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The rapid emergence of large language model (LLM) technology presents promising opportunities to facilitate the development of synthetic reactions. In this work, we leveraged the power of GPT-4 to build an LLM-based reaction development framework (LLM-RDF) to handle fundamental tasks involved throughout the chemical synthesis development. LLM-RDF comprises six specialized LLM-based agents, including Literature Scouter, Experiment Designer, Hardware Executor, Spectrum Analyzer, Separation Instructor, and Result Interpreter, which are pre-prompted to accomplish the designated tasks. A web application with LLM-RDF as the backend was built to allow chemist users to interact with automated experimental platforms and analyze results via natural language, thus, eliminating the need for coding skills and ensuring accessibility for all chemists. We demonstrated the capabilities of LLM-RDF in guiding the end-to-end synthesis development process for the copper/TEMPO catalyzed aerobic alcohol oxidation to aldehyde reaction, including literature search and information extraction, substrate scope and condition screening, reaction kinetics study, reaction condition optimization, reaction scale-up and product purification. Furthermore, LLM-RDF's broader applicability and versability was validated on various synthesis tasks of three distinct reactions (SNAr reaction, photoredox C-C cross-coupling reaction, and heterogeneous photoelectrochemical reaction). The rise of large language model (LLM) technology offers new opportunities for advancing chemical synthesis. Here, the authors developed an LLM-based reaction development framework (LLM-RDF) to copilot the design and experimental tasks throughout the end-to-end chemical synthesis development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiscale structural engineering strategy presents a powerful method for tailoring the structural attributes of materials at various levels, enabling the flexible control and manipulation of their electromagnetic properties. Nonetheless, orchestrating the multiscale architecture of polymer‐derived carbon aerogels specifically for microwave absorption poses significant challenges. Herein, aramid‐derived hard carbon nanofiber aerogel microspheres (CNFAMs) featuring a hierarchical skin‐core structure are fabricated through a wet‐spinning technique, combined with reprotonation‐mediated self‐assembly and carbonization processes. The presence of large‐scale voids between neighboring microspheres and the microscale porosity within the microspheres themselves improves impedance matching and promotes microwave reflection and scattering. The distinct graphitic domains and defects serve as pivotal elements for conduction and polarization losses, significantly impacting microwave attenuation. By meticulously tailoring the macroscale dimensions, microscale porous architecture, and nanoscale domains, the optimized CNFAMs demonstrate a remarkable absorption bandwidth of 9.62 GHz at an ultralow filling of 0.97 wt%. Additionally, the implementation of application‐oriented microwave absorption through the innovative integration of polysilsesquioxane‐CNFAMs in a host–guest aerogel is explored. This composite system brings together broadband absorption, superhydrophobicity, thermal insulation, resistance to freezing, and robust tolerance to harsh environments. Such a multifaceted approach is designed to tackle the growing challenges associated with complex electromagnetic environments effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate identification of network topology and line parameters is essential for effective management of distribution systems. An innovative joint estimation method for distribution network topology and line parameters is presented, utilizing a power flow graph convolutional network (PFGCN). This approach addresses the limitations of traditional methods that rely on costly voltage phase angle measurements. The node correlation principle is applied to construct a node correlation matrix, and a minimum distance iteration algorithm is proposed to generate candidate topologies, which serve as graph inputs for the parameter estimation model. Based on the topological dependencies and convolutional properties of AC power flow equations, a PFGCN model is designed for line parameter estimation. Parameter refinement is achieved through an alternating iterative process of pseudo-trend calculation and neural network training. Training convergence and loss function values are used as feedback to filter and validate candidate topologies, enabling precise joint estimation of both topologies and parameters. The proposed method's accuracy, transferability, and robustness are demonstrated through experiments on the IEEE-33 and modified IEEE-69 distribution systems. Multiple metrics, including MAPE, IAE, MAE, and R2, highlight the proposed method's advantages over Adaptive Ridge Regression (ARR). In the C33 scenario, the proposed method achieves MAPEs of 4.6% for g and 5.7% for b, outperforming the ARR method with MAPEs of 7.1% and 7.9%, respectively. Similarly, in the IC69 scenario, the proposed method records MAPEs of 3.0% for g and 5.9% for b, surpassing the ARR method's 5.1% and 8.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase engineering is considered an effective strategy to regulate the electrocatalytic activity of catalysts for Li–S batteries (LSBs). However, the underlying origin of phase‐dependent catalytic ability remains to be determined, which significantly impedes the design principles of high‐performance catalytic materials for LSBs. Herein, heteroatom‐doped engineering can trigger phase transformation from mixed‐phased cubic and orthorhombic cobalt diselenide into pure orthorhombic structure with a tensile strain and enhanced charge localization. The upshift of the d‐band center and enhanced Bader charge at Se sites synergistically strengthen the interaction with Li and S sites in polysulfide species, thus endowing the transformed P‐MoSe2/MXene with high catalytic activity and uniform lithium deposition for LSBs. Consequently, the P‐CoSe2/MXene Li–S batteries demonstrate a high‐rate capability of 603 mAh g−1 at 4C, and an excellent cyclability of 652 mAh g−1 at 1C over 500 cycles with a degradation rate of 0.076% per cycle. The work provides an in‐depth insight into the fundamental design principles of effective catalysts for LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The envelope structure with high light transmittance accounts for an increasing proportion of building energy consumption, which is one of the shortcomings of energy conservation and emission reduction. Cellulose-based aerogel has become a research topic of interest because of its low thermal conductivity and good mechanical properties. However, most cellulose-based aerogels are opaque and flammable limiting their applications. Herein, cellulose/silica composite aerogels (CAS) with "organic–inorganic" structures were fabricated by two-step sol–gel method, spin-coating technique and supercritical CO2 drying, using the ionic liquid 1-allyl 3-methylimidazolium chloride salt to dissolve the Cotton pulp, followed by the addition of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) co-precursors into the cellulose gels. The synthesis mechanism, microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties of as-prepared aerogels samples were investigated. The obtained CAS have low density (0.093–0.170 g/cm3), high specific surface area (660.87–1089.70 m2/g), and high mechanical property (compressive strength of 18.74 