Novel interface engineering of LDH-based materials on Mg alloy for efficient photocatalytic systems considering the geometrical linearity of condensed phosphates

This study presents a facile and rapid method for synthesizing novel Layered Double Hydroxide(LDH)nanoflakes,exploring their application as a photocatalyst,and investigating the influence of condensed phosphates'geometric linearity on their photocatalytic properties.Herein,the Mg O film,obtained by plasma electrolysis of AZ31 Mg alloys,was modified by growing an LDH film,which was further functionalized using cyclic sodium hexametaphosphate(CP)and linear sodium tripolyphosphate(LP).CP acted as an enhancer for flake spacing within the LDH structure,while LP changed flake dispersion and orientation.Consequently,CP@LDH demonstrated exceptional efficiency in heterogeneous photocatalysis,effectively degrading organic dyes like Methylene blue(MB),Congo red(CR),and Methyl orange(MO).The unique cyclic structure of CP likely enhances surface reactions and improves the catalyst's interaction with dye molecules.Furthermore,the condensed phosphate structure contributes to a higher surface area and reactivity in CP@LDH,leading to its superior photocatalytic performance compared to LP@LDH.Specifically,LP@LDH demonstrated notable degradation efficiencies of 93.02%,92.89%,and 88.81%for MB,MO,and CR respectively,over a 40 min duration.The highest degradation efficiencies were observed in the case of the CP@LDH sample,reporting 99.99%for MB,98.88%for CR,and 99.70%for MO.This underscores the potential of CP@LDH as a highly effective photocatalyst for organic dye degradation,offering promising prospects for environmental remediation and water detoxification applications.

Numerical study of the deep removal of R134a from non-condensable gas mixture by cryogenic condensation and de-sublimation

Nowadays,the limits on greenhouse gas emissions are becoming increasingly stringent.In present research,a two-dimensional numerical model was established to simulate the deep removal of 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane(R134a)from the non-condensable gas(NCG)mixture by cryogenic condensation and de-sublimation.The wall condensation method was compiled into the Fluent software to calculate the condensation of R134a from the gas mixture.Besides,the saturated thermodynamic properties of R134a under its triple point were extrapolated by the equation of state.The simulation of the steam condensation with NCG was conducted to verify the validity of the model,the results matched well with the experimental data.Subsequently,the condensation characteristics of R134a with NCG and the thermodynamic parameters affecting condensation were studied.The results show that the section with relatively higher removal efficiency is usually near the inlet.The cold wall temperature has a great influence on the R134a removal performance,e.g.,a 15 K reduction of the wall temperature brings a reduction in the outlet R134a molar fraction by 85.43%.The effect of changing mass flow rate on R134a removal is mainly reflected at the outlet,where an increase in mass flow rate of 12.6% can aggravate the outlet molar fraction to 210.3% of the original.The research can provide a valuable reference for the simulation of the deep removal of various low-concentration gas using condensation and de-sublimation methods.

Evidence for False Vacuum States inside the Cores of Massive Pulsars and the Ramification on the Measurements of Their True Masses

Based on the theory and observations of glitching pulsars, we show that the ultra-cold supranuclear dense matter inside the cores of massive pulsars should condensate in vacua, as predicated by non-perturbative QCD. The trapped matter here forms false vacuums embedded in flat spacetimes and completely disconnected from the outside world. Although the vacuum expectation value here vanishes, the masses and sizes of these incompressible superfluid cores are set to grow with cosmic times, in accord with the Onsager-Feynman superfluidity analysis. We apply our scenario to several well-studied pulsars, namely the Crab, Vela, PSR J0740+6620 and find that the trapped mass-contents in their cores read {0.15,0.55,0.64}, implying that their true masses are {1.55,2.35,2.72} , respectively. Based thereon, we conclude that: 1) The true masses of massive pulsars and neutron stars are much higher than detected by direct observations and, therefore, are unbounded from above, 2) The remnant of the merger event in GW170817 should be a massive NS harbouring a core with 1.66 .

