Purification of copper foils driven by single crystallization

High-purity copper(Cu) with excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, is crucial in modern technological applications, including heat exchangers, integrated circuits, and superconducting magnets. The current purification process is mainly based on the zone/electrolytic refining or anion exchange, however, which excessively relies on specific integrated equipment with ultra-high vacuum or chemical solution environment, and is also bothered by external contaminants and energy consumption. Here we report a simple approach to purify the Cu foils from 99.9%(3N) to 99.99%(4N) by a temperature-gradient thermal annealing technique, accompanied by the kinetic evolution of single crystallization of Cu.The success of purification mainly relies on(i) the segregation of elements with low effective distribution coefficient driven by grain-boundary movements and(ii) the high-temperature evaporation of elements with high saturated vapor pressure.The purified Cu foils display higher flexibility(elongation of 70%) and electrical conductivity(104% IACS) than that of the original commercial rolled Cu foils(elongation of 10%, electrical conductivity of ~ 100% IACS). Our results provide an effective strategy to optimize the as-produced metal medium, and therefore will facilitate the potential applications of Cu foils in precision electronic products and high-frequency printed circuit boards.

Effects of cold rolling path on recrystallization behavior and mechanical properties of pure copper during annealing

The recrystallization behavior,grain boundary characteristic distribution,and mechanical properties of pure Cu sheets that were subjected to different cold rolling paths,and then annealed at 400°C for 10,30,60,and 420 min,were investigated.Different rolling paths changed the grain boundary orientations of cold-rolled copper,causing recrystallized grains to nucleate and grow in an oriented manner.However,the evolution of the texture indicated that cold-rolled copper with different rolling paths did not show an obvious preferred orientation after annealing.The RD-60 specimen exhibited the smallest grain size(6.6μm).The results indicated that the grain size and low-ΣCSL grain boundaries worked together to provide RD-60 samples with appropriate mechanical properties and high plasticity.The yield strength,ultimate tensile strength,and elongation of RD-60 sample were 81 MPa,230 MPa,and 49%,respectively.These results could provide guidance for tuning the microstructures and properties of pure Cu foils,as well as designing fabrication routes for pure Cu foils through processes such as rolling and drawing.

Design of low-alloying and high-performance solid solution-strengthened copper alloys with element substitution for sustainable development

Solid solution-strengthened copper alloys have the advantages of a simple composition and manufacturing process,high mechanical and electrical comprehensive performances,and low cost;thus,they are widely used in high-speed rail contact wires,electronic component connectors,and other devices.Overcoming the contradiction between low alloying and high performance is an important challenge in the development of solid solution-strengthened copper alloys.Taking the typical solid solution-strengthened alloy Cu-4Zn-1Sn as the research object,we proposed using the element In to replace Zn and Sn to achieve low alloying in this work.Two new alloys,Cu-1.5Zn-1Sn-0.4In and Cu-1.5Zn-0.9Sn-0.6In,were designed and prepared.The total weight percentage content of alloying elements decreased by 43%and 41%,respectively,while the product of ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and electrical conductivity(EC)of the annealed state increased by 14%and 15%.After cold rolling with a 90%reduction,the UTS of the two new alloys reached 576 and 627MPa,respectively,the EC was 44.9%IACS and 42.0%IACS,and the product of UTS and EC(UTS×EC)was 97%and 99%higher than that of the annealed state alloy.The dislocations proliferated greatly in cold-rolled alloys,and the strengthening effects of dislocations reached 332 and 356 MPa,respectively,which is the main reason for the considerable improvement in mechanical properties.

