Crystal tectonics: construction of reticulated calcium phosphate frameworks in bicontinuous reverse microemulsions

The chemical construction of organized architectures is an important aspect of innovative materials synthesis. Bicontinuous water-filled microemulsions can be used as preorganized systems for the fabrication of crystalline calcium phosphate materials with extended reticulated microstructures. These macroporous materials are formed by mineralization reactions located within the interconnecting water channels of the bicontinuous network. The resulting materials represent replicas of the microemulsion architecture, but the pore sizes are incommensurate, suggesting that secondary modifications in the bicontinuous microstructure occur during crystal growth. Synthetic macroporous calcium phosphates could have uses in biomaterial implants.     

Imaging the pore structure of geomaterials

Laser scanning confocal microscopy can be used to image the pore structure of geologic materials in three dimensions at a resolution of 200 nanometers. The technique involves impregnation of the void space with an epoxy doped with a fluorochrome whose fluorescent wavelength matches the excitation wavelength. Optical sections with a thickness of less than 1 micrometer can be sliced from thick polished sections and combined to produce three-dimensional reconstructions. Application of the technique to rocks with porosities from 1 to 20 percent reveals the geometric complexity of the pore space. The technique can also be applied to other brittle solids such as ceramics.     

巴旦杏核壳活性炭表征分析

以南疆地区盛产的巴旦杏核壳为原料,采用微波辐照磷酸法制备了巴旦杏核壳活性炭,使用物理吸附仪、扫描电镜(SEM)、傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)、X射线衍射(XRD)等测试方法研究了其性能。结果表明:巴旦杏核壳活性炭经热解、活化后,残留有机官能基团,活性炭晶型均以非晶态为主。巴旦杏核壳活性炭表面分布着大量孔洞,且孔洞以为微孔为主,BET比表面积达418.2 m2/g,总孔容达0.366 cm3/g,亚甲基蓝吸附值达231.5 mg/g。     

烤烟烟片吸料速率及影响因素研究

[目的]为卷烟加料和配叶贮叶工序加工工艺的选择与条件设定提供依据。[方法]采用浸泡法测定烟片吸料速率,并考察烟片微观结构、含水率和料液温度等对烟片吸料速率的影响。[结果]烤烟烟片吸收料液过程符合二级动力学方程;烤烟烟片截面孔数量为叶面的17～76倍,孔率为叶面的33～183倍,将烟片制成叶丝后,料液吸收速率提高2.2～3.1倍;随着含水率增大,烟片吸料速率降低;随着料液温度升高,烟片吸料速率增大。[结论]将烤烟烟片制成叶丝、提高料液温度、降低烟片含水率,均可提高烟片吸料速率。     

多孔介质干燥过程分形孔道网络模型与模拟:Ⅰ.模型建立

目前孔道网络干燥理论中普遍以“人造多孔介质”为孔道网络模拟的研究目标,尚未涉及实际多孔体的应用问题。以农副产品中常见孔隙直径范围(10-7~10-4m)的自然多孔介质为研究对象,运用分形几何学、多孔介质渗流物理和传递过程原理,建立了描述多孔介质干燥过程热质传递的分形孔道网络模型和规则孔道网络模型。模型中考虑了多孔介质孔隙内的液相流动、汽相扩散、温度梯度以及孔道微细结构特征等诸多因素对干燥过程热质传递特性的影响。为了更准确地契合自然多孔介质的孔道网络拓扑结构,应用分形孔道网络替代了通常采用的规则孔道网络。     

Triblock copolymer syntheses of mesoporous silica with periodic 50 to 300 angstrom pores

Use of amphiphilic triblock copolymers to direct the organization of polymerizing silica species has resulted in the preparation of well-ordered hexagonal mesoporous silica structures (SBA-15) with uniform pore sizes up to approximately 300 angstroms. The SBA-15 materials are synthesized in acidic media to produce highly ordered, two-dimensional hexagonal (space group p6mm) silica-block copolymer mesophases. Calcination at 500 degrees C gives porous structures with unusually large interlattice d spacings of 74.5 to 320 angstroms between the (100) planes, pore sizes from 46 to 300 angstroms, pore volume fractions up to 0.85, and silica wall thicknesses of 31 to 64 angstroms. SBA-15 can be readily prepared over a wide range of uniform pore sizes and pore wall thicknesses at low temperature (35 degrees to 80 degrees C), using a variety of poly(alkylene oxide) triblock copolymers and by the addition of cosolvent organic molecules. The block copolymer species can be recovered for reuse by solvent extraction with ethanol or removed by heating at 140 degrees C for 3 hours, in both cases, yielding a product that is thermally stable in boiling water.     

