Chemical Elements Research Articles

Empowering geological data analysis with specialized software GIS modules

This research is devoted to the development of a geographic information system (GIS) for the analysis of geological data. It presents two specialized software modules designed to solve complex geological problems related to potential progress to disturbed masses and magnetotelluric sounding. These modules are integrated into the QGIS environment, offering efficient data processing and analysis capabilities, contributing to a deeper understanding of geological structures. The study presents a mathematical model for the problem of magnetotelluric sounding (MTS) and the continuation of potentials towards the perturbed masses, demonstrating numerical results using the developed algorithm. To confirm the accuracy of the model, a comparative analysis was carried out with empirical data for various chemical elements, which showed high accuracy, especially at shallow depths, with an error rate of less than 2%. In addition, the study highlights the importance of powerful GIS for the analysis and interpretation of geological data, including geochemical, geophysical and remote sensing information. The advanced functionality of QGIS simplifies data processing and visualization, which makes it an invaluable tool for geologists and researchers.

Механизм влияния электрического поля на процесс модифицирования серого чугуна

A diagram of an experimental installation for measuring the electrical resistance of a gray cast iron melt is presented, where a gauge based on a Kelvin double bridge is used. It is shown that the value of the specific electrical resistance of gray cast iron varies depending on the type of conditioning agent. Experimental data on the difference in specific resistivity values for various gray cast iron nucleating agents are presented. Changes in the values of electrical resistance under the influence of electric field treatment of inoculated cast iron melt are also given. Comparison of the strength values of gray cast iron with its values of the electrical resistivity of the cast iron melt after the electrical field exposure showed their simultaneous change. The decrease in the values of the electrical resistance of hot iron due to the electric field exposure is shown and it corresponds to an increment in the strength of inoculated cast iron. The effectiveness of the electric field exposure on the process of inoculation is determined by thermal ionization of the chemical elements included in the conditioning agent. The maximum increase of these parameters after electric field exposure when using FS75 nucleating agent is shown. The mechanism of the influence of an electric field on the cast iron solidification for the inoculation process of FS75, containing 75 % silicon in its composition, is described. The dependence of the efficiency of electric field exposure on the composition of the nucleating agent for gray cast iron is shown. A physical model of the effect of an electric field exposure on the process of cast iron inoculation is found. The possibility of influencing the hydrodynamic situation in the melt of gray cast iron and changing the rate of dissolution of nucleating agent particles by means of electric field exposure is given

Electron-induced hydrogen desorption from selected polymers (polyacetylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polymethyl-methacrylate)

Elastic Peak Electron Spectroscopy, abbreviated as EPES, involves the analysis of the line shape found in the elastic peak. The reduction in the energy of electrons within the elastic peak is a result of energy being transferred to the target atoms, a phenomenon referred to as recoil energy. EPES distinguishes itself among electron spectroscopies by its unique ability to identify hydrogen in polymers and hydrogenated carbon-based materials. This distinctiveness is particularly notable because lighter elements demonstrate more pronounced energy shifts. The detection of hydrogen in polymers entails measuring the energy difference between the positions of the carbon (or carbon+oxygen) elastic peak and the hydrogen elastic peak. This difference tends to increase as the kinetic energy of the incident electrons rises. Concerning hydrogen peak intensity, electron beam-induced damage represents a critical aspect of EPES, as hydrogen desorbs under electron irradiation. In this study, the Monte Carlo method was employed to simulate EPES spectra involving electrons interacting with polyacetylene (C2H2), polyethylene (C2H4), polystyrene (C8H8), and polymethyl-methacrylate (C5H8O2) and to evaluate electron-induced hydrogen desorption from these polymers.

