Mechanism Of Reduction Research Articles

Numerical study on the effect of injection strategy on combustion and NO emission from different sources in a diesel/ammonia RCCI engine

Diesel/ammonia operation is one of the ways to efficiently utilize ammonia and reduce carbon emissions, however, the increase in fuel NO introduces serious emission problems. To explore the generation mechanisms of fuel NO and oxidant source NO, a multi-component diesel/ammonia chemical reaction mechanism was constructed in this study, and based on 3D CFD simulation and N-element tracking method, the combustion and different source NO emission characteristics of diesel/ammonia reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI) engine at low loads were investigated by pilot injection timing (SOI1) and pilot injection ratio (PIR). In addition, the effect of different first injection spray angle (SA1) and double injection spray angle (SAtotal) on the engine operation was investigated. The results showed that high PIR and delayed SOI1 enhanced the engine IMEP but led to high PRRmax. At a PIR of 15 %, total NO emissions increased as SOI1 advanced, and the trend was reversed when the PIR was higher than 15 %. Fuel NO was produced earlier than the oxidant source N∗O. In terms of 1 spatial distribution, high concentrations of both NO and N∗O were distributed in and around the secondary diesel fuel ignition location, and fuel NO began to be reduced where the oxidant source N∗O was rapidly formed. The reduction mechanism of NO in the cylinder was a multi-path reduction mechanism incorporating Thermal DeNOx, NO Reburning, and inverse reaction pathways for NO formation from the oxidant source. Appropriate reduction of the SAtotal can significantly reduce the total NO emission while maintaining no significant reduction in IMEP. When SAtotal was 82°, the total NO emission was only 16.3 % of the original spray angle and PRRmax was further reduced. After optimization, when a narrow SAtotal of 82°, SOI1 of −15° CA, and PIR of 35 % were used, the IMEP of the engine increased by 5.9 %, and the total NO emission was reduced by 86 %, while PRRmax did not exceed the PRR upper limit.

A Multi-Stage Progressive Pansharpening Network Based on Detail Injection with Redundancy Reduction.

In the field of remote sensing image processing, pansharpening technology stands as a critical advancement. This technology aims to enhance multispectral images that possess low resolution by integrating them with high-spatial-resolution panchromatic images, ultimately producing multispectral images with high resolution that are abundant in both spatial and spectral details. Thus, there remains potential for improving the quality of both the spectral and spatial domains of the fused images based on deep-learning-based pansharpening methods. This work proposes a new method for the task of pansharpening: the Multi-Stage Progressive Pansharpening Network with Detail Injection with Redundancy Reduction Mechanism (MSPPN-DIRRM). This network is divided into three levels, each of which is optimized for the extraction of spectral and spatial data at different scales. Particular spectral feature and spatial detail extraction modules are used at each stage. Moreover, a new image reconstruction module named the DRRM is introduced in this work; it eliminates both spatial and channel redundancy and improves the fusion quality. The effectiveness of the proposed model is further supported by experimental results using both simulated data and real data from the QuickBird, GaoFen1, and WorldView2 satellites; these results show that the proposed model outperforms deep-learning-based methods in both visual and quantitative assessments. Among various evaluation metrics, performance improves by 0.92-18.7% compared to the latest methods.

A kinetic comparison between in situ hybrid microwave and conventional magnetising roasting of low-grade iron ore composite pellet

This article aims to comprehensively summarise the essential aspects of reduction kinetics in magnetising roasting of low-grade iron ore–coal composite pellets in the hybrid microwave and conventional furnace. The influence of crucial process parameters like temperature, time, and heating methods, including traditional and hybrid microwave heating, is explored. Investigating the impact of low-grade iron ore and coal quality on reduction kinetics is conducted to identify optimal heating methods for upgrading low-grade iron ore to blast furnace grade through magnetising roasting. The study uses diverse gas–solid reaction models to assess the reduction mechanism (Fe2O3 to Fe3O4). Results indicate the success of the contracting volume model for microwave heating, while conventional heating transitions from phase-boundary chemical control to diffusion control. XRD confirms magnetite dominance post-reduction, while scanning electron microscopy analysis establishes microwave crack-assisted efficiency over conventional heating for ease of reduction. A comparative study of apparent activation energy reveals the hybrid microwave method's four-fold lower (36.71 kJ/mol) than conventional resistance heating (156.19 kJ/mol). This underscores the potential of microwave heating for enhanced reduction kinetics and low-grade iron ore material processing applications.

