Tortuous Channels Research Articles

Composite Solid-State Electrolyte with Vertical Ion Transport Channels for All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) consisting of polymers and fast ionic conductors are considered a promising strategy for realizing safe rechargeable batteries with high energy density. However, randomly distributed fast ionic conductor fillers in the polymer matrix result in tortuous and discontinuous ion channels, which severely constrains the ion transport capacity and restricts its practical application. Here, CSEs with highly loaded vertical ion transport channels are fabricated by magnetically manipulating the alignment of Li0.35La0.55TiO3 nanowires. The construction of densely packed, vertically aligned ion transport channels can effectively enhance the ion transport capacity of the electrolyte, thereby significantly increasing ionic conductivity. At room temperature (RT), the presented CSE exhibits a remarkable ionic conductivity of up to 2.5 × 10-4 S cm-1. The assembled LiFePO4/Li cell delivers high capacities of 118 mAh g-1 at 5 C at 60°C and a RT capacity of 115 mAh g-1 can be achieved at a charging rate of 0.5 C. This work paves an encouraging avenue for further development of advanced CSEs that favor lithium metal batteries with high energy density and electrochemical performance.

New insight into pore characteristics for cake layers formed on nanocomposite membranes: Effect of membrane surface fractality

Over the past two decades, there has been extensive research that attempts to relate membrane's performance to its surface roughness. However, applicability of this approach to nanocomposite membranes is questionable, given the highly diverse membrane structures. In this study, three types of carbon nanotube composite membranes (CNT_S, CNT_M, and CNT_L) were prepared and used to filter fluorescent polystyrene particles under favorable surface interaction conditions. The resulting cake structures were imaged using laser confocal microscopy and analyzed for pore characteristics. It was found that cake layers with lower porosity and smaller average pore size also had more tortuous and complex pore channels, leading to lower water permeability. Moreover, simulations of the cake layers with a pore network model reveal that pore radius and throat length are key factors affecting water permeability. Further application of the machine learning (ML) model accurately predicts cake permeability based on the 3D fractal dimension (2.44–2.81), anisotropy (0.64–0.81) and porosity (0.3–0.71) of the pore space and R2 of the test set reaches 0.96. Finally, the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot equation is applied to describe the self-similar fractal surfaces possessed by the CNT membranes. The respective fractal dimensions of three membrane surfaces (Df) are 2.31, 2.11 and 2.57. At a Df value of 2.31, the cake layer exhibits greater pore homogeneity and connectivity, and thus higher water permeability. Overall, this study revealed the fractal nature of CNT membrane surface and its relevance to pore structure and water permeability of the cake layers.

An Ultrafast and Ultralow‐Temperature 3D‐Printed All‐Organic Proton Pseudocapacitor

AbstractA critical challenge for pseudocapacitors applications is the rapid capacitance fading under extreme environments, which originates from sluggish diffusion kinetics of inorganic materials and tortuous ionic channels in conventional bulk electrodes. Herein, a novel 3D‐printed all‐organic proton pseudocapacitor (composed of 2,6‐diaminoanthraquinone (DQ)‐based anode and polyaniline‐based cathode) with chemical and structural stability is developed, which exhibits an extraordinary rate performance and cycle stability under ultralow temperature. The DQ molecules are anchored on reduced graphene oxide, which enhances the electronic conductivity and structural stability. Theoretical calculation and spectroscopic characterization reveal that the two‐electron transfer process involves quinone/hydroquinone transition. Exploiting the synergy of fast reaction kinetics of organic and the efficient ion diffusion paths of the 3D architecture, the 3D‐printed anode achieves an impressive areal capacitance of 10.14 F cm−2 at high mass loading (28.73 mg cm−2). The 3D‐printed all‐organic proton pseudocapacitor shows stable cycling performance at −80 °C and releases a high energy density of 0.76 mWh cm−2 at −60 °C. This work is instructive for the development of competitive ultra‐low temperature energy storage devices via integrating organic materials and 3D architectural electrode designs.

