Remarkably Enhanced Methane Sensing Performance at Room Temperature via Constructing a Self-Assembled Mulberry-Like ZnO/SnO_(2) Hierarchical Structure

Development of metal oxide semiconductors-based methane sensors with good response and low power consumption is one of the major challenges to realize the real-time monitoring of methane leakage.In this work,a self-assembled mulberry-like ZnO/SnO_(2)hierarchical structure is constructed by a two-step hydrothermal method.The resultant sensor works at room temperature with excellent response of~56.1%to 2000 ppm CH_(4)at 55%relative humidity.It is found that the strain induced at the ZnO/SnO_(2)interface greatly enhances the piezoelectric polarization on the ZnO surface and that the band bending results in the accumulation of chemically adsorbed O_(2)^(-)ions close to the interface,leading to significant improvement in the sensing performance of the methane gas sensor at room temperature.

Effects of hierarchical structure on the performance of tin oxide-supported platinum catalyst for room-temperature formaldehyde oxidation

Flower-like tin oxide-supported platinum（Pt/SnOx） with a hierarchical structure was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD,SEM,TEM,high resolution TEM,XPS and nitrogen adsorption.The flower-like Pt/SnOx microspheres of 1 μm in diameter were composed of staggered petal-like nanosheets with a thickness of 20 nm.Pt nanoparticles（NPs） of 2-3 nm were well dispersed on the SnOx nanosheets.The catalyst was tested in the catalytic oxidation of gaseous formaldehyde（HCHO） at room temperature,and exhibited enhanced activity compared to Pt NPs supported on commercial SnO and ground SnOx.HCHO removal of 87%was achieved over the hierarchical Pt/SnOx after 1 h of reaction,which was 1.5 times that over the ground SnOx-supported Pt（Pt/g-SnOx）,and the high activity was maintained after six recycles,showing the high stability of this catalyst.HCHO decomposition kinetics was modeled as a second order reaction.The reaction rate constant for Pt/SnOx was 5.6 times higher than Pt/g-SnOx.The hierarchical pore structure was beneficial for the diffusion and adsorption of HCHO molecules,and the highly dispersed Pt NPs on the SnOx nanosheets were the active sites for the oxidative decomposition of HCHO into CO2 and H2O.This study provided a promising approach for designing efficient catalysts for indoor HCHO removal at ambient temperature.

High-performance all-solid-state polymer electrolyte with fast conductivity pathway formed by hierarchical structure polyamide 6 nanofiber for lithium metal battery

The utilization of all-solid-state electrolytes is considered to be an effective way to enhance the safety performance of lithium metal batteries.However,the low ionic conductivity and poor interface compatibility greatly restrict the development of all-solid-state battery.In this study,a composite electrolyte combining the electrospun polyamide 6(PA6)nanofiber membrane with hierarchical structure and the polyethylene oxide(PEO)polymer is investigated.The introduction of PA6 nanofiber membrane can effectively reduce the crystallinity of the polymer,so that the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte can be enhanced.Moreover,it is found that the presence of finely branched fibers in the hierarchical structure PA6 membrane allows the polar functional groups(C=O and N-H bonds)to be fully exposed,which provides sufficient functional sites for lithium ion transport and helps to regulate the uniform deposition of lithium metal.Moreover,the hierarchical structure can enhance the mechanical strength(9.2 MPa)of the electrolyte,thereby effectively improving the safety and cycle stability of the battery.The prepared Li/Li symmetric battery can be stably cycled for 1500 h under 0.3 mA cm^(-2) and 60℃.This study demonstrates that the prepared electrolyte has excellent application prospects in the next generation all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

Hierarchical structure observation and nanoindentation size effect characterization for a limnetic shell

