A novel kind of multi-core magnetic composite particles, the surfaces of which were respectively mo- dified with goat-anti-mouse IgG and antitransferrin receptor（anti-CD71）, was prepared. The fetal nucleated red blo...A novel kind of multi-core magnetic composite particles, the surfaces of which were respectively mo- dified with goat-anti-mouse IgG and antitransferrin receptor（anti-CD71）, was prepared. The fetal nucleated red blood cells（FNRBCs） in the peripheral blood of a gravida were rapidly and effectively enriched and separated by the mo- dified multi-core magnetic composite particles in an external magnetic field. The obtained FNRBCs were used for the identification of the fetal sex by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization（FISH） technique. The results demonstrate that the multi-core magnetic composite particles meet the requirements for the enrichment and speration of FNRBCs with a low concentration and the accuracy of detetion for the diagnosis of fetal sex reached to 95%. Moreover, the obtained FNRBCs were applied to the non-invasive diagnosis of Down syndrome and chromosome 3p21 was de- tected. The above facts indicate that the novel multi-core magnetic composite particles-based method is simple, relia- ble and cost-effective and has opened up vast vistas for the potential application in clinic non-invasive prenatal diag- nosis.展开更多
To find a simple, effective method of isolating fetal cells from maternal peripheral blood for prenatal diagnosis, 45 women were studied with their gestation being 6-14 weeks and age 21- 30 years. The fetal cells wer...To find a simple, effective method of isolating fetal cells from maternal peripheral blood for prenatal diagnosis, 45 women were studied with their gestation being 6-14 weeks and age 21- 30 years. The fetal cells were isolated from maternal blood by using discontinuous density gradient centrifugation. Some of the isolated cells were made smear and counted under the microscope; others were used for predicting fetal sex by PCR amplification of Y chromosome specific DYZ1 gene. The major cells in the upper separation interface were lymphocytes and monocytes, with occasionally seen nucleated red blood cells (NRBC); while those in the middle separation interface were neutrocytes, with NRBC scattering. The ratio of NRBC/nucleated cells was 1. 98±0. 28× 10-5. There was no significant difference between the first and second trimester (P>0. 05). The amount of isolated fetal cells was sufficient for prenatal genetic diagnosis. Male pregnancy was correctly predicted in 10 out of 13 cases. It is concluded that the method of discontinuous density gradient centrifugation was of considerable importance in the development of non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis.展开更多
The effect of clay on the nucleating behavior of 1,3：2,4-bis（3,4-dimethylbenzylidene） sorbitol （DMDBS） in cryatallization of isotactic polypropylene （iPP） was investigated by means of differential scanning calo...The effect of clay on the nucleating behavior of 1,3：2,4-bis（3,4-dimethylbenzylidene） sorbitol （DMDBS） in cryatallization of isotactic polypropylene （iPP） was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, dynamic rheology and polarized light microscopy （PLM）. It is interesting to note that the incorporation of layered clay nanoparticles into DMDBS-nucleated iPP may induce a synergetic nucleation effect while the DMDBS content is below 0.1 wt%, otherwise it restricts the crystallization rate prominently as the DMDBS content increases up to 0.3 wt%, which has exceeded the content threshold to yield a nucleating agent （NA） network. As shown by dynamic rheological investigations, the clay nanoparticles demonstrate an obstructive effect of disturbing the consistency of DMDBS fibrils network. Moreover, to further demonstrate the importance of NA network formation in the crystallization of iPP, we used another NA named HPN-20e, which can not form network structure at all over the concentration studied, for comparison. In this case, the nucleated-crystallization rate is independent on the addition of clay nanoparticles, as the nucleating mechanism is an individual nuclei manner without NA network forming.展开更多
The single cell isolation technique was used to detect fetal nucleated erythroblasts at a single cell level from the peripheral blood of pregnant women in order to investigate the feasibility of this method for nonin...The single cell isolation technique was used to detect fetal nucleated erythroblasts at a single cell level from the peripheral blood of pregnant women in order to investigate the feasibility of this method for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Single fetal nucleated erythroblasts were isolated from the peripheral blood samples from 51 pregnant women by micromanipulation techniques after density gradient centrifugation. Nested polymerase chain reaction method was used to amplify the SRY gene. It was found that the concordance rate of amplification results with real fetal sex was 82.61 %. The sensitivity and specificity were 80 % and 87.50 % respectively. It was suggested that it is feasible and promising in non invasive prenatal diagnosis to detect fetal nucleated erythroblasts at a single cell level by using micromanipulation techniques.展开更多
In order to search for a more reliable method of sorting fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) and DNA from maternal peripheral blood and to identify origin of NRBCs and DNA, NRBCs were isolated from peripheral bloo...In order to search for a more reliable method of sorting fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) and DNA from maternal peripheral blood and to identify origin of NRBCs and DNA, NRBCs were isolated from peripheral blood of 88 pregnant women by density gradient centrifugation and fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) respectively. Nested polymerase chain reaction was used to detect normal male SRY gene from blood plasma DNA of 65 pregnant women. The results revealed that fetal NRBCs were found in 14 of 27 maternal samples by density gradient centrifugation. The number of cells was from 1 to 10. Using FACS, CD71 + cells were identified among all 61 samples. The frequency was (0.35±0.25)×10 -2; The detectable rate of the SRY gene of blood plasma DNA from 46 women carrying male fetuses was 65.22 % (30/46). Non-detectable rate for 19 women carrying female fetuses was 94.74 % (18/19). It was concluded that the methods of sorting fetal NRBCs and DNA have already made great progress. The methods for fetal NRBCs and plasma DNA from maternal peripheral blood to diagnose genetic diseases seem to be the best methods of noninvasive prenatal diagnosis.展开更多
An aryl dicarboxylic acid amide compound TMB-5 is an efficient β-form nucleating agent for isotactic polypropylene （iPP）. Because of the solubility of TMB-5, superstructure and morphology of iPP crystals changed wi...An aryl dicarboxylic acid amide compound TMB-5 is an efficient β-form nucleating agent for isotactic polypropylene （iPP）. Because of the solubility of TMB-5, superstructure and morphology of iPP crystals changed with melting conditions. Effects of final heating temperature （Tf） on heterogeneous nucleation of iPP/TMB-5 were investigated. It was discovered that the crystallization temperature increased with decreasing Tf value. The optical microscopic images indicated that when TMB-5 partially dissolved in iPP melt, the remaining （non-dissolved） TMB-5 facilitated the recrystallization of dissolved nucleating agent from the melt, which promoted crystallization. Complete solubility of nucleating agent caused the decreasing efficiency. TMB-5 recrystallized in the form of tiny needles, whose aggregates induced dendritic iPP crystals.展开更多
