Dense Layer Research Articles

Effects and optimizations of image charge technology on the imaging performance of capacitive division image readout MCP detectors

A finite element model is proposed to investigate the impact of image charge technology on the imaging performance of capacitive division image readout (C-DIR) devices. Through detailed simulation analysis, we explore the charge density of the induction layer and each electrode layer in the multilayer capacitive anode. The position nonlinearity is calculated for various resistances per square of the induction layer and substrate thicknesses. The simulation results indicate a strong linear correlation between the position nonlinearity and substrate thickness, and an exponential decay relationship with the logarithmic resistance per square of the induction layer. The C-DIR detector is experimentally tested for imaging nonlinearity and counting rate, with the resistance per square of the induction layer ranging from 0.005 to 1000 MΩ, and the substrate thickness ranging from 1 to 5 mm. The experimental results validate the simulation conclusions and reveal the impact of the “charge accumulation effect” and “shielding effect” on the imaging performance of the detector, as well as the “imaging compression” phenomenon. Optimized image charge readout technology enables the C-DIR detector to achieve an imaging nonlinearity of 1.53% in the experiment.

The Retinal Blood Flow Density Is Related to the Pathological Severity of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between fundus blood flow parameters and the severity of pathological biopsy in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Methods: Data of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who completed renal pathology biopsies and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) examinations, including renal function, 24-h urine protein quantification, and macular flow imaging, were collected. DKD pathology biopsies were graded as stages 1–4, and differences and correlations of the parameters were compared between groups. The grading was transformed into early (stage 1) and late (stages 2–4), and regression analyses were conducted to develop a model, draw a nomogram, and test efficacy. Results: This study included 157 eyes from 157 individuals in total. Urinary microalbumin and to urinary creatinine ratio (mALB/NCR) increased with pathological grading, whereas while glomerular filtration rate was decreased (p < 0.01). Corresponding retinal blood flow in superficial, deep, and full paracentral rings was decreased, which correlated with pathological grading (p < 0.01), with the highest blood flow density in the whole layer (r2 = −0.707). Meaningfully, in the early DKD model (area under the curve = 0.929 [0.889–0.970], p < 0.01), whole-layer blood flow density, mALB/NCR, and diabetes duration were statistically significant. Conclusions: The decrease in macular retinal blood flow density detected by OCTA is closely associated with the increase in pathological grading of DKD and can be used as a noninvasive parameter for monitoring early changes in DKD.

The effect of different potency glucocorticosteroids treatments on tear inflammatory factors and corneal optical density after femtosecond-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis.

To assess the impact of glucocorticosteroids with varying potencies on inflammatory mediators in tears and corneal optical density after femtosecond-assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). In a prospective study, 110 patients (220 eyes) who underwent FS-LASIK were divided into 2 groups: 55 patients (110 eyes) received dexamethasone, and another 55 patients (110 eyes) received fluorometholone. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and corneal optical density were measured before, 1 week, and 1 month after surgery. Tear fluid samples were also collected to assess expression levels of TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-6, and TGF-β1. One week after the procedure, the dexamethasone group exhibited elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) levels (P > .05) and a decreased expression of TNF-α in tears (P < .001) compared to the fluorometholone group. Within the 0 to 2 mm range from the corneal apex, the anterior corneal layer's optical density in the fluorometholone group surpassed that of the dexamethasone group (P < .05). At 1 month post-surgery, the IOP in the fluorometholone group was higher than that in the dexamethasone group (P < .05). In both the 0 to 2 mm and 2 to 6 mm intervals from the corneal apex, the optical density of the anterior corneal layer was significantly higher in the fluorometholone group compared to the dexamethasone group (P < .05). There was no statistically significant difference in visual acuity between the 2 groups at any postoperative time point. Short-term use of potent corticosteroids after FS-LASIK can swiftly address ocular surface inflammation, enhance corneal wound healing, reduce corneal edema, and accelerate the restoration of corneal transparency, in contrast to prolonged use of milder corticosteroids post-surgery.

