Lignin as a Partial Polyol Replacement in Polyurethane Flexible Foam

This study was focused on evaluating the suitability of a wide range of lignins, a natural polymer isolated from different plant sources and chemical extractions, in replacing 20 wt.% of petroleum-based polyol in the formulation of PU flexible foams. The main goal was to investigate the effect of unmodified lignin incorporation on the foam’s structural, mechanical, and thermal properties. The hydroxyl contents of the commercial lignins were measured using phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹P NMR) spectroscopy, molar mass distributions with gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and thermal properties with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. The results showed that incorporating 20 wt.% lignin increased tensile, compression, tear propagation strengths, thermal stability, and the support factor of the developed PU flexible foams. Additionally, statistical analysis of the results showed that foam properties such as density and compression force deflection were positively correlated with lignin’s total hydroxyl content. Studying correlations between lignin properties and the performance of the developed lignin-based PU foams showed that lignins with low hydroxyl content, high flexibility (low T_g), and high solubility in the co-polyol are better candidates for partially substituting petroleum-based polyols in the formulation of flexible PU foams intended for the automotive applications.     

Ni(OH)2修饰的三聚氰胺泡沫用于可压缩超级电容器电极

通过化学镀和电化学镀的方法制备了一种Ni(OH)₂电化学活性材料修饰三聚氰胺泡沫(MF)可压缩骨架的超级电容器电极材料MF/Ni(OH)₂。MF/Ni(OH)₂可压缩电极材料表现出最佳的电容性能,例如循环稳定性(即使在40 mA/cm^-3的电流密度下经过2000次充放电循环后,可压缩电极仍能保持90.63%的初始电容)和可压缩稳定性(即使在压缩率为50%时,仍具有97.88%的电容保持率)。层状可压缩超级电容器由MF/Ni(OH)₂弹性材料作为阳极,镍/碳(Ni/C)为阴极以及实验室中常用的滤纸作隔膜材料组成。这种超级电容器装置在不同的压缩下表现出良好的电化学性能和优异的压缩稳定性。最后,使用可压缩的超级电容器来点亮LED灯,以展示其在柔性电子设备中的应用。这些优化的电化学和机械性能表明MF/Ni(OH)₂可作为可压缩超级电容器的应用中的候选电极。     

高性能NiCoP基超级电容器电化学性能

采用水热和低温磷化反应两步法,在无添加沉淀剂条件下成功在泡沫镍上合成纳米花状镍钴磷化物(NiCoP/NF)。研究结果表明,镍/钴元素物质的量之比为1∶1时,在1 A·g~(-1)电流密度下,Ni_(1/2)Co_(1/2)P/NF的比容量高达1 276.36 F·g~(-1),在10 A·g~(-1)电流密度下充放电循环3 000次后,比容量保持率为78.23%。此外,以Ni_(1/2)Co_(1/2)P/NF为正极,活性炭(AC)为负极组装的非对称超级电容器(Ni_(1/2)Co_(1/2)P/NF//AC/NF)在725 W·kg~(-1)的功率密度下,能量密度高达36.25 Wh·kg~(-1)。     

Synthesis of novel hierarchical ZSM-5 monoliths and their application in trichloroethylene removal

A self-supporting ZSM-5 monolith with a hierarchical porosity was prepared using polyurethane foam (PUF) as a structural template and a hydrothermal synthesis procedure. The synthesized monolith was characterized and investigated towards the adsorption and catalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE). Adsorption of TCE was studied gravimetrically and oxidation of TCE was studied using a vapor-phase down-flow reactor. Monolithic ZSM-5 displayed good sorption properties and completely oxidized TCE. Conversion levels of 50% and 90% were achieved at reduced temperatures (by ~50 ℃) when compared with the conversion temperatures obtained from the powder counterparts. Besides the activity of the monolith towards TCE adsorption and oxidation, it was stable and enhanced diffusion, thereby reducing pressure drops to a great extent owing to its hierarchical porous nature.     

泡沫塑料富集–石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定贝类水产品中痕量铊

采取微波消解的前处理手段消解样品,经泡沫塑料分离富集后,用石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定贝类水产品中痕量铊。以1.5 mL Fe3+,2 mL H2O2和5%王水介质作为吸附体系将样品中铊分离富集,再以硝酸钯、抗坏血酸作为基体改进剂进行测定。铊的质量浓度在0～50μg/L范围内线性良好,相关系数为0.999 7,方法的检出限可达0.07μg/g。测定结果的相对别准偏差为1.53%～4.01%(n=7),加标回收率为87.1%～98.3%。泡沫塑料富集–石墨炉子吸收光谱法测定贝类水产品中痕量铊是一种准确、安全、便捷的检测方法。     

Fabrication of flame-retardant and smoke-suppressant isocyanate-based polyimide foam modified by silica aerogel thermal insulation and flame protection layers

