Photocatalytic Degradation of Emerging Pollutants Using Covalent Organic Frameworks.

Emerging contaminants (ECs), such as pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and endocrine disruptors, pose persistent threats to human and ecological health due to their refractory nature. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are attractive crystalline porous materials for photocatalytic environmental remediation. Their high surface area, tunable structures, and stability complement the sustainable and efficient nature of photocatalysis, demonstrating great potential for treating ECs.

Defense Responses of Native Plant Communities to Alien Plant Invasion.

Understanding the mechanisms that facilitate the successful invasion of invasive plant species is essential for improving invasive species management and ensuring biosecurity. Traditional invasion ecology has primarily focused on the traits of invasive plants or the static characteristics of invaded communities, while comparatively overlooking the potential active responses of native plant communities during the invasion process. Drawing inspiration from the concept of "herd immunity" in medicine, this study proposes that native plant communities may develop a "community defense" response mechanism through a series of ecological defense processes.

The electromagnetic characteristics analysis and the control of a new axial flux permanent magnet machine with a double-PCB stator.

To enhance the load capacity of the axial flux permanent magnet motor (AFPMM), a new AFPMM with a double-printed circuit board (PCB) stator is proposed and analyzed. Based on its theoretical model and three-dimensional finite element analysis model, the magnetic field and torque characteristics are discussed. The structural parameters of the motor are analyzed and optimized by Taguchi's method to obtain higher torque and lower torque ripple.

Characterization of electrical properties of dynamic behavior of a V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor.

In this paper, an equivalent circuit model of a V-shaped linear ultrasonic motor is developed, considering the contact characteristics between the stator and the slider, as well as the piezoelectric coupling characteristics of the ultrasonic motor. The relationship between the mechanical parameters and the electrical parameters during the operation of the motor is studied. The admittance circle of the stator is obtained through experimental methods, and the relationship between the admittance circle and the electrical parameters of the equivalent circuit model of the stator is studied and analyzed.

Engineering surface and subsurface oxygen vacancies of CeZrO solid solution for enhanced total toluene oxidation.

Most studies have shown that oxygen vacancies on CeZrO solid solution are important for enhancing the catalytic oxidation performance. However, a handful of studies investigated the different roles of surface and subsurface oxygen vacancies on the performance and mechanisms of catalysts. Herein, a series of zirconium doping on CeO samples (CeO, CeZrO, and CeZrO) with various surface-to-subsurface oxygen vacancies ratios have been synthesized and applied in toluene catalytic oxidation.

Regulating Bimetallic Asymmetry of Mn-O-Fe Domain in Layered Double Hydroxides for Lattice Oxygen Activation toward Enhanced Photocatalytic Toluene Oxidation.

In photocatalytic toluene oxidation, traditional semiconductor catalysts still face the problem of insufficient generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, we first regulate the bimetallic asymmetry in layered double hydroxide (LDH) photocatalysts via different metal electronegativities to activate lattice oxygen for ROS generation. The MnFe-LDH, MnAl-LDH, and ZnFe-LDH photocatalysts with various electronegativities (Mn: 1.

Combination DFT and Molecular Dynamics Study on Noncatalytic Reduction of Nitrogen Oxide by Furan during Cocombustion with Biomass: Soot Inhibition and Nitrogen Evolution.

Using biotar as a reburning fuel is a potential method for NO reduction. Furan, a typical biomass tar compound, is used to study NO reduction during cocombustion with biomass. The combination density functional theory (DFT) and ReaxFF molecular dynamics (MD) methods were used to study the detailed mechanism at the molecular level.

Strain-Rate-Dependent Tensile Behaviour and Viscoelastic Modelling of Kevlar 29 Plain-Woven Fabric for Ballistic Applications.

Aramid fibre has become a critical material for individual soft body armour due to its lightweight nature and exceptional impact resistance. To investigate its energy absorption mechanism, quasi-static and dynamic tensile experiments were conducted on Kevlar 29 plain-woven fabric using a universal material testing machine and a Split Hopkinson Tensile Bar (SHTB) apparatus. Tensile mechanical responses were obtained under various strain rates.

High-Throughput Study on Nanoindentation Deformation of Al-Mg-Si Alloys.

Al-Mg-Si (6XXX) series aluminum alloys are widely applied in aerospace and transportation industries. However, exploring how varying compositions affect alloy properties and deformation mechanisms is often time-consuming and labor-intensive due to the complexity of the multicomponent composition space and the diversity of processing and heat treatments. This study, inspired by the Materials Genome Initiative, employs high-throughput experimentation-specifically the kinetic diffusion multiple (KDM) method-to systematically investigate how the pop-in effect, indentation size effect (ISE), and creep behavior vary with the composition of Al-Mg-Si alloys at room temperature.

