Nominal Ratio Research Articles

Activity and Stability of Iridium-Based Alloy Catalysts for PEM Electrolyzer

For large-scale production of green hydrogen via renewable energies, large capacities of highly performing, cost-effective water electrolyzers are needed. Polymer electrolyte electrolysis (PEMEL) operates at high current and pressure and is very compact compared to alkaline technology. However, it relies on very expensive noble catalysts such as Pt and Ir for H2 and O2 electrode, respectively. Meanwhile, unsupported Iridium black is considered as state-of-the-art in terms of corrosion stability and activity, whereas a lot of efforts aim at reducing loading by alloying or/and developing supported materials [1,2].In this work, Ir black and bi-metal Ir-M (M = Pt, Pd, Cr, Co) black catalysts were synthesized by co-reduction of iridium chloride and M-ion containing precursor in 0.1 M sodium borohydride at 180°C for 3 h under hydrothermal condition. The nominal mass ratio of Ir:M was fixed to 3:1. The structural characterization of the as-prepared catalysts was performed by means of XRD, TEM, Raman, and BET. Electrochemical activity of Ir-M black catalyst for OER was studied in deaerated 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte at room temperature by using a rotating disk electrode (RDE) cell. The total catalyst loading was about 200 μgIr cm-2. Additional cyclic voltammetry measurements over the potential range of -0.1–1.4 V vs. RHE at 40 mV s-1 were performed to identify redox behavior of the catalysts (fig. 1a). The accelerated degradation tests (ADT) were performed between 1.1 and 1.6 V at dE/dt=0.5 V s-1 with RDE at 1600 rpm for 1000 cycles. A commercial Ir-black catalyst purchased from Alfa Aesar was used as reference. Based on half-wave potential value at 30 mA cm-2 (fig. 1b), the following trend in lower overpotential for OER was obtained: Ir-Cr > Ir-Pt > Ir-Pd >> Ir-Co > Ir-black.PEMEL full cell experiments were performed in single cell with 5 cm² geometrical area in a balticFuelCells fixture at 60°C. The catalyst coated membrane (CCM) consists of 2 mgIr cm-2 anode and 1 mgIr cm-2 cathode coated on Nafion 117. Titanium felt and carbon paper were used as porous transport layers in the anode and cathode side, respectively. Accelerated stress tests (AST) were performed by using rectangular polarization signal to reflect dynamic electrolyzer operation. Thereby, the current density was varied between 0.05 and 3 A cm-2 in 10 s for at least 1000 h. After test, the cell components were post analyzed by SEM/EDX, XRD and XPS technique and anolyte/catholyte were analyzed by ICP-OES in order to evaluate the dissolved species. The electrochemical degradation performance of bi-metal alloy anode catalysts in PEMEL test will be presented as well.

Turbulent flow around convex curved tandem cylinders

Turbulent flow around curved tandem cylinders has been studied for the first time, by means of direct numerical simulation. The convex configuration was used, with a nominal gap ratio of $L/D = 3$ and a Reynolds number of 3900. Along the span, the flow regimes vary from alternating overshoot/reattachment to co-shedding. Three distinct Strouhal numbers coexist in the flow that are tied directly to different tandem cylinder flow regimes. This result differs substantially from convex curved tandem cylinders at a transitional Reynolds number, where only a single dominant frequency is found. All regimes exhibit some degree of instability, so that the flow can be considered multistable. A mode switch from alternating overshoot/reattachment to symmetric reattachment is found. Complex interactions are observed between the primary instability, the shear layer instability and the flow mode alterations. As opposed to previous investigations with single and tandem straight cylinders in the subcritical flow regime, our results indicate that there may be direct feedback from the primary instability to the shear layer instability. The downdraft region in the gap exhibits slow meandering, and may travel upstream and amplify the shear layer instability, causing early transition in the gap shear layer. This downdraft is governed by the slow modulations of the vortex formation region in the lower gap, meaning that the vortex dynamics of this region may indirectly influence the shear layer instability higher up in the gap.

