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Child abuse is a worldwide public health problem, while its characteristics (e.g., timing, feelings, and characteristics of perpetrators) still need further exploration, particularly in the Chinese cultural context. This study translated and validated the ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tools-Retrospective version in the Chinese cultural context, and delineated child abuse using the Chinese version of ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Retrospective Version (ICAST-R-C). A total of 2,223 college students were recruited from seven major geographical divisions of China. The results showed that internal consistency of physical, emotional, sexual, and overall abuse were.66,.56,.63, and.72, respectively. A three-factor model of the ICAST-R-C fitted well, and it had good criterion-related validity with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-short form (CTQ-SF). Prevalence of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse was 9.90%, 28.90%, and 6.30%, respectively. These findings suggest that the reliability and validity of ICAST-R-C are acceptable and it reflects more detailed characteristics of abuse, which indicates that ICAST-R-C is an acceptable measure for evaluating childhood abuse in Chinese college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al/SiC composites with different Al contents were prepared by high-energy ball milling with Al powder and SiC powder as raw materials at a temperature of 1800 °C, a pressure of 50 MPa, and heat preservation for 5 min. The microstructures and phase compositions of the Al/SiC composites were observed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the Al/SiC composites prepared by adding 10 vol% aluminum had the best properties: the strength was 310 MPa, the apparent porosity was 6.50%, and the density was 2.9192 g/cm3. Furthermore, the corrosion rate of the Al/SiC composites gradually decreased with increasing corrosion time when the Al/SiC composites were placed in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution at room temperature. However, the corrosion rate differed for varying Al contents. The experimental results showed that the Al/SiC composites with 10 vol% Al have the best properties, including the smallest porosity, the largest density, and the highest corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric nanogenerators have prospective uses for generating mechanical energy and powering electronic devices due to their high output and flexible behavior. In this research, the synthesis of the three-dimensional coral-like BaTiO3 (CBT) and its filling into a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix to obtain composites with excellent energy harvesting properties are reported. The CBT-based PENG has a 163 V voltage and a 16.7 µA current at a frequency of 4 Hz with 50 N compression. Simulations show that the high local stresses in the CBT coral branch structure are the main reason for the improved performance. The piezoelectric nanogenerator showed good durability at 5000 cycles, and 50 commercial light-emitting diodes were turned on. The piezoelectric nanogenerator generates a voltage of 4.68–12 V to capture the energy generated by the ball falling from different heights and a voltage of ≈0.55 V to capture the mechanical energy of the ball's movement as it passes. This study suggests a CBT-based piezoelectric nanogenerator for potential use in piezoelectric sensors that has dramatically improved energy harvesting characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we study the convection turbulence driven by heat-releasing point particles, which absorb energy for external sources. Two-way coupling is considered for both momentum and temperature fields, and the particle dynamics includes both the Stokes drag, which is measured by the Stokes number, and the gravity force, which is measured by the Froude number. The gravity effect of particles on the convection turbulence is mainly researched. Two regimes are identified at large and small Froude numbers, respectively. For a large Froude number, the flow can reach a statistically steady state with particles being constantly advected over the whole domain. Within this regime, the transport properties exhibit weak dependence on the Froude number but strong dependence on the Stokes number. When the Froude number is small enough, all particles eventually accumulate toward the boundary layer region near the bottom plate. Scaling laws are derived for the critical Froude number between the two regimes, which agree well with the numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate the thermal convection flow which is driven by a heat-releasing concentration field. Different from our previous work on the internally heated double diffusive convection (IHDDC), in the current internally heated Rayleigh-Bénard convection (IHRBC), the fluid density depends solely on the temperature field and the concentration field only serves as the internal heat source. Linear stability analyses reveal that the most unstable mode is always the stationary one. The critical Rayleigh number, which measures the strength of the unstable driving force, decreases with the Schmidt number (the ratio between the viscosity and the molecular diffusivity of concentration field), but increases with the Prandtl number (the ratio between the viscosity and the thermal molecular diffusivity). Fully developed flows are then studied by three-dimensional direct numerical simulations. The unifying model developed for IHDDC can also be used to describe the transport properties for the current flow. The characteristic widths are smaller for the plumes descending from the top plate than those ascending from the bottom one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of precise equilibrium gas permeability affects the application of edible coatings. This study aims to precisely control the coating oxygen permeability through layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly. The coatings fabricated by chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA) were systematically investigated about assembly mechanism, growth law, barrier performance, and application. Results showed that coating assembly was driven by the electrostatic interaction between CS and SA. The fastest coating growth was the pH of SA and CS at 4 and the NaCl concentration at 0.1 mol/L. The coating with a specific barrier performance had been proved to be accurately fabricated by adjusting the assembly concentration and times. Finally, coating combinations with the desired oxygen-barriers for strawberries, tangerines, and bananas were predicted based on the gas exchange model and fabricated by LbL. The physiological properties of the coated fruits indicated that the optimal LbL coating extended the shelf life of strawberries, tangerines and bananas by 2, 4, and 4 days, respectively. This research may help to precisely control the properties of coatings during the preparation and application of edible coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the preparation method and the dispersion behaviour of Modified Carbon Nanotube-fiber Reinforcements (MCNF), the change laws and the effect mechanisms of dynamic compressive strength of MCNF concretes. Electrophoresis method was used to prepare MCNF and its interfacial shear performance was tested by interfacial shear strength (IFSS) test. In addition, the dispersion behavior of MCNF in simulated concrete solution was verified by turbidity method. Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) tests were carried on concrete samples with different volume fractions (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%) of MCNF. The results show that carbon nanotubes are easier to deposit to the negative electrode, and the higher the content of polycarboxylate superplasticizer, the more obvious the dispersity of MCNF in alkaline environment. The dynamic compressive strength of MCNF concrete was 14.0–35.5% higher than that of untreated concrete, and reached the maximum when the MCNF content was about 0.3%. The MCNF was wrapped in concrete matrix and promoted hydration reaction of interface between cement and MCNF from microscopic observation. The addition of MCNF could increase the porosity. The volume percentage of ≥ 100 nm pore decreased first and then increased. Reasons for the improvement strength of MCNF concrete is that the bridging effect is stronger with the increase of MCNF content (≤ 0.3%) and limited when the MCNF content is equal to 0.4%. MCNF concrete could be used in actual engineering with high requirements for dynamic load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsed electric fields (PEF) and cold plasma (CP) show the potential to improve drying efficiency, but the understanding of their comparison and combined effects in PEF-driven dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is lacking. This study aims to develop a non-chemical pre-treatment to improve drying efficiency and quality by exploring the effects of using PEF, atmospheric pressure plasma jet, and PEF-driven DBD for pre-treating wolfberry. Exploring the synergistic effects and mechanisms of PEF and CP in pre-treatment innovatively provided a new dimension for efficient drying. Results showed that DBD pre-treatment reduced the drying time by 50.6% and energy consumption by 46.0% compared to untreated wolfberry. DBD-pre-treated wolfberries showed better sensory quality and retained critical nutrients by reducing enzyme activities and drying time. DBD combined cold plasma etching and PEF cell disintegration to increase the surface area and pore volume of wolfberry. Furthermore, DBD affected the molecular and tissue structure, altering the binding state of water molecules. [Display omitted] • DBD reduced drying time by 50.6% and cut energy use by 46.0% than untreated. • Dried wolfberries obtained by DBD pretreated showed the best overall quality. • DBD reduced enzymatic browning and the accumulation of 5-HMF. • DBD combined CP etching and PEF cell disintegration to improve the drying rate. • DBD altered the water binding by affecting the molecular and tissue structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbofuran and acetamiprid pose the highest residual risk among pesticides found in wolfberries. This study aimed to degrade these pesticides in wolfberries using a multi-array dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD), evaluate the impact on safety and quality and explore their degradation mechanism. The results showed that DBD treatment achieved 90.6% and 80.9% degradation rates for carbofuran and acetamiprid, respectively, following a first-order kinetic reaction. The 120 s treatment successfully reduced pesticide contamination to levels below maximum residue limits. Treatment up to 180 s did not adversely affect the quality of wolfberries. QTOF/MS identification and degradation pathway analysis revealed that DBD broke down the furan ring and carbamate group of carbofuran, while replacing the chlorine atom and oxidizing the side chain of acetamiprid, leading to degradation. The toxicological evaluation showed that the degradation products were less toxic than undegraded pesticides. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the reactive oxygen species (ROS) facilitated the degradation of pesticides through dehydrogenation and radical addition reactions. ROS type and dosage significantly affected the breakage of chemical bonds associated with toxicity (C 4 –O 5 and C 2 –Cl 1). These findings deepen insights into the plasma chemical degradation of pesticides. [Display omitted] • Unqualified data of wolfberry was firstly investigated and as degradation reference. • DBD degraded 90.64% and 80.92% of carbofuran and acetamiprid, respectively. • The degradation was gained atomic-scale insight by molecular dynamics simulations. • Products and toxicity were studied jointly to examine the safety of CP degradation. • ROS caused degradation through dehydrogenation and radical addition reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging contaminant in soil, the impact of microplastics (MPs) on the environmental behavior of other organic pollutants remains uncertain, potentially threatening the sustainability of agricultural production. In this study, the impact of two kinds of MPs on the environmental behaviors of herbicide atrazine in soil-plant system was investigated. The results showed that MPs significantly reduced the half-life 17.69 ∼ 21.86 days of atrazine in the soil, compared to the control group. Meanwhile, the introduction of MPs substantially increased atrazine adsorption. Additionally, MPs substantially enriched the diversity and functionality of soil microbiome, and the soil metabolic activity was stimulated. Regarding the crop growth, the accumulation of atrazine in maize were significantly decreased by approximately 48.4–78.5 % after exposure to MPs. In conclusion, this study reveals the impact of MPs on atrazine's environmental behaviors in soil and highlights their less effect on maize growth, providing valuable insights for managing MPs contamination in sustainable agriculture. [Display omitted] • The presence of MPs accelerated the dissipation and adsorption of atrazine in soil. • MPs increased atrazine-metabolizing bacteria and altered the diversity of soil microbiome. • MPs stimulated soil metabolic activity and affected atrazine metabolic pathways. • Bioconcentration of atrazine in maize was reduced where MPs coexisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable film-based smart biosensors have been developed for real-time biomolecules detection. Particularly, interfacial co-assembly of reduced graphene oxide-prussian blue (PB-RGO) film through electrostatic interaction has been systematically studied by controllable pH values, achieving optimal PB-RGO nanofilms at oil/water (O/W) phase interface driven by minimization of interfacial free energy for wearable biosensors. As a result, as-prepared wearable biosensors of PB-RGO film could be easily woven into fabrics, exhibiting excellent glucose sensing performance in amperometric detection with a sensitivity of 27.78 µA mM−1 cm−2 and a detection limit of 7.94 μM, as well as impressive mechanical robustness of continuously undergoing thousands of bending or twist. Moreover, integrated wearable smartsensing system could realize remotely real-time detection of biomarkers in actual samples of beverages or human sweat via cellphones. Prospectively, interfacial co-assembly engineering driven by pH-induced electrostatic interaction would provide a simple and efficient approach for acquiring functional graphene composites films, and further fabricate wearable smartsensing devices in health monitoring fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the accelerated degradation test (ADT) of lithium-ion battery, the degradation path models are usually applied with the fixed parameters. To optimize the degradation path models, so many battery cells are required for the ADT models based on the degradation path. However, for some lithium-ion batteries with long cycle life and high reliability, the samples are limited due to experimental cost constraints. Meanwhile, owing to the differences in raw materials and manufacturing processes, it is easy to observe variations among the degradation path of lithium-ion battery cells. Fortunately, Wiener process model considering the individual difference can express the variations and be modeled with limited samples for lithium-ion battery. Motivated by this issue, an improved method with random effects Wiener process (REWP) is proposed in this article. First, to verify the degradation process following the Wiener process, the Shapiro–Wilk test is carried out on the basis of a significance level of 0.05. Second, we analyze the varieties of every lithium-ion battery cell. To select a suitable Wiener process model, we apply the coefficient of variation as a measure of random parameters selection for Wiener process. Meanwhile, the maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is used to optimize parameters of the proposed model. Next, the three different REWP models and general Wiener process model are compared. Finally, to demonstrate the proposed method, the lithium-ion battery cells used for a spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO) are conducted for ADTs. The results suggest that the REWP model has a better performance for assessing reliability of lithium-ion battery with long cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Si 3 N 4 ceramics pose a challenge when it comes to the preparation of light-curing pastes with high depth of cure, elevated solid content, and low viscosity. This challenge is primarily attributed to their inherent characteristics, including high absorbance, a high refractive index, and suboptimal sphericity. Consequently, the application of Si 3 N 4 ceramics in 3D printing remains a complex endeavor. To address the intricacies associated with 3D printing using Si 3 N 4 ceramics, our research focuses on the utilization of Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide (TMAH) for pH adjustment in Si 3 N 4 ceramics. This adjustment aims to enhance the stability, curing depth, and viscosity of the slurry. Subsequently, we employ this Si 3 N 4 light-curing slurry for 3D printing, followed by sintering the printed materials. The evaluation includes testing for porosity, density, and flexural strength of the samples. Notably, our efforts yield porous silicon nitride ceramics boasting an impressive density of 1.8299 g/cm3, porosity measuring 43.718%, and remarkable flexural strength amounting to 275 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The optimized CP treatment extended the shelf life of fresh wolfberry by 3 d. • CP treatment inactivated microorganisms and inhibited the respiration of wolfberries. • The CP triggers the defence response of the wolfberries ROS metabolic system. • CP promoted the synthesis of flavonoids and enhanced wolfberry resistance to decay. Fresh wolfberries, a nutritious "super fruit", face limited marketing potential due to storage difficulties. This study aimed to enhance their storage stability using dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD) pretreatment and investigate the intervention mechanism. The results indicated that the optimal condition of DBD pretreatment for fresh wolfberries was 13.64 kV, 70 s and 2.7 kHz, which extended their shelf from 2 to 5 d at room temperature. This pretreatment reduced decay, weight loss, and firmness reduction by inactivating microorganisms and inhibiting respiration. Additionally, the decline of phenols, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant activity was inhibited, while maintaining high content of polysaccharides, titratable acid, and carotenoids. Interestingly, moderate DBD treatment produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) that triggered the defense response of wolfberries' ROS metabolism system and promoted the biosynthesis of flavonoids, thereby enhancing resistance to decay. The findings offer new insight into plasma effects on fruits and vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing an electrocatalyst with optimized structure and performance is vital for the electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen. Herein, a three‐dimensional (3D) hierarchical composite electrode material is proposed for alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), consisting of Co−Al hydroxides (CoAl‐LDHs) nanosheets decorated with vertically aligned nickel sulfide (Ni3S2) arrays (Ni3S2@CoAl‐LDHs/NF). The as‐obtained electrocatalyst displays a minimum overpotential of 175 mV at 10 mA cm−2 toward HER. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel slope further reveals outstanding kinetics in the electrolysis process. The catalytic performance of the electrode can still maintain 90 % capacity after 1000 CV cycles. The outstanding properties of the composite material benefits from its unique 3D hierarchical structure, which promote plentiful active sites and faster electronic transfer rate. This work sheds lights on the current research of noble‐metal‐free electrocatalysts and the design of overall water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh wolfberry is a super fruit with excellent nutritive and medicinal values, but highly perishable and difficult to store. In this research, dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD) was used to control the spoilage and mycotoxin of Alternaria alternata (A. alternata), which frequently and heavily contaminated fresh wolfberries. Results showed that DBD treatment could inactivate A. alternata with a maximum reduction of 2.26 log CFU/mL (700V,480s). Its spore inactivation behavior most fitted the Log-logistic model (R2 > 0.993). DBD disrupted A. alternata cell membrane integrity, oxidized membrane-associated substances and increased membrane permeability. The reactive oxygen species produced by DBD caused the accumulation of reactive oxygen metabolites in the spores and the inhibition of antioxidant enzyme activity. The average content of four mycotoxins on wolfberries could be reduced by 62.84% after the 60s treatment and storage for 6 days, while the decay rate decreased by 30.66%, and the firmness, TSS and DPPH free radical scavenging increased by 11.07%, 5.88% and 19.20%, respectively. Therefore, DBD could be used as a new technology to inactivate A. alternata , reduce its mycotoxin, and improve agricultural product quality. • Alternaria alternate spore inactivation behavior most fits the Log-logistic model. • DBD treatment inhibits antioxidant enzyme activity and leads to ROS accumulation. • DBD treatment oxidizes membrane-associated substances and disrupts cell membranes. • The average reduction of four mycotoxins in wolfberries was 62.84%. • The firmness, TSS and DPPH free radical scavenging of fresh wolfberries increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring and predicting the trend of bug number time series of a software system is crucial for both software project managers and software end‐users. For software managers, accurate prediction of bug number of a software system will assist them in making timely decisions, such as effort investment and resource allocation. For software end‐users, knowing possible bug number of their systems ahead will enable them to adopt timely actions in coping with the loss caused by possible system failures. This study proposes an approach called SamEn‐SVR to combine sample entropy and support vector regression (SVR) to predict software bug number using time series analysis. The basic idea is to use template vectors with the smallest complexity as input vectors for SVR classifiers to ensure predictability of time series. By using Mozilla Firefox bug data, we conduct extensive experiments to compare the proposed approach and state‐of‐the‐art techniques including auto‐regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), X12 enhanced ARIMA and polynomial regression to predict bug number time series. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed SamEn‐SVR approach outperforms state‐of‐the‐art techniques in bug number prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory medium entropy alloys (RMEAs) usually show good mechanical properties at high temperature. Unfortunately, their very poor room-temperature plasticity and high-temperature oxidation resistance still greatly limit their practical application. In this work, the room-temperature mechanical properties and high-temperature oxidation resistance of Al x CrTaTi RMEAs (x = 0, 0.15, 0.25, 0.35) are systematically studied. It is found that the Al x CrTaTi RMEAs exhibit very high yield strength of about 1700 MPa and plasticity of above 10%. For Al-bearing RMEAs, a composite oxide layer containing Al 2 O 3 is formed on the alloy surface. Under the synergistic effect with the CrTaO 4 oxide layer in the middle layer, Al 0.25 CrTaTi alloy possesses good oxidation resistance at 1000 ℃ for 100 h with the oxidation weight gain of only 7.3 mg/cm2. • Al x CrTaTi RHEAs exhibit high yield strength of about 1700 MPa and plasticity of above 10%. • A composite oxide layer containing Al 2 O 3 with CrTaO 4 is formed on the Al-bearing RHEAs surface. • Al 0.25 CrTaTi alloy shows good room-temperature plasticity and high-temperature oxidation resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) usually exhibited good mechanical properties at high temperatures. Unfortunately, the very poor high-temperature oxidation resistance was still greatly limited their practical application space. In this work, the effect of the reactive element (RE) Y on the high temperature oxidation resistance of CrMoTaTi RHEA was systematically investigated. It was found that the addition of Y could significantly improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance of CrMoTaTi RHEA. For the Y-bearing RHEAs, they greatly reduced the critical concentration of Cr required for the formation of Cr 2 O 3 on the alloy surface, which was conducive to the rapid formation of Cr 2 O 3 reacting with Ta 2 O 5 , resulting the generation of CrTaO 4 with a relatively dense and continuous protective layer. The Y-bearing RHEAs exhibited good oxidation resistance even when the alloys were oxidized at 1000 °C for 100 h. This work proposed a positive role of the reactive elements and new insights to improve the high-temperature oxidation resistance of RHEAs. • The reactive element Y enhanced the high-temperature oxidation resistance of CrMoTaTi RHEA significantly. • With the addition of Y greatly reduced the critical concentration of Cr required for the formation of Cr 2 O 3. • The introduction of Y could promote the formation of CrTaO 4 with a dense and continuous protective layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sodium alginate and chitosan were assembled layer by layer to achieve self-healing. • The assembly properties and self-healing ability of coatings were characterized. • This self-healing coating can reduce the impact of coating damage on strawberries. Coating damage destroys the integrity features critical for maintaining the modified atmosphere inside the fruit. In this study, we developed a self-healing edible coating that maintains its barrier properties for extending the shelf life of strawberries. The coating was fabricated via the layer-by-layer assembly of chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA). (SA/CS) 3 formed by three assembly cycles could completely heal the visibly damaged area by treating water. The mechanical properties and the water and oxygen rates of the healed coating were 97%, 63%, and 95%, respectively, of the intact coating. (SA/CS) 3 coating effectively delayed strawberry deterioration. Moreover, the coating reduced the impact of coating damage on strawberries by restoring the coating barrier properties. The present findings have important implications for solving the reduction in freshness caused by coating damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the actual working environment for the polymer cement composite, the effect of temperature on its properties cannot be ignored. In order to investigate the properties of polymer cement composite in extreme temperature environment, this study conducted bond test, tensile test, and shear test of composites at different temperatures (−30, −15, 25, 40, and 60°C). Through measuring the elastic recovery rate of specimens, as well as relevant strength indexes, deformation indexes and energy consumption indexes under tensile and shear loads, the effect of temperature on the bond property, tensile property, and shear property of the composite were investigated. The results show that the polymer cement composite has a good bond property, and no damage occurs at any temperature or after cold drawing and hot pressing cycle. Temperature has a great influence on the tensile property and shear property of polymer cement composite. At a low temperature, the tensile property and shear property improve, the strength and energy consumption indexes increase noticeably, and the elongation at break increases while the peak strain reduces in terms of deformation indexes. At a high temperature, the tensile property and shear property deteriorate, and the strength, deformation, and energy consumption indexes all fall. As a result, the polymer cement composite is more suitable for cold areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hybrid graphene oxide (GO)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced cement paste with various hybrid ratios were investigated. • The dispersion properties of hybrid GO/CNTs were improved. • The optimal hybrid ratio for compressive strength reinforcement was determined to be 3:2 (GO:CNTs). • The 3D structure theory of hybrid GO/CNTs and the mechanism of reinforcement were also proposed. This study reports the improved properties of hybrid graphene oxide (GO)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced cement paste with various ratios between GO and CNTs (GO:CNTs). The dispersion level of hybrid GO/CNTs was evaluated by UV–vis spectroscopy, sedimentation experiment, zeta potential and dynamic light scattering analysis. Effects of various GO/CNTs ratio was analyzed by comparing the resulting fluidity, compressive and flexural strengths. The improving mechanism was confirmed by the morphology and pore structure analysis. The 3D structure theory of hybrid GO/CNTs and the interaction behavior between hybrid GO/CNTs and cement paste were also proposed. This study reveals that the hybrid GO/CNTs inherent dispersion mechanism showed stronger electrostatic repulsion and reduced particle size of the hybrid GO/CNTs. The hybrid GO/CNTs, with the dosage of 0.05% by weight of cement and the GO:CNTs mass ratio of 3:2, improved the