Preparation,properties and applications of natural biomass materials(Ⅻ)Multifunctional acidic heteropolysaccharide:pectin

Pectin is a kind of natural hydrophilic colloid with complicated composition and structure,which has been abundantly found in the cells of higher plants.Pectin has good water solubility,stability,gelling ability and emulsifying ability,as well as safety and non-toxicity,good biocompatibility,biodegradability,and many excellent biological activities such as lowering cholesterol,anti-tumor,anti-oxidation,and lowering blood sugar.Moreover,both its physicochemical properties and functional performance can be further improved by physical,chemical and enzymatic treatments and compound modification upon the active functional groups,such as hydroxyl groups,carboxyl groups and glycosidic bonds.Therefore,pectin has been widely used in many fields,including food industry and pharmaceutical industry.Furthermore,great application potential has emerged in daily-use chemical industry,functional materials,and biodegradable biological materials.In this review,the source,chemical structure,main physicochemical properties and functional characteristics of pectin were briefly introduced.The extraction methods,separation and purification technologies,and modification methods for pectin were also systematically presented.In addition,the situation of application as well as the current problems for pectin and its modified products were summarized.Finally,some of the directions of future research and development of pectin were pointed out.

Microstructure characterization and thermal properties of hypereutectic Si-Al alloy for electronic packaging applications

The rapid solidified process and hot press method were performed to produce three hypereutectic 55%Si-Al, 70%Si-Al and 90%Si-Al alloys for heat dissipation materials. The results show that the atomization is an effective rapid solidified method to produce the Si-Al alloy and the size of atomized Si-Al alloy powder is less than 50 μm. The rapid solidified Si-Al alloy powder were hot pressed at 550 ℃ with the pressure of 700 MPa to obtain the relative densities of 99.4%, 99.2% and 94.4% for 55%Si-Al, 70%Si-Al and 90%Si-Al alloys, respectively. The typical physical properties, such as the thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion （CTE） and electrical conductivity of rapid solidified Si-Al alloys are acceptable as a heat dissipation material for many semiconductor devices. The 55%Si-Al alloy changes greatly （CTE） with the increase of temperature but obtains a good thermal conductivity. The CTE of 90%Si-Al alloy matches with the silicon very well but its thermal conductivity value is less than 100 W/（m.K）. Therefore, the 70%Si-Al alloy possesses the best comprehensive properties of CTE and thermal conductivity for using as the heat sink materials.

Synthesis, properties, and applications of graphene oxide/reduced graphene oxide and their nanocomposites

Thanks to their remarkable mechanical, electrical, thermal, and barrier properties, graphene-based nanocomposites have been a hot area of research in the past decade. Because of their simple top-down synthesis, graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have opened new possibilities for gas barrier, membrane separation, and stimuli-response characteristics in nanocomposites. Herein, we review the synthesis techniques most commonly used to produce these graphene derivatives, discuss how synthesis affects their key material properties, and highlight some examples of nanocomposites with unique and impressive properties. We specifically highlight their performances in separation applications, stimuli-responsive materials, anti-corrosion coatings, and energy storage. Finally, we discuss the outlook and remaining challenges in the field of practical industrial-scale production and use of graphene-derivative-based polymer nanocomposites.

A Review on Metal-and Metal Oxide-Based Nanozymes:Properties,Mechanisms,and Applications

Since the ferromagnetic(Fe_(3)O_(4))nanoparticles were firstly reported to exert enzyme-like activity in 2007,extensive research progress in nanozymes has been made with deep investigation of diverse nanozymes and rapid development of related nanotechnologies.As promising alterna-tives for natural enzymes,nanozymes have broadened the way toward clinical medicine,food safety,environmental monitoring,and chemical production.The past decade has witnessed the rapid development of metal-and metal oxide-based nanozymes owing to their remarkable physicochemical proper-ties in parallel with low cost,high stability,and easy storage.It is widely known that the deep study of catalytic activities and mechanism sheds sig-nificant influence on the applications of nanozymes.This review digs into the characteristics and intrinsic properties of metal-and metal oxide-based nanozymes,especially emphasizing their catalytic mechanism and recent applications in biological analysis,relieving inflammation,antibacterial,and cancer therapy.We also conclude the present challenges and provide insights into the future research of nanozymes constituted of metal and metal oxide nanomaterials.

