Mixed Solution Research Articles

Both‐In‐One Rapid Detection and Removal of Methylmercury in Real Complex Aquatic Environments Using a Janus Confined SERS Filter Membrane

AbstractA surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) filter membrane based on a Janus copper/poly(vinylidene fluoride)/zinc oxide/silver/zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (Cu/PVDF/ZnO/Ag/ZIF‐8, J‐CPZAZ) is designed in this work, which can extract and enrich methylmercury (MeHg) from real samples containing various sizes and types of interferents into the PVDF/ZnO/Ag/ZIF‐8 SERS enhancement unit directly within 2 min. Combined with the microcavity structure in PVDF/ZnO/Ag/ZIF‐8, J‐CPZAZ can also localize the incident light at the same position. This co‐confinement effect of “hotspot‐molecule” effectively lowers the limit of detection of MeHg to 10−10 m. Interestingly, a controllable wettability of J‐CPZAZ endows it with good oil‐water separation function for separating various kinds of MeHg extractant (>95%) from mixed aqueous solution. Based on these features, a dual‐layer J‐CPZAZ filter membrane is further successfully fabricated, enabling both‐in‐one detection and removal of MeHg from real water environments. In the experiments, real water samples are selected from six different water areas in Shandong Province, China, for relevant tests and compared the results with those obtained using traditional gas chromatography. The results demonstrate that the dual‐layer J‐CPZAZ filter membrane exhibits both high MeHg removal efficiency (≈100%) and detection accuracy (average error < 1.8%), showcasing great application potential.

Anti‐fouling loose polyamide nanofiltration membrane preparation by biodegradable sophorolipids for precise separation of simulated dyeing wastewater

AbstractBackgroundStrengthening the recycling and utilization of resources is deeply significant in achieving carbon neutrality. The nanofiltration membranes possess separation ability within the nanoscale by utilizing special pore size ranges and surface charge properties, showing great application prospects in resource recycling. The commercial nanofiltration membranes are mainly prepared by interfacial polymerization with fast reaction speed and easy scaling‐up advantages. However, the obtained polyamide nanofiltration membranes possess dense selective layers with low permeance and separation efficiency to the molecules. Herein, the biodegradable surfactant sophorolipid was added to the aqueous solution to improve the performance of the polyamide nanofiltration membranes.ResultsCompared with the traditional nanofiltration membranes, the permeance of the sophorolipid‐modified nanofiltration membrane was improved from 3 to 18 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1. The modified membrane showed high rejection of the dyes with large molecular structures and low rejection of those with small molecular structures.ConclusionThe modified membrane may separate the mixed dye solution of congo red (molecular weight 696.66 g/mol) and indigo carmine (molecular weight 407.98 g/mol) and the mixed congo red/NaCl solution precisely. Besides, the modified membrane showed good anti‐fouling properties in the long‐term stability test. This study may offer research significance for the resource treatment of printing and dyeing wastewater. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).

Electronic properties of polyaniline–graphene nanocomposites synthesized via solution mixing method

A key advantage of combining the exceptional properties of graphene with conducting polymers, lies in their remarkable property tunability through filler additions into polymer matrices, with synthesis routes playing a crucial role in shaping their characteristics. In this work, we examine the electronic properties of polyaniline and graphene nanocomposites synthesized via a simple solution mixing method, which offers advantages such as ease of use and efficiency. Increasing graphene content enhances nanocomposite conductivity, and a percolation effect is observed. The percolation threshold is high and is consistent with a strong role played by voids in the structure. Temperature-dependent conductivity measurements highlight three distinct conduction regimes: insulating, critical, and metallic. These findings underscore the significant influence of synthesis method and structural disorder on shaping electronic properties, paving the way for engineering multifunctional nanocomposites with exceptional versatility and performance.

