Effect Of Surface Treatment Research Articles

Combined effects of magnetic field and surface treatments consisting of shot peening, plasma nitriding and their consecutive application on the friction and wear behavior of a ferromagnetic steel

Machine elements are subjected to electrical and/or magnetic field in their use and this can cause the failure of them. On the other hand, in order to extend their service life, different surface treatments such as shot peening and plasma nitriding are used. In recent years, the sequential application of these treatments has gained more attention because plasma nitriding efficiency is improved and more durable surfaces can be obtained through this method. Surface treated materials are also operated under magnetic field but their tribological performance under magnetic field is still unknown. Understanding the impact of magnetic field and surface treatments on the friction and wear behavior of the materials is the aim of the current investigation. As part of this effort, shot peening operations were performed on AISI 4140 low-alloy steel at the intensities of 16 A, 20 A and 24 A and plasma nitriding were performed at 500 °C for 1 h and 4 h. The reciprocating pin-on-disc wear tests were performed with and without magnetic field application. XRD, SEM, microhardness tester and 3D optical microscope were used for the characterization of the samples. Plasma nitriding, shot peening, and their consecutive application increased the material's wear resistance. Magnetic field application provided further enhancement in wear resistance, as the surfaces of the samples were oxidized and the particles formed during the sliding were removed from the wear zone. Untreated and shot peened samples exhibited adhesive wear, whereas abrasive wear was also observed in plasma nitrided samples. Magnetic field did not change the wear mechanisms of the samples. However, due to surface oxidation and removal of the particles, narrower wear marks were observed in the samples worn under magnetic field compared with the wear marks obtained without applying magnetic field.

Effects of surface treatments of bioactive tricalcium silicate-based restorative material on the bond strength to resin composite

ObjectivesThis study aimed to enhance the bond strength between Biodentine™ (BD), a bioactive tricalcium silicate (C3S) based material, and resin composite through various surface treatments. MethodologyBD samples were immersed in either double distilled water or Hank's Balanced Salt Solution and analyzed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Shear bond strength (SBS) evaluations of BD were performed using Prime & Bond™ NT (PNT), Single Bond Universal (SBU), Xeno V (Xeno), and glass ionomer cement (GIC) following various etching durations (0 s/ 15 s/ 30 s/ 60 s with 37.5% phosphoric acid). Two primers, RelyX™ Ceramic Primer (RCP) and Monobond ™ Plus (MBP), were chosen to prime BD for SBS enhancement. Fractography and bonding interfaces were examined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS)/ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). ResultsXRD confirmed BD’s main compositions as C3S, Ca(OH)2, CaCO3 and ZrO2 after 14 days crystal maturation. Etched BD did not improve SBS. GIC exhibited the lowest SBS (p < 0.05) among all adhesives, regardless of the etching mode (all < 1 MPa). The highest SBS (17.5 ± 3.6 MPa, p < 0.05) was achieved when BD primed with MBP followed by SBU application. FTIR and EDS showed γ-MPTS and10-MDP within the MBP primer interacted with C3S and ZrO2 of BD, achieving enhanced SBS. Most specimens exhibited mixed or cohesive failure modes.SignificanceBD’s subpar mechanical properties and texture may contribute to its poor adhesion to resin composite. Pretreating BD with MBP primer, followed by SBU adhesive is recommended for improving bond strength.

Surface treatments for polyetheretherketone (Peek): Effects on the bond strength to a resin cement and on the fatigue performance of a bonded glass-ceramic

