Template synthesis of copper azide primary explosive through Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell composite prepared by “bottle around ship” method

Copper azide(CA), as a primary explosive with high energy density, has not been practically used so far because of its high electrostatic sensitivity. The Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell structure hybrid material was synthesized by the “bottle around ship” methodology in this research by regulating the dissolution rate of Cu2O and the generation rate of metal-organic framework(MOF) materials. Cu2O@HKUST-1 was carbonized to form a Cu O@porous carbon(CuO@PC) composite material. CuO@PC was synthesized into a copper azide(CA) @PC composite energetic material through a gas-solid phase in-situ azidation reaction.CA is encapsulated in PC framework, which acts as a nanoscale Faraday cage, and its excellent electrical conductivity prevents electrostatic charges from accumulating on the energetic material’s surface. The CA@PC composite energetic material has a CA content of 89.6%, and its electrostatic safety is nearly 30times that of pure CA(1.47 mJ compared to 0.05 mJ). CA@PC delivers an outstanding balance of safety and energy density compared to similar materials.

Preparation of Core-Shell Composite of Y@Mesoporous Alumina and Its Application in Heavy Oil Cracking

A well core-shell composite of Y@meso-Al with a mesoporous alumina shell and a Y zeolite core was synthesized. The mesoporous alumina shell has a wormhole-like structure with large mesopores. The prepared catalytic cracking catalyst using this composite has exhibited excellent catalytic performance for heavy oil cracking thanks to its favorable physicochemical properties, such as high surface area, large pore volume and outstanding acid sites accessibility for large molecules provided by the composite. In comparison with the reference catalyst using pure Y zeolite, the oil conversion achieved by the above-mentioned catalyst increased by 2.73 percentage points, while the heavy oil yield and coke yield decreased by 2.23 percentage points and 1.28 percentage points, respectively, with the light oil yield increasing by 2.27 percentage points.

Synthesis and Characterization of Superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@SiO₂Core-Shell Composite Nanoparticles

The Fe3O4@SiO2 composite nanoparticles were obtained from as-synthesized magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles through the modified St?ber method. Then, the Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Fe3O4@SiO2 composite nanoparticles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Recently, the studies focus on how to improve the dispersion of composite particle and achieve good magnetic performance. Hence effects of the volume ratio of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and magnetite colloid on the structural, morphological and magnetic properties of the composite nanoparticles were systematically investi-gated. The results revealed that the Fe3O4@SiO2 had better thermal stability and dispersion than the magnetite nanoparticles. Furthermore, the particle size and magnetic property of the Fe3O4@SiO2 composite nanoparticles can be adjusted by changing the volume ratio of TEOS and magnetite colloid.

Preparation of Core-shell Structured Particles and Their Nucleation in Polyester:I. Preparation of Monodisperse SiO_2/PS Core-shell Composite Particles

To enhance the nucleation and crystallization properties of polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, PET), core-shell structured particles are used to improve these properties by controlling the inorganic dispersion properties in the polymers. In the paper, monodisperse particles of silica/polystyrene (PS) are prepared with both dispersion and emulsion polymerization techniques. The monodisperse silicon dioxide particles are first prepared with the seed growth method and modified by the coupling agents. Silica is properly modified with KH-570, and its size deviation is 3.0% or so. The modified silica then reacts with the mixture of ethanol, water medium, and monomer of styrene under dispersion polymerization. Results show that the dispersion polymerization technique is more suitable for monodisperse core-shell SiO2/PS particles than that of the emulsion. The morphology and molecular structure of the core-shell particles are investigated with the transmission electron microscope (TEM), and fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the modified silica particles are successfully encapsulated with polystyrene. The average number of silica particles encapsulated into each polystyrene sphere decreases when the size of silica particles increases from 50 nm to 600 nm, and will approach one when the silica is greater than 380nm in size. The mass ratio for silica/PS particles in emulsion polymerization is 4.7/1, lower than that of 6.8/1 for dispersion polymerization, which is the first reported optimized data for preparing the similar monodisperse composite particles. Thus, the PS shell in the former is thinner than that in the latter.

