Lap joints were friction stir welded in AA 7075-T6 at 1320 rpm and using two welding speeds: 70 mm/min and 120 mm/min. The temperature profiles of the weld zone were registered during the process; furthermore, the microhardness, tensile strength, and microstructure of the joints produced were examined. This study brings new insights into the thermomechanical behavior of the material during the process. The peak temperature obtained with the lower welding speed (70 mm/min) is 10% higher than that obtained with the higher speed (120 mm/min). Moreover, a 5% increase in microhardness and a 6% increase in tensile strength were were observed increasing the welding speed. Addition-ally, the microstructure examination demonstrated that, by decreasing the welding speed, the larger interaction between the tool and the material results in a deeper stir zone due to the increased heat diffusion downwards to the material. This heat flow affects the thermal profile and influences the resulting mechanical properties of the welded joints.

The diameter of a H13 steel tool with M6 threads and a pin diameter of 5.9 mm and a pin length of 5 mm was measured after each 25.4 mm length of friction stir processing (FSP) of 6061-T6 extrusions. The change in pin diameter with FSP time or distance did not exhibit any steady state and was found to have two distinct regions. Metallographic analysis of two tools subjected to FSP for 60 and 120 seconds showed that (i) threads fractured in early stages of FSP, (ii) a built-up layer formed between the threads, and (iii) threads progressively wore with processing time. The metallographic analysis of an embedded tool showed the presence of a fractured piece of the tool in the stir zone. These points are discussed in detail in the paper.

The article describes machine learning using artificial neural networks (ANN) to develop the parameters of the friction stir welding (FSW) process for three types of aluminum joints (EN AW 7075). A total of 608 experimental data were used to build the ANN. Two types of networks were built: the first one was used to classify good/bad connections with the MLP 7-19-2 topology, the second one was used to regress the tensile load-bearing capacity with the MLP 7-19-1 topology. Selected parameters of the FSW process were used as input data for ANN training: rotational speed, welding speed, joint and tool geometry. Based on a case study, the quality of the FSW joint was assessed in terms of microstructure and mechanical properties. The usefulness of both trained neural networks has been demonstrated. For the regression network, the quality of the validation set was approximately 93.6%. In the case of confusion matrix for the test set, errors never exceeded 6%. Only 184 epochs were needed to train the regression network. The quality of the validation set was approximately 87.1%. On their basis, predictive maps were developed and presented in the work allowing for the selection of optimal parameters of the FSW process for three types of joints.

Strain induced melt activation process (SIMA) creates a globular microstructure which improves the hardness and ultimate tensile stress (UTS) of 7075 aluminum alloys. But, at the grain boundaries of SIMA processed 7075 aluminum alloy, presence of continuous and brittle intermetallic compounds and the eutectic structure result in decreasing mechanical properties, such as elongation, formability and etc. Hence, in order to improve microstructure and formability of 7075 aluminum alloy respect to SIMA process, a new process was done that is called two-step strain induced melt activation (TSSIMA). This process, which has been mentioned in the experimental procedure section, both organized globular structure and significantly modified the microstructure of the alloy compared to that of the SIMA method. It promoted discontinuity and more homogeneity in distribution of the precipitates and, approximately removed the eutectic mixture. Performing the rolling process on the alloy also revealed that it is more effective in formability enhancement in comparison with SIMA process. Also, it increased the hardness of 7075 aluminum alloy respect to that of SIMA process.

The present study evaluates ratcheting response of notched and press-fitted Al 7075-T6 specimens under stress-controlled asymmetric cycles. The degree of interference fit (DIF) directly influenced progressive plastic strain magnitude and rate at notch root region. Local ratcheting at the hole-pin interference region was analyzed by means of two kinematic hardening rules of Ahmadzadeh-Varvani (A-V) and Chaboche coupled with the Neuber rule. Ratcheting strains at notch root of aluminum samples with DIF=0 (non-press-fitting samples) were measured to be highest in magnitude. For the press-fitted samples, however ratcheting strains dropped noticeably as DIF increased from 1% to 2%. Press-fitted samples plastically deformed the perimeter edge of notches and improved materials locally at the notch edge, resulting in a better resistance against ratcheting progress. Local ratcheting at different distances of 0.5, 1.3 and 3.0 mm from the notch root were evaluated for both pinned and unpinned samples through the hardening rules and compared with those of measured values. The predicted ratcheting curves by means of the A-V and Chaboche hardening rules closely agreed with experimental data and respectively positioned above and below the measured data.

Isothermal interrupted hot compression tests of 5754 aluminum were conducted on Gleeble-3500 thermo-mechanical simulator at temperature 350 °C and 450 °C, strain rate 0.1 s-1 and 1s−1. These tests simulated flat rolling to investigate how softening behaviors respond to controlled parameters, such as deformation temperature, strain rate and delay times. This data allowed the parameters for the hot rolling process to be optimized. The delay times during interrupted compression vary between 5s and 60s. The dynamic softening at each pass and metadynamic recrystallization at the intervals of deformation passes were analyzed in detail. 0.2% offset yield strength is applied to calculate the softening fraction undergoing metadynamic recrystallization. A kinetic model was developed to describe metadynamic recrystallization behaviors of the hot deformed 5754 aluminum alloy. Furthermore, the time constant for 50% recrystallization was expressed as functions related to the temperature and the strain rate. The experimental and calculated results were found to be in close agreement, which verified the developed model.

At present, in the field of aviation industry, titanium alloy is mainly used to manufacture parts such as compressor disc, blade and casing of aircraft engine. When working, titanium alloy parts produce high temperature due to high-speed running friction, which makes the high temperature oxidation resistance and friction resistance of titanium alloy greatly reduced. When their working environment contains salt, titanium alloys are subjected to thermal corrosion, which limits their wider practical applications. This paper introduce the aluminide coating and its preparation methods. The characteristics and functional mechanism of three functional coatings for service environment, such as high temperature resistant alumina-based coating, thermal corrosion resistant alumina-based coating and wear-resistant alumina-based coating are summarized. Finally, the development direction of composite coatings of titanium and titanium alloys for complex service environment is prospected.

Since the first generation of 7xxx superhard aluminum alloy was investigated in 1930, hitherto the fifth generation aluminum alloy materials with high comprehensive properties such as high static strength, high strength, heat resistance, high toughness, damage resistance, low density and low quenching sensitivity have been improved and developed. This paper reviews the progress of 7xxx aluminum alloy materials in composition, microstructure, properties, preparation methods, heat treatment strengthening and applications from 2014 to 2021. The effect of adding trace elements on microstructure and properties of 7xxx series alloy and the problems existing in aging precipitation characteristics and reinforcement mechanism are discussed. The future development direction of 7xxx superhard aluminum alloy is prospected by optimizing heat treatment technological, adding appropriate trace elements to alloy and controlling alloy microstructure.

In this paper, 6063 aluminum alloy for common building profiles is used as the research object. By adding a new Al-Ti-C-La composite alloy, the effect of 6063 aluminum alloy on the microstructure and properties of 6063 aluminum alloy is studied. The results show that Al-Ti-C-La composite alloy has obvious effect on grain refinement of 6063 aluminum alloy. With the addition of Al-Ti-C-La composite alloy, the grain size decreased significantly. When the addition amount of Al-Ti-C-La composite alloy is 1%, the grain size is reduced from 482 μm to 121 μm. Rare earth La is mainly distributed near the Mg2Si phase and β-AlFeSi, and complex compounds such as AlFeSiMgLa are formed. After aging for 270 days on the basis of T6 heat treatment, the tensile strength and elongation of 6063 aluminum alloy augmented with the addition of Al-Ti-C-La composite alloy, and the Vickers hardness gradually diminished. When the addition amount of Al-Ti-C-La composite alloy is 1%, the tensile strength, elongation and Vickers hardness of 6063 aluminum alloy reach 177.2 MPa, 17.8% and 60.9 HV, respectively, and the tensile strength is increased by 16.3%. The elongation is increased by 50.8%, the Vickers hardness is reduced by 15.4%, and the fracture of the alloy is mainly ductile fracture.

A new model of gravity is presented here similar to the earlier work of Verlinde on Emergent Gravity but without the use of Verlinde's main assumption on the nature of gravity as an entropic force using the First Law of Thermodynamics. Instead, the model will be shown to be consistent with the Second Law of Thermodynamics as used in Black Hole Physics. Moreover, it does not use the Equipartition Theorem such that there is no need to define a thermal bath enclosed within a holographic screen. The theory uses $E=NE_{p}$, for the total energy of a massive object where $E_{p}$ is the Planck Energy while $N$ is the number of Planck Energy to represent the maximum possible density of information that can reside in matter. The theory uses also the Holographic Principle as the basis for an information-theoretic approach to the nature of gravity. It is shown here that gravity emerges whenever there is an updating of the information within a given volume of space by the presence of matter.

Several challenges stand in the way of production of Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) such as higher processing temperatures, particulate mixing, particulate-matrix interface bonding issues and ability to process into desired geometrical shapes. Although there are many literatures showing composites with single particulate reinforcements, the studies on composites with multiple reinforcing agents (hybrid composites) are found to be limited. Development of a hybrid particulate composite with optimized mechanical and tribological properties is very significant to suit modern engineering applications. In this study, Al-Si hypereutectic alloy (A390) is used as the matrix and Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Graphite (Gr) and Molybdenum di-Sulphide (MoS₂) are used as particulates. Particulate volume (wt%) is varied and sample test castings are made using squeeze casting process through stir casting processing route. The evaluation of mechanical properties indicates that presence of both the hard phase (SiC) and the soft phase has distinct effect on the properties of Hybrid Composite. Composite samples were characterized to understand the performance and to meet the tribological applications. Fractography study indicated an intra-granular brittle fracture for hybrid composites. Wear study shows that Hybrid MMCs has better tribological performance compared to that of A390 alloy.

Large aluminum alloy ring forgings are the core components of heavy-duty rocket fuel storage tanks, and the large residual stress inside the rings leads to poor shape accuracy of large thin-walled parts. The initial stress of the 2219 aluminum alloy ring blank was tested using the drilling method, and the creep constitutive coefficient of the 2219 aluminum alloy was determined through stress relaxation tests. The numerical simulation processes of thermal stress relief (TSR), vibration stress relief (VSR), and thermal-vibration stress relief (TVSR) were compared and established. Through the correlation analysis between the actual measurement results of residual stress and the simulation results, it can be seen that the strong correlation in three directions at each measurement point accounts for over 37.5%, and the moderate correlation accounts for over 62.5%. This indicates that the numerical simulation model of 2219 aluminum alloy ring containing initial residual stress can accurately reflect the size and distribution of residual stress inside the actual ring. The simulation results show that the derived constitutive model can describe the stress relaxation process of TVSR by combining a single thermal time effect stress relaxation constitutive theory with a VSR plastic deformation material model. The simulation models established above were used to calculate the residual stress homogenization ability of three types of aging. The results showed that VSR, TSR, and TVSR can homogenize and reduce the residual stress field inside the ring, improve the distribution of residual stress inside the ring, and have a better overall homogenization ability of TVSR. The VSR control has a certain effect on reducing and homogenizing residual stress, but compared with TSR and TVSR, the reduction and homogenization ability of residual stress control is limited. The homogenization control effect TVSR>TSR>VSR, and the maximum equivalent stress homogenization rates of VSR, TSR, and TVSR are 52.8%, 80.6%, and 82.2%, respectively. Then, numerical simulation technology is used to study how the initial residual stress in the blank will cause the deformation of the ring during the thin-walled machining process. The roundness error theory of the minimum containment area method is applied to evaluate the deformation degree during the thin-walled numerical machining process, and the TVSR method is used for stress regulation. The deformation law of the thin-walled machining of the ring under different aging parameters is studied.

Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy has high specific strength, good corrosion resistance, fracture toughness and fatigue resistance. It is one of the most important structural materials in the fields of aviation, aerospace, weapons, transportation and so on, which plays a huge role in the field of aerospace.In order to optimize the strength, toughness and corrosion properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy, alloying has always been the focus of research on Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. The effects of main alloying elements, trace alloying elements and rare earth elements on the microstructure and properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu aluminum alloy were briefly introduced in the paper, and the future research directions were prospected.

: The paper presents the results of uniaxial tensile tests of samples of hypoeutectic aluminum-silicon alloy A319. According to the results of which the influence of surface treatment by a pulsed electron beam on the mechanical properties of the material was determined. The peculiarities of localization of deformation in the material, caused by grinding of the surface layer material structure due to rapid crystallization during electron beam treatment were revealed. The surface treatment up to 100 µm depth leads to the formation of a fine dendritic columnar structure of silumin and to an increase in the plasticity of the samples. The influence of surface treatment affects the increase of deformation localization in the region of stable concentrator before failure. The largest increase in ductility and localization of deformation occurs during processing with energy density of 15 J/cm2. In the process of specimen deformation, unstable, metastable, and stable areas of plastic deformation localization are formed and replaced, and the formation of stable areas of localized plastic deformation, in which the specimen fails at the end of the test, can be detected at the initial stages of testing. In specimens, during testing in the zone of localized plastic deformation, bands are formed that pass through the entire surface of the specimen at an angle from 35 to 55 degrees to the axis of tension, their evolution leads to the formation of stable zones of localized plastic deformation and to the failure of the specimen.

The effects of 1%~5% cold compression on the mechanical properties, microstructure and residual stress of 7050 aluminum alloy were investigated, and the results were applied to the complex die forging with stiffener structure. The results show that with the increase of cold compression, the tensile strength of forging decreases gradually, but the conductivity and fracture toughness of the forging have little change. TEM microstructure shows that with larger cold compression (5%), the dislocation density was relatively higher, which promoted the precipitation and growth of precipitated phases at positions with higher dislocation density during aging process. The ultrasonic tests of residual stress show that with the increase of cold compression, the residual stress in the forging decreases first, and then increases when cold compression reaches 5%. The results of the die forging of 7050 aluminum alloy with bar structure show that the residual stress of the die forging is obviously eliminated after 2-4% cold compression, and the deformation after machining is obviously less than of the uncompressed forgings. The combination of bar and web is more beneficial to the uniform distribution of residual stress of the die forging with bar structure.

The present paper investigates the influence of the specimen size of EN-AW6082 wrought aluminium alloy subjected to very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) tests. The hourglass specimens were tested under fully reversed loading condition, up to 10^9 cycles, by means of the ultrasonic fatigue testing machine developed by Italsigma® (Italy). Three specimens groups were considered, with a diameter in the middle cross-section ranging from 3 mm up to 12 mm. The stress field in the specimens was determined numerically and by strain gauge measurements in correspondence of the cross-section surface. The dispersion of experimental results has been accounted for, and data are reported in P-S-N diagrams. The decrease in fatigue resistance with increasing specimen size is evident. Theoretical explanation for the observed specimen-size effect is provided, based on Fractal Geometry concepts, allowing to obtain scale independent P-S*-N curves. The fatigue life expectation in the VHCF regime of the EN-AW6082 aluminium alloy full-scale components is rather overestimated if it is assessed only from standard small specimens of 3 mm in diameter. Experimental tests carried out on larger specimen, and a proper extrapolation, are required to assure safe structural design.

The hot rolling in the process chain of the aluminium rolled products present the critical element of material quality and influence on productivity. The desire to increase the letter demand modifications of hot rolling, consequential changes of microstructure, crystallographic texture, mechanical and formability properties must be knowledge and consistently considered in planning the rolling process and rolled product. Achieving lower thicknesses of the hot-rolled band would enable fewer passes with cold rolling; consequently, hot rolling with the same number of passes will complete with lower temperatures. Microstructural and texture characterization with the optical microscope and scanning electron microscope for the hot-rolled band 3.25 mm the smaller grains appeared in the center of the cross-section, unlike for the hot-rolled band 6 mm, the smaller grains were detected on the upper and bottom position of the cross-section. Furthermore, the comparison shows also that the hot-rolled band 6 mm has 64 % of random texture components and 83 % of recrystallized grains, and the proportional adjustment for the hot-rolled band 3.25 mm has the 42 % of random texture components and 55 % of recrystallized grains. For the mechanical testing results, the elongation values in rolling and transverse directions significantly differ just in the case of a hot rolled band of 3.25 mm. Consequently, the earing results are more than 1.5 % higher for the hot-rolled band, 3.25 mm, than the hot-rolled band, 6 mm.

Electrochemical deposition of silicon at room temperature is problematic due to intrinsically low conductivity of the deposits. This study reports the photoelectrochemical (PEC) deposition of silicon (Si) and silicon–carbon (Si–C) layers from an ionic liquid at temperature 40 oC using silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) as a silicon precursor. Amorphous layers are deposited on p-type silicon (p-Si), p-type gallium arsenide (p-GaAs), and aluminum–copper alloy AA2024. The semi-conductor substrates are activated by white LED illumination, which generated photoelectrons, thereby making the substrate conductive with respect to the cathodic reaction. Photoresponsive-ness of the deposits is proven by the light-induced photocurrents on an optically inactive substrate made of the alloy AA 2024. The proposed method paves the way for the electrochemical modifica-tion of semiconductors and metals with Si and Si–C structures, which are applicable in various fields, such as; batteries, anti-corrosion coatings, photovoltaics, or PEC electrodes for hydrogen production.

The cast grains of the 7055 aluminum alloy were refined by adding Sm + Er, and the proper heat treatment procedure was utilized to further precipitate the rare earth phase in order to increase the alloy's strength and toughness. The grain size, microstructure and phase were characterized by optical microscopes (OM), Scanning electron microscopy - energy spectrum (SEM-EDS), XRD diffractometer (XRD). The macroscopic hardness, yield strength and tensile strength of alloy materials were measured by hardness meter and universal electronic tensile machine. The results shown that the as-cast sample and the heat treatment sample all exist Al10Cu7Sm2 and Al8Cu4Er rare earth phase; But after heat treatment, the volume percentage of the rare earth phase dramatically increased and the dispersion was more unified. When 0.3wt.%Sm and 0.1wt.%Er were added, the grain size could be refined to 53μm. With the increase of the total content of rare earth elements, the refining effect first increased and then decreased. Under 410 oC solid solution for 2h + 150oC aging for 12h, the macroscopic hardness, yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of 0.3wt.%Sm + 0.1wt.%Er+7055 as-cast sample were 155.8HV, 620.5Mpa, 658.1Mpa, and 11.90%, respectively.

Recent years witnessed progressive broadening of the practical use of 3D-printed aluminium alloy parts, in particular for specific aerospace applications where weight saving is of great importance. Selective laser melting (SLM) is an intrinsically multi-parametric fabrication technology that offers multiple means of controlling mechanical properties (elastic moduli, yield strength, ductility) through the control over grains size, shape, and orientation. Ultimately, this approach implies that structural elements can be purposefully fabricated to reinforce specific zones and directions where higher mechanical loads are anticipated by design. Targeted control over mechanical properties is achieved through the tuning of 3D-printing parameters and may even obviate the need of heat treatment or mechanical post-processing. Systematic studies of grain structure for different printing orientation with the help of EBSD techniques in combination with mechanical testing at different dimensional levels are the necessary first steps to implement this agenda. Samples of 3D-printable Al-Mg-Si RS-333 alloy were fabricated in 3 orientations with respect to the principal build direction and the fast laser beam scanning direction. Sample structure and proper-ties were investigated using a number of techniques, including EBSD, in situ SEM tensile testing, roughness measurements and nanoindentation. The as-printed samples we found to display strong variation in Young’s modulus values from nanoindentation (from 43 to 66 GPa) and tensile tests (from 54 to 75 GPa), yield stress and ultimate tensile strength (100…195 and 130…220 MPa) in different printing orientations, and almost constant hardness of about 0.8 GPa. A further preliminary study was conducted of the effect of surface finishing on the mechanical performance. Surface polishing appears to reduce Young’s modulus and yield strength, but improves ductility, whereas the influence of sand blasting is more controversial. The experimental results are dis-cussed in connection with the grain morphology and orientation.

Nanostructured anodic oxide layers on an FeAl₃ intermetallic alloy were prepared by two-step anodization in 20 wt.% H2SO4 at 0°C. The voltage range was 10.0 – 22.5 V with a step of 2.5 V. The structural and morphological characterizations of the received anodic oxide layers were performed by FE-SEM. Therefore, the formed anodic oxide was found to be highly porous with a high surface area, as indicated by the FE-SEM studies. It has been shown that the morphology of fabricated nanoporous oxide layers is strongly affected by the anodization potential. The oxide growth rate first increased slowly (from 0.010 μm/s for 10 V to 0.02 μm/s for 15 V) and then very rapidly (from 0.04 μm/s for 17.5 V up to 0.13 μm/s for 22.5 V). The same trend was observed for the change in the oxide thickness. Moreover, for all investigated anodizing voltages, the structural features of the anodic oxide layers, such as the pore diameter and interpore distance, increase with increasing anodizing potential. The obtained anodic oxide layer was identified as a crystalline FeAl₂O₄, Fe₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ oxide mixture.

Although 7055 aluminum alloy is a deformed aluminum alloy and will show excellent mechanical properties after recrystallization after large deformation, it is a method to enrich its application range if rare earth is added and the rare earth phase dispersion is promoted by heat treatment. This article used optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro Vickers hardness and room temperature stretching methods to study the as-cast 7055-xEr (x=0wt.%, 0.2wt.%, 0.4wt.%, 0.6wt.%, 0.8wt.%) aluminum alloy after being subjected to 460 oC×3h homogenization and 410 oC×1h solid solution+150 oC×12h aging treatment the changes in microstructure and properties. The results indicated that: when 0.2wt.%Er was added to 7055 aluminum alloy after solution at 410 oC×1h and aging at 150 oC×12h, the dendrite structure was significantly reduced, the grain thinning was obvious and the distribution was uniform, Al8Cu4Er phase appeared in the lamellar eutectic η-Mg(Zn,Al,Cu)2 structure at grain boundaries, and the hardness reached 168.8HV. The yield strength, tensile strength and elongation were 542.12Mpa, 577.67MPa and 8.36%, respectively.

Among all the processing technologies of heat-treatable aluminum alloys like 2219 aluminum alloy, using friction stir welding (FSW) as the joining technology and using electromagnetic forming (EMF) for plastic forming technology both have obvious advantages and successful applications. Therefore, there is a broad prospect for the compound technologies which can be used on the 2219 aluminum alloy to manufacture the large-scale thin-wall parts in the astronautic industry. The microstructure and mechanical properties of 2219 aluminum alloy under the process compounded of FSW, heat treatment, and EMF were investigated by means of tensile test, optical microscope (OM), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that the reduction of strength, which was caused during the FSW process, can be recovered effectively by the post-welding heat treatment composed of solid solution and aging, while the ductility was still reduced after heat treatment. Under the compound technology of FSW, heat treatment, and EMF, the forming limit of 2219 aluminum alloy decreased distinctly due to the poor ductility of the welding joint. A ribbon-pattern, which was formed due to the banded structure caused by FSW process, was found on the fracture surface of welded 2219 aluminum alloy after EMF treatment. During the EMF process, because of the effects of induced eddy current, a unique structure, which was manifested as a molted-surface appearance under the SEM observation, was formed as the material fractured.

