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The phase diagrams and equilibrium potentials of complex systems are of great importance for the material development and processing optimization. The phase diagram mainly describes the composition of the substance in equilibrium, and the relationship between the phase and external conditions (such as magnetic field, electric field, temperature and pressure). The essence of equilibrium potentials lies in that it is the reference condition for the electrolytic production of various component alloy compounds. At present, the research work of the alloy phase diagrams mainly focuses on the construction of binary systems that are extremely important for these practical applications. The knowledge of the influencing factors (concentration) of the binary alloy phase composition and its equilibrium potential are essential for understanding the alloy phase formation processes. This paper outlines a simple scheme for obtaining the binary alloy phase types from the open-circuit chronopotentiometry data. The scheme consists of determining the specific alloy phase composition of each platform in open-circuit chronopotentiometry by thermodynamic calculation; the three-dimensional phase diagrams of atomic percentage, equilibrium potential and alloy composition were established by deriving a mathematical equation from the sorting and summarizing of the data. Such relationships have been examined for the Ni–Ln (La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Gd) systems, and have shown quite a good agreement between the results and experiment. The value of the three-dimensional phase diagram is that it is easy to understand the formation conditions of different binary alloy phases, which will greatly promote the development of high temperature electrolysis technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the electrochemical behavior of lanthanides (except promethium) on several active cathodes in LiCl–KCl molten salts was investigated. We have discovered that the reduction potentials of lanthanide alloys present a “bimodal effect”. A numerical model was established based on the result of multiple linear regression analyses, which indicates that the reduction potentials are correlated with differences in atomic radii and differences in electronegativity. Employing the fitted formulae, which provide a preliminary model of the behavior of these elements in electrolysis-based pyroprocessing, the electrochemistry of both lanthanides and actinides on active metal cathodes could be reasonably estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chloration of MgCl was studied in the LiCl-KCl-MgCl-GdO-SmO melts. Gd(III) and Sm(III) ions were observed by cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry assisted by MgCl in melts. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of melts indicated GdO and SmO were chlorinated by MgCl and formed GdCl and SmCl. XRD patterns of non-dissolved residues, which were left after the melts were washed with water to remove the soluble salt, showed that the new compounds (i.e., GdOCl, SmOCl, MgO, Gd(OH), and Sm(OH)) were produced. Potentiostatic electrolysis experiments were performed to extract Gd from GdO and SmO mixtures assisted by MgCl. Separation between GdO and SmO was also achieved in a single step with the formation of Mg-Li-Gd alloys. XRD patterns of alloys indicated that MgGd phase was formed. Scanning electron microscope images with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed Gd elements were mainly distributed in the grain boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report on an image sensor with an integrated focal-plane 2\,\times\,2 wire-grid polarizer for the visible spectrum, fabricated in a 65-nm standard CMOS technology. This imager enables the reconstruction of the polarization response for each pixel. Finite-difference time-domain method has been used to optimize the extinction ratio (ER) in the visible spectrum of a multilayered focal-plane wire-grid polarizer. Experimental results show that an ER of 16.35 dB is achieved with a standard error of \sim0.25\% between the experimental results and the fitting sinusoidal polarization response curve. Design guidelines for the wire-grid polarizer are derived based on numerical analysis and experimental results. Sensitivity ratio is defined to balance the tradeoff between the intensity sensitivity and polarization sensitivity of the imager. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the work, Gibbs energy showed that MgCl can chloridize DyO and release Dy(III) ions in the LiCl-KCl-MgCl-DyO melts. Dy(III) ions were observed by cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry in melts. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of melts indicated that DyO was chlorinated by MgCl and formed DyCl. XRD pattern of non-dissolved residue, which was left after the melts were washed with water to remove the soluble salt, showed that the new compounds (i.e., DyOCl, MgO, and Dy(OH)) were produced. The concentration of Dy(III) reached a maximum when the concentration of Mg(II) ions exceeded 8 × 10 mol cm in melts by inductive coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer analyses of melts. Galvanostatic electrolysis was conducted to extract Dy element from LiCl-KCl-MgCl-DyO melts by forming Mg-Li-Dy alloys. The components of Dy and Li in alloys were controlled within a small range by the concentration of MgCl in melts, current density, and additions of DyO. XRD patterns of alloys indicated that MgDy phase was formed. Scanning electron microscope images with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that Dy elements were mainly distributed in the grain boundary. Grain size was refined, due to a more content of Dy elements in alloys by optical microscopy images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plasma electrolytic oxidation coatings were fabricated on the surface of Mg–8Li–1Al. The tribological behavior of the coated and uncoated Mg–Li alloy was investigated under dry friction conditions against a Si3N4 ball as counter-face material. The results indicated that the tribological behavior is greatly affected by the microstructure and phase compositions of the coatings. The PEO coatings significantly improved the properties of friction and wear of Mg–Li alloy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel environment-friendly conversion coating for Mg–8.5Li alloy was obtained by immersing in a solution of molybdate. The concentration of ammonium molybdate and the addition of potassium permanganate were discussed in this experiment. The surface morphology of the conversion coatings was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the chemical composition was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion resistance of Mg–8.5Li alloy and conversion coatings were investigated by means of potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and weight loss measurement. The results showed that the coatings with cracked morphology were homogeneous and uniform. The conversion coatings were mainly composed of metal-oxide as detected by XPS. The results of electrochemical measurement and weight loss measurement revealed that the molybdate conversion coating had better corrosion resistance than bare alloy and chromate conversion coating, and the molybdate/permanganate conversion coating had lower corrosion current density and higher coating resistance than the molybdate conversion coating. