Ideal Texture Research Articles

Prolonged Skin Retention of Luliconazole from SLNs Based Topical Gel Formulation Contributing to Ameliorated Antifungal Activity.

The development of effective therapy is necessary because the patients have to contend with long-termtherapy as skin fungal infections usually relapse and are hardly treated. Despite being a potent antifungal agent, luliconazole (LCZ) has certainshortcomings such as limited skin penetration, low solubility in aqueous medium, and poor skin retention. Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) were developed using biodegradable lipids by solvent injection method and were embodied into the gel base for topical administration. After in-vitro characterizations of the formulations, molecular interactions of the drug with excipients were analyzed using in-silico studies. Ex-vivo release was determined in contrast to the pure LCZ and the commercial formulation followed by in-vivo skin localization, skin irritation index, and antifungal activity. The prepared SLNs have an average particle size of 290.7nm with no aggregation of particles and homogenous gels containing SLNs with ideal rheology and smooth texture properties were successfully prepared. The ex-vivo LCZ release from the SLN gel was lower than the commercial formulation whereas its skin deposition and skin retention were higher as accessed by CLSM studies. The drug reaching the systemic circulation and the skin irritation potential were found to be negligible. Thesolubility and drug retention in the skin were both enhanced by the development of SLNs as a carrier. Thus, SLNs offer significant advantages by delivering long lasting concentrations of LCZ at the site of infection for a complete cure of the fungal load together with skin localization of the topical antifungal drug.

Preparation of fine-grained/ultrafine-grained Nb521 alloy with superior mechanical property by friction stir processing

High strength-ductility synergy is difficult to achieve in Nb alloys. Although high strength has been achieved through severe plastic deformation (SPD) technology, led to low ductility in alloys. In this work, FSP technology was applied to treat Nb–5W–2Mo–1Zr-0.1C (Nb521) alloys in preparation of fine-grained (FG)/ultrafine-grained (UFG) Nb521 with excellent strength and ductility. The microstructure evolution and mechanical property improvement mechanism were systematically studied for Nb521 alloy through various characterization pathways. The research results indicated that UFG Nb521 alloy with a grain size of 0.63 ± 0.41 μm can be prepared using low shoulder plunge depth FSP (LPD-FSP), which is the first report of UFG Nb521 alloy. The main reason for the formation of onion rings structure in SZ is the periodic wear of the stirring tool, and the onion rings structure does not cause mechanical damage. The texture formed by Nb521 alloy under different processing parameters is off-axis shear texture, which matches the ideal shear texture of D2 (112‾)[111] after rotation. In addition, this study also elaborated on the refinement mechanism of the second phase particles (Nb, Zr) C in Nb521 alloy during FSP. This study also indicated that the increase in yield strength of FSP samples at room temperature is mainly determined by grain refinement. These findings provided new ideas for the development of high-performance niobium alloys.

PSIX-3 Dental stick extrusion utilizing spray dried plasma

Abstract Dental stick extrusion utilizes various ingredients to form the ideal texture and quality product. Alternative ingredients to enhance or impact texture, palatability and/or plaque removal can be useful to improve dental stick manufacturing. Spray dried plasma (SDP) is a consistent high protein ingredient commonly utilized in pet food for functional texture properties, enhancing palatability, and supporting overall health. Thus, the study objective was to evaluate how SDP inclusion with other ingredients impacts texture of extruded dental formulas. Three formulas were developed utilizing SDP to replace wheat starch (WS) or Arabic gum in the control formula. The formulas were: Control: WS and gum; SDP1: SDP and WS replacing gum; and SDP2: SDP replacing WS and gum. Dental sticks were made at the Extru-Tech technology testing center using a 525 single screw extruder with the product densification unit (PDU) removed and replaced with a mid-barrel valve and 3 cooling heads to cause densification. The sticks were manufactured as solid square sticks. Generally, a single screw with a PDU, or a traditional parallel-shaft twin screw is used to manufacture dental sticks. However, the equipment alterations used worked like a single screw with a PDU; thus, it would be expected that the results would translate to a traditional single screw configuration. Glycerin at 12% (% to dry feed rate) and chicken fat were added to the pre-conditioner at set rates to optimize expansion and product quality. Processing conditions were monitored and adjusted on the various formulations during production to optimize extrusion. Texture was measured on a TA.XT Plus utilizing an adjustable bridge with a rounded-end knife probe for a 3-point bend. Dental sticks of 8 cm in length were placed over the two bridge spans spaced 5 cm apart to measure maximum force (hardness) and work to peak force (work to break) to determine texture parameters. Ten dental sticks per treatment were analyzed. All formulas utilizing SDP were successful in producing dental sticks. No differences (P > 0.05) were noted in force with SDP formulas compared with control. Work to peak was greater (P < 0.05) in SDP formulas compared with control formula. Formulation matrix impacts results. In the current formulas, both Arabic gum and WS were altered in the formulas and depending on amount of SDP used similar texture was noted. In conclusion, SDP can be incorporated into dental stick formulas and utilized as a processing aide. Overall, depending on target hardness and ingredient matrix, SDP can be an alternative to various ingredients to maintain or improve product quality.

