Effect of Sc and Zr on the in-plane anisotropy of Al-Mg-Mn alloy sheets

The Al-Mg-Mn alloy sheets with and without trace Sc and Zr were investigated by means of tensile test,X-ray diffraction,optical microscope,and transmission electron microscope.The indexes of in-plane anisotropy(IIPA)of their tensile mechanical properties were calculated and their inverse pole figures were obtained by Harris method.The two alloy sheets have the same law of in-plane anisotropy and remarkable in-plane anisotropy of mechanical properties,and the IIPA of the alloy sheet with Sc and Zr is bigger than that of the alloy sheet without Sc and Zr.The relationships of the in-plane anisotropy and the anisotropy of the crystallographic texture were analyzed based on the model of monocrystal.It is the common action of the anisotropy of crystallography and microstructures that causes the in-plane anisotropy of their mechanical properties,but the major cause is the{110}〈112〉crystallographic texture.The trace Sc and Zr can promote the formation and stabilization of the{110}〈112〉texture,inhibit the formation of the{100}〈001〉texture,and increase the in-plane anisotropy of the alloy sheet containing trace Sc and Zr.

Preparation of the four-qubit cluster states in cavity QED and the trapped-ion system

This paper proposes a simple scheme to generate a four-atom entangled cluster state in cavity quantum electrodynamics. With the assistantce of a strong classical field the cavity is only virtually excited and no quantum information will be transferred from the atoms to the cavity during the preparation for a four-atom entangled cluster state, and thus the scheme is insensitive to the cavity field states and cavity decay. Assuming that deviation of laser intensity is 0.01 and that of simultaneity for the interaction is 0.01, it shows that the fidelity of the resulting four-atom entangled cluster state is about 0.9886. The scheme can also be used to generate a four-ion entangled cluster state in a hot trapped-ion system. Assuming that deviation of laser intensity is 0.01, it shows that the fidelity of the resulting four-ion entangled cluster state is about 0.9990. Experimental feasibility for achieving this scheme is also discussed.

Effect of Scandium and Zirconium on Mechanical and Exfoliation Corrosion Properties of Al-Mg-Mn Alloys

To quest for the best combination of mechanical properties and exfoliation corrosion resisting property of Al-Mg-Mn base alloys, and to seek after the effect of Sc and Zr on mechanical and exfoliation corrosion properties of Al-Mg-Mn alloys, comparative research technique was used, the mechanical properties of Al-Mg-Mn alloys with and without minor Sc and Zr treated by different annealing were measured, the degrees of exfoliation corrosion for these alloys through accelerated exfoliation corrosion test were evaluated, and polarization curves of these alloys were measured, too. The micro-morphologies of corrosion specimens were observed by SEM and the corrosion product was analyzed using EDS. Optical microscope and TEM were used, the relationship between their microstruc-tures and mechanical properties, exfoliation corrosion resisting property was investigated, and the results show that the addition of minor Sc and Zr can enhance the strength greatly and also improve the combination of strength and plasticity. Moreover, the addition of minor Sc, Zr does not cause appreciable decrease of exfoliation corrosion resisting property, the Al-Mg-Mn-Sc-Zr alloy annealed at 350 ℃ for 1 h has excellent combination of mechanical properties and exfoliation corrosion resisting property, the satisfied combination of mechanical properties nad exfoliation corrosion resisting property can be obtained by means of adding minor Sc and Zr, decreasing the content of Mn, and adopting reasonable annealing practice.

Microstructure and properties of Cu-15Ni-8Sn-0.4Si alloy

By metallographic test, SEM, TEM and energy spectrum, the microstructure and properties of Cu 15Ni 8Sn 0.4Si alloy were studied. The results show that the added Si combines with Ni and forms Ni 3Si and Ni 2Si phases. During ageing at 380 ℃, the precipitation of Ni 2Si phase suppresses discontinuous precipitation to some degree. After adding Si, the conductivity and hardness of Cu 15Ni 8Sn alloy are increased to some degree.

Preparation and characterization of poly(amic acid)-stabilized silver nanoparticles

Stable and monodispersed silver nanoparticles were produced through a mild,convenient,one-pot method based on the reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of poly(amic acid) (PAA) as a stabilizer.The surface plasma band transition was monitored along with time in the reaction mixture for three sets of experiments by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy.Analysis of the data with the Avrami equation yielded n exponent with values between 0.5 and 1.5,demonstrating three-dimensional heterogeneous nucleation and diffusion-controlled growth,accompanied by soft impingement effect.XRD and TEM analyses show a softly agglomerated polycrystalline state and a nearly spherical morphology (<50 nm) of nanoparticles.The FT-IR result indicates that the PAA molecular structure could be hardly influenced by the formation of nanoparticles.

