Prolonged Life Research Articles

Harnessing the Benefits of PEDOT : PSS Conductive Coating for Prolonged Cycle Life of Copper Hexacyanoferrate in Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

AbstractThe utilization of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) as positive electrode material in aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) has gained significant attention due to its efficient (de−)intercalation of Zn2+ ions, cost‐effective synthesis, low toxicity, and high working potential. One approach to improve its electrochemical performance is to coat the CuHCF particles with conductive polymers, such as poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT : PSS). In this study, we investigated the impact of the PEDOT : PSS as a coating on the electrochemical behavior and the cycle life of CuHCF for aqueous ZIB applications. Galvanostatic cycling performed at a current rate of 1 C relevant for the stationary application of the CuHCF/PEDOT : PSS electrodes having high mass loadings (10 mg cm−2 of active material) revealed significantly longer cycle life while maintaining a high Coulombic efficiency (≥ 99.5 %). The longest cycle life was achieved with CuHCF coated using a 4.5 wt. % PEDOT : PSS aqueous coating dispersion. These findings demonstrate the potential of conductive polymer coatings as a practical approach to enhance the electrochemical performance of positive electrode materials in aqueous Zinc‐ion batteries.

A simulation based analysis for enhancement of performances of turbine blades in turbo jet engines with thermal barrier coatings (TBCs)

The enhancement of turbine blade performance within turbo jet engines is crucial for prolonged engine life. Amidst various cooling strategies for turbine blades, thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) emerge as a highly effective method. Just as the choice of material for the turbine blade holds importance, so too do the materials comprising TBCs. The current research work aims to pursue finite element-based analyses of turbine blades with TBCs, an almost real complex-shaped geometric model comprising the blade body with a rabbet is essential, the stress generated during TGO growth which is crucial for analysis, to select the substrate from both a thermo-structural and cost perspective. In this research endeavor, TBCs were structured with a substrate, a bond coat (NiCoCrAlY), and a top coat of lanthanum cerate (La2Ce2O7) ceramic layers. A thermally grown oxide (TGO), namely α-Al2O3, forms between the bond coat and the top coat due to the elevated temperatures experienced. Two distinct substrates, Inconel 625 and Titanium-T6 alloy, were meticulously chosen as turbine blade materials. Commencing with NACA 4412 airfoil data, the turbine blade was meticulously designed using CATIA, followed by simulations conducted on ANSYS software through a static thermal structural model. The simulation aimed to determine the optimal top coat/thermally grown oxide (TC/TGO) and TGO/bond coat (TGO/BC) layer thicknesses to achieve minimal equivalent stress and total deformation in the turbine blade. The simulated results revealed that a combination of 400 µm TC/10 µm TGO and 10 µm TGO/100 µm BC provided the lowest equivalent stress and total deformation, thereby offering valuable insights for the current research.

Advancing Machinability of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy: A Sustainable Integrated Approach

Abstract Titanium alloys are indispensable materials in numerous industries, including aerospace, medical, and dental fields. This prevalence is due to their unique properties, such as their high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, low thermal expansion, and biocompatibility. On the other hand, the machinability of these materials faces a dual challenge: their low thermal conductivity, which confines heat within the cutting zone, and their chemical reactivity with the tool material. This work aims to explore and comprehensively evaluate the advancement in cooling and lubrication approaches that have been introduced to enhance the machinability of Ti-6Al-V alloys. Despite the numerous positive outcomes observed with recently employed techniques such as reduced friction, lowered temperatures, and prolonged tool life. These methods and techniques are either not accepted yet or limitedly accepted within the industry due to the inherent weaknesses and limitations of each technique. This work introduces a new integrated and sustainable concept that can surmount the challenges associated with previous approaches, aiming for more sustainable machining of Ti-6Al-4V alloys. The suggested integrated concept may overcome the lubrication, cooling, cost, and environmental problems of the recently used approaches.

Solid-State Synthesis of Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7/C by Ti-Doping with Promoted Structural Reversibility for Long-Cycling Sodium-Ion Batteries.

