Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Caiting Feng, Jiquan Liu, Qinlong Li, Lei Ji, Panfeng Wu, Xiaoxiao Yuan, Huaiming Hu, Hai-Ying Jiang, Ganglin Xue
Summary: Driven by solar power, the synthesis of Ag/PW12/Zr-mTiO(2) composite material using doping and interface engineering principles has led to enhanced nitrogen chemisorption and ammonia production. The Zr-doping improves nitrogen adsorption, while Ag NPs decoration enhances visible light absorption, ultimately achieving high efficiency in nitrogen fixation and ammonia production.
ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ming Cheng, Chong Xiao, Yi Xie
Summary: This review analyzes the recent development in nitrogen fixation research, elucidating the mechanism of nitrogen fixation reaction from the perspective of chemical bonds. Various methods to enhance nitrogen fixation performance and computational investigations of nitrogen fixation are discussed, aiming to inspire further exploration in catalytic nitrogen fixation field.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Derek Hao, Zhi-gang Chen, Monika Figiela, Izabela Stepniak, Wei Wei, Bing-Jie Ni
Summary: Artificial catalytic synthesis of ammonia has become a hot research frontier, with potential to replace the Haber-Bosch process and reduce global CO2 emissions. Using nitrites or nitrates as nitrogen sources can significantly improve catalytic efficiency and eliminate water pollution, providing an emerging alternative for ammonia synthesis. However, more focus is needed on reducing nitrate and nitrite contamination.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wuyong Zhang, Shaoqi Zhan, Qing Qin, Tobias Heil, Xiyu Liu, Jinyeon Hwang, Thimo H. Ferber, Jan P. Hofmann, Martin Oschatz
Summary: This study investigates the method of creating efficient NRR catalytic active sites by electrochemically activating nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalysts, achieving successful nitrogen fixation with high efficiency. The results demonstrate the possibility to purposefully create catalytically active sites by etching labile functional groups.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kingsley John, Martins O. Omorogie, Ajibola A. Bayode, Aderemi T. Adeleye, Brigitte Helmreich
Summary: Microplastics and their additives are a major concern for their toxicity to the environment and public health. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been proven to be more effective in removing microplastics and their additives compared to traditional methods, although there is limited research on their application. This review investigates the degradation of common microplastics and additives using different AOPs and identifies reactive oxygen species as a key driver for AOPs' efficiency. The complete removal of environmental microplastics and their additives shows promising results with AOPs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuntong Sun, Shan Ding, Baokai Xia, Jingjing Duan, Markus Antonietti, Sheng Chen
Summary: It has long been believed that FeMoS structure plays a crucial role in electrochemical nitrogen fixation, but the structure of Fe bonded with heavier analogues (Se or Te) has never been explored. However, this study, based on theoretical predictions, discovers that the FeMo(Se, Te) structure, with Fe bonded to Se, exhibits enhanced N-2 electrofixation activities. Further mechanism studies provide new clues for designing versatile electrocatalytic materials for large-scale industrialization.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shailesh Nair, Zenghu Zhang, Hongmei Li, Hanshuang Zhao, Hui Shen, Shuh-Ji Kao, Nianzhi Jiao, Yongyu Zhang
Summary: Mutualism between Synechococcus and heterotrophic bacteria can support their survival in nutrient-depleted conditions. However, exogenous nutrients can disrupt their established mutualism. Once the exogenous nutrients are exhausted, the mutualism and the health of Synechococcus can gradually be reestablished, with nitrogen fixation by associated bacteria playing a crucial role in this process.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhiwei Fang, Ping Wu, Yumin Qian, Guihua Yu
Summary: This study developed a 3D amorphous BiNi alloy that significantly enhances the NRR efficiency compared to crystalline and metal counterparts. Ni alloying improves the chemisorption of nitrogen, resulting in higher NH3 production rate and Faradaic efficiency. The interconnected porous scaffold in the 3D alloy enables enhanced electron transfer and increased electrochemical surface area, making it efficient and stable for potential practical applications.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiazhang Li, Haiyang Shi, Shixiang Zuo, Bingying Gao, Chaoya Han, Tianshi Wang, Chao Yao, Chaoying Ni
Summary: By substituting iron ions into one-dimensional clay mineral palygorskite, a narrow band gap iron-substituted nanocomposite was formed, exhibiting remarkable photocatalytic nitrogen fixation capability under visible light. Additional Fe2O3 precipitation on the surface forms dendritic heterostructure, enhancing light absorption and exposing more active sites.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Muyao Song, Lijing Wang, Jiaxin Li, Dewu Sun, Renquan Guan, Hongju Zhai, Xinchun Gao, Xiaohui Li, Zhao Zhao, Zaicheng Sun