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, a ceria-based composite electrolyte was investigated for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) based on SDC–25wt.% K2CO3. Sodium carbonate co-precipitation process by which SDC powder was adopted and sound cubic fluorite structure was formed after SDC powders were sintered at 750°C for 3h. The crystallite size of the particle was 21nm in diameter as calculated from data obtained through X-ray diffraction. The conductivity of the composite electrolyte proposed in this study was much higher than that of pure SDC at the comparable temperature of 550–700°C. The transition of the ionic conductivity occurred at 650°C. Based on this type of composite electrolyte, single cell with the electrolyte thickness of 0.3mm were fabricated using dry pressing, with nickel oxide adopted as anode and SSC as cathode. The single cell was then tested at 550–700°C on home-made equipment in this study, using hydrogen/air. The maximum power density and open circuit voltage (OCV) achieved 600mWcm−2 and 1.05V at 700°C, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The electrochemical behavior of Sb(III) ions was investigated in LiCl–KCl molten salt at 673K. The reaction mechanism and transport parameters of electroactive species were determined by transient electrochemical techniques (such as cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry) at a molybdenum electrode. The results showed that electrochemical reduction of Sb(III) in LiCl–KCl melts occurred in a reaction step with an exchange of three electrons. A voltammogram with a different scan rate in LiCl–KCl containing 1.45×10−4 molcm−3 SbCl3 showed that the deposition/dissolution reaction of Sb(III) ions was not completely reversible. The diffusion coefficient of Sb(III) ions was 1.65(±0.01)×10−5 cm−2 s−1 at 673K. The electroreduction of Sb(III) ions at an Al electrode was also studied by cyclic voltammetry and open circuit chronopotentiometry in the temperature range of 668–742K. The redox potential of Sb(III)/Sb at an Al electrode was observed at the more positive potentials values than those at an inert electrode. This potential shift due to the formation of intermetallic compound with Al electrode. AlSb alloys were prepared in LiCl–KCl–SbCl3 melts at 742K by potentiostatic electrolysis at an Al electrode. The activity of Sb and the Gibbs energy of AlSb formation were also calculated. Mg–Li–Sb alloys were obtained by galvanostatic electrolysis at 673K and the electrochemical codeposition of Mg, Li and Sb was investigated on a molybdenum electrode in LiCl–KCl containing MgCl2 and SbCl3 melts at 673K by cyclic voltammetry, chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry. Cyclic voltammograms, chronopotentiometry and chronoamperometry measurements indicated that the electrochemical codeposition of Mg, Li and Sb metal occurred at current densities lower than −0.466Acm−2 or at an applied potential more negative than −2.350V vs. Ag/AgCl. X-ray diffraction (XRD) suggested that Mg3Sb2 and Li3Sb were formed in Mg–Li–Sb alloys. The distribution of Sb element in Mg–Li–Sb alloys from the analysis of scan electron micrograph (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) indicated that Sb metal showed a distribution which resembled an interlaced network. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mg–4Al–xLa–0.3Mn (x =1, 2, 4 and 6wt.%) magnesium alloys were prepared successfully by the high-pressure die-casting technique. The microstructures, tensile properties in the temperature range from room temperature to 300°C and heat resistance were investigated. It was confirmed that the Mg–Al–La-based alloys exhibited outstanding die-cast character. The cross-section of test bar could be divided into two parts by a narrow band, that is, the fine skin region and the relatively coarse center region. When addition of La reached 4wt.%, the die-cast alloy exhibited high tensile properties and good heat resistance up until 200°C. It was demonstrated that the outstanding mechanical properties were mainly attributed to the fine grain size and the strengthening phase Al11La3, which was in high volume fraction, fine acicular/lamellar morphology, “orderly stack” distribution and excellent thermal stability. The result of this research provided a basis for further investigation of the new high-pressure die-cast Mg–Al–RE alloys designed to serve at temperature up to 200°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The redox features and the catalytic activities of ceria nanowires, nanorods and nanoparticles were comparatively studied. The morphology-dependent phenomenon is closely related to the nature of the exposed crystal planes. The CeO2 nanoparticles mainly expose the stable {111} plane on the surface, whereas the rod-shaped nanostructures preferentially expose the reactive {110} and {100} planes, giving higher oxygen storage capacity and catalytic activity for CO oxidation. Although both the CeO2 nanorods and the CeO2 nanowires predominantly expose the reactive {110} and {100} planes, the CeO2 nanowires favor to expose a large proportion of active planes on the surface, resulting in a much higher activity for CO oxidation than the nanorods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mg–5Li–3Al–2Zn–xAg (x =0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2) alloys were prepared by medium-frequency induction furnace under the ambient of pure argon. The effect of Ag addition on the microstructure, tensile properties, and aging behavior was investigated. Results show that the addition of Ag can restrain the decomposition from MgAlLi2 to AlLi. With the addition of Ag, the over-aging point is retarded and the over-aging phenomenon is avoided in Mg–5Li–3Al–2Zn–1.2Ag. The solid solution of Ag in matrix phases and the restraining of the decomposition from MgAlLi2 to AlLi are two aspects that strengthen the alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The stannate conversion coatings (SnCC) on Mg–8Li alloy were investigated by simple immersion method. The surface morphology and composition were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) techniques. The corrosion resistance was assessed by means of potentiodynamic polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The effects of time of a stannate bath on the quality of stannate conversion coatings were investigated by SEM and EIS. It was found that the coating particles were mainly composed of hemispherical particles MgSnO3·3H2O. A comparison of results revealed the coating treated for 60min exhibited the most uniform, dense and corrosion-resistant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Theoretical investigation on a series of oligothienoacenes has been carried out at the B3LYP/6-31G* level by considering the influence of the external electric field. With the electric field increasing, the carbon–carbon single bonds become shorter and the carbon–carbon double bonds become longer, resulting in a better conjugation. Due to the different electron density, the charge mobility of the sulfur is more obvious than that of the carbon. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO)–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) gap decreases with the EF intensity increasing. The applied EF also changes the spatial distribution of the molecular orbits: LUMO and several higher orbitals shift to the high potential side, whereas HOMO and several lower ones shift to the low potential side. All these features behave more pronounced with increasing conjugated chain length. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new magnetic Cu(II) ion imprinted composite adsorbent (Cu(II)-MICA) was synthesized with waste fungalmycelium from industry, chitosan (CS) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles combining metal imprinting technology. It wascompared with its corresponding single component and magnetic non-imprinted composite asdsorbent (MNICA).Batch adsortption studies were performed to evaluate adsorption isotherms, adsorption selectivity, adsorption kinetics,magnetic settlement and desorption characters. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm fit well in the experimentalequilibrium data. The maximum sorption calculated from the Langmuir isotherm was 71.36 mg/g and 44.78 mg/gfor Cu(II)-MICA and MNICA in their sole Cu(II) solution at 25°C and pH 5.5. Competitive sorption of multi-ionsstudies indicated that the Cu(II)-MICA had high single selectivity sorption for Cu(II). It showed metal ion affinityin the competitive conditions of Cu(II)>Zn(II)>Co(II)>Ni(II). Kinetics studies showed that the adsorption processobeyed pseudo-second-order rate mechanism with an initial adsorption rate of 253.2 and 198.0 mg/g min for Cu(II)-MICA and Cu(II)-MNICA, respectively. Results showed that Cu(II)-MICA was a material of efficient, low-cost,convenient separation under additional magnetic field and could be reused for five times with about 14–15%regeneration loss. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The structural, energetic and electronic features of asymmetric armchair single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) junctions have been studied by ab initio calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G∗//HF/3-21G∗ levels. The junctions are composed of two SWCNTs with different radius, which are connected by a set of 5-membered and 7-membered carbon rings. The results show that the metallic–metallic junction is more energetically favorable if the junction is formed with a hexagon inserted between the pentagon–heptagon (5/7) pair defects in the armchair nanotube. The shift of the spatial distribution of HOMO and LUMO shows that the asymmetric electronic structure of the junction could be used as a molecular rectifier. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Microstructure and mechanical properties of LA141(Mg–14Li–1Al)–xNd alloys were studied. Results show that Nd has obvious refining effect on the alloys when the Nd addition is 0.6wt%. 0.6wt% Nd addition makes the grain size of LA141 alloys decrease by 30%. When Nd addition is less than 0.6wt%, Al2Nd formed in alloys is favorable for strength improvement. When Al2Nd amount is too much, cracks are easy to form during tensile test, causing the decrease of strength. 0.6wt% Nd addition makes LA141 alloys reach its peak strength. The strength of Mg–14Li–1Al–0.6Nd alloy increases by 45%, compared with that of LA141 alloys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To investigate the electrodeposition mechanism of Zr(IV), the electrochemistry of a LiCl–KCl–K2ZrF6 melt at molybdenum and tungsten electrodes was studied at the temperature between 773K and 973K. Transient eletrochemical techniques, such as cyclic volatmmetry and chronopotentiometry were used. The results showed that Zr(IV) was reduced to Zr metal by a two-step mechanism corresponding to the Zr(IV)/Zr(II) and Zr(II)/Zr transitions. The intermediate product was identified as ZrCl2 by X-ray diffraction. At a liquid magnesium electrode, Mg–Zr alloy was obtained by potentiostatic electrolysis, and the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray detector. The zirconium concentration in samples was about 0.8mass% determined by an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cauliflower-like, nanobelt-shaped and feather-like CuO nanocrystallines were synthesized by the chemical deposition method. The microstructure and morphology of CuO were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectrum (EDS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Results showed that the morphology of CuO was affected by property of alkali added into system. The probable mechanisms of the formation of CuO with different morphologies were discussed. The electrochemical properties of CuO as electrode material were enhanced by the improving of morphology. Cauliflower-like CuO exhibited a higher specific capacitance (116.9Fg−1) than nanobelt-shaped and feather-like CuO, and also showed good reversibility. Specific capacitance of cauliflower-like CuO (115.3Fg−1) was 343.5% higher than CuO bought (26Fg−1) at 5mAcm−2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel and facile synthetic route was proposed to synthesize the uniform nanocrystalline TiO2 (nc-TiO2) through an evaporation-induced assembly (EIA) approach, utilizing the block copolymer as the uniform-structure-directing agent. Furthermore, a systematic study on the effect of calcination temperature on the photocatalytic activity of rhodamine TiO2 was also presented in this paper. Thermogravimetric analysis/different scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the obtained nc-TiO2 samples. The results showed that an optimum calcination temperature of photocatalytic activity of nanocrystalline TiO2 catalyst was 500°C. In addition, the as-prepared nc-TiO2 materials show higher photocatalytic activity compared with the conventional TiO2 (P25 Degussa). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel strategy has been put forward to prepare hierarchical dendrites of silver nanorods via a simple integration method using “Devarda''s template” as a reducing agent and architecture template with the assistance of ultrasonic waves, in which the template was firstly fabricated and employed. The individual silver dendrite is composed of a long central trunk with secondary branches, which preferentially grew in a parallel direction with a definite angle to the trunk. The results reveal that the dendrites are single crystalline in nature and interestingly prove that the silver single crystal has the preferential orientation in 〈111〉 direction in normal conditions. The contrast experiments demonstrated that both “Devarda''s template” and the ultrasonic irradiation are necessary for building hierarchically silver dendrites in a water system. Moreover, the experimental results show that the dendrites of silver nanorods are the superior electrode materials for the electrochemical sensors to detect directly NO2 − in aqueous solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Three isomers of polyacetylene (trans-transoid polyacetylene (Tt-PA), cis-transoid polyacetylene (Ct-PA), and trans-cisoid polyacetylene (Tc-PA)), as backbones of many conducting molecular wires, in contact with a pair of chemically inert electrodes have been investigated theoretically at the HF/6-31G∗ level by considering the interaction of an external electric field (EF). It is found that the external EF modifies both the geometry and electronic structure of the molecular wires. The application of EF may increase the molecular conjugation and the induced dipole moment, while decrease the HOMO–LUMO gap. It may also make the spatial distributions of the frontier molecular orbitals move from a fully delocalized form to a partially localized one depending on the EF strength. Moreover these changes of three isomers show the structural dependence obviously, the longer the conjugation chain is, the stronger the influence of EF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Porous nickel oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (NiO/MWNTs) composite material was synthesized using sodium dodecyl phenyl sulfate as a soft template and urea as hydrolysis-controlling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that the as-prepared nickel oxide nanoflakes aggregate to form a submicron ball shape with a porous structure, and the MWNTs with entangled and cross-linked morphology are well dispersed in the porous nickel oxide. The composite shows an excellent cycle performance at a high current of 2Ag−1 and keeps a capacitance retention of about 89% over 200 charge/discharge cycles. A specific capacitance approximate to 206Fg−1 has been achieved with NiO/MWNTs (10wt.%) in 2M KOH electrolyte. The electrical conductivity and the active sites for redox reaction of nickel oxide are significantly improved due to the connection of nickel nanoflakes by the long entangled MWNTs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel isomeric polyimide/SiO2 hybrid material was successfully prepared through sol–gel technique, and its structure, thermal properties and nano-indenter properties were investigated. First, 3-[(4-phenylethynyl)phthalimide]propyl triethoxysilane (PEIPTES) was successfully synthesized, its structure was characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR and 13C NMR. The researches on solubility and thermal properties of PEIPTES show that it can be used for modifying nano-SiO2 precursor. Nano-SiO2 precursor was synthesized by tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) through sol–gel technique. Then the PEIPTES solution and the nano-SiO2 precursor were mixed for 6h to let the PEIPTES molecules react with the nano-SiO2 precursor, and modified nano-SiO2 precursor was obtained. The modified reaction was confirmed by the analyses of FT-IR. At last, isomeric polyimide/SiO2 hybrid material was produced by using isomeric polyimide resin solution and the modified nano-SiO2 precursor after heat treatment process. The structure analysis by SEM indicated that SiO2 particles dispersed in isomeric polyimide matrix homogeneously with nanoscale. Thermogravimetric analyzer, dynamic mechanical thermal analyzer and nano-indenter XP was employed to detect the properties of the materials, the results demonstrated that isomeric polyimide/SiO2 hybrid material has much better thermal properties and nano-indenter properties than those of isomeric polyimide. It is confirmed that PEIPTES acts as a bridge between the SiO2 particles and the isomeric polyimide matrix in the hybrid material, because the ethoxyl of PEIPTES could participate in the hydrolyzation and condensation to form chemical bond with SiO2 particles and its phenylethynyl group could take part in the cross-curing reaction of isomeric polyimide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Uniform nanocrystalline anatase (nc-TiO2) thin films have been synthesized in a ternary copolymer-ethanol–water system through evaporation-induced assembly (EIA) method. The EIA method combines sol–gel and organic–inorganic cooperative assembly technique. The resulting materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform (FT) Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscope, and ellipsometer measurements. The results showed uniform, spherical, and pure anatase crystallites were present in the calcined sample. Moreover, the prepared nc-TiO2 thin films are smooth and exhibit crack-free nature. A reasonable formation mechanism of uniform nc-TiO2 thin films is also presented in this work. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Propylene polymerization using salicyladiminato metal catalalysts has been studied using density functional theory at the B3LYP/LANL2DZ level. In particular, the effects on the reaction mechanisms of changing the metal from Pd(II) to Ni(II) have been investigated. While the reaction mechanisms involving the salicyladiminato Ni(II) catalyst have been found to be similar to those established previously for the salicyladiminato Pd(II) catalyst, the nickel catalyst was found to differentiate the trans-O intermediate from the trans-N intermediate with an energy difference of 46.63kJmol−1 significantly more than the palladium catalyst for which the energy difference was calculated as 35.82kJmol−1. The energy difference between the trans-O configuration and the trans-N configuration is decreased significantly when combining a molecule of propylene with the catalyst. For the Ni catalyst, the trans-O isomer is more stable than the trans-N isomer to a greater extent than for Pd, so that the insertion of propylene from 2O is relatively less favoured for Ni than for Pd. It is predicted that the mechanism of isomerization from 2O to 2N through a rotational transition state TS2O2N is more appropriate for the Ni catalyst system. The palladium system shows a larger preference for π-coordination than its nickel counterpart, although the latter possesses a lower reaction barrier. It was found that the occupation of the trans-O position in the asymmetric salicyladiminato catalyst is also more favored by the alkene as it is by the alkyl so that insertion of the alkene may always start from a particular configuration so that specific products are obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is considered one of the major causes of sleep disorders and psychological disorders in individuals. Brain asymmetry (BA) demonstrates individual hemispheric activity and psychological disorders. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of BA and psychology in OSA. Enrolment of patients for sleep assessment at the Sleep Medicine Center. Clinical characteristics, handedness, and psychological scales were prospectively collected from subjects. Subsequently, EEG power in alpha, beta, and theta bilaterally was calculated for the rest and sleep phases. A total of 152 OSA and 21 non-OSA subjects were included in the study. In the frontal, central and occipital regions, OSA exhibited increased interhemispheric asymmetry with increasing apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) during rest and sleep. Simultaneously, the results showed that greater activity in the right hemisphere was positively associated with anxiety and extraversion, while inversely with positive and lie scale. In addition, the results show that OSA contributes to abnormal BA fluctuations during sleep. Our results suggest that sleep disorders associated with apnea-hypopnea and arousal may contribute to increased BA during sleep. Such changes may persist into wakefulness with psychological traits. • The association between sleep apnea and brain asymmetry. • Pathological mechanisms involved in OSA psychological disorders. • The correlation of brain asymmetry during sleep and wakefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A unique surface microstructure was constructed by the suitable microphase separation on the coating. • The SFPU-5 coating shows excellent antifouling property due to the co-effect of FIP and the heterogeneous microstructure. • Cavitation resistance of SFPU-5 coating (mass loss 2.9 mg) is better than SFPU-0 coating (3.9 mg) in seawater. • The coating integrates anti-fouling ability with cavitation erosion resistance using fluorinated polyurethane coatings. Cavitation erosion and biofouling are the most severe factors of metal materials fatigue failure and degradation in seawater. Herein, a series of hydrophobic fluorinated polyurethane coatings (SFPU-x) with various contents of fluorinated isocyanate prepolymer (FIP) were synthesized via a simple addition reaction for anti-cavitation erosion property combined with biofouling resistance. The microstructure and phase composition of as prepared coatings were analyzed by ATR-IR, SEM, TG, EDS and AFM. The addition of FIP increases the content of hard segments microregion and affects the microphase separation of the coating and induces the construction of surface heterogeneity microstructures. The static water contact angle and water absorption were measured as well. The antifouling tests were conducted using Nitzschia Closterium cell and the fluorescence labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) as fouling models. Especially, the SFPU-5 coating with 5% FIP shows excellent antifouling and cavitation erosion resistance abilities due to surface heterogeneity microstructure, the attachment rates of FITC-BSA (1.1 %) and Nitzschia cell (1.3 %) far less than that of SFPU-0 coating (72.3 % and 85.1 %), respectively. Marine field test for 30 days also proven the antifouling properties of the SFPU-5 coating. In addition, there were no obvious holes and cracks on the surface of SFPU-5 after 10 h of cavitation, the cumulative mass loss were 2.7 mg and 2.9 mg in deionized water and in seawater, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A unique carbon coating Ge nanospheres with a cubic hollow structure (Ge@C) is controllably designed and synthesized by using low-cost GeO 2 as precursor. • The hollow Ge@C nanostructure not only provides abundant internal space to alleviate volumetric expansion of Ge, but also facilitates the transmission of Li+ and electrons. • The hollow Ge@C shows very superior lithium storage performance with enhanced Li+ adsorption ability and low Li+ diffusion energy barrier. • This work is a very important breakthrough for the development of high-performance Ge based anode for lithium ion batteries. Germanium based nanomaterials are very promising as the anodes for the lithium ion batteries since their large specific capacity, excellent lithium diffusivity and high conductivity. However, their controllable preparation is still very difficult to achieve. Herein, we facilely prepare a unique carbon coating Ge nanospheres with a cubic hollow structure (Ge@C) via a hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent pyrolysis using low-cost GeO 2 as precursors. The hollow Ge@C nanostructure not only provides abundant interior space to alleviate the huge volumetric expansion of Ge upon lithiation, but also facilitates the transmission of lithium ions and electrons. Moreover, experiment analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations unveil the excellent lithium adsorption ability, high exchange current density, low activation energy for lithium diffusion of the hollow Ge@C electrode, thus exhibiting significant lithium storage advantages with a large charge capacity (1483 mAh/g under 200 mA g−1), distinguished rate ability (710 mAh/g under 8000 mA g−1) as well as long-term cycling stability (1130 mAh/g after 900 cycles under 1000 mA g−1). Therefore, this work offers new paths for controllable synthesis and fabrication of high-performance Ge based lithium storage nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile method was utilized for the construction of the bioinspired superhydrophobic Mg–Li alloy surfaces with peonylike micronanoscale hierarchical structures. The resultant materials were characterized by scanning electron microscope, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurements. The obtained Mg–Li alloy surfaces presented the dramatically improved corrosion resistance and long-term stable superhydrophobic properties with a static water contact angle of about 160° and a small sliding angle of less than 5°, which may extend the practical application of Mg–Li alloys in industrial and high-technology fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mg–8Li–1Al–1Ce alloy was prepared. And the microstructure of as-cast and extruded specimens was analyzed with OM, SEM and EDX. Results showed that as-cast specimens are composed of α phase (Mg), β phase (Li) and rod-like Al2Ce compound. In the extruded specimens, the microstructure is refined and the β phase has the effect of coordination during deformation. After extruding process, the long rod-like Al2Ce compound becomes short rods distributing evenly in the extruding direction. Mechanical properties results showed that the strength and elongation are both improved after extruding deformation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The electrochemical behavior of different REEs in LiCl-KCl-AlCl 3 system on Mo electrodes at 873 K. • A mathematical equation was established between the equilibrium potentials and the atomic radii. • The equilibrium potential of actinides deposited on Al cathode were bold predicted and then show excellent agreement. • A specific study