Preparation of silver-coated glass frit and its application in silicon solar cells

A simple electroless plating process was employed to prepare silver-coated glass frits for solar cells. The surface of the glass frits was modified with polyvinyl-pyrrolidone（PVP） before the electroless plating process. Infrared（IR） spectroscopy,field emission scanning electron microscopy（FESEM）, and x-ray diffraction（XRD） were used to characterize the PVP modified glass frits and investigate the mechanism of the modification process. It was found that the PVP molecules adsorbed on the glass frit surface and reduced the silver ions to the silver nanoparticles. Through epitaxial growth, these nanoparticles were uniformly deposited onto the surface of the glass frit. Silicon solar cells with this novel silver coating exhibited a photoelectric conversion efficiency increase of 0.33%. Compared with the electroless plating processes, this method provides a simple route to prepare silver-coated glass frits without introducing impurity ions.

Investigation of the structural and dynamic basis of kinesin dissociation from microtubule by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations

Kinesin is a molecular motor that can step processively on microtubules via the hydrolysis of ATP molecules.An important factor characterizing the processivity of the kinesin motor is its dissociation from the microtubule.Here,using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations,we studied the dissociation process of the kinesin head in weak-microtubulebinding or ADP state from tubulin on the basis of the available high-resolution structural data for the head and tubulin.By analyzing the simulated snapshots of the structure of the head-tubulin complex we provided detailed structural and dynamic information for the dissociation process.We found that the dissociation of the head along different directions relative to the tubulin exhibits very different dynamic behaviors.Moreover,the potential forms or energy landscapes of the interaction between the head and tubulin along different directions were determined.The studies have important implications for the detailed molecular mechanism of the dissociation of the kinesin motor and thus are critical to the mechanism of its processivity.

Enhanced initial biodegradation resistance of the biomedical Mg-Cu alloy by surface nanomodification

Mg-Cu alloys are promising antibacterial implant materials.However,their clinical applications have been impeded by their high initial biodegradation rate,which can be alleviated using nanotechnology by for example surface nanomodification to obtain a gradient nanostructured surface layer.The present work(i)produced a gradient nanostructured surface layer with a∼500µm thickness on a Mg-0.2 Cu alloy by a surface mechanical grinding treatment(SMGT),and(ii)studied the biodegradation behavior in Hank's solution.The initial biodegradation rate of the SMGTed samples was significantly lower than that of the unSMGTed original counterparts,which was attributed to the surface nanocrystallization,and the fragmentation and re-dissolution of Mg_(2)Cu particles in the surface of the SMGTed Mg-0.2 Cu alloy.Furthermore,the SMGTed Mg-0.2 Cu alloy had good antibacterial efficacy.This work creatively used SMGT technology to produce a high-performance Mg alloy implant material.

Microwave vacuum drying characteristics of Pinus massoniana wood

Microwave-vacuum （MV） drying characteristics of plantation Masson pine （Pinus massoniana） were studied experimentally for various levels of microwave radiation time, initial moisture content 0VIC）, vacuum level and wood thickness. The results show that the process of MV drying for wood can be significantly divided into a short accelerating rate drying period, a long constant rate drying period and falling rate drying period, and the second drying period can extend to levels of mean MC below the fiber saturation point. With the increase of initial MC and microwave radiation time, the drying rate of wood increases significantly. The vacuum level affects the drying rate in a slightly positive way. Within the range of 2 to 6 cm, the effects of sample thickness on the drying rate can be negligible.

Processing technology for C194 alloy sheet and strip

To optimize processes for stable commercial production of C194 alloy sheet and strip,several key steps were investigated. Various procedure and the parameters for melt purifying,finishing rolling temperature,split aging parameters,and water cooling capacity during casting and hot rolling were analyzed. The results imply that shield gas atmosphere along with alloying element of Mg and Ce help greatly on purifying the melt. C194 alloy sheet and strip with finishing rolling temperature higher than 750 ℃ and split aging treatment at 550 ℃,2 h+450 ℃,2 h can obtain excellent integrity properties. The cooling capacity during casting and on-line quenching after hot rolling are also key factors influencing the quality of C194 alloy sheet and strip.

Deformation behavior of dispersion-strengthened copper at high temperature

The deformation behavior of dispersion-strengthened copper with different compositions was investigated by hot compression simulation tests on a Gleeble-1500 thermal-mechanical simulator. The microstructure during deformation at high temperature was also studied. The result shows that at the beginning of hot compression simulation, the flowing stress of the dispersion-strengthened copper quickly attains a peak value and the stress shows a greater decrease when the temperature is higher and the strain rate is lower. The dispersion particles lead to an obvious increase in the recrystallization temperature. Under experimental conditions, dynamic recovery is the main softening method. The constitutive equation at high temperature of 1.2%Al2O3-0.4%WC/Cu is obtained.