Wet carbonation of recycled cement paste powder using a CO2-loaded monoethanolamine solvent as an internal CO2 source

To address the challenge posed by the carbonation product layer formed on recycled cement paste powder (RCPP) on the efficiency and degree of carbonation, CO2-loaded monoethanolamine (MEA) “microcapsules” were used. The CO2 within MEA was released by heating after the formation of the dense carbonation products layer on RCPP to provide an additional internal CO2 source to penetrate into the uncarbonated layer. Results showed that using CO2 dissolved in 15 %, 30 %, and 45 % MEA aqueous solution increased the carbonation degree of RCPP by 10.8 %, 11.2 %, and 13.8 %, respectively, compared to RCPP wet carbonated in water. In addition to calcite, vaterite and aragonite were observed in the CO2-loaded MEA carbonated RCPP. The long-term compressive strength of cement pastes with 30 % CO2-loaded MEA carbonated RCPP increased, and the porosity decreased compared to cement paste with RCPP wet carbonated in water. However, MEA negatively affected the early compressive strength of the cement paste.

A Data-Driven Multi-Step Flood Inundation Forecast System

Inundation maps that show water depths that occur in the event of a flood are essential for protection. Especially information on timings is crucial. Creating a dynamic inundation map with depth data in temporal resolution is a major challenge and is not possible with physical models, as these are too slow for real-time predictions. To provide a dynamic inundation map in real-time, we developed a data-driven multi-step inundation forecast system for fluvial flood events. The forecast system is based on a convolutional neural network (CNN), feature-informed dense layers, and a recursive connection from the predicted inundation at timestep t as a new input for timestep t + 1. The forecast system takes a hydrograph as input, cuts it at desired timesteps (t), and outputs the respective inundation for each timestep, concluding in a dynamic inundation map with a temporal resolution (t). The prediction shows a Critical Success Index (CSI) of over 90%, an average Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.07, 0.12, and 0.15 for the next 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h, respectively, and an individual RMSE value below 0.3 m, for all test datasets when compared with the results from a physically based model.

Automated medical diagnosis of dementia through fine-tuned EfficientNet

Automated models using deep learning are more extensively used in medical imaging in the last decade. The present study contributes to the diagnosis of dementia using MRI. Dementia is a syndrome that deteriorates the cognitive function of the brain. The disease has no cure, till now, except for the prior diagnosis. The present study aims for classifying the MRI scans of two datasets OASIS and ADNI into 2 categories: binary and multi-classification. To achieve the objective, the EfficientNetB0 architecture of deep learning is fine-tuned by adding three dense layers on the top of the network. The swish activation function is used in the inner dense layers added. The dropout and batch normalization layers are also added for dealing with the problem of overfitting. This architecture offers high accuracy and high efficiency compared to other pre-trained networks. The model is assessed on various performance measures and outperformed the state of art techniques. For the OASIS dataset, the best testing accuracy for binary classification is 93.10% with a 0.01 learning rate. The sensitivity is 95.93%, specificity is 90.08%, false-negative rate is 4.07, the false-positive rate is 9.92 and the F1-score is 93.48%. The best testing accuracy of multi-classification is 84.50% with a 0.001 learning rate. For the ADNI dataset, the best testing accuracy is 96.08% with a learning rate of 0.001. The sensitivity is 94.74%, specificity is 99.32%, false-negative rate is 5.26, the false-positive rate is 0.68 and the f1-score is 97.16%. The best testing accuracy of multi-classification is 98.10 with a 0.01 learning rate. The proposed model can be utilized for developing an automated framework to help medical services to improve decision-making.

One-step fabrication of hetero-structured polyethersulfone hollow fiber membranes through surface segregation for pervaporation desalination

Hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) are an ideal configuration for industrial applications of pervaporation desalination (PV) membranes. Currently, the efficient fabrication of PV HFMs is restricted by multi-step post-treatment processes on their outer surfaces to form the selective layer. Herein, we utilized the surface segregation strategy to fabricate a hetero-structured HFM in one step, simultaneously forming the hydrophilic dense outer layer and the porous support layer. During hollow fiber spinning process, the amphiphilic copolymer polyvinylpyrrolidone-polyvinyl acetate (PVP-PVAc) in polyether sulfone (PES) dope solution migrated towards water contacting interface in the coagulation bath and formed the hydrophilic layer by extending hydrophilic segment outwards. This fast in-situ hydrophilization well matched the spinning efficiency. The optimal PVP-PVAc content and phase inversion temperature were investigated and the spinning parameters on the structure and performance of HFMs were studied. The HFMs prepared realized a flux of 26.70 kg m−2 h−1 and the salt rejection of 99.98 %, along with adaptability to solutions with different salinities and excellent anti-organic fouling property. This study may provide a facile method to fabricate HFMs with desirable PV desalination performance and scaling-up potential.

