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Hexagonal Columnar ZrB2 powders were obtained from irregular commercial powder at low temperature using microwave heating technique. It was confirmed that the raw ZrB2 powders first underwent dissolution process in the glassy coating, followed by re-crystallization. A growth mechanism involving selective attachment is proposed to explain the formation of the hexagonal tubules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial effects of ZrH2 addition on the densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of pulsed electric current sintered ZrB2–SiC composites were investigated. The addition of ZrH2 removed B2O3 on ZrB2 particle surfaces, introduced a ZrC phase to the composites, and refined the SiC particle size during the sintering process. As a result, the three-point flexural strength and the fracture toughness of the ZrB2–SiC composite ceramic increased from 569MPa and 3.9MPam1/2 to 998MPa and 4.8MPam1/2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fully densified ZrB2-based ceramic composites were produced by reactive pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) of ZrB2–ZrH2 powders within a total thermal cycle time of only 35min. The composition of the final composite was directly influenced by the initial ZrH2 content in the starting powder batch. With increasing ZrH2 content, ZrB2–ZrO2, ZrB2–ZrB–ZrO2 and ZrB2–ZrB–Zr3O composites were obtained. The ZrB2–ZrB–ZrO2 composite derived from a 9.8wt% ZrH2 starting powder exhibited an excellent flexural strength of 1382MPa combined with a Vickers hardness of 17.1GPa and a fracture toughness of 5.0MPam1/2. The high strength was attributed to a fine grain size and the removal of B2O3 through reaction with Zr. Higher ZrH2 content starting powders were densified through solution-reprecipitation resulting in the formation of coarser angular ZrB2–ZrB composites with a Zr3O grain boundary phase with a fracture toughness of 5.0MPam1/2 and an acceptable strength in the 852–939MPa range. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Electroconductive ZrO2–Al2O3–25vol% TiN ceramic nanocomposites were prepared by spark plasma sintering at 1200°C for 3min. The electrical resistivity of the composites decreased from 4.5×10−4 Ωm to 3×10−5 Ωm as the Al2O3 content in the ZrO2–Al2O3 matrix increased from 0 to 100vol%. SEM images graphically presented the microstructural evolution of the composites and a geometrical percolation model was applied to investigate the relationship between the electrical property and the microstructure. The results indicated that the addition of Al2O3 to ZrO2–TiN improved the electrical conductivity of the material by tailoring the structure from “nano–nano” type for ZrO2–TiN to “micro–nano” type for ZrO2–Al2O3–TiN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Partially textured TiB2–SiC composites were prepared by reactive pulsed electric current sintering of attrition-milled TiH2–B–SiC–B4C powder mixtures. Plate-like TiB2 grains, formed in situ with their elongated direction perpendicular to the pressing direction, improved both the strength and fracture toughness of the composites. The TiB2 composites with 20–30vol.% SiC combined a three-point flexural strength of 625–695MPa with a Vickers hardness of 21.1–23.5GPa and a fracture toughness of 5.7–7.3MPam1/2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fully densified ZrB2–20vol% SiC composites were produced by reactive pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) of a powder mixture containing ZrH2, B, SiC and B4C within a total thermal cycle time of only 50min. During the combined synthesis and sintering process, the ZrH2 powder decomposed gradually from ZrH2 into ZrHm and finally metal Zr that reacted with elemental B to form the ZrB2 matrix. Reducing the ZrH2 particle size by attritor milling significantly enhanced densification and allowed initiation of self-propagating high temperature synthesis (SHS) during PECS. The PECS grades exhibited a slightly textured structure, with ≤17% of the ZrB2 grains oriented with their (001) planes perpendicular to the direction of pressure and DC current. Because of the ZrB2 grain orientation, anisotropic mechanical properties were observed. Ceramics prepared from attritor milled powders and PECS with a pressure applied after 5min upon reaching 1900°C achieved excellent flexural strengths of 901–937MPa. The hardness and fracture toughness were respectively 19.7–19.8GPa and 4.0–4.7MPam1/2 in the direction parallel and 20.2–21.3GPa and 3.8–3.9MPam1/2 in the direction perpendicular to the applied pressure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