The cathode material Na4Fe3(PO4)2P2O7 (NFPP) has shown great potential for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its cost-effectiveness, prolonged cycle life, and high theoretical capacity. However, the practical large-scale production of NFPP is hindered by its poor intrinsic electron conductivity and the presence of a NaFePO4 impurity. In this study, we propose a mutually reinforcing approach involving Ti doping, mechanical nano treatment, and in situ carbon coating to produce Ti-NFPP via the solid-state methods of synthesis. Ti doping strengthens the covalent Fe-O interaction, hence accelerating the electron transfer and the redox reactions Fe2+/Fe3+. In situ carbon coating improves electrical conductivity and allows for accommodating the volumetric variation. Nanosized treatment promotes the uniform progression of solid-state reactions. The synthesized Na4Fe2.98Ti0.01(PO4)2P2O7 material (Ti-NFPP) exhibits promising electrochemical properties with an initial discharge specific capacity of 112.5 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C. A volumetric change of only 2.98% was observed during the de/sodiation process, indicating an enhanced reversibility of the crystal lattice. Moreover, it demonstrates exceptional cycling stability with a capacity retention rate of 97.2 mA h g-1 at 10 C over 5000 cycles. These findings offer a promising pathway for the large-scale production of Ti-NFPP in SIBs.

A Water Environment-Based Simulated Method for Ultrasonic Testing of Slag Inclusion Weld Defects Based on Improved VMD.

The identification of slag inclusion defects in welds is of the utmost importance in guaranteeing the integrity, safety, and prolonged service life of welded structures. Most research focuses on different kinds of weld defects, but branch research on categories of slag inclusion material is limited and critical for safeguarding the quality of engineering and the well-being of personnel. To address this issue, we design a simulated method using ultrasonic testing to identify the inclusion of material categories in austenitic stainless steel. It is based on a simulated experiment in a water environment, and six categories of cubic specimens, including four metallic and two non-metallic materials, are selected to simulate the slag materials of the inclusion defects. Variational mode decomposition optimized by particle swarm optimization is employed for ultrasonic signals denoising. Moreover, the phase spectrum of the denoised signal is utilized to extract the phase characteristic of the echo signal from the water-slag specimen interface. The experimental results show that our method has the characteristics of appropriate decomposition and good denoising performance. Compared with famous signal denoising algorithms, the proposed method extracted the lowest number of intrinsic mode functions from the echo signal with the highest signal-to-noise ratio and lowest normalized cross-correlation among all of the comparative algorithms in signal denoising of weld slag inclusion defects. Finally, the phase spectrum can ascertain whether the slag inclusion is a thicker or thinner medium compared with the weld base material based on the half-wave loss existing or not in the echo signal phase.

High-Yield Synthesis of Hierarchical SAPO-34 by Recrystallization Method for Efficient Methanol-to-Olefin Reactions.

Prolonging the lifetime of SAPO-34 catalysts and enhancing their olefin selectivity in methanol-to-olefin (MTO) reactions are critical yet challenging objectives. Here, a series of hierarchical SAPO-34 catalysts were synthesized using a straightforward recrystallization method. The incorporation of triethylamine into the recrystallization mother liquor facilitated the formation of mesopores, achieving a high solid yield of up to 90%. Notably, the addition of phosphoric acid and ammonium polyvinyl phosphate alcohol during the recrystallization process significantly enhanced the crystallinity and regularity of the hierarchical SAPO-34 crystals, consequently increasing the mesopore size. Due to the substantially improved mass transfer efficiency and moderated acidity, the SP34-0.14P-0.06R catalysts exhibited a prolonged lifetime of 344 min and 80.3% selectivity for ethylene and propylene at a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 2 h-1. This performance markedly surpasses that of the parent SP34 catalyst, which demonstrated a lifetime of 136 min and a selectivity of 78.0%. Remarkably, the SP34-0.14P-0.06R maintained a lifetime of 166 min even at a high WHSV of 10 h-1, which is more than 5-fold greater than that of the original microporous SP34. This research offers valuable insights into the design and development of hierarchically porous zeolites with high yields, enhancing the efficiency of MTO reactions and other applications.