Facile synthesis of hierarchical NaX zeolite from natural kaolinite for efficient Knoevenagel condensation

Zeolite catalysts have found extensive applications in the synthesis of various fine chemicals.However,the micropores of zeolites impose diffusion limitations on bulky molecules,greatly reducing the catalytic efficiency.Herein,we explore an economic and environmentally friendly method for synthesizing hierarchical NaX zeolite that exhibits improved catalytic performance in the Knoevenagel condensation reaction for producing the useful fine chemical 2-cyano-3-phenylacrylate.The synthesis was achieved via a low-temperature activation of kaolinite and subsequent in-situ transformation strategy without any template or seed.Systematic characterizations reveal that the synthesized NaX zeolite has both intercrystalline and intra-crystalline mesopores,smaller crystal size,and larger external specific surface area compared to commercial NaX zeolite.Detailed mechanism investigations show that the inter-crystalline mesopores are generated by stacking smaller crystals formed from in-situ crystallization of the depolymerized kaolinite,and the intra-crystalline mesopores are inherited from the pores in the depolymerized kaolinite.This synthesis strategy provides an energy-saving and effective way to construct hierarchical zeolites,which may gain wide applications in fine chemical manufacturing.

Phase separation and transcriptional regulation in cancer development

Liquid-liquid phase separation,a novel biochemical phenomenon,has been increasingly studied for its medical applications.It underlies the formation of membrane-less organelles and is involved in many cellular and biological processes.During transcriptional regulation,dynamic condensates are formed through interactions between transcriptional elements,such as transcription factors,coactivators,and mediators.Cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation,but the precise mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis often remain to be elucidated.Emerging evidence has linked abnormal transcriptional condensates to several diseases,especially cancer,implying that phase separation plays an important role in tumorigenesis.Condensates formed by phase separation may have an effect on gene transcription in tumors.In the present review,we focus on the correlation between phase separation and transcriptional regulation,as well as how this phenomenon contributes to cancer development.

Fabrication and characterization of multi-scale coated boron powders with improved combustion performance:A brief review

Boron has high mass and volume calorific values,but it is difficult to ignite and has low combustion efficiency.This literature review summarizes the strategies that are used to solve the above-mentioned problems,which include coatings of boron by using fluoride compounds,energetic composites,metal fuels,and metal oxides.Coating techniques include recrystallization,dual-solvent,phase transfer,electrospinning,etc.As one of the effective coating agents,the fluorine compounds can react with the oxide shell of boron powder.In comparison,the energetic composites can effectively improve the flame temperature of boron powder and enhance the evaporation efficiency of oxide film as a condensed product.Metals and metal oxides would react with boron powder to form metal borides with a lower ignition point,which could reduce its ignition temperature.

Phase behavior of gas condensate in porous media using real-time computed tomography scanning

The phase behavior of gas condensate in reservoir formations differs from that in pressure-volume-temperature(PVT)cells because it is influenced by porous media in the reservoir formations.Sandstone was used as a sample to investigate the influence of porous media on the phase behavior of the gas condensate.The pore structure was first analyzed using computed tomography(CT)scanning,digital core technology,and a pore network model.The sandstone core sample was then saturated with gas condensate for the pressure depletion experiment.After each pressure-depletion state was stable,realtime CT scanning was performed on the sample.The scanning results of the sample were reconstructed into three-dimensional grayscale images,and the gas condensate and condensate liquid were segmented based on gray value discrepancy to dynamically characterize the phase behavior of the gas condensate in porous media.Pore network models of the condensate liquid ganglia under different pressures were built to calculate the characteristic parameters,including the average radius,coordination number,and tortuosity,and to analyze the changing mechanism caused by the phase behavior change of the gas condensate.Four types of condensate liquid(clustered,branched,membranous,and droplet ganglia)were then classified by shape factor and Euler number to investigate their morphological changes dynamically and elaborately.The results show that the dew point pressure of the gas condensate in porous media is 12.7 MPa,which is 0.7 MPa higher than 12.0 MPa in PVT cells.The average radius,volume,and coordination number of the condensate liquid ganglia increased when the system pressure was between the dew point pressure(12.7 MPa)and the pressure for the maximum liquid dropout,Pmax(10.0 MPa),and decreased when it was below Pmax.The volume proportion of clustered ganglia was the highest,followed by branched,membranous,and droplet ganglia.This study provides crucial experimental evidence for the phase behavior changing process of gas condensate in porous media during the depletion production of gas condensate reservoirs.

