Powder Weight Ratio Research Articles

Synthesis of highly porous layered hydrogen titanium oxide(HTO) granule by using carboxymethylated cellulose nanofibrils(CMCNFs) for effective recovery of Lithium(Li) from low-grade brines

Layered hydrogen titanium oxide (HTO) shows potential for lithium (Li) recovery from low-grade brines, but its practical use is hindered due to its particulate nature. In this study, we developed highly porous HTO granules using carboxymethylated cellulose nanofibrils (CMCNFs) as a binder (CMCNF@HTOs) and evaluated their Li adsorption efficiency in simulated brines. These granules were produced by combining a 5 wt% CMCNF solution with varying HTO powder weight ratios, followed by freeze-drying and thermal cross-linking. Optimal conditions yielded granules with over 93.48 % mechanical stability and more than 51.22 % porosity, using a 10:1 CMCNF solution to HTO powder ratio. The HTO powder is homogeneously distributed on the granules with 66.60 % of contents.The CMCNF@HTO demonstrated a maximum Li adsorption capacity of 34.72 mg/g, only a 6.77 mg/g reduction compared to pure HTO powder (41.49 mg/g). This minimal decrease in capacity is attributed to the granules' highly porous structure from freeze-drying and the hydrophilic properties of CMCNFs, which mitigated the brine diffusion interference. Furthermore, the effectiveness of CMCNF@HTOs was tested in various simulated brines, including those from the Salton Sea, saline groundwater, and the Great Salt Lake. Notably, in each brine, the CMCNF@HTOs selectively recovered only Li, underscoring their practicality for Li extraction from diverse low-grade brine sources.

Improved charge density and stability in PDMS ferroelectrets using PDMS/PTFE composite materials

A ferroelectret is a flexible cellular polymer structure that generates electrical power under mechanical force. It behaves like a piezoelectric material in that a voltage is generated when the ferroelectret deforms. Its electrical output significantly depends on the surface charge density of the material used. Previous ferroelectrets fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) benefit from the soft, stretchable mechanical properties of the PDMS but the ability of this material to trap charge at its surface is poor. This paper presents approaches to enhance the surface charge density and stability of a PDMS based ferroelectret device by adding Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to the PDMS. This PDMS/PTFE composite has been evaluated when used to fabricate the ferroelectret device and when used as an additional coating the internal void surfaces of an otherwise plain PDMS ferroelectret. As the proportion of PTFE increases, the surface charge density on the void surfaces increases resulting in a corresponding increase in the piezoelectric properties of the ferroelectret. A weight ratio of PTFE powder and PDMS of 1:3 was found to achieve improved piezoelectric performance with an initial effective piezoelectric coefficient, d33e, of around 700 pC/N which decayed initially and reached a steady state value of around 365 pC/N measured after 4 months after poling. This presents a considerable improvement in performance when compared with the effective d33e of pure PDMS which has an initial value of around 110 pC/N and drops to below 8 pC/N after 4 months. The energy harvester potential of the ferroelectret was explored by cyclically compressing the PDMS/PTFE composite layer ferroelectret structure with a force of 500 N applied at 1 Hz. The output of the ferroelectret was found to charge a 10 μF capacitor to 0.12 V after 40 s. Maximum output power occurs at a load resistance of 15 MΩ, with a peak power of 4 μW. A fabricated PDMS/PTFE composite layer ferroelectret sample (weight ratio of PTFE powder and PDMS of 1:3) was also tested as a pressure sensor range from 0 to 500 N and achieved a sensitivity of 9.9 mV/N. The nonlinearity error of the proposed sensor was 1.7%.

Study the effect of adding vulcanized rubber powder on the mechanical properties and fire retardant of polyurethane Sealant.

The polyurethane Sealant (TRITOSIL H10 PU) mechanical and combustion characteristics were examined in this study as a function of the weight ratio of tire rubber powder (waste), with a particle volume of (150 μm). Elongation, tensile strength, Young's modulus, compressive strength, and rate of burning time were a few of the characteristics examined. The results showed that adding filler decreases the spaces between the chains of polymer, reflecting the polymer's high ability to withstand the stress imposed on it, that the degree of homogeneity between each of the fillers and polymers is high, and that increasing the percentage of fillers gives the prepared models a slight increase in hardness at a percentage increase (25%). Based on research into combustion resistance, The results of the experiments showed that increasing the amount of used filler has a positive impact on heat diffusion through the polymeric matrix and flame resistance. The use of filler as a filler has an impact on the properties of the polyurethane polymer, which has high mechanical properties. This increases tensile strength, which makes it appropriate to cover the flooring of indoor playgrounds, kids' playrooms, and other spaces.

Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, In Vitro Biodegradability, and Biocompatibility of Mg-Zn/HA Composites for Biomedical Implant Applications.

Recently, Mg-Zn/hydroxyapatite (HA) composites have attracted much attention as potential candidates for use in bone implants. In this paper, the MgZn/HA composites were prepared using powder metallurgy (PM) and the merging mechanism of MgZn and HA particles was investigated by adjusting the weight ratio of the HA powder. The evolution of the HA distribution in the matrix was examined using SEM and micro-CT images. Afterward, the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the composites were discussed in detail. The results revealed that the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the Mg-Zn/HA composites were significantly affected by the HA content. Composites with a low HA content showed increased porosity, improved mechanical strength, and enhanced corrosion resistance after ball milling and cold pressing. These results underscore the importance of optimizing the HA content in Mg-Zn/HA composites for bone implants. Based on our findings, PM Mg-Zn/HA composites with a moderate HA content demonstrate the most promising characteristics as bone implants. The insights gained from this work contribute to the advancement of bone implant materials and hold great potential for enhancing orthopedic surgery outcomes.

3D printed heterogeneous cation exchange membrane processed using stereolithography

AbstractMembrane chemistry belongs to the field in which 3D printing can advantageously also be used because of enabling the production of prototypes with precisely defined dimensions. The presented work aimed to develop new polymeric compositions for heterogeneous cation exchange membranes manufactured using stereolithography (SLA) from commercially available materials. Three types of photo‐curable thermoset resins (acrylic resin and two types of epoxy resins) were used as polymer matrixes in combination with strong acid cation exchange resin (CER) powder. The membrane production consisted of several stages, namely mixing the photo‐curable resin with finely ground CER powder, processing using SLA, and appropriate post‐curing using UV light and elevated temperature. The work aimed to monitor the influence of the photo‐curable resin type and post‐curing on the microstructural, electrochemical, and mechanical properties of resulting membrane objects. The results revealed that heterogeneous cation exchange membranes could be processed using SLA from the mixture of the acrylic photo‐curable resin and CER powder (weight ratio of 60/40) without the need for post‐curing. These products exhibited high permselectivity (93%), high ion exchange capacity (2.23 meq⋅g−1), and sufficiently low electrical resistance (2200 Ω⋅cm), which predetermines them for efficient electrophoretic separation.

Effect of ball mill time and wet pre-milling on the fabrication of Ti powders by recycling Ti machining chips by planetary milling

In this study, Cp-Ti particles were fabricated from titanium turning chips by wet-pre milling assisted mechanical milling with different ball to powder ratio and milling time. The minimum particle size fabricated with a ball to powder weight ratio of 15:1 is approximately 15 times smaller than powders produced with 5:1. TiO2 (Anatase and Rutile) peaks were found in the structure of Cp-Ti particles fabricated after 4 h of milling at a ball-to-powder ratio of 15:1. However after the milling with low ball to powder ratios (5:1 and 10:1) the oxidation was not observed in results of XRD analysis. The lowest apparent density and hardness was measured as 2.45 g/cm3 and 126 HV for 0.5 h milled powders, respectively. The maximum apparent density and hardness was measured as 3.45 g/cm3 and 325 HV for 7 h milled powders, respectively.

