Water-resistant Ability Research Articles

A three-in-one strategy of high-entropy, single-crystal, and biphasic approaches to design O3-type layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries

O3-type layered oxides are promising cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, severe volume changes, irreversible phase transitions, and sluggish Na+ ion transport kinetics lead to structural collapse and severe capacity loss. Herein, a three-in-one strategy “high entropy, single crystal, and biphase” is proposed to design O3-type layered cathodes for SIBs, which achieves enhanced structural stability and Na+ transport kinetics by the combination effect of multimetal high-entropy, the single crystal, and Li substitution. The as-prepared high-entropy oxide (HEO) cathode, Na(Fe1/6Co1/6Ni1/6Mn1/6Ti1/6)Li1/6O2, exhibits a high reversible capacity of 140.3 mAh g−1, robust cycling stability, exceptional rate capability (86 mAh g−1 at rates of 15C), excellent air-stability, and water-resistance ability. In situ X-ray diffraction reveals that the HEO cathode has highly reversible phase transitions and small volume change (ΔV=3.28 %). Ex situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that reversible Ni2+/Ni4+, Fe3+/Fe3.6+, and Co3+/Co3.6+ redox couples provide charge compensation for the high-entropy cathode at 2.0∼4.2 V. Notably, the full-cell battery based on the high-entropy cathode and hard carbon anode delivers a specific capacity of 134.3 mAh g−1 and an energy density of 390.8 Wh kg−1. This work provides valuable insights into the design of novel high-performance high-entropy cathodes for SIBs, highlighting a promising avenue for advancing rechargeable battery technology.

Bioplastic films from starch of Colocasia esculenta and its waste: A smart template for sensing applications

The over usage plastics have possessed serious threat to the ecological system. Thus progressive advancement in fabricating biodegradable and renewable bioplastics is persuasively required to furnish an effective alternative to non-biodegradable plastics. In this view, the current work highlights the production of starch based bioplastic films using waste Colocasia esculenta (taro herb) as a viable starting precursor. The functional ability of developed taro starch based film was further modified by incorporating carbon dots (CQDs) fillers generated from the waste slurry produced during starch extraction from taro herbs. The optimization of films production was achieved by varying the CQDs amount (0.4 %, 0.8 %, 2 % and 4 % w/w) on taro-based films using casting technology. The data illustrates that the addition of CQDs has the ability to enhance the fluorescence property, mechanical properties (Tensile Strength 0.332–4.635 MPa, Elongation at break 42.45–547.63 %) and water resistance ability of films (Moisture content 15–6.4 %, Water Solubility 50–30 % Water Vapour Transmission Rate 2.0012–1.0054 g−2 h−1 and Water Contact Angle 40.6–89.6°). The developed films are found to be thermally stable. The formed films possessed anti-oxidative abilities which safeguard the film from oxidative attacks and ultimately protect the film from the external environment. The fluorescence nanosensor probe has further been developed by utilizing CQDs embedded in a starch-based bioplastic nanocomposite. The developed sensor displayed selective sensing ability towards Fe2+ ion with high sensitivity and accuracy in aqueous medium. Thus, the proposed sensor in this work offers a portable, efficient, low-cost, disposable, non-lethal, and eco-friendly nanosensor for on-site monitoring of metal ion for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. This is one of the primary reports where metal ions sensing is reported for Taro@CQDs nanocomposites based films. Our outcomes of this work hold significant relevance to providing a smart sensory and biodegradable probe for metal ion sensing by using waste resources, thus offering a better and sustainable alternative for environmental remediation applications.