A Critical Look at the Evolution of Flow Analysis

The inception of flow analysis (FA) is closely related to the need for a better understanding of chemical reactions. At the beginning of the last century, these reactions were intensively investigated, and the main involved parameters were the reactant amounts and the available reaction time.¹ It was soon realized that solution mixing and detection were often time-dependent, so they were better accomplished on a fluidic basis.² This stimulated the development of simple flow-based instruments³ that allowed chemical reactions to be more efficiently investigated. The availability of commercial colorimetric detectors in the 1930s4 increased the demand for chemical analysis and, thus, the laboratory workload. This motivated the proposal of the AutoAnalyzer®, the first commercial air-segmented flow analyzer.5 It was intensively used for large-scale assays, persisted for several decades, and involved only a few manufacturing companies. As the implementation of official, recommended, or tentative methods was preferred, the AutoAnalyzer underwent a relatively slow evolution yet an amazing worldwide acceptance. Later on, flow analyzers without segmentation were proposed.6 An example is the flow injection analyzer, which involves precise sample insertion, controlled dispersion, and reproducible timing. Exploitation of these features improved the simplicity, versatility, and flexibility of the analyzer. Further evolution led to the emergence of the sequential injection analyzer and derived ones, which occasionally involved segmented and unsegmented streams. Nowadays, flow analysis is approaching maturity, as evidenced by the number of applications, books, book chapters, tutorials, thesis, academic courses, workshops, scientific articles, events, seminars, commercially available instruments (some of them specially designed for educational purposes), patents, etc. Intensive development of expert flow systems,7 usually exploiting manifold programming,8 is underway. Micro-flow analyzers are also being proposed, especially for large-scale assays under laboratory, in-situ and in-vivo conditions. Compliance with the principles of Green9 and White10 Analytical Chemistry has always been a positive factor for FA development. For a FA healthy evolution, inertia or setback should be avoided, and synergy rather than divergence should be ensured. To this end, flashback and consensus are relevant. Flashback permits the evaluation a particular situation in the past, whereas consensus is more related to future developments.

A new mathematical solution of convection‐dispersion equation to describe solute transport in heterogeneous soils

AbstractThere was a long‐time debate about the validation of the convection‐dispersion equation (CDE) and its replacement with the well‐known convective lognormal transfer function model (CLT) to describe solute transport in a heterogeneous soil with uniformity at the longitudinal water flow direction and nonuniformity at the transverse direction. The objective of this study is to prove that the CDE is valid and almost identical to the CLT. Gamma probability density function (pdf) was initially assumed in this study to describe the distribution of pore‐water velocity across capillary tubes in a heterogeneous soil. The capillary bundle model was used to describe solute transport without transverse solute mixing between adjacent tubes. The inverse‐gamma function, a new mathematical solution of the CDE differential equation with scale‐dependent dispersivity, was initially derived from the capillary bundle model and the gamma pdf. The only difference between the inverse‐gamma function and the CLT is that lognormal pdf of pore‐water velocity is assumed in the CLT while the two pdfs are close to each other. The inverse‐gamma function and the CLT were tested with the published data from the miscible displacement experiments on the two repacked soils with different aggregate sizes. Results show that both the inverse‐gamma function and the CLT fit the measured breakthrough curves in the miscible displacement experiments. The estimates of the squared coefficient of variation of the pore‐water velocity in the gamma pdf were 0.314 and 0.0582 for the two soils, and they were consistent with the lognormal pdf in the CLT.

Review on Hydrogel Based Systems and their use in Drug Delivery for Wound Healing & Wound Management

Abstract: The largest organ of the human body, the skin, shields the body from the outside environment. Despite having a great capacity for regeneration, major skin abnormalities cannot heal on their own and must be covered with artificial skin. In recent years, significant advancements have been achieved in the area of skin tissue engineering to create novel skin replacements. Because of their porous as well as moisturized polymeric structural composition, hydrogels are one of the choices with the greatest ability to imitate the natural skin microenvironment. Naturally derived polymers, synthesized polymers, polymerizable synthetic monomolecules, as well as mixtures of natural and synthesized polymers, can all be used to create hydrogels. They can be used to assist in the regeneration as well as repair of the wounded dermis, epidermis or else both by dressing various wounds permanently or temporarily. Hydrogels possess distinct properties like lightweight, stretchable, biocompatible, and biodegradable; they have the potential to be incorporated as flexible solutions for the care of chronic wounds. Additionally, these characteristics make hydrogels appropriate for use in the pharmaceutical and medical industries. Physical, chemical, and hybrid bonding are all involved in the creation of hydrogels. Several processes, including solution casting, solution mixing, bulk crosslinking polymerization, the free radical mechanism, radiation therapy, and the development of interpenetrating networks, are used to create the bonding. This review primarily focuses on the type of wounds with phases in wound healing and the many kinds of hydrogels based on cross-linking, ionic charge, physical properties, source etc., and it also describes potential fabrication techniques for hydrogel design in biomedical applications, drug delivery as well as wound management hydrogel systems. Hydrogel-based systems for wound recovery and management are described, as well as current research & future prospective of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems in wound healing for topical applications.

