The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering

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Effect of alloying elements on RE₂Fe₁₄B (RE=Nd, Pr) based nanocomposite permanent magnets

Chuanyou HUO Dianbao ZHANG Xiaoyu BO Erbao QIAN Zhen ZHANG Jinghan NIU Shengnan JIANG Hailing LI

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2025, 25 (3): 221-232. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224121

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Nanocomposite magnets have become a promising next-generation permanent magnet material due to their potential high magnetic energy product. The implementation of high magnetic performance depends on precise control of the microstructure, including the grain size and distribution of soft and hard magnetic phases, the content of soft magnetic phases, the orientation of hard magnetic phases, the structure and chemical composition, etc. At present, the microstructure of nanocomposite magnets is mainly controlled by adjusting the alloy composition and preparation process. By adding alloying elements, not only can improve the microstructure of nanocomposite permanent magnets, but also can change the intrinsic magnetic parameters of the main phase in the magnet, which is a common method to improve the magnetic performance of the magnet. In this work, the role of alloying elements in microstructure control of RE2Fe14B (RE=Nd, Pr) based nanocomposite permanent magnet materials is summarized and evaluated. The addition of rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Dy, Tb, etc.) to replace Nd atoms alters the intrinsic magnetic parameters of Nd2Fe14B phase. Elements such as Co, Cr, Ni, and Mn can enter the lattice of α-Fe and RE2Fe14B to replace by the point position of Fe, while changing the intrinsic magnetic parameters of the soft and hard magnetic phases, thereby altering the magnetic properties of the magnet. It has been confirmed that elements such as Nb, Ti, and Zr can enter the main phase Nd2Fe14B, but are more enriched at grain boundaries, playing a role in enhancing domain wall pinning and refining grain size. Elements such as Sn and Ga can improve the high-temperature magnetic performance of magnets and enhance their thermal stability. Adjusting the alloy composition through the addition of alloying elements is an effective way to control the microstructure of nanocomposite magnets, but the content of alloying elements should be controlled within a certain range. Excessive addition will deteriorate the magnetic properties of the magnets.

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Research progress of Si₃N₄/BN composite ceramics

Lei ZHAO Yue SUN Yulong HU Zheyu FANG Xing JIN Songlin RAN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2025, 25 (2): 111-128. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224154

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Si3N4 is an inorganic nonmetallic material with high hardness, high mechanical strength and high thermal stability. It is widely used in cutting tools, biomedicine, electronics, military and automobile fields. However, due to the hard and brittle characteristics of Si3N4 itself, surface defects are formed during processing, which greatly reduces the reliability of Si3N4 ceramics. A large number of studies show that the composite ceramics prepared with Si3N4 as matrix can effectively make up for the shortcomings of single Si3N4 ceramics. Among them, the composite ceramics prepared by adding BN as the second phase are particularly attractive in advanced engineering applications. BN ceramics exhibit good electrical insulation, oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance. It has a good application prospect as a heat conductive and insulating material. In addition, the densification process and grain growth of composite ceramics are affected by sintering process, thus changing the properties of composite ceramics. Therefore, the excellent properties of the two materials are taken into account by adding BN to the Si3N4 ceramic matrix, the mechanical properties and dielectric properties of Si3N4-based composite ceramics are improved. In addition to thermal conductivity, Si3N4/BN composite ceramics also have other properties such as burning resistance, thermal shock resistance and microwave absorption. The mechanism research and structural design of sintering technology of Si3N4/BN composite ceramics need to match the current application requirements of ceramic materials, and the further improvement of its properties is still the focus of current research. In this review, the sintering process of Si3N4/BN composite ceramics is introduced, and the research progress of properties of Si3N4/BN composite ceramics in recent years is summarized. Finally, this study outlines the current challenges and areas for further research in Si3N4/BN composite ceramics development.

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Developments and challenges in the evaluation of biological carbon sequestration benefits

Mengdie WANG Xue XIA Dan WANG Zhao QIN Zhiyao PENG

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2025, 25 (2): 129-141. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224200

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With the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air rising, the threat of global warming is getting worse. Due to its mild conditions and reaction specificity, the biological carbon sequestration technology shows excellent potential for industrial applications under carbon neutral constraints. However, to be genuinely sustainable, industrial applications must implement low-carbon-footprint technology. Current methods for biological carbon sequestration assessment are few and heterogeneous, with the lack of a harmonized scientific assessment framework. In order to promote the development on the biological carbon sequestration assessment, this article reviews the application of genome-scale metabolic network model (GSM) and life cycle assessment (LCA) in biological carbon sequestration assessment, with a focus on analyzing the bottleneck issues of these two methods in biological carbon sequestration assessment. In addition, this review also provides a systematic outlook on the future development direction of the biological carbon sequestration assessment, elaborates on the significant advantages of machine learning applications, points out the scientificity of evaluation indicators based on atomic economy (AE), standardizes the basic framework for data acquisition, and analyzes important breakthroughs in constructing a multi-level evaluation framework.

