Viscosity and structure relationship with equimolar substitution of CaO with MgO in the CaO–MgO–Al_(2)O_(3)–SiO_(2)slag melts

Currently,the Al_(2)O_(3)content in the high-alumina slag systems within blast furnaces is generally limited to 16wt%–18.5wt%,making it challenging to overcome this limitation.Unlike most studies that concentrated on managing the MgO/Al_(2)O_(3)ratio or basicity,this paper explored the effect of equimolar substitution of MgO for CaO on the viscosity and structure of a high-alumina CaO-MgO-Al_(2)O_(3)-SiO_(2)slag system,providing theoretical guidance and data to facilitate the application of high-alumina ores.The results revealed that the viscosity first decreased and then increased with higher MgO substitution,reaching a minimum at 15mol%MgO concentration.Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)results found that the depths of the troughs representing[SiO_(4)]tetrahedra,[AlO_(4)]tetrahedra,and Si-O-Al bending became progressively deeper with increased MgO substitution.Deconvolution of the Raman spectra showed that the average number of bridging oxygens per Si atom and the X_(Q^(3))/X_(Q^(2))(X_(Q^(i))is the molar fraction of Q^(i) unit,and i is the number of bridging oxygens in a[SiO_(4)]tetrahedral unit)ratio increased from 2.30 and 1.02 to 2.52 and 2.14,respectively,indicating a progressive polymerization of the silicate structure.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)results highlighted that non-bridging oxygen content decreased from 77.97mol% to 63.41mol% with increasing MgO concentration,whereas bridging oxygen and free oxygen contents increased.Structural analysis demonstrated a gradual increase in the polymerization degree of the tetrahedral structure with the increase in MgO substitution.However,bond strength is another important factor affecting the slag viscosity.The occurrence of a viscosity minimum can be attributed to the complex evolution of bond strengths of non-bridging oxygens generated during depolymerization of the[SiO_(4)]and[AlO_(4)]tetrahedral structures by CaO and MgO.

Advanced Functional Electromagnetic Shielding Materials:A Review Based on Micro‑Nano Structure Interface Control of Biomass Cell Walls

Research efforts on electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding materials have begun to converge on green and sustainable biomass materials.These materials offer numerous advantages such as being lightweight,porous,and hierarchical.Due to their porous nature,interfacial compatibility,and electrical conductivity,biomass materials hold significant potential as EMI shielding materials.Despite concerted efforts on the EMI shielding of biomass materials have been reported,this research area is still relatively new compared to traditional EMI shielding materials.In particular,a more comprehensive study and summary of the factors influencing biomass EMI shielding materials including the pore structure adjustment,preparation process,and micro-control would be valuable.The preparation methods and characteristics of wood,bamboo,cellulose and lignin in EMI shielding field are critically discussed in this paper,and similar biomass EMI materials are summarized and analyzed.The composite methods and fillers of various biomass materials were reviewed.this paper also highlights the mechanism of EMI shielding as well as existing prospects and challenges for development trends in this field.

Molecular Structure Tailoring of Organic Spacers for High‑Performance Ruddlesden–Popper Perovskite Solar Cells

Layer-structured Ruddlesden–Popper(RP)perovskites(RPPs)with decent stability have captured the imagination of the photovoltaic research community and bring hope for boosting the development of perovskite solar cell(PSC)technology.However,two-dimensional(2D)or quasi-2D RP PSCs are encountered with some challenges of the large exciton binding energy,blocked charge transport and poor film quality,which restrict their photovoltaic performance.Fortunately,these issues can be readily resolved by rationally designing spacer cations of RPPs.This review mainly focuses on how to design the molecular structures of organic spacers and aims to endow RPPs with outstanding photovoltaic applications.We firstly elucidated the important roles of organic spacers in impacting crystallization kinetics,charge transporting ability and stability of RPPs.Then we brought three aspects to attention for designing organic spacers.Finally,we presented the specific molecular structure design strategies for organic spacers of RPPs aiming to improve photovoltaic performance of RP PSCs.These proposed strategies in this review will provide new avenues to develop novel organic spacers for RPPs and advance the development of RPP photovoltaic technology for future applications.

