Acoustical properties of a 3D printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers:Experimental analysis and optimization for emerging applications

The novelty of this research lies in the successful fabrication of a 3D-printed honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers for acoustic properties,utilizing an impedance tube setup in accordance with ASTM standard E 1050-12.The Creality Ender-3,a 3D printer,was used for printing the honeycomb structures,and polylactic acid(PLA)material was employed for their construction.The organic,inorganic,and polymeric compounds within the composites were identified using fourier transformation infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy.The structure and homogeneity of the samples were examined using a field emission scanning electron microscope(FESEM).To determine the sound absorption coefficient of the 3D printed honeycomb structure,numerous samples were systematically developed using central composite design(CCD)and analysed using response surface methodology(RSM).The RSM mathematical model was established to predict the optimum values of each factor and noise reduction coefficient(NRC).The optimum values for an NRC of 0.377 were found to be 1.116 wt% carbon black,1.025 wt% aluminium powder,and 3.151 mm distance between parallel edges.Overall,the results demonstrate that a 3Dprinted honeycomb structure filled with nanofillers is an excellent material that can be utilized in various fields,including defence and aviation,where lightweight and acoustic properties are of great importance.

A hierarchical salt-rejection strategy for sustainable and high-efficiency solar-driven desalination

Solar steam generation(SSG)is widely regarded as one of the most sustainable technologies for seawater desalination.However,salt fouling severely compromises the evaporation performance and lifetime of evaporators,limiting their practical applications.Herein,we propose a hierarchical salt-rejection(HSR)strategy to prevent salt precipitation during long-term evaporation while maintaining a rapid evaporation rate,even in high-salinity brine.The salt diffusion process is segmented into three steps—insulation,branching diffusion,and arterial transport—that significantly enhance the salt-resistance properties of the evaporator.Moreover,the HSR strategy overcomes the tradeoff between salt resistance and evaporation rate.Consequently,a high evaporation rate of 2.84 kg m^(-2) h^(-1),stable evaporation for 7 days cyclic tests in 20 wt%NaCl solution,and continuous operation for 170 h in natural seawater under 1 sun illumination were achieved.Compared with control evaporators,the HSR evaporator exhibited a>54%enhancement in total water evaporation mass during 24 h continuous evaporation in 20 wt%salt water.Furthermore,a water collection device equipped with the HSR evaporator realized a high water purification rate(1.1 kg m^(-2) h^(-1)),highlighting its potential for agricultural applications.

CO_(2) capture and conversion to value-added products promoted by MXene-based materials

Carbon dioxide(CO_(2) ) capture and conversion is the key route for the mitigation of the greenhouse effect and utilization of carbon sources to obtain value-added products or fuels.Much attention is paid to the development of novel materials with high CO_(2) adsorption capacity and conversion rate.MXene is the graphene-like two-dimensional metal carbide/nitride/carbonitride owning favorable structure,morphology,high surface-bulk ratio,and physicochemical properties.Here,we review the CO_(2) capture,sensing,and conversion by MXene and MXene-based materials.Furthermore,the underlying mechanism involved the capture,sensing,and conversion of CO_(2) is summarized.This review would open a new horizon for CO_(2) valorization with high efficiency and promising widespread applications.

Strain Rate Sensitivities of Face-Centred-Cubic Metals Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation

We use dislocation theory and molecular dynamics （MD） simulations to investigate the effect of atom properties on the macroscopic strain rate sensitivity of f cc metals. A method to analyse such effect is proposed. The stress dependence of dislocation velocity is identified as the key of such study and is obtained via 2-D MD simulations on the motion of an individual dislocation in an fcc metal. Combining the simulation results with Orowan＇s relationship, it is concluded that strain rate sensitivities of fcc metals are mainly dependent on their atomic mass rather than the interatomic potential. The order of strain rate sensitivities of five fcc metals obtained by analysing is consistent with the experimental results available.

