Boosting kinetic separation of ethylene and ethane on microporous materials via crystal size control

The adsorptive separation of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6),as an alternative to distillation units consuming high energy,is a promising yet challenging research.The great similarity in the molecular size of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6)brings challenges to the regulation of adsorbents to realize efficient dynamic separation.Herein,we reported the enhancement of the kinetic separation of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)by controlling the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4)(Atz=3-amino-1,2,4-triazole)to amplify the diffusion difference of C_(2)H_(4)and C_(2)H_(6).Through adjusting the synthesis temperature,reactant concentration,and ligands/metal ions molar ratio,ZnAtzPO4 crystals with different sizes were obtained.Both single-component kinetic adsorption tests and binary-component dynamic breakthrough experiments confirmed the enhancement of the dynamic separation of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)with the increase in the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4).The separation selectivity of C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)increased from 1.3 to 98.5 with the increase in the crystal size of ZnAtzPO_(4).This work demonstrated the role of morphology and size control of adsorbent crystals in the improvement of the C_(2)H_(4)/C_(2)H_(6)kinetic separation performance.

Scattered Co-anchored MoS_(2)synergistically boosting photothermal capture and storage of phase change materials

Pristine phase change materials(PCMs)suffer from inherent deficiencies of poor solar absorption and photothermal conversion.Herein,we proposed a strategy of co-incorporation of zero-dimensional(OD)metal nanoparticles and two-dimensional(2D)photothermal materials in PCMs for efficient capture and conversion of solar energy into thermal energy.Highly scattered Co-anchored MoS_(2)nanoflower cluster serving as photon and phonon triggers was prepared by in-situ hydrothermal growth of ZIF67 polyhedron on 2D MoS_(2)and subsequent high-temperature carbonization.After encapsulating thermal storage unit(paraffin wax),the obtained composite PCMs integrated high-performance photothermal conversion and thermal energy storage capability.Benefiting from the synergistic enhancement of OD Co nanoparticles with localized surface plasmon resonance effect,carbon layer with the conjugation effect and 2D MoS_(2)with strong solar absorption,composite PCMs exhibited a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 95.19%,Additionally,the resulting composite PCMs also demonstrated long-term thermal sto rage stability and durable structu ral stability after 300 thermal cycles.The proposed collabo rative co-incorporation strategy provides some innovative references for developing next-generation photothermal PCMs in solar energy utilization.

Erratum to: Influence of grain refinement on the corrosion behavior of metallic materials: A review

Erratum to:International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and MaterialsVolume 28, Number 7, July 2021, Page 1112 The original version of this article unfortunately contained mistakes. Symbols in Table 2 are used incorrectly.

Mg/Fe site-specific dual-doping to boost the performance of cobalt-free nickle-rich layered oxide cathode for high-energy lithium-ion batteries

Layer-type LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2is promising to be the primary cathode material for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)due to its excellent electrochemical performance.Unfortunately,the cathode with high nickel content suffers from severely detrimental structural transformation that causes rapid capacity attenuation.Herein,site-specific dual-doping with Fe and Mg ions is proposed to enhance the structural stability of LiNi0.9Mn0.1O2.The Fe3+dopants are inserted into transition metal sites(3b)and can favorably provide additional redox potential to compensate for charge and enhance the reversibility of anionic redox.The Mg ions are doped into the Li sites(3a)and serve as O_(2)^(-)-Mg^(2+)-O_(2)^(-)pillar to reinforce the electrostatic cohesion between the two adjacent transition-metal layers,which further suppress the cracking and the generation of harmful phase transitions,ultimately improving the cyclability.The theoretical calculations,including Bader charge and crystal orbital Hamilton populations(COHP)analyses,confirm that the doped Fe and Mg can form stable bonds with oxygen and the electrostatic repulsion of O_(2)^(-)-O_(2)^(-)can be effectively suppressed,which effectively mitigates oxygen anion loss at the high delithiation state.This dual-site doping strategy offers new avenues for understanding and regulating the crystalline oxygen redox and demonstrates significant potential for designing high-performance cobalt-free nickel-rich cathodes.

