As-cast microstructures and solidification paths of the Nb–Si–Ti ternary alloys in Nb_5Si_3–Ti_5Si_3region

Abstract The as-cast microstructures and solidification paths of the Nb-Si-Ti ternary alloys in the NbsSi3-TisSi3 region were investigated. Since there exist some isomor- phous compounds in the NbsSi3-TisSi3 region, such as aNbsSi3 with B3Cr5 prototype, 13NbsSi3 with Si3W5 pro- totype, 7NbsSi3 with MnsSi3 prototype, and TisSi3 with MnsSi3 prototype, the primary solidification areas of these compounds were not typically indentified in previous experiments. In the present paper, the microstructure observation, the phase identification, and the composition measurement were performed using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and electron probe microanalysis （EPMA）, respectively. No ternary compound is found. There exist three primary solidification areas, 13Nbs_x（Ti）xSi3, ~Nbs_x（Ti）xSi3, and Tis-x（Nb）xSi3 in the NbsSi3-TisSi3 region. Together with the literaturereported experimental data and optimization results, the liquidus projection of the whole Nb-Si-Ti ternary system is constructed, and totally ten primary solidification areas-- diamond-Si, Nb1-x（Ti）xSi2, Ti1-x（Nb）xSi2, Ti1-x（Nb）xSi, Ti5-x（Nb）xSi4, βNb5-x（Ti）xSi3,αNb5-x（Ti）xSi3, Ti5-x （Nb）xSi3, （Nb,Ti）3Si, and BCC--and nine transitional invariant reactions-L ＋ Nb1-x（Ti）xSi2 → Ti1-x（Nb）x Si2 ＋ Si, L ＋ Nb1-x（Ti）xSi2 → Ti1-x（Nb）xSi2 ＋ Ti5- （Nb）xSi4, L ＋ Ti5-x（Nb）xSi4 → Ti1-x（Nb）xSi2 ＋ Ti1-x （Nb）xSi, L ＋ 13Nb5-x（Ti）5Si3→ Nb1-x（Ti）xSi2 ＋ Ti5-x （Nb）xSi4, L ＋ βNb5-x（Ti）xSi3→b5-x（Ti）xSi3 ＋Ti5-x （Nb）xSi4, L ＋ αNb5-x（Ti）αSi3 → Ti5-x（Nb）xSi3 ＋ Ti5-x（Nb）x Si4, L ＋ αNb5-x（Ti）xSi3 →βNb5-x（Ti）xSi3 ＋ Ti5-x（Nb）xSi3, L ＋ βNb5-xTb-xSi3 → Ti5-x（Nb）xSi3 ＋ （Nb,Ti）3Si, and L ＋ （Nb,Ti）3Si → Ti5-x（Nb）xSi3 ＋ BCC are confirmed.

Investigation of the stable and the metastable liquidus miscibility gaps in Fe–Sn and Fe–Cu binary systems

Two kinds of experimental methods were tried in the present work:(i)the powder metallurgy method combined with differential thermal analysis(DTA)to determine the metastable liquidus miscibility gap for a Fe–Cu binary system and(ii)the high-temperature melting method combined with isothermal treatment to determine the stable liquidus miscibility gap for a Fe–Sn binary system.The experimental method was adopted according to the characteristics of the liquidus miscibility gap of the specific system.Using the powder metallurgy method,a uniform microstructure morphology and chemical composition was obtained in the DTA specimen,and the phase-separation temperature of the supercooled metastable liquid was measured.The isothermal treatment was applied for the samples inside the stable liquidus miscibility gap;here,equilibrated compositions were reached,and a layered morphology was formed after rapid cooling.The liquid miscibility gaps of the Fe–Cu and Fe–Sn binary systems were measured,and the peak temperatures of the corresponding miscibility gaps were determined to be about 1417°C at x(Cu)=0.465 at%and 1350°C at x(Sn)=0.487 at%,respectively.On the basis of the experimental results,both the Fe–Cu and the Fe–Sn binary systems were thermodynamically assessed.

