Search

• The Fenton/Fenton-like reaction over SAzymes based on chlorapatite was studied by DFT methods. • The single Co atom interstitial doped in chlorapatite showed superior activity. • Nearby Ca sites assisted Co int -CAP to bind OH species more stably due to charge rearrangements. Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) induced by endogenous overexpression of hydrogen peroxide based on nanozyme is an emerging tumor therapy strategy that has been abstracted widespread attention. However, the present efficacy of nanozyme catalytic therapy is severely limited by the low atomic availability and the few active sites of nanozyme. Herein, by means of density functional theory calculations, the catalytic performance of substituted or interstitial single transition metals doped in chlorapatite matrix (TM-CAP) for Fenton/Fenton-like reaction was systematically studied, aiming to screen out efficient and highly cyclic single-atom nanozymes (SAzymes). The Co int -CAP SAzymes showed unprecedented superiority among all candidates with the limit potential of −1.92 V under the characteristic acidic conditions of the tumor microenvironment, and exhibited excellent catalyst regeneration ability compared with neutral conditions. Ultimately, it is proved that compared with substitution doping, the interstitial doping of single Co atom significantly improves the inherent activity of Fenton/Fenton-like reaction. This was ascribed to the charge rearrangement of SAzymes surface caused by interstitial doping of Co, which enabled Ca site near the Co site to stably synergistically bind *OH species. Moreover, the screened Co interstitial doped chlorapatite (Co int -CAP) SAzymes with excellent thermodynamic stability and anti-agglomeration ability not only had a smaller cell volume change and band gap, but also was easy to be synthesized experimentally. This work aimed at guiding experimental design of artificial SAzymes with desired active center and electronic properties based on reported theoretical results of the structure–property relationship of active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anonymous voting is widely used in economic and social activities, whenever it requires to express opinions privately and fairly. In this paper, we consider the task of anonymous voting using quantum mechanics. Based on quantum Bell states, anonymous entanglement is established between each voter and a tallier; thus, employing the one-time pad technique, each voter can privately cast his/her vote to the tallier. The tallier provides a mechanism of opening and permuting the ordered votes of all voters in an anonymous manner. With the distribution of all counted votes, the voting results can be obtained through a simple calculation. By a private address index, each voter can anonymously trace his/her counted vote, leading to verifiability. Following the practical requirements, the quantum anonymous voting protocol satisfies privacy, non-reusability and verifiability at the same time. Under the ideal conditions, the security concerning some common attacks is given in detail, and the theoretical analysis states that this protocol is secure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the density functional theory calculation is used to investigate the reaction mechanisms of CO2 hydrogenation to CH3OH on the Cu@Pd core–shell surface. In particular, the possible adsorption sites, structural parameters, and adsorption energies of all intermediates are determined. All the reaction energies and the activation barriers of elementary steps involved in the possible hydrogenation mechanisms, including the HCOO pathway, the COOH pathway, and the RWGS + CO-Hydro pathway, are studied in detail. The calculated activation barrier of the rate-determining step is 1.84 eV for the HCOO pathway, 1.45 eV for the COOH pathway, and 1.17 eV for the RWGS + CO-Hydro pathway. Therefore, the most favorable hydrogenation mechanism on the Cu@Pd core–shell surface is following the reverse water–gas shift reaction followed by CO hydrogenation and will be completed via the route of CO2* → trans-COOH* → cis-COOH* → CO* → HCO* → HCOH* → H2COH* → CH3OH*. Compared with Cu-based catalysts such as Cu(111), Cu29 cluster, Cu19 cluster, and Cu(211), the Cu@Pd core–shell catalyst is demonstrated to have higher catalytic activity toward CO2 hydrogenation to CH3OH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bubbling and turbulent fluidized beds, gas bubbles are dispersed in the emulsion phase with the bubble cloud as the transition, offering a vigorous interaction between gas and particles. Despite numerous studies in the literature, many difficulties were encountered for modeling and scale-up. Hence, it is imperative to further study the flow details and scale-up effects. In this work, instantaneous solids holdup was captured in bubbling and turbulent fluidized beds using an optical fiber probe. The degree of local segregation was quantified with the intermittency index. Then, according to the signal details, phases, namely bubble phase, bubble cloud and emulsion phase, can be easily identified and characterized in perspectives of solids holdup and time