Summary: The LTO perovskite material with surface defects introduced through a simple sol-gel method and reduction process has shown improved photocatalytic nitrogen fixation activity, suppressing charge recombination and increasing the reaction rate significantly.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zanhe Yang, Siqi Zhou, Xiangyu Feng, Nannan Wang, Oluwafunmilola Ola, Yanqiu Zhu
Summary: The global energy shortage and environmental degradation are two major issues in today's society, and photocatalysis has become the mainstream research direction to address these challenges. Graphene, with its unique physical and chemical properties, has been widely used in photocatalysis in the past decade. This article introduces the properties of graphene, summarizes the principles of photocatalytic reactions, and discusses the optimization strategies and recent advances in graphene-based photocatalysis.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
J. Sharma, P. Dhiman, R. A. Alshgari, Z. A. ALOthman, A. Kumar, G. Sharma, G. Rana
Summary: With their distinct and promising band gap, electrical conductivity, and stability, the bismuth-rich oxy halides (BixOyXz) exhibit exceptional photocatalytic performance. As an emerging new type of photocatalysts, BixOyXz has been tested for degradation of pollutants, clean energy conversion, and nitrogen fixation due to their tunable optical properties and band structure. This review focuses on the advances in environmental applications of BixOyXz and various photocatalysts based on them, discussing synthesis routes, composites/heterojunctions, and tailored methods for specific applications.
MATERIALS TODAY SUSTAINABILITY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Matthew Ferree, Seval Gunduz, Jaesung Kim, Raymond LaRosa, Yehia Khalifa, Anne C. Co, Umit S. Ozkan
Summary: Electrochemical routes for ammonia synthesis offer benefits such as improved efficiency and compatibility with renewable energy sources. In this study, a composite cathode was fabricated and studied for its ability to produce ammonia through the nitrogen reduction reaction. The composite cathode exhibited significantly enhanced activity compared to pure phase electrodes, and the relevant properties of the composite were characterized through various techniques.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guojun Dong, Xiaojuan Huang, Yingpu Bi
Summary: In this study, surface anchoring of black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) and bulk iron-doping in W18O49 nanowires were shown to significantly enhance the photocatalytic activity for N2 fixation into NH3. The reducing ability of photo-generated electrons was enhanced by Fe-doping, while the N2 adsorption/activation was facilitated by surface BPQD anchoring. The synergistic effect of these two approaches remarkably improved the photocatalytic activity of W18O49 nanowires for NH3 production.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shuai Zhang, Yunxuan Zhao, Run Shi, Chao Zhou, Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse, Zhuan Wang, Yuxiang Weng, Tierui Zhang
Summary: This study reports the successful synthesis of uniformly sized and ultrafine Cu2O platelets, which exhibit excellent performance and stability for the visible light driven photocatalytic reduction of N-2 to NH3. The high activity is attributed to long-lived photoexcited electrons in trap states, an abundance of exposed active sites, and the underlying support structure.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Review
Construction & Building Technology
Wenqiang Zuo, Lizhi Zhang, Luansu Wei, Xinli Kong, Wei She
Summary: This study focuses on the impact of packing conditions and material properties on the loose packing fraction of particles, using both theoretical and experimental perspectives. It measures the differences in loose packing under different conditions and identifies the main factors that dominate the loose packing fraction at different particle scales.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE CEMENT-BASED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuanye Zhang, Huang Lin, Lizhi Zhang, Shuqiang Peng, Zixiang Weng, Jianlei Wang, Lixin Wu, Longhui Zheng
Summary: This study proposes a method of exfoliating graphite into graphene using water as solvent and carbon nanospheres as exfoliation agents under a high shear rate of microfluidic homogenizer. The prepared graphene can be used for the preparation of flexible strain sensors by screen printing. The sensor has excellent flexibility, maintaining a stable working state after 100,000 times of flexing test or 1,000 times of abrasion test, and can be used as a wearable flexible strain sensor to monitor the relative change of resistance caused by the movement of the limbs. This method is of great value for the green preparation of graphene and provides a possibility for high-quality and batch production of flexible strain sensors.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Tongyang Li, Weimin Li, Huaguo Tang, Lizhi Zhang, Yuan Yu, Zhuhui Qiao
Summary: This study presents the introduction of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets with N, N-dimethylformamide as a dispersion aid in 5750 oil to obtain stable dispersions. Ball-on-disk wear testers demonstrate that MXenes have better wear reduction and antiwear performance. Relative to contrapositive 5750, the oil added Ti3C2Tx has a lower friction coefficient and wear rate. Particularly, the addition of Ti3C2Tx reduced the wear rate by 92% under 100 N, 25 celcius. Therefore, MXenes have great advantages and potential as a lubricating additive.
TRIBOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chuan Liang, Hongwei Sun, Cancan Ling, Xiufan Liu, Meiqi Li, Xiang Zhang, Furong Guo, Xu Zhang, Yanbiao Shi, Shiyu Cao, Hua He, Zhihui Ai, Lizhi Zhang
Summary: The pyrolysis of pharmaceutical sludge can effectively activate peroxymonosulfate to degrade 4-chlorophenol, producing high purity and high reaction rates. The activation pathway of peroxymonosulfate is influenced by the pyrolysis temperature, with low temperatures producing high-valent iron species and higher temperatures producing more sulfate and hydroxyl radicals. This study clarifies the structure-activity relationships of PSBC for peroxymonosulfate activation and provides a new avenue for the treatment and utilization of pharmaceutical sludge.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zifan Geng, Lizhi Zhang, Hao Pan, Wei She, Cheng Zhou, Hao Zhou, Zhenglei Yu, Zhaodong Xu
Summary: Lunar base fabrication is a global research issue that requires a multidisciplinary approach. Alkali-activated lunar regolith shows promise for in-situ lunar construction. This article explores the effects of activator types, environmental temperatures, and high vacuum on the solidification process of alkali-activated lunar regolith simulant (AALRS) through mechanical properties and micro characterizations. The findings reveal that sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate have different effects on the solidification process under varying conditions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xingyue Zou, Yuhang Zhang, Kai Wei, Jie Dai, Chengliang Mao, Lufa Hu, Hao Li, Yancai Yao, Lizhi Zhang
Summary: Heavy metal complexes in industrial wastewater pose a significant threat to public health. Conventional treatment usually involves a two-step process of advanced oxidation and precipitation. In this study, a one-stop technique using nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) was developed for simultaneous Cu(II)-EDTA decomplexation and copper capture. This technique was effective across a broad pH range and could remove Cu complexes from actual wastewater, meeting discharge standards. It provides a facile method for the destruction of Cu(II)-EDTA and capture of Cu, and offers insights into the decomplexation mechanism of heavy metal wastewater.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chengliang Mao, Jiaxian Wang, Yunjie Zou, Yanbiao Shi, Camilo J. J. Viasus, Joel Y. Y. Loh, Meikun Xia, Shufang Ji, Meiqi Li, Huan Shang, Mireille Ghoussoub, Yang-Fan Xu, Jessica Ye, Zhilin Li, Nazir P. P. Kherani, Lirong Zheng, Yanjiang Liu, Lizhi Zhang, Geoffrey A. Ozin
Summary: Stable metal nitrides (MN) hold promise for future green ammonia-hydrogen nexus. A challenging step in this process is the reductive hydrogenation of MN to generate ammonia due to the formation of kinetically stable M-NH1-3 species. In this study, we found that TiN can be circumvented photochemically with supported single atoms and clusters of platinum (Pt-1-Pt-n) under N-2-H-2 conditions, leading to the selective formation of Ti-NH and effective transformation of Ti-NH into free ammonia. This fundamental research can potentially disrupt the century-old fossil-powered Haber-Bosch process.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Correction
Construction & Building Technology
Lizhi Zhang, Wenqiang Zuo, Tian Qian, Wen Xu, Zhenxiong Jiang, Wei She
MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fengyin Du, Wenkai Zhu, Ruizhe Yang, Yun Zhang, Jiawei Wang, Weihuan Li, Wenqiang Zuo, Lizhi Zhang, Liuyan Chen, Wei She, Tian Li
Summary: Inspired by the cuttlefish bone, researchers have developed a cement aerogel with high mechanical performance, low thermal conductivity, and good fire retardancy, making it a promising candidate for practical building applications.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yi Liu, Haolu Hu, Jiamin Zheng, Fei Xie, Huayu Gu, Sadegh Rostamnia, Fangfang Pan, Xiao Liu, Lizhi Zhang
