In this work, we designed a series of precursor materials denoted as NMTP-Cux (x = 0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.1, 0.12). These materials were first treated by microwave irradiation. Owing to the rapid volumetric heating characteristics of microwaves, the synthesized samples exhibit a dual structural advantage. In particular, Cu-introduced NMTP-Cu0.1 [Na2.74Mn0.94Cu0.10Ti1.01(PO4)3], derived from Na2.10Mn1.07Ti1.01(PO4)3 (NMTP), demonstrates more uniform fine grains compared with pristine NMTP. This can be explained by lattice rearrangement that is facilitated by the rapid thermal conditions. Furthermore, owing to the electronic structure modulation of Cu and the structural stabilization of the Cu-O covalent bond, the microstructure effectively suppresses the long-range cooperative Jahn-Teller distortion induced by Mn3+ through several non-equilibrium defects, such as cation vacancies, thereby significantly enhancing the structural stability of the material during the in situ reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ in the material synthesis. NMTP-Cu0.1 shows a three-step redox reaction involving Mn2+/3+, Ti3+/4+, and Mn3+/4+ couples, delivering a high capacity (167.25 mAh g-1 at 0.1C), a considerable medium discharge voltage (2.5 V), an excellent energy density (481.89 Wh kg-1), and a decent cyclability.

To date,there is no research that deals with biological waste as fillers in polyphenylene sulfide(PPS).In this study,oyster shells were recycled and treated to prepare thermally-treated oyster shells(TOS),which were used as PPS fillers to make new bio-based antibacterial composite materials.The effect of varying the content of TOS was studied by means of structure and performance characterization.PPS/TOS com-posites were demonstrated to have an antibacterial effect on the growth of E coli and S.aureus.Qualitative analysis showed that when the TOS content was ≥ 30％and 40％,the composite materials had an apparent inhibition zone.Quantitative analysis showed that the antibacterial activity increased with the TOS con-tent.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the formation of hydrogen bonds between the molecular chains of TOS and PPS and the occurrence of a coordination reaction.At 10％TOS,the composite tensile strength reached a maximum value of 72.5 MPa,which is 9.65％higher than that of pure PPS.The trend of bending properties is the same as that of tensile properties,showing that the maximum property was reached for the composite with 10％TOS.At the same time,the crystallinity and contact angle were the highest,and the permeability coefficient was the lowest.The fatigue test results indicated that for the composite with 10％TOS,the tensile strength was 23％lower than static tensile strength,and the yield strength was 10％lower than the static yield strength.The results of the study showed that TOS not only could reduce the cost of PPS,but also could impart antibacterial properties and enhance the mechanical and,barrier properties,the thermostability,as well as the crystallinity.

Attapulgite (ATT) is a multi-purpose nanomaterial, which can be used as a reinforcing filler for polylactic acid (PLA) and improve its barrier performance. However, due to the high content of ATT, it is easy to cause agglomeration. In this study, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) was used to improve the toughness of PLA, and the plasticizer could reduce the polymer viscosity and improve the processability, which may contribute to the dispersion of ATT in PLA. The results show that a small amount of ATBC can improve the fracture elongation, crystallinity, water absorption, hydrolysis, and biodegradability of PLA. On the other hand, when ATT is added to PLA/ATBC sample by 10%, the tensile strength, and thermal degradation temperature can be greatly improved and reach the maximum value. Compared with pure PLA, the tensile strength is significantly increased by 33.4% (60.3 MPa), the elongation at break increased by 177.56%, and the thermal degradation temperature increased significantly by about 20.1 ℃. According to the scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer, when ATT ≤ 10%, the nanofiller has excellent dispersion in the matrix, but when ATT > 10%, the nanofiller appears serious agglomeration and interfacial phase separation, which is caused by the incompatibility between PLA and ATT, so the performance of the nano composite is greatly reduced. From the results of soil burial and hydrolysis tests, the weight loss rate of PLA/ATBC samples increased with the increase of ATT nanofiller content. The influence of the internal and external tightness of the sample structure on the biodegradability was explained from the analysis results of water absorption and contact angle. The synergy of ATT and ATBC improves the comprehensive performance of PLA and increases its feasibility as a packaging material.

