Intense Heat Research Articles

Investigating intermolecular interactions of surfactant solutions using femtosecond thermal lens spectroscopy

In this study, we examined the impact of various surfactants (oleic acid, butyric acid, Span-20, and CTAB) on the thermophysical properties of methanol (MeOH) using a femtosecond laser-induced thermal lens (TL) spectroscopic technique. Methanol was chosen for its unique convective properties under intense localized heating, making it a promising candidate for studying photothermal responses. We discovered that the TL characteristics of both pure methanol and methanol-surfactant mixtures are significantly influenced by the molecular interactions and physical properties of the components. Our experimental results indicate that the addition of surfactants notably alters the heat transfer dynamics of the solvent by restricting natural molecular movement and modifying thermal properties, which in turn affect the TL signatures. Beyond the surfactant concentration, we observed that the extent of variation in steady-state TL signals, inflection points, and heat transfer mechanisms depends on the molecular properties of the surfactants, such as chain length, the number of active (hydrophilic) groups per molecule, thermal conductivity, viscosity, and intermolecular interactions. Our TL findings provide a detailed investigation into the effect of surfactants on the photothermal response and heat transfer process of a solvent for the first time.

Numerical analysis of sloshing effects in cryogenic liquefied-hydrogen storage tanks for trains under various vibration conditions

This study examines the effects of hydrogen sloshing on internal pressure, temperature, and fluid behavior liquefied-hydrogen storage tanks designed for train usage by applying the natural frequency and frequency conditions from train vibration test standards. Notably, it investigates the impact on BOG generation using a transient volume-of-fluid phase change model. Here, simulations were conducted at vibrations of 0, 0.53, 1.53, and 3 Hz, which were established using sine wave acceleration. The results demonstrated that sloshing increased with higher frequencies, thereby resulting in a more intense heat transfer between the wall of the tanks and free surface of hydrogen and an increase in the BOG generation. Compared to the 0 Hz baseline, BOG generation increased by 13, 44, and 66 % at 0.53, 1.53, and 3 Hz, respectively.

Experimental investigation on product and temperature distribution in a continuous flow packed-bed reactor for dodecahydro-N-ethylcarbazole dehydrogenation

The dehydrogenation of dodecahydro-N-ethylcarbazole (H12-NEC) generates enormous gas accompanied by intense heat absorption, affecting heat and mass transfer in porous catalysts. A packed-bed reactor equipped with a temperature measurement device was designed to investigate the continuous flow dehydrogenation of H12-NEC. The effects of weight hourly space velocity (WHSV), reaction temperature, catalyst particle size, and pressure were evaluated. The results reveal that the volume flow rate of hydrogen will increase with the increase of WHSV. And the reduction of gas–liquid ratio and catalyst particle size facilitates heat transfer causing a more uniform axial temperature distribution within the reactor. As the temperature rises, the hydrogen yield increases along with more by-products. 456 K and 2 mm of catalyst particle size are determined to be the optimal reaction conditions in the study, achieving the hydrogen production rate of 9.61 molH2·gPd-1·h-1. With pressure increasing, the hydrogen yield gradually decreases, but the decreased evaporation of H12-NEC results in a smaller temperature difference between the reactor and heating wall. A comparison with the thermodynamic equilibrium model reveals that the effect of pressure on chemical equilibrium may be more significant than the temperature.

Induction heating boosts water splitting on iron-coated nickel foam

Abstract Alkaline water electrolysis at high temperatures can rival acidic proton-exchange membranes.
However, they suffer from increased energy consumption, reduced lifespan of materials and heightened safety risks. Magnetic hyperthermia is a method of localizing intense heating in the presence of an external high-frequency alternating magnetic field. In this study, we developed a custom electromagnetic induction device capable of generating a small magnetic field of about 2 µT. High-permeability nickel foam is used as electrodes. Results show that the iron coated nickel foam decreases the overpotential of the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction by ~150 mV and 60 mV, respectively, at 20 mAcm−2 when subjected to magnetic heating in a high-frequency alternating magnetic field. The overall water splitting current of Ni foam/Fe increases 540% under intermittent induction. The enhanced stability of Ni foam/Fe is attributed to the high binding energy of metal-O on the surface. The density function theory calculations further indicates that the lattice expansion of the metal electrode under induction heating optimizes the adsorption and desorption of H*, thereby enhancing the HER performance.

