Dissipation Energy in Tapping-Mode Atomic Force Microscopes Caused by Liquid Bridge

The dissipation of energy during the process of contact and separation between a tip and a sample is very important for understanding the phase images in the tapping mode of atomic force microscopes（AFMs）. In this study, a method is presented to measure the dissipated energy between a tip and a sample. The experimental results are found to be in good agreement with the theoretical model, which indicates that the method is reliable.Also, this study confirms that liquid bridges are mainly produced by extrusion modes in the tapping mode of AFMs.

Microstructure Investigation on Refractories Under Optical Microscopes

Optical microscopes with polishing equipment possess high performance/cost ratio for refractories industry. Here, the preparation of polishing sections of refractory materials and products and their observation under microscopes were introduced in detail. The observation of microstructures helps to improve and optimize production process. Optical microscopes can observe （1） homogenous or inhomogeneous composition distribution to improve mixing intensity; （2） coarse grains contact or not and contacted grain edges broken or intact to adjust the pressing parameters to avoid overpressure ; （ 3 ） the filling degree of components to optimize the particle size distribution; （4） the sintering necks and bridges and matrix shrinkage status to adjust sintering intensity or sintering atmosphere; （5） the crack edge in round or sharp to know when the cracks formed （ before or after entering sintering zone） and take countermeasures ; （6） used refractories to find the wear mechanism.

Constant Force Feedback Controller Design Using PID-Like Fuzzy Technique for Tapping Mode Atomic Force Microscopes

A novel constant force feedback mechanism based on fuzzy logic for tapping mode Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) is proposed in this paper. A mathematical model for characterizing the cantilever-sample interaction subsystem which is nonlinear and contains large uncertainty is first developed. Then, a PID-like fuzzy controller, combing a PD-like fuzzy controller and a PI controller, is designed to regulate the controller efforts and schedule the applied voltage of the Z-axis of the piezoelectric tube scanner to maintain a constant tip-sample interaction force during sample-scanning. Using the PID-like fuzzy controller allows the cantilever tip to track sample surface rapidly and accurately even though the topography of the surface is arbitrary and not given in advance. This rapid tracking response facilitates us to observe samples with high aspect ratio micro structures accurately and quickly. Besides, the overshoot which will result in tip crash in commercial AFMs with a traditional PID controller could be avoided. Additionally, the controller efforts can be intelligently scheduled by using the fuzzy logic. Thus, continuous manual gain-tuning by trial and error such as those in commercial AFMs is alleviated. In final, computer simulations and experimental verifications are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and confirm the validity of the proposed controller.

Pore-pressure and stress-coupled creep behavior in deep coal:Insights from real-time NMR analysis

Understanding the variations in microscopic pore-fracture structures(MPFS) during coal creep under pore pressure and stress coupling is crucial for coal mining and effective gas treatment. In this manuscript, a triaxial creep test on deep coal at various pore pressures using a test system that combines in-situ mechanical loading with real-time nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) detection was conducted.Full-scale quantitative characterization, online real-time detection, and visualization of MPFS during coal creep influenced by pore pressure and stress coupling were performed using NMR and NMR imaging(NMRI) techniques. The results revealed that seepage pores and microfractures(SPM) undergo the most significant changes during coal creep, with creep failure gradually expanding from dense primary pore fractures. Pore pressure presence promotes MPFS development primarily by inhibiting SPM compression and encouraging adsorption pores(AP) to evolve into SPM. Coal enters the accelerated creep stage earlier at lower stress levels, resulting in more pronounced creep deformation. The connection between the micro and macro values was established, demonstrating that increased porosity at different pore pressures leads to a negative exponential decay of the viscosity coefficient. The Newton dashpot in the ideal viscoplastic body and the Burgers model was improved using NMR experimental results, and a creep model that considers pore pressure and stress coupling using variable-order fractional operators was developed. The model’s reasonableness was confirmed using creep experimental data. The damagestate adjustment factors ω and β were identified through a parameter sensitivity analysis to characterize the effect of pore pressure and stress coupling on the creep damage characteristics(size and degree of difficulty) of coal.

