Functionalized ionic liquids (FILs) as extradants were employed for the separation of tungsten and molybdenum from a sulfate solution for the first time. The effects of initial pH, extractant concentration, metal concentrations in the feed were comprehensively investigated. The results showed that tricaprylmethylammonium bis(2,4,4-tiimethylpentyl)phosphinate ([A336][Cyanex272]) could selectively extract

Hot compression tests were performed on AISI 321 austenitic stainless steel in the deformation temperature range of 800–1200°C and constant strain rates of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 s−1. Hot flow curves were used to determine the strain hardening exponent and the strain rate sensitivity exponent, and to construct the processing maps. Variations of the strain hardening exponent with strain were used to

Copper matrix composites reinforced by in situ-formed hybrid titanium boride whiskers (TiBw) and titanium diboride particles (TiB2p) were fabricated by powder metallurgy. Microstructural observations showed competitive precipitation behavior between TiBw and TiB2p, where the relative contents of the two reinforcements varied with sintering temperature. Based on thermodynamic and kinetic assessments

For this study, we synthesized Aurivillius Bi5Ti3FeO15 ceramic using the generic solid-state reaction route and then performed room-temperature X-ray diffraction to confirm that the compound had a single phase with no impurities. The surface morphology of the prepared sample was observed to contain microstructural grains approximately 0.2–2 µm in size. The dielectric properties of the sample were determined

With the increasing demand of rare earth metals in functional materials, recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from secondary resources has become important for the green economy transition. Molten salt electrolysis has the advantages of low water consumption and low hazardous waste during REE recovery. This review systematically summarizes the separation and electroextraction of REEs on various reactive

A facile approach was developed to construct Fe2O3-modified ZnO micro/nanostructures with excellent superhydrophobicity and photocatalytic activities. The effects of stearic acid (SA) and Fe2O3 on the morphological characteristics, water contact angle (WCA), and photocatalytic degradation were investigated. Superhydrophobicity results showed that WCA increased from 144° ± 2° to 154° ± 2° when the weight

Blast furnace data processing is prone to problems such as outliers. To overcome these problems and identify an improved method for processing blast furnace data, we conducted an in-depth study of blast furnace data. Based on data samples from selected iron and steel companies, data types were classified according to different characteristics; then, appropriate methods were selected to process them

Utilization of novel materials, particularly high-Tc (critical temperature) superconductors, is essential to pursue the United Nations’ Sustainable Goals, as well as to meet the increasing worldwide demand for clean and carbon-free electric power technologies. Superconducting magnets are beneficial in several real-life applications including transportation, energy production, magnetic resonance imaging

The fusion of the leaching and purification processes was realized by directly using microemulsion as the leaching agent. The bis-(2-ethyhexyl) phosphoric acid (DEHPA)/n-heptane/NaOH microemulsion system was established to directly leach vanadates from sodium-roasted vanadium slag. The effect of the leaching agent on the leaching efficiency was investigated, in addition to the molar ratio of H2O/NaDEHP

It is well-known that the surface quality of the niobium microalloy profiled billet directly affects the comprehensive mechanical properties of the H-beam. The effects of chromium on the γ/α phase transformation and high-temperature mechanical properties of Nb-microalloyed steel were studied by Gleeble tensile and high-temperature in-situ observation experiments. Results indicated that the starting

In the present research, aluminum metal matrix composites were processed by the stir casting technique. The effects of TiB2 reinforcement particles, severe plastic deformation through accumulative roll bonding (ARB), and aging treatment on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties were also evaluated. Uniaxial tensile tests and microhardness measurements were conducted, and the

The reductant is a critical factor in the hydrometallurgical recycling of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). There is limited information regarding the use of SnCl2 as a reductant with organic acid (maleic acid) for recovering valuable metals from spent Li-CoO2 material. In this study, the leaching efficiencies of Li and Co with 1 mol·L−1 of maleic acid and 0.3 mol·L−1 of SnCl2

