Utjecaj otopine u čvrstom stanju i starenja na mikrostrukturu i mehanička svojstva kompozita čestica SiCp/Al-Si-Cu-Mg

The SiC particles (SiCp, mass fraction 30 %) reinforced with the Al-Si-Cu-Mg matrix composite have been prepared using one-way press method, sintering, and hot extrusion. The composite was subjected to solid solution treatment at temperatures of 470 °C, 485 °C, 500 °C, 515 °C, and 530 °C for 4 h. The sample was then subjected to ageing treatment at temperatures of 160 °C and 180 °C during different times after solid solution treatment at 515 °C for 4 h. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the SiCp/Al-Si-Cu-Mg matrix composite under the different ageing and solid solution treatments were tested using SEM and TEM microhardness analysis. The results show that the white granulated metallic compounds of the SiCp/Al-Si-Cu-Mg composite materials, which are formed in the sintering process of composite materials, dissolve back after the solid solution treatment at different temperatures. The higher the solid solution temperature, the more metallic compounds dissolve back. The microhardness of the composites reached maximum after solution treatment at 515 °C for 4 h. Following the ageing treatment and with the prolongation of ageing time, the hardness of the composite material reached “double peak” phenomenon. With the increase in ageing temperature, the hardening speed of the composite material also increased, but at the same time, the hardening ability had reduced. After the ageing treatment, the second phases of the composite are discoid Al5Cu6Mg2. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Pripravljen je kompozit čestica SiC (SiCp) u masenom udjelom 30 % u matrici Al-Si-Cu-Mg prešanjem, sinteriranjem i ekstrudiranjem. Kompozit je 4 sata bio izložen otapanju u čvrstom stanju pri 470 °C, 485 °C, 500 °C, 515 °C i 530 °C. Nakon toga na uzorak je 4 sata pri 515 °C djelovalo otapanje u čvrstom stanju, a zatim su uzorci starili različito vrijeme pri temperaturama 160 i 180 °C. Mikrostruktura i mehanička svojstva kompozita proučena su tehnikama pretražnom i transmisijskom mikroskopijom te analizom mikrotvrdoće. Pri sinteriranju kompozita SiCp/Al-Si-Cu-Mg nastaje bijeli zrnasti metalni spoj koji se otapa u čvrstu otopinu pri različitim temperaturama. Što je viša temperatura čvrste otopine, više se otopi metalnog spoja. Mikrotvrdoća doseže maksimum pri izlaganju reakcijama u čvrstom stanju pri 515 °C kroz četiri sata. Nakon starenja i s produljenjem starenja tvrdoća materijala pokazuje dvostruki vrh. S povišenjem temperature povećava se brzina očvršćivanja, no istodobno se smanjuje mogućnost očvršćenja. Druga faza kompozita nakon starenja je diskoidni Al5Cu6Mg2. Ovo djelo je dano na korištenje pod licencom Creative Commons Imenovanje 4.0 međunarodna

Hybrid graded element model for nonlinear functionally graded materials

A hybrid graded element model is developed in this article for solving the heat conduction problem of nonlinear functionally graded materials (FGMs), whose material properties not only vary spatially but also are temperature dependent. In the proposed approach, both Kirchhoff transformation and iterative method are introduced to deal with the nonlinear term in the heat conduction equation of nonlinear FGMs. Then, the graded element is formulated based on two sets of independent temperature fields. One is the intra-element temperature field, which is defined within the element domain and constructed by a linear combination of fundamental solutions; the other is the frame field, which is defined on the element boundary only and used as the boundary interpolation functions of the element to ensure the field continuity over the inter-element boundary. This model can simulate the graded material properties naturally due to the inherent properties of fundamental solutions, which are employed in constructing the graded element. Moreover, a multi-subdomain method is developed to deal with the problem with different materials. Finally, the performance of the proposed method is assessed by several benchmark examples. The results are in excellent agreement with the analytical solutions

Meshless method with operator splitting technique for transient nonlinear bioheat transfer in two-dimensional skin tissues

