Synthesis,characterization and magnetic properties of polythiophene/SrFe12-x(ZrZn)0.5xO19 nanocomposite as a microwave absorber

Ferrites are an important group of magnetic materials which are used as absorbers. The incorporation of ferrite and conducting polymer achieves great enhancement in microwave absorption properties. The nanocomposites of hexagonal ferrites embedded by conducting polymers such as polypyrrole, polyaniline and polythiophene (PTH) have been paid much attention. In the present study, strontium hexagonal ferrite doped by Zr and Zn with the final formula of SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 considering x = 0.9 and embedded by PTH was produced to achieve a nanocomposite with the highest microwave absorbing ability. In this study, after synthesis of SrFe₁₂O₁₉(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 and PTH, the nanocomposite was prepared by in situ polymerization. Wrapping the ferrite particles and PTH chains could form nanocomposite properly, and therefore acceptable interactions were observable between SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19ferrite particles and PTH polymer chains in the composites. Assessing the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19, PTH, and PTH/SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 nanocomposite indicated that the PTH characteristic peak shifts slightly and its peak intensity reduces, which may be attribute to the coating of PTH polymer chains onto SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particles. We revealed also lower magnetic properties in the obtained nanocomposite. The morphological assessment also suggested that PTH could effectively coat the SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particles. The synergistic effect of SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particle plus PTH leads to microwave absorption percentage higher than 95% by PTH/SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 nanocomposite. Overall, nanocomposite creating by coupling interaction between SrFe_12-x(ZrZn)_0.5xO19 particles (x = 0.9) and PTH can effectively lead to achieve the highest rate of absorption of electromagnetic waves.     

COVID-19 hospitalization rates rise exponentially with age,inversely proportional to thymic T-cell production

Here, we report that COVID-19 hospitalization rates follow an exponential relationship with age, doubling for every 16 years of age or equivalently increasing by 4.5% per year of life (R² = 0.98). This mirrors the well-studied exponential decline of both thymus volume and T-cell production, which halve every 16 years. COVID-19 can therefore be added to the list of other diseases with this property, including those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MERS-CoV, West Nile virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and certain cancers, such as chronic myeloid leukaemia and brain cancers. In addition, the incidence of severe disease and mortality due to COVID-19 are both higher in men, consistent with the degree to which thymic involution (and the decrease in T-cell production with age) is more severe in men compared to women. Since these properties are shared with some non-contagious diseases, we hypothesized that the age dependence does not come from social-mixing patterns, i.e. that the probability of hospitalization given infection rises exponentially, doubling every 16 years. A Bayesian analysis of daily hospitalizations, incorporating contact matrices, found that this relationship holds for every age group except for the under 20s. While older adults have fewer contacts than young adults, our analysis suggests that there is an approximate cancellation between the effects of fewer contacts for the elderly and higher infectiousness due to a higher probability of developing severe disease. Our model fitting suggests under 20s have 49–75% additional immune protection beyond that predicted by strong thymus function alone, consistent with increased juvenile cross-immunity from other viruses. We found no evidence for differences between age groups in susceptibility to infection or infectiousness to others (given disease state), i.e. the only important factor in the age dependence of hospitalization rates is the probability of hospitalization given infection. These findings suggest the existence of a T-cell exhaustion threshold, proportional to thymic output and that clonal expansion of peripheral T-cells does not affect disease risk. The strikingly simple inverse relationship between risk and thymic T-cell output adds to the evidence that thymic involution is an important factor in the decline of the immune system with age and may also be an important clue in understanding disease progression, not just for COVID-19 but other diseases as well.     

Effect of <i>Lycopus lucidus</i> Turcz. supplementation on gut microflora and short chain fatty acid composition in Crj: CD-1 mice

We investigated the diversity and composition of microflora in feces of Lycopus lucidus Turcz.-fed mice. In addition, we evaluated the production of major cytokines (Interleukin-6 and -10) which are related to inflammation and fatty acid composition of several tissues. 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing-based microbiome taxonomic profiling analysis was performed utilizing the EzBioCloud data base. Male mice fed on L. lucidus showed a significantly reduced number of lactic acid bacteria and coliform in the feces compared with the control group (p < 0.05). 16S rDNA sequencing analysis of fecal samples showed that L. lucidus supplementation decreased the community of harmful microflora (Enterobacteriaceae including Escherichia coli and Bacteroides sp.) in feces compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in mRNA expression of cytokine IL-6 and IL-10 between the control and L. lucidus fed groups. The fecal fatty acid composition in the L. lucidus group had percentages of 4:0, 6:0, 8:0 and 10:0 in the intestine but those short chain fatty acids were not detected in the control group. Our results showed that L. lucidus supplementation influenced gut environment by decreasing harmful microflora and increased the percentages of several short fatty acids.     