Cinnamaldehyde- and nonanal-incorporated polyvinyl alcohol/colloidal silicon dioxide films with synergistic antifungal activities

Biodegradable materials may help solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by conventional synthetic food packaging. Here, various amounts of colloidal silicon dioxide [CSD, 5, 10, and 15 wt% based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)] and 1 % SCAN, a 1:1 (v:v) combination of cinnamaldehyde and nonanal, were added to fabricate PVA-based films. Microstructure analyses using atomic force and scanning electron microscopes revealed that the films had uniform CSD dispersion, and the surface roughness rose along with the CSD concentration. The addition of SCAN prevented UV light transmission. In addition, the introduction of CSD enhanced the water-resistance abilities and tensile strengths of the composite films. The PVA/SCAN films exerted remarkable antifungal activities against Aspergillus flavus owing to a synergistic effect between cinnamaldehyde and nonanal. Furthermore, the PVA/SCAN/CSD film, contrasted with the PVA film containing SCAN alone, attenuated the SCAN loss during storage and also continually released SCAN from the film. In peanut preservation, the PVA/SCAN/CSD composite film was superior to the single-element films in antifungal activity, showing decreases of 76.66 % and 85.33 % in the production of conidia and aflatoxin B1, respectively. In conclusion, the PVA/SCAN/CSD composite film with high UV barrier, water-resistance ability, excellent mechanical properties and antifungal activity possesses a promising application potential in food packaging.

Genetically Programmed Temperature-Responsive Barnacle-Derived Protein with an Enhanced Adhesion Ability.

There is an emerging strong demand for smart environmentally responsive protein-based biomaterials with improved adhesion properties, especially underwater adhesion for potential environmental and medical applications. Based on the fusion of elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), SpyCatcher and SpyTag modules, biosynthetic barnacle-derived protein was genetically engineered and self-assembled with an enhanced adhesion ability and temperature response. The water resistance ability of the synthetic protein biopolymer with a network structure increased to 98.8 from 58.5% of the original Cp19k, and the nonaqueous adhesion strength enhanced to 1.26 from 0.68 MPa of Cp19k. The biopolymer showed an improved adhesion ability toward hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces as well as diatomite powders. The combination of functional module ELPs and SpyTag/SpyCatcher could endow the biosynthetic protein with temperature response, an insoluble form above 42 °C and a soluble form at 4 °C. The combinational advantages including temperature response and adhesion performance make the self-assembled protein an excellent candidate in surgical adhesion, underwater repair, and surface modification of various coatings. Distinct from the traditional approach of utilizing solely ELPs, the integration of short ELPs with Spy partners exhibited a synergistic enhancement in the temperature response. The synergistic effects of two functional modules provide a technical method and insight for designing smart self-assembled protein-based biopolymers.

Experimental and simulation studies on the waterproofing performance of anchored sealing gasket for shield tunnel lining

Anchored sealing gasket can be prefabricated together with prefabricated segment in the prefabrication factory, which can significantly improve the on-site construction convenience and waterproofing performance of shield tunnel segments. This paper proposed a novel anchored sealing gasket with a closed bottom and a symmetric pair of anchored feet on both sides, and the mechanical properties, waterproofing performance, and leakage mechanism of the gasket was investigated by experimental and numerical simulation methods. Test results show that for traditional sealing gasket, leakage occurs at the contact surface between the sealing gasket and the segment, while for anchored sealing gasket, leakage occurs only at the contact surface between the sealing gaskets, which indicates that the anchored sealing gasket feet can effectively prevent leakage between the sealing gasket and the shield segment. Compared with the traditional sealing gasket, the waterproofing ability of the anchored sealing gasket under the same working conditions is increased by 114%. The dynamic simulation of the waterproofing behavior of the anchored sealing gasket, considering the effect of water pressure, was carried out based on the flow-solid coupling model established by the Coupled Euler-Lagrangian (CEL) method. It was found that the waterproofing behavior of the anchored sealing gasket can be divided into four stages: the segment compression stage, the water compression stage, the water wedge stage, and the water breakthrough stage. The water resistance ability between the anchored sealing gasket and the segment is much higher than between the sealing gaskets. The anchor feet can prevent leakage at the interface between the gasket and the segment effectively. In addition, it was found that the test value of the waterproofing capacity of the anchored sealing gasket was close to the peak value of the maximum contact stress between the sealing gaskets during the water wedging stage, and this peak value can be used as a prediction method for the waterproofing capacity of the anchored sealing gasket to investigate the effect of joint deformation on waterproofing capacity. Finally, based on the experimental and simulation results, the waterproofing mechanism of the anchored sealing gasket was revealed, providing a reference for the waterproofing design of anchored sealing gaskets for prefabricated underground structures joints in the future.