compressive strength by 45.20%, which showed better reinforcing effects than the single addition of GO (28.00%) and CNTs (32.58%) with the same dosage respectively. It is worth noting that no evident synergistic effect was observed in the flexural case. In addition, the hybrid GO/CNTs decreased the fluidity performance up to 70% owing to the heat gained from the ultrasonication treatment and the viscosity of the hybrid GO/CNTs dispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The influence of hybrid GO/ CNTs on the MKPC paste were investigated. • The dispersion behavior of hybrid GO/CNTs was improved due to stronger electrostatic repulsion and reduced particle size. • The hybrid GO/CNTs improved the properties of MKPC, surpassing GO and CNTs individuals alone. • The mechanism of hybrid GO/CNTs in MKPC could attribute to the promoted hydration process and improved formation of struvite-k. This research reports the effect of hybrid graphene oxide (GO)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical and microstructural properties of the magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) paste. The experimental results confirmed that the hybrid GO/CNTs exhibited better dispersion performance than the CNTs and GO individuals by improving the dispersion stability and reducing the diameters of dispersed nanomaterials, making the hybrid GO/CNTs more suitable for nano-modification of cement composites. Furthermore, the addition of GO/CNTs shortened the final setting time and reduced the fluidity of the MKPC paste. The compressive and flexural strength of the MKPC paste was improved by 13.77% and 17.50% respectively by the addition of 0.05% GO/CNTs (by weight of cement). The incorporation of the hybrid GO/CNTs also refined the pore size distribution and improved the crystallization of the hydration products. A higher content of hybrid GO/CNTs and the utilization of polycarboxylate superplasticizer further enhanced the mechanical properties of the MKPC paste. The X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer results confirmed the absence of new phases or any chemical bonding between the hybrid GO/CNTs and the pastes. It could be concluded that the hybrid GO/CNTs were relatively promising when compared with the GO or CNTs individuals, possessing great potential for modifying the MKPC paste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting polymers (CPs) encompass various cutting‐edge fields owing to their combination of polymer and conducting properties. However, the mismatch between the polymer growth process and the carrier mobility design leads to poor material and device consistency, and insufficient long‐term device stability, thus hindering the practical application of CPs. Although 2D construction has been explored to address these challenges, it typically leads to materials instability and lacks methods for large‐scale synthesis, making it unsuitable for many application scenarios. Here a universal biomineralization‐like strategy relying on the joint impaction of hydrogen‐bond and gravity for large‐scale fabrication of 2D CPs is developed. As‐fabricated meter‐scale Polypyrrole films exhibit high orderliness and can be assembled into multilayers, allowing for adjustable thickness and transparency. Notably, these films demonstrate exceptional photothermal properties and remarkable long‐term stability, as their surface temperature can reach 140 °C when irradiated with an 808 nm laser at 0.7 W cm−2, with almost no attenuation after 170 days. Furthermore, under sunlight, the temperature can reach nearly 100 °C, showcasing significant potential in smart building and energy management applications. Importantly, this strategy can be extended to the 2D design of numerous light organic compounds, thus opening up possibilities for their practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Converting CO 2 to highly demanded fuels or chemicals is able to achieve substantial economic and environmental benefits. Herein, a series of Pd/P–CeO 2 –Al 2 O 3 coatings on foam ceramics with particular morphologies including mesh, rod, plate, as well as mixed mesh and plate, are successfully prepared. The mesh Pd/P–CeO 2 –Al 2 O 3 coatings (MC) supported on ceramic displayed much higher catalytic activity and better selectivity than those of catalysts with other morphological Pd/P–CeO 2 –Al 2 O 3 coatings. The CO 2 conversion and CH 4 selectivity of MC were up to 85.9% and 100%, respectively. The superior catalytic performance was ascribed to the strong MSI effect, high hydrogen storage capacity, abundant oxygen vacancies, and metal sites, as well as moderately basic sites, which were characterized by TEM, XPS, CO 2 -TPD, and H 2 -TPD. More importantly, the intermediates and possible reaction pathways were systematically investigated by in situ FTIR. And the high performance of MC mainly comes from the accelerated conversion of carbonate and the hydrogenation of the generated monodentate formate. Overall, the catalytic performance of Pd/P–CeO 2 –Al 2 O 3 coatings supported on ceramic can be facilely regulated and optimized by accurately devising the morphology of the Pd/P–CeO 2 –Al 2 O 3 coatings, which offers a novel perspective for high-performance CO 2 methanation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ce–P/γ-Al 2 O 3 coatings applied with the freeze-drying technique were deposited on foam ceramics before being further prepared as Pd catalysts. According to the research, phosphoric acid replaced the hydroxyl on the surface of γ-Al 2 O 3 to produce polyhydroxy P-containing sites that readily attracted cerium oxide. The palladium oxide was then embedded into the cerium oxide vacancy. The impacts of the drying technique on the catalysts were investigated, and the results indicated that freeze drying created a special coating with a large specific surface area and uniform mesoporous structure by inhibiting nanoparticle agglomeration. H 3 PO 4 's altering action was augmented to boost the number of active sites and the percentage of weakly acidic sites. Due to better P–Ce interactions, more Ce3+ was added into CeO 2 , which created numerous oxygen vacancies. By adjusting the P-containing sites, the dispersion of cerium oxide and the active phase could be controlled, which aided the activation and spillover of hydrogen. Furthermore, the capacity for oxygen adsorption and desorption was enhanced, and the amount of adsorbed oxygen species increased. As a result, the freeze-drying technique improved the advantages of the Ce–P/γ-Al 2 O 3 coating, increasing the conversion and selectivity of CO 2 methanation to 81% and 94%, respectively, and lowering the complete conversion temperature of CO oxidation to 116 °C. This research has a guiding influence on the development of foam ceramic-loaded palladium catalysts in the fields of energy and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites with linear dielectric properties possess advantages in energy storage fields for the high charge-discharge efficiency with low energy loss. However, energy density of them is limited due to low permittivity. Here, a linear dielectric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite filled with parallel aligned core-shell Ag@BaTiO 3 (BT) 2D flakes is prepared by directional shearing, which possesses high permittivity and excellent energy storage properties. Compared with traditional polymer/core-shell hybrid filler composites, this work presents modified filler composition, different filler dimension and enhanced energy storage performances. Conformably-coated Ag@BT flakes are prepared through simultaneous hydrolysis on polyvinylpyrrolidone-functionalized Ag flakes, forming a smooth ∼100 nm thick coating layer. The aligned PDMS/40 vol% Ag@BT flake composite exhibits a very high permittivity of 347 and a low dielectric loss< 0.03 at 100 Hz from 20 to 150 °C. The comp°site exhibits an enhanced breakdown strength of 26 kV cm−1 owing to BT coverage-shell blocking and parallel filler arrangement, compared with that of percolative composites filled with metal particles without shell-coverage. The composite exhibits linear dielectric characteristics with high discharged energy density of 6.18 × 10−3 J cm−3 and superhigh charge-discharge efficiency> 95% at 20 kV cm−1. This study demonstrates Ag@BT flake based linear-polymer composites for energy related applications. [Display omitted] • Polydimethylsiloxane/2D Ag@BaTiO 3 composites are prepared by directional shearing. • 40 vol% filled composite exhibits a permittivity of 347 and loss< 0.03 at 100 Hz. • An energy density of 6.18 × 10−3 J/cm3 with superhigh efficiency> 95% is achieved. • Sound properties are due to interfacial polarization and raised polymer thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti 3 SiC 2 /Al 2 O 3 composites attract attention because Ti 3 SiC 2 and Al 2 O 3 have complementary advantages in mechanical properties. However, the high temperatures (≥1400 °C) required for densification of the Al 2 O 3 lead to the decomposition of Ti 3 SiC 2. To address this issue, Ti 3 (Al 1-x Si x)C 2 /Al 2 O 3 composites were fabricated via current-assisted sintering of Ti 3 AlC 2 /SiO (TM sample) and Ti 3 AlC 2 /SiO 2 (TD sample) at 1100–1300 °C. After sintering, most Al atoms in Ti 3 AlC 2 were substituted by Si atoms, forming Ti 3 (Al 1-x Si x)C 2 with values of x greater than 0.85. However, the morphologies of Al 2 O 3 produced from Ti 3 AlC 2 /SiO and Ti 3 AlC 2 /SiO 2 were different. Spherical Al 2 O 3 produced by Al–Si substitution in SiO 2 was difficult to densify at low temperatures, whereas the reaction between Ti 3 AlC 2 and SiO disintegrated the matrix of SiO and produced dense Al 2 O 3. As a result, the relative densities and mechanical properties of TM samples were less affected by a reduction in sintering temperature than those of TD samples. As sintering temperature declined from 1300 °C to 1100 °C, flexural strength, hardness, and fracture toughness of TM samples decreased by 35.9% (from 546.2 MPa to 350.0 MPa), 27.4% (from 4.56 GPa to 3.31 GPa), and 33.4% (from 7.45 MPa m0.5–4.96 MPa m0.5), respectively. Meanwhile, the flexural strength, hardness, and fracture toughness of TD samples were reduced by 81.2% (from 466.1 MPa to 87.6 MPa), 85.4% (from 6.50 GPa to 0.95 GPa), and 68.6% (from 6.94 MPa m0.5–2.18 MPa m0.5), respectively. Therefore, Ti 3 AlC 2 /SiO is more suitable for fabricating Ti 3 (Al 1-x Si x)C 2 /Al 2 O 3 composites at low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 multilayered composites were prepared by the combination of tape casting and hot pressing sintering. The slurry was produced by adjusting the amounts of each organic material, including triethyl phosphate (TEP) as a dispersion, polyvinyl butyrate (PVB) as a binder, dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as a plasticizer, and anhydrous ethanol as an organic solvent. When TEP content was 3 wt.