Search Results (3,445)

This study investigated materials intended for use in porous bearings, incorporating selected layered materials. Previous research has demonstrated that layered compounds, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂), tungsten disulfide (WS₂), and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), can significantly enhance tribological performance. However, these improvements in tribological properties may be accompanied by undesirable characteristics that could limit the practical application of such materials. Therefore, further investigation was necessary to gain a better understanding of their behavior. To this end, composite materials containing iron (Fe) and varying amounts (0.5, 2.5, and 5 wt%) of layered materials were fabricated using powder metallurgy and sintering techniques. The study evaluated the impact of compaction pressure applied before sintering on the tribological properties and hardness of the materials. Additionally, the long-term stability of the composites was assessed after six years of storage under ambient conditions. The results confirmed that incorporating layered materials into the structure of porous bearing materials improves operating conditions and reduces the coefficient of friction by more than 20%. However, after six years of ambient storage, only the samples containing h-BN remained unchanged. Samples containing WS₂ or MoS₂ exhibited partial degradation, with evident signs of corrosion and grain fragmentation. Full article

In view of the need to increase the durability of working tools exposed to intense friction, this study analysed hybrid coatings (TiAlCN, AlTiCN, AlCrTiN, TiN, CrN) with a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) layer, deposited using PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) methods (arc evaporation and magnetron sputtering). The structural characteristics of the coatings were determined using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) and AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) microscopy, as well as Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the compact structure and amorphous nature of the DLC layer. Tribological tests were performed using a ball-on-disc test, revealing that DLC hybrid coatings significantly reduce the coefficient of friction (stabilisation in the range of 0.10 to 0.14 due to DLC graphitisation), limiting tool wear even under increased load. The SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) microscopic examination revealed that the dominant wear mechanisms are abrasive and adhesive damage, and the AlCrTiN/DLC system is characterised by low wear and high adhesion (L_c = 10⁵ N), making it the optimal configuration for the given loads. Microhardness tests showed that high hardness does not always automatically translate into increased wear resistance (e.g., the AlTiCN coating with 4220 HV showed the highest wear), while coating systems with moderate hardness (TiAlCN/DLC, CrN/DLC) achieved very low wear values (~0.17 × 10⁻⁵ mm³/Nm), which highlights the importance of synergy between the hardness of the sublayer and the low friction of DLC in the design of protective coatings. Full article

This study explores the mechanical characteristics of 3D-printed specimens fabricated using TPU-95A filament, with a focus on the influence of key printing variables—temperature, speed, and layer height—on tensile strength, toughness, and surface hardness. Through systematic testing, the tensile evaluation revealed a peak tensile strength of 329.02 kgf/cm² and toughness of 1.56 under conditions of elevated temperatures and optimized layer configurations. Similarly, the hardness assessment indicated a maximum average value of 74.9 Shore A, emphasizing the substantial effect of process parameters on material integrity and resilience. A detailed variance analysis confirmed the pivotal roles of temperature and layer height in enhancing mechanical properties. Using a statistical optimization approach, optimal printing conditions were identified, demonstrating that higher temperatures, moderate speeds, and reduced layer heights significantly improve the balance between strength, flexibility, and durability. These findings contribute to the development of tailored fabrication strategies, offering practical insights for applications where precision and mechanical reliability are critical. Full article

End-use quality is a crucial aspect of wheat quality, influencing the type and quality of the produced food products. It is mostly determined by the content and characteristics of the protein as well as the starch in the grain. Being a staple food, wheat provides more than 30% of the total calories and proteins in human diets globally. Wheat grain consists of a protein network, called gluten, which provides wheat doughs with their unique viscoelastic properties. The genetic improvement of end-use quality traits is indispensable to meet the requirements of grain markets, millers, and bakers. Thus, modern approaches such as proteomics and genomics are important to precisely identify alleles, genes, as well as their functions in improving end-use quality. End-use quality is mainly regulated by grain protein content, grain hardness and starch synthase genes, as well as gluten proteins, which can be exploited to improve the quality of wheat for the production of desired wheat cultivars. The aim of this review is to highlight the progress, challenges, and opportunities in breeding for end-use quality in wheat. The paper outlines the following key aspects: (1) challenges associated with breeding for end-use quality and (2) opportunities such as genomic selection, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genetic variation in landraces and wild relatives for end-use quality improvement and the genes regulating end-use quality. Lastly, the paper discusses the prospects for future quality improvement in wheat. The review provides a comprehensive insight into the effects of genes on regulating end-use quality and serves as baseline information for wheat breeders to guide the development and deployment of wheat cultivars for future quality improvement. Full article

