Microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based biosensor for combined heavy metals monitoring and associated bioelectrochemical process

To explore the feasibility and related mechanism of MFC biosensor for wastewater detection under the action of combined heavy metals. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and scanning electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to explore the related bioelectrochemical process. The response of the reactor to single/combined heavy metals, low/high heavy metal concentrations, and the differences in ohmic resistance (Rs) and charge transfer resistance (Rct) were investigated using Ni as the core heavy metal and the combined action of Cd, Cu and Zn. The results indicated that there was a linear relationship between the concentration and output voltage of the MFC biosensor under the action of combined heavy metals (R² = 0.8803–0.973). However, the internal resistance (Rint) of the MFC biosensor under the action of single heavy metal was far less than that of the combined heavy metal group, and the power density (19.849 W m^?3) was 4 times that of the combined heavy metal group (3.109–4.589 W m^?3). The Rs of the biosensors in the combined heavy metal group were 0.868Ω and 0.860, which were higher than 0.768Ω of the single heavy metal sensor. With the increase of the concentration of heavy metals in the influent, the increase of Rct was more obvious in the combined group, while the Rs in the single group significantly increased (P < 0.05). The results imply that it is possible for MFC biosensors to be used in the detection of actual water polluted by various heavy metals, but the biosensor performance is mainly limited by Rct, which needs to be further improved.     

Good dielectric performance and broadband dielectric polarization in Ag,Nb co-doped TiO2

Due to the demand of miniaturization and integration for ceramic capacitors in electronic components market, TiO₂-based ceramics with colossal permittivity has become a research hotspot in recent years. In this work, we report that Ag⁺/Nb⁵⁺ co-doped (Ag_1/4Nb_3/4)_xTi_1−xO₂ (ANTOx) ceramics with colossal permittivity over a wide frequency and temperature range were successfully prepared by a traditional solid–state method. Notably, compositions of ANTO0.005 and ANTO0.01 respectively exhibit both low dielectric loss (0.040 and 0.050 at 1 kHz), high dielectric permittivity (9.2 × 10³ and 1.6 × 10⁴ at 1 kHz), and good thermal stability, which satisfy the requirements for the temperature range of application of X9R and X8R ceramic capacitors, respectively. The origin of the dielectric behavior was attributed to five dielectric relaxation phenomena, i.e., localized carriers' hopping, electron–pinned defect–dipoles, interfacial polarization, and oxygen vacancies ionization and diffusion, as suggested by dielectric temperature spectra and valence state analysis via XPS; wherein, electron-pinned defect–dipoles and internal barrier layer capacitance are believed to be the main causes for the giant dielectric permittivity in ANTOx ceramics.     

Altered age-hardening behavior in the ultrafine-grained surface layer of Mg-Zn-Y-Ce-Zr alloy processed by sliding friction treatment

To gain insight into the ageing behavior of ultrafine grain(UFG)structure,the precipitation phenom-ena and microstructural evolutions of Mg-6Zn-1Y-0.4Ce-0.5 Zr(wt.％)alloy processed by sliding friction treatment(SFT)were systematically studied using hardness texting,transmission electron microscopy(TEM)equipped with high-angle annular dark-field scanning(HADDF-STEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD)and XRD line broadening analysis.The microhardness of the SFT-processed(SFTed)sample initially decreases from 109.6 HV to 104.8 HV at ageing for 8 h,and then increases to the peak-ageing point of 115.4 HV at 16 h.Subsequently,it enters the over-aged period.The un-SFTed sample,as the counterpart,follows a regular ageing behavior that increases from 89.9 HV to 99.6 HV when ageing for 12 h,and then drops.A multi-mechanistic model is established to describe the strengthening due to grain refinement,disloca-tion accumulation,precipitation etc.The analysis reveals that the temperature sensitive UFG structure has an obvious grain coarsening effect,which arouses the soft phenomenon in the early ageing stage.But precipitation hardening provides an excellent hardness enhancement for overcoming the negative influ-ence and helping to reach the peak-aged point.In our microstructural observations,a lot of equilibrium ultrafine MgZn2 precipitates precipitate along dislocations because defects can provide the favorable conditions for the migration and segregation of solute atoms.     

