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Previous studies have found that ionic surfactant micelles can induce depletion forces between oil droplets, whereas the depletion forces induced by nonionic surfactant micelles cannot be measured. Nonionic surfactants are usually mixed with ionic surfactants to induce depletion forces. Here, we report that mixing of nonionic polymer micelles and inorganic salt is also an effective method for inducing depletion between oil droplets. Optical tweezers are used to measure the interaction forces between oil droplets in the aqueous solution of polyoxyethylene–polyoxypropylene–polyoxyethylene nonionic polymer. Without salts, there is no depletion force between oil droplets regardless of whether the concentration of polymer is above or below the critical micelle concentration (CMC). This result is consistent with literature that the oil drops adsorbed by the nonionic polymers were stable against coalescence. However, the depletion force between oil droplets generates when NaCl is added, and the concentration of Pluronic F127 is above or equal to the CMC. This suggests that salts can enhance the depletion force induced by nonionic polymer micelles. These findings have significant implications for the stability of emulsions in the food, oilfield, and medicine industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebrovascular disease is increasing rapidly because of its high morbidity and high mortality, which is a serious threat to human health. For the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the CT vascular noise combined with high-resolution magnetic resonance angiography in acute cerebral apoplexy vascular disease is adopted. 150 patients with ischemic stroke were selected, which were admitted to the Department of Radiology, Huizhou Central People's Hospital, from January 2020 to December 2020. All patients accepted digital subtraction angiography (DSA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), and CT angiography (CTA) examination. Results. There were 76 cases of aneurysm in DSA examination, accounting for 46%; 69 cases with pulsating stenosis, accounting for 50.67%; and 5 cases of moyamoya disease, accounting for 3.33%. The number and proportion of cases of the above diseases in MRA examination were (75, 69, 71; 53.33%, 45.67%, 4%), and those in CTA examination were (71, 76, 3, 47.33%, 50.67%, 2%). Relative to the DSA gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, and false positive rate of MRA were 81.51%, 95.19%, and 2.1, respectively, and those of CTA were 95.78%, 79.17%, and 11.0, respectively. The number of cases and accuracy of detection of cerebral aneurysms by MRA were (75, 96.57%), and those by CTA were (71, 91.2%), which was not statistically considerable, P > 0.05. For the number of cases and the detection accuracy of cerebrovascular malformations, MRA was (38, 92.68%) and CTA was (37, 90.24%), which was not statistically considerable, P > 0.05. Conclusion. The detection sensitivity and accuracy of MRA were better than those of CTA, while specific CTA was superior to MRA. The differences between the two detections were substantial (P < 0.05), while the sensitivity and false positive rate were not remarkably different (P > 0.05). Therefore, the combination of the two detections was of great significance to the diagnosis and treatment of stroke and other vascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical model was established for calculation in this study on the basis of the standard k-epsilon turbulence model and the discrete phase model of the Euler-Lagrange equation. Results of the particle image velocimetry experiment were used to verify the reliability of the numerical model. The effects of the rotation speeds, slurry densities, and impeller structures on the flow field characteristics, including velocity distribution, ballast fluidity, and power loss, were also investigated. The results indicate that the increase of rotation speed has little influence on the flow field near the wall and bottom of the agitator, and the agitator performs well when the speed is set between 30 rpm and 40 rpm. The increase of the slurry density will increase the pressure loss between the inlet and the outlet, and it will also increase the load of the agitator. Hence, the slurry density must be less than 1400 kg/m3. The baffle can improve the velocity distribution of the flow field and the slag discharge capacity of the agitator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep removal of thiophene sulfur from coke oven gas (COG) is an important aspect for the subsequent production of COG to natural gas via methanation. In this process, copper-based sorbents exhibit excellent desulfurization activity. However, the activity of the sorbent depends largely on the interaction between Cu and Zn in the sorbent, which is often used to stabilize metal particles and regulate the activity and stability of the sorbent. Despite a large number of studies on metal-support interaction, there is still a lack of understanding of the effects of metal-support interaction of different strengths on the structure and performance of sorbents. In this work, Cu/ZnO sorbents with different strengths of metal-support interaction were successfully synthesized to elucidate the effect of the interaction between Cu and Zn on the performance of thiophene removal. The reconstruction process of the sorbent (different component ratios) changed the Cu Zn interaction. For weakly interacting sorbents, the reconstruction process enhanced the interaction between the two components, which is conducive to electron transfer and overall activity improvement. On the contrary, for sorbents with strong interaction, the reconstruction process was hindered. • Cu/ZnO is an excellent sorbent for thiophene removal from coke oven gas. • The interaction between Cu and ZnO could be cotrolled by Cu–Zn atomic ratio. • The CZ 1.00 sorbent with Cu–Zn atomic ratio of 1.00 has the best desulfurization performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polythiophene@Fe3O4 (PTh@Fe3O4) nanocomposites with different morphologies were prepared via in-situ oxidative polymerization by using Fe3O4 nanoparticles with spherical and flower-like morphologies, and thiophene as the feedstock. FTIR, TG, SEM, CV, GCD, and EIS were used to investigate the influence of the morphology of Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the structure and electrochemical performance of the PTh@Fe3O4 composites. The results show that Fe3O4 could significantly improve the electrical conductivity of PTh@Fe3O4 nanocomposites (up to 1.4 × 10−5 S/cm) which is obviously higher than the single PTh (1.2 × 10−8 S/cm). Moreover, PTh could inhibit the agglomeration of Fe3O4. Fe3O4 nanoparticles with spherical morphology (SA) would distribute more uniformly on the surface of PTh than the flower-like Fe3O4 (FA), so that the specific capacitance of PTh@SA nanocomposites (37.9 F/g) could be enhanced, which is about twice of PTh@FA nanocomposites (21.3 F/g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water contained in lignite generally exists in various forms and the energy required to remove them from coal is also different. Thus, two different rank lignites with different water contents from Yunnan and Inner Mongolia provinces in China were selected for analyses of water forms and dewatering energy consumption. The forms of water contained in these two lignites were classified using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results show that the water in the lignite mainly contains freezable water and non-freezable water, and further the freezable water can be divided into free water and freezable bound water. The water above 40% moisture content of dry coal weight in coal sample is free water; that between 27% and 40% of dry coal weight is freezable bound water; and that less than 27% of dry coal weight is non-freezable water, which is nearly independent of coal rank. Then, the microwave drying and the fixed bed drying devices were employed to dry these two lignites, and the dewatering energy consumption during drying processes were measured and calculated to compare the change of energy