Addition Of Zn Research Articles

Mineral composition and chlorophyll fluorescence in cowpea plants amended with bulk and nanoparticles of Zn and Cu oxides

Zinc oxide (ZnO-NP) and copper (CuO-NP) nanoparticles have been proposed for crop fertilization, but studies demonstrating their efficiencies and evaluating their phytotoxicities compared to bulk sources are still scarce. Here, we assessed the dissolution of Zn and Cu oxides of nanoparticulate and bulk sources and their effects on cowpea’s biomass, nutritional status, and photosynthetic apparatus. The results showed that Zn and Cu dissolution rate and release from nanoparticulate oxides were higher than bulk oxides. Regardless of the source, the addition of Zn and Cu concentrations to the solution increased the root, stem, and leaf tissue concentrations of these micronutrients and reduced the contents of nutrients and pigments, with consequent inhibition of photosynthesis as indicated by the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence. Except for the lowest rate of the sources tested, biomass was reduced due to metal toxicity. However, biomass decreasing was not related to the source itself but to the nanoparticle source higher solubility, which promoted higher phytotoxicity.

Effects of Trace Zn on the Deformation Mechanisms of Mg–Gd–Y–Zr Alloy Investigated by In Situ Synchrotron Diffraction

Addition of trace Zn can impose notable effect on the deformation behavior of Mg–Gd–Y–Zr alloy, while the underlying mechanisms have not been revealed. In the present work, Mg–8.5Gd–2.5Y–0.3Zr (wt%) (0Zn) and Mg–8.5Gd–2.5Y–0.5Zn–0.3Zr (wt%) (0.5Zn) alloys are fabricated by casting and extrusion, to obtain a bimodal microstructure containing fine dynamic recrystallized (DRXed) grains and coarse unDRXed grains. The as‐extruded 0Zn and 0.5Zn alloys are studied by in situ synchrotron diffraction under uniaxial tension and compression to clarify the effect of trace Zn on the deformation mechanisms. It is found that both alloys exhibit stress softening in the basal slip‐favored grains under both tension and compression, and adding trace Zn highly enhances the stress softening. Furthermore, the addition of Zn stimulates the occurrence of discontinuous yielding which is in connection with the stress softening, resulting from the interaction between basal dislocations and solute atmospheres. The tension–compression‐yielding symmetry of the alloy is improved by adding Zn, which is mainly attributed to the suppression effect of γ′ phases and Gd/Y–Zn dimers on tensile twinning. Finally, the addition of Zn can promote the tensile and compressive strength, owing to the strength enhancement of the relevant deformation modes and the increase of the fraction of unDRXed regions.

EFFECT OF Zr, Zn AND Cu ADDITIONS ON ELEVATED-TEMPERATURE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AS-EXTRUDED Mg-3Sn-1Ca ALLOY

In this study, the effects of Zr, Zn and Cu additions on the microstructure, room-temperature and high-temperature mechanical properties of an Mg-3Sn-1Ca alloy (from 25 °C to 250 °C) were studied. The results reveal that additions of Zr and Zn do not change the phase composition of the alloy, composed of CaMgSn and Mg2Sn phases. After the addition of Zn, the grains are significantly refined, the volume fraction of the second phase is increased and dispersed, and the Mg2Ca phase is precipitated. The grain refinement of Zr is better than that of Zn. After adding the Cu element, the Mg2Cu phase precipitates besides the CaMgSn phase. A comparison of mechanical properties shows that the alloy with Zr (TXK311) has the best mechanical properties at room temperature and high temperature, and the elongation of the TXK311 alloy can reach 68.3 % at 250 °C. The TXK311 alloy was comprehensively considered to find its optimum mechanical properties. The analysis shows that fine grains, a uniform phase distribution and texture play important roles in the deformation of the alloy.

Effects of Organic Zinc on the Growth Performance of Weanling Pigs: A Meta-analysis.

