Search Results (115)

Preserving historical porous materials requires careful monitoring of surface humidity to mitigate deterioration processes like salt crystallization, mold growth, and material decay. While microclimate monitoring is a recognized preventive conservation tool, its role in detecting surface-specific moisture risks remains underexplored. This study evaluates the relationship between indoor microclimate fluctuations and surface moisture dynamics across 13 historical sites in Northern Italy (Lake Como, Valtellina, Valposchiavo), encompassing diverse masonry typologies and environmental conditions. High-resolution sensors recorded temperature and relative humidity for a minimum of 13 months, and eight indicators—including dew point depression, critical temperature–humidity zones, and damp effect indices—were analyzed to assess the moisture risks. The results demonstrate that multivariate microclimate data could effectively predict humidity accumulation. The key findings reveal the impact of seasonal ventilation, thermal inertia, and localized air stagnation on moisture distribution, with unheated alpine sites showing the highest condensation risk. The study highlights the need for integrated monitoring approaches, combining dew point analysis, mixing ratio stability, and buffering performance, to enable early risk detection and targeted conservation strategies. These insights bridge the gap between environmental monitoring and surface moisture diagnostics in porous heritage materials. Full article

Weathering steel (WS) is widely used in bridge construction due to its high corrosion resistance, durability, and low maintenance requirements. This paper reviews the performance of WS bridges in Canadian climates, focusing on the formation of protective patina, influencing factors, and long-term maintenance strategies. The protective patina, composed of stable iron oxyhydroxides, develops over time under favorable wet–dry cycles but can be disrupted by environmental aggressors such as chlorides, sulfur dioxide, and prolonged moisture exposure. Key alloying elements like Cu, Cr, Ni, and Nb enhance corrosion resistance, while design considerations—such as drainage optimization and avoidance of crevices—are critical for performance. The study highlights the vulnerability of WS bridges to microenvironments, including de-icing salt exposure, coastal humidity, and debris accumulation. Regular inspections and maintenance, such as debris removal, drainage system upkeep, and targeted cleaning, are essential to mitigate corrosion risks. Climate change exacerbates challenges, with rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and ocean acidification accelerating corrosion in coastal regions. Future research directions include optimizing WS compositions with advanced alloys (e.g., rare earth elements) and integrating climate-resilient design practices. This review highlights the need for a holistic approach combining material science, proactive maintenance, and adaptive design to ensure the longevity of WS bridges in evolving environmental conditions. Full article

Increasing abiotic stress, particularly salinity, poses a significant threat to the germination and seedling development of Tartary buckwheat, thereby limiting its yield potential and broader cultivation. Given Tartary buckwheat’s rich nutritional profile and inherent stress adaptability, enhancing seed tolerance to abiotic stress is essential for ensuring food security and the development of functional food resources. To investigate the role of melatonin in mitigating abiotic stress, seeds of the cultivar ‘Jinqiaomai 2’ were primed with varying melatonin concentrations (with water as the control) at multiple time points. The effects of salt stress on germination and seedling quality were evaluated to determine optimal priming conditions. Subsequent analyses examined seed vigor and physiological and biochemical responses during storage under high temperature and humidity, room temperature, and low-temperature conditions. The results showed that a 3 h melatonin priming consistently resulted in high germination rates (98.7–100.0%). Notably, melatonin at 50 μmol·L⁻¹ was identified as the optimal concentration, significantly improving seedling growth under salinity stress, with increases of 61.1% in seedling length, 59.3% in root length, and 38.9% in root fresh weight compared with the control. Across all storage environments, melatonin-primed seeds exhibited superior vigor and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity relative to water-primed controls. In conclusion, melatonin priming at an appropriate concentration and duration effectively enhanced the vigor of Tartary buckwheat seeds and alleviated the adverse effects of salinity on germination and storage resilience. However, improved seeds may possess a limited safe storage window and should be sown promptly rather than stored long-term. Full article