Linear and Volumetric Polyethylene Wear Patterns after Primary Cruciate-Retaining Total Knee Arthroplasty Failure: An Analysis Using Optical Scanning and Computer-Aided Design Models.

(1) Background: Analyses of retrieved inserts allow for a better understanding of TKA failure mechanisms and the detection of factors that cause increased wear. The purpose of this implant retrieval study was to identify whether insert volumetric wear significantly differs among groups of common causes of total knee arthroplasty failure, whether there is a characteristic wear distribution pattern for a common cause of failure, and whether nominal insert size and component size ratio (femur-to-insert) influence linear and volumetric wear rates. (2) Methods: We digitally reconstructed 59 retrieved single-model cruciate-retaining inserts and computed their articular load-bearing surface wear utilizing an optical scanner and computer-aided design models as references. After comprehensively reviewing all cases, each was categorized into one or more of the following groups: prosthetic joint infection, osteolysis, clinical loosening of the component, joint malalignment or component malposition, instability, and other isolated causes. The associations between volumetric wear and causes of failure were estimated using a multiple linear regression model adjusted for time in situ. Insert linear penetration wear maps from the respective groups of failure were further processed and merged to create a single average binary image, highlighting a potential wear distribution pattern. The differences in wear rates according to nominal insert size (small vs. medium vs. large) and component size ratio (≤1 vs. >1) were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney test, respectively. (3) Results: Patients with identified osteolysis alone and those also with clinical loosening of the component had significantly higher volumetric wear when compared to those without both causes (p = 0.016 and p = 0.009, respectively). All other causes were not significantly associated with volumetric wear. The instability group differentiated from the others with a combined peripheral antero-posterior wear distribution. Linear and volumetric wear rates showed no significant differences when compared by nominal insert size (small vs. medium vs. large, p = 0.563 and p = 0.747, respectively) or by component (femoral-to-insert) size ratio (≤1 vs. >1, p = 0.885 and p = 0.055, respectively). (4) Conclusions: The study found increased volumetric wear in cases of osteolysis alone, with greater wear when combined with clinical loosening compared to other groups. The instability group demonstrated a characteristic peripheral anterior and posterior wear pattern. Insert size and component size ratio seem not to influence wear rates.

Stability behavior of T-shaped retrofitting cross bracings in existing transmission towers

To analyze the stability behavior of T-shaped retrofitting cross bracings, finite element models were developed and validated by full-scale experiments of cross bracings available in the literature. Effects of stress ratio, nominal slenderness ratio, width-to-thickness ratio, and yield strength on the failure mode and bearing capacity were considered for T-shaped retrofitting cross bracings without auxiliary members (TCB) and with auxiliary members (TCBA). Results show that the failure modes of T-shaped retrofitting cross bracings are out-of-plane bending of the entire brace. As the stress ratio decreases, the failure modes transition to the bending of the longer section of the brace. When the nominal slenderness ratio is below 160 for TCB, local buckling dominates and nominal slenderness ratio has few effects on the bearing capacity. Also, stress ratio has a minimal impact on bearing capacity when it is less than −0.2. In addition to above, bearing capacity is related to nominal slenderness ratio and stress ratio. A higher width-to-thickness ratio increases the nominal stability coefficient for TCB, but has a negligible effect on TCBA. Increasing yield strength can effectively enhance the bearing capacity of TCB when stress ratio is below 0, while yield strength has little impact in other conditions.

