NνDEx-100 conceptual design report

Observing nuclear neutrinoless double beta (0vββ) decay would be a revolutionary result in particle physics.Observing such a decay would prove that the neutrinos are their own antiparticles,help to study the absolute mass of neutrinos,explore the origin of their mass,and may explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry in our universe by lepton number violation.We propose developing a time projection chamber (TPC) using high-pressure ^(82)SeF_(6) gas and Topmetal silicon sensors for readout in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL) to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of82Se,called the NvDEx experiment.Besides being located at CJPL with the world’s thickest rock shielding,NvDEx combines the advantages of the high Qββ(2.996 MeV) of82Se and the TPC’s ability to distinguish signal and background events using their different topological characteristics.This makes NvDEx unique,with great potential for low-background and high-sensitivity 0 vββsearches.NvDEx-100,a NvDEx experiment phase with 100 kg of SeF_(6)gas,is being built,with plans to complete installation at CJPL by 2025.This report introduces 0 vββ physics,the NvDEx concept and its advantages,and the schematic design of NvDEx-100,its subsystems,and background and sensitivity estimation.

Investigation and optimization of high-valent Ta-doped SrFeO_(3-δ)as air electrode for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

To explore highly active and thermomechanical stable air electrodes for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells(ITSOFCs),10mol%Ta5+doped in the B site of strontium ferrite perovskite oxide(SrTa_(0.1)Fe_(0.9)O_(3-δ),STF)is investigated and optimized.The effects of Ta^(5+)doping on structure,transition metal reduction,oxygen nonstoichiometry,thermal expansion,and electrical performance are evaluated systematically.Via 10mol%Ta^(5+)doping,the thermal expansion coefficient(TEC)decreased from 34.1×10^(-6)(SrFeO_(3-δ))to 14.6×10^(-6) K^(-1)(STF),which is near the TEC of electrolyte(13.3×10^(-6) K^(-1) for Sm_(0.2)Ce_(0.8)O_(1.9),SDC),indicates excellent thermomechanical compatibility.At 550-750℃,STF shows superior oxygen vacancy concentrations(0.262 to 0.331),which is critical in the oxygen-reduction reaction(ORR).Oxygen temperature-programmed desorption(O_(2)-TPD)indicated the thermal reduction onset temperature of iron ion is around 420℃,which matched well with the inflection points on the thermos-gravimetric analysis and electrical conductivity curves.At 600℃,the STF electrode shows area-specific resistance(ASR)of 0.152Ω·cm^(2) and peak power density(PPD)of 749 mW·cm^(-2).ORR activity of STF was further improved by introducing 30wt%Sm_(0.2)Ce_(0.8)O_(1.9)(SDC)powder,STF+SDC composite cathode achieving outstanding ASR value of 0.115Ω·cm2 at 600℃,even comparable with benchmark cobalt-containing cathode,Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3-δ)(BSCF).Distribution of relaxation time(DRT)analysis revealed that the oxygen surface exchange and bulk diffusion were improved by forming a composite cathode.At 650℃,STF+SDC composite cathode achieving an outstanding PPD of 1117 mW·cm^(-2).The excellent results suggest that STF and STF+SDC are promising air electrodes for IT-SOFCs.

Advances in nuclear detection and readout techniques

“A Craftsman Must Sharpen His Tools to Do His Job,”said Confucius.Nuclear detection and readout techniques are the foundation of particle physics,nuclear physics,and particle astrophysics to reveal the nature of the universe.Also,they are being increasingly used in other disciplines like nuclear power generation,life sciences,environmental sciences,medical sciences,etc.The article reviews the short history,recent development,and trend of nuclear detection and readout techniques,covering Semiconductor Detector,Gaseous Detector,Scintillation Detector,Cherenkov Detector,Transition Radiation Detector,and Readout Techniques.By explaining the principle and using examples,we hope to help the interested reader underst and this research field and bring exciting information to the community.