of the Al-transition alloys had demonstrated that transition metal also conformed to this equation. • The equation will provide theoretical basis of the behavior of lanthanides in electrolysis-based pyroprocessing. Partitioning of actinides from the lanthanides is arguably the most difficult separation in radio-chemistry. Since the ionic radii are comparable to that of the trivalent lanthanide ions, the coordination chemistry is similar, resulting in almost no separation option. Meanwhile, due to the radioactivity of actinides and its own dangers, studies of these its theoretical properties are rarely carried out. In this paper, we mainly studied the equilibrium potentials of Al-Ln alloys by cyclic voltammetry and open circuit chronopotentiometry method and established the mathematical equation between the equilibrium potentials of the alloy and the atomic radii by condensation of experimental data. Bold predictions of the equilibrium potential of actinides deposited on Al cathode based on the mathematical equation were made, which shows excellent agreement with previous reports. Meanwhile, the equilibrium potentials of transition metals on Al cathode were tested. It was found that the equilibrium potentials and atomic radii of the Al-transition metal intermetallic compounds accorded with the mathematical equation as well. Hence, the electrochemistry of both lanthanides and actinides as well as transition metal on active cathodes could be reasonably estimated by employing the fitted mathematical equation, which provide a preliminary model and theoretical basis of the behavior of lanthanides elements in electrolysis-based pyroprocessing. From the perspective of development, it provides a unique and rich opportunity to realize both extraction and separation of actinides in spent fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 thin films with a large-pore diameter (up to 14 nm), narrow pore-size distribution have been synthesized by using tetrabutyl titanate as the inorganic precursor and triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123) as the structure-directing agent under acidic conditions. The synthetic method is based on the well-documented evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA). The mesopore size of obtained samples can be adjusting by altering the inorganic source/surfactant mass ratio. The resulting materials were characterized by XRD, AFM, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The reactions of oxygen and samarium ions in molten NaCl–2CsCl eutectic in the temperature range of 823–913 K have been investigated by potentiometric titration in an inert gas atmosphere. The activity of oxygen ions in the studied melts was monitored using a standard YZME (indicator) electrode based on Y2O3-stabilized ZrO2 with a solid–electrolyte membrane. The titration of Sm3+ by O2− ions demonstrated the formation of insoluble SmOCl compounds in the investigated region. The mechanism of formation of SmOCl and Sm2O3 was established by the analysis of potentiometric titration curves. Subsequently, the solubility of SmOCl and Sm2O3 in the melt was calculated using the material balance equation and solubility constant equation. Finally, the basic thermodynamic properties of SmOCl and Sm2O3 in molten NaCl–2CsCl eutectic were calculated, and the properties of samarium in the melt were summarized using the Pourbaix-type (E-pO2−) diagram to determine the kinds of stabilized samarium compounds. Furthermore, the optimal chlorination conditions can be obtained from the E-pO2− diagram of Sm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature processing is an important method for recovering long‐lived elements from spent nuclear fuel. Electrolysis is the key technology for high temperature processing. The electrochemical behaviors of Sn2+, Nd3+ and the mechanisms of Sn‐Nd alloy formation were investigated on a Mo electrode at 873 K by conducting a series of electrochemical techniques. The results showed the deposition of Nd on inert electrode is a two‐step process in LiCl‐KCl‐SnCl2 (2.0 wt.%) melt system. Subsequently, the electrochemical extraction of Nd from molten chlorides were carried out on the Mo electrode at temperature of 873 K by the potentiostatic electrolysis at −1.2 V for 40 hr. Besides, the extraction efficiency is 97.6%. A series of potentiostatic electrolysis were carried out at potential range between −1.0 and − 1.4 V. The NdSn3 alloy was obtained by electrolysis at −1.2 V. This deposition potential is consistent with the predicted results of the mathematical model. The micro‐chemical analysis and morphology analysis of the deposits was characterized by energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped. The composition of the deposits was analyzed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and inductive coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP‐AES). We successfully extracted Nd by Sn co‐reduction. And the extraction efficiency of Nd is 97.6% after electrolysis for 40 hr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the depletion of uranium terrestrial deposits, researchers have focused on the development of adsorbents to extract radioactive uranium from seawater/wastewater. However, the artificial manipulation of adsorbents for the cost-effective extraction of radioactive uranium from large numbers of water samples is still significantly challenging. Herein, a facile yet versatile stepwise strategy has been reported for the fabrication of adsorbents. Magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) was fabricated via the in situ conversion of a natural ore powder (magnesite), whose unique internal pore structure is highly suitable for the development of highly efficient sorbents. The coordination interaction of the synthesized adsorbent with uranium was enhanced by further introducing inexpensive molecules with water-locking properties, which resulted in superior extraction capacity and low production cost. After careful calculation, the cost per kilogram of the adsorbent was found to be about $0.21. The adsorption behaviors of the synthesized adsorbent CMC–PAM/Mg(OH)2 were investigated by batch adsorption, flow-through column adsorption (in laboratory), and field adsorption experiments in natural seawater and river. Representatively, CMC–PAM/Mg(OH)2 was exceptional in extracting uranium not only at high concentrations with sufficient capacities in a wide pH range (1584.67 mg g−1 and 454.55 mg g−1 at pH = 5 and pH = 8, respectively), but also in trace quantities including uranium in a flow-through column (55.68 mg g−1), natural seawater (8.6 mg g−1), and river (6.7 mg g−1). Inspired by this excellent performance, the effects of competitive ions on the selective adsorption of uranium by CMC–PAM/Mg(OH)2 in simulated wastewater and seawater environments were further studied. Using a combination of FTIR spectroscopic and XPS studies, it was revealed that the amine and hydroxyl groups enhanced the overall uranyl affinity of the