Advanced test methods of material property characterization:high strain-rate testing and experimental simulation of multiaxial stress states

Optimum utilization of the loading capability of engineering materials is an important and active contribution to protect nature's limited resources,and it is the key for economic design methods.In order to make use of the materials' resources,those must be known very well;but conventional test methods will offer only limited informational value.The range of questions raised is as wide as the application of engineering materials,and partially they are very specific.The development of huge computer powers enables numeric modelling to simulate structural behaviour in rather complex loading environments-so the real material behaviour is known under the given loading conditions.Here the art of material testing design starts.To study the material behaviour under very distinct and specific loading conditions makes it necessary to simulate different temperature ranges,loading speeds, environments etc.and mostly there doesn't exist any commonly agreed test standard.In this contribution two popular,non-standard test procedures and test systems will be discussed on the base of their application background,special design features as well as test results and typically gained information:The demand for highspeed tests up to 1000 s^(-1) of strain rate is very specific and originates primarily in the automotive industry and the answers enable CAE analysis of crashworthiness of vehicle structures under crash conditions.The information on the material behaviour under multiaxial loading conditions is a more general one.Multiaxial stress states can be reduced to an equivalent stress,which allows the evaluation of the material's constraint and criticality of stress state.Both discussed examples shall show that the open dialogue between the user and the producer of testing machines allows custom-tailored test solutions.

Material embrittlement in high strain-rate loading

Material embrittlement is often encountered in machining,heat treatment,hydrogen and lowtemperature conditions among which machining is strain-rate related.More strain-rate evoked embrittlement is expected in material loading processes,such as in high-speed machining and projectile penetration.In order to understand the fundamental mechanisms of the strain-rate evoked material embrittlement,this study is concerned with the material responses to loading at high strain-rates.It then explores the strain-rate evoked material embrittlement and fragmentation during high strain-rate loading processes and evaluates various empirical and physical models from different researchers for the assessment of the material embrittlement.The study proposes strain-rate sensitivity for the characterization of material embrittlement and the concept of the pseudo embrittlement for material responses to very high strain-rates.A discussion section is arranged to explore the underlying mechanisms of the strain-rate evoked material embrittlement and fragmentation based on dislocation kinetics.

Effects of Calcium and Yttrium on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High Strain-Rate Rolled AZ91D Magnesium Alloy

Effects of calcium( Ca) and yttrium( Y) on microstructure and mechanical properties of high strain-rate rolled AZ91 D magnesium alloy were studied. High strain-rate rolling can improve the strength and plasticity of magnesium alloy sheets.Additions of Ca and Y into AZ91 D can refine grains and modify the size and the distribution of the precipitated phases. After solution treatment( 418 ℃ and 20 h) and high strain-rate rolling( heating at420 ℃ for 10 min firstly and then rolling from 10 mm to 2 mm in thickness via a single pass),the tensile strength of the AZ91 D-0. 2%Ca alloy was 1. 3% higher than that of the AZ91 D-0. 4 D%Y alloy,and the tensile strength of the AZ91 D-0. 2%Ca-0. 4%Y alloy was about 8. 3% and 6. 9% higher than those of the AZ91 D-0. 4%Y and the AZ91 D-0. 2%Ca alloys respectively.

Dynamic Response of Pultruded Glass-Graphite/Epoxy Hybrid Composites Subjected to Transverse High Strain-Rate Compression Loading

In a previous study, the energy absorption and dynamic response of different combinations of cylindrical fiber-reinforced pultruded hybrid composite samples made of unidirectional glass and graphite fiber/epoxy, were investigated under longitudinal compression loading. It was found that placing glass fibers in the inner core of composites resulted in a higher ultimate compressive strength and specific energy absorption. In this study, the dynamic responses of pultruded glass-graphite/epoxy hybrid specimens with rectangular cross-section subjected to transverse compression loading are reported. Crack initiation and propagation was monitored using a high-speed video camera, and the effects of hybridization were analyzed. It was found that the location of glass or graphite fibers inside the pultruded composites has no significant effect on the ultimate compressive strength under such transverse compression loading. The energy absorption in all the hybrid specimens was almost identical. Graphite/epoxy composite showed higher specific energy absorption due to its lower density, and glass/epoxy composite had the lowest specific energy absorption.

