Efficient Transfer Research Articles

1.05 MW Molten Salt Furnace Experimental Investigation of Full-Conditional Thermal Energy Storage for the Transfer and Storage of Waste Heat from Blast Furnace Gas

This paper proposes the use of heat storage devices and technologies to convert the unstable heat of gas generated by the iron and steel industry into stable heat, thus realizing the controllable and stable utilization of the gas waste heat. To this end, a 1.05MW molten salt furnace energy storage experimental system was developed, utilizing a spiral coil type molten salt furnace to heat solar salt and achieve energy transfer and storage. The study comprehensively analyzes the preheating, heating, cooling, and special working conditions of the molten salt furnace. The experimental results demonstrate that the coils can be preheated within 150 minutes and heats the solar salt to over 570°C at the rated load. However, the vertical and axial directions of the coil exhibit varying degrees of thermal stress under different operating conditions. In addition, the Reynolds number and Nusselt number of the heat transfer process were calculated and the convective heat transfer correlation equation was fitted using the similarity principle to find the heat transfer efficiency of the molten salt furnace of 77.12%. These findings are expected to address the waste blast furnace gas issue and contribute to developing a sustainable energy system in the steel industry.

In-situ synthesis of samarium activated MgO–LaAlO3 nanocomposite for enhanced and prolonged phosphorescence

A series of MgO–La1-xAlO3:xSm (x = 0–5 mol.%) nanocomposite phosphors have been synthesized in-situ using Pechini sol-gel method. The rhombohedral and face-centered crystal structures of LaAlO3 and MgO, respectively, were corroborated utilizing X-Ray Diffractograms and their Rietveld refinement. The optical band gaps of these nanocomposites have been observed in the range of 5.20–5.63 eV. Upon excitation by n-UV 405 nm radiation, the emission characteristics of these phosphors spanning 450–750 nm have been thoroughly investigated. The most notable emission occurred at 599 nm in the orange region, confirmed by CIE-1931 chromaticity coordinates. The MgO–La1-xAlO3:xSm (x = 2 mol.%) is found to be the optimum concentration exhibiting maximum luminescence with a high color purity of 90 %. Insights from Riesfeld's theory pointed towards d-q multipolar interactions as the underlying mechanism behind concentration quenching observed beyond this optimum concentration. Bi-exponential decay behavior was observed via Time-Resolved Photoluminescence (TRPL) technique, with an Internal Quantum Efficiency of 63 % calculated utilizing Auzel's formalism. The study extensively explored the impact of MgO addition on the crystallite size, band-gap, luminescence, and life-time properties, attributing the enhanced and prolonged luminescence behavior to the MgO–La1-xAlO3:xSm (x = 2 mol.%) nanocomposite. Assessment of additional parameters such as CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) and energy transfer efficiencies further reinforced the suitability of these orange emissive phosphors for potential applications in photonics and forensics, underlining their promising prospects in various technological domains.

Inhibiting Leidenfrost phenomenon with granulated polymer film

Inhibiting Leidenfrost phenomenon has been conventionally mediated by texturing materials to facilitate the solid-liquid contact or by arranging vapor channels to promote vapor evacuation. However, it remains challenging to break the trade-off between the high Leidenfrost point and the high heat transfer efficiency because elevating Leidenfrost point is often accompanied by the increase of thermal resistance. We propose a method using Rayleigh-Bénard-Marangoni convection and non-solvent induced phase separation to create granulated matrices that prevent the Leidenfrost effect at temperatures up to 400 °C. These matrices offer strong capillary adhesion, ensuring water droplets remain pinned and provide effective cooling. Additionally, the unique bubble dynamics prevent film boiling and Leidenfrost levitation. The matrices are mechanically robust and thermally stable, making them suitable for cooling high-power electronic devices at high temperatures. These results highlight the potential of using polymer matrices for cooling devices at elevated temperatures, potentially advancing cooling technologies.

Broadband sensitized near-infrared emission in Eu2+-Nd3+ co-doped BaAl2O4 as a potential spectral modulator for silicon solar cells.

