Recent Progress in Carbon-based Materials of Non-Noble Metal Catalysts for ORR in Acidic Environment

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC)has important implications for the success of clean transportation in the future.One of the key factors affecting the cost and performance of PEMFC is the cathode electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)to overcome sluggish kinetics and instability in an acidic environment.As an essential component of the electrocatalyst,the support material largely determines the activity,mass transfer,charge transfer,and durability of the electrocatalyst.Thereby,the support material plays a critical role in the overall performance of the electrocatalyst.Carbonbased materials are widely used as electrocatalyst supports because of their high porosity,conductivity,chemical stability,and tunable morphology.Recently,some new carbon-based materials with excellent structure have been introduced,such as carbon nanotubes,carbon nanowires,graphene,metal-organic framework(MOF)-derived carbon,and biomass-derived carbon materials.Combined with a variety of strategies,such as controllable construction of porous structures and surface defects,proper doping heteroatoms,the ingenious design of model electrocatalysts,and predictive theoretical calculation,a new reliable path was provided for further improving the performance of electrocatalysts and exploring the catalytic mechanism.Based on the topic of carbon-based materials for ORR in acidic medium,this review summarizes the up-to-date progress and breakthroughs,highlights the factors affecting the catalytic activity and stability of ORR electrocatalysts in acids,and discusses their future application and development.

Effect of deteriorated microstructures on stress corrosion cracking of X70 pipeline steel in acidic soil environment

In order to investigate stress corrosion cracking （SCC） of X70 pipeline steel and its weld joint area in acidic soil environ- ment in China, two simulating methods were used： one was to obtain bad microstructures in heat affected zone by annealing at 1300 ℃ for 10 min and then, quenching in water; the other was to get different simulating solutions of acidic soil in Yingtan in south- east China. The SCC susceptibilities of X70 pipeline steel before and after quenching in the simulating solutions were analyzed using slow stain rate test （SSRT） and potentiodynamic polarization technique to investigate the SCC electrochemical mechanism of different microstructures further. The results show that SCC appears in the original microstructure and the quenched microstructure as the polarization potential decreases. Hydrogen revolution accelerates SCC of the two tested materials within the range of-850 mV to -1200 mV vs. SCE. Microstructural hardening and grain coarsening also increase SCC. The SCC mechanisms are different, anodic dissolution is the key of causing SCC as the polarization potential is higher than the null current potential, and hydrogen embrittlement will play a more important role to SCC as the polarization potential lower than the null current potential.

Corrosion behavior and characteristics of the product film of API X100 steel in acidic simulated soil solution

The short-term corrosion behavior of API X100 steel in an acidic simulated soil was investigated by electrochemical measurements and soaking experiments,followed by corrosion morphology observations and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses.The results show that X100 steel exhibits an obvious pitting susceptibility in an acidic soil environment.Pits nucleate after approximately 10 h of immersion.Along with the nucleation and growth of the pits,the charge-transfer resistance and open-circuit potential first increase sharply,then decrease slowly,and eventually reach a steady state.The maxima of the charge-transfer resistance and open-circuit potential are attained at approximately 10 h.The evolution of the electrochemical process is confirmed by the analysis of the product film.The product film exhibits a porous and loose structure and could not protect the substrate well.The product film is primarily composed of ferrous carbonate and ferrous hydroxide（Fe（OH）2）.The concentration of Fe（OH）2 in the product film increases from the inside to the outside layer.

Corrosion Rate of Hydrogenation to C110 Casing in High H_2S Environment

The corrosion behavior of C110 bushing at high temperature and high pressure with a high H2S / CO2 was studied, and a basis for the materials selection of sour gas well bushing was provided in H2S, CO2 and saline coexisting environment. Under acidic condiction, hydrogen atoms greatly entered into the material and caused the material properties changed. Weight loss method was used to study the corrosion rate of hydrogen charging samples and original untreated samples in simulated oil field environment. PAR2273 electrochemical workstation was used to examine the electrochemical performance of samples untreated, hydrogen charging after reacting in autoclave. The corrosion product film was observed through SEM. The experimental results show that sample with hydrogen charging has a much more obvious partial corrosion and pitting corrosion than the untreated blank sample even the downhole corrosion speed of bushing is increased after being used for a period of time. Polarization curve shows the corrosion tendency is the same between sample with or without hydrogen charging and corrosion tendency is reduced by corrosion product film. A layer of dense product film formed on the surface of samples provides a certain protective effect to the matrix, but cracked holes which will accelerate partial corrosion of the sample were also observed.