High-temperature oxidation is a common failure in high-temperature environments, which widely occur in aircraft engines and aerospace thrusters; as a result, the development of anti-high-temperature oxidation materials has been pursued. Ni-based alloys are a common high-temperature material; however, they are too expensive. High-entropy alloys are alternatives for the anti-oxidation property at high

Lead halide perovskites have received increasing attention recently as a candidate material in various optoelectronic areas because of their high performance as light absorbers. Herein, we report the growth of CsPbI3 nanobelts via a solution process. A single-crystalline CsPbI3 nanobelt with uniform morphology can be achieved by controlling the amount of PbI2. A single-crystalline CsPbI3 nanobelt possesses

As ore grades constantly decline, more copper tailings, which still contain a considerable amount of unrecovered copper, are expected to be produced as a byproduct of froth flotation. This research reveals the occurrence mechanism of copper minerals in typical copper sulfide tailings using quantitative mineral liberation analysis (MLA) integrated with scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have attracted increasing attention because of their unique properties, including high strength, hardness, chemical stability, and good wear resistance. Powder metallurgy is one of the most important methods used to fabricate HEA materials. This paper introduces the methods used to synthesize HEA powders and consolidate HEA bulk. The phase transformation, microstructural

The oxidation pathway and kinetics of titania slag powders in air were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). The oxidation pathway of titania slag powder in air was divided into three stages according to their three exothermic peaks and three corresponding mass gain stages indicated by the respective non-isothermal DSC and TG curves. The isothermal oxidation

The impact energy prediction model of low carbon steel was investigated based on industrial data. A three-layer neural network, extreme learning machine, and deep neural network were compared with different activation functions, structure parameters, and training functions. Bayesian optimization was used to determine the optimal hyper-parameters of the deep neural network. The model with the best performance

Here we present a novel approach of intercritical heat treatment for microstructure tailoring, in which intercritical annealing is introduced between conventional quenching and tempering. This induced a heterogeneous microstructure consisting of soft intercritical ferrite and hard tempered martensite, resulting in a low yield ratio (YR) and high impact toughness in a high-strength low-alloy steel.

The high strength martensite steels are widely used in aerospace, ocean engineering, etc., due to their high strength, good ductility and acceptable corrosion resistance. This paper provides a review for the influence of microstructure on corrosion behavior of high strength martensite steels. Pitting is the most common corrosion type of high strength stainless steels, which always occurs at weak area

The influences of hydrogen on the mechanical properties and the fracture behaviour of Fe-22Mn-0.6C twinning induced plasticity steel have been investigated by slow strain rate tests and fractographic analysis. The steel showed high susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement, which led to 62.9% and 74.2% reduction in engineering strain with 3.1 and 14.4 ppm diffusive hydrogen, respectively. The fracture

(CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 high entropy alloy (HEA) coatings were successfully fabricated on a substrate of Q235 steel by laser cladding technology. These (CoCrFeNi)95Nb5 HEA coatings possess excellent properties, particularly corrosion resistance, which is clearly superior to that of some typical bulk HEA and common engineering alloys. In order to obtain appropriate laser cladding preparation process parameters

We investigated the effect of Al2O3 content on the viscosity of CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-8wt%MgO-1wt%Cr2O3 (mass ratio of CaO/SiO2 is 1.0, and Al2O3 content is 17wt%–29wt%) slags. The results show that the viscosity of the slag increases gradually with increases in the Al2O3 content in the range of 17wt% to 29wt% due to the role of Al2O3 as a network former in the polymerization of the aluminosilicate structure

Effects of the weld microstructure and inclusions on brittle fracture initiation are investigated in a thermally aged ferritic high-nickel weld of a reactor pressure vessel head from a decommissioned nuclear power plant. As-welded and reheated regions mainly consist of acicular and polygonal ferrite, respectively. Fractographic examination of Charpy V-notch impact toughness specimens reveals large