Constitutive equation of annealed copper with high conductivity for deformation at high strain rates

After the discussion of a lot of constitutive equations,Zerilli-Armstrong cons titutive equation (Z-A equation) was found to be a quasi-static equation. Base d on this Z-A equation,a constitutive relations equation was constructed for dynamical calculation of fcc matels such as OFHC based on the thermal viscoplast ic relations,where thermal dynamical parameters are related to the evolution of the microstructure of the deforming metals,and the variation of the density of the mobile dislocation was also considered. Data from the deformation of anneal ed copper were used to fit the parameters in the equation. The predicting result s by using the constitutive equation are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Valence bond structure of Ta-W alloys

The valence bond structure of substitutional BCC based Ta-W alloys is studied using characteristic crystal （CC） theory. This theory is based on cluster statistics of random alloys. By studying the correlativity between energy and volume of the CC in Ta- W alloys, the valence bond structure of CC is determined by the energy and shape method. Then, following additive law of CC, the valence bond structure of Ta-W alloys is calculated. It is found that the outer shell valence electronic distribution of Ta-W Mloys shows a continuous change in the whole composition range. The covalent electrons ec （dc, sc, and pc） increase, whereas near free electrons ef decrease with increasing W concentration. The bond length and single-bond radius decrease, whereas bond energy and bond valence increase with increasing W concentration. The mechanism of solid solution strengthening of Ta-W alloys is analyzed based on their valence bond structure.

Vanadium-modified hard carbon spheres with sufficient pseudographitic domains as high-performance anode for sodium-ion batteries

Hard carbons are promising anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.To meet practical requirements,searching for durable and conductive carbon with a stable interface is of great importance.Here,we prepare a series of vanadiummodified hard carbon submicrospheres by using hydrothermal carbonization followed by high-temperature pyrolysis.Significantly,the introduction of vanadium can facilitate the nucleation and uniform growth of carbon spheres and generate abundant V-O-C interface bonds,thus optimizing the reaction kinetic.Meanwhile,the optimized hard carbon spheres modified by vanadium carbide,with sufficient pseudographitic domains,provide more active sites for Na ion migration and storage.As a result,the HC/VC-1300 electrode exhibits excellent Na storage performance,including a high capacity of 420 mAh g^(-1) at 50mA g^(-1) and good rate capability at 1 A g^(-1).This study proposes a new strategy for the synthesis of hard carbon spheres with high tap density and emphasizes the key role of pseudographitic structure for Na storage and interface stabilization.

An effective strategy to inhibit grain coarsening:Construction of multi-element co-segregated grain boundary complexion

When exposed to moderate to high temperatures,nanomaterials typically suffer from severe grain coarsening,which has long been a major concern that prevents their wider applications.Here,we proposed an effective strategy to inhibit grain coarsening by constructing grain boundary(GB)complexions with multiple codoped dopants,which hindered coarsening from both energetic and kinetic perspectives.To demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy,multiple selected dopants were doped into a ZrO_(2)-SiO_(2)nanocrystalline glass ceramic(NCGC)to form GB complexions.The results showed that NCGC was predominantly composed of ZrO_(2)nanocrystallites(NCs)distributed in an amorphous SiO_(2)matrix.Ultrathin layers of GB complexions(~2.5 nm)were formed between adjacent ZrO_(2)NCs,and they were crystalline superstructures with co-segregated dopants.In addition,a small amount of quartz solid solution was formed,and it adhered to the periphery of ZrO_(2)NCs and bridged the adjacent NCs,acting as a“bridging phase”.The GB complexions and the“bridging phase”synergistically enhanced the coarsening resistance of ZrO_(2)NCs up to 1000°C.These findings are important for understanding GB complexions and are expected to provide new insights into the design of nanomaterials with excellent thermodynamic stability.

Effects of grain size and secondary phase on corrosion behavior and electrochemical performance of Mg-3Al-5Pb-1Ga-Y sacrificial anode

Grains with size of 4.5—20.5μm were studied for their corrosion behavior and electrochemical performance in a Mg-3 Al-5 Pb-1 Ga-Y sacrificial anode using immersion testing,electrochemical measurements and microstructure analysis.The results show that fine-grained microstructure has higher chemical activity and more negative discharge potentials than coarse-grained samples.The sample with the smallest average grain size of 4.5μm exhibits corrosion current density of 7.473×10-5 A/cm2,and work potentials of-1.721 V at current density of 10 mA/cm2.The density of grain boundaries and LAGBs increases with grain refinement,which leads to higher rates of dissolution and diffusion for the atoms.The secondary phases promote the occurrence of corrosion and improve the chemical activity of alloy due to their higher potential than the substrate.Higher corrosion rate and discharge activity are directly attributed to the higher density of grain boundaries and LAGBs,as well as the secondary phase.

