Thickness Of Interfacial Layer Research Articles

Reaction mechanism between MgO and MgO–C lining refractories and an ultra-low-carbon Al-killed steel

In the current study, effects of the carbon in MgO-based refractory rod on the cleanliness of an ultra-low-carbon Al-killed steel and on the corrosion degree of the refractory were investigated using laboratory experiments, thermodynamic calculation and a kinetic modeling. After a 90-minute reaction between the MgO refractory rod and the steel, the penetration of the molten steel into the MgO refractory was quite small and an about 20 µm thick interfacial layer containing the liquid slag phase and the spinel was generated at the interface. The liquid slag phase was mainly composed of Ti3O5, CaO, MgO, and Al2O3, while the spinel was mainly composed of Al2O3 and MgO. The composition of inclusions in the steel varied little due to the dense interfacial layer at the steel/refractory interface hindering the mass transfer between the steel and the MgO refractory. When the steel reacted with the MgO–C refractory for 90 min, the molten steel penetrated 1 mm into the MgO–C refractory through grain boundaries, forming channels due to the graphite consumption. A new 20 µm thick interfacial layer containing CaS and MgO was formed between the steel and the refractory. The formation of CaS was favored at the steel/MgO-C refractory interface and was rarely existed at the ssteel/MgO refractory interface during cooling process. The average content of MgO in inclusions increased from 10.29 wt.% to 46.55 wt.% while that of Al2O3 in inclusions decreased from 89.71 wt.% to 53.45 wt.% reacting for 90 min. The experimental result agreed well with the current kinetic model combined with thermodynamic calculation results. The influence of different content of T.O and T.Al in the steel on the composition of the steel and inclusions were also investigated using the current model. It is indicated that the content of MgO in inclusions increased with the decreasing T.O content and the increasing T.Al content in the molten steel.

Effects of Interfacial Parameters and Temperature on Effective Schottky Barrier Height of Metal-Wrapped (Al-Gan) Nanowire Schottky Diode

Junction interface parameters (interface states density, interface layer thickness, interface permittivity and neutral surface states) and temperature effects have been studied. Results have shown that for the scaled structure doping functions below degeneracy state and temperature have significant impact on the effective Schottky barrier height while the interface parameters show no significant change. The barrier height has been observed to increase as the temperature increases almost linearly by ~5.171×10-3eV with increase in temperature from 300K to 420 K and this may be associated with the avalanched charge carriers being transported across the barrier height. The interface layer thickness in the range of 1.5 nm to 3.0 nm shows no effect on the carrier transport characteristics curves of the Schottky diode whereas the ideality factor has been found to decrease with an increase in temperature.

Impact of cold plasma-assisted Non-thermal deamidation and glycosylation on the construction of sugar derivative-zein conjugates for enhancing pickering foam stability: Technical principles and molecular interactions

There is an urgent need for stable, plant-based Pickering foams to address the growing consumer demand for sustainable, low-calorie, aerated sweet foods. This study employed a cold plasma-assisted deamidation and glycosylation (CPDG) approach to promote hydrophilic reassembly of zein, resulting in the formation of sugar derivative-zein conjugates. This was accomplished by coupling deamidated zein with polyhydroxy sugars including sucralose (Suc), maltitol (Mal), mannitol (Man), and stevioside (Ste). The research focused on elucidating the technical mechanisms of conjugate formation and the molecular interactions that enhance foam performance. The CPDG-treated conjugates demonstrated substantially increased foamability (140.00–223.33 %) and foam stability (28.57–105.07 %). Furthermore, microscopy (100 × magnification) revealed enhanced bubble counts (+13–15 bubbles) and interface layer thickness (+1.85–4.60 nm), along with a decrease in the drainage area (+8.47–20.52 %) for all conjugates, except Suc/ZN-CP. Particularly, the amphiphilic nature of Ste, characterized by multiple chiral centers, various hydroxyl groups, and a distinct carbonyl group, resulted in the highest covalent grafting degree (38.82 %), water solubility (0.28 mg/mL), foaming capacity (223.33 %), and foam stability (105.07 %) of ZN/Ste-CP after CPDG treatment. Regarding interaction forces, CPDG treatment enhanced both hydrogen bonding and covalent interactions in zein while diminishing electrostatic and hydrophobic forces. Confocal laser scanning microscopy validated that these changes resulted in a hydrophilic conformational shift of the conjugates, allowing Ste to coat micelle surfaces and form chain-like aggregates through viscous stretching, thereby facilitating favorable adsorption and unfolding at the air/water interface. The CPDG technology proved to be an effective and eco-friendly method for modifying the interface of zein, offering a valuable strategy for its application in highly flexible, stabilized Pickering foamed foods.

