Mechanism Of Enhancement Research Articles

Carbon dioxide capture in sodium carbonate solution: Mass transfer kinetics and DTAC surfactant enhancement mechanism

Sodium carbonate solvent absorbent has been widely studied for CO2 reduction to deal with global warming because of its green, low cost, and non-corrosive advantages. However, in the application of sodium carbonate as an absorbent for CO2 capture, there is no unified cognition of the mass transfer process, which leads to the lack of guidance for the industrial large-scale process. Moreover, the mechanism of mass transfer enhancement of surfactants, which can effectively improve the mass transfer performance, has not been effectively explored in the literature. Based on this, this paper firstly adopts the molecular dynamics method to analyze the solution characteristics after surfactant addition and optimize the surfactant. Subsequently, a classical dissolved oxygen test method was used to measure the gas-liquid mass transfer coefficient for CO2 absorption into sodium carbonate solution. And based on this mass transfer coefficient measurement method, the mass transfer process of sodium carbonate solution with surfactant was analyzed. The results showed that the sodium carbonate solution with 5 wt% concentration and 10 wt% concentration at 30 °C did not satisfy the pseudo first-order fast chemical reaction kinetics assumption. To improve CO2 absorption mass transfer rate, dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DTAC) surfactant was introduced, which was improved by 119 % compared with non-enhanced solvent at 5 wt% concentration solution, and the assumption of pseudo first order fast chemical reaction was satisfied. After the introduction of surfactant, the barrier effect decreased the liquid phase mass transfer coefficient, but the Marangoni effect happened in the 5 wt% concentration of sodium carbonate solution, which enhanced the liquid-phase mass-transfer coefficient. This finding reveals the mechanism of mass transfer promotion of sodium carbonate by the surfactant DTAC, which is of great engineering significance for the application in the field of decarbonization after the introduction of surfactant.

Anthricin-induced hyperactive proteasome and its molecular mechanism

Recently, targeted protein degradation has attracted increasing interest as a new drug discovery approach. This method aims to control the function of drug targets by inducing their degradation through protein degradation systems such as the proteasome. Concurrently, compounds that enhance proteasome activity have also garnered attention. In 2023, we reported that anthricin (also known as 4-deoxypodophyllotoxin), a natural product that belongs to the lignan family, enhances proteasome activity. However, whether this enhancement was because of increased proteasome expression or improved proteasome function remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the structure–activity relationship of anthricin and its analogs in enhancing proteasome activity, the effects of anthricin on proteasome-related gene expression, and the direct binding between anthricin and the proteasome using pull-down assay. Moreover, we assessed the interaction between anthricin and the proteasome using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results showed that anthricin does not induce proteasome-related gene expression, but instead binds to the β-subunit of the proteasome, bringing the side chains of three amino acid residues (Thr1, Asp17, and Lys33) at the catalytic site closer together, thereby inducing a hyperactive state. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest the mechanism of proteasome activity enhancement by anthricin at the molecular level. The findings could contribute to the development of new chemotypes to enhance the effects of targeted protein degraders by regulating proteasome activity.

Calcium carbonate pre-neutralization coupled with nano zero valent iron/hydrogen peroxide for precise and efficient arsenic removal from high-arsenic acid wastewater: Performance enhancement and reaction mechanisms

Calcium carbonate pre-neutralization coupled with nano zero valent iron/hydrogen peroxide for precise and efficient arsenic removal from high-arsenic acid wastewater: Performance enhancement and reaction mechanisms

Corrosion and wear resistance of ultrasonic vibration-assisted laser cladded Fe-based crystal/amorphous composite coatings

The ultrasonic vibration (UV) is applied during the laser cladding process of Fe88.83Si6.21B2.51Cr2.45 (wt. %) amorphous powders. The microstructure evolution and properties of the Fe-based crystal/amorphous composite coatings with and without UV were investigated in detail. The results reveal a significant decrease of 55.8% in the average grain size within the UV coating, accompanied by a 35.9% reduction in the length of columnar grains at the interface, which is primarily attributed to the acoustic streaming and cavitation effects of ultrasound. The average microhardness value of coatings rises from 659 ±33 HV0.2 to 873 ±48 HV0.2. Meanwhile, the coatings with UV exhibit outstanding wear resistance, with a 38.2% reduction in wear rate compared to normal coatings. The corrosion mechanism of the coatings is pitting corrosion and the corroded surface of the coating with UV displays a relatively smaller pitting area. The enhancement mechanism for properties by U V can be the cooperative effect of the fine-grain strengthening and the amorphous phase strengthening.

