Mechanical Properties and Microstructure Evolution of Mg-Gd Alloy during Aging Treatment

Rare-earth-containing Mg alloys are a group of widely investigated alloys due to the disperse nano-sized precipitations formed during heat treatment. The underlying formation and strengthening mechanisms of precipitation is critical for their industrial applications. In this work, we systematically studied the evolution of precipitations in a Mg-10Gd alloy, based on the atomic-scaled TEM and HAADF-STEM observations. Especially, the in-depth transition mechanism from G.P. Zone to β”, β’, βT and βM is proposed, as well as their relationships with mechanical properties. It is found that blocking effect of precipitations improves the strength significantly, according to the Orowan mechanism. The elliptic cylinder shaped β’ phase, with a base-centered orthorhombic lattice structure, provides significant strengthening effects, which enhance the hardness and ultimate tensile strength from 72 HV and 170 MPa to 120 HV and 300 MPa.

Quantitative Analysis of the Phase Transition Mechanism Underpinning the Systemic Self-Assembly of a Mechanopharmaceutical Device

Clofazimine (CFZ) is a poorly soluble, weakly basic, small molecule antibiotic clinically used to treat leprosy and is now in clinical trials as a treatment for multidrug resistant tuberculosis and COVID-19. CFZ exhibits complex, context-dependent pharmacokinetics that are characterized by an increasing half-life in long term treatment regimens. The systemic pharmacokinetics of CFZ have been previously represented by a nonlinear, 2-compartment model incorporating an expanding volume of distribution. This expansion reflects the soluble-to-insoluble phase transition that the drug undergoes as it precipitates out and accumulates within macrophages disseminated throughout the organism. Using mice as a model organism, we studied the mechanistic underpinnings of this increasing half-life and how the systemic pharmacokinetics of CFZ are altered with continued dosing. To this end, M. tuberculosis infection status and multiple dosing schemes were studied alongside a parameter sensitivity analysis (PSA) to further understanding of systemic drug distribution. Parameter values governing the sigmoidal expansion function that captures the phase transition were methodically varied, and in turn, the systemic concentrations of the drug were calculated and compared to the experimentally measured concentrations of drug in serum and spleen. The resulting amounts of drug sequestered were dependent on the total mass of CFZ administered and the duration of drug loading. This phenomenon can be captured by altering three different parameters of an expansion function corresponding to key biological determinants responsible for the precipitation and the accumulation of the insoluble drug mass in macrophages. Through this analysis of the context dependent pharmacokinetics of CFZ, a predictive framework for projecting the systemic distribution and self-assembly of precipitated drug complexes as intracellular mechanopharmaceutical devices of this and other drugs exhibiting similarly complex pharmacokinetics can be constructed.

Canard-induced mixed mode oscillations as a mechanism for the Bonhoeffer-van der Pol circuit under parametric perturbation

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the singular Hopf bifurcation and mixed mode oscillations (MMOs) in the perturbed Bonhoeffer-van der Pol (BVP) circuit. There is a singular periodic orbit constructed by the switching between the stable focus and large amplitude relaxation cycles. Using a generalized fast/slow analysis, the authors show the generation mechanism of two distinct kinds of MMOs. Design/methodology/approach The parametric modulation can be used to generate complicated dynamics. The BVP circuit is constructed as an example for second-order differential equation with periodic perturbation. Then the authors draw the bifurcation parameter diagram in terms of a containing two attractive regions, i.e. the stable relaxation cycle and the stable focus. The transition mechanism and characteristic features are investigated intensively by one-fast/two-slow analysis combined with bifurcation theory. Findings Periodic perturbation can suppress nonlinear circuit dynamic to a singular periodic orbit. The combination of these small oscillations with the large amplitude oscillations that occur due to canard cycles yields such MMOs. The results connect the theory of the singular Hopf bifurcation enabling easier calculations of where the oscillations occur. Originality/value By treating the perturbation as the second slow variable, the authors obtain that the MMOs are due to the canards in a supercritical case or in a subcritical case. This study can reveal the transition mechanism for multi-time scale characteristics in perturbed circuit. The information gained from such results can be extended to periodically perturbed circuits.

