Spherical Metal Research Articles

Novel N-doped carbon nanotubes impregnated Mn spheres with polydopamine coating as an efficient polysulfide immobilizer for Li-S batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising energy storage and conversion devices due to the high theoretical capacity and cost-effectiveness of sulfur. However, they still suffer from sluggish redox kinetics and the shuttle effect caused by complex polysulfides. In this work, graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is utilized as a template and further hydrothermally treated with an Mn source and glucose. The pyrolysis of g-C3N4 gives rise to N-doped carbon nanotubes, producing abundant sites for physical confinement and chemical adsorption of polysulfides, while glucose carbonization brings forth amorphous carbon and Mn source produces metal spheres. Afterward, polydopamine (PDA) induces N-doped carbon coating and promotes interface connection as well as electron immigration. This synergistic design possesses a high surface area of micropores and mesopores to aggregate sulfur and accelerate redox kinetics. As a result, the N-doped carbon nanotube with Mn spheres and PDA coating@sulfur (CN/Mn-PDA@S) exhibits a high reversible capacity of 813.5 mAh g−1 at 1 C with a decay rate of 0.064% per cycle and remarkable capacity retention at 2 C with rate performance up to 4 C. Therefore, the novel design of N-doped carbon nanotubes with Mn spheres and PDA coating serves as an efficient polysulfide immobilizer for Li-S batteries.

On a Study of Photoionization of Atoms and Ions from Endohedral Anions

We study the relationship between the results of two qualitatively different semi-empirical models for photoionization cross sections, σnℓ, of neutral atoms (A) and their cations (A+) centrally encapsulated inside a fullerene anion, CNq, where q represents the negative excess charge on the shell. One of the semi-empirical models, broadly employed in previous studies, assumes a uniform excess negative charge distribution over the entire fullerene cage, by analogy with a charged metallic sphere. The other model, presented here, considers the quantum states of the excess electrons on the shell, determined by specific n and ℓ values of their quantum numbers. Remarkably, both models yield similar photoionization cross sections for the encapsulated species. Consequently, we find that the photoionization of the encapsulated atoms or cations inside the CNq anion is influenced only slightly by the quantum states of the excess electrons on the fullerene cage. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the influence decreases even further as the size of the fullerene cage increases. All this holds true at least under the assumption that the encapsulated atom or cation is compact, i.e., its electron density remains primarily within itself rather than being drawn into the fullerene shell. This remarkable finding results from Hartree–Fock calculations combined with a popular modeling of the fullerene shell which is simulated by an attractive spherical annular potential.

Initial Characteristics of Submillimeter Metal Particles in GIS under Impact Vibration

As a critical component within power systems, Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) is notably susceptible to insulation degradation due to submillimeter metal particles, compromising its operational safety and stability. Moreover, impact vibrations induced by circuit breaker operations can dislodge particles that typically adhere to the interior walls, causing them to become airborne and thereby intensifying their movement and discharge activities. To investigate this phenomenon, this study establishes a testing platform where alternating current (AC) voltage is superimposed with impact vibration. A camera system, interfaced with an upper computer, is used to capture the real-time motion behavior of the particles. This study focuses on characterizing the initial movement of submillimeter metal particles of varying sizes under the influence of impact vibration by analyzing critical voltages, such as the initial lift-off voltage, stable jumping voltage, and extinction voltage. Furthermore, the effects of introducing large, centimeter-scale spherical metal and rubber particles on these initial characteristics are examined. The findings provide crucial insights into the initial behavior of submillimeter metal particles in GIS, particularly in relation to circuit breaker operations.