High-purity zirconium diboride (ZrB2) powders with submicrometer particle size were synthesized by borothermal reduction of nanometric ZrO2 powders in vacuum. The reaction process was experimentally and thermodynamically assessed. B2O3 was identified as a possible intermediate reaction product. ZrO2 completely converted to ZrB2 when thermally treated at 1000°C for 2 h in a vacuum, but the removal of residual boron-related species required a temperature above 1500°C. ZrB2 powders obtained at 1000°–1200°C showed a faceted morphology, whereas those prepared above 1500°C had a nearly spherical morphology. The particle size that was calculated from the measured surface area increased with the increasing synthesis temperature from 0.15 μm at 1000°C to 0.66 μm at 1650°C. The oxygen content of the ZrB2 powders synthesized at 1650°C was as low as 0.43 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Textured TiB2 monolithic ceramics were prepared in a one step in situ synthesis and densification process during pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) using TiH2 and amorphous B as raw materials. The Lotgering orientation factors of the (00 l) and (h k 0) planes were measured to be 0.66 and 0.68, respectively. The crystallographically textured ceramics also display a clear microstructural anisotropy. The addition of SiC as a secondary phase was found to deteriorate the orientation in the TiB2 ceramic due to grain growth inhibition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: LaAlO3 powders were successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of complex compounds of lanthanum and aluminum with triethanolamine (TEA). The precursors and the derived powders were characterized by simultaneous thermogravimetry analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry analysis (DSC), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), specific surface area measurements, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Pure LaAlO3 phase was obtained at 775°C for 2h or 750°C for 4h, without formation of any intermediate phase. Pores were found from TEM images of LaAlO3 powders prepared at 800°C for 2h. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ti1−z Nb z N ceramics were fabricated by sintering nanocrystalline titanium–niobium oxynitride (Ti1−z Nb z O x N y ) powders using spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique at 1060 °C for 3 min in an N2 atmosphere. The phase composition and microstructure were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and EDS. The results showed that Ti1−z Nb z N ceramics remained the cubic structures of Ti1−z Nb z O x N y powders. There were XRD peak shifts in the cubic phases between Ti1−z Nb z N ceramics and corresponding Ti1−z Nb z O x N y powders. During the sintering process, oxygen separated from Ti1−z Nb z O x N y to form titanium–niobium oxides. Ti1−z Nb z N (0< z <1) had a more compact structure than TiO x N y and NbO x N y . Ti0.5Nb0.5N ceramic had the biggest grain size in the series of Ti1−z Nb z N. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transparent alumina was fabricated by spark plasma sintering with AlF 3 doping at a high heating rate of 100 °C min −1 and a moderate loading pressure of 73 MPa. The sintered AlF 3 -doped alumina was dark in color due to light absorption by F − substitution and by the resulting defects induced in the alumina lattice. An AlF 3 doping concentration of 0.1% was found best for producing transparent alumina. A possible mechanism was proposed to explain the doping effect under the present sintering condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important power supply parameter, charge voltage has a significant influence on the properties of deposited films. In this work, the ta-C films were fabricated by the laser-induced filtered cathodic vacuum arc technique (LI-FCVA). The effect of charge voltage on microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of ta-C films was investigated. Although macro-particles with various sizes were clearly visible on surfaces of films, the surface roughness was declined with increase of charge voltage. The sp3-C bond ratio in films was closely dependent on the charge voltage. At 160 V charge voltage, the sp3-C bond ratio was 54.1 %, then reaching to 61.2 % at the charge voltage of 190 V. With further increasing to 250 V, the sp3-C ratio slowly down to 57.1 %. This is ascribed to the change in energy for incident carbon ions which governed by the charge voltage. The highest hardness value, 54.5 ± 2.1 GPa, was obtained at the 190 V charge voltage, which was due to the high sp3-C content and relatively high residual stress. Similarly, the film deposited at 190 V possessed both low coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate under various load, indicating that the excellent tribological performance of film could be achieved at 190 V. In addition, the COFs for all films decreased with an increase of load. The present work revealed that the moderate charge voltage value is beneficial for the enhanced wear property of film. • The ta-C films with various charge voltages were successfully fabricated by the novel LI-FCVA technique. • The relationship between surface roughness