Clinical Outcomes Following Operative and Nonoperative Management of Odontoid Fractures Among Elderly Individuals with Dementia.

The incidence of odontoid fractures among the elderly population has been increasing in recent years. Elderly individuals with dementia may be at increased risk for inferior outcomes following such fractures. Although surgical intervention has been maintained to optimize survival and recovery, it is unclear if this benefit extends to patients with dementia. We hypothesized that patients with dementia who were treated operatively for odontoid fractures would experience improved survival and lower rates of hospice admission but higher rates of delirium and of intensive interventions. We used Medicare claims data (2017 to 2018) to identify community-dwelling individuals with dementia who sustained type-II odontoid fractures. We considered treatment strategy (operative or nonoperative) as the primary predictor and survival as the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes consisted of post-treatment delirium, hospice admission, post-treatment intensive intervention, and post-discharge admission to a nursing home or a skilled nursing facility. In all models, we controlled for age, biological sex, race, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, Frailty Index, admission source, treating hospital, and dual eligibility. Adjusted analyses for survival were conducted using Cox proportional hazards regression. Adjusted analyses for secondary outcomes were performed using generalized estimating equations. To address confounding by indication, we performed confirmatory analyses using inverse probability of treatment weighting. In this study, we included 1,030 patients. The median age of the cohort was 86.5 years (interquartile range, 80.9 to 90.8 years), 60.7% of the patients were female, and 90% of the patients were White. A surgical procedure was performed in 19.8% of the cohort. Following an adjusted analysis, patients treated surgically had a 28% lower hazard of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.72 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53 to 0.98]), but higher odds of delirium (odds ratio, 1.64 [95% CI, 1.10 to 2.44]). These findings were preserved in the inverse probability weighted analysis. We found that, among individuals with dementia who sustain a type-II odontoid fracture, surgical intervention may confer a survival benefit. A surgical procedure may be an appropriate treatment strategy for individuals with dementia whose life-care goals include life prolongation and maximizing quality of life in the short term following an injury. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Review on the extension of shelf life for fruits and vegetables using natural preservatives.

Fruits and vegetables are important for the nutrition and health of individuals. They are highly perishable in nature because of their susceptibility to microbial growth. Foodborne pathogens create a significant problem for consumers, food businesses, and food safety. Postharvest factors, including transportation, environment, and preservation techniques, cause a reduction in product quality. The present world is using synthetic preservatives, which have negative impacts on consumer health. Food safety and demand for healthy foods among consumers, the scientific community, and the food industry resulted in the exploitation of natural preservatives, which play an important role in their effectiveness, prolonged shelf life, and safety. Natural preservatives include plants, animals, and microbiological sources with polymers to extend shelf life, improve quality, and enhance food safety. This review specifically focuses on mechanism of action of natural preservatives, spoilage of fruit and vegetables, the importance of edible film and coating on fruits and vegetables.

DIPG-31. IS RE-IRRADIATION A POTENTIAL SURVIVAL BENEFIT FOR PATIENTS WITH DIFFUSE INTRINSIC PONTINE GLIOMA?

