Smart Cellulose‑Based Janus Fabrics with Switchable Liquid Transportation for Personal Moisture and Thermal Management

The Janus fabrics designed for personal moisture/thermal regulation have garnered significant attention for their potential to enhance human comfort.However,the development of smart and dynamic fabrics capable of managing personal moisture/thermal comfort in response to changing external environments remains a challenge.Herein,a smart cellulose-based Janus fabric was designed to dynamically manage personal moisture/heat.The cotton fabric was grafted with N-isopropylacrylamide to construct a temperature-stimulated transport channel.Subsequently,hydrophobic ethyl cellulose and hydrophilic cellulose nanofiber were sprayed on the bottom and top sides of the fabric to obtain wettability gradient.The fabric exhibits anti-gravity directional liquid transportation from hydrophobic side to hydrophilic side,and can dynamically and continuously control the transportation time in a wide range of 3–66 s as the temperature increases from 10 to 40℃.This smart fabric can quickly dissipate heat at high temperatures,while at low temperatures,it can slow down the heat dissipation rate and prevent the human from becoming too cold.In addition,the fabric has UV shielding and photodynamic antibacterial properties through depositing graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets on the hydrophilic side.This smart fabric offers an innovative approach to maximizing personal comfort in environments with significant temperature variations.

Molecular simulation study of the microstructures and properties of pyridinium ionic liquid[HPy][BF_(4)]mixed with acetonitrile

The microstructures and thermodynamic properties of mixed systems comprising pyridinium ionic liquid[HPy][BF_(4)]and acetonitrile at different mole fractions were studied using molecular dynamics simulation in this work.The following properties were determined:density,self-diffusion coefficient,excess molar volume,and radial distribution function.The results show that with an increase in the mole fraction of[HPy][BF_(4)],the self-diffusion coefficient decreases.Additionally,the excess molar volume initially decreases,reaches a minimum,and then increases.The rules of radial distribution functions(RDFs)of characteristic atoms are different.With increasing the mole fraction of[HPy][BF_(4)],the first peak of the RDFs of HA1-F decreases,while that of CT6-CT6 rises at first and then decreases.This indicates that the solvent molecules affect the polar and non-polar regions of[HPy][BF_(4)]differently.

Effect of liquid surface depression size on discharge characteristics and chemical distribution in the plasma-liquid anode system

Atmospheric pressure plasma-liquid interactions exist in a variety of applications,including wastewater treatment,wound sterilization,and disinfection.In practice,the phenomenon of liquid surface depression will inevitably appear.The applied gas will cause a depression on the liquid surface,which will undoubtedly affect the plasma generation and further affect the application performance.However,the effect of liquid surface deformation on the plasma is still unclear.In this work,numerical models are developed to reveal the mechanism of liquid surface depressions affecting plasma discharge characteristics and the consequential distribution of plasma species,and further study the influence of liquid surface depressions of different sizes generated by different helium flow rates on the plasma.Results show that the liquid surface deformation changes the initial spatial electric field,resulting in the rearrangement of electrons on the liquid surface.The charges deposited on the liquid surface further increase the degree of distortion of the electric field.Moreover,the electric field and electron distribution affected by the liquid surface depression significantly influence the generation and distribution of active species,which determines the practical effectiveness of the relevant applications.This work explores the phenomenon of liquid surface depression,which has been neglected in previous related work,and contributes to further understanding of plasma-liquid interactions,providing better theoretical guidance for related applications and technologies.

Enhancing CO_(2) transport with plasma-functionalized ionic liquid membranes

The ionic liquid(IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate treated with radiofrequency plasma is proposed for functionalization and immobilization on polyethersulfone supports to form supported ionic liquid membranes for CO_(2) separation.The effects of treatment time and transmembrane pressure difference on CO_(2) permeance were evaluated.The best gas permeation performance was obtained with a treatment time of 10 min and the transmembrane pressure difference was 0.25 MPa.Characterization of the materials by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrates that the IL is grafted with carboxyl groups and deprotonated through plasma treatment.A preliminary mechanism for the plasma treatment and facilitated transport of CO_(2)has been proposed on this basis.