MPa, tensile strength as high as 1.54 MPa, and bending tests above 500 times). In particular, the CAS4 shows the lowest thermal conductivity (0.0188 W·m−1·K−1), good thermal stability (> 331 °C), high transparency (91.7%) and excellent flame retardancy. In addition, the self-designed aerogels glasses model was placed in a real outdoor environment for 5 h. The results showed that the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the aerogels glasses model was as high as 12 ℃ under the thermal equilibrium state. Thus, the as-prepared high-performance cellulose/silica composite aerogels may increase the role of aerogels glasses in the building envelope and have promising applications in transparent energy-efficient construction and thermal insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate load forecasting, especially in the short term, is crucial for the safe and stable operation of power systems and their market participants. However, as modern power systems become increasingly complex, the challenges of short-term load forecasting are also intensifying. To address this challenge, data-driven deep learning techniques and load aggregation technologies have gradually been introduced into the field of load forecasting. However, data quality issues persist due to various factors such as sensor failures, unstable communication, and susceptibility to network attacks, leading to data gaps. Furthermore, in the domain of aggregated load forecasting, considering the potential interactions among aggregated loads can help market participants engage in cross-market transactions. However, aggregated loads often lack clear geographical locations, making it difficult to predefine graph structures. To address the issue of data quality, this study proposes a model named adversarial graph convolutional imputation network (AGCIN), combined with local and global correlations for imputation. To tackle the problem of the difficulty in predefining graph structures for aggregated loads, this study proposes a learnable adjacency matrix, which generates an adaptive adjacency matrix based on the relationships between different sequences without the need for geographical information. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed imputation method outperforms other imputation methods in scenarios with random and continuous missing data. Additionally, the prediction accuracy of the proposed method exceeds that of several baseline methods, affirming the effectiveness of our approach in imputation and prediction, ultimately enhancing the accuracy of aggregated load forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of composite binders with high-volume steel slag (SS), granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) and desulfurization gypsum (DG) were systematically investigated. The results show that the synergistic effects of high volume (40–60%) of SS with GBFS and less than 15% of DG could perform adequate setting time, higher strength, well volume stability and soundness as well as dense microstructure. The higher compressive strengths exceeding 70 MPa at 28 days and up to 80 MPa at 90 days could be obtained for composite pastes with high-volume SS, which exhibit tight relationships with [CaO]·[SO3]/[Al2O3]·[SiO2] and [CaO]·[Al2O3]/[SO3]2 molar ratios. More (15–19%) AFt and less (about 1%) portlandite produced during the hydration of composite binders. C–S–H gels and calcite crystals were formed. The composite binder possesses lower energy consumption, high carbon reduction and low cost compared with Portland cement in favor of the low-carbon cementitious material production and effective utilization of SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alite(C3S)-Ye'elimite(C4A3$) cement is a high cementitious material that incorporates a precise proportion of ye'elimite into the ordinary Portland cement. The synthesis and hydration behavior of Alite-Ye'elimite clinker with different lime saturation factors were investigated. The clinkers were synthesized using a secondary thermal treatment process, and their compositions were characterized. The hydrated pastes were analyzed for their hydration products, pore structure, mechanical strength, and microstructure. The clinkers and hydration products were characterized using XRD, TG-DSC, SEM, and MIP analysis. The results showed that the Alite-Ye'elimite cement clinker with a lime saturation factor (KH) of 0.93, prepared through secondary heat treatment, contained 64.88% C3S and 2.06% C4A3$. At this composition, the Alite-Ye'elimite cement clinker demonstrated the highest 28-day strength. The addition of SO3 to the clinkers decreased the content of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and the ratio of Alite/Belite (C3S/C2S), resulting in a preference for belite formation. The pore structure of the hydrated pastes was also investigated, revealing a distribution of pore sizes ranging from 0.01 to 10 μm, with two peaks on each differential distribution curve corresponding to micron and sub-micron pores. The pore volume decreased from 0.22 ± 0.03 to 0.15 ± 0.18 cm3 g−1, and the main peak of pore distribution shifted towards smaller sizes with increasing hydration time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasingly severe environmental problems caused by water pollution, the degradation of organic dyes can be effectively achieved through the utilization of photocatalysis. In this work, metal alkoxides and a combination of alcohol/hydrophobic solvents are employed to prepare BaTiO3 aerogels via a liquid-phase and template-free synthetic route. The preparation process of the aerogels solely entails facile agitation and supercritical drying, eliminating the need for additional heat treatment. The binary solvent of ethanol and toluene is identified as the optimal choice, resulting in a significantly enhanced surface area (up to 223 m2/g) and an abundant pore structure of BaTiO3 aerogels compared to that of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles. Thus, the removal efficiency of the BaTiO3 aerogel sample for MO is nearly twice as high as that of the BaTiO3 nanoparticles sample. Noble metal Ag nanoparticles' deposition onto the BaTiO3 aerogel surface is further achieved via the photochemical deposition method, which enhances the capture of photogenerated electrons, thereby ensuring an elevated level of photocatalytic efficiency. As a result, Ag nanoparticles deposited on BaTiO3 aerogel can degrade MO completely after 40 min of illumination, while the corresponding aerogel before modification can only remove 80% of MO after 60 min. The present work not only complements the preparatory investigation of intricate aerogels but also offers a fresh perspective for the development of diverse perovskite aerogels with broad applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel was successfully synthesized using a co-gelation technique that involves two metallic alkoxides and a supercritical drying method. This freshly prepared aerogel has a high specific surface area of over 100 m2/g and exhibits improved responsiveness to the simulated sunlight spectrum. Methyl orange (MO) was chosen as the simulated pollutant, and the results reveal that the Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel, when modified with the noble metal silver (Ag), achieves a pollutant removal rate approximately 3.2 times higher than that of the commercially available P25, reaching up to 92% within 60 min. The excellent photocatalytic performance of the Ag-modified Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel can be primarily attributed to its extensive