Efficient Application Research Articles

Property Effect and Mechanism of Sodium Salicylate on Magnesium-based Curing Plugging Materials

Abstract Lost circulation is a common problem in drilling and completion. Magnesium-based curing material has the advantages of effective plugging and formation damage control, and controlling curing time can extend the use. In this paper, the main agent of magnesium-based curing materials is magnesium salt, the influence of sodium salicylate with different dosage on the curing time in different curing states was analyzed, the optimal addition was determined, and the curing product and hydration process were analyzed under the optimal addition to determine the retarding effect of sodium salicylate. In static curing, the optimal addition of AR grade sodium salicylate was 15-17%, and the curing time was 3-4 h. The dynamic curing time at atmospheric pressure was obviously less than the static curing time, but clear right-angle thickening could be seen. The optimal addition of industrial grade sodium salicylate was 18%, and the static curing time was about 3 h. At high temperature and high pressure, it’s proved that pressure had little effect on curing time, but the curing time decreased significantly under high temperature environment. Through SEM, XRD and TGA, it was found that sodium salicylate was more conducive to the growth of the cured product, and more 517 phases was generated, but it did not affect the acid dissolution, with the acid dissolution rate reached more than 95%, which could realize the reservoir protection. By studying the hydration process, it’s showed that sodium salicylate could delay the hydration and reduce the heat release by about 2/3, and the hydration process was controlled by the phase boundary reaction. The retarding effect of sodium salicylate for magnesium-based curing material can guide the efficient application in different environments.

Accelerated carbonation curing of biochar-cement mortar: Effects of biochar pyrolysis temperatures on carbon sequestration, mechanical properties and microstructure

The integration of biochar with accelerated carbonation curing (ACC) has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of cementitious materials. However, the effects of biochar pyrolysis temperatures on the performance of accelerated carbonation-cured cementitious materials remain unclear. In this study, corn straw was used as the raw material to prepare biochar at 300℃, 500°C, and 700°C for incorporation into cement mortar. The effects of biochar pyrolysis temperatures on carbon sequestration, mechanical properties and microstructure of cement mortar were investigated at 3 days and 28 days of ACC. The results showed that incorporating the biochar at 500℃ into cement mortar exhibited the highest carbon sequestration with up to 31.6 % increase compared to 300℃ and 700℃. The porosity of biochar dominated the inward CO2 transport rather than the chemisorption effect of oxygen-containing functional groups under ACC. The biochar at 500℃ showed the most improvement in compressive strength. The biochar at 700℃ enhanced the early-stage compressive strength due to its significant hydrophobicity at high dosages (7 % by mass), while excessive amounts adversely affected the overall compressive strength. The incorporation of biochar effectively reduced the porosity of cement matrix and narrowed the differences in carbonation degree among layers, with the biochar at 500 °C showing the best results due to its larger specific surface area and pore volume. This study provides insights to further advance the efficient application of biochar in low-carbon building materials.

Mixed dimensional assembly of biodegradable and antifouling wood-based covalent organic framework composite membranes for rapid and efficient dye/salt separation

Manipulating materials of different dimensions into heterogeneous nanofiltration membranes with unique physicochemical properties and molecular sieving channels provides an effective way for accurate and fast molecular separation. Here we introduce a heterogeneous structure hybrid connection strategy to fabricate biodegradable wood-based covalent organic framework (COF) composite membranes. As a proof of concept, 3D Picea jezoensis (Siebold & Zucc.) Carrière was selected as the substrate of the membrane and in situ growth of 2D iCOF selective layers. Effective modulation of iCOF layers by 1D sulfonated polyaryletherketone (SPEEK-Na) using the “needle and thread” method. The rearrangement of the above multidimensional materials formed charge-regulated properties of laminar nano-channels and smooth hydrophilic contact area, thereby endowing specific molecular transport pathways and sieving capability for efficient dye/salt separation under ultra-low pressure of 0.5 bar. The wood-based heterostructured membranes exhibited high dye rejection (>97 %), low salt rejection (<10 %), and high permeance (172.34 L m−2 h−1 bar−1), which is superior to many reported dye/salt separation membrane materials. In addition, the system exhibited a certain degree of operational stability, good antifouling, and soil biodegradability. Overall, this work enables the design and fabrication of heterostructured separation membranes to be obtained from nature and used in nature, resulting in efficient and sustainable water purification applications.

Review of the Current Status of Vertical Slot Fishway Design

As a main layout method of engineering fishways, the vertical slot fishway is characterized by high efficiency and wide application. By referring to relevant data, this paper briefly introduces the basic situation of the vertical slot fishway, describes its design development process at home and abroad, and provides suggestions for the current deficiencies in the research of fishways.

