Phosphate Silicate Research Articles

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Nanolubricant Films of Alkali Glasses under Sliding Asperity Contacts

In this paper, the tribological performance of two alkali glass lubricants (sodium phosphate and sodium silicate) at the nanoscale were compared in a reactive molecular dynamics simulation. The obt...

Engineering Calcium-bearing Mineral/Hydrogel Composites for Effective Phosphate Recovery.

Effectively recovering phosphate from wastewater streams and reutilizing it as a nutrient will critically support sustainability. Here, to capture aqueous phosphate, we developed novel mineral-hydrogel composites composed of calcium alginate, calcium phosphate (CaP), and calcium silicate (CSH) (CaP + CSH/Ca-Alg). The CaP + CSH/Ca-Alg composites were synthesized by dripping a sodium alginate (Na-Alg) solution with ionic precursors into a calcium chloride bath. To change the mineral seed's properties, we varied the calcium bath concentrations and the ionic precursor (sodium dibasic phosphate (NaH2PO4) and/or sodium silicate (Na2SiO3)) amounts and their ratios. The added CSH in the mineral-hydrogel composites resulted in the release of calcium and silicate ions in phosphate-rich solutions, increasing the saturation ratio with respect to calcium phosphate within the mineral-hydrogel composites. The CSH addition to the mineral-hydrogel composites doubled the phosphate removal rate while requiring lesser initial amounts of Ca and P materials for synthesis. By incorporating both CSH and CaP mineral seeds in composites, we achieved a final concentration of 0.25 mg-P/L from an initial 6.20 mg-P/L. Moreover, the mineral-hydrogel composites can remove phosphate even under CaP undersaturated conditions. This suggests their potential to be a widely applicable and environmentally-sustainable treatment and recovery method for nutrient-rich wastewater.

A strontium and amorphous calcium phosphate dipped premixed injectable calcium silicate-based ceramic for dental root canal sealing

A type of strontium and amorphous calcium phosphate dipped premixed injectable tricalcium silicate-based dental root canal sealer was developed as the following protocols. A powder mixture containing tricalcium silicate, strontium carbonate (6, 8, 10, and 12 wt%), zirconia (20 wt%), calcium chloride (6 wt%), and amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) (5 wt%) was mixed with liquid polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) at a liquid-to-powder ratio of 0.5 mL/g and mechanically ground using a planetary ball to obtain the premixed injectable calcium silicate-based sealer. The sealer’s physicochemical property and cytocompatibility were evaluated in vitro. Quantitative data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, and Student's t-test or a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were carried out at significant differences with P < 0.05. All the sealer groups had suitable flowability (21.3–33.3 mm, n = 3), setting time (241.87 ± 32.72–299.00 ± 26.05 min, n = 8) and radiopacity basically according to ISO 6876-2012 standard. The pH value generally stabilized between 10 and 12 (n = 5) when the sealer was immersed into deionized water or phosphate buffered solution. The sealing property of root canal sealer was evaluated by dye penetration, 6% strontium groups had the best root canal sealing property among all the groups (1.21 ± 0.17–5.75 ± 0.97) mm, n = 10, P < 0.05). 6% strontium groups bonded together to the dental root canal wall, penetrated the dentinal tubule to occlude the dentinal tubules, formed calcium–silicate–hydrate (C–S–H) network structure, induced a layer of nano hydroxyapatite crystal grown on its surface in simulated body fluid (SBF), showing good biomineralization activity. It also had osteogenic differentiation activity cultured with rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (n = 5, P < 0.05). This sealer provided a potential new filling material for root canal therapy and has promising application prospects.

The effect of Ag incorporation on the characteristics of the polymer derived bioactive silicate phosphate glass-ceramic scaffolds

In the bone tissue engineering field (BTE), it is of significant importance to develop bioactive multifunctional scaffolds with enhanced osteoconductivity, osteoinductivity, and antibacterial properties required for lost bone tissue regeneration. In this work, a bioactive glass-ceramic scaffold was manufactured via a novel polymer-derived ceramics (PDC) manufacturing method. To gain antibacterial properties, the silver ions were incorporated in controlled amount along with other precursors in the PDC processing stage. Microstructural and structural properties of the fabricated silicate-phosphate glass-ceramic scaffold were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, respectively. Furthermore, bioactivity, antibacterial, and cytotoxicity evaluation of PDC scaffolds were conducted. The microstructural analysis determined that scaffolds have interconnected porous network with two different pore range size favorable for osteointegration and bone formation. The structural analysis confirmed that fabricated glass-ceramic scaffolds contain bioactive octacalcium phosphate (OCP) phase responsible for enhanced bioactivity and HCA formation during the immersing of scaffolds in simulated body fluid (SBF) for several days. Moreover, PDC scaffolds with Ag nanoparticles showed considerable antibacterial properties against Gram-negative Klebsiella pneumoniae and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria cells. This study has demonstrated that it is possible to develop a novel group of antibacterial and bioactive Ag incorporated silicate-phosphate glass-ceramic scaffolds for BTE applications, such that, it was verified in vivo.