consumption for removing different types of water. The results show that 500–600 W microwave field is suitable for drying lignite because the water is difficult to be completely removed under 450 W and slight pyrolysis is prone to occur for lignite when the microwave power is higher than 700 W. The dewatering energy consumption of total moisture in microwave field under 500–600 W is 8.6–15.3 kJ/g H 2 O, and those of freezable water and non-freezable water are 8.7–12.5 kJ/g H 2 O and 8.5–21.8 kJ/g H 2 O respectively. In addition, the dewatering energy consumption of 50 g lignite in fixed bed drying at 120–160 °C is 1.3–3.6 kJ/g H 2 O. In order to take advantages of microwave and fixed bed, these two methods are coupled to dry lignite for reducing energy consumption and improving drying efficiency. For the best compromise between drying energy and drying time, it is recommended to use 600 W power microwave field to remove free water in lignite, and then to use the fixed bed to remove the remaining water at 160 °C. The water re-adsorption amount of the upgraded coal is about 1/3 lower than that of raw coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface functional groups of lignite are thought to be the significant factor influencing the moisture re-adsorption behavior of dried coal. Several lignite samples with different surface functional groups were prepared by thermal treatment from 160 °C to 240 °C in N 2 and air. In situ FTIR and chemical titration methods were carried out to measure the functional groups of the raw coal and dried samples, and the results from these two methods were compared. FTIR spectra were deconvoluted to reveal the transformation of different functional groups, e.g. CH 3 , CH 2 , CH, anhydrides, esters, aldehydes, carboxylic acid, quinones, and ketones. The moisture re-adsorption behaviors of the heat-treated coals under relative humidity of 75% at 25 °C were measured, and the effect of functional groups on moisture re-adsorption property was investigated. The results showed that CH x functional groups decreased dramatically, especially in air, when heat-treating temperature was higher than 200 °C. For the CH, CH 2 , and CH 3 functional groups, their decomposition activation energies are 29.6, 44.2 and 19.3 kJ·mol−1, and their oxidation activation energies are 65.9, 36.1 and 36.5 kJ·mol−1, respectively. In air, when the heat-treating temperature raised to 240 °C, aromatic esters, aliphatic esters and anhydrides all sharply increased. The quinones were probably produced from the transformation of phenolic hydroxyl (Ar-OH) at 240 °C in air. Moreover, coal samples heat-treated in N 2 and air showed different equilibrium moisture capacity, which can be attributed to the different contents of hydrophilic groups. The contents of ketones, aldehydes, COOH and Ar-OH had a good linear relationship with equilibrium moisture capacity. The hydrophilic abilities of ketones, aldehydes, COOH and Ar-OH in lignite are higher than that of quinones, esters and anhydrides. Unlabelled Image • CH x decrease dramatically and oxygen-containing functional groups increase obviously in air than that in N 2. • The order of decomposition E a is CH 2 > CH > CH 3 , and oxidation E a is CH > CH 3 > CH 2. • Quinones, esters and anhydrides have sharp increase during thermal treatment. • Ketones, aldehydes and COOH in lignite have hydrophilic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact velocity is one of the key parameters for underwater explosive welding, which mainly depends on the expansion process of the metal pipe. In present work, a prediction model addressing the expansion velocity of the inner pipe during underwater explosive welding was proposed, in which the detonation properties of the explosive charge and the mechanical properties of metal pipes were considered simultaneously. To improve the accuracy of the model, Henrych's calculating formulae of explosion peak pressure and time constant were modified referring to the numerical simulation results. The expansion velocity predicted by the modified model showed a good agreement with that of the inner explosion experiment of a mono aluminum pipe. Furthermore, the model was employed in designing the explosive charge of the underwater explosive welding of aluminum/steel composite pipe. An impact velocity of 337.5 m·s−1 was chosen firstly based on the weldability window of certain pipes, combining which with the expansion velocity prediction model, the parameters of the explosive were then decided. After the explosive welding, a well-bonded interface of aluminum/steel composite pipe was obtained as expected. The practical impact velocity of the underwater explosive welding measured with the laser interferometry was 325 m·s−1, which was close to the designed velocity. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed model has good feasibility in expansion velocity prediction and underwater explosive welding design. • The theoretical formula addressing the expansion velocity of metal pipe in underwater explosive welding was proposed. • Henrych's calculating formulae of explosion peak pressure and time constant in near field were modified. • Expansion velocity of a mono aluminum pipe predicted by the model shows a good agreement with the experimental results. • A theoretical predicting method for the welding parameters of metal pipes in underwater explosive welding was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the dewatering kinetics and mechanism of low-rank coal, the dewatering behaviors of the Chinese lignite and its moisturized sample (prepared from dewatered coal moisturized under relative humidity of 75% at 303 K for 48 h) in nitrogen and the temperature range of 333–433 K were tested. Physical structure changes of raw coal and moisturized coal before and after drying were determined. The results indicate that drying process of lignite could be divided into four stages, which are increasing rate stage, constant rate stage, relatively fast decreasing rate stage, and relatively slow decreasing rate stage. Jander model and first-order kinetics model are favorite to describe the relatively fast decreasing rate stage and relatively slow decreasing rate stage, respectively, and the corresponding dewatering mechanism equations areandy = −ln(1 − α). The effective diffusion coefficients and diffusion activation energy were calculated by Fick’s second law. The diffusion activation energy of the dewatering stages, related to the relatively fast and slow decreasing rate stages, was 35.80, 40.75 kJ/mol for raw coal and 27.80, 37.34 kJ/mol for moisturized coal, respectively. The effective diffusion coefficient was significantly affected by drying temperature through the pore structure change of coal when other drying operation parameters were fixed. These prove that the forms of readsorbed water are not entirely the same as that in raw lignite, in which the former is relatively simple and the latter is more complex. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A lignite from Shengli mine in Chinese Inner Mongolia was upgraded by hydrothermal dewatering (HTD). The effects of the HTD process on the solid product yield and the removal rate of elements, organics and inorganics in this coal were determined. The moisture re-adsorption capacities and spontaneous combustion behaviors of coal products from the HTD process were studied, using the saturated salt solution and wire basket reactor methods respectively. FT-IR, XRD, CO 2 adsorption, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and helium pycnometry were carried out to characterize the physicochemical properties of samples. The results show that during the HTD process, organic matter was removed due to the loss of CH 3 , CH 2 , and O-containing functional groups, while the inorganic matter was mainly removed in the forms of Ca- and Fe-containing minerals. The amounts of both organic and inorganic matter removed increased with temperature. The equilibrium moisture contents of the hydrothermally dewatered coals at 30 °C in the relative humidity range 11–97% were lower than those of the raw coal. They decreased as the HTD temperature rose, probably due to the increase in the loss of