Lithium nitrate salt-assisted CO absorption for the formation of corrosion barrier layer on AZ91D magnesium alloy.

Mg alloy corrosion susceptibility is a major issue that limits its wide industrial application in transport, energy and medical sectors. A corrosion-resistant layer containing crystalline MgCO was formed on the surface of AZ91D Mg alloy by Li salt loading and thermal CO treatment. Compared to the uncoated AZ91D surface, the surface layer exhibited up to a ∼15-fold increase in corrosion resistance according to the electrochemical results in 3.

Probing corrosion using a simple and versatile in situ multimodal corrosion measurement system.

In this work, we have developed a unique in situ multimodal corrosion system that is capable of acquiring electrochemical data, sample imaging/visualization and hydrogen collection, simultaneously. Each of these modalities yield valuable information pertaining to the ongoing corrosion process. Combining them can yield holistic information on the role of microstructure, processing history, presence of coatings, etc.

Unraveling the Mechanisms of the Apis mellifera Honeycomb Construction by 4D X-ray Microscopy.

Honeycomb is one of nature's best engineered structures. Even though it has inspired several modern engineering structures, an understanding of the process by which the hexagonal cells are formed in 3D space is lacking. Previous studies on the structure of the honeycomb are based on either 2D microscopy or by direct visual observations.

Reducing the risk of rostral bending failure in Curculio Linnaeus, 1758.

With over 300 species worldwide, the genus Curculio Linnaeus, 1758 is a widespread, morphologically diverse lineage of weevils that mainly parasitize nuts. Females use the rostrum, an elongate cuticular extension of the head, to excavate oviposition sites. This process causes extreme bending and deformation of the rostrum, without apparent harm to the structure.

Bioinspired Honeycomb Core Design: An Experimental Study of the Role of Corner Radius, Coping and Interface.

The honeybee's comb has inspired the design of engineering honeycomb core that primarily abstract the hexagonal cell shape and exploit its mass minimizing properties to construct lightweight panels. This work explored three additional design features that are part of natural honeybee comb but have not been as well studied as design features of interest in honeycomb design: the radius at the corner of each cell, the coping at the top of the cell walls, and the interface between cell arrays. These features were first characterized in natural honeycomb using optical and X-ray techniques and then incorporated into honeycomb core design and fabricated using an additive manufacturing process.