An Interactive Fluid–Solid Approach for Numerical Modeling of Composite Metal Foam Behavior under Compression

Composite metal foams (CMF) are renowned for their high strength‐to‐density ratio, high stiffness, and energy absorption capabilities. Homogenized finite element models of CMF have been numerically solved to understand the mechanical behavior of the material under a variety of external loading conditions. This work aims to pioneer a comprehensive finite element model for steel–steel composite metal foam by incorporating the interactions between embedded stainless‐steel hollow spheres with entrapped air inside stainless‐steel matrix. The material behavior of hollow spheres, surrounding matrix, and air are modeled using Johnson–Cook (JC) plasticity, Deshpande–Fleck (D–F) foam, and linear polynomial equation of state in LS DYNA. Further, the finite element model utilizes a combination of Lagrangian solid elements and meshfree smooth particles hydrodynamics with appropriate contacts to effectively model the interaction of entrapped air within stainless‐steel hollow spheres with surrounding metallic spheres and matrix. The strain rate and the crosshead velocity of 65 s−1 and 2.4765 m s−1 are used for quasistatic compression analysis. Finally, the results obtained from the computational model are compared and validated using previously reported experimental quasistatic compression data. The numerical model corroborates stress–strain response of CMF with 5.6% error for plateau stresses average within 25% and 30% strain.

Dynamic failures at the metal-glass interface under impact loading

To investigate dynamic fracture behavior in the metal, three metal spheres (e.g., steel sphere, high purity tungsten sphere, and high purity lead sphere) are accelerated by the gas gun devices to impact glass spheres under the critical speed range (i.e., from 70 m/s to 210 m/s). The velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR) devices are employed to measure the particle velocities at the back surface of glass sphere, and high-speed photographs are utilized to capture the failure process at the metal-glass interface. Due to the asynchronous evolutions of stress fields and strain fields in the violent failure process, the results illustrate quite different failure mechanisms from those by the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) impacting. Fragmentations of the glass sphere are caused mainly by the radial cracks and the lateral cracks around the metal-glass interface and the edges of the sphere with increasing impact velocity. Dynamic failures in the three metal impactors exhibit different modes, e.g., tensile fracture in the steel impactor, shear fracture in the tungsten impactor, and compressed yielding in the lead impactor. The transferring of strain energy releasing is introduced to describe the failure behavior at the metal-glass interface, and a relaxation-diffusion equation of strain energy releasing is then established based on the experimental results and the numeric results by the discrete element method (DEM). The evolutions of failures at the metal-glass interface are discussed. Further investigation is conducted to describe the dynamic fractures in tungsten impactors and steel impactors based on the dimensional analyses, and the quantitative expressions of these strain rate dependent fracture strains and crack width in the metal impactors are obtained. The results are helpful for the profound understanding of the dynamic fracture in the metal structures and the dynamic fragmentations in the brittle material when subjected to impact loading.

Prediction of non-magnetic metal sphere radius using real part slope of inductance

The existing eddy current measurement thickness technology is mainly for one or more layers of metal plate. However, in real life, the radius of spherical metal is also a critical parameter, so using an eddy current sensor to measure it is also an important research topic. In this paper, real part slope of inductance is used as the characteristic value to characterize the radius of the non-magnetic metal sphere. Compared with the traditional real part of inductance, the addition of slope improves the accuracy and stability of detection data. The experimental results show that the maximum error rate of radius measurement is less than 2%, and the overall data stability is good, which can meet the measurement requirements.

A Proposed Non-Destructive Method Based on Sphere Launching and Piezoelectric Diaphragm.

This work presents the study of a reproducible acoustic emission method based on the launching of a metallic sphere and low-cost piezoelectric diaphragm. For this purpose, tests were first conducted on a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer structure, and then on an aluminum structure for comparative analysis. The pencil-lead break (PLB) tests were also conducted for comparisons with the proposed method. Different launching heights and elastic deformations of the structures were investigated. The results show higher repeatability for the sphere impact method, as the PLB is more affected by human inaccuracy, and it was also effective in damage detection.

Use of a Novel Reverse Hip Replacement System to Address Dislocation and Instability.

While total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an enormously successful treatment for patients with end-stage degenerative arthritis of the hip, and surgeons have optimized existing hip implants and techniques, dislocation and instability persist as a leading cause of failure. Given the tremendous success of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in enhancing the stability of shoulder reconstruction by reversing the anatomic seating of the ball and socket components, one manufacturer (Hip Innovation Technology, LLC, Woodstock, Georgia) has developed a novel Reverse Hip Replacement System (Reverse HRS) to address the need for greater stability in reconstruction of the arthritic hip joint. Rather than the traditional anatomic components that replace the head of the femur with a spherical ball and the acetabulum with a socket with polyethylene liner mounted into the pelvis, the Reverse HRS features a cup with polyethylene liner attached to the femoral stem and a spherical metal head attached to a central trunnion inside of the porous-coated acetabular shell fixed into the pelvis. This design provides dramatically enhanced stability and improved range of motion. This article reviews relevant published literature, including results from a Canadian clinical trial and case reports from a multicenter American clinical trial monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It also describes the components and surgical technique of reverse THA.