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of distinct surface treatments on Peek (polyetheretherketone) adhesion to the resin cement and the mechanical fatigue behavior of lithium disilicate adhesively bonded to it. Materials and methodsPeek slices embedded in plastic rings with self-curing acrylic resin were randomized into 4 groups for adhesion testing, considering the following surface treatment factors: Ctrl (just cleaned with 78 % isopropyl alcohol); Grinding (4219F diamond bur - 46 μm grain size); Air abrasion (45 μm aluminum oxide for 10 s); Sulfuric acid (acid etching for 30 s). All slices received a layer of adhesive agent; resin composite cylinder specimens (Ø = 3 mm; h = 3 mm) were produced and bonded onto the Peek slices using a dual resin cement for the shear bond strength tests (n = 20) through the wire-loop technique. Next, disc-shaped specimens of Peek (Ø = 10 mm; thickness: 2 mm) and lithium disilicate (LD) (Ø = 10 mm; thickness: 1 mm) were produced for the fatigue tests (n = 20) and paired. The LD was treated (5 % hydrofluoric acid for 20 s + silane agent) and adhesively bonded (with dual resin cement) onto Peek (treated with the previously mentioned surface treatments). The fatigue tests were performed with a step-stress approach (20 Hz; 10,000 cycles/step; initial load: 100 N; step-size: 50 N). Roughness, contact angle, topography and fractographic analysis were performed. The adhesive data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc tests, while the fatigue data were subjected to survival analysis (Kaplan Meier and Mantel-cox post hoc tests). ResultsOnly the air abrasion surface treatment was able to improve the bond strength between Peek and resin cement (p < 0.05); the Grinding and Sulfuric acid groups were similar to the Ctrl. All surface treatments promoted similar fatigue performance. ConclusionAir abrasion promoted increased bond strength between Peek and resin cement, having no detrimental effect on fatigue behavior. Overall, the mechanical behavior under fatigue of a lithium disilicate glass-ceramic was not influenced by the Peek substrate surface treatments.

Combined effect of surface treatment and heat treatment on the fatigue properties of AISI 316L, manufactured by powder bed fusion of metals using a laser (PBF-LB/M)

This work deals with the combined influence of surface treatment and heat treatment of 316L manufactured by powder bed fusion of metals using a laser (PBF-LB/M/316L) on the fatigue behavior. Two surface treatment methods (manual polishing, vibratory grinding) were investigated. Fatigue testing of six different surface and heat treatment parameter setups was conducted. Metallurgical investigations such as etching patterns, density measurements, surface roughness measurements, fracture surface analysis with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) were performed. The mechanical properties were examined by tensile tests and fatigue tests. The influence of grain size on fatigue life was found to be the primary factor, followed by the surface roughness and subsequently the residual stresses on the surface ultimately contributing to the overall effect.

A Comparison of the Effect of Surface Treatment on Shear Bond Strength of Titanium Alloy

Aim: To comparison the shear bond strength of Titanium alloy with different surface treatment. Materials and methods. cylindrical shaped samples composed of metal and ceramic were prepared by lost wax technique and ceramic buil d up, total 21 samples with different surface treatment, subgroup 7 samples for each group according to surface treatment, each sample was veneered performed by the conventional layering technique according to manufacturers` instruction. A universal testing machine was used to determine the shear bond strength. One- way ANOVA test (analysis of variance) to verify if there any statistical significant difference within each group and among the three groups. Least significant difference (LSD) test to compare between each two groups when ANOVA test showed significant difference. t- test to examine the source of differences. Results. On -way (ANOVA) test was used to analyse the results, there was highly significant differences between the groups. Conclusion. In this study, only treatment of sandblasting offered enough bonding strength, sandblasted with AL2O3 obtained the best results with Tic.

Toward High‐Capacity Carbon Fiber Cathodes for Structural Batteries using Electrophoretic Deposition: Effects of Oxidative Surface Treatment on Carbon Fibers

Structural batteries possess multifunctional capability to store electrochemical energy and carry mechanical load concurrently. Carbon fiber cathodes (CFC), one of the main components in structural batteries, can be fabricated by depositing cathode active materials on carbon fibers using techniques such as electrophoretic deposition (EPD). However, intrinsically inert surface of carbon fibers may result in weak adhesion. In this study, different oxidative surface treatments (acid, electrochemical, and heat) are evaluated based on their ability to activate surfaces of carbon fibers. The mechanical and electrochemical performance of resultant CFC fabricated with lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC 111) via EPD are analyzed. The best‐performing CFC are achieved using acid‐oxidized carbon fibers due to their improved interfacial adhesion. Acid‐oxidized AS4C 3k CFC yield a high specific capacity of 151 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 1 C and are stable over 100 cycles at 1 C with capacity retention close to 100% and give a stiffness of 25 GPa and ultimate tensile strength of 260 MPa. Acid‐oxidized 12k CFC show higher mechanical performance with stiffness of 53 GPa and ultimate tensile strength of more than 500 MPa, which make them more favorable to be used for structural batteries.

