Polycrystalline bismuth nanowire networks for flexible longitudinal and transverse thermoelectrics.

This paper reports on the preparation and the characterization of structural, electrical and thermoelectric properties of nanocomposite films formed from three-dimensional networks of polycrystalline bismuth (Bi) nanowires (NWs). The samples were fabricated by electrodeposition within polycarbonate (PC) templates with crossed cylindrical nanopores, yielding self-supported networks of Bi crossed nanowires (CNWs) with mean diameter values ranging from 23 nm to 230 nm. Temperature changes in electrical resistance and thermopower were studied by considering electric and thermal currents flowing in the plane of the films. While the values of the Seebeck coefficient are close to those of polycrystalline Bi for diameters greater than 100 nm, a progressive decrease in thermopower appears at smaller diameters, due to an increasing contribution of surface charge carriers as the diameter decreases. Transverse thermoelectricity based on the Nernst effect was also demonstrated on a network of Bi CNWs 230 nm in diameter. Such hierarchical architectures based on Bi CNWs are extremely robust, offering a reliable solution for the next generation of flexible thermoelectric devices.

Nanosized zero-valent iron as Fenton-like reagent for ultrasonic-assisted leaching of zinc from blast furnace sludge.

Ultrasonic-assisted sulphuric acid leaching combined with a Fenton-like process, utilizing nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), was investigated to enhance the leaching of zinc from the blast furnace sludge (BFS). The leaching of iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) from the sludge was investigated using Milli-Q water/BFS ratio of 10 and varying the concentration of hydrogen peroxide, sulphuric acid, the temperature, the input energy for ultrasound irradiation, and the presence or absence of nZVI as a Fenton reagent. The results showed that with 1g/l addition of nZVI and 0.05M of hydrogen peroxide, the kinetic rate of Zn leaching increased with a maximum dissolution degree of 80.2%, after 5min treatment. In the absence of nZVI, the maximum dissolution degree of Zn was 99.2%, after 15min treatment with 0.1M of hydrogen peroxide. The rate of Zn leaching at several concentrations of hydrogen peroxide is accelerated in the presence of nZVI although a reduction in efficiency was observed. The loss of Fe was no more than 3%. On the basis of these results, the possible route for BFS recycling has been proposed (BFS slurry mixed with sulphuric acid and hydrogen peroxide is recirculated under ultrasonic irradiation then separated).