Lattice structures have emerged as promising materials for aerospace structures applications due to their high strength-to-weight ratios, customizable properties, and efficient use of materials. These properties make them at-tractive for use in anti-ice systems, where lightweight and heat exchanging are essential. This paper presents an extensive experimental investigation into mechanical compression properties of lattice trusses fabricated from AlSi10Mg powder alloy, a material commonly used in casted aerospace parts. The truss structures were manufactured using additive manufacturing Selective Laser Melting technique and subjected to uniaxial compressive loading to assess their performance. The results demonstrate that AlSi10Mg lattice trusses exhibit remarkable compressive strength with strong correlations depending upon both topology and cells’ parameters setup. The finding described highlights the potential of AlSi10Mg alloy as a promising material for custom truss fabrication, offering customizable cost-effective and lightweight solutions for aerospace market. The paper also emphasizes the role of additive manufacturing in producing complex structures with pointwise tailored mechanical properties.

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to utilize in tribological environments, but to date the works are hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperature. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo-40Ni-13Si (at.%). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of ternary Mo-Ni-Si alloy melt, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the ductility improvement of intermetallic alloy. Tribological properties of the designed alloy, including wear resistance, friction coefficient and metallic tribological compatibility, were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggested that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent property for room-temperature wear applications, which is attributed to the unique microstructural features and thereby good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is also reported by observing the worn surface, subsurface and wear debris of alloy, which to be found is soft abrasive wear.

An efficient approach to the previously unknown furo[2',3':2,3]pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline deriv-atives from readily available 1-R-1-ethynyl-2-vinylisoquinolines is described. The reaction fea-tures a simple procedure, occurs in hexaflouroisopropanol and does not require elevated tem-peratures. It has been found that the addition of glacial acetic acid significantly increases the yields of the target spirolactone products. Using trifluoroethanol instead of hexaflouroisopro-panol results into formation of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolines.

In this paper we report a new development on the numerical model for aluminum-steam combustion. This model is based on diffusion flame of continuum regime and the thermal equilibrium between the particle and the flow field, which can be used to calculate the aluminum particle combustion model for two phase calculation conditions. The model prediction is in good agreement with the experimental data. A new type of vortex combustor was proposed for the combustion of aluminum and steam, and the mathematical model of the two phase reacting flow with in this combustor was established. The turbulence effects are modeled using the Reynolds Stress Model (RSM) with Linear Pressure-Strain approach, and the Eddy-Dissipation model is used to simulate the gas phase combustion. Aluminum particles are injected into the vortex combustor and form a swirling flow around the chamber and their trajectories are traced using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM). The simulation results show that the vortex combustor can achieve high efficient combustion of aluminum and steam. The influencing factors, such as the eccentric distance of the inlet of aluminum particles, particle size and steam inlet diameter, etc., are studied. The work described in this paper represents an attempt to the design of a vortex combustor in order to increase aluminum combustion efficiency.

Micro channel tube (MCT) is widely employed in industry due to its excellent efficiency in heat transfer. An MCT is commonly produced through extrusion within a porthole die, where severe plastic deformation is inevitably involved. Moreover, the plastic deformation, which dramatically affects the final property of the MCT, varies significantly from location to location. In order to understand the development of the microstructure and its effect on the final property of the MCT, the viscoplastic self-consistent (VPSC) model, together with the finite element analysis and the flow line model, is employed in the current study. The flow line model is used to reproduce the local velocity gradient within the complex porthole die, while VPSC model is employed to predict the evolution of the microstructure accordingly. In addition, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurement and mechanical tests are used to characterize the evolution of the microstructure and the property of the MCT. The simulation results agree well with the corresponding experimental ones. The influence of the material’s flow line on the evolution of the orientation and morphology of the grains, and the property of the produced MCT are discussed in detail.

In this work we present a novel steganography algorithm, based on Fractal Transform domain, combined with the principles of Cryptography. The proposed method uses a private key, which will indicate which segment of the image will be taken and encoded with the Fractal Transform, to then insert the secret bits in the transformed coefficients, thus generating the stego image.

In recent years, additive manufacturing of products made from 5000 series alloys has grown in popularity for marine and automotive applications. In this work, we compare of mechanical properties characteristics of aluminum alloy 5056 material produced by wire-arc additive technology and rolling. We carried out tension tests under quasi-static loading and impact toughness tests under impact loading. The results show that upon similar ultimate tensile strength and ductility, material after additive manufacturing demonstrates decreased resistance against dynamic loading than material manufactured by the typical method of casting and rolling. This decrease in properties was explained through macro- and microstructure analysis.

Ti-Al alloy phase layer/Ti-Al carburizing composite coating was prepared on the surface of titanium alloy by the stepwise coating method of hot dip aluminization and then carburizing. The weight gain results of the composite coating showed that the titanium alloy coated with the composite coating had long-term stability (≥16 days) at 800oC. The microstructure, phase structure and composition of the composite coating were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS).The composite coating is composed of an alloy phase layer and a carburized layer. The natural transition of four phases (Ti3Al/TiAl/TiAl2/TiAl3) in the alloy phase layer, significantly improves the interfacial bonding between the coating and the substrate, and slows down the propagation of microcracks through the coating.Al2O3, TiC and C in the carburizing layer improve the surface hardness of the coating, and TiAl2 and Al2O3 also have excellent oxidation resistance at high temperature.

A method for accurately determining the chemical composition of deposits at the bottom of pores during the electrocoloring (e-coloring) of aluminum anodic oxide (AAO) layers in tin-based solutions is developed. The aluminum samples were AC e-colored after DC sulfuric anodization. Free-standing, tin e-colored aluminum oxide film was obtained by selective dissolution of the metallic aluminum from the AAO in copper chloride solution to access the deposit directly at the bottom of the pore. This allowed us to take XPS analysis directly from the deposits at pore bottoms without any interference from the base material or insulating barrier layer. The results revealed the presence of a mixture of tin oxide and metal in the deposits, which were richer in oxide content. Furthermore, a cyclic voltammetry experiment mimicking real polarization conditions during AC conditions was optimized and used to gain a deeper understanding of the electrochemical reactions that occur during AC electrocoloring. The comparison of CV results in tin-free and tin-containing electrolytes indicated that the tin deposited during a cathodic cycle is oxidized in the anodic cycle. The formation of tin based deposits radically changed the CV behavior. The XPS and cyclic voltammetry results consistently show that the deposits formed during e-coloring comprised a mixture of metallic and oxidic tin species richer in oxide content.

Several studies suggests that ghrelin (GHRL) has neurobiological effects that extend beyond control of food intake. Our previous results confirmed that GHRL modulates the secretory activity of the pineal gland (PG) through nocturnal melatonin (MEL) secretion in sheep, the seasonally reproductive animals. Here we investigated the effects of GHRL (10 ng/ml) on the expression of enzymes limiting synthesis of MEL, including tryptophan 5-hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) and its phosphorylated form p31T-AA-NAT in sheep PG explants (n = 72) during the 4-hour incubation in a gas-liquid interface, at a short (SD) and long (LD) photoperiods. After each hour of incubation selected explants were frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80°C for subsequent analysis (real-time PCR, western-blotting, ELISA). Results show that GHRL regulates nightly MEL secretion in a TPH1-independent manner. The factor modulating GHRL activity was photoperiod. During SD photoperiod GHRL significantly reduced the expression of p31T-AA-NAT, AA-NAT and inhibited MEL secretion from PG explants. Whereas, during LD photoperiod no effect of GHRL on MEL secretion and expression of examined enzymes was noted. Studies indicate that GHRL directly affects PG under in vitro conditions and causes MEL secretion in animals which exhibit seasonality in reproductive and metabolic processes.

Aluminum alloy Al 2024-T3 were successfully joined using friction stir spot jwelding joining (FSSW). Satisfactory joint strengths were obtained at different welding parameters (tool rotational speed, tool plunge depth, dwell time) and tool pin profile (straight cylindrical, triangular and tapered cylindrical). Resulting joints were welded with welded zone. The different tools significantly influenced the evolution on the stir zone in the welds. Lap-shear tests were carried out to find the weld strength. Weld cross section appearance observations were also done. The macrostructure shows that the welding parameters have a determinant effect on the weld strength (x: the nugget thickness, y: the thickness of the upper sheet and SZ: stir zone). The main fracture mode was pull out fracture modes in the tensile shear test of joints. The results of tensile shear tests showed that the tensile-shear load increased with increasing rotational speed in the shoulder penetration depth of 0.2 mm. Failure joints were obrerved in the weld high shoulder penetration depth and insufficient tool rotation.

Artificial intelligence methods, especially artificial neural networks (ANNs), have recently been successfully used more and more frequently in the mathematical description of physical phenomena in the processing of metallic materials. Results based on measured data of phenomena in real production are often, at least locally, different or more complex than the results of established theories. In general, ANN models, which mostly work as "black boxes", allow us to improve production efficiency by themselves. The fact is, however, that a better understanding of the phenomena under consideration, which is otherwise enabled by classical mathematical approaches in the form of explicit mathematical formulas, could ensure even greater efficiency. In this article, therefore, a general concept is proposed to explain the discussed phenomena in metallic materials. The application of the concept is illustrated on the example of hot extrusion of aluminum alloy 6082, where CAE is used as an artificial neural network to model the phenomenon and predict the key parameters of the phenomenon. ChatGPT is used to explain the results according to the proposed concept. The basic idea is to enable practicing engineers to better understand the considered phenomena and results obtained by ANNs.

A new Mg-Zn-Zr-Ca alloy in powder state was obtained via mechanical alloying method, from pure elemental powder. Further, the obtained powder-alloy was processed by selective laser melting (SLM) procedure to obtain 3D printed samples for small biodegradable implants. A series of microstructural, mechanical and corrosion analysis were performed. The SEM analysis of powder-alloy reveal a good dimensional homogeneity, with uniform colored, no agglutinated and almost rounded particles, suitable for selective laser melting procedure. Further, the SLM samples reveal a robust and unbreakable morphology, with a suitable porosity and without undesirable balling effect. The tested Young’s modulus of the SLM samples, of 42 GPa, is close to cortical bone one, of 30 GPa. The corrosion tests performed in PBS (Phosphate-buffered saline) solution show that the corrosion parameters have a satisfactory evolution.

Micro satellites must survive severe mechanical conditions during their launch phase. Therefore, structural design requirements are imposed on the micro satellites. These requirements are the strength requirement and the stiffness requirement. Usually, the structural design of a micro satellite is performed using the internal stress analysis and the natural frequency analysis, which are based on a Finite Element Method (FEM). The validity of this structural design is evaluated through vibration tests. In an early stage of development, which has a FEM model of a satellite in the process of creation, presumption of the natural frequency of a satellite may be difficult. In this study, a simple method for determining the longitudinal and lateral minimum natural frequencies of the micro satellites during the ascent phase was clarified. The structure of the micro satellites used in this research is made of aluminum alloy, and they have a monocoque structure. The Young's modulus and moment of inertia of area used to calculate the minimum natural frequencies were determined using the area ratio of the monocoque structure to the entire satellite. When this method is used, the estimated minimum natural frequencies of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction are in agreement with the measured values acquired by the vibration tests. In order to shorten the process of micro satellites development, this paper describes a practical estimation method of the minimum natural frequency for micro satellites.

Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welding (BTFSW) is a variant of FSW process using the special two shoulder tool that forms the top and bottom weld surface. As such, a significant simplification of welding setup is achieved. One of the dominant parameters of BTFSW process is the interference between tool shoulder pinch gap and weld metal thickness. In this research, the influence of interference of the square pin tool with convex shoulders on process temperature, microstructure, tensile, impact and bend performance were studied, and appropriate correlations were devised. The base metal was aluminum-magnesium alloy, with the interference varied in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 mm. The worm defects and irregularities were found in all specimens except in specimen welded with 0.4 mm interference. Optimal interference of 0.4 mm resulted in the highest mechanical properties, which, in terms of tensile strength and reduction of area were similar to the base metal. Furthermore, impact strength was significantly higher, which was attributed to grain refinement effect in the nugget zone.

