Recent advances in cobalt phosphide-based materials for electrocatalytic water splitting:From catalytic mechanism and synthesis method to optimization design

Electrochemical water splitting has long been considered an effective energy conversion technology for trans-ferring intermittent renewable electricity into hydrogen fuel,and the exploration of cost-effective and high-performance electrocatalysts is crucial in making electrolyzed water technology commercially viable.Cobalt phosphide(Co-P)has emerged as a catalyst of high potential owing to its high catalytic activity and durability in water splitting.This paper systematically reviews the latest advances in the development of Co-P-based materials for use in water splitting.The essential effects of P in enhancing the catalytic performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction are first outlined.Then,versatile synthesis techniques for Co-P electrocatalysts are summarized,followed by advanced strategies to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of Co-P materials,including heteroatom doping,composite construction,integration with well-conductive sub-strates,and structure control from the viewpoint of experiment.Along with these optimization strategies,the understanding of the inherent mechanism of enhanced catalytic performance is also discussed.Finally,some existing challenges in the development of highly active and stable Co-P-based materials are clarified,and pro-spective directions for prompting the wide commercialization of water electrolysis technology are proposed.

Effect of Gum Arabic from Acacia senegal var. kerensis as an Improver on the Rheological Properties of Wheat Flour Dough

Dough improvers are substances with functional characteristics used in baking industry to enhance dough properties. Currently, the baking industry is faced with increasing demand for natural ingredients owing to increasing consumer awareness, thus contributing to the rising demand for natural hydrocolloids. Gum Arabic from Acacia senegal var. kerensis is a natural gum exhibiting excellent water binding and emulsification capacity. However, very little is reported on how it affects the rheological properties of wheat dough. The aim of this study was therefore, to determine the rheological properties of wheat dough with partial additions of gum Arabic as an improver. Six treatments were analyzed comprising of: flour-gum blends prepared by adding gum Arabic to wheat flour at different levels (1%, 2% and 3%), plain wheat flour (negative control), commercial bread flour and commercial chapati flour (positive controls). The rheological properties were determined using Brabender Farinograph, Brabender Extensograph and Brabender Viscograph. Results showed that addition of gum Arabic significantly (p chapati. These findings support the need to utilize gum Arabic from Acacia senegal var. kerensis as a dough improver.

Anti-aging performance improvement and enhanced combustion efficiency of boron via the coating of PDA

Boron is an ambitious fuel in energetic materials since its high heat release values,but its application is prohibited by low combustion efficiency and oxidization during storage.The polydopamine(PDA)was introduced into boron particles,investigating the impact of PDA content on the energetic behavior of boron.The results indicated that the PDA coating formed a fishing net structure on the surface of boron particles.The heat release results showed that the combustion calorific value of B@PDA was higher than that of the raw boron.Specifically,the actual combustion heat of boron powder in B@10%PDA increased by 38.08%.Meanwhile,the DSC peak temperature decreased by 100.65℃under similar oxidation rate compared to raw boron.Simultaneously,the B@PDA@AP and B@AP composites were prepared,and their combustion properties were evaluated.It was demonstrated that B@10%PDA@AP exhibited superior performance in terms of peak pressure and burning time,respectively.The peak pressure is 12.43 kPa more than B@AP and burning time is 2.22 times higher than B@AP.Therefore,the coating of PDA effectively inhibits the oxidization of boron during storage and enhances the energetic behavior of boron and corresponding composites.

Deterioration Reason and Improvement Measure of the Retarding Effect of Protein Retarder on Phosphorus Building Gypsum

The retarding effect of protein retarder on phosphorus building gypsum(PBG)and desulfurization building gypsum(DBG)was investigated,and the results show that protein retarder for DBG can effectively prolong the setting time and displays a better retarding effect,but for PBG shows a poor retarding effect.Furthermore,the deterioration reason of the retarding effect of protein retarder on PBG was investigated by measuring the pH value and the retarder concentration of the liquid phase from vacuum filtration of PBG slurry at different hydration time,and the measure to improve the retarding effect of protein retarding on PBG was suggested.The pH value of PBG slurry(<5.0)is lower than that of DBG slurry(7.8-8.5).After hydration for 5 min,the concentration of retarder in liquid phase of DBG slurry gradually decreases,but in liquid phase of PBG slurry continually increases,which results in the worse retarding effect of protein retarder on PBG.The liquid phase pH value of PBG slurry can be adjusted higher by sodium silicate,which is beneficial to improvement in the retarding effect of the retarder.By adding 1.0%of sodium silicate,the initial setting time of PBG was efficiently prolonged from 17 to 210 min,but little effect on the absolute dry flexural strength was observed.