Sn-based compounds are emerging as a promising category of alkali metal ion storage materials due to their relatively high theoretical specific capacity and natural abundance.However,inadequate ion diffusion,poor elec...Sn-based compounds are emerging as a promising category of alkali metal ion storage materials due to their relatively high theoretical specific capacity and natural abundance.However,inadequate ion diffusion,poor electron transfer,and significant volume fluctuations during prolonged charge and discharge cycles lead to severe structural deterioration and capacity loss,hindering their further practical application.Heterostructure engineering can not only alleviate the internal stresses and dramatic volume alterations induced by ion deintercalation,but also enhance the dynamics of ion transport.Adopting a dual-optimization strategy that incorporates heterogeneous structure construction and doping,we successfully synthesized ultra-thin Co doped SnS_(2)/SnO_(2) heterostructure nanosheets on carbon cloth substrates via a co-nucleation growth process.After rigorous investigation into its lithium-ion storage performance and mechanisms,it exhibited excellent lithium storage capabilities(1518 mA h g^(−1) at 330 mA g^(−1),with 81%of the initial capacity retained after 100 cycles).Pleasingly,when incorporated into next-generation sodium-ion batteries,Co-doped SnS_(2)/SnO_(2) anodes exhibit highly competitive sodium storage capabilities(1250 mA h g^(−1) at 220 mA g^(−1),with 97.8%of the initial capacity retained after 200 cycles).The incorporation of Co ions and the formation of heterostructures have been confirmed to enhance ion diffusion and reaction kinetics.This study presents a novel approach for the facile preparation of multifunctional Li and Na ion storage materials featuring element-doped heterogeneous compositions.展开更多
Nucleation,which is the initial step of crystallization,critically governs the polymer crystallization behavior,influencing the crystallization temperature,kinetics,and morphology.However,the direct observation of the...Nucleation,which is the initial step of crystallization,critically governs the polymer crystallization behavior,influencing the crystallization temperature,kinetics,and morphology.However,the direct observation of the nucleation process in polymers remains elusive owing to spatial and temporal resolution limitations.This feature article summarizes the recent progress in understanding polymer nucleation within confined and interface-dominated environments,focusing on three representative systems:anodic aluminum oxide templates and nanocomposites containing nanoparticles or nanosheets.The interplay between finite size and interfacial effects has revealed some novel phenomena,such as homogeneous nucleation,surface nucleation,prefreezing,and supernucleation.展开更多
The chemical structure of polyamide 6(PA6)dictates that only 50%of hydrogen bonds participate in crystallization during the crystallization process,resulting in the properties of its products being significantly depen...The chemical structure of polyamide 6(PA6)dictates that only 50%of hydrogen bonds participate in crystallization during the crystallization process,resulting in the properties of its products being significantly dependent on the molding process.Therefore,the design and development of nucleating agents suitable for PA6 holds great practical significance for high-performance PA6 materials.Amide-based nucleating agents can effectively improve the crystallization rate by increasing intermolecular hydrogen bond density.Further introduction of hydroxyl groups can enhance the hydrogen bonding interactions between the nucleating agent and PA6.In this study,a hydroxyl-containing amidebased nucleating agent,BHT,was designed and synthesized using a tyramine-based biomass as the raw material.These results demonstrated that BHT exhibited good structural compatibility with PA6.After adding 1 wt%BHT,the crystallization temperature of PA6 increased from 170.9℃to 193.3℃,the crystallinity increased 16.6%,the heat distortion temperature and Vicat softening temperature rose to 89.5 and 187.8℃,respectively,the haze decreased to 46%,achieving the synergistic optimization of mechanical,thermal,and optical properties.The in situ time-resolved FTIR results indicated that the addition of BHT increased the enthalpy of hydrogen bond formation during the nucleation stage,facilitated the segmental conformation adjustment of PA6,and enhanced the molar concentration of trans-conformations,ultimately leading to an improvement in the crystallization rate.展开更多
Heterogeneous nucleation,characterized by its low nucleation barrier and controllable nucleation sites,has been widely employed to manipulate the microstructures and properties of metallic materials.In recent years,th...Heterogeneous nucleation,characterized by its low nucleation barrier and controllable nucleation sites,has been widely employed to manipulate the microstructures and properties of metallic materials.In recent years,the dispersion of inclusions,carbides,and microstructure refinement in steel have emerged as one of the key research directions in the development of high-quality steel.The current research status regarding the regulation of inclusions,carbides,and microstructures in steel through heterogeneous nucleation are reviewed.The key points and challenges in refining the second phase and microstructure in steel using inclusion particles are highlighted,aiming to provide inspiration and references for future scholars.Deoxidized inclusions,when refined and dispersed,exhibit favorable lattice matching with second phases(e.g.,nitrides,sulfides,carbides)in steel.This characteristic serves as the fundamental mechanism for achieving refinement of the second phase.Concurrently,the solid-solution alloying effect from deoxidizing metals contributes to second-phase refinement,an aspect that requires prioritized investigation.In addition to the single heterogeneous nucleation refinement effect,the two-stage heterogeneous nucleation refinement of the second phase and microstructure offers a new approach for follow-up research.Notably,second-phase particles added as heterogeneous nucleation sites via external addition often require surface modification to ensure their stable retention in steel at high temperatures,which remains a major challenge restricting the widespread application of this method.Currently,the explanation of heterogeneous nucleation phenomena primarily relies on empirical calculations of lattice mismatch between the substrate and the nucleating phase,which cannot fully elucidate the quantitative relationship on the interface between the substrate and the nucleation phase.On this basis,quantifying the electronic structure and nucleation barrier at the interface between the substrate and the nucleation phase is a critical direction worthy of increased attention in the future.展开更多
