Influence of Transportation Accessibility on Urban-rural Income Disparity and Its Spatial Heterogeneity

Transportation accessibility has been treated as an important means of reducing the urban-rural income disparity.However,only a few studies have examined the effects of different types of transportation accessibility on urban-rural income disparity and their spatial heterogeneity.Based on data from 285 prefecture-level(and above)Chinese cities in 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2020,this study uses spatial econometric models to examine how highway accessibility and railway accessibility influence the urban-rural income disparity and to identify their spatial heterogeneity.The result reveals that highway accessibility and railway accessibility have‘coreperiphery’ring-like circle structures.The urban-rural income disparity exhibits strong spatial clustering effects.Both highway accessibility and railway accessibility are negatively associated with urban-rural income disparity,and the former having a greater effect size.Moreover,there is a substitution effect between highway accessibility and railway accessibility in the whole sample.Furthermore,these associations differ in geographic regions.In the central region,highway accessibility is more important in reducing the urban-rural income disparity,but its effect is weakened with the increase of railway accessibility.In the western region,railway accessibility has a larger effect on narrowing the urban-rural income disparity,and this effect is strengthened by the increase of highway accessibility.We conclude that improving transportation accessibility is conducive to reducing the urban-rural income disparity but its effect is spatial heterogenetic.Highways and railways should be developed in a coordinated manner to promote an integrated transport network system.

Spatial Disparity and Efficiency of Science and Technology Resources in China

In the knowledge economy era,science and technology(S&T) resources are getting more and more important in shaping regional competiveness and building regional innovation capacity.As such,the spatial distribution of S&T resources is a key to understanding regional development and disparities.By designing an input-output indicator system,this paper develops an evaluation model to examine the spatial distribution of S&T resources in China and assess their spatial efficiency.Moreover,the paper tries to explain spatial differences in the efficiency of S&T resources in China.Major findings are:1) the input and output of S&T resources in China shows a clear T-shaped spatial structure,i.e.,concentrated mainly in the coastal region and along the Changjiang(Yangtze) River;2) the efficiency of S&T resources in China displays strong spatial disparities,with the level of efficiency descending from the east to the west while high efficiency appearing in only several clusters;3) the utilization rates of S&T resources in most provinces are quite low,resulting in low efficiency of S&T resources allocation.The paper suggests that the utilization rate of S&T resources should be raised and the commercialization of S&T outputs should be enhanced to improve the efficiency of S&T resources in China.

Spatially Heterogeneous Response of Carbon Storage to Land Use Changes in Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China

Carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems plays a vital role in advancing carbon neutrality. Better understanding of how land use changes affect carbon storage in urban agglomeration will provide valuable guidance for policymakers in developing effective regional conservation policies. Taking the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration(PRDUA) in China as an example, we examined the heterogeneous response of carbon storage to land use changes in 1990–2018 from a combined view of administrative units and physical entities. The results indicate that the primary change in land use was due to the expansion of construction land(5897.16 km2). The carbon storage in PRDUA decreased from 767.34 Tg C in 1990 to 725.42 Tg C in 2018 with a spatial pattern of high wings and the low middle. The carbon storage loss was largely attributed to construction land expansion(55.74%), followed by forest degradation(54.81%). Changes in carbon storage showed significant divergences in different sized cities and hierarchical boundaries. The coefficients of geographically weighted regression(GWR) reveal that the alteration in carbon storage in Guangzhou City was more responsive to changes in construction land(-0.11) compared to other cities, while that in Shenzhen was mainly affected by the dynamics of forest land(8.32). The change in carbon storage was primarily influenced by the conversion of farmland within urban extent(5.05) and the degradation of forest land in rural areas(5.82). Carbon storage changes were less sensitive to the expansion of construction land in the urban center, urban built-up area, and ex-urban built-up area, with the corresponding GWR coefficients of 0.19, 0.04, and 0.02. This study necessitates the differentiated protection strategies of carbon storage in urban agglomerations.