Intercalation modified nano zirconium phosphate inhibitor for inhibiting coal spontaneous combustion

The synthesis and characterization of a modified zirconium phosphate (MZrP) nano-inhibitor for spontaneous coal combustion inhibition were explored through isooctylamine intercalation. Using oxidation experiment, FTIR and SEM, the variation rules of the characteristic parameters of the different coal samples were investigated. It was observed that MZrP exhibited enhanced dispersion within the coal matrix post-intercalation modification. As the MZrP concentration increased, there was a notable decrease in oxygen consumption rate, gas production concentration, and active group content in the coal, alongside a significant increase in apparent activation energy and inhibition efficacy. This enhanced inhibition is attributed to two primary mechanisms. Firstly, the hydrophilic nature of MZrP allows for its uniform distribution on the coal surface and within internal pores, creating a dense carbonized layer. This layer effectively retains moisture and isolates oxygen, enhancing physical inhibition. Secondly, MZrP inhibitor is thermally decomposed into phosphoric acid and its phosphoric acid derivatives, which can effectively capture the H- and -OH in the coal, and strengthens the inactivation of its reactive free radicals. The optimal inhibition was observed in coal samples treated with 6 wt% MZrP, exhibiting an average inhibition rate of 62.2 %, coupled with the lowest rates of gas production and oxygen consumption.

Heterogeneous porous hypoxia-mimicking scaffolds propel urethral reconstruction by promoting angiogenesis and regulating inflammation

The nasty urine microenvironment (UME) impedes neourethral regeneration by inhibiting angiogenesis and inducing an excessive inflammatory response. Cellular adaptation to hypoxia improves regeneration in numerous tissues. In this study, heterogeneous porous hypoxia-mimicking scaffolds were fabricated for urethral reconstruction via promoting angiogenesis and modulating the inflammatory response based on sustained release of dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) to promote HIF-1α stabilization. Such scaffolds exhibit a two-layered structure: a dense layer composed of electrospun poly (l-lactic acid) (PLLA) nanofibrous mats and a loose layer composed of a porous gelatin matrix incorporated with DMOG-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (DMSNs) and coated with poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS). The modification of PGS could significantly increase rupture elongation, making the composite scaffolds more suitable for urethral tissue regeneration. Additionally, sustained release of DMOG from the scaffold facilitates proliferation, migration, tube formation, and angiogenetic gene expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), as well as stimulates M2 macrophage polarization and its regulation of HUVECs migration and smooth muscle cell (SMCs) contractile phenotype. These effects were downstream of the stabilization of HIF-1α in HUVECs and macrophages under hypoxia-mimicking conditions. Furthermore, the scaffold achieved better urethral reconstruction in a rabbit urethral stricture model, including an unobstructed urethra with a larger urethral diameter, increased regeneration of urothelial cells, SMCs, and neovascularization. Our results indicate that heterogeneous porous hypoxia-mimicking scaffolds could promote urethral reconstruction via facilitating angiogenesis and modulating inflammatory response.

Numerical exploration of MHD bioconvective Williamson-Maxwell nanoliquid flow due to an exponentially elongated porous sheet

This research delves into the intriguing realm of non-Newtonian fluids in conjunction with microorganisms, presenting a mathematical model tailored to analyze heat and mass transfer within Williamson-Maxwell nanofluids hosting gyrotactic microbes. The study investigates how these fluids behave under the influence of multiple factors such as magnetic fields, thermal radiation, chemical reactions, and dissipation effects. Employing a set of similarity invariants, the governing equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations, which are then solved using a fourth-order R-K scheme. The findings, presented graphically, offer insights into various flow parameters and are complemented by pertinent physical explanations. The influence of magnetic flux ([Formula: see text]), Buoyancy ratio ([Formula: see text]), Peclet number ([Formula: see text]), and Schmidt number ([Formula: see text]) on various physical parameters are shown graphically. Notably, the research reveals that while increasing the external magnetic field impedes fluid motion, it enhances thermal and density layers. Additionally, a higher bioconvective Schmidt number is shown to reduce microbial density. These observations hold significant implications for applications involving nanofluids and microorganisms across biomedical, pharmaceutical, biofuels, and other sectors. Overall, this study contributes valuable knowledge to the understanding and potential utilization of complex fluid systems in diverse industrial contexts.