Manufacturing of heavy tungsten alloys from nano-sized metal oxides via simultaneous reduction-sintering powder treatments

Heavy tungsten alloys are of great importance in the engineering and mining industries as well as the military and medical applications because of their stability at high temperatures, high strength and dense structures. The present study develops a novel technology for the production of heavy tungsten alloys via thermal treatment of nano-sized metal oxides based on simultaneous reduction and sintering processes. Heavy tungsten alloy (95W-3Ni-2Fe) was produced from the reduction of mixed nano-sized metal oxides precursor in H2 at 1000 o C followed by sintering at 1350–1450 o C for 30–90 min. The reduced and sintered samples were characterized by XRD to follow up the crystallinity, total porosity measurement was used to find out the densification properties, the grain structure and morphology were examined by RLM and SEM attached with EDAX. Micro-hardness tester was also used to investigate the influence of sintering conditions on the grain densification. A fundamental study on the kinetics of reduction of mixed nano-sized metal oxides precursor was performed by isothermal and non-isothermal techniques. Both results from isothermal and non-isothermal tests were used to calculate the activation energy which was correlated with macro- and micro-structures to predict the corresponding reduction mechanism. However, the influence of sintering temperature and time on the crystallinity of the produced phases, grain structure, morphology, total porosity, pore-size distribution, bulk and apparent densities, and the hardness of sintered compacts was extensively investigated. The results revealed that the presence of NiO and/or Fe2O3 in the mixed metal oxides precursor was very important to ease the reducibility of WO3 as the metallic phases of Ni and/or Fe act as a catalyst for the reduction of WO3. The rate of reduction proceeds faster in the following order: NiO > Fe2O3 > mixed oxide > WO3. In non-isothermal experiments, it was found that the heating rate has a considerable effect on the reduction of precursor, i.e., the lower the heating rate, the higher the degree of reduction. It might be reported that the use of nano-sized metal oxides particles in the fabrication of heavy tungsten alloys greatly affects the main properties of the produced alloy. With the increase in sintering time, larger sizes of dense grains were developed, and the matrix became denser as a result of sintering and re-crystallization effects. The higher the sintering time, the higher the grain densification and the less pores formed in the matrix. On the other hand, with the increase in the sintering temperature, the grain boundaries were well defined in which the grains were composed of tungsten metal and surrounded by inter-metallics. The higher the temperature, the higher the XRD peak intensities of metallic tungsten and intermetallics as a result of sintering and re-crystallization.

Antimony removal using zero-valent iron-manganese bimetallic nanomaterial: Adsorption behavior and mechanism

Although the effectiveness of zero-valent iron (ZVI) and zero-valent manganese (ZVMn) in heavy metal removal is well-established, their combined synergistic potential for antimony (Sb) remediation from wastewater has remained largely unexplored. Addressing this gap, this study introduced a magnetic zero-valent iron-manganese bimetallic material (ZVIM), synthesized via the borohydride reduction method, to investigate its capabilities and underlying mechanisms for Sb reduction and adsorption. The ZVIM, characterized by a high specific surface area of 220 m²/g, exhibited a high adsorption capacity (614.6 mg/g for Sb(III) and 241.7 mg/g for Sb(V)), facilitating over 96.7 % removal for both Sb(III) and Sb(V). The adsorption conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the isotherm data aligned with the Freundlich model, indicative of a heterogeneous adsorption process. The removal of Sb(III) predominantly occurred via surface complexation and electrostatic adsorption to the positively charged ZVIM surface, accompanied by a partial oxidation of Sb(III) to Sb(V). In contrast, the elimination of Sb(V) was primarily facilitated through surface complexation mechanism, encompassing both reduction and electrostatic adsorption. The outcomes of this study shed light on the intricate interactions between Sb species and the ZVIM, revealing the material as a promising candidate for the efficacious removal of Sb from wastewater.

