A partition is finitary if all its members are finite. For a set A, $\mathscr {B}(A)$ denotes the set of all finitary partitions of A. It is shown consistent with $\mathsf {ZF}$ (without the axiom of choice) that there exist an infinite set A and a surjection from A onto $\mathscr {B}(A)$. On the other hand, we prove in $\mathsf {ZF}$ some theorems concerning $\mathscr {B}(A)$ for infinite sets A, among which are the following:

1. (1) If there is a finitary partition of A without singleton blocks, then there are no surjections from A onto $\mathscr {B}(A)$ and no finite-to-one functions from $\mathscr {B}(A)$ to A.

2. (2) For all $n\in \omega $, $|A^n|<|\mathscr {B}(A)|$.

3. (3) $|\mathscr {B}(A)|\neq |\mathrm {seq}(A)|$, where $\mathrm {seq}(A)$ is the set of all finite sequences of elements of A.

It is proved in $\mathsf {ZF}$ (without the axiom of choice) that, for all infinite sets M, there are no surjections from $\omega \times M$ onto $\operatorname {\mathrm {\mathscr {P}}}(M)$.

For a set x, let ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ be the set of all permutations of x. We prove in ZF (without the axiom of choice) several results concerning this notion, among which are the following:

(1) For all sets x such that ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ is Dedekind infinite, $\left| {{{\cal S}_{{\rm{fin}}}}\left( x \right)} \right| < \left| {{\cal S}\left( x \right)} \right|$ and there are no finite-to-one functions from ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ into ${{\cal S}_{{\rm{fin}}}}\left( x \right)$, where ${{\cal S}_{{\rm{fin}}}}\left( x \right)$ denotes the set of all permutations of x which move only finitely many elements.

(2) For all sets x such that ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ is Dedekind infinite, $\left| {{\rm{seq}}\left( x \right)} \right| < \left| {{\cal S}\left( x \right)} \right|$ and there are no finite-to-one functions from ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ into seq (x), where seq (x) denotes the set of all finite sequences of elements of x.

(3) For all infinite sets x such that there exists a permutation of x without fixed points, there are no finite-to-one functions from ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ into x.

(4) For all sets x, $|{[x]^2}| < \left| {{\cal S}\left( x \right)} \right|$.

For a set x, let ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ be the set of all permutations of x. We prove by the method of permutation models that the following statements are consistent with ZF:

(1) There is an infinite set x such that $|\wp \left( x \right)| < |{\cal S}\left( x \right)| < |se{q^{1 - 1}}\left( x \right)| < |seq\left( x \right)|$, where $\wp \left( x \right)$ is the power set of x, seq (x) is the set of all finite sequences of elements of x, and seq1-1 (x) is the set of all finite sequences of elements of x without repetition.

(2) There is a Dedekind infinite set x such that $|{\cal S}\left( x \right)| < |{[x]^3}|$ and such that there exists a surjection from x onto ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$.

(3) There is an infinite set x such that there is a finite-to-one function from ${\cal S}\left( x \right)$ into x.

In this paper, we reported the rapid synthesis of disklike (ZnSe)2·EN precursor via a simple and convenient polyol method. Annealing the precursor in argon stream at 500 °C resulted in the formation of ZnSe crystals with unique quasi-network structure. The obtained samples were characterized by powder x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, infrared absorbance spectra, and thermogravimetric analysis. The influence of PEG200 on the final products in the system was also discussed.