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
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
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
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
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
Due to the low content of alloying elements and the lack of effective nucleation sites,the fusion zone(FZ)of tungsten inert gas(TIG)welded AZ31 alloy typically exhibits undesirable coarse columnar grains,which can res...Due to the low content of alloying elements and the lack of effective nucleation sites,the fusion zone(FZ)of tungsten inert gas(TIG)welded AZ31 alloy typically exhibits undesirable coarse columnar grains,which can result in solidification defects and reduced mechanical properties.In this work,a novel welding wire containing MgO particles has been developed to promote columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)in the FZ of TIG-welded AZ31 alloy.The results show the achievement of a fully equiaxed grain structure in the FZ,with a significant 71.9%reduction in grain size to 41 μm from the original coarse columnar dendrites.Furthermore,the combination of using MgO-containing welding wire and pulse current can further refine the grain size to 25.6 μm.Microstructural analyses reveal the homogeneous distribution of MgO particles in the FZ.The application of pulse current results in an increase in the number density of MgO(1-2 μm)from 5.16 × 10^(4) m^(-3) to 6.18 × 10^(4) m^(-3).The good crystallographic matching relationship between MgO and α-Mg matrix,characterized by the orientation relationship of[11(2)0]α-Mg//[0(1)1]MgO and(0002)_(α-Mg)//(111)_(MgO),indicates that the MgO particles can act as effective nucleation sites for α-Mg to reduce nucleation undercooling.According to the Hunt criteria,the critical temperature gradient for CET is greatly enhanced due to the significantly increased number density of MgO nucleation sites.In addition,the correlation with the thermal simulation results reveals a transition in the solidification conditions within the welding pool from the columnar grain zone to the equiaxed grain zone in the CET map,leading to the realization of CET.The exceptional grain refinement has contributed to a simultaneous improvement in the strength and plasticity of welded joints.This study presents a novel strategy for controlling equiaxed microstructure and optimizing mechanical properties in fusion welding or wire and arc additive manufacturing of Mg alloy components.展开更多
The goethite residue generated from zinc hydrometallurgy is classified as hazardous solid waste,produced in large quantities,and results in significant zinc loss.The study was conducted on removing iron from FeSO_(4)-...The goethite residue generated from zinc hydrometallurgy is classified as hazardous solid waste,produced in large quantities,and results in significant zinc loss.The study was conducted on removing iron from FeSO_(4)-ZnSO_(4) solution,employing seed-induced nucleation methods.Analysis of the iron removal rate,residue structure,morphology,and elemental composition involved ICP,XRD,FT-IR,and SEM.The existing state of zinc was investigated by combining step-by-step dissolution using hydrochloric acid.Concurrently,iron removal tests were extended to industrial solutions to assess the influence of seeds and solution pH on zinc loss and residue yield.The results revealed that seed addition increased the iron removal rate by 3%,elevated the residual iron content by 6.39%,and mitigated zinc loss by 29.55%in the simulated solution.Seed-induced nucleation prevented excessive nuclei formation,fostering crystal stable growth and high crystallinity.In addition,the zinc content of surface adsorption and crystal internal embedding in the residue was determined,and the zinc distribution on the surface was dense.In contrast,the total amount of zinc within the crystal was higher.The test results in the industrial solution demonstrated that the introduction of seeds expanded the pH range for goethite formation and growth,and the zinc loss per ton of iron removed was reduced by 50.91 kg(34.12%)and the iron residue reduced by 0.17 t(8.72%).展开更多
Tension-compression asymmetry is a critical concern for magnesium(Mg)alloys,particularly in automo-tive crash structures.This study systematically examines the tension-compression asymmetry of a cast Mg-Gd-Y alloy at ...Tension-compression asymmetry is a critical concern for magnesium(Mg)alloys,particularly in automo-tive crash structures.This study systematically examines the tension-compression asymmetry of a cast Mg-Gd-Y alloy at various strain rates.Experimental results indicate symmetric yielding stress under both tension and compression at all strain rates,along with a reduction in the tension-compression asym-metry of ultimate stress and plastic strain as the strain rate increases.This trend arises from an unusual strain rate-dependent tension-compression asymmetry,characterized by strain rate toughening in tension and negligible strain rate effect in compression.The differing behavior is linked to the distinct twinning mechanisms under tension and compression.The suppression of twinning under tension contributes to the positive strain rate dependence of pyramidal slip,whereas the activation of abundant twins during compression means that pyramidal slip is unnecessary to accommodate c-axis strain,leading to the ab-sence of a strain rate effect in compression.Abundant twins nucleate consistently from yielding to 2%strain,but only after basal and prismaticslip have mediated microplasticity,suggesting that these slip systems reduce the nucleation stress for twinning during compression,resulting in a lower activation stress for twinning compared to tension.This study provides new insights into micromechanisms of the tension-compression asymmetry in cast Mg-Gd-Y alloys and offers practical guidance for the application of these materials in critical components that must endure both tension and compression under varying strain rates.展开更多
