Preparation of FeCoNi medium entropy alloy from Fe^(3+)-Co^(2+)-Ni^(2+)solution system

In recent years,medium entropy alloys have become a research hotspot due to their excellent physical and chemical performances.By controlling reasonable elemental composition and processing parameters,the medium entropy alloys can exhibit similar properties to high entropy alloys and have lower costs.In this paper,a FeCoNi medium entropy alloy precursor was prepared via sol-gel and coprecipitation methods,respectively,and FeCoNi medium entropy alloys were prepared by carbothermal and hydrogen reduction.The phases and magnetic properties of FeCoNi medium entropy alloy were investigated.Results showed that FeCoNi medium entropy alloy was produced by carbothermal and hydrogen reduction at 1500℃.Some carbon was detected in the FeCoNi medium entropy alloy prepared by carbothermal reduction.The alloy prepared by hydrogen reduction was uniform and showed a relatively high purity.Moreover,the hydrogen reduction product exhibited better saturation magnetization and lower coercivity.

Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-containing low alloy martensitic wear-resistant steel

Effects of quenching temperature and cooling conditions(water cooling and 10%NaCl cooling)on microstructure and mechanical properties of a 0.2%Ti low alloy martensitic wear-resistant steel used for die casting ejector plate were investigated.The results show that lath martensite can be obtained after austenitizing in the range of 860-980℃and then water cooling.With an increase in austenitizing temperature,the precipitate content gradually decreases.The precipitates are mainly composed of TiC and Ti4C2S2,and their total content is between 1.15wt.%and 1.64wt.%.The precipitate phase concentration by water-cooling is higher than that by10%NaCl cooling due to the lower cooling rate of water cooling.As the austeniting temperature increases,the hardness and tensile strength of both water cooled and 10%NaCl cooled steels firstly increase and then decrease.The experimental steel exhibits the best comprehensive mechanical properties after being austenitized at 900℃,cooled by 10%NaCl,and then tempered at 200℃.Its hardness,ultimate tensile strength,and wear rate reach551.4 HBW,1,438.2 MPa,and 0.48×10^(-2)mg·m^(-1),respectively.

Conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells treats spinal cord injury by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis

Human dental pulp stem cell transplantation has been shown to be an effective therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury.However,whether the human dental pulp stem cell secretome can contribute to functional recovery after spinal cord injury remains unclear.In the present study,we established a rat model of spinal cord injury based on impact injury from a dropped weight and then intraperitoneally injected the rats with conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells.We found that the conditioned medium effectively promoted the recovery of sensory and motor functions in rats with spinal cord injury,decreased expression of the microglial pyroptosis markers NLRP3,GSDMD,caspase-1,and interleukin-1β,promoted axonal and myelin regeneration,and inhibited the formation of glial scars.In addition,in a lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 microglia model,conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells protected cells from pyroptosis by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/interleukin-1βpathway.These results indicate that conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells can reduce microglial pyroptosis by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/interleukin-1βpathway,thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function after spinal cord injury.Therefore,conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells may become an alternative therapy for spinal cord injury.

Microstructures and wear-resistant properties of in-situ TiC_p/ZA-12 composites

TiC_p/ZA-12 composites were fabricated by exothermic disposition method process and stirring-casting techniques. The microstructure and wear-resistant properties were investigated . The results show that TiC particles are formed in-situ and distributed uniformly in matrix. No particles aggregation and macro or micro precipitation are observed. The wear-resistant properties of composites increase with the increase of TiC_p content, but will not increase when the TiC_p content reaches constant value. Finally, the friction and wear mechanism were also discussed.

Effects of air-atomized water spray cooling device structure on the quenching process,microstructure,and properties of wear-resistant steel

With its high strength and hardness, wear-resistant steel has become an important material in the field of construction machinery manufacturing.Given that quenching technology is a crucial component of wear-resistant steel production, the selection of the cooling method to be used during this process is important.In this study, the feasibility of quenching wear-resistant steel by air-atomized water spray cooling was studied, and the cooling rate, microstructure, and hardness of wear-resistant steel under various cooling device structures were analyzed.The results reveal that the air-atomized water spray cooling method is an effective technique in quenching wear-resistant steel.Furthermore, martensite and uniform hardness were obtained by the air-atomized water spray cooling technique.As the space between the nozzles in each row in the device increased, the cooling rate was reduced during quenching.Meanwhile, the martensite content decreased, and more carbides were observed in the martensitic structure.A mixture comprising self-tempered martensite and bainite was formed at a large distance over a longer period of time.All these factors resulted in lower hardness and worse property uniformity.