The characteristics of Food Supply Chains (FSC) make them hard to manage properly, and many efforts have been conducted to alleviate the difficulties related to their management, especially when it comes to integrating the latest Information and Communications Technologies. The Internet of Things (IoT) has shown to be very beneficial in providing a holistic and real-time vision of FSCs. Blockchain, with its decentralization and immutability, is another promising technology, that is showing a great potential in managing FSCs. A lot of research has been carried out to prove the advantages of each of these technologies on its own. However, the research investigating their adoption together is still not enough. Our paper presents a study of recent advances in the integration of IoT and Blockchain in Food Supply Chain Management (FSCM) over the past five years. We identify key research trends, analyze the benefits and limitations of IoT–blockchain integration, and highlight major challenges hindering large-scale adoption. Finally, we propose future research directions to address these challenges and improve the adoption of IoT–blockchain solutions in FSCs. This study aims to serve as a reference for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand and advance the integration of these emerging technologies in FSCM. Full article

With the advent of novel scintillators featuring higher atomic numbers and enhanced radiation hardness, these materials exhibit potential applications under high-dose-rate irradiation. In this work, we systematically compared the photon output characteristics of ten mainstream or emerging inorganic scintillators under high-dose-rate irradiation with low-energy (0.1–1.7 MeV) electrons or protons. Initially, under electron irradiation among ~0.1 to ~50 rad/s, responses exhibited saturation trends to varying degrees, with their variations conforming to the saturation model proposed. However, under proton irradiation among ~5 rad/s to ~150 rad/s, responses exhibited sigmoidal trends due to competition between radiation-induced defects and luminescence centers. Through dynamic derivation of carriers and them, a triple-balance model that demonstrated close agreement with such variations was established. Subsequently, energy-dependent responses under proton irradiation exhibited marked nonlinearity, which were well fitted by Birks’ law, confirming the validity of our measurements. In contrast, electron-induced responses remained nearly linear with increasing energy. Then, after high-dose-rate and prolonged irradiation, BGO revealed highest response degradation, while YAG(Ce) demonstrated most radiation-damage resistance. Moreover, Ce-doped scintillators displayed higher afterglow levels after prolonged irradiation, particularly for YAG(Ce). In summary, these experimental analyses can provide critical guidance for material selection and effective calibration of scintillator detectors operating under high-dose-rate radiation from charged particles. Full article

Fresh wet rice noodles (FWRNs) are a popular staple food in southern China. The quality of rice varieties results in the inconsistent quality of FWRNs. However, evaluation of rice adaptability for the production of FWRNs is not comprehensive due to the absence of unified screening standards. In this study, twelve rice varieties in southern China were selected to analyze the correlations between rice’s physicochemical properties and the quality characteristics of FWRNs. Results showed that KIM, GC, and IZG rice exhibited a high chalky grain rate and low gel consistency, while the related starches had a high amylose content, high setback value, and low short-range order. Their noodles achieved high total sensory scores and exhibited high levels of sensory and textural qualities. Correlation analysis revealed that the chalky grain rate, chalkiness degree, protein and fat contents, and amylose content were significantly and positively correlated with the hardness, elasticity, chewiness, and total sensory score of FWRNs. Therefore, based on the structural parameters of KIM and GC rice, amylose content between 26–28% and gel consistency between 33–36 mm would be the key factors for raw rice to make high-quality FWRNs. These results offer theoretical guidance for rice selection in the industrial-scale production of FWRNs. Full article

In this study, the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of silkworm pupae protein (SPP) was optimized using response surface methodology. Subsequently, the effects of ultrasonic treatment on the structural and functional characteristics of SPP were systematically analyzed and verified through Pearson correlation analysis. The results showed that the optimal extraction parameters were an ultrasonic treatment time of 120 min, a power of 115 W, a temperature of 54 °C, pH of 10.5, and the average extraction yield was 68.087%. Compared to the control, ultrasonic treatment significantly improved the functional properties of SPP, including solubility (13.13 g/L), water holding capacity (0.18%), oil holding capacity (0.28%), foaming capacity (55.35%), foam stability (12.71%), emulsification activity (2.15 m²/g), emulsification stability (21.95%), gel water holding capacity (11.5%), gel hardness (1.02 N), and gel elasticity (0.49 mm). In addition, the adsorption ability of SPP for 2-octanone and aldehyde was enhanced after ultrasonic treatment. Furthermore, the absorption intensity and maximum wavelength of the SPP fluorescence spectrum extracted via ultrasonic treatment were enhanced, along with the increased surface hydrophobicity and more stable secondary structure which contributed to promoting the functional properties of SPP, proven by Pearson correlation analysis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the further utilization of SPP in the food industry. Full article

