磁力可控电磁超声换能器设计及特性

电磁超声换能器一般采用具有超强磁力的稀土永磁制作,在实际检测中由于磁力不可控,存在偏置磁场不够强导致换能效率过低和磁力过强造成操作不方便等问题.提出一种偏置磁场磁力可控的电磁超声换能器,采用电磁铁与永磁铁相结合的方式,达到偏置磁场磁力可控的目的.通过有限元仿真和试验得出,提出的偏置磁场磁力可控的电磁超声换能器,在电磁铁处于关闭模式下,永磁铁能够提供基础磁场;采用增强模式或减弱模式,无被测物时,换能器下表面平均垂直磁通最大分别增强78.58％和减弱19.36％,而提离2 mm检测钢板时,换能器下方钢板表面平均垂直磁通最大分别增强52.99％和减弱38.02％;得出3种模式下,探头磁力随着提离距离缩小而增强的试验曲线;通过增强模式对铝板和钢板进行测厚试验,将检测信号幅值分别提高46.91％和62.01％.所设计的磁力可控电磁超声换能器不仅具有磁力可控的功能,还能够提高检测信号幅值.     

Densification mechanism and microstructure characteristics of nano- and micro- crystalline alumina by high-pressure and low temperature sintering

Fully dense ceramics with retarded grain growth can be attained effectively at relatively low temperatures using a high-pressure sintering method. However, there is a paucity of in-depth research on the densification mechanism, grain growth process, grain boundary characterization, and residual stress. Using a strong, reliable die made from a carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon (C_f/C) composite for spark plasma sintering, two kinds of commercially pure α-Al₂O₃ powders, with average particle sizes of 220 nm and 3 μm, were sintered at relatively low temperatures and under high pressures of up to 200 MPa. The sintering densification temperature and the starting threshold temperature of grain growth (T_sg) were determined by the applied pressure and the surface energy relative to grain size, as they were both observed to increase with grain size and to decrease with applied pressure. Densification with limited grain coarsening occurred under an applied pressure of 200 MPa at 1050 °C for the 220 nm Al₂O₃ powder and 1400 °C for the 3 μm Al₂O₃ powder. The grain boundary energy, residual stress, and dislocation density of the ceramics sintered under high pressure and low temperature were higher than those of the samples sintered without additional pressure. Plastic deformation occurring at the contact area of the adjacent particles was proved to be the dominant mechanism for sintering under high pressure, and a mathematical model based on the plasticity mechanics and close packing of equal spheres was established. Based on the mathematical model, the predicted relative density of an Al₂O₃ compact can reach ～80 % via the plastic deformation mechanism, which fits well with experimental observations. The densification kinetics were investigated from the sintering parameters, i.e., the holding temperature, dwell time, and applied pressure. Diffusion, grain boundary sliding, and dislocation motion were assistant mechanisms in the final stage of sintering, as indicated by the stress exponent and the microstructural evolution. During the sintering of the 220 nm alumina at 1125 °C and 100 MPa, the deformation tends to increase defects and vacancies generation, both of which accelerate lattice diffusion and thus enhance grain growth.     

Chemical durability and surface alteration of lanthanide zirconates (A2Zr2O7: A = La-Yb)

Chemical durability of lanthanide zirconates (A₂Zr₂O₇) (A = La-Yb) under near-field environments is important for evaluating their application as potential nuclear waste forms. In this work, A₂Zr₂O₇ (A = La-Yb) are synthesized by spark plasma sintering with controlled microstructure and their chemical durability are evaluated in a nitric acid solution (pH = 1). Scanning transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals an amorphous passivation film either enriched with Zr or lanthanide. The complex chemistry of the passivation films can be correlated with a transition in corrosion mechanisms from a preferential release of lanthanide in La₂Zr₂O₇ to a preferential release of Zr in Er₂Zr₂O₇ and Yb₂Zr₂O₇. These results suggest a dominant mechanism of incongruent dissolution and surface reorganization for the formation of passivation films. Strong correlations are identified between the leaching rates and cation ionic size, ionic potential, electronegativity differences between A-site cation and Zr, and bonding valence sum of oxygen, suggesting important impacts of structural and bonding characteristics in controlling chemical durability of lanthanide zirconates.     