Kinetics of methane hydrate formation in a 1200 ml unstirred reactor for natural gas storage

Solidified natural gas (SNG) technology via clathrate hydrates, enhanced by promoters such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), promises large-scale natural gas storage due to its high volumetric capacity and mild storage conditions. Despite its potential for industrial scale-up, limited research exists on methane hydrate formation behaviors in large reactors (>1000 cm3), which is crucial for evaluating practical storage performance. In this study, methane hydrate formation kinetics were investigated in a scaled-up unstirred reactor (1200 cm3) at 288.15 K and 283.15 K, and 5.0 MPa. Methane uptake, system pressure, gas and liquid phase temperatures, and hydrate morphologies were analyzed to describe the dynamic hydrate formation process. Results reveal three effects of increased reactor size in contrast to smaller reactors: (i) heterogeneous distribution of THF-rich and methane-rich hydrates; (ii) hydrate bulk show a hollow inner structure with a cavity due to the wall-climbing behavior of hydrate growth; (iii) optimal THF concentration no longer always agrees with stoichiometric 5.56 mol%, which is case-dependent. These effects are attributed to higher diffusion resistances for methane molecules and more intensive heat accumulation. These findings provide some insight into the kinetics of methane hydrate formation in industrial reactors, which is critical for the commercialization of SNG technology.

Magnetic detection of anthropogenic fires at Xiaodong Rockshelter, Southwest China

The Xiaodong Rockshelter, located on the southwest edge of Yunnan Province, is known as Southeast Asia's oldest (>43.5 ka) and northernmost Hoabinhian technocomplex site. The rockshelter preserves a rich record of animals, plants, and lithic artifacts excavated from sediments with a thickness of 4.6 m. New dating reported here indicates that the stratigraphic sequence spans from 65 ka to 15 ka. Several layers in the sedimentary sequence show evidence of fire, representative of the earliest evidence of fire by Hoabinhian population in a tropical-subtropical area. Here, we use magnetic methods coupled with mineral analysis to differentiate natural material from anthropogenically fired sediment. Archaeological fire events are characterized by higher magnetic concentrations and coarser magnetic grains compared to natural sediments. Significant magnetic enhancements were caused by the transformation of paramagnetic iron-bearing silicates into ferrimagnetic, spherical-shaped magnetite with increasing temperatures. Notably, a pronounced magnetic enhancement was observed between 1.8 and 2.5 m, spanning between 42 and 34 ka, indicating intense and concentrated heating, with estimated firing temperatures reaching ca. 400 °C. Additionally, three thin layers exhibiting magnetic enhancement were detected at depths of 3.65 m, 4.45 m, and 4.55 m, dating to ca. 55.6 ka, 62.3 ka and 64.8 ka respectively. This suggests three short-term fired ash deposits with minimal vertical magnetic enhancement, indicative of fire temperatures at ca. 350 °C. The magnetic method proves effective in detecting anthropogenic fire in archaeological sediments and potentially estimating ancient fire temperatures.

Exploring Thinopyrum spp. Group 7 Chromosome Introgressions to Improve Durum Wheat Performance under Intense Daytime and Night-Time Heat Stress at Anthesis.

