The microstructure of the thixoformed ZA27 alloy naturally aged for 5 years has been observed and analyzed. The results indicate that most of the original β + η laminar eutectics have changed into the structures that small α particles uniformly distribute in η phase matrix. Both the β phase and α’ phase have also decomposed. It is suggested that a continuous or dot-line α phase first precipitates in the β phase close to the eutectic η phase layer. Then eutectoid η phase nucleates or directly grows up from the eutectic η phase, which promotes the nucleation of eutectoid α phase or the direct growth of the α phase from the existing α phase. Subsequently, the resulting α + η phases grow towards the β phase inside, forming the regular laminar α + η structures. The laminar structures always continuously grow across the center α’ phase, which leads the α’ phase also to transform into regular α + η laminar structures. The laminar structures may crack possibly due to internal stress. The eutectoid η phase lamellae have a tendency of changing from laminar shape to particle form, resulting in the formation of non-laminar structures.

The effects of processing parameters, such as the punch speed, reheating duration and reheating temperature, on microstructure and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of thixoformed AM60B magnesium alloy have been investigated. The results indicate that low punch speed, short reheating duration or low reheating temperature often produces the defect of cold shuts or shrinkage porosities. On the contrary, gas pores can easily form. In addition, the reheating duration or temperature also has obvious effects on the primary particle size, fraction and morphology. The three parameters can significantly affect the UTS due to their effects on the formation of pores (cold shuts, shrinkage porosities and gas pores). But they can not alter the fracture path during tensile testing and the path is always along the secondarily solidified structures between the primary particles. The effect of pore amount on the UTS is lager than that of the primary particle size, fraction or morphology. In view of their effects on the microstructure compactness and the resultant UTS, the optimized parameters are reheating for 130 minutes at 610 °C and punch speed of 3 m/s.

Efeitos da dieta e idade da fêmea em relação à prole e à razão sexual do parasitoide solitário Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). As teorias predizem que as fêmeas parasitoides de vespas ajustam a relação razão sexual dos descendentes, de acordo com condições ambientais, em cada oviposição. Entretanto, a dieta e idade das fêmeas também podem afetar o ajuste da razão sexual. Nosso foco foi testar os efeitos da dieta e idade da fêmeas em relação a razão sexual da prole da vespa parasitoide Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani, 1875). Nossos resultados mostraram que as fêmeas alimentadas com mel apresentaram uma razão sexual significativa menor de fêmeas, do que aquelas alimentadas apenas com água. A razão sexual (percentagem dos machos) diminuiu com a idade ou longevidade das fêmeas no início da oviposição, mas com aumento no final. Deve haver uma limitação de esperma nas fêmeas de P. vindemmiae no final da oviposição e uma maior frequência de posturas de ovos infertilizados. As fêmeas também fazem posturas de um número maior de ovos infertilizados no início da oviposição, que seria necessário para assegurar o acasalamento entre os descendentes. A prole masculina desenvolverá mais rapidamente e emergirá mais cedo, o que também reduziria o risco de virgindade da prole, com a tendenciosa proporção de razão sexual maior das fêmeas.

Effects of female diet and age on offspring sex ratio of the solitary parasitoid Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae). Theories predict that females of parasitoid wasps would adjust the offspring sex ratio to environmental conditions in the oviposition patch, but the diet and age of females would also affect the sex ratio adjustment. Our focus was to test the effects of female diet and age on offspring sex ratio of the solitary parasitoid wasp, Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani, 1875). Our results showed that females fed with honey had significantly less female biased offspring sex ratio than those fed only with water. Offspring sex ratio (male percentage) decreased with female age or female longevity at the beginning of oviposition but increased at the end. There should be a sperm limitation in P. vindemmiae females at the end of oviposition, and a higher frequency of unfertilized eggs were laid then. Females also laid more unfertilized eggs at the beginning of oviposition, which would be necessary to insure the mating among offspring. Male offspring developed faster and emerged earlier, which would also reduce the risk of virginity in offspring with female-biased sex ratio.

In this work, Microsilica, one kind of industry solid waste material, was utilized firstly to prepare a carbon-Microsilica composite adsorbent from a partial carbonization, mixture and sulfoxidation process and was proposed for the removal of Cr(VI) from solutions. The surface chemistry characteristics of the prepared adsorbent were analysis by XPS and FT-IR. The characterization results indicated that an abundant of oxygen functional groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl and sulfonic groups, were introduced into the surface of the prepared composite adsorbent. Meanwhile, the adsorption characteristics of Cr(VI) onto the adsorbent in aqueous solutions was studied as a function of solution pH, ionic strength, contact time, and temperature. The results showed that Cr(VI) adsorption onto the adsorbent is strongly dependent on pH and, to a lesser extent, ionic strength. Kinetics data were found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model while the adsorption data corresponded to L-shape adsorption isotherm which corresponds to the classification of Giles. Activation thermodynamic parameters, such as activation enthalpy (ΔH*), activation entropy (ΔS*), activation Gibbs free energy (ΔG*) and activation energy (E), have been evaluated and the possible adsorption mechanism also was suggested.

The microstructural evolution and corresponding phase transformations have been investigated during partial remelting of AZ91D magnesium alloy refined by Al-Ti-B master alloy. The effect of heating temperature on semisolid microstructure has also been discussed. The results indicate that the microstructural evolution process includes four stages, the initial rapid coarsening, structure separation, spheroidization accompanied by coarsening and the final coarsening. Two or more equiaxed dendrites in the as-cast microstructure evolve into one spheroidal primary particle in the semisolid microstructure through the former three stages. The initial rapid coarsening results from the reaction of β→α, the structure separation is due to the α + β→L and α→L, the spheroidization is attributed to the α→L and the final coarsening is ascribed to the two reverse reactions of α→L and L→α. Rising the heating temperature during partial remelting is beneficial for obtaining small and spheroidal primary particles.

The grain refining technique of AZ91D magnesium alloy by MgCO3 has been investigated. The refining mechanism and tensile properties of the resulting alloy have also been discussed. The results indicate that MgCO3 can decrease its grain size from 311 to 53µm. Correspondingly, the tensile properties are obviously improved. The higher the cooling rate from addition temperature to pouring temperature or the higher the addition temperature, the finer the grains. The melt treated by MgCO3 should be poured as soon as possible because the inoculation fading is quite quick. The microstructure sensitivity to the diameter of a cast rod is relatively high and the microstructures of the rods with large diameters are quite inhomogeneous. The refining mechanism of MgCO3 belongs to heterogeneous nucleation and the nucleant substrates are believed to be the Al4C3 particles formed from the reactions between the MgCO3 and the molten alloy.