Microbial transglutaminase in cashew‐based vegan cheese: an innovative approach in achieving ideal texture and meltability

SummaryThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) on the textural properties and meltability of vegan cheese formulated using cashew paste, tapioca starch, coconut oil, and pea protein. The parameters were evaluated at various MTGase concentrations (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1%) and different incubation times (30, 60, and 90 min). A MTGase concentration of 0.25% resulted in higher meltability Index of 3.02 ± 0.14 and acceptable hardness of 3479.44 ± 14.49 g at 30 min of incubation time. However, prolonged incubation times were found to adversely affect the texture and meltability of the cheese. A similar adverse effect on texture was observed at an MTGase concentration of 0.1% at 60 and 90 min of incubation. The results revealed that lower MTGase concentrations with longer incubation times produced similar effects as higher MTGase concentrations with shorter incubation times. However, at a lower enzyme concentration of 0.1%, meltability was significantly higher (3.24 ± 0.33, P < 0.05) at 60 min of incubation compared to 90 min. The findings suggest that vegan cheese with improved texture, meltability, and sensory properties can be developed by combining cashew, tapioca starch, coconut oil, and pea protein in a ratio of 50:25:20:10, with 1% each of carrageenan and agar, and 60% water, and incubating the mixture with 0.25% MTGase for 30 min at 40 °C.

Pharyngeal Residues Following Swallowing of Pureed Diets Thickened with a Gelling Agent or a Xanthan Gum-Based Thickener in Elderly Patients with Dysphagia.

The ideal texture of pureed diets to prevent aspiration pneumonia remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pureed diet with either a gelling agent or a xanthan gum-based thickener to prevent pharyngeal residues in patients with dysphagia. We retrospectively analyzed a randomized, crossover trial of pureed rice with either a gelling agent or a xanthan gum-based thickener in patients with dysphagia. The enrolled patients were classified into mild and moderate-to-severe dysphagia groups. The primary outcome measure was degree of need for cyclic ingestion using test jelly for pharyngeal residuals (cyclic ingestion score). The secondary outcome was the patient's sense of material remaining in the throat following swallowing. Sixty-two patients (58% men; mean age 83 ± 9 years) with dysphagia were included. They were classified into mild dysphagia (n = 26) and moderate-to-severe dysphagia (n = 36) groups. In the moderate-to-severe dysphagia group, pharyngeal residuals were significantly less likely with pureed diets using a gelling agent than with those using a xanthan gum-based thickener, with respective median cyclic ingestion scores (range) of 1 (0-4) vs. 2.5 (0-4) (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in pharyngeal residuals between the pureed diets in the mild dysphagia group. The multivariate analysis identified gelling agent as an important factor significantly associated with less pharyngeal residual after swallowing of pureed diet in patients with moderate-to-severe dysphagia. Pureed diets thickened by a gelling agent decrease pharyngeal residues in patients with moderate-to-severe dysphagia and may reduce risk of aspiration pneumonia.