The crystallization and aggregation characteristics of the active layer components in organic solar cells(OSCs)are one of the core factors determining photovoltaic performance,influencing the entire process from light...The crystallization and aggregation characteristics of the active layer components in organic solar cells(OSCs)are one of the core factors determining photovoltaic performance,influencing the entire process from light absorption to charge separation,transport,and ultimately charge collection.Dynamic changes in crystallization and aggregation states can also disrupt the microstructure of the active layer,thus shortening the lifetime of the cell.In this study,a morphology modulation strategy is proposed to regulate the crystallization kinetics of non-fullerene acceptors by employing the polymer molecule PYIT as a nucleating agent.An appropriate amount of PYIT was first completely dissolved with the non-fullerene acceptor Y6 and left to stand for 24 h,followed by the fabrication of layer-by-layer processed OSCs.Experiments demonstrated that high crystallinity of PYIT allows it to act as a crystallization nucleus,promoting the crystallization,orientation consistency,and ordered stacking of the acceptor.These nanoscale structural optimizations facilitate efficient charge transport,enhance exciton dissociation efficiency,and suppress unfavorable energetic disorder.Consequently,not only was the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of D18-Cl/Y6-based layer-by-layer processed OSC increased from 18.08%to 19.13%,but the atmospheric stability and long-term lifetime of the OSCs were also significantly improved.Notably,this strategy is also applicable to indoor OSCs,and the PYIT-optimized device can achieve a PCE of 27.0%under 1000 lux light-emitting diode(LED,3200K)irradiation,which is superior to that of the control device(24.2%).This work develops a crystal engineering strategy that is able to simultaneously optimize the microscopic morphology and charge dynamics properties in OSCs,thereby achieving simultaneous improvement in efficiency and stability.展开更多
Poly(ethylene succinate)(PES),a promising biodegradable polyester with cost advantages,suffers from inherently slow crystallization kinetics,which severely limits its processability and practical applications.To addre...Poly(ethylene succinate)(PES),a promising biodegradable polyester with cost advantages,suffers from inherently slow crystallization kinetics,which severely limits its processability and practical applications.To address this challenge,this study explored the use of commercially available,low-cost,and food-safe sugar alcohols,including Xylitol(Xy),D-sorbitol(DS),and D-mannitol(DM),as effective nucleating agents for PES.Remarkably,all three polyols significantly enhanced the nucleation and crystallization ability of PES,with DM exhibiting the most pronounced effect.DM increased the crystallization temperature by up to 23.9°C and accelerated the overall crystallization rate by more than 13-fold at only 0.5 wt%loading level.Through a combination of differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),polarized optical microscopy(POM),and wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD)analyses,we revealed that DM promotes PES crystallization via a dual mechanism:epitaxial templating facilitated by excellent lattice matching,and enhanced chain adjustment through intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions.In contrast,Xy and DS primarily function through hydrogen-bonding interactions.This work not only identifies DM as a highly efficient,economical,and industrially viable nucleating agent for PES,but also provides fundamental insights into the role of the molecular structure and crystallization ability of nucleating agents in regulating polymer crystallization.展开更多
The refinement of the as-cast grain structure in austenitic heat-resistant stainless steel depends on the formation of active solid nuclei during solidification.Titanium(Ti)additions successfully induced the formation...The refinement of the as-cast grain structure in austenitic heat-resistant stainless steel depends on the formation of active solid nuclei during solidification.Titanium(Ti)additions successfully induced the formation of Ti-containing inclusions,enhancing heterogeneous nucleation and promoting equiaxed dendritic growth in 347H stainless steel.Thermal simulation experiments indicated that the equiaxed crystal ratios increased notably with Ti content;samples with 0.06,0.12,and 0.36 wt.%Ti exhibited equiaxed ratios of 18%,24%,and 41%,respectively.Three primary inclusion types—TiN,Al_(2)O_(3)-TiN,and TiO_(x)-TiN—were identified at the cores of equiaxed dendrites,with nucleation core sizes predominantly ranging from 0.5 to 8μm.Among the tested samples,the 0.36 wt.%Ti addition produced the highest nucleation core density.Increasing Ti content significantly elevated dendrite tip undercooling from 2.6 K(0.06 wt.%Ti)to 10.8 K(0.36 wt.%Ti),accelerating solidification front instability and thus enhancing heterogeneous nucleation.Additionally,higher Ti content increased the divergence angle between adjacent columnar dendrites,further promoting the columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET).展开更多
Formic acid(FA)is particularly prominent for its ubiquity and structural simplicity among atmospheric organic acids,and exerts a significant influence on atmospheric acidity.However,the potential contribution of FA to...Formic acid(FA)is particularly prominent for its ubiquity and structural simplicity among atmospheric organic acids,and exerts a significant influence on atmospheric acidity.However,the potential contribution of FA to the primary stage of new particle formation(NPF)remains unclear.Herein,molecular dynamics(MD),density functional theory(DFT)and the atmospheric cluster dynamics code(ACDC)model have been utilized to evaluate the mechanism of FA participation in atmospheric SA(sulfuric acid)-A(ammonia)clusters.The MD simulations qualitatively suggest that FA can aggregate with SA and A to form larger clusters,and the aggregation time of the largest clusters decreases as the temperature decreases.The DFT and ACDC findings indicate that the ternary SA-A-FA system is thermodynamically more stable at low temperatures(238.15 K).Simultaneously,in regions with low temperatures,high[FA](10^(11)molecules/cm3),low[SA](106 molecules/cm3)and high[A](10^(11)molecules/cm^(3)),FA significantly enhances SA-A cluster formation rates.The low-temperature NPF mechanism implies that FA could facilitate the growth of pure SA-A clusters via a“catalytic”mechanism and play an integral role in the genesis of critical clusters as a“participant”.This dual role differs from the“catalytic”role exhibited by malonic and glycolic acids in our previous studies.This discovery could help identify the sources of unexplained NPFs in regions with high FA concentrations,such as densely forested areas with abundant vegetation,regions affected by biomass burning,or periods with elevated vehicle exhaust emissions and the release of volatile organic compounds like isoprene and terpenoids.展开更多
Although amide-and hydrazide-based nucleating agents have been extensively used to enhance the crystallization performance of poly(lactic acid)(PLA),structurally similar nucleating agents exhibit significant differenc...Although amide-and hydrazide-based nucleating agents have been extensively used to enhance the crystallization performance of poly(lactic acid)(PLA),structurally similar nucleating agents exhibit significant differences in their crystallization-promoting efficiency,and the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In this study,a series of nucleating agents,including N,N-diphenylterephthalamide(DPTA),N,N,N-triphenyl-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide(TPTA),N,N-diphenyl terephthalohydrazide(DBTA),and N,N,N-tribenzoyl-1,3,5-benzenetricarbohydrazide(TBTA),were designed and synthesized to investigate the differences in their effects on the crystallization performance of PLA.Density functional theory(DFT)and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations showed that DBTA had a smaller electrostatic potential difference(66.2 kcal/mol).During the cooling process,DBTA could stably form more intermolecular hydrogen bonds with PLA and exhibit a higher interaction energy,thus theoretically enabling more efficient promotion of PLA crystallization.Further differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)results revealed that at a 0.5wt%loading of DBTA,the crystallization peak temperature of the PLA-DBTA composite reached 118.1℃during cooling,whereas no distinct crystallization peak was observed for pure PLA under identical conditions.The crystallinity of the composite was significantly increased to 58.4%compared to 14.6%of pure PLA.Moreover,under isothermal crystallization at 130℃,DBTA reduced the half-crystallization time of PLA to 2.9min,while the half-crystallization time for pure PLA was 27.4 min.Time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)results also confirmed that DBTA promoted the formation of gt conformational isomers of PLA during the crystallization process.This study elucidates the mechanism behind the performance differences between structurally similar nucleating agents in regulating PLA crystallization from the perspective of molecular electrostatic potential and hydrogen bonding interactions,providing a theoretical basis for the molecular design of efficient nucleating agents.展开更多