hydrophilic O-containing functional groups and decrease in surface area with the increasing of HTD temperature. Moreover, the critical ignition temperature ( T cr ) of all the hydrothermally dewatered coals, as measured by wire basket spontaneous combustion experiments, was lower than that of raw coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-stage culture system of Haematococcus pluvialis has been widely used in astaxanthin production. However, there are few reports about the characteristics of green cells suitable for astaxanthin accumulation. In this study, the characteristics of H. pluvialis and astaxanthin accumulation ability were evaluated by multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed a significant correlation between the green cell parameters that influenced astaxanthin accumulation. Principal components analysis (PCA) was then applied to these variables, resulting in the reduction of the 7 variables into two principal components, which represented the macro and micro characteristics of green cells. PCA represented 83.59% of the information of all variables. In cluster analysis, samples were divided into three clusters. The higher the comprehensive evaluation value, the stronger the astaxanthin accumulation ability. The combination of PCA with cluster analysis showed that chlorophyll content, protein content, dry weight of single cell, and akinetes proportion were positively correlated with astaxanthin accumulation, while Car/Chl and non-motile cells proportion were negative correlated with astaxanthin accumulation. The result was verified in outdoor large-scale horizontal tube photobioreactors. In this study, the characteristics of green cells suitable for astaxanthin accumulation were obtained, which was conducive to improving astaxanthin production. • The D -value was used to assess astaxanthin accumulation ability. • The higher D -value, the stronger the astaxanthin accumulation ability. • The effect of the D -value was verified in outdoor 16.5 m³ HTPBR. • Providing a direction for the optimization of cultivation in the green stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure benzene is an important chemical feedstock, and coking benzene is one of its sources. However, the industrialized coking benzene refining processes are not green and sustainable. To solve this problem, a green two-step process for the desulfurization of coking benzene with the advantages of easy operation, low environmental pollution and solid waste (sorbent/thiophene) recyclability was evaluated. The thiophene in coking benzene was first alkylated by the olefins present in it using a suitable AlCl3/silica gel catalyst to produce alkylthiophenes, which can be easily separated by distillation. The AlCl3/silica gel catalyst obtained by a novel green process was effective in catalyzing the alkylation of thiophene by 1-hexene with an efficiency of removing thiophene up to 94.2%. AlCl3 was grafted onto silica gel by reacting with hydroxyls on its surface, which could prevent the dissolution problem of AlCl3 in benzene. The residual thiophene with its concentration range of 100–1000 mg L−1 in benzene was then almost completely removed by adsorption using an ion-exchanged zeolite. The CeY zeolite sorbent showed excellent performance in deeply removing the residual thiophene in the benzene, in which the adsorption desulfurization over the CeY sorbent fits a Langmuir isotherm. The product met the requirements for a chemical feedstock, in that no thiophene was measured in the purified benzene by gas chromatography with a flame photometric detector. The CeY zeolite with adsorbed thiophene was used to prepare polythiophene–CeY composites by chemical oxidative polymerization using anhydrous FeCl3 as an oxidant at 0 °C. The decomposition temperature of the polythiophene–CeY composites is 480 °C, which is 60 °C higher than that of polythiophene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The adsorption of sorbent for thiophene was accompanied by S-Ag and π complexation. • Ag-O-Si is the main active center for adsorption of thiophenic compounds. • Charge density of sulfur atom affects S-Ag bond between thiophenic compounds and Ag. Zeolites and some mesoporous materials modified by Ag possess excellent desulfurization performances toward the adsorption of thiophenic compounds. However, Ag in Ag-based sorbents has different forms, and the interactions between different forms of silver and thiophene still require further studies. In this paper, pure silica SBA-15 and MCM-41 mesoporous materials with weak acidity were loaded with Ag from the silver ammonia solution to form Ag/SBA-15 and Ag/MCM-41 sorbents. By comparing the desulfurization efficiencies of the sorbents in the simulated solution of thiophene-cyclohexane, thiophene-benzene, tetrahydrothiophene-cyclohexane and tetrahydrothiophene-benzene, it is found that the adsorption of sorbent for thiophene was accompanied by S-Ag and π complexation, and the adsorption performances of thiophene by the sorbents were greatly affected by benzene. The XPS results show that most Ag in Ag/SBA-15 and Ag/MCM-41 sorbents was metallic Ag, and some Ag strongly interacting with the carrier led to the formation of Ag-O-Si bonds as the main active center of thiophenic compounds. In addition, the sulfur atomic mulliken charges (e-) of different thiopheic compounds (thiophene, tetrahydrothiophene, methylthiophene) will affect the interactions between active components Ag and thiophene sulfur compounds. The desulfurization efficiencies of the sorbents in thiophene-cyclohexane, 2-methylthiophene-cyclohexane, and 3-methylthiophene-cyclohexane showed that the decrease in mulliken charges (e-) of sulfur atoms facilitated the S-Ag bond interaction between the sulfur atom of thiophenic compounds and active component in the sorbent. In conclusion, to obtain the Ag-based sorbent with good adsorption performance for thiophenic compounds, the carrier should contain a certain content of silicon hydroxyl and the suitable pore structure. During the preparation of SBA-15 and MCM-41 mesoporous materials modified by Ag, the Ag-O-Si bonds are more easily formed when silver ammonia interacts with the silicon hydroxyl group on the surface of the carrier. The suitable pore size can inhibit agglomerate to form metallic Ag during the calcination process. These conclusions will provide theoretical guidance for the preparation of silver-based sorbents for thiophene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: AlCl3/silica gel catalysts were prepared by inclosed grafting method in the autoclave and their catalytic activities for alkylation reaction of thiophene with olefins in benzene were studied. The gas chromatograph and chromatography–mass spectroscopy were used to quantitatively determine the thiophene in benzene and qualitatively measure the reaction products, respectively. XPS, SEM, EDX and N2 adsorption techniques were used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of catalyst samples. The results show that AlCl3 can be effectively anchored by reacting with the silanol groups on silica gel surface to form the Si x (OH) y − a O a AlCl(3− a) species and the prepared AlCl3/silica gel catalyst possesses the significant activity for the alkylation reaction of thiophene and olefin. The preparation conditions, such as mass ratio of AlCl3/silica gel support, grafting temperature and time, and thermal treatment temperature of silica gel, have an important role on the content and distribution of active component over silica gel support, and thus affect the catalytic activity. The optimum preparation conditions of AlCl3/silica gel catalyst are that AlCl3 is grafted on silica gel support, which has been thermally treated at 400°C for 3h, and at 180°C for 4h with the mass ratio of 0.20 for AlCl3/silica gel support. The loading ratio of AlCl3 on silica gel can reach about 64wt.% and the optimal conversion rate of thiophene in benzene is 94.23% when the ratio of liquid to catalyst is 20mL/g. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Series sorbents of Cu, Zn, Ni, Ce and Ag metal components supported on γ-AlO carrier for removing thiophene from benzene were prepared by conventional and ultrasound-assisted incipient-wetness impregnation method. The static adsorption experiments were carried out in the thiophene-benzene solution with thiophene concentration of 500 mg/L. The results show that the desulfurization activity of all γ-AlO sorbents modified by different metal components obviously increase, among which the sorbent modified by silver nitrate has the best performance. The active components of sorbents from Cu, Zn, Ni, Ce nitrates loaded on γ-AlO carrier are their oxides. Besides AgO, the products of silver nitrate thermal decomposition in sorbent prepared still have Ag and Ag-O-Al species. The assistant ultrasound in the process of sorbent preparation can not only shorten the impregnation time, but also enrich the pore structure of sorbent and improve the size and distribution of the Ag species, which is favorable to the removal of thiophene from benzene. The desulfurization capacity of sorbent changes with the Ag content loaded. The sorbent with 15 % quality content of Ag prepared by ultrasound-assisted impregnation method has the highest desulfurization efficiency. It could reduce the thiophene concentration to 1.7 mg/L from 500 mg/L at room temperature and ambient pressure, with the desulfurization efficiency of more than 99 %, when the ratio of sorbent to solution was 1:4 (g/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The commercial NaY zeolite with the Si/Al ratio of 5:1 was selected and modified for researching the adsorptive removal of thiophene from benzene. The zeolite was ion-exchanged in Ce(NO3)3 solution and then calcined in muffle to prepare the CeY sorbent. The results show that it is a suitable method to prepare the sorbent removing thiophene from benzene that NaY zeolite is ion-exchanged by cerium in Ce(NO3)3 solution. The desulfurization efficiency of CeY sorbent increases obviously comparing with NaY zeolite. The effects of the calcination temperature, calcination time, concentration of Ce(NO3)3 solution, ion-exchange time, and ion-exchange times on the desulfurization capacity of CeY sorbent were also studied. The results show that the optimal CeY sorbent can be obtained when NaY zeolite is ion-exchanged in 0.5 mol/L Ce(NO3)3 solution at 100°C for 4 h, calcined at 700°C for 2 h, and repeated the above steps two times. The results of XRD and BET characterization indicate that those preparation conditions mainly influence on the crystallinity, specific surface area of CeY sorbent. The best CeY sorbent can remove thiophene to 136.8 mg/L from 550.0 mg/L in thiophene-benzene solution at ambient temperature and pressure with the agent-liquid ratio of 1:16 (g/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A universal strategy that integrates PAA grafting, ion exchange, and in-situ chemical reactions to synthesize photothermal materials for enhanced solar-driven interfacial evaporation and gradient materials for electricity generation, respectively. [Display omitted] • A universal strategy is proposed for the preparation of SDIE and FFIPG materials. • Synthesized nanoparticles or nanoplates are evenly spread on SDIE fabric fibers. • A combination of one-way flow and suspension mode is used for fluid evaporation. • All SDIE fabrics achieve excellent evaporation rates at 0.5 cm suspension height. • The fluid flow can constantly generate a potential difference across the FFIPG fabrics. In our contemporary society, addressing the increasingly pressing global resource shortage, particularly the scarcity of vital water resources and energy, is critical for human survival. This paper presents a strategy that integrates PAA grafting, ion exchange, and in-situ chemical reactions to synthesize photothermal materials for enhanced solar-driven interfacial evaporation and gradient materials for electricity generation, respectively. The obtained photothermal material demonstrates exceptional light absorption and photothermal conversion performance. By employing a unique combination of unidirectional flow and suspension mode for water evaporation, remarkable evaporation rates are achieved, with all samples exceeding 2.03 kg m-2h−1. The hybrid mode is also applied to saltwater treatment, where it is found that the evaporation rate is not significantly affected, regardless of the salt concentration. No change in the evaporation rate is observed even after 12 h of continuous treatment with 10 % brine, indicating the robustness and stable performance of the evaporative materials. For the synthesized gradient materials, the flowing fluid can establish a potential difference at both ends of the gradient fabric. The magnitude of open circuit voltage and short circuit current can be controlled by adjusting the measurement distance, the deposited nanoparticles with different polarity and the amount of charge carried. We acquire a maximum output of 209.7 mV using the gradient Cu-S/PAA-cotton fabric, which can be connected in series to power small electronic devices like a digital watch. This research not only advances the design and practical application of high-performance solar evaporators but also illuminates a novel pathway for developing electricity-generating materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high water content of lignite has raised serious environmental and efficient issues, which are obstacles to its large scale utilization. In this study, hydrothermal dewatering (HTD) method was used to upgrade a lignite from Inner Mongolia in China at 230–330 °C. The combustion behaviors of raw lignite and HTD samples were investigated by thermogravimetry with differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). By changes of mass and heat flow, the lignite combustion process was described from three stages: water evaporation, coal devolatilization and char combustion. Compared with raw lignite, the combustion reactivity of HTD samples upgraded at 230–300 °C was improved, while that of sample upgraded at 330 °C decreased. The temperatures at maximum combustion rate of 230–300 °C samples (below 397.6 °C) were lower and that of 330 °C samples (448.9 °C) was higher than that of raw lignite (399.8 °C). The released heat at char combustion stage increased for HTD samples. Then the physico-chemical structures of lignite before and after HTD process were analyzed to investigate the effect of HTD on coal combustion characteristics. Results showed that HTD process could affect the heat at water evaporation and initial devolatilization stages during coal combustion through removing oxygen functional groups in lignite. The enhancement in aromaticity of lignite after HTD increased activation energy of intrinsic reaction, whereas the large pore volume and high surface area of 230–300 °C samples decreased diffusion activation energy at char combustion stage. The effect of pore structure predominated on combustion reactivity compared with aromaticity for HTD samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe 3 O 4 has a broad application prospect in electrode materials of supercapacitors due to its high theoretical specific capacitance, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, its easy agglomeration property and low charge/discharge cycle stability limit its further application. In order to overcome these issues, the preparation conditions for Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with high specific capacitance were optimized. Then the Fe 3 O 4 was used as the feedstock to prepare the Fe 3 O 4 /graphene nanocomposites using solvothermal method for the in-situ reduction of graphene oxide and the combination of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with graphene. The Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, graphene oxides and Fe 3 O 4 /graphene nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The capacitance and stability of these samples were obtained from charge/discharge curves and cyclic voltammograms. The results show that during preparation process, Fe3+ ions could combine with the O-containing functional groups on the surface of graphene oxide to form Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, and the graphene oxide could be in-situ reduced to form graphene simultaneously. This could effectively