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With the rapid increase in resident space objects (RSO), there is a growing demand for their identification and characterization to advance space simulation awareness (SSA) programs. Various AI-based technologies are proposed and demonstrated around the world to effectively and efficiently identify RSOs from ground and space-based observations; however, there remains a challenge in AI training due to the lack of labeled datasets for accurate RSO detection. In this paper, we present an overview of the starfield simulator to generate a realistic representation of images from space-borne imagers. In particular, we focus on low-resolution images such as those taken with a commercial-grade star tracker that contains various RSO in starfield images. The accuracy and computational efficiency of the simulator are compared to the commercial simulator, namely STK-EOIR to demonstrate the performance of the simulator. In comparing over 1000 images from the Fast Auroral Imager (FAI) onboard CASSIOPE satellite, the current simulator generates both stars and RSOs with approximately the same accuracy (compared to the real images) as STK-EOIR and, an order of magnitude faster in computational speed by leveraging parallel processing methodologies.

Fire-retardant chitosan/sodium phytate/MgO nanoparticle (CH/SP/nano-MgO) coatings were loaded on a wood substrate via electrostatic layer-by-layer self-assembly and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry. The flammability and thermal degradation of the original wood and wood samples treated with chitosan, chitosan/sodium phytate, chitosan/sodium phytate/MgO nanoparticles were studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), exposure combustion experiments and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The CH/SP/nano-MgO coating served as an intumescent fire-retardant system that created a physical protection cover and exhibited the best fire retardant performance. The LOI value was 30.2% and required approximately 16–17 s to self-extinguish when exposed to air. The TGA curves also showed that char formation protected the wood from combustion.

Composite coatings of inorganic nanomaterials with polyelectrolytes are promising materials for wood modification. Endowing wood with flame retardancy behavior can not only broaden the range of applications of wood, but also improve the safety of wood products. In this work, chitosan/sodium phytate/TiO2-ZnO nanoparticle (CH/SP/nano-TiO2-ZnO) composite coatings were coated on wood surface through layer-by-layer self-assembly. The morphology and chemical composition of the modified wood samples were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry. The thermal degradation properties and flame retardancy of the samples treated with different assembly structures were observed by thermogravimetric analysis, limiting oxygen test, and combustion test. Due to the presence of an effective intumescent flame retardant system and a physical barrier, the CH/SP/nano-TiO2-ZnO coatings exhibited the best flame retardant performance and required only approximately six seconds for self-extinguishing. The coated samples had a limiting oxygen index of 8.4% greater than the original wood.

Magnetic wood would have potential uses in electromagnetic shielding and electromagnetic wave absorption. In this paper, magnetic coatings on a wood surface were synthesized using a layer-by-layer self-assembly method. As the cationic polyelectrolyte carrier, natural macromolecular chitosan was pre-immobilized on a wood surface first, followed by the alternate adsorption of anionic polyelectrolyte sodium phytate and positively-charged Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The concentration of pH-controlled chitosan solution, sodium phytate solution, and Fe3O4 nanoparticle suspension, soaking time, and the number of alternating sedimentary layers varied. The morphology and crystal structure of the Fe3O4 modified wood samples were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The magnetic hysteresis loops showed that the modified wood had magnetic properties which were improved as the number of assembled layers increased.

In this study, low-temperature alkali-modified fly ash and polymeric aluminum chloride(PAC) for the removal of total phosphorus, COD and ammonia nitrogen, from wastewater was systematacially investigated. The removal rate of ammonia nitrogen was 81.10%, and the removal rates of phosphorus and COD were 90.21% and 55.48%, respectively., when a dosage of the alkali-modified fly ash was 5g/L, the amount of PAC was 50mg/L, and the mixing time was 39min. In comparison with raw fly ash, the removal rate of ammonia nitrogen is 80.16% higher than that of the original fly ash, and the removal rate of total phosphorus is 35.48% higher. Fly ash with improved surface can be used as an alternative adsorbent to flocculate and precipitate in cooperation with polymeric aluminum chloride, which can be applied to the treatment of total phosphorus, COD and ammonia nitrogen in the sewage. This study provides a theoretical basis for the coagulation adsorption method and realizes the utilization of fly ash.

A transparent and protective multilayer coating composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), poly(styrene sulfonic acid) sodium salt (PSS), and nano-TiO2 films was fabricated on wood surfaces by layer-by-layer assembly method. The coating was formed through pre-immobilization of cationic PAH layer on wood substrate, followed by alternate soaking cycles in pH-controlled anionic PSS solution and TiO2 colloidal solution. The structure and properties of the assembled coating were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse X-ray analysis (EDXA), UV reflection and absorption, colorimetry, and contact angle (CA) measurement. Results revealed that the coverage uniformity and thickness were improved with increasing number of PSS/TiO2 bilayers. The coating masked the cell wall ultrastructure while leaving the microscale features intact. The anatase TiO2 in the assembled coating enhanced the UV stability of wood and resulted in a lowered photochromism. Furthermore, the photocatalytic capability of the nano-TiO2 films in degrading dyes of rhodamine B and methylene blue was verified. The nano-TiO2 film on the top surface of the coating embodied a superhydrophilicity, showing self-cleaning and anti-fog capabilities. Stearic acid modification altered the superhydrophilicity to hydrophobicity with CA of 140°.