The near-infrared (NIR) down-conversion process for broadband sensitization has been studied in Eu2+-Nd3+ co-doped BaAl2O4. This material has a broad absorption band of 200-480 nm and can convert photons in the visible region into NIR photons. The NIR emission at 1064 nm, attributed to the Nd3+:4F3/2 → 4I11/2 transition, matches the bandgap of Si, allowing Si solar cells to utilize the solar spectrum better. The energy transfer (ET) process between Eu2+ and Nd3+ was demonstrated using photoluminescence spectra and luminescence decay curves, and Eu2+ may transfer energy to Nd3+ through the cooperative energy transfer (CET) to achieve the down-conversion process. The energy transfer efficiency (ETE) and theoretical quantum efficiency (QE) were 68.61% and 156.34%, respectively, when 4mol% Nd3+ was introduced. The results indicate that BaAl2O4:Eu2+-Nd3+ can serve as a potential modulator of the solar spectrum and is expected to be applied to Si solar cells.

Numerical investigation of the heat transfer and flow pattern on tandem triangle-grooved cylinders

Modifying surface characteristics and geometric structure to regulate heat transfer and flow fields is a classical issue. The study of wake dynamics and heat transfer efficiency in tandem grooved cylinders hold fundamental importance. This research proposes a configuration of tandem cylinders with triangle-grooved surfaces and numerical simulates the vorticity, fluid forces, Strouhal numbers, and convective heat transfer in tandem grooved cylinders. The parameters investigated include orientation angles θ = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90° and Reynolds numbers Re = 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200. This study focuses on how the triangle-grooved angle (θ) and Re affect wake dynamics and thermal performance. Numerical results are validated against available data in the literature for tandem smooth and tandem grooved cylinders. The results indicate that, compared to tandem smooth cylinders, the positive vorticity intensity of tandem grooved cylinders is 35.7% higher, while the negative vorticity intensity is 23.5% lower. Further observations show that at θ = 45°, the pressure variation on the upstream cylinder is most significant, approximately twice that at θ = 0° and θ = 90°. Notably, the variation values of the downstream cylinder (β = 0°) at θ = 0° and θ = 45° are triple and double that of the upstream cylinder in TF mode, respectively. Additionally, at θ = 0°, the root mean square lift coefficient of the downstream cylinder reaches the maximum value (Re = 75-100), approximately 1.34. When Re = 125, CL(rms),1 decreases by 15.7% to 1.13. Particularly, when Re = 100-150, the time-averaged drag coefficient of the downstream cylinder shows a peak value of approximately 1.02. Interestingly, at Re = 200, a tadpole-shaped thermal distribution forms in the wake region of the upstream cylinder. Furthermore, the time-averaged Nusselt number ratio (θ = 0°) exhibits a trend opposite to other cases over a broader range (125 ≤ Re ≤ 200) and peaks at Re = 200, approximately 1.24.

Development of a Novel Structured Mesh-Type Pd/γ-Al2O3/Al Catalyst on Nitrobenzene Liquid-Phase Catalytic Hydrogenation Reactions

Nitrobenzene liquid-phase catalytic hydrogenation is commonly regarded as one of the most effective technologies for aniline production. The traditional granular catalysts have the disadvantages that the reactor bed pressure drop is large and the mass transfer efficiency between gas and liquid phases is low. In this study, a novel structured mesh-type Pd/γ-Al2O3/Al catalyst was prepared by anodic oxidation and pore structures of γ-Al2O3/Al supports were constructed by acid pore-widening treatments. The results showed that acid pore-widening treatments can improve the pore size of γ-Al2O3/Al supports; the support with HNO3 pore-widening treatment exhibited the largest pore size, being enlarged from 3.7 nm to 4.6 nm. The Pd/γ-Al2O3/Al catalysts prepared with different acid pore-widening treatment supports contribute to the increased active metal Pd loading, more Pd0 content, and better dispersion of the Pd particles. The catalyst prepared with HNO3 pore-widening treatment support exhibited the largest active metal Pd loading, enlarging from 1.82% to 1.95%, the largest Pd0 content being enlarged from 52.1% to 58.5% and the smallest Pd particle size being reduced from 103 nm to 41 nm, resulting in the highest nitrobenzene conversion, increasing from 67.2% to 74.3%. Eventually, we calculated that the pressure drop of structured catalysts was 1/72 of that of granular catalysts, resulting in a better diffusion of the H2 through nitrobenzene solution to active sites on the catalyst surface and a significant increase in the catalytic activity.