Durum wheat (DW) is one of the major crops grown in the Mediterranean area, a climate-vulnerable region where the increase in day/night (d/n) temperature is severely threatening DW yield stability. In order to improve DW heat tolerance, the introgression of chromosomal segments derived from the wild gene pool is a promising strategy. Here, four DW-Thinopyrum spp. near-isogenic recombinant lines (NIRLs) were assessed for their physiological response and productive performance after intense heat stress (IH, 37/27 °C d/n) had been applied for 3 days at anthesis. The NIRLs included two primary types (R5, R112), carriers (+) of a differently sized Th. ponticum 7el1L segment on the DW 7AL arm, and two corresponding secondary types (R69-9/R5, R69-9/R112), possessing a Th. elongatum 7EL segment distally inserted into the 7el1L ones. Their response to the IH stress was compared to that of corresponding non-carrier sib lines (-) and the heat-tolerant cv. Margherita. Overall, the R112+, R69-9/R5+ and R69-9/R112+ NIRLs exhibited a tolerant behaviour towards the applied stress, standing out for the maintenance of leaf relative water content but also for the accumulation of proline and soluble sugars in the flag leaf and the preservation of photosynthetic efficiency. As a result, all the above three NIRLs (R112+ > R69-9/R5+ > R69-9/R112+) displayed good yield stability under the IH, also in comparison with cv. Margherita. R112+ particularly relied on the strength of spike fertility/grain number traits, while R69-9/R5+ benefited from efficient compensation by the grain weight increase. This work largely confirmed and further substantiated the value of exploiting the wild germplasm of Thinopyrum species as a useful source for the improvement of DW tolerance to even extreme abiotic stress conditions, such as the severe heat treatment throughout day- and night-time applied here.

Computational investigation of a methanol compression ignition engine assisted by a glow plug

This work explores the feasibility of pure methanol combustion in a light-duty diesel engine assisted by a glow plug (GP). The simulations represented a mild engine load with an indicated mean effective pressure of 7 bar. An extensive computational study was conducted, and the successful operation of the pure methanol compression ignition engine was demonstrated. The effects of the GP position, spray umbrella angle, the relative angle (RA) between the glow plug and jet trajectory, and the injection strategy on the engine performance were evaluated. The autoignition of methanol-air mixture was found to primarily occur at an equivalence ratio between 0.2 and 0.4. However, an even richer mixture accompanied the lower temperature due to intense heat absorption of evaporation, significantly prolonging the ignition delay. Therefore, to improve the ignition and combustion heat release processes, RA was optimized to adequately control the mixture distribution around the GP. At each position of the GP, the optimum RA differed due to the complex flow and air-fuel mixing within the combustion chamber, which became smaller (from 12.5° to 5°) when the GP was moved anticlockwise from the intake port to the exhaust port regions. Furthermore, a split injection strategy was proposed to ensure the successful ignition of the methanol jets. The engine performance exhibited a high sensitivity to the pilot and main injection timings. A small pilot mass fraction of no higher than 20% was recommended to mitigate fuel jet-GP interaction and fuel impingement in the squish region.

New role of radical-induced polymerization: Base/self-heating synergistically activate persulfate to boost food waste humification

Radical-induced polymerization in persulfate (PS)-based advanced oxidation process (AOP) is attracting attention in water decontamination. Herein, we revealed its new role in rapid recycling of perishable food wastes using KOH activated PS. A glucose (Glu) solution of 250 g C/L was applied to mimic the carbohydrate-rich raw material with 50–60% moisture in conventional composting, wherein boosted humification occurred after addition of solid KOH/PS. Intense heat release (from 25 to 79.4 °C), mainly generated from KOH dissolving and exothermic radical chain polymerization, was observed within 2 min. Solid KOH addition contributed to synergistic PS activation by base and self-heating, realizing complete PS decomposition and fulvic like acid (FLA, 210.8 g C/L) formation within 10 min. Extracted FLA promoted cucumber seed germination and fresh weight of chickweeds by 40.0% and 128.3%, respectively. Identified •OH and SO4•- played primary roles in FLA formation through aromatization, carboxylation, and polymerization, wherein several key reactive intermediates such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and aromatic radicals (i.e. 1,2,4-benzenetriol radical) were formed. Moreover, the humification process simultaneously produced K2SO4 (i.e. the end product of PS decomposition) which could be used as a typical K/S fertilizer. Scaling-up humification of waste cooked rice and fertilization results further supported the potential of solid KOH/PS in efficiently converting food wastes into FLA and K+-rich compound fertilizer.

