Screening of silicon-activating bacteria and the activation mechanism of silicon in electrolytic manganese residue.

Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) is a kind of solid waste with a high silicon content. Most of the silicon in EMR, however, exist in the state of SiO, which cannot be directly absorbed by plants. Currently, it is very challenge to recover the silicon from EMR.

The transcriptional regulator Zur regulates the expression of ZnuABC and T6SS4 in response to stresses in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

Zinc homeostasis is crucial for the development and stress resistance of bacteria in the environment. Serial zinc sensing transcriptional regulators, zinc transporters and zinc binding proteins were found to maintain the zinc homeostasis in bacteria. Zur is a zinc uptake regulator that is widely distributed in species, and ZnuABC, as well as the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS4) function in zinc acquisition.

Revealing the Local Cathodic Interfacial Chemism Inconsistency in a Practical Large-Sized Li-O Model Battery with High Energy Density to Underpin Its Key Cyclic Constraints.

Due to the theoretical ultrahigh energy density of the Li-O battery chemistry, it has been hailed as the ultimate battery technology. Yet, practical Li-O batteries usually need to be designed in a large-sized pattern to actualize a high specific energy density, and such batteries often cannot be cycled effectively. To understand the inherent reasons, we specially prepared large-sized (13 cm × 13 cm) Li-O model batteries with practical energy output (6.

Effects of Co Addition on the Microstructure and Properties of Elastic Cu-Ni-Si-Based Alloys for Electrical Connectors.

The properties and microstructure evolution of quaternary Cu-Ni-Co-Si alloys with different Ni/Co mass ratios were investigated. The microstructure and morphological characteristics of the precipitates were analyzed by using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The mechanical properties and conductivity of the alloys were significantly improved after the addition of Co.

Microstructure and Hot Deformation Behavior of the Mg-8 wt.% Sn-1.5 wt.% Al Alloy.

Mg-Sn-Al alloy is a new type of heat-resistant magnesium alloy with great potential and the hot deformation process of this alloy is of great significance for its application. The microstructure, hot deformation behavior, textural evolution, and processing map of a Mg-8 wt.% Sn-1.

Microstructure, Hot Deformation Behavior, and Recrystallization Behavior of Zn-1Fe-1Mg Alloy under Isothermal Compression.

Nowadays, wrought zinc-based biodegradable alloys are favored by researchers, due to their excellent mechanical properties and suitable degradation rates. However, there are few research studies on their thermal deformation behavior at present. This study took Zn-1Fe-1Mg and explored its microstructural change, deformation, recrystallization behavior and processing map by means of the thermal simulation experiment, at temperatures ranging from 235 °C to 340 °C and strain rates ranging from 10 s to 10 s.

A Formaldehyde Sensor Based on Self-Assembled Monolayers of Oxidized Thiophene Derivatives.

High-performance formaldehyde sensors play an important role in air quality assessment. Herein, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) sensor for trace formaldehyde (FA) is fabricated based on the fluorescence enhancement of oxidized thiophene derivatives. In the primary SAM molecules, the functional backbone trithiophene (3T) links to the anchor through an -propyl group.

Design of an AIE-Active Flexible Self-Assembled Monolayer Probe for Trace Nitroaromatic Compound Explosive Detection.

In this work, a series of molecules TPE-PA- ( = 3-11) were designed with classic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethene (TPE) for self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), which are applied for the detection of trace nitroaromatic compound (NAC) explosives. Phosphoric acid that acts as an anchor is used to connect with TPE through alkyl chains of various lengths. It is found that the alkyl chains play a role in pulling TPE luminogens to aggregate for light emission, which can affect the fluorescence and sensing performance of the SAMs.

Strengthening and Weakening Effects of Particles on Strength and Ductility of SiC Particle Reinforced Al-Cu-Mg Alloys Matrix Composites.