This paper addresses the input coupling problem for the shape memory alloy (SMA) actuated parallel platform with completely unknown nonlinear dynamics. The problem means that in a parallel platform with multiple SMA actuators acting together, the displacement of one of the actuators will simultaneously affect the remaining actuators to change. Due to the coupling problem and nonlinear characteristics of the SMA actuators, it is not easy to control the platform to achieve bi-directional swing with completely unknown nonlinear dynamics. Therefore, a model-free adaptive sliding mode control method is proposed to improve the control accuracy of the complex motion of the platform, avoiding the complex modeling process of the SMA actuated parallel platform. Based on the model-free adaptive control (MFAC) theory, a multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) dynamic linearized mathematical model of the parallel platform is established using the online input and output data of the system. Then, a sliding mode controller is designed based on the dynamic model. A rigorous theoretical analysis proves that the proposed model-free adaptive sliding mode controller is able to stably control the SMA actuated parallel platform, and its tracking error is uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB). Finally, experiments are conducted on the established SMA actuated parallel platform. The results show that the proposed model-free controller is feasible and effective, and can control the system well to achieve the complex motion of bi-directional swing.

This study investigates the effects of Zinc (4wt.%) and severe plastic deformation on the mechanical properties of AZ61 magnesium alloy through the stir-casting process. The severe plastic deformation (equal channel angular pressing (ECAP)) has been done followed by T4 heat treatment. The microstructural examinations revealed that the addition of 4wt.%Zn enhances the uniform distribution of β-phase, contributing to a more uniformly corroded surface in corrosive environments. Additionally, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) significantly reduces the grain size of as-cast alloys after undergoing ECAP. The attained mechanical properties demonstrate that after a single ECAP pass, AZ61 + 4wt.%Zn alloy exhibits optimal yield strength (YS), ultimate compression strength (UCS), and hardness. This research highlights the promising potential of AZ61 + 4wt.%Zn alloy for enhanced mechanical and corrosion-resistant properties, offering valuable insights for applications in diverse engineering fields.

This paper presents a new method of preparing a coating on the Ti65 titanium alloy by a two-step procedure comprising hot-dipped aluminum and solid carburization. The effects of the carburization in the presence of NaCl deposit at 810oC have been systematically studied. In this article, the microstructure, morphology, phase composition of the coating, and the corrosion products were investigated by SEM, EDS, and X-ray diffraction. Results indicated that the corrosion resistance of hot dip aluminum/carburizing composite coating was not significantly enhanced by hot dip aluminum coating. This can be attributed to the formation of TiC and Ti3AlC after carburization, which promoted the formation of loose and unprotected TiO2 in the coating during molten salt corrosion. In addition, the oxidation of the carbon atom into CO2 /CO leaded to a high concentration of vacancy in the coating, creating channels for NaCl to penetrate the coating and accelerated the corrosion rate.

With continuous increase in integration of the semiconductor devices, the requirements on size accuracy and surface quality of the etched lead frame are higher. The etchant is a key factor on etching process and etched surface quality, while effects of the difference in etchants on microscopic etched surface morphology of the Cu alloy have not been directly studied. In this study, the aqua regia, acidic FeCl3 and CuCl2 solutions were used as etchants, and the CuCrSn alloy specimens with different microstructure were etched and characterized. The results show that the etching rate in aqua regia is high, and the grain orientation, grain boundary (GB) and dislocation have significant influence on the local etching rate. The preferential etching of some atomic planes forms steps between grains with different orientations, and the preferential etching around the GB and dislocation group forms grooves, resulting in high surface roughness. For etching of the FeCl3 and CuCl2 etchants, the steps and grooves become blurred, and almost invisible on the surface etched by the CuCl2 etchant, thus the surface roughness is much lower. The CuCrSn alloy surface etched by the aqua regia is clean, with little Cr-rich particles, while high density Cr-rich particles are remained on the surfaces etched with the FeCl3 and CuCl2 etchants. For the same kind of etchant, the ion concentration can affect the etching mechanism and etching surface morphology.

An eight-sided prism sample, obtained from a hot-rolled AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet, was compressed at room temperature along the transverse direction to investigate the influence of local strain on twinning behavior using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements. The octagonal surface of the sample was divided into distinct regions based on hardness distribution and metallographic observations. The EBSD maps of different areas show significant variations, suggesting that these areas experienced different local strain conditions. The EBSD measurements provided detailed data from three distinct regions, with the strain state known in two regions and uncertain in the third. The combined analysis of the Schmid factor (SF) and the strain compatibility factor (m') was employed to study twin variant selection. The comparison of twinning behavior in different regions showed that the strain compatibility factor offered a more comprehensive explanation for the observed twinning pattern in the region with local shear strain.

To enhance the applicability of dual-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs) like Fe32Cr33Ni29Al3Ti3, fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM), a focus on improving their mechanical properties is essential. As part of this effort, heat treatment was explored. This study compares the microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-printed sample with those cooled in water after undergoing heat treatment at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1200 ℃ for 1 hour. Both pre- and post-treatment samples reveal a dual-phase microstructure comprising FCC and BCC phases. Although heat treatment led to a reduction in tensile and yield strength, it significantly increased ductility compared to the as-printed sample. This strength-ductility trade-off is related to changes in grain sizes with ultrafine grains enhancing strength and micron grains optimizing ductility, also the influence of the content of FCC/BCC phases and dislocation density. In particular, the sample heat-treated at 1000 °C for 1 hour and then water-cooled exhibited a better combination of strength and ductility, a yield strength of 790 MPa, and an elongation of 13%. This research offers innovative perspectives on crafting dual-phase HEA of Fe32Cr33Ni29Al3Ti3, allowing for tailorable microstructure and mechanical properties through a synergistic approach involving SLM and heat treatment.

Preeclampsia (PE) continues to be a significant cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin II type I receptor autoantibody (AT1-AA) has been reported accompanied by PE women in numerous studies. Therefore, detecting the mechanism of AT1-AA production is the key breakthrough in understanding PE. Deficiency in MFG-E8 has been verified can lead to autoimmune diseases due to dysfunction in macrophage phagocytosis and the production of autoantibodies. In the present study, we examined the expression of MFG-E8 in PE patients. Compared with the control, PE patients had a lower expression of placental MFG-E8 and a higher expression of placental AT1R. Then, we tested the effect of MFG-E8 on AT1-AA production and macrophage phagocytosis of trophoblast apoptosis in PE rats induced by low-dose endotoxin(LPS) and trophoblast model. In vivo, experiments results showed that systolic blood pressure, 24h urinary protein, serum TNF-α,sLFt-1 and AT1-AA levels, and placental trophoblast apoptosis caused by LPS were all significantly alleviated by MFG-E8. Moreover, administrated with MFG-E8 has shown decreased trophoblast apoptosis and AT1R exposure in vitro, and enhanced the phagocytosis of dead trophoblasts by macrophages. That supports the idea that MFG-E8 could be a potential therapeutic target for attenuating AT1-AA and protecting patients from AT1-AA and PE.

This study investigated the relationship between aluminum adjuvant vaccines and the prevalence of 4 childhood diseases (Autism, Allergies, Asthma, ADD/ADHD) using data from the 2020-2021 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) [1] and the Centers for Disease Control National Immunization Survey (CDC NIS) [2]. The study found an association with aluminum adjuvant dosage and the prevalence of each disease studied (Autism, Allergies, Asthma, ADD/ADHD) through a weighted regression analysis of disease prevalence against the summed likelihood of aluminum adjuvant vaccine uptake.

Directed energy deposition (DED) parameters were determined for near-β alloy Ti-55511 by employing statistical design of experiments (DOE) methods. Parameters resulting in fully dense freeform deposits were identified using two sequential DOEs. Single laser tracks were printed with several laser power, traverse rate, and powder feed rate settings in an initial DOE to identify promising build parameters. Capture efficiency and effective deposition rate were used to characterize and rank the single track deposits. The best parameters were then used to print solid cube with various X-Y and Z-overlaps (different hatch spacing, HS, and layer thickness, ZS) in a second DOE. Suitable deposition parameters were selected based on cube density and microstructure and were used to fabricate larger tensile samples for mechanical testing. Multiple parameter sets were found to provide dense Ti-55511 deposits with acceptable mechanical properties and parametric models showed statistical significance.

This study aims to investigate a friction stir welded joint between steel and aluminum alloy. Friction stir welding is nowadays one of the most interesting joining technique due to the possibility to connect materials and thicknesses that are difficult or impossible to weld with traditional techniques. The main advantage is that Materials are not affected by thermal cycle problems during solidification and cooling and the absence of fumes and pollution during the process favors the quality of the welded joint. The life of metal joints could be greatly reduced in a corrosive environment, since the less noble material will tend to increase its corrosion rate while the nobler one will reduce its electrochemical dissolution. Accelerated ageing tests (i.e. salt fog test) are used to estimate the lifetime of metal joints in highly aggressive environments. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the durability at long ageing time in salt spray test (according to ASTM B117) of carbon steel/aluminum alloy joints, obtained by FSW. In this first part, mechanical tests results are reported. A deep metallographic and chemical investigation are going to be reported in the part 2.

A microwave technique prepared a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) by grafting two hydrophilic monomers onto a polysaccharide substrate. The monomers used are acrylic acid (AA) or acrylamide (AM) to graft onto a pullulan substrate (PUL) to form PUL-g- AA (SAP1) and PUL-g- AM (SAP2), respectively. The monomers (AM/AA) graft together onto a PUL substrate to form PUL-g-(AM/AA) (SAP3). Grafting parameters such as grafting efficiency with percentage, conversion of monomer to polymer, gel content, water retention, water adsorption capacity, and swelling kinetics were determined. Additionally, the effect of environmental pH (2, 4, 7, 9, and 12) and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) surfactant was evaluated, where SDBS was added by 1,2,3,4 and 5 mM to form (SAP4 to SAP8). FTIR results show that AM grafted on PUL through an aliphatic C-N bond, while AA grafting occurred through a single C-C bond. The grafting efficiency with AM is higher than with AA, as well as their gel contents. Water absorbance capacity increased with grafting of AA or AM separately, and water retention was enhanced. The highest absorbent capacity, water retention, gel content, and grafting parameters values were obtained with 3 mM SDBS content and pH7. The swelling kinetics showed that the increases in the theoretical and experimental swelling equilibriums were 72 % and 82%, respectively, at SAP6 compared to the values of these parameters in SAP3. The water absorption capacity of the hydrogel increases with increasing pH to 7 and then gradually decreases. XRD improves the crystallinity and crystalline size of the hydrogel after grafting polymerization for AM/AA into PUL, in addition to enhancing thermal stability. On the contrary, FE-SEM demonstrated that SDBS improves the porosity and pore size of the hydrogel surface in SAP6.

We report two cases of pancytopenia in patients after recovering from a mild COVID-19, now presenting as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and aplastic anemia. These cases il-lustrate a common pathway whereby a viral trigger causes clonal expansion of a hematological disorder. Although the association in both cases are temporal, and that COVID-19 may be an in-cidental diagnosis, the growing evidence related to hematological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infec-tion highlights the need for further investigation into the hematological consequences of COVID-19, particularly in the post-pandemic era.

Aluminum wire is a common material for wire bonding due to its resistance to oxidation and low price. It does not melt when becoming a free air ball (FAB) during the electronic flame-off (EFO) process with wettability, and is applied by wedge bonding. This study used 20μm Zn-Coated Al-0.5wt.%Si (ZAS) wires to improve the FAB shape after the EFO process, while maintaining stability of the mechanical properties, including the interface bonding strength and hardness. In order to test circuit stability after ball bonding, the current-tensile test was performed. During the experiment, it was found that 80nm ZAS with wire bonding has lower resistance and higher fusing current. For the bias tensile test, the thicker Zn film diffused into the Al-Si matrix easily, after which the strength was reduced. The ball-bond interfaces had no change in their condition before and after the bias. Accordingly, ZAS could be a promising candidate for ball bonding in the future.

