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Overuse of fossil fuels and anthropogenic activities have led to excessive emissions of carbon dioxide, leading to global warming, and measures to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are needed to overcome this global challenge. Therefore, exploring an environmentally friendly strategy for capturing airborne CO2 and converting it into high‐value‐added chemicals offers a promising pathway toward “carbon neutrality”. In recent years, porous organic polymers have attracted much attention for carbon capture and the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide because of their high specific surface area, high chemical stability, nanoscale porosity, and structural versatility, which make them easy to functionalize. In this review, we introduce the preparation methods for various POPs, the types of POPs adsorbed during carbon dioxide capture, and the progress in the use of POPs for the photocatalytic and chemicatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide, with a special discussion on the influence of adsorption type on the efficiency of catalytic conversion. Finally, we propose a prospective direction for the subsequent development of this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organosulfur compounds are regarded as a kind of prospective cathode materials for lithium batteries due to their high theoretical specific capacity. However, they still suffer from the issues of sluggish redox kinetics and low utilization. The rational design of the cathode host for effectively confining active materials and accelerating the sluggish sulfur kinetics is an effective strategy. Herein, the study synthesizes an atomic‐scale single‐atom cobalt catalyst and interweave it with CNTs to fabricate an ideal host material (donated as CoSANC@CNTs) for the cathode in Li–PTS batteries. Electrochemical measurements reveal that CoSANC not only efficiently accelerates the redox kinetics in the whole reaction process but also shows excellent adsorption capacity, which is corroborated by the theoretical calculation results as well. As excepted, the Li–PTS battery equipped with CoSANC@CNTs electrode delivers an outstanding long cycling stability with a high initial specific capacity of 550.2 mAh g−1 and a slow capacity decay rate of 0.05% per cycle over 700 cycles at 1 C. Even under a high PTS loading of 8.6 mg cm−2, the PTS/CoSANC@CNTs cathode is still maintained with an excellent capacity retention of 91.1% at 0.1 C after 50 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precious metals are valuable materials for the chemical industry, but they are scarce and pose a risk of supply disruption. Recycling precious metals from waste is a promising strategy, here we tactfully utilize light irradiation as an environmental‐friendly and energy‐saving adjunctive strategy to promote the reduction of precious metal ions, thereby improving the adsorption capacity and kinetics. A newly light‐sensitive covalent organic framework (PP‐COF) was synthesized to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of this light auxiliary strategy. The equilibrium adsorption capacities of PP‐COF with light irradiation towards gold, platinum, and silver ions are 4729, 573, and 519 mg g−1, which are 3.3, 1.9, and 1.2 times the adsorption capacities under dark condition. Significantly, a filtration column with PP‐COF can recover more than 99.8 % of the gold ions in the simulated e‐waste leachates with light irradiation, and 1 gram of PP‐COF can recover gold from up to 0.15 tonne of e‐waste leachates. Interestingly, the captured precious metals by PP‐COF with light irradiation mainly exist in the micron‐sized particles, which can be easily separated by extraction. We believe this work can contribute to precious metal recovery and circular economy for recycling resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraqi Journal of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Perovskite solar cells' (PSCs) potential lead leakage seriously threatens ecosystems and human health, significantly hindering their commercialization. In this paper, we develope a cost‐effective (less than 2$/m2) and long‐term stable SSP film by mixing sulfonated SiO2 with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Combined with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) forming the encapsulation layer, it can effectively prevent over 99% of lead leakage under simulated adverse weather conditions with different structures of devices (p‐i‐n and n‐i‐p) and modules. Even after 160 days of air storage, the film maintains excellent lead sequestration efficiency. Additionally, it has no negative impact on the performance and stability. This work offers a practical and economical strategy to mitigate the toxicity of perovskite photovoltaic devices, thereby promoting their commercialization.

In this study, lead ions were removed from simulated wastewater by batch adsorptive filtration. A three-dimensional printed water filtration was designed using a blender and successfully synthesized from a PLA spool and a 3d printer machine. The filter surface was treated with NaOH solution to hydrolyze the polyester group in PLA. After that, α-Fe2O3 was prepared by the coprecipitation method and coated on the filter through doping and drying. α-Fe2O3 was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer-Emmet-teller (BET). The results successfully indicate the synthesis of α-Fe2O3 consisting of 67.3% Fe and 32.7% O2. α-Fe2O3 appeared to have a surface area of 95 m²/g with distinct morphology and functional group. The effect of initial Pb concentration (100-800) ppm and the effect of contact time (5-120) min on the removal process were studied. Lab data was collected, and the adsorption was investigated kinetically. The 3d printed filter system coated by iron oxide showed significant and promised results for wastewater treatment and lead ions removal using this technique. Also, the results showed that the adsorption of Pb ions on the α-Fe2O3 surface fitted with the Langmuir model, with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 98.65%. The kinetic model’s investigations revealed that the pseudo-second-order model was the most fitted model for the process with R² of 99.997%. The highest adsorption saturation capacity was 165.2 mg/g adsorbent.

