Templated synthesis of transition metal phosphide electrocatalysts for oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions

Transition metal phosphides(TMPs)have been regarded as alternative hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER)catalysts owing to their comparable activity to those of noble metal-based catalysts.TMPs have been produced in various morphologies,including hollow and porous nanostructures,which are features deemed desirable for electrocatalytic materials.Templated synthesis routes are often responsible for such morphologies.This paper reviews the latest advances and existing challenges in the synthesis of TMP-based OER and HER catalysts through templated methods.A comprehensive review of the structure-property-performance of TMP-based HER and OER catalysts prepared using different templates is presented.The discussion proceeds according to application,first by HER and further divided among the types of templates used-from hard templates,sacrificial templates,and soft templates to the emerging dynamic hydrogen bubble template.OER catalysts are then reviewed and grouped according to their morphology.Finally,prospective research directions for the synthesis of hollow and porous TMP-based catalysts,such as improvements on both activity and stability of TMPs,design of environmentally benign templates and processes,and analysis of the reaction mechanism through advanced material characterization techniques and theoretical calculations,are suggested.

Effect of different drying methods on the amino acids,α-dicarbonyls and volatile compounds of rape bee pollen

The significant demand for high quality food has motivated us to adopt appropriate processing methods to improve the food nutritional quality and flavors.In this study,the effects of five drying methods,namely,pulsed vacuum drying(PVD),freeze drying(FD),infrared drying(IRD),hot-air drying(HAD)and sun drying(SD)on free amino acids(FAAs),α-dicarbonyl compounds(α-DCs)and volatile compounds(VOCs)in rape bee pollen(RBP)were determined.The results showed that FD significantly released the essential amino acids(EAAs)compared with fresh samples while SD caused the highest loss.Glucosone was the dominantα-DCs in RBP and the highest loss was observed after PVD.Aldehydes were the dominant volatiles of RBP and SD samples contained more new volatile substances(especially aldehydes)than the other four drying methods.Comprehensively,FD and PVD would be potential methods to effectively reduce the quality deterioration of RBP in the drying process.

Recent research progress in the mechanism and suppression of fusion welding-induced liquation cracking of nickel based superalloys

Nickel-based superalloys are extensively used in the crucial hot-section components of industrial gas turbines,aeronautics,and astronautics because of their excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance at high temperatures.Fusion welding serves as an effective means for joining and repairing these alloys;however,fusion welding-induced liquation cracking has been a challenging issue.This paper comprehensively reviewed recent liquation cracking,discussing the formation mechanisms,cracking criteria,and remedies.In recent investigations,regulating material composition,changing the preweld heat treatment of the base metal,optimizing the welding process parameters,and applying auxiliary control methods are effective strategies for mitigating cracks.To promote the application of nickel-based superalloys,further research on the combination impact of multiple elements on cracking prevention and specific quantitative criteria for liquation cracking is necessary.

Regulation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline and grain quality in early-season indica fragrant rice by nitrogen and silicon fertilization under different plantation methods

Fragrant rice has a high market value,and it is a popular rice type among consumers owing to its pleasant flavor.Plantation methods,nitrogen(N)fertilizers,and silicon(Si)fertilizers can affect the grain yield and fragrance of fragrant rice.However,the core commercial rice production attributes,namely the head rice yield(HRY)and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline(2-AP)content of fragrant rice,under various nitrogen and silicon(N-Si)fertilization levels and different plantation methods remain unknown.The field experiment in this study was performed in the early seasons of 2018 and 2019 with two popular indica fragrant rice cultivars(Yuxiangyouzhan and Xiangyaxiangzhan).They were grown under six N-Si fertilization treatments(combinations of two levels of Si fertilizer,0 kg Si ha^(−1)(Si0)and 150 kg Si ha^(−1)(Si1),and three levels of N fertilizer,0 kg N ha^(−1)(N0),150 kg N ha^(−1)(N1),and 220 kg N ha^(−1)(N2))and three plantation methods(artificial transplanting(AT),mechanical transplanting(MT),and mechanical direct-seeding(MD)).The results showed that the N-Si fertilization treatments and all the plantation methods significantly affected the HRY and 2-AP content and related parameters of the two different fragrant rice cultivars.Compared with the Si0N0 treatment,the N-Si fertilization treatments resulted in higher HRY and 2-AP contents.The rates of brown rice,milled rice,head rice,and chalky rice of the fragrant rice also improved with the N-Si fertilization treatments.The N-Si fertilization treatments increased the activities of N metabolism enzymes and the accumulation of N and Si in various parts of the fragrant rice,and affected their antioxidant response parameters.The key parameters for the HRY and 2-AP content were assessed by redundancy analysis.Furthermore,the structural equation model revealed that the Si and N accumulation levels indirectly affected the HRY by affecting the N metabolism enzyme activity,N use efficiency,and grain quality of fragrant rice.Moreover,high N and Si accumulation directly promoted the 2-AP content or affected the antioxidant response parameters and indirectly regulated 2-AP synthesis.The interactions of the MT method with the N-Si fertilization treatments varied in the fragrant rice cultivars in terms of the HRY and 2-AP content,whereas the MD method was beneficial to the 2-AP content in both fragrant rice cultivars under the N-Si fertilization treatments.

