Zinc finger protein ZFP36 and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase PDK1 function in ABA-mediated aluminum tolerance in rice

Aluminum(Al)toxicity poses a significant constraint on field crop yields in acid soils.Zinc finger protein36(ZFP36)is well-documented for its pivotal role in enhancing tolerance to both drought and oxidative stress in rice.This study unveils a novel function of ZFP36 modulated by abscisic acid(ABA)-dependent mechanisms,specifically aimed at alleviating Al toxicity in rice.Under Al stress,the expression of ZFP36significantly increased through an ABA-dependent pathway.Knocking down ZFP36 heightened Al sensitivity,while overexpressing ZFP36 conferred increased resistance to Al stress.Additionally,our investigations revealed a physical interaction between ZFP36 and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 in rice(OsPDK1).Biochemical assays further elucidated that OsPDK1 phosphorylates ZFP36 at the amino acid site 73–161.Subsequent experiments demonstrated that ZFP36 positively regulates the expression of ascorbate peroxidases(OsAPX1)and OsALS1 by binding to specific elements in their upstream segments in rice.Through genetic and phenotypic analyses,we unveiled that OsPDK1 influences ABA-triggered antioxidant defense to alleviate Al toxicity by interacting with ZFP36.In summary,our study underscores that pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1(OsPDK1)phosphorylates ZFP36 to modulate the activities of antioxidant enzymes via an ABA-dependent pathway,influencing tolerance of rice to soil Al toxicity.

Synthesis and characterization of LiFePO_4 coating with aluminum doped zinc oxide

Aluminum doped zinc oxide （AZO）, as an electrically conductive material, was applied to coating on the surface of olivine-type LiFePO4 synthesized by solid-state method. The charge-discharge test results show that the rate performance and low-temperature performance of LiFePO4 are greatly improved by the surface treatment. Even at 20C rate, the discharge specific capacity of 100.9 mA.h/g was obtained by the AZO-coated LiFePO4 at room temperature. At -20 ℃, the discharge specific capacity at 0.2C for un-coated LiFePO4 and the coated one are 50.3 mA.h/g and 119.4 mA.h/g, respectively. It should be attributed to the electrically conductive AZO-coating which increases the electronic conductivity of LiFePO4. Furthermore, the surface-coating increases the tap-density of LiFePO4. The results indicate that the AZO-coated LiFePO4 is a good candidate of cathode material for applying in lithium power batteries.

Ultra-High Mass-Loading Cathode for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Battery Based on Graphene-Wrapped Aluminum Vanadate Nanobelts

Rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries(AZIBs)have their unique advantages of cost efficiency,high safety,and environmental friendliness.However,challenges facing the cathode materials include whether they can remain chemically stable in aqueous electrolyte and provide a robust structure for the storage of Zn2+.Here,we report on H11Al2V6O23.2@graphene(HAVO@G)with exceptionally large layer spacing of(001)plane(13.36?).The graphene-wrapped structure can keep the structure stable during discharge/charge process,thereby promoting the inhibition of the dissolution of elements in the aqueous electrolyte.While used as cathode for AZIBs,HAVO@G electrode delivers ideal rate performance(reversible capacity of 305.4,276.6,230.0,201.7,180.6 mAh g?1 at current densities between 1 and 10 A g?1).Remarkably,the electrode exhibits excellent and stable cycling stability even at a high loading mass of^15.7 mg cm?2,with an ideal reversible capacity of 131.7 mAh g?1 after 400 cycles at 2 A g?1.

Mechanism to remove oxide inclusions from molten aluminum by solid fluxes refining method

A novel flux charging method and a crucible quenching method were employed to study the mechanism of solid fluxes refining method regarding the removal of oxide inclusions(Al_2O_3) from molten aluminum. Electrochemical polishing method was adopted to prepare surfaces of the samples. Through experiments, the morphology of the residual solidified flux in the solidified samples as well as the wetting action of the molten flux during refining were observed for the first time. Three wetting regimes denoted by absorbing regime, engulfing regime and penetration regime correlating with the removal of oxide films(the most typical and common oxide inclusions in molten aluminum) were proposed in terms of different types and distributions of oxide films and different size ratios of the molten flux to oxide films. Particularly, from a thermodynamic point of view, for the first time, the penetration regime provided concrete evidence that the practical oxide inclusions can be wet by molten flux under ambient fluid of molten aluminum. A spreading model was proposed, according to which ingredients and size parameters of practical solid fluxes can be optimized.