Macroporous coating of silver-doped hydroxyapatite/silica nanocomposite on dental implants by EDTA intermediate to improve osteogenesis, antibacterial, and corrosion behavior.

Coating a titanium (Ti) implant with hydroxyapatite (HA) increases its bioactivity and biocompatibility. However, implant-related infections and biological corrosion have restricted the success of implant. To address these issues, a modified hydroxyapatite nanocomposite (HA/silica-EDTA-AgNPs nanocomposite) was proposed to take advantage of the sustained release of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silicate ions through the silica-EDTA chelating network. As a result, a uniform layer of nanocomposite, compared to HA as the gold standard, was formed on Ti implants without fracture and with a high level of adhesion, using Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO). Bioactivity assessment evidenced a shift in the surface phase of the Ti implant to generation of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), a more bioresorbable material than HA. Metabolic activity assessments using human dental pulp stem cells revealed that Ti surfaces modified by the new nanocomposite are superior to bare and HA-modified Ti surfaces for cell attachment and proliferation in vitro. In addition, it successfully inhibited bacterial growth and induced osteogenesis on the implant surface. Finally, potentiodynamic polarization behavior of Ti implants before and after coating confirmed that a thick oxide interface layer on the modified Ti surface acts as an electrical barrier and protects the substrate layer from corrosion. Therefore, the HA/silica-EDTA/Ag nanocomposite presented here, compared to HA, can better coat Ti dental implants due to its good biocompatibility and osteoinductive activity, along with improved biological stability.

Polymer electrolyte with inorganic and organic salts for Na-Ion supercapacitor

The optimized high ion conducting polymer electrolyte film containing copolymer PVdF-HFP, 10 wt.% inorganic salt {sodium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (NaTFSI)} and 70 wt.% organic salt {1-butyl-1-methypyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl) imide ([BMPYr] [TFSI])} have been used for the fabrication of Na-ion supercapacitor. The optimized composition of the electrolyte film possesses maximum room temperature (RT) ionic conductivity (∼0.87 mS/cm), excellent mechanical stability and large operating potential window (∼5.5 V). Using this film and activated carbon electrode (ACE (AC∼0.8 mg/cm2)), electrochemical double layer capacitor (EDLC)/Na-ion supercapacitor has been fabricated. The bulk resistance of this cell is found to be 22.9 Ω which is an evidence of good electrode-electrolyte contact. The cyclic voltammetric (CV) results of the EDLC-cell displays almost rectangular shape which demonstrates their capacitive behavior. The fabricated Na-ion supercapacitor has delivered specific capacities of ∼173 F/g, 151.91 F/g, 145.32 F/g and 122.33 F/g at different areal current densities (∼0.5, 0.8, 1.0 and 2.0 mA/cm2, respectively) along with the coulombic efficiency ranging from 97.6% to 99.9% upto 4500 cycles at 1 mA/cm2. The obtained value of the specific capacitance(s) of the EDLC cell from cyclic voltammetry is in good agreement with the value obtained from galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) measurements. Also, a nearly stable cycling performance has been obtained at 1 mA/cm2 upto 2500 cycles and after that the value of the specific capacitance (CSP/CD) decreases slightly upto 4500 cycles. This decrease in CSP/CD value may be because of increased thickness of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer and its corresponding interfacial resistance. The maximum specific energy and power density at 0.5 mA/ cm2 areal current density for first cycle are 31.52 Wh/Kg and ∼472.8 kW/Kg, respectively. On using ACE having AC∼1.6 mg/cm2, the fabricated Na-ion EDLC-cell has given maximum value of specific capacitance as ∼72.6 F/g at 0.5 mA/cm2 alongwith coulombic efficiency in the range of 96.5 % to 99.5 %. For the first cycle, the energy as well power density increase (∼40.31 Wh/Kg and ∼499.12 kW/Kg, respectively) and show stable cyclability upto 3000 cycles.

