2005 Vol. 12, No. 4

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Mineral
Pretreatment of copper-bearing refractory gold ores by bio-heap leaching
Yanling Sheng, Qiang Zhang, Huajun Wang, and  Yanru Sheng
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 289-293.
Abstract:
The refractory gold ores associated with rich copper and trapped in pyrite and quartz were studied. With conventional technique (all-sliming cyanidation), the gold recovery rate is only 51.78%. To eliminate the negative effects of copper and pyrite on cyanidation and increase the gold recovery rate, the investigation on bio-heap leaching pretreatment was made, by which Cu would be dissolved and gold would be liberated from pyrite. The experiment adopted mixed bacteria, mainly Thiobacillus ferrooxidan (named T. f1), as the bacterial catalyst for bio-preconditioning and was carried out in a PVC column with a diameter of 20 cm and a height of 1.3 m loaded with gold ores. The temperature was controlled between 28 and 30℃, the pH value was kept between 2.0-2.5,and the flux of sprinkling bacterial liquid was maintained 0.80 L/h. After 45-day's bio-oxidization, among the samples sizing from 0to 5 mm, the oxidation rates of Cu, Fe and S were respectively 44.62%, 28.16% and 25.46%, and the gold recovery rate by cyaniding increased to 80.35%. The bio-heap leaching pretreatment can therefore effectively dissolve Cu and liberate gold from pyrite and lead to the increase of gold extraction.
Mineral
Bacterial leaching of discarded copper ores from Yongping, China
Muqing Qiu, Genxuan Wang, and  Zhuxia Shen
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 294-297.
Abstract:
The elementary and phase analysis of discarded copper ores from Yongping of China has been performed. The experiments of extracting copper from the discarded copper ores were done with the mixed bacteria obtained through a series of enrichment,separation, domestication and combination tests. The results show that in the process of bioleaching, the pH value rises at first and drops gradually. The Eh value keeps rising along with the time and the appropriate Eh value varying between 750 and 800 mV will benefit the bioleaching copper. The high concentration of ferric ions is detrimental to the bioleaching copper. The results of bioleaching copper are good. That is, the copper recovery is 31.8% after 27 days.
Mineral
Statically accelerated experimental simulation on the deterioration of dynamic strength of rock
Zhuoying Tan, Meifeng Cai, and  Xingguang Zhao
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 298-302.
Abstract:
In order to reveal the strength deterioration law of rock mass under an acidified environment, a series of experiments on strength deterioration and the environmental effect on marble and diabase under the conditions of three kinds of acids (H2SO4, HNO3 and HCl) with three contents (1.0%, 5.0% and 10.0%) in a static fluid surrounding were carried out by single factor simulation. After the stones had been saturated in the above solutions for 90 days, an indoor weathering simulation had been observed for 300 days and its strength characteristics were measured under static/dynamic load and that results were compared with those under the natural condition. It is evident that the strength is emaciated greatly after the stones eroded by the liquids, whether under the static or dynamic load.
Metallurgy
Influence of submerged entry nozzle clogging on the behavior of molten steel in continuously cast slab molds
Huixiang Yu, Guosen Zhu, Xinhua Wang, Jiongming Zhang, and  Wanjun Wang
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 303-307.
Abstract:
The influence of submerged entry nozzle clogging on the behavior of molten steel in continuously cast slab molds was studied using commercial code CFX4.3. The results indicate that clogging at the top part of the nozzle port not only increases the velocity of molten steel, but also enhances the wall shear stress, F number and heat flux. This clogging has the greatest effect on the behavior of molten steel. However, clogging at the top 1/3 of the nozzle only increases the velocity of molten steel and has little influence. Clogging at the bottom of the nozzle almost has no influence.
Metallurgy
Modeling and optimization of rotary kiln treating EAF dust
Pengfu Tan and  Pierre Vix
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 308-312.
Abstract:
Electric arc furnace (EAF) dust from steel industries is listed by the United Sates EPA as a hazardous waste under the regulations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act due to the presence of lead, cadmium and chlorine. The disposal of the approximately 650000 t of EAF dust per year in the U.S. and Canada is an expensive and unresolved problem for the majority of steel companies. The Waelz process has been considered as the best process for treating the EAF dust. A process model, combined thermodynamic modeling with heat transfer calculations, has been developed to simulate the chemical reactions, mass and heat transfer and heat balance in the kiln. The injection of air into the slag and the temperature profile along the kiln have been modeled. The effect of (CaO+MgO)/SiO2 on the solidus temperature of slag has also been predicted and discussed. Some optimized results have been presented.
Metallurgy
Theory and practice of the optimizing of charging structure in EAF steelmaking
Yu Chen, Shiqi Li, Shujuan Ji, and  Runzao Liu
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 313-316.
