Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) interphases are critical for enhancing the performance of SiC fiber-reinforced SiC ceramic matrix composites (SiCf/SiC CMCs) in high-temperature oxidizing environments. This study investigates the influence of Si content (0-18 at.%) on the microstructure, defect states, and interfacial characteristics of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-deposited BN interphases through cathodoluminescence (CL), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). At 17 at.% Si, Si doping disrupts the ordered layered structure of h-BN, forms a similar to 5 nm crystalline transition layer at the SiC/BN interface, and introduces point defects such as nitrogen vacancies and SiN bonds. CL spectra reveal composition-dependent luminescence behaviors linked to these defects. EELS confirms chemical environmental changes around Si, including bond conversion from SiC to SiN and SiO, indicating substitutional doping and oxidation. These findings elucidate the microstructural evolution and defect mechanisms induced by Si, providing key insights for designing tailored BN interphases with improved mechanical/oxidation-resistant properties.

Complex perovskite oxides with mixed cation occupancy are important class of functional materials, offering tunability for microwave dielectric properties, ferroelectricity, and magnetism. In despite of their significant utility, the correlation between different hierarchical levels of cation ordering, ranging from macroscopic domains to atomic-scale clusters, remains elusive, impeding optimization and rational design of high-performance ceramics. Here, a comprehensive multiscale characterization route is established to quantify ordering in a model 1:2 B-site-ordered microwave dielectric system, Ba[(Co0.6- x /2Zn0.4- x /2Mgx)1/3Nb2/3]O3. By integrating multiscale characterization techniques, the evolution of ordering is tracked from the micrometer to the sub-angstrom level. Significant lattice strain is observed within the ordered domains, which is strongly correlated with the specific arrangement of B-site cations. The concentration of oxygen vacancies increases with increasing annealing temperature. Local chemical fluctuations, specifically the compositional variability of multiple cations and Mg disorder, are also identified. Collectively, these three factors disrupt the translational symmetry of the lattice. They act as exceptionally strong phonon scattering centers that significantly shorten the phonon lifetime, ultimately affecting the performance. This work provides a possible path for future optimization and design of dielectric properties through manipulating chemical ordering, point defects, and lattice strain within ordered domains in complex perovskite microwave dielectric ceramics systems.

Thermoresponsive double-network hydrogels based on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) were developed to prevent the thermal runaway of rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) due to rapid, reversible, and intelligent blocking of the zinc ion transport channels at a specific trigger temperature.

High dielectric constant can be reached in a reductive-sintered Sr1-xBaxTiO3 barrier-layer capacitor with core-rim structures as dominant microstructural features. By SEM and aberration-corrected TEM observations, an interfacial zone between the core and rim, named as white-rim (w-rim), was found always enriched with Ba, while the core was free of Ba solution. The reductive liquid-phase sintering resulted in three times the concentrations of oxygen vacancies (V-O) into cores and rims compared to their A-site vacancies (V-A), while enabling the highest concentration of V-O (similar to 17%) without V-A in w-rim. The strained core/w-rim interfaces, with obvious interfacial polarizations, which can effectively raise the dielectric constant, were expected to be created from a temporary equilibrium between the cores and the liquid-phase. The synergetic evolution of core-rim structures, Sr-O vacancies, multiple internal polarized structures can be utilized to better control and optimize dielectric behaviors and other functionalities for perovskite capacitors and other multi-functional ceramics.

