Coil‐Type Asymmetric Supercapacitor Electrical Cables

Cable‐shaped supercapacitors (SCs) have recently aroused significant attention due to their attractive properties such as small size, lightweight, and bendability. Current cable‐shaped SCs have symmetric device configuration. However, if an asymmetric design is used in cable‐shaped supercapacitors, they would become more attractive due to broader cell operation voltages, which results in higher energy densities. Here, a novel coil‐type asymmetric supercapacitor electrical cable (CASEC) is reported with enhanced cell operation voltage and extraordinary mechanical‐electrochemical stability. The CASECs show excellent charge–discharge profiles, extraordinary rate capability (95.4%), high energy density (0.85 mWh cm⁻³), remarkable flexibility and bendability, and superior bending cycle stability (≈93.0% after 4000 cycles at different bending states). In addition, the CASECs not only exhibit the capability to store energy but also to transmit electricity simultaneously and independently. The integrated electrical conduction and storage capability of CASECS offer many potential applications in solar energy storage and electronic gadgets.     

Vertical cyclic loading response of geosynthetic-encased stone column in soft clay

Dynamic responses of the geosynthetic-encased stone column (GESC) supported embankment under traffic loads have become a hot topic. This study investigates the responses of GESC improved ground under vertical cyclic loading. A series of laboratory tests in a designed model test tank have been carried out with different loading parameters (varied loading amplitudes and frequencies), different column dimensions (varied encasement lengths and column diameters). In the tests, the soil-column stress distribution, accumulated settlement of loading plate, excess pore water pressure in the surrounding soil and lateral bulging of the stone column are monitored. Experimental results indicate that the vertical stress on the stone column increases with the increment of encasement length, and decreases with the increment of column diameter, loading amplitude and loading frequency. The increasing stress on the surrounding soil leads to a greater accumulated settlement of the loading plate and excess pore water pressure, while the increasing stress on the column leads to larger lateral bulging of the column. Excess pore water pressure dissipates effectively through vertical and horizontal drainage channels provided by the stone column and the sand bed. The geosynthetic encasement prevents the clay from obstructing the drainage channel by filtration and guarantees the drainage effect.     

Twin screw granulation – review of current progress

Twin screw granulation (TSG) is a new process of interest to the pharmaceutical community that can continuously wet granulate powders, doing so at lower liquid concentrations and with better product consistency than found by a high shear batch mixer. A considerable body of research has evolved over the short time since this process was introduced but generally with little comparison of results. A certain degree of confidence has been developed through these studies related to how process variables and many attributes of machinery configuration will affect granulation but some major challenges still lay ahead related to scalability, variations in the processing regimes related to degree of channel fill and the impact of wetting and granulation of complex powder formulations. This review examines the current literature for wet granulation processes studied in twin screw extrusion machinery, summarizing the influences of operational and system parameters affecting granule properties as well as strives to provide some practical observations to newly interested users of the technique.     

Rate equation theory for the hydrogenation kinetics of Mg-based materials

A uniform solid product layer normally assumed in the shrinking-core model cannot predict the kinetic transition behavior of the H₂ adsorption reactions. In this study, the concept of a uniform solid product layer has been replaced by that of the inward growth of solid products on the solid surface. A rate equation is established to calculate the inward growth of the solid product and was implemented into the shrinking-core model to calculate the H₂ adsorption kinetics for various shapes of Mg-based materials. The prediction accuracy of the developed model is verified from the detailed experimental data. To account for the external gas diffusion around the particle and the intraparticle gas diffusion, an analytical equation is derived using the Thiele modulus method. This model can be used to analyze various kinetic aspects and to analyze the effect of change in the particle microstructure on intraparticle diffusion.     

Influence of domain switching process on the electrical fatigue behavior of ferroelectrics

We report an experimental approach, designed based on the recent findings that domain switching in ferroelectric ceramics can be separated into three regimes during antiparallel electric field loading, to investigate the influence of domain switching process on the electrical fatigue behavior of ferroelectrics. Uniaxial compressive stress (−2 MPã -100 MPa) and thermal loading (20 °C–150 °C) were used to tune the domain switching process. Under the same loading condition, the bipolar electrical fatigue behavior of soft lead zirconate titanate ceramics was systematically characterized. The amplitude and frequency of the applied electric field are 2 kV/mm and 10 Hz, respectively. By analyzing the evolution of the domain switching process, combined with the measured polarization and strain response, as well as the cracks observed on the surface of the specimen, it is found that the fatigue of ferroelectric ceramics was mainly related to the domain switching process near the coercive electric field: the regime 2 defined in this paper. The underlying mechanism was further discussed by considering the interplay between the domain switching process with the main factors affecting the electrical fatigue of ferroelectrics, namely defect redistribution, charge carrier injection, and crack initiation.     

