Strong synergy between physical and chemical properties:Insight into optimization of atomically dispersed oxygen reduction catalysts

Atomically dispersed catalysts exhibit significant influence on facilitating the sluggish oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)kinetics with high atom economy,owing to remarkable attributes including nearly 100%atomic utilization and exceptional catalytic functionality.Furthermore,accurately controlling atomic physical properties including spin,charge,orbital,and lattice degrees of atomically dispersed catalysts can realize the optimized chemical properties including maximum atom utilization efficiency,homogenous active centers,and satisfactory catalytic performance,but remains elusive.Here,through physical and chemical insight,we review and systematically summarize the strategies to optimize atomically dispersed ORR catalysts including adjusting the atomic coordination environment,adjacent electronic orbital and site density,and the choice of dual-atom sites.Then the emphasis is on the fundamental understanding of the correlation between the physical property and the catalytic behavior for atomically dispersed catalysts.Finally,an overview of the existing challenges and prospects to illustrate the current obstacles and potential opportunities for the advancement of atomically dispersed catalysts in the realm of electrocatalytic reactions is offered.

Atomically Dispersed Ruthenium Catalysts with Open Hollow Structure for Lithium-Oxygen Batteries

Lithium–oxygen battery with ultrahigh theoretical energy density is considered a highly competitive next-generation energy storage device,but its practical application is severely hindered by issues such as difficult decomposition of discharge products at present.Here,we have developed N-doped carbon anchored atomically dispersed Ru sites cathode catalyst with open hollow structure(h-RuNC)for Lithium–oxygen battery.On one hand,the abundance of atomically dispersed Ru sites can effectively catalyze the formation and decomposition of discharge products,thereby greatly enhancing the redox kinetics.On the other hand,the open hollow structure not only enhances the mass activity of atomically dispersed Ru sites but also improves the diffusion efficiency of catalytic molecules.Therefore,the excellent activity from atomically dispersed Ru sites and the enhanced diffusion from open hollow structure respectively improve the redox kinetics and cycling stability,ultimately achieving a high-performance lithium–oxygen battery.

Distributed Resource Allocation in Dispersed Computing Environment Based on UAV Track Inspection in Urban Rail Transit

With the rapid development of urban rail transit,the existing track detection has some problems such as low efficiency and insufficient detection coverage,so an intelligent and automatic track detectionmethod based onUAV is urgently needed to avoid major safety accidents.At the same time,the geographical distribution of IoT devices results in the inefficient use of the significant computing potential held by a large number of devices.As a result,the Dispersed Computing(DCOMP)architecture enables collaborative computing between devices in the Internet of Everything(IoE),promotes low-latency and efficient cross-wide applications,and meets users’growing needs for computing performance and service quality.This paper focuses on examining the resource allocation challenge within a dispersed computing environment that utilizes UAV inspection tracks.Furthermore,the system takes into account both resource constraints and computational constraints and transforms the optimization problem into an energy minimization problem with computational constraints.The Markov Decision Process(MDP)model is employed to capture the connection between the dispersed computing resource allocation strategy and the system environment.Subsequently,a method based on Double Deep Q-Network(DDQN)is introduced to derive the optimal policy.Simultaneously,an experience replay mechanism is implemented to tackle the issue of increasing dimensionality.The experimental simulations validate the efficacy of the method across various scenarios.

Atomic Dispersed Hetero‑Pairs for Enhanced Electrocatalytic CO_(2)Reduction

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)involves a variety of intermediates with highly correlated reaction and ad-desorption energies,hindering optimization of the catalytic activity.For example,increasing the binding of the*COOH to the active site will generally increase the*CO desorption energy.Breaking this relationship may be expected to dramatically improve the intrinsic activity of CO_(2)RR,but remains an unsolved challenge.Herein,we addressed this conundrum by constructing a unique atomic dispersed hetero-pair consisting of Mo-Fe di-atoms anchored on N-doped carbon carrier.This system shows an unprecedented CO_(2)RR intrinsic activity with TOF of 3336 h−1,high selectivity toward CO production,Faradaic efficiency of 95.96%at−0.60 V and excellent stability.Theoretical calculations show that the Mo-Fe diatomic sites increased the*COOH intermediate adsorption energy by bridging adsorption of*COOH intermediates.At the same time,d-d orbital coupling in the Mo-Fe di-atom results in electron delocalization and facilitates desorption of*CO intermediates.Thus,the undesirable correlation between these steps is broken.This work provides a promising approach,specifically the use of di-atoms,for breaking unfavorable relationships based on understanding of the catalytic mechanisms at the atomic scale.

