Aligned Ion Conduction Pathway of Polyrotaxane‑Based Electrolyte with Dispersed Hydrophobic Chains for Solid‑State Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

A critical challenge hindering the practical application of lithium–oxygen batteries(LOBs)is the inevitable problems associated with liquid electrolytes,such as evaporation and safety problems.Our study addresses these problems by proposing a modified polyrotaxane(mPR)-based solid polymer electrolyte(SPE)design that simultaneously mitigates solvent-related problems and improves conductivity.mPR-SPE exhibits high ion conductivity(2.8×10^(−3)S cm^(−1)at 25℃)through aligned ion conduction pathways and provides electrode protection ability through hydrophobic chain dispersion.Integrating this mPR-SPE into solid-state LOBs resulted in stable potentials over 300 cycles.In situ Raman spectroscopy reveals the presence of an LiO_(2)intermediate alongside Li_(2)O_(2)during oxygen reactions.Ex situ X-ray diffraction confirm the ability of the SPE to hinder the permeation of oxygen and moisture,as demonstrated by the air permeability tests.The present study suggests that maintaining a low residual solvent while achieving high ionic conductivity is crucial for restricting the sub-reactions of solid-state LOBs.

A micro-crosslinked amphoteric hydrophobic association copolymer as high temperature-and salt-resistance fluid loss reducer for water-based drilling fluids

During ultradeep oil and gas drilling,fluid loss reducers are highly important for water-based drilling fluids,while preparing high temperature-and salt-resistance fluid loss reducers with excellent rheology and filtration performance remains a challenge.Herein,a micro-crosslinked amphoteric hydrophobic association copolymer(i.e.,DADC)was synthesized using N,N-dimethyl acrylamide,diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride,2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid,hydrophobic monomer,and pentaerythritol triallyl ether crosslinker.Due to the synergistic effects of hydrogen bonds,electrostatic interaction,hydrophobic association,and micro-crosslinking,the DADC copolymer exhibited outstanding temperature-and salt-resistance.The rheological experiments have shown that the DADC copolymer had excellent shear dilution performance and a certain degree of salt-responsive viscosity-increasing performance.The DADC copolymer could effectively adsorb on the surface of bentonite particles through electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonds,which bring more negative charge to the bentonite,thus improving the hydration and dispersion of bentonite particles as well as the colloidal stability of the drilling fluids.Moreover,the drilling fluids constructed based on the DADC copolymer exhibited satisfactory rheological and filtration properties(FLHTHP=12 m L)after aging at high temperatures(up to200℃)and high salinity(saturated salt)environments.Therefore,this work provided new insights into designing and fabricating high-performance drilling fluid treatment agents,demonstrating good potential applications in deep and ultradeep drilling engineering.

Hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs with a junctional trap between cha and d6r cages for adsorption of 2,3-butanediol in aqueous solution

The adsorption and separation of diols from dilute aqueous solution using hydrophobic materials is very challenging due to the strong diol-water hydrogen-bonding interactions. Herein, we screened hydrophobic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks(ZIFs) with chabazite(CHA) topology for separation of 2,3-butanediol(2,3-BDO) and 1,3-propanediol(1,3-PDO), which had junctional and hydrophobic traps matching the two end methyl groups of the 2,3-BDO molecule. Based on CHA-ZIFs with the same small-sized ligand 2-methylimidazole(mIm) and different large-sized ligand benzimidazole derivatives(RbIm),CHA-ZIFs with larger surface areas were obtained by the addition of excess small-sized ligand mIm in the synthesis process. We showed that all of the hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs preferentially adsorbed 2,3-BDO over 1,3-PDO by static batch adsorption and dynamic column adsorption experiments. But ZIF-301 and ZIF-300 with halogen groups exhibited better adsorptive separation performance for 2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO than ZIF-302 with methyl groups. For a typical ZIF-301, its adsorption capacity for 2,3-BDO was 116.4 mg·g^(-1)and selectivity for 2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO was 3.8 in dynamic column adsorption of the binary-component system(2,3-BDO/1,3-PDO: 50 g·L^(-1)/50 g·L^(-1)). Computational simulations revealed that 2,3-BDO preferentially adsorbed in a trap at the junction between the cha and d6r cages of CHA-ZIFs,meaning the strong host-guest interactions. Therefore, the hydrophobic CHA-ZIFs with a junctional trap were promising candidate materials for adsorbing 2,3-BDO, which also provided a new perspective for separating diols in dilute aqueous solutions.