The occurrence of metallic copper and redistribution of copper in the shocked Suizhou L6 chondrite

Copper possesses very strong chacophile properties,but under the conditions found in meteorites,its behavior is like that of siderophile elements.The Suizhou meteorite is a highly shocked L6 chondrite.Troilite and taenite are considered the main primary carrier of copper in this meteorite,and the post-shock thermal episode is considered the main reason that elemental Cu migrates from its original host phase and forms metallic grains.The Suizhou meteorite contains a few very thin shock melt veins.The occurrence and behavior of metallic copper in this meteorite were studied by optical microscopic examination,electron microprobe analyses,and high-resolution X-ray elemental intensity mapping.Our results show that metallic copper is abundant in the Suizhou chondritic rock.Metallic copper grains adjacent to small troilite grains inside FeNi metal are the most common occurrence,and those at the FeNi metal–troilite interface are the second most common case.The metallic copper grains occurring at the interface of FeNi metal/troililte and silicate are rather rare.Metallic copper grains are not observed within the Suizhou shock veins,Instead,Cu in elemental form is transferred through shock metamorphism into FeNi metal+troilite intergrowths.Four diff erent occurrence types of Cu in the FeNi metal+troilite intergrowths have been identifi ed:the concentrations of Cu in the FeNi+FeS intergrowths for four occurrence types are rather close,we estimate it might be lower than 1 wt%.

Laser-Constructing 3D Copper Current Collector with Crystalline Orientation Selectivity for Stable Lithium Metal Batteries

The practical application of lithium(Li)metal anodes in high-capacity batteries is impeded by the formation of hazardous Li dendrites.To address this challenge,this research presents a novel methodology that combines laser ablation and heat treatment to precisely induce controlled grain growth within laser-structured grooves on copper(Cu)current collectors.Specifically,this approach enhances the prevalence of Cu(100)facets within the grooves,effectively lowering the overpotential for Li nucleation and promoting preferential Li deposition.Unlike approaches that modify the entire surface of collectors,our work focuses on selectively enhancing lithiophilicity within the grooves to mitigate the formation of Li dendrites and exhibit exceptional performance metrics.The half-cell with these collectors maintains a remarkable Coulombic efficiency of 97.42%over 350 cycles at 1 mA cm^(−2).The symmetric cell can cycle stably for 1600 h at 0.5 mA cm^(−2).Furthermore,when integrated with LiFePO4 cathodes,the full-cell configuration demonstrates outstanding capacity retention of 92.39%after 400 cycles at a 1C discharge rate.This study introduces a novel technique for fabricating selective lithiophilic three-dimensional(3D)Cu current collectors,thereby enhancing the performance of Li metal batteries.The insights gained from this approach hold promise for enhancing the performance of all laser-processed 3D Cu current collectors by enabling precise lithiophilic modifications within complex structures.

Effect of process parameters on the morphology of aluminum/copper alloy lap joints by red and blue hybrid laser welding

In order to overcome the problems of many pores,large deformation and unstable weld quality of traditional laser welded aluminumcopper alloy joints,a red-blue dual-beam laser source and a swinging laser were introduced for welding.T2 copper and 6063 aluminum thin plates were lap welded by coaxial dual-beam laser welding.The morphology of weld cross section was compared to explore the influence of process parameters on the formation of lap joints.The microstructure characteristics of the weld zone were observed and compared by optical microscope.The results show that the addition of laser beam swing can eliminate the internal pores of the weld.With the increase of the swing width,the weld depth decreases,and the weld width increases first and then decreases.The influence of welding speed on the weld cross section morphology is similar to that of swing width.With the increase of welding speed,the weld width increases first and then decreases,while the weld depth decreases all the time.This is because that the red laser is used as the main heat source to melt the base metals,with the increase of red laser power,the weld depth increases.As an auxiliary laser source,blue laser reduces the total energy consumption,consequently,the effective heat input increases and the spatter is restrained effectively.As a result,the increase of red laser power has an enhancement effect on the weld width and weld depth.When the swing width is 1.2 mm,the red laser power is 550 W,the blue laser power is 500 W,and the welding speed is 35 mm/s,the weld forming is the best.The lap joint of T2 copper and 6063 aluminum alloy thin plate can be connected stably with the hybrid of blue laser.The effect rules of laser beam swing on the weld formation were obtained,which improved the quality of the joints.