Microstructural evolution,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of a heat-treated Mg alloy for the bio-medical application

During the recent years,some Mg based alloys have extensively been considered as a new generation of degradable and absorbable bio-medical materials.In this work,the Mg-2Zn-1Gd-1Ca(wt%)alloy as a new metallic bio-material was produced by the casting process followed by the heat treatment.The samples of the alloy were solution treated at temperatures of 500,550,and 600°C and then quench aged at temperatures of 125,150,and 175°C.The results of SEM-EDS examinations indicated that the alloy microstructure consists ofα-Mg matrix and the Ca_(2)Mg_(6)Zn_(3)and Mg_(3)Gd_(2)Zn_(3)secondary phases.With regard to the results of Vickers hardness test,the temperatures of 500°C and 150°C were selected as the optimum solutionizing and aging temperatures,respectively.Moreover,the dissolution of casting precipitates and production of lattice distortion occurring after the solution treatment led to the reduction in ultimate shear strength up to 21%.But,the precipitation hardening and morphological changes taking place during the aging treatment improved the ultimate shear strength up to 32%.Furthermore,the results of electro-chemical and weight-loss measurements in a simulated body fluid indicated that the heat-treated alloy is a promising candidate for the Mg based alloys recently considered for the bio-medical applications.

Effect of Intensive Inorganic Fertilizer Application on Microbial Properties in a Paddy Soil of Subtropical China

A field experiment with rice-rice rotation was conducted since 2002 in southeast China for investigating the response of soil microbial properties to intensive nitrogen fertilizer application. The tested soil was a subtropical paddy soil derived from Quaternary red clay. Differences between treatments existed in different application rates of urea when the experiment was designed. Urea was applied in five rates, i.e., 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 U, equivalent to 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 times the local average amount of urea application （900 kg urea ha-~ yr-~, equivalent to 414 kg N ha-1 yr-~）. In 2007, soil total nitrogen, available nitrogen, and soil organic carbon contents were increased by 10.2-27.9, 8.0-16.0, and 10.2-30.6%, respectively, in treatments with urea application rates of 0.5 to 2 U compared to control （0 U）. Microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen were also increased by 3.1-30.8 and 1.3-13.9%, respectively, in treatments with urea application. Basal respiration in treatments with urea input were 9.4-29.1% higher than that in control. However, changes of bacterial functional diversity had different trends. Urea fertilization enhanced bacterial functional diversity until treatment of 1 U, but re-decreased it from treatment of 1.5 U. Principal components analysis indicated that there were intimate relationships among soil organic matter, nitrogen nutrient, microbial biomass, and respiration. Nevertheless, microbial diversity was related to soil moisture contents after urea application. We conclude here that the application of N fertilizer improved soil microbial biomass and respiratory activity. But, microbial diversity was reduced when excessive urea was applied in the tested paddy soil.

PROPERTIES, WELDABILITY AND APPLICATIONS OF ADVANCED WROUGHT SUPERALLOYS FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINES

Alloy selection and alloy design both require consideration of an array of material attributes, including in-service properties, weldability and fabricability. Critical properties of advanced wrought superalloys for gas turbine applications include high temperature strength, thermal stability, oxidation resistance and fatigue resistance. In this paper, the properties of twelve wrought solid-solution-strengthened and six age-hardenable superalloys are compared. Weldability is an important attribute and can be a major limiting factor in the use of certain alloys. Weldability test methods are discussed and the resistance of alloys to solidification cracking and strain-age cracking is compared. The use of weldability testing in the development of modern wrought su-peralloys is discussed with several examples cited. Finally, alloy selection for gas turbine components is outlined, taking into account both alloy properties and fabricability.