Effect of strain path and short-term post-annealing on the microstructure, texture, and mechanical anisotropy of low-carbon steel

In this research, the effect of strain path and short-term post-annealing on the microstructure, texture, and mechanical anisotropy of low-carbon steel was investigated. Asymmetric unidirectional rolling (AUR) and asymmetric cross rolling (ACR) were applied on Fe-0.072C steel. The ACR-processed sheet revealed a very limited number of new grains compared to the AUR-processed sheet, which was due to the dynamic recovery induced by strain path change. The average ferrite grain size of the post-annealed AUR- and ACR-processed samples was 11.5 and 14.1 μm, respectively. The dominant recrystallization in the annealed AUR-processed sheet was discontinuous static recrystallization, while that in the annealed ACR-processed sheet was continuous static recrystallization. The weak typical rolling textures (γ-fiber and α-fiber) at the midthickness of both rolled sheets demonstrated that the shear deformation effectively contributed to the formation of the shear textures during asymmetric cold rolling. The ACR decreased the intensity of the overall texture more than the AUR process due to the changes in the reference frame of deformation after each pass, which destabilized ideal texture components. The results showed that Goss and {111}〈112〉 components were continuous and discontinuous static recrystallization textures in the asymmetrically cold-rolled low-carbon steel sheet during the annealing treatment, respectively. The annealed AUR-processed sheet revealed a weaker texture as compared to the annealed ACR-processed sheet. The significant changes in the preferred orientations of the annealed AUR-processed sample led to weaker texture intensity compared to the annealed ACR-processed sheet. The hardness of the annealed AUR-processed sheet (183.8 HV) was higher than that of the annealed ACR-processed steel (156.9 HV), which was owing to the larger grain size and also the elimination of the γ-fiber texture in the annealed ACR-processed sheet. The strength along the rolling direction was lower than that along the transverse direction in the AUR-processed sheet. However, in the ACR-processed sheet, the values of strength were similar along three different tensile directions. As an important conclusion, if both high-strength and low-anisotropy are needed in the low-carbon steel sheets, it's better to apply ACR rather than AUR. In addition, if both high toughness and low anisotropy are essential, it's better to use AUR followed by post-annealing rather than ACR + post-annealing. The length of the intermediate stage of work hardening in the annealed ACR-processed sample was much less than the annealed AUR-processed sheet due to the presence of harder orientations (〈111〉 and 〈110〉) along rolling and transverse directions in the annealed ACR-processed sample. Finally, the fracture behavior of deformed and post-annealed steel sheets for both strain paths was ductile and shear ductile.

Effect of Tool Geometry on the Microstructure of Friction Stir Welding of Copper and 316L Stainless Steel

The microstructure evolution during dissimilar friction stir welding of copper with stainless steel 316L is studied. The welding is performed in transparence configuration using tools of two different geometries. The joints are characterized by optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and microhardness. The microstructure and crystallographic texture of base metals are significantly affected. The joint produced using a shoulder of 8 mm in diameter is characterized by a copper nugget with refined grains. The texture of copper is dominated by component of the shear texture. The steel beneath the tool shows a grain refinement with grains of sub‐micron size and a texture which is close to the ideal simple shear texture. For the joint produced by the 16 mm diameter tool shoulder, the nugget consists of large grains of copper, while the steel beneath the tool shows small recrystallized grains of micrometer size. The texture in the steel is dominated by the component of the shear texture. The Cu/316L interface in both types of joint is of very good quality. In a detailed study of the interface, it is revealed that the welding of metals is achieved by mutual intense mechanical interlocking without formation of any intermetallic compounds.

Mechanical, microstructural, and textural evaluation of aluminum-MWCNT composites manufactured via accumulative roll bonding at ambient condition

In the present study, aluminum-matrix composites reinforced by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were manufactured using the accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process. In the first step, MWCNTs were dispersed between two pieces of Al sheets that were then stacked together and rolled. In the second step, the above procedure was repeated for up to 12 cycles without adding MWCNTs. The microstructure and fracture surface of the composites were studied during various ARB cycles using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Also, the mechanical properties of the composites were measured employing tensile and Vickers hardness tests. More uniform dispersion of MWCNTs was found in the microstructure of the aluminum matrix after 12 ARB cycles. With an increase in the number of ARB cycles, the hardness of the composites was enhanced. The results indicated that after 11 cycles, both the elongation and tensile strength improved and strong interfacial bonding formed between MWCNTs and the Al matrix. However, the development of micro-cracks in the composite resulted in a decrease in elongation and tensile strength at the final cycle. SEM investigations of fracture surfaces revealed that the fracture mode of the composites changed from ductile to brittle in the final ARB cycle, while that of monolithic aluminum remained ductile for all ARB cycles. Texture analysis, also confirmed a transition from the initial recrystallized (Cube and Goss) texture to the ideal rolling texture, mainly with Copper and Dillamore components.