Because of containing urea groups, flame resistance and smoke releasing behaviors of isocyanate-based polyimide foam (IBPIF) produced using free foaming technology require further improvement. In this work, silica aerogel layers were incorporated into cells of IBPIF through an in situ growth process of silica sol (SS). Compared with silica aerogel particles directly mixed into the foaming slurry, the silica aerogel layers that firmly attached to the pores and surfaces of cells not only provided exceptional thermal insulation and flame protection, but also kept original cellular structure. With increase in ratio of SS mass to IBPIF volume, silica aerogel incorporation dosage was gradually increased. Accompanied by flame resistance was obviously improved and smoke releasing behavior was effectively suppressed. Those were indicated by the improved limiting oxygen index (LOI), decreased heat release rate (HRR), peak of HRR, and specific optical density of smoke (Ds) in trials with pilot flames. Compared with pure IBPIF, when the ratio reached to 5/15 g/cm³, it resulted in LOI increasing from 22.0% to 33.0%, peak of HRR, total smoke production (TSP), and maximum value of Ds decreasing from 174 to 72 kW/m², 1.11 to 0.37 m²/m², 45.90 to 17.45, respectively.     

多尺度Ag/CuO复合光热材料的制备及在海水淡化中的应用

采用原位化学反应和热处理相结合的策略,在泡沫铜表面形成丝线状与花瓣状的立体无机物阵列,然后在其表面蒸镀Ag纳米颗粒(NPs),成功制备了基于泡沫铜的Ag/CuO复合光热材料。该复合材料因表面三维立体阵列结构以及Ag NPs而具备较高的太阳光吸收率。故而,Ag/CuO复合光热材料结合三聚氰胺泡沫组成的蒸发器件实现了高效的海水淡化。本研究除了探索光陷阱深度和金属掺杂对吸收体光热转换效率增强之外,还搭建了太阳能驱动界面蒸汽生成测试系统,测试了样品的光热蒸发性能。在1倍太阳(1 kW·m~(-2))辐照下,该器件整体蒸发速率高达1.097 6 kg·m~(-2)·h~(-1),即其蒸发效率可达78.38%。     

Controlled Synthesis of Cr‐Co0.85Se Nanoarrays for Water Splitting at an Ultralow Cell Voltage of 1.43 V

Water splitting has attracted more and more attention as a promising strategy for the production of clean hydrogen fuel. In this work, a new synthesis strategy was proposed, and Co_0.85Se was synthesized on nickel foam as the main matrix. The doping of appropriate Cr amount into the target of Co_0.85Se and the Cr‐Co_0.85Se resulted in an excellent electrochemical performance. The doping of Cr introduces Cr³⁺ ions which substitute Co²⁺ and Co³⁺ ions in Co_0.85Se, so that the lattice parameters of the main matrix were changed. It is worth noting that the Cr0.15‐Co_0.85Se/NF material exhibits an excellent performance in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) test. When the current density reaches 50 mA cm^?2 for OER, the overpotential is only 240 mV. For the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) tests, the overpotential is only 117 mV to drive 10 mA cm^?2 of current density. Moreover, when the Cr0.15‐Co_0.85Se/NF material is used as a two‐electrode device for whole water splitting, the required cell voltage is only 1.43 V to reach a current density of 10 mA cm^?2, which is among the lowest values of the published catalysts up to now. In addition, the Cr0.15‐Co_0.85Se/NF catalyst also exhibits excellent stability during a long period of water splitting. The experimental result demonstrates that the change of the lattice structure has an obvious influence on the electrocatalytic activity of the material. When an external electric field is applied, it facilitates the rapid electron transfer rate and enhances the electrocatalytic performance and stability of the material.     

A new interpretation of an event attributed to a magnetic monopole

An alternate and a new interpretation is given for the event attributed to a magnetic monopole by Price and coworkers found in an emulsion plastic sandwich stack flown from Sioux City, Iowa, USA on 18 September 1973. The electron pick-up and stripping cross-sections of nuclei ofZ∼70–80 andv∼0.6–0.7c in Lexan polycarbonate are calculated using the formulae given by Nikolaev. It is shown that the corresponding mean free paths are of the order of thickness (∼250μ) of Lexan plastic sheets used by them. In such a case asnapshot of these processes is believed to have been observed in plastic sheets. Monte-Carlo simulations of the event have been made for three values of charges at the top of the main Lexan stack, namelyZ=83, 78 and 70 respectively. The event is thus interpreted as a cosmic ray nucleus ofZ=70–83 andv=0.6–0.7c losing and capturing electrons (mainly the latter) as it passes through the stack. The probability of the occurrence of such an event is estimated by several methods.     

A model to explain varying Λ, <Emphasis Type="Italic">G</Emphasis> and σ<Superscript>2</Superscript> simultaneously

Models with varying cosmic parameters, which were earlier regarded constant, are getting attention. However, different models are usually invoked to explain the evolution of different parameters. We argue that whatever physical process is responsible for the evolution of one parameter, should also be responsible for the evolution of others. This means that the different parameters are coupled together somehow. Based on this guiding principle, we investigate a Bianchi type I model with variable Λ and G, in which Λ, G and the shear parameter σ², all are coupled. It is interesting that the resulting model reduces to the FLRW model for large t with G approaching a constant.