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Summary: The microstructure and behaviors of the interface layer around the nanoparticle are strongly related to the overall thermophysical properties of molten salt‐based nanofluids (MSBNFs). Understanding this link may enable the advanced heat transfer fluid (HTF) for concentrated solar power and other applications. In this study, a molecular dynamics (MD) model for solar salt (60 wt% NaNO3/40 wt% KNO3)‐SiO2 nanofluid system is developed to estimate the characteristics of the interface layer and their effects on the overall specific heat capacity (SHC) and effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of MSBNFs. The results show that the SHC and thermal conductivity (TC) of the interface layer in MSBNFs are, respectively, 1.44‐1.85 and 1.05‐1.97 times higher than those of pure solar salt. The SHC of the interface layer has a significant effect on the overall SHC of the MSBNFs, but the interface layer is not the dominant influencing factor for the ETC enhancement of MSBNFs and thus has less effect on the overall ETC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ni electrode was modified with graphene by the electrodeposition (ED) method to prepare an anode (anode‐ED) for microbial fuel cell (MFC). Electrochemical and morphological characterizations of anode‐ED along with the effects of anode modification on the MFC performance were investigated. The graphene modification based on cyclic voltammetric electrodeposition resulted in the decrease of charge transfer resistance (Rct) and improved extracellular electron transfer efficiency of anode. The maximum power density obtained from the MFC equipped with anode‐ED was 25.83 and 17.86 times larger than those of MFCs equipped with bare Ni anode and anode modified with graphene by traditional hydrothermal treatment method (anode‐HT), respectively. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis results indicated that the Rct of anode decreased significantly after inoculation during the MFC operation. The improvement in power density was attributed to the decreasing Rct and the biocompatibility of graphene modified on anode‐ED surface. This study presented an effective electrodeposition method to make graphene‐modified anodes, which could improve the MFC performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]