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The current work presents the reformulation of a composite based on high-density polyethylene obtained through the recycling of blow-molded containers (rHDPE) with natural fiber residues (wood sawdust). This material is technically and industrially known as WPC (wood plastic composite). The original formulation of this material contains 34% high-density polyethylene and 60% sawdust by weight fraction, while the remaining components include additives and coupling agents such as wax (Coupling Agent TPW 813 for plastic woods), stearic acid, and color pigment. The composite material was processed using the profile extrusion method, from which samples were obtained to conduct various experimental tests. The mechanical analysis revealed that both the strength and Young's modulus of the tensile and flexural properties slightly increased with the addition of sawdust to the composite. Additionally, the stiffness was higher compared to high-density polyethylene, indicating a direct relationship between these properties and the amount of sawdust incorporated. Besides this, other characterization methods were performed on the material, including density, hardness, and compression tests, as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), natural and accelerated aging tests, Vicat softening temperature, and heat deflection temperature analysis (HDT). The initial evaluation provides a guide to enhance the most important properties with the aim of using the extruded profiles as pergolas in the real estate sector. Therefore, new formulations are developed with the assistance of Minitab 21 software, maintaining a constant proportion of materials that do not affect the mechanical properties, such as wax, stearic acid, and color pigment. Once the formulations are made, each one is characterized through tensile tests to determine which has the best performance. The formulation with the highest strength is re-characterized using the techniques mentioned in the starting material to obtain a material with the most optimal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mimicking the characteristics and achieving specific functions of biological systems is stirring but challenging. Generally, pigments in the commercial coating can only achieve a similarity in chromaticity, while cannot obtain a similarity in the solar reflective spectrum whose difficulty resides in simulating spectral characteristics simultaneously. Unfortunately, traditional organic pigments show poor weather and heat resistance. Herein, with the little difference in the color difference (ΔEab*), the high spectral similarity, as well as adjustable green peak and similar red edge slope compared with the common plants (pagoda tree leaf, etc.) in 400–2500 nm, is also attained. It is achieved by the interlayer confined organic pigment in Mg/Al‐layered double hydroxide (Mg/Al‐LDH) layers. The corresponding biomimetic leaf displays high hyperspectral performance with a spectral angle cosine of 0.9922 and heat resistance at 120 °C. The longer weather resistance than that of mechanical mixing is also demonstrated. The intercalated chromophores of sodium copper chlorophyllin in the Mg/Al‐LDH and the interlayer confinement of Mg/Al‐LDH contribute to the excellent performance. This work provides a green pigment and a biomimetic leaf requiring the same chromaticity and spectrum as green plants, filling the long‐term use demand gap for heat and weather‐resistant biomimetic vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petrochemical products face challenges under extreme conditions like high temperatures, UV radiation, and humidity, which accelerate the aging of polypropylene (PP) films and degrade their mechanical properties. This increases the risk of material failure, potentially leading to petrochemical leaks and posing ecological and safety hazards. This study focuses on the aging behavior of PP films, aiming to understand how environmental factors contribute to their degradation and exploring design solutions that can mitigate these risks and improve material durability. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were employed to analyze the thermal stability of PP films under high-temperature conditions. The results show that the mass loss of modified PP materials was less than 10% at 500°C, while the decomposition temperature of multilayer composite PP materials was significantly higher than that of traditional single-layer PP materials. Furthermore, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and impact tests were conducted to assess the brittleness of PP films in low-temperature environments. It was found that the impact strength of single-layer PP materials decreased by 75% at -100°C, whereas the modified PP materials maintained relatively stable impact performance. Hygrothermal aging and UV aging tests demonstrated that the tensile strength of multilayer composite PP materials decreased by only 16.3% after 1000 h of aging, and the increase in surface roughness was controlled within 0.78 μm, significantly outperforming single-layer materials. In the moisture and permeability tests, the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of the composite PP sealing structure was 0.18 g/m2·day, and the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) was 3.5 cm3/m2·day, showing superior performance compared to other sealing structures. By optimizing the material structure design and introducing composite sealing technology, this study significantly enhances the overall performance of PP packaging materials under extreme conditions, providing reliable protection for the safe storage and transportation of petrochemical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although copper (Cu) pipes are widely used in refrigerant piping owing to their high thermal conductivity and weathering resistance, there are concerns regarding the increasing price and limited supply of Cu. Consequently, our focus has shifted to aluminum (Al), which is relatively abundant and inexpensive, to investigate its application in refrigerant piping. We previously examined corrosion factors on both the internal and external surfaces of straight piping and conducted accelerated degradation tests, showing that Al has a durability comparable to that of Cu. However, bending sections are always used in addition to straight pipes, and bending induces tensile stress on the outer side of the bending curvature and compressive stress on the inner side. Notably, stress corrosion cracking may occur under tensile stress in corrosive environments. Herein, we investigate the mechanical, electrochemical, and weather resistance properties of bent Al and Cu pipes to evaluate the practicality of Al refrigerant piping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high-performance mid and far infrared antireflection films is a significant requirement in the field of infrared optics. This study successfully prepared AR films composed of ZnS nanospheres for mid and far infrared bands using a combination of hydrothermal and sol-gel methods. Initially, ZnS nanospheres with uniform size and good monodispersity were synthesized via the hydrothermal method and subsequently coated on CdSe substrate through dip coating. The