The impact of leuprolide acetate-loaded calcium phosphate silicate cement to bone regeneration under osteoporotic conditions

Osteoporosis is detrimental to the health of skeletal structure and significantly increases the risks of bone fracture. Moreover, bone regeneration is adversely impaired by increased osteoclastic activities as a result of osteoporosis. In this study, we developed a novel formulation of injectable bone cement based on calcium phosphate silicate cement (CPSC) and leuprolide acetate (LA). Several combinations of LA-CPSC bone cement were characterized and, it is found that LA could increase the setting time and compressive strength of CPSC in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, the in vitro results revealed that LA-CPSC was biocompatible and able to encourage the osteoblast proliferation via the mTOR signalling pathway. Furthermore, the LA-CPSC was implanted in the osteoporotic rats to evaluate its effectiveness to repair bone fractures under the osteoporotic conditions. The biomarker study and micro-CT analyses indicated that LA-CPSC could effectively reduce the osteoclast activities and promote the bone regeneration. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that LA-CPSC injectable bone cement should be a viable solution to repair bone fractures under the osteoporotic conditions.

Statistical tools for studying the temporal variations in chlorophyll-a concentration along the Southwest Bay of Bengal waters

Multivariate statistical analysis such as Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are used to study the effect of physico-chemical parameters on chlorophyll distribution along the southwest Bay of Bengal from January 2012 to June 2014. Physical properties recorded showed clear seasonal patterns in sea surface temperature (26.2 – 32.8 °C), salinity (24 – 36 PSU), pH (7.808 to 8.428), photosynthetic photon flux (522 – 1220.4 µM m-2s-1) with the minimum and maximum values during monsoon and summer seasons, respectively. In contrast, the chemical variables such as nitrite (0.15 to 2.35 µM), nitrate (1.02 to 6.58 µM), ammonia (0.11 – 5.22 µM), total nitrogen (1.04 to 11.58 µM), inorganic phosphate (0.16 – 2.97 µM), total phosphorus (0.55 – 8.60 µM) and reactive silicate (2.00 to 23.95 µM) showed the minimum and maximum concentration during summer and monsoon seasons, respectively. The high and low chlorophyll (0.10 to 6.92 µg l-1) and dissolved oxygen (4.07 and 7.884 mg l-1) concentrations are observed during summer and pre-monsoon seasons, respectively. PCA found that nitrogenous nutrients and chlorophyll are positively loaded and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) was negatively loaded in all the seasons except during summer season. Inter-comparison of modeled and in-situ chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration showed a significant correlation during monsoon season by 93 % of matchup with a R2 = 0.930, N = 60 and SEE = ±0.369 compared to other seasons. Regression analysis also predicted the positive influence of nitrate and ammonia and negative influence of SST with chl-a.

Structural and Optical Properties of Pure and Sulfur-Doped Silicate-Phosphate Glass.

A series of silicate–phosphate glass materials from the SiO2-P2O5-K2O-MgO system (pure and doped with sulfur ions) were synthesized by melting raw material mixtures that contained activated carbon as a reducer. The bulk composition of glass was confirmed with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The homogeneity of the glass was confirmed through elemental mapping at the microstructural level with scanning electron microscopy combined with an analysis of the microregions with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The structural and optical properties of the glass were studied by using spectroscopic techniques. The infrared spectroscopy studies that were conducted showed that the addition of sulfur caused changes in the silicate–phosphate networks, as they became more polymerized, which was likely related to the accumulation of potassium near the sulfur ions. By using irradiation with an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) nanosecond laser system operating at the second harmonic wavelength, the glass samples emitted a wide spectrum of luminescence, peaking at about 700 nm when excited by UV light (210–280 nm). The influence of the glass composition and the laser-processing parameters on the emission characteristics is presented and discussed. This work also referred to the density, molar volume, and theoretical optical basicity of pure and sulfur-doped glass.