A meshless numerical scheme combining the operator splitting method (OSM), the radial basis function (RBF) interpolation, and the method of fundamental solutions (MFS) is developed for solving transient nonlinear bioheat problems in two-dimensional (2D) skin tissues. In the numerical scheme, the nonlinearity caused by linear and exponential relationships of temperature-dependent blood perfusion rate (TDBPR) is taken into consideration. In the analysis, the OSM is used first to separate the Laplacian operator and the nonlinear source term, and then the second-order time-stepping schemes are employed for approximating two splitting operators to convert the original governing equation into a linear nonhomogeneous Helmholtz-type governing equation (NHGE) at each time step. Subsequently, the RBF interpolation and the MFS involving the fundamental solution of the Laplace equation are respectively employed to obtain approximated particular and homogeneous solutions of the nonhomogeneous Helmholtz-type governing equation. Finally, the full fields consisting of the particular and homogeneous solutions are enforced to fit the NHGE at interpolation points and the boundary conditions at boundary collocations for determining unknowns at each time step. The proposed method is verified by comparison of other methods. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the coefficients in the cases of a linear and an exponential relationship of TDBPR is investigated to reveal their bioheat effect on the skin tissue.The support for this research work by the Natural Science Foundation of China under the grant 11472099 and 11272230 is gratefully acknowledged

Astragalus polysaccharide relieves reproductive toxicity in phenobarbital-treated epileptic rats

Purpose: To investigate the underlying mechanisms by which Astragalus  polysaccharide (APS) relieves the reproductive toxicity induced by phenobarbital (PB) treatment in epileptic rats.Methods: Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay kits were used to quantify cell apoptosis in an epileptic rat model. The weight of sex organs and levels of three reproductive hormones, viz, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone, were measured in order to evaluate the effect of APS administration on reproductive ability. Concentration, motility, morphology as well as fertilization rate of sperms were analyzed as well.Results: Increase in sex organ weight and decrease in apoptosis were both  associated with oral APS treatment. In APS-treated group, FSH, LH, and  testosterone levels were raised while concentration, motility and normal morphology of sperm also increased. This was consistent with the observed increase in fertilization rate. In addition, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining of the testis was performed in the epileptic rat model showed that the size of cell lumen increased in APS-treated group. All APSassociated phenotypes occurred in a concentration-dependent manner.Conclusion: These data suggest that APS lowers reproductive toxicity in PB-treated epileptic rats by regulating the reproductive hormones, FSH, LH and testosterone, and also by altering the concentration, motility, and morphology of sperm. Thus, APS has a potential treatment for minimizing the side effects of antiepileptic drugs.Keywords: Astragalus polysaccharide, Reproductive toxicity, Phenobarbital,  Epileptic rat

Reaction Behaviors of Bagasse Modified with Phthalic Anhydride in 1‐Allyl‐3‐Methylimidazolium Chloride with Catalyst 4‐Dimethylaminopyridine

The modification of lignocellulose with cyclic anhydrides could confer stronger hydrophilic properties to lignocellulose, which could be used in many industrial fields. To elucidate the modification mechanism of lignocellulose, bagasse was phthalated comparatively with its three main components in 1‐allyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (AmimCl) using 4‐dimethylaminopyridine as catalyst and phthalic anhydride as acylation reagent in the present study. From FT‐IR and 2D HSQC analyses, the skeleton of bagasse and the fractions were not significantly changed during phthalation in AmimCl. 2D HSQC results suggested that the reactive hydroxyls in bagasse were partially phthalated, and the reactivity of the hydroxyls in anhydroglucose units followed the order C‐6 > C‐2 > C‐3. Similarly, the reactivity order of hydroxyls in anhydroxylose units was C‐2 > C‐3. For lignin, the predominant diesterification occurred during the homogeneous modification, and both aliphatic and aromatic hydroxyls were phthalated. The reactivity order of phenolic hydroxyls was S‐OH > G‐OH > H‐OH, which was distinct from that without catalyst. In addition, it was found that the thermal stability of phthalated bagasse was affected by the disruption of cellulose crystallinity and the degradation of components. The thermal stability of the phthalated bagasse decreased upon chemical modification and regeneration