Prospects of Using Pseudobrookite as an Iron-Bearing Mineral for the Alkaline Electrolytic Production of Iron.

The alkaline electrolytic production of iron is gaining interest due to the absence of CO emissions and significantly lower electrical energy consumption when compared with traditional steelmaking. The possibility of using an iron-bearing pseudobrookite mineral, FeTiO, is explored for the first time as an alternative feedstock for the electrochemical reduction process. To assess relevant impacts of the presence of titanium, similar electroreduction processes were also performed for FeTiO·FeO and FeO.

Prospects for Electrical Performance Tuning in CaCoO Materials by Metallic Fe and Ni Particles Additions.

This work further explores the possibilities for designing the high-temperature electrical performance of the thermoelectric CaCoO phase, by a composite approach involving separate metallic iron and nickel particles additions, and by employing two different sintering schemes, capable to promote the controlled interactions between the components, encouraged by our recent promising results obtained for similar cobalt additions. Iron and nickel were chosen because of their similarities with cobalt. The maximum power factor value of around 200 μWmK at 925 K was achieved for the composite with the nominal nickel content of 3% vol.

Photocatalytic Deposition of Hydroxyapatite onto a Titanium Dioxide Nanotubular Layer with Fine Tuning of Layer Nanoarchitecture.

A new effective method of photocatalytic deposition of hydroxyapatite (HA) onto semiconductor substrates is proposed. A highly ordered nanotubular TiO2 (TNT) layer formed on titanium via its anodization is chosen as the photoactive substrate. The method is based on photodecomposition of the phosphate anion precursor, triethylphosphate (TEP), on the semiconductor surface with the following reaction of formed phosphate anions with calcium cations presented in the solution.

A copper-deficient tetragonal phase derived from chalcopyrite CuGaS2.

Direct synthesis of CuGaS(2) from elemental ingredients in a two-zone furnace resulted in a macroseparation of Cu-rich and Ga-rich regions over the crystallization volume. In the Cu-rich parts of the ingot, a near-stoichiometric CuGaS(2) chalcopyrite phase (I42d) and copper sulfides were found. In the Ga-rich part, along with a chalcopyrite phase with some Cu deficiency, a new tetragonal phase I4m2 with composition close to Cu(5)Ga(9)S(16) and the crystal lattice parameters a = 3.

Silica nanocontainers for active corrosion protection.

Novel self-healing protective coatings with nanocontainers of corrosion inhibitors open new opportunities for long-term anticorrosion protection of different metallic materials. In this paper a new type of functional nanoreservoir based on silica nanocapsules (SiNC) synthesized and loaded with corrosion inhibitor 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) in a one-stage process is reported for the first time. Unlike conventional mesoporous silica nanoparticles, SiNC possess an empty core and shell with gradual mesoporosity, arising from the particular conditions of the synthetic route adopted, which confers significant loading capacity and allows prolonged and stimuli-triggered release of the inhibiting species.