Trapping Capacity Research Articles

Adsorption of cadmium vapor by calcium-based adsorbents in simulated flue gas: Experimental and density functional theory studies

Calcium-based adsorbents are considered as effective high-temperature adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal in the furnace. In this work, the adsorption characteristics and reaction mechanism of calcium-based adsorbents for cadmium vapor were investigated by adsorption experiments and density functional theory (DFT) methods. The adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption performance of CaO for cadmium vapor was significantly better than Ca(OH)2, Calcite and CaSO4. The adsorption capacity of CaO adsorbent for cadmium increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of temperature. The enhanced trapping capacity of CaO for cadmium vapor with increasing temperature was associated with enhanced chemisorption, while the decrease in trapping capacity at high temperature could be attributed to adsorbent sintering. In addition, the results of DFT calculations showed that CaO had good adsorption capacity for various Cd species, and the order of the adsorption capacity was: CdO > CdCl2 > CdCl > Cd. The chemisorption mechanism dominated the adsorption of Cd species on the CaO (001) surface, and the central O site was the reactive site and electron transfer channel for the adsorption of Cd. This work provided a reference for the application of heavy metal vapor capture technology based on calcium-based minerals.

Geochemical modelling of hydrogen wettability on Quartz: Implications for underground hydrogen storage in sandstone reservoirs

Renewable energy particular hydrogen can be optimum solution to replace fossil fuels to achieve net-zero carbon emission targets and metigate global warming. One challenge of the hydrogen industry is to safely and economically store hydrogen. To meet this requirement, underground geological storage is a potentially suitable solution to store hydrogen in large-scale and long-term manner. Wettabillity is an important formation parameter that can affect flow behaviors of stored gas, cycling efficiency, structural and residual trap capacity. However, current research is still scarce in geochemical reactions associated hydrogen wettability alteraction in subsurface sandstone reservoirs under in-situ conditions. To fill this knowledge gap, in this study, we performed surface complexation modelling to understand the wettability of hydrogen-brine-organic acid-quartz system. The surface potential of pure quartz at various temperatures and pressure was calculated to characterize disjoining pressure isotherm. Besides, surface species concentrations of quartz and organic stearic acid were predicted to quantify the electrostatic attraction between quartz and organic acid molecues thus the hydrogen wettability on quartz surface.The modelling results show that for pure quartz, increasing temperature and pressure has a negligible effect on disjoining pressure and hydrogen wettability on the pure quartz surface, which is different from the results reported by Iglauer et al., but is in line with the results reported by Hashemi et al. When organic stearic acid is added into system, increasing organic molecules concentration and pressure strengthens the electrostatic attraction of quartz-organic acid and leads to less hydrophilicity and more hydrogen-wetting. This result is consistent with previous contact angle measurements that increasing organic acid concentration increases the brine contact angle, thus the hydrogen wettability. Our work provides a framework to characterize hydrogen wettability on mineral surface using geochemical tools to better assess the feasibility of UHS in depleted sandstone reservoirs.

Orientation-Locked DNA Origami for Stable Trapping of Small Proteins in the Nanopore Electro-Osmotic Trap.

Nanopores are versatile single-molecule sensors offering a simple label-free readout with great sensitivity. We recently introduced the nanopore electro-osmotic trap (NEOtrap) which can trap and sense single unmodified proteins for long times. The trapping is achieved by the electro-osmotic flow (EOF) generated from a DNA-origami sphere docked onto the pore, but thermal fluctuations of the origami limited the trapping of small proteins. Here, we use site-specific cholesterol functionalization of the origami sphere to firmly link it to the lipid-coated nanopore. We can lock the origami in either a vertical or horizontal orientation which strongly modulates the EOF. The optimized EOF greatly enhances the trapping capacity, yielding reduced noise, reduced measurement heterogeneity, an increased capture rate, and 100-fold extended observation times. We demonstrate the trapping of a variety of single proteins, including small ones down to 14 kDa. The cholesterol functionalization significantly expands the application range of the NEOtrap technology.