Abstract:
The viewpoint about harmful residual element control, the charging structure and its influence on production index due to the diversification of raw material in EAF steelmaking was expatiated. The residual element control model, the concept of the proportion of iron and steel and the charging structure triangle were putted forward. Based on theoretical calculation and statistical analysis, the influence of charging structure on production index was discussed, and it was found that the utilizing efficiency of energy will reduce as the proportion of iron and steel in EAF steelmaking increases.
Materials
Microstructure evolution during reheating of a Nb-bearing steel Ⅰ. Metallographic examination
Shanwu Yang, Enlong Dong, Huibin Wu, Chengjia Shang, Xuemin Wang, and  Xinlai He
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 317-320.
Abstract:
Cooled in water after the isothermal relaxation of deformed austenite for different timea, a Nb-bearing microalloyed steel always exhibits synthetic microstructures of bainitic ferrite, granular bainite and acicular ferrite. When these samples were reheated to and held at 650 or 700℃, the non-equilibrious microstructures tend to evolve into equilibrious ones. The sample relaxed for 60 s displays the highest thermostability, while the microstructure evolution is the quickest in the sample relaxed for 1000 s even though it is the softest before reheating. Softening is not a single process occurring during reheating, in which the hardness fluctuates with time. There are two peaks in the hardness-time curve of each sample having undergone relaxation, while a single peak occurs in the curve of the sample having not been relaxed. Pre-strain accelerates the evolution process. These results indicate that the thermostability of microstructures is determined by their history of formation to a considerable degree.
Materials
Microstructure evolution during reheating of a Nb-bearing steel Ⅱ. Dislocation-precipitate interaction
Meizhen Cheng, Enlong Dong, Huibin Wu, Shanwu Yang, Xinlai He, and  Huaxing Hou
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 321-325.
Abstract:
Cooled in water after the isothermal relaxation of deformed austenite for different times, a Nb-bearing microalloyed steel always exhibits the synthetic microstructure in which bainitic ferrite dominates. Strain-induced precipitates do not occur in an unre-laxed sample while they distribute outside dislocations in the sample relaxed for long time. Most of the strain induced precipitates distribute along dislocations in the sample relaxed for proper time. After bainitic transformation, the dislocations formed in the deformed austenite remain to be pinned by the precipitates so that the thermostability of the bainitic ferrite is improved. Coarsening of the precipitates accompanied by their distribution density change has caused the first hardness peak of bainite during reheating. The second hardness peak is attributed to the precipitates, which nucleate in bainite. Dislocations inside the laths getting rid of the pinning of precipitates and their polygonization play the precursor to the evolution of microstructures during reheating.
Materials
Nucleation and three-dimensional morphology of intragranular ferrite in a vanadium microalloyed steel
Kaiming Wu and  Xinlai He
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 326-328.
Abstract:
The formation of intragranular ferrite at inclusions was analyzed by SEM-EDX in a vanadium microalloyed steel with an excess amount of sulfur. The precipitation of MnS at aluminum oxides may result in Mn depletion, which, in turn, promotes the formation of intragranular ferrite. The morphology of intragranular ferrite changed with undercooling. At higher temperatures intragranular ferrite is nearly equiaxed whereas it is plate-like at lower temperatures.
Materials
Microstructural formation of semi-solid AZ91D alloy stirred by electromagnetic field
Weimin Mao, Zisheng Zhen, Hongtao Chen, and  Xueyou Zhong
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 329-334.
Abstract:
With the help of an electromagnetic stirring device, alloy melt quenching and EBSD (electron back scatter diffraction)analysis technology, the microstructure of the semi-solid AZ91D magnesium alloy slurry stirred by rotational electromagnetic field under different stirring power conditions has been studied. The results show that the size of primary α-Mg phase is reduced obviously when the solidifying alloy melt is stirred by rotational electromagnetic field, moreover, the primary α-Mg grains are changed to fine rosette grains or spherical grains which are proved to belong to the different grains in three-dimension by the EBSD analysis technology. The results also show that the stirring power is an important processing parameter in the preparation of the semi-solid AZ91D magnesium alloy slurry. The larger the stirring power, the finer the primary α-Mg grains, the less the rosette primary α-Mg grains, and the more the spherical primary α-Mg grains. Theoretical analysis indicates that a stronger flow motion leads to a more even temperature field and solute field and a stronger man-made temperature fluctuation in the alloy melt so that the specially fine rosette and/or spherical primary α-Mg grains are formed in the semi-solid AZ91D magnesium alloy slurry.
Materials
Effects of Ca(Y)-Si modifier on interface morphology and solute segregation during directional solidification of an austenite medium Mn steel
Gaofei Liang, Zhenming Xu, and  Jianguo Li
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 335-339.