Two-Dimensional MXene-Based Functional Composites for Photocatalysts: Current Status and Perspectives

Abstract: MXenes, as novel two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, nitrides or carbonitrides, have excellent metal conductivity, high carrier mobility, and surface-terminated groups regulated band structure. It can be thus used as a cocatalyst in photocatalytic systems to improve the photocatalytic properties. This review represented recent research progress on the controllable construction of MXene-based functional composites with zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), 2D, and three-dimensional (3D) semiconductor photocatalysts and their applications for photocatalysts. Extensive information related to 2D MXene-Based composites for photocatalysts and their associated patents were collected. The construction methods and photocatalytic enhancement mechanisms of 2D MXene-based composite photocatalysts were given. Due to their excellent physical and chemical properties, 2D MXene composites have been widely used in pollutant removal, hydrogen production, CO2 reduction, and nitrogen fixation. Through the construction of 2D MXene-based functional composite photocatalysts with novel structures and excellent performance, it provides a new perspective for the design and construction of high-efficiency photocatalysts. The future research directions of MXene-based composite photocatalysts was proposed.

Water collection through a directional leaf vein pattern by fast laser marker ablation of stainless-steel

Inspired by the natural water harvesting mechanisms of desert beetles, cactus thorns, and leaf veins, we designed a heterogeneous wettability surface with superhydrophilic pattern integrating leaf vein as the directional water transport main channel, attached capillary triangles as auxiliary channel plus a deep rough desorption channel on an overall superhydrophobic surface for an efficient water collection. A superhydrophilic surface was initially fabricated on the stainless steel disc by laser marker ablation allowing 1 μL droplet to spread completely to 0° within 0.12 seconds, followed by fluorine-containing coating transforming superhydrophilic surface to superhydrophobic one. Directional water transport patterns were then etched on the superhydrophobic surfaces by the secondary laser marker. The surface energy gradient and Laplace pressure induced by the pattern facilitated directional fast transport and efficient desorption of droplets, thus improving water collection efficiency. The enhancement mechanism of the water harvesting behavior for such surfaces was analyzed, with one focus on enhancing collection in hydrophobic regions with capillaries to reduce bouncing off loss and the other on improving balanced cycling of the collection process. At a fog flow rate of 1500ml/h and 20cm away from the fog outlet, the directional leaf vein-patterned 19.625cm2 sized surface demonstrated a fog water collection rate (WCR) of 5.6 Kg·m-2·h-1 and first drop collection at the 49th s, an impressively short time rarely reported. Compared to the superhydrophobic, superhydrophilic samples, and the reference, WCR increased by 180%, 62%, and 59%, respectively, and the first droplet collection time decreased by 73%, 46%, and 62%, respectively. This efficient water collection method has huge potential in arid regions.

Investigation of the polysaccharides synthesis enhancement mechanism from Agaricus bitoquis (Quél.) Sacc Chaidam and its fermentation regulation technology system based on multi-omics technologies

The polysaccharides (PS) of Agaricus bitoquis (Quél.) Sacc. Chaidam (ABSC) had attracted the attention of researchers due to their strong anti hypoxia, antioxidant, and anti fatigue activities. Therefore, this article focuses on studying the regulatory channels of exogenous additives-Lycium ruthenicum Murr. Anthocyanin (LRA) to delay fungus cell aging and promote the incremental synthesis of PS from ABSC, and optimizing the regulation system for pilot fermentation experiments. The joint analysis of Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOFMS) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) database elucidates that at the molecular level, the crude extract of LRA inhibits the Telecommunications Association (TCA) cycle, transferring carbon metabolism to the synthesis of polysaccharide precursors (UDP-glucose, UDP-galactose, etc.), promoting the synthesis of PS, promoting the formation of key antioxidant substances (including flavonoids such as quercetin and alginate), improving cell membrane fluidity (saturated fatty acid to unsaturated conversion) and enhancing the degradation of toxic substances (oxidized glutathione), thereby promoting the anti-aging activity and PS synthesis ability of mycelial cells; LRA-adding could enhance the activity in the pilot fermentation of ABSC, which make the mycelia biomass, EPS and IPS production were significantly increased (89.04 %, 65.46 % and 37.64 % respectively) compared with the untreatment control. Based on the optimal fermentation system of PS synthesized in mycelium by adding LRA, Logistic, Gauss, and Asymptotic kinetic equations were used to describe the cell growth, product synthesis and regulatory substrate consumption from ABSC. The correlation coefficients of three models were all above 0.95, indicating a good fit between the experimental values and predicted value, this indicated ABSC fermentation kinetics model could better simulate the actual production process and provide theoretical data for the industrial production of polysaccharides. The results demonstrated that the present proposed LRA intensification approach could be useful to boost up the fermentation of ABSC, which possibly applied to yield increase and fermentation product acquisition of macrofungi.