Abstract BACKGROUND Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is an aggressive infiltrative glioma with dismal prognosis. Radiation therapy (RT) offers a transient benefit and re-irradiation (reRT) may be an option at disease progression. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outcome of patients with DIPG at progression in a single institution. METHODS Between 2010-2023, 55 patients were evaluated, retrospectively, in respect of their treatment-one RT course versus re-RT) and concomitant medications. Overall survival (OS) was measured from diagnosis to date of death and from reRT to death using Kaplan–Meier and log-rank test. RESULTS Median age was 7.1 years (range 2.9-16.2y). Twenty-two patients underwent biopsy with 11 performing immunohistochemistry for H3K27M (9 mutated). In nine cases molecular analyses was evaluated: 6 H3.3K27M-mutant (2 simultaneously TP53 + 1PTPRZ1-MET fusion), 1 H3.1K27M-mutant, 1 H3C2-mutant + ACVR1 mutation and 1 PDGFRA + KIT amplifications. Thirty-five patients completed the initial course of RT (54Gy- 13-33 daily fraction), 30/35 also received valproic acid (VA), 5/35 bevacizumab, 3/35 nimotuzumab and 1/35 nivolumab+ipilimumab. Twenty patients underwent re-RT at first progression, four with 54 Gy (30x 180Gy), nine with 50Gy (25x 200Gy) and seven with median dose of 30Gy (26-39Gy), depending on their clinical status. These group also received valproic acid(8/20), bevacizumab(8/20), nivolumab(1/20) and ONC 201(1/20). Patients who received reRT showed prolonged OS compared to no reRT (median 524 vs 351 days; p=0.013). ReRT was well tolerated with 15(75%) patients experiencing stable to improved neurologic function. Patients with better clinical status and 50-54Gy reRT doses, showed prolonged OS (median 238 vs 135 days; p=0.1). Median OS from re-RT to death was 174 days (range, 14-218 days) with eight patients alive to date. CONCLUSIONS Re-irradiation with 50-54Gy seems safe and feasible for DIPG patients after disease progression from the first treatment, with mostly patients experiencing neurological improvement and prolonged life period.

Systematic review of long-term effectiveness of endoscopic gastrojejunostomy in patients presenting with gastric outlet obstruction from periampullary malignancies.

Recently, endoscopic ultrasound-guided (EUS) gastrojejunostomy (GJ) has emerged as an alternative option to surgical palliation and endoscopic duodenal stenting for malignant gastric outlet obstruction (GOO). Although early success rates are commonly reported with the technique, there is a paucity of data regarding the long-term efficacy of this approach. In this study, we investigated long-term outcomes in patients that underwent EUS-guided GJ for palliation of periampullary malignancies. From a total of 192 studies that were reviewed, 6 studies with a follow-up time frame of a minimum of 5months were analyzed, totaling 238 patients. Outcome variables included technical success rate, clinical success rate, adverse events, symptom recurrence, and re-intervention rates. The cohort of 238 patients had a technical success rate of 93.7% and a clinical success rate of 92.9%. A total of 25 patients (10.5%) experienced adverse events associated with EUS-GJ. A total of 14 patients (5.9%) experienced recurrence of GOO symptoms within 5months. A total of 14 patients (5.9%) underwent re-intervention with the first 5months. This systematic review shows that data are scarce regarding long-term effectiveness of EUS-guided GJ. Even though early success rates have been reported, further studies are needed to focus on long-term efficacy of this approach. Until such studies become available, surgical palliation should continue to be the treatment of choice for patients with malignant GOO with a prolonged life expectancy.

Unraveling Dual Mechanisms in Quasi‐Layered Bi2O2Se via Defect Modulation for High‐Performance Aqueous Zn‐Ion Batteries

AbstractDeveloping cathode materials for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (ZIBs) that offer high capacity, rapid charge–discharge rates, and prolonged cycle life remains a significant challenge. This study explores the use of zipper‐type Bi2O2Se nanoplates modified by selenium vacancy (Vse) modulation, which reduces electron scattering, enhances carrier mobility in [Bi2O2] conducting channels, and decreases coulombic interactions within electrostatic layers. The introduction of Se vacancies facilitates electron transfer from the host to [Bi2O2] channels and reduces scattering in the [Bi2O2] framework, thus improving carrier mobility. These Se‐poor Bi2O2Se nanoplates demonstrate a greater affinity for zinc ions, reduced diffusion barriers, and faster transport kinetics, which enable more efficient Zn‐ion insertion, tripling the electrochemical capacity, improving rate capabilities, and extending cycling life. Enhancements such as reinforced structural integrity and expanded interlayer spaces support a dual Zn‐ion‐driven mechanism involving both insertion and conversion reactions, essential for superior electrochemical storage performance. The results include an impressive discharge/charge capacity of 380.3 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, a cycle life of up to 10 000 cycles at 5 A g−1, and a current tolerance exceeding 10 A g−1. This research highlights how nano‐ and defect engineering of Bi2O2Se can significantly enhance ionic conductivity, expedite electron transfer, and improve Zn‐ion diffusion.