The purpose of this study is to reveal the adsorption mechanism of oxygen molecules on gold clusters. density functional theory is employed to investigate the low-energy structure of multiple O2 adsorption on the Au10+ cluster and findings are compared with IR spectra. The nature of bonding of the O2 molecule and Au10+ cluster has been characterised through several metrics like binding energy, dissociation energy, bond length, and vibrational frequencies. The result shows that the lowest-energy structures are prism-shaped rather than tetrahedron-shaped, where only one O2 is chemically adsorbed while others are physically adsorbed. Chemically adsorbed η2-O2 behaves like free O2–, forming a single electron π bond with Au10+, while physically adsorbed η1-O2 does not result in an effective chemical bond and behaves like free O2. This study provides insights into the mechanism of oxygen molecule adsorption on gold clusters and can contribute to further research on the catalytic mechanism of gold clusters. Highlights Lowest energy structures are prism-shaped rather than tetrahedron-shaped, which is supported by IR spectrum and chemical hardness. Chemically adsorbed O2 is activated and displays structural and spectral features of free O2–, while physically adsorbed O2 is close to free O2 in vibrational frequency and bond length. Chemical adsorption is equivalent to a single electron π bond while physical adsorption forms no effective chemical bond due to the lack of electronic pairing between Au10+ and O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony pollution and sewage sludge disposal have become global environmental protection issues. In this study, through the resource utilization of iron manganese mud (IMM) generated during the backwash of water supply plants, a new type of composite gel ball adsorbent for antimony removal (CAAR) was prepared. The characterization results demonstrated that CAAR's adsorption effect was mainly through ion exchange between -OH and Sb(III). The chemical adsorption of functional group exchange and the physical adsorption of electrostatic gravity were jointly controlled. The adsorption process could be described by the quasi-secondary kinetic model and the Freundlich model. Through the exploration of the influencing factors, we found that CAAR has a wide range of pH applications and can maintain a removal rate of over 92% in the range of pH 2.0 to 8.0. When the pH is 4.0, the dosage is 3.0 g/L, at 30 ℃ and 12 h, the removal rate of CAAR to Sb(III) is 95.95%, and the adsorption amount is 6.36 mg/g. The CAAR regeneration research experiments have shown that after four regenerations, the removal rate of Sb(III) could be maintained at more than 50%, and the mechanical strength of the regenerated CAAR is preferable. In summary, CAAR is an adsorbent for removing Sb(III) from water, which has broad application prospects and further research value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

[Display omitted] The commercial application of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) has been seriously hindered by the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and their slow redox kinetics. In this work, g-C 3 N 4 /MoO 3 composed of graphite carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) nanoflake and MoO 3 nanosheet is designed and applied to modify the separator. The polar MoO 3 can form chemical bond with LiPSs, effectively slowing down the dissolution of LiPSs. And based on the principle of "Goldilocks", LiPSs will be oxidized by MoO 3 to thiosulfate, which will promote the rapid conversion from long-chain LiPSs to Li 2 S. Moreover, g-C 3 N 4 can promote the electron transportation, and its high specific surface area can facilitate the deposition and decomposition of Li 2 S. What's more, the g-C 3 N 4 promotes the preferential orientation on the MoO 3 (0 2 1) and MoO 3 (0 4 0) crystal planes, which optimizes the adsorption capacity of g-C 3 N 4 /MoO 3 for LiPSs. As a result, the LSBs with g-C 3 N 4 /MoO 3 modified separator with a synergistic adsorption-catalysis, can achieve an initial capacity of 542 mAh g−1 at 4C with capacity decay rate of 0.0053% per cycle for 700 cycles. This work achieves the synergy of adsorption and catalysis of LiPSs through the combination of two materials, providing a material design strategy for advanced LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sulfur cathode host Fe1‐xMxS2 (M=transition‐metal; x=0, 0.125, and 0.25) for the sulfur redox chemistry is essential to facilitate the fast charge‐discharge kinetics of lithium‐sulfur‐batteries (LSBs). Applying first‐principles calculations, the formation energy, conductivity, work function, charge redistribution, chemical adsorption, and catalytic performance of Fe1‐xMxS2 are systematically investigated. Ti/V‐doped FeS2 has low lattice distortion and formation energy, and facilitates the Li+ diffusion due to charge redistribution. Chemical adsorption for polysulfides (LiPSs) is closely related to d‐band center of Fe1‐xMxS2. Li2S's activation begins with the transfer of electrons from the electron‐rich metal center to the empty orbitals of Li2S. Gibbs free energy change of Li2S4 to Li2S determines the catalytic efficiency. Li2S deposition and decomposition affects the redox kinetics of sulfur. Ti/V‐doped FeS2 has superior conductivity, chemical adsorption, and has low thermodynamic barrier of Li2S deposition. Li2S decomposition tends to occur on Fe0.875Ti0.125S2(001) surface. In general, Ti/V‐doped FeS2, as the host material of the sulfur cathode, is more beneficial to the cycle performance of LSBs. The electrochemical properties of sulfur cathode host materials can be controlled by doping, and can be manipulated and optimized in a certain range through electronic structure and chemical composition design in LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realizing industrial‐scale production of HCOOH from the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) is very important, but the current density as well as the electrochemical potential window are still limited to date. Herein, we achieved this by integration of chemical adsorption and electrocatalytic capabilities for the CO2RR via anchoring In nanoparticles (NPs) on biomass‐derived substrates to create In/X−C (X=N, P, B) bifunctional active centers. The In NPs/chitosan‐derived N‐doped defective graphene (In/N‐dG) catalyst had outstanding performance for the CO2RR with a nearly 100 % Faradaic efficiency (FE) of HCOOH across a wide potential window. Particularly, at 1.2 A ⋅ cm−2 high current density, the FE of HCOOH was as high as 96.0 %, and the reduction potential was as low as −1.17 V vs RHE. When using a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), a pure HCOOH solution could be obtained at the cathode without further separation and purification. The FE of HCOOH was still up to 93.3 % at 0.52 A ⋅ cm−2, and the HCOOH production rate could reach 9.051 mmol ⋅ h−1 ⋅ cm−2. Our results suggested that the defects and multilayer structure in In/N‐dG could not only enhance CO2 chemical adsorption capability, but also trigger the formation of an electron‐rich