Algal Classification and Chlorophyll-a Concentration Determination Using Convolutional Neural Networks and Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Data Matrices

In recent years, the frequency of harmful algal blooms has increased, leading to the release of large quantities of toxins and compounds that cause unpleasant odors and tastes, significantly compromising drinking water quality. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) is commonly used as a proxy for algal biomass. However, current methods for measuring Chl-a concentration face challenges in accurately quantifying algae by categories and effectively adapting to natural aquatic environments. This study combined convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and three-dimensional fluorescence data matrices to address these challenges. The algal classification model achieved over 99.5% accuracy in identifying thirteen types of algal samples, with class activation maps showing that the model primarily focused on algal pigment regions. In determining Chl-a concentrations of each algal species in mixed algae solutions (Microcystis aeruginosa, Cyclotella, and Chlorella), the models demonstrated Mean Absolute Percentage Errors (MAPEs) ranging from 6.55% to 10.56% in the ultrapure water background, 11.57% to 14.12% in the Qingcaosha Reservoir raw water background, and 21.46% to 123.37% in the Lake Taihu raw water background. After calibration, the models were significantly improved, achieving MAPEs ranging from 11.86% to 14.18% in the Lake Taihu raw water background. Discrepancies in determination performance indicated that the intensity and locations of characteristic algal pigment fluorescence peaks greatly influenced the models' accuracy. This research introduces a novel approach for algal classification and Chl-a concentration determination in water bodies, with significant potential for practical applications.

Uncertainty evaluation associated with removal of molybdenum from industrial effluents as environmental impacts using solvent extraction with LIX 63

The industrial waste streams generated by mixed acid solutions contain concentrated solutions of toxic heavy metals, and improper disposal of these waste streams constitutes a significant factor in environmental problems when the metals are leached into the atmosphere. One approach to enhancing the recovery of critical metals involves using rational modeling and risk analysis to evaluate the processing options and identify the most economically efficient conditions to meet market demand, considering an environmentally friendly approach. Hence, this study sought to scrutinize the uncertainty impact of influential parameters on molybdenum efficiency during extraction and stripping stages from industrial effluent by employing a hybrid model that integrates the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The model was used to predict the operational conditions needed to achieve maximum efficiency while considering the presence of concentrated metal ions. The optimized model predicted that Mo removal from the waste solution could achieve 74.8% under 20min duration with the LIX 63 concentration of 24% and equal O/A ratio at a temperature of 25°C. Similarly, the mixing time, temperature, NaOH concentration, and A/O ratio for the recovery stage were determined to be optimized at 20min, 25°C, 2.0M, and 0.6, respectively. Uncertainty of the predicted data was analyzed using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) and Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) for the removal and recovery stages. MCS revealed a 90% confidence interval for removal (39.76–90.82%) and recovery (63.06–91.08%), with sensitivity analysis identifying the phase ratios as the most influential factors in both stages. The sodium molybdate specimen was obtained through crystallization from strip solutions and subsequently characterized using XRD and SEM-EDS analyses.

