Although zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has demonstrated efficacy in corrosion protection applications, its self-healing ability of ZIF-8 in coatings is still limited, often relying on a singular mechanism, which hinders the achievement of long-term protection. To overcome this limitation, Nickel-doped ZIF-8 (Ni-ZIF-8) nanoparticles were synthesized using a straightforward room-temperature procedure and subsequently integrated into an epoxy resin matrix. By adjusting the synthesis stoichiometry of Ni and Zn, three composite samples of Ni-ZIF-8 (1:2), Ni-ZIF-8 (1:1), and Ni-ZIF-8 (2:1) were synthesized. Characterization by EDX, FTIR, XRD, and XPS confirmed the successful coordination between the metal ions and organic ligands. SEM and TEM images revealed that the Ni-ZIF-8 nanoparticles had a regular rhombic dodecahedral morphology. ICP-OES analysis demonstrated their pH-responsive nature, endowing the coating with the capability of the smart release of self-healing agents. Theoretical calculations revealed that Ni doping narrows the HOMO-LUMO energy gap, enhancing electron transfer and strengthening the compactness and stability of the adsorption film. EIS analysis demonstrated that the coating sample incorporating Ni-ZIF-8 at a 2:1 ratio exhibited superior corrosion resistance. Salt spray tests further verified that Ni doping effectively suppressed the formation of corrosion products and significantly improved the protective performance of the coating.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) seawater splitting offers a sustainable route for hydrogen production; however, it is challenged by the corrosion and sluggish kinetics of photoanodes in chloride-rich electrolytes. To overcome this, we developed a bimetallic metal-organic framework (MOFs) structure with oxygen vacancies (OV) on TiO2 nanorods, denoted as (DA)Ni/Mo-MOFs@TiO2. This photoanode achieved a high photocurrent density of 2.21 mA & sdot;cm-2 and H2 production rate of 36.07 mu mol & sdot;cm-2 & sdot;h-1 in real seawater. Notably, it undergoes in situ reconstruction during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), forming catalytically active Ov-NiOOH accompanied by a protective MoO42- layer. In situ Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) directly revealed the reconstruction process and interfacial adsorption. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further demonstrated that the reconstructed surface selectively stabilized *OH intermediates (Ead = -4.26 eV), thereby enhancing the OER selectivity and corrosion resistance. This system demonstrated exceptional stability, exhibiting minimal faradaic efficiency loss (1.2-2.3%) in high chloride ion environments (0.7-1 mol & sdot;L-1 NaCl). This study provides a novel strategy for designing durable photoelectrodes via pre-catalyst reconstruction.

Concentrated solar power technology relies on liquid metal working fluids to achieve higher heat transfer efficiency, which poses significant challenges for structural material selection. This study takes Haynes 230 as the research object and conducts liquid Sn corrosion experiments under 700 °C saturated-oxygen and low-oxygen environments. By comparing the differences in corrosion film structure morphology, element distribution, and phase structure, the selective corrosion phenomena of alloying elements Ni and Cr are analyzed in detail, and the corrosion mechanism is finally proposed. The results suggest that corrosion evolution is associated with the coupled effects of selective Ni dissolution, Ni–Sn intermetallic formation, and inward Sn penetration along fast transport paths. Under oxygen-saturated conditions, localized Cr-containing oxides form within the Cr-rich band, which increase the local structural stability and reduce Sn penetration. These findings provide insight into the element-controlled corrosion behavior of Haynes 230 in liquid Sn at 700 °C under different oxygen-control environments.