Biomass-sulfur-based mixotrophic denitrification (BSMD) process for synthetic and real wastewater treatment: Engineering application, applicable scope, and operational strategy

Elemental-sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification (ESDAD) process is widely used in sewage treatment, while its low denitrification capacity has become the bottleneck of this technology. The biomass-sulfur-based mixotrophic denitrification (BSMD) process is a promising denitrification pathway to improve nitrate removal of sewage. Based on previous research, a comparative analysis of the ESDAD and BSMD processes was adopted in this study. Then, three lab-scale reactors were constructed with various BSMD filters to investigate the characteristics of the BSMD process, and the optimal BSMD filter (F3) with the nitrate removal rate (NRR) of 556 ± 13.6 mg NO3–-N·L−1·d−1 was 3:1:1 by weight ratio of sulfur powder to rice straw powder to shell powder. Additionally, a pilot-scale reactor (volume: 1000 L) filled with filter F3 was designed and operated to treat the effluent of a municipal secondary tank. The feasibility of the BSMD process in engineering application was demonstrated, accompanied by a desirable treatment capacity (hydraulic retention time (HRT) ≤ 1 h) under varying conditions. Moreover, autotrophs and heterotrophs co-existed along the pilot-scale reactor, and the autotrophs remained dominant at seasonal temperatures. In general, the prospect of the BSMD is attractive, and the outcomes of this study could provide guidance for the operation of the BSMD process.

Preparation of Polyester/ Micro Eggshell Fillers Composite as Natural Surface Coating

To fabricate an inexpensive surface coating with excellent mechanical properties with good water resistance and thermal diffusion, white eggshell fibers with particle size (~1micrometer) has been added by different weight percentages (1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 %) to Unsaturated Polyester. The weight ratio (4%) of eggshell powder is a good ratio to be added to polyester to improve its mechanical properties, such as hardness, impact strength, and wear resistance. The hardness was improved by (3.75%); impact strength has the same value as polyester, flexural strength by (8.43%) and high improvement in wear resistance (74.4%), as well as to get further improvements in mechanical properties of polyester, the eggshell powder was added with (5%), where the hardness was improved by (3.63%), impact strength improved by (~23%) and the flexural strength by (23.23%)but the wear resistance by (2.15%) only . The resistance to thermal of polyester was improved to (9.95%) and (13.77%) by adding the eggshell powder with ratios (of 4%) and (5%), respectively. (Polyester/ 4% eggshells). And (Polyester/ 5% eggshells) composites have a higher resistance to water diffusion after being immersed in water between (1-4 weeks). The electron microscope image was used to observe the degree of homogeneity in polyester composite microstructure, which improved the results mechanical and thermal results.

Development of a Novel Tape-Casting Multi-Slurry 3D Printing Technology to Fabricate the Ceramic/Metal Part.

Printing ceramic/metal parts increases the number of applications in additive manufacturing technology, but printing different materials on the same object with different mechanical properties will increase the difficulty of printing. Multi-material additive manufacturing technology is a solution. This study develops a novel tape-casting 3D printing technology that uses bottom-up photopolymerization to fabricate the green body for low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) that consist of ceramic and copper. The composition of ceramic and copper slurries is optimized to allow printing without delamination and sintering without cracks. Unlike traditional tape-casting processing, the proposed method deposits two slurries on demand on a transparent film, scrapes it flat, then photopolymerization is induced using a liquid crystal displayer to project the layer pattern beneath the film. The experimental results show that both slurries have good bonding strength, with a weight ratio of powder to resin of 70:30, and print a U-shaped copper volume as a circuit within the LTCC green body. A three-stage sintering parameter is derived using thermogravimetric analysis to ensure good mechanical properties for the sintered part. The SEM images show that the ceramic/copper interface of the LTCC sintered part is well-bonded. The average hardness and flexural strength of the sintered ceramic are 537.1 HV and 126.61 MPa, respectively. Volume shrinkage for the LTCC slurry is 67.97%, which is comparable to the value for a copper slurry of 68.85%. The electrical resistance of the printed copper circuit is 0.175 Ω, which is slightly greater than the theoretical value, hence it has good electrical conductivity. The proposed tape-casting 3D printer is used to print an LTCC benchmark. The sintered benchmark part is validated for the application in the LTCC application.

Improvements in the MgB2 ceramics formation by using a dry mechanical milling method

The development of the MgB2 manufacturing process to increase current density is an important issue to study. In this work, the MgB2 ceramics were manufactured by using the solid-state technique. To study the influence of dry milling on the formation of the MgB2 ceramics and grain size, variations in ball to powder weight ratio (BPR) and sintering temperature were used as control parameters. Magnesium and boron powder with stoichiometric ratio 2:1 was weighed and milled for 2 h. The milled powder was compacted and sintered at 1023 K and 1123 K for 2 h. By XRD and SEM analysis, we confirmed that the BPR ratio increased magnesium reactivity in MgB2 ceramics formation and refined the grain size. The MgB2 phase of 88.21% was obtained in the sample sintered at temperature of 1123 K and BPR=2:1. To determine the critical temperature of MgB2, we select the sample with the smallest impurities phase to measure its electrical property. The critical onset temperature (Tc-onset) for the selected sample is 40.56 K (?Tc = 0.4 K).