In the present research, hierarchical structure observation and mechanical property characterization for a type of biomaterial are carried out. The investigated bioma- terial is Hyriopsis cumingii, a typical limnetic shell, which consists of two different structural layers, a prismatic ＂pillar＂ structure and a nacreous ＂brick and mortar＂ structure. The prismatic layer looks like a ＂pillar forest＂ with variationsection pillars sized on the order of several tens of microns. The nacreous material looks like a ＂brick wall＂ with bricks sized on the order of several microns. Both pillars and bricks are composed of nanoparticles. The mechanical properties of the hierarchical biomaterial are measured by using the nanoindentation test. Hardness and modulus are measured for both the nacre layer and the prismatic layer, respectively. The nanoindentation size effects for the hierarchical structural materials are investigated experimentally. The results show that the prismatic nanostructured material has a higher stiffness and hardness than the nacre nanostructured material. In addition, the nanoindentation size effects for the hierarchical structural materials are described theoretically, by using the trans-scale mechanics theory considering both strain gradient effect and the surface/interface effect. The modeling results are consistent with experimental ones.

Analysis of SSRs Uncovers Hierarchical Structure and Genetic Diversity in Chinese Soybean Landraces

For clarifying the hierarchical patterns of population structure of soybean landraces in China, the seven clusters previously identified using Bayesian clustering of 1 504 soybean landraces based on SSR markers genotyping data were further analyzed. Using the largest value of AK, these landraces could be split into 20 sub-clusters, which was supported by highly significant pairwise Fst-values and generally in accordance with the geographic origin and sowing types. The autumn-sowing types ended up in one distinct sub-cluster from the otherwise summer-sowing type, where the autumn- sowing types are most likely derived from. The division into 20 sub-clusters explained 7.3% of the genetic variation, next to 9.7% present among the seven clusters, 81.1% residing among landraces within sub-clusters, and 1.9% within the landraces. The distribution pattern of genetic diversity among the sub-clusters of each cluster was uneven, with two HSuM sub-clusters （Central China） and some South China sub-clusters showing significantly higher level of genetic diversity.

Superamphiphobic, light-trapping FeSe2 particles with a micro-nano hierarchical structure obtained by an improved solvothermal method

Wettability and the light-trapping effect of FeSe2 particles with a micro-nano hierarchical structure have been inves- tigated. Particles are synthesized by an improved solvothermal method, wherein hexadecyl trimetbyl ammonium bromide （CTAB） is employed as a surfactant. After modifying the particles with heptadecafluorodecyltrimethoxy-silane （HTMS）, we find that the water contact angle （WCA） of the FeSe2 particles increases by 6.1~ and the water sliding angle （WSA） decreases by 2.5~ respectively, and the diffuse reflectivity decreases 29.4% compared with similar FeSe2 particles synthe- sized by the conventional method. The growth process of the particles is analyzed and a growth scenario is given. Upon altering the PH values of the water, we observe that the superhydrophobic property is maintained quite consistently across a wide PH range of 1-14. Moreover, the modified particles were also found to be superoleophobic. To the best of our knowledge, there is no systematic research on the wettability of FeSe2 particles, so our research provides a reference for other researchers.

Analyzing the Urban Hierarchical Structure Based on Multiple Indicators of Economy and Industry: An Econometric Study in China

For a city,analyzing its advantages,disadvantages and the level of economic development in a country is important,especially for the cities in China developing at flying speed.The corresponding literatures for the cities in China have not considered the indicators of economy and industry in detail.In this paper,based on multiple indicators of economy and industry,the urban hierarchical structure of 285 cities above the prefecture level in China is investigated.The indicators from the economy,industry,infrastructure,medical care,population,education,culture,and employment levels are selected to establish a new indicator system for analyzing urban hierarchical structure.The factor analysis method is used to investigate the relationship between the variables of selected indicators and obtain the score of each common factor and comprehensive scores and rankings for 285 cities above the prefecture level in China.According to the comprehensive scores,285 cities above the prefecture level are clustered into 15 levels by using K-means clustering algorithm.Then,the hierarchical structure system of the cities above the prefecture level in China is obtained and corresponding policy implications are proposed.The results and implications can not only be applied to the urban planning and development in China but also offer a reference on other developing countries.The methodologies used in this paper can also be applied to study the urban hierarchical structure in other countries.