catalytic environment around In sites to promote the generation of HCOOH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hierarchically nanostructured magnetite (Fe3O4) was manufactured using microwave-assisted reflux method without surfactants. The nanostructured Fe3O4 is formed via the co-precipitation of Fe(III) and Fe(II), followed by a nanocrystal aggregation-based mechanism. Moreover, the effects of solution pH, contact time, initial Sb concentration, coexisting anions, and recycle numbers on the adsorption of nanostructured Fe3O4 toward Sb were extensively examined in the batch adsorption tests. The results demonstrated that the obtained Fe3O4 exhibited excellent adsorption ability toward Sb with the maximum adsorption capacities of 154.2 and 161.1 mg.g−1 for Sb(III) and Sb(V), respectively. The prepared Fe3O4 could be easily regenerated and reused for adsorption/desorption studies multiple times without compromising the Sb adsorption ability. Further exploration indicated that the oxidation or reduction reactions infrequently occurred during Sb adsorption processes. The proposed hierarchically nanostructured Fe3O4 thus could be potentially used for sustainable and efficient antimony removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mechanically strong binder with polar functional groups could overcome the dilemma of the large volume change during charge/discharge processes and poor cyclability of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this work, for the first time, we report the use of poly(thiourea triethylene glycol) (PTTG) as a multifunctional binder for sulfur cathodes to enhance the performance of LSBs. As expected, the PTTG binder facilitates the high performance and stability delivered by the Sulfur-PTTG cathode, including a higher reversible capacity of 825 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 80 cycles, a lower capacity fading (0.123% per cycle) over 350 cycles at 0.5 C, a higher areal capacity of 2.5 mAh cm−2 at 0.25 mA cm−2, and better rate capability of 587 mAh g−1 at 2 C. Such superior electrochemical performances could be attributed to PTTG's strong chemical adsorption towards polysulfides which may avoid the lithium polysulfide shuttle effect and excellent mechanical characteristics which prevents electrode collapse during cycling and allows the Sulfur-PTTG electrode to maintain robust electron and ion migration pathways for accelerated redox reaction kinetics.

In order to further analyze the microscopic mechanism of Hg, removal by modified RHGC, a four-carbon ring model of rice husk gasification char (RHGC) was constructed. Based on the B3LYP functional and the 6-31G(d)/Lant2dz mixed basis set in quantum chemical density functional theory, combined with the method of intrinsic reaction coordinate and frequency analysis, the reaction paths and reaction energy barriers of Hgo removal was revealed. The results showed that the adsorption energy of silver-modified RHGC was between 50kJ/mol and -960kJ/mol, which was judged as chemical adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the heavy metal ion in aqueous solutions, Pb2+ has certain harm to the surrounding natural and ecological environment. To eliminate the pollution of Pb2+ in aqueous solution, Na-type zeolite was prepared from the coal gasification slag by alkaline activation technology, and then the hydrodynamic of fluidized bed with Na-type zeolite granules was studied to achieve fluidization stability. Finally, the adsorption process and mechanism of Pb2+ in aqueous solutions using Na-type zeolite were studied by multiple adsorption experiments in stable fluidized bed. The results showed that: The removal process of Pb2+ using Na-type zeolite is a single-layer adsorption dominated by chemical adsorption, companying with surface electrostatic interaction and ionic exchange processes in the interlayer. Fluidized adsorption process of Pb2+ by Na-type zeolite is mainly affected by rising-water velocity, original concentration of Pb2+, and bed material quantity in fluidized bed. The order of influence significance was as below: Original concentration (c o) > Bed material quantity (m o) > Rising-water velocity (v t). Under optimal opera t ing conditions (c o =200 mg/L, v t =0.053 m/s, m o =72 g), t he fluidized bed have higher adsorption saturation (q s =0.649 g/g) than that of fixed bed (q s =0.501 g/g), promoting the adsorption process of Pb2+ by Na-type zeolite. This research provided a new method for the efficient removal of Pb2+ from aqueous solution. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe "shuttle effect" of dissolved polysulfide intermediates and the poor electronic conductivity of sulfur cathodes cause capacity decay of lithium–sulfur batteries and impede their commercialization. Herein, we synthesized a series of well-designed yolk-shelled Fe3O4@carbon (YS-Fe3O4@C) nanocavities with different proportions of Fe3O4 as efficient sulfur hosts to stabilize polysulfide intermediates. The yolk-shelled nanocavity architectures were prepared through a facile method, which could effectively confine the active materials and achieve high conductivity. The polysulfide intermediate shuttle was successfully suppressed by a physiochemical synergism effect combining the retention of carbon shells and the adsorption of Fe3O4 nanoparticle cores. The highly conductive carbon shell provides efficient pathways for fast electron transportation. Meanwhile, the visible evolution of active materials and a reversible electrochemical reaction are revealed by in situ X-ray diffraction. With the balanced merits of enhanced electrical conductivity of carbon shell and optimal adsorption of Fe3O4 cores, the S/YS-27Fe3O4@C cathode (Fe3O4 accounts for 27 wt% in YS-Fe3O4@C) had the best electrochemical performance, exhibiting a high reversible specific capacity of 731.9 mAh g−1 and long cycle performance at 1 C (capacity fading rate of 0.03% over 200 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high specific energy exhibit great potential for next-generation energy-storage systems, their practical applications are limited by the growth of Li dendrites and lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) shuttling. Herein, a highly porous red phosphorus sponge (HPPS) with well distributed pore structure was efficiently prepared via a facile and large-scale hydrothermal process for polysulfides adsorption and dendrite suppression. As experimental demonstrated, the porous red phosphorus modified separator with increased active site greatly promotes the chemisorption of LiPSs to efficiently immobilize the active sulfur within the cathode section, while Li metal anode activated by Li3P interlayer with abundant ionically conductive channels significantly eliminates the barrier for uniform Li+ permeation across the interlayer, contributing to the enhanced stability for both S cathode and Li anode. Mediated by the HPPS, long-term stability of 1,200 h with minor voltage hysteresis is achieved in symmetric cells with Li3P@Li electrode while Li-S half-cell based on HPPS modified separator delivers an outperformed reversibility of 783.0 mAh·g−1 after 300 cycles as