Numerical Investigation of Track and Intensity Evolution of Typhoon Doksuri (2023)

This study utilized the WRF model to investigate the track evolution and rapid intensification (RI) of Typhoon Doksuri (2023) as it moved across the Luzon Strait and through the South China Sea (SCS). The simulation results indicate that Doksuri has a smaller track sensitivity to the use of different physics schemes, while having a greater intensity sensitivity. Sensitivity numerical experiments with different physics schemes can well capture its northwestward movement in the first two days, but they predict less westward track deflection as the typhoon moves across the Luzon Strait and through the SCS. Moreover, all the experiments successfully simulated Doksuri’s RI, albeit with quite different rates and a time lag of 12 h. Among different combinations of physics schemes, there exists an optimal set of cumulus parameterization and cloud microphysics schemes for track and intensity predictions. Doksuri’s track changes as the typhoon moved across the Luzon Strait and through the SCS were influenced by the topographic effects of the terrain of the Philippines and Taiwan, to different extents. The track changes of Doksuri are explained by the wavenumber-one potential vorticity (PV) tendency budget from different physical processes, highlighting that the horizontal PV advection dominates the PV tendency throughout most of the simulation time due to the offset of vertical PV advection and differential diabatic heating. In addition, this study applies the extended Sawyer–Eliassen (SE) equation to compare the transverse circulations of the typhoon induced by various forcing sources. The SE solution indicates that radial inflow was largely driven in the lower-tropospheric vortex by strong diabatic heating, while being significantly enhanced in the lower boundary layer due to turbulent friction. All other physical forcing terms were relatively insignificant for the induced transverse circulation. The coordinated radial inflow at low levels may have led to the eyewall development in unbalanced dynamics. Intense diabatic heating thus was vital to the severe RI of Doksuri under a weak vertical wind shear.

Heating Induced Nanoparticle Migration and Enhanced Delivery in Tumor Treatment Using Nanotechnology.

Nanoparticles have been developed as imaging contrast agents, heat absorbers to confine energy into targeted tumors, and drug carriers in advanced cancer treatment. It is crucial to achieve a minimal concentration of drug-carrying nanostructures or to induce an optimized nanoparticle distribution in tumors. This review is focused on understanding how local or whole-body heating alters transport properties in tumors, therefore leading to enhanced nanoparticle delivery or optimized nanoparticle distributions in tumors. First, an overview of cancer treatment and the development of nanotechnology in cancer therapy is introduced. Second, the importance of particle distribution in one of the hyperthermia approaches using nanoparticles in damaging tumors is discussed. How intensive heating during nanoparticle hyperthermia alters interstitial space structure to induce nanoparticle migration in tumors is evaluated. The next section reviews major obstacles in the systemic delivery of therapeutic agents to targeted tumors due to unique features of tumor microenvironments. Experimental observations on how mild local or whole-body heating boosts systemic nanoparticle delivery to tumors are presented, and possible physiological mechanisms are explored. The end of this review provides the current challenges facing clinicians and researchers in designing effective and safe heating strategies to maximize the delivery of therapeutic agents to tumors.

Energy characteristics of the vapor-gas shell formation stage during electrolyte-plasma treatment

The article presents the results on energy characteristics and the thermophysical state in the vapor-gas shell formation stage during electrolyte-plasma treatment. The vapor-gas shell formation stage is characterized by intense heating of the anode layer, a transition to undeveloped bubble boiling with high heat release capacity, boiling crisis emergence, and by a transition to the film mode with low heat release capacity. At the same time, a traditional electrochemical process occurs on the anode, which is accompanied by dissolving the surface layer. Dependences characterizing the influence of electrolyte-plasma treatment parameters on the specific power and specific energy of the vapor-gas shell formation stage are established. The obtained results allow optimizing the parameters of new effective processes of electrolyte-plasma treatment in controlled pulse modes, at which both electrochemical (vapor-gas shell formation) and electrolyte-plasma stages are realized within one pulse of millisecond duration.

