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Simple Summary: The results from this study showed that supplementation with the antimicrobial peptide MPX in the broiler diet could effectively improve the performance and intestinal status of broilers, reduce the levels of inflammation-related factors and increase the mRNA levels of tight junction proteins. In addition, a 16S rRNA intestinal microbiota analysis showed that MPX increased the abundance of ceacal content probiotic lactic acid bacteria. Restrictions on antibiotics are driving the search for alternative feed additives to promote gastrointestinal health and development in broiler chicken production. Proteins including antimicrobial peptides can potentially be applied as alternatives to antibiotics and are one of the most promising alternatives. We investigated whether the addition of MPX to the diet affects the production performance, immune function and the intestinal flora of the caecal contents of broiler chickens. One hundred one-day-old chickens were randomly divided into two groups: control (basal diet) and MPX (20 mg/kg) added to the basal diet. The results indicated that dietary supplementation with MPX improved the performance and immune organ index, decreased the feed conversion ratio, increased the villus length, maintained the normal intestinal morphology and reduced the IL-6 and LITNF mRNA expression levels of inflammation-related genes. In addition, MPX increased the mRNA expression of the digestive enzymes FABP2 and SLC2A5/GLUT5 and the tight junction proteins ZO-1, Claudin-1, Occludin, JAM-2 and MUC2, maintained the intestinal permeability and regulated the intestinal morphology. Moreover, MPX increased the CAT, HMOX1 and SOD1 mRNA expression levels of the antioxidant genes. Furthermore, a 16S rRNA microflora analysis indicated that the abundance of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus in the cecum was increased after addition of MPX at 14 d and 28 d. This study explored the feasibility of using antimicrobial peptides as novel feed additives for broiler chickens and provides a theoretical basis for their application in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) is transmitted to humans primarily by Aedes aegypti. Previous studies on Ae. aegypti from Jiegao (JG) and Mengding (MD) in Yunnan province, China have shown that these mosquitoes are able to transmit ZIKV to their offspring through vertical transmission, indicating that these two Ae. aegypti strains pose a potential risk for ZIKV transmission. However, the vector competence of these two Ae. aegypti strains to ZIKV has not been evaluated and the molecular mechanisms influencing vector competence are still unclear. Methods: Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from JG and MD were orally infected with ZIKV, and the infection rate (IR), dissemination rate (DR), transmission rate (TR) and transmission efficiency (TE) of these two mosquito strains were explored to evaluate their vector competence to ZIKV. On 2, 4 and 6 days post-infection (dpi), the small RNA profiles between ZIKV-infected and non-infected Ae. aegypti midgut and salivary gland tissues were compared to gain insights into the molecular interactions between ZIKV and Ae. aegypti. Results: There were no significant differences in the IR, DR, TR and TE between the two Ae. aegypti strains (P > 0.05). However, ZIKV RNA appeared 2 days earlier in saliva of the JG strain, which indicated a higher competence of the JG strain to transmit ZIKV. Significant differences in the microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles between ZIKV-infected and non-infected Ae. aegypti were found in the 2-dpi libraries of both the midgut and salivary gland tissues from the two strains. In addition, 27 and 74 miRNAs (|log2 fold change| > 2) were selected from the miRNA expression profiles of ZIKV-infected and non-infected midgut and salivary gland tissues from the JG and MD strains, respectively. Conclusions: Our results provide novel insights into the ZIKV–mosquito interactions and build a foundation for future research on how miRNAs regulate the vector competence of mosquitoes to this arbovirus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDroplet impact and freezing on solid surfaces are ubiquitous in many natural and engineering processes. Simulating the impacting-freezing process of a droplet is still challenging because it involves the complex multiphase flow and the liquid-solid phase change. This paper establishes a three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann model that considers the effects of contact angle hysteresis and volume expansion to simulate this complex process under realistic conditions. We adopt an enhanced cascaded lattice Boltzmann method to calculate the flow field and a multiple-relaxation-time scheme to solve the liquid-solid phase change model. In addition, a new contact angle model based on the pseudopotential multiphase lattice Boltzmann model is proposed to mimic the contact angle hysteresis. The simulations of droplet impact and freezing on both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces with different surface temperatures and Weber numbers are conducted, and the temporal droplet profile and dimensionless contact length agree well with the experiments, which effectively validates the accuracy and robustness of the present model. Finally, the effects of surface temperatures (0,−15,−30∘C) and Weber numbers (4.4, 19.2, 40.0, 71.1) on droplet dynamics are also examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen classified in the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. Vertical transmission is considered to be the primary way to maintain some arboviruses under adverse natural conditions, which play a critical epidemiological role in arbovirus spread and maintenance. Aedes aegypti is the primary vector for ZIKV. In this study, we demonstrated vertical transmission in two Ae. aegypti strains from Jiegao (JG) and Mengding (MD) in the border area of Yunnan province. The minimum infection rate of F1 adult progeny from JG Ae. aegypti strain was significantly higher than that of MD Ae. aegypti strain in the second gonotrophic cycle (1:14.29 and 1:200, respectively, p < 0.05). The cytopathic effect was observed in C6/36 cells after infection of ZIKV isolated from the progeny. The results suggest that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes from JG and MD play potential roles in ZIKV spread and maintenance. Therefore, more adult and eggs control methods should be implemented to control mosquitoes if a Zika epidemic occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research seeks to contribute to leadership theory by proposing an integrative framework to reveal how servant leadership and employee cognitive factors foster the conditions that promote employee innovative behavior. Building on social cognitive theory, we hypothesize that servant leadership improves employee innovative behavior through inspiring employee knowledge‐sharing. We predict that employee organizational identification strengthens the impact of servant leadership on knowledge‐sharing, and that employee learning goal orientation amplifies the relationship between employee knowledge‐sharing and innovative behavior. We also propose that the positive indirect effect of servant leadership on employee innovative behavior via knowledge‐sharing is strongest when both moderators are at a high level. Using data collected from 215 supervisor‐employee dyads from three private high‐tech firms in China and a multisource and multiphase research design, we find support for our proposed model. Theoretical and managerial implications for leadership and management practices are also discussed. Key points: Servant leadership is positively related to employees' innovative behavior through knowledge‐ sharing.When employees, the relationship between servant leadership and employee knowledge‐sharing can be strengthened.The effects of knowledge‐sharing on innovative behavior can be stronger when employees are highly learning goal oriented.The positive indirect effect of servant leadership on employee innovative behavior via knowledge‐sharing can be strongest when both employee organizational identification and learning goal orientation are at a high level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the pseudopotential multiphase lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been widely applied in the numerical simulations of complex multiphase flow. However, numerical stability at high Weber (We) and Reynolds (Re) numbers seriously restricts its application. In the present work, the pseudopotential multiphase LBM is developed by introducing the entropic stabilizers to the cascaded collision operator, and thus, the numerical stability is effectively enhanced. The relaxation rates for different order moments are all determined by fluid viscosities and the maximum entropy condition instead of being user-defined. Furthermore, the surface tension and contact angle can be adjusted in a wide range, which extends the application of the pseudopotential multiphase model. The accuracy and capability of the present model to simulate the complex multiphase flow are validated by reproducing the droplet impact on the flat or textured superhydrophobic surfaces. In addition, a droplet impact on the superhydrophobic surface at We = 1280 and Re = 18000 is simulated, in which the Weber and Reynolds numbers have significantly increased. This strongly demonstrates that the present model can enhance the numerical stability in the simulation of large density ratio multiphase flows at simultaneously high Weber and Reynolds numbers, which means the present model can further extend the pseudopotential multiphase LBM to more realistic scientific and technical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Icing will occur when wind turbines are installed in cold and humid regions. Blade icing will reduce the efficiency of wind turbines. In this paper, a numerical simulation method is proposed for glaze, mixed, and rime ice accretion on three-dimensional wind turbine blades. The air flow field is calculated by the multiple reference frame model and droplet trajectories are obtained using the Eulerian two-phase flow method. In the ice accretion calculation, a three-dimensional icing calculation model is established and a new water flow distribution method based on shear force and centrifugal force is presented. The calculation results of ice shapes are compared with the experimental results and the good agreement proves the validity of the icing numerical simulation method. Based on the calculation results, the influence of centrifugal force on the ice shape is studied. Finally, the droplet impingement characteristics and ice shapes of the wind turbine blade are simulated. The results show that the in-cloud icing of wind turbine blades occurs mainly near the leading edge. The icing thickness is thicker and the icing range is wider with the increase of spanwise length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of low-cost and highly efficient electrodes for oxygen evolution is highly desirable for bulk water electrolysis associated with several conversion and storage of the renewable energies. Mixed Ni–Fe catalysts have showed excellent activities towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER), however, the long-term stability at high current densities has not been well-documented. Here we fabricate three-dimensional (3D) self-supported Ni 1-x -Fe x OOH/carbon fiber cloth (CFC) electrodes for highly efficient oxygen evolution through in situ electrochemical activation of the corresponding 3D Ni 1-x -Fe x S/CFC precursors. The activated Ni–Fe electrodes exhibit remarkably enhanced OER activities compared to the pure Ni and Fe catalysts and the highest OER activity is achieved as x = 0.30. To drive current densities of 100 and 200 mA cm −2 , the 3D Ni 0.70 Fe 0.30 OOH/CFC electrode in 1.0 M KOH only requires overpotentials of 200 and 205 mV, respectively, outperforming the commercial IrO 2 catalyst and all previously reported Ni–Fe catalysts. Furthermore, the Ni 0.70 Fe 0.30 OOH/CFC electrode can continuously operate at >350 mA cm −2 over 100 hours with a negligible current loss in 1.0 M KOH. Such excellent activity and robust long-term stability at high current density demonstrate that the 3D Ni–Fe catalysts can applied in industry for large-scale oxygen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and efficient strategy is developed to incorporate yolk-shell CoO@Co nanoparticles (NPs) and ZnO NPs with graphene sheets. The diameter and the space between CoO shell and Co yolk are merely 12.0 nm and 1.0 nm, respectively, while the diameter of ZnO NPs is in the range of 4.0–10.0 nm. Due to the small size of NPs and the special structural feature, the resultant graphene-based composite exhibits excellent electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption properties. Typically, the minimal reflection loss ( R L ) value reaches to −51.1 dB at 11.3 GHz at the absorber thickness of 2.6 mm, and less than −20 dB at the absorber thickness ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 mm. Moreover, the absorption bandwidths corresponding to the R L values below −10 dB (90% of EMW wave energy consumption) is up to 4.7 GHz (from 9.5 to 14.2 GHz) at a thickness of 2.6 mm. Furthermore, the addition amount of the composite into paraffin matrix is merely 20 wt%, less than that of most EMW absorber reported previously. Therefore, such novel hybrid materials can be used as a kind of candidate for lightweight EMW absorbing material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the rotor icing problems, the influence of centrifugal force on rotor blade icing is investigated. A numerical simulation method of three-dimensional rotor blade icing is presented. Body-fitted grids around the rotor blade are generated using overlapping grid technology and rotor flow field characteristics are obtained by solving N-S equations. According to Eulerian two-phase flow, the droplet trajectories are calculated and droplet impingement characteristics are obtained. The mass and energy conservation equations of ice accretion model are established and a new calculation method of runback water mass based on shear stress and centrifugal force is proposed to simulate water flow and ice shape. The calculation results are compared with available experimental results in order to verify the correctness of the numerical simulation method. The influence of centrifugal force on rotor icing is calculated. The results show that the flow direction and distribution of liquid water on rotor surfaces change under the action of centrifugal force, which lead to the increasing of icing at the stagnation point and the decreasing of icing on both frozen limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the high icing-delay performance and low ice adhesion strength, the anti-icing potential of superhydrophobic surfaces has been well investigated over the past years. The aim of this work was to verify the deicing capacity of superhydrophobic surfaces under the conditions of wind and thermal fields, expecting to promote its engineering applications. We took various wetting surfaces ranging from hydrophilic to superhydrophobic as research objects, and discussed the deicing properties of these sample surfaces based on the wind and thermal fields. The results indicated that under the condition of wind field, the micro-nanoscale hierarchical structured superhydrophobic surface exhibited a remarkable deicing property (no matter what the freezing temperature was), due to the time required for blowing away ice on the surface being least. However, the specific micro-nanoscale hierarchical structures on the superhydrophobic surface also induced a poorly melting ice property owing to the lower heat transfer efficiency caused by trapped air pockets. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic surface displayed a robust durability under the condition of 30 icing/deicing cycles. Therefore, we believe that the wind field deicing is an ideal choice as the assistant deicing approach considered in the practical applications of the anti-icing superhydrophobic surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch , also called Gan Cao, is a commonly prescribed herb in traditional Chinese medicine. Gan Cao is associated with immune-modulation and antitumor potential though its mechanism of action is not well-known. To explore the effects of different dietary levels of Gan Cao polysaccharide (GCP) on broilers, a total of 400 Avian broiler chickens were randomly divided into 4 groups with 10 replicates of 10 broilers each. The broilers in the control group were fed a basal diet, while those in the experimental groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% GCP, respectively, for 42 d. The results showed a significant increase in the growth performance in the GCP groups. The antibody titer of NDV and the phagocytosis index was higher in the birds with GCP treatment than in the control group, with the 1% GCP addition displaying the highest titer. The Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria count in the cecum content of the birds in the 1% GCP group was higher compared to the other groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with GCP had a substantial impact on the growth performance, immune response, and microflora population in the cecum of the birds, especially at a level of 1% addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the analysis of the properties of carbon dioxide, an open carbon dioxide refrigeration system is proposed, which is responsible for the situation without external electricity unit. A model of open refrigeration system is developed, and the relationship between the storage environment of carbon dioxide and refrigeration capacity is conducted. Meanwhile, a test platform is developed to simulation the performance of the open carbon dioxide refrigeration system. By comparing the theoretical calculations and the experimental results, several conclusions are obtained as follows: refrigeration capacity loss by heat transfer in supercritical state is much more than that in two-phase region and the refrigeration capacity loss by remaining carbon dioxide has little relation to the state of carbon dioxide. The results will be helpful to the use of open carbon dioxide refrigeration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MoO 3 nanorods/Fe 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 nanoparticles composite has been prepared by a hydrothermal method combined with an in situ diffusion growth process. Single cells based on 300 μm LSGM electrolyte have been fabricated with the MoO 3 nanorods/Fe 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 nanoparticles composite anode and a composite cathode consisting of Sr 0.9 Ce 0.1 CoO 3− δ and Sm-doped ceria (SDC). The peak power densities reach 225, 50, 75 mW cm −2 at 900 °C in H 2 , CH 4 and C 3 H 8 , respectively. The cell shows excellent long-term stability at 850 °C. The preliminary results demonstrate that the MoO 3 nanorods/Fe 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 nanoparticles composite is a promising alternative anode for solid oxide fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In experimental air flow conditions, the effects of inner structure on the heat transfer and flow characteristics of micro-channel parallel flow type evaporator are investigated. The results indicate when the deflector in front of the evaporator outlet is removed, the cooling capacity in different air flow is increased by 9.59% ~ 10.56% than the original evaporator, and the resistance coefficient is reduced about 12.5%, thus the evaporator performance is improved significantly in different conditions. While the circulation area of the connections between the two flow processes is increased on the basis of the above, there is no influence on the pressure drop of evaporator, but the cooling capacity is reduced significantly. So the evaporator performance is decreased. When increasing the inner circulation area of manifold, the different position of the circulation area produces different impact on the refrigeration capacity of the evaporator. In the condition of flow distribution of refrigerant being not decreased, the increase of circulation area can decrease the pressure drop and improve cooling capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional (1D) CuO nanostructures with nanoribbons, scroll-like structure, arrays of CuO nanoparticles and nanorod-like morphologies respectively, have been successfully prepared using the single-crystalline Cu2(OH)2CO3 nanoribbons as precursors for sacrifice-template via heat-treatments. The series of morphologies images for decomposition kinetics process of Cu2(OH)2CO3 nanoribbons as heat-treatment temperature increased are presented in this work. The result demonstrates that the morphologies of the 1D CuO nanostructures obtained are mainly due to the ribbon-like shape of the precursors. The morphologies of CuO nanostructures also strongly depend on the heat-treatment conditions. At relatively low heat-treatment temperature and heating rate, the morphological features of the precursor can be preserved well, while arrays of CuO nanoparticles can be obtained at higher heating rate and CuO rod-like shape can be prepared with increasing heat-treatment temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CdS/PSA (Poly(styrene–co-acrylic acid) (St/AA)) core-shell composites “egg” whose major and minor axis is about 400, 200 nm, respectively, have been prepared using PSA ellipsoids as template. Viscoelastic deformation of polyvinyl alcohol was used to convert monodispersed PSA microspheres into uniform ellipsoids with a tightly controlled major-to-minor axis ratio. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cu2Cl(OH)3 nanoribbons with an average diameter of 50 nm in width and several micrometers in length have been synthesized for the first time by exploiting a template-free approach at ambient temperature. The growth mechanism and the optimization conditions to grow the Cu2Cl(OH)3 nanoribbon are investigated. The CuO nanoribbons with well-preserved structures are formed through a heat treatment of Cu2Cl(OH)3 nanoribbons. The advantages of our method for the single-crystalline Cu2Cl(OH)3 nanoribbons lie in the mild reaction conditions and simple operation, which permit large-scale production at a low cost. In addition, it provides a practical method to prepare one-dimensional CuO materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Silica core–polypyrrole shell composite particles were fabricated by chemical polymerization of pyrrole monomer on the surface of the silica spheres. The steric agent poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) was used as anchor-molecule between core and polymer monomer during the polymerization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that the polypyrrole (PPy) shell is uniformly coated over the silica surface. Furthermore, conductive polypyrrole hollow capsules were obtained after the removal of the core. In addition, the macromolecule PVP was retained in the capsules detected by UV-Vis spectra. The size of the core–shell particles and the thickness of the capsules are dependent on the size of silica template as well as the weight ratio of [silica spheres template]/[pyrrole monomer]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Mg(OH)2 nanorods with diameters of ca. 8–10 nm and lengths of more than 250 nm have been prepared by a novel liquid–solid arc discharge technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the Mg(OH)2 nanorods were well-crystallized with the hexagonal structure. The structure features were also analyzed by TEM, HRTEM, and FTIR. Based on the investigation of the influence of current density, discharge time and pH of the electrolyte, the possible growth mechanism of the Mg(OH)2 was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Bending mode based flexible piezoelectric micro ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) array. • FEA simulation of frequency and pitch designing. • Fabrication of the flexible PMUT array on various substrates. • Perform flexibility, mechanical stability, and lifespan on proposed flexible PMUT array. • Acoustic characterizations and time of flight tests of the flexible PMUT array. Flexible ultrasonic transducers have attracted much attention in industrial and biomedical applications. However, most of them are fabricated based on a single substrate by complex micromachining techniques. In this paper, a bending mode based flexible piezoelectric micro ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) array has been designed and fabricated through an improved simple and robust adhesive bonding fabrication process. The developed flexible PMUT array consists of 3 × 3 elements and its resonant frequency is about 161 kHz. Our device can be fabricated on various flexible substrates and pasted on concave, convex, and undulant surfaces, reaching an output signal of 