Bicomponent Cocatalyst Decoration on Flux-assisted CaTaO2N Single Crystals for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction under Visible Light

Cubic-like CaTaO₂N photocatalysts with high crystallinity and uniform particle size were successfully prepared by the flux-assisted nitridation method. The growth of CaTaO₂N single crystals under different synthesis conditions was systematically investigated to understand the effects of the crystallinity and optical property on photocatalytic performance of CO₂ reduction. Moreover, the modification of CaTaO₂N single crystals with core-shell Ni−Ag bicomponent cocatalyst by two-step decoration process gave a 2.4 times higher amount of CO evolution than the deposition of sole Ag cocatalyst, because of the synergistic effects of bicomponent cocatalyst on the interfacial electron transfer and surface catalytic process. This study provides a valuable way to construct high-crystalline photocatalysts with effective bicomponent cocatalyst for visible-light-driven CO₂ reduction with H₂O.     

Dynamic modeling and analysis of hybrid driven multi-link press mechanism considering non-uniform wear clearance of revolute joints

Meccanica - The multi-link press mechanism is developing in the direction of high speed and high precision. However, the non-uniform wear of joint clearance seriously affects the output motion...     

Asymptotics of Smoothed Wasserstein Distances

Potential Analysis - We investigate contraction of the Wasserstein distances on $\mathbb {R}^{d}$ under Gaussian smoothing. It is well known that the heat semigroup is exponentially contractive...     

Semi-Quantum Bi-Signature Scheme Based on W States

International Journal of Theoretical Physics - A semi-quantum bi-signature scheme based on W states is designed, in which two signers sign the same message. The unconditional security of the new...     

The Special “Morse Code” between Solvent Polarity and Morphology Flexibility in a POSS–Dendrimer Supramolecular System

An amazing phenomenon of the relative magnitude of modulus of two liquid-crystal (LC) gels is found inverted under/above their phase transition temperature T_LC-iso, which is further proved to be caused by their diverse morphology flexibility. By testing the polarity of two LCs, gelator POSS-G1-Boc (POSS=polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane) was discovered to self-assemble into more flexible structures in a relatively low polar LC, whereas more rigid ones are formed in higher polar LC. Hence, a fitting function to connect morphology flexibility with solvent polarity was established, which can even be generalized to a number of common solvents. Experimental observations and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations revealed that solvent polarity mirrors a “Morse code”, with each “code” corresponding to a specific morphology flexibility.     

Metal–Organic Framework (MOF)-Derived Carbon-Mediated Interfacial Reaction for the Synthesis of CeO2−MnO2 Catalysts

CeO₂-based catalysts are widely studied in catalysis fields. Developing one novel synthetic approach to increase the intimate contact between CeO₂ and secondary species is of particular importance for enhancing catalytic activities. Herein, an interfacial reaction between metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived carbon and KMnO₄ to synthesize CeO₂−MnO₂, in which carbon is derived from the pyrolysis of Ce-MOFs under an inert atmosphere, is described. The MOF-derived carbon is found to restrain the growth of CeO₂ crystallites under a high calcination temperature and, more importantly, intimate contact within CeO₂/C is conveyed to CeO₂/MnO₂ after the interfacial reaction; this is responsible for the high catalytic activity of CeO₂−MnO₂ towards CO oxidation.     

The Role of Polarization in Photocatalysis

Semiconductor photocatalysis as a desirable technology shows great potential in environmental remediation and renewable energy generation, but its efficiency is severely restricted by the rapid recombination of charge carriers in the bulk phase and on the surface of photocatalysts. Polarization has emerged as one of the most effective strategies for addressing the above‐mentioned issues, thus effectively promoting photocatalysis. This review summarizes the recent advances on improvements of photocatalytic activity by polarization‐promoted bulk and surface charge separation. Highlighted is the recent progress in charge separation advanced by different types of polarization, such as macroscopic polarization, piezoelectric polarization, ferroelectric polarization, and surface polarization, and the related mechanisms. Finally, the strategies and challenges for polarization enhancement to further enhance charge separation and photocatalysis are discussed.     

Qualitative and quantitative determination of Atractylodes rhizome using ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap–Orbitrap mass spectrometry with data‐dependent processing

A quick and effective workflow based on ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electron spray ionization and LTQ‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC‐LTQ‐Orbitrap MS) was established for compositional analysis and screening of the characteristic compounds of three species of Atractylodes rhizome for quality evaluation. This technique was employed to determine the seven main components in Atractylodes rhizome samples. Ultimately, 78 constituents were identified; of these, seven characteristic compounds were selected for species discrimination, comprising atractylodin (63), atractylenolide I (43), atractylenolide II (49), atractylenolide III (53), atractylon (69), methyl‐atractylenolide II (54) and (4E,6E,12E)‐tetradecadecatriene‐8,10‐diyne‐1,3‐diacetate (59). The seven main compounds, including six characteristic compounds, were simultaneously determined in 29 batches of Atractylodes rhizome samples. Thus, the method validation showed acceptable results. Quantitative analysis showed significantly different contents of the seven main components among the three species of Atractylodes rhizome, which indicates possible distinctions in the pharmacological effects. This established method can simultaneously provide qualitative and quantitative results for compositional characterization of Atractylodes rhizomes and for quality control.     

Free boundary problem for a fully nonlinear and degenerate parabolic equation in an angular domain

This paper concerns with the problem of how to running an insurance company to maximize his total discounted expected dividends. In our model, the dividend rate is limited in $[0,M]$ and the company is allowed to transfer any proportion of risk by reinsuring. So there are two strategies which we call dividend strategy and reinsurance strategy. The objective function and the corresponding optimal two strategies are the solution and the two free boundaries of the following Barenblatt parabolic equation

$v_t?\underset{0\le a\le 1}{\max }?(\frac{1}{2}{a}^2{\sigma }^2{v}_{xx}+a\mu v_x)+cv?\underset{0\le l\le M}{\max }?[(1?v_x)l]=0$

under certain boundary conditions on an angular domain

$Q_T=\{(x,t)|0<x<Mt,0<t\le T\}.$

The main effort is to analyze the properties of the solution and the free boundaries to show the optimal decision for the insurance company.     

Construction of a novel ZnCo2O4/Bi2O3 heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

A novel ZnCo₂O₄/Bi₂O₃ heterojunction photocatalyst was prepared via balling method. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is mainly attributed to the broad photoabsorption and low recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, which is driven by the photogenerated potential difference formed at the ZnCo₂O₄/Bi₂O₃ heterojunction interface.