Design of regression neural network model for estimating the remaining useful life of lithium-ion battery

Lithium-ion batteries are widely utilized in a variety of transportation sectors, including highways, airplanes, and defensive military applications because of their positive features, which include a low self-discharge rate, raised operating voltage, prolonged cycle life, and high energy density. Nevertheless, during operation, the battery undergoes adverse reactions that may eventually cause material aging and capacity deterioration. For this reason, the prediction of remaining useful life (RUL) for LiBs is important and necessary for ensuring reliable system operation. Moreover, accurate RUL prediction can effectively offer maintenance strategies to certify the system’s dependability and safety. The impedance of the battery plays a vital role in the degradation process and hence its measurement accounts for the changes in the battery’s internal parameters as aging occurs. The objective of this paper is to create a forecasting model for the lifespan of batteries through the application of data analysis. Moreover, it aims to use a Regression Neural Network (RNN) based mathematical model to assess the degradation of the battery across diverse operational scenarios. The co-efficient of the RNN model is found by solving the RNN equations. In this research, MATLAB is employed for data analysis, utilizing open-source battery data sourced from the NASA dataset. The conclusive prediction outcomes indicate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in accurately forecasting the battery RUL.

Visible light-responsive polylactic acid@pullulan-chitosan/homojunction g-C3N4 bilayer antimicrobial films for fruit preservation

The development of novel packaging materials with antimicrobial properties is crucial in preventing the microbial-induced spoilage of fruits, vegetables, and foodborne illnesses. In this study, homojunction g-C3N4 (HCN) photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic performance were incorporated into a matrix consisting of pullulan/chitosan (Pul/CS). These photocatalysts were then electrostatically spun onto polylactic acid (PLA) films to fabricate PLA@Pul/CS/HCN nanofibrous composite films. The design of the bilayer films aimed to combine the physical properties of PLA film with the excellent antibacterial properties of nanofiber films, thereby achieving synergistic advantages. The incorporation of the HCN photocatalysts resulted in enhanced hydrophobicity, barrier function, and mechanical properties of the composite films. Under visible light irradiation, the PLA@Pul/CS/HCN films exhibited approximately 3.43 log and 3.11 log reductions of Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respectively, within 2 h. The excellent antimicrobial performance could be attributed to the synergistic effect of CS and the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from HCN. Moreover, the strawberries packaged in the PLA@Pul/CS/HCN film demonstrated diminished quality degradation and a prolonged shelf life following visible light irradiation treatment. This study will provide new insights into the exploration of safe and efficient antimicrobial food packaging.

Advancing mango quality assurance: Non‐destructive detection of spongy tissue using visible near‐infrared spectroscopy and machine learning classification

AbstractThe renowned Alphonso mango, celebrated in India for its exquisite taste, saffron hue, pleasing texture, and prolonged shelf life, holds significant global commercial appeal. Unfortunately, the widespread issue of spongy tissue (ST) disorder in Alphonso mangoes results in a soft, corky texture, affecting up to 30% of mangoes in a single batch. This challenge leads to the outright rejection of affected mangoes during export due to delayed disorder identification. The current evaluation method involves destructive cutting, causing substantial fruit loss, and lacks assurance for the overall batch quality. This study addresses these challenges by focusing on the utilization of visible near‐infrared spectroscopy as a non‐invasive method to assess the internal quality of mangoes. Additionally, it introduces innovative classification models for automated binary categorization (Healthy vs. ST affected). Through preprocessing and principal component analysis of spectral reflectance data for feature extraction and wavelength optimization, successful wavelength ranges of 650–970 nm were identified, effectively distinguishing between healthy and damaged mangoes. Various machine learning models used notably, linear discriminant analysis, support vector machine, and logistic regression exhibited strong discriminative capabilities with higher accuracy reaching 99%. This non‐destructive approach addresses critical challenges in the mango export industry, offering early detection of internal disorders and minimizing postharvest losses.