THE EFFECT OF THERMAL CYCLING ON DEPOSITION IN AN IMPINGEMENT/EFFUSION COOLING GEOMETRY

Abstract Experiments were conducted in a high-pressure deposition facility to study the effect of engine cycling on the successive buildup of deposits as aircraft shut down and power up. The test facility simulates the pressure and temperature environment of a combustor liner cooling circuit. The coolant flow temperature reaches 894K (1150 °F) and discharges into a 17atm (250 psi) cavity pressure at a nominal pressure ratio of 1.027. AFRL05 test dust with a 0-10micron size distribution is added to the coolant . The cooling circuit consists of a double-walled impingement/effusion cooling plate with nominal hole sizes on the order of 0.5mm. To simulate cycling, the facility is brought up to the desired operating conditions where the first batch of dust is delivered (2-8g). The facility is then ramped down to ambient conditions. Following a “dwell” period of approximately 24 hours, another batch of dust is delivered once the facility is brought back up to the desired operating condition. Test data were acquired for one, two, and four cycles with different dust mass delivered. Values such as discharge coefficient, pressure ratio, Reynolds Number, and temperature are used to evaluate the effects of dust deposition on the impingement/effusion plate setup. Dust capture efficiency is shown to be insensitive to cycling whereas flow blockage is negatively impacted by increased number of cycles for the same total mass delivered. The sloughing of deposit structures during cooling circuit cool down is postulated to be responsible for the observed behavior.

Numerical investigation on plastic hinge behavior of hybrid steel-FRP reinforced concrete columns

This paper presents a numerical study on the plastic hinge behavior and rotation capacity of concrete columns reinforced with a combination of steel bars and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars. A meso-scale numerical model, which considers the internal heterogeneity of concrete and bond behavior between concrete and longitudinal reinforcements, was developed and validated. The failure modes, lateral load-displacement responses, and the physical plastic hinge lengths of hybrid steel-FRP reinforced concrete (SFRC) columns were investigated and compared with those of conventional steel-reinforced concrete columns. The results indicated that the steel yielding zone and curvature localization zone of SFRC columns with FRP longitudinal bars were enlarged, due to the relatively low modulus of FRP bars. After that, a parametric analysis was performed to study the plastic hinge length of SFRC columns with respect to the nominal area ratio of FRP longitudinal bars, shear span-to-depth ratio, axial load ratio, and longitudinal reinforcement ratio. A new empirical model was proposed to predict the equivalent plastic hinge length, which was subsequently integrated into an analytical method for predicting the ultimate rotation. The comparison of predictions with simulation and test results demonstrated the accuracy of both the proposed empirical model and analytical method.

Highly correlated deposition characteristics between individual elemental powders and elemental powder blends of MoNbTaTi in laser melt deposition

The laser melt deposition process often involves fabricating custom alloys from cost-effective elemental powder blends. However, discrepancies between the nominal ratio of the pre-mixed powders and the final composition of the deposited part are commonly observed due to variations in the material properties of the elemental powders. In this study, separate experiments were employed to investigate the relationship of deposition characteristics between individual elemental powders and elemental powder blends in the laser melt deposition process. To investigate the spatial distribution between elemental powder particles, powder flow characteristics in four different delivery systems were measured. Single-track deposition experiments were deployed to study the real powder catchment efficiency of elemental powder and the final composition of the deposited layer. In addition, a finite element model was established and validated with experimental data to predict the dilution rate and final chemical composition of the deposited layer. The experimental results indicate a strong correlation between the powder catchment efficiency of individual elemental powder and the final composition of the deposited layer. The simulation results agreed well with the actual composition of the deposited track. This study’s findings have the potential to predict and optimize the composition of the desired materials fabricated by elemental powder blends in the laser melt deposition process.

Behaviour and design of prestressed stayed circular concrete-filled double skin steel tubular (PS-CCFDSST) columns under axial compression

An innovative type of steel-concrete composite column, named the prestressed stayed circular concrete-filled double skin steel tubular (PS-CCFDSST) column, is introduced in this study, aiming to achieve both structural efficiency and economic advantages. Numerical simulation and theoretical analysis on the axial compressive behaviour of PS-CCFDSST columns were carried out, to understand and reveal their fundamental working mechanisms. Nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) utilising ABAQUS was performed and validated against collected test data of CCFDSST columns and PS columns. Properly designed PS-CCFDSST columns could gain cost savings of over 30 % while maintaining identical load-bearing capacity as prestressed stayed hollow steel tube (PS-HST) columns with the same steel usage. The effects of initial pretension, nominal steel ratio, hollow ratio, column’s slenderness ratio, relative length of struts, column diameter, strut diameter and cable area on the buckling mode and buckling capacity of PS-CCFDSST columns were evaluated via parametric studies. The stiffness ratio β could be used as an index to comprehensively assess the structural efficiency of PS-CCFDSST columns, and a critical threshold of β = 2 corresponds to the transition between symmetric and anti-symmetric buckling modes. Linear calculation formulae for the theoretical buckling capacity and optimal initial pretension of PS-CCFDSST columns were derived. Finally, practical design equations for predicting the column’s buckling capacity were developed, and recommended values for the actual optimal initial pretension and other primary parameters were provided for PS-CCFDSST columns under axial compression. This study, for the first time, provides the fundamental mechanical behaviour, identification of the critical stiffness ratio for buckling mode transition, and design framework for buckling capacity of the PS-CCFDSST column, which is useful for advancing theoretical exploration and informing engineering practices for this new column type.

