Several optimization methods,such as Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)and Genetic Algorithm(GA),are used to select the most suitable Static Synchronous Compensator(STATCOM)technology for the optimal operation of the po...Several optimization methods,such as Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)and Genetic Algorithm(GA),are used to select the most suitable Static Synchronous Compensator(STATCOM)technology for the optimal operation of the power system,as well as to determine its optimal location and size to minimize power losses.An IEEE 14 bus system,integrating three wind turbines based on Squirrel Cage Induction Generators(SCIGs),is used to test the applicability of the proposed algorithms.The results demonstrate that these algorithms are capable of selecting the most appropriate technology while optimally sizing and locating the STATCOM to reduce power losses in the network.Specifically,the optimized STATCOM allocation using the Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)achieves a 7.44%reduction in total active power loss compared to the optimized allocation using the Genetic Algorithm(GA).Furthermore,the voltage magnitudes at buses 4,9,and 10,which initially had exceeded the upper voltage limit,were reduced and brought within acceptable ranges,thereby improving the system’s overall voltage profile.Consequently,the optimal allocation of the STATCOM significantly enhances the efficiency and performance of the power network.展开更多
Objective:To analyse the prevalence of serotypes,antibiotic resistance,and virulence genes of Group B Streptococcus(GBS)strains isolated from pregnant women at 35-37 weeks of gestation in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam,from...Objective:To analyse the prevalence of serotypes,antibiotic resistance,and virulence genes of Group B Streptococcus(GBS)strains isolated from pregnant women at 35-37 weeks of gestation in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam,from January 2022 to January 2023.Methods:GBS strains were isolated through selective culture methods and confirmed by PCR.Serotyping,virulence gene detection,and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed using PCR,gel electrophoresis techniques and Kirby-Bauer test.Results:Totally,61 GBS isolated from 300 participants have been identified including seven GBS serotypes(Ⅰa,Ⅰb,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ,andⅥ).SerotypesⅦ,Ⅷ,andⅨwere not detected in the study population.Antibiotic resistance patterns varied:13.1%of isolates were fully susceptible,while the majority showed multi-drug resistance,with 34.4%resistant to three antibiotics.SerotypeⅠa demonstrated high susceptibility(35.7%),while serotypeⅢshowed extensive resistance,with 87.5%being resistant to at least three antibiotics.All strains are susceptible to vancomycin andβ-lactams susceptibility also remained high,but resistance to clindamycin,erythromycin,and tetracycline was high(>65%).The virulence genes scpB,cylB,fbsB,and cfb were highly prevalent(90%-100%),indicating their potential for vaccine and diagnostic development.Conclusions:Our findings provide valuable insights into GBS serotypes,resistance,and virulence factors,contributing to community monitoring,preventive measures,diagnostics,and vaccine development.However,the limited sample size necessitates further research.展开更多
Ti-6Al-4Zr-2Sn-6Mo alloy is one of the most recent titanium alloys processed using powder bed fusion-laser beam(PBF-LB)technology.This alloy has the potential to replace Ti-6Al-4V in automotive and aerospace applicati...Ti-6Al-4Zr-2Sn-6Mo alloy is one of the most recent titanium alloys processed using powder bed fusion-laser beam(PBF-LB)technology.This alloy has the potential to replace Ti-6Al-4V in automotive and aerospace applications,given its superior mechanical properties,which are approximately 10%higher in terms of ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and yield strength after appropriate heat treatment.In as-built conditions,the alloy is characterized by the presence of soft orthorhombicα″martensite,necessitating a postprocessing heat treatment to decompose this phase and enhance the mechanical properties of the alloy.Usually,PBFed Ti6246 components undergo an annealing process that transforms theα″martensite into anα-βlamellar microstructure.The primary objective of this research was to develop a solution treatment and aging(STA)heat treatment tailored to the unique microstructure produced by the additive manufacturing process to achieve an ultrafine bilamellar microstructure reinforced by precipitation hardening.This study investigated the effects of various solution temperatures in theα-βfield(ranging from 800 to 875℃),cooling media(air and water),and aging time to determine the optimal heat treatment parameters for achieving the desired bilamellar microstructure.For each heat treatment condition,differentα-βmicrostructures were found,varying in terms of theα/βratio and the size of the primaryα-phase lamellae.Particular attention was given to how these factors were influenced by increases in solution temperature and how microhardness correlated with the percentage of the metastableβphase present after quenching.Tensile tests were performed on samples subjected to the most promising heat treatment parameters.A comparison with literature data revealed that the optimized STA treatment enhanced hardness and UTS by13%and 23%,respectively,compared with those of the annealed alloy.Fracture surface analyses were conducted to investigate fracture mechanisms.展开更多
In this paper, a bearing-based three-dimensional self-localization and distributed circumnavigation with connectivity preservation and collision avoidance are investigated for a group of quadrotor-type unmanned aerial...In this paper, a bearing-based three-dimensional self-localization and distributed circumnavigation with connectivity preservation and collision avoidance are investigated for a group of quadrotor-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A leader–follower structure is adopted, wherein the leader moves with reference dynamics (a target). Different from the existing approaches that necessitate full knowledge of the time-varying reference trajectory, in this paper, it is assumed that only some vehicles (at least one) have access to the bearing relative to the target, and all other vehicles are equipped with sensors capable of measuring the bearings relative to neighboring vehicles. In this paper, a consensus estimator is proposed to estimate the global position for each vehicle using relative bearing measurements and an estimate of neighboring vehicles received from a direct communication network. Then, a continuous robust integral of the sign of the error (RISE) control approach is effectively integrated with the distributed vector field approach to ensure UAV formation orbiting around the moving target while avoiding obstacles and maintaining network links within available communication ranges. In contrast to the classical RISE control rule, a \(\tanh (\cdot )\) function is used instead of the \(\text {sgn}(\cdot )\) function to further decrease the high-gain feedback and to obtain a smoother control signal. Furthermore, by using the localized radial basis function (RBF) neural networks (NNs) in a cooperative way, deterministic learning theory is employed to accurately identify/learn model uncertainties resulting from the attitude dynamics. The convergence of the entire closed-loop system is illustrated using the Lyapunov theory and is shown to be uniformly ultimately bounded. Finally, numerical simulations show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.展开更多