fraction. Finally, the influences of the column diameter and static bed height were systematically analyzed to study scale-up effects. Unlabelled Image • Instantaneous solids holdup was measuring using fiber optic sensing. • Bubbles, the bubble cloud and emulsion phase exist in fluidized beds. • Phases were characterized in solids holdup and time fraction. • Influences of the column diameter were explored with the phase information. • Influences of the static bed height were explored with the phase information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cryogenic grinding was used to separate cathode materials and Al foil. • The peel-off efficiency of cathode materials achieved nearly 88%. • Only about 0.88% Al in the recycled cathode materials and the Al was recycled in metallic form. • A simple, efficient and environmental process for the recycling of spent LIBs was proposed. An environmentally friendly technology of cryogenic grinding for recovering cathode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries was has been investigated in this paper. Differential Scanning Calorimeter was used to test the glass transition temperature of the organic binder. Advanced analysis techniques, a microcomputer-controlled electronic universal material-testing machine, a low-temperature impact testing machine, scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution 3 Dimension-X-ray microscopy, were utilized to analyze the effect of low temperature on the mechanical properties and morphology of cathode. Results show that the yield strength, tensile strength and impact strength of the current collector is significantly increased at low temperature, that the glass transition temperature of the organic binder is approximately 235 K. Low temperature enhances the strength of the current collector and causes the organic binder to fail. Therefore, cryogenic grinding could realize the selective grinding of the cathode and significantly improve the peel-off of the electrode materials. The peel-off efficiency of cathode materials was improved from 25.03% to 87.29% at the optimum conditions of low temperature pretreatment for 5 min and cryogenic grinding for 30 s. The experiments demonstrate that the cryogenic grinding can obviously facilitate the efficient recovery of cathode materials, revealing a great application prospective for the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The CO 2 initial conversion over metal-doped Pd clusters is studied by DFT methods. • The elevated HOMO caused by the doped Cu is the reason for the enhanced activity. • Pd 12 Cu cluster has more advantages in activity and selectivity of CO 2 initial hydrogenation. Density functional theory calculations are executed to research CO 2 adsorption and initial conversion on Pd 12 M (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd) bimetallic clusters, with a focus on finding optimal ancillary metal to Pd element. The stability analysis of the structures demonstrates that the transition metals with higher surface energy (compared to Pd element) doped Pd 13 clusters possess better structural stability. For CO 2 adsorption, the structural parameters of CO 2 * have remarkable linear relation with the amount of charges transfer. For CO 2 initial conversion, it can be concluded that the Pd 12 Cu cluster is the best candidate with a lower activation barrier (0.69 eV) for the initial hydrogenation of CO 2. According to the electronic structure analysis, the elevated HOMO caused by the doping of Cu atom is the main reason for the enhanced catalytic activity. In addition, the PdCu bimetallic clusters with larger size are constructed and their activity and selectivity towards CO 2 initial conversion are also studied. Compared with Pd 32 Cu 6 and Pd 42 Cu 13 bimetallic clusters, Pd 12 Cu has more advantages in activity and selectivity. Therefore, Pd 12 Cu is the best choice, that is, it inhibits the generation of by-product and improves the catalytic activity, which makes it become an excellent bimetallic candidate for CO 2 initial hydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of density functional theory calculation, an exploration is conducted into the catalytic performance and reaction mechanism of CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol on Pd 32 Zn 6 (alloy), Pd 32 Zn 6 (shell/core), and Pd 38 nanoparticles. The potential preferred adsorption sites and adsorption energies of all the reaction species are determined. In particular, the electronic structure analysis of CO 2 adsorption reveals the significant orbital hybridization occurring between the adsorbed CO 2 molecule and Pd atoms, indicating that CO 2 molecule is desirably activated and fully prepared for further hydrogenation. Furthermore, the reaction energies and activation barriers to the elementary reactions involved in the HCOO pathway are calculated precisely for the three nanoparticles. Compared with Pd 38 , the kinetically preferred pathway of methanol synthesis has shown changes after the introduction of Zn, and the activation barrier to the rate-determining step of the reaction route is also reduced on Pd 32 Zn 6 (alloy) and Pd 32 Zn 6 (shell/core) nanoparticles. It is suspected that the PdZn nanoparticle with an alloy structure exhibits higher activity of CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol than that with a shell/core structure, which is attributed to the former having a lower activation barrier to the rate-determining step. [Display omitted] • The PdZn bimetallic nanoparticles have been studied for CO 2 hydrogenation. • The catalytic mechanism is changed on PdZn compared with that on Pd 38. • The activity of Pd 32 Zn 6 (alloy) is higher than that of Pd 32 Zn 6 (shell/core). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The dilute, dense and mid phases (intermediate region) are detected in BFB and TFB. • Solids holdup distribution of three phases is revealed. • Phase time fraction distribution of three phases is disclosed. • The phase time fraction distribution exposes flow structure traits from BFB to TFB. • Effects of static bed height and bed diameter on flow structure are dependent on U g. Bubbling and turbulent fluidized beds (BFB and TFB) are widely used in the chemical and energy industries, owing to their enhanced heat transfer and improved operation flexibility. In BFB and TFB, the gas-particle suspension is featured with a dilute phase (bubbles) and a dense phase. The gas exchanges between the bubbles and the dense phase often through an intermediate region, further enhancing the gas-particle contact. However, few comprehensive studies have been conducted on the intermediate region and the dense phase. In this work, the instantaneous solids holdup was obtained in BFB and TFB through optical fiber sensing. Subsequently, through the use of statistical signal analysis, solids holdup thresholds were proposed to discriminate between the bubbles, the intermediate region (named as 'mid-phase') and the dense phase. Finally, gas-particle segregation details were further revealed through the quantification of the different phases to advance the development of future modelling, design and scale-up processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Binder wrapped on electrode particles weakens their surface properties. • Cryogenic grinding can remove the organic binder efficiently. • Removing organic binder can expose new surface of electrode particles. • Removing organic binder can eliminate agglomeration of electrode particles. • Electrode materials before and after cryogenic grinding are fully investigated. A novel method of cryogenic grinding and froth flotation is proposed to recover LiCoO 2 and graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries. After 9 min of cryogenic grinding, the grade of LiCoO 2 concentrate was up to 91.75%, with a recovery rate of 89.83% after flotation, but the materials that have not been cryogenic grinding, the grade and recovery rate of LiCoO2 after flotation only 55.36% and 72.8%, respectively. Analysis of the surface properties and morphology of electrode particles was performed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and field emission-electron probe micro-analysis. Results indicate that the organic binder on the surface of the raw materials resulted in a poor recovery rate and grade of the flotation concentrate. Cryogenic grinding, on the other hand, caused the organic binder on the surface of electrode materials to peel off, with spherical graphite changing into a scaly layer structure that revealed a new surface. The hydrophilicity of LiCoO 2 and hydrophobicity of graphite were obviously improved by cryogenic grinding, and in turn contributed to an excellent flotation separation. This work provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly process for recovering LiCoO 2 and graphite from spent lithium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both of the two citrus diseases, Alternaria brown spot (ABS) and Anthracnose, caused by Alternaria and Colletotrichum spp., respectively, can produce leaf lesions which are hard to differentiate. These two diseases have been confused as causal agents of brown spot for over a decade in China. In this study, citrus leaves with or without brown spot were collected from Zhaoqing, Guangdong and Wanzhou, Chongqing, and were further used for the taxonomic and functional comparisons between the co-occurring Alternaria and Colletotrichum species. In the amplicon sequencing, the average relative abundance and the composition of Alternaria, but not Colletotrichum, increased (from 0.1 to 9.9, p = 0.059; and to 0.7, p < 0.05) and significantly altered (p < 0.01) with the brown spot in Zhaoqing and Wanzhou, respectively. Two representative isolates Alternaria sp. F12A and Colletotrichum sp. F12C, from the same brown spot, were proved with different virulence and host response activation to citrus leaves. F12A caused typical symptoms of brown spot with the average spot length expanded to 5 and 6.1 cm, and also altered the citrus global gene expression 48 and 72 h after inoculation. In addition, F12A enriched the expression of genes that were most frequently involved in plant defense. In comparison, F12C caused leaf spot limited to the wounded site, and its milder activation of host response recovered 72 h after inoculation. Our