Design Principles and Mechanistic Understandings of Non-Noble-Metal Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Zinc-Air Batteries

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are promising energy storage systems because of high theoretical energy density,safety,low cost,and abundance of zinc.However,the slow multi-step reaction of oxygen and heavy reliance on noble-metal catalysts hinder the practical applications of ZABs.Therefore,feasible and advanced non-noble-metal elec-trocatalysts for air cathodes need to be identified to promote the oxygen catalytic reaction.In this review,we initially introduced the advancement of ZABs in the past two decades and provided an overview of key developments in this field.Then,we discussed the work-ing mechanism and the design of bifunctional electrocatalysts from the perspective of morphology design,crystal structure tuning,interface strategy,and atomic engineering.We also included theoretical studies,machine learning,and advanced characterization technologies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure-performance relationship of electrocatalysts and the reaction pathways of the oxygen redox reactions.Finally,we discussed the challenges and prospects related to designing advanced non-noble-metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ZABs.

Anisotropic etching mechanisms of 4H-SiC:Experimental and first-principles insights

Molten-alkali etching has been widely used to reveal dislocations in 4H silicon carbide(4H-SiC),which has promoted the identification and statistics of dislocation density in 4H-SiC single crystals.However,the etching mechanism of 4H-SiC is limited misunderstood.In this letter,we reveal the anisotropic etching mechanism of the Si face and C face of 4H-SiC by combining molten-KOH etching,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and first-principles investigations.The activation energies for the molten-KOH etching of the C face and Si face of 4H-SiC are calculated to be 25.09 and 35.75 kcal/mol,respectively.The molten-KOH etching rate of the C face is higher than the Si face.Combining XPS analysis and first-principles calculations,we find that the molten-KOH etching of 4H-SiC is proceeded by the cycling of the oxidation of 4H-SiC by the dissolved oxygen and the removal of oxides by molten KOH.The faster etching rate of the C face is caused by the fact that the oxides on the C face are unstable,and easier to be removed with molten alkali,rather than the C face being easier to be oxidized.

International law obligations for the disposal of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water under the principles of nuclear safety

The disposal of contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant is a significant international nuclear safety issue with considerable cross-border implications.This matter requires compliance not only with the law of the sea but also with the principles of nuclear safety under international law.These principles serve as the overarching tenet of international and China’s domestic nuclear laws,applicable to nuclear facilities and activities.The principle of safety in nuclear activities is fully recognized in international and domestic laws,carrying broad legal binding force.Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea violates its obligations under the principle of safety in nuclear activities,including commitments to optimum protection,as low as reasonably practicable,and prevention.The Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA)have breached the obligation of optimum protection by restricting the scope of assessments,substituting core concepts,and shielding dissenting views.In the absence of clear radiation standards,they have acted unilaterally without fulfilling the obligation as low as reasonably practicable principle.The discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water poses an imminent and unpredictable risk to all countries worldwide,including Japanese residents.Japan and the IAEA should fulfill their obligations under international law regarding disposal,adhering to the principles of nuclear safety,including optimum protection,the obligation as low as reasonably practicable,and prevention through multilateral cooperation.Specifically,the obligation to provide optimum protection should be implemented by re-evaluating the most reliable disposal technologies and methods currently available and comprehensively assessing various options.The standard of the obligation as low as reasonably practicable requires that the minimization of negative impacts on human health,livelihoods,and the environment should not be subordinated to considerations of cutting costs and expenses.Multilateral cooperation should be promoted through the establishment of sound multilateral long-term monitoring mechanisms for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water,notification and consultation obligations,and periodic assessments.These obligations under international law were fulfilled after the accidents at the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear power plants.The implications of the principles of nuclear safety align with the concept of building a community of shared future for nuclear safety advocated by China.In cases of violations of international law regarding the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water that jeopardize the concept of a community of a shared future for nuclear safety,China can also rely on its own strength to promote the implementation of due obligations through self-help.

First-Principles Investigation of Charge Transfer Mechanism of B-Doped 3C-SiC Semiconductor Material

This study delves into the charge transfer mechanism of boron (B)-doped 3C-SiC through first-principles investigations. We explore the effects of B doping on the electronic properties of 3C-SiC, focusing on a 12.5% impurity concentration. Our comprehensive analysis encompasses structural properties, electronic band structures, and charge density distributions. The optimized lattice constant and band gap energy of 3C-SiC were found to be 4.373 Å and 1.36 eV respectively, which is in agreement with previous research (Bui, 2012;Muchiri et al., 2018). Our results show that B doping narrows the band gap, enhances electrical conductivity, and influences charge transfer interactions. The charge density analysis reveals substantial interactions between B dopants and surrounding carbon atoms. This work not only enhances our understanding of the material’s electronic properties, but also highlights the importance of charge density analysis for characterizing charge transfer mechanisms and their implications in the 3C-SiC semiconductors.