Supplementation of feed with organic zinc (Zn) has long been discussed as an alternative to inorganic Zn in pigs, but its effects on growth performance are mixed. This meta-analysis was conducted to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the influence of organic Zn on the growth performance of weanling pigs, on the basis of average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed to gain ratio (F/G). We screened the PubMed and Web of Science databases (published before December 31, 2022; limited to English) systematically and contrasted organic Zn supplementation with inorganic Zn supplementation. There were 680 retrievals of studies, of which 16 (1389 pigs, 37 records) were eligible to analyze. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. The subgroup analysis was classified as organic Zn source (Zn-amino acid (Zn-AA), Zn-glycine (Zn-Gly), Zn-methionine (Zn-Met), Zn-Lysine (Zn-Lys), proteinate complex Zn (Zn-Pro), chitosan-Zn (Zn-CS) or Zn-lactate (Zn-Lac)) and Zn additive dose (low, medium, or high, i.e., lower than, equal to or higher than the requirement of NRC). Organic Zn addition in the weaning phase increased the ADG (P < 0.001) and the ADFI (P = 0.023) and decreased the F/G (P < 0.001). Specifically, for the organic sources, only Zn-CS supplementation presented significant effects on the ADG (P < 0.001), ADFI (P = 0.011), and F/G (P < 0.001). Moreover, medium-dose organic Zn supplementation had positive effects on ADG (P = 0.012), ADFI (P = 0.018), and F/G (P < 0.001). Our results indicate that organic Zn added to diets greatly improves the growth performance of weanling pigs.

Effects of Excessive Application of P and Zn Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Maize under Hydroponic Conditions

Background: Phosphate is an essential nutrient but can be toxic to plants when phosphate accumulates in plants at high levels. The objective of the study was to find effects of excessive application of P and Zn fertilizer on growth and yield of maize under hydroponic conditions. Methods: Research of Experiment studied from August to December 2019 at the greenhouse of the Agriculture and Aquaculture School at Tra Vinh University. The study aimed to determine the effect of high phosphate application on growth, biomass, symptoms of poisoning, phosphate and zinc absorption in maize and vegetables grown in hydroponic solution. Result: Experimental results showed the symptoms of phosphate poisoning on maize when grown in Hoagland nutrient solution (2.0 mM P) with an additional phosphorus content of 0.1 mM P, 1.0 mM P, 3.0 mM P in the treatment with or without the addition of Zn. However, the poisoning symptoms have been yet clearly expressed when Zn was not added. Therefore, plants may exhibit phosphorus toxicity, reducing Zn absorption when the phosphorus concentration in solution was increased by more than 1%P2O5. It is necessary to continue investigating plants’ responses to phosphate fertilizers.

Effect of Zn addition on electrophysical properties of nickel ferrite thin films

A series of nanocrystalline film materials Ni[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]Zn[Formula: see text]Fe2O4 ([Formula: see text] = 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5) are first synthesized by solid-phase pyrolysis. The results of the X-ray diffraction pattern show that the obtained films consist of nanocrystallites with an average size of 18–21 nm. The sizes of nanocrystals increase with increasing zinc content. The temperature dependence of the resistance becomes pronounced for films with a high concentration of zinc (Ni[Formula: see text]Zn[Formula: see text]Fe2O4 and Ni[Formula: see text]Zn[Formula: see text]Fe2O4).

Influence of Zn and Mg alloying elements on the mechanical properties of Al coating deposited via twin wire arc spray process

Protective coating has been one of the most effective corrosion mitigation methods and utilized to protect steel substrates for decades. Among various coating techniques, the twin wire arc spray (TWAS) process has been widely adopted in surface engineering to protect components due to its cost efficiency and flexibility. Apart from the coating parameters, coating composition plays a crucial role in obtaining superior coating properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that Al-Zn coating produced high roughness and low adhesion to substrates. In this study, two different wires inputs; Al-Mg and Zn were used to produce a pseudo-alloy of Al-Zn-Mg alloy coating on mild steel substrates where the addition of Zn and Mg elements have been the focus. Stand-off distance (SOD) parameters were first varied at 100, 200, 300, and 500 mm and it was found that coatings produced at 100 mm SOD produced the best quality thus were further investigated in this study. The effect on the properties of developed coating layer on microstructure, thickness, hardness, roughness, and adhesion was investigated. The microstructure and morphological analyses were conducted using SEM and the phase analysis using XRD. Results have shown that the Al-Zn-Mg coating prepared has demonstrated the best coating quality compared to pure Al coating. The average thickness of the coating at 100 mm SOD was recorded to be the lowest at 250 μm with the highest hardness and adhesion values, 135 Hv and 9.3 MPa, respectively and the lowest surface roughness of 5.8 µm.

