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Angiotensin II (Ang II) is associated with macrophage polarization and apoptosis, but the role of the angiotensin type 2 receptor (AT2R) in these processes remains controversial. However, the effect of AT2Rs on alveolar macrophages and mechanical ventilation-induced lung injury has not been determined. Mechanical ventilation-induced lung injury in Sprague‒Dawley (SD) rats and LPS-stimulated rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383) were used to determine the effects of AT2Rs, selective AT2R agonists and selective AT1Rs or AT2R antagonists. Macrophage polarization, apoptosis, and related signaling pathways were assessed via western blotting, QPCR and flow cytometry. AT2R expression was decreased in LPS-stimulated rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383). Administration of the AT2R agonist CGP-42112 was associated with an increase in AT2R expression and M2 polarization, but no effect was observed upon administration of the AT2R antagonist PD123319 or the AT1R antagonist valsartan. In mechanical ventilation-induced lung injury in Sprague‒Dawley (SD) rats, the administration of the AT2R agonist C21 was associated with attenuation of the pathological damage score, lung wet/dry weight, cell count and protein content in BALF. C21 can significantly reduce proinflammatory factor TNF-α, IL-1β levels, increase anti-inflammatory factor IL-4, IL-10 levels in BALF, compared with the model group (p < 0.01). Similarly, compared with those at the same time points, the M1/M2 ratios in alveolar macrophages and apoptosis in peritoneal macrophages at 4 h, 6 h and 8 h in the mechanical ventilation models were lower after C21 administration. These findings indicated that the expression of AT2Rs in alveolar macrophages mediates M1 macrophage polarization and apoptosis and that AT2Rs play a protective role in mediating mechanical ventilation-induced lung injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire is indeed one of the major contributing factors to fatalities, property damage, and economic disruption. A large number of fire incidents across the world cause devastation beyond measure and description every year. To minimalize their impacts, the implementation of innovative and effective fire early warning technologies is essential. Despite the fact that research publications on fire detection technology have addressed the issue to some extent, fire detection technology still confronts hurdles in decreasing false alerts, improving sensitivity and dynamic responsibility, and providing protection for costly and complicated installations. In this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current futuristic practices in the context of fire detection and monitoring strategies, with an emphasis on the methods of detecting fire through the continuous monitoring of variables, such as temperature, flame, gaseous content, and smoke, along with their respective benefits and drawbacks, measuring standards, and parameter measurement spans. Current research directions and challenges related to the technology of fire detection and future perspectives on fabricating advanced fire sensors are also provided. We hope such a review can provide inspiration for fire sensor research dedicated to the development of advanced fire detection techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous oleophobic/pH-responsive polymer architecture is demonstrated to be effective for achieving reversible transition between superamphiphobicity and challenging superhydrophilicity-superoleophobicity. [Display omitted] Stimuli-responsive surfaces with wettability change between superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic are susceptible to oil contamination which often ruins the surface. Herein, a coating with pH-switchable wettability transition between superamphiphobic and superhydrophilic-superoleophobic is achieved by rationally designing oleophobic/pH-responsive polymer heterogeneous chemistry. Fabrics modified with this coating show repellency to both water and oils, while upon exposure to acidic water (pH = 1) the fabrics change to be superhydrophilic-superoleophobic within a short response time of <5 s. More importantly, the superamphiphobicity of the fabric can be restored under mild alkaline condition (pH = 10), and the transition is reversible for many cycles. The effective in situ or ex situ wettability change under acidic/alkaline water treatment makes the coated fabric capable of separating oil–water mixture or even some mixtures of immiscible organic solvents. In addition, the coated fabric is also demonstrated to be promising as a new class of functional fabrics that provide protection against water and many oils in one condition, and can change to be hygroscopic, anti-static, oil-repellent and anti-oil-fouling in the other condition for improved wear comfort and self-cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new strategy has been developed to fabricate phase change fibers. • The resulting fibers exhibited excellent flexibility, stretchability and elasticity. • The fibers showed reduced octadecane leakage, extremely high heat capacity and reusability. Although phase change fibers have proven to be highly potential for a variety of applications, the rigidity of solid–liquid phase change material in its solid state hinders the fabrication of highly stretchable phase change fibers. In this work, we report a strategy of encapsulating phase change material (octadecane, OD) in thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) based on a nonaqueous emulsion (OD-in-TPU solution), which serves as the core layer liquid in coaxial wet spinning. The use of TPU solution as the outer layer liquid provides an extra cover for the core layer of TPU dispersed with OD. The resulting core-sheath structured phase change fibers exhibited excellent flexibility, stretchability and elasticity, with the tensile strain at break up to 623.9 % and ultimate stress up to 3.5 MPa. The fibers showed heat absorption and release temperatures ranging from 30.7 to 32.0 °C and from 21.6 to 22.3 °C, respectively, similar to that of bulk OD. In particular, the fibers possessed much reduced OD leakage in comparison to fibers from conventional methods, and the fibers exhibited extremely high heat capacity (up to 187.8 J/g), without obvious deterioration observed in heat capacity after 100 heating–cooling cycles. Simple fabrication, excellent stretchability, high heat capacity, and reusability enabled such phase change fibers to be highly promising for practical use in temperature regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an invasive species of macroalgae, Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt has invaded European shores and the Mediterranean, and even drifting individuals have been observed in sea area near the Canary Islands, becoming a potential species responsible for the " Sargassum golden tide". When drifting on the sea surface, algae receive more ultraviolet radiation (UVR). However, photosynthetic responses and adaptation mechanism of S. muticum to UVR remain unclear. In this study, thalli of S. muticum were respectively exposed under two radiation treatments of 200 W m−2 PAR (photosynthetically active radiation, 400–700 nm), and 200 W m−2 PAR + 38 W m−2 UVR (280–700 nm) for 120 mins, and then recovered at a low light (PAR) of 10 μmol photons m−2 s−1 for 240 mins. During this treatment, the photosynthetic properties of algae were measured, to investigate the responses and protection mechanism of S. muticum to UVR. The results showed that photosynthesis of thalli was significantly inhibited by UVR, reflected by decreased maximum photochemical quantum yield (F v /F m) and chlorophyll content, and changes of parameters of rapid light response curve and chlorophyll fluorescence induction curve in PAR and PAR + UVR treatments. Meanwhile, algae actively adopted several strategies to alleviate the inhibition caused by UVR, including photoprotection characterized by increased contents of UV-absorbing compounds (UVACs) and carotenoids (Car), excess light energy dissipation by elevated non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) coupled to the xanthophyll cycle, and photorepair manifested as an accelerated synthesis of D1 protein and enhanced antioxidant for scavenging ROS. Benefiting from the effects of the above several pathways, after 240 mins of low light recovery, photosynthesis was greatly restored in these two radiation treatments, with the restoration of F v /F m and parameters of rapid light response curve and chlorophyll fluorescence induction curve. Based on these results, we conservatively speculate that the photosynthesis of drifting S. muticum individuals may be restored in the evening with low light levels after being