Interfacial reinforcement of core-shell HMX@energetic polymer composites featuring enhanced thermal and safety performance

The weak interface interaction and solid-solid phase transition have long been a conundrum for 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane(HMX)-based polymer-bonded explosives(PBX).A two-step strategy that involves the pretreatment of HMX to endow—OH groups on the surface via polyalcohol bonding agent modification and in situ coating with nitrate ester-containing polymer,was proposed to address the problem.Two types of energetic polyether—glycidyl azide polymer(GAP)and nitrate modified GAP(GNP)were grafted onto HMX crystal based on isocyanate addition reaction bridged through neutral polymeric bonding agent(NPBA)layer.The morphology and structure of the HMX-based composites were characterized in detail and the core-shell structure was validated.The grafted polymers obviously enhanced the adhesion force between HMX crystals and fluoropolymer(F2314)binder.Due to the interfacial reinforcement among the components,the two HMX-based composites exhibited a remarkable increment of phase transition peak temperature by 10.2°C and 19.6°C with no more than 1.5%shell content,respectively.Furthermore,the impact and friction sensitivity of the composites decreased significantly as a result of the barrier produced by the grafted polymers.These findings will enhance the future prospects for the interface design of energetic composites aiming to solve the weak interface and safety concerns.

Catechol-Formaldehyde Resin Coated CdS Core-Shell Composite as Robust Photocatalyst for Long-Term Sustainable Artificial Photosynthesis of H_(2)O_(2)

Catechol-formaldehyde resin(CFR)is very attractive for H_(2)O_(2) production via the catalytic process.However,the H2O2 formation is accompanied by the oxidation of catechol groups to o-benzoquinone groups on CFR,which will cause irreversible damage to CFR and greatly limit its long-term stable catalytic activity.Herein,CdS/CFR composite photocatalyst with a core-shell structure was synthesized by hydrothermal method.The photogenerated electrons of Cds are used as a powerful driving force for the reversible redox conversion between catechol groups and o-benzoquinone groups on the CFR.

Core-shell-structured Composite ZSM-5@MCM-41 Catalysts:Fabrication,Characterization,and Enhanced Performance in Hexane Catalytic Cracking

A series of core-shell zeolites with a ZSM-5 zeolite core and a MCM-41 shell with varying shell thicknesses were successfully fabricated via a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB)-directed sol-gel coating method in an ultradilute solution. Extensive characterization techniques, including XRD, TEM, N_(2) adsorption-desorption, NH_(3)-TPD, and IR measurements, confirmed the successful coating of a microporous ZSM-5 core with a mesoporous MCM-41 shell layer and were further employed to explore the textural properties and acidic properties of the samples. The hexane cracking results revealed a significant enhancement in olefin yields after introducing the MCM-41 shell to ZSM-5. Interestingly, a volcanic trend in olefin yields was observed with the increase in the shell thickness. In particular, the highest olefin yield of 51.5%, exceeding that of the core catalyst by 17.1%, was achieved when the shell thickness was controlled at 40 nm.Moreover, the catalyst lifetime investigation revealed that the core-shell composite catalyst exhibited a minimal reduction in hexane conversion of merely 3.8% over a 120 h reaction period, significantly outperforming the 11.3% reduction exhibited by the core catalyst. This remarkable catalytic performance was attributed to the passivation of external acid sites and the introduction of more developed pore channels by the shell, which effectively mitigated unwanted side reactions. The successful synthesis of these core-shell structured catalysts presents a novel strategy for improving catalytic performance in hexane cracking, in addition to serving as a solid foundation for the design of industrial catalysts for light naphtha cracking.