evolution of films and the energy of incident ions was revealed. • The maximum hardness and excellent wear performance of ta-C film were obtained at the charge voltage of 190 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The double perovskites Nd(Zn 0.5+ x Ti 0.5)O 3 (x = 0.05, 0.03, 0.01, 0, −0.01, −0.03 and −0.05) have been prepared successfully by conventional route for mixing oxides. The influences of Zn nonstoichiometry on the phase composition, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties have been systematically discussed. A small amount of Zn nonstoichiometry (−0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.03) did not change the phase composition but a large amount of Zn excess (x = 0.05) and deficient (x = –0.03 and −0.05) caused the appearances of secondary phases Zn 2 TiO 4 and Nd 2 Ti 2 O 7 , respectively. A significant difference in grain size could be observed in the Zn nonstoichiometry ceramics. The sinterability and density were reduced due to the presence of the impurity phase Nd 2 Ti 2 O 7 for the Zn–deficient ceramics, while Nd 2 Ti 2 O 7 could adjust temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ f) to near–zero. The τ f of the Nd(Zn 0.5+ x Ti 0.5)O 3 (x = −0.05–0.05) ceramics was significantly affected by the Zn nonstoichiometry. After sintered at 1360 °C for 4 h, the nonstoichiometric Nd(Zn 0.51 Ti 0.5)O 3 ceramics showed favorable microwave dielectric properties: dielectric constant ε r = 36.41, quality factor Q × f = 182650 GHz, and τ f = −26.5 ppm/oC and the Nd(Zn 0.47 Ti 0.5)O 3 ceramics possessed a near-zero τ f value of −5.6 ppm/oC, accompanying by a high ε r and a moderate Q × f (ε r = 27.75, Q × f = 47820 GHz). • The nonstoichiometric Nd(Zn 0.5+ x Ti 0.5)O 3 ceramics are prepared by solid-state route. • Large amount of Zn excess or deficient causes the appearances of secondary phases. • A significant difference in grain size can be observed. • A temperature stable dielectric material is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Full dense B 4 C–30 vol% TiB 2 composites were prepared by hot pressing at 2000 °C under 35 MPa from four different starting B 4 C powders with their medium particle sizes ranging from 0.5 to 35.8 µm. The effects of B 4 C particle size on the microstructures and mechanical properties of composites were investigated. The results indicated that both B 4 C and TiB 2 grains grew during sintering process, and each kind of grains had a pinning effect on the grain growth of the other. With coarse B 4 C powders as raw materials, TiB 2 grains in obtained B 4 C–TiB 2 composites tended to grow with the [001] zone axis parallel to the applied pressure direction, which possibly reinforced the composites. When the particle size of the starting B 4 C powder was 7.09 µm, the obtained B 4 C–TiB 2 composite exhibited the optimized mechanical properties including a flexural strength of 754 MPa, a Vicker hardness of 30.01 GPa and a fracture toughness of 5.23 MPa m1/2, respectively, due to the most homogenous and finest microstructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mixed oxide route was applied to prepare 0.6Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 –0.4(Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 (NZCT–NNT) ceramics with different amounts of V 2 O 5 and the sintering behavior, microstructural evolution and microwave dielectric properties of the as-prepared ceramics were investigated in detail. The results showed that a solid solution formed in the investigated compositional range and no secondary phase was detected within the detection limit of in-house analysis facility. Small amounts of V 2 O 5 could significantly promote the densification of the NZCT–NNT ceramics by acting as a sintering aid, resulting in a decrease of about 170 °C in the sintering temperature. The V 2 O 5 addition could also improve the microstructure and the microwave dielectric properties of the NZCT–NNT ceramics. The NZCT–NNT ceramics with 1.5 wt% V 2 O 5 exhibited excellent microwave dielectric properties of dielectric constant ε r  = 50.29, quality factor QF  = 68640 GHz and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency TCF = +2.7 ppm/ o C when sintered at 1240 °C for 3 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1− x )Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 – x (Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 ( x = 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) ceramics were prepared using the solid–state reaction route. The effects of (Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 content on the sintering behavior, structural characteristics and microwave dielectric properties of Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 were investigated in detail. (1− x )Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 – x (Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 ceramics exhibited different sintering characteristics in