Alkyl dimethyl betaine activates the low-temperature collection capacity of sodium oleate for scheelite

The impact of alkyl dimethyl betaine (ADB) on the collection capacity of sodium oleate (NaOl) at low temperatures was evaluated using flotation tests at various scales. The low-temperature synergistic mechanism of ADB and NaOl was explored by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface tension measurement, foam performance test, and flotation reagent size measurement.The flotation tests revealed that the collector mixed with octadecyl dimethyl betaine (ODB) and NaOl in a mass ratio of 4:96 exhibited the highest collection capacity. The combined collector could increase the scheelite recovery by 3.48% at low temperatures of 8–12℃. This is particularly relevant in the Luanchuan area, which has the largest scheelite concentrate output in China. The results confirmed that ODB enhanced the collection capability of NaOl by improving the dispersion and foaming performance. Betaine can be introduced as an additive to NaOl to improve the recovery of scheelite at low temperatures.

Molecular Dynamics-Based Simulation of Polyethylene Pipe Degradation in High Temperature and High Pressure Conditions

High-density polyethylene(HDPE)pipes have gradually become the first choice for gas networks because of their excellent characteristics.As the use of pipes increases,there will unavoidably be a significant amount of waste generated when the pipes cease their operation life,which,if improperly handled,might result in major environmental contamination issues.In this study,the thermal degradation of polyethylene materials is simulated for different pressures(10,50,100,and 150 MPa)and temperatures(2300,2500,2700,and 2900 K)in the framework of Reactive Force Field(ReaxFF)molecular dynamics simulation.The main gas products,density,energy,and the mean square displacement with temperature and pressure are also calculated.The findings indicate that raising the temperature leads to an increase in the production of gas products,while changing the pressure has an impact on the direction in which the products are generated;the faster the temperature drops,the less dense the air;both temperature and pressure increase impact the system’s energy conversion or distribution mechanism,changing the system’s potential energy as well as its total energy;the rate at which molecules diffuse increases with temperature,and decreases with pressure.The results of this investigation provide a theoretical basis for the development of the pyrolytic treatment of polyethylene waste materials.

Electrolyte Design for Low‑Temperature Li‑Metal Batteries:Challenges and Prospects

Electrolyte design holds the greatest opportunity for the development of batteries that are capable of sub-zero temperature operation.To get the most energy storage out of the battery at low temperatures,improvements in electrolyte chemistry need to be coupled with optimized electrode materials and tailored electrolyte/electrode interphases.Herein,this review critically outlines electrolytes’limiting factors,including reduced ionic conductivity,large de-solvation energy,sluggish charge transfer,and slow Li-ion transportation across the electrolyte/electrode interphases,which affect the low-temperature performance of Li-metal batteries.Detailed theoretical derivations that explain the explicit influence of temperature on battery performance are presented to deepen understanding.Emerging improvement strategies from the aspects of electrolyte design and electrolyte/electrode interphase engineering are summarized and rigorously compared.Perspectives on future research are proposed to guide the ongoing exploration for better low-temperature Li-metal batteries.

Revealing the key role of non-solvating diluents for fast-charging and low temperature Li-ion batteries

Fast-charging and low temperature operation are of vital importance for the further development of lithium-ion batteries(LIBs),which is hindered by the utilization of conventional carbonate-based electrolytes due to their slow kinetics,narrow operating temperature and voltage range.Herein,an acetonitrile(AN)-based localized high-concentration electrolyte(LHCE)is proposed to retain liquid state and high ionic conductivity at ultra-low temperatures while possessing high oxidation stability.We originally reveal the excellent thermal shielding effect of non-solvating diluent to prevent the aggregation of Li^(+) solvates as temperature drops,maintaining the merits of fast Li transport and facile desolvation as at room temperature,which bestows the graphite electrode with remarkable low temperature performance(264 mA h g^(-1) at-20 C).Remarkably,an extremely high capacity retention of 97%is achieved for high-voltage high-energy graphite||NCM batteries after 250 cycles at-20 C,and a high capacity of 110 mA h g^(-1)(71%of its room-temperature capacity)is retained at-30°C.The study unveils the key role of the non-solvating diluents and provides instructive guidance in designing electrolytes towards fast-charging and low temperature LIBs.

