High-capacity silicon anodes hold great promise for safe and energy-dense all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs), yet their practical application is hindered by interfacial degradation and mechanical fracture, which severely limit their cycle life. Herein, we unravel the particle-size-dependent electro-chemo-mechanical failure mechanisms of Si anodes in sulfide-based ASSLBs. The micro-sized Si (μm-Si) anode exhibits favorable initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE, 79.15%) and reversible capacity (2260.5 mAh g⁻¹) but succumbs to progressive particle fracture under prolonged cycling due to cumulative mechanical stress from large volume swings. By contrast, the nano-sized Si (nm-Si) anode suffers from severe interfacial side reactions and irreversible volume expansion due to its larger specific area and dense electrode structure, resulting in lower initial performance (ICE of 72.21%, 1372.7 mAh g⁻¹). In subsequent cycles, the nm-Si anode experiences continuous interfacial side reactions, leading to substantial accumulation of interfacial decomposition byproducts and sustained capacity decay. These contrasting failure pathways establish electro-chemo-mechanical coupling as the governing principle and provide a particle-size-dependent design framework for high-performance Si-based ASSLBs.

This study employs a benchmarked Discrete Element Method model to investigate the influence of particle shape on the compressibility behavior of granular assemblies within a controlled comparative framework. Twenty idealized particle geometries with different shape characteristics were analyzed under constrained compression at vertical stress levels ranging from 0.1 to 3.2 MPa. Macro- and micro-scale responses were evaluated using constrained modulus and average coordination number, together with additional contact-scale analyses to improve the interpretation of particle-scale behavior. The results indicate that both macro- and micro-scale responses remain strongly stress-dependent, suggesting that conventional indicators alone cannot fully isolate particle-shape effects. A stress-normalized scaling approach was therefore applied to reduce the dominant influence of stress and clarify geometry-related trends. The analyses demonstrate that increasing particle irregularity promotes denser contact networks, redistributes contact forces across more contacts, and alters local deformation mechanisms. The findings provide a comparative DEM-based assessment of shape-dependent compressibility and contact-scale force-deformation behavior in idealized granular assemblies.

Hydrogen stands as a pivotal energy carrier with significant potential to facilitate the global transition towards a low-carbon energy future. The main challenge in current stage is the production of hydrogen with less emission and high efficiency. To resolve this problem, chemical looping hydrogen production (CLHP) is proposed and investigated. The key factors influencing the efficiency of CLHP are the gas-solid flow, heat transfer and mass transfer processes. A dual-reactor system is established in this work and numerical model based on CPFD is utilised for investigating the reaction characteristics. Hydrogen production decreases with increasing gas velocity in the hydrogen production reactor. Variations in the solid circulation rate alter the mass and heat distribution within the system, consequently affecting the hydrogen production rate. A riser gas velocity of 7 m/s and a circulation rate of 0.15 kg/s are the recommended values for the current constructor. Overall, reactor temperature remains the predominant influencing factor. This study provides insights for reactor optimization and scale-up design.

This study investigates particles erosion characteristics of shaftless rim-driven thrusters (RDTs) adopting CFD-DEM method. A three-dimensional RDTs model was developed to evaluate the effect of particles size, shape, and flow rate on erosion pattern and hydrodynamic performance. The results indicate that larger particles could induce severe localized erosion at blade leading edge owing to the higher inertia, whereas smaller particles generate more uniform but milder wear. Mixed particles distribution can produce combined effect, resembling actual sediment-laden environments. Moreover, blade number and hub-to-tip ratio also markedly influence erosion. The fewer blades and smaller r/R values lead to concentrated erosion, and increasing blade number and r/R enhances flow uniformity and reduces wear. The comparison between spherical and irregular (barley-shaped) particles reveal that irregular morphology causes stronger localized erosion and greater efficiency losses. In addition, higher particle mass flow rate intensifies erosion, expanding the affected regions from localized hotspots to entire blade surfaces.

Developing sustainable dielectric ceramics with high energy storage performance under a moderate electric field is still a great challenge for the next generation pulse power capacitors. Herein, recycled photovoltaic waste glass (PVWG) was added into Bi₀.₅Na₀.₅TiO₃ (BNT)-based lead-free ceramics via a conventional solid-state route and sintered at 1120 ℃ for 2 h. The PVWG additive facilitated liquid-phase sintering, reduced porosity, promoted grain-boundary homogeneity and improved the dielectric breakdown strength. Therefore, the optimized BNT-08 ceramic exhibits a high relative density of 97.04 ± 0.15 %, a reduced remanent polarization (P_r) of 9.4 ± 0.3 μC cm⁻², an increased breakdown strength (E_b ~220 ± 5 kV cm⁻¹) and a significantly slimmer P-E hysteresis loop. Hence, a recoverable energy density (W_rec) of 1.76 ± 0.07 J cm⁻³ and an energy storage efficiency of 78 ± 2 % were obtained under a moderate electric field at 220 kV cm⁻¹. The enhanced energy storage performance was ascribed to the synergistic effects of structural stabilization, defect-regulated charge transport, and PVWG-induced microstructural refinement. This simple, low cost and environmentally friendly method demonstrates PVWG as a promising multifunctional additive for electroceramic applications in line with the circular strategy.