Reaction pathways and selectivity in the chemo-catalytic conversion of cellulose and its derivatives to ethylene glycol:A review

Biomass-to-ethylene glycol is an effective means to achieve high-value utilisation of cellulose but is hindered by low conversion efficiency and poor catalyst activity and stability.Glucose and cellobiose are derivatives of cellulose conversion to ethylene glycol,and it is found that studying the reaction process of both can help to understand the reaction mechanism of cellulose.It is desirable to develop a reusable,highly active catalyst to convert cellulose into ethylene glycol.This ideal catalyst might have one or more active sites described the conversion steps above.Here,we discuss the catalyst development of celluloseto-ethylene glycol,including tungsten,tin,lanthanide,and other transition metal catalysts,and special attention is given to the reaction mechanism and kinetics for preparing ethylene glycol from cellulose,and the economic advantages of biomass-to-ethylene glycol are briefly introduced.The insights given in this review will facilitate further development of efficient catalysts,for addressing the global energy crisis and climate change related to the use of fossil fuels.

Chromatin condensation but not DNA integrity of pig sperm is greater in the sperm-rich fraction

Background Protamination and condensation of sperm chromatin as well as DNA integrity play an essential role during fertilization and embryo development.In some mammals,like pigs,ejaculates are emitted in three separate fractions:pre-sperm,sperm-rich(SRF)and post sperm-rich(PSRF).These fractions are known to vary in volume,sperm concentration and quality,as well as in the origin and composition of seminal plasma(SP),with differences being also observed within the SRF one.Yet,whether disparities in the DNA integrity and chromatin condensation and pro-tamination of their sperm exist has not been interrogated.Results This study determined chromatin protamination(Chromomycin A3 test,CMA_(3)),condensation(Dibromobi-mane test,DBB),and DNA integrity(Comet assay)in the pig sperm contained in the first 10 m L of the SRF(SRF-P1),the remaining portion of the sperm-rich fraction(SRF-P2),and the post sperm-rich fraction(PSRF).While chromatin protamination was found to be similar between the different ejaculate fractions(P>0.05),chromatin condensation was seen to be greater in SRF-P1 and SRF-P2 than in the PSRF(P=0.018 and P=0.004,respectively).Regarding DNA integrity,no differences between fractions were observed(P>0.05).As the SRF-P1 has the highest sperm concentra-tion and ejaculate fractions are known to differ in antioxidant composition,the oxidative stress index(OSi)in SP,calcu-lated as total oxidant activity divided by total antioxidant capacity,was tested and confirmed to be higher in the SRF-P1 than in SRF-P2 and PSRF(0.42±0.06 vs.0.23±0.09 and 0.08±0.00,respectively;P<0.01);this index,in addition,was observed to be correlated to the sperm concentration of each fraction(Rs=0.973;P<0.001).Conclusion While sperm DNA integrity was not found to differ between ejaculate fractions,SRF-P1 and SRF-P2 were observed to exhibit greater chromatin condensation than the PSRF.This could be related to the OSi of each fraction.

