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The objective of this research is to formulate a pathway for the revitalization and preservation of cultural heritage, offering empirical methodologies for the recognition and assessment of cultural heritage values, with the ultimate goal of facilitating the dynamic conservation of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge cultural heritage. Hence, the present research has developed an approach called the activation protection path method for comprehending, evaluating, and revitalizing the invaluable aspects of vernacular cultural heritage. To begin with, by employing the lens of Cultural Memory Theory and leveraging its holistic approach, the significance of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridges as a cultural heritage site is examined. Furthermore, an elaborate index system is devised to facilitate the assessment of its value. Secondly, an evaluation model was constructed to assess the cultural heritage value of the Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge. This paper explores the influencing factors of cultural heritage value as the research basis for the cultural heritage revitalization and protection work of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge. Based on the case study of 19 preservation units of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridges in Shouning County, Fujian Province, the findings can be concluded as follows: 1). Cultural Heritage Value: The cultural heritage value of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge in Shouning County is estimated to be approximately 178.45 million yuan. Among the different systems, the Text system accounts for 16%, the Image system accounts for 44%, and the Ritual system accounts for 40%. 2). Activation Investment Ratio: Based on the evaluation results of each index value of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge cultural heritage, this study establishes the capital investment ratio for activating the heritage. This ratio provides guidance for successfully implementing the practical path of activating and protecting the cultural heritage of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge. Through an in-depth analysis of the heritage value of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridge and the establishment of an evaluation model, this study lays the foundation for activating and preserving vernacular cultural heritage. By promoting the construction of the value subject’s identity, this research contributes to guiding the practical path of activating and protecting the living heritage of Timber-Arched Lounge Bridges.

In this study, cold plasma treatments are employed to modify peanuts. This study systematically investigates the effects of various plasma treatment conditions, including power, duration, and gas type, on the microstructure of peanut seed coats and embryos. Observations under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) reveal that as plasma treatment power increases from 100 W to 500 W, the etching level of peanut seed coats significantly intensifies, surface roughness deepens, and concavities become more pronounced. Additionally, micro-pores on the seed coat gradually enlarge and form cracks. Specifically, when the plasma treatment is set at 200 W for 60 s, the oxygen (O2) treatment group shows interconnected cracks on the peanut seed coat surface, with lipid particles exuding and protein particles and polymers decomposing. In contrast, the helium (He) treatment group displays clear cell structures and deep grooves, with no noticeable lipid particles exuding around surface cracks. The argon (Ar) treatment group exhibits a distinct rectangular cell structure with clear boundaries, and although surface cracks form, only a few protein particles escape from the cracks. The embryo surface structure becomes looser after plasma treatment, leading to the disintegration of lipid particles, protein particles, and polymers, affecting the fusion and migration of large and small lipid bodies within the peanut’s internal structure. Increasing treatment duration intensifies the etching phenomenon, resulting in more lipid particles exuding, which indicates a positive correlation between lipid particles exuding and treatment duration. This study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying changes in peanut microstructure due to cold plasma treatment, providing scientific evidence for improving peanut quality, enhancing oil extraction efficiency, and optimizing food processing techniques.

As an anti-staling agent in bread, the desorption isotherm of polydextrose has not been studied due to a very long equilibrium time. The adsorption and desorption isotherms of five Chinese polydextrose products were measured in the range of 0.1–0.9 aw and 20–35 °C by a dynamic moisture sorption analyzer. The results show that the shape of adsorption and desorption isotherms was similar to that of amorphous lactose. In the range of 0.1–0.8 aw, the hysteresis between desorption and adsorption of polydextrose was significant. The sorption isotherms of polydextrose can be fitted by seven commonly used models, and our developed seven-parameter polynomial, the adsorption equations of generalized D’Arcy and Watt (GDW) and Ferro-Fontan, and desorption equations of polynomial and Peleg, performed well in the range of 0.1–0.9 aw. The hysteresis curves of polydextrose at four temperatures quickly decreased with aw increase at aw ˂ 0.5, andthereafter slowly decreased when aw ≥ 0.5. The polynomial fitting hysteresis curves of polydextrose were divided into three regions: ˂0.2, 0.2–0.7, and 0.71–0.9 aw. The addition of 0–10% polydextrose to rice starch decreased the surface adsorption and bulk absorption during the adsorption and desorption of rice starch, while it increased the water adsorption value at aw ≥ 0.7 due to polydextrose dissolution. DSC analysis showed that polydextrose as a gelling agent inhibited the retrogradation of rice starch, which could be used to maintain the quality of cooked rice.

Abstract Background and Aims Atherosclerosis (AS) risk increases in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. The association and mechanism between primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) and AS haven't been explained for now. We did this cross‐sectional study to clarify the prevalence and risk factors of AS in patients with pSS, and to further explore how immune cells and inflammatory cytokines work in the process. Methods Patients with pSS were enrolled. General information, AS events, immune cells, inflammatory cytokines, and related clinical data were recorded. Prevalence of AS events was calculated. Correlation analysis between immune factors and AS quantitative parameters were conducted by SPSS v20.0. Results A total of 155 pSS patients were included with a median Framingham 10‐year risk of 7%. Sixty‐four AS events were recorded, with a prevalence of 41.3%. Carotid intima‐media thickness was positively correlated to immunoglobulin (Ig) A (r = 0.245, p = 0.030) and negatively correlated to IgM (r = −0.227, p = 0.045). Left ankle‐brachial pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was positively correlated to the course of disease (r = 0.352, p = 0.004), B cells (r = 0.410, p = 0.001), and T helper (Th) cells (r = 0.284, p = 0.029), while negatively correlated to IgM (r = −0.257, p = 0.042). Right baPWV was positively correlated to the course of pSS (r = 0.319, p = 0.010), B cells (r = 0.453, p

To establish the safe and reproducible effects of cold plasma (CP) technology on food products, this study evaluated the gelatinization parameters, fatty acid profile, and hygroscopic properties of rice grains repeatedly treated with low-pressure radiofrequency (RF) helium CP (13.56 MHz, 140 Pa, 120 W-20s, 0–4 times, and 300 g sample). Compared with the untreated (zero times) sample, with an increase in CP treatment times from one to four on rice, the water contact angle and cooking time decreased, while the water absorption rate and freshness index increased, and the pH value remained unchanged. CP repeating treatments essentially had no effect on the gelatinization enthalpy, but significantly increased the peak temperature of gelatinization. From the pasting profile of rice that has been repeatedly CP treated, the peak, breakdown, and setback viscosities in flour paste decreased. CP repeating treatments on rice did not change the short-range molecular order of starch. Compared with the untreated sample, the first helium CP treatment maintained the content of C18:1n9c, C18:2n6c, and C18:3n3, but the second to fourth CP treatment significantly decreased contents of these fatty acids (FAs) as the C18:0 content increased. The first three CP treatments can increase the water and sucrose solvent retention capacity in rice flours. CP repeatedly treated rice first exhibits the similar monolayer water content and solid surface area of water sorption. Principal component analysis shows that contact angle, pasting parameters, and fatty acid profile in milled rice are quite sensitive to CP treatment. Results support that the effect of low-pressure RF 120W helium CP treatment 20 s on rice grains is perdurable, and the improvement of CP intermittent treatments on rice cooking and pasting properties is an added benefit, and the hygroscopic properties of rice was kept.

