Comprehensive performance of a ball-milled La0.5Pr0.5Fe11.4Si1.6B0.2Hy/Al magnetocaloric composite

Due to the hydrogen embrittlement effect, La(Fe,Si)₁₃-based hydrides can only exist in powder form, which limits their practical application. In this work, ductile and thermally conductive Al metal was homogeneously mixed with La_0.5Pr_0.5Fe_11.4Si_1.6B_0.2 using the ball milling method. Then hydrogenation and compactness shaping of the magnetocaloric composites were performed in one step via a sintering process under high hydrogen pressure. As the Al content reached 9 wt.%, the La_0.5Pr_0.5Fe_11.4Si_1.6B_0.2H_y/Al composite showed the mechanical behavior of a ductile material with a yield strength of ~44 MPa and an ultimate strength of 269 MPa accompanied by a pronounced improvement in thermal conductivity. Due to the ease of formation of Fe-Al-Si phases and the several micron and submicron sizes of the composite particles caused by ball milling process, the magnetic entropy change of the composites was substantially reduced to ~1.2 J/kg· K-1.5 J/kg· K at 0 T-1.5 T.     

Enhanced thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of polymeric composites through formation of covalent bonds between boron nitride and rubber chains

Hexagonal boron nitride (BN) platelets, also known as white graphite, are often used to improve the thermal conductivities of polymeric matrices. Due to the poor interfacial compatibility between BN platelets and polymeric matrices, in this study, polyrhodanine (PRd) was used to modify BN platelets and prepared functionalized BN-PRd platelets, thereby enhancing the interfacial interaction between the thermal conductive filler and polymeric matrix. Then, BN-PRd platelets were dispersed into the nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) matrix to yield high thermally conductive composites. The presence of N? C═S groups in PRd allowed the combination of PRd and NBR chains containing stable covalent bonds via vulcanization reaction. The thermal conductivity of the as-prepared 30 vol% BN-PRd/NBR composite reached 0.40 W/mK, representing an increment of 135% over pure NBR (0.17 W/mK). In addition, the largest tensile strength of NBR composite containing 30 vol% BN-PRd platelets was 880% times of pure NBR. The 30 vol% BN-PRd/NBR composite also displayed a relatively high dielectric constant (9.35 at 100 Hz) and a low dielectric loss tangent value (0.07 at 100 Hz), indicating their usefulness as dielectric flexible materials of microelectronics. In sum, the simplicity and good efficiency of formation of covalent bonds between boron nitride and rubber chains look very promising for large-scale industrial production of high thermally conductive composites.     

Mechanical property and deformation mechanism of gold nanowire with non-uniform distribution of twinned boundaries:A molecular dynamics simulation study

The mechanical property and deformation mechanism of twinned gold nanowire with non-uniform distribution of twinned boundaries(TBs) are studied by the molecular dynamics(MD) method. It is found that the twin boundary spacing(TBS) has a great effect on the strength and plasticity of the nanowires with uniform distribution of TBs. And the strength enhances with the decrease of TBS, while its plasticity declines. For the nanowires with non-uniform distribution of TBs, the differences in distribution among different TBSs have little effect on the Young's modulus or strength, and the compromise in strength appears. But the differences have a remarkable effect on the plasticity of twinned gold nanowire. The twinned gold nanowire with higher local symmetry ratio has better plasticity. The initial dislocations always form in the largest TBS and the fracture always appears at or near the twin boundaries adjacent to the smallest TBS. Some simulation results are consistent with the experimental results.     

