Thermal properties of field-assisted-sintered SiCN–Y2O3 composites

Polymer-derived amorphous SiCN has excellent high-temperature stability and properties. To reduce the shrinkage during pyrolysis and to improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance, Y₂O₃ was added as a filler. In this study, polymer-derived SiCN–Y₂O₃ composites were fabricated by mixing a polymeric precursor of SiCN with Y₂O₃ submicron powders in different ratios. The mixtures were cross-linked and pyrolyzed in argon. SiCN–Y₂O₃ composites were processed using field-assisted sintering technology at 1350°C for 5 min under vacuum. Dense SiCN–Y₂O₃ composite pellets were successfully made with relative density higher than 98% and homogeneous microstructure. Due to low temperature and short time of the heat-treatment, the grain growth of Y₂O₃ was substantially inhibited. The Y₂O₃ grain size was ∼1 μm after sintering. The composites’ heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and thermal expansion coefficients were characterized as a function of temperature. The thermal conductivity of the composites ceramics decreased as the amount of amorphous SiCN increased and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the composites increased with Y₂O₃ content. However, the thermal conductivity and CTE did not follow the rule of mixture. This is likely due to the partial oxidation of SiCN and the resultant impurity phases such as Y₂SiO₅, Y₂Si₂O₇, and Y_4.67(SiO₄)₃O.     

Smart Skin-Adhesive Patches: From Design to Biomedical Applications

With the advancement of medical and digital technologies, smart skin adhesive patches have emerged as a key player for complex medical purposes. In particular, skin adhesive patches with integrated electronics have created an excellent platform for monitoring health conditions and intelligent medication. However, the efficient design of the adhesive patches is still challenging as it requires a strong combination of network structure, adhesion, physical properties, and biocompatibility. To design an assimilated device, one must have a deep knowledge of various skin adhesive patches. This article provides a comprehensive review of the recent advances in skin-adhesive patches, including hydrogel-based adhesive patches, transdermal patches, and electronic skin (E-skin) patches, for various biomedical applications such as wound healing, drug delivery, biosensing, and health monitoring. Furthermore, the key challenges, implementable strategies, and future designs that can potentially provide researchers in designing innovative multipurpose smart skin patches are discussed. These advanced approaches are promising for managing the health and fitness of patients who require regular medical care.     

Microstructure and Mechanical Characterization of Stainless Steel and Copper Joint by Metallurgical Modification in GTAW Process

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The dissimilar metal joining of stainless steel (SS)/copper (Cu) was done cost-effectively with Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). A combination of...     

Influence of state of stress on mixed mode stable crack growth through D16AT aluminium alloy

The stable crack growth through three-point bend (TPB) and stiffened and unstiffened compact tension (CT) specimens of D16AT aluminium alloy has been studied both theoretically and experimentally. The specimen thickness is 8 mm. The variation of load with crack opening displacement, the extent of stable crack growth, the cumulative plastically deformed zone and crack edge profiles have been obtained experimentally. These are also predicted theoretically under the assumption of either a state of plane stress or plane strain using a finite element scheme and the COA criterion. Generally, the experimental results agree well with the predictions based on the plane stress condition. There appears to be no significant variation in size of the experimental cumulative plastic zone across the specimen thickness, thereby indicating that the constraint on the plastic zone does not develop near the mid-thickness region.     

Mechanical behavior of glass polymer multilayer composites

To identify the best reinforcement condition for development of tough glass polymer multi-layer composites (GPMLC) with high failure strain, two such model composite structures were developed. Soda–lime–silica glasses of two different thicknesses viz (A—1.01 mm and B—1.17 mm) were used as the matrix layers. The A-glass and B-glass based GPMLC samples were prepared by a novel, low pressure lamination technique applied to the alternating planar structure of the matrix and reinforcing phases. These GPMLC materials were fabricated with and without a thin sprayed layer of kerosene, between the glass layer and the reinforcing layer in the interface where; the interface was either epoxy (a thermosetting resin) or polyvinyl butyral (PVB, a thermoplastic resin). The GPMLC samples which exhibited stepped load—displacement behaviour in the most pronounced fashion, had the thermoplastic resin at the interface. Most of these GPMLC samples had a thin layer of kerosene intentionally introduced between the glass layer and the reinforcing polymer layer such that a weak interface is obtained. Fractographic evidence suggested that more of controlled delaminaton cracking occurs in such samples. Apart from the chemical nature of the reinforcing polymer phase, the interfacial layer thickness (h _i ) and the interfacial shear stress ( _xy ) were found out to have significant influence on the specific failure load and the failure stress of the current glass polymer multi-layer composites.     

Quaternary 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMDs) with Tunable Bandgap

Alloying/doping in 2D material is important due to wide range bandgap tunability. Increasing the number of components would increase the degree of freedom which can provide more flexibility in tuning the bandgap and also reduces the growth temperature. Here, synthesis of quaternary alloys Mo_x W_1?x S_2y Se_{2(1?y )} is reported using chemical vapor deposition. The composition of alloys is tuned by changing the growth temperatures. As a result, the bandgap can be tuned which varies from 1.61 to 1.85 eV. The detailed theoretical calculation supports the experimental observation and shows a possibility of wide tunability of bandgap.     

