Piezoelectric properties and microstructure of ceramicrete-based piezoelectric composites

Inorganic piezoelectric ceramic composite is the potential sensing element for long-term structural health monitoring due to its excellent durability and compatibility. In this study, a Ceramicrete-based piezoelectric composite is proposed preliminarily, in which the magnesium potassium phosphate cement is used as the matrix and the lead zirconate titanate particle is utilized as the functional phase. Piezoelectric properties test and microstructure analysis are performed to evaluate the testing samples. Results show that the piezoelectric performance of the composite increase with the increase of piezoelectric ceramic particle size. The value of the piezoelectric strain factor (d₃₃) can reach 83.8 pC/N, while the corresponding piezoelectric voltage factor (g₃₃) is 50.1 × 10^-3 V•m/N at the 50th day after polarization. Microstructure analysis illustrates that the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the matrix and the particles is dense. Moreover, the influence of aging on the composite is attributed to the continuous hydration after polarization. It indicates that the composites have a higher piezoelectric performance, which can be regarded as a promising sensing element material.     

In vitro cyclic fatigue and hydrothermal aging lifetime assessment of yttria-stabilized zirconia dental ceramics

The in vitro lifetime assessment of dental zirconia has been the focus of researchers. This work mainly studied the cyclic fatigue lifetime in saliva and aging lifetime of three commercial zirconia dental materials: two kinds of 3 mol%-yttria stabilized zirconia ST(super-translucence) and MT(medium-translucence), in which MT contains a small amount of alumina; a 5 mol%-yttria stabilized zirconia TT(tooth-translucency). ST and MT materials have higher initial mechanical strength (flexural strength) and initial crack propagation threshold than TT materials, thus they have longer cycle fatigue lifetime, but TT has best aging resistance(no aging) in existing aging procedures. MT has a higher initial mechanical strength and better aging resistance than ST samples due to the influence of alumina at grain boundary, but has lower strength reliability. Finally the service lifetime of the three materials was evaluated, and some guidance for their use is provided.     

The prevalence of olfactory deficits and their effects on eating behavior from childhood to old age: A large-scale study in the French population

Olfaction is crucial for many aspects of daily life and its alteration is quite common. Here, we set up a large-scale investigation of olfactory deficits in a sample of French individuals in order to examine the prevalence of smell dysfunction and its effects on eating behavior across lifespan, by combining self-reports and psychophysical testing. In a sample of 3685 male and female individuals aged 4 to 89 years old, we showed that the overall prevalence of olfactory dysfunction as measured by psychophysical testing was 17% and varied with age and gender: from 10% in 4–12 year-old children to >30% after 60 years of age; overall, women were less often affected than men. When olfactory abilities were self-evaluated, the prevalence was 6%, suggesting that a large majority of participants were unaware of their olfactory disorder. The prevalence of qualitative smell disorders (parosmia and phantosmia) was much lower (1%). In terms of eating behavior, the effects were present but small: olfactory deficits impact eating behavior of people in different age groups differently. Taken together, these findings highlight the high prevalence of olfactory dysfunctions in the general population, not only in the elderly. They also emphasize the potential consequences of smell dysfunctions on eating behavior. The present results should attract health services’ attention since smell dysfunctions may have consequences on nutrition and health especially in the elderly.     

Criteria and methodology for the evaluation of conservation interventions on treated porous stone susceptible to salt decay

Susceptibility of stone to salt decay is directly related to its microstructural and mechanical characteristics. In the present work, a porous stone from a quarry in Cyprus was examined. Samples of this stone were consolidated and protected with certain conservation materials. The modification of microstructural characteristics of the stone was evaluated by mercury intrusion porosimetry, while its mechanical characteristics were measured by compressive and bending strength tests. From these data, the susceptibility of Cyprus stone to salt (NaCl) decay was estimated. The values of crystallization pressure of NaCl were calculated and compared to the experimentally measured compressive and tensile strength of the stone, in order to examine the probability of stone disruption due to salt crystallization. The development of the phenomenon after coarse pores’ filling with crystals, i.e. crystallization of salts in capillaries or mechanical failure of the stone, was determined by thermodynamic analysis. Additionally, artificial weathering tests of marine salt spray were performed for the evaluation of stone’s durability after the conservation. The treated stone proved to be resistant to salt decay, as it presented ameliorated microstructural and mechanical characteristics, concerning decay due to soluble salt crystallization. The most possible thermodynamic scenario was small pores repletion with crystals, avoiding mechanical failure of the stone.     

