Influence of Al Doping on the Morphological, Structural and Gas Sensing Properties of Electrochemically Deposited ZnO Films on Quartz Resonators

The detection of hazardous gases at different concentration levels at low and room temperature is still an actual and challenging task. In this paper, Al-doped ZnO thin films are synthesized by the electrochemical deposition method on the gold electrodes of AT-cut quartz resonators, vibrating at 10 MHz. The average roughness, surface morphology and gas sensing properties are investigated. The average roughness of Al-doped ZnO layers strongly depends on the amount of the doping agent Al2(SO4)3 added to the solution. The structural dependence of these films with varying Al concentrations is evident from the scanning electron microscopy images. The sensing properties to ethanol and ammonia analytes were tested in the range of 0–12,800 ppm. In the analysis of the sensitivity to ammonia, a dependence on the concentration of the added Al2(SO4)3 in the electrochemically deposited layers is also observed, as the most sensitive layer is at 3 × 10−5 M. The sensitivity and the detection limit in case of ammonia are, respectively, 0.03 Hz/ppm and 100 ppm for the optimal doping concentration. The sensitivity depends on the active surface area of the layers, with those with a more developed surface being more sensitive. Al-doped ZnO layers showed a good long-term stability and reproducibility towards ammonia and ethanol gases. In the case of ethanol, the sensitivity is an order lower than that for ammonia, as those deposited with Al2(SO4)3 do not practically react to ethanol.

Eco-Geopolymers: Physico-Mechanical Features, Radiation Absorption Properties, and Mathematical Model

Waste ashes and radiation are hazardous environmental and health factors; thus, a lot of attention is paid to their reduction. We present eco-geopolymer building materials (GPBMs) based on the class F fly ashes (FFAs) from thermal power plants (TPPs) and their implementation as a barrier against radioactive radiation. Different methods of production, ratios of FFA to alkali activator, and temperatures of curing were tested. Small spherical particles and higher content of SiO2 resulted in developed surface area and higher reactivity of Isken TPP FFA than Catalagzi TPP FFA. Lower activator concentration (10% vs. 20%) and curing temperature (70 vs. 100 °C) caused an increase in GPBM compressive strength; the highest value was measured as 93.3 MPa. The highest RA was measured for GPBMs, provided alkali activator ratio (Na2SiO3/NaOH) was >2 and its concentration was 20%. The mathematical model developed in this study proved FFA quantity, and thus GPBM mechanical properties, as key factors influencing RA. In the light of these results, the lightweight GPBMs can be excellent materials for the construction sector dedicated to immobilization, storage, and disposal for radionuclides or barriers against radiation; however, multiple steps of their production require careful optimization.

Влияние анодной и катодной плазмы на работу электронного диода со взрывоэмиссионным катодом

The results of modeling and experimental investigation of the formation of anode and cathode plasmas in a vacuum diode with an explosive-emission cathode during the generation of a pulsed electron beam with a current density of 0.3-0.4 kA/cm^2 and an accelerating voltage of 300-500 kV are presented. It is shown that the concentration of the anode plasma does not exceed 10^10 cm^-3 and it does not significantly contribute to the operation of the diode. However, the complete desorption of molecules from the working surface of the explosive-emission cathode and the high efficiency of shock ionization of atoms ensure the formation of a cathode gas plasma with a concentration of 10^16 cm^-3. It is found that the charge of the explosive-emission plasma layer is significantly less than the charge of the electron beam and the main source of electrons is not an explosive-emission plasma, but a cathode gas plasma. In this case, the electron current is limited by the concentration of the cathode plasma. The use of a cathode with a developed surface (a cathode with a carbon fabric coating) allows increasing the total charge of the electron beam by more than 1.5 times without changing the cathode diameter and the anode-cathode gap.

KINETICS ASPECT OF HYDROCHEMICAL FLUORINATION OF SILICON-CONTAINING INDUSTRIAL WASTE

Предложен способ получения высокодисперсного аморфного кремнезема из отходов обогащения низкотитанистых ванадий содержащих титаномагнетитов АО «ЕВРАЗ Качканарский ГОК» - хвостов мокрой магнитной сепарации. Применение раствора гидрофторида аммония ( NHHF) позволяет практически селективно извлечь кремний в раствор в виде гексафторосиликата аммония. Степень извлечения кремния раствором 1,0 - 2,5 мас.% NHHF за 6 часов составляет 46%. Диффузионный процесс выщелачивания кремния из ХММС описывается кинетическим уравнением 1 -(1 -а) = 0,0043• exp(-5230/RT)-г . Аморфный кремнезем SiO, полученный золь- гель методом из фторидного кремнийсодержащего раствора, имеет высокоразвитую поверхность S = 320 м/г, рассчитанный из средней плотности «белой сажи» размер частиц составляет d = 10 нм. Увеличение концентрации NHHF до 20 мас.% приводит к повышению растворимости кремния, а также других компонентов хвостов мокрой магнитной сепарации, которые являются нежелательными примесями в конечном продукте SiO. В целом показана перспективность гидрохимического выщелачивания кремнийсодержащих промышленных отходов - хвостов мокрой магнитной сепарации слабыми растворами гидрофторида аммония для синтеза чистого аморфного SiO. A method for producing amorphous silica from the enrichment wastes of low-titanium vanadium containing titanomagnetites of JSC «EVRAZ ZSMK» - wet magnetic separation tailings is proposed. The use of a NHHF solution makes it possible to practically selectively extract silicon into the solution in the form of ammonium hexafluorosilicate. The extraction of silicon with 1,0 - 2,5 wt.% NHHF solution for 6 hours reached 46%. The diffusion process of the silicon extraction is described by the kinetic equation 1 - (1 - a) = 0,0043 • exp(-5230 / RT)• t . Amorphous silica obtained by the sol-gel method from a fluoride silicon-containing solution has a highly developed surface 320 m/g, the particle size calculated from the average density of «white carbon black» is of 10 nm. The increase in concentration to 20 wt. % NHHF leads to the rise of the silicon solubility and of other tailings components, which are unwanted impurities in the final product. In general, it is shown that the hydrochemical leaching of silicon-containing industrial waste - tailings with weak solutions of ammonium hydrofluoride is promising for the synthesis of pure amorphous silica.