well as high-rate performance of 694.5 mAh·g−1 at 3 C, which further boosts the HPPS tuned full cells in practical S loading (3 mg·cm−2) and thin Li3P@Li electrode (100 µm) with a capacity retention of 71.8% after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. This work provides a cost-effective and metal free mediator for simultaneously alleviating the fundamental issues of both S cathode and Li anode towards high energy density and long cycle life Li-S full batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a novel technology, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted worldwide attention due to their high photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) and low fabricating cost. Moreover, with the development of this technology, PSCs have achieved a great breakthrough in PCE. However, the heavy metal element Pb in PSCs does harm to human health and ecological environments, which restricts the further application of Pb-based PSCs. Under certain circumstances, the leakage of lead will cause serious pollution to the environment. The purpose of this review is to summary and discuss the way of lead leakage suppression. Among them, we pay more attention to the method of packaging technology, chemisorption procession and the limitations of each method. Finally, strategies of highly PCE and non-toxic perovskite devices are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supported polyamines are promising candidates for the chemical adsorption of CO2, the performance of which is highly dependent on the porous structure of supports. In this work, we synthesized a kind of fibrous carbon microspheres (FCMs) from environmentally friendly and low-cost chitin. The synthesized FCMs have microspheric morphology and fibrous sub-architecture, and the carbon fibers interweave to form pores with large diameters. The flexibility of the pores formed by the interweaving of carbon fibers also enable the supporting of high quantity of polyamines. Given these features, pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA) was physically dispersed in the pores of FCMs to prepare PEHA/FCMs adsorbents, which were systematically characterized and investigated for CO2 capture performance. It is found that PEHA/FCMs adsorbents show excellent ability for CO2 adsorption, with the highest CO2 capacity of 3.90 mmol g−1 at 75 °C when using 10 vol% of CO2 for determinations. The reversibility of PEHA/FCMs adsorbents for CO2 adsorption is also fairly good, and PEHA/FCMs adsorbents have strong ability for the selective adsorption of low-content CO2 from N2.

Municipal sludge biochar (MSBC) can be used to absorb phosphorus in water for waste treatment. Nano-zero-valent zinc (nZVZ) was uniformly attached to MSBC to obtain a highly efficient phosphorus-absorbing composite material, nZVZ–MSBC. Characterization by FTIR, XPS, XRD, and BET showed that nZVZ was uniformly dispersed on the surface of the MSBC. Zinc loading was able to greatly improve the adsorption performance of MSBC for phosphorus. Adsorption experiments illustrated that the adsorption process conformed to the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption amount was 186.5 mg/g, which is much higher than that for other municipal sludge biochars. The adsorption process reached 80% of the maximum adsorption capacity at 90 min, and this gradually stabilized after 240 min; adsorption equilibrium was reached within 24 h. The optimum pH for adsorption was 5. The main adsorption mechanism was chemical adsorption, but physical adsorption, external diffusion, internal diffusion, and surface adsorption also played roles. The potential for application as an efficient adsorbent of phosphorus from water was confirmed. In addition, a novel strategy for municipal sludge disposal and resource utilization is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion inhibition potency of 1-(2-ethylamino-1,3,4-thiadiazol-5-yl)-3-phenyl-3-oxopropan (ETO) for mild steel in 1.0 M hydrochloric acid was investigated by applying weight loss techniques, and quantum chemical calculations. Conditions that determine the potential for corrosion inhibition, including; concentration, the structure of ETO, and solution temperature, were chosen for the study. The highest inhibitive efficacy of ETO was 98.4%, at the optimum concentration (500 ppm) and room temperature. ETO has superior corrosion inhibitive potency in the HCl environment, owing to the presence of the thiadiazole and benzene rings, in addition to carbonyl and amino groups. Applicable thermodynamical equations were used to calculate the activation energy, enthalpy, and entropy. The adsorption isotherms were applied to determine the Gibbs free energy difference. The experimental findings of the investigation revealed that the activation energy of an inhibited process was higher than for an uninhibited process. Furthermore, the increased inhibition efficiency with improving temperature, and the values of ΔGo, indicated that ETO molecules coated the mild steel surface in both chemical adsorption and physical interactions. The adsorption process on the mild steel surface obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Both experimental and density functional theory (DFT) findings in the current investigation are in excellent agreement.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are regarded as one of the promising advanced energy storage systems due to their ultrahigh capacity and energy density. However, their practical applications are still hindered by the serious shuttle effect and sluggish reaction kinetics of soluble lithium polysulfides. Herein, g-C3N4 nanosheets and graphene decorated with an ultrafine Co-species nanodot heterostructure (Co@g-C3N4/G) as separator coatings were designed following a facile approach. Such an interlayer can not only enable effective polysulfide affinity through the physical barrier and chemical binding but also simultaneously have a catalytic effect on polysulfide conversion. Because of these superior merits, the Li-S cells assembled with Co@g-C3N4/G-PP separators matched with the S/KB composites (up to ~70 wt% sulfur in the final cathode) exhibit excellent rate capability and good cyclic stability. A high specific capacity of ~860 mAh g−1 at 2.0 C as well as a capacity-fading rate of only ~0.035% per cycle over 350 cycles at 0.5 C can be achieved. This bifunctional separator can even endow a Li-S cell at a low current density to exhibit excellent cycling capability, with a capacity retention rate of ~88.4% at 0.2 C over 250 cycles. Furthermore, a Li-S cell with a Co@g-C3N4/G-PP separator possesses a stable specific capacity of 785 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C after 150 cycles and a superior capacity retention rate of ~84.6% with a high sulfur loading of ~3.0 mg cm−2. This effective polysulfide-confined separator holds good promise for promoting the further development of high-energy-density Li-S batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The V 4 C 3 T x MXene modified separator employed in Li-S batteries boosts the "adsorption-diffusion-conversion" process of lithium polysulfides and enables