Properties and Applications of Bamboo Fiber—A Current-State-of-the Art

Fibers are used in many forms in engineering applications–one of the most common being used as reinforcement.Due to its renewable short natural growth cycle and abundance of bamboo resources,bamboo fiber has attracted attention over other natural fibers.Bamboo fiber has a complex natural structure but offers excellent mechanical properties,which are utilized in the textile,papermaking,construction,and composites industry.However,bam-boo fibers can easily absorb moisture and are prone to corrosion limiting their use in engineering applications.Therefore,a better understanding of bamboo fiber is particularly important.This paper reviews all existing research on the mechanical characterization of bamboo fiber with an emphasis on the extraction and treatment techniques,and their effect on relevant properties.The chemical composition of bamboo fibers has also been thoroughly investigated and presented herein.Current applications and future opportunities for bamboo fibers in various fields have been presented with a focus on research needs.This work can serve as a reference for future research on bamboo fiber.

Two/Quasi-two-dimensional perovskite-based heterostructures:construction,properties and applications

Two-dimensional(2D)/quasi-2D organic-inorganic halide perovskites are regarded as naturally formed multiple quantum wells with inorganic layers isolated by long organic chains,which exhibit layered structure,large exciton binding energy,strong nonlinear optical effect,tunable bandgap via changing the layer number or chemical composition,improved environmental stability,and excellent optoelectronic properties.The extensive choice of long organic chains endows 2D/quasi-2D perovskites with tunable electron-phonon coupling strength,chirality,or ferroelectricity properties.In particular,the layered nature of 2D/quasi-2D perovskites allows us to exfoliate them to thin plates to integrate with other materials to form heterostructures,the fundamental structural units for optoelectronic devices,which would greatly extend the functionalities in view of the diversity of 2D/quasi-2D perovskites.In this paper,the recent achievements of 2D/quasi-2D perovskite-based heterostructures are reviewed.First,the structure and physical properties of 2D/quasi-2D perovskites are introduced.We then discuss the construction and characterizations of 2D/quasi-2D perovskite-based heterostructures and highlight the prominent optical properties of the constructed heterostructures.Further,the potential applications of 2D/quasi-2D perovskite-based heterostructures in photovoltaic devices,light emitting devices,photodetectors/phototransistors,and valleytronic devices are demonstrated.Finally,we summarize the current challenges and propose further research directions in the field of 2D/quasi-2D perovskite-based heterostructures.

A New Two-Parameter Heteromorphic Elliptic Equation: Properties and Applications

The ellipse and the superellipse are both planar closed curves with a double axis of symmetry. Here we show the isoconcentration contour of the simplified two-dimensional advection-diffusion equation from a stable line source in the center of a wide river. A new two-parameter heteromorphic elliptic equation with a single axis of symmetry is defined. The values of heights, at the point of the maximum width and that of the centroid of the heteromorphic ellipse, are derived through mathematical analysis. Taking the compression coefficient θ = b/a = 1 as the criterion, the shape classification of H-type, Standard-type and W-type for heteromorphic ellipse have been given. The area formula, the perimeter theorem, and the radius of curvature of heteromorphic ellipses, and the geometric properties of the rotating body are subsequently proposed. An illustrative analysis shows that the inner contour curve of a heteromorphic elliptic tunnel has obvious advantages over the multiple- arc splicing cross section. This work demonstrates that the heteromorphic ellipses have extensive prospects of application in all categories of tunnels, liquid transport tanks, aircraft and submarines, bridges, buildings, furniture, and crafts.

Effects of Different Nitrogen Applications on Soil Physical, Chemical Properties and Yield in Maize (<i>Zea mays</i>L.)

Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is one of the most important approaches on improving maize grain yield. However, as is known to all, overuse N fertilizer not only leads to decline of N use efficiency and maize yield, but also leads to potential risk to environment pollution. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of N fertilizer applications with nine different treatments on soil physical-chemical characters and maize grain yield using hybrid variety Zhengdan 958 in 2011 and 2012. Results indicated that the soil bulk densities of T2 (CK) and T1 were the lowest compared to other treatments in 2011 and 2012, respectively, whereas the soil bulk density of T5 in 2011 and T3 in 2012 were higher than other treatments. The soil porosity and field capacity of T5 in 2011 and T3 in 2012 were lower than other treatments, but those of CK in 2011 and T1 in 2012 were higher than other treatments. The pH values of T3 to T7 were lower than other treatments. These results indicated that the soil bulk densities were increased, whereas the soil porosity, field capacity and values pH were decreased by N application at different stages. N application could increase the N contents of leaf and stem, whereas less or excess N application should not significant improve maize yield. Although the soil organic matter and total N contents of T3 were the highest in both 2011 and 2012, the yield of T4 is the highest in both 2011 and 2012. The application amount, period and times of N fertilizer were important to maize yield.