Numerical simulation of temperature field in laser-arc hybrid welding of wear-resistant steel

Using ABAQUS software and cylindrical ellipsoid and body heat sources with a peak-heat-flux- attenuation function, a finite element model of the temperature field in the laser-arc hybrid welding of 4.5-mm BW300TP wear-resistant steel is proposed. The proposed model considers convection, radiation, molten pool flow, and heat conduction effect on temperature. A comparison of the simulation and actual welding test results confirms the reliability of the model. This welding heat-process model can provide the cooling rate at any position in the heat affected zone （HAZ） and can be used as a reference for the analysis of material properties and for process optimization.

Hot cracking susceptibility research in BTW1 austenitic high-manganese wear-resistant steel

Baosteel’s first BTW1 austenitic high-manganese wear-resistant steel exhibits strong deformation-induced hardening characteristics.Compared with common low-alloy martensitic wear-resistant steels in the market, it has improved impact wear resistance, hard abrasive wear, erosion wear performance, and impact toughness.The metallurgical properties of such austenitic wear-resistant steel lead to the risk of failure because of hot cracking defects in the welded structure.In wear-resistant applications, evaluating hot cracking susceptibility is necessary to avoid the effect of welding defects.In this study, the Varestraint test is used to quantitatively analyze and evaluate the hot cracking susceptibility of BTW1 austenitic high-manganese wear-resistant steel.The test results show that by controlling the content of impurity elements and grain refinement, BTW1 austenitic high-manganese wear-resistant steel effectively reduces hot cracking tendency and has a low incidence of hot cracking under small strain conditions.The developed matching welding process can effectively avoid the influence of hot cracking susceptibility.

Developing Maanshan Kuangyou Wear-resistant Materials Group Company

Maanshan KuangyouGroup company is a special largeenterprise making wear-resistantmaterials products,integratingscience,industry and trade.Mainproducts are chromium-contentwear-resistant materials and ship-use anchor chains."Kuangyou"Brand balls have been awardedprizes of Quality Products by theprovince and ministry,and prizeof Scientific Progress by theprovince,and are widely appliedin mining,cement,power andchemicals industries.Ship-useanchor chains have an

A Formulation of the Porous Medium Equation with Time-Dependent Porosity: A Priori Estimates and Regularity Results

We consider a generalized form of the porous medium equation where the porosity ϕis a function of time t: ϕ=ϕ(x,t): ∂(ϕS)∂t−∇⋅(k(S)∇S)=Q(S).In many works, the porosity ϕis either assumed to be independent of (or to depend very little of) the time variable t. In this work, we want to study the case where it does depend on t(and xas well). For this purpose, we make a change of unknown function V=ϕSin order to obtain a saturation-like (advection-diffusion) equation. A priori estimates and regularity results are established for the new equation based in part on what is known from the saturation equation, when ϕis independent of the time t. These results are then extended to the full saturation equation with time-dependent porosity ϕ=ϕ(x,t). In this analysis, we make explicitly the dependence of the various constants in the estimates on the porosity ϕby the introduced transport vector w, through the change of unknown function. Also we do not assume zero-flux boundary, but we carry the analysis for the case Q≡0.

Enhancing Erectile Function and Alleviating Andropause Symptoms: Clinical Efficacy of a Human Stem Cell Conditioned Medium Cream

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is increasingly prevalent in Japan, exceeding 30%, and increasing with age. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, obesity, insufficient exercise, and smoking have been implicated in its pathogenesis, along with endothelial dysfunction of the corpora cavernosa and impaired blood flow to the penis considered underlying factors. However, the current treatments are limited to Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. ED is the primary symptom of andropathy. This study reports the clinical efficacy of human stem cell-conditioned medium cream for ED treatment. Ten men without underlying diseases suspected of andropause with ED (mean age 43.2 ± 4.4 y, Hb 15.2 ± 0.6 gm/dL, AST/ALT 30.2/37.9 ± 12.4/14.0, eGFR 82.7 ± 12.4 mL/min/1.73 m2) were targeted. The cream was applied twice daily to the genital and scrotal areas. The erectile hardness score (EHS), International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), and Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scale were used to evaluate the participants before and 30 days after use, and the results were compared using paired t-tests. The post-use qualitative opinions were collected through interviews. Significant improvements were observed compared to baseline in the IIEF-5 (11.8 ± 4.6→17.2 ± 5.1, P < 0.001), and AMS (46.3 ± 6.7→37.6 ± 5.3, P < 0.001) scores post cream use. EHS did not show a statistically significant difference, but a trend towards improvement was observed. Qualitative feedback included increased morning erection, improved maintenance of erection during intercourse, and reduced post work fatigue. Human stem cell-conditioned medium contains endothelial growth factors that potentially contribute to the improvement of ED and andropause by enhancing corporal endothelial function. Future studies should include control groups to further investigate the efficacy of these treatments.

