Exploring the local work function of metallic materials at the nanoscale: the influence of neighboring phases.

This paper investigates the local work function distribution of a multi-phase metal material at the nanoscale and examines how it is influenced by its surrounding components. A formula is derived to express the relationship between the local work function and neighboring phases, taking into account the solid angle they form. The study's findings indicate a positive correlation between the local work function and the neighboring phases. Experimental results, DFT calculations, and previous theories are all used to verify the study's conclusions. Additionally, this paper offers predictions for the local work functions of a second phase surrounded by a matrix. These findings have practical implications for materials research at the nanoscale and offer a bridge between DFT calculations and nanoscale experimentation.

Water-fueled autocatalytic bactericidal pathway based on e-Fenton-like reactions triggered by galvanic corrosion and extracellular electron transfer.

Water is generally considered to be an undesirable substance in fuel system, which may lead to microbial contamination. The antibacterial strategies that can turn water into things of value with high disinfection efficacy have been urgently needed for fuel system. Here, we reveal a water-fueled autocatalytic bactericidal pathway comprised by bi-metal micro-electrode system, which can spontaneously produce reactive oxygen species (mainly H2O2 and O2•-) by the electron Fenton-like reaction in water medium without external energy., The respiratory chain component of bacteria and the galvanic corrosion on the coated metals were two electron sources in the system. The specific model of Ag-Ru water-fueled autocatalytic (WFA) microelectrode particles presents extremely high disinfection efficiency (>99.9999%) in less than one hour for three aerobic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis) in LB media and high disinfection efficiency for the anaerobic bacteria (Desulfovibrio alaskensis) in Postgate E media without natural light irradiation. Overall, the novel WFA Ag-Ru antibacterial material explored in this study has a high potential for sterilizing applications in fuel system and this work provides the potential for the development of non-chemical and water-based antibacterial materials, such as WFA Ag-Ru antibacterial coating on stainless steel.

Effect of Organizational Evolution on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of the Cr-Co-Ni-Mo Series of Ultra-High Strength Stainless Steel.

Different microstructures were obtained under various thermal conditions by adjusting the heat treatment parameters of the Cr-Co-Ni-Mo series of ultra-high strength stainless steel. The effect of organizational evolution on the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of the Cr-Co-Ni-Mo series of ultra-high strength stainless steel was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and other test methods in combination with slow strain rate tensile tests (SSRTs). The results show that the Mo- and Cr-rich clusters and precipitation of the Laves phase reduce the corrosion resistance, while increasing the austenite content can improve the corrosion resistance. The Cr-Co-Ni-Mo series of ultra-high strength stainless steel has a high SCC resistance after quenching at 1080 °C and undergoing deep cooling (DC) treatment at -73 °C. With increasing holding time, the strength of the underaged and peak-aged specimens increases, but the passivation and SCC resistance decreases. At the overaged temperature, the specimen has good SCC resistance after a short holding time, which is attributed to its higher austenite content and lower dislocation density. As a stable hydrogen trap in steel, austenite effectively improves the SCC resistance of steel. However, under the coupled action of hydrogen and stress, martensitic transformation occurs due to the decrease in the lamination energy of austenite, and the weak martensitic interface becomes the preferred location for crack initiation and propagation.

Slag design and iron capture mechanism for recovering low-grade Pt, Pd, and Rh from leaching residue of spent auto-exhaust catalysts.

