Effective Route Research Articles

Tuning of Berry-curvature dipole in TaAs slabs: An effective route to enhance the nonlinear Hall response

Tuning of Berry-curvature dipole in TaAs slabs: An effective route to enhance the nonlinear Hall response

The synergistic effect of body modification and surface coating for the moisture barrier of hydrophilic PU film

Polyurethane (PU) films have established a distinctive position among various protective materials due to their outstanding chemical and physical properties. However, their limited moisture barrier performance hinders their broader applications. To solve this difficult problem, PU film is first modified by adding reactive fillers (MgO) and physical barrier fillers (Modified graphene oxide, M-GO), and then Si-DLC coating is deposited on the surface of the film by hollow cathode plasma immersion ion implantation (HCPIII) method at near room temperature. MgO can react with the water molecules diffused into the film, while the addition of M-GO extends the diffusion path of water molecules. It is revealed that the addition of 5% MgO and 0.5% M-GO, along with the deposition of a 2.56 μm Si-doped DLC coating, leads to a remarkable 14.67-fold reduction in the water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR). The result of molecular dynamics simulations shows that the reactive sheet filler captures the water molecules and reduces the WVTR. In addition, the combination method of PU body modification and surface coating is suitable for polyurethane foam (PUF) to reduce the WVTR as a double coating. It's amazing that the WVTR of PUF significantly reduces by 15.29 times after double-coating. The combination of body modification and surface coating provides an effective route for significantly improving the moisture barrier property of hydrophilic polymer film and polymer foam.

Nano-kirigami/origami fabrications and optical applications

Emerging nano-kirigami/origami technology enables the flexible transformations of 2D planar patterns into exquisite 3D structures in situ and has aroused great interest in the areas of nanophotonics and optoelectronics. This paper briefly reviews some milestone research and breakthrough progresses in nano-kirigami/origami from the aspects of stimuli approaches and application directions. Versatile stimuli for kirigami/origami, including capillary force, residual stress, mechanical force, and irradiation-induced stress, are introduced in the micro/nanoscale region. Appealing optical applications and reconfigurable schemes of nano-kirigami/origami structures are summarized, offering effective routes to realize tunable nanophotonic and optoelectronic devices. Future challenges and promising pathways are also envisioned, including design methods, innovative materials, multi-physics field driving, and reprogrammable devices.

Synergistic role of Sn-doping on the thermal and electrical properties of sinnerite Cu6As4S9

Sinnerite Cu6As4S9 has been identified as a promising material for optoelectronic applications, with potential for other energy-related applications; however, knowledge of the electrical and thermal properties as well as the mechanisms underlying transport in sinnerite is lacking. We present an investigation of the synthesis, structural, thermal and electrical transport properties of stoichiometric and Sn-doped Cu6As4S9. Sinnerite has a triclinic lattice structure, with highly distorted local atomic coordination environments that, in part, results in its complex structure and bonding. Our results and analyses indicate As 4s2 lone pair-induced distortions and strong lattice anharmonicity that leads to a relatively short phonon mean free path, resulting in intrinsically very low thermal conductivity. The electrical resistivity for both compositions, Cu6As4-xSnxS9 (x = 0, 0.2), are relatively high and varies little with temperature, typical of degenerate semiconductors. An increase in mobility and electrical conductivity was obtained by Sn doping in Cu6As3.8Sn0.2S9. This work demonstrates an effective route to synthesize bulk sinnerite as well as advances the knowledge of the properties of sinnerite, as this and other ternary chalcogenides continue to be of interest for potential technologically significant applications.

C1q/Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Protein-9 Enhances Macrophage Cholesterol Efflux and Improves Reverse Cholesterol Transport via AMPK Activation.

