Capture of CO2 during the Electrolysis Process and Its Utilization in Supercapacitor Materials.

With climate change and environmental issues, the emissions of CO2 and its greenhouse effect have become a focal point. At present, the utilization of CO2 includes its synthesis into chemicals and fuels such as methane, methanol, and CO. CO2 utilization can be achieved through carbon capture and storage technologies, which involve capturing CO2 from industrial emissions and storing it to reduce the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. However, these CO2 capture and utilization technologies still face challenges, such as technical immaturity and high costs. One of the CO2 capture and utilization technologies is the production of energy storage materials. In this study, CO2 captured by molten salt was used as the carbon source, and TiO2 nanotube arrays were used as precursors. Titanium carbide nanotube arrays(TiC-NTAs)with high specific surface area and high conductivity were prepared by electrolysis. Afterward, the electrochemical energy storage performance of TiC in different electrolytes was tested. The results show that reducing the ionic radius of the electrolyte is conducive to increasing the area-specific capacitance of the device and that the degradation of the cycle life of the quasi-solid supercapacitor may be caused by an increase in the internal resistance due to the loss of water from the electrolyte. This study provides a reference value for the low-temperature synthesis of nanometal carbides and the selection of electrolytes.

Preparation of VZrHfNbTa High-Entropy Alloy-Based High-Temperature Oxidation-Resistant Coating and Its Bonding Mechanism.

Ultra-high Temperature Oxidation-Resistant Alloys (UTORAs) have received a lot of attention due to the increased research demand for deep space exploration around the world. However, UTORAs have the disadvantages of easy oxidation and chalking. So, in this study, a UTORAs is prepared by hot-press sintering on VZrHfNbTa (HEA: High Entropy Alloys can generally be defined as more than five elements by the equal atomic ratio or close to the equal atomic ratio alloying, the mixing entropy is higher than the melting entropy of the alloy, generally forming a high entropy solid solution phase of a class of alloys.) a substrate coated with hafnium. The bonding mechanism, resistance to high-temperature oxidation, and hardness of the sample tests are carried out. The results show that zirconium in the matrix will diffuse into the hafnium coating during the high-temperature sintering process and form the HfZr alloy transition layer, the coating thickness of the composite is about 120 µm, and the diffusion distance of zirconium in the hafnium coating is about 60 µm, this transition layer chemically combines the hafnium coating and the HEA substrate into a monolithic alloy composite. The results of high-temperature oxidation experiments show that the oxidation degree of the hafnium-coated VZrHfNbTa composite material is significantly lower than that of the VZrHfNbTa HEA after oxidation in air at 1600 °C for 5 h. The weight gain of the coated sample after oxidation is 56.56 mg/cm2, which is only 57.7% compared to the weight gain of the uncoated sample (98.09 mg/cm2 for uncoated), and the surface of the uncoated HEA shows obvious dents, oxidation, and pulverization occurred on the surface and interior of the sample. In contrast, the coated composite alloy sample mainly undergoes surface oxidation sintering to form a dense HfO2 protective layer, and the internal oxidation of the hafnium-coated VZrHfNbTa composite alloy is significantly lower than that of the uncoated VZrHfNbTa HEA.

Interfacial Behavior and Dechlorination Reaction of Water Droplet Impact on a Heated Extracted Titanium Tailing Surface.

The interfacial behaviors of the droplet impact on a heated extracted titanium tailing surface are studied experimentally. The effects of surface temperatures and Weber numbers on the droplet spreading characteristics are examined. The factors affecting the mass fraction and dechlorination ratio of extracted titanium tailings under the action of interfacial behavior have been researched by thermogravimetric analysis. The compositions and microstructures of extracted titanium tailings are characterized using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The interfacial behaviors on the extracted titanium tailing surface are classified into four regimes, i.e., boiling-induced break-up, advancing recoiling, splash with a continuous liquid film, and splash with a broken film. The maximum spreading factors increase with the surface temperature and the Weber number. It is found that the surface temperature has a dominant influence on the spreading factors and interfacial effect, further affecting its chlorination reaction. SEM-EDS analysis revealed that the extracted titanium tailing particles are irregular shaped. There are some fine pores on the surface after the reaction. The main concentrations are Si, Al, and Ca oxides with a certain amount of C elements. The findings of this research provide a new pathway to utilize the extracted titanium tailings comprehensively.

