Green Chemistry of Cellulose Acetate Membrane Plasticized by Citric Acid and Succinonitrile for Lithium-Ion Battery Application

Commercial lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)use polyolefins as separators.This has led to increased research on separators composed of renewable materials such as cellulose and its derivatives.In this study,the ionic conductivity of cellulose acetate(CA)polymer electrolyte membranes was enhanced via plasticization with citric acid and succinonitrile.The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of these plasticizers in improving cellulose-based separator membranes in LIBs.CA membranes were fabricated using solution casting technique and then plasticized with various concentrations of plasticizers.The structural,thermal,and electrochemical properties of the resulting membranes were characterized using Fourier Transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy,X-Ray Diffraction(XRD),Differential Scanning Calorimetry(DSC),Thermogravimetric Analysis(TGA),and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy(EIS).The FTIR and XRD results confirmed the successful incorporation of citric acid and succinonitrile into the polymer matrix,while the TGA analysis demonstrated the enhanced thermal stability of the plasticized membranes.The shift in the glass transition temperature was determined by DSC analysis.Most notably,the EIS results revealed a significant increase in ionic conductivity,achieving a maximum of 2.7×10^(-5) S/cm at room temperature.This improvement was attributed to the effect of plasticizers,which facilitated the dissociation of lithium salts and increase the mobility of the lithium ions.The ionic conductivities of plasticized CA membranes are better than those of unmodified CA membranes and commercially available Celgard separator membranes:4.7×10^(-6) and 2.1×10^(-7) S/cm,respectively.These findings suggest that citric acid and succinonitrile are effective plasticizers for cellulose acetate membranes,making them promising substitutes for commercial polyolefin separators in LIB applications.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CATION—CONDUCTIVE BLENDS PLASTICIZED WITH PROPYLENE CARBONATE

The cation—conductive blends plasticized with propylene carbonate were prepared. The blends exhibited good mechanical strength and single—cation conduction over a wide range of plasticizer composition. The plasticizer not only increases the conductivity of the blends but also decreases the electrochemical interface resistance between the blend and lithium electrode. The carrier in the blends obviously grows in number.

Microcellular Foaming of Plasticized Thin PC Sheet I.Effects of Processing Conditions

Novel microcellular foams using thin plasticized PC sheet were prepared by compression molding. The measurement results showed that T of plasticized PC was decreased and the molecular chain mobility was increased. Decrease in T and increase in chains mobility were contributed to the widen of foaming temperature window. Effects of processing conditions on cell size, cell density and relative density were also investigated. The experimental results show that the temperature, tributyl citrate and foaming agent content have more effects on the structures and morphology of the plasticized PC microcellular foam. Effects of experimental conditions on cell size distribution have also been discussed.

Irradiation Effect on Photodegradation of Pure and Plasticized Poly (4-Methylstyrene) in Solid Films

The photodegradation of irradiated thin films of poly (para-methylstyrene) with 265 nm radiations in the presence of airand as a function of irradiation time has been studied using UV-VIS, fluorescence and FT-IR Spectroscopic techniques. The influence of phthalate and terephthalate plasticizers on stability of poly (para-methylstyrene) towards irradiations was also investigated. Blending with phthalate plasticizers was found to cause a higher efficiency of photodegradation than that obtained in doping with terephthalate plasticizers. The intensity of absorption was also found to increase with time of irradiation and in change in the shape of the spectra at longer wavelength, thus indicating a possibility of photodegradation of polymer chains. The analysis of the FT-IR spectra of the irradiated and non-irradiated samples, shows a predominant absorption associated with carbonyl compounds with 1740 cm-1. In addition, the observed increase in the intensities of the carbonyl and hydroxyl regions of the FT-IR spectra, have provided an evidence for the photodegradation as well as photo-oxidation of polymeric chains. The presence of the plasticizer in the polymer backbone was found to accelerate the photodegradation of polymeric chains.

Rheological Studies on Glycerol Plasticized Gelatin and Its Blends with Epoxidized Soybean Oil

Blends of gelatin(Ge)plasticized with varying amounts of glycerol(Gly),buffer solution pH 10 and epoxidized soybean oil(ESO)to enhance hydrophobicity were prepared by mixing and injection-molding.Blends were characterized by rheological tests and microscopy to select optimal conditions for scaling up their processing.The effect of each component on rheological response was analyzed using parallel plate geometry.Coating of gelatin specimens with PDMS during rheological tests led to reliable and reproducible results since water evaporation was prevented.A gradual increment in ESO concentration led to blends with increased degree of phase separation,as evidenced by optical and confocal microscopy.Limited compatibility between ESO and Ge increased viscosity at high ESO levels,but up to 10%Gly could be replaced with ESO without a significant variation of rheological behavior.

