Number Of Cycles Research Articles

Effect of preoperative immune checkpoint inhibitors on reducing residual lymph node metastases in patients with gastric cancer: a retrospective study

Objective: To investigate the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors on reducing residual lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: The cohort of this retrospective study comprised patients from Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University who had undergone systemic treatment prior to gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and had achieved Grade 1 primary tumor regression (TRG1) from January 2014 to December 2023. After exclusion of patients who had undergone preoperative radiotherapy, data of 58 patients (Nanfang Hospital: 46; First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University: 12) were analyzed. These patients were allocated to preoperative chemotherapy (Chemotherapy group, N=36 cases) and preoperative immunotherapy plus chemotherapy groups (Immunotherapy group, N=22 cases). There were no significant differences between these groups in sex, age, body mass index, diabetes, tumor location, pathological type, Lauren classification, tumor differentiation, pretreatment depth of invasion by primary tumor, pretreatment lymph node stage, pretreatment clinical stage, mismatch repair protein status, number of preoperative treatment cycles, or duration of preoperative treatment (all P>0.05). The primary outcome measure was postoperative lymph node downstaging. Secondary outcomes included postoperative depth of invasion by tumor, number of lymph nodes examined, and factors affecting residual lymph node metastasis status. Results: Lymph node downstaging was achieved significantly more often in the Immunotherapy group than the Chemotherapy group (pN0: 90.9% [20/22] vs. 61.1% [22/36]; pN1: 4.5% [1/22] vs. 36.1% [13/36]; pN2: 4.5% [1/22) vs. 0; pN3: 0 vs. 2.8% [1/36], Z=-2.315, P=0.021). There were no significant difference between the two groups in number of lymph nodes examined (40.5±16.3 vs. 40.8±17.5, t=0.076, P=0.940) or postoperative depth of invasion by primary tumor (pT1a: 50.0% [11/22] vs. 30.6% [11/36]; pT1b: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 19.4% [7/36]; pT2: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 13.9% [5/36]; pT3: 13.6% [3/22] vs. 25.0% [9/36]; pT4a: 9.1% [2/22] vs. 11.1% [4/36], Z=-1.331, P=0.183). Univariate analysis revealed that both preoperative treatment regimens were associated with residual lymph node metastasis status in patients whose primary tumor regression was TRG1 (χ2=6.070, P=0.014). Multivariate analysis incorporated the following factors: pretreatment depth of invasion by primary tumor, pretreatment lymph node stage, pretreatment clinical stage, number of preoperative treatment cycles, and preoperative treatment duration. We found that a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy administered preoperatively was an independent protective factor for reducing residual lymph node metastases in study patients whose primary tumor regression was TRG1 (OR=0.147, 95%CI: 0.026-0.828, P=0.030). Conclusion: Compared with preoperative chemotherapy alone, a combination of preoperative immunotherapy and chemotherapy achieved greater reduction of residual lymph node metastases in the study patients who achieved TRG1 tumor regression in their primary lesions.

Effect of diameter on the stability of granulated Ca(OH)2 during thermochemical cycling in a fixed bed reactor

One solution to reduce CO2 emissions and advance climate protection in the heat sector is the utilization of thermochemical energy storages (TCES) based on the material Ca(OH)2 to store waste heat or surplus electricity. In contrast to powdered materials, the material in granular form has a lower tendency to be affected by agglomeration effects and provides higher energy density and thermal conductivity. This results in enhanced durability, stability, and efficiency of the storage, making the storage material Ca(OH)2 in granular form more suitable for TCES applications. This work investigates the performance of a chemically unmodified granular sample over 15 storage cycles in a test fixed bed reactor and evaluates whether its performance and durability are already sufficient for potential applications without further modification. In addition, different granule samples with different diameters were also cycled to determine whether the selection of certain diameter sizes can improve the stability of the granules. Furthermore, different methods were used in the pre- and post-analyses to assess the stability of the samples. The comparison of three tested granular samples with different diameters reveals that the sample with a diameter of 2–4 mm has the highest durability and reactor performance. Despite a decrease in mechanical strength, this configuration could be suitable for applications with a small number of storage cycles, such as seasonal storages.