The core-rim structure could significantly enhance the electromechanical properties of piezoelectrics through its promoting effect on the reversible switching of ferroelectric domains. This study investigates the core-rim structured 0.96[(1-x)(K0.51Na0.47Li0.02)NbO3-x(K0.51Na0.47Li0.02)TaO3]-0.04CaZrO3 (KNLN-xKNLT, x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30) ceramics constructed at different 0.96(K0.51Na0.47Li0.02)TaO3-0.04CaZrO3 (KNLT) contents. Multilayer core-rim structured grains were observed. Quantitative EDS analysis on the core-rim structure grains revealed that the added KNLT is mainly consumed through the increased solubility in the rim, and the evolution process of the multilayer core-rim grains is proposed. Strain field analysis by the geometric phase analysis (GPA) method further confirms the differences in stress distribution at the interfaces of core-rim grains, which promote ferroelectric domain switching and enhance the electric field-induced strain. The unipolar strain value reaches 0.213 % at x = 0.15, which is 71.8 % higher than that of x = 0 ceramics without the core-rim structure. This study highlights the significant impact of the core-rim structure on performance, laying a foundation for further improvements in the performance of KNN-based ceramics through microstructure modulation.

To explore the immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides from Ampelopsis grossedentata, two polysaccharides named AGP1 and AGP2 were isolated and purified by DEAE-cellulose 52 column and Sephacryl S300HR chromatography. AGP1 and AGP2 were composed of fucose, arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, mannose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid, with a ratio of 0.5: 10.2: 0.9: 31.8: 7.4: 3.4: 21.6: 24.2 and 0.4: 6.0: 0.5: 23.3: 3.3: 6.2: 33.5: 26.8, respectively. The average molecular weights of AGP1 and AGP2 were found to be 6.60 x 105 Da and 7.24 x 105 Da, respectively. AGP1 contained -*4,6)-Galp-(1 -* glycosidic linkages, while AGP2 contained -*2)-Galp-(1 -* and -*2,3,4)-Glcp-(1 -* glycosidic linkages. The structures of AGPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and scanning electron microscope. The immunomodulatory activity of AGPs was investigated in RAW264.7 cells, and the results indicated that AGPs significantly activated macrophages, promoted cells differentiation and NO secretion, increased the expression of IL-6 and TNF-alpha, and induced macrophage M1 polarization. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that AGP1 and AGP2 regulated a total of 1043 and 970 differentially expressed genes respectively, which were identified in different immune related signaling pathways. Moreover, the immunoblot demonstrated that AGPs exerted immune-promoting effects through the TLR4, MAPK and NF-kappa B signaling pathways in macrophages. Consequently, AGPs have potent immunomodulatory activity and can be considered as immunomodulators in medical and food industries.

Microstructural characterizations and manipulations of BiFeO3-BaTiO3 (BF-BT) ceramics are attracting extensive attention, since they provide a fertile field for functionality explorations. However, for the widely existed core-rim structures with chemical inhomogeneity, the formation mechanism has not been fully understood yet. Here, we carefully tracked the formation trajectory of the core-rim structures in pseudo-cubic 0.64BiFeO3-0.36BaTiO3 ceramics prepared by solid-state reaction methods. In contrast to the popular belief, the core-rim structures characterized by BF-rich@BT-rich@average-composition triple microstructures universally appear in the ceramics with different cooling rates, suggesting that they do not form during the cooling process. Microscopic characterizations of the calcined powders demonstrate the inhomogeneous compositions and surface segregations. Subsequently, the surface BT-rich phases exhibit liquid-like behaviors promoting the diffusion of elements in the sintering process, which were blocked up during the further grain growth and left as the outer cores and nanoparticles at the triple junctions. Our results reveal the formation mechanism of the core-rim structures, and are expected to provide a necessary basis for the microstructure regulation of BiFeO3-BaTiO3 ceramics.

