Cascade utilization of full spectrum solar energy for achieving simultaneous hydrogen production and all-day thermoelectric conversion

Solar-driven photocatalytic water/seawater splitting holds great potential for green hydrogen production.However,the practical application is hindered by the relatively low conversion efficiency resulting from the inadequate utilization of solar spectrum with significant waste in the form of heat.Moreover,current equipment struggles to maintain all-day operation subjected to the lack of light during nighttime.Herein,a novel hybrid system integrating photothermal catalytic(PTC)reactor,thermoelectric generator(TEG),and phase change materials(PCM)was proposed and designed(named as PTC-TEG-PCM)to address these challenges and enable simultaneous overall seawater splitting and 24-hour power generation.The PTC system effectively maintains in an optimal temperature range to maximize photothermal-assisted photocatalytic hydrogen production.The TEG component recycles the low-grade waste heat for power generation,complementing the shortcoming of photocatalytic conversion and achieving cascade utilization of full-spectrum solar energy.Furthermore,exceptional thermal storage capability of PCM allow for the conversion of released heat into electricity during nighttime,contributing significantly to the overall power output and enabling PTC-TEG-PCM to operate for more than 12 h under the actual condition.Compared to traditional PTC system,the overall energy conversion efficiency of the PTC-TEG-PCM system can be increased by∼500%,while maintaining the solar-to-hydrogen efficiency.The advancement of this novel system demonstrated that recycling waste heat from the PTC system and utilizing heat absorption/release capability of PCM for thermoelectric application are effective strategies to improve solar energy conversion.With flexible parameter designing,PTC-TEG-PCM can be applied in various scenarios,offering high efficiency,stability,and sustainability.

Uncovering the electrooxidation behavior of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural on Ni/Co electrodes

Biomass,derived from plant photosynthesis that captures carbon dioxide to form carbohydrates,offers vast renewable reserves.The electrooxidation of biomass,coupled with the hydrogen evolution reaction,enables the simultaneous production of biomass-based plastic monomers and green hydrogen,attracting significant scholarly interest.However,ambiguity remains regarding the adsorption mechanism at the catalyst surface(Langmuir-Hinshelwood or Eley-Rideal)and the adsorbed substrate groups.To address this,we prepared a Ni/Co electrode for the electrooxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)into 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid(FDCA)through a corrosion reaction and electro-reduction pathway.HMF conversion reached 100.00%,FDCA yield reached 96.82%,and Faradic efficiency(FE)reached 92.14%.Meaningfully,utilizing in-situ spectroscopy and electrochemical methods,this work provided valuable insights into active sites and catalyst surface adsorption.

Al^(3+) doped CeO_(2) for proton conducting fuel cells

Developing high ionic conducting electrolytes is crucial for applying proton-conducting fuel cell(PCFCs)practically.The cur-rent study investigates the effect of alumina on the structural,morphological,electrical,and electrochemical properties of CeO_(2).Lattice oxygen vacancies are induced in CeO_(2) by a general doping concept that enables fast ionic conduction at low-temperature ranges(300-500℃)for PCFCs.Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction(XRD)patterns established the pure cubic fluorite structure of Al-doped CeO_(2)(ADC)samples and confirmed Al ions’fruitful integration in the CeO_(2) lattice.The electronic structure of the alumina-doped ceria of the materials(10ADC,20ADC,and 30ADC)has been investigated.As a result,it was found that the best composition of 30ADC-based electrolytes induced maximum lattice oxygen vacancies.The corresponding PCFC exhibited a maximum power output of 923 mW/cm^(2)at 500℃.Moreover,the investigation proves the proton-conducting ability of alumina-doped ceria-based fuel cells by using an oxide ion-blocking layer.

Highly Active Interfacial Sites in SFT-SnO_(2) Heterojunction Electrolyte for Enhanced Fuel Cell Performance via Engineered Energy Bands:Envisioned Theoretically and Experimentally