the whole investigated compositional range. X–ray diffraction analysis showed that a complete solid solution with perovskite structure formed in the composition range of x = 0.2–0.8. Moreover, a structural change from the monoclinic to the cubic perovskite structure occurred at x = 0.8. Compared with the pure Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 ceramics, (1− x )Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 – x (Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 ceramics displayed more anomalous microstructural characteristics. Microwave measurements indicated that the dielectric constant (ε r ) increased from 31.15 to 78.4, the quality factor ( Q × f ) value decreased from 2151300 GHz to 12013 GHz, and the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ f ) moved to positive from −35.7 ppm/°C to +59.1 ppm/°C with the x value increasing from 0 to 0.8. Typically, 0.6Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 –0.4(Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 ceramics sintered at 1410 °C for 4 h possessed excellent microwave dielectric properties of ε r = 50.21, Q × f = 54714 GHz, τ f = −3 ppm/°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in situ generated ternary compound Al 3 BC shows good dispersion on the surfaces of B 4 C particles (10 ± 0.6 μm), obtained using the molten-salt method rather than the ball-milling method, which can form a conductive network in the pulse electric current sintering process to improve the sinterability of B 4 C. The sintering behaviour, microstructure and mechanical properties of compacts were investigated at different sintering temperatures and Al 3 BC contents. The study found that the relative density, elastic modulus, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of samples reached as high as 100%, 495 GPa, 37.0 GPa, and 6.32 MPa m 1/2 at 1700 °C, respectively, when the content of Al 3 BC was 18 wt.%. The crack propagation mode can provide an explanation for the higher toughness than that of pure B 4 C (3.19 MPa m 0.5 ). Additionally, the good dispersion of Al 3 BC in B 4 C was found to change the fracture mode from the single transgranular mode to a mixture of intergranular and transgranular modes. The compositions of the compacts were almost pure B 4 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

0.6Nd[(Zn 0.7 Co 0.3 ) 0.5 Ti 0.5 ]O 3 –0.4(Na 0.5 Nd 0.5 )TiO 3 (NZCT–NNT) ceramics with different amounts of CuO were prepared through a traditional ceramic technique. The influences of CuO addition on the sintering, microstructural characteristics and microwave dielectric properties of the NZCT–NNT ceramics were studied in detail. Acting as a sintering aid, CuO addition improved the sinterability and promoted the densification of the NZCT–NNT ceramics due to the production of a liquid phase. The sintering temperature of the NZCT–NNT ceramics was successfully reduced from 1410 °C to 1250 °C. The addition of CuO resulted in a change in the grain shape of the NZCT–NNT ceramics, ranging from a plate-like layered shape to a round–like shape. Additionally, CuO addition adjusted the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (τ f ) toward near–zero without inducing an obvious deterioration in the dielectric constant (ε r ) and the quality factor ( Q × f ) of the NZCT–NNT ceramics. After being sintered at 1250 °C for 3 h, the NZCT–NNT ceramics to which 2.0 wt% CuO was added exhibited optimized microwave dielectric properties of ε r = 48.56, Q × f = 46,420 GHz, and τ f = + 1.3 ppm/°C. The CuO–doped NZCT–NNT ceramics could find the potential commercial applications in microwave components that require low sintering temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors (SCs) have been widely used owing to their merits of long cycle life, excellent physiochemical stability and zero-carbon emission. However, the low energy density of SCs restricts their further applications. Herein, the N, P doped carbon nanosheets (NPCNs) were prepared by using silicon-removed carbon as carbon resource derived from rice husk. The as-prepared NPCN not only possesses a large surface area of 1701.6 m2 g−1 and a high ratio of mesopore volume to total pore volume (62.11 %) for adsorption and transfer of electrolyte ions, but also has a suitable nitrogen and phosphorus content for electron conduction and contribution of additional active sites to generate pseudo-capacitance through redox. Therefore, the excellent electrochemical properties have been obtained for NPCN-based SCs in the alkaline electrolyte, e.g. satisfactory capacitance of 396.1 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, outstanding rate properties of 319.2 F g−1 at 40 A g−1, long cyclability with capacitance decay of 0.95 % after 30,000 cycles. Additionally, the energy density of the NPCN-based SCs with neutral electrolyte and ionic liquid electrolyte increased 2.67-fold and 11-fold to 33.25 and 137.24 Wh kg−1, respectively. This