Lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are in great demand for their impressive successes in serving people's daily life. Concomitantly, recycling the retired LIBs has also aroused the enthusiasm of widespread ...studies due to its great significance in the sustainable development of LIBs. Among the spent LIBs, LiFePO4 (LFP) is the main force because of its widespread use in electric vehicles and grids due to its stability and favorable price. However, considering the low cost of LFP manufacture as well as the abundance of Fe and P, traditional metallurgy processes are not economically feasible for recycling LFP because of high energy consumption and tedious steps. Here, this work proposes a green recycling method to directly regenerate the degraded LFP electrode via an in situ electrochemical process with a functionalized prelithiation separator. Compared with the existing recycling strategies for LFP batteries, the proposed method takes full advantage of the degraded cathode scraps without destroying the original structure, greatly reducing the cost of the remanufacture of the cathode electrodes simply via a prelithiation technique.
Degraded LiFePO4 (D‐LFP) electrodes are directly reassembled into a new battery with a functionalized prelithiation separator and fresh graphite anode. Extra Li+ ions provided by the sacrificial lithium‐containing layer compensate the Li+ loss in the D‐LFP during the initial electrochemical process and thus the capacity of the regenerated battery is largely restored.
Full text
Available for:
FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was proposed by Hwang and Yoon as a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method, which identifies solutions from a finite ...set of alternatives. TOPSIS is based on the concept that the chosen alternative should have the shortest distance from the positive ideal solution (PIS) and the farthest distance from the negative ideal solution (NIS). In this study, the method was applied to evaluate the tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) of the Yangtze River Delta in China. This empirical study was based on a two-step procedure. The first procedure consisted of three hierarchies, four aspects and 35 evaluation indices, which were weighted by the information entropy weight (IEW). Secondly, the TOPSIS method was applied to the ranking analysis. This gave the most important index for each aspect by IEW. It also provided the ranking for 16 cities in the Yangtze River Delta based on four aspects, as well as the final overall ranking among them. Finally, the tactics and means for the cities to improve their tourism competitiveness were discussed. The results showed that TOPSIS & IEW can be implemented as an effective method in TDC evaluation.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The complexity of chemical compounds in lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) results in great difficulties in the extraction of multiple transition metals, which have similar physicochemical characteristics. ...Here, we propose a novel strategy for selective extraction of nickel, cobalt, and manganese from spent LiNixCoyMn1−x−yO2 (NCM) cathode through the regulation of coordination environment. Depending on adjusting the composition of ligand in transition metal complexes, a tandem leaching and separation system is designed and finally enables nickel, cobalt, and manganese to enrich in the form of NiO, Co3O4, and Mn3O4 with high recovery yields of 99.1 %, 95.1 %, and 95.3 %, respectively. We further confirm that the combination of different transition metals with well‐designed ligands is the key to good selectivity. Through our work, fine‐tuning the coordination environment of metal ions is proved to have great prospects in the battery recycling industry.
The deep eutectic solvent composed of choline chloride and oxalic acid was prepared. After leaching at 120 °C for 10 hours, the nickel oxalate dihydrate and the filtrate containing other metal elements are separated. Then the filtrate is diluted with water to precipitate the cobalt oxalate dihydrate. Finally, manganese compounds were separated by adjusting pH.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
The prosperity of the lithium‐ion battery market is dialectically accompanied by the depletion of corresponding resources and the accumulation of spent batteries. It is an urgent priority to ...develop green and efficient battery recycling strategies for helping ease resources and environmental pressures at the current stage. Here, we propose a mild and efficient lithium extracting strategy based on potential controllable redox couples. Active lithium in the spent battery without discharging is extracted using a series of tailored aprotic solutions comprised of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ethers. This ensures a safe yet efficient recycling process with nearly ≈100 % lithium recovery. We further investigate the Li
+
‐electron concerted redox reactions and the effect of solvation structure on kinetics during the extraction, and broaden the applicability of the Li‐PAHs solution. This work can stimulate new inspiration for designing novel solutions to meet efficient and sustainable demands in recycling batteries.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
•An integrated rough number based method is presented to evaluate design concepts under subjective environment.•Rough number is introduced to deal with the vagueness in decision-making.•A novel AHP ...based on rough number is presented to determine the weight of each evaluation criterion.•A rough number based VIKOR is proposed to evaluate the design concept alternatives.•The proposed method can effectively enhance the objectivity in design concept evaluation.