This study aims to discover the stress-state dependence of the dynamic strain aging (DSA) effect on the deformation and fracture behavior of high-strength dual-phase (DP) steel at different deformation temperatures (25–400°C) and reveal the damage mechanisms under these various configurations. To achieve different stress states, predesigned specimens with different geometric features were used. Scanning

Medium-Mn steels have attracted immense attention for automotive applications owing to their outstanding combination of high strength and superior ductility. This steel class is generally characterized by an ultrafine-grained duplex microstructure consisting of ferrite and a large amount of austenite. Such a unique microstructure is processed by intercritical annealing, where austenite reversion occurs

The mechanism of oxide inclusions in fatigue crack initiation in the very-high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime was clarified by subjecting bearing steels deoxidized by Al (Al-deoxidized steel) and Si (Si-deoxidized steel) to ultrasonic tension-compression fatigue tests (stress ratio, R = −1) and analyzing the characteristics of the detected inclusions. Results show that the main types of inclusions in

Nanoindentation is an attractive characterization technique, as it not only measures the local properties of a material but also facilitates understanding of deformation mechanisms at submicron scales. However, because of the complex stress-strain field and the small scale of the deformation under the nanoindenter, the results can be easily influenced by artifacts induced during sample preparation

In the Collaborative Research Centre 761’s “Steel ab initio - quantum mechanics guided design of new Fe based materials,” scientists and engineers from RWTH Aachen University and the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research conducted research on mechanism-controlled material development with a particular focus on high-manganese alloyed steels. From 2007 to 2019, a total of 55 partial projects and four

Advanced high-strength steels have been widely used to improve the crashworthiness and lightweight of vehicles. Different from the popular cold stamping, hot forming of boron-alloyed manganese steels, such as 22MnB5, could produce ultra-high-strength steel parts without springback and with accurate control of dimensions. Moreover, hot-formed medium-Mn steels could have many advantages, including better

Radioluminescence (RL) behaviour of erbium-doped yttria nanoparticles (Y2O3:Er3+ NPs) which were produced by sol-gel method was reported for future scintillator applications. NPs with dopant rates of 1at%, 5at%, 10at% and 20at% Er were produced and calcined at 800°C, and effect of increased calcination temperature (1100°C) on the RL behaviour was also reported. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed

The formation of a rust layer on iron and steels surfaces accelerates their degradation and eventually causes material failure. In addition to fabricating a protective layer or using a sacrificial anode, repairing or removing the rust layer is another way to reduce the corrosion rate and extend the lifespans of iron and steels. Herein, an electrochemical healing approach was employed to repair the

Fatigue analysis has always been a concern in the design and assessment of Mg alloy structure components subjected to cyclic loading, and research on the cyclic plasticity is fundamental to investigate the corresponding fatigue failure. Thus, this work reviews the progress in the cyclic plasticity of Mg alloys. First, the existing macroscopic and microscopic experimental results of Mg alloys are summarized

A low MgO content in sinter is conducive to reduce the MgO content in blast furnace slag. This study investigated the effect of MgO content in sinter on the softening—melting behavior of the mixed burden based on fluxed pellets. When the MgO content increased from 1.31wt% to 1.55wt%, the melting temperature of sinter increased to 1521°C. Such an increase was due to the formation of the high-melting-point

The butt welds of 4-mm thick 5A06 aluminum alloy plates were produced by adjustable-gap bobbin-tool friction stir travel with travel speeds of 200, 300, and 400 mm/min in this study. The microstructure was studied using optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Tensile tests and microhardness measurements were performed to identify the effect of the travel speed on the joint mechanical

The method of producing ferronickel at low temperature (1250–1400°C) has been applied since the 1950s at Nippon Yakin Kogyo, Oheyama Works, Japan. Limestone was used as an additive to adjust the slag composition for lowering the slag melting point. The ferronickel product was recovered by means of a magnetic separator from semi-molten slag and metal after water quenching. To increase the efficiency

Ni3Al-based alloys have drawn much attention as candidates for high-temperature structural materials due to their excellent comprehensive properties. The microstructure and corresponding mechanical properties of Ni3Al-based alloys are known to be susceptible to heat treatment. Thus, a significant step is to employ various heat treatments to derive the desirable mechanical properties of the alloys.

