Excellent Application Research Articles

Hydrophobic melamine sponge incorporated with carbon dots as a green sorbent for micro-solid phase extraction of triazole fungicide residues in edible fungi samples

Fabrication of hydrophobic melamine sponge incorporated with carbon dots was investigated to extract triazoles prior to HPLC-DAD quantitation. The melamine sponge was simply incorporated with carbon dots via thermal treatment under facile conditions. The optimum conditions were melamine sponge (MeS) (1 × 1 × 1 cm3), 10 mL of standard solution, 0.04 M citric acid, functionalized at 250 °C for 5 h, and the analytes was then eluted from as-prepared material using acetonitrile (200 µL). Operating the best conditions, wide linearity was gained with R2 ≥ 0.99, for all analytes. Detection limits established varied between 3–10 μg L−1. Such approached method demonstrates excellent applicability for accurately and efficiently determining triazole fungicides in edible fungi samples, and a good recovery was also obtained. In addition, the desirable method validation and cost effective, not only its potential for reuse, but also provides it a better alternative for matrix purification. The appraisal estimated by two methods, confirmed its superior environmental friendliness.

Garlic Peel-Based Biochar Prepared under Weak Carbonation Conditions for Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue from Wastewater

Background: Due to it containing cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin with abundant specific functional groups which could interact with organic dyes, garlic peel (GP) might be used as an efficient biosorbent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the adsorption performances of GP-based bio-adsorbents and obtain optimum preparation conditions. Methods: GP-based bio-adsorbents were prepared by thermal pyrolysis under different temperatures (150–400 °C). The morphologies, chemical states, and surface functional groups of the adsorbents were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption of methylene blue (MB) under various conditions, including contact time, contact temperature, initial dye concentration, and initial pH value. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to different kinetic and isothermal models, and the adsorption thermodynamics were also calculated. Significant Findings: The physicochemical properties of the GP-based bio-adsorbents were primarily dominated by the pyrolysis temperature, because their morphologies and surface functional groups of GP-based bio-adsorbents significantly varied with the changes in pyrolysis temperature. The adsorption capacity of GP materials for MB decreased as the pyrolysis temperature increased. At an initial concentration of 50.00 mg L−1, GP150 possessed a higher adsorption capacity of 167.74 mg g−1 toward MB. The possible adsorbate–adsorbent interactions, including electrostatic attraction, hydrogen bonding, and π-π stacking, were recognized. After 10 consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles, GP150 maintained a high removal rate (88%) for MB, demonstrating its excellent adsorption performance, good reusability, and potential application in the treatment of MB-contaminated water.

Oriental covalent immobilization of N-glycan binding protein via N-terminal selective modification

Lectin affinity chromatography is one of powerful tools for the study of protein glycosylation. Different lectin proteins can recognize different structures of monosaccharides or oligosaccharide units, allowing for the selective separation of glycopeptides or glycoproteins containing different polysaccharide structures. However, the N-glycans were only partially captured by most of common lectins, reducing the coverage rate of identifying N-glycoconjugates. Recently, it has been reported that the engineering variant of glycan binding protein Fbs1 has a high affinity for innermost Man3GlcNAc2 structure and is able to bind diverse types of N-glycans, which can be suitable for the analysis of protein N-glycosylation. However, efficient immobilization of protein to separation matrix is particularly challenging as it requires the functionality and integrity of the protein to be preserved. Herein, we describe a simple and robust strategy for oriental covalent immobilization of proteins on magnetic nanoparticles by N-terminal selective labeling techniques. We inserted the enterokinase cleavage site to produce the specific N- terminal glycine of protein. Under physiological conditions, the protein was immobilized on the surface of the MNPs by this glycine tag, and the enrichment process could be completed within 30 min. A whole enrichment and purification of glycan and glycopeptides were completed and analyzed by MALDI TOF-MS. The functional materials achieved stable enrichment of glycan structure in different enzyme digestion systems or complex samples, showing excellent anti-interference and applicability.

