The international journal of Aerosol and Air Quality Research (AAQR) covers all aspects of aerosol science and technology, atmospheric science and air quality related issues.

The composition and technology for the production of semi-dry ceramic bricks using a nanostructured complex sorbent based on bentonite clay of the 11th horizon of the Tagan deposit of the Republic of Kazakhstan and basalt fiber (gabbro-diabase) of the Karauzek deposit of East Kazakhstan have been developed. The characteristics, chemical composition, and structure of the spent sorbent are given based on electron microscopic and X-ray phase analyses. A number of physical and mechanical parameters have been studied to evaluate the spent sorbent as a raw material for the production of ceramic products. The microstructures of fired ceramic samples with loam and spent sorbent have been studied, and the features of their structure have been revealed. The environmental safety of waste sorbents utilization by extraction in acidic, alkaline, and neutral media with the determination of the content of chromium, zinc, and iron ions has been studied. Experimentally obtained data indicate an insignificant concentration of chromium and zinc ions, not exceeding 3.5 µg/L. Relatively high concentrations of iron ions in ceramic bricks are associated with their high content in the feedstock and in the spent sorbent. It has been established that the introduction of the spent sorbent in the amount of 25% of the total mass increases the strength of the final product from 10.8 to 15.8 MPa, which corresponds to the M125 ceramic brick grade.

The effect of asymmetric rolling with cone-shaped rolls on ultra-fine grain evolution was investigated. To do this, low-carbon steel containing 0.15 % C (mass fraction) billet (h|b|l = 10|45|100 mm³) with the initial average grain size of 60 μm was deformed up to the thickness of 5mm in cone-shaped rolls with diameters ratio of 1.5, as well as in cylindrical rolls. Rolling was conducted at three different temperatures: 900 °C, 1000 °C and 1100 °C. Four passes of asymmetric rolling in cone-shaped rolls were given to gain thickness of 5 mm with total reduction of 61,7 %. It has been shown that during asymmetric rolling in cone-shaped rolls at low temperature of 900 °C grain size is smaller (0.092 μm – at the surface layer and 0.112 μm – at the middle layer) than that of 1000 °C and 1100 °C. Tensile properties of asymmetrically rolled specimen were much higher (580 MPa) in comparison to symmetrically rolled one (486 MPa).