Energy Absorption of Pultruded Glass-Graphite/Epoxy Hybrid Composites under High Strain-Rate Induced Transverse Tension

This paper focuses on the dynamic tensile response of glass-graphite/epoxy composites illustrating improvement in energy absorption through hybridization. The dynamic response and energy absorption characteristics of pultruded hybrid combinations of glass and graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix subjected to induced transverse tension at high strain-rate in a modified Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus, are presented. Transverse tensile strength was determined by diametral compression of disc samples (Brazilian indirect tensile test method). Diametral crack initiation and strain to failure were monitored with a Shimadzu HPV-2 high-speed video camera at a recording speed of 500,000 fps and Digital Image Correlation (DIC). Adequate measures were taken to ensure that initiation of specimen failure occurred at the exact center of the disc specimen, and propagated through the diameter along the compressive loading axis, for the induced transverse tension tests to be valid. A study of the strength and specific energy absorption demonstrates the benefits of hybridization. Under induced transverse tensile loading condition, the pure glass/epoxy (GL60) exhibited higher strength than pure graphite/epoxy (GR60). Pure graphite/epoxy (GR60) has higher specific energy absorption capacity than pure glass/epoxy (GL60) in transverse tension. Among all hybrids, GR30 has the highest specific energy absorption under transverse tension. Overall, hybrid GL48, with 48% low-cost glass fibers in the inner core and 12% high-cost graphite fibers in outer shell, was found to exhibit better performance under induced transverse tension at high strain-rates, showing the benefits of hybridization.

Unveiling the underlying mechanism of forming edge cracks upon high strain-rate rolling of magnesium alloy

In the current study,high strain-rate rolling(≥10 s-1) has been successfully employed to produce Mg-3 A1-1 Zn alloy sheets to a high reduction of 82% with a fine grain structure in a single pass.The underlying mechanism of forming primary and secondary edge cracks has been investigated.It is found that dynamic recrystallization(DRX) induced by subgrains tends to blunt cracks,while twinning-induced D RX is mainly observed around sharp crack tips.The motion of emitted dislocations from blunted cracks is inhibited by the DRX grain boundaries.This,on one hand,increases local work hardening,and on the other hand,causes stress concentration alo ng grain boundaries especially in the triple junctions leading to the formation of secondary cracks.

MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH- STRAIN-RATE PLASTIC DEFORMATION IN THE ELECTROFORMED COPPER LINER OF SHAPED CHARGES

The microstructures of electroformed copper liners of shaped charges that had undergone high-strain-rate deformation were observed by optical microscopy （OM） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. Meanwhile, the orientation distribution of the grains in the recovered jet was examined by electron backscattering Kikuchi pattern （EBSP） technique. EBSP analysis reveals that the fibrous texture observed in the as-electroformed copper liners disappeared after explosive detonation deformation. OM observation shows that the microstructure evolves system- atically from the jet center to its perimeter during cooling from high temperatures after explosive detonation deformation. This microstructural characteristic is similar to that of solidification, i.e. there exist equiaxed grains in the center of the jet and significant columnar grains around the equiaxed grains. The result reveals that there is melting-related phenomenon in the jet center. Corresponding microhardness variations from the jet center to its perimeter is also determined. All the phenomena can be explained by a strong gradient of temperature across the section of the jet during plastic deformation at high-strain-rate.