Indoor solid fuel use for heating and cooking with blood pressure and hypertension: A cross-sectional study among middle-aged and older adults in China

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the impact of solid fuel use for heating and cooking on blood pressure (BP) and hypertension, using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). The primary fuels used for indoor heating and cooking were collected by questionnaires, respectively. Hypertension was defined based on self-report of physician's diagnosis, and/or measured BP, and/or anti-hypertensive medication use. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to assess the associations. Among 10 450 eligible participants, 68.2% and 57.2% used indoor solid fuel for heating and cooking, respectively. Compared with none/clean fuel users, solid fuel for heating was associated with elevated BP (adjusted β: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.04–3.01 for systolic BP; adjusted β: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.78–1.94 for diastolic BP) and increased risk of hypertension (adjusted odds ratio: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.03–1.29). The impact of indoor solid fuel for heating on BP was more evident in rural and north residents, and hypertensive patients. We did not detect any significant associations between solid fuel use for cooking and BP/hypertension. Indoor solid fuel use is prevalent in China, especially in the rural areas. Its negative impact on BP suggested that modernization of household fuel use may help to reduce the burden of hypertension in China.     

Hydrogenation process in multiphase alloys of Ti-Zr-Mn-V system on the example of Ti42.75Zr27Mn20.25V10 alloy

The influence of phase composition and microstructure of Ti_42.75Zr₂₇Mn_20.25V₁₀ alloy on its hydrogenation kinetic and phase composition of hydrogenated product was studied. It is established that the process of dissociation of hydrogen molecules begins on the surface of Laves phase crystallites. The dissolution of atomic hydrogen in the material volume leads to the formation of cracks in the intermetallic crystallites, which further appear as additional centers of dissociation of hydrogen molecules and noticeably accelerate the diffusion of hydrogen into the bulk material. It was shown that the Laves phase acts as a donor of atomic hydrogen for the BCC solid solution during hydrogenation of two-phase structure, initiating intensive hydrogenation of the BCC phase at room temperature.     

亲水作用色谱-串联质谱法测定动物源运动食品中3种氨基糖苷类抗生素的残留量

该研究建立了一种亲水交互作用色谱-串联质谱（HILIC-MS/MS）法测定动物源运动食品中潮霉素B、新霉素、安普霉素3种氨基糖苷类抗生素残留量的方法。结果表明，样品经Sielc Obelisc R柱分离，采用0.1%甲酸水溶液-乙腈梯度洗脱，可以实现3种目标物组分的分离。在此条件下，3种氨基糖苷类抗生素在5～500 ng/mL的质量浓度范围内线性关系良好，相关系数R2为0.999 5～0.999 9，检出限均为15 μg/kg，定量限均为50 μg/kg，保留时间的日间和日内相对标准偏差（RSD）分别为3.5%～7.9%和3.5%～4.1%，峰面积的日间和日内RSD分别为3.6%～7.4%和3.2%～3.9%，加标回收率为85.7%～93.6%，回收率试验结果的RSD为3.1%～5.2%。该方法可以满足动物源运动食品中3种氨基糖苷类抗生素的检测需求。     

Association of solid fuel use with risk of stunting in children living in China

Stunting adversely affects physical and mental outcomes of children. It has not been examined whether household air pollution from solid fuel combustion is a risk factor for stunting in children. In a total of 41,439 children aged 6-17 across China, height was measured using a unified protocol. Multivariable linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of solid fuel use for cooking/heating with stunting in children. Adjusted for covariates, cooking/heating with solid fuel was significantly associated with a lower z-score for height for age and sex (β = −0.21 [−0.32 to −0.09] and −0.17 [−0.31 to −0.03], respectively) and an increased risk of stunting with an estimated ORs of 1.34 [1.07~1.68] and 1.37 [1.02~1.83], respectively. The risk of stunting associated with solid fuel use was statistically significant in high-age children. And the effect was greater on girls than on boys, though the difference was not statistically significant. Our study suggested that Chinese children living in households using solid fuel had a significantly higher risk of stunting than those living in households using cleaner fuel.     

Seismic behavior of geosynthetic-reinforced retaining walls backfilled with cohesive soil

This study investigates the seismic performance of geosynthetic-reinforced modular block retaining walls backfilled with cohesive, fine grained clay-sand soil mixture. Shaking table tests were performed for three ½ scaled (wall height 190 cm) and ¼ scaled model walls to investigate the effects of backfill type, the influence of reinforcement length and reinforcement stiffness effects. The El Centro and Kobe earthquake records of varying amplitudes were used as base acceleration. Displacement of the front wall, accelerations at different locations, strains on the reinforcements, and the visual observations of the facing and the backfill surface were used to evaluate the seismic performance of model walls. The model walls were subjected to rigorous shaking and the walls did not exhibit any stability problems or signs of impending failure. The maximum deformations observed on the models with cohesive backfill was less than half of the deformation of the sand model. The load transfers between the geogrid and cohesive soil was comparable to that of sand and hence the needed reinforcement length was similar as well. As a result; the model walls with cohesive backfills performed within acceptable limits under seismic loading conditions when compared with granular backfilled counterparts.