Construction of core@double-shell structured energetic composites with simultaneously enhanced thermal stability and safety performance

The poor thermal stability and high sensitivity severely hinder the practical application of hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane(CL-20).Herein,a kind of novel core@double-shell CL-20 based energetic composites were fabricated to address the above issues.The coordination complexes which consist of natural polyphenol tannic acid(TA) and Fe~Ⅲ were chosen to construct the inner shell,while the graphene sheets were used to build the outer shell.The resulting CL-20/TA-Fe~Ⅲ/graphene composites exhibited simultaneously improved thermal stability and safety performance with only 1 wt% double-shell content,which should be ascribed to the intense physical encapsulation effect from inner shell combined with the desensitization effect of carbon nano-materials from outer shell.The phase transition(ε to γ) temperature increased from 173.70 ℃ of pure CL-20 to 191.87℃ of CL-20/TA-Fe~Ⅲ/graphene composites.Meanwhile,the characteristic drop height(H_(50)) dramatically increased from 14.7 cm of pure CL-20 to112.8 cm of CL-20/TA-Fe~Ⅲ/graphene composites,indicating much superior safety performance after the construction of the double-shell structure.In general,this work has provided an effective and versatile strategy to conquer the thermal stability and safety issues of CL-20 and contributes to the future application of high energy density energetic materials.

Design,preparation,application of advanced array structured materials and their action mechanism analyses for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur battery(LSB)has brought much attention and concern because of high theoretical specific capacity and energy density as one of main competitors for next-generation energy storage systems.The widely commercial application and development of LSB is mainly hindered by serious“shuttle effect”of lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),slow reaction kinetics,notorious lithium dendrites,etc.In various structures of LSB materials,array structured materials,possessing the composition of ordered micro units with the same or similar characteristics of each unit,present excellent application potential for various secondary cells due to some merits such as immobilization of active substances,high specific surface area,appropriate pore sizes,easy modification of functional material surface,accommodated huge volume change,enough facilitated transportation for electrons/lithium ions,and special functional groups strongly adsorbing Li PSs.Thus many novel array structured materials are applied to battery for tackling thorny problems mentioned above.In this review,recent progresses and developments on array structured materials applied in LSBs including preparation ways,collaborative structural designs based on array structures,and action mechanism analyses in improving electrochemical performance and safety are summarized.Meanwhile,we also have detailed discussion for array structured materials in LSBs and constructed the structure-function relationships between array structured materials and battery performances.Lastly,some directions and prospects about preparation ways,functional modifications,and practical applications of array structured materials in LSBs are generalized.We hope the review can attract more researchers'attention and bring more studying on array structured materials for other secondary batteries including LSB.

Ballistic performances of the hourglass lattice sandwich structures under high-velocity fragments

In this paper,the numerical simulation method is used to study the ballistic performances of hourglass lattice sandwich structures with the same mass under the vertical incidence of fragments.Attention is paid to elucidating the influences of rod cross-section dimensions,structure height,structure layer,and rod inclination angle on the deformation mode,ballistic performances,and ability to change the ballistic direction of fragments.The results show that the ballistic performances of hourglass lattice sandwich structures are mainly affected by their structural parameters.In this respect,structural parameters optimization of the hourglass lattice sandwich structures enable one to effectively improve their ballistic limit velocity and,consequently,ballistic performances.

Aseismic performances of constrained damping lining structures made of rubber-sand-concrete

Flexible damping technology considering aseismic materials and aseismic structures seems be a good solution for engineering structures.In this study,a constrained damping structure for underground tunnel lining,using a rubber-sand-concrete(RSC)as the aseismic material,is proposed.The aseismic performances of constrained damping structure were investigated by a series of hammer impact tests.The damping layer thickness and shape effects on the aseismic performance such as effective duration and acceleration amplitude of time-domain analysis,composite loss factor and damping ratio of the transfer function analysis,and total vibration level of octave spectrum analysis were discussed.The hammer impact tests revealed that the relationship between the aseismic performance and damping layer thickness was not linear,and that the hollow damping layer had a better aseismic performance than the flat damping layer one.The aseismic performances of constrained damping structure under different seismicity magnitudes and geological conditions were investigated.The effects of the peak ground acceleration(PGA)and tunnel overburden depth on the aseismic performances such as the maximum principal stress and equivalent plastic strain(PEEQ)were discussed.The numerical results show the constrained damping structure proposed in this paper has a good aseismic performance,with PGA in the range(0.2-1.2)g and tunnel overburden depth in the range of 0-300 m.