Self-cleaning ability of gypsum-cement-pozzolan binders based on thermally processed red gypsum waste of titanium oxide manufacture

A recycling solution for landfilled red gypsum waste originating from titanium oxide manufacture (sulfate method), is proposed. The waste consisted mainly of gypsum, goethite, and free titanium oxide as indicated by thermal and x-ray diffraction analyses, and scanning electron microscopy. Photocatalytically active beta gypsum, with physical properties typical for building gypsum, was obtained by thermal treatment (140–190 °C) of the waste. On its basis, gypsum-cement-pozzolan binders of variable beta gypsum content were prepared. The binders ensured compressive strength of at least 9 MPa at 28 days, structural stability over time, and appropriate distribution of titanium oxide, irrespective of the beta gypsum content in the mixture. Optimal water resistance and self-cleaning ability were achieved for 63–70% beta gypsum content, which triggered a small increase (∼5%) in porosity. The results suggest the utilization of the developed binder as self-cleaning plaster on structures exposed to atmospheric pollutants.

Construction of unique oxygen vacancy defect through various metal-doping (Cu, Mn, Zr) of Ce2Co1Ox nanoparticles towards boosting the catalytic oxidation toluene performance

Achievement of catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low temperature is still a challenge to be addressed. Promoting catalytic activity via constructing oxygen vacancy defect is an attractive strategy in heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, a series of Ce2Co1M1 (M = Cu, Mn, Zr) catalysts were prepared by modified co-precipitation method and their catalytic oxidation performance of toluene was measured. Activity results suggested that the introduction of doping-metals significantly enhanced the catalytic performance of Ce2Co1Ox, with Ce2Co1Cu1 possessed the optimal catalytic activity (T90 = 210 ℃), robust stability, water resistance, GHSV tolerance and anti-aging ability. It has been demonstrated that Cu-doping resulted in the formation of Cu-Ce solid solution and constructed a Cu2+-O-Ce4+ complex active site. Benefiting from this, the redox and gaseous oxygen molecule capture & activation capabilities of the catalyst are tremendously improved via constructing abundant oxygen vacancies. The in-situ DRIFTS results revealed that Ce2Co1Cu1 exhibited a better C=C breaking of aromatic rings ability, a faster consumption rate of benzoate and maleic anhydride, and is less prone to accumulation of by-products, the above account for its enhanced low-temperature catalytic performance for toluene. This work may provide a new strategy to design the high-efficiency toluene oxidation catalysts.

The Effects of Coal Floor Brittleness on the Risk of Water Inrushes from Underlying Aquifers: A Numerical Study

Karst water in coal floors is the most common hazard in the coal fields of North China. Water inrush disasters always occur due to reductions in the efficacy of a coal floor’s water resistance ability, and have brought huge casualties and losses. The floor damage zone during mining disturbance is crucial to the formation of the water inrush pathway and is considered to be closely related with floor rock brittleness. To investigate the effects of coal floor brittleness on the hazard of water inrushes from underlying aquifers, four groups of numerical simulations are conducted in this study based on a finite-element method. These numerical simulations especially concern the contrastive analysis of brittle rock’s properties regarding the failure characteristics of rock samples, fracture development in layered rocks, the damage zone of the floor during mining disturbance, and the hazard of water inrush from the floor during mining. The results show that brittle rock is easier to destroy in comparison with ductile rock. Brittle layers are more likely to develop denser natural fractures than ductile layers. The more brittle the floor rock is, the larger the depth of floor damage will be. The brittle floor is verified to induce water inrush from an underlying aquifer more easily than the ductile floor. This study revealed the relationship between the brittle property of coal floors and the depth of mining-induced floor damage zones, providing a reference for hazard evaluation of water inrush from coal floors and control measures.