Ceramic particles reinforced copper matrix composites manufactured by advanced powder metallurgy:preparation, performance, and mechanisms

Copper matrix composites doped with ceramic particles are known to effectively enhance the mechanical properties,thermal expansion behavior and high-temperature stability of copper while maintaining high thermal and electrical conductivity.This greatly expands the applications of copper as a functional material in thermal and conductive components,including electronic packaging materials and heat sinks,brushes,integrated circuit lead frames.So far,endeavors have been focusing on how to choose suitable ceramic components and fully exert strengthening effect of ceramic particles in the copper matrix.This article reviews and analyzes the effects of preparation techniques and the characteristics of ceramic particles,including ceramic particle content,size,morphology and interfacial bonding,on the diathermancy,electrical conductivity and mechanical behavior of copper matrix composites.The corresponding models and influencing mechanisms are also elaborated in depth.This review contributes to a deep understanding of the strengthening mechanisms and microstructural regulation of ceramic particle reinforced copper matrix composites.By more precise design and manipulation of composite microstructure,the comprehensive properties could be further improved to meet the growing demands of copper matrix composites in a wide range of application fields.

A core-shell copper oxides-cobalt oxides heterostructure nanowire arrays for nitrate reduction to ammonia with high yield rate

Electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia(NRA) can realize the green synthesis of ammonia(NH3) at ambient conditions, and also remove nitrate contamination in water. However, the current catalysts for NRA still face relatively low NH3yield rate and poor stability. We present here a core-shell heterostructure comprising cobalt oxide anchored on copper oxide nanowire arrays(CuO NWAs@Co_(3)O_(4)) for efficient NRA. The CuO NWAs@Co_(3)O_(4)demonstrates significantly enhanced NRA performance in alkaline media in comparison with plain CuO NWAs and Co_(3)O_(4)flocs. Especially, at-0.23 V vs. RHE, NH_(3) yield rate of the CuO NWAs@Co_(3)O_(4)reaches 1.915 mmol h^(-1)cm^(-2),much higher than those of CuO NWAs(1.472 mmol h^(-1)cm^(-2)), Co_(3)O_(4)flocs(1.222 mmol h^(-1)cm^(-2)) and recent reported Cu-based catalysts.It is proposed that the synergetic effects of the heterostructure combing atom hydrogen adsorption and nitrate reduction lead to the enhanced NRA performance.

Template synthesis of copper azide primary explosive through Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell composite prepared by “bottle around ship” method

Copper azide(CA), as a primary explosive with high energy density, has not been practically used so far because of its high electrostatic sensitivity. The Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell structure hybrid material was synthesized by the “bottle around ship” methodology in this research by regulating the dissolution rate of Cu2O and the generation rate of metal-organic framework(MOF) materials. Cu2O@HKUST-1 was carbonized to form a Cu O@porous carbon(CuO@PC) composite material. CuO@PC was synthesized into a copper azide(CA) @PC composite energetic material through a gas-solid phase in-situ azidation reaction.CA is encapsulated in PC framework, which acts as a nanoscale Faraday cage, and its excellent electrical conductivity prevents electrostatic charges from accumulating on the energetic material’s surface. The CA@PC composite energetic material has a CA content of 89.6%, and its electrostatic safety is nearly 30times that of pure CA(1.47 mJ compared to 0.05 mJ). CA@PC delivers an outstanding balance of safety and energy density compared to similar materials.

Copper Metabolism and Cuproptosis:Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Copper is an essential trace element,and plays a vital role in numerous physiological processes within the human body.During normal metabolism,the human body maintains copper homeostasis.Copper deficiency or excess can adversely affect cellular function.Therefore,copper homeostasis is stringently regulated.Recent studies suggest that copper can trigger a specific form of cell death,namely,cuproptosis,which is triggered by excessive levels of intracellular copper.Cuproptosis induces the aggregation of mitochondrial lipoylated proteins,and the loss of iron-sulfur cluster proteins.In neurodegenerative diseases,the pathogenesis and progression of neurological disorders are linked to copper homeostasis.This review summarizes the advances in copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in the nervous system and neurodegenerative diseases.This offers research perspectives that provide new insights into the targeted treatment of neurodegenerative diseases based on cuproptosis.