Atomically Dispersed Dual‑Metal Sites Showing Unique Reactivity and Dynamism for Electrocatalysis

The real structure and in situ evolution of catalysts under working conditions are of paramount importance,especially for bifunctional electrocatalysis.Here,we report asymmetric structural evolution and dynamic hydrogen-bonding promotion mechanism of an atomically dispersed electrocatalyst.Pyrolysis of Co/Ni-doped MAF-4/ZIF-8 yielded nitrogen-doped porous carbons functionalized by atomically dispersed Co–Ni dual-metal sites with an unprecedented N8V4 structure,which can serve as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting.More importantly,the electrocatalyst showed remarkable activation behavior due to the in situ oxidation of the carbon substrate to form C–OH groups.Density functional theory calculations suggested that the flexible C–OH groups can form reversible hydrogen bonds with the oxygen evolution reaction intermediates,giving a bridge between elementary reactions to break the conventional scaling relationship.

Well-Dispersed Graphene Enhanced Lithium Complex Grease Toward High-Efcient Lubrication

Graphene as a lubricating additive holds great potential for industrial lubrication. However, its poor dispersity and compatibility with base oils and grease hinder maximizing performance. Here, the infuence of graphene dispersion on the thickening efect and lubrication function is considered. A well-dispersed lubricant additive was obtained via trihexyl tetradecyl phosphonium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate modifed graphene ([P_(66614)][DEHP]-G). Then lithium complex grease was prepared by saponifcation with 12-OH stearic acid, sebacic acid, and lithium hydroxide, using polyalphaolefn (PAO20) as base oil and the modifed-graphene as lubricating additive, with the original graphene as a comparison. The physicochemical properties and lubrication performance of the as-prepared greases were evaluated in detail. The results show that the as-prepared greases have high dropping point and colloidal stability. Furthermore, modifed-graphene lithium complex grease ofered the best friction reduction and anti-wear abilities, manifesting the reduction of friction coefcient and wear volume up to 18.84% and 67.34%, respectively. With base oil overfow and afux, well-dispersed [P_(66614)][DEHP]-G was readily adsorbed to the worn surfaces, resulting in the formation of a continuous and dense graphene deposition flm. The synergy of deposited graphene-flm, spilled oil, and adhesive grease greatly improves the lubrication function of grease. This research paves the way for modulating high-performance lithium complex grease to reduce the friction and wear of movable machinery.

New insight into the design of highly dispersed Pt supported CeO_(2)-TiO_(2) catalysts with superior activity for VOCs low-temperature removal

A series of CeO_(2)-TiO_(2)mixed oxides supports with various Ce/Ti molar ratio were synthesized by modified coprecipitation method. The corresponding Pt loaded(0.5 wt% Pt) catalysts were prepared by electronless deposition method and evaluated for the deep oxidation of n-hexane as a model VOCs. The results show that the CeO_(2)and TiOxnanoparticles can highly disperse into each other and form Ce_(2)Ti_(2)O_(7)solid solution with appropriate Ce/Ti molar ratio, which significantly improves their redox ability by enhancing the interaction between CeO_(2)and TiO_(x). The dispersibility of Pt species can also be adjusted by altering the Ce/Ti molar ratio, and Pt/CeTi-2/1 catalyst with Ce/Ti molar ratio of 2:1 exhibits the best Pt dispersibility that Pt species mainly exist as Pt single atoms. The high dispersion of Pt species in the Pt/CeO_(2)-TiO_(2)catalysts would promote the catalytic activity of VOCs oxidation with low T90% values(1000 ppm, GHSV = 15,000 h^(-1)), such as for n-hexane degradation with T90% of 139℃. The characterizations reveal that the superior activity is mainly related to possessing the more Pt2+species,adsorbed oxygen species and higher low-temperature reducibility owing to the strong interaction between highly dispersed Pt species and CeO_(2)-TiO_(2)as well as the promoted migration of lattice oxygen by the formation of more Ce_(2)Ti_(2)O_(7)species. Furthermore, the Pt/CeTi-2/1 catalyst also exhibits excellent stability for chlorinated and other non-chlorinated VOCs oxidation, making it very promising for real application under various operating conditions.