Reconcile the contradictory wettability requirements for the reduction and oxidation half-reactions in overall CO_(2) photoreduction via alternately hydrophobic surfaces

The overall photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction reaction(OPCRR)that can directly convert CO_(2) and H_(2)O into fuels represents a promising renewable energy conversion technology.As a typical redox reaction,the OPCRR involves two half-reactions:the CO_(2) reduction half-reaction(CRHR)and the water oxidation half-reaction(WOHR).Generally,both half-reactions can be promoted by adjusting the wettability of catalysts.However,there is a contradiction in wettability requirements for the two half-reactions.Specifically,CRHR prefers a hydrophobic surface that can accumulate more CO_(2) molecules on the active sites,ensuring the appropriate ratio of gas-phase(CO_(2))to liquid-phase(H_(2)O)reactants.Conversely,the WOHR prefers a hydrophilic surface that can promote the departure of the gaseous product(O_(2))from the catalyst surface,preventing isolation between active sites and the reactant(H_(2)O).Here,we successfully reconciled the contradictory wettability requirements for the CRHR and WOHR by creating an alternately hydrophobic catalyst.This was achieved through a selectively hydrophobic modification method and a charge-transfer-control strategy.Consequently,the collaboratively promoted CRHR and WOHR led to a significantly enhanced OPCRR with a solar-to-fuel conversion efficiency of 0.186%.Notably,in ethanol production,the catalyst exhibited a 10.64-fold increase in generation rate(271.44μmol g^(-1)h~(-1))and a 4-fold increase in selectivity(55.77%)compared to the benchmark catalyst.This innovative approach holds great potential for application in universal overall reactions involving gas participation.

Engineering hydrophobic protective layers on zinc anodes for enhanced performance in aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries possess substantial potential for energy storage applications;however,they are hampered by challenges such as dendrite formation and uncontrolled side reactions occurring at the zinc anode.In our investigation,we sought to mitigate these issues through the utilization of in situ zinc complex formation reactions to engineer hydrophobic protective layers on the zinc anode surface.These robust interfacial layers serve as effective barriers,isolating the zinc anode from the electrolyte and active water molecules and thereby preventing hydrogen evolution and the generation of undesirable byproducts.Additionally,the presence of numerous zincophilic sites within these protective layers facilitates uniform zinc deposition while concurrently inhibiting dendrite growth.Through comprehensive evaluation of functional anodes featuring diverse functional groups and alkyl chain lengths,we meticulously scrutinized the underlying mechanisms influencing performance variations.This analysis involved precise modulation of interfacial hydrophobicity,rapid Zn^(2+)ion transport,and ordered deposition of Zn^(2+)ions.Notably,the optimized anode,fabricated with octadecylphosphate(OPA),demonstrated exceptional performance characteristics.The Zn//Zn symmetric cell exhibited remarkable longevity,exceeding 4000 h under a current density of 2 mA cm^(-2)and a capacity density of 2 mA h cm^(-2),Furthermore,when integrated with a VOH cathode,the complete cell exhibited superior capacity retention compared to anodes modified with alternative organic molecules.

Preparation and Characterization of lonic Conductive Eutectogels Based on Polyacrylamide Copolymers with Long Hydrophobic Chain

With the blooming development of electronic technology,the use of electron conductive gel or ionic conductive gel in preparing flexible electronic devices is drawing more and more attention.Deep eutectic solvents are excellent substitutes for ionic liquids because of their good biocompatibility,low cost,and easy preparation,except for good conductivity.In this work,we synthesized a reactive quaternary ammonium monomer(3-acrylamidopropyl)octadecyldimethyl ammonium bromide with a hydrophobic chain of 18 carbons via the quaternization of 1-bromooctadecane and N-dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide at first,then we mixed quaternary ammonium with choline chloride,acrylic acid and glycerol to obtain a hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent,and initialized polymerization in UV light of 365 nm to obtain the ionic conductive eutectogel based on polyacrylamide copolymer with long hydrophobic chain.The obtained eutectogel exibits good stretchability(1200%),Young's modulus(0.185 MPa),toughness(4.2 MJ/m^(3)),conductivity(0.315 S/m).The eutectogel also shows desireable moisture resistance with the maximum water absorption of 11.7 wt%after one week at 25℃and 60%humidity,while the water absorption of eutectogel without hydrophobic long chains is 24.0 wt%.The introduction of long-chain hydrophobic groups not only improves the mechanical strength of the gels,but also significantly improves moisture resistance of the eutectogel.This work provides a simpler and more effective method for the preparation of ionic conductive eutectogels,which can further provide a reference for the applications of ionic conductive eutectogels in the field of flexible electronic devices.