Vortex-ring quantum droplets in a radially-periodic potential

We establish stability and characteristics of two-dimensional (2D) vortex ring-shaped quantum droplets (QDs) formed by binary Bose–Einstein condensates. The system is modeled by the Gross–Pitaevskii (GP) equation with the cubic term multiplied by a logarithmic factor (as produced by the Lee-Huang-Yang correction to the mean-field theory) and a potential which is a periodic function of the radial coordinate. Narrow vortex rings with high values of the topological charge, trapped in particular circular troughs of the radial potential, are produced. These results suggest an experimentally relevant method for the creation of vortical QDs (thus far, only zero-vorticity ones have been reported). The 2D GP equation for the narrow rings is approximately reduced to the one-dimensional form, which makes it possible to study the modulational stability of the rings against azimuthal perturbations. Full stability areas are delineated for these modes. The trapping capacity of the circular troughs is identified for the vortex rings with different winding numbers (WNs). Stable compound states in the form of mutually nested concentric multiple rings are constructed too, including ones with opposite signs of the WNs. Other robust compound states combine a modulationally stable narrow ring in one circular potential trough and an azimuthal soliton performing orbital motion in an adjacent one. The results may be used to design a device employing coexisting ring-shaped modes with different WNs for data storage.

Aspalathin and Other Rooibos Flavonoids Trapped α-Dicarbonyls and Inhibited Formation of Advanced Glycation End Products In Vitro

The excessive dietary intake of simple sugars and abnormal metabolism in certain diseases contribute to the increased production of α-dicarbonyls (α-DCs), such as methylglyoxal (MGO) and glyoxal (GO), the main precursors of the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs play a vital role, for example, in the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Aspalathus linearis (Burman f.) R. Dahlgren (known as rooibos tea) exhibits a wide range of activities beneficial for cardio-metabolic health. Thus, the present study aims to investigate unfermented and fermented rooibos extracts and their constituents for the ability to trap MGO and GO. The individual compounds identified in extracts were tested for the capability to inhibit AGEs (with MGO or GO as a glycation agent). Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer (UHPLC-ESI-MS) was used to investigate α-DCs' trapping capacities. To evaluate the antiglycation activity, fluorescence measurement was used. The extract from the unfermented rooibos showed a higher ability to capture MGO/GO and inhibit AGE formation than did the extract from fermented rooibos, and this effect was attributed to a higher content of dihydrochalcones. The compounds detected in the extracts, such as aspalathin, nothofagin, vitexin, isovitexin, and eriodictyol, as well as structurally related phloretin and phloroglucinol (formed by the biotransformation of certain flavonoids), trapped MGO, and some also trapped GO. AGE formation was inhibited the most by isovitexin. However, it was the high content of aspalathin and its higher efficiency than that of metformin that determined the antiglycation and trapping properties of green rooibos. Therefore, A. linearis, in addition to other health benefits, could potentially be used as an α-DC trapping agent and AGE inhibitor.

Physical and numerical modeling of four different shapes of breakwaters to test the suspended sediment trapping capacity in the Mekong Delta

Extreme coastline erosion has become a major issue in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. Many coastal protection measures have been assessed based on their ability to dissipate incoming waves rather than their ability to facilitate environmental exchange and sedimentation processes. The goal of this study is to evaluate the ability of hollow and porous types of breakwaters to exchange suspended sediment on the deltaic coast. The experiments are set considering the hydrodynamic conditions of the Mekong Delta. We thought of four different types of breakwaters, including pile-rock porous breakwaters (CMD), two-sided perforated hollow breakwaters (TC1 & DRT/VTC), and curtain breakwaters (CWB45). Physical modeling in a wave flume was engaged to investigate the relationship between breakwater shape and sediment-capturing ability. All different breakwaters were placed on the wave flume with identical boundary conditions. Besides the physical modeling in the laboratory, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques using the FLOW3D model were applied. This provided an opportunity to understand the current distribution and the interactions between the fluid and the breakwater, as well as the ability to extract the vertical velocity profile and further additional insights from the interactions of waves and currents with the breakwaters. The wave parameters collected in the lab were further used to evaluate the numerical simulations in FLOW3D, and model validation demonstrated a good agreement with R2 = 0.74–0.98 and NSE = 0.74–0.96 for FLOW3D calibration and validation. It was found that fine sand and mud silt deposition on the shoreline of the breakwater alignment were significantly reduced in the case of the perforated hollow breakwaters. Therefore, using these hollow breakwaters for wave energy dissipation and sediment trapping presents a dual purpose in creating an environmentally friendly solution to recover mudflats. Hollow breakwaters also provide numerous advantages for supporting the creation of favorable conditions for the revival of mangrove forests, development of regional biodiversity, and overall improvement of coastal ecosystems on the deltaic coast.

