Search

This paper presents an effective approach to improve the electrochemical performance of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 as cathode material for Li-ion batteries, including Al doping in Mn-site, combined with the spray drying method in which soluble starch is added as a cheap and environmentally friendly template agent. The as-prepared LiNi0.5Mn1.45Al0.05O4 material exhibits high crystallinity and excellent electrochemical performances. In detail, its delivers a reversible capacity of 114 mA h g−1 at 1 C in a voltage range of 3.5–4.95 V after 200 cycles, with a capacity retention of 94.4%. It still delivers reversible capacity of 73 mA h g−1 even at a high rate of 20 C. The superior electrochemical properties of LiNi0.5Mn1.45Al0.05O4 root from the disordered spinel structure for enhanced stability and Al doping for improved Li-ion diffusion.

Microbial inoculants can enhance soil quality, promote plant nutrient acquisition, and alleviate problems caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers. However, susceptibility to harsh conditions during transport and storage, as well as the short shelf-life of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), limit industrial application. Herein, a novel strategy to form nanocoating on bacterial surfaces to enhance viability was proposed. The nanocoating was composed of N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-modified poly (γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) and calcium ions, which could adhere to the surface of bacteria by forming covalent bonds and ionic bonds with the bacteria. The bacteria encapsulated in the coating had better resistance against harsh conditions than bare bacteria. The viability of coated bacteria was also increased by 2.38 times compared with bare bacteria after 4 weeks of storage. The pot experiment showed that coated Pseudomonas stutzeri NRCB010 had better growth-promoting properties compared with free P. stutzeri NRCB010. These results indicate that cell surface engineering is an effective method to enhance the resistance of bacteria against harsh conditions and is expected to promote the widespread use of PGPR.

High-temperature oxidation is a common failure in high-temperature environments, which widely occur in aircraft engines and aerospace thrusters; as a result, the development of anti-high-temperature oxidation materials has been pursued. Ni-based alloys are a common high-temperature material; however, they are too expensive. High-entropy alloys are alternatives for the anti-oxidation property at high temperatures because of their special structure and properties. The recent achievements of high-temperature oxidation are reviewed in this paper. The high-temperature oxidation environment, temperature, phase structure, alloy elements, and preparation methods of high-entropy alloys are summarized. The reason why high-entropy alloys have anti-oxidation ability at high temperatures is illuminated. Current research, material selection, and application prospects of high-temperature oxidation are introduced.

Trichoderma is an important and widely used plant growth-promoting fungus (PGPF). In this study, stevia residue amended with amino acids hydrolyzed from animal carcasses was used for the production of Trichoderma guizhouense NJAU 4742 by solid-state fermentation, and then its potential to promote corn plant growth was evaluated in combination with chemical fertilizer (CF) or organic fertilizer (OF). The highest spore number of 7×109 CFU g−1 fresh weight was obtained under the following optimal parameters: material ratio of 50% (stevia residue:rice bran=1:1), pH value of 3.0 (amended with 6.67% amino acids), initial moisture content of 60%, inoculum size of 10%, material thickness of 3 cm and an incubation time of 4 days. The aboveground corn plant biomass obtained with T. guizhouense applied alone and with CF treatments were slightly higher than those of no fertilizer control and CF treatments, respectively. However, T. guizhouense applied with OF significantly (P

Upgrading of the biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) with the activation of carbonyl functional groups is a pivotal reaction in converting biomass into high-value-added products. Herein, we reporte...

Fe-N compounds with excellent electrocatalytic oxygen reduction activity are considered to be one of the most promising non-precious metal materials for fuel cells. Fe-N compounds with excellent electrocatalytic oxygen reduction activity are considered to be one of the most promising non-precious metal materials for fuel cells, which focuses on the Fe-N4 single-atom catalysts and the iron nitride materials (such as Fe2N and Fe3N). A hybridized catalyst having a hierarchical porous structure with regular macropores could enable the desired mass transfer efficiency in the catalytic process. In this study, we have constructed a new type of hybrid catalyst having iron and iron-nitrogen alloy nanoparticles (Fe-N austenite, termed as Fe-NA) embedded in the three-dimensional ordered macroporous N-doped carbon (3DOM Fe/Fe-NA@NC) by direct pyrolysis of single-source dicyandiamide-based iron metal-organic frameworks. The as-synthesized composites preserve the hierarchical porous carbon framework with ordered macropores and high specific surface area, incorporating the uniformly dispersed iron/iron-nitrogen austenite nanoparticles. Thereby, the striking architectural configuration embedded with highly active catalytic species delivers a superior oxygen reduction activity with a half-wave potential of 0.88 V and a subsequent superior Zn-air battery performance with high open-circuit voltage and continuous stability as compared to those using a commercial 20% Pt/C catalyst.

Herein, a highly active Mott–Schottky nanocatalyst with tunable Schottky barrier was constructed by embedding Co nanoparticles (NPs) into phosphorus-doped graphitic carbon nitrides (PxCN) for the enhanced dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane (AB). Analyses show that P doping can efficiently decrease the work function of g-C3N4 and elevate the conduction band edge potential; thus, P doping offers a simple approach to tune the Schottky barrier of Co/PxCN by varying the doping amount of P atoms. Upon rationally tuning the Schottky barrier from 0.60 to 0.78 eV, the obtained photocatalyst with the molar composition Co/P3.59CN showed a remarkable TOF (total turnover frequency) value of 67.09 mol H2 per mol metal per min for the dehydrogenation of AB under visible light at 298 K, which, to the best of our knowledge, is one of the highest values reported to date for non-noble metal-based monometallic catalysts and is even comparable to those of some noble metal catalysts. This study opens a new prospect for the rational design and preparation of metal/g-C3N4 nanocatalysts with tunable Schottky barriers and provides a simple way to elevate the catalytic activity of these nanocatalysts.

