Crystal-field engineering of ultrabroadband mid-infrared emission in Co2+-doped nano-chalcogenide glass composites

Tunable and ultrabroadband mid-infrared (MIR) emissions in the range of 2.5–4.5 μm are firstly reported from Co²⁺-doped nano-chalcogenide (ChG) glass composites. The composites embedded with a variety of binary (ZnS, CdS, ZnSe) and ternary (ZnCdS, ZnSSe) ChG nanocrystals (NCs) can be readily obtained by a simple one-step thermal annealing method. They are highly transparent in the near- and mid-infrared wavelength region. Low-cost and commercially available Er³⁺-doped fiber lasers can be used as the excitation source. By crystal-field engineering of the embedded NCs through cation- or anion-substitution, the emission properties of Co²⁺ including its emission peak wavelength and bandwidth can be tailored in a broad spectral range. The phenomena can be accounted for by crystal-field theory. Such nano-ChG composites, perfectly filling the 3–4 μm spectral gap between the oscillations of Cr²⁺ and Fe²⁺ doped IIVI ChG crystals, may find important MIR photonic applications (e.g., gas sensing), or can be used directly as an efficient pump source for Fe²⁺: IIVI crystals which are suffering from lack of pump sources.     

含La2O3奥氏体不锈钢堆焊合金层晶粒细化机制及对其耐腐蚀、磨损性能的影响

目的 通过在超低碳Cr19Ni10不锈钢堆焊合金中加入稀土氧化物La2O3，细化其微观组织，获得力学性能、耐腐蚀性能和耐磨性能等综合性能优良的堆焊合金层。方法 采用添加La2O3的超低碳Cr19Ni10不锈钢焊条制备了四种不锈钢堆焊合金。采用X射线荧光光谱、红外碳硫分析仪和X射线衍射分析仪，对堆焊合金层的元素组成和相组成进行了测定。采用金相显微镜和晶粒度统计软件，对堆焊合金层的微观组织形貌进行观察，并对晶粒度进行了统计分析。采用显微维氏硬度计和纳米压痕仪对堆焊合金层的硬度和杨氏模量进行了测定。采用电化学工作站和CSM摩擦磨损试验机对堆焊合金层的耐腐蚀性能和耐磨性能进行了评价，并且采用白光共聚焦显微镜对磨损后的磨痕形貌和尺寸进行了观察和测定。采用二维晶格错配度理论，对La2O3/γ-Fe界面间的晶格错配关系进行了计算。结果 在堆焊合金层中加入La2O3，随着La2O3加入量的增加，堆焊合金层奥氏体晶粒细化越明显。当La2O3的添加量由0%增加至1.5%时，奥氏体晶粒平均面积由400 μm²减少为210 μm²。堆焊合金层加入La2O3，可以明显提高其力学性能、耐腐蚀性能和耐磨损性能。当La2O3的添加量由0%增加至1.0%时，堆焊合金层的微观硬度由180HV增加到225HV，宏观硬度由125HBS增加到150HBS，杨氏模量由186 GPa左右增加到217 GPa，腐蚀电位由?0.4 V增加到?0.25 V，磨痕深度由50 μm减小到10 μm。La2O3(001)面和γ-Fe(110)面的二维晶格错配度为8.7%(<12%)，说明La2O3可以作为γ-Fe的中等有效异质形核基底，从而细化了堆焊合金层中的奥氏体晶粒。结论 La2O3可以有效地细化奥氏体晶粒，改善堆焊合金层的力学性能，提高其耐腐蚀和耐磨损性能。但是，La2O3加入量存在一个最佳值，当La2O3的加入量为1.0%时，堆焊合金层的综合性能最好。     