A Method and Device for Automated Grinding of Small Ceramic Elements

The paper describes an automated method for grinding small ceramic elements using a hyperboloid wheel. The problem of automating the process of machining elements made of nonmagnetic materials with a small area and low height has been solved. Automation of the grinding process was possible thanks to automatic clamping of workpieces in the machining zone and sequential processing by a specified number of grinding wheels. The workpieces were passed through successive machining zones. The division of the allowance of individual grinding wheels was made taking into account the characteristics of the workpieces and the requirements for the results of the machining. Obtaining a long grinding zone and the effect of automatic clamping of the workpieces was possible due to the inclination of the grinding wheel axis in relation to the plane of movement of the workpieces. Innovative aggregate grinding wheels were used for grinding. The aggregates containing diamond abrasive grains, connected with a metal bond, were embedded in the porous structure of the resin bond. The aggregates ensured high efficiency of grinding, and their developed surface contributed to good holding in the resin binder. The durability of grinding wheels was 64 h, which enables the machining of 76,000 ceramic elements.

Dps protein localization studies in nanostructured silicon matrix by scanning electron microscopy

The present work is related to the microscopic studies of the morphology of the planar and inner part of silicon nanowires arrays before and after immobilization with a natural nanomaterial, Dps protein of bacterial origin. Silicon nanowires were formed by metal-assisted wet chemical etching. To obtain the recombinant protein, Escherichia coli cells were used as excretion strain and purification were carried out using chromatography. The combination of silicon nanowires with protein molecules was carried out by layering at laboratory conditions followed by drying under air. The resulting hybrid material was studied by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Studies of the developed surface of the nanowires array were carried out before and after combining with the bioculture. The initial arrays of silicon wireshave a sharp boundaries in the planar part and in the depth of the array, transition layers are not observed. The diameter of the silicon nanowires is about 100 nm, the height is over a micrometer, while the distances between the nanowires are several hundred of nanometers. The pores formed in this way are available for filling with protein during the immobilization of protein.The effectiveness of using the scanning electron microscopy to study the surface morphology of the hybrid material “silicon wires – bacterial protein Dps” has been demonstrated. It is shown that the pores with an extremely developed surface can be combined with a bio-material by deposition deep into cavities. The protein molecules can easily penetrate through whole porous wires matrix array. The obtained results demonstrate the possibility of efficient immobilization of nanoscaled Dps protein molecules into an accessible and controllably developed surface of silicon nanowires.

Structuring and functionalization of non-metallic materials using direct laser interference patterning: a review

Direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) is a laser-based surface structuring method that stands out for its high throughput, flexibility and resolution for laboratory and industrial manufacturing. This top–down technique relies on the formation of an interference pattern by overlapping multiple laser beams onto the sample surface and thus producing a periodic texture by melting and/or ablating the material. Driven by the large industrial sectors, DLIP has been extensively used in the last decades to functionalize metallic surfaces, such as steel, aluminium, copper or nickel. Even so, DLIP processing of non-metallic materials has been gaining popularity in promising fields such as photonics, optoelectronics, nanotechnology and biomedicine. This review aims to comprehensively collect the main findings of DLIP structuring of polymers, ceramics, composites, semiconductors and other non-metals and outline their most relevant results. This contribution also presents the mechanisms by which laser radiation interacts with non-metallic materials in the DLIP process and summarizes the developed surface functions and their applications in different fields.

Bioactive coatings on 3D printed titanium implants with a complex internal structure for bone replacement

The micro-arc oxidation method was applied to modify the surface of 3D printed titanium implants with a complex internal structure. Two different electrolyte solutions were used for thesurface modification, for which the respective working parameters of the micro-arc oxidation process were developed. Surface coatings formed with these parameters on the 3D implants have the same chemical composition and have the same surface morphology as surface coatings on 2D substrates. The measurement of the coating thickness using the X-ray microtomography demonstrates that this method is a useful tool for the thickness control of porous surface coatings at the inside and outside of the 3D titanium implants.

The Alkaline Fusion-Hydrothermal Synthesis of Blast Furnace Slag-Based Zeolite (BFSZ): Effect of Crystallization Time

Blast furnace slag (BFS) is usually regarded as a by-product of the steel industry, which can be utilized as raw material for preparing BFS-based zeolite (BFSZ). In this study, BFSZ was successfully prepared from BFS using alkaline fusion-hydrothermal synthesis. Via the analyses by XRD, SEM, EDX, XRF, FT-IR, elemental mapping and BET/BJH methods, BFSZ crystallization was almost complete at 6 h. With a further increase of crystallization time to 8 h, no significant effect on the formation of crystalline phase was found. Meanwhile, the zeolite content Si/Al (Na/Al) molar ratio was highly affected by crystallization time. The main component of BFSZ prepared at 6 h is cubic crystal with developed surface, with particle size around 2 μm. Moreover, further increasing the crystallization time will not significantly influence the size and morphology of BFSZ product.