Atomic Layer Deposition-Derived MoS/NbS Nanoheterojunctions Enable High-Density Quantum Dot Loading for Enhanced Signal-On Photoelectrochemical Detection of cTnI.

Acute myocardial infarction (MI) remains a major global health threat, necessitating rapid and sensitive detection strategies. Herein, we report a signal-on quantum dot photoelectrochemical (QD-PEC) biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), based on a MoS/NbS nanoheterojunction constructed via atomic layer deposition (ALD). The petal-like MoS/NbS, uniformly grown with atomic precision, offers a high surface area and efficient charge transport, serving as an ideal scaffold for dense CdTe QD loading.

Evolution of CoNi Alloy Electronic Structure Buffered by Carbon Nanolayer to Tune Selective Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species.

Generation of non-radical reactive oxygen species (ROS) via peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation is desired to drive selective Fenton-like reactions and strongly affected by the electronic structure of catalyst. While the static structure-activity relationship of catalysts is well explored, how the evolution of electronic structure dynamically affects the ROS generation remains poorly understood. This study fabricated carbon nanolayer-supported CoNi alloys (CoNi@CNT) with preset atomic Ni/Co ratio (x/y = 1:3, 2:2, 3:1) to probe the dynamic evolution of electronic structure and its subsequent role for the generation of non-radical ROS.

Silicon and heavy metal dynamics in soil-rice systems: A taihu lake plain case study on silicon depletion.

This study addresses the critical issue of heavy metal contamination (Ni, Cu, As, Cd, Pb) in rice cultivation, with particular focus on silicon-deficient paddy soils in the Taihu Lake Plain, where Si is 87.97 mg kg. While silicon (Si) supplementation has demonstrated efficacy in mitigating heavy metal stress in plants, its effectiveness in Si-deficient soil-rice systems remains insufficiently characterized, particularly at the field scale.

Enhancing Hydrogen Storage Performance of Magnesium Hydride via the In Situ Formed Co/LaCoO Heterostructure Derived from a Three-Dimensional Network LaCoO.

In this work, a three-dimensional network LaCoO (3D LaCoO) was successfully synthesized by the colloidal crystal template technique and used for optimizing the de/hydrogenation performance of magnesium hydride (MgH). 3D LaCoO displays a unique three-dimensional network macroporous structure with interconnected pores, where LaCoO nanoparticles (10-20 nm) are homogeneously anchored on the macroporous pore walls. Remarkably, MgH doped with 5 wt % 3D LaCoO can quickly release 6.

Effects of strain on the stability, electronic, and optical properties of new h-BCN: a many-body study.

Exploring graphene-like two-dimensional materials with exceptional electro-optical properties is highly appealing for optoelectronic devices. Utilizing the PBE + + BSE method, the stability and electro-optical properties of a new h-BCN monolayer were investigated systematically, as well as the effects of strain. The h-BCN monolayer was dynamically stable in a broad range of strain and possessed a moderate indirect bandgap.

Unraveling the mechanism of brain damage in Carassius auratus by polypropylene microplastics and oxytetracycline via the brain-gut-microbiota axis.

Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic residues are widespread coexistence and pose a greater threat in aquatic environments, but the neurotoxic effects of co-exposure on aquatic animals remain poorly understood. This study investigated the mechanisms of MPs and oxytetracycline (OTC) on the brain-gut-microbiota axis of Carassius auratus at environmentally realistic levels. The carrier effect of MPs resulted in OTC accumulation levels of 221.

The Predictive Role of Contemporary Filial Piety and Academic Achievement on Multidimensional Emotional Intelligence Among Chinese Undergraduates.

This study investigates the quantitative relationship between the four dimensions of emotional intelligence and the two types of contemporary filial piety, academic achievement in a Chinese university setting. Based on a sample of 240 Chinese undergraduates, the regression analysis was employed to examine how academic achievement and the two types of contemporary filial piety, namely Pragmatic Obligation (PO) and Compassionate Reverence (CR), relate to four dimensions of emotional intelligence-Self-Emotional Monitoring (SEM), Emotional Utilization (EU), Social Competence (SC), and Others' Emotional Appraisal (OEA). Results revealed that CR, PO, and Grade Point Average (GPA) predicted emotional intelligence positively and significantly.

Supportive teachers, thriving students: Mindfulness, self-efficacy, and media engagement as pathways to well-being.

