Characterization and electrochemical properties of submicro-sized orthorhombic V2C for Li-ion storage

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Submicro-sized vanadium carbide (V2C) with orthorhombic structure prepared by the molten salt disproportionation method was firstly applied as an anode in...     

Validity and reliability of two standard test devices in assessing mechanical properties of different sport surfaces

The Artificial Athlete (AA) and the Advanced Artificial Athlete (AAA) devices are the two key test methods for the assessment of shock absorption (SA) and vertical deformation (VD) of sports surfaces. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between them. Laboratory tests were carried out in accordance with international regulations and standards on 50 athletics tracks and 44 artificial turf systems using both test methods. No significant differences between methods were observed. Measurements with the AA and the AAA were compared using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), showing acceptable to excellent inter-method reliability (ICC ranged from 0.47 to 0.91). The Bland-Altman test revealed an overall SA overestimation and VD underestimation with the AAA. Linear regression analysis was performed, obtaining excellent agreement between test methods for the assessment of SA (R² = 0.994) and VD (R² = 0.985). It is concluded that, by applying Equations (1) and (2) in this study, the AA and the AAA could be used interchangeably when assessing SA and VD on athletics tracks and artificial turf surfaces.     

Use of water in aiding olefin/paraffin (liquid + liquid) extraction via complexation with a silver bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide salt

This paper describes the extraction of C₅–C₈ linear α-olefins from olefin/paraffin mixtures of the same carbon number via a reversible complexation with a silver salt (silver bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, Ag[Tf₂N]) to form room temperature ionic liquids [Ag(olefin)_x][Tf₂N]. From the experimental (liquid + liquid) equilibrium data for the olefin/paraffin mixtures and Ag[Tf₂N], 1-pentene showed the best separation performance while C₇ and C₈ olefins could only be separated from the corresponding mixtures on addition of water which also improves the selectivity at lower carbon numbers like the C₅ and C₆, for example. Using infrared and Raman spectroscopy of the complex and Ag[Tf₂N] saturated by olefin, the mechanism of the extraction was found to be based on both chemical complexation and the physical solubility of the olefin in the ionic liquid ([Ag(olefin)_x][Tf₂N]). These experiments further support the use of such extraction techniques for the separation of olefins from paraffins.     

High uniform illumination of light-emitting diodes lighting with applying the multiple-curvature lens

Light-emitting-diode (LED) sources will play a very important role in the future. Nowadays, there are many traditional light sources gradually being replaced by LED sources. From the viewpoint of illumination, different environments have the same requirement uniformity of illumination. The basic reason for this is to insure human comfort. Therefore, the promotion of illumination uniformity is an especially important key issue. In this article, we propose one effective design to improve the uniformity of illumination of LEDs with Lambertian radiation profiles by inserting into the lighting system, multiple-curvature lens. The enhanced illumination uniformity of LEDs, in this system, is due to energy redistribution by controlling the direction of incident light, using geometrical optics theory. Ray tracing was applied for the simulations required. Finally, the uniformity of illumination is 76.17% in LEDs using multiple-curvature lens, which is twice the uniformity of conventional LEDs. Furthermore, the phenomenon of overload in the multiple-curvature lens is reduced by increasing the numbers of rings on the lens. The overload is less than 0.02 lm in the case of lens designed with 23 rings.     

Solution of Smoluchowski coagulation equation for Brownian motion with TEMOM

The particle number density in the Smoluchowski coagulation equation usually cannot be solved as a whole, and it can be decomposed into the following two functions by similarity transformation: one is a function of time (the particle k-th moments), and the other is a function of dimensionless volume (self-preserving size distribution). In this paper, a simple iterative direct numerical simulation (iDNS) is proposed to obtain the similarity solution of the Smoluchowski coagulation equation for Brownian motion from the asymptotic solution of the k-th order moment, which has been solved with the Taylor-series expansion method of moment (TEMOM) in our previous work. The convergence and accuracy of the numerical method are first verified by comparison with previous results about Brownian coagulation in the literature, and then the method is extended to the field of Brownian agglomeration over the entire size range. The results show that the difference between the lognormal function and the self-preserving size distribution is significant. Moreover, the thermodynamic constraint of the algebraic mean volume is also investigated. In short, the asymptotic solution of the TEMOM and the self-preserving size distribution form a one-to-one mapping relationship; thus, a complete method to solve the Smoluchowski coagulation equation asymptotically is established.     

