Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance in Earth-Abundant BiS by Band Structure Modification Using CuCl Doping.

Bismuth sulfide has garnered considerable attention in recent years for thermoelectric applications because it comprises of earth-abundant, low-cost sulfur. However, it has a large bandgap causing low electrical conductivity compared to other chalcogenides, limiting its thermoelectric performance. In the present work, using a small concentration of CuCl doping, 9-times ZT-enhancement is demonstrated in BiS attaining a maximum ZT≈1.

Enhancing phosphorus recovery from poultry litter ash through microwave-assisted thermochemical treatment for improving its solubility.

This study explores for the first time the P recovery from poultry litter ash (PLA) using microwave-assisted thermochemical treatment, aiming to improve its bioavailability for utilization as a fertilizer. PLA samples, originating from laying hens' manure incineration, were subjected to microwave treatment with the addition of sodium bicarbonate, and their physical-chemical characteristics were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The results indicate that the microwave treatment led to the formation of NaCaPO crystals, with a significant increase in P solubility post-treatment, which is crucial for plant uptake.

Recent Trends in Upconversion Luminescent Inorganic Materials and Nanomaterials for Enhanced Photovoltaic Solar Cell and Biological Applications.

Upconversion (UC) luminescent materials have emerged as captivating contenders in revolutionizing both photovoltaic (PV) solar cell efficiency and biological capabilities. Their unique ability to convert low-energy infrared light into high-energy visible or ultraviolet (UV) photons unlocks untapped resources in the solar spectrum and allows for deeper tissue penetration in biological imaging. By bridging the gap between recent advancements and remaining hurdles, we aim to inspire further research and accelerate the translation of these materials into practical and impactful applications for both energy and healthcare.

An analysis of spatial changes in the manufacturing industry in china's three major urban clusters from 2015 to 2019 using POI data.

China's manufacturing industry has been ranked as the most valuable in the world from 2010 to 2021. However, high-resolution manufacturing datasets are lacking, and this has precluded study of the survival rates and spatial changes in the manufacturing industry in China. Here, we analyzed spatial patterns of the manufacturing industry using point-of-interest (POI) data and a machine learning classification algorithm based on the Naive Bayes classifier.

Thermally Induced Neodymium-Doped Strategy toward Wide Band Gap Perovskite Solar Cells with a Fill Factor over 86.

To approach the Shockley-Queisser (S-Q) limit in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), enhancing the fill factor (FF), a crucial parameter associated with carrier transport and nonradiative recombination, is of paramount importance. In this paper, the rare earths (RE), neodymium salt is used as dopant of 4-(3-,6-dimethoxy-9h-carbazol-9-butyl) phosphonic acid (MeO-4PACz) to obtain MeO-4PACz:Nd, and Nd migration is induced during annealing. It is worth noting that the uniform diffusion of Nd in the perovskite layer significantly increases the defect-formation energy of perovskite, thus reducing the density of the perovskite defect states, greatly improving the carrier transport rate and inhibited non-radiative recombination.

Development of hypoeutectic SnBi alloy solder reinforced with WO nanoparticles for connecting Cu substrates via thermal bonding.

WO nanoparticles with different loading amounts (0.25 to 1.00 wt%) were mechanically mixed with Sn-Bi alloys (10 and 20 wt% Bi) for 45 min.

Numerical Simulation of the 65Mn-Cr Steel Slab Solidification Process and Analysis of the Formation Mechanism of Internal Cracks.

There are still internal defects such as triangular zone cracks, centerline cracks, and intermediate cracks in 65Mn-Cr steel during the production process, which mostly occur in the initial solidification. In order to explore the evolution of intermediate cracks during the initial solidification process of 230 mm × 1255 mm slab 65Mn-Cr steel, this study was based on a combination of numerical simulation and experiment, using COMSOL numerical simulation software to establish a flow and heat transfer coupling model and stress model, and carried out simulation research. The results show that the solidification speed of slab 65Mn-Cr steel is different at different positions from the meniscus.