A novel method for the preparation of reproducible, stable, and non-infectious quality control materials for Chlamydia trachomatis nucleic acid detection.

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is a significant sexually transmitted pathogen known to evoke severe complications, including infertility. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are recommended by the World Health Organization to detect CT infection. Furthermore, the establishment of methods, performance validation, internal quality control, and external quality assessment for CT NAATs necessitate the utilization of quality control materials (QCs). QCs are specimens or solutions that are analyzed for quality control purposes in a test system. In this study, we established a novel cell line that stably integrates CT amplification target sequences for producing QCs for CT NAATs. Utilizing clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 technology, we integrated the CT plasmid-mediated sequence (comprising the full length of the cryptic plasmid and the major outer membrane protein gene, 9,136 bp) into the MUC4 gene of HEK293T cells. Positive clones were screened through flow cytometric sorting, single-cell culture, and PCR-based identification, followed by the establishment of stable cell lines. These cells were then processed using optimized cell preservation procedures to prepare QCs. The sequence insertion copy number was confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR. This novel CT QCs demonstrate excellent clinical applicability, non-infectiousness, quantifiability, and stability. With an integrated sequence exceeding 9 kb in length, it offers exceptional flexibility for adapting to new kit developments. Furthermore, maintaining a well-defined copy number and stable shelf life, the QCs closely aligns with the quality control requirements of CT NAATs. This study presents an innovative method for preparing QCs for CT nucleic acid detection, making a valuable contribution to improving the performance of CT NAATs.IMPORTANCEUntreated CT infections impose significant burdens on individuals and communities, underscoring the importance of early and accurate testing via CT NAATs for disease control. QCs are instrumental in identifying testing process issues. Hence, we developed a cell line integrating CT-amplified target sequences as readily accessible non-infectious QCs. These QCs boast several advantages: the integration of over 9 kb of CT sequence allows for broad applicability, allowing flexible adaptation to the development of new kits. Confirming the CT sequence copy number provides a reliable basis for QC concentration preparation and kit detection limit evaluation. Optimized preservation protocol enhances QC stability during storage, facilitating convenient shipment to clinical laboratories at ambient temperatures. In summary, our novel CT QCs offer a powerful tool for improving CT NAAT performance and present a fresh perspective on QC preparation for detecting nucleic acids from intracellular parasitic pathogens.

Sub‐Nanometer‐Scale Cu9S5 Enables Efficiently Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia

AbstractThe sub‐nanometer is a key feature size in materials science. Unlike single‐atom and nanomaterials, size effects and inter‐component cooperative actions in sub‐nanomaterials will effective on its performance is more significant. Here, 0.95 nm ordered arrangement Cu9S5 sub‐nanowires (Cu9S5 SNWs) are synthesized through the co‐assembly effect of inorganic nuclei (Cu9S5) and clusters (phosphotungstic acid‐PTA), achieving a significant increase in the specific surface area of the sample and ≈100% atomic exposure rate, which is the key to its high catalytic activity. PTA clusters not only act as a “charge transfer station” to accelerate the inter‐component electron transfer process, but also facilitate the dissociation of water and provide more hydrogen protons, thus dramatically facilitating the electrocatalytic process. The experimental results show that the Cu9S5 SNWs exhibited excellent nitrate reduction reaction (NO3−RR) properties. The Faraday efficiency (FE) of NO3−RR is 90.4% at the optimum potential −0.3 VRHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) and the ammonia production is as high as 0.37 mmol h−1 cm−2, which is superior to most reported electrocatalysts. In addition, the Zn‐NO3− liquid‐flow battery devices assembled using Cu9S5 SNWs as electrode materials show excellent application results. This work provides a reference for the design of highly efficient sub‐nanoscale NO3−RR electrocatalysts.