Review on the plastic instability of medium -Mn steels for identifying the formation mechanisms of Lüders and Portevin -Le Chatelier bands

Plastic instability,including both the discontinuous yielding and stress serrations,has been frequently observed during the tensile deformation of medium-Mn steels(MMnS)and has been intensively studied in recent years.Unfortunately,research results are controversial,and no consensus has been achieved regarding the topic.Here,we first summarize all the possible factors that affect the yielding and flow stress serrations in MMnS,including the morphology and stability of austenite,the feature of the phase interface,and the deformation parameters.Then,we propose a universal mechanism to explain the conflicting experimental results.We conclude that the discontinuous yielding can be attributed to the lack of mobile dislocation before deformation and the rapid dislocation multiplication at the beginning of plastic deformation.Meanwhile,the results show that the stress serrations are formed due to the pinning and depinning between dislocations and interstitial atoms in austenite.Strain-induced martensitic transformation,influenced by the mechanical stability of austenite grain and deformation parameters,should not be the intrinsic cause of plastic instability.However,it can intensify or weaken the discontinuous yielding and the stress serrations by affecting the mobility and density of dislocations,as well as the interaction between the interstitial atoms and dislocations in austenite grains.

A Dual-Cluster-Head Based Medium Access Control for Large-Scale UAV Ad-Hoc Networks

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)ad hoc network has achieved significant growth for its flexibility,extensibility,and high deployability in recent years.The application of clustering scheme for UAV ad hoc network is imperative to enhance the performance of throughput and energy efficiency.In conventional clustering scheme,a single cluster head(CH)is always assigned in each cluster.However,this method has some weaknesses such as overload and premature death of CH when the number of UAVs increased.In order to solve this problem,we propose a dual-cluster-head based medium access control(DCHMAC)scheme for large-scale UAV networks.In DCHMAC,two CHs are elected to manage resource allocation and data forwarding cooperatively.Specifically,two CHs work on different channels.One of CH is used for intra-cluster communication and the other one is for inter-cluster communication.A Markov chain model is developed to analyse the throughput of the network.Simulation result shows that compared with FM-MAC(flying ad hoc networks multi-channel MAC,FM-MAC),DCHMAC improves the throughput by approximately 20%~50%and prolongs the network lifetime by approximately 40%.

Heat-Generating Effects Involving Multiple Nanofluids in a Hybrid Convective Boundary Layer Flow on the Sloping Plate in a Porous Medium

The hybrid convective boundary layer circulation involving multiple nanofluids via a medium with pores is approaching a sloping plate. An investigation regarding the heat-generating effects upon the examined nanofluid flows has been carried out through computational analysis. A mathematical framework employing governing differential equations that are partial has been implemented to produce an ensemble of ordinary differential equations, which happen to be nonlinear that incorporate nanofluid flows by utilizing acceptable transformations. Through the combination of the Nachtsheim-Swigert shooting method and the Runge-Kutta method, the group of resulting non-dimensionalized equations is solved computationally. In a few special, confined cases, the corresponding numeric output is thereafter satisfactorily matched with the existing available research. The consequences of heat generation regarding local skin friction coefficient and rate of heat in conjunction with mass transfer have been investigated, evaluated, and reported on the basis of multiple nanofluid flows.

Micromechanism and mathematical model of stress sensitivity in tight reservoirs of binary granular medium