Adaptive Optimal Discrete-Time Output-Feedback Using an Internal Model Principle and Adaptive Dynamic Programming

In order to address the output feedback issue for linear discrete-time systems, this work suggests a brand-new adaptive dynamic programming(ADP) technique based on the internal model principle(IMP). The proposed method, termed as IMP-ADP, does not require complete state feedback-merely the measurement of input and output data. More specifically, based on the IMP, the output control problem can first be converted into a stabilization problem. We then design an observer to reproduce the full state of the system by measuring the inputs and outputs. Moreover, this technique includes both a policy iteration algorithm and a value iteration algorithm to determine the optimal feedback gain without using a dynamic system model. It is important that with this concept one does not need to solve the regulator equation. Finally, this control method was tested on an inverter system of grid-connected LCLs to demonstrate that the proposed method provides the desired performance in terms of both tracking and disturbance rejection.

Scientific principles for accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)are significantly off-course as we reach the midpoint of their 2030 deadline.From a scientific perspective,the critical challenge in achieving the SDGs lies in the need for more scientific principles to understand the complex socio-ecological systems(SES)and their interactions influencing the 17 SDGs.Here,we propose a scientific framework to clarify the common scientific principles and the rational treatment of diversity under these principles.The framework’s core is revealing the complex mechanisms underlying the achievement of each Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)and SDG interactions.Building upon the identified mechanisms,complex SES models can be established,and the implementation of SDGs can be formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem,seeking a compromise in competition between essential costs and desired benefits.Our framework can assist countries,and even the world in accelerating progress towards the SDGs.

The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence:Connotations in International Law and Contemporary Relevance

The year 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence initiated by China.As an anchor foreign policy of New China and its first contribution of public product for the international community,the Five Principles have made a historic contribution to the building of a new type of just and equitable international relations,advancing the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,and becoming universally applicable basic norms for international relations and key fundamental principles of international law.

Stochastic Maximum Principle for Optimal Advertising Models with Delay and Non-Convex Control Spaces

In this paper we study optimal advertising problems that model the introduction of a new product into the market in the presence of carryover effects of the advertisement and with memory effects in the level of goodwill. In particular, we let the dynamics of the product goodwill to depend on the past, and also on past advertising efforts. We treat the problem by means of the stochastic Pontryagin maximum principle, that here is considered for a class of problems where in the state equation either the state or the control depend on the past. Moreover the control acts on the martingale term and the space of controls U can be chosen to be non-convex but now the space of controls U can be chosen to be non-convex. The maximum principle is thus formulated using a first-order adjoint Backward Stochastic Differential Equations (BSDEs), which can be explicitly computed due to the specific characteristics of the model, and a second-order adjoint relation.

Sabatier principle guiding the design of cathode catalysts for Li-CO_(2) batteries

The Sabatier principle has been widely used for designing electrocatalysts for energy conversion applications,but it is rarely mentioned in the research of cathode catalyst of Li-CO_(2) batteries.In our work,the"volcanic"relationship between the catalytic activity and the adsorption energy of the catalyst to the intermediates is first demonstrated based on the first-principles calculation,which meets the Sabatier principle and can be used to design the cathode catalysts.The increases in the number of nitrogenvacancy in WN shift the d-band center and increase the interaction with the reactants.The catalytic activity increases first and then decreases with the increase of adsorption energy,which was proved in the experiment.The optimal catalyst for moderate adsorption of intermediate makes the thin LiaCO_(3) distribute evenly.It exhibits a median voltage difference of 0.68 V and an energy efficiency of 84.33%at20μA cm^(-2)with a limited capacity of 200μA h cm^(-2).

Principles of Shiology——Revealing the Basic Rules of Human Shiance

The objective principles of shiology are mainly reflected in three fields as food acquisition, eaters' health and shiance order. Most of the objective principles in the field of food acquisition have been revealed by agronomy and foodstuff science. This research mainly focuses on 10 principles in the field of eaters' health and shiance order and in addition, there are also five lemmas that extend from the above principles. The 10 principles are the core theory of the shiology knowledge system, which play an important role in the objective principles revealed by human beings and constitute one of the basic principles of human civilization. Compared with the scientific principles of mathematics, physics, chemistry and economics, the principles of shiology have three characteristics as popularity, practicability and survivability. The principles of shiology in the field of eaters' health are all around us, and everyone can understand and master them. Using the principles of shiology can improve the healthy life span of 8 billion people. The principles of shiology in the field of shiance order is an important tool of social governance, which can reduce human social conflicts, reduce social involution, improve overall efficiency of social operation, and maintain the sustainable development of human beings.