specific surface area and three-dimensional porous architecture. Furthermore, the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles effectively suppresses the recombination of photo-generated electrons and holes. Stability and reusability tests have confirmed the reliability of the Ag-modified Cr-doped BaTiO3 aerogel. Therefore, this material emerges as a highly promising candidate for the treatment of textile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) metal halides exhibit unique optical properties, attracting significant attention. Cs2CdCl4 with a 2D layered Ruddlesden–Popper (R–P) phase demonstrates poor optical characteristics, limiting its potential application. The introduction of Mn2+ doping improved its luminescence. The weak-blue emission of pure Cs2CdCl4 shifts to an orange-red color after Mn doping, which is caused by Mn2+ and Mn–Mn ferromagnetic coupling in the point–point connection between neighbored octahedra by increasing the feed ratio of Mn2+. Under strong quantum confinement effects, the introduction of Mn2+ into the 2D Cd–Cl lattice leads to the formation of exciton magnetic polarons (EMPs) and localized exciton magnetic polarons (LEMPs), significantly influencing their optical properties and resulting in a gradual red shift in their emission bands. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) is tremendously increased to 46% in the doped samples, accompanied by tunable emissions achieved through an increasing amount of Mn doping. This enhancement and shift in luminescence are attributed to an energy transfer pathway from the defect state luminescence of Cs2CdCl4 to the dominant luminescence via single Mn2+ and Mn–Mn pair d–d transitions. This study indicates the spin–spin coupling effect of doped metal ions on the luminescence enhancement and shift in 2D layered halides, thereby presenting new prospects for practical applications of R–P phase 2D layered nanoplatelets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to develop a high-performance flexible silica aerogel composite for thermal insulation under high-temperature and thermal–force coupling conditions. Based on synthesis of flexible silica aerogels with methyltrimethoxysilane as the precursor, flexible silica aerogel composites were developed by wet-impregnating ceramic fiber felt. Morphology, microstructure, chemical structure, hydrophobicity, and compression performance evolutions of the flexible silica aerogels and their composite counterparts with temperature revealed that the resulting flexible silica aerogel samples have excellent stability at 900 °C. Flexible silica aerogel composites show 100 and 70% recovery with 50% strain after treatment at 500 and 900 °C, respectively. Thermal insulation performance of the flexible silica aerogel composites was comprehensively studied from different aspects, including thermal conductivity, thermal shield behavior under high-temperature and thermal–force coupling conditions, and thermal shock resistance. Thermal conductivities of the flexible silica aerogel composite at 25–1100 °C are lower than those of most reported aerogel composites. Coupling of force under high temperature leads to degradation of thermal insulation performance, owing to deformation with compression. The synthesis method of the flexible silica aerogel is facile and inspiring, and the flexible silica aerogel composites have promising prospects in thermal insulation under high-temperature and thermal-stress coupling conditions, such as suppressing thermal runaway propagation of lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard carbon (HC) has attracted considerable research interest as the most promising anode for potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) due to its tunable interlayer spacing and abundant voids to accommodate K+. However, the practical application of hard carbon is severely hampered by low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and high plateau potential. Herein, a manganese ion‐catalyzed pyrolysis strategy is explored to regulate the graphitic microcrystalline structure and localized electron distribution in hard carbon that greatly improve K+ plateau storage and ICE. Systematic experimental measurements, in situ/ex situ observations, dynamic analysis, and density functional theory calculations elucidate that the introduction of Mn2+ ions could catalyze the formation of short‐ordered graphitic nanodomains in hard carbon to provide abundant insertions of K+, and meanwhile induce localized electron distribution through the Mn─N3─C coordination structure to enable dynamic K+ diffusion and electron transfer kinetics. Consequently, the modulated hard carbon exhibits a high low‐potential–plateau capacity, excellent rate capability, and high initial Coulombic efficiency in potassium half‐cell configurations. More importantly, the charge storage mechanism of "adsorption–intercalation" is proposed based on the correlation between carbon structures and discharge/charge plateau. This work provides an in‐depth insight into the fundamentals of microstructure regulation of hard carbon anode for high‐performance PIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-quenched copper-nickel metallurgical slag enriched with olivine minerals exhibits promising potential for the production of CO2-mineralized cementitious materials. In this work, copper-nickel slag-based cementitious material (CNCM) was synthesized by using different chemical activation methods to enhance its hydration reactivity and CO2 mineralization capacity. Different water curing ages and carbonation conditions were explored related to their carbonation and mechanical properties development. Meanwhile, thermogravimetry differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction methods were applied to evaluate the CO2 adsorption amount and carbonation products of CNCM. Microstructure development of carbonated CNCM blocks was examined by backscattered electron imaging (BSE) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Results showed that among the studied samples, the CNCM sample that was subjected to water curing for 3 d exhibited the highest CO2 sequestration amount of 8.51wt% at 80°C and 72 h while presenting the compressive strength of 39.07 MPa. This result indicated that 1 t of this CNCM can sequester 85.1 kg of CO2 and exhibit high compressive strength. Although the addition of citric acid did not improve strength development, it was beneficial to increase the CO2 diffusion and adsorption amount under the same carbonation conditions from BSE results. This work provides guidance for synthesizing CO2-mineralized cementitious materials using large amounts of metallurgical slags containing olivine minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical properties of Ti6Al4V powder affect the spreadability of the powder and uniformity of the powder bed, which had a great impact on the performance of built parts made by powder bed fusion technology. Micro-computed tomography is a well-established technique used to analyze the non-destructivity of the objects' interior. Ti6Al4V powders were scanned with micro-CT to show the internal and external information of all the particles. The morphology, particle size distribution, hollow particle ratio, density, inclusion, and specific surface area of the powder samples were quantitatively characterized, and the relationship of flowability with these physical properties was analyzed in this work. The research results of this article showed that micro-CT is an effective way to characterize these items, and can be developed as a standard method