75 mVpp under 100 Vpp excitation. The characterizations of the device were performed to verify its excellent flexibility, mechanical stability, and lifespan. Its acoustic performance was also evaluated using diverse time of flight (TOF) tests in air ambient, demonstrating its potential use in flexible acoustic devices or wearable range finder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to effectively avoid the side effects induced by multiple components and tedious synthesis process, a simple therapy system based on one material to simultaneously realize both photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) under single laser irradiation will promote the overall phototherapeutic efficiency and make the PTT/PDT system easier to operate. Here, by using transferrin (Tf) as protein template, ultrasmall CuS@transferrin nanodots (CuS@Tf NDs) were successfully synthesized through a facile one-pot protein-based biomineralization method. The obtained CuS@Tf NDs exhibited not only excellent photothermal conversion ability (34.4%) but also high photoactivated formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. By loading the drug doxorubicin (DOX) to CuS@Tf NDs, a synergistic therapy system with multiple therapeutic effects combined PTT, PDT, chemotherapy (CT) and tumor targeting properties could be perfectly implemented together by CuS@Tf-DOX NDs without any complicated post-modification process. Results from the in vitro cell experiments confirmed that these CuS@Tf-DOX NDs could produce excellent effect on cancer cells with 88.5% cell inhibition rate. In comparison with the complicated systems based on "multiple-components-in-one" strategy, this therapy system based on one single material but possess multifunctional purpose is easy to operate and more suitable for clinical applications. A synergistic therapy system with tumor targeted photothermal therapy/photodynamic therapy/chemotherapy multiple therapeutic effects could be perfectly implemented by CuS@transferrin-doxorubicin (CuS@Tf-DOX) nanodots under single Near-infrared laser irradiation. Unlabelled Image • CuS@transferrin nanodots (NDs) were obtained through protein biomineralization method. • The prepared NDs with excellent biocompatibility and intrinsic promising specificity • The NDs could simultaneously realize photothermal and photodynamic therapy. • Multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform with a just clear and simple structure [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work proposes an improved three-dimensional double multiple relaxation time lattice Boltzmann model that can correctly recover the macroscopic temperature equation. Using this model, the impact of a droplet on a heated surface with pillars is simulated, and the effects of pillar width (w) and distance between pillars (b) are analyzed in detail. Four boiling droplet types are numerically reproduced, namely, deposition boiling, contact boiling, transition boiling, and film boiling. In the deposition boiling regime, no vapor bubble generation is observed within the droplet, but secondary droplets are generated at the periphery of the droplet due to the sharp geometric profile of the pillars and the differences in the rate of evaporation. The difference between contact boiling and transition boiling lies in whether the droplet is always in contact with the surface. For conditions with large w values, contact boiling is not observed, due to the high-pressure peaks from below, while for smaller w, a transition from deposition boiling to transition boiling, then to contact boiling, and subsequently to transition boiling can be observed. Two obvious vortices are found in the center of the liquid film with decreased b, which results in bubble nucleation even at low Ja values. In addition, boiling may take place, in which a stable vapor layer is formed between the droplet and the surface by increasing Ja, which leads to a significant reduction in the heat transfer efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failures of fiber-resin composite structures are closely related to the fiber weaving methods (FWM). The diversity of damage mechanisms of glass fiber-resin plastic (GFRP) composite materials resulting from various FWM is analyzed by an acoustic emission (AE) technique in this paper. Firstly, uniaxial tensile tests of three types of samples are carried out until failure with simultaneous recording of AE signals. Then, with the wavelet transform (WT) and fuzzy C-means (FCM) identification clustering, the analyzing outcomes display that AE parameters of diverse FWM specimens are variant. Furthermore, results illustrate that the fractures of axial fibers are delayed due to the interweaving effect of oblique fibers and the oblique fiber interweaving causes the shear force which changes the value of amplitude, ringing count, energy and duration. Lastly, finite element method (FEM) is implemented to confirm the capability of an AE-based approach to identify the damage of various fibrous layers. The conclusions from this study are also useful for developing high quality fiber-resin composite materials and further improving the accuracy of on-line monitoring of fiber-resin composite structural health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microenvironments of metal single‐atoms (SAs) have important effects on their physicochemical properties. However, the understanding of the relationship between the coordination configuration of SAs and their properties is insufficient. Here, a sacrificing template strategy is developed to anchor La‐SAs on interconnected graphene nanocages (La‐N‐Cl/GNC), where La‐SAs are located above the graphene plane and one La atom coordinated with four N atoms in the graphene plane and with one Cl atom along the axial direction. Theoretical calculations demonstrated that asymmetrically La‐SAs are more conducive to breaking local charge symmetry. Consequently, additional electrical dipoles along the axial direction are generated, leading to unprecedented dipolar polarization loss and strong electromagnetic wave absorption properties. Moreover, the film constructed by asymmetrically‐coordinated La‐N‐Cl/GNC with a mass density of 0.084 g cm−3 exhibits superior flexibility, excellent mechanical strength, and moderate thermal insulation properties, guaranteeing its practical applications in harsh environments. These findings not only shed light on the relationships between asymmetrically coordinated SAs and their dielectric properties at the atomic level but also provide an efficient method for preparing multifunctional films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single‐atom (SA) nanozymes have unprecedented physicochemical performance due to their integrated merits of both atomically dispersed metal atoms and bio‐enzymes. However, the structure‐function relationship between the SA nanozyme‐like structure and its dielectric performance is still unclear. Furthermore, controllable synthesis of SA nanozyme‐like structures remains challenging due to their unique five‐coordinated configurations. Here, a dicyandiamide‐mediated pyrolysis strategy is proposed to anchor five nitrogen‐coordinated lanthanum (La)–N5 moieties on interconnected N‐doped graphene nanocages (La‐N5/ING). Theoretical predictions indicate that the spatially coordinated La–N5 moieties exhibit significantly enhanced conduction loss and polarization loss compared to La–N4 moieties, as evidenced by the experimental results. Moreover, the polydimethylsiloxane‐coated chemically cross‐linked film constructed by the La‐N5/ING and aramid nanofibers has outstanding electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB10) of 6.24 GHz at a thickness of merely 2.0 mm, outperforming those of most reported carbon‐based films. Importantly, the film also has excellent flexibility, hydrophobicity, mechanical strength, and structural stability, ensuring its application potential in practical environments. These findings provide crucial insights into the microscopic environment of SA on the dielectric properties of their host materials, and a critical method for the preparation of multifunctional films with spatial coordinated SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetics and durability of conversion‐based anodes greatly depend on the intrinsic stress regulating ability of the electrode materials, which has been significantly