Characteristics of Gasless Combustion of Core-Shell Al@NiO Microparticles with Boosted Exothermic Performance.

The microstructures and thermochemical behavior of the energetic composites composed of core-shell structured μAl@NiO microparticles were characterized. These core-shell microparticles were synthesized using a wet-chemistry-based one-pot process, where the assembly was proposed to be driven by the electrostatic force between negatively charged Al and positively charged Ni-NH3 ions. Electron microscopic images demonstrated the formation of NiO nanoparticles adhering to the surface of microsized Al particles with different equivalence ratios. Thermal analysis revealed two consecutive exothermic peaks resulting from the initial thermite reaction between 890 and 960 °C and subsequently the intermetallic/alloy formation reactions between 1000 and 1040 °C. The latter was further confirmed by the endothermic peaks of Al-Ni alloy melting at higher temperatures. The formation of alloy was substantiated by the melting of AlNi3, AlNi, and Al3Ni. The onset temperature of the first exothermic peak decreased with increasing nominal equivalence ratio of the core-shell. Compared to the physically mixed (PM) composite, the core-shell structures decreased the activation energy of the thermite reaction by a mere 9.24 kJ/mol; however, it increased the combustibility by the manifold. The PM composite was not able to be ignited at all by a 5 W laser, while the core-shell counterpart ignited at 2.55 ms and was completely combusted within 6.50 ms accompanying a violent impulse.

Experimental and numerical investigation on flame pattern formations of non-premixed CH4 and air in a planar micro-combustor

Non-premixed CH4/air flames in a rectangular micro-combustor of 2.0 mm (width) × 10 mm (height) × 31 mm (length) were experimentally investigated. The results demonstrated that flame cannot occur within the micro-combustor if nominal equivalence ratio ϕ ≤ 1.0 for any average velocity (V). Five flame patterns appeared and were termed as “single internal C-shaped flame”, “dual internal C-shaped flames”, “single ε-shaped flame”, “dual internal and external flames” and “single external flame”. Cold-state numerical simulations unraveled that fuel stratification occurred in the height direction due to the buoyancy effect, which is especially pronounced at ϕ = 1.3–1.5. Consequently, “dual internal C-shaped flames” is formed, consisting of an upper flame cell and a lower flame cell. At ϕ = 1.1–1.3, fuel stratification phenomenon grew weakened, which led to “single ε-shaped flame” at ϕ = 1.2–1.3 and “single internal C-shaped flame” at ϕ = 1.1–1.2. At sufficient high average velocities, one or both flame cells will be pushed out of the combustor. In conclusion, the present work verified the possibilities of formation of stable flames inside the micro-combustor with a width less than the quenching distance of stoichiometric mixture. Moreover, this study revealed the important role of buoyancy effect in flame pattern formations within micro-combustors with a large enough channel height.

Theoretical Research and Shaking Table Test on Nominal Aspect Ratio of the Isolated Step-Terrace Structure

