Full-Scale Isogeometric Topology Optimization of Cellular Structures Based on Kirchhoff-Love Shells

Cellular thin-shell structures are widely applied in ultralightweight designs due to their high bearing capacity and strength-to-weight ratio.In this paper,a full-scale isogeometric topology optimization(ITO)method based on Kirchhoff-Love shells for designing cellular tshin-shell structures with excellent damage tolerance ability is proposed.This method utilizes high-order continuous nonuniform rational B-splines(NURBS)as basis functions for Kirchhoff-Love shell elements.The geometric and analysis models of thin shells are unified by isogeometric analysis(IGA)to avoid geometric approximation error and improve computational accuracy.The topological configurations of thin-shell structures are described by constructing the effective density field on the controlmesh.Local volume constraints are imposed in the proximity of each control point to obtain bone-like cellular structures.To facilitate numerical implementation,the p-norm function is used to aggregate local volume constraints into an equivalent global constraint.Several numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.After simulation and comparative analysis,the results indicate that the cellular thin-shell structures optimized by the proposed method exhibit great load-carrying behavior and high damage robustness.

Constructing a hollow core-shell structure of RuO_(2) wrapped by hierarchical porous carbon shell with Ru NPs loading for supercapacitor

Hollow core-shell structure nanomaterials have been broadly used in energy storage, catalysis, reactor,and other fields due to their unique characteristics, including the synergy between different materials,a large specific surface area, small density, large charge carrying capacity and so on. However, their synthesis processes were mostly complicated, and few researches reported one-step encapsulation of different valence states of precious metals in carbon-based materials. Hence, a novel hollow core-shell nanostructure electrode material, RuO_(2)@Ru/HCs, with a lower mass of ruthenium to reduce costs was constructed by one-step hydrothermal method with hard template and co-assembled strategy, consisting of RuO_(2) core and ruthenium nanoparticles(Ru NPs) in carbon shell. The Ru NPs were uniformly assembled in the carbon layer, which not only improved the electronic conductivity but also provided more active centers to enhance the pseudocapacitance. The RuO_(2) core further enhanced the material’s energy storage capacity. Excellent capacitance storage(318.5 F·g^(-1)at 0.5 A·g^(-1)), rate performance(64.4%) from 0.5 A·g^(-1)to 20 A·g^(-1), and cycling stability(92.3% retention after 5000 cycles) were obtained by adjusting Ru loading to 0.92%(mass). It could be attributed to the wider pore size distribution in the micropores which increased the transfer of electrons and protons. The symmetrical supercapacitor device based on RuO_(2)@Ru/HCs could successfully light up the LED lamp. Therefore, our work verified that interfacial modification of RuO_(2) and carbon could bring attractive insights into energy density for nextgeneration supercapacitors.

A core-shell copper oxides-cobalt oxides heterostructure nanowire arrays for nitrate reduction to ammonia with high yield rate

Electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia(NRA) can realize the green synthesis of ammonia(NH3) at ambient conditions, and also remove nitrate contamination in water. However, the current catalysts for NRA still face relatively low NH3yield rate and poor stability. We present here a core-shell heterostructure comprising cobalt oxide anchored on copper oxide nanowire arrays(CuO NWAs@Co_(3)O_(4)) for efficient NRA. The CuO NWAs@Co_(3)O_(4)demonstrates significantly enhanced NRA performance in alkaline media in comparison with plain CuO NWAs and Co_(3)O_(4)flocs. Especially, at-0.23 V vs. RHE, NH_(3) yield rate of the CuO NWAs@Co_(3)O_(4)reaches 1.915 mmol h^(-1)cm^(-2),much higher than those of CuO NWAs(1.472 mmol h^(-1)cm^(-2)), Co_(3)O_(4)flocs(1.222 mmol h^(-1)cm^(-2)) and recent reported Cu-based catalysts.It is proposed that the synergetic effects of the heterostructure combing atom hydrogen adsorption and nitrate reduction lead to the enhanced NRA performance.