Effects of TiC on the microstructure refinement and mechanical property enhancement of additive manufactured Inconel 625/TiC metal matrix composites fabricated with novel core-shell composite powder

The flexible product shape of additive manufacturing(AM)is attractive,but the process suffers from a lack of material property diversity due to a limited number of printable alloys and post-processing options.To overcome this problem,the AM of metal matrix composites(MMCs)is a highly suitable solution because the properties of MMC can be tailored using various reinforcements.Therefore,extensive research has been conducted on the AM of MMCs;however,the major huddle for this process has been the difficulties in preparing feedstock powder and operating the AM process.This study introduces an easily synthesizable core-shell composite powder,which was fabricated by a recently developed process called the SMART process.The core-shell powder has a novel morphology,consisting of a metal core and composite shell,distinguishing it from the powders used in conventional AM approaches.Inconel 625/TiCp composites were fabricated using the core-shell composite powder,with various fractions of TiCp up to 10 vol.%.Compared to additive-manufactured Inconel 625,the additive-manufactured MMCs showed enhanced strength with significantly fewer defects.The results of this study may accelerate the application of MMC fabricated by AM,which offers superior properties and reliability compared to casting and powder metallurgy due to the higher degree of dislocation density and reinforcement dispersion.

Additive Manufacturing of Large-scale Metal Mesh with Core-shell Composite Structure for Transparent Electromagnetic Shielding/glass Heater

Transparent electromagnetic(EM)shielding glass with a metal mesh has significant potential for application in different fields of EM radiation and anti-EM interference light-transmitting observation windows.In particular,a transparent EM-shielding glass with a large-aspect-ratio metal mesh can effectively alleviate the contradictory problems of shielding effectiveness and light-transmission performance constraints.However,the fabrication of high-aspect-ratio metal meshes on glass substrates has problems such as high cost,complex processes,low efficiency,small area,and easy damage issues,which limit their application in the field of high-performance,transparent EM-shielding glass.Therefore,this paper proposes a composite additive manufacturing process based on electric-field-driven microjet 3D printing and electroplating.By fabricating metal meshes with an Ag-Cu core-shell structure on a glass substrate,EM-shielding glass with high shielding efficiency and light transmission can be manufactured without increasing the aspect ratio of the metal meshes.The prepared Ag-Cu composite metal mesh has excellent optoelectronic properties(period 250𝜇m,line width 10𝜇m,90.1%transmission at 550 nm visible light,square resistance 0.21Ω/sq),efficient electrothermal effect(3 V DC voltage can reach 189°C steady-state temperature),stable EM-shielding effectiveness(average shielding effectiveness 23 dB at X-band),and acceptable mechanical and environmental stability(less than 3%change in square resistance after 150-times adhesion test and less than 6%and 0.6%change in resistance after 72 h in acid and alkali environments,respectively).This method provides a new solution for the mass production of high-performance large-area transparent electric heating/EM-shielding glass.

Characterization of luminescent hydroxyapatite@terbium complex core-shell composites using chlorobenzoic acid as ligands

Three kinds of novel hydroxyapatite@terbium complex core-shell composites were synthesized with 2-chlorobenzoic acid,4-chlorobenzoic acid,and 2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid as the ligand,respectively.The XRD,UV/vis absorption and FT-IR results show that terbium ions are coordinated with ligands and the corresponding complexes are successfully included into composites.SEM and EDS results reveal that Tb complexes are fully and homogenously coated on the surface of hydroxyapatite(HAP)microspheres consisting of a large number of nanosized crystals.The strongest luminescence properties are obtained when 2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid is used as ligand.The study on fluorescence lifetime of composites shows that the lifetime is inversely related to emission intensity.TGA-DSC results indicate that the core-shell composites have an excellent thermal stability.Therefore,the current core-shell structure provides a cost-effective route to manufacture of biocompatible and heatresistant highly luminescent materials.

Realization of high thermal conductivity and tunable thermal expansion in the ScF_(3)@Cu core-shell composites

Achieving high performances of high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion remains a great challenge. In this study,we have designed and synthesized the ScF_(3)@Cu core-shell composites through a general electroless plating method to coat Cu on the surface of negative thermal expansion particles of ScF_(3). A spatially continuous copper network structure is formed in the present core-shell structure composites to achieve high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion simultaneously, which is different from the conventional mixed composites. Notably, a high thermal conductivity(136.3 W m^(-1) K^(-1)) has been achieved in the ScF_(3)@Cu-40 core-shell composite with a low thermal expansion property(4.3×10^(-6) K^(-1)). The mechanism of thermal property and microstructure of the present core-shell composites are systematically studied based on different models. Our proposed approach in this study can be widely applicable to numerous advanced materials, which should simultaneously control thermal conductivity and thermal expansion properties.

