Yamei Zhang

A study on the association of serum 1,5‐anhydroglucitol levels and the hyperglycaemic excursions as measured by continuous glucose monitoring system among people with type 2 diabetes in China

Blood glucose excursion is an important component of the glycaemic burden, but there are no indexes that can directly reflect them. The aim was to evaluate the values and significance of serum 1,5‐anhydroglucitol (1,5‐AG) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in China and to elucidate the relationship between 1,5‐AG and traditional indexes of glycaemic excursions by continuous glucose monitoring.

Preparation and properties of thermal insulation coatings with a sodium stearate-modified shell powder as a filler

Waste shell stacking with odor and toxicity is a serious hazard to our living environment. To make effective use of the natural resources, the shell powder was applied as a filler of outdoor thermal insulation coatings. Sodium stearate (SS) was used to modify the properties of shell powder to reduce its agglomeration and to increase its compatibility with the emulsion. The oil absorption rate and the spectrum reflectance of the shell powder show that the optimized content of SS as a modifier is 1.5wt%. The total spectrum reflectance of the coating made with the shell powder that is modified at this optimum SS content is 9.33% higher than that without any modification. At the optimum SS content of 1.5wt%, the thermal insulation of the coatings is improved by 1.0°C for the cement mortar board and 1.6°C for the steel plate, respectively. The scouring resistance of the coating with the 1.5wt% SS-modified shell powder is three times that of the coating without modification.

Microstructure and properties of Ag–Ti3SiC2 contact materials prepared by pressureless sintering

Ti3SiC2-reinforced Ag-matrix composites are expected to serve as electrical contacts. In this study, the wettability of Ag on a Ti3SiC2 substrate was measured by the sessile drop method. The Ag–Ti3SiC2 composites were prepared from Ag and Ti3SiC2 powder mixtures by pressureless sintering. The effects of compacting pressure (100–800 MPa), sintering temperature (850–950°C), and soaking time (0.5–2 h) on the microstructure and properties of the Ag–Ti3SiC2 composites were investigated. The experimental results indicated that Ti3SiC2 particulates were uniformly distributed in the Ag matrix, without reactions at the interfaces between the two phases. The prepared Ag–10wt%Ti3SiC2 had a relative density of 95% and an electrical resistivity of 2.76 × 10-3 mΩ·cm when compacted at 800 MPa and sintered at 950°C for 1 h. The incorporation of Ti3SiC2 into Ag was found to improve its hardness without substantially compromising its electrical conductivity; this behavior was attributed to the combination of ceramic and metallic properties of the Ti3SiC2 reinforcement, suggesting its potential application in electrical contacts.

Effect of TiO2 pigment gradation on the properties of thermal insulation coatings

This study was designed to evaluate the thermal performance and mechanical properties of coatings with different gradations of TiO2 pigments. The solar reflectance, cooling performance, wash resistance, and film adhesion strength of the coatings were investigated. The influence of TiO2 powder gradation on the final properties of the coatings was studed. The solar reflectance and the thermal insulation were observed to increase with increasing content of nanosized TiO2. The mechanical properties of the coatings, such as their wash resistance and film adhesion strength, were observed to increase with increased incorporation of nanosized TiO2. Such improvements in the properties of the coatings were attributed to the greater specific surface area and lower thermal conductivity of nanosized TiO2 particles compared to normal TiO2 particles.