Cholesterol efflux from foam cells in atherosclerotic plaques is crucial for reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), an important antiatherogenic event. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, ABCA1 and ABCG1, are key receptors in the cholesterol efflux pathway. C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein-9 (CTRP9) is a newly discovered adipokine and exhibits an atheroprotective activity. However, the role of CTRP9 in RCT still remains unknown. In this work, we investigated the effect of subcutaneous administration of CTRP9 protein on RCT and atherosclerotic lesion formation in ApoE-/- mice fed with a high-fat diet. CTRP9-dependent regulation of cholesterol efflux and ABC transporters in RAW 264.7 foam cells was determined. Our results showed that CTRP9 protein decreased atherosclerotic lesions, increased cholesterol efflux, and upregulated liver ABCA1 and ABCG1 expression in ApoE-/- mice. CTRP9 treatment dose-dependently increased mRNA and protein expression of ABCA1, ABCG1, and LXR-α in RAW 264.7 foam cells. Moreover, the expression and phosphorylation of AMPK was potentiated upon CTRP9 treatment. Notably, CTRP9-induced cholesterol efflux and upregulation of ABCA, ABCG1, and LXR-α were impaired when AMPK was knocked down. AMPK depletion restored cholesterol accumulation in CTRP9-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Taken together, subcutaneous injection is an effective novel delivery route for CTRP9 protein, and exogenous CTRP9 can facilitate cholesterol efflux and promote RCT in an animal model of atherosclerosis. The atheroprotective activity of CTRP9 is mediated through the activation of AMPK signaling.

Exploring Pyroelectricity, Thermal and Photochemical Switching in a Hybrid Organic‐Inorganic Crystal by In Situ X‐Ray Diffraction

AbstractThe switching behavior of the novel hybrid material (FA)Na[Fe(CN)5(NO)].H2O (1) in response to temperature (T), light irradiation and electric field (E) is studied using in situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Crystals of 1 display piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity, second and third harmonic generation. XRD shows that the FA+ are disordered at room‐temperature, but stepwise cooling from 273–100 K induces gradual ordering, while cooling under an applied field (E=+40 kVcm−1) induces a sudden phase change at 140 K. Structural‐dynamics calculations suggest the field pushes the system into a region of the structural potential‐energy surface that is otherwise inaccessible, demonstrating that application of T and E offers an effective route to manipulating the crystal chemistry of these materials. Photocrystallography also reveals photoinduced linkage isomerism, which coexists with but is not correlated to other switching behaviors. These experiments highlight a new approach to in situ studies of hybrid materials, providing insight into the structure–property relationships that underpin their functionality.

Exploring Pyroelectricity, Thermal and Photochemical Switching in a Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Crystal by In Situ X-Ray Diffraction.

The switching behavior of the novel hybrid material (FA)Na[Fe(CN)5(NO)].H2O (1) in response to temperature (T), light irradiation and electric field (E) is studied using in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD). Crystals of 1 display piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity, second and third harmonic generation. XRD shows that the FA+ are disordered at room-temperature, but stepwise cooling from 273-100 K induces gradual ordering, while cooling under an applied field (E=+40 kVcm-1) induces a sudden phase change at 140 K. Structural-dynamics calculations suggest the field pushes the system into a region of the structural potential-energy surface that is otherwise inaccessible, demonstrating that application of T and E offers an effective route to manipulating the crystal chemistry of these materials. Photocrystallography also reveals photoinduced linkage isomerism, which coexists with but is not correlated to other switching behaviors. These experiments highlight a new approach to in situ studies of hybrid materials, providing insight into the structure-property relationships that underpin their functionality.

Manipulation of Coupled X‐Ray‐Excited Persistent Luminescence and Upconversion in Er3+ Doped Fluoride Nanoparticles for Multifaceted Applications

AbstractLanthanide doped nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit tunable X‐ray‐excited optical luminescence and X‐ray‐excited persistent luminescence (XEPL), holding broad prospects for applications in display/anti‐counterfeiting and X‐ray imaging. The development of effective strategies for multi‐dimensional applications based on lanthanide‐doped fluoride NPs are a constant challenge. Here, core–shell structured fluoride NPs, in which the heavy metal fluoride shell effectively suppresses the non‐radiative relaxation and simultaneously improve the X‐ray absorption of the shell are designed and fabricated. Under X‐ray irradiation, the developed NPs exhibit an increased number of secondary electrons which migrate to Er3+ centers at the interface and greatly improve the XEPL intensity. Additionally, the introduction of Mn2+ further enhances the XEPL intensity and offers an effective route to control the red‐green ratio of the upconversion spectrum. The NPs co‐doped with Mn2+ exhibit a bright green XEPL under X‐ray irradiation and a red emission under 1532 nm laser excitation. It is further validated that these NPs can be utilized for advanced anti‐counterfeiting and high‐resolution delayed imaging based on a film containing NPs as a scintillation screen. These findings suggest a new strategy of designing Er3+ doped NPs for multi‐dimensional applications.

