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To mitigate the decrease in mechanical performance of Sn58Bi/Cu solder joints resulting from electromigration-induced damage. The CeO2 nanoparticles were incorporated into Sn58Bi solder by a melt-casting method, and their effects on the microstructure and properties of Sn58Bi/Cu solder joints under electromigration were investigated. The study results demonstrate that the addition of 0.125 ~ 0.5 wt% CeO2 nanoparticles refines the eutectic microstructure of Sn58Bi solder alloy. At an addition amount of 0.5 wt%, the composite solder alloy exhibits the maximum tensile strength of 68.9 MPa, which is 37% higher than that of the base solder. CeO2 nanoparticle-reinforced Sn58Bi solder can achieve excellent solderbility with Cu substrates and the joints can significantly inhibit the growth of the anodic Bi-rich layer, which is responsible for electromigration. With the extension of current stressing time, Bi-rich and Sn-rich layer are respectively formed on the anode and cathode in the joints. The intermetallic compound (IMC) layer grows asymmetrically, transitioning from a fan-shaped morphology to a flattened structure at the anode and to a thickened mountain-like morphology at the cathode. Adding the CeO2 nanoparticles helps to mitigate the decrease in mechanical performance caused by electromigration damage during current application to some extent. Over the current stressing period of 288 ~ 480 h, the fracture position shifts from the anodic IMC/Bi-rich interface to the cathodic Sn-rich/IMC interface. The fracture mechanism transitions from a brittle fracture characterized by plate-like cleavage to a ductile–brittle mixed fracture with fine dimples and cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have been used in many underground coal mines in China with high constructive efficiency, sound equipment integration and low cost. A recent application of TBM in Yuandian No.2 Coal Mine in Huaibei, China, has shown that the surrounding rockmass spalled severely in stratum impacted by multiple joint sets. To analyze this problem, a new 3D ubiquitous-multiple-joint (UMJ) model was proposed in the present research, which comprised a rock matrix and multiple sets of joints according to geological conditions. Then, the yielding and deformation of the roadway excavated by TBM were analyzed. The results showed that the plastic zones, stress states and displacement of surrounding rockmass were significantly affected by the orientation of joint sets. The results could well indicate failure characteristics of the in-situ roadway and showed the advantages of UMJ model to simulate the excavation in jointed rockmass. The key factors influencing the roadway stability were discussed by the UMJ model. Based on the simulation results, suggestions on excavation-support schemes were proposed for TBM excavating roadways. Highlights: 3D Ubiquitous-Multiple-Joint model is proposed to handle rockmass with multiple joint sets The stability of roadway is significantly affected by orientation and strength of joint sets Some measures are suggested to control TBM excavated roadway in jointed stratum [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXenes are promising supports for anchoring metal single atoms due to their versatile composition, well-defined nanostructures, and suitable conductivity. However, metal single atoms are usually coordinated with surface terminal groups (-O, -OH, -Cl, etc.) of MXenes via conventional wet-impregnation, resulting in limited electronic structure modification. Through a NiCl2 molten salt etching method, we observed that Ni single atoms could be in-situ doped in the lattice of MXenes analogue TiC0.5N0.5 support (denoted as Ni1/TiC0.5N0.5), resulting in much larger charge transfer from Ni atoms to adjacent Ti atoms, and thus increasing the electronic density of these Ti atoms. When used for NO2 sensing, Ni1/TiC0.5N0.5 exhibited excellent response sensitivity (ultra-low limit of detection ∼ 10 ppb), selectivity, and good stability at room temperature. This study provides an effective strategy for producing MXenes analogue supported metal single atoms for potential application in gas sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single atom catalysts (SACs) with metal1-Nx sites have shown promising activity and selectivity in direct catalytic oxidation of benzene to phenol. The reaction pathway is considered to be involving two steps, including a H2O2 molecule dissociated on the metal single site to form the (metal1-Nx)=O active site, and followed by the dissociation of another H2O2 on the other side of metal atom to form O=(metal1-Nx)=O intermediate center, which is active for the adsorption of benzene molecule via the formation of a C-O bond to form phenol. In this manuscript, we report a Cu SAC with nitrogen and oxygen