Modeling Backlash-like Hysteresis and Feedforward Control of Tendon-Sheath Mechanism Pair with Arbitrary Shape: Excluding Distal Sensory Input

Abstract The tendon-sheath mechanism (TSM) has garnered attention for its versatile applications in soft robotics, robotic hands, and surgical robots due to its adeptness in transmitting force through tortuous and narrow channels. However, precise control of the TSM is challenging due to its shape-dependent deformation and force generation, highlighting the need to address shape variations in dynamic environments where direct measurement is impractical. This paper introduces a novel methodology leveraging the concept of the equivalent circle in TSM to model its shape under varying conditions. The equivalent circle substitutes an arbitrarily shaped TSM with a circle, whose radius is derived from TSM's deformation and forces measured at the proximal end during calibration. This approach provides a concise and effective framework for understanding and analyzing the distinct characteristics of TSM. Additionally, a control strategy is proposed, utilizing the estimated equivalent circle to adapt to dynamic environments. Experimental results demonstrate promising performance without distal end sensory feedback, with mean percentage errors (MPE) of 0.78% and 2.33% for predicting cumulated curve angle and equivalent circle radius, respectively. Moreover, by utilizing the equivalent circle to calculate and feedforward deadband, effective control is achieved. The root mean square error (RMSE) reduced from 1.31 mm to an average of 0.19 mm in two feedforward experiments, representing an average reduction of 85.5%. These findings shed light on effective control strategies for TSM, offering valuable insights for robotics and surgical applications where TSM shape configurations are uncertain and subject to dynamic change.

A high-entropy cathode for sodium-ion batteries: Cu/Zn-doping O3-Type Ni/Fe/Mn layer oxides

The O3 layered oxides have been extensively investigated as cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries due to their remarkable theoretical capacity. However, the large radius of Na+ lead to complex phase transitions and tortuous diffusion channels during extraction/insertion, which ultimately restricts the Na+ diffusion kinetics and cyclic stability. In this study, we report a Zn and Cu co-doping strategy to the high entropy layer oxide Na [Ni0·2Fe0·2Mn0·4Cu0·15Zn0.05]O2 (HEO-CuZn) using the sol-gel method to prepare the oxides. Here, Zn is used to stabilize the structure of layer between the transition metal and O atoms, which slows down the adverse phase transition. In the fabricated sample, the element Cu provides additional capacity and inhibits excessive oxidation. The prepared HEO-CuZn used as cathode for Na+ ion battery exhibits better electrochemical performance, delivering a high specific capacity of 148 mA h g−1, and 84 % capacity retention after 100 cycles, which is attributed to the expanded Na+ transfer channels, reduced activation energy and interface side reactions, thus enhancing the Na+ diffusion kinetics. Meanwhile, the high entropy strategy stabilizes the overall structure by reducing the John-Teller distortion and suppressing the Na+/vacancy order, and effectively avoids adverse phase transitions such as O′3 and P′3. This study provides a new insight for the advance of the next generation high specific energy sodium-ion battery.

Facile fabrication of superhydrophilic copper foam for rapid and efficient filtration of cationic dyes from water

Rapid and efficient separation of dyes from water is a formidable challenge due to the trade-off between separation selectivity and permeability. Here, a novel superhydrophilic copper foam (CF) enabling the rapid and efficient filtration of cationic dyes from water is reported. The fabrication involves brushing a coating consisting of attapulgite (APT), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), TiO2 and glutaraldehyde (GA) onto copper foam and then heating. The obtained copper foam (CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2) is superhydrophilic and negatively charged with dye adsorption capability. The interconnected cage-shaped porous structure endows the foam with long tortuous permeation channels and large pore size. It is able to separate various cationic dyes with a separation efficiency reaching to 99.93 % and a permeation flux up to 1671 ± 189 L m-2h−1 under gravity. Furthermore, the CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2 can realize the selective separation and recovery of various cationic dyes from rhodamine B (RhB)-mixed dye solutions. Molecular dynamics-based computational modeling and experimental studies revealed that the interaction energy between the surface of CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2 and methylene blue (MB) is much stronger than that of the former and RhB, leading to adsorption of MB in the permeation channel, while RhB gradually migrates through the permeation channel and passes through the channel with water. The tortuous permeation channels of CF-PVA/GA@APT/TiO2 increase the contact area and absorption opportunities for cationic dye molecules on the surface, and its large pore size maintains the filtration flux. These properties provide the as-prepared foam with excellent potential applicability for industrial dye wastewater treatment.