CMC–PAM/Mg(OH)2 composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic exchange resins are used in nuclear power circuits to remove the nuclide ions to maintain the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, the production of spent resins is expanding significantly due to the rapid technological advancements in the nuclear industry, causing the study of resin treatment to be of great significance. This study reveals the catalytic behavior of Mn from cation exchange resins during molten salt oxidation. Mn has many isotopic ions and a catalytic effect on the treatment process. Kinetic analysis reveals that the introduction of Mn decreases the activation energy of the styrene–divinylbenzene skeleton from 48.164 kJ mol−1 to 41.696 kJ mol−1 and decreases the degradation temperature of the resin by 78 °C. Compared to the original resin, the destruction and removal efficiency of Mn-doped cation exchange resin increased from 75.07% to 85.28% during molten salt oxidation at 650 °C. According to the scanning electron microscope analysis and characterization studies, Mn promotes a 55.71% reduction in the average particle diameter of resin structural fragments. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of the resin residues demonstrates that Mn doping influences the catalytic decomposition of –SO2– and S–O within sulfonic acid groups. This catalytic effect induces destabilization and subsequent ring-opening of the benzene ring. These results imply that Mn doping can facilitate molten carbonate oxidation destruction of cation exchange resins. The X-ray diffraction analysis of waste salt reveals that with increasing oxidation time, the transformation of Mn proceeds as (Mn2O6)6− → (MnO3)2− → (MnO2)− at 750 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of industry has accelerated the utilization and consumption of fossil energy, resulting in an increasing shortage of energy resources and environmental pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to explore new energy storage devices using renewable and environment-friendly energy as fuel. Direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs) are expected to be a feasible and efficient energy storage device by virtue of the read availability of raw materials, non-toxicity of products, and excellent operational stability. Moreover, while utilizing H2O2 as an oxidant, a significant theoretical energy density of 17 kW h kg−1 can be achieved, indicating the broad application prospect of DBFCs in long-range operation and oxygen-free environment. This review summarizes the research progress on DBFCs in term of reaction kinetics, electrode materials, membrane materials, architecture, and electrolytes. In addition, we predict the future research challenges and feasible research directions, considering both performance and cost. We hope this review will help guide future studies on DBFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclic voltammogram and square wave voltammograms indicated that Cu (II) ion being reduced to Cu(0) was a two-electron process: Cu(II) + e− → Cu(I) and Cu(I) + e− → Cu(0). The diffusion activation energy for Cu (I) ions was calculated as 42.85 kJ mol−1. The equilibrium potential and apparent standard potential for Cu (I)/Cu(0) redox couple was measured by open circuit chronopotentiometry at a temperature of 773-923 K. Three reduction peaks, corresponding to the formation of PrxCuy intermetallic compounds, were detected from cyclic voltammogram and square wave voltammogram obtained by co-reduction of Pr (III) and Cu (II) or electrodeposition of Pr (III) on Cu electrode. Furthermore, potentiostatic electrolysis was performed to extract the element Pr on Cu electrode, and the electrolytic products were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry. Meanwhile, the highest extraction efficiency of Pr (III) ions could reach about 99.81% at − 2.20 V for 22 h at 823 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanides possess extremely similar properties because their radius only changes slightly due to lanthanide contraction. The atomic radius and ionic valence, as the structural features of the atom, have far-reaching effects on properties of the lanthanide metal, alloying or covalent compounds. We found that regularity exists with atomic radius and physicochemical properties, such as electronegativity, atomic volume, and coefficient of thermal expansion, which gives us some inspiration: there may be a correlation between the deposition potential and atomic radius. Therefore, in this paper, the chemical and electrochemical properties of intermetallic compounds involving lead chloride (PbCl2) and lanthanide metals (La, Ce, Pr, Gd and Dy) at 873 K using the same substrates (Mo) as working electrodes are discussed. We discovered a linear relationship that exists between the atomic radius and deposition potentials by summarizing the experiment data. We further investigated the application of the mathematical equation in the temperature range of 873–1023 K to verify the universal applicability of the line equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuromorphic electronics has demonstrated great promise in mimicking the sensory and memory functions of biological systems. However, synaptic devices with desirable sensitivity, selectivity, and operational voltage imitating the olfactory system have rarely been reported. Here, a flexible and biomimetic olfactory synapse based on an organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) coupled with a breath‐figure derived porous solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) is proposed. The device demonstrates excellent sensitivity with a ppb‐level response limit and desirable selectivity toward hydrogen sulfide (H2S) over other gases, and successfully achieves wireless real‐time detection of excessive concentration of H2S from rotten eggs. H2S‐mediated synaptic plasticity is accomplished with the device and typical synaptic behaviors are realized, including short‐term memory (STM), long‐term memory (LTM), transition from STM to LTM, etc., enabling the imitation of potential cumulative damages upon H2S exposure. The proposed device paves new ways toward next‐generation olfactory systems capable of sensing and memorizing functionalities mimicking neurobiological systems, offering critical materials strategies to accomplish intelligent artificial sensory systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of cold deformation on the microstructure, texture evolution and mechanical properties of TB8 alloy during cold rolling (CR) were investigated. The results show that grain size decreases with the increase in thickness reduction. Meanwhile, the textures change from initial {110}<001> and {113}<332> to α-fiber components ({112}<110>, {113}<110>) and {001}<110> orientation after cold rolling to a thickness reduction of 50%. Increasing the thickness reduction to 67%, α-fiber textures are enhanced along with the appearance of γ-fiber textures. Increasing