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Sizing is a multi-element liquid system consisting of film former, coupling agent and other functional additives. In this article, Taguchi method with orthogonal array design was used to get an optimal formula of sizing for basalt fiber, and the role of film former in sizing was studied. The results showed film former promoted the sizing to spread on fiber surface, which increased the interaction area between the fiber and sizing. With the assistance of film former in sizing, a uniform layer was formed on fiber surface, which repaired the surface defect on basalt fiber with reduced stress concentration. The sizing with an appropriate concentration of film former had the capability to increase the tensile strength of a single filament with the best effect of forming a film on fiber surface.

Oil spill contamination occurs due to exploration activities in the deep sea and downstream activities such as oil transportation via pipelines, oil-tankers (marine and terrestrial), re-fineries, finished product storage, distribution, and retail distribution setup. Physico-chemical technologies are accessible for oil spill clean-up, but oil bioremediation technologies are proven to be more affordable and environmentally friendly. The aim of this book chapter is to give deeper knowledge about the bioremediation technology of oil spills. This chapter discusses the nature and composition of crude oil, bioremediation agents and strategies, bioremediation on different matrices (water, soil sludge), application strategy, and future prospect of bioremediation technology.

The most problematic issue related to textile wastewater is dyes. The occurrence of toxic and carcinogenic compounds in textile dyes creates aesthetic problems and affects the aquatic ecosystem. Dyestuff removal methods include physical, chemical, and biological-based technology. For a more environmentally friendly process that is low cost, produces less sludge, and needs a lesser amount of chemicals, biological treatment is preferable technology. To get maximum effectiveness and efficiency, integrations/ hybrids consisting of several technologies are commonly used. This chapter is dedicated to exploring the potential of biological technology to remove dyes from wastewater, especially dyes used in textile industries. This chapter briefly discusses dyes' characteristics, their utilization, and toxicity. Deeper reviews about the biodegradation potential of dyes are elaborated, along with a discussion about biodegradation mechanisms and reviews of either lab-scale or full-scale applications of biological-based technology for dyes treatment. Lastly, this chapter also gives future insight into the biological treatment of dyes.&nbsp

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are a new bio-electrochemical method for converting organic matter to hydrogen gas (H2). Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is hazardous wastewater that is mostly formed during the crude oil extraction process in the palm oil industry. In the present study, POME was used in the MEC system for hydrogen generation as a feasible treatment technology. To enhance biohydrogen generation from POME in the MEC, an empirical model was generated using response surface methodology (RSM). A central composite design (CCD) was utilized to perform twenty experimental runs of MEC given three important variables, namely incubation temperature, initial pH, and influent dilution rate. Experimental results from CCD showed that an average value of 1.16 m3 H2/m3 d for maximum hydrogen production rate (HPR) was produced. A second-order polynomial model was adjusted to the experimental results from CCD. The regression model showed that the quadratic term of all variables tested had a highly significant effect (P

In this study, the effect of interactions between tetraphenylethene derivatives and a polymer matrix on the stimuli-responsive property of polydimethylsiloxane-based composites was revealed.

Pharmaceutical wastewaters presently remain as one of the primary roots of environmental pollution. The current study mainly concentrated on removing cefazolin (CEZ) from pharmaceutical wastewater employing the electrocoagulation (EC) process using iron electrodes. The EC experimental conditions were achieved by using response surface methodology (RSM) with an efficiency of 85.65% under optimal working conditions of pH = 8.0, current density (16 mA/cm2), initial CEZ concentration (25 mg/L), and inter-electrode distance (d = 1.0 cm) at an equilibrium electrolysis time of 40 min. The experimental results obtained were in good agreement with the predicted CEZ removal efficiency of 86.7%. Besides, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the experimental model was best suited to a second-order polynomial equation, with an R2 value of 0.92. Moreover, the fisher's F-value of 13.67 and low probability value (p