Incorporating distiller’s grains (DG) into poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has not been investigated because DG is not suitable for processing at high temperatures. Hence, in this study, DG was treated with methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) to prepare reinforced DG (RDG), which was then used as a biological filler that was melt-mixed with a PET resin to produce PET/DG and PET/RDG composites. The composite mechanical properties were investigated. Compared with PET/DG composites, PET/RDG composites exhibited improved mechanical properties. When the RDG content was 12.5%, the elongation at break reached the maximum. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of composites filled with MDI-modified DG at the tensile section, and the compatibility between RDG fillers and the PET matrix was analyzed; RDG dispersed and adhered well in the matrix. The FTIR results showed the appearance of new characteristic peaks, indicating the possibility of DG reacting with MDI after the blending with PET, as well as providing clues about the probable reaction mechanism. Through X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and water absorption tests, the crystallinity, thermal stability, and water absorption for the composites were analyzed. The results of TGA showed that RDG had a higher thermal stability than DG. Adding DG could significantly increase the crystallinity and rate of crystallization of PET, and at the same time, it could also improve the water absorption performance of the composites. But in the case of DG modification or treatment with MDI, the water absorption was slightly reduced. The results of contact angle analysis showed that the surface of PET/RDG composites had higher hydrophobicity than that of PET/DG composites because of the tighter structure. Relative to DG, RDG also effected improvement in the thermal stability of PET.

Carbon nanotube-doped nano-zinc oxide (CNT-NZnO) was used to reinforce polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by creating a network consisting of hydrogen and coordination bonding. Composite PVA/CNT-NZnO hydrogels were prepared through ultrasonic solution blending, freezing–thawing cycles, and their mechanical properties, water content, gel fraction, swelling ratio, crystallinity, thermal stability, and antibacterial activity were studied. The composites were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission electron scanning microscopy (FESEM), energy X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). When the CNT-NZnO content was increased from 0 to 0.6 phr, the tensile strength greatly increased from 1.1 to 2.3 MPa. Relative to pure PVA hydrogel, composite PVA/CNT-NZnO hyrogels showed increased tensile strength (by 109.1%). Their elongation at break increased from 191.1 to 373.9%, an increase by 182.8% with pure PVA hydrogel as reference. The results of FTIR analysis showed that PVA formed a coordination reaction with CNT-NZnO, synergistically improving the tensile strength of PVA. EDS test analysis showed that of all the filler content considered in this study, 0.6 phr CNT-NZnO was uniformly distributed in the PVA hydrogel the most. The results of XRD analysis showed that when the content of CNT-NZnO was ≤ 0.6 phr, the crystallinity decrased, indicating that the nanofillers were evenly dispersed. When the content was > 0.6 phr, the crystallinity significantly increased, indicating the the nanofillers were not be dispersed well, and agglomeration occurred. The results of SEM analysis showed that the addition of a small amount of CNT-NZnO changed the microstructure of the PVA hydrogel, making the three-dimensional network structure of the composite gel more compact. In addition, CNT-NZnO enhanced the hydrophobicity, dye adsorption, and gave good antibacterial properties to the hydrogels. The new antibacterial composite hydrogel with dye adsorption capacity had excellent mechanical properties and shape recovery ability, and had potential applications in the field of biomedical materials.

Attapulgite (ATT) has never been used as a barrier additive in polypropylene (PP). As a filler, ATT should be added in high content to PP. However, that would result in increased costs. Moreover, the compatibility between ATT and the PP matrix is poor due to the lack of functional groups in PP. In this study, carboxylic groups were introduced to PP to form a modified polypropylene (MPP). ATT was purified, and a low content of it was added to MPP to prepare MPP/ATT nanocomposites. The analysis from FTIR indicated that ATT could react with MPP. According to the results of oxygen and water permeability tests, the barrier performance of the nanocomposite was optimal when the ATT content was 0.4%. This great improvement in barrier performance might be ascribed to the following three reasons: (1) The existence of ATT extended the penetration path of O2 or H2O molecules; (2) O2 or H2O molecules may be adsorbed and stored in the porous structure of ATT; (3) Most importantly, –COOH of MPP reacted with –OH on the surface of ATT, thereby the inner structure of the nanocomposite was denser, and it was less permeable to molecules. Therefore, nanocomposites prepared by adding ATT to MPP have excellent properties and low cost. They can be used as food packaging materials and for other related applications.

To develop sensing materials, this study used cheap and readily available graphite, with decalin as solvent to disperse the graphite in low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Two methods of solvent removal (heat treatment at 100 °C and natural drying) were applied. Afterward, two kinds of composite LDPE/graphite films with different proportions of graphite were obtained. Different samples of the two films were compared in terms of the differences in appearance, thermal properties, and resistances. SEM showed that the appearance of heat-treated composite films presented a complete and smooth structure and good bendability relative to untreated films. Thermal gravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetry showed that composite films with heat treatment had a higher thermal stability. Differential scanning calorimetry results showed that the melting points of the two composite films decreased with increasing graphite content. Finally, these composite films were used to measure the induced voltage values corresponding to changes in pH of different samples. The results showed that stable voltage values could not be obtained in the case of composite materials with very low conductivity, and that an appropriate amount of graphite mixed with LDPE could have better acid–base sensing properties.