dual-coordination (Cu1-N3O1 moiety) that doesn't need the first H2O2 activation process, as verified by both experimental and density function theory (DFT) calculations results. Compared with the counterpart nitrogen-coordinated Cu SAC (denoted as Cu1/NC), Cu SAC with nitrogen and oxygen dual-coordination (denoted as Cu1/NOC) exhibits 2.5 times higher turnover frequency (TOF) and 1.6 times higher utilization efficiency of H2O2. Particularly, the coordination number (CN) of Cu atom in Cu1/NOC maintains four even after H2O2 treatment and reaction. Combining DFT calculations, the dynamic evolution of single atomic Cu with nitrogen and oxygen dual-coordination in hydroxylation of benzene is proposed. These findings provide an efficient route to improve the catalytic performance through regulating the coordination environments of SACs and demonstrate a new reaction mechanism in hydroxylation of benzene to phenol reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a non-invasive body fluid, urine pH is one of the important biomarkers for diseases such as the kidneys. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of urine pH is of great clinical significance. A novel fluorescent probe (SPPH-Cl) was developed based on Brooker’s merocyanine skeleton for pH detection. The pKa of SPPH-Cl was adjusted to 6.55 using a phenolic hydroxyl ortho substitution strategy, therefore, the fluorescence response range of SPPH-Cl to pH covers the urine physiological pH range (4.6-8.0). SPPH-Cl has excellent water solubility, stable recoverability, wide anti-interference capability, and sensitive reactions to pH fluctuations in pure aqueous solutions. SPPH-Cl has succeeded in applying to monitor the pH of volunteer urine samples based on a standard curve established in artificially simulated urine, and the detection results have accuracy comparable to pH meters. Therefore, this work provided a powerful molecule tool for detecting pH in urine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their limitations, unfractionated heparin (UFH) and bivalirudin remain standard-of-care parenteral anticoagulants for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We discovered novel direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) from tick salivary transcriptomes and optimised their pharmacologic activity. The most potent, ultravariegin, inhibits thrombin with a Ki of 4.0 pM, 445-fold better than bivalirudin. Unexpectedly, despite their greater antithrombotic effect, variegin/ultravariegin demonstrated less bleeding, achieving a 3-to-7-fold wider therapeutic index in rodent thrombosis and bleeding models. When used in combination with aspirin and ticagrelor in a porcine model, variegin/ultravariegin reduced stent thrombosis compared with antiplatelet therapy alone but achieved a 5-to-7-fold lower bleeding time than UFH/bivalirudin. Moreover, two antibodies screened from a naïve human antibody library effectively reversed the anticoagulant activity of ultravariegin, demonstrating proof-of-principle for antidote reversal. Variegin and ultravariegin are promising translational candidates for next-generation DTIs that may reduce peri-PCI bleeding in the presence of antiplatelet therapy. Bleeding complications limits the use of effective antithrombotics therapeutics. Here, the authors developed next-generation direct thrombin inhibitors with low bleeding risks as safe peri-percutaneous coronary intervention anticoagulants when used in combination with antiplatelets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NAZ2329 is the first cell-permeable small molecular allosteric inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor–type Z (PTPRZ), which was considered as a new potential molecular target for drug development in glioblastoma. A facile and high-efficient synthesis of NAZ2329 was developed by a straight-forward strategy starting from key ethoxy benzyl bromide intermediate obtained from commercially available 4-(trifluoromethyl)phenol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered cartilage has several applications in treating cartilage ossification, however, its use is restricted clinically. We explored the feasibility of engineered cartilage in constructing tissues using gelatin/curcumin nano-fiber membranes as scaffolds in subcutaneous models. We constructed cartilage with gelatin nano-fiber membrane (control group) and gelatin/curcumin nano-fiber membrane (experimental group) as scaffolds. After the material was implanted into the back of BALB/c mice, gross view observation was performed. Histological examination was performed 3 and 12 weeks after implantation in vivo, and cartilage formation at different time points was compared. Gross observation showed that compared to the control group, the vascularization of nearby tissues in the experimental group was significantly inhibited. The