To enhance the defense in depth for nuclear safety after the Fukushima nuclear accident, the U.S. Nuclear Energy Institute put forward the concept of diverse and flexible coping strategies and the corresponding FLEX support guidelines for the special scenarios of extended loss of alternating current power and loss of ultimate heat sink caused by beyond-design-basis external event. Subsequently, the idea of the FLEX strategy was broadly accepted and spread widely. The introduction of the concept of FLEX strategy into the defense in depth was the biggest improvement for nuclear safety in the recent decade. This paper has reviewed the concept of traditional defense in depth and its weakness that led to the Fukushima nuclear accident, which led to the development motivation for the FLEX strategy. The research progress of the FLEX strategy in different countries in the past ten years has been reviewed. Based on the literature, and the aforementioned review, some recommendations for future work have been presented.

To isolate iron sulphide and reduce coke adhesion reactions that occur on the surface of a delayed coking furnace, a SiO2 coating was developed on Cr9Mo alloy by employing the sol–gel method. The coating was characterised through Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, potentiodynamic scanning, InfiniteFocus optical 3D surface metrology, thermal shock and coking experiments. After heat treatment at 550 °C, the silicon methyl groups were oxidised and the coating exhibited a Si–O–Si connected crosslinked network structure. The coating surface was uniformly dense with a roughness and thickness of 0.2 and approximately 4 μm, respectively. The coating still adhered to the substrate tightly after 20 cycles of thermal shock treatment. Compared with an uncoated sample, the coating effectively improved the corrosion resistance of the substrate, suppressed the iron sulphide reaction, and reduced coke adhesion onto the sample. The coating had a better inhibition effect on coke fouling in a delayed coking furnace.

Aiming at recyclable catalyst carriers, porous cellulose macrospheres from wood pulp dissolved in an alkaline urea system were regenerated by simple injection regeneration. After solvent exchange, porous cellulose macrospheres (CMs) with a high specific surface area of 325.3 m2 g−1 were obtained by lyophilization, and CuS nanoparticles (CuS NPs) were coated on CMs by in situ growth in the liquid phase to achieve CuS-supported CM macrospheres (CuS@CM). The results indicated that the CuS@CM biocatalyst was successfully prepared with an average diameter of approximately 1.2 mm. In addition, CuS@CM was further used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) model dyes during the oxidation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). In the presence of low doses of H2O2, the degradation rate of MB reached 94.8% within 10 min, showing high catalytic activity under neutral and alkaline conditions. After five cycles, 90.1% of the original catalytic activity was still retained, indicating that the prepared CuS@CM composite possessed excellent catalytic activity and reusability.

The roles of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) temperatures (490 °C/100 MPa/2 h, 510 °C/100 MPa/2 h, 530 C/100 MPa/2 h) in the microstructure and properties of AlSi7Cu2Mg alloy step castings with three types wall thicknesses were studied. The experimental results show that HIP at 490 C could effectively eliminate the internal closed porosity of the castings with a wall thickness of ≼40 mm, but for heavy castings (70 mm), even HIP at 530 C, a few loose defects remained inside the castings. Two types of incipient eutectics containing Al5Mg8Si6Cu2 and Al2Cu were observed in the samples that HIP at 530 C, which was responsible for the decrease of the tensile strength of the castings within the medium wall thickness (40 mm) compared with that HIP at 490 C. HIP could greatly reduce the difference of the tensile strength values of castings with wall thicknesses 17 mm and 70 mm from 117.93 MPa (without HIP) to 25.7 MPa (with HIP at 530 C).

In order to improve the management of nitrogen (N) fertilization in pear orchards, we investigated the effects of application timing on the distribution, storage, and remobilization of N in mature pear trees in a field experiment at Jingtai County, Gansu Province, China. Nine trees were selected for the experiment and each received equal aliquots of 83.33 g N in the autumn, spring, and summer, with 15N-labeled (NH4)2SO4 used in one of the aliquots each season. Results showed that the (15N H4)2SO4 applied in the autumn remained in the soil during the winter. In the following spring this N was absorbed and rapidly remobilized into each organ, especially new organs (leaves, fruit and new shoots). The 15N supplied in spring was rapidly transported to developing fruit between the young fruit and fruit enlargement stages. 15N from the summer application of fertilizer was mainly stored in the coarse roots over the winter, then was mobilized to support growth of new organs in spring. In conclusion, for pear trees we recommend that the autumn application of N-fertilizer be soon after fruit harvest in order to increase N stores in fine roots. Spring application should be between full bloom and the young fruit stages to meet the high N demands of developing fruit. Summer application of fertilizer at the fruit enlargement stage does not contemporaneously affect the growth of pears, but increases the N stored in coarse roots, and in turn the amount available for remobilization in spring.