A solution blending technique was employed to form a nanocomposite film of polyvinyl alcohol modified with carbon nanotube and zinc oxide (CNT/ZnO). The film was characterized using a tensile testing machine, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, a contact angle device, and barrier property measurement. When the CNT/ZnO content was 1.2 phr, the results from mechanical property and water vapor permeation tests showed that the nanocomposite film had good tensile strength and water resistance. Moreover, CNT/ZnO improved the hydrophobicity of the film. CNT/ZnO/can improve the performance of PVA and is a good nanofiller of PVA. The results of this research might have the opportunity to be used as packaging film materials in the future.

Since the inception of research on hollow silica, the use of hollow nanosilica (HNS) as additives in barrier materials has not been reported. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of HNS as an additive in modified polypropylene (MPP). According to X-ray diffraction (XRD), the crystallinity, tensile strength, and thermal stability of MPP/HNS nanocomposite containing 0.1[Formula: see text]phr HNS approached maximum values. Moreover, the nanocomposite had the best performance in terms of water vapor barrier and oxygen resistance. The reasons for the improvement in barrier performance were discussed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that HNS at a low content dispersed well in MPP. In conclusion, the synthesized HNS can be used as an additive in barrier materials, and it would have potential applications in the fields of food packaging films and storage containers or materials.

Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widely used polymers in many areas. But it also has some drawbacks. In this work, a novel nanomaterial — zinc oxide-doped graphene (G-nZnO) — was melt-blended with PP to prepare an antibacterial nanocomposite. It was found that the mechanical properties, thermal stability and barrier properties of nanocomposites reached the highest value when the content of G-nZnO was 0.2[Formula: see text]phr. The tensile properties of nanocomposites were 36% higher than those of pure PP, and the barrier properties were increased by 113%. The results of antibacterial tests showed that the antibacterial activity of nanocomposites increased with the G-nZnO content. Compared with previous studies on PP/graphene and different PP composites, this study that examined new nanocomposites was better in terms of improving various properties of PP. This kind of composite materials with excellent comprehensive performance has great potential for application in the fields of packaging and functional materials.

In this paper, multiwall carbon nanotube-ZnO (MWCNT/ZnO) was melt-blended with polyethylene (PE) by a Haake-Buchler Rheomixer. The mechanical properties, thermal stability and dispersion degree of the composite materials was characterized. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetry, tensile test and SEM were carried out. The results showed that with the addition of MWCNT/ZnO, the crystallinity and thermal degradation temperature of PE changed. 0.2phr MWCNT/ZnO/PE exhibited crystallinity that was 10% higher than PE. With the addition of MWCNT/ZnO, the tensile strength of PE decreased gradually, but the elongation at break increased first and then decreased. When MWCNT/ZnO content is 0.2phr, the elongation at break of the composite is close to 532.21%, which is 116% higher than that of pure PE.

In this study, PVA/CS composite hydrogels were prepared by means of freezing and thawing cycles of agricultural wastes, corn straw (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The mechanical properties of the composite hydrogels were analyzed by universal tensile device. The effects of CS on tensile strength and elongation at break of PVA/CS composite hydrogels were analyzed. On the other hand, PVA and PVA/CS composite hydrogels were also freeze-dried to investigate the mechanical properties of all hydrogels after drying.

Nanocomposites of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) modified with 0.2 phr graphene-zinc oxide (GN-ZnO) exhibited optimal mechanical properties and thermal stability. Two other nano-materials—GN and nano-ZnO—were also used to compare them with GN-ZnO. Increasing the content of GN-ZnO gradually enhanced the antibacterial and barrier properties, but the addition of 0.3 phr GN-ZnO led to agglomeration that caused defects in the nanocomposites. Herein, we investigated the antibacterial and barrier properties of HDPE nanocomposites infused with different nanoparticles (GN, ZnO, GN-ZnO) of varying concentrations. HDPE and the nanoparticles were melt-blended together in a Haake-Buchler Rheomixer to produce a new environment-friendly nano-material with improved physical and chemical properties. The following characterizations were conducted: tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis, morphology, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, antibacterial test, and oxygen and water vapor permeation test. The results showed that the crystallinity of HDPE was affected with the addition of GN-ZnO, and the nanocomposites had effective antibacterial capacity, strong mechanical properties, high thermal stability, and excellent barrier performance. This type of HDPE nanocomposites reinforced with GN-ZnO would be attractive for packaging industries.