With the installation of rubber isolation bearings in the upper and lower ground layers, an isolated step-terrace structure was created. Considering the ultimate bearing capacity of the rubber bearing under tension as the critical condition, a comprehensive framework was established to evaluate the overturning failure mechanisms present in isolated step-terrace structures. The bound of nominal aspect ratio was identified as the principal control index within this framework, which incorporates critical parameters such as height ratio (α), width ratio (β), vertical tensile stiffness to compressive stiffness ratio (γ), seismic coefficient (k), and nominal vertical compressive stress (σ0) to provide a thorough analysis of the structural responses and potential failure scenarios. In order to further investigate this matter, a scaled model of an isolated step-terrace concrete frame structure featuring two dropped layers and a single span within an 8° seismic fortification zone was meticulously crafted at a 1:10 similarity ratio. Subsequently, a series of shaking table tests were conducted to analyze the structural response under seismic excitation. The findings indicate that: utilizing the bound of nominal aspect ratio as a metric to gauge the anti-overturning capacity of isolated step-terrace structures is a justified approach. In instances where the height ratio remains constant, the bound of nominal aspect ratio for both positive and negative overturning trended upward with an increase in the width ratio. Notably, the bound of nominal aspect ratio for positive overturning consistently registered lower values compared to that of the negative overturning, underscoring the heightened susceptibility of step-terrace structures to positive overturning. Moreover, in scenarios characterized by higher height and width ratios, the structural integrity remained unscathed by any overturning effects arising from insufficient tensile strength in rubber bearings. Furthermore, the bound of nominal aspect ratio exhibited an ascending trend as the seismic coefficient, nominal vertical compressive stress, and vertical tensile stiffness to compressive stiffness ratio decreased. The outcomes derived from the shaking table test not only confirm the impressive seismic performance of the structure, but also, by closely examining the instantaneous stress variations within the upper and lower isolation layers of the model, substantiate the existence of a positive overturning hazard in scenarios marked by higher seismic coefficients (k). This observation aligns seamlessly with the theoretical projections, thereby substantiating the efficacy of the structural overturning failure theory through direct empirical verification.

Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance in Flexible Sulfur-Alloyed Ag2Se Thin Films.

Flexible thermoelectric generators can directly convert thermal energy harvested from the human body into electricity. The Ag2Se flexible film, a promising material for wearable thermoelectric generators, normally demonstrates an inferior electrical transport property due to its weakened in-plane mobility. In this study, the in-plane electrical transport properties of flexible Ag2Se films were optimized by alloying with additional sulfur. This optimization is achieved by leveraging the differences in elemental electronegativity and the preferred orientation of the Ag2Se films. The sulfur-alloyed Ag2Se thin film, with a nominal ratio of 3 atom %, can reach a maximum mobility of 1150 cm-2 V-1 s-1 at 300 K. So, the optimized room-temperature power factor increases to 1935 μW m-1 K-2. Furthermore, the Ag2Se film alloyed with 3 atom % sulfur exhibits excellent flexibility even after 1000 bending cycles with a radius of 5 mm, characterized by a relative resistance increment of less than 3%. In addition, the corresponding π-type flexible thermoelectric generator possesses a maximum power density of 51 W m-2 at a temperature difference of 50 K.

Exploring single-shot propagation and speckle based phase recovery techniques for object thickness estimation by using a polychromatic X-ray laboratory source.

Propagation and speckle-based techniques allow reconstruction of the phase of an X-ray beam with a simple experimental setup. Furthermore, their implementation is feasible using low-coherence laboratory X-ray sources. We investigate different approaches to include X-ray polychromaticity for sample thickness recovery using such techniques. Single-shot Paganin (PT) and Arhatari (AT) propagation-based and speckle-based (ST) techniques are considered. The radiation beam polychromaticity is addressed using three different averaging approaches. The emission-detection process is considered for modulating the X-ray beam spectrum. Reconstructed thickness of three nylon-6 fibers with diameters in the millimeter-range, placed at various object-detector distances are analyzed. In addition, the thickness of an in-house made breast phantom is recovered by using multi-material Paganin's technique (MPT) and compared with micro-CT data. The best quantitative result is obtained for the PT and ST combined with sample thickness averaging (TA) approach that involves individual thickness recovery for each X-ray spectral component and the smallest considered object-detector distance. The error in the recovered fiber diameters for both techniques is , despite the higher noise level in ST images. All cases provide estimates of fiber diameter ratios with an error of 3% with respect to the nominal diameter ratios. The breast phantom thickness difference between MPT-TA and micro-CT is about 10%. We demonstrate the single-shot PT-TA and ST-TA techniques feasibility for thickness recovery of millimeter-sized samples using polychromatic microfocus X-ray sources. The application of MPT-TA for thicker and multi-material samples is promising.