Study the Influence of UV-Irradiation on the Photo Stability of Pure and Plasticized Poly (4-Vinyl Biphenyl) in Solid Films

The effect of UV irradiation and blending with phthalate and terephthalate plasticizers on the photo-stability of Poly (4-vinyl biphenyl) was studied at different intervals of irradiation time and in presence of air. The increase in irradiation time on the photodegradation of polymer thin films caused a change in the intensity and shape of the fluorescence band. It has been found that the stability of the polymer decreases with the increase of irradiation time, and to increases with the increase of the amount of added phthalate and terephthalate plasticizers, which is evidence of polymer photodegradation. The FT-IR spectra of irradiated pure and blended polymer with phthalate and terephthalate plasticizers showed a decrease in some absorption bands and increase in the other bands, this is also another factor for the occurrence of photo degradation of the irradiated polymer. The increase in the intensity of absorption of carbonyl and hydroxyl region, indicates a possible photogegradation of polymeric chains and the formation of alcohols, aliphatic ketones and to the increase in the number of (C=C) that resulted from hydrogen abstraction during chains-scission.

Chain Dynamics Heterogeneity in Plasticized Poly(vinyl butyral)(PVB) as Elucidated by Solid-State NMR

The chain dynamics heterogeneity of the poly(vinyl butyral)(PVB) plasticized by triethylene glycol bis(2-ethylhexa noate)(TEG-EH) was investigated by various solid-state NMR techniques.The plasticized PVB shows two domains in distinct molecular dynamics differences,namely,rigid and soft domains,where the latter is the plasticizer-rich domain.The time domain low field NMR was first used to investigate the dynamics heterogeneity of the plasticized PVB,and the results show the decreasing activated energy of components in the soft domain of plasticized PVB(E_a=20.2 kJ/mol) as compared with that of the pristine one(E_a=24.3 kJ/mol).Detailed dynamics heterogeneity was obtained by high-field NMR with site-specific features.The quadrupole-echo ~2H-NMR was adopted to elucidate the dynamics heterogeneity of the vinyl alcohol(VA) units,where only the hydroxyl group of VA is deuterated.The ~1H-^(13)C WISE NMR spectra show that there is not much difference in the mobility of the VB unit in PVB with and without plasticizer,whereas the glass transition temperature differed by approximately 53℃.This is further supported by Torchia's T_1 relaxation measurements.The origin of such an unusual phenomenon is attributed to the critical role of the remaining VA(~22%) in the soft domain,where the VA units locally aggregate through hydrogen bonding.Also,the existence of a mobility gradient in the VB unit has been demonstrated.Moreover,the mobility difference for VB with different stereo-geometry(meso or racemic conformation) is observed for the first time.This indicates the importance of modulating the ratio of meso over racemic VB for controlling the macroscopic perfo rmance of PVB.

Recent developments of anti-plasticized membranes for aggressive CO_(2)separation

Membrane separation technology provides an effective alternative to mitigate the massive carbon emission with high carbon capture productivity and efficiency.In the context of operating membranes under high CO_(2)pressures allows increased separation productivity and reduced gas compression cost,which,however,often leads to CO_(2)induced plasticization,a key hurdle for current gas separation membranes.In this review,we reviewed the latest development of membranes with anti-plasticization resistance,potentially suited for operation under high CO_(2)feed streams.Specifically,the separation performance of polymeric membranes,inorganic membranes,and mixed matrix membranes under high CO_(2)feed pressures are discussed.Approaches to enhance CO_(2)induced plasticization of those membranes are also summarized.We conclude the recent progress of membranes for high CO_(2)pressures with perspectives and an outlook for future development.

Neural stem cells promote neuroplasticity: a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Recent studies have demonstrated that neuroplasticity,such as synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis,exists throughout the normal lifespan but declines with age and is significantly impaired in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.Hence,promoting neuroplasticity may represent an effective strategy with which Alzheimer’s disease can be alleviated.Due to their significant ability to self-renew,differentiate,and migrate,neural stem cells play an essential role in reversing synaptic and neuronal damage,reducing the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease,including amyloid-β,tau protein,and neuroinflammation,and secreting neurotrophic factors and growth factors that are related to plasticity.These events can promote synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis to repair the microenvironment of the mammalian brain.Consequently,neural stem cells are considered to represent a potential regenerative therapy with which to improve Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.In this review,we discuss how neural stem cells regulate neuroplasticity and optimize their effects to enhance their potential for treating Alzheimer’s disease in the clinic.