Playing with Chlorine‑Based Post‑modification Strategies for Manufacturing Silica Nanofibrous Membranes Acting as Stable Hydrophobic Separation Barriers

Highly stable hydrophobic silica-based membranes were successfully fabricated through chemical post-modification of directly electrospun silica nanofibrous membranes.Five different Si-alkoxy chlorides were tried as reagents at room temperature,allowing for an easy two-step production process.Trimethylchlorosilane(TMCS)was determined as to be the most suitable modifier,for this purpose.The modified membrane exhibits long-term hydrophobicity even under high humidity and water submersion,maintaining this property after exposure to elevated temperatures and acidic conditions,surpassing the unmodified membrane.The separation effectiveness for immiscible water/solvent solutions was proven,followed by an investigation into the relation between the surface tension of some miscible water/solvent solutions and the resulting wetting behavior of the TMCS-modified membrane,to utilize the membrane as a process intensification tool,specifically as a solvent gate.

Development of Superhydrophobic Nano-SiO_(2)and Its Field Application in Low-permeability,High-temperature,and High-salinity Oil Reservoirs

In this study,to meet the stringent requirements on the hydrophobicity of nano-SiO_(2)particles for use in depressurization and enhanced injection operations in high-temperature and high-salinity oil reservoirs,secondary chemical grafting modification of nano-SiO_(2)is performed using a silane coupling agent to prepare superhydrophobic nano-SiO_(2) particles.Using these superhydrophobic nano-SiO_(2)particles as the core agent,and liquid paraffin or diesel as the dispersion medium,a uniform dispersion of nano-SiO_(2)particles is achieved under high-speed stirring,and a chemically enhanced water injection system with colloidal stability that can be maintained for more than 60 d is successfully developed.Using this system,a field test of depressurization and enhanced injection is carried out on six wells in an oilfield,and the daily oil production level is increased by 11 t.The cumulative increased water injection is 58784 m^(3),the effective rate of the measures was 100%,and the average validity period is 661 d.

Self-propelled Leidenfrost droplets on femtosecond-laser-induced surface with periodic hydrophobicity gradient

The controllable transfer of droplets on the surface of objects has a wide application prospect in the fields of microfluidic devices,fog collection and so on.The Leidenfrost effect can be utilized to significantly reduce motion resistance.However,the use of 3D structures limits the widespread application of self-propulsion based on Leidenfrost droplets in microelectromechanical system.To manipulate Leidenfrost droplets,it is necessary to create 2D or quasi-2D geometries.In this study,femtosecond laser is applied to fabricate a surface with periodic hydrophobicity gradient(SPHG),enabling directional self-propulsion of Leidenfrost droplets.Flow field analysis within the Leidenfrost droplets reveals that the vapor layer between the droplets and the hot surface can be modulated by the SPHG,resulting in directional propulsion of the inner gas.The viscous force between the gas and liquid then drives the droplet to move.

Fluor-silane modified nano-calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))as a hydrophobic coating for the conservation of sandstone via bio-inspired design

Ancient cultural relics built of red sandstone have high historical value.However,due to the acceleration of the industrialization process of human civilization,increasingly frequent acid rain has caused irreversible damage to the surface of red sandstone artifacts.In this research,a fluor-silane modified nano-calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))was prepared as a biomimetic hydrophobic coating for the conservation of red sandstone inspired by the lotus leaf effect.Characterizations and immersion tests were carried out to assess the protective properties of the coating.XRD,FT-IR,TEM and SEM were combined to characterize the morphology of the coating.In addition,the water contact angle was measured before and after immersion in the simulated acid rain.The results indicate that this kind of hydrophobic nano-CaCO_(3)coating effectively protected the sandstone from the deleterious effects of acid rain.

An electron beam irradiation-assisted coating method for the regulation of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity

Developing a stable,reliable,and industrially compatible method to control hydrophobicity is crucial for separation,transportation,and the generation of special surfaces.An e-HMS-PDMS silica gel nanoparticle coating was prepared using a two-step electron beam irradiation(EBI)process,consisting of(i)grafting of two organic groups onto thiol-functionalized hollow mesoporous silica(HMS-SH)with 10 MeV EBI and(ii)curing of polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)onto silicone rubber using the HMS hybrid materials prepared in step i as an additive with 200 keV EBI.The tuneable grafting of functional groups and the surface properties of the silica,which was embedded in the PDMS layer,allowed us to precisely control the hydrophilicity of the PDMS layer by means of altering the grafting gradient of the silica and the loading ratio of the monomers.A diverse range of vinyl-structured monomers can be used in this method,and the selection of suitable monomers is vital in determining the physical properties of the coating layer.The hydrophilicity of the coating can be linearly controlled within a specific range(50°to 155°)by using suitable monomers,allowing for the design of surfaces with specific hydrophilic and hydrophobic requirements.

