Synthesis and thermal characterization of the C-S-H/paraffin composite phase change material utilizing a discontinuous two-step nucleation method

The novel calcium-silicate-hydrate(C-S-H)/paraffin composite phase change materials were synthesized using a discontinuous two-step nucleation method.Initially,the C-S-H precursor is separated and dried,followed by immersion in an aqueous environment to transform it into C-S-H.This two-step nucleation approach results in C-S-H with a specific surface area of 497.2 m^(2)/g,achieved by preventing C-S-H foil overlapping and refining its pore structure.When impregnated with paraffin,the novel C-S-H/paraffin composite exhibits superior thermal properties,such as a higher potential heat value of 148.3 J/g and an encapsulation efficiency of 81.6%,outperforming conventional C-S-H.Moreover,the composite material demonstrates excellent cyclic performance,indicating its potential for building thermal storage compared to other paraffin-based composites.Compared with the conventional method,this simple technology,which only adds conversion and centrifugation steps,does not negatively impact preparation costs,the environment,and resource consumption.This study provides valuable theoretical insights for designing thermal storage concrete materials and advancing building heat management.

Insight Into the Separation-of-Variable Methods for the Closed-Form Solutions of Free Vibration of Rectangular Thin Plates

The separation-of-variable(SOV)methods,such as the improved SOV method,the variational SOV method,and the extended SOV method,have been proposed by the present authors and coworkers to obtain the closed-form analytical solutions for free vibration and eigenbuckling of rectangular plates and circular cylindrical shells.By taking the free vibration of rectangular thin plates as an example,this work presents the theoretical framework of the SOV methods in an instructive way,and the bisection–based solution procedures for a group of nonlinear eigenvalue equations.Besides,the explicit equations of nodal lines of the SOV methods are presented,and the relations of nodal line patterns and frequency orders are investigated.It is concluded that the highly accurate SOV methods have the same accuracy for all frequencies,the mode shapes about repeated frequencies can also be precisely captured,and the SOV methods do not have the problem of missing roots as well.

Estimation of Chloride Diffusivity in Hydrated Tricalcium Silicate Using a Hydration-Diffusion Integrated Method

This study aims to develop a chloride diffusion simulation method that considers the hydration microstructure and pore solution properties during the hydration of tricalcium silicate(C3S).The method combines the hydration simulation,thermodynamic calculation,and finite element analysis to examine the effects of pore solution,including effect of electrochemical potential,effect of chemical activity,and effect of mechanical interactions between ions,on the chloride effective diffusion coefficient of hydrated C3S paste.The results indicate that the effect of electrochemical potential on chloride diffusion becomes stronger with increasing hydration age due to the increase in the content of hydrated calcium silicate;as the hydration age increases,the effect of chemical activity on chloride diffusion weakens when the number of diffusible elements decreases;the effect of mechanical interactions between ions on chloride diffusion decreases with the increase of hydration age.

A Two-step Inverse Method for Quantitative Damage Evaluation of Plate-like Structures Using Vibration Approach

This study presents a novel two-step approach to assess plate-like structural laminar damages,particularly for delamination damage detection of composite structures.Firstly,a 2-D continuous wavelet transform is employed to identify the damage location and sizes from vibration curvature data.An inverse method is subsequently then used to determine the bending stiffness reduction ratio along a specified direction,enabling the quantification of the delamination severity.The method employed in this study is an extension of the one-dimensional inverse method developed in a previous work of the authors.The applicability of the two-step inverse approach is demonstrated in a simulation analysis and by an experimental study on a cantilever composite plate containing a single delamination.The inverse method is shown to have the capacity to reveal the detailed damage information of delamination within a constrained searching space and can be used to determine the effective flexural stiffness of composite plate structures,even in cases of complex delamination damage.