To deal with the low conductivity and structural instability of the silicon (Si)-based anode, a Ge-Si/C nanofiber (Ge-Si/CNF) composite is fabricated based on different starting reaction potentials for Si and Ge with lithium and excellent conductivity of Ge. Sucrose is innovatively introduced as a spinning aid to maintain the carbon fiber structure derived from poly(vinyl alcohol) as the spinning polymer. When Ge-Si/CNFs are investigated as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries, it demonstrates excellent cyclic stability and rate capability. Specifically, the Ge-Si/CNFs anode can still retain 764.1 mA h g-1 at 0.5 A g-1 after 1000 cycles, and its capacity retention rate reaches 72.1%. Significantly, the specific capacity is 1168.7 mA h g-1 at 2.0 A g-1, which is restored to 1731.4 mA h g-1 when it is adjusted back to 0.1 A g-1. The excellent lithium storage of Ge-Si/CNF anode is attributed to the effective release of stress during the lithiation/delithiation process because of the different starting potentials of Si and Ge. When one component is lithiated, the other one can act as a buffer matrix for improving the structural stability. Additionally, the addition of Ge and carbon fibers can speed up the transfer rate of Li+ and electrons.

The microstructures of yttria-stabilized-zirconia thermal-barrier-coatings (YSZ-TBC) are complex through their thermal cycles, while the metastable 8YSZ could be created as the durable TBC. With a combination of XRD, SEM, and TEM analyses, we observe a multiscale phase evolution process for columnar structures from EB-PVD aged at 1425 degrees C. In the initial aging stage, the columnar grains coarsened along the growth direction to maintain the highly textured columns in [110] twinning structures, while the feathery features created from the rotary deposition were all transformed into ordered nanopores. The metastable t' phase decomposed steadily into t and c phases with prolonged aging, which is realized by a local phase separation of the 8YSZ matrix into coherent, alternating 4YSZ-15YSZ domain-layers. Such dual-phase layer-structures were created by a mutual migration of both cations through the tetragonal lattice until reaching a solubility gap by Y-stabilizers for the dual phases. Successive phase-separations of multilayers were initiated from different nanopores, which led to the hierarchical phase-decomposition to and within a confined pattern. The primary c-layers were nucleated along the primary set of nanopores with symmetric strain-gradients to drive yttria from either side, and zirconia in opposite directions. The phase-decomposition into the patterned multilayers re-distributes the residual stress from the as- deposited, highly porous microstructure to create the minimized yet elastic interfacial strains, which may further strengthen and improve the stability of columnar structures as suggested by the emerging of an intermediate, orthorhombic phase transformed only from surface with no or little expansion.

Phytopathogen cell wall polysaccharides have important physiological functions. In this study, we isolated and characterized the alkali-insoluble residue on the inner layers of the Rhizoctonia solani AG1 IA cell wall (RsCW-AIR). Through chemical composition and structural analysis, RsCW-AIR was mainly identified as a complex of chitin/chitosan and glucan (ChCsGC), with glucose and glucosamine were present in a molar ratio of 2.7:1.0. The predominant glycosidic bond linkage of glucan in ChCsGC was β-1,3-linked Glcp, both the α and β-polymorphic forms of chitin were presented in it by IR, XRD, and solid-state NMR, and the ChCsGC exhibited a degree of deacetylation measuring 67.08 %. RsCW-AIR pretreatment effectively reduced the incidence of rice sheath blight, and its induced resistance activity in rice was evaluated, such as inducing a reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, leading to the accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) and the up-regulation of SA-related gene expression. The recognition of RsCW-AIR in rice is partially dependent on CERK1.

Core-rim structure has distinct advantage to improve the performances of KNN-based piezoceramics. Whereas the state of the core-rim structure is difficult to control during sintering. Here, the core-rim structured 0.96(K0.51Na0.47Li0.02)(Nb0.8Ta0.2)O3-0.04CaZrO3 (KNLNT) ceramics were both obtained by conventional sintering (CS) and rapid sintering (RS). KNLNT ceramics prepared by rapid sintering exhibit more outstanding controllability on grain growth and core-rim structure and can hold the core/rim size ratio in a stable and favorable level due to extended effective range of grain boundary diffusion in densification. Benefiting from the controllable microstructure, the RS method prepared samples show excellent performance. The unipolar strain value of RS-1240 (Smax=0.252%) is 2.07 times as much as CS-1110 (Smax=0.122%). Large strain, low hysteresis and low dielectric permittivity features make the core-rim structured KNLNT ceramics a potential material for pulse drive applications and demonstrate that the manual precise control of core-rim structure could create many possibilities on materials design.