Scanning electron microscope observation showed that the chondrocytes in both groups adhered well. The growth curve of the chondrocytes showed that curcumin had no significant effect on cell growth. Histological observation showed that the cell-material complexes in both groups had cartilage lacuna formation at 3 and 12 weeks. However, compared with that of the control group, the experimental group showed obvious absorption and thicker cartilage matrix with more homogenization. Gelatin/curcumin scaffolds were successfully used to construct engineered cartilage tissues in subcutaneous animal models. Our findings demonstrate that curcumin-loaded scaffolds have great clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-bandgap conjugated polymers with photocurrent response to near-infrared (NIR) wavelength are the basis of optoelectronic technologies such as semitransparent organic photovoltaics (STOPVs), NIR polymer photodetectors (PPDs), ambipolar field-effect transistors (FETs), photoacoustic (PA) imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). Compared with inorganic-based photodetectors, PPDs, based on low-bandgap conjugated polymers with the chemical structures easy to be tuned, can achieve a wide range of spectral responses. On the other hand, this kind of polymers can enhance the short-circuit current (JSC) in TOPV by extending the absorption spectrum range. In this review, our focus will be on the development of low-bandgap conjugated polymers extending over 1000 nm and the performance of PPDs or OPVs. The perspective article summarizes the design strategy of such polymers, the derivation process of the useful heterocycles, absorption, bandgap, and energy levels. Thereafter, we will draw attention to the challenges and the possible research direction in the future to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the design of NIR polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission patterns of three greenhouse gasses (GHGs), viz. CH4, CO2, and N2O from landfills, were examined on a lab scale. Three simulated semi-aerobic bioreactor landfills (SABL1, SABL2, SABL3), with respective vent-pipe inner diameters (φ) of 25, 50, and 75 mm, were used to investigate their effect on the greenhouse effect (GHE) during the municipal solid waste (MSW) stabilization process. We found that the vent-pipe φ influenced both MSW degradation and GHG emissions, increasing the vent-pipe φ which improved the removal of carbon and nitrogen-based pollutants. The GHG emissions were 364, 356, and 309 kg CO2 equivalents per ton of MSW from the SABL2, SABL1, and SABL3, respectively, during the operation of 465 days. Of the three GHGs, CH4 influenced the GHE the most, contributing 72.53%, 79.17%, and 71.42% in SABL1, SABL2, and SABL3, respectively. In the same sequence, CO2 (14.87%, 14.06%, and 21.9%) and N2O (12.6%, 6.77%, and 6.69%) were the second and third contributors to the GHE, respectively. Considering the rapidly MSW stabilization and the mitigation of GHG emissions, a vent pipe with φ of 75 mm in the SABL column (φ of 800 mm) was suggested. Moreover, the GHG mitigation in the SABL should be implemented by prioritizing CH4 collection and oxidation. The results provided a technical guidance for GHG mitigation in MSW management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal conductivity is a critical fuel performance property of uranium dioxide (UO2)-based nuclear fuels. Numerous studies have shown that xenon (Xe) fission gas plays a major role in fuel thermal conductivity degradation. It has also been shown that dispersed Xe atoms can cause a stronger phonon-scattering effect than their clustered form. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to study the dispersed Xe-induced thermal conductivity reduction using three different interatomic potentials. It is found that although these potentials result in significant discrepancies in the absolute thermal conductivity values, the normalized values are very similar at a wide range of temperatures and Xe concentrations. By integrating this unified effect into the experimentally measured thermal conductivities, a new analytical model is developed to predict the realistic thermal conductivities of UO2 at different dispersed Xe concentrations and temperatures. Using this new model, the critical Xe concentration that offsets the grain boundary Kapitza resistance effect in a high burnup structure is revisited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spraying concentrated leachate into an incineration furnace and burning is encouraged by the Chinese government as a harmless method for leachate treatment. In this research, the constituent transformation mechanism was studied, by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), of residues after burning the concentrated leachate in a muffle furnace at different