Extending the ionic conductivity is the pre-requisite of electrolytes in fuel cell technology for high-electrochemical performance.In this regard,the introduction of semiconductor-oxide materials and the approach of heterostructure formation by modulating energy bands to enhance ionic conduction acting as an electrolyte in fuel cell-device.Semiconductor(n-type;SnO_(2))plays a key role by introducing into p-type SrFe_(0.2)Ti_(0.8)O_(3-δ)(SFT)semiconductor perovskite materials to construct p-n heterojunction for high ionic conductivity.Therefore,two different composites of SFT and SnO_(2)are constructed by gluing p-and n-type SFT-SnO_(2),where the optimal composition of SFT-SnO_(2)(6∶4)heterostructure electrolyte-based fuel cell achieved excellent ionic conductivity 0.24 S cm^(-1)with power-output of 1004 mW cm^(-2)and high OCV 1.12 V at a low operational temperature of 500℃.The high power-output and significant ionic conductivity with durable operation of 54 h are accredited to SFT-SnO_(2)heterojunction formation including interfacial conduction assisted by a built-in electric field in fuel cell device.Moreover,the fuel conversion efficiency and considerable Faradaic efficiency reveal the compatibility of SFT-SnO_(2)heterostructure electrolyte and ruled-out short-circuiting issue.Further,the first principle calculation provides sufficient information on structure optimization and energy-band structure modulation of SFT-SnO_(2).This strategy will provide new insight into semiconductor-based fuel cell technology to design novel electrolytes.

Virtual source approach for maximizing resolution in high-penetration gamma-ray imaging

High-energy gamma-ray radiography has exceptional penetration ability and has become an indispensable nondestructive testing(NDT)tool in various fields.For high-energy photons,point projection radiography is almost the only feasible imaging method,and its spatial resolution is primarily constrained by the size of the gamma-ray source.In conventional industrial applications,gamma-ray sources are commonly based on electron beams driven by accelerators,utilizing the process of bremsstrahlung radiation.The size of the gamma-ray source is dependent on the dimensional characteristics of the electron beam.Extensive research has been conducted on various advanced accelerator technologies that have the potential to greatly improve spatial resolution in NDT.In our investigation of laser-driven gamma-ray sources,a spatial resolution of about 90μm is achieved when the areal density of the penetrated object is 120 g/cm^(2).A virtual source approach is proposed to optimize the size of the gamma-ray source used for imaging,with the aim of maximizing spatial resolution.In this virtual source approach,the gamma ray can be considered as being emitted from a virtual source within the convertor,where the equivalent gamma-ray source size in imaging is much smaller than the actual emission area.On the basis of Monte Carlo simulations,we derive a set of evaluation formulas for virtual source scale and gamma-ray emission angle.Under optimal conditions,the virtual source size can be as small as 15μm,which can significantly improve the spatial resolution of high-penetration imaging to less than 50μm.

Recent Progress in Atmospheric Chemistry Research in China: Establishing a Theoretical Framework for the “Air Pollution Complex”

Atmospheric chemistry research has been growing rapidly in China in the last 25 years since the concept of the“air pollution complex”was first proposed by Professor Xiaoyan TANG in 1997.For papers published in 2021 on air pollution(only papers included in the Web of Science Core Collection database were considered),more than 24000 papers were authored or co-authored by scientists working in China.In this paper,we review a limited number of representative and significant studies on atmospheric chemistry in China in the last few years,including studies on(1)sources and emission inventories,(2)atmospheric chemical processes,(3)interactions of air pollution with meteorology,weather and climate,(4)interactions between the biosphere and atmosphere,and(5)data assimilation.The intention was not to provide a complete review of all progress made in the last few years,but rather to serve as a starting point for learning more about atmospheric chemistry research in China.The advances reviewed in this paper have enabled a theoretical framework for the air pollution complex to be established,provided robust scientific support to highly successful air pollution control policies in China,and created great opportunities in education,training,and career development for many graduate students and young scientists.This paper further highlights that developing and low-income countries that are heavily affected by air pollution can benefit from these research advances,whilst at the same time acknowledging that many challenges and opportunities still remain in atmospheric chemistry research in China,to hopefully be addressed over the next few decades.