Microstructure and texture evolution of friction stir lap welded dissimilar multi‑aluminum stack

This work investigates the microstructural evolution of a dissimilar multiple‑aluminum alloy stack (AA7055, AA7055, AA6022) produced by friction stir lap welding (FSLW). A through-thickness analyses of grain orientation map, grain size and distribution, strain distribution, and texture evolution by electron backscattered diffraction-based characterization technique were performed. Two different welding parameters (combination of tool rotation and traverse speed) were used to study the effects of the welding parameters on these microstructural characteristics. The study shows that higher welding speed and higher rotation speed of the FSLW tool yield finer grains. FSLW resulted in shear texture formation in the weld regions due to high welding speeds. This texture development in the nugget zone is consistent with shear deformation, and (111) pole figures show ideal shear texture components. The Stir Zone (SZ) exhibits shear texture (A/A ̅ and B/B ̅ components), consistent with other shear-assisted processes. Recrystallization mechanisms observed are CDRX in SZ and DDRX in TMAZ (Thermo-Mechanically Affected Zone). Interface analysis reveals the presence of oxide layers between different aluminum sheets, affecting joint mechanical performance. The mechanical property of the lap welded joints was presented in terms of microhardness distribution across the weld cross section. Slightly higher hardness in higher speed welding setup was observed throughout the SZ and AA6022 layer, indicating greater grain refinement and uniform grain structure distribution.

A step-by-step technique to create an ideal color match, form, and surface texture to all-ceramic restorations.

Although the presence of a chairside CAD/CAM system in the dental office saves time and cost, it deprives the dentist from the dental technologist' skills and experience. The dentist now has to gain and acquire knowledge and skills about how to finish, characterize, stain, and glaze ceramic restorations. The main objectives of this article is to teach novel and reproducible techniques for surface color, texture, glaze and polish for either the chairside or laboratory fabricated indirect ceramic restoration. A protocol for intraoral characterization of monolithic ceramics; the "Triple R" protocol for tooth color mimicking was followed. It consist of three steps: (1) "Recognize" tooth color shapes, (2) "Record" the present color shapes in the patient dentition by drawing a color map for the color shapes extension and determine which luster paste stain to be used for replicating them, and (3) "Replicate" intraorally the recorded color shapes guided by the adjacent natural teeth using low fusing ceramic pastes (shades and stains) for color shape replication. Also, the final touch technique was followed to shape, texture and final surface finish of dental restorations. It is composed of 5 basic levels which we call dental "micro-esthetics that define shape, texture, and surface luster. Following the steps of both; the "Triple R" protocol and the "FINAL TOUCH" technique will help to reproduce the final shade of the restoration to create the illusion of a natural tooth to the observer. This article shows how combining two practical methodologies to record and replicate both color shapes and surface texture of natural teeth may extend mimicking, that is, step by step natural tooth shade beyond the limitations of the available commercial shade guides.

The Application of Raw Chickpeas and Nuts in the Development of Plant-Based Cheese Snack: Ideal Nutrition and Texture Properties

