[en] Excellent mechanical properties combined with low density, good corrosion resistance and welding, make titanium alloy attractive structural materials for aerospace, ship navigation, weaponry and nuclear industry. However, the high cost impedes the further use of titanium alloy in different fields, and which is the key factor for productivity and further use of titanium alloy. Aiming at lost cost of titanium alloy, three parts of raw material, alloy design and working forming were overviewed, which will offer reference for how to low cost of titanium alloy. (paper)

[en] Coupled Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) systems have many important physical applications. By considering a 4 × 4 spectral problem, we derive a discrete coupled KdV-type equation hierarchy. Our hierarchy includes the coupled Volterra system proposed by Lou et al. (e-print arXiv: 0711.0420) as the first member which is a discrete version of the coupled KdV equation. We also investigate the integrability in the Liouville sense and the multi-Hamiltonian structures for the obtained hierarchy. (authors)

[en] Objective: To assess the personal dosage level of external exposure for radiation workers in YangPu. Methods: Thermoluminescence dosimetry was applied to measure the personal extemal radiation dosage of workers exposed to radiation. Results: Totally 2540 radiation workers were monitored from 2009 to 2012. The average annual effective dosage was 0.75 mSv/a. The workers receiving annual dosage equivalent less than 2 mSv accounted for 99.17%. The average annual individual effective dosage was higher in the nuclear medicine workers than those of other professions. Conclusion: Most of the radiation workers in YangPu District are safe in the working conditions according to the related national standards. The radiation protection of nuclear medicine should be focused in the future. (authors)

[en] In this paper, the hot deformation behavior of Ti22Al25Nb was investigated by hot compression over a range of temperatures (950-1050 °C) and strain rates (0.001-1 s⁻¹). Considering the adiabatic heating and friction, the original curves were corrected. The friction-corrected data were lower than the measured flow stress data. The flow stress data increased after the temperature correction owing to the elimination of the softening effect. In addition, the work hardening effects on the hot deformation of the normal and multi-peak flow stress curves were compared. A critical dislocation density was proposed to analyze the multi-peak phenomenon. When the dislocation density decreased to a critical value, the work hardening and dynamic recrystallization mechanisms reached a balance. Then, a new work hardening mechanism became dominant, and the flow stress increased. The effect of second-phase particles on the hot deformation mechanisms was investigated. The result showed that second-phase particles led to a high nucleation rate and a low growth rate of new recrystallization grains during the rapid hot deformation.

[en] Enhanced corrosion-resistant Ni-Cu-P amorphous coatings were applied to AZ91D magnesium alloy substrates using an integrated approach that included direct-current (DC) copper pre-plating and electroless Ni-Cu-P plating at varying CuSO₄ concentrations. The effects of CuSO₄ concentration on the microstructure, electrochemistry behavior and corrosion rate of Ni-Cu-P coatings and the adhesion between the Ni-Cu-P coating and the magnesium alloys substrate were investigated. The results indicated that the surface of the Ni-Cu-P ternary coating which integrated well with the magnesium alloys substrate exhibited heterogeneous cell structure with relatively flat and dense structure. When the CuSO₄ concentration was 0.8 g/L, the mass fraction of P in the coating was 9.06 wt% meaning amorphous Ni-Cu-P coating. The results of the Nyquist and Bode graph, corrosion rate, corrosion morphologies and of the Ni-Cu-P coatings with different CuSO₄ addition indicated that the corrosion resistance reached optimization with corrosion potential of -0.31 V, the corrosion current density of 0.0039 A/cm² when the CuSO₄ concentration is 0.8 g/L. Furthermore, the adhesion test confirmed that the adhesion of Ni-Cu-P coatings improved gradually as the CuSO₄ concentration increased and exhibited optimum when added 1.0 g/L CuSO₄ . The obtained Ni-Cu-P coating with amorphous structure prevented effectively magnesium alloy from corrosion. (author)