Background:The use of skincare cosmetics can enhance human skin integrity,appearance,and conditions.However,consumers nowadays are quite concerned about the efficacy of skincare cosmetics,particularly those with antio...Background:The use of skincare cosmetics can enhance human skin integrity,appearance,and conditions.However,consumers nowadays are quite concerned about the efficacy of skincare cosmetics,particularly those with antioxidant properties that can improve skin tone and skin health.Previous studies also reported that volatile organic compounds(VOCs)in skincare cosmetics could have beneficial effects on human skin.Objective:This research aims to evaluate the antioxidant properties of CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics as well as to investigate the presence of VOCs that could influence their skin tone improvement properties.Material and methods:The CHARMS^(TM)products used were cleanser,toner,essence,serum,moisturizer,scrub,and night cream.The skin tone improvement was assessed on 20 female volunteers’facial skin by using a colorimeter.The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)free radical scavenging assay,total phenolic content(TPC),and total flavonoid content(TFC).Meanwhile,the VOCs were measured using an electronic nose based on gas chromatography(e-nose-GC).Results:The findings show that skin tone was improved significantly by 3.23%in which the skin becomes lighter while skin redness was reduced by 5.75%after using the CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics.The results also show that the cleanser(21.55±0.23%)and the serum(23.60±0.19%)had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity.Contrarily,the moisturizer exhibited the highest TPC value(324.14±17.47 mg GAE/g),and the cleanser had the highest TFC value(24.68±1.57 mg QE/g).The VOCs detected in these skincare cosmetics such as limonene andγ-terpinene may have skin-lightening effects.Conclusion:It can be concluded that the tested products from CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics comply with the standard regulations and guidelines for Control of Cosmetic Products in Malaysia and can be used effectively as a daily skincare routine.展开更多
Ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of patient medical information is a critical priority in the healthcare sector.In the context of security,this paper proposes a novel encryption algorithm that integrates Blo...Ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of patient medical information is a critical priority in the healthcare sector.In the context of security,this paper proposes a novel encryption algorithm that integrates Blockchain technology,aiming to improve the security and privacy of transmitted data.The proposed encryption algorithm is a block-cipher image encryption scheme based on different chaotic maps:The logistic Map,the Tent Map,and the Henon Map used to generate three encryption keys.The proposed block-cipher system employs the Hilbert curve to perform permutation while a generated chaos-based S-Box is used to perform substitution.Furthermore,the integration of a Blockchain-based solution for securing data transmission and communication between nodes and authenticating the encrypted medical image’s authenticity adds a layer of security to our proposed method.Our proposed cryptosystem is divided into two principal modules presented as a pseudo-random number generator(PRNG)used for key generation and an encryption and decryption system based on the properties of confusion and diffusion.The security analysis and experimental tests for the proposed algorithm show that the average value of the information entropy of the encrypted images is 7.9993,the Number of Pixels Change Rate(NPCR)values are over 99.5%and the Unified Average Changing Intensity(UACI)values are greater than 33%.These results prove the strength of our proposed approach,demonstrating that it can significantly enhance the security of encrypted images.展开更多
Polyimide(PI)is widely used in high-tech fields such as microelectronics,aerospace,and national defense because of its excellent optical properties,high-and low-temperature resistance,and good dimensional stability.To...Polyimide(PI)is widely used in high-tech fields such as microelectronics,aerospace,and national defense because of its excellent optical properties,high-and low-temperature resistance,and good dimensional stability.To achieve the desired properties of PI,the monomers 2,6-diaminopyrimidin-4-ol(DAPD)and 6-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-vinylphenoxy)pyrimidin-2,4-diamine(DAFPD),which contains crosslinkable functional groups,were designed and synthesized successfully and copolymerized with 4,4'-oxydianiline(ODA)and 4,4-hexafluoroisopropylphthalic anhydride(6FDA).The prepared PI film(PI-3),with rigid backbones and loose packing had excellent heat resistance(Td5%=489℃)and optical properties(T450=82%).Furthermore,a crosslinked PI film(c-PI-3)with more heat-resistant(Td5%=524℃)and better mechanical properties(σ=125.46MPa),can be obtained through thermal crosslinking of tetrafluorostyrene.In addition,the changes in the properties caused by the proportion of DAFPD added during copolymerization are discussed comprehensively.This study provides a promising candidate for heat-resistant PI materials.展开更多
Non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio(V.)cholerae(NOVC)has emerged as a potential pathogen in patients with compromised health conditions[1].We report the whole genome sequencing(WGS)of a rare NOVC sepsis isolate(GenBank Accession:G...Non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio(V.)cholerae(NOVC)has emerged as a potential pathogen in patients with compromised health conditions[1].We report the whole genome sequencing(WGS)of a rare NOVC sepsis isolate(GenBank Accession:GCF_051906115.1)from an 89-year-old male admitted to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU)with septic shock(lactate 6.61 mmol/L)digestive illness.展开更多
The solar cycle(SC),a phenomenon caused by the quasi-periodic regular activities in the Sun,occurs approximately every 11 years.Intense solar activity can disrupt the Earth’s ionosphere,affecting communication and na...The solar cycle(SC),a phenomenon caused by the quasi-periodic regular activities in the Sun,occurs approximately every 11 years.Intense solar activity can disrupt the Earth’s ionosphere,affecting communication and navigation systems.Consequently,accurately predicting the intensity of the SC holds great significance,but predicting the SC involves a long-term time series,and many existing time series forecasting methods have fallen short in terms of accuracy and efficiency.The Time-series Dense Encoder model is a deep learning solution tailored for long time series prediction.Based on a multi-layer perceptron structure,it outperforms the best previously existing models in accuracy,while being efficiently trainable on general datasets.We propose a method based on this model for SC forecasting.Using a trained model,we predict the test set from SC 19 to SC 25 with an average mean absolute percentage error of 32.02,root mean square error of 30.3,mean absolute error of 23.32,and R^(2)(coefficient of determination)of 0.76,outperforming other deep learning models in terms of accuracy and training efficiency on sunspot number datasets.Subsequently,we use it to predict the peaks of SC 25 and SC 26.For SC 25,the peak time has ended,but a stronger peak is predicted for SC 26,of 199.3,within a range of 170.8-221.9,projected to occur during April 2034.展开更多
