Enhancing capacitive deionization performance and cyclic stability of nitrogen-doped activated carbon by the electro-oxidation of anode materials

Electrode materials with high desalination capacity and long-term cyclic stability are the focus of capacitive deionization(CDI) community. Understanding the causes of performance decay in traditional carbons is crucial to design a high-performance material. Based on this, here, nitrogen-doped activated carbon(NAC) was prepared by pyrolyzing the blend of activated carbon powder(ACP) and melamine for the positive electrode of asymmetric CDI. By comparing the indicators changes such as conductivity, salt adsorption capacity, pH, and charge efficiency of the symmetrical ACP-ACP device to the asymmetric ACP-NAC device under different CDI cycles, as well as the changes of the electrochemical properties of anode and cathode materials after long-term operation, the reasons for the decline of the stability of the CDI performance were revealed. It was found that the carboxyl functional groups generated by the electro-oxidation of anode carbon materials make the anode zero-charge potential(E_(pzc)) shift positively,which results in the uneven distribution of potential windows of CDI units and affects the adsorption capacity. Furthermore, by understanding the electron density on C atoms surrounding the N atoms, we attribute the increased cyclic stability to the enhanced negativity of the charge of carbon atoms adjacent to quaternary-N and pyridinic-oxide-N.

Theoretical investigation on axial cyclic performance of monopile in sands using interface constitutive models

Cyclic loads generated by environmental factors,such as winds,waves,and trains,will likely lead to performance degradation in pile foundations,resulting in issues like permanent displacement accumulation and bearing capacity attenuation.This paper presents a semi-analytical solution for predicting the axial cyclic behavior of piles in sands.The solution relies on two enhanced nonlinear load-transfer models considering stress-strain hysteresis and cyclic degradation in the pile-soil interaction.Model parameters are calibrated through cyclic shear tests of the sand-steel interface and laboratory geotechnical testing of sands.A novel aspect involves the meticulous formulation of the shaft loadtransfer function using an interface constitutive model,which inherently inherits the interface model’s advantages,such as capturing hysteresis,hardening,degradation,and particle breakage.The semi-analytical solution is computed numerically using the matrix displacement method,and the calculated values are validated through model tests performed on non-displacement and displacement piles in sands.The results demonstrate that the predicted values show excellent agreement with the measured values for both the static and cyclic responses of piles in sands.The displacement pile response,including factors such as bearing capacity,mobilized shaft resistance,and convergence rate of permanent settlement,exhibit improvements compared to non-displacement piles attributed to the soil squeezing effect.This methodology presents an innovative analytical framework,allowing for integrating cyclic interface models into the theoretical investigation of pile responses.

The Performance of Small Diameter Aluminum Light Support Structures Containing Handholes under Cyclic Fatigue

Aluminum light poles play a pivotal role in modern infrastructure, ensuring proper illumination along highways and in populated areas during nighttime. These poles typically feature handholes near their bases, providing access to electrical wiring for installation and maintenance. While essential for functionality, these handholes introduce a vulnerability to the overall structure, making them a potential failure point. Although prior research and analyses on aluminum light poles have been conducted, the behavior of smaller diameter poles containing handholes remains unexplored. Recognizing this need, a research team at the University of Akron undertook a comprehensive experimental program involving aluminum light poles with handholes containing welded inserts in order to gain a better understanding of their fatigue life, mechanical behavior, and failure mechanisms. The research involved testing seven large-scale aluminum light poles each 8-inch diameter, with two separate handholes. These handholes included a reinforcement that was welded to the poles. Finite Element Analysis (FEA), statistical analysis, and comparison analysis with their large counterparts (10-inch diameter) were used to augment the experimental results. The results revealed two distinct failure modes: progressive crack propagation leading to ultimate failure, and rupture of the pole near the weld initiation/termination site around the handhole. The comparison analysis indicated that the 8-inch diameter specimens exhibited an average fatigue life exceeding that of their 10-inch counterparts by an average of 30.7%. The experimental results were plotted alongside the fatigue detail classifications outlined in the Aluminum Design Manual (ADM), enhancing understanding of the fatigue detail category of the respective poles/handholes.