3D Printing of Tough Hydrogel Scaffolds with Functional Surface Structures for Tissue Regeneration

Hydrogel scaffolds have numerous potential applications in the tissue engineering field.However,tough hydrogel scaffolds implanted in vivo are seldom reported because it is difficult to balance biocompatibility and high mechanical properties.Inspired by Chinese ramen,we propose a universal fabricating method(printing-P,training-T,cross-linking-C,PTC&PCT)for tough hydrogel scaffolds to fill this gap.First,3D printing fabricates a hydrogel scaffold with desired structures(P).Then,the scaffold could have extraordinarily high mechanical properties and functional surface structure by cycle mechanical training with salting-out assistance(T).Finally,the training results are fixed by photo-cross-linking processing(C).The tough gelatin hydrogel scaffolds exhibit excellent tensile strength of 6.66 MPa(622-fold untreated)and have excellent biocompatibility.Furthermore,this scaffold possesses functional surface structures from nanometer to micron to millimeter,which can efficiently induce directional cell growth.Interestingly,this strategy can produce bionic human tissue with mechanical properties of 10 kPa-10 MPa by changing the type of salt,and many hydrogels,such as gelatin and silk,could be improved with PTC or PCT strategies.Animal experiments show that this scaffold can effectively promote the new generation of muscle fibers,blood vessels,and nerves within 4 weeks,prompting the rapid regeneration of large-volume muscle loss injuries.

Graphene Aerogel Composites with Self‑Organized Nanowires‑Packed Honeycomb Structure for Highly Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

With vigorous developments in nanotechnology,the elaborate regulation of microstructure shows attractive potential in the design of electromagnetic wave absorbers.Herein,a hierarchical porous structure and composite heterogeneous interface are constructed successfully to optimize the electromagnetic loss capacity.The macro–micro-synergistic graphene aerogel formed by the ice template‑assisted 3D printing strategy is cut by silicon carbide nanowires(SiC_(nws))grown in situ,while boron nitride(BN)interfacial structure is introduced on graphene nanoplates.The unique composite structure forces multiple scattering of incident EMWs,ensuring the combined effects of interfacial polarization,conduction networks,and magnetic-dielectric synergy.Therefore,the as-prepared composites present a minimum reflection loss value of−37.8 dB and a wide effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 9.2 GHz(from 8.8 to 18.0 GHz)at 2.5 mm.Besides,relying on the intrinsic high-temperature resistance of SiC_(nws) and BN,the EAB also remains above 5.0 GHz after annealing in air environment at 600℃ for 10 h.

Emerging structures and dynamic mechanisms ofγ-secretase for Alzheimer’s disease

γ-Secretase,called“the proteasome of the membrane,”is a membrane-embedded protease complex that cleaves 150+peptide substrates with central roles in biology and medicine,including amyloid precursor protein and the Notch family of cell-surface receptors.Mutations inγ-secretase and amyloid precursor protein lead to early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease.γ-Secretase has thus served as a critical drug target for treating familial Alzheimer’s disease and the more common late-onset Alzheimer’s disease as well.However,critical gaps remain in understanding the mechanisms of processive proteolysis of substrates,the effects of familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations,and allosteric modulation of substrate cleavage byγ-secretase.In this review,we focus on recent studies of structural dynamic mechanisms ofγ-secretase.Different mechanisms,including the“Fit-Stay-Trim,”“Sliding-Unwinding,”and“Tilting-Unwinding,”have been proposed for substrate proteolysis of amyloid precursor protein byγ-secretase based on all-atom molecular dynamics simulations.While an incorrect registry of the Notch1 substrate was identified in the cryo-electron microscopy structure of Notch1-boundγ-secretase,molecular dynamics simulations on a resolved model of Notch1-boundγ-secretase that was reconstructed using the amyloid precursor protein-boundγ-secretase as a template successfully capturedγ-secretase activation for proper cleavages of both wildtype and mutant Notch,being consistent with biochemical experimental findings.The approach could be potentially applied to decipher the processing mechanisms of various substrates byγ-secretase.In addition,controversy over the effects of familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations,particularly the issue of whether they stabilize or destabilizeγ-secretase-substrate complexes,is discussed.Finally,an outlook is provided for future studies ofγ-secretase,including pathways of substrate binding and product release,effects of modulators on familial Alzheimer’s disease mutations of theγ-secretase-substrate complexes.Comprehensive understanding of the functional mechanisms ofγ-secretase will greatly facilitate the rational design of effective drug molecules for treating familial Alzheimer’s disease and perhaps Alzheimer’s disease in general.