Atomic-resolution Interfacial Microstructure and Thermo-electro-magnetic Energy Conversion Performance of Gd/Bi_(0.5)Sb_(1.5)Te_(3)Composites

Thermo-electro-magnetic materials with simultaneously large magnetocaloric(MC)and thermoelectric(TE)effects are the core part for designing TE/MC all-solid-state cooling devices.Compositing MC phase with TE material is an effective approach.However,the elemental diffusion and chemical reaction occurring at the two-phase interfaces could significantly impair the cooling performance.Herein,Gd/Bi_(0.5)Sb_(1.5)Te_(3)(Gd/BST)composites were prepared by a low-temperature high-pressure spark plasma sintering method with an aim to control the extent of interfacial reaction.The reaction of Gd with the diffusive Te and the formation of GdTe nanocrystals were identified at the Gd/BST interfaces by the atomic-resolution microscope.The formed Bi’_(Te)antisite defects and enhanced{000 l}preferential orientation in BST are responsible for the increased carrier concentration and mobility,which leads to optimized electrical properties.The heterogeneous interface phases,along with antisite defects,favor the phonon scattering enhancement and lattice thermal conductivity suppression.The optimized composite sintered at 693 K exhibited a maximum ZT of 1.27 at 300 K.Furthermore,the well-controlled interfacial reaction has a slight impact on the magnetic properties of Gd and a high magnetic entropy change is retained in the composites.This work provides a universal approach to fabricating thermo-electro-magnetic materials with excellent MC and TE properties.

Mechanical Behavior Based on Aggregates Microstructure of Ultra-high Performance Concrete

We developed ultra-high performance concrete(UHPC)incorporating mullite sand and brown corundum sand(BCS),and the quartz sand UHPC was utilized to prepare for comparison.The properties of compressive strength,elastic modulus,ultrasonic pulse velocity,flexural strength,and toughness were investigated.Scanning electron microscopy and nanoindentation were also conducted to reveal the underlying mechanisms affecting macroscopic performance.Due to the superior interface bonding properties between mullite sand and matrix,the compressive strength and flexural toughness of UHPC have been significantly improved.Mullite sand and BCS aggregates have higher stiffness than quartz sand,contributing to the excellent elastic modulus exhibited by UHPC.The stiffness and volume of aggregates have a more significant impact on the elastic modulus of UHPC than interface performance,and the latter contributes more to the strength of UHPC.This study will provide a reference for developing UHPC with superior elastic modulus for structural engineering.

Dynamic performance and parameter optimization of a half-vehicle system coupled with an inerter-based X-structure nonlinear energy sink

Inspired by the demand of improving the riding comfort and meeting the lightweight design of the vehicle, an inerter-based X-structure nonlinear energy sink(IXNES) is proposed and applied in the half-vehicle system to enhance the dynamic performance. The X-structure is used as a mechanism to realize the nonlinear stiffness characteristic of the NES, which can realize the flexibility, adjustability, high efficiency, and easy operation of nonlinear stiffness, and is convenient to apply in the vehicle suspension, and the inerter is applied to replacing the mass of the NES based on the mass amplification characteristic. The dynamic model of the half-vehicle system coupled with the IX-NES is established with the Lagrange theory, and the harmonic balance method(HBM) and the pseudo-arc-length method(PALM) are used to obtain the dynamic response under road harmonic excitation. The corresponding dynamic performance under road harmonic and random excitation is evaluated by six performance indices, and compared with that of the original half-vehicle system to show the benefits of the IX-NES. Furthermore, the structural parameters of the IX-NES are optimized with the genetic algorithm. The results show that for road harmonic and random excitation, using the IX-NES can greatly reduce the resonance peaks and root mean square(RMS) values of the front and rear suspension deflections and the front and rear dynamic tire loads, while the resonance peaks and RMS values of the vehicle body vertical and pitching accelerations are slightly larger.When the structural parameters of the IX-NES are optimized, the vehicle body vertical and pitching accelerations of the half-vehicle system could reduce by 2.41% and 1.16%,respectively, and the other dynamic performance indices are within the reasonable ranges.Thus, the IX-NES combines the advantages of the inerter, X-structure, and NES, which improves the dynamic performance of the half-vehicle system and provides an effective option for vibration attenuation in the vehicle engineering.