A mechanics and electromagnetic scaling law for highly stretchable radio frequency electronics

Many classes of flexible and stretchable bio-integrated electronic systems rely on mechanically sensitive electromagnetic components, such as various forms of antennas for wireless communication and for harvesting energy through coupling with external power sources. This efficient wireless functionality can be important for body area network technologies and can enable operation without the weight and bulky size of batteries for power supply. Recently, antenna designs have received increased attention because their mechanical and electromagnetic properties significantly influence the wireless performance of bio-integrated electronics, particularly under excessive mechanical loads. These mechanical factors are critical for skin-integrated electronics during human motion, as complex skin deformations can damage the conductive traces of antennas, such as those used for near-field communication (NFC), leading to yield or fracture and affecting their electromagnetic stability. Serpentine interconnects have been proposed as a geometric alternative to in-plane circular or rectangular spiral antenna designs to improve the elastic stretchability of the metallic traces in NFC antennas and prevent mechanical fractures. Despite the use of serpentine interconnects within the physiologically relevant strain range for skin (<20 %), the electromagnetic stability of the antennas decreases. This instability, reflected by shifts in resonance frequency and scattering parameters due to inductance changes, reduces the antennas' wireless power transfer efficiency and readout range. Therefore, maintaining the electromagnetic stability of antennas, specifically NFC antennas, under various mechanical deformations has become a critical challenge in practical wireless skin-integrated applications, such as sensing and physiological monitoring. Here, we establish a new mechanics and electromagnetic scaling law that quantifies the inductance changes under strain in a rectangular-loop serpentine structure typically used for NFC wireless communication in stretchable electronics. We present a systematic analysis of the antenna's geometric parameters, material properties of the antenna and substrate, and the applied strain on the inductance change. Our findings demonstrate that the relative change of inductance is solely influenced by the serpentine structure's width-radius ratio, arc angle, aspect ratio of the NFC antennas, and the applied strain. Additionally, under physiological strain conditions for the skin, the relative change of inductance can be minimized to preserve the NFC antenna's performance and prevent mechanical fracture and electromagnetic stability loss.

NiMoO4 containing O-vacancy cooperated with bimetallic sulfides as efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

MoS2 is a potential transition metal sulfide (TMS) with excellent performance for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic medium. However, MoS2 has poor stability owing to its metastable properties and therefore is easily oxidized to MoO3 which can hinder the HER process. In this work, MoO3 on the surface of the TMS is transformed to NiMoO4 with plentiful oxygen vacancies (Ov) favorable for HER and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) by an acid treatment to form an Ov-containing transition bimetallic sulfide/oxide catalyst (Ov-NiMoO4@Ni3S2-MoS2-rGO-NF, denoted as NiMoO4@NiMoS-rN). The electrocatalyst shows exceptional performance for HER and OER in terms of increased intrinsic activity, electron transfer efficiency, reaction kinetics and durability on account of the Ov, synergistic effect among different phases and bimetallic active sites. The overpotentials of NiMoO4@NiMoS-rN electrode when achieving 10mAcm-2 are 45mV and 195mV towards HER and OER in alkaline, respectively, and the performance holds nearly unchanged during a 50-hour stability test. When assembled to a two-electrode system, the current density of 10mAcm-2 can keep steady for 50h without degradation. The strategy combined by phase transition, interface and defect engineering via a facile method provides a practical idea for design and modulation of bifunctional electrocatalysts.