This study investigated the relationship between the intergranular air properties of grain bulk and the quality of Japonica paddy stored in a large warehouse cooled by air conditioning (A/C) during oversummering. The psychrometric properties of the intergranular air such as relative humidity, humidity ratio, and wet-bulb temperature, were calculated by a software module. The 2569 tonnes of paddy with 14.5% moisture content (wet basis) was stored in a warehouse in Qihe County, Shandong Province, China, from 16 December 2019 to 9 September 2020. The grain temperature increased more rapidly near the top surface than in other layers of the paddy bulk, reaching the set temperature of 23 °C under A/C cooling, which started from storage day 174 (June 8, 2020). Two 14 kW A/C units (5.5 W t−1 paddy) were sufficient to maintain the set temperature of 23 °C in the headspace. The total electricity consumption was 9.2 kWh t−1 in the two cooling periods (June 8–August 10 and August 28–September 9). When the top surface was cooled by A/C, moisture transferred upwards from the bottom to top surface of the grain bulk, which created favorable conditions for insect growth and the whole grain bulk was fumigated from August 11 to 27. The quality indicators measured in different bulk layers did not change significantly during summer. Regression analysis shows that the percentages of milled rice and head rice, and the taste values and taste panel scores were significantly influenced by the cumulative intergranular air parameters in the paddy bulk. The results suggest that the cumulative intergranular air properties of the grain bulk are useful indicators for assessing the status of paddy stored in a large cooled warehouse.

Grain can be stored for long periods under suitable storage conditions. The present study investigated the effects of cooling aeration on the intergranular air properties and grain quality of wheat stored in two squat silos during winter. In the first silo, 4759 tonnes of bulk wheat were downward-aerated in a suction-type way by four 11 kW centrifugal ventilation fans at an airflow rate of 10.1 m3/(h·t). The fans were firstly controlled by software based on a smart de-moisturization aeration model, and the grain bulk lost 0.8% moisture content (MC) and its average temperature was decreased by 5.8 °C. When the fans were then controlled using smart cooldown aeration model, the average bulk temperature decreased from 17.0 to 5.2 °C, and the average bulk MC was reduced by 0.6%. The cooling fronts moved predictably through the bulk layers during cooldown aeration, which consumed energy at a rate of 0.067 . In a second silo, 4,675 tonnes of wheat were also downward-aerated at 9.8 m3/(h·t) using smart cooldown aeration model and four 5.5 kW mixed-flow fans. There was a 0.7% MC loss and the average bulk temperature decreased by 6.7 °C. Except for the middle part (fourth and seventh) bulk layers, the other bulk layers in this silo had cooling fronts that moved at similar speeds. The energy consumed by cooldown aeration was 0.040kWh(t·∘C)−1 and 58% unit energy consumption was lowered when compared to a local grain squat silo with geosynclinal ventilation ducts under artificially controlled cooling-ventilation operations. The running conditions for the ventilation fans during cooldown aeration in the squat silos were verified. (i) The temperature difference between the grain bulk and ambient air was ≥ 4 °C. (ii) The humidity ratio of the grain bulk was higher than that of the ambient air. The equilibrium relative humidity of the intergranular air tended to decrease in both silos. After cooldown aeration, the wheat kernels had a higher water absorption rate and fatty acid value, retentive peak temperature of gelatinization, and a higher dough development time, protein network strength, and starch gelatinization rate. The proposed aeration control system has good application potential in squat silos used for grain storage.

More and more people concern about supplementing dietary food with wheat bran to increase fibre content, but there has been little study of the sorption isotherms and isosteric heats of wheat bran fibre products, which are important to the quality and storage durability of such commodities. This study collected equilibrium moisture content (EMC) and equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) data on six Chinese wheat bran products via the static gravimetric method and analysed their sorption isosteric heats. Results showed that all six wheat bran products had sigmoidal isotherms. The data were best fitted by polynomial, modified GAB, modified Oswin, and modified Halsey models. The relative safe moisture contents of the six wheat bran products were 12.20%–13.86% wet basis (w.b.). The heat of vaporization of wheat bran products approached the latent heat of pure water at around a moisture content (MC) of 22.5% and approximately 2450 kJ/kg. A process of extrusion and ultrafine grinding reduced the solid surface area and sorption isosteric heats of the monolayer, multilayer and condensed water regions in the wheat bran products. In the temperature range of 10–37 °C, the EMC of sorption in monolayer, multilayer and condensed water regions decreased with increasing temperature. The milled rice to which 1%–3% 200-mesh wheat bran product was added maintained its texture when made into cooked rice and its thermomechanical properties when made into rice dough. After processing by extrusion and ultrafine grinding, wheat bran products have a lower solid surface area and lower monolayer water content (Mm) and sorption isosteric heat values. Some 3% 200-mesh wheat bran product can be added to cooked rice for increasing its fibre content and making it more nutritious.

This research investigated the storability of sea rice paddy in an experimental silo for 11.5 months. Water was circulated in the silo walls from June 30 to maintain a grain bulk temperature of 23°C. The dry-bulb temperatures in three layers (top, middle, and bottom) of paddy bulk showed very small differences, but the intergranular air parameters such as relative humidity (RH), wet-bulb temperature and humidity ratio in middle and bottom bulk layers were significantly higher than those of top bulk layer, and storage insects occurred in these two bulk layers from August to September as a result that sulfuryl fluoride gas fumigation was done on September 30. During storage, the rice's water absorption rate and gruel solids loss decreased with storage time, while the peak temperature of gelatinization (Tp) increased, and water uptake ratio and taste panel score remained unchanged. Fatty acid profile analysis shows that the total, saturated, and unsaturated fatty acid concentrations decreased with storage time, while the unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio increased. Compared to top bulk layer, the bottom layer had lower water absorption rate and fatty acid concentration, and a similar Tp and better cooking property. Further compared with a short-grain Japonica paddy (cv. Yanfeng) stored in a large cooled warehouse before and after oversummering, sea rice paddy stored in the experimental silo had lower protein content, but had a higher Tp, poly-unsaturated fatty acid content and unsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio, and similar amylose content and taste panel score. These results suggest that sea rice has good storability, and quasi-low-temperature storage (23°C) requires autumn chemical fumigation to control the storage insects.