Evaluating diagnostic accuracy of an RT-PCR test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva

Background and objectiveSaliva has been proposed as a potential more convenient, cost-effective, and easier sample for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infections, but there is limited knowledge of the impact of saliva volumes and stages of infection on its sensitivity and specificity.MethodsIn this study, we assessed the performance of SARS-CoV-2 testing in 171 saliva samples from 52 mostly mildly symptomatic patients (aged 18 to 70 years) with a positive reference standard result at screening. The samples were collected at different volumes (50, 100, 300, and 500 µl of saliva) and at different stages of the disease (at enrollment, day 7, 14, and 28 post SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis). Imperfect nasopharyngeal (NP) swab nucleic acid amplification testing was used as a reference. We used a logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to estimate sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV, accounting for the correlation between repeated observations.ResultsThe sensitivity and specificity values were consistent across saliva volumes. The sensitivity of saliva samples ranged from 70.2% (95% CI, 49.3–85.0%) for 100 μl to 81.0% (95% CI, 51.9–94.4%) for 300 μl of saliva collected. The specificity values ranged between 75.8% (95% CI, 55.0–88.9%) for 50 μl and 78.8% (95% CI, 63.2–88.9%) for 100 μl saliva compared to NP swab samples. The overall percentage of positive results in NP swabs and saliva specimens remained comparable throughout the study visits. We observed no significant difference in cycle number values between saliva and NP swab specimens, irrespective of saliva volume tested.ConclusionsThe saliva collection offers a promising approach for population-based testing.

Reducing Voltage Loss via Dipole Tuning for Electron‐Transport in Efficient and Stable Perovskite‐Silicon Tandem Solar Cells

AbstractC60 is a widely used electron selective material for p–i–n perovskite cells, however, its energy level does not match well with that of a wide‐bandgap perovskite, resulting in low open‐circuit voltage (VOC) and fill factor (FF). To overcome this issue, ultra‐thin LiF has been widely used as an interlayer between C60 and perovskite layers facilitating efficient electron extraction but resulting in instability. In this work, the use of a piperidinium bromide (PpBr) is reported as an interlayer between C60 and perovskite, and the interlayer further is optimized by introducing an additional oxygen atom on the opposite side of the NH2+. This results in morpholinium bromide (MLBr) with increased dipole moment. Because of this, MLBr is highly effective in minimizing the energy band mismatch between perovskite and C60 layer for electron extraction while at the same time passivating defects. The champion single junction 1.67 eV MLBr solar cell produced a PCE of 21.9% and the champion monolithic MLBr perovskite‐Si tandem cell produced a PCE of 28.8%. Most importantly, both encapsulated MLBr and PpBr devices retain over 97% of their initial efficiency after 400 thermal cycles (between −40 and 85 °C), twice the number of cycles specified by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61215 photovoltaic module standard.

Pulsed Electric Field-Assisted Extraction of Inulin from Ecuadorian Cabuya (Agave americana)

Inulin is a carbohydrate that belongs to fructans; due to its health benefits, it is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In this research, cabuya (Agave americana) was employed to obtain inulin by pulsed electric field-assisted extraction (PEFAE) and FTIR analysis confirmed its presence. The influence of PEFAE operating parameters, namely, electric field strength (1, 3 and 5 kV/cm), pulse duration (0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 ms), number of pulses (10,000, 20,000 and 40,000) and work cycle (20, 50 and 80%) on the permeabilization index and energy expenditure were tested. Also, once the operating conditions for PEFAE were set, the temperature for conventional extraction (CE) and PEFAE were defined by comparing extraction kinetics. The cabuya meristem slices were exposed to PEFAE to obtain extracts that were quantified, purified and concentrated. The inulin was isolated by fractional precipitation with ethanol to be characterized. The highest permeabilization index and the lowest energy consumption were reached at 5 kV/cm, 0.5 ms, 10,000 pulses and 20%. The same extraction yield and approximately the same amount of inulin were obtained by PEFAE at 60 °C compared to CE at 80 °C. Despite, the lower amount of inulin obtained by PEFAE in comparison to CE, its quality was better because it is mainly constituted of inulin of high average polymerization degree with more than 38 fructose units. In addition, TGA analyses showed that inulin obtained by PEFAE has a lower thermal degradation rate than the obtained by CE and to the standard.