Phytophthora pathogens secrete numerous apoplastic effectors to manipulate host immunity. Herein, we identified a polysaccharide lyase 1 protein, PsPL1, which acts as an essential virulence factor of P. sojae infection in soybean. However, the overexpression of PsPL1 in P. sojae reduced infection and triggered enhanced immune responses in soybean. PsPL1 exhibited pectin lyase activity and degraded plant pectin to generate pectin oligosaccharides (POSs) with a polymerization degree of 3–14, exhibiting different levels of acetylation and methylation modifications. PsPL1 and the degraded pectin products triggered immune responses in soybean and different Solanaceous plants. The PsPL1-triggered immune responses required RSPL1, a membrane-localized leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein, which is essential for Phytophthora resistance. Conversely, the PsPL1-degraded product-triggered immune responses depended on the membrane-localized lysin motif receptor-like kinase CERK1. This study reveals that the pectin lyase exhibits a dual immunogenic role during P. sojae infection, which activates plant resistance through different immune receptors and provides novel insights into the function of pectin lyase in host-pathogen interactions.

The challenge of producing dense fine-grained high-entropy ceramics is hereby addressed by a combined cold and conventional pressureless sintering method for the first time. It provides nearly fully dense high-entropy pyrochlores with better microstructural homogeneity, and only half the grain size of conventional pressurelessly sintered samples with identical density. Both the finer and more homogeneous microstructures benefit better mechanical properties in hardness and reduced Young’s modulus. The kinetics and activation energies of both densification and grain growth were quantified and discussed to understand how cold sintering affects the microstructural evolution during the following pressureless sintering. More importantly, cathodoluminescence analysis suggested that cold sintering could cause more defects on the surface of the original particles, which could promote the grain boundary diffusion and have drag effects on grain boundary motion. The lessons learned here offer scientific understanding and technological guidance towards pressureless sintering of dense bulk high-entropy ceramics.

Chemical distributions, local phase and domain configurations of xBiFeO3-(1-x)BaTiO3 (BF-BT) ceramics with different macroscopic phases were carefully studied to understand the structural mechanisms of electric properties. Universal BF-rich@BT-rich@average-composition triple core-rim structures were found to exist in all the compositions, and the volume fractions of cores decrease with the BF content. The inner cores all show dominant rhombohedral (R) phase, while the rims change from dominant pseudo-cubic (PC) phase with polymorphic polar nanoregions (PNRs) (x = 0.64) to coexistence of R and PC with PNRs and nanodomain (x = 0.7) and then to dominant R phase with PNRs+macrodomain (x = 0.75). The high densities of phase and domain boundaries are responsible for the high and thermal -stable electric -field induced strain in the PC phase. Our results evidence the decisive contribution of the composition-modulated hierarchical microstructures to the electric -field induced strain, and are anticipated to provide the necessary foundation for the effective modulation of the piezoelectricity.

Aspergillus is a well-studied fungal genus that is widely used in the processing of plant biomass in industries. This study investigated the effects of space exposure on the ability of Aspergillus costaricaensis , a filamentous fungus isolated from rotten orange peel, to degrade pectin. These fungal spores were carried into space by the Long March 5B carrier rocket and exposed to cosmic radiation for 79 h. After the flight, these spores were resuscitated, and then the growing strains were screened with pectin as the sole carbon source, and the pectinase activity was evaluated. A mutant with increased biomass accumulation ability and pectin-degrading activity compared to the ground control strain was obtained. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that several CAZymes genes were significantly upregulated in the mutant, especially those related to pectin degradation. Among the 44 pectinases identified from the annotated genome, 42 were up-regulated. The activities of these pectinases are able to synergistically break down the structure of pectin. In addition, the expression of some genes involved in metabolism, sugar transport, and stress response was altered. These results imply that space exposure might serve as a potential mutagenesis breeding technique, offering the opportunity to acquire biomass-degrading microbial strains with potential for industrial application.