%, PVB content was 4.5 wt.%, R‐value (DOP/PVB) was 1.4, and solid content was 38 wt.%; the cast film with a smooth surface, good flexibility, and uniform thickness was obtained after defoaming, tape casting, and drying. Three samples were prepared, namely, S1–S3. The S1 was monolithic Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 (mass ratio is 1:1) composites. S2 and S3 were Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 multilayered composites, which matrix layers were Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 composites (mass ratio is 1:1) and Al2O3, respectively, and their interface layer was Ti3SiC2. S1–S3 were also sintered at 1550°C. The bending strength of multilayered materials were lower than that of monolithic material, but the fracture toughness of multilayered materials significantly increased. Due to the introduction of Ti3SiC2 interface layer, the friction coefficient and wear rate of Ti3SiC2/Al2O3 multilayered composites were reduced by 30.7% and 33.8%, respectively, compared with monolithic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a potential fatal gastrointestinal disease that is usually complicated by myocardial injury and dysfunction. Due to the lack of understanding of the mechanism of SAP-associated cardiac injury (SACI), there is still no complete treatment.To explore the alleviative effect and anti-ferroptosis mechanism against SACI of glycyrrhizin (GL), an inhibitor of oxidative stress.The SAP model was established by perfusing 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct in rats. H&E staining and serum assays were used to assess the injury changes of pancreas and heart. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the cardiac function. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and oxidative stress assays were used to investigate the ferroptosis-related morphological and biochemical changes. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to analyzed the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins.Significant myocardial impairment was found in SAP rats according to increased histopathological scores, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) levels, and a decreased fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The decreased mitochondrial cristae and significant expression changes of ferroptosis-related proteins confirmed the presence of ferroptosis in SACI. GL treatment attenuated above-mentioned cardiac tissues damage by inhibiting ferroptosis via restoring the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in vivo and in vitro. Treating with ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) or transfecting with siRNA-Nrf2 reversed the protective effect of GL.Our findings demonstrate the involvement of ferroptosis in SACI and suggest a potential role for GL in the treatment of SACI by supressing ferroptosis via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.Aims: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a potential fatal gastrointestinal disease that is usually complicated by myocardial injury and dysfunction. Due to the lack of understanding of the mechanism of SAP-associated cardiac injury (SACI), there is still no complete treatment.To explore the alleviative effect and anti-ferroptosis mechanism against SACI of glycyrrhizin (GL), an inhibitor of oxidative stress.The SAP model was established by perfusing 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct in rats. H&E staining and serum assays were used to assess the injury changes of pancreas and heart. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the cardiac function. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and oxidative stress assays were used to investigate the ferroptosis-related morphological and biochemical changes. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to analyzed the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins.Significant myocardial impairment was found in SAP rats according to increased histopathological scores, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) levels, and a decreased fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The decreased mitochondrial cristae and significant expression changes of ferroptosis-related proteins confirmed the presence of ferroptosis in SACI. GL treatment attenuated above-mentioned cardiac tissues damage by inhibiting ferroptosis via restoring the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in vivo and in vitro. Treating with ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) or transfecting with siRNA-Nrf2 reversed the protective effect of GL.Our findings demonstrate the involvement of ferroptosis in SACI and suggest a potential role for GL in the treatment of SACI by supressing ferroptosis via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.Methods: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a potential fatal gastrointestinal disease that is usually complicated by myocardial injury and dysfunction. Due to the lack of understanding of the mechanism of SAP-associated cardiac injury (SACI), there is still no complete treatment.To explore the alleviative effect and anti-ferroptosis mechanism against SACI of glycyrrhizin (GL), an inhibitor of oxidative stress.The SAP model was established by perfusing 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct in rats. H&E staining and serum assays were used to assess the injury changes of pancreas and heart. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the cardiac function. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and oxidative stress assays were used to investigate the ferroptosis-related morphological and biochemical changes. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to analyzed the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins.Significant myocardial impairment was found in SAP rats according to increased histopathological scores, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) levels, and a decreased fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The decreased mitochondrial cristae and significant expression changes of ferroptosis-related proteins confirmed the presence of ferroptosis in SACI. GL treatment attenuated above-mentioned cardiac tissues damage by inhibiting ferroptosis via restoring the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in vivo and in vitro. Treating with ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) or transfecting with siRNA-Nrf2 reversed the protective effect of GL.Our findings demonstrate the involvement of ferroptosis in SACI and suggest a potential role for GL in the treatment of SACI by supressing ferroptosis via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.Results: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a potential fatal gastrointestinal disease that is usually complicated by myocardial injury and dysfunction. Due to the lack of understanding of the mechanism of SAP-associated cardiac injury (SACI), there is still no complete treatment.To explore the alleviative effect and anti-ferroptosis mechanism against SACI of glycyrrhizin (GL), an inhibitor of oxidative stress.The SAP model was established by perfusing 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct in rats. H&E staining and serum assays were used to assess the injury changes of pancreas and heart. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the cardiac function. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and oxidative stress assays were used to investigate the ferroptosis-related morphological and biochemical changes. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to analyzed the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins.Significant myocardial impairment was found in SAP rats according to increased histopathological scores, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) levels, and a decreased fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The decreased mitochondrial cristae and significant expression changes of ferroptosis-related proteins confirmed the presence of ferroptosis in SACI. GL treatment attenuated above-mentioned cardiac tissues damage by inhibiting ferroptosis via restoring the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in vivo and in vitro. Treating with ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) or transfecting with siRNA-Nrf2 reversed the protective effect of GL.Our findings demonstrate the involvement of ferroptosis in SACI and suggest a potential role for GL in the treatment of SACI by supressing ferroptosis via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.Conclusions: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a potential fatal gastrointestinal disease that is usually complicated by myocardial injury and dysfunction. Due to the lack of understanding of the mechanism of SAP-associated cardiac injury (SACI), there is still no complete treatment.To explore the alleviative effect and anti-ferroptosis mechanism against SACI of glycyrrhizin (GL), an inhibitor of oxidative stress.The SAP model was established by perfusing 5% sodium taurocholate into biliopancreatic duct in rats. H&E staining and serum assays were used to assess the injury changes of pancreas and heart. Echocardiography was used to evaluate the cardiac function. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and oxidative stress assays were used to investigate the ferroptosis-related morphological and biochemical changes. Western blot and immunofluorescence were performed to analyzed the expression of ferroptosis-related proteins.Significant myocardial impairment was found in SAP rats according to increased histopathological scores, serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) levels, and a decreased fractional shortening and ejection fraction. The decreased mitochondrial cristae and significant expression changes of ferroptosis-related proteins confirmed the presence of ferroptosis in SACI. GL treatment attenuated above-mentioned cardiac tissues damage by inhibiting ferroptosis via restoring the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in vivo and in vitro. Treating with ML385 (a Nrf2 inhibitor) or transfecting with siRNA-Nrf2 reversed the protective effect of GL.Our findings demonstrate the involvement of ferroptosis in SACI and suggest a potential role for GL in the treatment of SACI by supressing ferroptosis via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backscattered electron (BSE) images have been widely used to investigate the phases of cementitious materials. With the view of quantifying phases including pores, hydration products, and unreacted clinkers from the cementitious products, three quantification methods based on grey level thresholds have been proposed to segment phases from the BSE image. In this paper, these three phase-segmentation approaches, including frequency histogram method, overflow method, and Gaussian distribution method, are systematically studied and critically compared. Results show that the overflow method and the Gaussian distribution method outweigh the frequency histogram method in terms of human visual judgment, phases threshold, phases content, reconstructed image quality, and porosity. Furthermore, the overflow method seems to be more practical for phase quantification, producing comparable results to the Gaussian distribution method. The Gaussian distribution method possesses the potential for quantifying over three types of phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • UV irradiation was introduced to change the SERS performance of C≡N in pesticides. • The method to detect azoxystrobin was developed based on the SERS signal of C≡N. • Simultaneous detection of multiple pesticides with cyano group could be achieved. Based on the fact that not all chemical substances possess good Raman signals, this article focuses on the Raman silent region signals of pesticides with cyano group. Under the optimized conditions of methanol–water (1:1, v/v) as the solvent, irradiation at 302 nm light source for 20 min, and the use of 0.5 mol/L KI as the aggregating agent, Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method for azoxystrobin detection was developed by the Raman silent region signal of 2230 cm−1, and verified by detecting the spiked grapes with different concentrations of azoxystrobin. Other four pesticides with cyano group also could be identified at the peak of 2180 cm−1, 2205 cm−1, 2125 cm−1, and 2130 cm−1 for acetamiprid, phoxim, thiacloprid and cymoxanil, respectively. When azoxystrobin or acetamiprid was mixed respectively with chlorpyrifos without cyano group, their SERS signals in the Raman silent region of chlorpyrifos were not interfered, while mixed with cymoxanil in different ratios (1:4, 1:1 and 4:1), respectively, each two pesticides with cyano group could be distinguished by the changes in the Raman silent region. In further, four pesticides with or without cyano group were mixed together in 1:1:1:1 (acetamiprid, cymoxanil, azoxystrobin chlorpyrifos), and each pesticide still could be identified even at 0.5 mg/L. The results showed that the SERS method combined with UV irradiation may provide a new way to monitor the pesticides with C≡N performance in the Raman silent region without interference from the food matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have proposed a novel silver-coated ultra-broadband small-size dual-core photonic crystal fiber (DC-PCF) polarization splitter which achieves a short length, high extinction ratio (ER) and ultra-wide bandwidth at the commonly used communication wavelength band. Finite element method-based numerical simulation is applied to carry out a thorough investigation for wavelength from 1 to 2 μm. According to the simulation results, the coupling qualities of the proposed structure can be improved by resonant coupling between the core guide mode and the surface plasmon polarization (SPP) exciton mode. By analyzing the change of ER with varying wavelength, the ER value of this work are achieved as 67.4 and 67.1 dB when the wavelength are 1.14 and 1.57 μm, respectively. The final splitting length (LS) is 17.17 μm. To the best of our knowledge, it is difficult to achieve in all previous studies. With a splitting bandwidth of 900 nm (1.0–1.9 μm) and the ER value of −50.1 dB at 1.55 μm, the E + S + C + L + U communication bands are completely covered. The proposed model has excellent beam-splitting performance, such as ultra-short LS, ultra-wide splitting bandwidth and good tolerance performance, with potential applications in optical fiber communications or fiber laser devices. • In this paper, a theoretical simulation study of optical fibers is carried out using the finite element method. • The plasma effect is introduced in favour of a better enhancement of the relevant parameters of the designed structure. • The results of the theoretical simulation study indicate that the coupling length of the designed device is only 17.17 μm, but substantially improves the operating bandwidth to 900 nm(1.0–1.9 μm), completely covering the E + S + C + L + U communication bands. • Our research has drastically reduced the length of the device while substantially enlarging the bandwidth, which has been difficult to achieve in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • M. micrantha derived-biochar for the control and reuse of invasive resources. • Biochar modified microspheres achieve the rapid and complete removal of CHT in field. • Microspheres accelerate CHT contact with bacteria and promote biofilm formation. • Degradation pathway and products indicate that CHT is thoroughly mineralized. Managing invasive plant presents a significant challenge to both the environment and the economy. There is an opportunity to address this issue by utilizing invasive plants as a sustainable and cost-effective source of valuable functional materials for environmental remediation. In this study, a promising Mikania micrantha biochar (MB) was synthesized by pyrolyzing an invasive plant, which was utilized for bacterial immobilization and adsorption of contaminants. By embedding Proteus terrae ZQ02-MB within a polyvinyl alcohol-sodium alginate gel to create a biochar-modified bacterial microsphere (BBM), the superior degradation of pesticide contaminants was observed. Taking chlorothalonil (CHT) as an example, field experiments demonstrated that BBM achieved a removal efficiency of 59.8% by the third day. Additionally, BBM not only improved the richness and diversity of soil bacteria but also enhanced the microbial community structure by the seventh day. On this basis, the adsorption capacity of MB, biofilm growth promoting ability of BBM, and the CHT mineralization ability of strain ZQ02 were validated as a joint mechanism to promote efficient CHT removal. Overall, this study proposes a composite model of invasive plant-derived biochar loaded microorganisms, which has great potential in eliminating pollutant residues and paves new paths to develop strategies for reusing invasive species resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PB/RGO nanocomposites have been fabricated via a facile one-step process. • Multifunctional PB/RGO ink for electrochemical biosensors and supercapacitors. • Study on electron transfer during biosensing and charge-discharge process. • Flexible biosensors exhibit promising value in actual application. • Printable supercapacitors have potential to develop wearable supercapacitors. Wearable devices have attracted great interest in practical applications, satisfying controllable size and comfortable human-computer interaction environment. Regarding as two core parts in electrochemistry, it is essential to explore an effective and simple integration process of wearable biosensors and supercapacitors. Herein, flexible electrochemical biosensors and supercapacitors based on Prussian blue/Reduced graphene oxide (PB/RGO) ink (PRG ink) have been fabricated via facile screen printing technique. As-prepared biosensors not only possess stable response to substrates, but also exhibit excellent sensing performance towards hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) and ascorbic acid (AA), revealing promising prospects in practical use (e.g., juice or VC tablet samples). Meanwhile, multifunctional PRG ink enables supercapacitors with competitive capacitive characteristics. Significantly, electron transfer (ET) of electrocatalysis has been particularly discussed and evaluated during electrochemical biosensing and charge-discharge process. Prospectively, these flexible integrated devices would make attractive electrochemical platforms for highly-efficient and cost-effective wearable biosensors and supercapacitors in further application. Flexible biosensors and supercapacitors based on multifunctional Prussian blue/reduced graphene oxide ink have been fabricated via facile screen printing technique, and electron transfer of electrocatalysis has been systematically studied. As-obtained flexible devices would make attractive electrochemical platforms