On Iron Metabolism and Its Regulation

Iron is a critical metal for several vital biological processes. Most of the body’s iron is bound to hemoglobin in erythrocytes. Iron from senescent red blood cells is recycled by macrophages in the spleen, liver and bone marrow. Dietary iron is taken up by the divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) in enterocytes and transported to portal blood via ferroportin (FPN), where it is bound to transferrin and taken up by hepatocytes, macrophages and bone marrow cells via transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1). While most of the physiologically active iron is bound hemoglobin, the major storage of most iron occurs in the liver in a ferritin-bound fashion. In response to an increased iron load, hepatocytes secrete the peptide hormone hepcidin, which binds to and induces internalization and degradation of the iron transporter FPN, thus controlling the amount of iron released from the cells into the blood. This review summarizes the key mechanisms and players involved in cellular and systemic iron regulation.     

Preparation of Iron Filler-Based Photocomposites and Application in 3D Printing

The introduction of metallic fillers to polymers via the photopolymerization approach can endow the composite materials with some unique properties, but the relevant research is still scarce due to the issue of light penetration and inner filter effect. Herein, for the first time the fabrication of photocomposites based on fine iron powder (i.e., a typical kind of metallic filler) is reported in this work. The free radical polymerization of two different acrylate monomers, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate and trimethylolpropane triacrylate, is performed in the presence of iron filler under mild conditions (i.e., light emitting diode (LED)@405 nm irradiation at room temperature under air). And the real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy reveals remarkable photopolymerization kinetics of acrylates with high final conversions and fast polymerization rates despite the increasing contents of iron filler in the composites. Interestingly, the 3D printing technique is applied to the iron filler-based composites to produce tridimensional patterns with excellent spatial resolution. This work not only paves the way for the investigation of photocomposites based on metallic fillers through photochemical methods, but also broadens the potential application prospects.     

Microstructure and properties of WC-8Co cemented carbides prepared by multiple spark plasma sintering

In this study, WC-8Co cemented carbides were prepared by spark plasma sintering. When the samples sintered at 1300℃ were cooled to room temperature, the samples were sintered multiple times at 1250℃. The changes in microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-8Co cemented carbides prepared by multiple spark plasma sintering were studied. The hardness of cemented carbides increased in the first two sintering, reaching 16.5 GPa. However, the hardness decreased seriously in the last two sintering. The attenuation rates of hardness were 6.2% and 2.5% due to the abnormal coarse grains. Furthermore, the crack path along the grain boundary was almost straight, causing a decrease in the indentation fracture toughness of cemented carbides. Additionally, the grains of cemented carbides were abnormally coarsened, and the morphologies of grains became unstable due to multiple sintering.     

Use of electron microscopy on microstructure characterization of high chromium cast irons

The physical metallurgy underlying the development of cast microstructures in abrasion resistant high chromium cast irons, and their structural modification by thermal treatments is relatively complex. Structural characterisation via electron microscopy therefore has a key role to play in furthering our understanding of the phase transformations that control the microstructures and hence the service performances of these irons as wear parts. This paper shows how both scanning and especially transmission electron microscopy can provide valuable information on the nature of eutectic and secondary carbides and on the matrix structures in these irons. Particular attention is given to current characterisation research on conventionally cast 30%Cr irons that are used for applications involving corrosive wear e.g. slurry pumps and on a semi-solid cast 27%Cr iron that has a potential for applications in industry.     

扫描速度对硼铸铁气缸套表面钨极氩弧硬化效果的影响

研究了钨极氩弧扫描速度对硼铸铁表面硬化效果的影响规律。结果表明：扫描速度增加,硬化层宽度、深度减小,而硬度提高,裂纹率增大；硬化层硬度沿层深的分布是从表及里由高而低,在过渡区下降缓慢；沿层宽的分布是层中心最高,向两侧逐渐降低,直至硼铸铁基体达到最低值；在保证不出现裂纹的条件下,硬化层表面的最高硬度值可达61．4HRC,硬化层最高显微硬度值可达1156．4HV0．1；硼铸铁材料采用氩弧热源淬火时,淬硬层与基体之间过渡区明显,硬化区组织为莱氏体,过渡区为马氏体、残余奥氏体和少量石墨。     

高强度高韧性球铁曲轴的生产

研究了合金化，二次孕育，热处理工艺及圆角滚压对球铁曲轴性能的影响，经实际生产验证，此工艺可使抗拉强度超过800MPa，伸长率超过5％。     

The properties of electroactive ruthenium oxide coatings supported by titanium-based ternary carbides

Electroactive oxide coatings on titanium, known in industrial chlorine production as dimensionally stable anodes (DSA), are of limited service life owing to the dissolution of active oxide, but also due to low corrosion stability of titanium, at high anodic potentials and elevated temperatures. In order to improve the anode stability, ternary carbide, Ti₃SiC₂, could be a promising material for the coating support, since chemical corrosion stability of Ti₃SiC₂ is significantly higher if compared to Ti. In this work, the possibility of the sol-gel preparation of RuO₂-TiO₂ coating on Ti₃SiC₂ is investigated and comparison of the basic characteristics of sol-gel processed oxide coating, Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂, applied onto Ti₃SiC₂ and Ti, is reported. Microscopic investigation of the coating surface showed that considerably less cracked coating is formed onto the Ti₃SiC₂ support. Slightly higher voltammetric currents are registered for Ti₃SiC₂-supported coating in H₂SO₄ and NaCl solution. The activity for chlorine evolution is higher, while the currents of oxygen evolution reaction are lower for Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti₃SiC₂ anode in comparison to Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti anode. Even though these preliminary results on the basic electrochemical properties of Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti₃SiC₂ anode and chemical stability of Ti₃SiC₂ are promising, the accelerated stability test in NaCl solution showed that coated Ti₃SiC₂ is not anodically stable and lasts considerably shorter than Ru_0.5Ti_0.5O₂/Ti anode prepared and tested under the same conditions.     

轮形铸铁件浇注系统与冒口联合补缩设计

采用半环形横浇道、内浇道径向引入.在浇注系统的对面安放侧冒口.直浇道、横浇道、侧冒口的大小采用模数计算法确定.用这种浇注系统和冒口联合补缩的工艺形式,生产中型(重85 kg)灰铸铁制动轮和球铁齿轮,消除了铸件缺陷.获得了内在和外在质量都高的轮类铸件,铸件合格品率98%～100%,铸件出品率85%以上.     

炉前包内冲废钢对灰铸铁组织和强度的影响

采用炉前包冲内冲废钢与孕育相结合的方法，研究了炉前包内冲废钢对灰铸铁组织和强度的影响。结果表明：冲废钢可以增加灰铸铁中初生奥氏体的数量，改变初生奥氏体枝晶的分布形态，强化灰铸铁孕育效果，有利于提高灰铸铁的强度。     

影响中小企业球铁质量稳定的因素

分析了影响中小企业球铁生产稳定性的关键因素,指出在一定的原材料条件下,目前中小型企业生产球铁存在的问题是温度偏低,孕育方法不当。