Dopamine in the prefrontal cortex plays multiple roles in the executive function of patients with Parkinson's disease

Parkinson’s disease can affect not only motor functions but also cognitive abilities,leading to cognitive impairment.One common issue in Parkinson’s disease with cognitive dysfunction is the difficulty in executive functioning.Executive functions help us plan,organize,and control our actions based on our goals.The brain area responsible for executive functions is called the prefrontal co rtex.It acts as the command center for the brain,especially when it comes to regulating executive functions.The role of the prefrontal cortex in cognitive processes is influenced by a chemical messenger called dopamine.However,little is known about how dopamine affects the cognitive functions of patients with Parkinson’s disease.In this article,the authors review the latest research on this topic.They start by looking at how the dopaminergic syste m,is alte red in Parkinson’s disease with executive dysfunction.Then,they explore how these changes in dopamine impact the synaptic structure,electrical activity,and connection components of the prefrontal cortex.The authors also summarize the relationship between Parkinson’s disease and dopamine-related cognitive issues.This information may offer valuable insights and directions for further research and improvement in the clinical treatment of cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.

Causal Analysis Between Rice Growth and Cadmium Accumulation and Transfer under Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation

Cadmium(Cd)contamination in rice has been a serious threat to human health.To investigate the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)on the Cd translocation in rice,a controlled pot experiment was conducted.The results indicated that AMF significantly increased rice biomass,with an increase of up to 40.0%,particularly in root biomass by up to 68.4%.Notably,the number of prominent rice individuals also increased,and their plasticity was enhanced following AMF inoculation.AMF led to an increase in the net photosynthetic rate and antioxidant enzyme activity of rice.In the AMF treatment group,the Cd concentration in the rice roots was significantly higher(19.1%‒68.0%)compared with that in the control group.Conversely,the Cd concentration in the rice seeds was lower in the AMF treatment group,indicating that AMF facilitated the sequestration of Cd in rice roots and reduced Cd accumulation in the seeds.Path coefficients varied across different treatments,suggesting that AMF inoculation reduced the direct impact of soil Cd concentration on the total Cd accumulation in seeds.The translocation of Cd was consistently associated with simultaneous growth dilution and compensatory accumulation as a result of mycorrhizal effects.Our study quantitatively analyzed this process through path analysis and clarified the causal relationship between rice growth and Cd transfer under the influence of AMF.

Revealing the role of pyramidal slip in the high ductility of Mg-Li alloy

The high ductility of Mg-Li alloy has been mainly ascribed to a high activity of pyramidal<c+a>slip to accommodate plastic strain.In the present study,however,a quantitative analysis reveals that Li-addition can only slightly stimulate the activation of pyramidal<c+a>slip under compression along the normal direction of a hot-rolled Mg-4.5 wt.%Li plate,with a relative activity of approximately 18%.Although the limited activity of pyramidal<c+a>slip alone cannot accommodate a large plastic strain,it effectively reduces the number of{10.11}−{10.12}double twins,which are believed to be favorable sites for crack initiation.The evidently reduced activity of double twins leads to a lower cracking tendency,and therefore improves ductility.

Fat management in upper blepharoplasty:Addition or subtraction blepharoplasties,how and when

BACKGROUND As one of the most common aesthetic surgical procedures carried out today,blepharoplasty should be in the repertoire of every plastic surgeon.The term blepharoplasty encompasses a wide range of techniques and options that must be tailored to the specific defect and patient one has to treat.A sound knowledge of the upper and lower eyelids’anatomy is essential for proper surgical execution.Trends have shifted towards more conservative methods(especially of the fat compartment)and sometimes in combination with augmentation techniques,helping to reach a rejuvenated appearance.AIM To present an overview of the surgical techniques considered for upper lid blepharoplasty and fat pad management,in addition to information on how a surgeon may approach the best treatment for his patient based on current publications in literature.METHODS We searched the literature published between 2013,to 2023 using Medline and Reference Citation Analysis.The database was searched using the keywords“upper blepharoplasty”AND“fat”.Papers without full text/abstracts and reviews were excluded.The search strategy followed the PRISMA.The American Society of Plastic Surgeons guidelines for Therapeutic Studies checklist was used to assess all articles.Two authors individually reviewed each article and rated them for importance and relevance to the topic.A consensus was sought and the most relevant studies.RESULTS After the application of the selection criteria used in our review,13 publications were found to address upper lid blepharoplasty specifically.Three of these studies were reviews and three were retrospective studies.Five publications were comparative studies and a further two were clinical trials.CONCLUSION The tendency of modern surgery is to be conservative,by removing adipose tissue only if strictly necessary and restoring the volume of the upper eyelid in a concept of beauty that espouses a"full"sight.There is no gold standard technique to achieve younger and enhanced eyelids.Long-term prospective comparative studies are fundamental in understanding which path is the best to follow.

