Properties of Semisolid Parts: Comparison with Conventional and Innovative Manufacturing Technologies

In this paper, wear properties of samples manufactured using thixocasting were compared with those of components obtained using low-pressure die-casting and additive manufacturing in order to assess the relationship between material performance and production technologies, both conventional and innovative. The investigated items were made with AlSi7Mg alloy. First, microstructural analysis and hardness measurements were carried out. Subsequently, pin-on-disk wear tests were performed. Wear behavior of the samples was studied considering both coefficient of friction and wear rate, while the damage mechanism was analyzed by observation of the worn paths using scanning electron microscope, correlating the behavior to the specific microstructure. In addition, the effect of selected heat-treated conditions, relevant for real applications, on wear properties was also evaluated.

Stab resistance of flexible composite reinforced with warp-knitted fabric like scale structure at quasi-static loading

The stab-resistant fabric like scale structure has a promising application prospect for areas of stab prevention owing to its great flexibility and excellent stab-resistance performance. In this paper, a kind of novel stab-resistant fabric has been designed by coating with epoxy resin (ER) and silicon carbide (SiC) particles, which was based on the warp-knitted fabric like scale structure (WKFS). The uniformity of dispersion has been investigated with different diameter and mass fraction of SiC, and polymerization degree of polyglycols (PEG); the flexibility and quasi-static properties of different kinds of WKFS treated with different coating solution has been studied, and the coating solution was prepared by mixing SiC particles and ER at different ratios. The results showed that the dispersion uniformity of the dispersion was the best when the diameter of SiC is 1 μm, the content is 50%, and the polymerization degree of PEG is 600. The longitudinal flexibility of the stab-resistant fabric is greater than that of transverse due to the gap between the longitudinal scales, and the addition of SiC particles can increase the transverse and longitudinal flexibility of stab-resistant fabric, and the flexible properties were the greatest when SiC:ER = 50:30. In addition, the WKFS treated with SiC of 16.7% has fatigue resistance; the damage mechanism of the fabric treated with pure ER is thankful to the brittleness of the resin; the added SiC particles hinder the further crack propagation of the resin, and the failure mode is mainly in stretch.

Rutin Protects from Destruction by Interrupting the Pathways Playing a Role in the Possible Damage Mechanism of Sodium Valproate in the Liver and Kidney Tissues of Rats

Background: The present study investigated the effects of rutin (RUT), which has various biological and pharmacological properties, on liver and kidney damage caused by histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid (VLP), which is used in the treatment of many psychiatric disorders.Methods and Results: In the study, 50 or 100 mg/kg RUT treatment was administered 30 minutes after 500 mg/kg VLP was given to rats for 14 days. Then, some pathways that may be involved in the damage mechanism of VLP in liver and kidney tissues were investigated using biochemical, RT-PCR and Western blotting techniques. The results show that the levels of MDA induced by VLP in liver and kidney tissues decreased after RUT treatment, and the levels of SOD, CAT, GPx and GSH suppressed by VLP increased after RUT administration. It was observed that ER stress induced by oxidative stress was alleviated by suppressing the expressions of ATF-6, PERK, IRE1 and GRP78 after RUT treatment. It was observed that the expressions of NF-kB, TNF-a, IL-6, JAK2 and STAT3 in the inflammatory pathway increased after VLP administration, while RUT treatment decreased the levels of these markers. It is also among the data obtained that the levels of markers that play a role in the regulation of apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-2, kaspaz-3, pERK, pJNK) or autophagy (Beclin-1, LC3A, LC3B) approach the control group after RUT treatment.Conclusions: Taken together, it was determined that RUT treatment protected against liver and kidney damage by attenuating VLP-induced oxidative stress, ER stress, inflammation, apoptosis and autophagy.