As the primary functional component of a fusion reactor, the fusion blanket pebble bed, composed of numerous particles, is crucial for tritium breeding, neutron multiplication, and radiation shielding. Particles within tritium-breeding pebble beds are subjected to prolonged neutron irradiation, high thermal loads, and strong magnetic fields in fusion environments. Such conditions render them susceptible to pulverization and fragmentation. The resulting fragments and powders migrate and are deposited into the gas channel, driven by the purge gas. The reduction in the effective flow area of the gas increases the flow resistance, resulting in tritium retention, degraded heat transfer, and other adverse effects. These conditions impair the thermodynamic properties of the pebble beds and hinder the self-maintenance of tritium. Limited information exists on powder migration and clogging mechanisms in fusion blanket pebble beds, particularly under diverse physical conditions. The aim of this study was to use a computational fluid dynamics model coupled with the discrete element method (CFD-DEM) to numerically explore powder migration and clogging in pebble beds. The model considers factors such as breeder orientation, purge velocity, powder size distribution, and friction coefficient. We propose two migration and clogging mechanisms. One involves powder with a large particle size, and the other does not. The results indicate that the powder migration velocity progresses through three stages: rapid decay, linear decay, and stability. Pebble-bed clogging manifests in two forms: extensive superficial clogging and uniform internal clogging. Two fitted curves were used to depict the migration and clogging tendencies. The powder size distribution significantly influenced the powder migration. The breeder orientation, powder size, and friction coefficient affected the distribution of the clogging powders. However, the impact of the purge velocity on powder migration and clogging in pebble beds was limited, and this effect varied significantly with different particle size ratios. Based on the analysis, a formula is proposed to characterize the behavior of the powder in the pebble beds. The results of this study can aid in analyzing and predicting powder dynamics in pebble beds.

Photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation for biomass valorization is critically limited by inefficient charge separation and poor product selectivity. This work presents a synergistic bulk-surface dual-modification strategy that simultaneously overcomes both challenges through a Mo-doped BiVO4 photoanode decorated with CoOOH cocatalyst (Mo:BiVO4/CoOOH). Under simulated sunlight at 1.23 V vs. RHE, the composite achieves a photo-current density of 3.50 mA & sdot;cm-2 with exceptional 68% selectivity for glyceraldehyde (GLAD), representing a 3fold improvement over pristine BiVO4 (23%). Mechanistic investigations reveal complementary functions: Mo6+ doping creates donor levels and lattice strain, establishing an intrinsic electric field;while the amorphous CoOOH layer extracts interfacial holes and forms Co3+ active sites that selectively bind and activate the primary hydroxyl group of glycerol. This surface regulation directs the reaction pathway toward GLAD while suppressing deep oxidation to C1 products. By elucidating how coordinated bulk and surface engineering controls both efficiency and selectivity, this work provides a versatile blueprint for designing advanced photoelectrocatalytic biomass conversion systems.

This study developed a lattice-matching engineering strategy to construct atomic-level coherent interfaces in hexagonal WO3/TiO2 S-scheme heterojunctions to boost photoelectrocatalytic glycerol (Gly) valorization. Through precise annealing control, hexagonal WO3/TiO2 achieved an ultra-low lattice mismatch (m) of 0.027%, significantly lower than the 2.30% mismatch of its monoclinic counterparts, thus inducing a strong built-in electric field (3.71 eV) and optimized S-scheme charge transfer. These features resulted in 90% suppressed carrier recombination, 2.64-fold extended carrier lifetime, and enhanced secondary hydroxyl adsorption affinity (1.854 eV), collectively steering Gly oxidation toward high-value dihydroxyacetone with 35% selectivity (1.9-fold higher than that of monoclinic systems). The heterojunction also delivered a 21% Gly conversion rate (40% higher than its monoclinic counterparts), while maintaining > 85% total C3-product selectivity and stability over 40 h. This study identified the atomic-scale interface coherence as a critical factor for synchronizing charge dynamics and surface reactions in biomass upgrading.