refractive index of the ZnS film is adjusted between 1.36 and 1.52. A significant AR effect was observed in ZnS nanospheres film on CdSe substrate at 3–5 μm and 8–14 μm, and the reflectance is approximately 3 % which is about 25 % lower than that of the uncoated sample. Upon coating with a TiO 2 protective layer, the reflectivity further decreased to about 0.6 % and the film demonstrated excellent weather resistance and mechanical properties. This work provides a novel approach for the preparation and regulation of mid and far infrared AR film, significantly contributing to the development of optical film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we developed a lotus-leaf-resembling superhydrophobic coating with sturdy abrasion and weather resistance. By taking the sturdiness of the superhydrophobicity into account, this coating was created by incorporating a zinc-mediated superhydrophobic surface that was rough and ultraviolet-resistant into a polyurethane layer capable of strong wear resistance. By spraying the zinc-mediated perfluorosilane and a polyurethane suspension onto an aluminum flake, the lotus-leaf-resembling superhydrophobic coating was thus prepared. The resulting coating displayed the natural superhydrophobic phenomena with a contact angle of up to 157.1° and a rolling angle of 4.2°, greater or smaller by depending on the dosage of zinc. The adoption of zinc to the prepared coating not only mediated the rough surface texture but also extra granted the ultraviolet resistance. In couple with the strong wear resistance of the substrate layer, the proposed superhydrophobic coating provided the expected sturdy abrasion and weather resistance. The development of the superhydrophobic coating shares a prospect with practical applications, especially outdoor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was to thoroughly investigate the weather resistance of polyethylene for rotational molding under different conditions, and to comprehensively understand the changing rules of their structure and performance. The structure and properties of polyethylene rotational molding special materials were investigated under different xenon lamp aging levels by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and other characterization methods. The results show that with the increase of xenon aging time, the surface morphology of the rotational plastic undergoes significant deformation and cracking, while the intensity of the internal carbonyl characteristic peaks also shows an increasing trend. The xenon lamp aging causes a significant shortening of the oxidation induction period of the rotational plastics. However, the rotational plastics show relatively stable characteristics in terms of melting and crystallization temperatures and processing properties. In addition, the yield stress of the rotational plastics increases, while the strain at fracture, stress at break and tensile strength show a decreasing trend. The experimental data in this study provide detailed information on the weather resistance of polyethylene for rotational molding, offering references for further optimizing product performance and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the action of natural environment for a long time, the ancient blue brick has the phenomenon of material deterioration. Graphene was modified with silane coupling agent to obtain functionalized graphene. The structural characteristics were characterized and analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Composite functionalized graphene with isobutyl triethoxysilane to reinforce ancient bricks. Test the contact angle, water absorption rate, capillary water absorption coefficient, and penetration depth of the samples, and evaluate the weather resistance characteristics of the composite material. The results indicate that compared with nano-SiO2 and TEOS. the composite material has good penetration reinforcement effect. The contact angle of the ancient blue brick treated with composite materials is significantly increased, the permeability is moderate, and the water absorption and capillary water absorption coefficient are significantly reduced, and the duability is significenthy improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXene‐based thermal camouflage materials have gained increasing attention due to their low emissivity, however, the poor anti‐oxidation restricts their potential applications under complex environments. Various modification methods and strategies, e.g., the addition of antioxidant molecules and fillers have been developed to overcome this, but the realization of long‐term, reliable thermal camouflage using MXene network (coating) with excellent comprehensive performance remains a great challenge. Here, a MXene‐based hybrid network comodified with hyaluronic acid (HA) and hyperbranched polysiloxane (HSi) molecules is designed and fabricated. Notably, the presence of appreciated HA molecules restricts the oxidation of MXene sheets without altering infrared stealth performance, superior to other water‐soluble polymers; while the HSi molecules can act as efficient cross‐linking agents to generate strong interactions between MXene sheets and HA molecules. The optimized MXene/HA/HSi composites exhibit excellent mechanical flexibility (folded into crane structure), good water/solvent resistance, and long‐term stable thermal camouflage capability (with low infrared emissivity of ≈0.29). The long‐term thermal camouflage reliability (≈8 months) under various outdoor weathers and the scalable coating capability of the MXene‐coated textile enable them to disguise the IR signal of various targets in complex environments, indicating the great promise of achieved material for thermal camouflage, IR stealth, and counter surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive hydrogel is considered a promising wearable sensor material. Developing flexible conductive hydrogel sensors with stretchability, adhesion, and stability remains challenging. In this study, a transparent, self‐adhesive, antifreeze, anti‐UV, stretchable, conductive, and reusable hydrogel with polyacrylamide/glycerol/gelatin/tannic acid/Fe3+ (PGGT‐Fe3+) structure is successfully constructed through a simple one‐pot polymerization method. The PGGT‐Fe3+ hydrogel is composed of dual networks of polyacrylamide and gelatin for organic cross‐linking, using water/glycerol as the dispersion medium, and incorporates a viscous substance: tannic acid, and a conductive substance: metal ions (Fe3+). Due to the introduction of the abundant amino, carboxylic acid, and hydroxyl functional groups on gelatin and tannic acid, the PGGT‐Fe3+ hydrogel exhibits excellent and repeatable adhesion capabilities on various surfaces (including glass, metal, plastic, and pigskin) with maximum adhesion strength of 98 kPa when attached to pigskin. Furthermore, based on the stable conductive network and high conductivity, the hydrogel not only exhibits strain sensitivity, fast response, and stability but also can stably collect epidermal bio signals. In conclusion, this work provides a new approach to the design and development of next‐generation multifunctional conductive hydrogels and opens up vast possibilities for their applications in the flexible electronics