Human and global health would be greatly improved by replacing animal-based foods with plant-based alternatives. This transition would be facilitated when more affordable, convenient, sustainable, nutritious, and tasty plant-based foods are available on the market. Interest in related research has surged these years, and dozens of plant-based cheese (PBC) products have been introduced to the market. However, studies found that most PBCs are far from comparable with dairy cheese in nutritional value, and the texture and sensory properties are still hurdles to the widespread consumption of PBCs. This paper focused on the “tissue disruption route” and adopted chickpeas and nuts as the main ingredients to form a cheese snack. Test results showed that our samples were high of nourishment value compared to the cheese sample and even healthier than the cheese in the terms of energy ( 709.37 ± 1.35 vs. 865.63 ± 0.49 kJ/100 g, p < 0.01 ), K/Na ratio ( 142.00 ± 0.82 / 13.33 ± 0.12 mg/100 g vs. 121.67 ± 2.05 / 44.23 ± 0.05 mg/100 g, p < 0.01 ), DF ( 6.99 ± 0.01 g/100 g vs. N/A, p < 0.01 ), and cholesterol ( 8.81 ± 0.25 vs. 207.30 ± 3.35 mg/100 g, p < 0.01 ). From the order of magnitude, the PBC samples are similar to the cheese sample in the aspects of cohesiveness ( p < 0.05 ) in texture test, and the fermentation process improved the imitation of texture properties in terms of hardness and cohesiveness (both p < 0.05 ). The volatile compounds were similar between the two PBC samples; however, the fermentation process could increase the species of the volatile compounds and make the PBC a little more similar to the dairy cheese. Overall, the observed properties of our PBC snack using raw chickpeas and nuts make the “plant-based cheese substitutes” extremely promising because of their nutritional value, sensory, and texture properties.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Embedded Hydrogels as a Promising Carrier for Retarding Irritation of Leflunomide.

Leflunomide (LEF), a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, has been widely explored for its anti-inflammatory potential in skin disorders such as psoriasis and melanoma. However, its poor stability and skin irritation pose challenges for topical delivery. To surmount these issues, LEF-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) integrated with hydrogels have been developed in the present investigation. SLNs developed by microemulsion techniques were found ellipsoidal with 273.1 nm particle size and -0.15 mV zeta potential. Entrapment and total drug content of LEF-SLNs were obtained as 65.25 ± 0.95% and 93.12 ± 1.72%, respectively. FTIR and XRD validated the successful fabrication of LEF-SLNs. The higher stability of LEF-SLNs (p < 0.001) compared to pure drug solution was observed in photostability studies. Additionally, in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of LEF-SLNs showed good potential in comparison to pure drugs. Further, prepared LEF-SLNs loaded hydrogel showed ideal rheology, texture, occlusion, and spreadability for topical drug delivery. In vitro release from LEF-SLN hydrogel was found to follow the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. To assess the skin safety of fabricated lipidic formulation, irritation potential was performed employing the HET-CAM technique. In conclusion, the findings of this investigation demonstrated that LEF-SLN hydrogel is capable of enhancing the photostability of the entrapped drug while reducing its skin irritation with improved topical delivery characteristics.

What if designing superhydrophobic polymer surfaces turned out to be very simple?

Various natural or artificial surface topographies or textures lead to slippery superhydrophobicity, but have little in common. Thus, simple questions need to be asked: what are the key parameters required for reaching slippery superhydrophobicity, i.e. forming a Cassie-Baxter's interface instead of a Wenzel's one? Is the double texturing scale, i.e. nano and micro, imperative to reach this superhydrophobicity regime as usually agreed upon the literature? In this paper, a simple model of the wetting of a textured surface based on the balance between the liquid pressure and the surface tension for a Cassie-Baxter's interface is described. The textured surface is supposed to be slippery superhydrophobic as long as a pure Cassie-Baxter's interface with a contact angle larger than 150° is established. The stability limits of such an interface upon pressure are studied depending on simple parameters such as asperities shape, size, or spacing distance. Then, this model is applied on simple theoretical surfaces and its conclusions are challenged with surface wetting situations described in the literature, showing great accordance. The proposed model offers a simple understanding of the relationship between surface texture and superhydrophobicity. Such an understanding guides the design of stable superhydrophobic surfaces using simple parameters. An ideal surface texture for superhydrophobicity can be described: An intrinsically hydrophobic surface with as small as possible re-entrant asperities that are spaced by more than their own width, and at least as high as their spacing distance.

