Besides showing an extraordinary degree of phenotypic variability, Capsella bursa-pastoris (Brassicaceae) is also one of the world's most common plant species and a serious weed in many countries. We have employed a coalescent-based Bayesian analysis of chloroplast microsatellite data to infer demographic and evolutionary parameters of this species. Two different demographic models applied to data from seven chloroplast microsatellite loci among 59 accessions show that the effective population size of C. bursa-pastoris is very small indicating a rapid expansion of the species, a result that is in accordance with fossil and historical data. Against this background, analysis of flowering time variation among accessions suggests that ecotypic differentiation in flowering time has occurred recently in the species' history. Finally, our results also indicate that mononucleotide repeat loci in the chloroplast genome can deteriorate in relatively short periods of evolutionary time.

Monodisperse polyhedral nickel nanoparticles composed of small nanocrystals have been successfully synthesized by a facile poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) mediated solution reduction process with hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent. The phase structure, morphology and magnetic properties of the as-prepared products were extensively characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). XRD pattern indicated that the as-synthesized products were nickel with well-crystallized facecentered cubic structure. SEM and TEM observations showed that the polyhedral nanoparticles consist of nanocrystals with size around 2 nm. The formation of these polyhedral nanoparticles is attributed to the oriented aggregation of nickel nanocrystals around a polymer-Ni 2+ complex framework structure. The magnetic property investigation shows that the polyhedral nickel nanoparticles exhibit a ferromagnetic behavior and possess a higher coercive field value than that of the bulk nickel.

Based on the ordered phase effectively suppressed by rapid solidification technology, the grain refinement concept using Cu is incorporated into the soft magnetic materials. Cu dosage not only could refine the grain size with an average grain size of 8.7 μm but also improve the continuity and consistency of Fe-6.5 wt % Si steel strip. It mainly attributes to the Cu-rich particles precipitating at the grain boundary, nailing the grain boundaries movement and inhibiting the grain growth, and then improving the magnetic properties and mechanical properties. The 1.5 wt % Cu sample exhibits an excellent magnetic property with the saturation magnetization of 236.54 emu/g, which mainly attributes to the strong η, λ, Goss texture formation and the band structure optimization of Si–Cu comodification. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the steel strip are effectively improved, and the failure plastic deformation of 1.5 wt % Cu steel strip is about 11%. The rapid solidification with Cu-dosage refinement technology also has a remarkable reference on the mechanical properties and magnetic properties modification of other metal materials.

The phase transition law between ordered and disordered phases, second phase reinforcement, microstructure, and mechanical properties were systematically studied in the rapid cooling coupling deep supercooled solidification process through an arc melting furnace, electromagnetic induction heating, and high-speed cooling single-roll technology. The results show that uniform nucleation and grain refinement are promoted under rapid cooling coupling deep supercooled solidification, and the phase transition from the disordered phase (A2) to the ordered phase (B2 and DO3) is also effectively suppressed. The decreased crystalline grain size and optimized microstructure morphology improved the plasticity and magnetic property. The Fe-6.5wt%Si steel strip at 42 m/s has a good phase composition of Fe (predominant), Fe2Si, and SiC. The sample showed an equiaxed ferrite crystal structure, and the saturation magnetizations were 302.5 and 356.6 emu/g in the parallel magnetic direction and the vertical magnetic direction, respectively. This phase transition behavior contributed to the exceptional magnetic property of the Fe-6.5wt%Si steel.

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