The recycling of polypropylene (PP) packaging films modified with biobased additives: biochar derived from the pyrolysis of natural fibers and diatomaceous earth was investigated. The aim was to assess the impact of these modifiers on the processing, rheological, mechanical, and thermal properties of the recycled material. The processing behavior was evaluated through extrusion with granulation to determine industrial applicability. Rheological properties, including viscosity and melt flow index (MFI), were measured to characterize flow behavior. Mechanical performance was assessed through tensile strength, hardness, three-point bending, and impact resistance tests. Thermal properties were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Vicat softening temperature (VST), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results demonstrate that incorporating biochar and diatomaceous earth can modify and, in selected cases, enhance the processing and performance characteristics of recycled PP films, though their impact on thermal behavior is parameter-specific. While diatomaceous earth slightly increased the onset of thermal degradation (T₅), both fillers caused a slight decrease in the VST, indicating reduced heat resistance under load. Diatomaceous earth was found to effectively improve stiffness and impact strength, while biochar reduced viscosity and promoted finer crystalline structures. Both additives acted as nucleating agents, increasing crystallization temperatures, with diatomaceous earth additionally delaying thermal degradation onset. These findings highlight the potential of using sustainable, waste-derived additives in polymer recycling, supporting the development of environmentally responsible materials within circular economy frameworks. Full article

The aim of the study was to use vacuum impregnation (VI) with onion and beetroot juices as a pre-treatment before drying to develop innovative dried kohlrabi products. Two modern drying techniques were used: freeze-drying (FD) and vacuum drying (VD). The physicochemical properties were determined, including color, water activity, dry matter, density, volumetric gel index, texture, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content (TPC), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It was shown that vacuum impregnation reduced the color lightness and springiness of kohlrabi. In addition, vegetables after VI showed an increase in dry matter, water activity, bulk density, volume gel index, color attributes a* and b*, color difference, hardness, and chewiness. Furthermore, the pre-treatment allowed for the introduction of additional VOCs characteristic of onions (1-Heptene, 2-methyl-(19.81%), Pentyl formate (19.81%), and 4-(Methylthio)butyl isothiocyanate (18.22%) in kohlrabi with onion juice: dimethyl trisulfide, methyl prop(en)yl disulfide, and 3,5-diethyl-1,2,4-trithiolane) and beetroot (dimethyl trisulfide), myrcene. The vacuum impregnation process significantly increased antioxidant capacity and total polyphenol content compared to raw samples. The results of dry weight, water activity, density, TPC, antioxidant capacity and texture in the case of freeze-dried products confirm that FD is a more advantageous method. In addition, freeze-drying allowed for significant preservation of volatile compounds and the color of kohlrabi. The results indicate the potential of VI as a method for modifying the properties of kohlrabi and producing functional and innovative dried products. Full article

Conglomerate reservoirs present significant technical challenges during drilling operations due to their complex mineral composition and heterogeneous characteristics, yet the quantitative relationships between mineral composition and microscopic mechanical behavior remain poorly understood. To elucidate the variation patterns of conglomerate micromechanical properties and their mineralogical control mechanisms, this study develops a novel multi-scale characterization methodology. This approach uniquely couples nanoindentation technology, micro-zone X-ray diffraction analysis, and machine learning algorithms to systematically investigate micromechanical properties of conglomerate samples from different regions. Hierarchical clustering algorithms successfully classified conglomerate micro-regions into three lithofacies categories with distinct mechanical differences: hard (elastic modulus: 81.90 GPa, hardness: 7.83 GPa), medium-hard (elastic modulus: 54.97 GPa, hardness: 3.87 GPa), and soft lithofacies (elastic modulus: 25.21 GPa, hardness: 1.15 GPa). Correlation analysis reveals that quartz (SiO₂) content shows significant positive correlation with elastic modulus (r = 0.52) and hardness (r = 0.51), while clay minerals (r = −0.37) and plagioclase content (r = −0.48) exhibit negative correlations with elastic modulus. Mineral phase spatial distribution patterns control the heterogeneous characteristics of conglomerate micromechanical properties. Additionally, a random forest regression model successfully predicts mineral content based on hardness and elastic modulus measurements with high accuracy. These findings bridge the gap between microscopic mineral properties and macroscopic drilling performance, enabling real-time formation strength assessment and providing scientific foundation for optimizing drilling strategies in heterogeneous conglomerate formations. Full article