damaged by UVR on the surface of sea at midday, resulting in maintaining rapid growth and forming a golden tide. • Exposure to UVR inhibits photosynthesis of Sargassum muticum • Sargassum muticum can protect themselves and quickly recover from damage caused by UVR • Multiple pathways work together to alleviate UVR stress [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobicity and hygroscopicity are two properties that are theoretically exclusive to each other. The fabrication of functional fabrics with these two properties remains very challenging. In this work, it is demonstrated that a non-sticky superhydrophobic and hygroscopic fabric coating can be prepared via the photo polymerization of hexadecyl acrylate and methacrylic acid. On coating surface, the phase-separation-induced chemical heterogeneity has a unique feature of possessing elevated continuous hydrophobic domain and depressed hydrophilic domain, as evidenced by atomic force microscopy measurement. The elevation of hydrophobic domain (i.e., depression of hydrophilic domain) allows the hydrophilic domain to make negligible contribution to the surface wettability to water drop, but can absorb water molecules, thus inducing the unique superhydrophobic but hygroscopic property. The coating has a very low total surface energy of 22.61 mN m−1, with its polar part (0.01 mN m−1) being negligible, thereby showing a high static water contact angle of ~112° on flat glass slide. The coated polyester fabric shows a non-sticky superhydrophobicity with a static water contact angle of ~151° and a water shedding angle of ~10°, as well as good hygroscopic and anti-static properties. We anticipate that this novel coating and the reported strategy of generating the particular chemical heterogeneity may lead to the development of advanced special wettability coatings for various applications. [Display omitted] • A non-sticky superhydrophobic and hygroscopic fabric coating was prepared. • The coating shows a very low total surface energy of 22.61 mN m−1. • Coated polyester fabric shows a static water contact angle of ~151° and a water shedding angle of ~10°. • The coating surface has elevated continuous hydrophobic domain and depressed hydrophilic domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcystis aeruginosa, a common bloom-forming cyanobacterium with both non-toxic and toxic strains, experiences a variable light environment due to buoyancy regulation and the variable mixing of the water columns. However, little is known on how non-toxic and toxic strains respond to changing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Here, the non-toxic and toxic strains of M. aeruginosa were exposed to simulated solar radiation for 6 h, and their physiological changes were investigated at different irradiance levels of UVR (295-400 nm) in combination with PAR (400-700 nm). Our results showed that UVR at each level resulted in a larger inhibition on the maximum photochemical yield of Photosystem II (PSII) in the toxic strain. The non-toxic strain showed a quicker rise in the non-photochemical quenching when PAR + UVR were below 40.8 + 5.0 W m−2 and higher exopolysaccharide content at each radiation level, while the toxic strain exhibited stronger recovery capacity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity compared with the non-toxic strain, particularly for cells treated in the presence of UVR. In addition, UVR induced much higher content of microcystin in the toxic strain with the increase of irradiance levels, but decreased it when UVR was higher than 7.3 W m−2. Although UVR led to growth inhibition in both strains, the toxic strain showed much higher specific growth rate under UVR in comparison with the non-toxic strain. Our results indicate that the toxic strain has a competitive advantage relative to the non-toxic strain in a changing light environment with increase of UVR and PAR via stronger antioxidant capacity (higher SOD activity and the synthesis of microcystin) and quicker PSII recovery capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Increased CO 2 and UVR synergistically reduce photosystem II activity. • Increased CO 2 increases PsbA removal rate but reduces PsbD's. • Both increased CO 2 and UVR enhance nonphotochemical quenching. • Increased CO 2 decreases the ratio of Rubisco large subunit (RbcL) to PsbA. Abstract Diatoms usually dominate phytoplankton community in coastal waters and experience rapid changes of underwater light. However, little is known regarding how increased CO 2 would affect diatoms' capacity in dealing with changing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Here, we cultured a globally abundant diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii under two levels of CO 2 (400, 1000 ppmv), and then analysed its PSII function during an increase in PAR and UVR to mimic an upward mixing event. UVR noticeably reduced photosystem II (PSII) activity (F V /F M) during the high light exposure, which was more significant for cells grown at the higher CO 2 condition. The PsbA removal rate (K PsbA) was synergistically increased by high CO 2 and UVR, while the PsbD removal rate (K PsbD) was decreased under higher CO 2. Both CO 2 and UVR had an inducible effect on sustained phase of nonphotochemical quenching (NPQs). The higher CO 2 decreased the ratio of Rubisco large subunit (RbcL) to PsbA regardless of the radiation treatments. It seems that the increased NPQs and turnover of PsbA induced by higher CO 2 were not enough to offset the stressful effect it brought about, particularly when higher CO 2 was combined with UVR. These findings indicate that increased CO 2 may exacerbate the harmful effect of UVR on PSII function in the T. weissflogii through reducing PsbD removal rate and the ratio of RbcL to PsbA during UVR exposure, and thus would affect its abundance and distribution in future ocean environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Epoxies are widely used in many engineering applications, however, their fracture energy remains less than desired and conventional toughening agents usually lead to compromised tensile strength. In this study, a simple one-pot blending method was used, in which both graphene oxide and a block ionomer were blended with epoxy resin. Herein, we reported that increases of ∼200% in fracture energy (G IC), 48% in uniaxial tensile strength (σ t) and 340% in tensile strain could be achieved by incorporating 1.0 wt% graphene oxide into an epoxy matrix with 20 wt% sulfonated polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SSEBS). In addition, the glass transition temperature (T g) of the nanocomposite increased with increasing graphene oxide (GO) content and the storage modulus (E ′) decreased when the GO content was less than 0.50 wt% owing to the introduction of the block ionomer SSEBS. Careful examination of the nano-morphology of SSEBS revealed that it improved the dispersion of the graphene oxide in and enhanced its interaction with the epoxy matrix, hence simultaneously strengthening and toughening the epoxy resin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by interfacial interactions of protein matrix and the crystal platelets in nacre, herein, a super-tough artificial nacre was produced through constructing the synergistic interface interactions of π-π interaction and hydrogen bonding between graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and sulfonated styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene copolymer synthesized with multifunctional benzene. The resultant GO-based artificial nacre showed super-high toughness of 15.3 ± 2.5 MJ/m 3 , superior to natural nacre and other GO-based nanocomposites. The ultra-tough property of the novel nacre was attributed to synergistic effect of π-π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonding. This bioinspired synergistic toughening strategy opens a new avenue for constructing high performance GO-based nanocomposites in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine macroalgae are ecologically and economically important primary producers, being adjacent to human living areas and playing key roles in coastal carbon cycles. They are subject to both regional and global environmental changes in coastal waters, where environmental factors fluctuate dramatically due to high biological production and land runoff. Since global ocean changes can influence coastal environments, global warming-induced ocean warming, ocean acidification (OA) caused by atmospheric CO rise and increasing ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiance at the earth's surface are affecting physiology, life cycles, and community structures of macroalgae. Here, we examine recent progress towards understanding the effects of these climate change factors on ecophysiology of macroalgae. Some species