Electron Beam Irradiation Research Articles

Electron Beam-Supported Fabrication of Biocompatible Silver/iota-Carrageenan for Wound Healing Application.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are a potent antibacterial agent, especially when used to treat bacteria that are multidrug resistant. However, it is challenging to eliminate the hazardous reducing agents that remain in AgNPs produced by the conventional chemical reduction process. To overcome these challenges, the presented research demonstrates the fabrication of AgNPs using iota-carrageenan (ι-carra) as a carbohydrate polymer using electron beam (EB) irradiation. Well-characterized ι-carra@AgNPs have a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure with spherical morphology and an average size of 26 nm. Herein we explored the approach for fabricating ι-carra@AgNPs that is suitable for scaling up the production of nanoparticles that exhibit excellent water stability. Further, the optimized ι-carra@AgNPs exhibited considerable antibacterial activity of 40% and 30% inhibition when tested with Gram-negative Escherichia coli ATCC 43895 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (ATCC 6538), respectively, and low cytotoxicity at 10-50 μg/mL. To establish the potential biomedical application, as proof of the concept, the ι-carra@AgNPs showed significant antibiofilm activity at 20 μg/mL and also showed 95% wound healing abilities at 50 μg/mL compared to the nontreated control groups. Electron beam assisted ι-carra@AgNPs showed significant beneficial effects against specific bacterial strains and may provide a guide for the development of new antibacterial materials for wound dressing for large-scale production for biomedical applications.

Cryo-EM combined with image deconvolution to determine ZIF-8 crystal structure

Abstract Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials with tunable properties, exhibiting great potential in gas adsorption, separation and catalysis.[1, 2] It is challenging to visualize MOFs with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) due to their inherent instability under electron beam irradiation. Here, we employ cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to capture images of MOF ZIF-8, revealing inverted-space structural information at a resolution of up to about 1.7 Å and enhancing its critical electron dose to around 20 e-/Å2. In addition, it is confirmed by electron-beam irradiation experiments that the high voltage could effectively mitigate the radiolysis, and the structure of ZIF-8 is more stable along the [100] direction under electron beam irradiation. Meanwhile, since the high-resolution electron microscope images is modulated by contrast transfer function (CTF) and it is difficult to determine the positions corresponding to the atomic columns directly from the images. We employ image deconvolution to eliminate the impact of CTF and obtain the structural images of ZIF-8. As a result, the heavy atom Zn and the organic imidazole ring within the organic framework can be distinguished from structural images.

The performance promotion of polyphenylene sulfide fibers based on the electron beam irradiation

To give full play to the good performance of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fiber, electron beam irradiation was used to promote the property of the PPS fiber. The fibers were irradiated at different doses, and changes in structure and property of PPS fibers were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, moisture regain, heat resistance and thermo-gravimetric analysis. The strength of the specimen increased from 3.75 cN dtex−1 to 3.88 cN dtex−1 at 10 kGy and then decreased. And the elongation of the irradiated fibers decreased after irradiation. The crystalline shape of the fibers did not change and the crystallinity increased from 57.3% to 59.4% and then decreased. Irradiation had the good effect on moisture regain and heat resistance. The moisture regain of PPS fibers increased from 0.28% to 0.74% after 60 kGy irradiation which was 2.6 times of the initial fibers. After heating at 150 °C for 2 h in an oven, the mass loss ratio of the fibers decreased from the original 9.96%–4.97% at 10 kGy dose which was helpful to the application of PPS fiber in high-temperature fields. At the same time, it could be seen from TG data that the maximum loss rate temperature of fibers rose from the initial 526.6 °C–532.7 °C.

Modelling Fatigue Crack Growth in High-Density Polyethylene and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Polymers.

