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Samples of AISI 1045 carbon steel were surface hardened by micro plasma transferred arc (PTA) process. The hardened layer was characterized using both light optical and scanning electron microscopy and microhardness techniques. The tribological properties of the surface hardened layer and untreated substrate were investigated using a block-on-ring tribometer sliding against GCr15 steel under unlubricated condition. The worn surface morphologies and dominant wear mechanisms were identified using microscopy techniques. Results show that the surface hardened layer consists mainly of martensite and retained austensite with fine and dense structure, the microhardness of hardened layer increases from approximately HV 200 to HV 600. The wear volume loss of plasma hardened layer was 81.86×10-11m3 much better than that of untreated AISI 1045 carbon steel (743.44×10-11m3). Wear of untreated AISI 1045 carbon steel occurred by combined mechanisms of adhesion, abrasion and plastic deformation. While the worn surface of surface hardened layer is quite better with slight track and thin oxides on the worn surfaces. Plasma surface hardening has essentially changed the wear mechanism of the AISI 1045 carbon steel to slight abrasion and oxidation wear.

Ni-Cr coating and Ni-Cr/ZrO2 gradated coating were deposited on C45 carbon steel by high velocity arc spraying and micro-plasma spraying to solve the high temperature oxidation problem of medium carbon steel components. The oxidations of Ni-Cr coating, Ni-Cr/ZrO2 gradated coating and C45 carbon steel substrate were carried out for up to 108 hours in air atmosphere at 1100°C. The oxidation behaviors were investigated after detailed examinations by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Ni-Cr coating and Ni-Cr/ZrO2 gradated coating show similar and low dynamics curve near to the logarithms function. Surface observations with SEM and XRD reveal that the oxidizing surface of the C45 carbon steel substrate is mainly a loose spherical structure consisted of mainly Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. The surface structures of Ni-Cr coating and Ni-Cr/ZrO2 gradated coating after 108 hours oxidization are rather denser than that of C45 carbon steel, which can effectively improve the properties of the oxidation resistance of C45 carbon steel substrate.

Both the complex permittivity and permeability of nanometer SiC and nanometer SiC/CNTs composite were investigated by Hewlett-Packard 8510B Network Analyzer. The results show that the complex permittivity of nanometer SiC/CNTs composite is much higher than that of nanometer SiC. Reflection curves of nanometer SiC and nanometer SiC/CNTs composite calculated with electromagnetic wave transmission-line theory show that the addition of CNTs at 6 wt%, 12 wt% and 18 wt% in nanometer SiC absorber can improve its microwave absorption properties strongly. There is a relationship between the mass fraction of CNTs and microwave absorption ability. With increase of the mass fraction of CNTs, its microwave absorption ability firstly increased then decreased. From the simulation, it was found that nanometer SiC with 12 wt% CNTs gave the optimum microwave absorption. The corresponding frequency of maximum reflection loss value of nanometer SiC/CNTs composite gradually moves to the low frequency range with increase of thickness. The maximum reflection loss value of nanometer SiC/CNTs composite (CNTs content is 12 wt%) was -25.74dB at the corresponding frequency of 11.60 GHz with a bandwidth under -5 dB (68% absorption) is 7.16 GHz when the thickness is 2.0 mm.

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a key role in many physiological processes of plants, and it was also applied to fields of medicinal plant biotechnology. The article presents a review of some recent application of ABA in enhancing the production of secondary metabolites of medicinal plants, improving the in vitro conservation in medicinal plant tissue culture system.