A Functional Flatbread (Bazlama): High in Beta-Glucan and Plant-Based Protein Content.

This study focused on developing a functional bazlama with a lower glycemic index (GI) that is high in β-glucan and rich in plant-based protein. Functional bazlama samples were produced by supplementing bread wheat flour with high β-glucan content hull-less barley flour and high protein content lentil flour (15%, 30%, and 45%). Additionally, mixed bazlama samples (Mix1, Mix2, Mix3, and Mix4) were produced by supplementing them with both barley and lentil flours.

Uptake, impact, adaptive mechanisms, and phytoremediation of heavy metals by plants: Role of transporters in heavy metal sequestration.

Heavy metals (HMs) pose severe threats to both the environment and its inhabitants, leading to reduced crop productivity and hazardous impacts on human and animal health. Metallurgical activities in peri-urban areas are major contributors to the terrestrial deposition of various HMs. Upon entering plant the cells, HMs disrupt structural and physiological processes, inducing stress responses and triggering metabolic pathways for stress adaptations.

Response surface methodology for the design of malachite green dye removal by γ-FeO dispersed on reduced graphene oxide sheets.

A nanocomposite composed of rGO and γ-FeO was prepared using ultrasonication for the adsorption of malachite green (MG) dye. The preferential plane diffractions at 2θ values of 35.54° and 26.

Metal(loid)s and their bioaccessibility in urban soils from residential areas of a medieval mining town.

In historic mining towns, where mining activities were abandoned many decades or even centuries ago, legacy contaminations can be remobilized and redispersed, representing a threat for the environment and human health. This study focuses on urban soils (n = 19) in the town of Jihlava, the Czech Republic, one of the medieval centers of silver mining in central Europe. The basic geochemical characterization of the soils was combined with mineralogical investigations to understand the solid speciation of the metal(loid) contaminants, oral bioaccessibility tests, and exposure assessment.

A green cycle strategy for selective leach and recovery of critical metals from spent lithium-ion batteries: Experimental and new mechanistic insights.

With the global surge in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), recycling spent LIBs has become an essential and urgent research area. In the context of global efforts to promote sustainable development, and achieve energy conservation and emission reduction, advancing recycling technologies that efficiently recover critical metals like Ni, Co, Mn, and Li is crucial. Herein, a novel and environmentally friendly simplified process for selectively extracting critical metals from the mixed electrode materials of spent LIBs is proposed for the first time.

Optimizing key parameters for grinding energy efficiency and modeling of particle size distribution in a stirred ball mill.

Fine grinding using a stirred ball mill can enhance ore liberation but incurs high energy consumption, which can be minimized by optimizing operating conditions. This study explores the impact of key operational parameters-grinding time, stirrer tip speed, solid concentration, and feed size-on grinding efficiency, evaluated using specific energy inputs, in stirred milling of Egyptian copper ore. The particle size distribution (PSD) of ground products was simulated using the Gates-Gaudin-Schuhmann model (GGS) and the Rosin-Rammler-Benne (RRB) function.

Characteristics and paleoclimate significance of authigenic ferrimagnetic minerals in the Xuancheng red earth, southern China.

Soil magnetic records in Quaternary red earth (QRE) deposits contain a valuable record of paleoclimate information, providing insights into controls on Earth's climate system in the past and potentially helping to predict its response to perturbations in the future. Here, analysis of the environmental magnetism and mineralogy of the Xuancheng QRE (Anhui Province, South China) shows that magnetic variation was strongly linked to production of authigenic ferrimagnetic minerals such as maghemite. Fine-grained maghemite formed during the weathering-related transformation of iron-bearing illite to vermiculite, generating aggregates of vermiculite or mixed-layer illite-vermiculite.

Green building development utilising modified fired clay bricks and eggshell waste.

The inadequate thermal insulation of the building envelope contributes significantly to the high power consumption of air conditioners in houses. A crucial factor in raising a building's energy efficiency involves utilizing bricks with high thermal resistance. This issue is accompanied by another critical challenge: recycling and disposing of waste in a way that is both economically and environmentally beneficial, including using it to fuel industrial growth, in order to reduce the harmful effects of waste on the environment as waste generation in our societies grows.