Impact resistance performance and optimization of the sand-EPE composite cushion in rock sheds

Rock sheds are widely used to prevent rockfall disasters along roads in mountainous areas.To improve the capacity of rock sheds for resisting rockfall impact,a sand and expandable polyethylene(EPE)composite cushion was proposed.A series of model experiments of rockfall impact on rock sheds were conducted,and the buried depth of the EPE foam board in the sand layer was considered.The impact load and dynamic response of the rock shed were investigated.The results show that the maximum impact load and dynamic response of the rock shed roof are all significantly less than those of the sand cushion.Moreover,as the distance between the EPE foam board and rock shed roof decreases,the maximum rockfall impact force and impact pressure gradually decrease,and the maximum displacement,acceleration and strain of the rock shed first decrease and then change little.In addition,the vibration acceleration and vertical displacement of the rock shed roof decrease from the centre to the edge and decrease faster along the longitudinal direction than that along the transverse direction.In conclusion,the buffering effect of the sand-EPE composite cushion is better than that of the pure sand cushion,and the EPE foam board at a depth of 1/3 the thickness of the sand layer is appropriate.

Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene/carbon composites for advanced supercapacitors:Synthesis,progress,and perspectives

MXenes are a family of two-dimensional(2D)layered transition metal carbides/nitrides that show promising potential for energy storage applications due to their high-specific surface areas,excellent electron conductivity,good hydrophilicity,and tunable terminations.Among various types of MXenes,Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) is the most widely studied for use in capacitive energy storage applications,especially in supercapacitors(SCs).However,the stacking and oxidation of MXene sheets inevitably lead to a significant loss of electrochemically active sites.To overcome such challenges,carbon materials are frequently incorporated into MXenes to enhance their electrochemical properties.This review introduces the common strategies used for synthesizing Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x),followed by a comprehensive overview of recent developments in Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites as electrode materials for SCs.Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/carbon composites are categorized based on the dimensions of carbons,including 0D carbon dots,1D carbon nanotubes and fibers,2D graphene,and 3D carbon materials(activated carbon,polymer-derived carbon,etc.).Finally,this review also provides a perspective on developing novel MXenes/carbon composites as electrodes for application in SCs.

Laser‑Induced and MOF‑Derived Metal Oxide/Carbon Composite for Synergistically Improved Ethanol Sensing at Room temperature

Advancements in sensor technology have significantly enhanced atmospheric monitoring.Notably,metal oxide and carbon(MO_(x)/C)hybrids have gained attention for their exceptional sensitivity and room-temperature sensing performance.However,previous methods of synthesizing MO_(x)/C composites suffer from problems,including inhomogeneity,aggregation,and challenges in micropatterning.Herein,we introduce a refined method that employs a metal–organic framework(MOF)as a precursor combined with direct laser writing.The inherent structure of MOFs ensures a uniform distribution of metal ions and organic linkers,yielding homogeneous MO_(x)/C structures.The laser processing facilitates precise micropatterning(<2μm,comparable to typical photolithography)of the MO_(x)/C crystals.The optimized MOF-derived MO_(x)/C sensor rapidly detected ethanol gas even at room temperature(105 and 18 s for response and recovery,respectively),with a broad range of sensing performance from 170 to 3,400 ppm and a high response value of up to 3,500%.Additionally,this sensor exhibited enhanced stability and thermal resilience compared to previous MOF-based counterparts.This research opens up promising avenues for practical applications in MOF-derived sensing devices.