Designing Electronic Structures of Multiscale Helical Converters for Tailored Ultrabroad Electromagnetic Absorption

Atomic-scale doping strategies and structure design play pivotal roles in tailoring the electronic structure and physicochemical property of electromagnetic wave absorption(EMWA)materials.However,the relationship between configuration and electromagnetic(EM)loss mechanism has remained elusive.Herein,drawing inspiration from the DNA transcription process,we report the successful synthesis of novel in situ Mn/N co-doped helical carbon nanotubes with ultrabroad EMWA capability.Theoretical calculation and EM simulation confirm that the orbital coupling and spin polarization of the Mn–N4–C configuration,along with cross polarization generated by the helical structure,endow the helical converters with enhanced EM loss.As a result,HMC-8 demonstrates outstanding EMWA performance,achieving a minimum reflection loss of−63.13 dB at an ultralow thickness of 1.29 mm.Through precise tuning of the graphite domain size,HMC-7 achieves an effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 6.08 GHz at 2.02 mm thickness.Furthermore,constructing macroscale gradient metamaterials enables an ultrabroadband EAB of 12.16 GHz at a thickness of only 5.00 mm,with the maximum radar cross section reduction value reaching 36.4 dB m2.This innovative approach not only advances the understanding of metal–nonmetal co-doping but also realizes broadband EMWA,thus contributing to the development of EMWA mechanisms and applications.

Contribution of mechanical forces to structural synaptic plasticity:insights from 3D cellular motility mechanisms

Cells,tissues,and organs are constantly subjected to the action of mechanical forces from the extracellular environment-and the nervous system is no exception.Cell-intrinsic properties such as membrane lipid composition,abundance of mechanosensors,and cytoskeletal dynamics make cells more or less likely to sense these forces.Intrinsic and extrinsic cues are integrated by cells and this combined information determines the rate and dynamics of membrane protrusion growth or retraction(Yamada and Sixt,2019).Cell protrusions are extensions of the plasma membrane that play crucial roles in diverse contexts such as cell migration and neuronal synapse formation.In the nervous system,neurons are highly dynamic cells that can change the size and number of their pre-and postsynaptic elements(called synaptic boutons and dendritic spines,respectively),in response to changes in the levels of synaptic activity through a process called plasticity.Synaptic plasticity is a hallmark of the nervous system and is present throughout our lives,being required for functions like memory formation or the learning of new motor skills(Minegishi et al.,2023;Pillai and Franze,2024).

Carbon Emission Effects Driven by Evolution of Chinese Dietary Structure from 1987 to 2020

Exploring carbon emission effects based on the evolution of residents’ dietary structure to achieve the carbon neutrality goal and mitigate climate change is an important task.This study took China as the research object(data excluding Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan) and used the carbon emission coefficient method to quantitatively measure the food carbon emissions from 1987–2020,then analyzed the carbon emission effects under the evolution of dietary structure.The results showed that during the study period,the Chinese dietary structure gradually changed to a high-carbon consumption pattern.The dietary structure of urban residents developed to a balanced one,while that of rural residents developed to a high-quality one.During the study period,the per capita food carbon emissions and total food consumption of Chinese showed an increasing trend.The per capita food carbon emissions of residents in urban and rural showed an overall upward trend.The total food carbon emissions in urban increased significantly,while that in rural increased first and then decreased.The influence of beef and mutton on carbon emissions is the highest in dietary structure.Compared with the balanced dietary pattern,the food carbon emissions of Chinese residents had not yet reached the peak,but were evolving to a high-carbon consumption pattern.