The strengthening and weakening effects of SiC particles on composite strength and ductility were studied. Al-Cu-Mg alloys matrices with three different mechanical properties were used. Their yield strength, ultimate strength, and elongation range from 90 to 379 MPa, 131 to 561 MPa, and 18% to 31%, respectively.

Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study on Compound Casting of Layered Aluminum Matrix Composite Brake Drum.

The requirements of high-strength, wear-resistance and lightweight of brake drums have been continually increasing in recent years and any specific aluminum alloy or particle-reinforced aluminum matrix composites may not satisfy all the demands. Combining dissimilar materials to play their respective advantages is a solution to this problem. In this study, a compound casting method was used to combine solid SiC/A357 composite and a liquid 7050 aluminum alloy to prepare an aluminum matrix composite with a layered structure.

Biodegradable metals for bone fracture repair in animal models: a systematic review.

Biodegradable metals hold promises for bone fracture repair. Their clinical translation requires pre-clinical evaluations including animal studies, which demonstrate the safety and performance of such materials prior to clinical trials. This evidence-based study investigates and analyzes the performance of bone fractures repair as well as degradation properties of biodegradable metals in animal models.

Effect of the Particle Size and Matrix Strength on Strengthening and Damage Process of the Particle Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites.

Roles of the particle, strengthening, and weakening during deformation of the particle reinforced metal matrix composite, were studied using in situ technique. Composites with three different strengths Al-Cu-Mg alloy matrices reinforced by three sizes SiC particles were manufactured and subjected to in situ tensile testing. Based on in situ observation, damage process, fraction and size distribution of the cracked particles were collected to investigate the behavior of the particle during composite deformation.

Lab-scale evaluation of the microbial bioremediation of Cr(VI): contributions of biosorption, bioreduction, and biomineralization.

Bioremediation of Cr(VI) by microorganisms has attracted immense research interests. There are three different mechanisms for bioremediation of Cr(VI): biosorption, bioreduction, and biomineralization. Identifying the relative contributions of these different mechanisms to Cr(VI) bioremediation can provide valuable information to enhance the final result.

Fabrication of Low Cost and Low Temperature Poly-Silicon Nanowire Sensor Arrays for Monolithic Three-Dimensional Integrated Circuits Applications.

In this paper, the poly-Si nanowire (NW) field-effect transistor (FET) sensor arrays were fabricated by adopting low-temperature annealing (600 °C/30 s) and feasible spacer image transfer (SIT) processes for future monolithic three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D-ICs) applications. Compared with other fabrication methods of poly-Si NW sensors, the SIT process exhibits the characteristics of highly uniform poly-Si NW arrays with well-controlled morphology (about 25 nm in width and 35 nm in length). Conventional metal silicide and implantation techniques were introduced to reduce the parasitic resistance of source and drain (SD) and improve the conductivity.

Research on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Rheological Die Forging Parts of Al-6.54Zn-2.40Cu-2.35Mg-0.10Zr(-Sc) Alloy.

High-strength aluminum alloy (mainly refers to the 7xxx series) is the optimum material for lightweight military equipment. However, this type of aluminum alloy is a wrought aluminum alloy. If it is directly formed by traditional casting methods, there will inevitably be problems such as coarseness, unevenness, looseness, and hot cracking in the structure, which will greatly affect the final performance of the part.

A wearable contact lens sensor for noninvasive in-situ monitoring of intraocular pressure.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a primary indicator of glaucoma which can be measured for the treatment of the disease. This paper presents a piezo-resistive principle pressure sensor to monitor IOP continuously and non-invasively.

Effect of Ag on Properties, Microstructure, and Thermostability of Cu-Cr Alloy.

Cu-Cr-based alloys exhibit excellent electrical conductivity and strength, but their poor thermal stability limits their application in industry. In this paper, Cu-0.2Cr (at.

Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and in Vitro Corrosion Behavior of Biodegradable Zn-1Fe-xMg Alloy.