Comparison of microstructures in electroformed and spin-formed copper liners of shaped charge undergone high-strain-rate deformation

The as-formed and post-deformed microstructures in both electroformed and spin-formed copper liners of shaped charge were studied by optical microscopy(OM), electron backscattering Kikuchi patterns(EBSP) technique and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The deformation was carried out at an ultra-high strain rate. OM analysis shows that the initial grains of the electroformed copper liner are finer than those of the spin-formed copper liners. Meanwhile, EBSP analysis reveals that the fiber texture exists in the electroformed copper liners, whereas there is no texture observed in the spin-formed copper liners before deformation. Having undergone high-strain-rate deformation the grains in the recovered slugs, which are transformed from both the electroformed and spin-formed copper liners, all become small. TEM observations of the above two kinds of post-deformed specimens show the existence of cellular structures characterized by tangled dislocations and subgrain boundaries consisting of dislocation arrays. These experimental results indicate that dynamic recovery and recrystallization play an important role in the high-strain-rate deformation process.

Flexible,high-density,laminated ECoG electrode array for high spatiotemporal resolution foci diagnostic localization of refractory epilepsy

High spatiotemporal resolution brain electrical signals are critical for basic neuroscience research and high-precision focus diagnostic localization,as the spatial scale of some pathologic signals is at the submillimeter or micrometer level.This entails connecting hundreds or thousands of electrode wires on a limited surface.This study reported a class of flexible,ultrathin,highdensity electrocorticogram(ECoG)electrode arrays.The challenge of a large number of wiring arrangements was overcome by a laminated structure design and processing technology improvement.The flexible,ultrathin,high-density ECoG electrode array was conformably attached to the cortex for reliable,high spatial resolution electrophysiologic recordings.The minimum spacing between electrodes was 15μm,comparable to the diameter of a single neuron.Eight hundred electrodes were prepared with an electrode density of 4444 mm^(-2).In focal epilepsy surgery,the flexible,high-density,laminated ECoG electrode array with 36 electrodes was applied to collect epileptic spike waves inrabbits,improving the positioning accuracy of epilepsy lesions from the centimeter to the submillimeter level.The flexible,high-density,laminated ECoG electrode array has potential clinical applications in intractable epilepsy and other neurologic diseases requiring high-precision electroencephalogram acquisition.

Correction:Highly Efficient Back-End-of-Line Compatible Flexible Si-Based Optical Memristive Crossbar Array for Edge Neuromorphic Physiological Signal Processing and Bionic Machine Vision

Following publication of the original article[1],the authors noticed a mistake in the Supplementary file,more specifically in figures S11 and S12 where they used by mistake the same sub-figures.The original article[1]has been corrected.

A bHLH transcription factor,CsSPT,regulates high-temperature resistance in cucumber

High-temperature stress threatens the growth and yield of crops. Basic helix-loop-helix(bHLH) transcription factors(TFs) have been shown to play important roles in regulating high-temperature resistance in plants. However, the bHLH TFs responsible for high-temperature tolerance in cucumbers have not been identified. We used transcriptome profiling to screen the high temperature-responsive candidate bHLH TFs in cucumber. Here, we found that the expression of 75 CsbHLH genes was altered under high-temperature stress. The expression of the CsSPT gene was induced by high temperatures in TT(Thermotolerant) cucumber plants. However, the Csspt mutant plants obtained by the CRISPR-Cas9 system showed severe thermosensitive symptoms, including wilted leaves with brown margins and reduced root density and cell activity.The Csspt mutant plants also exhibited elevated H_(2)O_(2) levels and down-regulated photosystem-related genes under normal conditions.Furthermore, there were high relative electrolytic leakage(REC), malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione(GSH), and superoxide radical(O_(2)^(·-)) levels in the Csspt mutant plants, with decreased Proline content after the high-temperature treatment. Transcriptome analysis showed that the photosystem and chloroplast activities in Csspt mutant plants were extremely disrupted by the high-temperature stress compared with wildtype(WT) plants. Moreover, the plant hormone signal transduction, as well as MAPK and calcium signaling pathways were activated in Csspt mutant plants under high-temperature stress. The HSF and HSP family genes shared the same upregulated expression patterns in Csspt and WT plants under high-temperature conditions. However, most bHLH, NAC, and bZIP family genes were significantly down-regulated by heat in Csspt mutant plants. Thus, these results demonstrated that CsSPT regulated the high-temperature response by recruiting photosynthesis components, signaling pathway molecules, and transcription factors. Our results provide important insights into the heat response mechanism of CsSPT in cucumber and its potential as a target for breeding heat-resistant crops.