superior electrochemical performance. [Display omitted] • Larger LiPSs adsorption energy than other MXene infers that V 4 C 3 T x could immobilize LiPSs more effectively. • Lower Gibbs free energies for the S reduction than the isolated S indicates the V 4 C 3 T x is an efficient catalyst. • Theoretical calculations show that the V 4 C 3 T x boosts the "adsorption-diffusion-conversion" of LiPSs. • The V 4 C 3 T x prepared by HF etching was first used for separator modification in LSB with enhanced performance. • This work expands the new available type and scope of the MXene family in Li-S batteries application. Many attempts have recently used rationally-designed Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene-based materials to increase sulfur utilization and tackle the detrimental shuttle effect in Li–S batteries (LSBs) due to their merits of high electronic conductivity, considerable catalytic activity, and sulfur immobilization. Nevertheless, the investigation of applying other two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides in LSBs is comparatively rare. In this work, the first-principles computations predicted that V 4 C 3 T x could boost the "adsorption-diffusion-conversion" process of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) over that of most other metal carbides of the MXene family. Inspired by this, we prepared the V 4 C 3 T x MXene by hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching and then used it as a functional material coating on a polypropylene (PP) separator for LSB. As expected, the V 4 C 3 T x modified PP separator (V 4 C 3 T x -PP) can effectively prevent the shuttle effect of LiPSs via physical blocking, chemical adsorption, and catalytic conversion, as confirmed by visual polysulfide adsorption and diffusion tests, XPS analysis, and a series of electrochemical evaluations. As a result, the LSB with a V 4 C 3 T x -PP enabled a high capacity and enhanced cycling performance (927 mAh g−1 at 1 C and 516 mAh g−1 retained for over 800 cycles, 1 C = 1675 mA g−1). More encouragingly, the cell achieves a superior rate capability of 725 mAh g−1 at 2 C and 586 mAh g−1 at 4 C, respectively. In addition, the V 4 C 3 T x -PP-based LSB shows a high areal capacity of 4.3 mAh cm−2, even with the sulfur loading up to 4 mg cm−2. This work expands the application types and scope of MXenes from theoretical and experimental points of view. The first use of the V 4 C 3 T x MXene modified separator in Li-S batteries creates high potential for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

m-Cresol containing wastewater has generally become a globally environmental issue due to its refractory and high toxicity towards plants, animals and human being. The development of m-cresol related industries increases the risk of excessive m-cresol discharge, making high efficiency methods to treat m-cresol an urgent topic in both economic and environmental aspects. This review focuses on the chemical treatment methods of m-cresol wastewater, including chemical adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, electrocatalytic degradation and catalytic wet oxidation. The efficiency, cost and process optimization of different methods are discussed in detail. Chemical adsorption is convenient but has relatively low efficiency. Photocatalytic degradation is an easily operated technology with high efficiency, but the selection of catalyst is too limited and the cost of light source is relatively high. Electrocatalytic degradation is time-saving but energy-intensive, and operational difficulty brings a barrier to industrialization. Catalytic wet oxidation (CWO) is highly effective and easily modified, but the performance and stability of catalysts are still very moderate. Following this, the selection and application of different methods regarding the requirement of actual environment are analyzed. Finally, a perspective on the opportunities and development for efficient m-cresol removal method is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odor ΨΩγemission has become mathvariant="normal" mathvariant="sans-serif-bold-italic" an important issue in kitchen waste management. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are the two most important odor sources as they contribute malodor and can cause health problems. As biotreatment and chemical treatment are two majorly applied technologies for odor control, in this study, they were used to remove ammonia and hydrogen sulfide and the performance of each process was compared. It was found that chemical absorption could efficiently eliminate both ammonia and hydrogenmathvariant="script" sulfide, and the removal efficiencies of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide highly depended on the pH of the adsorbent, contacting time, and gas and solution ratio (G/S). The ammonia-removal efficiency reached 100% within less than 2 s at G/S 600 and pH 0.1. The complete removal of hydrogen sulfide was achieved within 2 s at G/S 4000 and pH 13. Biotrickling filter showed better ability for hydrogen sulfide removal and the removal efficiency was 91.9%; however, the ammonia removal was only 73.5%. It suggests that chemical adsorption is more efficient compared to biotreatment for removing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. In the combination of the two processes, biotrickling filter followed by chemical adsorption, the final concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide could meet the Level 1 standard of Emission Standards for Odor Pollution (China). The study provides a potential approach for odor control during kitchen waste aerobic composting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precious metals are valuable materials for the chemical industry, but they are scarce and pose a risk of supply disruption. Recycling precious metals from waste is a promising strategy, here we tactfully utilize light irradiation as an environmental-friendly and energy-saving adjunctive strategy to promote the reduction of precious metal ions, thereby improving the adsorption capacity and kinetics. A newly light-sensitive covalent organic framework (PP-COF) was synthesized to illustrate the effectiveness and feasibility of this light auxiliary strategy. The equilibrium adsorption capacities of PP-COF with light irradiation towards gold, platinum, and silver ions are 4729, 573, and 519 mg g -1 , which are 3.3, 1.9, and 1.2 times the adsorption capacities under dark condition. Significantly, a filtration column with PP-COF can recover more than 99.8 % of the gold ions in the simulated e-waste leachates with light irradiation, and 1 gram of PP-COF can recover gold from up to 0.15 tonne of e-waste leachates. Interestingly, the captured precious metals by PP-COF with light irradiation mainly exist in the micron-sized particles, which can be easily separated by extraction. We believe this work can contribute to precious metal recovery and circular economy for recycling resources., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Although plant evolution has offered diverse biomass resources, the production of high-quality biochar from desirable lignocelluloses