Aqueous zinc(Zn)metal batteries are restricted due to Zn anodes facing notorious Zn dendrites and water-induced side reactions,which impede cycle performance.Herein,a zincophilic-hydrophobic interface layer is fabrica...Aqueous zinc(Zn)metal batteries are restricted due to Zn anodes facing notorious Zn dendrites and water-induced side reactions,which impede cycle performance.Herein,a zincophilic-hydrophobic interface layer is fabricated via an electrospinning method,where zincophilic silver(Ag)nanoparticles are evenly anchored in the hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride fiber matrix(Ag@PVDF),aiming to stabilize the Zn anode.The zincophilic nanoparticles can act as Zn nucleation sites and balance the interfacial electric field,ensuring a homogenous Zn deposition.Meanwhile,the hydrophobic fiber framework can prevent water-induced side reactions and modulate the Zn ion flux distribution.Consequently,the Ag@PVDF-Zn//Ag@PVDF-Zn symmetric cell delivers a superior lifespan over 2600 h(1.0 mA cm^(-2),1.0 mAh cm^(-2)).In addition,based on the stable Ag@PVDF-Zn anode,the Ag@PVDF-Zn//I_(2) full cell delivers84.3%capacity retention after 800 cycles at 2.0 C,and the aqueous Zn ion hybrid supercapacitor maintains a stable cycling performance over 15,000 cycles.This work highlights zincophilic-hydrophobic interface engineering to enable robust Zn anodes.展开更多
Vapor transport growth of atomically thin MoS2 layers on patterned substrates is investigated, as it is a step towards the self-aligned growth and formation of heterojunctions, which could be useful in future applicat...Vapor transport growth of atomically thin MoS2 layers on patterned substrates is investigated, as it is a step towards the self-aligned growth and formation of heterojunctions, which could be useful in future applications. Enhanced formation of MoS2 flakes at the pattern edges is observed on both the substrates examined, namely, patterned thermal SiO2 on Si（100） and graphene flakes on SiO2. The diffusion driven growth leads to the formation of MoS2 monolayers （MLs） with sizes of tens of micrometers around the edges of SiO2 patterns. The growth mode and the optical quality of the MoS2 flakes can be controlled by varying the substrate temperature. Besides the lateral growth, 3R-type pyramids are obtained on prolonging the growth. Lateral MoS2-graphene heterostructures are obtained by using graphene flakes on SiO2 as a substrate.展开更多
Since the as-cast microstructure benefits dynamic recrystallization(DRX)nucleation,the present research is focused on the microstructure evolution associated with the dendrites and precipitates during the thermal defo...Since the as-cast microstructure benefits dynamic recrystallization(DRX)nucleation,the present research is focused on the microstructure evolution associated with the dendrites and precipitates during the thermal deformation of an ingot without homogenization treatment aiming at exploring a new efficient strategy of ingot cogging for superalloys.The as-cast samples were deformed at the sub-solvus temperature,and the DRX evolution from dendritic arms(DAs)to inter-dendritic regions(IDRs)was discussed based on the observation of the fishnet-like DRX microstructures and the gradient of DRX grain size at IDRs.The difference in the precipitates at DAs and IDRs played an essential role during the deformation and DRX process,which finally resulted in very different microstructures in the two areas.A selective straininduced grain boundary bulging(SIGBB)mechanism was found to function well and dominate the DRX nucleation at DAs.The grain boundary was able to migrate and bulge to nucleate on the condition that the boundary was located at DAs and had a great difference in dislocation density between its opposite sides at the same time.As for DRX nucleation at IDRs,the particle-stimulated nucleation(PSN)mechanism played a leading role,and the progressive subgrain rotation(PSR)and geometric DRX were two important supplementary mechanisms.The dislocation accumulation around the coarse precipitates at IDR resulted in progressive orientation rotation,which would generate DRX nuclei once the maximum misorientation there was sufficient to form a high-angle boundary with the matrix.The PSR or geometric DRX functioned at the severely elongated IDRs at the later stage of deformation,depending on the thickness of the elongated IDRs.The uniform microstructure was obtained by the deformation without homogenization and the subsequent annealing treatment.The smaller strain,the lower annealing temperature,and the much shorter soaking time requested in the above process lead to a smaller risk of cracking and a lower consumption of energy during the ingot-cogging process.展开更多
The austenite(γ)reversely transformed from lath martensite(LM),lath bainite(LB),granular bainite(GB)and pearlite+ferrite(P+F)in a high-strength steel was studied at high temperatures using in-situ electron backscatte...The austenite(γ)reversely transformed from lath martensite(LM),lath bainite(LB),granular bainite(GB)and pearlite+ferrite(P+F)in a high-strength steel was studied at high temperatures using in-situ electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The memory effect of initial γ significantly affects the nucleation of the reverted γ in LM and GB structures,while a weak influence on that of LB and P+F structures.This results in a significant difference in γ grain size after complete austenitization,with the first two obtaining larger γ grains while the latter two are relatively small.Crystallographic analysis revealed that the reverted γ with acicular morphology(γA),most of which maintained the same orientation with the prior γ,dominated the reaustenitization behavior of LM and GB structures through preferential nucleation within γ grains and coalesced growth modes.Although globular reverted γ(γ_(G))with random orientation or large deviation from the prior γ can nucleate at the grain boundaries or within the grains,it is difficult for it to grow and play a role in segmenting and refining the prior γ due to the inhibition of γ_(A) coalescing.For LB and P+F structures,the nucleation rate of intragranular γ_(G) increases with increasing temperature,and always shows a random orientation.These γ_(G) grains can coarsen simultaneously with the intergranular γ_(G),ultimately playing a role in jointly dividing and refining the finalγgrains.Research also found that the differences in the effects of four different microstructures on revertedγnucleation are closely related to the variant selection of the matrix structure,as well as the content and size of cementite(θ).High density of block boundaries induced by weakening of variant selection and many fineθformed in the lath are the key to promoting LB structure to obtain more intragranular γ_(G) formation,as well as the important role of the large-sized θ in P+F structure.展开更多