Effect of temperature and nanoparticle size on the interfacial layer thickness of TiO2–water nanofluids using molecular dynamics

Abstract In the design and optimization of nanofluids, it is crucial to investigate and characterize the thermal conductivity enhancement mechanisms and their influencing factors. Although the effect of the “liquid film” on the thermal conductivity of the solid–liquid interface in nanofluids has been extensively studied, most of the research in this area has examined metal–water nanofluids or Ar-based nanofluids. In this work, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics is utilized to explore the mechanism of thermal conductivity enhancement in TiO2–water nanofluids. It is noted that a distinct interfacial layer is formed within 5 Å from the nanoparticle surface. As the nanoparticle size increases, the number density also increases, resulting in a corresponding increase in the thermal conductivity. Moreover, adding 1% TiO2 nanoparticles to water leads to an increase in thermal conductivity of 1.5–3%. Notably, the interfacial layer thickness remains relatively constant with the change in temperature. The Materials Studio analysis results indicated that the water molecule will have stable chemisorption on the titanium dioxide surface with an adsorption energy of approximately −0.96 eV. The findings of this study offer new insights and useful information to support the selection of nanomaterials for the preparation of convective systems.

Toughening Immiscible Polymer Blends: The Role of Interface-Crystallization-Induced Compatibilization Explored Through Nanoscale Visualization.

This study explores the novel approach of interface-crystallization-induced compatibilization (ICIC) via stereocomplexation as a promising method to improve the interfacial strength in thermodynamically immiscible polymers. Herein, two distinct reactive interfacial compatibilizers, poly(styrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate)-graft-poly(l-lactic acid) (SAL) and poly(styrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate)-graft-poly(d-lactic acid) (SAD) are synthesized via reactive melt blending in an integrated grafting and blending process. This approach is demonstrated to enhance the interfacial strength of immiscible polyvinylidene fluoride/poly l-lactic acid (PVDF/PLLA) 50/50 blends via ICIC. IR nanoimaging indicates a cocontinuous morphology in the blends. The blend compatibilized with SAD exhibits a higher storage modulus, as unveiled by small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) in the melt state at a temperature below the melting temperature of the stereocomplex (SC) crystals and by DMTA measurements in the solid state. This increase is attributed to the formation of a 200-300 nm thick rigid interfacial SC crystalline layer that is directly visible using AFM imaging and chemically characterized via IR nanospectroscopy. This ICIC also results in a significant toughening of the blend, with the elongation at break increasing more than 20-fold. Moreover, the fracture toughness factor obtained from single edge-notch bending (SENB) tests is doubled with ICIC as compared to the uncompatibilized blend, indicating the strong crack-resistance capability as a result of ICIC. This improvement is also evident in SEM images, where thinner and longer fibrillation is observed on the fractured surface in the presence of ICIC.

Competitive correlation between the interface layers determines the shear strength in Kovar/AgCuTi/Si3N4 joints

AbstractAs a promising high‐thermal‐conductivity ceramics, the direct bonding of Si3N4 with metals remains challenging. Here, we employed active metal brazing of Si3N4 ceramics and Kovar alloys using AgCuTi metal filler, and found that the shear strength in the prepared Kovar/AgCuTi/Si3N4 joints depends on the competitive correlation between the interface layers. The competitive consumption for active element Ti by Kovar/AgCuTi interfacial reactions reduced AgCuTi/Si3N4 interface layer thickness and deteriorated final shear strength, even when using a high‐Ti‐content filler. Surface analysis indicated that interfacial fracture between Ag‐based solid solution and Ti5Si3 was the primary cause of failure. Density functional theory (DFT) revealed that Ag (111)/Fe2Ti (001) interface had higher ideal work of adhesion (Wad) than Ag (111)/Ti5Si3 (001) interface, confirming the importance of AgCuTi/Si3N4 interface layer. Ultimately, by adjusting interface reaction layer thickness, the joints reached a high shear strength of 154.3 MPa.

