Conversion Of Resources Research Articles

Influence of Inventory Management Strategy on the Performance of Retail Chains in Nairobi Central Business District.

Operations strategy is the value-adding process used by the company to guarantee that customers receive value through the conversion of resources into finished goods and services. Operations management procedures include quality control, supply chain management, inventory management, risk management, and information technology. The main objective of this study was to establish the influence of inventory management strategy on the performance of retail chains in the Nairobi Central Business District. The study was anchored on the systems theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design and the target population was 34 retail chains within the Nairobi CBD area. The sample population involved 80 managers who were in charge of the retail chains in Nairobi CBD. Self-administered structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found that inventory management strategy has a positive significant influence on the performance of retail chains in the Nairobi Central Business District. This is because an increase in a unit of inventory management strategy leads to an improvement of the performance of the retail chains. The study recommended that retail chains should implement inventory management practices that aim to reduce deadstock and minimize inventory holding costs. The study also recommended that organizations should utilize inventory forecasting techniques to accurately predict demand and adjust inventory levels accordingly. The study further recommended that retail chains should explore vendor-managed inventory (VMI) arrangements with key suppliers to maintain optimal stock levels. The study recommended that retail chains should regularly assess and update inventory turnover strategies to meet customer demand effectively.

Spatial suitability evaluation of the conversion and utilization of crop straw resources in China

Crop straw—a carbon-neutral bio-based resource—is gaining attention because of its scalable and sustainable conversion and utilization modes amid the coordinated pollution control and carbon reduction efforts. Building on prior research with limited scope, this study introduces a multidimensional evaluation framework for spatial suitability encompassing the entire chain of conversion and utilization of crop straw resources. The framework intertwines the spatial heterogeneity and multiple conversion and utilization modes of crop straw resources, transcending the limitations of a single focus by evaluating three major modes simultaneously. In China, the spatial distribution characteristics and potential of crop straw resources at the provincial level have stabilized over time. Crop straw resources are concentrated in the provinces of North China, Northeast China, and the Middle-lower Yangtze River agricultural region, where the proportion of the flat cultivated land area is higher than 78% of the total area, and the spatial distribution is wide and concentrated. Their annual collectable potential generally exceeds 50 Mt. Spatial suitability evaluation reveals that twelve provinces, including Beijing, are suitable for promoting fertilizer utilization, eight provinces, such as Inner Mongolia, are suitable for promoting feed utilization, and ten provinces, such as Henan, are suitable for promoting energy utilization. Overall, this study informs policymakers on optimization strategies for the high-quality and efficient conversion and utilization of crop straw resources.

Fast elimination of emerging contaminates in complicated water environment medium over the resource conversion product of chicken manure biochar triggered by peroxymonosulfate

An innovative strategy for synthesizing novel dual-reaction-center (DRC) catalysts from chicken manure (CM) biochar to purify wastewater that contained emerging contaminants (ECs) is proposed to synchronously address the release of ECs and improper disposal of livestock manure. A series of characterization techniques reveal the formation of a special C-O-Ca bond bridge (cation-π) structure on resourcelized CM nanosheets (RCM NSs). RCM NSs exhibit distinct selectivity and anti-interference capability for various ECs removal in complex matrices, and the water purification system remains stable after 1735 hours (equivalent to 3470 cycles) of operation. Density Functional Tomography (DFT) calculations reveal that trace of peroxymonosulfate as an inducer initiates the continuous donation of electrons from electron-rich ECs and the C-O-Ca bond bridges provide a favorable pathway for electron transfer, which facilitates the electron capture effect of dissolved oxygen in the system. This study provides a novel strategy to convert livestock manure into DRC-catalysts for developing energy-saving and high-efficiency environmental remediation technologies.Graphical

Toward sustainable production of N-containing products via nonthermal plasma-enhanced conversion of natural gas resources

Nonthermal plasmas can directly activate and cleave the strong chemical bonds in molecular nitrogen and methane to facilitate the transformation of these inherently stable molecules through the application of electrical energy. Here, we report a low temperature, atmospheric pressure, nonthermal plasma for the “one-pot” synthesis of olefins, alkynes, higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, ammonia, and nitrogen-containing liquids from a representative shale gas feed enriched with nitrogen. We reproducibly observe a wide range of valuable and synthetically challenging gas-phase and liquid-phase products containing C–N, C–C, and N–H bonding by controlling the N2 concentration in the inlet feed stream. In nitrogen-lean regimes, hydrocarbon products dominate (e.g., ethylene, acetylene, etc.), while nitrogen-rich regimes promote incorporation of nitrogen into the products, leading to the formation of ammonia and liquid products containing a variety of functionalities (e.g., nitriles, amines, heterocycles). High resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was used to measure molecular weights and identify the chemical formulas of the liquid products. Van Krevelen diagrams were created and showed many products with compositions around H/C= 2 and N/C= 0.5, indicating the potential importance of intermediate species with these ratios for liquid formation (e.g., CH3CN + H).