Experimental,Numerical,and Analytical Studies on the Bending of Mechanically Lined Pipe

Mechanically lined pipe(MLP)is often used for offshore oil and gas transport because of its low cost and corrosion resistance.During installation and operation,the pipe may undergo severe bending deformation,which causes the liner to separate from the outer pipe and buckles,affecting the stability of the whole line.In this paper,the buckling response of MLP subjected to bending is investigated to clarify its bending characteristics by employing both experiments,numerical simulation,as theoretical methods.Two types of MLPs were manufactured with GB 45 carbon steel(SLP)and Al 6061(ALP)used as the outer pipe material,respectively.The hydraulic expansion and bending experiments of small-scale MLPs are conducted.In addition to the ovalized shape of the cross-section for the SLP specimens,the copper liner was found to wrinkle on the compressive side.In contrast,the liner of ALP remains intact without developing any wrinkling and collapse mode.In addition,a dedicated numerical framework and theoretical models were also established.It was found both the manufacturing and bending responses of the MLP can be well reproduced,and the predicted maximum moment and critical curvatures are in good agreement with the experimental results.

Enhanced prediction of anisotropic deformation behavior using machine learning with data augmentation

Mg alloys possess an inherent plastic anisotropy owing to the selective activation of deformation mechanisms depending on the loading condition.This characteristic results in a diverse range of flow curves that vary with a deformation condition.This study proposes a novel approach for accurately predicting an anisotropic deformation behavior of wrought Mg alloys using machine learning(ML)with data augmentation.The developed model combines four key strategies from data science:learning the entire flow curves,generative adversarial networks(GAN),algorithm-driven hyperparameter tuning,and gated recurrent unit(GRU)architecture.The proposed model,namely GAN-aided GRU,was extensively evaluated for various predictive scenarios,such as interpolation,extrapolation,and a limited dataset size.The model exhibited significant predictability and improved generalizability for estimating the anisotropic compressive behavior of ZK60 Mg alloys under 11 annealing conditions and for three loading directions.The GAN-aided GRU results were superior to those of previous ML models and constitutive equations.The superior performance was attributed to hyperparameter optimization,GAN-based data augmentation,and the inherent predictivity of the GRU for extrapolation.As a first attempt to employ ML techniques other than artificial neural networks,this study proposes a novel perspective on predicting the anisotropic deformation behaviors of wrought Mg alloys.

Exercise-with-melatonin therapy improves sleep disorder and motor dysfunction in a rat model of ischemic stroke

Exercise-with-melatonin therapy has complementary and synergistic effects on spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's disease,but its effect on stroke is still poorly understood.In this study,we established a rat model of ischemic stroke by occluding the middle cerebral artery for 60 minutes.We treated the rats with exercise and melatonin therapy for 7 consecutive days.Results showed that exercise-with-melatonin therapy significantly prolonged sleep duration in the model rats,increased delta power values,and regularized delta power rhythm.Additionally,exercise-with-melatonin therapy improved coordination,endurance,and grip strength,as well as learning and memory abilities.At the same time,it led to higher hippocampal CA1 neuron activity and postsynaptic density thickness and lower expression of glutamate receptor 2 than did exercise or melatonin therapy alone.These findings suggest that exercise-withmelatonin therapy can alleviate sleep disorder and motor dysfunction by increasing glutamate receptor 2 protein expression and regulating hippocampal CA1 synaptic plasticity.

Upcycling plastic wastes into value-added products via electrocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis

Plastic,renowned for its versatility,durability,and cost-effectiveness,is indispensable in modern society.Nevertheless,the annual production of nearly 400 million tons of plastic,coupled with a recycling rate of only 9%,has led to a monumental environmental crisis.Plastic recycling has emerged as a vital response to this crisis,offering sustainable solutions to mitigate its environmental impact.Among these recycling efforts,plastic upcycling has garnered attention,which elevates discarded plastics into higher-value products.Here,electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic treatments stand at the forefront of advanced plastic upcycling.Electrocatalytic or photoelectrocatalytic treatments involve chemical reactions that facilitate electron transfer through the electrode/electrolyte interface,driven by electrical or solar energy,respectively.These methods enable precise control of chemical reactions,harnessing potential,current density,or light to yield valuable chemical products.This review explores recent progress in plastic upcycling through electrocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic pathways,offering promising solutions to the plastic waste crisis and advancing sustainability in the plastics industry.