Tunable dispersion relations manipulated by strain in skyrmion-based magnonic crystals

We theoretically investigate the propagation characteristics of spin waves in skyrmion-based magnonic crystals. It is found that the dispersion relation can be manipulated by strains through magneto-elastic coupling. Especially, the allowed bands and forbidden bands in dispersion relations shift to higher frequency with strain changing from compressive to tensile,while shifting to lower frequency with strain changing from tensile to compressive. We also confirm that the spin wave with specific frequency can pass the magnonic crystal or be blocked by tuning the strains. The result provides an advanced platform for studying the tunable skyrmion-based spin wave devices.

Pipeline thickness estimation using the dispersion of higher-order SH guided waves

Thickness measurement plays an important role in the monitoring of pipeline corrosion damage. However, the requirement for prior knowledge of the shear wave velocity in the pipeline material for popular ultrasonic thickness measurement limits its widespread application. This paper proposes a method that utilizes cylindrical shear horizontal(SH) guided waves to estimate pipeline thickness without prior knowledge of shear wave velocity. The inversion formulas are derived from the dispersion of higher-order modes with the high-frequency approximation. The waveform of the example problems is simulated using the real-axis integral method. The data points on the dispersion curves are processed in the frequency domain using the wave-number method. These extracted data are then substituted into the derived formulas. The results verify that employing higher-order SH guided waves for the evaluation of thickness and shear wave velocity yields less than1% error. This method can be applied to both metallic and non-metallic pipelines, thus opening new possibilities for health monitoring of pipeline structures.

Theoretical and numerical simulation investigation of deep hole dispersed charge cut blasting

Drilling and blasting methods have been used as a common driving technique for shallow-hole driving and blasting in rock roadways.With the advent of digital electronic detonators and the need for increased production efciency,the traditional blasting design is no longer suitable for deep hole blasting.In this paper,a disperse charge cut blasting method was proposed to address the issues of low excavation depth and high block rate in deep hole undercut blasting.First,a blasting model was used to illustrate the mechanism of the deep hole dispersive charge cut blasting process.Then,continuous charge and dispersed charge blasting models were developed using the smooth particle hydrodynamics-fnite element method(SPHFEM).The cutting parameters were determined theoretically,and the cutting efciency was introduced to evaluate the cutting efect.The blasting efects of the two charging models were analyzed utilizing the evolution law of rock damage,the number of rock particles thrown,and the cutting efciency.The results show that using a dispersed charge improves the cutting efciency by about 20%and the rock breakage for the deep hole cut blasting compared to the traditional continuous charge.In addition,important parameters such as cutting hole spacing,cutting hole depth and upper charge proportion also have a signifcant impact on the cutting efect.Finally,the deep hole dispersed charge cut blasting technology is combined with the digital electronic detonator through the feld engineering practice.It provides a reference for the subsequent deep hole cutting blasting and the use of electronic detonators in rock roadways.

A Dynamic Bayesian-Based Comprehensive Trust Evaluation Model for Dispersed Computing Environment

Dispersed computing is a new resourcecentric computing paradigm.Due to its high degree of openness and decentralization,it is vulnerable to attacks,and security issues have become an important challenge hindering its development.The trust evaluation technology is of great significance to the reliable operation and security assurance of dispersed computing networks.In this paper,a dynamic Bayesian-based comprehensive trust evaluation model is proposed for dispersed computing environment.Specifically,in the calculation of direct trust,a logarithmic decay function and a sliding window are introduced to improve the timeliness.In the calculation of indirect trust,a random screening method based on sine function is designed,which excludes malicious nodes providing false reports and multiple malicious nodes colluding attacks.Finally,the comprehensive trust value is dynamically updated based on historical interactions,current interactions and momentary changes.Simulation experiments are introduced to verify the performance of the model.Compared with existing model,the proposed trust evaluation model performs better in terms of the detection rate of malicious nodes,the interaction success rate,and the computational cost.

Degradable Foam Tray Based on High-concentration Dispersed Cellulose Fibers Obtained by a Hot-press Baking Process

Degradable industrial packaging foam trays made from cellulose fibers were fabricated using a hot-press baking process.Bleached softwood pulp fibers with a concentration of 30%were dispersed at a high speed under the action of a dispersant.The effects of the dispersant dosage of the fibers on the porosity,foam density,and static compression characteristics were discussed.Furthermore,the effects of the reinforcing adhesive including polyvinyl alcohol(PVA),and cassava starch on the physical and mechanical properties of the foam trays were studied,as well as the relationship between these properties and the microstructure of the foam trays.The dispersant enhanced the rheological and blistering properties of the fiber dispersion.As the dispersant dosage increased from 2%to 4%,the foam density gradually increased and the compressive strain performance and residual compressive strain of the foam trays decreased.Under the condition of constant dosage of dispersant,increasing the fiber proportion from 67%to 77%improved the porosity and foam density and slightly reduced the static compression performance.In additioton,the static compression resistance of the foamed materials was improved by increasing the PVA dosage since PVA was beneficial for improving the strength of the foam trays.