Расчет порозности и эквивалентного диаметра насадки тепломассообменного аппарата с регулярной вращающейся насадкой

The use of modernized irregular stationary nozzles, regular stationary nozzles, movable (suspended, gushing and circulating) and regular movable nozzles in heat and mass transfer devices is considered. It is established that the gas movement is carried out along tortuous channels formed by regularly placed nozzle elements. Equations for calculating the porosity of the rotating nozzle in the cross-section of the apparatus, volume porosity and equivalent diameter, taking into account the structural components of rotating nozzle elements with rectangular blades and the steps of placing the nozzle elements in the vertical and radial directions, have been obtained. The influence of arrangement steps of the nozzle elements on the equivalent diameter on the basis of the obtained graphical dependences is considered and analysed. It is determined that the equivalent diameter depends on the steps of rotating elements arrangement in vertical and radial directions in direct proportion. It allows to assume that at average values of steps of arrangement of the nozzle elements it is possible to reduce energy consumption.

Synergy of structural engineering and VO2 self-transformation enables ultra-high areal capacity cathodes for zinc-ion batteries

The development of cathodes with high areal capacities is a prerequisite for realizing the practical application of zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs). However, the slow ion (de)intercalation kinetics and the highly tortuous ion transport channels in the traditionally blade-coated electrodes limit the practical areal capacities of the ZIB cathodes below 3 mAh cm−2. In this work, multi-stage pore structures, including through-holes perpendicular to the electrode and submicron-scale channels along the radial direction of the printed filaments, are obtained through polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) phase separation assisted 3D printing procedure. In this novel electrode material, the porous network enables fast electron/ion transport and improves the accessibility of active materials for thick electrodes with high active material loadings. More importantly, a phase self-transformation of VO2 to a high oxidation state of V5O12∙6H2O is achieved by regulating the charging voltage, which significantly enhances the zinc storage capacity and provides smoother channels for fast ion (de)intercalation. With these unique features, the 3D printed VO2 cathode with a mass loading of 8.9 mg cm−2 demonstrates a high specific capacity of 478.1 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 and a stable life cycle for 1000 cycles at 4 A g−1. When the mass loading is increased to 29.6 mg cm−2, the electrode is still able to deliver an ultra-high areal capacity of 16.8 mAh cm−2. The strategies adopted in this work greatly boost up the performance of VO2 cathodes, especially the high areal capacity, by combining structural engineering and material activity regulation.

An Analytical Relative Permeability Model Considering Flow Path Structural Characteristics for Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Shale Fracture

Summary Relative permeability models are essential in describing the multiphase fluid flow in reservoir rocks. Literature work has shown that the existing theoretical models of relative permeability cannot perfectly describe the two-phase flow experimental data in fractures because those models are mostly developed for porous media (such as sandstone) or proposed without fully taking the specific characteristics of two-phase flow into consideration. In this paper, we propose a theoretical two-phase flow relative permeability model based on the tortuous flow channels, considering the structural characteristics of two-phase flow in the fractures. This model considers that the gas and liquid flow through different channels of different shapes and sizes at the same time. The formula for two-phase relative permeability was derived from cubic law in fracture and Darcy’s law, with the influence of the slip effect of the gas phase also considered. The results from different models were compared using several series of experimental data. The model proposed in this paper has a better fit than the others for the raw experimental data. This study demonstrates that it is crucial to take the flow paths and distribution of the two phases into consideration to model the two-phase flow in fracture accurately. This work also found that the tortuosity of the gas channel at the irreducible liquid saturation has a negative effect on gas relative permeability but positive to liquid relative permeability. Moreover, the model demonstrates that the decrease in aperture leads to an increase in the gas relative permeability due to gas slippage, while the impact of gas slippage reduces under high pressure.