Perspective on ultrathin layered Ni-doped MoS_(2) hybrid nanostructures for the enhancement of electrochemical properties in supercapacitors

Over the last two decades,extensive study has been done on two-dimensional Molybdenum Sulphide(MoS_(2))due to its outstanding features in energy storage applications.Although MoS_(2)has a lot of active sulphur edges,the presence of inactive surfaces leads to limit conductivity and efficiency.Hence,in this article,we aimed to promote the additional active sites by doping various weight percentages(2%,4%,6%,8%and 10%)of Nickel(Ni)into the MoS_(2)matrix by simple hydrothermal technique,and their doping effects were investigated with the help of Physio-chemical analyses.X-ray diffraction(XRD)pattern,Raman,and chemical composition(XPS)analyses were used to confirm the Ni incorporation in MoS_(2)nanosheets.Microscopic investigations demonstrated that Ni-doped MoS_(2)nanosheets were vertically aligned with enhanced interlayer spacing.Cyclic voltammetry,Galvanostatic charge-discharge,and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigations were used to characterize the electrochemical characteristics.The 6%Ni-doped MoS_(2)electrode material showed better CSPof 528.7 F/g@1 A/g and excellent electrochemical stability(85%of capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles at 5 A/g)compared to other electrode materials.Furthermore,the solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled using Nidoped MoS_(2)and graphite as anode and cathode materials and analysed the electrochemical properties in the two-electrode system.To determine the impact of the Ni-atom on the MoS_(2)surface,firstprinciples computations were performed.Further,it was examined for electronic band structure,the projected density of states(PDOS)and Bader charge transfer analyses.

Adjusting the interfacial adhesion via surface modification to prepare high-performance fibers

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE)fiber is a new kind of high-performance fiber.Due to its excellent physical and chemical characteristics,it is widely used in various fields.However,the surface UHMWPE fiber is smooth and demonstrates no-polar groups.The weak interfacial adhesion between fiber and resin seri-ously restricts the applications of UHMWPE fiber.Therefore,the surface modification treatments of UHMWPE fiber are used to improve the interfacial adhesion strength.The modified method by adding nanomaterials elu-cidates the easy fabrication,advanced equipment and proper technology.Thus,the progress of UHMWPE nanocomposite fibers prepared via adding various nanofillers are reviewed.Meanwhile,the effects of other various methods on surface modification are also reviewed.This work advances the various design strategies about nano technologies on improving interfacial adhesion performance via treatment methodologies.

Hexagonal boron nitride nanomaterials for biomedical applications

Hexagonal boron nitride(h-BN)nanomaterials are a rising star in the field of biomedicine.This review presents an overview of the progress in h-BN nanomaterials for biological applications.It begins with a general introduction of the structural characteristics of h-BN,followed by the brief introduction of its physical and chemical properties,including thermal,band and mechanical properties,chemical reactivity,biodegradability and biocompatibility,then emphasizes on the recent progress in the biomedical applications including drug delivery,boron neutron capture therapy(BNCT),bioimaging and nanozyme,and ends with the challenges and perspectives related to the biomedical applications.The advantages of BN nanomaterials used for biomedical applications were analyzed,and their problems were also discussed,inspiring the future rational designs of the BN nanomedicines.

Use of Plant-Based Accelerator to Enhance Rate of Gain of Strength of Kenyan Blended Cement