Biomaterials dominate the field of cardiovascular therapeutics, a multitude of which have been used to repair and replace injured heart tissue. This field has evolved beyond the simple selection of compatible materials and now focuses on the rational design of controlled structures that integrate with the cardiovascular system. However, the compatibility of these materials with the blood presents a major limitation to their clinical application. In this context, surface modification strategies can enhance blood compatibility and several recent advances in this area have emerged. This review summarizes the recent applications of biomaterials in cardiovascular therapies, the improvements in their biocompatibility and the surface modification technologies that have the potential to improve clinical outcomes.

The determination of erythropoietin (EPO) isoforms by using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) has been a key study in the quality control of erythropoietin products. However, the current Europea...

Selective conversion of renewable sources is necessary for developing energy generation technology and protecting the environment. Herein, this work reports a one-step controllable synthesis of tri...

A multi-responsive chromic textile was conveniently fabricated by screen-printing with a covalent organic polymer of viologen (COP2+) on the surface of cotton fabric, which was endowed with ammonia sensing, photochromic and thermochromic capabilities. The COP2+ coated fabric (CCF) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The coating treatment endowed the fabric with fast response to ammonia gas, ultraviolet light and heat without compromising its breathability, flexibility, and comfortability. The color of CCF turned from yellow to green instantly when exposed to ammonia gas and quickly returned yellow when removed from the stimulus. The reversible color transition process can also be induced by UV light (exposure for 10 s) or heat (110 °C) and is cyclable. This durable multi-responsive textile has great potential to be used as flexible sensor for environmental monitoring.

Textile-based electronics hold great promise as they can endow wearable devices with soft and comfortable characteristics. In this work, a multifunctional conductive yarn was fabricated by coating a commercial regenerated cellulose (lyocell) yarn with polypyrrole (PPy). The method is simple, low-cost, and highly scalable and it endows the common lyocell yarn with flame-retardant as well as good electrical heating properties and excellent electrochemical performance. The PPy-coated lyocell yarn (PCLY) behaved as a regular yarn and could be hand-knitted into a full fabric. The PCLY fabric demonstrated high conductivity, allowing its use as a wearable Joule heater. The polypyrrole coating significantly improved the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the lyocell yarn from 21.7% to 40.2%, endowing the yarn with an excellent flame-retardant property. PCLY was stitched into a fabric to form interdigitated electrodes and further assembled into flexible textile micro-supercapacitors. The resulting device with 10 interdigitated electrodes exhibited high areal specific capacitance of 663 mF cm−2 and energy density of 21.6 μW h cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2. Furthermore, six devices in series could power a blue light-emitting-diode (LED) of 3 V for more than 30 seconds. This facile fabrication provides novel and practical insights toward wearable textile-based electronics.

A recrystallization and partial melting (RAP) process was introduced to prepare the semi-solid 7075 aluminum alloy used for thixoforming. In order to obtain an ideal semi-solid microstructure, a series of extrusion experiments were conducted to comparatively investigate the optimum extrusion process parameters. Commercial 7075Al alloy samples were frstly extruded with varying extrusion ratios below the recrystallization temperature followed by homogenization, then these samples were reheated to the semi-solid state and held in the range of 5 to 50 minutes. The experimental results show that varying process cause the difference in the deformation degree and microstructure for as-extruded samples, resulting in various semi-solid microstructure. It is verifed that the formation of equiaxed grains in semi-solid microstructure depends on recrystallization behavior of extruded samples during partial melting. Both relative high extrusion temperature and low extrusion ratio lead to high volume fraction of recrystallized area, thus entirely equiaxed solid grains in semi-solid 7075Al alloy samples can be obtained finally. In addition, Ostwald ripening was determined as the dominate coarsening mechanism of solid grains in semi-solid state for this 7075 Al alloy during the RAP route. The infuence of pre-deformation on recrystallization behavior of this 7075 Al alloy was discussed in detail.

The composite structurehttp://mts.hindawi.com/update/) in our Manuscript Tracking System and after you have logged in click on the ORCID link at the top of the page. This link will take you to the ORCID website where you will be able to create an account for yourself. Once you have done so, your new ORCID will be saved in our Manuscript Tracking System automatically."?> with aluminum foam not only has the strength and toughness of the dense material but also reduces the weight of the component and increases specific deformation energy absorption performance. In this paper, advanced pore morphology (APM) foam elements are combined with thin-walled circular steel pipes by epoxy-bonding and epoxy foam-bonding processes to prepare composite circular pipes. The direct epoxy-bonding process using epoxy resin refers to coating the surface of APM spheres, whereas the epoxy foam-bonding process involves the mixing of the epoxy resin with the epoxy foaming agent and then coating the surface of APM spheres with this mixed epoxy resin. The compression performances and energy absorption performances were analyzed by quasistatic compression tests. Results indicate that the different bonding modes change the deformation mode of the specimen under compression. The epoxy foam-bonding APM composite pipe has a higher compression load level than the epoxy-bonding APM filled pipe. The epoxy foam-bonding APM composite pipe is superior to the epoxy-bonding APM composite and thin-wall hollow pipe. Hence, the combination of foaming and bonding of epoxy can be used as a new filling process for APM fillers.

The effects of Al−Ti−C and La on the fluidity of a ZL205A alloy after separate and combined addition were studied by conducting a fluidity test. The fluidity of the ZL205A alloy first increased and then decreased with the increasing addition of Al−Ti−C and La, it peaked at 0.3% and 0.1% for Al−Ti−C and La, respectively. The combined addition of Al−Ti−C and La led to better fluidity, which increased by 74% compared with the base alloy. The affecting mechanism was clarified through microstructure characterization and a DSC test. The heterogeneous nucleation aided by Al−Ti−C and La, the number of particles in the melt, and the evolution of the solidification range all played a role. Based on the evolution of the fluidity and grain size, the optimal levels of Al−Ti−C and La leading to both high fluidity and small grain size were identified.