Spatial variation of soil organic carbon density in the black soil region of Northeast China under the influence of erosion and deposition

Soil erosion of the Songnen typical Black Soil Region (BSR) in Northeast China where contains higher soil organic carbon is serious, resulting in soil organic carbon spatial redistribution. To study the spatial redistribution pattern of cropland SOC caused by erosion, 115 cropland sample points were selected in the Songnen typical BSR, and soil samples were collected along the entire soil profile. The soil organic carbon density (SOCD) of the soil layer and profile were calculated, and the carbon storage (CS) was calculated for the erosion and deposition areas. The average soil organic carbon density (SOCDav) of the 115 cropland soil profiles (1 m) ranged from 1.5 to 4.5 kg/m2, and the total soil organic carbon density (SOCDt) of the soil profile (1 m) ranged from 10 to 20 kg/m2. The SOCD of each soil layer (20 cm) decreased vertically in a logarithmical manner from the top, and was divided into four groups with thickness through systematic clustering, which were 30–60 cm, 60–100 cm, less than 300 cm and greater than 350 cm. The SOCDt in the area north of the Songhua River and the area west of Nen River (The Greater Khingan Mountains area) ranged from 2.5 to 59.3 kg/m2, with an average is 14.1 kg/m2, and the first sample point group (30–60 cm) was mainly located in this area which had an average slope of 3.2° and an average black soil thickness of 24.6 cm. The SOCDt in the area north of the Songhua River and the area east of the Nen River ranged from 11 to 90 kg/m2, with an average of 28.6 kg/m2, the third and the fourth sample point group (greater than 100 cm) were both mainly located in this area which had an average slope of 2° and an average black soil thickness of 61 cm. The SOCDt in the area south of the Songhua River ranged from 1.6 to 28.7 kg/m2, with an average of 13.8 kg/m2, and the second sample point group (60–100 cm) was mainly located in this area which had an average slope of 2.4° and an average black soil thickness of 58.7 cm. The results showed that soil erosion occurred on steeper slopes, resulting in thinner soil layers, whereas soil deposition occurred on lower grade slopes, resulting in thicker soil layers. Kriging interpolation in ArcGIS showed that the Cs in the erosion and deposition areas of the Songnen typical BSR was 459.7 and 1234.7 Tg, respectively, and the total Cs was 1.6944 Tg (1 Tg = 1012 g).

Numerical investigation and design optimization for enhanced efficiency of Cs2AgBiBr6 perovskite solar cell

Nowadays, environmental concerns are becoming increasingly important. As a result of the imperative to protect society, lead-free perovskites are becoming increasingly important. The lead-free compound cesium silver bismuth bromide (Cs2AgBiBr6) was numerically investigated as a potential candidate for double perovskite solar cells application. In the proposed architecture, we combine FTO/ETL-SnO2/Cs2AgBiBr6/HTL-CuI/Au, all optimized for performance. To optimize the solar cell’s performance, the device configuration was modelled using SCAPS-1D. An evaluation of the impact of various factors, including absorber thickness, defect density, electron affinity, electron and hole transport layer optimization, band diagram analysis, working temperature and quantum efficiency, was conducted. The proposed device configuration exhibited excellent photovoltaic performance, achieving a PCE of 8.15%, a Voc of 1.041 V, a Jsc of 11.79 mA cm−2, an FF of 66.41%, and a quantum efficiency of 99.19% within the visible range. This research highlights the potential of Cs2AgBiBr6 as a promising perovskite material for use in lead-free photovoltaic technology.

Integration of SCAPS-1D and density functional theory for the performance evaluation of RbGeI3-based perovskite solar cell

The instability of organic-inorganic perovskites in the presence of heat, light, or moisture coupled with the presence of carcinogenic lead (Pb) motivated researchers to look for alternatives in the form of Pb-free all-inorganic perovskite materials as potential absorbers for designing stable and efficient solar cells. In this study, SCAPS-1D is utilized to study the photovoltaic performance of all-inorganic Pb-free RbGeI3-based planar n-i-p perovskite solar cell (PSC). The optoelectronic characteristics of RbGeI3 are obtained using WIEN2K within the density functional theory framework. Twenty-five different combinations of RbGeI3-based device architectures with different ETLs and HTLs are explored out of which the best PSC architecture is chosen for further analysis. We show that the device structure FTO/TiO2/RbGeI3/PTAA/Au exhibited a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.03 %, a high fill factor (FF) of 79.85 %, an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.88 V, and a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 33.83 mA/cm2. Enhanced optimized performance characteristic is obtained through the variation of the defect density, bandgap, and thickness of the RbGeI3 layer. This paper proposes a new way of studying the photovoltaic characteristics of lead-free perovskite absorbers.