时效和重新训练对Cu－Zn－Al合金组织与记忆性能的影响

用约束训练法对时效后的Ｃｕ－Ｚｎ－Ａｌ形状记忆合金进行了重新训练。结果表明，在未发生贝氏体转变的条件下，时效所导致的记忆衰减可以通过重新训练予以改善。透射电镜分析指出，重新训练后，发生了马氏体的再取向，因时效而导致的细条状、台阶状变体大部分消除，且变体间的结合方式变为自协作性良好的孪晶关系，从而改善了合金的记忆性能。     

核电站继电器老化及可靠性分析

通过对LEACH继电器的老化失效及可靠性分析实验,得知1999年批次继电器失效的原因,是由于线圈绝缘材料中增塑剂氧化变质而导致的绝缘性能下降和发热量增加,并有针对性地提出了继电器老化的外壳温度监测方法,制定了批次更换措施.     

阻燃玻璃纤维增强PA6的紫外光稳定性

分别将三聚氰胺氰尿酸盐、十溴二苯乙烷、溴化聚苯乙烯和次磷酸盐作为阻燃剂对尼龙6(PA6)进行阻燃玻璃纤维增强改性,采用热失重分析仪、水平垂直燃烧测定仪、分光测色仪对PA6复合材料的热降解行为、阻燃性能和紫外光老化后色差值(ΔE)进行了分析。结果表明,阻燃剂的引入提升了PA6复合材料的阻燃性能,但是降低了复合材料的热稳定性。阻燃剂类型对PA6复合材料紫外光黄变的影响程度依次是溴化聚苯乙烯>十溴二苯乙烷>三聚氰胺氰尿酸盐、次磷酸盐。通过将紫外光吸收剂和中性受阻胺光稳定剂复配使用可以有效抑制溴化聚苯乙烯阻燃增强PA6材料的紫外光黄变。     

不同条件下尼龙材料光老化行为的研究

目前,氙灯加速老化试验是评估材料耐候效果最常用的一种方法。但是,关于该测试方法是否能客观反应材料实际使用过程中的颜色、力学变化规律的相关数据积累非常少。详细对比了两种测试条件对材料耐候效果的影响,结果表明,在定性评估方面,不同耐候剂组合在两种老化试验中的优劣顺序基本上保持一致,说明氙灯加速老化试验可以比较客观地反映材料在自然使用过程中的颜色变化;而定量方面,在老化初期,两种测试方法的结果比较接近;而随着老化时间的增长,氙灯老化条件下材料的色差开始呈现指数型增长,远远高于户外自然老化。造成上述现象的原因可能包括两点,一是氙灯老化测试时的温度更高,树脂和色粉等更容易发生降解;二是材料表面的耐候剂在氙灯测试中消耗过快,内部的耐候剂无法及时补充,因此造成自由基大量生成,导致老化加速进行。     

人工气候老化后状态调节时间对芳纶纤维拉伸测试的影响

依据GJB 8496—2015标准中的拉伸方法,对人工气候老化前及老化后不进行状态调节、状态调节1 h、状态调节24 h、状态调节48 h、状态调节96 h后的芳纶纤维的拉伸强度进行测量、比较,从而得到结论:芳纶纤维在人工气候老化后,样品的性能有一定程度下降。在刚刚结束老化后立即进行测试,性能下降达到峰值,待状态调节24 h以后,其老化后性能逐步达到一个相对稳定的状态。建议在实际测试中,人工气候老化后的样品应该在老化结束后,放入恒温恒湿间调节24 h以后再测试。     

Nb微合金化建筑钢筋微观组织与屈服行为的关系

采用力学拉伸试验、显微组织观察等手段，对屈服平台长度不同的Nb微合金化建筑钢筋进行了金相组织定量分析，并对无屈服平台的试样进行了时效处理。结果表明：贝氏体含量影响着钢筋屈服平台的变化；随贝氏体含量的增大，钢筋屈服平台长度逐渐缩短直至消失；一定温度下，长时间的时效保温处理可使得钢筋的屈服平台得以恢复。在此基础上，讨论了贝氏体的影响机理、生成原因以及改善措施。