This work investigated the isothermal holding time dependence of the densification, microstructure, weight loss and tensile properties of Fe-Mn-Si powder compacts. Elemental Fe, Mn and Si powder mixtures with a nominal composition of Fe-28Mn-3Si (in weight percent) were ball milled for 5h and subsequently pressed under a uniaxial pressure of 400 MPa. The compacted Fe-Mn-Si powder mixtures were sintered at 1200 ℃ for 0, 1, 2 and 3 h, respectively. In general, the density, weight loss and tensile properties increased with the increase of isothermal holding time. A significant increase in density, weight loss and tensile properties occurred in the compacts isothermally holding for 1 h, as compared to those with no isothermal holding. However, further extension of isothermal holding time (2 and 3 h) only played a limited role in promoting the density and tensile properties. The weight loss of the sintered compacts was mianly caused by the sublimation of Mn in Mn depletion region on the surface layer of the sintered Fe-Mn-Si compacts. The length of the Mn depletion region increased as isothermal holding time increased. A single α-Fe phase was detected on the surface of all the sintered compacts, and the locations beyond the Mn depletion region were comprised of a dual dominant γ-austenite and minor ε-martensite.

The structure characterization of two new polysaccharides from Agrocybe aegerita (AA-P) and Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus (HO-P) by HPGPC, GC-MS, NMR and FT-IR indicated that AA-P was composed of Galactose, Glucose and Arabinose, in the ratio of 3:2:1. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→4)-Arap, (1→4,6)-Glup and (1→6)-Galp with one branched chain. The HO-P was consisted of mannose, galactose and glucose in a ratio of 1:1:2. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→6)-Galactose residues, (→1)-glucose residues, (1→4)-glucose residues and (1→4,6)-D-mannose residues. There were two branched chains connected to the main chain. AA-P and HO-P had the best stimulation effect on B cells and RAW264.7 cells, respectively, and could both mainly by impacting and reducing G0/G1 phase which lead to a significant proliferation of B cells, T cells and RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AA-P and HO-P could significantly promote the secretion of TNF-α from T cells, the secretion of IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM from B cells, and the secretion of TNF-α from RAW264.7 cells, but neither of them could impact the secretion of IL-1β from RAW264.7 cells.

To fulfil a need of limitation automotive emissions the reduction of vehicle weight is widely recommended and achieved in many ways, both by the construction of individual elements of the vehicle, and by the selection of light materials including Al alloys. Connecting these elements with each other and with elements made of iron alloys can be realized, inter alia, by welding or stir welding. However, the quality of the welds obtained varies widely and depends on many design, operational and environmental factors. The present study focused on a review of various welding technics used to joint both similar and dissimilar Al alloys utilized in automotive industry, the effect of various process parameters on welds quality, and phenomena appeared in such welds..

In the discussion on environmental policies, the notion of eco-efficiency is often used. Eco-efficiency is defined as the delivery of products and services with competitive values, while reducing the ecological impacts and satisfying human needs. In an environment of great competitiveness in which the companies operate, the improvements in the productive process is one of the differentiating factors for guaranteeing a strong competition. Also it is essential rationalizing energy consumption and natural resources. For this it is necessary to understand the main operations and dynamics of the company. This work presents an empirical study of a Portuguese company in the industrial sector. The problematic here presented is based on the company’s growing concern to reduce the amount of scrap produced. From the literature research that was performed, a strong dependence relation between the different variables in the extrusion process was found. The main objective of this work is to model the aluminium extrusion process, with the aim of minimizing the production of scrap. For this several variables involved in the process are taking into account. Using statistical techniques, in particular multiple linear regressions, it was possible to identify the importance of the variables under study for the scrap production.

Aluminum matrix nanocomposites have been the subject of much attention due to their extraordinary mechanical properties and thermal stability. This research focuses on producing and characterizing an aluminum matrix reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) nanometric particles. The conventional powder metallurgy route was used to produce the nanocomposites, and the dispersion and mixing process was carried out by ultrasonication. The conditions of the dispersion and the volume fraction of the SiC were evaluated in the production of the nanocomposites. Microstructural characterization was carried out using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Mechanical characterization was carried out using hardness and tensile tests. The dispersion agent was investigated, and isopropanol leads to better dispersion with fewer agglomerates. Increasing the volume fraction of the reinforcement improves the hardness of the nanocomposites. However, greater agglomeration of the reinforcement is observed for larger volume fractions. The greatest increase in hardness (77% increase compared to the hardness of the Al matrix) is obtained with 1.0 vol % of SiC, corresponding to the sample with the best dispersion. The mechanical characterization through tensile tests attests to the effect of the reinforcement on the Al matrix. The main strengthening mechanisms identified were the load transfer, the texture hardening, Orowan strengthening, and the increase in the density of dislocations in the nanocomposites.

Aseptic implant loosening after total joint replacement is partially influenced by material-specific factors when cobalt-chromium alloys are used, including osteolysis induced by wear- and corrosion products, and stress shielding. Here, we aim to characterize a hybrid material consisting of alumina-toughened zirconia ceramics (ATZ) and additively manufactured Ti-35Nb-6Ta (TiNbTa), joined by a glass solder. The structure of the joint, static and fatigue shear strength, the influence of accelerated aging, and the cytotoxicity using an elution assay with human osteoblasts is characterized. Furthermore, the biomechanical properties of functional demonstrators of a femoral component for total knee replacements are evaluated. TiNbTa-ATZ specimens showed a homogenous joint with statistical distributed micro-pores and a slight accumulation of Al-rich compounds at the glass solder-TiNbTa interface. The static shear strength was 26.4 ± 4.2 MPa (Ti-ATZ reference: 38.2 ± 14.4 MPa, p = 0.117), all specimens survived 107 cycles of shear loading to 10 MPa, and aging did not reduce the strength. TiNbTa-ATZ did not impair the proliferation and metabolic activity of human osteoblasts. Functional demonstrators of TiNbTa-ATZ provided a maximum bearable extension-flexion moment of 40.7 ± 2.2 Nm. Biomechanical and biological properties of TiNbTa-ATZ demonstrate potential application for endoprosthetic implants.

This paper uses polypropylene (PP) as the matrix and acrylic acid (AA) and maleic anhydride (MAH) as functional monomers to prepare PP-g-(AA-MAH) fibers by suspension grafting and melt-blown spinning technology that are easy to industrially scale-up. The fibers can be used to adsorb aniline from wastewaters. Results showed that the grafting ratio reached the maximum of 12.47%. The corresponding optimal conditions were grafting time of 3h, AA : MAH = 0.75, total monomer content of 55%, benzoyl peroxide 1.4%, xylene concentration of 6 mL/g PP, and deionized water content of 8 mL/g PP. Owing to its good fluidity and thermal stability, the product of suspension grafting can be used for melt-blown spinning. Infrared spectroscopic and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic analyses indicated that AA and MAH were successfully grafted onto PP fibers. After grafting, the hydrophilicity of PP-g-(AA-MAH) fiber increased. Therefore, it had higher adsorptivity for aniline and the adsorption capacity could reach 42.2 mg/g at 45 min. Moreover, the PP-g-(AA-MAH) fibers showed good regeneration performance.

Impure and pure casts have collected reasonable attentions over all the world. In this paper, Aluminum (Al) and Copper (Cu) cast alloys are considered to be studied. Multiple impure and pure Al-Cu cast alloys are established under the condition of very high temperatures. Then, all of the established alloys are examined by applying mechanical tests. More specifically, tests of hardness are exploited. Moreover, different quenching conditions are employed and analyzed. These are the water, air and oil. Consistent results are separately obtained for the impure and pure materials.

Plasmonic sensors have great potential for widespread usage, but the prohibitive cost of noble metals restrains the wider adoption of this technology. The aim of our study is to develop a cost-effective Al-based alternative to plasmonic detectors commonly based on noble metals. We considered a structure that consists of a Si p-n junction with an overlying grating-relief aluminum layer. The investigation of the infrared plasmonic resonance dependency on the structure geometric parameters and optimization of the fabrication process allowed us to determine optimal parameters for photodetection enhancement. The resonance photoresponse of optimized aluminum-based plasmon-polariton photodetector was significantly improved and became comparable to noble metal-based analogs. Our results can be used for the creation of cost-effective high-sensitivity plasmonic sensors.

There are few published studies assessing dental students' and faculty's perception regarding environmental sustainability in dentistry (ESD), its existence within the dental curricula, along with barriers and enablers for its integration. As far as the authors know, no published study looked into this in Saudi Arabia, and this is what the current study aims to explore. A cross-sectional survey using validated online questionnaires for dental students and faculty was carried out in 26 dental schools in Saudi Arabia. The validated questionnaire utilized 25 questions using Qualtrics (XM) software. Both descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were included in the data analysis. ESD content is not formally embedded within the dental curricula in all 26 included universities in Saudi Arabia. Although the majority of students and faculty members agreed or strongly agreed on the importance of ESD as a whole and the importance of teaching it, more than 82% and 81% of students and faculty, respectively, demonstrated a lack of basic knowledge concerning ESD. There is a high demand for incorporating ESD content in dental education in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this, resources and policy changes are necessary. A top-down approach is needed, including incorporating ESD into dental education standards, using evidence-based practices in revising infection control regulations and providing institutional support through training, materials, and incentives. National dental associations and governments should provide practical solutions and actively support dental professionals in implementing ESD.

In this study, an extensive data set was based on existing literature records in order to enable the suitability of several predictive models, from Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) to Neural Networks (NN). The main objective was to, through regression analyses, generate model computations to correlate tensile properties (UTS- Ultimate Tensile Strength, YTS – Yield Tensile Strength and EF – Elongation-to-Fracture) to a given alloy composition and microstructural spacing. This investigation led to positive results, as the highest accuracies of the trained modules (in 80% of the database) were found to be above ~82% (UTS and EF) and a maximum of ~98% (YTS), when analyzing the results to a test data set. Later, these models were used to define trends for possible next solder alloy commercial compositions. Overall, using the standard model’s setup, the Random Forest and Decision Tree models showed the highest accuracy results, with 0.958 for YTS as opposed to 0.907 for MLR. Moreover, Multilayer Perceptron (MLP)-optimized models yielded the best results for each variable, with the highest increases in accuracy associated with the YTS and EF. The present contribution might imply an important milestone towards alloy design research based on data science guidelines to unlock the full potential of former experiments and their extensive set of results.

Ecosystem physical structure, defined by the quantity and spatial distribution of biomass, influences a range of ecosystem functions. Remote sensing tools permit the non-destructive characterization of canopy and root features, potentially providing opportunities to link above- and belowground structure at fine spatial resolution in functionally meaningful ways. To test this possibility, we employed ground-based portable canopy lidar (PCL) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) along co-located transects in forested sites spanning multiple stages of ecosystem development and, consequently, of structural complexity. We examined canopy and root structural data for coherence at multiple spatial scales ≤ 10 m within each site using wavelet analysis. Forest sites varied substantially in vertical canopy and root structure, with leaf area index and root mass more evenly distributed by height and depth, respectively, as forests aged. In all sites, above- and belowground structure, characterized as mean maximum canopy height and root mass, exhibited significant coherence at a scale of 3.5-4 meters, and results suggest that the scale of coherence may increase with stand age. Our findings demonstrate that canopy and root structure are linked at characteristic spatial scales, which provides the basis to optimize scales of observation. Our study highlights the potential, and limitations, for fusing lidar and radar technologies to quantitatively couple above- and belowground ecosystem structure.