Acoustical properties of a 3D printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers:Experimental analysis and optimization for emerging applications

The novelty of this research lies in the successful fabrication of a 3D-printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers for acoustic properties,utilizing an impedance tube setup in accordance with ASTM standard E 1050-12.The Creality Ender-3,a 3D printer,was used for printing the honeycomb structures,and polylactic acid(PLA)material was employed for their construction.The organic,inorganic,and polymeric compounds within the composites were identified using fourier transformation infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy.The structure and homogeneity of the samples were examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM).To determine the sound absorption coefficient of the 3D printed honeycomb structure,numerous samples were systematically developed using central composite design(CCD)and analysed using response surface methodology(RSM).The RSM mathematical model was established to predict the optimum values of each factor and noise reduction coefficient(NRC).The optimum values for an NRC of 0.377 were found to be 1.116 wt% carbon black,1.025 wt% aluminium powder,and 3.151 mm distance between parallel edges.Overall,the results demonstrate that a 3Dprinted honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers is an excellent material that can be utilized in various fields,including defence and aviation,where lightweight and acoustic properties are of great importance.

Significance of including lid thickness and particle shape factor in numerical modeling for prediction of particle trap efficiency of invert trap

Sediment accumulation on the bed of open sewers and drains reduces hydraulic efficiency and can cause localized flooding.Slotted invert traps installed underneath the bed of open sewers and drains can eliminate sediment build-up by catching sediment load.Previous three-dimensional(3D)computational studies have examined the particle trapping performance of invert traps of different shapes and depths under varied sediment and flow conditions,considering particles as spheres.For two-dimensional and 3D numerical modeling,researchers assumed the lid geometry to be a thin line and a plane,respectively.In this 3D numerical study,the particle trapping efficiency of a slotted irregular hexagonal invert trap fitted at the flume bottom was examined by incorporating the particle shape factor of non-spherical sewage solid particles and the thicknesses of upstream and downstream lids over the trap in the discrete phase model of the ANSYS Fluent 2020 R1 software.The volume of fluid(VOF)and the realizable k-turbulence models were used to predict the velocity field.The two-dimensional particle image velocimetry(PIV)was used to measure the velocity field inside the invert trap.The results showed that the thicknesses of upstream and downstream lids affected the velocity field and turbulent kinetic energy at all flow depths.The joint impact of the particle shape factor and lid thickness on the trap efficiency was significant.When both the lid thickness and particle shape factor were considered in the numerical modeling,trap efficiencies were underestimated,with relative errors of-8.66%to-0.65%in comparison to the experimental values of Mohsin and Kaushal(2017).They were also lower than the values predicted by Mohsin and Kaushal(2017),which showed an overall overestimation with errors of-2.3%to 17.4%.

Impact Analysis of Microscopic Defect Types on the Macroscopic Crack Propagation in Sintered Silver Nanoparticles

Sintered silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)arewidely used in high-power electronics due to their exceptional properties.However,the material reliability is significantly affected by various microscopic defects.In this work,the three primary micro-defect types at potential stress concentrations in sintered AgNPs are identified,categorized,and quantified.Molecular dynamics(MD)simulations are employed to observe the failure evolution of different microscopic defects.The dominant mechanisms responsible for this evolution are dislocation nucleation and dislocation motion.At the same time,this paper clarifies the quantitative relationship between the tensile strain amount and the failure mechanism transitions of the three defect types by defining key strain points.The impact of defect types on the failure process is also discussed.Furthermore,traction-separation curves extracted from microscopic defect evolutions serve as a bridge to connect the macro-scale model.The validity of the crack propagation model is confirmed through tensile tests.Finally,we thoroughly analyze how micro-defect types influence macro-crack propagation and attempt to find supporting evidence from the MD model.Our findings provide a multi-perspective reference for the reliability analysis of sintered AgNPs.