Morphologic Analysis of Zirconia Ceramics: Effect of Different Surface Treatments.

To investigate the effects of airborne-particle abrasion and nanosilica (nano-Si) infiltration treatment on the surface characteristics of dental zirconia. A total of 15 unsintered zirconia ceramic green bodies (10 × 10 × 3 mm) were divided into three groups (n = 5): Group C, no treatment after sintering; Group S, airborne-particle abrasion with 50-μm aluminum oxide particles after sintering; and Group N, infiltration of nano-Si followed by sintering and hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching. The zirconia disks' surface roughness was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface morphology of the specimens was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the chemical composition was analyzed by energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX). Data were statistically analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test (P < .05). Zirconia surface treatments by infiltration of nano-Si, sintering, and HF etching showed multiple changes in the surface features. The surface roughness of Groups C, S, and N were 0.88 ± 0.07 μm, 1.26 ± 0.10 μm, and 1.69 ± 0.15 μm, respectively. The surface roughness of Group N was significantly higher than that of Groups C and S (P < .05). EDX analysis showed peaks that corresponded to silica (Si) after infiltration with colloidal Si that disappeared following acid etching. Infiltrating nano-Si increases the surface roughness of zirconia. The formation of retentive nanopores on the surface potentially improves the zirconia-resin cement bonding strengths.

Effects of polydimethylsiloxane membrane surface treatments on human uterine smooth muscle cell strain response

In the United States, 1 in 10 infants are born preterm. The majority of neonatal deaths and nearly a third of infant deaths are linked to preterm birth. Preterm birth is initiated when the quiescent state of the uterus ends prematurely, leading to contractions and parturition beginning as early as 32 weeks, though the origins are not well understood. To enable research and discovery of therapeutics with potential to better address preterm birth, the capability to study isolated cell processes of pregnant uterine tissue in vitro is needed. Our development of an in vitro model of the myometrium utilizing human uterine smooth muscle cells (uSMCs) responsible for contractions provides a methodology to examine cellular mechanisms of late-stage pregnancy potentially involved in preterm birth. We discuss culture of uSMCs on a flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate functionalized with cationic poly-l-lysine (PLL), followed by extracellular matrix (ECM) protein coating. Previous work exploring uSMC behavior on PDMS substrates have utilized collagen-I coatings, however, we demonstrated the first exploration of human uSMC response to strain on fibronectin-coated flexible membranes, importantly reflecting the significant increase of fibronectin content found in the myometrial ECM during late-stage pregnancy. Using the model we developed, we conducted proof-of-concept studies to investigate the impact of substrate strain on uSMC cell morphology and gene expression. It was found that PLL and varied ECM protein coatings (collagen I, collagen III, and fibronectin) altered cell nuclei morphology and density on PDMS substrates. Additionally, varied strain rates applied to uSMC substrates significantly impacted uSMC gene expression of IL-6, a cytokine associated with instances of preterm labor. These results suggest that both surface and mechanical properties of in vitro systems impact primary human uSMC phenotype and offer uSMC culture methodologies that can be utilized to further the understanding of cellular pathways involved in the uterus under mechanical load.