Patterns and drivers of avian taxonomic and phylogenetic beta diversity in China vary across geographical backgrounds and dispersal abilities

Geographical background and dispersal ability may strongly influence assemblage dissimilarity;however,these aspects have generally been overlooked in previous large-scale beta diversity studies.Here,we examined whether the patterns and drivers of taxonomic beta diversity(TBD)and phylogenetic beta diversity(PBD)of breeding birds in China vary across(1)regions on both sides of the Hu Line,which demarcates China’s topographical,climatic,economic,and social patterns,and(2)species with different dispersal ability.TBD and PBD were calculated and partitioned into turnover and nestedness components using a moving window approach.Variables representing climate,habitat heterogeneity,and habitat quality were employed to evaluate the effects of environmental filtering.Spatial distance was considered to assess the impact of dispersal limitation.Variance partitioning analysis was applied to assess the relative roles of these variables.In general,the values of TBD and PBD were high in mountainous areas and were largely determined by environmental filtering.However,different dominant environmental filters on either side of the Hu Line led to divergent beta diversity patterns.Specifically,climate-driven species turnover and habitat heterogeneity-related species nestedness dominated the regions east and west of the line,respectively.Additionally,bird species with stronger dispersal ability were more susceptible to environmental filtering,resulting in more homogeneous assemblages.Our results indicated that regions with distinctive geographical backgrounds may present different ecological factors that lead to divergent assemblage dissimilarity patterns,and dispersal ability determines the response of assemblages to these ecological factors.Identifying a single universal explanation for the observed pattern without considering these aspects may lead to simplistic or incomplete conclusions.Consequently,a comprehensive understanding of large-scale beta diversity patterns and effective planning of conservation strategies necessitate the consideration of both geographical background and species dispersal ability.

Modeling Analysis of Factors Influencing Wind-Borne Seed Dispersal: A Case Study on Dandelion

A weed is a plant that thrives in areas of human disturbance, such as gardens, fields, pastures, waysides, and waste places where it is not intentionally cultivated. Dispersal affects community dynamics and vegetation response to global change. The process of seed disposal is influenced by wind, which plays a crucial role in determining the distance and probability of seed dispersal. Existing models of seed dispersal consider wind direction but fail to incorporate wind intensity. In this paper, a novel seed disposal model was proposed in this paper, incorporating wind intensity based on relevant references. According to various climatic conditions, including temperate, arid, and tropical regions, three specific regions were selected to establish a wind dispersal model that accurately reflects the density function distribution of dispersal distance. Additionally, dandelions growth is influenced by a multitude of factors, encompassing temperature, humidity, climate, and various environmental variables that necessitate meticulous consideration. Based on Factor Analysis model, which completely considers temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, wind, and land carrying capacity, a conclusion is presented, indicating that the growth of seeds is primarily influenced by plant attributes and climate conditions, with the former exerting a relatively stronger impact. Subsequently, the remaining two plants were chosen based on seed weight, yielding consistent conclusion.

Discontinuities of Banana Integrals in Dispersion Relation Representation

We derive the discontinuities of banana integrals using the dispersion relation iteratively,and find a series of identities between the parameterized discontinuities of banana integrals(p-DOBIs).Similar to elliptic integrals,these identities enable the reduction of various p-DOBIs to be a linear combination of some fundamental ones.We present a practical application of p-DOBIs for deriving the Picard–Fuchs operator.Then we establish the expression of generalized dispersion relation,which enables us to obtain the dispersion relation representation of arbitrary banana integrals.Moreover,we propose a hypothesis for generalized dispersion relation and p-DOBIs,which provides a simple way to calculate the discontinuities and transform dispersion relation representation to p-DOBIs.

