Virtual fashion influencers: towards a more sustainable consumer behaviour of generation Z?

Since the end of 2019, online platforms have flourished as offline activities were significantly reduced due to the epidemic. To survive in such a context, some fashion brands took advantage of the growing CGI(Computer-generated images) technology, allowing VIs and virtual models to be used as vehicles for fashion presentations. Gen Zers, who grew up in the digital generation, are very receptive to such VIs and are full of novelty. At the same time, Gen Z is the biggest consumer group in fashion, and the positive influence of Gen Z on fashion consumption can make the whole fashion consumer market develop in a more positive direction. It is necessary to explore the direction of VI design to guide GenZ to a more sustainable fashion consumption concept. Therefore, I set "what kind of design of virtual fashion influencers can lead the consumer behavior of Generation Z towards more sustainable attitudes and behaviors?" as the research question of this thesis and found the five categories of VI influence research proposed by Batista da Silva Oliveira & Chimenti and applied them to my research. Based on this five-category theory, the thesis discusses the factors of VI design success concerning the current VIs and how the five categories impact Gen Z's intention of sustainable fashion. I provided guidelines and principles for designing VI based on different aspects through three research methods: case studies, surveys, and semi-conducted interviews, and I answered the research questions. Through the case study analysis, I compared the current successful VI cases. I summarized the practices and principles and the operation methods of the team behind them to improve the impact of VIs. Also, I conducted a survey distributed among people interested in VIs and fashion and collected data for analysis. I inspected and verified that a higher index of the five categories would lead to a higher intention of Gen Z to consume sustainable fashion. To get more insights from these professionals and to represent the group's perspective as Gen Z, I interviewed people from the sustainable fashion industry and virtual human and digital art industry. This study summarized the key points that can be used to improve the impact of VIs and proofs that the attractiveness, authenticity, controllability, anthropomorphism, and scalability of VI will positively contribute to consumers' intention to support sustainable fashion. This thesis also concluded with design guides about physical appearance design, psychological character design, and the operation mode of Virtual influencers that promote sustainable fashion

Study on Structural Performance of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine with Air Duct for Coal Mine

Considering the characteristics of narrow underground space and energy distribution, based on blade element momentum theory, Wilson optimization model and MATLAB programming calculation results, the torsion angle and chord length of wind turbine blade under the optimized conditions were obtained. Through coordinate transformation, the data were transformed into three-dimensional form. The three-dimensional model of the blade was constructed, and the horizontal axis wind turbine blade under the underground low wind speed environment was designed. The static structural analysis and modal analysis were carried out. Structural design, optimization calculation and aerodynamic analysis were carried out for three kinds of air ducts: external convex, internal concave and linear. The results show that the velocity distribution in the throat of linear air duct is relatively uniform and the growth rate is large, so it should be preferred. When the tunnel wind speed is 4.3 m/s and the rated speed is 224 rad/s, the maximum displacement of the blade is in the blade tip area and the maximum stress is at the blade root, which is not easy to resonate. The change rate of displacement, stress and strain of blade is positively correlated with speed. The energy of blade vibration is mainly concentrated in the swing vibration of the first and second modes. With the increase in vibration mode order, the amplitude and shape of the blade gradually transition to the coupling vibration of swing, swing and torsion. The stress and strain of the blade are lower than the allowable stress and strain of glass fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), and resonance is not easy to occur in the first two steps. The blade is generally safe and meets the design requirements

Progress in Research and Application of Nanofiltration (NF) Technology for Brackish Water Treatment

Brackish water is a potential fresh water resource with lower salt content than seawater. Desalination of brackish water is an important option to alleviate the prevalent water crisis around the world. As a membrane technology ranging between UF and RO, NF can achieve the partial desalination via size exclusion and charge exclusion. So, it has been widely concerned and applied in treatment of brackish water during the past several decades. Hereon, an overview of the progress in research on and application of NF technology for brackish water treatment is provided. On the basis of expounding the features of brackish water, the factors affecting NF efficiency, including the feed water characteristics, operating conditions and NF membrane properties, are analyzed. For the ubiquitous membrane fouling problem, three preventive fouling control strategies including feed water pretreatment, optimization of operating conditions and selection of anti-fouling membranes are summarized. In addition, membrane cleaning methods for restoring the fouled membrane are discussed. Furthermore, the combined utilization of NF with other membrane technologies is reviewed. Finally, future research prospects are proposed to deal with the current existing problems. Lessons gained from this review are expected to promote the sustainable development of brackish water treatment with NF technology