Aluminum, a contentious trace element found in the environment, has been demonstrated to have harmful effects on both humans and animals. In contrast, Sempervivum tectorum, an evergreen plant, has been found to offer numerous beneficial effects for both humans and animals. Therefore, this study aims to assess the protective effect of S. tectorum on certain reproductive biomarkers in male rats exposed to aluminum. Thirty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: NTC (no-treatment control) received distilled water; NC (negative control) received drinking water containing 1 mg/L aluminum sulfate (AS); E1 received 1 mg/L AS along with an 8% S. tectorum extract; PC (positive control) received only 8% S. tectorum extract; E2 received 1 mg/L AS for three months followed by 8% extract for one month. The study analyzed testosterone, LH, FSH, body weight, and the histological structure of the testis, epididymis, and prostate, as well as the levels of zinc, manganese, copper, and iron in these organs. Significant decreases in body weight, testis, and epididymis size were observed in the aluminum-exposed groups compared to the control, whereas these decreases were not significant in the S. tectorum-treated groups compared to the control. Aluminum exposure led to significant decreases in testosterone and LH levels, with FSH levels showing a non-significant decrease in males, which were mitigated significantly by the administration of the plant extract. Histological analysis revealed alterations in the testis, epididymis, and prostate of the AS-exposed groups, including necrosis of seminiferous tubule epithelium and Leydig cells in the testis, and basal epithelial necrosis in the epididymis and prostate. Aluminum levels increased in all organs studied, while levels of zinc, copper, iron, and manganese decreased, showing a negative and significant correlation with aluminum levels. The aqueous extract of S. tectorum demonstrated a protective effect on certain studied biomarkers in male rats affected by aluminum exposure.

Iron powders having average particle sizes of ~40µm are mechanically mixed thoroughly with aluminum powders ranging from 1 to 10 in wt.% with an average particle size of ~10µm. Two different powder metallurgical techniques cold and hot pressing are used to study the effect of the additive element powder on the mechanical properties, wear properties and the microstructure of the iron based alloys. The hot pressing technique was performed at a temperature up to 500°C at 445.6 MPa. The cold pressing technique was performed at 909 MPa in room temperature. By increasing the Al content to 10 wt. % in the base Fe-based matrix, the hardness was decreased from 780 to 690 MPa and the radial strength was decreased from 380 to 202 MPa with reductions of 11.5% and 40%, respectively. Improvement of the wear resistance with the increase addition of the Al powder to the Fe matrix up to 5 times was achieved compared to the alloy without Al addition for different wear parameters namely; wear time and sliding speed.

Due to the difficult metallurgical conditions during production, advanced processing techniques are required to produce functionally graded metal matrix composites. In this study, we explored a novel approach by using a combination of two different methods to produce Functionally Graded 7075 Al / SiCp composites. First process was direct semi-solid stirring that was used to prevent particle agglomeration, brittle reaction products, floating or settling of the reinforcements and poor wettability for the production of SiCp (wt. 5-20%) reinforced aluminum matrix composites. In the direct semi-solid mixing process, the matrix material remains in a semi-solid state until the reinforcement addition process is completed. The second novel process was sequential squeeze casting to provide liquid diffusion between two composite layers that were used to produce functionally graded aluminum matrix composite. The microstructure and interlayer zones were characterized by using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The resulting functionally graded material was subjected to spectrometer analyses, density measurements, and metallographic examinations in order to determine the characteristics of its layers and interfacial zones, as well as to assess the formation of the graded structure. The results obtained from this research provide the potential to use this new combined manufacturing method, which is relatively inexpensive, efficient and easily applicable, in order to produce functionally graded SiCp reinforced aluminum composites.

MgAl oxide coatings containing MgO and MgAl2O4 phases were doped with CeO2 particles using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) of AZ31 magnesium alloy in 5 g/L NaAlO2 water solution, with CeO2 particles added at concentrations up to 8 g/L. They underwent extensive inve-stigation into their morphology, chemical and phase compositions, and most importantly, photoluminescent (PL) properties and photocatalytic-activity (PA) in photodegradation of methyl orange (10 cm3 of 8 mg/L). The concentration of CeO2 particles in the aluminate electrolyte influences the amount of CeO2 particles incorporated into MgAl oxide coatings, but CeO2 particles have no signi-ficant effect on the surface morphology, thickness, or phase structure of the coatings. The PL emi- ssion spectrum of MgAl oxide coating is divided into two bands: one in the 350-600 nm range related to structural defects in MgO, and another much more intense in the 600-775 nm range attributed to F+ centres in MgAl2O4. Incorporated CeO2 particles do not have a significant effect on the PL intensity of the band in the red spectral region, but the PL intensity of the first band increases with the concentration of CeO2 particles. PA of MgAl/CeO2 oxide coatings is higher than that of pure MgAl oxide coatings. The highest PA was observed for MgAl/CeO2 oxide coatings formed in aluminate electrolytes with the addition of 2 g/L of CeO2 particles. The MgAl/CeO2 oxide coatings remained chemically and physically stable across multiple cycles, indicating their potential for applications.

The wealth of data obtained during the past 20 years using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) indicates that the technique is very promising to detect small chemical contents of alloying elements. The potential of LIBS was looked more seriously during the past two decades or so as more data were obtained on Aluminum and steel to study the phenomena in the condition of local thermodynamic equilibrium and time-delay between a Q-switch laser and an intensified CCD camera. Since the past decade, some data on compounds were also shown to be useful in determining small concentrations of harmful elements. This manuscript is intended to show that the technique of LIBS performance is very promising in fields such as micro-machining, in alloying element analysis, surface cleaning and environmental applications even with lightweight spectrometers having a relatively low resolution, which can potentially be air-borne.

This work communicates analysis of aluminum monoxide, AlO, laser-plasma emission records using line strength data and the ExoMol astrophysical database. A nonlinear fitting program computes comparisons of measured and simulated diatomic molecular spectra. Predicted cyanide spectra of the AlO, ${\rm B}\ ^2\,\Sigma^+ \longrightarrow {\rm X} \ ^2\,\Sigma^+$, $\Delta {\rm v} = 0, \pm 1, \pm 2, + 3$ sequences and progressions compare nicely with 1 nanometer resolution experimental results. The analysis discusses experiment data captured during laser ablation of Al$_2$O$_3$ with 266-nm, 6-mJ pulses. The accuracy of the AlO line strength data is better than one picometer. This work presents as well comparison of the $^{27}$Al$^{16}$O line strength and of ExoMol data for spectral resolutions of 0.1nm and 0.07nm. Accurate AlO databases show a volley of applications in laboratory and astrophysical plasma diagnosis.

Numerical calculations of ultraviolet to near-infrared absorption spectra by cadmium selenide quantum dots (CdSe QDs) doped in anodic aluminum oxide pores were performed using a finite-difference time-domain model. The height, diameter, and periodic spacing of the pores were optimized. Light absorption by the dots was enhanced by increasing the height and decreasing the diameter of the pores. When the height was less than 1 μm, visible light absorption was enhanced as the spacing was reduced from 400 nm to 100 nm. No enhancement was observed for heights greater than 6 μm. Finally, the optical mode coupling of the aluminum oxide and the quantum dots was enhanced by decreasing the pore diameter and periodic spacing, and increasing the height. Laser ablation verified light absorption enhancement by the CdSe QDs. The experiment verified the improvement of the laser-induced damage ability with wavelength of 355-nm after aluminum alloy 6061 coated with functional films, which was fabricated based on numerical calculations.

Magnesium and Aluminum alloys continue to be important in the context of modern and lightweight technologies. With the advancement of additive manufacturing (AM), components can be produced directly in a net shape, widen up the usage of magnesium and aluminum alloys as well as holding new ideas for the application of unique physical structures made feasible by 3D printing. Laser-based approach, one of the metal additive manufacturing (AM) methods, enables the formation of arbitrary 3D structures. With promising findings, research in this area is advancing quickly, bringing up a variety of potential applications in both the scientific and industrial sectors. Complex structures can now be manufactured easily utilizing AM technologies to meet the pre-requisite objectives like reduced part numbers, greater functionality, and lightweight, among others. AM has the ability to meet demands by lowering costs and speeding up the manufacturing process. Due to their popularity in numerous high-value applications, aluminum, and magnesium alloys are one of the key material systems being researched in the laser-based additive manufacturing approaches. The review here aims to comprehensively examine the additive manufacturing of magnesium and aluminum alloys, highlighting the influence of the laser-based additive manufacturing approach on the mechanical characteristics, microstructure, and tribological performance of magnesium and aluminum alloys.

Background: Aluminum phosphide (AlP), also known as “rice tablet,” is widely used as an effective pesticide. However, AlP poisoning is a common cause of mortality in many countries, such as Iran. Unfortunately, there is no specific antidote for AlP toxicity to date. AlP releases phosphine gas when it is exposed to moisture and acid. Phosphine is a robust mitochondrial toxin that could significantly inhibit cellular energy metabolism. AlP poisoning is an emergency condition that needs instant and effective intervention. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is a simple saccharide used for several pharmacological as well as cosmetic purposes. Previously, we found that DHA could significantly prevent mitochondrial impairment induced by toxic agents such as cyanide and phosphine in various in vitro and in vivo experimental models.Methods: Hospitalized patients (n = 111) were evaluated for eligibility criteria. Among these patients, n = 35 cases were excluded due to incomplete data (n = 11) and suspicion of poisoning rather than AlP (n = 24). Meanwhile, n = 76 cases with confirmed AlP poisoning were included in the study. AlP-poisoned patients who did not receive DHA (n =18) were used as the control group.Patients (n = 58) received at least one dose of DHA (500 ml of 5% DHA solution w/v, i.v.) in addition to routine treatment of AlP poisoning. Arterial blood gas (ABG), blood pH, bicarbonate levels, and other vital signs and biochemical measurements were monitored. Moreover, the mortality rate and time of hospitalization were evaluated in both DHA-treated (n = 58) and AlP-poisoned patients without DHA administration (n = 18). Several biomarkers were assessed before (upon hospitalization) and after DHA treatment. The routine tests for AlP-poisoned patients in this study were the measurement of electrolytes (K+ and Na+), WBC, RBC, hemoglobin, INR, carbonate (HCO3), blood pH, PaCO2, and PaO2 and SGPT, SGOT, BUN, Cr. Results: Upon patients' admission, significant decreases in blood pH (acidosis), blood PaO₂, and HCO₃ levels were the hallmarks of AlP poisoning. It was found that DHA significantly alleviated biomarkers of AlP poisoning and tremendously enhanced patients’ survival rate compared to patients treated based on hospital routine AlP poisoning protocols (no DHA). No significant adverse effects were evident in DHA-treated patients in the current study.Interpretation: These data suggest that parenteral DHA is a novel and effective antidote against AlP poisoning.Trial registration: IR.SUMS.REC.1394.102

In the article, we are trying to find a general law that describes the physical properties of a complex compound through the same physical properties of compound elements. For metal alloys operated under extreme conditions - neutron and proton irradiations and thermal heating, the mechanical properties of these alloys and their elements have been studied. It turned out that the ultimate tensile strength of tantalum alloys used in the design of space reactors can be expressed in terms of the weighted sum of the ultimate tensile strengths of its elements in the range of neutron doses: (0 - 0.96) displacement per atom (dpa) for Ta–10W alloy and (1.4 - 1.7) dpa for T–111 alloy with a neutron energy of more than 0.1 MeV. For tungsten binary alloys used in the design of fusion reactors, the Vickers hardness can also be expressed in terms of the weighted sum of the Vickers hardnesses of the alloy elements in the range of proton irradiation doses: (0 - 0.05) dpa for W-1%Re alloy, (0.05 - 0.2) dpa for W-3%Re alloy and (0.05 - 1) dpa for W-1%Ta with a proton energy of 1 MeV.