With the rising demand for fast-charging technology in electric vehicles and portable devices,significant efforts have been devoted to the development of the highrate batteries.Among numerous candidates,rechargeable a...With the rising demand for fast-charging technology in electric vehicles and portable devices,significant efforts have been devoted to the development of the highrate batteries.Among numerous candidates,rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries(ZlBs)are a promising option due to its high theoretical capacity,low redox potential of zinc metal anode and inherent high ionic conductivity of aqueous electrolyte.As the strong electrostatic interaction between Zn^(2+)and host generally leads to sluggish electrode kinetics,many strategies have been proposed to enhance fast(dis)charging performance.Herein,we review the state-of-the-art ultrafast aqueous ZIBs and focus on the rational electrode-designing strategies,such as crystal structure engineering,nanostructuring and morphology controlling,conductive materials introducing and organic molecule designing.Recent research directions and future perspectives are also proposed in this review.展开更多
Electron beam melting(EBM) process is an additive manufacturing process largely used to produce complex metallic components made of high-performance materials for aerospace and medical applications.Especially,lattice ...Electron beam melting(EBM) process is an additive manufacturing process largely used to produce complex metallic components made of high-performance materials for aerospace and medical applications.Especially,lattice structures made by Ti-6A1-4V have represented a hot topic for the industrial sectors because of having a great potential to combine lower weights and higher performances that can also be tailored by subsequent heat treatments.However,the little knowledge about the mechanical behaviour of the lattice structures is limiting their applications.The present work aims to provide a comprehensive review of the studies on the mechanical behaviour of the lattice structures made of Ti-6A1-4V.The main steps to produce an EBM part were considered as guidelines to review the literature on the lattice performance:(1) design,(2) process and(3) post-heat treatment.Thereafter,the correlation between the geometrical features of the lattice structure and their mechanical behaviour is discussed.In addition,the correlation among the mechanical performance of the lattice structures and the process precision,surface roughness and working temperature are also reviewed.An investigation on the studies about the properties of heat-treated lattice structure is also conducted.展开更多
Ni/Si O_2 and bimetallic Ni_xGa/SiO_2 catalysts with different Ni/Ga atomic ratios(x = 10～2) were investigated for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene.It was found that Ni_xGa/SiO_2 showed higher selectivity to ...Ni/Si O_2 and bimetallic Ni_xGa/SiO_2 catalysts with different Ni/Ga atomic ratios(x = 10～2) were investigated for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene.It was found that Ni_xGa/SiO_2 showed higher selectivity to ethylene than Ni/Si O_2.This is attributed to the formation Ni-Ga alloy and Ni3 Ga intermetallic compound(IMC) where there was a charge transfer from Ga to Ni,which is favorable for reducing the adsorption strength and amount of ethylene on Ni atoms.As a result,the over-hydrogenation,the C–C bond hydrogenolysis and the polymerization were suppressed,and subsequently the selectivity to ethylene was enhanced.With the decrease of Ni/Ga atomic ratio,the activity and stability of the Ni_xGa/SiO_2 catalysts increased first and then decreased,while the ethylene selectivity tended to increase.Ni_5 Ga/SiO_2 exhibited the best performance.Under the conditions of 180 °C,0.1 MPa,and a reactant(1.0 vol% acetylene,5.0 vol% H_2 and 94 vol% N_2) with the space velocity of 36,000 m L h^(-1) g^(-1),the acetylene conversion maintained at 100% on Ni_5 Ga/SiO_2 during 120 h time on stream and the selectivity to ethylene was 75%～81%after reaction for 68 h.It was also found that the formation of Ni-Ga alloy and Ni_3 Ga IMC suppressed the incorporation of carbon to form NiCx,subsequently enhancing the catalyst stability.Additionally,with increasing the Ga content,the catalyst acid amount and strength tended to increase,which promoted the polymerization and carbon deposition and so the catalyst deactivation.展开更多
Polyamines(PAs) play diverse roles in plant growth and development,as well as responses to environmental stimuli.In this study,the effects of PAs on rice salt tolerance were investigated.Salt stress resulted in the al...Polyamines(PAs) play diverse roles in plant growth and development,as well as responses to environmental stimuli.In this study,the effects of PAs on rice salt tolerance were investigated.Salt stress resulted in the alteration of endogenous PAs levels in rice roots and leaves,where spermidine(Spd) and spermine(Spm) contents were increased,and putrescine(Put) content was decreased.RT-qPCR analysis revealed that PAs biosynthesis-related genes ADC1,ODC,and Arginase were significantly downregulated by salt treatment;however,SAMDC transcription was significantly upregulated.Exogenous Spm enhanced rice salt tolerance remarkably;however,exogenous Put and Spd undermined rice salt tolerance.Transgenic rice plants overexpressing SAMDC display a higher ratio of Spm/(Put+Spd) and enhanced salt tolerance.Salt stress also increased polyamine oxidase activities in rice,resulting in elevated reactive oxygen species(ROS) production.Our findings revealed that accumulation of Put and Spd substantially reduced salt tolerance in rice,likely by facilitating ROS production;whereas,conversion of Put and Spd to Spm contributes to rice salt tolerance.展开更多
Nowadays, as an emerging technology, additive manufacturing(AM) has received numerous attentions from researchers around the world. The method comprises layer-by-layer manufacturing of products according to the 3D CAD...Nowadays, as an emerging technology, additive manufacturing(AM) has received numerous attentions from researchers around the world. The method comprises layer-by-layer manufacturing of products according to the 3D CAD models of the objects. Among other things, AM is capable of producing metal matrix composites(MMCs). Hence, plenty of works in the literature are dedicated to developing different types of MMCs through AM processes. Hence, this paper provides a comprehensive overview on the latest research that has been carried out on the development of the powder-based AM manufactured MMCs from a scientific and technological viewpoint, aimed at highlighting the opportunities and challenges of this innovative manufacturing process. For instance, it is documented that AM is not only able to resolve the reinforcement/matrix bonding issues usually faced with during conventional manufacturing of MMCs, but also it is capable of producing functionally graded composites and geometrically complex objects. Furthermore, it provides the opportunity for a uniform distribution of the reinforcing phase in the metallic matrix and is able to produce composites using refractory metals thanks to the local heat source employed in the method. Despite the aforementioned advantages, there are still some challenges needing more attention from the researchers. Rapid cooling nature of the process, significantly different coe fficient of expansion of the matrix and reinforcement, processability, and the lack of suitable parameters and standards for the production of defect-free AM MMCs seem to be among the most important issues to deal with in future works.展开更多