The Influence of Rice Husk Ash Incorporation on the Properties of Cement-Based Materials.

Rice husk ash is a kind of biomass material. Its main component is silicon dioxide, with a content of up to 80%. It has high pozzolanic activity and can react with hydroxide in cement.

Behavior and Mechanisms of Antimony Precipitation from Wastewater by Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria .

The development of the non-ferrous metal industry is generating increasingly large quantities of wastewater containing heavy metals (e.g., Sb).

Using Industrial Mining Solid Waste through Conversion to Phase-Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage.

The mining industry produces a large amount of industrial solid waste every year. Among them, fly ash (FA), slag and tailings are the three main solid wastes, which can cause soil pollution, air pollution, water pollution and serious threat to human health if not handled properly. At present, the treatment methods of industrial solid waste mainly include direct landfill, recovery of high-value components, production of construction materials, etc.

Study on the Mechanism Between Weld Microstructure and Crack Tie Opening Displacement Fracture Toughness of the Steel Catenary Riser.

Fracture toughness is an important index related to the service safety of marine risers, and weld is an essential component of the steel catenary risers. In this paper, microscopic structure characterization methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD), as well as mechanical experiments like crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) and nanoindentation, were employed to conduct a detailed study on the influence of the microstructure characteristics of multi-wire submerged arc welded seams of steel catenary riser pipes on CTOD fracture toughness. The influence mechanisms of each microstructure characteristic on fracture toughness were clarified.

Effect of Nb/B addition on the flow behavior and mechanical properties of low-carbon steel using compact strip production.

This work examines the effects of Nb and Nb-B additives on the high-temperature flow behavior and mechanical properties of low-carbon steel. The base, 0.015% Nb-bearing (15Nb alloy), and 0.

Secondary nucleation guided noncovalent synthesis of dendritic homochiral superstructures via growth on and from surface.

Secondary nucleation is an emerging approach for synthesizing higher-order supramolecular polymers with exciting topologies. However, a detailed understanding of growth processes and the synthesis of homochiral superstructures is yet to be demonstrated. Here, we report the non-covalent synthesis of dendritic homochiral superstructures using NIR triimide dyes as building blocks via a secondary nucleation elongation process.

Chemopreventive and Chemotherapeutic Potential of Betulin and Betulinic Acid: Mechanistic Insights From In Vitro, In Vivo and Clinical Studies.

Betulin is a bioactive compound found in large quantities in birch bark and has a triterpene pentacyclic structure. Through the oxidation of betulin, betulinic acid is obtained, which is found in large quantities in nature. Betulin and betulinic acid have multiple pharmacological properties such as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.

Degradable Radical Polymer Cathode for Lithium Battery with Long-Term Cycling Capability.

Polymer-based organic electrodes for rechargeable batteries are attractive due to their design flexibility, sustainability, and environmental compatibility. Unfortunately, waste management of conventional polymer materials typically involves incineration, which emits greenhouse gases. Consequently, degradable polymers should be ideal candidates for future green batteries.

Innovative auxin-micronutrient based nanocomposites (IAA-FeONPs and IAA-MnONPs) shield strawberry plants from lead toxicity.

Smart nanohybrid technology with potential advantages to plants has recently been developed formanaging the widespread pollution of heavy metals. Herein, we disclose a novel strategy to combat Pb stress in strawberry (Fragaria spp. cv.

Titanate-polyurethane-chitosan ternary nanocomposite as an efficient coating for steel against corrosion.

In this study, a titanate-polyurethane-chitosan ternary nanocomposite was prepared by physical mixing. Sodium titanate nanotubes (Na-TNTs) were prepared by the hydrothermal method, and chitosan was extracted from shrimp shell. Na-TNTs were mixed with polyurethane (PU) of different ratios by weight, and chitosan was added after optimization.