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. The situation in the country is not an exception as most of the infrastructures in Kenya such as buildings, bridges, concrete drainage among others, are constructed using concrete. Sadly, the failure of buildings and other concrete structures is very common in Kenya. Blended Portland cement type 32.5 N/mm2 is the most widely used concrete binder material and is found in all parts of the country. Despite blended cement CEM 32.5 being the most commonly used cement type in construction industry in Kenya and most developing countries as a result of its low price and availability locally, its strength gain has been proven to be lower compared to when other types of cement are used due to quantity of pozzolanic material added to the blend. This paper outlines findings of an experimental investigation on the use of cypress tree extract as an accelerator to enhance rate of gain of strength on Kenyan blended cements. Six different blended cement brands locally available were used during the study. Cement chemical analysis was done using X-ray diffraction method while for the cypress extract, Atomic Absorption Spectrometer machine was used. Physical and mechanical properties were checked based on the British standards. The generation of the concrete mix design was done using the British DOE method and concrete was tested for the compressive strength at 7, 14, 21, 28, 56 and 90 days. It was observed that 15% dosage of the extract expressed as a mass percentage of the cement content gives the most improved compressive strength of concrete, 10.4% at 7 days and 9.5% at 28 days hence the optimum. It was further noted that when Cypress tree extract is used as an accelerator in the mix, the blended cement concrete achieves the design strength at 27 days saving 10 days of the project duration compared to when no accelerator is used while the ultimate strength is achieved at 67 days. The study therefore recommends the use of the cypress tree bark extract at a dosage of 15%, by mass, of the cement content as an accelerator when the structure is to be loaded at 28 days and waiting up to 39 days before loading the structure if no accelerator is used for blended cement concrete.

Tuning the particle size and morphology of high energetic material nanocrystals

Morphology controlled synthesis of nanoparticles of powerful high energetic compounds(HECs) such as l,3,5-trinitro-l,3,5-triazinane(RDX) and 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-l,3,5,7-tetrazocane(HMX) were achieved by a simple solvent—antisolvent interaction(SAI) method at 70 ℃.The effects of different solvents on particle size and morphology of the prepared nano-HECs were studied systematically.Particle size and morphology of the nano-HECs was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) imaging.X-ray diffraction(XRD) and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy studies revealed that RDX and HMX were precipitated in their most stable polymorphic forms,i.e.a and P,respectively.Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with differential scanning calorimetry(TGA-DSC) studies showed that the thermal response of the nanoparticles was similar to the respective raw-HECs.HEC nanoparticles with spherical and rod shaped morphology were observed under different solvent conditions.The mean particle size also varied considerably with the use of different solvents.

Statistical evaluation and optimization of zinc electrolyte hot purification process by Taguchi method

The neutral zinc sulfate solution obtained from hydrometallurgical process of Angouran zinc concentrate has cadmium, nickel and cobalt impurities, that must be purified before electrowinning. Therefore, cadmium and nickel are usually cemented out by addition of zinc dust and remained nickel and cobalt cemented out at second stage with zinc powder and arsenic trioxide. In this research, a new approach is described for determination of effective parameters and optimization of zinc electrolyte hot purification process using statistical design of experiments. The Taguchi method based on orthogonal array design（OAD） has been used to arrange the experimental runs. The experimental conditions involved in the work are as follows： the temperature range of 70-90 ℃ for reaction temperature（T）, 30-90 min for reaction time（t）, 2-4 g/L for zinc powder mass concentration（M）, one to five series for zinc dust particle size distributions（S1-S5）, and 0.1-0.5 g/L（C） for arsenic trioxide mass concentration. Optimum conditions for hot purification obtained in this work are T4（85 ℃）, t4=75 min, M4=3.5 g/L, S4（Serie 4）, and C2=0.2 g/L.

BAMO聚合物的合成与表征(英文)

A new synthetic methodology has been developed for the synthesis of poly BAMO and poly BAMO-co-THF with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution. The synthesis of BCMO, the precursor of the BAMO monomer was accomplished using the reaction of Vilsmeir reagent with pentaerythritol. The BAMO monomer could be synthesized with an over all yield of 60% and polymerized using BF3·Et2O as the initiator and 1,4-butane diol as the co-initiator. Computational evaluation of the energy releasing properties of the poly BAMO derivatives was performed using Gaussian algorithm. The theoretically calculated values agreed very well with the experimentally determined ones.