of powder physical properties in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective laser melting (SLM) has attracted increasing attention all over the world. As an important parameter, hatch spacing, which is the distance between scan lines, however, still needs a more systematic study. In this paper, the relationship between hatch spacing and mechanical properties, including microhardness, wear resistance, and porous density, was studied. The testing results revealed that when hatch spacing decreased, the overlapping rate increased which resulted in an increase in the convection in the molten pool. It led to the formation of pores in the molten pool. However, when hatch spacing was too large, the overlapping zone decreased, while the strength between each welding line was not strong enough. It caused a decrease in the quality of printed parts. Combined with the testing results gained in this work, it can be seen that a 0.06 mm hatch spacing was considered as a relatively optimal condition for part formation under 0.05 μm. Comparison of the morphology of the samples printed under different hatch spacing also confirmed the phenomenon observed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoporous composites have been extensively applied in aerospace applications for their outstanding thermal insulation and ablation resistance. A ceramizable polysilazane (PSZ)‐modified phenolic resin (PSZ‐PR)/carbon fiber fabric (PSZ‐PR/CF) aerogel composite was synthesized through ambient pressure drying (APD). The homogeneous nanopore structure and improved thermal stability of the PSZ‐PR aerogel matrix provided the composites with good performance (thermal conductivity as low as 0.126 W/(m·K)). The PSZ‐PR/CF composites achieved high compressive strength (up to 43.75 MPa), tensile strength (59.22–124.75 MPa), and bending strength (23.35–97.94 MPa). Furthermore, the generation of ceramization products during the oxyacetylene flame ablation process, specifically SiC and Si3N4, enhanced the ablation resistance of PSZ‐PR/CF composites: the linear ablation rates are as low as 0.112 and 0.018 mm/s at 4.18 MW/m2 (20 s) and 1.20 MW/m2 (120 s) of oxyacetylene heat flow, respectively. The corresponding maximum back temperatures are only 51.0°C and 60.3°C. Notably, the carbon/ceramic network is still present in the ablation layer to protect the carbon fibers from oxidation. This ceramizable PSZ‐PR/CF composite has good potential for application in the field of thermal protection. Highlights: PSZ improves thermal stability and ablation properties of PSZ‐PR/CF.The PSZ‐PR/CF composites exhibit excellent mechanical and ablation properties.The ceramic products improve the scouring resistance of aerogel matrixes.The ceramizable PSZ‐PR/CF was prepared by low‐cost ambient pressure drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavour precursors are finding increased utility within the tobacco industry to offset the diminishing aroma of cigarettes with the development of low tar cigarettes. Ethyl vanillin (EV) glucoside serves as an important flavour precursor, and the synthesis of its intermediate (EV-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranoside, 2) in a batch reaction, prolonged reaction times have been observed, thereby limiting its industrial applications. The application of continuous flow chemistry offered a faster and more scalable approach for the preparation of glycoside precursors. Initial exploration in batch reactions established general conditions for the synthesis of 2, and further optimization in continuous flow reactions facilitated the synthesis of a range of glycoside precursors. These were achieved using tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-glycosyl bromide (1) in conjunction with various food flavours containing phenolic hydroxyl groups. The preparation of glycoside precursors was studied by advanced flow reactor (AFR) system and conventional coil flow chemistry system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophobic SiO2 aerogels show great promise for diverse smart applications due to their superhydrophobic surfaces combined with low thermal conductivity property. Hydrophobic tetraethoxysilane (TEOS)/methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) (TM) and TEOS/methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) (TE) gels were prepared by in-situ technique, and dried by ambient pressure drying (APD). The evolution of microstructure and chemical-physical properties of the TM and TE aerogels treated by different temperatures were investigated. Under the ultra-low and high temperature treatment, the TM and TE aerogels showed the low thermal conductivity (0.020 ~ 0.031 W m− 1 K− 1), high specific surface area (410.85 ~ 830.10 m2 g− 1) and good hydrophobicity with the water contact value from 124.2 ~ 155.7°. This work provided an effective method to prepare hydrophobic SiO2 aerogels with excellent ultra-low, high temperature resistant using double silicon sources as co-precursors, which could be an appropriate candidate for thermal insulation, catalysis and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid development of tough conductive hydrogels has led to considerable progress in the fields of tissue engineering, soft robots, flexible electronics, etc. Compared to other kinds of traditional sensing materials, tough conductive hydrogels have advantages in flexibility, stretchability and biocompatibility due to their biological structures. Numerous hydrogel flexible sensors have been developed based on specific demands for practical applications. This review focuses on tough conductive hydrogels for flexible sensors. Representative tactics to construct tough hydrogels and strategies to fulfill conductivity, which are of significance to fabricating tough conductive hydrogels, are briefly reviewed. Then, diverse tough conductive hydrogels are presented and discussed. Additionally, recent advancements in flexible sensors assembled with different tough conductive hydrogels as well as various designed structures and their sensing performances are demonstrated in detail. Applications, including the wearable skins, bionic muscles and robotic systems of these hydrogel-based flexible sensors with resistive and capacitive modes are discussed. Some perspectives on tough conductive hydrogels for flexible sensors are also stated at the end. This review will provide a comprehensive understanding of tough conductive hydrogels and will offer clues to researchers who have interests in pursuing flexible sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of industry and the acceleration of urbanization, oil pollution has caused serious damage to water, and its treatment has always been a research hotspot. Compared with traditional adsorption materials, aerogel has the advantages of light weight, large adsorption capacity and high selective adsorption, features that render it ideal as a high-performance sorbent for water treatment. The objective of this research was to develop novel hydrophobic polymer-reinforced silica aerogel microspheres (RSAMs) with water glass as the precursor, aminopropyltriethoxysilane as the modifier, and styrene as the crosslinker for oil removal from water. The effects of drying method and polymerization time on the structure and oil adsorption capacity were investigated. The drying method influenced the microstructure and pore structure in a noteworthy manner, and it also significantly depended on the polymerization time. More crosslinking time led to more volume shrinkage, thus resulting in a larger apparent density, lower pore volume, narrower pore