Enhancement of mechanical strength and osteogenesis, and inhibition of osteoclastic activity for β-tricalcium phosphate bioceramics by incorporating calcium silicate and magnesium-strontium phosphate

β-tricalcium phosphate bioceramics suffer from a drawback of poor mechanical strength and a scarcity of capacity to regulate biological performances. In the current study, the overall performances of β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) bioceramics were improved by incorporating calcium silicate (CS) and magnesium-strontium phosphate (MSP). During the sintering process, the MSP stabilized the β phase of TCP, and the formation of MSP melt ensured effective liquid-sintering of TCP, thus conducing to lower porosity of TCP/MSP and TCP/CS/MSP bioceramics. In comparison with the TCP bioceramics, the TCP/CS and TCP/MSP bioceramics showed lower compressive strength, while the TCP/CS/MSP bioceramics attained noticeably higher compressive strength. Due to the sustained release of therapeutical ions, the TCP/CS bioceramics enhanced in vitro early-stage osteoblastic differentiation, but compromised cell proliferation; both the TCP/MSP and TCP/CS/MSP bioceramics enhanced cell proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation, and restrained osteoclastic activities. Collectively, the TCP/CS/MSP bioceramics with optimal overall performances are promising for efficaciously treating the defects of osteoporotic bone.

Plant Growth, Yield and Quality of Potato Crop in Relation to Potassium Fertilization

The present work evaluated the effect of soil (S) and foliage (F) applied potassium on the growth, yield, and quality of potato plants. Potassium was added in soil at the recommended rate for all the treatments combining mineral fertilizers with K-feldspar and biofertilizers, while foliar spraying included the application of potassium citrate (PC), potassium silicate (PS), and monopotassium phosphate (MP). The obtained results showed that plant height was highest following treatment with 100% mineral potassium fertilizer under the foliar application of MP, while the content of P, K, and total carbohydrates in leaves also increased with the same fertilization treatment. On the other hand, the highest values for number of stems and fresh and dry weight per plant, as well as the highest nitrogen content in leaves, were obtained after the addition of mineral potassium fertilizer and the foliar spraying of PC, regardless of the growing season. Yield parameters were positively affected by the combination of mineral potassium fertilizers (100% or 80% K2SO4 + 20% K-feldspar + biofertilizer) and the foliar spraying of MP, while the total nitrogen, protein, amino acids, potassium, phosphorus, and starch content of tubers were positively affected by the same mineral fertilizer treatments combined with foliar spraying of MP or CP. In conclusion, the application of mineral potassium fertilizer with foliar spraying of MP or CP increased most of the plant growth- and tuber chemical composition-related parameters. These results highlight the importance of potassium fertilizer regimes for achieving high tuber yields and improving the quality of tubers in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

Protective effect of calcium silicate toothpaste on enamel erosion and abrasion in vitro

ObjectivesTo compare in vitro the effect of a toothpaste containing fluoride (F), calcium silicate (CaSi) and sodium phosphate salts to conventional toothpaste (NaF) on human enamel specimens submitted to erosive and abrasive challenges. Methods48 sound and 48 enamel samples pre-treated with 1% citric acid were divided into 4 groups (n = 12): Group 1- Non-fluoride toothpaste; Group 2- NaF toothpaste (1450 ppmF); Group 3- CaSi toothpaste (1450 ppmF; MFP); Group 4- Erosion only. The samples were subjected to pH cycling (3 cycles/day; 90s; 1% citric acid, pH 3.6) and to abrasion for 7 days. After the 1st and the last cycle, they were submitted to abrasion (15s, 1.5N load), using a brushing machine, soft toothbrush and toothpaste slurry (1:3; 15ml/sample) and then immersed in the slurry for 45s. Samples were immersed in artificial saliva between the challenges. Enamel loss was evaluated using profilometry on days 3 and 7. Data were analysed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (p < 0.05). ResultsFor sound enamel at baseline, mean (±SD) enamel loss (μm) for groups 1–4 on day 3 was 2.15 ± 0.35a, 1.20 ± 0.22b, 0.95 ± 0.19b and 1.98 ± 0.32a; on day 7 was 3.05 ± 0.40a, 2.07 ± 0.32b, 1.36 ± 0.33c and 3.69 ± 0.27d respectively. For acid-softened enamel at baseline, enamel loss on day 3 was 3.16 ± 0.19a, 2.17 ± 0.14b, 1.70 ± 0.11c and 3.04 ± 0.19a; on day 7 was 3.92 ± 0.25a, 3.07 ± 0.13b, 2.09 ± 0.15c and 3.87 ± 0.25a respectively. ConclusionsBoth F toothpastes led to significantly higher enamel protection from short-term erosion and abrasion in comparison to the non-F toothpaste and erosion only. In the longer term, CaSi toothpaste conferred significantly higher protection than NaF toothpaste. Clinical significanceThe results showed that for the longer term the CaSi toothpaste provided significantly higher protection than the NaF toothpaste, which indicates a good potential of the former to help prevent erosive tooth wear.