A versatile multilayer liquid–liquid encapsulation technique

HypothesisGenerating multi-layer cargo using conventional methods is challenging. We hypothesize that incorporating a Y-junction compound droplet generator to encase a target core inside a second liquid can circumvent the kinetic energy dependence of the impact-driven liquid-liquid encapsulation technique, enabling minimally restrictive multi-layer encapsulation. ExperimentsStable wrapping is obtained by impinging a compound droplet (generated using Y-junction) on an interfacial layer of another shell-forming liquid floating on a host liquid bath, leading to double-layered encapsulation. The underlying dynamics of the liquid-liquid interfaces are captured using high-speed imaging. To demonstrate the versatility of the technique, we used various liquids as interfacial layers, including magnetoresponsive oil-based ferrofluids. Moreover, we extended the technique to triple-layered encapsulation by overlaying a second interfacial layer atop the first floating interfacial layer. FindingsThe encapsulating layer(s) effectively protects the water-soluble inner core (ethylene glycol) inside the water bath. A non-dimensional experimental regime is established for successful encapsulation in terms of the impact kinetic energy, interfacial layer thickness, and the viscosity ratio of the interfacial layer and the outer core liquid. Using selective fluorescent tagging, we confirm the presence of individual shell layers wrapped around the core, which presents a promising pathway to visualize the internal morphology of final encapsulated droplets.

A comparative analysis on the dynamics of solid-liquid interfacial layer and nanoparticle diameter of magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid flow containing spherical and cylindrical-shaped alumina nanoparticles over a stretching curved surface

In this work, a comparative analysis on magnetohydrodynamic nanofluid flow containing spherical and cylindrical-shaped alumina nanoparticles over a stretching curved surface is mainly focused. The effects of Brownian motion, Joule heating, thermophoresis, chemical reaction and activation energy are taken into consideration in this work. It is important to mention that this analysis considers a 4 % volume fraction of the alumina nanoparticles. A thermal convective and zero-mass flux conditions are imposed to scrutinize the heat transfer analysis. The leading equations are transformed into dimensionless form by using suitable similarity variables. A numerical solution is obtained using the shooting technique. The acquired outcomes depict that greater magnetic factor enhances the skin friction coefficient. The greater magnetic factor, thermal Biot number, Eckert number, and interfacial layer thickness augment the heat transfer rate, while a greater nanoparticle diameter diminishes the thermal transfer rate. A higher magnetic factor has an increasing impact on thermal distribution and a reducing impact on velocity distribution. A greater curvature factor enhances both the velocity and thermal distributions. The concentration distribution is enhanced by the higher interfacial layer thickness and activation energy factor, while it is reduced by a higher nanoparticle diameter, Brownian motion factor, and chemical reaction factor. From the comparative analysis, it is found that the velocity, thermal, and concentration distributions are higher for the cylindrical-shaped nanoparticles compared to spherical-shaped nanoparticles.

Crack patterns in masonry structures using phase field method

This work aims to study the crack pattern in masonry-like structures by a simplified description of the mediumusing a variational damage model. In literature, when modeling fractures in masonry structures, capturingboth fracture types, cracks in units, and cracks at the interface simultaneously, usually requires a complicated scheme. The phase-field method has been widely used recently because of its robustness in capturing variousfracture types. In this work, we consider the mortar and the interface (between the mortar and units) as a thickinterface layer with pseudo-material properties. We conduct numerical tests on a bending beam and a tensilewall using strategies of material properties with a phase field model. As it is not distinguished the crack in themortar and the brick-mortar interface, it is shown in this work that both types of fracture, in the thick interfacelayer and the unit, can be captured just using the phase field method and the simplified micro model.