The shape memory alloys belong to the smart materials thanks to their thermomechanical proprieties' reply to thermal or to mechanical loading. These materials can change shape, stiffness, displacement, natural frequency, and many mechanical characteristics in response to stress or to heat such as conduction, convection or radiation. However, heating by convection or conduction are the most useful and studied methods unlike radiation. Therefore, this paper aims to study the radiation effect on the shape memory alloy behavior

The chelating aluminum complex [2-(Me2NCH2)C2B10H10]AlX2 (X = Br 3, CH3 4) was synthesized using 2-dimethylaminomethyl-o-carboranyl lithium (2) with aluminum tribromide or dimethylaluminum bromide, resulting in a modest yield. Compound 4 was obtained by reacting compound 3 with CH3Li in toluene. All compounds were characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, 1H, 11B, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. X-ray structural studies of CabNAlBr2 (3) and CabNAlMe2 (4) indicated that the Al atom was located at the center of a distorted tetrahedron. Crystal structures of the CabNAlBr2 (3) [a = 8.9360(3) Å, b = 12.0358(9) Å, c = 14.7730(4) Å, α = β = γ = 90°] and the CabNAlMe2 (4) [a = 8.9551(3) Å, b = 11.9126(9) Å, c = 14.7711(4) Å, α = β = γ = 90°] were obtained. The reactivity of aluminum complexes 3 and 4 with Lewis bases, such as H2O, pyridine, alkylamines, and arylamines, confirmed their rapid decomposition.

Swarf of aluminum alloy with high corrosion resistance and ductility was successfully converted into fine hydroreactive powders via its ball milling with silver powder and either lithium chloride or gallium. The later substances significantly intensified particle size reduction, while silver formed ‘cathodic’ sites (Ag, Ag2Al) promoting Al corrosion in aqueous saline solutions with hydrogen generation. The diffraction patterns, microphotographs, and elemental analysis results demonstrated partial aluminum oxidation in the samples and their contamination with tungsten carbide from milling balls. Those effects were responsible for obtaining hydrogen yields lower than expected. For AlCl3 solution at 60 °C, Al–LiCl–Ag, Al–LiCl, Al–Ga–Ag, and Al–Ga composites delivered (84.6±0.2), (86.8±1.4), (80.2±0.5), and (76.7±0.7)% of the expected hydrogen respectively. Modification with Ag promoted Al oxidation thus providing higher hydrogen evolution rates. The samples with Ag were tested in CaCl2 solution as well, for which the reaction proceeded much slower. At a higher temperature (80 °C) after 3 h of experiment, the hydrogen yields for Al–LiCl–Ag and Al–Ga–Ag powders were (46.7±2.1) and (31.8±1.9)%. The tested Ag-modified composite powders were considered promising for hydrogen generation and had a potential for further improvement to provide higher performance.

Sodium-potassium (NaK) liquid alloy is a promising candidate for use as anode material in sodium batteries because of its fluidity, which effectively suppresses the growth of sodium or potassium dendrites. However, the poor wettability of the NaK liquid alloy on conventional metal substrates is unfavorable for cell fabrication due to its strong surface tension. In this paper, low-density and low-cost fluorinated aluminum foam is used as a substrate support material for NaK liquid alloy. By combining low surface tension NaK@C with fluorinated aluminum foam, we obtain a uniformly distributed and structurally stable electrode material. The composite electrode has a cycling stability of more than 3000 hours in a symmetrical cell. Furthermore, when coupled with a sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathode in carbonate electrolyte, it maintains excellent stability even after 800 cycles, with 72% of capacity retention.

Turbulent flow is the first and fundamental physical phenomena to evaluate when optimising cost and reducing emissions from an Anode Baking Furnace (ABF). Gas flow patterns, velocity field, pressure drop, shear stress, and turbulent dissipation rate variables are the main operational parameters to be optimised, considering a specific geometry. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) allows simulating physical phenomena using numerical methods with computer resources. In particular, the finite element method is one of the most used methods to solve the flow equations. This method requires a discretisation of the geometry of the ABF, called mesh. Hence, mesh is the main input to the finite element method. A suitable mesh for applying a discretisation method determines whether the problem can be simulated or not. Generating an appropriate mesh remains a challenge to perform accurate simulations. In this work, a comparison between meshes generated using two mesh generation tools is presented. Results of different study cases are included.

Four decades have elapsed since the first quasiperiodic crystal was discovered in the Al-Mn alloy system, and many progresses have been made during this time interval in the science of quasicrystals (QCs). Notwithstanding this, a significant number of open questions still remain regarding both fundamental and technological aspects. For instance: What are QCs good for? How can we improve the current provisional QC definition? What is the role of the underlying quasiperiodic order and the characteristic inflation symmetry of these compounds in the emergence of their unusual physicochemical properties? or, What is the nature of chemical bonding in QCs formed in such different sorts of materials as alloys, oxides, or organic polymers? In this essay I will discuss these, and other closely related, issues from an interdisciplinary perspective and will comment on appealing prospectives in the field for the years to come.

This paper reports the effect of silicon substrate orientation and aluminum nitride buffer layer deposited by molecular beam epitaxy on the growth of aluminum nitride thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering technique at low temperature. The structural analysis has revealed a strong (0001) fiber texture for both substrates Si (100) and (111) and a hetero-epitaxial growth on few nanometers AlN buffer layer grown by MBE on Si (111) substrate. SEM images and XRD characterization have shown an enhancement in AlN crystallinity thanks to AlN (MBE) buffer layer. Raman spectroscopy indicated that the AlN film was relaxed when it deposited on Si (111), in compression on Si (100) and under tension on AlN buffer layer grown by MBE/Si (111) substrates, respectively. The interface between Si (111) and AlN grown by MBE is abrupt and well defined; contrary to the interface between AlN deposited using PVD and AlN grown by MBE. Nevertheless, AlN hetero-epitaxial growth was obtained at low temperature (<250°C).

The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic effects involved on pepper fruit post-harvest water loss, and correlated to morphology traits. Fruits of eight landraces of C. baccatum, and their 28 hybrids, were evaluated in a randomized complete block design. Analysis of variance, diallel analysis, phenotypic and genotypic correlation were performed to compare fruit water loss (WL), width (FW), length (FL), total soluble solids (TSS), dry matter content (DMC), pericarp thickness (PT), cuticle thickness (CT), and exocarp thickness (ET). WL varied from 14 to 68% during storage. Non-additive effects played more important role than additive, including CT, EP and TSS. Effective strategies to reduce WL should be achieved by repeated backcrosses followed by selection in segregating populations (SP). Therefore, the selection of hybrids should follow high specific combining ability traits. Selecting fruits with higher CT and lower TSS values are indirectly selecting fruits with lower WL. Varieties with low WL can be breed using landraces 04 and 58 as parents or by the hybrid 04 x 44 in open lines in SP. Brazilian C. baccatum landraces are a source of genetic variability, and the SP emerging from crossing lines with reduced WL should develop new ways for conventional breeding.

Aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) toxicity are the top two constraints to crop production in acid soil. Crops have evolved common and specific mechanisms to tolerate the two stresses. In the present study, the responses (toxicity and tolerance) of wheat near-isogenic lines (ET8 and ES8) and their parents (Carazinho and Egret) to Al and Mn were compared by determining physiolog-ical parameters and transcriptome profiling of roots. The results showed that: (1) Carazinho and ET8 exhibited dual tolerance to Al and Mn as compared with Egret and ES8, indicated by higher relative root elongation and SPAD; (2) After entering into roots, Al was mainly distributed in the root and fixed in the cell wall, while Mn was mainly distributed in the cell sap and then trans-ported to leaves. Both Al and Mn stresses decreased the contents of Ca, Mg, and Zn; Mn stress al-so inhibited the accumulation of Fe, while Al showed an opposite effect; (3) Transcriptomic analy-sis identified 5581 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under Al stress and 4165 DEGs under Mn stress. Among these, 2774 DEGs were regulated by both Al and Mn stresses, while 2280 and 1957 DEGs were exclusively regulated by Al and Mn stress, respectively. GO and KEGG analyses indi-cated that cell wall metabolism responds exclusively to Al, while nicotianamine synthesis exclu-sively responds to Mn. Pathways such as signaling, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and metal ion transport showed commonality and specificity to Al and Mn. TFs, such as MYB, WRKY, and AP2 families, were also regulated by Al and Mn, and WGCNA identified PODP7, VATB2, and ABCC3 as the hub genes for Al tolerance and NAS for Mn tolerance. The identified genes and pathways can be used as targets for pyramiding genes and breeding multi-tolerant varieties.

To obtain a given structure in 3D building-up modes, it is necessary to use optimal surfacing modes that determine the amount of heat input in local areas. For this purpose, aluminum bronze was surfacing onto a deformed base and the structure and its characteristics in the surfacing and heat-affected zones were studied by the EBSD method. The heterogeneity of the formation of the structure in each selected zone is established, which indicates the heterogeneity of heat input in local areas of the material in one mode of surfacing. For typical cases of crystallization, a molecular dynamics simulation of crystallization processes with different heat input to the base with characteristics specified based on experimental data was carried out. It has been established that the amount of heat input determines the degree of melting and the inherited defectiveness of growing crystals. The formation of misorientation boundaries and crystallization centers of new grains is determined by the conditions of joint growth of grains with given crystallographic parameters of the computational model. Numerical calculations agree with the experimentally observed results.

Sugarcane is an important sugar-source crop. As any other plant, it can be exposed to several abiotic stress conditions. Though some metals contribute to critical physiological processes in plants, the presence of aluminum ions (Al3+) can be very toxic. In order to develop plants that flourish in acidic soils, it is critical to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms of sugarcane response to aluminum stress. To determine the genes involved in sugarcane response to aluminum stress we generated 372 million paired-end RNA sequencing reads, from roots of CTC-2 and RB855453 two contrasting cultivars. Data normalization resulted in 162,161 contigs and 97,335 trinity genes. After the read cutoff, the differentially expressed genes were 4,858 in CTC-2 and 1,307 in the RB855453, Treatment Vs Control, respectively. The differentially expressed genes were annotated into 34 functional categories. The majority of the genes were upregulated in the CTC-2 (tolerant cultivar) and down regulated in RB855453 (sensitive cultivar). Here, we present the first root-transcriptome of sugarcane under aluminum stress. The results and conclusions of this study provide a valuable resource for future genetic and genomic studies in sugarcane. This transcriptome analysis points out that sugarcane tolerance to aluminum may be explained by an efficient detoxification mechanism combined with the lateral root formation and activation of redox enzymes. Following our results, we present here, a hypothetical model for the aluminum tolerance in CTC-2 cultivar.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), as a transformative technology in the field of additive manufacturing, offers unprecedented design flexibility and material efficiency. This review paper delves into the latest advancements in LPBF technology and the various alloys used in the process, including titanium alloys, aluminum alloys, nickel-based superalloys, steel alloys, copper alloys, and high-entropy alloys. For each alloy category, we discuss their specific applications, performance characteristics, and challenges faced in LPBF usage. The paper discusses important technological breakthroughs, including innovations in laser systems, scanning strategies, and in-situ monitoring technologies, which have enhanced the precision and reliability of LPBF.

The microstructure evolution during the cold rolling and subsequent annealing of Alloy 800H was investigated. Two distinct rolling methods, unidirectional rolling and cross-rolling, were intro-duced. Results show that better ductility was observed in the unidirectional rolling than in cross-rolling, whilst a higher volume fraction of large deformed grains was observed in the cross-rolled plates than in the unidirectionally rolled plates. Recrystallization occurred faster in plates from unidirectional rolling than from cross-rolling.

The mechanical behavior, microstructures as well as the crystallographic textures of the Ti57-Nb43 alloy were investigated on cylindrical specimens compressed at high temperatures, in the range of 700-1000 °C, and strain rates between 0.001 and 1.0 s-1. Hardening, followed by softening behaviours were observed as a function of strain, due to the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization/recovery in hot deformation. The modified five-parameter Voce type equation described well the stress-strain curves, but for the present alloy, it was also possible with only four parameters. A new two-variables polynomial function was employed on the four parameters that described well the flow curves as a direct function of temperature and strain rate. It permitted to reduce the number of parameters and had the predictive capacity for the flow stress at any temperature, strain, and strain rate in the investigated range. The crystallographic textures were similar at all temperatures with an increase of intensity from 900 °C. The textures could be characterized by a double &lt;100&gt; and &lt;111&gt; fiber and a unique component of (001)&lt;110&gt;, the latter inherited from the initial hot rolling texture. Viscoplastic polycrystal self-consistent deformation modeling reproduced the measured textures showing that dynamic recrystallization did not alter the development of the deformation texture, only increased it intensity.