Dy3+-doped niobate phosphor based on charge transfer band red-shift effect: Luminescence thermal stability and temperature sensing performance

The thermal quenching behavior seriously limits the application prospect of phosphors, so it is urgent to improve the thermal quenching behavior of phosphors. It is expected that the red-shift of charge transfer band (CTB) caused by temperature can be used to improve the luminescent stability of phosphor. Therefore, we designed a family of LuNbO4:x%Dy3 (x = 0.25, 1, 2, 5) phosphors based on the characteristic of the red-shift of CTB edge, and investigated the relationship between the red-shift of the CTB edge and the luminescence thermal stability of the phosphor, further broadening the application of this phosphor in temperature sensing. The effects of three different excitation positions, CTB (260 nm), CTB edge red-shift (288 nm) and Dy3+ 4f-4f transition (354 nm), on the luminescence thermal stability of phosphors were also investigated. It was found that only excitation in the red-shift range of CTB edge showed complete antithermal quenching behavior. The LuNbO4:2 %Dy3+ phosphor showed complete antithermal quenching under the excitation of CTB edge, and the comprehensive emission intensity at 573 K is 741 % of that at 298 K. According to the above characteristics, a dual-mode optical thermometry based on fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) and International Commission on Illumination (CIE) chromaticity coordinates is proposed, in which the maximum relative temperature sensitivity of LuNbO4:x%Dy3+ is 5.04 % K−1 (298 K, FIR) and 3.14 % K−1 (573 K, CIE). Interestingly, when constructing CIE temperature measurement model, we found that LuNbO4:0.25 %Dy3+ phosphor at 260 nm excitation position has obvious color change at each temperature stage, showing temperature visualization characteristics. At 354 nm excitation position, it shows constant white light emission. The excellent optical temperature measurement performance and temperature visualization characteristics of the phosphor shows that it has excellent application potential in optical sensing.

A new adaptive EWMA chart for two‐parameter exponential distribution based on type‐II censored data

AbstractIn this article, we propose a new adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (AEWMA) chart for monitoring the joint shifts in the location and scale parameters of the two‐parameter exponential distribution, namely the AEWMA‐II chart. A key feature of the proposed chart is its straightforward post‐signal diagnostics. The Monte Carlo simulation method is used to compute the steady‐state run‐length profiles of the proposed chart. The run‐length properties include the average run‐length and standard deviation of the run‐length. Through a comprehensive run‐length comparison, it is found that the AEWMA‐II chart performs better than the existing AEWMA chart. Moreover, with post‐signal diagnostics, the proposed chart also surpasses the existing chart. Finally, a real dataset is applied to illustrate the excellent performance and practical application of the proposed chart.

A cognitive load assessment method for fighter cockpit human-machine interface based on integrated multi-criteria decision making

The primary interface for communication between pilots and aircraft systems is the fighter cockpit Human-Machine Interface (HMI). Since reduced cognitive load ensures that pilots will operate the aircraft safely and effectively, it is critical to evaluate pilot cognitive load during HMI. A cognitive load assessment method, based on multi-criteria decision-making, is proposed to accurately quantify the relationship between the HMI and the cognitive load in the fighter’s cockpit. Firstly, based on the integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method, the Step-wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and MEthod based on the Removal Effects of Criteria (MEREC) methods are used to assign subjective and objective weights, respectively. Moreover, the Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) method is applied to rank the scenarios to establish a cognitive load assessment model for the cockpit HMI of the fighter jet. Secondly, an evaluation standard system of fighter cockpit HMI is proposed, drawn upon multiple sets of eye-movement criteria and subjective assessment criteria. Moreover, cognitive load experiments of fighter cockpit HMI are conducted using eye-tracking technology to get the objective physiological cognitive data as well as the subjective assessment data of the subjects. Consequently, the parameter data sets of the eye-movement criteria and the subjective criteria for the evaluation of cognitive load are obtained. The proposed method is applied to analyze the cognitive load assessment of a fighter jet cockpit HMI layout. This application aims to verify the effectiveness of the assessment method in evaluating the cognitive load of the HMI layout. Through sensitivity and comparison analyses, the model was further verified to have excellent robustness and applicability for cognitive load assessment. The advantages of this method can be seen through the comparison, which is that it has higher discriminability when assessing the degree of cognitive load. At the same time, it has higher flexibility in dealing with complex and ambiguous cognitive load assessment information.