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Design and preparation of targeted drug loading systems for treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Jiayuan QIU Xi CHEN Xiaoqian YE Lilong ZHOU Jimmy YUN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2025, 25 (1): 1-19. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224086

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a very common progressive and destructive degenerative disease of the central nervous system that affects the quality of life of the elderly and poses a serious risk to their lives, placing a huge economic burden on families, society and the state. There are not many breakthroughs as well as innovations in current medications for the treatment of AD, and there is also the challenge of breaking through the blood-brain barrier, and improper treatment may lead to adverse reactions in patients. Targeted drug delivery system, as an effective therapeutic modality, can significantly reduce the concentration of drugs in the blood, the frequency of drug delivery and the drug toxicity, while increasing the concentration and efficacy of drugs at the target site and drug bioavailability, as well as providing a slow-release effect for drugs. In addition, the targeted drug delivery system is also expected to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, improve blood-brain penetration, realize brain targeting, and deliver drugs precisely, thus providing an efficient and safe way to treat AD. This work reviews the pathogenesis of AD, the non-pharmacological methods of adjuvant drug therapy for the treatment of AD as well as the mechanism of action and side effects of the main drugs targeting amyloid β protein (Aβ) aggregation, acetylcholinesterase inhibition, and receptor antagonism, etc. It also briefly introduces and combs through as well as summarizes the targeting drug delivery systems for the treatment of AD such as magnetic nanoparticles, liposomes, and so forth, points out the problems that exist at the moment, puts forward the possible solutions, and indicates the direction of possible development in the future.

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Research progress on preparation of microbubbles by ejectors

Mian QIAO Yuan GONG Lanying WANG Zhuo YANG Chunlei LI Yuqin TIAN Wenfei YUE

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (12): 1375-1386. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224165

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Ejectors are employed for efficient mixing of gases and liquids, as well as for producing a substantial number of microbubbles. They are characterized by low equipment costs, high energy efficiency, and suitability for large-scale industrial applications. However, the current ejector techniques for microbubble production suffer from a wide distribution in bubble sizes. Moreover, the structural parameters and operational conditions of ejectors exert significant influence over microbubble size. The following patterns in microbubble size variation have been identified based on the factors mentioned above. It has been demonstrated that reducing the length and diameter of the mixing section, and increasing the angle and cross-sectional ratio of the diffusion section effectively decrease bubble size. However, the angle of the contraction section has a minor impact on bubble size. The narrowing of the range of gas bubble sizes can be achieved by a reduction in the gas flow rate and an increase in the liquid flow rate, with the bubble size exhibiting a linear relationship to the gas volume ratio. Utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology to investigate gas-liquid transfer mechanisms within the ejector, it is evident that efficient gas-liquid shear at the nozzle outlet of the suction chamber and within the mixing section is critical for microbubble formation, while the diffuser section is the site for bubble breakage and refinement. Furthermore, the application scenarios of microbubble production using ejectors are discussed, and future research directions are proposed.

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Research progress of lithium extraction technology from lepidolite

Hong YANG Wei ZHONG Faping ZHONG Jiahui ZHAO Dong LI Lei ZHANG Xueyi GUO

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (11): 1251-1262. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224019

Abstract （338）

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Lithium and its compounds are indispensable materials in modern industry and have important applications in the fields of batteries, ceramics and lubricants. China is rich in lithium resources, most of which occur in salt lake brine. However, due to the limitation of resource endowment and geographical location and climate, its production capacity cannot meet the needs of the rapid development of new energy industry in China, and lithium extraction from ores has become an important source of lithium products. Yichun, Jiangxi province has the largest associated lepidolite resources in China, and the development and utilization of lepidolite resources is of great significance to ensure the sustainable development of lithium resources in China. In this review, the principle, advantages and disadvantages of the existing lithium extraction processes from lepidolite are summarized. Based on the understanding of the existing methods, typical lithium extraction processes from lepidolite such as acid method, alkali method and salt method are summarized and evaluated. Among them, the acid method is mature, but there are some problems such as difficulty in impurity removal from leaching solution, low efficiency in lithium extraction and equipment corrosion. Although the alkali process has high efficiency of extracting lithium, its reaction mechanism is not clear, and the waste residue is difficult to use. Although the salt process has high selectivity to lithium and simple process, it also has the problems of high energy consumption and large amount of slag. The development direction of lepidolite extraction technology should focus on the collaborative treatment of multiple technologies to achieve efficient, economical and environmentally friendly extraction of valuable elements. Therefore, some measures to improve the process are put forward, aiming at providing reference for the future research, development, optimization and industrial application of the process.