Safety assessment of structures can be obtained employing limit design to overcome uncertainties concerning actual response due to inelastic constitutive behavior and more generally to non-linear structural response and loads’ random variability. The limit analysis is used for evaluating the safety of the structures directly starting from load level without any knowledge of the load history. In the paper, the lower bound calculation is proposed where a new strain-based approach is used that allowed describing the residual stress and displacement in terms of permanent strain. The strategy used the permanent strain as the effective parameters of the procedure so that it was possible to assess the ductility requirements for the complete load program developed till collapse or shakedown. The procedure is compared to experimental results obtained on aluminum beams in shakedown.

A special vibration damper is proposed for material property identification through a scratching process on a vibrating object. This paper presents the design and working principle of a scratching damper based on a scratch test device. A non-contact electromagnetic shaker is used to generate the shaking force for the vibration of the tested object. The required pressure on the scratched material during the scratching process is generated by a compression spring and adjusted by changing the amount of compression of the spring. The proposed damper is designed and tested on extruded aluminum samples for the determination of its Young’s modulus and hardness and validated by using the standard test instruments. Observations of physical dimensions of the scratching tracks are determined by microscope and were utilized to compute the scratching energy factor. Load curves are obtained at different pressure of the scratching process. The hysteresis loop energy during the scratching process of the tested object is measured and used for the determination of material properties of the object. Furthermore, energy conservation law, scratch energy release rate and loop energy release rate are used to determine the Young’s modulus and hardness of the sample. The measurement accuracy of the modulus and hardness of the tested sample is evaluated. The proposed method of material testing has several advantages over the traditional methods such as low cost and high repeatability, and may be used as an alternative to the standard modulus and hardness testers.

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is the most common factor limiting the growth of alfalfa in acidic soil conditions. Melatonin (MT), a significant pleiotropic molecule present in both plants and animals, has shown promise in mitigating Al toxicity in various plant species. This study aims to elucidate the underlying mechanism by which melatonin alleviates Al toxicity in alfalfa through a combined physiological and transcriptomic analysis. The results reveal that 5 μM MT significantly alleviates Al-induced growth inhibition and preserves the morphology of root tip cells. Moreover, MT application reduces Al accumulation in alfalfa roots and shoots by 28.6% and 27.6%, respectively. Additionally, MT plays a crucial role in scavenging Al-induced excess H2O2 by enhancing the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), consequently reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The RNA-seq results reveal that MT application significantly upregulates the expression of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) and carbon metabolism-related genes, including those involved in the glycolysis process, as well as sucrose and starch metabolism, suggesting that MT application may mitigate Al toxicity by facilitating the binding of Al to the cell walls, thereby reducing intracellular Al accumulation, and by improving respiration and the content of sucrose and trehalose. Taken together, our study demonstrates that MT alleviates Al toxicity in alfalfa by restoring redox homeostasis, enhancing Al binding to the cell wall, and modulating carbon metabolism. This research advances our understanding of the mechanisms underlying MT's effectiveness in mitigating Al toxicity, offering potential strategies for reducing Al accumulation in alfalfa.

Structural evolution, mechanical and tribological properties of Al-Mg alloy admixed with 5, 10 and 15 vol.% of iron powder using multi-pass friction stir processing (FSP) have been studied. Homogeneous distribution of intermetallic compound (IMC) particles were achieved after 4 FSP passes what resulted in increasing the stir zone hardness and ultimate tensile stress with simultaneous loss in the ductility. The reinforcement of the aluminum alloy matrix with IMCs allowed reducing wear at the same magnitude of friction. Subsurface composite tribological layer was formed on the FSPed samples as a result of rubbing against a steel counterbody.

In recent years, in addition to the commonly known wire-based processes of Directed Energy Deposition using lasers, a process variant using the electron beam has also developed to industrial market maturity. The process offers particular potential for processing highly conductive, reflective or oxidation-prone materials. However, for industrial usage there is a lack of comprehensive data on performance, process limits and possible applications. The present study deals with this problem using the example of the high-strength aluminum bronze CuAl8Ni6. Multi-stage test welds are used to determine the physically possible process limits and draw conclusions about the suitability of the parameters for additive manufacturing. For this purpose, optimal ranges for energy input, possible welding speeds and the scalability of the process were investigated. Finally, additive test specimens in the form of cylinders and walls are produced and the hardness profile, microstructure and mechanical properties are investigated. It is found that the material CuAl8Ni6 can be well processed by wire electron beam additive manufacturing. The microstructure is similar to a cast structure, the hardness profile over the height of the specimens is constant and the tensile strength and elongation at fracture values achieved correspond to the specification of the raw material.

Epoxy was blended with benzoxazine resin and aluminum trihydrate (ATH) additive to render flame retardancy while maintaining mechanical properties. The ATH was modified using three different silane coupling agents and then added to 60/40 epoxy/benzoxazine mixtures. The effect of blend compositions and surface modification on flame retardant and mechanical properties of the composites was investigated by UL94, tensile, and shear tests. Resin mixtures containing more than 40 wt% benzoxazine revealed a UL94 V-1 rating with enhanced tensile and shear strength. Upon addition of 20 wt% ATH to 60/40 epoxy/benzoxazine, a V-0 rating was achieved. The lowered tensile and adhesive properties of the composites in the presence of ATH were improved by modifying the ATH surface using silane coupling agents.

The supramolecular aggregation processes occurring on metallic (aluminum and gold) surfaces in aqueous solutions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) during drying were studied using advanced scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The possible mechanism for the formation of amazing intricate fractal structures on metallic surfaces was proposed based on the analysis of SEM images, size distribution diagrams and EDX-scanning elements distribution maps.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) coatings have been investigated in a wide range of bio-applications due to their biodegradation and biocompatibility properties, that are key parameters for their use in the food packaging and biomedical devices fields. The present study evaluates and compares the electrochemical behavior of the non-coated, commercial resin-coated, TiO2-coated and Al2O3-coated aluminum in commercial beer electrolyte. For this, TiO2 and Al2O3 thin films were deposited on aluminum (Al) substrates using atomic layer deposition (ALD). The evaluation of the corrosion barrier layer properties was performed by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In addition, profilometry, grazing incidence X-ray diffractometry (GIXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analyses were performed to investigate the physical and chemical properties of the pristine and / or corroded samples. TiO2 and Al2O3 films presented an amorphous structure, a morphology that follows Al substrate surface, and a thickness of around 100 nm. Analysis of LSV data showed that ALD coatings promoted a considerable increase in corrosion barrier efficiency being 86.3% for TiO2-coated Al and 80% for Al2O3-coated Al in comparison with 7.1% of commercial resin-coated Al. This is mainly due to the lower electrochemical porosity, 11.4% for TiO2-coated Al and 20.4% for Al2O3-coated Al in comparison with 96% of the resin-coated Al, i.e. an increase of up to twofold in the protection of Al when coated with TiO2 compared to Al2O3 coated. The EIS results allow us to complement the discussions about the reduced corrosion barrier efficiency of the Al2O3 film for beer electrolyte once SEM and FT-IR analyzes did not show drastic changes in both investigated ALD films after the corrosion assays. The above results indicate that ALD TiO2 and Al2O3 films may be a viable alternative to replace the synthetic resin coatings frequently used in aluminum cans of use in the food industry.

Aluminum is a strategic mineral resource, and China’s aluminum production and consumption is fairly large. However, its supply guarantee is uncertain because of a high dependency on external raw materials. This uncertainty may expand, so finding a way to reduce the uncertainty of aluminum resource supply is especially important. This paper applies the SFA method to analyze the aluminum flows in mainland China from 1996 to 2014, and establishes a supply structure model to measure its supply guarantee degree. The results claim that: (1) China’s aluminum production can satisfy demand and even create a surplus; (2) Domestic self-productive primary and secondary aluminum increased at an annual rate of 12% and 24%; (3) The proportion of self-productive secondary aluminum in the supply structure increased from 7.7% in 1996 to 12.8% in 2014, while that of primary aluminum decreased from 79.6% to 42.8%; (4) The total supply guarantee degree decreased from 87.3% to 55.6% in this period. These results provide a feasible way to solve this plight: the proportion of secondary aluminum in the supply structure should be enhanced, and an efficient aluminum resource recycling system needs to be established as soon as possible to ensure its sustainable supply.

Quantum cryptography revolutionizes secure information transfer, providing defense against both quantum and classical computational attacks. The primary challenge in extending the reach of quantum communication comes from the exponential decay of signals over long distances. Addressing this challenge, we have developed Quantum-protected Control-based Key Distribution (QCKD), overcoming transmission range limitations by monitoring signal leakages and rendering leaked quantum states significantly non-orthogonal. This paper reports on the experiments with the QCKD, conducted over a 1,707 km fiber line. We demonstrate advancements in critical components of the protocol, showing its remarkable scalability and adaptability for extended distances and multi-user configurations.

The CuCrSn alloy is promising as high-strength and high-conductivity Cu alloy due to its relative low smelting requirement, while thus far reports on the CuCrSn alloy is still quite lacked. In this study, the microstructure and properties of Cu-0.20Cr-0.25Sn (wt%) specimens prepared under different rolling and aging combinations were comprehensively characterized, in order to reveal the effects of cold rolling and aging on the CuCrSn alloy. The results show that increasing the aging temperature from 400 ºC to 450 ºC can obviously accelerates the precipitation, and the cold rolling before aging significantly increases the initial microhardness and promotes the precipitation. Whereas, the deformation hardening will be eliminated during the aging process, making the microhardness even decrease monotonically when the aging temperature and the rolling ratio before aging are high. Performing the cold rolling after the aging can maximize the effects of precipitation strengthening and deformation strengthening, and its adverse impact on the conductivity is not serious. A tensile strength of 506.5 MPa and a conductivity of 70.33% IACS were obtained with such a treatment, only the elongation decreases. Different strength-conductivity combinations of the CuCrSn alloy can be achieved through appropriate combinations of the aging and post aging cold rolling conditions.

Magnesium (Mg) alloy is a widely used lightweight metal structural material due to its high specific strength and stiffness, excellent damping performance, and recyclability. Wrought Mg alloys are widely favored in fields such as aerospace, transportation, and biomedical stents. However, most wrought Mg alloys with a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) crystal structure lack sufficient independent slip systems to meet the von Mises criterion for uniform plastic deformation at room temperature. This can result in the formation of strong basal texture during plastic deformation and poor room temperature plastic forming ability. Improving the room temperature forming performance is a crucial challenge that must be addressed to broaden the application of Mg alloy sheets. Our research group has comprehensively summarized significant work and latest research progress in improving the room temperature forming of Mg alloy sheets via extrusion technology in recent years. Specifically, we have developed a new type of asymmetric extrusion technology that combines material structure evolution, mechanical property, and forming behavior analysis. We have elucidated the extrusion process characteristics, texture control mechanism, and forming properties of Mg alloy sheets through plastic deformation mechanisms, mold design, and finite element numerical simulation. Our findings provide a novel extrusion technology for the fabrication of highly formable Mg alloy sheets, which can be utilized in various applications.

We have investigated the effect of electron-beam irradiation by a forevacuum-pressure plasma-cathode electron source on the surface roughness and hardness of Al2O3- and AlN-based ceramics. The roughness increases with increasing temperature of the processed surface, while the hardness slightly decreases. For aluminum nitride ceramic, we find that the thermal conductivity increases by a factor of 1.5 to 2 depending on the electron-beam irradiation regime.