Increasing Oxidation Temperature Research Articles

Effect of nano-graphene lubricating oil on particulate matter of a diesel engine

Nano-graphene lubricating oil with appropriate concentration shows excellent performance in reducing friction and wear under different working conditions of diesel engines, and has been widely concerned. Lubricating oil has a significant impact on particulate matter (PM) emissions. At present, there are few studies on the impact of nano-graphene lubricating oil on the physicochemical properties of PM. In order to comprehensively evaluate the impact of nano-graphene lubricating oil on diesel engines, this paper mainly focused on the effects of lubricating oil nano-graphene additives on the particle size distribution and physicochemical properties of PM. The results show that, compared with pure lubricating oil, the total number of nuclear PM and accumulated PM of nano-graphene lubricating oil is significantly increased. The fractal dimension of PM of nano-graphene lubricating oil increases and its structure becomes more compact. The average fringe separation distance of basic carbon particles decreases, the average fringe length increases. The degree of ordering and graphitization of basic carbon particles are higher. The fringe tortuosity of basic carbon particles decreases, and the fluctuation of carbon layer structure of basic carbon particles decreases. Aliphatic substances in PM are basically unchanged, aromatic components and oxygen functional groups increase. The initial PM oxidation temperature and burnout temperature increase, the maximum oxidation rate temperature and combustion characteristic index decrease, and the activation energy increases, making it more difficult to oxidize. This was mainly caused by the higher graphitization degree of PM of nano-graphene lubricating oil and the increased content of aromatic substances.

Superior oxidation resistance of a Y-Hf co-doped Al18Co30Cr10Fe10Ni32 eutectic high-entropy alloy at 1100–1300 °C

We report a study on the oxidation behavior of Al18Co30Cr10Fe10Ni32 eutectic high-entropy alloy co-doped with reactive elements (RE) Y and Hf at 1100–1300 °C. The highly stable eutectic microstructure of γ’/β phases within this alloy contributes to a low coefficient of thermal expansion, thus a low residual stress in the Al2O3 scale. The spinel with a low thickness is formed at the top of Al2O3 scale at 1100 °C due to the low Al diffusion coefficient of γ’-phase and low aspect ratio of β-phase in maze-like eutectic region. As the oxidation temperature increases, the oxidation products transition to exclusive Al2O3 at 1200 °C and 1300 °C, facilitated by the increased Al diffusion coefficient. The Al2O3 scale exhibits a dominated columnar grain microstructure at 1100–1300 °C, suggesting that the inward O diffusion plays more critical role than Al diffusion and thus leads to the low oxidation rate. Besides, the segregation of S to scale/metal interface is inhibited by the uniform RE distribution in the alloy resulting from the fine eutectic microstructure in the alloy. Overall, this alloy exhibits low residual stress in the oxide scale, slow oxidation rate, and the lack of interfacial sulfur segregation, thus contributing to its superior oxidation resistance. The strong oxidation resistance of Y-Hf co-doped Al18Co30Cr10Fe10Ni32 eutectic high-entropy alloy makes it a potential candidate for advanced oxidation-resistant alloy or coating applications.

Study on the Mechanical Degradation and Destruction Characteristics of Coal Oxidation

ABSTRACT Deep coal bodies are often in high stress and high temperature environments. To study the effects of stress and temperature on the mechanical degradation and failure characteristics of coal samples, nuclear magnetic resonance experiments were carried out before and after coal sample oxidation to analyze the effect of oxidation on the porosity of the coal samples. Through mechanical property experiments, the changes in the mechanical properties of the coal samples at different oxidation temperatures is analyzed. Then coal samples of different particle sizes are screened and statistically analyzed to determine the relationship between the fractal dimension of the broken block size and the oxidation temperature. A stress model for the oxidized coal samples is established to analyze its mechanical degradation and its breaking mechanism. Based on the results, As the oxidation temperature increases, The total porosity of the coal samples show an overall increasing trend, the elastic modulus, secant modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and shear modulus show a downward trend, and the destructive strain energy density decreases from 43.33 kg•m−3 to 15.47 kg•m−3, indicating the oxidized coal sample increases in plasticity and decreases in stiffness, resulting in a decrease in the amount of load the sample can carry. The fractal dimensions of the broken block size from raw coal to 200°C coal samples are 2.008, 2.092, 2.150, 2.159, 2.175, 2.183, 2.314, and 2.328. Oxidation leads to the formation a network of tiny fractures inside the coal samples; thus, the broken block size becomes more complex with worsened integrity. A model for the ability of the oxidized coal samples to resist destruction is established, and the diameters of unoxidized areas in oxidized coal samples are calculated to be 45.053, 44.956, 43.031, 41.931, 37.442, 28.081 and 13.778 mm. An analysis of the breaking mechanism of oxidized coal samples was carried out. Our results are beneficial for the safe operation of deep coal seam mining.