Omniphobic PTFE based Hollow Fiber Membrane with ZnO Nanoparticles Deposition via Universal Spray Technique

This investigation aimed to enhance the hydrophobicity of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) hollow fiber membrane, transforming it into an omniphobic surface. This was achieved by coating the membrane with a mixture of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and polyvinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) using the universal spray technique. The membrane's morphology and performance were evaluated based on the number of spray cycles, which influenced the coating thickness on the membrane surface. The spraying process was varied up to 4 cycles to determine the membrane with the most effective deposition of ZnO NPs in terms of water contact angle and liquid entry pressure (LEPw). Results indicated that the membrane spray-coated up to 4 cycles, denoted as PTFE-4, exhibited a rough hierarchical re-entrant morphology, imparting omniphobic characteristics. The optimized membrane demonstrated a high water contact angle of 170° and a liquid entry pressure of 2.6 bar. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX) confirmed the successful chemical integration of ZnO NPs onto the commercial membrane. This research holds significance for the future of membrane distillation in treating wastewater containing low surface tension pollutants.

One-Step Electrochemical Synthesis of Molybdenum-Disulfide-Based Materials for Enhanced Supercapacitor Performance

Abstract Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-based two-dimensional materials were produced in one-step at room temperature using cyclic voltammetry technique. These materials were then used as electrode materials in supercapacitors. Concentration of supporting electrolyte, precursor, and cycle number parameters, which were the factors affecting the success of the synthesis, were optimized as 0.5 M, 0.15 M,and 10 cycles, respectively. The produced MoS2-coated electrodes were characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic methods. The chemical characterizations of the produced materials were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Surface morphologies of the composite materials were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the produced MoS2-based materials were used as electrode materials in supercapacitors. The produced supercapacitors were characterized using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods, and the changes in the capacitive behavior of these systems over cycles were investigated using the cyclic charge-discharge technique. The highest areal capacitance value was determined as 251 mF.cm-2 at 0.2 mA.cm-2 charge-discharge current rates in 1.0 M H2SO4 by using of MoS-AD1 as the electrode material. Capacitance retention of this electrode was over 100% after 4000 cycles.

Polyimide impregnated silver nanowire-titanium oxide core–shell nanostructures as ultra-stable flexible transparent electrode for multiple applications

Silver nanowires (AgNWs)-based flexible-transparent conducting electrode (f-TCE) have various optoelectronic applications. Although, bare AgNW-based f-TCE faces challenges of poor adhesion with the substrate, rough surface and low thermal stability. In this work, we demonstrate preparation of f-TCE by coating a very thin layer of TiO2 over AgNWs to form AgNW-TiO2 core–shell structures. Due to very thin TiO2 film in core–shell structure, the amorphous TiO2 converted into crystalline and delivered excellent conductivity at low curing temperature of 100 °C. The adhesion and roughness issues are solved by impregnating the core–shell AgNW-TiO2 within polyimide (PI) matrix. The PI impregnated AgNW-TiO2 core–shell structure as f-TCE delivered excellent stability after 5000 times of bending and number of peeling off cycles. The as prepared f-TCE delivered sheet resistance (Rs) of 8.61 Ω/sq with transmittance of 85 % at 550 nm and Rs of 4.2 Ω/sq with transmittance of 81 % when cured at 250 °C. The surface temperature of f-TCE was found to increase up to 90 °C in 40 s after applying 4 V of supply indicating its potential as transparent heater. In addition to that the CIGS solar cell fabricated by utilization of our f-TCE exhibited efficiency of 9.6 %, demonstrating its applicability for photovoltaic applications.

Comparing the impact of various sterilization methods on the cyclic fatigue resistance, bending strength, and torsional fatigue properties of NiTi rotary files

Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the influence of various sterilization techniques on the cyclic fatigue resistance, bending strength, and torsional fatigue resistance of Tornado Blue and Race Evo rotary endodontic file systems. Both the file systems underwent a series of 15 cycles of sterilization according to the following study groups: control group (G1; i.e., without treatment), chemical sterilization with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (G2), dry heat sterilization (G3), glass beads sterilization (G4), and steam autoclaving (G5). Each group consisted of 8 samples (n=8/group). Statistical analysis was performed using a two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s tests (p≤ 0.05). Mean values for the number of cycles between both files were 1291±52.79 rpm and 2095±52.91 rpm for Tornado Blue and Race Evo, respectively. The torsional fatigue resistance was 8.00±0.85 NCF and 10.70±0.85 NCF and the bending strength was 486.94±20.97 gf and 564.17 ±20.97 gf for Tornado Blue and Race Evo, respectively. The results showed no significant difference in the mechanical properties followed by different sterilization protocols. However, a significant difference was observed in tested properties between the two file systems (p≤ 0.05). The outcome is reassuring for clinicians that the essential process of routine sterilization at clinics seems safe with regards to mechanical integrity of the endodontic files.