Constructing high-toughness polyimide binder with robust polarity and ion-conductive mechanisms ensuring long-term operational stability of silicon-based anodes

Silicon-based materials have demonstrated remarkable potential in high-energy-density batteries owing to their high theoretical capacity.However,the significant volume expansion of silicon seriously hinders its utilization as a lithium-ion anode.Herein,a functionalized high-toughness polyimide(PDMI) is synthesized by copolymerizing the 4,4'-Oxydiphthalic anhydride(ODPA) with 4,4'-oxydianiline(ODA),2,3-diaminobenzoic acid(DABA),and 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)-tetramethyl disiloxane(DMS).The combination of rigid benzene rings and flexible oxygen groups(-O-) in the PDMI molecular chain via a rigidness/softness coupling mechanism contributes to high toughness.The plentiful polar carboxyl(-COOH) groups establish robust bonding strength.Rapid ionic transport is achieved by incorporating the flexible siloxane segment(Si-O-Si),which imparts high molecular chain motility and augments free volume holes to facilitate lithium-ion transport(9.8 × 10^(-10) cm^(2) s^(-1) vs.16 × 10^(-10) cm^(2) s~(-1)).As expected,the SiO_x@PDMI-1.5 electrode delivers brilliant long-term cycle performance with a remarkable capacity retention of 85% over 500 cycles at 1.3 A g^(-1).The well-designed functionalized polyimide also significantly enhances the electrochemical properties of Si nanoparticles electrode.Meanwhile,the assembled SiO_x@PDMI-1.5/NCM811 full cell delivers a high retention of 80% after 100 cycles.The perspective of the binder design strategy based on polyimide modification delivers a novel path toward high-capacity electrodes for high-energy-density batteries.

Reduction of photodynamic damage of blood vessels in the protected region by(–)-epigallocatechin gallate

Photodynamic therapy(PDT)has been increasingly used in the clinical treatment of neoplastic,inflammatory and infectious skin diseases.However,the generation of reactive oxygen species(ROS)may induce undesired side effects in normal tissue surrounding the treatment lesion,which is a big challenge for the clinical application of PDT.To date,(–)-Epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG)has been widely proposed as an antiangiogenic and antitumor agent for the protection of normal tissue from ROS-mediated oxidative damage.This study evaluates the regulation ability of EGCG for photodynamic damage of blood vessels during hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether(Hemoporfin)-mediated PDT.The quenching rate constants of EGCG for the triplet-state Hemoporfin and photosensitized 1O2 generation are determined to be 6.8×10^(8)M^(−1)S^(−1),respectively.The vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the protected region treated with EGCG hydrogel after PDT is lower than that of the control region treated with pure hydrogel,suggesting an efficiently reduced photodamage of Hemoporfin for blood vessels treated with EGCG.This study indicates that EGCG is an efficient quencher for triplet-state Hemoporfin and 1O2,and EGCG could be potentially used to reduce the undesired photodamage of normal tissue in clinical PDT.

Stress-assisted corrosion mechanism of 3Ni steel by using gradient boosting decision tree machining learning method