The Impact of an Earthworm Digestion on the Chemical Compositions of Various Clay Minerals from Soils

Aims: The impact of living organisms activities in soils may generate various chemical and mineralogical changes. The objective of this study is to estimate the impact of earthworms on the chemistry of soil minerals such as the clay minerals. Study Design: An experiment was carried out integrating earthworms and clay minerals. The modifications due to this interaction between minerals and organic matter induced by earthworms’ digestion are discussed. Place and Duration of Study: Institut des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Environnement (UdS/CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France. Eight weeks of experiment for each type of clay. Methodology: The earthworm Lumbricus terrestris was used for digestion of illite and various smectite-type minerals, with or without peat moss, during a laboratory experiment at a constant temperature of 20°C during 8 weeks and under artificial 12 hour-light and 12 hour-dark cycles, for each digestion cycle. Results: The chemical elements extracted from smectites by the earthworm digestion appear to be mineral dependent. The behavior of K and radiogenic 40Ar is more dictated by the type of digested mineral than by the digestion process itself. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the acid leachates of the nontronite and peat mixture, before and after digestion, suggests that half of the digested matter corresponds to the digestive action of the earthworms, with the second half resulting from food. Digested clay material represents up to 30% and the peat moss the remainder of the mixtures. Conclusion: This study highlights the role of organic compounds generated by earthworms activities in transfer of elements to surface waters and soil fluids.

Directly electrospun copper ferrite CuFe2O4 nanofiber-based for gas classification

The cross-response is a considerable primary challenge of gas sensors based on semiconducting metal oxide (SMO), especially in detecting and classifying gases with comparable properties. In this work, the copper ferrite (CuFe2O4, CFO) nanofibers (NFs)-based sensors were straightforwardly synthesised by electrospinning technique. The morphology of the CFO NFs was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed a rough surface with a diameter of approximately 80 nm. The composition of the fiber was confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), which showed the fiber’s chemical elements to include Cu, Fe, and O. The microstructural characteristics of the CFO NFs were analysed using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, confirming the characteristic peaks of the CFO phase. The gas sensing characteristics of CFO-based sensors have been examined to 25−200 ppm of various gases of (CH3)2CO, CH3CH2OH, NH3, and H2 at a function of working temperature of 350−450 °C. The gas-sensing mechanism of the sensor based on CFO NFs is explained by the surface depletion layer and the grain boundary model. The successful categorisation of these gases into distinct groups was realised, indicating that the issue of cross-response caused by interfering gases was effectively addressed with the aid of an artificial intelligence algorithm.

Ab initio determination of melting and sound velocity of neon up to the deep interior of the Earth.

The thermophysical properties and elemental abundances of the noble gases in terrestrial materials can provide unique insights into the Earth's evolution and mantle dynamics. Here, we perform extensive abinitio molecular dynamics simulations to determine the melting temperature and sound velocity of neon up to 370GPa and 7500K to constrain its physical state and storage capacity, together with to reveal its implications for the deep interior of the Earth. It is found that solid neon can exist stably under the lower mantle and inner core conditions, and the abnormal melting of neon is not observed under the entire temperature (T) and pressure (P) region inside the Earth owing to its peculiar electronic structure, which is substantially distinct from other heavier noble gases. An inspection of the reduction for sound velocity along the Earth's geotherm evidences that neon can be used as a light element to account for the low-velocity anomaly and density deficit in the deep Earth. A comparison of the pair distribution functions and mean square displacements of MgSiO3-Ne and Fe-Ne alloys further reveals that MgSiO3 has a larger neon storage capacity than the liquid iron under the deep Earth condition, indicating that the lower mantle may be a natural deep noble gas storage reservoir. Our results provide valuable information for studying the fundamental behavior and phase transition of neon in a higher T-P regime, and further enhance our understanding for the interior structure and evolution processes inside the Earth.

Scanning the aged to minimize missed injury: An EAST multicenter study.

