Development and applications of an on-line thermal neutron prompt-gamma element analysis system

This paper introduces the principles, instrumentation, implementation, and industrial applications of an on-line thermal neutron prompt-gamma element analysis system (using a²⁵²Cf neutron source, Am–Be neutron source, or neutron generator). The energy resolution of the system at the H prompt-gamma full-energy photopeak (2.22325 MeV) is 3.6 keV. The concentration measurement error of Al₂O₃, FeO₃, CaO, and SiO₂ is ±0.3%, ±0.1%, ±0.4%, and ±0.4%, respectively. The system has been tested on-site at both the Shandong and the Zhengzhou Aluminium Works. Our preliminary on-site measurements confirm that the stability, reliability, measurement range, and accuracy of the system can meet the requirements of the aluminium production process. Facilitation of this measurement at aluminium plants is expected to reduce plant costs by over 3 million dollars annually through reduced energy consumption, more rapid qualification of pulps being mixed during the production process, and in reduced labor costs.Other participants of Shandong and Zhenghou Aluminium Works are: Wang Aili, Zengshen, Dei Jianguo and Lu Jinnan, Wang Deyu, Jin Hequan.     

The growth of Pd thin films on a 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) substrate

Pd thin films, grown on Si-rich 6H-SiC(0 0 0 1) substrates, were studied by atomic force microscopy, electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It is concluded that the growth is successful only when all the growth process takes place at room temperature. Under these conditions a very good epitaxial growth of Pd is achieved, despite the large misfit (about 8.6%) between Pd and the substrate and the existence of a semi-amorphous layer between the thin film and the substrate. A large number of twins appear in these films.     

Synthesis of cellulose carbamate by supercritical CO2-assisted impregnation: Structure and rheological properties

Cellulose carbamate, an environmentally friendly material presents an interesting alternative to petroleum-based polymers because of its renewable, biodegradable, biocompatible nature and its solubility in conventional solvents. In synthesis process of cellulose carbamate, urea was firstly impregnated into the cellulose pulp by supercritical CO₂(scCO₂), followed by the esterification of cellulose. The structure of cellulose carbamate was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rheological properties of these cellulose carbamates in 9% sodium hydroxide solution were investigated, using a range of the nitrogen content, concentrations and shear rates.     

Stability and convergence of modified Ishikawa iterative sequences with errors in Banach spaces

Summary Some stability and convergence theorems of the modified Ishikawa iterative sequences with errors for asymptotically nonexpansive mapping in the intermediate sense and asymptotically pseudo contractive and uniformly Lipschitzian mappings in Banach spaces are obtained.     

Electroless deposition of open-end Cu nanotube arrays

Cu nanotube arrays were fabricated by electroless deposition using porous anodic aluminium oxide membranes as templates. This was accomplished by a four-step procedure, i.e. pore-wall modification, polishing treatment, sensitization-activation and electroless deposition. The as-synthesized Cu nanotubes possess controllable inner diameter and open ends.     

Microstructure and wear properties of laser clad Cuss/Cr5Si3 metal silicide composite coatings

Wear resistant Cu-based solid solution (Cu_ss) toughened Cr₅Si₃ metal silicide composite coatings were fabricated on austenitic stainless steel AISI321 by laser cladding process. Due to the rapidly solidified microstructural characteristics and the excellent toughening effect of Cu_ss on Cr₅Si₃, the Cu_ss/Cr₅Si₃ coatings have outstanding wear resistance and low coefficient of friction under room temperature dry sliding wear test conditions coupling with hardened 0.45% C steel.     

Chemically modified proton‐conducting membranes based on sulfonated polyimides: Improved water stability and fuel‐cell performance

A series of branched/crosslinked sulfonated polyimide (B/C‐SPI) membranes were prepared and evaluated as proton‐conducting ionomers based on the new concept of in situ crosslinking from sulfonated polyimide (SPI) oligomers and triamine monomers. Chemical branching and crosslinking in SPI oligomers with 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenoxy)benzene as a crosslinker gave the polymer membranes very good water stability and mechanical properties under an accelerated aging treatment in water at 130 °C, despite their high ion‐exchange capacity (2.2–2.6 mequiv g^?1). The resulting polymer electrolytes displayed high proton conductivities of 0.2–0.3 S cm^?1 at 120 °C in water and reasonably high conductivities of 0.02–0.03 S cm^?1 at 50% relative humidity. In a single H₂/O₂ fuel‐cell system at 90 °C, they exhibited high fuel‐cell performances comparable to those of Nafion 112. The B/C‐SPI membranes also displayed good performances in a direct methanol fuel cell with methanol concentrations as high as 50 wt % that were superior to those of Nafion 112. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3751–3762, 2006     

Sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s containing fluorinated moieties as proton exchange membrane materials

A series of sulfonated poly(aryl ether ether ketone ketone)s statistical copolymers with high molecular weights were synthesized via an aromatic nucleophilic substitution polymerization. The sulfonation content (SC), defined as the number of sulfonic acid groups contained in an average repeat unit, could be controlled by the feed ratios of monomers. Flexible and strong membranes in sodium sulfonate form could be prepared by the solution casting method, and readily transformed to their proton forms by treating them in 2 N sulfuric acid. The polymers showed high T_gs, which increased with an increase in SC. Membranes prepared from the present sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone ketone) copolymers containing the hexafluoroisopropylidene moiety (SPEEKK‐6F) and copolymers containing the pendant 3,5‐ditrifluoromethylphenyl moiety (SPEEKK‐6FP) had lower water uptakes and lower swelling ratios in comparison with previously prepared copolymers containing 6F units. All of the polymers possessed proton conductivities higher than 1 × 10^?2 S/cm at room temperature, and proton conductivity values of several polymers were comparable to that of Nafion at high relative humidity. Their thermal stability, oxidative stability, and mechanical properties were also evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2299–2310, 2006     

Novel photoswitching dithienylethenes with ferrocene units

Two novel dithienylethenes with ferrocene units were synthesized by Wittig reaction. The structure of 2a has been established by X‐ray diffraction studies. They could reversibly interconvert between two thermally stable forms, an open and a closed one, using light of different wavelengths as triggers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.