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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the potential of hydrogen (pH) and dissolved oxygen in artificial seawater on the passivation behavior of 316L stainless steel.

The corrosion behavior was studied by using electrochemical measurements such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization curve. The passive films were characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

The polarization resistance of the passive film decreases as the pH value drops ascribed to the formation of much more point defects. The donor carrier concentration (ND) in the passive film formed in the deaerated condition is lower than that in aerated conditions. Nevertheless, this phenomenon is the opposite when the pH value is 1 due to the significant decrease of Fe oxides/hydroxides coupled with the stable content of Cr oxides/hydroxides species. In addition, the compositional variation of the passive film also leads to the changes of its semiconductor properties from N-type to bipolar type.

This paper shows the variation of polarization resistance, corrosion potential, passive film composition and semiconductor properties with the pH value and dissolved oxygen. The results can serve as references to the further study on crevice corrosion of 316L in seawater.

This paper aims to improve the anti-corrosive properties of aluminum alloy AA2024-T3 by coating of hybrid sol-gel coating incorporated with TiO₂ nanosheets and to investigate the effect of nanosheets’ size on the improvement of corrosion-resistant performance.

A series of hybrid sol-gel films incorporated with varying amounts of TiO2 nanosheets were developed to enhance the corrosion protection performance of the bare metal. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to investigate the structure and morphology of the coatings obtained. In addition, the corrosion-resistant properties of the coatings were evaluated using salt spray test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

The corrosion current was as low as 9.55 × 10-4 µA/cm² and optimal positive corrosion potential reached −0.6 V when the size and loading amount of TiO₂ nanosheet were optimized, resulting in a remarkable improvement in anti-corrosive properties.

This work first investigates the effect of incorporation of TiO₂ nanoparticles on hybrid sol-gel coating on the improvement of anti-corrosive performance of aluminum alloy AA2024-T3.

Emerging markets face the developmental circumstances of a weak foundation in both manufacturing and services. Although servitization is viewed as an opportunity to realise industry transformation and upgrading, ways for emerging market firms to implement a high-level servitization strategy is still understudied. This study examines combinations of causal conditions for emerging market firms to implement a high level of servitization.

Anchored in the strategy tripod model, this study examines the configurations for implementing a high-level servitization strategy by using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and data from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research Database (CSMAR).

The findings identify three kinds of configurations for achieving a high-level servitization strategy: market-cultivational servitization, competition-driven servitization and government-related servitization. Furthermore, the mechanisms for implementing a high-level servitization strategy differ within the regional marketization level and state-owned equity. Specifically, the improvement of the regional marketization level helps manufacturing firms realise a high level of servitization by strengthening service capacity, and state-owned equity helps firms gain distinctive legitimacy to integrate suppliers and providers into the servitization context.

The proposed multilevel perspective frameworks enable manufacturing firms in emerging markets to achieve a high level of servitization strategy.

This paper explores the impact of institutional environment, industry conditions and firm-level microfoundations on servitization, therefore providing a reference framework for emerging market firms interested in implementing high-level servitization strategies.

This work was focused upon the main factors that influence the formation of a hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) supramolecular complex with octadecylamine (ODA) and their optimal processing conditions. The anti-corrosion properties of the products in the simulated boiler water condensate of power plants also needed to be tested. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

A grinding method was applied to synthesize the supramolecular structures. Using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), the specific structures of the complex were clarified. The anti-corrosion properties were obtained from gravimetric results, potentiodynamic polarization tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.

The results reveal the highly soluble supramolecular complex could be formed between two HP-β-CD molecules and one ODA molecule at 85°C with a processing period of 15 minutes. In the condensate, the corrosion inhibition efficiency of the complex was over 95 percent, much higher than the inhibition efficiency of the hydrophobic ODA compound.

The supramolecular corrosion inhibitor could be used as an anti-corrosion method for industrial boiler condensate to reduce the content of corrosive ions. In this way, it is easier to reuse the condensate without re-polishing.

The research introduces supramolecular chemistry into corrosion science for the first time. The results provide a new option to modify the traditional corrosion inhibitors.

To manage workers in the gig economy, we must understand the various types of gig workers and how they perform. This chapter focuses on the many types of gig workers and how professional gig workers overlap with knowledge workers in the knowledge economy. The chapter will next go through the distinctions between the gig economy and the talent economy. This chapter will finish by examining the informal economy and its relationship to the gig economy.

