A review of thin film electrolytes fabricated by physical vapor deposition for solid oxide fuel cells

The ohmic resistance in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) mainly comes from the electrolyte, which can be reduced by developing novel electrolyte materials with higher ionic conductivity and/or fabricating thin-film electrolytes. Among various kinds of thin-film fabrication technology, the physical vapor deposition (PVD) method can reduce the electrolyte thickness to a few micrometers and mitigate the issues associated with high-temperature sintering, which is necessary for wet ceramic methods. This review summarizes recent development progress in thin-film electrolytes fabricated by the PVD method, especially pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and magnetron sputtering. At first, the importance of the substrate surface morphology for the quality of the film is emphasized. After that, the fabrication of thin-film doped-zirconia and doped-ceria electrolytes is presented, then we provide a brief summary of the works on other types of electrolytes prepared by PVD. Finally, we have come to the summary and made perspectives.     

Swapping catalytic active sites from cationic Ni to anionic F in Fe–F–Ni3S2 enables more efficient alkaline oxygen evolution reaction and urea oxidation reaction

Electrolysis of water for producing hydrogen instead of traditional fossil fuels is one of the most promising methods to alleviate environmental pollution and energy crisis. In this work, Fe and F ion co-doped Ni₃S₂ nanoarrays grown on Ni foam substrate were prepared by typical hydrothermal and sulfuration processes for the first time. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation demonstrate that the adsorption energy of the material to water is greatly enhanced due to the doping of F and Fe, which is conducive to the formation of intermediate species and the improvement of electrochemical performance of the electrode. The adsorption energy of anions (F and S) and cations (Fe and Ni) to water in each material was also calculated, and the results showed that F ion showed the most optimal adsorption energy of water, which proved that the doping of F and Fe was beneficial to improve the electrochemical performance of the electrode. It is worth noting that the surface of Fe–F–Ni₃S₂ material will undergo reconstruction during the process of water oxidation reaction and urea oxidation reaction, and amorphous oxides or hydroxides in situ would be formed on the surface of electrode, which are the real active species.     

Lactobacillus reuteri-fortified camel milk infant formula: Effects of encapsulation,in vitro digestion,and storage conditions on probiotic cell viability and physicochemical characteristics of infant formula

Lactobacillus reuteri fortified camel milk infant formula (CMIF) was produced. The effect of encapsulation in different matrices (sodium alginate and galacto-oligosaccharides) via spray drying, simulated infant gastrointestinal digestion (SIGID), and storage conditions (temperature and humidity) on the viability of L. reuteri in CMIF and the physicochemical properties of CMIF were evaluated. Compared with free cells, probiotic cell viability was significantly enhanced against SIGID conditions upon encapsulation. However, L. reuteri viability in CMIF decreased after 60 d of storage, predominantly at higher storage humidity and temperature levels. At the end of the storage period, significant changes in the color values were observed in all CMIF, with a reduction in their greenness, an increase in yellowness, and a wide variation in their whiteness. Moreover, pH values and caking behavior of all CMIF stored at higher temperature (40°C) and humidity [water activity (a_w) = 0.52] levels were found to be significantly higher than the samples stored under other conditions. Over 30 d of storage at lower humidity conditions (a_w = 0.11 and 0.33) and room temperature (25°C), no significant increase in CMIF lipid oxidation rates was noted. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that, compared with the other storage conditions, CMIF experienced fewer changes in functional groups when stored at a_w = 0.11. Microscopic images showed typical morphological characteristics of milk powder, with round to spherical-shaped particles. Overall, camel milk fortified with encapsulated L. reuteri can be suggested as a promising alternative in infant formula industries, potentially able to maintain its physicochemical characteristics as well as viability of probiotic cells when stored at low humidity levels (a_w = 0.11) and temperature (25°C), over 60 d of storage.     

