Effects of yttrium on wettability and interactions between molten superalloy and SiO2-based ceramic core

In order to obtain high-quality superalloy castings, the wettability and interactions between superalloy melts with various Y contents and SiO₂-based ceramic cores were investigated at 1823 K. The results indicated that the wettability and interface reactions were affected by the content of Y in the alloy. For the alloys with Y content less than 0.011 wt%, no Y-oxide was found at the interface, but HfO₂, Al₂O₃ and ZrO₂ phases were formed, and the wetting angle dropped slightly. However, different Y-oxides precipitated at the alloy-ceramic interface for the alloys with Y content more than 0.017 wt%, and the wetting angle dropped sharply. When the content of Y was 0.017 and 0.025 wt%, Al₂O₃, Y₃Al₂(AlO₄)₃, HfO₂ and ZrO₂ phases were formed at the interface. When the content of Y was 0.1 wt%, YAlO₃, Y₃Al₅O₁₂, Y₄Al₂O₉, HfO₂ and ZrO₂ phases were formed. The formation of different reaction products was mainly caused by the change of Y activity (a_Y) in the alloy. The reaction between Y and SiO₂ could improve the wettability of the system apparently.     

Unpatterned Bioactive Poly(Butylene 1,4-Cyclohexanedicarboxylate)-Based Film Fast Induced Neuronal-Like Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow-Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Herein, we present poly(butylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PBCE) films characterized by an unpatterned microstructure and a specific hydrophobicity, capable of boosting a drastic cytoskeleton architecture remodeling, culminating with the neuronal-like differentiation of human bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). We have used two different filming procedures to prepare the films, solvent casting (PBCE) and compression-moulding (PBCE*). PBCE film had a rough and porous surface with spherulite-like aggregations (Ø = 10–20 μm) and was characterized by a water contact angle = 100°. PBCE* showed a smooth and continuous surface without voids and visible spherulite-like aggregations and was more hydrophobic (WCA = 110°). Both surface characteristics were modulated through the copolymerization of different amounts of ether-oxygen-containing co-units into PBCE chemical structure. We showed that only the surface characteristics of PBCE-solvent-casted films steered hBM-MSCs toward a neuronal-like differentiation. hBM-MSCs lost their canonical mesenchymal morphology, acquired a neuronal polarized shape with a long cell protrusion (≥150 μm), expressed neuron-specific class III β-tubulin and microtubule-associated protein 2 neuronal markers, while nestin, a marker of uncommitted stem cells, was drastically silenced. These events were observed as early as 2-days after cell seeding. Of note, the phenomenon was totally absent on PBCE* film, as hBM-MSCs maintained the mesenchymal shape and behavior and did not express neuronal/glial markers.     

锡在Cu6Sn5金属间化合物表面的润湿行为

利用改良座滴法研究了高真空条件下熔融纯Sn在350 ~ 450 ℃下分别与Cu₆Sn₅和T2纯铜的润湿行为. 结果表明，表面镀金的金属间化合物基板在各试验温度下的润湿性均优于纯铜基板；金属基板表面氧化膜对润湿性的影响不容忽视；离子溅射后表面形成的金膜可以作为一种改善润湿性及控制界面IMC厚度的有效方法；润湿性改善的机制为Sn与氧化膜的化学反应，界面析出IMC或者IMC的溶解过程并非限制铺展的主要因素；铺展过程表现出线性铺展规律，可用反应产物控制模型对其进行描述，计算得到Sn/Cu₆Sn₅和Sn/Cu两体系的铺展激活能分别为20.469 kJ/mol和22.270 kJ/mol.     

Biocompatible Cubic Boron Nitride: A Noncytotoxic Ultrahard Material

Cubic boron nitride (c-BN) has an ultrahardness and a large bandgap energy like diamond. In the last 30 years, most of the attention has been directed towards the mechanical and electronic applications of c-BN, while its biological potential has been overlooked. The authors report in vitro biocompatibility of high-quality c-BN films prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using the chemistry of fluorine. c-BN films become superhydrophilic when chemical-treated in hydrogen and nitrogen plasmas with or without the impact of low-energy ions due to a marked increase in polar part of the surface free energy by removal of the fluorine atoms terminating c-BN surfaces. Satisfactory proliferation and differentiation of osteoblastic cells comparable with a control sample and a superhydrophilic nanocrystalline diamond film, and the formation of mineral deposits by biomineralization are confirmed on the superhydrophilic c-BN films with negative values of zeta potential. The results demonstrate a high potential of c-BN as a noncytotoxic ultrahard coating material for biological and biomedical applications.     