Research on reservoir rock stress sensitivity has traditionally focused on unary granular structures,neglecting the binary nature of real reservoirs,especially tight reservoirs.Understanding the stresssensitive behavior and mathematical characterization of binary granular media remains a challenging task.In this study,we conducted online-NMR experiments to investigate the permeability and porosity evolution as well as stress-sensitive control mechanisms in tight sandy conglomerate samples.The results revealed stress sensitivity coefficients between 0.042 and 0.098 and permeability damage rates ranging from 65.6%to 90.9%,with an average pore compression coefficient of 0.0168—0.0208 MPa 1.Pore-scale compression occurred in three stages:filling,compression,and compaction,with matrix pores playing a dominant role in pore compression.The stress sensitivity of binary granular media was found to be influenced by the support structure and particle properties.High stress sensitivity was associated with small fine particle size,high fines content,high uniformity coefficient of particle size,high plastic deformation,and low Young's modulus.Matrix-supported samples exhibited a high irreversible permeability damage rate(average=74.2%)and stress sensitivity coefficients(average=0.089),with pore spaces more slit-like.In contrast,grain-supported samples showed low stress sensitivity coefficients(average=0.021)at high stress stages.Based on the experiments,we developed a mathematical model for stress sensitivity in binary granular media,considering binary granular properties and nested interactions using Hertz contact deformation and Poiseuille theory.By describing the change in activity content of fines under stress,we characterized the non-stationary state of compressive deformation in the binary granular structure and classified the reservoir into three categories.The model was applied for production prediction using actual data from the Mahu reservoir in China,showing that the energy retention rates of support-dominated,fill-dominated,and matrix-controlled reservoirs should be higher than 70.1%,88%,and 90.2%,respectively.

Assessing Factors Influencing Solar Energy Adoption among Small and Medium Enterprises in Mzuzu City, Malawi

One of the many renewable energy sources that offer advantages is solar energy, which also lowers energy prices and promotes environmental sustainability and energy security. Despite these advantages, various barriers, such as installation costs, have prevented small and medium-sized enterprises from investigating this invention. Malawi has a significant energy shortfall such that most businesses have been hindered from their profit maximization goals. The “Photovoltaic systems” (PV) that transform sunlight into electricity are the subject of this study. This type of solar energy system is situated on the building’s roof and generally produces electricity for businesses and even homes. Solar energy offers a great impact to small and medium enterprises in Mzuzu city with a cost-effective and dependable alternative to energy that has the potential to change the game. Therefore the aim of the study was to identify factors that encourage the adoption of solar energy among small medium enterprises in the city of Mzuzu city. And to identify some of barriers faced when adopting solar energy among small and medium enterprises in the city of Mzuzu. The research approach employed in the study was a survey. A survey is a type of research methodology in which primary data is gathered from a sample using a questionnaire. When information is to be gathered from a wider sample, a survey is employed. A bigger sample size was needed in this study in order to facilitate hypothesis testing. It is advised to apply a logical approach while using the survey. The survey utilized a five-point Likert scale. The study used convenience sampling to select study participants. The sample size in this study was determined using Cochran’s sample size formula. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel were used for statistical analysis. About 97.2% of the participants were aware of solar as a source of energy compared to 2.8 % who were unaware. The majority of participants use solar energy for lighting only, seconded by those who use electricity. The least number of participants use solar energy for cooling only. The majority of participants 21.5% indicated partnership and collaboration as the most motivating factor for the adoption of solar energy. This was followed by technical expertise 19.1 % the least number of participants 10.8% expressed that policy and regulatory frameworks were associated with the adoption of solar energy. This study found that there are no statistically significant factors influencing barriers to the adoption of solar energy. The price of solar energy adoption was identified as the least factor associated with the acceptance or rejection of solar energy. Nonetheless, the reasons given by the homes that had embraced solar technology aligned with the findings of other studies. This survey also found that although the public was aware of solar energy, and technology, there were still a number of factors that mattered, especially for non-adopters.

Effect of dietary supplementation with discardednutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris on layingperformance and diversity of intestinal flora in laying hens

The aim of the experiment was to explore the feasibility of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris as feed in the production of laying hens. 100 g/kg, 200 g/kg, 300 g/kg of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris were added to the basal diet of laying hens. The results showed that the optimal addition of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris in the diet of laying hens was 10%. According to the results of measuring the conventional indicators of eggs, the weight of eggs produced by laying hens fed with discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris was higher than that of laying hens fed with ordinary laying hens. The content of interleukin-1(IL-1) in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the concentration of IL-1 increased by 141.5 pg/mL, which indicated that the application of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris effectively improved the immunity of laying hens. The high-throughput analysis of the intestinal contents of the two groups of laying hens showed that the microbial population abundance of the intestinal tract of the experimental group was greater than that of control group, and the application of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris increased the diversity of bacteria in the intestinal tract of laying hens. In addition, the sensitivity of some pathogenic bacteria in the intestinal tract of chickens to drugs was also increased, thereby reducing the use of antibiotics. The secondary utilization of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris has great development and utilization prospects, which provided a scientific reference and basic theoretical basis for the development of discarded nutrient medium of Cordyceps militaris as feed in the production of laying hens.