Large-scale penetration model tests of bucket foundations of different structural types in clay

Clarifying penetration characteristics and accurately predicting penetration resistance of bucket foundations is crucial to ensure their smooth penetration. This study performed large-scale model tests on nearshore seven-compartment (SC) bucket foundations and novel deep-sea five-connected (FC) bucket foundations to systematically explore the penetration attitude, development of soil plugs, flow rates, bucket-soil interactions, and required suction of these two structures in clay. The good penetrability was identified for the new FC bucket foundation. The development of soil plugs due to bucket wall replacement as well as the mechanism of drag reduction of the inner wall and bucket end were revealed. The experiments demonstrated that the penetration flow rate was almost equal to the volume of bucket body entering the soil and accounted for approximately 95% of the total flow rate. A formula for calculating penetration resistance in clay that considers the effect of suction on the reduction in resistance of the inner wall and bucket end was proposed and validated by field tests. The research results improve the safety of bucket foundation penetration in clay and provide significant guidance for the installation of deep-sea FC bucket foundations.

Leaf-like MSX/TiN heterojunction photocathodes mimicking plant cell – An effective strategy to enhance photoelectrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction and systematic mechanism investigation

Semiconductors, such as metal oxides and metal sulfides (MSX), are widely investigated as effectively catalytic materials to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into chemicals under simulated solar light. These valuable investigations might address both the energy crisis and climate change in our modern society. Herein, a novel strategy to construct leaf-like heterojunctions of VS-ZnIn2S4/TiN-x is reported. The new semiconductor heterojunctions were then applied to photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction, achieving excellent performance (formate formation rate of 1173.2 μM h−1 cm−2) attributed to the plant cell-like morphology and enhanced electron mobility from the heterojunction interfaces to the active sites on the surface. Our findings suggest that titanium nitride (TiN) with good conductivity can improve the photoelectrocatalytic ability of MSX through heterojunction construction. The photocathode VS-ZnIn2S4/TiN-3 exhibits 81.0 % selectivity toward C2 products by optimizing the material structure and reaction conditions. According to the systematic investigation of operando Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, common intermediates such as *COO−, *COOH, *CO, *CHO, *COCHO, and *COCH3 reported in the literature were carefully verified. Among these, the carbene specie serve as the key intermediate responsible for generating other intermediates and resulting in all products.

Reduced fat content of fried batter-breaded fish nuggets by adding dietary fibers: Insight into wheat starch and gluten conformations, fiber properties and anti-fat absorption capacities

Dietary fibers with excellent processing characteristics and water-holding capacity garnered significant attention in low-fat fried products manufacturing, but further research is lacking to elucidate fat reduction mechanisms. Three dietary fibers were added to the batter of fried batter-breaded fish nuggets, the increased maximum wavelength, fluorescence intensity, surface hydrophobicity value, and S-S/free-SH ratio revealed the enhanced exposure and interaction of hydrophobic groups within gluten. Conversion from both -SH into S-S bonds, and α-helix into β-turn confirmed the establishment of the gluten gel network and a substantially increased gel strength. X-ray diffraction demonstrated the inhibition of amylose-lipid complex formation due to the competitive amylose binding to dietary fiber. Finally, reduced oil effects were evident in surface and penetrated oil contents and oil distribution fluorescence diagram. The work clarified the interactions among dietary fiber, wheat starch and gluten, indicating the composite gel network formation and the crust characteristics alterations, ultimately inhibiting oil penetration.