It is difficult to generate coherent twin boundaries in bulk Al alloys due to their high intrinsic stacking fault energy. Here, we report a strategy to induce high-density growth twins in aluminum alloys through the h...It is difficult to generate coherent twin boundaries in bulk Al alloys due to their high intrinsic stacking fault energy. Here, we report a strategy to induce high-density growth twins in aluminum alloys through the heterogeneous nucleation of twinned Al grains on twin-structured TiC nucleants and the preferred growth of twinned dendrites by laser surface remelting of bulk metals. The solidification structure at the surface shows a mixture of lamellar twinned dendrites with ultra-fine twin boundary spacing (∼2 µm), isolated twinned dendrites, and regular dendrites. EBSD analysis and finite element method (FEM) simulations have been used to understand the competitive growth between twinned and regular dendrites, and the solidification conditions for the preferred growth of twinned dendrites during laser remelting and subsequent rapid solidification are established. It is shown that the reduction in the ratio of temperature gradient G to solidification rate V promotes the formation of lamellar twinned dendrites. The primary trunk spacing of lamellar twinned dendrites is refined by the high thermal gradient and solidification rate. The present work paves a new way to generate high-density growth twins in additive-manufactured Al alloys.展开更多
文摘A novel kind of multi-core magnetic composite particles, the surfaces of which were respectively mo- dified with goat-anti-mouse IgG and antitransferrin receptor（anti-CD71）, was prepared. The fetal nucleated red blood cells（FNRBCs） in the peripheral blood of a gravida were rapidly and effectively enriched and separated by the mo- dified multi-core magnetic composite particles in an external magnetic field. The obtained FNRBCs were used for the identification of the fetal sex by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization（FISH） technique. The results demonstrate that the multi-core magnetic composite particles meet the requirements for the enrichment and speration of FNRBCs with a low concentration and the accuracy of detetion for the diagnosis of fetal sex reached to 95%. Moreover, the obtained FNRBCs were applied to the non-invasive diagnosis of Down syndrome and chromosome 3p21 was de- tected. The above facts indicate that the novel multi-core magnetic composite particles-based method is simple, relia- ble and cost-effective and has opened up vast vistas for the potential application in clinic non-invasive prenatal diag- nosis.
文摘To find a simple, effective method of isolating fetal cells from maternal peripheral blood for prenatal diagnosis, 45 women were studied with their gestation being 6-14 weeks and age 21- 30 years. The fetal cells were isolated from maternal blood by using discontinuous density gradient centrifugation. Some of the isolated cells were made smear and counted under the microscope; others were used for predicting fetal sex by PCR amplification of Y chromosome specific DYZ1 gene. The major cells in the upper separation interface were lymphocytes and monocytes, with occasionally seen nucleated red blood cells (NRBC); while those in the middle separation interface were neutrocytes, with NRBC scattering. The ratio of NRBC/nucleated cells was 1. 98±0. 28× 10-5. There was no significant difference between the first and second trimester (P>0. 05). The amount of isolated fetal cells was sufficient for prenatal genetic diagnosis. Male pregnancy was correctly predicted in 10 out of 13 cases. It is concluded that the method of discontinuous density gradient centrifugation was of considerable importance in the development of non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21034005,50903048)
文摘The effect of clay on the nucleating behavior of 1,3：2,4-bis（3,4-dimethylbenzylidene） sorbitol （DMDBS） in cryatallization of isotactic polypropylene （iPP） was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, dynamic rheology and polarized light microscopy （PLM）. It is interesting to note that the incorporation of layered clay nanoparticles into DMDBS-nucleated iPP may induce a synergetic nucleation effect while the DMDBS content is below 0.1 wt%, otherwise it restricts the crystallization rate prominently as the DMDBS content increases up to 0.3 wt%, which has exceeded the content threshold to yield a nucleating agent （NA） network. As shown by dynamic rheological investigations, the clay nanoparticles demonstrate an obstructive effect of disturbing the consistency of DMDBS fibrils network. Moreover, to further demonstrate the importance of NA network formation in the crystallization of iPP, we used another NA named HPN-20e, which can not form network structure at all over the concentration studied, for comparison. In this case, the nucleated-crystallization rate is independent on the addition of clay nanoparticles, as the nucleating mechanism is an individual nuclei manner without NA network forming.
基金This project was supported by a grant from Science Foun-dation of Ministry of Public Heath of China (No. 96 .2 - 112 )and a grant from Hubei Provincial National Natural ScienceFoundation(96 J0 6 8)
文摘The single cell isolation technique was used to detect fetal nucleated erythroblasts at a single cell level from the peripheral blood of pregnant women in order to investigate the feasibility of this method for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis. Single fetal nucleated erythroblasts were isolated from the peripheral blood samples from 51 pregnant women by micromanipulation techniques after density gradient centrifugation. Nested polymerase chain reaction method was used to amplify the SRY gene. It was found that the concordance rate of amplification results with real fetal sex was 82.61 %. The sensitivity and specificity were 80 % and 87.50 % respectively. It was suggested that it is feasible and promising in non invasive prenatal diagnosis to detect fetal nucleated erythroblasts at a single cell level by using micromanipulation techniques.
文摘In order to search for a more reliable method of sorting fetal nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) and DNA from maternal peripheral blood and to identify origin of NRBCs and DNA, NRBCs were isolated from peripheral blood of 88 pregnant women by density gradient centrifugation and fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) respectively. Nested polymerase chain reaction was used to detect normal male SRY gene from blood plasma DNA of 65 pregnant women. The results revealed that fetal NRBCs were found in 14 of 27 maternal samples by density gradient centrifugation. The number of cells was from 1 to 10. Using FACS, CD71 + cells were identified among all 61 samples. The frequency was (0.35±0.25)×10 -2; The detectable rate of the SRY gene of blood plasma DNA from 46 women carrying male fetuses was 65.22 % (30/46). Non-detectable rate for 19 women carrying female fetuses was 94.74 % (18/19). It was concluded that the methods of sorting fetal NRBCs and DNA have already made great progress. The methods for fetal NRBCs and plasma DNA from maternal peripheral blood to diagnose genetic diseases seem to be the best methods of noninvasive prenatal diagnosis.
文摘An aryl dicarboxylic acid amide compound TMB-5 is an efficient β-form nucleating agent for isotactic polypropylene （iPP）. Because of the solubility of TMB-5, superstructure and morphology of iPP crystals changed with melting conditions. Effects of final heating temperature （Tf） on heterogeneous nucleation of iPP/TMB-5 were investigated. It was discovered that the crystallization temperature increased with decreasing Tf value. The optical microscopic images indicated that when TMB-5 partially dissolved in iPP melt, the remaining （non-dissolved） TMB-5 facilitated the recrystallization of dissolved nucleating agent from the melt, which promoted crystallization. Complete solubility of nucleating agent caused the decreasing efficiency. TMB-5 recrystallized in the form of tiny needles, whose aggregates induced dendritic iPP crystals.