Matrix Manipulation of Directly-Synthesized PbS Quantum Dot Inks Enabled by Coordination Engineering

The direct-synthesis of conductive PbS quantum dot (QD) ink is facile, scalable, and low-cost, boosting the future commercialization of optoelectronics based on colloidal QDs. However, manipulating the QD matrix structures still is a challenge, which limits the corresponding QD solar cell performance. Here, for the first time a coordination-engineering strategy to finely adjust the matrix thickness around the QDs is presented, in which halogen salts are introduced into the reaction to convert the excessive insulating lead iodide into soluble iodoplumbate species. As a result, the obtained QD film exhibits shrunk insulating shells, leading to higher charge carrier transport and superior surface passivation compared to the control devices. A significantly improved power-conversion efficiency from 10.52% to 12.12% can be achieved after the matrix engineering. Therefore, the work shows high significance in promoting the practical application of directly synthesized PbS QD inks in large-area low-cost optoelectronic devices.     

Structural Aspects and Prediction of Calmodulin-Binding Proteins

Calmodulin (CaM) is an important intracellular protein that binds Ca²⁺ and functions as a critical second messenger involved in numerous biological activities through extensive interactions with proteins and peptides. CaM’s ability to adapt to binding targets with different structures is related to the flexible central helix separating the N- and C-terminal lobes, which allows for conformational changes between extended and collapsed forms of the protein. CaM-binding targets are most often identified using prediction algorithms that utilize sequence and structural data to predict regions of peptides and proteins that can interact with CaM. In this review, we provide an overview of different CaM-binding proteins, the motifs through which they interact with CaM, and shared properties that make them good binding partners for CaM. Additionally, we discuss the historical and current methods for predicting CaM binding, and the similarities and differences between these methods and their relative success at prediction. As new CaM-binding proteins are identified and classified, we will gain a broader understanding of the biological processes regulated through changes in Ca²⁺ concentration through interactions with CaM.     

Water vapor volatilization and oxidation induced surface cracking of environmental barrier coating systems: A numerical approach

A numerical model is developed for surface crack propagation in brittle ceramic coatings, aiming at the intrinsic failure of rare-earth silicate environmental barrier coating systems (EBCs) under combustion conditions in advanced gas turbines. The main features of progressive degradation of EBCs in such conditions are captured, including selective silica vaporization in the top coat due to exposure to water vapor, diffusion path-dependent bond coat oxidation, as well as crack propagation during cyclic thermal loading. In light of these features, user-defined subroutines are implemented in finite element analysis, where surface crack growth is simulated by node separation. Numerical results are validated by existing experimental data, in terms of monosilicate layer thickening, thermal oxide growth, and fracture behaviors. The experimentally observed quasi-linear oxidation in the early stage is also elucidated. Furthermore, it is suggested that surface crack undergoes rapid propagation in the late stage of extended thermal cycling in water vapor and leads to catastrophic failure, driven by both thermal mismatch and oxide growth stresses. The latter is identified as the dominant mechanism of penetration. Based on detailed analyses of failure mechanisms, the optimization strategy of EBCs composition is proposed, balancing the trade-off between mechanical compliance and erosion resistance.     

