Nanostructured ZnO/BiVO_(4)I-scheme heterojunctions for piezocatalytic degradation of organic dyes via harvesting ultrasonic vibration energy

BiVO_(4)porous spheres modified by ZnO were designed and synthesized using a facile two-step method.The resulting ZnO/BiVO_(4)composite catalysts have shown remarkable efficiency as piezoelectric catalysts for degrading Rhodamine B(RhB)unde mechanical vibrations,they exhibit superior activity compared to pure ZnO.The 40wt%ZnO/BiVO_(4)heterojunction composite displayed the highest activity,along with good stability and recyclability.The enhanced piezoelectric catalytic activity can be attributed to the form ation of an I-scheme heterojunction structure,which can effectively inhibit the electron-hole recombination.Furthermore,hole(h+)and superoxide radical(·O_(2)^(-))are proved to be the primary active species.Therefore,ZnO/BiVO_(4)stands as an efficient and stable piezoelectric catalyst with broad potential application in the field of environmental water pollution treatment.

Prenatal ultrasonography and genetic analysis of fetal cleidocranial dysplasia:A case report

BACKGROUND Cleidocranial dysplasia(CCD)is an infrequent clinical condition with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.It is characterized by abnormal clavicles,patent sutures and fontanelles,supernumerary teeth,and short stature.Approximately 60%-70%of patients with CCD have mutations in the RUNX family transcription factor 2 gene.However,prenatal diagnosis of CCD is difficult when the family history is unknown.CASE SUMMARY We report a rare case of fetal CCD with an unknown family history,confirmed by prenatal ultrasonography and genetic testing at a gestational age of 16 weeks.The genetic reports indicated that the fetus carried pathogenic mutations in the RUNX family transcription factor 2 gene(c.674G>A).After careful consideration,the pregnant woman and her family decided to continue the pregnancy.CONCLUSION Definitive prenatal diagnosis of CCD should include family history,ultrasound diagnosis,and genetic analysis,especially if family history is unknown.

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted cutting of titanium alloys:A state-of-the-art review

The remarkable ability of titanium alloys to preserve their superior physical and chemical characteristics when subjected to extreme conditions significantly enhances their importance in the aerospace,military,and medical sectors.However,conventional machining of titanium alloys leads to elevated tool wear,development of surface defects,and reduced machining efficiency due to their low heat conductivity,and chemical affinity.These issues can be somewhat counteracted by integrating ultrasonic vibration in the conventional machining of titanium alloys and also enhance sustainability.This review article offers a holistic evaluation of the influence of ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling and turning on cutting forces,temperature,tool wear,and surface integrity,encompassing surface morphology,surface roughness,surface residual stress,surface hardness,and surface tribological properties during titanium alloys machining.Furthermore,it investigates the sustainability aspect that has not been previously examined.Studies on the performance of ultrasonic-assisted cutting revealed several advantages,including decreased cutting forces and cutting temperature,improved tool life,and a better-machined surface during machining.Consequently,the sustainability factor is improved due to minimized energy consumption and residual waste.In conclusion,the key challenges and future prospects in the ultrasonic-assisted cutting of titanium alloys are also discussed.This review article provides beneficial knowledge for manufactur-ers and researchers regarding ultrasonic vibration-assisted cutting of titanium alloy and will play an important role in achieving sustainability in the industry.

Surface integrity characterization of thirdgeneration nickel-based single crystal blade tenons after ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding

Machined surface integrity of workpieces in harsh environments has a remarkable influence on their performance.However,the complexity of the new type of machining hinders a comprehensive understanding of machined surface integrity and its formation mechanism,thereby limiting the study of component performance.With increasing demands for high-quality machined workpieces in aerospace industry applications,researchers from academia and industry are increasingly focusing on post-machining surface characterization.The profile grinding test was conducted on a novel single-crystal superalloy to simulate the formation of blade tenons,and the obtained tenons were characterized for surface integrity elements under various operating conditions.Results revealed that ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding(UVAG)led to multiple superpositions of abrasive grain trajectories,causing reduced surface roughness(an average reduction of approximately29.6%)compared with conventional grinding.After examining the subsurface layer of UVAG using transmission electron microscopy,the results revealed that the single-crystal tenon grinding subsurface layer exhibited a gradient evolution from the near-surface to the substrate.This evolution was characterized by an equiaxed nanocrystalline layer measuring 0.34μm,followed by a submicrocrystalline grain-forming zone spanning 0.6μm and finally,a constituent phase-twisted dis-torted deformation zone over 0.62μm.Under normal grinding conditions,the tenon exhibited low surface hardening(not exceeding 15%),and residual compressive stresses were observed on its surface.In cases where grinding burns occurred,a white layer appeared on the tenon's surface,which demonstrated varying thicknesses along the teeth from top to root due to thermal-force-structural coupling effects.Additionally,these burns introduced residual tensile stresses on the tenon's surface,potentially substantially affecting its fatigue life.This paper enhances our understanding of UVAG processes and establishes a foundation for their application in manufacturing singlecrystal turbine blades for next-generation aero-turbine engines.

Effects of Repair Grouting and Jacketing on Corrosion Concrete Using Ultrasonic Method

Concrete is one of the most important elements in building construction.However,concrete used in construction is susceptible to damage due to corrosion.The influence of corrosive substances causes changes in the reinforcing steel and affects the strength of the structure.The repair method is one approach to overcome this problem.This research aims to determine the effect of grouting and jacketing repairs on corroded concrete.The concrete used has dimensions of 15 cm×15 cm×60 cm with planned corrosion variations of 50%,60%,and 70%.The test objects were tested using the Non-Destructive Testing(NDT)method using Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity(UPV).The test results show that the average speed of normal concrete is 5070 m/s,while the lowest average speed is 3070 m/s on the 70%planned corrosion test object.The test object was then given a load of 1600 kgf.At this stage,there is a decrease in speed and wave shape with the lowest average speed obtained at 2753 m/s.The repair method is an effort to restore concrete performance by using grouting and jacketing.Grouting is done by injecting mortar material into it.Jacketing involves adding thickness to the existing concrete layer with additional layers of concrete.After improvements were made,there was an improvement in the UPV test,with a peak speed value of 4910 m/s.Repairing concrete by filling cracks can improve concrete continuity and reduce waveform distortion,thereby increasing wave propagation speed.

Increase Activity Cavitations in Liquids and Melts at Ultrasonics Processing

Increase of efficiency of cavitation processes in liquids and melts is reached by gas cavities saturation with the sizes not exceeding the resonant sizes of cavitation germs. Gas saturation of liquids and melts raises level of cavitation pressure upon 20% - 25% that intensifies US processing: cleaning, soldering and metallization.

Increase Ultrasonics Cleaning Efficiency of Electronics Modules

The new approach is offered for the cleaning applications of electronics modules. The modular systems of the distributed ultrasonics converters, which are established in chessboard order, provide the uniformity cavitation fields in ultrasonic bath. The effect of periodic deviation of ultrasonics frequency created the directed acoustic currents in the liquid, witch increase removal pollution process. The technological parameters of automated ultrasonics cleaning lines as concentration SAS, temperature of washing solutions, and ultrasonics cavitation power are optimized.

Grindability Evaluation of Ultrasonic Assisted Grinding of Silicon Nitride Ceramic Using Minimum Quantity Lubrication Based SiO_(2)Nanofluid

Minimum quantity Lubrication(MQL)is a sustainable lubrication system that is famous in many machining systems.It involve the spray of an infinitesimal amount of mist-like lubricants during machining processes.The MQL system is affirmed to exhibit an excellent machining performance,and it is highly economical.The nanofluids are understood to exhibit excellent lubricity and heat evacuation capability,compared to pure oil-based MQL system.Studies have shown that the surface quality and amount of energy expended in the grinding operations can be reduced considerably due to the positive effect of these nanofluids.This work presents an experimental study on the tribological performance of SiO_(2)nanofluid during grinding of Si_(3)N_(4)ceramic.The effect different grinding modes and lubrication systems during the grinding operation was also analyzed.Different concentrations of the SiO_(2)nanofluid was manufactured using canola,corn and sunflower oils.The quantitative evaluation of the grinding process was done based on the amount of grinding forces,specific grinding energy,frictional coefficient,and surface integrity.It was found that the canola oil exhibits optimal lubrication performance compared to corn oil,sunflower oil,and traditional lubrication systems.Additionally,the introduction of ultrasonic vibrations with the SiO_(2)nanofluid in MQL system was found to reduce the specific grinding energy,normal grinding forces,tangential grinding forces,and surface roughness by 65%,57%,65%,and 18%respectively.Finally,regression analysis was used to obtain an optimum parameter combinations.The observations from this work will aid the smooth transition towards ecofriendly and sustainable machining of engineering ceramics.