Re-Printable Chiral Photonic Paper with Invisible Patterns and Tunable Wettability

The construction of invisible patterns via high-resolution printing and the independent encoding/decoding of complex information can lead to promising applications in steganography and watermarking for optical encryption. Herein, a rewritable chiral photonic paper formed by cholesteric cellulose nanocrystals and polycation is reported. The chemically crosslinked polycation network interpenetrates in the cholesteric structure while retaining the optical properties of the photonic crystals. The film exhibits controllable wettability via anion exchange, leading to extremely low contrast in the dry state but high contrast by a rapid wetting response. Triple invisible information is independently encoded on the films, including invisible patterns caused by reversible counterion-controlled wettability, permanent fluorescent labels based on fluorescent counterions, and polarization-dependent structural colors based on cholesteric structures. Full color patterns can be reversibly constructed via inkjet printing, with a high resolution of 100 µm. In addition, the circular polarization characteristics of the cellulose nanocrystals, liquid crystals, endow the system with complex and independent responses, realizing a wetting/polarization double-key decryption. This work provides a simple and effective optical technique for coding complex information on a single material platform and expands the techniques available to achieve invisible patterns for sensing and anti-counterfeiting.     

Fabrication and use of artificial superhydrophilic surfaces

Superhydrophilic surfaces have recently received some attention due, in large part to the intense interest on the antonymous field of superhydrophobicity. Imparting superhydrophilicity onto surfaces through coatings, texturing, or choice of materials appears to hold significant commercial promise for the protection for optical devices (e.g. anti-fogging), self-cleaning, and stain resistant paints and flooring and use in the area of ‘intelligent’ coatings. In this review, the fabrication and application of artificial superhydrophilic surfaces are discussed. The focus is on results reported over the past decade for these materials. The contents of this review are written to provide an introductory yet comprehensive overview of this emerging field.     

几种机械表面处理方法对6013铝合金接头胶接性能的影响

采用砂纸打磨、湿喷砂、纳米化等3种机械处理方法对6013铝合金表面进行处理,测试其粘接剪切强度,并与P2化学表面处理方法的结果进行对比。利用SEM、AFM、接触角测量仪等技术对铝合金表面处理前后的表面微观结构、微观粗糙度、润湿性等特性进行了研究。结果表明,不同的表面处理方法对铝合金接头的胶接性能影响不同。湿喷砂和砂纸打磨方法处理后铝合金接头的胶接性能与P2化学法表处的效果接近。纳米化方法不利于铝合金胶接性能的提高。微观粗糙度对铝合金的粘接性能具有重要影响,粗糙度越大,铝板胶接性能越好。润湿性不是影响胶接性能的关键因素。     

Application of microbial enhanced oil recovery technology in water‐based bitumen extraction from weathered oil sands

When using the water‐based extraction processes (WBEPs) to recover bitumen from the weathered oil sands, very low bitumen recovery arisen from the poor liberation of bitumen from sand grains is always obtained. Application of microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) technology in WBEPs to solve the poor processability of the weathered ore was proposed. It was found that processability of the microbial‐treated weathered ore was greatly improved. The improved processability was attributed to the biosurfactants production in the culture solution, alteration of the solids wettability, degradation of the asphaltene component, and the decrease of the bitumen viscosity, which collectively contributed to the bitumen liberation from the surface of sand grains. Although it still has many issues to be solved for an industrial application of the MEOR technology in oil sands separation, it is believed that the findings in this work promote the solution to the poor processability of the weathered ore. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2985–2993, 2014     

SiC纳米线对Ni-Cr-P钎料及Ni-Cr-P/Q235焊点组织与性能影响

采用具有优良高温强度、高热导率、高耐磨性能和耐腐蚀性能的SiC纳米线为Ni-Cr-P钎料的添加物,研究了钎料/焊点的组织与性能。结果表明,钎料的组织由Ni(Cr)固溶体、Ni₃P固溶体以及Ni(Cr)和Ni₃P共晶组织组成,微量的SiC纳米线可以显著细化基体组织,使焊点抗剪切强度提高29.6%。SiC纳米线的添加使钎料的熔化温度提高约4℃,显著促进钎料在Q235基板表面的润湿性,增幅达到12.5%。然而,过量添加SiC纳米线会显著粗化基体组织,降低钎料的润湿性和焊点的抗剪切强度。在不同SiC含量的Ni-Cr-P钎料中,Ni-Cr-P-0.1SiC钎料/焊点具有明显的优越性。