Developing a low-cost and robust catalyst for efficient transformation of biomass-derived platform chemicals plays a crucial role in the synthesis of future transportation fuels. Herein, a post-synthetic strategy was employed to develop a noble metal-free and robust ZrY zeolite catalyst, which is efficient for the hydrogenation of biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) into biofuel γ-valerolactone (GVL), whereas over 95% yield of GVL was achieved in 10 h at 220°C. The effects of acidic properties from ZrY catalysts and various reaction parameters on the catalytic performance were then discussed in detail. Subsequently, different characterization tools were used to compare the difference and relationship of structure activity between the fresh and spent ZrY catalysts. It was found that acidity and the metal–support interaction were important for the direct synthesis of GVL. This work provides a guideline to design a noble metal-free catalyst for high-value utilization of biomass-derived sources.

In this work, we reported the high ductility of an extruded AZ61 magnesium alloy tube achieved by electropulsing current-assisted tension. The elongation of the alloy reached up to about 45%, which is largely superior to the majority of AZ61 wrought Mg alloys. We found that the hardening capacity of the alloy seemed to slightly increase as the electropulsing frequency increased. Furthermore, electropulsing can arouse the serrated flow phenomenon. Here we proposed an equation describing the correlation between the average amplitude and frequency: Aa = C − 6 × 10−3f, where Aa is the average amplitude, f is the frequency, and C is the constant. In addition, introducing electropulsing current pronouncedly reduced the tendency of twinning, but the twinning fraction seemed to fail depending on the electropulsing frequency. Based on microstructure analysis, we concluded that the outstanding ductility of the studied alloy was mainly due to the combined role of the thermal effects from Joule heating, the athermal effects from electron wind, and the magnetic effects from the electropulsing current. The serrated flow phenomenon occurred along stress–strain curves after electropulsing treatment, and the underlying reasons also were uncovered.

The microstructure and mechanical properties of a Mg-6Al-1Zn-0.9Sn alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at temperatures of 250 °C and 300 °C were investigated. It was found that the refinement of the microstructure was very dependent on the processing temperature. The main reason for the difference in grain refinement was the precipitation of secondary-phase particles. Texture information obtained by electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) showed the gradual formation of a 45° texture during the ECAP process, while the maximum intensity was different for processing temperatures at 250 °C and 300 °C. By calculating the contribution from different strengthening mechanisms, it was found that a 45° texture had a huge influence on grain boundary strengthening and thus the yield strength.

Eleven previously unreported sesquiterpenes, including nine eudesmane-type (agalleudesmanol A-I) and two agarospirane-type sesquiterpenes (agarospiranic aldehyde A-B), together with eight known sesquiterpenes, were isolated from the agarwood of Aquilaria agallocha Roxb. The structures were established based on extensive spectroscopic analyses, including infrared (IR), high-resolution electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (HRESIMS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction, quantum chemical calculations based on empirical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data, and DP4+ probability analysis. The bioactivity of these undescribed compounds against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells was evaluated. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activities, with IC50 values of 5.46–14.07 μM (aminoguanidine as positive control, IC50 20.33 ± 1.08 μM).

Al-Ti-C master alloys with different Ti/C mass ratios were fabricated by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS).Besides, the effect of Ti/C mass ratio on the microstructure of SHS products and its effect on the grain refinement of industrial pure aluminum were also investigated. The results indicated that the product with Ti/C mass ratio of 4:1 is mainly composed of TiC particles with average size of 0.81 μm, and there is only a small amount of rod-shaped Al3Ti in the sample. When the Ti/C mass ratio is increased to more than 10:1, the rod-shaped Al3Ti is the main product in master alloy, which has the most obvious effect on the refinement of pure aluminum. When the addition amount is 3 wt%, the average grain size decreased to about 191 μm. The Al-Ti-C master alloy with Ti/C mass ratio of 4:1 has better anti refining degradation performance. When add 1.2% of the above master alloy to pure aluminum, holding time 60 min, the macroscopic grains of industrial pure aluminum is more uniform and finer, with an average grain size of 324 µm. The results indicate that the morphology of TiC particles in the product changes from regular sphere to polyhedron with the increases of mass ratio of Ti/C, the average size of TiC particles increases, and the rod-shaped Al3Ti changes from thick rod to thin rod, the average size of rod-shaped Al3Ti decreases.

Garnet-bearing mafic granulites occur as lenses within TTG gneiss or metapelite in the Fuping Complex, middle Palaeoproterozoic Trans-North China Orogen. They are composed mainly of garnet, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, hornblende, plagioclase, quartz and accessary zircon and titanite. Four stages of metamorphic mineral assemblages have been found in these mafic granulites: (a) the prograde assemblages (M1) are inclusions preserved in the garnet porphyroblasts, including clinopyroxene, hornblende, plagioclase and quartz; (b) the metamorphic peak assemblages (M2) consist of garnet porphyroblasts plus matrix minerals clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + hornblende + plagioclase + quartz + zircon + titanite; (c) the first retrograde assemblages (M3) are represented by clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + plagioclase + quartz symplectites rimming the garnets; and (4) the final retrograde assemblages (M4) are hornblende + plagioclase + quartz symplectites rimming or adjacent to the garnets. The retrieved metamorphic P-T paths pass from 530–600 °C/6.5–7.0 kbar (M1) through 680–820 °C/7.2–11.7 kbar (M2) to 730–760 °C/3.2–3.9 kbar (M3) and finally to 600–640 °C/3.2–3.7 kbar (M4). All the P-T paths of the mafic granulites are clockwise, two of these even contain near isothermal decompression (ITD) and subsequent near isobaric cooling (IBC) segments. SHRIMP U-Pb dating of metamorphic zircons of the mafic granulites yields a mean weighted age of ∼1849 ± 9Ma, which is consistent with the metamorphic time of surrounding TTG gneisses. Therefore, the Fuping Complex records the collision event between the Eastern and Western Blocks of the North China Craton that led to the final assembly of this craton during the late Paleoproterozoic.

