stable narrow nanochannels conducive to the size-sieving effect. The findings show that the rGO membranes have excellent separation performance due to their size-sieving effect, and this work has great potential for rapid and efficient treatment of radioactive liquid waste.

A New Process of Chemical Plating Ni-P Electromagnetic Induction Heating Activation on the Surface of Aluminium Alloy Base Material

Nowadays, there are many surface treatment methods for aluminium alloys; the most commonly used of these is the chemical dip galvanizing process, which is complicated due to its use of large quantities of corrosive drugs. In order to simplify the process, this paper proposes a new electromagnetic induction heating activation method instead of the zinc dipping process. The method works as follows: The substrate is first degreased and then activated. The activation process starts by soaking the degreased substrate in an activation solution, taking it out after ten minutes, and placing it into an induction heating unit. The activation solution is sprayed onto the surface of the substrate while heating, using the energy generated by high temperatures to complete the activation reaction. The surface of the activated substrate forms a nanoscale film of nickel, which is finally utilised as a catalytic centre for ENP (an advanced surface treatment process that deposits a very uniform layer). The optimisation of important parameters of the non-destructive activation process was determined using the L9 Taguchi method. The main parameters ranged from 0.15 L/min to 0.25 L/min for spray rate, 200 °C to 400 °C for heat treatment temperature, and 1:4, 1:5, and 1:6 for Ni2+ and H2PO4− ion concentration ratios. The above data were derived from a single variable and were analysed using Minitab 20 software. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy spectrometry (EDS), and ultrasonic experiments were used to characterize and analyse the surface morphology, composition, and bond strength of the coatings. The results show that the nanoscale nickel particles can completely cover the surface of the substrate, forming a layer of nano-film. After activation and ultrasonic cleaning for 30 s at an ultrasonic frequency of 40 KHz and a power of 80 W, the surface nano-film was not destroyed, which proves that it had a high bonding strength. After the application of the plating, the plated surface had a compact microstructure, and the continuity was good. Therefore, compared with the currently commonly used zinc dipping process, this process has the advantages of being a low-cost, simple operation, and non-destructive and environmentally friendly activation process for the substrate.

Physicochemical, Morphological and Anticorrosive Properties of Electrodeposited ZnNi Alloy Coating

Corrosion in its many forms is a major problem for many types of materials, extending from machining to manufacturing and daily use. In fact, it affects practically all engineering projects, from the biggest to the smallest: energy production, construction, transport, medical sector, electronics, etc. Consequently, corrosion generates both economic and environmental problems. To prevent corrosion and preserve materials' durability, several protection methods can be applied. These included protection by applying a coating on the metal surface. In this context, Zinc based alloy coatings have attracted much interesting scientific community because of their excellent mechanical and anti-corrosive properties. In the present work, ZnNi coatings were electrodeposited on steel substrates using a chloride bath containing ammonium salts. The effect of some experimental parameters, namely, potential and metal ion concentration ratio on the deposition kinetics of ZnNi system as well as on its physicochemical, morphological and anticorrosive properties has been investigated. For this purpose, an appropriate experimental work was performed by using both electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization) and nonelectrochemical (SEM-EDX) analysis methods. Based on the obtained results, it has been revealed that simultaneous codeposition of both elements Zn and Ni is possible in our experimental conditions. However, deposition kinetics exhibited a strong dependence on explored parameters. Also, morphological aspect and chemical composition of deposits are strongly influenced by metal ion concentration ratio. Investigation of corrosion behaviour confirms the protective effect of coatings acted as a sacrificial anode. Furthermore, increasing Ni content in the deposits induces a significant enhancement in corrosion resistance. Thus, Zn-Ni alloy coatings prepared from the Ni(II)-rich bath exhibited better corrosion resistance.

Reduction with zinc — Impact on the determination of nitrite and nitrate ions using microfluidic paper-based analytical devices