Herein, the phase evolution, densification and grain growth process of the high entropy ceramics during flash sintering were systematically characterized and quantified to understand the microstructural evolution for the first time. It was demonstrated that the densification rate of(La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Eu0.2Gd0.2)2Zr(2)O(7) by flash sintering in this work was generally around 60 times that of conventional sintering at 1600 degrees C, while the grain growth rate by flash sintering was only around 1.5-6 times that of conventional sintering, indicating that grain growth was suppressed during flash sintering. The grain growth mechanisms by flash sintering and conventional sintering could be both attributed to surface diffusion and volume diffusion. In addition, the flash sintered high-entropy ceramics as promising immobilization materials for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) exhibited excellent aqueous durability with normalized leaching rates of Nd, Gd and Zr approximately 10(-)6-10(-7) g m(-2) d(-1) after 42 days, which were much lower than most reported pyrochlore materials.

Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani) is an important pathogenic fungus that causes symptoms of sheath blight, and the polysaccharide-rich cell wall plays a major role in plant-pathogen interactions. However, the composition and structure of its cell wall polysaccharides are insufficiently understood, and its specific function in plant-pathogen interactions is unknown, which makes effective control of sheath blight difficult at present. Herein, five cell wall polysaccharides (WF-1, WF-2, CAF-1, HAF-1 and HAF 2-1) were sequentially extracted by boiling water, cold and hot alkali from R. solani AG1 IA. They were heteropolysaccharides containing mainly glucose, mannose and galactose and less fucose, with molecular weights above 1100 kDa. These five polysaccharides mainly composed of →4)-Glcp-(1→, →6)-Glcp-(1→, →4,6)-Glcp-(1→, →3,4)-Glcp-(1→, and Manp-(1→. Several polysaccharides, except WF-1, showed different induced resistance degrees on rice plant, with HAF 2-1 having the most significant effect. Further analysis using NMR confirmed that the backbone of HAF 2-1 mainly consisted of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ with branches of →4,6)-D-Glcp-(1→. HAF 2-1 enhance the resistance of rice against R. solani through salicylic acid (SA)-mediated immune signaling pathway. This work improves our knowledge of the cell wall polysaccharides in plant pathogens and facilitates the study of pathogenic mechanisms and effective disease control.

Polylactic acid (PLA) has good biocompatibility and biodegradability, which is widely used in fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. But its disadvantages are also very prominent, such as low strength, and high brittleness. Stainless steel material has high mechanical properties and good biocompatibility, so PLA/stainless steel composite material has the advantages of both materials. In this paper, the effects of FDM forming parameters, such as nozzle temperature, extrusion speed, printing speed, nozzle height from the substrate, layer thickness and nozzle diameter, on the single-channel direct writing forming quality were studied from the angle of line height and line width of PLA/stainless steel composites. The results show that selecting appropriate FDM process parameters can effectively improve the quality of single-channel molding, and the printed lines have certain shrinkage. The ratio of line height to line width exceeds 100%. It provides a theoretical reference for the subsequent forming of PLA/stainless steel composite parts based on FDM.

Herein, a series of chalcogen-containing MAX phases, Hf2(SexS1−x)C, were successfully synthesized, whose lattice parameter change follows the Vegard’s law. The average coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) can be continuously tuned from 7.59 μK−1 to 9.93 μK−1 when the occupancy rate x of Se changes from 0 to 1. The substitution of Se for S effectively soften the crystal structures that is reflected by long average M-A bond in Se-alloying Hf2(SexS1−x)C. However, the CTEs along a and c axes in all Hf2(SexS1−x)C MAX phases are almost same which may be find application in thermal barrier coating (TBC) that isotropic volume change is highly demanding.