基于一步法制备超高PEO负载的亲CO_(2)气体分离膜用于高效碳捕集

针对日益增加的大气CO_(2)含量,膜技术被认为是一种有前景的碳捕集策略,其中亲CO_(2)分离膜已经展示出显著的应用潜力,特别是在CO_(2)/轻质气体分离方面。以聚环氧乙烷(PEO)为代表的CO_(2)亲和材料,因其与CO_(2)的特殊偶极-四极矩相互作用而吸引了广泛的研究关注。在此,我们报道了一种简便的一步合成方案,通过原位聚合高度柔性的小分子PEO来克服其高结晶度和低机械强度的局限性。得益于短链PEO与聚合物基体之间的复杂链缠绕,使线性PEO的负载高达90%(质量分数)。因此,分离性能轻松超过了著名的分离上限。此外,高结构稳定性使得分离膜在高进料压力(高达20 bar)下表现出更好的CO_(2)渗透系数和气体选择性。本研究同时改善了全聚合物膜的机械性能和气体分离性能,在工业碳捕集和气体净化领域展现出显著潜力。

Improving plasma sterilization by constructing a plasma photocatalytic system with a needle array corona discharge and Au plasmonic nanocatalyst

Efficient sterilization by a plasma photocatalytic system(PPS)requires strong synergy between plasma and photocatalyst to inactivate microorganisms while suppressing the formation of secondary pollutants.Here,we report that a PPS constructed from a needle array corona discharge and Au/TiO2plasmonic nanocatalyst could remarkably improve the sterilization of Escherichia coli(E.coli)and alleviate formation of the discharge pollutant O3.At 6 kV,the combination of corona discharge and Au/TiO2achieves sterilization efficiency of 100%within an exposure time of 5 min.At 5 kV and an exposure time of 8 min,the presence of Au/TiO2improves sterilization efficiency of the corona discharge from 73%to 91%and reduces the O3concentration from 0.38 to 0.04 ppm,whereas the presence of TiO2reduces the sterilization efficiency and O3concentration to 66%and 0.17 ppm,respectively.The Au/TiO2in the PPS enables a uniform corona discharge,enhances the interaction between plasma,E.coli and nanocatalysts,and suppresses the formation of O3.Further,the Au/TiO2can be excited by ultraviolet-visible light emitted from the plasma to generate electron-hole pairs,and thus contributes to the formation of reactive radicals and the oxidative inactivation of E.coli.The PPS constructed from a needle array corona discharge and Au-based plasmonic nanocatalyst provides a promising approach for developing high-efficiency sterilization techniques.

Degradation of sulfamethoxazole in water by dielectric barrier discharge plasma jet:influencing parameters,degradation pathway,toxicity evaluation

Sulfamethoxazole(SMX)is an antibiotic and widely present in aquatic environments,so it presents a serious threat to human health and sustainable development.A dielectric barrier discharge(DBD)plasma jet was utilized to degrade aqueous SMX,and the effects of various operating parameters(working gas,discharge power,etc)on SMX degradation performance were studied.The experimental results showed that the DBD plasma jet can obtain a relatively high degradation efficiency for SMX when the discharge power is high with an oxygen atmosphere,the initial concentration of SMX is low,and the aqueous solution is under acidic conditions.The reactive species produced in the liquid phase were detected,and OH radicals and O3were found to play a significant role in the degradation of SMX.Moreover,the process of SMX degradation could be better fitted by the quasi-first-order reaction kinetic equation.The analysis of the SMX degradation process indicated that SMX was gradually decomposed and 4-amino benzene sulfonic acid,benzene sulfonamide,4-nitro SMX,and phenylsulfinyl acid were detected,and thus three possible degradation pathways were finally proposed.The mineralization degree of SMX reached 90.04%after plasma treatment for 20 min,and the toxicity of the solution fluctuated with the discharge time but eventually decreased.

Grid Side Distributed Energy Storage Cloud Group End Region Hierarchical Time-Sharing Configuration Algorithm Based onMulti-Scale and Multi Feature Convolution Neural Network

There is instability in the distributed energy storage cloud group end region on the power grid side.In order to avoid large-scale fluctuating charging and discharging in the power grid environment and make the capacitor components showa continuous and stable charging and discharging state,a hierarchical time-sharing configuration algorithm of distributed energy storage cloud group end region on the power grid side based on multi-scale and multi feature convolution neural network is proposed.Firstly,a voltage stability analysis model based onmulti-scale and multi feature convolution neural network is constructed,and the multi-scale and multi feature convolution neural network is optimized based on Self-OrganizingMaps(SOM)algorithm to analyze the voltage stability of the cloud group end region of distributed energy storage on the grid side under the framework of credibility.According to the optimal scheduling objectives and network size,the distributed robust optimal configuration control model is solved under the framework of coordinated optimal scheduling at multiple time scales;Finally,the time series characteristics of regional power grid load and distributed generation are analyzed.According to the regional hierarchical time-sharing configuration model of“cloud”,“group”and“end”layer,the grid side distributed energy storage cloud group end regional hierarchical time-sharing configuration algorithm is realized.The experimental results show that after applying this algorithm,the best grid side distributed energy storage configuration scheme can be determined,and the stability of grid side distributed energy storage cloud group end region layered timesharing configuration can be improved.