Rapid screening of Zr-containing particles from Chang’e-5 lunar soil samples for isotope geochronology:Technical roadmap for future study

New samples returned by China Chang’e-5(CE-5)mission offer an opportunity for studying the lunar geologic longevity,space weathering,and regolith evolution.The age determination of the CE-5 samples was among the first scientific questions to be answered.However,the precious samples,most in the micrometer size range,challenge many traditional analyses on large single crystals of zircon developed for massive bulk samples.Here,we developed a non-destructive rapid screening of individual zirconium-containing particle for isotope geochronology based on a Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis(μXRF).The selected particles were verified via scanning electron microscopy(SEM),3D X-ray microscopy(XRM),and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy(FIB-SEM)techniques,which showed that zirconium-bearing minerals with several microns were precisely positioned and readily suitable for site-specific isotopic dating by second ion mass spectrometry(SIMS).Such protocol could be also appli-cable in non-destructively screening other types of particles for different scientific purposes.We there-fore proposed a correlative workflow for comprehensively studying the CE-5 lunar samples from single particles on nanometer to atomic scales.Linking various microscopic and spectromicroscopic instru-ments together,this workflow consists of six steps:(1)single-particle selection with non-destructive μXRF technique,(2)2D/3D morphological and structural characterization with a correlative submicron 3D XRM and nanoscale resolution FIB-SEM imaging methods,(3)SEM analysis of the surface morphology and chemistry of the selected particle,(4)a series of microscopic and microbeam analyses(e.g.,SEM,electron probe microanalysis,and SIMS)on the cross-section of the selected particle to obtain structural,mineralogical,chemical,and isotopic features from the micron to nanometer scale,(5)advanced 2D/3D characterization and site-specific sample preparation of thin foil/tip specimens on a microregion of inter-est in the selected particle with FIB-SEM technique,and(6)comprehensive analyses on the FIB-milled specimens at nanometer to atomic scale with synchrotron-based scanning transmission X-ray micro-scopy,analytic transmission electron microscopy,and atom probe tomography.Following this technical roadmap,one can integrate multiple modalities into a uniform frame of multimodal and multiscale cor-related datasets to acquire high-throughput information on the limited or precious terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples.

Solid oxide fuel cells in combination with biomass gasification for electric power generation

Biomass,a source of renewable energy,represents an effective substitute to fossil fuels.Gasification is a process that organics are thermochemically converted into valuable gaseous products(e.g.biogas).In this work,the catalytic test demonstrated that the biogas produced from biomass gasification mainly consists of H2,CH4,CO,and CO2,which were then be used as the fuel for solid oxide fuel cell(SOFC).Planar SOFCs were fabricated and adopted.The steam reforming of biogas was carried out at the anode of a SOFC to obtain a hydrogen-rich fuel.The performance of the SOFCs operating on generated biogas was investigated by I-V polarization and electrochemical impedance spectra characterizations.An excellent cell performance was obtained,for example,the peak power density of the SOFC reached 1391 mW·cm-2 at 750℃when the generated biogas was used as the fuel.Furthermore,the SOFC fuelled by simulated biogas delivered a very stable operation.

Alignment calibration and performance study of the STAR PXL detector

We report in this paper the alignment calibration of the STAR pixel detector(PXL) prototype for the RHIC2013 run and performance study of the full PXL detector installed and commissioned in the RHIC 2014 run. PXL detector is the innermost two silicon layers of the STAR heavy flavor tracker aiming at high-precision reconstruction of secondary decay vertex of heavy flavor particles. To achieve the physics goals, the calibration work was done on the detector with high precision. A histogram-based method was successfully applied for the alignment calibration, and the detector efficiency after alignment was studied using both p t p collision data and cosmic ray data.