Evaluation of Cold Resistance and Semi-lethal Low Temperature(LT_(50))of Nine Pear Cultivars

[Objectives]To evaluate the cold resistance and semi-lethal temperature of pear cultivars,and provide a theoretical basis for the regional extension and breeding of cold-resistant pear cultivars.[Methods]Nine pear cultivars were used to study the changes in relative conductivity and cell injury rate of pear branches under low temperature stress,and the semi-lethal temperature(LT_(50))of pear branches was analyzed by fitting Logistic equation.[Results]The relative conductivity and cell injury rate of pear branches took on the trend of slow increase,rapid increase,and slow increase the decrease of treatment temperature.The LC_(50) of the nine pear cultivars were as follows:Nanguo pear-33.9℃,Wanyu-32.3℃,Red D Anjou-31.8℃,Jinfeng-31.3℃,Wujiuxiang-29.2℃,20 th Century Pear-29.1℃,Hanxiang-35.1℃,Yuluxiang-27.9℃ and Korla Fragrant Pear-29.2℃.[Conclusions]The semi-lethal temperature could reflect the cold resistance of pear trees,and Wanxiang had better cold resistance.The evaluation of cold resistance and semi-lethal temperature of pear cultivars can provide theoretical basis for regional extension and breeding of cold-resistant pear cultivars.

Genome-Wide Exploration of the Grape GLR Gene Family and Differential Responses of VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 to Low Temperature and Salt Stress

Grapes,one of the oldest tree species globally,are rich in vitamins.However,environmental conditions such as low temperature and soil salinization significantly affect grape yield and quality.The glutamate receptor(GLR)family,comprising highly conserved ligand-gated ion channels,regulates plant growth and development in response to stress.In this study,11 members of the VvGLR gene family in grapes were identified using whole-genome sequence analysis.Bioinformatic methods were employed to analyze the basic physical and chemical properties,phylogenetic trees,conserved domains,motifs,expression patterns,and evolutionary relationships.Phylogenetic and collinear analyses revealed that the VvGLRs were divided into three subgroups,showing the high conservation of the grape GLR family.These members exhibited 2 glutamate receptor binding regions(GABAb and GluR)and 3-4 transmembrane regions(M1,M2,M3,and M4).Real-time quantitative PCR analysis demonstrated the sensitivity of all VvGLRs to low temperature and salt stress.Subsequent localization studies in Nicotiana tabacum verified that VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 proteins were located on the cell membrane and cell nucleus.Additionally,yeast transformation experiments confirmed the functionality of VvGLR3.1 and VvGLR3.2 in response to low temperature and salt stress.Thesefindings highlight the significant role of the GLR family,a highly conserved group of ion channels,in enhancing grape stress resistance.This study offers new insights into the grape GLR gene family,providing fundamental knowledge for further functional analysis and breeding of stress-resistant grapevines.

Effects of Low Temperature Stress on Germination and Physiological Characteristics of Different Sweet Maize Varieties

[Objectives]The paper was to explore the effects of low temperature stress on germination and physiological characteristics of different sweet maize varieties.[Methods]Taking Taitian 264,Zhexuetian 1 and Chaotian 4 as the research objects,the changes in germination potential,germination index,plant height,biomass,and antioxidant enzyme activity of maize seeds were studied under optimal temperature conditions(25℃)and low temperature stress conditions(10℃).[Results]Under 10℃stress,the germination rate and germination index of Taitian 264 were higher than that of Zhexuetian 1 and Chaotian 4.Under low temperature stress,Taitian 264 exhibited the least reduction in height and biomass,while Zhexuetian 1 had the most reduction.Additionally,the SOD and POD activities of Taitian 264 were higher than that of Zhexuetian 1 and Chaotian 4 under both temperature conditions,while the MDA content of Taitian 264 was lower.Taitian 264 showed strong germination ability against low temperature stress.[Conclusions]This study provides a basis for timely sowing practices of sweet maize in agricultural production.

