High-Resistivity Grain Boundaries in CaO-Doped MnZn Ferrites for High-Frequency Power Application

The microstructural development and magnetic properties of MnZn ferrites doped with various amounts of CaO and sintered in atmospheres containing various oxygen concentrations were investigated. The results indicate a strong link among the amount of CaO segregated in the grain boundary, the oxygen concentration during sintering, the average grain size, and the magnetic properties of the MnZn ferrites.     

Thermosolutal flow in steel ingots and the formation of mesosegregates

The influence of the thermosolutal convection of the liquid steel in the solidifying core of a 3.3-ton ingot on the formation of banded mesosegregates is investigated by a multiscale solidification model. We first show how the thermosolutal flow structure in the solidifying core depends on the relation between the interacting thermal and solutal buoyancy forces and the coupling by the phase-change kinetics. We further show that banded mesosegregates are triggered by instabilities of the solidification front, that their location is determined by flow instabilities, and that their “A” or “V” orientation depends on the global direction of the flow circulation. Moreover, the results show that local remelting is not necessary to develop a channel mesosegregate. Destabilization of the mushy zone with local variations of the solidification velocity is sufficient.     

Re-evaluation of fungicidal properties of boric acid

Minimal inhibitory fungicidal concentrations of one of the most important biocides were determined in nutrient medium and on impregnated wood specimens. The results showed, that brown rot fungi are more sensitive to boric acid than white rot ones. To inhibit growth of wood decay fungi, lower minimal effective retentions have been determined than reported in previous publications.     

Influence of dipping time on uptake of preservative solution, adsorption, penetration and fixation of copper-ethanolamine based wood preservatives

Copper-ethanolamine based wood preservatives are the most important products for protection of wood in use class III and IV applications. These preservatives can be applied using different procedures. One of them is dipping, a method which is predominantly used in less industrialised countries. The most important parameter, that influences the quality of this treatment, is dipping time. Influence of various dipping times on copper retention, adsorption, penetration, colour of the specimens and copper fixation was examined. In this paper copper-ethanolamine solutions of two different concentrations were utilised (c_Cu=0.05% or 0.25%). The results showed that longer dipping treatments resulted in higher uptakes of preservative solution, better penetrations and lower leaching of copper-ethanolamine based wood preservatives from Norway spruce wood. After one week of dipping, samples retained on average 275 kg/m³ of preservative solution, copper active ingredients penetrated on average 3 mm into the specimens, and only 2.3% of copper was emitted from wood impregnated with aqueous solution of the higher concentration, when subjected to ENV 1250 leaching procedure.     

Investigation of Macrosegregation Formation in Aluminium DC Casting for Different Alloy Systems

Direct chill (DC) casting of aluminum involves alloys employing different solute elements. In this article, a qualitative analysis and comparison of macrosegregation formation is presented for three different alloy systems: Al-Mg, Al-Zn and Al-Cu. For this purpose, a multiphase, multiscale solidification model based on a volume-averaging method accounting for shrinkage-induced flow, thermal-solutal convection and grain motion is used and applied to an industrial-scale DC-cast ingot. The primary difference between these alloys is the thermal-solutal convection with Al-Mg having a competing thermal and solutal convection, whereas the other two systems have a cooperating thermal and solutal convection. In the study, the combined effect of the macrosegregation mechanisms is analyzed for each alloy to assess the role of the alloy system on the final macrosegregation.

     

Preparation of cadmium telluride nanoparticles from aqueous solutions by sonochemical method

Cadmium telluride nanoparticles with sizes between 8 and 13 nm have been synthesized via a sonochemical route using cadmium sulfate hydrate (CdSO₄·8/3H₂O), cadmium chloride (CdCl₂) and elemental Te as precursors and aqueous solutions of NaOH and EDTA as solvents. The qualitative characterization and estimation of nanoparticle size were carried out by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The morphology of nanoparticles was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Changes of physical and chemical properties of the prepared CdTe nanoparticles at increased temperature were studied by thermal analysis (TGA, SDTA). A probable mechanism for the sonochemical formation of CdTe is proposed.     

Oleic-acid-coated CoFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis

Oleic-acid-coated CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis. The coprecipitation of the nanoparticles was achieved by the rapid addition of a strong base to an aqueous solution of cations in the presence of the oleic acid surfactant, or without this additive. The nanoparticles were also synthesized by a hydrothermal treatment of suspensions of the precipitates, coprecipitated at room temperature in the presence of the oleic acid, or without it. The influence of the synthesis conditions, such as the valence state of the iron cation in the starting aqueous solution, the temperature of the treatment and the presence of oleic acid, on the particles size was systematically studied. X-ray powder diffractometry (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that, although spinel forms at room temperature, a substantial amount of Co was incorporated within the secondary, feroxyhyte-like phase when the iron cation was in the 2+ state. In contrast, when iron was in the 3+ state, the spinel forms at elevated temperatures of approximately 60 °C. The presence of the oleic acid further increased the formation temperature for the stoichiometric spinel. Moreover, the oleic acid impeded the particles’ growth and enabled the preparation of colloidal suspensions of the nanoparticles in non-polar organic solvents. The nanoparticles’ size was successfully controlled by the temperature of the synthesis in the region where superparamagnetism dominates to the region where mono-domain ferrimagnetism dominates the magnetic properties.