New imidazole sensors synthesized for copper (II) detection in aqueous solutions

Water security, safety, availability and sustainability of water supply are increasingly problematic and difficult across the planet. Safe and rapid methods have been developed to purify water from cationic pollutants. New imidazole-derived fluorescent sensors, 2-(4,5-diphenyl-1-(p-tolyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl) phenol (TS) and 2-(1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl) phenol (AS), have been synthesized and characterized, and their possibility as fluorescence sensors for copper (II) has been examined. In CH3CN/H2O (90 v/v), the TS and AS revealed a noticeable an electronic band at 320.00 nm and fluorescence band at 460.90 nm. The ratio metric alterations in the absorption and fluorescence spectra of TS and AS due to the dative covalent bond between them and the copper (II) were shown by the findings of copper (II) titration. The sensing mechanism was validated by optical investigations and FT-IR spectra. In mixed solvent solutions, the selectivity of TS and AS to copper (II) as fluorescent sensors has been demonstrated, with sensitivity as low as 0.09 and 0.28 µM, significantly less than the limit permitted via the US EPA for drinking water (2.00 µM). The identification limits of TS and AS were assessed to be 0.05 and 0.50 µM, respectively, using the spectrophotometric procedure. Stoichiometry binding between TS and AS with copper (II) was found to be 2:1 (tetrahedral structure) as indicated by Job's method.

The OH-stretching region in infrared spectra of the apatite OH-Cl binary system

Abstract Polarized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy of the OH-stretching region of hydroxylapatite-chlorapatite solid solutions presents novel problems for the assignment of peaks to specific OH-Cl pairs. Crystal structure refinements of Hughes et al. (2016) identified new positions for column anions in synthetic mixed Cl-OH apatites, with three different column anion arrangements depending on composition. These structural refinements, combined with bond-valence calculations, allow for interpretation of the OH-stretching region. A peak at 3574 cm–1 is identified as that from end-member hydroxylapatite. A second major peak at 3548 cm–1 is only found in mixed chlorapatite-hydroxylapatite solid solutions, as is a third peak at 3592 cm–1. Both represent perturbations of the OH-stretching vibration as compared to hydroxylapatite, to lower and higher frequency, respectively. Both of the new peaks are the result of a Clb-OH sequence, with adjacent anions in crystallographically similar positions, both above or both below adjacent mirror planes. One configuration has the hydrogen atom pointed toward the chlorine atom. The second has the hydrogen of the OH group pointed away from the chlorine atom. Both configurations present novel problems. The shift to lower wavenumber at 3548 cm–1 is characteristic of hydrogen bonding in fluorapatite-hydroxylapatite mixtures, yet the distance between O(H) and Clb is too great to allow it. The shift of OH-stretching vibrations to lower wavenumber is produced through changes in polarization of intervening Cl-Ca2′ (or Ca2) and Ca2(′)-O3 bonds, which are affected by the presence of the large chlorine atom. Lowering the OH-stretching vibration mimics the expected effect of chlorine on a neighboring OH group in the apatite c-axis column, though without hydrogen bonding. The shift to higher wavenumbers, i.e., higher frequency at 3592 cm–1, is the opposite of that expected for hydrogen bonding between column anions in the apatite mineral group. It is ascribed to the interaction between an adjacent Clb and the oxygen end of an adjacent OH dipole. This pairing places an oxygen and a chlorine atom in close proximity. Possible means of accommodation are discussed. A ubiquitous peak at 3498 cm–1 represents hydrogen bonding between an OH and the OHa site, with an interoxygen distance of about 2.9 Å. Published modeling supports the hypothesis that the OHa site is occupied by an O rather than an OH. However, no clear counterpart to this pairing is observed in crystal structure refinements for specimens lacking OHa, although the infrared absorbance is present. The existence of oxyapatite is inferred from studies of plasma-sprayed biomaterials, but the crystal-lographic details of the substitution have remained elusive. A minor shoulder at 3517 cm–1 does not have a clear counterpart in the structural refinements. Sequences of three columnar anions (e.g., OH-Cl-OH or Cl-OH-OH) can be ruled out, but an unequivocal assignment awaits further research.

