Revisiting Pt foil catalysts for formamide electrosynthesis achieved at industrial-level current densities.

Current electrosynthesis catalysts typically rely on nanomaterial-based engineering with multi-dimensional structural modifications. However, such approaches may not always be necessary, especially for underexplored industrial electrochemical conversions. Here, we demonstrate that commercial platinum (Pt) foil catalysts excel in the electrochemical co-oxidation of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-derived ethylene glycol (EG) and ammonia (NH) into formamide (HCONH), a process traditionally reliant on energy-intensive methods.

Constructing macroporous nanofibers with enriched Co-N-C sites a cascade chamber confinement strategy for an efficient oxygen reduction reaction.

Due to the thermal migration and aggregation of metal atoms, constructing nonprecious-metal and N-doped carbon (M-N-C) materials with unique pore structures, highly accessible surface area, and dense metal active sites by pyrolysis remains a challenge. Here we report a cascade chamber confinement approach to fabricate Co-N-C nanofibers with continuous macro-porous carbon nanofiber networks and dense Co-N-C sites. The central objective of this method is to confine Co through cascade chambers of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) and cross-linked nanofiber networks, thus preventing Co agglomeration at high temperatures and resulting in a free-standing film with high dispersion of Co active sites facile electrospinning.

Influence of UHMWPE on the expansion characteristics of expansive soil: Experimental studies.

This paper investigates the effectiveness of using Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) Fiber to improve expansive soil. The test results indicate that the amount and length of UHMWPE significantly affect the swelling pressure and free swelling ratio of the reinforced soil. The swelling pressure of reinforced expansive soil exhibits a significant negative correlation with both the UHMWPE content (p < 0.

Re-identification assistance and multi-stage association for pedestrian multi-object tracking.

The main task of pedestrian multi-object tracking is to continuously detect and locate target pedestrians in a video sequence and complete inter-frame target association, which has broad application prospects in various fields such as intelligent surveillance and video analysis. Currently, most methods mainly use the Kalman filter to model the motion and predict the position of the pedestrian in the next frame. Then, based on the Intersection over Union (IoU) between the predicted bounding box and the detection bounding box, the Hungarian algorithm is used to match the targets between frames.

Prediction and Screening of Lead-Free Double Perovskite Photovoltaic Materials Based on Machine Learning.

The search for stable, lead-free perovskite materials is critical for developing efficient and environmentally friendly energy solutions. In this study, machine learning methods were applied to predict the bandgap and formation energy of double perovskites, aiming to identify promising photovoltaic candidates. A dataset of 1053 double perovskites was extracted from the Materials Project database, with 50 feature descriptors generated.

Experimental study on the mechanical properties of short-cut basalt fiber reinforced concrete under large eccentric compression.

This study investigates the impact of basalt fiber on the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete members, with a specific focus on their behavior under large eccentric compression. A series of large eccentric compression tests were conducted on basalt fiber-reinforced concrete (BFRC) members with varying parameters. The failure characteristics, ultimate bearing capacity, cracking load, crack width, and other relevant factors were thoroughly analyzed.

Operation mechanism analysis and parameter optimization of airflow-rotating disc separation device for agricultural film fragments.

To reduce the impurity and loss rates during agricultural film fragment separation, an integrated airflow and mechanical separation approach was devised, and the airflow-rotating disc separation device with air suction mechanism and curved disc rotating screening mechanism was designed. The processes of throwing, collision and slipping were analyzed, considering film compressibility. The factors affecting the separation performance were identified as feeding quantity, airflow velocity and disc rotational velocity.

In situ construction of MnO cocatalyst on sodium poly(heptazine imides) for enhanced photocatalytic reduction of water and synergetic oxidation of amines.

Photocatalytic hydrogen production utilizing solar energy provides a pivotal strategy for realizing a carbon-neutral society. Cocatalyst-modified semiconductor materials have emerged as promising candidates for photocatalytic applications due to their ability to facilitate the spatial separation and directional migration of photogenerated electron-hole pairs. Nevertheless, those systems often face challenges such as intricate preparation procedures and issues with non-compact recombination.