Design concept evaluation at the early stage of product design has been widely recognized as one of the most critical phases in new product development as it determines the direction of the downstream design activities. However, the information at this stage is mainly subjective and imprecise which only depends on experts’ judgments. How to handle the vagueness and subjectivity in design concept evaluation becomes a critical issue. This paper presents a systematic evaluation method by integrating rough number based analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and rough number based compromise ranking method (also known as VIKOR) to evaluate design concepts under subjective environment. In this study, rough number is introduced to aggregate individual judgments and preferences and deal with the vagueness in decision-making. A novel AHP based on rough number is presented to determine the weight of each evaluation criterion. Then an improved rough number based VIKOR is proposed to evaluate the design concept alternatives. Sensitivity analysis is conducted to measure the impact of the decision makers’ risk to the final evaluation results. Finally, a practical example is put forward to validate the performance of the proposed method. The result shows that the proposed decision-making method can effectively enhance the objectivity in design concept evaluation under subjective environment.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Suppression of HIV replication by antiretroviral therapy (ART) or host immunity can prevent AIDS but not other HIV-associated conditions including neurocognitive impairment (HIV-NCI). Pathogenesis in ...HIV-suppressed individuals has been attributed to reservoirs of latent-inducible virus in resting CD4+ T cells. Macrophages are persistently infected with HIV but their role as HIV reservoirs in vivo has not been fully explored. Here we show that infection of conventional mice with chimeric HIV, EcoHIV, reproduces physiological conditions for development of disease in people on ART including immunocompetence, stable suppression of HIV replication, persistence of integrated, replication-competent HIV in T cells and macrophages, and manifestation of learning and memory deficits in behavioral tests, termed here murine HIV-NCI. EcoHIV established latent reservoirs in CD4+ T lymphocytes in chronically-infected mice but could be induced by epigenetic modulators ex vivo and in mice. In contrast, macrophages expressed EcoHIV constitutively in mice for up to 16 months; murine leukemia virus (MLV), the donor of gp80 envelope in EcoHIV, did not infect macrophages. Both EcoHIV and MLV were found in brain tissue of infected mice but only EcoHIV induced NCI. Murine HIV-NCI was prevented by antiretroviral prophylaxis but once established neither persistent EcoHIV infection in mice nor NCI could be reversed by long-acting antiretroviral therapy. EcoHIV-infected, athymic mice were more permissive to virus replication in macrophages than were wild-type mice, suffered cognitive dysfunction, as well as increased numbers of monocytes and macrophages infiltrating the brain. Our results suggest an important role of HIV expressing macrophages in HIV neuropathogenesis in hosts with suppressed HIV replication.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Recent advancements in virtual reality technology have attracted increasing attention from enterprises and scholars, and many new related products have been launched. Due to the current COVID-19 ...epidemic, the non-face-to-face teaching environment will seriously affect students' basketball learning. We therefore combined basketball learning with metaverse technology, discussed basketball teaching in a virtual reality environment, and examined the influencing factors of college students' intentions to use metaverse technology. In the light of UTAUT2, a new research model was proposed, and quantitative research was carried out. The results of a survey of 1074 valid samples revealed that habits and attitudes are crucial factors in the success of basketball learning using a metaverse. The findings also indicate that grade and gender are moderator variables.
Metaverse; Basketball teaching; Virtual space; UTAUT2.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This letter presents a simple method to design dual-band high-efficiency power amplifiers (PAs). The dual-band coupler is exploited to design the output circuits of the PA. By proper selection of ...impedance conditions of terminal ports, the dual-band coupler can convert the fundamental impedance of transistor to the standard 50-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\Omega </tex-math></inline-formula> load at two frequencies. At the same time, the second harmonic impedance is also controlled without the need for additional tuning. For validation, a dual-band high-efficiency PA is designed and fabricated by using CGH40010F GaN HEMT. Measurements indicate that the designed PA can deliver saturated output power of 41.6 and 42.1 dBm at 1 and 2.3 GHz, respectively. Also, the obtained drain efficiency exceeds 72% at both frequencies.
Anthocyanin pigmentation is an important consumer trait in peach (Prunus persica). In this study, the genetic basis of the blood‐flesh trait was investigated using the cultivar Dahongpao, which shows ...high levels of cyanidin‐3‐glucoside in the mesocarp. Elevation of anthocyanin levels in the flesh was correlated with the expression of an R2R3 MYB transcription factor, PpMYB10.1. However, PpMYB10.1 did not co‐segregate with the blood‐flesh trait. The blood‐flesh trait was mapped to a 200‐kb interval on peach linkage group (LG) 5. Within this interval, a gene encoding a NAC domain transcription factor (TF) was found to be highly up‐regulated in blood‐fleshed peaches when compared with non‐red‐fleshed peaches. This NAC TF, designated BLOOD (BL), acts as a heterodimer with PpNAC1 which shows high levels of expression in fruit at late developmental stages. We show that the heterodimer of BL and PpNAC1 can activate the transcription of PpMYB10.1, resulting in anthocyanin pigmentation in tobacco. Furthermore, silencing the BL gene reduces anthocyanin pigmentation in blood‐fleshed peaches. The transactivation activity of the BL‐PpNAC1 heterodimer is repressed by a SQUAMOSA promoter‐binding protein‐like TF, PpSPL1. Low levels of PpMYB10.1 expression in fruit at early developmental stages is probably attributable to lower levels of expression of PpNAC1 plus the presence of high levels of repressors such as PpSPL1. We present a mechanism whereby BL is the key gene for the blood‐flesh trait in peach via its activation of PpMYB10.1 in maturing fruit. Partner TFs such as basic helix–loop‐helix proteins and NAC1 are required, as is the removal of transcriptional repressors.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper presents a novel load modulation network to realize a broadband Doherty power amplifier (DPA). The proposed load modulation network consists of two generalized transmission lines and a ...modified coupler. A comprehensive theoretical analysis is carried out to explain the operation principles of the proposed DPA. The analysis of the normalized frequency bandwidth characteristic shows that a theoretical relative bandwidth of approximately 86% can be obtained across a normalized frequency range of 0.4-1.0. The complete design process that allows the design of the large-relative-bandwidth DPA based on derived parameter solutions is presented. A broadband DPA operating between 1.0 GHz and 2.5 GHz was fabricated for validation. Measurements demonstrate that the DPA can deliver an output power of 43.9-44.5 dBm with a drain efficiency of 63.7-71.6% in the 1.0-2.5 GHz frequency band at the saturation level. Moreover, a drain efficiency of 45.2-53.7% can be obtained at the 6 dB power back-off level.
Full text
Available for:
IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK