Piezo-phototronic effect enhanced polarization-sensitive photodetectors based on cation-mixed organic–inorganic perovskite nanowires

Piezo-phototronic effect has been extensively investigated for the third generation semiconductor nanowires. Here, we present a demonstration that piezo-phototronic effect can even be applied to tune polarization-sensitive photodetectors based on cation-mixed organic–inorganic perovskite nanowires. A big anisotropic photoluminescence (PL) with linearly polarized light-excitation was found due to a strong spontaneous piezoelectric polarization besides the anisotropic crystal structure and morphology. The piezo-phototronic effect was utilized to tune the PL intensity, and an improved anisotropic PL ratio from 9.36 to 10.21 for linearly polarized light-excitation was obtained thanks to the modulation by piezo-potential. And a circularly polarization-sensitive PL characterized with circular dichroism ratio was also discovered, which was found to be modulated from 0.085 to 0.555 (with a 5.5-fold improvement) within the range of applied strain. The circular dichroism was resulted from the joint effects of the modulated Rashba spin–orbit coupling and the asymmetric carriers separation and recombination for right- and left-handed helicity due to the presence of effective piezo-potential. These findings not only reveal the promising optoelectronic applications of piezo-phototronic effect in perovskite-based polarization-sensitive photodetectors, but also illuminate fundamental understandings of their polarization properties of perovskite nanowires.     

Effect of microbial hydrogen consumption on the hydrogen permeation behaviour of AISI 4135 steel under cathodic protection

The feasibility of microbial hydrogen consumption to mitigate the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) under different cathodic potentials was evaluated using the Devanathan-Stachurski electrochemical test and the hydrogen permeation efficiency η. The hydrogen permeation efficiency η in the presence of strain GA-1 was lower than that in sterile medium. The cathodic potential inhibited the adherence of strain GA-1 to AISI 4135 steel surface, thereby reducing the hydrogen consumption of strain GA-1. The adherent GA-1 cells were capable of consuming ‘cathodic hydrogen’ and reducing the proportions of absorbed hydrogen, indicating that it is theoretically possible to control HE by hydrogen-consuming microbes.     

Heavy rare earths,permanent magnets,and renewable energies: An imminent crisis

This article sounds the alarm that a significant build-out of efficient lighting and renewable energy technologies may be endangered by shortages of rare earths and rare earth permanent magnets. At the moment, China is the predominant supplier of both and its recent rare earth industrial policies combined with its own growing demand for rare earths have caused widespread concern. To diversify supplies, new mining—outside of China—is needed. But what many observers of the “rare earth problem” overlook is that China also dominates in (1) the processing of rare earths, particularly the less abundant heavy rare earths, and (2) the supply chains for permanent magnets. Heavy rare earths and permanent magnets are critical for many renewable energy technologies, and it will require decades to develop new non-Chinese deposits, processing capacity, and supply chains. This article clarifies several misconceptions, evaluates frequently proposed solutions, and urges policy makers outside of China to undertake measures to avert a crisis, such as greater support for research and development and for the cultivation of intellectual capital.     

Effect of chemical phosphorylation on solubility of buffalo milk proteins

Buffalo milk proteins (casein, co-precipitate or whey protein concentrate) were phosphorylated with phosphorus oxychloride (POCl₃) at three different pH values (5.0, 7.0 and 9.0). The solubilities of phosphorylated milk proteins were examined over the pH range 3.0–9.0 in water and ionic (0.1 m NaCl or 10–70 mm Ca²⁺) systems. The solubilities of buffalo milk proteins decreased at pH 3.0, while there was an increase in the solubilities of casein and co-precipitate near their isoelectric points upon phosphorylation. Solubilities of these phosphorylated milk proteins were pH dependent in 0.1 m NaCl but there was a decrease in their solubilities with increase in calcium ion concentration. This alteration could be due to the shifting of isoionic points of phosphorylated buffalo milk proteins towards acidic pH.     

首钢烧结配加扬地粉试验研究

介绍了首钢原料条件下配加扬地粉对烧结生产影响的实验室研究.随着扬地粉配入量的增加,烧结矿转鼓强度、成品率改善,燃耗有少量上升,利用系数增加,低温还原粉化指数变差.研究结果表明:在首钢目前条件下,配入10%～20%的扬地粉是可行的.二烧车间进行了扬地粉工业试验,其最高配比达到30%,工业试验时烧结各项指标变化与实验室试验结果基本一致.     

Bridging stresses in sintered reaction-bonded Si3N4 from COD measurements

Crack opening displacement measurements on a sintered reaction-bonded Si₃N₄ ceramic obtained in bending tests with edge-V-notched specimens were evaluated. A procedure is proposed which allows a straight-forward evaluation of the experimental results in order to obtain the bridging stresses as a function of crack opening displacements. Bridging stresses up to 160 MPa were found acting over a distance of about 0.4 μm. In addition crack profile measurements were performed for Vickers indentation cracks which could approximately be described by use of the bridging relation obtained.     

Development of a small DMFC bipolar plate stack for portable applications

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is regarded as a promising candidate in portable electronic power applications. Bipolar plate stacks were systematically studied by controlling the operating conditions, and by adjusting the stack structure design parameters, to develop more commercial DMFCs. The findings indicate that the peak power of the stack is influenced more strongly by the flow rate of air than by that of the methanol solution. Notably, the stack performance remains constant even as the channel depth is decreased from 1.0 to 0.6 mm, without loss of the performance in each cell. Furthermore, the specific power density of the stack was increased greatly from ∼60 to ∼100 W l⁻¹ for stacks of 10 and 18 cells, respectively. The current status of the work indicates that the power output of an 18-cell short stack reaches 33 W in air at 70 °C. The outer dimensions of this 18-cell short stack are only 80 mm × 80 mm × 51 mm, which are suitable for practical applications in 10–20 W DMFC portable systems.     

Enhanced Ruiz criterion for the evaluation of crack initiation in contact subjected to fretting fatigue

The fatigue-fretting damage parameter (FFDP) introduced by Ruiz is comprehensively discussed in this paper. Shortcomings and limitations of this criterion are presented resulting in a combined energetic-multiaxial enhancement (eFFDP). Specific frictional power was supposed to control the fretting damage and the critical plane approach is used to solve the multiaxial stress state in the fretting contact. The significance of the eFFDP is evaluated for the key–shaft–hub connection under combined torque and bend loading. Applying the analysis to recent fatigue tests, a comparison of stress and fretting parameters is made for different loading conditions including estimation of the fretting fatigue limit.     

Etching-enhanced growth of indentation crack in barium titanate single crystal

The effect of etching on an unloaded indentation crack in a poled BaTiO₃ single crystal whose poling direction is lying in or normal to the indentation plane, has been investigated. The result showed that for the sample whose poling direction was lying in the indentation plane, the indentation cracks and 90° domain switching zones surrounded by two pairs of indentation cracks grew gradually during etching using HCl + HF aqueous solution, and reached saturation after etching for 30 s, however, the effect of etching on the crack length and the size of the domain switching zone was very small for the sample whose poling direction was normal to the indentation plane. Etching-enhanced domain switching and crack propagating is due to adsorption-decreased surface energy.