Visible light-responsive carbon-decorated p-type semiconductor CaFe_2O_4 nanorod photocatalyst for efficient remediation of organic pollutants

We report the fabrication and photocatalytic property of a composite of C/CaFe2O4nanorods(NRs)in an effort to reveal the influence of carbon modification.It is demonstrated that the photocatalytic degradation activity is dependent on the mass ratio of C to CaFe2O4.The optimal carbon content is determined to be58wt%to yield a methylene blue(MB)degradation rate of0.0058min.1,which is4.8times higher than that of the pristine CaFe2O4NRs.The decoration of carbon on the surface of CaFe2O4NRs improves its adsorption capacity of the MB dye,which is specifically adsorbed on the surface as a monolayer according to the adsorption isotherm analysis.The trapping experiments of the reactive species indicate that superoxide radicals(.O2)are the main active species responsible for the removal of MB under visible‐light irradiation.Overall,the unique feature of carbon coating enables the efficient separation and transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes,strengthens the adsorption capacity of MB,and improves the light harvesting capability,hence enhancing the overall photocatalytic degradation of MB.

Dielectric and Pyroelectric Properties of （Pb0.50Sr0.50）TiO3 Ceramics

Lead strontium titanate （Pb0.50Sr0.50）TiO3 （PST） ceramics are prepared by the traditional ceramic processing. The dielectric constants and dielectric loss have been investigated in a temperature range from 25℃ to 300℃. The maximum dielectric constants for unpoled and poled samples are 9924 and 9683, respectively. The temperatures of phase transition for unpoled and poled samples are observed at 153℃ and 157℃, respectively. The phasetransition temperatures for unpoled and poled samples are not equal, which results from the polarization state of the domains. The remnant polarization and the coercive electric field are 18 uC/cm^2 and 6 kV/cm, respectively, from polarization-electric field （P - E） hysteresis loop. The temperature dependence of pyroelectric coefficients of the PST ceramics is measured by a dynamic technique. The dielectric constant and loss Lan δ of the poled PST ceramics are 813 and 0.010, respectively. The pyroelectric coefficients and figure of merit are 294 uC/cm^2 K and 13.6 × 10^-6 pa^-0.5, respectively, at room temperature 25℃and frequency lOOHz.

Making fully printed perovskite solar cells stable outdoor with inorganic superhydrophobic coating

Outdoor environment including moisture, dust, UV, oxygen and thermal stress(repeated heating-cooling)is devastating to perovskite solar cells(PSCs). Here, we demonstrate a new strategy to make fully printed PSCs stable with maximum power output in outdoor environment by coating them with a porous hydrophobic inorganic layer. After coating, the PSCs can maintain superior stability of more than 150 days of outdoor storage, 240 h of continuous operation at the maximum power output point in ambient air with relative humidity as high as ~80%, and stable operation for more than 10 h under raining condition. ANSYS simulation shows that the thin and porous nature of the inorganic coating layer offers much better heat dissipation than conventional encapsulation methods using glasses attached by photocurable epoxy. A similar thermal expansion coefficient of the inorganic encapsulation material with the solar cell substrate can also prevent it from cracking after repeated heating-cooling cycles. All of these merits resulted from our encapsulation method endow the perovskite solar cells with the real outdoor working capability.

p-Type CaFe_2O_4 semiconductor nanorods controllably synthesized by molten salt method

Pure phase, regular shape and well crystallized nanorods of p-type semiconductor CaFeOhave been fabricated for the first time by a facile molten salt assisted method, as confirmed by XRD, TEM, SEM and HRTEM. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra and Mott–Schottky plots show that the band structure of the CaFeOnanorods is narrower than that of the CaFeOnanoparticles synthesized by conventional method. The enhancement of the visible-light absorption is due to narrowness of the band gap in CaFeOnanorods. The appropriate ratio between the molten salt and the CaFeOprecursors plays an important role in inhibiting the growth of the crystals along the(201) plane to give the desired nanorod morphology. This work not only demonstrates that highly pure p-type CaFeOsemiconductor with tunable band structure and morphology could be obtained using the molten salt strategy, but also affirms that the bandgap of a semiconductor may be tunable by monitoring the growth of a particular crystal plane.Furthermore, the facile eutectic molten salt method developed in this work may be further extended to fabricate some other semiconductor nanomaterials with a diversity of morphologies.