An assessment of renewable energy generation in a conventional steam power plant with geothermal feedwater preheating

Hybrid steam power plant with geothermal feedwater preheating enables conversion of low temperature geothermal resources into electricity. The paper presents results of calculation of some performance parameters for 200 MWe fossil power unit associated with geothermal well. The paper gives separation rule of renewable energy from conventional one at hybrid power plant output. An influence of geothermal fluid temperature on hybrid power plant performance is discussed in a study and illustrated in several charts.

The Mechanism of International Entrepreneurship to Improve the Innovation Performance of Enterprises: Based on the Perspective of Social Network

In order to avoid the negative impact of external disadvantages and changing international business environments, enterprises have an urgent need to establish an effective social network, seek improvement in innovation performance, and stabilize their position in the international market. This paper conducts an exploratory single case study on the Midea Group, investigates the mechanism of international entrepreneurship to improve enterprise innovation performance based on the formation of multiple social networks, including government network, business network, and technological network, and discovers that in the process of international entrepreneurship, three-dimensional social networks contribute to resource conversion, research and development capability, market share, and other factors that boost corporate innovation performance. This research helps to understand the key elements in the process of international entrepreneurship, as well as how to build a close social network with stakeholders, rationally allocate and share various resources, and improve the international business environment and innovation performance of enterprises.

Application strategy of artificial intelligence technology in feed-based development of medicinal and edible homologous traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)resources in era of the "antibiotic ban"

In the context of the "antibiotic ban" era, the feed conversion of medicinal and edible traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) resources is a research hotspot in the field of antibiotic alternatives development. How to develop feed products that are beneficial to agriculture and livestock while ensuring nutrient balance and precision using medicinal and edible TCM resources as raw materials has become a challenge. Artificial intelligence(AI) technology has unique advantages in feed production and improving the efficiency of intelligent breeding. If AI technology is applied to the feed development of medicinal and edible TCM resources, it is possible to realize feeding and antibiotic-replacement value while ensuring precise nutrition. In order to better apply AI technology in the field of feed development of medicinal and edible TCM resources, this article used CiteSpace software to carry out literature visualization analysis and found that AI technology had a good application in the field of feed formulation optimization in recent years. However, there is still a gap in the research on the intelligent utilization of medicinal and edible TCM resources. Nonetheless, it is feasible for AI technology to be applied to the feed conversion of medicinal and edible TCM resources. Therefore, this article proposed for the first time an intelligent formulation system framework for feed materials derived from medicinal and edible TCM resources to provide new ideas for research in the field of feed development of medicinal and edible TCM resources and the research on the development of antibiotic alternatives. At the same time, it can pave the way for a new green industry chain for contemporary animal husbandry and the TCM industry.

Synthetic urushiols from biorenewable carbon resources: chemical conversion of enzymatic degradation products of wood lignin to an ancient yet future coating material

An artificial urushi coating material was developed by chemical conversion of bio-renewable carbon resources, such as phenylpropanoids obtained from enzymatic degradation of woody lignin and vegetable fat.

Efficient photoactivated hydrogen evolution promoted by CuxO-gCN-TiO2-Au (x = 1,2) nanoarchitectures.

In this work, we propose an original and potentially scalable synthetic route for the fabrication of CuxO-gCN-TiO2-Au (x = 1,2) nanoarchitectures, based on Cu foam anodization, graphitic carbon nitride liquid-phase deposition, and TiO2/Au sputtering. A thorough chemico-physical characterization by complementary analytical tools revealed the formation of nanoarchitectures featuring an intimate contact between the system components and a high dispersion of gold nanoparticles. Modulation of single component interplay yielded excellent functional performances in photoactivated hydrogen evolution, corresponding to a photocurrent of ≈-5.7 mA cm-2 at 0.0 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). These features, along with the very good service life, represent a cornerstone for the conversion of natural resources, as water and largely available sunlight, into added-value solar fuels.