Abstract:
The austenite medium Mn steel modified with controlled additions of Ca, Y, Si were directionally solidified using the vertical Bridgman method to study the effects of Ca(Y)-Si modifier on the solid-liquid (S-L) interface morphology and solute segregation. The interface morphology and the C and Mn segregation of the steel directionally solidified at 6.9 μm/s were investigated with an image analysis and a scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The 0.5wt% Ca-Si modified steel is solidified with a planar S-L interface. The interface of the 1.0wt% Ca-Si modified steel is similar to that of the 0.5wt% Ca-Si modified steel, but with larger nodes. The 1.5wt% Ca-Si modified steel displays a cellular growth parttern. The S-L interface morphology of the 0.5wt% Ca-Si+1.0wt% Y-Si modified Mn steel appears as dendritic interface, and primary austenite dendrites reveal developed lateral branching at the quenched liquid. In the meantime, the independent austenite colonies are formed ahead of the S-L interface. A mechanism involving constitutional supercooling explains the S-L interface evolution. It depends mainly on the difference in the contents of Ca, Y, and Si ahead of the S-L interface. The segregation of C and Mn ahead of the S-L interface enhanced by the modifiers is observed.
Materials
High temperature behaviors of high velocity arc sprayed Fe-Al/Cr3C2 composite coatings
Weipu Xu, Binshi Xu, Wei Zhang, and  Yixiong Wu
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 340-346.
Abstract:
Fe-Al/Cr3C2 composite coatings were manufactured using high velocity arc spraying (HVAS) technology. The high temperature erosion, wear and corrosion resistance of the coatings were investigated. The coating properties such as bonding strength,porosity, hardness as well as microstructures were characterized. The results show that the coatings have relatively high heat tremble bond strength, hardness, and typical layer-shaped coatings' microstructures. With the rise of temperature, the coating erosion resistance increases too; the impingement angel does effects on erosion properties, and the erosion mechanism changes from ductile to brittle behaviors at 450℃. The coatings have good room temperature wear resistance and relatively good high temperature resistance.The wear mechanism of the coatings is peeling wear behavior. The coatings have excellent high temperature corrosion resistance because of the produce of oxides during corrosion.
Materials
Thermoelectric properties of p-type (Bi0.15Sb0.85)2Te3-PbTe graded thermoelectric materials with different barriers
Guiying Xu, Yanping Gao, Changchun Ge, and  Weiping Shen
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 347-350.
Abstract:
The p-type (Bi0.15Sb0.85)2Te3 and PbTe are typical thermoelectric materials used for low and middle temperature range and functional graded materials (FGM) is an inevitable way to widen the working temperature range. Here two segments graded thermoelectric materials (GTM) consisting of (Bi0.15Sb0.85)2Te3, PbTe and different barriers were fabricated by the common hot pressure method. Metals Fe, Mg and Ni were used as barriers between the two segments. The diffusion of different barriers between the barriers and bases were analyzed by electron microprobe analysis (EMA). The phase and crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). The thermoelectric properties were measured at 303 K along the direction parallel to the pressing direction. The results show that the compositional diffusion occurs when there is no barrier at the interface of the two segments, and the diffusion of Pb is most obvious; as the barrier material, the diffusion of metals Fe, Mg and Ni between different bases is not very obvious, and the thermoelectric properties of GTM is much better than that of the original segment.
Materials
Pressureless infiltration of Si3N4 preforms with an Al-2wt%Mg alloy
Akhtar Farid and  Shiju Guo
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 351-356.
Abstract:
The pressureless infiltration process to synthesize a silicon nitride composite was investigated. An Al-2wt%Mg alloy was infiltrated into silicon nitride preforms in the atmosphere of nitrogen. It is possible to infiltrate the Al-2wt%Mg alloy in silicon nitride preforms. The growth of the composite with useful thickness wasfacilitated by the presence of magnesium powder at the interface and by flowing nitrogen. The microstructure of the Si3N4-Al composite has been characterized using scanning electron microscope.During the infiltration of Si3N4 preforms, Si3N4 reacted with aluminium to form silicon and AlN. Thesilicon produced during the growth consumed in the formation of MgSiAlO, MgSiAlN and Al3.27Si0.47 type phases. The growth of the composite was found to proceed in two ways, depending on the oxide content in the initial preforms. First, less oxide content preforms gave rise to MgAlSiO and MgAlSiN type phases after infiltration. Second, more oxide content preforms gave rise to AlN-Al2O3 solid solution phase(AlON). The AlON phase was only present in the composite, containing 10% aluminium in the silicon nitride preforms before infiltration.