This study aims to draw an exact boundary for microstructural and mechanical behaviors in terms of pulsed plasma nitriding conditions. The pulsed plasma nitriding treatment was applied to AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel at different temperatures and durations. Results reveal that nitriding depth increased as process temperature and duration increase. The nitriding depth remarkably increased at

The effects of SiO2 content on the preparation process and metallurgical properties of acid oxidized pellets, including compressive strength, reduction, and softening—melting behaviors, were systematically investigated. Mineralogical structures, elemental distribution, and pore size distribution were varied to analyze the mechanism of the effects. The results show that with an increase in SiO2 content

We used refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) to join 2-mm-thick AZ91D-H24 magnesium alloy sheets, and we investigated in detail the effect of tool plunge depth on the microstructure and fracture behavior of the joints. A sound joint surface can be obtained using plunge depths of 2.0 and 2.5 mm. Plunge depth was found to significantly affect the height of the hook, with greater plunge depths corresponding

Several special mechanical properties, such as dilatancy and compressibility, of cemented paste backfill (CPB) are controlled by its internal microstructure and evolution. The mesoscopic structure changes of CPB during the development process were investigated. On the basis of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mechanical test results of CPB, the particle size information of CPB was extracted

The reduction behavior and metallization degree of magnetite concentrate with agave bagasse were investigated in an inert atmosphere. The effects of temperature, biomass content, and residence time on reduction experiments and metallization degree were investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Compared with other types of biomass, agave bagasse had lower contents of nitrogen

The world’s energy system is changing dramatically. Li-ion battery, as a powerful and highly effective energy storage technique, is crucial to the new energy revolution for its continuously expanding application in electric vehicles and grids. Over the entire lifetime of these power batteries, it is essential to monitor their state of health not only for the predicted mileage and safety management

Flower-like ZnO microstructures were successfully produced using a hydrothermal method employing ZnSO4/(NH4)2SO4 as a raw material. The effect of the operating parameters of the hydrothermal temperature, OH−/Zn2+ molar ratio, time, and amount of dispersant on the phase structure and micromorphology of the ZnO particles were investigated. The synthesis conditions of the flower-like ZnO microstructures

In this work, sodium dicyanamide (SD) was used as a leaching reagent for gold recovery, and the effects of the SD dosage and solution pH on the gold-leaching performance were investigated. A gold recovery of 34.8% was obtained when SD was used as the sole leaching reagent at a dosage of 15 kg/t. In the presence of a certain amount of potassium ferrocyanide (PF) in the SD solution, the gold recovery

The extraction of gold from refractory gold ores (RGOs) without side reactions is an extremely promising endeavor. However, most RGOs contain large amounts of sulfide, such as pyrite. Thus, investigation of the influence of sulfide on the gold leaching process is important to maximize the utilization of RGOs. In this work, the effects of pyrite on the stability of the thiourea system were systematically

A series of novel steel—Ti(C,N) composites was fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and subsequent heat treatment. The hardness, indentation fracture resistance, and wear behaviour of the steel—Ti(C,N) composites were compared with those of the unreinforced samples, and their potentials were assessed by comparison with traditional cermet/hardmetal systems. The results showed that with the addition

Pt/CeO2-C catalysts with CeO2 pre-calcined at 300–600°C were synthesized by combining hydrothermal calcination and wet impregnation. The effects of the pre-calcined CeO2 on the performance of Pt/CeO2-C catalysts in methanol oxidation were investigated. The Pt/CeO2-C catalysts with pre-calcined CeO2 at 300–600°C showed an average particle size of 2.6–2.9 nm and exhibited better methanol electro-oxidation

