•The thermodynamic properties of low-level Pr dissolved in liquid Bi were determined by means of the electromotive force.•A considerable increase of the activity coefficient with temperature was observed.•There is a linear dependence of experimental ΔHPr–BiM on the Pr concentrations.The thermodynamic properties of low-level Pr dissolved in liquid Bi were determined by means of the electromotive force (EMF) measurement method using a cell consisting of molten chloride and liquid Bi at temperature ranging from 810 K to 1110 K. A considerable increase of the activity coefficient with temperature was observed. The molar excess formation free energy, the excess enthalpy change, and the excess entropy change of Pr dissolved in Bi have been deduced. The heat of formation of liquid Pr–Bi alloys (ΔHPr–BiM) was deduced from the measured activity coefficient at varied concentrations. There is a linear dependence of experimental ΔHPr–BiM on the Pr concentrations.

•Pyrophyllite is an efficient adsorbent for removing methylene blue from water.•Modification of pyrophyllite improves the adsorption capacity and increases MB adsorption.•Adsorption kinetic is described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model.The effectiveness of adsorption for dye removal from solutions has made it an ideal alternative to other expensive treatment methods. The ability of raw and pickling–grinding modified pyrophyllite powders to adsorb methylene blue has been investigated in this study by looking at the dependence of absorption on pH values, adsorbent mass and the initial methylene blue concentration. The measured D50 of raw particles was 21.42 μm, which was decreased to 7.18 μm after grinding treatment, and to 5.55 μm after pickling–grinding. We showed that the raw and modified pyrophyllite powders have a high adsorptive capacity for dyes. The absorption ability of raw and modified pyrophyllite powders decreased with the increase of the initial methylene blue concentration in solution, while increased with the pH value. Increase in the adsorption with adsorbent mass was attributed to increase adsorbent surface area and availability of more adsorption sites. The adsorption capacity of raw powders reached 3.71 mg/g, and the numbers of pickling, grinding and pickling–grinding powders increased to 3.83 mg/g, 3.94 mg/g and 4.24 mg/g, respectively.

The ligament of bivalve molluscs is known for its exceptional mechanical properties. In the present work, we investigated the nanoscale structure and composition of the aragonite fibers in the inner ligament of the freshwater shell Hyriopsis Cumingii, using high-resolution transmission electron microscope coupled with selected area electron diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscope, and X-ray diffraction. The sample was found to exhibit cobble-like nanograins that were the basic building blocks to construct individual needle-shaped aragonite fibers in the ligament, which are generally different in sizes and shapes. The individual aragonite fibers were confirmed to be polycrystalline. In addition, twin stacking faults have been observed in the aragonite fibers of the ligament. These newly identified structural properties enhance our understanding of the formation mechanisms of bivalve ligaments and provide new guidelines to design and synthesis advanced functional materials for biomedical applications.

Iron is the most important impurity in the commercial soda-lime silicate glasses. Defects induced by X-ray irradiation in the Fe-doped soda-lime silicate glass were studied by means of optical spectrophotometric and electron spin resonance measurements. The defects resulted in two absorption peaks at 610 and 425 nm which were observed in the Fe-doped glass after X-ray radiation. The induced defects were unstable at room temperature. The long-term fading of induced defects at 610 nm obeyed the first-order kinetics. The half-life time of absorption band at 610 nm for the base glass and Fe-doped glass were found to be about 8 and 20 years, respectively. The Fe-doped glass showed better long-term stability of induced color than the base glass.Highlights► Optical absorption and ESR studies defects induced by X-ray irradiation in the Fe-doped glass. ► The X-ray induced defects were unstable at room temperature and were due to the induced NBOHCs. ► The long-term fading of induced defects at 610 nm obeyed the first-order kinetics. ► The Fe-doped glass showed better long-term stability of induced color than the base glass.

In this letter, silver nanoclusters' formation was observed in Ag-exchanged soda-lime silicate glasses, followed by thermal annealing in air at temperatures of 570 °C or 600 °C. Spectroscopic data indicated that the aggregation of silver atoms appeared after heating at 570 °C or 600 °C for more than 25 h, resulting in an absorption band at about 410 nm, due to the surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoclusters in glass. The band intensity of the absorption peak increases with heating time. The mean nanocluster radius estimated based on Mie theory was ∼1.5 nm after heating at 600 °C for 45 h.

In this letter, copper nanoclusters formation was observed in Cu-doped silicate glasses after UV-light irradiation followed by thermal annealing. Spectroscopic data indicated that Cu+ transferred to Cu atoms after irradiation. The aggregation of Cu atoms appeared after heating at 500 °C for 30 min, resulting in an absorption band at about 560 nm, due to the surface plasmon resonance of Cu nanoclusters in glass. The band intensity of the absorption peak increases with heating time at 500 °C. The mean nanocluster size estimated based on Mie theory was ∼2.3 nm after heated at 500 °C for 120 min. The Cu nanoclusters only formed in the irradiated area of the glass.

In this letter, copper nanoclusters formation was observed in Cu-doped silicate glasses after UV-light irradiation followed by thermal annealing. After heating at 460 °C for 45 min, the Cu nanoclusters formed only in the UV-light irradiated glass, but not appeared in the un-irradiated sample. The critical temperature around at 460 °C was found in the irradiated sample to form Cu nanoclusters. Thermal annealing at the temperature above this critical point would form Cu nanoclusters both in the irradiated and un-irradiated glasses. Compared to the un-irradiated sample, the UV-light irradiated glass usually had more free electrons, and then more Cu+ could trap electrons to form atoms.