Loss model of low pressure compressor for mechanical vapor recompression system

Abstract Low pressure compressor (LPC) serves the role of enhancing pressure levels of secondary steam at nominal pressure ratios (1.5), procured from the evaporator as a primary thermal energy source. A loss model has been proficiently proposed to rapidly predict the performance of the LPC. Instead of conventional lump sum loss equations, the model adopts well-established one-dimensional (1D) loss formulations scattered across scholarly publications. Given an explicit configuration of the LPC, the environmental conditions, rotational velocity, and capacity, static and total temperatures, static and total pressures, pressure reductions, polytropic head, and efficiencies of each individual segment of the compressor can be calculated. Validation of this model was done using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis. This model renders it feasible to conduct a parametric examination of the impact of each loss apparatus on the LPC’s capability, thereby aiding designers in substantiating design choices that minimize these losses and consequently positively influencing the comprehensive efficiency.

Numerical investigation on flame propagation characteristics of non-premixed hydrogen and air in a curved micro-combustor

In the present study, propagation characteristics of non-premixed H2/air flames in a curved micro-combustor were numerically investigated. Five distinct flame propagation modes were identified, including the stable flames behind the separating plate and oscillating flames in the curved channel. Analysis showed that the flame sloping direction was determined by local distributions of both equivalence ratio and velocity. In addition, tip opening and tip intensified phenomena of V-shaped flames are attributed to the Lewis number effect. Flame splitting phenomenon occurs when ϕ ≤ 1.0, which is a result of the stretch effect. Moreover, the flame propagation time (i.e., the duration for the flame to reach the separating plate) first decreases and then increases with the increase of nominal equivalence ratio, and the shortest value appears at ϕ = 1.6 and 1.7. Furthermore, the flame propagation limit (i.e., maximum propagable velocity) varies non-monotonically with nominal equivalence ratio, and the peak value is obtained at ϕ = 1.3. In conclusion, the present study revealed more details of the propagation processes for non-premixed H2/air flames which cannot be fully detected through experiments.

Experimental study on the propagation characteristics of non-premixed H2/air flames in a curved micro-combustor

In this study, propagation characteristics of non-premixed H2/air flames in a curved micro-combustor were experimentally investigated. It was found that after cold-state ignition at the combustor exit, flames can propagate upstream and form a stable flame over a wide range of average inlet velocity (Vave,in) and nominal equivalence ratio (φ). The top-wall temperature distribution demonstrated that a flame separation phenomenon occurs when φ ≤ 1. High temperature zone of the combustor wall expanded and shifted downstream with an increasing Vave,in; however, with an increase in φ, it expanded initially and then shrank, and moved toward the air-side. The maximum wall temperature varied non-monotonically with both the Vave,in and φ, and they peaked at Vave,in = 1.5 m/s and φ = 1.6, respectively. Both lower and upper propagation limits (i.e., propagable velocities) exhibited non-monotonic tendencies versus φ. Specifically, the lowest and highest propagation limits are 0.3 m/s and 7.0 m/s, respectively, and they both occur at φ = 1.4. Empirical correlations of the propagation limits and propagable velocity range with φ were obtained. In summary, the present study demonstrated the feasibility of cold-state ignition of non-premixed H2/air for curved micro-combustors, and revealed the main flame propagation characteristics.

Orientation Relationship of the Intergrowth Al13Fe3 and Al13Fe4 Intermetallics Determined by Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction

In the Al-Fe binary system, the Al13Fe3 phase as well as the Al13Fe4 phase has similar icosahedral building blocks like those appearing in quasicrystals. Therefore, it is of vital importance to clarify the formation process of these two phases. Coexistence of the Al13Fe3 and Al13Fe4 phases was discovered from the educts obtained with a nominal atomic ratio of Al/Fe of 9:2 by high-pressure sintering for the first time. Firstly, single crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) combined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurement capabilities were adopted to determine the detailed crystal structures of both phases, which were sharply refined with regard to Al13Fe3 and Al13Fe4. Secondly, the orientation relationship between Al13Fe3 and Al13Fe4 was directly deduced from the SXRD datasets and the coexistence structure model was consequently constructed. Finally, seven pairs of parallel atomic planes and their unique orientation relations were determined from the reconstructed reciprocal space precession images. In addition, the real space structure model of the intergrowth crystal along with one kind of interfacial atomic structure were constructed from the determined orientation relations between two phases.