A Solid-Liquid Bicontinuous Fiber with Strain-Insensitive Ionic Conduction.

Stretchable ionic conductors are crucial for enabling advanced iontronic devices to operate under diverse deformation conditions. However, when employed as interconnects, existing ionic conductors struggle to maintain stable ionic conduction under strain, hindering high-fidelity signal transmission. Here, it is shown that strain-insensitive ionic conduction can be achieved by creating a solid-liquid bicontinuous microstructure. A bicontinuous fiber from polymerization-induced phase separation, which contains a solid elastomer phase interpenetrated by a liquid ion-conducting phase, is fabricated. The spontaneous partitioning of dissolved salts leads to the formation of a robust self-wrinkled interface, fostering the development of highly tortuous ionic channels. Upon stretch, these meandering ionic channels are straightened, effectively enhancing ionic conductivity to counteract the strain effect. Remarkably, the fiber retains highly stable ionic conduction till fracture, with only 7% resistance increase at 200% strain. This approach presents a promising avenue for designing durable ionic cables capable of signal transmission with minimal strain-induced distortion.

Abstract 582: Oncogenic PIK3CA fortifies immune determinants in vascular cancers

Abstract Angiosarcomas are a group of vascular cancers that form malignant blood vessels. These malignancies are seemingly inflamed primarily due to their pathognomonic nature, which consists of irregular endothelium and tortuous blood channels. The malignant vascular spaces host a variety of blood and immune components, where a controlled scavenging system is necessary for tumor maintenance. Oncogenes may convey molecular signals to foster the tumor immune niche, and PIK3CA mutations that induce continuous activation of the PI3K pathway occur in a subset of angiosarcomas. Despite the undoubtedly oncogenic properties of PIK3CA mutations, the mechanistic role of these mutations - particularly the potential for controlling the hemato-endothelial system in angiosarcomas - remains undetermined. In this study, we demonstrate the functional consequences of oncogenic PIK3CA and its molecular properties in angiosarcoma cells. We created isogenic cell clones from two angiosarcoma cell lines engineered to harbor hotspot mutations in PIK3CA using CRISPR/Cas9: two homozygous PIK3CA H1047R cell clones (C8 and C35) and one wild-type (WT) clone were generated from DHSA-1426 angiosarcoma cells; and one homozygous mutant clone was created from COSB cells. We found that PIK3CA mutant cells constitutively activated the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway at a greater level than that of WT cells. Bulk- and single cell(sc)-RNA-seq data revealed that mutant cells enriched gene sets associated with PI3K signaling and other oncogenic pathways including KRAS, MAPK, and TGF-beta. Also, mutant cells significantly increased cytokines regulating immune cell migration and chemotaxis such as IL-8 and MCP-1. In addition to the common features, we identified functional and molecular divergence between mutant clones. Noticeable changes in cellular morphology, growth kinetics, and tube-forming capacity were observed between two mutant clones. C35 mutant cells were more sensitive to both pan-PI3K and PI3K-alpha specific inhibitor, and DNA damage was greater than in the C8 clone. C35 cells enhanced activation of IL-6/STAT3 signaling compared to C8, despite the increment of the aforementioned immune cytokines in both mutants. Moreover, our comprehensive analysis of bulk- and sc-RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and metabolomics data identified molecular signatures associated with metabolic vulnerabilities of C35 cells. In summary, we demonstrate that oncogenic PIK3CA perpetuates PI3K signaling activation and reinforces a supply for immune signaling. Furthermore, our data suggest that PIK3CA mutations contribute to establishing cellular heterogeneity that reveals a spectrum of vascular, immunogenic, and metabolic activities. Our ongoing work involves developing an experimental model of angiosarcoma using induced pluripotent stem cells to examine if oncogenic PIK3CA controls immune determinants during malignant endothelial transformation. Citation Format: Donghee Lee, Emma Kozurek, Md Abdullah, Rong Li, Erin B. Dickerson, Jong Hyuk Kim. Oncogenic PIK3CA fortifies immune determinants in vascular cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 582.