Effect of dietary supplementation with zinc-methionine on ruminal enzyme activities, fermentation characteristics, methane production, and nutrient digestibility: An in vitro study.

The principal objective of this research was to examine the influence of zinc-methionine (Zn-Met) addition on feed on the in vitro ruminal enzyme activities, fermentation characteristics, methane production, and digestibilities of feed nutrients. The dosage of Zn-Met as a source of organic Zn was added to feed based on dry matter (DM) as follows: 0-without Zn addition (CON), 30 Zn mg/kg-low (LZM), 60 Zn mg/kg-medium (MZM), and 90 Zn mg/kg-high (HZM). The results indicated significant impacts of Zn-Met addition on various parameters. Compared to the CON group, all Zn-Met treatments resulted in increased total volatile fatty acids (VFA) (linear; p < 0.001), carboxymethyl-cellulase activity (linear; p < 0.001), and gas production at 48-h of incubation (linear; p < 0.001, quadratic; p < 0.001). Additionally, the MZM and HZM groups exhibited higher levels of amylase activity (linear; p < 0.001), protease activity (linear; p = 0.006), microbial protein (linear; p = 0.009), DM digestibility (linear; p < 0.001), organic matter (OM) digestibility (linear; p < 0.001), crude protein (CP) digestibility (linear; p = 0.004), and crude fiber (CF) digestibility (linear; p = 0.003) than CON treatment. However, the treatments did not have any noteworthy effects on pH, the individual VFA (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) proportions, NH3-N concentration, and methane production (p > 0.05). It could be summarized that supplementing 60 and 90 Zn mg/kg DM as Zn-Met could improve the in vitro ruminal enzyme activities, fermentation characteristics, and nutrient digestibility without affecting methane production.

The Effect of Sodium Alginate-Coated Nano-Zinc Oxide on the Growth Performance, Serum Indexes and Fecal Microbial Structure of Weaned Piglets.

High dose of zinc oxide (ZnO) could improve growth performance and alleviate disease status, whereas it caused serious environmental pollution and bacterial resistance. This study was to investigate whether low doses of sodium alginate-coated nano zinc oxide (saZnO), a new type of zinc resource, could serve as a potential alternative to pharmacological doses of traditional ZnO in weaned piglets. A total of 144 crossbred piglets were randomly allocated into three groups, including a basal diet without the addition of Zn (CON), a basal diet with 1600 mg Zn/kg from traditional ZnO (ZnO), and a basal diet with 500 mg Zn/kg from saZnO (saZnO). The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed that supplementing with ZnO and saZnO for 14 and 28 days significantly improved body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.01) and markedly reduced the feed intake-to-gain ratio (F/G) (p < 0.05) and diarrhea rate. In addition, dietary ZnO and saZnO significantly increased the activities of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.01). Supplementing with saZnO also promoted the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), IgM and copper- and zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) in serum (p < 0.05), whereas a ZnO addition decreased the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.05), indicating the beneficial effect of Zn on antioxidant and immune functions. Piglets fed the ZnO diet showed higher serum Zn accumulations than those fed the CON and saZnO diets at d 28 (p < 0.01), and supplementing with ZnO and saZnO markedly contributed to Zn excretion in feces, especially in the ZnO diet (p < 0.01). Additionally, piglets fed the saZnO diet had greater valeric acid concentrations (p < 0.05) in their feces, while other short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were not affected by different treatments (p > 0.05). Microbial alpha diversity was reduced in the saZnO group compared with the CON group (p < 0.05), while an obvious separation of microbial composition, the marker of beta diversity, was shown among the three groups (p < 0.05). At the genus level, six genera, including Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Terrisporobacter, f_Muribaculaceae, Subdoligranulum and Intestinibacter, were pronouncedly increased in the ZnO and saZnO groups (p < 0.05); another nine species were dramatically downregulated, such as f_Lachnospiraceae, f_Prevotellaceae, f_Butyricicoccaceae and f_Ruminococcaceae (p < 0.05). Finally, a functional analysis indicated that altered microbes significantly changed the "Metabolism" pathway (p < 0.05). These findings suggested that saZnO could act as a feasible substitute for ZnO to reduce Zn emission and enhance growth performance, antioxidant and immune functions, and to adjust the structure of gut microbiota in piglets.