To study the effects of dynamic precipitation and processing parameters on the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior of 2195 Al-Cu-Li alloy, the hot deformation process was investigated comprehensively with the temperature range of 300-500°C and strain rate range of 0.001-10 s-1. An Arrhenius-type constitutive equation and DRX kinetics model were established based on the corrected stress-strain data to unveil the relationship between processing parameters, flow stress and DRX behavior. The shape of flow curves was associated with the dynamic softening mechanism and the DRX softening fraction gradually increased with the decrease of Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z). Then, the microstructure evolution was further analyzed to elucidate the DRX mechanisms at various Z values. The primary softening mechanism was dynamic recovery (DRV). However, when temperature set between 300 and 400°C, T1 and cubic phases significantly impeded DRV and promoted the occurrence of discontinuous dynamically recrystallization (DDRX) by a strong pinning effect and considerable driving force. As Z value decreased, the recrystallization mechanism transformed from DDRX into continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) attributed to the higher mobility for dislocations. Due to the reduced stored energy and the hindrance of precipitates, grain boundaries were hard to migrate, making it difficult for DDRX grains to grow continuously.

The discharge of phosphorus from urban and industrial wastewater into water bodies causes eutrophication and algae blooms. What it seems essential is that treatment of such wastewater before its di...

The effect of microstructure evolution on the tensile properties of 2050 Al−Li alloy thick plate aged at 150 °C with 80 mm in thickness (t) was studied from a microstructural perspective. Scanning electron microscope, optical microscope, transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffractometer were used to explore the surface (t/6), interlayer (t/3) and center (t/2) thickness layer of this alloy. Results show that the secondary phases on grain boundaries, precipitates and textures vary depending on the thickness location. The precipitation strengthening has a stronger influence on the alloy along the rolling direction than the transverse direction from the under-aged to the peak-aging condition; however, its effect on the anisotropy is insignificant. The higher Taylor factor (M) value caused by stronger β fiber rolling textures and the intergranular phases is the main reason that leads to the highest strength at the t/2 position along the rolling direction. The M-value has a limited change at different thickness layers along the transverse direction, which causes the same tensile strength.

This paper presents a study of the influence of basalt rocks’ phase composition, acidity modulus, and structural parameter NBO/T on the tensile strength and elastic modulus of basalt continuous fibers (BCFs) derived from them. A series of BCF samples based on 14 different basalt deposits was obtained under equal conditions. The tensile strength and elastic modulus of the BCFs from different deposits vary in the ranges of 1495–3380 MPa and 58.2–78.7 GPa, respectively. Using the original method of quantitative phase analysis based on the Rietveld method, the phase compositions of the 14 deposits were defined. All deposits can be used to obtain BCFs. In the studied natural rocks, the main component is tectosilicates; the mass content of framework aluminosilicates is in the range of 16.5–3.3 mass percent. The second main component is inosilicates; the mass content of chain aluminosilicates is in the range of 6.0–58.0 mass percent. The correlations among phase composition, acidity modulus, ratio of non-bridging oxygens to tetrahedral cations, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of the BCFs from the 14 different basalt deposits were calculated. There were strong positive correlation between tectosilicate minerals mass content and elastic modulus [Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) of 0.7] and strong negative correlation between content of chain and layered aluminosilicates and elastic modulus (PCC of − 0.74).

A polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) sheet with novel three-dimensional (3-D) networks was prepared by a one-pot reaction of an organic silane terminated with a hexadecyl functionality at room temperature. The effects of experimental parameters on the morphology of PSQ were systematically investigated. It was found that the interconnected structure of the material was mainly dominated by the alkyl long chain in the silane. The mechanism behind the formation of this unique structure was proposed: the hydrolyzed silane collided with each other at first, then the hydrolyzate condensed to form aggregates, and finally the network structure was assembled under intermolecular driving forces among these aggregates with the balanced hydrogen bond interaction and hydrophobic effect of the alkyl chain in silane. The excellent hydrophobic properties of 3-D PSQ have made it a potential candidate for the treatment of oil spills, with a maximum adsorption capacity for crude oil of 6.8 ± 0.2 g g−1.

