In this study, α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with high visible photocatalytic activity for degrading liquid-phase phenol and gas-phase acetaldehyde have been controllably synthesized by a simple one-pot water-organic two-phase separated hydrolysis-solvothermal (HST) method. Further, the visible photocatalytic activity is enhanced greatly after modification with a proper amount of phosphate. The enhanced activity is attributed to the increased charge separation by promoting photogenerated electrons captured by the adsorbed O2 by means of the atmosphere-controlled surface photovoltage spectra, along with the photoelectrochemical I–V curves. On the basis of the O2 temperature-programmed desorption measurements, it is suggested for the first time that the promotion effect results from the increase in the amount of O2 adsorbed on the surfaces of Fe2O3 by the partial substitution of −Fe–OH with −Fe–O–P–OH surface ends. Expectedly, the positive strategy would be also applicable to other visible-response nanosized oxides as efficient photocatalysts. This work will provide us with a feasible route to synthesize oxide-based nanomaterials with good photocatalytic performance.

In this study, the ageing behaviour of a nanostructured Mg-8.2Gd-3.8Y-1.0Zn-0.4Zr (wt.%) alloy produced by solution treatment followed by high pressure torsion (HPT) was systematically investigated using hardness testing, high resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM), elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and XRD line broadening analysis. The HPT-deformed alloy exhibits an ageing response that produces a higher peak-aged hardness at lower temperature and shorter ageing time as compared to the same alloy aged after conventional thermomechanical processing. The HAADF-STEM and elemental mapping reveal extensive segregation of solute atoms along grain boundaries during ageing. A model is developed which shows that the main structures causing hardening for peak-aged samples are the grain boundaries and the segregation of solute atoms formed along grain boundaries. The metastable β′ phase precipitates, which form on ageing of conventionally processed Mg-Gd-Y-Zn-Zr alloy samples, do not form in In press: Acta Materialia, 2018 2 the present aged samples, and instead equilibrium β-Mg5(RE,Zn) phase forms on overageing. This altered precipitation behaviour is attributed to the high defect density (e.g. grain boundaries, dislocations and vacancies) introduced by HPT, leading to enhanced diffusion of solutes. The present processing produces an alloy that has a hardness of ~145 HV. A model of strengthening indicates that whilst grain boundary strengthening provides the largest contribution to strengthening, it is the additional solid solution hardening, cluster hardening, and dislocation hardening that provide the main factors that caused the hardness to surpass that of other bulk processed Mg alloys studied to date.

Abstract:The novel Mg-8.2Gd-3.8Y-1.0Zn-0.4Zr alloy with high content of rare earth elements has been processed successfully by high pressure torsion (HPT) starting from an as-cast condition. HPT processing was conducted at room temperature for a range of turns from 1/8 to 16, and the evolutions of microstructure and microhardness were investigated.The average grain size decreases from ~85 μm in the as-cast condition to ~55 nm when the equivalent strain reaches ~6.0, and remains almost constant on further strain increase. Meanwhile, the coarse netlike Mg3(Gd,Y) second phase structures are gradually broken into fine dispersed particles and the dislocation density increases. The microhardness of the alloy increases with increasing strain, and when the equivalent strain reaches ~6.0, the microhardness reaches a saturated value of about 115 HV, which is higher than that obtained by conventional extrusion / rolling of this alloy. The full range of possible mechanisms of hardening are analysed and this reveals that hardening is primarily due to the pronounced grain refinement, which is substantially 2 stronger than that for HPT-processed conventional Mg alloys, and to the homogeneously distributed fine second phase particles and the high dislocation density.

No abstract