Studi Awal Sintesis ZnO/SiO2 dengan Silika dari Limbah Padat Geothermal dan Uji Performansinya dalam Penghilangan Metilen Biru

Industrial development impacts environmental problems, such as the emergence of wastewater containing methylene blue. In this research, SiO2 was composited with ZnO to remove methylene blue. The steps of this study include SiO2 extraction from geothermal solid waste, ZnO/SiO2 synthesis, and methylene blue removal test. The process of extracting SiO2 from geothermal solid waste used the sol-gel method. The FTIR analysis showed that SiO2 contains siloxane group (Si-OH) and silanol group (Si-O-Si). ZnO/SiO2 synthesis was done by making SiO2 suspension and continued with adding the addition of several Zn(NO3)2.6H2O. The FTIR analysis of ZnO/SiO2 showed no absorption at the wavenumber 960 cm-1 and there is a shoulder around the number 950 cm-1 which indicates the vibration of Si-O-Zn. Meanwhile, methylene blue removal tests were carried out on artificial wastewater. Based on the research results, the highest percent removal (99%) was obtained under operating conditions, including a dose of 500 mg/L, pH 10, and contact time of 30 minutes. Based on box-benkhen analysis, it is known that dose and pH singularly affect the percent removal, while contact time does not affect the percent removal. The optimization results obtained optimum conditions for methylene blue removal at a dose of 581.952 mg/L, pH of 10, and contact time of 30 minutes. Percent removal in conditions without irradiation and with irradiation of UV light were 98.758% and 99.178%. It shows that the adsorption process is the main process in removing methylene blue, while the photocatalytic process has little effect because it is possible that only a small amount of ZnO can attach to the surface of SiO2.

Starfish-like Zn doped In2O3 dendritic structure for superior triethylamine sensing by the facile co-precipitation method

Zn-doped In2O3 starfish-like dendritic structures (IZx, x=0, 1, 3, 5) were successfully synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method and applied for triethylamine (TEA) sensing. The influence of Zn addition on the phase structure, microstructure, chemical composition and surface state of IZx sensor was characterized by XRD, Raman, UV-vis, SEM, TEM, XPS and BET analyses. TEA-sensing performance was measured by gas-sensing test system at 40% humidity. Results show that the typical IZ3 sensor has a high response of 156.2 and short response/recovery times of 6 s/165 s after exposure to 5 ppm TEA at optimal temperature of 140 ºC. It also exhibits a low detection limit of 0.1 ppm, excellent selectivity to TEA, and long-term stability. The excellent TEA-sensing ability of IZx-based sensors may be attributed to their unique morphology with large specific surface area, suitable internal defects and band gap induced by Zn-doping. Therefore, Zn-doped In2O3 sensors have potential applications in actual TEA-detection.

Construction of a highly reactive Zn/NiCo2O4 surface and analysis of its antimicrobial properties

By incorporating Zn into NiCo2O4, a rod-shaped Zn/NiCo2O4 nanocomposite with an increased number of active sites on its surface was constructed in this study. The antimicrobial activity of this material against Escherichia coli was investigated, revealing a significant improvement compared to pure NiCo2O4 under both dark conditions and light irradiation, with an increase in the antimicrobial rate from 45.71 % to 99.06 % and 51.48 %–88.13 % at a dosage of 0.1 mg/mL, respectively. This enhancement can be attributed to the increased formation of oxygen vacancies on the material surface after Zn doping. These vacancies lead to greater exposure of high-valence metal active sites and enhanced redox reactions. Additionally, introducing defects improves the energy level distribution, resulting in a stronger reduction ability at the conduction band position. Consequently, the generation of reactive oxygen species increases, enhancing both contact sterilization and photocatalytic sterilization. Furthermore, Zn/NiCo2O4 demonstrated excellent cyclic stability, maintaining an antibacterial rate of up to 95.13 % after five cycles of antibacterial activity. In conclusion, the use of this material is not restricted to light conditions, and the addition of Zn greatly enhances its antibacterial effectiveness. This study demonstrates that Zn/NiCo2O4 has significant potential for applications in the field of antibacterial materials.