Mechanical properties and microstructure evolution in incremental forming of AA5754 and AA6061 aluminum alloys

This study performs single point incremental forming(SPIF)on two aluminum alloys(i.e.AA5754 and AA6061),and analyzes their post forming mechanical properties and microstructure evolution.The forming parameters namely wall angle(35°-55°),feed rate(1-4 m/min),spindle rotational speed(50-1000 r/min),and lubricant(grease and hydraulic oil)are varied to probe detailed processing effects.The pre-and post-SPIF mechanical properties and microstructures are characterized by conducting tensile tests and optical microscopy,respectively.It is shown that an increase in the wall angle,feed rate and rotational speed causes microscopic variations in the alloys such that the grains of AA5754 and the second phase particles of AA6061 elongate.As a result,the ultimate tensile strength of the formed parts is increased by 10%for AA5754 and by 8%for AA6061.And,the ductility of AA5754 is decreased from 22.9%to 12%and that of AA6061 is decreased from 16%to 10.7%.Regarding the lubricant effect,it is shown that the mechanical properties remain insensitive to the type of lubricant employed.These results indicate that SPIF processing modifies the microstructure of Al alloys in a way to enhance the strength at the cost of ductility.

Evaluation of nanometer-sized zirconium oxide incorporated Al-Mg-Ga-Sn alloy as anode for alkaline aluminum batteries

Zirconium oxide nanoparticles with 0.4 wt.%and 0.8 wt.%are incorporated into the Al-0.65 Mg-0.05 Ga-0.15 Sn(wt.%)alloy anode(base alloy)in order to improve the performance of the resulting anodes.Electrochemical characterization of the reinforced alloys was done by potentiodynamic polarization,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic discharge and corrosion behavior was evaluated using self-corrosion rate and hydrogen evolution in 4 mol/L KOH solution.The surface morphology of the alloys was also studied using field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM).The obtained results indicate that the base alloy shows high corrosion rate in 4 mol/L KOH solution by releasing 0.47 m L/(min·cm^2)hydrogen gas,whereas the alloy containing 0.8 wt.%Zr O2 provides the lowest hydrogen evolution rate by releasing 0.32 m L/(min·cm^2)hydrogen gas.Furthermore,by increasing zirconium oxide nanoparticles,the corrosion current density of the aluminum anodes is decreased and their corrosion resistance increases significantly compared to the base alloy in alkaline solution.In addition,nanometer-sized zirconium oxide incorporated anodes exhibit the improved galvanic discharge efficiencies,so that 0.8 wt.%nano-zirconium oxide incorporated base alloy displays the highest power density and anodic utilization compared with the others in 4 mol/L KOH solution.

Preparation of Rod-like Aluminum Doped Zinc Oxide Powders by Sol-gel Technique Using Metal Chlorides and Acetylacetone Precursors

Al-doped ZnO(AZO) powders were prepared by using metal chloride precursors and the sol-gel technique. IR peaks observed at 1590 cm-1 and 1620 cm-1indicated the formation of metal chelate as a consequence of the addition of acetylacetone to the metal chloride solution. TG-DSC analysis of the AZO gels confirmed the formation of metal chelate as evidenced by the development of several weight loss peaks accompanied by the introduction of new endothermic peaks. The resulting AZO gels were annealed at 500, 600, and 800 ℃ to study the effect of annealing temperature. XRD and SEM results showed that crystallization of AZO gels takes place around 600 ℃. Hexagonal wurtzite structure was identified as the main phase for all the samples. In addition, small shift of the XRD(002) peak coupled with XPS results from the AZO powders confirmed the successful doping of the ZnO powders. Micron sized rod-like AZO powders were uniform in dimension and morphology and remained stable even at 800 ℃.