Exploring maladaptive patterns of small-scale green roofs through evaluation in a capacity of heat mitigation: A case study in seoul

Climate change leads to more frequent and intense heat waves, exposing urban populations to extreme heat conditions and significant health risks. Many cities are adopting Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to mitigate urban heat, with green roofs emerging as a widely recognized NbS. Although numerous green roof projects are implemented on a small scale, research on the effectiveness of small-scale green roofs on an urban scale is limited, making it challenging to identify the critical factors for both maladaptation and success. Therefore, we assessed the cooling potential of 18 small-scale green roofs in Seoul, Republic of Korea. This comparative study that adopted a multi-site approach examined the cooling capacity of green roofs to reduce surface temperature and identified characteristics of effective and ineffective green roofs. We utilized a developed difference-in-differences method to improve causal inference, effectively isolating the effects of individual green roofs from background climate change. The multi-site comparative approach and more robust causal inference methods improved our understanding of the effects of small-scale green roofs. The findings of this study indicate that three out of 18 green roofs were statistically significant maladaptation cases with an increase in LST. This evidence can help an urban planner reduce ineffectiveness and enhance effective adaptation practices. Our proposed method is expected to support government projects, especially those with limited budgets, in efficiently managing urban heat and reducing trial and error.

Intense pulsed light-induced millisecond selective heat treatment for high-performance silicon anodes

Silicon, which is gaining prominence as a potential anode material, exhibits long-term cycle stability issues owing to volume changes during cycling. This study presents a meticulously designed Si anode that employs intense pulsed light (IPL) technology to simultaneously reduce carbon additives and construct an effective carbon quantum dot (CQD)-derived binder system. IPL, as a light-material interaction technique, offers a novel approach for selective heat treatment with remarkably short processing durations on the order of milliseconds. By comprehensively considering the geometric structure, optical characteristics, and thermal properties of each electrode component, heat transfer bridge (HTB) materials are introduced to ensure a homogeneous depth-directional heat treatment and to minimize binder decomposition in the IPL process. By employing HTB materials, the binder can reach a controlled target temperature for the condensation reaction between poly (acrylic acid) and the CQDs. Simultaneously, higher heat generation in the conductive carbon than in the binder leads to selective additional carbon reduction. This unique approach provides selective heat treatment, which cannot be achieved using conventional methods, resulting in a Si anode with excellent cyclic stability and rate capability. The versatility of the IPL technology is further demonstrated by applying it to relatively inexpensive Si microparticles.

Solvent‐free crystallization for fractionation of virgin coconut oil: Effect of process conditions on kinetics and crystal properties

AbstractThis research was aimed to conduct solvent‐free crystallization and fractionation of virgin coconut oil (VCO). This study investigated the effect of surface contact area‐to‐volume ratio and mixing conditions on crystal characteristics. Commercially available VCO samples, extracted by different methods, were analyzed for fatty acid and triacylglycerol composition using GC–MS and UPLC–ELSD. VCO extracted through enzyme and chilling–thawing cycles exhibited higher medium chain fatty acids and medium chain triacylglycerols, which was selected for crystallization studies. Isothermal crystallization of VCO at 21°C assessed the effect of scale of crystallizer tube on cooling rate using Newton's law of cooling equation. The smaller tube (20 mm diameter) with a higher surface contact area‐to‐volume ratio produced 4.1‐fold faster cooling and a higher crystallization yield (44%) compared to the 80 mm diameter tube when no agitation was applied. Whereas mixing with a magnetic stirrer produced a large number of nuclei, generating intense crystallization heat, and rendering the crystals inseparable from liquid fraction. The process of VCO crystallization was also studied for kinetics and crystal growth mechanism using the Avrami model employing angled rotation of sample tube during non‐isothermal crystallization. Angled rotary mixing produced stable crystals and significantly increased the crystallization rate (t1/2 = 26.86 min) with polyhedral or spherulitic crystal growth (n = 3.25) compared to non‐mixing condition (t1/2 = 161.87 min) with restricted linear growth (n = 1.64). DSC analysis of VCO and its fractions obtained after crystallization using the 20 mm tube with angled rotary mixing indicated shifts in their thermogram peaks, suggesting differences in triacylglycerol compositions.Practical applicationsVirgin coconut oil (VCO) is well recognized for its health‐beneficial properties, yet its application is limited due to its complex triglyceride composition. The solvent‐free crystallization method facilitates VCO fractionation into phases with different melting points without hazardous solvents. The efficacy of this process is highly dependent on temperature, cooling rate, and agitation, which affects crystal morphology and growth kinetics. This study addresses these challenges in the scarcely investigated area of VCO crystallization. The resulting fractions can be customized for specific applications based on their altered functional properties in producing baking and confectionery coatings, salad dressings, and so on. The olein fraction obtained in this study can be utilized in nutraceutical formulations targeting digestive and cognitive health, as it is reported to be rich in medium chain triglycerides. This research optimizes process conditions, suggesting an efficient method for dry‐fractionating VCO, which is significantly associated with the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Triton’s Captured Youth: Tidal Heating Kept Triton Warm and Active for Billions of Years