field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyurethane (PU) coatings are widely used in various industries due to their excellent mechanical strength, along with abrasion, chemical and weather resistance. Recently, use of dynamic bonds to increase the recyclability and self-healing properties of PU is being extensively explored. Incorporation of nanofillers into the PU matrix can further enhance their performance as a coating matrix for application demanding thermal stability, mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance, foul resistance, smudge resistance and UV resistance. It has been reported that inclusion of nanofillers, like nano-silica, graphene, organoclay, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide can provide enhanced functionalities to the PU matrix owing to their small size and high surface area-to-volume ratio to design tailor made PU coatings with desired properties. This review highlights the classification of PUs based on different dynamic chemistry for imparting self-healing and recyclability properties to the polymer matrix. Further, it will also provide a detailed insight regarding various polyol sources used for the synthesis of PUs, technologies adopted to incorporate nanofillers into the PU matrix for developing PU nanocomposite for coating applications and properties associated with these coatings. A brief conclusion highlighting the present challenges and future prospects of the PU nanocomposite coatings is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract MXene‐based thermal camouflage materials have gained increasing attention due to their low emissivity, however, the poor anti‐oxidation restricts their potential applications under complex environments. Various modification methods and strategies, e.g., the addition of antioxidant molecules and fillers have been developed to overcome this, but the realization of long‐term, reliable thermal camouflage using MXene network (coating) with excellent comprehensive performance remains a great challenge. Here, a MXene‐based hybrid network comodified with hyaluronic acid (HA) and hyperbranched polysiloxane (HSi) molecules is designed and fabricated. Notably, the presence of appreciated HA molecules restricts the oxidation of MXene sheets without altering infrared stealth performance, superior to other water‐soluble polymers; while the HSi molecules can act as efficient cross‐linking agents to generate strong interactions between MXene sheets and HA molecules. The optimized MXene/HA/HSi composites exhibit excellent mechanical flexibility (folded into crane structure), good water/solvent resistance, and long‐term stable thermal camouflage capability (with low infrared emissivity of ≈0.29). The long‐term thermal camouflage reliability (≈8 months) under various outdoor weathers and the scalable coating capability of the MXene‐coated textile enable them to disguise the IR signal of various targets in complex environments, indicating the great promise of achieved material for thermal camouflage, IR stealth, and counter surveillance.

Radiative cooling coatings are widely used owing to their excellent cooling performance and energy efficiency. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on their weather resistance, long-term performance and effects on building load. To fill this research gap, seven coatings were selected for experimental observation and simulation research. The results revealed noticeable differences among different coatings regarding anti-aging properties, cooling performance and building load reduction. Some coatings exhibited yellowing, cracking and peeling after weathering tests, accompanied by a decline in their radiative properties. Long-term tests showed that the cooling performance of all coatings gradually decreased due to natural aging, and the rate of decline was proportional to the weathering of the coatings. Building load simulations revealed the potential effect of coating selection on cooling and heating loads, thereby suggesting that different coatings should be selected based on actual usage scenarios in different climatic zones.

Building glass films are generally applied from inside, but some building glass films such as exterior walls or domes cannot meet the needs of use, therefore it is of great practical significance to develop high weather-resistant external windows film for construction. This paper briefly introduces the structure design and preparation method of the high weather-resistant external windows film for construction, conducts optical performance test, mechanical performance test, weather resistance test, and application effect analysis. The results show that the high weather-resistant external windows film for construction made by reasonable structure design can be used in large-scale application because of its durable weatherability, heat insulation, energy saving, safety protection and self-cleaning effect. Its salt spray resistance, high and low temperature resistance performance is good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under sleeper pads (USPs) are resilient elements used in the ballasted track structures to improve dynamic behaviour of the track, reduce vibration and protect the ballast against fast degradation. As the elements permanently connected to the sleepers or turnout bearers, the pads must have an appropriate level of pull-off strength, so that they do not separate from the rail support (here: sleeper) during their transportation to the construction site or during many years of operation. In this paper, results of pull-off tests performed on four selected USP samples are presented: three samples made of SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) granulate and one made of polyurethane. Moreover, details of the pad’s attachment to the rail support are discussed, and the requirements for the USP properties are specified, focusing on the pull-off strength determined after the weather resistance test. It is shown that only two out of four considered USP samples fulfilled the requirements specified by the authors.

Under sleeper pads (USPs) are resilient elements used in the ballasted track structures to improve dynamic behaviour of the track, reduce vibration and protect the ballast against fast degradation. As the elements permanently connected to the sleepers or turnout bearers, the pads must have an appropriate level of pull-off strength, so that they do not separate from the rail support (here: sleeper) during their transportation to the construction site or during many years of operation. In this paper, results of pull-off tests performed on four selected USP samples are presented: three samples made of SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) granulate and one made of polyurethane. Moreover, details of the pad's attachment to the rail support are discussed, and the requirements for the USP properties are specified, focusing on the pull-off strength determined after the weather resistance test. It is shown that only two out of four considered USP samples fulfilled the requirements specified by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Electroplating & Finishing is the property of Electroplating & Finishing Editorial Office 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.)