Stochastic quantification of CO2 fault sealing capacity in sand-shale sequences

Structural fault trapping of buoyant fluids, such as hydrocarbons and CO2, relies on fault sealing capacity. The traditional approach to quantifying the sealing capacity of fault zone materials is Shale Gouge Ratio (SGR), which implicitly homogenizes fault properties. However, a large range of fault throw and the presence of fault heterogeneity can lead to different trapping capacities for the same structure. This paper presents a stochastic study to statistically determine the possible range of CO2 column height at a normal fault in sand-shale sequences. We present the procedures of two stochastic models including the continuous shale gouge model (CSGM) and the discrete smear model (DSM). The models are applied in an example case for the High Island field in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) basin combining borehole geophysical data and measurements from laboratory experiments. Both one-dimensional and two-dimensional cases are discussed. The results show that more than 50% of the realizations predict negligible fault sealing capacity. The CSGM method shows that CO2 column height is overall proportional to SGR and breakthrough pressure. The DSM model suggests that clay smear continuity may significantly affect fault sealing capacity. Large fault throws (>100 m) result in smear breaches and therefore in highly variable maximum CO2 column heights, varying from 0 m to a maximum of ∼95 m. Both the DSM method and the CSGM method proposed in this paper permit explaining geologic uncertainties and the resulting variability of column heights observed in the field. Our results together with the field data from the literature demonstrate the utility of combining both methods to help improve column height prediction. Uncertainty quantification of clay ductility, smear location, and fault heterogeneity is important for determining fault sealing capacity and improving reservoir risk management associated with carbon dioxide geological storage.

Effect of Al modification on the adsorption of As2O3 on the CaSiO3(001) surface: A DFT study

CaSiO3 is highly resistant to sintering and can trap arsenic at high temperatures in the boiler furnace. However, the trapping capacity of CaSiO3 for arsenic does not meet the requirements of practical applications, and it is easy to react with acidic gases, which significantly affects the adsorptive property of arsenic. In this paper, the effect of Al modification on the As2O3 adsorption behaviour on the CaSiO3(001) surface was systematically investigated using a density functional theory. By comparing the magnitude of adsorption energy of different sites, the active site of As2O3 adsorbed on the surface of CaSiO3(001) was determined to be Ca, and the adsorption activity of As2O3 by the silicon oxygen chain composed of [SiO4] tetrahedron is deficient. The Si atoms in the [SiO4] tetrahedral structure are directly replaced by Al atoms, the difference in bond length and bond energy between Al–O bond and Si–O bond is used to promote the redistribution of surface charge and the increase of local structural bond angle of CaSiO3(001), leading to the exposure of new active sites (Si-top and Al-top sites) on the silicon oxygen chain. The new active site can realize the chemical adsorption of As2O3, the higher adsorption energy of the Al-top site is attributed to the stronger s-p orbital hybridization between Al and O atoms after doping, which is more conducive to the charge transfer between As2O3 and the adsorbent surface. In this work, influence of SO2 and HCl gases on the adsorption of As2O3 by modified silicon oxygen chains was also discussed. The results show that SO2 and HCl in the flue gas may occupy the Al-top site on the silicon oxygen chain through chemical adsorption, and reduce the activity of this site, thereby affecting the adsorption of As2O3. However, the exposed Si-top sites owing to Al doping show good acidic gas resistance, which in turn help the surface of Al–CaSiO3(001) can also maintain stable adsorption of As2O3 in SO2 and HCl atmosphere.