A gradient layer of Al/Cr diamond-like carbon film has been prepared by magnetron sputtering on 2024 Al-alloy. Emphasis has been placed on the anti-corrosion and tribological properties of the Cr-doped diamond-like film. Experimental research: scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectrometry, nano-indentation testing, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and tribological tests were undertaken to investigate the surface morphology, surface structures, chemical composition, anti-corrosion and mechanical properties of the as-prepared gradient diamond-like carbon film. The results indicated that the Cr-doped diamond-like carbon film with intermediate transition chromium layer showed improvements with regards to hardness and corrosion prevention due to the dense surface structure and decreased electrical conductivity. Cr-doped diamond-like carbon film also displayed excellent tribological properties such as a low friction coefficient and wear rate during tribological testing.

High-performance textile electrodes are promising electronic components that can meet the growing demand for wearable applications. In this study, woven and knitted fabrics, such as cotton, wool, silk, and polyester, were transformed into metal-free conducting electrodes by an improved in situ polymerization method. The method improved the conjugate length of the polypyrrole (PPy) molecule and doping levels and provided a thin and dense conductive polymer coating on the fabric surface. The sheet resistance of the resulting textile electrodes was less than 10 Ω sq−1. The PPy-coated textile electrodes contained superior electrical conductivity, without compromising the textiles breathability, flexibility, and comfortability. The tensile strength and wet crease recovery angles of the fabric were significantly improved after the incorporation of PPy onto its surface. The textile electrodes were more stable to organic solvent washing than to water washing. Their conductivities were nearly unchanged after washing in dichloromethane with 20 laundering cycles. The high conductivity of the PPy coating provided textile electrodes with good electrical heating properties. The PPy-coated textile electrodes (knitted cotton) demonstrated the highest specific capacitance of 4848 mF cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2, good cycling stability, and excellent flexibility. This study provided a simple and effective method to transform a commercial textile into wearable electronic components.

Geothermobarometry and phase equilibria modeling were conducted for garnet-bearing amphibolite of the Inyoni Shear Zone (ISZ), southwestern Barberton Greenstone Belt, South Africa. The prograde (M1), metamorphic peak (M2) and retrograde (M3) metamorphic P-T conditions were estimated to be ∼560 °C/∼8 kbar, 660–730 °C/7–9.5 kbar and 570–630 °C/5–6 kbar, respectively. The amphibolite records clockwise P-T paths, and the metamorphic peak P-T conditions belong to the medium P/T facies series. The retrograde segment of the P-T path documents near isothermal decompression which may reflect relative fast exhumation. The estimated apparent geotherm is 20–30 °C/km. SIMS U-Pb dating of metamorphic zircon suggests that the metamorphism of the ISZ amphibolite have occurred during ∼3.26–3.22 Ga, and the metamorphic peak might occur at ∼3.24 Ga. Furthermore, 40Ar/39Ar dating of hornblende indicates that the cooling stage might occur at ∼3.20 Ga. It is anticipated that the protolith of the amphibolite of the ISZ may have been involved in a subduction-like tectonic process along with the TTG plutons and was metamorphosed during 3.26–3.22 Ga, then uplifted from within the surrounding TTG plutons at ∼3.20 Ga.

The directional solidification process of Sn–10 wt% Bi alloy with low melting point was observed by synchrotron X-ray imaging technology. The mold temperature was controlled, and the dynamic images of a series of alloy solidification behavior were obtained. The results show that columnar crystal grows in dendrite morphology. It is also found that dendrite morphology changes at different mold temperature. With the decrease of the mold temperature, the dendrite morphology begins to change from irregular to regular, and finally, the primary dendrites and the secondary dendrites are perpendicular to each other.

Droplet-based microfluidic extraction is a promising way for effective lanthanides extraction due to its outstanding mass transfer performance. The separation process can be greatly enhanced with the droplet-based microfluidic extraction technique. However, the interactions between mass transfer, microfluidic dynamics and extraction kinetics are still unclear, which has hindered further manipulation on microfluidic extraction to boost extraction performance. In this study, the mechanisms of microfluidic droplet-based extraction and separation intensification of lanthanides are for the first time unveiled by using a numerical simulation model. The limiting factors for the performance of droplet-based microfluidic extraction are identified through a model-based parametric analysis. The numerical analyses provide a comprehensive understanding of droplet-based microfluidic extraction systems and offer operation and optimization guidelines for future research in this area.