prevent aggregation of Fe 3 O 4 and stacking of graphene as electrode materials. Moreover, the optimal conditions for preparing Fe 3 O 4 /graphene nanocomposites (BF24G60) are 60% of graphene theoretical percentage in Fe 3 O 4 /graphene nanocomposites, 205 °C of preparation temperature, and 24 h of reaction time. For the BF24G60 sample, it has excellent cycle stability (93% after 500 cycles) and specific capacitance (300 F/g at 0.4 A/g), which is higher than that of the single graphene (77 F/g) and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (222 F/g). Image 1 • GO could be in-situ reduced to form rGO during preparation of Fe 3 O 4 /graphene. • Fe 3 O 4 coats on rGO surface via combing of Fe3+ with O-containing functional groups. • The coating of Fe 3 O 4 on rGO surface could prevent aggregation of Fe 3 O 4 and rGO. • Fe 3 O 4 /graphene nanocomposite has excellent cycle stability and specific capacitance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-situ water adsorption analyzer was designed and set up for obtaining water dynamic adsorption process of thermally upgraded lignite under relative humidity (RH) of 55%–85% at 20 °C and 30 °C. Four upgraded samples with different pore structures and oxygen functional groups were prepared at 120, 160, 240 and 320 °C. Grey correlation degree analysis method was used to study the correlation between water adsorption capacity and its influencing factors. The results showed that upgrading temperature was the dominant factor influencing water adsorption of upgraded coals compared to RH and environmental temperature. The dynamic adsorption process of water on coal could be well described by Intra-particle diffusion model, and it could be divided into surface adsorption stage, pore diffusion stage, and dynamic equilibrium stage. The rate-controlling factors of surface adsorption stage were oxygen functional groups and specific surface area, while those of pore diffusion stage were pore volume and pore size. During adsorption under RH 55%, water was firstly adsorbed on coal surface through oxygen functional groups with a relatively fast rate, which was orderly followed by formation of water clusters and capillary condensation of water in pores with a relatively slow rate. • An in-situ water adsorption analyzer with a high load capacity of coal was designed. • Compared with environmental condition, upgrading temperature was the dominant factor affecting water adsorption of coal. • Water adsorption could be described as surface adsorption, pore diffusion and equilibrium stages. • At surface adsorption stage, adsorption of water on hydrophilic sites presented with a fast rate. • At pore diffusion stage, formation of water clusters and capillary condensation occurred with a slow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2 sorbent exhibited high activity and large sulfur capacity in reactive adsorption desulfurization. • The breakthrough adsorption capacity for thiophene could reach up to 36.24 mg/g. • The large number of Lewis acid sites on the sorbent surface facilitated the adsorption of thiophene and the breaking of C-S bonds. • The introduction of zirconium significantly improved the ability of the sorbent surface to activate and dissociate H 2. • Regulating the zirconium content not only improved the dispersion of the Cu species and the interaction between Cu-Zn, but also maintained the particle size of the Cu species during the reaction. The ultra-deep removal of thiophene from coke oven gas (COG) is critical for the conversion of COG to methane. Currently, Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 is considered as a promising sorbent for thiophene removal; however, its desulfurization performance is currently unable to meet the requirements for industrial applications. Here, a zirconium modification strategy is proposed to overcome this problem, allowing zirconium loaded copper-based sorbents (Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 /ZrO 2) with significantly improved thiophene removal performance and high activity to be obtained. Characterization results showed that zirconium improved both the dispersion of copper and the concentration of Lewis acid sites on the sorbent surface. A ZrO 2 concentration of 2 % resulted in stronger Cu-Zn interaction, and the dispersion of Cu on the surface of the sorbent reached its maximum value (49.20 %). Additionally, the Lewis acid strength was also maximized, which greatly improved the desulfurization activity and resulted in a breakthrough adsorption capacity of thiophene (Q b-thiophene) of 36.24 mg/g, which was about 17 % higher than that of the unmodified Cu/ZnO/Al 2 O 3 sorbent. These results demonstrate that the sulfur capacity of the sorbent can be increased by increasing the number of acidic sites on its surface, paving the way for ultra-deep thiophene removal in industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In catalytic CO 2 reforming of CH 4 reaction, CO 2 is activated by the basic sites and CH 4 by the metallic sites on the catalysts. The contiguity of the dual sites, i.e., how the two kinds of sites neighbor to each other and how the adsorption species form and interact with each other, determines the activity, selectivity, and stability of the reaction. Following our earlier studies, catalysts with different ratios of Mg/Al and the different second metal (Co, Cu, Fe, or Mn) to the primary metal Ni were prepared using the coprecipitation method. Extensive characterizations showed the catalysts had basic sites of various basicity strength and metallic particles of different sizes. The pulse adsorption experiments showed that the ability of CO 2 activation on the basic sites was varying with not only the site basicity itself (pushing effect) but also the pulling effect from the neighbor metallic sites. On the other hand, the ability of CH 4 dissociation on the metallic site was determined by the metallic sites themselves and the basic sites that burned the carbon and made the metallic sites recovered. The correlation between the turnover frequency of CO 2 and CH 4 based on the number of metallic sites indicated that the size of metallic particles was the main factor that determined the catalyst performance once the two kinds of sites were made neighbor to each other with proper Mg/Al ratio. Studies with the catalysts reduced at a higher temperature confirmed these observations. Further analysis of the catalyst deactivation revealed that the decrease in H 2 /CO ratio (selectivity) in the CO 2 reforming of CH 4 may be caused by the C–H x species from the incomplete dissociation of CH 4 on the weakened metallic sites and their interaction with the activated CO 2 on the basic sites. [Display omitted] • Basic sites and metallic sites need each other to complete the activation CO 2 and CH 4 , respectively. • A second metal to Ni would change the contiguity between basic sites and metallic sites. • A "pushing-pulling" theory was proposed to explain the site interaction and catalyst performance. • Small metallic sites result in good contiguity and ensure carbon on them to be "pulled" off. • Incompletely dissociated CH 4 on weakened metallic sites resulted in lower H 2 /CO ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Ultra-deep removal of thiophene in coke oven gas can be achieved by Cu/ZnO sorbent. • The reactive adsorption process of thiophene over Cu/ZnO sorbent is clarified. • Parallel adsorption of thiophene on HCP site of Cu (1 1 1) is optimal. • Cu0 can dissociate H 2 into hydrogen atoms and cleave the C–S bond of thiophene. • Sulfur could transfer to ZnO and convert into ZnS without intermediate CuS. The reactive adsorption desulfurization mechanism of thiophene over Cu/ZnO sorbent in coke oven gas (COG) was established by a combination of theoretical and experimental study. The adsorption behavior of thiophene on Cu surface was studied by density functional theory (DFT) method. The C 4 hydrocarbons releases and sulfur migration over Cu/ZnO sorbent during the thiophene removal process were investigated by comparing with that over CuO, ZnO and CuO+ZnO (prepared by mechanical grinding of CuO and ZnO) sorbents. The results show that the parallel adsorption of thiophene