A Novel On-Site-Real-Time Method for Identifying Characteristic Parameters Using Ultrasonic Echo Groups and Neural Network

On-site and real-time non-destructive measurement of elastic constants for materials of a component in a in-service structure is a challenge due to structural complexities,such as ambiguous boundary,variable thickness,nonuniform material properties.This work develops for the first time a method that uses ultrasound echo groups and artificial neural network(ANN)for reliable on-site real-time identification of material parameters.The use of echo groups allows the use of lower frequencies,and hence more accommodative to structural complexity.To train the ANNs,a numerical model is established that is capable of computing the waveform of ultrasonic echo groups for any given set of material properties of a given structure.The waveform of an ultrasonic echo groups at an interest location on the surface the structure with material parameters varying in a predefined range are then computed using the numerical model.This results in a set of dataset for training the ANN model.Once the ANN is trained,the material parameters can be identified simultaneously using the actual measured echo waveform as input to the ANN.Intensive tests have been conducted both numerically and experimentally to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of the currently proposed method.The results show that the maximum identification error of numerical example is less than 2%,and the maximum identification error of experimental test is less than 7%.Compared with currently prevailing methods and equipment,the proposefy the density and thickness,in addition to the elastic constants.Moreover,the reliability and accuracy of inverse prediction is significantly improved.Thus,it has broad applications and enables real-time field measurements,which has not been fulfilled by any other available methods or equipment.

Evaluation of defects in aluminum piston castings by using ultrasonics and computer tomography

Pistons used in automobile engines are made of aluminum alloy; and endurance of high pressure and high temperature is required. Recently, high strength pistons are needed to cope with the increase of pressure and temperature in the engine cylinder. A high strength piston is possible when the piston casting has little or no casting defects, such as micro-pores and cracks. Generally the defects can be evaluated by non-destructive testing (NDT), and the most efficient ways for evaluation are using ultrasonics and computer tomography. In the present study, two NDT methods were compared and evaluated to investigate the defects in the aluminum piston castings. Artificial defects were machined by using very small drill bits with diameters 1, 0.5, 0.3, 0.2 and 0.1 mm. The defects were investigated by using an ultrasonic tester and a computer tomography system. Defects smaller than 0.3 mm may not be found by using the ultrasonic test, but the defects may be found by using the computer tomography system. The investigation conditions for detecting small defects and the scanning time for in-line defect analysis are discussed in the present study.

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.

Non-Contact Velocity Measurement of Japanese Cedar Columns Using Air-Coupled Ultrasonics

The ultrasonic wave velocities of Japanese cedar columns were measured using a non-contact method. An air-coupled ultrasonic wave was propagated through the axial and lateral directions of wood. The velocities in the axial direction (VL) showed the minimum values around the pith. The averaged VL increased from 3600 m/s towards the outside of measurement area and attained the maximum values (=4010 m/s). The velocities in the lateral direction (VRT ) showed no tendency among measurement points. The averaged VRT was 1450 m/s. The velocities obtained using the non-contact method showed a significant positive relationship with those obtained using the contact method. The averaged ratio of VL to VRT was measured to be approximately 2.2 to 2.8. These ratios were in agreement with those from a contact method. These findings suggest that it is possible to measure the velocity in Japanese cedar columns with the non-contact method by using air-coupled ultrasonics.

ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF RESIDUAL IMPACT PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS BY ACOUSTO-ULTRASONICS——A PATTERN RECOGNITION APPROACH

This paper deals with the application of Acousto-ultrasonics,in con- junction with Pattern Recognition and Classification techniques,to the identification of residual impact properties of a class of polymeric material,namely,Polyvinylchlo- ride(PVC).PVC specimens of different low-energy repeated impact damage states are processed by Acousto-ultrasonics(AU)to retrieve AU signals in the form of dig- italized records.These AU signals are grouped as distinct classes,each pertaining to a known level of repeated impact damage.Describing features of these AU signals are used to build Pattern Recognition(PR)Classifiers.These classifiers are used to identify unknown damage states in other PVC specimens by classifying the re- trieved AU signals as belonging to one of the classes.The obtained results indicate that Acousto-ultrasonics in combination with Pattern Recognition and Classification techniques can be used for the quantitative non-destructive identification of damage states in PVC specimens of unknown low-energy repeated impact conditions.