for highly-efficient and cost-effective wearable biosensors and supercapacitors in further application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic two‐dimensional conductive nanomaterials are extensively explored in stretchable strain sensors, which have promising applications ranging from health monitoring to human–machine manipulation. However, there are limited materials available in this category, and their sensing abilities need to be strengthened. Herein, a controllable deoxidation–nitridation strategy via the pyrolysis of an amine nitrogen source to synthesize oxygen‐doped vanadium nitride (VNO) nanosheets with high conductivity is reported. Its metallic characteristics and low dimensionality, together with layer‐to‐layer slippage make VNO particularly suitable for stretchable strain sensors with remarkable performance, including extraordinary sensitivity (a maximum gauge factor of 2667), wide detection range (0–100%), high durability (over 6000 cycles), and rapid response (44 ms). Furthermore, the strain sensors can capture various physiological signals; in particular, a state‐of‐the‐art wireless vehicle control system designed for differently abled people is fabricated based on the sensors. Moreover, by engineering the thickness of the VNO layer, it can behave as an elastic conductor, demonstrating its feasibility for stretchable wiring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 catalysts, featuring a range of core-shell ratios, were employed within an H 2 O 2 catalytic activation system to facilitate the oxidation of NO. These catalysts underwent comprehensive structural characterization, including XRD, TEM, BET, XPS, VSM and TPR analysis. Experimental investigations were conducted with the specific goal of assessing the catalytic efficiency of Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 core-shell catalysts and Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 supported catalysts in the contexts of desulfurization and denitrification. The results demonstrated that catalysts featuring a core-shell ratio of 1:2 exhibited the highest catalytic efficiency. Moreover, the core-shell catalysts outperformed their supported counterparts with the same molar ratio in terms of physicochemical properties, removal efficiency, and stability. Notably, the core-shell catalysts possessed exceptionally favorable pore structures and substantial specific surface areas, facilitating enhanced H 2 O 2 activation for NO oxidation through synergistic interactions between the core and shell components. This research holds the potential to guide future endeavors in the development of catalysts aimed at achieving superior H 2 O 2 catalytic efficiency. • Core-shell catalyst is applied to catalyze H 2 O 2 for NO oxidation. • The stability of core-shell catalyst is enhanced by reducing contact between active components and SO 2 /H 2 O. • More active Fe2+ sites formed through the electron transformation from TiO 2 shell to Fe 3 O 4 core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that generally starts slowly and leads to deterioration over time. Finding biomarkers more effective to predict AD transition is important for clinical medicine. And current research indicated that the lesion regions occur in both gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM). Methods: This paper extracted BOLD time series from WM and GM, combined WM and GM together for analysis, constructed functional connectivity (FC) of static (sWGFC) and dynamic (dWGFC) between WM and GM, as well as static (sGFC) and dynamic (dGFC) FC within GM in order to evaluate the methods and areas most useful as feature sets for distinguishing NC from AD. These features will be evaluated using support vector machine (SVM) classifiers. Results: The FC constructed by WM BOLD time series based on fMRI showed widely differences between the AD group and NC group. In terms of the results of the classification, the performance of feature subsets selected from sWGFC was better than sGFC, and the performance of feature subsets selected from dWGFC was better than dGFC. Overall, the feature subsets selected from dWGFC was the best. Conclusion: These results indicated that there is a wide range of disconnection between WM and GM in AD, and association between WM and GM based on fMRI only is an effective strategy, and the FC between WM and GM could be a potential biomarker in the process of cognitive impairment and AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient bonding behavior between intrinsically hydrophobic carbon fibers and water-based suspensions restricts the application of carbon fiber (CF) reinforced cements and other mineral building materials. To resolve this issue several researchers have investigated physical and chemical modification methods for enhanced load transfer from mineral matrices to CFs. Polymer impregnations and temperature-stable mineral suspensions have been used to tailor the interphase zone between CF rovings and surrounding matrices, achieving, e.g., better pullout behavior. Additionally, surface modification approaches such as oxidation, electrophoretic deposition, plasma, and grafting treatments as well have been applied to improve fiber–matrix interactions. In this article these approaches are systematically reviewed and compared to describe and recommend appropriate methods for achieving tailor-made interfacial bonding behavior. Finally, suitable approaches to characterization are discussed to provide a comprehensive overview of the related methodology and to assist in studying the characteristics of the carbon fiber itself and its bonding behavior toward mineral matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Encapsulated LEO was successfully produced by ionic gelation process. • Chitosan films with LEO microspheres and cranberry juice were developed. • The effect of LEO microspheres and cranberry juice in the films were investigated. • LEO microspheres and cranberry juice improved some of the chitosan film qualities. • Chitosan films with LEO microspheres and cranberry juice showed antimicrobial activity. Research about biodegradable antimicrobial films continues to receive a lot of attention due to the plastic pollution crisis and the need for environment-friendly and safe food products. In this study, we developed chitosan-based antimicrobial films using a combination of encapsulated lemon essential oil (LEO) by ionic gelation and cranberry juice and evaluated the performance of the films. Our results indicated that the incorporation of LEO microspheres and cranberry juice into the chitosan films improved the UV barrier and thermal properties as well as antioxidant activity of the films. The increase in antioxidants was consistent with the chemical components in LEO and cranberry juice as determined by GC–MS; some of which possess antioxidant properties. Furthermore, following antimicrobial activity test, considerable inhibition halo of 11 and 20 mm were observed respectively against fungi Candida albicans and Penicillium roqueforti , particularly in presence of the film containing both LEO microspheres and cranberry juice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modification of interfacial characteristics between carbon fiber and matrix (F/M) is one of the most pressing issues in the research related to carbon fiber reinforced concrete (CFRC). Herein, carbon nanotubes were grafted onto the surface of carbon fiber using an ultrasonic-assisted electrophoretic deposition technique to create a carbon-based fiber with micro-nano hierarchical structure (CNTs-CF) for concrete modification. The impact test of concrete (CCMC) added with micro-nano hierarchical carbon-based fiber was carried out by using split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB), and the effects of CNTs-CF and strain rate on the dynamic compression mechanical properties of concrete specimens were investigated. The microstructures and interfacial characteristics of CNTs-CF and CCMC were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicate that the CNTs-CF improves the internal F/M interface toughness due to its synergistic filling, bridging, and crack arresting effects, thus effectively relieving the local stress concentration and enhancing the dynamic compression properties of concrete. In the strain rate range of 50–120 s−1, as compared to CFRC, when the volume content of CNTs-CF is 0.3%, the dynamic compressive strength and peak strain of CCMC increase by 11.98% and 7.16%, respectively. When the volume content of CNTs-CF is 0.4%, the dynamic ultimate strain of CCMC increases by 5.52%. • Carbon nanotubes are grafted onto the surface of carbon fiber by ultrasonic-assisted electrophoretic deposition. • The dynamic compressive strength and deformation of concrete with micro-nano hierarchical carbon-based fiber are superior. • Interfacial modification: hierarchical filling, bridge-linked crack resistance and interface toughness enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, recycled carbon fibers (rCF) obtained from pyrolysis are utilized as reinforcements in fly ash-GGBS alkali-activated composites. Since the bond between the fiber and matrix is relatively poor, anodic oxidation was conducted by applying various voltages to enhance the interfacial interactions. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was performed to investigate the chemical reaction process during the electrochemical fiber modification. Scanning electron microscopy showed the removal of contaminations and impurities from the fiber surfaces by anodization. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analysis was performed to compare the heat resistance properties of the CF reinforced composites and single-fiber tension tests were carried out to evaluate the influence of the electrochemical treatment on the fiber's properties. Single fiber pullout tests and energy dispersive X-ray mapping indicated a remarkable improvement of compatibility between the modified fibers and the matrix, since chemical bonds are formed between oxygen-related functional groups from the anodized fiber surfaces and the alkali-activated matrix. With the addition of 1 wt.