Abstract Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an infectious disease caused by Leishmania donovani and transmitted by sandflies. It can be life‐threatening if not treated. Common clinical features of VL include recurrent fever, pancytopenia, splenomegaly, and a variety of positive autoantibodies, which can lead to a misdiagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report the case of a 25‐year‐old woman with VL misdiagnosed as SLE to add to the existing literature on this subject.

Although previous studies showed that women’s menopause-related symptoms varied in different ethnic groups and countries, and were affected by specific social and cultural factors, few studies have been conducted to explore menopause-related symptoms and its influencing factors in middle-aged women among ethnic groups in China. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of menopause-related symptoms and its influencing factors among Mosuo, Yi, and Han women in Yongning area of Yunnan province, China. A cross-cultural design by snowball sampling method was used to recruit 208 women aged 40–60 from Yongning Township, Ninglang County, Yunnan province, China. The 11-item Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess menopause-related symptoms. Compared with Yi and Han women, Mosuo women were accorded the highest family status. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that ethnicity, age, family support, and family decision-making patterns were associated with the severity of menopause-related symptoms. Yi and Han women had more severe menopause-related symptoms than Mosuo women. Among the three groups, women living in “female-dominated” and “co-deliberated” households had significantly lower scores of menopause-related symptoms than those in “male-dominated” households. This study indicates that menopause-related symptoms vary among middle-aged women in different ethnic groups. A higher level of female status in the family and family support may be protective factors of menopause-related symptoms in middle-aged women.

Abstract Fundamental understanding of the effect of doping on the optical properties of 3D double perovskites (DPs) especially the dynamics of self‐trapped excitons (STEs) is of vital importance for their optoelectronic applications. Herein, a unique strategy via Cu+ doping to achieve efficient STE emission in the alloyed lead‐free Cs2(Ag/Na)InCl6 DPs is reported. A small amount (1.0 mol%) of Cu+ doping results in boosted STE emission in the crystals, with photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield increasing from 19.0% to 62.6% and excitation band shifting from 310 to 365 nm. Temperature‐dependent PL and femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopies reveal that the remarkable PL enhancement originates from the increased radiative recombination rate and density of STEs, as a result of symmetry breakdown of the STE wavefunction at the octahedral Ag+ site. These findings provide deep insights into the STE dynamics in Cu+‐doped Cs2(Ag/Na)InCl6, thereby laying a foundation for the future design of new lead‐free DPs with efficient STE emission.

Abstract Near‐infrared (NIR) light, which has ignorable tissue scattering/absorption, minimal photodamage, and no autofluorescence interference, is highly favorable for bioapplications. NIR dye and lanthanide‐doped nanoparticle (LnNP), as representative NIR‐excited luminescence probes, have attracted increasing interest due to their unique optical property and low biological toxicity. Design of luminescence probes based on NIR dye/LnNP nanocomposites cannot only integrate the advantages but also achieve additional functions via regulating internal energy transfer pathways. In this review, we focus on the most recent advances in the development of NIR dye/LnNP nanocomposites as potential bioprobes, which cover from their fundamental photophysics to bioapplications, including energy transfer mechanisms, interface engineering (involving binding interaction, distance, and aggregation as key factors), and their applications for dye‐sensitized upconversion/downshifting luminescent bioimaging, detection of biomolecules, and NIR‐triggered diagnosis and therapy. Some future prospects and efforts toward this active research field are also envisioned.

Abstract Intracellular detection is highly desirable for biological research and clinical diagnosis, yet its quantitative analysis with noninvasivity, sensitivity, and accuracy remains challenging. Herein, a near‐infrared (NIR) dual‐excitation strategy is reported for ratiometric intracellular detection through the design of dye‐sensitized upconversion probes and employment of a purpose‐built NIR dual‐laser confocal microscope. NIR dye IR808, a recognizer of intracellular analyte hypochlorite, is introduced as energy donor and Yb,Er‐doped NaGdF4 upconversion nanoparticles are adopted as energy acceptor in the as‐designed nanoprobes. The efficient analyte‐dependent energy transfer and low background luminescence endow the nanoprobes with ultrahigh sensitivity. In addition, with the nonanalyte‐dependent upconversion luminescence (UCL) excited by 980 nm as a self‐calibrated signal, the interference from environmental fluctuation can be alleviated. Furthermore, the dual 808/980 nm excited ratiometric UCL is demonstrated for the quantification of the level of intracellular hypochlorite. Particularly, the intrinsic hypochlorite with only nanomolar concentration in live MCF‐7 cells in the absence of exogenous stimuli is determined. Such an NIR dual‐excitation ratiometric strategy based on dye‐sensitized UCL probes can be easily extended to detect various intracellular analytes through tailoring the reactive NIR dyes, which provides a promising tool for probing biochemical processes in live cells and diagnosing diseases.

To understand the interface characteristics between the precipitate β2′ and the Mg matrix, and thus guide the development of new Mg-Zn alloys, we investigated the atomic interface structure, work of adhesion (Wad), and interfacial energy (γ) of Mg(0001)/β2'(MgZn2)(0001) interface, as well as the effect of segregation behavior of the introduced transition metal atoms (3d, 4d and 5d) on interfacial bonding strength. The calculated works of adhesion and interfacial energies dementated that the Zn2-terminated MT+HCP configuration is the most stable structure for all considered models. Take the Zn2- MT+HCP interface as the research object, estimated segregated energies (Eseg) reveal that added transition metal atoms prefer to segregate at Mg-I and Mg-II sites. The predicted Wad and charge density difference results reveal that the segregation of alloying additives employed may all strengthen Mg(0001)/MgZn2(0001) interface, with the enhancement effect of Os, Re, Tc, W, and Ru at the Mg-II site being the most pronounced.

