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Bulk unrelaxed alloys with compositions up to 65% and layer thicknesses up to 3 μm were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The photoluminescence (PL) peak energy as low as 0.10 eV was demonstrated at T = 77 K. The electroluminescence and quantum efficiency data demonstrated with unoptimized barrier heterostructures from T = 80 to 150 K suggested large absorption and carrier lifetimes sufficient for the development of long wave infrared detectors and emitters with high quantum efficiency. The minority hole transport was found to be adequate for development of the detectors and emitters with large active layer thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial oily wastewater contains both light oil (ρ o i l < ρ w a t e r) and heavy oil (ρ o i l > ρ w a t e r) ; thus, there is a requirement to develop smart surfaces with reversible wettability as they possess the advantages of superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity. Herein, using a simple and convenient way of alternate immersion in stearic acid ethanol solution and THF, the wettability of the MR surface could be switched in a short duration to achieve reversible oil-water separation. (a) MR obtained by anodic oxidation was superhydrophilic, after being modified in a stearic acid ethanol solution for 30 min, the wettability was changed to superhydrophobic. At this point, oil could permeate its surface while water could not. (b) After the modified MR was soaked in THF for 30 min, the wettability was restored to superhydrophilic as well as underwater superoleophobic. At this time, water could penetrate its surface but water could not. The sewage treatment technology of oil-water separation based on superwetting materials has been widely employed. However, the stability of substrates was rarely considered in the past few years, which greatly limited the application of superwetting materials in engineering field. As a new robust, three-dimensional porous material, metal rubber (MR) has attracted significant attention for solving this problem. To treat the wastewater containing insoluble heavy/light oil and soluble dyes, herein, MR capable of degrading organic dyes with switchable wettability and high oil-water separation efficiency was prepared. Firstly, the superhydrophilic MR was obtained by anodizing. Then, the wettability of MR surface was reversibly switched between superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic via alternate immersion in stearic acid ethanol solution and tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent to achieve switchable oil-water separation of MR. The superwetting MR displayed excellent abrasion resistance and retained outstanding oil-water separation performance after 100 times of sandpaper abrasion. Besides, the surface of pure titanium MR was rich in titanium dioxide (TiO 2) after anodic oxidation, which could effectively degrade the organic dyes under ultraviolet light. Therefore, the as-prepared superwetting MR possesses the ability to treat complex wastewater and have applications prospects in controllable oil-water separation and self-cleaning surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tool wear is a major cause of accelerated tool failure during the milling of aluminum alloy. The periodically cutting force directly affect the cutting heat and tool wear due to the intermittent cutting characteristics of the milling process. The focus of this paper is to analyze the influence of the variation of cutting force on tool wear behavior. The change law of cutting force by cutting parameters was analyzed firstly. Secondly, the variation of the wear land width (VB) of tool flank face by the milling length was analyzed. Thirdly, the wear morphology and the energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) results of tool rake face and flank face in different cutting parameters were observed by tungsten filament scanning electron microscope. Finally, considering the cutting force effect, the tool wear mechanism during high-speed milling of Aluminum-Alloy Die Castings 12 (ADC12, 12 means aluminum number 12) was analyzed. The cutting force in tangential direction is predominant during high-speed milling aluminum alloy, which decreases gradually with the increase of cutting speed but increases gradually with the feed rising. The adhesion-oxidation wear was main wear mechanism of tool rake face during high-speed milling. While adhesive wear was the main wear mechanism of the tool flank face during high-speed milling. It is found that the formation of adhesive wear is the process from particle adhesion to melting until the formation of adhesive layer, which related to the change of cutting force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the fatigue properties of C17200 alloy under the condition of quenching aging heat treatment at high temperatures, and to provide a design reference for its application in a certain temperature range. For this purpose, the tensile and rotary bending fatigue (RBF) tests were carried out at different temperatures (25 °C, 150 °C, 350 °C, and 450 °C). The tensile strength was obtained, and relationships between the applied bending stress levels and the number of fatigue fracture cycles were fitted to the stress-life (S-N) curves, and the related equations were determined. The fractured surfaces were observed and analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the RBF fatigue performance of C17200 alloy specimens is decreased with the increase in test temperature. When the temperature is below 350 °C, the performance degradation amplitudes of mechanical