Synthesis of Core-shell ZSM-5@ Ordered Mesoporous Silica by Tetradecylamine Surfactant

A core-shell composite consisting of ZSM-5 zeolite as the core and ordered mesoporous silica as the shell was prepared by a surfactant-controlled sol-gel process and using tetradecylamine(TDA) as the template and Tetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS) as the silica precursor.The pores of the silica shell were found to be ordered and perpendicular to the crystal faces of the zeolite core.The thickness of the shell in the coreshell structured composite can be adjusted in the range of 20-90 nm,while the surface morphology and the pore size distribution were modified by changing the mass ratio of TEOS to zeolite.The composite molecular sieves have higher surface area for capturing molecules than ZSM-5,and with the increase of mesoporous shell layer,the ZSM-5@SiO_(2)-x composites show stronger adsorption capacity of butyraldehyde.However,when the shell thickness exceeds 90 nm,the adsorption capacity of butyraldehyde decreases instead.The composites have a huge potential for environmental applications.

Mechanical behaviors of backfill-rock composites: Physical shear test and back-analysis

The shear behavior of backfill-rock composites is crucial for mine safety and the management of surface subsidence.For exposing the shear failure mechanism of backfill-rock composites,we conducted shear tests on backfill-rock composites under three constant normal loads,compared with the unfilled rock.To investigate the macro-and meso-failure characteristics of the samples in the shear tests,the cracking behavior of samples was recorded by a high-speed camera and acoustic emission monitoring.In parallel with the experimental test,the numerical models of backfill-rock composites and unfilled rock were established using the discrete element method to analyze the continuous-discontinuous shearing process.Based on the damage mechanics and statistics,a novel shear constitutive model was proposed to describe mechanical behavior.The results show that backfill-rock composites had a special bimodal phenomenon of shearing load-deformation curve,i.e.the first shearing peak corresponded to rock break and the second shearing peak induced by the broken of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill.Moreover,the shearing characteristic curves of the backfill-rock composites could be roughly divided into four stages,i.e.the shear failure of the specimens experienced:stage I:stress concentration;stage II:crack propagation;stage III:crack coalescence;stage IV:shearing friction.The numerical simulation shows that the existence of aeolian sand-cement/fly ash paste backfill inevitably altered the coalescence type and failure mode of the specimens and had a strengthening effect on the shear strength of backfillrock composites.Based on damage mechanics and statistics,a shear constitutive model was proposed to describe the shear fracture characteristics of specimens,especially the bimodal phenomenon.Finally,the micro-and meso-mechanisms of shear failure were discussed by combining the micro-test and numerical results.The research can advance the better understanding of the shear behavior of backfill-rock composites and contribute to the safety of mining engineering.

Ultraviolet‑Irradiated All‑Organic Nanocomposites with Polymer Dots for High‑Temperature Capacitive Energy Storage

Polymer dielectrics capable of operating efficiently at high electric fields and elevated temperatures are urgently demanded by next-generation electronics and electrical power systems.While inorganic fillers have been extensively utilized to improved high-temperature capacitive performance of dielectric polymers,the presence of thermodynamically incompatible organic and inorganic components may lead to concern about the long-term stability and also complicate film processing.Herein,zero-dimensional polymer dots with high electron affinity are introduced into photoactive allyl-containing poly(aryl ether sulfone)to form the all-organic polymer composites for hightemperature capacitive energy storage.Upon ultraviolet irradiation,the crosslinked polymer composites with polymer dots are efficient in suppressing electrical conduction at high electric fields and elevated temperatures,which significantly reduces the high-field energy loss of the composites at 200℃.Accordingly,the ultraviolet-irradiated composite film exhibits a discharged energy density of 4.2 J cm^(−3)at 200℃.Along with outstanding cyclic stability of capacitive performance at 200℃,this work provides a promising class of dielectric materials for robust high-performance all-organic dielectric nanocomposites.

