Poly(oxyphosphazenes): A unifying look at structure and morphology

Variations in thermotropic behavior have been investigated for many crystalline polyphosphazenes. Experimental results obtained from DSC, solid-state MAS NMR, dilatometry, mechanical property (creep and dynamic) measurements, birefringence, X-ray (wide and small-angle), and electron diffraction have been made as a function of temperature in an attempt to elucidate the structure-morphology behavior in these polymers. Initially all polyphosphazenes described in this study crystallize from dilute or moderately concentrated solutions in the monoclinic form with relatively low crystallinity (50%). When heated, these specimens expand atT(1) and adopt a chain-extended 2D mesophase morphology in order to relieve congestion. Above this first-orderT(1) temperature a chain-extended –P=N– chain backbone morphology transforms into an isotropic phase at the melting temperatureT _m. When cooled, samples transform into the mesostate. However, crystallization from the mesophase belowT(1) takes place into a 3D orthorhombic state. These two modes of ordering/disordering are in accordance with (i) a hexatic chain packing [betweenT(1) andT _m] with variously mobile side groups that also exhibits smectic features when mesogenic side groups are present and (ii) a 3D orthorhombic structure of high crystallinity belowT(1). The initial monoclinic phase is accessible only via a solution crystallization route. Solid-state MAS NMR, crystallization kinetic measurements, and optical microscopy studies obtained from oriented and unoriented polymers have been especially germane in providing a unifying picture for mesophase formation and ordering in polyoxyphosphazenes. X-ray and electron diffraction evidence is complicated by critical overlapping peaks that are found under these same conditions. They demonstrate that (a) positional disorder exists along the chain direction and (b) the side chain above, as well as below, theT(1) transition is governed by the mobility, size, and type of side group in circumstances where phase transformations occur.     

基于Virtools的虚拟现实技术及在特种设备教学中的应用

本文以电梯为研究对象,运用虚拟现实技术建立电梯虚拟样机,开发了一种电梯零部件识别系统用于电梯司机的考核。现行的考核方式存在过程繁琐、成绩统计困难等问题,就这些问题提出了合理的解决方案,并将方案应用于开发的系统中。该系统是虚拟现实技术在特种设备领域的全新应用,构建的虚拟电梯完整地呈现了真实的电梯,而且可以从多角度观察其结构的每个细节,方便教学与考核。系统结合SolidWorks、3Dmax、Virtools等软件,以触摸选择为主要的操作方式,具有优良的操作性与交互性,且投资少、开发周期短。     

Microhardness and corrosion behavior in CrN/electroless Ni/mild steel complex coating

The electroless nickel–phosphorous (Ni–P) coating was chosen as an interlayer to improve the properties of the CrN/mild steel (MS) composite. A hypophosphite-reduced acid solution was used to first deposit electroless Ni–P onto MS substrates, and then the CrN overlayer was deposited by reactive r.f. magnetron sputtering onto the electroless Ni–P modified substrate. The electroless Ni–P layer crystallizes with the precipitation of a Ni₃P phase during r.f. sputtering, and thus a coating–substrate composite of CrN/Ni–Ni₃P/MS is formed. The electroless Ni–P coating increases the surface hardness of the steel substrate to more than three times. The surface hardness of the CrN coating modified by an electroless Ni–P interlayer exhibits a hardness higher than 2000 HK_0.015. The usual substrate effect on the microhardness of the coatings is nearly eliminated with the complex coating feature, and a significant enhancement of surface hardness in the coating assembly is achieved. The corrosion tests indicate that the Ni–Ni₃P/MS configuration exhibits a more positive E_corr value (i.e. less electronegative) than CrN/MS and the corresponding potential curve is shifted toward the low-current side, indicating a better anti-corrosion performance. Through comparison of the E_corr values and the polarization curves, it is demonstrated that the CrN/Ni–Ni₃P/MS composite exhibits significantly higher corrosion resistance than the Ni–Ni₃P/MS and CrN/MS coating configurations.     

铸钢件准固态区域应力,应变数值模拟及热裂机制

对ＺＧ４５实验热裂试棒的数种工况进行了应力－应变的数值模拟，对热裂形成机制进行了讨论。研究认为：热裂起源于Ｂｉｎｇｈａｍ体，是塑性变形超过Ｂｉｎｇｈａｍ体塑性储备值所致。     

Maternal Exposure to Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) or Diethylstilbestrol (DES) Leads to Long-Term Changes in Hypothalamic Gene Expression and Sexual Behavior

Xenobiotic exposure during pregnancy and lactation has been linked to perinatal changes in male reproductive outcomes and other endocrine parameters. This pilot study wished to assess whether brief maternal exposure of rats to xenobiotics dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) might also cause long-term changes in hypothalamic gene expression or in reproductive behavior of the resulting offspring. Time-mated female Sprague Dawley rats were given either DBP (500 mg/kg body weight, every second day from GD14.5 to PND6), DES (125 µg/kg body weight at GD14.5 and GD16.5 only), or vehicle (n = 8–12 per group) and mild endocrine disruption was confirmed by monitoring postnatal anogenital distance. Hypothalamic RNA from male and female offspring at PND10, PND24 and PND90 was analyzed by qRT-PCR for expression of aromatase, oxytocin, vasopressin, ER-alpha, ER-beta, kisspeptin, and GnRH genes. Reproductive behavior was monitored in male and female offspring from PND60 to PND90. Particularly, DES treatment led to significant changes in hypothalamic gene expression, which for the oxytocin gene was still evident at PND90, as well as in sexual behavior. In conclusion, maternal xenobiotic exposure may not only alter endocrine systems in offspring but, by impacting on brain development at a critical time, can have long-term effects on male or female sexual behavior.     