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are fundamentally challenged by the instability of the electrode/electrolyte interface,predominantly due to irreversible zinc (Zn) deposition and hydrogen evolution.Particularly,the ...Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are fundamentally challenged by the instability of the electrode/electrolyte interface,predominantly due to irreversible zinc (Zn) deposition and hydrogen evolution.Particularly,the intricate mechanisms behind the electrochemical discrepancies induced by interfacial Zn^(2+)-solvation and deposition behavior demand comprehensive investigation.Organic molecules endowed with special functional groups (such as hydroxyl,carboxyl,etc.) have the potential to significantly optimize the solvation structure of Zn^(2+)and regulate the interfacial electric double layer (EDL).By increasing nucleation overpotential and decreasing interfacial free energy,these functional groups facilitate a lower critical nucleation radius,thereby forming an asymptotic nucleation model to promote uniform Zn deposition.Herein,this study presents a pioneering approach by introducing trace amounts of n-butanol as solvation regulators to engineer the homogenized Zn (H-Zn) anode with a uniform and dense structure.The interfacial reaction and structure evolution are explored by in/ex-situ experimental techniques,indicating that the H-Zn anode exhibits dendrite-free growth,no by-products,and weak hydrogen evolution,in sharp contrast to the bare Zn.Consequently,the H-Zn anode achieves a remarkable Zn utilization rate of approximately 20% and simultaneously sustains a prolonged cycle life exceeding 500 h.Moreover,the H-Zn//NH_(4)V_(4)O^(10)(NVO) full battery showcases exceptional cycle stability,retaining 95.04%capacity retention after 400 cycles at a large current density of 5 A g^(-1).This study enlightens solvation-regulated additives to develop Zn anode with superior utilization efficiency and extended operational lifespan.展开更多
Memristive crossbar arrays(MCAs)offer parallel data storage and processing for energy-efficient neuromorphic computing.However,most wafer-scale MCAs that are compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor(CMO...Memristive crossbar arrays(MCAs)offer parallel data storage and processing for energy-efficient neuromorphic computing.However,most wafer-scale MCAs that are compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor(CMOS)technology still suffer from substantially larger energy consumption than biological synapses,due to the slow kinetics of forming conductive paths inside the memristive units.Here we report wafer-scale Ag_(2)S-based MCAs realized using CMOS-compatible processes at temperatures below 160℃.Ag_(2)S electrolytes supply highly mobile Ag+ions,and provide the Ag/Ag_(2)S interface with low silver nucleation barrier to form silver filaments at low energy costs.By further enhancing Ag+migration in Ag_(2)S electrolytes via microstructure modulation,the integrated memristors exhibit a record low threshold of approximately−0.1 V,and demonstrate ultra-low switching-energies reaching femtojoule values as observed in biological synapses.The low-temperature process also enables MCA integration on polyimide substrates for applications in flexible electronics.Moreover,the intrinsic nonidealities of the memristive units for deep learning can be compensated by employing an advanced training algorithm.An impressive accuracy of 92.6%in image recognition simulations is demonstrated with the MCAs after the compensation.The demonstrated MCAs provide a promising device option for neuromorphic computing with ultra-high energy-efficiency.展开更多
Carbon nanotube formation exemplifies atomically precise self-assembly,where atomic interactions dynamically engineer nanoscale architectures with emergent properties that transcend classical material boundaries.Howev...Carbon nanotube formation exemplifies atomically precise self-assembly,where atomic interactions dynamically engineer nanoscale architectures with emergent properties that transcend classical material boundaries.However,elucidating the transient molecular intermediates remains a critical mechanistic frontier.This study investigates the atomic-scale nucleation process of single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs)from acetylene on iron(Fe)clusters,utilizing GFN(-x)TB-based nanoreactor molecular dynamics simulations.The simulations reveal a consistent nucleation pathway,regardless of iron cluster size(Fe_(13),Fe_(38),Fe_(55)),where the chemisorption and dissociation