Erosion–corrosion behavior of austenitic cast iron in an acidic slurry medium

A series of austenitic cast iron samples with different compositions were cast and a part of nickel in the samples was replaced by manganese for economic reason. Erosion–corrosion tests were conducted under 2wt% sulfuric acid and 15wt% quartz sand. The results show that the matrix of cast irons remains austenite after a portion of nickel is replaced with manganese.（Fe,Cr）3C is a common phase in the cast irons, and nickel is the main alloying element in high-nickel cast iron; whereas,（Fe,Mn）3C is observed with the increased manganese content in low-nickel cast iron. Under erosion–corrosion tests, the weight-loss rates of the cast irons increase with increasing time. Wear plays a more important role than corrosion in determining the weight loss. It is indicated that the processes of weight loss for the cast irons with high and low nickel contents are different. The erosion resistance of the cast iron containing 7.29wt% nickel and 6.94wt% manganese is equivalent to that of the cast iron containing 13.29wt% nickel.

Temperature effect on the corrosion and passivation characterization of Ni_(82.3)Cr_7Fe_3Si_(4.5)B_(3.2) alloy in acidic media

The effects of temperature on corrosion and the electrochemical behavior of Ni82.3Cr7Fe3Si4.5B3.2 glassy alloy in HC1,H2SO4,and H3PO4 acids were studied using AC and DC techniques.Impedance data reveal that the susceptibility to localized corrosion increases with increasing temperature.Potentiodynamic polarization curves reveal that the bulk glassy alloy is spontaneously passivated at all the investigated temperature in H2SO4 and H3PO4 solutions.A localized corrosion effect in HCl solution is clearly observed.The apparent activation energies in the regions of Tafel,active,and passive,as well as the enthalpies and entropies of the dissolution process were determined and discussed.The high apparent activation energy（Ea） value for H3PO4 solution in Tafel region is explained by the low aggressivity of PO4^3- ions.

Analyses of concrete microcosmic structure in multi-media environment

The structure of concrete generally serves in multi-media environments; various environments act differently on concrete. The compound action of some severe environments will threaten the duration of concrete and decrease the service life of a concrete structure if improperly handled. In this paper the microstructure of concrete is observed by using Scanned Electric Microscope (SEM) through contrasting experiments in media of acid, alkali and salt with that of freezing-thawing in the same medium environment. This study is to supply a certain basis for changing traditional thinking of mechanical design and to combine construction reliability design with durability of concrete design.

Effect of ocean environmental factors on sound absorption by boric acid relaxation in sea water

By using the expressions for the maximum absorption per wavelength (αλ),and the relaxation frequency fr of the boric acid relaxation derived previously by the author and employing the related oceanographic literatures, the effects of pressure, temperature, pH and salinity on (αλ)r and ∫r of the boric acid relaxation in sea water have been estimated. Results show that ( αλ), not only increases with pH but also increases approximately linearly with pressure and temperature, and is nearly proportional to the 1. 35 power of salinity. However, pressure, pH and salinity have negligible effect on ∫r; therefore, ∫r, can be approximately expressed as a function of temperature only. Comparisons of the predicted with the measured ( αλ)r and ∫r in different ocean areas are given.

The effects of the environmental factors on Laminaria disease caused by alginic acid decomposing bacteria

-The rot disease of Laminaria occurs often in nurseries of sporeling and commercial cultivation in the sea and results in economic loss greatly. Usually the disease outbreaks accompanied with massive multiplication of alginic acid decomposing bacteria. From the section of the decaying Lamuutria which resulted from the inoculation of alginic acid decomposing bacteria, it was observed that the bacteria invaded the epiderm of the Laminaria surface at first, then entered the ex-odermis, endodermis and pith. In addition, there were a great amount of bacteria in the intercellular region and a lot of free cells of the algae in the decaying areas. The wall of some free cells was decomposed, which led to soft tissue or disintegration. Alginic acid decomposing bacteria are normal epiphytic microorganisms growing on Lamuutria surface. These bacteria do not cause disease at normal environmental conditions. The experiments showed that the unfavourable conditions, e. g. , wounding, overcrowding, high temperature reduced the ability of antibacterial activity and made the algae more susceptible to the pathogens and favoured the multiplication of alginic acid decomposing bacteria and finally led to the disease outbreak. The unfavourable environmental factors which resulted from a variety of reasons were the main cause of the disease.

