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Nanosize titanium carbide (TiC) particles were fabricated by microwave heating at 1100 °C for 10 min using carbon and tetrabutyl titanate as raw materials. The as-sintered precursor was prepared using the sol-gel method. The phase composition, morphology and microwave heating behavior of the heated products were investigated. It was found that TiC particles can be synthesized in a closed capsule of SiO _2 with the combined action of high temperature and gaseous products. TiC particles with an average diameter of 50 nm can be synthesized through microwave heating at 1100 °C for 10 min. Higher temperature and longer holding time would lead to re-oxidation and the coalescence of as-formed TiC products. This work demonstrates that this rapid and low-temperature preparation method of nanosize TiC particles has potential application for industrial production.

We propose a new generalized Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model with hierarchical long-range hopping based on a one-dimensional tetratomic chain. The properties of the topological states and phase transition, which depend on the cointeraction of the intracell and intercell hoppings, are investigated using the phase diagram of the winding number. It is shown that topological states with large positive/negative winding numbers can readily be generated in this system. The properties of the topological states can be verified by the ring-type structures in the trajectory diagram of the complex plane. The topological phase transition is strongly related to the opening (closure) of an energy bandgap at the center (boundaries) of the Brillouin zone. Finally, the non-zero-energy edge states at the ends of the finite system are revealed and matched with the bulk–boundary correspondence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding redox activity into ionic liquids (ILs) extends their practical roles beyond an inert ionic conductor or electrolyte for applications in electrochemical energy storage. Especially for supercapatteries, redox ILs are desirable because they can contribute to increasing the charge storage capacity by merging the capacitive and Nernstian storage mechanisms without compromising their intrinsic wide potential windows. Several prospects of redox ILs are identified and discussed for optimising performance in supercapatteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering a charged black hole (BH) surrounded by a perfect fluid radiation field (PFRF) in Rastall gravity, we investigate this BH shadow and photon sphere on different spherical accretions backgrounds. The effect of the PFRF parameter/BH charge on the critical impact parameter is studied by investigating the light deflection near this BH. The luminosity of these BH shadows in different spherical accretions is obtained, respectively. It is found that the shadow of this BH with infalling spherical accretion is darker than static spherical accretion, and the photon sphere with infalling spherical accretion is brighter than a static one. We creatively investigate the effects of the BH charge/PFRF parameter on the luminosity of BH shadow and photon sphere. The results implying that the BH shadow is a signature of space-time geometry, and the photon sphere luminosity is affected by accretion materials and BH itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]