The effects of Nb and Ni contents on the precipitation of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase and the resulting hardening behavior in Fe–20Cr ferritic alloys were systematically investigated using micro-hardness, electron microscopy, and atom probe techniques. The results demonstrate that an optimal Nb content of ∼0.75 wt. % promotes the precipitation of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase, leading to a maximum micro-hardness of approximately 430 H V when aged at 560 °C for 24 h. Excess Nb content (>0.75 wt. %) introduces the Fe2Nb-Laves phase at grain boundaries and within the grains, which competes with the G-phase for precipitation. Conversely, an increase in Ni content effectively raises the dissolution temperature of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase to approximately 850 °C. The austenite phase begins to form when the Ni content exceeds 4 wt. %. Finally, the strengthening effect of the Ni16Nb6Si7-G phase and its underlying competition precipitation with the Fe2Nb-Laves phase as well as the possible benefit of inducing austenite phase was discussed in the context of developing 20Cr ferritic alloys with high strength and good ductility. These findings provide valuable insights into the influence of Nb and Ni contents on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the newly developed 20Cr alloy, which may be helpful in guiding the design of high performance ferritic alloys by optimizing composition and heat treatment processes.

Abstract Thermoelectric generators held great promise through energy harvesting from waste heat. Their practical application, however, is greatly constrained by poor raw material utilization and tedious processing in fabricating desired shapes. Herein, a state‐of‐the‐art process is reported for 3D printing the half‐Heusler (Nb0.88Hf0.12FeSb) thermoelectric material using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The multi‐dimensional intra‐ and inter‐granular defects created by this process greatly suppress thermal conductivity by providing numerous phonon scattering centers. The resulting LPBF‐fabricated half‐Heusler exhibits a high figure of merit ≈1.2 at 923 K and a single‐leg maximum efficiency of ≈3.3% at a temperature difference (ΔT) of 371 K. Hafnium oxide nanoparticles generated during LPBF effectively prevent crack propagation, ensuring competent mechanical performance and reliable thermoelectric output. The findings highlight the significant potential of LPBF in driving the next industrial revolution of highly efficient and customizable thermoelectric materials.

To address the current issues of brittleness and lower mechanical performance for Zn alloys, the Zn–Mn–Li system that has significant potential for enhancing strength and toughness is selected for the design, fabrication, and investigation. Li and Mn are selected as alloying elements, and a series of Zn-0.4Mn-xLi alloys are prepared. A comprehensive study of as-cast alloys is conducted on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior. The results reveal that the initially precipitated β-LiZn4 phase in the as-cast Zn-0.4Mn-xLi alloys gradually transforms into a β-LiZn4/Zn lamellar structure with the increase of Li content. The β-LiZn4/Zn lamellar structure significantly contributes to the strength of the alloy. The as-cast Zn-0.4Mn-0.8Li alloy exhibits optimal mechanical strength, with yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of 203.2 ± 8.9 MPa and 271.5 ± 20.0 MPa, respectively. Electrochemical and immersion experiments indicate a dense Li-rich corrosion product layer formed on the alloy surface suppresses the generation of pitting corrosion and enhances the corrosion resistance of the alloy. These results manifest that the Li content of the Zn–Mn–Li alloy has a significant influence on the performance, such as the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior. According to the results of mechanical properties and corrosion behavior, Zn-0.4Mn-0.8Li alloy exhibits an optimal comprehensive performance, which provides valuable insight for the development of superior Zn–Mn–Li alloys.

The application of biodegradable Zn-based vascular alloy stents proves to be an ideal solution for addressing cardiovascular diseases. In this work, a Zn-0.8Li-0.4Mn alloy is designed with no biological toxicity, and optimized microstructure and properties through a hot rolling process. The resulting alloy shows a combined enhancement in both mechanical strength and resistance to corrosion. Noteworthy is the effectiveness of rolling deformation in refining alloy grains, promoting the uniform distribution of precipitates, and enhancing strength and ductility. After 90 % deformation, the Zn-0.8Li-0.4Mn alloy demonstrates excellent mechanical properties, with peak yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of 406.0 MPa and 449.1 MPa, respectively, and elongation exceeding 75 %. Corrosion studies indicate a relationship between the degradation rate increase and grain refinement, with the primary corrosion mechanism being pitting corrosion. The corrosion product Li2CO3 exhibits high stability, providing a passivation effect on the alloy surface. This work establishes a theoretical foundation and practical reference for the development of new biodegradable Zn-based alloys tailored for biomedical applications.

Abstract Since thermoelectric materials have different physical and chemical properties, the design of contact layers requires dedicated efforts, and the welding temperatures are distinctly different. Therefore, a general interface design and connection technology can greatly facilitate the development of thermoelectric devices. Herein, we proposed a screening strategy for the contact materials based on the calculation of phase diagram method, and Mg2Ni has been identified as a matched contact layer for n-type Mg3Sb2-based materials. And this screening strategy can be effectively applied to other thermoelectric materials. By adopting the low-temperature sintering silver nanoparticles technology, the Zintl phase thermoelectric device can be fabricated at low temperature but operate at medium temperature. The single-leg n-type Mg3.15Co0.05SbBi0.99Se0.01 device achieves an efficiency of ~13.3%, and a high efficiency of ~11% at the temperature difference of 430 K has been realized for the Zintl phase thermoelectric device comprised together with p-type Yb0.9Mg0.9Zn1.198Ag0.002Sb2. Additionally, the thermal aging and thermal cycle experiments proved the long-term reliability of the Mg2Ni/Mg3.15Co0.05SbBi0.99Se0.01 interface and the nano-silver sintering joints. Our work paves an effective avenue for the development of advanced devices for thermoelectric power generation.

In this study, the effects of V on the microstructure, lattice misfit, solvus temperatures, and oxidation behaviors of the Co–Ni–Al–V–Ta-based superalloys are investigated. The results show that all these alloys exhibit the γ’/γ two-phase structures. More importantly, the γ’ solvus temperature increases, and the oxidation resistance is significantly improved with the reduction of V concentration. Subsequently, the Ti (2 at.%) was added into Co–40Ni–10Al–4Ta–1V–12Cr alloy to further raise the properties of the superalloy. It is found that the Co–40Ni–10Al–4Ta–1V–12Cr–2Ti alloy exhibits a higher solvus temperature reaching 1200 °C of the γ′ phase, a low density of 8.48 g/cm3, a low lattice misfit of only +0.37 %, as well as exceptional oxidation resistance and mechanical properties.