МЕТОДИ І ПРАКТИКИ ВПРОВАДЖЕННЯ ТА ЗАСТОСУВАННЯ РІЗНИХ ТИПІВ ШТУЧНОГО ІНТЕЛЕКТУ І НАУКИ ПРО ДАНІ ДЛЯ РІШЕННЯ ПРОБЛЕМ У ВОДНІЙ ІНФРАСТРУКТУРІ

The subject of the study in this article was the practice of implementing and applying various types of artificial intelligence and data science to detect leaks from water supply networks, to monitor freshwater conditions and to detect pollution, clean freshwater bodies from waste from industrial and mining enterprises, control freshwater flow and develop more efficient water filtration methods. The article identifies the advantages and disadvantages of the practice of introducing and applying various types of artificial intelligence and data science technologies to automate traditional methods of monitoring, control and related work in the water industry. The article addresses the following objectives: to substantiate the effectiveness of implementation of various types of artificial intelligence technologies and data science methods and their practical application with software and hardware technologies to automate traditional methods of performing work in the water industry. To solve the tasks set, the methodology used was based on general scientific and special research methods, such as theoretical methods (analysis, explanation, generalisation, comparison). The use of this approach allowed us to obtain the following results: the features that affect the accuracy of the analysis of collected data used by technologies of various types of artificial intelligence and data science methods were identified. Practices and methods for more efficient and accurate application of this technology are reflected. Scientific data are analysed. The study allowed identifying the practical opportunities and problems of this technology. Recommendations for the effective use of this technology have been developed. The factors that influence the effective use of this technology in industry are identified.

Artificial Intelligence for Food Production among Smallholder Farmers: Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria

Smallholder farmers have been contributing to agricultural productivity in the country. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been growing and it has been playing positive roles in various sectors of the economy. The primary objective of this study is to explore artificial intelligence for food production among smallholder farmers in Nigeria in order to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the country. Content analysis and systematic literature review is used in this study. The findings of the study demonstrated that the application of artificial intelligence can contribute to realization of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) with appropriate government interventions in the sector. In addition, it is also shown that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used for weeding, spraying pesticides, monitoring livestock, and automating harvesting processes. It is further noted that digitalization of agriculture through AI tools reduces middlemen, expands market opportunities, and enhances productivity and livelihoods of small-scale farmers. It is therefore suggested that the stakeholders in the agricultural sector should actively involve in training smallholder farmers in digital skills for efficient application of AI.

Performance analysis of web application client layer development tools us-ing Angular, React and Vue as examples

The article presents a comparative analysis of tools for developing the client layer of web applications. The tools chosen for it were Angular 17.1.0, React 18.2.0 and Vue 3.3.4. The research process was carried out using the “Benchmark” test application, implemented with each technology. It was prepared as a performance tester, implementing tests consisting of operations that manipulate a table of data, in order to measure their execution time. The results of the performed tests became the basis for further analysis. As a result of the study, Angular became the most efficient tool in the largest number of tests. Slightly lower performance was observed with Vue, and the least efficient application turned out to be the one prepared with React.

Hydrophobic Cellulose-Based Sorbents for Oil/Water Separation

The need for sustainable, biodegradable materials to address environmental challenges, such as oil-water separation, is growing. Cellulose-based absorbents offer an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic materials. However, their hydrophobicity must be enhanced for efficient application. In this study, cellulose-based sorbents derived from Kraft and half-bleached chemo-thermomechanical pulp (BCTMP) were hydrophobized using silanization and alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) techniques. Hydrophobic properties were successfully imparted using methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), n-octyltriethoxysilane (NTES), and N-(2-Aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AATMS), with water contact angles ranging from 120° to 140°. The water sorption capacity was significantly reduced to below 1 g/g, whereas the oil sorption capacity remained high (19–28 g/g). The most substantial reduction in water vapor absorption (3–6%) was observed for the MTMOS- and AATMS-silanized samples. These results demonstrate the potential of hydrophobized cellulose-based sorbents as sustainable alternatives for oil-water separation, contributing to environmentally friendly water treatment solutions.

Artificial Intelligence for Food Production among Smallholder Farmers: Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria

Smallholder farmers have been contributing to agricultural productivity in the country. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been growing and it has been playing positive roles in various sectors of the economy. The primary objective of this study is to explore artificial intelligence for food production among smallholder farmers in Nigeria in order to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the country. Content analysis and systematic literature review is used in this study. The findings of the study demonstrated that the application of artificial intelligence can contribute to realization of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) with appropriate government interventions in the sector. In addition, it is also shown that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used for weeding, spraying pesticides, monitoring livestock, and automating harvesting processes. It is further noted that digitalization of agriculture through AI tools reduces middlemen, expands market opportunities, and enhances productivity and livelihoods of small-scale farmers. It is therefore suggested that the stakeholders in the agricultural sector should actively involve in training smallholder farmers in digital skills for efficient application of AI.