Prior studies into fatigue crack growth (FCG) in fibre-reinforced polymer composites have shown that the two methodologies of Simple-Scaling and the Hartman-Schijve crack growth equation, which is based on relating the FCG rate to the Schwalbe crack driving force, Δκ, were able to account for differences observed in the measured delamination growth curves. The present paper reveals that these two approaches are also able to account for differences seen in plots of the rate of crack growth, da/dt, versus the range of the imposed stress intensity factor, ΔK, associated with fatigue tests on different grades of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) polymers, before and after electron-beam irradiation, and for tests conducted at different R ratios. Also, these studies are successfully extended to consider FCG in an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer that is processed using both conventional injection moulding and additive-manufactured (AM) 3D printing.

Electron beam-assisted exfoliation of boron nitride and covalent functionalization

A facile, scalable exfoliation technique is still required for further modification to cater to any potential application for two-dimensional boron nitride. This paper discusses the radiation-assisted exfoliation of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) using electron beam irradiation and followed by functionalization with phosphoric acid 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ester (PA) to facilitate targeted applications. h-BN is dispersed in NaOH solution and subjected to mild sonication to facilitate ion intercalation between the layers. The sonicated h-BN solution was exposed to electron beam irradiation for BNNS exfoliation. The degree of exfoliation was measured in terms of d-spacing derived from XRD using Bragg's law. The effect of irradiation dose, energy, NaOH concentration, and mass of h-BN, on exfoliation degree was investigated. XRD analysis was used to compute the d-spacing, crystallinity, and crystal size of h-BN after irradiation. The d-spacing attained for pristine h- BN was 0.334 nm, however it increases to 0.337 nm upon irradiation at 100 kGy doses, 3 MeV of energy, and 0.1 g of h-BN in 80 mL of 30 % NaOH solution. The occurrence of radiation-assisted exfoliation and its mechanism were supported by FTIR, TGA, Raman, FESEM, XPS, AFM, and TEM analyses. The exfoliated BN was functionalized with PA. The degree of functionalization was measured by phosphoric density (mmol/g) via the acid-base titration method. The effect of PA concentration, reaction temperature and mass on phosphoric density was also investigated. The highest phosphoric density attained was approximately 13.32 mmol/g at 10 % PA, 0.1 g of exfoliated BN, 80 °C, and 5 h. The incorporation of PA onto exfoliated BN was further confirmed by XRD, FTIR, TGA, Raman, FESEM-EDX, and XPS analyses. Conclusively, this study reveals a facile dual-step exfoliation and functionalization technique of h-BN nanosheet through radiation assisted exfoliation technique.

Effects of Electron Beam Radiation on the Phenolic Composition and Bioactive Properties of Olive Pomace Extracts

Olive pomace is an agro-industrial waste product generated from the olive oil industry and constituted by bioactive compounds with potential applications in several industrial sectors. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effects of electron beam (e-beam) radiation on olive pomace, specifically on phenolic compounds (by HPLC–DAD–ESI/MS) and the bioactive properties (antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antimicrobial activities) of crude olive pomace (COP) and extracted olive pomace (EOP) extracts. The amount of total flavonoid content and the reducing power of COP extracts were higher than those obtained for EOP extracts. The results suggested that e-beam radiation at 6 kGy increased both total phenolic and total flavonoid contents as well as the reducing power of COP extracts, due to the higher extractability (>2.5-fold) of phenolic compounds from these samples, while decreasing the scavenging activity of extracts. The extracts of both olive pomaces showed antibacterial potential, and COP extracts at 400 µg/mL also presented antiproliferative activity against A549, Caco-2, 293T, and RAW264.7 cell lines, with both properties preserved with the e-beam treatment. All in all, e-beam radiation at 6 kGy appears to be a promising technology to valorize the pollutant wastes of the olive oil industry through enhancing phenolic extractability and bioactive properties, and, furthermore, to contribute to the environmental and economical sustainability of the olive oil industry.

A New Double-Step Process of Shortening Fibers without Change in Molding Equipment Followed by Electron Beam to Strengthen Short Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester BMC.