A Soy Protein-Based Composite Film with a Hierarchical Structure Inspired by Nacre

Soy protein-based composite film is a potential replacement for petroleum-based film with multipurpose applica-tions and cleaner production.It is difficult to improve both the tensile strength and toughness of a protein-based film without sacrificing its elongation.In this study,inspired by the hierarchical structure of nacre,a facile yet delicate strategy was developed to fabricate a novel bio-based film with excellent toughness and high strength.Triglycidylamine(TGA)crosslinked soy protein(SPI)as hard phase and thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer(TPU)as soft phase comprise an alternative lay-up hierarchical structure.The interface of these two phases is enhanced using triglycidylamine(TGA)surface-modified TPU(MTPU).The tensile strength of SPI/MTPU/TGA films increases by 392%to 7.78 MPa and their toughness increases by 391%to 8.50 MJ/m^(3) compared to soy protein/glycerol film.The proposed hierarchical structure can also be extended to other high-performance materials and polymers.

High mass loading NiCo_(2)O_(4) with shell-nanosheet/core-nanocage hierarchical structure for high-rate solid-state hybrid supercapacitors

Rational design of advanced structure for transition metal oxides(TMOs) is attractive for achieving high-performance supercapacitors.However, it is hampered by sluggish reaction kinetics, low mass loading, and volume change upon cycling. Herein, hierarchical Ni Co_(2)O_(4) architectures with 2D-nanosheets-shell and 3D-nanocages-core(2D/3D h-NCO) are directly assembled on nickel foam via a facile one-step way.The 2D nanosheets are in-situ generated from the self-evolution of initial NCO nanospheres. This 2D/3D hierarchical structures ensure fast ion/electron transport and maintain the structural integrity to buffer the volume expansion. The 2D/3D h-NCO electrode with an ultrahigh mass loading(30 mg cm^(-2)) achieves a high areal capacity of 4.65 C cm^(-2)(equivalent to 1.29 mAh cm^(-2)) at a current density of 4 mA cm^(-2), and retains 3.7 C cm^(-2) even at 50 mA cm^(-2). Furthermore, the assembled solid-state hybrid supercapacitor yields a high volumetric energy density of 4.25 mWh cm^(-3) at a power density of 39.3 mW cm^(-3), with a high capacity retention of 92.4% after 5000 cycles. Therefore, this work provides a new insight to constuct hierarchical electrodes for energy storage application.

Multiple Needle Electrospinning for Fabricating Composite Nanofibers with Hierarchical Structure

Electrospinning is a powerful method for fabricating micro/nano fibers that can be applied to various fields.Composite materials with nanoscale structure can show more excellent properties than their conventional partners.Here,we reported hierarchical structured nanofibers with beads and spheres by double needle electrospinning with an auxiliary airflow.Two different spinning solutions with different concentrations were placed into different syringes.The action of airflow was able to make the two differently morphological nanofibers mixed together evenly.The results showed that the obtained nanofiber membrane has a good hierarchical structure with different morphologies.

Simultaneous optimization and control for polypropylene grade transition with two-layer hierarchical structure

In this paper,a two-layer hierarchical structure of optimization and control for polypropylene grade transition was raised to overcome process uncertain disturbances that led to the large deviation between the open-loop reference trajectory and the actual process.In the upper layer,the variant time scale based control vector parametric methods(VTS-CVP) was used for dynamic optimization of transition reference trajectory,while nonlinear model predictive controller(NMPC) based on closed-loop subspace and piece-wise linear(SSARX-PWL) model in the lower layer was tracking to the reference trajectory from the upper layer for overcoming high-frequency disturbances.Besides,mechanism about trajectory deviation detection and optimal trajectory updating online were introduced to ensure a smooth transition for the entire process.The proposed method was validated with the real data from an industrial double-loop propylene polymerization reaction process with developed dynamic mechanism mathematical model.