neglected. Herein, a stress dissipation strategy driven by multi‐interface built‐in electric fields (BEFs) and architected structure, is innovatively proposed to design ultrafast and long‐term sodium ion storage anodes. Binary Mo/Fe sulfide heterostructured nanorods with multi‐interface BEFs and staggered cantilever configuration are fabricated to prove our concept. Multi‐physics simulations and experimental results confirm that the inner stress in multiple directions can be dissipated by the multi‐interface BEFs at the micro‐scale, and by the staggered cantilever structure at the macro‐scale, respectively. As a result, our designed heterostructured nanorods anode exhibits superb rate capability (332.8 mAh g−1 at 10.0 A g−1) and durable cyclic stability over 900 cycles at 5.0 A g−1, outperforming other metal chalcogenides. This proposed stress dissipation strategy offers a new insight for developing stable structures for conversion‐based anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetics and durability of conversion‐based anodes greatly depend on the intrinsic stress regulating ability of the electrode materials, which has been significantly neglected. Herein, a stress dissipation strategy driven by multi‐interface built‐in electric fields (BEFs) and architected structure, is innovatively proposed to design ultrafast and long‐term sodium ion storage anodes. Binary Mo/Fe sulfide heterostructured nanorods with multi‐interface BEFs and staggered cantilever configuration are fabricated to prove our concept. Multi‐physics simulations and experimental results confirm that the inner stress in multiple directions can be dissipated by the multi‐interface BEFs at the micro‐scale, and by the staggered cantilever structure at the macro‐scale, respectively. As a result, our designed heterostructured nanorods anode exhibits superb rate capability (332.8 mAh g−1 at 10.0 A g−1) and durable cyclic stability over 900 cycles at 5.0 A g−1, outperforming other metal chalcogenides. This proposed stress dissipation strategy offers a new insight for developing stable structures for conversion‐based anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The 3D hierarchical MIL-53(Fe) was directly in-situ grown on the Fe Foam through the semi-sacrificial template strategy. • The optimized self-supporting electrode can run at 100 mA cm−2 for 520 h without visible decrease in activity. • MIL-53(Fe) structures was completely in-situ self-reconstructed into metal oxyhydroxides with O v after the running OER for 2 h. • DFT calculations reveal that the FeOOH with rich O v transformed from MIL-53(Fe) facilitate the OER catalytic activity. • This work provides a quick and easy method to construct a advanced self-supporting electrodes based on MOFs. The exploitation of efficient, stable and cheap electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is very significant to the development of energy technology. In this study, Fe-based metal–organic frameworks (MIL-53(Fe)) self-supporting electrode with a 3D hierarchical open structure was developed through a semi-sacrificial strategy. The self-supporting electrode exhibits an excellent OER performance with an overpotential of 328 mV at 100 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH, which is superior than that of IrO 2 catalyst. Importantly, the optimized self-supporting electrode could operate at 100 mA cm−2 for 520 h without visible decrease in activity. It was also found that the structure of MIL-53(Fe) was in-situ self-reconstructed into oxyhydroxides during OER process. However, the 3D hierarchical open structure assembled with nano-microstructures kept well, which ensured the long-term stability of our self-supporting electrode for OER. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the FeOOH with rich oxygen vacancy transformed from MIL-53(Fe) plays a key role for the OER catalytic activity. And, the uninterrupted formation of oxygen vacancy during OER process ensures the continuous OER catalytic activity, which is the original source for the ultra-long stability of the self-supporting electrode toward OER. This work explores the way for the construction of efficient self-supporting oxygen electrodes based on MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problems of long reaction time and the risk of explosion polymerization of acrylate resin, a small amount of ferrocene (Fc) is added to the existing dibenzoyl peroxide (BPO)/N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) initiators, and the compound redox initiators (BPO/DMA/ (Fc)) are proposed for acrylate resin polymerization at room temperature. The effect of the content of Fc in the resin on the reaction efficiency and the molding quality of products is researched, and the initiation mechanism of the compound redox initiators is analyzed. It is found that with the addition of Fc, the reaction time of the resin can be shortened by 68% at maximum, the heat release temperature of the resin can be reduced by 40% at maximum, the molecular weight of the reaction products can be increased by 74% at maximum, the tensile and bending properties of the resin castings are increased by 23% and 35% at maximum, respectively, and the bending strength and bending modulus are increased by 57% and 27% at maximum, respectively. The compound redox initiators proposed in this paper can improve the molding efficiency and quality of the product, lay a foundation for the application of acrylic resin in the field of pultrusion molding, perfusion molding, and other in situ molding of thermoplastic composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have pointed out that adding a single protrusion on the superhydrophobic surface can effectively reduce the contact time of droplets, which is of practical importance in applications like anti-icing, self-cleaning, and anti-frost. However, the droplet impact dynamics and the mechanism for contact time reduction are still far from completely understood. Therefore, in this paper, via a three-dimensional pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann model coupled with a modified curved boundary scheme (which satisfies mass conservation), the droplet impact dynamics is simulated in a wide range of Weber numbers (0 < We ≤ 67.7), protrusion size (10 ≤ W ≤ 30), and protrusion shape (triangle, square, and circle), with particular interest in understanding their effects on the contact time. We demonstrate that the variation of contact time depends on the bouncing type as well as the retraction way. Among three possible bouncing types observed in the simulation, including non-break bouncing, two droplets bouncing, and three droplets bouncing, two droplets bouncing has less contact time and could be facilitated by increasing We and using triangle protrusion. However, with increasing of W or using square protrusion, the bouncing type may change from two droplets bouncing to three droplets bouncing, and the deformation of fragments may become definitely different, leading to a long contact time. In addition, a transition from twice-retraction to once-retraction can be obtained by increasing We or making the protrusion shape sharp. When the fragments resulting from droplet splitting only retract once on the bottom wall, the contact time can be effectively reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance catalysts are required in various energy storage and conversion systems. In this work, hierarchical Ni‐Fe‐Mo trimetal nitride nanotubes (NTs) as highly efficient, low‐cost, robustly stable, multifunctional catalysts through room‐temperature Fe incorporation and subsequent thermal treatment for full water splitting and Zn‐air batteries are fabricated. The two‐electrode electrolyzer assembled from the NTs delivers a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at 1.513 V, outperforming the precious metal IrO2|Pt couple and state‐of‐the‐art bifunctional catalysts. Furthermore, two all‐solid‐state Zn‐air batteries with the hierarchical NT air cathode in series can power 55 red light‐emitting diodes with excellent operation stability, at the same time as the electrolyzer based on the hierarchical NTs. An alkaline electrolyzer and zinc‐air battery assembled with trifunctional Ni‐Fe‐Mo nitride nanotubes exhibits excellent electrochemical properties. The electrolyzer shows remarkable activity with a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a voltage