Nano zero valent iron stimulated acetaldehyde oxidation, electron transfer, and RBO pathway for enhanced medium-chain carboxylic acids production

Nano zero-valent iron (NZVI) has been shown to effectively enhance the chain elongation (CE) process, addressing the issue of limited yield of medium-chain carboxylic acids (MCCA) from organic wastewater. However, the specific impact of NZVI on the metabolism of CE bacteria (CEB) is not well understood. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the mechanism by which an optimal concentration of NZVI influences CE metabolism, particularly in relation to ethanol oxidation, electron transfer, and MCCA synthesis. This was achieved through single-factor influence experiments and metagenomic analysis. The results showed that the addition of 1 g/gVSS NZVI achieved the highest MCCA yield (n-caproic acid + n-octanoic acid) at 2.02 g COD/L, which was 4.9 times higher than the control. This improvement in MCCA production induced by NZVI was attributed to several factors. Firstly, NZVI facilitated the oxidation of acetaldehyde, leading to its reduced accumulation in the system (from 18.4% to 5.8%), due to the optimized chemical environment created by NZVI corrosion, including near-neutral pH and a more reductive oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). Additionally, the inherent conductivity property of NZVI and the additional Fe ions released during corrosion improved the electron transfer efficiency between CEB. Lastly, both the composition of microbial communities and the abundance of unique enzyme genes confirmed the selective stimulation of NZVI on the reverse β-oxidation (RBO) pathway. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of NZVI in CEB metabolism and its potential application for enhancing MCCA production in CE bioreactors.

How photosynthetic performance impacts agricultural productivity in hybrid cotton offspring

Currently, heterosis is an effective method for achieving high crop quality and yield worldwide. Owing to the challenges of breeding and the high cost of the F1 generation, the F2 generation is considered the more desirable hybrid offspring for agricultural production. The use of OJIP fluorescence provides rapid insights into various photosynthetic mechanisms. However, OJIP fluorescence has not been previously studied as an indicator of the rate of heterosis. Consequently, we investigated the relationship between photosynthetic characteristics and growth and developmental parameters in hybrid cotton cultivars. The findings showed a gradual decline in the photosynthetic performance of hybrid cotton as the number of generations increased. In comparison to the F3 generation, both the F1 and F2 generations showed minimal variations in parameters, thus maintaining hybrid dominant and emphasizing the agricultural production potential of the F2 generation. The JIP-test revealed significant differences in the relationship between ψEo and ϕEo parameters, as well as variations in the connections between the photo-response center and electron transfer efficiency, and between cotton yield and fiber quality in the hybrid progeny. These variations can serve as indicators for predicting the extent of hybrid dominance in cotton. The results indicated significant differences in the light and dark responses of the hybrid offspring. By using parents with similar photosynthetic performance as genetic resources for crossbreeding, the photosynthetic capacity of the hybrid progeny can be enhanced to facilitate the efficient absorption and conversion of light energy in crops.

Application of novel dual-ligand co metal-organic framework/graphene oxide for electrocatalytic oxidative degradation of bisphenol A in marine wastewater

The adjustment of the electron distribution of 2D metal-organic frameworks (2D-MOFs), as a hot anode candidate for electrocatalytic oxidation, is crucial for its application. In this work, a new electron distribution was achieved with dual-ligand connection and graphene oxide (GO) loading and the complex of dual-ligand 2D-MOF/GO (Co-IH/GO) exhibit faster electron transfer efficiency (Rct = 62.5) and more active sites (ID/IG = 1.01). Co-IH/GO demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic performance and achieved 100 % electrocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) within 10 min. In addition, superior properties of stability, temperature tolerance, and pH tolerance were achieved, after 5 cycles of degradation, the catalyst was able to maintain 100 % degradation efficiency, Capable of maintaining good degradation performance over a temperature range of 25 °C–45 °C and a wide pH range of pH = 5–11. Both experimental and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis results indicated that 1O2 acted as the dominant active substrate. With the involvement of Cl− in marine wastewater, activated chlorine was also generated during the reaction, which contributed to fast BPA degradation. Furthermore, the established dual-ligand 2D-MOF/GO electrocatalytic system exhibited superior activity for the degradation of dyes and complex microflora, while the solar-driven degradation experiment shed light on the independence of fossil and stationary sources of energy.