Despite the high incidence of blunt trauma in older adults, there is a lack of evidence-based guidance for computed tomography (CT) imaging in this population. We aimed to identify an algorithm to guide use of a Pan-Scan (Head/C-spine/Torso) or a Selective Scan (Head/C-spine ± Torso). We hypothesized that a patient's initial history and exam could be used to guide imaging. We prospectively studied blunt trauma patients aged 65+ at 18 Level I/II trauma centers. Patients presenting >24 h after injury or who died upon arrival were excluded. We collected history and physical elements and final injury diagnoses. Injury diagnoses were categorized into CT body regions of Head/C-spine or Torso (chest, abdomen/pelvis, and T/L spine). Using machine learning and regression modeling as well as a priori clinical algorithms based, we tested various decision rules against our dataset. Our priority was to identify a simple rule which could be applied at the bedside, maximizing sensitivity (Sens) and negative predictive value (NPV) to minimize missed injuries. We enrolled 5,498 patients with 3,082 injuries. Nearly half (47.1%, n = 2,587) had an injury within the defined CT body regions. No rule to guide a Pan-Scan could be identified with suitable Sens/NPV for clinical use. A clinical algorithm to identify patients for Pan-Scan, using a combination of physical exam findings and specific high-risk criteria, was identified and had a Sens of 0.94 and NPV of 0.86 This rule would have identified injuries in all but 90 patients (1.6%) and would theoretically spare 11.9% (655) of blunt trauma patients a torso CT. Our findings advocate for Head/Cspine CT in all geriatric patients with the addition of torso CT in the setting of positive clinical findings and high-risk criteria. Prospective validation of this rule could lead to streamlined diagnostic care of this growing trauma population. Level 2, Diagnostic Tests or Criteria.

Topology optimisation of steel connections under compression assisted by physical and geometrical nonlinear finite element analysis and its application to an industrial case study

Topology optimisation of steel connections under compression assisted by physical and geometrical nonlinear finite element analysis and its application to an industrial case study

Production and Chemical Characterization of Silage from Saccharine Sorghum Fertirrigated with Sugarcane Vinasse.

Distillery vinasse is one of the promising bio-fertilizers, as it contains significant amounts of essential chemical elements, allied with sorghum that is widely used in the diet of ruminant animals and has been considered as an alternative to the production of other cereals or forages. This study aimed to evaluate saccharin sorghum silage from fertilization with vinasse. The research was conducted using the BRS-511, CR-1339, and CR-1342 geno-types. The silage was held for 170 days after sowing, with experimental design in blocks with triple factorial (genotypes x fertilization x inoculation) totaling 54 installments. At 95 days, the silos were opened for sample collection and analysis bromatological analysis. The results indicate the primary source of variation was genotype, characterizing them with different potentials in productivity and better results for BRS-511, CR-1339, and CR-1342. The bromatological results indicate good quality for CR-1339 and CR-1342 hybrids, however, better digestability for BRS-511. There was no observable difference between the factors of fertilization. The inoculation additive assists in the reduction of lignin appears to be high. PCA analysis showed differences between cultivars (BRS-511, CR-1339, and CR-1342) and fertili-zation. However, the PCAs showed the genotypes show similar results with conventional ferti-lization and sugarcane vinasse. The study reflected the possibility of producing sweet sorghum silage with soil sugarcane vinasse fertilization as fertilizer.

Extracting the electronic structure of light elements in bulk materials through a Compton scattering method in the readily accessible hard x-ray regime

Our Compton profile measurements of Ti and TiH2 using readily available hard X-ray radiation at 27.5 keV, detected by both a Hitachi Vortex silicon-drift detector and a high-resolution superconducting transition-edge sensor array, are found to be in excellent accord with state-of-the-art density functional theory based calculations. The spherically averaged difference between the Compton profiles of TiH2 and Ti is well described by an inverted parabola, supporting an itinerant behavior of the electron gas screening the protons in the Ti matrix. Our experimental approach, validated by two different detectors, extends the applicability of Compton scattering technique to the readily accessible hard x-ray regime (below 30 keV). Our study suggests possibilities for experiments at low-flux bending magnet synchrotron beamlines and paves the way for the development of tabletop Compton experiments with x-ray tubes.

