Tongji University

About: Tongji University is a education organization based out in Shanghai, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Computer science & Population. The organization has 76116 authors who have published 81176 publications receiving 1248911 citations. The organization is also known as: Tongji & Tóngjì Dàxué.

Global monsoon in a geological perspective

Abstract: Monsoon is now considered as a global system rather than regional phenomena only. For over 300 years, monsoon has been viewed as a gigantic land-sea breeze, but now satellite and conventional observations support an alternative hypothesis which considers monsoon as a manifestation of seasonal migration of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and, hence, a climate system of the global scale. As a low-latitude climate system, monsoon exists over all continents but Antarctica, and through all the geological history at least since the Phenorozoic. The time is ripe for systematical studies of monsoon variations in space and time. As evidenced by the geological records, the global monsoon is controlled by the Wilson cycle on the tectonic time scale (106–108 a). A “Mega-continent” produces “Mega-monsoon”, and its breakdown leads to weakening of the monsoon intensity. On the time scales of 104-105 a, the global monsoon displays the precessional cycles of ∼20 ka and eccentricity cycles of 100- and 400-ka, i.e. the orbital cycles. On the time scales of 103 a and below, the global monsoon intensity is modulated by solar cycles and other factors. The cyclicity of global monsoon represents one of the fundamental factors responsible for variations in the Earth surface system as well as for the environmental changes of the human society. The 400-ka long eccentricity cycles of the global monsoon is likened to “heartbeat” of the Earth system, and the precession cycle of the global monsoon was responsible for the collapse of several Asian and African ancient cultures at ∼4000 years ago, whereas the Solar cycles led to the demise of the Maya civilization about a thousand years ago. Therefore, paleoclimatology should be focused not only on the high-latitude processes centered at ice cap variations, but also on the low-latitude processes such as monsoons, as the latter are much more common in the geological history compared to the glaciations.

Efficient electrochemical production of glucaric acid and H 2 via glucose electrolysis

Abstract: Glucose electrolysis offers a prospect of value-added glucaric acid synthesis and energy-saving hydrogen production from the biomass-based platform molecules. Here we report that nanostructured NiFe oxide (NiFeOx) and nitride (NiFeNx) catalysts, synthesized from NiFe layered double hydroxide nanosheet arrays on three-dimensional Ni foams, demonstrate a high activity and selectivity towards anodic glucose oxidation. The electrolytic cell assembled with these two catalysts can deliver 100 mA cm−2 at 1.39 V. A faradaic efficiency of 87% and glucaric acid yield of 83% are obtained from the glucose electrolysis, which takes place via a guluronic acid pathway evidenced by in-situ infrared spectroscopy. A rigorous process model combined with a techno-economic analysis shows that the electrochemical reduction of glucose produces glucaric acid at a 54% lower cost than the current chemical approach. This work suggests that glucose electrolysis is an energy-saving and cost-effective approach for H2 production and biomass valorization. Renewable biomass conversion may afford high-value products from common materials, but catalysts usually require expensive metals and exhibit poor selectivities. Here, authors employ nickel-iron oxide and nitride electrocatalysts to produce H2 and to convert glucose to glucaric acid selectively.

Two-Dimensional Graphene Augments Nanosonosensitized Sonocatalytic Tumor Eradication

Abstract: Ultrasound (US) can activate sonosensitizers for sonodynamic therapy (SDT), but the low activation efficiency and therapeutic outcome significantly hinder its further clinical translation. Inspired by the principles of semiconductor physics and photocatalysis chemistry, we herein report on augmenting the sonocatalytic efficiency of semiconductor TiO2-based nanosonosensitizers for highly efficient SDT by the integration of two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin graphene with TiO2 nanosonosensitizers. The high electroconductivity of graphene facilitates the separation of the electron (e–) and hole (h+) pairs from the energy band of TiO2 and avoids their recombination upon external US irradiation; thus it significantly augments the therapeutic efficiency of TiO2 nanosonosensitizers for SDT against tumors. By further MnOx functionalization, these 2D composite nanosonosensitizers achieved tumor microenvironment-sensitive (mild acidity) T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of tumors for therapeutic guidance and monit...

Both Fe(IV) and Radicals Are Active Oxidants in the Fe(II)/Peroxydisulfate Process

Abstract: The question of whether Fe(IV) or SO4•– is the dominant intermediate in the Fe(II)-activated peroxydisulfate process [Fe(II)/PDS process] remains unanswered. In this study, besides Fe(IV), SO4•– an...