Application of a microscopic optical potential of chiral effective field theory in (p, d) transfer reactions

The microscopic global nucleon–nucleus optical model potential(OMP)proposed by Whitehead,Lim,and Holt,the WLH potential(Whitehead et al.,Phys Rev Lett 127:182502,2021),which was constructed in the framework of many-body per-turbation theory with state-of-the-art nuclear interactions from chiral effective field theory(EFT),was tested with(p,d)transfer reactions calculated using adiabatic wave approximation.The target nuclei included both stable and unstable nuclei,and the incident energies reached 200 MeV.The results were compared with experimental data and predictions using the phenomenological global optical potential of Koning and Delaroche,the KD02 potential.Overall,we found that the micro-scopic WLH potential described the(p,d)reaction angular distributions similarly to the phenomenological KD02 potential;however,the former was slightly better than the latter for radioactive targets.On average,the obtained spectroscopic factors(SFs)using both microscopic and phenomenological potentials were similar when the incident energies were below approxi-mately 120 MeV.However,their difference tended to increase at higher incident energies,which was particularly apparent for the doubly magic target nucleus 40Ca.

Physical and mechanical properties and microstructures of submarine soils in the Yellow Sea

In recent years,the exploration of seabed has been intensified,but the submarine soils of silt and sand in the Yellow Sea area have not been well investigated so far.In this study,the physical and mechanical properties of silt and sand from the Yellow Sea were measured using a direct shear apparatus and their microstructures were observed using a scanning electron microscope.The test results suggest that the shear strength of silt and sand increases linearly with the increase of normal stress.Based on the direct shear test,the scanning electron microscope was used to observe the section surface of sand.It is observed that the section surface becomes rough,with many“V”‐shaped cracks.Many particles appear on the surface of the silt structure and tend to be disintegrated.The X‐ray diffraction experiment reveals that the sand and silt have different compositions.The shear strength of sand is slightly greater than that of silt under high stress,which is related to the shape of soil particles and the mineral composition.These results can be a reference for further study of other soils in the Yellow Sea;meanwhile,they can serve as soil parameters for the stability and durability analyses of offshore infrastructure construction.

Microscopic growth mechanism and edge states of monolayer 1T'-MoTe_(2)

Transition metal ditellurides(TMTDs)have versatile physical properties,including non-trivial topology,Weyl semimetal states and unique spin texture.Controlled growth of high-quality and large-scale monolayer TMTDs with preferred crystal phases is crucial for their applications.Here,we demonstrate the epitaxial growth of 1T'-MoTe_(2) on Au(111)and graphitized silicon carbide(Gr/SiC)by molecular beam epitaxy(MBE).We investigate the morphology of the grown1T'-MoTe_(2) at the atomic level by scanning tunnelling microscopy(STM)and reveal the corresponding microscopic growth mechanism.It is found that the unique ordered Te structures preferentially deposited on Au(111)regulate the growth of monolayer single crystal 1T'-MoTe_(2),while the Mo clusters were preferentially deposited on the Gr/SiC substrate,which impedes the ordered growth of monolayer MoTe_(2).We confirm that the size of single crystal 1T'-MoTe_(2) grown on Au(111)is nearly two orders of magnitude larger than that on Gr/SiC.By scanning tunnelling spectroscopy(STS),we observe that the STS spectrum of the monolayer 1T'-MoTe_(2) nano-island at the edge is different from that at the interior,which exhibits enhanced conductivity.