Water-in-water emulsions stabilized by konjac glucomannan/tragacanth gum hydrogels for riboflavin delivery

Water-in-water (W/W) emulsions as innovative transport for hydrophilic functional ingredients inherently lack stability due to the ultralow interfacial tension and thick interfacial layer. In this work, we first proposed a simple strategy to construct stable dextran (DEX)-in-poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) W/W emulsions by utilizing the unique phase preference of konjac glucomannan/tragacanth gum (KT) hydrogels formed based on the cooling-induced intermolecular hydrogen bonds. KT hydrogels were demonstrated to present selective partition to PEG phase and could form physically crosslinking network, thus significantly improving the rheological behavior and stability of DEX-in-PEG (D/P) emulsions with no flocculation after 31 d of storage at 25 °C. Meanwhile, the average droplet size of emulsions decreased from 15.37 to 8.48 μm with TG concentration tuning from 0.2 % to 0.8 %. When encapsulating riboflavin (RIB) in D/P emulsions stabilized by KT-4 hydrogel, the storage and lighting stability of RIB were enhanced with retention rate of 60.94 % and 21.89 %, respectively. In addition, the release of RIB in the simulate gastrointestinal environment substantially reduced and the antioxidant activity of RIB was maximumly protected due to the unique pH-responsiveness of KT hydrogel network. This work provides a feasible strategy for designing stable W/W emulsions stabilized by natural polysaccharide hydrogels, and biocompatible carriers for hydrophilic functional ingredients.

Relationship between vertical variation of cloud microphysical properties and thickness of the entrainment interfacial layer in Physics of Stratocumulus Top stratocumulus clouds

AbstractThis study examines the vertical variations of cloud microphysics and their correlation with the thickness of the entrainment interfacial layer (EIL) in stratocumulus clouds, observed in the Physics of Stratocumulus Top (POST) aircraft measurement campaign. From the mixing fraction analysis, we identified EIL between the free atmosphere and cloud top for all 15 POST flights, and found that EIL thickness significantly influenced the vertical variation of cloud microphysics and thermodynamics. In several flights, a trend toward stronger homogeneous mixing traits with increasing depth from the cloud top was found, indicative of the vertical movement of mixed (i.e., entrainment‐affected and diluted) parcels. However, in one flight, this trend was limited to the middle part of the cloud only, with the correlation between virtual potential temperature and liquid water content being strongly negative near the cloud top, suggesting limited downward movement of mixed parcels. Another important finding is that there was a robust negative correlation between long‐wave cooling rate near the cloud top and EIL thickness, highlighting differences in radiative cooling rates between mixed and unmixed parcels due to differences in liquid water content between them. These insightful findings will be crucial for enhancing our understanding of the role of EIL in modulating entrainment and the vertical movement of mixed parcels in stratocumulus clouds.

Interfacial layer suppression in ZrO2/TiN stack structured capacitors via atomic layer deposition

Controlling the formation of interfacial layers in dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) capacitors is crucial because it affects electrical performance, such as increasing the equivalent oxide thickness. This study investigates the formation of an interfacial layer during atomic layer deposition (ALD) of ZrO2 on TiN electrodes and examines its influence on electrical properties. Utilizing O3 and H2O as oxygen sources, we quantitatively identified notable differences in the formation of the interfacial TiOx layer. Using O3 results in a thicker TiOx layer with fewer impurities, which lowers the leakage current, whereas H2O creates a thinner interfacial layer with higher impurity levels, leading to an increased leakage current. To optimize these effects, we developed a two-step ALD process that combines both oxygen sources, reducing the interfacial layer thickness while maintaining low leakage currents. This approach significantly improved the electrical performance of capacitors. Furthermore, similar results were observed for HfO2/TiN systems, suggesting that our findings are broadly applicable to high-k dielectric materials.