Structural Modal Parameter Recognition and Related Damage Identification Methods under Environmental Excitations: A Review

Modal parameters can accurately characterize the structural dynamic properties and assess the physical state of the structure.Therefore,it is particularly significant to identify the structural modal parameters according to the monitoring data information in the structural health monitoring(SHM)system,so as to provide a scientific basis for structural damage identification and dynamic model modification.In view of this,this paper reviews methods for identifying structural modal parameters under environmental excitation and briefly describes how to identify structural damages based on the derived modal parameters.The paper primarily introduces data-driven modal parameter recognition methods(e.g.,time-domain,frequency-domain,and time-frequency-domain methods,etc.),briefly describes damage identification methods based on the variations of modal parameters(e.g.,natural frequency,modal shapes,and curvature modal shapes,etc.)and modal validation methods(e.g.,Stability Diagram and Modal Assurance Criterion,etc.).The current status of the application of artificial intelligence(AI)methods in the direction of modal parameter recognition and damage identification is further discussed.Based on the pre-vious analysis,the main development trends of structural modal parameter recognition and damage identification methods are given to provide scientific references for the optimized design and functional upgrading of SHM systems.

Effects of spatial heterogeneity on pseudo-static stability of coal mine overburden dump slope,using random limit equilibrium and random finite element methods:A comparative study

Sudden and unforeseen seismic failures of coal mine overburden(OB)dump slopes interrupt mining operations,cause loss of lives and delay the production of coal.Consideration of the spatial heterogeneity of OB dump materials is imperative for an adequate evaluation of the seismic stability of OB dump slopes.In this study,pseudo-static seismic stability analyses are carried out for an OB dump slope by considering the material parameters obtained from an insitu field investigation.Spatial heterogeneity is simulated through use of the random finite element method(RFEM)and the random limit equilibrium method(RLEM)and a comparative study is presented.Combinations of horizontal and vertical spatial correlation lengths were considered for simulating isotropic and anisotropic random fields within the OB dump slope.Seismic performances of the slope have been reported through the probability of failure and reliability index.It was observed that the RLEM approach overestimates failure probability(P_(f))by considering seismic stability with spatial heterogeneity.The P_(f)was observed to increase with an increase in the coefficient of variation of friction angle of the dump materials.Further,it was inferred that the RLEM approach may not be adequately applicable for assessing the seismic stability of an OB dump slope for a horizontal seismic coefficient that is more than or equal to 0.1.

Design of Voltage Equalization Circuit and Control Method for Lithium-ion Battery Packs

The active equalization of lithium-ion batteries involves transferring energy from high-voltage cells to low-voltage cells,ensuring consistent voltage levels across the battery pack and maintaining safety.This paper presents a voltage balancing circuit and control method.First,a single capacitor method is used to design the circuit topology for energy transfer.Next,real-time voltage detection and control are employed to balance energy between cells.Finally,simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method,achieving balanced voltages of 3.97 V from initial voltages of 4.10,3.97,and 3.90 V.The proposed circuit is simple,reliable,and effectively prevents overcharge and overdischarge.

An Improved Local RBF Collocation Method for 3D Excavation Deformation Based on Direct Method and Mapping Technique

Since the plasticity of soil and the irregular shape of the excavation,the efficiency and stability of the traditional local radial basis function(RBF)collocation method(LRBFCM)are inadequate for analyzing three-dimensional(3D)deformation of deep excavation.In this work,the technique known as the direct method,where the local influence nodes are collocated on a straight line,is introduced to optimize the LRBFCM.The direct method can improve the accuracy of the partial derivative,reduce the size effect caused by the large length-width ratio,and weaken the influence of the shape parameters on the LRBFCM.The mapping technique is adopted to transform the physical coordinates of a quadratic-type block to normalized coordinates,in which the deformation problem can easily be solved using the direct method.The stability of the LRBFCM is further modified by considering the irregular shape of 3D excavation,which is divided into several quadratic-type blocks.The soil’s plasticity is described by the Drucker-Prager(D-P)model.The improved LRBFCM is integrated with the incremental method to analyze the plasticity.Five different examples,including strip excavations and circular excavations,are presented to validate the proposed approach’s efficiency.

