On the Changes of Viscosity Preceding the Precipitationof Aluminium Hydrate from Aluminate Solutions

In order to ascertain whether and in what way the structure of clear aluminate solutions is modified prior to the precipitation of aluminium hydrate, the viscosity and specific gravity of these solutions were measured from the moment of their preparation to the moment of incipient precipitation

The Precipitation of Alumina Hydrate from Aluminate Solutions in the Presence of Some Higher Alcohols and Starch

The effect of low concentrations of isopropyl alcohol, n -butyl alcohol, isovaleryl alcohol, glycol, glycerol , glucose and starch on the rate of precipitation of alumina hydrate from metastable aluminate solution s was studied. The changes of electric conductivity during the precipitation were also measured. Only glycol accelerated the precipitation of alumina hydrate at concentrations covered by the experiments; the other substances retarded the precipitation. Glycerol in a concentration of about 0.2 M/ 1., glucose in a concentration of 6.7 g./ 1., and starch in a concentration of 6.7 g./l, prevented the precipitation

Application of the surface potential data to elucidate interfacial equilibrium at ceria/aqueous electrolyte interface

Interfacial properties of ceria (CeO2) nanoparticles and highly organized ceria crystal planes {111} and {100} in the aqueous electrolyte solution were studied. It was confirmed by high resolution electron spectroscopy that a primary ceria nanoparticle consists mostly of two crystal planes {111} and {100} with different surface sites exposed to the aqueous electrolyte solution. Interfacial properties of ceria nanoparticles are directly related to the reactivity and surface densities of existing surface sites. However, surface characterization (potentiometric titrations and electrophoretic measurements) provides only some kind of average surface properties i.e. average surface charge densities and surface potentials. The point of zero charge (pHpzc) of ceria nanoparticles was measured to be between 6.4 and 8.7, depending on the electrolyte concentration, and the isoelectric point at pHiep = 6.5. With the purpose of understanding ceria nanoparticles surface charging the inner surface potentials of ceria macro crystal planes {111} and {100} were measured for the first time, by means of single crystal electrodes, as a function of pH and ionic strength. The inner surface potential directly affects the state of ionic species bound to a certain surface plane and is thus an essential parameter governing interfacial equilibrium. From the measured Ψ 0(pH) data and applying the Multi Site Complexation Model the thermodynamic equilibrium constants of doubly-coordinated ≡Ce2-OH (at the {100} ceria crystal plane) as well as singly-coordinated ≡Ce1-OH and triply-coordinated ≡Ce3-OH (at the {111} ceria crystal plane) were evaluated. The Ψ 0(pH) function differs for two examined ceria planes, however the inner surface potentials of both planes depend on ionic strength having a broad electroneutrality region between pH = 6 and pH = 9

Mechanochemical stability of hydrogen titanate nanostructures

Structural stability of nanostructured titanates was investigated for further processing and possible applications. With the aim to investigate their mechanochemical stability we applied highenergy ball milling and studied induced phase transitions. Hydrogen titanates having two different morfologies, microcrystals and nanotubes, were taken into consideration. During mechanochemical treatment of both morphologies, we observed the phase transition from hydrogen titanate to TiO2 anatase and then to TiO2 rutile. Anatase to rutile phase transition occurred without appearance of intermediate high pressure TiO2 II typically observed in the case of mechanochemical treatment of TiO2. In the case of microcrystals, phase transition from hydrogen titanate to anatase starts after longer milling time than in the case of nanotubes, which is explained by larger particles sizes of crystalline powder. On the contrary, further phase transition from anatase to rutile was occurred faster in crystalline powder than in the case of nanotubes. The sequence of phase transitions was studied by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, while morphology and crystal structure at nanoscale were analyzed by high resolution electron microscopy

Fabrication and properties of the SITE-SiCf/SiC composite

Continuous SiC-fiber-reinforced SiC composite (SiCf/SiC) is an attractive candidate structural material for advanced concepts of future fusion power plants, mainly due to the favourable intrinsic properties of the SiC ceramics, i.e. high temperature- and chemical stability, low neutron activation and afterheat levels as well as due to the fact that it is the only nonmagnetic material proposed. Fabrication of such composites is a very challenging task due to limitations and requirements set for fusion-relevant structural materials