The Effect of Surface Treatment on the Resistance Welding Technology for Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Resin Composites

The Effect of Surface Treatment on the Resistance Welding Technology for Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Resin Composites

Effect Of Surface Treatment on The Shear Bond Strength Between Nickel-Chromium Alloy and Veneering Porcelain

Nickel–chromium (Ni–Cr) alloys, have been used widely, due to their superior physical properties and economic issues in relation to other precious alloys. Many studies have been carried out on porcelain fused to metal restorations to enhance the bonding quality of the porcelain to Ni-Cr alloy, such as mechanical treatment by air abrasion particles or chemical treatment by acid etching to increase the longevity of the restoration. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of surface treatments sandblasting with Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3), acid etching with Potassium hydrogen difluoride acid (KHF2) and combination treatment on the shear bond strength between Nickel-chromium alloy substructure and porcelain veneer. Twenty-one cylindrical shaped samples have base of 5 mm in diameter and 1 mm in thickness and a cylinder with 4 mm in diameter and 4 mm in length were prepared from Ni – Cr alloy. The samples were divided into 3 groups (n=7) according to surface treatment: Nickel -chromium treated with sandblasting with 50μm Al2O3 group (c), Nickel – chromium etching with KHF2 group (k), and Nickel – chromium sandblasting with 50μm Al2O3 followed with acid etching with KHF2 group (comb). Then ceramic build up (opaque, dentin, enamel, and glaze Vita VMK Master opaque, dentin, enamel, and glaze Vita VMK Master) and sintering was performed according to manufacturer's instructions and the final dimension of porcelain cylinder (4 X 4X 1) were checked with a metal gauge. All samples were subjected to shear force in a universal testing machine at cross head speed 0.5 mm/min. and recorded in MPa. The fractured samples were checked under (DIGITAL MICROSCOPE) (X50) to evaluate the mode of failure, it was adhesive, cohesive and mixed failure modes. The shear bond strength values were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and LSD. The results showed that the highest mean of shear bond strength values was in Ni – Cr combination surface treatment group (26.11 ± 1.85), while the lowest mean was for Ni- Cr acid etched group (22.02 ± 1.5) and Nic group (20.85 ± 1.5). Within the limitation of the present study, the following conclusion can be drawn: Combination surface treatment produced the highest shear bond strength between Ni – Cr surface and veneering porcelain, followed by etching with KHF2, so combination method would increase longevity of porcelain fused to metal restorations.

Effect of Aging and Different Surface Treatments on Repair Bond Strength of Hybrid Resin Composites

Background: With the trend for minimally invasive dentistry and the rapid evolution of composite resin materials, repair of defective composite resin restorations is a popular choice rather than replacement of the restoration. The durability of the bond between the old and repaired composite restoration is important for a successful outcome. Objective: To evaluate the immediate and delayed shear bond strength of two types of repaired hybrid resin composites using different chemical and mechanical surface treatments. Methods: Two types of hybrid resin composites, micro-hybrid resin composite and nanohybrid resin composite, were used to prepare 288 pre-polymerized resin composite specimens. After polymerization, repair was done after 24 hours and 6 months. Each hybrid resin composite group was divided into 3 groups according to surface treatment used to repair the substrate: group 1: no surface treatment, group 2: treated by medium abrasive stone, and group 3: treated by fine abrasive stone. Each group was further subdivided into 3 subgroups according to different agents used for repair: group 1: Silane, group 2: Universal adhesive, and group 3: Silane + adhesive. Shear bond strengths of the repaired specimens were measured using a Universal testing machine. Failure modes were evaluated under a stereomicroscope. Results: Different chemical and mechanical surface treatments had a significant effect on the shear bond strength values of all groups (p ≤ 0.05). The highest mean shear bond strength values were found in nano-hybrid composites immediately repaired by silane after treatment by a medium abrasive stone while the lowest mean shear bond strength values were found in micro-hybrid composites with delayed repair and no surface treatment. Conclusion: Diamond burs using silane with adhesive improved the repair bond strength of the tested hybrid composites. In composite repair, using abrasive mechanical pretreatment followed by adhesive conditioning is crucial for the success of the repair restoration.

