Abstract: A structure can comprise a substrate and a composite coating. The composite coating can be formed over a surface of the substrate. The composite coating can include one or more nanoparticles within an oxide matrix. The nanoparticles can be formed of a temperature-dependent Mott insulator having a phase transition temperature. At a temperature below the phase transition temperature, the composite coating can transmit light in a first wavelength range, and at a temperature above the phase transition temperature, the composite coating can block light in the first wavelength range. For example, the structure can be used as a smart 10 window to help regulate heating of building interiors due to solar radiation. The composite coating can be formed via a short-duration, high-temperature heating pulse, for example, at least 1500 K for less than 60 seconds.

Abstract: A sintering furnace can have a housing, one or more heating elements, and a conveying assembly. Each heating element can be disposed within the housing and can subject a heating zone to a thermal shock temperature profile. A substrate with one or more precursors thereon can be moved by the conveying assembly through an inlet of the housing to the heating zone, where it is subjected to a first temperature of at least 500° C. for a first time period. The conveying assembly can then move the substrate with one or more sintered materials thereon from the heating zone and through an outlet of the housing.

Abstract: Radiative cooling compositions, as well as precursors for forming such compositions, are disclosed. The compositions comprise solid particles of at least a first composition (e.g., Al2O3), which are bound by a suitable binder (matrix or framework). During the synthesis of these compositions from a precursor, solvent of a binder-forming liquid such as water glass may be evaporated, or otherwise glass (e.g., mixed oxide) particles in the precursor may be softened and/or melted, in either case providing a binder for the solid particles. The manipulation of composition porosity, impacting mechanical strength, as well as performance characteristics (reflectance and/or emissivity), is possible through the selection of types and amounts of components, such that a suitable combination of properties can be engineered without the need for polymers or other materials that may be detrimental in terms of cost and/or stability.

Abstract: A method for preparing high-purity nickel-based superalloy includes the steps of: performing electron beam smelting on small cylinders in a first water-cooled copper crucible after preheating an electron gun, and converging the beam to the edge of one side of the ingot; turning on the electron gun again after completely solidifying the ingot, the electron beam spot uniformly and slowly scanning a surface of the ingot from a side opposite to a final beam converging area of the ingot to the final beam converging area of the ingot to ensure that the alloy at a position scanned by the electron beam spot is completely melted, and stopping scanning once scanning to the final converging area of the ingot; casting the molten alloy in the first water-cooled copper crucible to the second water-cooled copper crucible; taking out the refined nickel-base superalloy after cooling down the electron beam melting furnace.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to polymers which contain a hydrophobic and hydrophilic segment which is sensitive to pH. In some aspects, the polymers form a micelle which is sensitive to pH and results in a change in fluorescence based upon the particular pH. In some aspects, the disclosure also provides methods of using the polymers for the imaging of cellular or extracellular environment or delivering a drug.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a ceramic material for a thermal barrier coating and a manufacturing method thereof. A chemical composition of the ceramic material is LaYbZrCeO7. The ceramic material is manufactured by doping LaO1.5, YbO1.5 and CeO2 into ZrO2. A mole ratio of LaO1.5, YbO1.5, CeO2 and ZrO2 is 1:1:1:1. The manufactured ceramic material is in a composite phase structure mainly including a pyrochlore phase and a fluorite phase. The ceramic material according to the present disclosure can effectively inhibit corrosion penetration of molten CMAS in a high temperature environment, which reduces or avoids ceramic cracking and peeling. This better maintains microstructural integrity of the ceramic surface, thereby extending service life of ceramics.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tea plant CsVAAT3 gene and use thereof. The tea plant CsVAAT3 gene has a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 in sequence listing. A protein coded by the tea plant CsVAAT3 gene has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 in the sequence listing. An expression pattern of CsVAAT3 in tea plant is significantly positively correlated with the nitrogen level in tea roots. The CsVAAT3 is highly expressed in tea roots. A pDR196-CsVAAT3 plasmid constructed from this gene is transformed into a vacuolar amino acid uptake-deficient yeast strain ypq2, which can restore the growth ability of the yeast mutant on a high-concentration theanine medium. Cloning of the gene is beneficial to analysis of a molecular mechanism of theanine storage in tea roots, providing an important target gene resource and a theoretical basis for cultivation of new tea cultivars with high theanine content.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a tea plant CsFAAH6 gene and use thereof. The tea plant CsFAAH6 gene has a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 in sequence listing. A protein coded by the tea plant CsFAAH6 gene has an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 in the sequence listing. The CsFAAH6 is highly expressed in mature leaves of tea plants; there is significant negative correlation between theanine content in shoots (one bud and two leaves) of different tea cultivars in different months and expression level of the CsFAAH6; instantaneous silencing of CsFAAH6 expression can significantly increase the theanine content, indicating that CsFAAH6 has a physiological function of theanine degradation and a molecular mechanism thereof.