Complicated deformation simulating on temperature-driven 4D printed bilayer structures based on reduced bilayer plate model

The four-dimensional(4D) printing technology, as a combination of additive manufacturing and smart materials, has attracted increasing research interest in recent years. The bilayer structures printed with smart materials using this technology can realize complicated deformation under some special stimuli due to the material properties.The deformation prediction of bilayer structures can make the design process more rapid and thus is of great importance. However, the previous works on deformation prediction of bilayer structures rarely study the complicated deformations or the influence of the printing process on deformation. Thus, this paper proposes a new method to predict the complicated deformations of temperature-sensitive 4D printed bilayer structures,in particular to the bilayer structures based on temperature-driven shape-memory polymers(SMPs) and fabricated using the fused deposition modeling(FDM) technology. The programming process to the material during printing is revealed and considered in the simulation model. Simulation results are compared with experiments to verify the validity of the method. The advantages of this method are stable convergence and high efficiency,as the three-dimensional(3D) problem is converted to a two-dimensional(2D) problem.The simulation parameters in the model can be further associated with the printing parameters, which shows good application prospect in 4D printed bilayer structure design.

Pseudo-Channel Matrix Truncation Based Spatial Correlation Mitigation in Massive MIMO

Massive multiple-input multiple-output(MIMO),a technique that can greatly increase spectral efficiency(SE)of cellular networks,has attracted significant interests in recent years.One of the major limitations of massive MIMO systems is pilot contamination,which will deteriorate the SE.The superimposed pilot-based scheme has been proved to be a viable method for pilot contamination reduction.However,it cannot break through another limitation of massive MIMO,i.e.,spatial correlation.In addition,it will also lead to interference between the pilot and user data since they are imposed together.In this paper,we try to tackle these two issues,which will be described as follows.Firstly,a column-wise asymptotically orthogonal matrix,named as pseudo-channel matrix,is developed by orthogonalization of received signal.To recover the information about the large-scale fading(LSF)coefficients,the pseudo-channel matrix is truncated according to the cardinality of adjacent users set(CAUS).By this means,spatial correlation can be mitigated effectively.Secondly,robust independent component analysis(RobustICA)is used to reduce the interference caused by user data,and as a result the system performance can be further improved.Numerical simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Sand Production Prediction and Safe Differential Pressure Determination in a Deepwater Gas Field

Sand production is a critical issue during the development of offshore oil and gas fields.Certain gas fields(e.g.the AB gas field)have high porosity and high permeability,and with water at the bottom of the reservoir,the risk of sand production greatly increases at high differential pressures.Based on reservoir properties,geological conditions,production requirements,and well logging data,in this study an ultrasonic time difference method,a B index method,and a S index method are used together with a model of rock mass failure(accounting for water influx and pressure depletion)to qualitatively predict sand production.The results show that considered sample gas field has an overall high risk of sand production.The critical differential pressure(CDP)without water influx is in the range of 1.40 to 2.35 MPa,the CDP after water influx is from 0.60 to 1.41MPa.The CDP under pressure depletion is in the range of 1.20 to 1.92 MPa.The differential pressure charts of sand production are plotted,and the safe differential pressure windows with or without water influx are obtained.The model calculation results and the experimental results are consistent with the field production data,which indicates that the implemented prediction method could be taken as a reference for sand production prediction in similar deep water gas fields.

微/纳塑料穿透机体生物屏障及其健康效应

由于塑料的生产量和废弃量逐年急剧递增,微/纳塑料环境污染问题日益凸显,已成为全球关注的重大环境问题.微/纳塑料具有尺寸小、难降解、易迁移等特点.食物、水体、空气及日用品中的微/纳塑料能够通过消化道、呼吸道及皮肤接触等途径进入人体,对组织器官产生毒性效应,危害人体健康.本文聚焦微/纳塑料的毒性效应与健康风险研究热点,系统梳理了微/纳塑料在人体、模式动物及典型人源细胞中的相关研究,评述了微/纳塑料的主要机体暴露途径及其穿透胃肠道屏障、肺部屏障、皮肤屏障的能力;分析了微/纳塑料透过机体血液循环发生血肝转移、血脑转移、血睾转移、血胎转移并在各器官中蓄积的行为过程与主控因素;阐述了微/纳塑料对机体不同组织和器官的毒性效应及其潜在作用机制;探讨了当下微/纳塑料健康风险研究面临的瓶颈及关键技术难点;提出了未来研究应当对微/纳塑料的精确定性定量方法、载体效应、流行病学调查等方面加以注重,以期为进一步指导微/纳塑料人体健康效应研究奠定基础.