A neural network with feed-forward topology and back propagation algorithm was used to predict the effects of chemical composition and tensile test parameters on hardness of heat affected zone （HAZ） in X70 pipeline ...A neural network with feed-forward topology and back propagation algorithm was used to predict the effects of chemical composition and tensile test parameters on hardness of heat affected zone （HAZ） in X70 pipeline steels. The mass percent of chemical compositions （i. e. carbon equivalent based upon the International Institute of Welding equation （CEIIw）, the carbon equivalent based upon the chemical portion of the ho-Bessyo carbon equivalent equation （CEecm）, the sum of the niobium, vanadium and titanium concentrations （CvTaNb）, the sum of the niobium and vanadium concentrations （CNbv）, the sum of the chromium, molybdenum, nickel and copper concentrations （CcrMoNiCu））, yield strength （YS） at 0. 005 offset, ultimate tensile strength （UTS） and percent elongation （El） were considered as input parameters to the network, while Vickers microhardness with 10 N load was considered as its output. For the purpose of constructing this model, 104 different data were gathered from the experimental re- sul.ts. Scatter diagrams and two statistical criteria, i.e. absolute fraction of variance （R2 ） and mean relative error （MRE）, were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the developed model. The developed model can be fur- ther used in practical applications of alloy and thermo-mechanical schedule design in manufacturing process of pipe line steels.展开更多
Classical powder metallurgy followed by either hot isostatic pressing（HIPing） or repressing–annealing process was used to produce Cu–graphene nanoplatelets（GNPs） nanocomposites in this work. A wet mixing method ...Classical powder metallurgy followed by either hot isostatic pressing（HIPing） or repressing–annealing process was used to produce Cu–graphene nanoplatelets（GNPs） nanocomposites in this work. A wet mixing method was used to disperse the graphene within the matrix. The results show that a uniform dispersion of GNPs at low graphene contents could be achieved, whereas agglomeration of graphene was revealed at higher graphene contents. Density evaluations showed that the relative density of pure copper and copper composites increased by using the post-processing techniques.However, it should be noticed that the efficiency of HIPing was remarkably higher than repressing–annealing process, and through the HIPing, fully dense samples were achieved. The Vickers hardness results showed that the reconsolidation steps can improve the mechanical strength of the specimens up to 50% owing to the progressive porosity elimination after reconsolidation. The thermal conductivity results of pure copper and composites at high temperatures showed that the postprocessing techniques could enhance the conductivity of materials significantly.展开更多
NiP/SiOand bimetallic Ni MP/Si O2(M = Co, Fe, Mo, W; Ni/M atomic ratio=5) catalysts were prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction method. The catalysts and their precursors were characterized by means of UV–V...NiP/SiOand bimetallic Ni MP/Si O2(M = Co, Fe, Mo, W; Ni/M atomic ratio=5) catalysts were prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction method. The catalysts and their precursors were characterized by means of UV–Vis DRS, H-TPR, XRD, TEM, CO chemisorption and NH-TPD. Their performance for the deoxygenation of methyl laurate was tested on a fixed-bed reactor. The results show that the main phase was NiP in all catalysts, and M(M = Co, Fe, Mo, W) entered the lattice of NiP forming solid solution. Different from Fe and Co, the introduction of Mo and W into NiP/SiOreduced the phosphide particle size and increased the acid amount. In the deoxygenation reaction, the turnover frequency of methyl laurate increased on the catalysts in the order of NiMoP/SiO, NiP/SiO, Ni WP/Si O2, NiFeP/SiOand NiCoP/SiO, which is influenced by the size of phosphide particles and the interaction between Ni and M(M = Fe, Co, Mo or W). The introduction of the second metal(especially Mo and W) into NiP/SiOpromoted the hydrodeoxygenation pathway. This is mainly attributed to the interaction between Ni and the second metal. Finally, the Ni MoP/SiOcatalyst was tested at 340 oC, 3 MPa, methyl laurate WHSV of 14 h-1and H/methyl laurate molar ratio of 25 for 132 h, and its deactivation took place. We found that the catalyst deactivation mainly resulted from carbonaceous deposit rather than the sintering of metal phosphide crystallites.展开更多
A series of PtCuCeMgAl quintuple hydrotalcite-like compounds with different Ce contents were synthesized by one-pot method. After calcining and reduction, CeO_2-modified Mg(Al)O-supported Pt–Cu alloy catalysts were o...A series of PtCuCeMgAl quintuple hydrotalcite-like compounds with different Ce contents were synthesized by one-pot method. After calcining and reduction, CeO_2-modified Mg(Al)O-supported Pt–Cu alloy catalysts were obtained. To understand the effect of Cu and Ce, the structure and physico-chemistry properties of the catalysts were characterized and analyzed, and the catalytic behaviors were investigated in a direct dehydrogenation of propane to propene. The results show that the Pt^(4+), Cu^(2+), and Ce^(3+) ions can be incorporated into the brucite-like layers and the Ce content significantly affects the interaction strength between Pt and Cu and the dehydrogenation performance of propane. Under the reaction conditions, the highest propane conversion(45%) with 89% selectivity to propene and a 40% propene yield were achieved with a 0.3 wt% Ce-modified PtCu/Mg(Al)O catalyst. The improved catalytic performance is related to the easy formation of Pt–Cu alloy phase, excellent resistance to sintering, and coke deposits of active components modified by CeO_2.展开更多
Rapidly solidified Al100-x-Cux alloys （x = 5, 10, 15, 25, 35 wt%） were prepared and analyzed. High cooling rate increased the Cu solubility in α-AI matrix. The influence of the cooling rate on Cu solubility extensi...Rapidly solidified Al100-x-Cux alloys （x = 5, 10, 15, 25, 35 wt%） were prepared and analyzed. High cooling rate increased the Cu solubility in α-AI matrix. The influence of the cooling rate on Cu solubility extension in AI was experimentally simulated. Thus the pouring was performed in metallic die and by melt spinning-low pressure （MS- LP） technique. Melt processing by liquid quenching was performed using a self-designed melt spinning set-up which combined the cooling technology of a melt jet on the spinning disc with the principle of the mold feeding from low pressure casting technology. The thickness of the melt-spun ribbons was in the range of 30-70 μm. The cooling rate provided by MS-LP was within 105-106 K/s after the device calibration. The obtained alloys were characterized from structural, thermal and mechanical point of view. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed for the microstructural characterization which was followed by X-ray analysis. The thermal properties were evaluated by dilatometric and differential scanning calorimetric measurements. Vickers microhardness measurements were performed in the study. In the case of the hypereutectic alloy with 35 wt% Cu obtained by MS-LP method, the microhardness value increased by 45% compared to the same alloy obtained by gravity casting method. This was due to the extended solubility of the alloying element in the α-AI solid solution.展开更多
Objective:To investigate the total phenolics,flavonoids and tannins content and the in vitro antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of six wild Mentha species which are Mentha aquatica,Mentha arvensis,Mentha pi...Objective:To investigate the total phenolics,flavonoids and tannins content and the in vitro antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of six wild Mentha species which are Mentha aquatica,Mentha arvensis,Mentha piperita,Mentha pulegium,Mentha rotundifolia and Mentha villosa.Methods:The Folin–Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total phenols content while flavonoids were estimated according to the aluminum chloride colorimetric method.To evaluate tannins content,vanillin and HCl were added to methanolic extracts.The antioxidant potential was measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging,ferrous ion chelating and the inhibition of b-carotene bleaching assays.Results:The methanol extracts of Algerian mints were rich in phenolic compounds and exhibited powerful antioxidant activity ranging from 7.5 mg/mL to 44.66 mg/mL,which varied significantly among species.Mentha aquatica stood out with efficient antioxidant ability which was correlated to the high total phenolics content,followed by Mentha arvensis and Mentha piperita with very close values,comparing to Mentha pulegium,Mentha rotundifolia and Mentha villosa with lowest values.Conclusions:These results show that methanolic extracts of Mentha species from Algeria have a great potential of polyphenols which can be used as a natural food preservative and antioxidant source.展开更多