Enhancing Private Healthcare Effectiveness in Lagos State, Nigeria: An Overview of the Effect of Quality Improvement Initiatives and Implications for Sustainable Healthcare Delivery

Background: Nigeria, a nation grappling with rapid population growth, economic intricacies, and complex healthcare challenges, particularly in Lagos State, the economic hub and most populous state, faces the challenge of ensuring quality healthcare access. The overview of the effect of quality improvement initiatives in this paper focuses on private healthcare providers in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study assesses the impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects on these private healthcare facilities. It explores the level of participation, perceived support, and tangible effects of the initiatives on healthcare delivery within private healthcare facilities. It also examines how these initiatives influence patient inflow and facility ratings, and bring about additional benefits and improvements, provides insights into the challenges faced by private healthcare providers in implementing quality improvement projects and elicits recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such initiatives. Methods: Qualitative research design was employed for in-depth exploration, utilizing semi-structured interviews. Private healthcare providers in Lagos involved in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project were purposively sampled for diversity. Face-to-face interviews elicited insights into participation, perceived support, and project effects. Questions covered participation levels, support perception, changes observed, challenges faced, and recommendations. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes from interview transcripts. Adherence to ethical guidelines ensured participant confidentiality and informed consent. Results: Respondents affirmed active involvement in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project, echoing literature emphasizing private-sector collaboration with the public sector. While acknowledging positive influences on facility ratings, respondents highlighted challenges within the broader Nigerian healthcare landscape affecting patient numbers. Respondents cited tangible improvements, particularly in staff management and patient care processes, validating the positive influence of quality improvement projects. Financial constraints emerged as a significant challenge, aligning with existing literature emphasizing the pragmatic difficulties faced by private healthcare providers. Conclusions: This study illuminates the complex landscape of private healthcare provision in Lagos State, emphasizing the positive impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects. The findings provide nuanced insights, guiding policymakers, healthcare managers, and practitioners toward collaborative, sustainable improvements. As Nigeria progresses, these lessons will be crucial in shaping healthcare policies prioritizing population well-being.

Selection criteria of MPOB-Angola germplasm collection for yield improvement of the oil palm

Oil palm germplasm collected from Angola,Africa in 1991 were subjected to genetic variability potential studies.The collection was planted in the form of open-pollinated families as trials at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board(MPOB)Kluang Research Station,Johor,Malaysia,in 1994.Dura palms from 52 families and tenera palms from 44 families of MPOB-Angola were evaluated for their bunch yield and bunch quality components.The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic variability among the families and performance of MPOB-Angola germplasm for yield improvement.The analysis of variance(ANOVA)revealed highly significant differences between the dura and tenera families for most of the traits,suggesting the presence of high genetic variability,which is essential for breeding programmes.Among the duras,family AGO 02.02 displayed the best yield performance,with a high fresh fruit bunch,oil yield and total economic product at 240.40,29.46 and 37.93 kg palm^(-1)year^(-1),respectively.As for the teneras,family AGO 03.04 recorded the highest FFB yield and oil yield at 249.25 and 45.22 kg palm^(-1)year^(-1),respectively.Besides that,several families with big fruit sizes or producing a mean fruit weight of 14-17 g were also identified.Both dura and tenera from AGO 01.01 recorded the highest oil to bunch(O/B)of 17.76%and 28.65%,respectively.These findings will facilitate the selection of palms from the MPOB-Angola germplasm for future breeding programmes.