Copyright of Acta Materiae Compositae Sinica is the property of Acta Materiea Compositae Sinica Editorial Department 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] • Novel dry processing method for contaminated insulation recovery and service life prolonging. • Plasma-assisted polymerization based on activation and re-assembly of alkoxysilane. • Better weather resistance and electrical performances of on-site insulations after plasma treatment. • More effective, eco-friendly and controllable compared to common processing methods. With the increasing demand for high-voltage long-distance power transmission, insulation as the first protection of power system, faces serious challenges from material degradation caused by moisture invading, surface contamination and pollution flashover. Addressing the issue requires significant effort and may cause harmful by-product emission from large-scale wet type material processing. In this work, a novel eco-friendly dry treatment method based on manual operated Air/Alkoxysilane(PMDMS)/plasma is developed to enhance weather resistance and electrical performances of contaminated insulation. Tiny amounts of harmless reaction medium are transmitted to plasma through controllable air bubbling, and it implements precise dry type processing on material surface. Plasma pulverizes pre-existing contamination and synchronously activates hydrolysis-polymerization of PMDMS to deposit Si-containing protection layer (Si-O 2 , Si-CH 3) on surface. It is demonstrated that the plasma treatment inhibits dirt pollution and electrical erosion of on-site 110 kV silicone rubber (SIR), and the electrical and hydrophobicity properties are both promoted. Flashover voltage increases from 4.65 to 8.71 kV, and water contact angle increases from 138.27° to 146.41°. Overall, this newly-developed dry portable plasma treatment strategy for insulation enhancement avoids environment pollution and economic losses, and provides a scalable avenue for on-site insulation recovery and service life prolonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To protect weathered ancient stone monuments from surface cracking and surface damage by powders, strong materials containing flexible chains are required. Herein, a facile strategy was proposed to produce hybrid octa-glycidyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (GPOSS)-enhanced flexible siloxanes by the ring-opening reaction of GPOSS using three aminosiloxanes (bis(3-aminopropyl) terminated poly (dimethyl siloxane) (NH 2 -PDMS), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS), and N-(6-aminohexyl) aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (AHAPTMS). This produced three different protective materials (POSS-PDMS, POSS-APTS, and POSS-AHAPTMS) that greatly improved the weather resistance of sandstone monuments, especially their resistance to water, salt, temperature, and humidity. All three protective materials presented an adhesion of up to 2.4 MPa. The resistance of freeze-thaw aging cycles was much higher for the protected sandstone (104–133 cycles) compared with the unprotected sandstone (20 cycles). The three protective materials improved the salt weather resistance of protected sandstone (9–60 cycles) compared with unprotected sandstone (3 cycles), with the long-chain aminosiloxane AHAPTMS providing the best protection. The hydrophobicity of three protective materials on the sandstone surface was improved. Furthermore, the water absorption, water vapor permeability, pore size distribution, mechanical strength, light transmittance, and glass transition temperature (T g), were all improved. The three GPOSS-enhanced flexible siloxanes are novel and eco-friendly materials for protecting sandstone monuments. [Display omitted] • GPOSS-enhanced flexible siloxanes was synthesized by ring-opening reaction. • GPOSS-enhanced flexible siloxanes greatly improved the weather resistance of sandstone monuments. • Protected sandstones presented improved adhesion and hydrophobicity. • GPOSS-enhanced flexible siloxanes are novel and eco-friendly materials for protecting sandstone monuments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple, polluting-free way to produce a weather-resistant, long-term effective coating. • The Reflectivity and emissivity of coating is 95.7 % and 99.08 %, and the net cooling powers is 53.2 W/m2 and 96 W/m2 during day and night, respectively. • With and without polyethylene film, the temperature was reduced to 6 °C and 4.5 °C below ambient, respectively. • The interior temperature of the sample house was 2.3 °C, 2.8 °C and 7 °C lower than that of the commercial paint, TiO 2 -FC paint, and blank house. Radiative cooling (RC) is an efficient cooling technology for the sustainable reduction of energy consumption. In this study, we have prepared a RC coating by embedding zirconia and silica aerogel in a water-based fluorocarbon (FC) resin. The highest solar reflectance is achieved by optimizing the pigment volume concentration, filler particle size, and coating thickness. The solar reflectance of the coating can reach 95.7 %, and the average broadband emissivity reaches 99.08 %. The coating is examined in a test device with and without polyethylene (PE) film, where its temperature becomes 6 and 4.5 °C lower than the ambient temperature, respectively. The coating with high emissivity achieves net cooling powers of 53.2 and 96 W/m2 during day and night, respectively. The prepared paint was applied to the roof of a wooden model house, and the indoor temperature of the paint was 2.3, 2.8, and 7 °C lower than that of the commercial paint, TiO 2 -FC paint, and blank house (without paint), respectively. The test results reveal that the coating has an excellent high-temperature resistance, ultraviolet aging resistance, and stain resistance, ensuring its long-term effectiveness. Furthermore, the simple preparation method of the coating and low emission of volatile organic components indicate its potential for large-scale practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is a low‐carbon energy technology to early achieve the "carbon neutrality" goal. Developing the commercial‐like colored PDRC coatings with sub‐ambient cooling performance is still a big challenge. Herein, a colored bilayer ZrO2‐PVDF PDRC coating with sub‐ambient cooling performance, self‐cleaning, and good weather resistance property is first reported. The colored bilayer coating is composed of a thick ultra‐white ZrO2‐PVDF reflective layer (Rsolar = 0.984) and a thin colorful layer. The obtained red bilayer ZrO2‐PVDF PDRC coating has a high solar reflectance (Rsolar = 0.950), which could realize the maximum temperature drop of 3.0 °C, and the calculated theoretical cooling power is as high as 131.66 W m−2, showing a good sub‐ambient cooling performance. Furthermore, they show a good self‐cleaning property. Meanwhile, the accelerated aging tests prove that they have a good weather resistance. This work provides a low‐cost, simple, and large‐scale method to prepare the commercial‐like colored PDRC coatings with the sub‐ambient cooling performance, showing a great practical application value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Synthetic Fiber Industry is the property of Sinopec Baling Petrochemical Company 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.)