Recovery of platinum group metals (PGMs) from secondary resources has attracted worldwide attention from environmental and economic points of view. Pyrometallurgical routes exhibit the superiority in terms of efficiency and contamination control compared to hydrometallurgical process. However, traditional pyrometallurgical processes face the challenges of excessive flux and energy consumption. In this paper, an iron capture process was proposed to recover low-grade PGMs from leaching residue of spent auto-exhaust catalysts. Slag design was explored aimed at reducing the addition amount of flux. The optimized smelting conditions were as follows: 1400 °C for 30 min, adding 40.0 wt% CaO, 22.7 wt% Na2CO3, 5.0 wt% Na2B4O7, 5.0 wt% CaF2, 15.0 wt% Fe, and 5.0 wt% C. The concentrations of Pt, Pd and Rh remaining in the smelting slag were 0.83 g/t, 4.99 g/t, and 1.47 g/t, respectively. Furthermore, the 50 kg-scale experiment implied positive economic feasibility because of saving flux dosage and smelting time. The capture mechanism was revealed by investigating the formation of the metals phase and slag phase. Matrix formed slag phase and separate with metals phase owing to differences in chemical bonding, density, viscosity, and surface tension. PGMs were proved solubilized in α-Fe as substitutional solid solutions. The formation energies for FePt, FePd, and FeRh alloys were -4.149 eV, -4.040 eV, and -4.360 eV, respectively. Finally, the obtained CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-Na2O glass slag was used for producing glass ceramics. To sum up, the iron capture process realized low energy and material consumption, high recovery efficiency of PGMs, and resource utilization of the glass slag.

Electrochemical migration behavior of moldy printed circuit boards in a 10 mT magnetic field.

In the electrochemical migration behavior (ECM) of printed circuit boards containing mold under a static magnetic field (SMF), the role of the field perpendicular to the electrodes is discussed; the B field inhibits the growth and metabolism of mold, while controlling electrochemical diffusion and nucleation. The field indirectly affects the function of mold as a transmission bridge between two electrodes. In this work, the water drop test was used to simulate the adhesion and growth of mold on the circuit board in a humid and hot environment; confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectra, and a scanning Kelvin probe were used to analyze the mechanism of static magnetic field and mold on the electrochemical migration.

Hydrothermal synthesis of high surface area CuCrO2 for H2 production by methanol steam reforming.

Hydrogen (H2) is viewed as an alternative source of renewable energy in response to the worldwide energy crisis and climate change. In industry, hydrogen production is mainly achieved through steam reforming of fossil fuels. In this research, hydrothermally-synthesized delafossite CuCrO2 nanopowder were applied in methanol steam reforming. Reducing the size of the CuCrO2 nanopowder significantly improved the efficiency of hydrogen production. The prepared CuCrO2 nanopowder were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The calculated BET surface area of the hydrothermally synthesized CuCrO2 nanopowder was 148.44 m2 g-1. The CuCrO2 nanopowder displayed high catalytic activity, and the production rate was 2525 mL STP per min per g-cat at 400 °C and a flow rate of 30 sccm. The high specific area and steam reforming mechanism of the CuCrO2 nanopowder catalyst could have vital industrial and economic effects.

Characteristics of the Molten Pool Temperature Field and Its Influence on the Preparation of a Composite Coating on a Ti6Al4V Alloy in the Micro-Arc Oxidation Process.

In this study, the phase transition of secondary phase particles in a composite coating is used to estimate the temperature field of the molten pool on a Ti6Al4V alloy in the micro-arc oxidation (MAO) process. The behavior of the sparks and the molten pool during the MAO process was observed in real-time by a long-distance microscope. The microstructures and compositions of the composite coatings were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results revealed that, for the temperature field distribution range of the molten pool in the active period, the lower limit is 2123 K and the upper limit is not lower than 3683 K. The reason for the multiphase coexistence is that the high-temperature phase is retained by the rapid cooling effect of the electrolyte, and the low-temperature phase is formed due to secondary phase transformation during the long active time of the molten pool temperature field. The strengthening mechanism of the composite coating prepared by adding the secondary phase particles is elemental doping rather than particle enhancement. The secondary phase particles are able to enter the composite coating by adhering to the surface during the cooling process. The secondary phase particles will then be wrapped into the coating in the next active period.

Effect of static magnetic field on mold corrosion of printed circuit boards.