A Generic “Engraving in Aprotic Medium” Strategy toward Stabilized Zn Anodes

AbstractZn foil pretreatment is a direct route to alleviating Zn anode instability and maintaining high energy performance in Zn metal batteries. Unfortunately, prevailing methods for achieving an ideal Zn surface texture do not enable durable operation under a large depth of discharge, thus impairing the Zn utilization ratio. Zn etching is a more feasible way to control the surface texture, but this approach remains relatively unexplored. In this study, a general strategy is reported for Zn foil engraving in aprotic media to realize efficient anode pretreatment in terms of stability. These tests are performed using high‐valence metal ions (especially Mo5+) in an aprotic environment as the key etchant to render a homogenously‐distributed, 3D porous architecture on the Zn foil surface. Comprehensive experimental results and theoretical simulations revealed enhanced Zn nucleation and growth. This specially designed electrode exhibited a long lifespan with a large depth of discharge of 88% in symmetric cells. When assembled with a ZnxV2O5 cathode, the constructed cell demonstrated nearly full capacity retention even under stringent conditions (e.g., an N/P capacity ratio of 5.5). This study demonstrates the potential of a Zn etching pretreatment to address the prototypical instability issues of Zn anodes.

Towards enhancing the ductility of AZ31 Mg alloys by controlling twin orientation at various shear strain levels

In this work, a novel texture control strategy, shear strain-induced twin orientation regulation (SITOR), was employed to fabricate the Mg–3Al–1Zn (AZ31) alloy with significantly improved ductility. The SITOR-1P sample processed at 250 °C exhibited a homogeneous microstructure and an almost ideal shear texture (c-axes of grains tilted 45° from the extrusion direction to the transverse direction), which resulted in an enhanced fracture elongation from 14.3% to 30.6% owing to the high activity of basal slip when compared with as-extruded Mg alloys. With increasing shear strain, the concentration of shear texture components in the SITOR-4P sample increased, leading to further improvement in its mechanical performance. While specimens produced by the conventional shear strain-induced orientation regulation (SIOR) method also underwent the same 4 passes of shear deformation, both their texture deflection and performance enhancement remained limited. The current investigation proposes a viable way to largely activate basal slip via the SITOR scheme, therefore offering a fresh perspective for addressing the poor plasticity of Mg.

Wear behavior and microstructure evolution in pure nickel extrusion manufacturing

The mechanical properties of extruded bar are dominated by its surface morphology and microstructure. In this study, field extrusion and finite element simulations were combined to study the surface wear behavior and microstructure evolution mechanism of extruded workpieces. The results showed that the extrusion temperature greatly influenced the surface morphology and microstructure. As the extrusion temperature increased, the wear mechanism changed from abrasive wear (brittle damage) to adhesive wear (plastic damage), and the surface roughness gradually increased. During the extrusion, the temperature and stress of the billet presented a gradient distribution, and the dislocation walls in the deformed grains easily moved on the activated slip system, which made the layered structure deformed. With increasing the gradient distribution of the billet and the interface friction, the layered structure became narrower. The orientation gradient of geometrically necessary dislocations in the deformed grain also dominated the five strong ideal textures. These findings provide theoretical support for the precise extrusion of pure nickel and nickel alloys.

Rolling-sliding contact fatigue failure and associated evolutions of microstructure, crystallographic orientation and residual stress of AISI 9310 gear steel

In the present study, rolling-sliding contact fatigue (RSCF) failures of AISI 9310 gear steel were analyzed systematically, in terms of characterizing the fatigue life, evolution of microstructure and crystallographic orientation, and variation of microhardness and residual stress distributions. The RSCF experiments were conducted using a twin rollers fatigue test rig. The RSCF life of AISI 9310 steel roller decreased continuously with increasing the maximum Hertzian contact pressure, however, it could be effectively improved by additional shot peening process owing to the enhanced microhardness and compressive residual stress near the roller surface. The main fatigue damage characteristics near the roller surface were consisted of inclined cracks, micropitting, spallation and plastic deformation. Although the compressive residual stress was reduced by RSCF, there was an obvious increase in the microhardness which should be attributed to the refined microstructure, increased dislocation density as well as phase transformation from retained austenite to martensite. In addition, the accumulated plastic strain during RSCF resulted into development of several preferred crystallographic orientations corresponding to ideal shear texture components of body-centered cubic (BCC) materials that has been seldom reported.