Unsaturated transport properties of water molecules and ions in graphene oxide/hydrated calcium silicate nanochannels:from basic principles to complex environmental performance effects

The problems of traditional concrete such as brittleness,poor toughness and short service life of concrete engineering under acid rain or marine environment need to be solved urgently.Hydrated calcium silicate(C-S-H)is a key component to improve the mechanical properties and durability of concrete.However,the traditional method of concrete material design based on empirical models or comparative tests has become a bottleneck restricting the sustainable development of concrete.The synthesis method,molecular structure and properties of C-S-H were systematically described in this paper;The interface structure and interaction of graphene oxide/calcium silicate hydrate(C-S-H/GO)were discussed.On this basis,the saturated and unsaturated transport characteristics of ions and water molecules in C-S-H/GO nanochannels under the environment of ocean and acid rain were introduced.The contents of this review provide the basis for improving the multi-scale transmission theory and microstructure design of concrete.It has important guiding significance for analyzing and improving the service life of concrete in complex environment.

Controllable photodynamic performance via an acidic microenvironment based on two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks for photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy(PDT)is a widely-used technology for cancer therapy,but conventional photosensitizers still face some drawbacks,such as hydrophobicity,inadequate pharmacokinetics,low cell/tissue specificity,and uncontrollable photodynamic performance during the therapeutic process.Herein,we present a controllable photodynamic performance based on two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks(2D Zn-TCPP MOF)that displayed a week PDT effect under a neutral environment upon exposure to a 660 nm laser due to the degeneracy of Q bands of TCPP.However,the 2D Zn-TCPP MOF showed a significantly enhanced PDT effect in an acidic environment under irradiation with a 660 nm laser due to the released TCPP from decomposed MOF structure.From the in vitro outcomes,the 2D Zn-TCPP MOF showed controllable photodynamic performance from neutral to acidic environments.Due to the acidic tumor microenvironment,the 2D Zn-TCPP MOF presented the strongest antitumor effect in vivo under irradiation with a 660 nm laser.This work offers a promising strategy to develop a next-generation photosensitizer.

Influence of cementite spheroidization on relieving the micro-galvanic effect of ferrite-pearlite steel in acidic chloride environment

The corrosion behavior of the as-received steel and the spheroidized steel in acidic chloride environment was investigated. The results indicate the corrosion mode and corrosion rate of two steels are diverse due to their difference in microstructure. For as-received steel with ferrite-pearlite microstructure, severe localized corrosion happens on the pearlite regions, and plenty of cathodic cementite remains in the pits, further strengthening the micro-galvanic effect and accelerating the corrosion rate. While for spheroidized steel with tempered martensite microstructure, the nanosized cementite particles evenly distributed on the ferrite substrate are easy to fall off, which can significantly reduce the cementite accumulation on the steel surface, relieving the acceleration effect of micro-galvanic corrosion.

Mechanical Characteristics and Mechanism of Granite Subjected to Coupling Effect of Acidic Corrosion and Freeze-Thaw Cycles

The typical climatic and environmental conditions in Central Asia are major natural factors causing local rock masses to face considerable risks of damage due to constant freeze-thaw cycles. In addition, these are exacerbated by the dense acidic environments in certain industrialized areas, such as Northern Sinkiang, China. To provide local engineering design with workable solutions, it is crucial to analyze the mechanical performance of rock masses and its mechanisms under the coupling action of corrosive acid and freeze-thaw cycles. In this study, granite samples from the northern Tien Shan Mountains near Urumchi, Xinjiang Province, as well as two kinds of sandstone samples for comparison, were subjected to different soaking conditions, including nitric acid soaking at various pH values. One or both of the freeze-thaw cycle tests and uniaxial compression test were then executed. Speculations regarding the mechanism of the performance of granite rock masses under the action of corrosive acid and freeze-thaw cycles were developed based on the results of these tests. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were implemented to demonstrate the feasibility of the speculated mechanism. In this paper, the identification of the white crumb-like substance as SiO_(2) gel were confirmed.

Iodine enrichment in the groundwater in South China and its hydrogeochemical control

In North China,iodine-rich groundwater has been extensively studied,but few in South China.This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of iodine-rich groundwater in South China and identify potential contamination sources.The results revealed that the average concentration of iodine in groundwater was 890μg/L,with a maximumconcentration of 6350μg/L,exceeding the permitted levels recommended by the World Health Organization(5–300μg/L).Notably,the enrichment of iodide occurred in acidic conditions(pH=6.6)and a relatively low Eh environment(Eh=198.4 mV).Pearson correlation and cluster analyses suggested that the enrichment of iodide could be attributed to the intensified redox process involving Mn(II),iodine(I_(2)),or iodate(IO_(3)^(−))in the soil.The strong affinity between Mn(II)and I_(2)/IO_(3)^(−)facilitated their interaction,resulting in the formation and mobilization of I^(−)from the soil to the groundwater.Leaching experiments further confirmed that reducing substances(such as sodium sulfides,ascorbic acids,and fulvic acids)in the soil with low dissolved oxygen(DO)levels(<1.0 mg/L)enhanced the dissolution of iodine species.Conversely,higher DO content(>3.8 mg/L)promoted the oxidation of I^(−)into I_(2)or IO_(3)^(−),leading to its stabilization.This research provides new insights into the characteristics and mechanisms of I^(−)enrichment in groundwater in South China,and emphasizes the significance of the redox reactions involving Mn(II)and I_(2)/IO_(3)^(−),as well as the influence of soil properties in regulating the occurrence and transportation of iodine species within groundwater systems.