Hindered diffusion in microporous membranes with known pore geometry

The hindrance effect on the aqueous diffusion rate of solutes within membrane pores of molecular size has been accurately determined. Mica membranes, 3 to 5 micrometers thick, were prepared with uniform, straight pores from 90 to 600 angstroms in diameter. With these membranes a direct estimation was possible of the interaction between pore size and molecular diffusion rates. There were no uncertainties due to wide pore size distributions or nonuniform tortuous channels as in previously used model microporous materials such as dialysis tubing or gels. Aqueous diffusion rates through these mica membranes were measured for a series of compounds with molecular diameters from 5.2 to 43 angstroms and were corrected for "liquid film resistances" adjacent to the membrane-solution interface to obtain estimates of molecular diffusivities within the micropores of the membrane. Definite evidence is presented showing that, even when molecular size is a small fraction of pore size, diffusion rates decrease markedly. The apparent reduction in solute diffusivity in the microporous membrane can be quantitatively estimated by means of the Renkin equation for hindered diffusion.     

Phylum ectoprocta, order cheilostomata: microprobe analysis of calcium, magnesium, strontium, and phosphorus in skeletons

Calcium, magnesium, and strontium occur in approximately constant ratios in traverses through skeletal walls of a single mineralogy (either calcite or aragonite). Skeletal walls of more than one mineralogy have the magnesium-rich layer (calcite) surrounding the living chamber and the strontium-rich layer (aragonite) on the outside. In contrast, phosphorus may be present in greater or lesser amounts in different parts of the same calcite skeletal wall. Aragonitic crystallites appear oriented roughly perpendicular to skeletal walls, whereas calcitic crystallites are parallel to skeletal walls.     

Plastic deformation with reversible peak broadening in nanocrystalline nickel

Plastic deformation in coarse-grained metals is governed by dislocation-mediated processes. These processes lead to the accumulation of a residual dislocation network, producing inhomogeneous strain and an irreversible broadening of the Bragg peaks in x-ray diffraction. We show that during plastic deformation of electrodeposited nanocrystalline nickel, the peak broadening is reversible upon unloading; hence, the deformation process does not build up a residual dislocation network. The results were obtained during in situ peak profile analysis using the Swiss Light Source. This in situ technique, based on well-known peak profile analysis methods, can be used to address the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties in nanostructured materials.     

汉麻秆基生物质陶瓷用纯炭坯体的制备与分析

以汉麻秆芯炭粉为原料,采用干压成型工艺制备了生物质碳化硅陶瓷用多孔纯炭坯体,通过截面密度分析、SEM以及压汞测试等手段,对纯炭坯体的密度、显微结构和孔隙特征进行了分析。结果表明,成型压力在110MPa以下时,炭坯密度随压力升高而增加,达到110 MPa后密度不再增加;成型坯体截面密度分布及显微分布均匀;压汞测试表明,压力为35 MPa时所得炭坯的孔径主要介于1～80μm之间,具备制备高质量碳化硅陶瓷的理想条件。     

Imaging powders with the atomic force microscope: from biominerals to commercial materials

Atomically resolved images of pressed powder samples have been obtained with the atomic force microscope (AFM). The technique was successful in resolving the particle, domain, and atomic structure of pismo clam (Tivela stultorum) and sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) shells and of commercially available calcium carbonate (CaCO(3)) and strontium carbonate (SrCO(3)) powders. Grinding and subsequent pressing of the shells did not destroy the microstructure of these materials. The atomic-resolution imaging capabilities of AFM can be applied to polycrystalline samples by means of pressing powders with a grain size as small as 50 micrometers. These results illustrate that the AFM is a promising tool for material science and the study of biomineralization.     

钙基脱硫剂微观结构特性对烟气脱硫的影响研究

研究了钙基脱硫剂的微观结构特性对烟气脱硫的影响。结果表明,合理的孔径分布对优化比表面积、孔隙率及减少硫化过程中不可进入孔隙的形成起着十分重要的作用;同时,脱硫剂的比表面积、孔隙率(孔容积)、粒径及分形特性等参数是影响脱硫效果的重要因素。     

Tailored surface modification by ion implantation and laser treatment

An important trend in materials science is the use of increasingly sophisticated methods to control composition and microstructure during processing. Near-surface modification by ion implantation and laser treatment is one of these new methods for tailoring material properties. Novel materials have been formed which are far from thermodynamic equilibrium and which exhibit unexpected and useful properties. The most extensively studied property changes include modified electrical properties of semiconductors and improved wear, hardness, and corrosion resistance of metals. The high degree of control available with energetic beams allows relations between microstructure and properties to be systematically investigated at the atomic level. This article illustrates how ion and laser beam modification is being applied to advance both the technology and the exploratory science of materials.     

Fuel-powered artificial muscles

Artificial muscles and electric motors found in autonomous robots and prosthetic limbs are typically battery-powered, which severely restricts the duration of their performance and can necessitate long inactivity during battery recharge. To help solve these problems, we demonstrated two types of artificial muscles that convert the chemical energy of high-energy-density fuels to mechanical energy. The first type stores electrical charge and uses changes in stored charge for mechanical actuation. In contrast with electrically powered electrochemical muscles, only half of the actuator cycle is electrochemical. The second type of fuel-powered muscle provides a demonstrated actuator stroke and power density comparable to those of natural skeletal muscle and generated stresses that are over a hundred times higher.     