Use of Mixed Methanesulfonic Acid/Sulfuric Acid as Positive Supporting Electrolyte and the Study of Ion Crossover in Zn-Ce Redox Flow Battery

The development of a highly efficient and inexpensive energy storage technology is central to the operation of a sustainable smart grid and widespread utilization of intermittent renewable energy sources. An emerging and promising grid-scale technology for electrochemical energy storage is the redox flow battery (RFB). A unique and particularly valuable aspect of the design of RFBs is that their energy and power capacities can be scaled independently. Some of their other advantages include short response time, long life-cycles and no detrimental effects associated with being fully charged or discharged [1]. The Zn-Ce RFB, first developed by Plurion Inc (UK) in 2005 [2], has an open-circuit voltage as high as 2.4 V which is one of the highest among the various RBFs.To further improve the efficiency of Zn-Ce RBFs, the effect of different positive supporting electrolytes on the performance of a bench-scale Zn-Ce RFB has been studied. The effectiveness of mixed methanesulfonic/sulfuric acid, mixed methanesulfonic/nitric acid and pure methanesulfonic acid has been assessed and compared on the basis of the cyclic voltammetry response for the Ce(III)/Ce(IV) redox couple and galvanic charge-discharge of a bench-scale Zn-Ce RFB. We have observed the Ce(III)/Ce(IV) reaction to exhibit faster kinetics and the battery to attain higher coulombic efficiency and long-term performance over ~40 charge-discharge cycles in the mixed 2 mol/L MSA–0.5 mol/L H2SO4 electrolyte compared to that achieved in the commonly used 4 mol/L pure MSA electrolyte due to lower H+ crossover and the prevention of CeO2 precipitation. The coulombic efficiency fade rate in the mixed MSA-H2SO4 electrolyte is 0.55% per cycle over 40 charge-discharge cycles, while the fade rate is 1.26% in the case of 4 mol/L MSA. Furthermore, the positive electrode reaction is no longer the limiting half-cell reaction even at the end of long-term battery charge-discharge operation [3]. Our results show that a mixed MSA–H2SO4 acid electrolyte may be a better option for the positive side of a Zn-Ce RFB as a large-scale energy storage device.At the same time, undesired ion crossover is a practical issue that cannot be neglected since it decreases the concentrations of electroactive species in both negative and positive electrolytes and can cause battery self-discharge and thereby lower battery efficiency and longevity. The concentrations of electroactive species in both the positive and negative electrolytes after each charge-discharge cycle have been monitored as a function of cycle number. We have found that as much as 48.6% of the Zn(II) ions are transported through the Nafion 117 membrane from the negative to the positive electrolyte and 11.1% of Ce(III) ions are transported from the positive to the negative electrolyte by the end of 30 cycles (~55 hours of battery operation). A simple and efficient method to mitigate this problem is to add a certain amount of Zn(II) to the positive electrolyte and Ce(III) to the negative electrolyte at the outset of operation in order to reduce the concentration gradients between the two sides. From our cyclic voltammetry results, the addition of Zn(II) ions into the positive electrolyte has no deleterious effect on the Ce(III)/Ce(IV) redox couple and in fact appears to slightly reduce the separation between the reduction and oxidation peaks, suggesting better reversibility of the positive electrode reaction. In addition, experiments involving 30 cycles of battery charge-discharge have been conducted using Zn(II)-containing pure MSA positive electrolyte as well as Zn(II)-containing MSA-H2SO4 mixed acid electrolytes to analyze battery efficiency. Our results show that both the coulombic and voltage efficiencies are increased compared to that attained using the original electrolytes without Zn(II) initially added to the positive electrolytes. The energy efficiency increases by 19.7% in the case of the Zn(II)-containing pure MSA electrolyte and 6.1% for the Zn(II)-containing H2SO4-MSA mixed acid electrolyte (see Figure 1). Another benefit of adding Zn(II) ions to the MSA pure positive electrolyte is that it prevents the precipitation of CeO2 routinely observed to occur in MSA-only electrolytes after 10 – 15 charge-discharge cycles, which further enhances the energy density of the Zn-Ce RFB.References Nguyen, T. and R.F. Savinell, Flow Batteries. Electrochemical Society Interface, 2010. 19(3), 54.Clarke, R., B. Dougherty, S. Harrison, P. Millington, and S. Mohanta, US Patent 2004/0202925 A1. Cerium Batteries, 2004.Yu, H., M. Pritzker, and J. Gostick, Use of Mixed Methanesulfonic Acid/Sulfuric Acid as Positive Supporting Electrolyte in Zn-Ce Redox Flow Battery. J. Electrochemical Society, 2023. 170(2), 020536. Figure 1