Control of highly pathogenic avian influenza through vaccination

The stamping-out strategy has been used to control highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in many countries,driven by the belief that vaccination would not be successful against such viruses and fears that avian influenza virus in vaccinated birds would evolve more rapidly and pose a greater risk to humans.In this review,we summarize the successes in controlling highly pathogenic avian influenza in China and make suggestions regarding the requirements for vaccine selection and effectiveness.In addition,we present evidence that vaccination of poultry not only eliminates human infection with avian influenza virus,but also significantly reduces and abolishes some harmful characteristics of avian influenza virus.

Challenges in Li-ion battery high-voltage technology and recent advances in high-voltage electrolytes

The electrolyte directly contacts the essential parts of a lithium-ion battery,and as a result,the electrochemical properties of the electrolyte have a significant impact on the voltage platform,charge discharge capacity,energy density,service life,and rate discharge performance.By raising the voltage at the charge/discharge plateau,the energy density of the battery is increased.However,this causes transition metal dissolution,irreversible phase changes of the cathode active material,and parasitic electrolyte oxidation reactions.This article presents an overview of these concerns to provide a clear explanation of the issues involved in the development of electrolytes for high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.Additionally,solidstate electrolytes enable various applications and will likely have an impact on the development of batteries with high energy densities.It is necessary to improve the high-voltage performance of electrolytes by creating solvents with high thermal stabilities and high voltage resistance and additives with superior film forming performance,multifunctional capabilities,and stable lithium salts.To offer suggestions for the future development of high-energy lithium-ion batteries,we conclude by offering our own opinions and insights on the current development of lithium-ion batteries.

Field test of high-power microwave-assisted mechanical excavation for deep hard iron ore

Microwave-assisted mechanical excavation has great application prospects in mines and tunnels,but there are few field experiments on microwave-assisted rock breaking.This paper takes the Sishanling iron mine as the research object and adopts the self-developed high-power microwave-induced fracturing test system for hard rock to conduct field experiments of microwave-induced fracturing of iron ore.The heating and reflection evolution characteristics of ore under different microwave parameters(antenna type,power,and working distance)were studied,and the optimal microwave parameters were obtained.Subsequently,the ore was irradiated with the optimal microwave parameters,and the cracking effect of the ore under the action of the high-power open microwave was analyzed.The results show that the reflection coefficient(standing wave ratio)can be rapidly(<5 s)and automatically adjusted below the preset threshold value(1.6)as microwave irradiation is performed.When using a right-angle horn antenna with a working distance of 5 cm,the effect of automatic reflection adjustment reaches the best among other antenna types and working distances.When the working distance is the same,the average temperature of the irradiation surface and the area of the high-temperature area under the action of the two antennas(right-angled and equal-angled horn antenna)are basically the same and decrease with the increase of working distance.The optimal microwave parameters are:a right-angle horn antenna with a working distance of 5 cm.Subsequently,in further experiments,the optimal parameters were used to irradiate for 20 s and 40 s at a microwave power of 60 kW,respectively.The surface damage extended 38 cm×30 cm and 53 cm×30 cm,respectively,and the damage extended to a depth of about 50 cm.The drilling speed was increased by 56.2%and 66.5%,respectively,compared to the case when microwaves were not used.

Emulsifying property,antioxidant activity,and bitterness of soybean protein isolate hydrolysate obtained by Corolase PP under high hydrostatic pressure