Traditional 3Ni weathering steel cannot completely meet the requirements for offshore engineering development,resulting in the design of novel 3Ni steel with the addition of microalloy elements such as Mn or Nb for strength enhancement becoming a trend.The stress-assisted corrosion behavior of a novel designed high-strength 3Ni steel was investigated in the current study using the corrosion big data method.The information on the corrosion process was recorded using the galvanic corrosion current monitoring method.The gradi-ent boosting decision tree(GBDT)machine learning method was used to mine the corrosion mechanism,and the importance of the struc-ture factor was investigated.Field exposure tests were conducted to verify the calculated results using the GBDT method.Results indic-ated that the GBDT method can be effectively used to study the influence of structural factors on the corrosion process of 3Ni steel.Dif-ferent mechanisms for the addition of Mn and Cu to the stress-assisted corrosion of 3Ni steel suggested that Mn and Cu have no obvious effect on the corrosion rate of non-stressed 3Ni steel during the early stage of corrosion.When the corrosion reached a stable state,the in-crease in Mn element content increased the corrosion rate of 3Ni steel,while Cu reduced this rate.In the presence of stress,the increase in Mn element content and Cu addition can inhibit the corrosion process.The corrosion law of outdoor-exposed 3Ni steel is consistent with the law based on corrosion big data technology,verifying the reliability of the big data evaluation method and data prediction model selection.

Stability analysis of longwall top-coal caving face in extra-thick coal seams based on an innovative numerical hydraulic support model

The relationship between support and surrounding rock is of great significance to the control of surrounding rock in mining process.In view of the fact that most of the existing numerical simulation methods construct virtual elements and stress servo control to approximately replace the hydraulic support problem,this paper establishes a new numerical model of hydraulic support with the same working characteristics as the actual hydraulic support by integrating numerical simulation software Rhino,Griddle and FLAC3D,which can realize the simulation of different working conditions.Based on this model,the influence mechanism of the supporting strength of hydraulic support on surrounding rock stress regulation and coal stability in front of the top coal caving face in extra thick coal seam were researched.Firstly,under different support intensity,the abutment pressure of the bearing coal and the coal in front of it presents the “three-stage”evolution characteristics.The influence range of support intensity is 15%–30%.Secondly,1.5 MPa is the upper limit of impact that the support strength can have on the front coal failure area.Thirdly,within a displacement range of 2.76 m from the coal wall,a support strength of1.5 MPa provides optimal control of the horizontal displacement of the coal.

Boosting the catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction via a heterostructure of porous iron oxide-decorated 2D NiO/NG nanosheets

As a noble metal substitute,two-dimensional(2D)hierarchical nano-frame structures have attracted great interest as candidate catalysts due to their remarkable advantages-high intrinsic activity,high electron mobility,and straightforward surface functionalization.Therefore,they may replace Pt-based catalysts in oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)applications.Herein,a simple method is developed to design hierarchical nano-frame structures assembled via 2D NiO and N-doped graphene(NG)nanosheets.This procedure can yield nanostructures that satisfy the criteria correlated with improved electrocatalytic performance,such as large surface area,numerous undercoordinated atoms,and high defect densities.Further,porous NG nanosheet architectures,featuring NiO nanosheets densely coordinated with accessible holey Fe_(2)O_(3) moieties,can enhance mesoporosity and balance hydrophilicity.Such improvements can facilitate charge transport and expose formerly inaccessible reaction sites,maximizing active site density utilization.Density functional theory(DFT)calculations reveal favored O_(2) adsorption and dissociation on Fe_(2)O_(3) hybrid structures when supported by 2D NiO and NG nanomaterials,given 2D materials donated charge to Fe_(2)O_(3) active sites.Our systematic studies reveal that synergistic contributions are responsible for enriching the catalytic activity of Fe_(2)O_(3)@NiO/NG in alkaline media-encompassing internal voids and pores,unique hierarchical support structures,and concentrated N-dopant and bimetallic atomic interactions.Ultimately,this work expands the toolbox for designing and synthesizing highly efficient 2D/2D shelled functional nanomaterials with transition metals,endeavoring to benefit energy conversion and related ORR applications.

