Surface microstructure-controlled ZrO_(2) for highly sensitive room-temperature NO2 sensors

The high sensitivity of room-temperature gas sensors is the key to innovation in the areas of environment,energy conservation and safety.However,metal-oxide-based sensors generally operate at high temperatures.Herein,we designed three ZrO_(2)-based sensors and explored their NO_(2)sensing properties at room temperature.ZrO_(2)with three different morphologies and microstructure were synthesized by simple hydrothermal methods.The microstructures of sensing materials are expected to significantly affect gas sensing properties.The rod-shaped ZrO_(2)(ZrO_(2)-R)displayed the advantages such as higher crystallinity,larger pore size,narrower band gap and more chemisorbed adsorbed oxygen,compared to hollow sphere-shaped ZrO_(2)(ZrO_(2)-HS),stellate-shaped ZrO_(2)(ZrO_(2)–S).The ZrO_(2)-R sensor showed the highest response towards 30 ppm NO_(2)(423.8%)at room temperature,and a quite high sensitivity of 198.0%for detecting 5 ppm NO_(2).Although ZrO_(2)-HS and ZrO_(2)–S sensors exhibited lower response towards 30 ppm NO_(2)(232.9%and 245.1%),the response time and recovery time of these two sensors are 5 s/19 s and 4 s/3 s,respectively.This work can provide a new strategy for the development of roomtemperature metal-oxide-based sensors.

Response of revegetation to climate change with meso- and micro-scale remote sensing in an arid desert of China

The revegetation protection system(VPS)on the edge of the Tengger Desert can be referred to as a successful model of sand control technology in China and even the world,and there has been a substantial amount of research on revegetation stability.However,it is unclear how meso-and micro-scale revegetation activity has responded to climatic change over the past decades.To evaluate the relative influence of climatic variables on revegetation activities in a restored desert ecosystem,we analysed the trend of revegetation change from 2002 to 2015 using a satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)dataset.The time series of the NDVI data were decomposed into trend,seasonal,and random components using a segmented regression method.The results of the segmented regression model indicate a changing trend in the NDVI in the VPS,changing from a decrease(−7×10−3/month)before 2005 to an increase(0.3×10−3/month)after 2005.We found that precipitation was the most important climatic factor influencing the growing season NDVI(P<0.05),while vegetation growth sensitivity to water and heat varied significantly in different seasons.In the case of precipitation reduction and warming in the study area,the NDVI of the VPS could still maintain an overall slow upward trend(0.04×10−3/month),indicating that the ecosystem is sustainable.Our findings suggest that the VPS has been successful in maintaining stability and sustainability under current climate change conditions and that it is possible to introduce the VPS in similar areas as a template for resistance to sand and drought hazards.

Recyclable thermally conductive poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)composites prepared via forced infiltration

With the rapid development of electronic equipment and communication technology,the demand for polymer composites with high thermal conductivity and mechanical properties has increased significantly.However,its nondegradable polymer matrix will inevitably bring more and more serious environmental pollution.Therefore,it is urgent to develop biodegradable thermally conductive polymer composites.In this work,biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-coterephthalate)(PBAT)is used as the matrix material,and vacuum-assisted filtration technology is employed to prepare carbon nanotube(CNT)and cellulose nanocrystal(CNC)networks with high thermal conductivity.Then CNT-CNC/PBAT composites with high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical properties are prepared by the ultrasonic-assisted forced infiltration method.Both experiment and simulation methods are used to systematically investigate the thermally conductive and dissipation performances of the CNT-CNC/PBAT composites.Above all,a simple alcoholysis reaction is applied to realize the separation of the PBAT matrix and functional fillers without destroying the conductive network skeleton,which makes it possible for the recycling of thermally conductive polymer composites.

Promoting the methanol oxidation catalytic activity by introducing surface nickel on platinum nanoparticles

High performance methanol oxidation reaction （MOR） catalysts are critical to the performance of attractive, direct methanol fuel cells. Here, we use surface controlled PtNi alloy nanoparticles as model catalysts to study the MOR mechanism and give further guidance to the design of new high performance MOR catalysts. The enhanced MOR activity of PtNi alloy was mainly attributed to the enhanced OH adsorption owing to surface Ni sites. This suggests that the MOR undergoes the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism, whereby adsorbed CO is removed with the assistance of adsorbed OH. Within the PtNi catalyst, Pt provides methanol adsorption sites （in which methanol is converted to adsorbed CO） and Ni provides OH adsorption sites. The optimized Pt-Ni ratio for MOR was found to be 1：1. This suggests that bifunctional catalysts with both CO and OH adsorption sites can lead to highly active MOR catalysts.