tested show enhanced growth and/or photosynthesis under elevated CO levels or ocean acidification conditions, possibly due to increased availability of CO in seawater with neglected influence of pH drop. Nevertheless, OA can harm some macroalgae due to their high sensitivity to the acidic perturbation to intracellular acid-base stability. Mild ocean warming has been shown to benefit most macroalgae examined. Respiration quotient increased due to combined effects of ocean warming and acidification. UVB almost always harms the physiological functions of macroalgae, which develop protective strategies, such as accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds; UVA can drive photosynthesis under moderate levels of solar radiation or when solely exposed to it. However, little has been documented on the interactions of these multiple stressors. Future work requires further investigations to examine the effects of OA under complex environments or under multiple stressors to advance knowledge on macroalgal global change biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emulsion-templated, hydrophilic-oleophobic porous materials are promising for various applications, but their relatively weak mechanical properties of the resulting materials hinder them from real applications. Herein, we report the fabrication of emulsion-templated, hydrophilic and underwater oleophobic poly(vinyl alcohol) aerogels with enhanced mechanical property, bereft of the use of fluorine-containing components. The resulting aerogels exhibited flexibility, compression and stretchability both in dry and in wet states, showing enhanced compressive and tensile performances. The hydrophilicity and underwater oleophobicity enabled the pre-wet aerogels to have anti-fouling property and suitable for removing water from oil-water mixtures and surfactant-stabilized, water-in-oil emulsions. Taking their advantageous wettability, the aerogels were studied for solar steam evaporation from oil-containing salt aqueous solution after coating a thin layer of carbon nanotubes at the top. The evaporators showed high water evaporation rate (up to 2.7 kg m−2 h−1), high light-to-thermal conversion efficiency (up to 99%) and excellent continuous evaporation rate at 2.1 kg m−2 h−1 after 10 h′ continuous evaporation. The hydrophilicity, underwater oleophobicity and enhanced mechanical properties enabled the PVA aerogels as good candidates for removing water from various oil-water mixtures and for preparing solar steam evaporators. [Display omitted] • Hydrophilic and underwater oleophobic PVA aerogels were obtained from emulsion templating. • The aerogels exhibited flexibility, robust compression and stretchability. • The pre-wet aerogels could remove water from oil-water mixtures (emulsions). • The aerogels served as an efficient solar steam evaporator, after surface coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatoms account for a large proportion of marine primary productivity, they tend to be the predominant species in the phytoplankton communities in the surface ocean with frequent and large light fluctuations. To understand the impacts of increased CO 2 on diatoms' capacity in exploitation of variable solar radiation, we cultured a model diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana with 400 or 1000ppmv CO 2 and exposed it to high photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) alone or PAR plus ultraviolet radiation (UVR) to examine its physiological performances. The results showed that the maximum photochemical efficiency (F v /fm) was significantly reduced by high PAR and PAR + UVR in T. pseudonana , UVR-induced inhibition on PSII activity was exacerbated by high CO 2. PSII activity drops coincide approximately with PsbA content in the cells exposed to high PAR or PAR + UVR, which was pronounced at high CO 2. The removal of PsbD in T. pseudonana cells declined under high CO 2 during UVR exposure, limiting the repair capacity of PSII. In addition, high CO 2 reversed the induction of energy-dependent form of NPQ by UVR to the increase of Y (No) , indicating the severe damage of the photoprotective reactions. Our findings suggest that the adverse impacts of UVR on PSII function of T. pseudonana were aggravated by the elevated CO 2 through modulating its capacity in repair and protection, which thereby would influence its abundance and competitiveness in phytoplankton communities. • High CO 2 exacerbated the UVR-induced inhibition on PSII activity. • UVR stimulated the removal rates of both PsbA and PsbD. • The removal of PsbD declined by high CO 2 under the exposure of UVR. • High CO 2 reversed the UVR-induced Y NPQ to Y No. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many approaches have been employed to enhance thermal stability of PVA, developing a facile and effective strategy remains highly attractive. Herein, we demonstrate a highly effective approach to strikingly improve thermal stability of PVA by selecting the types of multiamines molecules to tune the hydrogen-bond crosslink density. Results show that only adding 0.5 wt% of 2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine can make the initial degradation temperature ( T i ) and maximum degradation temperature ( T max ) of PVA increase by ∼55 °C and 98 °C due to the formation of 3D physically H-bond crosslinked network, resulting in superior thermal stability property to those of PVA nanocomposites. Moreover, thermal stability strongly depends on the H-bond crosslink density, and T i and T max basically obey the linear hydrogen-bond relations despite some deviations. This work opens up a novel biological methodology for creating thermally stable polymeric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiative cooling is an approach that maximizes the thermal emission through the atmospheric window in order to dissipate heat, while minimizing the absorption of incoming atmospheric radiation, to realize a net cooling effect without consuming energy. Electrospun membranes are made of ultra-thin fibers with high porosity and surface area, which makes them suitable for radiative cooling applications. Many studies have investigated the use of electrospun membranes for radiative cooling, but a comprehensive review that summarizes the research progress in this area is still lacking. In this review, we first summarize the basic principles of radiative cooling and its significance in achieving sustainable cooling. We then introduce the concept of radiative cooling of electrospun membranes and discuss the selection criteria for materials. Furthermore, we examine recent advancements in the structural design of electrospun membranes for improved cooling performance, including optimization of geometric parameters, incorporation of highly reflective nanoparticles, and designing multilayer structure. Additionally, we discuss dual-mode temperature regulation, which aims to adapt to a wider range of temperature conditions. Finally, we provide perspectives for the development of electrospun membranes for efficient radiative cooling. This review will provide a valuable resource for researchers working in the field of radiative cooling, as well as for engineers and designers interested in commercializing and developing new applications for these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophilic-oleophobic porous materials, especially those fabricated from one-pot emulsion templating, are promising for removing water from oil-water mixtures, but the relatively dense covalent crosslinking makes the materials rigid and impossible for recycling, which hinders their real applications. Herein, we report the fabrication of hydrophilic-oleophobic aerogels with flexibility, stretchability and recyclability through high internal phase emulsion templating. The aerogels were formed through the interface-initiated condensation of perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane within the dispersed phase and the subsequent solidification of external aqueous phase through poly(vinyl alcohol) gelation. The resulting aerogels exhibited controllable external shapes, good flexibility, robust compression, high stretchability, and in-air hydrophilicity-oleophobicity. These features enabled the aerogels to remove water from not only free oil-water mixtures but also surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions through selective absorption, and the aerogels also showed good reusability. Since the aerogels were formed through physical gelation, they could be recycled and reshaped by dissolving in hot water, adding oil, and freeze drying. The as-recycled aerogels showed similar properties to that of the parent aerogels. [Display omitted] • Aerogel synthesis: Simultaneous interface-initiated reaction and polymer gelation. • Aerogels: Hydrophilicity-oleophobicity in