on hexagonal closest packing (HCP) site of Cu (1 1 1) crystal face is the optimal adsorption mode. Cu0 nanoparticles in Cu/ZnO sorbent have two important roles: (1) adsorb and dissociate H 2 , and (2) cleave the C–S bond of thiophene. The sulfur after the cleavage of C–S bond could transfer directly to ZnO and eventually be converted into ZnS without the intermediate product CuS. During thiophene removal, C 4 H 6 and C 4 H 10 are generated over Cu/ZnO sorbent in the presence of H 2. ZnO in Cu/ZnO sorbent not only acts as an excellent sulfur accepter, but can greatly affect the adsorption properties by enhancing the spillover and storage of hydrogen atoms. Increasing the interaction between Cu0 nanoparticles and ZnO to enhance hydrogen spillover is an effective way to improve the thiophene reactive adsorption activity of Cu/ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Heat treatment and ligand size adjustment could regulate Cu location in Y zeolite. • More copper could be located in supercages, resulting in more absorbed thiophene. • The Cu 10.74 Y 350 sample exhibits excellent desulfurization performance. Y zeolites modified with Cu are promising sorbents for adsorption desulfurization due to their cost-effectiveness. Only the supercage, which is larger than thiophene molecule, is the potential location of active sites for thiophene removal. However, numerous copper species cannot serve as effective active sites due to their inability to be located in the supercages. Based on this consideration, two strategies to regulate Cu location in Y zeolite to address the aforementioned challenges were explored. One is to adjust the molecular size of copper-ammonia ligands through pH value of cuprammonia solution, and the other is to prevent the migration of copper to small cages by heat treatment. The results showed that these two strategies could effectively regulate the location of copper active sites in Y zeolite. During heat treatment, Cu could transfer into supercages from sodalite cages at 350 °C. More effective copper would be targeted to be located in the supercages in the process of adjusting pH. For the best Cu 10.74 Y 350 sorbent, which was prepared at 350 °C under pH of 10.74, the Cu content in the supercages was the highest (25 %), and thus it has an excellent desulfurization efficiency of 82.3 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • H 2 S in BFG could be adsorbed on Na-type FAU zeolite via two different ways. • H 2 S could be adsorbed on bridging hydroxyl groups of Na-type FAU zeolite. • H 2 S could interact with Na+ via base-acid interaction over FAU zeolite. • On Na+, H 2 S would be converted to S and further oxidized to SO 4 2− and S 2 O 3 2− by O 2. The desulfurization of blast furnace gas is crucial to meet the strict requirements for clean production of steel industry. However, the composition of blast furnace gas is complicated, and the gases of H 2 O, CO, CO 2 , and O 2 would significantly affect the desulfurization activity. Therefore, the desulfurization performance for H 2 S in simulated blast furnace gas by Na-type FAU zeolites with different Si/Al was investigated. The physicochemical properties of zeolite sorbents were measured, and their correlation with desulfurization performance was studied. Moreover, the adsorption mechanism of H 2 S was investigated. The breakthrough sulfur capacity improved with the increase of relative crystallinity, Na+ content, specific surface area, and the decrease of Si/Al ratio. The adsorption mechanism of H 2 S on Na-type FAU zeolite was proposed. One is the hydrogen bond interaction between the bridging hydroxyl groups and H 2 S, and the other one is the base-acid interaction between sodium ion and H 2 S. In blast furnace gas, when interacting with Na+, H 2 S would be transformed into S, which further oxidized into thiosulfate and sulfate by O 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultra-deep removal of thiophene is essential for the conversion of coke oven gas to methane and metal modified Y zeolite has excellent thiophene adsorption capacity. The effects of temperature on chemisorption between metal modified Y zeolite and thiophene and the reductive gases in coke oven gas on the thiophene adsorption performance still remains ambiguous. To address the aforementioned aims, series of NaMY (M = Ce, Ni, Zn and Ag) were prepared via ion-exchanged with Na+ of NaY, and two comparable sets of thiophene adsorption evaluation were conducted in a fixed bed reactor: (1) NaY and NaMY were evaluated at different temperatures in simulated coke oven gas, and (2) NaCeY was evaluated in N2 and different reductive atmospheres. The results show that NaNiY, NaZnY and NaAgY could adsorb thiophene via π-complexation, however, NaCeY mainly through S-Ce bond. Π complexation becomes weak above 150 °C, and the strength of S-Ce bond varies little when the temperature rises to 250 °C. Compared with that of other sorbents, the breakthrough adsorption capacity for thiophene (Qb-thiophene) of NaAgY reaches the highest 144 mg/g at 100 °C, but decreases sharply when temperature rises to 200 °C. NaCeY has relatively low variation in Qb-thiophene from 100 °C to 200 °C. Moreover, Ce(IV) in NaCeY is more favorable for thiophene adsorption than Ce(III) in coke oven gas and the presence of H2 and CO would reduce the desulfurization activity of NaCeY. For the industrial utilization of thiophene ultra-deep removal, NaAgY has an excellent potential below 150 °C, while NaCeY with more Ce(IV) has a good prospect at 150–250 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Heat treatment on precursor is a suitable way to regulate the Cu-Zn interaction. • Stronger Cu-Zn interaction could improve the desulfurization performance. • The breakthrough adsorption capacity for thiophene could reach up to 25.1 mg/g. The ultra-deep removal of thiophene is a necessary process for the coke oven gas (COG) to methane technology via methanation. It is usually carried out using copper-zinc (Cu-Zn) based sorbent, which was reported to has excellent desulfurization performance, however the effect of Cu-Zn interaction on the desulfurization activity of the sorbent is still need to be further understood. Here, the sorbent precursor was prepared via co-precipitation method, and it was treated at different temperatures to obtain a series of sorbents with different Cu-Zn interaction. The fixed bed reactor was used to evaluate the desulfurization performance, the XPS and H 2 -TPR was carried out to determine the Cu-Zn interaction in sorbents, and the N 2 adsorption, XRD, N 2 O adsorption, FT-IR were used to characterize the physical and chemical properties of samples. The results show that the Cu-Zn interaction could be effectively controlled by heat treatment temperature. At 300 °C, the sorbent precursor would be easily transformed into Cu-Zn solid solution, where the Cu-Zn interaction is strong, and the dispersion of Cu on the sorbent surface is maximized (16.0 %). Those greatly increase the desulfurization activity, and the breakthrough adsorption capacity for thiophene could reach up to 25.1 mg/g. At 250 °C, the temperature is not enough for the transforming of sorbent precursor into Cu-Zn solid solution, so that the breakthrough adsorption capacity for thiophene is only 12.4 mg/g. Whereas, when the temperature is higher than 350 °C, the Cu-Zn solid solution would be further transformed into CuO and ZnO, which significantly decreases the desulfurization activity. In addition, the density functional theory (DFT) calculation results provide further evidence that strong Cu-Zn interaction is beneficial to the desulfurization behavior of sorbent. This work provides both theoretical guidance for promoting the desulfurization performance of copper-based sorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) cellular concrete is a functional material with a distinctive pore formation mechanism. However, the effect of the mechanical properties, energy dissipation characteristics and failure pattern of cellular concrete under localized stress is not clear, limiting the application of the material. In this study, the effects of porosity (40 %, 50 %, and 60 %) and pore size (2 mm, 5 mm, 8 mm) on