Structural Analysis of TiC and TiC-C Core-Shell Nanostructures Produced by Pulsed-Laser Ablation

This paper reports on the ablation process of a pure Ti solid target immersed in a C-enriched acetone solution, leading to the production of titanium carbide (TiC) and Ti-C core-shell nanostructures. The used route of synthesis is generally called pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL). The presence of carbon structures in the solution contributed to the carbon content in the produced Ti-based nanomaterials. The atomic composition of the produced nanostructures was analyzed using SEM-EDS, while TEM micrographs revealed the formation of spherical TiC and core-shell nanostructures ranging from 40 to 100 nm. The identification of atomic planes by HRTEM confirmed a 10 nm diameter C-shell with a graphite structure surrounding the Ti-core. Raman spectroscopy allowed for the identification of D and G peaks for graphite and a Raman signal at 380 and 600 cm−1, assigned to TiC. The results contribute to the state-of-the-art production of TiC and Ti-C core-shell nanostructures using the PLAL route.

The Effect of Core Eccentricity on the Structural Behavior of Concrete Tall Buildings

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of core eccentricity on the structural behavior of concrete tall buildings.Concrete buildings of 55 floors with plan dimensions 48.0×48.0 m2 were investigated.Three cases of main core locations are studied:centric(A),eccentric by one sixth(B)and one third(C)of building width.The three-dimensional finite element method has been used in conducting structural analysis through ETABS software.Gravity and lateral(wind and seismic)loadings are applied to all building cases.It has been concluded that the core location is the prime parameter governing the structural behavior of tall buildings.Although the first two cases(A,B)have acceptable and similar structural behaviors conforming to code limits,in the third case(C),the building behavior came beyond code limits.The author introduced remedial action by adding two secondary cores in the opposite direction of the main core(C-R)to restore the building behavior to the code limits.The results of this action were satisfactory.

One-dimensional ZnS-based Hetero-,Core/shell and Hierarchical Nanostructures

A focus of the current nanotechnology has shifted from routine fabrication of nanostructures to designing functional electronic devices and realizing their immense potentials for applications. Due to infusion of multi-functionality into a single system, the utilization of hetero-, core/shell and hierarchical nanostructures has become the key issue for building such devices. ZnS, due to its direct wide bandgap, high index of refraction, high transparency in the visible range and intrinsic polarity, is one of the most useful semiconductors for a wide range of electronics applications. This article provides a dense review of the state-of-the-art research activities in one-dimensional （1D） ZnS-based hetero-, core/shell and hierarchical nanostructures. The particular emphasis is put on their syntheses and applications.

Sonochemical Synthesis of Core/Shell Structured CdS/TiO_2 Nanocrystals Composites

A simple sonochemical route for the surface coating of titanium dioxide on cadmium sulfide nanocrystal was reported. After 2 h ultrasonic irradiation treatment, the mixture of CdS nanocrystals and tetrabutyl titanate in an aqueous medium yielded CdS/TiO2 nanocrystals composites with core/shell structure. The thickness of TiO2 layer with smooth interface could be easily controlled via changing the concentration of the precursors and the time of irradiation. The core/shell nanocrysrals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope and UV-vis spectrometry techniques. The prepared semiconductor composites with particular band structure present appealing properties especially in photochemical activity.

Hierarchical Carbon Microtube@Nanotube Core-Shell Structure for High-Performance Oxygen Electrocatalysis and Zn-Air Battery

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)hold tremendous promise for clean and efficient energy storage with the merits of high theoretical energy density and environmental friendliness.However,the performance of practical ZABs is still unsatisfactory because of the inevitably decreased activity of electrocatalysts when assembly into a thick electrode with high mass loading.Herein,we report a hierarchical electrocatalyst based on carbon microtube@nanotube core-shell nanostructure(CMT@CNT),which demonstrates superior electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction with a small potential gap of 0.678 V.Remarkably,when being employed as air-cathode in ZAB,the CMT@CNT presents an excellent performance with a high power density(160.6 mW cm^−2),specific capacity(781.7 mAhgZn^−1)as well as long cycle stability(117 h,351 cycles).Moreover,the ZAB performance of CMT@CNT is maintained well even under high mass loading(3 mg cm−2,three times as much as traditional usage),which could afford high power density and energy density for advanced electronic equipment.We believe that this work is promising for the rational design of hierarchical structured electrocatalysts for advanced metal-air batteries.

