Breakdown Mechanism Research Articles

Response of soil aggregate stability and splash erosion to different breakdown mechanisms along natural vegetation restoration

Vegetation restoration may effectively improve aggregate stability and reduce soil erosion by increasing soil organic matter (SOM). Soil internal and raindrop impact forces are the main breakdown mechanisms of soil aggregates, and the main erosive factors that generate splash erosion. However, it remains unclear about how these forces affect the aggregate stability and the splash erosion during natural vegetation restoration. In this study, four soils at different succession stages (farmland, grassland, shrub, and forest) were selected. Deionized water and ethanol were employed to evaluate the effect of soil internal and raindrop impact forces on aggregate stability and splash erosion during vegetation restoration, by performing fast-wetting test and simulated rainfall experiment. Deionized water was used to simulate the combined effects of soil internal and raindrop impact forces, whereas ethanol was used to simulate the sole effect of raindrop impact force. The results indicated that soil organic matter (SOM) content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), specific surface area (SSA), and soil aggregate stability for the four soils increased with revegetation. The soil aggregate stability in deionized water test (MWDW) was lower than these in ethanol test (MWDE), and the relative difference of the MWD (RMWD) decreased with revegetation. Besides, the splash erosion rate in deionized water test (SW) was much higher than those in ethanol test (SE). SW and SE decreased with the order of grassland < shrub < forest. With the increasing rainfall kinetic energy, splash erosion rates increased in both deionized water and ethanol tests; but the contribution rates of soil internal forces to rainfall splash erosion decreased. The overall results suggested that the process of vegetation restoration altered soil particle surface properties mainly due to the increase SOM, and decreased the net repulsive internal forces, which thereby improved aggregate stability and erosion resistance with revegetation.

N and\xa0Fe doped NiO nanoparticles for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of azo dye methylene blue in the presence of visible light

Pure NiO, N-doped, Fe-doped, N and Fe codoped NiO NPs were fabricated via a precipitation process. The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed the face centered cubic phase of NiO products. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the XRD peak was steadily enlarged with the order of elements N, Fe, N/Fe doped to NiO, and shifted towards a greater angle due to decrease in grain size, as shown by XRD. The average crystallite size of NiO products was calculated, ranging from 6.67 to 3.76 nm, according to the Debye Scherrer formula. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated considerable morphological changes in the produced nanoparticles, including those directed to rock-like geometries (NiO and Fe/NiO nanoparticles) while gas covered-nanocrystals (N/NiO and N/Fe/NiO nanoparticles) were formed using precipitation method. The particle size range of 10–50 nm was estimated using the bar scale in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) pictures. The elemental composition of Ni, O, Fe and N atoms in the respected samples was analyzed by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX). Photoluminescence (PL) showed band edge emission at 370 nm. The band edge-absorption peak, which is caused by electronic transitions between energy levels, is determined to be in the range 314–325 nm. A UV–Vis analysis found an energy gap amid 3.2 eV and 2.5 eV. The chemical condition of the Fe and N doped NiO composites were validated using XPS. Using visible photo application of undoped and doped NiO NPs, the degradation of an azo dye termed methylene blue was examined. It was N/Fe/NiO (79.8%), Fe/NiO (76%), N/NiO (73%), and NiO (62%) throughout the 6 h irradiation duration. Increased production of OH• radicals was detected in fluorescence tests using terephthalic acid (TA) for N/Fe/NiO NPs, indicating the higher photo-degradation described. Furthermore, the degradation trends of both undoped and doped NiO NPs closely matched the pseudo first order kinetics, according to the kinetic analysis. There was also a suggestion for a thorough MB breakdown mechanism.

Employment of Flake Ice Systems Including Natural Preservative Compounds for the Quality Enhancement of Chilled Seafood-A Review.