Effect of Ti on Characterization and Properties of CoCrFeNiTix High Entropy Alloy Prepared Via Electro-Deoxidization of the Metal Oxides and Vacuum Hot Pressing Sintering Process.

The CoCrFeNi system is one of the most important high entropy alloys (HEAs) systems. By adding and adjusting the alloy element components and using different synthesis methods, different phases, organization and microstructure can be obtained, thus improving their properties. In this study, CoCrFeNiTix HEAs with various Ti contents (x in molar ratio, x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) were fabricated by an electrochemical process by virtue of different oxides. The impacts of different Ti contents on the structure, distribution of elements, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior were researched using XRD, EDX and other testing methods. The bulk CoCrFeNiTix (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) HEAs could be obtained through vacuum hot pressing sintering process (VHPS), which had a single-phase FCC structure. The results of the study showed that the bulk CoCrFeNiTix exhibited superior ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and hardness, with the UTS of CoCrFeNiTi as high as 783 MPa and the hardness of CoCrFeNiTi1.5 reaching 669 HV. The corrosion behavior of CoCrFeNiTix (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) HEAs in 0.5 M H2SO4, 1 M KOH and 3.5 wt% NaCl was improved with addition of Ti. CoCrFeNiTix (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5) HEAs have great potential for application in the fields of biomedical coating and aerospace, as well as extreme military industry, etc.

Transformation of organic sulfur and its functional groups in nantong and laigang coal under microwave irradiation.

The microwave irradiation experiment of Nantong coal (NTC) and Laigang coal (LGC) has been carried out in a microwave oven and the transformation of organic sulfur and its functional groups was investigated via compact sulfur tester and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The dielectric properties of coal sample are also measured by an Agilent N5244A network analyzer. The result shows that a certain amount of organic sulfur in both NTC and LGC is transformed into iron sulfide, sulfate, and sulfur-containing gas after irradiation of microwave. The retention proportion of the three typical sulfur-containing functional groups in coal is ranking as: disulfide bond (S-S) > sulfinyl (SO) > sulfydryl (-SH), and such phenomenon has been explained by the first principle calculation based on the density functional theory. The calculation results of Fukui indices, electrostatic potential, and frontier orbital analysis indicate the reactivity of the SO and SS is lower than that of the -SH. The calculated bond dissociation enthalpies and bond dissociation times indicate the chemical bonds of -SH and S-S need more time to rupture than SO when microwave power is 1000 W. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dosimetric benefits of IMRT and VMAT in the treatment of middle thoracic esophageal cancer: is the conformal radiotherapy still an alternative option?

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dosimetric differences among conformal radiotherapy (CRT), intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and volumetric-modulated radiotherapy (VMAT) in the treatment of middle thoracic esophageal cancer, and determine the most appropriate treatment modality. IMRT and one-arc VMAT plans were generated for eight middle thoracic esophageal cancer patients treated previous with CRT. The planning target volume (PTV) coverage and protections on organs at risk of three planning schemes were compared. All plans have sufficient PTV coverage and no significant differences were observed, except for the conformity and homogeneity. The lung V5, V10, and V13 in CRT were 47.9% ± 6.1%, 36.5% ± 4.6%, and 33.2% ± 4.2%, respectively, which were greatly increased to 78.2% ± 13.7% (p < 0.01), 80.8% ± 14.9% (p < 0.01), 48.4% ± 8.2% (p = 0.05) in IMRT and 58.6% ± 10.5% (p = 0.03), 67.7% ± 14.0% (p < 0.01), and 53.0% ± 10.1% (p < 0.01) in VMAT, respectively. The lung V20 (p = 0.03) in VMAT and the V30 (p = 0.04) in IMRT were lower than those in CRT. Both IMRT and VMAT achieved a better protection on heart. However, the volumes of the healthy tissue outside of PTV irradiated by a low dose were higher for IMRT and VMAT. IMRT and VMAT also had a higher MU, optimization time, and delivery time compared to CRT. In conclusion, all CRT, IMRT, and VMAT plans are able to meet the prescription and there is no clear distinction on PTV coverage. IMRT and VMAT can only decrease the volume of lung and heart receiving a high dose, but at a cost of delivering low dose to more volume of lung and normal tissues. CRT is still a feasible option for middle thoracic esophageal cancer radiotherapy, especially for the cost-effective consideration.