Petrogenesis of Zr–Nb (REE) carbonatites from the Arbarastakh complex (Aldan Shield, Russia): Mineralogy and inclusion data

The Arbarastakh Neoproterozoic ultramafic carbonatite complex is located in the southwestern part of the Siberian Craton (Aldan Shield) and contains ore-bearing Zr–Nb (REE) carbonatites and phoscorites. Carbonatites are mainly represented by calcite and silicocarbonatite varieties. The primary minerals composing the carbonatites are calcite and dolomite, as well as phlogopite, clinopyroxene, fluorapatite, amphibole, fluorite, K-feldspar and feldspathoids. Olivine (forsterite), Ti-magnetite, apatite, phlogopite, calcite, dolomite and the minor spinel group minerals form the primary phoscorites. The ore-bearing Zr–Nb mineral assemblages of the phoscorites and carbonatites include accessory zircon, zirconolite, perovskite, pyrochlore and baddeleyite. The Ba–Sr–REE hydrothermal mineralisation consists of ancylite-(Ce), bastnaesite-(Ce) and burbankite, as well as barite-celestite, strontianite, barytocalcite, and rare Cu–Fe sulphides. The silicocarbonatites and carbonatites formed in multiple stages from a single alkaline Ca–Na–K–silicocarbonatite melt, while the phoscorites are products of differentiation of the carbonatitic melt and were crystallised from an Fe-rich phosphate–carbonate melt at temperatures of more than 720 °C. The silicate–phosphate–carbonate melts were responsible for the Zr–Nb mineralisation of the carbonatites at temperatures of more than 540–575 °C; the hydrothermal REE-bearing mineral assemblages crystallised from saline (60–70 wt%) carbonatitic fluids of Na–Ca–Mg–F–carbonate composition at a minimum temperature range of 350–300 °C. The Ca–Sr-carbonate as well as the Na–hydro–carbonate fluids were responsible for the Ba–Sr–REE mineralisation of the phoscorites at ~500–480 and 450–430 °C.

Calcium silicate phosphate cement with samarium oxide additions for neutron shielding applications in nuclear industry

A simple method to obtain calcium silicate phosphate with samarium oxide (Sm2O3) admixtures is presented. Samples were produced by mixing mineral wollastonite (CaSiO3) and Sm2O3 powders with an aqueous acidic formulation of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) at room temperature. Microstructural, mechanical, and neutron attenuation properties of phosphate pastes with Sm2O3 additions between 1 and 10 wt% were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed that the composites were made of remaining CaSiO3 and Sm2O3 and newly created silica (SiO2) and brushite (CaHPO4⋅2H2O) phases. The highest compressive strength (37 MPa) was achieved for phosphates pastes with 1 wt% Sm2O3 loading, representing 15% improvement over the reference sample (32 MPa). Composites with 10 wt% Sm2O3 (27 MPa) showed a reduction of 15% in compressive strength over the reference paste. Finally, the effect of Sm2O3 concentration on the neutron shielding properties was studied. For additions of 10 wt % Sm2O3 an improvement of more than 1000% in linear attenuation coefficient for thermal and epithermal neutrons was measured. Based on the overall results from this study, it is concluded that the optimum interval of Sm2O3 content in wollastonite phosphate cement for neutron shielding in nuclear systems ranged between 1 and 5 wt%.

PDMS-enhanced slowly degradable Ca-P-Si scaffold: Material characterization, fabrication and in vitro biocompatibility study.