In situ constructing 2D/2D layered BiOBr/Bi2O2CO3 heterostructure for efficient photocatalytic reduction CO2 to CO

Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to valuable energy materials is necessary for sustainable development. It is a considerable challenge to prepare photocatalysts for CO2 photoreduction with excellent separation capability of carriers by simple way. Herein, the BiOBr/Bi2O2CO3 type-II heterostructure was constructed by in situ conversion at room temperature. Combining the advantages of the 2D/2D layered structure can form a close contact interface and the type-II heterostructure can facilitate the transport of photogenerated charges, the BiOBr/Bi2O2CO3 composite showed significant enhancement in photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance. The most obvious performance enhancement was observed for 2.0-BiOBr/Bi2O2CO3, where CO yield could reach 29.55 μmol·g−1 for 3 h under light irradiation, it is 11 and 4 times higher than Bi2O2CO3 and BiOBr, respectively. And the sample exhibits excellent cycling stability in photocatalytic tests. In situ Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy confirmed that the important intermediates of the reaction are *COOH and *CO. The photocatalytic reduction mechanism of CO2 to CO in the BiOBr/Bi2O2CO3 type-II heterostructure was further analyzed. This study provides feasible solutions for selecting photocatalytic materials and designing facile preparation of efficient 2D/2D catalysts for photocatalytic reduction of CO2.

Reduction of Carboxamides Into Amines Catalyzed by La[NH‐2,6‐iPr2‐4‐FcC6H2]3/HBpin

ABSTRACTReduction of carboxamides is an efficient approach to obtain the corresponding amines, albeit it is one of the most problematic. In this work, by use of pinacolborane (HBpin) as a reductant, the rare‐earth metal tris (arylamido) complex supported by a ferrocenyl‐modified arylamido ligand La[NH‐2,6‐iPr2‐4‐FcC6H2]3 was employed as a precatalyst for primary and secondary amide reductions. This catalyst system exhibited high activity toward hydroborative reduction of amides to amines under mild conditions, as well good tolerance for heteroatoms and functional groups in the reduction. A lanthanide hydride was experimentally verified as the active species and the reduction mechanism was proposed.

Unraveling high-temperature mechanism of NO + CO reaction on BaO-Y2O3: An in situ DRIFTS and microkinetic study

Understanding high-temperature mechanism of NO reduction by CO on heat-resistant metal oxides is crucial for exhaust aftertreatment systems. We employed the NO + CO light off experiment, in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), density functional theory (DFT), and microkinetic study to elucidate the reaction mechanism on BaO-Y2O3 nanocatalyst. The catalytic cycle consisting of “decomposition-oxidation” mode, Mars-van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism, and Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism is described by in situ DRIFTS and DFT calculations. Their reaction energies and activation barriers are then employed for the microkinetic analysis, revealing that the activity rate is temperature-dependent and aligns with the experimental result. The high-temperature reaction process is primarily governed by the MvK mechanism with rate-determining steps (RDS) of CO + OL ↔ CO2 + Ov, followed by the “decomposition-oxidation” mode. Critically, local CO32- coverage on the BaO surface can facilitate NO and CO adsorption while withstanding the elementary steps such as N2O dissociation and CO oxidation by lattice oxygen. BaCO3-Y2O3 model can be used to interpret the low-temperature reaction process with the RDS of N2O2 ↔ N2O + O, but it impedes reaction kinetics at high temperatures with the rate contribution also predominantly originating from the MvK mechanism. This work provides fundamental insights into how the reaction proceed, and guide the design and optimization of catalysts that can withstand high temperature while maintaining high activity.