Transumbilical Arterial Access for Embolization of a Hepatic Vascular Tumor in a Critically Ill Premature Neonate

AbstractCatheter-based interventions are relatively rare in the neonate population but serve as an invaluable tool in managing many pathologies. Here we present a case report of a neonate with a vascular hepatic tumor managed by embolization via transumbilical access. In neonates, the small size of the common femoral artery makes cannulation difficult and is thought to increase the risk of catheter-associated thrombosis and ischemia. Often, these patients reside in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and already have an umbilical artery catheter (UAC) in place, which can be used as an effective alternative route of vascular access to carry out life-saving interventions.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Wireless Sensor Networks through I-LEACH: A Data Clustering and Routing Protocol

The inclusion of innovative technology into sensor networks has resulted in notable advancements in several industries, including mining, healthcare, military surveillance, and more. Using a multi-hop approach, nodes are placed strategically across the Region of Interest (RoI) in order to transfer data to the Base Station (BS). In order to address issues with energy consumption, effective cluster head selection, packet loss, routing algorithms, and energy efficiency, the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) has become a key field of study. The objectives of this research are to increase nodes' Residual Energy, and lengthen the network lifetime. Using an effective clustering mechanism and Cluster Head election procedure is the suggested method. The goal of choosing a CH is to minimize the distance from the base station while optimizing the node's remaining energy. The protocol acts in two stages: firstly, computing a new Threshold value for the cluster head election process, and secondly, applying a data fusion mechanism based energy model is used in the network to reduce redundant energy transfer.

Investigation Performance Analysis and Evaluation of VANET Routing Protocol on Urban Scenario Simulation: A Case Study of Melaka

Vehicles on the road create a VANET network using IEEE 802.11P for wireless data exchange. However, VANET is challenging since the characteristics of VANET such as high mobility and frequent topology making it harder to design an effective routing protocol. The needs of an efficient performance routing protocol are crucial since it is to ensure a better network Quality of Service (QoS). In this paper, the evaluation of the IEEE 802.11P performance is simulated in real-world scenario using the Melaka City roadmap. In an urban setting, the impact of vehicle density on the performance of VANET routing protocols including OLSR, AODV, and DSDV are examined. Reviewing the effectiveness of the current VANET routing protocols is the goal of this research since it is crucial to know which routing has high performance under specific circumstances. Quantitative measurements including Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), Packet Loss Ratio (PLR), and end-to-end delay are evaluated using the Network Simulator NS-3 and SUMO. Findings from the investigation show that while proactive routing protocols like OLSR and DSDV perform better in terms of end-to-end delay, AODV performs exceptionally well in terms of PDR and PLR.

Integrating GIS and BIM with MCDM for infrastructure planning: a comprehensive framework

PurposePresent study aimed to integrate Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) in conjunction with multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) to enhance infrastructure investment planning.Design/methodology/approachThis analysis combines GIS databases with BIM simulations for a novel highway project. Around 150 potential alternatives were simulated, narrowed to 25 more effective routes and 3 options underwent in-depth analysis using PROMETHEE method for decision-making, based on environmental, cost and safety criteria, allowing for comprehensive cross-perspective comparisons.FindingsA comprehensive framework proposed was validated through a case study. Demonstrating its adaptability with customizable parameters. It aids decision-making, cost estimation, environmental impact analysis and outcome prediction. Considering these critical factors, this study holds the potential to advance new techniques for assessment and planning railways, power lines, gas and water.Research limitations/implicationsThe study acknowledges limitations in GIS data quality, particularly in underdeveloped areas or regions with limited technology access. It also overlooks other pertinent variables, like social, economic, political and cultural issues. Thus, conclusions from these simulations may not entirely represent reality or diverse potential scenarios.Practical implicationsThe proposed method automates decision-making, reducing subjectivity, aids in selecting effective alternatives and considers environmental criteria to mitigate negative impacts. Additionally, it minimizes costs and risks while demonstrating adaptability for assessing diverse infrastructures.Originality/valueBy integrating GIS and BIM data to support a MCDM workflow, this study proposes to fill the existing research gap in decision-making prioritization and mitigate subjective biases.

