Recycling of Aluminosilicate-Based Solid Wastes through Alkali-Activation: Preparation, Characterization, and Challenges

Recycling aluminosilicate-based solid wastes is imperative to realize the sustainable development of constructions. By using alkali activation technology, aluminosilicate-based solid wastes, such as furnace slag, fly ash, red mud, and most of the bio-ashes, can be turned into alternative binder materials to Portland cement to reduce the carbon...

Adopting BIM to Facilitate Dispute Management in the Construction Industry: A Conceptual Framework Development

Previous studies revealed that Building Information Modeling (BIM) has the potential to reduce project uncertainties, design errors, change orders, and delays, which might facilitate achieving effective dispute management in the construction industry. However, research into the adoption of BIM to holistically enhance effective dispute...

Benchmarking Robustness and Generalization in Multi-Agent Systems: A Case Study on Neural MMO

We present the results of the second Neural MMO challenge, hosted at IJCAI 2022, which received 1600+ submissions. This competition targets robustness and generalization in multi-agent systems: participants train teams of agents to complete a multi-task objective against opponents not seen during training. We summarize the competition design...

On the application of strong thermoplastic–thermoset interactions for developing advanced aerospace-composite joints

In this study, an aerospace thermosetting composite was co-curing joined by Polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) and Polyethylenimine (PEI) films, with an aim of developing advanced composite joints. The semi-crystalline PEEK films were surface activated upon a UV-irradiation technique to obtain a strong film–composite interface, while the amorphous...

A multi-axis robot-based bioprinting system supporting natural cell function preservation and cardiac tissue fabrication

Despite the recent advances in artificial tissue and organ engineering, how to generate large size viable and functional complex organs still remains as a grand challenge for regenerative medicine. Three-dimensional bioprinting has demonstrated its advantages as one of the major methods in fabricating simple tissues, yet it still faces...

A Series of Ternary Metal Chloride Superionic Conductors for High-Performance All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Understanding the relationship between structure, ionic conductivity, and synthesis is the key to the development of superionic conductors. Here, a series of Li_3-3_xM₁₊_xCl₆ (−0.14 < x ≤ 0.5, M = Tb, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Tm) solid electrolytes with orthorhombic and trigonal structures are...

Finite Element Analysis of Power Module Packages with One-step Molding for Power Inductors

With the development of 5G communication technology and the rise of power semiconductors, the switching frequency of the circuit keeps increasing, which pushes for miniaturization of power modules and related components. Therefore, in this paper, a one-step molding technology was proposed for a DC/DC buck converter power module. We proposed a...

The aging effect in evolving scientific citation networks

The study of citation networks is of interest to the scientific community. However, the underlying mechanism driving individual citation behavior remains imperfectly understood, despite the recent proliferation of quantitative research methods. Traditional network models normally use graph theory to consider articles as nodes and citations as...

Low Leakage and High Forward Current Density Quasi-Vertical GaN Schottky Barrier Diode With Post-Mesa Nitridation

In this brief, a high-performance quasi-vertical GaN Schottky barrier diode (SBD) on sapphire substrate with post-mesa nitridation process is reported, featuring a low damaged sidewall with extremely low leakage current. The fabricated SBD with a drift layer of 1 μm has achieved a very high ON/OFF current ratio (Iscriptscriptstyle ON...

Self-orienting hydrogel micro-buckets as novel cell carriers

Hydrogel microparticles are important in materials engineering, but their applications remain limited owing to the difficulties associated with their manipulation. Herein, we report the self-orientation of crescent-shaped hydrogel microparticles and elucidate its mechanism. Additionally, the microparticles were used, for the first time, as...

CGILS: Results from the first phase of an international project to understand the physical mechanisms of low cloud feedbacks in single column models

CGILS—the CFMIP-GASS Intercomparison of Large Eddy Models (LESs) and single column models (SCMs)—investigates the mechanisms of cloud feedback in SCMs and LESs under idealized climate change perturbation. This paper describes the CGILS results from 15 SCMs and 8 LES models. Three cloud regimes over the subtropical oceans are studied: shallow...