remains unexplored. In this study, distinct lignocellulose substrates derived from eight representative plant species were employed to prepare biochar samples under three different temperature treatments. Correlation analysis showed that only hemicellulose was a consistently positive factor of lignocellulose substrates to account for the dye-adsorption capacities of diverse biochar samples. Furthermore, we integrated exo-xylan, a major hemicellulose in higher plants, into lignin-disassociated lignocelluloses to produce the desirable biochar with a uniform and symmetrical structure, resulting in a 5.2-fold increase in surface area (51 to 317 m 2 /g) and a 5.0-fold increase in total pore volume (0.02 to 0.11 cm 3 /g micropore, 0.02 to 0.12 cm 3 /g mesopore). This consequently improved the adsorption capacities of the remodeled biochar, with an increase of 26 % for dual-industry dyes, 90 % for 1579 organic compounds, and 14 % for CO 2 . Based on the fluorescence observation of xylan-cellulose co-localization and physical-chemical characterization of the remodeled biochar, a novel hypothetical model was proposed to explain how xylan plays an integral role in desired biochar production, providing insights into effective lignocellulose reconstruction and efficient thermochemical catalysis as an integrative strategy to maximize biochar adsorption capacity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The industrial production processes often produce different concentrations and types of odorous pollutants. Most odors have a low odor threshold, and the human sense of smell can still have a strong, unpleasant odor even at low ppb concentrations. The main challenges in low ppm concentration odor purification are short contact time, high air volume, low equilibrium adsorption capacity, and easy physical desorption. For the first time, this work reviews the technical paths how to purify four typical types of low concentrations of odors such as H 2 S, NH 3 , CH 3 SH, and CH 3 SCH 3 from low ppm concentration levels to low ppb, with the view of the odor sources, the development of treatment technology, international permissible emission standards, and the recent status of adsorbent materials. To begin, Citespace software is employed to analyze the progress, hotspots, and technology trends in the field of odor pollutant research over the past 28 years and the factors that affect removal efficiency of low-concentration odorous pollutants are discussed in detail. Then, taking activated carbon, molecular sieve, and metal-organic frameworks as target adsorbents, how to strengthen the integrated ways of physical adsorption and chemical adsorption of these adsorbents are suggested starting from the synergistic effects of modifications for pore structure, surface chemical functional groups, and complexation and redox reactions of metal ions. As a practice, the application cases of purifying low-concentration odorous pollutants by the adsorption are briefly introduced. Finally, the challenges of developing novel adsorption materials and technologies to purify low-concentration odorous pollutants toward lower than odor threshold are presented., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In the adsorption process, the adsorbed elements are established in different layers on the adsorbent surface. The first layer is placed on the adsorbent surface due to the direct contact and covalent bonding (chemical adsorption) and the other layers are placed on top of the adsorbent surface due to the covalent force (physical adsorption). In this research, for the first time, the law of mass conservation is used to calculate the chemical capacity of adsorbents in “aqueous solution”. In this study, first, the theory of the new model is presented. Then, the results of kinetic adsorption and adsorption experiments of heavy metals and metalloid (Fe2+, Pb2+, Cr6+, Ni2+, Cd2+ and As2+) by Jacobi activated carbon adsorbents, Iranian activated carbon and blowy sand are described. Next, the capability of the new model is compared to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models (in the equilibrium absorption range). Ultimately, the chemical adsorption capacity for different adsorbents is determined. The results of kinetic adsorption of heavy metals study by Jacobi carbon adsorbent demonstrated that with decreasing the initial concentration of the solution, the adsorption efficiency increases. Therefore, when the initial concentration decreases to 20 mg/L, all elements are adsorbed with 100% efficiency. It means at low concentrations, the chemical adsorption (one-way reaction) has occurred and equilibrium concentration was not seen. Moreover, the results of isotherm adsorption studies illustrate that all three models describe the adsorption isotherm data well in the equilibrium concentrations (physical absorption). But, Shamohammadi model has presented a better determination coefficient (0.964>R2

Zinc metal corrosion inhibitor potential of some flavonoid derivatives, namely, naringenin (NRNG), morin hydrate (MNHD), and 6-hydroxyflavone (6-HFN), was investigated by measuring their inhibitory activities, determining their thermodynamic and kinetic adsorption mechanistic properties as well as comparing their molecular⋅⋅⋅Zn metal surface interaction strengths. The inhibition efficiencies were evaluated in 1.5 M hydrochloric acid (HCl) environment and different concentrations of the inhibitors (from 2.0 × 10−4 – 1.8 × 10−3 M) using gravimetric and various electrochemical methods at 30–60 °C. The molecular···metal surface interactions were determined using the density functional theory method by using the GGA/RPBE/DNP approach. Electrochemical studies show that 6-HFN and NRNG are the most and least effective corrosion inhibitors, with 77.54 and 70.46 maximum percentage inhibition efficiency, respectively. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy technique was used to compare the concentration of the zinc ions that remained in the solution after gravimetric analysis in the absence and presence of the inhibitors at 30 °C; it was found that the inhibited solution contained less concentrations of zinc ions as compared to the uninhibited solution. Surface morphology techniques (e.g., 3D microscope) suggest that a localised type of corrosion took place on the metals, and the corrosion damage was minimal in the presence of the inhibitors. FT-IR showed a strong adsorption of the functional groups found in the inhibitor compounds, with CC functional group being strongly retained by all three inhibitors. The flavonoid inhibitor compounds were found to absorb chemically at low temperatures and physically at high temperatures. Langmuir adsorption isotherm was obeyed. The trend for molecular···metal surface interaction strengths follows the trend obtained from experimental findings on inhibition efficiency. Overall, the results suggest that all the molecules investigated are good corrosion inhibitors with a preference for those compounds in which there exists extended electron delocalization through the aromatic rings and in which there are minimal electron-withdrawing groups on the aromatic rings.

