Cerium-zirconium (Ce-Zr) solid solutions have been extensively used in a wide variety of catalytic processes due to their unique catalytic features in conjunction with lower cost compared to noble metal-based systems. A series of Ce-Zr-based catalysts was prepared by the sol-gel method. The structure and morphology of these catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, investigation on catalytic performance was carried out by constructing a test platform, and the result indicated that the catalysts apparently decreased the soot ignition temperature. These catalysts exhibited higher catalytic activity for soot oxidation under narrow contact conditions. The results revealed that some soot particles could react with adsorbed oxygen, and other part of diesel soot reacted with lattice oxygen. The activity of these catalysts was attributed to synergistic effect arising from the combination of K/Co/Zr and Ce-Zr solid solution, which led to the decrease in the ignition temperature to 294 °C (data from the test platform). The catalyst still keeps good stability and catalytic activity after the cycle oxidation experiment. A reaction pathway was proposed to explain catalytic combustion process of soot, i.e., combination of K/Co/Zr with Ce-Zr solid solution reduced the binding energy of Ce-Zr solid solution, which was conducive to provide more active sites to release the active oxygen (O₂⁻) or lattice oxygen (O²⁻).

Coal fly ash and kaolin are ceramic compounds utilized as raw materials in the production of refractories. Fly ash is an environmental pollutant that emanates abundantly from coal thermal power plants. The management of the large amounts of fly ash produced has been very challenging, with serious economic and environmental consequences. Kaolin, on the other hand, is a natural and synthetic clay material used in medicines, paper, plastics, and cosmetic preparations. In this research, refractory materials (cordierite (Mg₂Al₄Si₅O₁₈), mullite (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₃), and kyanite (Al₂SiO₅)) were fabricated in four different experiments, and an assessment was made of the strength of each of the materials. Coal fly ash and kaolin were each blended with alumina as starting materials. MgO and AlF₃·3H₂O were each applied as additives to the reacting materials. The mixtures were molded and sintered at temperatures between 1000 °C and 1200 °C for three hours in a muffle furnace, and characterized by SEM and XRD. The analysis revealed the evolution of cordierite, mullite, and kyanite alongside other crystalline compounds. The formation of kyanite in experiment C, due to the addition of AlF₃·3H₂O, is unprecedented and phenomenal. The XRD figures show the corundum phases crystallize at 1100 °C in experiments A and B, and disappear at 1200 °C.

In this work, we investigate whether violations of the distance-duality relation (DDR) can resolve the multidimensional cosmic tensions characterized by the $H_0$ and $S_8$ discrepancies. Using the Fisher-bias formalism, we reconstruct minimal, data-driven $η(z)$ profiles that capture the late-time deviations required to reconcile early- and late-Universe calibrations. While a constant DDR offset preserves the Pantheon-inferred matter density $Ω_m = 0.334 \pm 0.018$--leaving its inconsistency with the Planck best-fit $Λ$CDM model and weak-lensing surveys unresolved--a time-varying DDR substantially reduces cross-dataset inconsistencies and improves the global fit, yielding $Δχ^2 \simeq -10$ relative to $Λ$CDM when the SH0ES prior is excluded. This result suggests that the $Ω_m$ discrepancy may represent indirect evidence for a time-varying DDR. A hybrid scenario combining a time-dependent DDR with a phantom-like dark energy transition achieves the most consistent global reconciliation, reducing the tension with DES-Y3 measurements to below $2σ$. These findings indicate that a mild DDR violation, coupled with evolving dark energy, offers a coherent pathway toward jointly addressing the $H_0$ and $S_8$ tensions.