Coupling Ion Research Articles

Chemical composition, mutagenicity, and cytotoxicity of urban submicron particulate matter (PM1) in Agra, India

This study, conducted in Agra, India, examined the mass concentrations, chemical compositions, and seasonal variations of submicron particles (PM1). The concentrations of metals, water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIs) including anions (F−, Cl−, NO₃−, SO₄2−) and cations (Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, NH₄+, Na+), organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM1 extract were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Ion Chromatography, Thermogravimetric Analysis and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) respectively. For morphological observation of PM1 particles, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrometry (FESEM-EDS) was used. The annual average concentration of PM1 was 82.9 ± 33.4 μg/m3, which exceeds the World Health Organisation's (WHO) safe limit for PM2.5 of 5 μg/m3 by a factor of 17. The PM1 mass composition included metals (31 %), WSIs (28 %), OC and EC (9.8 %), and PAHs (0.4 %). Winter recorded the highest PM1 concentration (96.1 ± 25.8 μg/m3), followed by post-monsoon, summer, and monsoon seasons. The average concentration of PAHs was 364.6 ± 226.6 ng/m3. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) identified traffic, emissions from biomass/coal and wood combustion, industrial/stationary sources, and secondary aerosols as potential contributors. The Ames test revealed the presence of frameshift mutations and base pair substitutions, especially in winter and post-monsoon. Additionally, PM1 exhibited cytotoxic effects on V-79 cells, with heightened toxicity during winter and prolonged exposure in other seasons. This study underscores the urgent need to address local emission sources and establish regulatory standards for PM1 in urban areas.

(Invited) Advances in Modeling Ion Transport in Micropores and Charging Behavior of Porous Electrodes: Merging Molecular Insights with Machine Learning for Energy Storage

Electric double layer (EDL) charging is a complex process coupling electro-osmotic flow, surface reactions, and ion concentration gradients. The charging dynamics depends on the properties of electrolyte and electrode structure, as well as initial and boundary conditions. While molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and first-principles calculations can encompass all factors, their computational demands are substantial even for simple electrochemical systems such as electrolytes near a planar surface. This presentation explores recent advancements in modeling ion transport in micropores and the charging behavior of porous electrodes with different theoretical and simulation methods. Illustrative examples will be discussed on the integration of molecular modeling and machine-learning techniques to enhance our understanding of complex electrochemical processes and improve the design of energy storage devices.

Development and Evaluation of Ferrite Core Inductively Coupled Plasma Radio Frequency Ion Source for High-Current Ion Implanters in Semiconductor Applications.

This study presents the development of a ferrite core inductively coupled plasma (ICP) radio frequency (RF) ion source designed to improve the lifetime of ion sources in commercial ion implanters. Unlike existing DC methods, this novel approach aims to enhance the performance and lifetime of the ion source. We constructed a high-vacuum evaluation chamber to thoroughly examine RF ion source characteristics using a Langmuir probe. Comparative experiments assessed the extraction current of two upgraded ferrite core RF ion sources in a commercial ion implanter setting. Additionally, we tested the plasma lifetime of the ICP source and took temperature measurements of various components to verify the operational stability and efficiency of the innovative design. This study confirmed that the ICP RF ion source operated effectively under a high vacuum of 10-5 torr and in a high-voltage environment of 30 kV. We observed that the extraction current increased linearly with RF power. We also confirmed that BF3 gas, which presents challenging conditions, was stably ionized in the ICP RF ion sources.

