Electromagnetic separation of primary iron-rich phases from aluminum-silicon melt

The difference of conductivity between primary iron-rich phases and aluminum melt has been used to separate them by electromagnetic force (EMF) which is induced by imposing a direct electric current and a steady magnetic field in molten Al-Si alloy. Theoretical analysis and experiments on self-designed electromagnetic separation indicates that primary needle-like β phases are difficult to separate; while primary α iron-rich phases can be separated by electromagnetic separation. Primary iron-rich phases have been removed from the melt successfully when the molten metal flows horizontally through separation channel. The iron content is reduced from 1.13% to 0.41%.

基于CTA颅内动脉瘤形态联合PHASES评分对破裂出血预测研究

目的:分析头颈部计算机断层扫描血管成像(CTA)联合PHASES评分对颅内动脉瘤(IA)破裂出血的预测价值。方法:回顾性分析2021年10月—2023年9月东莞市长安医院诊治的IA患者临床资料,根据IA破裂出血与否分为IA破裂组(n=46)和IA未破裂组(n=44),收集两组临床资料,对比两组患者CTA影像瘤体特征参数和PHASES评分结果。采用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线分析两者联合预测动脉瘤破裂的效能。结果:IA破裂组高血压、糖尿病发生率及PHASES评分均高于IA未破裂组,差异有统计学意义(P <0.05)。两组病灶位置以颈内动脉(ICA)和大脑中动脉(MCA)为主,但IA破裂组病灶位置在MCA的占比为41.30%,高于IA未破裂组的20.45%,瘤体>7 mm的最多(瘤体7~9.9 mm占65.22%),瘤体形态不规则占58.7%,未破裂组病灶位置在ICA最多(68.18%),瘤体<7 mm的居多(75.00%),瘤体形态规则囊状动脉瘤占93.18%,差异有统计学意义(P <0.05)。CTA瘤体特征参数比较,IA破裂组患者瘤颈宽度、瘤体高度、瘤体长度、动脉瘤最大直径、入射夹角、动脉瘤体颈比等参数均高于IA未破裂组,差异有统计学意义(P <0.05)。CTA瘤体特征参数+PHASES评分联合预测曲线下面积为0.916,高于CTA瘤体特征参数(0.901)和PHASES评分(0.731)。结论:CTA瘤体特征参数+PHASES评分联合预测IA患者破裂出血效能最佳。

The effect of Laves phases and nano-precipitates on the electrochemical corrosion resistance of Mg-Al-Ca alloys under alkaline conditions

The electrochemical corrosion mechanisms of Mg alloys were extensively studied in previous investigations of different chemical com-positions,modified surface states and various electrolyte conditions.However,recent research focused on the active state of Mg dissolution,leading to unresolved effects of secondary phases adjacent to a stableα-solid solution passive layer.The present study investigates the fundamental electrochemical corrosion mechanisms of three different Laves phases with varying phase morphologies and phase fractions in the passive state of Mg-Al-Ca alloys.The microstructure was characterized by(transmission-)electron microscopy and synchrotron-based transmission X-ray microscopy.The electrochemical corrosion resistance was determined with a standard three-electrode setup and advanced in-situ flow cell measurements.A new electrochemical activity sequence(C15>C36>α-Mg>C14)was obtained,as a result of a stable passive layer formation on theα-solid solution.Furthermore,nm-scale Mg-rich precipitates were identified within the Laves phases,which tend to inhibit the corrosion kinetics.