Heterologous double-root grafting represents an effective strategy to mitigate challenges associated with continuous coffee cropping and reduce soil-borne diseases. However, its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted including six different grafting combinations for C. canephora cv. Robusta (Robusta) and Coffea Liberica (Liberica): Robusta scion with a homologous double root (R/RR), Liberica scion with a homologous double root (L/LL), Robusta scion with a heterologous double root (R/RL and L/RL), and Liberica scion with a heterologous double root (L/LR and R/LR); these combinations were conducted to clarify the effects of heterologous double-root grafting combinations on the root exudates and soil microbial diversity, structure, and function of Robusta and Liberica. The results demonstrated notable differences in root exudates, rhizosphere microbial structure, and function between Robusta and Liberica. Despite Liberica having lower diversity in its rhizosphere microbial communities and relatively higher levels of potential pathogenic bacteria, it showed stronger resistance to diseases. Roots of Robusta in heterologous double-root coffee seedlings significantly enhanced the secretion of resistance compounds, increased the relative abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria, and reduced the relative abundance of potential pathogenic fungi. This enhances the rhizosphere immunity of Robusta against soil-borne diseases. The results indicated that grafting onto Liberica roots can strengthen resistance mechanisms and enhance the rhizosphere immunity of Robusta, thereby mitigating challenges associated with continuous cropping.

In this study, G-phase strengthened 7Ni maraging alloys were studied using a combination of thermodynamic prediction based on the TCFE-7 database and advanced experimental techniques, including micro-hardness testing, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), in-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atom probe tomography (APT). The martensite reversion and phase stability of overcooled austenite were precisely determined for a series of Fe–7Ni–2Si-based alloys, validating the effectiveness of thermodynamic predictions in martensite transformation.Based on these theoretical prediction, aging hardness measurements and microstructural observations further revealed that Ni16X6Si7-G (X = Ti, Nb, Ta) precipitates are effective strengthening phases in 7Ni maraging steel, with the exception of Ni16X6Si7 (X = Mn, Zr) due to their significantly different thermal stabilities. Experimental results showed that the Ni16X6Si7-G (X = Ti, Nb, Ta) precipitates remained stable and densely distributed within the martensitic matrix after aging at 500 °C, resulting in high aging hardness values ranging from 350 to 550 HV. Among the studied alloys, the 1Ti alloy strengthened by the Ni16Ti6Si7-G phase exhibited the finest particle radius (estimated at 1.4 nm) and the highest number density (estimated at 1.9 × 1024/m3). Additionally, it is worth noting that the Ni16Zr6Si7-G phase was believed to form through eutectic reaction with α-Fe during solidification and the Ni16Mn6Si7-G phase was only stable at temperatures below 460 °C and was not detected experimentally.These findings enhance our comprehension of G-phase precipitation and strengthening in 7Ni maraging steel and underscore the potential for utilizing thermodynamic calculations and advanced experimental techniques to guide the design and optimization of high-strength alloys.

In this study, a Co-30Ni-10Al-6Ta-10Cr alloy was designed based on CALPHAD (Calculation of Phase Diagrams) method targeting high γ′ phase fraction and solvus, and optimal thermal processing window. Experimental results concurred with the calculations and validated Cr as a γ phase-forming element in Co-Ni-Al-Ta-based alloys. The incorporation of Cr in the alloy helps mitigate lattice misfit, coarsening rate, and alloy density, while enhancing microstructural stability. A certain amount of Cr led to the development of a superalloy with both high mechanical performance γ′ solvus and low density. Moreover, the oxidation resistance of the Co-Ni-Al-Ta-based high-temperature alloy can be substantially elevated by the introduction of Cr. At 1000 °C, the Co-30Ni-10Al-6Ta-10Cr alloy displayed comparatively low oxidation weight gain, which signifies its excellent oxidation resistance. This is mainly attributed to the formation of continuous (Co,Ni)(Al,Cr)2O4 spinel oxide layers during prolonged oxidation.

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) has been proposed as a potential manufacturing process of high-entropy alloys involving rapid cooling rate and compositional element tuning. It, to some extent, compensates for the lack of strength of face-centered cubic (FCC) CoCrFeNi alloy by introducing high-density dislocations and generating hierarchical structures. In this study, the CoCrFeNi-based alloy was manufactured by L-PBF with the minor addition of B4C micro-particles and their properties and microstructure were evaluated. Nano-sized precipitates consisting of the boride and varying carbides were found in the form of a core-shell structure. An in-site transformation of carbides appeared around the core of the precipitate due to a large temperature gradient in the melt pool during manufacturing. The tensile yield and ultimate strength of CoCrFeNi–B4C alloy (1249.5 MPa and 1421.0 MPa) are double that of CoCrFeNi matrix (624.5 MPa and 691.1 MPa) at room temperature with competitive ductility. The exceptional mechanical properties can be mainly ascribed to precipitate hardening, dislocation hardening and grain refinement, as well as the particle-dislocation interaction.

Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (Mecp2) is an epigenetic modulator and numerous studies have explored its impact on the central nervous system manifestations. However, little attention has been given to its potential contributions to the peripheral nervous system (PNS). To investigate the regulation of Mecp2 in the PNS on specific central regions, we generated Mecp2fl/flAdvillincre mice with the sensory-neuron-specific deletion of the Mecp2 gene and found the mutant mice had a heightened sensitivity to temperature, which, however, did not affect the sense of motion, social behaviors, and anxiety-like behavior. Notably, in comparison to Mecp2fl/fl mice, Mecp2fl/flAdvillincre mice exhibited improved learning and memory abilities. The levels of hippocampal synaptophysin and PSD95 proteins were higher in Mecp2fl/flAdvillincre mice than in Mecp2fl/fl mice. Golgi staining revealed a significant increase in total spine density, and dendritic arborization in the hippocampal pyramidal neurons of Mecp2fl/flAdvillincre mice compared to Mecp2fl/fl mice. In addition, the activation of the BDNF-TrkB-CREB1 pathway was observed in the hippocampus and spinal cord of Mecp2fl/flAdvillincre mice. Intriguingly, the hippocampal BDNF/CREB1 signaling pathway in mutant mice was initiated within 5 days after birth. Our findings suggest a potential therapeutic strategy targeting the BDNF-TrkB-CREB1 signaling pathway and peripheral somasensory neurons to treat learning and cognitive deficits associated with Mecp2 disorders.