Freeze-drying and mechanical redispersion of aqueous PEDOT:PSS

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films are attracting famous applications in antistatic coating, energy storage and conversion, printed electronics, and biomedical fields due to their conductivity, optical transparency and flexibility. However, PEDOT:PSS has poor dispersion stability during long-term storage and transport. Moreover, the dried PEDOT:PSS films are insoluble in any solvent and cannot be redispersed again. In comparison to bake drying, here, a feasible strategy to achieve mechanically redispersed PEDOT:PSS with the help of freeze-drying process was reported. The redispersed PEDOT:PSS can recover not only the initial characters such as pH, chemical composition, viscosity, and particle size under similar solid contents, but also conductivity and surface morphology of treated films. In addition, the treated film exhibits self-healing properties similar to pristine film in terms of mechanical and electrical properties. This technology enables reuse and overcomes the technical problems of PEDOT:PSS dispersion, realizing real-time processing to meet variable applications.     

Effects of Cu on the corrosion behavior and microstructure of Mg–Zn–Ca bulk metallic glass

For the purpose of developing biodegradable magnesium alloys with suitable properties for biomedical applications, Mg–Zn–Ca–Cu metallic glasses were prepared by copper mold injection methods. In the present work, the effect of Cu doping on mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and glass-forming ability of Mg₆₆Zn₃₀Ca₄ alloy was studied. The experimental findings demonstrated that the incorporation of Cu decreases the corrosion resistance of alloys, but increases the microhardness and degradation rate slightly. However, the addition of a trace amount of Cu can make the samples have antibacterial properties. Therefore, Mg–Zn–Ca–Cu has great advantages in clinical implantation and is the potential implant material.     

高熵形状记忆合金的研究进展

高熵形状记忆合金是在等原子比NiTi合金的基础上,结合高熵合金的概念,逐渐发展起来的一种新型高温形状记忆合金。近年来,已开发出了综合性能优异的(TiZrHf)50(NiCoCu)50系和(TiZrHf)50(NiCuPd)50系高熵形状记忆合金,引起了广泛的关注和研究兴趣。本文从物相组成、微观组织、马氏体相变行为、形状记忆效应和超弹性等角度出发,综述了高熵形状记忆合金的研究进展,并对高熵形状记忆合金未来的研究重点进行了展望。     

Structural dependence of microwave dielectric properties in ilmenite-type Mg(Ti1-xNbx)O3 solid solutions by Rietveld refinement and Raman spectra

Mg(Ti_1-xNb_x)O₃ (x = 0–0.09) ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The phase composition, sintering characteristics, microstructure and dielectric properties of Ti⁴⁺ replacement by Nb⁵⁺ in the formed solid solution Mg(Ti_1-xNb_x)O₃ (x = 0–0.09) ceramics were systematically studied. The structural variations and influence of Nb⁵⁺ doping in Mg(Ti_1-xNb_x)O₃ were also systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. X-ray diffraction and its Rietveld refinement results confirmed that Mg(Ti_1-xNb_x)O₃ (x = 0–0.09) ceramics crystallised into an ilmenite-type with R-3 (148) space group. The replacement of the low valence Ti⁴⁺ by the high valence Nb⁵⁺ can improve the dielectric properties of Mg(Ti_1-xNb_x)O₃ (x = 0–0.09). This paper also studied the different sintering temperatures for Mg(Ti_1-xNb_x)O₃ (x = 0–0.09) ceramics. The obtained results proved that 1350 °C is the best sintering temperature. The permittivity and Q × f initially increased and then decreased mainly due to the effects of porosity caused by the sintering temperature and the doping amount of Nb₂O₅, respectively. Furthermore, the increased Q × f is correlated to the increase in Ti–O bond strength as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, and the electrons generated by the oxygen vacancies will be compensated by Nb⁵⁺ to a certain extent to suppress Ti⁴⁺ to Ti³⁺, which was confirmed by XPS. The increase in τ_f from ?47 ppm/°C to ?40.1 ppm/°C is due to the increment in cell polarisability. Another reason for the increased τ_f is the reduction in the distortion degree of the [TiO₆] octahedral, which was also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Mg(Ti_0.95Nb_0.05)O₃ ceramics sintered at 1350 °C for 2 h possessed excellent microwave dielectric properties of ε_r = 18.12, Q × f = 163618 GHz and τ_f = ?40.1 ppm/°C.