A general descriptor for guiding the electrolysis of CO_(2)in molten carbonate

Molten carbonate is an excellent electrolyte for the electrochemical reduction of CO_(2)to carbonaceous materials.However,the electrolyte–electrode-reaction relationship has not been well understood.Herein,we propose a general descriptor,the CO_(2)activity,to reveal the electrolyte–electrode-reaction relationship by thermodynamic calculations and experimental studies.Experimental studies agree well with theoretical predictions that both cations(Li^(+),Ca^(2+),Sr^(2+)and Ba^(2+))and anions(BO_(2)^(-),Ti_(5)O_(14)^(8-),SiO_(3)^(2-))can modulate the CO_(2)activity to control both cathode and anode reactions in a typical molten carbonate electrolyzer in terms of tuning reaction products and overpotentials.In this regard,the reduction of CO_(3)^(2-)can be interpreted as the direct reduction of CO_(2)generated from the dissociated CO_(3)^(2-),and the CO_(2)activity can be used as a general descriptor to predict the electrode reaction in molten carbonate.Overall,the CO_(2)activity descriptor unlocks the electrolyte–electrode-reaction relationship,thereby providing fundamental insights into guiding molten carbonate CO_(2)electrolysis.

In-situ interfacial passivation and self-adaptability synergistically stabilizing all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

The function of solid electrolytes and the composition of solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)are highly significant for inhibiting the growth of Li dendrites.Herein,we report an in-situ interfacial passivation combined with self-adaptability strategy to reinforce Li_(0.33)La_(0.557)TiO_(3)(LLTO)-based solid-state batteries.Specifically,a functional SEI enriched with LiF/Li_(3)PO_(4) is formed by in-situ electrochemical conversion,which is greatly beneficial to improving interface compatibility and enhancing ion transport.While the polarized dielectric BaTiO_(3)-polyamic acid(BTO-PAA,BP)film greatly improves the Li-ion transport kinetics and homogenizes the Li deposition.As expected,the resulting electrolyte offers considerable ionic conductivity at room temperature(4.3 x 10~(-4)S cm^(-1))and appreciable electrochemical decomposition voltage(5.23 V)after electrochemical passivation.For Li-LiFePO_(4) batteries,it shows a high specific capacity of 153 mA h g^(-1)at 0.2C after 100 cycles and a long-term durability of 115 mA h g^(-1)at 1.0 C after 800 cycles.Additionally,a stable Li plating/stripping can be achieved for more than 900 h at 0.5 mA cm^(-2).The stabilization mechanisms are elucidated by ex-situ XRD,ex-situ XPS,and ex-situ FTIR techniques,and the corresponding results reveal that the interfacial passivation combined with polarization effect is an effective strategy for improving the electrochemical performance.The present study provides a deeper insight into the dynamic adjustment of electrode-electrolyte interfacial for solid-state lithium batteries.

Ecosystem Health Assessment of Honghu Lake Wetland of China Using Artificial Neural Network Approach

Honghu Lake,located in the southeast of Hubei Province,China,has suffered a severe disturbance during the past few decades.To restore the ecosystem,the Honghu Lake Wetland Protection and Restoration Demonstration Project(HLWPRDP) has been implemented since 2004.A back propagation(BP) artificial neural network(ANN) approach was applied to evaluatinig the ecosystem health of the Honghu Lake wetland.And the effectiveness of the HLWPRDP was also assessed by comparing the ecosystem health before and after the project.Particularly,12 ecosystem health indices were used as evaluation parameters to establish a set of three-layer BP ANNs.The output is one layer of ecosystem health index.After training and testing the BP ANNs,an optimal model of BP ANNs was selected to assess the ecosystem health of the Honghu Lake wetland.The result indicates that four stages can be identified based on the change of the ecosystem health from 1990 to 2008 and the ecosystem health index ranges from morbidity before the implementation of HLWPRDP(in 2002) to middle health after the implementation of the HLWPRDP(in 2005).It demonstrates that the HLWPRDP is effective and the BP ANN could be used as a tool for the assessment of ecosystem health.