Injectable nanocomposite hydrogel with cascade drug release for treatment of uveal melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common malignant intraocular tumor with the trait of distant metastases. Currently, the standard clinical therapy results in suboptimal outcomes due to ineffective inhibition of tumor metastasis. Thus, developing novel therapeutic modalities for UM remains a critical priority. Herein, we have developed an injectable nanocomposite hydrogel (HA-DOX/LAP gel) through integrating hyaluronic acid-based drug-loaded nanoparticles into an alginate-dopamine gel, delivering the chemotherapeutic drugs, lapatinib and doxorubicin for combinational treatment of UM. HA-DOX/LAP gel is fabricated in situ by a simple injection of the mixed precursor solution into tumor sites and maintains in vivo for more than 21 days. The entrapped drug-loaded nanoparticles can gradually release from HA-DOX/LAP gel, enhancing tumor targeting and penetration, and synchronously releasing lapatinib and doxorubicin into the acidic intracellular environment to synergistically destroy UM cells. In vivo anti-tumor studies conducted in MuM-2B tumor models demonstrated that HA-DOX/LAP gel significantly impedes tumor growth, diminishes postoperative recurrence, and prolongs overall survivals of UM tumor-bearing mice through only single injection. Remarkably, the escaped drug-loaded nanoparticles effectively reduce the risk of tumor metastases. Our findings provide new insights for the development of multifunctional nanocomposite-incorporating combination therapy against UM by targeting tumor recurrence and metastases.

Preparation and Adsorption Properties of a Three-Dimensional Superhydrophilic Mercury-Ion-Imprinted Polymer with Dual Recognition Site Based on MoS2/SBA-15.

Water pollution resulting from Hg(II) ions has garnered significant global concern for public health. The flexibility and simplicity of design, cost savings, and ease of operation with adaptive designs provide adsorption with a considerable advantage over other processes. However, MoS2 is hydrophobic in nature, which limits its efficiency in the removal of Hg(II) ions from water. Therefore, the incorporation of hydrophilic SBA-15 as supporting material, combined with a nanoflower-like layered MoS2 and its highly reactive exposed edges, produces hydrophilic properties that effectively eliminate Hg(II) from water . A mercury-ion-imprinted polymer (Hg(II)-IIP) was synthesized on the MoS2/SBA-15 surface using N-allylthiourea (ATU) as a functional monomer to enhance material selectivity and create dual recognition sites. Characterization investigation using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and water contact angle showed the successful synthesis of Hg(II)-IIP, excellent hydrophilicity, and close interaction between MoS2 and SBA-15. The maximum adsorption capacity of Hg(II)-IIP for Hg(II) under optimized adsorption conditions was 567.78 mg·g-1 in 90 min, which was 6 times greater than that of the IIP solely based only on SBA-15, and followed by pseudo-second-order and aligned more closely fits with the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Furthermore, the adsorption capacity of the synthesized Hg(II)-IIP was greater than that of three other common monomers IIP. Hg(II)-IIP possesses a strong ability to regenerate, while also showing better selectivity for Hg(II) in the presence of other interfering ions, indicating its robust anti-interference capability in the multivariate mixed solution. The analysis of the actual sample indicated that Hg(II)-IIP attained recoveries between 97.92 and 100.28% in water samples. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) indicated that the binding energy of the sulfur atom forming a tetra-ligand with Hg(II) on ATU was 0.6511 eV greater than that of a diligand. The energy gap was determined to be 0.1550 eV, supporting the preference for S-Hg tetra-ligand adsorption.

Grain-Boundary Elimination via Liquid Medium Annealing toward High-Efficiency Sb2Se3 Solar Cells.

Suppression of charge recombination caused by unfavorable grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystalline thin films is essential for improving the optoelectronic performance of semiconductor devices. For emerging antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) materials, the unique quasi-1D structure intensifies the dependence of GB properties on the grain size and orientation, which also increases the impact of defects related to grain structure on device performance. However, these characteristics pose significant challenges in the preparation of thin films. In this study, a novel annealing approach using ammonia-thiourea is developed mixed solution as the liquid medium (LM) to finely regulate the crystallization of Sb2Se3 films, resulting in micron-sized large grains with enhanced [hk1] orientation and fewer defects. Mechanistic studies indicate that the intermediate phase formed at the GBs promotes the growth of large grains. Moreover, LM creates a closed and uniform environment for thin-film annealing, suppressing the volatilization of Se and reducing the types of deep-level defects. Consequently, the film delivers a device efficiency of 9.28%, the highest efficiency achieved for Sb2Se3 solar cells fabricated via thermal evaporation. Hence, this study provides a facile and effective annealing method for controlling the crystallization of low-dimensional materials and offers valuable guidance for the development of chalcogenide materials.