In this study, we developed a novel water-based conductive ink using a simple yet efficient ball-milling strategy, successfully constructing a stable ternary composite system of few-layer graphite, carbon black, and polyaniline (F-Gt/CB/PANI). The optimized composite ink formed a unique three-dimensional conductive network, enabling the fabrication of high-performance planar micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) via direct screen printing. The printed conductive films exhibited excellent electrical conductivity (1.78 x10 3 S/m) and outstanding mechanical durability, with only a 29 % increase in sheet resistance after 1000 bending cycles and 30-day storage. The resulting MSCs demonstrated remarkable comprehensive performance: a high areal capacitance of 95.8 mF cm-2, an areal energy density of 13.73 mu Wh cm-2, and excellent cycling stability with 80.6 % capacitance retention after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. Particularly impressive is the minimal capacitance loss (5.3 %) after 5000 mechanical bending cycles, which highlights the exceptional flexibility of the device. This work provides a costeffective and scalable manufacturing solution for flexible energy storage devices, demonstrating significant potential for application in wearable electronics and IoT.

To address the critical challenge of anisotropy in metal additive manufacturing (AM), a novel strategy has been proposed in this work using SEBM-fabricated 316L stainless steel to achieve the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET) and suppress mechanical anisotropy. By simultaneously reducing the power and speed, the thermal gradient (G) and solidification rate (R) were tuned under the constant Volumetric Energy Density (VED). Associating with in-situ recrystallization activated by the sustained thermal dwell at similar to 800 degrees C, CET can be achieved in SEBM 316L. This yields a microstructure with a pronounced increase in equiaxed fraction (13.9 % -> 81.9 %) and strong texture weakening (Multiple of Uniform Distribution, MUD 23.75 -> 3.01). Consequently, the strength-ductility synergy (Ultimate Tensile Strength, UTS approximate to 603 MPa; Elongation, EL approximate to 71 %) can be realized as well as the near-isotropic mechanical behavior (Index of Plane Anisotropy, IPA approximate to 1.75 %-1.79 %). This study demonstrates that CET can be realized through the combined effect of solidification control and in-situ recrystallization in SEBM, thereby suppressing anisotropy in both microstructure and mechanical performance. The findings can offer transferable guidance for microstructural design and process-structure-property optimization in other alloys AM systems, including nickel-based and other alloys.

Developing high-performance anodes from low-cost industrial byproducts is crucial for advancing sodium-ion batteries. Herein, we report a zincu2013aluminum layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH) template-induced strategy for fabricating ZnO/ZnSe heterojunctions embedded within hierarchical porous carbon derived from coal tar pitch. The LDH serves as a dual functional structural template and pore-forming agent, enabling the in situ construction of intimately coupled ZnO/ZnSeu2013C interfaces. The designed ZnO/ZnSe heterostructure offers notable advantages: the heterojunction boosts charge transfer via interfacial contact between the two active components, while the mixed O2u2212/Se2u2212 anion environment, combined with nanodispersed ZnO/ZnSe and the conductive carbon matrix, effectively enhances the reaction kinetics and mitigates volume strain. Consequently, the composite anode delivers a high reversible capacity of 637.5 mAh gu22121 at 100 mA gu22121 and retains 259.7 mAh gu22121 after 1000 cycles at 5 A gu22121. Kinetic analysis indicates that the superior rate performance is attributed to a dominant capacitive contribution (93.3% at 1.2 mV su22121). A full cell configured with an Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode demonstrates practical viability, retaining 147.5 mAh gu22121 after 100 cycles. This work highlights the effectiveness of LDH-templated synthesis in constructing advanced heterostructure anodes for efficient sodium storage.

The chemical nature of zinc precursors dictates the crystallization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), yet its profound impact on the anti-corrosion performance of MOF-composite coatings remains elusive. Herein, we demonstrate a precursor-mediated strategy to tailor the particle size and interfacial chemistry of ZIF-8 within g-C3N4 hybrids for epoxy coatings. Four zinc precursors (nitrate, acetate, chloride, and gluconate) yield ZIF-8 with distinct sizes and morphologies, which in turn govern the interfacial bonding with g-C3N4. The acetate-derived ZIF-8-C (similar to 400 nm, uniform rhombic dodecahedron) exhibits the strongest interaction with g-C3N4, as evidenced by FT-IR and dispersion tests. When incorporated into epoxy, the ZIF-8-C/epoxy coating achieves an exceptional barrier property, maintaining a low-frequency impedance of 1.04 x 10(8) Omegacm(2) after 40 days-significantly outperforming its counterparts. Salt spray testing over 300 h and adhesion measurements (3.863 MPa dry, 2.587 MPa wet) further confirm its superior corrosion protection and robust coating-substrate adhesion. The synergistic effect is attributed to the optimal particle size, enhanced dispersion, and strong interfacial bonding, which collectively inhibit the diffusion pathway of corrodents and enable effective self-healing. This work provides fundamental insights into the "precursor-structure-performance" relationship, paving the way for the rational design of MOF-based composite coatings.

