Electronic Properties of Graphene Nanoribbon on Si(001) Substrate

We show by first-principles calculations that the electronic properties of zigzag graphene nanoribbons (Z-GNRs) adsorbed on Si(001) substrate strongly depend on ribbon width and adsorption orientation. Only narrow Z-GNRs with even rows of zigzag chains across their width adsorbed perpendicularly to the Si dimer rows possess an energy gap, while wider Z-GNRs are metallic due to width-dependent interface hybridization. The Z-GNRs can be metastably adsorbed parallel to the Si dimer rows, but show uniform metallic nature independent of ribbon width due to adsorption induced dangling-bond states on the Si surface.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Crafting Sustainability:A Study of Traditional Craft Practices in Central China

Today, traditional handmade crafts with a particularly local provenance are being appreciated and valued by consumers around the world. Noticeably, many designers have been involved in the re-examination and reassessment about the contemporary value and contribution of traditional craft practices and craft objects or artefacts. In China, in response to the UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH (Intangible Culture Heritage), China has implemented a mechanism characterised as a combination of central initiative and local participation to create its own ICH and ICH Inheritors lists at multiple levels. Although much traditional heritage craft has been officially recognised as ICH, this does not necessarily mean that they are well-developed. This research aims to determine the relationship of traditional craft practices to sustainability in the Chinese context, to investigate and delineate the role of design in relation to Chinese craft revival activities, to identify sustainability-related issues, and to identify areas in which design can contribute to the long-term continuation of traditional craft practices. It draws upon the fields of craft and sustainability studies to provide a theoretical base for the research. The concept of ‘crafting sustainability’ is proposed, and four research propositions are formulated to explain the relationship of craft traditions to sustainability. Constructive methods are used in this research, including in-depth observations and thirty- two semi-structured interviews with a range of experts in craft fields. Primary data collected in three provinces of central China were coded and analysed. Analysis of the research helps validate the four research propositions developed from the literature. Also, their connections to place and people, significant values and ways in which craftspeople take their practices and conduct their businesses, and existing design interventions are interpreted from results. Overall, this study identifies 1) a variety of heritage making practices within the Chinese context; 2) a range of top-down support mechanisms provided by the Chinese government; 3) the relationships of craft makers and their practices/businesses to sustainability; 4) significant values that influence craft makers’ practices and their business; and 5) design opportunities for sustainability and viability

Decoding Social Sentiment in DAO: A Comparative Analysis of Blockchain Governance Communities

Blockchain technology is leading a revolutionary transformation across diverse industries, with effective governance standing as a critical determinant for the success and sustainability of blockchain projects. Community forums, pivotal in engaging decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), wield a substantial impact on blockchain governance decisions. Concurrently, Natural Language Processing (NLP), particularly sentiment analysis, provides powerful insights from textual data. While prior research has explored the potential of NLP tools in social media sentiment analysis, a gap persists in understanding the sentiment landscape of blockchain governance communities. The evolving discourse and sentiment dynamics on the forums of top DAOs remain largely unknown. This paper delves deep into the evolving discourse and sentiment dynamics on the public forums of leading DeFi projects -- Aave, Uniswap, Curve Dao, Aragon, Yearn.finance, Merit Circle, and Balancer -- placing a primary focus on discussions related to governance issues. Despite differing activity patterns, participants across these decentralized communities consistently express positive sentiments in their Discord discussions, indicating optimism towards governance decisions. Additionally, our research suggests a potential interplay between discussion intensity and sentiment dynamics, indicating that higher discussion volumes may contribute to more stable and positive emotions. The insights gained from this study are valuable for decision-makers in blockchain governance, underscoring the pivotal role of sentiment analysis in interpreting community emotions and its evolving impact on the landscape of blockchain governance. This research significantly contributes to the interdisciplinary exploration of the intersection of blockchain and society, with a specific emphasis on the decentralized blockchain governance ecosystem

Experimental study on the seismic behavior of coupled shear wall with concealed partitioned steel plates

To study the seismic behavior and post-earthquake repairability of coupled shear wall with concrete filled steel tube (CFST) frame and concealed partitioned steel plates (SPs), three 1/5 scaled coupled shear wall specimens were designed with different type of CFST column or core structure. Low-cycle reversed loading was adopted in the test. The test contained two stages. Load-carrying capacity, energy dissipation, ductility, stiffness and failure characteristic of the specimens were compared in pre-repair stages and post-repair stages. The conclusions are drawn that the core structure shows a good ductile yielding mechanism. The cross-section type of frame has an obvious effect on the seismic behavior of shear wall. After damage and strengthening, the new coupled shear wall still has enough seismic capacity and good energy dissipation capacity, and it is easy to be repaired after earthquake. Finite element analysis software ABAQUS has been used to simulate the behavior of coupled shear wall. Ultimate strength is obtained with the vibration of thickness of SPs

The Located Making Framework for supporting craft maker enterprises in China

This paper presents the Located Making Framework to support small maker enterprises in China who employ craft making practices by helping ensure a) their decision-making aligns with the fundamental values driving the enterprise; b) they are fully utilising local support opportunities; c) they align with principles of sustainability; and d) design opportunities are identified. Using constructivist methods (observations, interviews etc.), primary data was collected in the Yellow River Valley region, coded and analysed, and values and context-relationships interpreted from results. This framework, adapted to the Chinese context, is the latest iteration of a model initially developed from our research in the USA and the UK. The Chinese findings are shown in specially developed graphic formats that are readily understandable and lend themselves to ease of use. Future work to increase the reach of the research includes development of an online interactive framework to automatically generate individual and cumulative results

The located making framework for supporting craft maker enterprises in China

This paper presents the Located Making Framework to support small maker enterprises in China who employ craft making practices by helping ensure (a) they are fully utilising local support opportunities; (b) their decision-making aligns with the fundamental values driving the enterprise; (c) they align with principles of sustainability; and (d) design opportunities are identified. Using constructivist methods (observations, interviews etc.), primary data was collected in the Yellow River Valley region, coded and analysed, and values and context-relationships interpreted from results. This framework, adapted to the Chinese context, is the latest iteration of a model initially developed from our research in the USA and the UK. The Chinese findings are shown in specially developed graphic formats that are readily understandable and lend themselves to ease of use. Future work to increase the reach of the research includes development of an online interactive framework to automatically generate individual and cumulative results