The Effect of Cu and Zn Addition on the Intergranular Corrosion Resistance of Al-Mg-Si Alloy

Aluminum alloys are widely used for automobile and aircraft industries because of their good strength-to-weight ratio. In general, Cu improves the strength of Al alloys but reduces localized corrosion resistance. For Al-Mg-Si alloys, it has been reported that Cu decreases intergranular corrosion resistance. In this study, the effect of Cu and Zn on intergranular corrosion resistance was analyzed by electrochemical measurements.As specimens, Cu-free alloy, Cu-added alloy, and Cu- and Zn-added alloy were prepared based on AA6061 composition. The extruded specimens were subjected to T6 heat treatment. Intermetallic compounds were characterized by SEM-EDS and TEM. Open-circuit potentials (OCPs) was measured in 0.1 M NaCl (pH 6.0). To assess the distribution density of the initiation sites of localized corrosion, the size of electrode area was 100 mm2, 9 mm2, or 1 mm2. In the electrochemical measurements, Ag/AgCl (3.33 M KCl) was used as the reference electrode.At the beginning of immersion, OCP was −1.2 V (vs. SHE) for all specimens, and OCP increased with time. After 4000 s, the OCP of Cu-free alloy became −0.5 V, the OCPs of Cu-added alloy and Cu- and Zn-added alloy became −0.4 V. After 3 h immersion, intergranular corrosion was generated on Cu-added alloy and Cu- and Zn-added alloy. In contrast, no intergranular corrosion was observed on Cu-free alloy. Based on intergranular corrosion length, it was shown that intergranular corrosion resistance of Cu- and Zn-added alloy is low compared with the others. This result suggested that Zn promotes the growth of intergranular corrosion. Moreover, the number of intergranular corrosion damages was assessed and found to be less on Cu- and Zn-added alloy than on Cu-added alloy. This result suggested that Zn decrease the number of initiation sites of intergranular corrosion. Additionally, 3-h immersion of Cu-added alloy and Cu- and Zn-added alloy was conducted with the electrode area of 9 mm2 and 1 mm2. For both alloys, intergranular corrosion occurred at 10 sites in 100 mm2 and 1 site in 9 mm2. And no intergranular corrosion occurred in the case of 1 mm2 electrode area. The distribution density of the initiation sites for intergranular corrosion on Cu-added alloy and Cu- and Zn-added alloy was estimated to be approximately 1 site per 9 mm2.

(Invited) Coordinatively Cross-Linked Binders for Silicon-Based Electrodes for Lithium Ion Batteries