the elastic modulus, plateau stress, energy dissipation, and failure patterns of cellular concrete fabricated using a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and their relationships are investigated using MTS and SHPB. The results show that under static loading, the elastic modulus increases with the enlargement of the pore diameter, exhibiting a pore size effect. The plateau stress is mainly influenced by two factors: pore wall thickness and pore wall bending moment. Moreover, employing the pore size effect model predicts the failure mode under static loading, showing good agreement with experimental results. Under dynamic loading, the yield strength and energy dissipation all have strain rate effects. In terms of energy dissipation density, compared with dynamic loading, the material has better performance under static loading. The research findings facilitate the selection of SAP cellular concrete with diverse pore sizes and porosities according to engineering demands, achieving functional customization. • A new method for creating cellular concrete with specific pore sizes is proposed. • Mechanical properties and energy dissipation exhibit pore size effect under static and dynamic conditions. • Criteria for the static failure mode of materials are established based on pore size and porosity. • The plateau stress of the material is affected by pore wall thickness and bending moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultra-deep removal of thiophene to 0.1 ppmv level is necessary for coke oven gas to methane process. NaY zeolite was reported to have this potential, and acid sites in NaY play an important role on its desulfurization performance. Based on this situation, sorbents with different types and strengths of acids were prepared by modifying NaY in ammonium nitrate and citric acid solutions. Their desulfurization behaviors in simulated coke oven gas were evaluated by fixed bed. The results show that both ammonium nitrate and citric acid modification on NaY are beneficial to the breakthrough adsorption capacity of thiophene (Q b-thiophene). The NaY after modified in 0.10 mol/L citric acid solution has the highest Q b-thiophene at 100 °C. Ammonium nitrate modification could significantly increase medium-strong Bronsted acid in NaY, whereas citric acid modification mainly increases weak Lewis acid. On medium-strong Bronsted acid sites, thiophene polymerization reaction would occur easily, which would result in the obvious decrease of Q b-thiophene from 71.31 to 35.3 mg/g due to the acid sites covering and micropores blocking by thiophene oligomer. The increase of Lewis acid is conducive to desulfurization. Moreover, on Lewis acid site, the temperature region for thiophene removal is wider than that on Bronsted acid. Unlabelled Image • Sorbents for ultra-deep desulfurization was developed by improving acid sites. • NH 4 NO 3 modification increase medium-strong Bronsted acid in NaY. • Citric acid modification mainly increases weak Lewis acid in NaY. • L acid promotes thiophene adsorption, whereas B acid promotes thiophene polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing the membrane with splendid anti-fouling ability is urgently desired for the separation of high-viscosity crude oils emulsions. Herein, a novel GO-based membrane with anti-crude oil fouling and persulfate activation self-cleaning properties was fabricated by introducing g-C 3 N 4 /NH 2 -MIL-88B(Fe) (g-C 3 N 4 /NMB) heterojunction into graphene oxide (GO) sheets via a sample self-assembling process. Combing with micro-nano structures and hydrophilic properties of g-C 3 N 4 /NMB heterojunction, GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane exhibited resplendently selective wettability and anti-crude oil adhesion performance. Based on this, the resultant membrane effectively realized the separation to different low-viscosity oily wastewaters (all rejections >98%). Facing high-viscidity crude oil emulsions, the permeate flux could reach 1611 ± 63 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 with 99.21% of reject rate, which increased almost 80 times than GO membranes. Moreover, profiting from the distinguished photocatalytic activity of g-C 3 N 4 /NMB and electron transport capacity of GO nanosheet, the catalytic degradation rate of GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane was enhanced over 5 times compared to GO membrane under visible light radiation, reaching 0.1513 min-1 for MB under 0.6 mM peroxydisulfate (PDS). Hence, GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane could reveal continuous purification of organic wastewater through the synergistic effect of filtration and photocatalysis. Similarly, the crude oil-fouled membrane also accomplished regeneration after 30 min of light irradiation and the R ir of GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB-3 membrane decreased to only 3.7% by persulfate activation self-cleaning strategy. Therefore, this work provided a beneficial avenue for developing sustainable, renewable separation membranes of crude oil emulsions. [Display omitted] • A GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane with fast flux and photodegradation was constructed. • GO@g-C 3 N 4 /NMB membrane showed excellent anti-crude oil adhesion property. • The resultant membrane could separate the high-viscosity crude oily emulsions. • The crude oil-fouled membrane could accomplish regeneration by persulfate activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption desulfurization processes employing zeolites as sorbents are considered to be prospective desulfurization methods owing to their cost-effectiveness. Y zeolites modified with Cu and Ce have excellent adsorption capacity and selectivity for adsorption desulfurization. However, the effect of using different metal precursors on the active sites of these sorbents and their adsorption desulfurization performance still remains ambiguous, which impedes the development of improved desulfurization adsorbents. Herein, Cu(NO 3) 2 , Cu(Ac) 2 , and CuSO 4 were selected as Cu precursors to prepare a series of CuCeY from CeY zeolite. Desulfurization experimental results indicate that outstanding breakthrough adsorption capacities for thiophene (ca. 6.25 mg·g−1) with benzene as the solvent were achieved by the CuCeY A. The interaction between the Cu Ce metals was beneficial for enhancing the electron transfer between Cu2++Ce3+/Ce4++Cu+. Moreover, using different copper precursors significantly changed the redox ability of the adsorbent surface. Changing the copper precursor also had a significant effect on the locations of Cu and Ce ions, and using Cu(Ac) 2 as a metal precursor facilitated the migration of Cu+ (53.6%) and cerium species (35.9%) to the supercage. In situ infrared characterization showed that the oligomerization of thiophene on CuCeY A was significantly restricted due to the lowest B acid content (11.85%) in the CuCeY A. [Display omitted] • A series of CuCeY have been prepared by a variety of Cu precursors. • CuCeY A prepared using Cu(Ac) 2 exhibits the excellent desulfurization performance. • Cu(Ac) 2 as precursor affected the chemical speciations and location of Cu and Ce. • Thiophene oligomerization can be significantly restricted on CuCeY A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • H 2 S could be effectively removed via physical and chemical adsorption on CuX zeolite. • Cu2+ in 13X zeolite could interact with H 2 S to form CuS. • The breakthrough sulfur capacity of Cu 25 X-Ex could reach up to 7.71 g S/100 g sorbent. With the promulgation of new regulations, it's of great significance to desulfurization from blast furnace gas (BFG) to meet the clean production of iron making industry. Among different desulfurization technologies, zeolite-based sorbents are extensively studied due to the easy operation, low operating cost, and long service life. In this research, the 13X zeolite was selected, and it was ion-exchanged by different metal elements (Cu, Zn, Co, Mn) to prepared a series of sorbents. A fixed bed was used to evaluate their desulfurization behavior, and the XRD, SEM, ICP-OES, XPS, N 2 adsorption, and CO 2 -TPD were carried out to characterize the