Experimental Investigation on Condensate Revaporization During Gas Injection Development in Fractured Gas Condensate Reservoirs

The gas field in the Bohai Bay Basin is a fractured metamorphic buried-hill reservoir with dual-media characteristics. The retrograde vaporization mechanism observed in this type of gas condensate reservoir differs significantly from that observed in sand gas condensate reservoirs. However, studies on improving the recovery of fractured gas condensate reservoirs are limited;thus, the impact of retrograde vaporization on condensate within fractured metamorphic buried-hill reservoirs remains unclear. To address this gap, a series of gas injection experiments are conducted in pressure-volume-temperature(PVT) cells and long-cores to investigate the retrograde vaporization effect of condensate using different gas injection media in fractured gas condensate reservoirs. We analyze the variation in condensate volume, gas-to-oil ratio, and condensate recovery during gas injection and examine the influence of various gas injection media(CO_(2), N_(2), and dry gas) under different reservoir properties and varying gas injection times. The results demonstrate that the exchange of components between injected gas and condensate significantly influences condensate retrograde vaporization in the formation. Compared with dry gas injection and N_(2) injection,CO_(2) injection exhibits a superior retrograde vaporization effect. At a CO_(2) injection volume of 1 PV, the percentage shrinkage volume of condensate is 13.82%. Additionally, at the maximum retrograde condensation pressure, CO_(2) injection can increase the recovery of condensate by 22.4%. However, the condensate recovery is notably lower in fractured gas condensate reservoirs than in homogeneous reservoirs, owing to the creation of dominant gas channeling by fractures, which leads to decreased condensate recovery. Regarding gas injection timing, the effect of gas injection at reservoir pressure on improving condensate recovery is superior to that of gas injection at the maximum retrograde condensation pressure. This research provides valuable guidance for designing gas injection development plans and dynamic tracking adjustments for fractured gas condensate reservoirs.

Supersonic expansion and condensation characteristics of hydrogen gas under different temperature conditions

This paper introduced supersonic expansion liquefaction technology into the field of hydrogen liquefaction.The mathematical model for supersonic condensation of hydrogen gas in a Laval nozzle model was established.The supersonic expansion and condensation characteristics of hydrogen gas under different temperature conditions were investigated.The simulation results show that the droplet number rises rapidly from 0 at the nozzle throat as the inlet temperature increases,and the maximum droplet number generated is 1.339×10^(18)kg^(-1)at inlet temperature of 36.0 K.When hydrogen nucleation occurs,the droplet radius increases significantly and shows a positive correlation with the increase in the inlet temperature,and the maximum droplet radii are 6.667×10^(-8)m,1.043×10^(-7)m,and 1.099×10^(-7)m when the inlet temperature is 36.0 K,36.5 K,and 37.0 K,respectively.The maximum nucleation rate decreases with increasing inlet temperature,and the nucleation region of the Laval nozzle becomes wider.The liquefaction efficiency can be effectively improved by lowering the inlet temperature.This is because a lower inlet temperature provides more subcooling,which allows the hydrogen to reach the thermodynamic conditions required for large-scale condensation more quickly.

Efficient hydrogenolysis of fructose to 1,2-propanediol over bifunctional Ru-WO_(x)-MgO_(y) catalysts under mild reaction conditions via enhancing the chemoselective cleavage of C-C bonds

Selective conversion of fructose to 1,2-propanediol(1,2-PDO)is considered as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to petroleum-based processes,however,this approach still faces challenges associated with low efficiency and harsh reaction conditions.Here,we have successfully synthesized a novel bifunctional Ru-WO_(x)-MgO_(y) catalyst through a facile'one-pot'solvothermal method.Remarkably,this catalyst exhibits exceptional catalytic performances in the conversion of fructose to 1,2-PDO under mild reaction conditions.The yield of 1,2-PDO is up to 56.2%at 140°C for 4 h under an ultra-low hydrogen pressure of only 0.2 MPa,surpassing the reported results in recent literature(below 51%).Comprehensive characterizations and density functional theory(DFT)calculations reveal that the presence of oxygen vacancies in the Ru-WO_(x)-MgO_(y) catalyst,serving as active acidic sites,facilitates the chemoselective cleavage of C-C bonds in fructose,which leads to the generation of active intermediates and ultimately resulted in the high yield of 1,2-PDO.