High temperature oxidation behaviors of Al/Cr composite coating on Ti2AlNb alloy

The Al/Cr coatings were deposited on Ti2AlNb alloy by magnetron sputtering and double glow plasma alloying technology to improve the oxidation resistance. The morphology of the protective coating was investigated by scanning electron microcopy and the phase composition of the coating was analyzed using x-ray diffraction. The results suggested that the protective coating with multilayer structure was dense and homogeneous. The formation of Cr inner diffusion layer was beneficial to the bonding strength between the coating and substrate, which was attributable to the double glow technology. The oxidation behaviors of Al/Cr coating were investigated by the isothermal oxidation tests for 100 h at 700 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C, respectively. The results indicated that the protective coating showed a lower oxidation rate. At 700 °C, the Al2O3 oxidation products were formed on the surface of coating at high temperature, which were dense and homogeneous against oxygen diffusion. With the increase of oxidation temperature, the external diffusion of Cr element reacted with oxygen to form Cr2O3, which provided the further protection. As for 900 °C, the volatile CrO3 was formed by the reaction of the external diffusion of Cr and Cr2O3, and the oxidation products Al2O3 and Cr2O3 continued to provide protection for Ti2AlNb alloy.

Molecular simulation study of microstructural evolution during low-temperature oxidation of coal

In this study, industrial analysis, 13C NMR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and in-situ infrared spectroscopy were employed to determine the elemental composition and structure of Tingnan coal. The peak area, pore volume, and specific surface area were used as the main parameters to investigate the structural changes of coal molecules and pore evolution during low-temperature coal oxidation, using an automated surface area and pore size analyzer. The analysis revealed that with increasing oxidation degree, the CH groups in the aromatic structure gradually decreased, while the total content of oxygen-containing functional groups such as alcohols, phenols, carboxyls, and carbonyls remained relatively constant. However, the relative content of hydroxyl groups and ether linkages increased with increasing oxidation temperature. Additionally, coals with different oxidation degrees exhibited well-developed micropores, and the specific surface area gradually decreased while the pore size increased with temperature. Molecular models of Tingnan coal in its original state and oxidized at temperatures of 50 °C, 70 °C, and 110 °C were constructed using Materials Studio software. Based on these models, pores with diameters of 2.79 nm, 3.07 nm, 3.07 nm, and 3.11 nm and a length of 4.5 nm were constructed using the coal molecular structure as the pore walls.

Surface characteristics and re-ignition law of water-soaked coal in a coal mine closed fire area

There are different degrees of oxidized coal samples in the gobs of coal mines, and there will be hidden dangers of re-ignition of water-soaked coal after the fire zone is closed. Using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and a simultaneous thermal analyzer, the re-ignition properties of coal samples and the pore dynamic evolution in different water-immersed areas of the goaf were studied. The results show that the IO (oxidation after water immersion) coal sample has a more microporous structure and larger fractal dimension when oxidized at 300 °C. The roughness of OI (water immersion after oxidation) coal samples decreases as the oxidation temperature increases. The re-ignition temperature points of the IO300 and O200I coal samples are lower, and the combustion heat release is greater. Before reaching 311 °C, the oxidation kinetics curve conforms to the cubic polynomial ln[-ln(1-a))/T2] =A(1/T)3-B(1/T)2 + C(1/T)-D. After reaching 311 °C, the activation energy of IO300 and O200I coal samples is smaller and more prone to oxidation and re-ignition, which conforms to ln [- ln (1-a))/T2] =A (1/T) – B. Different control measures can be taken in different areas and points based on the oxidized degree and different immersion methods to prevent coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) in closed fire areas.

