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Abstract The study empirically examines the impact of firm digital transformation (DT) on the performance of Chinese-listed enterprises in the areas of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) from 2013 to 2022. We utilized OLS, IV 2SLS causal mediating effect, and moderating effect models to analyze the linkages and deep mechanisms between corporate DT and ESG performance. The empirical findings demonstrate that (i) DT has an effectively positive effect on the performance of firms’ ESG; (ii) DT enhances firms’ ESG performance by enhancing information transparency (TRANS), fostering green innovation (Green), and strengthening internal control (Inter) mechanisms; moreover, (iii) According to the study, common institutional ownership (CIO) effectively facilitates the positive effects of the DT impact on the ESG performance of listed enterprises, and firms’ subjective perception of economic policy uncertainty (SEPU) negatively influences the effect of digital change on firms’ ESG performance; (iv) the impact of DT on ESG performance is more significant in the listed companies of western region and state-owned enterprises. Our findings provide valuable insights into whether and how DT affects the firms’ ESG performance, providing practical recommendations for corporate managers and government decision-making agencies.

In an era marked by the expansion of the Internet economy and the intensification of environmental concerns, the convergence of digital finance and green finance has emerged as a significant global trend. China’s Alipay Ant Forest, an innovative green financial product, has successfully quantified carbon emission reductions resulting from users’ green consumption patterns, establishing the first carbon account-based green financial product and pioneering an innovative “green finance plus gamification” model. However, the academic literature has not fully explained the underlying mechanisms that drive consumer engagement with such green financial products. This study, motivated by the academic question of what factors influence consumers’ willingness to use green financial products, employs Ant Forest as a case study and develops a novel structural equation model based on self-determination theory, customer-perceived value, and the technology acceptance model. The model incorporates user type as a control variable and considers autonomy, gamification, and bonuses as key independent variables, with customer-perceived value serving as a mediating variable. Data collection involved 606 participants, enabling a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing users’ willingness to engage with green financial products. The findings support the proposed hypothesis, identifying several significant predictors of users’ willingness to use green financial products, with the exception of age. This study advances the theoretical understanding of consumer behavior towards green financial products by integrating self-determination theory, customer-perceived value, and the technology acceptance model, while also offering practical insights for marketing strategies. It explores the interface between digital finance, environmental sustainability, and consumer behavior, highlighting opportunities for financial institutions to leverage Internet applications to promote green financial services and enhance their marketing approaches to influence consumer adoption.

Abstract The thermal properties of the two novel 2D carbon allotropes with five-five-eight-membered rings are explored using molecular dynamics simulations. Our results reveal that the thermal conductivity increases monotonically with increasing size. The thermal conductivities of infinite sizes are obtained by linear relationships of the inverse length and inverse thermal conductivity. The converged thermal conductivity obtained by extrapolation in the reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics method is found to be in reasonable agreement with that in the equilibrium molecular dynamics method. The much lower thermal conductivity, compared with graphene, is attributed to the lower phonon group velocity and phonon mean free path. Temperature and strain effects on thermal conductivity are also explored. The thermal conductivity decreases with increasing temperature and it can also be tuned through strain engineering in a large range. The effect of strain on TC is well explained by spectra analysis of phonon vibration. This study provides physical insight into thermal properties of the two carbon allotropes under different conditions and offers design guidelines for applications of novel two-dimensional carbon allotropes related devices.

Currently, most of the x-ray spectral detectors can extract signals in a set number of energy bins, that inevitably reduces the dynamic range and energy resolution of the imaging system. Inspired by the idea of dynamic thresholding, we previously proposed a pixel architecture and an energy-resolving method for layered edge-on detector. However, the complicated energy exchange mechanism of x-rays in the detector that ultimately affects the practical applications of the layered detectors had not been previously considered. In this study, we modify the energy-depositing model of x-ray photons and propose a reconfigurable energy-resolving method to improve the spectral performance of a layered energy integrating detector. We analyze the errors associated with the energy-resolving process and present our numerical simulation results obtained with energy bins and dynamically changed detection layers to demonstrate the utility and reliability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]