足三里穴位注射黄芪注射液联合肺康复训练对老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病病人抗菌肽LL-37和免疫功能的影响

目的 研究足三里穴位注射黄芪注射液联合肺康复训练对老年COPD稳定期病人的疗效、血清抗菌肽LL-37水平、炎症因子及外周血T淋巴细胞亚群的影响。方法 选择98例老年COPD稳定期病人,根据治疗方法分为黄芪组(50例)和对照组(48例)。对照组予以肺康复训练及常规西药治疗,黄芪组在对照组基础上予以足三里穴位注射黄芪注射液,疗程均为12周。比较2组治疗前后肺功能、6分钟步行试验(6MWT)结果、改良版英国医学研究委员会呼吸问卷(mMRC)呼吸困难程度分级,血清抗菌肽LL-37、TNF-α、IL-6、CRP水平及T淋巴细胞亚群变化。结果 2组治疗后肺功能(FVC、FEV1、FEV1%pred、FEV1/FVC)、6MWT结果及mMRC分级均较治疗前明显改善(P<0.05),且黄芪组较对照组改善更为明显(P<0.05)。2组治疗后血清抗菌肽LL-37、CD3^(+)T淋巴细胞、CD4^(+)T淋巴细胞及CD4^(+)/CD8^(+)水平均较治疗前升高,且黄芪组高于对照组(P<0.05);2组治疗后TNF-α、IL-6、CRP水平均低于治疗前,且黄芪组低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论 足三里穴位注射黄芪注射液联合肺康复训练可改善老年COPD稳定期病人的肺功能和运动耐力,提高血清抗菌肽LL-37水平并改善免疫功能。

Wear Evaluation of Copper-Nickel-Aluminum Alloys under Extreme Conditions

Cu-Ni-Al alloys at different concentrations were obtained using a high frequency induction melting unit, keeping a balance in the nominal compositions. Light alloys are important to be used in industrial applications. Aluminum additions result in a positive hardness increment of the ternary alloys in comparison with the binary Cu-Ni alloys. Generalized wear mechanisms of the alloys with low aluminum content are basically type abrasive, while samples with 5 and 10 at.% Al present an oxidative-adhesive wear mechanism. Wear results have indicated that aluminum addition affects positively the wear resistance, mainly in samples with high aluminum content product of the creation during the test of different oxides corresponding to the elements present in the alloys.

植物乳杆菌Zhang-LL与马克斯克鲁维酵母菌M3共发酵葡萄汁酵素的工艺优化

【目的】以葡萄汁为原料,植物乳杆菌Zhang-LL及马克斯克鲁维酵母M3为发酵菌株,优化葡萄汁酵素的发酵工艺条件。【方法】比较植物乳杆菌Zhang-LL和马克斯克鲁维酵母M3在葡萄汁中的不同接种方式对益生菌活菌数和DPPH清除率的影响,筛选葡萄汁酵素最优接种发酵方式。进一步通过单因素试验及响应面试验,优化葡萄汁酵素最佳发酵工艺条件。【结果】植物乳杆菌Zhang-LL和马克斯克鲁维酵母M3共发酵可以显著提高葡萄汁酵素中益生菌活菌数和DPPH清除率;植物乳杆菌Zhang-LL和马克斯克鲁维酵母M3共发酵的最佳工艺条件为:按照1∶1比例接种,初始接种量5.00 lg CFU/mL、大豆蛋白胨添加量0.46%、34℃发酵18 h,植物乳杆菌Zhang-LL活菌数达6.60×10^(8)CFU/mL,马克斯克鲁维酵母M3活菌数达8.20×10^(7)CFU/mL,酵素DPPH清除率85.25%。【结论】乳酸菌与酵母菌协同发酵,在缩短发酵时间的同时还能达到较高的活菌数和DPPH清除率,可为葡萄汁酵素的工业化制备及后续多功能产品研发提供理论依据。

Spectra-assisted laser focusing in quantitative analysis of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for copper alloys

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(LIBS)is a capable technique for elementary analysis,while LIBS quantitation is still under development.In quantitation,precise laser focusing plays an important role because it ensures the distance between the laser and samples.In the present work,we employed spectral intensity as a direct way to assist laser focusing in LIBS quantitation for copper alloys.It is found that both the air emission and the copper line could be used to determine the position of the sample surface by referencing the intensity maximum.Nevertheless,the fine quantitation was only realized at the position where the air emission(e.g.O(I)777.4 nm)reached intensity maximum,and also in this way,a repeatable quantitation was successfully achieved even after 120 days.The results suggested that the LIBS quantitation was highly dependent on the focusing position of the laser,and spectra-assisted focusing could be a simple way to find the identical condition for different samples’detection.In the future,this method might be applicable in field measurements for LIBS analysis of solids.

