A Complexing Agent to Enable a Wide-Temperature Range Bromine-Based Flow Battery for Stationary Energy Storage

Bromine-based flow batteries (Br-FBs) are considered one of the most promising energy storage systems due to their features of high energy density and low cost. However, they generally suffer from uncontrolled diffusion of corrosive bromine particularly at high temperatures. That is because the interaction between polybromide anions and the commonly used complexing agent (N–methyl–N–ethyl–pyrrolidinium bromide [MEP]) decreases with increasing temperatures, which causes serious self-discharge and capacity fade. Herein, a novel bromine complexing agent, 1–ethyl–2–methyl–pyridinium bromide (BCA), is introduced in Br-FBs to solve the above problems. It is proven that BCA can combine with polybromide anions very well even at a high temperature of 60 °C. Moreover, the BCA contributes to decreasing the electrochemical polarization of Br⁻/Br₂ couple, which in turn improves their power density. As a result, a zinc–bromine flow battery with BCA as the complexing agent can achieve a high energy efficiency of 84% at 40 mA cm⁻², even at high temperature of 60 °C and it can stably run for more than 400 cycles without obvious performance decay. This paper provides an effective complexing agent to enable a wide temperature range Br-FB.     

Capsiate Intake with Exercise Training Additively Reduces Fat Deposition in Mice on a High-Fat Diet,but Not without Exercise Training

While exercise training (ET) is an efficient strategy to manage obesity, it is recommended with a dietary plan to maximize the antiobesity functions owing to a compensational increase in energy intake. Capsiate is a notable bioactive compound for managing obesity owing to its capacity to increase energy expenditure. We aimed to examine whether the antiobesity effects of ET can be further enhanced by capsiate intake (CI) and determine its effects on resting energy expenditure and metabolic molecules. Mice were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 per group) and fed high-fat diet. Mild-intensity treadmill ET was conducted five times/week; capsiate (10 mg/kg) was orally administered daily. After 8 weeks, resting metabolic rate and metabolic molecules were analyzed. ET with CI additively reduced the abdominal fat rate by 18% and solely upregulated beta-3-adrenoceptors in adipose tissue (p = 0.013) but did not affect the metabolic molecules in skeletal muscles. Surprisingly, CI without ET significantly increased the abdominal fat rate (p = 0.001) and reduced energy expenditure by 9%. Therefore, capsiate could be a candidate compound for maximizing the antiobesity effects of ET by upregulating beta-3-adrenoceptors in adipose tissue, but CI without ET may not be beneficial in managing obesity.     

Bioinspired Triboelectric Soft Robot Driven by Mechanical Energy

A sustainable power source is a key technical challenge for practical applications of electrically responsive soft robots, especially the required voltage is over several thousand volts. Here, a practicable new technology, triboelectric soft robot (TESR) system with the primary characteristics of power source from mechanical energy, is developed. At its heart is TESR with bioinspired architectures made of soft-deformable body and two triboelectric adhesion feet, which is driven and accurately controlled through triboelectric effect, while reaching maximum crawling speeds of 14.9 mm s⁻¹ on the acrylic surface. The characteristics of the TESR, including displacement and force, are tested and simulated under the power of a rotary freestanding triboelectric nanogenerator (RF-TENG). Crawling of TESR is successfully realized on different materials surfaces and different angle slopes under the driven of RF-TENG. Furthermore, a real-time visual monitoring platform, in which TESR carries a micro camera to transmit images in a long narrow tunnel, is also achieved successfully, indicating that it can be used for fast diagnosis in an area inaccessible to human beings in the future. This study offers a new insight into the sustainable power source technologies suitable for electrically responsive soft robots and contributes to expanding the applicability of TENGs.     

Synthesis of novel p-n heterojunction Cu2SnS3/Ti3+-TiO2 for the complete tetracycline degradation in few minutes and photocatalytic activity under simulated solar irradiation

In this research work, p-n heterojunction Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ photocatalysts were synthesized by using a facile hydrothermal method to degrade tetracycline and produce hydrogen energy. The properties of Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ was analyzed by using XRD, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, BET, PL and UV–vis characterization. The HPLC-MS and TOC analyzer systems were used to analyze the intermediate products during the photocatalysis deprivation and total organic carbon. The characterizations showed that the addition of self-doped Ti³⁺ and Cu₂SnS₃ into TiO₂ enhanced the material's crystallinity, increased the absorption region from 450 nm to 750 nm, increased the surface area of the material from 234 to 583 m²/g and reduced the recombination of charge carriers. Under visible light irradiation, Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ exhibited excellent degradation performance and stability. The increase in the efficiency of the material is due to the creation of an internal electric field induced by the p-n heterojunction and reduction in the bandgap of the material, which efficiently reduced the rate of recombination, increased the surface area for light absorption and increased the transfer of charge carriers. The Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ photocatalyst degraded 100 % tetracycline and produced 510 μmol/hg hydrogen energy. The Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ composite exhibited good stability even after six cycles Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ degraded 98–99 % TC under visible light irridiation. The efficiency of Cu₂SnS₃/Ti³⁺-TiO₂ was also analyzed in the outdoor environment, confirming that this material can be effectively used in practical applications.     

