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Group of steel balls with different chemical composition, diameters and nitriding treatment parameters were investigated with using magnetic resonance and magnetization methods. Emerging nitrided regions consists of diffusion and surface layer of iron nitrides. The thickness of the individual layers depends on the type of steel and process parameters. Resonance signal shape and position were successfully described in the ferromagnetic resonance regime expected for dense iron magnetic system. Influence of the sample size, thermal treatment and carbon content on the absorption signal has been analyzed. Significant magnetic anisotropy has been revealed, as well as non-usual increasing of the magnetization as a function of temperature. It suggests, that overall antiferromagnetic ordering, destroyed by thermal movement, lead to increasing of the ferromagnetic region.

In this paper, glow nitriding processes at cathode potential are used at various temperatures to investigate how they affect the corrosion resistance of 316L steel in ethanol at temperatures of 22 °C and -30 °C. Lowering the test temperature reduces the corrosion rate of the nitrided layers. Conversely, glow nitriding at 450 °C improves the corrosion resistance of the tested steel. Increasing the nitriding temperature to 520 °C increases the corrosion rate. It should be noted that the ethyl alcohol solution, due to the lack of aggressive ions, does not cause significant changes in the corrosion rate of the steel. The value of the corrosion current varies in the range of 10 -2 -10 -3 µA/cm 2 . Nitrided layers increase the contact angle measured for water and are entirely wettable for ethanol. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the nitriding temperature of AISI 316L steel on its corrosion resistance in an ethanol solution at room temperature and at -30 °C.

To understand the impact of binary doping in ZnO, nanosized Zn(Ag, Ni)O systems were synthesized by the sol-gel method. The amount of Ag was fixed at 2 at%, and that of Ni was varied from 1 to 15 at%. Ni incorporation equal to or beyond 3 at% gave rise to the development of the NiO phase. The presence of Ag and Ni did not have much influence on the lattice constants of ZnO. However, a larger addition of Ni impacted the unit cell of NiO, as indicated by the reduction of the lattice constant of NiO. The increase in NiO and Ag contents in ZnO reduced the second and third harmonic intensities under non-linear investigations. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicated that initial Ni addition varied randomly along with Ag, and it stabilized itself at higher concentration. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that interlinked particles and chains with tamarind shapes were formed, closely matching the rod-like structures under high resolution. Ag and Ni addition altered the structures slightly and randomly till 5 at% Ni; thereafter they deviated from the particle shape to flat disc-shapes. Interestingly, the magnetic response of the sample was determined by the NiO phase, and the effect of Ni and Ag substitution in the ZnO host matrix was almost irrelevant at low temperatures toward magnetic contribution. Weak ferromagnetism at low temperatures (≤50 K) with superparamagnetic-like behavior (cusp in ZFC magnetization) was observed in all the samples. This could be attributed to the finite nano-size effect and uncompensated spins at the surface of the particle., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In this paper, we analyze the possibilities of the protection of tools for wood machining with PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) hard coatings. The nanolayered TiN/AlTiN coating, nanocomposite TiAlSiN coatings, and single layer TiN coating were analyzed in order to use them for protection of tools for wood machining. Both nanostructured coatings were deposited in an industrial magnetron sputtering system on the cutting blades made of sintered carbide WC-Co, while TiN single layer coating was deposited by evaporation using thermionic arc. In the case of TiN/AlTiN nanolayer coatings the thickness of the individual TiN and AlTiN layer was in the 5-10 nm range, depending on the substrate vertical position. The microstructure and chemical composition of coatings were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) method. Additionally, in the case of the TiN/AlTiN coating, which was characterized by the best durability characteristics, the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) methods were applied. The coatings adhesion to the substrate was analyzed by scratch test method combined with optical microscopy. Nano-hardness and durability tests were performed with uncoated and coated blades using chipboard. The best results durability characteristics were observed for TiN/AlTiN nanolayered coating. Performance tests of knives protected with TiN and TiAlSiN hard coatings did not show significantly better results compared to uncoated ones.

