Lei Wang

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into high-value multi-carbon products represents a crucial pathway toward achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable chemical production. The transition from lab-scale studies to industrial-scale implementation is imperative to bridge the gap between fundamental mechanistic insights and practical applications. This book explores the mechanistic understanding and functional design of electrocatalysts for CO2 electroreduction, focusing on bridging the gap between lab-scale research and industrial-scale implementation. It systematically investigates the role of grain boundary structures, oxidation states, and interfacial microenvironments in stabilizing Cu-based catalysts, thereby enhancing the selective production of multi-carbon products. By integrating oxidation and alloying strategies, this work introduces new approaches to modulate copper oxidation states, leading to improved catalytic performance. Advanced characterization techniques, including in situ multimodal spectroscopy, provide insights into the electrochemical stability of Cud? species and their impact on reaction pathways. Beyond catalyst design, this book extends the discussion to CO2 electrolyzer configurations, emphasizing membrane electrode assemblies and gas diffusion electrode engineering for scalable applications. The introduction of functionalized carbon black to modulate the interfacial environment, effectively suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction, stabilizing active Cud? species and promoting ethylene production with high Faradaic efficiency. By integrating fundamental insights with industrial feasibility, this book offers a comprehensive guide for researchers and engineers developing next-generation CO2 electrolysis technologies, contributing to carbon-neutral chemical manufacturing and sustainable energy solutions.

The book summarizes the latest research achievements of the "CAS Earth Poles: Big Data for the Three Poles" project in actively responding to the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs). The book covers six aspects: projections of future climate change in polar regions, assessment and response to climate-related cryospheric disasters, land water resource and terrestrial ecological environments in polar regions, marine environmental changes, the SDG big data platform, and big data products that support sustainable development. The book emphasizes the critical role of Earth's three poles in achieving global sustainable development, and identifies current shortcomings, and outlines major challenges. However, the book provides a comprehensive review of scientific actions and the latest research progress toward achieving SDGs at Earth’s three poles. Furthermore, the book introduces the three-pole big data platform and data products that support calculations and assessments for polar SDGs. Finally, the book offers recommendations for revising SDGs and indicators specific to the three-pole regions, and discusses pathways to achieve sustainable development in these regions. Ultimately, the book aims to address the gaps between polar sustainable development and the United Nations' SDGs, ensuring that the sustainable development of the Earth’s three poles keeps pace with global efforts.

This book provides the potential advantages of adaptive impedance converters in different applications, such as power quality compensations, AC/DC microgrids, co-phase railway traction supply systems, and underwater electroacoustic transduction systems. In these applications, the adaptive impedance converter models, topologies, and control methods are introduced in this book. Adaptive impedance converters are designed to transform the impedance of an electronic system to optimize its performance. The adaptive impedance converter is typically implemented using passive and active electronic components to achieve impedance transformation. The main advantage of adaptive impedance converters is their ability to dynamically adjust the impedance to optimize system performance, which can help improve signal quality, reduce interference, and minimize power losses. Whether it is passive based adaptive impedance converters and active adaptive impedance, they both can applied into different applications including distribution system, renewable energy integration, AC/DC microgrids, traction supply system, and power amplifiers to achieve good performances and ensure efficient power transfer. The passive-based adaptive impedance converters can effectively reduce the converter rating and power loss, maintaining a large operational range. The active adaptive impedance can change its impedance varying with frequency, load conditions, or other factors to match the impedance of the source or load, providing efficient power transfer and minimizing signal reflections. The target audience of this book is the research scholars (including master’s and Ph.D. students) in power electronics and electrical engineer.

iTHRIVE is designed to support prospective and current international students to develop a growth mindset, deeper awareness of themselves, and a broader understanding of the resources available to them.Section 1: "Getting Started" provides reflection questions to help readers examine why they want to study abroad and includes tips on applying to schools/programs.Section 2: "Surviving Thriving in the U.S." explores adapting to cultural differences, attending to holistic health, making friends, and planning for finances, academics, and career steps to help readers build a more balanced life in the U.S.Section 3: "Advice for Staff and Faculty on Supporting International Students" focuses on practical ways that professionals working in higher education can support students in from before they arrive on campus through graduation and beyond.By completing this workbook, international students will find themselves more prepared when facing challenges. They will be ready not just to survive but to THRIVE during their time in school.Inside iTHRIVE, you will find✅Tips and recommendations that go beyond getting into universities, colleges, undergraduate programs, and graduate programs.✅U.S.-specific resources and examples related to academic success, physical/spiritual/mental health, financial wellness, and more from published research and the author's own experience.✅Practical suggestions for staff and faculty members to better support international students.