Evaluating eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding for aquatic biodiversity assessment: From bacteria to vertebrates

The monitoring and management of aquatic ecosystems depend on precise estimates of biodiversity.Metabarcoding analyses of environmental nucleic acids(eNAs),including environmental DNA(eDNA)and environmental RNA(eRNA),have garnered attention for their cost-effective and non-invasive biomonitoring capabilities.However,the accuracy of biodiversity estimates obtained through eNAs can vary among different organismal groups.Here we evaluate the performance of eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding across nine organismal groups,ranging from bacteria to terrestrial vertebrates,in three crosssections of the Yangtze River,China.We observe robust complementarity between eDNA and eRNA data.The relative detectability of eNAs was notably influenced by major taxonomic groups and organismal sizes,with eDNA providing more robust signals for larger organisms.Both eDNA and eRNA exhibited similar cross-sectional and longitudinal patterns.However,the detectability of larger organisms declined in eRNA metabarcoding,possibly due to differential RNA release and decay among different organismal groups or sizes.While underscoring the potential of eDNA and eRNA in large river biomonitoring,we emphasize the need for differential interpretation of eDNA versus eRNA data.This highlights the importance of careful method selection and interpretation in biomonitoring studies.

Experimental investigation on concrete overlaid with textile reinforced mortar:Influences of mix,temperature,and chemical exposure

Textile reinforced mortar is widely used as an overlay for the repair,rehabilitation,and retrofitting of concrete structures.Recently,textile reinforced concrete has been identified as a suitable lining material for improving the durability of existing concrete structures.In this study,we developed a textile-reinforced mortar mix using river sand and evaluated the different characteristics of the textile-reinforced mortar under various exposure conditions.Studies were carried out in two phases.In the first phase,the pullout strength,temperature resistance,water absorption,and compressive and bending strength values of three different textile-reinforced mortar mixes with a single type of textile reinforcement were investigated.In the second phase,the chemical resistance of the mix that showed the best performance in the abovementioned tests was examined for use as an overlay for a concrete substrate.Investigations were performed on three different thicknesses of the textile reinforced mortar overlaid on concrete specimens that were subjected to acidic and alkaline environments.The flexural responses and degradations of the textile reinforced mortar overlaid specimens were examined by performing bending tests.The experimental findings indicated the feasibility of using textile reinforced mortar as an overlay for durable concrete construction practices.

Adsorption of herring sperm DNA onto pine sawdust biochar:Thermodynamics and site energy distribution

Environmental deoxyribonucleic acid(eDNA),which includes antibiotic resistance genes,is ubiquitous in the environment.The interactions between eDNA and biochar,a promising material widely used in soil amendment and water treatment,greatly affect the environmental behavior of eDNA.Hitherto few experimental evidences are available yet,especially on the information of thermodynamics and energy distribution to explains the interactions between biochar and eDNA.This study investigated the adsorption of herring sperm DNA(hsDNA)on pine sawdust biochar,with a specific emphasis on the adsorption thermodynamics and site energy distribution.The adsorption of hsDNA on biochar was enhanced by an increase in the pyrolysis and adsorption temperatures.The higher surface area,strongerπ−πinteraction,and weaker electrostatic repulsion between hsDNA and biochars prepared at high pyrolysis temperatures facilitated the adsorption of hsDNA.The thermodynamics indicated that the adsorption of hsDNA on biochar was spontaneous and endothermic.Therefore,higher temperature was beneficial for the adsorption of hsDNA on biochar;this was well explained by the increase in E*and F(E*)with the adsorption temperature.These results are useful for evaluating the migration and transformation of eDNA in the presence of biochar.

Comments on “Efficient adsorption of Mn(Ⅱ) by layered double hydroxides intercalated with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and the mechanistic study.J.Environ.Sci.85,56-65”

In the paper entitled"Efficient adsorption of Mn(Ⅱ)by layered double hydroxides intercalated with di ethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and the mechanistic study"in Journal of Environmental Sciences,volume 85,page 56-65,there were problems with mathematical notation and dimensional errors in the calculation for Giibbs free energy.In Section 2.5:Adsorption isotherms and thermodynamics studies,authors calculated the Gibbs free energy change(△G°)