Real-time induced magnetic vibrational based antifouling mechanism for ultrafiltration (UF) membrane

Despite the widespread adoption of membrane technologies for efficient water treatment, membrane fouling remains a significant challenge, reducing separation efficiency, shortening lifespan, and increasing operational costs. Various studies have explored chemical membrane modifications to mitigate fouling, often resulting in adverse effects on flux and selectivity. Based on numerical modeling and experimental investigation, this work introduces real-time induced magnetic vibration as a sustainable approach for membrane antifouling without compromising permeability and selectivity. By preventing or delaying particle deposition on the membrane surface, magnetic vibration reduces fouling intensity. Experimental results demonstrated that different frequencies of magnetic vibration influenced the deposition of foulants (Humic Acid and Sodium Alginate) on the membrane surface. Notably, vibrating the membrane at 10 Hz with centrally attached iron particles led to a 22.4 % reduction in flux when treated with Humic Acid, compared to a 33.9 % reduction without vibration. Exposure to vibrations at the resonance frequency (5 Hz) for 6 h resulted in only a 10 % reduction in flux, effectively preventing the formation of a dense cake layer. Similarly, in the case of Sodium Alginate, a 10 Hz vibration for 2 h decreased the flux reduction from 21.4 % without vibration to 7.3 %, suggesting the preventive effect of vibration on aggregated SA deposition or facilitating continuous displacement for flux retention. Moreover, the study examined the influence of the configuration of iron particles attached to the membranes on the effectiveness of vibration. The study revealed that a striped configuration was more effective than a centralized configuration, owing to the distributed vibration effect across each part of the membrane. Furthermore, the fouling mechanism and rejection percentage were further investigated to enhance understanding of the fouling processes.

Oxidation behavior and structural damage mechanism of LaMgAl11O19 dual-ceramic thermal barrier coating with varying thickness of Al plating layer

Previous results clearly confirmed that the presence of an Al plating layer promotes the development of a dense Al2O3 barrier layer when exposed to high temperatures. This enhances the structural stability and improves the oxidation resistance of the dual ceramic coating. In the work, a continuous study was conducted to investigate the effect of varying Al plating layer thickness on the high-temperature oxidation characteristics of a CoCrNiAlY–YSZ–LMA dual ceramic coating. The results indicate that, compared to samples lacking Al layers, all Al-coated samples exhibit dense surface morphology, effectively inhibiting the permeation of O2. This results in slower growth of the TGO and minimal elemental diffusion. However, significant differences are observed in structural damage. Al layers of 5 μm and 10 μm thickness show slight local fracture damage and good structural stability. In contrast, the 15 μm Al-coated samples experience more severe structural fracture damage within the YSZ layer, including transverse cracking. These potential oxidation and structural damage mechanisms of the coatings with varying Al plating layer thickness were systematically discussed.

Failure mechanism of transversely isotropic schist under Brazilian test using real-time X-ray nano tomography scanning

The study tries to address Brazilian tests on a transversely isotropic rock to investigate failure conditions by using digital volume correlation (DVC). For this purpose, an in-situ Brazilian apparatus in a nano- X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner is applied to investigate the 3D progressive failure mechanism of the schist. Two different anisotropy angles are tested. CT scans are conducted at every selected loading stage before peak load. DVC analyzes the constructed X-ray CT images to determine the effect of schistosity orientation on failure mechanism, including crack initiation and propagation. A calibration method is presented to verify DVC parameters, including the half size of the correlation window and the space between two sub-volumes. Using DVC, 3D deviatoric strain field, strain contours, and displacement increment are determined at all stages of loading. A CT value-based method (VG Studio) is also applied to validate the DVC results. It is found that the layer boundaries affect the failure pattern, with the agreement between the DVC results and VG Studio results being observed. For the specimen with horizontal layers, the crack initiates at the center part at the lower density layer and finishes out of the center. Also, for the specimen with horizontal layers, the crack initiates and propagates at the boundary of two layers out of the middle line of the specimen. These asymmetry failures are due to the heterogeneity of layers. The study also shows the type of failure using DVC by monitoring displacement increment vectors near the crack location.