Ternary wetting modification technology: A remedy for water blockage and prevention sand in unconsolidated sandstone gas reservoirs

In the development of unconsolidated sandstone gas reservoirs, water and sand production pose challenges, reducing gas deliverability and causing reservoir damage. This paper presents a novel ternary water control and gas recovery technology using hydrophobic modification. The technology focuses on reversing capillary forces at the far-well edge of the reservoir to prevent water intrusion and creating a hydrophobic gravel layer around the wellbore to enhance water resistance. Additionally, the slotted liner cavities are treated to improve erosion resistance and maintain smooth gas flow, effectively controlling water and sand. The approach aims to minimize water and particle migration, thereby improving gas phase permeability. Researchers assessed the technology's effectiveness using a sand-gravel-slotted liner model and examined how sand wettability, gravel size, and liner slot width affect water resistance. Results show that the technology significantly reduces water phase permeability and gas sand content, increases water breakthrough pressure, and maintains the original permeability of the gas reservoir. When the formation sand contact angle θsand > 156°, the particle size ratio D50/d50 = 6.5, and the slit width is 0.30 mm, the water-resisting ability is the best. The research results can provide corresponding theoretical construction parameters for the field engineering of high-water cut-off loose sandstone gas reservoirs.

Oxygen-dependent catalytic activity of mesoporous MnCO3-based catalysts for highly effective benzene oxidation

The catalytic activities of mesoporous MnCO3-based catalysts synthesized with a simple precipitation method were investigated for the oxidation of benzene. The calcination temperature was confirmed to have significant influences on physicochemical structure and catalytic performance of samples. MnCO3-based catalysts prepared at the calcination temperature below 400 °C showed higher activity for benzene oxidation compared with manganese oxides (Mn5O8, MnxOy and MnO2), which was mainly ascribed to abundant reactive oxygen species, large specific surface areas and rich oxygen vacancies. The optimal MnCO3-300 with good durability and strong water resistance ability achieved 90% benzene conversion at 184 °C. In situ DRIFTS spectra results suggested that both lattice oxygen and adsorbed oxygen could participate in the benzene oxidation. The possible reaction pathway of benzene oxidized into CO2 and H2O was involved with phenolate, benzoquinone, maleic anhydride, maleate and acetate intermediates, where the transformation from phenolate to benzoquinone was identified as the rate-limiting step.

Study on the mechanism of acid treatment La0.8Sr0.2Mn0.8Cu0.2O3 to improve the catalytic activity of formaldehyde at low temperature.

To address the issue of surface enrichment of A-site ions in perovskite and the resulting suppression of catalytic activity, the La0.8Sr0.2Mn0.8Cu0.2O3 was modified by treatment with dilute nitric acid (2mol/L) and dilute acetic acid (2mol/L). The results show that the effect of dilute nitric acid treatment on the morphology and catalytic activity of the catalyst is more significant. The specific surface area of the catalyst after dilute nitric acid treatment (268.78 m2/g) is seven times higher than before treatment (37.55 m2/g). The low-temperature catalytic oxidation activity of HCHO of the catalyst after dilute nitric acid treatment is significantly improved, achieving a 50% HCHO oxidation efficiency at 80 °C, while the original sample requires 127 °C to achieve a 50% HCHO conversion. The excellent catalytic activity of the catalyst after dilute nitric acid treatment is related to its large specific surface area, high surface-active site density, and abundant Mn4+ ions. Stability and water resistance experiments show that the catalyst after dilute nitric acid treatment has excellent reaction stability and good water resistance ability. The mechanism of the formaldehyde oxidation reaction is that formaldehyde is first oxidized to a dioxymethylene (DOM) intermediate and DOM dehydrogenation reaction is responsible for the formation of formate species (HCOO-).