Differential Cell Types in the Thick Ascending Limb of the Kidney: Insights into Functionally Distinct TAL Claudin 10 and TAL Claudin 16 Cells

Study objective, hypothesis: The Thick Ascending Limb (TAL) in the kidney is crucial for reabsorbing Na+ and divalent cations like Ca2+ and Mg2+. This reabsorption depends on the apical cotransporter NKCC2, encoded by the Slc12a1 gene. The TAL extends from the outer medulla to the cortex. While typically considered a single functional cell type, recent evidence suggests the presence of two distinct TAL cell types, distinguished by the expression of Claudin 10 and Claudin 16 (PMID: 28028216). Despite these insights, the lack of correlation with functional and morphological data and the absence of a comprehensive model for the cooperative regulation of NaCl and Ca2+/Mg2+ transport remain significant knowledge gaps. Our objective is to couple immunohistochemistry with single nuclei (sn) RNA sequencing technology to uncover unique cell features that are obscure, when a single approach is employed. Methodology: Immunofluorescence analysis was performed on samples from mice, rats, and humans. Additionally, Slc12a1-positive cells were analyzed using sn-RNA sequencing datasets that contained spatial information about cell localization. These datasets were sourced from published studies on mouse (PMID: 31689386) and human samples (PMID: 37468583). Data Immunofluorescence images from mice, rats, and humans revealed mutually exclusive expression patterns of Kir4.1 and ROMK. Apical ROMK was observed only in cells that express Claudin 10, while Kir4.1 was expressed only in cells that express Claudin 16. phospho NKCC2 and CaSR displayed a mosaic pattern, with expression in the Claudin 16 cells throughout the entire TAL and, in both Claudin 10 and Claudin 16 cells only in the cortex. Unsupervised clustering of mouse sn-RNA seq data identified two distinct clusters, TAL Cldn10 and TAL Cldn16, present in both the cortex and medulla. Key Differentially Expressed Genes (DEG) for TAL Cld10 included Avp2r, Wnk4, Spak, Kcnt1 (encoding KCa4.1 or Slo2.2), and genes related to arachidonic acid signaling such as Ptger3 (encoding Ep3), Pla2g7, Cox7a1. Kcnj1 (encoding ROMK) transcripts were found in both clusters, even though ROMK is located apically only in TAL Claudin 10 cells. TAL Claudin 16 cells showed a higher expression of calcium-related genes, including Casr, Pth1r, Vdr, Kl (encoding Klotho), as well as transcripts for Kcnj10 (encoding Kir4.1), Kcnj16 (encoding Kir5.1), Wnk1, Clcnkb, and Bsnd (encoding Barttin). This transcriptional heterogeneity was also observed in human TAL cells. Summary of results Combining morphological and transcriptomic analyses identified two functionally distinct cell types within the TAL, present in both cortex and medulla. Each cell type appears to be associated with specific transport pathways: TAL Claudin 10 cells, express ROMK apically and are thus responsible for generating the transepithelial voltage and for paracellular Na+ reabsorption. They also express more Na+ transport-regulatory genes, including Avp2r and Wnk4, along with genes related to arachidonic acid signaling. TAL Claudin 16 cells mediate Ca2+ & Mg2+ transport via the paracellular pathway, driven by the voltage generated by claudin 10 cells; they express calcium-regulatory genes, including Casr, Pth1r, and Vdr. Interestingly, they also express genes associated with transcellular Na+, K+, and Cl− transport, including Kcnj10 (Kir4.1), Kcnj16 (Kir5.1), Wnk1, and Clcnkb. Together, these results present a new model of discrete but coupled ion transport pathways in the TAL. NIH DK51496 | NIH DK054983 | VA 1I01BX002228 | Global Research Network of Excellence, Leducq Foundation. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Realization of sextuple polarization states and interstate switching in antiferroelectric CuInP2S6

Realization of higher-order multistates with mutual interstate switching in ferroelectric materials is a perpetual drive for high-density storage devices and beyond-Moore technologies. Here we demonstrate experimentally that antiferroelectric van der Waals CuInP2S6 films can be controllably stabilized into double, quadruple, and sextuple polarization states, and a system harboring polarization order of six is also reversibly tunable into order of four or two. Furthermore, for a given polarization order, mutual interstate switching can be achieved via moderate electric field modulation. First-principles studies of CuInP2S6 multilayers help to reveal that the double, quadruple, and sextuple states are attributable to the existence of respective single, double, and triple ferroelectric domains with antiferroelectric interdomain coupling and Cu ion migration. These findings offer appealing platforms for developing multistate ferroelectric devices, while the underlining mechanism is transformative to other non-volatile material systems.