Effect of Different Heat Treatments and Surface Treatments on the Mechanical Properties of Nickel-Titanium Rotary Files

This study aimed to compare the fatigue resistance of files made from different heat treatment methods and surface treatment. Four prototype files were created through heat treatment and titanium coating surface treatment (AT, DT, ER, EN; named arbitrarily by the manufacturer) at different times and temperatures. Artificial canals with curvatures of 45- and 90-degree were used for the fatigue testing. The files were operated at the speed of 500 rpm at 37 °C, and the time until fracture incurred by a 4-mm dynamic pecking motion at a speed of 8 mm/s was measured, and the number of cycles to failure (NCF) was calculated by applying rotation speed and time. The length of the fractured fragment was measured. The fractured specimens were observed under the SEM to compare the characteristics of fatigue fracture patterns. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis was performed to estimate the phase transformation temperature. One-way ANOVA with Duncan’s post-hoc comparison, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and Mann–Whitney U were applied to compare the fatigue resistance among the prototypes at a significance level of 95%. Regardless of the canal angle, the EN showed the highest fatigue resistance (p &lt; 0.05). AT had the lowest NCF at the 90-degree canal (p &lt; 0.05). ER had a higher NCF than the DT at 45 degrees (p &lt; 0.05), but there was no difference at 90 degrees. DSC analysis revealed that the ER and EN groups exhibited two austenite peaks above 40 °C. In conclusion, the file that underwent a specific temperature heat treatment with titanium coating surface treatment showed the highest fatigue resistance.

Effect of Hybrid Surface Treatment Composed of Plasma Nitriding and Various DLC Coatings on Properties of Stainless Steel SUS316

Effect of Hybrid Surface Treatment Composed of Plasma Nitriding and Various DLC Coatings on Properties of Stainless Steel SUS316

Effect of fiber surface treatment on mechanical, interfacial, and moisture absorption properties of cattail fiber‐reinforced composites

AbstractSurface treatment of cattail, a lignocellulosic renewable fiber, was investigated to determine the conditions that would reduce moisture absorption while maximizing the properties of cattail fiber‐reinforced unsaturated polyester composites. Surface modification of cattail fiber was studied by treating them with 2.5, 5, and 10% of 1,6‐diisocyanatohexane (DIH) and 2‐hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) for three different immersion times (10, 20, and 30 min). DIH‐HEA treated fibers were preformed into a non‐woven mat and impregnated with unsaturated polyester resin to manufacture composite. The existence of covalent bonds on the treated fibers via NH and CN groups was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The 10% DIH‐HEA resulted in the best results; while the mean diameter of the treated fiber decreased by ~37%, the modulus and the strength of it increased by ~267 and ~151%, respectively. Equilibrium moisture regain of the treated fibers and their composites decreased by ~43% and ~40%, respectively. The tensile modulus of the composites increased by ~171%. Enhancement in tensile strength is observed but could not be quantified due to the difference in Vf and scatter in the data. SEM examination confirmed the enhancement in fiber–matrix bonding due to surface treatment.

Recycling CAD/CAM lithium disilicate ceramic: effect of surface treatment and aging on the bond strength to resin cement.

To investigate the effect of recycling of lithium disilicate (LD), surface treatment and thermocycling (TC) on the bond strength (SBS) to resin cement. Blocks of LD were made according to the recycling cycle, with 24 blocks for each strategy: Control-conventional sintering; 1R (1 recycling cycle) and 3R (3 recycling cycles). For the recycling groups, blocks were waxed (10x10x3mm), mounted in a silicone ring, poured with investment material, and then residues of sintered LD blocks were pressed by the lost wax technique. The residual LD was reused as described until reach 3R. Afterwards, the blocks were embedded in acrylic resin, sanded and divided (n=15) according to the factors "surface treatment" (HF20s+Silane and HF120s+Silane and Monobond Etch&Prime- MEP) and TC (with/10.000 cycles and without). After surface treatment, cylinders (Ø:2mm) of resin cement were made and submitted to SBS test (100KgF,1mm/min). Data (MPa) were analyzed by 3-way ANOVA, Tukey's test (5%) and Weibull analysis. Failure analysis was performed with stereomicroscope. ANOVA revealed that all factors were significant (P=.000*). The group 3RMEP(105.09±19.49) presented the highest SBS among the experimental groups. 1RHF20sTc(7.50±1.97) group had the lowest SBS, similar to the CHF20sTc(15.69±3.77), 1RHF20s(15.12±3.03), 1RHF120sTc(14.60±3.43) and 3RHF20sTc(15.65±0.97). The Weibull modulus and characteristic strength varied among the experimental groups (P=0.0). Failure analysis revealed adhesive and mixed types. The recycling of DL ceramics increases the SBS to resin cement when the ceramic is treated with HF120s+S or MEP.