Marine species deteriorate rapidly post-mortem as a consequence of a variety of biochemical and microbial breakdown mechanisms. Due to the increasing demand for high-quality fresh seafood, different strategies are now available to retard spoilage for as long as possible. The present study provides an overview of a recently proposed strategy based on the addition of natural compounds to marine species. In this strategy, different kinds of natural preservative compounds are included in the flake-ice medium that is commonly used for chilled storage. Natural sources tested for this purpose include low-molecular-weight organic acids and different kinds of extracts of plants, macroalgae, and by-products resulting from marine species commercialization. The preservative action of such treatments is analyzed according to the effect on different deteriorative mechanisms (i.e., lipid hydrolysis, oxidation, and microbial activity development), as well as on the resulting sensory acceptability and shelf-life time. The basic objective of this review is to provide an overview concerning the positive effect that the presence in an icing system of natural preserving compounds may have on the quality of chilled marine species. Furthermore, various potential avenues are proposed to develop the practical and commercial employment of this technological strategy.

Breakdown Characteristics of Composite Insulation for High Temperature Superconducting Cable

Polypropylene laminated paper (PPLP) and Kraft paper have been studied as multi-layer insulation for high temperature superconducting cable. The experiment was examined with AC and impulse voltages. Short-term and long-term breakdown of insulation samples were investigated. It was found from the experimental results that the breakdown voltage becomes smaller in the order of PPLP, PPLP/Kraft and Kraft, but the lifetime index increases with the presence of Kraft layer in the multi-layer insulation. In addition, the position of PPLP layers has a significant effect on the breakdown voltage of PPLP/Kraft samples under positive impulse voltage. Finally, breakdown mechanism of PPLP/Kraft composite insulation was suggested. Partial discharges in butt-gaps and in the porous structure of insulation layers combined with electric discharges on the surface of these layers are considered to be main factors causing the puncture of multi-layer insulation.

Recent Advances in Multilayer-Structure Dielectrics for Energy Storage Application.

An electrostatic capacitor has been widely used in many fields (such as high pulsed power technology, new energy vehicles, etc.) due to its ultrahigh discharge power density. Remarkable progress has been made over the past 10 years by doping ferroelectric ceramics into polymers because the dielectric constant is positively correlated with the energy storage density. However, this method often leads to an increase in dielectric loss and a decrease in energy storage efficiency. Therefore, the way of using a multilayer structure to improve the energy storage density of the dielectric has attracted the attention of researchers. Although research on energy storage properties using multilayer dielectric is just beginning, it shows the excellent effect and huge potential. In this review, the main physical mechanisms of polarization, breakdown and energy storage in multilayer structure dielectric are introduced, the theoretical simulation and experimental results are systematically summarized, and the preparation methods and design ideas of multilayer structure dielectrics are mainly described. This article covers not only an overview of the state‐of‐the‐art advances of multilayer structure energy storage dielectric but also the prospects that may open another window to tune the electrical performance of the electrostatic capacitor via designing a multilayer structure.

Peculiar Porous Aluminum Oxide Films Produced via Electrochemical Anodizing in Malonic Acid Solution with Arsenazo-I Additive.

The influence of arsenazo-I additive on electrochemical anodizing of pure aluminum foil in malonic acid was studied. Aluminum dissolution increased with increasing arsenazo-I concentration. The addition of arsenazo-I also led to an increase in the volume expansion factor up to 2.3 due to the incorporation of organic compounds and an increased number of hydroxyl groups in the porous aluminum oxide film. At a current density of 15 mA·cm−2 and an arsenazo-I concentration 3.5 g·L−1, the carbon content in the anodic alumina of 49 at. % was achieved. An increase in the current density and concentration of arsenazo-I caused the formation of an arsenic-containing compound with the formula Na1,5Al2(OH)4,5(AsO4)3·7H2O in the porous aluminum oxide film phase. These film modifications cause a higher number of defects and, thus, increase the ionic conductivity, leading to a reduced electric field in galvanostatic anodizing tests. A self-adjusting growth mechanism, which leads to a higher degree of self-ordering in the arsenazo-free electrolyte, is not operative under the same conditions when arsenazo-I is added. Instead, a dielectric breakdown mechanism was observed, which caused the disordered porous aluminum oxide film structure.