Emerging contaminants:A One Health perspective

Environmental pollution is escalating due to rapid global development that often prioritizes human needs over planetary health.Despite global efforts to mitigate legacy pollutants,the continuous introduction of new substances remains a major threat to both people and the planet.In response,global initiatives are focusing on risk assessment and regulation of emerging contaminants,as demonstrated by the ongoing efforts to establish the UN’s Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals,Waste,and Pollution Prevention.This review identifies the sources and impacts of emerging contaminants on planetary health,emphasizing the importance of adopting a One Health approach.Strategies for monitoring and addressing these pollutants are discussed,underscoring the need for robust and socially equitable environmental policies at both regional and international levels.Urgent actions are needed to transition toward sustainable pollution management practices to safeguard our planet for future generations.

早寒武纪清江丝菌牵出硫酸盐还原菌与地球环境协同演化历史

Sulfate reduction is an essential metabolism that maintains biogeochemical cycles in marine and terrestrial ecosystems.Sulfate reducers are exclusively prokaryotic,phylogenetically diverse,and may have evolved early in Earth’s history.However,their origin is elusive and unequivocal fossils are lacking.Here we report a new microfossil,Qingjiangonema cambria,from518-million-year-old black shales that yield the Qingjiang biota.Qingjiangonema is a long filamentous form comprising hundreds of cells filled by equimorphic and equidimensional pyrite microcrystals with a light sulfur isotope composition.Multiple lines of evidence indicate Qingjiangonema was a sulfate-reducing bacterium that exhibits similar patterns of cell organization to filamentous forms within the phylum Desulfobacterota,including the sulfate-reducing Desulfonema and sulfide-oxidizing cable bacteria.Phylogenomic analyses confirm separate,independent origins of multicellularity in Desulfonema and in cable bacteria.Molecular clock analyses infer that the Desulfobacterota,which encompass a majority of sulfate-reducing taxa,diverged~2.41 billion years ago during the Paleoproterozoic Great Oxygenation Event,while cable bacteria diverged~0.56 billion years ago during or immediately after the Neoproterozoic Oxygenation Event.Taken together,we interpret Qingjiangonema as a multicellular sulfate-reducing microfossil and propose that cable bacteria evolved from a multicellular filamentous sulfate-reducing ancestor.We infer that the diversification of the Desulfobacterota and the origin of cable bacteria may have been responses to oxygenation events in Earth’s history.

Distribution and bioavailability of mercury in size-fractioned atmospheric particles around an ultra-low emission power plant in Southwest China

Ultra-low emission(ULE)technology retrofits significantly impact the particulate-bound mercury(Hg)emissions from coal-fired power plants(CFPPs);however,the distribution and bioavailability of Hg in size-fractioned particulate matter(PM)around the ULE-retrofitted CF-PPs are less understood.Here,total Hg and its chemical speciation in TSP(total suspended particles),PM_(10)(aerodynamic particle diameter≤10μm)and PM_(2.5)(aerodynamic particle diameter≤2.5μm)around a ULE-retrofitted CFPP in Guizhou Province were quantified.Atmospheric PM_(2.5)concentration was higher around this ULE-retrofitted CFPP than that in the intra-regional urban cities,and it had higher mass Hg concentration than other sizefractioned PM.Total Hg concentrations in PM had multifarious sources including CFPP,vehicle exhaust and biomass combustion,while they were significantly higher in autumn and winter than those in other seasons(P<0.05).Regardless of particulate size,atmospheric PM-bound Hg had lower residual fractions(<21%)while higher HCl-soluble fractions(>40%).Mass concentrations of exchangeable,HCl-soluble,elemental,and residual Hg in PM_(2.5)were higher than those in other size-fractioned PM,and were markedly elevated in autumn and winter(P<0.05).In PM_(2.5),HCl-soluble Hg presented a significantly positive relationship with elemental Hg(P<0.05),while residual Hg showed the significantly positive relationships with HCl-soluble Hg and elemental Hg(P<0.01).Overall,these results suggested that atmospheric PM-bound Hg around the ULE-retrofitted CFPP tends to accumulate in finer PM,and has higher bioavailable fractions,while has potential transformation between chemical speciation.

