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Highlights: Developing surface-functionalized catalysts with exceptional activity and selectivity for the electrocatalytic CO2RR to C2+ products under neutral electrolyte. A remarkable C2+ FE of nearly 90% at an unprecedented current density of 300 mA cm−2 and maintain high FE (> 80%) at the wide current density performance (100–600 mA cm−2) in neutral environments using a flow cell as well as MEA electrolyzer. Mechanical study reveals that reducing the coverage of coordinated K·H2O water increased the probability of intermediate reactants (CO) interacting with the surface, thereby promoting efficient C–C coupling and enhancing the yield of C2+ products. Surface functionalization of Cu-based catalysts has demonstrated promising potential for enhancing the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) toward multi-carbon (C2+) products, primarily by suppressing the parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction and facilitating a localized CO2/CO concentration at the electrode. Building upon this approach, we developed surface-functionalized catalysts with exceptional activity and selectivity for electrocatalytic CO2RR to C2+ in a neutral electrolyte. Employing CuO nanoparticles coated with hexaethynylbenzene organic molecules (HEB-CuO NPs), a remarkable C2+ Faradaic efficiency of nearly 90% was achieved at an unprecedented current density of 300 mA cm−2, and a high FE (> 80%) was maintained at a wide range of current densities (100–600 mA cm−2) in neutral environments using a flow cell. Furthermore, in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer, 86.14% FEC2+ was achieved at a partial current density of 387.6 mA cm−2 while maintaining continuous operation for over 50 h at a current density of 200 mA cm−2. In-situ spectroscopy studies and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that reducing the coverage of coordinated K⋅H2O water increased the probability of intermediate reactants (CO) interacting with the surface, thereby promoting efficient C–C coupling and enhancing the yield of C2+ products. This advancement offers significant potential for optimizing local micro-environments for sustainable and highly efficient C2+ production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cure‐induced residual stresses have a significant influence on the deformation and mechanical properties of composites. Moreover, the cure‐induced residual stresses exhibit multi‐level and multiscale distributions due to the complexity of micro‐structure of composites and anisotropic characteristics. In this paper, a computationally efficient multiscale procedure is proposed to predict the microscopic residual stresses induced by cure temperature, cure shrinkage and macroscopic residual stresses, which is based to the linear viscoelastic theory combined with the micro‐mechanics method. The instantaneous microscopic residual stresses are expressed as a linear combination of the instantaneous temperature increment, degree of cure increment and macroscopic strain increment at all times of the cure process until to the current time. The proposed method is verified in comparison with the published results in literature and the microscale FEA at different length scales, respectively. The results show that the proposed method is about a thousand times faster than directly using FEA in the microscale RVE model once the influence coefficient matrices are determined. At length, the microscale stresses of all nodes of the entire macroscale model are examined by using the proposed method. It is found that the thermal‐chemical‐mechanical loads lead to serious microscopic stresses for the matrix and interphase constituents, especially for those due to the macroscopic residual stresses. Highlights: Microscale residual stress is written as a linear combination of macroscale loads.Applying macroscale loads on microscale FEA model to obtain influence matrices.The presented model avoids repeatedly FEA microscopic to improve the efficiency.The online time required for the proposed model is much less than microscale FEA.The microscale stress increases the risk of matrix cracking and interface bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to form formic acid fuel is hindered by the limited activation of CO2 molecules and the lack of universal feasibility across different pH levels. Herein, we report a doping‐engineered bismuth sulfide pre‐catalyst (BiS‐1) that S is partially retained after electrochemical reconstruction into metallic Bi for CO2RR to formate/formic acid with ultrahigh performance across a wide pH range. The best BiS‐1 maintains a Faraday efficiency (FE) of ~95 % at 2000 mA cm−2 in a flow cell under neutral and alkaline solutions. Furthermore, the BiS‐1 catalyst shows unprecedentedly high FE (~95 %) with current densities from 100 to 1300 mA cm−2 under acidic solutions. Notably, the current density can reach 700 mA cm−2 while maintaining a FE of above 90 % in a membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer and operate stably for 150 h at 200 mA cm−2. In situ spectra and density functional theory calculations reveals that the S doping modulates the electronic structure of Bi and effectively promotes the formation of the HCOO* intermediate for formate/formic acid generation. This work develops the efficient and stable electrocatalysts for sustainable formate/formic acid production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of global warming on lightning flash rates remains relatively unknown. In this study, the South China Sea (SCS) and the surrounding areas within Southeast Asia were selected to examine the long‐term trend and future projection of lightning activity based on the currently longest satellite‐based lightning data set available and climate models. Our study revealed a reduction in the observed lightning flash rates around the SCS, with a linear trend of −0.11 fl km−2 yr−2 during 1996–2013. In contrast, the precipitation around the SCS exhibited an increasing trend and was negatively correlated with the local lightning flash rate. The sea surface temperature gradient over equatorial Pacific Ocean, latent heat flux over the equatorial Indian Ocean, local convective available potential energy, precipitation and aerosol changes collectively accounted for 82% of the variance in the lightning fluctuations over the SCS and Southeast Asia. Multiple linear regression proxies of lightning flash rates were constructed and applied to the climate models. The models indicated that lightning activity around the SCS is projected to intensify by 10% and 12% by the end of the 21st century under SSP245 and SSP370, respectively. Plain Language Summary: The projection of future changes in lightning activity is uncertain owing to various factors, and different regions exhibit distinct trajectories. In this study, the focus was on the South China Sea (SCS) and Southeast Asia, and past variations in lightning activity was examined and used to predict future variations in lightning activity. Employing a multiple linear regression approach, we identified the large‐scale thermodynamic drivers and local environmental factors that influence lightning activity around the SCS. The research findings indicated a reduction in lightning activity over the past few decades over the SCS and Southeast Asia region. The simulation results indicate that in the future under ongoing global warming, regional lightning activity will intensify. Key Points: Lightning activity and precipitation show opposing regional trends around the South China Sea (SCS)Remote thermodynamic and local environmental factors both contribute to the variability in lightning around the SCSUnder future climate change scenarios, lightning activity around the SCS is projected to gradually increase [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]