A spatiotemporal evolution model of a short-circuit arc to a secondary arc based on the improved charge simulation method

The initial shape of the secondary arc considerably influences its subsequent shape.To establish the model for the arcing time of the secondary arc and modify the single-phase reclosing sequence,theoretical and experimental analysis of the evolution process of the short-circuit arc to the secondary arc is critical.In this study,an improved charge simulation method was used to develop the internal-space electric-field model of the short-circuit arc.The intensity of the electric field was used as an independent variable to describe the initial shape of the secondary arc.A secondary arc evolution model was developed based on this model.Moreover,the accuracy of the model was evaluated by comparison with physical experimental results.When the secondary arc current increased,the arcing time and dispersion increased.There is an overall trend of increasing arc length with increasing arcing time.Nevertheless,there is a reduction in arc length during arc ignition due to short circuits between the arc columns.Furthermore,the arcing time decreased in the range of 0°-90°as the angle between the wind direction and the x-axis increased.This work investigated the method by which short-circuit arcs evolve into secondary arcs.The results can be used to develop the secondary arc evolution model and to provide both a technical and theoretical basis for secondary arc suppression.

Data-driven diagnosis of high temperature PEM fuel cells based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: Robustness improvement and evaluation

Utilizing machine learning techniques for data-driven diagnosis of high temperature PEM fuel cells is beneficial and meaningful to the system durability. Nevertheless, ensuring the robustness of diagnosis remains a critical and challenging task in real application. To enhance the robustness of diagnosis and achieve a more thorough evaluation of diagnostic performance, a robust diagnostic procedure based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and a new method for evaluation of the diagnosis robustness was proposed and investigated in this work. To improve the diagnosis robustness: (1) the degradation mechanism of different faults in the high temperature PEM fuel cell was first analyzed via the distribution of relaxation time of EIS to determine the equivalent circuit model (ECM) with better interpretability, simplicity and accuracy;(2) the feature extraction was implemented on the identified parameters of the ECM and extra attention was paid to distinguishing between the long-term normal degradation and other faults;(3) a Siamese Network was adopted to get features with higher robustness in a new embedding. The diagnosis was conducted using 6 classic classification algorithms—support vector machine (SVM), K-nearest neighbor (KNN), logistic regression (LR), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and Naive Bayes employing a dataset comprising a total of 1935 collected EIS. To evaluate the robustness of trained models: (1) different levels of errors were added to the features for performance evaluation;(2) a robustness coefficient (Roubust_C) was defined for a quantified and explicit evaluation of the diagnosis robustness. The diagnostic models employing the proposed feature extraction method can not only achieve the higher performance of around 100% but also higher robustness for diagnosis models. Despite the initial performance being similar, the KNN demonstrated a superior robustness after feature selection and re-embedding by triplet-loss method, which suggests the necessity of robustness evaluation for the machine learning models and the effectiveness of the defined robustness coefficient. This work hopes to give new insights to the robust diagnosis of high temperature PEM fuel cells and more comprehensive performance evaluation of the data-driven method for diagnostic application.

A Coordinate-Free Approach to the Design of Generalized Griffis-Duffy Platforms

Architectural singularity belongs to the Type II singularity,in which a parallel manipulator(PM)gains one or more degrees of freedom and becomes uncontrollable.PMs remaining permanently in a singularity are beneficial for linearto-rotary motion conversion.Griffis-Duffy(GD)platform is a mobile structure admitting a Bricard motion.In this paper,we present a coordinate-free approach to the design of generalized GD platforms,which consists in determining the shape and attachment of both the moving platform and the fixed base.The generalized GD platform is treated as a combination of six coaxial single-loop mechanisms under the same constraints.Owing to the inversion,hidden in the geometric structure of these single-loop mechanisms,the mapping from a line to a circle establishes the geometric transformation between the fixed base and the moving platform based on the center of inversion,and describes the shape and attachment of the generalized GD platform.Moreover,the center of inversion not only identifies the location of rotation axis,but also affects the shape of the platform mechanism.A graphical construction of generalized GD platforms using inversion,proposed in the paper,provides geometrically feasible solutions of the manipulator design for the requirement of the location of rotation axis.

