Cement production has generated substantial greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to environmental pollution. This study investigates eco-friendly alkali-activated materials using hemihydrate phosphogypsum and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), combining basic properties and durability with microstructure. The basic properties were evaluated, including fluidity and consistency, mechanical strength under different cured times, and drying shrinkage. The durability included freeze-thaw cycles, sulfate corrosion, and chloride-ion permeation tests. Furthermore, the microstructure and mechanism of modified alkali-activated materials were analysed using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The results showed that the binary system created better properties including the enhanced mechanical strength, the compensatory fluidity and consistency, and the optimised durability. The incorporation of GGBFS led to a reduction in fluidity and consistency. Due to the suitable contents of GGBFS, the hydration products in the binary system were dominated by C-S-H, and gypsum, which influenced changes in the properties of the binary system. A 40% slag contents facilitated process of the hydration gels of the system. The use of those solid wastes, such as hemihydrate phosphogypsum and slag, provided a sustainable development for cementitious materials and environmental conservation.

Ceramic oxide ceramic coatings was fabricated on the surface of 2A12 aluminum alloy by microarc oxidation technology with different cerium tartrate contents (0, 0.75, 1.50, 2.25, 3.00 g/l) in the compound electrolyte. To analyze the microstructure and elemental composition of the MAO oxide ceramic coatings, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy were applied. The thickness of the coatings was measured by a coating thickness gauge. The influence of cerium tartrate addition on the cavitation erosion resistance of the samples was studied by measuring the weight change of the sample in the cavitation experiments. The effect of cerium tartrate addition on the corrosion resistance of microarc oxidation ceramic coating was studied through the electrochemical workstation, using two detection methods of the Tafel curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy curve and using an equivalent circuit to fit the impedance data. The results show that with the increase of cerium tartrate, the thickness of the ceramic coatings increased and the cavitation erosion resistance occurred fluctuations. The optimal corrosion resistance was obtained when the concentration of cerium tartrate was 1.5 g/l in electrochemical and cavitation erosion tests.

Biopolymeric nanofibers thrive in biomedical applications owing to exceptional properties. The new high-throughput needleless electrospinning (NES) technology eliminates needle blockage issue. Gelatin (GL) and polylactic acid (PLA) have previously been used in the biomedical area. However, for drug delivery applications the system lacks specific therapeutic carriers. Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) is a biopolymer with unique characteristics and has the potential to serve as specialized carrier. Wound healing is complicated and time-consuming. However, antibiotic resistance has made it more complex; therefore, scientists are using medicinal herbs. Fenugreek extract (FE) has proven antibacterial activities. Current study creates green biopolymeric nanofibers utilizing GL/PLA/NCC (0.2, 0.6, 1/10/0.1 w/v%) loaded with FE (5, 7.5, 10 w/v%). Nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, contact angle, and thermogravimetric analysis. Porosity, swelling ratio, and weight loss percentage evaluated performance. Finally, biofilm with the same composition and pure FE was compared to the nanofibers’ antibacterial activity. Nanofibers with 0.6 w/v GL performed best and nanofibrous showed a higher antibacterial percentage than biofilm and pure extract. The research shows that shape affects antibacterial activity irrespective of the composition. The developed nanofibers have potential application in developing wound healing patches.

Diverse manufacturing techniques are available for fabricating lightweight, strong aluminum (Al)–titanium (Ti) alloys for aerospace, automotive, and biomedical sectors, with accumulative roll bonding (ARB) as a promising severe plastic deformation method for alloy production. In this research article, Ti–Al intermetallic phases were synthesized through the ARB process, investigating the impact of thickness reduction up to 50% and the number of ARB passes on the formation and evolution of Ti–Al intermetallic phases. The microstructure of the phases and compounds that were formed was meticulously characterized through the utilization of a microscope, spectroscope, and diffractometer. The analyses confirmed the occurrence of alloying, transitioning from a micro-composite of Ti–Al layers. Heat treatment after three cycles of ARB followed by an annealing process at 550°C and 1050°C facilitated the formation of soft phases and enhanced homogeneity, forming Ti–Al intermetallic phases. The ARB process led to progressive homogenization of microhardness values, increasing from 129 HV after the second cycle to 133 HV after the third cycle, attributed to phase fragmentation and matrix straining. Subsequent heat treatment at 550°C enhanced microhardness to 229 HV and tensile strength to 94.64 MPa with a maximum strain of 0.06.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) offer a promising dual-function solution for sustainable energy generation and wastewater treatment. However, improving their power output remains a significant challenge due to conventional conductive binders’ high cost and limited conductivity. This study introduces a novel approach by developing a binder-free selenium nanoparticle (SeNP)–decorated cathode and integrating a bioanode to enhance MFC performance. The cathode was prepared by simple dip-coating method. SeNPs were synthesized using ascorbic acid and the extracellular extract of lysinibacillus xylanilyticus, providing a cost-effective and eco-friendly cathode modification. Concurrently, Shewanella putrefaciens was immobilized on the anode to enrich electroactive biofilms and facilitate extracellular electron transfer. The MFC designed with a binder-free SeNP-decorated cathode (B-Se-G) and bioanode achieved a record-high power density of 7000 µW/m2, significantly superior to C-Se-G (4761 µW/m2) and the bare graphite electrode. This improvement was attributed to enhanced electrochemical catalytic activity, higher extracellular electron transfer efficiency, increased chemical oxygen demand removal, and improved coulombic efficiency. Integrating an exoelectrogen-enriched bioanode and a binder-free selenium-decorated cathode represents a breakthrough in MFC technology, offering a scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable solution for simultaneous wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. These findings provide new insights into optimizing MFC architecture for enhanced performance and practical implementation.