This is an open access book. This book focuses on the durability problems of existing prestressed concrete (PC) structures caused by strand corrosion, clarifies the mechanical behavior of corroded prestressing strands, corrosion-induced cracking, bond degradation, prestress loss and structural performance deterioration, and proposes the corresponding prediction models. Its aim is to provide the knowledge, tools, and methods to understand the deterioration phenomena of PC structures. We hope that this text may be useful for those who work in the field of civil engineering. It is suitable for teachers and students majoring in civil engineering in universities, and researchers in the field of civil engineering. It is also suitable for practitioners of design institutes, construction units, supervising units and traffic management departments.

This is an open access book. This book focuses on the durability problems of existing prestressed concrete (PC) structures caused by strand corrosion, clarifies the mechanical behavior of corroded prestressing strands, corrosion-induced cracking, bond degradation, prestress loss and structural performance deterioration, and proposes the corresponding prediction models. Its aim is to provide the knowledge, tools, and methods to understand the deterioration phenomena of PC structures. We hope that this text may be useful for those who work in the field of civil engineering. It is suitable for teachers and students majoring in civil engineering in universities, and researchers in the field of civil engineering. It is also suitable for practitioners of design institutes, construction units, supervising units and traffic management departments.

Lei Wang researches John Dewey’s pedagogical influence on the historical context of China and compares his observations and his basic democratic approach with the concepts and practical implementation of his Chinese students. As a result, it turns out that the spread of pragmatic philosophy in China was accompanied by reductionism, misunderstandings, Confucian doctrine and nationalism and that Dewey’s reform proposals can open a democratic perspective on current challenges in Chinese society. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Dewey’s research trip to China, the author emphasizes the contemporary significance of his work. The results of her study can clarify and correct errors that continue to have effect today.

As a legacy of the socialist state with central planning, Five-Year Planning (FYP) is very important in regulating socio-economic and spatial development even in post-reform China. This book tries to fill the research gap between examining the role of FYP and how spatial elements in the FYP mechanism have operated and transformed in spatial regulatory practices in transitional China. By building a conceptual framework and studying two empirical cases at different spatial scales, with the help of both qualitative and quantitative methods, it helps to understand various stakeholders, institutions and planning administrations, mechanisms of articulating spatial planning into the FYP system and the effectiveness of spatial planning in solving place-specific governance issues in urban and regional China.

This book introduces advanced thyristor-based shunt hybrid active power filters (HAPFs) for power quality improvement in power grids, which are characterized by a low dc-link operating voltage and a wide compensation range. This means they can overcome the high dc-link voltage requirement of conventional active power filters and the narrow compensation range problem of LC-coupling hybrid active power filters. Consisting of 10 chapters, the book discusses the principle, design, control and hardware implementation of thyristor-based hybrid active power filters. It covers 1) V-I characteristics, cost analysis, power loss and reliability studies of different power filters; 2) mitigation of the harmonic injection technique for thyristor-controlled parts; 3) nonlinear pulse width modulation (PWM) control; 4) parameter design methods; 5) minimum inverter capacity design; 6) adaptive dc-link voltage control; 7) unbalanced control strategy; 8) selective compensation techniques; and 9) the hardware prototype design of thyristor-based HAPFs, verified by simulation and experimental results. It enables readers to gain an understanding of the basic power electronics techniques applied in power systems as well as the advanced techniques for controlling, implementing and designing advanced thyristor-based HAPFs.

As a legacy of the socialist state with central planning, Five-Year Planning (FYP) is very important in regulating socio-economic and spatial development even in post-reform China. This book tries to fill the research gap between examining the role of FYP and how spatial elements in the FYP mechanism have operated and transformed in spatial regulatory practices in transitional China. By building a conceptual framework and studying two empirical cases at different spatial scales, with the help of both qualitative and quantitative methods, it helps to understand various stakeholders, institutions and planning administrations, mechanisms of articulating spatial planning into the FYP system and the effectiveness of spatial planning in solving place-specific governance issues in urban and regional China.