Effect of Resveratrol on physicochemical structure evolution of lignite during spontaneous combustion

Studying the evolution of the physicochemical structure of coal during coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) by antioxidants is of great significance for revealing the mechanism of CSC and preventing it. The effects of three concentrations of Resveratrol (RES) on the physicochemical structure evolution of coal during the low-temperature oxidation (L-TO) process of CSC were comprehensively analyzed through low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) experiments. The results showed that the pore cracks in the coal develop more fully with the increase in oxidation temperature. Besides, there was an increase in porosity and permeability, and a full development of pore throat. Based on the T1-T2 2D fluid identification results, it was found that as the oxidation temperature increased, the adsorption capacity and permeability of the coal were stronger. RES can effectively inhibit the CSC process of coal, with a maximum reduction of 23 % in porosity and a maximum reduction of 82 % in permeability. The hydroxyl groups and CH3/CH2 of coal samples treated with RES decreased by a maximum of 42 % and 43 %, respectively. The oxygen-containing functional groups increased by a maximum of 77 %. RES can not only cover on the coal surface to prevent oxygen from seeping into the coal, but also infiltrate into the pores of coal to inhibit the combination of the active functional groups and oxygen molecules.

Optimization of multiscale structure and electrochemical properties of bamboo-based porous activated biochar by coordinated regulation of activation and air oxidation

Activated biochar prepared by a single pyrolysis process often has poor pore structure and insufficient surface oxygen-containing groups, which severely inhibit its application in supercapacitors. Herein, we synthesized bamboo-based porous activated biochar (PAB) via coordinated regulation including carbonization at 450 °C, ZnCl2 activation at 400 ∼ 800 °C, and air oxidation at 200 ∼ 350 °C. The results showed that the coordinated regulation could efficiently improve the physicochemical structure and electrochemical properties of PAB. Air oxidation exhibited an obvious improving effect on the activated carbon prepared with mid-temperature activation (optimal at 600 °C), which was strengthened with increasing oxidation temperature from 200 °C to 350 °C. Air oxidation following 600 °C activation could improve the mesoporous rate by etching the pore, and simultaneously introduce more oxygen-containing groups such as carbonyl (C=O) and carboxyl (–COOH) groups, which could enhance the wettability of PAB. The optimal synergistic temperature of ZnCl2 activation and air oxidation was 600 °C and 350 °C (PAB-600-350), respectively. PAB-600-350 is a wonderful supercapacitor electrode material with a higher surface oxygen content (20.74%) and a superior mesoporous rate (35%). At 1 A/g, PAB-600-350 showed the highest capacitance of 256 F/g, which was 2-fold that of PAB-600 (128 F/g). PAB-600-350 capacitors also supplied an excellent energy density of 12.54 Wh/kg at the power density of 225 W/kg in 1 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. Furthermore, a density functional theory (DFT) analysis was performed to investigate the interaction between PAB and electrolyte ions. The results showed that oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface can increase the dipole moment of the material and enhance the adsorption of PAB for electrolyte ions (K+).

Improved wear and corrosion resistance of biomedical TiZrNbTaMo medium-entropy alloy by thermal oxidation treatment

Thermal oxidation treatment was carried out on novel TiZrNbTaMo biomedical Medium-entropy alloy (bio-MEAs) at 400∼600 °C for 2 h in air. The extracted results demonstrated that the oxide layer was mainly composed of oxides of Zr and Ti, in which the content of ZrO2 and TiO2 with high hardness increased with the increase of oxidation temperature, leading to enhanced wear resistance (wear rate reduced from ∼10−4 to ∼10−5 mm3/N⋅m). Likewise, the oxide layer also improves the corrosion resistance of the alloys. The results showed that thermal oxidation can be used as an effective surface treatment method to broaden the application prospects of bio-MEAs.

High-temperature oxidation behavior of laser-cladded refractory Al0.75NbNi0.1Mo0.1Cr0.5Si0.1Wx high-entropy coatings

Refractory High Entropy Alloys (RHEAs) have great potential for ultra-high temperature environments and are one of the potential candidates for high temperature applications. In this work, a series of Al0.75NbNi0.1Mo0.1Cr0.5Si0.1Wx (x = 1, 1.5, 2) refractory high-entropy alloy coatings is prepared by laser cladding technology. The microstructure and oxidation behavior at 1000 °C and effect of changing oxidation temperature on oxidation behavior of the coatings is investigated. The results show that Al0.75NbNi0.1Mo0.1Cr0.5Si0.1Wx RHEA coatings are composed of BCC, W5Si3 and AlNi3 phases. The microstructure of RHEA coatings exhibits dendritic-cellular grain transition with increasing W content. The specific mass gains of coatings due to high temperature oxidation is 65.5 mg/cm2 for x = 1, 8.5 mg/cm2 for x = 1.5 and 14.5 mg/cm2 for x = 2 at 1000 °C for 70 h. After oxidation in 1000 °C for 70 h under air atmosphere, a protective oxide film (such as Al2O3 and SiO2) adhere around NiWO4 on the alloy coatings, which impedes the inward oxygen transport. Moderate addition of W elements is found to be beneficial in enhancing the oxidation resistance of coatings. However, excessive addition of W elements prevents the formation of protective oxides (Al2O3 and SiO2) and reduces the high-temperature oxidation resistance of the coatings. With the increase of oxidation temperature, simple oxides are significantly reduced while compound oxides are increased on the surface of the coatings. The surface appears hill-shaped oxides with the increase of NiWO4.