Effect of grain refinement and crystallographic texture produced by friction stir processing on the biodegradation behavior of a Mg-Nd-Zn alloy

The application of a single pass of friction stir processing(FSP) to Mg-Nd-Zn alloy resulted in grain refinement, texture evolution and redistribution of second phases, which improved corrosion resistance.In this work, an as-rolled Mg-Nd-Zn alloy was subjected to FSP. The microstructure in the processed zone of the FS-400 rpm alloy exhibited refined grains, a more homogenous grain size distribution, less second phases, and stronger basal plane texture. The corrosion behavior assessed using immersion tests and electrochemical tests in Hank’s solution indicated that the FS-400 rpm alloy had a lower corrosion rate, which was attributed to the increase of basal plane intensity and grain refinement. The hardness was lowered slightly and the elongation was increased, which might be attributed to the redistribution of the crushed second phases.

Microstructure, biodegradation, antibacterial and mechanical properties of ZK60-Cu alloys prepared by selective laser melting technique

Magnesium （Mg） alloys are receiving increasing attention for body implants owing to their good bio- compatibility and biodegradability. However, they often suffer from bacterial infections on account of their insufficient antibacterial ability. In this study, ZK60-xCu （x = O, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 wt%） alloys were prepared by selective laser melting （SLM） with alloying copper （Cu） to enhance their antibacterial ability. Results showed that ZK60-Cu alloys exhibited strong antibacterial ability due to combination of release of Cu ions and alkaline environment which could kill bacteria by destroying cellular membrane structure, denaturing enzymes and inhibiting deoxyribonucleic acid （DNA） replication. In addition, their compres- sive strength increased due to grain refinement and uniformly dispersing of short-bar shaped MgZnCu phases. Moreover, ZK60-Cu alloys also exhibited good cytocompatibility. In summary, ZK60-Cu alloys with antibacterial ability may be Dromising implants for biomedical anDlications.

Morphology and photocatalytic performance of nano-sized TiO_2 prepared by simple hydrothermal method with different pH values

pH value is a key factor in the preparation of nano-sized TiO2 with hydrothermal method. Using Ti（SO4）2 as the titanium source, H2O2 as the complexing agent, NaOH and HCl as the pH value regulator, nano- sized TiO2 powder with various morphologies and sizes was synthesized. Changes in morphology, size and phase type with pH values of samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and transmission electron micro- scopy （TEM） measurements. Results show that under the present preparation conditions, TiO2 powder is an anatase phase with pH value less than 11, but is more likely to be a brookite phase with pH value more than 11. With the increase in pH value from 1 to 11 in hydrothermal envi- ronment, nano-sized anatase TiO2 gradually grows up in all directions. {001 }, { 101 } and { 100} groups of crystal plane are the exposed crystal planes of nano-sized anatase TiO2 for the （004）, （101） and （200） facets found in high-reso- lution TEM image. The photocatalytic performance of nano-sized TiO2 with different morphologies was com- pared by measuring their photocatalytic degradation rates for methylene blue under ultraviolet light. Results show that anatase TiO2 prepared under the alkalescenthydrothermal environment （pH = 9, 11） has a better pho- tocatalytic degrading performance. Different sizes and phases of nanoscaled TiO2 powders with different photo- catalytic performances can be prepared by the control of pH value of hydrothermal solutions.

Tuning crystal structure and redox potential of NASICON-type cathodes for sodium-ion batteries

Sodium superionic conductor(NASICON)-type compounds have been regarded as promising cathodes for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)due to their favorable ionic conductivity and robust structural stability.However,their high cost and relatively low energy density restrict their further practical application,which can be tailored by widening the operating voltages with earth-abundant elements such as Mn.Here,we propose a rational strategy of infusing Mn element in NASICON frameworks with sufficiently mobile sodium ions that enhances the redox voltage and ionic migration activity.The optimized structure of Na3.5Mn0.5V1.5(PO4)3/C is achieved and investigated systematically to be a durable cathode(76.6%capacity retention over 5,000 cycles at 20 C)for SIBs,which exhibits high reversible capacity(113.1 mAh·g^−1 at 0.5 C)with relatively low volume change(7.6%).Importantly,its high-areal-loading and temperature-resistant sodium ion storage properties are evaluated,and the full-cell configuration is demonstrated.This work indicates that this Na3.5Mn0.5V1.5(PO4)3/C composite could be a promising cathode candidate for SIBs.