Student mental well-being is a critical concern in higher education, influencing academic performance and personal growth. Grounded in broaden-and-build theory, this study examines how perceived teacher support, student trait mindfulness, self-efficacy, and engagement with mental health content in media jointly affect student well-being. We collected survey data from 458 university students in four major Chinese cities using a three-wave design.

Dynamics and driving mechanisms of the regime shifts from clear-grass to turbid-algae stable state in a shallow lake ecosystem.

Due to the limited availability of long-term monitoring data and the constraints of methods for validating theory of alternative stable states, the dynamics and cross-scale driving mechanisms of regime shifts in shallow lakes have not yet been systematically understood. Furthermore, relevant empirical case studies remain exceedingly scarce. Therefore, this study focuses on Gehu Lake, a typical shallow lake in China.

Distribution characteristics of black carbon in Taihu Lake sediments and their effects on microorganisms.

The rapid accumulation of black carbon (BC) in the environment has posed a serious threat to climate change and ecological security in river basins. Lakes are important accumulation sinks for BC, and microorganisms in lake sediments play a significant and irreplaceable role in maintaining lake ecological security. However, there has been little research on the impact of BC on lake microorganisms, and studies have focused only on bacteria, neglecting the impact on fungi.

Insight of biological transformation process in the anaerobic codigestion of kitchen waste with landfill site closure leachate.

A 5-month anaerobic co-digestion was conducted using landfill site closure leachate as the inoculum stock solution and kitchen waste as the digestion material. This study investigated biogas production at varying kitchen waste loading rates, as well as changes in humic substances and microbial diversity in the digestate. The results demonstrated that when the waste loading rate was ≤ 2% (%w/w, dry mass ratio of kitchen waste) , the anaerobic co-digestion system efficiently degraded the kitchen waste, with over 90% of total gas production occurring within one day after the experiment commenced, indicating the rapid completion of the gasification process.

Interfacial Electrochemical Self-Assembly Enables Mechanically Robust Infrared Stealth Coatings on Complex-Shaped Metallic Substrates.

Transition metal carbides/carbonitrides (MXene) have emerged as highly promising infrared stealth coating materials due to their exceptional low infrared emissivity and high visible light absorption. Conventional coating techniques─such as blade coating, spraying, and spin-coating, the primary methods for existing MXene coatings─require specific substrate properties and face significant challenges in conforming to geometrically complex surfaces. To address these limitations, we developed an electrochemical ion-diffusion-induced gelation approach for fabricating MXene-based composite coatings (Fe M/G).

Advancements in understanding emission characteristics, data-driven olfactory-chemical measurements, and health impacts of the emerging odor pollution.

Odor pollution presents a multi-scale challenge to global environmental governance, with significant gaps in measurement reliability, temporal mismatches between emission patterns and regulatory standards, and acknowledgment of the undervaluation of its associated health risks. Analytical data reveal that odor concentrations vary over three to four orders of magnitude across different emission sources. These discrepancies are exacerbated by inconsistencies in measurement protocols, which hinder the establishment of standardized regulatory benchmarks.

Open Frameworks Materials for Nitrogen Electrofixation to Ammonia, Progress, Challenges, and Future Perspectives.

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction (eNRR) offers a sustainable and energy-efficient alternative to the conventional Haber-Bosch process for ammonia (NH) synthesis, operating under mild conditions with reduced environmental impact. Open framework materials (OFMs), encompassing covalent-organic frameworks (COFs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have emerged as highly promising candidates due to their modular structures, tunable porosity, and adaptable functionalities. This review summarizes recent advancements in OFMs for eNRR, focusing on strategies for selection and design of active centers, regulation of porous structure, and conductivity enhancement strategy, as well as surface functionalization and interface engineering.

Effect of magnetic stirring and different additives on the synthesis of zeolites from MSWI fly ash.

As a kind of hazardous solid wastes, municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash leads to serious environmental pollution. Converting MSWI fly ash into zeolites is an economically beneficial and environmentally sound way of disposal. In this paper, the effect of different additives (kaolin, milled glass powder, NaSiO) on the synthesis of zeolites by microwave-assisted hydrothermal process using MSWI fly ash was investigated through a series of single-factor experiments.

Mechanical Performance Evaluation of Negative-Poisson's-Ratio Honeycomb Helmets in Craniocerebral Injury Protection.

Helmets are crucial for protecting motorcycle riders from head injuries in accidents. This study proposes a helmet pad design based on a negative-Poisson's-ratio (NPR) structure and comprehensively evaluates its protective effect on head injuries. A concave hexagonal honeycomb structure was embedded into the energy-absorbing lining of a motorcycle helmet, and finite element collision simulations were conducted according to the ECE R22.