Amino-functionalized 3D crosslinked Ti3C2Tx nanosheets for highly efficient UO22+ and ReO4− immobilization simultaneously from aqueous solutions

Construction of the multifunctional Ti3C2Tx for efficient extraction of radioactive metal cations and anions from radioactive waste simultaneously remained challenging. Decorating Ti3C2Tx into multifunctional materials with controllable and desired properties was an efficient strategy for eliminating UO22+ and ReO4−. In this work, a novel amino-functionalized 3D crosslinked Ti3C2Tx nanosheets (N-CTC) were designed by covalent bonding crosslinking method, followed by a facile hard template to prevent the delamination Ti3C2Tx nanosheets from stacking. Introducing amino functional groups and adjusting surface charge of N-CTC considerably enhances the removal of simultaneously UO22+ and ReO4− from aqueous solutions. Impressively, N-CTC exhibited the exceptional trapping capacities toward UO22+ (550.71 mg/g) and ReO4− (105.01 mg/g), which were significantly superior than that of the pristine Ti3C2Tx nanosheets. More importantly, N-CTC also possessed fast rapidly and recyclable UO22+/ReO4− extraction in different artificial water samples. The elimination mechanism was clearly visualized by spectral analysis, uncovering UO22+ removal was abided by chelation effect, whereas the ReO4− adsorption was determined by both inner-sphere complexation and electrostatic interaction. The present results illustrate an effective strategy to design functionalized 3D crosslinked Ti3C2Tx nanosheets with effectively extraction of radioactive metal cations and anions from wastewater.

A combined thermal desorption spectroscopy and internal friction study on the interaction of hydrogen with microstructural defects and the influence of carbon distribution

Hydrogen interactions with different microstructural defects were analysed in ultra-low carbon steel, with specific focus on the influence of carbon distribution. For this purpose, the steel was cold rolled and subjected to various annealing treatments, obtaining microstructures ranging from as cold rolled, over recovered up to fully recrystallized. Optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and hardness measurements were used to obtain information on the grain boundary structure and dislocation density. Positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements revealed metastable open volume defects related to both dislocations and vacancy clusters. The carbon distribution was characterized by internal friction experiments. Hydrogen interactions were studied by thermal desorption spectroscopy and internal friction measurements of samples electrochemically pre-charged with hydrogen.The most dominant contribution in hydrogen trapping in the cold rolled material is provided by dislocations. However, their contribution is strongly reduced after annealing at temperatures in the range between 300 K and 600 K due to dissolution of metastable kink-pairs and small carbon-vacancy clusters. Dissolution of such clusters provides fresh supply of carbon to dislocations, which reduces the dislocation trapping capacity for hydrogen due to carbon-hydrogen repulsion. The presence of carbon also reduces the vacancy mobility, allowing clustering and growth during cold rolling resulting in strong hydrogen trapping sites. Binding energies at dislocations were obtained from thermal desorption spectroscopy and internal friction measurements and compared to various models. The small discrepancy in the activation energy is argued to originate from the quantum effect. Hydrogen release from vacancy clusters is determined by the energy required for complete cluster dissolution.

A Novel Multi-Sulfur Source Collaborative Chemical Bath Deposition Technology Enables 8%-Efficiency Sb2 S3 Planar Solar Cells.