An integrated model for analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on tool torque and thermal processes in friction stir welding

An integrated model of ultrasonic vibration enhanced friction stir welding (UVeFSW) is developed by integrating the thermal-fluid model with the ultrasonic field model and tool torque model. The tool torque and the heat generation rate at tool/workpiece contact interfaces are coupled with the interfacial temperature, strain rate and ultrasonic energy density. The model is used in quantitatively analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on tool torque and thermal processes in friction stir welding (FSW). The results show that ultrasonic vibration reduces the flow stress, which results in a decreasing of tool torque, interfacial heat generation rate and interfacial temperature. The complicated interaction of ultrasonic energy with the thermal processes in FSW leads to a gentle thermal gradient and an enhanced plastic material flow in UVeFSW. The model is validated by a comparison of the calculated thermal cycles and tool torque at various welding parameters with the experimentally measured ones.     

Tribological behavior of composites fabricated by reactive SPS sintering in Ti-Si-C system

In this study, wear and friction behavior of two based-composites from the Ti-Si-C system, (40 wt% TiC; 28 wt% Ti₅Si₃; 17 wt% Ti₃SiC₂) and (18 wt% TiC; 26 wt% Ti₅Si₃; 41 wt% Ti₃SiC₂) reinforced by 15 wt% of large size SiC (100-150 µm) particles were investigated. The four-phase composites exhibited approximatively the same friction coefficient (µ ~ 0.9) under high loads (10 N and 7 N). The composite with high Ti₃SiC₂ showed higher wear rate values by one order of magnitude. However, under 1 N, the composite with high TiC content showed a higher running-in period and a lower steady state µ value (0.37 after 1000 m sliding distance). Scanning electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray and Raman spectroscopy analysis of the worn surfaces of the two composites revealed that oxidation was the dominant wear mechanism. The oxidation process and the removal kinetics of the oxides during sliding controlled the tribological behavior of the composites. The influence of processing variables on microstructures development and wear mechanisms of the composites is discussed.     

A computational study of unsteady radiative magnetohydrodynamic Blasius and Sakiadis flow with leading‐edge accretion (ablation)

The present study investigates the influence of the magnetic field, thermal radiation, Prandtl number, and leading‐edge accretion/ablation on Blasius and Sakiadis flow. The convective boundary condition is employed to investigate the heat transfer. The nondimensional governing boundary layer equations have been solved by the homotopy analysis method for different values of the pertinent parameters. The effects of these parameters on the dimensionless velocity, temperature, skin friction, and Nusselt number are also investigated for various values of relevant parameters affecting the flow and heat transfer phenomena. The most relevant outcomes of the present study are that enhancement in magnetic field strength undermines the flow velocity establishing thinner velocity boundary layer for both Blasius and Sakiadis flows while an increase in accretion/ablation effect at leading‐edge manifests in a deceleration in velocity for Blasius case and the opposite trend is observed for Sakiadis flow. Another important outcome is that an increase in radiation and accretion/ablation at leading‐edge upsurges the fluid temperature leading to enhancement in the thermal boundary layer. For both Blasius and Sakiadis flow, the skin friction coefficient and the heat transfer rate decline with the enhancement of the leading‐edge accretion parameter. The results are compared with the existing data and are found in good agreement.     

天然橡胶/顺丁橡胶/丁苯橡胶自润滑喷蜡橡胶材料的性能

在天然橡胶(NR)/顺丁橡胶(BR)/丁苯橡胶(SBR)为基体的自润滑喷蜡橡胶材料中加入芥酸酰胺,考察芥酸酰胺作为润滑剂时对NR/BR/SBR自润滑喷蜡橡胶材料的硫化特性、力学性能、门尼黏度、摩擦系数及耐老化性能的影响。结果表明,与未加芥酸酰胺的胶料相比,当芥酸酰胺用量为10份时,胶料转矩减小,焦烧时间和正硫化时间缩短,扯断伸长率从388%增加至523%,拉伸强度降低了21.36%,邵尔A硬度、压缩永久变形分别下降5.56%和8.74%,动、静摩擦系数分别减小23.46%和24.82%,门尼黏度降低20.89%,耐热氧老化性能下降。硫化胶拉伸100%停放5 min后,表面出现明显的白色润滑膜,胶料流动性变好,各组分分散得更均匀,断面更光滑。