Closed‐Loop Recyclable and Extrusion Reprocessable Thermosets Enabled by Guanylthiourea Structure

AbstractPlastic recycling is a critical step toward improving waste management and achieving economic recycling. Here, a thermoset crosslinked by guanythiourea structure (GTUH network) is reported, that addresses the recycling issue of thermosets by serial hybridization of thiourea and guanidine urea. The dual dissociative dynamic exchange reaction of guanamine urea and thiourea, combined with non‐covalent hydrogen bonding interactions, endows the network with rapid relaxation ability. GTUH networks, in particular, can be recycled through continuous extrusion processing due to multiple reversible mechanisms, as opposed to hot pressing alone. Even if reprocessed by hot pressing, only 5 min at 140 °C and 10 MPa are required. The oxidation enhancement mechanism of thiourea contributes to maintaining or even improving the mechanical properties of the recycled network. Moreover, the dynamic reactions of guanythiourea structure allow for closed‐loop chemical recycling of the network. Research into recyclable carbon fiber‐reinforced composites indicates promising potential applications for this material in the circular economy and resources.

Sulfate Oxyanion Steered d-Orbital Electronic State of Nickel-Iron Nanoalloy for Boosting Electrocatalytic Performance.

Oxyanion groups recently offer an innovative avenue for improving the sluggish kinetics of electrochemical reactions benefitting from their particular polyanion configurations and large electronegativity. Nevertheless, the exact structure design and deep regulating mechanism of oxyanion species remain poorly understood. Herein, a fresh architecture of the sulfate oxyanion coordinated nickel-iron nanoalloy on nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon nanotube (SO4 2--NiFe/NSCT) is newly proposed to study the activity increment effect and mechanism. The SO4 2--NiFe/NSCT displays hierarchical nanostructure with robust-wrinkled surface and highly efficient active sites. Importantly, the SO4 2- group, as a significant manipulation factor, is first evidenced to promote the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity for NiFe nanoalloy under the reductive condition, showcasing outstanding bifunctional properties toward ORR and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), as well as the exceptional performance in non-aqueous Li-O2 battery. Both experimental and theoretical results elucidate that, as an electron bridge, the introduction of SO4 2- downshifts the d-band center of SO4 2--NiFe/NSCT and gives the electron transfer passageway between the H atom in OH* intermediate and the O atom in SO4 2- group, greatly optimizing the metal-intermediate interaction with weaker bond energy. This work provides a deep insight into the activity enhancement mechanism by the sulfate oxyanion.

Surface Plasmon Polariton Photoluminescence Enhancement of Single InP Nanowires with InAsP Quantum Wells

A significant (up to 4 times) photoluminescence enhancement of single InP/InAsP/InP nanowires transferred onto a silicon oxide‐covered silver layer on silicon substrate with a metal surface roughness level of less than 1 nm and a dielectric thickness of 5 nm has been demonstrated. This phenomenon is explained by the interaction of electron–hole pairs in the semiconductor with surface plasmon polaritons. The photoluminescence kinetics and results of modeling confirm the indicated enhancement mechanism.

Enhancement mechanism of xanthan gum production in Xanthomonas campestris induced by atmospheric and room-temperature plasma (ARTP) mutagenesis.

Xanthan gum, produced by the aerobic fermentation of carbohydrates by Xanthomonas campestris, is a significant natural and industrial biopolymer known for its exceptional properties. Enhancing the yield of xanthan gum production remains a critical challenge. This study employed atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) technology to induce mutagenesis in X. campestris, resulting in a high-yielding strain, X20. The X20 mutant exhibited a substantial increase in xanthan gum yield, ranging from 13.3 % to 30.0 % over the starting strain across NaCl concentrations of 0, 6.0, and 8.0 g/L, along with improved viscosity and molecular weight. In the whole genome of X20 mutant, a total of 80 variant sites differing from the reference genome were identified, involving 76 mutated genes. Among these, 19 were missense mutations primarily associated with the two-component system. Transcriptome analysis highlighted their role in enhancing flagellar movement, biofilm formation, and metabolic synthesis, thereby elevating the capability of the mutant strain in xanthan gum production. This study demonstrates the potential of ARTP as an effective tool for microbial mutagenesis breeding, providing theoretical guidance for future studies on the synthesis regulation of xanthan gum and the engineering modification of X. campestris.