A slowly degradable bone scaffold can well maintain the balance between new bone regeneration and scaffold resorption, esp. for seniors or patients suffering from pathological diseases, because too fast degradation can lead to the loss of long-term biological stability and result in scaffold failure. In this present study, calcium phosphate silicate (CPS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were blended in different ratios to formulate slurries for scaffold fabrication. The effects of crosslinked PDMS on the CPS material properties were first characterized and the most viable formulation of CPS-PDMS slurry was determined based on the aforementioned results to 3D fabricate scaffolds. The biocompatibility of CPS-PDMS was further evaluated based on the scaffold extract's cytotoxicity to osteoblast cells. Furthermore, real-time PCR was used to investigate the effects of scaffold extract to increase osteoblast proliferation. It is showed that the crosslinked PDMS interfered with CPS hydration and reduced both setting rate and compressive strength of CPS. In addition, CPS porosity was also found to increase with PDMS due to uneven water distribution as a result of increased hydrophobicity. Degradation and mineralization studies show that CPS-PDMS scaffold was slowly degradable and induced apatite formation. In addition, the in vitro analyses show that the CPS-PDMS scaffold did not exert any cytotoxic effect on osteoblast cells but could improve the cell proliferation via the TGFβ/BMP signaling pathway. In conclusion, CPS-PDMS scaffold is proved to be slowly degradable and biocompatible. Further analyses are therefore needed to demonstrate CPS-PDMS scaffold applications in bone regeneration.

Synthesis and characterization of silver substituted strontium phosphate silicate apatite using solid-state reaction for osteoregenerative applications

ABSTRACT Strontium phosphosilicate is one of the fastest-growing apatite in bone regeneration application due to the presence of strontium and silica components in the parent materials. However, bacterial infections cause setbacks to the bone regeneration process often leading to surgical revisions, and is a big issue that needs to be addressed. Silver on this front has proven to be a great substituent as seen in the case of calcium phosphate–based ceramics that addresses the bactericidal properties of a biomaterial. Apatite strontium phosphosilicate substituted with a stoichiometric amount of silver as a dopant was synthesized using a high-temperature solid-state reaction. The phase formation was characterized by XRD and FT-IR coupled with morphological features visualized using Electron Microscopy. Antibacterial properties were investigated quantitatively using Colony-forming unit method against both Gram-positive as well as Gram-negative bacteria. Cytotoxicity assay was performed against MG-63 Cell lines and it showed excellent biocompatibility at 25ug/ml with optimal doping of 2% silver. Further, apatite seeding and formation were characterized after immersion in simulated body fluid solution which showed apatite phase formation initiated after 4 days of treatment characterized by XRD and FT-IR studies. This apatite formation was also visualized and confirmed using SEM.

Activities of P&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt; in Solid Solutions between Di-calcium Silicate and Tri-calcium Phosphate at 1573 K

Activities of P&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;5&lt;/sub&gt; in Solid Solutions between Di-calcium Silicate and Tri-calcium Phosphate at 1573 K

Fabrication of bioactive novel scaffold by solid‐state reaction sintering for bone regeneration

In this work we present a new type of scaffold obtained by solid-state reaction, simultaneous sintering of a mixture of precursor oxides, carbonates, and organic substances, the latter used for pore generation. Having variable local composition, exhibits excellent overall physicochemical and bioactivity response. Open porosity is about 50%-60% and its permeability 10-11 m2 . X-ray diffraction exhibits the presence of a sodium-calcium silicate and sodium-calcium phosphate crystalline phases. Additionally, by mechanical compression tests the range of failure stress obtained for the scaffolds was 0.3-1.1MPa. The bioactivity and dissolution rate of the scaffolds were evaluated by in vitro tests. After 1week soaking in simulated body fluid, the formation of a continuous hydroxyapatite layer, which does not differentiate local compositions, was observed. Our results from cell culture tests clearly indicate that during hydroxyapatite layer formation, scaffolds do not liberate any cytotoxic substances. Moreover, cells seeded in the hydroxyapatite-covered scaffolds grew better than the control.

Effect of the Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Time of an ML10 Alloy in a Silicate–Phosphate Electrolyte on the Structure and Properties of the Coating

The results of a comparative analysis of the structure and properties of the plasma electrolytic coating formed in a silicate–phosphate electrolyte with the time varied from 10 to 60 min are considered. The structure of the protective nonmetallic inorganic coating is studied by scanning electron microscopy, and structural changes are revealed and compared. The change in the chemical composition with the oxidation time is examined, and the distribution of chemical elements over the coating depth is established. The layered state of the coating fabricated by plasma electrolytic oxidation is confirmed. The changes in the protective properties of the coatings are evaluated.