Pyrite-stimulated bio-reductive immobilization of perrhenate: Insights from integrated biotic and abiotic perspectives

Microbes possessing electron transfer capabilities hold great promise for remediating subsurface contaminated by redox-active radionuclides such as technetium-99 (99TcO4−) through bio-transformation of soluble contaminants into their sparingly soluble forms. However, the practical application of this concept has been impeded due to the low electron transfer efficiency and long-term product stability under various biogeochemical conditions. Herein, we proposed and tested a pyrite-stimulated bio-immobilization strategy for immobilizing ReO4− (a nonradioactive analogue of 99TcO4−) using sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), with a focus on pure-cultured Desulfovibrio vulgaris. Pyrite acted as an effective stimulant for the bio-transformation of ReO4−, boosting the removal rate of ReO4− (50 mg/L) in a solution from 2.8 % (without pyrite) to 100 %. Moreover, the immobilized products showed almost no signs of remobilization during 168 days of monitoring. Dual lines of evidence were presented to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for the pyrite-enhanced bio-activity. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a global upregulation of genes associated with electron conductive cytochromes c network, extracellular tryptophan, and intracellular electron transfer units, leading to enhanced ReO4− bio-reduction. Spectroscopic analysis confirmed the long-term stability of the bio-immobilized products, wherein ReO4− is reduced to stable Re(IV) oxides and Re(IV) sulfides. This work provides a novel green strategy for remediation of radionuclides- or heavy metals-contaminated sites.

Investigation of cold tube structure on flow characteristics and energy separation in vortex tube based on numerical and thermodynamic analyses

A combined approach of computational fluid dynamics modelling, experimental validation and thermodynamic analysis is used to investigate the effect of cold end tube geometry (namely, straight tube, divergent tube, convergent tube, and convergent-divergent tube) on flow characteristics and energy separation, which to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of the vortex tube in industrial applications. The analyses indicate that the highest axial velocity (212 m/s) and swirl velocity (193 m/s) at different axial locations in the cold tube are demonstrated in the divergent and convergent-divergent structures, respectively. The divergent tube shows better energy separation at lower cold mass fraction, while the convergent-divergent tube is dominant at higher cold mass fraction. The highest coefficient of performance is found at μc = 0.6, with maximum cooling and heating energy transfer efficiencies of 0.112 and 0.103, respectively. By innovatively incorporating the work-heat transfer theory into structural investigation of cold tubes, it is found that tangential viscous shear effect is the dominant factor in energy separation process. It is noteworthy that the highest net energy transfer of 973 W is achieved by convergent-divergent tube at a cold mass fraction of 0.7.

NiMoP2 co-catalyst modified Cu doped ZnS for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The design of a low-cost, efficient and durable co-catalyst for hydrogen evolution is of great significance for improving photocatalytic activity. In this work, a NiMoP2/Cu-ZnS composite photocatalyst was prepared by in-situ growth of NiMoP2 on the surface of copper-doped zinc sulfide (Cu-ZnS). The test results showed that the hydrogen production rate of the optimized NiMoP2/Cu-ZnS under visible light irradiation was significantly improved. Among them, NiMoP2/Cu-ZnS-1 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity (5.13 mmol·g−1·h−1), which was 2.47 times that of Cu-ZnS and maintained good stability during the reaction. The improvement of hydrogen production performance of the photocatalyst was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of Cu-ZnS and co-catalyst NiMoP2. The ohmic contact formed between Cu-ZnS and NiMoP2 could improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and reduce the overpotential of H2 evolution. Besides, NiMoP2 was found to provide the active site for the reduction reaction, and accelerate the transfer efficiency of photogenerated electrons. This strategy opens up a new way for the construction of co-catalyst modified semiconductor materials to improve the photocatalytic hydrogen production rate.