Hydrogen and silicon are the preferred light elements in Earth’s core

Hydrogen is an important light element in the Earth’s core for its high cosmochemical abundance and strong affinity to iron under core-formation conditions. Thus, constraining the core composition requires knowledge on the distribution of hydrogen between the liquid outer core and solid inner core. Here we investigate the chemical equilibrium of hydrogen at the inner-core boundary by calculating the chemical potential of hydrogen in solid and liquid iron-hydrogen alloys, respectively, using first-principles molecular dynamic simulations and neural network methods. We find that hydrogen partitions preferentially into the outer core and provides a major contribution to the density jump across the inner-core boundary. Combining geophysical constraints, mineral physics data, and chemical equilibrium, we evaluated light element abundances in the outer and inner cores simultaneously. Our results suggest hydrogen and silicon are the preferred light elements in the core, implying a relatively reduced environment during the Earth’s accretion and core-formation processes.

Geological characteristics of early cretaceous volcanic rocks and analysis of metallogenic potential of uranium mineralization in Moganshan basin, northern Zhejiang province, China

The Moganshan Volcanic Basin is located in the northeastern section of the Ganhang volcanic-tectonic-uranium polymetallic metallogenic belt. To explore the uranium mineralization potential of these volcanic rocks, petrographic, elemental geochemical, zircon U-Pb chronology, and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope analyses were performed on the volcanic rocks in the Moganshan Basin. The results showed that the volcanic rocks within the Moganshan Basin were formed at 130.8 ± 2.0 Ma; In addition, they are Si-rich (SiO2 content of 72.98%–77.32%), alkali-rich (Na2O+ K2O, with ALK values of =7.15–9.74), and potassium-rich (K2O/Na2O content of 1.41–4.34), with light rare earth elements (Rb, Th Nd, Zr, and Hf). Further more, the volcanic rocks within the Moganshan Basin are deficient in Ba, Ta, Nb, and Sr, with a negative europium anomaly (δEu of 0.10–0.17), high ISr (0.71028–0.71160), low εNd(t) values (−6.43–5.77), and other characteristics. The geological characteristics of the volcanic rocks in the Moganshan Basin are the same as those of the volcanic rocks in eastern China, and the formation age is Early Cretaceous. The formation environment is intra-land extensional and tensional. The rock-forming material primarily originates from the upper crust and has a higher average uranium content than that in the Ganhang volcanic belt. Additionally, it is speculated that the Moganshan Volcanic Basin has good potential for uranium mineralization.

A study on optimizing public spaces in rural heritage tourist sites from spatial perception: The case of Jinggang historic town

The development of cultural and rural tourism has fostered the expansion of heritage sites while concurrently presenting challenges such as resource wastage and cultural degradation. Optimizing spatial use requires a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics inherent to these sites. An emerging trend involves the integration of human perception technology into spatial perception research. Thus, to examine the correlation between alterations in physical and visual environments, tourists’ perceived changes, and primary influencing elements in rural heritage tourism sites, Jinggang – a historic and cultural town in Changsha, Hunan province, China – was selected as the research site. A comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis was conducted by integrating physical environment data from public spaces. These data include air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), equivalent sound pressure level (ESPL), visual environment data (including green view index [GVI], sky view index [SVI], road and pavement view index (R&PVI), and construction view index [CVI]), along with biosensing data (level of stress [LS]) collected from tourists. The findings indicate the following: (i) the LS of the public space in Jinggang falls within the normal range but remains generally high, with the humanistic landscape, dominated by traditional architecture, scoring higher than the natural landscape; (ii) regarding spatial perception, the quantity of physical environment elements influencing LS surpasses that of visual environment elements, and the most relevant indicators, including ESPL, R&PVI, and CVI, all contribute to tourists’ LS; and (iii) ESPL significantly influences LS within the environment domain, where higher environmental noise decibels correspond to tourists’ increased LS. The study concludes that historic towns possess distinct characteristics as types of rural heritage tourism sites. This study provides valuable insights into enhancing spatial environmental quality and promoting an appealing and sustainable rural setting by implementing public space optimization strategies in rural heritage sites.

