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Efforts to reduce vehicle weight and improve crash performance have resulted in increased application of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) and a recent focus on the weldability of these alloys. Resistance spot welding (RSW) is the primary sheet metal welding process in the manufacture of automotive assemblies. Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was invented as a novel method to spot welding sheet metal and has proven to be a potential candidate for spot welding AHSS. A comparative study of RSW and FSSW on spot welding AHSS has been completed. The objective of this work is to compare the microstructure and mechanical properties of Zn coated DP600 AHSS (1 . 2 mm thick) spot welds conducted using both processes. This was accomplished by examining the metallurgical cross-sections and local hardnesses of various spot weld regions. High speed data acquisition was also used to monitor process parameters and attain energy outputs for each process. Results show a correlation found among microstructure, failure loads, energy requirements and bonded area for both spot welding processes.

We experimentally isolated and characterized a CFEM protein with putative GPI-anchored site BcCFEM1 in Botrytis cinerea. BcCFEM1 contains a CFEM (common in several fungal extracellular membrane proteins) domain with the characteristic eight cysteine residues at N terminus, and a predicted GPI modification site at C terminus. BcCFEM1 was significantly up-regulated during early stage of infection on bean leaves and induced chlorosis in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves using Agrobacterium infiltration method. Targeted deletion of BcCFEM1 in B. cinerea affected virulence, conidial production and stress tolerance, but not growth rate, conidial germination, colony morphology, and sclerotial formation. However, over expression of BcCFEM1 did not make any observable phenotype change. Therefore, our data suggested that BcCFEM1 contributes to virulence, conidial production, and stress tolerance. These findings further enhance our understanding on the sophisticated pathogenicity of B. cinerea beyond necrotrophic stage, highlighting the importance of CFEM protein to B. cinerea and other broad-host-range necrotrophic pathogens.

A series of substituted tetraphenylporphyrin iron chloride complexes [RTPPFe(III)Cl, R=o/p-NO2, o/p-Cl, H, o/p-CH3, o/p-OCH3] were synthesized by a novel universal mixed-solvent method and the spectral properties of free base porphyrins and iron porphyrin compounds were compared with each other. The experimental results showed that the one-pot mixed solvent method was superior to the two-step method in the yields, reaction time and workup of reaction mixtures for the synthesis of iron porphyrin compounds. The highest yields (28.7%–40.4%) of RTPPFe(III)Cl were obtained in the mixed solvents propionic acid, glacial acetic acid and m-nitrotoluene under reflux for 2 h. A detailed analysis of ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), infrared (IR) and far-infrared (FIR) spectra suggested the transformation from free base porphyrins to iron porphyrins. The red shift of the Soret band in ultraviolet-visible spectra due to the presence of p-nitrophenyl substituents and the blue shift of Fe-Cl bond of TPPFeCl in far-infrared spectra were further explained by the electron transfer and molecular planarity in the porphyrin ring.

The photocatalytic efficiency of polymeric carbon nitride is hampered by high carrier recombination rate and low charge transfer. Herein, these issues are addressed by constructing 1D strip-like carbon nitride with a large π-electron conjugated system from carbon-doping, realizing the synchronization control of its electronic structure and morphology. Nicotinic acid, a monomer with the carboxyl group and pyridine ring, and melamine are selected for assembling the strip-like supramolecular via hydrogen bond under hydrothermal process. Both peripheral pyridine unit and hydrogen bond have significant effect on self-assembly process of nicotinic acid and melamine along one dimension to form a strip-like precursor. Subsequently, 1D thin porous strip-like carbon nitride is obtained by calcination treatment of precursor. The as-prepared 1D strip-like carbon nitride with effective π delocalization from carbon-doping and porous structure can accelerate charges and mass transfer and provide extra active sites. Both theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that carbon doping (pyridine heterocycle) narrows the bandgap via manipulating the band position and increases the π electron density. Thus, the 1D porous thin strip-like carbon nitride realizes compelling hydrogen evolution rate (126.2 µmol h −1), far beyond (≈18 fold) the value of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) (7.2 µmol h −1) under visible light irradiation.

The dynamic resistance has been investigated during small scale resistance spot welding (SSRSW) of Ni sheets. Electrical measurements have been correlated with scanning electron microscope images of joint development. The results show that the dynamic resistance curve can be divided into the following stages based on physical change in the workpieces: asperity heating, surface breakdown, asperity softening, partial surface melting, nugget growth and expulsion. These results are also compared and contrasted with dynamic resistance behaviour in large scale RSW.

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The effects of Au plating on joint formation and joint strength in small-scale resistance spot welding (SSRSW) of Ni sheets have been investigated using tensile-shear testing, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results show that the mechanisms of the joint formation during the welding of Au-plated Ni sheets involve solid-state bonding, brazing, and fusion welding. The comparison between SSRSW of Au-plated Ni and bare Ni sheets and large-scale resistance spot welding (LSRSW) of Zn-coated steels is also discussed.