Experimental and numerical study of cold-formed steel beams with web perforations

This study focuses on the experimental and numerical investigation of cold-formed steel (CFS) beams with web perforations to assess their shear performance. Twelve samples were tested, all processed from high-strength, cold-formed steel sheets of grade S235 with a thickness of 1.5 mm. The specimens, designated as CC, were formed by interlocking two C-sections and welded together. Various parameters were analyzed, such as the shear-span ratio, hole depth-to-web height ratio (dh/h), and web height-to-thickness ratio. The experimental setup involved mid-span single-point loading conditions to evaluate the mechanical behavior of the beams. Circular holes with different diameters were strategically placed at the mid-height of the webs in two shear zones. The experimental results were validated using finite element analysis (FEA) conducted in ANSYS, ensuring the accuracy of the finite element model. The findings indicate that the ultimate bearing capacity of the specimens decreases as the hole depth-to-web height ratio increases. When the hole depth-to-web height ratio was small (dh/h ≤ 0.4), the load-deflection curves declined rapidly after reaching the peak. Conversely, for a ratio of 0.5, the curves declined more gradually. Additionally, mid-span deflection decreased as dh/h increased, with significant variation observed for smaller ratios and stabilization for a ratio of 0.5. This research provides a comprehensive understanding of the shear behavior of cold-formed steel beams with web openings. It offers valuable insights into the design and optimization of these structures, contributing to the safe and efficient application of CFS beams in various engineering contexts.

Encapsulation of linear carbon chains in single-walled carbon nanotubes: Towards 1D van der Waals heterostructures for high-efficiency excitonic solar cells

One-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures (1D vdW HTs) based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) encapsulating linear carbon chains (LCCs) with tunable optoelectronic properties provide a fresh ground for efficient excitonic solar cells (XSCs) alternative to those based on 2D monolayer materials. As an effort to identify for the first time 1D vdW HTs for efficient XSCs application, we perform here a systematic theoretical investigation on the energetic and structural stability, optoelectronic and photovoltaic properties of 1D vdW HTs based on SWCNTs encapsulating 50 symmetrical LCCs of different lengths, and capped with different conjugated endgroups through comprehensive first-principles calculations. We showed the fundamental role of the length and the endgroups effects in modulating the optoelectronic properties of LCCs. Through exploration of the energetic stability of the 1D vdW HTs of LCCs@SWCNTs from the universal force field (UFF) including vdW interactions, we determined the optimal SWCNTs diameters for which the resulting 1D vdW HTs are stable. Then, the band alignment in the 50 stable 1D vdW HTs of LCCs@SWCNTs is examined. Intriguingly, stable LCCs@SWCNTs are identified as type-II 1D vdW HTs complying the prerequisite of XSCs with strong optical absorption in the UV–visible-NIR spectral regions, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) reaching well over 21 %. These findings unravel the enormous potential of the 1D vdW HTs in designing next-generation XSCs devices competitive with state-of-the-art solar cells.

Ionic Hydrogel-Based Moisture Electric Generators for Underwater Electronics.

Ubiquitous moisture is of particular interest for sustainable power generation and self-powered electronics. However, current moisture electric generators (MEGs) can only harvest moisture energy in the air, which tremendously limits the energy harvesting efficiency and practical application scenarios. Herein, the operationality of MEG from air to underwater environment, through a sandwiched engineered-hydrogel device with an additional waterproof breathable membrane layer allowing water vapor exchange while preventing liquid water penetration, is expanded. Underwater environment, the device can spontaneously deliver a voltage of 0.55V and a current density of 130µAcm-2 due to the efficient ion separation assisted by negative ions confinement in hydrogel networks. The output can be maintained even under harsh underwater environment with 10% salt concentration, 1ms-1 disturbing flow, as well as >40kPa hydraulic pressure. The engineered hydrogel used for MEG also exhibits excellent self-healing ability, flexibility, and biocompatibility. As the first demonstration of practical applications in self-powered underwater electronics, the MEG device is successfully powering a wireless emitter for remote communication in water. This new type of MEG offers an innovative route for harvesting moisture energy underwater and holds promise in the creation of a new range of innovative electronic devices for marine Internet-of-Things.