Tidal modeling based on satellite altimetry observations of TOPEX/ Poseidon, Jason1, Jason2, and Jason3 with high prediction capability: A case study of the Baltic Sea

This research aims to optimize the utilization of long-term sea level data from the TOPEX/Poseidon,Jason1,Jason2,and Jason3 altimetry missions for tidal modeling.We generate a time series of along-track observations and apply a developed method to produce tidal models with specific tidal constituents for each location.Our tidal modeling methodology follows an iterative process:partitioning sea surface height(SSH)observations into analysis/training and prediction/validation parts and ultimately identi-fying the set of tidal constituents that provide the best predictions at each time series location.The study focuses on developing 1256 time series along the altimetry tracks over the Baltic Sea,each with its own set of tidal constituents.Verification of the developed tidal models against the sSH observations within the prediction/validation part reveals mean absolute error(MAE)values ranging from 0.0334 m to 0.1349 m,with an average MAE of 0.089 m.The same validation process is conducted on the FES2014 and EOT20 global tidal models,demonstrating that our tidal model,referred to as BT23(short for Baltic Tide 2023),outperforms both models with an average MAE improvement of 0.0417 m and 0.0346 m,respectively.In addition to providing details on the development of the time series and the tidal modeling procedure,we offer the 1256 along-track time series and their associated tidal models as supplementary materials.We encourage the satellite altimetry community to utilize these resources for further research and applications.

Enhanced entropy generation and heat transfer characteristics of magnetic nano-encapsulated phase change materials in latent heat thermal energy storage systems

The objective of the current study is to investigate the importance of entropy generation and thermal radiation on the patterns of velocity,isentropic lines,and temperature contours within a thermal energy storage device filled with magnetic nanoencapsulated phase change materials(NEPCMs).The versatile finite element method(FEM)is implemented to numerically solve the governing equations.The effects of various parameters,including the viscosity parameter,ranging from 1 to 3,the thermal conductivity parameter,ranging from 1 to 3,the Rayleigh parameter,ranging from 102 to 3×10^(2),the radiation number,ranging from 0.1 to 0.5,the fusion temperature,ranging from 1.0 to 1.2,the volume fraction of NEPCMs,ranging from 2%to 6%,the Stefan number,ranging from 1 to 5,the magnetic number,ranging from 0.1 to 0.5,and the irreversibility parameter,ranging from 0.1 to 0.5,are examined in detail on the temperature contours,isentropic lines,heat capacity ratio,and velocity fields.Furthermore,the heat transfer rates at both the cold and hot walls are analyzed,and the findings are presented graphically.The results indicate that the time taken by the NEPCMs to transition from solid to liquid is prolonged inside the chamber region as the fusion temperatureθf increases.Additionally,the contours of the heat capacity ratio Cr decrease with the increase in the Stefan number Ste.