An experimental investigation of process parameters on material removal and surface roughness improvement in abrasive flow machining

Abstract Today, there is huge demand for mechanical components with long life cycles, and superior surface finishes as a result of the industrial revolution. New methods for nano-finishing complex structures, including abrasive flow machining (AFM), have been developed in response to the need for superior surface finish. This is a relatively new technique in non-conventional machining techniques. Because abrasion only happens in locations where flow is restricted, this approach is utilized to polish metallic parts as well as interior, inaccessible cavities, and recesses using a semi-liquid paste. It has evolved to flow of abrasives with a viscoelastic polymer (referred to as abrasive media) over complex geometries, and edges to deburr, and radius those surfaces. This paper focuses on investigating the impact of process parameters on material removal, and percentage improvement in surface roughness on cylindrical brass workpieces using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array, the number of cycles, extrusion pressure, and grit size of abrasives have been selected. The abrasive medium employed in this investigation is composed of a blend of polymer, hydrocarbon gel, and aluminium oxide abrasive particles with varying grit sizes. The outcome shows which process parameters to optimize for material removal, and improvement in percentage improvement in surface roughness. The number of cycles that have the largest percentage contribution to material removal was 83.74%. For the response material removal, the percentage contributions of the abrasive particle grit size, and extrusion pressure are 2.03%, and 14.16%, respectively. N2P2G3 has the optimal level used for material removal. The largest percentage contribution to improvement in surface roughness, or 83.48%, was the result of the number of cycles. Extrusion pressure, and abrasive particle grit size account for 7.38%, and 8.88% of the total percentage contribution, respectively. N3P2G3 has the optimal level obtained for percentage improvement in surface roughness improvement.

Performance Evaluation of Multiple Aging-Regeneration of SBS-Modified Bitumen Regenerated by a Composite Rejuvenator

In this study, compound regeneration of SBS-modified bitumen (SMB) was carried out by a composite rejuvenator composed of furfural extraction oil (FEO) and 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether (HDDGE) in the presence of catalyst triethanolamine (TEOA). SMB was subjected to three aging-regeneration cycles, and the physical and rheological properties, toughness and tenacity, and chemical structures of the SMB after each aging-regeneration cycle were tested to investigate the regeneration effect of the composite rejuvenator on SMB at different numbers of cycles. The ductility decreases and low-temperature properties deteriorate as the number of cycles increased, but the high-temperature properties of the SMB are improved. The complex modulus aging index and phase angle aging index indicate that the viscous behavior of SMB weakens after the second and third aging. The degree of viscoelasticity and toughness recovery decreases with the increase in the number of cycles, and the tenacity of SMB after the third aging-regeneration cycle is basically lost. The results of the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra tests prove that with the increase in the aging–regeneration cycles of SMB, the intensity of FTIR peaks of oxygen-containing functional groups is greater, and the recovery of aged SMB is gradually weakened.

Study on pore structure evolution and water damage of asphalt mixture under cyclic loading

For a long time, the water damage issues of asphalt mixture pavements have been highly regarded by engineers. However, the existing research is difficult to accurately describe the fatigue damage process of asphalt mixture under hydrodynamic pressure environments. In order to reveal the influence of water damage on the asphalt mixture structure and its mechanism, this study combined low-field NMR technology to investigate the evolution law of asphalt mixture pore structure under cyclic loading with different parameters. The erosion effect of the coupled loading-dynamic water environment on asphalt mixtures and their failure mechanisms are analyzed. The results show that the initial damage dominated by harmful pores and major-harm pores provides space for water migration and storage, and improves the sensitivity of asphalt mixture to water damage. Under the action of repeated cycles of stress increase-decrease, the irreversible hydrodynamic extrusion-cracking and friction-stripping deformations in the asphalt matrix increase. The micro-cracks inside the materials continue to expand and the pores are interconnected. To comprehensively consider the influence of initial porosity, maximum cyclic stress and the number of cycles, the cumulative damage model of the material is optimized based on the mechanism of pore structure evolution, and obtained more accurate porosity prediction results. This study can provide scientific reference and guidance for solving the problem of asphalt pavement disease and durability design.