Type-Ⅱ Core/Shell Nanowire Heterostructures and Their Photovoltaic Applications

Nanowire-based photovoltaic devices have the advantages over planar devices in light absorption and charge transport and collection.Recently,a new strategy relying on type-Ⅱ band alignment has been proposed to facilitate efficient charge separation in core/shell nanowire solar cells.This paper reviews the type-Ⅱ heterojunction solar cells based on core/shell nanowire arrays,and specifically focuses on the progress of theoretical design and fabrication of type-Ⅱ Zn O/Zn Se core/shell nanowire-based solar cells.A strong photoresponse associated with the type-Ⅱ interfacial transition exhibits a threshold of 1.6 e V,which demonstrates the feasibility and great potential for exploring all-inorganic versions of type-Ⅱ heterojunction solar cells using wide bandgap semiconductors.Future prospects in this area are also outlooked.

Synthesis and Characterization of Fluorine-containing Polyacrylate Emulsion with Core-Shell Structure

包含氟的符号的 polyacrylate 共聚物乳剂被一个种子乳剂聚合方法，在甲基， methacrylate (MMA ) 和丁基 acrylate (BA ) 作为包含氟的符号的单体被用作主要单体和 hexafluorobutyl methacrylate (HFMA ) 综合。结构和性质被 Fourier 变换描绘红外线的光谱(英尺红外) ，传播电子显微镜学(TEM ) ，粒子尺寸分析， X 光检查光电子光谱学(XPS ) ，接触角度(CA ) ，微分扫描热量测定(DSC ) 和 thermogravimetry (TG ) 分析。FTIR 和 TEM 结果证明 HFMA 有效地涉及乳剂 copolymerization，并且形成的乳剂粒子让核心壳结构和一个狭窄的粒子缩放分发。XPS 和 CA 分析表明氟的符号的坡度集中在富于氟的符号和在一个方面恐水病的更多的包含氟的符号的乳剂电影的深度侧面存在。DSC 和 TG 分析也证明清楚的核心壳结构在包含氟的符号的乳剂粒子存在，并且他们的电影比没有氟的符号的乳剂的显示出更高热的稳定性。

Photochemical synthesis of bimetallic Au-Ag nanoparticles with “core-shell” type structure by seed mediated catalytic growth

The colloidal Au core/Ag shell structure composite nanoparticles were synthesized in PEG-acetone solution by photochemical route. The monodispersed Au nanoparticles with average diameter of 3.9 nm were used as growth seeds. The optical property of colloids and the sizes of composite nanoparticles were characterized when the molar ratio of Au to Ag ranges from 4∶1 to 1∶4. The results show that a composite nanoparticle structure similar to strawberry shape is formed at the molar ratio of Au to Ag from 4∶1 to 1∶1; the composite nanoparticles consisting of a core of Au and shell of Ag were generated at the 1∶4 molar ratio, having a striking feature of forming (interconnected) network structure.

Synthesis of Ag@Al_2O_3 Core-shell Structure Nanoparticles and Their Enhancement Effect on Dielectric Properties for Ag@Al_2O_3/Polyimide Nanocomposites

A novel core-shell structure Ag@Al2O3 nano-particles were synthesized and doped into polyimide as conductive fillers to prepare the composite films with high dielectric properties and low dielectric loss. The morphology and structures of the Ag@Al2O3 nano-particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and UV-visible spectroscopy. All the results proved that the Ag@Al2O3 nano-parficles had a typical core-shell structure, for the Ag particles were coated by Al2O3 shell and the average sizes ofAg@Al2O3 particles were between 30 to 150 nm. The as-prepared Ag@Al2O3 nanoparticles were doped into the polyimide with different mass fractions to fabricate the Ag@Al2O3/PI composite films via in-situ polymerization process. SEM analysis of composite films showed that the Ag@Al2O3 nano- particles homogeneously dispersed in polyimide matrix with nanoseale. As dielectric materials for electronic packaging systems, the Ag@Al2O3/PI composites exhibited appropriate mechanical properties and erthaneed dielectric properties, including greatly enhanced dielectric constant and just a slight increase in dielectric loss. These improvements were attributed to the core-shell structure of fillers and their fine dispersion in the PI matrix.