Advances of Electrochemical and Electrochemiluminescent Sensors Based on Covalent Organic Frameworks

Covalent organic frameworks(COFs),a rapidly developing category of crystalline conjugated organic polymers,possess highly ordered structures,large specific surface areas,stable chemical properties,and tunable pore microenvironments.Since the first report of boroxine/boronate ester-linked COFs in 2005,COFs have rapidly gained popularity,showing important application prospects in various fields,such as sensing,catalysis,separation,and energy storage.Among them,COFs-based electrochemical(EC)sensors with upgraded analytical performance are arousing extensive interest.In this review,therefore,we summarize the basic properties and the general synthesis methods of COFs used in the field of electroanalytical chemistry,with special emphasis on their usages in the fabrication of chemical sensors,ions sensors,immunosensors,and aptasensors.Notably,the emerged COFs in the electrochemiluminescence(ECL)realm are thoroughly covered along with their preliminary applications.Additionally,final conclusions on state-of-the-art COFs are provided in terms of EC and ECL sensors,as well as challenges and prospects for extending and improving the research and applications of COFs in electroanalytical chemistry.

Towards high-performance and robust anion exchange membranes(AEMs)for water electrolysis:Super-acid-catalyzed synthesis of AEMs

The increasing demand for hydrogen energy to address environmental issues and achieve carbon neutrality has elevated interest in green hydrogen production,which does not rely on fossil fuels.Among various hydrogen production technologies,anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer(AEMWE)has emerged as a next-generation technology known for its high hydrogen production efficiency and its ability to use non-metal catalysts.However,this technology faces significant challenges,particularly in terms of the membrane durability and low ionic conductivity.To address these challenges,research efforts have focused on developing membranes with a new backbone structure and anion exchange groups to enhance durability and ionic conductivity.Notably,the super-acid-catalyzed condensation(SACC)synthesis method stands out due to its user convenience,the ability to create high molecular weight(MW)polymers,and the use of oxygen-tolerant organic catalysts.Although the synthesis of anion exchange membranes(AEMs)using the SACC method began in 2015,and despite growing interest in this synthesis approach,there remains a scarcity of review papers focusing on AEMs synthesized using the SACC method.The review covers the basics of SACC synthesis,presents various polymers synthesized using this method,and summarizes the development of these polymers,particularly their building blocks including aryl,ketone,and anion exchange groups.We systematically describe the effects of changes in the molecular structure of each polymer component,conducted by various research groups,on the mechanical properties,conductivity,and operational stability of the membrane.This review will provide insights into the development of AEMs with superior performance and operational stability suitable for water electrolysis applications.

3D bioprinting of in vitro porous hepatoma models:establishment,evaluation,and anticancer drug testing

Traditional tumor models do not tend to accurately simulate tumor growth in vitro or enable personalized treatment and are particularly unable to discover more beneficial targeted drugs.To address this,this study describes the use of threedimensional(3D)bioprinting technology to construct a 3D model with human hepatocarcinoma SMMC-7721 cells(3DP-7721)by combining gelatin methacrylate(GelMA)and poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO)as two immiscible aqueous phases to form a bioink and innovatively applying fluorescent carbon quantum dots for long-term tracking of cells.The GelMA(10%,mass fraction)and PEO(1.6%,mass fraction)hydrogel with 3:1 volume ratio offered distinct pore-forming characteristics,satisfactorymechanical properties,and biocompatibility for the creation of the 3DP-7721 model.Immunofluorescence analysis and quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction(PCR)were used to evaluate the biological properties of the model.Compared with the two-dimensional culture cell model(2D-7721)and the 3D mixed culture cell model(3DM-7721),3DP-7721 significantly improved the proliferation of cells and expression of tumor-related proteins and genes.Moreover,we evaluated the differences between the three culture models and the effectiveness of antitumor drugs in the three models and discovered that the efficacy of antitumor drugs varied because of significant differences in resistance proteins and genes between the three models.In addition,the comparison of tumor formation in the three models found that the cells cultured by the 3DP-7721 model had strong tumorigenicity in nude mice.Immunohistochemical evaluation of the levels of biochemical indicators related to the formation of solid tumors showed that the 3DP-7721 model group exhibited pathological characteristics of malignant tumors,the generated solid tumors were similar to actual tumors,and the deterioration was higher.This research therefore acts as a foundation for the application of 3DP-7721 models in drug development research.