Assessment of leachate-contaminated clays using experimental and artificial methods

The investigation of leachate-contaminated clay(LCC)is essential for landfill engineering assessment and achievement of sustainable development goals.Several static and dynamic laboratory tests,including unconfined compressive strength(UCS),California bearing ratio(CBR),and cyclic simple shear,are conducted.Cyclic simple shear experiments on LCCs were performed to evaluate the damping and shear modulus.The investigated factors are vertical load(VL),leachate content(LC),frequency(F),and shear strain(ShS)for LCC.Forensic-based investigation optimization(FBIO)and equilibrium optimizer algorithm(EOA)were utilized in addition to multiple types of ensemble models,including adaptive boosting(ADB),gradient boosting regression tree(GBRT),extreme gradient boosting(XGB) and random forest(RF).The comparison of the methods showed that GBRT-FBIO and XGB-EOA models outperformed other models for shear modulus and damping of LCC.The p-value less than 0.0001 shows the significance of the used models in the response surface methodology(RSM)method.

Hollow cerium nanoparticles synthesized by one-step method for multienzyme activity to reduce colitis in mice

BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is a common chronic intestinal inflammatory disease.High oxidative stress is a treatment target for IBD.Cerium oxide(CeO2)nanomaterials as nanozymes with antioxidant activity are potential drugs for the treatment of colitis.AIM To synthesize hollow cerium(H-CeO2)nanoparticles by one-step method and to validate the therapeutic efficacy of H-CeO2 in IBD.METHODS H-CeO2 was synthesized by one-step method and examined its characterization and nanoenzymatic activity.Subsequently,we constructed dextran sulfate so-dium(DSS)-induced colitis in mice to observe the effects of H-CeO2 on colonic inflammation.The effects of H-CeO2 on colon inflammation and reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels in IBD mice were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining and dichlorofluorescein diacetate staining,respectively.Finally,the biological sa-fety of H-CeO2 on mice was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining,blood routine,and blood biochemistry.RESULTS H-CeO2 nanoparticles prepared by the one-step method were uniform,monodi-sperse and hollow.H-CeO2 had a good ability to scavenge ROS,∙OH and∙OOH.H-CeO2 reduced DSS-induced decreases in body weight and colon length,colonic epithelial damage,inflammatory infiltration,and ROS accumulation.H-CeO2 administration reduced the disease activity index of DSS-induced animals from about 8 to 5.H-CeO2 had no significant effect on body weight,total platelet count,hemoglobin,white blood cell,and red blood cell counts in healthy mice.No significant damage to major organs was observed in healthy mice following H-CeO2 administration.CONCLUSION The one-step synthesis of H-CeO2 nanomaterials had good antioxidant activity,biosafety,and inhibited deve-lopment of DSS-induced IBD in mice by scavenging ROS.

Retrospective comparative study of different surgical methods for gastric ulcer perforation:Efficacy and postoperative complications

BACKGROUND Gastric ulcer perforation is a critical condition that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality if not promptly addressed.It is often the result of chronic peptic ulcer disease,which is characterized by a breach in the gastric wall due to ulceration.Surgical intervention is essential for managing this life-threatening complication.However,the optimal surgical technique remains debatable among clinicians.Various methods have been employed,including simple closure,omental patch repair,and partial gastrectomy,each with distinct advantages and disadvantages.Understanding the comparative efficacy and postoperative outcomes of these techniques is crucial for improving patient care and surgical decision-making.This study addresses the need for a comprehensive analysis in this area.AIM To compare the efficacy and postoperative complications of different surgical methods for the treatment of gastric ulcer perforation.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 120 patients who underwent surgery for gastric ulcer perforation between September 2020 and June 2023.The patients were divided into three groups based on the surgical method:Simple closure,omental patch repair,and partial gastrectomy.The primary outcomes were the operative success rate and incidence of postoperative complications.Secondary outcomes included the length of hospital stay,recovery time,and long-term quality of life.RESULTS The operative success rates for simple closure,omental patch repair,and partial gastrectomy were 92.5%,95%,and 97.5%,respectively.Postoperative complications occurred in 20%,15%,and 17.5%of patients in each group,respectively.The partial gastrectomy group showed a significantly longer operative time(P<0.001)but the lowest rate of ulcer recurrence(2.5%,P<0.05).The omental patch repair group demonstrated the shortest hospital stay(mean 7.2 days,P<0.05)and fastest recovery time.CONCLUSION While all three surgical methods showed high success rates,omental patch repair demonstrated the best overall outcomes,with a balance of high efficacy,low complication rates,and shorter recovery time.However,the choice of the surgical method should be tailored to individual patient factors and the surgeon’s expertise.