We used a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) to investigate the influence that zinc reduction exerts on the determination of nitrite and nitrate ions in natural water samples. The μPAD consists of layered channels for the reduction of nitrate to nitrite with zinc powder and the subsequent detection of nitrite with Griess reagent. The amount of zinc, number of layers, and reaction time for the reduction were optimized to obtain an intense signal for nitrate. Initially, the sensitivity to nitrate corresponded to 55% that of nitrite, which implied an incomplete reduction. We found, however, that zinc decreased the sensitivity to nitrite in both the μPAD and spectrophotometry. The sensitivity to nitrite was decreased by 48% in spectrophotometry and 68% in the μPAD following the reaction with zinc. One of the reasons for the decreased sensitivity is attributed to the production of ammonia, as we elucidated that both nitrite and nitrate produced ammonia via the reaction with zinc. The results suggest that the total concentration of nitrite and nitrate must be corrected by constructing a calibration curve for nitrite with zinc, in addition to developing curves for nitrate with zinc and for nitrite without zinc. Using these calibration curves, the absorbance at different concentration ratios of nitrite and nitrate ions could be reproduced via calculation using the calibration curves with zinc for nitrite and nitrate. Eventually, the developed μPAD was applied to the determination of nitrite and nitrate ions in natural water samples, and the results were compared with those using a conventional spectrophotometric method. The results of the μPAD are in good agreement with those of conventional spectrophotometry, which suggests that the μPAD is reliable for the measurement of nitrite and nitrate ions in natural water samples.

Cyan to orange color tunable emitting of Ca2GdHf2Al3O12: Ce3+, Mn2+ phosphors via energy transfer

Recently, the realization of spectrum-tunable single-phase phosphors has become the focus of phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pc-LEDs) research. Herein, a novel color-tunable Ca2GdHf2Al3O12 (CGHAO): Ce3+, Mn2+ single-phase phosphor was prepared. A thorough investigation was conducted into the crystal structure, site occupancy, morphology, luminescent characteristics, energy transfer (ET) process, and thermal quenching. These phosphors show broadband excitation between 200 and 460 nm matching commercially available near-ultraviolet LED chips (380–420 nm). The ratio of dopant ion concentration can be varied to achieve cyan-to-orange chromaticity adjustment due to the Ce3+ → Mn2+ effective ET. By confirming that the ET mechanism is controlled by dipole-quadrupole interaction with 42.64 % efficiency. In particular, under excitation at 405 nm, the optimal sample CGHAO: 5%Ce3+, 15%Mn2+ emits bright yellow light with an IQE of 84.35 %, and has good thermal (Ea = 0.271 eV) and chromatic stability (ΔE = 1.35 × 10−2 at 473K). Based on these findings, color-tunable CGHAO: Ce3+, Mn2+ phosphor could be considered potential candidates for pc-LEDs device applications.

Transformation behavior of hazardous jarosite into recyclable hematite in a solution with high concentrations of K+ and Na+

Iron in the leaching solution with high K+ and Na+ concentrations was usually precipitated as the typical hazardous and toxic jarosite residues. However, this method of treatment has been greatly restricted by increasingly strict environmental regulations. Here we propose that iron can be precipitated from the solution with high K+ and Na+ concentrations as recyclable hematite products by adjusting the concentration ratio of sodium and potassium ions in the solution. The transformation behavior of jarosite into hematite in high concentration potassium ion and sodium ion solution was explained based on collision theory. The results indicated that in instances where the concentration ratio of Na+/K+ is ≥ 4:1, the iron present in the solution can be effectively precipitated as a recyclable hematite product, as opposed to forming the conventional hazardous jarosite residue, even under conditions where the potassium ion concentration reaches levels as high as 4 g/L. On the other hand, thermodynamic and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that at a temperature of 185 °C, the decomposition transformation of Na-jarosite (32.64 kJ and 7.25 eV) is more energetically advantageous compared to that of K-jarosite (61.07 kJ and 15.31 eV). The results were verified by the leaching solution from smelting industry. The iron content in the residues is above 58%, the sulfur content is below 4%, the zinc content is below 1%, and the total iron concentration in the supernatant is about 4 g/L, reaching the production index of the smelting industry. The green, environmentally friendly, and recyclable separation of iron in a solution with high concentrations of potassium and sodium ions is achieved, which is of great significance for the treatment of iron-containing solution and wastewater in the chemical industry and metallurgy fields.