The simultaneous photoelectrocatalytic production of hypochlorous acid (HClO) and hydrogen (H2) from seawater represents a promising strategy for water disinfection and clean energy generation. However, developing efficient and stable catalyst systems remains a significant challenge. Herein, we report the construction of a BiOCl/TiO2 heterojunction photoanode that achieves remarkable synergy for concurrent HClO and H2 evolution. The composite photoanode demonstrates exceptional performance, yielding 106.0 mu mol cm-2 of hypochlorous acid and 96.9 mu mol cm-2 of hydrogen within 6 h. This enhanced activity is primarily attributed to the synergistic effect of a Type-II heterojunction for spatial charge separation and the unique dynamic cycle of lattice chlorine ions within BiOCl. This cycle, involving the auto-oxidation of lattice Cl-and subsequent vacancy replenishment by environmental Cl-, endows the catalyst with superior self-regeneration capability and stability. The synergistic mechanism between heterojunction engineering and lattice chlorine participation unveiled in this work provides a novel design principle for advanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) seawater splitting systems.

As a renewable and clean energy source, photocatalytically produced hydrogen holds great potential for various applications. Many catalysts have been developed for efficient production of hydrogen. However, the currently developed catalysts are still not efficient enough and it is necessary to develop a simple yet effective strategy to improve the performance of photocatalysts. In this study, organic molecule of cobalt tetrapyridylporphyrin (CoTPyP) was loaded on the plasmonic composite of gold and cadmium sulfide (Au/CdS), obtaining the organic-inorganic hybrid of Au/CdS-CoTPyP for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. A high hydrogen evolution rate of 35.64 mmol g- 1h- 1 was obtained on this hybrid, representing a 53.9% enhancement compared with that of bare Au/CdS. The mechanism of this catalysis enhancement can be mainly attributed to the strengthening of the interfacial electric field at Au-CdS interface due to the adsorption of CoTPyP on both CdS and Au surface. In addition, both photothermal and photoelectric effects were improved and reaction dynamics were enhanced in our catalytic system. This research provides a new insight for improving the performance of Au/CdS and may be applied to various photocatalysts in the near future.

Gyrotrons are widely used in ECRH (Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating) systems for plasma heating in nuclear fusion experimental devices. Due to the radiation cooling effect of the gyrotron electron gun, the beam current gradually decreases during long-pulse operation, leading to unstable output power. This paper presents a long-pulse gyrotron beam current control method that regulates the beam current by adjusting the filament power supply, thereby stabilizing the gyrotron output power. The method comprises three decoupled modules: data acquisition, feedback control, and filament power control. Data acquisition is implemented via PXI, feedback control adopts a PI (Proportional-Integral) algorithm, and filament power control is realized through SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments) over Ethernet. This approach enhances output power stability and is particularly suitable for ECRH systems without pre-installed beam current feedback mechanisms.