Joint Probability Analysis and Prediction of Sea Ice Conditions in Liaodong Bay

Sea ice conditions in Liaodong Bay of China are often described by sea ice grades,which classify annual sea ice conditions based on the annual maximum sea ice thickness(AM-SIT)and annual maximum floating ice extent(AM-FIE).The joint probability distribution of AM-SIT and AM-FIE was established on the basis of their data pairs from 1949/1950 to 2019/2020 in Liaodong Bay.The joint intensity index of the sea ice condition in the current year is calculated,and the joint classification criteria of the sea ice grades in past years are established on the basis of the joint intensity index series.A comparison of the joint criteria with the 1973 and 2022 criteria revealed that the joint criteria of the sea ice grade match well,and the joint intensity index can be used to quantify the sea ice condition over the years.A time series analysis of the sea ice grades and the joint intensity index sequences based on the joint criteria are then performed.Results show a decreasing trend of the sea ice condition from 1949/1950 to 2019/2020,a mutation in 1990/1991,and a period of approximately 91 years of the sea ice condition.In addition,the Gray-Markov model(GMM)is applied to predict the joint sea ice grade and the joint intensity index of the sea ice condition series in future years,and the error between the results and the actual sea ice condition in 2020/2021 is small.

Examining the Use of Scott’s Formula and Link Expiration Time Metric for Vehicular Clustering

Implementing machine learning algorithms in the non-conducive environment of the vehicular network requires some adaptations due to the high computational complexity of these algorithms.K-clustering algorithms are simplistic,with fast performance and relative accuracy.However,their implementation depends on the initial selection of clusters number(K),the initial clusters’centers,and the clustering metric.This paper investigated using Scott’s histogram formula to estimate the K number and the Link Expiration Time(LET)as a clustering metric.Realistic traffic flows were considered for three maps,namely Highway,Traffic Light junction,and Roundabout junction,to study the effect of road layout on estimating the K number.A fast version of the PAM algorithm was used for clustering with a modification to reduce time complexity.The Affinity propagation algorithm sets the baseline for the estimated K number,and the Medoid Silhouette method is used to quantify the clustering.OMNET++,Veins,and SUMO were used to simulate the traffic,while the related algorithms were implemented in Python.The Scott’s formula estimation of the K number only matched the baseline when the road layout was simple.Moreover,the clustering algorithm required one iteration on average to converge when used with LET.

Supposition of graphene stacks to estimate the contact resistance and conductivity of nanocomposites

In this study,the effects of stacked nanosheets and the surrounding interphase zone on the resistance of the contact region between nanosheets and the tunneling conductivity of samples are evaluated with developed equations superior to those previously reported.The contact resistance and nanocomposite conductivity are modeled by several influencing factors,including stack properties,interphase depth,tunneling size,and contact diameter.The developed model's accuracy is verified through numerous experimental measurements.To further validate the models and establish correlations between parameters,the effects of all the variables on contact resistance and nanocomposite conductivity are analyzed.Notably,the contact resistance is primarily dependent on the polymer tunnel resistivity,contact area,and tunneling size.The dimensions of the graphene nanosheets significantly influence the conductivity,which ranges from 0 S/m to90 S/m.An increased number of nanosheets in stacks and a larger gap between them enhance the nanocomposite's conductivity.Furthermore,the thicker interphase and smaller tunneling size can lead to higher sample conductivity due to their optimistic effects on the percolation threshold and network efficacy.

Identification of partial differential equations from noisy data with integrated knowledge discovery and embedding using evolutionary neural networks

Identification of underlying partial differential equations(PDEs)for complex systems remains a formidable challenge.In the present study,a robust PDE identification method is proposed,demonstrating the ability to extract accurate governing equations under noisy conditions without prior knowledge.Specifically,the proposed method combines gene expression programming,one type of evolutionary algorithm capable of generating unseen terms based solely on basic operators and functional terms,with symbolic regression neural networks.These networks are designed to represent explicit functional expressions and optimize them with data gradients.In particular,the specifically designed neural networks can be easily transformed to physical constraints for the training data,embedding the discovered PDEs to further optimize the metadata used for iterative PDE identification.The proposed method has been tested in four canonical PDE cases,validating its effectiveness without preliminary information and confirming its suitability for practical applications across various noise levels.