Numerical simulation of multi-carrier microwave breakdown in air-SF6 mixtures

In this paper, the multi-carrier microwave breakdown in air-SF6 mixtures is analyzed with the spectral-element time-domain method. In this process, a three-dimensional multi-physics model coupling Maxwell's equations with electron fluid equations is established. The tail-erosion and frequency shift phenomenon caused by multi-carrier microwave breakdown in different proportions of air-SF6 mixtures can be observed. Numerical results demonstrate that multi-carriers will make the wireless communication system sensitive to microwave breakdown. On the other hand, the different proportions of air-SF6 mixtures can obviously improve the breakdown threshold to inhibit the multi-carrier microwave breakdown, which is favorable to the propagation of multi-carrier microwaves in air. Meanwhile, increasing the pressure can suppress the frequency shift phenomenon, and the proportion of different SF6 in the mixed gas has little effect on the frequency shift of the transmitted wave. Our research provides theoretical guidance for comprehensively exploring the characteristics and physical mechanism of multi-carrier microwave breakdown in air-SF6 mixtures and is helpful for protection of microwave devices and plasma application.

Prebreakdown negative streamers in liquid nitrogen: propagation characteristics and their influence on microsecond breakdown

Further clarification of streamer-induced breakdowns in liquid nitrogen has been attracting increasing attention owing to their potential applications in superconducting systems and cryoplasmas. In this work, negative streamers in microsecond discharges were investigated using a high-speed multiple-frame imaging technique. Different external voltages, gap lengths, hydrostatic pressures, and pin tips were employed to initiate various streamers, namely bush-like streamers, single pinecone-like streamers, dendritic streamers, and filamentary streamers. Furthermore, abundant hybrid streamers involving streamer transition and combination were observed. The diversity of negative streamers may be related to the pin morphology. Generally, it was found that thinner streamers, especially filamentary streamers, could take place more frequently with higher breakdown probability under stronger filed and lower pressure. However, bush-like streamers gradually played a more dominant role upon increasing the pressure, and they were unable to cause breakdown. Moreover, several intermittent weak discharges were recorded during the growth of streamers, which might be responsible for the streamer transition and propagation. Additionally, given the evolution of streamers branches after breakdown and the influence of pressure on streamers characteristics, it was speculated that high-pressure gas could be involved inside the streamers. The possible mechanism of streamer propagation and resultant breakdown were further explored based on the analysis of streamer protrusions.

Profiling of Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption in Mouse Intracerebral Hemorrhage Models: Collagenase Injection vs. Autologous Arterial Whole Blood Infusion.

Disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the subsequent formation of brain edema is the most severe consequence of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), leading to drastic neuroinflammatory responses and neuronal cell death. A better understanding of ICH pathophysiology to develop effective therapy relies on selecting appropriate animal models. The collagenase injection ICH model and the autologous arterial whole blood infusion ICH model have been developed to investigate the pathophysiology of ICH. However, it remains unclear whether the temporal progression and the underlying mechanism of BBB breakdown are similar between these two ICH models. In this study, we aimed to determine the progression and the mechanism of BBB disruption via the two commonly used murine ICH models: the collagenase-induced ICH model (c-ICH) and the double autologous whole blood ICH model (b-ICH). Intrastriatal injection of 0.05 U collagenase or 20 μL autologous blood was used for a comparable hematoma volume in these two ICH models. Then we analyzed BBB permeability using Evan’s blue and IgG extravasation, evaluated tight junction (TJ) damage by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Western blotting, and assessed matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) mRNA expression by Gelatin gel zymography and RT-PCR, respectively. The results showed that the BBB leakage was associated with a decrease in TJ protein expression and an increase in MMP-9 activity and AQP4 expression on day 3 in the c-ICH model compared with that on day 5 in the b-ICH model. Additionally, using TEM, we found that the TJ was markedly damaged on day 3 in the c-ICH model compared with that on day 5 in the b-ICH model. In conclusion, the BBB was disrupted in the two ICH models; compared to the b-ICH model, the c-ICH model presented with a more pronounced disruption of BBB at earlier time points, suggesting that the c-ICH model might be a more suitable model for studying early BBB damage and protection after ICH.