文摘Several optimization methods,such as Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)and Genetic Algorithm(GA),are used to select the most suitable Static Synchronous Compensator(STATCOM)technology for the optimal operation of the power system,as well as to determine its optimal location and size to minimize power losses.An IEEE 14 bus system,integrating three wind turbines based on Squirrel Cage Induction Generators(SCIGs),is used to test the applicability of the proposed algorithms.The results demonstrate that these algorithms are capable of selecting the most appropriate technology while optimally sizing and locating the STATCOM to reduce power losses in the network.Specifically,the optimized STATCOM allocation using the Particle Swarm Optimization(PSO)achieves a 7.44%reduction in total active power loss compared to the optimized allocation using the Genetic Algorithm(GA).Furthermore,the voltage magnitudes at buses 4,9,and 10,which initially had exceeded the upper voltage limit,were reduced and brought within acceptable ranges,thereby improving the system’s overall voltage profile.Consequently,the optimal allocation of the STATCOM significantly enhances the efficiency and performance of the power network.
文摘Objective:To analyse the prevalence of serotypes,antibiotic resistance,and virulence genes of Group B Streptococcus(GBS)strains isolated from pregnant women at 35-37 weeks of gestation in Ho Chi Minh City,Vietnam,from January 2022 to January 2023.Methods:GBS strains were isolated through selective culture methods and confirmed by PCR.Serotyping,virulence gene detection,and antibiotic susceptibility testing were performed using PCR,gel electrophoresis techniques and Kirby-Bauer test.Results:Totally,61 GBS isolated from 300 participants have been identified including seven GBS serotypes(Ⅰa,Ⅰb,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ,andⅥ).SerotypesⅦ,Ⅷ,andⅨwere not detected in the study population.Antibiotic resistance patterns varied:13.1%of isolates were fully susceptible,while the majority showed multi-drug resistance,with 34.4%resistant to three antibiotics.SerotypeⅠa demonstrated high susceptibility(35.7%),while serotypeⅢshowed extensive resistance,with 87.5%being resistant to at least three antibiotics.All strains are susceptible to vancomycin andβ-lactams susceptibility also remained high,but resistance to clindamycin,erythromycin,and tetracycline was high(>65%).The virulence genes scpB,cylB,fbsB,and cfb were highly prevalent(90%-100%),indicating their potential for vaccine and diagnostic development.Conclusions:Our findings provide valuable insights into GBS serotypes,resistance,and virulence factors,contributing to community monitoring,preventive measures,diagnostics,and vaccine development.However,the limited sample size necessitates further research.
基金financed by the European Union-Next Generation EU(National Sustainable Mobility Center CN00000023,Italian Ministry of University and Research Decree n.1033-17/06/2022,Spoke 11-Innovative Materials&Lightweighting)。
文摘Ti-6Al-4Zr-2Sn-6Mo alloy is one of the most recent titanium alloys processed using powder bed fusion-laser beam(PBF-LB)technology.This alloy has the potential to replace Ti-6Al-4V in automotive and aerospace applications,given its superior mechanical properties,which are approximately 10%higher in terms of ultimate tensile strength(UTS)and yield strength after appropriate heat treatment.In as-built conditions,the alloy is characterized by the presence of soft orthorhombicα″martensite,necessitating a postprocessing heat treatment to decompose this phase and enhance the mechanical properties of the alloy.Usually,PBFed Ti6246 components undergo an annealing process that transforms theα″martensite into anα-βlamellar microstructure.The primary objective of this research was to develop a solution treatment and aging(STA)heat treatment tailored to the unique microstructure produced by the additive manufacturing process to achieve an ultrafine bilamellar microstructure reinforced by precipitation hardening.This study investigated the effects of various solution temperatures in theα-βfield(ranging from 800 to 875℃),cooling media(air and water),and aging time to determine the optimal heat treatment parameters for achieving the desired bilamellar microstructure.For each heat treatment condition,differentα-βmicrostructures were found,varying in terms of theα/βratio and the size of the primaryα-phase lamellae.Particular attention was given to how these factors were influenced by increases in solution temperature and how microhardness correlated with the percentage of the metastableβphase present after quenching.Tensile tests were performed on samples subjected to the most promising heat treatment parameters.A comparison with literature data revealed that the optimized STA treatment enhanced hardness and UTS by13%and 23%,respectively,compared with those of the annealed alloy.Fracture surface analyses were conducted to investigate fracture mechanisms.
文摘In this paper, a bearing-based three-dimensional self-localization and distributed circumnavigation with connectivity preservation and collision avoidance are investigated for a group of quadrotor-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). A leader–follower structure is adopted, wherein the leader moves with reference dynamics (a target). Different from the existing approaches that necessitate full knowledge of the time-varying reference trajectory, in this paper, it is assumed that only some vehicles (at least one) have access to the bearing relative to the target, and all other vehicles are equipped with sensors capable of measuring the bearings relative to neighboring vehicles. In this paper, a consensus estimator is proposed to estimate the global position for each vehicle using relative bearing measurements and an estimate of neighboring vehicles received from a direct communication network. Then, a continuous robust integral of the sign of the error (RISE) control approach is effectively integrated with the distributed vector field approach to ensure UAV formation orbiting around the moving target while avoiding obstacles and maintaining network links within available communication ranges. In contrast to the classical RISE control rule, a \(\tanh (\cdot )\) function is used instead of the \(\text {sgn}(\cdot )\) function to further decrease the high-gain feedback and to obtain a smoother control signal. Furthermore, by using the localized radial basis function (RBF) neural networks (NNs) in a cooperative way, deterministic learning theory is employed to accurately identify/learn model uncertainties resulting from the attitude dynamics. The convergence of the entire closed-loop system is illustrated using the Lyapunov theory and is shown to be uniformly ultimately bounded. Finally, numerical simulations show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
基金funded by Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia(UTHM)under Industrial Grant,M066 together with Matching Grant,Q003.