Ultrasonic scalpel based on fusiform phononic crystal structure

In response to the ultrasonic scalpels with the vibrational modal coupling which leads to a decrease in efficiency,an ultrasonic scalpel based on fusiform phononic crystals(PnCs)is proposed.An accurate theoretical model is constructed,which is mainly composed of electromechanical equivalent circuit models to analyze the frequency response function and the frequency response curves of the admittance.Bragg band gaps exist in the fusiform PnCs owing to the periodic constraint,which can suppress the corresponding vibrational modes.The vibration characteristics(vibration mode,frequency,and displacement distribution)of the ultrasonic scalpel are analyzed,and the validity of the electromechanical equivalent circuit method is verified.The results indicate that other vibration modes near the working frequency can be isolated.In addition,blades based on fusiform PnCs have a function akin to that of the horn,which enables displacement amplification.

On the efficient non-linear solver for hydraulic fracturing and well cementing simulations based on Anderson acceleration

The aim of this study is to create a fast and stable iterative technique for numerical solution of a quasi-linear elliptic pressure equation. We developed a modified version of the Anderson acceleration(AA)algorithm to fixed-point(FP) iteration method. It computes the approximation to the solutions at each iteration based on the history of vectors in extended space, which includes the vector of unknowns, the discrete form of the operator, and the equation's right-hand side. Several constraints are applied to AA algorithm, including a limitation of the time step variation during the iteration process, which allows switching to the base FP iterations to maintain convergence. Compared to the base FP algorithm, the improved version of the AA algorithm enables a reliable and rapid convergence of the iterative solution for the quasi-linear elliptic pressure equation describing the flow of particle-laden yield-stress fluids in a narrow channel during hydraulic fracturing, a key technology for stimulating hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs. In particular, the proposed AA algorithm allows for faster computations and resolution of unyielding zones in hydraulic fractures that cannot be calculated using the FP algorithm. The quasi-linear elliptic pressure equation under consideration describes various physical processes, such as the displacement of fluids with viscoplastic rheology in a narrow cylindrical annulus during well cementing,the displacement of cross-linked gel in a proppant pack filling hydraulic fractures during the early stage of well production(fracture flowback), and multiphase filtration in a rock formation. We estimate computational complexity of the developed algorithm as compared to Jacobian-based algorithms and show that the performance of the former one is higher in modelling of flows of viscoplastic fluids. We believe that the developed algorithm is a useful numerical tool that can be implemented in commercial simulators to obtain fast and converged solutions to the non-linear problems described above.

Source localization based on field signatures:Laboratory ultrasonic validation

Location awareness in wireless networks is essential for emergency services,navigation,gaming,and many other applications.This article presents a method for source localization based on measuring the amplitude-phase distribution of the field at the base station.The existing scatterers in the target area create unique scattered field interference at each source location.The unique field interference at each source location results in a unique field signature at the base station which is used for source localization.In the proposed method,the target area is divided into a grid with a step of less than half the wavelength.Each grid node is characterized by its field signature at the base station.Field signatures corresponding to all nodes are normalized and stored in the base station as fingerprints for source localization.The normalization of the field signatures avoids the need for time synchronization between the base station and the source.When a source transmits signals,the generated field signature at the base station is normalized and then correlated with the stored fingerprints.The maximum correlation value is given by the node to which the source is the closest.Numerical simulations and results of experiments on ultrasonic waves in the air show that the ultrasonic source is correctly localized using broadband field signatures with one base station and without time synchronization.The proposed method is potentially applicable for indoor localization and navigation of mobile robots.