Bovidae-based gelatin: Extractions method,physicochemical and functional properties,applications, and future trends

Gelatin is one of the most important multifunctional biopolymers and is widely used as an essential ingredient in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics. Porcine gelatin is regarded as the leading source of gelatin globally then followed by bovine gelatin. Porcine sources are favored over other sources since they are less expensive. However, porcine gelatin is religiously prohibited to be consumed by Muslims and the Jewish community. It is predicted that the global demand for gelatin will increase significantly in the future. Therefore, a sustainable source of gelatin with efficient production and free of disease transmission must be developed. The highest quality of Bovidae-based gelatin (BG) was acquired through alkaline pretreatment, which displayed excellent physicochemical and rheological properties. The utilization of mammalian- and plant-based enzyme significantly increased the gelatin yield. The emulsifying and foaming properties of BG also showed good stability when incorporated into food and pharmaceutical products. Manipulation of extraction conditions has enabled the development of custom-made gelatin with desired properties. This review highlighted the various modifications of extraction and processing methods to improve the physicochemical and functional properties of Bovidae-based gelatin. An in-depth analysis of the crucial stage of collagen breakdown is also discussed, which involved acid, alkaline, and enzyme pretreatment, respectively. In addition, the unique characteristics and primary qualities of BG including protein content, amphoteric property, gel strength, emulsifying and viscosity properties, and foaming ability were presented. Finally, the applications and prospects of BG as the preferred gelatin source globally were outlined.     

Experimental research on combined effect of obstacle and local spraying water fog on hydrogen/air premixed explosion

In order to reveal the mechanism of water fog explosion suppression and research the combined effect of water fog and obstacle on hydrogen/air deflagration, multiple sets of experiments were set up. The results show that the instability of thermal diffusion under lean combustion conditions is the main influencing factor of hydrogen/air flame surface instability, and the existence of water fog will aggravate the hydrogen/air flame surface instability. When obstacle is not considered, 8 μm, 15 μm, 30 μm water fog can significantly reduce the flame velocity and explosion overpressure of hydrogen/air, 45 μm fine water fog plays the opposite role. When considering the relative position of the water fog release position and the obstacle, the 8 μm, 15 μm, 30 μm water fog has almost no suppression effect when released near the obstacle, but a significant suppression effect occur, when using the 45 μm water fog. In the field of theoretical research, the research results not only provide an experimental basis for the fine water fog to reduce the consequences of hydrogen explosion accidents, and the optimal diameter range used by the water fog, but also provide experimental reference for the numerical simulation of hydrogen/air explosion suppression in semi-open space, and promote the development of hydrogen explosion suppression theory. In terms of engineering applications, this study can provide a theoretical basis for the layout of fire fighting equipment in the engine room of nuclear power plants or hydrogen-powered ships.     

针对细微特征进行K-means聚类的电台分选识别技术

现代战场中的无线通信设备日益增多，精准获取个体信息已成为研究热点，但也是难点。针对通信电台，提出了一种分选识别技术。该技术从电台物理层特性出发，对其辐射信号的细微特征进行K-means聚类以实现分选，分选的同时提取各个个体的特征属性值，未知信号通过与特征属性值相关运算实现个体识别。该技术无需先验知识，无需训练运算，通过实验验证，其可行、高效，易于工程实现。     

Role of functionalized graphene quantum dots in hydrogen evolution reaction: A density functional theory study