Advances in Molecular Regulatory Mechanisms of Fruit Trees under Low Temperature Stress

The most recent research findings on the tolerance of fruit trees to cold stress are reviewed from a molecular perspective,including the perception and transduction of low temperature calcium signaling,CBF-dependent molecular regulatory mechanisms,non-CBF-dependent molecular regulatory mechanisms,and so forth.The objective is to provide a reference basis for further improving the cold resistance of fruit trees and cultivating new varieties of hardy plants.

Interfacial built-in electric field and crosslinking pathways enabling WS_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) heterojunction with robust sodium storage at low temperature

Developing efficient energy storage for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)by creating high-performance heterojunctions and understanding their interfacial interaction at the atomic/molecular level holds promise but is also challenging.Besides,sluggish reaction kinetics at low temperatures restrict the operation of SIBs in cold climates.Herein,cross-linking nanoarchitectonics of WS_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) heterojunction,featuring built-in electric field(BIEF),have been developed,employing as a model to reveal the positive effect of heterojunction design and BIEF for modifying the reaction kinetics and electrochemical activity.Particularly,the theoretical analysis manifests the discrepancy in work functions leads to the electronic flow from the electron-rich Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) to layered WS_(2),spontaneously forming the BIEF and“ion reservoir”at the heterogeneous interface.Besides,the generation of cross-linking pathways further promotes the transportation of electrons/ions,which guarantees rapid diffusion kinetics and excellent structure coupling.Consequently,superior sodium storage performance is obtained for the WS_(2)/Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) heterojunction,with only 0.2%decay per cycle at 5.0 A g^(-1)(25℃)up to 1000 cycles and a high capacity of 293.5 mA h g^(-1)(0.1A g^(-1)after 100 cycles)even at-20℃.Importantly,the spontaneously formed BIEF,accompanied by“ion reservoir”,in heterojunction provides deep understandings of the correlation between structure fabricated and performance obtained.

Association between Low Ambient Temperature and the Severity of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Objective:To explore the relationships among ambient temperature,ischemic stroke severity,and blood pressure.Methods:Meteorological data(2005–2015)were collected from the Guangzhou Meteorological Data Service.Ischemic stroke patients from the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively evaluated,each winter from 2005 to 2015.Patient demographics,baseline measurements,and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score were evaluated.Results:Three hundred sixty-two patients were included.The median latency from symptom onset to admission was 2 d(IQR:1–3 d).During recruitment,the highest and lowest temperatures were 39℃and 1.3℃,respectively.Hypertension was the most common comorbidity(75.1%).NIHSS scores at admission and discharge were higher in the cold-exposed group than in the controls regardless of the average temperature at admission.In addition,systolic and diastolic blood pressure values at admission were higher in the cold-exposed group than in the controls.When stratified by hypertensive status,the average and minimum temperatures at admission were negatively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure values in hypertensive patients.Reductions in the average and minimum temperatures at symptom onset were associated with more severe stroke.Conclusion:Ischemic stroke patients with symptom onset in winter had higher systolic blood pressure values and more serious neurologic deficits upon admission.