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Research progress on dissolution behavior of drugs based on the drug-excipient interaction

Kunwang SONG Yewei DING Chen SHEN Haomin WU Yuanhui JI

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (10): 1127-1136. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224021

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Pharmaceutical excipients, also known as "inactive ingredients", are other components in pharmaceutical preparations besides active ingredients. Pharmaceutical excipients are an indispensable and important component in pharmaceutical preparations, and they can significantly affect the release performance of pharmaceutical preparations by forming drug excipient interactions, which is crucial for the effectiveness and safety of pharmaceutical preparations. The development of high-end preparations also puts higher requirements on excipients. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the mechanism by which excipients in high-end formulations affect the quality of drug formulations. Although the addition of excipients can enhance the release and bioavailability of active ingredients in drugs, improve and maintain drug stability, achieve controllable targeted release of drugs, and act as masking and sweeteners to improve drug bioavailability and patient adherence, more and more studies have shown that excipients can produce physiological activity and affect drug pharmacokinetics, causing adverse reactions such as allergies or intolerance. Large amounts of ingested excipients may also inhibit drug release by interacting with drugs. This review briefly describes the impact mechanisms of commonly used excipients on drug release from the perspective of drug excipient interactions, such as polymers and mesoporous silica. At the same time, it summarizes the research progress of excipient controlled drug release mechanisms based on mathematical models, molecular simulations, and machine learning methods based on drug excipient interactions, and proposes the development direction of future pharmaceutical excipient database establishment for high-throughput screening of suitable pharmaceutical excipients. Determine the optimal drug loading and excipient addition, and provide data support and theoretical guidance for selecting appropriate production processes.

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Recent advances of kinetic promoters for the formation of light hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide hydrates

Xiaomei YANG Peng XIAO Changyu SUN Guangjin CHEN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (10): 1137-1148. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223332

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Hydrate-based carbon sequestration in deep ocean is a highly promising way for carbon sequestration. The formation of carbon dioxide hydrate is the basis of hydrate-based carbon sequestration. However, the formation rate of gas hydrate is very slow without human intervention. Among the methods that intensify gas hydrate formation, the use of kinetic promoters has been proven to be the most effective one. Though the kinetic promoters have been extensively and deeply studied, they are mainly used for intensifying the formation of light hydrocarbons hydrates, which is the basis of hydrate-based industrial technologies, such as hydrate-based gas storage and gas separation. However, the kinetic promoters that is suitable for the formation of light hydrocarbons hydrates are not necessarily suitable for the formation of carbon dioxide hydrate. Therefore, in order to find out the most effective kinetic promoters to intensify the formation of carbon dioxide hydrate, it is necessary to distinguish the kinetic promoters of carbon dioxide hydrate from that of light hydrocarbon hydrates. Aiming at the intensification of the formation of carbon dioxide gas hydrate, the evolution and the current research status of kinetic promoters are reviewed. The effects of different kinetic promoters on the formation of the same gas hydrate, and the effects of the same kinetic promoter on the formation of above two kinds of gas hydrates are compared. The different effects of kinetic promoters on promoting light hydrocarbons hydrates and carbon dioxide hydrate are revealed. Based on the research status of the kinetic promoters, the study of the intensification mechanisms of the kinetic promoters on different gas hydrates, the establishment of the criteria for assessing the kinetic promoters, the enhancement of the removal of the formation heat of gas hydrates, and the further improvement on intensifying gas hydrate formation are proposed, to provide new methods for the practical application of hydrate-based carbon sequestration.