A simple atomization approach enables monolayer dispersion of nano graphenes in cementitious composites with excellent strength gains

Carbon nano additives(CNAs)are critical to achieving the unique properties of functionalized composites,however,controlling the dispersion of CNAs in material matrix is always a challenging task.In this study,a simple atomization approach was successfully developed to promote the dispersion efficiency of graphene nanoplatelets(GNPs)in cement composites.This atomization approach can be integrated with the direct,indirect and combined ultrasonic stirrings in a homemade automatic stirring-atomization device.Mechanical and microstructure tests were performed on hardened cement pastes blended with GNPs in different stirring and mixing approaches.Results show that the direct ultrasonic stirrings enabled more homogeneous dispersions of GNP particles with a smaller size for a longer duration.The atomized droplets with the mean size of~100μm largely mitigated GNPs’agglomerations.Monolayer GNPs were observed in the cement matrix with the strength gain by up to 54%,and the total porosity decrease by 21%in 0.3 wt%GNPs dosage.The greatly enhanced dispersion efficiency of GNPs in cement also raised the cement hydration.This work provides an effective and manpower saving technique toward dispersing CNAs in engineering materials with great industrialization prospects.

Dispersion Relations in Diffraction in Time

In agreement with Titchmarsh’s theorem, we prove that dispersion relations are just the Fourier-transform of the identity, g(x′)=±Sgn(x′)g(x′), which defines the property of being a truncated functions at the origin. On the other hand, we prove that the wave-function of a generalized diffraction in time problem is just the Fourier-transform of a truncated function. Consequently, the existence of dispersion relations for the diffraction in time wave-function follows. We derive these explicit dispersion relations.

Real-time data processing method for CO_(2) dispersion interferometer on EAST

A real-time data processing system is designed for the carbon dioxide dispersion interferometer(CO_(2)-DI)on EAST.The system utilizes the parallel and pipelining capabilities of an fieldprogrammable gate array(FPGA)to digitize and process the intensity of signals from the detector.Finally,the real-time electron density signals are exported through a digital-to-analog converter(DAC)module in the form of analog signals.The system has been successfully applied in the CO_(2)-DI system to provide low-latency electron density input to the plasma control system on EAST.Experimental results of the latest campaign with long-pulse discharges on EAST(2022–2023)demonstrate that the system can respond effectively in the case of rapid density changes,proving its reliability and accuracy for future electron density calculation.

CFD-PBM coupled modeling of the liquid-liquid dispersion characteristics and structure optimization for Kenics static mixer

Kenics static mixers(KSM)are extensively used in industrial mixing-reaction processes by virtue of high mixing efficiency,low power homogenization and easy continuous production.Resolving liquid droplet size and its distribution and thus revealing the dispersion characteristics are of great significance for structural optimization and process intensification in the KSM.In this work,a computational fluid dynamics-population balance model(CFD-PBM)coupled method is employed to systematically investigate the effects of operating conditions and structural parameters of KSM on droplet size and its distribution,to further reveal the liquid-liquid dispersion characteristics.Results indicate that higher Reynolds numbers or higher dispersed phase volume fractions increase energy dissipation,reducing Sauter mean diameter(SMD)of dispersed phase droplets and with a shift in droplet size distribution(DSD)towards smaller size.Smaller aspect ratios,greater blade twist and assembly angles amplify shear rate,leading to smaller droplet size and a narrower DSD in the smaller range.The degree of impact exerted by the aspect ratio is notably greater.Notably,mixing elements with different spin enhance shear and stretching efficiency.Compared to the same spin,SMD becomes 3.7-5.8 times smaller in the smaller size range with a significantly narrower distribution.Taking into account the pressure drop and efficiency in a comprehensive manner,optimized structural parameters for the mixing element encompass an aspect ratio of 1-1.5,a blade twist angle of 180°,an assembly angle of 90°,and interlaced assembly of adjacent elements with different spin.This work provides vital theoretical underpinning and future reference for enhancing KSM performance.

Effect of trigger system on experimental dispersion characteristics of active surface wave testing

A trigger system is typically employed in active seismic testing to trigger and synchronize multichannel surface wave data acquisition.The effect of the trigger system on the dispersion image of surface waves is empirically known to be negligible,however,theoretical explanation regarding the effect of the trigger system is insufficient.This study systematically examines the theory for surface wave dispersion analysis and proves that the effect of the trigger system on a dispersion image is negligible via a solid theoretical explanation.Subsequently,based on the new theoretical explanation,an alternative method that uses only the relative phase difference between sensors to extract dispersion characteristics with better conceptual clarity is proposed.Two active surface wave testing cases are considered to validate the theory and method.The results indicate that(1)an accurate trigger system is not necessary for surface wave data acquisition,and(2)it is unnecessary to assume that the impact point is the generation point of the surface waves for the experimental dispersion analysis.