In situ grazing incidence synchrotron x-ray diffraction studies on the wakeup effect in ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin films

The discovery of ferroelectricity in HfO2 ultrathin films has gathered considerable interest from the microelectronic industry owing to their compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. However, a significant challenge in utilizing HfO2 thin films for commercial devices is the wakeup effect, which is an increase in polarization with the number of electric field cycles in HfO2-based capacitors. Despite efforts to develop wakeup-free HfO2 thin films, the root cause of this effect remains elusive. Some studies attribute it to the tetragonal (T) to orthorhombic (O) phase transformation, while others suggest it is due to the redistribution of oxygen vacancies within the HfO2 layer during electric field cycling. This study investigated the phase transformation dynamics and oxygen vacancy distributions in TiN/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/TiN capacitors subjected to electric field cycling using in situ grazing incidence synchrotron x-ray diffraction and ex situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The as-grown HZO films were crystallized in a mixed phase consisting of monoclinic (M), tetragonal, and orthorhombic fractions. The T-phase volume fraction decreased continuously up to 10k electric field cycles. In contrast, the O-phase fraction increased within the first 100 cycles and then stabilized with further cycling. The redistribution of oxygen vacancies occurred continuously throughout the cycling process. The results revealed that continuous oxygen vacancy redistribution during electric field cycling resulted in phase transformation between the T-, O-, and M-phases. The study provides insight into the phase transformation dynamics and oxygen vacancy redistribution in TiN/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/TiN capacitors during electric field cycling, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms of the wakeup effect.

Comparison of fatigue lifetime of new generation CAD/CAM crown materials on zirconia and titanium abutments in implant-supported crowns: a 3D finite element analysis.

Due to the dynamic character of the stomatognathic system, fatigue life experiments simulating the cyclic loading experienced by implant-supported restorations are critical consideration. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different crown and abutment materials on fatigue failure of single implant-supported crowns. Models were created for 10 different designs of implant-supported single crowns including two zirconia-reinforced lithium silicates (crystallized and precrystallized), monolithic lithium disilicate, polymer-infiltrated ceramic networks, and polyetheretherketone supported by zirconia and titanium abutments. A cyclic load of 179 N with a frequency of 1 Hz was applied on palatal cusp of a maxillary first premolar at a 30° angle in a buccolingual direction. In the models with titanium abutments, the polymer-infiltrated ceramic network model had a lower number of cycles to fatigue failure values in the implant (5.07), abutment (2.30), and screw (1.07) compared to others. In the models with zirconia abutments, the crystallized zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate model had a higher number of cycles to fatigue failure values in the abutment (8.52) compared to others. Depending on the fatigue criteria, polyetheretherketone implant crown could fail in less than five year while the other implant crowns exhibits an infinite life on all models. The type of abutment material had an effect on the number of cycles to fatigue failure values for implants, abutments, and screws, but had no effect on crown materials. The zirconia abutment proved longer fatigue lifetime, and should thus be considered for implant-supported single crowns.

Electrochemical Circuit Model Based State of Health Prognostics for Evaluation of Reusability of Lithium-Ion Batteries from Electric Vehicle

For the purpose of predicting the state of health of already used lithium-ion batteries from 85 kWh electric vehicles, a simplified equivalent circuit model is utilized to estimate the electrochemical time constant from constant current discharge profiles. The grading process among as-obtained LIB cells is classified into three level types according to the remaining capacity and direct current resistance. Theoretically, the logarithmic equation describing cycling behavior is derived and utilized in the prediction of the state of health of the used cells. After the selection of the electrochemical time constant obtained from the best-fitting results in constant current discharge data, the suitable cycle number until the 20th cycle was selected for the prediction of the state of health after the 250th cycling data, which revealed that a narrow error range below 5% was for high and medium battery grades. Also, this error range became abruptly wider in lowest grade batteries, indicating that our proposed model for cycling behavior was highly useful in the prediction of the future state of health of the used batteries.

Experimental and Modeling Analysis of Mechanical Response of Composite Electrodes in Lithium Batteries

The mechanical response is one of the main factors that influence the capacity and number of cycles of lithium batteries, which hinder its wide application. Therefore, it is crucial to perform an in-depth investigation of the electro-chemo-mechanical coupling performance and work mechanism of battery electrodes during the electrochemical reaction process. Usually, graphite is the main active material used in commercially used batteries, while silicon is gaining worldwide attention because of its large energy density. Here, graphite and silicon composite electrodes were prepared to obtain the electro-chemo-mechanical response during electrochemical cycling by an in situ bending deformation measurement. The findings indicate that the composite electrodes could induce a large bending deformation, with an increase in the state of charge (C-rate). And, with an increase in the C-rate, the deformation degree of the silicon composite electrode increases, while that of the graphite composite electrode decreases due to the hardening properties of the graphite particles. In addition, increasing the thickness ratio could induce an increase in the peak stress for both composite electrodes. This work gives a detailed analysis of the mechanical properties of composite electrodes and finds the working mechanism of the C-rate and thickness ratio, which can supply suggestions for the development of high-performance batteries.

