Characterization of porous silicon nitride/silicon oxynitride composite ceramics produced by sol infiltration

Porous silicon nitride/silicon oxynitride composite ceramics were fabricated by silica sol infiltration of aqueous gelcasting prefabricated Si3N4 green compact. Silica was introduced by infiltration to increase the green density of specimens, so suitable properties with low shrinkage of ceramics were achieved during sintering at low temperature. Si2N2O was formed through reaction between Si3N4 and silica sol at a temperature above 1550 degrees C. Si3N4/Si2N2O composite ceramics with a low linear shrinkage of 1.3-5.7%, a superior strength of 95-180 MPa and a moderate dielectric constant of 4.0-5.0 (at 21-39 GHz) were obtained by varying infiltration cycle and sintering temperature. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Numerical simulation of thermal loading produced by shaped high power laser onto engine parts

Recently a new method for simulating the thermal loading on pistons of diesel engines was reported. The spatially shaped high power laser is employed as the heat source, and some preliminary experimental and numerical work was carried out. In this paper, a further effort was made to extend this simulation method to some other important engine parts such as cylinder heads. The incident Gaussian beam was transformed into concentric multi-circular patterns of specific intensity distributions, with the aid of diffractive optical elements (DOEs). By incorporating the appropriate repetitive laser pulses, the designed transient temperature fields and thermal loadings in the engine parts could be simulated. Thermal-structural numerical models for pistons and cylinder heads were built to predict the transient temperature and thermal stress. The models were also employed to find the optimal intensity distributions of the transformed laser beam that could produce the target transient temperature fields. Comparison of experimental and numerical results demonstrated that this systematic approach is effective in simulating the thermal loading on the engine parts. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

超声与磁粉强化含单宁废水生物处理研究

单宁是一种典型的有毒难降解污染物，在制革、造纸、制药、印染等行业废水中广泛存在，对水环境造成污染并且影响废水生物处理效果。本研究针对含单宁废水生物处理效率低、较高浓度时微生物受抑制且污泥容易膨胀等问题，采用超声和磁粉来强化含单宁废水生物处理，研究超声和磁粉对微生物活性、污染物去除及污泥沉降性能的影响，并对其作用机理进行了分析和探讨。 研究结果表明，活性污泥系统中单宁酸容积负荷可以达到1.8kgCOD/(m3·d)，单宁酸和COD去除率分别达到85.2%和79.6%，但如果负荷进一步增大则微生物活性迅速降低。系统在pH 5~8、温度20~35℃、DO>1 mg/L的条件下具有较好的单宁酸降解效果和处理稳定性。单宁降解动力学参数为：μmax =0.208h-1；Ks=226mg/L；Ki=522mg/L；kd=0.0092h-1；Y =0.594。 磁粉对系统处理效果和污泥沉降性能有一定的促进作用，且效果要优于外磁场。适宜的磁粉粒径和投加量分别为0.05~0.15mm和1.0g/L，COD去除率比对照系统提高6.4%，SVI降低28.6%，污泥絮体结构紧密。磁粉强化主要是通过其对污泥菌胶团的凝聚、吸附作用以及对微生物活性的强化作用实现。 在适当强度（0.4W/cm2）和辐照时间（20min）的超声作用下污泥絮体和细胞膜通透性增大，酶分泌也增多，系统的COD去除率比对照提高了8.8%，单宁酶酶活提高了11%。但超声也使污泥絮体结构松散，沉降性能下降，SVI比对照系统升高9.3%。 由于污泥流失加剧导致污泥浓度相对较低，声磁联合强化系统相对于磁粉强化系统其处理效果并没有提高。但相对于单纯活性污泥系统，声磁联合作用下系统处理效果、污泥沉降性能以及系统运行稳定性都得到明显改善。本研究为难降解废水的生物处理提供了一个新的思路。 Tannins are typical refractory and toxic pollutants that commonly exist in wastewater from dye, medicine, paper and leather industries and cause many problems associated with environmental pollution and biological treatment of wastewater. Biological treatment efficiency of tannin-containing wastewater is usually low owing to its biological toxicity and low biodegradability, microbes are usually inhibited under high tannin concentration and sludge bulking frequently occurs. In this study, ultrasound and magnetic powder were used to improve the biological treatment performance of simulated tannic acid-containing wastewater. The effects of ultrasonic irradiation and magnetic powder on microbial activity, tannic acid degradation rate and sludge sedimentation were investigated. The augmentation mechanisms were analyzed and discussed. The experimental results showed that the microbes were prominently inhibited under high tannic acid concentration, but moderate degradation efficiency can be maintained under a tannic acid load of up to 1.8kgCOD/(m3·d), with the tannic acid degradation and COD removal percentage of 85.2% and 79.6% respectively. The highest degradation rates and treatment stability were achieved at pH range of 5~8, temperature range of 20~35℃ and DO concentration of above 1mg/L. The kinetic parameters were estimated, including: μmax =0.208h-1；Ks=226mg/L；Ki=522mg/L；kd=0.0092h-1；Y =0.594. The microbial activity, tannic acid degradation rate and sludge sedimentation were improved by adding Fe3O4 magnetic powder, and the augmentation performance was better than external magnetic field. The appropriate particle size and dosage of magnetic powder were found to be 0.05~0.15mm and 1.0g/L, respectively, under which the COD removal percentage was improved by 6.4% and SVI value decreased by 28.6%, and compact floc structure was observed. This was mainly caused by the flocculation and adsorption effects of magnetic powder against sludge floc and the stimulation of microbial activity under appropriate magnetic field. Under appropriate ultrasonic irradiation (ultrasonic intensity 0.4W/cm2, ultrasonic irradiation time 20min), the permeability of floc and cell membrane are improved, transfer of substrate and oxygen were reinforced; meanwhile, more enzyme were produced by microbes under the slight damage caused by ultrasound. However, the floc structure became loose under ultrasonic irradiation, leading to relatively poor sedimentation, with the SVI value 9.3% higher than the control system. Although the magnetic powder-ultrasonic irradiation combined augmentation system showed no improvement in treatment performance compared with sole magnetic augmentation system owing to its relatively low sludge concentration, it guaranteed the stable operation of system, meanwhile the tannic acid degradation and sludge sedimentation were significantly improved compared with sole activated sludge system. This study gives a new idea for biological treatment of refractory wastewater.

Kinetic energies of C-n(+) (n <= 58) fragment ions produced by nanosecond laser impact on C-60

Laser-induced fragmentation of C-60 has been studied using a time-of-flight mass spectrometric technique. The average kinetic energies of fragment ions C-n(+) (n <= 58) have been extracted from the measured full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ion beam profiles. The primary formation mechanism of small fragment ion C-n(+) (n < 30) is assumed to be a two-step fragmentation process: C60 sequential decay to unstable C-30(+) ion and the binary fission of C-30(+). Considering a second photo absorption process in the later part of laser pulse duration, good agreement is achieved between experiment and theoretical description of photoion formation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.