Quantitative analysis of laser-generated ultrasonic wave characteristics and their correlation with grain size in polycrystalline materials

Quantitative relationship between nanosecond pulsed laser parameters and the characteristics of laser-generated ultrasonic waves in polycrystalline materials was evaluated.The high energy of the pulsed laser with a large irradiation spot simultaneously generated ultrasonic longitudinal and shear waves at the epicenter under the slight ablation regime.An optimized denoising technique based on wavelet thresholding and variational mode decomposition was applied to reduce noise in shear waves with a low signal-to-noise ratio.An approach for characterizing grain size was proposed using spectral central frequency ratio(SCFR)based on time-frequency analysis.The results demonstrate that the generation regime of ultrasonic waves is not solely determined by the laser power density;even at high power densities,a high energy with a large spot can generate an ultrasonic waveform dominated by the thermoelastic effect.This is ascribed to the intensification of the thermoelastic effect with the proportional increase in laser irradiation spot area for a given laser power density.Furthermore,both longitudinal and shear wave SCFRs are linearly related to grain size in polycrystalline materials;however,the shear wave SCFR is more sensitive to finer-grained materials.This study holds great significance for evaluating metal material properties using laser ultrasound.

Synergistically Improved Mechanical Properties and Thermal Conductivity of Hypoeutectic AlSiNiFeMg Alloy Prepared by Ultrasonic-assisted Casting

We employed a melt ultrasonic treatment near the liquidus to prepare a high-thermal-conductivity Al-4Si-2Ni-0.8Fe-0.4Mg alloy.The influences of various ultrasonic powers on its microstructure,mechanical properties,and thermal conductivity were investigated.It is shown that near-liquidus ultrasonication significantly refines the alloy grains and eutectic structure,synergistically improving the alloy’s mechanical properties and thermal conductivity.Specifically,the grain size decreased by 84.5%from 941.4 to 186.2μm.Increasing the ultrasonic power improved the thermal conductivity of the alloy slightly and significantly enhanced its mechanical properties.At an ultrasonic power of 2100 W,the tensile strength,yield strength,elongation rate,and thermal conductivity were 216 MPa,142 MPa,6.3%,and 169 W/(m·k),respectively.

Determining rock crack stress thresholds using ultrasonic through-transmission measurements

The crack initiation stress threshold is widely used in excavation industries as rock spalling strength when designing deep underground structures to avoid unwanted brittle failures.While various strain-based methods have been developed for the estimation of this critical design parameter,such methods are destructive and often requires subjective interpretations of the stress–strain curves,particularly in rocks with pre-existing microcracks or high porosity.This study explore the applicability of non-destructive ultrasonic through-transmission methods for determining rock damage levels by assessing the changes in transmitted signal characteristics during loading.The change in velocity,amplitude,dominant frequency,and root-mean-square voltage are investigated with four different rock types including marble,sandstone,granite,and basalt under various stress levels.Results suggest the rate of signal variations can be reliably used to estimate crack closure and crack initiation stress levels across the tested rocks before failure.Comparison of the results between the conventional techniques and the new proposed methods based on ultrasonic monitoring are further discussed.

Low palladium content CeO_(2)/ZnO composite for acetone sensor with sub-second response prepared by ultrasonic method

In practical applications,noble metal doping is often used to prepare high performance gas sensors,but more noble metal doping will lead to higher preparation costs.In this study,CeO_(2)/ZnO-Pd with low palladium content was prepared by ultrasonic method with fast response and high selectivity for acetone sensing.With the same amount of palladium added,the selectivity coefficient of CeO_(2)/ZnO-Pd is 1.88 times higher than that of the stirred sensor.Compared with the pure PdO-doped CeO_(2)/ZnO-PdO material,the content of Pd in CeO_(2)/ZnO-PdO is about 30%of that in CeO_(2)/ZnO-PdO,but the selectivity coefficient for acetone is 2.56 times higher.The CeO_(2)/ZnO-Pd sensor has a higher response(22.54)to 50×10^(−6) acetone at 300℃and the selectivity coefficient is 2.57 times that of the CeO_(2)/ZnO sensor.The sensor has a sub-second response time(0.6 s)and still has a 2.36 response to 330×10^(−9) of acetone.Ultrasonic doping makes Pd particles smaller and increases the contact area with gas.Meanwhile,the composition of n-p-n heterojunction and the synergistic effect of Pd/PdO improve the sensor performance.It shows that ultrasonic Pd doping provides a way to improve the utilization rate of doped metals and prepare highly selective gas sensors.