Fractal Characterization of the Microstructure of Red-Bed Soft Rocks and Kinetic Modeling of Interfacial Evolution

The deterioration mechanism of red-bed soft rock is attributed to microstructural changes induced by water–rock interactions, where the damage to pores and the development of fractures significantly impact its macroscopic mechanical performance. The microstructural deterioration pattern of red-bed rock with different water saturation times was obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which showed that the microdamage effect of mudstone is an evolutionary process comprising the dissolution and detachment of its internal soluble bond structure. Three-dimensional (3D) images of the water-saturated damage of the rock mass were extracted by computed tomography (CT) scanning and calculated based on the box-counting algorithm to obtain the fractal dimension of the fracture development, leading to the theory that a soft rock fracture has multiple fractal characteristics. With the continuous increase in the water saturation time, the pores inside the rock mass began to reorganize and connect, and the mudstone specimens showed accelerated damage and some self-similarity. Furthermore, chemical element testing was conducted on the solutions used for water saturation, leading to the establishment of a microscopic interfacial evolution model describing water–rock damage, with theoretical equations derived based on diffusion theory.

Tectonic evolution of the South Pamir Orogen: Insights from the Permian to cretaceous magmatism

The Pamir orogen originated through the amalgamation of various arc terranes. Despite undergoing numerous studies, the subduction polarity and time regarding the accretion processes remain inadequately constrained. To address these issues, we carried out a detailed study of zircon and apatite U-Pb ages, zircon Hf isotopes, and whole-rock geochemistry for the Permian to Cretaceous gabbro, volcanic rocks and granitoids from the Southern Pamir and the Rushan-Pshart suture. Three stages of magmatism are identified, including 279–266 Ma gabbro and andesite to dacite, 209–208 Ma granitoids, and 108–103 Ma gabbro and granitoids, respectively. The Permian gabbro and basaltic andesite to dacite in Pshart Range are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREE) and large ion lithophile elements (LILE), but are depleted in Ta, Nb, and Ti, suggesting formation from an enriched mantle source in a subduction zone. The Late Triassic I-type granitoids are typical arc calc-alkaline magmatic rocks with εHf(t) values varying from −8.7 to −3.5, which mainly sourced from the partial melting of mixed crustal sources predominately consisting mafic rocks with minor metasedimentary rocks. The Early Cretaceous Pshart granites are I-type granites with relatively low εHf(t) values ranging from −14.6 to −2.9, suggesting that they were crust-derived rocks. The Early Cretaceous Bazardara granites are identified as A2-type granites with the εHf(t) values ranging from −18.3 to +5.3, and were derived from mixing of mantle-derived and crust-derived magmas, or interaction between mantle melts and old crustal rocks. The early Cretaceous gabbro exhibits -MORB-like geochemical characteristics with flat REE pattern (La/YbN = 4.96), moderate enrichment of LILEs and weak depletion of Nb, Ta and Ti (Nb/LaPM = 0.94). Thus, the early Cretaceous A2-type granite, E-MORB-like gabbro and volcanic rocks were formed in an extensional setting. Our new data indicate that the southward subduction of the Rushan-Pshart oceanic slab started in the Early Permian and continued to the Late Triassic. Moreover, combining the previous data, we conclude that the Early Cretaceous granites and gabbro in the Southern Pamir formed in an extensional environment due to the southward rollback after northward near-flat subduction of the Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere.