the thickness reduction further to 83%, γ-fiber textures become dominated. Both grain refinement and texture components contribute to the enhancement of strength after cold rolling. The effect of textures on the mechanical properties are discussed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-grade ore containing 4 % niobium and 7 % titanium has been extracted from Bayan Obo tailing, but its potential has not been fully utilized. This study aims to recover the niobium and titanium elements from this low-grade ores in the form of their carbides. The process involves reducing niobium and titanium to (Nb,Ti)C through a carbothermal process. During this process, iron and silicon are also reduced to Fe-Si intermetallic compounds, allowing (Nb,Ti)C to diffuse into them. Subsequently, selective electrochemical oxidation is used to separate (Nb,Ti)C from the Fe-Si intermetallic compounds in an aqueous ferrous sulfate solution. The Fe-Si intermetallic compounds are first oxidized to the Fe 3 Si phase, and then to the Fe 5 Si 3 phase in the solution with pH 0.35. The (Nb,Ti)C/matrix interfaces are identified as the preferred site of electrochemical pitting corrosion. By exploiting the electrochemical oxidation reaction of iron in the matrix, (Nb,Ti)C powders are separated along these interfaces. The by-products of this process are FeSi alloys, which are evaluated for their electrocatalytic properties in oxygen evolution reactions. It is found that the Fe 5 Si 3 alloy by-product exhibits good electrocatalytic activity and kinetics in the oxygen evolution reaction, demonstrating its potential for practical applications. [Display omitted] • An innovative technology was proposed to utilize low-grade niobium ores. • Two high-value materials, (Nb,Ti)C and Fe 5 Si 3 OER catalyst, was extracted. • The (Nb,Ti)C/matrix interfaces are identified as the preferred corrosion sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy and safety of commercial low‐concentration glycolic acid products on acne were evaluated by recruiting volunteers accompanying mild to moderate acne of different ages and genders, which is a clinical practice for acne. We recruited a total of 30 volunteers according to the inclusion criteria, conducting clinical evaluation and skin physiological index testing, VISIA skin analysis, distributing products, and informing the trial method. Clinical testing and assessment will be carried out in weeks 0, 1, 2, and 4. 27 acne volunteers finished the entire trial. After 4 weeks of using low‐concentration glycolic acid products, most subjects experienced a significant improvement in their skin lesions and the GAGS score. At the same time, the VISIA test showed that the subjects had an obvious amelioration in facial porphyrins, which was statistically significant, and there was a slight improvement in residual spots and erythema. The skin physiological indexes showed that the skin hydration value increased from 236.2 ± 98.05 to 278.2 ± 90.26 after 14 days. At the end of the test, the skin hydration value dropped to 234.6 ± 81.88. Regarding the melanin and erythema, the value decreased in the 4th week significantly. Repeated use of 5% low‐concentration glycolic acid improves the appearance and chromaticity of the treatment site. It increases the brightness L* and reduces the redness a*. This study shows that low concentrations of glycolic acids have a good effect on the treatment of mild to moderate acne. It may pay the way to carry out further large‐scale clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn 2 TiO 4 , the main ingredient of ZIT (Zinc Titanate) composite material, was prepared with ZnO and TiO 2 as raw materials, and its influencing factors were investigated just like temperature, the molar ratio of raw materials, and the sintering process. The research results show that the Zn 2 TiO 4 obtained by sintering the raw materials with 1.5:1 M ratio of ZnO and TiO 2 at 1000 °C for 4 h in NaCl–KCl molten salt has the highest purity and the best morphology. Subsequently, with Zn 2 TiO 4 as the main component, by adding CaHPO 4 , SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , and Nd 2 O 3 , ZIT ceramic waste form was prepared through pre-sintering, sintering, and heat-treatment process. The influence of different mass fractions of Nd 2 O 3 in ZIT ceramic waste form on the properties of samples was studied, and the maximum Nd 2 O 3 content of ZIT ceramic waste form was finally determined to be 45 wt%. The densities of different samples were also determined by using the Archimedes principle, and the result shows that the densities are approximately between 3.5 g·cm−3and 4.5 g cm−3. Besides, the chemical stability of ZIT ceramic waste form with Nd 2 O 3 was explored through the PCT-B static immersion method and ICP test method. The study found that the leaching rate of ZIT ceramic waste form was relatively high at the initial stage of immersion and then gradually decreased. After soaking for 7 days, it gradually became stable. Finally, the 28-day leaching rate stabilized at the order of 10−6 g m−2 d−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical behavior of Yb(III) was studied at a W electrode in LiCl–KCl–ZnCl2 molten salt system. Cyclic voltammetry, square wave voltammetry, open circuit chronopotentiometry, and chronopotentiometry were used to investigate the electrochemical co-deposition of Yb(III) and Zn(II) in LiCl–KCl melt. Extraction efficiency of Yb(III) from LiCl–KCl–ZnCl2 melt was calculated to be 99.49% after potentiostatic electrolysis for 40 h. Zn–Yb alloys were prepared by galvanostatic electrolysis through co-deposition of Zn(II) and Yb(III) for 3 h. XRD and SEM–EDS were used to analyze the components and morphology. YbZn2 intermetallic compound is the most stable product under the experimental electrolysis conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–9RY–4Zn (wt.%) alloy were investigated. In the as-extruded condition, the typical microstructure is plenty of fine DRX grains and 14H long period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure with two forms: the secondary phase with bending long strip morphology distributed along the extruded direction and the fine lamellar phase in the interior of DRX gains. The latter form of LPSO structure suggests that the effect of external force is one of the mechanisms of forming LPSO structure. The as-extruded Mg–9RY–4Zn alloy exhibits high strength and ductility whether at room or elevated temperatures. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation are 265MPa, 353MPa and 9.7% at room temperature, 204MPa, 247MPa and 29.2% at 300°C, respectively. The fine DRX gains containing LPSO lamellae and the bending LPSO strips along the direction of extrusion with good characteristics such as high microhardness, plasticity and thermal stability as well as good combination with the Mg matrix are mainly responsible for the excellent mechanical properties of this alloy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]