Enzymatic hydrolysis of proteins can enhance their emulsifying properties and antioxidant activities.However,the problem related to the hydrolysis of proteins was the generation of the bitter taste.Recently,high hydrostatic pressure(HHP)treatment has attracted much interest and has been used in several studies on protein modification.Hence,the study aimed to investigate the effects of enzymatic hydrolysis by Corolase PP under different pressure treatments(0.1,100,200,and 300 MPa for 1-5 h at 50℃)on the emulsifying property,antioxidant activity,and bitterness of soybean protein isolate hydrolysate(SPIH).As observed,the hydrolysate obtained at 200 MPa for 4 h had the highest emulsifying activity index(47.49 m^(2)/g)and emulsifying stability index(92.98%),and it had higher antioxidant activities(44.77%DPPH free radical scavenging activity,31.12%superoxide anion radical scavenging activity,and 61.50%copper ion chelating activity).At the same time,the enhancement of emulsion stability was related to the increase of zeta potential and the decrease of mean particle size.In addition,the hydrolysate obtained at 200 MPa for 4 h had a lower bitterness value and showed better palatability.This study has a broad application prospect in developing food ingredients and healthy foods.

High Permeability in Broadband of Co-sputtered [Fe-Fe_(20)Ni_(80)/Cr]_(n) Multilayer Films

To achieve high microwave permeability in wide-band for the micron-thick magnetic films,[Fe-Fe_(20)Ni_(80)/Cr]_(n) multilayer structure was proposed by co-sputtering Fe and FeNi to form the magnetic layers and Cr to form the interlayers.The multilayer structure contributes to the high permeability by reducing the coercivity and diminishing out-of-plane magnetization.The maximum imaginary permeability of[Fe-Fe_(20)Ni_(80)/Cr]_(n) multilayer film reaches a large value of 800 at 0.52 GHz even though its overall thickness exceeds 1μm.Besides,the magnetic resonance frequency of the multilayer film can be modulated from 0.52 to 1.35 GHz by adjusting the sputtering power of Fe from 0 to 86 W,and its bandwidth for μ’’>200(Δf) is as large as 2.0 GHz.The desirable broad Δf of magnetic permeability,which can be well fitted by the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations,is due to dual magnetic resonances originated from double magnetic phases of Fe and FeNi that are of different saturation magnetization.The micron-thick multilayer films with high permeability in extended waveband are promising candidate for electromagnetic noise suppression application.

Highly Flexible Graphene-Film-Based Rectenna for Wireless Energy Harvesting

Herein,we report the design,fabrication,and performance of two wireless energy harvesting devices based on highly flexible graphene macroscopic films(FGMFs).We first demonstrate that benefiting from the high conductivity of up to 1×10^(6)S m^(-1)and good resistive stability of FGMFs even under extensive bending,the FGMFs-based rectifying circuit(GRC)exhibits good flexibility and RF-to-DC efficiency of 53%at 2.1 GHz.Moreover,we further expand the application of FGMFs to a flexible wideband monopole rectenna and a 2.45 GHz wearable rectenna for harvesting wireless energy.The wideband rectenna at various bending conditions produces a maximum conversion efficiency of 52%,46%,and 44%at the 5th Generation(5G)2.1 GHz,Industrial Long-Term Evolution(LTE)2.3 GHz,and Scientific Medical(ISM)2.45 GHz,respectively.A 2.45 GHz GRC is optimized and integrated with an AMC-backed wearable antenna.The proposed 2.45 GHz wearable rectenna shows a maximum conversion efficiency of 55.7%.All the results indicate that the highly flexible graphene-film-based rectennas have great potential as a wireless power supplier for smart Internet of Things(loT)applications.

Dietary sodium acetate and sodium butyrate improve high-carbohydrate diet utilization by regulating gut microbiota, liver lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation in largemouth bass(Micropterus salmoides)