of acetylene molecules on the Fe clusters lead to the formation of C_(2)H and C_(2)intermediates.These species then undergo oligomerization,initiating the growth of carbon chains.As the chains cross-link and cyclize,five-membered carbon rings are preferentially formed,which eventually evolve into six-membered rings and more complex sp2-hybridized carbon networks,resembling the cap structures of nascent SWCNTs.Although the nucleation mechanism remains similar across all cluster sizes,larger clusters show enhanced catalytic activity,leading to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and more extensive carbocyclic networks due to their higher density of active sites per reacting molecule.Crucially,the study highlights the role of C_(2)H as the key active species in the carbon network formation process.These findings offer critical insights into the initial stages of SWCNT nucleation,contributing to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving SWCNT growth and guiding the development of optimized synthetic strategies.展开更多
1.Introduction Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy is a typical age-hardening aluminum alloy,its strength and toughness are significantly influenced by precipita-tion behavior.The nucleation mechanisms of precipitates in this alloy are...1.Introduction Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy is a typical age-hardening aluminum alloy,its strength and toughness are significantly influenced by precipita-tion behavior.The nucleation mechanisms of precipitates in this alloy are generally categorized into homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation.Homogeneous nucleation relies on structural and energy fluctuations within the solution to generate the driving force necessary for direct nucleation.展开更多
The crystallization of ionic crystals has traditionally been explained by Gibbs's classical nucleation theory.However,recent observations of intermediate phases during nucleation suggest that the process may be mo...The crystallization of ionic crystals has traditionally been explained by Gibbs's classical nucleation theory.However,recent observations of intermediate phases during nucleation suggest that the process may be more complex,necessitating new theoretical frameworks,though key empirical evidence remains elusive.In this study,we used microdroplets to investigate the crystallization of sodium halides(NaCl,NaBr,and NaI)under homogeneous nucleation conditions across a wide range of supersaturations.In the evaporating droplet,NaCl follows the classical nucleation pathway,whereas NaBr and NaI exhibit the formation of an intermediate phase prior to the nucleation of anhydrous and hydrous single crystals,respectively.Optical and computational analyses indicate that these intermediate phases are liquid crystal phases composed of contact ion pairs.These findings establish a new theoretical framework for crystal nucleation and growth and offer methods to control nucleation pathways,enabling us to achieve desired crystals regardless of specific conditions.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 (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.
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.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51871155).
文摘Due to the low content of alloying elements and the lack of effective nucleation sites,the fusion zone(FZ)of tungsten inert gas(TIG)welded AZ31 alloy typically exhibits undesirable coarse columnar grains,which can result in solidification defects and reduced mechanical properties.In this work,a novel welding wire containing MgO particles has been developed to promote columnar-to-equiaxed transition(CET)in the FZ of TIG-welded AZ31 alloy.The results show the achievement of a fully equiaxed grain structure in the FZ,with a significant 71.9%reduction in grain size to 41 μm from the original coarse columnar dendrites.Furthermore,the combination of using MgO-containing welding wire and pulse current can further refine the grain size to 25.6 μm.Microstructural analyses reveal the homogeneous distribution of MgO particles in the FZ.The application of pulse current results in an increase in the number density of MgO(1-2 μm)from 5.16 × 10^(4) m^(-3) to 6.18 × 10^(4) m^(-3).The good crystallographic matching relationship between MgO and α-Mg matrix,characterized by the orientation relationship of[11(2)0]α-Mg//[0(1)1]MgO and(0002)_(α-Mg)//(111)_(MgO),indicates that the MgO particles can act as effective nucleation sites for α-Mg to reduce nucleation undercooling.According to the Hunt criteria,the critical temperature gradient for CET is greatly enhanced due to the significantly increased number density of MgO nucleation sites.In addition,the correlation with the thermal simulation results reveals a transition in the solidification conditions within the welding pool from the columnar grain zone to the equiaxed grain zone in the CET map,leading to the realization of CET.The exceptional grain refinement has contributed to a simultaneous improvement in the strength and plasticity of welded joints.This study presents a novel strategy for controlling equiaxed microstructure and optimizing mechanical properties in fusion welding or wire and arc additive manufacturing of Mg alloy components.