Molecular dynamics study on the enhancement of high‐temperature friction and mechanical properties of perfluoroelastomers by carbon nanomaterials

AbstractThe mechanical and frictional properties of pure perfluoroelastomer, graphene (GN)/perfluoroelastomer, and carbon nanotube (CNT)/perfluoroelastomer composite systems were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The influence of carbon nanomaterials on the glass transition temperature, mechanical properties, and frictional behavior of perfluoroelastomers at various temperatures was evaluated. The simulation results demonstrated that the addition of GN and CNTs increased the glass transition temperature of perfluoroelastomers to varying extents. CNTs enhanced the mechanical properties of perfluoroelastomers more effectively than GN, whereas GN provided superior improvement in frictional properties compared to CNTs. Analysis of stress–strain distribution, atomic motion trajectory, interaction energy, mass density, and temperature distribution, bond orientation parameters, radial distribution function (RDF), mean square displacement (MSD), and diffusion coefficients revealed the mechanisms and differences by which GN and CNTs enhance the mechanical and frictional properties of perfluoroelastomers.Highlights Carbon nanomaterials enhance perfluoroelastomer's high‐temperature performance. CNTs provide higher mechanical strength but lower wear resistance. GN nanosheets outperform CNTs in reducing friction and wear. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal distinct enhancement mechanisms.

Active enhancers: recent research advances and insights into disease.

Precise regulation of gene expression is crucial to development. Enhancers, the core of gene regulation, determine the spatiotemporal pattern of gene transcription. Since many disease-associated mutations are characterized in enhancers, the research on enhancer will provide clues to precise medicine. Rapid advances in high-throughput sequencing technology facilitate the characterization of enhancers at genome wide, but understanding the functional mechanisms of enhancers remains challenging. Herein, we provide a panorama of enhancer characteristics, including epigenetic modifications, enhancer transcripts, and enhancer-promoter interaction patterns. Furthermore, we outline the applications of high-throughput sequencing technology and functional genomics methods in enhancer research. Finally, we discuss the role of enhancers in human disease and their potential as targets for disease prevention and treatment strategies.

Structural-modulated substrate of MXene for surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensing.

The distinctive structure of MXene offers exceptional electron transport properties, abundant surface chemistry, and robust mechanical attributes, thereby bestowing it with remarkable advantages and promising prospects in the realm of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). This review comprehensively outlines the evolution, synthesis methodologies, and characterization techniques employed for MXene-based SERS substrates. It delves into the intricacies of its SERS enhancement mechanism, substrate variants, and performance metrics, alongside showcasing its diverse applications spanning molecular detection, biosensing, and environmental monitoring. Furthermore, it endeavors to pinpoint the research bottlenecks and chart the future research trajectories for MXene-based SERS substrates.

Entropic Design of Anionic Site to Improve Anionic Redox Stability in Lithium-Rich Cathode.

Cobalt-free manganese-rich layered oxide is considered one of the most promising cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries due to its high capacity and low cost. However, irreversible anionic redox (OAR) leads to serious failure problems and hinders its wide application. To solve the above problems, the entropy design strategy of anionic sites is proposed, which is more direct and relevant to the regulation of the OAR process compared to the traditional entropy design of TM sites. The entropic design improves the structural diversity and long-range disorder of the material, which effectively inhibits oxygen release and drastic structural strain, and alleviates structural degradation. After 400 cycles at 1C, the capacity and voltage decay per cycle are only 0.092 mAhg-1 and 1.36mV, respectively. The long cycle test (10C and 1000 cycles) at high current shows that the voltage and capacity decay are only 0.04 mAhg-1 and 0.66mV per cycle, respectively. Meanwhile, the rate performance at 10C reaches 175 mAhg-1. The charge compensation regulation and performance enhancement mechanism are investigated by systematic in-situ/ex-situ characterization and theoretical calculation. This research provides new ideas for the design of lithium-rich cathodes with stable OAR and high structural adaptability.

Effect of temperature and nanoparticle size on the interfacial layer thickness of TiO2–water nanofluids using molecular dynamics

Abstract In the design and optimization of nanofluids, it is crucial to investigate and characterize the thermal conductivity enhancement mechanisms and their influencing factors. Although the effect of the “liquid film” on the thermal conductivity of the solid–liquid interface in nanofluids has been extensively studied, most of the research in this area has examined metal–water nanofluids or Ar-based nanofluids. In this work, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics is utilized to explore the mechanism of thermal conductivity enhancement in TiO2–water nanofluids. It is noted that a distinct interfacial layer is formed within 5 Å from the nanoparticle surface. As the nanoparticle size increases, the number density also increases, resulting in a corresponding increase in the thermal conductivity. Moreover, adding 1% TiO2 nanoparticles to water leads to an increase in thermal conductivity of 1.5–3%. Notably, the interfacial layer thickness remains relatively constant with the change in temperature. The Materials Studio analysis results indicated that the water molecule will have stable chemisorption on the titanium dioxide surface with an adsorption energy of approximately −0.96 eV. The findings of this study offer new insights and useful information to support the selection of nanomaterials for the preparation of convective systems.