Dynamic characteristics and safe operation speed threshold of metro train passing through curved bridge considering resilient wheel.

To investigate the dynamic characteristics and safe operation speed threshold of metro train passing through curved bridge (CB) considering resilient wheels, the mechanical connection characteristics of rim and web are discussed firstly. Based on the train-track-bridge interaction theory, the coupled dynamic model of metro train-CB considering resilient wheels is established. Then, the vehicle-bridge coupled dynamic characteristics under the excitation of long-short wave track irregularity are researched.

Two-dimensional BiTeX crystals with persistent luminescence induced by photochemical reactions.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are highly valued for their unique properties and potential applications, as they can display exotic behaviors differing from those of their bulk forms. Research on elementary and binary solids has been making great progress recently, while synthesizing multi-component 2D materials experimentally remains a challenge, despite the possibility of greatly extending the number of members of the 2D realm. In this study, we synthesized ternary BiTeX (X = Cl, Br, I) nanosheets with high crystallinity through an electrochemical exfoliation method.

Improving the Blue Color Purity of Tetradentate Pt(II) Complexes with the Assistance of F⋅⋅⋅H Interaction towards High-Performance Blue Phosphorescent OLEDs with EQE over 33 .

Among the various challenges in the field of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), simultaneously achieving high efficiency, a long lifespan, and a narrow full-width at half maximum (FWHM) in blue OLEDs remains a significant hurdle. Herein, we demonstrate a strategy to improve the color purity of tetradentate Pt(II) complexes with the assistance of ⋅⋅⋅H interaction by incorporating trifluoromethyl (-CF) groups into the well-known blue tetradentate Pt(II) phosphorescent complex. The results show that the different substitution positions of -CF have significantly varying effects on the FWHM values of the complexes; specifically, introducing -CF on the benzene ring of carbazole effectively reduces the FWHM, while introducing it on the benzene ring linked to the carbene unit has a minimal impact.

Porous carbon-nanostructured electrocatalysts for zinc-air batteries: from materials design to applications.

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are pivotal in the evolution of sustainable energy storage solutions, distinguished by their high energy density and minimal environmental footprint. The oxygen electrode, which relies on sophisticated porous carbon materials, is critical to operational efficiency. This review scrutinizes oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) processes in ZABs through advanced porous carbon applications.

Studying the Thermodynamic Phase Stability of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites Using Machine Learning.

As an important photovoltaic material, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have attracted much attention in the field of solar cells, but their instability is one of the main challenges limiting their commercial application. However, the search for stable perovskites among the thousands of perovskite materials still faces great challenges. In this work, the energy above the convex hull values of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites was predicted based on four different machine learning algorithms, namely random forest regression (RFR), support vector machine regression (SVR), XGBoost regression, and LightGBM regression, to study the thermodynamic phase stability of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites.

Mechanical response of long-span CFST arch bridges based on the hydration heat temperature effect.

As the span of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) arch bridges increases, the hydration heat temperature effect of concrete inside steel tube becomes more severe, which increases the safety risk during the construction process. Therefore, a numerical simulation of the mechanical response of a long-span CFST arch bridge under the influence of hydration heat was carried out. First, based on the hydration heat conduction theory, a finite element model of the transient temperature field of a CFST arch rib was established.

Effect of Brick Aggregate Content on Performance of Recycled Construction-Solid-Waste Aggregate.

In road engineering, road construction requires a large amount of natural aggregate; its substitution with recycled construction-solid-waste aggregate not only saves resources but also reduces the burden on the environment. The main components of construction solid waste are concrete blocks and brick slag; the breakability of the latter can affect the performance of mixed recycled aggregate, which hinders the use of construction solid waste in road engineering applications. To analyze the applicability of recycled construction-solid-waste aggregate containing brick slag aggregate in the subgrade layer, the effect of brick aggregate content on the CBR (California bearing ratio) and crushing value of mixed recycled aggregates was evaluated based on laboratory tests, and the field compaction quality of the recycled aggregates was analyzed.