基金support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.51972133)。
文摘Sn-based compounds are emerging as a promising category of alkali metal ion storage materials due to their relatively high theoretical specific capacity and natural abundance.However,inadequate ion diffusion,poor electron transfer,and significant volume fluctuations during prolonged charge and discharge cycles lead to severe structural deterioration and capacity loss,hindering their further practical application.Heterostructure engineering can not only alleviate the internal stresses and dramatic volume alterations induced by ion deintercalation,but also enhance the dynamics of ion transport.Adopting a dual-optimization strategy that incorporates heterogeneous structure construction and doping,we successfully synthesized ultra-thin Co doped SnS_(2)/SnO_(2) heterostructure nanosheets on carbon cloth substrates via a co-nucleation growth process.After rigorous investigation into its lithium-ion storage performance and mechanisms,it exhibited excellent lithium storage capabilities(1518 mA h g^(−1) at 330 mA g^(−1),with 81%of the initial capacity retained after 100 cycles).Pleasingly,when incorporated into next-generation sodium-ion batteries,Co-doped SnS_(2)/SnO_(2) anodes exhibit highly competitive sodium storage capabilities(1250 mA h g^(−1) at 220 mA g^(−1),with 97.8%of the initial capacity retained after 200 cycles).The incorporation of Co ions and the formation of heterostructures have been confirmed to enhance ion diffusion and reaction kinetics.This study presents a novel approach for the facile preparation of multifunctional Li and Na ion storage materials featuring element-doped heterogeneous compositions.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21873109 and 21922308)。
文摘Nucleation,which is the initial step of crystallization,critically governs the polymer crystallization behavior,influencing the crystallization temperature,kinetics,and morphology.However,the direct observation of the nucleation process in polymers remains elusive owing to spatial and temporal resolution limitations.This feature article summarizes the recent progress in understanding polymer nucleation within confined and interface-dominated environments,focusing on three representative systems:anodic aluminum oxide templates and nanocomposites containing nanoparticles or nanosheets.The interplay between finite size and interfacial effects has revealed some novel phenomena,such as homogeneous nucleation,surface nucleation,prefreezing,and supernucleation.
文摘The chemical structure of polyamide 6(PA6)dictates that only 50%of hydrogen bonds participate in crystallization during the crystallization process,resulting in the properties of its products being significantly dependent on the molding process.Therefore,the design and development of nucleating agents suitable for PA6 holds great practical significance for high-performance PA6 materials.Amide-based nucleating agents can effectively improve the crystallization rate by increasing intermolecular hydrogen bond density.Further introduction of hydroxyl groups can enhance the hydrogen bonding interactions between the nucleating agent and PA6.In this study,a hydroxyl-containing amidebased nucleating agent,BHT,was designed and synthesized using a tyramine-based biomass as the raw material.These results demonstrated that BHT exhibited good structural compatibility with PA6.After adding 1 wt%BHT,the crystallization temperature of PA6 increased from 170.9℃to 193.3℃,the crystallinity increased 16.6%,the heat distortion temperature and Vicat softening temperature rose to 89.5 and 187.8℃,respectively,the haze decreased to 46%,achieving the synergistic optimization of mechanical,thermal,and optical properties.The in situ time-resolved FTIR results indicated that the addition of BHT increased the enthalpy of hydrogen bond formation during the nucleation stage,facilitated the segmental conformation adjustment of PA6,and enhanced the molar concentration of trans-conformations,ultimately leading to an improvement in the crystallization rate.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52304358)Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST(No.YESS20230462).
文摘Heterogeneous nucleation,characterized by its low nucleation barrier and controllable nucleation sites,has been widely employed to manipulate the microstructures and properties of metallic materials.In recent years,the dispersion of inclusions,carbides,and microstructure refinement in steel have emerged as one of the key research directions in the development of high-quality steel.The current research status regarding the regulation of inclusions,carbides,and microstructures in steel through heterogeneous nucleation are reviewed.The key points and challenges in refining the second phase and microstructure in steel using inclusion particles are highlighted,aiming to provide inspiration and references for future scholars.Deoxidized inclusions,when refined and dispersed,exhibit favorable lattice matching with second phases(e.g.,nitrides,sulfides,carbides)in steel.This characteristic serves as the fundamental mechanism for achieving refinement of the second phase.Concurrently,the solid-solution alloying effect from deoxidizing metals contributes to second-phase refinement,an aspect that requires prioritized investigation.In addition to the single heterogeneous nucleation refinement effect,the two-stage heterogeneous nucleation refinement of the second phase and microstructure offers a new approach for follow-up research.Notably,second-phase particles added as heterogeneous nucleation sites via external addition often require surface modification to ensure their stable retention in steel at high temperatures,which remains a major challenge restricting the widespread application of this method.Currently,the explanation of heterogeneous nucleation phenomena primarily relies on empirical calculations of lattice mismatch between the substrate and the nucleating phase,which cannot fully elucidate the quantitative relationship on the interface between the substrate and the nucleation phase.On this basis,quantifying the electronic structure and nucleation barrier at the interface between the substrate and the nucleation phase is a critical direction worthy of increased attention in the future.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC grant no. 62474028, 52130304, and62222503)the Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province(2025ZNSFSC0037, 2025ZNSFSC1460, and 2024NSFSC1447)+1 种基金the National Key R and D Program of China (2023YFB2604101)sponsored by the Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Display Science and Technology
文摘The crystallization and aggregation characteristics of the active layer components in organic solar cells(OSCs)are one of the core factors determining photovoltaic performance,influencing the entire process from light absorption to charge separation,transport,and ultimately charge collection.Dynamic changes in crystallization and aggregation states can also disrupt the microstructure of the active layer,thus shortening the lifetime of the cell.In this study,a morphology modulation strategy is proposed to regulate the crystallization kinetics of non-fullerene acceptors by employing the polymer molecule PYIT as a nucleating agent.An appropriate amount of PYIT was first completely dissolved with the non-fullerene acceptor Y6 and left to stand for 24 h,followed by the fabrication of layer-by-layer processed OSCs.Experiments demonstrated that high crystallinity of PYIT allows it to act as a crystallization nucleus,promoting the crystallization,orientation consistency,and ordered stacking of the acceptor.These nanoscale structural optimizations facilitate efficient charge transport,enhance exciton dissociation efficiency,and suppress unfavorable energetic disorder.Consequently,not only was the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of D18-Cl/Y6-based layer-by-layer processed OSC increased from 18.08%to 19.13%,but the atmospheric stability and long-term lifetime of the OSCs were also significantly improved.Notably,this strategy is also applicable to indoor OSCs,and the PYIT-optimized device can achieve a PCE of 27.0%under 1000 lux light-emitting diode(LED,3200K)irradiation,which is superior to that of the control device(24.2%).This work develops a crystal engineering strategy that is able to simultaneously optimize the microscopic morphology and charge dynamics properties in OSCs,thereby achieving simultaneous improvement in efficiency and stability.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22173116 and 22473113)the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462025YJRC032)for providing financial support.