Preparation of Porous Carbon from SB-HPC (Sub-Bitumious) Solution Derived from Low Quality Coal and Its Application to EDLC

Introduction Hypercol (HPC), which is ashless coal obtained from thermal extraction of coal, is soluble in organic solvents and is mainly produced by carbonization of carbon precursors prepared by the precipitation method from its solution. Porous carbon mainly with micropores can be obtained from HPC by the precipitation method. Porous carbon prepared from SB-HPC, which is an HPC derived from low-grade coal, has a high specific surface area and abundant micropores. It has been clarified that the electrode material used for EDLC is preferably a material having a high specific surface area and exhibiting electrical conductivity, and in addition, it strongly depends on its pore structure. In this study, carbon powder is prepared from the SB-HPC solution by the precipitation method, and the pore characteristics are evaluated, and the EDLC characteristics when this carbon powder is used for the electrode are evaluated. ExperimentalSB-HPC derived from low-grade coal was used as a starting material, and the HPC powder (particle size: <250 m m) was dissolved in pyridine. The obtained HPC solution was added to water to precipitate and precipitate HPC. The obtained HPC powder was insolubilized by holding it in an air atmosphere at 300 oC for 1 h, and then carbonized by holding it in a nitrogen atmosphere at 800-1000 oC for 30 min. The morphology of the prepared sample was observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a nitrogen gas adsorption / desorption measuring device with surface characteristics of 77 K was used, and temperature desorption analysis (TPD) was used to quantify the surface functional groups. Was used. In addition, the specific surface area value was obtained by the s analysis method using the adsorption isotherm obtained by nitrogen adsorption / desorption measurement. The electrodes were prepared by mixing them in a weight ratio of carbon powder: acetylene black: PTFE = 8: 1: 1. The EDLC characteristics were evaluated using a triode cell, and an aqueous sulfuric acid solution was used as the electrolytic solution. Galvanostatic charge / discharge measurements were performed with a current density in the range of 50–1000 mA g-1. The capacitance at each current density was calculated in the range of 0.2 V to 0.8 V of the discharge curve obtained by the galvanostatic charge / discharge measurement. The sample code was SB- (carbonization temperature). Results and Discussions From the nitrogen gas adsorption / desorption isotherm of carbonized powder of SB-HPC derived from low-grade charcoal at 900 to 1300 oC, the amount of adsorption in the low relative pressure region increased as the heat treatment temperature increased. This suggests the formation of micropores. The specific surface area calculated by the α s analysis method is 900 oC at the heat treatment temperature, and the specific surface area (737 m2 g-1) is higher than that of HPC carbon powder (400 m2 g-1) derived from high-grade coal. It is inferred that the fact that the specific surface area was nearly doubled by the same heat-treatment as for high-grade coal is due to the difference in the characteristics of the starting materials. Furthermore, as the heat treatment temperature increased, the specific surface area of SB-1200 showed a maximum value of 1268 m2 g-1 and decreased after 1200 oC. In addition, the obtained capacitance was higher (284 F g-1) than the carbon powder (210 F g-1) 1) of HPC derived from high-grade coal. The discharge curve obtained from the charge / discharge curve at a current density of 50 mA g-1 for each carbon powder showed a decrease in linearity around 0.4 V to 0.8 V, and the resistance due to the oxygen-containing functional group of the carbonpowder. It was considered to be an ingredient. From the relationship between the specific surface area and the capacitance of each carbon powder, although the specific surface area increased as the heat treatment temperature increased, there was no significant difference in the capacitance and it was almost constant. Therefore, it is inferred that the contribution of capacity to the surface area is constant, there are other factors, and one is the pseudo-capacity due to the oxygen-containing functional group.