Radioluminescence and photoluminescence properties of Sm3+-doped Gd-Ba-Na borate glass scintillator

This study investigates the potential of Gd-Ba-Na borate glasses doped with Sm3+ ions as scintillation materials. The glasses were synthesized using a melt-quenching process, and their luminescence properties were examined. The results demonstrate that the glass sample with 0.5 mol% of Sm3+ exhibits the most promising scintillation performance, achieving the highest integral scintillation efficiency (24.11%) compared to the BGO crystal. For the photoluminescence study, the emission spectra, under 403 nm excitation wavelength, show emission bands centered at 563, 599, 646, and 706 nm, consistent with characteristic Sm3+ transitions. The highest energy transfer efficiency from Gd3+ to Sm3+ (64.37%) is also found in the glass sample with 0.5 mol% Sm3+. The emission color can be tuned by varying the excitation wavelength. Excitation at 403 nm primarily excites Sm3+ ions, resulting in orange emission. In contrast, excitation at 275 nm excites Gd3+ ions, leading to reddish-orange emission. The results demonstrate the potential of this glass composition for use as a highly efficient scintillation material due to its excellent performance in both radioluminescence and photoluminescence properties.

Double diffusive thermogravitational convection in a convex U-shaped porous chamber filled with radiative ternary hybrid nanoliquid

This research deals with the intricate dynamics of double diffusive thermogravitational convection within a convex U-shaped porous chamber and sheds light on the use of a radiative ternary hybrid nanoliquid. In this configuration, the lower flat boundary is assumed to be thermally hot and densely concentrated while the curved lateral boundaries remain cold and dilute. The other boundaries of the enclosure are kept under adiabatic conditions. The governing Navier–Stokes equations along with thermal and species equations are effectively solved by employing a higher order compact technique. The developed in-house program has been rigorously verified against experimental and computational benchmark results. The research meticulously examines the impact of several pivotal parameters, including the Lewis number (1≤Le≤20), buoyancy ratio (0≤N≤10), Darcy number (10−4≤Da≤10−2), Rayleigh number (104≤Ra≤106), volumetric heat source/sink coefficient (−10≤q≤10), radiation parameter (1≤Rd≤5), aspect parameter of the U-shaped chamber (0.2≤AR≤0.6), and solid particles concentration (0.0≤ϕthnp≤0.04) of the ternary hybrid nanofluid. The findings are eloquently portrayed through graphical representations by showcasing streamlines, iso-solutals, isotherms, and the dimensionless Nusselt (Nuavg) and Sherwood (Shavg) parameters. Our investigation demonstrates that the ternary hybrid nanofluid outperforms both hybrid and mono nanofluids in facilitating double diffusion processes. Moreover, optimal heat transfer efficiency is achieved under conditions characterized by an aspect ratio of AR = 0.2, Rayleigh number Ra=106, Darcy number Da=10−2, buoyancy ratio N = 10, Lewis number Le = 1, and solid volume fraction ϕthnp=0.04.

Exploring the impact of Sm3+ doping on the structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties of ZnAl2O4 spinels

The development of novel nano-photocatalysts to address the ongoing water purification and organic dye degradation issues is a major concern to the research community today. In view of it, in the present study, Sm3+-doped ZnAl2O4, (ZnAl2-2xSm2xO4; x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02 & 0.03) nano-catalysts were prepared through solution combustion method using Isoleucine as a fuel. Systematic studies were conducted to evaluate their structural, microstructural and band structure properties to ascertain the feasibility of their use as photocatalysts against acid orange 8 dye under visible light irradiation. It was observed that the substitution of Sm3+ at the Al3+ site has a greater impact on the formation of single-phase spherical nanoparticles of the sample crystallized in the cubic crystal structure. With the increase in the concentration of Sm3+, the average crystallite size was found to decrease towards the quantum limit. Additionally, BET analysis reveals an increase in specific surface area and pore size, accompanied by a reduction in pore volume with higher Sm3+ concentrations. SEM micrographs reveal that the prepared samples are highly porous in nature, supporting the XRD and BET analysis. Also, the band gap was found to increase with Sm3+ concentration. It is worth noting that ZnAl2-2xSmxO4 nanoparticles demonstrate significant photocatalytic activity against Acid Orange 8 dye under visible light, although the band gap increases with Sm3+ concentration. Notably, 3 mol% Sm3+-doped ZnAl2O4 achieves 92 % degradation efficiency of Acid Orange 8 under visible light due to its high surface area, increased active sites, and reduced photogenerated charge carrier recombination. The photocatalytic dye degradation mechanism highlights the role of dye sensitization in enabling visible light photocatalytic activity for Sm3+-doped ZnAl2O4, which primarily absorbs in the UV region. The process relies on the efficient transfer of electrons from the excited dye to the photocatalyst, followed by the formation of reactive species that drive the degradation of pollutants. The corresponding mechanism for this is proposed in detail.