Mold has a strong impact on the corrosion behavior of metals, especially under environmental conditions conducive to mold growth. However, the magnetic fields generated by electronic devices have effects on the metal corrosion and mold growth. In this study, a 10 mT static magnetic field (SMF) perpendicular to the surface of samples was applied to study the corrosion of a copper-clad printed circuit board (PCB-Cu) by mold under the SMF. Based on the analysis of the corrosion morphology of the PCB-Cu after a test in the atmosphere and the composition of the corrosion products, the corrosion behavior of mold on the PCB-Cu in the presence or absence of the SMF was revealed. In the absence of a magnetic field, mold formed a spore-centered corrosion pit group on the surface of the PCB-Cu, which was macroscopically characterized by regional uniform corrosion. When a 10 mT SMF was applied, the magnetic field exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of mold, which was hindered, and the corrosion of the PCB-Cu surface slowed down.

Corrosion Acceleration of Printed Circuit Boards With an Immersion Silver Layer Exposed to Bacillus cereus in an Aerobic Medium.

In this research, the corrosion behavior of printed circuit boards with an immersion silver layer (PCB-ImAg) exposed to Bacillus cereus bacteria in Luria-Bertani broth was investigated. The growth test demonstrated that B. cereus had a high copper tolerance. Analysis of surface and cross-sectional view of the samples after immersion test indicated that metabolites produced by B. cereus accelerated the microporous corrosion of PCB-ImAg, and the biofilm that adhered to the surface led to oxygen concentration corrosion. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests confirmed that the microbiologically influenced corrosion of PCB-ImAg was related to the biofilm formation and metabolism.

Initial formation of corrosion products on pure zinc in saline solution.

Corrosion product formed on zinc sample during 2 weeks immersion in saline solution has been investigated. The corrosion layer morphology as well as its chemical composition, was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Electrochemical measurement was used to analyze the corrosion behavior. Zinc oxide, zinc hydroxide and zinc hydroxide chloride were formed on zinc surface in saline solution. The thickness of corrosion layer increased with the time increased. The pure Zn has an estimated corrosion rate of 0.063 mm y-1 after immersion for 336 h. Probable mechanisms of zinc corrosion products formation are presented.

The aggression behavior study of Cl- on the defect structure of passive films on copper.

The destructive role of chloride ions on the defect structure of barrier layers (bl) is vitally important for understanding the initial breakdown of passive films on metals. Here photo-electrochemical and density functional theory (DFT) were applied to investigate the influence of chloride on the defect structure of the bl in passive films. The results show a bl with a narrow band gap, in which the valence band maximum (VBM) increased upon introducing chloride into the electrolyte. DFT calculations indicate that an increase in the copper vacancy concentration, due to cation extraction at the bl/solution interface could increase the VBM while oxygen vacancy generation results in a decrease in the conduction band minimum (CBM). The combination of these results verifies the aggressive role of chloride as proposed by the Point Defect Model (PDM) where an enhancement of the cation vacancy concentration across the bl occurs in response to the absorption of Cl- into oxygen vacancies on the bl.

miR-148b-3p, miR-337-5p and miR-423-5p expression in alveolar ridge atrophy and their roles in the proliferation and apoptosis of OMMSCs.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) have key roles in various physiological and pathological processes by regulating the expression of specific genes. The identification of miRNAs involved in bone metabolism may provide insight into the expression of genes associated with the development of alveolar ridge atrophy. In the present study, the miRNA expression profiles in alveolar ridge atrophy and normal tissue samples were investigated by miRNA microarray analysis. Among the 52 differentially expressed miRNAs identified, the expression levels of 20 selected miRNAs in the alveolar ridge atrophy and normal tissue samples were verified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results indicated that the expression levels of 11 miRNAs were significantly different between alveolar ridge atrophy and normal tissue samples; however, only three of them (miR-148b-3p, miR-337-5p and miR-423-5p) were previously reported to be involved in bone metabolism. In vitro, miR-148b-3p, miR-337-5p and miR-423-5p mimics promoted the proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from orofacial bone (OMMSCs), while antisense inhibitors of these miRNAs had the opposite effect. In conclusion, the present study indicated that these miRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of alveolar ridge atrophy. miR-148b-3p, miR-337-5p and miR-423-5p promote the proliferation of OMMSCs and inhibit their apoptosis. The present results provide a novel perspective for understanding the pathogenesis of alveolar ridge atrophy.

Enhanced silver loaded antibacterial titanium implant coating with novel hierarchical effect.

In this study, we present a novel strategy for hierarchical antibacterial implant coating by controlling structural and componential features as regulators of surface bactericidal property. Anodized titanium dioxide nanotubes and self-polymerized polydopamine were both used as preliminary antibacterial agents with a significant positive effect on surface bioactivity. At the same time, the storage capacity of nanotubes and the in situ reduction activity of polydopamine can introduce large amounts of strong attached silver nanoparticles for enhanced stable antibacterial performance. The surface morphology, chemical composition, and hydrophilicity had been thoroughly characterized. The sustained silver release performances were continuously monitored. The successively in vitro inhibition on Staphylococcus aureus growth of titanium dioxide nanotube, polydopamine layer and silver nanoparticles demonstrated the hierarchical antibacterial property of the final silver nanoparticles-incorporated polydopamine-modified titanium dioxide nanotube coating (silver/polydopamine/nanotube). Moreover, the bioactivity investigation indicated the vital role of polydopamine-modified titanium dioxide nanotube coating on preserving healthy osteoblast activity at the implant interface. The unique hierarchical coating for titanium implant may be a promising method to maximize antibacterial capacity and maintain good cellular activity at the same time.

Oxygen-induced degradation of the electronic properties of thin-layer InSe.

Thin-layer indium selenide (InSe) compounds, as two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors, have been widely and intensively studied due to their high electron mobility and environmental stability. Here, we report a study demonstrating the oxygen-induced degradation of monolayer and bilayer InSe nanosheets using first-principles calculations and deformation potential theory. It is evident that O atoms prefer to substitute Se atoms instead of undergoing adsorption onto surfaces, while interstitial sites are the most stable adsorption sites of O atoms in the interior for both monolayer and bilayer InSe. Using the Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) hybrid functional, we calculated band structures and carrier mobility. The band gaps of a monolayer or bilayer InSe nanosheet with O atoms remained unchanged and corresponded to the pristine structure except for a slight decrease in the substituted cases. Additionally, no impurity levels are observed, indicating that the addition of O atoms has little effect on carrier concentrations. With the calculated mobility of monolayer InSe with and without O atoms, we show that the degradation is governed by the interstitial impurity of O atoms, whose electron mobility can decrease by 3-4 orders of magnitude. As for bilayer InSe, there is a one order of magnitude decrease at most, which indicates a stronger resistance to oxidation than that of the monolayer structure. Our calculations provide a detailed understanding of the degradation induced by O atoms from the aspects of structures and electronic properties, which is a foundation for the application and modification of thin-layer InSe.

The influence of Bacillus subtilis on tin-coated copper in an aqueous environment.

The influence of Bacillus subtilis (BS) on tin-coated copper in an aqueous environment was investigated by exposing the sample to a culture medium inoculated with BS. Scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical measurements and chemical analyses were performed to study the corrosion mechanism. The experimental results show that BS can adhere and gather on the surface of the sample, resulting in oxygen consumption at the place where the bacteria are densely attached. Increases in the R ct values after the initial immersion showed that corrosion was inhibited, while decreases in the R ct values after the later immersion showed that corrosion was accelerated. Our results suggest that differences in oxygen concentration due to activity of BS are the main reason for corrosion of tin-coated copper.

Effects of mould on electrochemical migration behaviour of immersion silver finished printed circuit board.

The role played by mould in the electrochemical migration (ECM) behaviour of an immersion silver finished printed circuit board (PCB-ImAg) under a direct current (DC) bias was investigated. An interesting phenomenon is found whereby mould, especially Aspergillus niger, can preferentially grow well on PCB-ImAg under electrical bias and then bridge integrated circuits and form a migration path. The cooperation of the mould and DC bias aggravates the ECM process occurring on PCB-ImAg. When the bias voltage is below 15V, ECM almost does not occur for Ag coating. Mechanisms that explain the ECM processes of PCB-ImAg in the presence of mould and DC bias are proposed.

Effect of iron ion diffusion on the corrosion behavior of carbon steels in soil environment.