Shear hydrophobic flocculation and flotation of ultrafine Anshan hematite using sodium oleate

Effects of stirring speed and time, pH and sodium oleate concentration on the shear hydrophobic flocculation of ultrafine Anshan hematite with sodium oleate as the surfactant were discussed. The results show that these parameters significantly affect the shear hydrophobic flocculation of ultrafine hematite. The optimum conditions for the flocculation are： stirring speed 1 400 r/min, flocculation time 20 min, pH 9 and sodium oleate concentration 3.94×10-4 mol/L; the flotation recovery of hematite flocs is remarkably high compared with non flocculated ultrafine hematite. According to the extended DLVO theory, the total interaction potential of Anshan ultrafine hematite was determined. The calculation results indicate that the hydrophobic flocculation state of the ultrafine hematite-sodium oleate system is mainly dominated by electric double layer repulsive interaction potential and hydrophobic interaction potential. A mechanical agitation is required to impart particles a kinetic energy to overcome potential barrier between them due to the existence of electric double layer repulsive interaction potential. Those particles further approach to form flocs due to the significant increase of the hydrophobic interaction potential.

Preparation, friction and wear properties of hydrophobic lanthanum borate nanorods in rapeseed oil

Oleic acid (denoted as OA) surface-caped lanthanum borate nanorods, abbreviated as OA/LaBO3·H2O, were prepared via hydrothermal method. The microstructures of the as-prepared OA/LaBO3·H2O nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The friction and wear properties of OA/LaBO3·H2O nanorods in rapeseed oil were evaluated with a four-ball tribo-tester. The results show that the as-prepared OA/LaBO3·H2O nanorods are hydrophobic and display nanorods morphology with uniform diameter of about 50 nm and length of up to 500 nm. In the meantime, OA/LaBO3·H2O nanorods can obviously improve the anti-wear and friction-reducing capacities of rapeseed oil, and the optimal anti-wear and friction-reducing properties of rapeseed oil were obtained at an OA/LaBO3·H2O content of 1% (mass fraction).

Novel hydrophobically associative polyacrylamide with tunable viscosity

Hydrophobically associative polyacrylamide （HAPAM） were prepared in aqueous solution by radical copolymerization of novel cationic surface-active monomer, dimethylhexadecyl（3-acrylamidopropyl）ammonium bromide （DMHAB）, with acrylamide （AM） in the presence of DMHAB/CTAB mixed micelles. The length of hydrophobic microblock （NH） in HAPAM is controlled by the molar fraction of DMHAB in mixed micelles, which can be mediated by the ratio of CTAB to DMHAB. The results of steady-state fluorescence probe and viscometry experiments showed the ability of HAPAM association was determined by the length of the hydrophobic microblock. HAPAM with tunable association ability are promising materials for thickening agent.

A study of the properties of hydrophobically associating water-soluble polymers used in drilling fluids

Hydrophobically associating water-soluble polymers (HPAP) have been synthesized from acrylamide(AM), acrylate (AA), 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and hydrophobic monomer (AP) in aqueous solution by radical polymerization. New polymer drilling fluids are made up of HPAP, which is used as viscosifiers and encapsulation agents. Properties of this system are reported in this paper. Results indicate that this system has a high value of yield point to plastic viscosity (YP/PV≥0.7), high viscosity at a low-shear rate (LSRV≥30000mPa·s), excellent shear thinning behavior, good solid-carrying behavior, resistance to shear, good thermal stability (as high as 140℃) and salt resistance. The system has excellent behavior in high-density solution of NaCl and in calcium and magnesium rich saline solutions. Hence, HPAP also can be used in saltwater polymer drilling fluids.

Surfactant-Enhanced Phytoremediation of Soils Contaminated with Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants:Potential and Assessment

Phytoremediation is becoming a cost-effective technology for the in-situ clean up of sites polluted with hydrophobic organic contaminants （HOCs）. The major factors limiting phytoremediation are the mass transfer, rate of plant uptake, and microbial biodegradation of HOCs. This article discusses the potential of surfactants to enhance desorption, plant uptake, and biodegradation of HOCs in the contaminated sites. Positive effects of surfactants on phytoremediation have been recently observed in greenhouse studies. The presence of some nonionic surfactants including polyoxyethylene sorbltan monooleate （Tween 80） and polyoxyethylene（23）dodecanol （Brij35） at relatively low concentrations resulted in significant positive effects on phytoremediation for pyrene-contaminated soil. However, the anionic surfactant （sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS） and the cationic surfactant （cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTMAB） were not useful because of their phytotoxicity or low efficiency for surfactant-enhanced phytoremediation （SEPR）. The mechanisms of SEPR for HOC-contaminated sites were evaluated by considering experimental observations. In view of concerns about the cost effectiveness and toxicity of surfactants to plants, more research is needed to enhance the use of SEPR technology.