Littoral cell angioma: An incidental finding in a traumatic spleen

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) of the spleen, a rare vascular tumor, is usually asymptomatic, often discovered incidentally and a majority of them are benign in nature. A 20-year-old boy with a history of blunt abdominal trauma, who underwent splenectomy showed the presence of a capsular tear and variegated outer surface on gross examination of the spleen. On the cut section, multiple nodular areas with areas of hemorrhage were noted. Microscopical examination revealed the proliferation of anastomosing, irregular, tortuous blood-filled channels with plenty of histiocytes in the splenic tissue and extensive areas of hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, and fibrinoid deposits. Immunohistochemistry revealed positivity for CD31 (endothelial differentiation), CD68, and lysozyme (histiocytic differentiation) but was negative for CD34. The final diagnosis was LCA in a case of ruptured spleen after ruling out angiosarcoma. The possibility of this benign entity to have contributed to the potentially fatal splenic injury cannot be overlooked.

Vertically Aligned Hollow Mesoporous Silica Rods Enabling Composite Polymer Electrolytes with Fast Ionic Conduction for Lithium Metal Batteries

AbstractIncorporation of inorganic fillers into polymer matrices to design composite polymer electrolytes is considered as a promising strategy for high performance lithium metal batteries. However, the randomly dispersed fillers in the polymer matrices can cause tortuous ionic channels and increase the transport distance, resulting in the decrease of ion transport capacity. Herein, composite polymer electrolytes with vertically aligned channels are fabricated under the assistance of a magnetic field during the UV‐induced polymerization. The vertically aligned rods are formed through controlling the direction of the magnetic field. The construction of the aligned ionic pathways can effectively reduce the transport distance of Li ions in the electrolytes, while the hollow mesoporous silica rods can provide space for absorbing electrolyte, consequently enhancing the electrochemical kinetics. The aligned interfaces provide Lewis acid sites for trapping the anions of Li salt to facilitate the enhancement of Li ion transference number. More significantly, the Li/Li symmetrical cells based on the composite electrolyte exhibit a stable voltage plateau over 1500 h due to the uniform distribution of Li‐ion flux in the unique low‐tortuosity structure, and the assembled LiFePO4/Li cells show outstanding rate capability and cycling stability.

Multiscale Synergetic Bandgap/Structure Engineering in Semiconductor Nanofibrous Aerogels for Enhanced Solar Evaporation.

Solar-driven interface evaporation has been identified as a sustainable seawater desalination and water purification technology. Nonetheless, the evaporation performance is still restricted by salt deposition and heat loss owing to weak solar spectrum absorption, tortuous channels, and limited plane area of conventional photothermal material. Herein, the semiconductor nanofibrous aerogels with a narrow bandgap, vertically aligned channels, and a conical architecture are constructed by the multiscale synergetic engineering strategy, encompassing bandgap engineering at the atomic scale and structure engineering at the nano-micro scale. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a Co-doped MoS2 nanofibrous aerogel is synthesized, which exhibits the entire solar absorption, superhydrophilic, and excellent thermal insulation, achieving a net evaporation rate of 1.62 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 sun irradiation, as well as a synergistically efficient dye ion adsorption function. This work opens up new possibilities for the development of solar evaporators for practical applications in clean water production.

Analysis of Influencing Factors for Stackable and Expandable Acoustic Metamaterial with Multiple Tortuous Channels.