Preparation and electrocatalytic properties of Ti/IrO_2-Ta_2O_5 anodes for oxygen evolution

The preparation and electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution of the thermally prepared Ti anodes coated with IrO2-Ta2O5 were studied. The structure and morphologies of the oxide films with different contents of IrO2 were determined by XRD and SEM respectively. Their electrochemical properties were studied by Linear Sweep Voltammetry, Tafel Plot and Cyclic Voltammetry. The results show that iridium and tantalum can form solid solution and the mutual solubility is affected by the ratio of Ir to Ta in coating solution. With increasing IrO2 content in the coatings, the amount of fine crystallites of IrO2 is increased and the electrocatalytic capability of oxygen evolution is strengthened. The coating adhesion and rigidity decrease, which affects electrochemical activity of the anode when the content of IrO2 is too high. The electrochemically active surface area is determined not only by the content of IrO2but also the structure and morphology of the anode coatings. It is probably due to the existence of proper quantities of inert Ta2O5 which results in a typical morphology of cracks and solid solution structure.

Capture and electro-splitting of CO_2 in molten salts

Due to the serious greenhouse gas effects caused by the increasing concentration of atmospheric CO_2,carbon capture and storage(CCS) has been an important area of research and many technologies are developed within this field. Molten salt CO_2 capture and electrochemical transformation(MSCC-ET) process is a desirable method due to a high CO_2 solubility, a wide potential window of molten salts and easily-controlled electrode reactions. Generally, electro-splitting CO_2 in molten salts begins with CO_2 absorption reactions to form CO_3^(2-), which is then followed by the carbon deposition at the cathode and O_2 evolution at the anode. As a result, CO_2 is electro-converted to O_2 and carbon with different morphologies, compositions, microstructures and functional properties. This report introduces the MSCC-ET process, summarizes the reactions occurring in the molten salts and at the electrode surfaces, as well as the morphological variations of the cathodic products. The inert anode materials, cost estimation and scale-up evaluation of the process are then discussed. It is presumed that with a comprehensive understanding of the electrode reactions during electrolysis and the functional properties of carbon materials obtained during CO_2 electro-splitting can provide a foundation for further developing this environmentally friendly process.

Productive functional evolution of rural settlements:analysis of livelihood strategy and land use transition in eastern China

In China, rural settlements are usually multifunctional complex of natural societies and they also play important productive function. This study explored the spatiotemporal evolution of the productive function of three rural settlements, i.e.,Hetaoyuan, Dawengshan, and Gaoqiao, in the Yimeng Mountain in Shandong province of eastern China.Residents lived in this three types of rural settlements were all involved in agricultural production(i.e., grain threshing, drying and storage), which had remained dominant in Hetaoyuan. Dawengshan became an industrial-oriented settlement, while Gaoqiao became a commercial-oriented settlement. This evolution was reflected in the livelihood strategy changes of rural households and the transition of rural settlements changes. The choice of livelihood strategy was affected by the livelihood assets and policies, which resulted in the spatiotemporal evolution of the productive function of rural settlements. This study can provide references for the implementation and adjustment of rural residential land consolidation policies and the improvement of production and the quality of rural life in future.