Inductive effect in Mn-doped ZnO nanoribon arrays grown on Ni foam: A promising key for boosted capacitive and high specific energy supercapacitors

Transition metal oxides have been explored in supercapacitor applications owing to their safety, low cost, high specific capacitance and high electrochemical activity. Among all transition metal oxides, zinc oxide based materials show remarkable response for designing the supercapacitors with high electrochemical activity. Here in, Mn doped ZnO (Zn_1-xMn_xO₃ with x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1) was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method. Doping of Mn into the ZnO increased the surface area and decease the charge transfer resistance for the Zn_0.5Mn_0.5O₃. All the synthesized materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy SEM), BET, electrochemical tests and other various analytical techniques to confirm the structural, morphological, textural and suprcapacitive properties. The synthesized material Zn_0.5Mn_0.5O₃ having the porous nanoribons structure with BET surface area (2490 cm²/g). The electrochemical studies showed significantly enhanced response toward pseudocapacitive nature. The synthesized material exhibited the excellent specific capacitance (515F/g), specific energy (28.61 Wh/kg) and specific power (1000 W/kg) at current density of 2 mA/g. Such impressive and superior properties make the MnZnO₃ material as promising candidate for new generation supercapacitor applications.     

Environmental impact estimation of ceramic lightweight aggregates production starting from residues

Within a circular economy approach, this study investigates the environmental impact of lightweight aggregates (LWAs) produced starting from different mixes of different clays with brewery sludge and cattle bone flour ash (CBA), used as poring and fertilizing agents, respectively. The environmental impact was evaluated by means of release tests, insulation capacity, carbon footprint (CFP), and particulate matter emission during pellet firing. Release tests representative of LWAs realistic application showed very high release of phosphate and satisfactory release of potassium. The thermal insulation of the LWAs was tested by thermal imaging camera and resulted highly variable depending on the composition, with the mix containing CBA performing best. This latter composition leads also to the smallest CO₂ equivalent emission, due to the calorific power of CBA, allowing lower consumption of fossil fuels during the LWA production. Finally, total particulate emissions during the thermal treatment resulted similar in terms of mass for all mixes, while differences in terms of particle morphology and composition occurred. Samples containing residue resulted with a quite good release behavior, CFP, and insulation properties, but higher emission of particles, particularly when glass is added.     

循环水替代7℃水在氯乙烯精馏装置中的应用研究

详细计算了PVC生产精馏系统换热设备的热负荷、循环水量及运行成本,认为通过调整系统的运行温度和压力,精馏装置使用循环水替代7℃水具有可行性,这将有利于突破能耗高的技术瓶颈,最大程度地发挥节能降耗、减污增效的潜能。     

钨中空位及其团簇的能量学和动力学性质参数

在总结前人钨中空位及其团簇的能量学和动力学行为的研究成果基础上，采用第一性原理方法系统计算了钨中空位及其团簇的结合能和扩散能垒。研究发现，交换关联泛函PW91和PBE较PBEsol、AM05和LDA更适合用于计算钨空位的能量学性质。基于第一性原理计算结果对文献中单空位形成能、双空位作用性质等争议性问题进行了讨论，并对钨经验势进行了评估。研究结果表明，钨中孤立单空位间总是相互排斥，而空位团簇（V_n>3）对单空位具有很强的吸引作用，其结合能随着所含空位个数增多呈现波动性增大的趋势。空位团簇稳定结构可通过最小化Wigner-Seitz表面积来确定，其结合能与V_n与V_n-1之间的Wigner-Seitz面积之差呈正比。     

一种改进的特征匹配算法在碎片云测量建模中的应用

为满足超高速撞击典型Whipple防护构型的损伤评估需求,利用图像处理技术对碎片云序列阴影图像进行深入研究。使用超高速序列激光阴影成像仪得到三组不同实验条件下碎片云发展过程的高清阴影图像,分别对每组最具代表性的2帧进行图像处理分析;根据碎片云图像特点以及碎片运动特性,提出了一种改进的碎片二次特征匹配算法,该方法包含碎片粗定位、特征定义及初匹配和精确匹配三步策略;通过运用改进的匹配算法,对选取的相邻两帧图片完成碎片高效匹配,并提取匹配碎片的运动参数,进而分析碎片的速度分布和飞行角度分布,获取二次碎片云相关运动特性;得到三组实验各自的轨迹模拟图。根据得到的轨迹分析结果分别对三组实验的后板损伤进行估计,并通过与防护构型的实际损伤结果进行比较,验证了该方法的有效性。     

A Skin-Inspired Triboelectric Nanogenerator with an Interpenetrating Structure for Motion Sensing and Energy Harvesting

Rapid advancements in wearable electronics impose the challenge on power supply devices. Herein, a flexible single-electrode triboelectric nanogenerator (SE-TENG) that enables both human motion sensing and biomechanical energy harvesting is reported. The SE-TENG is fabricated by interpenetrating Ag-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nanofibers within a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer. The Ag coating and PDMS are performed as the electrode and dielectric material for the SE-TENG, respectively. The Ag-coated PET nanofibers enlarge the electrode surface area, which is beneficial to increase sensing sensitivity. The flexible SE-TENG sensor shows the capability of outputting alternating electrical signals with an open-circuit voltage up to 50 V and a short-circuit current up to 200 nA in response to externally applied pressure. It is used to sense various types of human motions and harvest electric energy from body motion. The harvested energy can successfully power wearable electronics, such as an electronic watch and light-emitting diode. Therefore, the as-prepared SE-TENG sensor with a pressure response and self-powered capability provides potential applications in wearable sensors or flexible electronics for personal healthcare and human–machine interfaces.