The occurrence phases and enrichment mechanism of rare earth elements in cobalt-rich crusts from Marcus-Wake Seamounts

To explore the occurrence phases and enrichment mechanism of rare earth elements(REEs)in cobalt-rich crusts,this study analyzes the mineral composition and REE contents of the samples from Marcus-Wake Seamounts by XRD,ICP-OES and ICP-MS.The results show that,(1)the cobalt-rich crusts contain the major crystalline mineral(vernadite),the secondary minerals(quartz,plagioclase and carbonate fluorapatite),and a large amount of amorphous ferric oxyhydroxides(FeOOH).(2)The cobalt-rich crusts contains higher Mn(10.83%to 28.76%)and Fe(6.14%to 18.86%)relative to other elements,and are enriched in REEs,with total REE contents of 1563−3238μg/g and Ce contents of 790−1722μg/g.Rare earth element contents of the old crusts are higher than those of the new crusts.Moreover,the non-phosphatized crusts have positive Ce and negative Y anomalies,and yet the phosphatized crusts have positive Ce and positive Y anomalies,indicating that cobalt-rich crusts is hydrogenetic and REEs mainly come from seawater.(3)Analytical data also show that the occurrence phases of elements in cobalt-rich crusts are closely related to their mineral phases.In the non-phosphatized crusts,REEs are adsorbed by colloidal particles into the crusts(about 67%of REEs in the Fe oxide phase,and about 17%of REEs in the Mn oxide phase).In contrast,in the phosphatized crusts(affected by the phosphatization),REEs may combine with phosphate to form rare earth phosphate minerals,and about 64%of REEs are enriched in the residual phase containing carbonate fluorapatite,but correspondingly the influence of Fe and Mn oxide phases on REEs enrichment is greatly reduced.In addition,the oxidizing environment of seawater,high marine productivity,phosphatization,and slow growth rate can promote the REE enrichment.This study provides a reference for the metallogenesis of cobalt-rich crusts in the Pacific.

Topological phases and edge modes of an uneven ladder

We investigate the topological properties of a two-chain quantum ladder with uneven legs,i.e.,the two chains differ in their periods by a factor of 2.Such an uneven ladder presents rich band structures classified by the closure of either direct or indirect bandgaps.It also provides opportunities to explore fundamental concepts concerning band topology and edge modes,including the difference of intracellular and intercellular Zak phases,and the role of the inversion symmetry(IS).We calculate the Zak phases of the two kinds and find excellent agreement with the dipole moment and extra charge accumulation.We also find that configurations with IS feature a pair of degenerate two-side edge modes emerging as the closure of the direct bandgap,while configurations without IS feature one-side edge modes emerging as not only the closure of both direct and indirect bandgaps but also within the band continuum.Furthermore,by projecting to the two sublattices,we find that the effective Bloch Hamiltonian corresponds to that of a generalized Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model or the Rice–Mele model whose hopping amplitudes depend on the quasimomentum.In this way,the topological phases can be efficiently extracted through winding numbers.We propose that uneven ladders can be realized by spin-dependent optical lattices and their rich topological characteristics can be examined by near future experiments.

Stress-corrosion coupled damage localization induced by secondary phases in bio-degradable Mg alloys:phase-field modeling

In this study,a phase-field scheme that rigorously obeys conservation laws and irreversible thermodynamics is developed for modeling stress-corrosion coupled damage(SCCD).The coupling constitutive relationships of the deformation,phase-field damage,mass transfer,and electrostatic field are derived from the entropy inequality.The SCCD localization induced by secondary phases in Mg is numerically simulated using the implicit iterative algorithm of the self-defined finite elements.The quantitative evaluation of the SCCD of a C-ring is in good agreement with the experimental results.To capture the damage localization,a micro-galvanic corrosion domain is defined,and the buffering effect on charge migration is explored.Three cases are investigated to reveal the effect of localization on corrosion acceleration and provide guidance for the design for resistance to SCCD at the crystal scale.

The Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics of Cloud Types and Phases in the Arctic Based on CloudSat and CALIPSO Cloud Classification Products

The cloud type product 2B-CLDCLASS-LIDAR based on CloudSat and CALIPSO from June 2006 to May 2017 is used to examine the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics and interannual variability of eight cloud types(high cloud, altostratus, altocumulus, stratus, stratocumulus, cumulus, nimbostratus, and deep convection) and three phases(ice,mixed, and water) in the Arctic. Possible reasons for the observed interannual variability are also discussed. The main conclusions are as follows:(1) More water clouds occur on the Atlantic side, and more ice clouds occur over continents.(2)The average spatial and seasonal distributions of cloud types show three patterns: high clouds and most cumuliform clouds are concentrated in low-latitude locations and peak in summer;altostratus and nimbostratus are concentrated over and around continents and are less abundant in summer;stratocumulus and stratus are concentrated near the inner Arctic and peak during spring and autumn.(3) Regional averaged interannual frequencies of ice clouds and altostratus clouds significantly decrease, while those of water clouds, altocumulus, and cumulus clouds increase significantly.(4) Significant features of the linear trends of cloud frequencies are mainly located over ocean areas.(5) The monthly water cloud frequency anomalies are positively correlated with air temperature in most of the troposphere, while those for ice clouds are negatively correlated.(6) The decrease in altostratus clouds is associated with the weakening of the Arctic front due to Arctic warming, while increased water vapor transport into the Arctic and higher atmospheric instability lead to more cumulus and altocumulus clouds.

Effect of ultrasonic and mechanical vibration treatments on evolution of Mn-rich phases and mechanical properties of Al−12Si−4Cu−1Ni−1Mg−2Mn piston alloys

Effects of ultrasonic vibration(UV)and mechanical vibration(MV)on the Mn-rich phase modification and mechanical properties of Al−12Si−4Cu−1Ni−1Mg−2Mn piston alloys were investigated.The results show that the UV and UV+MV treatments can significantly refine and fragmentize the microstructures.In addition,UV treatment can significantly passivate the primary Mn-rich Al15Mn3Si2 intermetallics.The formation mechanisms of refinement and passivation of the grains and non-dendrite particles were discussed.Compared with the gravity die-cast alloys,the UV and UV+MV treated alloys exhibit improved tensile and creep resistance at room and elevated temperatures.These results can be attributed to the refinement of theα(Al)grains and the secondary intermetallics,the increased proportion of refined heat-resistant precipitates,and the formation of nano-sized Si particles.The ultimate tensile strength of the UV treated alloys at 350℃ exceeds that of commercial piston alloys.This indicates the high application potential of the developed piston alloys in density diesel engines.

Solid-state NMR studies of proteins in condensed phases

Some proteins perform their biological functions by changing their material states through liquid-liquid phase separation.Upon phase separation,the protein condenses into a concentrated liquid phase and sometimes into a gel phase,changing its dynamic properties and intermolecular interactions,thereby regulating cellular functions.Although the biological significance of this phenomenon has been widely recognized by researchers,there is still a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the structural and dynamic properties of the protein in the condensed phase.In this phase,molecules usually contain domains with varied dynamic properties and undergo intermediate exchanges.Magic angle spinning(MAS)solid-state NMR(SSNMR)experiments are very powerful in studying rigid protein polymers such as amyloid.The incorporation of solution-like experiments into SSNMR and the development of J-coupling based MAS SSNMR techniques extend its ability to study partially mobile segments of proteins in a condensed liquid or gel phase which are not visible by solution NMR or dipolar-coupling based SSNMR.Therefore,it has been applied in studying protein condensation and has provided very important information that is hard to obtain by other techniques.

Effect of thermo-mechanical conditions during constrained friction processing on the particle refinement of AM50 Mg-alloy phases