Orientation Relationship of Intergrowth Al2Fe and Al5Fe2 Intermetallics Determined by Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction

Although the Al2Fe phase has similar decagonal-like atomic arrangements as that of the orthorhombic Al5Fe2 phase, no evidence for intergrowth samples of Al2Fe and Al5Fe2 has been reported. In the present work, the co-existence of Al2Fe and Al5Fe2 phases has been discovered from the educts obtained with a nominal atomic ratio of Al:Fe of 2:1 by arc melting. First, single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD) as well as scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements have been utilized to determine the exact crystal structures of both phases, which are refined to be Al12.48Fe6.52 and Al5.72Fe2, respectively. Second, the orientation relationship between Al2Fe and Al5Fe2 has been directly deduced from the SXRD data sets, and the co-existence structure model has been constructed. Finally, four pairs of parallel atomic planes and their unique orientation relations have been determined from the reconstructed reciprocal-space precession images of (0kl), (h0l), and (hk0) layers. In addition, one kind of interface atomic structure model is constructed by the orientation relations between two phases, correspondingly.

The Development of a Series of Genomic DNA Reference Materials with Specific Copy Number Ratios for The Detection of Genetically Modified Maize DBN9936.

The genetically modified (GM) maize DBN9936 with a biosafety certificate will soon undergo commercial application. To monitor the safety of DBN9936 maize, three genomic DNA (gDNA) reference materials (RMs) (DBN9936a, DBN9936b, and DBN9936c) were prepared with nominal copy number ratios of 100%, 3%, and 1% for the DBN9936 event, respectively. DBN9936a was prepared from the leaf tissue gDNA of DBN9936 homozygotes, while DBN9936b and DBN9936c were prepared by the quantitative mixing of gDNA from the leaf tissues of DBN9936 homozygotes and non-GM counterparts. Validated DBN9936/zSSIIb duplex droplet digital PCR was demonstrated to be an accurate reference method for conducting homogeneity study, stability study, and collaborative characterization. The minimum intake for one measurement was determined to be 2 μL, and the gDNA RMs were stable during transport at 37 °C for 14 days and storage at -20 °C for 18 months. Each gDNA RM was certified for three property values: DBN9936 event copy number concentration, zSSIIb reference gene copy number concentration, and DBN9936/zSSIIb copy number ratio. The measurement uncertainty of the certified values took the uncertainty components related to possible inhomogeneity, instability, and characterization into account. This batch of gDNA RMs can be used for calibration and quality control when quantifying DBN9936 events.

Residual stress effects on short crack propagation behavior in friction stir welded 7075-T6 aluminum alloy panel under biaxial loading: An experimental and numerical study

The effects of residual stress on short crack propagation behavior of friction stir welded (FSWed) 7075-T6 aluminum alloy panel was investigated under biaxial loading. The biaxial fatigue tests were carried out on three kinds of cruciform samples, including base material (BM) cruciform sample and FSWed cruciform sample with crack perpendicular or parallel to the weld. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) fractography was conducted to identify and relate fracture surface features to governing fatigue damage mechanisms. Finite element method combined with stress intensity factor (SIF) analysis was used to simulate the biaxial fatigue propagation. In a comparison of the crack path in BM and FSWed cruciform samples, experimental and numerical results showed that residual stress can change the nominal biaxiality ratio, leading to crack path changes in FSWed cruciform sample with crack parallel to the weld, and the curved fatigue crack front formed on the fracture surface due to the non-uniform distribution of the residual stress through the thickness. The fatigue damage mechanisms are different depending upon the biaxiality ratio as well as the weld direction.