Cell-nucleus structured electrolyte for low-temperature aqueous zinc batteries

Rechargeable aqueous zinc(Zn) batteries hold great promise for large-scale energy storage,but their implementation is plagued by poor Zn reversibility and unsatisfactory low-temperature performance.Herein,we design a cell-nucleus structured electrolyte by introducing low-polarity 1,2-dimethoxyethane(DME) into dilute 1 M zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate(Zn(OTf)_(2)) aqueous solution,which features an OTf--rich Zn2^(+)-primary solvation sheath(PSS,inner nucleus) and the DMEmodulated Zn^(2+)-outer solvation sheath(outer layer).We find that DME additives with a low dosage do not participate in the Zn2+-PSS but reinforce the Zn-OTf-coordination,which guarantees good reaction kinetics under ultralow temperatures.Moreover,DME breaks the original H-bonding network of H2O,depressing the freezing point of electrolyte to-52.4℃.Such a cell-nucleus-solvation structure suppresses the H_(2)O-induced side reactions and forms an anion-derived solid electrolyte interphase on Zn and can be readily extended to 1,2-diethoxyethane.The as-designed electrolyte enables the Zn electrode deep cycling stability over 3500 h with a high depth-of-discharge of 51.3% and endows the Zn‖V_(2)O_(5)full battery with stable cycling over 1000 cycles at 40℃.This work would inspire the solvation structure design for low-temperature aqueous batteries.

Identification of a Novel OsCYP2 Allele that Was Involved in Rice Response to Low Temperature Stress

Cyclophilin(CYP)plays an important role in plant response to stress,and OsCYP2,one gene of cyclophlilin family,is involved in auxin signal transduction and stress signaling in rice.However,the mechanism that OsCYP2 is involved in rice response to low temperature is still unclear.We identified a new OsCYP2 allelic mutant,lrl3,with fewer lateral roots,and the differences in shoot height,primary root length and adventitious root length increased with the growth process compared to the wild-type plant.Auxin signaling pathway was also affected and became insensitive to gravity.The transgenic rice plants with over-expression of OsCYP2 were more tolerant to low temperature than the wild-type plants,suggesting that OsCYP2 was involved in the low temperature response in rice.In addition,OsCYP2 negatively regulated the expression of OsTPS38,a terpene synthase gene,and was dependent on the OsCDPK7-mediated pathway in response to low temperature stress.OsTPS38-overexpressed transgenic line ox-2 was more sensitive to low temperature.Therefore,OsCYP2 may negatively regulate OsTPS38 through an OsCDPK7-dependent pathway to mediate the response to low temperature in rice.These results provide a new basis for auxin signaling genes to regulate rice response to low temperature stress.

Effect of Introducing Conductive Organic Carrier on Properties of Low-Temperature Conductive Silver Paste

The poly(epoxy-N-methylaniline)conductive organic carrier was used as the bonding phase of the low-temperature conductive silver paste.Then,this was mixed with different proportions of silver powder to prepare the low-temperature conductive silver paste.Afterwards,the effect of the conductive organic carrier on the properties of the low-temperature conductive silver paste was determined by IR,DMA and SEM.The results revealed that the prepared conductive paste has good conductivity,film-forming performance,printing performance,low-temperature curing performance,and anti-aging performance.When the mass percentage of the bonding phase/conductive phase was 40/60,the lowest volume resistivity of the conductive silver paste was 4.9×10^(−6)Ω⋅cm,and the conductivity was the best.

Screening of a microbial consortium with efficient corn stover degradation ability at low temperature

To speed up the degradation of corn stover directly returned to soil at low temperature, the corn stover-degrading microbial consortium GF-20, acclimated to biological decomposition in the frigid region, was successfully constructed under a long-term limiting substrate. To evaluate its potential in accelerating the decomposition of un-pretreated corn stover, the decomposing property, fermentation dynamic and the microbial diversity were analyzed. GF-20 degraded corn stover by 32% after 15-day fermentation at 10℃. Peak activities of filter paperlyase（FPA）, β-glucosidases（CB）, endoglucanases（Cx）, and cellobiohydrolases（C1） were 1.15, 1.67, 1.73, and 1.42 U m L^–1, appearing at the 6th, 3rd, 11 th, and 9th d, respectively. The p H averaged at 6.73–8.42, and the optical density（OD） value peaked at 1.87 at the 120 h of the degradation process. Cellulase, hemicellulase and lignin in corn stover were persistently degraded by 44.85, 43.85 and 25.29% at the end of incubation. Result of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis（DGGE） profiles demonstrated that GF-20 had a stable component structure under switching the temperature and p H. The composition of the GF-20 was also analyzed by constructing bacterial 16 S r DNA clone library and fungal 18 Sr DNA-PCR-DGGE. Twenty-two bacterial clones and four fungal bands were detected and identified dominant bacteria represented by Cellvibrio mixtus subsp., Azospira oryzae, Arcobacter defluyii, and Clostridium populeti and the fungi were mainly identified as related to Trichosporon sp.