The present study focused on 10 wt.% TiB₂@Ti/AlCoCrFeNi_2.1 eutectic high-entropy alloy matrix composites (EHEAMCs), which were treated with furnace cooling (FC), air cooling (AC), and water cooling (WC) after being held at 1000 °C for 12 h, aiming to investigate the effect of cooling methods on their microstructure and mechanical properties. The results showed that the composites in all states consisted of FCC phase, BCC phase, TiB₂ phase, and Ti phase. The cooling methods did not change the phase types but affected the diffraction peak characteristics. With the increase in cooling rate, the diffraction peaks of FCC and BCC phases gradually separated from overlapping, and the diffraction peak of the FCC (111) crystal plane shifted to a lower angle (due to the increase in lattice constant caused by Ti element diffusion), while the diffraction peak intensity showed a downward trend. In terms of microstructure, all composites under the three cooling conditions were composed of eutectic matrix, solid solution zone, and grain boundary zone. The cooling rate had little effect on the morphology but significantly affected the element distribution. During slow cooling (FC, AC), Ti and B diffused sufficiently from the grain boundary to the matrix, resulting in higher concentrations of Ti and B in the matrix (Ti in FCC phase: 7.4 at.%, B in BCC phase: 8.1 at.% in FC state). During rapid cooling (WC), diffusion was inhibited, leading to lower concentrations in the matrix (Ti in FCC phase: 4.6 at.%, B in BCC phase: 4.3 at.%), but the element distribution was more uniform. Mechanical properties decreased with the increase in cooling rate: the FC state showed the optimal average hardness (627.0 ± 26.1 HV), yield strength (1574 MPa), fracture strength (2824 MPa), and fracture strain (24.2%); the WC state had the lowest performance (hardness: 543.2 ± 35.4 HV and yield strength: 1401 MPa) but was still better than the as-sintered state. Solid solution strengthening was the main mechanism, and slow cooling promoted element diffusion to enhance lattice distortion, achieving the synergistic improvement of strength and plasticity. Full article

316L stainless steel offers attractive characteristics for hydrogen applications, including low hydrogen diffusivity and high hydrogen solubility. However, its use is limited by relatively low strength and resistance to hydrogen embrittlement (HE) under prolonged hydrogen exposure. Laser-directed energy deposition (L-DED) can not only increase the strength of 316L, but also induce significant tensile residual stresses that promote HE. In this study, 316L stainless steel samples produced by L-DED were post-processed by laser shock peening (LSP) to release the tensile residual stresses and refine the near-surface microstructure. LSP-treated samples showed refined grains, higher hardness, and the introduction of compressive residual stress, which led to improved tensile performance in hydrogen. Notably, after seven passes of LSP, the HE index (reduction in elongation due to hydrogen) was 12.5%, compared with 36.1% for the unpeened material. These results demonstrate that LSP is an effective approach to simultaneously increase strength and significantly improve HE resistance in additively manufactured 316L stainless steel. Full article

Understanding rock behavior under cutting tools is critical for enhancing cutting processes and forecasting rock behavior in engineering contexts. This study examines the link between mechanical properties and indentation crater morphology of six rocks using a conical indenter until initial fracture. Through indentation testing, mechanical properties (indentation stiffness index k and hardness index HI) were assessed, and crater morphology was analyzed using a 3D laser profilometer. The rocks were categorized into three groups based on specific energy: Class I (slate, shale), Class II (sandstone, marble), and Class III (granite, gneiss). The morphological features of their indentation craters were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The linear model was used to establish the relationship between crater morphology indices and mechanical properties, with model parameters determined by linear regression. Key findings include: (1) Fracture depth, cross-sectional area, and contour roundness are independent morphological indicators, serving as characteristic parameters for crater morphology, with qualitative and quantitative analyses showing consistency; (2) Post-classification linear fitting revealed statistically significant morphological prediction models, though patterns varied across rock categories due to inherent properties like structure and grain homogeneity; (3) Classification by specific energy revealed distinct mechanical and morphological differences, with significant linear relationships established for all three indicators in Classes II and III, but only roundness showing significance in Class I (non-significant for cross-sectional area and depth). However, all significant models exhibited limited explanatory power (R² = 0.220–0.635), likely due to constrained sample sizes. Future studies should expand sample sizes to refine these findings. Full article

Satellite videos typically employ image registration techniques for video stabilization in order to achieve persistent observation. However, existing methods largely neglect the residual stabilization offsets, particularly when exceeding the physical dimensions of target vehicles, which inevitably causes performance degradation. Furthermore, the detection pipeline struggles with hard-to-discriminate samples that exhibit low contrast, motion blur, or occlusion, while conventional sample assignment strategies fail to address the inherent annotation ambiguity for extremely small objects. We propose an end-to-end method called ViTrans for detecting moving vehicles in satellite video under stabilization offsets. ViTrans consists of three core modules: (1) a feature-aligned stabilization offset correction module (SCM) that mitigates feature misalignment by aligning features between the reference frame and the current frame; (2) a feature adaptive aggregation enhancement module (AAEM) based on vehicle trajectory consistency, which leverages the motion characteristics of objects across consecutive frames to eliminate dynamic clutter and false-alarm artifacts; and (3) a Gaussian distribution-based metric that dynamically adapts to bounding box dimensions, thereby providing more accurate positive sample feedback during model training. Extensive experiments on the VISO and SDM-Car datasets under simulated stabilization offsets demonstrate that ViTrans achieves state-of-the-art performance, improving F1-score by 14.4% on VISO and 6.9% on SDM-Car over existing methods. Full article