Fabrication of hierarchical nanostructures using binary colloidal nanosphere assembly

In this paper, we investigate the self-assembly of hierarchical nanostructures using monodispersed nanospheres with two different diameters. Our approach is to use a two-step method where the assembly of larger 200 nm nanospheres is used to direct the assembly of smaller 50 nm particles. This self-assembly technique is based on Langmuir–Blodgett assembly and has low equipment cost when compared with traditional lithography methods. We examine the effects of substrate surface treatment, solution concentration ratio, and spin speeds on the quality of the hierarchical assembly. The fabricated samples are examined using optical and scanning electron microscopy to investigate assembly yield. Various defect types are identified and mitigated by process control. The ability to create more complex assembly can result in smaller features and can enhance the performance of photonics and nanostructured surfaces.

The effect of surface treatment and low-temperature degradation on flexural strength of additive manufactured zirconia

This study aimed to assess the effect of low-temperature degradation (LTD) and surface treatment on the flexural strength of additive-manufactured (AM) zirconia by comparison to subtractive-manufactured (SM) zirconia. Disc-shaped zirconia specimens were fabricated using AM and SM technology, and each group was assigned to 3 subgroups according to the type of surface treatment: control, sandblasting (SB), and 9% hydrofluoric acid etching (HF). The groups were then further divided into 2 subgroups: unaged and aged. Biaxial flexural strength, crystal phase, surface topography, and surface roughness were measured to evaluate the mechanical properties. Statistical analyses were performed with 3-way ANOVA, followed by the comparison of means with Bonferroni post hoc analyses. The means and standard deviations of the biaxial flexural strength and Weibull parameters were calculated with descriptive statistics. All SM groups showed significantly greater flexural strength than the AM groups (p < .05), and LTD did not affect flexural strength except for the SMHF group (p < .05). After LTD, monoclinic phases (m-phase) were found in all groups, and SEM images showed grain pullout due to zirconia volume expansion in both control groups. Sandblasting significantly affected flexural strength (p < .05), whereas the HF group did not affect flexural strength except in the SMHF group after LTD (p < .05). No significant difference was observed in the surface roughness of AM compared to SM groups conditioned with the same surface treatment regardless of LTD. AM zirconia has comparable mechanical properties to SM zirconia, regardless of low-temperature degradation and surface treatment, which indicates the potential of the AM technique for clinical applications.

Experimental testing of GCr15 bearing steel with different surface treatments as passive friction energy-dissipative shims

The seismic performance of buildings can be improved by adding supplemental damping using friction dampers. The friction behavior of the metallic shims becomes more stable with increasing surface hardness ratio between the friction pair. However, as hardness increases, metallic materials tend to become more brittle, which increases the risk of accidental failure. This study investigated the performance of a friction energy dissipator using bearing steel (GCr15) treated by a grinding-strengthening process, a special manufacturing technology for bearings steel commonly used in mechanical engineering. Two base materials, Q355 and B450, were additionally compared with GCr15. Each base material used three different surface treatments, i.e., cleaned surface (CS), sand-blasting (SB), and grinding-strengthen (GS) treatments. The surface hardness of Q355-GS, B455-GS, and GCr15-GS increased by 13.62 %, 17.38 %, and 19.71% compared to their base materials, while sand-blasting didn’t have an increased effect on surface hardness. The nine specimens were quasi-statically tested to investigate the effect of surface treatment on the friction behavior of the metallic shims. For the three Q355-like and three B450-like specimens, the wear mechanism mixed abrasive and adhesive wear. The GCr15-CS experienced contact fatigue failure, while the GCr15-SB and GCr15-GS exhibited abrasive wear resulting in standard rectangular hysteretic loops with a high degree of coincidence. The friction performance of GCr15-GS was the best among the nine friction shims, because it has less loss in friction coefficient and strength during fatigue loading, the least fluctuation in bolt force, and the smallest degradation and coefficient of variation in friction strength.