Sensitivity Analysis of Structural Dynamic Behavior Based on the Sparse Polynomial Chaos Expansion and Material Point Method

This paper presents a framework for constructing surrogate models for sensitivity analysis of structural dynamics behavior.Physical models involving deformation,such as collisions,vibrations,and penetration,are devel-oped using the material point method.To reduce the computational cost of Monte Carlo simulations,response surface models are created as surrogate models for the material point system to approximate its dynamic behavior.An adaptive randomized greedy algorithm is employed to construct a sparse polynomial chaos expansion model with a fixed order,effectively balancing the accuracy and computational efficiency of the surrogate model.Based on the sparse polynomial chaos expansion,sensitivity analysis is conducted using the global finite difference and Sobol methods.Several examples of structural dynamics are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in addressing structural dynamics problems.

Temperature-dependent photoluminescence on organic inorganic metal halide perovskite CH_3NH_3Pb I_(3-)Cl_ prepared on ZnO/FTO substrates using a two-step method

Temperature-dependent photoluminescence characteristics of organic-inorganic halide perovskite CH3NH3Pb I3-xClx films prepared using a two-step method on ZnO/FTO substrates were investigated. Surface morphology and absorption characteristics of the films were also studied. Scanning electron microscopy revealed large crystals and substrate coverage. The orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition temperature was-140 K. The films＇ exciton binding energy was 77.6 ± 10.9 meV and the energy of optical phonons was 38.8 ± 2.5 meV. These results suggest that perovskite CH3NH3Pb I（3-x）Clx films have excellent optoelectronic characteristics which further suggests their potential usage in perovskitebased optoelectronic devices.

Applying the Dynamic Two-Step Method to Forecast Remaining Oil Distribution of Lower Series ,Xiaermen Oilfield

The distribution of remaining oil is often described qualitatively. The remaining oil distributed in the whole reservoir is calculated according to the characteristics of the space distribution of the saturation of remaining oil. Logging data are required to accomplish this. However, many such projects cannot be completed. Since the old study of remaining oil distribution could not be quantified efficiently, the ＂dynamic two-step method＂ is presented. Firstly, the water cut of every flow unit in one well at one time is calculated according to the comprehensive water cut of a single well at one time. Secondly, the remaining oil saturation of the flow unit of the well at one time is calculated based on the water cut of the flow unit at a given time. The results show that ＂dynamic two-step method＂ has characteristics of simplicity and convenience, and is especially suitable for the study of remaining oil distribution at high water-cut stage. The distribution of remaining oil presented banding and potato form, remaining oil was relatively concentrated in faultage neighborhood and imperfect well netting position, and the net thickness of the place was great. This proposal can provide an effective way to forecast remaining oil distribution and enhance oil recovery, especially applied at the high water-cut stage.

Cryopreservation of Gametophytes of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyta) Using Encapsulation-Dehydration with Two-Step Cooling Method

Gametophytes of Laminaria japonica were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen using encapsulation-dehydration with two-step cooling method. Gametophytes cultured at 10℃ and under continuous irradiance of 30 μmol m^-2 s^-1 for 3 weeks were encapsulated in calcium alginate beads. The beads were dehydrated in 0.4 molLl sucrose prepared with seawater for 6 h, desiccated in an incubator set at 10℃ and 70% relative humidity for 4 h, pre-frozen at either -40℃ or -60℃ for 30 min, and stored in liquid nitrogen for 〉24 h. As high as 43% of survival rate was observed when gametophytes were thawed by placing the beads in 40℃ seawater and re-hydrated in 0.05 molL^-1 citrate sodium prepared using 30‰ NaCl 7 d later. More cells of male gametophytes survived the whole procedure in comparison with female gametophytes. The cells of gametophytes surviving the preservation were able to grow asexually and produce morphologically normal sporophytes.