Waste-to-Energy Online Marketplace: Leveraging AI Recommendation Matchmaking for Enhanced Biomass Sourcing in Bioenergy Production

This paper introduces a novel platform of Waste-To-Energy Online Marketplace. The platform maintains a comprehensive catalogue of available biomass resources, detailing types, quantities, and geographical locations. This allows bioenergy facilities to identify and select suitable biomass feedstock based on their specific energy production requirements. Through an intuitive online marketplace, stakeholders can negotiate agreements, ensuring a streamlined and mutually beneficial exchange of biomass feedstock for bioenergy production. The online matchmaker by A.I. recommendation engine platform opens new avenues for biomass suppliers and bioenergy facilities to connect beyond traditional geographical and logistical constraints, fostering a more expansive and interconnected market. Efficient matching ensures that biomass resources are utilised optimally, reducing waste, and maximising bioenergy production. The proposed model seeks to enhance the efficiency of converting sugarcane biomass into bioenergy, leveraging digital and A.I. technologies to match biomass producers with bioenergy facilities, optimising the efficient conversion of biomass resources into renewable energy and fostering a reduction in GHG emissions associated with traditional waste disposal methods. This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionise the biomass supply chain, facilitates competitive pricing and cost-effective transactions, benefitting both biomass suppliers and bioenergy producers, promoting sustainability, efficiency, and collaboration in the journey towards a greener and more resilient energy future.

Photoconverting waste amphiphiles at the mild air–water interface into easily separable value-added products

The in situ air–water interface is used to convert four waste surfactants into easily separable value-added products upon mild photoirradiation. The functional groups of precursors significantly affect their pathways of cross-medium resource conversion.

Electrocatalytic functional group conversion-based carbon resource upgrading.

The conversions of carbon resources, such as alcohols, aldehydes/ketones, and ethers, have been being one of the hottest topics most recently for the goal of carbon neutralization. The emerging electrocatalytic upgrading has been regarded as a promising strategy aiming to convert carbon resources into value-added chemicals. Although exciting progress has been made and reviewed recently in this area by mostly focusing on the explorations of valuable anodic oxidation or cathodic reduction reactions individually, however, the reaction rules of these reactions are still missing, and how to purposely find or rationally design novel but efficient reactions in batches is still challenging. The properties and transformations of key functional groups in substrate molecules play critically important roles in carbon resources conversion reactions, which have been paid more attention to and may offer hidden keys to achieve the above goal. In this review, the properties of functional groups are addressed and discussed in detail, and the reported electrocatalytic upgrading reactions are summarized in four categories based on the types of functional groups of carbon resources. Possible reaction pathways closely related to functional groups will be summarized from the aspects of activation, cleavage and formation of chemical bonds. The current challenges and future opportunities of electrocatalytic upgrading of carbon resources are discussed at the end of this review.

Plastic wastes-derived N-doped carbon nanotubes for efficient removal of sulfamethoxazole in high salinity wastewater via nonradical peroxymonosulfate activation

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) catalytic activation is effective to eliminate organic pollutants from water, thus the development of low-cost and efficient catalysts is significant in applications. The resource conversion of plastic wastes (PWs) into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a promising candidate for PMS-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), and also a sustainable strategy to realize plastic management and reutilization. Herein, cost-effective PWs-derived N-doped CNTs (N-pCNTs) were synthesized, which displayed efficient activity for PMS activation through an electron transfer pathway (ETP) for sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degradation in high salinity water. The pyrrolic N induced the positively charged surface of N-pCNTs, favoring the electrostatic adsorption of PMS and subsequent generation of active PMS* . A galvanic oxidation process was developed to prove the electron-shuttle dominated ETP for SMX oxidation. Combined with theoretical calculations, the efficiency of ETP was determined by the potential difference between HOMO of SMX and LUMO of N-pCNTs. Such oxidation produced low-toxicity intermediates and resulted in selective degradation of specific sulfonamide antibiotics. This work reveals the feasibility of low-cost N-pCNTs catalysts from PWs serving as an appealing candidate for PMS-AOPs in water remediation, providing a new solution to alleviate environmental issues caused by PWs and also advances the understanding of ETP during PMS activation.