文摘Background:The use of skincare cosmetics can enhance human skin integrity,appearance,and conditions.However,consumers nowadays are quite concerned about the efficacy of skincare cosmetics,particularly those with antioxidant properties that can improve skin tone and skin health.Previous studies also reported that volatile organic compounds(VOCs)in skincare cosmetics could have beneficial effects on human skin.Objective:This research aims to evaluate the antioxidant properties of CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics as well as to investigate the presence of VOCs that could influence their skin tone improvement properties.Material and methods:The CHARMS^(TM)products used were cleanser,toner,essence,serum,moisturizer,scrub,and night cream.The skin tone improvement was assessed on 20 female volunteers’facial skin by using a colorimeter.The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH)free radical scavenging assay,total phenolic content(TPC),and total flavonoid content(TFC).Meanwhile,the VOCs were measured using an electronic nose based on gas chromatography(e-nose-GC).Results:The findings show that skin tone was improved significantly by 3.23%in which the skin becomes lighter while skin redness was reduced by 5.75%after using the CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics.The results also show that the cleanser(21.55±0.23%)and the serum(23.60±0.19%)had the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity.Contrarily,the moisturizer exhibited the highest TPC value(324.14±17.47 mg GAE/g),and the cleanser had the highest TFC value(24.68±1.57 mg QE/g).The VOCs detected in these skincare cosmetics such as limonene andγ-terpinene may have skin-lightening effects.Conclusion:It can be concluded that the tested products from CHARMS^(TM)skincare cosmetics comply with the standard regulations and guidelines for Control of Cosmetic Products in Malaysia and can be used effectively as a daily skincare routine.
基金supported by the Large Group Project under grant number(RGP2/473/46).
文摘Ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of patient medical information is a critical priority in the healthcare sector.In the context of security,this paper proposes a novel encryption algorithm that integrates Blockchain technology,aiming to improve the security and privacy of transmitted data.The proposed encryption algorithm is a block-cipher image encryption scheme based on different chaotic maps:The logistic Map,the Tent Map,and the Henon Map used to generate three encryption keys.The proposed block-cipher system employs the Hilbert curve to perform permutation while a generated chaos-based S-Box is used to perform substitution.Furthermore,the integration of a Blockchain-based solution for securing data transmission and communication between nodes and authenticating the encrypted medical image’s authenticity adds a layer of security to our proposed method.Our proposed cryptosystem is divided into two principal modules presented as a pseudo-random number generator(PRNG)used for key generation and an encryption and decryption system based on the properties of confusion and diffusion.The security analysis and experimental tests for the proposed algorithm show that the average value of the information entropy of the encrypted images is 7.9993,the Number of Pixels Change Rate(NPCR)values are over 99.5%and the Unified Average Changing Intensity(UACI)values are greater than 33%.These results prove the strength of our proposed approach,demonstrating that it can significantly enhance the security of encrypted images.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFB3603101)。
文摘Polyimide(PI)is widely used in high-tech fields such as microelectronics,aerospace,and national defense because of its excellent optical properties,high-and low-temperature resistance,and good dimensional stability.To achieve the desired properties of PI,the monomers 2,6-diaminopyrimidin-4-ol(DAPD)and 6-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-vinylphenoxy)pyrimidin-2,4-diamine(DAFPD),which contains crosslinkable functional groups,were designed and synthesized successfully and copolymerized with 4,4'-oxydianiline(ODA)and 4,4-hexafluoroisopropylphthalic anhydride(6FDA).The prepared PI film(PI-3),with rigid backbones and loose packing had excellent heat resistance(Td5%=489℃)and optical properties(T450=82%).Furthermore,a crosslinked PI film(c-PI-3)with more heat-resistant(Td5%=524℃)and better mechanical properties(σ=125.46MPa),can be obtained through thermal crosslinking of tetrafluorostyrene.In addition,the changes in the properties caused by the proportion of DAFPD added during copolymerization are discussed comprehensively.This study provides a promising candidate for heat-resistant PI materials.
文摘Non-O1/non-O139 Vibrio(V.)cholerae(NOVC)has emerged as a potential pathogen in patients with compromised health conditions[1].We report the whole genome sequencing(WGS)of a rare NOVC sepsis isolate(GenBank Accession:GCF_051906115.1)from an 89-year-old male admitted to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU)with septic shock(lactate 6.61 mmol/L)digestive illness.
基金supported by the Academic Research Projects of Beijing Union University(ZK20202204)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(12250005,12073040,12273059,11973056,12003051,11573037,12073041,11427901,11572005,11611530679 and 12473052)+1 种基金the Strategic Priority Research Program of the China Academy of Sciences(XDB0560000,XDA15052200,XDB09040200,XDA15010700,XDB0560301,and XDA15320102)the Chinese Meridian Project(CMP).
文摘The solar cycle(SC),a phenomenon caused by the quasi-periodic regular activities in the Sun,occurs approximately every 11 years.Intense solar activity can disrupt the Earth’s ionosphere,affecting communication and navigation systems.Consequently,accurately predicting the intensity of the SC holds great significance,but predicting the SC involves a long-term time series,and many existing time series forecasting methods have fallen short in terms of accuracy and efficiency.The Time-series Dense Encoder model is a deep learning solution tailored for long time series prediction.Based on a multi-layer perceptron structure,it outperforms the best previously existing models in accuracy,while being efficiently trainable on general datasets.We propose a method based on this model for SC forecasting.Using a trained model,we predict the test set from SC 19 to SC 25 with an average mean absolute percentage error of 32.02,root mean square error of 30.3,mean absolute error of 23.32,and R^(2)(coefficient of determination)of 0.76,outperforming other deep learning models in terms of accuracy and training efficiency on sunspot number datasets.Subsequently,we use it to predict the peaks of SC 25 and SC 26.For SC 25,the peak time has ended,but a stronger peak is predicted for SC 26,of 199.3,within a range of 170.8-221.9,projected to occur during April 2034.