Zinc (Zn), one of the promising candidates for biodegradable implant materials, has excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. In this study, as-cast Zn1FexMg (x ≤ 1.5 wt %) alloys were prepared to systematically explore the effects of magnesium (Mg) alloying on their microstructures, mechanical properties, and biodegradability.

Size Effect on Mechanical Properties and Deformation Behavior of Pure Copper Wires Considering Free Surface Grains.

The size (grain size and specimen size) effect makes traditional macroscopic forming technology unsuitable for a microscopic forming process. In order to investigate the size effect on mechanical properties and deformation behavior, pure copper wires (diameters range from 50 μm to 500 μm) were annealed at different temperatures to obtain different grain sizes. The results show that a decrease in wire diameter leads to a reduction in tensile strength, and this change is pronounced for large grains.

Regulating the Grain Orientation and Surface Structure of Primary Particles through Tungsten Modification to Comprehensively Enhance the Performance of Nickel-Rich Cathode Materials.

Nickel-rich layered oxides, as the most promising commercial cathode material for high-energy density lithium-ion batteries, experience significant surface structural instabilities that lead to severe capacity deterioration and poor thermal stability. To address these issues, radially aligned grains and surface LiNiWO-like heterostructures are designed and obtained with a simple tungsten modification strategy in the LiNiCoMnO cathode. The formation of radially aligned grains, manipulated by the WO modifier during synthesis, provides a fast Li diffusion channel during the charge/discharge process.

Thermally Robust and Color-Tunable Blue-Green-Emitting BaMgSiO:Eu,Mn Phosphor for Warm-White LEDs.

The dual emission produced from Mn when codoped with rare earth ions like Eu or Ce in inorganic compounds makes these materials attractive as efficient, color-tunable phosphors for warm-white solid-state lighting. Here, a series of efficient blue-green-emitting BaMgSiO:Eu,Mn phosphors with thermally robust, tunable luminescence are reported. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy reveal that Eu and Mn each occupy a single crystallographic site and confirm that energy transfer occurs from Eu to Mn.

A cycling robust network binder for high performance Si-based negative electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Silicon has been a pivotal negative electrode material for the next generation lithium-ion batteries due to its superior theoretical capacity. However, commercial application of Si negative electrodes is seriously restricted by its fast capacity fading as a result of severe volume changes during the process of charge and discharge. A novel functional binder is essential to resolve this conflict.

Remaining Li-Content Dependent Structural Evolution during High Temperature Re-Heat Treatment of Quantitatively Delithiated Li-Rich Cathode Materials with Surface Defect-Spinel Phase.

Pre-extracting Li from Li-rich layered oxides by chemical method is considered to be a targeted strategy for improving this class of cathode material. Understanding the structural evolution of the delithiated material is very important because this is directly related to the preparation of electrochemical performance enhanced Li-rich material. Herein, we perform a high temperature reheat treatment on the quantitatively delithiated Li-rich materials with different amounts of surface defect-spinel phase and carefully investigate the structural evolution of these delithiated materials.

The effect of solid content on the rheological properties and microstructures of a Li-ion battery cathode slurry.

The development of new materials and the understanding of the microstructure formation of electrodes have become increasingly important for improving Li-ion battery performance. In this study, we investigate the effect of solid content on the rheological properties of and the microstructures in the cathode slurry prepared from Ni-rich materials. With long-chain structures, PVDF molecules can change their configurations when they come into contact with the solid particles in slurries, and their bridging function can change with the solid content in the slurry.

Bilayer Polyaniline-WO Thin-Film Sensors Sensitive to NO.

In this work, a novel bilayer polyaniline-WO (PANI-WO) thin film on the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and chemical oxidative polymerization methods. Until now, no one has ever made attempts to use the PANI-WO composite on the FTO glass substrate to detect NO gas. The composite showed excellent sensing performance for NO detection at an operation temperature of 50 °C and a detection limit of 2 ppm.