Experimental Study on Vortex-Induced Vibration of Rough Risers Coupling with Interference Effect in Tandem Arrangement

In order to study the response law of vortex-induced vibration(VIV)of marine risers under the combined action of roughness and interference effects,and to reveal the coupling mechanism of roughness and interference effects on the riser,a VIV experiment of rough risers in tandem arrangement was conducted in a wave−current combined flume.The experiment characterized the risers’roughness by arranging different specifications of attachments on the surface of the risers.Three rough risers with different roughness and smooth risers were arranged in tandem arrangement,with the rough risers arranged downstream.The experimental results indicate that the suppression of the attachments on the downstream risers’vibration are more significant both in the CF and IL directions as the reduced velocity increases.For the downstream riser,the amplitude response of rough riser is more significantly weakened compared with the smooth one at high reduced velocity.For the upstream risers,changes in the roughness and spacing ratio have an impact on their‘lock-in’region.When the roughness of downstream risers is relatively large(0.1300)and the spacing between risers is small(S/D=4.0),the reduced velocity range of‘lock-in’region in the CF direction of upstream risers is obviously expanded,and the displacement in the‘lock-in’region is severer.

Heat and mass transfer of a circular porous moist object located in a triangular shaped vented cavity

Heat and mass transfer of a circular-shaped porous moist object inside a two-dimensional triangle cavity is investigated by using finite element method.The porous object is considered to be a moist food sample,located in the middle of the cavity with inlet and outlet ports with different configurations of inlet/outlet ports.Convective drying performance is numerically assessed for different values of Reynolds numbers(between 50 and 250),dry air inlet temperature(between 40 and 80℃)and different locations of the port.It is observed that changing the port locations has significant impacts on the flow recirculaitons inside the triangular chamber while convective drying performance is highly affected.The moisture content reduces with longer time and for higher Reynolds number(Re)values.Case P4 where inlet and outlet ports are in the middle of the walls provides the most effective configuration in terms of convective drying performance while the worst case is seen for P1 case where inlet and outlet are closer to the corners of the chamber.There is a 192% difference between the moisture reduction of these two cases at Re=250,T=80℃ and t=120 min.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of the resonance responses and chaotic dynamics of a bistable laminated composite shell in the dynamic snap-through mode

The dynamic model of a bistable laminated composite shell simply supported by four corners is further developed to investigate the resonance responses and chaotic behaviors.The existence of the 1:1 resonance relationship between two order vibration modes of the system is verified.The resonance response of this class of bistable structures in the dynamic snap-through mode is investigated,and the four-dimensional(4D)nonlinear modulation equations are derived based on the 1:1 internal resonance relationship by means of the multiple scales method.The Hopf bifurcation and instability interval of the amplitude frequency and force amplitude curves are analyzed.The discussion focuses on investigating the effects of key parameters,e.g.,excitation amplitude,damping coefficient,and detuning parameters,on the resonance responses.The numerical simulations show that the foundation excitation and the degree of coupling between the vibration modes exert a substantial effect on the chaotic dynamics of the system.Furthermore,the significant motions under particular excitation conditions are visualized by bifurcation diagrams,time histories,phase portraits,three-dimensional(3D)phase portraits,and Poincare maps.Finally,the vibration experiment is carried out to study the amplitude frequency responses and bifurcation characteristics for the bistable laminated composite shell,yielding results that are qualitatively consistent with the theoretical results.

Research progress in friction stir processing of magnesium alloys and their metal matrix surface composites: Evolution in the 21^(st )century