On the generality of the finite element modeling physical fields in biological systems by the multiscale smeared concept (Kojic transport model)

The biomechanical and biochemical processes in the biological systems of living organisms are extremely complex. Advances in understanding these processes are mainly achieved by laboratory and clinical investigations, but in recent decades they are supported by computational modeling. Besides enormous efforts and achievements in this modeling, there still is a need for new methods that can be used in everyday research and medical practice. In this report, we give a view of the generality of the finite element methodology introduced by the first author and supported by his collaborators. It is based on the multiscale smeared physical fields, termed as Kojic Transport Model (KTM), published in several journal papers and summarized in a recent book (Kojic et al., 2022) [1]. We review relevant literature to demonstrate the distinctions and advantages of our methodology and indicate possible further applications. We refer to our published results by a selection of a few examples which include modeling of partitioning, blood flow, molecular transport within the pancreas, multiscale-multiphysics model of coupling electrical field and ion concentration, and a model of convective-diffusive transport within the lung parenchyma. Two new examples include a model of convective-diffusive transport within a growing tumor, and drug release from nanofibers with fiber degradation.

Physiochemical Coupled Dynamic Nanosphere Lithography Enabling Multiple Metastructures from Single Mask.

Metastructures are widely used in photonic devices, energy conversion, and biomedical applications. However, to fabricate multiple patterns continuously in single etching protocol with highly tunable photonic properties is challenging. Here, a simple and robust dynamic nanosphere lithography is proposed by inserting a spacer between the nanosphere assembly and the wafer. The nanosphere diameter decrease and uneven penetration of the spacer during etching lead to a dynamic masking process. Coupled anisotropic physical ion sputtering and ricocheting with isotropic chemical radical etching achieve highly tunable structures with various 3D patterns continuously forming through a single etching process. Specifically, the nanosphere diameters define the periodicity, the etched spacer forms the upper parts, and the wafer forms the lower parts. Each part of the structure is highly tunable through changing nanosphere diameter, spacer thickness, and etch conditions. Using this protocol, numerous structures of varying sizes including nanomushrooms, nanocones, nanopencils, and nanoneedles with diverse shapes are realized as proof of concepts. The broadband antireflection ability of the nanostructures and their use in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy are also demonstrated for practical application. This method substantially simplifies the fabrication procedure of various metastructures, paving the way for its application in multiple disciplines especially in photonic devices.

Enhanced solar to hydrogen conversion via Ni addition to a few layered 2D/2D g-C3N4/ZnIn2S4 heterojunction

A Ni–FCN/ZIS nanocomposite showed remarkable photocatalytic hydrogen production, outperforming pristine ZIS and FCN. The synergistic effect of FCN-ZIS electronic coupling and Ni ions enhances charge separation and facilitates hydrogen production.

A review of the Zn-Pb deposits in Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou metallogenic region with emphasis on the enrichment mechanism of Ge, Ga, and In