In recent decades, ecological cyclic cultivation models have attracted increasing attention, primarily because the decomposition of crop residues and litter enhances soil organic matter content, thereby altering the soil microenvironment and regulating the diversity and functions of soil microbial communities. However, the effects of different coffee waste mulching on the diversity of soil microbial communities and their functions are still unclear. Therefore, this study set up four kinds of covering treatments: uncovered coffee waste (C), covered coffee litter (L), covered coffee pericarp (P), and both covered coffee litter and pericarp (PL). The results showed that compared to the control, coffee pericarp mulching significantly increased the soil available potassium (SAK) content by 18.45% and alkali hydrolyzed N (SAN) content by 17.29%. Furthermore, coffee pericarp mulching significantly increased bacterial richness and diversity by 7.75 and 2.79%, respectively, while litter mulching had little effect on bacterial abundance and diversity was smaller. The pericarp mulching significantly increased the abundance of Proteus by 22.35% and the abundance of Chlamydomonas by 80.04%, but significantly decreased the abundance of Cyanobacteria by 68.38%, while the coffee litter mulching significantly increased the abundance of Chlamydomonas by 48.28%, but significantly decreased the abundance of Cyanobacteria by 73.98%. The increase in soil SAK promoted bacterial Anoxygenic_photoautotrophy, Nitrogen_respiration, Nitrate_respiration, Nitrite_respiration, and Denitrification functions. The above results indicate that the increase in available soil potassium and alkali hydrolyzed N content under coffee pericarp cover is the main reason for promoting the diversity and richness of bacterial community and promoting the changes in bacterial community structure and function. The use of coffee pericarps in coffee plantations for ecological recycling helps to improve the diversity of the soil microbial community and maintain the relative stability of the microbial community structure and function, promoting soil health conservation and the sustainable development of related industries.

In this paper, we investigate the non-constant stationary solutions of a general Gause-type predator-prey system with self- and cross-diffusions subject to the homogeneous Neumann boundary condition. In the system, the cross-diffusions are introduced in such a way that the prey runs away from the predator, while the predator moves away from a large group of preys. Firstly, we establish a priori estimate for the positive solutions. Secondly, we study the non-existence results of non-constant positive solutions. Finally, we consider the existence of non-constant positive solutions and discuss the Turing instability of the positive constant solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cloud computing provides high accessibility, scalability, and flexibility in the era of computing for different practical applications. Internet of things (IoT) is a new technology that connects the devices and things to provide user required services. Due to data and information upsurge on IoT, cloud computing is usually used for managing these data, which is known as cloud‐based IoT. Due to the high volume of requirements, service diversity is one of the critical challenges in cloud‐based IoT. Since the load balancing issue is one of the NP‐hard problems in heterogeneous environments, this article provides a new method for response time reduction using a well‐known grey wolf optimization algorithm. In this paper, we supposed that the response time is the same as the execution time of all the tasks that this parameter must be minimized. The way is determining the status of virtual machines based on the current load. Then the tasks will be removed from the machine with the additional load depending on the condition of the virtual machine and will be transferred to the appropriate virtual machine, which is the criterion for assigning the task to the virtual machine based on the least distance. The results of the CloudSim simulation environment showed that the response time is developed in compared to the HBB‐LB and EBCA‐LB algorithm. Also, the load imbalancing degree is improved in comparison to TSLBACO and HJSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of the composition for two-phase superalloys of γ/γ′ has always been key to achieving a breakthrough in their mechanical performance. However, the underlying mechanism of the anti-site defects in γ′ precipitates that severely affect stability and performance have rarely been explored. The present work therefore specifically investigated the structural stability and mechanical properties of strictly stoichiometric and off-stoichiometric γ′-Co3(Al, Nb) phases by using the first-principles calculations. The results show that the change in the Al/Nb ratios in the compounds could induce the instability of the L12 structure, while an increase of Nb atoms leads to compounds with predominantly covalent bonds exhibiting stronger mechanical properties. After evaluating the Gibbs free energy of these γ′-Co3(Al, Nb) phases at finite temperature, it is found that Co29Al2Nb1 and Co29Al1Nb2 compounds with anti-site defects can be thermodynamically stable at greater than 710 and 905 K, respectively. Accordingly, Co-10Al-2Nb and Co-2.5Al-3Nb alloys were successfully prepared experimentally, further confirming that the γ′-Co3(Al, Nb) phase with anti-site defects can precipitate preferentially and remain stable during the 168 h annealing treatment.

In Mg matrix composites, the interface between Ti2AlC and Mg plays a vital role in the strengthening mechanism and fracture process. Using first-principles calculations, a systematic analysis is carried out for the atomic structures, work of adhesion, interfacial energy, chemical bonding of the Mg(0001)/Ti2AlC(0001) coherent interface. The results of the relaxed interface structure show that, for all the interface studied, the bridge site (MT) configurations are unstable and convert into the hollow site (HCP1 or HCP2) configurations. Moreover, the work of adhesion and interfacial energy measurements reveal that C-HCP2 configurations are more thermodynamically stable. Furthermore, due to the formation of a strong Mg–C covalent bond across the interface, the electronic structure studies indicate that the C-terminated Mg(0001)/Ti2AlC(0001) interface is more thermodynamically stable. The Al-, Ti(C)-, and Ti(Al)-terminated interfacial fractures are found to initiate at the Mg/Ti2AlC interface, whereas the C-terminated interfacial fracture could initiate in the Mg bulk phase.

Abstract Thermoelectric materials can be potentially applied to waste heat recovery and solid-state cooling because they allow a direct energy conversion between heat and electricity and vice versa. The accelerated materials design based on machine learning has enabled the systematic discovery of promising materials. Herein we proposed a successful strategy to discover and design a series of promising half-Heusler thermoelectric materials through the iterative combination of unsupervised machine learning with the labeled known half-Heusler thermoelectric materials. Subsequently, optimized zT values of ~0.5 at 925 K for p-type Sc0.7Y0.3NiSb0.97Sn0.03 and ~0.3 at 778 K for n-type Sc0.65Y0.3Ti0.05NiSb were experimentally achieved on the same parent ScNiSb.