Oxidized Cellulose Nanocrystals from Durian Peel Waste by Ammonium Persulfate Oxidation.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have gained much attention due to their biodegradable, renewable, nontoxic, and inexpensive nanomaterials with some remarkable properties. In this study, cellulose nanocrystals from durian peel waste were isolated by chemical oxidation. This process involved two stages of a chemical process, namely, bleaching followed by oxidation of ammonium persulfate (APS). The impact of process parameters (APS concentrations and oxidation temperatures) on the oxidized CNC was assessed. The properties of CNC were investigated by attenuated total reflection-infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). ATR-IR results showed that the structure of cellulose did not change during APS oxidation. XRD results indicated that APS oxidation improved the crystallinity index by 103% due to the removal of the amorphous components. The resulting CNC was needlelike in shape and had an average width range of 5.00-7.81 nm, a length range of 114.52-126.83 nm, and an aspect ratio range of 16.76-24.20. From the TGA analysis, the thermal stability was found to increase with increasing oxidation temperature. The optimum conditions for a maximum crystallinity index and the highest thermal stability were obtained at 80°C oxidation with 1 M APS. Therefore, APS oxidation was a remarkable method for increasing the value of durian peel waste into high-value nanocellulose.

Effect of oxidation temperature on the properties of niobium in view of its biomedical applications

Four-hour oxidation processes of niobium in an air atmosphere at temperatures of 400 °C, 425 °C, 450 °C and 500 °C were carried out. In order to characterise the layers produced, the cross-sectional microstructure, chemical and phase composition as well as surface roughness were examined. The mechanical properties of the surface were determined by performing Vickers microhardness tests. In order to verify the properties from a biological point of view, contact angle analysis and corrosion tests in Ringer's solution were carried out. The results revealed the formation of layers composed of a solid solution of oxygen in niobium Nb(O) at oxidation temperatures of 400 °C, a solution of Nb(O) and niobium pentoxide Nb2O5 at 425 °C, and Nb2O5 at 450 °C and 500 °C. Increased oxidation temperature resulted in an increase in hardness and surface roughness, and each process contributed to improved corrosion resistance. Oxidation at too high temperature (≥450 °C) caused degradation of the material's surface due to niobium's low heat resistance. At 450 °C the first cracks in the material were visible, and at 500 °C the layer was inhomogeneous, brittle and underwent significant chipping. The highest hardness, roughness and hydrophobic properties were shown by niobium oxidised at 500 °C, which underwent surface degradation at this temperature. In turn, niobium oxidised at 400 °C and 425 °C showed outstanding properties in the biological aspect, achieving both high hydrophilicity and the highest corrosion resistance.

Low temperature synthesis of VO2 and hysteresis free VOx thin films with high temperature coefficient of resistance for bolometer applications

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is an insulator to metal phase transition material, which finds many electronic and optical applications due to its reversible switching while VOx-based bolometers are widely used in commercial uncooled infrared detectors due to their high-temperature coefficient of resistance and low resistivity. Atmospheric pressure thermal oxidation (APTO) of Vanadium (V) is a simple process used to synthesize VO2 films without the need for precise control of oxygen partial pressure unlike other synthesis methods. In this work, we report the effect of reducing the V oxidation temperature to 250–450 °C during APTO and synthesize films with different oxidation durations. For an optimized oxidation duration at each oxidation temperature, VO2 films are obtained with more than two orders of resistance switching. This optimum oxidation duration is found to decrease exponentially with increase in oxidation temperature with an activation energy of 1.05 eV. The phase transition temperature of these VO2 films is found to decrease monotonically with decrease in oxidation temperature. We also observe that partially oxidized (oxidation time less than optimized oxidation duration to form VO2) VOx films show broad resistance switching from room temperature up to 70 °C instead of steep switching at the phase transition temperature. The partially oxidized film shows a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) as high as ∼10%/K, which is 3–4 times greater than TCR of commercial VOx thin films used in bolometers while showing similar resistivity. The resistivity of these films also exhibits almost zero hysteresis with temperature, an important requirement for bolometer applications. This study will widen the usefulness of the APTO process for fabricating VO2-based devices and high TCR VOx films for bolometer applications. The demonstrated low temperature process will especially be suitable to integrate VO2/VOx on substrates which can sustain only low temperatures such as some of the flexible substrates.