[en] Double-layer Ni-P coatings with low phosphorus content in the inner layer and high phosphorus content in the outer layer and Ni-Mo-P composite coatings are successfully prepared on the surface of AZ91D magnesium alloy by chemical plating process. The microstructures, friction and corrosion resistance of double-layer Ni-P and Ni-Mo-P coatings are studied in comparison. Meanwhile, the deposition and corrosion resistance mechanism for the coatings are investigated. Results convey that both Ni-P and Ni-Mo-P coatings showcase an amorphous structure. The coating possesses denser and more homogeneous structure with the co-doping of Mo. The micro-indentation hardness (859.7 HV) and friction coefficient (0.58) of Ni-Mo-P coatings show that the ternary alloy coating is firmly bonded to the magnesium alloy substrate. Besides, the Ni-Mo-P coatings demonstrate exceptional wear resistance attributed to Mo co-deposition, fostering grain refinement and facilitating the growth of passivation films. (author)

[en] In order to improve discharge activity and utilization of anode material for Mg-air batteries, four anode materials are prepared. The electrochemical performances of these anodes are evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization curves. The discharge performances of Mg-air batteries are studied by a constant current discharge test. The results show that the discharge activity of magnesium alloy is improved remarkably with the addition of indium. The corrosion potentials of Mg–6Al–1In and Mg–6Al–1In–1Ce" can reach −1.573 V and −1.600 V respectively. The addition of cerium can reduce the rate of self-corrosion of anode. The corrosion current is only 2.196 × 10⁻⁶ mA·cm⁻². The air batteries with Mg–6Al–1In as the anode have the highest discharge potential at applied current densities of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mA·cm⁻². The anode utilization of an air battery with Mg–6Al–1In–1Ce as the anode can reach 48.5% at an applied current density of 20 mA · cm⁻² for 300 min. (paper)

[en] In this paper, the two different Darboux transformations for a Blaszak-Marciniak (BM) three-field lattice equation are constructed. As the applications of the obtained Darboux transformations, new explicit solutions for the BM lattice are given. We also discuss some properties for these new explicit solutions. Our analysis shows that the explicit solutions possess new characters. (general)

[en] Full text: Oxidative damage of cellular membranes has been linked to a variety of disease pathologies, including cardiac disease, Alzheimer's and complications due to diabetes. The oxidation of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid chains found in cellular membranes leads to significant alteration in membrane physical properties, including lipid orientation and membrane permeability, which ultimately affect biological function. Polyphenols are naturally occurring phytochemicals present in a number of fruit and vegetables that are of interest for their anti-oxidative powers. These polyphenols inhibit lipid oxidation in cellular membrane surfaces, although the mechanism of this inhibition is not entirely clear. Moreover, the polyphenols have significant binding affinity for proteins, which can lead to the formation of soluble and insoluble protein-polyphenol complexes Significantly, in the presence of casein proteins the oxidation inhibition the polyphenols in the membrane is significantly enhanced (as assessed by Lipid Peroxidation Inhibition Capacity assays). Thus the antioxidant pathway appears to involve these protein/polyphenol complexes, as well as direct antioxidant action by the polyphenol. Here we discuss neutron and x-ray scattering results from phospholipid membranes, looking at the positioning of two examples of polyphenolic antioxidants in phospholipid membranes, quercetin and phloretin, the antioxidants' impact on the membrane organisation, and the interaction between antioxidant and extra-membranous protein. This information sheds light on the mechanism of antioxidant protection in these systems, which may be used to understand biological responses to oxidative stress.

[en] Highlights: • The 2,4-D reductive degradation was studied in an electro-biological system. • The electric auxiliary accelerates 2,4-D microbial degradation. • A electron transfer is achieved between the electrode, bacteria and the pollutants. • The paper provides a promising way for the degradation of persistent organics. -- Abstract: The reductive degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was studied in an electro-biological system, a biological system and an electric catalytic system, respectively. Electrochemical characteristics were monitored by cyclic voltammetry and the intermediate products of 2,4-D degradation were determined by high speed liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that all 2,4-D degradations in the three systems conformed to the kinetics characteristics of one-order reaction, and the degradation kinetics constants were 28.74 × 10⁻² h⁻¹, 19.73 × 10⁻² h⁻¹ and 3.54 × 10⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. The kinetics constant in the electro-biological system was higher than the sum in the other two systems by 19%. The electrochemical assistance provided the electrons and accelerated the electron transfer rate in the microbial degradation of 2,4-D. The degradation resulted from the microbial reduction strengthened by the electrochemical assistance. The electron transfer existed between the electrode, cytochrome, NAD and the pollutants. A long-range electron transfer process could be achieved on the multi-phase interfaces between the electrode, bacteria and the pollutants