A Postmortem Finding of a Colloid Goiter in an American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus)

Abstract The present case report aims to describe a postmortem finding of a colloid goiter, without obvious clinical signs of endocrine disease in a 30-year-old American black bear (Ursus americanus) from the “Zoo” in the city of Sofia, Bulgaria. A clinical examination due to a bad general condition was performed under anesthesia and a computed tomography was conducted. After the established irreversible spondylarthrosis changes the bear was euthanized. Postmortem, the thyroid gland was pathologically examined and typical findings for a colloid goiter were observed. Hibernating mammals such as the American black bear have been shown to enter a state of physiological hypothyroidism during hibernation. Hormonal signals from the thyroid gland have been suggested to be a key mediator of hibernation. From the presented case could be assumed that the captive life conditions and the prolonged life of the zoo bears may affect the function of their thyroid gland.

Suppressing proton-induced HER and cathode fading by an aprotic hybrid electrolyte for long-cycle stability of aqueous Na||Zn hybrid batteries

Aqueous zinc metal batteries with unique advantages of intrinsic safety and low cost are considered as one of the most promising next-generation energy-storage technologies. However, their lifespan is significantly constrained by the electrolyte, specifically due to limitations caused by proton-induced HER and dendritic growth at the anode side and dissolution phenomena at the cathode. Unlike most studies on the protic electrolyte systems, herein, a new aprotic hybrid electrolyte of Na/Zn tetrafluoroborate-trimethyl phosphate with ultralow proton activity tuned by reconstruction of hydrogen bonding network and ultrahigh interfacial stability endowed by simultaneous formation of SEI and CEI were designed for the first time. Attributed to the synergistic effect of proton activity attenuation and ZnF2-Zn3(PO4)2 SEI formation, HER-trigged corrosion current was decreased by 96.52%, which leads to an exceptionally high coulombic efficiency up to 99.63%, and operational lifespan exceeding 2000 hours at 1 mA cm−2/ 1 mAh cm−2 for Zn||Cu asymmetric cell and Zn||Zn symmetric cell, respectively. Furthermore, the suppression of excess hydrated proton co-insertion reaction and construction of inorganic-organic CEI enabled the PBAs||Zn full cell a prolonged cycling life of 6000 cycles with an ultralow decay rate of 0.004% per cycle. The special electrolyte utilizing cheap tetrafluoroborate salts in conjunction with cost-effective PBA cathode and Zn anode provides a new choice for low-cost, high-safety, non-toxic batteries for practical applications.

A multicationic-substituted configurational entropy-enabled NASICON cathode for high-power sodium-ion batteries

Na-superionic-conductor (NASICON)-type Na3V2(PO4)3 is considered as one of the potential cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), but its inherent low electronic conductivity and non-adjustable voltage plateau is an urgent issue hindrance to its practical application. Hereof, the concept of multicationic-substituted high-entropy doping is innovatively utilized to modify the fine structure within crystals, enhance electronic conductivity, and achieve excellent local diffusion kinetics and high redox activity according to theoretical calculations. The carbon-free Na3V1.8(CrMnFeZnAl)0.2(PO4)3 (HE-NVP-0.2) cathode exhibits a maximum specific capacity of 119.8 mA h g−1, achieved through V3+/V4+/V5+ redox reactions, while maintaining an impressive capacity retention rate of 80 % after 3000 cycles at 10 C. Moreover, the in-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the incorporation of multi-(high entropy) elements induces a stable transition state, facilitating rapid phase transitions. Combined with in-situ digital image correlation (DIC), reversible structural evolution has been verified at both micro and macro scales. More competitively, coupling with a hard carbon (HC) anode, the HE-NVP-0.2//HC full cells exhibit exceptional energy density/power density characteristics while simultaneously maintaining excellent high-rate performance and prolonged cycle life (2000 stable cycles at 50 C). The regulation of configurational entropy enables the realization of an intermediate phase in the equilibrium state and makes the unlikely potential regulation possible, presenting innovative approaches to expedite the commercialization of high-power SIBs.