ZnO nanorod array coatings were successfully synthesized on wood surfaces using a conventional hydrothermal (CHT) and a microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MWHT) method. The reaction time of the MWHT method at high temperature was only 1/12th that of the CHT method. The MWHT-ZnO nanorods exhibited better crystallinity than those produced by the CHT method. The ZnO nanorod had a wurtzite crystal structure oriented along the c-axis. The MWHT nanorods with their higher (002)/(101) ratio were more conducive and improved the orientation degree of the ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images showed that the MWHT-ZnO nanorods had smaller diameters and narrower size distributions than those produced by the CHT method. However, both methods formed well-aligned array coatings that covered the wood surfaces, and the two coatings had similar UV protecting effects and inhibited discoloration.

Aluminum hydroxide [Al(OH)3] film on wood substrate has been synthesized by means of the hydrothermal (HT) method for improvement of wood’s mechanical properties and resistance to combustion. The HT temperature was set to 100°C and 120°C, and the reaction time varied from 4 h to 10 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) results show that the thin film grown on wood surface was amorphous Al(OH)3 and the relative crystallinity of treated woods slightly improved. SEM observation revealed that the Al(OH)3 film is composed of regular micro/nano-sized spheres, whose production and size increase with the reaction time, and some AlO(OH) structures emerged at 120°C with reaction times longer than 6 h. The storage modulus of the wood treated at 100°C and 120°C for 8 h can be improved by 30%, while the viscoelastic properties are also influenced by the HT treatment and Al(OH)3 coating. The limiting oxygen index of raw wood rose from 24.7% to 27.9% after the treatment, which can be interpreted as a moderate improvement of the fire resistance.

A good nanocrystal covering layer on wood can serve as a protective coating and present some new surface properties. In this study, well-aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) arrays were successfully grown on wood surface through a two-step bottom-up growth process. The process involved pre-sow seeds and subsequently their growing into NRs under hydrothermal environment. The interface incorporation between wood and ZnO colloid particles in the precursor solution during the seeding process was analyzed and demonstrated through a schematic. The growth process of forming well-aligned ZnO NRs was analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, which showed that the NRs elongated with increased reaction time. The effects of ZnO crystal form and capping agent on the growth process were studied through different viewpoints.

In special applications, such as hospitals and rehabilitation centers, hygienic wood surface with antimicrobial performance is recommendable. In the present study, the antimicrobial property of wood was increased by grafting with 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). The reaction proceeds via radical polymerization, and analysis via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the successful grafting of DMAEMA to wood. The tertiary amino groups of the immobilized P(DMAEMA) were then quaternized by an alkyl halide, and the quaternary ammonium groups at the surface in high concentration proved to be antibacterial. The test against Escherichia coli by means of the optical density method revealed that the bactericidal effect of the modified surface is higher than that of wood and the monomeric precursors of grafting.

In this work, wood materials with UV-resistant ability were successfully fabricated by depositing submicrometer-sized rutile TiO2 spheres on wood surface using a facile and one-pot hydrothermal method. The prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transformation infrared (ATR-FTIR) techniques. ATR-FTIR spectra demonstrated that chemical bonds were formed at the interfaces between rutile TiO2 and wood owing to the presence of hydroxyl groups. Accelerated aging was used to measure the UV resistance of the original wood (OW), anatase TiO2/wood (ATW) and rutile TiO2/wood (RTW). Comparison with OW and ATW samples, RTW exhibited more UV-resistant ability due to high UV light absorption capability, superior light scattering property and high recombination of the photogenerated electron and hole of the submicrometer-sized rutile TiO2 spheres on the wood surface.

Natural wood surface is hydrophilic and can easily absorb moisture. Inorganic nanometer-scale metal oxides can be controlled and fabricated on wood surface to serve as a protective coating. In the present study, a superhydrophobic surface consisting of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array was successfully attached on wood via a cosolvent hydrothermal method at low temperature. By means of X-ray diffraction pattern and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the presence of the hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO was detected and characterized. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy showed uniform, large-scale rod-like ZnO crystal whiskers on the wood surface. The wettability of the wood surface after treatment became superhydrophobic, with a water contact angle of 153°. The prepared coating also showed an anti-contamination effect against milk, cola, soya sauces and coffee.

To convert the hydrophilic surface of wood into a hydrophobic surface, the present study investigated activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) as a method of grafting methyl methacrylate (MMA) onto the wood surface. The wood treated with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide and with the subsequently attached MMA via ARGET ATRP under different polymerization times (2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h) were examined using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. All the analyses confirmed that PMMA had been grafted onto the wood surface. Water contact angle measurement proved that the covering layer of PMMA on wood made the surface hydrophobic. Polymerization time had a positive influence on the contact angle value and higher contact angle can be produced with the prolongation of the polymerization time. When the reaction time was extended to 8 h, the contact angle of treated wood surface reached 130° in the beginning, and remained at 116° after 60 s. The ARGET ATRP method may raise an alteration on the wood surface modification.