Thermodynamic modeling of the Ge-La binary system

The Ge-La binary system was critically assessed by means of the calculation of phase diagram （CALPHAD） technique. The asso- ciate model was used for the liquid phase containing the constituent species Ge, La, Ge3La5, and Ge1.7La. The terminal solid solution diamond-（Ge） with a small solubility of La was described using the substitutional model, in which the excess Gibbs energy was formulated with the Redlich-Kister equation. The compounds with homogeneity ranges, μ（Gel.7La）, β（Ge1.7La）, and （GeLa）, were modeled using two sublatrices asα（Ge,La）l.7La, β（Ge,La）l.7La, and （Ge,La）（Ge,La）, respectively. The intermediate phases with no solubility ranges, Ge4Las, GeaLa4, Ge3Las, and GeLa3, were treated as stoichiometric compounds. The three allotropic modifications of La, dhcp-La, fcc-La, and bcc-La, were kept as pure element phases since no solubility of Ge in La was reported. A set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters of the Ge-La binary system was obtained. The calculation results agree well with the available experimental data from literatures.

Inactivation of ERK1/2-CREB Pathway Is Implicated in MK801-induced Cognitive Impairment

Objective Schizophrenia(SZ)is associated with cognitive impairment,and it is known that the activity of cAMP response element binding protein(CREB)decreases in the brain of SZ patients.The previous study conducted by the investigators revealed that the upregulation of CREB improves the MK801-related SZ cognitive deficit.The present study further investigates the mechanism on how CREB deficiency is associated with SZ-related cognitive impairment.Methods MK-801 was used to induce SZ in rats.Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to investigate CREB and the CREB-related pathway implicated in MK801 rats.The long-term potentiation and behavioral tests were performed to assess the synaptic plasticity and cognitive impairment,respectively.Results The phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133 decreased in the hippocampus of SZ rats.Interestingly,among the upstream kinases of CREB,merely ERK1/2 was downregulated,while CaMKII and PKA remained unchanged in the brain of MK801-related SZ rats.The inhibition of ERK1/2 by PD98059 reduced the phosphorylation of CREB-Ser133,and induced synaptic dysfunction in primary hippocampal neurons.Conversely,the activation of CREB attenuated the ERK1/2 inhibitor-induced synaptic and cognitive impairment.Conclusion These present findings partially suggest that the deficiency of the ERK1/2-CREB pathway is involved in MK801-related SZ cognitive impairment.The activation of the ERK1/2-CREB pathway may be therapeutically useful for treating SZ cognitive deficits.

Phase stability of Fe_(23)Zr_(6)and thermodynamic reassessment of Fe-Zr system

The stability of the Fe_(23)Zr_(6)phase in Fe–Zr system was studied,and the partial Fe–Zr phase diagram was revised by means of X-ray diffraction,electron probe microanalysis and differential thermal analysis methods.On the basis of the experimental results in the present work and literature,the Fe–Zr system was reassessed using CALculation of PHAse Diagram(CALPHAD)method.Solution phases,liquid,fcc,bcc and hcp,are modeled as the substitutional solution.The intermetallic compounds,hex.-Fe_(2)Zr,Fe_(2)Zr,FeZr_(2)and FeZr3 phases,are treated as Fe_(2)(Fe,Zr)1,(Fe,Zr)2(Fe,Zr)1,(Fe,Zr)1Zr_(2)and(Fe,Zr)1(Fe,Zr)3 by a two-sublattice model,respectively.The Fe_(23)Zr_(6)phase is treated as stoichiometric compound.A set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters of the Fe–Zr system was obtained.The results confirm the stability of Fe_(23)Zr_(6)phase,improve the phase diagram of the Fe–Zr system and provide a theoretical reference for the development of Zr alloys.