Robust, Flexible, and Superhydrophobic Fabrics for High-Efficiency and Ultrawide-Band Microwave Absorption

Microwave absorption (MA) materials are essential for protecting against harmful electromagnetic radiation. In this study, highly efficient and ultrawide-band microwave-absorbing fabrics with superhydrophobic surface features were developed using a facile dip-coating method involving in situ graphene oxide (GO) reduction, deposition of TiO2 nanoparticles, and subsequent coating of a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and octadecylamine (ODA) on polyester fabrics. Owing to the presence of hierarchically structured surfaces and low-surface-energy materials, the resultant reduced GO (rGO)/TiO2-ODA/PDMS-coated fabrics demonstrate superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 159° and sliding angle of 5°. Under the synergistic effects of conduction loss, interface polarization loss, and surface roughness topography, the optimized fabrics show excellent microwave absorbing performances with a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −47.4 dB and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EABmax) of 7.7 GHz at a small rGO loading of 6.9 wt%. In addition, the rGO/TiO2-ODA/PDMS coating was robust, and the coated fabrics could withstand repeated washing, soiling, long-term ultraviolet irradiation, and chemical attacks without losing their superhydrophobicity and MA properties. Moreover, the coating imparts self-healing properties to the fabrics. This study provides a promising and effective route for the development of robust and flexible materials with microwave-absorbing properties.

High efficiency quantum dot light-emitting diodes with femtosecond laser post-treatment

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs), as an emerging display technology, have garnered widespread attention due to their excellent color rendering, high efficiency, and long lifespan. However, the inherent differences in the properties of charge transport layer materials inevitably lead to charge injection imbalances and low device performance. Herein, we developed a simple technique by using femtosecond laser scanning over the QLED devices. The results indicate that scanning with a femtosecond laser improves the conductivity of the hole transport layer and increases the external quantum efficiency of the QLED devices. Our work provides an effective route for realizing high performance QLED devices with efficient post-treatment.

Improvement of the Nearest Neighbor Heuristic Search Algorithm for Traveling Salesman Problem

The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is classified as a non-deterministic polynomial (NP) hard problem, which has found widespread application in several scientific and technological domains. Due to its NP-hard nature, it is very hard to solve effectively and efficiently. Despite this rationale, a multitude of optimization approaches have been proposed and developed by scientists and researchers during the last several decades. Among these several algorithms, heuristic approaches are deemed appropriate for addressing this intricate issue. One of the simplest and most easily implementable heuristic algorithms for TSP is the nearest neighbor algorithm (NNA). However, its solution quality suffers owing to randomness in the optimization process. To address this issue, this study proposes a deterministic NNA for solving symmetric TSP. It is an improved version of NNA, which starts with the shortest edge consisting of two cities and then repeatedly includes the closest city on the route until an effective route is established. The simulation is conducted on 20 benchmark symmetric TSP datasets obtained from TSPLIB. The simulation results provide evidence that the improved NNA outperforms the basic NNA throughout most of the datasets in terms of solution quality as well as computational time.

Fabrication of Amisulpride Nanosuspension for Nose to Brain Delivery in the Potential Antipsychotic Treatment

ABSTRACT: Background: This research was aimed with the development of antipsychotic drug delivery for olfactory administration which could deliver drug to the brain. Amisulpride is a psychoactive drug that belongs to the benzamide derivatives class. It enhances dopaminergic neurotransmission by inhibiting presynaptic dopamine D2/D3 auto receptors selectively at lower dosages. Method: The nanosuspension was prepared by media milling technique for nose to brain delivery. The nose to brain delivery developed an effective route to bypass the BBB and deliver the drug to the brain. Factorial design was used for the designing and optimizing formulation based on various process and formulation factors. The optimized batch further analyzed to determine particle size, PDI, zeta potential, and drug content. With appropriate selection of process parameters like speed and bead amount. The media milling method is one of the effective methodology to reduce particle size and with the help of stabilizers nanoparticles could be stabilised. Result: The average particle size range of nanosuspension batch was observed 100-150 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.0927, Zeta potential +39.14 mV and drug content 88.12 ± 2 %. Conclusion: Intranasal administration is a promising alternative for bypassing the blood-brain barrier, reducing the adverse effects, and lowering the doses.

Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Wireless Sensor Networks through I-LEACH: A Data Clustering and Routing Protocol

The inclusion of innovative technology into sensor networks has resulted in notable advancements in several industries, including mining, healthcare, military surveillance, and more. Using a multi-hop approach, nodes are placed strategically across the Region of Interest (RoI) in order to transfer data to the Base Station (BS). In order to address issues with energy consumption, effective cluster head selection, packet loss, routing algorithms, and energy efficiency, the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) has become a key field of study. The objectives of this research are to increase nodes' Residual Energy, and lengthen the network lifetime. Using an effective clustering mechanism and Cluster Head election procedure is the suggested method. The goal of choosing a CH is to minimize the distance from the base station while optimizing the node's remaining energy. The protocol acts in two stages: firstly, computing a new Threshold value for the cluster head election process, and secondly, applying a data fusion mechanism based energy model is used in the network to reduce redundant energy transfer.

A high strength and high electrical conductivity copper based composite enhanced by graphene and Al2O3 nanoparticles

The rapid development of electrical and electronic engineering requires to further surmount the trade-off between the electrical conductivity and strength of Cu matrix composite. In this study, the surface of Cu–Al2O3 powder is selective for carbon sources, and only α-naphthol can prepare graphene. Graphene and Al2O3 particles are simultaneously incorporated into Cu matrix by hot-press sintering Cu–Al2O3 powders by internal oxidation coated with in-situ grown graphene. This composite exhibits a good combination of strength and conductivity (600 MPa of ultimate tensile strength and 81.7 % IACS of electrical conductivity) due to synergistic effect of graphene and Al2O3 particles. This composite fabricated by such synergistic more effectively retains the microstructure induced by plastic deformation during the cold-rolling process. Both graphene and Al2O3 particles uniformly distribute in Cu matrix. Coherent Al2O3 particles and graphene in situ grown can be well enhance to Orowan looping mechanism effect, and the addition of graphene in Cu matrix composite with Al2O3 particles can improve dislocation strengthening and dispersion strengthening at the same time. Our study provides an effective route to achieve simultaneously high strength and conductivity of Cu matrix composites.

In-situ exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride during the forced flow of highly elastic polylactide to fabricate electrospun fibrous film with high thermal conductivity and low dielectric loss

Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) have promising applications in thermal management materials, due to their high thermal conductivity and low dielectric loss. However, it is still challenging to fabricate BNNS with large lateral size and structural integrity via solvent-free methods. Here, we report a novel processing method for in-situ exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) to fabricate BNNS with an average lateral size of 1.45 μm, average thickness of 4.88 nm and few lattice defects during the forced flow of polylactide (PLA) in a highly elastic state. We further fabricate flexible and bio-degradable PLA/BNNS electrospun fibrous film for electronic devices to replace petroleum-based composites. The PLA/BNNS fibrous film exhibits an in-plane thermal conductivity of 4.9 W/(m·K) at the BNNS loading of 20 wt%. Moreover, the fibrous film also has a low dielectric loss (0.007 at 1 kHz) and good electrical insulation. The in-situ exfoliation strategy is simple, economical and environmentally friendly, providing an effective route to design thermal management materials with high thermal conductivity and low dielectric loss in the future of electronic devices.

Tuning surface chemistry to reduce the step-like degradation of LiCoO2 at 4.6 V

Elevating the cut-off voltage is an effective route to increase the energy density of LiCoO2 (LCO). However, the highly delithiated LCO faces the issues of poor structural reversibility, O loss, and Co dissolution, etc., especially in the surface region. Herein, the step-like surface degradation (SSD) of pristine LCO (P-LCO) is firstly revealed to be responsible for the rapid capacity decay. To reduce the adverse impact of SSD, a solid electrolyte is coated and annealed to achieve the optimized surface structure chemistry of LCO (SE-LCO), featuring the outermost surface Li3PO4, surface rock-salt layer, and subsurface spinel-like layer. Benefiting from this surface optimization, the SE-LCO not only shows an enhanced but more reversible phase transition to enhance the structure stability, but also promotes the formation of tough cathode electrolyte interface (CEI) to reduce the O loss and Co dissolution issues. As a result, SE-LCO/graphite cell achieves excellent cycle stability with a remarkable capacity retention of 81.2% after 800 cycles in a potential range of 3–4.55 V, which is among the best reported cell performances. This work broadens the cognition for developing more advanced LCO cathodes.