Superparamagnetic-oil-filled nanocapsules of a ternary graft copolymer.

Stearic and oleic acid-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles were dispersed in decahydronaphthalene (DN). This oil phase was dispersed in water using ternary graft copolymer poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-graft-[polystyrene-ran-(methoxy polyethylene glycol)-ran-poly(2-cinnamoyloxyethyl methacrylate)] or PGMA-g-(PS-r-MPEG-r-PCEMA) to yield capsules. The walls of these capsules were composed of PCEMA chains that were soluble in neither water nor DN, and the DN-soluble PS chains stretched into the droplet phase and the water-soluble MPEG chains extended into the aqueous phase. Structurally stable capsules were prepared by photolyzing the capsules with UV light to cross-link the PCEMA layer. Both the magnetite particles and the magnetite-containing capsules were superparamagnetic. The sizes of the capsules increased as they were loaded with more magnetite nanoparticles, reaching a maximal loading of ~0.5 mg of ligated magnetite nanoparticles per mg of copolymer. But the radii of the capsules were always <100 nm. Thus, a novel nanomaterial--superparamagnetic-oil-filled polymer nanocapsules--was prepared. The more heavily loaded capsules were readily captured by a magnet and could be redispersed via shaking. Although the cross-linked capsules survived this capturing and redispersing treatment many times, the un-cross-linked capsules ruptured after four cycles. These results suggest the potential to tailor-make capsules with tunable wall stability for magnetically controlled release applications.

A pilot study of combination intraperitoneal recombinant human endostatin and chemotherapy for refractory malignant ascites secondary to ovarian cancer.

The management of refractory malignant ascites (MA) due to ovarian cancer (OC) remains a difficult clinical problem. A total of 23 eligible patients with refractory MA due to OC were treated with combined intraperitoneal therapy repeated 4 weeks, which consisted of paclitaxel 100 mg m(-2) (over 3 h) on day 1, 5-FU 600 mg m(-2) on day 1-3 followed by recombinant human endostatin 60 mg on day 4. The objective response rate was 60.9 % (14/23). The median time to progression and overall survival was 5.8 and 12.9 months, respectively. Treatment-related toxicities were uncommon and manageable without therapy-associated deaths. The mean Karnofsky performance status score was significantly improved from 60.0 ± 1.89 at enrollment to 70.0 ± 2.59 at 2 weeks after the first cycle of therapy (P = 0.000). Moreover, the mean score of overall ascites-associated symptoms was also increased significantly from 5.1 ± 0.32 to 4.0 ± 0.20 (P = 0.002). There were remarkable improvements in 7 out of 9 individual ascites-associated symptoms including well being, anxiety, abdominal distention, vomiting, anorexia, fatigue, and dyspnea as well (all P < 0.05). These results suggest that combination intraperitoneal recombinant human endostatin and chemotherapy is effective and safe in patients with refractory MA secondary to OC and significantly improves patients' quality of life with encouraging survival, which might highlight more effective treatment for this challenging disease and merits further investigation.

Robust superamphiphobic coatings based on silica particles bearing bifunctional random copolymers.

Reported herein is the growth of bifunctional random copolymer chains from silica particles through a "grafting from" approach and the use of these copolymer-bearing particles to fabricate superamphiphobic coatings. The silica particles had a diameter of 90 ± 7 nm and were prepared through a modified Stöber process before atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiators were introduced onto their surfaces. Bifunctional copolymer chains bearing low-surface-free-energy fluorinated units and sol-gel-forming units were then grafted from these silica particles by surface-initiated ATRP. Perfluorooctyl ethyl acrylate (FOEA) and 3-(triisopropyloxy)silylpropyl methacrylate (IPSMA) were respectively used as fluorinated and sol-gel-forming monomers in this reaction. Hydrolyzing the IPSMA units in the presence of an acid catalyst yielded silica particles that were adorned with silanol-bearing copolymer chains. Coatings were prepared by spraying these hydrolyzed silica particles onto glass and cotton substrates. A series of four different copolymer-functionalized silica particles samples bearing copolymers with similar FOEA molar fractions (fF) of ~80% but with different copolymer grafting mass ratios (gm) that ranged between 12.3 wt% and 58.8 wt%, relative to silica, were prepared by varying the polymerization protocols. These copolymer-bearing silica particles with a gm exceeding 34.1 wt% were used to coat glass and cotton substrates, yielding superamphiphobic surfaces. More importantly, these particulate-based coatings were robust and resistant to solvent extraction and NaOH etching thanks to the self-cross-linking of the copolymer chains and their covalent attachment to the substrates.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms of the transforming growth factor-ß1 gene and overall survival in unresectable locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with radio(chemo)therapy in a Chinese population.