Review on the design of high-strength and hydrogen-embrittlement-resistant steels

Given the carbon peak and carbon neutrality era,there is an urgent need to develop high-strength steel with remarkable hydrogen embrittlement resistance.This is crucial in enhancing toughness and ensuring the utilization of hydrogen in emerging iron and steel materials.Simultaneously,the pursuit of enhanced metallic materials presents a cross-disciplinary scientific and engineering challenge.Developing high-strength,toughened steel with both enhanced strength and hydrogen embrittlement(HE)resistance holds significant theoretical and practical implications.This ensures secure hydrogen utilization and further carbon neutrality objectives within the iron and steel sector.Based on the design principles of high-strength steel HE resistance,this review provides a comprehensive overview of research on designing surface HE resistance and employing nanosized precipitates as intragranular hydrogen traps.It also proposes feasible recommendations and prospects for designing high-strength steel with enhanced HE resistance.

Deep Insight of Design,Mechanism,and Cancer Theranostic Strategy of Nanozymes

Since the discovery of enzyme-like activity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in 2007,nanozymes are becoming the promising substitutes for natural enzymes due to their advantages of high catalytic activity,low cost,mild reaction conditions,good stability,and suitable for large-scale production.Recently,with the cross fusion of nanomedicine and nanocatalysis,nanozyme-based theranostic strategies attract great attention,since the enzymatic reactions can be triggered in the tumor microenvironment to achieve good curative effect with substrate specificity and low side effects.Thus,various nanozymes have been developed and used for tumor therapy.In this review,more than 270 research articles are discussed systematically to present progress in the past five years.First,the discovery and development of nanozymes are summarized.Second,classification and catalytic mechanism of nanozymes are discussed.Third,activity prediction and rational design of nanozymes are focused by highlighting the methods of density functional theory,machine learning,biomimetic and chemical design.Then,synergistic theranostic strategy of nanozymes are introduced.Finally,current challenges and future prospects of nanozymes used for tumor theranostic are outlined,including selectivity,biosafety,repeatability and stability,in-depth catalytic mechanism,predicting and evaluating activities.

Combining reinforcement learning with mathematical programming:An approach for optimal design of heat exchanger networks

Heat integration is important for energy-saving in the process industry.It is linked to the persistently challenging task of optimal design of heat exchanger networks(HEN).Due to the inherent highly nonconvex nonlinear and combinatorial nature of the HEN problem,it is not easy to find solutions of high quality for large-scale problems.The reinforcement learning(RL)method,which learns strategies through ongoing exploration and exploitation,reveals advantages in such area.However,due to the complexity of the HEN design problem,the RL method for HEN should be dedicated and designed.A hybrid strategy combining RL with mathematical programming is proposed to take better advantage of both methods.An insightful state representation of the HEN structure as well as a customized reward function is introduced.A Q-learning algorithm is applied to update the HEN structure using theε-greedy strategy.Better results are obtained from three literature cases of different scales.

Treatment of bilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip joint with an improved technique:A case report

BACKGROUND Developmental dysplasia of the hip(DDH)is a common osteoarticular deformity in pediatric orthopedics.A patient with bilateral DDH was diagnosed and treated using our improved technique"(powerful overturning acetabuloplasty)"combined with femoral rotational shortening osteotomy.CASE SUMMARY A 4-year-old girl who was diagnosed with bilateral DDH could not stand normally,and sought surgical treatment to solve the problem of double hip extension and standing.As this child had high dislocation of the hip joint and the acetabular index was high,we changed the traditional acetabuloplasty to"powerful turnover acetabuloplasty"combined with femoral rotation shortening osteotomy.During the short-term postoperative follow-up(1,3,6,9,12,and 15 months),the child had no discomfort in her lower limbs.After the braces and internal fixation plates were removed,formal rehabilitation training was actively carried out.CONCLUSION Our"powerful overturning acetabuloplasty"combined with femoral rotational shortening osteotomy is feasible in the treatment of DDH in children.This technology may be widely used in the clinic.