Effect of milling process on the core-shell structures and dielectric properties of fine-grained BaTiO_3-based X7R ceramic materials

Fine-grained BaTiO3-based X7R ceramic materials were prepared and the effects of milling process on the core-shell structures and dielectric properties were investigated using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, and energy dispersive spectroscopy （EDS）. As the milling time extends, the dielectric constant of the ceramics increases, whereas the temperature coefficient of capacitance at 125℃ drops quickly. The changes in dielectric properties are considered relevant to the microstructure evolution caused by the milling process. Defects on the surface of BaTiO3 particles increase because of the effects of milling process, which will make it easier for additives to diffuse into the interior grains. As the milling time increases, the shell region gets thicker and the core region gets smaller; however, EDS results show that the chemical inhomogeneity between grain core and grain shell becomes weaker.

Core-shell structured 1,4-benzoquinone@TiO_2 cathode for lithium batteries

Organic carbonyl compounds are considered as promising candidates for lithium batteries due to theirhigh capacity and environmental friendliness, However, they suffer from serious dissolution in the elec-trolyte, leading to fast capacity decay. Here we report core-shell structured 1,4-benzoquinone@titaniumdioxide （BQ@TiO2） composite as cathode for lithium batteries. The composite cathode can deliver a highdischarge capacity of 441.2 mA h/g at 50 mA/g and a high capacity retention of 80.7% after 100 cycles. Thegood cycling performance of BQ@TiO2 composite can be attributed to the suppressed dissolution of BQ,which results from the physical confinement effect of Ti02 shell and the strong interactions between BQand Ti02. Moreover, the combination of ex situ infrared spectra and density functional theory calculationsreveals that the active redox sites of BQ are carbonyl groups. This work provides an alternative way tomitigate the dissolution of small carbonyl compounds and thus enhance their cycling stability.

Shell-driven Fine Structure Transition of Core Materials in Co@Au Core-shell Nanoparticles

Co@Au core shell nanoparticles(NPs) of different shell thicknesses were fabricated by a combination of the displacement process and the reduction-deposition process in a microfluidic reactor. The effect of the shell thickness on the fine structures(local atom arrangement) of core materials was investigated by X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure(XANES) and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure(EXAFS).The results indicate that the shell thickness affects the fine structure of the core materials by causing atomic re-arrangement between the hexagonal close pack(hcp) and the face centered cubic(fcc) structure, and forming Co-Au bonds in the core-shell interface.

Immobilization of metalloporphyrins on CeO_2@SiO_2 with a core-shell structure prepared via microemulsion method for catalytic oxidation of ethylbenzene

Ce O2@Si O2 core-shell nanoparticles were prepared by microemulsion method, and metalloporphyrins were immobilized on the Ce O2@Si O2 core-shell nanoparticles surface via amide bond. The supported metalloporphyrin catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm(BET), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy(UV-Vis), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR). The results show that the morphology of Ce O2@Si O2 nanoparticles is core-shell microspheres with about 30 nm in diameter, and metalloporphyrins are immobilized on the Ce O2@Si O2 core-shell nanoparticles via amide bond. Especially, the core-shell structure contains multi Ce O2 core and thin Si O2 shell, which may benefit the synergistic effect between the Ce O2 core and the porphyrin anchored on the very thin Si O2 shell. As a result, this supported metalloporphyrin catalysts present comparably high catalytic activity and stability for oxidation of ethylbenzene with molecular oxygen, namely, ethylbenzene conversion remains around 12% with identical selectivity of about 80% for acetophenone even after six-times reuse of the catalyst.