% rCFs compressive and flexural strengths have been enhanced by up to 25% and 19%, respectively, compared to the plain composites. The results reveal that electrochemical surface treatment of rCFs is beneficial for enhancing the flexural behavior of rCF-reinforced composite owing to enhanced interfacial bonding. However, this method also provokes a slight increase of porosity compared with untreated fiber-reinforced samples, as proved by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). This study provides a promising utilization of rCF in the production of waste-based fiber-reinforced alkali-activated composites, promoting the management of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic waste. [Display omitted] • Recycled carbon fibers are the first time modified by electrochemical oxidation. • The fiber-matrix interaction was significantly improved. • Proper conditions can be selected to avoid severe loss of fiber strength. • The treatment changed hydration products and microstructures of composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of incorporating two concentrations of microcapsules containing Pulicaria jaubertii extract (MPJE) on the physicochemical, microstructure, and bioactivities properties of films based on chitosan (CH), gelatin (GEL), and CH50:GEL50 for possible use as active food packaging in the future. The MPJE treatment was compatible with the CH and/or GEL film without affecting chemical structures. Physico-mechanical results revealed that the CH50:GEL50 film showed optimal properties. The films blended with MPJE considerably improved in glass transition temperature and thermal stability. The films treated with MPJE presented high barrier property toward UV and visible light. Compared with that of the control films, the microstructure of the films loaded with MPJE had a rougher surface with homogeneous microcapsules, which increased with increasing MPJE concentration. Furthermore, mixing MPJE with CH and/or GEL led to the formation of high bioactive films with lower moisture content than the control films, suggesting that MPJE can be utilized to preserve lipid-rich foods. [Display omitted] • Edible films based on chitosan and/or gelatin with MPJE were developed. • The physicochemical properties of prepared films were studied. • Mixing the MPJE with the films improved the antioxidant and total phenolic content. • The UV/visible light barrier properties of the prepared films were excellent. • MPJE is a successful ways to produce bioactive films from natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The organic MAPA nanosheets are prepared by a facile self-assembly method. • The rich functional groups and π bonds enable rapid electrostatic (de)adsorption of Li+ ions. • The 2D structure and rich P/N containing groups provide an excellent flame retardant property. • The 2D MAPA serves as a high property and safety anode material for Li+ ion storage. Owing to natural abundance, economic efficiency, and easy design of the molecular structure, organic polymer materials have caught much attention in the fields of electronics, separation, catalysis, and etc. However, low fire safety is the main obstacle for their applications. Herein, a novel phosphorus-rich and nitrogen-rich organic polymer material (MAPA) is prepared for the first time by supramolecular self-assembly with natural phytic acid as phosphorus precursor and melamine as nitrogen precursor. When MAPA is used as an anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), it shows excellent specific capacity and stability. Specifically, at a current density of 0.1 A g−1 an initial capacity of 570 mA h g−1 and 397 mA h g−1 after 600 cycles are achieved, which is attributed to the abundant functional groups such as phosphate and π bonds of MAPA. Furthermore, the flame-retardant properties of MAPA are evaluated in two kinds of commonly used electrolytes, the ethylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate (1: 1 vol, ECDC) for LIBs and the quasi-solid gel electrolyte of solid supercapacitor (polyvinyl alcohol, PVA). Both the ECDC/MAPA obtained through ultrasound sonication technology and the PVA/MAPA obtained through electrospinning technology exhibit excellent flame-retardant property. Notably, the peak heat release rate (pHRR) and total heat release (THR) values of ECDC/10% MAPA reduce to 31.2% and 44.8% of those for pure ECDC, respectively. And the pHRR and THR values of MAPA/15% PVA reduce to 57.4% and 75.6%, respectivly, and the char residues increases to 21% from 6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface wetting behavior of solid materials was very important in the application of amorphous alloys. However, the surface wetting behavior of amorphous alloys was not yet well understood. In this study, the difference in surface energy (SE) of four different amorphous alloys (Fe 48 Cr 15 Mo 14 C 15 B 6 Y 2 , Cu 46 Zr 42 Al 7 Y 5 , Zr 65 Cu 17.5 Ni 10 Al 7.5 , and Zr 55 Cu 30 Ni 5 Al 10) and their corresponding crystalline alloys were systematically analyzed. The results show that the SE of amorphous alloys was much lower than their corresponding crystalline alloys. Among four kinds of amorphous alloys, Fe 48 Cr 15 Mo 14 C 15 B 6 Y 2 amorphous alloy with the lowest SE was selected to prepare the superhydrophobic surfaces with the largest contact angle of 154 ± 2.4° and strong adsorption ability by electrochemical corrosion and chemical modification. Meanwhile, the corrosion resistance of the Fe 48 Cr 15 Mo 14 C 15 B 6 Y 2 amorphous alloy was greatly improved. This work aimed to enrich the application of amorphous alloys in the field of extreme wettability. This work demonstrates that the surface energy of all the amorphous alloys was much lower than their crystalline alloys. The superhydrophobic Fe-based amorphous alloy surfaces with very low surface energy and the water contact angle of 154 ± 2.4° (Fig. a) were successfully prepared by electrochemical corrosion and FAS modification. Through the analysis of the "Cassie impregnating wetting state" (Fig. b), the reason for the high adhesion force (Fig. c, d) on the superhydrophobic surface was revealed. This research would be helpful to fully understand the surface properties and broaden the application field of amorphous alloys. [Display omitted] • Amorphous alloys exhibit lower surface energy compared with their corresponding crystalline alloys. • Superhydrophobic Fe-based amorphous alloys with strong adsorption ability were prepared. • Superhydrophobic Fe-based amorphous alloy reduced the corrosion current density of by nearly two orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Strip delineation method was performed on the BSE and EDS images to determine the inner product region of SCM particles. • The inner products of fly ash and slag displayed higher Si/Ca and Al/Ca ratios the newly formed inner products of slag were relatively enriched in Mg. • The presence of hydrating rims can trigger the microcrack propagation of silica fume agglomeration. • The proposed BSE-EDS image analysis is applicable and effective for SCMs research at particle scale. This study traces the spatial microstructure evolution and chemical changes of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) during the hydration process at the particle scale. Backscattered electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (BSE-EDS) techniques coupled with strip delineation image analysis are used to visualize and identify the phase assemblage in the particle region, inner product region and outer product region. The EDS mapping profiles change rapidly in the inner product region and stabilize in the outer product region, which is attributed to the migration of the ions dissolved from the SCMs. The inner products of fly ash and slag display higher Si/Ca and Al/Ca ratios than those in the outer products. It is worth noting that the Mg in the inner product region shows a similar concentration to that in the unreacted slag particle region. In addition, the newly formed C-S-H phase located in the reacting rims could trigger the microcrack within the silica fume agglomeration by inserting expansive forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mesoporous carbon spheres (MCS) with controllable pore was prepared as sulfur host. • Carbon cloth (CC) was used to interlayer between cathode and separator in battery. • The shuttle of polysulfides was suppressed by the double effect of MCS and CC. • The battery with CC interlayer modification exhibit high capacity and long cycles. The diffusion and shuttle of polysulfides leading to fast capacity decay and poor cyclability have severely hindered the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Here, we used a double-effect strategy to improve the cycle stability and specific capacity of LSBs. That is, the hole effect with the alteration of the pore size of the mesoporous carbon spheres (MCS) as the cathode host materials, and the confinement effect with the usage of the carbon cloth (CC) as an intermediate layer in the middle of cathode and separator to inhibit the polysulfides diffusion and shuttle phenomenon. As a result, appropriate pore size and inner space were obtained by controlling the content of ammonium hydroxide solution (NH 3 ·H 2 O) catalyst to 1000 μL (denoted as MCS-4) in the synthesis of MCS. When MCS-4 is used as the sulfur host material, the obtained electrode material with a CC interlayer modification showed distinguished electrochemical performance in cells, including a high initial discharge capacity (1250 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C) and long cycle stability (510 mAh g−1 at 2 C after 500 cycles and 507 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C after 1000 cycles). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]