of 1.513 V, superior to the Pt and IrO2 couple, and can be self‐powered by the Zn‐air battery with the nanotubes as air‐cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new and high-precision test bench for the shear adhesion strength of ice-substrate interface is obtained. • The subject of this paper is impact ice and the experiments are performed in an icing wind tunnel, which makes the results close to the practical situation. • Glaze ice demonstrates a rise in its shear adhesion strength at lower temperatures, while the change trend is the opposite for rime ice. • The growing liquid water content (LWC), rough surfaces, and surface painting will enhance the interface adhesion. • Superhydrophobic surfaces have proven to possess a significant reduction in adhesion strength at higher temperature. Aircraft icing has a detrimental effect on flight safety. The design of aircraft anti-icing/de-icing systems requires a thorough comprehension of the adhesion between the ice and the substrate. In this research, the multi-hole rotating cylinder method (MHRC) is developed in an icing wind tunnel. Simulations of interfacial stress show that ice thickness does not change the evenness of stress, whereas reducing the contact area can impair uniformity. Moreover, the ice layer would not experience any cohesive damage during the experiments. The shear ice adhesion strength is evaluated using the methodology outlined in this research. At lower temperatures, glaze ice demonstrates a rise in its shear adhesion strength, while the change trend is the opposite for rime ice. The lowest adhesion strength is observed at the medium volume diameter (MVD) of 45 µm. Furthermore, the growing liquid water content (LWC), rough surfaces, and surface painting will enhance the interface adhesion of ice to the substrate to varying degrees. Stainless steel substrate exhibits higher adhesion strength with ice as compared to aluminum and titanium. In addition, superhydrophobic surfaces have proven to possess a significant reduction in adhesion strength at higher temperature. The proposed experimental method and platform afford accurate measurements of the shear adhesion strength of impact ice in the icing wind tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droplet impact and freezing on cold surfaces is a widely encountered multi-physical phenomenon involving droplet deformation and the liquid–solid phase change. Due to its complexity in nature, it is challenging to simulate the three-dimensional (3D) droplet impact and freezing process. Furthermore, due to the limitation of experimental techniques, it is not easy to experimentally investigate the impact of liquid droplets on ultra-cold superhydrophobic surfaces, which is crucial in some applications. Thus, in the present work, a 3D lattice Boltzmann (LB) method is developed to simulate the droplet impact and freezing on an ultra-cold superhydrophobic surface, in which an enhanced cascaded LB method is used to solve the multiphase flow field, and a multi-relaxation-time scheme is applied to solve the liquid–solid phase change model. The previous experimental results are numerically reproduced, proving that the present model can satisfactorily describe the droplet impact and solidification. The surface temperatures have no significant influence on droplet spreading. However, during the droplet retraction, a rim of ice first appears near the three-phase contact line, and then, the droplet bottom will completely solidify into ice. The occurrence of solidification at the bottom of the droplet will lead the droplet to break at a lower impact velocity, which can only be observed at a high Weber number on the room-temperature superhydrophobic surface. In addition, the effects of surface temperatures and Weber numbers on the evolution of spreading factors and space-averaged heat flux are also quantitatively analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aircraft icing is a fairly common phenomenon, which may occur during take-off, landing and flight of the aircraft. In order to ensure flight safety, it is necessary to carry out research on aircraft anti-icing technology. Here, we demonstrate a facile method to prepare icephobic coatings that can be applied to aircraft anti-icing systems by epoxy-silicone composite resin and polytetrafluoroethylene particles. Studies have shown that this icephobic coating not only has good superhydrophobicity, abrasion resistance and aging resistance, but also has excellent anti-icing function. Supercooled droplet impact and delayed icing test results show that the icephobic surface can completely repel supercooled (− 2 °C) water droplets at − 10 °C (rebound within ~ 12 ms), while delaying the freezing process for ~ 718 s. After 10 times of mechanical deicing, the coating still maintained a low ice adhesion strength (~ 112.4 kPa) and consistent wettability. In addition, the icing state of the developed coating was evaluated by used the icing wind tunnel to simulate the icing environment of the aircraft during natural flight, and the results showed that it can significantly reduce the thickness of ice accumulation. The above properties of this icephobic surface provide a new idea for aircraft anti-icing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the W18O49 nanospheres (W18O49 NSs) with diameter about 100 nm have been found to exhibit intrinsic peroxidase-like activity, which can catalytically oxidize 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by H2O2 to produce a color reaction. Different from the catalytic behavior of the Fe3O4 particles, the possible catalysis mechanism was notably dependent on the surface oxygen vacancies (SOVs) abundant in W18O49 NSs, which served as important catalytic sites. Moreover, due to the speciality with high surface area (136.13 m2 g−1) and negative potential (− 54.8 mV), the obtained W18O49 NSs could be used as efficient peroxidase mimetic to remove the dye pollutant methylene blue (MB) in the assistance of H2O2. And the degradation efficiency of MB could be achieved above 91% with 50 μg mL−1 W18O49 NSs.In this paper, the W18O49 nanospheres (W18O49 NSs) have been first found to exhibit intrinsic peroxidase-like activity. Different from the catalytic behavior of the Fe3O4 particles, the possible catalysis mechanism was notably dependent on the surface oxygen vacancies (SOVs) abundant in W18O49 NSs, which serve as important catalytic sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting dual‐functional photoelectrodes to harvest and store solar energy is a challenging but efficient way for achieving renewable energy utilization. Herein, multi‐heterostructures consisting of N‐doped carbon coated MoS2 nanosheets supported by tubular TiO2 with photoelectric conversion and electronic transfer interfaces are designed. When a photo sodium ion battery (photo‐SIB) is assembled based on the heterostructures, its capacity increases to 399.3 mAh g−1 with a high photo‐conversion efficiency of 0.71 % switching from dark to visible light at 2.0 A g−1. Remarkably, the photo‐SIB can be recharged by light only, with a striking capacity of 231.4 mAh g−1. Experimental and theoretical results suggest that the proposed multi‐heterostructures can enhance charge transfer kinetics, maintain structural stability, and facilitate the separation of photo‐excited carriers. This work presents a new strategy to design dual‐functional photoelectrodes for efficient use of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploiting dual‐functional photoelectrodes to harvest and store solar energy is a challenging but efficient way for achieving renewable energy utilization. Herein, multi‐heterostructures consisting of N‐doped carbon coated MoS2 nanosheets supported by tubular TiO2 with photoelectric conversion and electronic transfer interfaces are designed. When a photo sodium ion battery (photo‐SIB) is assembled based on the heterostructures, its capacity increases to 399.3 mAh g−1 with a high photo‐conversion efficiency of 0.71 % switching from dark to visible light at 2.0 A g−1. Remarkably, the photo‐SIB can be recharged by light only, with a striking capacity of 231.4 mAh g−1. Experimental and theoretical results suggest that the proposed multi‐heterostructures can enhance charge transfer kinetics, maintain structural stability, and facilitate the separation of photo‐excited carriers. This work presents a new strategy to