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Research progress of microreactor technology in gas-liquid two-phase flow systems

Xinran YE Zan WU Haiou WANG Jianren FAN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (9): 1001-1015. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.224035

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Microreactors possess advantages such as high heat and mass transfer efficiency, strict control of reaction parameters, ease of scale-up, and good safety performance, and hold promises for enabling and accelerating the discovery of flow chemistry towards highly efficient and more sustainable chemical synthesis. Gas-liquid multiphase catalytic reaction is commonly encountered in chemical production process, where the reaction stream enters the microfluidic channel in a continuous flow and undergoes rapid reaction. The combination of microreactor technology and gas-liquid multiphase catalytic reaction facilitates the development of efficient and sustainable chemical production techniques. Gas-liquid multiphase catalytic microreactors can be classified as wall-coated or filled-bed microreactors based on catalyst fixation approaches. By optimizing the geometric structure design of the microreactor, it is possible to further reduce the reaction time, minimize the material retention and suppress the occurrence of undesirable reactions, thus improving the microreactor performance. However, the optimization of microreactor structure requires a comprehensive understanding of various physics including the flow characteristics of gas-liquid fluids, the mass transfer mechanism and reaction kinetics within the microreactor. Both the flow pattern and mass transfer of multiphase fluids in microreactors will affect the reactor performance. Investigating the gas-liquid system in microreactors promotes improved design of practical devices. This review mainly summarizes typical gas-liquid microreactor examples, and hope to provide inspiration and guidance for the design, fabrication, and application of microreactors. The review is organized as follows, first, the features of microreactor technology are introduced and the optimization strategies for microreactor structures are presented, which is followed by a detailed discussion on the flow patterns, mass transfer characteristics and bubble breakup dynamics in gas-liquid multiphase systems within microreactors. Then, examples of multiphase catalytic microreactors in applications (mainly focusing on wall-coated microreactors and filled-bed microreactors) and their limitations are introduced. Finally, the research trends and application prospects in gas-liquid multiphase microreactors are envisaged.

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Main advances in preparation technology of zirconia hollow microspheres

Baoqiang LI Huacheng JIN Fei DING Chun WANG Fangli YUAN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (6): 627-635. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223297

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Zirconia hollow microspheres have attracted more attention because of their excellent performance, which combines the advantages of the properties of zirconia and hollow structural materials, such as low thermal conductivity, ablation resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance. Zirconia hollow microspheres is an important feedstock for preparing thermal barrier coatings. The thermal barrier coating prepared by zirconia hollow microspheres has the characteristic of excellent insulation and corrosion resistance. The performance of the coating is determined by the characteristics of the powder. The preparation of high quality zirconia hollow spherical powder has become a hot topic in the industry. In this work, the research status of the preparation technology of zirconia hollow spherical powder is analyzed, and the main preparation approaches are introduced, including templating, solvothermal, spray drying, and plasma sintering. In addition, the characteristic of these approaches is briefly summarized. Templating method contributes to obtaining hollow zirconia spheres with perfect morphology. However, some problems such as difficulty both in template synthesis and subsequent template removal, which can cause the material waste and damage to hollow particles. For solvothermal method, the reaction conditions are relatively harsh, and it also involves cumbersome process, such as separation, washing and drying process, which makes it difficult to batch preparation of hollow microspheres. The spray drying method is an effective approach for batch preparation of hollow microspheres. However, the hollow microspheres prepared by spray drying possesses have low strength and become easy to be damaged during application. Importantly, it is considered that the hollow microspheres prepared by spray drying combined with plasma sintering process have the advantages of high sphericity, good fluidity, and controllable particle size distribution, which are more conductive to preparation of coatings.

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Research progress on the mechanism and influencing factors of microorganisms to increase coalbed methane production

Na ZHANG Xuefeng YIN Zichen WANG Hao LIU Minjie HUANG Hao WANG Dongxu LIANG Jianan HU

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (6): 636-646. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223310

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Microbially enhanced coalbed methane (MECBM) is an innovative technology for the extraction and utilisation of coalbed methane (CBM), which involves the microbial degradation and conversion of certain organic components of coal into methane gas. MECBM has great potential and environmental characteristics, and offers the prospect of establishing a new type of energy system, which will hopefully lead to the development of a sustainable energy source, and will effectively alleviate the challenges posed by energy shortages and greenhouse gas emissions. However, widespread application of MECBM technology faces the obstacles of historically low natural CBM production and sub-optimal quality. In order to understand the production potential of coal biogenic methane and the factors controlling the process, with a view to advancing the direction of its research towards continuous progress and effectively increasing coalbed methane production. This review summarises the mechanism and influencing factors of microbial CBM production, providing a theoretical basis for microbial CBM production. Firstly, the background and current research status of microbial production of CBM are reviewed. Subsequently, the basic theory and reaction process of coal biogenic methane production are summarised, showing that acidification of methoxy plays a decisive role in the process of coal biogenic methane production. Then, the environmental and biological factors affecting microbial enhancement of coalbed methane production are summarised, including the temperature of the coalbed, inoculum amount, nutrient addition, and pretreatment method. These factors have a significant impact on microbial CBM production, and optimising natural gas production conditions can not only increase CBM production but also significantly improve the methane concentration in CBM. In conclusion, microbial enhanced CBM technology has great potential and is expected to provide new solutions to the problems of energy shortage and greenhouse gas emissions by optimising production conditions and improving the viability and adaptability of microorganisms. Finally, this study outlines the current challenges and areas for further research in biogenic CBM development, providing a theoretical basis for increasing on-site production and enhancing CBM development.