Carbon steel and Cu-Pb-Sn bimetallic samples were prepared by the solid–liquid composite method. The preheating temperature of the steel matrix was 1150 ± 30 °C and the Cu-Pb-Sn alloy smelting temperature was 1200 ± 20 °C. The Cu-Pb-Sn alloy was subsequently poured into the preheated steel matrix to form a bimetallic composite interface. The influence of phosphorus (P) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the interface and the behavior mechanism of P at the bimetallic interface were examined. The results showed that when the P content was 0.1% (all contents reported herein are in wt.%), the carbon steel and Cu-Pb-Sn alloy formed an ideal metallurgical bonding interface. It was found that a nanoscale Fe3P phase was precipitated at 750 °C at the grain boundary of the ɑ-Cu interface. The Fe3P interplanar spacing of the phase was 2.1 A, and the interplanar spacing of ɑ-Cu was 2.07 A. When the P content reached 0.2%, the Fe3P phase precipitated at 1020 °C and aggregated into micrometer size at the interface, which formed a transition zone with ɑ-Cu. The transition zone widened with an increase in the P content in the alloy liquid. The interface atomic diffusion distance between Fe and Cu was 11.55 μm when the P content was 0.1%, and the sample shear strength reached a maximum value of 157.89 MPa. With increasing P content, the interface became hard and brittle because it emerged in the precipitated transition zone, which decreased the shear strength.

Oxidation tests of the austenitic steel HR3C were conducted at 600–700 °C in supercritical water under 25 MPa. The characteristics of oxide scales formed on HR3C were investigated using gravimetry, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, electron back-scatter diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The oxidation kinetics obeyed a near-parabolic law at 600 °C but followed a near-cubic law at 620–700 °C. The oxide films consisted of an Fe-rich outer layer and a Cr-rich inner layer. The phase constitution of the outer layer was Fe2O3 and Fe3O4, while the inner layer was spinel. Moreover, a continuous Cr2O3 formed at the oxide/steel interface during exposure at 700 °C.

Waterborne acrylic latex has been widely used for its decent performance and less emission of volatile organic compounds. In the present study, regenerated nanocellulose suspension from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and wood pulp toward improving waterborne polyacrylate (PA) latex sag resistance was evaluated. Rheology behavior of PA latex-regenerated nanocellulose (RC) was investigated. PA latex-RC displayed a “gel-like” behavior and had a desirable shear thinning property. Moreover, sag resistance of PA latex was evaluated by creep behavior. Results showed that deformation of PA latex at constant stress obviously decreased with an increase of the RC concentration. Meanwhile, PA latex showed high recovery of strain (>90%) with 2% RC concentration after removal of stress, which may be related to the reinforcement from the RC entanglements and their interaction. In addition, the properties of dry PA film with RC were also evaluated. The tensile strain, tensile stress and thermal stability of the films were slightly improved, while optical transparency slightly compromised with 2% RC concentration. Overall, the results suggested that RC is a promising biomass material for improving the sag resistance of waterborne acrylic latex.

The oxidation tests of the Nimonic 263 alloy exposed to deaerated supercritical water at 600–700°C under 25 MPa were carried out for up to 1000 h. Oxidation rate increased with an increase in tempe...

Surface modification is a direct and effective way to enhance the efficiency of heat exchangers. Surface modification by forming a microporous coated layer can greatly enhance the boiling heat transfer and thus achieve a high performance. In this paper, we systematically investigate the boiling behavior on a plain surface with/without sintered microporous coatings of copper powder. The results demonstrated that the sintered surface has a better performance in nucleate boiling due to the increased nucleation sites. The superheat degree is lower and the bubble departure diameter is larger for the sintered surface than for the plain surface, so the heat can be carried away more efficiently on the sintered surface. In addition, the heat transfer capacity on the sintered surface depends on both the powder size and the coating thickness for a high flux tube. The optimum heat transfer capacity can be obtained when the thickness of the microporous coating layer is 3–5 times of the sintered powder diameter. As a result, the heat transfer coefficient tube can be up to 3 times higher for the tube with a sintered surface than that with a plain surface, showing a pronounced enhancement in heat transfer and a high potential in chemical engineering industry application.

In this paper, pure nickel and Ni-Lu2O3 composite coatings with different content of nano-Lu2O3 particle were prepared using direct current electroplating. The morphology, texture, corrosion and high temperature oxidation resistance of the nanocomposite coating are investigated. The results show that the deposition amount of Lu2O3 particles in the composite coating increased first and then decreased with the increasing of the nano-Lu2O3 particles concentration in plating solution. The incorporation of nano-Lu2O3 particles changes the surface morphology and the preferential orientation of nickel matrix. The corrosion resistance and high temperature oxidation resistance of Ni-Lu2O3 composite coatings increase with the deposition amount of Lu2O3 particles. Compared with other samples, the composite coating of Ni/Lu2O3 (2.99 wt%) shows the best corrosion resistance and high temperature oxidation resistance.

The adhesion and bonding performance of waterborne polyurethane (PU) coating on aluminum alloy surface was improved in this study. To achieve this objective, the effects of different sodium silicate concentrations on the aluminum alloy micro-arc oxidation (MAO) layer and the adhesion strength and corrosion resistance of MAO-PU composite coating before and after modification by MAO treatment of the 7050 aluminum alloy were studied. The experimental results showed that the modification of the MAO membrane layer by a silane coupling agent could significantly improve the adhesion strength and corrosion resistance of the composite coating. Moreover, the maximum adhesion strength was obtained when the concentration of sodium silicate was 12 g L&minus, 1.