The recent progress of functionally graded CNT reinforced composites and structures

In the last decade,the functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composites(FG-CNTRCs)have attracted considerable interest due to their excellent mechanical properties,and the structures made of FG-CNTRCs have found broad potential applications in aerospace,civil and ocean engineering,automotive industry,and smart structures.Here we review the literature regarding the mechanical analysis of bulk CNTR nanocomposites and FG-CNTRC structures,aiming to provide a clear picture of the mechanical modeling and properties of FG-CNTRCs as well as their composite structures.The review is organized as follows:(1)a brief introduction to the functionally graded materials(FGM),CNTRCs and FG-CNTRCs;(2)a literature review of the mechanical modeling methodologies and properties of bulk CNTRCs;(3)a detailed discussion on the mechanical behaviors of FG-CNTRCs;and(4)conclusions together with a suggestion of future research trends.     

Catechol‐Functionalized Polyolefins

The incorporation of comonomers during ethylene polymerization can efficiently modulate important material properties of the polyolefins. Utilizing bioresourced comonomers for the generation of high‐performance polyolefin materials is attractive from a sustainability point of view. In this contribution, bioresourced eugenol and related comonomers were incorporated into polyolefins through palladium‐catalyzed copolymerization and terpolymerization reactions. Importantly, high‐molecular‐weight catechol‐functionalized polyolefins can be generated. The introduction of different metal ions induces efficient interactions with the incorporated catechol groups, leading to enhanced mechanical properties and self‐healing properties. Moreover, the catechol functionality can greatly improve other properties such as surface properties, adhesion properties, and compatibilizing properties. The catechol‐functionalized polyolefin was demonstrated as a versatile platform polymer for accessing various materials with dramatically different properties.     

Strong Squeezing of Duffing Oscillator in a Highly Dissipative Optomechanical Cavity System

In the conventional scheme of generating strong mechanical squeezing by the joint effect between mechanical parametric amplification and sideband cooling, the resolved sideband condition is required so as to overcome the quantum backaction heating. In the unresolved sideband regime, to suppress the quantum backaction, a χ⁽²⁾ nonlinear medium is introduced to the cavity. The result shows that the quantum backaction heating effect caused by unwanted counter-rotating term can be completely removed. Hence, the strong mechanical squeezing can be obtained even for the system far from the resolved-sideband regime.     

Hydrodynamic instability of premixed flame propagating in narrow planar channel in the presence of gas flow

The paper analyses the hydrodynamic instability of a flame propagating in the space between two parallel plates in the presence of gas flow. The linear analysis was performed in the framework of a two-dimensional model that describes the averaged gas flow in the space between the plates and the perturbations development of two-dimensional combustion wave. The model includes the parametric dependences of the flame front propagation velocity on its local curvature and on the combustible gas velocity averaged along the height of the channel. It is assumed that the viscous gas flow changes the surface area of the flame front and thereby affects the propagation velocity of the two-dimensional combustion wave. In the absence of the influence of the channel walls on the gas flow, the model transforms into the Darrieus–Landau model of flame hydrodynamic instability. The dependences of the instability growth rate on the wave vector of disturbances, the velocity of the unperturbed gas flow, the viscous friction coefficients and other parameters of the problem are obtained. It is shown that the viscous gas flow in the channel can lead, in some cases, to a significant increase in instability compared with a flame propagating in free space. In particular, the instability increment depends on the direction of the gas flow with respect direction of the flame propagation. In the case when the gas flow moves in the opposite direction to the direction of the flame propagation, the pulsating instability can appear.     

Theoretical investigation of the crystallographic structure,anisotropic elastic response,and electronic properties of the major borides in Ni-based superalloys