Membrane separation based on smart materials with responsive wettability has attracted great attention due to the excellent performance of controllable oil-water separation. Herein, responsive copolymer originated from N-isopropylacrylamide and 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate was synthesized and electrospun with polyacrylonitrile to fabricate smart composite membrane. The introduction of the responsive copolymer endowed the membrane with stimuli-responsive wettability to pH and temperature. Specifically, at the initial state, water was selectively blocked while oil passed through the membrane. After treatment with acidic water or CO

Objectives Subbranches of Y-chromosome haplogroup C2a-L1373 are founding paternal lineages in northern Asia and Native American populations. Our objective was to investigate C2a-L1373 differentiation in northern Asia and its implications for Native American origins. Materials and methods Sequences of rare subbranches (n = 43) and ancient individuals (n = 37) of C2a-L1373 (including P39 and MPB373), were used to construct phylogenetic trees with age estimation by BEAST software. Results C2a-L1373 expanded rapidly approximately 17.7,000-14.3,000 years ago (kya) after the last glacial maximum (LGM), generating numerous sublineages which became founding paternal lineages of modern northern Asian and Native American populations (C2a-P39 and C2a-MPB373). The divergence pattern supports possible initiation of differentiation in low latitude regions of northern Asia and northward diffusion after the LGM. There is a substantial gap between the divergence times of C2a-MPB373 (approximately 22.4 or 17.7 kya) and C2a-P39 (approximately 14.3 kya), indicating two possible migration waves. Discussion We discussed the decreasing time interval of "Beringian standstill" (2.5 ky or smaller) and its reduced significance. We also discussed the multiple possibilities for the peopling of the Americas: the "Long-term Beringian standstill model," the "Short-term Beringian standstill model," and the "Multiple waves of migration model." Our results support the argument from ancient DNA analyses that the direct ancestor group of Native Americans is an admixture of "Ancient Northern Siberians" and Paleolithic communities from the Amur region, which appeared during the post-LGM era, rather than ancient populations in greater Beringia, or an adjacent region, before the LGM.

This paper reported the preparation of a hierarchical structure consisting of micro-scale basalt fiber fabric and nano-scale carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The developed fabric was employed as reinforcement to develop nanocomposites with multi-layer structures for electromagnetic interference shielding. Different techniques were employed to study the morphologies and properties of the fabric and corresponding nanocomposites. The results showed that by optimizing the experimental conditions, CNTs with controlled content and quality were grown on the surface of basalt fiber. These properties significantly affected the electromagnetic interference shielding performance of corresponding nanocomposites. The novelty of this study lies in the direct growth of nanotubes on basalt fiber by utilizing the in-situ generated mineral nanoparticles on fiber surface as a catalyst, and a spontaneous infusion of uncured polymer into the fabric, which eliminates the problems associated with the dispersion and re-agglomeration of CNTs during the preparation of nanocomposites.

Sizing, a liquid mixture consisting of film former, coupling agent, antistatic and lubricant agents, is normally applied onto the surface of basalt fiber (BF) immediately after the filament was dra...

Human Y-chromosome haplogroup C2b-F1067 is one of the dominant paternal lineages of populations in Eastern Eurasia. In order to explore the origin, diversification, and expansion of this haplogroup, we generated 206 new Y-chromosome sequences from C2b-F1067 males and coanalyzed 220 Y-chromosome sequences of this haplogroup. BEAST software was used to reconstruct a revised phylogenetic tree of haplogroup C2b-F1067 with age estimates. The revised phylogeny of C2b-F1067 included 155 sublineages, 1986 non-private variants, and >6000 private variants. The age estimation suggested that the initial splitting of C2b-F1067 happened at about 32.8 thousand years ago (kya) and the major sublineages of this haplgroup experienced continuous expansion in the most recent 10,000 years. We identified numerous sublineages that were nearly specific for Korean, Mongolian, Chinese, and other ethnic minorities in China. In particular, we evaluated the candidate-specific lineage for the Dayan Khan family and the Confucius family, the descendants of the ruling family of the Chinese Shang dynasty. These findings suggest that ancient populations with varied C2b-F1067 sublineages played an important role during the formation of most modern populations in Eastern Eurasia, and thus eventually became the founding paternal lineages of these populations.