MXene laminar membrane functionalized with Pd-Cu for efficient and selective nitrate reduction to ammonia

Conversion of nitrates (NO3−) to ammonia (NH3) by electrocatalysis is a sustainable approach for resource utilization from wastewater. Nonetheless, this conversion is often constrained by sluggish mass transfer. In this study, we developed a laminar membrane using Pd-Cu bimetal functionalized 2D MXene (Ti3C2Tx) to accelerate the mass transfer during NO3− reduction. The resulting membrane exhibited outstanding NO3−-N removal efficiency (99.0 ± 0.5 %) and NH4+-N selectivity (74.1 ± 0.6 %), and maintained excellent NO3−-N removal efficiency with various influent NO3− concentrations. Its nitrate reduction performance was relatively stable even in low-conductivity influents similar to surface water, presence of dissolved oxygen (DO) or after membrane fouling. The NO3−-N removal rate in the electrocatalytic filtration system was 11 times that without filtration, attributed to a ten-fold improvement in the mass transfer constant (km) with filtration and the increased active sites for NO3− reduction by 2D MXene. The filtration process ensured a higher NH4+-N selectivity by preventing the re-oxidation of NH4+-N on anode. The mechanism of nitrate reduction on the laminar membrane was predominantly direct reduction, and the spatial distribution analysis of atomic hydrogen (H*) demonstrated that it was difficult for H* to participate in nitrate reduction reaction due to the strong adsorption of H* on the membrane. Theoretical calculations suggested that Pd-Cu bimetal could greatly diminish the energy barriers for NO3− to NH4+ and enhance the conversion efficiency. This finding offers valuable insights for developing efficient and robust nano-laminar membranes aimed at nitrate removal and ammonium production in water.

Impact of green infrastructure on PM10 in port-adjacent residential complexes: A finite volume method-based computational fluid dynamics study

This study examines the effects of PM10 reduction by introducing green infrastructure (GI) in residential areas adjacent to ports, where significant pollutant emissions from ships are prevalent. Using finite volume method (FVM)-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, we evaluated 30 scenarios based on various GI types and spacings and validated these simulations using observational data. The assessed GI types included trees and shrubs (hedges). Planting configurations were categorized into single (T for trees, H for hedges) and mixed (TH for both trees and hedges) plantings, with one or two rows and spacings of trees from 6 m to 14 m at 2 m intervals. We also considered both aerodynamic and depositional effects as mechanisms for PM10 reduction by GI. Our results revealed the following: 1) Plant spacing significantly influenced PM10 reduction, with both excessively narrow and wide spacings being suboptimal. (2) Trees proved to be more effective, whereas combining them with shrubs offers limited advantages. 3) Among the shrubs, the adsorption effect was more influential on PM10 reduction than the aerodynamic effects. These insights are not limited to port regions but also offer foundational knowledge for enhancing urban air quality, setting the groundwork for subsequent studies.

Evaluation and analysis of abrasive wear resistance of hybrid roller bearings under lubricant contamination

Abrasive wear is a common failure mode of rolling bearings. To enhance the resistance of traditional all-steel bearings to abrasive wear, the structure of traditional all-steel cylindrical thrust roller bearings has been appropriately adjusted, and hybrid roller bearings have been formed by replacing some of the steel rollers in the traditional bearings with ceramic rollers. The frictional performance of hybrid roller bearings under lubricant contamination conditions was analyzed, and the wear reduction mechanism was discussed. The results show that under the condition of lubricant contamination, replacing the appropriate amount of ceramic rollers not only helps reduce friction and decrease wear but also contributes to improving the overall temperature rise of the bearing. Furthermore, when the total amount of contaminants is constant, a specific threshold exists for the impact of replacing the number of rolling elements on reducing mass loss. For a substantial reduction in wear with hybrid roller bearings, the replacement rollers should constitute at least one-fifth of the total number of rollers. The wear reduction observed in hybrid roller bearings results from a combination of crushing and refinement, grinding and finishing, and self-healing mechanisms.