Effect of Ag addition on the oxidation behavior of CrAlN coating at elevated temperatures

The effect of oxidation temperature and amount of Ag addition on CrAlN coating was investigated in this study. No Ag and Ag-based CrAlN coatings were deposited on a substrate using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique. The coatings then were isothermally heated at 800 °C and 900 °C for the 2 hr. Interestingly it is found that even with a small difference in temperature (100 °C), CrAlNAg coating shows different nature of oxidation, mass gain curve, coating microstructure and surface morphology.Surface morphology revels the Ag clusters formation on the top associated with the high temperature heating. While cross-section morphology gives information about Ag distribution and oxides layer formation. Mass gain curve and EDS (Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) results revealed that the oxidation resistant behavior of the CrAlN coating was degrade with increasing Ag content and/or increasing oxidation temperature. Overall, the results suggest that the temperature has a significant effect on the microstructure and properties of Ag-based coatings, and optimizing the deposition temperature can improve the performance of these coatings in various applications.

Increasing CO2 gasification rates of longan-seed char by a technique of char pre-oxidation

A simple and effective technique was presented to increase the longan-seed char gasification rate during CO2 activation by pre-oxidizing the char with air. The kinetics of char gasification was studied in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) for the temperatures of 850–950 °C for char samples being oxidized in a tube furnace at the temperatures of 250, 280, and 300 °C. It was found that the gasification rate of the oxidized char was about twice higher than that of the non-oxidized char. The increase in the char reactivity for CO2 gasification is due to the increasing number of reaction sites caused by the disruption of functional group bonding created during the oxidation step. Additionally, the increase in the oxidation temperature gave rise to the increase in the char reactivity but the maximum temperature was limited by the ignition temperature of the longan-seed char. Four gasification kinetic models were tested against the experimental rate data and it was discovered that the modified volume reaction model (MVRM) provided the best description of the gasification conversion. The pre-exponential factor and the activation energy of the gasification reaction were determined from the Arrhenius equation. The estimated activation energy was found to be in the range of 156.87–218.98 kJ/mol and decreased with the increase of char oxidation temperature.

Experimental study on the effects of pre-oxidation on the pore structure and fractal characteristics of coal

ABSTRACT To assess the effects of pre-oxidation on pore structures and fractal features of coal samples, pre-oxidized coals at various oxidation temperatures were prepared and compared. Pore structure parameters of coal samples were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using electron scanning microscopy (SEM) and N2 adsorption. The pore volume of coal samples increased first and then decreased with the increase of oxidation temperature. Among them, the pre-oxidized coal at 150°C is the highest, which is 27.92% higher than the raw coal. The fractal features of coal samples were calculated by fractal theory. It was found that pre-oxidation makes pore fissures of coal samples develop with obvious pore expansion effect, which is more obvious at the higher pre-oxidation temperature. In addition, fractal dimension D 2 of coal samples was increased by pre-oxidation, indicating that pore structures of pre-oxidized coal are more complex than those of raw coal.

High temperature oxidation and microstructural evolution of SiC layer of TRISO particles in the presence of NaCl

With the different types of advanced nuclear fission reactors, the reliability of the SiC layer in tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) particles exposed to different corrosive environments is of vital important. In the present work, the oxidation behaviors of the SiC layer of TRISO particles exposed in NaCl salts with the concentrations of 0.2–2 wt% at 800–1400 °C were investigated. The effects of NaCl concentration and oxidation temperature on phase composition, microstructure, and chemical composition of the TRISO particle samples were systematically investigated. The results show that, with the increase of oxidation temperature and NaCl concentration, the oxidation rate of SiC layer in TRISO particles was accelerated. However, the effect of NaCl concentration alone on the oxidation rate of SiC layer was not significant. This could be attributed to the volatility of NaCl at high temperature. In addition, just like other halogen salts, NaCl salts also reacted with the oxide layer to form silicate compounds, such as Na2SiO3, which provided a channel for both oxygen and fluoride ions to diffuse into the inner SiC layer. The results obtained in the present work can provide a guide for the application of TRISO particles in molten salt stacks of chlorine salt.