Degradation of phenol in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB) reactor at ambient temperature

A synthetic wastewater containing phenol as sole substrate was treated in a 2 8 L upflow anaerobic sludge blanket(UASB) reactor at ambient temperature. The operation conditions and phenol removal efficiency were discussed, microbial population in the UASB sludge was identified based on DNA cloning, and pathway of anaerobic phenol degradation was proposed. Phenol in wastewater was degraded in an UASB reactor at loading rate up to 18 gCOD/(L·d), with a 1:1 recycle ratio, at 26±1℃, pH 7 0—7 5. An UASB reactor was able to remove 99% of phenol up to 1226 mg/L in wastewater with 24 h of hydraulic retention time(HRT). For HRT below 24 h, phenol degradation efficiency decreased with HRT, from 95 4% at 16 h to 93 8% at 12 h. It further deteriorated to 88 5% when HRT reached 8 h. When the concentration of influent phenol of the reactor was 1260 mg/L(corresponding COD 3000 mg/L), with the HRT decreasing(from 40 h to 4 h, corresponding COD loading increasing), the biomass yields tended to increase from 0 265 to 3 08 g/(L·d). While at 12 h of HRT, the biomass yield was lower. When HRT was 12 h, the methane yield was 0 308 L/(gCOD removed), which was the highest. Throughout the study, phenol was the sole organic substrate. The effluent contained only residual phenol without any detectable intermediates, such as benzoate, 4 hydrobenzoate or volatile fatty acids(VFAs). Based on DNA cloning analysis, the sludge was composed of five groups of microorganisms. Desulfotomaculum and Clostridium were likely responsible for the conversion of phenol to benzoate, which was further degraded by Syntrophus to acetate and H 2/CO 2. Methanogens lastly converted acetate and H 2/CO 2 to methane. The role of epsilon Proteobacteria was, however, unsure.

Bifunctional electrolyte regulation towards low-temperature and high-stability Zn-ion hybrid capacitor

Aqueous Zinc-based energy storage devices are considered as one of the potential candidates in future power technologies.Nevertheless,poor low temperature performance and uncontrollable Zn dendrite growth lead to the limited energy storage capability.Herein,an anti-hydrolysis,cold-resistant,economical,safe,and environmentally friendly electrolyte is developed by utilizing water,ethylene glycol(EG),and ZnCl_(2)with high ionic conductivity(7.9 mS cm^(-1)in glass fiber membrane at-20℃).The spectra data and DFT calculations show the competitive coordination of EG and Cl-to induce a unique solvation configuration of Zn^(2+),conducive to effectively inhibiting the hydrolysis of Zn^(2+),suppressing the dendrite growth,and broadening the working voltage range and temperature range of ZnCl_(2)electrolyte.The isotope tracing data confirm that Cl^(-)could effectively destroy the ZnO passivation film,promoting the formation of Zn nuclei and improving its reaction activity.Compared to the corresponding ZnSO4electrolyte,the Cu/Zn half-cell with the ZnCl_(2)electrolyte exhibits a stable cycle life of more than 1600 h at-20℃,even at the current density of 5 mA cm^(-2).The assembled Zn-ion hybrid capacitor possesses an average capacity of 42.68 m A h g^(-1)under-20℃at a current density of 5 A g^(-1),3.5 times than that of the modified ZnSO4electrolyte.Our work proposes a new approach for optimizing aqueous electrolytes to meet low temperature energy storage applications.