Parametric analysis on the apparent purity of Ni powder synthesized via hydrazine-reduction of aqueous NiSO4

The present research focuses on the synthesis of high-purity nickel powder through solution-based chemical reduction using hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent. A series of synthesis experiments were carried out with variations in the concentration ratio of hydrazine to nickel ions ([N2H4]/[Ni2+] = 5–15), the concentration ratio of hydroxyl ions to nickel ions ([OH−]/[Ni2+] = 10–20), temperature (T = 60–80 °C), and reaction time (t = 30–90 min). The Taguchi L9 design of experiments and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify the role of the hydroxyl-to-nickel ion ratio ([OH⁻]/[Ni2⁺]) in determining the apparent purity of the nickel powder. The highest apparent nickel powder content, which was 92.75 %, was obtained in the experiment with [N2H4]/[Ni2+] = 5, [OH−]/[Ni2+] = 12.5, T = 60 °C, and t = 30 min. The optimum conditions that significantly influence the apparent purity of nickel powder derived from data processing are used as the basis for the second stage of the experiment to determine the effect of the [OH−]/[Ni2+] ratio on particle size, morphology, and purity of the synthesized nickel powder. It was found that higher hydroxyl concentrations lead to finer particles, and the morphology of nickel particles is linked to their apparent purity, with the chain of beads of nanoparticle aggregates morphology achievable when [OH−]/[Ni2+] = 12.5 and [OH−]/[Ni2+] = 15. The presented results may contribute to filling the gap in the knowledge to synthesize high-purity nickel powder with controlled size and morphology, which can be used in various applications such as catalysts, conductive fillers, and advanced electrodes.

Combined effect of zinc and cadmium ions on nitrification performance during the biological nitrogen removal of simulated livestock breeding wastewater.

Zinc and cadmium ions are usually found in livestock breeding wastewater, and the mixed ions will have an impact on the biological nitrogen removal. Nitrification performance plays an important role in biological nitrogen removal. In order to investigate the combined effect of zinc and cadmium ions on nitrification performance and to reveal the interactions between zinc and cadmium ions, three concentration ratios of zinc and cadmium ions, as well as 18 different concentration gradients were designed with the direct equipartition ray and the dilution factor method. The effect of pollutants on the nitrification performance of biological nitrogen removal was analyzed by the nonlinear regression equation, and the concentration-addition model was conducted to probe into the relationship between the mixed pollutants and the nitrification performance. The results showed that the effect on nitrification performance increased significantly with the increase of reaction duration and pollutant concentration, which indicated that the effects are concentration-dependent and time-dependent. The concentration-addition model suggested that the interactions between zinc and cadmium ions with different concentration ratios were mainly antagonistic, and as the percentage of cadmium ions in the mixtures increased, the antagonism between the mixtures became stronger. This study will provide a relevant theoretical basis for the regulation of the ratios and concentrations of heavy metal ions during the biological treatment of livestock breeding wastewater.

How does carbonation of alkali-activated slag and Portland cement systems impact steel corrosion differently?

Carbonation of cementitious materials, associated with neutralization of pore solution, is one of the prevalent reasons for inducing corrosion of steel in concrete. Compared with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete, the poorer carbonation resistance of alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete leads to serious durability concerns of a higher risk of steel corrosion. This work investigates the corrosion behaviors of steel embedded in intact and carbonated AAS and OPC mortars exposed to various relative humidity conditions, with the aim of fostering a better understanding of how carbonation impacts steel corrosion differently in these two cementitious systems. The results show that uncarbonated AAS mortars have better protective ability against corrosion than OPC counterparts; however, poorer performance after complete carbonation. It is mainly attributed to the combined effect of severe deterioration and coarsening of pore structure and increased ratio of chloride ion concentration to hydroxide ion concentration ([Cl−]/[OH−]) in pore solution, resulted from the consumption of hydroxide ions and release of bound chloride after carbonation. Besides, the different shifts of R-C (material resistivity versus corrosion rate) relationship lines in AAS and OPC mortars after carbonation are observed, which is ascribed to the different compositional and microstructural evolutions induced by carbonation in these two cementitious systems.

A sustainable bioprocessing system leveraging gas fermentation and bipolar membrane electrodialysis system for direct recovery of acetic acid

This study examined the integration of gas fermentation with bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BPMED) for sustainable production of acetic acid and bases, focusing on medium recycling and ion-exchange membrane optimisation. Gas fermentation was performed using an acetogenic microbe, Eubacterium callanderi KIST612, in a custom-designed gas bioreactor. The BPMED system was operated under specific voltage conditions to evaluate the proton and hydroxyl ion generation, ion concentration, and residual ratios. Gas fermentation consistently generated acetate with a stable CO2 consumption rate (0.167 mmol gcell−1) and an increased rate of conversion of carbon into biochemicals via methanol. The BPMED system efficiently produced acetic acid (acetate extraction rate of 99.72 %–99.82 %) and hydroxide ions (from 8 to 18 V), with operational challenges identified at higher voltage levels (≥20 V). The BPMED process, which includes additional membranes and exhibits a lower acetate flux than the ED process, had remarkable cost-effectiveness, surpassing the ED integration process by 17.6 %. This economic advantage was paralleled by a significant environmental benefit, where the BPMED process reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 7.4 % compared with the ED process. These results suggest that integrating gas fermentation with BPMED is a viable and sustainable approach for acetic acid production.