size distribution and more compact network. Notably, the hydrophobicity increased with the increase in crosslinking time. After polymerization for 24 h, the RSAMs possessed the highest water contact angle of 126°. Owing to their excellent hydrophobicity, the RSAMs via supercritical CO2 drying exhibited significant oil and organic liquid adsorption capabilities ranging from 6.3 to 18.6 g/g, higher than their state-of-the-art counterparts. Moreover, their robust mechanical properties ensured excellent reusability and recyclability, allowing for multiple adsorption–desorption cycles without significant degradation in performance. The novel sorbent preparation method is facile and inspiring, and the resulting RSAMs are exceptional in capacity, efficiency, stability and regenerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long afterglow luminescent materials have captured intense attention for their unique applications in biological imaging, photodynamic therapy, and optical anti‐counterfeiting. However, achieving highly efficient and tunable ultralong afterglow emission in all‐inorganic metal halides is an open challenge. Herein, Sb3+‐doped hexagonal CsCdCl3 metal halide is reported via hydrothermal reaction. Upon photoabsorption, the as‐synthesized compounds exhibit dual‐emission bands with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 59.6%, which can be attributed to the self‐trapped exciton emission out of the strong electron‐phonon coupling. After ceasing excitation of 365 nm, bright afterglow emission with the longest duration lasting up to 5000 s is witnessed in Sb3+‐doped CsCdCl3. More importantly, the color‐tunable and time‐dependent ultralong afterglow emission is realized via regulating the doping concentration of Sb3+, which should be due to the trap electrons increase gradually under high doping concentration. Given this unusual afterglow emission characteristics, the optical anti‐counterfeiting and information encryption are constructed based on as‐synthesized compounds. These findings not only help further understand the tunable afterglow emission mechanism in all‐inorganic metal halides, but also provide a new strategy for designing novel ultralong afterglow luminescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity prices are a central element of the electricity market, and accurate electricity price forecasting is critical for market participants. However, in the context of increasingly integrated economic markets, the complexity of the electricity system has increased. As a result, the number of factors required to consider in electricity price forecasting is growing. In addition, the high percentage of renewable energy penetration has increased the volatility of electricity generation, making it more challenging to predict prices accurately. In this paper, we propose a probabilistic forecasting method based on SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanation) feature selection and LSTNet (long- and short-term time-series network) quantile regression. First, to reduce feature redundancy and overfitting, we use the SHAP method to perform feature selection in a high-dimensional input feature set, and specifically analyze the magnitude and manner in which features affect electricity prices. Second, we apply the LSTNet quantile regression model to predict the electricity value under different quantiles. Finally, the probability density function and the prediction interval of the predicted electricity prices are obtained by kernel density estimation. The case of the Danish electricity market validates the effectiveness and accuracy of our proposed method. The accuracy of the proposed method is better than that of other methods, and we assess the importance and direction of the impact of features on electricity prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic study was conducted to investigate the distinct mechanisms involved in the formation of the inner surfaces of cylindrical and parallelepipedic-shaped structures. The surface roughness, flatness, and sinking distance were used as key indices to measure the quality of overhanging surfaces, while the surface flatness and roughness were used to evaluate the quality of the side and bottom surfaces of the inner hole. The inner surface morphology was observed using a scanning electron microscope and a white light interferometer. The test results show that the quality of the overhanging surface had a significant impact on the quality of the parallelepipedic-shaped inner hole. In contrast, the cylindrical-shaped inner hole had a shorter but more uniformly distributed overhanging surface, resulting in a different behavior of the overhanging and side surface quality. An improved model of the overhanging surface was established by combining all of the above results and comparing them with the traditional Euler Bernoulli beam model. The factors affecting the quality of the overhanging surface were analyzed, and measures for improving the quality of the overhanging surface during the SLM manufacturing process were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniform deposition of metal nanoparticles (NPs) on carbon-based substrates is of importance for practical applications as sensors, catalysts, devices, and so forth. Here, we report a one-step wet-chemistry approach that realizes the highly uniform decoration of gold NPs (Au NPs) onto carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets. We first use plasma treatment to make the CNT bundles separated, namely, applying the "debundling" effect onto the film. We also reveal that dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) not only promotes the CNT debundling, providing more interstitial space for gold deposition, but also attracts the gold cluster nucleation due to molecule interactions. The reproducibility of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals from this well-engineered CNT/Au NPs substrate is significantly enhanced, as the relative standard deviation from G and D peaks are decreased from 18.8 and 21.3% to 5.6 and 6.2%, respectively. We have fabricated a flexible SERS substrate based on Au NPs/CNT hybrid, which can effectively detect the analyte Rhodamine 6G (R6G) at a concentration as low as 1 × 10–8 M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement is an environmentally friendly material and has its specific characteristics, including good resistance to ingress of external chlorides. To date, performance evolution and relevant mechanism of CSA cement-based materials during its service in chloride environment are still not clear, and needs a thorough study before its widely application in practice. This paper reviews the research progress on the chloride transport, chloride binding and corrosion behavior of steel in CSA cement under chloride environment. The crucial factors influencing the resistance of CSA cement-based materials to chloride attack are emphasized, such as water-to-binder ratio, molar ratio of gypsum to ye'elimite and use of supplementary cementitious materials. Meanwhile, future research directions on chloride related durability issues of CSA are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Red mud (RM) is a kind of solid waste by the production of alumina. Long-term storage of RM can occupy a large amount of land and cause serious pollution to soil, air and water. Alkali activated cementitious material (AACM) is a new type of green environmental protection material, which provides a new idea for the efficient use of RM. In this research, RM is thermally activated and mixed with ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) and alkali activator to prepare AACM. In order to improve the performance of this AACM, the influence of activator content and type on the chemical shrinkage and mechanical property of the AACM were studied and discussed comprehensively. The obtained results show that the used RM shows best activity after calcined at 700 °C; the suitable ratio of RM to GGBFS is 5:5. Water glass has better activation effect on the AACM made with RM and GGBFS than calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2). But, the use of water glass and Ca(OH)2 together is more appropriate for this AACM. The strength of the AACM activated by 20 wt% Ca(OH)2 and 20 wt% water glass can reach 88 MPa at 120 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen generation through water electrolysis is an efficient technique for hydrogen production, but the expensive price and scarcity of noble metal electrocatalysts hinder its large-scale application. Herein, cobalt-anchored nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel electrocatalysts (Co-N-C) for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are prepared by simple chemical reduction and vacuum freeze-drying. The Co (0.5 wt%)-N (1 wt%)-C aerogel electrocatalyst has an optimal overpotential (0.383 V at 10 mA/cm2), which is significantly superior to that of a series of M-N-C aerogel electrocatalysts prepared by a similar route (M = Mn, Fe, Ni, Pt, Au, etc.) and other Co-N-C electrocatalysts that have been reported. In addition, the Co-N-C aerogel electrocatalyst has a small Tafel slope (95 mV/dec), a large electrochemical surface area (9.52 cm2), and excellent stability. Notably, the overpotential of Co-N-C aerogel electrocatalyst at a current density of 20 mA/cm2 is even superior to that of the commercial RuO2. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) confirms that the metal activity trend is Co-N-C > Fe-N-C > Ni-N-C, which is consistent with the OER activity results. The resulting Co-N-C aerogels can be considered one of the most promising electrocatalysts for energy storage and energy saving due to their simple preparation route, abundant raw materials, and superior electrocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel slag (SS) has been largely discharged but little utilized, causing an environmental problem in China. In this paper, SS-based composite cementitious materials with high strength were prepared by the high volume of SS (≥40%), granulated blast-furnace slag (GBFS), fly ash (FA), flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) and cement to promote the effective utilization of SS. The hydration and hardening properties were studied through setting time, compressive strength, length change, isothermal calorimetry (IC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) tests. The results show that SS-based composite cementitious material exhibited a lower hydration heat release, an appropriate setting time, and volume stability. The SS cementitious material with 40% SS could obtain high strength of over 65 MPa at 28 days and 80 MPa at 90 days. The strength value of > 60 MPa is present in the binder, with 50% SS at 56 days. GBFS promotes hydration reactions and the formation of AFt and C-(A)-S-H gel, thus enhancing compressive strength. FA has a beneficial effect on later strength. The small and fine pore structures contribute to the development of strength. The main hydration products of SS composite cementitious materials are C-(A)-S-H gel, and ettringite (AFt), with less Ca(OH)2. The C-(A)-S-H gel with a lower Ca/Si ratio and a higher Al/Ca ratio in cementitious material, promotes mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye wastewater has caused great harm to the environment, which is an urgent problem to be solved. As typical three-dimensional porous materials, aerogels have attracted great interest in dye wastewater treatment. In this work, spherical attapulgite/silica (ATP/SiO2) gels were initially prepared by easily scalable sol-gel dripping methods and then dried to aerogels with three drying techniques, namely, supercritical CO2 drying (SCD), freeze-drying (FD), and ambient pressure drying (APD). The effect of the drying techniques and heat-treated temperature on the physical characteristic, morphological properties, microstructure, and chemical structure of the spherical ATP/SiO2 aerogels were investigated. The macroscopic morphology of the spherical ATP/SiO2 aerogels was homogeneous and integrated without local cracking. The average pore diameter and specific surface area of the spherical ATP/SiO2 aerogels prepared by the three drying techniques were in the range of 6.8–8.6 nm and 218.5–267.4 m2/g, respectively. The heat treatment temperature had a significant effect on the pore structure and the wetting properties of the aerogels. The 600 °C heat-treated aerogels were subjected to adsorption tests in methylene blue (MB) solution (60 mg/g, 100 mL), which exhibited a great adsorption capacity of 102.50 mg/g. Therefore, the resulting spherical ATP/SiO2 aerogels possessed multipath preparation and exhibited an efficient adsorption performance, with the potential to be applied as an adsorbent for dye wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a big challenge to develop non-precious metal catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in energy storage and conversion systems. Herein, a facile and cost-effective strategy is employed to in situ prepare the Ni/Fe oxyhydroxide anchored on nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel (NiFeOx(OH)y@NCA) for OER electrocatalysis. The as-prepared electrocatalyst displays a typical aerogel porous structure composed of interconnected nanoparticles with a large BET specific surface area of 231.16 m2·g−1. In addition, the resulting NiFeOx(OH)y@NCA exhibits excellent OER performance with a low overpotential of 304 mV at 10 mA·cm−2, a small Tafel slope of 72 mV·dec−1, and excellent stability after 2000 CV cycles, which is superior to the commercial RuO2 catalyst. The much enhanced OER performance is mainly derived from the abundant active sites, the high electrical conductivity of the Ni/Fe oxyhydroxide, and the efficient electronic transfer of the NCA structure. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the introduction of the NCA regulates the surface electronic structure of Ni/Fe oxyhydroxide and increases the binding energy of intermediates as indicated by the d-band center theory. This work provides a new method for the construction of advanced aerogel-based materials for energy conversion and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials are widely used in cement to improve the various properties of cement-based materials. Nano-CSH is considered as an effective accelerator for the hydration of cement. This paper studied the effects of nano-CSH on the hydration behavior and compressive strength of cementitious materials with various mineral admixtures. Isothermal calorimetry test was used to study the early hydration of cement paste. Thermogravimetric and X-ray diffraction tests were used to study the evolution of hydration product and unhydrated mineral phases in the hydrated cement paste. The presentation of compressive strength can evaluate the influence of nano-CSH on the property of cement-based material at the macro level. The obtained results show that the used nano-CSH can promote the hydration of tricalcium silicate (C3S), and is more active on the hydration of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) in the samples with GGBFS. The presence of nano-CSH can definitely accelerate the