Pulse current assisted treatment has gained more attention in metallic materials, which is efficient and energy-saving, as compared with traditional heat treatment. However, the microstructural evolution of magnesium alloys with varied pre-deformation under pulsed current is still unclear. In this work, AZ91 alloy is subjected to gradient rolling and pulse current treatment (∼40 s). After gradient rolling, a transition zone from the initial to deformed microstructure was obtained in the sample, and the evolution of phases and twins can be analyzed precisely and continuously. Due to the difference in the Joule heat distribution of pulse current, a large number of fine Mg17Al12 phase are precipitated and dispersed, the precipitation and dissolution process of Mg17Al12 phase occur simultaneously. The region with moderate deformation has the largest recrystallization fraction, and the { 10 1 ¯ 1 } − { 10 1 ¯ 2 } double twins and { 10 1 ¯ 1 } compression twins are the preferred nucleation sites in the early stage of pulse current treatment. The weaken of texture is due to the newly formed grains with non-basal orientations. This work provides a new insight into the microstructural control of pre-deformed magnesium alloys under pulse current assisted treatment.

Ni-Mo-ZrO2 composite coatings were produced by pulse electrodeposition technique from alkaline electrolytes containing dispersed ZrO2 nanopowder. The structure, microhardness, corrosion properties and tribological properties of Ni-Mo-ZrO2 composites with different content of molybdenum and ZrO2 have also been examined. Structural characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that an increase in molybdate concentration in the electrolyte affects the microstructure, microhardness, corrosion properties and tribological properties of the amount of co-deposited ZrO2 nanoparticles. The incorporation of ZrO2 nanoparticles into the Ni-Mo alloy matrix positively affects the microhardness and also slightly improves the corrosion properties of Ni-Mo alloy coatings. In addition, both the coefficient of friction and the salt-water lubrication sliding wear rate of Ni-Mo-ZrO2 coatings decreased with increasing the ZrO2 content. Wear test and corrosion resistance test results indicated that the intermetallic composite had an excellent wear-resistance and corrosion resistance at room-temperature, which is attributed to the high hardness and strong atomic bonding of constituent phases Ni-Mo and polarization effect of ZrO2 nanoparticles.

Introduction Agarwood is a highly valuable fragrant resinous wood which is widely used as traditional Chinese medicines, perfumes, incense and decorations. Due to its high economic value and excessive demand, this leads to a rising price and proliferation of fake commodities. Thus, strict authenticity identification and quality evaluation of agarwood are of great significance. Objective To establish a simple, rapid and non-destructive technique for identifying the authenticity of agarwood. Methods Liquid extraction surface analysis mass spectrometry (LESA-MS) was firstly proposed to identify the authenticity of 62 agarwood samples without sample preparation. In addition, multivariate statistical models and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method were used to analyse and verify the results of LESA-MS. Results Representative compounds of agarwood were detected by LESA-MS. A characteristic 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone compound (m/z 319.1) was treated as a key chemical marker to identify agarwood and its counterfeits rapidly. Several other chromones ions were identified and used as additional evidence for authentic samples. A total of 62 samples were visually discriminated as two groups by principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projection to latent structures discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), and the specific characteristic marker was highlighted. Moreover, the qualitative results of the conventional TLC method were in agreement with the LESA-MS approach. Conclusion The proposed LESA-MS method was successfully applied in the direct qualitative analysis of agarwood from different sources. This study indicated great feasibility and practicality of LESA-MS in the rapid identification of agarwood, and provided a non-destructive and meaningful preliminary screening tool for the agarwood industry.

Highly efficient diamond wire sawn (DWS) multi-crystalline Si (mc-Si) solar cells with a satisfactory visual appearance are expecting to dominate the photovoltaic industry soon. Here, we report the realization of broadband spectral response of DWS mc-Si solar cells with omnidirectional performance and improved appearance. The success lies in the effective surface texturization based on MACE technique followed by post acid modification and the introduction of SiO2/SiNx stack layers on the rear side. Bowl-like pits with an open size of about 1 µm are uniformly formed on the Si surface regardless of the crystallographic directions, which significantly enhances the antireflection ability in the short wavelength and makes the grain boundaries less noticeable. We have also shown that the bowl-like textured cells possess exceptional optical absorption over wide angles of incidence from 0° to 70°. Moreover, the SiO2/SiNx stack layers enhance the rear internal reflection and passivation, effectively increasing the long wavelength absorption and suppressing the electrical losses. We have successfully mass-produced DWS mc-Si solar cells with an average efficiency of 19.1%, which is 1.2% absolutely higher than that of the conventional micro-textured counterparts.

A novel two-step process of Cr-Mn pack cementation and thermal oxidation was applied to fabricate a MnCr2O4 spinel coating on HP 40 alloy. The Cr-Mn diffusion layer formed after the Cr-Mn pack cementation process is lacking in Fe and Ni. A dense and uniform coating formed on the alloy following thermal oxidation. The coating is mainly composed of MnCr2O4 spinel phase, while the outer surface of the coating is completely MnCr2O4 spinel. The coating exhibits a favorable thickness of about 7 µm according to SEM and EDS maps of its cross-section. The MnCr2O4 spinel coating significantly affects the coking mechanism and coke property according to coking experiments. Raman spectroscopy shows that the coated sample inhibits catalytic coke formation as more disordered carbon and amorphous carbon layers are present. Moreover, the coating is stable in coking and decoking environments.

The Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial plant that belongs to the sunflower family. As a non-grain crop, Jerusalem artichoke possesses a number of desirable characteristics that make it a valuable feedstock for biorefinery, such as inulin content, rapid growth, strong adaptability, and high yields. This review provides a comprehensive introduction to renewable Jerusalem artichoke-based biomass resources and recent advances in bio-based product conversion. Furthermore, we discuss the latest in the development of inulinase-producing microorganisms and enhanced inulin hydrolysis capacity of microbes by genetic engineering, which lead to a more cost-effective Jerusalem artichoke biorefinery. The review is aimed at promoting Jerusalem artichoke industry and new prospects for higher value-added production.

As a cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide , cubic zirconia (CZ) is hard, optically flawless, and usually colorless. This interesting mineral crystal has become a popular gem with its low cost, durability, and close visual likeness and the same fashion as diamond , and the cutting techniques for the preparation of cubic zirconia gems have received intensive attentions from diamond gemstone industry in recent years. Among the processes of gem cutting, the grinding process is not only the most time-consuming, but also the key process to determine product quality. However, mechanical characteristics such as the low strength, fracture toughness, and elastic of cubic zirconia make the grinding process much more challenging. In this work, a novel grooved and metal-bonded diamond disc was designed and employed in CZ grinding process to reduce the cutting forces and enhance the material removal rate. Experiments were conducted on an automatic faceting gem machine developed by our group to investigate the influences of intermittent vibro-impact in grinding gemstone. The comparison of some important parameters like the grinding force and the surface roughness obtained by grooved diamond disc and non-grooved diamond disc was carried out. Five rotational speeds of grinding disc, i.e., 1600, 1900, 2200, 2500, and 2800 rpm and five feed rates of 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.1 mm/min were used respectively in this study. From the experimental results, it was observed that the normal grinding force with grooved disc was significantly smaller than that of non-grooved disc, which means under the same grinding force, the feed rate of grooved grinding plate disc is higher than that of non-grooved grinding disc. And the surface roughness of the CZ surface was also decreased with the use of the grooved disc compared with the non-grooved disc. Therefore, the present grooved disc could be a promising tool for cubic zirconia grinding to improve the processing efficiency while also ensures the surface quality.

The newly discovered Shangmachang epithermal gold (> 11 t Au; Heilongjiang province, NE China) and Beidagou epithermal tellurium-gold (> 5 t Au) deposits are located at the northeastern margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt and are hosted in Early Cretaceous volcanic rocks. At the Shangmachang deposit, gold occurs largely as electrum microparticles (5–120 μm) with a fineness of approximately 401–697 in quartz, calcite, and pyrite. Silver-bearing minerals include electrum, polybasite, and minor argentite. The main mineral paragenetic assemblages consist of pyrite-electrum and galena-polybasite, while the hydrothermal alteration minerals include quartz, calcite, sericite, chlorite, and pyrite. Trace elements in the gangue minerals show that the Al contents of gold-bearing quartz veins are lower than those of pure quartz veins (early stage). Fluid inclusions in quartz and calcite mainly comprise liquid-vapor, and the components contain a liquid phase consisting of Na+, Cl−, and SO42− and a gas phase consisting of N2, CO2, and CH4. The Shangmachang fluid inclusions homogenize at 142.8°–303.0 °C and are of low salinity (0.2–8.8 wt% NaCl equiv.), while the Au mineralization formed at 150°–225 °C. The calcite δ18Ofluid values range from − 17.8‰ to − 13.1‰, and the carbon isotope compositions range from − 8.2‰ to − 4.5‰. Zircon U-Pb dating of the Longjiang Formation andesite yields 119.4 ± 1.9 Ma, and the granite yields 118.6 ± 1.2 Ma, suggesting that local magmatism occurred during the Early Cretaceous. Calcite Sm-Nd dating suggests that the Au mineralization has an age of approximately 113.6 ± 4.0 Ma. At the Beidagou deposit, the main mineral paragenetic assemblages consist of sphalerite-galena-hessite and chalcopyrite-altaite-petzite-hessite, while the hydrothermal alteration minerals include quartz, calcite, anhydrite, chlorite, and pyrite. The components of the fluid inclusions in quartz contain a fluid phase consisting of Na+, K+, Cl−, and SO42− and a gas phase consisting of N2, CO2, CH4, and C2H6. The Beidagou fluid inclusions homogenize at 133.8°–370.1 °C and are of low salinity (0.2–8.7 wt% NaCl equiv.), while the Au mineralization formed at 175°–250 °C. The δ18Ofluid and δDSMOW values of the quartz samples from Beidagou range from − 8.2‰ to − 5.0‰ and − 101.6‰ to − 92.8‰, respectively. The Al contents of gold-bearing quartz veins are higher than those of pure quartz veins. Rb-Sr dating of ore-bearing quartz veins suggests that the Te-Au-Ag mineralization has an age of about 115.5 ± 4.4 Ma. In summary, the interpretation of new data from the geological setting, fluid inclusions, O-H-C isotopes, and geochronology, suggests that the ore-forming fluids predominantly comprised meteoric fluids, while the metal content was derived from a mantle source at both the Shangmachang and Beidagou deposits. A geochemical model suggests that the fluids responsible for quartz deposition had a neutral pH and that adiabatic boiling and mixing triggered the gold, silver and tellurium precipitation. Both Shangmachang and Beidagou are interpreted as low-sulfidation epithermal gold deposits.