Modeling of Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Steel Plates Produced by Thermo-Mechanical Control Process and Its On-line Application

An integrated metallurgical model was developed to predict microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of low-carbon steel plates produced by TMCP. The metallurgical phenomena occurring during TMCP and mechanical properties were predicted for different process parameters. In the later passes full recrystallization becomes difficult to occur and higher residual strain remains in austenite after rolling. For the reasonable temperature and cooling schedule, yield strength of 30 mm plain carbon steel plate can reach 310 MPa. The first on-line application of prediction and control of microstructure and properties (PCMP) in the medium plate production was achieved. The predictions of the system are in good agreement with measurements.

Recent advances in metal halide perovskite photocatalysts:Properties,synthesis and applications

As a class of new emerged semiconductors,MHPs exhibit many excellent photoelectronic properties,which are superior to most conventional semiconductor nanocrystals(NCs).Particularly,MHPs have received extensive attention and brought new opportunities for the development of photocatalysis.Over the past few years,numerous efforts have been made to design and prepare MHP-based materials for a wide range of applications in photocatalysis,ranging from photocatalytic H_(2) generation,photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction,photocatalytic organic synthesis and pollutant degradation.In this review,recent advances in the development of MHP-based materials are summarized from the standpoint of photocatalysis.A brief outlook of this field has been proposed to point out some important challenges and possible solutions.This review suggests that the new family of MHP photocatalysts provide a new paradigm in efficient artificial photosynthesis.

Nanocellulose Composites—Properties and Applications

Nanocellulose composites combine the advantages of nanocellulose and composites. Recently, nanocellulose composites have been received more attentions due to their improved properties and promising broad applications. In the past, rapid progress has been made in the synthesis, properties, and mechanism of nanocellulose composites and potential applications were reported. There are a few reports on the increasing applications of nanocellulose composites with focus on the biomedical field, environmental field, electrode and sensor applications. In this article, the recent development of nanocellulose composites was reviewed via some typical examples. In addition to the synthesis methods, improved properties and potential applications were discussed. The problems and future applications of nanocellulose composites were also suggested.

Mechanical properties and potential applications of magnesium alloys

Magnesium alloys, having high specific strength, with a density only 2/3 of that of aluminum and 1/4 of carbon steels, have become ideal materials for low mass applications such as automobiles and electronic devices. It was dealt with the state of the art in developing cost effective, low mass, high ductility and high creep resistance magnesium alloys that are suitable for structures and power train applications.

Clay Materials for Ceramics Application from N’Djamena in the Chad Republic: Mineralogical, Physicochemical and Microstructural Characterization

Herein, we report some characteristics of the clayey materials (CMs) collected from Kaliwa (C1), Kabé (C2) and Malo (C3) district in N’Djamena (Chad). Three samples were characterized applying XRF, XRD, FTIR, SEM. In addition, TGA/DSC were performed to control decomposition/mass loss and show phase transitions respectively of CMs. Geochemical analysis by XRF reveals the following minerals composition: SiO2 (~57% - 66%), Al2O3 (~13% - 15%), Fe2O3 (~6% - 10%), TiO2 (~1% - 2%) were the predominant oxides with a reduced proportion in C1, and (~7%) of fluxing agents (K2O, CaO, Na2O). Negligible and trace of MgO (~1%) and P2O5 was noted. The mineralogical composition by XRD shows that, C1, C2 and C3 display close mineralogy with: Quartz (~50%), feldspar (~20%) as non-clay minerals, whereas clays minerals were mostly kaolinite (~15%), illite (~5%) and smectite (~10%). FTIR analysis exhibits almost seemingly similar absorption bands characteristic of hydroxyls elongation, OH valence vibration of Kaolinite and stretching vibration of some Metal-Oxygen bond. SEM micrographs of the samples exhibit microstructureformed by inter-aggregates particles with porous cavities. TGA/DSCconfirm the existence of quartz (570˚C to 870˚C), carbonates (600˚C - 760˚C), kaolinite (569˚C - 988˚C), illite (566˚C - 966˚C), MgO (410˚C - 720˚C) and smectite (650˚C - 900˚C). The overall characterization indicates that, these clayey soils exhibit good properties for ceramic application.