ТЕНДЕНЦИИ ИЗМЕНЕНИЯ ИОННОГО СОСТАВА ЛАДОЖСКОГО ОЗЕРА

The sum of ions of the basic Lake Ladoga water mass has varied quite significantly from 55.6 to 71.6 mg/L over the past 60 years. In the present paper, separate periods of the mineralization growth are identified. It is shown that the change in the mineralization of Lake Ladoga has been always accompanied by a significant change in the ratio of basic ion concentrations. Any significant trends in the total mineralization of Lake Ladoga over the analyzed period have not been identified, but periods of the growth and decrease in the number of ions have been revealed. Until 1998, the periods of increased mineralization, as a rule, were accompanied by an increase in concentrations of SO42 and Cl, most likely coming from the catchment area due to industrial and household pollution. During 2009-2019, the mineralization was growing mainly due to an increase in the absolute and relative concentrations of HCO3. At the same time, the concentration of dissolved CO2 in the main water mass of the lake also was increasing (and, consequently, pH was decreasing). Thus, the changes in the bicarbonate ion concentration in the water of Lake Ladoga may be largely determined by an increase in its inflow from the catchment area, whose possible reason is the enhancement of the chemical weathering of carbonate rocks due to the increasing concentrations of dissolved CO2 in the water.

Lignin‐Alkali Metal Ion Self‐Catalytic System Initiated Rapid Polymerization of Hydrogel Electrolyte with High Strength and Anti‐Freezing Ability

AbstractHydrogel electrolyte is not resistant to freezing and has weak mechanical properties, and its fabrication is time‐consuming and energy‐consuming, limiting its application. Here, a simple, universal, and fast gelation based on dealkaline lignin (DL) ‐alkali metal ions is developed. The complex formed by catechol and alkali metal ions promotes the equilibrium of redox reactions. The produced SO4−·, OH· and singlet oxygen (1O2) radicals are responsible for the rapid polymerization of vinyl monomers. Alkali metal ions play a dual role in the rapid polymerization and frost resistance of hydrogel electrolytes. By modulating the mass ratio of DL and metal ion concentration, the preferred hydrogel electrolyte can be fabricated in an alkaline aqueous solution for 4 min at room temperature and possesses excellent anti‐freezing performance (0.51 mS cm−1 at −40 °C) and strong mechanical properties (tensile stress: 0.4 MPa, strain: 1125%). The hydrogel electrolyte‐assembled supercapacitor exhibits high stability at low temperatures. The specific capacitance retention is 89.7 % and 88.7 % after 5000 charge/discharge cycles at 25 and −20 °C, respectively. The lignin‐alkali metal ions self‐catalytic system completely different from the reported lignin‐oxidizing metal ion system will open up a new way for the fabrication of anti‐freezing ionic conductors and energy storage devices.

Ionic Competition between Na+ and H+ in Aqueous Sodium-Ion Battery Electrolytes.

Aqueous electrolytes have become a research hotspot because of their high safety and low cost, while the inevitable ionization phenomenon of water in aqueous solution leads to the existence of competitive ions (H+) except the active ions. In this article, we take aqueous Na base electrolyte as an example to clear the ion competition behavior by modeling, simulating together with experimental verification. First, the reaction tendency of the two ions (Na+ and H+) is obtained by calculating the Gibbs energy change of the reaction. Furthermore, the properties of electrolytes with different concentrations including transportation are obtained by modeling. After that, relevant experiments are also proceeded to verify the simulation results. Then, the ion competition behavior is analyzed by in situ observation by controlling the constant concentration of Na+: the high concentration of Na+ can reduce the proportion of H+ and reduce the competitiveness of H+; a high concentration of Na+ causes the increased viscosity and reduces the ion diffusion. Based on this, the correlation between ion competitiveness and ion ratio is also confirmed by keeping the concentration of Na+ unchanged and adjusting the concentration of H+ (adjusting pH). The influence of the ion competition phenomenon (Na+ and H+) is the reaction characteristics of the substance itself and the ratio of ion concentration. Finally, the electrochemical performance is further verified in 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDI) symmetric cells and in full-cells with vanadium phosphate sodium (NVP) as the cathode and PTCDI as the anode.

