Novel 0D/1D ZnBi2O4/ZnO S-scheme photocatalyst for hydrogen production and BPA removal

Developing interfacial connections is one of the breakthrough strategies to improve the photocatalytic activity. Herein, ZnBi₂O₄ nanoparticles-ZnO nanorods heterojunction was successfully synthesized and used, as a dual-function photocatalyst, for photocatalytic degradation of Bisphenol A and hydrogen production with improved photocatalytic activity under simulated sunlight irradiation. The highest H₂ production (3.44 mmol g^?1 h^?1) was obtained for ZnO-20 wt% ZnBi₂O₄ sample, which is around 12.7 times higher than pure ZnO. According to the HRTEM result, the intimate interfacial connections are formed between ZnO and ZnBi₂O₄ which could act as trapping centers for charge carriers and results in the boosted photocatalytic activity. Further, a high aspect ratio of 1D ZnO nanorods and small size of 0D ZnBi₂O₄ nanoparticles (~10 nm) increases the number of interfacial contacts and thus the charge carriers’ recombination was suppressed more efficiently. Based on the trapping experiments, ESR and Mott-Schottky analysis, ZnBi₂O₄–ZnO hybrid photocatalyst followed the S-scheme charge transfer mechanism.     

Influence of Wall Material and Inlet Drying Air Temperature on the Microencapsulation of Fish Oil by Spray Drying

Several single and composite milk-originated wall materials were used to microencapsulate fish oil via spray drying at various inlet drying air temperatures. Skim milk powder (SMP), whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate (WPI), 80% WPI?+?20% milk protein concentrate, and 80% WPI?+?20% sodium caseinate (NaCas) were applied as the wall for capsules generated at drying air temperatures of 140, 160, and 180 °C. The higher the drying air temperature, the higher was the particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and peroxide value and the lower was the moisture content and bulk density. The microcapsules prepared with SMP showed the highest encapsulation efficiency and lowest peroxide value for the oil due to the presence of lactose in its chemical composition. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared analyses indicated the absence of any significant interaction between SMP and fish oil.     

STUDY ON THE ACETYLENE HYDROGENATION PROCESS FOR ETHYLENE PRODUCTION: SIMULATION,MODIFICATION, AND OPTIMIZATION

In this study, an industrial acetylene hydrogenation unit is simulated utilizing three available kinetic models. The results are compared against six-day experimental data and the best model is selected. Effects of feed temperature and the amount of injected hydrogen on ethylene selectivity are also studied. According to the simulation results, the unit is not working under its optimum conditions. Furthermore, by reduction of the hydrogen flow rate to 52 kg/h, process selectivity is increased. In addition, a new approach is proposed to modify the hydrogenation process and reduce undesired by-products. In the simulation of the modified process, hydrogenation reactors temperature, hydrogen flow rate, and H-1/H-2 ratio were regulated as adjustable parameters for the process optimization. The simulation shows that ethylene selectivity increases by 12%, while acetylene concentration and hydrogenation reactor temperature remains within acceptable ranges. Such selectivity could be achieved at the hydrogen flow rate of 50 kg/h with H-1/H-2 ratio of 0.1/0.9.     

Transductive multi-label learning from missing data using smoothed rank function

Pattern Analysis and Applications - In this paper, we propose two new algorithms for transductive multi-label learning from missing data. In transductive matrix completion (MC), the challenge is...     

Peer‐to‐peer financing choice of SME entrepreneurs in the re‐emergence of supply chain localization

While peer‐to‐peer (P2P) financing mechanisms have recently gained significant popularity, small and medium sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs still harbor a considerable degree of skepticism about the role of governments in promoting alternative supply chain finance (SCF) solutions in the re‐emergence of supply chain (SC) localization. This paper studies the SC financing problem of a capital‐constrained SME entrepreneur under two alternative financing schemes provided by an online P2P lending‐investment platform, namely debt financing (DF) and equity financing (EF). Considering the competition between a local and a foreign SC in a shared market, we investigate the direct (i.e., subsidizing domestic production) and indirect (i.e., subsidizing P2P platform service fee) roles of government intervention toward SC localization. Formulating a three‐level Stackelberg game model, this paper presents a scenario‐based decision‐making framework to jointly evaluate four different SCF scenarios through the lens of local SC, P2P financing platforms, and government. The results reveal that there exist three possible regions (i.e., DF, EF, and Conflict), within which the government and the P2P financing platforms can examine the alternative SCF schemes in order to achieve a mutually agreeable agreement. Our sensitivity analysis on interest rate and exchange ratio suggests that, when financed via an online P2P lending platform (i.e., DF), the local SC always achieves a higher profit under the direct intervention policy. The indirect policy, however, is preferred only when EF is the main source of SCF and the exchange ratio is sufficiently high.