Automated early ovarian cancer detection system based on bioinformatics

Ovarian cancer is a common gynecological tumor, with a high mortality rate and difficult clinical treatment. Early detection of ovarian cancer has significant diagnostic value. In response to the problem of poor diagnostic performance of traditional early diagnosis methods, this article designed an automated early ovarian cancer detection system to improve the detection of early ovarian cancer. The conventional early diagnosis methods include serum CA125 (carbohydrate antigen 125) detection and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging. This article combined serum CA125 detection and PET/CT imaging to detect the CA125 level and maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) in patient’s serum. When the CA125 level exceeded 35U/ml and the maximum SUV value exceeded 2.5, the test was considered positive. This article selected 200 patients from Jingzhou Hospital for the experiment and compared the three detection methods. The average specificity of single serum CA125 detection, single PET/CT imaging, and automated detection in patients under 50 were 61.24%, 79.57%, and 97.79%, respectively. The automated early ovarian cancer detection system designed in this article can significantly improve the specificity of early ovarian cancer detection and has excellent application value for early ovarian cancer detection.

New family of two-dimensional A2B2C5 single-layer with high carrier mobilities and excellent conversion efficiency for solar cells

Screening high-performance two-dimensional (2D) materials with desirable direct band gaps and high mobility has attracted great interest due to their excellent application in 2D field effect transistors. Herein, we predicted a new family of nine-atomic A2B2C5 (A = Mg, Ba; B= Al, Ga, and In, C = S, Se) single-layer using first-principles calculations. The results indicate that the energies of this A2B2C5 single-layer are slightly lower than that of exfoliated single-layer Mg2Al2S5. Furthermore, most of the A2B2C5 single-layers host not only direct band gaps but also outstanding electron mobilities (up to ∼103 cm2V−1s−1), revealing a desirable range of near-infrared to visible light absorption. Importantly, single-layer Ba2Al2Se5 and Mg2Ga2Se5 are good donor materials, the corresponding Ba2Al2Se5/HfS2 and Mg2Ga2Se5/InS type-II heterostructures exhibit promising power conversion efficiencies of 22.3 % and 19.8 %, respectively. Our work provides some competitive A2B2C5 candidate single-layers for applying high-performance solar cells.

Acylhydrazone Bond: A Pivotal Bridge for Modifying Julolidine Derivative with Pyrazole Group as MultiStimuli‐Responsive Fluorescent Materials

AbstractTo screen julolidine derivatives containing a pyrazole group with excellent fluorescence properties and promising applications in multistimuli‐responsive fluorescent materials, three novel compounds were designed and synthesized by connecting pyrazoles through typical conjugated bonds: imine (T1), dihydrazone (T2), and acylhydrazone (T3). The molecular structure of the title compounds was characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HR‐MS. The representative compound T3 was verified by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Although the three compounds have roughly similar conjugated structures, dissimilarity in their fluorescence properties was apparent. The results of fluorescence studies showed that the compound T3, which was connected to julolidine and pyrazole by an acylhydrazone bond, exhibited excellent fluorescence performance compared to the other compounds T1 and T2. Compound T3 can also respond to external stimuli, such as solvent viscosity, organic acids/bases, and mechanical forces. In addition, T3 could also specifically detect Cu2+ ions, and the fluorescence titration data indicated that the low limit of detection (LOD) of compound T3 for Cu2+ is 0.26 µM within the range from 0 to 50 µM. Therefore, this work provides a preliminary basis for the development of multistimuli‐responsive fluorescent molecular materials containing acylhydrazone fragment.