基金the Scientific Research Project of Beijing Municipal Education Commission(No.KM201911417004)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51822201 and 51972292)。
文摘With the rising demand for fast-charging technology in electric vehicles and portable devices,significant efforts have been devoted to the development of the highrate batteries.Among numerous candidates,rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries(ZlBs)are a promising option due to its high theoretical capacity,low redox potential of zinc metal anode and inherent high ionic conductivity of aqueous electrolyte.As the strong electrostatic interaction between Zn^(2+)and host generally leads to sluggish electrode kinetics,many strategies have been proposed to enhance fast(dis)charging performance.Herein,we review the state-of-the-art ultrafast aqueous ZIBs and focus on the rational electrode-designing strategies,such as crystal structure engineering,nanostructuring and morphology controlling,conductive materials introducing and organic molecule designing.Recent research directions and future perspectives are also proposed in this review.
文摘Electron beam melting(EBM) process is an additive manufacturing process largely used to produce complex metallic components made of high-performance materials for aerospace and medical applications.Especially,lattice structures made by Ti-6A1-4V have represented a hot topic for the industrial sectors because of having a great potential to combine lower weights and higher performances that can also be tailored by subsequent heat treatments.However,the little knowledge about the mechanical behaviour of the lattice structures is limiting their applications.The present work aims to provide a comprehensive review of the studies on the mechanical behaviour of the lattice structures made of Ti-6A1-4V.The main steps to produce an EBM part were considered as guidelines to review the literature on the lattice performance:(1) design,(2) process and(3) post-heat treatment.Thereafter,the correlation between the geometrical features of the lattice structure and their mechanical behaviour is discussed.In addition,the correlation among the mechanical performance of the lattice structures and the process precision,surface roughness and working temperature are also reviewed.An investigation on the studies about the properties of heat-treated lattice structure is also conducted.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21576193)
文摘Ni/Si O_2 and bimetallic Ni_xGa/SiO_2 catalysts with different Ni/Ga atomic ratios(x = 10～2) were investigated for the selective hydrogenation of acetylene.It was found that Ni_xGa/SiO_2 showed higher selectivity to ethylene than Ni/Si O_2.This is attributed to the formation Ni-Ga alloy and Ni3 Ga intermetallic compound(IMC) where there was a charge transfer from Ga to Ni,which is favorable for reducing the adsorption strength and amount of ethylene on Ni atoms.As a result,the over-hydrogenation,the C–C bond hydrogenolysis and the polymerization were suppressed,and subsequently the selectivity to ethylene was enhanced.With the decrease of Ni/Ga atomic ratio,the activity and stability of the Ni_xGa/SiO_2 catalysts increased first and then decreased,while the ethylene selectivity tended to increase.Ni_5 Ga/SiO_2 exhibited the best performance.Under the conditions of 180 °C,0.1 MPa,and a reactant(1.0 vol% acetylene,5.0 vol% H_2 and 94 vol% N_2) with the space velocity of 36,000 m L h^(-1) g^(-1),the acetylene conversion maintained at 100% on Ni_5 Ga/SiO_2 during 120 h time on stream and the selectivity to ethylene was 75%～81%after reaction for 68 h.It was also found that the formation of Ni-Ga alloy and Ni_3 Ga IMC suppressed the incorporation of carbon to form NiCx,subsequently enhancing the catalyst stability.Additionally,with increasing the Ga content,the catalyst acid amount and strength tended to increase,which promoted the polymerization and carbon deposition and so the catalyst deactivation.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program(2017YFD0200900)the Natural Science Foundation of China(31570252 and 31601629)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)and the World Academy of Sciences(TWAS)Presidents Fellowship for supporting Md Azizul Islam as a doctoral student(2015CTF068)
文摘Polyamines(PAs) play diverse roles in plant growth and development,as well as responses to environmental stimuli.In this study,the effects of PAs on rice salt tolerance were investigated.Salt stress resulted in the alteration of endogenous PAs levels in rice roots and leaves,where spermidine(Spd) and spermine(Spm) contents were increased,and putrescine(Put) content was decreased.RT-qPCR analysis revealed that PAs biosynthesis-related genes ADC1,ODC,and Arginase were significantly downregulated by salt treatment;however,SAMDC transcription was significantly upregulated.Exogenous Spm enhanced rice salt tolerance remarkably;however,exogenous Put and Spd undermined rice salt tolerance.Transgenic rice plants overexpressing SAMDC display a higher ratio of Spm/(Put+Spd) and enhanced salt tolerance.Salt stress also increased polyamine oxidase activities in rice,resulting in elevated reactive oxygen species(ROS) production.Our findings revealed that accumulation of Put and Spd substantially reduced salt tolerance in rice,likely by facilitating ROS production;whereas,conversion of Put and Spd to Spm contributes to rice salt tolerance.
基金Open access funding provided by Politecnico di Torino within the CRUI-CARE Agreement。
文摘Nowadays, as an emerging technology, additive manufacturing(AM) has received numerous attentions from researchers around the world. The method comprises layer-by-layer manufacturing of products according to the 3D CAD models of the objects. Among other things, AM is capable of producing metal matrix composites(MMCs). Hence, plenty of works in the literature are dedicated to developing different types of MMCs through AM processes. Hence, this paper provides a comprehensive overview on the latest research that has been carried out on the development of the powder-based AM manufactured MMCs from a scientific and technological viewpoint, aimed at highlighting the opportunities and challenges of this innovative manufacturing process. For instance, it is documented that AM is not only able to resolve the reinforcement/matrix bonding issues usually faced with during conventional manufacturing of MMCs, but also it is capable of producing functionally graded composites and geometrically complex objects. Furthermore, it provides the opportunity for a uniform distribution of the reinforcing phase in the metallic matrix and is able to produce composites using refractory metals thanks to the local heat source employed in the method. Despite the aforementioned advantages, there are still some challenges needing more attention from the researchers. Rapid cooling nature of the process, significantly different coe fficient of expansion of the matrix and reinforcement, processability, and the lack of suitable parameters and standards for the production of defect-free AM MMCs seem to be among the most important issues to deal with in future works.
文摘A neural network with feed-forward topology and back propagation algorithm was used to predict the effects of chemical composition and tensile test parameters on hardness of heat affected zone （HAZ） in X70 pipeline steels. The mass percent of chemical compositions （i. e. carbon equivalent based upon the International Institute of Welding equation （CEIIw）, the carbon equivalent based upon the chemical portion of the ho-Bessyo carbon equivalent equation （CEecm）, the sum of the niobium, vanadium and titanium concentrations （CvTaNb）, the sum of the niobium and vanadium concentrations （CNbv）, the sum of the chromium, molybdenum, nickel and copper concentrations （CcrMoNiCu））, yield strength （YS） at 0. 005 offset, ultimate tensile strength （UTS） and percent elongation （El） were considered as input parameters to the network, while Vickers microhardness with 10 N load was considered as its output. For the purpose of constructing this model, 104 different data were gathered from the experimental re- sul.ts. Scatter diagrams and two statistical criteria, i.e. absolute fraction of variance （R2 ） and mean relative error （MRE）, were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the developed model. The developed model can be fur- ther used in practical applications of alloy and thermo-mechanical schedule design in manufacturing process of pipe line steels.