Seismic performance of interior precast concrete beam-column connections with T-section steel inserts under cyclic loading

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the performance of precast beam-column concrete connections using T-section steel inserts into the concrete beam and joint core,under reversed cyclic loading.Six 2/3-scale interior beam-column subassemblies,one monolithic concrete specimen and five precast concrete specimens were tested.One precast specimen was a simple connection for a gravity load resistant design.Other precast specimens were developed with different attributes to improve their seismic performance.The test results showed that the performance of the monolithic specimen M1 represented ductile seismic behavior.Failure of columns and joints could be prevented,and the failure of the frame occurred at the flexural plastic hinge formation at the beam ends,close to the column faces.For the precast specimens,the splitting crack along the longitudinal lapped splice was a major failure.The precast P5 specimen with double steel T-section inserts showed better seismic performance compared to the other precast models.However,the dowel bars connected to the steel inserts were too short to develop a bond.The design of the precast concrete beams with lap splice is needed for longer lap lengths and should be done at the beam mid span or at the low flexural stress region.

Experimental study of hollow rectangular bridge column performance under vertical and cyclically bilateral loads

To investigate the seismic performance of hollow reinforced concrete （RC） bridge columns of rectangular cross section under constant axial load and cyclically biaxial bending, five specimens were tested. A parametric study is carried out for different axial load ratios, longitudinal reinforcement ratios and lateral reinforcement ratios. The experimental results showed that all tested specimens failed in the flexural failure mode and their ultimate performance was dominated by flexural capacity, which is represented by the rupture/buckling of tensile longitudinal rebars at the bottom of the bridge columns. Biaxial force and displacement hysteresis loops showed significant stiffness and strength degradations, and the pinching effect and coupling interaction effect of both directions severely decrease the structural seismic resistance. However, the measured ductility coefficient varying from 3.5 to 5.7 and the equivalent viscous damping ratio varying from 0.19 and 0.26 can meet the requirements of the seismic design. The hollow RC rectangular bridge columns with configurations of lateral reinforcement in this study have excellent performance under bidirectional earthquake excitations, and may be considered as a substitute for current hollow RC rectangular section configurations described in the Guideline for Seismic Design of Highway Bridges （JTG/T B02-01-2008）. The length of the plastic hinge region was found to approach one sixth of the hollow RC rectangular bridge column height for all specimen columns, and it was much less than those specified in the current JTG/T. Thus, the length of the plastic hinge region is more concentrated for RC rectangular hollow bridge columns.

Dynamic performance of angle-steel concrete columns under low cyclic loading-II:parametric study

Tests of nine angle-steel concrete column （ASCC） specimens under low cyclic loading are described in a companion paper （Zheng and Ji, 2008）. In this paper, the skeleton curves from the numerical simulation are presented, and show good agreement with the test results. Furthermore, parametric studies are conducted to explore the influence of factors such as the axial compression ratio, shear steel plate ratio, steel ratio, prismatic concrete compression strength, yield strength of angle steel and shear span ratio, etc., on the monotonic load-displacement curves of the ASCCs. Based on a statistical analysis of the calculated results, hysteretic models for load-displacement and moment-curvature are proposed, which agree well with the test results. Finally, some suggestions concerning the conformation of ASCCs are proposed, which could be useful in engineering practice.

Dynamic performance of angle-steel concrete columns under low cyclic loading-I:Experimental study

This paper describes low cyclic loading testing of nine angle-steel concrete column （ASCC） specimens. In the tests, the influence of the shear-span ratio, axial compression ratio and shear steel plate ratio on the hysteretic behavior, energy dissipation, strength degradation, stiffness degradation, skeleton curve and ductility of the ASCCs is studied. Based on the test results, some conclusions are presented. The P-A and sectional M -φ hysteretic models for the ASCCs are presented in a companion paper （Zheng and Ji, 2008）.

Seismic performance evaluation of an infilled rocking wall frame structure through quasi-static cyclic testing

Earthquake investigations have illustrated that even code-compliant reinforced concrete frames may suffer from soft-story mechanism.This damage mode results in poor ductility and limited energy dissipation.Continuous components offer alternatives that may avoid such failures.A novel infilled rocking wall frame system is proposed that takes advantage of continuous component and rocking characteristics.Previous studies have investigated similar systems that combine a reinforced concrete frame and a wall with rocking behavior used.However,a large-scale experimental study of a reinforced concrete frame combined with a rocking wall has not been reported.In this study,a seismic performance evaluation of the newly proposed infilled rocking wall frame structure was conducted through quasi-static cyclic testing.Critical joints were designed and verified.Numerical models were established and calibrated to estimate frame shear forces.The results evaluation demonstrate that an infilled rocking wall frame can effectively avoid soft-story mechanisms.Capacity and initial stiffness are greatly improved and self-centering behavior is achieved with the help of the infilled rocking wall.Drift distribution becomes more uniform with height.Concrete cracks and damage occurs in desired areas.The infilled rocking wall frame offers a promising approach to achieving seismic resilience.