Oxidation Property of a Fourth-Generation Powder Metallurgy FGH4108 Nickel-Based Superalloy

Isothermal oxidation kinetics of a fourth-generation powder metallurgy FGH4108 nickel-based superalloy is investigated at 800 °C to 1100 °C by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). At 800 °C and 900 °C, the oxidation kinetic curves of the FGH4108 superalloy follow parabolic law. At 1000 °C, the oxidation kinetic curve follows cubic law. At 1100 °C, the oxidation kinetic curve has two distinct parts: the first part follows a parabolic law, and the second one obeys a linear law. Cross-sectional morphologies and elemental distributions show that the oxide film consists of two parts at 800 °C: the outer layer is a continuous dense protective Cr2O3 oxide film, and the inner layer is a discontinuous Al2O3 oxide layer. At 900–1100 °C, the oxides consist of three layers: the outermost is the oxides of Cr2O3 and TiO2, the middle is a continuous oxide of Al2O3, and the innermost is dotted oxides of TiO2. The thickness of the inner TiO2 oxide layer increases with the increase of oxidation temperature. On this basis, the oxidation behavior of the FGH4108 superalloy at high temperatures is confirmed to be controlled by the diffusion of Cr, Al, Ti, and O. From the aspect of oxidation resistance, the long-term service temperature of the FGH4108 superalloy should not exceed 1000 °C.

Physicochemical properties, combustion kinetics and thermodynamics of oxidized lignite

Lignite oxidizes easily during storage and transportation. Furthermore, the surface characteristics of lignite change during oxidation, affecting its thermal conversion process. Herein, the surface functional groups and pore structures of lignite oxidized at temperatures below 190 °C were investigated. Moreover, the kinetics and thermodynamics of the combustion of lignite were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis. The relationship between the surface structure and combustion performance of oxidized lignite was established, and the effect of oxidation on the characteristics of the combustion process was evaluated. The results revealed that the value of CH3/CH2 increased considerably upon increasing oxidation temperature from 70 to 150 °C. The number of –OH groups decreased with increasing in oxidation temperature, whereas the number of CO groups decreased gradually, then increased significantly, and lastly decreased with increasing oxidation temperature. The mesoporous structure of lignite was severely damaged during oxidation, the specific surface area and pore volume of oxidized lignite were lower than those of raw coal, and the average pore diameter of oxidized lignite was significantly higher than that of raw lignite. The poor combustion performance of oxidized lignite was attributed to its low mesopore specific surface area and low pore volume. The activation energy (Ea) of lignite during combustion was calculated to be 35.29 kJ/mol using the Ginstling-Broushtein equation, and the Ea of oxidized lignite ranged between 40.53 and 45.93 kJ/mol. These results indicate that a large amount of energy was required to burn oxidized lignite. Therefore, the oxidation of lignite should be avoided during the storage process to damage the pore structure, thus affecting the combustion performance; the pore structure of oxidized lignite can be adjusted to enhance its combustion performance. This will effectively improve the utilization efficiency and economic value of lignite.

CHARACTERISATION OF MICROMECHANICALAND TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF TITANIUM GRADE 2AFTER CYCLIC OXIDATION

This paper presents the characterisation of micromechanical and tribological properties of titanium Grade2 before and after cyclic oxidation. The oxidation process was carried out at temperatures of 600C, 650Cand 700C in 4 and 12 cycles. Microscopic studies showed that oxide particle size increased with increasingoxidation temperature and the number of cycles. Titanium Grade 2 showed up to 3 times higher hardnessafter cyclic oxidation. The highest hardness (8.4 GPa) was obtained after 12 cycles of titanium oxidation at650C. Tribological tests were conducted in pairs with different materials (Al2O3, ZrO2, bearing steel 100Cr6).The presence of oxide layers obtained on the titanium surface resulted in a significant reduction in specificwear rate. Titanium Grade 2 showed the best resistance to sliding wear after cyclic oxidation at 600C duringsliding interaction with ZrO2 and 100Cr6 balls (unmeasurable wear under assumed test conditions). In theother test variants, the reduction in wear ranged from 37 to 96%.