A review of interaction mechanisms and microscopic simulation methods for CO_(2)-water-rock system

This work systematically reviews the complex mechanisms of CO_(2)-water-rock interactions,microscopic simulations of reactive transport(dissolution,precipitation and precipitate migration)in porous media,and microscopic simulations of CO_(2)-water-rock system.The work points out the key issues in current research and provides suggestions for future research.After injection of CO_(2) into underground reservoirs,not only conventional pressure-driven flow and mass transfer processes occur,but also special physicochemical phenomena like dissolution,precipitation,and precipitate migration.The coupling of these processes causes complex changes in permeability and porosity parameters of the porous media.Pore-scale microscopic flow simulations can provide detailed information within the three-dimensional pore and throat space and explicitly observe changes in the fluid-solid interfaces of porous media during reactions.At present,the research has limitations in the decoupling of complex mechanisms,characterization of differential multi-mineral reactions,precipitation generation mechanisms and characterization(crystal nucleation and mineral detachment),simulation methods for precipitation-fluid interaction,and coupling mechanisms of multiple physicochemical processes.In future studies,it is essential to innovate experimental methods to decouple“dissolution-precipitation-precipitate migration”processes,improve the accuracy of experimental testing of minerals geochemical reaction-related parameters,build reliable characterization of various precipitation types,establish precipitation-fluid interaction simulation methods,coordinate the boundary conditions of different physicochemical processes,and,finally,achieve coupled flow simulation of“dissolution-precipitation-precipitate migration”within CO_(2)-water-rock systems.

The Influence of Acid on the RockMechanical Characteristics of Deep Shale in theWujiaping Formation

The microscopic characteristics and mechanical properties of rocks change after the action of acid on deep shale,which affects the fracturing effect.Accordingly,we designed and conducted indoor experiments related to the changes in macro and microscopic characteristics after the interaction of acid with the shale of Wujiaping Formation,based on which the characteristic law of fracture volume modification after acid fracturing was studied using numerical simulation.The results demonstrate that the pores and fractures are enlarged and the structure is significantly loosened after the acid immersion.And a 15%concentration of hydrochloric acid can effectively dissolve shale.Furthermore,the degree of acid-etching reaction is highly variable because of the different carbonate content,which reveals the strong inhomogeneity of the shale system in the Wujiaping Group reservoir section.After the acid interacted with the shale rock samples,the triaxial compressive strength,elastic modulus,and Poisson’s ratio of shale decreased.Moreover,the evaluation of the effect after acid fracturing simulated by fracturing software revealed that the smaller the value of elastic modulus in shale-based reservoirs,the more favorable the fracture volume modification.This discovery not only provides a theoretical basis for the expansion and extension patterns of acid-fracturing in carbonaceous shale formations but also offers research methods and theoretical insights for the fundamental exploration of other deep-seated oil and gas resources.

Pharmacognosy research and identification of Euphorbia prostrata Ait.

Background:Euphorbia prostrata Ait.is an annual herb widely distributed in the southern region of China with great medical values on Anti-inflammation,insect repellent,treatment of diarrhea.Despite its extensive uses as a traditional Chinese medicine,no systematic research on the identification of E.prostrata has been reported.Methods:The study aimed to establish an accurate identification system for E.prostrata through traditional pharmacognostical methods,including botanical origin,morphological characters,medicinal material characters,microscopic characters,physicochemical parameters determination,phytochemical screening,and DNA barcoding analysis.Results:Physicochemical results show that this plant likely contains flavonoids,anthraquinones,and other substances.The ITS loci of the nuclear genome and psbA-trnH loci of the chloroplast genome were selected and evaluated,which were the most variable loci.Conclusion:The findings of this study are expected to contribute to the development of species identification,as well as provide references for authenticity identification,genetic relationship analysis,and further utilization of E.prostrata.

Gold Standard for Skin Cancer Treatment: Surgery (Mohs) or Microscopic Molecular-Cellular Therapy (Curaderm)?

Non-melanoma skin cancers or keratinocyte cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma make up approximately 80% and 20% respectively, of skin cancers with the 6 million people that are treated annually in the United States. 1 in 5 Americans and 2 in 3 Australians develop skin cancer by the age of 70 years and in Australia it is the most expensive, amassing $1.5 billion, to treat cancers. Non-melanoma skin cancers are often self-detected and are usually removed by various means in doctors’ surgeries. Mohs micrographic surgery is acclaimed to be the gold standard for the treatment of skin cancer. However, a novel microscopic molecular-cellular non-invasive topical therapy described in this article, challenges the status of Mohs procedure for being the acclaimed gold standard.