The microstructure evolution and the corrosion feature of Al–xCu–yLi–Mg alloys (x:y = 0.44, 1.65 and 4.2) were systematically investigated under the same artificial aging conditions. The relationships between types of precipitates and mechanical performance, as well as electrochemical behaviors, were discussed. Our results show that different types of precipitates can be obtained in alloys with different Cu/Li mass ratios, which significantly influences the mechanical performance of the alloys and substantial corrosion behaviors. Specifically, the analogous corrosion evolution in the aging Al–xCu–yLi–Mg alloys was first ascertained to be derived from the growth mechanism of the precipitates at the grain boundary (GB). Moreover, a small number of GB precipitates can be obtained in the aged alloy with the lowest Cu/Li mass ratio, thereby resulting in the largest intergranular corrosion resistance. A higher proportion of the GB T1 phase in the continuous precipitates induces higher corrosion sensitivity in alloy with a high Cu/Li mass ratio.

In the past decade, flexible physical sensors have attracted great attention due to their wide applications in many emerging areas including health-monitoring, human-machine interfaces, smart robots, and entertainment. However, conventional sensors are typically designed to respond to a specific stimulus or a deformation along only one single axis, while directional tracking and accurate monitoring of complex multi-axis stimuli is more critical in practical applications. Multidimensional sensors with distinguishable signals for simultaneous detection of complex postures and movements in multiple directions are highly demanded for the development of wearable electronics. Recently, many efforts have been devoted to the design and fabrication of multidimensional sensors that are capable of distinguishing stimuli from different directions accurately. Benefiting from their unique decoupling mechanisms, anisotropic architectures have been proved to be promising structures for multidimensional sensing. This review summarizes the present state and advances of the design and preparation strategies for fabricating multidimensional sensors based on anisotropic conducting networks. The fabrication strategies of different anisotropic structures, the working mechanism of various types of multidimensional sensing and their corresponding unique applications are presented and discussed. The potential challenges faced by multidimensional sensors are revealed to provide an insightful outlook for the future development.

In this work, we propose a novel protocol for cyclic controlled remote state preparation (CCRSP) with single-qutrit equatorial states. In this protocol, three distant parties, Alleyn, Breden and Carden, are not only senders but also receivers. Alleyn wants to remotely prepare a single-qutrit equatorial state at Breden’s site, while at the same time, Breden (Carden) wishes to help Carden (Alleyn) remotely preparing another single-qutrit equatorial state. It is shown that, only if the three senders and the controller collaborate with each other, the CCRSP can be completed. To present this protocol more clearly, only maximally entangled channel is considered.

Materials with controlled surface properties show great potential for various applications. In this paper, we reported a method to prepare a superhydrophilic fabric consisting of basalt fibre (BF) and konjac glucomannan (KGM). Different techniques were employed to study the morphology and surface information of the developed materials. The results showed that the KGM was deacetylated to form a hydrogel when processed in an alkali condition, and the excellent film-forming performance of the hydrogel led to the formation of a coating layer on BF fabric. The coating endowed the developed fabric with enhanced mechanical performance and superhydrophilicity in air condition. Interestingly, the material, subjected to a water condition, exhibited a stable superoleophobicity as confirmed by the extremely low adhesion to oil and remarkable resistance to the corrosive liquids, thus holding the promise to be a suitable candidate for separating various oil-water mixtures.