The low-medium temperature Zn-Pb deposits in the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou (SYG) metallogenic region contain not only Pb and Zn but also abundant critical metals such as Ge, Ga, and In. The majority of previous studies focus on the genesis of Pb and Zn metals, and the research on Ge, Ga and In in the SYG region has become a topic in recent years due to economic importance of these metals. In this review, the distribution, occurrence, and enrichment mechanism of Ge, Ga, and In in Zn-Pb deposits in the SYG region is summarized. Sphalerite is the main host mineral of Ge, Ga, and In, with contents of up to ∼1300 ppm, ∼600 ppm, and ∼1191 ppm, respectively. Pyrite from the Fule Zn-Pb deposit is also rich in Ge (up to 340 ppm), which may be due to involvement of magmatic components in the ore-forming fluids. Germanium, Ga, and In mainly appear in the form of isomorphism in sphalerite. Independent minerals of Ge such as ruizhongite (Ag2□)Pb3Ge2S8), are only found in the Wusihe Zn-Pb deposit. Copper is the main coupling ions for substitution of Ge, Ga, and In in sphalerite. However, the positive correlation of Ge with Pb, Mn and Ag in the sphalerite of Huodehong, Shaojiwan, Shanshulin, and Qingshan Zn-Pb deposits may indicate other means of substitution or existence of nanometer Ge minerals with similar composition to the ruizhongite. The substitution mechanisms of Ge and Ga vary with layers in the zoned sphalerite from the Nayongzhi Zn-Pb deposit, possibly indicating that physical or chemical variations in fluids will affect the substitution ways of Ge and Ga in sphalerite.The growth direction and crystal structure of ZnS also exert control over the contents of Ge, Ga, and In. The enrichment degree of Ge, Ga, and In changes between (110) and (111) crystal planes, and the wurtzite structure is beneficial to the infiltration of large ions (Ge, Ga, and In). Compared to sphalerite with euhedral texture, colloform sphalerite is conducive to the enrichment of Ge. For zoned sphalerite such as the rhythmic banding and the conventional zone, the former lacks zoning of Ge, Ga and In but the latter shows elemental zonation and Ge is enriched in the black domains. The correlation between the contents of Ge, Ga, and possible In in sphalerite and Pb or Zn isotopes of sulfides indicates the significant contribution of basement rocks for the enrichment of these metals. During the mineralization process, Ge tends to be enriched in dark or early sphalerite, including the Daliangzi, Tianbaoshan, Huize, Nayongzhi, Fule, Fuli, Wusihe, and Maoping deposits, which may be due to the variations in temperature or fluid evolution. The opposite variation trend of Ge and Ga with sphalerite color or stage in the Daliangzi, Nayongzhi, Maoping, Shaojiwan, and Wusihe Zn-Pb deposits indicates that Ge and Ga may behave differently during precipitation of sphalerite.

Multiphysics and multiphase mesoscopic study on electrochemical corrosion of reinforcement caused by chloride salt

Reinforcement corrosion caused by chloride attack is one of the main reasons for the degradation of reinforced concrete (RC) structures, especially those exposed to marine environment. To study the effect of chloride attack on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of reinforcement, a 2D meso-numerical model coupling ion transport and electrochemical corrosion was established by modifying the anode Tafel slope in this paper. More importantly, gaussian function model with clear physical meaning is proposed to describe the distribution of reinforcement corrosion layer. The reliability of the proposed model is further verified by compared with the third-party experiments data. Furthermore, the effects of electric field effect, meso-structure, maximum corrosion depth and corrosion rate on the distribution of reinforcement corrosion layer are investigated based on the proposed model. The numerical simulation results show that the influence of electric field effect and interfacial transition zone (ITZ) on corrosion morphology cannot be ignored. Moreover, the novel gaussian distribution model with physically meaningful parameters has wide applicability through comparison with experiments. Specially, a simulation of chloride diffusion trajectories in concrete meso-structures reveals how ITZ promotes chloride diffusion. The research of this paper provides theoretical support for the rust expansion cracking and service life prediction of reinforced concrete structures.

Pressure Coupled Lanthanide Ion Doping to Enhance Optical Properties in BaTiO3.

Self-trapped excitons (STEs) typically give broadband photoluminescence emission with a large Stokes shift, which is important for the enhancement of the optical properties of materials. Here, low-dimensional La-doped BaTiO3 nanocrystals with defects are prepared using supercritical CO2 (SC CO2). The generation of the STEs is facilitated by doping La3+ ions and introducing CO2 pressure, which effectively enhance the luminescence intensity of BaTiO3. This discovery shows that the La ion doping concentration can modulate the photoluminescence of BaTiO3 nanocrystals under pressure. This work deepens the understanding of the influence of rare-earth-doped luminescent materials under pressure and provides insight to improve the capabilities of optical devices.