Probing inelastic signatures of dark matter detection via polarized nucleus

We investigate the inelastic signatures of dark matter-nucleus interactions,explicitly focusing on the ramifications of polarization,dark matter splitting,and the Migdal effect.Direct detection experiments,crucial for testing the existence of dark matter,encounter formidable obstacles,such as indomitable neutrino backgrounds and elusive determination of dark matter spin.To overcome these challenges,we explore the potential of polarized-target dark matter scattering,examining the impact of nonvanishing mass splitting,and the role of the Migdal effect in detecting dark matter.Our analysis demonstrates the valuable utility of the polarized triple-differential event rate as an effective tool for examining inelastic dark matter.It enables us to investigate angular and energy dependencies,providing valuable insights into the scattering process.

浅谈复工复产过程中的质量及安全控制

建筑工程是国家永恒重点所抓的工程,关系到每栋房屋的建筑质量,也与人民的生命财产安全息息相关,做好建筑施工现场管理工作显得尤为重要。施工在一线的施工人员必须时时提醒并加以重视,高标准严要求地做好建筑管理和智能分工工作。论文根据施工现场实际经验,对建筑工程施工过程中由于不可抗力等原因造成的停工后的复工复产工作中出现的质量及安全控制重点难点问题和解决方法做了总结。

血栓调节蛋白抑制慢性肾脏病微炎症的机制研究进展

慢性肾脏病患者体内普遍存在一种微炎症状态,这种持续存在的炎症状态会进一步加重肾脏损伤。如何改善慢性肾脏病患者的微炎症状态是当今国内外研究关注的热点之一。而与肾脏血管内皮受损密切相关的血栓调节蛋白是调控体内多种生理反应的关键位点,具有抗凝、抗炎、保护内皮细胞及维持血管稳态的功能,可为慢性肾脏病抗炎治疗提供新的思路。因此,该文就血栓调节蛋白抑制慢性肾脏病微炎症的机制展开综述。

Association between Bmi1 and clinicopathological status of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

AIM： To investigate the clinicopathological roles of Bmil in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC）.METHODS： Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining for Broil were performed in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous paraffin-embedded esophageal specimens.RESULTS： The Bmil expression level was unaffected by gender and age. The level of Broil mRNA in ESCC was significantly higher than that in the adjacent non-cancerous tissues （2.181 ± 2.158 vs 0.931 ± 0.894, P = 0.0152）, and its over-expression was aggressively associated with lymph node metastasis （3.580 ± 2.487 vs 1.703 ± 0.758, P = 0.0003）, poorer cell differentiation （P = 0.0000） and advanced pathological stage （3.827± 2.673 vs 1.590 ± 0.735, P = 0.0001）. The patients were divided into high-expression and low-expression groups based on the median expression level of Bmi1 mRNA, and a shorter overall survival time in the former group was observed. Immunohistochemistry for Bmi1 oncoprotein showed diffusely positive, focally positive and negative expression in 44, 16 and 10 of 70 ESCC cases, respectively, compared with three, two and five of 10 adjacent non-cancerous cases （P = 0.027）. The positive rate of the oncoprotein in samples of histological grade Ⅲ was higher than that of grade Ⅱ（P = 0.031）, but its expression had no relation to the lymph node metastasis and pathological staging. In 70 ESCC samples, Bmi1 showed high intense expression in the cytoplasm and less or even no expression in the nucleus.CONCLUSION： Bmi1 was over-expressed in ESCC. Increased Bmi1 mRNA expression was significantly associated with ESCC progression, and the oncoprotein was largely distributed in the cytoplasm of tumor cells.

Animal models for the study of hepatitis B virus infection

Even with an effective vaccine, an estimated 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus （HBV） worldwide. Current antiviral therapies, including interferon and nucleot（s）ide analogues, rarely cure chronic hepatitis B. Animal models are very crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of chronic hepatitis B and developing new therapeutic drugs or strategies. HBV can only infect humans and chimpanzees, with the use of chimpanzees in HBV research strongly restricted. Thus, most advances in HBV research have been gained using mouse models with HBV replication or infection or models with HBV-related hepadnaviral infection. This review summarizes the animal models currently available for the study of HBV infection.