Heterostructured Functional Materials through Molten Salt Synthesis for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and Electrolysis Cells

La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3 (LSCF)−La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 (LSM) heterostructure crystalline materials have been synthesized in a simple, one-step via reaction-deposition process using a molten salt. Two-phase perovskite composites can be synthesized in times as short as 10 minutes in a molten salt solvent. X-ray diffraction and S/TEM energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy have been utilized to confirm the formation of an LSM shell on LSCF cores in all samples when adjusting dwell time, core size, weight ratio between core and shell precursors, and weight ratio of powder to salt. Specifically, decreasing the LSCF core size increases core−shell yield. Smaller cores result in a greater density of facets on the crystal surface and provide more favorable sites for LSM heterogeneous nucleation. By decreasing the weight ratio of shell precursor to core decreases shell thickness, and reduces the number of homogeneously nucleated LSM nanoparticles, and thereby increases core−shell yield. Increasing the amount of molten salt solvent relative to precursors decreases supersaturation in the melt and results in less uniform, and isolated shell deposition on the cores. The synthesized heterostructred nanoparticles have been functionalized into electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysis cells. Symmetrical cells fabricated from baseline LSCF electrodes are compared with symmetrical cells fabricated from the molten salt-synthesized heterostructred electrodes. The heterostructured electrodes are shown to have significantly lower polarization resistance compared to baseline LSCF electrodes, showing the promise of the molten salt process to achieve heterostructured electrodes with substantially reduced polarization resistance.

Denitrification performance of sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification and biomass‑sulfur-based mixotrophic denitrification in solid-phase denitrifying reactors using novel composite filters

Both the elemental sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification (ESAD) and the biomass‑sulfur-based mixotrophic (simultaneous autotrophic and heterotrophic) denitrification processes (BSMD) are efficient methods for removing nitrate from wastewater. However, a comparative analysis of the denitrification capacity of the BSMD and ESAD in the packed bed reactors is still lacking. In this paper, corncob powder was selected as the biomass source to prepare biomass‑sulfur-based composite filter (BSCF) for the BSMD process. The denitrification performances of the three identical lab-scale bioreactors packed with varying elemental sulfur-based composite filters (ESCFs) were compared under varying loading conditions, and the optimal ESCF of the ESAD system was 2:1 by weight ratio of sulfur powder to shell powder. In pilot-scale experiments, the results showed that BSCF could decrease the sulfate productivity and gave better denitrification performance than the ESCF with the optimal nitrate removal rate (NRR) of 504 ± 12.3 mg NO3−-N·L−1·d−1. In addition, the two-stage flushing strategy (for the removal of aged sludge) can effectively improve the denitrification capacity, while the denitrification will be inhibited when the influent dissolved oxygen concentration was higher than 4.5 mg L−1. Moreover, the heterotrophs and autotrophs were abundant in the reactors. Over time, the abundance of autotrophs increased while that of heterotrophs decreased. Overall, BSCF could be a promising and economic technology to improve the effluent quality.

Use of Taguchi method for high energy ball milling of CaCO3

Taguchi’s method was applied to investigate the effect of main high energy ball milling (HEBM) parameters: milling time (MT), ball to powder weight ratio (BPWR), and milling speed (MS) on the CaCO3 crystallite size. The settings of HEBM parameters were determined by using the L9 (33) orthogonal experiments array (OA). The as-received and milled powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The crystallite size of CaCO3 varied between 140 and 540 nm depending on the HEBM conditions. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to find the significance and percentage of contribution of each milling parameter. It was established that the MT is the most effective parameter followed by MS and BPWR. A confirmation test was carried out with a 90% confidence level to illustrate the effectiveness of the Taguchi optimization method. The optimum milling parameter combination was determined by using the analysis of signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Based on the S/N ratio analysis, optimal HEBM conditions were found MT 10 h, MS 600 revolutions per minute (rpm), BPWR 50:1.