To reduce the noise generated by large mechanical equipment, a stackable and expandable acoustic metamaterial with multiple tortuous channels (SEAM-MTCs) was developed in this study. The proposed SEAM-MTCs consisted of odd panels, even panels, chambers, and a final closing plate, and these component parts could be fabricated separately and then assembled. The influencing factors, including the number of layers N, the thickness of panel t0, the size of square aperture a, and the depth of chamber T0 were investigated using acoustic finite element simulation. The sound absorption mechanism was exhibited by the distributions of the total acoustic energy density at the resonance frequencies. The number of resonance frequencies increased from 13 to 31 with the number of layers N increasing from 2 to 6, and the average sound absorption coefficients in [200 Hz, 6000 Hz] was improved from 0.5169 to 0.6160. The experimental validation of actual sound absorption coefficients in [200 Hz, 1600 Hz] showed excellent consistency with simulation data, which proved the accuracy of the finite element simulation model and the reliability of the analysis of influencing factors. The proposed SEAM-MTCs has great potential in the field of equipment noise reduction.

Spatial Characterization of Channeling in Sheared Rough‐Walled Fractures in the Transition to Nonlinear Fluid Flow

AbstractAccurate quantification of spatially resolved fluid flow within fractures is crucial for successful reservoir development, such as Enhanced Geothermal Systems. This study presents an innovative workflow designed to model and characterize preferential flow paths (channels) within rough‐walled shear fractures. A set of 30 rough‐walled self‐affine fractures, all possessing identical roughness characteristics, is stochastically generated. By solving the nonlinear Navier‐Stokes equations in 420 individual realizations, the transition from linear to nonlinear flow regimes and the two extreme flow directions perpendicular and parallel to the shearing are numerically captured. A distinguishing feature of this approach is its comprehensive statistical analysis, which encompasses both the geometric and transport properties of flow paths in the non‐simplified three‐dimensional fractured void space under typical geothermal flow conditions. In a perpendicular orientation of flow and shearing, fluid flow exhibits pronounced localization, with more than one‐third of the volumetric flow concentrated within 15% of the fracture volume. In contrast, parallel to the shearing, a complex pattern of individual tortuous channels emerges, with flow occurring in 22% of the void space. Nonlinear effects primarily manifest outside these channels, suggesting that complex flow phenomena may dominate irregular fracture structures, such as contact zones or asperities. In the parallel case, increased flow rates lead to an amplification of channeling processes resulting in less affected volume and diminished tortuosity of the main flow path, while in perpendicular orientation nonlinear effects are only of minor importance. The small‐scale flow regime of both extreme cases tends to converge with increasing flow rates.

Stochastic dynamics construction of a three-dimensional microstructure of red clay

Constructing a microstructure of red clay is an important part of studying the physical and mechanical properties of red clay. The study of red clay microstructure is generalized. The red clay matrix and pores are regarded as two types of randomly moving particles, and the microstructure model of three-dimensional red clay random porous media is established from the Langevin equation of the phase separation process in stochastic dynamics, using the separation and aggregation of the two particles. The model controls the evolution process of the porous medium by artificially controlling the particle placement. Here, the trends of porosity, average pore length, Euler’s number, and the fractal dimension of the porous medium during the evolution process under different parameter conditions (smooth length Δ and rise and fall term η) are calculated, and a feasible method for surviving the microstructure of red clay is summarized. Due to the consideration of the interaction forces between the solid- and void-phase particles, the porous media generated by this model are more similar to the real porous media in nature, with connected and unconnected pore structures and tortuous pore channels. Finally, the red clay of Bijie, Guizhou, is modeled as an example to prove the feasibility of the method.