Rapid advances in the field of catalysis require a microscopic understanding of the catalytic mechanisms. However, in recent times, experimental insights in this field have fallen short of expectations. Furthermore, experimental searches of novel catalytic materials are expensive and time-consuming, with no guarantees of success. As a result, density functional theory (DFT) can be quite advantageous in advancing this field because of the microscopic insights it provides and thus can guide experimental searches of novel catalysts. Several recent works have demonstrated that low-dimensional materials can be very efficient catalysts. Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have gained much attention in past years due to their unique properties like low toxicity, chemical inertness, biocompatibility, crystallinity, etc. These properties of GQDs which are due to quantum confinement and edge effects facilitate their applications in various fields like sensing, photoelectronics, catalysis, and many more. Furthermore, the properties of GQDs can be enhanced by doping and functionalization. In order to understand the effects of functionalization by oxygen and boron based groups on the catalytic properties relevant to the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER), we perform a systematic study of GQDs functionalized with the oxygen (O), borinic acid (BC₂O), and boronic acid (BCO₂). All calculations that included geometry optimization, electronic and adsorption mechanism, were carried out using the Gaussian16 package, employing the hybrid functional B3LYP, and the basis set 6-31G(d,p). With the variation in functionalization groups in GQDs, we observe significant changes in their electronic properties. The adsorption energy E_ads of hydrogen over O-GQD, BC₂O-GQD, and BCO₂-GQD is ?0.059 eV, ?0.031 eV and ?0.032 eV respectively. Accordingly, Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of hydrogen adsorption is extraordinarily near the ideal value (0 eV) for all the three types of functionalized GQDs. Thus, the present work suggests pathways for experimental realization of low-cost and multifunctional GQDs based catalysts for clean and renewable hydrogen energy production.     

The formed surface characteristics of SiCf/SiC composite in the nanosecond pulsed laser ablation

For the advantages of high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance and ultra-high hardness, SiC_f/SiC composite is becoming a preferred material for manufacturing aero-engine parts. However, the anisotropy and heterogeneity bring great challenges to the processing technology. In this study, a nanosecond pulsed laser is applied to process SiC_f/SiC composite, where the influence of the scanning speed and laser scanning direction to the SiC fibers on the morphology of ablated grooves is investigated. The surface characteristics after ablation and the involved chemical reaction of SiC_f/SiC are explored. The results show that the increased laser scanning speed, accompanied by the decreasing spot overlap rate, leads to the less accumulation of energy on the material surface, so the ablation effect drops. In addition, for the anisotropy of the SiC_f/SiC material, the obtained surface characteristics are closely dependent on the laser scanning direction to the SiC fibers, resulting in different groove morphology. The element composition and phase analysis of the machined surface indicate that the main deposited product is SiO₂ and the carbon substance. The results can provide preliminary technical support for controlling the machining quality of ceramic matrix composites.     

Crystallization behavior and density functional theory study of solution combustion synthesized silicon doped calcium phosphates

The influence of heat-treatment temperatures (700 °C, 900°C, 1200 °C) on the phase, physical properties, crystallization rate, and in vitro properties of the solution combustion synthesized silicon-doped calcium phosphates (CaPs) were investigated. The thermodynamic aspects (enthalpy, entropy, and free energy) of the synthesis process and the crystallographic properties of the final samples were first predicted and then confirmed using density functional theory (DFT). Results demonstrated that the crystallization rate was controlled by the fuel(s) type (glycine, citric acid, and urea) and the amounts of Si⁴⁺ ions (0, 0.1, 0.4 mol). The highest calculated crystallization rate values of the un-doped, 0.1, and 0.4 mol Si-doped samples were 64%, 22%, 38%, respectively. The obtained results from the DFT simulation revealed that crystal growth in the direction of c-axis of hydroxyapatite (HAp) structure could change the stability of (001) surface of (HAp). Also, the computational data confirmed the adsorption of Si–OH groups on the (001) surface of HAp during the SCS process with an adsorption energy of 1.53 eV. AFM results in line with DFT simulation showed that the observed change in the surface roughness of Si-doped CaPs from 2 to 8 nm could be related to the doping of Si⁴⁺ ions onto the surface of CaPs. Besides, the theoretical and experimental investigation showed that crystal growth and doping of Si⁴⁺ ions could decrease the activation energy of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Furthermore, the results showed that the crystallized HAp structure could have great potential to efficiently reduce oxidative stress in human body.