Preparation of halogen-free flame retardant curing agent and its application in epoxy resin

9,10-Dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide-N-Aminoethylpiperazine (DOPO-AEP), a phosphorus and nitrogen intumescent flame retardant curing agent was prepared by using acetonitrile as solvent using 9,10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) and N-aminoethylpiperazine (AEP) as raw materials. The structure of the flame retardant curing agent DOPO-AEP was analyzed Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS), and the synthesis method of the target product was determined. In addition, the content of char residue was determined by thermogravimetric analyzer, and its thermal properties were comprehensively explored, and based on the obtained results, the curable epoxy resin was selected to prepare DOPO-AEP/EP flame retardant composites. According to the amount of DOPO-AEP added product, different proportions of DOPO-AEP/EP flame retardant composites were prepared, and the actual impact of flame retardant properties and mechanical properties of epoxy resin in different proportions was explored. When the content of DOPO-AEP is 35%, the limiting oxygen index of DOPO-AEP/EP reaches 29.9, which has a significant increase compared with the limiting oxygen index of pure epoxy resin of 19.8, but compared with the content of DOPO-AEP of 30%, the limiting oxygen index of DOPO-AEP/EP is 28.7, and there is no significant increase change. Comprehensive analysis shows that when the component content of DOPO-AEP is 30%, the flame retardant system has a tensile strength of 29.0 MPa, an impact strength of 4.5Kj/m2 and a flexural strength of 73.9 MPa, and its limiting oxygen index is as high as 28.7, and the comprehensive performance of the system is the best. By testing the surface morphology of the flame retardant composites after combustion by SEM, it was found that a dense char layer was formed on the surface of the epoxy resin cured char residue and foamed obviously, indicating that the flame retardant curing performance of DOPO-AEP was good.

Higher Seed Rates Enlarge the Effects of Wide-Belt Sowing on Root Length Density, Thereby Improving Nitrogen Uptake and Use Efficiencies in Winter Wheat.

The optimized sowing method and appropriate seed rate can improve wheat N use efficiency. However, the interactive effect of the sowing method and seed rate on N use efficiency, particularly N uptake and root length density, are unclear. A field experiment was conducted for two growing seasons in southern Shanxi province, China, using a split-plot design with the sowing method as the main plot (wide-belt sowing, WBS, and conventional narrow-drill sowing, NDS) and seed rate as the sub-plot (100-700 m-2). Our results showed that WBS had a significant and positive effect on N use efficiency (yield per unit of available N from the fertilizer and soil, by 4.7-15.4%), and the relatively higher seed rates (>300 or 400 m-2) enlarged the effects. The N use efficiency increases under WBS were mainly attributed to the increases in N uptake before anthesis, resulting from the promoted nodal roots per plant and per unit area, and root length density in the top layer(s). WBS promoted N translocation and the N harvest index, resulting in equivalent grain protein concentration and processing quality compared to NDS. Thus, adopting higher seed rates (>300 m-2) combined with WBS is recommended for achieving greater N efficiencies while maintaining the grain protein concentration and processing quality of winter wheat.

Effect of Mo and Sn co-regulation on low alloy steel corrosion in tropical marine atmosphere

The influence of co-regulating Mo and Sn on the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel in tropical marine atmospheric was investigated. The combined addition of Mo and Sn has been found to significantly improve the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel, augmenting the protective capabilities of the rust layer. This combined addition promotes the formation of protective compounds like α-FeOOH and FeCr2O4 within the alloy rust layer. Furthermore, it facilitates the conversion of Cr, Ni and Cu into corrosion-resistant oxides such as Cr2O3, NiFe2O4 and CuO, thereby enhancing the density of the rust layer. Additionally, as corrosion progresses over time, higher levels of Sn addition lead to increased Sn content within the inner rust layer, consequently bolstering the protective qualities of the rust layer. This comprehensive understanding sheds light on the synergistic effects of Mo and Sn in fortifying the corrosion resistance of low alloy steel, offering insights for the development of advanced corrosion-resistant materials in marine environments.

Investigation of the effect of electrodeposited Cu from graphite wrapped in polypyrrole film formed by chemical oxidation

The metallization of graphite substrates is currently confronted by negative issues including insufficient adhesion and inherent instability. In an effort to surmount these challenges, a layer of conductive polypyrrole (PPy) film on a graphite surface is formed through simple polymerization, followed by an electroplating copper layer. The graphite enveloped by the PPy film, subjected to cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) analyses, demonstrates enhanced electrochemical activity and thus renders the more efficient electrodeposition of copper. Further investigation was conducted through orthogonal experiments to explore the optimal formulation of electroplating solutions containing popular additives including 3, 3′-dithiobis-1-propanesulfonic acid disodium salt (SPS), Janus Green B (JGB), and polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG8000)., According to the optimal additive formulation, a dense copper layer with superior adhesion was electroplated on the graphite substrate employing PPy as an intermediate layer.