The development of multifunctional artificial synapses capable of integrating molecular sensing and physical stimuli detection remains a challenge due to limited material systems that exhibit both multi-modal responsiveness and tunable synaptic characteristics. Herein, we report two-dimensional perovskite oxide La2Ti2O7 (LTO) nanosheets that are semiconducting and ion conductive, rendering them sensitive to humidity, NO2 gas, and light. A two-terminal device based on the LTO nanosheets exhibited tunable synaptic behaviors and input-dependent switching between excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents. Importantly, a long-term inhibitory memory was achieved, resulting from the light-triggered reaction between environmental H2O and NO2 molecules, which deprived H2O from the LTO surface to bring LTO to a high resistance state. As a proof-of-concept, our two-terminal device was employed for evaluation and early warning of potential acid rain scenarios, demonstrating its advantage of reducing system complexity compared to a conventional system that requires multiple sensors and logic processors. Our work provides a new strategy of using multi-functional sensing materials for artificial synapses in responding to environmental chemical processes.

ABSTRACT Selective conversion of biomass‐derived glycerol into high‐value chemicals is challenged by poor selectivity and mass‐transfer limitations. Here, a BiOI/Au/TiO 2 photoanode is developed, where plasmonic Au mediators facilitate a transition from Type‐II to Z‐scheme charge transfer. This heterojunction preserves strongly oxidative holes on the TiO 2 surface, as confirmed by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy and spatially resolved MnO x photodeposition. In situ characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) reveal that this hole‐rich interface strengthens specific primary hydroxyl (pri‐OH) adsorption, lowering the rate‐determining dehydrogenation barrier to ∼0.6 eV. It also promotes rapid glyceraldehyde (GLAD) desorption, suppressing over‐oxidation. In a static H‐cell, the photoanode achieves 87% GLAD selectivity with a glycerol conversion rate of 341.25 mmol·m −2 ·h −1 . To overcome diffusion limitations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were employed to design a continuous‐flow reactor for the 100 cm 2 large‐area photoanode. The flow system prevents product accumulation, boosting GLAD selectivity from 48% (H‐cell) to 77% for the large‐area electrode, with enhanced glycerol conversion (60.34%) and stable 120 h operation. This work provides a laboratory scale‐up by integrating nanoscale reprogramming with macroscale reactor engineering.

Transition metal selenides (TMSs) are promising conversion-type anodes with high specific capacity. However, their reconstructed solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layers formed by ester-based electrolytes are relatively loose and unable to withstand structural expansion. Herein, this work demonstrates an effective interface modification strategy via the built-in electric field from ZnSe/NiSe2/CoSe2@NC (ZNCS@NC) cascade type-II heterostructures and the regulation mechanism of nitrogen-doped carbon matrix confinement. The ZNCS@NC achieves excellent performance (658 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1) and reliable cyclability (427 mAh g−1, 97.4% capacity after 3000 cycles at 5 A g−1), delivering favorable capacities at −15 °C (343 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1). During the continuous sodiation/desodiation processes, the SEI can gradually evolve into a stable structure with continuous compactness, thereby ensuring excellent long-term cycling stability and showing substantial potential for practical applications. The ZNCS@NC//NVP coin-type full cell exhibits a promising capacity (323 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1), and the pouch-type full cell maintains excellent mechanical damage resistance. This work paves the way for regulation of the electrode-electrolyte interfacial chemistry through rational electrode structure design towards high-performance SIB anodes for future commercial applications.

Abstract Aiming at the shortcomings of conventional epoxy coatings such as insufficient barrier property, lack of active protection function and short service life, bimetallic Cu-ZIF-8 nanomaterials with different Cu2+/Zn2+ molar ratios were synthesized via a room-temperature method, and the optimal doping ratio was determined as Cu2+/Zn2+ = 1:3. Cu-ZIF-8@BTA composite filler was further obtained by in situ loading of benzotriazole (BTA) and then introduced into epoxy resin to fabricate pH-responsive anti-corrosion composite coatings. The microstructure, chemical composition and thermal stability were characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD, FTIR, XPS and TGA. The corrosion resistance, long-term stability and interfacial adhesion were systematically evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, neutral salt spray test and pull-off adhesion test. Results show that Cu2+ is successfully doped into ZIF-8 framework through isomorphous substitution, and the complete rhombic dodecahedron morphology can be well retained at an appropriate doping content. BTA is uniformly distributed in the pores and on the surface without damaging the main structure. The Cu-ZIF-8@BTA/EP coating exhibits significantly improved physical barrier, interfacial bonding strength and long-term corrosion resistance compared with Neat EP and ZIF-8/EP coatings. It maintains a high impedance modulus after 56 days of immersion in 3.5 wt % NaCl solution and presents notable active corrosion inhibition performance in salt spray test, forming an integrated synergistic protection mechanism of “physical shieldingpH-responsive release behaviormulti-component synergistic corrosion inhibition”. This work provides a strategy for designing and preparing high-performance long-acting pH-responsive anti-corrosion epoxy coatings for Q235 carbon steel in harsh marine and petrochemical environments, as evidenced by 56 day immersion and 21 day salt spray testing.

Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) is a key auxiliary system on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) for plasma heating, non-inductive current drive, and real-time suppression of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities such as neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs). Such applications require deterministic source-power modulation, while the specific modulation bandwidth required depends on the plasma-control objective and facility hardware. The legacy EAST ECRH controller is predominantly open loop and cannot deterministically adjust source power during a discharge; its end-to-end response exceeds 10 ms, limiting closed-loop actuator studies during long-pulse operation. This paper presents a deterministic real-time gyrotron power control system implemented on an NI CompactRIO-9049 platform using a hybrid FPGA/realtime (RT) processor architecture and LabVIEW development workflow. Compared with earlier EAST command-signal generation and open-loop control, the novelty of this work is the integration of a scheduled PLF/ LUT feedforward model, calibrated detector-based power feedback, beam-current feedback, and interlock-aware FPGA execution in a single source-power regulation platform. The FPGA inner loop achieves a measured computation and I/O latency of 82 mu s. Step-response tests (0.3-1.0 MW) demonstrate a 5-8 ms 90% settling time and steady-state tracking within +/- 5%, while 10 Hz sinusoidal modulation yields a steady-interval tracking error of erms = 6.81%. Long-pulse operation over approximately 100 s achieved stable normalized power with a standard deviation of approximately 0.83%. These results demonstrate low-latency source-power regulation and long-pulse stability. The proposed control system can scalable to multi-gyrotron operation and provides a practical reference for high-availability real-time ECRH source power control in future fusion devices.

Developing highly efficient photoanodes is crucial for achieving solar-driven seawater splitting for hydrogen production, yet their performance is constrained by the competitive chloride evolution reaction (CER), catalyst corrosion, and rapid charge recombination. Herein, we designed and fabricated a robust hybrid photoanode by integrating Ti-doped alpha-Fe2O3 (Ti:alpha-Fe2O3) with a cobalt-based metal-organic framework (Co-MOF). The synergistic effect between bulk Ti-doping and surface Co-MOF modification was systematically investigated through SEM, TEM, XPS, UPS, and a suite of PEC measurements. The results demonstrate that the Co-MOF/Ti:alpha-Fe2O3 photoanode achieves a photocurrent density of 1.05 mA center dot cm-2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE in simulated seawater electrolyte, significantly surpassing Ti:alpha-Fe2O3 (0.35 mA center dot cm- 2) and pure alpha-Fe2O3 (0.18 mA center dot cm- 2). Ti doping significantly enhanced the bulk electronic conductivity and charge carrier density of alpha-Fe2O3, while the Co-MOF overlayer not only facilitated the extraction of photogenerated holes for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) but, more critically, underwent partial surface reconstruction during operation, in situ forming an active/protective cobalt oxyhydroxide phase. This reconstructed phase exhibits dual functionality, serving as both an efficient catalytic site and a robust barrier against chloride ion corrosion. Furthermore, this photoanode exhibits excellent stability and corrosion resistance in real seawater environments, maintaining 93 % activity after continuous operation for 4 h. This work provides a synergistic bulk-and-surface engineering strategy for developing highly efficient and durable photoanodes for direct solar seawater splitting.