Load response of magnetorheological (MR) plastomer dampers under applied magnetic fields

Magnetorheological plastomers (MRPs) are smart fluids whose rheological properties make them suitable for suspension systems, structural engineering, electrical transmission lines, medical applications, and agricultural engineering. In this paper, an integrated model of computational fluid mechanics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA) is used to investigate the dynamic characteristics and the controllable damping force of shear-mode MRP dampers. An MRP with 60% weight ratio of soft-magnetic carbonyl iron powder (CIP) to the prepared plastic polyurethane matrix (MRP60) is used in the analysis. First. the magnetic field-dependent shear stress of MRP60 is calculated based on the relationship between the shear stress and the magnetic strength. Next, the shear stress and the strain rate are used in the CFD analysis to determine the flow and pressure fields as well as the variation of the damping force with the piston displacement, the piston velocity and the time for different sinusoidal motion frequencies and input currents. The results indicate that MRP dampers have the capacity to be used in semi-active applications.

Synthesis of nano Y2O3, TiO2, ZrO2 dispersed W-Ni-Nb-Mo alloys by mechanical alloying

The present investigation deals with the synthesis and characterization of oxide dispersed strengthened (ODS) alloys based on W79Ni10Nb5Mo5 (in weight %) with 1.0 wt% of nano Y2O3 (alloy A), TiO2 (alloy B) and ZrO2 (alloy C) respectively by mechanical alloying for 20 h using Ball to Powder weight ratios (BPR) of 10:1 and 5:1. X-ray Diffraction study reveals that the mechanically alloyed alloy A with 10:1 BPR possesses minimum crystallite size (11.15 nm). A high-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy study shows that oxide particles are dispersed at the particle interface and matrix. HRTEM study also reveals different orientation of lattice fringes of the oxide with respect to the matrix with a positive and negative lattice misfit is evaluated in the alloys milled with 10:1 BPR.

Influence of jeringau (Acorus calamus Linn.) rhizome extract against dry-wood termites (Cryptotermes cynocephalus Light.)

Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis Muell Arg.) is classified as a hardwood, yet it is vulnerable to dry-wood termites attack, namely Cryptotermes cynocephalus Light. Hence, a preservative is necessary for prevention. The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of jeringau rhizome extract on dry-wood termites C. cynocephalus attack. The experimental design was a completely randomized factorial design with two factors include 2 levels of solvent (water and ethanol) and 4 levels of extract ratio (1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10). Parameters observed were actual retention, termites mortality, sample weight loss, and attack degree. Rubberwood was sized in 5 cm x 3 cm x 3 cm. The method used was immersing the samples in a container that contains jeringau rhizome extract in various treatments for 72 hours. The immersed samples were then fed to healthy and active C. cynocephalus for 12 weeks. The results showed that the type of solvents and extract ratio had a significant effect on termites mortality and samples weight loss, while actual retention was influenced by the extract ratio. In conclusion, the most effective formula to prevent dry-wood termites attack was jeringau rhizome extract with a weight ratio of jeringau powder and ethanol 1:6.

X-Ray CT Measurement and Performance Evaluation of All Solid-State Lithium-Ion Battery with Sn Anode

Stannum (Sn) is investigated as a high-capacity anode for all-solid-state Lithium-Ion batteries. It is focused much attention because of its high theoretical capacity (990 mAh/g), which is much higher lithium storage capacity than that of graphite (372 mAh/g). However, poor cycling stability and coulombic efficiency hinder their practical use in Li-ion batteries. These drawbacks mainly result from the huge volume change of Sn (255% when 4.25 Li is inserted per a Sn), leading to a loss of electric contact, pulverization, and cracking. Therefore, it can be considered that there is a deep relationship between electrode structure and performance.In this study, to elucidate the relationship between electrode structure and performance of all-solid-state battery using Sn as the anode active material we compare the Sn anode with Sn weight ratio of 50wt% and 70wt%. The Sn anode structure is measured with in-situ X-ray CT measurement and the three-dimensional structure is compared to the electrode performance.To prepare the composite electrode, 5:5 and 7:3 (Sn : SE) weight ratio of Sn powder (38 um) and Li6PS5Cl were mixed by agate mortar and pestle. Anode half cells were then assembled and within 1 mm diameter polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cell dies at 400 MPa, and cells were cycled at a constant stress of 100 MPa In-situ X-ray CT with Molybdenum (Mo) target X-ray（nano3DX, Rigaku）was used to determine the structure of the composite electrode at a voxel size of 1.24 µm. And electrode performances were evaluated by potentiogalvanostat in the current of 0.05C.Figure 1 shows the X-ray CT images of the Sn anode with different Sn weight ratio ((a) 50 wt%, (b) 70 wt%). Sn regions are shown by blue and solid electrolyte (SE) regions are shown by yellow. Table.1 shows the electrode structure parameters calculated from the X-ray CT images shown in fig.1. The discharge capacity of Sn anode is dramatically increased by increasing in the Sn weight ratio (95 to 403 mAh/g). The tortuosity of SE network is increased with the increase in Sn weight ratio (1.43 to 2.15), which has a negative influence on the lithium-ion transportation in anode. It is considered that resistance of the SE network is increased with the increase of Sn weight ratio. Moreover, the contact specific surface area between SE and Sn is increased with the increase of Sn weight ratio (94.9×103 to 117×103 m2/m3). This increase of specific surface area of contact is corresponding to the decrease of interface resistance between SE and Sn in anode. The growth of discharge capacity can be derived from the decrease of interface resistance with the increase in specific surface area of contact between SE and Sn. Moreover, we also measured the expansion and contraction of the active material during charging and discharging, but the structural changes were not enough to explain the above performance differences.From the mentioned above, it can be said that as the Sn weight ratio increases, the resistance of the SE network is increased with the increase of tortuosity, but the interface resistance decreases due to the increase in the specific surface area of contact between SE and Sn, which leads to increase of electrode performance.This work is supported by JKA foundation (2020-1155). Figure 1