Fabrication of organic-inorganic nonhomogeneous nanocomposite coating with enhanced antifogging properties

Antifogging coatings with superhydrophilic performance by manipulating composition and structure have obtained significant consideration over recent years attributed to their ability to readily form a thin water film, which does not deteriorate light transmission. In this work, an advanced organic-inorganic nonhomogeneous antifogging coating has been successfully fabricated. The bottom layer was comprised of silica nanoparticles, forming the three-dimensional (3D) network skeleton via the condensation of silicon hydroxyl, which enhanced the water resistance ability of the coating; while the top layer was formed by silica-polymer nanocomposite, which conferred the coating good antifogging capability due to its abundant hydrophilic groups. The composite coating exhibited size-dependent surface properties, when the average particle size of silica was 10 nm, the nanocomposite coating exhibited remarkable antifogging and frost-resisting properties. Furthermore, the composite coating also showed higher stability than the pure polymer coating, and it remained outstanding antifogging performance after soaking in water for 6 h, or 180 h of exposure to UV irritation.

Hydrothermal carbonization of mixture waste Gingko leaf and wheat straw for solid biofuel production

Co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of ginkgo leaf residues (GLR) and wheat straw (WS) were conducted to investigate the possibility for mutually benefitting the two residues as feedstock to produce solid biofuel pellets. The mass yield, proximate, and elemental analysis of the hydrochar were characterized. The energy consumption during pelletization, pellet density, pellet durability, water resistance ability, and pyrolysis characteristics of hydrochar pellets were evaluated. The results show that when WS blended with 50%, the energy density of pellet increased from to the highest of 26.7 GJ/m3. The ash content decreased from 7.7% to 6.3% when the WS blended with 30%− 70%, while HHV showed a opposite trend. As the WS blended ratio increased from to 30–70%, the high lignin content in WS helped to enhance the mechanical properties of pellet including pellet density, durability, and hardness. The hydrochar pellets from high ratio WS had high devolatilization index indicating increased devolatilization ability. These findings imply adding WS in co-HTC would potentially promote the GLR to manufacture high quality solid biofuel. Overall, the co-HTC of WS and GLR is a promising alternative to transfer solid wastes to renewable fuels.

Highly Hydrophobic Gelatin Nanocomposite Film Assisted by Nano-ZnO/(3-Aminopropyl) Triethoxysilane/Stearic Acid Coating for Liquid Food Packaging.

Biodegradable gelatin (G) food packaging films are in increasing demand as the substitution of petroleum-based preservative materials. However, G packaging films universally suffer from weak hydrophobicity in practical applications. Constructing a hydrophobic micro/nanocoating with low surface energy is an effective countermeasure. However, the poor compatibility with the hydrophilic G substrate often leads to the weak interfacial adhesion and poor durability of the hydrophobic coating. To overcome this obstacle, we used (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APS) as an interfacial bridging agent to prepare a highly hydrophobic, versatile G nanocomposite film. Specifically, tannic acid (TA)-modified nanohydroxyapatite (n-HA) particles (THA) were introduced in G matrix (G-THA) to improve the mechanical properties. Micro/nanostructure with low surface energy composed of nanozinc oxide (Nano-ZnO)/APS/stearic acid (SA) (NAS) was constructed on the surface of G-THA film (G-THA/NAS) through one-step spray treatment. Consequently, as-prepared G-THA/NAS film presented excellent mechanics (tensile strength: 7.6 MPa, elongation at break: 292.7%), water resistance ability (water contact angle: 150.4°), high UV-shielding (0% transmittance at 200 nm), degradability (100% degradation rate after buried in the natural soil for 15 days), antioxidant (78.8% of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity), and antimicrobial (inhibition zone against Escherichia coli: 15.0 mm and Staphylococcus aureus: 16.5 mm) properties. It should be emphasized that the bridging function of APS significantly improves the interfacial adhesion ability of the NAS coating with more than 95% remaining area after the cross-cut adhesion test. Meanwhile, the G-THA/NAS film could maintain stable and long-lasting hydrophobic surfaces against UV radiation, high temperature, and abrasion. Based on these multifunctional properties, the G-THA/NAS film was successfully applied as a liquid packaging material. To sum up, we provide a feasible and effective method to prepare high-performance green packaging films.