In response to the performance requirements of ship conductive rings in the coupled environment of high salt spray, high humidity, and mechanical wear in the ocean, a Cu-TiC composite coating was prepared on the surface of 7075 aluminum alloy by using the high-speed laser cladding (HLC) technology. The influence laws of the scanning speed (86.4–149.7 mm/s) on the microstructure, tribological properties, and corrosion resistance of the coating were explored. The results show that the scanning speed significantly changes the phase composition and grain morphology of the coating by regulating the thermodynamic behavior of the molten pool. At a low scanning speed (86.4 mm/s), the CuAl₂ phase is dominant, and the grains are mainly columnar crystals. As the scanning speed increases to 149.7 mm/s, the accelerated cooling rate promotes an increase in the proportion of Cu₂Al₃ phase, refines the grains to a coexisting structure of equiaxed crystals and cellular crystals, and improves the uniformity of TiC particle distribution. Tribological property analysis shows that the high scanning speed (149.7 mm/s) coating has a 17.9% lower wear rate than the substrate due to grain refinement and TiC interface strengthening. The wear mechanism is mainly abrasive wear and adhesive wear, accompanied by slight oxidative wear. Electrochemical tests show that the corrosion current density of the high-speed cladding coating is as low as 7.36 × 10⁻⁷ A·cm⁻², and the polarization resistance reaches 23,813 Ω·cm². The improvement in corrosion resistance is attributed to the formation of a dense passivation film and the blocking of the Cl diffusion path. The coating with a scanning speed of 149.7 mm/s exhibits optimal wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant synergistic performance and is suitable for the surface strengthening of conductive rings in extreme marine environments. This research provides theoretical support for the process performance regulation and engineering application of copper-based composite coatings. Full article

Background: Tetrabenazine (brand name Nitoman and Xenazine) is a compound used to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. Due to its low solubility, this drug is administered to patients in high doses, which produces side effects. Methods: To overcome these deficiencies, we prepared, using the mechanochemical method, three salts of tetrabenazine with three coformers: oxalic, fumaric, and succinic acid. The new solid forms were identified by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Results: Full structural characterization was performed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), which revealed that the supramolecular interactions in the new solid forms were achieved by proton transfer between the coformer and the nitrogen of the tetrabenazine molecule. The salts formation was also evidenced by thermal analyses (DSC) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, the physical stability of the salts was evaluated under extreme temperature and humidity conditions. Conclusions: From a pharmaceutical perspective, UV-VIS tests of the new salts dissolved in water revealed a significant improvement in their solubility, which could improve their bioavailability in therapeutic applications. Full article

The increasing restriction of lead in industrial alloys, particularly in copper–zinc-based materials such as CuZn40Pb2, necessitates the development of environmentally safer alternatives. ZnAl15Cu1Mg (ZEP1510), a zinc-based wrought alloy composed of 15% aluminum, 1% copper, 0.03% magnesium, with the remainder being zinc, has emerged as a promising candidate for lead-free applications due to its favorable forming characteristics and corrosion resistance. This study investigates the performance of ZEP1510 compared to conventional leaded copper alloys and galvanized steel. Corrosion behavior was evaluated using neutral salt spray testing, cyclic climate chamber exposure, and electrochemical potential analysis in chloride- and sulfate-containing environments. ZEP1510 exhibited corrosion resistance comparable to brass and significantly better performance than galvanized steel in neutral and humid atmospheres. Combined with its low processing temperature and high recyclability, ZEP1510 presents itself as a viable and sustainable alternative to brass with lead for applications in sanitary, automotive, and electrical engineering industries. Full article

(1) Background: this article focuses on the durability decline problem of rammed earth buildings in Paishan Village, Zhuhai City under the influence of complex environments. It aims to reveal the erosion mechanisms of rammed earth walls caused by different environmental factors (acid rain, salt spray, humidity, biological activities, etc.), and provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted remediation strategies. (2) Methods: a technical framework combining macroscopic investigation and microscopic analysis was adopted. Ion chromatography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and characterization (XRD) were used to study the damage to buildings in Paishan Village under the influence of different environmental factors. (3) Results: The acid rain and sulfate buildup could cause cracks and peeling on the south wall of the rammed earth wall. Salt spray and high humidity conditions exacerbated surface weathering on the west wall. Vibrant biological activity and high humidity made the north wall’s minerals easily dissolve, leaving the structure loose. The east wall was affected by the changing dynamics of carbonate rocks, which made it more vulnerable to weathering. (4) Conclusion: according to the analysis of different walls, specific steps should be taken during future restoration to improve the durability of rammed-earth buildings. Full article