Rationalization of Microstructure Modulation and Doping on the Enhancement Mechanism of Thermoelectric Properties of PEDOT:PSS

Rationalization of Microstructure Modulation and Doping on the Enhancement Mechanism of Thermoelectric Properties of PEDOT:PSS

Impact of bioinoculants on growth enhancement, physicochemical characteristics, biochemical profiles, and enzymatic defense mechanisms in tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum)

The excessive use of fungicides in agriculture causes challenges like pathogen resistance, soil and water contamination, and potential health risks. Sustainable options like Pseudomonas spp. and yeast are being explored as bioinoculants to promote plant growth and inhibit fungal proliferation. 87 isolates, comprising 36 fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. and 51 yeast isolates were obtained from healthy fruits and vegetables. Yeast (YFSL) and Pseudomonas (PFSL) isolates significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the in-vitro growth of Fusarium solani and Drechslera sp. Experiments in a screen house for 90 days used a randomized block design to study the effects of bioinoculants on plant and fruit health. Moreover, plants and fruits treated with these bioinoculants showed increased levels of salicylic acid (66.14%), total phenolic content (59.67%), chlorophyll (24.31%), carbohydrates (40.38%), phosphorus (0.24%), and antioxidant activity (90%). The treatments displayed higher levels of plant defensive enzymes, chitinase (0.09 mg/h/protein) and β-1-3-glucanase (0.093 mg/h/protein). The increased concentrations of antioxidant enzymes like SOD (0.07 U/L), POD (0.23 U/L), and APX (0.24 U/L) were also observed in the fruits of bio-inoculated plants. However., the difference in results was non-significant (P ≤ 0.05). This study demonstrates the Efficacy of bioinoculants in improving plant growth, compositional characteristics, and antioxidant activities while reducing losses in tomato plants and fruits.

Unveiling the fundamentals of flow boiling heat transfer enhancement on structured surfaces.

Micro- and nanostructured surfaces offer the potential to enhance two-phase heat transfer. However, the mechanisms behind these enhancements are not well-understood due to insufficient diagnostic methods, leading to reliance on trial-and-error surface development. We introduce in situ boroscopy to investigate microscale bubble dynamics during flow boiling nucleation and subsequent flow regime development. This method was applied in saturated flow boiling experiments within chemically etched aluminum and copper tubes. Although the surfaces have self-similar surface structures, our findings revealed varied heat transfer coefficient enhancements, with increases of up to 391% on aluminum and 41% on copper. Using boroscopy, we identified key mechanisms of heat transfer enhancement. We further used mercury porosimetry to determine the impact of pore size distribution on thermal performance. The boroscopy technique introduced here not only elucidates the underlying processes of flow boiling heat transfer enhancement but also has potential applications for the study of other two-phase phenomena.

High-Efficiency Photo-Assisted Large Current-Density Water Splitting with Mott-Schottky Heterojunctions.

The development of bifunctional photogenerated carrier-assisted electrocatalytic (PCA-EC) electrodes that operate with stability at large current-density remains a significant challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a simple sputtering-deposition process to synthesize a novel MnWO4/FeCoNi Mott-Schottky heterojunction coating and deposit it on a pure Ti substrate to prepare high-performance PCA-EC electrodes, which exhibits enhanced light absorption range/intensity and rapidly separated photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This design allows photogenerated electrons to directly participate in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), while the strong oxidation of photogenerated holes significantly reduces the defect formation energy of active metals, thereby facilitating the rapid reconstruction of highly active Ni(FeCo)OOH/MnOOH species for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). As expected, the as-prepared electrode demonstrates the overpotentials of 64 mV for the HER and 204 mV for the OER at 10 mA cm-2 under illumination. Benefiting from the stable interface with Fe/Co/Ni-O-Mn/W bonding units, the dual-electrode photoassisted electrolytic cell achieves long-term stability at current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm-2. This work provides detailed insights into the enhancement mechanism of PCA-EC and contributes to the development of photo-assisted water splitting electrodes for large current-density applications.