Asymmetricity in fluorescence peaks of a three level Λ-type quantum emitter placed near a spherical metal nanoparticle

Abstract A generalized master equation is derived here for a hybrid three level Λ-type quantum emitter-metal nanoparticle (MNP) system in the presence of strong external fields. With this new master equation, we show the spectral reshaping of the fluorescence peaks leading to asymmetric peak heights. This asymmetricity is attributed to dressed state-reservoir coupling and strong coherent fields. The coupling of reservoir with dressed states results in different sampling of local density of states (LDOS) of the vacuum field by dressed state transitions, giving different transition probabilities to each peak. We have further explored the directional features of the resonance fluorescence spectrum in the hybrid system. These observations of spectral reshaping in a three-level-MNP system opens new directions for studying tunable electromagnetically induced transparency utilizing ‘tailored vacuum’ in quantum plasmonics.

Calculated Waveform and Peculiarity of Radiated Electric Field due to Collision ESD between Metallic Spheres with Charging Voltages below 1000 V Using Spark Resistance Law

Calculated Waveform and Peculiarity of Radiated Electric Field due to Collision ESD between Metallic Spheres with Charging Voltages below 1000 V Using Spark Resistance Law

Mechanical properties of cementitious metallic hollow sphere composite under compression

This study presents a novel cementitious metallic hollow sphere composite by integrating metallic hollow spheres (MHS) into a cement matrix. Experimental results show that while MHS reduce the stiffness and strength of cement matrix, they enhance deformability and energy absorption. Adding 0.5% polypropylene fibers significantly improves mechanical properties and changes failure mode from brittle to ductile. This work offers insights into MHS materials in civil engineering.

Integrated Insights into NH4 + Storage Mechanism and Electrochemical Kinetics of Ultrastable Prussian Blue Analogues

Ammonium-ion batteries (AIBs) have recently attracted increasing attention in the field of aqueous batteries owing to their high safety and fast diffusion kinetics.[1, 2] The NH4 + storage mechanism is quite different from that of spherical metal ions (e.g. Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Zn2+) because of the formation of hydrogen bonds between NH4 + and host materials. As one of the main host materials, PBAs with 3D channels have been extensively investigated in AIBs. The formula for PBAs can be roughly expressed as AxMm[Mn(CN)6]y·zH2O, where A represents the cation (e.g. Na and K) for charge compensation, Mm and Mn stand for transition-metal ions (e.g. Cu, Ni), respectively. m, n, x, and y are their stoichiometric values. The size of the channels in PBAs is about 0.32 × 0.32 nm, which is larger than the ionic radius of NH4 + (0.154 nm). In this work, the NH4 + storage mechanism during the charging/discharging process is investigated by in-situ XRD and showed stable structure. In addition, the DFT calculation further demonstrates the insertion/extraction mechanism. During the NH4 + insertion process, hydrogen bonds are formed between the hydrogen atom in NH4 + and nitrogen atom in PBAs framework, which is beneficial for electrochemical and structural stability.

Machine learning classification of permeable conducting spheres in air and seawater using electromagnetic pulses