A prototype of a vehicle automatic positioning system is developed based on luminescent labels containing terbium and europium 1,3-diketonates embedded in a polymer matrix. The system excited with ultraviolet LEDs reliably identifies the label in the presence of solar stray light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Porous wood was fabricated by a delignification using discarded coconut wood. • Na/K-doped C 3 N 4 (CNNK) with abundant N vacancies was fabricated. • CNNK was sprayed onto porous wood to prepare weather-resistant wood. • The weather-resistant wood possessed high sound absorption and insulation properties. • The weather-resistant wood showed high NO removal and UV aging resistance properties. Noise and nitrogen oxide (NO x) pollution are harmful to human health, and using sustainable materials such as discarded wood to fabricate insulating building materials can address the issues of environmental pollution and energy crisis. Thus, fabricating multifunction materials with discarded wood by advanced technology can bring exciting innovation. In this study, a novel "weather-resistant wood" with superior weathering resistance, sound absorption, thermal insulation, and photocatalytic properties is reported. The weather-resistant wood was prepared using a simple high-temperature alkali treatment method that allowed the introduction of alkali metal-doped and N-vacancy rich C 3 N 4 onto the wood. The prepared weather-resistant wood sample (with a thickness of 10 mm) exhibited a high porosity of 89.6 %, noise-reduction coefficient of 0.28, and thermal conductivity of 0.0586 W m−1 K−1. Moreover, it could remove 45.4 % of ultralow concentrations of NO (∼500 ppb) under visible-light irradiation. The developed weather-resistant wood demonstrates considerable potential for applications in our lives including noise reduction and improvements in air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oleifera shell is rich in lignin and tea saponin and other natural active substances, and it is used to directly prepare fuel and biochar, which are low‐value applications. Inspired by the tea oil fruit shell, a new type of wood‐based composite was designed, which was bonded between inner layers and coated on the surface with Camellia oleifera shell‐based phenolic resin through a one‐step manufacturing process. The acid catalyst type, reaction time, and substitution ratios (Camellia oleifera shell/phenol) were used to optimize the formulation and process of Camellia oleifera shell phenolic resin. The chemical structure, wet bonding strength, harsh‐weather resistance, thermal properties, and flame resistance of the composites (Camellia oleifera shell phenolic resin surface coated plywood [CSPCPs]) were evaluated. The results indicated that the CSPCPs showed better‐wet bonding strength and thermal properties and harsh‐weather resistance compared with the common uncoated plywood. CSPCP‐3 presented the maximum wet bonding strength of 1.63 MPa. The limiting oxygen indexes of the CSPCPs were all higher than that of common plywood. All CSPCPs displayed excellent acid rain corrosion resistance, with little mass loss under simulated acid rain conditions. Grayscale was used to compare the samples' color to assess their self‐mildew resistance. As the amount of shell increased, the mold resistance of CSPCPs increased. CSPCP‐3 showed excellent comprehensive performance and can be a multifunctional wood composite suitable for outdoor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of China Sciencepaper is the property of China Sciencepaper 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.)