Effect of fermented polypeptide of Sacha Inchi(Plukenetia volubilis L.)on the structure of liquid crystal emulsion

In order to study the action mechanism of Sacha Inchi polypeptide in liquid crystal emulsion,oil-in-water liquid crystal emulsions with Sacha Inchi fermented polypeptide as the active component were prepared.The microstructures,particle sizes,stabilities,thermodynamic properties,and rheological properties of liquid crystal emulsions with different concentrations of the fermentation products were observed by Polarizing microscope,Particle size meter,Thermogravimetric differential thermal synchronous measurement system,and Rheometer,respectively.The results showed that the average particle size of fermented peptide liquid crystal emulsion was(25.7±2.8)μm,and the liquid crystal structure was complete and stable.The content of bound water and liquid crystal in the emulsion with 1%Sacha Inchi polypeptide were higher than those in the blank emulsion and the emulsions with 3%and 5%Sacha Inchi polypeptide.Rheological results indicated that the viscosity of liquid crystal emulsion with the change curve of shear rate registered the shear thinning phenomenon,which belongs to non-Newtonian fluid.The hysteresis area,energy storage modulus,and loss modulus of the 1%additive amount of liquid crystal emulsion were larger than those of the blank emulsion and the emulsions with 3%and 5%Sacha Inchi polypeptide,indicating greater thixotropy and stronger shear resistance.The hydrophilic amino acid residues of the peptide in the 1%additive amount of the emulsion were combined with the water phase,while the hydrophobic amino acid residues of the peptide entered the oil phase,which formed a viscoelastic film at the oil-water interface,so that the liquid crystal emulsion had a more stable gel network structure.

Effects of ionic liquids on the vapor-liquid equilibrium of 1,3,5-trioxane-water system at 101.3 kPa

Increasing the 1,3,5-trioxane(TOX) concentration in the equilibrated vapor phase of TOX-H_(2)O system has been recognized as a challenge for the azeotrope. Ionic liquids(ILs) were used to improve the relative volatility of TOX to H_(2)O and destroy the azeotrope in the TOX-H2O system. The vapor-liquid equilibrium of TOX-H2O system at 101.3 kPa was studied with the addition of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate, respectively. The results showed that the volatility of TOX increased with the increase in IL dosage. And the volatility of water decreased with the increase in IL dosage. The relative volatility of TOX to H_(2)O was improved with the increase in ILs dosage. The azeotrope could be destroyed with an IL mole fraction of about 0.10. A non-random two-liquid(NRTL) model was successfully used to correlate the experimental data. The interaction parameters were obtained by fitting the experimental data with the model. The results indicated that a strong interaction existed between ILs and water. The strong interaction improved the volatility of TOX and inhibited the volatility of water, and then intensified the relative volatility of TOX to H_(2)O. The results showed that an ILs with strong polarity and hydrophilicity may be a potential additive to improve the TOX concentration in the equilibrated vapor phase.

A Novel Method for Determining the Void Fraction in Gas-Liquid Multi-Phase Systems Using a Dynamic Conductivity Probe

Conventional conductivity methods for measuring the void fraction in gas-liquid multiphase systems are typically affected by accuracy problems due to the presence of fluid flow and salinity.This study presents a novel approach for determining the void fraction based on a reciprocating dynamic conductivity probe used to measure the liquid film thickness under forced annular-flow conditions.The measurement system comprises a cyclone,a conductivity probe,a probe reciprocating device,and a data acquisition and processing system.This method ensures that the flow pattern is adjusted to a forced annular flow,thereby minimizing the influence of complex and variable gas-liquid flow patterns on the measurement results;Moreover,it determines the liquid film thickness solely according to circuit connectivity rather than specific conductivity values,thereby mitigating the impact of salinity.The reliability of the measurement system is demonstrated through laboratory experiments.The experimental results indicate that,in a range of gas phase superficial velocities 5–20 m/s and liquid phase superficial velocities 0.079–0.48 m/s,the maximum measurement deviation for the void fraction is 4.23%.

Full Dynamic Model for Liquid Sloshing Simulation in Cylindrical Tank Shape

This study presents a comprehensive full dynamic model designed for simulating liquid sloshing behavior within cylindrical tank structures. The model employs a discretization approach, representing the liquid as a network of interconnected spring-damper-mass systems. Key aspects include the adaptation of liquid discretization techniques to cylindrical lateral cross-sections and the calculation of stiffness and damping coefficients. External forces, simulating various vehicle maneuvers, are also integrated into the model. The resulting system of equations is solved using Maple Software with the Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method. This model enables accurate prediction of liquid displacement and pressure forces, offering valuable insights for tank design and fluid dynamics applications. Ongoing refinement aims to broaden its applicability across different liquid types and tank geometries.