To discuss the potential role of iridium (Ir) nanoparticles loaded under atmospheric and high pressures, we prepared a series of catalysts with the same active phase but different contents of 10wt%, 20wt%, and 30wt% on gamma-alumina for decomposition of hydrazine. Under atmospheric pressure, the performance of the catalyst was better when 30wt% of the Ir nanoparticles was used with chelating agent

The copyright information of the print version for this article unfortunately is not the same with that of the online version. The copyright information of the online version is right, which is “© The Author(s) 2020”.

A 3D model applying temperature- and carbon concentration- dependent material properties was developed to describe the scrap melting behavior and carbon diffusion under natural convection. Simulated results agreed reasonably well with experimental ones. Scrap melting was subdivided into four stages: formation of a solidified layer, rapid melting of the solidified layer, carburization, and carburization

This review summarizes the strengthening mechanisms of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels. High-angle grain boundaries, subgrain boundaries, nano-sized M23C6, and MX carbide precipitates effectively hinder dislocation motion and increase high-temperature strength. M23C6 carbides are easily coarsened under high temperatures, thereby weakening their ability to block dislocations. Creep

This study compared the microstructure and mechanical characteristics of AA6061-T6 joints produced using friction stir welding (FSW), friction stir vibration welding (FSVW), and tungsten inert gas welding (TIG). FSVW is a modified version of FSW wherein the joining specimens are vibrated normal to the welding line during FSW. The results indicated that the weld region grains for FSVW and FSW were equiaxed

Steel matrix composites (SMCs) reinforced with WC particles were fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM) by employing various laser scan strategies. A detailed relationship between the SLM strategies, defect formation, microstructural evolution, and mechanical properties of SMCs was established. The laser scan strategies can be manipulated to deliberately alter the thermal history of SMC during

The effect of cold rolling and post-rolling heat treatment on the microstructural and electrochemical properties of the 316L stainless steel was investigated. Two-pass and four-pass cold-rolled stainless steel specimens were heat-treated by annealing at 900°C followed by quenching in water. During the cold rolling, the microstructure of the as-received specimen transformed from austenite to strain-induced

Certain inclusions in high-strength 60Si2Mn-Cr spring steel result in poor resistance to localized corrosion. In this work, to study the effect of inclusions on the localized corrosion behavior of spring steel, accelerated corrosion tests were performed by immersing spring steel in 3wt% FeCl3 solution for different times. The results show that severe corrosion occurred in areas of clustered CaS inclusions

The effects of tempering holding time at 700°C on the morphology, mechanical properties, and behavior of nanoparticles in Ti-Mo ferritic steel with different Mo contents were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The equilibrium solid solution amounts of Mo, Ti, and C in ferritic steel at various temperatures were calculated, and changes in the sizes of nanoparticles

This study addresses the liquid-liquid extraction behavior of phosphorus from a sulfuric acid solution using benzyl dimethyl amine (BDMA) in kerosene. The extraction equilibria investigated with varied BDMA concentrations could reveal the formation of \(\overline {3[{\rmMA}] \cdot [{{\rm{H}}_3}{\rm{P}}{{\rm{O}}_4}]} \) complex in the organic phase. The thermodynamic properties determined at various

The present study evaluates the reductive leaching of indium from indium-bearing zinc ferrite using oxalic acid as a reducer in sulfuric acid solution. The effect of main factors affecting the process rate, including the oxalic-acid-to-sulfuric-acid ratio, stirring rate, grain size, temperature, and the initial concentration of synergic acid, was precisely evaluated. The results confirmed the acceptable

Graphene is an ideal reinforcing phase for a high-performance composite filler, which is of great theoretical and practical significance for improving the wettability and reliability of the filler. However, the poor adsorption characteristics between graphene and the silver base filler significantly affect the application of graphene filler in the brazing field. It is a great challenge to improve the