A comparison study on structure-function relationship of polysaccharides obtained from sea buckthorn berries using different methods:antioxidant and bile acid-binding capacity

In this study,the structural characters,antioxidant activities and bile acid-binding ability of sea buckthorn polysaccharides(HRPs)obtained by the commonly used hot water(HRP-W),pressurized hot water(HRP-H),ultrasonic(HRP-U),acid(HRP-C)and alkali(HRP-A)assisted extraction methods were investigated.The results demonstrated that extraction methods had significant effects on extraction yield,monosaccharide composition,molecular weight,particle size,triple-helical structure,and surface morphology of HRPs except for the major linkage bands.Thermogravimetric analysis showed that HRP-U with filamentous reticular microstructure exhibited better thermal stability.The HRP-A with the lowest molecular weight and highest arabinose content possessed the best antioxidant activities.Moreover,the rheological analysis indicated that HRPs with higher galacturonic acid content and molecular weight showed higher viscosity and stronger crosslinking network(HRP-C,HRP-W and HRP-U),which exhibited stronger bile acid binding capacity.The present findings provide scientific evidence in the preparation technology of sea buckthorn polysaccharides with good antioxidant and bile acid binding capacity which are related to the structure affected by the extraction methods.

Role of iron ore in enhancing gasification of iron coke:Structural evolution,influence mechanism and kinetic analysis

The utilization of iron coke provides a green pathway for low-carbon ironmaking.To uncover the influence mechanism of iron ore on the behavior and kinetics of iron coke gasification,the effect of iron ore on the microstructure of iron coke was investigated.Furthermore,a comparative study of the gasification reactions between iron coke and coke was conducted through non-isothermal thermogravimetric method.The findings indicate that compared to coke,iron coke exhibits an augmentation in micropores and specific surface area,and the micropores further extend and interconnect.This provides more adsorption sites for CO_(2) molecules during the gasification process,resulting in a reduction in the initial gasification temperature of iron coke.Accelerating the heating rate in non-isothermal gasification can enhance the reactivity of iron coke.The metallic iron reduced from iron ore is embedded in the carbon matrix,reducing the orderliness of the carbon structure,which is primarily responsible for the heightened reactivity of the carbon atoms.The kinetic study indicates that the random pore model can effectively represent the gasification process of iron coke due to its rich pore structure.Moreover,as the proportion of iron ore increases,the activation energy for the carbon gasification gradually decreases,from 246.2 kJ/mol for coke to 192.5 kJ/mol for iron coke 15wt%.

Seismic response of a mid-story isolated structure considering SSI in mountainous areas under long-period earthquakes

At present,there is not much research on mid-story isolated structures in mountainous areas.In this study,a model of a mid-story isolated structure considering soil-structure interaction(SSI)in mountainous areas is established along with a model that does not consider SSI.Eight long-period earthquake waves and two ordinary earthquake waves are selected as inputs for the dynamic time history analysis of the structure.The results show that the seismic response of a mid-story isolated structure considering SSI in mountainous areas can be amplified when compared with a structure that does not consider SSI.The structure response under long-period earthquakes is larger than that of ordinary earthquakes.The structure response under far-field harmonic-like earthquakes is larger than that of near-fault pulse-type earthquakes.The structure response under near-fault pulse-type earthquakes is larger than that of far-field non-harmonic earthquakes.When subjected to long-period earthquakes,the displacement of the isolated bearings exceeded the limit value,which led to instability and overturning of the structure.The structure with dampers in the isolated story could adequately control the nonlinear response of the structure,effectively reduce the displacement of the isolated bearings,and provide a convenient,efficient and economic method not only for new construction but also to retrofit existing structures.

OptoGPT: A foundation model for inverse design in optical multilayer thin film structures

Optical multilayer thin film structures have been widely used in numerous photonic applications.However,existing inverse design methods have many drawbacks because they either fail to quickly adapt to different design targets,or are difficult to suit for different types of structures,e.g.,designing for different materials at each layer.These methods also cannot accommodate versatile design situations under different angles and polarizations.In addition,how to benefit practical fabrications and manufacturing has not been extensively considered yet.In this work,we introduce OptoGPT(Opto Generative Pretrained Transformer),a decoder-only transformer,to solve all these drawbacks and issues simultaneously.