Optimal design for rubber concrete layered periodic foundations based on the analytical approximations of band gaps and mapping relations

The seismic performance of rubber concrete-layered periodic foundations are significantly influenced by their design,in which the band gaps play a paramount role.Aiming at providing better designs for these foundations,this study first proposes and validates the analytical formulas to approximate the bounds of the first few band gaps.In addition,the mapping relations linking the frequencies of different band gaps are presented.Furthermore,an optimal design method for these foundations is developed,which is validated through an engineering example.It is demonstrated that ensuring the superstructure’s resonance zones are completely covered by the corresponding periodic foundation’s band gaps can achieve satisfactory vibration attenuation effects,which is a good strategy for the design of rubber concrete layered periodic foundations.

Vibration Control of the Rail Grinding Vehicle with Abrasive Belt Based on Structural Optimization and Lightweight Design

As a new grinding and maintenance technology,rail belt grinding shows significant advantages in many applications The dynamic characteristics of the rail belt grinding vehicle largely determines its grinding performance and service life.In order to explore the vibration control method of the rail grinding vehicle with abrasive belt,the vibration response changes in structural optimization and lightweight design are respectively analyzed through transient response and random vibration simulations in this paper.Firstly,the transient response simulation analysis of the rail grinding vehicle with abrasive belt is carried out under operating conditions and non-operating conditions.Secondly,the vibration control of the grinding vehicle is implemented by setting vibration isolation elements,optimizing the structure,and increasing damping.Thirdly,in order to further explore the dynamic characteristics of the rail grinding vehicle,the random vibration simulation analysis of the grinding vehicle is carried out under the condition of the horizontal irregularity of the American AAR6 track.Finally,by replacing the Q235 steel frame material with 7075 aluminum alloy and LA43M magnesium alloy,both vibration control and lightweight design can be achieved simultaneously.The results of transient dynamic response analysis show that the acceleration of most positions in the two working conditions exceeds the standard value in GB/T 17426-1998 standard.By optimizing the structure of the grinding vehicle in three ways,the average vibration acceleration of the whole car is reduced by about 55.1%from 15.6 m/s^(2) to 7.0 m/s^(2).The results of random vibration analysis show that the grinding vehicle with Q235 steel frame does not meet the safety conditions of 3σ.By changing frame material,the maximum vibration stress of the vehicle can be reduced from 240.7 MPa to 160.0 MPa and the weight of the grinding vehicle is reduced by about 21.7%from 1500 kg to 1175 kg.The modal analysis results indicate that the vibration control of the grinding vehicle can be realized by optimizing the structure and replacing the materials with lower stiffness under the premise of ensuring the overall strength.The study provides the basis for the development of lightweight,diversified and efficient rail grinding equipment.

To improve robustness of mechanical properties of semi-solid cast A356 alloy using taguchi design method

Mechanical properties of semi-solid casting are dependent on multiple processing parameters,and improper processing parameters will not only reduce mean data but also increase variations.The present study investigated the impact of parameters in slurry preparation and heat treatment on the yield strength and ductility of T6 heat-treated A356 Al-Si alloy using rapid slurry forming(RSF)semi-solid casting.The focus was primarily on the robustness of mechanical properties based on Taguchi design method.By analyzing signal-to-noise ratio and minimum value calculated from-3S,the optimum slurry preparation parameters and heat treatment parameters were determined to be no quench,enthalpy exchange material(EEM)temperature of 140℃,EEM-to-melt ratio of 6mass%,stirring time of 18 s,solution heat treated at 520℃ for 2 h,and ageing heat treated at 190℃ for 6 h.In a small batch validation,the-3S yield strength and-3S elongation reach 256.1 MPa and 5.03% respectively,showing a satisfactory robustness.The hardness and microstructure of heat-treated samples with the best and worst properties were characterized to gain insight into the underlying mechanisms affecting the mean value and variations of mechanical properties.