We developed and evaluated an anodized-aluminum pressure-sensitive paint (AA-PSP) with new formulations of free-base porphyrin, H 2 TCPP , as an optical unsteady pressure sensor. The luminophore H 2 TCPP has quite a short fluorescent lifetime (2.4 ns on the condition of the AA-PSP). The fluorescence spectroscopy result shows that the excitation wavelength of H 2 TCPP corresponds to violet-colored (425 nm) and green-colored (longer than 520 nm) lights. The pressure sensitivity is sufficiently high for the pressure sensor (0.33–0.51%/kPa) and the temperature sensitivity is very low (0.07–1.46%/K). The photodegradation of the AA-PSPs is not severe in both excitation light sources of the green LED and the Nd:YAG laser. The resonance tube experiment result shows the cut-off frequency of the AA-PSPs is over 9.0 kHz, and the results of the shock tube experiment show the 10 µs order time constant of the normal shock wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb‐based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) as one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies for commercialization have attracted tremendous attention in recent years. However, the toxicity and leakage of heavy metal Pb from perovskite film have become critical obstacles for eco‐friendly development. Extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain, high temperature, or strong sunlight may accelerate the undesired decomposition of perovskite film and cause inevitable Pb contamination in the ecosystem, which results in a potential threat to animals and the environment. In this review, guidelines for successfully managing Pb in PSCs are provided to open a pathway toward sustainable development. First, the toxicological research of Pb that can cause health problems for humans and contaminate the environment is discussed. Then, the decomposition mechanism of perovskite film and Pb leakage pathways under simulated environments in terms of moisture, high temperature, and illumination are briefly reviewed. Moreover, strategies to inhibit Pb leakage including physical sequestration, chemical adsorption, and Pb component substitution engineering are systematically summarized. Finally, different pathways for achieving the goal of Pb recycling and sustainable utilization are systematically analyzed. With a comprehensive understanding of these effects, rational strategies for sustainable Pb management can be made to accelerate the development of this emerging field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered one of the most promising candidate for next-generation storage systems due to their excellent theoretical energy density. Nevertheless, the inevitable "shuttle effect" of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) leads to poor cycle stability. Herein, we report the in-situ coating MnO2 nanosheets on the Co3O4@C nanospheres (Co3O4@C@MnO2) as modified separators for LSBs. The study shows that the outer layer of MnO2 has a high affinity for LiPSs and can anchor LiPSs through strong chemical adsorption. The internal Co3O4@C has admirable catalytic activity, which can accelerate the complete conversion of LiPSs to Li2S. Benefiting from the synergistic effects between the outer layer MnO2 on the adsorption of LiPSs and the inner Co3O4@C on the catalysis of LiPSs, the cells exhibit an outstanding electrochemical performance, including high reversible capacity of 734 mAh g−1 at 1 C, a low-capacity decay rate of 0.0406% per cycle around 500 cycles. This work provides an impressive method for high-performance LSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elucidation of interfacial physicochemical mechanisms between asphalt and mineral aggregates is vital for comprehending the interface formation in asphalt mixtures and enhancing their performance. To this end, multiscale evaluation methods were used to investigate the mechanisms and influencing factors of interfacial physicochemical interactions between asphalt and mineral aggregates (IPIAMA). Initially, the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) was used to measure the complex shear modulus (G*) of various asphalt mastics. Subsequently, the interface film thickness was calculated using G* in conjunction with the Hashin and Mori-Tanaka (MT) micromechanical models. This indicator facilitated quantitative assessments and the analysis of influencing factors. The results indicated that the MT model underestimated the interface film thickness by approximately 0.08–0.29 % compared to the Hashin model, a discrepancy attributable to assumptions regarding aggregate particle interlocking. Moreover, the interface film thickness systematically varied with factors such as aggregate content, type of aggregate, and type of asphalt, ranging from 0.24 to 0.53 μm. To further elucidate the IPIAMA mechanisms behind these variations, the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the ultraviolet test (UV) testing were conducted. FTIR tests demonstrated that the primary components of mineral aggregates—dolomite, calcite, and quartz—contributed to the physical adsorption increments on asphalt functional groups by 0.0185, 0.0509, and 0.004, respectively. SEM images revealed that dolomite and calcite possessed more surface fissures and pores than quartz. XPS tests showed that calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate chemically reacted with asphalt, resulting in electron shifts of 0.9 eV and 1.1 eV, respectively, while silicon oxide only exhibited electron shifts when combined with a silane coupling agent-modified asphalt. UV tests demonstrated that lighter asphalt fractions were preferentially absorbed into the pores and micro-cracks of mineral aggregates. Consequently, the complex IPIAMA involved physical adsorption, chemical reactions, and selective absorption, strongly correlating with factors such as mineral composition, surface morphology, and asphalt type. • Calculated asphalt-mineral interface film thickness via micromechanical models and analyzed key influencing factors. • Investigated physical and chemical adsorption between asphalt and mineral aggregates using FTIR, SEM, and XPS methods. • Verified selective adsorption behavior between asphalt and minerals through ultraviolet analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Above 92% 131I removal efficiency within alkaline pH range of 8–11. • Adjustable silver content in adsorbent through synthesis to regulate iodine capture capacity. • Higher 131I removal efficiency in real seawater than that of commercial resins. • Ion exchange and complexation mechanisms occurring at specific binding sites ensure selectivity. For the efficient removal of radioactive iodide ions from medium and low radioactive contaminated water, an Ag-doped adsorbent was designed via radiation grafting method and chemical modification and applied based on the solid–liquid adsorption method. The silver loading content in the adsorbents could be