Neptune’s moon Triton has two remarkable attributes: its retrograde orbit suggests that it was captured from the Kuiper Belt, and Triton has one of the youngest surfaces of all the icy satellites in the solar system. Soon after capture, Triton experienced strong diurnal tides raised by Neptune, which caused intense deformation, heating, and melting of its ice shell as its highly eccentric initial orbit was circularized. While previous studies have suggested that Triton’s orbit would have circularized early in solar system history, we show that internal feedbacks between tidal heating and ice shell melting significantly reduce the orbital evolution rate, causing strong tidal heating to persist for billions of years. We simulate Triton’s post-capture evolution over a range of initial semimajor axes and ice shell properties. We find that Triton’s ice shell would have been extremely thin (1–10 km) for a period of 1–4 billion years, with tidal stresses strong enough to fracture the entire ice shell down to the subsurface ocean. A final phase of intense geologic activity may have occurred after tidal dissipation waned, in which late-stage ice shell thickening caused ocean pressurization potentially sufficient to refracture the ice shell and push water to the surface. Such overpressurization could have caused recent massive cryovolcanic resurfacing, perhaps explaining Triton’s geologically young surface. It is therefore possible that Triton’s youthful surface and its origin as a captured satellite may in fact be related. A long-lived subsurface ocean and extended thin ice shell period also greatly increase Triton’s astrobiological potential.

Deactivation of iron particles during combustion and reduction

Iron is a promising carbon-free renewable energy carrier to replace fossil fuels. However, during a redox cycle, iron may experience deactivation due to structural changes, which can shorten the cycle lifetime. In this work, deactivation of iron particles in terms of changes in reactivity and morphology during the oxidation and reduction process was investigated, under both fixed-bed and suspension conditions. Simple thermal treatment in an inert atmosphere at 1200 °C had no influence on the reactivity of particles towards oxidation, even at long exposure resulting in mild agglomeration. In fixed-bed oxidation at 600 to 1100 °C, solid sintering was found to be rapid and severe at higher temperatures. However, the sintering showed no influence on the reactivity of particles towards H2 under slow-heating conditions in a TGA. In pulverized-fuel combustion in a drop tube reactor, the intensive combustion and heat release led to melting of particles and morphology change from irregular to spherical. As the reactor temperature was increased from 800 to 1200 °C, the particle reactivity in terms of reduction degree (fractional conversion from Fe2O3 to Fe) slightly decreased from 78 % to 72 %, possibly related to a minor loss of surface area. TGA experiments involving successive redox cycles showed a steady decline in reduction reactivity (750 °C, 2.5 % H2), slightly enhanced by agglomeration, while the oxidation degree (950 °C or 1200 °C, 21 % O2) remained constant. The present work indicates that both deactivation and loss of iron due to evaporation may serve to limit the energy release in iron combustion over extended cycles.