Typical metal equipment in substations is exposed to high-temperature, high-humidity, and high-salt environments for a long time, and surface corrosion is a serious threat to operational safety. Traditional manual inspection is limited by the complexity of the environment and subjective assessment errors, and there is an urgent need for a method that can quickly and accurately locate the corrosion area and assess the degree of corrosion. In this paper, based on YOLOv8, the feature extraction ability is improved by introducing the attention mechanism; a mixed-mixed-sample data augmentation algorithm is designed to increase the diversity of data; and a cosine annealing learning rate adjustment is adopted to improve the training efficiency. The corrosion process of metal materials is accelerated by a neutral salt spray test in order to collect corrosion samples at different stages and establish a dataset, and a model of a corrosion-state recognition algorithm for typical equipment in substations based on an improved YOLOv8 model is established. Finally, based on ablation experiments and comparison experiments, performance analyses of multiple algorithmic models are conducted for horizontal and vertical comparisons in order to verify the effectiveness of the improved method and the superiority of the models in this paper. The experiments verify that the improved model is comprehensively leading in multi-dimensional indicators: the mAP reaches 96.3% and the F1 score reaches 93.6%, which is significantly better than mainstream models such as Faster R-CNN, and provides a reliable technical solution for the intelligent inspection of substation equipment. Full article

Pre-lithiation using Li–Si alloy-type additives is a promising technical approach to address the drawbacks of Si-based anodes, such as a low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and inevitable capacity decay during cycling. However, its commercial application is limited by the air sensitivity of the highly reactive Li–Si alloys, which demands improved environmental stability. In this work, a protective membrane is constructed on Li₁₃Si₄ alloys using low-surface-energy paraffin and highly conductive carbon nanotubes through liquid-phase deposition, exhibiting enhanced hydrophobicity and improved Li⁺/e⁻ conductivity. The Li₁₃Si₄@Paraffin/carbon nanotubes (Li₁₃Si₄@P-CNTs) composite achieves a high pre-lithiation capacity of 970 mAh g⁻¹ and superb environmental stability, retaining 92.2% capacity after exposure to ambient air with 45% relative humidity. DFT calculations and in situ XRD measurements reveal that the paraffin-dominated coating membrane, featuring weak dipole–dipole interactions with water molecules, effectively reduces the moisture-induced oxidation kinetics of Li₁₃Si₄@P-CNTs in air. Electrochemical kinetic analysis and XPS depth profiling reveal the enhancement in charge transfer dynamics and surface Li⁺ transport kinetics (SEI rich in inorganic lithium salts) in P-SiO@C pre-lithiated by Li₁₃Si₄@P-CNTs pre-lithiation additives. Benefitting from pre-lithiation via Li₁₃Si₄@P-CNTs, the pre-lithiated SiO@C(P-SiO@C) delivers high ICE (103.7%), stable cycling performance (981 mAh g⁻¹ at 200 cycles) and superior rate performance (474.5 mAh g⁻¹ at 3C) in a half-cell system. The LFP||P-Gr pouch-type full cell exhibits a capacity retention of 83.2% (2500 cycles) and an energy density of 381 Wh kg⁻¹ after 2500 cycles. The Li₁₃Si₄@P-CNTs additives provide valuable design concepts for the development of pre-lithiation materials. Full article