Drought resistance index screening and evaluation of lettuce under water deficit conditions on the basis of morphological and physiological differences.

Water is one of the important factors affecting the yield of leafy vegetables. Lettuce, as a widely planted vegetable, requires frequent irrigation due to its shallow taproot and high leaf evaporation rate. Therefore, screening drought-resistant genotypes is of great significance for lettuce production. In the present study, significant variations were observed among 13 morphological and physiological traits of 42 lettuce genotypes under normal irrigation and water-deficient conditions. Frequency analysis showed that soluble protein (SP) was evenly distributed across six intervals. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to transform the 13 indexes into four independent comprehensive indicators with a cumulative contribution ratio of 94.83%. The stepwise regression analysis showed that root surface area (RSA), root volume (RV), belowground dry weight (BDW), soluble sugar (SS), SP, and leaf relative water content (RWC) could be used to evaluate and predict the drought resistance of lettuce genotypes. Furthermore, the drought resistance ranks of the genotypes were similar according to the drought resistance comprehensive evaluation value (D value), comprehensive drought resistance coefficient (CDC), and weight drought resistance coefficient (WDC). The cluster analysis enabled the division of the 42 genotypes into five drought resistance groups; among them, variety Yidali151 was divided into group I as a strongly drought-resistant variety, group II included 6 drought-resistant genotypes, group III included 16 moderately drought-resistant genotypes, group IV included 12 drought-sensitive genotypes, and group V included 7 highly drought-sensitive genotypes. Moreover, a representative lettuce variety was selected from each of the five groups to verify its water resistance ability under water deficit conditions. In the drought-resistant variety, it was observed that stomatal density, superoxide anion (O2.-wfi2) production rate, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content exhibited a low increase rate, while catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and that peroxidase (POD) activity exhibited a higher increase than in the drought-sensitive variety. In summary, the identified genotypes are important because their drought-resistant traits can be used in future drought-resistant lettuce breeding programs and water-efficient cultivation.

A Study on Tencel/LMPET-TPU/Triclosan Laminated Membranes: Excellent Water Resistance and Antimicrobial Ability.

Medical product contamination has become a threatening issue against human health, which is the main reason why protective nonwoven fabrics have gained considerable attention. In the present, there is a soaring number of studies on establishing protection systems with nonwoven composites via needle punch. Meanwhile, the disadvantages of composites, such as poor mechanical performance and texture, impose restrictions. Hence, in this study, an eco-friendly method composed of needling, hot pressing, and lamination is applied to produce water-resistant, windproof, and antimicrobial Tencel/low-melting-point polyester-thermoplastic polyurethane/Triclosan (Tencel/LMPET-TPU/TCL) laminated membranes. Field-emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and FTIR show needle-punched Tencel/LMPET membranes successfully coated with TPU/TCL laminated membranes, thereby extensively improving nonwoven membranes in terms of water-resistant, windproof, and antimicrobial attributes. Parameters including needle punch depth, content of LMPET fibers, and concentration of TCL are changed during the production. Specifically, Tencel/LMPET-TPU/TCL-0.1 laminated nonwovens acquire good water resistance (100 kPa), outstanding windproof performance (<0.1 cm3/cm2/s), and good antimicrobial ability against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Made with a green production process that is pollution-free, the proposed products are windproof, water resistant, and antimicrobial, which ensures promising uses in the medical and protective textile fields.