Study on Inhibition Characteristics of Composite Structure with High-Temperature Heat Pipe and Metal Foam on Gas Explosion

The hazards caused by gas explosion are mainly due to high temperatures and shock waves. It is of great practical significance to explore a device that can restrain these two hazards at the same time. Through the establishment of the gas explosion calculation model, a numerical analysis of the flame propagation in the three types of pipelines, including the empty pipe, the single metal foam pipe, and the high-temperature heat pipe metal foam composite structure, was carried out. The numerical results are compared with the relevant experimental results. The accuracy, rationality, and accuracy of the calculation model is verified. The research results show that that the gas explosion flame propagation develops fastest and accelerates in the empty pipe, followed by a single metal foam pipe. The gas explosion flame in the pipe with the high-temperature heat pipe metal foam composite structure develops the slowest. The composite structure composed of the high-temperature heat pipe and metal foam is an obvious choice to attenuate the temperature and overpressure of gas explosion. The high-temperature heat pipe can rapidly transmit heat in the form of phase change, and metal foam can effectively reduce the explosion pressure wave. The composite structure with the high-temperature heat pipe, and metal foam, destroys the coupling between flame and pressure wave, which acts as a barrier to explosion. It can effectively reduce the energy of flammable and explosive gas in the rear part of the pipeline and restrain the occurrence of the two explosions. The research results provide a scientific basis for the technical application of new, effective anti-explosion devices in coal mines

Iron removal and titanium dioxide support recovery from spent V2O5-WO3/ TiO2 catalyst

Iron seriously affects the quality of TiO2 support recovered from spent selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. In this paper, the iron removal and TiO2 support recovery from spent SCR catalyst were studied. The experiment results suggested that iron exists on the surface and bulk structure of a spent SCR catalyst. The iron deposited on the surface of the spent SCR catalyst was removed by ultrasonic cleaning. The iron remaining in the bulk structure of the spent SCR catalyst was primarily Fe(III) and was adequately removed by NaOH activation and acid washing. The NaOH activation process considerably increased the specific surface area of the spent SCR catalyst. Subsequently, iron was efficiently dissolved through the synergistic effect of sulfuric acid and ascorbic acid. Sulfuric acid dissolved iron in the form of Fe3+, and ascorbic acid promoted iron dissolution by reducing Fe3+ to Fe2+. After the recovery process, 97.1% of the iron in the spent SCR catalyst was removed, and anatase TiO2 was recovered from the spent SCR catalyst. The recovered anatase TiO2 can be used as support material to produce fresh SCR catalyst

Iron removal and titanium dioxide support recovery from spent V2O5-WO3/ TiO2 catalyst

Iron seriously affects the quality of TiO2 support recovered from spent selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst. In this paper, the iron removal and TiO2 support recovery from spent SCR catalyst were studied. The experiment results suggested that iron exists on the surface and bulk structure of a spent SCR catalyst. The iron deposited on the surface of the spent SCR catalyst was removed by ultrasonic cleaning. The iron remaining in the bulk structure of the spent SCR catalyst was primarily Fe(III) and was adequately removed by NaOH activation and acid washing. The NaOH activation process considerably increased the specific surface area of the spent SCR catalyst. Subsequently, iron was efficiently dissolved through the synergistic effect of sulfuric acid and ascorbic acid. Sulfuric acid dissolved iron in the form of Fe3+, and ascorbic acid promoted iron dissolution by reducing Fe3+ to Fe2+. After the recovery process, 97.1% of the iron in the spent SCR catalyst was removed, and anatase TiO2 was recovered from the spent SCR catalyst. The recovered anatase TiO2 can be used as support material to produce fresh SCR catalyst

Recovery of tungsten and titanium from spent SCR catalyst by sulfuric acid leaching process