Abstract This paper presents machine learning classification on simulated data of permeable conducting spheres in air and seawater irradiated by low frequency electromagnetic pulses. Classification accuracy greater than 90% was achieved. The simulated data were generated using an analytical model of a magnetic dipole in air and seawater placed 1.5–3.5 m above the center of the sphere in 50 cm increments. The spheres had radii of 40 cm and 50 cm and were of permeable materials, such as steel, and non-permeable materials, such as aluminum. A series RL circuit was analytically modeled as the transmitter coil, and an RLC circuit as the receiver coil. Additive white Gaussian noise was added to the simulated data to test the robustness of the machine learning algorithms to noise. Multiple machine learning algorithms were used for classification including a perceptron and multiclass logistic regression, which are linear models, and a neural network, 1D convolutional neural network (CNN), and 2D CNN, which are nonlinear models. Feature maps are plotted for the CNNs and provide explainability of the salient parts of the time signature and spectrogram data used for classification. The pulses investigated, which expand the literature, include a two-sided decaying exponential, Heaviside step-off, triangular, Gaussian, rectangular, modulated Gaussian, raised cosine, and rectangular down-chirp. Propagation effects, including dispersion and frequency dependent attenuation, are encapsulated by the analytical model, which was verified using finite element modeling. The results in this paper show that machine learning methods are a viable alternative to inversion of electromagnetic induction (EMI) data for metallic sphere classification, with the advantage of real-time classification without the use of a physics-based model. The nonlinear machine learning algorithms used in this work were able to accurately classify metallic spheres in seawater even with significant pulse distortion caused by dispersion and frequency dependent attenuation. This paper presents the first effort towards the use of machine learning to classify metallic objects in seawater based on EMI sensing.

Polarization of Diffraction Radiation of a Bunch of Charged Particles on a Metal Sphere

Polarization of Diffraction Radiation of a Bunch of Charged Particles on a Metal Sphere

Directly Printable Flexible Optoelectronics through Surface Atomic Modification of Liquid Metals at Room Temperature.

Flexible optoelectronics have fully demonstrated their transformative roles in various fields, but their fabrication and application have been limited by complex processes. Liquid metals (LMs) are promising to be ideal raw materials for making flexible optoelectronics due to their extraordinary fluidity and printability. Herein, we propose a painting-modifying strategy based on solution processability for directly printing out fluorescent flexible optoelectronics from LMs via surface modification. The LMs of eGaIn, which were obtained by the mixing of gallium with indium metal spheres, were used as ink to paint high-finesse patterns on flexible substrates. Through introducing surface modification of LMs, the gallium atom on the surface of the LMs was directly transformed into the composite fluorescent functional layers of GaO(OH) and GaN after being modified with an ammonia aqueous solution. Owing to painting, this strategy is not limited by any curved surfaces, shapes, or facilities and has excellent adaptability. Particularly, the fluorescent layers were obtained through a spontaneous, instantaneous, and solution-processable process that is environmentally friendly, easy to administrate, recyclable, and adjustable. The present finding breaks through the limitations of LMs in making flexible optoelectronics and provides strategies for addressing severe challenges facing existing materials and flexible optoelectronics. This method is expected to be very useful for fabricating flexible lights, transformable displays, intelligent anticounterfeiting devices, skin-inspired optoelectronics, and chameleon-biomimetic soft robots in the coming time.

Airborne metal nanoparticles released by azides detonation: determination and potential public exposure

Metal azides are highly energetic materials that release a large amount of gas upon detonation. They also release metal particles, generating an aerosol. The most common azide is sodium azide (NaN3), which is used nowadays in car airbags. If the decomposition is not complete, harmful azide particles might be inhaled. Heavy metal azides find application as a primary explosive (primer) in ammunition. Public health officials have raised concerns about heavy metal particles released during training in shooting ranges. We identify a lack of knowledge on airborne metal particles properties released from azide detonation and on the analytical methods applied to characterize them. As a case study, we detonated milligram amounts of silver azide, copper azide, and a mixture of them in a glove box. We then analyse the airborne particles with an ensemble analytical setup, able to measure real-time their particle size distribution and chemical composition. We detected spherical metal nanoparticles in the range of 2–500 nm. These findings and the developed analytical tools may allow identifying airborne nanoparticles the passenger compartments of vehicles after airbag activation as well as in indoor shooting ranges, contributing to the evaluation of public health risks.

Analysis of the ice front propagation in heart tissues: First results

Experimental tests were conducted simultaneously using an infrared (IR) camera and a standard camera in the visible range (VR) to detect the ice front propagation as a function of time and space in different sections of pig heart laid on the surface of a cold spherical aluminum source (30 mm in diameter). The goal of the experiments was to simulate the conditions during the medical practice of internal cryotherapy, which aims to eliminate the tissues responsible for atrial fibrillation in the human heart. Freezing temperatures and related times were also measured, although they were affected by several uncertainties associated with the tests, such as air trapping between the metal sphere and flesh, inhomogeneity of the flesh samples, and the low spatial resolution and accuracy of the IR camera. A comparison with the results of previously conducted numerical simulations (Potenza et al., 2023) [1] is also discussed.