Anti-caking Agent Effects on the Properties of Spray-dried ‘Cempedak’ Fruit Powder

‘Cempedak’ fruit, an aromatic fruit that has a short shelf life can be converted into powder through spray-drying process. However, the spray-dried powder that was obtained had a high tendency to cake. Hence, three different anti-caking agents (calcium silicate, silicon dioxide, and calcium phosphate) were added separately at a concentration of 1.5% (w/w). It was found that calcium phosphate (1.5% w/w) yielded ‘cempedak’ fruit powder with lowest moisture content, water activity, hygroscopicity, and caking (change in cake height ratio), with minimal color changes in its reconstituted form and low viscosity. Different calcium phosphate concentration (0-2.00% w/w) was then applied in the production of ‘spray-dried’ powder. With increase of calcium phosphate addition from 0 to 0.66%, the moisture content, water activity, hygroscopicity, cake height ratio of ‘cempedak’ powder decreased, with no significant decrease with further addition. Calcium phosphate (0.66 % w/w) yielded powder with the best properties: lowest moisture content (4.65%), water activity (0.18), hygroscopicity (22.0), and change in cake height ratio (0.17). In addition, there was a minimal change in color of its reconstituted powder, with a slight change in viscosity.

Experiments on phosphate–silicate liquid immiscibility with potential links to iron oxide apatite and nelsonite deposits

The formation of phosphorus–iron oxide (P–Fe) immiscible melts and their possible connection to the genesis of Kiruna-type and Nelsonite deposits was experimentally investigated by adding phosphoric acid (H3PO4), water, and sulfur, to andesite at 100–450 MPa, 500–900 °C, at the NiNiO and magnetite-hematite fO2 buffers using internally heated gas vessels. The addition of up to 8.02 wt% of H3PO4 to the andesite causes crystallization of apatite. At higher concentrations of H3PO4 whitlockite crystallizes, and at concentrations above ~ 11.4% H3PO4 (at 800 °C, 385 MPa) an immiscible P–Fe melt forms. Adding sulfur at low fO2 (NiNiO) causes an additional immiscible Fe–S melt to form. Increasing the fO2 to the hematite-magnetite buffer causes the sulfur-rich melt to shift in composition to a Ca–S–O melt, and the coexisting P-Fe melt to incorporate large amounts of SO4. Immiscible P-Fe melts can form at temperatures above 1100 °C down to 600 °C (at 400 MPa). Mass balance calculations show that some experimentally produced P-Fe rich immiscible liquids may result in mineral assemblages similar to those found at some Kiruna-type deposits, such as actinolite-rich dikes, and apatite-rich veins. Depending on the geological conditions and the composition the fractionation of a P-Fe melt may result in the formation of nelsonites at high pressures, high temperatures, and low fO2 or Kiruna-type deposits at lower temperatures and higher fO2.

Graphenised Lithium Iron Phosphate and Lithium Manganese Silicate Hybrid Cathodes: Potentials for Application in Lithium‐ion Batteries

AbstractSol‐gel and hand milling techniques were used to prepare a lithium iron phosphate‐lithium manganese silicate (LiFePO4−Li2MnSiO4) hybrid cathode materials. The structural studies from x‐ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) show that the materials are well crystallized although few impurities were observed in the pristine LiFePO4 (LFP) and Li2MnSiO4 (LMS) materials. We used graphene to coat the hybrid cathode materials in order to increase its conductivity and enhance the electrochemical performance. The successful reduction of the graphene oxide into graphene nanosheets was confirmed with the results from the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The morphological analysis indicate that the pristine materials are made of spherical nanoparticles that are slightly agglomerated while the sol‐gel‐prepared hybrid cathode materials show evenly distributed spherical nanoparticles with minimal agglomeration. The in situ sol‐gel technique gave more homogenously mixed material in comparison to the hand milling method and particle sizes of 37 and 23 nm respectively were obtained for the plain, and graphenised sol gel derived hybrid materials. The sol‐gel derived hybrid materials are also the most thermally stable giving a total weight loss of 4.5 % and 3.4 % for the plain and graphenised cathodes respectively. While the LFP‐LMS hybrid cathode materials performed better electrochemically more than the pristine materials in terms of enhanced current and specific capacities, the graphenised LFP‐LMS hybrid cathode materials showed better electrochemical properties compared to those without graphene. This is associated with the presence of graphene nanosheets in these samples. All the results confirmed that the graphenised LiFePO4−Li2MnSiO4 hybrid cathode material prepared via in situ sol‐gel method performed better than those of the hand milling method.