The current study examines the determinants of the intention to reduce meat consumption for pro-environmental reasons. The research model includes variables from the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Norm Activation Model (NAM). The research was conducted in Poland and Slovakia, which are similar in terms of economic, social, and cultural conditions, located next to each other in the same climate zone, but differ greatly in terms of meat consumption and the direction of its change. Whereas in Poland, the meat consumption trend is rising, it is declining in Slovakia. The results of this study revealed that only attitude toward the impact of meat consumption reduction on the environment and personal norms related positively to intention to reduce meat consumption due to environmental reasons in both countries. However, in the country with decreasing meat consumption (Slovakia), the influence of attitude on intention was much stronger than in the country with increasing meat consumption (Poland). This study is the first to examine which predictors of intention to reduce meat consumption due to environmental reasons are simultaneous in two countries that have significantly different meat consumption levels and directions of change., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The influence of different types of cemented carbide blades and thickness of TiAlN/a-C:N and TiN/AlTiN protective coatings used in the wood industry on cutting performance has been studied. Three types of WC-Co cemented carbide blades with different cobalt content were used in the study. The thicknesses of both types of coatings were ~2 and ~5 µm. The structure, chemical and phase composition were studied using transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), X-ray dispersion spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The adhesion was evaluated by scratch test. Nanohardness and durability tests of uncoated and coated blades were performed. We found that the blades covered with 5 µm TiN/AlTiN coatings exhibited the best durability characteristic. The cutting distances were within the range ~6700-~7080 depending on the substrates in comparison with pure substrates (~4300-~4900) and 2 µm TiN/AlTiN coatings (~5400-~6600). The presence of a thin and soft outer a-C:N layer aggravates the nanohardness and durability of the coated blades.

The paper presents studies of microstructure, magnetic and corrosion properties of the Gd 58 Ge 20 Si 22 , Gd 56 Ge 20 Si 22 Co 2 , Gd 56 Ge 20 Si 22 Ti 2 and Gd 56 Ge 20 Si 22 Cr 2 (at.%) alloys after isothermal heat treatment at 1450 K for 2 h. The structure investigations of the produced materials performed by X-ray diffraction show the presence of Gd 5 Ge 2 Si 2 -type phase in all investigated samples. DC and AC magnetic measurements confirmed that the Curie temperature depends on the chemical composition of the produced alloys. From M ( T ) characteristics, it was found that the lowest Curie point ( T C = 268 K) was estimated for the Gd 58 Ge 20 Si 22 sample, whereas the highest value of the Curie temperature ( T C = 308 K) was for the Gd 56 Ge 20 Si 22 Cr 2 alloys. Moreover, the GdGeSi alloy without alloying additions shows the highest magnetic entropy change |ΔS M | = 15.07 J⋅kg -1 ⋅K -1 for the maximum magnetic field of 2 T. The maximum |ΔS M | measured for the Gd 56 Ge 20 Si 22 with the addition of Co, Ti or Cr for the same magnetic field was obtained in the vicinity of the Curie point and equals to 2.92, 2.73 and 2.95 J⋅kg -1 ⋅K -1 , respectively. Electrochemical studies of the produced materials for 60 min and 55 days exposure in 3% NaCl solution show that the highest stability and corrosion resistance were exhibited the sample with added of Ti.

Education dedicated to the health needs of pupils disabled because of chronic diseases in Poland remains an empty term, a chair without a backrest. In this article, suggestions of changes in the educational system are presented. These suggestions, thanks to support from interested therapeutic teams, have a chance to fulfil the educational gap in the area of chronic diseases and proceeding with disabled pu-pils at universal teaching institutions in Poland due to the introduction of health educators. A health educator is a person suffering from type 1 diabetes, educated during specialised postgraduate studies conducted at the Medical University of Lodz. The aim of this article is to show the importance of the health educator's role in the education process of children and youths disabled because of chronic diseases, at educational institutions of the Polish system of universal education.