Alleviating the shuttling of polysulfides in a lithium sulfur battery is an important way of improving their electrochemical performance. Herein, sulfur was confined into a graphene nanoscroll (GNS), which was sandwiched by GNS/MnO2 hybrid nanowires to form an integrated electrode. Due to its unique structure and composition, the electrode exhibited a surperior ability to trap polysulfides.

The Williamson-Hall and uniaxial compression methods were used to study the variations of the micro-strain and stress-strain relations in WC powders after jet milling and ball milling, respectively. The rupture behavior of agglomerates in WC powders was investigated. Meanwhile, the as-obtained WC powders treated by different milling methods were used to fabricate WC-10%Co cemented carbides, followed by the performance assessment of cemented carbides. The results show that the micro-strain of the jet-milled WC powders decreases significantly compared with that of the ball-milled WC powders, and that the cemented carbides prepared by jet-milled WC powders exhibit excellent properties with a transverse-rupture strength of 4260 MPa, due to the elimination of agglomerates and the reduction of lattice strain.

为提高1060铝合金的耐腐蚀性能和耐磨性能,采用电化学技术、SEM和XRD等方法,研究了柠檬酸对1060铝合金化学镀Ni-W-P镀液的沉积速率、镀层的孔隙率、腐蚀电位、交流阻抗、维氏硬度、形貌等的影响.结果表明,添加柠檬酸,镀液沉积速率有所降低,但是,Ni-W-P镀层的表面平滑光亮,结合力良好,耐蚀性提高.当柠檬酸含量为25 g/L时,镀层的点滴液变色时间最长,为605 s,镀层的孔隙率为0,腐蚀电流密度最小(2.95 μA/cm2),腐蚀电位最大,为-0.384 V,比1060铝合金的正移0.889 V,腐蚀倾向变小.镀层呈典型的花椰菜包状物结构,添加柠檬酸之后,包状物细化,镀层组织结构更紧密均匀,无孔隙,镀层磷含量提高,使镀层由非晶态和微晶构成的混晶结构向非晶态转变,是其耐蚀性高的重要原因,提高钨含量使镀层硬度增加,为174 HV,是1060铝合金基体的4倍.

The influences of pH value and temperature on the deposition rate, porosity, time of dropping corrosion test, corrosion potential, corrosion current and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of electroless plating Ni-P alloy coatings on AZ31 magnesium alloy were investigated by using electrochemical technologies. The results show that high deposition rate(8. 48μm/h), high microhardness(250 kgf/mm2), low porosity(0 hole/cm2), long time of NaCl dropping corrosion test (90 s), low corrosion current (0. 177 mA/cm2) and high corrosion potential (-1. 015 V) of electroless plating Ni-P alloy coatings on the AZ31 matrix can be obtained when pH value of the plating solution is 7. The high deposition rate and good anti-corrosion properties are acquired when the temperature of plating solution is 75℃. The package particles in the coating become more uniform, dense and defect-free.

To improve the anti-corrosion properties of the AZ91D magnesium alloy, the electroless plating Ni-Co-P on the AZ91D magnesium alloy is necessary. The influences of additives (ammonium fluoride (NH4F) and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA)) on deposition rate, corrosion rate, acid resistance, corrosion current, corrosion potential and webster hardness of electroless plating Ni-Co-P alloy coating, were investigated using electrochemical methods, etc. The results show that the deposition rate and corrosion resistance properties of electroless plating Ni-Co-P are obviously improved when the additives, including NH4F (2%) and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA, 1%), are added into plating solution, respectively. In addition, the global particles in the Ni-Co-P coating become smaller with the addition of NH4F by comparison with no additives and coatings are dense, uniform and defect-free.

By applying the Fluent software, a CFD model was constructed to simulate the RH in order to study the temperature inside the RH. The study shows that the increase gas flow rate facilitates the well-distributed temperature inside the RH, especially ranging from 90Nm(3)/h to 150Nm(3)/h. The latter is the ideal gas rate to control the temperature very well. The submersion depth of the snorkel also has the positive influence on the uniform temperature. When the depth is increasing, the temperature goes up initially and then begins to drop gradually. When the depth is 600mm, the temperature remains stable. Therefore, within the range of 500mm-800mm, 600mm is the optimal depth.

The phase equilibrium of cemented carbide was investigated by quench method.The results show that owing to the existence of WC,liquid,η-phase equilibrium region,the η-phase appears in cemented carbide after rapid cooling even carbon content at stoichiometric composition.The four phase equilibrium region in cemented carbide is testifed.