基金Project(2018YFC1900403) supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of ChinaProject(CX20210197) supported by the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Project of Hunan Province,China+1 种基金Project(202206370103) supported by the China Scholarship CouncilProject(2021zzts0115) supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China。
文摘The goethite residue generated from zinc hydrometallurgy is classified as hazardous solid waste,produced in large quantities,and results in significant zinc loss.The study was conducted on removing iron from FeSO_(4)-ZnSO_(4) solution,employing seed-induced nucleation methods.Analysis of the iron removal rate,residue structure,morphology,and elemental composition involved ICP,XRD,FT-IR,and SEM.The existing state of zinc was investigated by combining step-by-step dissolution using hydrochloric acid.Concurrently,iron removal tests were extended to industrial solutions to assess the influence of seeds and solution pH on zinc loss and residue yield.The results revealed that seed addition increased the iron removal rate by 3%,elevated the residual iron content by 6.39%,and mitigated zinc loss by 29.55%in the simulated solution.Seed-induced nucleation prevented excessive nuclei formation,fostering crystal stable growth and high crystallinity.In addition,the zinc content of surface adsorption and crystal internal embedding in the residue was determined,and the zinc distribution on the surface was dense.In contrast,the total amount of zinc within the crystal was higher.The test results in the industrial solution demonstrated that the introduction of seeds expanded the pH range for goethite formation and growth,and the zinc loss per ton of iron removed was reduced by 50.91 kg(34.12%)and the iron residue reduced by 0.17 t(8.72%).
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant Nos.11988102,52301146,51301173,51531002,52171055,52371037,51601193)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(grant No.2016YFB0301104)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(grant No.2023JG007)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(grant No.8206300226).
文摘Tension-compression asymmetry is a critical concern for magnesium(Mg)alloys,particularly in automo-tive crash structures.This study systematically examines the tension-compression asymmetry of a cast Mg-Gd-Y alloy at various strain rates.Experimental results indicate symmetric yielding stress under both tension and compression at all strain rates,along with a reduction in the tension-compression asym-metry of ultimate stress and plastic strain as the strain rate increases.This trend arises from an unusual strain rate-dependent tension-compression asymmetry,characterized by strain rate toughening in tension and negligible strain rate effect in compression.The differing behavior is linked to the distinct twinning mechanisms under tension and compression.The suppression of twinning under tension contributes to the positive strain rate dependence of pyramidal slip,whereas the activation of abundant twins during compression means that pyramidal slip is unnecessary to accommodate c-axis strain,leading to the ab-sence of a strain rate effect in compression.Abundant twins nucleate consistently from yielding to 2%strain,but only after basal and prismaticslip have mediated microplasticity,suggesting that these slip systems reduce the nucleation stress for twinning during compression,resulting in a lower activation stress for twinning compared to tension.This study provides new insights into micromechanisms of the tension-compression asymmetry in cast Mg-Gd-Y alloys and offers practical guidance for the application of these materials in critical components that must endure both tension and compression under varying strain rates.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (52301273, 52072411)Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (2024RC3222)+3 种基金Key project of scientific research project of Hunan Provincial Department of Education (22A0479)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2024M753668)Central South University Innovation-Driven Research Programme (2023CXQD038)Hunan Provincial Postgraduate Research Innovation Programme(CX20240970)。
文摘Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are fundamentally challenged by the instability of the electrode/electrolyte interface,predominantly due to irreversible zinc (Zn) deposition and hydrogen evolution.Particularly,the intricate mechanisms behind the electrochemical discrepancies induced by interfacial Zn^(2+)-solvation and deposition behavior demand comprehensive investigation.Organic molecules endowed with special functional groups (such as hydroxyl,carboxyl,etc.) have the potential to significantly optimize the solvation structure of Zn^(2+)and regulate the interfacial electric double layer (EDL).By increasing nucleation overpotential and decreasing interfacial free energy,these functional groups facilitate a lower critical nucleation radius,thereby forming an asymptotic nucleation model to promote uniform Zn deposition.Herein,this study presents a pioneering approach by introducing trace amounts of n-butanol as solvation regulators to engineer the homogenized Zn (H-Zn) anode with a uniform and dense structure.The interfacial reaction and structure evolution are explored by in/ex-situ experimental techniques,indicating that the H-Zn anode exhibits dendrite-free growth,no by-products,and weak hydrogen evolution,in sharp contrast to the bare Zn.Consequently,the H-Zn anode achieves a remarkable Zn utilization rate of approximately 20% and simultaneously sustains a prolonged cycle life exceeding 500 h.Moreover,the H-Zn//NH_(4)V_(4)O^(10)(NVO) full battery showcases exceptional cycle stability,retaining 95.04%capacity retention after 400 cycles at a large current density of 5 A g^(-1).This study enlightens solvation-regulated additives to develop Zn anode with superior utilization efficiency and extended operational lifespan.
基金supported by the Swedish Strategic Research Foundation(SSF FFL15-0174 to Zhen Zhang)the Swedish Research Council(VR 2018-06030 and 2019-04690 to Zhen Zhang)+1 种基金the Wallenberg Academy Fellow Extension Program(KAW 2020-0190 to Zhen Zhang)the Olle Engkvist Foundation(Postdoc grant 214-0322 to Zhen Zhang).