Design and preparation of aluminum alloy with high thermal conductivity based on CALPHAD and first-principles calculation

To obtain the aluminum alloy with high thermal and mechanical properties,the effects of alloying elements and the second phases on the thermal conductivity of Al alloys were investigated by CALPHAD and first-principles calculation,respectively.The properties of the second phases,including Young's modulus,Poisson's ratio and minimum thermal conductivity,were systematically studied.Results show that the ranking order of the effects of the alloying elements on the thermal conductivity is Mg>Cu>Fe>Si,and for Al-12Si alloys,the mathematical model of the relationship between the alloying elements and the thermal conductivity can be expressed as λ=ax^(2)-bx+c when the second phase precipitates in the matrix.All kinds of ternary phases of Al-Fe-Si have higher deformation resistance,rigidity,theoretical hardness,Debye temperature and thermal conductivity than the other phases which possibly exist in the Al-12Si alloys.Based on the guidance of CALPHAD and first-principles calculation,the optimized chemical composition of Al alloy with high conductivity is Al-11.5Si-0.4Fe-0.2Mg(wt.%)with a thermal conductivity of 137.50 W·m^(-1)·K^(-1)and a hardness of 81.3 HBW.

Differential aluminum tolerance and absorption characteristics in Pinus massoniana seedlings colonized with ectomycorrhizal fungi of Lactarius deliciosus and Pisolithus tinctorius

Plant tolerance to aluminum(Al)toxicity can be enhanced by an ectomycorrhizal(ECM)fungus through biological filtering or physical blockage.To understand the roles of ECM colonization in Al absorption with regard to Al tolerance,Pinus massoniana seedlings were inoculated with either Lactarius deliciosus(L.:Fr.)Gray isolate 2 or Pisolithus tinctorius(Pers.)Coker et Couch isolate 715 and cultivated in an acid yellow soil with or without 1.0 mM Al^(3+)irrigation for 10 weeks.Biomass production,Al bioaccumulation and transport in seedlings colonized by the two ECM fungi were compared,and the three absorption kinetics(pseudo-first order,pseudo-second order and intraparticle diffusion)models used to evaluate variances in root Al^(3+)absorption capacity.Results show that both fungi increased aboveground biomass and Al tolerance of P.massoniana seedlings,but L.deliciosus 2 was more effective than P.tinctorius 715.Lower Al absorption capacity,fewer available active sites and decreased affinity and boundary layer thickness for Al^(3+),and higher Al accumulation and translocation contributed to the increased Al tolerance in the ECM-inoculated seedlings.These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms and strategies in plant Alto lerance conferred by ECM fungi and show that inoculation with L.deliciosus will better enhance Al tolerance in P.massoniana seedlings used for forest plantation and ecosystem restoration in acidic soils,particularly in Southwest China and similar soils worldwide.

Optimal dose of zinc supplementation for preventing aluminum-induced neurotoxicity in rats

Zinc supplementation can help maintain learning and memory function in rodents. In this study, we hypothesized that zinc supplementation could antagonize the neurotoxicity induced by aluminum in rats. Animals were fed a diet containing different doses of zinc （50, 100, 200 mg/kg） for 9 weeks, and orally administered aluminum chloride （300 mg/kg daily） from the third week for 7 consecutive weeks. Open-field behavioral test results showed that the number of rearings in the group given the 100 mg/kg zinc supplement was significantly increased compared with the group given the 50 mg/kg zinc supplement. Malondialdehyde content in the cerebrum was significantly decreased, while dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine levels were increased in the groups given the diet sup- plemented with 100 and 200 mg/kg zinc, compared with the group given the diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg zinc. The acetylcholinesterase activity in the cerebrum was significantly decreased in the group given the 100 mg/kg zinc supplement. Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed evident patho- logical damage in the hippocampus of rats in the group given the diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg zinc, but the damage was attenuated in the groups given the diet supplemented with 100 and 200 mg/kg zinc. Our findings suggest that zinc is a potential neuroprotective agent against alumi-num-induced neurotoxicity in rats, and the optimal dosages are 100 and 200 mg/kg.

New Inclusion Assessment Method in Aluminum Alloys——Electrochemical Method for Inclusion Assessment

