Modulus, Fracture Strength, and Brittle vs. Plastic Response of the Outer Shell of Arc-grown Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes

The fracture strengths and elastic moduli of arc-grown multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were measured by tensile loading inside of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Eighteen tensile tests were performed on 14 MWCNTs with three of them being tested multiple times (3×, 2×, and 2×, respectively). All the MWCNTs fractured in the “sword-in-sheath” mode. The diameters of the MWCNTs were measured in a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and the outer diameter with an assumed 0.34 nm shell thickness was used to convert measured load-displacement data to stress and strain values. An unusual yielding before fracture was observed in two tensile loading experiments. The 18 outer shell fracture strength values ranged from 10 to 66 GPa, and the 18 Young's modulus values, obtained from a linear fit of the stress–strain data, ranged from 620 to 1,200 GPa, with a mean of 940 GPa. The possible influence of stress concentration at the clamps is discussed.     

Second-order hydroelastic analysis of a floating plate in multidirectional irregular waves

Based on an analysis of second-order hydrodynamic forces induced by coupling of first-order wave potentials, second-order hydroelastic equations are established and solved in the frequency domain. The responses of a very large floating structure in multidirectional irregular waves are studied. The characteristics of the difference and sum frequency coordinates are discussed in detail; peaks can be found at the difference and sum frequencies close to the wet resonant frequencies of each mode. We present and analyze the maximum vertical displacement of different points as well as the time history of the vertical displacements of selected points. The differences of the combined (the summation of the linear and non-linear responses) and linear displacements of the selected points are calculated. Our results demonstrate that non-linear fluid forces influence the total responses of the referenced floating structure.     

DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS ON THE TURBULENT FLOW PAST A CONFINED CIRCULAR CYLINDER WITH THE INFLUENCE OF THE STREAMWISE MAGNETIC FIELDS1)

绕流是托卡马克装置中液态包层内常见的流动形态,对流场与热量分布有着重要的影响.本文通过直接数值模拟(DNS),研究了不同磁场强度下$Re=3900$的圆柱绕流,分析了磁场强度对于湍流尾迹的影响.无磁场情况下,直接数值模拟的结果与前人的实验及模拟结果吻合很好.圆柱下游的尾迹中,随着流向距离的增大, 流向速度剖面逐渐从U型进化呈V型, 并慢慢趋于平缓,这表明尾迹中的流动结构受圆柱影响逐渐减小.圆柱后方两侧的剪切层中,由于Kelvin-Helmholtz不稳定性的影响,可以清晰地看到小尺度剪切层涡的脱落.通过对无磁场的计算结果施加流向磁场,本文计算了哈特曼数($Ha$)分别为20, 40和80的工况,以研究磁场效应对于湍流的影响.结果表明磁场较弱时,流动依然呈三维湍流状态.随着磁场增强, 近圆柱尾流区受磁场抑制明显,回流区被拉长,剪切层失稳位置向下游转移.圆柱后方的涡结构由于受到竖直方向洛伦兹力的挤压作用,随着哈特曼数的增加尾迹区域逐渐变窄.相比于无磁场情况的涡结构,由于磁场的耗散作用,相应的涡结构尺度变小.该研究不仅扩展了现有磁场下湍流运动的参数范围,对于液态包层的设计及安全运行同样具有重要的理论指导意义和工程应用价值.     

Mechanical and electrochemical properties of platinum coating by double glow plasma on titanium alloy substrate

In this paper, a platinum coating was deposited on titanium alloy substrate by a double glow plasma. Phase and microstructure of platinum coating were examined by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The microhardness of the coating was estimated by nanoindentation instrument. The adhesive force between the coating and the substrate was performed with scratch tester. The electrochemical behavior of the platinum coating in 3.5 wt % sodium chloride solution was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization. The results indicated that an adherent platinum coating could be successfully obtained on titanium alloy substrates. Compared with the titanium alloy substrate, the platinum coating had a relative low corrosion current density and high corrosion potential. It indicated that the platinum coating had a better corrosion resistance than the titanium alloy substrate.     

Surface-Modified Sb2S3 Nanoparticles and Their Tribological Behaviors in Liquid Paraffin

Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles surface-modified with S-tetradecyl N, N-dihydroxyethyl dithiocarbamate (C₁₄DTC-Sb₂S₃) have been synthesized via extraction of Sb₂S₃ colloidal particles from ethylene glycol into toluene in the presence of C₁₄DTC. The obtained products were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR), and their tribological behaviors as an additive in liquid paraffin were investigated using a four-ball tribometer. The results show that C₁₄DTC-Sb₂S₃ nanoparticles can significantly improve the friction reduction, anti-wear, and load-carrying properties of base oils. The preliminary lubrication mechanism was discussed based on the SEM and XPS investigation of the rubbed surfaces.     