Analysis of the technique for experimental determination of the efficient heat transfer coefficient during drying of iron ore pellets and charge in the dense layer

Analysis of the technique for experimental determination of the efficient heat transfer coefficient during drying of iron ore pellets and charge in the dense layer

Highly dispersed BiVO4 nanoparticles supported by pseudoboehmite for effective removal of antibiotics

BiVO4/pseudoboehmite (PB) composite catalysts were innovatively prepared using the cost-effective PB as support by a facile hydrothermal method. BiVO4 nanoparticles with an average size of 12 nm are highly dispersed on the surface of PB. Compared to pure BiVO4, the composite BiVO4/6 %PB exhibits high specific surface area (32.9 m2/g) about double that of pure BiVO4 (15.1 m2/g) which can provide more adsorption and photocatalytic reaction sites. Meanwhile, the composite has enhanced photogenerated electron-hole separation and transfer efficiency. As a result, it has a superior performance of antibiotics removal in water than pure BiVO4. The tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) removal efficiency of BiVO4/6 %PB can reach 87 % within 2 h with high stability (<7 % decay after four cycles) under LED lamp (380–780 nm) irradiation as well as high selectivity. Specifically, the adsorption efficiency and photocatalytic rate constant are respectively triple and double that of pure BiVO4. Simultaneously, the BiVO4/6 %PB also possesses high removal efficiency of amoxicillin (76 %). Our results indicate that the selection of cost-effective PB as catalyst support offers a new solution to solve the aggregation problem of BiVO4 nanoparticles and the composite obtained contributes to an economic and efficient BiVO4-based photocatalyst for antibiotics removal in sewage treatment.

Ni-NCDs promoted photocatalytic benzylamine oxidation coupled hydrogen production in Cu-In-Zn-S/WO3·H2O Z-scheme heterojunction

The construction of Z-scheme heterojunction is important for efficient photocatalytic organic oxidation coupled hydrogen production. However, current methods suffer from poor synergy of charge extraction and surface reactions. In this study, we combined Cu-In-Zn-S (CIZS) quantum dots with WO3·H2O (WO) nanosheets to form a Z-scheme heterojunction, which was further modified with bifunctional N-doped carbon dots (NCDs) to improve charge extraction and abundant Ni sites for hydrogen evolution. The unique 0D/2D/0D CIZS/WO/Ni-NCDs heterojunction resulted in a hydrogen production rate of 4.261 mmol g−1 h−1, with ascorbic acid, 8.06 times higher than that of CIZS. In addition, the selectivity of N-benzylidenebenzylamine from benzylamine oxidation reaction has been increased from 31.65 % to 73.34 %. This improvement can be attributed to the efficient charge separation, transfer, and surface reactions accelerated by the multifunctional Ni-NCDs. A series of photoelectrochemical tests and radical scavenging experiments confirmed the Z-scheme photocatalytic process and the important roles of superoxide radicals and holes. Photo-induced electrocatalysis tests further confirmed the accelerated hydrogen evolution reaction in the presence of Ni-NCDs. Furthermore, time-resolved photoluminescence test demonstrated that the synergies of NCDs and Ni significantly extended the charge carrier lifetime. These findings provide valuable insights into efficient hydrogen production through the modulation of Z-scheme heterojunctions using bifunctional metal-carbon dots.