Stepwise Construction of Supramolecular A2B4-Type Miktoarm Star Copolymers with a Cobalt Phthalocyanine Core.

Supramolecular interactions between polymers play a crucial role in the construction of three-dimensional polymer structures with unique physical and chemical properties. In this study, we have fabricated a novel supramolecular miktoarm star copolymer (μ-star) with a cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (CoPc) core using metal-ligand coordination. Axial coordination of the terminal pyridyl group of poly(methyl methacrylate) with the CoPc core of four-armed star-shaped polystyrene provided AB4- and A2B4-type μ-stars through stepwise complexation. The spin-coated polymer films from mixed solutions of CoPcPS4 and pyPMMA in 1 : 1 or 1 : 2 mass ratios exhibited phase-separated nanodomains with smooth surfaces. Supramolecular interactions in polymer systems provide a unique topology to polymers and affect their bulk morphology.

Analytical solutions and molecule states of the (3+1)-dimensional variable coecient Date-Jimbo-Kashiwara-Miwa equation

Analytical solutions and molecule states of the (3+1)-dimensional variable coecient Date-Jimbo-Kashiwara-Miwa equation

Deep cement mixing solution for underpinning existing construction

Deep cement mixing solution for underpinning existing construction

Retinol and Hydroxyasiaticoside Synergistically Relieve Histamine-Induced Atopic Dermatitis Activity by Repressing TRPV1, L1R1, and CD130 Targets

Background: Retinol, an important bioactive substance with multiple physiological functions such as promoting collagen synthesis, inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase activity, alleviating oxidative stress, regulating gene expression, and promoting epidermal cell proliferation, has a significant effect on skin damage recovery. Hydroxyasiaticoside, a triterpenoid saponin derived from Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., is closely related to the secretion of collagen types I and III, and possesses multiple biological activities, including moisturizing, antioxidants, anti-apoptosis, neuroprotection, anti-inflammation, and the promotion of wound healing. It plays a particularly prominent role in reducing oxidative stress in wounds and inducing vasodilatation. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of retinol combined with hydroxyasiaticoside in histamine-induced atopic dermatitis. Materials and Methods: The experiment was carried out using three different concentrations of a retinol and hydroxyasiaticoside mixed solution: low, medium, and high concentrations. After inducing atopic dermatitis in mice through histamine administration, these solutions were applied to the skin surface of the mice, and a comparative analysis was conducted with both the control group and the model group. The effect of combination therapy on atopic dermatitis was evaluated through histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and transcriptomic analysis. Results: The combination of retinol and hydroxyasiaticoside significantly attenuated histamine-induced scratching behaviors, alleviated the phenomenon of epidermal hyperplasia, and effectively reduced the proliferation, infiltration, and degranulation of mast cells. In addition, the combination inhibited the expression of relevant pro-inflammatory cytokines. Quantitative RNA-seq analysis revealed that the gene expression patterns were similar in different concentration groups. However, the medium dose group may be able to regulate skin inflammation by regulating upstream genes to inhibit autophagy-related pathways. Further GO analysis revealed that the low-dose group mainly affected metabolism-related genes, the medium-dose group affected more genes related to body systems, and the high-dose group was dominated by genes related to human diseases.

Highly durable superhydrophobic bilayer nanofibrous composite membrane with intermediate interlocked network inspired by mortise and tenon connections for membrane distillation