文摘Poly(ethylene succinate)(PES),a promising biodegradable polyester with cost advantages,suffers from inherently slow crystallization kinetics,which severely limits its processability and practical applications.To address this challenge,this study explored the use of commercially available,low-cost,and food-safe sugar alcohols,including Xylitol(Xy),D-sorbitol(DS),and D-mannitol(DM),as effective nucleating agents for PES.Remarkably,all three polyols significantly enhanced the nucleation and crystallization ability of PES,with DM exhibiting the most pronounced effect.DM increased the crystallization temperature by up to 23.9°C and accelerated the overall crystallization rate by more than 13-fold at only 0.5 wt%loading level.Through a combination of differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),polarized optical microscopy(POM),and wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD)analyses,we revealed that DM promotes PES crystallization via a dual mechanism:epitaxial templating facilitated by excellent lattice matching,and enhanced chain adjustment through intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions.In contrast,Xy and DS primarily function through hydrogen-bonding interactions.This work not only identifies DM as a highly efficient,economical,and industrially viable nucleating agent for PES,but also provides fundamental insights into the role of the molecular structure and crystallization ability of nucleating agents in regulating polymer crystallization.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2021YFB3700602)the Jiaxing Key Research and Development Program(Grant No.2022BZ10010).
文摘The refinement of the as-cast grain structure in austenitic heat-resistant stainless steel depends on the formation of active solid nuclei during solidification.Titanium(Ti)additions successfully induced the formation of Ti-containing inclusions,enhancing heterogeneous nucleation and promoting equiaxed dendritic growth in 347H stainless steel.Thermal simulation experiments indicated that the equiaxed crystal ratios increased notably with Ti content;samples with 0.06,0.12,and 0.36 wt.%Ti exhibited equiaxed ratios of 18%,24%,and 41%,respectively.Three primary inclusion types—TiN,Al_(2)O_(3)-TiN,and TiO_(x)-TiN—were identified at the cores of equiaxed dendrites,with nucleation core sizes predominantly ranging from 0.5 to 8μm.Among the tested samples,the 0.36 wt.%Ti addition produced the highest nucleation core density.Increasing Ti content significantly elevated dendrite tip undercooling from 2.6 K(0.06 wt.%Ti)to 10.8 K(0.36 wt.%Ti),accelerating solidification front instability and thus enhancing heterogeneous nucleation.Additionally,higher Ti content increased the divergence angle between adjacent columnar dendrites,further promoting the columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22203052,22073059 and 22006158)the Education Department of Shaanxi Provincial Government(No.23JC023).
文摘Formic acid(FA)is particularly prominent for its ubiquity and structural simplicity among atmospheric organic acids,and exerts a significant influence on atmospheric acidity.However,the potential contribution of FA to the primary stage of new particle formation(NPF)remains unclear.Herein,molecular dynamics(MD),density functional theory(DFT)and the atmospheric cluster dynamics code(ACDC)model have been utilized to evaluate the mechanism of FA participation in atmospheric SA(sulfuric acid)-A(ammonia)clusters.The MD simulations qualitatively suggest that FA can aggregate with SA and A to form larger clusters,and the aggregation time of the largest clusters decreases as the temperature decreases.The DFT and ACDC findings indicate that the ternary SA-A-FA system is thermodynamically more stable at low temperatures(238.15 K).Simultaneously,in regions with low temperatures,high[FA](10^(11)molecules/cm3),low[SA](106 molecules/cm3)and high[A](10^(11)molecules/cm^(3)),FA significantly enhances SA-A cluster formation rates.The low-temperature NPF mechanism implies that FA could facilitate the growth of pure SA-A clusters via a“catalytic”mechanism and play an integral role in the genesis of critical clusters as a“participant”.This dual role differs from the“catalytic”role exhibited by malonic and glycolic acids in our previous studies.This discovery could help identify the sources of unexplained NPFs in regions with high FA concentrations,such as densely forested areas with abundant vegetation,regions affected by biomass burning,or periods with elevated vehicle exhaust emissions and the release of volatile organic compounds like isoprene and terpenoids.
基金supported by the Project of the National Science Foundation of China(Nos.52173033,51773044 and 51603047)Foshan Science and Technology Innovation Project(No.FS0AA-KJ919-4402-0145)。
文摘Although amide-and hydrazide-based nucleating agents have been extensively used to enhance the crystallization performance of poly(lactic acid)(PLA),structurally similar nucleating agents exhibit significant differences in their crystallization-promoting efficiency,and the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In this study,a series of nucleating agents,including N,N-diphenylterephthalamide(DPTA),N,N,N-triphenyl-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide(TPTA),N,N-diphenyl terephthalohydrazide(DBTA),and N,N,N-tribenzoyl-1,3,5-benzenetricarbohydrazide(TBTA),were designed and synthesized to investigate the differences in their effects on the crystallization performance of PLA.Density functional theory(DFT)and molecular dynamics(MD)simulations showed that DBTA had a smaller electrostatic potential difference(66.2 kcal/mol).During the cooling process,DBTA could stably form more intermolecular hydrogen bonds with PLA and exhibit a higher interaction energy,thus theoretically enabling more efficient promotion of PLA crystallization.Further differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)results revealed that at a 0.5wt%loading of DBTA,the crystallization peak temperature of the PLA-DBTA composite reached 118.1℃during cooling,whereas no distinct crystallization peak was observed for pure PLA under identical conditions.The crystallinity of the composite was significantly increased to 58.4%compared to 14.6%of pure PLA.Moreover,under isothermal crystallization at 130℃,DBTA reduced the half-crystallization time of PLA to 2.9min,while the half-crystallization time for pure PLA was 27.4 min.Time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)results also confirmed that DBTA promoted the formation of gt conformational isomers of PLA during the crystallization process.This study elucidates the mechanism behind the performance differences between structurally similar nucleating agents in regulating PLA crystallization from the perspective of molecular electrostatic potential and hydrogen bonding interactions,providing a theoretical basis for the molecular design of efficient nucleating agents.