Dielectric Polymers Tolerant to Electric Field and Temperature Extremes: Integration of Phenomenology, Informatics, and Experimental Validation.

Flexible polymer dielectrics tolerant to electric field and temperature extremes are urgently needed for a spectrum of electrical and electronic applications. Given the complexity of the dielectric breakdown mechanism and the vast chemical space of polymers, the discovery of suitable candidates is nontrivial. We have laid the foundation for a systematic search of the polymer chemical space, which starts with "gold-standard" experimental measurements and data on the temperature-dependent breakdown strength (Ebd) for a benchmark set of commercial dielectric polymer films. Phenomenological guidelines are derived from this data set on easily accessible properties (or "proxies") that are correlated with Ebd. Screening criteria based on these proxy properties (e.g., band gap, charge injection barrier, and cohesive energy density) and other necessary characteristics (e.g., a high glass transition temperature to maintain the thermal stability and a high dielectric constant for high energy density) were then setup. These criteria, along with machine learning models of these properties, were used to screen polymers candidates from a candidate list of more than 13 000 previously synthesized polymers, followed by experimental validation of some of the screened candidates. These efforts have led to the creation of a consistent and high-quality data set of temperature-dependent Ebd, and the identification of screening criteria, chemical design rules, and a list of optimal polymer candidates for high-temperature and high-energy-density capacitor applications, thus demonstrating the power of an integrated and informatics-based philosophy for rational materials design.

Blood-Brain Barrier Breakdown: An Emerging Biomarker of Cognitive Impairment in Normal Aging and Dementia.

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) plays a vital role in maintaining the specialized microenvironment of the neural tissue. It separates the peripheral circulatory system from the brain parenchyma while facilitating communication. Alterations in the distinct physiological properties of the BBB lead to BBB breakdown associated with normal aging and various neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we first briefly discuss the aging process, then review the phenotypes and mechanisms of BBB breakdown associated with normal aging that further cause neurodegeneration and cognitive impairments. We also summarize dementia such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) and subsequently discuss the phenotypes and mechanisms of BBB disruption in dementia correlated with cognition decline. Overlaps between AD and VaD are also discussed. Techniques that could identify biomarkers associated with BBB breakdown are briefly summarized. Finally, we concluded that BBB breakdown could be used as an emerging biomarker to assist to diagnose cognitive impairment associated with normal aging and dementia.

Cu-Doped TiNxOy Thin Film Resistors DC/RF Performance and Reliability

We fabricated Cu-doped TiNxOy thin film resistors by using atomic layer deposition, optical lithography, dry etching, Ti/Cu/Ti/Au e-beam evaporation and lift-off processes. The results of the measurements of the resistance temperature dependence, non-linearity, S-parameters at 0.01–26 GHz and details of the breakdown mechanism under high-voltage stress are reported. The devices’ sheet resistance is 220 ± 8 Ω/□ (480 ± 20 µΩ*cm); intrinsic resistance temperature coefficient (TCR) is ~400 ppm/°C in the T-range of 10–300 K; and S-parameters versus frequency are flat up to 2 GHz with maximum variation of 10% at 26 GHz. The resistors can sustain power and current densities up to ~5 kW*cm−2 and ~2 MA*cm−2, above which they switch to high-resistance state with the sheet resistance equal to ~200 kΩ/□ (~0.4 Ω*cm) caused by nitrogen and copper desorption from TiNxOy film. The Cu/Ti/TiNxOy contact is prone to ageing due to gradual titanium oxidation while the TiNxOy resistor body is stable. The resistors have strong potential for applications in high-frequency integrated and hybrid circuits that require small-footprint, medium-range resistors of 0.05–10 kΩ, with small TCR and high-power handling capability.