Weather Radar Calibration Method Based on UAV-Suspended Metal Sphere.

Weather radar is an active remote sensing device used to monitor the full lifecycle changes in severe convective weather with high spatial and temporal resolution. Effective radar calibration is a crucial foundation for ensuring the high-quality application of observational data. This paper utilizes a UAV platform equipped with a high-precision RTK system and standard metal spheres to study the principles and methods of metal sphere calibration, constructing a complete calibration process and calibration accuracy evaluation metrics. Additionally, a collocated radar comparison observation experiment was conducted for cross-validation, and metal sphere calibration tests were performed on problematic radars. The experimental results indicate the following: (1) The combined application of a high-precision RTK system and a laser range camera can provide real-time position information on the metal sphere, improving the efficiency of radar target acquisition. (2) The calibration method based on UAV-suspended metal spheres can periodically conduct the quantitative calibration of Z and ZDR, achieving calibration accuracies within 0.5 dB and 0.2 dB, respectively, and supports the qualitative inspection of key parameters such as beamwidth and pulse width. (3) During field tests, a high success rate "coarse adjustment + fine adjustment + staring" sphere-finding technique was established, based on automatic switching between RHI, PPI, and FIX scanning modes. This method directs the UAV to adjust the metal sphere to the center of the radar distance bin, reducing the impact of uneven beam filling and bin crossing, ensuring the accuracy of scattering characteristic measurements.

Numerical study of high-velocity impact on aeronautic carbon composites

This paper presents research concerning the numerical analysis of two new carbon composite materials subjected to high-velocity impact. These new composites were produced using new out-of-autoclave processes, making them more environmentally friendly. An experimental campaign was conducted on these materials in order to determine the effects of a metal sphere during impact. A numerical model using ABAQUS explicit is assembled using shell finite element models, and a non-linear dynamic analysis is applied. For the constitutive relation of the material, a fiber-reinforced composite damage model from the ABAQUS library is used. This initial numerical model is then compared with the outputs of the experimental campaign in order to validated it. Next, a numerical campaign is performed to understand carbon composites response to the impact of a hailstorm strike, in which it is possible to verify that one of the specimens presented higher performance, by displaying less penetration and damaged area.

Efficient fluoride removal in hybrid capacitive deionization enabled by Ce-Zn-MOF-derived CeO2@C and birnessite electrodes

Fluorine pollution has become a public health issue of global concern. Capacitive deionization (CDI) presents the benefits of simple operation, high energy efficiency, and good sustainability. The development of high adsorption performance, economical and environmentally friendly defluorination electrodes is the key direction of capacitive deionization. Here, a spherical metal–organic framework (MOF) Ce/Zn-BTC was prepared by solvothermal method utilizing benzene-tricarboxylic (BTC) acid as solvent, and then it was transformed into CeO2@C composites through pyrolysis. The spherical structure of the original MOFs is preserved by CeO2@C, leading to significant enhancements in specific surface area (275.48 m2/g), pore volume (0.3359 cm3/g), and electrochemical performance. In this work, the anode material CeO2@C was employed for the first time, while birnessite-type MnO2 (δ-MnO2) was utilized as a cathode material for the fabrication of a hybrid CDI (HCDI) device for the treatment of fluorinated wastewater. The CeO2@C/δ-MnO2 cell shows excellent fluoride removal performance with a removal capacity of 22.03 mg/g for 50 mg/L fluoride solutions under a 1.2 V applied voltage, which is better than most carbon-based materials. Importantly, the CeO2@C/δ-MnO2 cell has favorable fluoride selectivity and regeneration performance (>75 %) even after undergoing ten cycles. Fluoride is mainly removed by intercalation into the carbon skeleton, coordination with Ce, and electrostatic interaction. This study shows that the CeO2@C/δ-MnO2 cell has excellent fluoride removal performance and practical application prospects.