Revealing Na+‐coordination induced Failure Mechanism of Metal Sulfide Anode for Sodium Ion Batteries

AbstractMetal sulfide (MS) is regarded as a promising candidate of the anode materials for sodium‐ion battery (SIB) with ideal capacity and low cost, yet still suffers from the inferior cycling stability and voltage degradation. Herein, the coordination relationship between the discharge product Na2S with the Na+ (NaPF6) in the electrolyte, is revealed as the root cause for the cycling failure of MS. Na+‐coordination effect assistants the dissolution of Na2S, further delocalizing Na2S from the reaction interface under the function of electric field, which leads to the solo oxidation of the discharge product element metal without the participation of Na2S. Besides, the higher highest occupied molecular orbital of Na2S suggest the facilitated Na2S solo oxidation to produce sodium polysulfides (NaPSs). Based on these, lowering the Na+ concentration of the electrolyte is proposed as a potential improvement strategy to change the coordination environment of Na2S, suppressing the side reactions of the solo‐oxidation of element metal and Na2S. Consequently, the enhanced conversion reaction reversibility and prolonged cycle life are achieved. This work renders in‐depth perception of failure mechanism and inspiration for realizing advanced conversion‐type anode.

Almond gum‐chitosan nanocomposite as edible formulation for advancing postharvest longevity of fruits and vegetables

AbstractPostharvest produces including fruits and vegetables are perishable and require preservation for prolonged shelf life. Edible coatings are emerging as a safe and value‐added alternative for traditional preservation methods such as refrigeration and chemical treatments. In this article, we have developed almond gum/chitosan (AC)‐based edible coating/formulation and investigated the effectiveness of coating on improving the shelf life of tomatoes and blueberries. The coated tomatoes and blueberries, after a shelf life of 25 and 20 days, respectively exhibited a significant improvement in weight loss (5%–20%), reduced acidity (1–3 folds), and kept the ascorbic acid content lower when compared to the uncoated tomatoes and blueberries. Both the coated tomatoes and blueberries did not exhibit spoilage indicating antimicrobial activity of the coating. Direct testing of the coating formulations exhibited significant anti‐microbial activity against Staphyococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeroginosa. The polymer films, prepared using the coating formulation, exhibited low moisture content (34.8 ± 2.02% and 41.5 ± 1.34%), low solubility (42.56 ± 2.3% and 31.31 ± 3.1%), low tensile strength (0.34 ± 0.05 N m−2 and 0.75 ± 0.07 N m−2) and high elongation (63.2 ± 4.12% and 71.5 ± 3.8%). These measured film properties confirm that the polymer film has good flexibility and is suitable for edible packaging. Overall, the newly developed AC edible coating exhibits significant potential for a wide range of applications within the food processing industry, offering a viable substitute for conventional wax and lipid‐based coatings.

Revealing Na+-coordination induced Failure Mechanism of Metal Sulfide Anode for Sodium Ion Batteries.

Metal sulfide (MS) is regarded as a promising candidate of the anode materials for sodium-ion battery (SIB) with ideal capacity and low cost, yet still suffers from the inferior cycling stability and voltage degradation. Herein, the coordination relationship between the discharge product Na2S with the Na+ (NaPF6) in the electrolyte, is revealed as the root cause for the cycling failure of MS. Na+-coordination effect assistants the dissolution of Na2S, further delocalizing Na2S from the reaction interface under the function of electric field, which leads to the solo oxidation of the discharge product element metal without the participation of Na2S. Besides, the higher highest occupied molecular orbital of Na2S suggest the facilitated Na2S solo oxidation to produce sodium polysulfides (NaPSs). Based on these, lowering the Na+ concentration of the electrolyte is proposed as a potential improvement strategy to change the coordination environment of Na2S, suppressing the side reactions of the solo-oxidation of element metal and Na2S. Consequently, the enhanced conversion reaction reversibility and prolonged cycle life are achieved. This work renders in-depth perception of failure mechanism and inspiration for realizing advanced conversion-type anode.