Investigation of Al2O3 and Fe2O3 transmission and transformation during the decomposition of phosphogypsum

Phosphogypsum(PG) is a solid waste produced in the phosphate fertilizer industry and is environmentally harmful.The decomposition of PG to recycle calcium and sulfur is a proper way to reutilize PG. Current work aims at enriching the basic theory of coal decomposition process of PG. The emphasis was laid on the exploration of impact of main impurities on the process. On the other hand, according to Reaction Module, Equilib Module, and Phase Diagram Module of FactS age, the simulation computation was done on the systems of pure gypsum mixed with coal,with or without impurities for avoiding other impurities interference. Later, possible reactions in the process were deduced. Additionally, experiments were conducted in a TG-DTA integrated thermal gravimetric analyzer and a tube furnace. The products from the experiments were characterized and analyzed to verify the accuracy of theoretical calculations. The results showed that these impurities can change the decomposition process of PG. For example, aluminum oxide was transformed to calcium sulfoaluminate, while iron oxide was transformed to dicalcium ferrite. Furthermore, the results help to further improve the basic theory of phosphogypsum decomposition.

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid production via catalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural:Catalysts,processes and reaction mechanism

Biomass conversion to value-added chemicals has received tremendous attention for solving global warming issues and fossil fuel depletion.5-Hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)is a key bio-based platform molecule to produce many useful organic chemicals by oxidation,hydrogenation,polymerization,and ring-opening reactions.Among all derivatives,the oxidation product 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid(FDCA)is a promising alternative to petroleum-based terephthalic acid for the synthesis of biodegradable plastics.This review analytically discusses the recent progress in the thermocatalytic,electrocatalytic,and photocatalytic oxidation of HMF into FDCA,including catalyst screening,synthesis processes,and reaction mechanism.Rapid fundamental advances may be possible in non-precious metal and metal-free catalysts that are highly efficient under the base-free conditions,and external field-assisted processes like electrochemical or photoelectrochemical cells.

Effect of solution treatment time on plasticity and ductile fracture of 7075 aluminum alloy sheet in hot stamping process

The effect of solution treatment time on the post-formed plasticity and ductile fracture of 7075 aluminum alloy in the hot stamping process was studied.Tensile tests were conducted on the specimens subjected to the hot stamping process with different solution treatment time.The digital image correlation(DIC)analysis was used to obtain the strain of the specimen.Based on the experiments and modeling,the Yld2000-3d yield criterion and the DF2014 ductile fracture criterion were calibrated and used to characterize the anisotropy and fracture behavior of the metal,respectively.Furthermore,the microstructure of specimens was studied.The experimental and simulation results indicate that the 7075 aluminum alloy retains distinct anisotropy after the hot stamping process,and there is no obvious effect of extending the solution treatment time on the material anisotropy.However,it is found that a longer solution treatment time can increase the fracture strain of the aluminum alloy during the hot stamping process,which may be related to the decrease of the second-phase particles size.

Enhancing toluene removal in a plasma photocatalytic system through a black TiO2 photocatalyst

An efficient toluene removal in air using a plasma photocatalytic system（PPS） not only needs favorable surface reactions over photocatalysts under the action of plasma,but also requires the photocatalysts to efficiently absorb light emitted from the discharge for driving the photocatalytic reactions. We report here that the PPS constructed by integrating a black titania（B-TiO2）photocatalyst with a dielectric barrier discharge（DBD） can effectively remove toluene with above 70% CO2 selectivity and remarkably reduced the concentration of secondary pollutants of ozone and nitrogen oxides at a specific energy input of 1500 J·l-1,while exhibiting good stability. Photocatalyst characterizations suggest that the B-TiO2 provides a high concentration of oxygen vacancies for the surface oxidation of toluene in DBD,and efficiently absorbs ultraviolet–visible light emitted from the discharge to induce plasma photocatalytic oxidation of toluene. The presence of B-TiO2 in the plasma region also results in a high discharge efficiency,facilitating the generation of large numbers of reactive species and thus the oxidation of toluene towards CO2. The greatly enhanced performance of the PPS integrated with B-TiO2 in toluene removal offers a promising approach to efficiently remove refractory volatile organic compounds from air at low temperatures.