This book introduces advanced thyristor-based shunt hybrid active power filters (HAPFs) for power quality improvement in power grids, which are characterized by a low dc-link operating voltage and a wide compensation range. This means they can overcome the high dc-link voltage requirement of conventional active power filters and the narrow compensation range problem of LC-coupling hybrid active power filters. Consisting of 10 chapters, the book discusses the principle, design, control and hardware implementation of thyristor-based hybrid active power filters. It covers 1) V-I characteristics, cost analysis, power loss and reliability studies of different power filters; 2) mitigation of the harmonic injection technique for thyristor-controlled parts; 3) nonlinear pulse width modulation (PWM) control; 4) parameter design methods; 5) minimum inverter capacity design; 6) adaptive dc-link voltage control; 7) unbalanced control strategy; 8) selective compensation techniques; and 9) the hardware prototype design of thyristor-based HAPFs, verified by simulation and experimental results. It enables readers to gain an understanding of the basic power electronics techniques applied in power systems as well as the advanced techniques for controlling, implementing and designing advanced thyristor-based HAPFs.

This book puts forward an institutional explanation of the recent dynamics of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. It argues that the concentration of FDI in the Chinese manufacturing economy since the beginning of this century is largely the result of China's entrepreneurial urban growth strategy, which was in turn motivated by the overall political and fiscal structures of China and was facilitated by urban land use under the manipulation of municipalities. By identifying the interactions between cross-border capital flow, national regulations and local responses, this book not only provides a fresh understanding of China's FDI pattern from an urban perspective that has been rare among publications on similar topics, but also sheds light on the drivers underlying China's rapid economic growth and its implications for sustainable development. It also stands as a useful reference for other countries and regions that plan to launch their own state-led development projects.

Revision with unchanged content. Building software systems from previously existing components can save time and effort while increasing productivity. The key to a successful Component-Based Development (CBD) is to get the required components. However, components obtained from other developers often show different behaviours than what are required. Thus adapting the components into the system being developed becomes an extra development and maintenance cost. This cost often offsets the benefits of CBD. Imprecise component specifications and user requirements are the main rea-sons that cause the difficulty of finding the required components. Further-more, there is little support for component users and developers to colla-borate and clear the misunderstanding when selecting components, as CBD has two separate development processes for them. This book aims at building a framework in which component users and developers can collaborate to select components with tools support, by exchanging component and re-quirement specifications. These specifications should be precise enough so that behavioural mismatches can be detected. This book would interest software developers and component vendors. It is also a reference for researchers in component-based software engineering.

This book puts forward an institutional explanation of the recent dynamics of foreign direct investment (FDI) in China. It argues that the concentration of FDI in the Chinese manufacturing economy since the beginning of this century is largely the result of China's entrepreneurial urban growth strategy, which was in turn motivated by the overall political and fiscal structures of China and was facilitated by urban land use under the manipulation of municipalities. By identifying the interactions between cross-border capital flow, national regulations and local responses, this book not only provides a fresh understanding of China's FDI pattern from an urban perspective that has been rare among publications on similar topics, but also sheds light on the drivers underlying China's rapid economic growth and its implications for sustainable development. It also stands as a useful reference for other countries and regions that plan to launch their own state-led development projects.

This third edition offers a comprehensive and updated exploration of how remote sensing technologies can be effectively applied in landscape ecology. A major highlight of this edition is the addition of a new chapter on theoretical frameworks, which bridges practical applications and case studies, enhancing the book’s relevance across different landscape scales. It strengthens the connection between theory and real-world practice, providing readers with deeper insights into urban green spaces, forests, and the broader ecological systems. It also provides insights into innovative technologies like machine learning and big data analytics, which are vital in solving complex environmental problems. New in the Third Edition Introduces significant technological advances in remote sensing such as high-resolution imagery and data use, along with more accurate and effective algorithms, which are transforming how landscape data is collected and analyzed. Offers both updated content and new case studies to reflect the maturing fields of remote sensing and landscape ecology. Includes a new chapter explaining theories and models in remote sensing–based landscape ecology framework. Includes an additional chapter with case studies discussing applied analyses of local scale landscapes, and expanded materials throughout on the future trends in landscape monitoring and assessment. Expands on the use of satellite imagery and LiDAR for evaluating land-use changes, monitoring ecosystems, and designing resilient landscapes. Integrates new case studies, new methods, and new models to address a wide range of ecological and societal challenges. This is an excellent book for professionals, students, and entry level personnel in need of training in remote sensing applications for the fields of Landscape Architecture; Environmental Sciences; Geography; Urban Planning and Policy Development; Forestry and Natural Resource Conservation; as well as Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.