Efficacy of exercise rehabilitation for managing patients with Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease(AD) is a progressive and degenerative neurological disease characterized by the deterioration of cognitive functions. While a definitive cure and optimal medication to impede disease progression are currently unavailable, a plethora of studies have highlighted the potential advantages of exercise rehabilitation for managing this condition. Those studies show that exercise rehabilitation can enhance cognitive function and improve the quality of life for individuals affected by AD. Therefore, exercise rehabilitation has been regarded as one of the most important strategies for managing patients with AD. Herein, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the currently available findings on exercise rehabilitation in patients with AD, with a focus on the exercise types which have shown efficacy when implemented alone or combined with other treatment methods, as well as the potential mechanisms underlying these positive effects. Specifically, we explain how exercise may improve the brain microenvironment and neuronal plasticity. In conclusion, exercise is a cost-effective intervention to enhance cognitive performance and improve quality of life in patients with mild to moderate cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, it can potentially become both a physical activity and a tailored intervention. This review may aid the development of more effective and individualized treatment strategies to address the challenges imposed by this debilitating disease, especially in low-and middle-income countries.

The first factor affecting dryland winter wheat grain yield under various mulching measures: Spike number

Water is the key factor limiting dryland wheat grain yield.Mulching affects crop yield and yield components by affecting soil moisture.Further research is needed to determine the relationships between yield components and soil moisture with yield,and to identify the most important factor affecting grain yield under various mulching measures.A long-term 9-yearifeld experiment in the Loess Plateau of Northwest China was carried out with three treatments:no mulch (CK),plastic mulch (M_(P)) and straw mulch (M_(S)).Yield factors and soil moisture were measured,and the relationships between them were explored by correlation analysis,structural equation modeling and significance analysis.The results showed that compared with CK,the average grain yields of M_(P) and M_(S) increased by 13.0and 10.6%,respectively.The average annual grain yield of the M_(P) treatment was 134 kg ha^(–1) higher than the M_(S) treatment.There were no significant differences in yield components among the three treatments (P<0.05).Soil water storage of the M_(S) treatment was greater than the M_(P) treatment,although the differences were not statistically signifiant.Soil water storage during the summer fallow period (SWSSF) and soil water storage before sowing (SWSS) of M_(S) were significantly higher than in CK,which increased by 38.5 and 13.6%,respectively.The relationship between M_(P) and CK was not statistically significant for SWSSF,but the SWSS in M_(P) was significantly higher than in CK.In terms of soil water storage after harvest (SWSH) and water consumption in the growth period(ET),there were no signi?cant differences among the three treatments.Based on the three analysis methods,we found that spike number and ET were positively correlated with grain yield.However,the relative importance of spike number to yield was the greatest in the M_(P )and M_(S) treatments,while that of ET was the greatest in CK.Suifcient SWSSF could indirectly increase spike number and ET in the three treatments.Based on these results,mulch can improve yield and soil water storage.The most important factor affecting the grain yield of dryland wheat was spike number under mulching,and ET with CK.These findings may help us to understand the main factors influencing dryland wheat grain yield under mulching conditions compared to CK.

Microstructure evolution and strengthening mechanism of high -performance powder metallurgy TA15 titanium alloy by hot rolling

Hot deformation of sintered billets by powder metallurgy(PM)is an effective preparation technique for titanium alloys,which is more significant for high-alloying alloys.In this study,Ti–6.5Al–2Zr–Mo–V(TA15)titanium alloy plates were prepared by cold press-ing sintering combined with high-temperature hot rolling.The microstructure and mechanical properties under different process paramet-ers were investigated.Optical microscope,electron backscatter diffraction,and others were applied to characterize the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties strengthening mechanism.The results showed that the chemical compositions were uniformly dif-fused without segregation during sintering,and the closing of the matrix craters was accelerated by increasing the sintering temperature.The block was hot rolled at 1200℃ with an 80%reduction under only two passes without annealing.The strength and elongation of the plate at 20–25℃ after solution and aging were 1247 MPa and 14.0%,respectively,which were increased by 24.5%and 40.0%,respect-ively,compared with the as-sintered alloy at 1300℃.The microstructure was significantly refined by continuous dynamic recrystalliza-tion,which was completed by the rotation and dislocation absorption of the substructure surrounded by low-angle grain boundaries.After hot rolling combined with heat treatment,the strength and plasticity of PM-TA15 were significantly improved,which resulted from the dense,uniform,and fine recrystallization structure and the synergistic effect of multiple slip systems.