Ammonium Recovery from Synthetic Wastewaters by Using Zeolitic Mixtures: A Desorption Batch-Study

Resource recovery from wastewater is very important in view of a circular economy approach in the water field. Among the different technologies applied to realize circular economy, an attractive option is the use of nutrient-enriched media that can be utilized as slow-release fertilizers. Zeolites have been re-discovered for their key role in ammonium (NH4+) adsorption from treated wastewater. Although many studies have been carried out to assess the ability of zeolites to adsorb NH4+, only few papers concerning NH4+ desorption from zeolites are available in the literature. Therefore, this study investigated NH4+ desorption from mineralogically different zeolites, before (ZNS and ZNC) and after (ZSS and ZSC) their treatment with sodium chloride. The zeolites differed in mordenite content. The amount of the desorbed NH4+ varied from 78 to 84% of the total NH4+ adsorbed. In particular, the NaCl-treated materials showed the largest desorption (27.6 ± 0.2 mg L−1, and 27.9 ± 0.7 mg L−1, ZSS, and ZSC, respectively) as compared to the untreated zeolites (22.9 ± 0.3 mg L−1, and 24.2 ± 0.3 mg L−1, ZNS, and ZNC, respectively) because of the different affinity of the cations for the zeolite surface. A monomodal pseudo-first-order model best approximated the desorption kinetics, suggesting only one mechanism of NH4+ desorption from zeolites. Such a mechanism is based on the ion exchange between dissolved Na+ and adsorbed NH4+. The desorption kinetics also showed that NH4+ desorbed slower from the NaCl-treated zeolites than the untreated ones. This effect was explained by the different affinity of Na+ and NH4+ for the zeolite surfaces as due to the diverse sizes of the Na+ and NH4+ hydration spheres. By revealing the effect of zeolite mineralogy and surface treatments in the desorption of NH4+, this study can suggest new and effective synthetic strategies for the achievement of cheap new materials to be applied in environmental remediation within a circular economy perspective.

Effect of icariin surface treatment on the resorption of denuded roots after replantation in rat.

Limiting the incidence of resorption associated with delayed replantation of avulsed teeth is critical for long-term tooth survival. In this study, we assessed whether icariin, a natural product with anti-osteoclastic properties, could reduce root resorption in a rat model of tooth replantation. Cytocompatibility of icariin (10, 20, 40 and 80 μM) was evaluated by CCK-8 proliferation assay in vitro, and an osteoclastogenesis assay was performed to evaluate the effect of icariin on the differentiation of rat bone marrow macrophages and human peripheral blood monocytes into tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-stained (TRAP+ ) multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs). Differentiation of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) treated with icariin (10 μM) was also evaluated at 5, 10 and 21 days of osteogenic induction. The first maxillary molars of five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were extracted, denuded of PDL, then treated either with neutralized collagen solution (Carrier control) or icariin in collagen (3 μg/μL) before replantation into their sockets. The animals were euthanized 2 weeks post-surgery for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging and histological analyses. Icariin was cytocompatible and significantly reduced the differentiation of TRAP+ MNGCs in a dose-dependent manner compared to the control. Moreover, icariin enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity, expression of osteogenic marker genes and proteins, and calcium deposition in hPDLSCs. Micro-CT imaging of the replanted samples demonstrated a significantly higher volume of remaining roots in the icariin-treated group than in the control group. Histological analysis revealed a marked number of resorptive lacunae with TRAP activity in the control group, whereas icariin-treated samples showed signs of functional healing and reduced osteoclastic activity. Icariin was biocompatible and demonstrated potent anti-osteoclastic and pro-osteogenic properties that reduced resorption and promoted functional healing of denuded roots in a rat maxillary first molar model of replantation. These findings indicate that root surface treatment with icariin may be a clinically relevant and practical method for improving the retention and survival of teeth with compromised PDL after delayed replantation following traumatic avulsion.