Smart emulsion system driven by light-triggered ionic liquid molecules and its application in eco-friendly water-saving dyeing

The smart emulsification and demulsification system with the light response is a useful tool in various industries,including green chemistry,catalytic reaction,pharmaceuticals,and environmental remediation.Herein,an ionic liquid crystal compound with a light triggered switch based on the azobenzene group[(4-{3-methyl-1-[3-(8-octyloxyoctyl)oxy-4-oxobutanoyl]imidazo-lium-1-yl}octyl)oxy]-N-(4-methylphenyl)benzene-1,2-diazene bromide(MOIAzo),was designed and synthesized,which could cause reversible transition between emulsification and demulsification through the light trigger.The ionic liquid has an efficient photoinduced liquefaction process,which dramatically lowers the melting point of ionic liquids from 79 to 9.2 oC.This significantly broadens the liquid state temperature of the ionic liquid crystal.The ionic liquid crystal MOIAzo exhibits both photoinduced and thermally induced nematic liquid crystal properties.The smart emulsion system was effectively employed in an eco-friendly water-saving dyeing process of cationic dyes for cationic dyeable polyester(CDP)fabrics,which used only half the amount of water compared with the conventional water bath dyeing method.After dyeing,the oil and water phases can be efficiently separated through the light irradiation,and the oil phase can be reused for the subsequent dyeing process.This novel smart emulsion dyeing method greatly reduces the water consumption and wastewater discharge.MOIAzo as a lighttriggered ionic liquid molecule opens up new dimensions in green chemistry.

Smart chiral liquid crystal elastomers:Design,properties and application

Smart chiral liquid crystal elastomers are a class of soft photonic crystals with periodic nanostructures.There are two kinds of chiral liquid crystal elastomers with structural colors:cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers with a one-dimensional helical nanostructure and blue-phase liquid crystal elastomers with a three-dimensional photonic crystal nanostructure.The self-assembled nanostructure of chiral liquid crystal elastomers can be dynamically controlled under external stimulation,and the reflected color can be adjusted throughout the visible light range.Along with the development of innovative material systems and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies,researchers have proposed diverse strategies to design and synthesize chiral liquid crystal elastomers and have thoroughly investigated their properties and potential applications.Here,we provide a systematic review of the progress in the design and fabrication of smart chiral liquid crystal elastomers,focusing on the cholesteric liquid crystal elastomers via surface-enforced alignment,bar coating,3D printing,anisotropic deswelling methods as well as the three-dimensional selfassembly of blue-phase liquid crystal elastomers without additional alignment.Smart chiral liquid crystal elastomers are able to respond quickly to external stimuli and have a wide range of applications in areas such as adaptive optics,color-changing camouflage,soft robotics,and information encryption.This review concludes with a perspective on the opportunities and challenges for the future development of smart chiral liquid crystal elastomers.

Multi-dimensional multiplexing optical secret sharing framework with cascaded liquid crystal holograms

Secret sharing is a promising technology for information encryption by splitting the secret information into different shares.However,the traditional scheme suffers from information leakage in decryption process since the amount of available information channels is limited.Herein,we propose and demonstrate an optical secret sharing framework based on the multi-dimensional multiplexing liquid crystal(LC)holograms.The LC holograms are used as spatially separated shares to carry secret images.The polarization of the incident light and the distance between different shares are served as secret keys,which can significantly improve the information security and capacity.Besides,the decryption condition is also restricted by the applied external voltage due to the variant diffraction efficiency,which further increases the information security.In implementation,an artificial neural network(ANN)model is developed to carefully design the phase distribution of each LC hologram.With the advantage of high security,high capacity and simple configuration,our optical secret sharing framework has great potentials in optical encryption and dynamic holographic display.

An ionic liquid-assisted strategy for enhanced anticorrosion of low-energy PEO coatings on magnesium–lithium alloy

A low-energy plasma electrolytic oxidation(LePEO)technique is developed to simultaneously improve energy efficiency and anti-corrosion.Ionic liquids(1-butyl-3-methylimidazole tetrafluoroborate(BmimBF_(4)))as sustainable corrosion inhibitors are chosen to investigate the corrosion inhibition behavior of ionic liquid(ILs)during the LePEO process for LA91 magnesium-lithium(Mg-Li)alloy.Results show that the ionic liquid BmimBF_(4)participates in the LePEO coating formation process,causing an increment in coating thickness and surface roughness.The low conductivity of the ionic liquid is responsible for the voltage and breakdown voltage increases during the LePEO with IL process(LePEO-IL).After adding BmimBF_(4),corrosion current density decreases from 1.159×10^(−4)A·cm^(−2)to 8.143×10^(−6)A·cm^(−2).The impedance modulus increases to 1.048×10^(4)Ω·cm^(−2)and neutral salt spray remains intact for 24 h.The superior corrosion resistance of the LePEO coating assisted by ionic liquid could be mainly attributed to its compact and thick barrier layer and physical absorption of ionic liquid.The ionic liquid-assisted LePEO technique provides a promising approach to reducing energy consumption and improving film performance.