Sb2 S3 as a light-harvesting material has attracted great attention for applications in both single-junction and tandem solar cells. Such solar cell has been faced with current challenge of low power conversion efficiency (PCE), which has stagnated for 8 years. It has been recognized that the synthesis of high-quality absorber film plays a critical role in efficiency improvement. Here, using fresh precursor materials for antimony (antimony potassium tartrate) and combined sulfur (sodium thiosulfate and thioacetamide), a unique chemical bath deposition procedure is created. Due to the complexation of sodium thiosulfate and the advantageous hydrolysis cooperation between these two sulfur sources, the heterogeneous nucleation and the S2- releasing processes are boosted. As a result, there are noticeable improvements in the deposition rate, film morphology, crystallinity, and preferred orientations. Additionally, the improved film quality efficiently lowers charge trapping capacity, suppresses carrier recombination, and prolongs carrier lifetimes, leading to significantly improved photoelectric properties. Ultimately, the PCE exceeds 8% for the first time since 2014, representing the highest efficiency in all kinds of Sb2 S3 solar cells to date. This study is expected to shed new light on the fabrication of high-quality Sb2 S3 film and further efficiency improvement in Sb2 S3 solar cells.

Measurement of hydrogen trapping in cold-work dislocations using synchrotron X-ray diffraction

In water-cooled nuclear power plants containing zirconium alloys as the clad material, embrittlement of the cladding can occur from hydrides produced by the water-zirconium alloy interaction, thus limiting the life of the fuel assembly (Motta et al., 2019). The hydrogen produced at the water-zirconium interface can also be trapped in neutron irradiation-induced microstructural defects, reducing the amount of hydride present at any given time/temperature. Knowledge of the extent of hydrogen trapping by various microstructural features in zirconium and its alloys is therefore key for accurate predictions of hydride-induced embrittlement. A novel method for quantifying both trap capacity and trap binding energy using synchrotron X-ray diffraction is described and demonstrated for a cold-worked, Zircaloy-4 sample in which line dislocations provide an analogue for irradiation-induced dislocation loops as hydrogen trap sites. This study has experimentally determined the following parameters for cold-work dislocations: Thermal stability; Binding energy; Maximum capacity for hydrogen; Number of equivalent hydrogen trap sites. These parameters may be used in modelling hydrogen embrittlement of zirconium alloys, as experimental estimates for their analogue of irradiation-induced dislocation loops. More importantly, this pilot study has successfully demonstrated the methodology and results of a novel technique that may be applied generally to irradiated material to quantify hydrogen trapping at other irradiation-induced microstructural defects.

Impact of wettability and injection rate on CO2 plume migration and trapping capacity: A numerical investigation

Rock wettability at prevailing subsurface conditions plays an important role in the fate of injected CO2 in terms of the trapping capacity and containment security. While several laboratory investigations evidenced the influence of wettability on CO2 storage potential, still the associated field-scale storage capacity predictions received little or no attention and thus remain poorly understood. This is particularly true for sandstone formations where recent evidence has shown a remarkable variability in their wetting behavior e.g. ranging from strongly water-wet to even CO2-wet (in the presence of naturally occurring organic acids). In this work, we perform a series of field-scale numerical simulations to examine the impact of variable sandstone/CO2/brine system wettability on residual and solubility trapping of CO2. Furthermore, the influence of injectivity on the CO2 plume migration behavior and trapping capacity is also analyzed and reported. The results indicate that CO2 plume migration and storage efficiency are a strong function of wettability and injection rate. The water-wet sandstone system demonstrated 42 % higher residual trapping compared to CO2-wet sandstone – suggesting a notable impact. Moreover, 94 % lower mobile CO2 and ∼ 20 % less dissolved CO2 were observed in water-wet sandstones – attributed to strong residual trapping capacity and smaller interfacial brine/CO2 area. An increase in injection duration resulted in a monotonous decrease in residual trapping and an increase in the solubility trapping and plume migration distance. Higher injection rates led to increases in migration distances and trapping capacities.

Modulation instability of two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates with helicoidal and a mixture of Rashba-Dresselhaus spin-orbit couplings

The modulational instability (MI) process is exclusively studied in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) which includes Rashba-Dresselhaus (RD) spin-orbit (SO) and helicoidal SO couplings. A generalized set of two-dimensional (2D) Gross-Pitaevskii (GP) equations is derived. The tunability of the helicoidal gauge potential is exploited to address BECs dynamics in a square lattice. The MI growth rate is derived, and parametric analyses of MI show the dependence of the instability on interatomic interaction strengths, the RD SO coupling, and helicoidal SO coupling, which combines the gauge amplitude and the helicoidal gauge potential. Direct numerical simulations are carried out to confirm the analytical predictions. Trains of solitons are obtained, and their behaviors are debated when the RD SO parameters are varied under different combinations between the gauge amplitude and the helicoidal gauge potential. The latter gives a potential way to manipulate the trapping capacities of the proposed BEC model.