Endoscopic Assisted Eyebrow Craniotomy for Anterior Cranial Fossa Lesions: Clinical and Cosmetic Outcomes

Background: The eyebrow supraorbital keyhole approach could be considered a modified minimally invasive model for the classic pterional subfrontal approach in which an eyebrow incision and supraorbital mini craniotomy are performed for exposure of the anterior cranial fossa corridor. Methods: This study was retrospectively conducted on twenty four patients, age ranging from 20 to 65 years old, with anterior cranial fossa lesions who were meeting the eligibility criteria for eyebrow craniotomy in the period from August 2019 to January 2023. These patients were operated through eyebrow supraorbital approach in which microscopic endoscopic assisted technique were used. Extent of resection, clinical and cosmetic outcomes and complication incidence were assessed. Results: We included the twenty four patients who met inclusion criteria (17 females and 7 males) their ages ranged from 20 to 65 years. The most common pathology was meningioma in 19 patients. Two patients experienced supraorbital loss of sensation and only one patient experienced palsy of frontalis branch of facial nerve. Frontal sinus was breached in 3 patients with no patient experienced postoperative CSF leak. Total excision was accomplished for 23 patients. Four patients who had preoperative visual compromise, improvement of visual acuity and field defects was observed in 3 patients. No major intraoperative complications occurred. All patients filled cosmetic satisfaction questionnaire during their outpatient visits. For the eyebrow supraorbital approach, no incision related intolerable pain, no craniotomy defects or irregularities, no cosmetic complaints nor limitation of jaw opening were reported, and only minor symptoms in the form of limited eyebrow elevation, swelling and numbness in the forehead. Conclusions: The eyebrow craniotomy could be used safely as a more cosmetic and minimally invasive approach for a variety of anterior cranial fossa lesions. Endoscopic assistance has been found very useful for deeply seated lesions and hidden residuals with minimal brain retraction which couldn’t be accessed easily through microscopic field solely. Endoscopic assisted eyebrow supraorbital keyhole approach could be performed on a wider scale with great results but requires good selection of cases and more practice to expertise the needed skills.

The Effect of Graphene Oxide on Mechanical Properties of Cement Mortar

Cement is widely used in engineering applications,but it has both the characteristics of high brittleness and poor bending resistance.In this paper,the effects of different amounts ofgraphene oxide on the flexural strength and compressive strength of cement mortar were studied by doping a certain amount of graphene oxide with cement mortar,and the strengthening mechanism of graphene oxide on cement mortar was obtained through microstructure detection.It is found that graphene oxide has a significant enhancement effect on the macroscopic mechanical properties of cement mortar,and graphene oxide provides nano-nucleation sites and growth templates for cement mortar,accelerates the hydration process,reduces the voids between hydration products,greatly increases the compactness,and improves the macroscopic properties of cement-based materials.

Recent advances in nanorobotic manipulation inside scanning electron microscopes

A scanning electron microscope(SEM)provides real-time imaging with nanometer resolution and a large scanning area,which enables the development and integration of robotic nanomanipulation systems inside a vacuum chamber to realize simultaneous imaging and direct interactions with nanoscaled samples.Emerging techniques for nanorobotic manipulation during SEM imaging enable the characterization of nanomaterials and nanostructures and the prototyping/assembly of nanodevices.This paper presents a comprehensive survey of recent advances in nanorobotic manipulation,including the development of nanomanipulation platforms,tools,changeable toolboxes,sensing units,control strategies,electron beam-induced deposition approaches,automation techniques,and nanomanipulation-enabled applications and discoveries.The limitations of the existing technologies and prospects for new technologies are also discussed.