Enhancing the Interaction of Carbon Nanotubes by Metal-Organic Decomposition with Improved Mechanical Strength and Ultra-Broadband EMI Shielding Performance

The remarkable properties of carbon nanotubes(CNTs)have led to promising applications in the field of electromagnetic inter-ference(EMI)shielding.However,for macroscopic CNT assemblies,such as CNT film,achieving high electrical and mechanical properties remains challenging,which heavily depends on the tube-tube interac-tions of CNTs.Herein,we develop a novel strategy based on metal-organic decomposition(MOD)to fabricate a flexible silver-carbon nanotube(Ag-CNT)film.The Ag particles are introduced in situ into the CNT film through annealing of MOD,leading to enhanced tube-tube interactions.As a result,the electrical conductivity of Ag-CNT film is up to 6.82×10^(5) S m^(-1),and the EMI shielding effectiveness of Ag-CNT film with a thickness of~7.8μm exceeds 66 dB in the ultra-broad frequency range(3-40 GHz).The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of Ag-CNT film increase from 30.09±3.14 to 76.06±6.20 MPa(~253%)and from 1.12±0.33 to 8.90±0.97 GPa(~795%),respectively.Moreover,the Ag-CNT film exhibits excellent near-field shield-ing performance,which can effectively block wireless transmission.This innovative approach provides an effective route to further apply macroscopic CNT assemblies to future portable and wearable electronic devices.

Application of Thermodynamic Database to Corrosion of ZrO_(2) Containing Submerged Entry Nozzle in Steel Continuous Casting Process

The CALPHAD thermodynamic databases are very useful to analyze the complex chemical reactions happening in high temperature material process.The FactSage thermodynamic database can be used to calculate complex phase diagrams and equilibrium phases involving refractories in industrial process.In this study,the FactSage thermodynamic database relevant to ZrO_(2)-based refractories was reviewed and the application of the database to understanding the corrosion of continuous casting nozzle refractories in steelmaking was presented.

Textured Asymmetric Membrane Electrode Assemblies of Piezoelectric Phosphorene and Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)MXene Heterostructures for Enhanced Electrochemical Stability and Kinetics in LIBs

Black phosphorus with a superior theoretical capacity(2596 mAh g^(-1))and high conductivity is regarded as one of the powerful candidates for lithium-ion battery(LIB)anode materials,whereas the severe volume expansion and sluggish kinetics still impede its applications in LIBs.By contrast,the exfoliated two-dimensional phosphorene owns negligible volume variation,and its intrinsic piezoelectricity is considered to be beneficial to the Li-ion transfer kinetics,while its positive influence has not been discussed yet.Herein,a phosphorene/MXene heterostructure-textured nanopiezocomposite is proposed with even phosphorene distribution and enhanced piezo-electrochemical coupling as an applicable free-standing asymmetric membrane electrode beyond the skin effect for enhanced Li-ion storage.The experimental and simulation analysis reveals that the embedded phosphorene nanosheets not only provide abundant active sites for Li-ions,but also endow the nanocomposite with favorable piezoelectricity,thus promoting the Li-ion transfer kinetics by generating the piezoelectric field serving as an extra accelerator.By waltzing with the MXene framework,the optimized electrode exhibits enhanced kinetics and stability,achieving stable cycling performances for 1,000 cycles at 2 A g^(-1),and delivering a high reversible capacity of 524 m Ah g^(-1)at-20℃,indicating the positive influence of the structural merits of self-assembled nanopiezocomposites on promoting stability and kinetics.

Electroluminodynamic therapy for the treatment of drug-resistant pathogen infection

The administration of antibiotics has been the primary strategy for combating bacterial infections[1,2].However,the widespread and excessive use of antibiotics has resulted in the alarming rise of bacterial resistance,posing a significant threat to human health[3–5].Therefore,it is imperative to exploit innovative treatment strategy.