Tailoring a novel all-in-one host-guest solid-state electrochemiluminescence platform for selective detection of spermine using cucurbit-[6]-uril modified [Ru(bpy)3]2+ electrode

Herein, a novel solid-state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) based on electrochemically incorporated [Ru(bpy)3]2+ on nafion modified glassy carbon electrode ([Ru(bpy)3]2+-Nafion/GCE) followed by chemisorption of cucurbit-[6]-uril (CB-[6]) on Ru(bpy)3]2+-Nafion/GCE (as CB-[6]-[Ru(bpy)3]2+-Nafion/GCE) has been developed for selective sensing of spermine (SPM) which belongs to the class of aliphatic biogenic amines and overexpression of SPM is associated with several cancers, particularly “Prostate Cancer” (PCa). Interestingly, the ECL emission of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ be enhanced significantly in the presence of CB-[6] modified [Ru(bpy)3]2+-Nafion/GCE. This is due to inherent ability of CB- [6] act as a co-reactant accelerator. Upon the addition of SPM, the ECL emission was further enhanced due to electron transfer reaction between SPM and [Ru(bpy)3]3+. Selectivity of the proposed ECL sensor towards SPM arises from the host-guest interaction between the CB-[6] and SPM, follows the anodic co-reactant ECL reaction (oxidative reduction mechanism) by confirmation of electrochemical and spectroscopic results like electron spin resonance (EPR) and ECL spectra. The proposed solid-state ECL sensor platform is selectively detect to SPM for a linear range of 10 nM - 5 mM with detection limit (LoD) of 1.4 nM at physiological pH conditions. In addition, the developed ECL platform of CB-[6]-[Ru(bpy)3]2+-Nafion/GCE has been successfully verified to the sensing of SPM in the urine sample, proving the practicability of the proposed sensor is suitable for clinical analysis.

Carbon Emission Effects of Spatially Connected Networks in the Digital Economy： Dynamic Evolution and Mechanism of Action

In the context of the "double carbon" goal and the construction of the "East Counts, West Counts" project, this study investigated the characteristics of the spatial and temporal evolution of the digital economy spatial correlation network, and the effects and mechanisms of carbon emission reduction and carbon rebound effects by selecting data at the level of 254 prefectural-level cities from 2011 to 2021 and using the UCINET software and empirical econometric modeling. The results indicated that： The spatial network of the digital economy represented the development pattern of multiple synergies and had the characteristics of non-equilibrium spatial evolution in geographic regions. Secondly, the spatial network of the digital economy in the sample selection period had a positive contribution to carbon emission reduction, and it led to the carbon rebound effect, which was still valid after the robustness test. Furthermore, the spatial correlation network of the digital economy could reduce carbon emissions by promoting the energy efficiency effect under technological progress and led to the carbon rebound effect. Finally, the empirical results were heterogeneous under the four dimensions of geographic region, administrative level, urban environmental governance objectives, and resource endowment.

Carbon Emission Accounting and Reduction Evaluation in Sponge City Residential Areas

This paper aims to establish a more standardized and regulated carbon emission accounting model for sponge cities by unifying the accounting content for carbon emissions and clarifying the relationships between carbon reduction benefits, carbon reduction effects, and carbon sequestration, in order to evaluate the carbon reduction outcomes and mechanisms of sponge city construction. Based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) carbon emission accounting model using the carbon emission factor method, a newly constructed residential area in Tianshui City, Gansu Province, was selected as a case study, and the carbon emission reduction effect of sponge city construction was then investigated. Results indicated that the 30-year full life cycle carbon emissions for sponge city construction in the newly constructed residential area amounted to 828.98 tons, compared to 744.28 tons of CO2 reduction in traditional construction, representing a 47.31% reduction in carbon emissions. Over a 30-year life cycle, this equated to a total carbon emission reduction effect of 1460.31 tons. Additionally, under various rainfall scenarios in a typical year, the carbon emission reduction effect of sponge city construction exceeded the carbon emissions, achieving carbon neutrality within 22 to 30 years of operation. This demonstrates that the carbon emission reduction effect of sponge city communities is significant. The findings of this study provide data and a theoretical basis for the low-carbon construction of sponge cities in China.

Bidirectional Electron Transfer Strategies for Anti-Markovnikov Olefin Aminofunctionalization via Arylamine Radicals.