secondary hydration reaction of mineral admixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient auto-continuous globing process was developed with a self-built apparatus to synthesize pure silica aerogel microspheres (PSAMs) using sodium silicate as a precursor and water as a solvent. A hydrophobic silica aerogel microsphere (HSAM) was obtained by methyl grafting. A reinforced silica aerogel microsphere (RSAM) was prepared by polymer cross-linking on the framework of the silica gel. The pH value of the reaction system and the temperature of the coagulating bath were critical to form perfect SAMs with a diameter of 3.0 ± 0.2 mm. The grafted methyl groups are thermally stable up to 400 °C. Polymer cross-linking increased the strength significantly, owing to the polymer coating on the framework of silica aerogel. The pore volumes of HSAM (6.44 cm3/g) and RSAM (3.17 cm3/g) were much higher than their state-of-the-art counterparts. Their specific surface areas were also at a high level. The HSAM and RSAM showed high organic sorption capacities, i.e., 17.9 g/g of pump oil, 11.8 g/g of hexane, and 22.2 mg/g of 10 mg/L methyl orange. The novel preparation method was facile, cost-effective, safe, and eco-friendly, and the resulting SAM sorbents were exceptional in capacity, dynamics, regenerability, and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerogels have interconnected networks and preeminent pore structures. When used as the catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), they can facilitate the mass transfer and expose more active sites. Here, we synthesized the Fe-doped titanium oxide-based aerogels (TA/Fes) by the sol–gel method combined with thermal treatment. The specific surface areas of the TA/Fes ranged from 475 to 774 m2·g−1, and the pore volumes varied from 0.96 to 1.72 cm3·g−1. The doping effect of the Fe ions and the oxygen vacancies in anatase enhance the electrical conductivity, leading to the low Rct (313.3–828.2 Ω). All samples showed excellent stability (2.0–4.5 mV) and 4e− pathway. The limiting current density of TA/Fe3 reached 5.34 mA·cm−2, which was comparable to that of commercial Pt/C. The preparation method is inspiring and the as-prepared aerogel catalysts have potential in promoting the scale of fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of Li–S batteries is seriously hindered by intricate lithium polysulfide shuttling and sluggish electrochemical conversion kinetics. Separator modification has been demonstrated as an effective strategy to solve these problems. Herein, a hierarchical crumpled MXene/MoS2 (CM/MoS2) heterostructure is exploited as an efficient ion-selective membrane on a PP separator to simultaneously realize robust LiPS immobilization, efficient catalytic conversion kinetics, and feasible lithium-ion diffusion. The experimental and theoretical results validate that the MXene/MoS2 heterostructure not only chemically immobilizes LiPSs through a combination of Lewis acid–base interaction and sulfur-chain catenation, but also catalytically converts LiPSs into Li2S2/Li2S due to a reduced diffusion barrier for Li atoms. Furthermore, the quantitative evaluation of the rejection of LiPSs and performance of electrolyte permeability substantiate the unique high-throughput screening permeability of the CM/MoS2 coating layer due to the intelligent pore architectures and efficient anchor-catalytic sites. Therefore, the CM/MoS2-modified separator achieves instantaneous modulation of polysulfide interception/conversion and Li+ diffusion. Attributed to these unique merits, Li–S batteries with the CM/MoS2-modified separator deliver a high capacity of 1336 at 0.1C, a considerable areal capacity of 5.5 mA h cm−2, an excellent rate capability of 810 mA h g−1 at 2C, and stable cycling performance over 500 cycles at 1C with a low capacity decay of 0.056% for each cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Block copolymer‐based organic solar cells (OSCs) possess better stability than their binary all‐polymer counterparts; thus, promoting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of them to a higher level would be meaningful to achieving a higher level of efficiency–stability balance. Herein, two‐step annealing combining solvent vapor and thermal annealing (TA) upon cast films is deployed and 15% efficiency for block copolymer PM6‐b‐PY‐IT‐based OSCs is realized, which appeals to the level of traditional binary all‐polymer solar cells. The morphology optimization of the properly enhanced crystallite size, global crystallinity, and reduced pure phase length scale and maintained phase purity are supposed to be the driving force of increase device performance. This work offers a high PCE for the typical type of solar cell, brightening the prospect of realizing OSCs' application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To further explore the effects of limestone powder (LP) on the hydration of Portland cement as well as the formation and transformation mechanism of calcium carboaluminate phases, the hydration reaction between LP and tricalcium aluminate (C3A) is thoroughly studied in this paper. Due to the crucial influence of gypsum on the hydration of C3A, two systems are well studied, viz. the C3A–LP–H2O and the C3A–LP–CaSO4·2H2O–H2O system. The replacement levels of LP are 0, 5 mass%, 15 mass% and 25 mass% by mass of total binder. The hydration behavior of these two systems are studied using isothermal calorimetry, XRD and quantitative XRD, and chemical shrinkage. The obtained results show that more LP delays the formation of hemicarboaluminate. In the C3A–LP–CaSO4·2H2O–H2O system, the formation of calcium carboaluminate phases only begins after gypsum is consumed. Moreover, LP can reduce the chemical shrinkage resulting from the volume increase of the formation of calcium carboaluminate phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of limestone powder and gypsum on the early hydration of ye'elimite, the hydration behavior of C4A3 S ¯ -LP-CaSO4·2H2O-H2O systems are researched. The hydration behavior of systems are researched by employing isothermal calorimetry, XRD technique and chemical shrinkage. The thermodynamic modelling method is employed to predict the equilibrium phase assemblages. The results show that the system with 5 wt.% LP has a comparable hydration heat evolution to limestone powder-free systems. Limestone powder can take part in the reaction to produce monocarboaluminate in the system with M-value (molar ratio of gypsum to ye'elimite) of 1, but monocarboaluminate is not found in the system with M-value of 2. The level off time of chemical shrinkage shortens with the increase of limestone powder dosage. Thermodynamic modelling results show that monocarboaluminate is no longer formed in all systems when M-value exceeds 1.27, which corresponds to the XRD results. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the rational utilization of limestone powder in calcium sulphoaluminate cement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave‐assisted Fenton process over a high microwave‐responsive catalyst (Fe3O4−BiOCl) was developed. The morphology, composition and magnetic recovery of the prepared catalyst were analyzed. Correspondingly, the optimal reaction conditions were obtained and the catalyst had a good recovery performance. A good degradation result (COD removal efficiency=82.57 %, TOC removal efficiency=85.15 %, TN removal efficiency=80.86 %) was obtained with low energy consumption and chemical inputs, which proved that the system has a certain industrialization prospect. Furthermore, take p‐nitrophenol (PNP) as an example, The reaction mechanism of this process had been investigated. The reaction was divided into three stages: 1. Activation 2. Oxidation 3. Mineralization. In the Oxidation phase, the reaction followed zero‐order reaction kinetics model and the rate constant was 0.0642 mM s−1. To investigate the kinetics, a heterogeneous Fenton‐photocatalysis synergistic degradation mechanism based on experimental data was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the main problems of the condensing heat discharge modes of the existing underground air-conditioning system, the technical scheme of using phase change heat storage modules to improve the heat storage capacity of the reservoir is proposed. By establishing a 3D flow and transient heat transfer model of the phase change reservoir, the effects of thermal property parameters, package size and arrangement of the phase change heat storage modules on the heat storage performance of the phase change reservoir were quantitatively analyzed based on three indexes: heat storage capacity per volume Δq, guaranteed efficiency coefficient η and slope of temperature rise per unit load ε. The results show that when the phase change temperature is 29 °C (23 °C increased to 33 °C) and the latent heat value is 250 kJ/kg (100 kJ/kg increased to 250 kJ/kg), Δq (110.92 MJ/m3, 112.83 MJ/m3) and η (1.22, 1.24) under both conditions are at their most, respectively, indicating that the phase change temperature should be less than 4 °C at the outlet temperature of the reservoir, and phase change materials with a high latent heat should be selected in engineering design whenever possible. When the size of the phase change module is 150 mm × 20 mm and the phase change reservoir adopts four intakes, ε (0.259, 0.244) under both conditions is the smallest, indicating that increasing the area of the phase change heat storage module and the fluid and increasing the inlet disturbance of the reservoir can enhance its heat storage capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs) has been increased to over 19% under 1 sun illumination, stability is still a shortcoming which impedes commercialization; this has motivated researchers to pay more attention to this issue. Herein we report two types of all-polymer blends: a traditional donor–acceptor pair of PM6:PY-IT; and a one-pot synthesized, multicomponent example called PM6-b-PY-IT, and these exhibit different performance changes under external stress. The PM6-b-PY-IT device has a PCE of 13.63% which is lower than that of 15.24% for PM6:PY-IT, but it has better operational stability under continuous illumination and better thermostability, thereby realizing greater power output over a period of one month. Morphology characterization and thermal degradation process studies reveal that the PM6-b-PY-IT system can overcome stress, probably due to the existence of chemical bonding between the donor and acceptor phase/block, which enables stable phase separation, while excessive phase segregation in the binary all-polymer blend seriously undermines the device performance. This work provides a novel way of achieving high stability OSCs derived from a well-established all-polymer blend, which hopefully will enhance the marketing prospects for this photovoltaic technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral wastes are produced during the construction of island. The use of coral wastes in concrete is beneficial to economy and environment. Coral waste as aggregate in concrete has been studied well. Now, coral powder (CP) as mineral admixture to replace cement partially in concrete is a different approach to reuse coral waste. However, the use of more CP in concrete will definitely affect the property of cement-based material. In order to improve the mechanical property and use more CP in construction, ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), a kind of latent hydraulic material, is considered in this study. Furthermore, the synergetic effect of CP and GGBFS on the hydration of Portland cement (PC) is seldom researched systematically. In this study, CP and GGBFS are mixed into cement in five proportions to research the hydration process of cement paste comprehensively by isothermal calorimetry test, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The properties of the GGBFS-CP-PC ternary system, such as the chemical shrinkage and compressive strength, are also determined. The results show that the existence of GGBFS will influence the secondary hydration of C3A when the mass ratio of GGBFS to cement is above 0.25 in binder. The reaction of CP is accelerated by the active alumina phase in GGBFS. The presence of GGBFS can promote the formation of carboaluminate. During the infrastructure construction in island, it is reasonable to use CP in concrete, and the use of CP together with GGBFS can ensure the mechanical properties of concrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As many distributed power sources flood into the distribution network, the relationship between transmission and distribution grids in reactive power and voltage is becoming closer and closer. The traditional way of independent reactive power optimization in transmission and distribution grids is no longer appropriate. In this study, a collaborative and distributed reactive power optimization method for transmission and distribution grids based on the accelerated augmented Lagrangian (AAL) algorithm is proposed to adapt to the independence of the transmission and distribution grids in operation and management. The global reactive power optimization problem is decomposed into the transmission network subproblem and several distribution network subproblems. According to AAL, subproblems are solved in a distributed manner until the optimal global solution is finally reached after several iterations, and coordination between transmission and distribution grids is achieved only through the interaction of information on coordinating variables. For better convergence, a linearized and convergence-guaranteed optimal power flow model (OPF) with reactive power and voltage magnitude was applied to model the transmission grid optimization subproblem, while the second-order cone programming (SOCP) technique is used in the distribution network subproblems. The simulation results confirm that the method in this paper can effectively reduce network losses and achieve better economic performance, and converges better when compared to other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion-based ceramic printing is fast and convenient, but the green body strength is too low, and the application prospect is not high. An extrusion-based printing method of alumina ceramics toughened by short carbon fiber is reported in this paper. The bending strength and fracture toughness of 3D-printed alumina ceramics were improved by adding short carbon fiber. The toughening effects of four carbon fiber lengths (100 μm, 300 μm, 700 μm, and 1000 μm) and six carbon fiber contents (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 wt%) on ceramics were compared. The experimental results show that when the length of carbon fiber is 700 μm, and carbon fiber is 5 wt%, the toughening effect of fiber is the best, and the uniform distribution of fiber is an effective toughening method. Its bending strength reaches 33.426 ± 1.027 MPa, and its fracture toughness reaches 4.53 ± 0.46 MPa·m1/2. Compared with extrusion-based printed alumina ceramics without fiber, the bending strength and fracture toughness increase by 55.38% and 47.56%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]