Lithium nitrate regulated carbonate electrolytes for practical Li-metal batteries: Mechanisms, principles and strategies

Li-metal batteries(LMBs)regain research prominence owing to the ever-increasing high-energy requirements.Commercially available carbonate electrolytes exhibit unfavourable parasitic reactions with Limetal anode(LMA),leading to the formation of unstable solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)and the breed of Li dendrites/dead Li.Significantly,lithium nitrate(LiNO_(3)),an excellent film-forming additive,proves crucial to construct a robust Li_(3)N/Li_(2)O/Li_(x)NO_(y)-rich SEI after combining with ether-based electrolytes.Thus,the given challenge leads to natural ideas which suggest the incorporation of LiNO_(3) into commercial carbonate for practical LMBs.Regrettably,LiNO_(3) demonstrates limited solubility(~800 ppm)in commercial carbonate electrolytes.Thence,developing stable SEI and dendrite-free LMA with the incorporation of LiNO_(3) into carbonate electrolytes is an efficacious strategy to realize robust LMBs via a scalable and cost-effective route.Therefore,this review unravels the grievances between LMA,LiNO_(3)and carbonate electrolytes,and enables a comprehensive analysis of LMA stabilizing mechanism with LiNO_(3),dissolution principle of LiNO_(3) in carbonate electrolytes,and LiNO_(3) introduction strategies.This review converges attention on a point that the LiNO_(3)-introduction into commercial carbonate electrolytes is an imperious choice to realize practical LMBs with commercial 4 V layered cathode.

An 8-Node Plane Hybrid Element for StructuralMechanics Problems Based on the Hellinger-Reissner Variational Principle

The finite element method (FEM) plays a valuable role in computer modeling and is beneficial to the mechanicaldesign of various structural parts. However, the elements produced by conventional FEM are easily inaccurate andunstable when applied. Therefore, developing new elements within the framework of the generalized variationalprinciple is of great significance. In this paper, an 8-node plane hybrid finite element with 15 parameters (PHQ8-15β) is developed for structural mechanics problems based on the Hellinger-Reissner variational principle.According to the design principle of Pian, 15 unknown parameters are adopted in the selection of stress modes toavoid the zero energy modes.Meanwhile, the stress functions within each element satisfy both the equilibrium andthe compatibility relations of plane stress problems. Subsequently, numerical examples are presented to illustrate theeffectiveness and robustness of the proposed finite element. Numerical results show that various common lockingbehaviors of plane elements can be overcome. The PH-Q8-15β element has excellent performance in all benchmarkproblems, especially for structures with varying cross sections. Furthermore, in bending problems, the reasonablemesh shape of the new element for curved edge structures is analyzed in detail, which can be a useful means toimprove numerical accuracy.

Fundamental Principles behind Climate Change

The attribution of climate change is complex,and the current mainstream view is more inclined towards human activities and carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels.Any complex problem is composed of basic principles.This article elaborates on the basic logic behind climate change(a global hot topic)through basic principles such as reaction types,carbon thermal properties of biomass energy,greenhouse gas attribution,ecological basic theory,and energy cycle.

Four Dimensions of Integrating Chinese Culture Into College English Teaching From the Perspective of Tyler’s Basic Principles

Integrating Chinese culture into college English can not only enhance students’humanities literacy and cultivate their cultural confidence,but also facilitate the inheritance and international dissemination of Chinese culture.Taking Tyler’s curriculum framework as the starting point,this paper analyzes some factors that affect the integration of Chinese culture into the college English teaching and proposes some strategies for the integration of Chinese culture into college English teaching by innovating teaching objectives,enriching teaching contents,transforming modes of course delivery,and reconstructing the assessment system.

“Three Beauties”Principle in the English Versions of“Jing Ye Si”--Translations by Xu and Fletcher as Examples

“Jing Ye Si”is a classical poem with international influence by the Chinese poet Li Bai in the Tang Dynasty,which expresses the poet’s deep nostalgia.This paper compares and analyzes its two English versions translated by the Chinese translator Xu Yuanchong and the British translator W.J.B.Fletcher based on the“three beauties”principle(beauty in sense,beauty in sound,and beauty in form),and discovers that the English version of Xu basically achieves the unity of the“three beauties”,while the English version of Fletcher realizes the“beauty in sound and form”,but deviates from the“beauty in sense”mainly owing to the inaccurate comprehension of the moon as an image and other factors.This analysis may afford us with certain reference in poetry translation.