study indicates that the incidence of brown spot in China is caused by Alternaria species, and the ABS should be a fungal disease of major concern on citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In complex discrete manufacturing environment, there used to be a poor network and an isolated information island in production line, which led to slow information feedback and low utilization ratio, hindering the construction of enterprise intelligence. To solve these problems, uncertain factors in the production process and demands of sensor network were analyzed; hierarchical topology design method and the deployment strategy of the complexity industrial internet of things were proposed; and a big data analysis model and a system security protection system based on the network were established. The weight of each evaluation index was calculated using analytic hierarchy process, which established the intelligentized evaluation system and model. An actual production scene was also selected to validate the feasibility of the method. A diesel engine production workshop and the enterprise MES were used as an example to establish a network topology. The intelligence level based on both subjective and objective factors were evaluated and analyzed considering both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Analysis results show that the network topology design method and the intelligentize evaluation system were feasible, could improve the intelligence level effectively, and the network framework was expansible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting bone regeneration while inhibiting bacterial infection is still clinical challenge in the repair of infectious bone defects. Herein, a vancomycin-loaded silica coating with controlled release of drug and Si ions was prepared on polymer matrix via layer-by-layer assembly, to construct a functional composite coating scaffold with antibacterial function and enhanced bone regeneration capacity. Different release behavior and antibacterial effect were achieved by alternating or sequential deposition on the scaffold surface. In vitro study showed that both the alternating and the sequential coatings could promote osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells, and the sequential coating exhibited a higher bacteriostatic rate of 97 % against Staphylococcus aureus. In vivo study of infectious bone defect model demonstrated that the sequential coating with an outer layer of vancomycin allowed more sufficient antibacterial treatment in the early stage of infection and achieved superior bone regeneration consequently. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that the vancomycin loading in the silica coating played an antibacterial role without interfering with the bone-promoting process of silicon ions, and revealed that the mechanism of osteogenic promotion was based on the activation of osteo/angio-genic related genes expression and corresponding signaling pathways. This study demonstrates an effective strategy to design functional composite scaffolds for complex infectious bone repair. [Display omitted] • A vancomycin-loaded silica coating with controlled release of drug and Si ions • The functional coating with antibacterial and enhanced bone regeneration functions • The loaded vancomycin did not interfere with the bone-promoting effect of Si ions. • The functional coating scaffold could effectively repair infectious bone defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases (ESBLs)‐producing Salmonella is a tremendous hazard to food safety and public health. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of 30 virulence genes (avrA, sipA, sseC, marT, rhuM, siiE, pipA, pipD, envR, gogB, gtgA, sodC1, sseI, irsA, sopE2, spvC, rck, spvR, fhuA, msgA, pagK, srfj, stkc, fimA, lpfD, pefA, stcC, steB, stjB, and tcfA) in 156 ESBLs‐producing Salmonella isolates that belonged to 21 serotypes. These isolates were recovered from retail raw chicken samples collected from 5 provinces and 2 national cities in China between 2007 and 2012. The results indicated that 154 (98.7%) ESBLs‐producing Salmonella isolates carried at least 1 virulence gene, 138 (88.5%) simultaneously carried at least 5 virulence genes, 107 (68.6%) carried 10 or more, and 20 (12.8%) carried 15 or more virulence genes. The most frequently detected virulence genes were marT (n = 127, 81.4%), siiE (n = 126, 80.8%), msgA (n = 121, 77.6%), and sipA (n = 121, 77.6%). Significant difference was identified between detection percentages of virulence genes of rhuM, pipD, envR, sopE2, pagK, lpfD, steB, and stjB in S. Indiana, S. Thompson, S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Shubra, S. Edinburg, and S. Agona isolates. Distribution of virulence genes were significantly influenced by sampling districts (P < 0.01), especially for sodC1 and pipD, and then were msgA and sopE2. The heatmap showed the frequencies of virulence genes in ESBLs‐producing isolates from retail chickens in southern, central, and northern regions of China were completely different from each other. Based on our findings, ESBLs‐producing Salmonella of retail chicken origin were common