Virtual parameter calibration of pod pepper seeds based on discrete element simulation.

In order to achieve numerical optimization of the pod pepper seed sowing device, the contact parameters of pod pepper seeds were calibrated, with the angle of repose used as the response value. A set of discrete element method (DEM) models of pod pepper seeds was developed to simulate the formation of seed repose angles using reverse engineering reconstruction techniques. An eight-factor, three-level response surface experiment based on the Box-Behnken central combination test method was performed to study the effects of various factors on the angle of repose of seeds.

A new analytical model for bond strength between corroded steel strand and concrete.

Degradation of bond strength due to corrosion of steel strands is of great importance for serviceability of prestressed concrete structures. An analytical model is proposed to demonstrate the effect of corrosion of steel strand on reduction of bond strength. Corrosion expansion force generated by steel strand corrosion before and after corrosion cracking is firstly estimated.

Enhancing resource utilization: A novel method for effective separation of residual film and impurities in cotton fields.

This study addresses the challenge of incomplete separation of mechanically recovered residual films and impurities in cotton fields, examining their impact on resource utilization and environmental pollution. It introduces an innovative screening method that combines pneumatic force and mechanical vibration for processing crushed film residue mixtures. A double-action screening device integrating pneumatic force and a key-type vibrating screen was developed.

Lanthanide Doping into All-Inorganic Heterometallic Halide Layered Double Perovskite Nanocrystals for Multimodal Visible and Near-Infrared Emission.

The introduction of lanthanide ions (Ln) into all-inorganic lead-free halide perovskites has captured significant attention in optoelectronic applications. However, doping Ln ions into heterometallic halide layered double perovskite (LDP) nanocrystals (NCs) and their associated doping mechanisms remain unexplored. Herein, we report the first colloidal synthesis of Ln (Yb, Er)-doped LDP NCs utilizing a modified hot-injection method.

Cooperative Thermal-Electric Field Control of Infrared Modulation Using a Vanadium Dioxide Film-Based Modulator.

Vanadium dioxide (VO) has garnered significant attention as a material for actively tunable infrared (IR) modulators due to its reversible and responsive modulation effect on IR radiation, which is accompanied by its intrinsic insulator-metal phase transition (IMT). Here, we propose a multilayer device structure that integrates VO film with microheater and interdigitated electrodes for cooperative thermal-electric field control of IMT. Our results demonstrate that while intense electric fields can trigger abrupt IMT, deep modulation of IR radiation requires energy integration through Joule heating, which limits the response time of IR transmission controlled by electric field.

Experimental Study on Secondary Anchorage Bond Performance of Residual Stress after Corrosion Fracture at Ends of Prestressed Steel Strands.

In order to explore the secondary bond anchorage performance between prestressed tendons and concrete after the fracture of steel strands in post-tensioned, prestressed concrete (PPC) beams, a total of seven post-tensioned, prestressed concrete specimens with a size of 3 × 7ϕ15.2 mm were constructed firstly, and the steel strands at the anchorage end were subjected to corrosion fracture. Then, the pull-out test of the specimens was conducted to explore the secondary anchorage bond mechanism of the residual stress of prestressed tendons experiencing local fracture.

MOF-on-MOF-Derived Ultrafine FeP-CoP Heterostructures for High-Efficiency and Durable Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers.

The alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) is considered to be a promising approach for large-scale industrial hydrogen production. Nevertheless, it is severely hampered by the inability to operate tolerable HER catalysts consistently under low overpotentials at ampere-level current densities. Here, we develop a universal ligand-exchange (MOF-on-MOF) modulation strategy to synthesize ultrafine FeP and CoP nanoparticles, which are well anchored on N and P dual-doped carbon porous nanosheets (FeP-CoP/NPC).