A comparative study on the electrical properties of Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 film capacitors with different top electrodes

Au/Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3 (BST)/La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) and Pt/BST/LSCO ferroelectric capacitors were successfully constructed on (001) LaAlO3 substrates via off-axis magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Phi scan patterns confirmed that the BST film was epitaxial with an out-of-plane tetragonal phase. The ferroelectric and dielectric measurements reveal that, compared with the Pt/BST/LSCO capacitor, the Au/BST/LSCO capacitor exhibits a larger coercive field (∼139.7 kV/cm), smaller permanent polarization (∼2.94 μC/cm2), and lower tunability (∼65.22 %), which may be attributed to the higher difference in work function and weaker depolarization field screen effect of the top electrode, as well as smaller interfacial capacitance of the Au/BST interface than those of the Pt/BST interface. Therefore, based on series capacitor model and leakage behavior analysis, the thickness and dielectric constant of interfacial layer are quantitatively determined to be 3.52 nm and 12.13 for Pt/BST, and 4.42 nm and 5.82 for Au/BST, respectively. Our results pave a way for improving the dielectric performance in electrically tunable microwave devices.

Emulsification capacity of pectin extracts from persimmon waste: Effect of structural characteristics and pectin-polyphenol interactions

Polyphenol-rich pectin extracts obtained from persimmon waste might have great potential due to their emulsification capacity. Their emulsion stabilizing properties may be influenced by pectin molecular structure and pectin-polyphenol interactions which in turn can be determined by the extraction conditions. Hence, this work aimed to study the influence of the molecular structure characteristics and their respective pectin-polyphenol interactions of three polyphenol-rich persimmon pectin extracts obtained by three different extraction conditions. Low, medium and high severity extraction conditions resulted in covalent phenolics-extract (CP-E), non-covalent phenolics-extract (NCP-E) and free phenolics-extract (FP-E), respectively. The electrical charge of pectin was strongly dependent on the pH, becoming more negative at increasing pH due to carboxyl group dissociation. CP-E and NCP-E in solution had more expanded conformations than FP-E, with greater intermolecular distances and hydrodynamic diameters ranging from 1089 to 1791 nm for CP-E and NCP-E, whereas from 529 to 782 nm for FP-E. Their interfacial layer thickness was thicker at pH 3 than at pH 7, probably due to multilayer organization as a result of less repulsion between pectin chains. All pectin extracts were able to decrease the interfacial tension of an oil droplet from 35 to at least 25 mN/m, with FP-E at pH 3 being the most efficient (13.89 ± 1.07 mN/m). Even so, submicron O/W emulsions with negative ζ-potential values could be formed with all pectin extracts. However, CP-E rendered O/W emulsions with higher colloidal stability than FP-E or NCP-E, which showed aggregation and creaming. These findings provide novel insights to re-valorize pectin from persimmon waste.

The effect of Cu-doping to the DLC interlayer on the temperature dependent current-conduction mechanisms and barrier shape of the Schottky devices

The objective of this study is to determine the temperature and voltage-dependent current conduction mechanisms (CCMs) of the Al/Cu-doped DLC/p-Si Schottky device. It is aimed to obtain extensive and detailed data by current-voltage (I–V) measurements taken with 0.3 V voltage steps in the ±4 V voltage range, at 30 K intervals from 80 K to 410 K. Firstly, an examination of the semi-logarithmic I–V curve revealed that the low temperature (LTs, 80 K–170 K), medium temperature (MTs, 200 K–290 K) and high temperature (HTs, 320 K–410 K) regions should be examined separately. The basic parameters of the Schottky device such as the ideality factor (n), reverse saturation current (Io) and zero-biasing potential barrier height (ΦBo) were obtained separately for LTs, MTs and HTs by the Thermionic Emission (TE) theory. The results obtained show that the device deviates from ideality, especially in LTs and HTs, and the n values decrease with increasing temperature, while the ΦBo values increase. The analysis of the presence of other CTMs in the Schottky device revealed that Field Emission (FE) and Thermionic Field Emission (TFE) were effective in LTs and MTs, while FE was effective in HTs. Since it is thought that quantum mechanical CTMs cannot be the cause of such a deviation from ideality due to the interface layer thickness, the existence of Gaussian Distribution originating from lateral barrier inhomogeneity was investigated. As a result, it is concluded that the Multiple Gaussian Distribution (MGD) is dominant in the possible CTMs of the Schottky device.