Liquid crystal-integrated metasurfaces for an active photonic platform

Metasurfaces have opened the door to next-generation optical devices due to their ability to dramatically modulate electromagnetic waves at will using periodically arranged nanostructures.However,metasurfaces typically have static optical responses with fixed geometries of nanostructures,which poses challenges for implementing transition to technology by replacing conventional optical components.To solve this problem,liquid crystals(LCs)have been actively employed for designing tunable metasurfaces using their adjustable birefringent in real time.Here,we review recent studies on LCpowered tunable metasurfaces,which are categorized as wavefront tuning and spectral tuning.Compared to numerous reviews on tunable metasurfaces,this review intensively explores recent development of LC-integrated metasurfaces.At the end of this review,we briefly introduce the latest research trends on LC-powered metasurfaces and suggest further directions for improving LCs.We hope that this review will accelerate the development of new and innovative LC-powered devices.

Phosphotungstic acid ionic liquid for efficient photocatalytic desulfurization:Synthesis,application and mechanism

An efficient mass transfer process is a critical factor for regulating catalytic activity in a photocatalytic desulfurization system.Herein,a phosphotungstic acid(HPW)active center is successfully composited with a quaternary ammonium phosphotungstate-based hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride ionic liquid(CTAC-HPW)by the ion exchange method for the photocatalytic oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene sulfide.The keggin structure of HPW and highly mass transfer performance of organic cations synergistically enhanced the photocatalytic activity towards the effective convertion of dibenzothiophene(DBT)with the excitation of visible light.The deep desulfurization(<10 mg·kg^(-1))is attained within 30 min,and well stability is demonstrated within 25 cycles.Moreover,the CTAC-HPW photocatalyst projects well selectivity to interference from coexisting compounds such as olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons and universality of dibenzothiophenes,for example,4-methyldibenzothiophene(4-MDBT)and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene(4,6-DMDBT).Ultimately,a possible photocatalytic desulfurization mechanism is proposed according to the Gaschromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS),proving that the final product is the corresponding sulfone.The trapping experiment and electron spin resonance(ESR)analysis confirmed that h^(+)and,COOH played critical roles in the oxidation process.The work offers a practicable strategy for efficiently converting DBT to DBTO_(2) with added value.

Ionic Liquid-Enhanced Assembly of Nanomaterials for Highly Stable Flexible Transparent Electrodes

The controlled assembly of nanomaterials has demon-strated significant potential in advancing technological devices.However,achieving highly efficient and low-loss assembly technique for nanomate-rials,enabling the creation of hierarchical structures with distinctive func-tionalities,remains a formidable challenge.Here,we present a method for nanomaterial assembly enhanced by ionic liquids,which enables the fabrication of highly stable,flexible,and transparent electrodes featuring an organized layered structure.The utilization of hydrophobic and non-volatile ionic liquids facilitates the production of stable interfaces with water,effectively preventing the sedimentation of 1D/2D nanomaterials assembled at the interface.Furthermore,the interfacially assembled nanomaterial monolayer exhibits an alternate self-climbing behavior,enabling layer-by-layer transfer and the formation of a well-ordered MXene-wrapped silver nanowire network film.The resulting composite film not only demonstrates exceptional photoelectric performance with a sheet resistance of 9.4Ωsq^(-1) and 93%transmittance,but also showcases remarkable environmental stability and mechanical flexibility.Particularly noteworthy is its application in transparent electromagnetic interference shielding materials and triboelectric nanogenerator devices.This research introduces an innovative approach to manufacture and tailor functional devices based on ordered nanomaterials.

Corrosion behavior of pure metals(Ni and Ti)and alloys(316H SS and GH3535)in liquid GaInSn

In this study,the interactions between a Ga-based liquid metal,GaInSn,and several metal materials,including pure metals(Ni and Ti)and alloys(316H stainless steel(SS)and GH3535),at 650℃were investigated.The aim was to evaluate the corrosion performance and select a suitable candidate material for use as a molten salt manometer diaphragm in thermal energy storage systems.The results indicated that the alloys(316H SS and GH3535)exhibited less corrosion than pure metals(Ni and Ti)in liquid GaInSn.Ga-rich binary intermetallic compounds were found to form on the surfaces of all the tested metal materials exposed to liquid GaInSn,as a result of the decomposition of liquid GaInSn and its reaction with the constituent elements of the metal materials.The corrosion mechanism for all the tested materials exposed to liquid GaInSn was also investigated and proposed,which may aid in selecting the optimal candidate material when liquid GaInSn is used as the pressure-sensing medium.