An Innovative Method for Sustainable Utilization of Blast-Furnace Slag in the Cleaner Production of One-Part Hybrid Cement Mortar

Hybrid cement (HC) can be defined as alkali activated-blended-Portland cement (PC). It is prepared by the addition of an alkaline solution to high-volume aluminosilicate-blended-PC. Although this cement exhibits higher mechanical performance compared to conventional blended one (aluminosilicate–PC blend), it represents lower commercial viability because of the corrosive nature of alkaline solution. Therefore, this study focuses on the preparing one-part HC using dry activator–based BFS (DAS). DAS was prepared by mixing sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with BFS at low water to BFS ratio, followed by drying and grinding to yield DAS-powder. Different contents of DAS (equivalent to 70 wt.% BFS and 1, 2, and 3 wt.% NaOH) were blended with 30 wt.% PC. A mixture containing 70 wt.% BFS and 30 wt.% PC was used as a reference sample. The mortar was adjusted at a sand–powder (BFS-PC and/or DAS-PC) weight ratio of 3:1. The microstructural analysis proved that DAS-powder is mainly composed of sodium calcium aluminosilicate–activated species and unreacted BFS. These species can interact again with water to form calcium aluminum silicate hydrate (C-A-S-H) and NaOH, suggesting that the DAS acts as a NaOH-carrier. One-part HC mortars having 1, 2, and 3 wt.% NaOH recorded 7th day compressive strength values of 82%, 44%, and 27%, respectively, higher than that of the control sample. At 180 days of curing, a significant reduction in compressive strength was observed within the HC mortar having 3 wt.% NaOH. This could be attributed to the increase of Ca (within C-S-H) replacement by Na, forming a Na-rich phase with lower binding capacity. The main hydration products within HC are C-S-H, C-A-S-H, and chabazite as part of the zeolite family.

Enhanced magnetoelectric coupling response in hot pressed BiFeO3 and polymer composite films: Effect of magnetic field on grain boundary and grain resistance

We report the effect of grain boundary resistance (GBR) and grain resistance (GR) on the magnetoelectric coupling in the multiferroic composite thick films of BiFeO3 (BFO) nanocrystalline powder and poly vinylidene-fluoride (PVDF) polymer. These composite thick films of thickness ∼ 0.2 mm were prepared via hot pressing with the weight ratio of BFO powder and PVDF polymer as 70:30 (abbreviated as BFO70), 60:40 (abbreviated as BFO60), 50:50 (abbreviated as BFO50) and 40:60 (abbreviated as BFO40), respectively. Impendence investigations (Cole-Cole plots) of these thick films demonstrate that the GBR is significantly changed on the application of magnetic field (8 kOe) in comparison to the GR. Our results indicate that the GBR plays an important role in strengthening of magnetoelectric (ME) effect in BFO-PVDF system. In addition, the ME coupling study indicates that the BFO50 sample shows better results (α33 ∼ 2.7 mV/cm-Oe) and may be suitable for device and sensor applications.