Creep Model of High-Strength High-Performance Concrete Under Cyclic Loading

Concrete creep under both static and cyclic loading conditions was investigated. Four groups of high-strength high-performance concrete(HSHPC) prism specimens were fabricated, and three of these specimens were loaded periodically by the MTS Landmark Fatigue Testing Machine System. Creep characteristics and creep coefficients of HSHPC under static loading and cyclic loading, respectively, were obtained and compared. The experimental results show that the creep strains under cyclic loading with a mean stress of 0.4 fcp and an amplitude of 0.2 fcp increase significantly compared with the creep strains under static loading, and the maximum value was 1.2-2.3 times at early stages. In addition, the creep coefficient increases nonlinearly with the number of cyclic loading repetitions. The influence coefficient for cyclic loading γcyc=1.088×(N/N0)0.078 was introduced based on the previous HSHPC creep model, and then the modified creep model under cyclic loading was established. Finally, the residual method, the CEB coefficient of variation method and the B3 coefficient of variation method were applied to evaluate the modified creep model. The statistical results demonstrate that the modified creep model agrees well with the experimental measurements. Hence, it has important theoretical and practical values for accurately predicting the deflection of concrete bridges under cyclic traffic loading.

Monotonic, cyclic and post-cyclic performances of single-helix anchor in residual soil of sandstone

Helical anchors are commonly used in Brazil for guyed transmission towers subjected to static and cyclic wind loads.In most cases,these anchors are installed in tropical residual soil,a micro-structured material in which the shear strength is provided by soil bonding.During installation of a helical anchor,as the helical plate moves downward into the ground,the soil penetrated is sheared and displaced.Consequently,in this type of soil,anchor installation affects the soil shear strength significantly associated with a bonded structure.However,the cyclic responses of helical anchors in this type of structured soils are rarely reported.To address this problem,tests were conducted in a Brazilian residual soil to investigate the monotonic,cyclic and post-cyclic performances of single-helix anchors.Field tests used two instrumented single-helix anchors installed in this typical residual soil of sandstone,which is frequently observed in large areas in the southern Brazil.The testing results indicate that the disturbance caused by the anchor installation affected the monotonic uplift performance markedly.The results of cyclic loading tests also show no significant degradation of helix bearing resistance and reduced displacement accumulation with increasing load cycles.This is perhaps due to the soil improvement caused by previous loading,which then increases the stiffness response of the anchor.

Low cyclic fatigue performance of concrete-filled steel tube columns

Eight concrete-filled steel tubular(CFT) columns were tested subjected to cyclic loading under constant axial load. Experimental parameters included axial compression ratio, loading sequences, and strength of concrete and steel. The seismic performance of CFT columns and failure modes were analyzed. The test results show that different axial load ratios and loading sequences have effects on the load carrying capacity, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of CFT columns, as well as the failure modes of the CFT columns. The failure pattern can be categorized into two types: local buckling failure of steel tube in compression zone, and low cycle fatigue tearing rupture failure of steel tube. The seismic behavior was evaluated through the energy index obtained from each cycle.

Enhance liquid nitrogen fracturing performance on hot dry rock by cyclic injection

Producing complex fracture networks in a safe way plays a critical role in the hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal energy exploitation. However, conventional hydraulic fracturing (HF) generally produces high breakdown pressure and results only in single main fracture morphology. Furthermore, HF has also other problems such as the increased risk of seismic events and consuption of large amount of water. In this work, a new stimulation method based on cyclic soft stimulation (CSS) and liquid nitrogen (LN2) fracturing, known as cyclic LN2 fracturing is explored, which we believe has the potential to solve the above issues related to HF. The fracturing performances including breakdown pressure and fracture morphology on granites under true-triaxial stresses are investigated and compared with cyclic water fracturing. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) tests and X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning tests were used for quantitative characterization of fracture parameters and to evaluate the cyclic LN2 fracturing performances. The results demonstrate that the cyclic LN2 fracturing results in reduced breakdown pressure, with between 21% and 67% lower pressure compared with using cyclic water fracturing. Cyclic LN2 fracturing tends to produce more complex and branched fractures, whereas cyclic water fracturing usually produces a single main fracture under a low number of cycles and pressure levels. Thermally-induced fractures mostly occur around the interfaces of different particles. This study shows the potential benefits of cyclic LN2 fracturing on HDR. It is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the cyclic LN2 fracturing application in HDR reservoirs.