air, flexibility, stretchability and recyclability. • Application: Removing water from oil-water mixtures (including emulsions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has the highest global incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), constituting 90% of the cases in the world. Chongqing, located in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, has been experiencing differences in the occurrence of HFRS from 1997 to 2008. The current study was designed to explore the effects of climate and rodent factors on the transmission of HFRS in Chongqing. Data on monthly HFRS cases, rodent strains, and climatic factors were collected from 1997 to 2008. Spatio-temporal analysis indicated that most HFRS cases were clustered in central Chongqing and that the incidence of HFRS decreased from 1997 to 2008. Poisson regression models showed that temperature (with lagged months of 0 and 5) and rainfall (with 2 lagged months) were key climatic factors contributing to the transmission of HFRS. A zero-inflated negative binomial model revealed that rodent density was also significantly associated with the occurrence of HFRS in the Changshou district. The monthly trend in HFRS incidence was positively associated with rodent density and rainfall and negatively associated with temperature. Possible mechanisms are proposed through which construction of the dam influenced the incidence of HFRS in Chongqing. The findings of this study may contribute to the development of early warning systems for the control and prevention of HFRS in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains a huge challenge to createadvanced polymeric materialscombining high strength, great toughness, and biodegradability sofar. Despite enhanced strength and stiffness, biomimetic materialsand polymer nanocomposites suffer notably reduced extensibility andtoughness when compared to polymer bulk. Silk displays superior strengthand toughness via hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) assembly, while cuticlesof mussels gain high hardness and toughness via metal complexationcross-linking. Here, we propose a H-bonds cross-linking strategy thatcan simultaneously strikingly enhance strength, modulus, toughness,and hardness relative to polymer bulk. The H-bond cross-linked poly(vinylalcohol) exhibits high yield strength (∼140 MPa), reduced modulus(∼22.5 GPa) in nanoindention tests, hardness (∼0.5 GPa),and great extensibility (∼40%). More importantly, there existsemiquantitive linear relationships between the number of effectiveH-bond and macroscale properties. This work suggests a promising methodologyof designing advanced materials with exceptional mechanical by addinglow amounts (≤1.0 wt %) of small molecules multiamines servingas H-bond cross-linkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophilic and superoleophobic materials are very attractive for efficient and cost-effective oil-water separation, but also very challenging to prepare. Reported herein is a new superamphiphobic coating that turns superhydrophilic and superoleophobic upon ammonia exposure. The coating is prepared from a mixture of silica nanoparticles and heptadecafluorononanoic acid-modified TiO2 sol by a facile dip-coating method. Commonly used materials, including polyester fabric and polyurethane sponge, modified with this coating show unusual capabilities for controllable filtration of an oil-water mixture and selective removal of water from bulk oil. We anticipate that this novel coating may lead to the development of advanced oil-water separation techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a class of Bayesian copula models whose major components are the marginal (limiting) distribution of a stationary time series and the internal dynamics of the series. We argue that these are the two features with which an analyst is typically most familiar, and hence that these are natural components with which to work. For the marginal distribution, we use a nonparametric Bayesian prior distribution along with a cdf-inverse cdf transformation to obtain large support. For the internal dynamics, we rely on the traditionally successful techniques of normal-theory time series. Coupling the two components gives us a family of (Gaussian) copula transformed autoregressive models. The models provide coherent adjustments of time scales and are compatible with many extensions, including changes in volatility of the series. We describe basic properties of the models, show their ability to recover non-Gaussian marginal distributions, and use a GARCH modification of the basic model to analyze stock index return series. The models are found to provide better fit and improved short-range and long-range predictions than Gaussian competitors. The models are extensible to a large variety of fields, including continuous time models, spatial models, models for multiple series, models driven by external covariate streams, and non-stationary models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid marbles exhibit great potential for use as miniature labs for small-scale laboratory operations, such as experiment and measurement. While important progress has been made recently in exploring their applications as microreactions, 'on-line' measurement of the components inside the liquid still remains a challenge. Herein, it is demonstrated that 'on-line' detection can be realized on magnetic liquid marbles by taking advantage of their unique magnetic opening feature. By partially opening the particle shell, electrochemical measurement is carried out with a miniaturized three-electrode probe and the application of this technique for quantitative measurement of dopamine is demonstrated. Fully opened magnetic liquid marble makes it feasible to detect the optical absorbance of the liquid in a transmission mode. With this optical method, a glucose assay is demonstrated. Moreover, when magnetic particle shell contains low melting point material, e.g., wax, the liquid marble shows a unique encapsulation ability to form a rigid shell after heating, which facilitates the storage of the non-volatile ingredients. These unique features, together with the versatile use as microreactors, enable magnetic liquid marbles to function as a miniature lab (or called 'lab in a droplet'), which may find applications in clinical diagnostics, biotechnology, chemical synthesis, and analytical chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of light intensity and enhanced nitrogen supply on the growth and photosynthesis of the green-tide macroalga, Ulva prolifera. Thalli of U. prolifera were grown in natural or NH-enriched seawater under two different light intensities for 7 days, and then the growth rate, pigmentation, and photosynthetic performance of the thalli were evaluated. The results show that the relative growth rate (RGR) was markedly higher under the high light level than under the low light level. Enrichment with NH enhanced the RGR under high light intensity, but did not affect RGR under low light intensity. In low light conditions, NH -enrichment resulted in a marked decrease in the maximal photosynthetic rate ( P) and the maximum carbon fixation rate ( V), but it did not affect the half saturation constant for carbon ( K) or the ratio of V to K, which reflects the carbon acquisition efficiency. In high light conditions, P, K, and the dark respiration rate ( R) increased under NH enrichment, but V and the V / K ratio decreased. Regardless of the light intensity, NH-enrichment did not affect the apparent photosynthetic efficiency ( α), which reflects the ability of the alga to use light energy at low light levels. Under both low and high light intensities, the chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), and carotenoids (Car) contents in thalli were higher in NH-enriched than in natural seawater, except that there was a decrease in the Chl b content of thalli in NH-enriched seawater under low light intensity. Therefore, NH enrichment improved the growth and photosynthetic performance of U. prolifera under high light intensity, but not under low light intensity. We discuss the possible mechanisms underlying these physiological responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Janus liquid marble is developed to impart multi‐responsiveness to a single liquid marble, which can not only be transported on both solid substrates and the liquid water surface by magnetic force, but can also be ruptured upon exposure to either infrared radiation or acidic/basic vapors. This work opens up new possibilities in smart‐droplet‐based microfluidics and various liquid manipulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we aim to identify key climatic factors that are associated with the transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus in areas located near the