Modulating interfacial electronic coupling of copper-mediated NiFe layered double hydroxide nanoprisms via structural engineering for efficient OER in wireless photovoltaic-coupled and anion exchange membrane water electrolysis

In this work, a facile method is used to fabricate Cu-mediated NiFe-LDH (CuNiFe-LDH) nanoprisms from conductive metal–organic frameworks (MOFs; NiFe MIL-88A). The initial MOF structure is stabilized by electronic coupling and Cu ion coordination. The CuNiFe-LDH nanoprisms exhibit excellent OER performance, with an overvoltage of 204 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and a low activation energy of 15.45 kJ mol−1. Mechanistic investigations using density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the Cu sites in CuNiFe-LDH are highly efficient for OER and that CuNiFe-LDH has a lower theoretical overpotential than NiFe-LDH. A wireless photovoltaic-electrochemical cell, developed using a CuNiFe-LDH/Ni fiber paper (NFP) anode and NiFe2O4/NFPcathode, achieves a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 11.08%. Additionally, the excellent performance of anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer incorporating the CuNiFe-LDH catalyst, including a j of 974 mA cm−2 at 1.85 V, and 46.9 kWh of electricity consumed per 1 kg of hydrogen produced.

Two-dimensional model of ion transport in composite membranes active layers with TEM-scanned morphology

Ion rejection by composite membranes for RO/NF is performed by an ultrathin polyamide active layer (AL) with non-uniform thickness. Current models explain the solute and water fluxes by concentration and potential in AL of uniform properties, there are studies showing the effects of its topology on permeability. We developed a two-dimensional extension of the solution-friction model, coupling ion and water transport in irregularly-shaped charged AL, with geometry extracted from TEM images. Simulations indicated that AL with pronounced roughness lead to highly non-uniform distribution of ionic fluxes and lead to NaCl permeability greater than obtained by uniform layers. The transmembrane pressure and membrane charge can shift the relative dominance of ion transport mechanisms. In weakly charged membranes diffusion dominates, even at high water fluxes. Electromigration can counteract the convective flux in highly charged membranes. The model revealed the possibility of circular ionic currents within/around the AL. The response of the 2D model to variations in flux and salinity can be identical to the response of a 1D model, providing that the 1D model uses an appropriate equivalent membrane thickness. We provided a method to convert the detailed 2D geometry into a single number that can be computed from images' active layers.

Development of Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Coupled Nanospray Ion Source for Analysis of Cephalosporin Antibiotics in Food Samples.

A magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) coupled nanospray ion source was developed for analysis of cephalosporin antibiotics in food samples. MIP coated Fe3O4 nanospheres were prepared for magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) of the antibiotics in the extract of samples and then integrated into the nanospray capillary for further desorption and mass spectrometry analysis. The developed device combines the advantages of high extraction efficiency of MSPE, unique selectivity of MIPs, and fast analysis speed of ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS). Five cephalosporin antibiotics in milk, egg, and beef samples were analyzed using the developed methods. High sensitivities with limits of detection (LODs) from 0.3 to 0.5 μg kg-1 were achieved for cephalosporin antibiotics in milk, egg, and beef samples, respectively. Good linearity, determination coefficient values (R2 > 0.992), and precision (RSD < 15%) with recoveries ranging from 72.6% to 115.5% were obtained using the spiked milk, egg, and beef sample matrices.