Summary: Surface lattice oxygen (O-latt) over transition metal oxides is crucial for catalytic combustion of automobile exhaust. The insufficiency of O-latt activity at low temperatures remains a major obstacle for practical application. To address this issue, we activated the O-latt of mullite SmMn2O5 by fabricating an interface with spinel Co3O4. The optimized Co3O4/SmMn2O5 catalyst exhibited remarkable performance in propane combustion, achieving 90% conversion at 247℃, which was 77℃ lower than that of SmMn2O5 alone. Moreover, the Co3O4/SmMn2O5 catalyst showed excellent stability even at high operating temperatures up to 800℃. The improved performance was attributed to the electron transfer from SmMn2O5 to Co3O4 at the interface, leading to enhanced propane adsorption and catalytic oxidation activity. This work provides valuable insights for developing efficient catalysts for automobile exhaust combustion.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Ye-Cheng Qian, Rong-Rong Cai, Li-Zhi Zhang
Summary: Non-spherical particulate flow is a common phenomenon in nature, industry, and daily life, but there is still a lack of effective models to describe the adhesive elastic collision between non-spherical microparticles. To solve this problem, a spheropolyhedral-based discrete element method (DEM) combined with the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) model is proposed. The method accurately calculates the contact force between non-spherical particles based on the actual contact area, and it has been verified to be accurate and effective through experiments and references. It can be easily extended to simulate the packing process of non-spherical microparticles with high effectiveness and efficiency.
COMPUTER PHYSICS COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rongyu Tang, Yang Song, Lizhi Zhang, Ziliang Shi
Summary: In this work, we demonstrate the formation of supramolecular assemblies from a bifunctional ligand on Au(111), which enables the engineering of two-dimensional (metal-) organic multilevel nanostructures. The bifunctional ligand employed offers multiple bonding motifs that are highly self-selective and self-recognizable, resulting in the formation of subunits for multilevel self-assemblies. Scanning tunneling microscopy experiments and density functional theory calculations were used to determine the different bonding motifs dictating the levels of the assemblies. This multilevel assembly protocol provides a deliberate control over the fabrication of surface-confined (metal-) organic nanostructures, opening up new opportunities for the synthesis of complex functional nanomaterials.
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Shusheng Zhang, Taiping Jiang, Hai Huang, Lin-Jie Huang, Li-Zhi Zhang
Summary: This study proposes a lattice Boltzmann model based on the heterogeneous nucleation and dendrite growth theories to predict frost formation and growth on surfaces with various wettabilities. Three lattice Boltzmann equations are used to calculate the velocity, humidity, and temperature distributions. The model is experimentally validated and applied to analyze frosting behaviors on plates and in microchannels, considering the effects of intrinsic contact angles and roughness on frost layer properties. This study facilitates a better understanding of frosting on the mesoscopic level.
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Lizhi Zhang, Beilei Wang, Xiaowei He, Shuangchen Li, Xiao Wei, Zijian Tang, Hongbo Guo
Summary: Fluorescence Molecular Tomography (FMT) is an important technique for early tumor detection. However, existing methods fail in reconstructing multiple targets, hindering the practical application of FMT. In this paper, a multi-target reconstruction strategy based on Blind Source Separation (BSS) is proposed, which converts multiple target reconstructions into single-target reconstructions. The method has shown significant effectiveness and potential in preclinical FMT applications, with the ability to accurately locate and recover the morphology of multiple sources.
MEDICAL IMAGING 2023
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kuan-Rong Hao, Yang Song, Lizhi Zhang
Summary: Based on first-principles calculations, we identified a series of magnetic adatoms with high structural stability and large magnetic anisotropy energy. The p-type systems, especially Pb and Bi, exhibit giant MAEs up to 157 meV and 313 meV, respectively. The large MAEs are mainly attributed to the orbital hybridization of degenerated p(x/y) orbitals near the Fermi levels, induced by ligand field and significant spin-orbit coupling interaction. Moreover, the robust magnetic anisotropy of individual Pb/Bi adatoms on the graphane surface is confirmed by comparing different magnetic configurations.