The widespread use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts has resulted in a large accumulation of spent SCR catalysts. These spent catalysts present a significant risk of environmental hazards and potential for resource recovery. This paper presents a feasible process, which works using atmospheric pressure leaching, of tungsten and titanium recovery from spent SCR catalysts. In this new method, titanium and tungsten are simultaneously leached with sulfuric acid as the leaching agent. After hydrolysis and calcination, titanium-tungsten powder with low impurity and reconstructed pore properties was obtained. The optimal conditions for the leaching of Ti and W were as follows: temperature, 150 degrees C; reaction time, 60 min; H2SO4 concentration, 80 %; mass ratio of H2SO4/TiO2, 3:1; and diluted H2SO4 concentration, 20 % after reaction. With these optimum conditions, the leaching efficiency of Ti and W were found to be 95.92 % and 93.83 %, respectively. The ion speciation and reaction mechanism of W were studied by Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, and UV-vis. The formation of heteropolytungstate with a Keggin structure is essential for the synergistic leaching of Ti and W, as the heteropolytungstate can be stably dissolved in the acid solution. During the hydrolysis process, heteropolytungstate gradually decomposed into Ti4+ and WO42- due to the formation of insoluble Ti(OH)(4) from Ti4+ in the solution. This study demonstrated an effective method for synergistic recovery of titanium and tungsten from the spent SCR catalyst

Recovery of tungsten and titanium from spent SCR catalyst by sulfuric acid leaching process

The widespread use of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts has resulted in a large accumulation of spent SCR catalysts. These spent catalysts present a significant risk of environmental hazards and potential for resource recovery. This paper presents a feasible process, which works using atmospheric pressure leaching, of tungsten and titanium recovery from spent SCR catalysts. In this new method, titanium and tungsten are simultaneously leached with sulfuric acid as the leaching agent. After hydrolysis and calcination, titanium-tungsten powder with low impurity and reconstructed pore properties was obtained. The optimal conditions for the leaching of Ti and W were as follows: temperature, 150 degrees C; reaction time, 60 min; H2SO4 concentration, 80 %; mass ratio of H2SO4/TiO2, 3:1; and diluted H2SO4 concentration, 20 % after reaction. With these optimum conditions, the leaching efficiency of Ti and W were found to be 95.92 % and 93.83 %, respectively. The ion speciation and reaction mechanism of W were studied by Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, and UV-vis. The formation of heteropolytungstate with a Keggin structure is essential for the synergistic leaching of Ti and W, as the heteropolytungstate can be stably dissolved in the acid solution. During the hydrolysis process, heteropolytungstate gradually decomposed into Ti4+ and WO42- due to the formation of insoluble Ti(OH)(4) from Ti4+ in the solution. This study demonstrated an effective method for synergistic recovery of titanium and tungsten from the spent SCR catalyst

Chin. J. Catal.

The effect of supports (MSU-1,), gamma-Al2O3, AC (activated carbon), and MgO) on the catalytic activity of Cr-based catalysts was investigated for the dehydrogenation of isobutane with CO2. The catalytic activity was in the order of CrO,IMSU-1 > CrOx/Al2O3 > CrOx/AC > CrOx/MgO. The catalysts were characterized by N-2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The XRD results indicate that the active species of Cr are dispersed well on the supports. N-2 adsorption-desorption shows that the support MSU-1 has the largest surface area (804.2 m(2)/g), which results in excellent dispersion of Cr and highest activity. The XPS results reveal that Cr6+ is one of the active centers. The results of NH3-TPD indicate that catalyst activity is proportional to the amount of weak acid adsorption sites. As a result, the best support is the MSU-1 zeolite owing to its high specific area and a large amount of weak acid sites. The 59.2% conversion of isobutane and the 39.5% yield of isobutene are achieved on the CrOx/MSU-1 catalyst.The effect of supports (MSU-1,), gamma-Al2O3, AC (activated carbon), and MgO) on the catalytic activity of Cr-based catalysts was investigated for the dehydrogenation of isobutane with CO2. The catalytic activity was in the order of CrO,IMSU-1 > CrOx/Al2O3 > CrOx/AC > CrOx/MgO. The catalysts were characterized by N-2 adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). The XRD results indicate that the active species of Cr are dispersed well on the supports. N-2 adsorption-desorption shows that the support MSU-1 has the largest surface area (804.2 m(2)/g), which results in excellent dispersion of Cr and highest activity. The XPS results reveal that Cr6+ is one of the active centers. The results of NH3-TPD indicate that catalyst activity is proportional to the amount of weak acid adsorption sites. As a result, the best support is the MSU-1 zeolite owing to its high specific area and a large amount of weak acid sites. The 59.2% conversion of isobutane and the 39.5% yield of isobutene are achieved on the CrOx/MSU-1 catalyst