Ultra‑High Sensitivity Anisotropic Piezoelectric Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring and Robotic Perception

Monitoring minuscule mechanical signals,both in magnitude and direction,is imperative in many application scenarios,e.g.,structural health monitoring and robotic sensing systems.However,the piezoelectric sensor struggles to satisfy the requirements for directional recognition due to the limited piezoelectric coefficient matrix,and achieving sensitivity for detecting micrometer-scale deformations is also challenging.Herein,we develop a vector sensor composed of lead zirconate titanate-electronic grade glass fiber composite filaments with oriented arrangement,capable of detecting minute anisotropic deformations.The as-prepared vector sensor can identify the deformation directions even when subjected to an unprecedented nominal strain of 0.06%,thereby enabling its utility in accurately discerning the 5μm-height wrinkles in thin films and in monitoring human pulse waves.The ultra-high sensitivity is attributed to the formation of porous ferroelectret and the efficient load transfer efficiency of continuous lead zirconate titanate phase.Additionally,when integrated with machine learning techniques,the sensor’s capability to recognize multi-signals enables it to differentiate between 10 types of fine textures with 100%accuracy.The structural design in piezoelectric devices enables a more comprehensive perception of mechanical stimuli,offering a novel perspective for enhancing recognition accuracy.

Mechanical responses of anchoring structure under triaxial cyclic loading

Dynamic load on anchoring structures(AS)within deep roadways can result in cumulative damage and failure.This study develops an experimental device designed to test AS under triaxial loads.The device enables the investigation of the mechanical response,failure mode,instability assessment criteria,and anchorage effect of AS subjected to combined cyclic dynamic-static triaxial stress paths.The results show that the peak bearing strength is positively correlated with the anchoring matrix strength,anchorage length,and edgewise compressive strength.The bearing capacity decreases significantly when the anchorage direction is severely inclined.The free face failure modes are typically transverse cracking,concave fracturing,V-shaped slipping and detachment,and spallation detachment.Besides,when the anchoring matrix strength and the anchorage length decrease while the edgewise compressive strength,loading rate,and anchorage inclination angle increase,the failure intensity rises.Instability is determined by a negative tangent modulus of the displacement-strength curve or the continued deformation increase against the general downward trend.Under cyclic loads,the driving force that breaks the rock mass along the normal vector and the rigidity of the AS are the two factors that determine roadway stability.Finally,a control measure for surrounding rock stability is proposed to reduce the internal driving force via a pressure relief method and improve the rigidity of the AS by full-length anchorage and grouting modification.

From VIB‑to VB‑Group Transition Metal Disulfides:Structure Engineering Modulation for Superior Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

The laminated transition metal disulfides(TMDs),which are well known as typical two-dimensional(2D)semiconductive materials,possess a unique layered structure,leading to their wide-spread applications in various fields,such as catalysis,energy storage,sensing,etc.In recent years,a lot of research work on TMDs based functional materials in the fields of electromagnetic wave absorption(EMA)has been carried out.Therefore,it is of great significance to elaborate the influence of TMDs on EMA in time to speed up the application.In this review,recent advances in the development of electromagnetic wave(EMW)absorbers based on TMDs,ranging from the VIB group to the VB group are summarized.Their compositions,microstructures,electronic properties,and synthesis methods are presented in detail.Particularly,the modulation of structure engineering from the aspects of heterostructures,defects,morphologies and phases are systematically summarized,focusing on optimizing impedance matching and increasing dielectric and magnetic losses in the EMA materials with tunable EMW absorption performance.Milestones as well as the challenges are also identified to guide the design of new TMDs based dielectric EMA materials with high performance.

Preparation of Laser Cladding Coating Undercooling Cu-based Alloy and Co on Non-equilibrium Solidification Structure

The effect of the gradient content of Co element on the solidification process of Cu-based alloy under deep under cooling conditions was explored.The non-equilibrium solidification structure of the under cooled alloy samples were analyzed.It is found that the rapidly solidified alloy has undergone twice grain refinement during the undercooling process.Characterization and significance of the maximum undercooling refinement structure of Cu60Ni35Co5 at T=253 K were analyzed.High-density defects were observed,such as dislocations,stacking faults networks,and twinning structures.The standard FCC diffraction pattern represents that it is still a single-phase structure.Based on the metallographic diagram,EBSD and TEM data analysis,it is illustrated that the occurrence of grain refinement under high undercooling is due to stress induced recrystallization.In addition,the laser cladding technology is used to coat Co-based alloy(Stellite12) coating on 304 stainless steel substrate;the microstructure of the coating cross-section was analyzed.It was found that the microstructure of the cross-section is presented as columnar crystals,planar crystals,and disordered growth direction,so that the coating has better hardness and wear resistance.By electrochemical corrosion of the substrate and coating,it can be seen that the Co and Cr elements present in the coating are more likely to form a dense passivation film,which improved the corrosion resistance of the coating.