The existence of inclusion influences the properties of aluminum alloy castings,from which the castings will face scrapping under severe condition.Great efforts on the inclusions in aluminum alloy were made and many inclusion assessment methods were put forward.However,most of the current methods are characterized by time consuming and expensive equipment cost,which limits the application in aluminum industry.Since the aluminum properties are sensitive to the inclusion,this paper tries to establish a new kind of inclusion assessment method.The inclusions were introduced to aluminum melts by adding aluminum scraps.The samples with different inclusion contents were prepared.The microstructure contained inclusions was observed.The inclusion was automatically identified with an image analyzer by setting different grey threshold value,and the inclusion content was obtained.The image analysis shows that inclusions wreck the continuity of the alloy matrix seriously,and the inclusion area percentage increases with the increasing of aluminum scraps.The high and low polarization measurements were conducted in 3.5 wt% NaCl aqueous solution at the temperature of 25 ℃.The electrochemical parameters of the testing materials,such as corrosion potential E k,corrosion current density I k and the linear polarization resistance R p,were obtained.The polarization measurement results show that the linear polarization resistances decrease,the corrosion potentials move towards more negative direction,and the corrosion current densities increase with the increasing of inclusion content.The theoretical analysis of the inclusion content and the corrosion current density was performed.The existence of inclusions makes the microstructure form corrosion microcells between the alloy matrix and inclusions.The impressed current can accelerate the current velocity or corrosion current density.The regression model of the inclusion contents vs.the corrosion current density was obtained.This model can be used to quantitatively analyze the inclusion content in aluminum alloys on the basis of inclusion sensitivity to the inclusion content.It is confirmed that the electrochemical method for inclusion assessment （EcMIA） is simple and reliable,which can provide a new solution for inclusion assessment in aluminum alloy.

High corrosion and wear resistant electroless Ni–P gradient coatings on aviation aluminum alloy parts

A Ni–P alloy gradient coating consisting of multiple electroless Ni–P layers with various phosphorus contents was prepared on the aviation aluminum alloy. Several characterization and electrochemical techniques were used to characterize the different Ni–P coatings’ morphologies, phase structures, elemental compositions, and corrosion protection. The gradient coating showed good adhesion and high corrosion and wear resistance, enabling the application of aluminum alloy in harsh environments. The results showed that the double zinc immersion was vital in obtaining excellent adhesion (81.2 N). The optimal coating was not peeled and shredded even after bending tests with angles higher than 90°and was not corroded visually after 500 h of neutral salt spray test at 35℃. The high corrosion resistance was attributed to the misaligning of these micro defects in the three different nickel alloy layers and the amorphous structure of the high P content in the outer layer. These findings guide the exploration of functional gradient coatings that meet the high application requirement of aluminum alloy parts in complicated and harsh aviation environments.

Review on laser directed energy deposited aluminum alloys

Lightweight aluminum(Al)alloys have been widely used in frontier fields like aerospace and automotive industries,which attracts great interest in additive manufacturing(AM)to process high-value Al parts.As a mainstream AM technique,laser-directed energy deposition(LDED)shows good scalability to meet the requirements for large-format component manufacturing and repair.However,LDED Al alloys are highly challenging due to their inherent poor printability(e.g.low laser absorption,high oxidation sensitivity and cracking tendency).To further promote the development of LDED high-performance Al alloys,this review offers a deep understanding of the challenges and strategies to improve printability in LDED Al alloys.The porosity,cracking,distortion,inclusions,element evaporation and resultant inferior mechanical properties(worse than laser powder bed fusion)are the key challenges in LDED Al alloys.Processing parameter optimizations,in-situ alloy design,reinforcing particle addition and field assistance are the efficient approaches to improving the printability and performance of LDED Al alloys.The underlying correlations between processes,alloy innovation,characteristic microstructures,and achievable performances in LDED Al alloys are discussed.The benchmark mechanical properties and primary strengthening mechanism of LDED Al alloys are summarized.This review aims to provide a critical and in-depth evaluation of current progress in LDED Al alloys.Future opportunities and perspectives in LDED high-performance Al alloys are also outlined.

Continuous Separation of Inclusions from Aluminum Melt Flowing in a Circular Pipe using a High Frequency Magnetic Field

The continuous separation of inclusions from aluminum melt flowing in a circular pipe using a high frequency magnetic field was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The separation efficiency was calculated based on the trajectory method and compared with experimental results. It is found that the separation efficiency is a function ofnondimensional parameters ti . The effective way to improve the separation efficiency is to increase the effective magnetic flux density and decrease the pipe radius, and the value of should be kept about 2 in order to obtain the optimum separation efficiency.

