Publications by authors named "Zicong Xu"

Article Synopsis
  • High-quality perovskite films with low defects are crucial for enhancing the performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and anti-solvent-assisted crystallization (ASAC) is a key method for producing these films effectively.
  • Traditional anti-solvents like chlorobenzene, toluene, and diethyl ether are toxic and potentially harmful to health and the environment, which runs counter to sustainability goals.
  • The review highlights recent advancements in developing non-toxic green anti-solvents and their impact on perovskite films, while also evaluating eco-friendly preparation methods to support the efficient and sustainable production of PSCs.
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Article Synopsis
  • Scientists studied different types of bacteria in three wastewater treatment plants that handle different kinds of dirty water.
  • Each plant had different levels of pollutants like phenol and TCN, and this affected the types of bacteria living there.
  • They found that certain bacteria work better in specific plants and help break down pollutants in unique ways, showing how important these microorganisms are for cleaning water.
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Due to the hydrophilicity and black-phase instability of FA perovskites, ambient humidity is an unavoidable issue in the processing of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). MACl is among the most popular additives for improving perovskite films, but our experiments confirm that the direct addition of MACl into the precursor solution deteriorates the stability of the final α-FAPbI films in humid air, which is attributed to the unwanted pinholes induced by MACl volatilization. To solve this problem, a novel confined-space annealing strategy (CSA) is intentionally developed to control the amount of MACl at a low level.

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This paper proposes a temperature sensor based on temperature-frequency conversion using 180 nm CMOS technology. The temperature sensor consists of a proportional-to-absolute temperature (PTAT) current generating circuit, a relaxation oscillator with oscillation frequency proportional to temperature (OSC-PTAT), a relaxation oscillator with oscillation frequency independent of temperature (OSC-CON), and a divider circuit cascaded with D flip-flops. Using BJT as the temperature sensing module, the sensor has the advantages of high accuracy and high resolution.

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  • Scientists are working on a new type of microscope called Quantum-enhanced stimulated Raman scattering (QESRS) that helps see tiny details in molecules by improving how well they can detect weak signals.
  • The problem with older QESRS microscopes was that they couldn't detect super weak signals as well as other advanced microscopes because they didn't use enough power.
  • The new method called quantum-enhanced balanced detection (QE-BD) lets the QESRS microscope use more power, making it better at finding these tiny signals and even reducing noise, which means clearer images.
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The activated sludge of a biochemical unit (WLK_OD) and an advanced denitrification unit (WLK_AD) were collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), in which the TN concentration of effluent was less than 1.5 mg·L, and their microbial community structure and function profiles were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. The microorganisms in WLK_AD had lower evenness compared with that in WLK_OD, which was attributed to environmental selection.

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In high-precision optical measurements, squeezed vacuum states are a promising resource for reducing the shot noise. To utilize a squeezed vacuum, it is important to lock the phase of the local oscillator (LO) to the squeezed light. The coherent control sideband (CCSB) scheme has been established for the precise phase locking, while the previous CCSB scheme was designed for the squeezed vacuum generated with an optical parametric oscillator (OPO).

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Microorganisms in activated sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) form complex networks to convert a wide variety of pollutants, thus ensuring water purification and environmental protection. In this study, activated sludge samples were collected from three full-scale WWTPs: a petrochemical WWTP (PWWTP), a municipal WWTP treating domestic wastewater (MWWTP_D), and a municipal WWTP treating a mixture of domestic wastewater and multiple industrial effluents (MWWTP_I+D). These samples were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene PCoA and CPCoA indicated that the samples from three WWTPs were separated, suggesting that each WWTP had unique microbiome characters (P < 0.

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Aniline is a toxic aromatic amine and an inhibitor of nitrification. This study explored the inhibition effect and underlying mechanism. After sludge acclimation, 540 mg/L aniline was removed in 24 h and almost all ammonia released from aniline was oxidized to nitrate.

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Total nitrogen (TN) removal is the major technical challenge for wastewater treatment plants to meet the more stringent discharge standard. In this study, lab- (0.05 m/d), pilot- (1000 m/d) and full-scale (10,000 m/d) combined heterotrophic and autotrophic denitrification reactors (HARs) were designed and operated to treat municipal secondary effluent.

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