Investigation of thermal properties of TiN/MWCNT-OH hybrid nanofluids and GWO-BP neural network model

Hybrid nanofluids have garnered significant attention due to excellent heat transfer performance and potential applications. Conducting comprehensive research on hybrid nanofluids holds paramount importance. This study investigates the effects of surfactants, particle concentrations, mixing ratio and storage time of TiN/MWCNT-OH hybrid nanofluids on stability, thermal conductivity, and viscosity. It proposes a Grey Wolf Optimizer-Backpropagation neural network model for predicting thermal properties. The results indicate that the inclusion of PVP-K30 surfactant leads to remarkable stability of hybrid nanofluids at a concentration of 50 ppm over a period of two weeks. An increase in the proportion of MWCNT-OH results in a slight increase in thermal conductivity, which exhibits a maximum increase of 46 % with elevated temperature and particle concentrations. The viscosity of hybrid nanofluids gradually decreases as temperature rises, although demonstrates a non-linear correlation with concentrations. The neural network model exhibits a high predictive accuracy of 99.3507 % for thermal conductivity and 98.8924 % for viscosity.

Preparation of eco-friendly and high-strength ceramsite by granite scraps, granite fine mud, and phosphogypsum: Response surface methodology optimization, environmental safety assessment

Granite scraps (GS), Granite fine mud (GFM), and phosphogypsum (PG) are solid wastes containing harmful substances produced during the processing of granite and the production of phosphate fertilizer. Their resourceful and harmless utilization holds great significance in reducing environmental pollution. This study explores the preparation of eco-friendly and high-strength ceramsite using GS as the primary material, GFM as the binder, and PG as the regulator. The performance of ceramsite was studied by conducting single-factor experiments to examine the impact of the GS, GFM, and PG mass ratios. The Box-Behnken response surface methodology was utilized to optimize the effect of sintering conditions on the strength of ceramsite. The results suggested that the properties of the ceramsite are affected by the material ratios. The sintering temperature and keeping time notably influence the strength of ceramsite. Under optimal preparation conditions, the ceramsite achieved a bulk density of 1085.40kg/m3, apparent density of 2253.63kg/m3, 1-h water absorption of 0.13%, hydrochloric acid soluble rate of 0.016%, and compressive strength of 34.52MPa. Importantly, high-temperature sintering plays an essential role in fixing heavy metals and reducing the ecological risk level of heavy metals in ceramsite, which ensures excellent environmental performance and application prospects for ceramsite.

Lipase etching effects-induced interaction between betanin nanocomplexes and polylactic acid and its 3D printing for food packaging

Etching effects by lipase on polylactic acid (PLA) could induce the exposure of active sites and promote the attachment of betanin nanocomplexes (BR-Ch) to obtain red color. 3D printing, regarded as emerging, innovative packaging fabrication technique, was applied to potentially develop creative, red PLA products for food application. BR-Ch was prepared based on betanin and nano chitin (around 195 nm) via electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding, obtaining nanocomplexes (around 24 nm) with excellent thermal stability. Pre-treatments mattered greatly in PLA functionalization, and especially, lipase pre-treatment 30 min promoted BR-Ch modification on PLA. Final PLA exhibited excellent red color characteristics (CIElab, Hue-Saturation-Brightness, K/S and CMYK), elongation at break and stable thermal resistance, ultimately achieving outstanding dyeing effect. This work indicates that BR-Ch can potentially replace synthetic pigments to functionalize lipase-pretreated PLA, and the dyed PLA demonstrate the excellent packaging application prospects in food field by 3D-printed products.