The outcome is variable for unresectable locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (ULANSCLC) patients treated with radio(chemo)therapy. The aim of this study is to investigate whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-ß1) gene are associated with overall survival (OS) in ULANSCLC patients treated with definitive radio(chemo)therapy. A total of 109 patients who had available blood samples and complete clinical and follow-up information were enrolled. DNA from blood was genotyped for two SNPs: TGF-ß1 C-509T and T+869C. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log-rank test, and Cox's proportional hazard model were used to evaluate associations between genotypes and OS. Log-rank test showed that TGF-ß1 C-509T significantly correlated with OS (pooled P = 0.017). Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that TGF-ß1 C-509T CC genotype was significantly associated with better OS than CT or TT genotypes. These results indicate that TGF-ß1 C-509T CC genotype is significantly associated with better OS in ULANSCLC patients treated with radio(chemo)therapy as a potential independent survival predictor.

Adjuvant combined systemic chemotherapy and intraperitoneal chemotherapy for locally advanced gastric cancer.

The optimal adjuvant treatment modality for gastric cancer has not been well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of adjuvant combined systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (ACSIP) in high-risk patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Between June 2003 and December 2008, 62 eligible patients with serosa-infiltrating and/or node-positive gastric cancer following curative gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy received ACSIP, consisting of intravenous oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) on day 1 followed by leucovorin (LV) 200 mg/m(2) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 450 mg/m(2) on days 1-3, intraperitoneal 5-FU 600 mg/m(2) on days 4-5 and cisplatin (CDDP) 40 mg/m(2) on day 5. Survival rates, the sites of first treatment failure and safety were analyzed. At a median follow-up of 45 months (range 7-101), the 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 66.1 and 74.2%, respectively. Initial peritoneal and hepatic failures were found in 6 (24.0%) and 3 (12.0%) of the 25 patients with recurrence, respectively. Neutropenia, gastrointestinal side effects and peripheral neuropathy were the most common grade 3-4 toxicities; however, they were all infrequent and manageable. No serious surgical complications or treatment-related mortality was observed. The results of this study indicate that ACSIP is effective and feasible for locally advanced gastric cancer with encouraging survival rates and possibly decreased peritoneal and hepatic recurrences. The benefits of this promising combined adjuvant treatment modality warrant further studies.

Cell proliferation, apoptosis and the related regulators p27, p53 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the expression of cell apoptosis, proliferation and the related regulators p27, p53 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The expression of p27, p53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and apoptosis in 47 HCC specimens and 42 surrounding non-cancerous tissues were detected by the immunohistochemistry and terminal deoxy-nucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique. Meanwhile, the clinical significance of them was analyzed combining with the clinicopathological factors and follow-up data. RESULTS: (1) The average proliferating index and apoptotic index in HCC were significantly higher than that in adjacent liver tissues. The proliferating index was associated with extrahepatic metastasis. The apoptotic index was significantly lower in TNM stage I-II than in stage III-IV. The proliferating index of groups with p53-/p27+ was significantly lower than that in group with p53+/p27- (P = 0.030); (2) The level of p27 in the cytoplasmic fraction was higher in non-tumoral liver tissues and was associated with clinical stage; (3) Survival analysis showed advanced stage (P = 0.031) and with extrahepatic metastasis (P = 0.045) was significantly associated with shorter survival. In addition, the prognosis of patients with p53-/p27+ was longer than that of patients with p53+/p27- (P = 0.0356). CONCLUSION: The p53 mutation and decreased p27 expression might be involved in the imbalance of proliferation and apoptosis in HCC. Cytoplasmic displacement might lead to the inactivation of p27 protein in HCC cells and acts early during carcinogenesis of HCC. The combined examination of p27, and p53 expression allows reliable estimation of prognosis for patients with primary hepatic carcinoma.