Titanium alloys fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) often suffer from limited ductility because of the inherent acicular α′ martensite embedded in the columnar parent phase grains (prior-β grains). The post-built heat treatment at a relatively high temperature (∼1075 K) necessary for decomposing martensite results in improved ductility at the cost of strength. It, however, remains difficult to achieve balances between strength and ductility in as-printed conditions due to the huge range of possible compositions of printing process variables. Herein, using LPBF-processed Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) alloy as an example, we demonstrate that machine learning (ML) is capable of accelerating the discovery of the proper sets of processing parameters resulting in a superior synergy of strength and ductility (i.e., yield strength, Ys0.2 = 1044 ± 10 MPa, uniform elongation, UEL = 10.5 ± 1.2 % and total elongation = 15 ± 1.5 %). Such property improvement is found to be enabled by an unique refined prior-β grains decorated by confined α′-colony precipitates. In particular, the uniform deformation ability of α′ martensite is improved due to the enhanced microstructure uniformity achieved by weakening variant selection. ML-based processing parameter optimization approach is thus well-positioned to accelerate the qualification of a wide range of l-PBF manufactured alloys beyond Ti-alloys.

and preventing fissuring. The ventilation control window for rewetting paddy was developed according to two conditions: (i) the average grain bulk temperature (tg) is higher than the dewpoint temperature (DPTa) of the atmosphere; and (ii) the equilibrium absolute humidity (EAHg) of grain moisture content plus 1 percentage point is lower than the absolute humidity (AHa) of the atmosphere. The ventilators were turned on when the atmosphere state point was within the ventilation windowand turned off outside that window. In a humid subtropical monsoon climate, during Oct. 8th to Nov. 1st, 2013, the system was used for a paddy depot of 1035 t in Dianjiang, Chongqing province. The natural humid air was introduced into the paddy bulk by negative pressure suction aeration during the 10-12 h night time period and allowed to equilibrate with grain kernels during the 12-14 h day time period. Aeration increased grain MC by 0.6 percentage points with two 1.5 kW axial flow ventilators and power consumption of 209 kW·h. The unit energy consumption was 0.336 KW·h (1% moisture·t)-1. The broken milled rice percentage was decreased by 2-3 percentage points. In the warm temperate semi-humid monsoon climate, during April 13th to June 16th, 2017, the system was used to rewet japonic paddy in a 2489 t depot in Qihe, Shandong province. The conditions for running two 0.85 kW axial flow fans were: (i) when the atmosphere relative humidity (RHa) is ≤80% and its temperature (ta) is <28°C, tg>DPTa, and EAHga; and (ii) when RHa >80% and ta <28°C. Whenever ta was >28°C, the two fans were switched off. This rewetting aeration increased grain MC from 13.5% to 14.0%, and the unit energy consumption was 0.455 kW·h (1% moisture·t)-1. The percentages of average head rice yield and damaged grains after aeration were 71.7% and 7.7%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters affecting the outcomes of patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM).MethodsThis is a multi-center, retrospective, cohort study involving 81 patients who were diagnosed with TBM and treated in Haihe Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, and General Hospital of Air Force PLA from January 2016 to December 2019. Baseline data, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and clinical presentations of all patients were collected at admission. CSF samples were collected at 48 h, 1, 2, and 3 weeks after admission. CSF lactate, adenosine deaminase, chloride, protein, glucose levels and intracranial pressure were measured. After a follow-up of 16.14 ± 3.03 months, all patients were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and divided into good (mRS scores of 0–2 points) and poor outcome groups (mRS scores of 3–6 points). The differences in patients' baseline data, GCS score, clinical presentations, and levels of CSF parameters detected at 48 h, 1, 2, and 3 weeks after admission between two groups were compared. Statistically significant variables were added to the binary logistic regression model to identify the factors impacting the outcomes of patients with TBM. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive ability of the model.ResultsThe CSF lactate level exhibited a decreasing trend within 3 weeks of admission in the two groups. For the within-group comparison, statistically significant differences in the lactate level was found in both groups between four different time points. A binary logistic regression model revealed that CSF lactate level at 48 h after admission, age, and GSC score on admission were independently associated with the outcomes of patients with TBM. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.786 for the CSF lactate level (48 h), 0.814 for GCS score, and 0.764 for age.ConclusionHigh CSF lactate level at 48 h after admission is one of the important factors for poor outcomes in patients with TBM.

This work aims to develop a novel Co16X6Si7-G (X = Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Tc, Re) phase strengthened ferritic steel with the help of first-principles calculations. Ddensity function theory calculation results demonstrated that the Co16X6Si7-G phase possesses the advantage of good thermodynamic stability and low misfit with the ferritic matrix. On the basis of calculation, we successfully prepared three model alloys, i.e., the Fe20Cr5Co2Si1Ti, Fe20Cr5Co2Si0.75Nb and Fe20Cr5Co2Si1.5Ta (wt.%), who make a good trade-off between strength, ductility and good oxidation/corrosion resistance. Our observation verified that the Co16X6Si7-G phase can precipitate within 1 h with proper heat treatment, showing a cube-on-cube orientation relationship with its parent matrix. The introduction of G phase precipitates amazingly increases the micro-hardness of model alloys by ∼ 160 HV after aging at 873 K. And the precipitates within the ferrite phase have not been observed to grow coarser even after 96 hrs aging treatment. Furthermore, excellent mechanical properties of ∼ 1.2 GPa tensile strength and ∼ 10 % total elongation have been achieved after 6 hrs aging time at 873 K. These findings indicate the Co16X6Si7-G phase would be a promising candidate as a strengthening medium and provide valuable insight into the screen of precipitates for the development of high-strength and ductile steels.

TiFe0.5Ni0.5Sb-based half-Heusler compounds have the intrinsic low lattice thermal conductivity and the adjustable band structure. Inspired by the previously reports to achieve both p- and n-type components by tuning the ratio of Fe and Ni based on the same parent TiFe0.5Ni0.5Sb, we selected Co as the amphoteric dopants to prepare both n-type and p-type pseudo-ternary Ti(Fe, Co, Ni)Sb-based half-Heusler alloys. The carrier concentration, as well as the density of states effective mass was significantly increased by Co doping, contributing to the enhanced power factor of 1.80 mW m−1 K−2 for n-type TiFe0.3Co0.2Ni0.5Sb and 2.21 mW m−1 K−2 for p-type TiFe0.5Co0.15Ni0.35Sb at 973 K. Combined with the further decreased lattice thermal conductivity due to the strain field and mass fluctuation scattering induced by alloying Hf on the Ti site, peak ZTs of 0.65 in n-type Ti0.8Hf0.2Fe0.3Co0.2Ni0.5Sb and 0.85 in p-type Ti0.8Hf0.2Fe0.5Co0.15Ni0.35Sb were achieved at 973 K, which is of great significance for the thermoelectric power generation applications.

Controlling the distribution of solar spectrum in different bands would boost the energy harvesting efficiency and optimize the energy dispatchability. 1D photonic crystal with intrinsic optical band gap can be used to split the solar spectrum for hybrid photovoltaic/thermal solar applications. Here, we designed an efficient solar spectrum optical filter based on a cermet layer, Si/SiO2 1D photonic crystal, and top heterostructure layer. Compared with 1D photonic crystal structure, the 1D photonic crystal heterostructure with top YSZ layer can realize the reflectance of greater than 92% in PV band and the low average reflectance in two thermal bands by tuning the effective impedance of multilayer films. The enhanced reflectance in PV band results from the huge mismatching of impedance between free space and the heterostructure structure. The top dielectric layer can also be extended to other oxides.