Defects induced by KrF-excimer laser irradiation in the soda-lime silicate glass were studied by means of optical spectrophotometric and electron spin resonance measurements. Three induced absorption bands at peak position of 610, 420, and 275 nm were determined in the glass after the UV-laser radiation, with the assistance of Gaussian resolution method. The defects of nonbridging oxygen hole centers attributed to two absorption peaks at 610 and 420 nm, and the trapped electrons correlated to the absorption at 275 nm. The induced absorption bands increased when laser irradiation time or energy density increased.

Defects induced by X-ray irradiation in the soda-lime silicate glass were studied by means of optical spectrophotometric and electron spin resonance measurements. The defects attributed to three absorption peaks at 610, 425 and 305 nm which were observed in the glass after X-ray radiation. The induced defects were unstable at room temperature or after thermal annealing treatment. The Smakula's formula was applied to calculate the induced defects, and the concentration of induced NBOHC correlating the absorption band at 610 nm in glass after X-ray irradiation for 35 min was calculated to be about 9.80 × 1018/cm3. The linear relationship between NBOHC number and absorption at 610 nm confirmed that the absorption at 610 nm may attribute to the induced NBOHCs.

The electrodeposition of copper on steel substrates has been used to produce a relative thick copper film. The resistivity and rigidity of the copper film are the key parameters for practical applications of the Fe/Cu composite. In this study, the electrodeposition of copper on steel substrate was performed at varied cathode current densities of 2∼14 A·dm− 2. The resistivity and rigidity of the electrodeposited copper film increased with current density, while decreased with room temperature storage time due to the increase of crystal grain size and decrease of grain boundary number.

The spherical NdFeB magnetic powders were coated with Ni using a fluid-bed electrodeposition device. The oxidations of rich Nd phase or Fe phase were restrained after Ni coating. After annealing at 300 °C for 30 min, the magnetic properties of both coated and uncoated magnets were decreased. However, the Ni-coated powders showed better magnetic properties than the uncoated powders after the annealing. The compressive strength of bonded magnets improved after annealing due to enhancement of the adhesion between the adhesive and the surface of the magnetic powders.

The titanium-based oxides (MTiO3), with perovskite structure, are gaining more and more attention due to its promising applications in gas detection, non-linear optics, nuclear waste treatment and so forth. Thermodynamic properties of MTiO3 are needed for assessing their behavior. In this letter, a linear enthalpy correlation, developed from the Sverjensky–Molling linear free energy relationship has been used to calculate the standard enthalpy of formation of the particular crystalline perovskite phases from the known thermodynamic properties of the corresponding aqueous divalent cations (M2+). Using the linear enthalpy relationship, the standard enthalpies of formation of various MTiO3 are calculated. This linear enthalpy correlation may provide a useful tool for predicting unknown thermodynamic properties from a limited number of available data.

In order to predict the separation behavior of f-elements in a pyrometallurgical extraction system using bismuth as a metal solvent, we determined experimentally the excess molar thermodynamic quantities of cerium in liquid bismuth. The thermodynamics of low-level cerium dissolved in liquid bismuth were determined by means of the electromotive force (EMF) measurement method using a cell consisting of molten chloride and liquid bismuth at temperature ranging from 735 K to 937 K. The activity coefficients of cerium in bismuth were deduced from obtained EMF results. A considerable increase of the activity coefficient with temperature was observed in the cerium concentration range studied. The molar excess formation free energy, the excess enthalpy change, and the excess entropy change have been determined.

Silver nanocluster formation and dissolution in soda-lime silicate glass were achieved after X-ray irradiation followed by annealing. The X-ray irradiation induced holes and electrons in the glass structure, subsequently silver ions doped in glass trapped electrons to form silver atoms, which diffused and then aggregated to form nanoclusters at 420∘C. Silver nanoclusters were formed with a mean size of about 4 nm after heating at 420∘C for 1 h, while they decreased to about 2 nm after heating at 420∘C for 48 h. The dissolution of silver nanoclusters at an elevated temperature was attributed to defects trapping electrons from silver atoms.

Silver-containing soda-lime silicate glasses (chemical composition: 74.2 SiO2SiO2–14.3 Na2ONa2O–1.9 Al2O3Al2O3–8.1 CaO–1.5 MgO, in wt%), formed by ion-exchange process, were thermal annealed in air at temperatures in the range of 500–600∘C. After annealing at 600∘C for 45 h, the spherical nanoclusters were formed with ∼∼3–8 nm distribution in sizes. Increasing the ion-exchanged silver concentration decreased the annealing temperature to form nanoclusters.

Silver nanoclusters formation was observed in Ag-doped or Ag–Mn-doped soda-lime silicate glasses after X-ray irradiation followed by thermal annealing. Silver nanoclusters were formed with mean-size of about 3 nm after heating at 420 °C for 1 h in Ag-doped glass, and were disappeared after heating at 600 °C for 1 h. Mn3+ was formed in Mn-doped glass after X-ray irradiation followed by heating at 400 °C for 1 h, and was reduced to Mn2+ upon subsequently heating at 600 °C for 1 h. The presence of Mn3+ led to a purple color, while the silver nanoclusters provided a yellow color in the glass. The Ag-doped or Mn-doped glass may be viable as recyclable coloration glasses. In Ag–Mn-doped glass silver nanoclusters were formed only after heating at a high temperature of 600 °C following the irradiation. In addition, manganese showed a similar X-ray-induced behavior in the Mn-doped glass and the Ag–Mn-doped glass. In contrast, silver behaved differently in the Ag-doped glass and the Ag–Mn-doped glass. Unlike those in Ag-doped glass, the silver nanoclusters would not be dissolved in Ag–Mn-doped once they were formed.