Advancing osmotic power generation using bioinspired MXene-based membrane via maze breaking

The osmotic energy generated by the salinity gradient between seawater and river water is a potential blue energy that can be harnessed to alleviate the current energy crisis but without causing environmental pollution. Two dimensional (2D) MXene nano sheets can be horizontally assembled into laminar membranes to create nanochannels enabling the ionic selective transport and thus to capture the osmotic energy. However, the ions have to transport through the maze-like tortuous laminar channels sourced from the interspaces between two neighboring nanosheets, which lead to super-high transport resistance and low power density, hindering their wide applications. Enlightened by the water and mineral ions transport in trees, here, a bioinspired MXene-based membrane with aligned and ordered vertical channels is developed for efficient osmotic power generation from salinity gradient. The peak power density of the electrical devices composed of such maze-breaking membranes could be achieved up to 372 W m−2, which is at least one order of magnitude higher than conventionally horizontal membranes reported in the literature. The high-power generation efficiency was attributed to the shortened ionic transport path (by breaking the maze). Moreover, the membrane possesses a high antifouling performance as well as long-term stability, possibly due to the strong combination of MXene and GO via the hydrogen bonds and cross-linking in preparation. This work reports a new and high-performance MXene-based membrane not only for osmotic energy conversion but also for other practical separations.

Nanofibrillar aerogels produced via one-pot chitin nanofibrils liquid exfoliation and self-crosslinking in the DMSO/KOH pseudosolvent system for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

Herein, we demonstrate a facile and effective method to construct chitin nanofibrils (ChNFs) aerogels from the DMSO/KOH pseudosolvent systems, which overcome high cost, complicated processes and energy-consumption of traditional procedures. Pseudosolvent treatment allows chitin to fully swell, leading to the delamination of closely packed ChNFs bundles into long and thin nanofibrils and thereby easy formation of strong and entangled nanofibrils networks. The ChNFs aerogels prepared by removing the pseudosolvent possess unique nanofibrous networks with tortuous pore channels, excellent mechanical flexibility and shapeability, good thermal stability as raw chitin, high specific surface area up to 274.9 m2/g and low densities on the order of 10 mg/cm3. This combination offers an opportunity of applying chitin aerogels as distinct biobased separators for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Compared with commercial Celgard separator, our chitin separators with higher electrolyte absorption (3278%) and ionic conductivity (1.77 mS/cm−1 at 30 °C) endow LIBs with better rate performance (92.2 mAh/g at 20C) and cycle life (98.2% after 500 cycles). This work provides a sustainable one-pot liquid exfoliation and self-crosslinking of chitin nanofibrils in the pseudosolvent system, which can impart high porosity, low density, large specific surface area and shapeability to chitin, promoting the high-value utilization of agricultural waste chitin.

Facile fabrication of fabric-based membrane for adjustable oil-in-water emulsion separation, suspension filtration and dye removal

Special wettability fabrics-based membranes have shown excellent performance in emulsified oil/water separation, however, their application in separating industrial oil-in-water emulsions still remains a great challenge due to the complexity of multifarious surfactant components. In this work, we demonstrate a simple and facile approach to fabricate fabric-based membranes (P(AM-DMC-AA)@CFs) for complex emulsified oil/water (printing and dyeing wastewater) separation with combining the advantage of amphoteric polyacrylamide layer and cotton fabric in a single system. The amphoteric polyacrylamide surface and tortuous fabric channels synergistically provide the membranes with demulsification adjustability for separating emulsified oil in water which stabilized by anionic/cationic surfactants. Meanwhile, the incorporating of amphoteric polyacrylamide into cotton fabrics had remarkable advantages of both flexible and stable superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic. Consequently, the obtained P(AM-DMC-AA)@CFs membranes are endowed with robust superhydrophilicity, underwater superoleophobicity and switchable zeta potential, which make it capable of highly efficient separation of oil/water emulsion (anionic: 94.05%, cationic: 96.19%), suspension filtration (kaolin: 89.5%, hematite: 93.1%,) and concurrent dye removal in 5 min (14.3 mg/g). In addition, the prepared membrane is still effective in separating simulated printing and dyeing wastewater containing multiple pollutants. The facile and versatile design of the P(AM-DMC-AA)@CFs membrane offers new prospects for exploiting fabric-based membranes with extraordinary features for industrial oily wastewater treatment.