文摘Classical powder metallurgy followed by either hot isostatic pressing（HIPing） or repressing–annealing process was used to produce Cu–graphene nanoplatelets（GNPs） nanocomposites in this work. A wet mixing method was used to disperse the graphene within the matrix. The results show that a uniform dispersion of GNPs at low graphene contents could be achieved, whereas agglomeration of graphene was revealed at higher graphene contents. Density evaluations showed that the relative density of pure copper and copper composites increased by using the post-processing techniques.However, it should be noticed that the efficiency of HIPing was remarkably higher than repressing–annealing process, and through the HIPing, fully dense samples were achieved. The Vickers hardness results showed that the reconsolidation steps can improve the mechanical strength of the specimens up to 50% owing to the progressive porosity elimination after reconsolidation. The thermal conductivity results of pure copper and composites at high temperatures showed that the postprocessing techniques could enhance the conductivity of materials significantly.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21176177)the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin(No.12JCYBJC13200)
文摘NiP/SiOand bimetallic Ni MP/Si O2(M = Co, Fe, Mo, W; Ni/M atomic ratio=5) catalysts were prepared by the temperature-programmed reduction method. The catalysts and their precursors were characterized by means of UV–Vis DRS, H-TPR, XRD, TEM, CO chemisorption and NH-TPD. Their performance for the deoxygenation of methyl laurate was tested on a fixed-bed reactor. The results show that the main phase was NiP in all catalysts, and M(M = Co, Fe, Mo, W) entered the lattice of NiP forming solid solution. Different from Fe and Co, the introduction of Mo and W into NiP/SiOreduced the phosphide particle size and increased the acid amount. In the deoxygenation reaction, the turnover frequency of methyl laurate increased on the catalysts in the order of NiMoP/SiO, NiP/SiO, Ni WP/Si O2, NiFeP/SiOand NiCoP/SiO, which is influenced by the size of phosphide particles and the interaction between Ni and M(M = Fe, Co, Mo or W). The introduction of the second metal(especially Mo and W) into NiP/SiOpromoted the hydrodeoxygenation pathway. This is mainly attributed to the interaction between Ni and the second metal. Finally, the Ni MoP/SiOcatalyst was tested at 340 oC, 3 MPa, methyl laurate WHSV of 14 h-1and H/methyl laurate molar ratio of 25 for 132 h, and its deactivation took place. We found that the catalyst deactivation mainly resulted from carbonaceous deposit rather than the sintering of metal phosphide crystallites.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21776214)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(No.BK20161166)the State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering
文摘A series of PtCuCeMgAl quintuple hydrotalcite-like compounds with different Ce contents were synthesized by one-pot method. After calcining and reduction, CeO_2-modified Mg(Al)O-supported Pt–Cu alloy catalysts were obtained. To understand the effect of Cu and Ce, the structure and physico-chemistry properties of the catalysts were characterized and analyzed, and the catalytic behaviors were investigated in a direct dehydrogenation of propane to propene. The results show that the Pt^(4+), Cu^(2+), and Ce^(3+) ions can be incorporated into the brucite-like layers and the Ce content significantly affects the interaction strength between Pt and Cu and the dehydrogenation performance of propane. Under the reaction conditions, the highest propane conversion(45%) with 89% selectivity to propene and a 40% propene yield were achieved with a 0.3 wt% Ce-modified PtCu/Mg(Al)O catalyst. The improved catalytic performance is related to the easy formation of Pt–Cu alloy phase, excellent resistance to sintering, and coke deposits of active components modified by CeO_2.
基金supported by the Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development(SOP HRD)ID59321 financed from the European Social Fundsupported by the Romanian Government
文摘Rapidly solidified Al100-x-Cux alloys （x = 5, 10, 15, 25, 35 wt%） were prepared and analyzed. High cooling rate increased the Cu solubility in α-AI matrix. The influence of the cooling rate on Cu solubility extension in AI was experimentally simulated. Thus the pouring was performed in metallic die and by melt spinning-low pressure （MS- LP） technique. Melt processing by liquid quenching was performed using a self-designed melt spinning set-up which combined the cooling technology of a melt jet on the spinning disc with the principle of the mold feeding from low pressure casting technology. The thickness of the melt-spun ribbons was in the range of 30-70 μm. The cooling rate provided by MS-LP was within 105-106 K/s after the device calibration. The obtained alloys were characterized from structural, thermal and mechanical point of view. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed for the microstructural characterization which was followed by X-ray analysis. The thermal properties were evaluated by dilatometric and differential scanning calorimetric measurements. Vickers microhardness measurements were performed in the study. In the case of the hypereutectic alloy with 35 wt% Cu obtained by MS-LP method, the microhardness value increased by 45% compared to the same alloy obtained by gravity casting method. This was due to the extended solubility of the alloying element in the α-AI solid solution.
基金Supported by Ministry of Higher Education Scientific Research and Technology,Algeria(Grant No.F03120130013/2014)
文摘Objective:To investigate the total phenolics,flavonoids and tannins content and the in vitro antioxidant activities of methanolic extracts of six wild Mentha species which are Mentha aquatica,Mentha arvensis,Mentha piperita,Mentha pulegium,Mentha rotundifolia and Mentha villosa.Methods:The Folin–Ciocalteu method was used to determine the total phenols content while flavonoids were estimated according to the aluminum chloride colorimetric method.To evaluate tannins content,vanillin and HCl were added to methanolic extracts.The antioxidant potential was measured by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging,ferrous ion chelating and the inhibition of b-carotene bleaching assays.Results:The methanol extracts of Algerian mints were rich in phenolic compounds and exhibited powerful antioxidant activity ranging from 7.5 mg/mL to 44.66 mg/mL,which varied significantly among species.Mentha aquatica stood out with efficient antioxidant ability which was correlated to the high total phenolics content,followed by Mentha arvensis and Mentha piperita with very close values,comparing to Mentha pulegium,Mentha rotundifolia and Mentha villosa with lowest values.Conclusions:These results show that methanolic extracts of Mentha species from Algeria have a great potential of polyphenols which can be used as a natural food preservative and antioxidant source.