Rising concerns about climate change drive the demand for lightweight components.Magnesium(Mg)alloys are highly valued for their low weight,making them increasingly important in various industries.Researchers focusing on enhancing the characteristics of Mg alloys and developing their Metal Matrix Composites(MMCs)have gained significant attention worldwide over the past decade,driven by the global shift towards lightweight materials.Friction Stir Processing(FSP)has emerged as a promising technique to enhance the properties of Mg alloys and produce Mg-MMCs.Initially,FSP adapted to refine grain size from the micro to the nano level and accelerated the development of MMCs due to its solid-state nature and the synergistic effects of microstructure refinement and reinforcement,improving strength,hardness,ductility,wear resistance,corrosion resistance,and fatigue strength.However,producing defect-free and sound FSPed Mg and Mg-MMCs requires addressing several variables and their interdependencies,which opens up a broad range of practical applications.Despite existing reviews on individual FSP of Mg,its alloys,and MMCs,an attempt has been made to analyze the latest research on these three aspects collectively to enhance the understanding,application,and effectiveness of FSP for Mg and its derivatives.This review article discusses the literature,classifies the importance of Mg alloys,provides a historical background,and explores developments and potential applications of FSPed Mg alloys.It focuses on novel fabrication methods,reinforcement strategies,machine and tool design parameters,material characterization,and integration with other methods for enhanced properties.The influence of process parameters and the emergence of defects are examined,along with specific applications in mono and hybrid composites and their microstructure evolution.The study identifies promising reinforcement materials and highlights research gaps in FSP for Mg alloys and MMCs production.It concludes with significant recommendations for further exploration,reflecting ongoing advancements in this field.

A novel diurnal and seasonal variation analysis of BTEX in Bengaluru urban area

In the urban atmosphere of Bengaluru, various volatile organic compounds(VOCs), particularly Benzene,Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene(BTEX), have shown an increasing trend in concentration. The present research was conducted during summer and monsoon seasons, focusing on Kadubeesanahalli, a high-traffic area within the Bengaluru Metropolitan City. Hourly sample data was collected using a BTEX analyzer(Model GC955-600) and subsequently transformed into daily, monthly, and seasonal values. The study revealed distinct patterns in benzene concentrations. Benzene levels were lowest during the early morning hours, specifically from 1:00 a.m.to 7:00 a.m.. Concentrations then increased from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and again from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.,corresponding to the morning and evening peak traffic hours. However, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., the concentration decreased due to reduced traffic levels. These diurnal variations in benzene concentration are influenced by meteorological parameters. Comparing the two seasons, higher concentrations of Benzene, EthylBenzene, and MP-xylene were observed during the summer season. This increase is attributed to the elevated temperatures during summer, which promote the vaporization of BTEX compounds. Conversely, lower BTEX concentrations were recorded during the monsoon season due to the wet deposition process. The observed positive correlation(r > 0.5) among BTEX parameters strongly suggests a common source, most likely originating from vehicular emissions.

Utilisation of green urban space for food sufficiency and the realisation of the sustainable development goals-UK stakeholders perspective

The exponential growth of food demand due to the increasing global population has the potential to seriously threaten the quality and quantity of food supplies due to climate change.This study explores the utilisation of green urban spaces for achieving food self-sufficiency by investigating the extent to which sustainable urban farms could be used to reduce the consumption of imported produce in the UK.It also examines urban farming stakeholders'perspective on how food self-sufficiency can help realise the SDGs especially SDG 2(Zero hunger)and SDG 13(Climate action).The study adopts a mixed method approach through a survey with 115 respondents and semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 respondents from 4 different urban farming stakeholder groups.The findings of this study presented a strong correlation between stakeholders who had concerns about where their food came from and the carbon footprint of imported produce.The research shows that,urban farms will no doubt play a vital role in the future of food security in our cities/communities and that the SDGs could be realised through sustainable urban farms implemented within the relevant planning regulations/policies.

First-principles study of structural and electronic properties of multiferroic oxide Mn_(3)TeO_(6) under high pressure

Mn_(3)TeO_(6)(MTO) has been experimentally found to adopt a P2_(1)/In structure under high pressure,which exhibits a significantly smaller band gap compared to the atmospheric R3 phase.In this study,we systematically investigate the magnetism,structural phase transition,and electronic properties of MTO under high pressure through first-principles calculations.Both R3 and P2_(1)/n phases of MTO are antiferromagnetic at zero temperature.The R3 phase transforms to the P2_(1)/n phase at 7.5 8 GPa,accompanied by a considerable volume collapse of about 6.47%.Employing the accurate method that combines DFT+U/and GW,the calculated band gap of R3 phase at zero pressure is very close to the experimental values,while that of the P2_(1)/n phase is significantly overestimated.The main reason for this difference is that the experimental study incorrectly used the Kubelka-Munk plot for the indirect band gap to obtain the band gap of the P2_(1)/n phase instead of the Kubelka-Munk plot for the direct band gap.Furthermore,our study reveals that the transition from the R3 phase to the P2_(1)/n phase is accompanied by a slight reduction in the band gap.