钢渣粉/聚酯纤维沥青混合料水稳定性研究

为了实现钢渣粉在沥青路面中的可持续利用,同时结合河南省冬季冰雪天气下路面的除冰情况,研究了掺有聚酯纤维与钢渣粉沥青混合料的水稳定性。制备4种聚酯纤维掺量(0、0.3%、0.4%、0.5%)AC-13沥青混合料开展复盐(掺量配比为NaCl∶CaCl2∶CH2COONa=1∶1∶2)冻融循环劈裂试验,结果表明聚酯纤维掺量为0.4%时,沥青混合料水稳定最好;在最佳纤维掺量下制备5种替代率(0、25%、50%、75%、100%)钢渣粉沥青混合料,采用冻融劈裂抗拉强度比(freeze-thaw splitting tensile strength ratio,TSR)确定最佳钢渣粉替代率为75%,混合料水稳定性最佳;通过冻融腐蚀因子K评价沥青混合料的抗侵蚀性能,结果表明:聚酯纤维/钢渣粉沥青混合料的抗侵蚀性能最强,聚酯纤维沥青混合料次之,普通石灰岩沥青混合料最弱。通过电镜扫描(scanning electron microscope,SEM)、X射线衍射(X-ray diffraction,XRD)技术探索钢渣粉/聚酯纤维沥青混合料界面黏附作用的改性机理。微观分析表明:掺量为0.4%的聚酯纤维形成的纤维网状结构以及沥青、钢渣粉(75%的替代率)和矿粉三者存在界面能量作用可以很好地改善沥青混合料的水稳定性。

Strength weakening and its micromechanism in water–rock interaction,a short review in laboratory tests

Water–rock interaction(WRI)is a topic of interest in geology and geotechnical engineering.Many geological hazards and engineering safety problems are severe under the WRI.This study focuses on the water weakening of rock strength and its infuencing factors(water content,immersion time,and wetting–drying cycles).The strength of the rock mass decreases to varying degrees with water content,immersion time,and wetting–drying cycles depending on the rock mass type and mineral composition.The corresponding acoustic emission count and intensity and infrared radiation intensity also weaken accordingly.WRI enhances the plasticity of rock mass and reduces its brittleness.Various microscopic methods for studying the pore characterization and weakening mechanism of the WRI were compared and analyzed.Various methods should be adopted to study the pore evolution of WRI comprehensively.Microscopic methods are used to study the weakening mechanism of WRI.In future work,the mechanical parameters of rocks weakened under long-term water immersion(over years)should be considered,and more attention should be paid to how the laboratory scale is applied to the engineering scale.

In situ observation of the dissolution kinetics of Al_(2)O_(3) particles in CaO–Al_(2)O_(3)–SiO_(2) slags using laser confocal scanning microscopy

The dissolution kinetics of Al_(2)O_(3) in CaO-Al_(2)O_(3) SiOslags was studied using a high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscope at 1773 to 1873 K.The results show that the controlling step during the Al_(2)O_(3) dissolution was the diffusionin molten slag.It was found that the dissolution curves of Al_(2)O_(3) particles were hardly agreed with the traditional boundary layer diffusion model with the increase of the CaO/Al_(2)O_(3) ratio of slag.A modified diffusion equation considering slag viscosity was developed to study the dissolution mechanism of Al_(2)O_(3) in slag.Diffusion coefficients of Al_(2)O_(3) in slag were calculated as 2.8×10to 4.1×10m~2/s at the temperature of 1773-1873 K.The dissolution rate of Al_(2)O_(3) increased with higher temperature,CaO/Al_(2)O_(3),and particle size.A new model was shown to be v_(Al_(2)O_(3))=0.16×r_(0)^(1.58)×x^(3.52)×(T-T_(mp))^(1.11)to predict the dissolution rate and the total dissolution time of Al_(2)O_(3) inclusions with various sizes,where vAl_(2)O_(3) is the dissolution rate of Al_(2)O_(3) in volume,μm^(3)/s;x is the value of CaO/Al_(2)O_(3) mass ratio;R_(0) is the initial radius of Al_(2)O_(3),μm;T is the temperature,K;T_(mp) is the melting point of slag,K.