Bio-fabrication of gold nanoparticles using aqueous extract of red tomato and its use as a colorimetric sensor

In this work, we report a green method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNP) using the aqueous extract of red tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). We believe that citric acid and ascorbic acid present in tomato juice are responsible for the reduction of gold ions. This biosynthesized GNP in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate has been used as a colorimetric sensor to detect and estimate the pesticide, methyl parathion. The GNP in the presence of methyl parathion shows a new peak at 400 nm due to the formation of 4-nitrophenolate ion by catalytic hydrolysis of methyl parathion in alkaline medium. A calibration curve between the absorption coefficients of the 400-nm peak versus the concentration of the pesticide allows the quantitative estimation of the 4-nitrophenolate ion, thereby enabling indirect estimation of methyl parathion present in the system.     

Composition-dependent xBa(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-(1-x)(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 bulk ceramics for high energy storage applications

This work reports the composition dependent microstructure, dielectric, ferroelectric and energy storage properties, and the phase transitions sequence of lead free xBa(Zr_0.2Ti_0.8)O₃-(1-x)(Ba_0.7Ca_0.3)TiO₃ [xBZT-(1-x)BCT] ceramics, with x?=?0.4, 0.5 and 0.6, prepared by solid state reaction method. The XRD and Raman scattering results confirm the coexistence of rhombohedral and tetragonal phases at room temperature (RT). The temperature dependence of Raman scattering spectra, dielectric permittivity and polarization points a first phase transition from ferroelectric rhombohedral phase to ferroelectric tetragonal phase at a temperature (T_R-T) of 40?°C and a second phase transition from ferroelectric tetragonal phase - paraelectric pseudocubic phase at a temperature (T_T-C) of 110?°C. The dielectric analysis suggests that the phase transition at T_T-C is of diffusive type and the BZT-BCT ceramics are a relaxor type ferroelectric materials. The composition induced variation in the temperature dependence of dielectric losses was correlated with full width half maxima (FWHM) of A₁, E(LO) Raman mode. The saturation polarization (P_s) ≈8.3?μC/cm² and coercive fields ≈2.9?kV/cm were found to be optimum at composition x?=?0.6 and is attributed to grain size effect. It is also shown that BZT-BCT ceramics exhibit a fatigue free response up to 10⁵ cycles. The effect of a.c. electric field amplitude and temperature on energy storage density and storage efficiency is also discussed. The presence of high T_T-C (110?°C), a high dielectric constant (ε_r ≈?12,285) with low dielectric loss (0.03), good polarization (P_s ≈?8.3?μC/cm²) and large recoverable energy density (W?=?121?mJ/cm³) with an energy storage efficiency (η) of 70% at an electric field of 25?kV/cm in 0.6BZT-0.4BCT ceramics make them suitable candidates for energy storage capacitor applications.     

Mannopyranoside Glycolipids Inhibit Mycobacterial and Biofilm Growth and Potentiate Isoniazid Inhibition Activities in M. smegmatis

Lipomannan and lipoarabinomannan are integral components of the mycobacterial cell wall. Earlier studies demonstrated that synthetic arabinan and arabinomannan glycolipids acted as inhibitors of mycobacterial growth, in addition to exhibiting inhibitory activities of mycobacterial biofilm. Herein, it is demonstrated that synthetic mannan glycolipids are better inhibitors of mycobacterial growth, whereas lipoarabinomannan has a higher inhibition efficiency to biofilm. Syntheses of mannan glycolipids with a graded number of mannan moieties and an arabinomannan glycolipid are conducted by chemical methods and subsequent mycobacterial growth and biofilm inhibition studies are conducted on Mycobacterium smegmatis. Growth inhibition of (73±3) % is observed with a mannose trisaccharide containing a glycolipid, whereas this glycolipid did not promote biofilm inhibition activity better than that of arabinomannan glycolipid. The antibiotic supplementation activities of glycolipids on growth and biofilm inhibitions are evaluated. Increases in growth and biofilm inhibitions are observed if the antibiotic is supplemented with glycolipids, which leads to a significant reduction of inhibition concentrations of the antibiotic.     

Corex风口破损分析

Corex是一种使用非炼焦煤及纯氧代替焦炭和空气的熔融还原炼铁新工艺。与高炉工艺相比,Corex风口区域的温度更高,风口的使用寿命是一项重大挑战。在JSW公司,更换烧坏的风口所造成的休风几乎占工厂休风时间的15%。详细分析了风口破损及生产操作参数对破损的影响,以了解破损机理和根源。所有形式的风口破损不可能用一种普遍的原因来解释,但主要的原因集中在:入炉煤粉(6.3mm)过多、煤的平均粒度偏小、渣铁倒灌、关闭风口、结瘤脱落及滑料等。