temperatures (750 °C, 850 °C, 900 °C, 1000 °C, and 1100 °C). XRD results showed that the main components of the residues were metal chlorides and calcium salt crystals and that the peak position of most of these crystals changed little because their crystal structure was stable at high temperatures. SEM results illustrated that the higher the burning temperature, the smaller the solid particles, and the looser the structures of the residues. EDS analysis showed that S atoms in the concentrated leachate were usually transformed into gaseous compounds during incineration, whereas most of the Cl atoms could be fastened onto solid residues if an appropriate temperature was maintained. This study concluded that 900 °C was the best burning temperature for spraying concentrated leachate into the furnace. In addition, this study suggested that material selection for the nozzle and flue gas pipelines must pay more attention to corrosion caused by gaseous sulfur compounds. Similarly, material selection for the inner wall of the incinerator furnace should pay more attention to corrosion caused by Cl atoms. This means that the municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration power plants should incorporate various and appropriate corrosion-resistant materials according to the different regions of the incinerator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the impact of leachate recirculation frequency on the transformation of carbon and nitrogen pollutants in a semi-aerobic bioreactor landfill (SABL), three laboratory-scale SABLs were investigated, each using a different leachate recirculation frequency (daily, once each 3 days, and once each 5 days). Results showed that degradation of total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and total organic carbon (TOC) could be described using a quadratic polynomial-compound index model. Degradation rates of TN, NH4+-N, COD, and TOC slightly increased from 0.01795, 0.01814, 0.01451, and 0.01166 day−1 to 0.02054, 0.01903, 0.01488, and 0.01203 day−1, respectively, when the recirculation frequency increased from once per 5 days to once per 3 days. When recirculation frequency was increased to daily, degradation rates of TN, NH4+-N, COD, and TOC significantly increased to 0.03698, 0.02718, 0.02479, and 0.02872 day−1, respectively. Moreover, when recirculation frequency increased from once per 5 days to once per 3 days, the gasification rate of nitrogenous and carbonaceous pollutants was enhanced between 20.38 and 8.17%, respectively. When the leachate recirculation rate further increased to daily, only a small amount of carbonaceous and nitrogenous pollutants was transformed to the liquid phase. Thus, increasing the leachate recirculation frequency in an SABL benefits the removal of carbonaceous and nitrogenous pollutants from the reactor. In addition, the greater is the recirculation frequency, the lower is the residual carbon and nitrogen in the solid phase, and the higher is the gasification rate. A proper recirculation frequency promotes the stabilization of landfill leachate. This study provides a theoretical reference and experimental evidence for accelerating the stabilization of MSW and contributes to the macro-control of landfills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale gas flowback fluid (SGF) is generated during shale gas extraction and typically contains a variety of toxic and refractory organic compounds. In this work, a microwave-activated persulfate process (MW-PS process) was developed to pretreat SGF. The major factors influencing the treatment efficiency of the MW-PS process (PS dose, initial pH, MW power, and reaction time) were optimized, and the synergetic effect (SE), degradation of recalcitrant matter, and energy consumption were systematically investigated. Results showed that the SE of the process reached a high index (i.e., 9.85), suggesting a significant synergetic effect of MW and PS. In addition, under the optimal MW-PS condition (PS dose of 2.5 g/L, MW power of 900 W, and initial pH of 2), chemical oxygen demand removal reached 66.40% in a short reaction time of 10 min. Other analyses demonstrated that benzene series compounds, organic acids, lipid substances, alkanes, antioxidants, and fluorescent dissolved organic matter in SGF were decomposed to smaller-molecule organic matter, suggesting that refractory and toxic organic matter was removed by the MW-PS treatment process. Overall, the results of this study showed that MW-PS technology is an effective and promising method to treat SGF once the operation parameters are optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated persulfates are efficient reagents for oxidation of organic contaminants and water treatment. Various compounds are currently used to activate persulfates, but there is a need for cheap and efficient activators. Here, we