Migration Behavior of NH4+ and Na+ in a Bentonite-Clay Mixed Soil Column and Numerical Simulation

The landfill barriers effectively prevented the migration of high-concentration pollutants, such as NH4+ and Na+, from the landfills to the surrounding environment. However, due to the high hydraulic head inside the landfill compared to the surrounding environment, NH4+ and Na+ can migrate towards the outside of the landfill barrier with the infiltrating solution, potentially causing harm to the surrounding environment. To address this, saturated mixed soil column samples made of bentonite and Shanghai clay, with bentonite contents of 3% and 10%, were used in this study. Permeability coefficients of the column samples in solutions are obtained by using permeation tests, and using NaCl and NH4Cl solutions with concentrations of 37.4 mmol/L and 74.8 mmol/L, respectively. The concentration-depth result of the column samples after permeation tests was determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Ion Chromatography (ICS-1100). Numerical simulations are used to investigate the effect of downstream solute concentration of the barriers on upstream solute concentration, dry density, and bentonite content of the barriers. The results indicate that the permeability coefficient of the soil column samples exposed to NH4Cl solution is greater than that of samples exposed to NaCl solution. This can be attributed to the stronger cation exchange of montmorillonite for NH4+, resulting in less swelling of the bentonite and more micro-pores, leading to an increase in the permeability coefficient. The concentration of Na+ is higher than that of NH4+ at the same depth of the column samples, indicating that Na+ has a higher migration rate in the column sample. This could be attributed to the relatively fast diffusion of Na+ on the surface of the bentonite and larger hydration radius of Na+. According to the simulation results, the recommended values for the bentonite clay mixed-soil barrier wall are as follows in this study: a thickness of 43 cm, a dry density of 1.5 g/cm3, and a bentonite content of 5%.

Large Orbital Moment of Two Coupled Spin-Half Co Ions in a Complex on Gold.

The magnetic properties of transition-metal ions are generally described by the atomic spins of the ions and their exchange coupling. The orbital moment, usually largely quenched due the ligand field, is then seen as a perturbation. In such a scheme, S = 1/2 ions are predicted to be isotropic. We investigate a Co(II) complex with two antiferromagnetically coupled 1/2 spins on Au(111) using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and density functional theory. We find that each of the Co ions has an orbital moment comparable to that of the spin, leading to magnetic anisotropy, with the spins preferentially oriented along the Co-Co axis. The orbital moment and the associated magnetic anisotropy is tuned by varying the electronic coupling of the molecule to the substrate and the microscope tip. These findings show the need to consider the orbital moment even in systems with strong ligand fields. As a consequence, the description of S = 1/2 ions becomes strongly modified, which have important consequences for these prototypical systems for quantum operations.

Titanium dioxide doped phosphate glasses modulating pro-inflammatory macrophages reponses for tissue regeneration application

ObjectivesThere is an urgent need to understand how novel biomaterials interact with the immune system to improve patients’ safety. This study aimed to explore the immune-inflammatory responses of titanium dioxide doped phosphate glass (TDPG) using RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. MethodsThe ion release was investigated using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and Ion Chromatography. Cell attachment, viability, percentage apoptosis, cell cycle stages, release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro-inflammatory (IL-6, IL-β & TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines expression were explored for cells grown directly or indirectly in presence of TDPG using different microscopy techniques, XTT assay, flow cytometry, ROS Assay and RT-PCR respectively. The commercially available ProRoot® MTA was used as a control material and cells grown in the normal tissue culture medium was used as control cells. ResultsTDPG released less calcium but more phosphorus than ProRoot® MTA. Aluminum release was only seen with ProRoot® MTA, but sodium, and titanium were detected with TDPG. Macrophages grown in presence of TDPG or its extract showed rounded morphology with expression of F4/80 surface marker, comparable viability and percentage apoptosis to control cells while with ProRoot® MTA, cells showed an enlarged morphology, lower viability, higher percentage apoptosis than control cells. TDPG even at twice dose as ProRoot® MTA did not affect the cell cycle stages as control cells while ProRoot® MTA induced significant changes in the G1, S, G2/M phases and increased cell granularity. ROS level significantly increased in presence of ProRoot® MTA when compared with TDPG and control cells. A transient induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL1β, TNF-α) was observed with TDPG treatments whereas their levels sustained for longer time periods with ProRoot® MTA. ConclusionsTDPG showed better immune response than ProRoot® MTA and can modulate tissue regeneration.