Micromorphology and physicochemical properties of hydrophobic blasting dust in iron mines

The micromorphology and physicochemical properties of hydrophobic blasting dust(HBD)from an iron mine were comprehensively analyzed by laser particle size analysis(LPSA),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).The results show that the HBD particles can be classified into three types based on their particle size(PS):larger particles(PS>10μm),medium particles(1μm≤PS≤10μm),and nanoparticles(PS<1μm).The cumulative volume of respirable dust(PS≤10μm)was 84.45%.In addition,three shapes of HBD were observed by SEM:prism,flake,and bulk.In particular,the small particles were mostly flaky,with a greater possibility of being inhaled.Furthermore,the body and surface chemical compounds of HBD were determined by XRD and XPS,respectively.Ammonium adipate(C6H16N2O4)was the only organic compound in the body of HBD,but its mass fraction was only 13.4%.However,the content of organic C on the surface of HBD was 85.35%.This study demonstrated that the small-particle size and large amount of organic matter on the surface of HBD are the main reasons for its hydrophobicity,which can provide important guidance for controlling respirable dust in iron mines.

Construction of Self-Assembly Based Tunable Absorber:Lightweight,Hydrophobic and Self-Cleaning Properties

Although multifunctional aerogels are expected to be used in applications such as portable electronic devices,it is still a great challenge to confer multifunctionality to aerogels while maintaining their inherent microstructure.Herein,a simple method is proposed to prepare multifunctional NiCo/C aerogels with excellent electromagnetic wave absorption properties,superhydrophobicity,and self-cleaning by water-induced NiCo-MOF self-assembly.Specifically,the impedance matching of the three-dimensional(3D)structure and the interfacial polarization provided by CoNi/C as well as the defect-induced dipole polarization are the primary contributors to the broadband absorption.As a result,the prepared NiCo/C aerogels have a broadband width of 6.22 GHz at 1.9 mm.Due to the presence of hydrophobic functional groups,CoNi/C aerogels improve the stability in humid environments and obtain hydrophobicity with large contact angles>140°.This multifunctional aerogel has promising applications in electromagnetic wave absorption,resistance to water or humid environments.

Improving the sulfidation-flotation of fine cuprite by hydrophobic flocculation pretreatment

Hydrophobic flocculation pretreatment was performed to assess its effect on the recovery of fine cuprite in sulfidation-flotation. The results of the micro-flotation experiment showed that cuprite recovery is related to the particle size, and that an excessive content of fine particles(<18 μm) impacted the recovery of coarse particles. When hydrophobic flocculation pretreatment was used, the recovery of fine cuprite in sulfidation-flotation increased from 60.3% to 86.3% under optimum conditions(pH 9.5; sodium oleate concentration, 2 × 10^(-4) mol×L^(-1); stirring time, 6 min; stirring speed, 1600 r×min^(-1)). The laser particle size analysis and optical microscopy results indicate that hydrophobic flocculation pretreatment effectively reduces the content of fine cuprite, and augments the apparent particle size in the pulp. We performed the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek(DLVO) theory and extended DLVO theory calculations to further support the interpretation of the results.

One-step synthesis of hydrophobic magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles and their application in flame-retardant polypropylene composites

Hydrophobic magnesium hydroxide(MH) nanoparticles were prepared by a one-step synthesis method in a high-gravity environment generated by a novel impinging stream–rotating packed bed(IS-RPB) reactor. The reactant solutions were simultaneously and continuously pumped into the IS-RPB reactor, and then Tween80 was added as a surface modifier. The morphology, structure, and properties of blank and hydrophobic MH were characterized. The effects of MH nanoparticles on the flame retardancy, thermal stability, and mechanical properties of PP/MH composites were also studied. We found that the obtained MH nanoparticles exhibited hexagonal lamella with a mean size of 30 nm, excellent hydrophobic properties(e.g., high water contact angle of 112°), and improved thermal stability of MH. The limiting oxygen index(LOI) further showed that increased MH loading can significantly improve flame-retardant performance, which reached 29.3% for PP/MH composites with 30 wt% hydrophobic samples. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of the PP/MH composites with hydrophobic samples were also much higher than those of PP/MH composites with blank MH. Results showed that the one-step synthesis had high potential application in the large-scale production of hydrophobic MH nanoparticles.