A graph neural network approach to the inverse design for thermal transparency with periodic interparticle system

Recent years have witnessed significant advances in utilizing machine learning-based techniques for thermal metamaterial-based structures and devices to attain favorable thermal transport behaviors.Among the various thermal transport behaviors,achieving thermal transparency stands out as particularly desirable and intriguing.Our earlier work demonstrated the use of a thermal metamaterial-based periodic interparticle system as the underlying structure for manipulating thermal transport behavior and achieving thermal transparency.In this paper,we introduce an approach based on graph neural network to address the complex inverse design problem of determining the design parameters for a thermal metamaterial-based periodic interparticle system with the desired thermal transport behavior.Our work demonstrates that combining graph neural network modeling and inference is an effective approach for solving inverse design problems associated with attaining desirable thermal transport behaviors using thermal metamaterials.

The Impact of Sea Level Rise on Roadway Design and Evacuation Routes in Delaware

As the global temperature continues to increase, the sea level continues to rise at a rapid rate that has never been seen before. This becomes an issue for many facets of life but one of the most impacted is the transportation infrastructure. Many people living in low elevation coastal areas can become trapped by flooding with no way in or out. With Delaware being a coastal state, this would affect a large portion of the population and will have detrimental effects over time if nothing is done to combat sea level rise. The issue with sea level rise in transportation is that once the roads become flooded, they become virtually unusable and detour routes would be needed. If all the roads in a coastal area were to be affected by sea level rise, the options for detours would become limited. This article looks at direct solutions to combat sea level rise and indirect solutions that would specifically help transportation infrastructure and evacuation routes in Delaware. There is not one solution that can fix every problem, so many solutions are laid out to see what is applicable to each affected area. Some solutions include defense structures that would be put close to the coast, raising the elevation of vulnerable roads throughout the state and including pumping stations to drain the water on the surface of the road. With an understanding of all these solutions around the world, the ultimate conclusion came in the form of a six-step plan that Delaware should take in order to best design against sea level rise in these coastal areas.

The design and engineering strategies of metal tellurides for advanced metal-ion batteries

Owning various crystal structures and high theoretical capacity,metal tellurides are emerging as promising electrode materials for high-performance metal-ion batteries(MBs).Since metal telluride-based MBs are quite new,fundamental issues raise regarding the energy storage mechanism and other aspects affecting electrochemical performance.Severe volume expansion,low intrinsic conductivity and slow ion diffusion kinetics jeopardize the performance of metal tellurides,so that rational design and engineering are crucial to circumvent these disadvantages.Herein,this review provides an in-depth discussion of recent investigations and progresses of metal tellurides,beginning with a critical discussion on the energy storage mechanisms of metal tellurides in various MBs.In the following,recent design and engineering strategies of metal tellurides,including morphology engineering,compositing,defect engineering and heterostructure construction,for high-performance MBs are summarized.The primary focus is to present a comprehensive understanding of the structural evolution based on the mechanism and corresponding effects of dimension control,composition,electron configuration and structural complexity on the electrochemical performance.In closing,outlooks and prospects for future development of metal tellurides are proposed.This work also highlights the promising directions of design and engineering strategies of metal tellurides with high performance and low cost.

Optimal Design of the Modular Joint Drive Train for Enhancing Cobot Load Capacity and Dynamic Performance

Automation advancements prompts the extensive integration of collaborative robot(cobot)across a range of industries.Compared to the commonly used design approach of increasing the payload-to-weight ratio of cobot to enhance load capacity,equal attention should be paid to the dynamic response characteristics of cobot during the design process to make the cobot more flexible.In this paper,a new method for designing the drive train parameters of cobot is proposed.Firstly,based on the analysis of factors influencing the load capacity and dynamic response characteristics,design criteria for both aspects are established for cobot with all optimization design criteria normalized within the design domain.Secondly,with the cobot in the horizontal pose,the motor design scheme is discretized and it takes the joint motor diameter and gearbox speed ratio as optimization design variables.Finally,all the discrete values of the optimization objectives are obtained through the enumeration method and the Pareto front is used to select the optimal solution through multi-objective optimization.Base on the cobot design method proposed in this paper,a six-axis cobot is designed and compared with the commercial cobot.The result shows that the load capacity of the designed cobot in this paper reaches 8.4 kg,surpassing the 5 kg load capacity commercial cobot which is used as a benchmark.The minimum resonance frequency of the joints is 42.70 Hz.