Recent Developments and Applications of Ionic Liquids in Gas Separation Membranes

Flue gas emissions and the harmful effects of these gases urge to separate and capture these unwanted gases. Ionic liquids due to negligible vapor pressure, thermal stability, and wide electrochemical stability have expanded its application in gas separations. A comprehensive overview of the recent developments and applications of ionic liquid membranes (ILMs) for gas separation is given. The three general classifications of ILMs, such as supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs), ionic liquid polymeric membranes (ILPMs), and ionic liquid mixed‐matrix membranes (ILMMMs) along with their applications, for the separation of various mixed gases systems is discussed in detail. Furthermore, issues, challenges, computational study, and future perspectives for ILMs are also considered.     

Synthesis of polyamidoxime chelating ligand from polymer‐grafted corn‐cob cellulose for metal extraction

A conventional free‐radical initiating process was used to prepare graft copolymers from acrylonitrile (AN) with corn‐cob cellulose with ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as an initiator. The optimum grafting was achieved with corn‐cob cellulose (anhydroglucose unit, AGU), mineral acid (H₂SO₄), CAN, and AN at concentrations of 0.133, 0.081, 0.0145, and 1.056 mol/L, respectively. Furthermore, the nitrile functional groups of the grafted copolymers were converted to amidoxime ligands with hydroxylamine under basic conditions of pH 11 with 4 h of stirring at 70°C. The purified acrylic polymer‐grafted cellulose and polyamidoxime ligand were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis. The ligand showed an excellent copper binding capacity (4.14 mmol/g) with a faster rate of adsorption (average exchange rate = 7 min), and it showed a good adsorption capacity for other metal ions as well. The metal‐ion adsorption capacities of the ligand were pH‐dependent in the following order: Cu²⁺ > Co²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Cr³⁺ > Fe³⁺ > Zn²⁺ > Ni²⁺. The metal‐ion removal efficiency was very high; up to 99% was removed from the aqueous media at a low concentration. These new polymeric chelating ligands could be used to remove aforementioned toxic metal ions from industrial wastewater. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40833.     

岩石直接拉伸与压缩变形的循环加载实验与双模量本构模型

采用一种可对同一岩石试样进行单轴压缩和直接拉伸试验的岩石试样试验装置,对5种岩石进行了压缩和拉伸循环加载试验。结果表明,对于其中压缩平均变形模量ECA较拉伸平均模量ETA大得多的3种岩石(ECA/ETA分别等于2,2.5和6),拉伸下的卸载平均模量ETAUN远大于ETA,且ETAUN约等于ECA。因此,虽然这几种岩石压缩下的变形可近似视为弹性的,拉伸下的变形却是非弹性或塑性的。一些研究者对ET<相似文献   

准东煤成灰过程中钠的迁移特性及形态变化

为研究准东煤成灰过程中钠的迁移特性及形态变化,通过热重试验分析了5种准东煤的着火温度和燃烬温度,在575和815℃成灰温度下对5种准东煤进行灰化试验;重点研究了成灰温度对准东煤成灰特性的影响,采用X射线荧光光谱仪(XRF)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、扫描电镜-能谱分析仪(SEM-EDS)等方法对成灰理化特性进行了表征,最后采用化学热力学软件Fact Sage模拟了准东木垒煤灰化过程中钠的迁移特性。结果表明,5种准东煤的着火温度均低于400℃,燃烬温度均低于500℃。575和815℃成灰物质形态与理化特性差异明显,815℃时5种准东煤成灰中钠含量相比575℃分别降低了47.67%、88.89%、62.45%、52.48%和85.78%,成灰表面钠含量分别降低了67.52%、75.70%、44.87%、63.71%和90.08%。成灰温度不仅影响煤灰中钠含量,还影响钠的赋存形态,800℃以上高温灰中出现黏结现象。最终确定5种准东煤的成灰温度为575℃,既能保证煤样成灰完全,又能最大限度减少灰化过程中碱金属钠元素的损失。     

不同工艺状态的玻璃布/酚醛复合材料防隔热特性研究

玻璃布/酚醛复合材料有较好的耐烧蚀和隔热特性,被广泛用于工业耐高温设备以及高速飞行的航天器防隔热设计上,但是不同的成型工艺表现出的耐烧蚀及隔热特性却存在差异。将不同玻璃布厚度、不同缠绕工艺、不同固化方式、以及有机纤维与玻璃纤维混编工艺获得的玻璃布/酚醛制品,取样进行风洞条件下的耐烧蚀、隔热性能试验,试验测量了各模型的质量烧蚀率及背面温升,用于评估其相应的防隔热性能。试验结果显示倾斜缠绕工艺耐烧蚀及隔热性能最优,与理论预期一致,可为工程应用提供参考。     

脉冲功率电容器用PbLa(ZrTi)O_3陶瓷性能研究

采用固相反应法制备了Pb0.96La0.06(Zr1-xTix)O3陶瓷,研究了Ti含量对所制陶瓷的电性能和储能特性的影响。结果表明,PbLa(ZrTi)O3陶瓷介电常数与电场强度呈非线性变化关系。当Ti含量x为0.08时,所测电滞回线细长狭窄,并呈下凹趋势,此时极化强度为22.18×10–6 C/cm2,储能密度为1.06 J/cm3。通过流延法制备的脉冲功率电容器击穿电压可大幅度提升,储能密度达1.95 J/cm3,具有高能量转换效率。