Preparation of Self-crosslinked Fluorocarbon Polymer Emulsion with Core-shell Structure by the Method of Soap-free Emulsion Polymerization

Using methyl methacrylate （MMA）, butyl acrylate（BA） and hexafluorobutyl acrylate（HFBA） as main raw materials, we prepared self-crosslinked fluorocarbon polymer emulsion with core-shell structure via soap-free emulsion polymerization when the conception of particle design and polymer morphology was adopted. Moreover, the influence of mole ratio of BA to MAA, pH value on the oligomer was studied. And the effects of the added amount of oligomer, self-crosslinked monomer and HFBA, mass ratio of BA to MMA, reaction temperature and the initiator on the polymerization technology and the performance of the product, were investigated and optimized. The structure and performance of the fluorocarbon polymer emulsion were characterized and tested with FTIR, TEM, MFT and contact angle and water absorption of the latex film. The experimental results show that the optimal conditions for preparing fluorocarbon polymer emulsion are as follows： for preparing the oligomer, tool ratio of BA to MAA is equal to 1.0 ： 1.60, and pH value is controlled within the range of 8.0 and 9.0; for preparing fluorocarbon polymer emulsion, the added amount of oligmer[P（BA/MANa）] is 6%; mass ratio of BA to MMA is 40 ＂ 60; the added amount of self-crosslinked monomer is 2%, the added amount of HFBA is 15 %; reaction temperature is 80 ℃; the mixture of potassium persulfate and sodium bisulfite is used as the initiator. The film-forming stability of the fluorocarbon polymer emul- sion and the performance of the latex film, which is prepared with the soap-free emulsion polymerization, are better than that prepared with the conventional emulsion polymerization.

Core-Shell Structure of NaYF4@SiO2@Au Nanocomposite of Synthesis and Characterization with Mechanisms Research

A facile method for preparing monodisperse NaYF4@SiO2@Au core-shell nanocomposite was developed. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) as well as EDX(energy dispersive X-ray) was used to characterize the samples. The TEM showed the composite was a core-shell structure, spherical,with the uniform size of about 100 nm. TEM and EDX revealed that the NPs were coated with a layer of SiO2 and Au shell. The core shell structure of NaYF4@SiO2@Au nanocomposite could dispersed in water easily. More importantly,after being coated with SiO2 and Au, it was feasible for function by-SH and-NH2 groups, respectively. The forming process of the Au shell was monitored with TEM. The mechanism of coating Au shell was discussed in detail. It is expected that the core shell nanoparticle will act as multifunctional molecular imaging probes, such as positron emission tomography(PET), magnetic resonance imaging(MRI), optical imaging(OI), or contrast agent for sensing and detection.

Core-shell structured nanospheres with mesoporous silica shell and Ni core as a stable catalyst for hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane

Core-shell structured nanospheres with mesoporous silica shell and Ni core(denoted as Ni@meso-SiO2) are prepared through a three-step process. Monodispersed Ni precursors are first prepared, and then coated with mesoporous SiO2. Final Ni@meso-SiO2spheres are obtained after calcination. The products are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and N2adsorption-desorption methods. These spheres have a high surface area and are well dispersed in water, showing a high catalytic activity with a TOF value of 18.5,and outstanding stability in hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane at room temperature.

Synthesis and Structure Control of A New Kind of Inelastomer Impact Modifier with Core-shell Structure and Impact Modification to PVC/CPE

A new kind of inelastomer impact modifier with a coreshell structure was synthesized by employing a multistep composite emulsion polymerization technique, the size and morphology structure of the coreshell particles could be controlled by the multistep composite emulsion polymerization technique. The study of the impact strength and the elongation at break of the PVC/CPE blend with different contents of coreshell particles(CS) indicated that the mechanical properties of PVC/CPE/CS composite were the best when the concentration of the particle was 25%(mass fraction) which showed the different regularities and characteristics of elastomer toughening plastic.