Self-Preloading Flexible Attachment Actuator with Multi-Mechanism Hierarchical Structure

Flexible attachment actuators are popular in a wide range of applications,owing to their flexibility and highly reliable attachment.However,their reversible adhesion performance depends on the actual effective contact area and peel angle during operation.Therefore,a good actuator must ensure a uniform and reliable pre-pressure load on an adhesive surface,to increase the effective contact area of the attached surface,thereby maximizing adhesion.This study was inspired by fusion bionics for designing a hierarchical attachment structure with vacuum-adsorption and dry-adhesion mechanisms.The designed structure used the normal force under the negative pressure of a suction cup as a stable source of a pre-pressure load.By optimizing the rigid and flexible structural layers of the attachment structure,a load was applied uniformly to the adhesion area;thus,reliable attachment was achieved by self-preloading.The structure achieved detachment by exploiting the large deformation of a pneumatic structure under a positive pressure.The hierarchical attachment structure achieved up to 85%of the optimal performance of the adhesive surface.Owing to its self-preloading and reliable attachment characteristics,the designed structure can be used as an attachment unit in various complex scenarios,such as small,lightweight climbing platforms and the transport of objects in long,narrow pipelines.

Recent Progress of Bionic Hierarchical Structure in the Field of Thermal Insulation Protection

Some living organisms with hierarchical structures in nature have received extensive attention in various fields.The hierarchical structure with multiple pores,a large number of solid-gas interfaces and tortuous conduction paths provide a new direction for the development of thermal insulation materials,making the living creatures under these extreme conditions become the bionic objects of scientific researchers.In this review,the research progress of bionic hierarchical structure in the field of heat insulation is highlighted.Polar bears,cocoons,penguin feathers and wool are typical examples of heat preservation hierarchy in nature to introduce their morphological characteristics.At the same time,the thermal insulation mechanism,fractal model and several preparation methods of bionic hierarchical structures are emphatically discussed.The application of hierarchical structures in various fields,especially in thermal insulation and infrared thermal stealth,is summarised.Finally,the hierarchical structure is prospected.

Role of Multi-scale Hierarchical Structures in Regulating Wetting State and Wetting Properties of Structured Surfaces

Amplifying the intrinsic wettability of substrate material by changing the solid/liquid contact area is considered to be the main mechanism for controlling the wettability of rough or structured surfaces.Through theoretical analysis and experimental exploration,we have found that in addition to this wettability structure amplification effect,the surface structure also simultaneously controls surface wettability by regulating the wetting state via changing the threshold Young angles of the Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel wetting regions.This wetting state regulation effect provides us with an alternative strategy to overcome the inherent limitation in surface chemistry by tailoring surface structure.The wetting state regulation effect created by multi-scale hierarchical structures is quite significant and plays is a crucial role in promoting the superhydrophobicity,superhydrophilicity and the transition between these two extreme wetting properties,as well as stabilizing the Cassie-Baxter superhydrophobic state on the fabricated lotus-like hierarchically structured Cu surface and the natural lotus leaf.

Bioinspired Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Coating on Titanium Alloy with Hierarchical Structure for Modulating Cellular Functions