Content of heavy metals in Carpathian soils (Poland)

The article addresses determining the concentration of six chemical elements: Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the soils of the southern slope of the Jaworzyna Krynicka mountain in the Beskid Mountains. The research consisted of determining the diversity of metal content in soil samples taken at different altitudes (500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, and 1100 m MSL). The test results indicated low soil contamination in the selected area, particularly for the altitudes of 500 and 900 m MSL. For these altitudes, the content of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn was similar to the concentration of these metals in uncontaminated soils. In the conducted research, very low Cd content was found for all absolute altitudes. The chemical element of metal whose content in the soils under study was the highest and exceeded natural values was Zn. All tested metals showed a common trend of increasing content in the soils up to 800 m MSL.

Benchmarking the accuracy of higher-order particle methods in geodynamic models of transient flow

Abstract. Numerical models are a powerful tool for investigating the dynamic processes in the interior of the Earth and other planets, but the reliability and predictive power of these discretized models depends on the numerical method as well as an accurate representation of material properties in space and time. In the specific context of geodynamic models, particle methods have been applied extensively because of their suitability for advection-dominated processes and have been used in applications such as tracking the composition of solid rock and melt in the Earth's mantle, fluids in lithospheric- and crustal-scale models, light elements in the liquid core, and deformation properties like accumulated finite strain or mineral grain size, along with many applications outside the Earth sciences. There have been significant benchmarking efforts to measure the accuracy and convergence behavior of particle methods, but these efforts have largely been limited to instantaneous solutions, or time-dependent models without analytical solutions. As a consequence, there is little understanding about the interplay of particle advection errors and errors introduced in the solution of the underlying transient, nonlinear flow equations. To address these limitations, we present two new dynamic benchmarks for transient Stokes flow with analytical solutions that allow us to quantify the accuracy of various advection methods in nonlinear flow. We use these benchmarks to measure the accuracy of our particle algorithm as implemented in the ASPECT geodynamic modeling software against commonly employed field methods and analytical solutions. In particular, we quantify if an algorithm that is higher-order accurate in time will allow for better overall model accuracy and verify that our algorithm reaches its intended optimal convergence rate. We then document that the observed increased accuracy of higher-order algorithms matters for geodynamic applications with an example of modeling small-scale convection underneath an oceanic plate and show that the predicted place and time of onset of small-scale convection depends significantly on the chosen particle advection method. Descriptions and implementations of our benchmarks are openly available and can be used to verify other advection algorithms. The availability of accurate, scalable, and efficient particle methods as part of the widely used open-source code ASPECT will allow geodynamicists to investigate complex time-dependent geodynamic processes such as elastic deformation, anisotropic fabric development, melt generation and migration, and grain damage.

Semantic network analysis in consumer and marketing research: application areas in phygital contexts

Purpose Large-scale text-based data increasingly poses methodological challenges due to its size, scope and nature, requiring sophisticated methods for managing, visualizing, analyzing and interpreting such data. This paper aims to propose semantic network analysis (SemNA) as one possible solution to these challenges, showcasing its potential for consumer and marketing researchers through three application areas in phygital contexts. Design/methodology/approach This paper outlines three general application areas for SemNA in phygital contexts and presents specific use cases, data collection methodologies, analyses, findings and discussions for each application area. Findings The paper uncovers three application areas and use cases where SemNA holds promise for providing valuable insights and driving further adoption of the method: (1) Investigating phygital experiences and consumption phenomena; (2) Exploring phygital consumer and market discourse, trends and practices; and (3) Capturing phygital social constructs. Research limitations/implications The limitations section highlights the specific challenges of the qualitative, interpretivist approach to SemNA, along with general methodological constraints. Practical implications Practical implications highlight SemNA as a pragmatic tool for managers to analyze and visualize company-/brand-related data, supporting strategic decision-making in physical, digital and phygital spaces. Originality/value This paper contributes to the expanding body of computational, tool-based methods by providing an overview of application areas for the qualitative, interpretivist approach to SemNA in consumer and marketing research. It emphasizes the diversity of research contexts and data, where the boundaries between physical and digital spaces have become increasingly intertwined with physical and digital elements closely integrated – a phenomenon known as phygital.