flexibly decided by adjusting the sulfhydryl content. SEM/EDS, ATR, XPS, and XRD characterization methods were used to determine the features of the new adsorbents. With the silver content 67.9 mg/g and 125.6 mg/g in the adsorbents PGM25%-Ag+ and PGM220%-Ag+ respectively, the maximum I− adsorption capacities were varied at 29.92 mg/g and 100.82 mg/g. In wide pH conditions (pH7-11), PGM25%-Ag+ was sufficient to achieve 131I removal efficiency of over 92 %, and the removal efficiency was almost unaffected in the coexistence of high concentration (10 mmol/L) of anions and complex real contaminated seawater, highlighting the applicability and selectivity of the adsorbent. The adsorption behavior conformed to the Langmuir isothermal model and pseudo-second-order kinetics model. XPS analysis confirmed that excellent adsorption capacity and selectivity were attributed to the chemical adsorption mechanism of ion exchange and complexation occurs between I− and Ag on the solid–liquid interface, where AgI precipitation formed. In addition, the Ag+-doping adsorbent withstood the harsh conditions of 200 kGy irradiation by observing the ATR structure, thermal stability, and 131I removal property. This study provides a feasible solution for the treatment of low and medium-radioactive contaminated seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic diagrams illustrating the principle of improving batteries performance by modifying separator with NSC/PP and MS@NSC/PP. [Display omitted] • Expanding aids in distributing metal sulfides uniformly via impregnation. • Carbon material covers large pores and improves interface impedance. • Composite separators anchor polysulfides and enhancing reaction kinetics. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, renowned for high energy density and abundant sulfur reserves, are recognized as a research hotspot. However, the commercial implementing of Li-S batteries is confronted with scientific and technical challenges, including the shuttle effect resulting in low active material utilization, and slow reaction kinetics leading to poor cycle stability. To optimize the structure and composition of carbon composite materials based to meet the application requirements for long cycle life and high utilization of active substances has become the focus and difficulty. In this study, a composite separator MS@NSC/PP by coting nanosheet carbon (NSC) material loaded with amounts of metal sulfide (MS) was prepared via expansion technology and sulfurization impregnation. The combination of two processes greatly increases interaction area between MS@NSC and polysulfides and achieves uniform loading of MS, fully enhancing the mitigation of shuttle effect through strong chemical adsorption, and further hastening the conversion reaction of polysulfides deposited on the surface. Compared with NSC/PP and NiS 2 @NSC/PP separators, the batteries with CoS 2 @NSC/PP separator display a high initial discharge capacity of 1135 mAh g−1 at 0.2C, maintaining more improved cycle stability at 2C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe “shuttle effect” of dissolved polysulfide intermediates and the poor electronic conductivity of sulfur cathodes cause capacity decay of lithium–sulfur batteries and impede their commercialization. Herein, we synthesized a series of well-designed yolk-shelled Fe3O4@carbon (YS-Fe3O4@C) nanocavities with different proportions of Fe3O4 as efficient sulfur hosts to stabilize polysulfide intermediates. The yolk-shelled nanocavity architectures were prepared through a facile method, which could effectively confine the active materials and achieve high conductivity. The polysulfide intermediate shuttle was successfully suppressed by a physiochemical synergism effect combining the retention of carbon shells and the adsorption of Fe3O4 nanoparticle cores. The highly conductive carbon shell provides efficient pathways for fast electron transportation. Meanwhile, the visible evolution of active materials and a reversible electrochemical reaction are revealed by in situ X-ray diffraction. With the balanced merits of enhanced electrical conductivity of carbon shell and optimal adsorption of Fe3O4 cores, the S/YS-27Fe3O4@C cathode (Fe3O4 accounts for 27 wt% in YS-Fe3O4@C) had the best electrochemical performance, exhibiting a high reversible specific capacity of 731.9 mAh g−1 and long cycle performance at 1 C (capacity fading rate of 0.03% over 200 cycles).

Formaldehyde (HCHO) is a ubiquitous indoor pollutant that seriously endangers human health. The removal of formaldehyde effectively at room temperature has always been a challenging problem. Here, a kind of amino-fullerene derivative (C60-EDA)-modified titanium dioxide (C60-EDA/TiO2) was prepared by one-step hydrothermal method, which could degrade the formaldehyde under solar light irradiation at room temperature with high efficiency and stability. Importantly, the introduction of C60-EDA not only increases the adsorption of the free formaldehyde molecules but also improves the utilization of sunlight and suppresses photoelectron-hole recombination. The experimental results indicated that the C60-EDA/TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit much higher formaldehyde removal efficiency than carboxyl-fullerene-modified TiO2, pristine TiO2 nanoparticles, and almost all other reported formaldehyde catalysts especially in the aspect of the quality of formaldehyde that is treated by catalyst with unit mass (mHCHO/mcatalyst = 40.85 mg/g), and the removal efficiency has kept more than 96% after 12 cycles. Finally, a potential formaldehyde degradation pathway was deduced based on the situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (DRIFTS) and reaction intermediates. This work provides some indications into the design and fabrication of the catalysts with excellent catalytic performances for HCHO removal at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption‐induced flip of electron spin at interfaces is an important but poorly understood phenomenon for magnetic devices, sensors, and heterogeneous catalysis, due to the difficulties in determining the surface spins at atomic resolution. We present an evolutionary magnetic order searching method that allows efficient identification of the ground state spin configuration of magnetic bulk and surfaces. Using this approach, we have discovered for the first time a set of adsorption‐induced near‐degenerate surface magnetic states on the Fe3O4 (111) surface. Molecular adsorption of CO causes a destabilization of the magnetic states of the clean surface leading to a set of near‐degenerate surface magnetic states at medium coverage, which causes an abrupt increase of the magnetic entropy on the surface. The empty 2π* orbital of CO, which could accommodate the back donation of the spin density in the Fe d orbitals, plays a key role for the CO adsorption‐induced spin transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]