3D-printed Porous Titanium Alloy Implants(pTi),owing to their biologically inertness and relatively smooth surface morphology,adversely affect the biological functions of surrounding cells.To address the challenges,constructing a bioinspired interface that mimics the hierarchical structure of bone tissue can enhance the cellular functions of cells.In this context,Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles(HMSNs),renowned for their unique physicochemical properties and superior biocompatibility,offer a promising direction for this research.In this research,the initially synthesized HMSNs were used to construct a“hollow-mesoporous-macroporous”hierarchical bioinspired coating on the pTi surface through the Layer-by-Layer technique.Simultaneously,diverse morphologies of coatings were established by adjusting the deposition strategy of PDDA/HMSNs on the pTi surface(pTi-HMSN-2,pTi-HMSN-4,pTi-HMSN-6).A range of techniques were employed to investigate the physicochemical properties and regulation of cellular biological functions of the diverse HMSN coating strategies.Notably,the pTi-HMSN-4 and pTi-HMSN-6 groups exhibited the uniform coatings,leading to a substantial enhancement in surface roughness and hydrophilicity.Meantime,the coating constructed strategy of pTi-HMSN-4 possessed commendable stability.Based on the aforementioned findings,both pTi-HMSN-4 and pTi-HMSN-6 facilitated the adhesion,spreading,and pseudopodia extension of BMSCs,which led to a notable upsurge in the expression levels of vinculin protein in BMSCs.Comprehensive analysis indicates that the coating,when PDDA/HMSNs are deposited four times,possesses favorable overall performance.The research will provide a solid theoretical basis for the translation of HMSN bioinspired coatings for orthopedic implants.

Designing hierarchical structures for innovative cooling textile

The potential of personal cooling technologies in reducing air conditioning energy consumption and enhancing human thermal comfort is substantial.This review focuses on recent advancements in hierarchical structure design for innovative cooling textiles.Beginning with insights into fundamental heat transfer processes between the human body,textile,and the surroundings,we uncover key control mechanisms.Then the advanced hierarchical structure designs enabling effective radiation,sweat evaporation,conduction management,and integration of cold energy sources for realizing effective human body cooling are systematically summarized.Additionally,we explore multifunctional designs beyond cooling,including switchable cooling-heating and sensing.Finally,we engage in discussions on unifying cooling performance tests and additional multiple requirements to make strides toward practical applications.This review is anticipated to be a valuable resource,providing the scientific and industrial communities with a quick grasp of past advancements,current challenges,and future directions in achieving effective human body cooling.

Wearable synthetic leather-based high-performance X-ray shielding materials enabled by the plant polyphenol-and hierarchical structure-facilitated dispersion

Effective protection against X-ray is the premise of utilizing the X-ray,thus it is critical to develop novel X-ray shielding materials with both low density and high X-ray attenuation efficiency.As the even distribution of high-Z element components is of great significance for increasing the attenuation efficiency of X-ray shielding materials,in this study,the microfiber membrane(MFM),a type of synthetic leather featuring hierarchical structure was chosen to provide large surface area for the dispersion of rare earth(RE)element.Meanwhile,plant polyphenol was utilized to achieve the stable loading and uniform dispersion of the Ce or Er into MFM.Benefiting from the assistance of polyphenol and hierarchical structure of MFM,the even dispersion of RE element was successfully realized.The resultant shielding materials displayed approximately 10%superior X-ray attenuation efficiency compared to that without polyphenol,and an averagely 9%increment in X-ray attenuation efficiency than that without hierarchical structure.Moreover,the obtained composite with a thickness of 2.8 mm displayed superior X-ray shielding performance compared to 0.25 mm lead sheet in 16-83 keV and retained an ultralow density of 1.4 g cm^(-3).Our research results would shed new light on the manufacture of high-performance X-ray shielding materials with excellent X-ray shielding performance.