Critical therapeutic landscape design elements for cognitive impairments in the Royal Talbot rehabilitation centre

PurposeTherapeutic landscapes can be beneficial for patients recovering from cognitive and behavioural impairments. The therapeutic garden in the Royal Talbot rehabilitation centre (RTRC) located in Kew, Melbourne is a precedent for its nature design outdoor spaces and horticultural therapy (HT) program for patients with cognitive impairments due to brain and spinal cord injuries. There have been no studies into the physical design of the RTRC therapeutic garden.Design/methodology/approachThis case study unveils the critical design themes, and dominant physical elements of the RTRC therapeutic garden through site observation and analysis over the course of two months, a semi-structured interview with a key staff, and graphical representations using integrated photography and collaborative digital tools of AutoCAD and Adobe Photoshop.FindingsSeven critical design themes are identified for the RTRC garden: (1) space layout and organization, (2) physical and visual access, (3) pathway and facility, (4) multisensory vegetation, (5) amenity, wayfinding and seasonal interest, (6) cognitive stimulation, (7) utility and HT. Qualitative and quantitative data analysed in visual and descriptive format reveal multisensory vegetation, amenity, wayfinding and seasonal interest, and utility and HT are the top three most pivotal critical design themes in the RTRC therapeutic garden.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of this case study can be used to impart knowledge about the design of therapeutic landscape settings for cognitive impairments to design professionals and the public.Originality/valueThere is no case study has been conducted for this precedent of therapeutic garden in the Royal Talbot rehabilitation centre that targets for cognitive impairment patients. With the increasing awareness in medical and healthcare environments, this case study would help to inject mutual understanding, generate knowledge and design awareness among design professionals and public, and to cultivate more good quality healthcare settings.

Effect of preparation process on purity of tricalcium aluminate

In the realm of cement production, traditional fuels are steadily giving way to alternative sources. While this shift yields economic and ecological advantages, it introduces notable technological challenges. Specifically, there is an escalation in certain chemical elements, leading to variability in the mineralogical composition. This variability is subsequently manifested in the characteristics of Portland clinker. It becomes imperative, therefore, to synthesize pure clinker minerals. This synthesis is essential for both understanding their behavior in industrially manufactured cement and creating analytical standards for mineral identification through XRD. The primary focus of the research is on the production of pure tricalcium aluminate, a key clinker mineral, within laboratory conditions. A direct laboratory methodology involving solid-phase synthesis is used. The investigation meticulously tracks the impact of homogenizing the raw material mixture on the resultant mineral’s purity. To achieve this, a high-speed Pulverisette 6 planetary mill is utilized along with two types of grinding bodies. A corundum grinding capsule with corundum grinding bodies is employed to prevent contamination by foreign ions. Simultaneously, a highly efficient steel grinding capsule with steel grinding bodies is utilized. The raw material mixture is then subjected to sintering at six different temperatures ranging from 1 200 to 1 450 °C, and the purity of the produced mineral is quantified using Rietveld analysis. Laser granulometry results indicate a strikingly similar comminution of the raw material in both grinding cases. Iron contamination, as revealed by XRF analysis, is minimal, accounting for only 0.21 %. The purity of 97.6% C3A, is achieved at 1 450 °C using a steel grinding capsule, with 2.4% unreacted lime Conversely, when using a corundum capsule, a purity of 93.6 % is achieved, accompanied by residues of 2.2 % mayenite and 3.8 % lime. This discrepancy may be attributed to an insufficient degree of raw material comminution in the corundum capsule. Intriguingly, a slight iron contamination during the grinding of the raw material mixture exerts a positive influence on purity. In this case, iron acts as a flux, fostering a more favorable reaction of the mineral mayenite. This multifaceted exploration enhances our understanding of clinker mineral synthesis, offering insights into optimizing purity based on grinding methods, sintering temperatures, and the impact of minor contaminants.