Improving the photocatalytic performance of multi-component photocatalysts through structural modulation and band alignment engineering has attracted great interest in the context of solar energy utilization and conversion. In our work, Zn₂SnO₄/SnO₂ hierarchical architectures comprising nanorod building block assemblies were first achieved via a facile solvothermal synthesis route with lysine and ethylenediamine (EDA) as directing agents, and then chemically etched in NaOH solution to enlarge the surface area and augment active sites. The etched Zn₂SnO₄/SnO₂ hierarchical architectures were further decorated by Cu₂O nanoparticles though an in situ chemical deposition method based on band alignment engineering. In comparison with unetched Zn₂SnO₄/SnO₂, the specific surface area of Zn₂SnO₄/SnO₂/Cu₂O hierarchical architectures became larger, and the responsive region and absorbance intensity became wider and higher in the whole visible-light range. Zn₂SnO₄/SnO₂/Cu₂O hybrid photocatalysts presented enormously improved visible-light photocatalytic behaviour for Rhodamine B (RhB) decomposition. The enhancement of photocatalytic behaviour was dominantly attributed to the synergy effect of the larger specific surface area, higher light absorption capacity, and more effective photo-induced charge carrier separation and migration. A proposed mechanism for the enormously promoted photocatalytic behaviour is brought forth on the basis of the energy-band structure combined with experimental results.

Nano-Al ₂ O ₃ dispersion-strengthened Cu20W composite was fabricated by vacuum hot-pressing sintering process. The electrical conductivity, relative density, and Brinell hardness were tested, respectively. The gleeble-1500D thermomechanical simulator was used to conduct isothermal compression with strain rates ranging from 0.001 to 10 s ⁻¹ and the temperatures ranging from 650 to 950°C. The microstructure of the Cu–Al ₂ O ₃ /20W composite was observed using an optical microscope and a transmission electron microscope, and the true stress–strain curves were analyzed. In addition, the influence of the nano-Al ₂ O ₃ and tungsten on the thermal deformation process of the composite was analyzed. The relationship and interaction among work hardening, dynamic recovery, and dynamic recrystallization were illustrated. The results show that nano-Al ₂ O ₃ particles pin dislocations and inhibit dynamic recovery and dynamic recrystallization. Consequently, the Cu–Al ₂ O ₃ /20W composite has typical dynamic recovery characteristics. Hence, the Cu–Al ₂ O ₃ /20W composite possesses outstanding high-temperature performance. The optimal processing domain of the Cu–Al ₂ O ₃ /20W composite ranged from 760 to 950°C with strain rates ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 s ⁻¹ . Furthermore, the constitutive equation of the Cu–Al ₂ O ₃ /20W composite is established, and the activation energy is 155.069 kJ mol ⁻¹ .

The ordered structure of partially melted isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was investigated using polarized optical microscopy (POM) and small-/wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) measurements. The crystalline morphology was first examined by means of pulling a glass fiber through the iPP melt, which was generated by partially melting a preformed spherulite. The results from the POM experiments indicated that, even at a minimal pulling rate, the surviving ordered structure could also relocate along the direction of fiber pulling and grow into cylindrites eventually. In addition, during the quiescent crystallization from the partially melted sample, which had the same thermal history of fiber-pulling experiments, the obvious memory effect of melt was also observed from the results of X-ray experiments. Moreover, the SAXS profile derived from the partially melted iPP at 170 °C was fitted by the theory of scattering amplitude with the cylindrical form factor. The fit result implied that the surviving ordered structure is of cylindrical nanocrystals with a diameter D ≈ 30 ± 3 nm and height h ≈ 45 ± 3 nm, which can significantly influence the crystallization morphology and kinetics during the subsequent crystallization process.