稀土晶体材料研发现状与未来展望

介绍了稀土晶体的科学内涵,包括稀土晶体的概念、学科特色和分类。阐述了稀土晶体材料的研发现状,包括稀土磁学材料、光学材料、电学材料、催化材料、能源材料、合金材料以及稀土原料。指出中国已建成从稀土矿产勘探开采、选矿、萃取、分离、冶炼等稀土原材料生产技术到下游稀土结构与功能材料研发和工业生产体系,形成了全球门类最齐全、规模第一的稀土新材料产业体系,但是仍未系统掌握稀土高技术材料和器件领域的核心技术。针对创新引领能力不足、稀土资源高端利用能力不强等系列问题,中国还需要在基础科学研究、应用基础研究、产业发展、资源回收等方面进一步加强战略规划。     

一种镍基单晶高温合金高周疲劳引起的g′溶解行为研究

研究了一种镍基单晶高温合金SRR99在不同温度下的高周疲劳行为,试样采用[001]取向的单晶试棒。结果表明条件疲劳强度随着试验温度的升高先上升后降低,具有与高温拉伸强度表现出相同的变化规律。通过扫描电子显微镜和透射电子显微镜的观察发现g′相的形貌发生了显著变化,经过高温循环变形后g′析出相发生了溶解。在交变应力的作用下,g′与基体界面产生大量的位错,而位错的往复运动引起了g′相的溶解。因此循环加载过程中伴随着g′的不断溶解,共格界面的强化作用不断减弱。 除此之外,通过裂纹扩展方向与试样轴向的夹角可以判断出疲劳裂纹的扩展主要沿着(111)晶面进行,根据扫描电镜和透射电镜的观察结果对于循环加载的微观组织演化机理进行了讨论。     

Crystal structure,phase compositions,and microwave dielectric properties of malayaite-type Ca1−xSrxSnSiO5 ceramics

Low-permittivity Ca_1−xSr_xSnSiO₅ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.45) microwave dielectric ceramics were prepared via traditional state-reaction at 1400°C-1450°C for 5 hours. Moreover the microwave dielectric properties of SnO₂ ceramic were obtained for the first time. SnO₂ ceramic was difficult to densify, and SnO₂ ceramic (ρ_rel = 65.1%) that was sintered at 1525°C exhibited the optimal microwave dielectric properties of ε_r = 5.27, Q × f = 89 300 GHz (at 14.5 GHz), and τ_f = −26.7 ppm/°C. For Ca_1−xSr_xSnSiO₅ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) ceramics, Sr²⁺ could be dissolved in the Ca²⁺ site of Ca_1−xSr_xSnSiO₅ to form a single phase, and the partial substitution of Ca²⁺ by Sr²⁺ could improve the microwave dielectric properties of CaSnSiO₅ ceramic. Secondary phases (SnO₂ and SrSiO₃) appeared at 0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.45 and could adjust the abnormally positive τ_f value of CaSnSiO₅ ceramic. The highest Q × f value (60 100 GHz at 10.4 GHz) and optimal microwave dielectric properties (ε_r = 9.42, Q × f = 47 500 GHz at 12.4 GHz, and τ_f = −1.2 ppm/°C) of Ca_1−xSr_xSnSiO₅ ceramics were obtained at x = 0.05 and 0.45, respectively.     

Characteristics of pigments,modification, and their functionalities

Novel treatments of pigments with inorganic materials have tremendous industrial and commercial prospects. Specific treatment of pigment has a marked effect on its behavior during application. The treatment allows a broad modification of the surface characteristics of pigment particles which leads to improved functionalities. Surface modification of pigments is achieved via coating, polymerization with modifying reagent, treatment with derivatives or polymers, which alter either the optical, conductivity or dispersibility during processing and application. These and many other distinguishing factors that affect the characteristics of pigments such as the class, crystal structure, particle morphology, particle size, hiding power, pigment volume concentration, surface character, and surface treatment have been reviewed. Various organic pigments such as those from fungus and bacteria, and the various families of pigment types such as metallic pigment, light interference, and diffractive pigments which presents decorative quality such as leafing, nonleafing, pearlscent, and Fabry‐Perot effects on substrates have also been reviewed in addition to those from inorganic sources with emphasis on the structure and physiochemical modifications using metal and nonmetal Ions.     