Interspecies Behavioral Variability of Medaka Fish Assessed by Comparative Phenomics

Recently, medaka has been used as a model organism in various research fields. However, even though it possesses several advantages over zebrafish, fewer studies were done in medaka compared to zebrafish, especially with regard to its behavior. Thus, to provide more information regarding its behavior and to demonstrate the behavioral differences between several species of medaka, we compared the behavioral performance and biomarker expression in the brain between four medaka fishes, Oryzias latipes, Oryzias dancena, Oryzias woworae, and Oryzias sinensis. We found that each medaka species explicitly exhibited different behaviors to each other, which might be related to the different basal levels of several biomarkers. Furthermore, by phenomics and genomic-based clustering, the differences between these medaka fishes were further investigated. Here, the phenomic-based clustering was based on the behavior results, while the genomic-based clustering was based on the sequence of the nd2 gene. As we expected, both clusterings showed some resemblances to each other in terms of the interspecies relationship between medaka and zebrafish. However, this similarity was not displayed by both clusterings in the medaka interspecies comparisons. Therefore, these results suggest a re-interpretation of several prior studies in comparative biology. We hope that these results contribute to the growing database of medaka fish phenotypes and provide one of the foundations for future phenomics studies of medaka fish.     

Thermal evaluation of the use of porous ceramic plates on ventilated façades—part II: Thermal behavior

The effects of porous ceramic plates on the thermal behavior of ventilated façades were evaluated, and the results are presented herein. Thermal behavior in a ventilated façade of specimens containing 40 wt% of lime mud and a firing temperature of 1100°C was evaluated and compared with a commercial porcelain ceramic tile, which was the reference material. An experimental apparatus was designed to evaluate the thermal performance of the studied ventilated façades. The results revealed that the ventilated façade composed of the studied porous ceramic tiles produced a greater reduction in temperature between the external environmental and the interior of a box representing a building (ΔT5) of 65.7°C, compared with the façade composed of the commercial porcelain ceramic tiles (ΔT5 = 56.0°C) and even the traditional façade (ΔT5 = 49.1°C). Thus, porous ceramic tiles based on byproducts are promising candidates for ventilated façade systems.     

Relaxor behavior and superior ferroelectricity of Y2O3-doped (Ba0.98Ca0.02) (Ti0.94Sn0.04Zr0.02)O3 lead-free ceramics

To upgrade the electric properties of lead-free piezoceramics, (1–x)(Ba_0.98Ca_0.02Ti_0.94Sn_0.04Zr_0.02)O₃-xY₂O₃ (abbreviated as (1–x)BCTSZ-xY, x = 0 mol%, 0.02 mol%, 0.04 mol%, 0.06 mol%, 0.08 mol% and 0.1 mol%) ceramics were successfully synthesized by traditional solid-state sintering method. The phase structure and microstructure of ceramics were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and piezoresponse force microscopyeramics (PFM). The electric properties of ceramics were researched through piezoelectric, dielectric and ferroelectric test instruments. The results show that all samples have pure perovskite structure and favorable electric properties. The optimal electric properties which especially include superior ferroelectric properties are gained when Y₂O₃ content is 0.06 mol% (d₃₃ = 419 pC/N, k_p = 52%, T_c = 89.5 °C, ε_r = 26900, tanδ = 2.86%, P_r = 14.41 μC/cm², E_c = 1.8 kV/cm). Moreover, the temperature-dependent dielectricity of samples shows apparent relaxor behavior under different frequencies. The Curie–Weiss law further proves that all samples are typical relaxor ferroelectrics, and the relaxor degree of samples decreases with increase of Y₂O₃ content. In conclusion, Y₂O₃ plays a significant role in enhancing electric properties of BCTSZ ceramics.     

Effects of can parameters on canned—forging process of TiAl base alloy（Ⅱ）——Mechanical behavior

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原位反应自发渗透法TiC／AZ91D镁基复合材料及AZ91D镁合金的拉伸变形与断裂行为

利用原位反应自发渗透技术合成了47．5％碳化钛TiC（体积分数，下同）增强AZ91D镁基复合材料，对比研究了该复合材料与铸态镁合金AZ91D基体的室温与高温拉伸变形行为，观察了拉伸断口微观组织形貌，并分析了这两种材料的断裂特征。结果表明，TiC／Mg复合材料具有良好的高温力学性能，在拉伸变形速率为0．001s^-1以及温度为723K，时其拉伸强度可达91．1MPa，而此时相同变形条件下的铸态AZ91D镁合金拉伸断裂强度只有41．1MPa，增幅达120％。而在室温下，镁基复合材料的拉伸断裂强度仅高出基体铸态镁合金23．4％。镁基复合材料的断裂应变较低，高低温时均表现为脆性断裂；而镁合金则由室温下的脆性断裂向高温下的韧性断裂过渡。