Green synthesis of ZnO/Fe3O4 nanoparticles with nigella sativa extract: Efficient degradation of methylene blue and antimicrobial properties

Zinc oxide (ZnO), iron oxide (Fe3O4) NPs, and ZnO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized using Nigella sativa (NS) seed extracts. These nanomaterials (NMs) were characterized by multiple analytical techniques like UV-visible spectrophotometers, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, and XRD spectroscopy. The UV-visible spectrum showed 364 nm, 330 nm, and 331nm for ZnO NPs, Fe3O4 NPs, and ZnO/Fe3O4 NCs, respectively. Moreover, it was confirmed when the samples were run through FTIR techniques, and it was observed that the availability of bioactive functional groups was involved in the decline of bulk compounds to NPs. XRD showed their average nanoparticle size based on applying the formula of full width at half maximum (FWHM) for ZnO NPs, Fe3O4 NPs, and ZnO/Fe3O4 NCs at 29.52 nm, 22.08 nm, and 12.82 nm, respectively. In this study, the reduction of Methylene Blue (MB) dye was done by NPs and NCs, and their catalytic activities were investigated by a UV-visible spectrophotometer. MB dye showed the maximum absorption peak at 664 nm, and the reaction of MB was reduced using synthesized products with an accompanying color change reaction from blue to colorless within 60 min at 84%, 86%, and 99.5% degradation for ZnO NPs, Fe3O4 NPs, and ZnO/Fe3O4 NCs with rate constants of 0.00035, 0.00065, and 0.0015 Lmol-1S-1. The 2nd order rate constant was observed in this study. The agar disc diffusion method was used to investigate the potential antibacterial activity of synthesized NPs and NCs. This study is best suited for Gram-positive bacteria. NS seed extract-based synthesis of NCs could be an excellent catalyst and biological application for environmental pollution.

Mechanochemical preparation and performance regulation mechanism of highly durable and multifunctional iron red nanocomposite pigments derived from natural mixed-dimensional palygorskite clay

Iron oxide red pigments are one of the most widely used inorganic red pigments around the world. It is always pursed to improve their physicochemical properties. Herein, a continuous mechanochemical method was employed to fabricate high-performance iron red nanocomposite pigments via anchoring α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles on the surface of natural mixed-dimensional palygorskite clay (MDPal). The mechanical force of twin-screw extrusion promoted the Si-OH groups of MDPal to coordinate with Fe3+ to form the precursor, while MDPal was activated with the residual H+ of the involved nitrate to accelerate the thermal diffusion of Al3+ into α-Fe2O3 crystal lattice, thus the nanocomposite pigments presented a bright yellowish-red color (L∗ ​= ​35.61, a∗ ​= ​33.10, b∗ ​= ​35.86, C∗ ​= ​48.80). Furthermore, the mixed-dimensional nanostructure of MDPal served as a good substrate for chemical bonding of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles to improve the dispersion and environmental stability of iron red pigments. Due to the synergistic effect of each component and the excellent thermal and chemical stability, the obtained nanocomposite pigments exhibited excellent application prospect as functional inorganic pigments for anti-corrosion coating, overglaze ceramic and coloring and reinforcing of polypropylene, respectively. It provided a facile strategy for preparation of high-performance multifunctional iron red pigments based on MDPal.

Recent advances in polyaniline/graphene nanocomposites for supercapacitor applications: Synthesis, properties, and future directions

Electrochemical capacitors or supercapacitors have attracted the attention of researchers and industries in the recent past because of the differences in the features and potential applications in comparison to the Li-ion batteries. Supercapacitors have been one of the most investigated applications in literature based on graphene-related materials. This review aims to provide the most recent advancement on the use of graphene and polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposite towards enhancing the supercapacitor properties. The synthesis methods of the graphene and PANI nanocomposite, the characteristics of the nanocomposite and its utilization in supercapacitors are discussed. Graphene and PANI are both well-known materials that possess fascinating physical and electrochemical characteristics, and in the last several years, they have been investigated for numerous applications by many researchers. Together with such advantages as enhanced physical and electrochemical characteristics, mechanical strength, and density, composites of both materials can be a potent material for supercapacitor usage.The preparation methods of graphene, PANI, and its composites described by the authors of the research article include in-situ polymerization, chemical vapor deposition, and hydrothermal-assisted polymerization. These characterization techniques include SEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TGA to determine other properties of the nanocomposite which shows enhanced properties of graphene and PANI. The electrochemical properties of the nanocomposites are evaluated through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and the achieved values indicate high specific capacitance, cycling stability, and charge-discharge abilities. These outcomes demonstrate the excellent applicability of PANI/graphene nanocomposites as high-performance supercapacitors and encourage the confidence in the effectiveness of the study. Several factors affecting properties of the nanocomposites have been reported in the previous studies, and it is clear from this study how various properties and their relation affects the overall performance of the nanocomposite. Altogether, PANI/graphene nanocomposites have the potential to be used as next-generation supercapacitors, which is still unexplored fully to meet the demands to enhance the high-performance energy storage devices.

