As artificial intelligent technologies have been increasingly applied in tourism and hospitality industry, the service failure caused by artificial intelligence assistant and how to recover them are ...worth empirical studying. Laboratory experiments were employed to test the impact of cuteness in service failure, with effective manipulation of cute appearance, cute voice and cute language style of artificial intelligence assistant. By utilizing three studies with seven experiments, this research demonstrated the positive effect of cuteness design of artificial intelligence assistant on customer tolerance of service failure and further revealed the two mediating paths (tenderness and performance expectancy) as well as the boundary (failure severity and time pressure) of the cuteness effect. These findings contribute to the knowledge on artificial intelligent assistant service and provide insight for cute design using in tourism and hospitality industry.
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•Cuteness design of AI assistant influences customers' tolerance of service failure.•Seven experiments were used to examine the cuteness effect and the mechanism behind.•Cuteness can be designed through appearance, voice or language style.•Cuteness effect was mediated by tenderness and performance expectancy.•The moderating role of perceived severity and time pressure was found.
Potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs) are a promising alternative to lithium‐ion batteries because potassium is an abundant natural resource. To date, PIBs are in the early stages of exploration and only a ...few anode materials have been investigated. This study reports a cobalt sulfide and graphene (CoS@G) composite as anode electrode for PIBs for the first time. The composite features interconnect quantum dots of CoS nanoclusters uniformly anchored on graphene nanosheets. The coexistence of CoS quantum dot nanoclusters and graphene nanosheets endows the composite with large surface area, highly conductive network, robust structural stability, and excellent electrochemical energy storage performance. An unprecedented capacity of 310.8 mA h g−1 at 500 mA g−1 is obtained after 100 cycles, with a rate capability better than an equivalent sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). This work provides the evidence that PIBs can be a promising alternative to SIBs, especially at high charge–discharge rates. The development of the CoS@G anode material also provides the basis of expanding the library of suitable anode materials for PIBs.
A CoS quantum dot nanoclusters graphene composite (CoS@G) is applied as anode in potassium‐ion batteries (PIBs). The coexistence of CoS quantum dots nanoclusters and graphene nanosheets endows the composite with a large surface area, a highly conductive network, and robust structural stability. In PIBs, the electrode delivers an unprecedented capacity of 310.8 mA h g−1 at 500 m A g−1 after 100 cycles.
The rechargeable Li–CO2 battery is a novel and promising energy storage system with the capability of CO2 capture due to the reversible reaction between lithium ions and carbon dioxide. Carbon ...materials as the cathode, however, limit both the cycling performance and the energy efficiency of the rechargeable Li–CO2 battery, due to the insulating Li2CO3 formed in the discharge process, which is difficult to decompose in the charge process. Here, a Mo2C/carbon nanotube composite material is developed as the cathode for the rechargeable Li–CO2 battery and can achieve high energy efficiency (77%) and improved cycling performance (40 cycles). A related mechanism is proposed that Mo2C can stabilize the intermediate reduction product of CO2 on discharge, thus preventing the formation of insulating Li2CO3. In contrast to insulating Li2CO3, this amorphous Li2C2O4‐Mo2C discharge product can be decomposed below 3.5 V on charge. The introduction of Mo2C provides an effective solution to the problem of low round‐trip efficiency in the Li–CO2 battery.
In a rechargeable Li–CO2 battery, molybdenum carbide/carbon nanotubes as a cathode can stabilize the intermediate product on discharge, by building a new chemical bond between Mo and O. This amorphous discharge product effectively prevents the formation of crystalline Li2CO3 and thereby reduces the potential plateau on charge and improves the round‐trip efficiency of the rechargeable Li–CO2 battery.
Maintaining structural stability and alleviating the intrinsic poor conductivity of conversion‐type reaction anode materials are of great importance for practical application. Introducing void space ...and a highly conductive host to accommodate the volume changes and enhance the conductivity would be a smart design to achieve robust construction; effective electron and ion transportation, thus, lead to prolonged cycling life and excellent rate performance. Herein, uniform yolk–shell FeP@C nanoboxes (FeP@CNBs) with the inner FeP nanoparticles completely protected by a thin and self‐supported carbon shell are synthesized through a phosphidation process with yolk–shell Fe2O3@CNBs as a precursor. The volumetric variation of the inner FeP nanoparticles during cycling is alleviated, and the FeP nanoparticles can expand without deforming the carbon shell, thanks to the internal void space of the unique yolk–shell structure, thus preserving the electrode microstructure. Furthermore, the presence of the highly conductive carbon shell enhances the conductivity of the whole electrode. Benefiting from the unique design of the yolk–shell structure, the FeP@CNBs manifests remarkable lithium/potassium storage performance.
A unique yolk‐shell structured FeP@C nanobox is developed as an effective nanostructured anode material for rechargeable batteries. The complete and robust carbon shell enhances the electrical conductivity of the composite and prevents the agglomeration of the active materials. More importantly, the extra void space of the nanostructure maintains the integrity of the electrode microstructure. Thus, remarkable electrochemical performances obtained.
The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is an emerging key technology to provide clean, renewable energy. Current state‐of‐the‐art catalysts still rely on expensive and rare noble metals, however, the ...relatively cheap and abundant transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have emerged as exceptionally promising alternatives. Early studies in developing TMD‐based catalysts laid the groundwork in understanding the fundamental catalytically active sites of different TMD phases, enabling a toolbox of physical, chemical, and electronic engineering strategies to improve the HER catalytic activity of TMDs. This report focuses on recent progress in improving the catalytic properties of TMDs toward highly efficient production of H2. Combining theoretical and experimental considerations, a summary of the progress to date is provided and a pathway forward for viable hydrogen evolution from TMD driven catalysis is concluded.