Geochemical Characteristics and Controlling Factors of Groundwater Chemical Composition in the Zihe River Source Area, Shandong, China

The geochemical characterization and evolution of shallow groundwater in the Zihe River source area is a key issue that needs to be addressed. In this study, a combination of traditional geochemical techniques and geochemical modeling was used to explain the geochemical processes and major ion sources in the chemical evolution of shallow groundwater in the Zihe River source area, Northeast China. Fifty-seven water samples were collected in June 2020 for chemical analysis, and the results showed that the main groundwater chemistry types in the three major aquifers are HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg-type pore water from loose quaternary rocks, HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg-type karstic fissure water from carbonate rocks, and HCO3·SO4-Ca-type weathered fissure water from massive rocks. Water–rock interactions in alkaline environments were the main causes of changes in groundwater chemistry. Rock weathering dominated the geochemical evolution of each aquifer. The analysis of ion concentration ratios and modeling revealed that the aquifer’s chemical components are mainly derived from the dissolution of dolomite and calcite and partly from the infiltration of pollutants containing Cl− and NO3−, as well as from the dissolution of quartz. Mg2+ is derived from the dissolution of dolomite. HCO3− is primarily derived from the co-dissolution of calcite and dolomite, and to a lesser extent, its content is also influenced by the recharge of rainfall. SO42− has two sources: it mainly originates from the dissolution of gypsum and the anhydrite layer, followed by atmospheric precipitation. The synthesis showed that the groundwater quality in the source area of Zihe River is good, all the indices reached the standard of class III groundwater quality, and the overall degree of human pollution is low. The results of this research will provide a scientific basis for the local authorities to delineate karst groundwater protection zones in the Zihe River source area and to formulate resource management strategies for the development, utilization, and protection of karst groundwater.

Bifunctional hybrid magnetic colloidal clusters for efficient oil sludge recovery

Oil contamination of water bodies due to oil spills, industrial waste discharge, oil leaks, etc. poses a major threat to the quality of groundwater, soil, and living organisms. To combat this issue through effective environmental remediation, efficient and cost-effective materials and innovative strategies are required. Here, we report a novel bifunctional magnetic material for efficient oil sludge removal using superparamagnetic colloidal nanocrystal clusters(BSPM-CNC) of nickel ion doped iron oxide with a shell of nitrogen-activated carboxymethyl cellulose char. The BSPM-CNC is synthesized by using a single-step procedure using water as a solvent. The crystallite and cluster size were tuned by varying Ni2+ ion concentration, carboxymethyl cellulose, and urea ratio. The cluster size was found to increase, when the carboxymethyl cellulose and urea ratio was reduced, due to insufficient stabilization of the capping agent that allowed the formation of secondary structures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the presence of nitrogen in the shell because of the condensation of OH and carbonyl groups of CMC with amine groups of urea, sp2-type carbon, C-O/N and O-CO bonding states. Laser Raman spectra of the char showed two major bands G and D bands, originating from the sp2 bonds and sp2 microdomains of the bond angle disorder caused by the sp3 hybridizations, respectively. The BSPM-CNC was found to be very efficient for oil sludge removal, where an oil removal efficiency of ∼ 98% was achieved with a cluster loading of 16 mg/L. The mechanism of sorption of oil are π-π interaction between aromatic hydrocarbons and graphitic domains of BSPM-CNC, Lewis-acid base interaction between nitrogenous char and delocalized electron cloud, and absorption into the pores of clusters. Our new approach provides a new platform to produce magnetic nanoclusters for the efficient removal of oil pollutants.

Existence of Small-Amplitude Double Layers in Two-Temperature Non-Isothermal Plasma

In the presence of warm negative ions, ion-acoustic small-amplitude monotonic double layers are theoretically investigated in a plasma consisting of warm positive ions, warm positrons, and two-temperature non-isothermal electrons under the variation of the trapping parameters of electrons, concentration of positrons, and mass ratios of heavier negative ions to lighter positive ions by the Sagdeev pseudopotential method. The corresponding double layer solutions are also discussed for the same variation. Consequently, ion-acoustic solitary waves and double layers have been observed in auroral and magnetospheric plasmas with two-temperature electron distributions found in a laboratory, as well as in the space. This paper shows the effects of trapping parameters of electrons, positron concentration, and mass ratios of heavier negative ions to lighter positive ions on the Sagdeev potential function ψ(φ) and double layer solutions φDL for small-amplitude monotonic double layers. The results are presented graphically in Figs. 1 to 6.

Ion current rectification properties of non-Newtonian fluids in conical nanochannels.

Ionic current rectification generated by the geometric asymmetry of conical nanochannels has gradually attracted attention, but most studies have been limited to Newtonian fluids. In this study, the ionic current rectification characteristics in conical nanochannels filled with non-Newtonian fluids are investigated by numerical simulations. Electroosmotic flow and ion transport in Sisko fluids are solved using the Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations and the Navier-Stokes equations. The effects of the Debye parameter, power-law indexes and applied voltage on the ionic current, axial potential, ion concentration, radial velocity and rectification ratio in the nanopores are investigated. When κRt = 1, the current rectification ratio increases with the increase of the power-law index. However, when κRt = 6, the current rectification ratio first increases and then decreases with the increase of the power law index, reaching the maximum value at n = 1.0. These findings have positive implications for the construction of some nanodevices such as nanofluidic diodes.

Ion concentration ratio measurements of ion beams generated by a commercial microwave electron cyclotron resonance plasma source.

A commercially available electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma source (GenII Plasma Source, tectra GmbH) is widely used for surface processing. This plasma source is compatible with ultrahigh vacuum systems, and its working pressure is relatively low, around 10-6-10-4 Torr even without differential pumping. Here, we report ion flux concentration ratios for each ion species in an ion beam from this source, as measured by a mass/energy analyzer that is a combination of a quadrupole mass spectrometer, an electrostatic energy analyzer, and focusing ion optics. The examined beams were those arising from plasmas produced from feed gases of H2, D2, N2, O2, Ar, and dry air over a range of input power and working pressures. H2(D2) plasmas are widely used for nuclear fusion applications and, hence, the ion concentration ratios of H+, H2+, and H3+ reported here will be useful information for research that applies this plasma source to well-controlled plasma-material interaction studies. Ion energy distributions, stability of operation, and impurity concentrations were also assessed for each of the plasma species investigated.

Effects of coexisting zinc and nickel ions on crystallization behaviour and properties of spinel synthesised in chromium-containing wastewater

ABSTRACT Electroplating wastewater contains chromium ions, zinc ions, and nickel ions due to the emergence of a multi-layer plating process and unified treatment of mixed wastewater. The effects of coexisting zinc and nickel ions on crystallization behaviour and properties of spinel synthesised in chromium-containing wastewater by ferrite method were investigated in the study. The results indicated that the quality of the supernatant and the stability of synthetic products were barely affected. However, the magnetic property of the synthetic products was significantly increased when the concentration ratio of zinc and nickel ions was appropriate. With the extension of stirring time, the stability of the synthetic product increased, but the crystallinity gradually decreased. Chromium and zinc ions entered the synthetic products preferentially over nickel ions during ferrite synthesis. In addition, the morphology of the synthetic products was irregular and dense, and the lustre distribution was uniform. The distributions of iron, chromium, zinc, nickel and oxygen were overlapped, owing to a single spinel, and the molecular formula of synthetic products was speculated as (3.53 < x < 3.99, 0.2 < y < 0.36, 0.04 < z < 0.05, 0.03 < n < 0.05). Finally, the transport model of metal ions in the mixed wastewater was established, and the synthesis mechanism was revealed.

(2+1)-dimensional modulated nonlinear ion-acoustic soliton packets in magnetized electronegative plasma

The dynamics of propagation of (2+1)-dimensional ion-acoustic wave (IAW) packets in magnetized electronegative plasma made of negative ions with electrons, both in Boltzmann distribution and cold mobile positive ions is studied. For this purpose, the standard reductive perturbation method is used to derive the (2+1)-dimensional nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation, which governs the modulation of positive IAW packets. The coefficients of the obtained NLS equation do not only depend on the system parameters specially the electronegative parameters such as the negative ion concentration ratio and the electron-to-negative ion temperature ratio (α and σn, respectively), but also on the magnetic field (ωp). The modulational instability is studied to analyze the areas of the emergence of waves. In order to describe the main characteristics of IAWs, the variational method is performed involving trial function solution of NLS equation and the exact (input profile) and numerical (output profile) solutions are also discussed.