Enhancing electromagnetic wave absorption with core‐shell structured SiO_(2)@MXene@MoS_(2)nanospheres

Material composition and structural design are important factors influencing the electromagnetic wave(EMW)absorption performance of materials.To alleviate the impedance mismatch attributed to the high dielectric constant of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene,we have successfully synthesized core‐shell structured SiO_(2)@MXene@MoS_(2)nanospheres.This architecture,comprising SiO_(2)as the core,MXene as the intermediate layer,and MoS_(2)as the outer shell,is achieved through an electrostatic self‐assembly method combined with a hydrothermal process.This complex core‐shell structure not only provides a variety of loss mechanisms that effectively dissipate electromagnetic energy but also prevents self‐aggregation of MXene and MoS_(2)nanosheets.Notably,the synergistic combination of SiO_(2)and MoS_(2)with highly conductive MXene enables the suitable dielectric constant of the composites,ensuring optimal impedance matching.Therefore,the core‐shell structured SiO_(2)@MXene@MoS_(2)nanospheres exhibit excellent EMW absorption performance,featuring a remarkable minimum reflection loss(RL_(min))of−52.11 dB(2.4 mm).It is noteworthy that these nanospheres achieve an ultra‐wide effective absorption bandwidth(EAB)of 6.72 GHz.This work provides a novel approach for designing and synthesizing high‐performance EMW absorbers characterized by“wide bandwidth and strong reflection loss.”

Structure–performance relationship of Au nanoclusters in electrocatalysis:Metal core and ligand structure

Remarkable progress has characterized the field of electrocatalysis in recent decades,driven in part by an enhanced comprehension of catalyst structures and mechanisms at the nanoscale.Atomically precise metal nanoclusters,serving as exemplary models,significantly expand the range of accessible structures through diverse cores and ligands,creating an exceptional platform for the investigation of catalytic reactions.Notably,ligand‐protected Au nanoclusters(NCs)with precisely defined core numbers offer a distinct advantage in elucidating the correlation between their specific structures and the reaction mechanisms in electrocatalysis.The strategic modulation of the fine microstructures of Au NCs presents crucial opportunities for tailoring their electrocatalytic performance across various reactions.This review delves into the profound structural effects of Au NC cores and ligands in electrocatalysis,elucidating their underlying mechanisms.A detailed exploration of the fundamentals of Au NCs,considering core and ligand structures,follows.Subsequently,the interaction between the core and ligand structures of Au NCs and their impact on electrocatalytic performance in diverse reactions are examined.Concluding the discourse,challenges and personal prospects are presented to guide the rational design of efficient electrocatalysts and advance electrocatalytic reactions.

Supporting Skin Structure and Its Barrier Functions with Evidence-Based Skin Care Ingredients

The epidermis, and in particular its outermost layer, the stratum corneum, contributes much of the barrier function of the skin and is a readily visible representation of skin health. Maintaining the health of the skin barrier has arguably become more important than ever in the modern world, in which a large majority of people are exposed to environmental insults. These external factors can damage the integrity of the skin barrier and prematurely age the skin. Therefore, it has become increasingly important to maintain and protect the stratum corneum. Here, we briefly review the complex, multilayered structure of the skin and relate it to clinically translatable function, with an emphasis on the stratum corneum. In the context of epidermal structure and function, the formulation and clinical data for Phelityl® Reviving Cream will be reviewed. Phelityl Reviving Cream was shown to be associated with improvements in both immediate- and long-term parameters, including a significant positive effect on the skin barrier and immediate and long-lasting hydration.

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.

Advancing the pressure sensing performance of conductive CNT/PDMS composite film by constructing a hierarchical-structured surface

Flexible pressure sensors have attracted wide attention due to their applications to electronic skin,health monitoring,and human-machine interaction.However,the tradeoff between their high sensitivity and wide response range remains a challenge.Inspired by human skin,we select commercial silicon carbide sandpaper as a template to fabricate carbon nanotube(CNT)/polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)composite film with a hierarchical structured surface(h-CNT/PDMS)through solution blending and blade coating and then assemble the h-CNT/PDMS composite film with interdigitated electrodes and polyurethane(PU)scotch tape to obtain an h-CNT/PDMS-based flexible pressure sensor.Based on in-situ optical images and finite element analysis,the significant compressive contact effect between the hierarchical structured surface of h-CNT/PDMS and the interdigitated electrode leads to enhanced pressure sensitivity and a wider response range(0.1661 kPa^(-1),0.4574 kPa^(-1)and 0.0989 kPa^(-1)in the pressure range of 0–18 kPa,18–133 kPa and 133–300 kPa)compared with planar CNT/PDMS composite film(0.0066 kPa^(-1)in the pressure range of 0–240 kPa).The prepared pressure sensor displays rapid response/recovery time,excellent stability,durability,and stable response to different loading modes(bending and torsion).In addition,our pressure sensor can be utilized to accurately monitor and discriminate various stimuli ranging from human motions to pressure magnitude and spatial distribution.This study supplies important guidance for the fabrication of flexible pressure sensors with superior sensing performance in next-generation wearable electronic devices.