Effects of Ni addition on wettability and interfacial microstructure of Sn-0.7Cu-xNi solder alloy

Purpose This paper aims to study the effect of different Ni content on the microstructure and properties of Sn-0.7Cu alloy. Then, the spreading area, wetting angle, interface layer thickness and microstructure of the soldering interface was observed and analyzed at different soldering temperatures and times. Design/methodology/approach Sn-0.7Cu-xNi solder alloy was prepared by a high-frequency induction melting furnace. Then Sn-0.7Cu-xNi alloy was soldered on a Cu substrate at different soldering temperatures and times. Findings It was found that Ni made the intermetallic compounds in the Sn-0.7Cu solder alloy gradually aggregate and coarsen, and the microstructure was refined. The phase compositions of the solder alloy are mainly composed of the ß-Sn phase and a few intermetallic compounds, Cu6Sn5 + (Cu, Ni)6Sn5. The maximum value of 12.1 HV is reached when the Ni content is 0.1 Wt.%. When the Ni content is 0.5 Wt.%, the wettability of the solder alloy increases by about 15%, the interface thickness increases by about 8.9% and the scallop-like structure is the most refined. When the soldering time is 10 min and the soldering temperature is 280 °C, the wettability of Sn-0.7Cu-0.2Ni is the best. Originality/value It is groundbreaking to combine the change in soldering interface with the soldering industry. The effects of different soldering temperatures and times on the Sn-0.7Cu-xNi alloy were studied. Under the same conditions, Sn-0.7Cu-0.2Ni exhibits better wettability and more stable solder joint stability.

Interfacial engineering of Pickering emulsions stabilized by pea protein-alginate microgels for encapsulation of hydrophobic bioactives

This study aims to investigate the effects of interfacial layer composition and structure on the formation, physicochemical properties and stability of Pickering emulsions. Interfacial layers were formed using pea protein isolate (PPI), PPI microgel particles (PPIMP), a mixture of PPIMP and sodium alginate (PPIMP-SA), or PPIMP-SA conjugate. The encapsulation and protective effects on different hydrophobic bioactives were then evaluated within these Pickering emulsions. The results demonstrated that the PPIMP-SA conjugate formed thick and robust interfacial layers around the oil droplet surfaces, which increased the resistance of the emulsion to coalescence, creaming, and environmental stresses, including heating, light exposure, and freezing-thawing cycle. Additionally, the emulsion stabilized by the PPIMP-SA conjugate significantly improved the photothermal stability of hydrophobic bioactives, retaining a higher percentage of their original content compared to those in non-encapsulated forms. Overall, the novel protein microgels and the conjugate developed in this study have great potential for improving the physicochemical stability of emulsified foods.

Investigation and evaluation of high-temperature lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) corrosion resistance and compression performance of the FeCrAl-based coatings

The high-temperature lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) corrosion resistance and ring compression performance of the Fe15Cr11Al2Si, Fe15Cr11Al0.5Y, and Fe15Cr11Al2Si0.5Y coatings were investigated. Even if the corrosion test temperature reaches 800 °C, all these coatings can effectively protect the steel cladding tube. After the corrosion test temperature exceeded 660 °C, an obvious Al-rich oxide layer was formed on the surface of the coating, and Al element enrichment occurred at the interface between the coating and the substrate. After the corrosion test at 800 °C, holes appeared in the thick interface layer of the Fe15Cr11Al2Si0.5Y coating. The Fe15Cr11Al2Si coating cracked after the ring compression test with a deformation rate of 3%, and the coating peeled off after the deformation rate reached 5%. When the deformation rate reached 5%, there was still no cracking in the Fe15Cr11Al0.5Y coating. When the deformation rate reached 30%, the coating cracked, but the cracked coating was still tightly bonded with the substrate. The Fe15Cr11Al2Si0.5Y coating has the worst compression performance, even if the deformation rate is 1%, the coating still peels off obviously. The underlying mechanism for the evolution of corrosion resistance and compression performance was discussed.