High-performance liquid metal electromagnetic actuator fabricated by femtosecond laser

Small-scale electromagnetic soft actuators are characterized by a fast response and simplecontrol,holding prospects in the field of soft and miniaturized robotics.The use of liquid metal(LM)to replace a rigid conductor inside soft actuators can reduce the rigidity and enhance the actuation performance and robustness.Despite research efforts,challenges persist in the flexible fabrication of LM soft actuators and in the improvement of actuation performance.To address these challenges,we developed a fast and robust electromagnetic soft microplate actuator based on a laser-induced selective adhesion transfer method.Equipped with unprecedentedly thin LM circuit and customized low Young’s modulus silicone rubber(1.03 kPa),our actuator exhibits an excellent deformation angle(265.25?)and actuation bending angular velocity(284.66 rad·s^(-1)).Furthermore,multiple actuators have been combined to build an artificial gripper with a wide range of functionalities.Our actuator presents new possibilities for designing small-scaleartificial machines and supports advancements in ultrafast soft and miniaturized robotics.

Circulating tumor DNA in liquid biopsy: Current diagnostic limitation

With the rapid development of science and technology,cell-free DNA(cfDNA)is rapidly becoming an important biomarker for tumor diagnosis,monitoring and prognosis,and this cfDNA-based liquid biopsy technology has great potential to become an important part of precision medicine.cfDNA is the total amount of free DNA in the systemic circulation,including DNA fragments derived from tumor cells and all other somatic cells.Tumor cells release fragments of DNA into the bloodstream,and this source of cfDNA is called circulating tumor DNA(ctDNA).cfDNA detection has become a major focus in the field of tumor research in recent years,which provides a new opportunity for non-invasive diagnosis and prognosis of cancer.In this paper,we discuss the limitations of the study on the origin and dynamics analysis of ctDNA,and how to solve these problems in the future.Although the future faces major challenges,it also con-tains great potential.

Multistate transition and coupled solid-liquid modeling of motion process of long-runout landslide

The recognition,repetition and prediction of the post-failure motion process of long-runout landslides are key scientific problems in the prevention and mitigation of geological disasters.In this study,a new numerical method involving LPF3D based on a multialgorithm and multiconstitutive model was proposed to simulate long-runout landslides with high precision and efficiency.The following results were obtained:(a)The motion process of landslides showed a steric effect with mobility,including gradual disintegration and spreading.The sliding mass can be divided into three states(dense,dilute and ultradilute)in the motion process,which can be solved by three dynamic regimes(friction,collision,and inertial);(b)Coupling simulation between the solid grain and liquid phases was achieved,focusing on drag force influences;(c)Different algorithms and constitutive models were employed in phase-state simulations.The volume fraction is an important indicator to distinguish different state types and solid‒liquid ratios.The flume experimental results were favorably validated against long-runout landslide case data;and(d)In this method,matched dynamic numerical modeling was developed to better capture the realistic motion process of long-runout landslides,and the advantages of continuum media and discrete media were combined to improve the computational accuracy and efficiency.This new method can reflect the realistic physical and mechanical processes in long-runout landslide motion and provide a suitable method for risk assessment and pre-failure prediction.

Ionic liquid derived electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting

Hydrogen production from electrochemical water splitting is a promising strategy to generate green energy,which requires the development of efficient and stable electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction and the oxygen evolution reaction(HER and OER).Ionic liquids(ILs)or poly(ionic liquids)(PILs),containing heteroatoms,metal-based anions,and various structures,have been frequently involved as precursors to prepare electrocatalysts for water splitting.Moreover,ILs/PILs possess high conductivity,wide electrochemical windows,and high thermal and chemical stability,which can be directly applied in the electrocatalysis process with high durability.In this review,we focus on the studies of ILs/PILs-derived electrocatalysts for HER and OER,where ILs/PILs are applied as heteroatom dopants and metal precursors to prepare catalysts or are directly utilized as the electrocatalysts.Due to those attractive properties,IL/PIL-derived electrocatalysts exhibit excellent performance for electrochemical water splitting.All these accomplishments and developments are systematically summarized and thoughtfully discussed.Then,the overall perspectives for the current challenges and future developments of ILs/PILs-derived electrocatalysts are provided.