Background Adequate level of carbohydrates in aquafeeds help to conserve protein and reduce cost. However, studies have indicated that high-carbohydrate(HC) diet disrupt the homeostasis of the gut–liver axis in largemouth bass, resulting in decreased intestinal acetate and butyrate level.Method Herein, we had concepted a set of feeding experiment to assess the effects of dietary sodium acetate(SA) and sodium butyrate(SB) on liver health and the intestinal microbiota in largemouth bass fed an HC diet. The experimental design comprised 5 isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets, including LC(9% starch), HC(18% starch), HCSA(18% starch;2 g/kg SA), HCSB(18% starch;2 g/kg SB), and HCSASB(18% starch;1 g/kg SA + 1 g/kg SB). Juvenile largemouth bass with an initial body weight of 7.00 ± 0.20 g were fed on these diets for 56 d.Results We found that dietary SA and SB reduced hepatic triglyceride accumulation by activating autophagy(ATG101, LC3B and TFEB), promoting lipolysis(CPT1α, HSL and AMPKα), and inhibiting adipogenesis(FAS, ACCA, SCD1 and PPARγ). In addition, SA and SB decreased oxidative stress in the liver(CAT, GPX1α and SOD1) by activating the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway. Meanwhile, SA and SB alleviated HC-induced inflammation by downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory factors(IL-1β, COX2 and Hepcidin1) through the NF-κB pathway. Importantly, SA and SB increased the abundance of bacteria that produced acetic acid and butyrate(Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1). Combined with the KEGG analysis, the results showed that SA and SB enriched carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism pathways, thereby improving the utilization of carbohydrates. Pearson correlation analysis indicated that growth performance was closely related to hepatic lipid deposition, autophagy, antioxidant capacity, inflammation, and intestinal microbial composition.Conclusions In conclusion, dietary SA and SB can reduce hepatic lipid deposition;and alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in largemouth bass fed on HC diet. These beneficial effects may be due to the altered composition of the gut microbiota caused by SA and SB. The improvement effects of SB were stronger than those associated with SA.

Rationally designing electrolyte additives for highly improving cyclability of LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4)/Graphite cells

High voltage is necessary for high energy lithium-ion batteries but difficult to achieve because of the highly deteriorated cyclability of the batteries.A novel strategy is developed to extend cyclability of a high voltage lithium-ion battery,LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_(4)/Graphite(LNMO/Graphite)cell,which emphasizes a rational design of an electrolyte additive that can effectively construct protective interphases on anode and cathode and highly eliminate the effect of hydrogen fluoride(HF).5-Trifluoromethylpyridine-trime thyl lithium borate(LTFMP-TMB),is synthesized,featuring with multi-functionalities.Its anion TFMPTMB-tends to be enriched on cathode and can be preferentially oxidized yielding TMB and radical TFMP-.Both TMB and radical TFMP can combine HF and thus eliminate the detrimental effect of HF on cathode,while the TMB dragged on cathode thus takes a preferential oxidation and constructs a protective cathode interphase.On the other hand,LTFMP-TMB is preferentially reduced on anode and constructs a protective anode interphase.Consequently,a small amount of LTFMP-TMB(0.2%)in 1.0 M LiPF6in EC/DEC/EMC(3/2/5,wt%)results in a highly improved cyclability of LNMO/Graphite cell,with the capacity retention enhanced from 52%to 80%after 150 cycles at 0.5 C between 3.5 and 4.8 V.The as-developed strategy provides a model of designing electrolyte additives for improving cyclability of high voltage batteries.

Microstructure and Properties of AlCoCrFeNiTi High-Entropy Alloy Coatings Prepared by Laser Cladding

21-4N(5Cr21Mn9Ni4N)is extensively employed in the production of engine valves,operating under severe conditions.Apart from withstanding high-temperature gas corrosion,it must also endure the impact of cylinder explosion pressure.The predominant failure mode of 21-4N valves is abrasive wear.Surface coatings serve as an effective approach to prevent such failures.In this investigation,Laser cladding technology was utilized to fabricate AlCoCrFeNiTi high entropy alloy coatings onto the surfaces of 21-4N valves.According to the findings,the cladding zone has a normal dendritic microstructure,a good substrate-to-cladding layer interaction,and no obvious flaws.In terms of hardness,the cladding demonstrates an average hardness of 620 HV.The hardness has increased by 140%compared to the substrate.The average hardness of the cladding remains at approximately 520 HV even at elevated temperatures.Regarding frictional wear performance,between 400℃and 800℃,the cladding layer exhibits an average friction coefficient of 0.4,with the primary wear mechanisms being abrasive wear,adhesive wear,and a minor degree of plastic deformation.