Effect of Initial Microstructure Prior to Extrusion on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Extruded AZ80 Alloy with a Low Temperature and a Low Ratio

Magnesium(Mg)alloys are the lightest metal structural material for engineering applications and therefore have a wide market of applications.However,compared to steel and aluminum alloys,Mg alloys have lower mechanical properties,which greatly limits their application.Extrusion is one of the most important processing methods for Mg and its alloys.However,the effect of such a heterogeneous microstructure achieved at low temperatures on the mechanical properties is lacking investigation.In this work,commercial AZ80 alloys with different initial microstructures(as-cast and as-homogenized)were selected and extruded at a low extrusion temperature of 220℃and a low extrusion ratio of 4.The microstructure and mechanical properties of the two extruded AZ80 alloys were investigated.The results show that homogenized-extruded(HE)sample exhibits higher strength than the cast-extruded(CE)sample,which is mainly attributed to the high number density of fine dynamic precipitates and the high fraction of recrystallized ultrafine grains.Compared to the coarse compounds existing in CE sample,the fine dynamical precipitates of Mg17(Al,Zn)12form in the HE sample can effectively promote the dynamical recrystallization during extrusion,while they exhibit a similar effect on the size and orientation of the recrystallized grains.These results can facilitate the designing of high-strength wrought magnesium alloys by rational microstructure construction.

Low-temperature conformal vacuum deposition of OLED devices using close-space sublimation

Close-space sublimation(CSS)has been demonstrated as an alternative vacuum deposition technique for fabricating organic light-emitting diodes(OLEDs).CSS utilizes a planar donor plate pre-coated with organic thin films as an area source to rapidly transfer the donor film to a device substrate at temperatures below 200℃.CSS is also conformal and capable of depositing on odd-shaped substrates using flexible donor media.The evaporation behaviors of organic donor films under CSS were fully characterized using model OLED materials and CSS-deposited films exhibited comparable device performances in an OLED stack to films deposited by conventional point sources.The low temperature and conformal nature of CSS,along with its high material utilization and short process time,make it a promising method for fabricating flexible OLED displays.

Fatigue crack propagation in fine-grained magnesium under low temperature tension-tension cyclic loading

Fine-grained magnesium was tested under stress-controlled tension-tension cyclic loading at -30 ℃ and the tested sample was observed using scanning electron microscope and electron backscatter diffraction to explore the fatigue behavior and crack propagation. The fatigue data showed that the material experienced cyclic softening followed by cyclic hardening before the final fracture failure. The microscopic observations demonstrated that the cracks were almost perpendicular to the loading direction with some zigzags and the cracks progressed along both small angle grain boundaries and large angle grain boundaries. Although the cracks were mainly propagated along large angle grain boundaries, the value of grain boundary angle was not the primary factor to determine the crack propagation direction. The local residual strain from the rolling process was released due to the crack propagation and there was more strain relaxation at regions closer to the cracks.

Low-Temperature Signaling Pathways and Their Signaling Factors in Plant

Low temperature as abiotic stress adversely impacts plant growth and development, and limits the ecological distribution of plants as well. Throughout their long evolutionary history, plants have developed a range of complicated and precise molecular regulatory mechanisms to deal with low-temperature stress, involving the activation of signal transduction pathways and the regulation of related genes. In this review, we provide a systematic summary of the most recent research findings regarding three hypotheses of cellular perception of low-temperature signals and two major intracellular low-temperature signaling pathways, including CBF-dependent signaling pathways and CBF-independent signaling pathways. Focus is placed on the functions of each component of the ICE-CBF-COR signaling cascade as well as their interrelationships. This review concludes that although some progress has been made in the identification, function, and mechanism of low-temperature response genes, their roles in the low-temperature regulatory network and molecular mechanisms still need to be studied in detail, which will be of great significance for improving the low-temperature tolerance of plants and adapting to climate change.