Enhanced magnetic properties of YBa2Cu3O7−δ bulk superconductors with tailored structure by a novel seeding assembly

YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) bulk superconductors are regarded as the most promising alternatives for conventional permanent magnets as they provide high field trapping capacity at low temperatures. However, for further improving their superconducting properties, it remains a significant challenge to enlarge the c growth sector by large-sized seeds or multi-seeds while maintaining the microstructure with a low porosity or clean grain boundaries that enables their performance. Here, we report a novel seeding assembly approach by vertically-connecting strip-seeds for inducing potential [110]-oriented overgrowth. Initially, from naturally right-angled corners, YBCO rapidly crystallized to form kite-liked convex areas, which, together with the original seed, effectively functioned as a large-sized seed to generate a sizable c growth sector. The novel-seeded sample exhibited a promising structure not only free of grain boundaries, but also with a favorable porosity of 20.29%. Such a low value is similar to 19.77% of the small-seeded one and much lower than 34.20% of the large-seeded one. Finally, due to structure tailoring towards an enlarged c growth sector with maintained pore characteristics, high and mono-peak trapped fields of 16 mm diameter YBCO bulks were reliably attained, up to a record value of 0.7025 T. This work offers insights into design principles for boosting magnetic properties of other members in the YBCO family.

The effect of Nb on the hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of Q&P steel under static and dynamic loading

In the present study, the effect of Niobium (Nb) on the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of Quenched and Partitioning (Q&P) steel is investigated. For this purpose, the hydrogen uptake level and its impact on the mechanical properties of a Nb-free and a 0.024 wt% Nb Q&P steel are thoroughly analysed. The hydrogen trapping capacity is evaluated via thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). In-depth analysis of the desorption kinetics at different heating rates allows identification and quantification of the available trapping sites. The hydrogen embrittlement sensitivity of both steels is characterized using static and dynamic tensile tests. The addition of Nb results in an increase of the hydrogen concentration by more than 25%. The larger hydrogen content in the Nb steel, as a result of the higher fraction of grain boundaries/interphases, gives rise to a more severe embrittlement of the Nb steel compared to the Nb-free one. In addition to the larger hydrogen fraction in the Nb Q&P steel, the larger retained austenite fraction of low stability is detrimental due to the larger fraction of high carbon martensite formed when straining. This results in higher susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement of the Nb microalloyed steel due to the brittle character of the high carbon martensite that forms easily during straining. Under dynamic loading conditions, the hydrogen embrittlement of both steels is minimal, which is attributed to a reduced hydrogen diffusion and the suppression of the transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect due to adiabatic heating.

A facile synthesis of shell-shaped GeOx (x≤2) islands by metal-assisted chemical etching of Ge and their optoelectronic properties

Here we report a facile synthesis of GeOx islands on Ge substrates, having a unique shell-shaped microstructure, and investigate its optoelectronic properties. In this study, Ge substrates are subjected to metal-assisted chemical etching (MaCE) method, leading to the formation of GeOx islands. Interestingly, dimension of the GeOx islands and their coverage on Ge substrates can be tuned by various etching parameters. Formation of hexagonal phase of crystalline GeOx islands is confirmed by x-ray diffraction studies. We also observe an increasing trend in the band-gap values with higher coverage of GeOx islands on Ge substrates. While scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements reveal the formation of shell-shaped microstructure of GeOx islands, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, micro-Raman, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopic data confirm the occurrence of GeOx islands during the MaCE processing of Ge substrates. The specular reflectance data of GeOx-decorated Ge surface show up to ∼28% reduction in the optical reflectance value compared to the pristine one. Due to their improved light trapping capacity, GeOx-decorated Ge surfaces can therefore be used as an anti-reflecting layer suitable for optoelectronic applications.