Analysis of discharge channel characteristics based on three-phase flow dielectric characteristics in USV-MF assisted WEDM-LS

In this paper, considering the effects of the characteristics of the three-phase flow dielectric in the discharge gap flow field on the discharge channels in the ultrasonic vibration and magnetic field assisted low speed WEDM (USV-MF assisted WEDM-LS), the model of discharge channel including discharge position and size of discharge channel is established. Firstly, a mechanism of bubble-particle bridging breakdown was proposed under working condition of cutting workpieces with large thickness. Then a prediction model of the discharge point position in USV-MF assisted WEDM-LS under three-phase flow dielectric characteristics based on the breakdown mechanism was performed, and FEM software COMSOL was used to simulate and analyze this model. By comparing with the experimental results of discharge point position captured by high-speed camera, the accuracy of the prediction results of discharge point position in USV-MF assisted WEDM-LS was verified, it showed that the model can explain the dielectric breakdown more accurately. Next, the model of radius of discharge channel including magnetic field intensity, electric field intensity, medium pressure, and surface tension of discharge channel was established, and the influence of USV and MF on the size of discharge channel was analyzed theoretically. The radius of discharge channel in USV-MF assisted WEDM-LS was obtained by solving the partial differential equation in MATLAB. According to discharge point position and radius of the plasma discharge channel, surface morphology of workpiece was simulated by COMSOL. Finally, the experiment of photographing the discharge channel in USV-MF assisted WEDM-LS was carried out to verify the above model. It showed that the trend of the simulated results of discharge channel position is the same as that of the experimental results, and the error of peak height value between simulated and experimental results is within 6%.

Enhanced DC breakdown strength of epoxy nanocomposites at elevated temperature and its mechanisms

Breakdown of epoxy composites is easy to be triggered as the temperature is elevated. In order to improve the DC breakdown strength of epoxy composites at elevated temperature and explore the DC breakdown mechanism, functional nano-titania (TiO2) particles were incorporated into the epoxy matrix with different filler loadings, molecular chain dynamic characteristics were analyzed by dielectric relaxation spectrum analysis, free volumes of epoxy nanocomposites were evaluated by thermal expansion dilatometer, and DC breakdown strengths of samples were tested at 413 K. Results indicate that DC breakdown strength first increases and then decreases with nanoparticle filler loadings, and a 10.89% improvement of DC breakdown strength is found compared to pristine epoxy resin. The breakdown strength of epoxy resin at elevated temperature is determined by the expansion properties of free volume in the interfacial region between the epoxy matrix and nanoparticles. When incorporating a small amount of nanoparticles, free volume is difficult to expand due to the strong interactions between molecular chains and nanoparticles, the fraction of free volume decreases, and long molecular chains of epoxy are hard to move, and thus DC breakdown strength increases. While further adding nanoparticles, interfacial regions of nanoparticles overlap and free volumes are likely to expand by thermal stimulation in the overlap region, which accelerate molecular chain dynamics and improve free volume fraction, and DC breakdown strength increases. It can be found that DC breakdown strength at an elevated temperature can be enhanced by tailoring free volume through incorporating proper content of functional nanoparticles.

A Putative Lignin Copper Oxidase from Trichoderma reesei.