New strategy for boosting cathodic performance of low temperature solid oxide fuel cells via chlorine doping

To enhance the performance and widespread use of solid oxide fuel cells(SOFCs),addressing the low-temperature(<650℃)electrochemical performance and operational stability issues of cathode materials is crucial.Here,we propose an innovative approach to enhance oxygen ion mobility and electrochemical performance of perovskite oxide by substituting some oxygen sites with chlorine anions.The designed SrTa_(0.1)Fe_(0.9)O_(3-δ-x)Clx(x=0.05 and 0.10)exhibits improved performance compared to SrTa_(0.1)Fe_(0.9)O_(3-δ)(STF).SrTa_(0.1)Fe_(0.9)O_(2.95-δ)Cl_(0.05)(STFCl0.05)shows the lowest area-specific resistance(ASR)value on Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9(SDC)electrolyte.At 600℃,STFCl0.05 achieves an ASR value of 0.084Ω·cm^(2),and a single cell with STFCl0.05 reaches a higher peak power density(PPD)value(1143 mW·cm^(-2))than that with STF(672 mW·cm^(-2)).Additionally,besides exhibiting excellent oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)activity at lower temperatures,the STFCl0.05 cathode demonstrates good CO_(2)tolerance and operational stability.Symmetrical cell operation lasts for 150 h,and single cell operation endures for 720 h without significant performance decline.The chlorine doping approach effectively enhances ORR activity and stability,making STFCl0.05 a promising cathode material for low-temperature SOFCs.

Ag-doped Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) sensor:A promising candidate for lowconcentration H_(2)S gas sensing

Trace hydrogen sulphide(H_(2)S)could reflect the severity of insulation faults in gas-insulated switchgear(GIS),therefore,accurate and fast detection of low-concentration H_(2)S is important for on-line monitoring,fault diagnosis,and state evaluation in GIS.Ag-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) chemiresistive-type sensors were fabricated via drop-coating with self-reduction synthesised Ag-doped Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x).The as-prepared sensors exhibited an excel-lent sensitivity and selectivity to H_(2)S with an extremely low detection of limit of 18.57 parts per billion(ppb)at 25℃(room temperature).The response of Ag-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) sensor to 10 parts per million(ppm)H_(2)S was enhanced~12 times than that of the pristine Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) sensor.The compositing of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) with Ag nanoparticles(NPs)enabled the fast response/recovery time for H_(2)S detection.Further analysis found that the enhanced H_(2)S sensing performances could be attributed to chemical sensitisation,adsorbed oxygen species regulation and high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller(BET)surface area.This study paves the way for Ag-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) as room-temperature sensing materials to detect low-concentration H_(2)S in GIS.

Theoretical study on the Cs/Cs-O adsorbed graphene/semiconductor heterojunction anode for thermionic converters

Graphene/semiconductor heterojunction anodes can significantly enhance the output voltage by the photovoltaic effect.However,a significant challenge arises from the high intrinsic work function of heterojunction surfaces,which limits efficient electron emission.In this study,we explored the potential of low work function materials modified by Cs/Cs-O adsorption as anodes for thermionic(TI)converters through first principles calculations.The results demonstrate that the work functions of the graphene/MoS_(2) and the graphene/n-type Si surfaces with only Cs coating can decrease to 1.48 eV and 2.46 eV,respectively.The multiple Cs-O atoms co-adsorption enhances the dipole moment,resulting in a further reduction of the work function of the graphene/MoS_(2) surface to 1.25 eV.In addition,the impact of work function on the performance of TI converters is revealed by using concentrated solar energy as heat source.The highest conversion efficiency achieves 15.25%for the Cs-4O:Gr/MoS_(2) anode.This study establishes a robust foundation for further advancement of the TI converters with graphene/semiconductor heterojunction anodes.