Synthesis and Characterization of Rectorite/ZnO/TiO2 Composites and Their Properties of Adsorption and Photocatalysis for the Removal of Methylene Blue Dye

As efficient water treatment agents, a novel series of rectorite-based ZnO and TiO_2 hybrid composites(REC/ZnO/TiO_2) were synthesized and characterized in this study. Effects of experimental parameters including TiO_2 mass ratio, solution p H and catalyst dosage on the removal of methyl blue(MB) were also conducted. The presence of a little mass ratio(2%-6%) of TiO_2 highly promoted the photoactivity of REC/ZnO/TiO_2 in removal of MB dye from aqueous solution, in which ZnO and REC played a role of photocatalyst and adsorbent. The promotion effects of TiO_2 may result from the accelerated separation of electron-hole on ZnO. The observed kinetic constant for the degradation of MB over REC/ZnO and REC/ZnO/TiO_2 were 0.015 and 0.038 min^(-1), respectively. The degradation kinetics of MB dye, which followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model, had a reaction constant of 0.17 mg/(L min). The decrease of removal ratio of MB after five repetitive experiments was small, indicating REC/ZnO/TiO_2 has great potential as an effective and stable catalyst.

Urban Redevelopment, Gentrification and Gentrifiers in Post-reform Inland China: A Case Study of Chengdu, China

Since its process evolved in recent years, the definition of gentrification has expanded to cover different forms of social upgrading, new spaces and new actors around the world. Studies on gentrification in Chinese cities began to take off in the 2000 s. However, they all mainly focused on the newly emerging global cities and there has been a lack of investigation on provincial cities. Furthermore, discussions on gentrifiers′ profiles and their motivations for housing choice are absent from literature on Chinese gentrification. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the relevance of the broad definition of gentrification in provincial Chinese cities through empirical research on urban redevelopment projects in Chengdu, and to examine the characteristics of gentrifiers(as new incoming residents) in it. The results show the rationality of gentrification processes as urban redevelopment in Chengdu, and reveal original outcomes on the corresponding gentrifiers′ profiles and the motivations behind their housing choice, which are different from the general features of gentrifiers in standard Western gentrification research.

Preconcentration and Separation of Trace Copper in Water Samples with Nanometer-Size TiO_2 Colloid and Determination by FAAS

A new absorbent of nanometer-size TiO2 colloid for Cu(Ⅱ) was studied in this work. The adsorption rate could reach above 99% when the pH values were at the range of 5-6. The adsorption balance time, adsorption capacities, and the eluent were investigated. A novel method of trace Cu(Ⅱ) preconcentration and separation with nanometer-size titanium dioxide colloid and determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was advanced. The detection limit (3σ) of the method was 1.15 μg· L^(-1) , and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D) was 1.53% (n=6). Environmental sample experiments were also conducted to test the feasibility of the method, and it came out that the recovery rates were between 95.9% and 97.8%.

Dynamic Evaluation of Land Ecological Security in Anhui Province Based on PSR Model

Based on PSR framework method,the land ecological security evaluation index system of 16 cities of Anhui Province was constructed.The land ecological security value of subsystem in Anhui Province from 2000 to 2011 was calculated using the index weight which was determined by the entropy weight method,and land ecological security trend from 2012 to 2017 was forecasted using GM( 1,1) model. The results indicated that,the land ecological security index in Anhui Province from 2000 to 2017 was rising on the whole,with the average value increasing from 0. 442 in 2000 to 0. 450 in 2017,and there was a huge difference among cities; at the same time,the state index and response index of each subsystem of land ecological security also rose. GM( 1,1) model had high simulation precision and was able to predict the land ecological security level and the development trend of each subsystem of Anhui Province from 2012 to 2017. The main factors that influenced the land ecological security of Anhui Province included per capita farmland area,population density,natural growth rate of population,urbanization level,soil coordination degree,agricultural mechanization degree,and the area proportion of nature reserve,which are the focus of land ecological security regulation in the future.