Muzzle Voltage Characteristics of Railguns

Muzzle voltage is an essential diagnostic tool used in both contact resistance modeling and transition determination. However, it is challenging to stem the necessary meanings from the collected measurements. In this study, EMFY-3 launch experiments are used to model muzzle voltage characteristics to understand the transition mechanism better. These experiments have muzzle energies in the range between 1.69-2.85 MJ in ASELSAN Electromagnetic Launcher Laboratory. Six different launch tests with various rail current waveforms that ranged between 1.5-2.1 MA are used to investigate different scenarios. Some parameters which affect muzzle voltage are calculated with the 3-D Finite Element Method (FEM), i.e., rail mutual inductance $\mathrm{L_m}$. Muzzle voltages are decomposed into subsections; each subsection is calculated with proper models. Simulation results are coherent with experimental measurements. Findings are compared with previous studies, and differences are explained with possible reasons. Even though we could not conclusively resolve which physical quantity starts to transition, the study showed that transition does not form a specific muzzle velocity, armature action integral, or down-slope rail current ratio.

Muzzle Voltage Characteristics of Railguns

Muzzle voltage is an essential diagnostic tool used in both contact resistance modeling and transition determination. However, it is challenging to stem the necessary meanings from the collected measurements. In this study, EMFY-3 launch experiments are used to model muzzle voltage characteristics to understand the transition mechanism better. These experiments have muzzle energies in the range between 1.69-2.85 MJ in ASELSAN Electromagnetic Launcher Laboratory. Six different launch tests with various rail current waveforms that ranged between 1.5-2.1 MA are used to investigate different scenarios. Some parameters which affect muzzle voltage are calculated with the 3-D Finite Element Method (FEM), i.e., rail mutual inductance $\mathrm{L_m}$. Muzzle voltages are decomposed into subsections; each subsection is calculated with proper models. Simulation results are coherent with experimental measurements. Findings are compared with previous studies, and differences are explained with possible reasons. Even though we could not conclusively resolve which physical quantity starts to transition, the study showed that transition does not form a specific muzzle velocity, armature action integral, or down-slope rail current ratio.

New Insight into Li+ Dynamics in Lithium Bimetal Phosphate

Substitution of iron by other transition metals within the remarkably stable olivine framework is of interest considering the expected gain in energy density. However, manganese rich olivine materials suffer from sluggish redox kinetics, leading to electrochemical performances at high current densities which are below expectations. The source of the kinetic limitations is not clear, with multiple processes having been proposed, including low bulk electronic conductivity, structural instability of Mn3+ and a phase transition mechanism. This study employed 7Li MAS NMR relaxation techniques to indirectly probe Li+ dynamics using various stoichiometry of chemically prepared LixMnyFe1-yPO4 (0 ≤ (x, y) ≤ 1). Focusing on the particle level, the aim was to understand how the different crystal phases, alongside the Mn structural contribution, influence Li+ transport at each stage of the oxidation process. Significantly, the formation of an olivine solid solution with vacancies within this progression gave rise to a faster 7Li transverse relaxation derived from superior Li+ motion.

The novelty-centered business model: a transition mechanism between exploration and exploitation in SMEs

PurposeAs the transition between exploration and exploitation is a unique challenge for SMEs, what mechanism(s) might facilitate this transition? Building on the entrepreneurship literature's entrepreneurial opportunity identification and development framework, this study hypothesizes that the novelty-centered business model (NCBM) may serve as such a mechanism.Design/methodology/approachBased on cross-sectional survey data collected from 169 Italian SMEs in various sectors, this study tests the mediation, moderation and moderated mediation relationships using the statistical PROCESS procedure.FindingsSupporting the hypotheses that exploration and exploitation are positively associated within SMEs, that NCBM mediates this relationship and that the indirect relationship between exploration and exploitation by way of NCBM is stronger for SMEs with employees of medium to high creative human capital, the results suggest that SMEs can more effectively exploit new ideas identified in the exploration phase by developing an NCBM and accessing their creative human capital.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the robustness checks confirm the direction of the proposed hypotheses, given the cross-sectional nature of the dataset used, a longitudinal study would further validate the proposed framework.Practical implicationsSMEs can successfully achieve the transition between exploration and exploitation by reinventing their business model to compensate for their limited resources in terms of financial or relational capital. They can further enhance their ability to reinvent their business model and, in turn, to exploit innovations by hiring and retaining employees with greater creative human capital.Originality/valueThis study draws on the entrepreneurial opportunity, ambidexterity (exploration-exploitation) and business model literature to enhance our understanding of the role of the NCBM design concept (business model innovation) as a mechanism to achieve temporal ambidexterity in SMEs.