Experimental Study on Fatigue Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beams in Corrosive Environment with Cyclic Loads

In marine environments,reinforced concrete bridge structures are sub-jected to cyclic loads and chloride ingress,which results in corrosion of the rein-forcing bars,early deterioration,durability loss,and a considerable reduction in the fatigue strength.Owing to the complexity of the problem and the difficulty of testing,there are few studies on the fatigue performance of concrete structures under the combined action of corrosion environment and cyclic load.Therefore,a coupling test device for corrosion and cyclic load is designed and fatigue tests of reinforced concrete beams in air environments and chlorine salt corrosive envir-onments are carried out.The fatigue corrosion process,damage mode,and corro-sion features of the test beams as well as chloride ion content in concrete are analyzed.The relationships of deflection,crack,and number of cycles in the dif-ferent environments are given.Results show that the fatigue life of the beam is.greatly reduced under coupled effects of the cyclic load and corrosive environ-ment,the failure fom of the beam is corrosion fatigue damage.The deflection and crack keeps growing with the increase in loading cycles.Under the coupling of cyclic load and corrosion env ironment,the content of chloride ion in concrete is low and there is less variety along the direction of penetration.

Experimental Study on Performance of Plain Concrete Due to Triaxial Variable-Amplitude Tension-Compression Cyclic Loading

An experimental study on performance of plain concrete under triaxial constant-amplitude and variable amplitude tension- compression cyclic loadings was carded out. The low level of the cyclic stress is 0. 2f and the upper level ranges between 0. 20f and 0. 55f., while the constant lateral pressure is 0. 3 f . The specimen failure mode, the three-stage evolution rule of the longitudinal strains and the damage evolution law under cyclic loading were analyzed. Furthermore, Miner＇s rule is proved not to be applicable to the cyclic loading conditions, hereby, a nonlinear cumulative damage model was established. Based on the model the remaining fatigue life was evaluated. The comparison whh the experiment resuhs shaws that the model is of better precision and applicability.

Exploring the interaction between the gut microbiota and cyclic adenosine monophosphate-protein kinase A signaling pathway:a potential therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases

The interaction between the gut microbiota and cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP)-protein kinase A(PKA)signaling pathway in the host's central nervous system plays a crucial role in neurological diseases and enhances communication along the gut–brain axis.The gut microbiota influences the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway through its metabolites,which activates the vagus nerve and modulates the immune and neuroendocrine systems.Conversely,alterations in the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway can affect the composition of the gut microbiota,creating a dynamic network of microbial-host interactions.This reciprocal regulation affects neurodevelopment,neurotransmitter control,and behavioral traits,thus playing a role in the modulation of neurological diseases.The coordinated activity of the gut microbiota and the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway regulates processes such as amyloid-β protein aggregation,mitochondrial dysfunction,abnormal energy metabolism,microglial activation,oxidative stress,and neurotransmitter release,which collectively influence the onset and progression of neurological diseases.This study explores the complex interplay between the gut microbiota and cAMP-PKA signaling pathway,along with its implications for potential therapeutic interventions in neurological diseases.Recent pharmacological research has shown that restoring the balance between gut flora and cAMP-PKA signaling pathway may improve outcomes in neurodegenerative diseases and emotional disorders.This can be achieved through various methods such as dietary modifications,probiotic supplements,Chinese herbal extracts,combinations of Chinese herbs,and innovative dosage forms.These findings suggest that regulating the gut microbiota and cAMP-PKA signaling pathway may provide valuable evidence for developing novel therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases.

ON THE PERFORMANCE OF DATA-DEPENDENT SUPERIMPOSED TRAINING WITHOUT CYCLIC PREFIX FOR SISO/MIMO SYSTEMS

Compared with channel estimation method based on explicit training sequences,bandwidth is saved for those methods using superimposed training sequences,while it is wasted when Cyclic Prefix(CP) is added.In previous work of McLernon,the Mean Square Error(MSE) performance of Data-Dependent Superimposed Training(DDST) without CP for Single-Input Single-Output(SISO) system was analyzed under the assumption that the data-dependent sequence matrix was a circulant matrix and not interfered by others.In fact,for the system without CP,the data-dependent sequence matrix is not circulant any more and will be interfered.This paper derives the exact expression of MSE for the system without CP and also gives its extension to Multiple-Input Multiple-Output(MIMO) system without CP.