The ability of Trichoderma reesei, a fungus widely used for the commercial production of hemicellulases and cellulases, to grow and modify technical soda lignin was investigated. By quantifying fungal genomic DNA, T. reesei showed growth and sporulation in solid and liquid cultures containing lignin alone. The analysis of released soluble lignin and residual insoluble lignin was indicative of enzymatic oxidative conversion of phenolic lignin side chains and the modification of lignin structure by cleaving the β-O-4 linkages. The results also showed that polymerization reactions were taking place. A proteomic analysis conducted to investigate secreted proteins at days 3, 7, and 14 of growth revealed the presence of five auxiliary activity (AA) enzymes in the secretome: AA6, AA9, two AA3 enzymes), and the only copper radical oxidase encoded in the genome of T. reesei. This enzyme was heterologously produced and characterized, and its activity on lignin-derived molecules was investigated. Phylogenetic characterization demonstrated that this enzyme belonged to the AA5_1 family, which includes characterized glyoxal oxidases. However, the enzyme displayed overlapping physicochemical and catalytic properties across the AA5 family. The enzyme was remarkably stable at high pH and oxidized both, alcohols and aldehydes with preference to the alcohol group. It was also active on lignin-derived phenolic molecules as well as simple carbohydrates. HPSEC and LC-MS analyses on the reactions of the produced protein on lignin dimers (SS ββ, SS βO4 and GG β5) uncovered the polymerizing activity of this enzyme, which was accordingly named lignin copper oxidase (TrLOx). Polymers of up 10 units were formed by hydroxy group oxidation and radical formation. The activations of lignin molecules by TrLOx along with the co-secretion of this enzyme with reductases and FAD flavoproteins oxidoreductases during growth on lignin suggest a synergistic mechanism for lignin breakdown.

Investigation on Charge Transport in Polypropylene Film under High Electric Field by Experiments and Simulation

The charge transport in polypropylene was studied under DC electric fields at different temperatures. By the experimental measurement and simulation of the BCT model, we studied conduction currents, breakdown strength, and space charge distribution. In particular, the conduction characteristics under high temperature and high field, especially the conduction characteristics before the breakdown, were studied by systematic experiments, and the conduction characteristics and the breakdown mechanism were further studied by simulation. The results show that in the process of measuring conduction currents until breakdown, both high temperature and high electric field will promote charge transport. However, the free volume will increase at high temperature, which will easily lead to faster charge transport and breakdown. In the breakdown process at different temperatures, there are different breakdown mechanisms. At 20–60 °C, the electric breakdown process has mainly occurred in polypropylene film, and the breakdown strength is almost unchanged. At 80 °C, electric breakdown and thermal breakdown act together, and the charge transport is faster, and the breakdown field becomes smaller. Finally, we conclude that thermal stress plays a very important role in charge transport. In a high-temperature environment, the volume expansion of polypropylene will promote charge transport, and the insulation of polypropylene capacitor films will be damaged.

Effect of Electric Field Uniformity on Breakdown Mechanisms of Dielectric Liquids under Lightning Impulse

The electric field uniformity imposes a significant effect on the breakdown mechanisms of dielectric liquids. In general, breakdown is dominated by streamer initiation under uniform field, while it is dominated by streamer propagation under non-uniform field. This paper presents a study on identifying and quantifying the transition field factor boundary, represented by the field enhancement factor f, between the two dominating breakdown mechanisms. The methods for deducing the transition field factor boundary are introduced. The first method from our previous study was developed by measuring and processing both the streamer initiation and breakdown voltages. In this paper, a new method is developed by only processing the breakdown voltage data. Based on the breakdown results reproduced from the literature, the transition field factor boundaries are derived for the mineral oil under both positive and negative lightning impulses. It is found that the negative transition field factor boundary is lower than the positive one. A four-region model is proposed to describe the effect of impulse polarity on breakdown mechanisms of dielectric liquids and to interpret the transition of breakdown mechanisms with respect to the field uniformity.

Understanding Electrical Conduction and Nanopore Formation During Controlled Breakdown.