Microscale Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) Distribution Estimated at the City Scale: A Case Study in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan

Global warming and climate change are significantly impacting local climates, causing more intense heat during the summer season, which poses risks to individuals with pre-existing health conditions and negatively affects overall human health. While various studies have examined the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) phenomenon, these studies often focus on small to large geographic regions using low-to-moderate-resolution data, highlighting general thermal trends across large administrative areas. However, there is a growing need for methods that can detect microscale thermal patterns in environments familiar to urban residents, such as streets and alleys. The temperature-humidity index (THI), which incorporates both temperature and humidity data, serves as a critical measure of human-perceived heat. However, few studies have explored microscale THI variations within urban settings and identified potential THI hotspots at a local level where SUHI effects are pronounced. This research aims to address this gap by estimating THI at a finer resolution scale using data from multiple sensor platforms. We developed a model with the random forest algorithm to assess THI trends at a resolution of 0.5 m, utilizing various variables from different sources, including Landsat 8 land surface temperature (LST), unmanned aerial system (UAS)-derived LST, Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDMI, a wind exposure index, solar radiation modeled from aircraft and UAS-derived Digital Surface Models, and vehicle density and building floor area from social big data. Two models were constructed with different variables: Modelnatural, which includes variables related to only natural factors, and Modelmix, which includes all variables, including anthropogenic factors. The two models were compared to reveal how each source contributes to the model development and SUHI effects. The results show significant improvements, as Modelnatural had a fitting R2 = 0.5846, a root mean square error (RMSE) = 0.5936 and a mean absolute error (MAE) = 0.4294. Moreover, when anthropogenic factors were introduced, Modelmix performed even better, with R2 = 0.9638, RMSE = 0.1751, and MAE = 0.1065 (n = 923). This study contributes to the future of microscale SUHI analysis and offers important insights into urban planning and smart city development.

Scalable, Controlled Bimodal Pore-Structured Polymer Coating for Efficient Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling.

Outdoor thermal irritation poses a serious threat to public health, with the frequent occurrence of increasingly intense heat waves. With the global goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, there is an urgent need for a strategy that is efficient and can provide localized outdoor cooling without an intensive energy input. This paper demonstrated a rapidly formable polyurethane-based coating with controlled bimodal spherical micropores. Nano-Al2O3 particles (300 nm) embedded in the polymer were used for targeted enhancement of reflectance at 0.38-0.5 wavelengths. The enhanced film reflected 93% solar irradiance and selectively transmitted 95% thermal radiation (8-13 μm), enabling rapid cooling and the creation of a comfortable thermal microclimate to avoid overheating of 6-11 °C during daytime conditions. The ultrawide material compatibility and excellent adaptive mechanical strength of polyurethane-based coatings are expected to benefit the sustainable development of society in a wide range of fields, from health to economics.

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Halide X-ray Scintillator with High Antiwater Stability.

In recent years, low-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid metal halides have garnered significant attention for optoelectronic applications due to their exceptional photophysical properties, despite their persistent challenge of low stability. Addressing this challenge, our study introduces 1-[5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl]piperazinium (TFPP) as a cation, harvesting a novel one-dimensional hybrid cadmium-based halide semiconductor (TFPP)CdCl4, which exhibits intense blue-light emission upon UV excitation. Additionally, (TFPP)CdCl4 demonstrates a high scintillation performance under X-ray excitation, producing 16600 ± 500 photons MeV-1 and achieving a low detection limit of 0.891 μGyair s-1. Notably, (TFPP)CdCl4 showcases remarkable stability against water, intense light sources, heating, and corrosive environments, positioning it as a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications. Through a blend of experimental techniques and theoretical analyses, including density functional theory calculations, we elucidate the unique photophysical properties and structural stability of (TFPP)CdCl4. These findings significantly contribute to the understanding of low-dimensional hybrid halide semiconductors, offering valuable insights into their potential application in advanced optoelectronic devices and paving the way for further research in this field.