Ferrate(VI) and ferrate(V) oxidation of cyanide,thiocyanate, and copper(I) cyanide

Cyanide (CN⁻), thiocyanate (SCN⁻), and copper(I) cyanide (Cu(CN)₄³⁻) are common constituents in the wastes of many industrial processes such as metal finishing and gold mining, and their treatment is required before the safe discharge of effluent. The oxidation of CN⁻, SCN⁻, and Cu(CN)₄³⁻ by ferrate(VI) (Fe^VIO₄²⁻; Fe(VI)) and ferrate(V) (Fe^VO₄³⁻; Fe(V)) has been studied using stopped-flow and premix pulse radiolysis techniques. The rate laws for the oxidation of cyanides were found to be first-order with respect to each reactant. The second-order rate constants decreased with increasing pH because the deprotonated species, FeO₄²⁻, is less reactive than the protonated Fe(VI) species, HFeO₄⁻. Cyanides react 10³–10⁵ times faster with Fe(V) than with Fe(VI). The Fe(V) reaction with CN⁻ proceeds by sequential one-electron reductions from Fe(V) to Fe(IV) to Fe(III). However, a two-electron transfer process from Fe(V) to Fe(III) occurs in the reaction of Fe(V) with SCN⁻ and Cu(CN)₄³⁻. The toxic CN⁻ species of cyanide wastes is converted into relatively non-toxic cyanate (NCO⁻). Results indicate that Fe(VI) is highly efficient in removing cyanides from electroplating rinse water and gold mill effluent.     

Theory and method for updating least-squares finite element model of symmetric generalized centro-symmetric matrices

Let X,F$X,F$ be a displacement matrix and load matrix, respectively. C (obtained by calculations or measurements) is an estimate matrix of the analytical model. A method is presented for correction of the model C, based on the theory of inverse problem of matrices. The corrected model is symmetric generalized centro-symmetric with specified displacements and loads, satisfying the mechanics characters of finite-element model. The application of the method is illustrated. It is more important that a perturbation analysis is given, which is not given in the earlier papers. Numerical results show that the method is feasible and effective.     

A trans-ortho asymmetrically di-strapped metalloporphyrin integrating three key structural features of ligand in heme

Heme responsible for the dioxygen fixation, transport and conversion is a metalloporphyrin complex highly dependent on its diverse geometry of ligand. In this work, a trans-ortho-di-strapped zinc porphyrin with dome-like deformation was synthesized by thermodynamically controlling the formation of trans-precursor of porphyrinogen. Its single-crystal structure demonstrated that the asymmetric treatment of porphyrin achieves three goals of creating two secondary coordination sphere (SCS) bulks, maintaining a unique dome deformation, and making atomic out-of-plane deviation. In this way, this metallic complex integrates at least three key features of the pocket structure, the differentiated axial ligations, and the ring distortion, making it an ideal heme analog.     

Targeting self-enhanced ROS-responsive artesunatum prodrug nanoassembly potentiates gemcitabine activity by down-regulating CDA expression in cervical cancer

Prodrug self-delivery carriers with targeting that specifically responded to tumor microenvironments have good potential to improve the application dilemma of approved clinical therapeutic drugs (systemic distribution and side effects). It's noted the conversion of gemcitabine (GEM) to inactive ingredients under the action of cytidine deaminase (CDA) during metabolism in vivo limits its clinical effect. A high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) results in a high level of oxidative stress in tumor cells, which changes the expression of CDA and optimizes the metabolism of GEM in vivo and overcome drug resistance. In this study, the ROS responsive and ROS self-supplied prodrug of artemisia (ART)-thioacetal bond (TK)-GEM was synthesized and self-vectors based on ART-TK-GEM (TK@FA NPs) was prepared by using nano precipitation. ROS responsive characteristics ensure specific release of prodrugs in tumor cells with high level of ROS thereby reducing side effects on normal cells and tissues. The endogenous ROS and newly generated ROS by ART can reduce the expression of CDA and optimizes the metabolism of GEM, and the accumulated ROS can also induce apoptosis of tumor cells, realizing synergistic anti-tumor effect of chemical drugs and traditional Chinese medicines. This paper proposes a simple method by using clinically approved drugs to improve the insufficient effect of existing chemotherapy and overcome resistance, which has potential to appropriately shorten the drug development cycle and accelerate the clinical investigation of drugs.