Shear strain induced recrystallization/recovery phenomena within rotary swaged Al/Cu composite conductors

The presented study aims to assess the effects of room temperature rotary swaging on structure, dynamic restoration processes in particular, within newly designed Al/Cu composite conductors. Swaging was processed from the original diameter of 50 mm (assembled billets) to the diameters of 20 mm, 15 mm, and 10 mm (final conductors). Cross-sectional samples of the swaged conductors were subjected to thorough structure analyses via electron microscopy, analyses of HV0.2 Vickers microhardness and specific electric resistivity were performed to supplement the study. Swaging to 15 mm primarily imparted structure recovery, while the final swaging to 10 mm introduced dynamic recrystallization within both the composite components (the fractions of high angle grain boundaries within Al and Cu were 78.7%, and 74.2%, respectively). The 10 mm composite Cu also featured increased fraction of Cube (Euler angles of φ 1 = 0°, ϕ = 0°, and φ 2 = 0°) ideal recrystallization texture orientation. As regards the specific electric resistivity, this parameter was influenced primarily by accumulated dislocations, grain size and arrangement (e.g. bimodal distribution), as well as possible presence of texture. The lowest specific electric resistivity of 20.589 Ωm·10 −9 was measured for the 15 mm conductor exhibiting dynamic restoration. The Cu component of this composite also featured the highest HV0.2 Vickers microhardness value. • Rotary swaging at room temperature successfully used to produce Al-Cu conductors. • Swaging to 15 mm diameter imparted dynamic recovery. • Swaging to 10 mm diameter introduced dynamic recrystallization. • Electric resistivity decreased within dynamically recovered structure.

Effects of adding quinoa flour on the composite wheat dough: a comprehensive analysis of the pasting, farinograph and rheological properties

SummaryRefined wheat breads are popular staples worldwide. Although they have desirable texture, they generally attribute to a high glycaemic index value. Adding whole‐grain flour to produce composite breads with both slower starch digestibility and ideal texture worth investigation. The present study investigated the pasting, farinographic and viscoelastic properties of the quinoa flour (QF)‐wheat flour (WF) composite dough. QF addition reduced the peak, final, breakdown and setback viscosities of the composite flour, indicating that starch gelatinisation was inhibited and retrogradation was slowed. QF addition increased G′ and G′′, while decreased tan δ (G′′/G′), exhibiting that the elasticity prevailed over viscosity for the composite dough. Farinograph analysis showed that when QF addition exceeded 20%, the stability time decreased and weakening degree increased sharply. Although creep‐recovery tests showed that 40% of QF addition exhibited the highest resistance to deformation, it disrupted the gluten network and brought negative effects on the composite dough. Taken these together, the composite wheat dough containing 20% of QF exhibited ideal rheological properties comprehensively. These results might be useful to develop and optimise mixed‐grain breads with lower glycaemic index.

Fabrication of random nanocones to improve wideband light trapping for thin film photovoltaic devices using nanosecond laser processing

Light-trapping is very crucial for thin film solar cells for the efficient collection of light to reach high light conversion efficiencies. Recently, the use of surface micro/nanostructure has emerged as a suitable technique to improve the absorption of light in thin solar absorbers. Amorphous silicon (a-Si) has strong absorption in the visible region. Expansion of this absorption band towards near infrared (IR) region by reducing the reflectance with light trapping has been presented in this in this work. This is achieved by fabricating random nanocones using laser texturing on the a-Si thin film surface. In this study, periodic structures with different shapes are theoretically investigated to identify the ideal texture shape for wideband light coupling and compared with the surface reflective properties of random nanocones. The light-trapping properties of random nanocones, fabricated using a ns pulsed Nd3+: YAG (neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet) laser in water and air are investigated, and the influence of texture dimensions in improving the antireflection characteristics are studied. Numerical simulation shows the reduction in reflection in the near (IR) region with the random nanocones compared to regular periodic structures, overall exhibiting wideband antireflectance in ultraviolet (UV)–visible–near IR region due to the presence of multiscale structures. Experimentally measured reflectance across the whole spectra decreased by 14% to 19% in comparison with the untextured surfaces suggesting an enhancement in light coupling through multiple reflections on the laser fabricated nanocones. A small decrease of about ∼ 0.15 to 0.8% in efficiency was observed in the first one hour when continuously exposed to light in the thermal stability studies, and it remained stable for the rest of the test. This study will help in designing thin film solar absorber with a wide absorption range to aid in meeting the energy demand.