In the current work, sustainable high-velocity oxy-flame-sprayed Al2O3+C powder coatings with and without annealing heat treatment were investigated for residual stress, sliding wear rate, and corrosion behavior. The field emission scanning electron microscopy + energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy result displays typical lamellae-forming, unmelted grains that bend plastically when struck at high velocities. The micro-hardness values of the as-deposited and annealed samples increased to roughly 21.8% after the wear test due to work hardening and microstructural changes brought about by annealing, while the annealed sample’s overall measured micro-hardness values increased to roughly 41.8% when compared to the as-deposited sample. The wear rate values of the as-deposited and annealed samples decreased to ≈88% and 96%, respectively, after the wear test. In comparison to the as-deposited samples after the wear test, the mass loss of the annealed samples decreased to 62.8%, as per the experimental results. The study systematically analyzes the effect of annealing at different temperatures, revealing significant enhancements in mechanical properties due to work hardening and microstructural changes. The results demonstrate notable reductions in wear rates (up to 96%) and mass loss (by 62.8%) for annealed samples compared to as-deposited ones, highlighting the annealing process’s efficiency in improving the durability and performance of the coatings.

Epoxy EPON 828 was reinforced with a single layer of carbon fiber fabrics and exhibited significant increase of thermal and mechanical properties. Two fabric types, twill 2/2 and 4-harness satin (4HS), were investigated. Epoxy of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A/epichlorohydrin, EPON 828 was cross-linked with 4,4’-diaminodiphenylmethane. The thermal decomposition temperature, Tdec, and the glass transition temperature, Tg, of the composites were increased relative to the neat epoxy, and the 4HS fabric increased Tdec and Tg over 60 K. The twill fabric increased fourfold the tensile Young’s modulus E and twofold the flexural modulus E’. In contrast, when adding a nonwoven glass fiber fabric, the tensile modulus only increased twofold, thus highlighting the unique reinforcement effect of woven carbon fibers. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the epoxy resin was well dispersed within the carbon fiber fabrics and the absence of matrix–fiber debonding indicated an efficient stress transfer between epoxy and carbon fibers. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed a shift to higher temperatures of the α mechanical relaxation, and the intensity of the mechanical damping was attenuated denoting restricted macromolecular motions, and this may explain the enhanced thermal and mechanical properties.

Particularly in the application of biocompatible implant materials, the interfacial and adhesion properties between the coating and the substrate are extremely important. This is due to peeling and deformation of the coating during surgical application. To minimize such negative effects, in this study, titanium substrate was coated with reinforced compounds as a second phase to enhance the mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite. Boron (B), fluorine (F), zirconium, and their combinations were spin-coated onto hydrogen-sputtered titanium substrates by the sol–gel method and sintered at 900°C. The adhesion strength of the coatings was compared with scratch tests. In the results obtained, the highest bond strength was found to be 139.75 and 131 MPa for F/B- and Ca/F-doped HA samples at a 3/1 ratio, respectively. Coatings containing (F) always had a higher bond strength than those without. The critical loads in the scratch tests determine the bond strength of the coating matrix. Instantaneous changes in critical loads alter the coating surfaces, making them very porous and deep, suitable for preferential adhesion by bone-forming osteoblast cells in the body. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses were carried out to study the surface characterization and chemical phenomena of the coated samples.

The aim of this paper is to study the damage mechanism of glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) T-joints under three-point bending loads. To investigate the failure mechanism of composite T-joints under three-point bending, a three-dimensional finite-element model of a T-joint made from glass fiber-reinforced composite material was constructed. The results reveal that cracks initiate in the triangular region and gradually propagate, ultimately leading to complete debonding failure at the skin interface. Optimization of layup angles significantly impacts structural strength, where the incorporation of 45° and −45° layers disperses stress concentration and enhances interface performance. Specifically, the critical failure load of the [0/45/0/−45/0/90]2s layup configuration increased by approximately 14% compared with the traditional [0/90]6s layup. Material comparison shows that carbon fiber-reinforced polymer exhibits higher flexural strength and crack resistance than GFRP. Hybrid layup designs (e.g. alternating stacking of carbon/glass fibers) further improve structural load-bearing capacity. The study validates the reliability of the Hashin criterion-based finite-element model in predicting damage evolution and failure modes, providing a theoretical foundation for the optimized design of composite T-joints.