Building on the fundamental understanding of the catalytic process and advancements in chemical, electronic, and structural tuning of transition metal chalcogenides, the key concepts for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are provided and their potential as the next‐generation of HER catalysts is discussed, providing a clear pathway forward for viable hydrogen evolution.
X-ray microcomputed tomography (X-ray μCT) method is proposed to trace steel corrosion and corrosion-induced cracking in cement paste. Experimental results show it can track the time-dependent ...development of steel corrosion and corrosion products, as well as the subsequent initiation and propagation of corrosion-induced cracks. Furthermore, the information of corrosion pits, corrosion products, and corrosion-induced cracks can be clearly obtained from the whole specimen by this novel method. Additionally, SEM/EDS results agree closely with image analyses by X-ray μCT. This method provides a new angle to investigate the reinforcement corrosion process and can help to improve the numerical analysis of corrosion-induced damage in reinforced concrete structures.
•Reinforcement corrosion and corrosion-induced cracking is traced by X-ray μCT method.•The development of corrosion products can be determined as a function of time and space.•Subsequent initiation and propagation of corrosion-induced cracks can be monitored.•The time-dependent corrosion process can be quantitative analyzed by X-ray μCT measurement.
2D elemental layered crystals, such as graphene and black phosphorus (B‐P), have received tremendous attentions due to their rich physical and chemical properties. In the applications of ...nanoelectronic devices, graphene shows super high electronic mobility, but it lacks bandgap which impedes development in logical devices. As an alternative, B‐P shows high mobility of up to about 1000 cm2 V−1 s−1. However, B‐P is very unstable and degrades rapidly in ambient conditions. Orthorhombic arsenic (black arsenic; b‐As) is the “cousin” of B‐P; theoretical prediction shows that b‐As also has excellent physical and chemical properties, but there is almost no experimental report on b‐As. Herein, it is reported on the unique transport characteristics and stability of monolayer and few‐layer b‐As crystals which are exfoliated from the natural mineral. The properties of field‐effect transistors (FETs) strongly depend on the thickness of crystals. In the monolayer limit, the performance shows relatively high carrier mobilities and large on/off ratios. Moreover, the b‐As crystals exhibit a relatively good ambient stability. The few‐layer arsenic based FET still function after exposure to air for about one month. Therefore, b‐As is expected to be a promising 2D material candidate in nanoelectronic devices.
A black arsenic monolayer is synthesized from the natural mineral of orthorhombic arsenic by mechanical exfoliation for the first time. Monolayer black arsenic (b‐As) based field‐effect transistors exhibit good carrier transport properties. Meanwhile, b‐As exhibits a better ambient stability than black phosphorus.
Although an increasing number of studies have examined issues relating to the preservation and development of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), there has been limited research on how tourists ...perceive ICH. Moreover, UNESCO asserts that the concept of "authenticity" is not applicable to ICH, and so far, no valid instrument for measuring tourists' subjective perceptions of ICH has been developed, even though their perceptions play a very important role in the preservation and development of ICH. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a measurement scale for ICH image, using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Participant observation, semi-structured in-depth interviews, secondary data collection, and a literature review were conducted to generate the initial scale items, and then the main surveys were conducted to collect data for the model tests. Four dimensions were extracted by exploratory factor analysis: transmission, localization, vitality, and association. The reliability and validity of the measurement model were demonstrated through confirmatory factor analysis. We further determined that the transmission, vitality, and association of ICH image have a positive impact on tourists' revisit intention. The paper highlights the crucial role of ICH image in sustainable tourism development. The theoretical and managerial implications of the study are discussed, followed by suggestions for future research.
Colistin represents one of the few available drugs for treating infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. As such, the recent plasmid-mediated spread of the colistin resistance ...gene mcr-1 poses a significant public health threat, requiring global monitoring and surveillance. Here, we characterize the global distribution of mcr-1 using a data set of 457 mcr-1-positive sequenced isolates. We find mcr-1 in various plasmid types but identify an immediate background common to all mcr-1 sequences. Our analyses establish that all mcr-1 elements in circulation descend from the same initial mobilization of mcr-1 by an ISApl1 transposon in the mid 2000s (2002-2008; 95% highest posterior density), followed by a marked demographic expansion, which led to its current global distribution. Our results provide the first systematic phylogenetic analysis of the origin and spread of mcr-1, and emphasize the importance of understanding the movement of antibiotic resistance genes across multiple levels of genomic organization.
Perfobond connectors are a certain type of shear connectors used in steel and concrete composite structures. In composite bridges with narrow connector distances or shallow rib heights, it is ...unfavorable to enhance shear connection by using large circular-hole perfobond connectors. To solve this problem, an alternative perfobond connector was developed by making long-holes on steel rib plates. In this paper, 21 push-out specimens were fabricated and loaded to failure. The main objective was to compare the failure mode, shear capacity and slip behavior of perfobond connectors using circular-holes and long-holes. Furthermore, 87 nonlinear finite element simulations were performed to further study the effects of hole geometry and concrete strength. The parametric results were generated to evaluate the shear capacity equations for perfobond connectors. Finally, an analytical model was proposed to predict the shear strength of both circular-hole and long-hole perfobond connectors.
•An alternative shear connector, long-hole perfobond connector, was proposed.•Push-out tests of circular-hole and long-hole perfobond connectors were conducted.•Shear behaviors of perfobond connectors were simulated through FE analysis.•The effects of hole geometry and concrete strength were numerically analyzed.•A shear capacity equation was proposed for perfobond connectors.