Research on Teaching Methods of Flight Control Principles

With the rapid development of China’s civil aviation industry,the teaching method of operating knowledge of flight principles has changed greatly,which creates a good implementation environment to improve the safety of civil aviation in our country.At present,the main training content of air route transport pilots in China is basic aviation theory,initial flight training,airline modification,etc.The principles of flight control are an important part of basic aviation theoretical knowledge training,which will involve a large number of flight technology training content,instructors will also be based on the pilot type.Teaching flight control theory and practical knowledge requires relatively high theoretical learning ability of students,and the learning effect of this part of theoretical knowledge will directly affect the quality of subsequent learning,but also directly affect the effectiveness of flight training.This paper focuses on the analysis of the basic concepts of flight control,studies the existing problems in the teaching of flight control principles,summarizes the teaching measures of flight control principles,aiming to provide a reference to teaching personnel.

Research on the Course of Principles of Concrete Structure Design

Nowadays,education and teaching have become a hot topic,and teaching in colleges and universities is facing a brand-new development direction.Principles of Concrete Structure Design,as one of the main courses,transmits professional knowledge for students,enhances the students’professional ability,and further carries out in-depth research on the course to bring a better teaching effect for students.The article mainly focuses on the research of the principles of concrete structure design course,conducts an analysis of the teaching characteristics of the principles of concrete structure design course,and reasonably sets the teaching content from the optimization of the course teaching objectives;innovative course teaching methods can deepen the effect of knowledge understanding;reform of experimental practice teaching can lay down the effect of the internalization of knowledge,etc.The in-depth description and discussion of the relevant aspects of the research aim to provide guidelines for related research.

Probability Distribution of SARS-Cov-2 (COVID) Infectivity Following Onset of Symptoms: Analysis from First Principles

The phasing out of protective measures by governments and public health agencies, despite continued seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, leaves individuals who are concerned for their health with two basic options over which they have control: 1) minimize risk of infection by being vaccinated and by wearing a face mask when appropriate, and 2) minimize risk of transmission upon infection by self-isolating. For the latter to be effective, it is essential to have an accurate sense of the probability of infectivity as a function of time following the onset of symptoms. Epidemiological considerations suggest that the period of infectivity follows a lognormal distribution. This proposition is tested empirically by construction of the lognormal probability density function and cumulative distribution function based on quantiles of infectivity reported by several independent investigations. A comprehensive examination of a prototypical ideal clinical study, based on general statistical principles (the Principle of Maximum Entropy and the Central Limit Theorem) reveals that the probability of infectivity is a lognormal random variable. Subsequent evolution of new variants may change the parameters of the distribution, which can be updated by the methods in this paper, but the form of the probability function is expected to remain lognormal as this is the most probable distribution consistent with mathematical requirements and available information.

基于SPI-RRV指数中国气象干旱及其风险时空演变特征研究

为全面揭示变化环境下我国多维气象干旱特征,耦合气象干旱指数(SPI)和可靠性-回弹性-脆弱性(RRV)指数,提出了一种基于SPI-RRV指数的干旱风险评价方法,定量评价了中国气象干旱及其风险的时空演变特征。结果表明:SPI-RRV指数具有特征稳定和时空可比性强的特点,能够较为准确地评估气象干旱风险时空演变特征;南方平均干旱栅格比、干旱月占比和频次大于北方,湿润区和半湿润区干旱历时短、烈度大,半干旱区和干旱区干旱历时长、烈度相对较小;干旱高风险区转移具有显著年代际变化规律,空间上从西北向西南地区转移。

水资源-能源-粮食-生态系统耦合协调及驱动力分析

为加深对我国水资源、能源、粮食、生态系统协同演变趋势的认识,构建水资源-能源-粮食-生态多维系统指标体系,运用耦合协调度模型对我国2005—2020年水资源-能源-粮食-生态系统耦合协调度进行评价,并采用多因素归因分析法进行驱动力分析。结果表明:我国水资源-能源-粮食-生态系统耦合协调度从2005年的0.55增长到2020年的0.84,各地区耦合协调度从勉强协调发展水平过渡到中级协调发展水平,各子系统对耦合协调度上升的驱动分别经历了由粮食子系统到生态子系统再到水资源子系统主导的过程;能源子系统的贡献率虽然比较小,但是未来可能是各地区提升水资源-能源-粮食-生态系统多维系统协调发展水平的突破口。