Effects of Ni doping contents on photocatalytic activity of B-BiVO_4 synthesized through sol-gel and impregnation two-step method

To enhance the photocatalytic activity of B-BiVO4,Ni-doped B?BiVO4photocatalyst(Ni-B-BiVO4)was synthesized through sol-gel and impregnation method.The photocatalysts were characterized by XPS,XRD,SEM,EDS,BET and UV-Vis DRS techniques.The results showed that single or double doping did not change the crystalline structure and morphology,but the particle size decreased with Ni doping.The band gap energy absorption edge of Ni-B-BiVO4shifted to a longer wavelength compared with undoped,B or Ni single doped BiVO4.More V4+and surface hydroxyl oxygen were observed in BiVO4after Ni-B co-doping.When the optimal mass fraction of Ni is0.30%,the degradation rate of MO in50min is95%for0.3Ni-B-BiVO4sample which also can effectively degrade methyl blue(MB),acid orange(AOII)II and rhodamine B(RhB).The enhanced photocatalytic activity is attributed to the synergistic effects of B and Ni doping.

A simulation study comparing the Texas two-step and the multistage consecutive fracturing method

Multistage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells is a critical technique for developing unconventional oil and gas resources.Stress interactions among neighboring fractures cause immature fracture development.The Texas two-step fracturing(TTSF)method is a new technique that aims to enhance fracture complexity and conductivity.This paper compares the fracture development of consecutive fracturing and the TTSF.The fracturing sequence in the multistage fracturing method has a significant effect on the fracture length,fracture width and injection pres sure.The consecutive fracturing results in relatively uneven fracture length and width.Certain fractures in consecutive fracturing are restrained to be closed due to the strong stress shadowing effect.In contrast,TTSF has considerable potential for alleviating the negative effects of stress interactions and producing a larger stimulated reservoir volume.

The convergence ball and error analysis of the two-step Secant method

Under the assumption that the nonlinear operator has Lipschitz continuous divided differences for the first order,we obtain an estimate of the radius of the convergence ball for the two-step secant method.Moreover,we also provide an error estimate that matches the convergence order of the two-step secant method.At last,we give an application of the proposed theorem.

Two-Step Hybrid Block Method for Solving Nonlinear Jerk Equations

In this paper, a block method with one hybrid point for solving Jerk equations is presented. The hybrid point is chosen to optimize the local truncation errors of the main formulas for the solution and the derivative at the end of the block. Analysis of the method is discussed, and some numerical examples show that the proposed method is efficient and accurate.

TWO-STEP REGULATION METHOD OF ACUPUNCTURE IN THE TREATMENT OF INTRACTABLE FACIAL PARALYSIS OBSERVATION ON 96 CASES

Two step regulating acupuncture therapy was employed in the treatment of 96patients with intractable facial paralysis and the therapeutic effects of the method is compared withthat in 40 patients in control.In the first step,strong regulating acupuncture was applied at Meixin(EXtra),upper Taiyang (EX-HN 5) and Xiaguan (ST 7) points in the affected face.In the secondstep,weak regulating acupuncture was used at Dicang (ST 4) and Sibai (ST 2) points in the healthface.It was revealed that among the 96 patients,37 cases (38. 5%) were cured,57 cases (59. 4%)markedly improved,2 cases (2.1%) improved with a total effective rate of 100%.The effective ratewas statistically different (P【0. 005) from that in the control.The results indicate that the method issuperior to the ordinary manipulation in treating intractable facial paralysis.