Modelling and Optimisation of Copper Adsorption in Solution by the Response Surface Method

Copper is considered a heavy metal that can be toxic at certain concentrations and its presence in water is a potential threat to public health. These heavy metals also contribute to a remarkable degradation of the environment, hence the need for effective treatment methods to remove them. In this study, a mixture of titaniferous sand and calcium silicate was used as adsorbent material to eliminate copper in solution. The calcium silicate was synthesised from fluosilicic acid, which is a by-product of phosphoric acid manufacture. The titaniferous sand is a residue from a mining industry. Both adsorbents were characterised by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence to determine their compositions and physicochemical properties. The response surfaces, through the Box-Behnken model, were used to model and optimise various adsorption parameters, namely initial copper concentration (A: 60 - 200 mg/L), adsorbent dose (B: 0.1 - 0.6 g) and pH (C: 4 - 10). The copper removal efficiency (98.92%), after statistical analysis, was obtained under the following optimal conditions: an adsorbent dose of 0.55 g, an initial copper concentration of 197.25 mg/L and a pH of 9.85. The study of the effects of the operating parameters showed that they had a positive effect on the copper removal efficiency.

Microstructure and thermal properties of dissimilar M300–CuCr1Zr alloys by multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion

Multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) allows manufacturing of parts with 3-dimensional gradient and additional functionality in a single step. This research focuses on the combination of thermally-conductive CuCr1Zr with hard M300 tool steel.Two interface configurations of M300 on CuCr1Zr and CuCr1Zr on M300 were investigated. Ultra-fine grains form at the interface due to the low mutual solubility of Cu and steel. The material mixing zone size is dependent on the configurations and tunable in the range of0.1–0.3 mm by introducing a separate set of parameters for the interface layers. Microcracks and pores mainly occur in the transition zone.Regardless of these defects, the thermal diffusivity of bimetallic parts with 50vol% of CuCr1Zr significantly increases by 70%–150%compared to pure M300. The thermal diffusivity of CuCr1Zr and the hardness of M300 steel can be enhanced simultaneously by applying the aging heat treatment.

老年慢性心力衰竭患者血清LL37和SSC5D水平检测对预后的评估价值

目的探讨血清抗菌肽LL37(LL37)和人可溶性富含半胱氨酸结构域的清道夫受体蛋白(soluble scavengerreceptor cysteine-rich domain-containing protein,SSC5D)在老年慢性心力衰竭(chronic heart failure,CHF)中的表达及对预后的评估价值。方法选取上海交通大学医学院附属苏州九龙医院2017年1月~2022年1月收治的100例CHF患者为CHF组,根据预后情况将患者分为预后良好组(n=60)和预后不良组(n=40)。另选取100例健康体检者为对照组。酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测血清LL37和SSC5D水平。比较CHF组和对照组血清LL37和SSC5D水平差异;Spearman分析血清LL37和SSC5D相关性;Kaplan-Meier生存曲线分析血清LL37和SSC5D表达与CHF患者预后的关系;COX分析影响CHF患者预后的因素。采用ROC曲线分析血清LL37和SSC5D对老年CHF患者预后不良的预测价值。结果CHF组血清LL37(771.38±158.25 ng/ml)和SSC5D(15789.35±1306.25 pg/ml)水平高于对照组(526.23±115.58ng/ml,8938.72±858.29 pg/ml),差异具有统计学意义(t=12.510,43.830,均P<0.001)。Spearman相关性分析结果显示,CHF患者血清LL37与SSC5D水平呈显著正相关(r=0.629,P<0.001);CHF患者血清LL37,SSC5D水平与NYHA心功能分级呈显著正相关(r=0.776,0.751,均P<0.001)。高水平LL37组生存率显著低于低水平LL37组(38.18%vs 86.67%),差异具有统计学意义(Log rankχ^(2)=24.242,P<0.001);高水平SSC5D组生存率显著低于低水平SSC5D组(37.74%vs 85.10%),差异具有统计学意义(Log rankχ^(2)=23.291,P<0.001)。预后不良组>70岁占比、NYHA心功能分级Ⅲ+Ⅳ级占比、血清LL37和SSC5D水平高于预后良好组,差异具有统计学意义(χ^(2)=10.774,4.118,t=4.723,14.059,均P<0.05)。多因素COX分析结果表明,年龄>70岁(OR=1.515,95%CI:1.224~1.858)、NYHA心功能Ⅲ+Ⅳ分级(OR=1.236,95%CI:1.198~1.963)、高水平LL37(OR=1.705,95%CI:1.163~2.582)和高水平SSC5D(OR=1.591,95%CI:1.052~1.916)是影响CHF患者预后的独立危险因素(均P<0.05)。ROC曲线分析显示,血清LL37和SSC5D联合预测老年CHF预后不良的曲线下面积大于血清LL37和SSC5D单独检测,差异具有统计学意义(Z=2.834,2.168,P=0.005,0.030)。结论CHF患者血清LL37和SSC5D水平升高,两者均是CHF患者预后不良危险因素,可作为临床评估CHF预后指标。

