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There are many reports indicating that biochar can promote growth; however, its mechanism of action remains unclear. The aim of this study was to show that organic molecules from biochar-extracted liquor affect the growth of rice seedlings. In this study, rice seedlings were cultured under water. Agronomic traits and growth-related genes and proteins were used as markers to describe more precisely the effects of biochar on specific growth parameters of rice seedlings. Our results demonstrated that the 3% biochar-extracted liquor amendment clearly promoted growth. The growth-related gene auxin binding protein 1 and its encoded protein were up-regulated. Molecular simulations revealed that 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran from biochar-extracted liquor could interact with auxin binding protein 1 in a similar way to indoleacetic acid binding. The growth of rice seedlings was therefore affected by biochar-extracted liquor, which acted on the ABP1 signalling pathway.

This study investigated the corrosion resistance of graphene/waterborne epoxy composite coatings in CO 2 -satarated NaCl solution. The coatings were prepared by dispersing graphene in waterborne epoxy with the addition of carboxymethylcellulose sodium. The structure and composition of the coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies. The corrosion resistance of the composite coatings was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Composite coatings with more uniform surfaces and far fewer defects than blank waterborne epoxy coatings were obtained on 1020 steel. The 0.5 wt% graphene/waterborne epoxy composite coating exhibited a much lower corrosion rate and provided better water resistance properties and long-term protection than those of the blank epoxy coating in CO 2 -satarated NaCl solution.

The corrosion of mild carbon steel in a H2S aqueous environment without corrosion product layers is predicted using the computational fluid dynamics method. The Abe–Kondoh–Nagano low-Reynolds-numbe...

The present study focuses on the decomposition behavior of biochar. The beta-d-glucoside was investigated as cellulose unit modeled compound by Py-GC/MS for fast pyrolysis. The results indicated that the main products consisted of acids, aldehydes, alcoholic hydroxyls, esters and ethers. The content of functional groups was changed with residence time and temperature but the distribution of beta-d-glucoside pyrolysis products did not vary.

Long-distance transmission pipelines with 3PE coating undergo a two-stage failure process, including the damage process of three-layer polyethylene coating and the failure process of metal pipelines. The two stages are random and independent of each other. A reliability model of transmission pipelines under periodic inspection is presented with the assumptions of delay-time concepts. Functions of maximum likelihood estimations and the goodness of model fit are given. The effect of the inspection interval on reliability is investigated. A case study of Xinqin natural gas transmission pipelines is presented. Data of the pitting depth are obtained at 43 excavation locations. Best estimations of distribution parameters are obtained in a genetic algorithm search. Results show that the average time of coating damage is around 1.04 years. The failure probability of a pipe segment after 36 years’ operation is 1.1E−3 if no inspections are carried out. The failure probability is around 5.5 times the failure probability of a pipe segment with a 6-year periodic inspection. The sensitivity of variance of distribution parameters to failure probability is presented.

A laboratory scale biofilter was operated with synthetic wastewater to study the mechanism of organic removal in high-loading wastewater treatment. A reactor consists of 4 short stages was used with a total working volume 8.0l. The process was operated at 25°C with organic loading rate of 4.1-12.3 kgBOD·m-3·d-1, and dissolved oxygen concentration was about 3 mg·l-1. With the result that 97% organics substrates was removed, MLSS was found being a low value about 950-1,830mg·l-1 in average, slightly lower than that as in conventional activated sludge processes, and SRT was 0.75 day with a responsive higher gross yield coefficient of 58%. By the organic degradation rate tests, the microorganisms showed a greater activity. As the conclusion, it was proposed that it is the greater activity microorganisms being always maintained in the reactor, resulted from the frequent back washings, that made the high-loading wastewater treatment possible in biofilter.