Influence of melt pouring temperature and plate inclination on solidification and microstructure of A356 aluminum alloy produced using oblique plate

The preparation of semisolid slurry of A356 aluminum alloy using an oblique plate was investigated. A356 alloy melt undergoes partial solidification when it flows down on an oblique plate cooled from underneath by counter flowing water. It results in continuous formation of columnar dendrites on plate wall. Due to forced convection, these dendrites are sheared off into equiaxed/fragmented grains and then washed away continuously to produce semisolid slurry at plate exit. Melt pouring temperature provides required condition of solidification whereas plate inclination enables necessary shear for producing semisolid slurry of desired quality. Slurry obtained was solidified in metal mould to produce semisolid-cast billets of desired microstructure. Furthermore, semisolid-cast billets were heat treated to improve surface quality. Microstructures of both semisolid-cast and heat-treated billets were analyzed. Effects of melt pouring temperature and plate inclination on solidification and microstructure of billets produced using oblique plate were described. The investigations involved four different melt pouring temperatures (620, 625, 630 and 635 °C) associated with four different plate inclinations (30°, 45°, 60° and 75°). Melt pouring temperature of 625 °C with plate inclination of 60° shows fine and globular microstructures and it is the optimum.

WEAR PERFORMANCE AND MECHANISM OF ZINC-ALUMINUM（ZA27）ALLOY

ZA27 alloy has the best performance and the widest applications in high aluminum zinc based die casting alloy series. One of its main applica-tions is used as abrasion resistant alloy,instead of nonferrous alloys such as copper alloy.The frictional wear p

REMOVE INCLUSIONS FROM ALUMINUM MELT INELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD

Electromagnetic separation of non-metallic inclusions from Al-Si melt is studied by theoretical analysis and experiments on self-designed electromagnetic separation apparatus. Metallographs and LECO Image Analysis System were used to analyze the content of alumina in aluminum alloy before and after electromagnetic separation. It is seen that removal effciency increases with the increase of electromagnetic force (EMF) and diameter of inclusion particles while decreases with the increase of melt velocity and height of separator. All alumina particles with diamete of 14μm have been removed successfully from the melt.

First-principles calculations of solute–vacancy interactions in aluminum

The interactions of solute atoms with vacancies play a key role in diffusion and precipitation of alloying elements,ultimately influencing the mechanical properties of aluminum alloys.In this study,first-principles calculations are systematically performed to quantify the solute–vacancy interactions for the 3d–4p series and the 4d–5p series.The solute–vacancy interaction gradually transforms from repulsion to attraction from left to right.The solute–vacancy binding energy is sensitive to the supercell size for elements at the beginning.These behaviors of the solute–vacancy binding energy can be understood in terms of the combination and competition between the elastic and electronic interactions.Overall,the electronic binding energy follows a similar trend to the total binding energy and plays a major role in the solute–vacancy interactions.

Non-metallic Inclusions in Continuously Cast Aluminum Killed Steels

In aluminum killed steels, the size, shape, quantity and formation of non-metallic inclusions in ladle steel (before and after RH vacuum treatment) and in tundish as well as in slabs were studied by EPMA (Electron Probe Microanalysis) and by analyzing the total oxygen. The results showed that in the slabs the total oxygen was quite low and the inclusions discovered were mainly small-sized angular alumina inclusions. This indicates that most inclusions have been removed by floating out during the continuous casting process. In addition, the countermeasures were discussed to decrease the alumina inclusions in the slabs further.

Unified Principal S-N Equation for Friction Stir Welding of 5083 and 6061 Aluminum Alloys

With the popularization of friction stir welding(FSW),5083-H321 and 6061-T6 aluminum alloy materials are widely used during the FSW process.In this study,the fatigue life of friction stir welding with two materials,i.e.,5083-H321 and 6061-T6 aluminum alloy,are studied.Fatigue tests were carried out on the base metal of these two materials as well as on the butt joints and overlapping FSW samples.The principle of the equivalent structural stress method is used to analyze the FSW test data of these two materials.The fatigue resistances of these two materials were com-pared and a unified principal S-N curve equation was fitted.Two key parameters of the unified principal S-N curve obtained by fitting,Cd is 4222.5,and h is 0.2693.A new method for an FSW fatigue life assessment was developed in this study and can be used to calculate the fatigue life of different welding forms with a single S-N curve.Two main fatigue tests of bending and tension were used to verify the unified principal S-N curve equation.The results show that the fatigue life calculated by the unified mean 50%master S-N curve parameters are the closest to the fatigue test results.The reliability,practicability,and generality of the master S-N curve fitting parameters were verified using the test data.The unified principal S-N curve acquired in this study can not only be used in aluminum alloy materials but can also be applied to other materials.