The corrosion behavior of metal materials in soil environments has been intensively studied recently. Even so, the detailed corrosion mechanisms remain elusive, especially regarding the role of metal ions. In this study, we investigated the effect of ion diffusion on the corrosion processes of carbon steel via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in situ laser Raman spectroscopy and scanning Kelvin probe (SKP). It was found that the Fe3+ diffusion was a key factor to the corrosion rate, as well as the formation of corrosion products. Typically, the corrosion products suppressed the diffusion of ions to the surface of carbon steels, and thus the cation diffusion coefficient played a significant role in formation processes of corrosion products, which furthermore affected the corrosion processes of the carbon steels.

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties and Marginal Fit of Crowns Fabricated Using Commercially Pure Titanium and FUS-Invest.

This study investigated the mechanical properties and single crown accuracy of the tailor-made Fourth University Stomatology investment (FUS-invest) for casting titanium. Background. Current investment for casting titanium is not optimal for obtaining high-quality castings, and the commercially available titanium investment is costly. Methods. Titanium specimens were cast using the tailor-made FUS-invest. The mechanical properties were tested using a universal testing machine. Fractured castings were characterized by energy-dispersive spectroscopy. 19 titanium crowns were produced using FUS-invest and another 19 by Symbion. The accuracy of crowns was evaluated. Results. The mechanical properties of the titanium cast by FUS-invest were elastic modulus 125.6 ± 8.8 GPa, yield strength 567.5 ± 11.1 MPa, tensile strength 671.2 ± 15.6 MPa, and elongation 4.6 ± 0.2%. For marginal fit, no significant difference (P > 0.05) was found at four marker points of each group. For internal fit, no significant difference (P > 0.05) was found between two groups, whereas significant difference (P < 0.01) was found at different mark point of each group. Conclusions. The mechanical properties of titanium casted using FUS-invest fulfilled the ISO 9693 criteria. The marginal and internal fit of the titanium crowns using either the FUS-invest or Symbion were similar.

Electrochemical Migration Behavior of Copper-Clad Laminate and Electroless Nickel/Immersion Gold Printed Circuit Boards under Thin Electrolyte Layers.

The electrochemical migration (ECM) behavior of copper-clad laminate (PCB-Cu) and electroless nickel/immersion gold printed circuit boards (PCB-ENIG) under thin electrolyte layers of different thicknesses containing 0.1 M Na2SO4 was studied. Results showed that, under the bias voltage of 12 V, the reverse migration of ions occurred. For PCB-Cu, both copper dendrites and sulfate precipitates were found on the surface of FR-4 (board material) between two plates. Moreover, the Cu dendrite was produced between the two plates and migrated toward cathode. Compared to PCB-Cu, PCB-ENIG exhibited a higher tendency of ECM failure and suffered from seriously short circuit failure under high relative humidity (RH) environment. SKP results demonstrated that surface potentials of the anode plates were greater than those of the cathode plates, and those potentials of the two plates exhibited a descending trend as the RH increased. At the end of the paper, an electrochemical migration corrosion failure model of PCB was proposed.

Corrosion Behavior of Silver-Plated Circuit Boards in a Simulated Marine Environment with Industrial Pollution.

The electrochemical corrosion behavior of a silver-plated circuit board (PCB-ImAg) in a polluted marine atmosphere environment (Qingdao in China) is studied through a simulated experiment. The morphologies of PCB-ImAg show some micropores on the surface that act as the corrosion-active points in the tests. Cl- mainly induces microporous corrosion, whereas SO2 causes general corrosion. Notably, the silver color changes significantly under SO2 influence. EIS results show that the initial charge transfer resistance in the test containing SO2 and Cl- is 9.847 × 10³, while it is 3.701 × 104 in the test containing Cl- only, which demonstrates that corrosion accelerates in a mixed atmosphere. Polarization curves further show that corrosion potential is lower in mixed solutions (between -0.397 V SCE and -0.214 V SCE) than it in the solution containing Cl- only (-0.168 V SCE), indicating that corrosion tendency increases with increased HSO3- concentration.