Y. Li's research while affiliated with Northwest A & F University and other places

Anatase TiO2 nanosheets with exposed (001) facets were prepared by a hydrothermal method under HF condition. Then, commercial WC particles were deposited on TiO2 nanosheets by physical mixing method. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. To investigate the effect of WC loading on the photocatalytic performance, the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye was conducted under simulated light. The results indicated that the WC/TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than pure TiO2 catalyst. When the WC loading was 10 wt%, the degradation efficiency reached 90.2% within 60 min. The enhanced photocatalytic performance may be attributed to the introduction of WC particles which could react as an electron trap and promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs of TiO2. Meanwhile, the trapping experiment confirmed that superoxide radical (·O2 - ) and hole (h+) played leading roles in the degradation of RhB.

Structural relaxation can be induced by annealing and usually leads to embrittlement in metallic glasses (MGs). Here, we show that a relaxed MG obtained by annealing an as-cast MG at a temperature (annealing temperature, Ta) below its fictive temperature can be suitably rejuvenated by a thermal treatment of the relaxed MG at a temperature higher than Ta. The effect is driven by enthalpy relaxation, an endothermic reaction upon heating relaxed MG. This rejuvenation lifts the energy state of the relaxed MG towards that of the as-cast MG. Importantly, we found that the plasticity and fracture toughness of the optimally rejuvenated samples exceed those in the as-cast sample, reversing the relaxation-induced embrittlement in the relaxed sample. An analysis of the structural changes shows that the packing density, rather than the ordering of the atomic structure, is responsible for the effects of rejuvenation. The observed rejuvenation may originate from the recovery of loosely packed regions in the MG atomic structure that were densified during annealing. Our findings are significant for tailoring the mechanical properties of MGs.

We hypothesised that adding a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes to the diet of early-lactation dairy cows would improve rumen enzyme activity and bacterial diversity, promote energy metabolism, and benefit milk production in cows. Twenty multiparous early-lactation (90 ± 5 d) Holstein cows with similar body conditions were randomly allocated to control (CON, n = 10) and experimental (EXP, n = 10) groups in a completely randomised single-factor design. The CON was fed only a basal total mixed ration diet, and the diet of the EXP was supplemented with a combination of fibrolytic and amylolytic enzymes at 70 g/cow/d (cellulase 3 500 CU/g, xylanase 2 000 XU/g, β-glucanase 17 500 GU/g, and amylase 37 000 AU/g). The experiment lasted 28 days, with 21 days for adaptation and 7 days for sampling. Enzyme addition increased the activity levels of α-amylase and xylanase, and the ammonia-N concentration (P 0.1%) or genus (richness > 1%) composition between the CON and EXP groups (P > 0.05). A tendency of difference was found between CON and EXP (R = 0.22, P = 0.098) in principal component analysis. Ten genera showed different abundances across the CON and EXP groups (linear discriminant analysis effect size, linear discriminant analysis > 2). EXP increased the ratio of albumin to globulin and the concentrations of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P

The critical problem to be solved in the study of transdermal drug delivery system is to improve the transdermal penetration of drugs through the skin. Most essential oils from Chinese material medica, considered as a large class of penetration enhancers, possess enhanced percutaneous absorption, minor skin irritation, certain therapeutic efficacy, and a synergistic effect with transdermal drugs. However, the essential oils have poor solubility and unstable problems. Some special preparations, including patch, clathrate, gel plasters, gels, microemulsion, and so on, can increase the solubility of the essential oils, improve the effect of permeability, and can significantly boost the stability of the essential oils. In this paper, the techniques of the related preparations on essential oil from Chinese materia medica should be reviewed, and the research direction of the later stage should be discussed. © 2018, Editorial Office of Chinese Traditional and Herbal Drugs. All right reserved.

Graphene is an ideal reinforcement for various composites for its unique physical, chemical and mechanical properties. However, the problem of graphene dispersibility and poor wettability severely limits its further development in composites application. (RE-M-GO) were prepared by impregnation method and heating modifier method. The morphology and phase structure of RE-M-GO were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The changes of functional groups of modified graphene oxide were analyzed by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), optical spectra (UV) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and the modification mechanism was also discussed. The results show that the dispersibility of rare earth modified graphene oxide is obviously improved due to the reaction of rare earth elements with the oxygen-containing functional groups of graphene oxide to form coordination bonds, resulting in a new functional group, which reduces the interfacial energy of graphene oxide and surface energy, thereby the dispersion of graphene oxide is improved.

In the present work, the compatibility of additivity rule with the crystallization behavior of an Au50Cu25.5Ag7.5Si17 glass forming alloy on the conditions of both isothermal and isochronal transformations is investigated. Taking advantages of the ultrafast heating and cooling rates of the Flash DSC technique, we verified the additivity rule in a solidification process for the first time. It is proved to be effective in predicting the beginning and the end of isochronal crystallizations during continuous heating and cooling from the kinetic analysis of corresponding experimental isothermal transformation. The predicted isochronal curves are fairly in accordance with the experimental results, especially for the incubation and crystallization processes during rapid solidification of the glass forming liquid. The compatibility of additivity rule enables a conversion between isothermal and isochronal transformations for the crystallization of supercooled liquid even during solidification from the melt.