We have proposed a simple and versatile preparation of Cu(II)- or Zn(II)-poly(carboxylates) reticulated binders by the addition of Cu(II) or Zn(II) precursors into a pre-optimized carboxymethyl cellulose / citric acid binder solution. These binders lead systematically to a significantly improved electrochemical performance when used for the formulation of silicon-based negative electrodes [1,2]. Mechanical characterizations reveal that the coordinated binders offer a better electrode coating cohesion and adhesion to the current collector, as well as higher hardness and elastic modulus, which are even preserved in presence of a carbonate solvent (i.e. in battery operation conditions). Ultimately, as shown from operando dilatometry experiments, the electrode expansion during lithiation is reduced, mitigating electrode mechanical failure [2]. In complement, we used scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to probe the nanoscale morphology of such electrodes. This technique reveals the homogeneous coordination of carboxylated binder with Zn cations and its layering on the silicon surface. The SEI formed after the first cycle is denser with Zn-coordinated binder and preferentially observed on binder-depleted zones [3]. In summary, the superiority of coordinated binders can be attributed to their capacity to better stabilize the electrode and the SEI layer due to improved mechanical properties. This resulted in a lower SEI impedance, a higher first cycle coulombic efficiency, and a 40% improvement of capacity retention after 60 cycles for highly loaded electrodes of over 6 mAh.cm-2. Noteworthy, this formulation principle allows for better reproducibility and manufacturing quality of the electrodes [4].[1] D. Mazouzi, R. Grissa, M. Paris, Z. Karkar, L. Huet, D. Guyomard, L. Roué, T. Devic, B. Lestriez, Electrochimica Acta, 304 (2019) 495-504[2] L. Huet, D. Mazouzi, P. Moreau, N. Dupré, M. Paris, S. Mittelette, D. Laurencin, T. Devic, L. Roué, B. Lestriez, ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 15 (2023) 15509-15524[3] L. Huet, P. Moreau, N. Dupré, T. Devic, L. Roué, B. Lestriez, Small Methods, 2022, 2200827[4] L. Huet, H. Houisse, N. Herkendaal, T. Devic, L. Roué, B. Lestriez, Energy Technology, 2023, 2201483 Figure 1

Deformation Mechanisms of Magnesium Alloys with Rare-Earth and Zinc Additions under Plane Strain Compression.

The introduction of rare-earth (RE) elements into magnesium (Mg) alloys can significantly improve their ductility, thereby extending the applications of Mg products. However, the impacts of their chemical composition, temperature and processing methods on the mechanical properties of Mg products are highly debatable. In this work, we systematically investigate the deformation behaviors of Mg-Nd and Mg-Zn-Nd alloys using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) characterization. The samples were deformed to different stress levels to study the microstructure and texture development during channel die compression. The results reveal that the room temperature formability of the Mg-Nd alloy can be enhanced with the addition of Zn. This is attributed to the higher activities of prismatic slip and tensile twinning in the Mg-Zn-Nd alloy as compared to the binary counterpart, facilitating strain accommodation. When the strain increases, the growing and merging of the same twin variant rapidly consumes the parent grain, which is responsible for the texture modification from the transverse to the basal direction. At elevated temperatures, the twinning is suppressed in both alloys due to the decreased critical resolved shear stress of the non-basal slip systems. Additionally, an obvious sigmoidal yielding phenomenon is observed due to the multiple activation of the different deformation modes. These findings offer valuable insights into the evolution of the microstructure and texture during plane strain compression, elucidating the connections between material chemical composition, processing and mechanical properties, which are important for the advancement of Mg alloy application.

Metallic micronutrients are associated with the structure and function of the soil microbiome

The relationship between metallic micronutrients and soil microorganisms, and thereby soil functioning, has been little explored. Here, we investigate the relationship between metallic micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Mo and Ni) and the abundance, diversity and function of soil microbiomes. In a survey across 180 sites in China, covering a wide range of soil conditions the structure and function of the soil microbiome are highly correlated with metallic micronutrients, especially Fe, followed by Mn, Cu and Zn. These results are robust to controlling for soil pH, which is often reported as the most important predictor of the soil microbiome. An incubation experiment with Fe and Zn additions for five different soil types also shows that increased micronutrient concentration affects microbial community composition and functional genes. In addition, structural equation models indicate that micronutrients positively contribute to the ecosystem productivity, both directly (micronutrient availability to plants) and, to a lesser extent, indirectly (via affecting the microbiome). Our findings highlight the importance of micronutrients in explaining soil microbiome structure and ecosystem functioning.

Sodium Promoted FeZn@SiO2-C Catalysts for Sustainable Production of Low Olefins by CO2 Hydrogenation