Three Gorges Dam, between 1997 and 2008. Methods: We identified three geographical regions of Chongqing, based on their distance from the Three Gorges Dam. Collectively, the three regions consisted of 12 districts from which study information was collected. Zero-Inflated Poisson Regression models were run to identify key climatic factors of the transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus for both the whole study area and for each individual region; linear regression models were conducted to examine the fluctuation of climatic variables over time during the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. Results: Between 1997 and 2008, the incidence of Japanese encephalitis decreased throughout the entire city of Chongqing, with noticeable variations taking place in 2000, 2001 and 2006. The eastern region, which is closest to the Three Gorges Dam, suffered the highest incidence of Japanese encephalitis, while the western region experienced the lowest incidence. Linear regression models revealed that there were seasonal fluctuations of climatic variables during this period. Zero-Inflated Poisson Regression models indicated a significant positive association between temperature (with a lag of 1 and 3 months) and Japanese encephalitis incidence, and a significant negative association between rainfall (with a lag of 0 and 4 months) and Japanese encephalitis incidence. Conclusion: The spatial and temporal trends of Japanese encephalitis incidence that occurred in the City of Chongqing were associated with temperature and rainfall. Seasonal fluctuations of climatic variables during this period were also observed. Additional studies that focus on long-term data collection are needed to validate the findings of this study and to further explore the effects of the Three Gorges Dam on Japanese encephalitis and other related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Organic UV absorber intercalated layered double hydroxide nanoplatelets were applied on cotton fabrics. [•] Dual functions of superhydrophobic and UV-blocking were obtained. [•] The thermal stability of the organic UV absorber was greatly enhanced by the host–guest interaction with LDH. [•] Coated cotton fabric had about four-fold higher UV protection ability than untreated one. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Monodisperse and uniform carbon nanospheres with diameter in the range of 300–1000nm were prepared by simple hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent carbonization. Phenol precursor and the curing agent hexamethylenetetramine were used to produce phenolic resin nanospheres in aqueous solutions. The size and surface morphologies of nanospheres can be controlled by varying the concentration of curing agent. The surface areas of carbon nanospheres are 473.58, 454.08, and 467.23m2/g, corresponds to the diameter of 840, 420, and 340nm, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Flexible and recyclable aerogels were fabricated from octadecane-in-water emulsions. • The aerogels showed controllable external shapes, robust compression and good encapsulation. • The aerogels had excellent heat storage properties, including high heat capacity and reusability. • The aerogels exhibited recyclability, with heat storage properties well preserved. Although emulsion-based, phase change material-encapsulated monolithic composites are promising for latent heat storage, their rigidity and non-recyclability imposed by the relatively dense covalent crosslinking hinder the composites from real applications. Herein, we report the fabrication of aerogel composites with flexibility and recyclability from cellulose nanocrystal-stabilized, octadecane-encapsulated Pickering emulsions solidified using physical gelation. The resulting monolithic composites exhibited controllable external shapes, and the introduction of poly(vinyl alcohol) significantly reduced the leakage of the encapsulated octadecane. The aerogel composites showed flexibility at temperature over 30 °C, and robust compressive behavior, without fracture at 70% compressive strain. The composites possessed similar heat storage (melting) temperature and heat release (crystallization) temperature to that of bulk octadecane, high heat capacity (up to 253 J.g−1) and high reusability, without obvious deterioration in heat capacity after 100 heating–cooling cycles. Moreover, the aerogel composites exhibited recyclability, simply by dissolving the composites in hot water to form emulsions and then by freeze drying to form aerogel composites. The flexibility and recyclability, together with robust compression, controllable external shapes, high heat capacity and good reusability, make the aerogel composites to be excellent candidates for latent heat storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The homogeneous molecularly imprinted microspheres (MIMs) based on a biologically inspired hydrogen-bond array were prepared using allobarbital as the novel functional monomer and divinylbenzene as the cross-linker. The host–guest binding characteristics were examined by molecular simulation and infrared spectroscopy. The resultant MIMs were evaluated using high performance liquid chromatography and solid-phase extraction. The results obtained demonstrate that the good imprinting effect and the excellent selectivity of MIMs are mainly due to the interaction involving the formation of three-point hydrogen bond between host and guest. The complete baseline separation was obtained for five triazine analogues and a metabolite on the MIM HPLC column. The MIMs were further successfully used as a specific sorbent for selective extraction of simetryne from corn and soil samples by molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction. Detection limits and recoveries were 5.8μg/kg and 0.14μg/kg and 87.4–105% and 94.6–101% for simetryne in corn and soil sample, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280–400nm) is known to negatively affect macroalgal growth and photosynthesis, while phosphorus availability may affect their sensitivity to UVR. Here, we show that UV-A enhanced the growth rate of the red macroalga, Gracilaria lemaneiformisBory de Saint-Vincent under inorganic phosphorus (Pi)-replete but reduced it under Pi-limited conditions. Maximal net photosynthetic rates were significantly reduced by both UV-A and UV-B, but the apparent photosynthetic efficiency was enhanced in the presence of UV-A. The UV-induced inhibition was exacerbated under Pi-limited conditions. The activity of total carbonic anhydrase was enhanced and the photosynthetic affinity for exogenous inorganic carbon (Ci) was raised for thalli grown in the presence of UVR under both Pi-replete and Pi-limited conditions. The relative growth rate was closely related to Ci acquisition capability (Vmax/KDIC), which was enhanced by UVR exposure under Pi-replete but not significantly affected under Pi-limited conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Profile acquisition of microfluidic devices is a challenging task due to the competing requirements of both large field of view (FOV) and high-resolution. One strategy for obtaining such measurement is linking or stitching high-resolution profiles, possibly from multiple instruments, into a large FOV profile. As opposed to current stitching techniques relying on precise control and measurement of the translation of the sample stage, our approach presented in this paper takes advantage of the overlapping of fiducial markers, to align and stitch the separately measured profiles of a device. This method allows three-dimensional profiles transformed in six degrees of freedom, so that the pitch, roll and yaw among measurements are compensated, and stitching can be processed in both in-plane and out-of plane directions. Measurements of microfluidic channels recorded by an atomic force microscope and a white-light interferometer are stitched with accuracies evaluated to be 0.086μm and 0.094μm, respectively. Stitching experiments for large-scale profile gets an accuracy of 0.047μm. Special form of stitching for profiles acquired by different tools, i.e. key parts of a device profile measured by a small FOV high-resolution instrument are stitched into a large FOV low-resolution profile by another instrument, is also carried out with an accuracy of 0.224μm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Poly(ɛ-caprolactone)-block-polydimethylsiloxane-block-poly(ɛ-caprolactone) triblock copolymer (PCL-b-PDMS-b-PCL) was synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of ɛ-caprolactone with dihydroxypropyl-terminated PDMS (HTPDMS) as the initiator. The triblock block copolymer was characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The triblock copolymer was incorporated to prepare nanostructured thermosetting blends. The morphology