Snap-through behaviors and nonlinear vibrations of a bistable composite laminated cantilever shell:an experimental and numerical study

The snap-through behaviors and nonlinear vibrations are investigated for a bistable composite laminated cantilever shell subjected to transversal foundation excitation based on experimental and theoretical approaches.An improved experimental specimen is designed in order to satisfy the cantilever support boundary condition,which is composed of an asymmetric region and a symmetric region.The symmetric region of the experimental specimen is entirely clamped,which is rigidly connected to an electromagnetic shaker,while the asymmetric region remains free of constraint.Different motion paths are realized for the bistable cantilever shell by changing the input signal levels of the electromagnetic shaker,and the displacement responses of the shell are collected by the laser displacement sensors.The numerical simulation is conducted based on the established theoretical model of the bistable composite laminated cantilever shell,and an off-axis three-dimensional dynamic snap-through domain is obtained.The numerical solutions are in good agreement with the experimental results.The nonlinear stiffness characteristics,dynamic snap-through domain,and chaos and bifurcation behaviors of the shell are quantitatively analyzed.Due to the asymmetry of the boundary condition and the shell,the upper stable-state of the shell exhibits an obvious soft spring stiffness characteristic,and the lower stable-state shows a linear stiffness characteristic of the shell.

Transient response of doubly-curved bio-inspired composite shells resting on viscoelastic foundation subject to blast load using improved first-order shear theory and isogeometric approach

Investigating natural-inspired applications is a perennially appealing subject for scientists. The current increase in the speed of natural-origin structure growth may be linked to their superior mechanical properties and environmental resilience. Biological composite structures with helicoidal schemes and designs have remarkable capacities to absorb impact energy and withstand damage. However, there is a dearth of extensive study on the influence of fiber redirection and reorientation inside the matrix of a helicoid structure on its mechanical performance and reactivity. The present study aimed to explore the static and transient responses of a bio-inspired helicoid laminated composite(B-iHLC) shell under the influence of an explosive load using an isomorphic method. The structural integrity of the shell is maintained by a viscoelastic basis known as the Pasternak foundation, which encompasses two coefficients of stiffness and one coefficient of damping. The equilibrium equations governing shell dynamics are obtained by using Hamilton's principle and including the modified first-order shear theory,therefore obviating the need to employ a shear correction factor. The paper's model and approach are validated by doing numerical comparisons with respected publications. The findings of this study may be used in the construction of military and civilian infrastructure in situations when the structure is subjected to severe stresses that might potentially result in catastrophic collapse. The findings of this paper serve as the foundation for several other issues, including geometric optimization and the dynamic response of similar mechanical structures.

Self‑Assembly of Binderless MXene Aerogel for Multiple‑Scenario and Responsive Phase Change Composites with Ultrahigh Thermal Energy Storage Density and Exceptional Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

The severe dependence of traditional phase change materials(PCMs)on the temperature-response and lattice deficiencies in versatility cannot satisfy demand for using such materials in complex application scenarios.Here,we introduced metal ions to induce the self-assembly of MXene nanosheets and achieve their ordered arrangement by combining suction filtration and rapid freezing.Subsequently,a series of MXene/K^(+)/paraffin wax(PW)phase change composites(PCCs)were obtained via vacuum impregnation in molten PW.The prepared MXene-based PCCs showed versatile applications from macroscale technologies,successfully transforming solar,electric,and magnetic energy into thermal energy stored as latent heat in the PCCs.Moreover,due to the absence of binder in the MXene-based aerogel,MK3@PW exhibits a prime solar-thermal conversion efficiency(98.4%).Notably,MK3@PW can further convert the collected heat energy into electric energy through thermoelectric equipment and realize favorable solar-thermal-electric conversion(producing 206 mV of voltage with light radiation intensity of 200 mw cm^(−2)).An excellent Joule heat performance(reaching 105℃with an input voltage of 2.5 V)and responsive magnetic-thermal conversion behavior(a charging time of 11.8 s can achieve a thermal insulation effect of 285 s)for contactless thermotherapy were also demonstrated by the MK3@PW.Specifically,as a result of the ordered arrangement of MXene nanosheet self-assembly induced by potassium ions,MK3@PW PCC exhibits a higher electromagnetic shielding efficiency value(57.7 dB)than pure MXene aerogel/PW PCC(29.8 dB)with the same MXene mass.This work presents an opportunity for the multi-scene response and practical application of PCMs that satisfy demand of next-generation multifunctional PCCs.