A Fluorescence Ratiometric Probe for Cysteine/Homocysteine and Its Application for Living Cell Imaging

A fluorescence ratiometric probe 1 for cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) has been rationally constructed based on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. Upon treatment with Cys/Hcy, probe 1 exhibited a fluorescence ratiometric response, with the emission wavelength displaying a large shift (from 526 nm to 446 nm). When 90 μM Cys were added, the emission ratios (I446/I526) of the probe changed dramatically from 0.01797 to 4.65472. The detection limit was also measured to be 0.18 μM (S/N = 3). The theoretical calculations have confirmed that the ratiometric response of probe 1 to Cys/Hcy is due to the inhibition of ICT process upon the reaction of probe 1 with Cys/Hcy. Furthermore, the fluorescence imaging experiments in living cell demonstrated that probe 1 was favourable for intracellular Cys/Hcy imaging.

Novel pressure and displacement sensors based on carbon nanotubes

We report newly designed pressure and displacement capacitive sensors based on a flexible paper–CNT structure.The carbon nanotube（CNT） powder was deposited on a thin paper substrate and was pressed at an elevated temperature.The sheet resistance of the paper–CNT films was in the range of 2–4 kΩ/cm^2. The paper–CNT films were used to fabricate pressure and displacement sensors. The sensitivities of the pressure and the displacement sensors were found to be17.3 p F·m^2/k N and 0.93 10-3p F/μm, respectively. The experimental results were compared with the simulated data and they found good agreement with each other.

Graphene Oxide-Based Q-Switched Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser

We demonstrate a pulsed ring erbium-doped fiber laser based on graphene oxide(GO),employing a simplified Hummer's method to synthesize the GO via chemical oxidation of graphite flakes at room temperature.By dipping a fiber ferrule end face onto the GO suspension,GO is successfully coated onto the end face,making it a simple saturable absorption device.A stable Q-switched pulsed fiber laser is achieved with a low pump threshold of 9.5 mW at 980 nm.The pulse repetition rate ranges from 16.0 to 57.0 kHz.The pulse width and the pulse energy are studied and discussed.

Impact of In^(3+) cations on structure and electromagnetic state of M-type hexaferrites

The solid solutions of In^(3+) doped M-type strontium hexaferrites were produced using a conventional solid-state reaction method,and Rietveld analysis of the neutron diffraction patterns was conducted.In^(3+) cations occupy octahedral (4f_(Ⅵ)and 12 k) and tetrahedral (4f_(Ⅳ)) positions (SG=P6_(3)/mmc(No.194)).The average particle size is 837–650 nm.Curie tempearature (T_(C)) of the compounds monotonically decreased down to~520 K with increasing x.A frustrated magnetic state was detected from ZFC and FC magnetizations.saturation magnetization (M_(s)) and effective magnetocrystalline anisotropy coefficient (k_(eff)) were determined using the law of approach to saturation.A real permittivity (ε″) maximum of~3.3 at~45.5 GHz and an imaginary permittivity (ε′) of~1.6 at~42.3 GHz were observed for x=0.1.A real permeability (μ′) maximum of~1.5 at~36.2 GHz was observed for x=0.Aμ″imaginary permeability maximum of~0.8 at~38.3 GHz was observed for x=0.1.The interpretation of the results is based on the type of dielectric polarization and the natural ferromagnetic resonance features.

Second phase effect on corrosion of nanostructured Mg-Zn-Ca dual-phase metallic glasses

Dual-phase metallic glasses(DP-MGs),a special member of the MGs family,often reveal unusual strength and ductility,yet,their corrosion behaviors are not understood.Here,we developed a nanostructured Mg_(57)Zn_(36)Ca_(7)(at.%)DP-MG and uncovered its corrosion mechanism in simulated body fluid(SBF)at the near-atomic scale utilizing transmission electron microscope(TEM)and atom probe tomography(APT).The 10-nm-wide Ca-rich amorphous phases allow oxygen propagation into the DP-MG,resulting in a micrometer thick hydroxides/oxides layer.This dense corrosion layer protects the DP-MG from further corrosion,enabling a corrosion rate that is 77%lower than that of Mg(99.99%purity).