properties and RBF fatigue resistance are at a low level. However, compared to the RBF fatigue strength of 1 × 107 cycles at 25 °C, it is decreased by 38.4% when the temperature reaches 450 °C. It is found that the fatigue failure type of C17200 alloy belongs to surface defect initiation. Below 350 °C, the surface roughness of the fatigue fracture is higher, which is similar to the brittle fracture, so the boundary of the fracture regions is not obvious. At 450 °C, due to the further increase in temperature, oxidation occurs on the fracture surface, and the boundary of typical fatigue zone is obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Design: A combined retrospective and prospective analysis on the therapeutic effect of physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercise (PSSE) in mild juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS) patients.Background: At present, patients with mild JIS are generally treated by observation without any interventional treatment. This study analyzed the effects of PSSE on mild JIS, which provided a new approach for the treatment of JIS.Method: A total of 52 patients with mild JIS (Cobb angle 10-19°), aged 4-9 years, self-selected into an observation group and a PSSE group. Patients performed the corrective posture exercises daily based on the Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS) to the best of their ability, and performed the over-corrective training based on Schroth methods for 30 min each day. Before and one year after the treatment, the Cobb angle and the angle of trunk rotation (ATR) were evaluated, and the results were compared between the two groups.Results: After one year of treatment, the Cobb angle in the PSSE group decreased from 15.0(11.0-17.0)° to 5.0(2.0-12.0)°(p ≤ 0.001), while the Cobb angle in the observation group increased from 13.5(11.0-17.3)° to 16.0(10.8-20.0)° (p = 0.010). The ATR in the PSSE group decreased from 5.0(2.0-7.0)° to 3.0(2.0-4.0)° (p = 0.009), while the change of ATR in the observation group was not significant. Compared with the observation group, 69.57% of patients in PSSE group had a decreased Cobb angle of more than 5 degrees, which was statistically significant(p ≤ 0.001).Conclusion: For mild JIS, PSSE decreased the Cobb angle and ATR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The treatment of severe and rigid scoliosis is challenging. We developed a surgical strategy for severe and rigid scoliosis since 2014. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the safety and efficacy of apical region correction and global balance with 3 rods as a surgical strategy for the treatment of severe and rigid scoliosis.Methods: A retrospective study was performed for patients with severe and rigid scoliosis who underwent one-stage posterior corrective operation using the apical region correction and global balance with 3 rods surgical strategy between February 2014 and April 2020. The inclusion criteria were as follows: [1] Cobb angle > 90°; [2] flexibility < 30%; [3] a minimum 2-year follow-up. Patients were excluded if they had a history of traction or spinal surgery. Coronal and sagittal parameters, including Cobb angle, flexibility, apex vertebra translation, trunk shift (TS), thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured preoperatively, postoperatively and at the final follow-up. The Scoliosis Research Society 22-item questionnaire was administered preoperatively and at the final follow-up. During the operation, one slightly-bent short rod was placed into the concave side of apical region and correction was achieved by rod-rotation and distraction. Two pre-bent long rods were placed into both sides of the scoliosis and global balance was improved by leveling the proximal thoracic vertebrae and distal lumbar vertebrae.Results: A total of 41 patients were included, with an average age of 20 years (range, 12-49 years) and follow-up of 34 months (range, 24-58 months). Postoperative correction rate was 53% for scoliosis. There were 14 patients with normal kyphosis before surgery, and 28 patients with normal kyphosis at the last follow-up. 88% of the patients (23/26) with preoperative coronal imbalance (TS > 20 mm) restored coronal balance at the final follow-up. 87% of the patients (14/16) with preoperative sagittal imbalance (SVA > 40 mm) restored sagittal balance at the final follow-up. The mean operation time and blood loss were 286 min and 941 mL, respectively. No patients had neurological complications or implant failure.Conclusion: The surgical strategy of apical region correction and global balance with 3 rods is a safe and effective alternative for the surgical treatment of severe and rigid scoliosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are susceptible to the respiratory infections and might be at a heightened risk of poor clinical outcomes upon contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential associations of SMA with the susceptibility to and prognostication of COVID-19 need to be clarified. We documented an SMA case who contracted COVID-19 but only developed mild-to-moderate clinical and radiological manifestations of pneumonia, which were relieved by a combined antiviral and supportive treatment. We then reviewed a cohort of patients with SMA who had been living in the Hubei province since November 2019, among which the only 1 out of 56 was diagnosed with COVID-19 (1.79%, 1/56). Bioinformatic analysis was carried out to delineate the potential genetic crosstalk between SMN1 (mutation of which leads to SMA) and COVID-19/lung injury-associated pathways. Protein-protein interaction analysis by STRING suggested that loss-of-function of SMN1 might modulate COVID-19 pathogenesis through CFTR, CXCL8, TNF and ACE. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis also revealed a link between SMN1 and ACE2, despite low-confidence protein-protein interactions as suggested by STRING. This bioinformatic analysis could give hint on why SMA might not necessarily lead to poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between adjacent asperities is a typical characteristic of the grinding process and plays an important role in the material removal mechanism. Therefore, in order to systematically investigate the formation mechanism of the subsurface damage, a precision grinding contact model between the diamond particle and optical glass with adjacent asperities is proposed in our research. The initiation and propagation mechanism of median/lateral cracks under residual stress, the propagation rules of the stress waves on the subsurface, and the interaction between the subsurface damage under stress superposition effect are fully investigated by a theoretical analysis and finite element simulation. The simulation results of the precision grinding model are verified by experiments, which show that the proposed numerical analysis model is reasonable and the finite element analysis process is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, epoxy resin (EP) composites were prepared by using molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and helical carbon nanotubes (H-CNTs) as the antifriction and reinforcing phases, respectively. The effects of MoS2 and H-CNTs on the friction coefficient, wear amount, hardness, and elastic modulus of the composites were investigated. The tribological properties of the composites were tested using the UMT-3MT friction testing machine, non-contact three-dimensional surface profilometers, and nanoindenters. The analytical results showed that the friction coefficient of the composites initially decreased and then increased with the increase in the MoS2 content. The friction coefficient was the smallest when the MoS2 content in the EP was 6%, and the wear amount increased gradually. With the increasing content of H-CNTs, the friction coefficient of the composite material did not change significantly, although the wear amount decreased gradually. When the MoS2 and H-CNTs contents were 6% and 4%, respectively, the composite exhibited the minimum friction coefficient and a small amount of wear. Moreover, the addition of H-CNTs significantly enhanced the hardness and elastic modulus of the composites, which could be applied as materials in high-temperature and high-pressure environments where lubricants and greases do not work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main focus of current research in polymeric matrix brake composites is on searching out a replacement for copper, which has been recently proved to be a hazard to human health and the environment. In this paper, rare earth lanthanum oxide was explored for the replacement of copper in composites. The mechanism of the role of lanthanum oxide in brake composites to replace copper was analyzed. Four series of polymeric matrix brake composites with various amounts of copper (15, 10, 5 and 0 wt %) and rare earth lanthanum oxide (0, 5, 10 and 15 wt %) were developed, in which the copper was gradually replaced by lanthanum oxide in the formula. These series were characterized in terms of physical, thermo-physical and mechanical properties. The results show that lanthanum oxide can be successfully used as a replacement for copper in brake composites. Brake composites with 15 wt % lanthanum oxide that are copper-free are considered optimal, where tribo-properties are considered best. Compared with the addition of copper in brake composites, lanthanum oxide is more conducive to the formation of compacted friction films and transfer films, which is beneficial to the tribological properties of the brake composites. The addition of La2O3 to the brake composites can cause the reaction between La2O3 and Al2O3 to form LaAlO3, and the reaction between Al2O3 and BaSO4 can produce Ba18Al12O36 and Al2SO4 during the friction and wear processes, which can effectively improve the tribological properties of the brake composites at elevated temperature. This research was contributive to the copper-free, metal-free and eco-friendly brake composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new and effective treatment on bamboo fiber (BF) is presented, and its effect on the interfacial bonding properties of the BF/resin matrix was studied. The interfacial functionary mechanism of rare earth solution (RES) modification to improve the interfacial bonding properties between BF and the resin matrix was analyzed. The hardness and elastic modulus of the interfacial zone between BF and the resin matrix were measured using nanoindentation. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to analyze the change in the surface functional group of BF in the modification process. The surface chemical composition of BF before and after the modification was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the RES modification significantly increases the hardness and elastic modulus of BF and its interfacial zone with the resin matrix. The hydroxyl concentration on the surface of RES-treated BF decreases, which reduces the hydrophilicity of BF. Rare earth ions react with oxygen in the hydroxyl group at the C2 position in the glucosylic ring of cellulose. The RES-modified BF bonds with the resin matrix to form a rare earth complex, which significantly enhances the interfacial adhesion between BF and the resin matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]