Constrained Friction Processing(CFP)is a novel solid-state processing technique suitable for lightweight materials,such Mg-and Al-alloys.The technique enables grain size refinement to fine or even ultrafine scale.In this study,the effect of CFP on the microstructural refinement of AM50 rods is investigated in terms of particle size and morphology of the eutectic and secondary phases originally present in the base material,in particular the eutecticβ-Mg_(17)Al_(12)and Al-Mn phases.For that purpose,as-cast and solution heat-treated base material and processed samples were analyzed.The Al_(8)Mn_(5) intermetallic phase was identified as the main secondary phase present in all samples before and after the processing.A notorious refinement of these particles was observed,starting from particles with an average equivalent length of a few micrometers to around 560 nm after the processing.The refinement of the secondary phase refinement is attributed to a mechanism analogous to the attrition comminution,where the combination of temperature increase and shearing of the material enables the continuous breaking of the brittle intermetallic particles into smaller pieces.As for the eutectic phase,the results indicate the presence of the partially divorcedβ-Mg_(17)Al_(12)particles exclusively in the as-cast base material,indicating that no further phase transformations regarding the eutectic phase,such as dynamic precipitation,occurred after the CFP.In the case of the processed as-cast material analyzed after the CFP,the thermal energy generated during the processing led to temperature values above the solvus limit of the eutectic phase,which associated with the mechanical breakage of the particles,enabled the complete dissolution of this phase.Therefore,CFP was successfully demonstrated to promote an extensive microstructure refinement in multiple aspects,in terms of grain sizes of theα-Mg phase and presence and morphology of the Al-Mn and eutecticβ-Mg_(17)Al_(12).

Segregation Behavior and Evolution Mechanism of Iron-Rich Phases in Molten Magnesium Alloys

A new method has been proposed to prepare Mg-A1-Si master alloys by utilizing scrap AI-Si-Fe alloys with higher Fe levels, which aims to segregate Fe from AI-Si-Fe alloys by Mg melt. The segregation be- haviors, microstructure morphology and evolution mechanism of iron-rich phases in Mg-A1-Si alloy melts were studied, after AI-14Si-4Fe （wt%） alloys were added and dissolved completely. In the Mg-A1-Si alloys, iron has very little solubility and tends to combine with other elements to form intermetallic phases, which grow into a deposition layer due to the higher density. During the cooling and solidifying process of Mg-A1-Si melts, the needle-like AlsSiFe phase in AI-14Si-4Fe alloy evolved into blocky AI5Fe2 and Al0.7Fe3Si0.3 phases. Besides, the Fe levels of the Mg-AI-Si master alloys were reduced to 0.017 wt% from nominal content of 0.164 wt%. Based on the above results, this work carried out a semi-quantitative phase- compositions analysis for the deposition layer by relative intensity ratio （RIR） method, and evolution mechanism of the iron-rich phases had also been discussed. This study has paved a new way to regen- erate the scrap AI-Si-Fe alloys, which has a great significance of promoting the recycling of aluminum resources.

Effect of melt holding on morphological evolution and sedimentation behavior of iron-rich intermetallic phases in Al-Si-Fe-Mn-Mg alloy

The effect of the melt holding temperature on the morphological evolution and sedimentation behavior of iron-rich intermetallics in Al-7.0 Si-1.0 Fe-1.2 Mn-0.25 Mg alloy was investigated using an optical microscope,scanning electron microscope and differential thermal analyzer.The results show that as the holding temperature decreases,the morphologies of the primary iron-rich phase in matrix change from star-like to polygonal,and the number of the primary phases gradually decreases and disappears at 615°C.Finally,the Chinese script phases with small size,high compact and uniform distribution are obtained.In contrast,the primary iron-rich phases in slag transform into a coarser polygonal shape with lower roundness,and some of them have hollow structures.Furthermore,the area fraction of intermetallics and Fe content in the matrix decrease gradually due to the formation and growth of sludge and subsequent natural sedimentation during melt holding.With the decrease of holding temperature,the main factors hindering the settlement of the primary phases are morphology,size,and density in turn.