report the first use of steel slag, an industrial solid waste, as a solid activator for peroxydisulfate activation. We tested this system for bisphenol A degradation. Results indicate that about 70% of bisphenol A can be removed within 1 h. Conditions were 50 μg/L of bisphenol A, 2 g/L of peroxydisulfate, 3 g/L of steel slag and temperature of 298 K. The components and surface morphology of unused and recycled steel slag were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, whereas the main reactive oxygen species were elucidated by using radical scavengers. Findings show that both base oxides and iron oxides are responsible for peroxydisulfate activation. A redox mechanism involving liquid and solid phases is proposed. Overall, this study reveals the successful recycling of steel slag to activate persulfates for water treatment, following the principle of ‘waste control by waste.’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microwave-Fenton technology was applied to dispose of the reverse-osmosis concentrated leachate. Influential factors on the treatment of concentrated leachate with the pure Fenton and microwave-Fenton method were investigated. For the conventional Fenton process, the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), UV254, and the color number (CN) reached 84%, 87%, and 96%, respectively, with the biodegradability (BOD5/CODCr) increased from 0.13 to 0.51 at an initial pH of 5.0, Fe2+ of 0.04 mol/L, a n(H2O2)/n(Fe2+) ratio of 8 after a reaction time of 3 h. When incorporating the Fenton process with microwave irradiation, a comparative CODCr and UV254, and the CN removal rate of 75%, 83%, and 95%, and a high BOD5/CODCr of 0.62 were achieved under a microwave power of 390 W and an extremely shortened reaction time of only 8 min. Meanwhile, sludge quantity showed a reduction of 24.7%, decreased from 8.50 g/L to 6.40 g/L after the participation of microwave. In addition, molecular-weight fraction (MWF), UV-visible spectrum (UV-vis), and 3D-EEM spectrum tests demonstrated that the macromolecular and complex organic compounds in the wastewater were significantly decomposed into small molecular matters. Our results found that microwave-Fenton is a promising technology for concentrated leachate treatment, with much shorter reaction time, lower sludge production, and enhanced biodegradability, as well as comparative organic matter removal performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese central government made a commitment to achieve a 40–45% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit of GDP by 2020 compared with 2005. This targeted reduction was allocated averagely among all the provinces rather than individually according to different situations of each province. Though some research has been done regarding this rough allocation, two shortcomings in previous studies exist: Firstly, CO2 marginal abatement cost (MAC) has been ignored as one of the CO2 emission reduction allocation indexes. Secondly, either subjective or objective method has been used rather than comprehensively of both subjective and objective method to calculate the weight of each index in the previous studies. In order to fill the gaps, this paper builds a two-stage Shapley information entropy model to allocate CO2 emission reduction quota among the Chinese provinces based on the equity and efficiency principles. Afterward, three CO2 emission reduction quota allocation scenarios have been proposed. The results show that the CO2 MAC is an indispensable index in CO2 emission reduction quota allocation, because its value of CO2 Shapley information entropy is the highest among five indexes. CO2 emission reduction quota of lower-MAC provinces should be allocated larger, while the quota of higher-MAC provinces should be allocated smaller. Therefore, two suggested policies have been proposed: First, differential CO2 emission reduction quota allocation should be proposed. Second, synergetic development should be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine translation of chemical nomenclature has considerable application prospect in chemical text data processing between languages. However, rule based machine translation tools have to face significant complication in rule sets building, especially in translation of chemical names between English and Chinese, which are the two most used languages of chemical nomenclature in the world. We applied two types of neural networks in the task of chemical nomenclature translation between English and Chinese, and made a comparison with an existing rule based machine translation tool. The result shows that deep learning based approaches have a great chance to precede rule based translation tools in machine translation of chemical nomenclature between English and Chinese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]