study opens up a feasible route by crafting heteroatoms and using high voltage window electrolyte to obtain the high energy density for SCs. [Display omitted] • The N, P doped carbon nanosheets (NPCNs) was prepared from rice husk. • The NPCN presents moderate N, P contents and large specific surface area. • The supercapacitor shows a maximum energy density of 137.24 Wh kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The densification and mechanical properties of B 4 C–TiB 2 composites fabricated by reactive pulsed electric current sintering from a mixture of TiC and amorphous B powders were investigated. The excess of B was essential to remove the carbon produced by the reaction. The degassing process at 1900 °C before applying a 50 MPa external pressure greatly improved the densification of the composites. The B 4 C–41 vol% TiB 2 composite obtained at the optimum condition had a high 3-point bending strength of 891 MPa, a Vickers hardness of 28 GPa and a fracture toughness of 4.4 MPa m 1/2 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc ion hybrid capacitors are promising energy storage devices due to their high security, excellent environmentally friendly, big power density and zero carbon emissions. Herein, an aqueous zinc ion hybrid capacitor is designed using an N doped porous carbon nanosheet cathode, which prepares by in-situ self-activated and self-doped strategy from ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid tripotassium salt. The superior ions storage performance is owing to the electric dual layer capacitor deriving from ion adsorption/desorption, Zn2+ deposition/stripping and extra pseudo-capacitance of vibration in valence of nitrogen functionalities. Additionally, the results of theoretical calculation show that the adsorption energy between N-5, N-6 and zinc ions is −4.816 and −3.453 eV, respectively, and higher than those of other N groups. Consequently, the N doped porous carbon nanosheet cathode displays big discharge capacity of 204.7 mAh g−1 and high energy density of 143 Wh kg−1. Moreover, the Zn‖N doped porous carbon nanosheet zinc ion hybrid capacitor presents superior cycle stability with 95.5% of initial capacity after 20,000 cycles. This study opens up a universal method by incorporating reversible redox reactions through N functionalities to enhance the zinc ions storage properties of zinc ion hybrid capacitor. [Display omitted] • N doped porous carbon nanosheet was prepared by self-activated/-doped strategy. • Adsorption energy between zinc ions and N functionalities is obtained. • NPCN shows high capacity and energy density in aqueous zinc ion hybrid capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Pristine CaTiO 3 has no activity for SCR deNO x , while Ce-Fe-Mn doped CaTiO 3 could achieve almost 100% NO conversion at 135 °C (GHSV = 72000 h−1). • By selectively activating gaseous molecules, Ti, Fe, and Mn present apparent synergistic effects on accelerating the catalytic cycle of standard SCR. • The photocarriers intensify NO oxidation rather than NH 3 -to-NH 2 transformation. Although photocatalysis exhibits great prospects in selective catalytic reduction of NO x (photo-SCR), the principles for the informed design of photo-SCR catalysts are lacking. Herein, based on inert CaTiO 3 , we tailor a crystal structure for high-efficiency deNO x by partially substituting Ca with Ce, and Ti with Fe and Mn. The pristine CaTiO 3 is hard to remove NO in 100–300 °C, while Ce-Fe-Mn doped CaTiO 3 could achieve nearly 100% NO conversion at 135 °C under light irradiation (GHSV = 72000 h−1). The dopants enable CaTiO 3 to activate NO and harvest visible light. By selectively activating gaseous molecules, Ti, Fe, and Mn present significant synergistic effects on accelerating the catalytic cycle of standard SCR. Moreover, it is firmly shown that the photocarriers intensify NO oxidation rather than NH 3 -to-NH 2 transformation. This work provides new insights into the structure–activity relationship of perovskite-based catalysts and deepens the understanding of the light-driven mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel visible-light-induced Bi 2 WO 6 photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by a molten salt method. The effects of the calcination temperature and the salt amount were investigated. The results indicated that the presence of molten salts significantly enhanced the surface area of the powders from 7.08 to a maximum of 21.09 m 2 g −1 , and higher calcination temperature improved the crystallinity but decreased the surface area of the powders. When the precursor powders were calcinated at 300 °C for 8 h with the presence of 10 times weight of salts, the as-synthesized Bi 2 WO 6 powders exhibited the highest degradation efficiency in the photodegradation of RhB under the visible light irradiation and the reaction contant was more than 10 times that of the samples synthesized without adding salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrFe 12 O 19 (SrM) and Fe–B powders obtained via a hydrothermal and a molten salt method, respectively, were uniformly mixed with different mass ratio ( R m ) and sintered at different sintering temperatures ( T s ), attempting to prepare SrM/Fe–B composites. The structural and magnetic properties of sintered composites are systematically studied. It is found that the composite only consists of SrM and Fe–B powders after sintering at 500 °C. However, the precipitation of α-Fe begins after sintering at a temperature of 600 °C, and attains the severest at about 690 °C. Both the saturation magnetization and coercivity of composites change irregularly with the increase of R m , while they keep a marked increasing and decreasing tendency, respectively, with the increase of T s . All the above changes of magnetic properties could be ascribed to the precipitation of α-Fe and the formation of new phase(s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Heterogeneous Ag/Ag3PO4/BiPO4 photocatalyst was synthesized by a one-step low temperature chemical bath method and exhibited better photocatalytic activity and better stability than those of individual Ag3PO4 or BiPO4 nanoparticles for photodegradation of organic compounds (Rhodamine B) in the absence of electron accepters under visible light (λ>420nm). The enhanced photocatalytic performance is mainly ascribed to the strong visible-light absorption originating from high efficient separations of photogenerated electron–hole pairs through Ag3PO4/BiPO4 and Ag/Ag3PO4 heterostructures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Low-temperature foaming is essential for the preparation of aluminum foam sandwich (AFS) using the powder metallurgy method. It ensures that the AFS panels, which are made of aluminum alloy plates, are not melted when the core layer is foamed. Therefore, the core material for the AFS should be an alloy with a low melting temperature, and it exhibits a better cellular structure and improved mechanical properties after foaming. In this study, foaming experiments were performed on Al–Si–Mg alloys at low temperature (≤600 °C) and the effect of Cu and Sn addition to the cellular structure of aluminum foams was analyzed. The results show that alloys composed of Al, Mg and Si benefit from the addition of Sn and Cu by reducing the pore size and foaming temperature, respectively. In particular, the observed cellular structure with uniform pore size could be the result of the needle intermetallic phase Al 2 Cu formation in the cell wall. This intermetallic phase possible stabilized the bubble pores when Cu and Sn were added together. However, cracks were detected in the cell wall. They gradually increased and expanded with increasing Si content in the alloy, thus reducing the quasi-static axial compression strength of the aluminum foam. Furthermore, it was more difficult for the foamable precursor to achieve compaction when the Si content was increased to 10 wt%. The findings of the study show that AlMg4Si6Cu4Sn4 has better cellular structure and mechanical properties after foaming at 600 °C for 15 min. • Uniform pore size can be obtained when Cu and Sn were added in Al–Si–Mg alloys. • Al 2 Cu phase with needle-like structure enhanced the stability of the bubble. • Alloy AlMg4Si6Cu4Sn4 can provided the better cellular structure and properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The obtained porous carbon with 2D morphology and high content of self-doped N and S. • Molten K 2 CO 3 and KCl eutectic salt can serve as template and activation agent. • The electrode delivers high capacity, excellent rate capability and cycle stability. To enrich the type of carbons for double-layer supercapacitors and optimize their electrochemical performances, N/S co-doped hierarchical porous carbons (KISPCs) with well-balanced pore characteristic have been prepared by taking ginkgo leaf as carbon source and KCl/K 2 CO 3 molten-salt as template/activation agent. The as-obtained carbons possess a well-developed interconnected sheet-like structure, accompanying with high N, S and O contents, conductive to abundant ions transport channels and exposure of more ions-accessible active sites. Moreover, the types and contents of surface functional groups of hierarchical porous carbon could also be adjusted by K 2 CO 3 content. A symmetrical supercapacitor was assembled to validate its electrochemical performance. The KISPCs electrodes manifest a specific capacitance of 215.2 F g−1 at 0.05 A g−1, splendid capacitance retention of 78.9 % (169.8 F g−1 at 20 A g−1) and exceptional cycling stability with only 1.6 % capacity decay after 10000 charge/discharge cycles. This work can afford promising new tactics for the preparation of hierarchical porous carbon nanosheets and offer insights into the application of energy storage fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional carbon nanosheets have recently become