Biotechnological Basis of the Pulp and Paper Industry Circular Economic System

To ensure development sustainability, the linear economic approach is being transformed into a cyclical model. For the pulp and paper industry (PPI), which occupies a significant place in the Russian economy, the shift of circular principles to the field of bioeconomics is becoming more important. This requires the development of basic biotechnological approaches implemented in closed cycles (biorefining). The aim of this study was to develop the biotechnological foundations of the circular economic system of the pulp and paper industry. To achieve the goal, the factors for the implementation of the circular mechanism in the pulp and paper industry were established. The composition of pulp and paper waste was systematized, taking into account the places of their occurrence; the directions and forms of the biorefining of pulp and paper secondary renewable resources were determined; and the principal possibility of obtaining bioethanol, based on the whole complex of sugars from cellulose production wastes, is shown. A wide range of general scientific methods was involved (analysis, synthesis, classification, modeling, etc.). Statistical methods were used to process experimental results in the field of pulp and paper waste bioconversion. The biotechnologies involved included methods of destruction, detoxification, and conversion of useful resources into secondary raw materials and final products. From the standpoint of the environmental approach, there are serious efficiency imbalances in the pulp and paper industry, which justify the implementation of circular mechanisms for organizing economic systems. The overall efficiency is ensured by the use of renewable resources and obtaining environmental effects. Algorithms and parameters of green biotechnological regulations for pulp and paper industry waste recycling provide the possibility of microbiological production of a complex of products: biocomposites, bioplastics, medical products, fertilizers, feed additives, vitamin supplements, and bioenergy resources. A strategy for the efficient biochemical processing of pulp and paper waste into green ethanol was determined. The possibility of increasing the efficiency of alcoholic fermentation using various biocatalysts was experimentally confirmed. The technological features of this method, associated with the need for microaerobic fermentation modes, were determined.

Ruthenium Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized on Ti3C2 MXene Nanosheets for Boosting Seawater Electrolysis.

Seawater electrolysis represents a viable alternative for large-scale synthesis of hydrogen (H2), which is recognized as the most promising clean energy source, without relying on scarce fresh water. However, high energy cost and harmful chlorine chemistry in seawater limited its development. Herein, an effective catalyst based on a ruthenium nanoparticle-Ti3C2 MXene composite loaded on nickel foam (RuO2-Ti3C2/NF) with an open, fine, and homogeneous nanostructure was devised and synthesized by electrodeposition for high performance and stable overall seawater splitting. To drive a current density of 100 mA cm-2, the RuO2-Ti3C2/NF electrode required a small overpotential of 85 and 351 mV for HER and OER in 1 M KOH with only a slight increase in 1 M KOH seawater (156 and 378 mV for, respectively, HER and OER). An assembled RuO2-Ti3C2/NF-based two-electrode cell required an overpotential of only 1.84 V to acquire 100 mA cm-2 in 1 M KOH seawater and maintained its activity for over 25 h. This low cell voltage effectively prevented chlorine electrochemical evolution without anode protection. These promising results open up new avenues for the effective conversion of abundant seawater resources to hydrogen fuel.

Toward effective electrocatalytic C–N coupling for the synthesis of organic nitrogenous compounds using CO2 and biomass as carbon sources

AbstractThermochemical conversion of fossil resources into fuels, chemicals, and materials has rapidly increased atmospheric CO2 levels, hindering global efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality. With the increasing push for sustainability, utilizing electrochemical technology to transform CO2 or biomass into value‐added chemicals and to close the carbon cycle with sustainable energy sources represents a promising strategy. Expanding the scope of electrosynthesis technology is a prerequisite for the electrification of chemical manufacturing. To this end, constructing the C─N bond is considered a priority. However, a systematic review of electrocatalytic processes toward building C─N bonds using CO2 and biomass as carbon sources is not available. Accordingly, this review highlights the research progress in the electrosynthesis of organic nitrogen compounds from CO2 and biomass by C─N coupling reactions in view of catalytic materials, focusing on the enlightenment of traditional catalysis on C─N coupling and the understanding of the basis of electrochemical C─N coupling. The possibility of C─N bond in electrocatalysis is also examined from the standpoints of activation of substrates, coupling site, mechanism, and inhibition of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Finally, the challenges and prospects of electrocatalytic C─N coupling reactions with improved efficiency and selectivity for future development are discussed.