Dynamical nonlinear excitations induced by interaction quench in a two-dimensional box-trapped Bose-Einstein condensate

Manipulating nonlinear excitations,including solitons and vortices,is an essential topic in quantum many-body physics.A new progress in this direction is a protocol proposed in[Phys.Rev.Res.2043256(2020)]to produce dark solitons in a one-dimensional atomic Bose–Einstein condensate(BEC)by quenching inter-atomic interaction.Motivated by this work,we generalize the protocol to a two-dimensional BEC and investigate the generic scenario of its post-quench dynamics.For an isotropic disk trap with a hard-wall boundary,we find that successive inward-moving ring dark solitons(RDSs)can be induced from the edge,and the number of RDSs can be controlled by tuning the ratio of the after-and before-quench interaction strength across different critical values.The role of the quench played on the profiles of the density,phase,and sound velocity is also investigated.Due to the snake instability,the RDSs then become vortex–antivortex pairs with peculiar dynamics managed by the initial density and the after-quench interaction.By tuning the geometry of the box traps,demonstrated as polygonal ones,more subtle dynamics of solitons and vortices are enabled.Our proposed protocol and the discovered rich dynamical effects on nonlinear excitations can be realized in near future cold-atom experiments.

Synthesis of straight-chain C_(49)H_(100) alkane using a modular splicing strategy

Ultra-long n-alkanes are highly valuable in both scientific research and as major constituents of specialty high-melting-point waxes.Unlike conventional methods(e.g.,Fischer–Tropsch(FT),ethylene oligomerization,and polyethylene cracking)typically resulting in wide n-alkane distributions,the elaborate design strategy presented herein allows the direct synthesis of pure,long n-alkanes using a modular splicing method with acetone,furfural,and fatty acid anhydrides or acyl chlorides as bio-blocks.The herein approach is based on a simple four-step catalytic reaction scheme involving C–C chain elongation and C–O bond activation.The synthesized pure n-alkanes had a carbon chain length as high as C_(49)(total yield of 49%).The synthesis approach also allows to selectively prepare n-alkanes with even and odd carbon numbers ranging from C15 to C_(49).This process represents a great breakthrough in the synthesis of long-chain pure n-alkanes,surpassing the carbon number limitations reported in previous methodologies.

Controllable Condensation of Aromatics and Its Mechanisms in Carbonization

In order to obtain liquefied products with higher yields of aromatic molecules to produce mesophase pitch,a good understanding of the relevant reaction mechanisms is required.Reactive molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the thermal reactions of pyrene,1-methylpyrene,7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzopyrene,and mixtures of pyrene with 1-octene,cyclohexene,or styrene.The reactant conversion rates,reaction rates,and product distributions were calculated and compared,and the mechanisms were analyzed and discussed.The results demonstrated that methyl and naphthenic structures in aromatics might improve the conversion rates of reactants in hydrogen transfer processes,but their steric hindrances prohibited the generation of high polymers.The naphthenic structures could generate more free radicals and presented a more obvious inhibition effect on the condensation of polymers compared with the methyl side chains.It was discovered that when different olefins were mixed with pyrene,1-octene primarily underwent pyrolysis reactions,whereas cyclohexene mainly underwent hydrogen transfer reactions with pyrene and styrene,mostly producing superconjugated biradicals through condensation reactions with pyrene.In the mixture systems,the olefins scattered aromatic molecules,hindering the formation of pyrene trimers and higher polymers.According to the reactive molecular dynamics simulations,styrene may enhance the yield of dimer and enable the controlled polycondensation of pyrene.