Influence of rheology on landslide-dammed lake impoundment and sediment trapping: Back-analysis of the Hintersee landslide dam

Lacustrine deltas that develop upstream of landslide-dammed lakes can trap and store fluvial sediments. The development of these deltas and their size are conditioned by the geometry of the dam, which is in turn influenced by the landslide rheology. In this study, we back-analyze the formation of the Hintersee landslide-dammed lake in southeastern Germany and investigate the impact of landslide rheology on lake volume and sediment trapping capacity. We use the Voellmy rheology, a rheological model defined by two parameters, μ and ξ, and find that landslide rheology strongly influences sediment trapping. The Voellmy dry friction μ shows a non-linear relationship with lake volume and sediment trapping, while the velocity squared drag ξ has less impact. The Hintersee landslide dam presents a sediment trapping capacity of up to three times the volume of the landslide-dammed lake. Thus, the impact of landslide dams on sediment transport is underestimated by up to a factor of 3 when using lake volume as a proxy for sediment trapping capacity. We find that friction exhibits a non-linear relationship with lake volume and sediment trapping, while velocity has a more limited influence.

Suppressed hydrogen embrittlement of high-strength Al alloys by Mn-rich intermetallic compound particles

The pursuit of strong and ductile Al alloys with superior resistance to hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is practically significant across the aerospace and transportation industries among others. Unfortunately, effective ways to progress on the strength-HE trade-off for Al-alloys remain elusive. A strategy of suppressing HE by introducing intermetallic compound (IMC) particles to achieve hydrogen redistribution in various trapping sites was proposed. Here, we systematically induce the precipitation of a constant volume fraction of intermetallic compound (IMC) particles by adding one of 14 elements in a ternary Al-Zn-Mg high-strength alloy. We show a strong correlation between hydrogen trapping energies of the IMC obtained from ab initio calculations with the resistance to HE. Mn-rich Al11Mn3Zn2 particles exhibit the highest hydrogen trapping energy (0.859 eV/atom), leading to a decrease by approximately 5 orders of magnitude in the hydrogen occupancy in η2 (MgZn2) phase interfaces and grain boundaries, where HE cracks initiate. The Mn-addition did not deteriorate the ductility and most Al11Mn3Zn2 particles remained intact during plastic deformation which was revealed by in-situ 3D X-ray tomography. Hydrogen-induced strain localization at η2 phase interfaces and grain boundaries were inhibited due to strong hydrogen trapping capacity of Al11Mn3Zn2, hence preventing HE cracks initiation. Our approach effectively suppresses hydrogen-induced cracks without sacrificing the ductility, and our strategy can help the design roadmap of HE-tolerant high-strength metallic alloys.

Inhibitory Mechanism of Advanced Glycation End-Product Formation by Avenanthramides Derived from Oats through Scavenging the Intermediates.

As a special polyphenolic compound in oats, the physiological function of oat avenanthramides (AVAs) drives a variety of biological activities, and plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of common chronic diseases. In this study, the optimum extraction conditions and structural identification of AVAs from oats was studied. The inhibitory effect of AVAs from oats on advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in a glucose–casein simulation system was evaluated, and this revealed dose-dependent inhibitory effects. The trapping capacity of AVAs to the α-dicarbonyl compounds of AGE intermediate products was determined by HPLC–MS/MS, and the results indicate that AVA 2c, AVA 2p, and AVA 2f exhibited the ability to capture α-dicarbonyl compounds. More importantly, AVA 2f was found to be more efficient than AVA 2p at inhibiting superoxide anion radical (O2−), hydroxyl radical (OH), and singlet oxygen (1O2) radical generation, which may be the main reason that AVA 2f was more efficient than AVA 2p in AGE inhibition. Thus, this research presents a promising application of AVAs from oats in inhibiting the food-borne AGEs formed in food processing.