Conformation and Hydrolytic Stability of Polysaccharide from Xanthomonas campestris

Xanthomonas campestris polysaccharide in the solid state is stable to 225°C in air and 250°C in inert atmosphere. In solution, even at moderate temperatures, the polymer undergoes hydrolytic degradation via the glycosidic linkages, and occurrence of main-chain scission results in lower solution viscosity. In solution, the polymer can exist in ordered and disordered conformations. In distilled water at temperatures ≤ 50°C, the polymer exists in the disordered conformation. In the presence of salt, acid, or base the polymer exists in the ordered conformation. In the ordered conformation the polymer exhibits a far greater hydrolytic stability. The higher stability of the ordered conformation is especially demonstrated when the polymer is aged in acid or base solutions. Contrary to the expected lower stability of the glycosidic linkages in acid or base than in water, Xanthomonas campestris polysaccharide shows higher stability in these media.     

Thermal stability of phosphorus-containing styrene–acrylic copolymer and its fire retardant performance in waterborne intumescent coatings

Phosphorus-containing styrene–acrylic copolymers are synthesized by free radical seeded emulsion polymerization with the monomers of MMA/St/BA/MAA and phosphorus-containing vinyl monomer (SIPOMER PAM100). The properties of copolymer films are characterized by water adsorption test, thermogravimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), etc. The copolymer emulsions are used as the binder in an intumescent coatings formulation, and the fire-retardant performances of the coatings are determined by an instrument which the furnace temperature is analoging the cellulose fire temperature. The water adsorption of copolymer film increases remarkably owing to the increasing of phosphoric acid group in the polymer chain. The thermal decomposition stability and thermal-oxidative decomposition stability of the copolymer are improved when PAM100 is introduced into its chain, which is strongly supported by the FTIR and EDS results of copolymer residual treated at different temperature. The EDS results also illustrate that the fire retardancy enhanced by PAM100 during combustion owing to the condensed-phase mechanism. The fire-retardant test results show that the intumescent coatings using StA-P_1.5 copolymer emulsion as the binder obtains the best fire retardant performance. We suggested that StA-P_1.5 presents the lower reactivity with the acid source (APP) in 275–400 °C, and the higher reactivity with APP when the temperature is greater than 500 °C would be benefit for the swelling–charring process and the final fire retardant performance. The exorbitant crosslinking in StA-P₇ brings a negative effect on the fire-retardant performance of intumescent coatings, even if it introduces a densy swollen char layer.     

Comparative pyrolysis upcycling of polystyrene waste: thermodynamics, kinetics, and product evolution profile

Pyrolysis is one important way to treat polystyrene waste and upcycle it into useful materials. A comparative pyrolysis study of virgin polystyrene (VPS) and two types of commonly used polystyrene products, expanded polystyrene (EPS) and polystyrene container (CPS) was carried out. Various values were found in the thermodynamic study and kinetic study of VPS, EPS, and CPS pyrolysis, suggesting distinct thermal degradation characteristics of these materials. The energy barrier order of the pyrolysis processes was EPS, CPS, VPS, showing activation energy of 230, 219, and 145 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The order of amount of heat absorbed was EPS, CPS, VPS, with enthalpy of 224, 213, and 139 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The reaction favorability order was EPS, CPS, and VPS with Gibbs free energy of 118, 132, and 210 kJ mol^?1, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated the use of high heating rate would increase the reaction rate and shorten the reaction time. Product evolution profiles showed that VPS and CPS pyrolysis produced mainly aromatics, while EPS pyrolysis produced aromatics at the initial phase of the reaction and aliphatic hydrocarbon at the latter phase. The diverse pyrolysis behaviors of VPS, EPS, and CPS demonstrated that an examination on different polystyrene materials was desired to optimize the pyrolysis conditions and product distribution, and thus benefit the process of valuable materials recovery.     

Single-Ion Conduction and Electrochemical Characteristics of Poly (Oxyethylene)/ Lithium Methoxy Oligo(Oxyethylene) Sulfate Blend

Abstract

The ion conduction of a blend of poly(oxyethylene) (PEO) and lithium methoxy oligo(oxyethylene) sulfate (SAL₈) and its electrochemical characteristics were studied. The maximum ambient conductivity of the blend reaches 1.2 × 10^?6 S/cm. The blend exhibits single-ion conduction, excellent mechanical performance, and electrochemical stability. A battery of Li/PEO + SAL₈/Li_1+xV₃O₈ has a constant discharge capacity at different discharge current densities up to a certain voltage, while the discharge capacity of Li/P (MEO_16-AM) + LiClO₄/Li_1+xV₃O₈ decreases with an increase of the discharge current density.