Comprehensive treatment and disposal of logistics waste in China: Prospects of biomass resource conversion

The exponential growth of China’s economy, coupled with the surge in online commerce, has led to a significant expansion of the logistics industry. In 2022, China’s express delivery industry generated approximately 9 million tons of waste paper and 1.8 million tons of plastic. This study analyzed the current composition and utilization of logistics waste in China, with suggestions for recycling. Logistics waste can be defined as the packaging waste generated in the logistics industry. Corrugated paper and plastic waste were chosen as the objects for utilization. Due to its high cellulose content, corrugated paper can be utilized along with other paper waste for biomass resourcing. Biodegradable plastics can also be converted into biomass resources through the action of specific microorganisms. These polymers can be enzymatically depolymerized by certain bacteria and fungi, yielding valuable organic products. In general, logistics wastes all have potential for biomass resource recovery. By adopting appropriate recovery and conversion technologies, these waste streams can be transformed into high-value bio-based products, such as biofuels, biochemicals, and biopolymers, thus contributing to the development of a circular and sustainable economy.

Enhanced carbon dioxide adsorption and carrier separation over amine functionalized zirconium metal organic framework/gold/indium oxide for boosting photocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction

Photocatalytic CO2 conversion is a prospective way to mitigate greenhouse effect. In2O3 is widely used in the resource conversion of CO2, but still exists a few drawbacks containing limited CO2 capture and activation, narrow light absorption range, low charge separation and utilization. To overcome these disadvantages, an NH2-UiO-66/Au/In2O3 composite photocatalyst is built, with Au nanoparticles and NH2-UiO-66 decorated on the surface of In2O3 nanorods. Significantly, the improved carrier separation ability is attributed to the Schottky junction at the Au/In2O3 interface and the heterostructure between In2O3 and NH2-UiO-66. And the widened light absorption is attributed to the plasmon effect caused by Au nanoparticles. Moreover, the increase of CO2 adsorption and activation is mainly due to the porosity of NH2-UiO-66, thereby greatly improving photocatalytic CO2RR efficiency of NH2-UiO-66/Au/In2O3 nanorods. The CO yield of NH2-UiO-66/Au/In2O3 is 8.56 μmol g−1 h−1, which is nearly 45 times that of In2O3. This work will present a novel idea to design high-efficient composite photocatalysts for CO2 reduction by multifunctional component synergistic enhancement.

An Optimization Design of Hybrid Parking Lots in an Automated Environment

This paper explores the minimum lateral parking distance and parking acceleration/deceleration distance of vehicles to improve the efficiency of automated valet parking (AVP) lots and save urban land. Specifically, the paper focuses on designing parking lots for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and their parking attributes. To ensure AGV accessibility and maximize AVP capacity, graph theories and unique path-driving methods are used in designing mobile priority parking lots and decision spaces. Additionally, the paper proposes an optimization design for parking lots with obstacles, considering the layout of load-bearing columns and charging resources for electric vehicles in underground parking lots. The article further proposes an optimization design for hybrid parking lots based on spatio-temporal resource conversion in traffic design and the principle of traffic separation in traffic control since hybrid parking lots that accommodate both conventional vehicles and AGVs are crucial to the future development of urban parking lots. The experimental results show that the proposed optimization design for urban parking lots in automated environments is superior to the traditional parking lots design in terms of capacity and density. This paper provides an optimal layout scheme of urban parking lots in multiple scenarios, which can improve the service level of urban static traffic systems.

Cultural capital, network resources, and occupational attainment: a panel study on the intragenerational conversion of cultural resources

Abstract Adding to a growing body of research, this study examines the intragenerational conversion of cultural capital into occupational attainment. More specifically, we argue that cultural and economic network resources constitute an important—yet understudied—explanation for why individuals’ cultural capital yields returns in the labour market. To test our expectations, we collected unique panel data in the Netherlands with information on individuals’ cultural capital (i.e. highbrow participation), offline core, and extended networks, and occupational outcomes. In line with theoretical notions of communicating cultural match, signalling competencies, and enhancing emotional returns, our results show that cultural capital is positively associated with a higher overall occupational position. Besides, individuals’ access to network resources largely explains the association between cultural capital and a higher occupational position. Interestingly, cultural resources in the extended network play a more important role than economic network resources in the conversion of cultural capital into a higher cultural occupational position. Conversely, economic core network resources are more important than cultural core network resources in the conversion of cultural capital into a higher economic occupational position. Our study thus provides strong support for the idea that the conversion of cultural capital into occupational returns, via social capital, is field-specific.