The use of polymer composites in various engineering applications has become state of the art. This multi-author volume provides a useful summary of updated knowledge on polymer composites in general, practically integrating experimental studies, theoretical analyses and computational modeling at different scales, i.e., from nano- to macroscale. Detailed consideration is given to four major are…
Abstract. Binuclear iron clusters were constructed successfully in cavities of HY Zeolite by surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC) of ferrocene. UV–visible diffuse reflection (UV–vis DRS), X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopies were used to characterize the structure of the formed binuclear iron clusters. The res…
Abstract. Water-soluble and carboxyl-functionalized up-converting rare-earth nanoparticles (UCNPs) are obtained via an efficient surface–ligand-exchange procedure. Hexanedioic acid molecules are employed to replace the original hydrophobic ligands in diethylene glycol solvent at high temperature. Various characterizations indicate the ligand-exchange process has negligible adverse effect …
Abstract. Submicron- and nano-scale cuprous oxide particles derived from copper acetate and copper gluconate complexes were synthesized via a photochemical route in polar media without further reducing agents. The morphology, composition, and phase structure of as-prepared Cu2O were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscop…
Abstract. The hyperaccumulative plant species Leersia hexandra Swartz, particularly, has been considered for its detoxification mechanism for phytoremediation of chromium-contaminated water environments. This study investigates the role of the adsorption mechanism of the L. hexandra Sw. biomass on the removal of chromium ions Cr(VI) and Cr(III) from an aqueous solution. The interaction betw…
Abstract. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have shown to be well suited for distributed power generation due to their excellent performance. However, a PEMFC produces a considerable amount of heat in the process of electrochemical reaction. It is desirable to use thermal energy for electricity generation in addition to heating applications. Based on the operating characteristics…
Aims. We explored the decomposition rates of single- and mixed-species litter, the litter-mixing effect and the effect of component litters in a mixture on decomposition. Methods.In a litter bag experiment, shoot litters from two dominant grasses (Leymus chinensis and Stipa baicalensis) and one legume (Melissitus ruthenica) were decomposed separately and as a mixture from May 2010 to Septembe…