Variable precipitation behaviors of Laves phases in an ultralight Mg-Li-Zn alloy

Precipitation habits plays a decisive role in strengthening materials,especially for Mg alloys the non-basal plane precipitation is necessary but very limited.Generally,the precipitates would nucleate and grow up in a specific habit plane owing to the constraint of free-energy minimization of the system.Herein,in an aged ultralight Mg-Li-Zn alloy,we confirmed that the precipitates dominated by C15 Laves structure could form in a variety of habit planes,to generate three forms of strengthening-phases,i.e.,precipitate-rod,precipitate-lath,and precipitate-plate.Among which,the precipitate-plates are on basal plane as usually but precipitate-rods/laths are on non-basal plane,and such non-basal precipitates would transform into the basal(Mg,Li)Zn_(2)Laves structure with prolonged aging.These findings are interesting to understand the precipitation behaviors of multi-domain Laves structures in hexagonal close-packed crystals,and expected to provide a guidance for designing ultralight high-strength Mg-Li based alloys via precipitation hardening on the non-basal planes.

Recent applications and chiral separation development based on stationary phases in open tubular capillary electrochromatography(2019–2022)

Capillary electrochromatography(CEC)plays a significant role in chiral separation via the double separation principle,partition coefficient difference between the two phases,and electroosmotic flow-driven separation.Given the distinct properties of the inner wall stationary phase(SP),the separation ability of each SP differs from one another.Particularly,it provides large room for promising applications of open tubular capillary electrochromatography(OT-CEC).We divided the OT-CEC SPs developed over the past four years into six types:ionic liquids,nanoparticle materials,microporous materials,biomaterials,non-nanopolymers,and others,to mainly introduce their characteristics in chiral drug separation.There also added a few classic SPs that occurred within ten years as supplements to enrich the features of each SP.Additionally,we discuss their applications in metabolomics,food,cosmetics,environment,and biology as analytes in addition to chiral drugs.OT-CEC plays an increasingly significant role in chiral separation and may promote the development of capillary electrophoresis(CE)combined with other instruments in recent years,such as CE with mass spectrometry(CE/MS)and CE with ultraviolet light detector(CE/UV).

Phase-engineering modulation of Mn-based oxide cathode for constructing super-stable sodium storage

The Mn-based oxide cathode with enriched crystal phase structure and component diversity can provide the excellent chemistry structure for Na-ion batteries.Nevertheless,the broad application prospect is obstructed by the sluggish Na^(+)kinetics and the phase transitions upon cycling.Herein,we establish the thermodynamically stable phase diagram of various Mn-based oxide composites precisely controlled by sodium content tailoring strategy coupling with co-doping and solid-state reaction.The chemical environment of the P2/P'3 and P2/P3 biphasic composites indicate that the charge compensation mechanism stems from the cooperative contribution of anions and cations.Benefiting from the no phase transition to scavenge the structure strain,P2/P'3 electrode can deliver long cycling stability(capacity retention of 73.8%after 1000 cycles at 10 C)and outstanding rate properties(the discharge capacity of 84.08 mA h g^(-1)at 20 C)than P2/P3 electrode.Furthermore,the DFT calculation demonstrates that the introducing novel P'3 phase can significantly regulate the Na^(+)reaction dynamics and modify the local electron configuration of Mn.The effective phase engineering can provide a reference for designing other high-performance electrode materials for Na-ion batteries.

Recent advances in graphene-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage and management

Energy storage and conservation are receiving increased attention due to rising global energy demands.Therefore,the development of energy storage materials is crucial.Thermal energy storage(TES)systems based on phase change materials(PCMs)have increased in prominence over the past two decades,not only because of their outstanding heat storage capacities but also their superior thermal energy regulation capability.However,issues such as leakage and low thermal conductivity limit their applicability in a variety of settings.Carbon-based materials such as graphene and its derivatives can be utilized to surmount these obstacles.This study examines the recent advancements in graphene-based phase change composites(PCCs),where graphene-based nanostructures such as graphene,graphene oxide(GO),functionalized graphene/GO,and graphene aerogel(GA)are incorporated into PCMs to substantially enhance their shape stability and thermal conductivity that could be translated to better storage capacity,durability,and temperature response,thus boosting their attractiveness for TES systems.In addition,the applications of these graphene-based PCCs in various TES disciplines,such as energy conservation in buildings,solar utilization,and battery thermal management,are discussed and summarized.