spotlight in the electrochemical energy storage fields. Herein, an effective and environmental-friendly strategy was developed to prepare ginkgo leaf derived N/S co-doped porous carbon nanosheets (PCNSs) using CaCl 2 /KCl molten salt as activating/template agent. The CaCl 2 /KCl as a green and non-toxic template can regulate the pore structure and microstructure of carbon materials. Benefiting from interconnected sheet-like morphology and plenty of heteroatoms (N, S, O) doping, the fabricated carbon-based supercapacitor exhibit good specific capacitance of 150.4 F g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 and splendid cycling performance with 94.2% capacity retention after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles at 1 A g−1.This facile and environmental-friendly activation strategy provides a new way of thinking for developing N, S-doped two-dimensional porous carbon nanosheets for high-performance energy storage devices. Unlabelled Image • The obtained carbon with 2D morphology and high content of self-doped N, O and S • CaCl 2 and KCl is selected as template to prepare porous carbon for supercapacitors. • The specific capacitance is significantly boosted by 2D morphology and N, S doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel six-component high-entropy spinel oxide was prepared by solution combustion synthesis method. • The material exhibits ferromagnetic behavior below Curie temperature. • The Curie temperature is 248 K. • The extreme chemical disorder in HEO leads to the unique magnetic property. An equimolar spinel (Al 1/6 Co 1/6 Cr 1/6 Fe 1/6 Mn 1/6 Ni 1/6) 3 O 4 high-entropy oxide (HEO) was developed as a novel oxide magnetic material. The as-synthesized nanocrystalline powder of high purity and homogeneity was obtained by a facile solution combustion synthesis method with an average crystalline size of about 12 nm. To prove utility, the magnetic property was measured and the as-synthesized nanocrystalline powder showed ferrimagnetism below the Curie temperature 248 K. The long-range ferrimagnetic behavior can be understood by the quite larger super-exchange interactions due to the extreme chemical disorder in the HEO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors globally, with high morbidity and mortality. Endoplasmic reticulum is a major organelle responsible for protein synthesis, processing, and transport. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) refers to the abnormal accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, which are involved in tumorigenesis and cancer immunity. Nevertheless, the clinical significance of ERS remains largely unexplored in CRC., Methods: In present study, we performed an unsupervised clustering to identify two types of ERS-related subtypes [ERS clusters, and ERS-related genes (ERSGs) clusters] in multiple large-scale CRC cohorts. Through the utilization of machine learning techniques, we have successfully developed an uncomplicated yet robust gene scoring system (ERSGs signature). Furthermore, a series of analyses, including GO, KEGG, Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE), the Consensus Molecular Subtypes (CMS), were used to explore the underlying biological differences and clinical significance between these groups. And immunohistochemical and bioinformatics analyses were performed to explore ZNF703, a gene of ERSGs scoring system., Results: We observed significant differences in prognosis and tumor immune status between the ERS clusters as well as ERSGs clusters. And the ERSGs scoring system was an independent risk factor for overall survival; and exhibited distinct tumor immune status in multicenter CRC cohorts. Besides, analyses of TNM stages, CMS groups demonstrated that patients in advanced stage and CMS4 had higher ERSGs scores. In addition, the ERSGs scores inversely correlated with positive ICB response predictors (such as, CD8A, CD274 (PD-L1), and TIS), and directly correlated with negative ICB response predictors (such as, TIDE, T cell Exclusion, COX-IS). Notably, immunohistochemical staining and bioinformatics analyses revealed that ZNF70 correlated with CD3 + and CD8 + T cells infiltration., Conclusion: Based on large-scale and multicenter transcriptomic data, our study comprehensively revealed the essential role of ERS in CRC; and constructed a novel ERSGs scoring system to predict the prognosis of patients and the efficacy of ICB treatment. Furthermore, we identified ZNF703 as a potentially promising target for ICB therapy in CRC., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant tumor. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is overabundant in CRC and associated with metastasis, but the role of F. nucleatum in CRC cell migration and metastasis has not been fully elucidated., Methods: Differential gene analysis, protein-protein interaction, robust rank aggregation analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and gene set variation analysis were used to figure out the potential vital genes and biological functions affected by F. nucleatum infection. The 16S rDNA sequencing and q-PCR were used to detect the abundance of F. nucleatum in tissues and stools. Then, we assessed the effect of F. nucleatum on CRC cell migration by wound healing and transwell assays, and confirmed the role of Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) induced by F. nucleatum in cell migration. Furthermore, we dissected the mechanisms involved in F. nucleatum induced MMP7 expression. We also investigated the MMP7 expression in clinical samples and its correlation with prognosis in CRC patients. Finally, we screened out potential small molecular drugs that targeted MMP7 using the HERB database and molecular docking., Results: F. nucleatum infection altered the gene expression profile and affected immune response, inflammation, biosynthesis, metabolism, adhesion and motility related biological functions in CRC. F. nucleatum was enriched in CRC and promoted the migration of CRC cell by upregulating MMP7 in vitro. MMP7 expression induced by F. nucleatum infection was mediated by the MAPK(JNK)-AP1 axis. MMP7 was highly expressed in CRC and correlated with CMS4 and poor clinical prognosis. Small molecular drugs such as δ-tocotrienol, 3,4-benzopyrene, tea polyphenols, and gallic catechin served as potential targeted therapeutic drugs for F. nucleatum induced MMP7 in CRC., Conclusions: Our study showed that F. nucleatum promoted metastasis-related characteristics of CRC cell by upregulating MMP7 via MAPK(JNK)-AP1 axis. F. nucleatum and MMP7 may serve as potential therapeutic targets for repressing CRC advance and metastasis., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Colorectal cancer(CRC) is the third most frequent malignant tumor. The gut microbiome acts as a vital component of CRC etiology. Fusobacterium nucleatum(Fn) is a key member of colorectal cancer-associated bacteria. But we lack a systematic and in-depth understanding on its role in CRC evolution. In this article, We reviewed the abundance changes and distribution of Fn in CRC occurrence and development, potential effect of Fn in the initiation of CRC, the source of intratumoral Fn and the cause of its tropism to CRC. In addition, We described the mechanism by which Fn promotes the malignant biological behavior of CRC, affects CRC response to therapy, and shapes the tumor immune microenvironment in great detail. Based on the relationship between Fn and CRC, we proposed strategies for CRC prevention and treatment, and discussed the feasibility and limitations of specific cases, to gain insights into further basic and clinical research in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ou, Wang, Tao, Luo, Ye, Ran, Guan, Wang, Hu and Huang.)

As a superhard ceramic with a yellow color and excellent electrical conductivity, ZrN has potential applications in the field of decoration, but it is limited by its poor mechanical properties. In this work, the mechanical properties of ZrN ceramic were improved by forming a (Zr, Ti)N solid solution via spark plasma sintering of a ZrN and TiN powder mixture. The influences of the amount of TiN additive on the sinterability, microstructure, color, and mechanical properties of ZrN ceramic were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and microstructural images indicated that Ti atoms dissolved into a ZrN lattice, and a (Zr, Ti)N solid solution was formed during the sintering process. When the content of TiN was 10 vol%, the obtained (Zr, Ti)N composite exhibited the best comprehensive mechanical properties; the Vickers hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness were 15.17 GPa, 520 MPa, and 6.03 MPa·m 1/2 , respectively. The color coordinates and color temperature diagram revealed the addition of TiN hardly impacted the color performance of the ZrN ceramic.

Magnetic Fe 3 O 4 /α-FeOOH heterojunction nanocomposites (denoted as Fe-NCs) have been synthesized by a fast one-pot hydrothermal method. The obtained Fe-NCs contain rich micropores with a high surface area of 135.15 m 2 /g. The different phases in the composites can efficiently enhance the visible-light absorption, improving the separation and transfer of photogenerated electron-hole pairs during the photocatalytic reaction. Thus, they show excellent degradation and mineralization of tetracycline (TC) over a wide pH range (5-9) in the visible photo-Fenton reaction. Especially, the catalyst exhibits the highest adsorption capacity toward TC at a neutral pH, which facilitates the surface reactions of TC with active species. Experiments evidence that the high production of photogenerated holes and superoxide radicals (O 2 •- ) in Fe-NCs are favorable to the high catalytic efficiency. Combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the possible pathway toward TC degradation was proposed., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)