Re-delocalization of localized d-electrons in VO_(2)(R)-VS_(4)hetero-structure enables high performance of rechargeable Mg-ion batteries

Rechargeable Mg-ion batteries(MIBs)have attracted much more attentions by virtue of the high capacity from the two electrons chemistry.However,the reversible Mg^(2+)diffusion in cathode materials is restricted by the strong interactions between the high-polarized bivalent Mg^(2+)ions and anionic lattice.Herein,we design and propose a hetero-structural VO_(2)(R)-VS_(4)cathode,in which the re-delocalized d-electrons can effectively shield the polarity of Mg^(2+)ions.Theoretically,the electrons should spontaneously transfer from VS_(4)to VO_(2)(R)through the interfaces of hetero-structure due to the lower work function value of VS_(4).Furthermore,the internal electrons transfer lead to the electronic injection into VO_(2)(R)from VS_(4)and the partially broken V-V dimers,indicating the presence of lone pair electrons and charge re-delocalization.Benefiting from the shield effect of re-delocalized electrons,and the weakened attraction between cations and O/S anions enables more S^(2-)-S_(2)^(2-)redox groups to participate the electrochemical reactions and compensate the double charge of Mg^(2+)ions.Accordingly,VO_(2)(R)-VS_(4)hetero-structure exhibits a high specific capacity of 554 mA h g^(-1)at 50 mA g^(-1).It is believed that the charge re-delocalization of cathode extremely boost the Mg^(2+)ions migration for the high-capacity of MIBs.

Blade Wrap Angle Impact on Centrifugal Pump Performance:Entropy Generation and Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis

The centrifugal pump is a prevalent power equipment widely used in different engineering patterns,and the impeller blade wrap angle significantly impacts its performance.A numerical investigation was conducted to analyze the influence of the blade wrap angle on flow characteristics and energy distribution of a centrifugal pump evaluated as a low specific speed with a value of 69.This study investigates six impellermodels that possess varying blade wrap angles(95°,105°,115°,125°,135°,and 145°)that were created while maintaining the same volute and other geometrical characteristics.The investigation of energy loss was conducted to evaluate the values of total and entropy generation rates(TEG,EGR).The fluid-structure interaction was considered numerically using the software tools ANSYS Fluent and ANSYSWorkbench.The elastic structural dynamic equation was used to estimate the structural response,while the shear stress transport k–ωturbulence model was utilized for the fluid domain modeling.The findings suggest that the blade wrap angle has a significant influence on the efficiency of the pump.The impeller featuring a blade wrap angle of 145°exhibits higher efficiency,with a notable increase of 3.76%relative to the original model.Variations in the blade wrap angle impact the energy loss,shaft power,and pump head.The model with a 145°angle exhibited a maximum equivalent stress of 14.8MPa and a total deformation of 0.084 mm.The results provide valuable insights into the intricate flow mechanism of the centrifugal pump,particularly when considering various blade wrap angles.

Research on the Influence of Equity Structure on Corporate Performance

Equity structure constitutes a crucial component of corporate internal governance.A scientifically and reasonably structured equity system aids in enhancing the level and efficiency of corporate governance.Through empirical analysis of data spanning from 2013 to 2022,the study aims to verify the influence mechanism of equity structure on corporate performance.The results indicate that enhancing equity concentration and balance positively impacts corporate performance,with this effect persisting over time.Consequently,optimizing the degree of equity concentration,shareholder types,and the board of directors’structure can assist enterprises in maximizing long-term value.

Regulation effect of the grille spacing of a funnel-type grating water–sediment separation structure on the debris flow performance

The size of pores or the grille spacing of water–sediment separation structures directly affects their regulation effect on the debris flow performance.A suitable pore size or grille spacing can effectively improve the water–sediment separation ability of the structure.The new funnel-type grating water–sediment separation structure(FGWSS)combines vertical and horizontal structures and provides a satisfactory water–sediment separation effect.However,the regulation effect of the grille spacing of the structure on the debris flow performance has not been studied.The regulation effect of the structure grille spacing on the debris flow performance is studied through a flume test,and the optimal structure grille spacing is obtained.An empirical equation of the relationship between the relative grille spacing of the structure and the sediment separation rate is established.Finally,the influence of the water–sediment separation structure on the regulation effect of debris flows is examined from two aspects:external factors(properties of debris flows)and internal factors(structural factors).The experimental results show that the gradation characteristics of solid particles in debris flows constitute a key factor affecting the regulation effect of the structure on the debris flow performance.The optimum grille spacing of the FGWSS matches the particle size corresponding to the material distribution curves d85~d90 of the debris flow.The total separation rate of debris flow particles is related to the grille spacing of the structure and the content of coarse and fine particles in the debris flow.