Mechanical properties of coppiced and non-coppiced Pterocarpus erinaceus boles and their industrial application

Rosewood(Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir.)is valued for flooring,ornaments,musical instruments and furniture-making due to its durability,strength,beauty and acoustic properties.It coppices easily which could boost its continual supply.Compression parallel to grain,Modulus of Elasticity(MOE)and Modulus of Rupture(MOR)within coppiced and non-coppiced boles were determined.These properties decreased along both types of boles.Strength values for the heartwood were also greater than those for the sapwood of each type of bole.MOE,MOR and compression for non-coppiced stems were greater than those from the coppiced stems.The differences were significant(p<0.05).Mechanical properties from the coppiced and non-coppiced boles are comparable.Both have strength properties comparable with those of species widely used for railway sleepers,structural supports,flooring,veneer,furniture,cabinetry,truss and mine props.Therefore,coppiced wood could supplement non-coppiced wood for industrial applications which require strength.

The Property and Application of Arachidonic Acid

Arachidonic acid (AA) is one of the most important PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) in human body. A high-yield arachidonic acid-producing strain (mortierella alpina) was selected by ion implantation (the relative content of arachidonic acid is 70.2% among all fatty acids). This paper mainly introduced the structure, distribution, source, physiologic healthcare function and application of AA.

Photoelectrocatalytic principles for meaningfully studying photocatalyst properties and photocatalysis processes:From fundamental theory to environmental applications

Photocatalysis is critically important for environmental remediation and renewable energy technologies.The ability to objectively characterize photocatalyst properties and photocatalysis processes is paramount for meaningful performance evaluation and fundamental studies to guide the design and development of high-performance photocatalysts and photocatalysis systems.Photocatalysis is essentially an electron transfer process,and photoelectrocatalysis(PEC)principles can be used to directly quantify transferred electrons to determine the intrinsic properties of photocatalysts and photocatalysis processes in isolation,without interference from counter reactions due to physically separated oxidation and reduction half-reactions.In this review,we discuss emphatically the PEC-based principles for characterizing intrinsic properties of photocatalysts and important processes of photocatalysis,with a particular focus on their environmental applications in the degradation of pollutants,disinfection,and detection of chemical oxygen demand(COD).An outlook towards the potential applications of PEC technique is given.

Tuning magneto-dielectric properties of Co_(2)Z ferrites via Gd doping for high-frequency applications

Magneto-dielectric properties of Co_(2)Z ferrite materials are tuned via Gd doping for applications in high-frequency antennas and filters in the present work.Ba_(3)Co_(2)Fe_(24-x)Gd_(x)O_(41)(x=0.00,0.05,0.10,0.15,and 0.20)materials are successfully prepared by using solid-state method at 925℃for 4 h with 2.5-wt%Bi_(2)O_(3)sintering aids.The content of Gd^(3+)ion can affect micromorphology,grain size,bulk density,and magneto-dielectric properties of the ferrite.With Gd^(3+)ion content increasing,saturation magnetization(Ms)first increases and then decreases.The maximum value of Ms is 44.86 emu/g at x=0.15.Additionally,sites occupied by Gd^(3+)ions can change magnetic anisotropy constant of the ferrite.Magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant(K_1)is derived from initial magnetization curve,and found to be related to spin-orbit coupling and intersublattice interactions between metal ions.The real part of magnetic permeability(μ′)and real part of dielectric permittivity(ε′)are measured in a frequency range of 10 MHz-1 GHz.When x=0.15,material has excellent magneto-dielectric properties(μ′≈12.2 andε′≈17.61),low magnetic loss(tanδμ≈0.03 at 500 MHz),and dielectric loss(tanδε≈0.04 at 500 MHz).The results show that Gd-doped Co_(2)Z ferrite has broad application prospects in multilayer filters and high-frequency antennas.