How to get green with agricultural footprint: A global analysis of carbon emissions, environmental taxes, and agrochemical use

The agriculture sector, being highly vulnerable to climate change, plays a pivotal role in achieving green and sustainable economies. As the 2030 Agenda emphasizes the integrated development of environmental, social, and economic dimensions, it is crucial to understand how agricultural practices affect sustainability. This study investigates the environmental impact of the agricultural sector on the green economy by examining key environmental factors, such as agricultural energy emissions, environmental taxes, irrigated water use efficiency, fertilizer use, and pesticide application. The analysis is conducted using the Panel Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag (QARDL) model, with robustness checks performed through the comparison with the Panel ARDL model, using data from 2000 to 2020. To assess the green economy, an index is constructed based on 20 indicators related to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The results show that agricultural energy emissions, despite their environmental cost, are positively associated with green economy development, highlighting the trade-off between high productivity and environmental degradation in a resource-efficient economy. Improved water use efficiency is found to enhance agricultural sustainability and production. Additionally, environmental taxes and regulations exert a significant positive effect on both environmental preservation and social welfare. Contrary to the belief that reducing agricultural production will lower carbon emissions, the study suggests that adopting environmentally friendly practices and imposing targeted taxes are more effective strategies. The findings also reveal a negative relationship between excessive fertilizer use and the green economy, indicating the need for minimal fertilizer application to promote sustainability. The study concludes with specific policy recommendations. Governments, particularly in countries that have not yet adopted sustainable agricultural practices, should implement environmental taxes and regulations to promote carbon neutrality and support the Sustainable Development Goals. These measures are essential to balancing economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social equity in the agricultural sector.

Assessing the electrode configuration in a sandbox system for the removal of sulfanilamide: A pilot study

Electrochemical oxidation has emerged as an effective and straightforward technology for groundwater remediation. While recent studies have investigated parameters such as current, electrolyte composition, and electrode materials, most have been conducted using small-scale batch or flow reactors, limiting their applicability to real-world conditions. In this study, a pilot-scale sandbox reactor was employed to simulate realistic groundwater conditions and assess the removal of sulfanilamide, a model organic contaminant. Various electrode configurations were systematically evaluated to identify the key operational parameters influencing pollutant removal efficiency, providing insights for practical applications in groundwater treatment. This study proposes three configurations, including a single well with the anode and cathode, a double well with the separated anode and cathode, and an e-barrier with electrodes separately mounted inside a permeable barrier. Single well had the lowest removal efficiency (60%) because cathodic reaction inhibited the anodic oxidation. A double well with a separate anode and cathode can achieve 80% removal efficiency. However, effluent pH can reach up to 13.2, which can adversely impact groundwater. Meanwhile, the e-barrier not only achieved complete removal, but also maintained a neutral pH of 7.0 over 30 days. The e-barriers proved to be the most effective configuration based on their removal efficiency (100%) while yielding an effluent with neutral pH. The energy consumption of the e-barrier was most effective at 1.54 kWh/m3, while the other configurations were 5.40 and 22.18 kWh/m3. E-barriers are deemed a very reasonable configuration, both in terms of removal efficiency and practical application in groundwater.

The Integration of Bio-Active Elements into Building Façades as a Sustainable Concept

Global warming and climate change are major concerns across multiple disciplines. Population growth, urbanization, and industrialization are significant contributing factors to such problems due to the escalating use of fossil fuels required to meet growing energy demands. The building sector uses the largest share of total global energy production and produces tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Emerging eco-friendly technologies, such as solar and wind energy harvesting, are being extensively explored; however, they are insufficient. Nature-inspired technologies could offer solutions to our problems. For instance, algae are microorganisms that use water, light, and CO2 to produce energy and sustain life, and the exploitation of these characteristics in a built environment is termed algae building technology, which is a very efficient and green application suitable for a sustainable future. Algae-integrated façades show great versatility through biomass and energy production, wastewater treatment, shading, and thermal and acoustic insulation. In this paper, algae will be introduced as a robust tool toward a greener and more sustainable future. Algae building technology and its implementation will be demonstrated. Furthermore, steps for applying this sustainable strategy in Egypt will be discussed.