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a key enabler for the large-scale utilization of intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, and it also offers an efficient pathway for industrial electrification and decarbonization. However, the widespread adoption of TES is hindered by the high cost of conventional TES materials, such as alumina, magnesium oxide, and other ceramics. This study investigates the feasibility of converting coal gangue, an abundant industrial waste with considerable environmental impact, into a low-cost, mechanically stable, and thermally efficient material for medium-to high-temperature sensible heat storage applications. Three representative coal gangue samples from the Ordos region in Inner Mongolia, China, were calcined at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1300 ℃ to optimize their phase compositions, mechanical strengths, and thermophysical properties. Among the samples, Sample A from Jungar exhibited the best overall performance, achieving a volumetric heat storage density of approximately 555 kWh m⁻³ at 1200 ℃, which is comparable to typical sensible heat storage materials, while maintaining good mechanical integrity and satisfactory cyclic stability. With near-zero raw-material cost, a simple single-step preparation process, and potential policy incentives for solid-waste utilization, the coal-gangue-based composites developed here offer clear economic and environmental advantages and introduce a promising, low-cost material system for sustainable TES applications at medium-to high-temperature levels.

To investigate the release of dust, coarse (x_50.3 = 980 μm) and fine (x_50.3 = 3.6 μm) limestone was discharged into a wind tunnel using a model conveyor belt. Different test setups were used to measure the dust release in different phases of the discharge. The discharge mass flow, belt speed and wind tunnel air velocity were varied. Systematic differences were found between the two size fractions. The dust release of the fine material mainly takes place during the fall, while the dust release of the coarse material is dominated by the impact on the bulk pile. For the coarse material, a model for the individual release of dust-laden coarse material particles from the literature can be used as an explanatory approach. A different explanatory approach is required to describe the release of dust from the fine material.

Numerical simulations were conducted to study the pyrolysis of polypropylene (PP) in a fluidized bed reactor (FBR). For that purpose, a Eulerian-Lagrangian solver was developed, incorporating the gas-solid hydrodynamics in FBR, particle-level heat transfer, and a five-lump pyrolysis reaction kinetic model. This framework captures the mutual interplay among these physicochemical processes and enables predicting the yields of permanent gas (G), light fraction (LF), and heavy fraction (HF). Analysis of the characteristic timescales confirms that the pyrolysis reaction is significantly slower than convective heat transfer. At 505 ℃, LF was the dominant product (67.4 wt%), followed by G (29.6 wt%) and HF (3 wt%), and the product distribution significantly shifted toward G formation with increasing reactor temperature. In contrast, variations in particle size (1.5-2.5 mm) and operation mode (batch-wise vs. continuous) affected the transient thermal behavior but had minor effects on product yields, as heat transfer is not rate-determining under the investigated conditions.

Inertial migration of a neutrally buoyant rigid sphere in circular Poiseuille flow is strongly affected by particle rotation, yet its role remains poorly understood. This study employs three-dimensional fully-resolved CFD-DEM simulations to investigate inertial migration with and without particle rotation. The model is validated against experimental equilibrium radial positions. Simulation results reveal that suppressing rotation consistently shifts the equilibrium radial position toward the pipe centerline, but rotation's effect on the migration dynamics depends on the sphere's initial radial position. When rotation is suppressed, radial migration accelerates for the sphere released near the pipe wall, whereas radial migration slows for the sphere released closer to the centerline. While the freely rotating spheres experience a transition between different migration regimes as the sphere-to-pipe diameter ratio or the fluid Reynolds number increases, non-rotating spheres remain in the monotonic regime since they stabilize closer to the pipe centerline where both shear-gradient and wall-induced lift forces vanish. Moreover, suppressing rotation increases the entry length required for the sphere to achieve full migration. This study elucidates how particle rotation affects inertial migration and offers new insights into rotation-modulated lateral migration in microfluidics.

The road performance of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) is crucial for low-carbon road construction. However, existing studies lack refined simulation of the mesostructure involving RAP, new aggregates, aged asphalt, and new asphalt, leaving the effects of different RAP contents on stress distribution and damage mechanisms unclear. This study develops discrete element models to analyze the influence of RAP content on mesoscopic stress evolution, crack propagation, and aggregate breakage. The results show that when RAP content exceeds 45%, aged asphalt and RAP exhibit notably non-uniform distributions. The maximum normal stress occurs at the loading center, while the maximum shear stress is located at the bottom sides of the loading center. As RAP content rises from 15 % to 60 %, the number of effective microcracks increases by 2.04 times. The length and area of slip-bands grows rapidly, and the crack damage index D follows an exponential upward trend. Considering rutting resistance, crack resistance, and resource utilization efficiency comprehensively, the recommended suitable RAP content range is 30 % - 45 %, with the following threshold values: number of slip-bands≤8, average length of slip-bands≤48 mm, and D ≤ 7.5 %. The findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the meso-mechanical behavior of recycled asphalt mixtures.