To improve the weather ability and thermal stability of styrene-acrylic polymer emulsion coatings, a series of novel styrene-acrylic polymer emulsion modified with 2-[2-hydroxy-5-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]phenyl]-2H-benzotriazole (HMEB), hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFMA), and vinyl-trimethoxysilane (VTMS) were prepared through semi-continuous seed emulsion polymerization. The emulsions and their coatings were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, dynamic laser scattering, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis, and artificially accelerated aging test. According to the results, the new polymer emulsion had superior UV absorption from 308 to 364 nm. Moreover, the coating performed the best anti-aging stability when the content of HMEB, HFMA, and VTMS reached 4%, 2%, and 3%, respectively. After the 1000 h aging test, the color difference (ΔE) and rate of loss of gloss (ΔG) were only 6.86% and 51.10%, while the unmodified coatings were 16.05% and 72.22%, respectively. Furthermore, the thermal stability and water resistance of the coating were improved by fluorine and silicon monomers. The initial decomposition temperature was increased from 327 to 339°C. Moreover, the UV stabilization mechanism is preliminarily discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent coatings have attracted attention due to their bright colors. However, they have fewer outdoor applications due to low stability, especially the poor weather resistance of the fluorescent pigments. In order to improve their weather resistance and maintain the excellent appearance, this study used polymer binders to coat a light shielding agent nano TiO2 on the surface of the fluorescent pigment to extend the durability. Three organic binders, polyester varnish, polyurethane varnish, and polyvinyl alcohol, were selected. Each binder was dissolved and mixed with pigments and nano TiO2 particles to make a polymer-TiO2 layer on the pigment surface. The effects of binder types and loadings were investigated and evaluated by accelerating weather test of corresponding fluorescent powder coatings. According to SEM and ash test, nano TiO2 was successfully coated on the surface of fluorescent pigments. The modified fluorescent pigment shows a strong ability to absorb ultraviolet rays, and the weather resistance of prepared coatings has been significantly improved compared with the original fluorescent powder coating. When using clear coat PE as a binder and setting the ratio of the binder to the nano TiO2 of 1:2, the UV exposure time of fluorescent powder coatings can be extended by over twelve times compared to the coatings with original pigment for the same color change. This study provides an effective approach to enhance the weather resistance of fluorescent coatings and thus expand their applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Scintillators, converting the absorbed high‐energy X‐ray photons into to visible ones, have been used in fields as medical diagnostics, radiation dosimetry, and security inspection. Commercial bulk scintillators generally suffer from time‐consuming production, high‐cost operation, and deteriorated performance especially exposed to humidity. Here, in situ precipitated CdS quantum dots (QDs) within the transparent glass matrix are achieved feasibly. The CdS QDs glass‐ceramic (GC) is explored to be a superior scintillator with an outstanding weather resistance. A profound radioluminescence behavior and long‐term (≈3600 s) stability under X‐ray irradiation of the scintillator with the dose rate of 1 mGyair s−1 are demonstrated. Moreover, the indirect X‐ray imaging of the CdS GC reaches excellent resolution of 10 lp mm−1. Furthermore, the damaged scintillator under a long‐term cumulative dose up to 288 Gyair is recovered via a subsequent thermal treatment. Herein, the explored scintillator of CdS GC executes a promising cost‐effective X‐ray imaging for long‐term operation of the corresponding optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet the requirements of fire protection and decorative properties of wood, developing transparent fireproof coatings with excellent comprehensive performance is vital. A new category of organophosphate-grafted α‑zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) was synthesized as functional flame retardant, then in combination with melamine-formaldehyde resin prepared comprehensive transparent fireproof coatings covering fire protection, smoke suppression, anti-bacteria and weatherability. The results show that adding α-ZrP results in an effective improvement of the mechanical properties, fire protection and smoke suppression under the premise of guaranteeing the high transparency of the coatings. In particular, the MZrPPB3 sample containing a 98:2 mass ratio of phosphate ester to modified α-ZrP possesses 55.2 %, 76.2 % and 23.7 % decrement in flame spread rating, smoke density rating and equilibrium backside temperature at 900 s in comparison with MZrPPB0 sample without α-ZrP, respectively, accompanied by superior adhesion classification of 4B rating and pencil hardness of 2H rating. The efficient fire protection performance of α-ZrP-containing coatings attributes success to the high-quality intumescent char formed by the stable crosslinking and aromatic structures, as confirmed by characterization of FTIR and SEM-EDS analyses. Additionally, adding α-ZrP into the coatings confers them extraordinary weatherability rich in appearance integrity and fire protection performance after accelerated aging test. Meantime, the obtained satisfactory antibacterial property of coatings relates to the presence of α-ZrP with an antibacterial rate of up to 99.0 % for MZrPPB3 against Escherichia coli. [Display omitted] • Organophosphate-grafted α-zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) flame retardant was synthesized. • Transparent fireproof coatings exert super mechanical properties and fire resistance. • Transparent fireproof coatings exert super weatherability for long-term fire protection. • Introduction of α-ZrP enhances antibacterial property of transparent fireproof coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Integrative transparent fire-retardent coating was facilely constructed. • Integrative coating preserves the texture and structure of the wood. • Introduction of nano-CeO 2 imparts super fire resistance to integrative coatings. • Adding nano-CeO 2 achieves long-term fire protection of integrative coatings. • Integrative coating containing nano-CeO 2 impedes the growth of bacteria. To prevent the coatings applied in historical buildings from aging failure due to environmental factors, an integrative coating with decorative, antibacterial, weather-resistant and flame-retardant properties is particularly important in practical applications. The nanocomposite flame retardants named CPPBs are obtained from the successful grafting of the phosphate esters to the surface of cerium oxide nanoparticles, which are physically blended with film-forming polymer to construct integrative coating named MCPPBs. The results show that adding nano-CeO 2 greatly strengthens the mechanical property, fire protection performances, weather resistance, antibacterial activity of the integrative coatings, and maintains high light transmittance in the meantime. Especially, when the addition of nano-CeO 2 in flame retardant is 0.5 wt.