Magnetic properties of a soft magnetic elastomer based on antioxidant magnetic composite particles and a water-soluble polymer matrix.

A soft magnetic elastomer, called a magnetorheological elastomer (MRE), based on a polyacrylamide (PAM) modified carbonyl iron particle (P-CIP) composite and a water-soluble PAM matrix was designed and prepared by the chemical polymerization and crosslinking method. P-CIPs were synthesized by the polymerization of an acrylamide monomer on the CIP surface to improve the oxidation resistance of CIPs and the interaction between the particles and polymer matrix in the MRE. The results obtained from infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) (in a nitrogen atmosphere) show that the coating effect of the polymer on the particle surface is very good. TGA (in an air atmosphere) curves indicate that the P-CIPs show strong oxidation resistance. Meanwhile, the test results obtained for the magnetic properties show that the MRE with P-CIPs has a saturation magnetization (94.7 emu g-1), a relative magnetorheological effect (687.5%), and a Payne effect factor (92%) under the action of a strong magnetic field (1 T). It was also clearly found that these properties are enhanced with increasing magnetic field intensity. Furthermore, the chain effect of magnetic particles under a magnetic field, the strong particle-matrix interaction and its breakdown process with increasing shear strain were discussed in this work.

A Polymer Acceptor with Grafted Small Molecule Acceptor Unit for Efficient All Polymer Organic Solar Cells.

A polymer acceptor, named PX-1, is  designed and synthesized using a polymerization strategy with grafted small molecule acceptors. This design approach allows for the freedom of end groups while maintaining efficient terminal packing, enhancing π-π interactions, and facilitating charge transport. All-polymer organic solar cells based on PM6: PX-1 demonstrate a promising efficiency of 13.55%. The result presents an alternative pathway for the design of high-efficiency polymer acceptors through the careful regulation of small molecule acceptor monomers and linker units.

Insight into 6π Electrocyclic Reactions of 1,8-Dioxatetraene.

A variety of benzofuranone-based spiroisochromenes were originally designed and synthesized to gain insight into the oxa-6π electrocyclic reaction of cis,cis-1,8-dioxatetraene for the first time. The stability of the 1,8-dioxatetraene intermediate is governed by its steric congestion and can be fine-tuned through modification of the backbone structure, leading to the reactivity differences in the 6π electrocyclic reaction and the emergence of photochromic properties.

Photocatalytic degradation of cooking fume on a TiO2-coated carbon nanotubes composite filter.

A TiO2/MWCNTs/Al2O3/NF (TiO2 nanoparticles/multi-walled carbon nanotubes /Al2O3-modified nickel foams) composite filter was prepared through grown of MWCNTs upon Al2O3-modified nickel foams using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and then coated TiO2 nanoparticles onto MWCNTs using dip-coating method. The MWCNTs forms a network-like structure on the surface layer of composite filter. The BET surface area of TiO2/MWCNTs/Al2O3/NF composite filter is more than 375 times higher than that of the pristine nickel foam. The degradation performance of oil particles was evaluated. Under optimized reaction conditions, 90% of the oleic acid on the filter was decomposed after 25 h. In addition, the effect of reaction temperature and light intensity were studied. Increased reaction temperature and light intensity were found to significantly improve the degradation rate and restrain the formation of refractory product. Furthermore, a parallel reaction kinetic model was adopted for degradation of oleic acid on the composite filter. The composite filter can reduces the accumulation of oil particles on the filter and the energy consumption of the filter. This approach proposes a new way to treat the cooking fume emission at residential building roofs.

Experimental Study on the Stability of a Novel Nanocomposite-Enhanced Viscoelastic Surfactant Solution as a Fracturing Fluid under Unconventional Reservoir Stimulation.