ABSTRACT

In Ni-based superalloys, it is usually found that borides can strengthen the grain boundaries, thereby resulting in an increase in mechanical strength and high-temperature creep properties. Due to their importance and prevalence in Ni-based superalloys, this study employs first-principles methods to investigate the crystallographic structure, anisotropic elastic response, and electronic properties of the major borides, such as M₂B, M₅B₃ and M₃B₂ (M: Cr, Mo, W), respectively, which is necessary for the assessment of complex mechanical responses of Ni-based superalloys. The results demonstrate that the studied borides are all thermodynamically and mechanically stable. Among the M _x B _y binary borides analysed, Cr _x B _y exhibits the largest shear modulus, Young’s modulus, and Vicker hardness values, and these properties increase with the increase of B contents. The studied borides display nearly isotropic elastic properties except for W₅B₃ and W₃B₂. The electronic structure analysis of M _x B _y shows that the strong hybridisation between M-d and B-p orbitals leads to these borides exhibiting higher theoretical hardness, and the overlapping peaks of M-d and B-p orbitals move to a lower energy area with the increase of B contents, which leads to the increase of shear and Young’s moduli of M _x B _y . Furthermore, for M₃B₂ borides, the Cr-B bonds and Cr–Cr bonds are much stronger than the W-B & Mo-B bonds, and W-W & Mo-Mo bonds, respectively, which leads to Cr _x B _y yielding the largest values of elastic moduli.     

Micro/Nanoengineered α-Fe2O3 Nanoaggregate Conformably Enclosed by Ultrathin N-Doped Carbon Shell for Ultrastable Lithium Storage and Insight into Phase Evolution Mechanism

The Fe-based transition metal oxides are promising anode candidates for lithium storage considering their high specific capacity, low cost, and environmental compatibility. However, the poor electron/ion conductivity and significant volume stress limit their cycle and rate performances. Furthermore, the phenomena of capacity rise and sudden decay for α-Fe₂O₃ have appeared in most reports. Here, a uniform micro/nano α-Fe₂O₃ nanoaggregate conformably enclosed in an ultrathin N-doped carbon network (denoted as M/N-α-Fe₂O₃@NC) is designed. The M/N porous balls combine the merits of secondary nanoparticles to shorten the Li⁺ transportation pathways as well as alleviating volume expansion, and primary microballs to stabilize the electrode/electrolyte interface. Furthermore, the ultrathin carbon shell favors fast electron transfer and protects the electrode from electrolyte corrosion. Therefore, the M/N-α-Fe₂O₃@NC electrode delivers an excellent reversible capacity of 901 mA h g⁻¹ with capacity retention up to 94.0 % after 200 cycles at 0.2 A g⁻¹. Notably, the capacity rise does not happen during cycling. Moreover, the lithium storage mechanism is elucidated by ex situ XRD and HRTEM experiments. It is verified that the reversible phase transformation of α↔γ occurs during the first cycle, whereas only the α-Fe₂O₃ phase is reversibly transformed during subsequent cycles. This study offers a simple and scalable strategy for the practical application of high-performance Fe₂O₃ electrodes.     

Monodisperse silica nanoparticles coated with gold nanoparticles as a sorbent for the extraction of phenol and dihydroxybenzenes from water samples based on dispersive micro‐solid‐phase extraction: Response surface methodology

A selective and sensitive method was developed based on dispersive micro‐solid‐phase extraction for the extraction of hydroquinone, resorcinol, pyrocatechol and phenol from water samples prior to high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. SiO₂, SiO₂@MPTES, and SiO₂@MPTES@Au nanoparticles (MPTES = 3‐mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane) were synthesized and characterized by scanning electronic microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermogravimetric analysis, and infrared spectroscopy. Variables such as the amount of sorbent (mg), pH and ionic strength of sample the solution, the volume of eluent solvent (μL), vortex and ultrasonic times (min) were investigated by Plackett–Burman design. The significant variables optimized by a Box–Behnken design were combined by a desirability function. Under optimized conditions, the calibration graphs of phenol and dihydroxybenzenes were linear in a concentration range of 1–500 μg/L, and with correlation coefficients more than 0.995. The limits of detection for hydroquinone, resorcinol, pyrocatechol, and phenol were 0.54, 0.58, 0.46, and 1.24 μg/L, and the limits of quantification were 1.81, 1.93, 1.54, and 4.23 μg/L, respectively. This procedure was successfully employed to determine target analytes in spiked water samples; the relative mean recoveries ranged from 93.5 to 98.9%.