Boosting the total oxidation of toluene by regulating the reactivity of lattice oxygen species and the concentration of surface adsorbed oxygen

Surface absorbed oxygen (Oads) and surface lattice oxygen (Olatt) specie are critical for accelerating oxidative removal of toluene over MnO2-based catalyst. Herein, an excellent CuMnO2 catalyst has been successfully designed and fabricated. Doping Cu2+ with strong Jahn-Taylor effect into the lattice of MnO2 not only weakens the strength of Mn-O bonds but also induces the formation of oxygen defects, which enhances the reactivity of Olatt and promotes the adsorption of gaseous oxygen molecules. As a result, CuMnO2 reaches 50 % and 90 % of toluene conversion at 212 and 241 °C respectively, showing obviously better catalytic performance compared to CeMnO2, NiMnO2, CoMnO2 and δ-MnO2. Moreover, CuMnO2 exhibits outstanding stability, good cycling stability and excellent water resistance ability. The in situ DRIFTS demonstrate that ring opening of benzoate and the dehydrogenation of benzaldehyde are key processes that affect the deep oxidation of toluene.

Transparent, self-adhesive, highly environmental stable, and water-resistant ionogel enabled reliable strain/temperature sensors and underwater communicators

Electronic skins have gained considerable attentions for their promising applications in flexible and wearable electronics. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to realize high performance underwater sensing due to the great differences between the aquatic environment and the land environment. Herein, we developed hydrophobic ionogel consisting of hydrophobic polymer network and ionic liquid with high transparency, good stretchability, temperature-dependent ionic conductivity, long-term environmental stability, and excellent adhesion property. These merits enabled the ionogel-based sensor to be employed as strain and temperature sensor, exhibiting excellent sensing performance, such as wide strain range (0.05−250%), rapid response (100 ms), good durability, broad operating temperature window (−60−100 °C), and high-precision thermosensation (0.05 °C). More interestingly, the superior water-resistance ability of the ionogel endowed the ion-conducting gels with tremendous sensing performance in aqueous environment, performing as a wearable sensor for underwater communication and aquatic animals research.

Study on Preparation and Performance of Polyurethane Hot Melt Adhesive Films

Polyurethane hot melt adhesive films (PHMAFs) are green adhesives without any solvent. In this study, a series of polyurethane hot melt adhesive films with different crosslinking agent content were successfully synthesized. The melting temperature, water absorption, mechanical properties, and adhesion properties were studied. The results illustrate that the introduction of crosslinking agent could endow PHMAFs with better final adhesion strengths and water resistance ability, but also lead to decrease of tensile stress at break and elongation at break. The final T-peel strength of the films was in the range of 76.54-114.53 N/cm, which could meet the requirements of the industrial gluing in footwear.

Engineering of oxygen vacancy defect in CeO2 through Mn doping for toluene catalytic oxidation at low temperature

Catalytic oxidation is considered a highly effective method for the elimination of volatile organic compounds. Oxygen vacancy defect engineering in a catalyst is considered an effective approach for high-performance catalysts. Herein, a series of doped MnxCe1-xO2 catalysts (x = 0.05–0.2) with oxygen vacancy defects were synthesized by doping low-valent Mn in a CeO2 lattice. Different characterization techniques were utilized to inspect the effect of doping on oxygen vacancy defect generation. The characterization results revealed that the Mn0.15Ce0.85O2 catalyst has the maximum oxygen vacancy concentration, leading to increased active oxygen species and enhanced oxygen mobility. Thus, Mn0.15Ce0.85O2 catalyst showed an excellent toluene oxidation activity with 90% toluene conversion temperature (T90) of 197 °C at a weight hourly space velocity of 40,000 mL g−1 h−1 as compared to undoped CeO2 (T90 = 225 °C) and Ce based oxides in previous reports. In addition, the Mn0.15Ce0.85O2 catalyst displayed strong recyclability, water resistant ability and long-time stability. The in situ DRIFT results showed that the Mn0.15Ce0.85O2 catalyst has a robust oxidation capability as toluene is quickly adsorbed and actuated as compared to CeO2. Thus, the present work lays the foundation for designing a highly active catalyst for toluene elimination from the environment.