Biochemistry and transcriptome analysis reveal condensed tannins alleviate liver injury induced by regulating cholesterol metabolism pathway

Free cholesterol has been considered to be a critical risk factor of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).It remains unknown whether dietary intake of condensed tannins(CTs)have distinguishable effects to alleviate liver damage caused by a high cholesterol diet.Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high cholesterol diet for 6 weeks,and given CTs treatment at a dosage of 200 mg/(kg·day)at the same time.The results indicated that compared with mice fed a normal diet,a high cholesterol diet group resulted in significant weight loss,dysregulation of lipid metabolism in blood and liver,and oxidative stress in the liver,but CTs treatment dramatically reversed these negative effects.Hematoxylin and eosin(H&E)staining and frozen section observation manifested that CTs treatment could effectively reduce the deposition of liver cholesterol and tissue necrosis caused by high cholesterol intake.CTs alleviated liver injury mainly by regulating the expression of related genes in cholesterol metabolism pathway and AMPK phosphorylation.Our results confirmed that CTs have remarkable cholesterol lowering and anti-liver injury effects in vivo.

Effects of drive imbalance on the particle emission from a Bose-Einstein condensate in a one-dimensional lattice

Time-periodic driving has been an effective tool in the field of nonequilibrium quantum dynamics,which enables precise control of the particle interactions.We investigate the collective emission of particles from a Bose-Einstein condensate in a one-dimensional lattice with periodic drives that are separate in modulation amplitudes and relative phases.In addition to the enhancement of particle emission,we find that amplitude imbalances lead to energy shift and band broadening,while typical relative phases may give rise to similar gaps.These results offer insights into the specific manipulations of nonequilibrium quantum systems with tone-varying drives.

Interference-induced suppression of particle emission from a Bose-Einstein condensate in lattice with time-periodic modulations

Emission of matter-wave jets from a parametrically driven condensate has attracted significant experimental and theoretical attention due to the appealing visual effects and potential metrological applications.In this work,we investigate the collective particle emission from a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a one-dimensional lattice with periodically modulated interparticle interactions.We give the regimes for discrete modes,and find that the emission can be distinctly suppressed.The configuration induces a broad band,but few particles are ejected due to the interference of the matter waves.We further qualitatively model the emission process and demonstrate the short-time behaviors.This engineering provides a way to manipulate the propagation of particles and the corresponding dynamics of condensates in lattices,and may find application in the dynamical excitation control of other nonequilibrium problems with time-periodic driving.

Coherence of nonlinear Bloch dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates in deep optical lattices

Atomic interaction leads to dephasing and damping of Bloch oscillations(BOs)in optical lattices,which limits observation and applications of BOs.How to obtain persistent BOs is particularly important.Here,the nonlinear Bloch dynamics of the Bose-Einstein condensate with two-body and three-body interactions in deep optical lattices is studied.The damping rate induced by interactions is obtained.The damping induced by two-body interaction plays a dominant role,while the damping induced by three-body interaction is weak.However,when the two-body and three-body interactions satisfy a threshold,long-lived coherent BOs are observed.Furthermore,the Bloch dynamics with periodical modulation of linear force is studied.The frequencies of linear force corresponding to resonance and pseudoresonance are obtained,and rich dynamical phenomena,i.e.,stable and strong BOs,drifting and dispersion of wave packet,are predicted.The controllable Bloch dynamics is provided with the periodic modulation of the linear force.

A transient production prediction method for tight condensate gas wells with multiphase flow

Considering the phase behaviors in condensate gas reservoirs and the oil-gas two-phase linear flow and boundary-dominated flow in the reservoir,a method for predicting the relationship between oil saturation and pressure in the full-path of tight condensate gas well is proposed,and a model for predicting the transient production from tight condensate gas wells with multiphase flow is established.The research indicates that the relationship curve between condensate oil saturation and pressure is crucial for calculating the pseudo-pressure.In the early stage of production or in areas far from the wellbore with high reservoir pressure,the condensate oil saturation can be calculated using early-stage production dynamic data through material balance models.In the late stage of production or in areas close to the wellbore with low reservoir pressure,the condensate oil saturation can be calculated using the data of constant composition expansion test.In the middle stages of production or when reservoir pressure is at an intermediate level,the data obtained from the previous two stages can be interpolated to form a complete full-path relationship curve between oil saturation and pressure.Through simulation and field application,the new method is verified to be reliable and practical.It can be applied for prediction of middle-stage and late-stage production of tight condensate gas wells and assessment of single-well recoverable reserves.