Tube Furnace (tube + furnace)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Catalyst-Free Synthesis and Characterization of Metastable Boron Carbide Nanowires

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 24 2009
Aruna Velamakanni
Abstract Catalyst-free growth of boron carbide nanowires is achieved by pyrolysis of diborane and methane at 650,750,°C and around 500 mTorr in a quartz tube furnace. Electron-diffraction analysis using a novel diffraction-scanning transmission electron microscopy (D-STEM) technique indicates that the crystalline nanowires are single-crystal orthorhombic boron carbide. TEM images show that the nanowires are covered by a 1,3,nm thick amorphous layer of carbon. Elemental analysis by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) shows only boron and carbon while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show the presence of oxygen as well as boron and carbon. [source]


Characterization of combustion-derived individual fine particulates by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy

AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2009
Lian Zhang
Abstract Particulate matter (PM) emission from the combustion of solid fuels potentially poses a severe threat to the environment. In this article, a novel approach was developed to examine the properties of individual particles in PM. With this method, PM emitted from combustion was first size-segregated. Subsequently, each size was characterized by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM) for both bulk property and single particle analysis. Combustion of bituminous coal, dried sewage sludge (DSS) and their mixture were conducted at 1200°C in a laboratory-scale drop tube furnace. Three individual sizes smaller than 2.5 ,m were investigated. The results indicate that a prior size-segregation can greatly minimize the particle size contrast and phase contrast on the backscattered images during CCSEM analysis. Consequently, high accuracy can be achieved for quantifying the sub-micron particles and their inherent volatile metals. Regarding the PM properties as attained, concentrations of volatile metals including Na, K, and Zn have a negative relationship with particle size; they are enriched in the smallest particles around 0.11 ,m as studied here. Strong interactions can occur during the cofiring of coal and DSS, leading to the distinct properties of PM emitted from cofiring. The method developed here and results attained from it are helpful for management of the risks relating to PM emission during coal-fired boilers. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009 [source]


Polycrystalline silicon thin films on glass obtained by nickel-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 3-4 2010
J. A. Schmidt
Abstract In this work, we use the nickel-induced crystallization process to crystallize a-Si:H thin films at temperatures compatible with the utilization of glass substrates. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon films are deposited on planar float glass (Schott AF37) by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The films, between 400 and 1400 nm thick, are grown intrinsic, slightly p-doped (p - ) or with a combined structure of heavily p-doped / slightly p-doped (p+/p - ) layers. On these films we sputter nickel with concentrations between 2.5×1014 and 3×1015 at./cm2, and then we anneal the samples in a standard nitrogen-purged tube furnace. The process evolves through the formation of the nickel silicide NiSi2, which has a lattice constant very similar to that of c-Si and acts as a nucleation centre. As a result of this thermal treatment we obtain thin polycrystalline films with a grain size over 100 ,m. The high crystallinity of the samples is confirmed through optical and electron microscopy observations, X-rays diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


Kinetic study of the gasification of an Australian bituminous coal char in carbon dioxide

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2010
Chetan R. Chodankar
Abstract Experimental work was carried out to study the kinetics of the carbon dioxide gasification of a coal char. The coal char was prepared from an Australian bituminous coal by pyrolyzing it at 900 °C in a tube furnace for 9 min in inert environment. The coal char was gasified in a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) with a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The effects of gasification temperature (800,875 °C) and carbon dioxide concentration (10,80%) were studied. In the present study the reaction rate of the pyrolyzed coal was obtained and interpreted by Random pore model. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Transformation behaviors of excluded pyrite during O2/CO2 combustion of pulverized coal

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2010
Changdong Sheng
Abstract The article was addressed to the transformation of excluded pyrite during O2/CO2 combustion of pulverized coal. Raw pyrite mineral was added to a pulverized coal sample, which was density fractionated to remove the excluded minerals, to simulate the excluded pyrite present in coal. The mixed sample was burned in a drop tube furnace in O2/CO2 and O2/N2 conditions to generate the residue ash, which was characterized by Mössbauer spectroscopic and size analyses. It was found that, in comparison with O2/N2 combustion at the same oxygen concentration, slightly less iron glass silicate was formed from excluded pyrite and silicates although the transformation of pyrite to oxides was slowed in O2/CO2 combustion, different from the behaviors of included pyrite in pulverized coal those were observed in previous study. Additionally, less fragmentation of excluded pyrite particles was also observed in O2/CO2 combustion. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


SCT reaction kinetics model and diffusion for p.c. combustion in TGA

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 2 2010
Pei-Fang Fu
Abstract Recently, the process of char burnout is extensively concerned. Global model used widely cannot predict the extent of char burnout at the later burning stage. For the need of predicting the burnout degree in industrial pulverized coal (p.c.) fired furnace by making use of the experimental data from such as thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) and drop tube furnace, based on the simple collision theory (SCT) of chemical reaction kinetics, the SCT model is educed. The p.c. combustion is considered as the results of strike and oxidation of oxygen molecules on the surface of p.c. particles, and the frequency of effective strike was determined by Boltzmann factor. Strike and oxidation occur on the oxygen accessible specific surface area (OASA). Chemical regime controlled is at temperature below 1200 K, and molecules diffusion regime controlled is at the temperature above 1600 K, at which OASA corresponds to the specific surface area with pore diameter more than 38 nm of p.c particles in coal-fired boiler. The OASA of p.c. particles increases with the char burning, for the particles swells, shrinks and cracks. The burning rates calculated based on SCT model have shown good correspondence with experimental data reported. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]