carriers of multiple virulence genes and were regionally distributed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass personalized production in green manufacturing requires flexible adjustments in the assembly line, and the contradiction between the impact on resources and regaining production efficiency makes it difficult for decision-makers to balance. In order to quantify the cost of adjustment and provide a theoretical basis for rebalancing optimization, this paper introduces an adjustment complexity measurement method and a rebalancing optimization model. To solve the optimization problem, an adaptive rebalancing algorithm is designed based on the nondominated sorted genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II). In this case, the algorithm is tailored to address the rebalancing problem by acquiring optimal operation distribution plans that minimize adjustment complexity. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed rebalancing method is demonstrated through two case studies. Through analysis of algorithm performance and solutions, as well as comparison with existing algorithms, the results show that the proposed algorithm has good convergence and optimization performance. The proposed method can provide decision-makers with rebalancing solutions with different focuses. When adjusting the assembly line, the impact of the solution on resources and adjustment costs is fully considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A talent identification index system for male and female cross-country skiers in four age groups (11–12 years old, 13–14 years old, 15–16 years old, and 17–18 years old) was established. The system comprises five body shape indexes ( i =5): Leg-to-Body Ratio (LBR), body fat percentage, maturity status, spreaded brachia index, and upper extremity length. The physiological function indexes ( i =2) are VO2max and haemoglobin mass (Hb). The psychological indexes ( i =5) cover reaction time, perception speed, a quality-of-will scale, an attention test, and operational thinking. The physical fitness indexes ( i =11) comprise upper limb explosiveness, vertical jump, 3000-metre run, orthostatic forward flexion, closed-eyes single-leg stand, standing long jump, 20-metre sprint, pull-ups (males), flexed arm hang (females), hexagon jump, and a Functional Movement Screen (FMS) test. The athletic performance indexes ( i =3) comprise on-snow time trials for 1.2 km, 5 km, and 10 km. The talent identification evaluation model was created using automated evaluation software. The talent identification index system and evaluation standard table for cross-country skiers passed the P60 shortlist and P90 elite boundaries established using the percentile method. Thus, the results of this test profile verify that the evaluative model is objectively effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial infection-related diseases are a serious issue that threatens human health, and it is highly desirable to develop a high-performance antibacterial agent to combat it. Herein, copper/cobalt-based metal sulfide nanoparticles (CCS NPs) as a new kind of antibacterial nanozyme were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. Owing to its rich chemical states, the CCS NPs with intrinsic peroxidase- and oxidase-like activities could generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to exert bactericidal capacity. The CCS NPs could also rapidly deplete glutathione (GSH) to aggravate the oxidative stress in bacteria, thus enhancing the sterilization effect. The results showed that, with the assistance of H 2 O 2 at low concentrations, CCS NPs possessing peroxidase-like, oxidase-like, and GSH depletion activities could achieve remarkable antibacterial effects in vitro. The in vivo implantation demonstrated that CCS NPs with triple enzyme-like activities had efficient bacteria elimination and good biocompatibility in treating bacteria-infected wounds, indicating its wide potential application in the non-antibiotic treatment of bacteria-infected wounds. • CuCo 2 S 4 nanoparticles (CCS NPs) were constructed by facile hydrothermal method. • CCS NPs with enzyme-like activity achieved markable antibacterial effects in vitro. • CCS NPs can eradicate bacteria and accelerate wound healing in vivo. • The CCS NPs showed great potential for infected wound treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is a classical method for multiobjective optimization problems and has exhibited outstanding performance in many practical engineering problems. However, the tournament selection strategy used for the reproduction in NSGA-II may generate a large amount of repetitive individuals, resulting in the decrease of population diversity. To alleviate this issue, Lévy distribution, which is famous for excellent search ability in the cuckoo search algorithm, is incorporated into NSGA-II. To verify the proposed algorithm, this paper employs three different test sets, including ZDT, DTLZ, and MaF test suits. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is more promising compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms. Parameter sensitivity analysis further confirms the robustness of the proposed algorithm. In addition, a two-objective network topology optimization model is then used to further verify the proposed algorithm. The practical comparison results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is more effective in dealing with practical engineering optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PVDF binder can be effectively removed using solvent formamide. • Recovery of 99.58% Li and 96.53% Co can be reached using benzenesulfonic acid. • A new kinetic model was introduced to describe the leaching kinetics of LiCoO 2. • The proposed recovery mechanism was introduced for LiCoO 2 leaching. Recycling of valuable metals from spent lithium ion batteries (LIBs) is of great significance considering the conservation of metal resources and the alleviation of potential hazardous effects on environment. Thus, the present work focuses on enhancing the efficiency of leaching process for the recovery of cobalt and lithium from the cathode active materials of spent LIBs. In this study, benzenesulfonic acid (C 6 H 5 SO 3 H) with a reducing agent hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) was innovatively used as leaching reagents, and the operating variables were optimized to obtain higher leaching efficiencies. Results show the optimized leaching recovery of 99.58% Li and 96.53% Co was obtained under the conditions of 0.75 M benzenesulfonic acid, 3 vol% H 2 O 2 , a solid to liquid (S/L) ratio of 15 g/L, 500 rpm stirring speed, and 80 min leaching time at 90 °C. Moreover, a new kinetic model was introduced to describe the leaching kinetics of LiCoO 2 from the cathode material. The apparent activation energies E a for leaching of lithium and cobalt are 41.06 and 35.21 kJ/mol, respectively, indicating that the surface chemical reaction is the rate-controlling step during this leaching process. Further, the proposed recovery mechanism for spent cathode material was raised by analyzing the experimental results and characterizing the morphological and chemical state (i.e. SEM-EDS, XPS and XRD) of raw material and leaching residues. In comparison with the previous leaching process, this research was found to be efficient, low energy consumption, and environmental friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A measurement method for BRDF of the inner surface based on the endoscope image and 3D morphology is proposed. • The endoscope reflection model is established, and the characteristics and distribution of image brightness and BRDF are analyzed. • The relationship between the 3D morphology and the BRDF value of the inner surface is established. • The fitting error of inBRDF model is 6.22%, which can be used to detect surface defects in holes. Reflection characteristic is the law of specular and diffuse reflection after receives light of the surface, usually expressed by the ratio of irradiance of incident direction to the emissivity of observation direction, namely bidirectional reflection distribution function (BRDF). A method to measure BRDF for hole inner surface based on the endoscope image and morphology is proposed, which established the relationship between BRDF and morphology. Taking stainless steel and galvanized internal threaded as an example, the axial images in the holes are collected, and the BRDF of internal surface is calculated through the image brightness and the normal direction. The distribution characteristics of BRDF on the inner surface of different materials are analyzed. Based on the Phong model, the inBRDF parameter model of the inner surface is established. Research shows that the inBRDF model is consistent with measured results, and the average fitting error of the two materials is only 6.22%. The inBRDF method of hole inner surface proposed in this paper has high measurement efficiency and strong universality of equipment, and it is preferred to be applied on hole inner surface quality detection accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Pt-IrO2 nanorod arrays supported on the carbon paper were fabricated directly using the dip-coating/calcination method. The nanorod arrays and ordering were characterized by scanning electron microscope. Pt-IrO2/carbon paper directly used as catalyst layer and support layer with the united structure on the anode side is demonstrated to have excellent electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis cell. By employing the Pt-IrO2 (Pt:Ir = 3:7) at anode and commercial 20% Pt/C catalysts at cathode, a cell voltage as low as 1.86 V was achieved under high current density with the total noble metal loading of 0.8 mg cm−2. The Pt-IrO2 electrocatalysts with uniform nanorod arrays structure, good conductivity are supposed to play a key role for their enhanced catalytic activity toward oxygen evolution reaction. The study in this work might open an opportunity for the efficient utilization of valuable catalytic materials in PEM water electrolysis by decreasing the catalyst loading and provide a facile route to fabricate electrode based on direct calcination of noble metal and metal oxide nanoparticles onto carbon paper. © 2012 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]