Experimental studies of the inhibitory effect of thiamazole on copper corrosion in near neutral 3% sodium chloride solution

As the unused drugs which are disgracefully arranged can contaminate the environment, a conceivable application of unused pharmaceutical compounds as corrosion inhibitors was successfully implemented, in this context thiamazole was assessed as a potential copper corrosion inhibitor in near neutral 3% sodium chloride solution. Electrochemical methods, surface and solution analysis are used to explore copper corrosion and its resistance. Corrosion of copper and its inhibition by thiamazole have been investigated in 3% NaCl solution using Potentiodynamic polarization, Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, X-rays diffraction analysis, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) along with Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX),contact angle measurements, Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and Ion chromatography(IC).According to polarization measures, thiamazole works as a mixed type inhibitor. The values of polarization resistance and inhibition efficiency increase with thiamazole concentration increase, according to electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data. After 24 h immersion time of copper sheets in free amd containing thiamazole solution, it was revealed that thiamazole behave as mixed-type inhibitor with an efficiency of 97%. SEM/EDX investigations confirm that thiamazole forms a protective and hydrophobic layer on copper surface, this finding was assessed by contact angle (CA) tests; these results are further supported by XRD patterns that show the removal of crystalline corrosion products. The results of inductively coupled plasmasolution analysis and ionic chromatography demonstrate that in the presence of 10-4 M thiamazole in the investigated solution, the concentration of chloride increased while the concentration of copper (II) ions decreased.The outlined findings infer that the used molecule plays a role of an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor.

Coupled ion transport in concentrated PEO–LiTFSI polymer electrolytes

Ionic correlations are important in concentrated PEO–LiTFSI polymer electrolytes. Onsager coefficients are necessary to characterize the ionic motion. Li and TFSI are anticorrelated, increasing the ionic conductivity and Li-ion transport number.

Novel reactive benzoxazine resins using renewables: Leveraging inherent chemistries to produce novel thermoset materials

Novel thermoset tannin-based oxazolidine materials have been prepared in a one pot reaction combining condensed tannins with N,N-alkyldiamines and various aldehydes. Reaction stoichiometry was important in O,N-oxazole hetereocycle formation with N-methylene coupling and ammonium ion formation also observed. For this tannin-diamine system, a tannin :1,6-hexanediamine:formaldehyde mole ratio of 1:1:2 was favoured for oxazole product formation, cure and material properties. Thermal analysis (DSC, DMTA) established that these materials exhibit benzoxazole crosslinking reactivity, with higher alkyldiamine contents found to contribute to greater cure onset temperatures that ranged between 130 and 180 °C. Consolidated, crosslinked tannin-diamine materials exhibit consistent mechanical properties at elevated temperatures (>200 °C). Tannin-diamine materials could be combined with wood fibre , either as a powder or aqueous dispersion, to give composite materials (30–40 % fibre fractions, o.d.) with similar high temperature mechanical properties. Substitutions of glyoxal or furfural for formaldehyde produced comparable tannin-diamine products exhibiting similar material performance when hot-pressed. These tannin-based benzoxazoles have potential for utilisation as a matrix or binder with natural fibre reinforcements and composite materials. • Tannin-based oxazolidine materials have been synthesised via a one pot reaction. • Condensed tannins react with N,N-alkyldiamines and aldehydes to form O,N-oxazoles. • O,N-oxazoles are formed via N-methylene coupling and ammonium ion formation. • Tannin-based benzoxazoles exhibit similar crosslinking as synthetic oxazole systems. • Tannin-diamines can be consolidated either pure or with fibre to form composites.