P-type Bi 0.48 Sb 1.52 Te 3 alloys added with WSe 2 were achieved via the zone melting method. The electrical performance was improved due to the increased carrier concentration, while the lattice thermal conductivity was simultaneously decreased, mainly due to the numerous types of nanoprecipitates produced, such as the second phase, antisite substitution and interfaces with different scales. As a result, a 23% improvement in the thermoelectric figure of merit zT was obtained with the addition of WSe 2 , making these composites more attractive for commercial applications.

The chemistry of the initial precursor solutions of the barium titanate citrate gel prepared using the Pechini process was characterized by carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (13C NMR). Several experiments have been conducted to investigate the effect of the order of adding the species in the initial precursor solutions on synthesis of the barium titanium citrate gel. Based on the data from 13C NMR and photoacoustic Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (PA‐FTIR) in previous work, it was found that the alcoholic and terminal carboxyl ligands of citric acid (CA) chelating with titanium ions are deprotonated. Esterification has a significant influence on the reaction of the species in the solution. Reaction mechanisms of the species in the precursor solution have been detailed. The possible molecular structures of Ti‐CA and a barium titanate mixed‐metal CA complex are proposed.

"Sumali," as an imported cobalt ore from overseas, was a sort of precious and valuable pigment used for imperial kilns only, which produces characteristic "iron spot" to blue-and-white porcelain in early Ming Dynasty (A.D. 14th-15th century). Although there were some old studies on it, the morphology and formation of iron spot has not been fully investigated and understood. Therefore, five selected samples with typical spot from Jingdezhen imperial kiln in Ming Yongle periods (A.D. 1403-1424) were analyzed by various microscopic analysis including 3D digital microscope, SEM-EDS and EPMA. According to SEM images, samples can be divided into three groups: un-reflected "iron spot" without crystals, un-reflected "iron spot" with crystals and reflected "iron spot" with crystals. Furthermore, 3D micro-images revealed that "iron spots" separate out dendritic or snow-shaped crystals of iron only on and parallel to the surface of glaze for which "iron spot" show strong metallic luster. Combining with microscopic observation and microanalysis on crystallization and non-crystallization areas, it indicates that firing oxygen concentration is the ultimate causation of forming reflective iron spot which has a shallower distribution below the surface and limits crystals growing down. More details about characters of "iron spot" used "Sumali" were found and provided new clues to coloration, formation mechanism and porcelain producing technology of imperial kiln from 14th to 15th centuries of China.

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