抗菌肽LL⁃37在骨质疏松症中的作用机制研究进展

抗菌肽(antimicrobial peptides,AMPS)是一种宿主防御肽,既往主要关注其抗细菌及抗病毒作用,进一步研究发现AMPS可在成骨、破骨、免疫、促进血管生成等多个途径调控骨代谢、参与骨质疏松症的发生发展。本文旨在总结AMPS在骨代谢中的调控机制,探讨其对骨质疏松症的影响为AMPS治疗骨质疏松症提供理论依据。

Stable yellow light emission from lead-free copper halides single crystals for visible light communication

Yellow light-emitting diodes(LEDs) as soft light have attracted abundant attention in lithography room, museum and art gallery. However, the development of efficient yellow LEDs lags behind green and blue LEDs, and the available perovskites yellow LEDs suffer from the instability. Herein, a pressure-assisted cooling method is proposed to grow lead-free CsCu2I3single crystals, which possess uniform surface morphology and enhanced photoluminescence quantum yield(PLQY) stability, with only 10% PLQY losses after being stored in air after 5000 h.Then, the single crystals used for yellow LEDs without encapsulation exhibit a decent Correlated Color Temperature(CCT) of 4290 K, a Commission Internationale de l’Eclairage(CIE) coordinate of(0.38, 0.41), and an excellent 570-h operating stability under heating temperature of 100°C. Finally, the yellow LEDs facilitate the application in wireless visible light communication(VLC), which show a-3 dB bandwidth of 21.5 MHz and a high achievable data rate of 219.2 Mbps by using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing(OFDM) modulation with adaptive bit loading. The present work not only promotes the development of lead-free single crystals, but also inspires the potential of CsCu2I3in the field of yellow illumination and wireless VLC.

Copper-based bimetallic electrocatalysts for CO_(2) reduction:From mechanism understandings to product regulations

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction reaction(CO_(2) RR)is a promising method to solve current environment and energy issues.Copper-based catalysts have been widely studied for converting CO_(2) into value-added hy-drocarbon products.Cu monometallic catalyst has been proved to have some shortcomings,including relatively high energy barriers and diverse reaction pathways,leading to low reaction activities and poor product selec-tivity,respectively.Recently copper-based bimetallic tandem catalysts have attracted extensive attentions due to their special catalyst structure,which can be easily regulated to achieve high CO_(2) RR reactivity and product selectivity.With the development of quantum chemistry calculations and spectroscopic characterization methods,deep understandings of CO_(2) RR from the mechanism perspective provide a broad horizon for the design of effi-cient catalysts.This review offers a good summary of reaction mechanisms and product regulation strategies over copper-based bimetallic catalysts,along with a brief discussion on future directions towards their practical applications.