physical and chemical properties of sorbents. The effects of water vapor content and desulfurization temperature on the removal of H 2 S were investigated. The regeneration performance of sorbent was also explored. The results showed that the Cu 25 X-Ex sorbent has the highest breakthrough sulfur capacity of 7.71 g S/100 g sorbent in dry simulated BFG. The breakthrough sulfur capacity of Cu 25 X-Ex was 4.52 g S/100 g sorbent when the water vapor content is 5 %. The CO 2 -TPD results showed that the basic sites were favorable for the adsorption of H 2 S on the surface of zeolite. The XPS results illustrate that the forms of S adsorbed on Cu 25 X-Ex sorbent were CuS, CuS 2 O 3 , and CuSO 4 , so it is suggested that the reaction between adsorbed H 2 S with the metal cations in sorbent occurred subsequently. The research indicated that Cu 25 X-Ex sorbent has potential applicability in the desulfurization of blast furnace gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The texture properties of hierarchical TS-1 zeolites can be precisely modulated by the TritonX homologues with different amounts of ethoxide. • The mesoporosity and Ti content of hierarchical Ti-rich determine the conversion of benzene. • Introducing additional mesoporosity into the hierarchical TS-1 facilitates the direct the oxidation of benzene. The hydrothermal approach was used to effectively synthesis hierarchical TS-1 utilizing the green and inexpensive surfactant TritonX homologues with varying amounts of ethylene oxide groups. The textural property of obtained materials can be modulated by varying the number of ethylene oxide groups of the TritonX homologues. The mesoporous size of hierarchical TS-1 depends on the micelles size of TritonX homologues. The synthesized samples have significant intracrystalline mesopores with a pore size range of 3.5–4.5 nm. The impact of various ethylene oxide group counts of TritonX homologous on the structure, texture properties, and titanium species was investigated using a variety of characterization methods. The hydroxylation of benzene with the H 2 O 2 as oxidizer was used to investigate the catalytic properties of hierarchical TS-1. The catalytic properties and stability of the resulting materials were noticeably improved in the hydroxylation of benzene in comparison with the traditional TS-1. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the prognostic CT and MR imaging features of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the head and neck region. Methods: The clinical data and CT and MR imaging features of 59 patients with histologically confirmed extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the head and neck region were retrospectively reviewed. Subjects included 27 male and 32 female patients between 13 and 81 years of age, with a mean age of 60.3 years. The clinical outcomes were categorized according to whether relapse or metastasis occurred within 2 years after therapy. The association between the clinical outcome and radiologic factors including tumour size, margin, shape, local tumour invasiveness, regional lymph node involvement, number of involvement sites, and contrast enhancement patterns was determined using univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Radiologic factors including tumour size, margin, shape, and local tumour invasiveness were associated with poor clinical outcomes, as determined by univariate analysis ( P < 0.05). Only the lesion margin category (ill-defined) remained an independent risk factor for clinical outcome in multivariate logistic regression analysis, with an OR of 8.14 ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: Ill-defined margin of the primary lesion was indicative of unfavourable survival outcome for patients with extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the head and neck region. Key Points: • Tumour size, margin, shape and local tumour invasiveness were prognostically relevant. • Tumour margin was an independent risk factor for clinical outcome. • Ill-defined margin of primary lesion was indicative of unfavourable survival outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal liquefaction pitch is a byproduct rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon generated during coal liquefaction process, and can be used to prepare porous carbon electrodes for electric double-layer capacitors. However, the effects of the proportion of pore volume in different pore size ranges on the electrochemical properties of porous carbon are still not well investigated. Herein, porous carbon was fabricated from liquefaction pitch and KOH at a mass ratio of 1:2 and activation temperatures of 600–900 °C. The results showed an increase in both specific surface area and total pore volume of the samples with the activation temperature, inconsistent with the changing trend of the specific capacitances due to well-stored electrolyte ions in micropores. In particular, micropores with pore volume diameter below 1 nm greatly impacted the specific capacitance performance of porous carbon. The pore volume with pore width below 1 nm first increased and then decreased with the activation temperature. Among samples, porous carbon prepared at activation temperature of 700 °C delivered the highest specific capacitance of 329 F g−1 at a specific current of 0.5 A g−1, and retained 254 F g−1 of specific capacitance at 20 A g−1 in 6 mol L−1 KOH electrolyte. The reason for this was related to the largest pore volume with pore width below 1 nm (0.43 cm3 g−1). Afterward, the optimized sample was assembled into a symmetrical supercapacitor and test results showed that 96.37% of the initial capacitance was retained after 10,000 cycles at 1 A g−1, suggesting good cycling stability. In sum, the as-prepared porous carbon is very promising for use as electrode material for supercapacitors. [Display omitted] • Pore volume (width < 1 nm) varies linearly with performance of EDLC. • Oxygen functional groups in carbon materials improve the pseudocapacitance. • Pore distribution and surface groups can be modified by changing temperature. • CK2-700 delivers high specific capacitance of 329 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CNTs of different pore diameter gave insights into pore effects on UBC water sorption. • Pore structures as well as volume of 1–2, 5–10 and 20–50 nm pores of UBC were determined. • Forms of water content in UBC containing re-adsorption water were distinguished. • Synergistic effects of O-functional groups and 5–10 nm pores on water sorption capacity. • 5–10 nm pore volume was an important factor controlling water sorption. The original and oxidized CNTs with pore diameters of 1–2, 5–10 and 20–50 nm were used as models to gain insight into the effect of O-containing functional groups and micro- and mesopores on water behavior in UBC. The moisture holding capacity (MHC) and isotherm water adsorption behaviors of both CNTs and UBC were studied and compared. The effects of O-containing functional groups and 5–10 nm pores on water re-adsorption showed synergism with respect to 20–50 nm pores. The water re-adsorption of CNTs with 5–10 nm pores was greatly increased. The mechanism of the synergism was deduced. The specific surface area and the volume of total-, macro-, meso-, and micro-pores as well as the volume of 1–2, 5–10 and 20–50 nm pores of UBC were determined. The re-adsorbed water in UBC was classified into three forms based on binding strength. Correlations between the three forms of water contents and physicochemical parameters of UBC were calculated. The comparison of MHC value with the water adsorption isotherm of UBC at low water vapor pressure indicated that 5–10 nm diameter pore volume was one of the key factors controlling total water re-adsorption capacity. The correlations between the amounts of the three forms of water and physicochemical parameters confirmed this finding. The monolayer water concentration was mainly controlled by the oxygen concentration. Based on the study, we suggest that the 5–10 nm pore should be reduced as much as possible during any brown coal upgrading process for efficient and clean utilization of brown coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]