基金(partially)funded by the BK21 FOUR Program of Graduate School,Kyung Hee University(GS-1-JO-ON-info2120241890)。
文摘Aqueous zinc(Zn)metal batteries are restricted due to Zn anodes facing notorious Zn dendrites and water-induced side reactions,which impede cycle performance.Herein,a zincophilic-hydrophobic interface layer is fabricated via an electrospinning method,where zincophilic silver(Ag)nanoparticles are evenly anchored in the hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride fiber matrix(Ag@PVDF),aiming to stabilize the Zn anode.The zincophilic nanoparticles can act as Zn nucleation sites and balance the interfacial electric field,ensuring a homogenous Zn deposition.Meanwhile,the hydrophobic fiber framework can prevent water-induced side reactions and modulate the Zn ion flux distribution.Consequently,the Ag@PVDF-Zn//Ag@PVDF-Zn symmetric cell delivers a superior lifespan over 2600 h(1.0 mA cm^(-2),1.0 mAh cm^(-2)).In addition,based on the stable Ag@PVDF-Zn anode,the Ag@PVDF-Zn//I_(2) full cell delivers84.3%capacity retention after 800 cycles at 2.0 C,and the aqueous Zn ion hybrid supercapacitor maintains a stable cycling performance over 15,000 cycles.This work highlights zincophilic-hydrophobic interface engineering to enable robust Zn anodes.
文摘Vapor transport growth of atomically thin MoS2 layers on patterned substrates is investigated, as it is a step towards the self-aligned growth and formation of heterojunctions, which could be useful in future applications. Enhanced formation of MoS2 flakes at the pattern edges is observed on both the substrates examined, namely, patterned thermal SiO2 on Si（100） and graphene flakes on SiO2. The diffusion driven growth leads to the formation of MoS2 monolayers （MLs） with sizes of tens of micrometers around the edges of SiO2 patterns. The growth mode and the optical quality of the MoS2 flakes can be controlled by varying the substrate temperature. Besides the lateral growth, 3R-type pyramids are obtained on prolonging the growth. Lateral MoS2-graphene heterostructures are obtained by using graphene flakes on SiO2 as a substrate.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province of China(No.2023-JC-QN-0466)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52305421 and 52175363)+1 种基金the General Research Fund of Hong Kong(No.15223520)the project No.1-ZE1W from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
文摘Since the as-cast microstructure benefits dynamic recrystallization(DRX)nucleation,the present research is focused on the microstructure evolution associated with the dendrites and precipitates during the thermal deformation of an ingot without homogenization treatment aiming at exploring a new efficient strategy of ingot cogging for superalloys.The as-cast samples were deformed at the sub-solvus temperature,and the DRX evolution from dendritic arms(DAs)to inter-dendritic regions(IDRs)was discussed based on the observation of the fishnet-like DRX microstructures and the gradient of DRX grain size at IDRs.The difference in the precipitates at DAs and IDRs played an essential role during the deformation and DRX process,which finally resulted in very different microstructures in the two areas.A selective straininduced grain boundary bulging(SIGBB)mechanism was found to function well and dominate the DRX nucleation at DAs.The grain boundary was able to migrate and bulge to nucleate on the condition that the boundary was located at DAs and had a great difference in dislocation density between its opposite sides at the same time.As for DRX nucleation at IDRs,the particle-stimulated nucleation(PSN)mechanism played a leading role,and the progressive subgrain rotation(PSR)and geometric DRX were two important supplementary mechanisms.The dislocation accumulation around the coarse precipitates at IDR resulted in progressive orientation rotation,which would generate DRX nuclei once the maximum misorientation there was sufficient to form a high-angle boundary with the matrix.The PSR or geometric DRX functioned at the severely elongated IDRs at the later stage of deformation,depending on the thickness of the elongated IDRs.The uniform microstructure was obtained by the deformation without homogenization and the subsequent annealing treatment.The smaller strain,the lower annealing temperature,and the much shorter soaking time requested in the above process lead to a smaller risk of cracking and a lower consumption of energy during the ingot-cogging process.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52271089 and 52001023)the Basic Research and Application Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province(Nos.2022A1515240016 and 2023B1515250006)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.FRF-BD-23-01).
文摘The austenite(γ)reversely transformed from lath martensite(LM),lath bainite(LB),granular bainite(GB)and pearlite+ferrite(P+F)in a high-strength steel was studied at high temperatures using in-situ electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The memory effect of initial γ significantly affects the nucleation of the reverted γ in LM and GB structures,while a weak influence on that of LB and P+F structures.This results in a significant difference in γ grain size after complete austenitization,with the first two obtaining larger γ grains while the latter two are relatively small.Crystallographic analysis revealed that the reverted γ with acicular morphology(γA),most of which maintained the same orientation with the prior γ,dominated the reaustenitization behavior of LM and GB structures through preferential nucleation within γ grains and coalesced growth modes.Although globular reverted γ(γ_(G))with random orientation or large deviation from the prior γ can nucleate at the grain boundaries or within the grains,it is difficult for it to grow and play a role in segmenting and refining the prior γ due to the inhibition of γ_(A) coalescing.For LB and P+F structures,the nucleation rate of intragranular γ_(G) increases with increasing temperature,and always shows a random orientation.These γ_(G) grains can coarsen simultaneously with the intergranular γ_(G),ultimately playing a role in jointly dividing and refining the finalγgrains.Research also found that the differences in the effects of four different microstructures on revertedγnucleation are closely related to the variant selection of the matrix structure,as well as the content and size of cementite(θ).High density of block boundaries induced by weakening of variant selection and many fineθformed in the lath are the key to promoting LB structure to obtain more intragranular γ_(G) formation,as well as the important role of the large-sized θ in P+F structure.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.52371029)the Science and Technology Development Program of Jilin Province,China(grant no.20210402083GH).
文摘It is difficult to generate coherent twin boundaries in bulk Al alloys due to their high intrinsic stacking fault energy. Here, we report a strategy to induce high-density growth twins in aluminum alloys through the heterogeneous nucleation of twinned Al grains on twin-structured TiC nucleants and the preferred growth of twinned dendrites by laser surface remelting of bulk metals. The solidification structure at the surface shows a mixture of lamellar twinned dendrites with ultra-fine twin boundary spacing (∼2 µm), isolated twinned dendrites, and regular dendrites. EBSD analysis and finite element method (FEM) simulations have been used to understand the competitive growth between twinned and regular dendrites, and the solidification conditions for the preferred growth of twinned dendrites during laser remelting and subsequent rapid solidification are established. It is shown that the reduction in the ratio of temperature gradient G to solidification rate V promotes the formation of lamellar twinned dendrites. The primary trunk spacing of lamellar twinned dendrites is refined by the high thermal gradient and solidification rate. The present work paves a new way to generate high-density growth twins in additive-manufactured Al alloys.