Arylamines are common structural motifs in pharmaceuticals, natural products, and materials precursors. While olefin aminofunctionalization chemistry can provide entry to arylamines, classical polar reactions typically afford Markovnikov products. Nitrogen-centered radical intermediates provide the opportunity to access anti-Markovnikov selectivity; however, anti-Markovnikov arylamination is unknown in large part due to the lack of arylamine radical precursors. Here, we introduce bidirectional electron transfer processes to generate arylamine radical intermediates from N-pyridinium arylamines: Single-electron oxidation provides arylamine radicals that engage in anti-Markovnikov olefin aminopyridylation; single-electron reduction unveils arylamine radicals that engage in anti-Markovnikov olefin aminofunctionalization. The development of bidirectional redox processes complements classical design principles for radical precursors, which typically function via a single redox manifold. Demonstration of both oxidative and reductive mechanisms to generate arylamine radicals from a common N-aminopyridinium precursor provides complementary methods to rapidly construct and diversify arylamine scaffolds from readily available radical precursors.

Preparation of 97% pure nickel-cobalt alloy from waste Ni-MH batteries by using waste glass as a fluxing agent

With the e-waste growing rapidly all over the globe due to growing demand of electronics, smartphones, etc., coming up with an efficient and sustainable recycling process is the need of the hour. The present work reports a novel and sustainable process of manufacturing Ni alloy by bringing together three major waste streams such as waste Ni-MH batteries, e-waste plastics, and waste glass. The chosen temperature (1550 °C) favours the reduction of nickel-oxide by e-waste plastic as the reductant and sends rare earth elements present in the waste Ni-MH battery as oxide mixture to the slag phase. Waste glass powder used in this process functions as the fluxing agent, hence not requiring any additional flux. The reduction mechanism is gas-based, controlled mainly by hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases released as a result of decomposition of e-waste plastic as reaction commenced from cold zone (∼300 °C) to hot zone (1550 °C) in the horizontal tubular furnace. Formation of nickel alloy and enrichment of slag with mixture of rare earth oxides were confirmed by XRD, SEM-EDS, and Rietveld refining analysis performed on the XRD spectra of slag phase. ICP-OES (Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) and LIBS (laser induced breakdown spectrometer KT-100S) confirmed the high metal content in the alloy, thereby emphasizing the purity (∼98%) which is close to the composition of nickel super alloy. A maximum of 61% by weight REO enrichment was achieved in the slag phase, having La2O3:44.6%, Pr2O3:14.8%, and Nd2O3: 1.6% under optimised experimental conditions (1550 °C, 15 min, and 20% waste glass powder). This scientific investigation evinces a promising route for efficient utilisation of waste streams emanating from e-waste, thereby devising a sustainable recycling technique and protecting the environment, too.

Urban Sharing Logistics Strategies against Epidemic Outbreaks: Its Feasibility and Sustainability

Epidemic (e.g., COVID-19) outbreaks can seriously disrupt logistics, and the coordination of intercity logistics and urban distribution plays an important role in goods distribution. In previous studies, some scholars analyzed different sharing logistics mechanisms for cost reduction and efficiency improvement, while others analyzed the disruption problems in both logistics and supply chain management. In this study, we combine these two operational management philosophies and first develop a two-echelon logistics benchmark model (BM), with two intercity logistics companies and two urban distribution companies, taking into consideration the load ratio and the disruption factor. This is the first time that the load ratio is considered in research on logistics, and it will make the supply and demand as well as the cost structure of logistics services much more practical. We then develop three urban sharing logistics models with two intercity logistics companies and one urban sharing logistics distribution company, with the sharing mechanisms SM1 (only sharing logistics), SM2 (sharing logistics with revenue sharing), and SM3 (sharing logistics with equity investment). We compare the pros and cons of the three sharing mechanisms and identify the optimal and suboptimal Pareto improvements for the BM. We identify different sharing decisions with respect to different load ratios and the disruption ratio. Finally, we analyze the sustainability of the three sharing mechanisms from the load ratio, low-carbon, and low-disruption dimensions. The managerial implications drawn from the model and case study provide a practice framework for sharing logistics operations: vertical integration, the standardization of logistics technology and equipment, and coordination and sharing.