Damage analysis and mechanical performance evaluation of frame structures in recycling

Research on the recycling of space frame structures is beneficial to reduce the waste of resources and has important engineering application prospects. Repeated disassembly tests were carried out on a full size space frame structure with bolt-ball joints. The maximum number of cycles was 3. The test results showed that with the increase of the number of cycles, the damage of joints and tubes gradually increased, the phenomenon of false tightening increased, and the construction efficiency decreased. After three cycles, the damage of high-strength bolts accounted for 16.56 % and the damage of steel tubes accounted for 5 %. Due to the component damage and construction deviation, the deformation and stress of the structure after unloading could not be restored to that before loading. However, within three cycles, the overall displacement and stress of the frame structure under general roof loads were almost not affected by component damage and construction deviation. Furthermore, the distribution pattern of displacement and stress was independent of the number of cycles. The maximum mid-span displacement of the structure was about 80 mm and the maximum difference of the overall stress level was within 10 MPa. Finally, according to the test results, the relevant engineering suggestions for the recycling of space frame structures were put forward.

Revealing the materials, design, and performance of Ni-rich LiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2/graphite pouch cells

Among lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Ni-rich LiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2/Graphite batteries hold a dominant position in electric vehicles due to high energy density, good cycling stability, and low content of Co element. In this work, Ni-rich LiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2 (LiNi0.83Co0.07Mn0.10O2, NCM83)/Graphite pouch cells with a capacity of around 2.1 Ah are designed and manufactured. The structure and micromorphology of NCM83 as well as graphite are revealed. The XRD Rietveld refinement method clarifies the lattice parameters of NCM83. The PE separator modified by Al2O3 and PVDF (PE/Al2O3/PVDF) is used in the cells. The design parameters, formation, and aging processes are disclosed as well. Charge-discharge tests demonstrate that the NCM83/Graphite pouch cells have good electrochemical performance. Notably, the cell delivers an initial discharge capacity of 2.158 Ah at 1 A and 25 °C, and retains a high reversible discharge capacity of 1.715 Ah after 500 cycles with a capacity retention of close to 80 %. Additionally, the polarization characteristics during charging and discharging are discussed in detail, demonstrating that a good linear relationship exists between polarization voltage and cycle number. This work systematically reveals the materials, and design technology of NCM83/Graphite battery cells and helps deepen the understanding of commercial LIBs based on Ni-rich LiNi1-x-yCoxMnyO2 cathode materials.

Enhancing Demolition Works Safety: Integrating Numerical and Experimental Methods for Structural Failure Prevention in Remote-Controlled Demolition Robots.

The paper presents an approach that combines numerical and experimental techniques to evaluate the possibility of failure prevention of the structure of demolition robots. Based on a real example of the machine, the possibility of application and development of the author's method was presented. The main problem when designing this type of machine is the negligible knowledge of how dynamic loads act during operation and how many times they appear. Underestimating the loads and their cycles when designing these types of machines can cause them to become damaged quickly. The method presented in the article allows to solve the problem of determining the key parameters needed in the evaluation of this type of construction such as loads, but also allows to determine the number of load cycles, which is particularly important for fatigue. The result presented in the article is an authors’ method that allows determining the fatigue of the structure of a demolition machine by combining numerical and experimental techniques.

Comparative Testing of Asphalt Concrete for Fatigue Life Using Various Modern Laboratory Methods

Statement of the problem. At present, one of the most significant tasks in the road industry is the actua-lization of the methodology for designing flexible pavements. In order to ensure extended pavement service life, design issues are of particular relevance, which requires the improvement of existing and the development of new calculation criteria, one of which is the calculation of asphalt concrete layers for fatigue life. Results. Comparative tests of various types of asphalt concrete selected at road construction sites were carried out using modern laboratory methods to evaluate their fatigue properties. The dependences between the relative tensile deformation of asphalt concrete and the number of load application cycles during tests by various methods are obtained. Conclusions. Through the course of the research, possible reasons for the heterogeneity of the results obtained on four-point bending installations were identified. For further research, the indirect stretching method is set forth as the main method, as it provides greater uniformity and determinism of the results, and the four-point bending method is proposed to be considered as an additional one, confirming the results obtained with indirect stretching.