Freezing as a path to build complex composites

Materials that are strong, ultralightweight, and tough are in demand for a range of applications, requiring architectures and components carefully designed from the micrometer down to the nanometer scale. Nacre, a structure found in many molluscan shells, and bone are frequently used as examples for how nature achieves this through hybrid organic-inorganic composites. Unfortunately, it has proven extremely difficult to transcribe nacre-like clever designs into synthetic materials, partly because their intricate structures need to be replicated at several length scales. We demonstrate how the physics of ice formation can be used to develop sophisticated porous and layered-hybrid materials, including artificial bone, ceramic-metal composites, and porous scaffolds for osseous tissue regeneration with strengths up to four times higher than those of materials currently used for implantation.     

生物炭及其在稻田尾水净化中的应用研究进展

保障水稻稳定增产事关国家粮食安全。水中的农药、化肥、重金属等物质随稻田尾水流出，排入周边水域，易造成水体面源污染。生物炭具有原材料丰富、孔隙结构发达、比表面积大、离子交换能力强、成本效益高等优势，已被广泛应用于环境修复领域。生物炭经适当改性能增加吸附活性位，提高吸附性能。在促沉净化材料中添加生物炭或生物炭基材料，可增强稻田面源污染促沉净化装置效能，提高稻田尾水利用率，助推农业绿色发展。本文介绍了稻田尾水的特点、常见处理技术及治理意义，阐述了生物炭及生物炭基材料在稻田尾水净化中的应用，展望了稻田尾水防治工作待深入开展的方向，并提出了生物炭材料在参与废水处理上存在的问题，以期为促进生态循环农业发展提供参考。     

黄枝润楠木材结构特征的分析

以黄枝润楠天然次生林木材为研究对象,观察分析黄枝润楠木材的宏观构造特征和显微构造特征。结果表明:黄枝润楠为散孔材,管孔肉眼下可见至明显,单管孔和短径列复管孔为主(通常2~4个),稀管孔团;部分导管内含侵填体。轴向薄壁组织肉眼下可见,主为环管束状,偶见稀疏环管状。木射线肉眼下可见,径面射线斑纹可见;木射线非叠生,射线组织为异Ⅲ及异Ⅱ型,单列射线甚少,高2~8细胞;多列射线宽2~3细胞(以2列为主),高4~39细胞,多数为8~27细胞,油细胞数多;管间纹孔互列,偶见对列;单穿孔,穿孔板倾斜明显,偶见梯状穿孔;木材具分隔木纤维。     

Alternatives for large-scale production of cultured beef: A review

Cultured beef is a method where stem cells from skeletal muscle of cows are cultured in vitro to gain edible muscle tissue. For large-scale production of cultured beef, the culture technique needs to become more efficient than today's 2-dimensional(2D) standard technique that was used to make the first cultured hamburger. Options for efficient large-scale production of stem cells are to culture cells on microcarriers, either in suspension or in a packed bed bioreactor, or to culture aggregated cells in suspension. We discuss the pros and cons of these systems as well as the possibilities to use the systems for tissue culture. Either of the production systems needs to be optimized to achieve an efficient production of cultured beef. It is anticipated that the optimization of large-scale cell culture as performed for other stem cells can be translated into successful protocols for bovine satellite cells resulting in resource and cost efficient cultured beef.     

Periodic mesoporous dendrisilicas

We report the synthesis of a new class of materials called periodic mesoporous dendrisilicas. They are prepared from dendrimers with trialkoxysilyl groups at the outmost shell. Dendrimers of various cores and numbers of shells are used. The dendrisilica synthesis is based on acid- or base-catalyzed hydrolysis of the trialkoxysilyl groups and subsequent template-directed condensation of the dendrimers into an ordered template-dendrisilica nanocomposite. The template can be removed with organic solvents, producing a periodic mesoporous dendrisilica whose pore walls consist of interconnected dendrimer building blocks.     

Porous semiconducting gels and aerogels from chalcogenide clusters

Inorganic porous materials are being developed for use as molecular sieves, ion exchangers, and catalysts, but most are oxides. We show that various sulfide and selenide clusters, when bound to metal ions, yield gels having porous frameworks. These gels are transformed to aerogels after supercritical drying with carbon dioxide. The aerogels have high internal surface area (up to 327 square meters per gram) and broad pore size distribution, depending on the precursors used. The pores of these sulfide and selenide materials preferentially absorb heavy metals. These materials have narrow energy gaps (between 0.2 and 2.0 electron volts) and low densities, and they may be useful in optoelectronics, as photocatalysts, or in the removal of heavy metals from water.