design dual‐functional photoelectrodes for efficient use of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the only primitive spermatogonial cells in males that can naturally transmit genetic information to their offspring and replicate throughout their lives. Phospholipase D family member 6 (PLD6) has recently been found to be a surface marker for SSCs in mice and boars; however, it has not been validated in cattle. The results of reversed transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) found that the relative expression of the PLD6 gene in the testicular tissues of two-year-old Simmental calves was significantly higher than that of six-month-old calves. Immunofluorescent staining further verified the expression of PLD6 protein in bovine spermatogenic cells like germ cell marker DEAD box helicase 4 (DDX4, also known as VASA). Based on multiple bioinformatic databases, PLD6 is a conservative protein which has high homology with mouse Q5SWZ9 protein. It is closely involved in the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Molecular dynamics simulation analyzed the binding of PLD6 as a phospholipase to cardiolipin (CL), and the PLD6-CL complex showed high stability. The protein interaction network analysis showed that there is a significant relationship between PLD6 and piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) binding protein. PLD6 acts as an endonuclease and participates in piRNA production. In addition, PLD6 in bovine and mouse testes has a similar expression pattern with the spermatogonium-related genes VASA and piwi like RNA-mediated gene silencing 2 (PIWIL2). In conclusion, these analyses imply that PLD6 has a relatively high expression in bovine testes and could be used as a biomarker for spermatogenic cells including SSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate the application of carbon black filled glass fiber reinforced poly‐ether‐ether‐ketone (CB‐GF/PEEK) prepreg in laser assisted tape winding (LATW), a finite element method is used to analyze the optical‐thermal characteristics of the following three prepregs with distinct laser absorption properties: (i) 0.5%CB (incomplete absorption), (ii) 2.74%CB (complete, single‐layer absorption), (iii) 4%CB (complete, near‐surface absorption). Thus, the energy distribution, temperature distribution and thermal accumulation are revealed, and the heating strategy is customized according to the laser absorption characteristics of each prerpeg. Then the feasibility of CB filled GF/PEEK prepreg in LATW is verified by manufacturing and testing NOL rings. Finally, the nip‐point irradiation scheme is optimized. The simulation results reveal a significant difference between the optical‐thermal characteristics of the 0.5%CB and those of the other two prerpegs. Benefited from the energy leakage, the 0.5%CB facilitated twice melting by thermal accumulation, along with a higher nip‐point temperature. Meanwhile, the mechanical performance tests of the NOL rings indicate a similar tensile strength of ~1300 MPa for the 0.5%CB and 4%CB, while the interlaminar strength of the 0.5%CB is slightly higher than that of the 4%CB. The latter result may be due to the higher nip‐point temperature of the 0.5%CB, which promotes resin diffusion and enhances the bonding strength. Finally, an optimized heating strategy with short laser length, vertical irradiation of the nip‐point is proposed, and is shown to reduce the ineffective thermal accumulation and ensured the suitability of Tape and Laminate temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The achievement of bifunctional metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) remains a huge challenge due to their lack of dual active sites. Herein, dual sites in the Co‐catecholate (Co‐CAT) are created through Ru, Ir, or Rh doping for overall water splitting. Among them, RuCo‐CAT exhibits excellent bifunctional activities, outperforming benchmarked Pt/C for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and RuO2 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The theoretical calculations demonstrate that the doped Ru atoms with optimal absorption energy for the hydrogen intermediate and the Co centers with a reduced energy barrier for the rate‐determining step are the active sites for HER and OER, respectively. Furthermore, the incorporation of Ru atoms can improve the electrical conductivity and capacity of water adsorption of Co‐CAT greatly, synergistically improving the bifunctional activity. This strategy for engineering dual active sites offers novel insights into designing bifunctional MOFs for overall water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the use of glass fiber reinforced poly‐ether‐ether‐ketone (GF/PEEK) with low laser absorbance in laser assisted tape winding/placement (LATW/LATP), a method for dyeing GF/PEEK prepreg with nanoparticle fillers (NFs) is presented. First, the effects of carbon black (CB) and graphite (G) NFs on composites laser absorbance and reflection pattern were quantified, and the complex refractive index model was derived. Next, the effects of NFs on composites transverse thermal conductivity were tested, and the accuracy of four thermal conductivity prediction models were compared. Finally, the effects of NFs on composites interlayer performance were studied. The optical test results showed that NFs could improve laser absorbance while not changing reflection pattern, and the increase rate of absorbance for CB was higher than for G. As calculated by complex refractive index model, GF/PEEK with 1‐layer thickness could achieve complete laser absorption by addition of either 2.74%CB or 3.78%G. The thermal conductivity test results showed that NFs could improve composites transverse thermal conductivity. The increase rate of thermal conductivity for G was higher than for CB. Among the four prediction model, the Lewis‐Nielsen model had correct prediction regularity and was within 10% predict deviation. Based on this model, the transverse thermal conductivity of GF/PEEK/2.74%CB was 0.557 W/m K, and of GF/PEEK/3.78%G was 0.592 W/m K. The mechanical test results showed that the CB loading ≤4% had little effect on interlayer performance, while the G decreased interlayer performance. Consequently, adding CB at a low loading is a better way to realize GF/PEEK application in LATW/LATP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocarbons with single‐metal atoms (M‐SAs) have displayed considerable potential in various fields of application due to high free energy of M‐SAs and strong metal‐support interaction. However, the uniform dispersion of M‐SAs within the whole carbon matrix still remains a great challenge. Herein, Ni‐SAs are uniformly dispersed within hierarchically porous carbon nanoflowers (Ni‐SA/HPCF) via a spatial confinement of Ni ions within the periodic pores in metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with a subsequent carbonization process. The Ni‐SA/HPCF with abundant mesopores and an ultrahigh surface area (1137.2 m2 g−1) exhibits unexpected electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption property with a minimal reflection loss of –53.2 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz, while the filler ratio in the matrix is merely 10 wt.