Due to the difficulties in sampling, high sensitivity to humidity, and inconvenience in storage, undisturbed loess is prone to changes in its original structure. Therefore, trace amounts of cement and salt are added to remolded soil to simulate the structure of undisturbed loess. The GDS dynamic three-axial test apparatus was used to investigate the influence of dry density, cement content, and confining pressure (CP) on the dynamic distortion characteristics of artificially structured soil. Based on dynamic triaxial tests, the Hardin–Drnevich (H-D) model was established through fitting analysis. The research findings indicate that increased dry density, cement content, and CP can enhance the soil’s resistance to distortion. Under dynamic loading, the higher the CP, the smaller the damping ratio of the soil. With a dry density of 1.20 g/cm³ and 2% cement, the dynamic modulus of the artificially structured loess is similar to that of undisturbed loess. With a dry density of 1.60 g/cm³ and 2% cement, the CP is 200 kPa, the soil’s dynamic modulus of elasticity (DM-E) peak value is 113.14 MPa, and the damping ratio is 0.258. The good agreement between trial data and the predicted results demonstrates that the H-D hyperbolic model is appropriate for representing the DM-E of artificially structured loess. A three-dimensional model of the dynamic deformation characteristics and microstructure of artificial structural loess under dynamic loads was established. The findings can guide the study of the mechanical properties of loess under dynamic loading. Full article

Water quality affects soils by promoting their degradation by the accumulation of salts that will lead to salinization and sodification. However, the magnitude of these processes varies with soil attributes. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_sat) is the rate at which water passes through saturated soil, which is fundamental to determining water movement through the soil profile. The K_sat may differ from soil to soil according to the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), water electrical conductivity (EC_w), soil texture, and clay mineralogical assemblage. In this study, an experiment with vertical columns and constant-load permeameters was conducted to evaluate changes in soil K_sat with waters comprising five EC_w values (128, 718, 1709, 2865, and 4671 µS cm⁻¹) and five SAR values [0, 5, 12, 20, and 30 (mmol_c L⁻¹)^0.5] in combination. Horizons from nine northeastern Brazilian soils (ranging from tropical to semiarid) were selected according to their texture and clay mineralogical composition. The data obtained were fit with multiple regression equations for K_sat as a function of EC_w and SAR. This study also determined the null SAR at each EC_w level, using K_sat = 0 on each equation, to predict the SAR needed to achieve zero drainage on each soil for each EC_w level and the threshold electrolyte concentration (C_TH) that would lead to a 20% reduction of maximum K_sat. Neither the EC_w nor SAR of the applied waters affected the K_sat of soils with a mineralogical assemblage of oxides and kaolinite such as Ferralsol, Nitisol, and Lixisol, with an average K_sat of 2.75, 6.06, and 3.33 cm h⁻¹, respectively. In smectite- and illite-rich soils, the K_sat increased with higher EC_w levels and decreased with higher SAR levels, especially comparing the soil’s estimated K_sat for water with low EC_w and high SAR in combination (EC_w of 128 µS cm⁻¹ and SAR 30) and water with high EC_w and low SAR in combination (EC_w of 4671 µS cm⁻¹ and SAR 0) such as Regosol (4.95 to 10.94 cm h⁻¹); Vertisol (0.28 to 2.04 cm h⁻¹); Planosol (0 to 0.29 cm h⁻¹); Luvisol (0.46 to 2.12 cm h⁻¹); Cambisol (0 to 0.23 cm h⁻¹); and Fluvisol (1.87 to 3.34 cm h⁻¹). The C_TH was easily reached in soils with high concentrations of highly active clays such as smectites. In sandy soils, the target C_TH was only reached under extremely high SAR values, indicating a greater resistance of these soils to salinization/sodification. Due to their mineralogical assemblage, soils from tropical sub-humid/hot and semiarid climates were more affected by treatments than soils from tropical humid/hot climates, indicating serious risks of physical and chemical degradation. The results showed the importance of monitoring water quality for irrigation, mainly in less weathered, more clayey soils, with high clay activity to minimize the rate of salt accumulation in soils of the Brazilian semiarid region. Our study also proved that clay mineralogy had more influence on the K_sat than clay concentration, mainly in soils irrigated with saline and sodic waters, and that soils with highly active smectite are more prone to degradation than soils with high concentrations of kaolinite. Full article