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Advances in wet particle size-grading technologies and precise grading of aluminum hydroxide

Jianqing Pi Mingli WANG Ruyi YANG Haidong ZHANG Xiaona REN Qingshan HUANG Ping LI

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (6): 647-659. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223331

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With the booming development of the electrolytic aluminum industry, both modern large-scale prebaked aluminum reduction cells and dry purification technology require sandy alumina as the production raw material. However, domestic alumina enterprises mainly produce intermediate or "quasi-sand" alumina, and the particle size changes periodically. The product quality differs significantly from the world's advanced level, mainly due to differences in raw materials and substandard aluminum hydroxide particle screening technologies in the prior art. Therefore, it is urgent to develop a high-precision and high-efficiency wet particle classification device for aluminum hydroxide to produce high-quality sandy alumina with large and narrow particle size distribution (+80 μm≥90%, -45 μm<8%). The commonly employed and large-scale application of wet particle size-grading technologies in domestic and foreign countries are first reviewed. The performance of hydraulic classification, wet screening, and some new coupling classification technologies are analyzed. Then, a new particle grading method of fluidization followed by screening for precise grading of aluminum hydroxide particles is proposed by combining hydraulic classification and sieve screening. Finally, a small-scale grading device (3.3 m3/h) capable of achieving large-scale continuous production is developed and passed the verification of on-site production siding in the production enterprise. This new type of precise particle classification technology is not only expected to realize energy conservation and emission reduction, transformation and upgrading, reduction of production costs, and significant economic benefits in the alumina industry but also promote the rapid development of mineral processing and fine powder industries, having some important and practical application and promotion values.

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Research progress in preparation of silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries by radio-frequency induction thermal plasma

Zongxian YANG Yuanjiang DONG Chang LIU Huacheng JIN Fei DING Baoqiang LI Liuyang BAI Fangli YUAN

The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering 2024, 24 (5): 501-513. DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.223230

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As one of the next-generation anode materials with the most promising application prospects, silicon anode benefits from a high theoretical specific capacity, a sufficient working potential, abundant and inexpensive sources, environmental friendliness, safety, and dependability. However, Si will experience significant volume variations throughout the lithiation and delithiation processes. This will result in significant internal stress, which will cause issues including material pulverization, repetitive growth of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI), and electrode failure. Through the utilization of nano-silicon-based anode materials, it is possible to effectively mitigate the volume impact, enhance both conductivity and stability. The utilization of radio-frequency (RF) induction thermal plasma offers several notable benefits, including elevated temperatures, rapid cooling, precise control, and uninterrupted operation. Thermal plasma has the ability to provide particles a unique growth environment and process that is helpful in the creation of products with special morphologies, such as zero-dimensional nanospheres and one-dimensional nanowires. Additionally, the extremely high temperatures can totally evaporate raw materials, guarantee uniformity of product, and be advantageous for doping second-phase materials. Consequently, it serves as a significant method for the production of nano-silicon-based anodes with a controllable morphology and structure, as well as high purity and excellent dispersibility. This work provides a review of the scientific advancements pertaining to silicon-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries that are fabricated using RF thermal plasma. To commence, a concise introduction is provided for the thermal plasma technology. Then, this work focuses on the synthesis of various essential materials using thermal plasma, including silicon nanospheres (Si NSs), silicon nanowires (Si NWs), silicon monoxide nanowires (SiO NWs), silicon monoxide nanonetworks (SiO NNs), high-silicon silicon suboxide nanowires (SiOx NWs), silicon-based ferrosilicon alloy nanospheres (Si/FeSi2 NPs). Furthermore, the work emphasizes the applications of these materials in the anode electrode of lithium-ion batteries. Finally, the development of thermal plasma technology is prospected.

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