THE INTERIOR TRANSMISSION EIGENVALUE PROBLEM FOR AN ANISOTROPIC MEDIUM BY A PARTIALLY COATED BOUNDARY

We consider the interior transmission eigenvalue problem corresponding to the scattering for an anisotropic medium of the scalar Helmholtz equation in the case where the boundary?Ωis split into two disjoint parts and possesses different transmission conditions.Using the variational method,we obtain the well posedness of the interior transmission problem,which plays an important role in the proof of the discreteness of eigenvalues.Then we achieve the existence of an infinite discrete set of transmission eigenvalues provided that n≡1,where a fourth order differential operator is applied.In the case of n■1,we show the discreteness of the transmission eigenvalues under restrictive assumptions by the analytic Fredholm theory and the T-coercive method.

Simultaneously realizing thermal andelectromagnetic cloaking by multi-physicalnull medium

Simultaneously manipulating multiple physical fields plays an important role in the increasingly complex integrated systems,aerospace equipment,biochemical productions,etc.For on-chip systems with high integration level,the precise and efficient control of the propagation of electromagnetic waves and heat fluxes simultaneously is particularly important.In this study,we propose a graphical designing method(i.e.,thermal-electromagnetic surface transformation)based on thermal-electromagnetic null medium to simultaneously control the propagation of electromagnetic waves and thermal fields according to the pre-designed paths.A thermal-electromagnetic cloak,which can create a cloaking effect on both electromagnetic waves and thermal fields simultaneously,is designed by thermal-electromagnetic surface transformation and verified by both numerical simulations and experimental measurements.The thermal-electromagnetic surface transformation proposed in this study provides a new methodology for simultaneous controlling on electromagnetic and temperature fields,and may have significant applications in improving thermal-electromagnetic compatibility problem,protecting of thermal-electromagnetic sensitive components,and improving efficiency of energy usage for complex onchip systems.

Enhanced Evaporation of Ternary Mixtures in Porous Medium with Microcolumn Configuration

The high surface area of porous media enhances its efficacy for evaporative cooling,however,the evaporation of pure substances often encounters issues including local overheating and unstable heat transfer.To address these challenges,a volume of fluid(VOF)model integrated with a species transport model was developed to predict the evaporation processes of ternary mixtures(water,glycerol,and 1,2-propylene glycol)in porous ceramics in this study.It reveals that the synergistic effects of thermal conduction and convective heat transfer significantly influence the mixtures evaporation,causing the fluctuations in evaporation rates.The obtained result shows a significant increase in water evaporation rates with decreasing the microcolumn size.At a pore size of 30μm and a porosity of 30%,an optimal balance between capillary forces and flow resistance yields a peak water release rate of 96.0%.Furthermore,decreasing the glycerol content from 70%to 60%enhances water release by 10.6%.The findings in this work propose the approaches to optimize evaporative cooling technologies by controlling the evaporation of mixtures in porous media.

Adenosine A_(2A)receptor blockade attenuates excitotoxicity in rat striatal medium spiny neurons during an ischemic-like insult

During brain ischemia,excitotoxicity and peri-infarct depolarization injuries occur and cause cerebral tissue damage.Indeed,anoxic depolarization,consisting of massive neuronal depolarization due to the loss of membrane ion gradients,occurs in vivo or in vitro during an energy failure.The neuromodulator adenosine is released in huge amounts during cerebral ischemia and exerts its effects by activating specific metabotropic receptors,namely:A_(1),A_(2A),A_(2B),and A_(3).The A_(2A)receptor subtype is highly expressed in striatal medium spiny neurons,which are particularly susceptible to ischemic damage.Evidence indicates that the A2Areceptors are upregulated in the rat striatum after stroke and the selective antagonist SCH58261 protects from exaggerated glutamate release within the first 4 hours from the insult and alleviates neurological impairment and histological injury in the following 24 hours.We recently added new knowledge to the mechanisms by which the adenosine A2Areceptor subtype participates in ischemia-induced neuronal death by performing patch-clamp recordings from medium spiny neurons in rat striatal brain slices exposed to oxygen and glucose deprivation.We demonstrated that the selective block of A2Areceptors by SCH58261 significantly reduced ionic imbalance and delayed the anoxic depolarization in medium spiny neurons during oxygen and glucose deprivation and that the mechanism involves voltage-gated K+channel modulation and a presynaptic inhibition of glutamate release by the A2Areceptor antagonist.The present review summarizes the latest findings in the literature about the possibility of developing selective ligands of A2Areceptors as advantageous therapeutic tools that may contribute to counteracting neurodegeneration after brain ischemia.