Effects of climate change and land use/cover change on the volume of the Qinghai Lake in China

Qinghai Lake is the largest saline lake in China.The change in the lake volume is an indicator of the variation in water resources and their response to climate change on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)in China.The present study quantitatively evaluated the effects of climate change and land use/cover change(LUCC)on the lake volume of the Qinghai Lake in China from 1958 to 2018,which is crucial for water resources management in the Qinghai Lake Basin.To explore the effects of climate change and LUCC on the Qinghai Lake volume,we analyzed the lake level observation data and multi-period land use/land cover(LULC)data by using an improved lake volume estimation method and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs(InVEST)model.Our results showed that the lake level decreased at the rate of 0.08 m/a from 1958 to 2004 and increased at the rate of 0.16 m/a from 2004 to 2018.The lake volume decreased by 105.40×10^(8) m^(3) from 1958 to 2004,with the rate of 2.24×10^(8) m^(3)/a,whereas it increased by 74.02×10^(8) m^(3) from 2004 to 2018,with the rate of 4.66×10^(8) m^(3)/a.Further,the climate of the Qinghai Lake Basin changed from warm-dry to warm-humid.From 1958 to 2018,the increase in precipitation and the decrease in evaporation controlled the change of the lake volume,which were the main climatic factors affecting the lake volume change.From 1977 to 2018,the measured water yield showed an"increase-decrease-increase"fluctuation in the Qinghai Lake Basin.The effects of climate change and LUCC on the measured water yield were obviously different.From 1977 to 2018,the contribution rate of LUCC was -0.76% and that of climate change was 100.76%;the corresponding rates were 8.57% and 91.43% from 1977 to 2004,respectively,and -4.25% and 104.25% from 2004 to 2018,respectively.Quantitative analysis of the effects and contribution rates of climate change and LUCC on the Qinghai Lake volume revealed the scientific significance of climate change and LUCC,as well as their individual and combined effects in the Qinghai Lake Basin and on the QTP.This study can contribute to the water resources management and regional sustainable development of the Qinghai Lake Basin.

The capacitive performances of carbon obtained from the electrolysis of CO_(2) in molten carbonates: Effects of electrolysis voltage and temperature

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 to capacitive carbon in molten Li2 CO3–Na2 CO3–K2 CO3 is an effective strategy for capturing and utilizing CO2. This paper reports the effects of the cell voltages and operating temperatures(450–650 °C) of the molten salt electrolysis on the capacitive performance of electrolytic carbon. The electrolytic carbon delivers excellent specific capacitance when the cell voltage is 4.5 V and the temperature of molten salt is 450 °C. The carbon obtained at 450 °C and under 4.5 V delivers a specific capacitance of 550 F g^(-1) at 0.2 A g^(-1) in 1 M aqueous H2 SO4, and the capacity retention rate is73% after 10000 cycles. The specific capacitance of the electrolytic carbon increases as the electrolysis temperature decreases, and the optimal cell voltage is 4.5 V.

Effects of K and Mn promoters over Fe2O3 on Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Structural and compositional design of core-shell structure is an effective strategy towards enhanced catalysis.Herein,amorphous MnO2 nanosheets and K+-intercalated layered MnO2 nanosheets are controllably assembled over Fe2O3 spindles,in which the MnO2 nanosheets are perpendicularly anchored to the surface of Fe2O3.Such a core shell structure contributes to a high specific surface area and abundant pore channels on the surface of catalysts.In addition,the existence of K+provides large numbers of basic sites and restrains the formation of unpleasant(Fe1-xMnx)3O4.Benefiting from the merits in structure and composition,CO adsorption is enhanced and remaining time of intermediates is prolonged on the surfaces of catalysts during the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis(FTS),facilitating to the formation of active iron carbides and C–C coupling reactions.Resultantly,the Fe2O3@K+-Mn O2 shows both a high CO conversion of 82.3%and a high C5+ selectivity of 73.1%.The present study provides structural and compositional rationales on design high-performance catalysts towards FTS.