Antiperovskites with Exceptional Functionalities

ABX₃ perovskites, as the largest family of crystalline materials, have attracted tremendous research interest worldwide due to their versatile multifunctionalities and the intriguing scientific principles underlying them. Their counterparts, antiperovskites (X₃BA), are actually electronically inverted perovskite derivatives, but they are not an ignorable family of functional materials. In fact, inheriting the flexible structural features of perovskites while being rich in cations at X sites, antiperovskites exhibit a diverse array of unconventional physical and chemical properties. However, rather less attention has been paid to these “inverse” analogs, and therefore, a comprehensive review is urgently needed to arouse general concern. Recent advances in novel antiperovskite materials and their exceptional functionalities are summarized, including superionic conductivity, superconductivity, giant magnetoresistance, negative thermal expansion, luminescence, and electrochemical energy conversion. In particular, considering the feasibility of the perovskite structure, a universal strategy for enhancing the performance of or generating new phenomena in antiperovskites is discussed from the perspective of solid-state chemistry. With more research enthusiasm, antiperovskites are highly anticipated to become a rising star family of functional materials.     

Martensitic transformation,crystal structure and shape memory effect in Ni55−xMn25Ga20Cox alloys

ABSTRACT

The effect of cobalt addition instead of nickel on the crystal structure, martensitic transformation behaviour and shape memory effect were investigated. Within the analysed range of chemical composition, a single non-modulated martensite was detected at ambient temperature. Cobalt addition modified the lattice parameters and, thus, affected the tetragonality of the martensite unit cell. The hysteresis of martensitic transformation was differently affected by the type of heat treatment applied. For furnace cooled samples, the hysteresis decreased from 50°C to 30°C; in the case of water quenched samples, the hysteresis sharply increased up to 60°C. The shape memory effect, measured as the recoverable strain upon annealing after compression tests, reached a fully recoverable deformation at 10?at.-% of cobalt.

This paper is part of a Thematic Issue on The Crystallographic Aspects of Metallic Alloys.     

A Structural Rationale for N-Methylbicuculline Acting as a Promiscuous Competitive Antagonist of Inhibitory Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

Bicuculline, a valued chemical tool in neurosciences research, is a competitive antagonist of specific GABA_A receptors and affects other pentameric ligand-gated ion channels including the glycine, nicotinic acetylcholine and 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptors. We used a fluorescence-quenching assay and isothermal titration calorimetry to record low-micromolar dissociation constants for N-methylbicuculline interacting with acetylcholine-binding protein and an engineered version called glycine-binding protein (GBP), which provides a surrogate for the heteromeric interface of the extracellular domain of the glycine receptor (GlyR). The 2.4 Å resolution crystal structure of the GBP:N-methylbicuculline complex, sequence and structural alignments reveal similarities and differences between GlyR and the GABA_A receptor–bicuculline interactions. N-methylbicuculline displays a similar conformation in different structures, but adopts distinct orientations enforced by interactions and steric blocks with key residues and plasticity in the binding sites. These features explain the promiscuous activity of bicuculline against the principal inhibitory pentameric ligand-gated ion channels in the CNS.     

Numerical simulation of the effects of elastic anisotropy and grain size upon the machining of AA2024

Turning modeling and simulation of different metallic materials using the commercially available Finite Element (FE) softwares is getting prime importance because of saving of time and money in comparison to the costly experiments. Mostly, the numerical analysis of machining process considers a purely isotropic behavior of metallic materials; however, the literature shows that the elastic crystal anisotropy is present in most of the ‘so-called’ isotropic materials. In the present work, the elastic anisotropy is incorporated in the FE simulations along with the effect of grain size. A modified Johnson-Cook ductile material model based on coupled plasticity and damage evolution has been proposed to model the cutting process. The simulation results were compared with experimental data on the turning process of Aluminum alloy (AA2024). It was found that the elastic anisotropy influences the average cutting force up to 5% as compared to the isotropic models while the effect of grain size was more pronounced up to 20%.