Combination of LiDAR Detection and Green Integral Method for Calculating Irregular Cross-Section Geometric Properties of Deteriorated Components in Timber Historic Buildings

Timber components in historic buildings are susceptible to deterioration due to the complex external environment. The loss of material in these components and changes in their cross-section geometry significantly impact the stability and load-bearing capacity of historic buildings. A portable LiDAR device is utilized to acquire the cross-section geometry of the deteriorated components. The irregular cross-section profiles are extracted using point cloud slicing and the Alpha-Shape algorithm. Geometric characteristics such as cross-section area, moment of inertia, and moment of resistance are calculated using Green's integral method. The performance of this method is evaluated by measuring eight groups of deteriorated components with different cross-section characteristics and comparing it with five traditional methods.The results demonstrate that the proposed method improves the calculation accuracy by 1% to 21% relative to traditional methods, thereby enhancing reliability by 9% to 54%. Additionally, it reduces manual calculation workload and human error, while promoting calculation efficiency. The method exhibits excellent applicability and high efficiency, with an error below 3% when compared to the true value. This method proves valuable in evaluating the extent of deterioration in historic timber components and provides essential data for preventive conservation and restoration of historic timber buildings.

Fracture mode of Ti(C, N)-based cermets investigated by experiment and simulation calculation

The high hardness and good wear resistance of Ti(C, N)-based cermets confer excellent applicability as cutting tools. However, the lack of in-depth research on the fracture mechanism limits further improvements in toughness. A typical commercial Ti(C, N)-based cermet with a core–rim structure was prepared through low-pressure sintering. The interface characteristics between the complex core, rim, and binder phases were characterised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while the actual hardness and modules of these phases were measured through in situ nanoindenter assessments. The crack propagation behaviour of the cermet was analysed using a 70° angle observation method combined with electron backscatter diffraction in scanning electron microscopy (EBSD/SEM). This study identifies a commonly occurring but long-overlooked fracture mode, termed “trans-rim” fracture. The experimental results were verified through simulation calculations. This novel idea offers insights into enhancing the toughness of Ti(C, N)-based cermets.

Research of Acoustic Emission Characteristics and Applicability of Artificial Intelligence for Source Localization

Within this research, the deployment of artificial intelligence for the localization of acoustic emissions (AE) is being investigated. In detail, series of experiments were conducted on a plate of granite with homogeneous and isotropic material behavior. Acoustic emissions could be generated by the breaking of pencil leads, as well as the impact of rice grains and steel balls on 81 specific positions with a distance of 50 mm in both horizontal axes to each other. The response of the system was recorded using 16 acoustic emission sensors, of which 8 sensors were positioned on each surface side of the plate. In further steps the data could be processed, so that the resulting characteristic signal features could be translated into spec-trograms and furthermore being used as input for the artificial intelligence. Additionally, the corresponding source locations appeared as labels. Both, the signal features as well as the labels, could be implemented in the process of supervised learning using a convolutional neural network (CNN). The results of this network indicated a validation accuracy of over 99% as well as a low loss value by classifying the inserted features to the right labels. Thus demonstrates the excellent applicability of artificial intelligence for the source localization of acoustic emission (AE).