Hydrogel-based artificial enzyme for combating bacteria and accelerating wound healing

Artificial enzymes have provided great antimicrobial activity to combat wound infection.However,the lack of tissue repair capability compromised their treatment effect.Therefore,development of novel artificial enzyme concurrently with the excellent antibacterial activity and the property of promoting wound healing are required.Here,we demonstrated the hydrogel-based artificial enzyme composed of copper and amino acids possessed intrinsic peroxidase-like catalytic activity,which could combat wound pathogen effectively and accelerate wound healing by stimulating angiogenesis and collagen deposition.Furthermore,the system possesses good biocompatibility for practical application.The synergic effect of the hydrogel-based artificial enzyme promises the system as a new paradigm in bacteria-infected wound healing therapy.

Smart 6S roadmap for deciphering the migration and risk of heavy metals in soil and groundwater systems at brownfield sites nationwide in China

Rapid industrialization and economic development have left a great amount of industrial facilities,such as chemical,smelting and mining industries,throughout the country over the past few decades.As a result,a wide range of toxic pollutants are generated and discharged directly or indirectly into the soil environment[1].

Highly active and durable triple conducting composite air electrode for low-temperature protonic ceramic fuel cells

Protonic ceramic fuel cells(PCFCs)are more suitable for operation at low temperatures due to their smaller activation energy(Ea).Unfortunately,the utilization of PCFC technology at reduced temperatures is limited by the lack of durable and high-activity air electrodes.A lot number of cobalt-based oxides have been developed as air electrodes for PCFCs,due to their high oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)activity.However,cobalt-based oxides usually have more significant thermal expansion coefficients(TECs)and poor thermomechanical compatibility with electrolytes.These characteristics can lead to cell delamination and degradation.Herein,we rationally design a novel cobalt-containing composite cathode material with the nominal composition of Sr_(4)Fe_(4)Co_(2)O_(13)+δ(SFC).SFC is composed of tetragonal perovskite phase(Sr_(8)Fe_(8)O_(23)+δ,I4/mmm,81 wt.%)and spinel phase(Co_(3)O_(4),Fd3m,19 wt.%).The SFC composite cathode displays an ultra-high oxygen ionic conductivity(0.053 S·cm^(-1)at 550℃),superior CO_(2)tolerance,and suitable TEC value(17.01×10^(-6)K^(-1)).SFC has both the O_(2)^(-)/e^(-)conduction function,and the triple conducting(H^(+)/O_(2)^(-)/e^(-))capability was achieved by introducing the protonic conduction phase(BaZr_(0.2)Ce_(0.7)Y_(0.1)O_(3-δ),BZCY)to form SFC+BZCY(70 wt.%:30 wt.%).The SFC+BZCY composite electrode exhibits superior ORR activity at a reduced temperature with extremely low area-specific resistance(ASR,0.677Ω·cm^(2)at 550℃),profound peak power density(PPD,535 mW·cm^(-2)and 1.065 V at 550℃),extraordinarily long-term durability(>500 h for symmetrical cell and 350 h for single cell).Moreover,the composite has an ultra-low TEC value(15.96×10^(-6)K^(-1)).This study proves that SFC+BZCY with triple conducting capacity is an excellent cathode for low-temperature PCFCs.

The Effect of Loading Rates on Crack Dynamic Behavior Under Medium-Low Speed Impacts

Rock structures are often subjected to dynamic loads,such as blasts,impacts and earthquakes,and their loading rates differ largely.To investigate the effect of loading rates on the dynamic behavior of crack propagation,impact tests were conducted on large single-cleavage semicircle compression(LSCSC)specimens using a drop weight impact test system.Five types of rock materials were selected to prepare the LSCSC specimens,and crack propagation gauges were mounted along the crack propagation paths to measure crack initiation time and propagation speeds.Finite element models were established by using ABAQUS code,and the dynamic stress intensity factors(SIFs)were calculated.The curves of dynamic SIFs versus time were obtained,and the initiation toughness was determined by using these curves and the initiation time measured in the impact tests.The results show that loading rate has a significant effect on crack propagation behavior,and both the crack propagation speed and initiation toughness increase with the loading rate,whereas the delayed fracture time decreases with the increase in loading rate.