Overcoming the biofilm barrier by cell-like microbubbles for the treatment of biofilm-associated implant infections

Although the advent of antibiotics has significantly improved the quality of life of infected patients,bacterial infections continue to pose a serious threat to public health[1,2].According to a recent report,within the next 30 years,bacterial infections are projected to surpass cancer in terms of lethality rates,resulting in an alarming 10 million deaths annually by 2050 due to the development of bacterial resistance[3].Moreover,the formation of bacterial biofilms hampers the penetration of antibacterial agents and inhibits the host immune response,making biofilm infections extremely challenging to treat[4-7].Hence,the development of innovative antimicrobial biofilm therapeutics is imperative.

Influence of grain refinement on the corrosion behavior of metallic materials:A review

Grain refinement can strengthen the mechanical properties of materials according to the classical Hall-Petch relationship but does not always result in better corrosion resistance.During the past few decades,various techniques have been dedicated to refining grain,along with relevant studies on corrosion behavior,including general corrosion,pitting corrosion,and stress corrosion cracking.However,the funda-mental consensus on how grain size influences corrosion behavior has not been reached.This paper reviews existing literature on the beneficial and detrimental effects of grain refinement on corrosion behavior.Moreover,the effects of microstructural changes(i.e.,grain boundary,dislo-cation,texture,residual stress,impurities,and second phase)resulting from grain refinement on corrosion behavior are discussed.The grain re-finement not only has an impact on the corrosion performance,but also results in microstructural changes that have a non-negligible effect on corrosion behavior or even outweigh that of grain refinement.Grain size is not the only factor affecting the corrosion behavior of metallic ma-terials;thus,the overall influence of microstructures on corrosion behavior should be understood.

Antioxidant Activity of 50 Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials Varies with Total Phenolics

This study was designed to determine the total phenolic content of 50 herbs and to examine their antioxidant potential. In the sample preparation, 60% ethanol was chosen as the extraction solvent for the subsequent experiments. Folin-Cicolteau phenol reagent and a colorimetric method were used to determine the total phenolic content of the selected herbs. The result showed that total phenolic content of those herbs ranged from 2 to 185 mg/g. In antioxidant assay, the ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) values ranged from 2 to 134 mg GAE/g;the IC50 values of DPPH?·, ·OH and ?scavenging were in the range of 0.06 - 5.50 mg/mL, 0.017 - 0.636 mg/mL and 0.050 - 0.681 mg/mL respectively. Flos caryophylli was the exceptant in the ?scavenging assay because there was no linear relation between the concentration and the scavenging percentage. Compared to gallic acid, ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in antioxidant assay as positive control, the most potential antioxidant herbs were Cacumen platycladi, Radix et Rhizoma rhei, Rhizoma rhodiolae crenulatae, and Rhizoma sanguisorbae with considerable content of phenolics. Especially, a positive and significant correlation was found between the total phenolic content and FRAP value or DPPH· scavenging percentage.

Corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity of V/Ce conversion coating on magnesium alloy AZ31B

A V/Ce conversion coating was deposited in the surface of AZ31B magnesium alloy in a solution containing vanadate and cerium nitrate.The coating composition and morphology were examined.The conversion coating appears to consist of a thin and cracked coating with a scattering of spherical particles.The corrosion behavior of the substrate and conversion coating was studied by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).Compared with AZ31B magnesium alloy,the corrosion current density of the conversion coating is decreased by two orders of magnitude.The total impedance of the V/Ce conversion coating rise to 1.6×10^(3)Ω·cm^(2)in contrast with2.2×10^(2)Ω·cm^(2)of the bare AZ31B.In addition,the electrical conductivity of the coating was assessed by conductivity meter and Mott-Schottky measurement.The results reveal a high dependence of the conductivity of the coating on the semiconductor properties of the phase compositions.