Experimental Investigation on Springback Performance of Transformation-induced Plasticity Steel Sheet during Cyclic Bending Process

In order to investigate the springback performance of a cold-rolled transformation-induced plasticity （TRIP） steel sheet during cyclic bending, three-points bending experiments were performed. The specimen was firstly forward bended and then reversed bended according to three basic punch strokes, 10 mm, 20 mm and 30 mm, respectively. The outlines of the deformed specimens, punch load and crosshead displacement were obtained. The experimental procedures and the method of determining the springback displacement were reported in detail. The contributi^m of the strain hardening and decrease of elastic modulus to the overall springback was explained. The results demonstrated that springback increases both with the cycles and with the punch stroke during the cyclic bending process. Furthermore, springback in forward bending is larger than that in the corresponding reverse bending. This may be helpful to understand the complex springback behavior of the complicated sheet metal pancls.

Performance of Steel Structures under Fatigue Cyclic Loading

A component or structure, which is designed to carry a single monotonically increasing application of static load, may fracture and fail if the same load or even smaller load is applied cyclically a large number of times. For example a thin rod bent back and forth beyond yielding fails after a few cycles of such repeated bending. The fatigue failure is due to progressive propagation of flaws in steel under cyclic loading. This is partially enhanced by the stress concentration at the tip of such flaw or crack. The presence of a hole in a plate or simply the presence of a notch in the plate has created stress concentrations at the center points. These stress concentrations may occur in the material due to some discontinuities in the material itself. At the time of static failure, the average stress across the entire cross section would be the yield stress. However when the load is repeatedly applied or the load fluctuates between tension and compression, the center points experience a higher range of stress reversal than the applied average stress. These fluctuations involving higher stress ranges, cause minute cracks at these points, which open up progressively and spread with each application of the cyclic load and ultimately lead to rupture. Fatigue failure can be defined as the number of cycles and hence time taken to reach a pre-defined or a threshold failure criterion. Low cycle fatigue could be classified as the failures occurring in few cycles to a few tens of thousands of cycles, normally under high stress/strain ranges. High cycle fatigue requires about several millions of cycles to initiate a failure. The type of cyclic stresses applied on structural systems and the terminologies used in fatigue resistant design are illustrated in this paper. The common form of presentation of fatigue data is by using the S-N curve, where the total cyclic stress （S） is plotted against the number of cycles to failure （N） in logarithmic scale. The point at which the S-N curve flattens off is called the ＂endurance limit＂. To carry out fatigue life predictions, a linear fatigue damage model is used in conjunction with the relevant S-N curve.

Electrochemical performance of carbon nanotube-modified LiFePO_4 cathodes for Li-ion batteries

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and acetylene black (AB) were dispersed synchronously or separately between LiFePO4 (LFP) particles as conducting agents during the course of manufacture of LiFePO4 cathodes. The morphology and electrochemical performances of as-prepared LiFePO4 were evaluated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), charge-discharge test, electrochemical impedance spectroscope (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). CNTs contribute to the interconnection of the isolated LiFePO4 or carbon particles. For the CNTs-modified LiFePO4, it exhibits excellent performance in terms of both specific capacity and cycle life. The initial discharge capacity is 147.9 mA·h/g at 0.2C rate and 134.2 mA·h/g at 1C rate, keeping a capacity retention ratio of 97% after 50 cycles. The results from EIS indicate that the impedance value of the solid electrolyte interface decreases. The cyclic voltammetric peak profiles is more symmetric and spiculate and there are fewer peaks. CNTs are promising conductive additives candidate for high-power Li-ion batteries.

Applying real-time control to enhance the performance of nitrogen removal in CAST system

A bench-scale reactor（72 L） red with domestic sewage, was operated more than 3 months with three operation modes： traditional mode, modified mode and real-time control mode, so as to evaluate effects of the operation mode on the system performance and to develop a feasible control strategy. Results obtained from fixed-time control study indicate that the variations of the pH and oxidation-reduction potential（ORP） profiles can represent dynamic characteristics of system and the cycle sequences can be controlled and optimized by the control points on the pH and ORP profiles. A control strategy was, therefore, developed and applied to real-time control mode. Compared with traditional mode, the total nitrogen（TN） removal can be increased by approximately 16% in modified mode and a mean TN removal of 92% was achieved in real-time control mode. Moreover, approximately 12.5% aeration energy was saved in real- time control mode. The result of this study shows that the performance of nitrogen removal was enhanced in modified operation mode. Moreover, the real-time control made it possible to optimize process operation and save aeration energy.