文摘Memristive crossbar arrays(MCAs)offer parallel data storage and processing for energy-efficient neuromorphic computing.However,most wafer-scale MCAs that are compatible with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor(CMOS)technology still suffer from substantially larger energy consumption than biological synapses,due to the slow kinetics of forming conductive paths inside the memristive units.Here we report wafer-scale Ag_(2)S-based MCAs realized using CMOS-compatible processes at temperatures below 160℃.Ag_(2)S electrolytes supply highly mobile Ag+ions,and provide the Ag/Ag_(2)S interface with low silver nucleation barrier to form silver filaments at low energy costs.By further enhancing Ag+migration in Ag_(2)S electrolytes via microstructure modulation,the integrated memristors exhibit a record low threshold of approximately−0.1 V,and demonstrate ultra-low switching-energies reaching femtojoule values as observed in biological synapses.The low-temperature process also enables MCA integration on polyimide substrates for applications in flexible electronics.Moreover,the intrinsic nonidealities of the memristive units for deep learning can be compensated by employing an advanced training algorithm.An impressive accuracy of 92.6%in image recognition simulations is demonstrated with the MCAs after the compensation.The demonstrated MCAs provide a promising device option for neuromorphic computing with ultra-high energy-efficiency.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFA1604100)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22302220,22372187,1972157,21972160,22402218)+2 种基金the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China(22225206)the Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province(202203021222403)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS(2020179)。
文摘Carbon nanotube formation exemplifies atomically precise self-assembly,where atomic interactions dynamically engineer nanoscale architectures with emergent properties that transcend classical material boundaries.However,elucidating the transient molecular intermediates remains a critical mechanistic frontier.This study investigates the atomic-scale nucleation process of single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs)from acetylene on iron(Fe)clusters,utilizing GFN(-x)TB-based nanoreactor molecular dynamics simulations.The simulations reveal a consistent nucleation pathway,regardless of iron cluster size(Fe_(13),Fe_(38),Fe_(55)),where the chemisorption and dissociation of acetylene molecules on the Fe clusters lead to the formation of C_(2)H and C_(2)intermediates.These species then undergo oligomerization,initiating the growth of carbon chains.As the chains cross-link and cyclize,five-membered carbon rings are preferentially formed,which eventually evolve into six-membered rings and more complex sp2-hybridized carbon networks,resembling the cap structures of nascent SWCNTs.Although the nucleation mechanism remains similar across all cluster sizes,larger clusters show enhanced catalytic activity,leading to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and more extensive carbocyclic networks due to their higher density of active sites per reacting molecule.Crucially,the study highlights the role of C_(2)H as the key active species in the carbon network formation process.These findings offer critical insights into the initial stages of SWCNT nucleation,contributing to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving SWCNT growth and guiding the development of optimized synthetic strategies.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.U21A20130 and 52475357).
文摘1.Introduction Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy is a typical age-hardening aluminum alloy,its strength and toughness are significantly influenced by precipita-tion behavior.The nucleation mechanisms of precipitates in this alloy are generally categorized into homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation.Homogeneous nucleation relies on structural and energy fluctuations within the solution to generate the driving force necessary for direct nucleation.
基金supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)(No.2021R1C1C2006535)supported by the Korea Basic Science Institute(National Research Facilities and Equipment Center)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)(No.RS-2024-00403164)supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea grant funded by the Korea government,Ministry of Science and ICT(Development of Nanofiber Yarn Based Compound Sensor as a Comprehensive Wearable Healthcare Solution)(Grant No.RS-2024-00357296).
文摘The crystallization of ionic crystals has traditionally been explained by Gibbs's classical nucleation theory.However,recent observations of intermediate phases during nucleation suggest that the process may be more complex,necessitating new theoretical frameworks,though key empirical evidence remains elusive.In this study,we used microdroplets to investigate the crystallization of sodium halides(NaCl,NaBr,and NaI)under homogeneous nucleation conditions across a wide range of supersaturations.In the evaporating droplet,NaCl follows the classical nucleation pathway,whereas NaBr and NaI exhibit the formation of an intermediate phase prior to the nucleation of anhydrous and hydrous single crystals,respectively.Optical and computational analyses indicate that these intermediate phases are liquid crystal phases composed of contact ion pairs.These findings establish a new theoretical framework for crystal nucleation and growth and offer methods to control nucleation pathways,enabling us to achieve desired crystals regardless of specific conditions.