Enhancing H+ conduction through glycolic acid-doped alginate-PVA based biopolymer electrolytes

This study investigates the development of a biopolymer blend electrolyte composed of alginate and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), doped with glycolic acid (GA) to enhance H+ conductivity. The addition of GA significantly impacts the biopolymer blend's physicochemical properties and ionic conduction performance. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy verified the intricate interactions and hydrogen bonding between the alginate-PVA matrix and GA. The addition of GA was shown to increase the amorphous phase, as observed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. This increase in the amorphous phase was found to enhance the thermal stability. Impedance analysis demonstrated a significant increase in ionic conductivity from approximately ∼10⁻⁸ S cm⁻1 for the undoped blend to 3.45 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻1 with 30 wt% GA (sample GA-30). The enhanced H+ conduction behaviour was consistent across various temperatures, adhering to the Arrhenius rule. These findings suggest that the alginate-PVA-GA system is a promising candidate for efficient proton transport applications.

The enhanced characteristics of bipolar phototransistor with huge amplification

Heterojunction devices based on low-dimensional materials have the potential for convenient and efficient photodetection applications. In this study, we demonstrate a van der Waals (vdW) heterojunction device constructed by p-ZrGeTe4 and n-MoS2. Forming a p-n junction, the response speed of the device increased by 6 orders of magnitude compared to devices with individual MoS2. To further improve the responsivity of the device, a bipolar phototransistor (PTD) was prepared based on the p-n junction. The PTD achieves the photocurrent gain of almost 40. This PTD achieves high responsivity of 1.48 A W−1, and the corresponding specific detectivity can reach 3 × 1014 Jones in low frequencies. Under low frequencies, the noise of the device is dominated by generation–recombination noise; and as the frequency increases, it gradually becomes dominated by 1/f noise. The PTD is competitive in optoelectronics and promising in high-performance integrated devices.

Research Progress and Trend of Biochar based Microbial Fertilizer

Biochar based microbial fertilizer has loose porous structure, which can improve soil structure, improve soil fertility, promote crop growth, and provide strong support for agricultural sustainable development. In this paper, the research progress of biochar based microbial fertilizer in the preparation process, fertilizer efficiency research, application effect and other aspects was reviewed, and it was pointed out that in the future, in-depth research should be carried out in the aspects of preparation process and performance optimization, microbial strain screening and function enhancement, application effect and mechanism research, standardization and standardization system establishment, application field expansion and technology innovation.

Efficient spectral element method for the Euler equations on unbounded domains

Mitigating the impact of waves leaving a numerical domain has been a persistent challenge in numerical modeling. Reducing wave reflection at the domain boundary is crucial for accurate simulations. Absorbing layers, while common, often incur significant computational costs. This paper introduces an efficient application of a Legendre-Laguerre basis for absorbing layers for two-dimensional non-linear compressible Euler equations. The method couples a spectral-element bounded domain with a semi-infinite region, employing a tensor product of Lagrange and scaled Laguerre basis functions. Semi-infinite elements are used in the absorbing layer with Rayleigh damping. In comparison to existing methods with similar absorbing layer extensions, this approach, a pioneering application to the Euler equations of compressible and stratified flows, demonstrates substantial computational savings. The study marks the first application of semi-infinite elements to mitigate wave reflection in the solution of the Euler equations, particularly in nonhydrostatic atmospheric modeling. A comprehensive set of tests demonstrates the method's versatility for general systems of conservation laws, with a focus on its effectiveness in damping vertically propagating mountain gravity waves, a benchmark for atmospheric models. Across all tests, the model presented in this paper consistently exhibits notable performance improvements compared to a traditional Rayleigh damping approach.

A Software Tool for the True Height Analysis of Ionograms Using the Iterative Gradient Correction (IGC) Method

AbstractDeriving the precise true height electron density profile from the measured ionosonde virtual heights is quite a challenging problem. Recently, Ankita and Tulasi Ram (2023, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023RS007808) presented a new method, Iterative Gradient Correction (IGC) method, for true height analysis that uses HF radio wave propagation path computations to reconstruct the true height profile. Through iterative corrections on electron density gradients between successive points, the IGC method minimizes errors below a specified tolerance at each point and reconstructs a complete electron density profile. The derived profiles from the IGC method are found to be accurate when compared with Incoherent Scatter Radar and Global Navigation Satellite System—Radio Occultation observations. To facilitate true height analysis by IGC method for a wider user community, a MATLAB‐based software has been developed and is outlined in this report. The software can be installed on any Windows platform and is designed with a user‐friendly interface for easy and efficient application by the users. It can analyze multiple scaled ionograms in a single run and outputs the real height profiles in ASCII format. Further, the software also captures important ionospheric parameters such as the base altitudes and peak frequencies of E‐ and F‐layers (e.g., hE, hF, foE, and foF2) etc., from the computed true height profiles and tabulates in a separate output file for the ready use. The software also provides the option for extrapolation of true height profile into top‐side ionosphere up to a user‐specified height and reconstructs the complete vertical electron density profile.