%, the expansion ratio of the MCPPB3 coating increases to 65 and the char index reduces to 15.7cm3, concomitant with a high transparency of 80.3 %. By combining FTIR, SEM and EDS analyses, the MCPPBs char containing nano-CeO 2 is compact and dense. In the accelerated aging test, the back equilibrium temperature of the MCPPB3 coating at 900 s is still less than 220 °C concomitant with a complete surface morphology after 6 aging cycles. In addition, the MCPPB3 coating exerts a negative effect on the growth of E. coli and S. aureus , and the antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus are 92.8 % and 96.2 %, respectively. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the core of a solar collector, a solar selective absorbing coating has become the key material for efficient utilization and development of solar energy. In order to overcome the core scientific problem of poor high-temperature stability of optical properties caused by atomic diffusion between layers in the high-temperature environment of traditional multilayer solar absorption coatings, the multiscale lotus bionic porous structure was constructed by using a TiC/TiN-Ni/Mo material system with excellent intrinsic absorption performance. The melt foam method and laser cladding technology were combined to deposit the multiscale bionic porous structure solar selective absorption coating in situ by a laser-induced melt foaming strategy. It was found that the bubbles in the molten pool were affected by Marangoni force, gravity, buoyancy, and surface tension. The unescaped bubbles formed pores near the surface of the coating and showed a bimodal distribution. For the multiscale addition of 1.8 and 0.4 μm pore-forming agents with a mass fraction of 15 wt %, the multiscale pores enhance the scattering and secondary absorption of light and reduce the amplitude of electromagnetic wave to electron vibration; at the same time, the small-size conductor effect formed by the hole increases the surface electron concentration, strengthens the absorption of light, and enhances the magnetic field strength at the hole, and the structural absorbing effect is significant. The coating absorptivity α reaches 85%, and the temperature stability is excellent. Compared with the substrate, the coating has a smaller corrosion current density, larger polarization resistance, and strong corrosion resistance. The research shows that the laser-induced multiscale bionic porous structure coating obtains the intrinsic absorption-structural absorption composite absorption mechanism and realizes the integration of flexible design and efficient manufacturing of high-temperature solar absorption coatings.

Radiative cooling enables the passive cooling of buildings without energy input. Structural radiative cooling materials, such as cellulose-based composites, have recently received extensive attention due to their exceptional mechanical properties and spectral selectivity. However, the cellulose-based materials face challenges in durability and flame resistance, which limits their practical application. Herein, a structural porous Si 3 N 4 -BN ceramic with a high solar reflectivity of ∼0.95 and an atmospheric window emissivity of ∼0.95 was prepared by one-step combustion synthesis. The porous ceramic achieves a subambient radiative cooling performance of 5.14 °C under direct sunlight and theoretically yields a cooling power of 78.55 W m -2 . The network structure of Si 3 N 4 crystals leads to a flexural strength of 31.07 MPa and a compressive strength of 65.36 MPa. The porous Si 3 N 4 -BN ceramics with excellent radiative cooling performance, mechanical properties, and thermal insulation exhibit wide application prospects in building cooling, especially in the harsh environment of tropical desert and island regions.

[Display omitted] • Nano-Ti polymer functional coating with good anti-corrosion performance were prepared, and the application were expanded. • Corrosion behavior and weather-resistance of Nano-Ti polymer functional coating have been investigated systemically. • The anti-corrosion mechanisms of Nano-Ti polymer functional coating are explained deeply. The anticorrosion performance and weathering resistance of a nano-Ti polymer-containing functional coating fabricated via a combination of spraying and brushing techniques were investigated. The effects of the nano-Ti polymer content on the structure and properties of the coating were investigated systematically, and the corrosion mechanism of the coating was elucidated. The results showed that the nano-Ti polymer coating was uniform and dense. With increasing nano-Ti polymer content, the thermal stability and glass-transition temperature of the coating increased. The glass-transition temperature was highest (206.1 °C) at a nano-Ti polymer content of 9 %. After immersion for 458 days in 3.5 wt% NaCl at room temperature, 125 days of neutral salt spray, and 200 days of ultraviolet aging, the coating was still intact, demonstrating its excellent anti-penetration performance, anticorrosion performance, and weathering resistance. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results confirmed the excellent corrosion protection of the 9 % nano-Ti polymer coating, which exhibited the highest corrosion resistance (9.3 × 108 Ω·cm2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction site covered with Yellow River alluvial silt (YRAS) is prone to generate dust, which has always been troubling to the builders. The purpose of this study was to develop a composite dust suppressant aimed at YRAS dust for the first time. First, the formulation of composite dust suppressant was determined using the response surface methodology. Then, the mechanical properties and weather resistance of YRAS solidified layer, and the dust suppression efficiency and environmental performance of the composite dust suppressant were evaluated. The test results showed that the optimum mixing concentration of composite dust suppressant was 2.62% sodium alginate (SA), 2.37% carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), 0.21% polyacrylic acid sodium, and 0.85% sodium dodecyl sulfate. The YRAS sprayed with composite dust suppressant formed a solidified layer with sufficient hardness and compressive strength. The YRAS solidified layer had good freeze-thaw resistance, rain erosion