Commensurate and incommensurate Haldane phases for a spin-1 bilinear-biquadratic model

Commensurate and incommensurate Haldane phases for a spin-1 bilinear-biquadratic model are investigated using an infinite matrix product state algorithm.The bipartite entanglement entropy can detect a transition point between the two phases.In both phases,the entanglement spectrum shows double degeneracy.We calculate the nonlocal order parameter of the bond-centered inversion in both phases,which rapidly approaches a saturation value of-1 as the segment length increases.The nonlocal order parameter of the bond-centered inversion with a saturation value-1 and the nonzero value string order indicate that the Haldane phase is a symmetry-protected topological phase.To distinguish the commensurate and incommensurate Haldane phases,the transversal spin correlation and corresponding momentum distribution of the structure factor are analyzed.As a result,the transversal spin correlations exhibit different decay forms in both phases.

Phase separation and transcriptional regulation in cancer development

Liquid-liquid phase separation,a novel biochemical phenomenon,has been increasingly studied for its medical applications.It underlies the formation of membrane-less organelles and is involved in many cellular and biological processes.During transcriptional regulation,dynamic condensates are formed through interactions between transcriptional elements,such as transcription factors,coactivators,and mediators.Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation,but the precise mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis often remain to be elucidated.Emerging evidence has linked abnormal transcriptional condensates to several diseases,especially cancer,implying that phase separation plays an important role in tumorigenesis.Condensates formed by phase separation may have an effect on gene transcription in tumors.In the present review,we focus on the correlation between phase separation and transcriptional regulation,as well as how this phenomenon contributes to cancer development.

Appraisal of Engineering Phases of a Mineral Asset: From Exploration to Mine Approval

It is well known that the most common methodology for evaluating a mineral asset is the NPV. Most of the mining companies employ this technique for evaluating the expected economic benefits provided by the exploration and exploitation of a mineral deposit. However, companies also wish to know how their assets are creating value through the several exploration and development phases. The purpose being to assess the progressive value of the mineral asset in agreement with the information and data cumulated through the different steps from exploration to project approval. This paper establishes the value of a copper mineral deposit through their successive phases from exploration to feasibility and approval using the options’ binomial nodes framework. Results are applied to two copper negotiations for method validation.

Shikimic acid accelerates phase change and flowering in Chinese jujube

The juvenile-to-adult phase change with first flowering as the indicator plays a crucial role in the lifecycle of fruit trees. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying phase change in fruit trees remain largely unknown. Shikimic acid (ShA) pathway is a main metabolic pathway closely related to the synthesis of hormones and many important secondary metabolites participating in plant phase change. So,whether ShA regulates phase change in plants is worth clarifying. Here, the distinct morphological characteristics and the underlying mechanisms of phase change in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), an important fruit tree native to China with nutritious fruit and outstanding tolerance abiotic stresses, were clarified. A combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis found that ShA is positively involved in jujube(Yuhong’×Xing 16’) phase change. The genes in the upstream of ShA synthesis pathway (ZjDAHPS, ZjDHQS and ZjSDH), the contents of ShA and the downstream secondary metabolites like phenols were significantly upregulated in the phase change period. Further, the treatment of spraying exogenous ShA verified that ShA at a very low concentration (60 mg·L^(-1)) can substantially speed up the phase change and flowering of jujube and other tested plants including Arabidopsis, tomato and wheat. The exogenous ShA (60 mg·L^(-1)) treatment in jujube seedlings could increase the accumulation of endogenous ShA, enhance leaf photosynthesis and the synthesis of phenols especially flavonoids and phenolic acids, and promote the expression of genes (ZjCOs, ZjNFYs and ZjPHYs) involved in flowering pathway. Basing on above results, we put forward a propose for the underlying mechanism of ShA regulating phase change, and a hypothesis that ShA could be considered a phytohormone-like substance because it is endogenous, ubiquitous, movable and highly efficient at very low concentrations. This study highlights the critical role of ShA in plant phase change and its phytohormone-like properties.