Effects of Additives on the Microstructure and Tribology Performance of Ta-12W Alloy Micro-Arc Oxidation Coating

Oxide ceramic coatings were fabricated on tantalum alloys by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) to improve their hardness and tribological properties. The MAO coatings were manufactured in a mixed silicatephosphate electrolyte containing NaF and/or EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid). The surface morphology,cross-sectional view, chemical composition, hardness, and wear performance of the coatings were analysed. As revealed by the scanning electron microscopy, silica-rich nodules appear on the MAO coating obtained in the silicate-phosphate electrolyte, but the formation of nodules is inhibited with NaF and/or EDTA in the electrolyte.Also, they reduce the roughness and improve the compactness of the coatings, which are composed of Ta_(2)O_(5),(Ta, O), and TaO. A thick and hard coating is obtained in the NaF-containing electrolyte, and the tribology performance is effectively improved. With additives, the nodule structure is detached from the coating surface and dissolved in the electrolyte. By using NaF as an electrolyte additive, the abrasion performance of the MAO coating is enhanced by decreasing the nodule structure, increasing the size of micropores, and improving the coating hardness.

Effects of stoichiometric ratio La/Mg on structures and electrochemical performances of as-cast and annealed La-Mg-Ni-based A_2B_7-type electrode alloys

In order to investigate the influences of the stoichiometric ratio of La/Mg （increasing La and decreasing Mg on the same mole ratio） on the structure and electrochemical performances of the La-Mg-Ni-based A2B7-type electrode alloy, the as-cast and the annealed ternary Lao.8＋xMgo.2_xNi3.5 （x=0-0.05） electrode alloys were prepared. The characterization of electrode alloys by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） shows that all the as-cast and the annealed alloys hold two major phases of （La,Mg）2Ni7 and LaNi5 as well as a residual phase of LaNi3. Moreover, the increase of La/Mg ratio brings on a decline of （La,Mg）2Ni7 phase and a rise of LaNi5 and LaNi3 phases. The variation of La/Mg ratio gives rise to an evident change of the electrochemical performances of the alloys. The discharge capacities of the as-cast and the annealed alloys evidently decrease with growing the La/Mg ratio, while the cycle stabilities of the alloys visibly augment under the same condition. Furthermore, the high rate discharge ability （HRD）, the electrochemical impedance spectrum （EIS）, the Tafel polarization curves, and the potential step measurements all indicate that the electrochemical kinetic properties of the alloy electrodes increase with the La/Mg ratio rising.

A Facile Li_(2)TiO_(3) Surface Modification to Improve the Structure Stability and Electrochemical Performance of Full Concentration Gradient Li-Rich Oxides

Full concentration gradient lithium-rich layered oxides are catching lots of interest as the next generation cathode for lithium-ion batteries due to their high discharge voltage,reduced voltage decay and enhanced rate performance,whereas the high lithium residues on its surface impairs the structure stability and long-term cycle performance.Herein,a facile multifunctional surface modification method is implemented to eliminate surface lithium residues of full concentration gradient lithium-rich layered oxides by a wet chemistry reaction with tetrabutyl titanate and the post-annealing process.It realizes not only a stable Li_(2)TiO_(3)coating layer with 3D diffusion channels for fast Li^(+)ions transfer,but also dopes partial Ti^(4+)ions into the sub-surface region of full concentration gradient lithium-rich layered oxides to further strengthen its crystal structure.Consequently,the modified full concentration gradient lithium-rich layered oxides exhibit improved structure stability,elevated thermal stability with decomposition temperature from 289.57℃to 321.72℃,and enhanced cycle performance(205.1 mAh g^(-1)after 150 cycles)with slowed voltage drop(1.67 mV per cycle).This work proposes a facile and integrated modification method to enhance the comprehensive performance of full concentration gradient lithium-rich layered oxides,which can facilitate its practical application for developing higher energy density lithium-ion batteries.