%. Density functional theory calculations and experimental results reveal that the uniformly dispersed Ni‐SAs break local symmetry of the electronic structure and increase electrical conductivity of host carbon matrix, thereby enhancing the EMW absorption properties. In addition, the unique 3D hierarchical porous morphology boosts the impedance matching property, which synergistically improves the EMW absorption performance of the Ni‐SA/HPCF. This study provides an efficient approach to uniformly disperse M‐SAs within hierarchically porous nanocarbons for EMW absorption and other potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing demands for detection of toxic gases in ambient atmosphere have attracted much attention to design and fabricate gas sensors with high sensitivity, good selectivity and low operating temperature. Herein, porous ZnFe 2 O 4 nanosheets (NSs) have been successfully synthesized using graphene sheets as hard templates. The as-fabricated ZnFe 2 O 4 NSs are composed of small particles with a diameter of approximately 10–20 nm and the pore size in the NSs is in range of 5–50 nm. In comparison with the Fe 2 O 3 NSs, ZnO NSs and ZnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs), the gas sensors based on ZnFe 2 O 4 NSs exhibit superior H 2 S sensing performance, including high sensor response at a low working temperature (85 °C), relatively fast response and recovery times, and good selectivity. Furthermore, the sensors based on ZnFe 2 O 4 NSs show good repeatability and long-term stability. Our results demonstrate that the porous ZnFe 2 O 4 NSs are very promising for the fabrication of high-performance H 2 S gas sensors. The work highlights the possibility to develop a novel high performance gas sensor for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to report a facile strategy of planting a layer of petal shaped nanostructures on the surface of array micro-patterns, and producing the excellent superhydrophobicity and anti-icing property. In this work, the superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared by modifying petal shaped nanostructures (constructed by chemical etching in alkaline solution) planted on array micro-patterns (constructed by lithography process with the electrochemical etching under the neutral solution condition) on aluminum substrate with fluoroalkylsilane (FAS-17). Meanwhile, we further studied the effects of chemical etching process parameters on morphology and superhydrophobicity, and on this basis explored the anti-icing potential under the condition of icing wind tunnel. The results indicated that the process parameters including NaOH concentration of 0.05 M, etching time of 5 min, and the subsequent boiling time of 40 min were of benefit to producing the ideal nanostructure morphology and geometric dimension, and the resultant surface displayed an excellent superhydrophobicity with the apparent contact angle of 165° and the sliding angle being almost equal to zero (cannot be measured). Furthermore, the as-superhydrophobic surface generated a tremendous anti-icing potential, greatly preventing the icing accumulation at − 10 °C under the condition of icing wind tunnel, and exhibiting a lower ice adhesion strength comparing with a market mature production of superhydrophobic coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is the causative agent of the highly contagious and deadly respiratory infection porcine pleuropneumonia, resulting in serious losses to the pig industry worldwide. Alternative to antibiotics are urgently needed due to the serious increase in antimicrobial resistance. Thymol is a monoterpene phenol and efficiently kills a variety of bacteria. This study found that thymol has strong bactericidal effects on the A. pleuropneumoniae 5b serotype strain, an epidemic strain in China. Sterilization occurred rapidly, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is 31.25 μg/mL; the A. pleuropneumoniae density was reduced 1000 times within 10 min following treatment with 1 MIC. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that thymol could rapidly disrupt the cell walls and cell membranes of A. pleuropneumoniae , causing leakage of cell contents and cell death. In addition, treatment with thymol at 0.5 MIC significantly reduced the biofilm formation of A. pleuropneumoniae . Quantitative RT-PCR results indicated that thymol treatment significantly increased the expression of the virulence genes purC , tbpB1 and clpP and down-regulated ApxI , ApxII and Apa1 expression in A. pleuropneumoniae . Therapeutic analysis of a murine model showed that thymol (20 mg/kg) protected mice from a lethal dose of A. pleuropneumoniae , attenuated lung pathological lesions. This study is the first to report the use of thymol to treat A. pleuropneumoniae infection, establishing a foundation for the development of new antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we presented an ultra water-repellent surface with the ternary composite structures, expecting to provide an inspiration to the application research. Our strategy is to design macro ridge structures on the superhydrophobic surface, which is prepared by modifying the composite micro-nanoscale hierarchical structures with FAS-17. The effect of micro-nanoscale hierarchical structures on the non-wettability were firstly analyzed and examined for achieving a perfect unity of microstructures and property. On this basis, we designed the macro ridge structures and obtained the final sample surface, which could not only display a strong superhydrophobicity with the apparent contact angle reaching 161° and the contact angle hysteresis reducing to 1.5°, but also exhibit the capacity to compel the impact water droplet to bounce off within an extreme short time (5.5 ms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly serious electromagnetic radiation urgently call for high performance electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbers. Hollow carbon nanostructures are promising for lightweight EMW absorbers. However, due to lack of sufficient polarization centers, the EMW absorption property of hollow carbon nanosturctures is still unsatisfactory. Herein, we develop a double-salt template method for fabrication of N, S-codoped graphitic carbon nanoframes (GF) that anchored on the graphene sheets (GS). The GFs in the sample (N, S-GF/GS) have a width of about 51 nm and a wall thickness of only 4.8 nm. Furthermore, the graphene plane in the GF is perpendicular to the graphene plane in the GS, leading to the formation of numerous interfaces between the graphene planes perpendicular to each other. Theoretical calculations indicate that the interfaces can induce the interfacial polarization loss, and the N, S co-doping can cause dipole polarization loss, both of which enhance the EMW absorption performance of the N, S-GF/GS. The minimal reflection loss and efficient absorption width of the N, S-GF/GS at a low filler ratio of 10 wt% are -45.64 dB at the matching thickness of 2.3 mm and 4.35 GHz with the thickness of 1.5 mm, respectively, superior to most of carbon-based absorbers. Our proposed method opens a promising way for high-performance EMW absorbers. [Display omitted] • A double-salt template method was proposed for fabricating N, S-codoped carbon nanoframes (GF) on graphene (GS). • The GFs have a width of about 51 nm and a wall thickness of only 4.8 nm. • The graphene planes in GF and GS are perpendicular to each other, leading to numerous interfaces. • The effective absorption bandwidth of the designed absorbers reached 4.35 GHz. • The mechanism about the synergisty of interface and N, S co-doping was uncovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three−dimensional (3D) hierarchical nano−microstructures have shown unprecedented physicochemical properties. However, it still remains great challenge to construct well−defined architectures with 3D hierarchical feature. Herein, we develop an electrospinning technique followed by a high−temperature carbonization process to fabricate N−doped carbon fibers (NCF) with N−doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) vertically grown on the surface of NCF using the Fe species as catalysts. In the 3D hierarchical structures, the Fe 3 C nanoparticles (NPs) are embedded within NCF matrix, while the Fe NPs are encapsulated within NCNT. Due to the unique structural feature, the as−prepared hierarchical structure exhibits excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance with an absorption bandwidth of 4.0 GHz and a minimum reflection loss of −49.56 dB with a thickness as low as 1.50 mm. Experimental and theoretical studies indicate that the enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption performance of the hierarchical structure can be explained by the increased conduction loss induced by the introduction of metallic NPs and formation of 3D conductive networks, and the enhanced polarization loss caused by the additional interfaces and defects in the hierarchical structure. This work provides an efficient way to fabricate 3D architecture for high−efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption. [Display omitted] • The 3D hierarchical structure (Fe 3 C@NCF/Fe@NCNT) is synthesized. • In the structure, Fe 3 C NPs are embedded within NCF, while the Fe NPs are in NCNT. • Fe 3 C@NCF/Fe@NCNT exhibits good microwave absorption property with a low thickness. • The metals, interfaces and 3D networks are responsible for the absorption property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]