The membranes for membrane distillation (MD) posed challenges for long-term stable operation due to poor mechanical strength, low flux and susceptibility to wetting. In this study, inspired by conventional mortise and tenon (MT) structure, we constructed a novel robust and porous bilayer composite membrane consisting of superhydrophobic microsphere layer and nanofibrous substrate along with interfacial interlocked networks via a facile integrated casting-recrystallization (ICR) method for highly efficient direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). During one-step ICR process, amorphous polypropylene (aPP) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP) (a-iPP) with certain mass ratio were completely dissolved in xylene and then cast on the surface of highly porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofibrous substrate at high temperature, in which a crystallization process of the mixed solution occurred in a single step to form PP microsphere layer with a flower-like structure for guarantee of the superhydrophobicity and permeability of the composite membrane. Meanwhile, PP solution infiltrated into the PVDF nanofibrous substrate and then solidified along the fibers and fiber junctions at the initial pouring to create intermediate interlocking connections based on MT construction between the nanofibrous substrate and the microsphere layer, which resulted in the composite membrane with extremely high structural integrity and mechanical properties. The optimal a-iPP/PVDF composite membranes exhibited outstanding mechanical properties (36.6 MPa in tensile strength and 118.0% in strain), significantly superior to PVDF electrospun nanofibrous membrane and commercial PVDF membrane. This unique a-iPP composite membrane with unrelenting superhydrophobicity and high permeability demonstrated a complete barrier to salts with a considerable permeation flux of 54 kg m-2 h-1 in a 70-hour DCMD test (ΔT=40 oC).

Electrolyte optimization for enhanced electrode performance in aqueous Zn//WO3 mixed-ion battery

Aqueous electrochemical energy storage has emerged as a low-cost and sustainable technology. Among the diverse array of electrode materials, tungsten trioxide (WO3) holds promise due to its unique electrochemical properties and environmental compatibility. In this study, we investigate the potential of WO3 for aqueous energy storage applications, focusing on its performance in different electrolytes, namely, 0.5 M Na2SO4, 1.0 M ZnSO4, and 0.5 M Al2(SO4)3. Electrochemical measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the charge density of electrolyte cation influences the WO3 electrode performance. A superior performance is observed in the Al2(SO4)3 electrolyte due to the high charge density of Al3+ ions. We further investigate WO3 as a cathode in the full-cell configuration using Zn metal as an anode and a mixed solution of 1.0 M ZnSO4 and 0.5 M Al2(SO4)3 as an electrolyte. The mixed-ion Zn//WO3 battery exhibits high specific energy and good cycling stability, highlighting the feasibility of WO3 as an electrode for practical aqueous energy storage. Overall, this study provides insights into the electrochemical behavior of WO3 in aqueous environments and underscores its potential for advancing sustainable energy solutions.

Improvement of Space-Observation of Aerosol Chemical Composition by Synergizing a Chemical Transport Model and Ground-Based Network Data

Aerosol chemical components are critical parameters that influence the atmospheric environment, climate effects, and human health. Retrieving global columnar atmospheric aerosol components from satellite observations provides foundational data and practical value. This study develops a method for retrieving aerosol component composition from polarized satellite data by synergizing a chemical transport model with ground-based remote sensing data. The method enables the rapid acquisition of columnar mass concentrations for seven aerosol components on a global scale, including black carbon (BC), brown carbon (BrC), organic carbon (OC), ammonium sulfate (AS), aerosol water (AW), dust (DU), and sea salt (SS). We first establish a remote sensing model based on the multiple solution mixing mechanism (MSM2) to obtain aerosol chemical components using AERONET ground-based measurements. We then employ a cross-layer adaptive fusion (CAF)-Transformer model to learn the spatial distribution characteristics of aerosol components from the MERRA-2 model. Furthermore, we optimize the retrieval model by transfer learning from the ground-based composition data to achieve satellite remote sensing of aerosol components. Residual analysis indicates that the retrieval model exhibits robust generalization capabilities for components such as BC, OC, AS, and DU, achieving a coefficient of determination of 0.7. Moreover, transfer learning effectively enhances the consistency between satellite retrievals and ground-based remote sensing results, with an average improvement of 0.23 in the correlation coefficient. We present annual and seasonal means of global distributions of the retrieved aerosol component concentrations, with a major focus on the spatial and temporal variations of BC and DU. Additionally, we analyze three typical atmospheric environmental cases, wildfire, dust storm, and particulate pollution, by comparing our retrievals with model data and other datasets. This demonstrates the ability of satellite remote sensing to identify the location, intensity, and impact range of environmental pollution events. Satellite-retrieved aerosol component data offers high spatial resolution and efficiency, particularly providing significant advantages for near-real-time monitoring of regional atmospheric environmental events.