In the previous chapters, we discussed the gig economy, knowledge economy, and its characteristics of each. The concept of knowledge workers is discussed in detail and their role in the knowledge economy and in creating knowledge. This chapter will explain how the knowledge economy and gig economy are connected and how the concept of knowledge workers and professional gig workers are connected. We will differentiate skilled gig workers from low-skilled workers and their role in economic development and productivity. Furthermore, we will explain their involvement in the organisation and how they can manage them and utilise their knowledge to increase productivity. The end of this chapter will discuss the platform economy concept and explain the platform economy's aspects in detail. This chapter emphasises how working globally is facilitated by digital transformation and IT infrastructure and how managing the professional workforce will create the opportunity to connect to a variety of job demands, particularly from developed countries.

This chapter examines prior studies on various types of knowledge, knowledge workers, and the knowledge economy. One must have a clear grasp of the function of knowledge workers and human capital in the knowledge economy and how the organisation should manage to gain from knowledge workers and their knowledge to prepare the organisation and economy for the knowledge economy. This chapter will go through many models, drivers, pillars, and requirements for the knowledge economy. The chapter will then finish with the essential aspects of the knowledge economy.

This paper explores the role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a tourism recovery drawcard to boost China's inbound tourism after COVID-19.

This paper employed a mixed method involving a cross-disciplinary literature review along with reflections from experts in TCM and health communication to inform tourism management. Specifically, this paper examines TCM and its potential benefits as a medical tourism drawcard to combat COVID-19. The selected literature focusses on the image and merits of TCM to frame how this medical philosophy can be used to position China as a tourist destination. Reflections on the use of TCM as a tourism marketing tool can guide promotional strategies from the Chinese government and destination managers during and after COVID-19.

The Chinese government, the tourism industry (e.g. destination managers), the media and tourists must focus on three aspects of the role of TCM: to provide medical benefits to travellers amid COVID-19 and beyond, elevate China as a destination for global medical tourists and be leveraged as a tool for economic recovery.

The paper builds a tourism recovery framework for stakeholders to adopt tailored TCM communication strategies to boost its inbound tourism programme.

This paper is the first academic paper to review TCM comprehensively and critically in relation to China tourism and post-COVID-19 recovery measures.

Despite servitization being widely regarded as an essential catalyst to improve manufacturing firms' survival and competitiveness, how to attain servitization remains debatable. The primary objective of this research is to explore whether or not, how, and when the dynamic capabilities affect servitization in the digital economy background. This research investigates the relationships between servitization and dynamic capabilities by incorporating firm ownership, firm lifecycle stage, digital economy level and environmental uncertainty as contingency factors in the research framework.

This research develops and verifies a conceptual framework for manufacturing servitization by employing the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) in analyzing the secondary longitudinal data from 148 China-listed manufacturing firms involved in servitization from 2015 to 2020.

The analytical results of fsQCA identify several configurational solutions for the success of manufacturing servitization. Each factor can be an enabler for servitization success despite none of the factors discovered as an absolute condition. Manufacturing servitization success within the digital economy depends on the interactions between dynamic capabilities and contingency factors such as digital economy level, environmental uncertainty, firm ownership, and lifecycle stage.

All of the construct's measurements in this research adopt secondary data, and further investigation calls for primary data (e.g. survey) for higher validity.

This research extends the current view of servitization by proposing an integrative conceptual framework, allowing manufacturing servitization to be examined more pertinently and comprehensively. Second, the research is an initial attempt that adopts fsQCA in servitization studies. The study sheds light on the mechanisms of attaining servitization by revealing the importance of dynamic capabilities and their interactions with the contingency factors. Third, the research extends the application scopes of dynamic capability theory, firm lifecycle theory, contingency theory, and institutional theory. Fourth, the research findings enrich the understanding of servitization in the digital economy and give business practitioners insights on leveraging dynamic capabilities in different conditions to attain successful servitization under the current circumstances.

This study aims to address the issue of random movement and non coordination between docking mechanisms and locking mechanisms, and proposes a comprehensive dynamic docking control architecture that integrates perception, planning, and motion control.

Firstly, the proposed dynamic docking control architecture uses laser sensors and a charge-coupled device camera to perceive the pose of the target. The sensor data are mapped to a high-dimensional potential field space and fused to reduce interference caused by detection noise. Next, a new potential function based on multi-dimensional space is developed for docking path planning, which enables the docking mechanism based on Stewart platform to rapidly converge to the target axis of the locking mechanism, which improves the adaptability and terminal docking accuracy of the docking state. Finally, to achieve precise tracking and flexible docking in the final stage, the system combines a self-impedance controller and an impedance control algorithm based on the planned trajectory.

Extensive simulations and experiments have been conducted to validate the effectiveness of the dynamic docking system and its control architecture. The results indicate that even if the target moves randomly, the system can successfully achieve accurate, stable and flexible dynamic docking.

This research can provide technical guidance and reference for docking task of unmanned vehicles under the ground conditions. It can also provide ideas for space docking missions, such as space simulator docking.