In order to improve the thermal stability and mechanical properties of W-free light-weight Co–V–Ta-based superalloys, the effects of alloying elements including Sc, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt on γ′-Co3(V, Ta) stability and elastic properties were studied. The results from the reaction energy indicate that Sc, Ti, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, and W tend to occupy the V site, whereas Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt prefer to occupy the Co site. It was found that Sc, Ti, Y, Zr, Fe, and Mn stabilize the γ′-Co3(V, Ta) phase by raising the phase-transfer energy. The addition of Mo and W increases the bulk modulus, shear modulus, and Young’s modulus. According to Pugh’s classical criterion, the γ′-Co3(V, Ta) phase is an intrinsically brittle material, and the addition of elements such as Tc and Re significantly enhances the ductility. At finite temperature, the doping of Sc, Ti, Mn, Fe, and Hf enhances the relative stability of the γ′-Co3(V, Ta) phase in the whole temperature range from 0 to 1200 K and are candidates for improving the stability of the γ′-Co3(V, Ta) phase.

This study combines machine learning and a phase diagram to accelerate the design of a cobalt-based superalloy with a composition of Co-30Ni-10Al-6Ta (at%). The results show that Co-30Ni-10Al-6Ta alloy exhibits high γ′ solvus temperature (1,215 °C) and high yield strength (1,220 Mpa at 25 °C), which is comparable with commercial nickel-based polycrystalline superalloy M-Mar-247. Moreover, the wide processing window and excellent γ′ phase stability make it lucrative for further applications at high temperatures. Meanwhile, the alloy design method also provides a new idea for efficiently realizing the preparation of high-performance alloys.

Based on analysis of NMR T2 spectral characteristics, a new method for identifying fluid properties by decomposing T2 spectrum through signal analysis has been proposed. Because T2 spectrum satisfies lognormal distribution on transverse relaxation time axis, the T2 spectrum can be decomposed into 2 to 5 independent component spectra by fitting the T2 spectrum with Gauss functions. By analyzing the free relaxation response characteristics of crude oil and formation water, the dynamic response characteristics of the core mutual drive between oil and water, the petrophysical significance of each component spectrum is clarified. T2 spectrum can be decomposed into clay bound water component spectrum, capillary bound fluid component spectrum, micropores fluid component spectrum and macropores fluid component spectrum. According to the nature of crude oil in the target area, the distribution range of T2 component spectral peaks of oil-bearing reservoir is 165–500 ms on T2 time axis. This range can be used to accurately identify fluid properties. This method has high adaptability in identifying complex oil and water layers in low porosity and permeability reservoirs.

Ultrafine W–10 wt.%Cu powders synthesized by thermo-chemical method have a good sinterability compared with the mechanically mixed powers, which are suitable for powder injection molding (PIM). The deagglomeration, however, is necessary to improve the flowability of the ultrafine powder to obtain a PIM feedstock with high powder loading. Jet milling (JM) was employed in this study to reduce the strong agglomerations among the particles, which were subsequently used for PIM. Results showed that JM was a proper process to modify the ultrafine powders for mass production with negligible contamination. JM modified the powder characteristics, including agglomeration, size distribution, surface morphology, and tap density, which considerably improved the rheological properties of feedstock. With the increasing of powder fraction in the feedstock from 46 vol.% to 52 vol.%, the shrinkage of the parts during sintering reduced accordingly, which is favorable for dimensional stability. The resulted W–10 wt.%Cu sintered composite has excellent physical properties, such as high thermal and electric conductivity, as well as low coefficient of thermal expansion, which can be attributed to its near full density and homogeneous microstructure.

Generally, additively manufactured (AM) full martensitic titanium alloys (hexagonal-close-packed α’ phase) exhibits high yield strength (>1GPa) but poor elongation to failure (

The thermoelectric parameters are essentially governed by electron and phonon transport. Since the carrier scattering mechanism plays a decisive role in electron transport, it is of great significance for the electrical properties of thermoelectric materials. As a typical example, the defect-dominated carrier scattering mechanism can significantly impact the room-temperature electron mobility of n-type Mg3Sb2-based materials. However, the origin of such a defect scattering mechanism is still controversial. Herein, the existence of the Mg vacancies and Mg interstitials has been identified by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. The relationship among the point defects, chemical compositions, and synthesis conditions in Mg3Sb2-based materials has been revealed. By further introducing the point defects without affecting the grain size via neutron irradiation, the thermally activated electrical conductivity can be reproduced. Our results demonstrate that the point defects scattering of electrons is important in the n-type Mg3Sb2-based materials.

Cu-Ni-Co-Si alloys have been regarded as a candidate for the next-generation integrated circuits. Nevertheless, using the trial and error method to design high-performance copper alloys requires a lot of effort and time. Thus, the material design method based on machine learning is used to accelerate the exploitation of alloys. In this study, a composition-process-property database of Cu-Ni-Co-Si alloys was established, and a new strategy that could simultaneously realize the prediction of properties and the optimization of compositions and process parameters was proposed. Four groups were chosen from 38,880 candidates by the multi-performance screening method; good agreements existed between the prediction and the test. The Cu-2.3Ni-0.7Co-0.7Si alloy had the best performance among the designed alloys, and this alloy was studied in depth. The influence of the dissolution of Co in Ni2Si was analyzed from a novel perspective. Interestingly, the trace amount of Co replacing Ni to form (Ni, Co)2Si increased the phase dissolution temperature dramatically and shortened the coarsening rate. Affected by Co, the over-aging process was slowed down, which broadened the use range of alloys greatly. Therefore, the developed Cu-2.3Ni-0.7Co-0.7Si alloy can prove to be promising materials that meet different working conditions, and its performance was better than C70350 alloy.

In this study, we demonstrate the effects of surfactants on the morphology of Nb2C MXene-derived ferroelectric KNbO3 crystals. We synthesized plate-like KNbO3 crystals using Nb2C MXene and KOH as niobium and potassium sources, respectively, and sodium dodecyl sulfate as the surfactant. In addition, we conducted the same hydrothermal process for Nb2C MXene and KOH as niobium and potassium sources, respectively, and benzyltriethylammonium chloride as a surfactant; we found that the final product exhibits bulk morphology. We show that the morphology of MXene-derived KNbO3 crystals is strongly related to the interaction between the MXene flakes and the functional groups of the surfactant during the hydrothermal process.