of the epoxy thermosets containing PCL-b-PDMS-b-PCL were investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The thermomechanical properties of the nanostructured blends were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The formation of the nanostructures in the thermosetting composites was judged to follow the self-assembly mechanism in terms of the difference in miscibility of PDMS and PCL subchains with epoxy resin after and before curing reaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The existing so-called “dual polarization competition laser displacement sensor” applies a cat’s eye resonator. The resonator could be disarranged when the cat’s eye reflector (CER) swings slightly with the rod of the slide rail in measuring the procedure and droops due to its deadweight in long-time operation. This influences the stability of the sensor significantly. In this paper, a novel cat’s eye folded resonator was built, based on which our system named “folded resonator–dual polarization competition laser displacement sensor” was set up. It has a high resolution of λ/16 (39.6nm) and large measurement range of up to 17mm. The misalignment sensitivities of traditional cat’s eye resonator and the folded one are both analyzed; and comprehensive experiments are carried out, through which a conclusion can be drawn out that the maximal adjusting angle and the maximal cross displacement of the CER in folded resonator are both about 5 times of those in cat’s eye cavity. Furthermore, the measurement results from this new sensor prove its high stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A concave mirror and a cat’s eye reflector acting as a resonator mirror form the cat’s eye cavity. Misalignment sensitivities of the cat’s eye cavity and conventional resonator are both analyzed in geometric method and matrix optics with misalignment sensitivity parameter. Valuable conclusions are drawn: in full-external He–Ne laser, cat’s eye cavity can improve the laser stability up to about 60 times better than the conventional one; diffraction loss introduced by the misalignment of the cat’s eye cavity attributes to the straight-line displacement vertical to the laser bore of the cat’s eye reflector; and with the convex lens center of the cat’s eye reflector secured immobile, the ultra-stable and adjustment-free cat’s eye cavity He–Ne laser is obtained. The analysis matches the experiment results very well. Cavities with three kinds of dimension errors are also calculated. This paper could be used as theoretic foundation for the design and application of cat’s eye cavity lasers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper introduces an innovative method to control and select transverse mode pattern in a He–Ne laser. The cat’s eye cavity is established by using a cat’s eye reflector as the reflecting mirror. Laser transverse mode pattern varies continuously when the distance between the convex lens and the concave mirror is changed, which form the cat’s eye reflector. By Newton–Cotes method, the numerical solution of two-dimensional diffraction integral equation in the cat’s eye cavity is obtained, the laser operating modes under various parameters are analyzed, and the eigenvalue η mn and diffraction power loss corresponding with every transverse mode are calculated. The parameters assuring fundamental transverse mode output are figured out, which match the experiment results well. Therefore, a new convenient real-time means for the control and selection of the laser transverse mode is realized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Understanding the relationship between plant diversity and invasibility is essential in invasion ecology. Species‐rich communities are hypothesized to be more resistant to invasions than species‐poor communities. However, while soil microorganisms play a crucial role in regulating this diversity–invasibility relationship, the effects of plant competition mode and soil nutrient status on their role remain unclear. To address this, we conducted a two‐stage greenhouse experiment. Soils were first conditioned by growing nine native species separately in them for 1 year, then mixed in various configurations with soils conditioned using one, three, or six species, respectively. Next, we inoculated the mixed soil into sterilized substrate soil and planted the alien species Rhus typhina and native species Ailanthus altissima as test plants. We set up two competition modes (intraspecific and interspecific) and two nutrient levels (fertilization using slow‐release fertilizer and nonfertilization). Under intraspecific competition, regardless of fertilization, the biomass of the alien species was higher in soil conditioned by six native species. By contrast, under interspecific competition, the biomass increased without fertilization but remained stable with fertilization in soil conditioned by six native species. Analysis of soil microbes suggests that pathogens and symbiotic fungi in diverse plant communities influenced R. typhina growth, which varied with competition mode and nutrient status. Our findings suggest that the soil microbiome is pivotal in mediating the diversity–invasibility relationship, and this influence varies according to competition mode and nutrient status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel, tough, transparent, self-healing POSS nanocomposite material was prepared through a thermally reversible Diels–Alder (DA) reaction between furan-end functionalized POSS and bismaleimide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass burning (BB) plays an important role in the formation of heavy pollution events during harvest seasons in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region by releasing trace gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere. A better understanding of spatial-temporal variations of BB in BTH is required to assess its impacts on air quality, especially on heavy haze pollution. The fourth version of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED4)'s fire counts and carbon emissions data were used in this research, which shows the varying number of fire counts in China from 2003 to 2020 demonstrated a fluctuating but generally rising trend, with a peak in 2013. Most fire counts were concentrated in three key periods: March (11%), June–July (33%), and October (9.68%). The increase in fire counts will inevitably lead to the growth of carbon emissions. The four major vegetation types of the fires were agriculture (58.1%), followed by grassland (35.5%), and forest (4.1%), with the fewest in peat. In addition, a separate study for the year 2020 found that the fire counts and carbon emissions were different for this year, with the overall average trend in the study time. For example, the monthly peak fire counts changed from June to March. The cumulative emissions of carbon, CO, CO2, CH4, dry matter, and particulate matter from BB in BTH reached 201 Gg, 39 Gg, 670 Gg, 2 Gg, 417 Gg, and 3 Gg in 2020, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CoP and N, O, P triple-doped carbon composites were prepared by low-temperature tandem reaction using MOF as a self-sacrificial template, and their lithium storage properties and mechanisms were investigated. [Display omitted] • The formation of dispersed cubic structure facilitates electrolyte penetration and Li+ diffusion. • Heteroatoms doping adjusts the local electric field of the anode improving the reactivity of the material. • Transformation of the mechanism of CoP anode before and after cycling was confirmed by ex-situ techniques. • Theoretical calculations demonstrate the synergistic effect between the co-doped carbon layer and CoP. Cobalt phosphide (CoP) with high theoretical capacity as well as ceramic-like and metal-like properties is considered as a promising anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the large volume change and sluggish kinetic response limit its practical application. The optimization of composition, structural control and performance regulation of CoP electrodes can be achieved by the bottom-up assembly technique of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Due to the effective electronic regulation and lithiophilicity brought by the multiple heteroatoms doping and the synergistic effect of the unique structure derived from MOFs, the N, O, P triple-doped carbon and CoP composites (ZCP@NOP) exhibited excellent rate capability (554.61 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1) and cycling stability (806.7 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1). The essence and evolution of lithium storage mechanism in CoP electrodes are also confirmed by the ex-situ techniques. The synergistic benefits of heteroatom co-doping carbon and cobalt phosphide, such as the decrease of the diffusion energy