Ultrafast dynamics of femtosecond laser-induced high spatial frequency periodic structures on silicon surfaces

Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures(LIPSS)have been extensively studied over the past few decades.In particular,the period and groove width of high-spatial-frequency LIPSS(HSFL)is much smaller than the diffraction limit,making it a useful method for efficient nanomanufacturing.However,compared with the low-spatial-frequency LIPSS(LSFL),the structure size of the HSFL is smaller,and it is more easily submerged.Therefore,the formation mechanism of HSFL is complex and has always been a research hotspot in this field.In this study,regular LSFL with a period of 760 nm was fabricated in advance on a silicon surface with two-beam interference using an 800 nm,50 fs femtosecond laser.The ultrafast dynamics of HSFL formation on the silicon surface of prefabricated LSFL under single femtosecond laser pulse irradiation were observed and analyzed for the first time using collinear pump-probe imaging method.In general,the evolution of the surface structure undergoes five sequential stages:the LSFL begins to split,becomes uniform HSFL,degenerates into an irregular LSFL,undergoes secondary splitting into a weakly uniform HSFL,and evolves into an irregular LSFL or is submerged.The results indicate that the local enhancement of the submerged nanocavity,or the nanoplasma,in the prefabricated LSFL ridge led to the splitting of the LSFL,and the thermodynamic effect drove the homogenization of the splitting LSFL,which evolved into HSFL.

Seabed structures and foundations related to deep-sea resource development:A review based on design and research

The deep‐sea ground contains a huge amount of energy and mineral resources,for example,oil,gas,and minerals.Various infrastructures such as floating structures,seabed structures,and foundations have been developed to exploit these resources.The seabed structures and foundations can be mainly classified into three types:subsea production structures,offshore pipelines,and anchors.This study reviewed the development,installation,and operation of these infrastructures,including their structures,design,installation,marine environment loads,and applications.On this basis,the research gaps and further research directions were explored through this literature review.First,different floating structures were briefly analyzed and reviewed to introduce the design requirements of the seabed structures and foundations.Second,the subsea production structures,including subsea manifolds and their foundations,were reviewed and discussed.Third,the basic characteristics and design methods of deep‐sea pipelines,including subsea pipelines and risers,were analyzed and reviewed.Finally,the installation and bearing capacity of deep‐sea subsea anchors and seabed trench influence on the anchor were reviewed.Through the review,it was found that marine environment conditions are the key inputs for any offshore structure design.The fabrication,installation,and operation of infrastructures should carefully consider the marine loads and geological conditions.Different structures have their own mechanical problems.The fatigue and stability of pipelines mainly depend on the soil‐structure interaction.Anchor selection should consider soil types and possible trench formation.These focuses and research gaps can provide a helpful guide on further research,installation,and operation of deep‐sea structures and foundations.

Web Layout Design of Large Cavity Structures Based on Topology Optimization

Large cavity structures are widely employed in aerospace engineering, such as thin-walled cylinders, blades andwings. Enhancing performance of aerial vehicles while reducing manufacturing costs and fuel consumptionhas become a focal point for contemporary researchers. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the topologyoptimization of large cavity structures as a means to enhance their performance, safety, and efficiency. By usingthe variable density method, lightweight design is achieved without compromising structural strength. Theoptimization model considers both concentrated and distributed loads, and utilizes techniques like sensitivityfiltering and projection to obtain a robust optimized configuration. The mechanical properties are checked bycomparing the stress distribution and displacement of the unoptimized and optimized structures under the sameload. The results confirm that the optimized structures exhibit improved mechanical properties, thus offering keyinsights for engineering lightweight, high-strength large cavity structures.