Nano-Au-decorated hierarchical porous cobalt sulfide derived from ZIF-67 toward optimized oxygen evolution catalysis:Important roles of microstructures and electronic modulation

Enhancing both the number of active sites available and the intrinsic activity of Co-based electrocatalysts simultaneously is a desirable goal.Herein,a ZIF-67-derived hierarchical porous cobalt sulfide decorated by Au nanoparticles(NPs)(denoted as HP-Au@CoxSy@ZIF-67)hybrid is synthesized by low-temperature sulfuration treatment.The well-defined macroporous-mesoporous-microporous structure is obtained based on the combination of polystyrene spheres,as-formed CoxSy nanosheets,and ZIF-67 frameworks.This novel three-dimensional hierarchical structure significantly enlarges the three-phase interfaces,accelerating the mass transfer and exposing the active centers for oxygen evolution reaction.The electronic structure of Co is modulated by Au through charge transfer,and a series of experiments,together with theoretical analysis,is performed to ascertain the electronic modulation of Co by Au.Meanwhile,HP-Au@CoxSy@ZIF-67 catalysts with different amounts of Au were synthesized,wherein Au and NaBH4 reductant result in an interesting“competition effect”to regulate the relative ratio of Co^(2+)/Co^(3+),and moderate Au assists the electrochemical performance to reach the highest value.Consequently,the optimized HP-Au@CoxSy@ZIF-67 exhibits a low overpotential of 340 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2)and a Tafel slope of 42 mV dec-1 for OER in 0.1 M aqueous KOH,enabling efficient water splitting and Zn-air battery performance.The work here highlights the pivotal roles of both microstructural and electronic modulation in enhancing electrocatalytic activity and presents a feasible strategy for designing and optimizing advanced electrocatalysts.

Achieving the synergistic of strength and ductility in Mg-15Gd-1Zn-0.4Zr alloy with hierarchical structure

Currently,the hierarchical structure is one of the most effective means to enhance the strength and plasticity of metal materials,since the strain localization can be effectively delayed by the coordination of the unique microstructure.In this study,a hierarchical structure of Mg-15Gd-1Zn-0.4Zr(GZ151K)alloys containing grain,twin,and precipitation structural units was prepared by ultrasonic surface rolling process(USRP)and recrystallization annealing(RU).The results showed that the stress gradient generated by USRP formed a twin gradient structure,which will activate the twin-assisted precipitation(TAP)effect and twin-induced recrystallization(TIR)effect during RU.Then,the twin gradient structure transformed into a twin-precipitation gradient structure,and finally into a hierarchical structure with grain-twinprecipitation as the increasement of recrystallization degree.Besides,the dual gradient structure with twin and precipitation structural units had the highest strength and microhardness owing to the precipitation strengthening.However,the hierarchical structure with grain,twin,and precipitation structural units exhibited the most excellent combination of strength and plasticity under grain refinement and precipitation strengthening.

Integration of Multiple Heterointerfaces in a Hierarchical 0D@2D@1D Structure for Lightweight,Flexible,and Hydrophobic Multifunctional Electromagnetic Protective Fabrics

The development of wearable multifunctional electromagnetic protective fabrics with multifunctional,low cost,and high efficiency remains a challenge.Here,inspired by the unique flower branch shape of“Thunberg’s meadowsweet”in nature,a nanofibrous composite membrane with hierarchical structure was constructed.Integrating sophisticated 0D@2D@1D hierarchical structures with multiple heterointerfaces can fully unleash the multifunctional application potential of composite membrane.The targeted induction method was used to precisely regulate the formation site and morphology of the metal–organic framework precursor,and intelligently integrate multiple heterostructures to enhance dielectric polarization,which improves the impedance matching and loss mechanisms of the electromagnetic wave absorbing materials.Due to the synergistic enhancement of electrospinning-derived carbon nanofiber“stems”,MOF-derived carbon nanosheet“petals”and transition metal selenide nano-particle“stamens”,the CoxSey/NiSe@CNSs@CNFs(CNCC)composite membrane obtains a minimum reflection loss value(RL_(min))of-68.40 dB at 2.6 mm and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 8.88 GHz at a thin thickness of 2.0 mm with a filling amount of only 5 wt%.In addition,the multi-component and hierarchical heterostructure endow the fibrous membrane with excellent flexibility,water resistance,thermal management,and other multifunctional properties.This work provides unique perspectives for the precise design and rational application of multifunctional fabrics.