barrier of Li-ions and the optimization of electronic structures, are highlighted in theoretical calculations. In conclusion, new thoughts and ideas for the creation of future battery anode are provided by the combination of the N, O, P co-doping and the adaptable structural adjustment technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium-ion batteries are of utmost interest to researchers as emerging energy storage device due to abundant resource and high safety. However, they've been suffering low reversible capacity, poor rate and unreliable cycling stability during potassiation/depotassiation because of larger size of potassium ion. Here, for the first time, a sustainable and low-cost resource, i.e. , renewable acrylic yarn, as raw materials were used to prepare N -doped mesoporous carbon nanofibers (NMCNFs) by using facile electrospinning then followed with "high temperature self-fluid technology". The consequent internal cross-linked multiple pores and high nitrogen-doping emerged in elaborately carved N -doped mesoporous carbon nanofibers, providing sufficient active-sites and shortened ion diffusion paths. The resultant NMCNFs delivered an impressively reversible capacity of 351.1 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g−1, outstanding rate performance of 134 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1. Even at a high rate of 5 A g−1, reversible capacity of 122.3 mAh g−1 has been enduringly retained after 20,000 cycles. The result of the density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed the pyridinic/pyrrolic N -doping could effectively enhance the adsorption of K+ to the NMCNFs electrode, which boosted the K-ion storage capability of NMCNFs. Such excellent attributes above make NMCNFs to be a promising low-cost and environment-friendly anode for next-generation potassium-ion rechargeable batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing Sb atomic clusters with obvious size effect in Sb/C composites has great potential for boosting electrochemical reactivity toward ultrahigh rate and long‐term sodium storage. However, how to balance the contradiction between ultra‐small size of Sb atomic clusters and high loading in a specific Sb/C composite is an unprecedented challenge. Here, a facile in situ vaporization‐reduction strategy is presented for preparing Sb atomic clusters@N, S co‐doped carbon networks (Sb ACs@NSC). Featuring the high content of Sb atomic clusters (45.30 wt%, ICP) with superior electrochemical activity, robust Sb─O─C bond and N, S co‐doped conductive carbon matrix, the Sb ACs@NSC electrode possessed ultrafast electrochemical kinetics and impressive long‐term cycling stability for providing unprecedented rate capability of 245.7 mAh g−1 at ultrahigh rate of 80 A g−1 and maintaining highlighted capacity of 306.7 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles under 10 A g−1, outperforming all reported Sb‐based materials for SIBs. The DFT calculations further revealed that the Sb─O─C bond and N, S co‐doped carbon matrix are beneficial for stable adsorption capabilities and fast electrochemical kinetics of Na+. The designing compromised dense Sb atomic clusters and powerful interface bond will light on developing advanced atomic materials for energy storage and conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MOFs derived Zn 3 V 2 O 8 exhibits an excellent specific capacity for highly efficient lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. [Display omitted] Transition metal oxides have been extensively studied due to their large theoretical capacities, but their practical application has been hampered by low electrical conductivity and dramatic volume fluctuation during cycling. In this work, we synthesized Zn 3 V 2 O 8 material using Zn-V-MOF (metal–organic framework) as a sacrificial template to improve the electrochemical characteristics of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Unique dodecahedral structure, larger specific surface area and higher ability to mitigate volume changes, improve the electrochemical reaction active site while accelerating ion transport. Zn 3 V 2 O 8 with 2-methylimidazole as a ligand demonstrated a discharge capacity of 1225.9 mAh/g in LIBs and 761.6 mAh/g in SIBs after 300 cycles at 0.2 C. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation illustrates the smaller diffusion barrier energy and higher specific capacity in LIBs that is ascribed to the fact that Li has a smaller size and hence its diffusion is easier. This study may lead to a path for the manufacturing of high-performance LIBs and SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Transition metal oxides (TMOs) have received significant consideration. Because of their enormous theoretical capacity, cheap, and less toxicity. Notably, cobalt-based materials hold promises as negative electrode materials for batteries, but they suffer from less electrical conductivity and significant volume changes during operation. In order to address these challenges, sacrificial templating techniques at the nanoscale offer a potential solution for improving the electrochemical stability and rate performance of these materials. More specifically, these tactics have proven popular for designing Li-ion storages. To ascertain the impact of multiple metal ions on the electrochemical capacity, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) derived MCo 2 O 4 -MOF (M = Zn, Ni, Cu) were developed. Among these, ZnCo 2 O 4 showed the best electrochemical performance (927.2 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 after 250 cycles). Furthermore, calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) revealed that ZnCo 2 O 4 had the lowest Li+ adsorption energy, with a minimum value of −1.61 eV. Moreover, this research aims to design controllable nanostructures in order to enhance the design of transition bimetallic oxide composites for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil-repellency of fabric is essentially based on perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, or called perfluorochemicals (PFCs)). However, plans to phase out the use of these chemicals, even those short-chain ones (C4-C6), have been announced because they accumulate in the human body and are extremely persistent in the environment. It is urgent to develop non-fluorine surface chemistry for oil-repellent fabric finishing. Here, we report the non-fluorine oil repellency of brush-like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating (g-PDMS), and the comparison of its oil repellency with that of a common PFAS crosslink polysiloxane coating (C 4 -PFAS). A catalyst-free, solvent-free chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process was used to prepare the g-PDMS coating. For smooth glass, g-PDMS coating exhibits ultralow contact angle hysteresis (∆ θ) for various oils (1.3–7.3°), while the ∆ θ of C 4 -PFAS coating is much higher (30.7–49.7°). For fabrics, g-PDMS and C 4 -PFAS achieved almost the same contact angles to castor oil (~134°). According to GB/T 19977-2014 standard, the oil repellency of coated fabrics was rated Grade 5 for both g-PDMS and C 4 -PFAS. Therefore, the non-fluorine oil repellency of g-PDMS is able to meet the basic requirement of oil-repellent fabric finishing, and it is expected that the oil repellency can be further improved by the rational design on surface topography. A linear polysiloxane brush coating shows the same oil repellency grade as that of a crosslink C4-fluorinated polysiloxane coating (Grade 5, GB/T 19977-2014 standard). [Display omitted] • For fabric, g-PDMS shows the same oil repellency grade as C 4 -PFAS, according to GB/T 19977-2014 standard. • For fabric, g-PDMS and C 4 -PFAS show almost the same contact angle to castor oil (~134°). • For smooth glass, g-PDMS shows much lower oil contact angle hysteresis (∆ θ) (1.3–7.3°) than C 4 -PFAS (30.7–49.7°). • Surface energy of g-PDMS (24.7 mN/m) is slightly higher than that of C 4 -PFAS (22.3 mN/m). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although amphiphilicity is an integral component for the applications of polyHIPEs (PHs), it is challenging to produce hydrophobic PHs from hydrophilic monomers. Herein, hydrophobic polyurethane (PU) PHs have been fabricated from a water‐soluble mannitol within block copolymer surfactant‐stabilized, nonaqueous high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs). These highly porous, interconnected, macroporous PU PHs were hydrophobic with water contact angles between 102° and 140°, demonstrating that water‐soluble monomers could be used for fabrication of hydrophobic PHs. The block copolymer surfactant acted not only as the HIPE stabilizer, but also as a monomer, enhancing hydrophobicity and overcoming some drawbacks imposed by conventional inert stabilizers. The solvents used for PU PH synthesis and purification were easily recovered and reused, showing that nonaqueous HIPE templating for PU PH preparation is an efficient and facile route. The PU PHs were investigated for oil spill reclamation and they were demonstrated to be an ideal candidate for such an application. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1315–1321 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanomaterials are receiving worldwide attention because of their multi-faceted superiority in thermal conductivity, flame retardancy, mechanical stability, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility. In this review, a survey of the literature on extending performance of epoxy resins based on carbon nanomaterials is presented. The structure-performance relationships for different carbon nanomaterials modified epoxy are closely analyzed. The performance extension in mechanical, electrical, thermal conductivity, flame retardancy, antidegradation, and tribological properties of epoxy are reviewed in detail. Other application areas including biocompatibility, biodegradability, gas barrier properties, shape memory, and electromagnetic interference shielding are touched. The challenges and opportunities in carbon nanomaterials functionalized epoxy composites are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diatoms, as important contributors to aquatic primary production, are critical to the global carbon cycle. They tend to dominate phytoplankton communities experiencing rapid changes of underwater light. However, little is known regarding how climate change impacts diatoms’ capacity in coping with variable light environments. Here we grew a globally abundant diatom T. weissflogii, under two levels of temperature (18, 24 °C) and pCO 2 (400, 1000 μatm), and then treated it with a light challenge to understand the combined effects of ocean warming and acidification on its exploitation of variable light environments. The higher temperature increased the photoinactivation rate at 400 μatm pCO 2 and the higher pCO 2 alleviated the negative effect of the higher temperature on PSII photoinactivation. Temperature did not affect the PsbA removal rate, but higher pCO 2 stimulated PsbA removal. Photoinactivation outran repair, leading to decreased maximum photochemical yield in PSII. The higher pCO 2 induced high sustained phase of nonphotochemical quenching when cells were less photoinhibited. The high light exposure induced the activity of both superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and the higher temperature stimulated them further, with insignificant effect of pCO 2 . Our findings suggest that ocean warming, ocean acidification and high light exposure would interact on PSII function and protection, and combination of these three environmental factors would lead to a reduced PSII activity in T. weissflogii . This study provides helpful insight into how climate change variables combined with local stressor impact diatoms’ photosynthetic physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing popularity of portable and wearable smart electronics, the electromagnetic shielding materials with high shielding effectiveness (SE) as well as light weight and excellent mechanical strength are in high. In this work, the PEDOT:PSS‐based free‐standing conducting film with superior conductivity and mechanical strength is prepared through a facile fabrication. The cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) are first introduced to induce an orderly grow and stack of the PEDOT grains. A phosphoric acid immersion process is then employed to remove the insulating CNF and PSS in the film. The obtained free‐standing conducting film shows a record conductivity of 3508 S cm−1 and its elongation at break reaches 3.75%. Encouragingly, the film delivers an excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding behavior with a SE of 49 dB in the X‐band (8.2–12.4 GHz) at a thickness of 4 µm. The superior conductivity, mechanical strength, and high SE as well as its facile solution processability make this free‐standing conducting film to be an attractive EMI material for portable and wearable smart electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic electrodes are desirable for the rapid development of flexible organic electronics. In this article, a plastic electrode has been prepared by employing traditional conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and plastic substrate polyethersulfone (PES). The completed electrode (Denote as HC-PEDOT:PSS) treated by 80% concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4) possesses a high electrical conductivity of over 2673 S/cm and a high transmittance of over 90% at 550 nm. The high conductivity is attributed to the regular arrangement of PEDOT molecules, which has been proved by the X-ray diffraction characterization. Temperature-dependent conductivity measurement reveals that the HC-PEDOT:PSS possesses both semiconducting and metallic properties. The binding force and effects between the PEDOT and PEI are investigated in detail. All plastic solar cells with a classical device structure of PES/HC-PEDOT:PSS/PEI/P3HT:ICBA/EG-PEDOT:PSS show a PCE of 4.05%. The ITO-free device with a structure of Glass/HC-PEDOT:PSS/Al4083/PM6:Y6/PDINO/Ag delivers an open-circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.81 V, short-circuit current (JSC) of 23.5 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) of 0.67 and a moderate power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 12.8%. The above results demonstrate the HC-PEDOT:PSS electrode is a promising candidate for all-plastic solar cells and ITO-free organic solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anti-oil-fouling property of cross-linked poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) was investigated by testing not only the under-oil superhydrophilicity but also the dewetting ability of oil that adheres on PDMAEMA coating surface. Different to other common hydrophilic polymers (e.g., polyacrylamide (PAM) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA)), PDMAEMA coating shows the unique under-oil superhydrophilicity (wetting time <3 s for a 6 μL water drop), and even more interestingly, the oil that adheres on dry PDMAEMA coating surface can spontaneously dewet and detach off from the surface when immersed in water. The PDMAEMA coating shows lower surface energy (γ s) (53.3 mN m−1) than PAM and PMAA (70.5 and 61.1 mN m−1, respectively) and moderate zeta potential (69 mV; 29 and −148 mV for PAM and PMAA, respectively), while it has much higher moisture absorption rate (∼16%) than PAM (∼6%) and PMAA (∼3%) coatings. The overall test results suggest that PDMAEMA coating has stronger hydration ability than PAM and PMAA coatings, and meanwhile, the hydrated water molecules in the coating can weaken the interaction of the PDMAEMA with oil, thus inducing the under-oil superhydrophilicity. Moreover, it is demonstrated that dry PDMAEMA coating can capture water drops from bulk oil, and thus the PDMAEMA coating can be utilized to prepare filtration membrane for the separation of surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions with high separation efficiency (>99.0%) and long-lasting stability. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High sensitivity and wide linear range are core performances for flexible pressure sensors in practical applications. Due to the trade‐off between sensitivity and linear range, developing high‐performance flexible pressure sensors with both high sensitivity and wide linear range through a facile method is still a great challenge. Herein, a synergistically microstructured flexible pressure sensor with fibrous and microdomed (FMD) structure composed of a fibrous conductive layer sandwiched between a microdome‐structured PDMS layer and an interdigital electrode is proposed. Ascribed to the synergistic effect of the FMD structure possessing multiple deformations, the resistance of the sensor varies sensitively and continuously under pressure. Consequently, the pressure sensors perform a high sensitivity (6.31 kPa−1), an ultrawide linear range (4.6 Pa–800 kPa), short response time (72 ms) and relaxation time (88 ms), and remarkable stability during 10 000 loading/unloading cycles under 127.4 kPa. These high performances allow the sensors to detect full‐range human psychological signals from low to high pressures, such as pulse, phonation, joint moments, and plantar pressure. Moreover, the synergistically microstructured sensors can be integrated into large‐area and crosstalk‐free sensor array to map the spatial pressure distribution, demonstrating their viable applications in personal physiological parameters monitoring and human–machine interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]