Fe3O4@ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized to improve the stability of the wormlike micelle (WLM) network structure of viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fracturing fluid and were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Then, an NC-enhanced viscoelastic surfactant solution as a fracturing fluid (NC-VES) was prepared, and its properties, including settlement stability, interactions between NCs and WLMs, proppant-transporting performance and gel-breaking properties, were systematically studied. More importantly, the influences of the NC concentration, shear rate, temperature and pH level on the stability of NC-VES were systematically investigated. The experimental results show that the NC-VES with a suitable content of NCs (0.1 wt.%) shows superior stability at 95 °C or at a high shear rate. Meanwhile, the NC-VES has an acceptable wide pH stability range of 6-9. In addition, the NC-VES possesses good sand-carrying performance and gel-breaking properties, while the NCs can be easily separated and recycled by applying a magnetic field. The temperature-resistant, stable and environmentally friendly fracturing fluid opens an opportunity for the future hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoirs.

Experimental Study on the Drag Reduction Performance of Clear Fracturing Fluid Using Wormlike Surfactant Micelles and Magnetic Nanoparticles under a Magnetic Field.

This paper examines a new study on the synergistic effect of magnetic nanoparticles and wormlike micelles (WLMs) on drag reduction. Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (FE-NPs) are utilized to improve the performance of viscoelastic surfactant (VES) solutions used as fracturing fluids. The chemical composition and micromorphology of the FE-NPs were analyzed with FT-IR and an electron microscope. The stability and interaction of the WLM-particle system were studied by zeta potential and cryo-TEM measurements. More importantly, the influences of the temperature, FE-NP concentration, magnetic field intensity, and direction on the drag reduction rate of WLMs were systematically investigated in a circuit pipe flow system with an electromagnetic unit. The experimental results show that a suitable content of magnetic nanoparticles can enhance the settlement stability and temperature resistance of WLMs. A magnetic field along the flow direction of the fracturing fluid can improve the drag reduction performance of the magnetic WLM system. However, under a magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow, an additional flow resistance is generated by the vertical chaining behavior of FE-NPs, which is unfavorable for the drag reduction performance of magnetic VES fracturing fluids. This study may shed light on the mechanism of the synergistic drag reduction effects of magnetic nanoparticles and wormlike micelles.

Investigation of the emission control of sulfur trioxide aerosols based on heterogeneous condensation and the deflectors tray of the desulfurization tower.

In this paper, control over the emission of sulfur trioxide aerosols was investigated based on heterogeneous condensation in the wet flue gas desulfurization process. The influence of the deflectors tray of the desulfurization tower on the removal performance of the sulfur trioxide aerosols was also studied. The results show that the critical supersaturation degree of sulfur trioxide aerosols is in inverse proportion to the sizes. Heterogeneous condensation has a significant effect on the reduction of sulfur trioxide aerosols. The number concentration of the sulfur trioxide aerosols with sizes <0.1 µm decreases, while the number concentration of sizes >0.1 µm increases at the outlet with this method. The relative humidity of the flue gas is likely to be the most influential in the formation of a supersaturated environment and the removal of sulfur trioxide aerosols. Addition of the tray in the desulfurization tower also increases the reduction of sulfur trioxide aerosols. Heterogeneous condensation can improve the removal efficiency of sulfur trioxide aerosols by 14.3% as well as the installation of a tray by 21.4%.

From Simple to Complex: Rhodium(III)-Catalyzed C-C Bond Cleavage and C-H Bond Functionalization for the Synthesis of 3a,8b-Dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]benzofuran-1-ones.

A rhodium(III)-catalyzed strategy for the one-step synthesis of polysubstituted cis-3a,8b-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]benzofuran-1-ones from simple 2'-hydroxychalcones and alkynes is developed. This novel transformation involves a sequential C-C bond cleavage and dehydrogenative annulation, leading to the product bearing a quaternary and a tertiary carbon center. 13C labeling experiments revealed that C-C bond cleavage takes place not only at the C-C(C═O) bond but also at the C≡C bond. This study provides an alternative strategy using C-C bond cleavage thus demonstrating the power of this strategy combined with C-H bond functionalization for assembling complex structures from simple starting materials.