It is provided a method of cementing comprising a) providing a cement slurry by mixing: i) a cement composition comprising an cement and an amount of magnetic nanoparticles from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. % relative to the amount of cement (0.01% to 10% BWOC), wherein the magnetic nanoparticles have a mean particle size determined by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) from 10 nm to 50 nm and a crystallite size determined by the Scherrer equation which is at least an 80% the mean particle size; and ii) water; and b) applying to the cement slurry an alternating magnetic field of from 25 mT to 60 mT at a frequency from 50 kHz to 200 kHz) in order to set the cement slurry. It is also provided the mentioned cementing composition and an article of manufacture obtainable by the method of cementing.

It is provided a method of cementing comprising a) providing a cement slurry by mixing: i) a cement composition comprising an cement and an amount of magnetic nanoparticles from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. % relative to the amount of cement (0.01% to 10% BWOC), wherein the magnetic nanoparticles have a mean particle size determined by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) from 10 nm to 50 nm and a crystallite size determined by the Scherrer equation which is at least an 80% the mean particle size; and ii) water; and b) applying to the cement slurry an alternating magnetic field of from 25 mT to 60 mT at a frequency from 50 kHz to 200 kHz) in order to set the cement slurry. It is also provided the mentioned cementing composition and an article of manufacture obtainable by the method of cementing.

Concrete can be one of the most durable building materials and structures made of concrete can have a long service life. Consumption is projected to reach approximately 40 billion tons in 2017. Despite this the testing of concrete at all stages of its life cycle is still in its early stages although testing for corrosion is well established. Further many of the tests today are time consuming, expensive, and provide results only after it has been poured and set. Embodiments of the invention provide concrete suppliers, construction companies, regulators, architects, and others with rapid testing and performance data regarding the cure, performance, corrosion of concrete at different points in its life cycle based upon a simple electrical tests that remove subjectivity, allow for rapid assessment, are integrable to the construction process, and provided full life cycle assessment. Wireless sensors can be embedded from initial loading through post-cure into service life.

A method for forming cement-based cementitious material includes: pouring a cement paste into a mold; applying an electrical current to the cement paste to perform an electro-osmotic reaction; and transferring the reacted cement paste into a water tank for curing, thereby obtaining a functionally graded cement-based cementitious material. A pair of electrodes is placed in the mold and connected to an external power source. The compressive strength of the functionally graded cement-based cementitious material in the middle is lower than that at either of both ends.

A method for forming cement-based cementitious material includes: pouring a cement paste into a mold; applying an electrical current to the cement paste to perform an electro-osmotic reaction; and transferring the reacted cement paste into a water tank for curing, thereby obtaining a functionally graded cement-based cementitious material. A pair of electrodes is placed in the mold and connected to an external power source. The compressive strength of the functionally graded cement-based cementitious material in the middle is lower than that at either of both ends.

A method of forming a concrete product includes directly capturing CO.sub.2 from a gas source, the capturing comprising contacting the gas source with an absorption solution having a solvent and a solute, wherein the solvent and/or the solute are capable of reacting with CO.sub.2 to form an anionic compound, adjusting the pH of the absorption solution electrochemically to less than about 7 to release the CO.sub.2 as a concentrated vapor containing CO.sub.2, collecting the concentrated vapor containing CO.sub.2, regenerating the solvent and/or the solute, and optionally collecting the regenerated solvent and/or solute; flowing the concentrated vapor containing CO.sub.2 through a gas processing unit to adjust at least one of a temperature, a relative humidity, or a flow rate of the concentrated vapor containing CO.sub.2; and contacting the concentrated vapor containing CO.sub.2 with a concrete component.

Concrete can be one of the most durable building materials and structures made of concrete can have a long service life. Consumption is projected to reach approximately 40 billion tons in 2017. Despite this the testing of concrete at all stages of its life cycle is still in its early stages although testing for corrosion is well established. Further many of the tests today are time consuming, expensive, and provide results only after it has been poured and set. Embodiments of the invention provide concrete suppliers, construction companies, regulators, architects, and others with rapid testing and performance data regarding the cure, performance, corrosion of concrete at different points in its life cycle based upon a simple electrical tests that remove subjectivity, allow for rapid assessment, are integrable to the construction process, and provided full life cycle assessment. Wireless sensors can be embedded from initial loading through post-cure into service life.

The present disclosure is directed to a rapid process for the preparation of gadolinium oxysulfide having a general formula of Gd.sub.2O.sub.2S, referred to as GOS, scintillation ceramics by using the combination of spark plasma primary sintering (SPS) and hot isostatic pressing secondary sintering.

Precipitated particles may be formed under conditions that provide a particle morphology suitable for conveying a desired set of properties to a wellbore circulation fluid. Methods for using precipitated particles in a wellbore may comprise: selecting precipitation conditions for producing precipitated particles that are substantially non-spherical in shape, are about 1 micron or under in size, or any combination thereof; forming the precipitated particles from a reaction mixture under the precipitation conditions without using a polymeric dispersant; and introducing a wellbore circulation fluid comprising a plurality of the precipitated particles into a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The precipitation conditions may include one or more of modulating various reaction conditions, applying an electric field to the reaction mixture, or including a carbohydrate-based material in the reaction mixture.

A method for making moldable and cuttable composite material for magnetic moment calibration of samples with specific shapes is provided. The method is used to quantify a magnetic moment per unit weight from the moldable and cuttable composite material. The moldable and cuttable composite material is made by a non-magnetic matrix with superparamagnetic particles, paramagnetic particles, or ferromagnetic particles without anisotropy. Then, the moldable and cuttable composite material is shaped and tailored into calibration samples with specific shapes. The method provides a method for making calibration samples with the specific shapes, wherein the calibration samples are easily shaped and tailored to same or similar shapes and sizes as test samples. The method improves an original method for making a standard calibration sample, wherein the original method only used pure nickel ball or high purity palladium wire structure.