Suppression of stimulated Brillouin and Raman scatterings using an alternating frequency laser and transverse magnetic fields

A novel scheme to suppress both stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) and stimulated Raman scattering(SRS) by combining an alternating frequency(AF) laser and a transverse magnetic field is proposed. The AF laser allows the laser frequency to change discretely and alternately over time. The suppression of SBS is significant as long as the AF difference is greater than the linear growth rate of SBS or the alternating time of the laser frequency is shorter than the linear growth time of SBS. However, the AF laser proves ineffective in suppressing SRS, which usually has a much higher linear growth rate than SBS. To remedy that, a transverse magnetic field is included to suppress the SRS instability. The electrons trapped in the electron plasma waves(EPWs) of SRS can be accelerated by the surfatron mechanism in a transverse magnetic field and eventually detrapped. While continuously extracting energy from EPWs, the EPWs are dissipated and the kinetic inflation of SRS is suppressed. The one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation results show that both SBS and SRS can be effectively suppressed by combining the AF laser with a transverse magnetic field with tens of Tesla. The total reflectivity can be dramatically reduced by more than one order of magnitude. These results provide a potential reference for controlling SBS and SRS under the related parameters of inertial confinement fusion.

Morphological and Sulfur-Isotopic Characteristics of Pyrites in the Deep Sediments from Xisha Trough,South China Sea

Pyrite is one of the common authigenic minerals in marine sediments.Previous studies have shown that the morphological and isotopic characteristics of pyrite are closely related to the geochemical environment where it is formed.To better understand the for-mation mechanism of authigenic pyrite,we analyzed the isotopic composition,morphology,and distribution of pyrite in the sediment at 500m below the seafloor from Xisha Trough,South China Sea.Mineral morphologies were observed by scanning electron micros-copy and Raman spectrography.X-Ray computed tomography was applied to measure the particle size of pyrite.The size of pyrite crystals in the matrix sediment mainly ranged between 25 and 65µm(av.ca.40µm),although crystals were larger(av.ca.50μm)in the veins.The pyrites had a fine-grained truncated octahedral shape with occasionally well-developed growth steps,which implies the low growth rate and weak anaerobic oxidation of methane-sulfate reduction when pyrite was formed.Theδ^(34)S values of pyrites ranged from+20.8‰Vienna-defined Canyon Diablo Troilite(V-CDT)to+33.2‰V-CDT and from+44.8‰V-CDT to+48.9‰,which suggest two growth stages.In the first stage,with the continuous low methane flux,the pyrite possibly formed in an environment with good access to seawater.In the second stage,the pyrites mainly developed in sediment fractures and appeared in veins,probably due to the limited availability of sulfate.The less exposure of pyrite to the environment in the second stage was probably caused by sediment accumulation or perturbation.In this study,an episodic pyritization process was identified,and the paleoenvironment was reconstructed for the sediment investigated.

Traffic Control Based on Integrated Kalman Filtering and Adaptive Quantized Q-Learning Framework for Internet of Vehicles

Intelligent traffic control requires accurate estimation of the road states and incorporation of adaptive or dynamically adjusted intelligent algorithms for making the decision.In this article,these issues are handled by proposing a novel framework for traffic control using vehicular communications and Internet of Things data.The framework integrates Kalman filtering and Q-learning.Unlike smoothing Kalman filtering,our data fusion Kalman filter incorporates a process-aware model which makes it superior in terms of the prediction error.Unlike traditional Q-learning,our Q-learning algorithm enables adaptive state quantization by changing the threshold of separating low traffic from high traffic on the road according to the maximum number of vehicles in the junction roads.For evaluation,the model has been simulated on a single intersection consisting of four roads:east,west,north,and south.A comparison of the developed adaptive quantized Q-learning(AQQL)framework with state-of-the-art and greedy approaches shows the superiority of AQQL with an improvement percentage in terms of the released number of vehicles of AQQL is 5%over the greedy approach and 340%over the state-of-the-art approach.Hence,AQQL provides an effective traffic control that can be applied in today’s intelligent traffic system.