Controlled breakdown has recently emerged as a highly appealing technique to fabricate solid-state nanopores for a wide range of biosensing applications. This technique relies on applying an electric field of approximately 0.4-1 V nm-1 across the membrane to induce a current, and eventually, breakdown of the dielectric. Although previous studies have performed controlled breakdown under a range of different conditions, the mechanism of conduction and breakdown has not been fully explored. Here, electrical conduction and nanopore formation in SiNx membranes during controlled breakdown is studied. It is demonstrated that for Si-rich SiNx , oxidation reactions that occur at the membrane-electrolyte interface limit conduction across the dielectric. However, for stoichiometric Si3 N4 the effect of oxidation reactions becomes relatively small and conduction is predominately limited by charge transport across the dielectric. Several important implications resulting from understanding this process are provided which will aid in further developing controlled breakdown in the coming years, particularly for extending this technique to integrate nanopores with on-chip nanostructures.

Diameter distribution and formation mechanism of solid-state nanopores prepared by dielectric breakdown

The diameter distribution and dielectric breakdown mechanism of solid-state nanopores in a liquid environment are discussed based on the experimental results. We discussed the nanopore formation mechanism from the viewpoint of the statistical correlation between the diameter distribution, the charge to breakdown, and the dissipated energy across the nanopore by changing the field stress. We found that high field stress increases the instability of the uniformity of the nanopore diameter. Similar to the mechanism in the solid situation, the diameter of the nanopore can be uniquely correlated to the dissipated energy in the pore formation process.

Evaluating aggregate stability of soils under different plant species in Ziwuling Mountain area using three renowned methods

Soil stability is a characteristic property and is frequently used as an indicator of soil quality. Considering the large variation among stability tests, existing studies usually employ more than one stability test in order to better understand soil behavior against various disruptive forces. The main purposes of this study were to evaluate the impact of aggregate disruptive mechanisms (slaking, clay swelling, mechanical breakdown, and cavitation) on soils developed under different plant species. We aimed as well to compare the results of three renowned soil stability methods: modified Yoder (Yod), Le Bissonnais (LB) and Ultrasonic agitation (UA) on surface (0–20 cm) and subsurface (20–40 cm) soils. Overall, soils of three plant communities developed under eight plant species were investigated. These include forestland (Quercus wutaishansea, Pinus tubulaeformis, Platycladus orientalis, and Robinia pseudoacacia), shrubland (Sophora viccifolia, Hippophae rhamnoides, and Rosa xanthina) and grassland (Stipa bungeana). The mean weight diameter (MWD) was used as a stability parameter for modified Yoder’s and Le Bissonnais’ methods. In contrast, specific dispersion energies (SE) at the initial (10%, w/w), middle (50%, w/w) and final (90%, w/w) stages of aggregate disruption were used as stability parameters by the UA method. The results of MWD (Yod) indicated that surface and subsurface soils were in the range of 1.23–2.86 mm, which accounted for medium (0.8–1.3 mm) to very stable (>2 mm) soils. Among the three LB tests (fast wetting (FW), slow wetting (SW), and wet stirring (WS)), the order of aggregate disruption was FW > WS > SW, suggesting that FW was the most destructive among the three tests with the lowest MWD value (0.45 mm, unstable soil). SW showed the highest MWD values (0.82–2.82 mm), and most of the soils were ranked in the stable (1.3–2 mm) to very stable (>2 mm) range. The MWD trend of WS was similar to FW test. Although the range of SE at three levels was different: SE10 (8.1–29.4 J g−1), SE50 (53.0–193.4 J g−1), and SE90 (176–642 J g−1), they all showed a similar association with soil characteristics and stability parameters of other tests. The strong positive correlation of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), fine root biomass (FRB), and clay contents, and the negative correlation of soil water content (SWC) with the five tests, indicated that these five factors were the major characteristics responsible for the resistance of the studied soils against different destructive mechanisms (p < 0.05–0.01). Overall, the results of all five tests indicated that soil under Quercus wutaishansea (QW) was the most stable, while that under Robinia pseudoacacia (RP) was the most unstable. Although all methods were based on different breakdown mechanisms, initial and final soil fractions and parameters, they were strongly positively correlated with each other. This indicated that all these tests were equally good at stability assessment, with some distinctions and limitations.