Carasau bread (CB) is a traditional Sardinian flatbread with significant market potential, driving the need for advanced quality monitoring solutions in its production. Recent advancements in automation and engineering have enhanced process control, but a comprehensive understanding of CB dough properties remains essential. Dielectric spectroscopy (DS), particularly in the microwave (MW) range, has emerged as a non-destructive, cost-effective tool for food characterization, providing insights into microstructure and composition. MW DS has been applied to assess fermentation dynamics and ingredient influence in CB doughs, with previous studies modeling dielectric properties using a third-order Cole–Cole model up to 8.5 GHz and later extending to 20 GHz. Despite these advancements, the repeatability, reliability, and consistency of MW DS measurements on CB doughs have not been systematically assessed. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing MW DS measurements on ten CB dough samples with standard composition (water 50%, yeast 1.5%, salt 1.5%) in the 0.5–6 GHz range, both before and after leavening, for 10 different samples and a total of 100 measurements. Even though the correlation between spectra is high, and even if the coefficient of variation is below 5% before leavening, the z-score analysis and the kernel density estimation highlighted that the distribution of dielectric data is heterogeneous, showing that variability across samples exists, especially after leavening. Finally, the influence of pressure, temperature, and relative humidity was excluded. This statistical evaluation of MW DS measurement provided critical insights into the robustness of MW DS for industrial applications. Full article

Renewable energy sources are essential to mitigating climate change, with biofuels offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Jatropha curcas, the best, non-edible, high-oil-yielding species, is a leading candidate for biodiesel production. However, ensuring a stable seed supply through effective storage is critical for biodiesel markets stability. This study evaluated the physiological and biochemical viability of J. curcas seeds stored at 4 °C with controlled humidity using 1.5 g of silica gel per gram of seed over 12 months. The results demonstrated that low-temperature, low-humidity storage significantly reduced metabolic activity, embryo respiration, and seed deterioration, preserving high germinability and oil quality. Despite a slight increase in mean germination time, seeds retained resilience in germination potential and viability. Additionally, preliminary assessments of salt tolerance revealed the potential of J. curcas seeds to germinate under saline conditions, supported by analyses of mineral nutrition and salt tolerance-related gene expression. These findings underscore the practicality of optimized storage conditions for maintaining seed quality and economic value, ensuring a consistent supply chain for biodiesel production. This study highlights the importance of integrating storage strategies into biodiesel systems to enhance sustainability and market resilience in the face of fluctuating production demands. Full article

The main load-bearing structure of offshore wind power is mainly metal, and the corrosion of metal structures is particularly serious when exposed to corrosive environments, such as high salt and humidity for a long period of time and has attracted more and more attention from researchers at home and abroad. Epoxy resin is used as a matrix resin in both primer and middle coatings. In anti-corrosion coatings, when additives are added to the epoxy system, the affinity and hydrophobicity of the additives themselves affect the protective effect of the system. In this study, the effects of two additives, BIB (containing hydrophilic groups) and HFTC (containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups), on the corrosion protection properties of epoxy adhesives were investigated. The impact of these additives on the contact angle, water absorption rate, salt spray resistance, and overall corrosion resistance was evaluated using various experimental methods. The results show that the BIB additive is not conducive to the enhancement of epoxy coatings’ anti-corrosive properties due to its good hydrophilicity. The addition of HFTC can effectively improve the protective performance of the coating, and when the addition of HFTC is 0.6%, the salt spray resistance of the composite coating is optimized. This study provides valuable insights into the optimization of epoxy systems for enhanced corrosion protection in marine environments. Full article

The Ni-Au coating with its inherent chemical stability is recognized as an effective method for boosting corrosion resistance in humid environments while preserving exceptional electrical conductivity. However, its anti-corrosion performance is affected by the structure characteristics of the coating due to the high corrosion potentials of Au and Ni. To enhance its protection properties, the deposition process parameters, including deposition time, deposition current density, and zincating times, were investigated. The morphology and structure of the coatings were characterized, while its anti-corrosion performance was assessed through electrochemical and accelerated salt-spray tests. Eventually, the elevated current density in the Ni-Au coating resulted in reduced grain size and improved surface morphology, ensuring superior anti-corrosion performance. Additionally, extending the Ni deposition time provided a second physical barrier for the dense and thick Ni layer to resist the invasion of corrosive media. Furthermore, grey theory was applied to predict the service life of the Ni-Au coating. This research provides valuable insights and constructive guidance for optimizing Ni-Au coating in various engineering applications. Full article