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.

Preparation of a p-n heterojunction BiFeO_3@TiO_2 photocatalyst with a core–shell structure for visible-light photocatalytic degradation

Magnetically separable bismuth ferrite(BiFeO3)nanoparticles were fabricated by a citrate self‐combustion method and coated with titanium dioxide(TiO2)by hydrolysis of titanium butoxide(Ti(OBu)4)to form BiFeO3@TiO2core-shell nanocomposites with different mass ratios of TiO2to BiFeO3.The photocatalytic performance of the catalysts was comprehensively investigated via photocatalytic oxidation of methyl violet(MV)under both ultraviolet and visible‐light irradiation.The BiFeO3@TiO2samples exhibited better photocatalytic performance than either BiFeO3or TiO2alone,and a BiFeO3@TiO2sample with a mass ratio of1:1and TiO2shell thickness of50-100nm showed the highest photo‐oxidation activity of the catalysts.The enhanced photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the formation of a p‐n junction of BiFeO3and TiO2with high charge separation efficiency as well as strong light absorption ability.Photoelectrochemical Mott-Schottky(MS)measurements revealed that both the charge carrier transportation and donor density of BiFeO3were markedly enhanced after introduction of TiO2.The mechanism of MV degradation is mainly attributed to hydroxyl radicals and photogenerated electrons based on energy band theory and the formation of an internal electrostatic field.In addition,the unique core-shell structure of BiFeO3@TiO2also promotes charge transfer at the BiFeO3/TiO2interface by increasing the contact area between BiFeO3and TiO2.Finally,the photocatalytic activity of BiFeO3@TiO2was further confirmed by degradation of other industrial dyes under visible‐light irradiation.

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.

Fabrication of silica-based ceramic cores with internal lattice structures by stereolithography

Ceramic cores are widely used in investment casting,and ideal properties of cores are essential for high-quality castings.Under the circumstances requiring thick cores,solid cores are likely to encounter deformation and cracking defects due to the accumulation of shrinkage.Therefore,with the superiority of ceramic stereolithography in producing complex ceramic parts,hollow cores with lattice structures were designed and fabricated.The dimensional accuracy and properties of the green and sintered bodies were evaluated.Results show the dimensional accuracy of sintered cores is controlled within±0.25 mm benefited from the precise green bodies.The mechanical properties are not obviously deteriorated.The bending strength reaches 11.94 MPa at room temperature and 12.87 MPa at 1,500℃ with a creep deformation of 0.345 mm.Furthermore,casting verifications prove that the hollow cores meet the requirements of investment casting.Smooth casting surfaces are obtained,at the same time,the core-removal efficiency is improved by over 3 times.

On the core structure and mobility of the〈100 〉{010} and〈100 〉 {01■} dislocations in B2 structure YAg and YCu

Dislocations are thought to be the principal mechanism of high ductility of the novel B2 structure intermetallic compounds YAg and YCu.In this paper, the edge dislocation core structures of two primary slip systems 〈100〉{010} and 〈100〉{01^-1} for YAg and YCu are presented theoretically within the lattice theory of dislocation.The governing dislocation equation is a nonlinear integro-differential equation and the variational method is applied to solve the equation.Peierls stresses for 〈100〉{010} and 〈100〉{01^-1} slip systems are calculated taking into consideration the contribution of the elastic strain energy.The core width and Peierls stress of a typical transition-metal aluminide NiAl is also reported for the purpose of verification and comparison.The Peierls stress of NiAl obtained here is in agreement with numerical results,which verifies the correctness of the results obtained for YAg and YCu.Peierls stresses of the 〈100〉{01^-1} slip system are smaller than those of 〈100〉{010} for the same intermetallic compounds originating from the smaller unstable stacking fault energy.The obvious high unstable stacking fault energy of NiAl results in a larger Peierls stress than those of YAg and YCu although they have the same B2 structure.The results show that the core structure and Peierls stress depend monotonically on the unstable stacking fault energy.

EXTENDED CORE STRUCTURE OF DISSOCIATED EDGE DISLOCATIONS IN FCC CRYSTALS WITH CONSIDERATION OF DISCRETENESS

The extended core structure of the dissociated edge dislocation in Al, Au, Ag, Cu and Ni is determined within lattice theory of dislocation. The 2D dislocation equation governing the displacements is coupled by the restoring forces that are determined by the parameterization of the generalized stacking fault energies. The Ritz variational method is presented to solve the dislocation equation and the trial solution is constituted by two arctan-type functions with two undetermined parameters. The core widths of partial dislocations are wider than that obtained in generalized Peierls-Nabarro model due to the consideration of discreteness of crystal.

The Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization in Patients with Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections after Treatment with Linezolid or Vancomycin

Background: Complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSIs) due to Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), are associated with significant morbidity. Re-ducing MRSA carriage has been a focus of infection control interventions. The prevalence of MRSA colonization after successful treatment of a MRSA cSSSI is unknown. Methods: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial comparing linezolid and vancomycin for the treatment of MRSA cSSSI. Adult patients that had a colonization culture, confirmed MRSA cSSSI, received at least one dose of study treatment, and had an outcome recorded at end of study. Patient, clinical characteristics and prevalence of colonization were compared by treatment regimens. A multivariate regression model identified predictors of MRSA colonization at EOS. Results: There were 456 patients evaluated. The prevalence of MRSA colonization was higher for vancomycin treated patients compared to linezolid treated patients at end of treatment (EOT) (28% vs. 5%, p < 0.001) and EOS (34% vs. 22%, p < 0.01). Independent predictors of colonization at EOS after treatment for a MRSA cSSSI included diagnosis, primarily driven by abscess, black race, treatment with vancomycin, MRSA mixed infection and male gender. Conclusion: Patients treated with linezolid for a cSSSI had less MRSA colonization at EOT and EOS compared to those treated with vancomycin. Multiple independent predictors of MRSA colonization were identified. Additional studies evaluating the relationship of MRSA colonization after treatment of cSSSI are needed.

Research on stretching flame correction technology of aluminum alloy ship frame skin welding structure

At present,conventional flame correction has shortcomings such as random heating route and low efficiency.The welding seam of the aluminum alloy ship frame skin structure is concentrated and the frame restraint is large.It is difficult to control and eliminate the local convex deformation after welding.In order to improve the conventional orthopedic technology and improve the orthopedic efficiency,the pre-elastic deformation technology is proposed.Using the method of combining numerical simulation and experiment,the orthopedic effect of conventional and pre-elastic orthopedic technology is studied,and the influence of pre-deformation variables and heating path on deformation control of the frame skin structure after welding is simulated.The simulation results show that the technical key to the control of convex deformation lies in the control of the pre-elastic deformation and the setting of the heating route.The experimental verification results show that the pre-elastic deformation technology has a better control effect than conventional orthopedics,can significantly improve the orthopedic efficiency,and provides a new method for deformation control in the shipbuilding industry.

Thick-skinned Contractional Salt Structures in the Kuqa Depression,the Northern Tarim Basin:Constraints from Physical Experiments

Thick-skinned contractional salt structures are widely developed in the western Kuqa depression, northern Tarim basin. To understand the mechanisms that govern the development of these structures, physical experiments are conducted and the results show that they are largely governed by the activities of basement faults and the forming of paleo-uplifts and basement slopes. The model materials in this study are dry sand, vaseline and plasticene （or hard foam）, simulating the suprasalt, salt, and subsalt layers respectively. The experiments show that, due to the activities of basement faults and the forming of the paleo-uplifts, salt bodies usually accumulate and thicken significantly on the middle top of the paleo-uplifts which are constrained by the pre-exiting boundary faults. The development of large-scale thrust faults and salt nappes is favored by the basement slops with larger dips. The experiments also conclude that differential structural deformation could occur between the subsalt and suprasalt layers because of the presence of salt layers. Their geometries and the locations of structural highs are different, despite of the great similarities in the uplifted areas. The pierced salt diapir is not observed in the experiments, which indicates that the contractional shortening does not effectively accelerate the development of the salt diapir.

Sensitivity of Tropical Cyclone Intensification to Inner-Core Structure

In this study, the dependence of tropical cyclone （TC） development on the inner-core structure of the parent vortex is examined using a pair of idealized numerical simulations. It is found that the radial profile of inner-core relative vorticity may have a great impact on its subsequent development. For a system with a larger inner-core relative vorticity/inertial stability, the conversion ratio of the diabatic heating to kinetic energy is greater. Furthermore, the behavior of the convective vorticity eddies is likely modulated by the system-scale circulation. For a parent vortex with a relatively higher inner-core vorticity and larger negative radial vorticity gradient, convective eddy formation and radially inward propagation is promoted through vorticity segregation. This provides a greater potential for these small-scale convective cells to self-organize into a mesoscale inner-core structure in the TC. In turn, convectively induced diabatic heating that is close to the center, along with higher inertial stability, efficiently enhances system-scale secondary circulation. This study provides a solid basis for further research into how the initial structure of a TC influences storm dynamics and thermodynamics.

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.

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.

Detecting the core of a network by the centralities of the nodes

Many networks exhibit the core/periphery structure.Core/periphery structure is a type of meso-scale structure that consists of densely connected core nodes and sparsely connected peripheral nodes.Core nodes tend to be well-connected,both among themselves and to peripheral nodes,which tend not to be well-connected to other nodes.In this brief report,we propose a new method to detect the core of a network by the centrality of each node.It is discovered that such nodes with non-negative centralities often consist in the core of the networks.The simulation is carried out on different real networks.The results are checked by the objective function.The checked results may show the effectiveness of the simulation results by the centralities of the nodes on the real networks.Furthermore,we discuss the characters of networks with the single core/periphery structure and point out the scope of the application of our method at the end of this paper.

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.

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.