A prepared FeZnNa@SiO2-C catalyst with graphitized carbon (C)-modified mesoporous SiO2 supports metal nanoparticles with the sol–gel method. The effect of adding metal Na and Zn promoters as a dispersion on the CO2 hydrogenation to low olefins was systematically studied. The results showed that Zn–Na, as a combination, could promote the absorption of CO2 and improved the conversion rate of CO2. Na as an alkaline substance can improve the absorption of more acidic CO2, which could increase the conversion rate of CO2 to 59.03%. Meanwhile, the addition of secondary metal Zn to Fe-based catalysts to form a surface alloy could alter the adsorption of CO2 and the activation of C-O bonds, inhibit the subsequent hydrogenation of olefins to paraffins, and facilitate the reduction of Fe2O3 and the formation of active Fe5C2 species. The formation of active Fe5C2 species was found in TEM and XRD, and the selectivity of the target product was 41.07%. The deep hydrogenation of olefins was inhibited, and the space–time yield (STY) of low olefins was raised again by inhibiting their deep hydrogenations, up to 0.0436. However, the corresponding STY did not increase infinitely with the increase of Na doping, and higher catalytic performance for CO2 hydrogenation could be exhibited when the Na doping reached 6.4%. Compared with Fe@SiO2-C catalyst, Na- and Zn-promoted Fe-based catalysts, prepared by the modified sol-gel method, can be used directly for highly efficient CO2 hydrogenation to low olefins and thus has a more promising application prospect in the future.

Coercivity enhancement with reduced Tb usage for NdFeB sintered magnets by grain boundary diffusion with multicomponent Tb-Ce-Al-Cu-Zn alloy powders

In this work, coercivity enhancement and thermal stability improvement for NdFeB sintered magnets by grain boundary diffusion (GBD) with Tb75Cu25-xZnx (x = 0–25) alloy powders are investigated. The coercivity (iHc) is enhanced from 10.6 kOe to 19.5–22.5 kOe by GBD with Tb75Cu25-xZnx (x = 0–25). Proper Zn addition into diffusion source can further improve the coercivity and its thermal stability for NdFeB sintered magnets. Besides, the costs of the diffusion sources have been significantly reduced by multicomponent Tb75-y-zAlyCez (Cu, Zn)25 alloy powders, and nearly without sacrificing the magnetic properties. Coercivity is significantly increased to 20.3–22.1 kOe by GBD with Tb75-yAlyCu20Zn5 (y = 0–30) alloy powders, and large coercivity increment (ΔiHc) of 11.0–11.5 kOe is found for y = 0–30. To further reduce the Tb usage, Tb45-zCezAl30Cu20Zn5 (z = 0–25) alloy powders are adopted as diffusion sources. Although the ΔiHc is gradually decreased as Ce content increases, the large coercivity of 18.4–21.6 kOe can be attained for z = 0–25. The formation of (Nd, Tb)2Fe14B shells can inhibit the nucleation of reverse domain. While Ce, Al, Cu and Zn prefer to distribute at grain boundary and triple junction, which can strengthen the decoupling effect between adjacent grains. Both effects contribute to the large coercivity enhancement. The optimized magnetic properties of iHc = 20.5 kOe, ΔiHc = 9.9 kOe and (BH)max = 49.1 MGOe can be achieved for the magnet GBD with Tb30Ce15Al30Cu20Zn5 alloy powders.

Intermetallic compound evolution and mechanical properties of Sn-0.7Cu-0.1Ni-xZn lead-free solder alloys prepared by directional solidification

The addition of Ni and Zn is known to improve the properties of Sn-0.7Cu solder. However, previous research has only focused on the improvement of Sn-0.7Cu solder performance through microalloying methods, and the impact of preparation processes and microalloying on the properties of Sn-0.7Cu solder remains unclear. In this study, Sn-0.7Cu-0.1Ni-xZn solders were prepared using the directional solidification (DS) method. DS eliminates transverse grain boundaries, making it an advantageous method to study the effect of Zn content on the mechanical properties of Sn-0.7Cu-0.1Ni solder. The results showed that some CuZn intermetallic compounds (IMCs) and Cu6Sn5 IMCs transformed into Cu5Zn8 IMCs of better mechanical properties and (Cu,Ni)6(Sn,Zn)5 IMCs of more thermodynamic stability with the increase of Zn content. The tensile results indicated that the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) of the solders followed the same pattern as the Zn content increased. Additionally, the fracture elongation (EL) of the solders initially increased and then decreased with the increase of Zn content. The peak EL was observed at 21.9% when the Zn content was 0.5 wt%. Finally, the fracture surface analysis of the tensile specimens revealed that the solder deformation was primarily plastic, with a small degree of necking observed.