Balance of Datum Land Prices Among Cities Based on the City Gravitation Model and Stochastic Diffusion Equation

城市的资料陆地价格的平衡被完成加音地区性打价格并且让价格真正在城市之中反映不同经济发展层次和陆地价格。明智的线性插值平衡方法广泛地使用了的当前的片有总是在一些城市之中导致不能令人满意的平衡的二个缺点。当到包围地区的中央城市里的陆地价格的过量到达某个度时，周围的城市里的陆地价格与本地陆地等级和土地利用水平一致不仅，而且在中央城市里由陆地价格的散开影响了。因此，土地基于城市引力模型和随机的散开方程定价的资料的一个新平衡计划向前被带。最后，新方法在湖北省在资料陆地价格平衡的实践被检验，中国。

Nitrogen-Doped Hierarchical Heterostructured Aerophobic MoS_(x)/Ni_(3)S_(2)Nanowires by One-pot Synthesis:System Engineering and Synergistic Effect in Electrocatalysis of Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Non-noble metal electrocatalysis has witnessed rapid and profound performance improvements owing to the emergence of advanced nanosynthetic techniques.Integration of these nanotechniques can lead to synergistic performance enhancement,but such system-engineering strategies are difficult to achieve because of the lack of effective synthesis method.We hereby demonstrate an integrated approach that combines most of the existing nanotechniques in a facile one-pot synthesis.Material characterization reveals that the product shows key features intended by techniques including morphological,structural,doping,heterointerface,and surface wetting engineering.The as-obtained nitrogen-doped hierarchical heterostructured MoS_(x)/Ni_(3)S_(2)nanowires show an overpotential that is only50 mV higher than commercial Pt/C for hydrogen evolution reaction over current densities from 10 to 150 mA cm^(-2).Correlations between the adopted nanotechniques and the electrochemical reaction rates are established by evaluating the impacts of individual techniques on the activation energy,pre-exponential factor,and transfer coefficient.This indepth analysis provides a full account of the synergistic effects and the overall improvement in electrocatalytic performance of hydrogen evolution reaction.This work manifests a generic strategy for multipurpose material design in non-noble metal electrocatalysis.

Enhanced electrodeposition and separation of metallic Cr from soluble K2CrO4 on a liquid Zn cathode

Carbon contamination and the formation of low-valence oxides limit the preparation of refractory metals by molten salt electrolysis.In this paper,a liquid Zn cathode is adopted for the electrochemical reduction of soluble K2CrO4 to metallic Cr in CaCl2-KCl molten salt.It is found that CrO4^2-can be directly electrochemically reduced to Cr via a six-electron-transfer step and low-valence Cr oxides is hardly produced.The reduction rate is obviously increased from 16.7 mgCrh^-1cm^-2 on the solid Mo cathode to58.7 mgCrh-1cm-2on liquid Zn cathode.The electrodeposited Cr is distributed in liquid Zn cathode.Carbon contamination is effectively avoided due to the negligible solubility of carbon in the liquid Zn cathode.Furthermore,Cr can be effectively separated and enriched to the bottom of liquid Zn under supergravity field,realizing the efficient acquisition of metallic Cr and recycling of liquid Zn.The method herein provides a promising route for the preparation of refractory metals with high-purity by molten salt electrolysis.

Enhanced electrochemical oxidation of phenol by introducing ferric ions and UV radiation

The mineralization of phenol in aerated electrochemical oxidation has been investigated.The results show that a cathodic Fenton process can occur when the Ti-0.3Mo-0.8Ni alloy material is used as cathode in solution containing ferric or ferrous ions; moreover,the reinforcement of cathodic Fenton process on the total organic carbon (TOC) removal rate of phenol is quite distinct.Among the metallic ions investigated,the ferric ion is the best catalyst for the electrochemical mineralization of phenol at initial pH 2.0,and the optimal concentration range is from 50 to 200 mg/L.The favorable pH range and supporting electrolyte (Na2SO4) concentration for mineralization of phenol in solution containing ferrous ions are 1.8-2.3 and below 0.10 mol/L,respectively.UV radiation can improve the TOC removal rate of phenol,but the enhanced effect varies in different solutions.In the solution containing ferric ions,an equal sum or synergetic effect can be observed.The optimal effect of electrolysis system under UV radiation is achieved in the solution containing 50 mg/L Fe3+ with a final removal percentage of 81.3%.