resistance, and wind erosion resistance. The composite dust suppressant effectively reduced the concentration of total suspended particulate, PM 10 and PM 2.5 produced by YRAS, and the effect could last for one month. The composite dust suppressant was non-toxic, low metal corrosive and degradable, and its main raw materials (SA and CMCS) were obtained from nature. The above results show that the composite dust suppressant can effectively and long-term suppress the dust of YRAS, and is environmentally friendly and appropriate for clean production. • A composite dust suppressant for Yellow River alluvial silt was developed. • Response surface method was used to get the formulation of the dust suppressant. • The dust suppressant had excellent mechanical properties and weather resistance. • The dust suppression efficiency of the dust suppressant was high and long-term. • The dust suppressant was environmentally friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Compared and analyzed the anti-corrosion properties of different types of basalt fiber. • Analyzed the fiber structural changes before and after corrosion. • Studied the difference of variation in content and behavior of the participating elements of different basalt fiber after undergoing corrosion in different corrosive solutions. • Discussed the influence of different elements on the corrosion resistance of fibers. The differences in the retention rates of mass and mechanical properties of different types of basalt fibers after being corroded by different corrosive solutions were studied. The structural changes of the fibers were analyzed by FTIR, and the surface characteristics of different types of fibers, as well as the differences in the content changes and behaviors of each element during the corrosion process were compared and analyzed by SEM and EDX. The results indicate that the corrosion resistance of calc-alkaline basalt fiber is better than that of alkali basalt fiber. The corrosion solution destroyed the structure of the fiber. There are differences in the behavior of different elements in the corrosion process. Ti, Ca, and Fe elements are conducive to the corrosion resistance of basalt fibers, Mg is beneficial to the stability of fiber in sodium hydroxide solution, but it adverse to the stability of fibers in hydrochloric acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prevent dust pollution on road surfaces near open-pit mines in northwest China, this paper prepared a dust suppressant inspired by mussel adhesion proteins, which are rich in phenolic hydroxyl groups and lysine residues. The source of the adhesion of the dust suppressant was proven through adhesion tests. In addition, by analyzing the dust suppression effect, the wetting-adhesion-consolidation mechanism of the dust suppressant was further explained. The results showed that the dust suppressant showed great potential applications for the adhesion and consolidation of coal (bond strength ≈ 36 kPa, compressive strength ≈ 158 kPa). In addition, the organic phase was mixed in the aqueous phase solvent to reduce the freezing point of the liquid phase. This gave the solution anti-icing properties (freezing point ≈ - 15.3 ℃) and also improved the water retention of the dust suppressant (water retention >24 h). After adding a small amount of the surfactant alkyl polyglycoside, the dust suppressant displayed good wettability (surface tension ≈ 34 mN·m−1). This research has prepared a new chemical dust suppressant with strong adhesion and resistance to extreme environments. It is expected to bring significant economic and social environmental benefits to the sustainable development of the mining, transportation, and construction industries. [Display omitted] • The dust suppressant is mussel-inspired. • The dust suppressant has freezing-resistance and water-retention properties. • The dust suppressant has dust removal and long-term dust fixation properties. • This study provides a promising strategy for exploring new dust suppressants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic meshes were prepared by a single inorganic raw material. • The coatings possess unique coral-like micro/nano structure. • The coatings possess excellent weather resistance, chemical stability, and can separate various kinds of oil/water mixtures. • The materials maintain excellent oil/water separation efficiencies after 10 separation cycles, which are higher than 98.0%. A superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic MgO&SSM coating on SSM (stainless steel mesh) with micro-nano coral-like structure was fabricated by high-temperature treatment of SSM soaked with magnesium nitrate solution. This unique coral-like structure gives it a super high specific surface area and a large number of hydroxyl groups are exposed to the surface. The oil–water separation efficiency achieved 99.0% and the flux attained to 6195 L·m−2 h−1. And the oil–water separation efficiency was always as high as 98.0% after 10 times of repeated use. In addition, it could still maintain underwater superoleophobicity after immersing them in different pH solutions (pH, 5–12) or saturated NaCl solutions for a certain period of time. More importantly, it still maintained underwater superoleophobicity and shown excellent weather resistance after being treated at different temperatures for 2 h or after being exposed to ultraviolet rays at elevated temperatures for 6 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daytime radiative cooling (DRC) technology is used for cooling by reflecting sunlight and radiating the heat to outer space. It does not require energy for cooling, and there is no pollution. In this study, a double-layer DRC structure was prepared using the doctor's blade method. The upper layer was a fluorocarbon resin (FEVE), while the bottom layer was a silver layer. The average reflectivity in the solar radiation band and the average emissivity in the atmospheric window were 0.933 and 0.945, respectively. Without considering non-radiative heat transfer, the cooling power was calculated as 128.75 W/m2 under direct sunlight and for the ambient temperature of 27 °C. When the material was used as a radiative cooler in Tianjin, China, the average temperature drop from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. was 5.1 °C. The proposed polymer cooler is cost-efficient, easy to fabricate and commercially feasible. In addition, its good weather resistance makes it possible for radiative coolers to be used outdoors for a long time, which will greatly promote the wider practical application of DRC. • Daytime radiative cooler based on fluorocarbon resin for daytime cooling. • Double layer structure, simple fabrication, and low cost. • The cooler exhibits good weather resistance and optical stability. • The cooler dropped 5.1 °C in field measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]