Materials
Synthesis of SrTiO3 for immobilization of simulated HLW by SHS
Ruizhu Zhang, junjie Hao, and  Zhimeng Guo
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 357-359.
Abstract:
Strontium titanate synroc samples were synthesized by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). Sr directly took part in the synthesis process. As a result, the loading content issue is basically resolved. The products were characterized by density, microhardness X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). The leaching rate was measured by the method of PCT (product consistency test). The results indicate that the Sr2+-SrTiO3 compound is of high density, low leach rate and high stability and the synthesis process is feasible in technology and economy. It can be concluded that the strontium titanate synroc is a perfect material to immobilize HLW.
Materials
Synthesis of nanosized tungsten powder
Guangfeng Lu, Junjie Hao, Zhimeng Guo, Ruizhu Zhang, Ji Luo, and  Liying Zhang
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 360-364.
Abstract:
Nanosized tungsten powder was synthesized by means of different methods and under different conditions with nanosized WO3 powder. The powder and the intermediate products were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, BET (Brunauer Emmett Teller Procedure) and SAXS (X-ray diffracto-spectrometer/Kratky small angle scattering goniometer). The results show that nanosized WO3 can be completely reduced to WO2 at 600℃ after 40 min, and WO2 can be reduced to W at 700℃ after 90 min, moreover, the mean size of W particles is less than 40 nm. Furthermore, the process of WO3→WO2→W excelled that of WO3→W in getting stable nanosized tungsten powder with less grain size.
Materials
Effect of particle size on phase structure of ZrO2 produced by hydrolysis of ZrOCl2 solution
Tianyong Luo, Tongxiang Liang, and  Chensha Li
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 365-369.
Abstract:
A method to produce ZrO2 nano-particles is developed and the effect of particle size on the phase structure of ZrO2 is studied. The method is based on the hydrolysis of ZrOCl2 solution in the reverse micelles of a liquid-liquid two-phase system, in which AOT (sodium 2-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinite) and toluene are chosen as the surfactant and organic phase, respectively. The reverse micelles prevent the aggregation of primary particles, the nano-particle size increases as the AOT content decreases. The TEM,XRD and particle-size analysis results show that the occurrence of metastable tetragonal ZrO2 is attributed to the effect of the particle size other than the effect of the crystallite size. The ratio of t-phase to m-phase increases as the particle size decreases, and 28 nm is the critical size for t-phase to m-phase transformation.
Materials
Determination of the solvation film thickness of dispersed particles with the method of Einstein viscosity equation
Changsheng Peng, Shaoxian Song, and  Shouci Lu
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 370-375.
Abstract:
The dispersion of a solid particle in a liquid may lead to the formation of solvation film onthe particle surface, which can strongly increase the repulsive force between particles and thus strongly affect the stability of dispersions. The solvation film thickness, which varies with the variation of the property of suspension particles and solutions, is one of the most important parameters of the solvation film, and is also one of the most difficult parameters that can be measured accurately. In this paper, a method, based on the Einstein viscosity equation of dispersions, for determining the solvation film thickness of particles is developed. This method was tested on two kinds of silica spherical powders (namely M1 and M2) dispersed in ethyl alcohol, in water, and in a water-ethyl alcohol mixture (1:1 by volume) through measuring the relative viscosity of dispersions of the particles as a function of the volume fraction of the dry particles in the dispersion, and of the specific surface area and the density of the particles. The calculated solvation film thicknesses on M1 are 7.48, 18.65 and 23.74 nm in alcohol, water and the water-ethyl alcohol mixture, 12.41, 12.71 and 13.13 nm on M2 in alcohol, water and the water-ethyl alcohol mixture, respectively.
Materials
Synthesis of higher molecular weight PAN and its copolymers for carbon fibers
Wangxi Zhang, Yanzhi Wang, Jieying Liang, and  Jie Liu
2005, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 376-382.
Abstract:
Higher molecular weight polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was obtained by the free-radical suspension copolymerization of itaconic acid (IA) and acrylonitrile (AN) which was carried out in DMSO/H2O using 2,2'-azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the initiator. The effects of polymerization parameters, such as IA monomer concentration and DMSO/H2O ratio, on the conversion of polymerization and number-average molecular weight are specially described. The copolymerization reaction rate and the number-average molecular weight of the resultant copolymers decrease with the result of high chain transfer constant of DMSO. For the copolymerization of AN and IA, with the inclusion of the good solvent DMSO, the solution degree of AN in DMSO/H2O is higher than that in water, as a result, the resulting copolymer pellets range from soft bulk to solid grain, as characterized by the use of SEM. Higher molecular weight P(AN-co-IA) copolymers have a lower initiation of exothermal reaction temperature and wider DSC exothermal peaks compared with PAN homopolymers, which corresponds with the results of an IR study.