Numerical analysis on seismic performance of underground structures in liquefiable interlayer sites from centrifuge shaking table test

When an underground structure passes through a liquefiable soil layer,the soil liquefaction may pose a significant threat to the structure.A centrifuge shaking table test was performed to research the seismic response of underground structures in liquefiable interlayer sites,and a valid numerical model was obtained through simulation model test.Finally,the calibrated numerical model was used to perform further research on the influence of various distribution characteristics of liquefiable interlayers on the seismic reaction of underground structures.The key findings are as follows.The structure faces the most unfavorable condition once a liquefiable layer is located in the middle of the underground structure.When a liquefiable layer exists in the middle of the structure,the seismic reactions of both the underground structure and model site will increase with the rise of the thickness of the liquefiable interlayer.The inter-story drift of the structure in the non-liquefiable site is much smaller than that in the liquefiable interlayer site.The inter-story drift of the structure is not only associated with the site displacement and the soil-structure stiffness ratio but also closely associated with the slippage of the soil-structure contact interface under the condition of large deformation of the site.

Remarkably Enhanced Methane Sensing Performance at Room Temperature via Constructing a Self-Assembled Mulberry-Like ZnO/SnO_(2) Hierarchical Structure

Development of metal oxide semiconductors-based methane sensors with good response and low power consumption is one of the major challenges to realize the real-time monitoring of methane leakage.In this work,a self-assembled mulberry-like ZnO/SnO_(2)hierarchical structure is constructed by a two-step hydrothermal method.The resultant sensor works at room temperature with excellent response of~56.1%to 2000 ppm CH_(4)at 55%relative humidity.It is found that the strain induced at the ZnO/SnO_(2)interface greatly enhances the piezoelectric polarization on the ZnO surface and that the band bending results in the accumulation of chemically adsorbed O_(2)^(-)ions close to the interface,leading to significant improvement in the sensing performance of the methane gas sensor at room temperature.

Seismic evaluation of rocking structures through performance assessment and fragility analysis

Numerical studies have been conducted for low- and medium-rise rocking structures to investigate their efficiency as earthquake-resisting systems in comparison with conventional structures. Several non-linear time-history analyses have been performed to evaluate seismic performance of selected cases at desired ground shaking levels, based on key parameters such as total and flexural story drifts and residual deformations. The Far-field record set is selected as input ground motions and median peak values of key parameters are taken as best estimates of system response. In addition, in order to evaluate the probability of exceeding relevant damage states, analytical fragility curves have been developed based on the results of the incremental dynamic analysis procedure. Small exceedance probabilities and acceptable margins against collapse, together with minor associated damages in main structural members, can be considered as superior seismic performance for medium-rise rocking systems. Low-rise rocking systems could provide significant performance improvement over their conventional counterparts notwithstanding certain weaknesses in their seismic response.

A New Technology to Measure the Thermoelectric Performance of Nanowire Array Structure

Recently, the study on one-dimensional thermoelectric materials is getting more and more attention. For those one-dimensional thermoelectric materials with nanowire array structure fabricated with alumina film as template, its thickness is often in the range of 10 to several tens micrometers, and the conventional measurement cannot be used. The key difficulties of the thermoelectric performance measurement for nanowire array materials include two aspects: 1) How to heat the two sides of the specimen uniformly and keep the temperature difference constantly at the same time; 2) How to measure the temperature of the two sides of the specimen with the thickness of 10 to several tens micrometers. A new type heating and temperature measuring technology has been used, and it can be simply described as liquid heating and separate temperature measurement. According to this principle, a thermoelectric performance measurement system has been established.

Effect of Cu addition on the microstructure and tribological performance of Ni60 directional structure coating

The Ni60/15wt% Cu directional structure coating was prepared by the composite technology of flame spraying, induction remelting,and forced cooling, and the effect of Cu on the microstructure, phase, hardness, and wear performance of Ni60 coatings was investigated. Results showed that Cu addition makes the microstructure of Ni60 directional structure coating more compact, and Cu is mainly enriched within the crystal grain, resulting in the formation of Cu_(3.8)Ni as the bonding phase. Compared with Ni60 directional structure coating, Ni60/Cu directional structure coating has a lower hardness, lower friction coefficient, and lower wear rate, which indicate that Cu can effectively enhance the antifriction performance of Ni60 directional structure coating.

Adaptive Neural Control for a Class of Low-triangular-structured Nonlinear Systems with H-∞ Performance Analysis

In this paper, a neural-network-based variable structure control scheme is presented for a class of nonlinear systems with a general low triangular structure. The proposed variable structure controller is proved to be Cl, thus can be applied for backstepping design, which has extended the scope of previous nonlinear systems in the form of strict-feedback and pure-feedback. With the help of neural network approximator, H-∞ performance analysis of stability is given. The effectiveness of proposed control law is verified via simulation.