It is vital to maximize the safety of outdoor constructions, airplanes, and space vehicles by protecting against the impact of airborne debris from increasing winds due to climate change, or from bird strikes or micrometeoroids. In a widely-used compression-molded short glass fiber polyester bulk-molded compound (SGFRP-BMC) with 55% wt. CaCO3 filler, the center of the mother panel has lower impact strength than the outer sections with solidification texture angles and short glass fiber (SGF) orientations being random from 0 to 90 degrees. Therefore, a new double-step process of: (1) reducing commercial fiber length without change in molding equipment; followed by a (2) 0.86 MGy dose of homogeneous low-voltage electron beam irradiation (HLEBI) to both sides of the finished samples requiring no chemicals or additives, which is shown to increase the Charpy impact value (auc) about 50% from 6.26 to 9.59 kJm-2 at median-accumulative probability of fracture, Pf = 0.500. Shortening the SGFs results in higher fiber spacing density, Sf, as the thermal compressive stress site proliferation by action of the CTE difference between the matrix and SGF while the composite cools and shrinks. To boost impact strength further, HLEBI provides additional nano-compressive stresses by generating dangling bonds (DBs) creating repulsive forces while increasing SGF/matrix adhesion. Increased internal cracking apparently occurs, raising the auc.

Electron beam radiation coupled to flocculation for advanced treatment of coking and dyeing wastewater: Performance and synergistic effect

Advanced treatment of industrial wastewater is a tough problem in the field of wastewater treatment. In this study, the electron beam radiation coupled to flocculation process was firstly developed and investigated for the advanced treatment of coking and dyeing wastewater. Three different coupled processes were studied, i.e. electron beam radiation followed by flocculation process (EBF), flocculation followed by electron beam radiation process (FEB), and simultaneous electron beam radiation and flocculation process (SEBF). It was found that different processes had various performances in the removal of targeted organic pollutants. For humic acid, FEB with poly aluminum ferric chloride (PAFC) as flocculants showed the best synergistic effect at 10 kGy, in which the removal of humic acid was 95.2%, while SEBF exhibited the inhibition effect under all the conditions. For Rhodamine B, EBF with PAFC had the highest synergistic effect at 10 kGy, in which the removal of Rhodamine B was 87.4%. For phenol, SEBF with PAFC as flocculants showed the highest synergistic effect at 10 kGy, in which the phenol removal was 64.2%. The transformation of organic pollutants, such as the polymerization was the main reason for the synergistic effect of EBF, while the dissolved iron ions and the enhanced oxidation made major contribution to the synergistic effect of FEB, and the structural change of flocculants and the transformation of organic pollutants during the process of electron beam radiation was mainly responsible for the synergistic effect of SEBF. EBF showed better performance in COD removal for actual coking and dyeing wastewater than FEB, indicating that electron beam radiation could promote the flocculation effect. Considering the operation procedure and treatment cost comprehensively, EBF with PAFC is recommended for the advanced treatment of actual coking and dyeing wastewater. This study could provide a novel and effective method for the advanced treatment of industrial wastewater.

Effect of electron beam irradiation pretreatment and different fatty acid types on the formation, structural characteristics and functional properties of starch-lipid complexes

The effects of different electron beam irradiation doses (2, 4, 8 KGy) and various types of fatty acids (lauric acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid) on the formation, structure, physicochemical properties, and digestibility of starch-lipid complex were investigated. The complexing index of the complexes was higher than 85 %, indicating that the three fatty acids could easily form complexes with starch. With the increase of electron beam irradiation dose, the complexing index increased first and then decreased. The highest complexing index was lauric acid (97.12 %), stearic acid (96.80 %), and oleic acid (97.51 %) at 2 KGy radiation dose, respectively. Moreover, the microstructure, crystal structure, thermal stability, rheological properties, and starch solubility were analyzed. In vitro digestibility tests showed that adding fatty acids could reduce the content of hydrolyzed starch, among which the resistant starch content of the starch-oleic acid complex was the highest (54.26 %). The lower dose of electron beam irradiation could decrease the digestibility of starch and increase the content of resistant starch.

Strain-induced fabrication of anisotropic nanopores by in-situ E-beam irradiation

Anisotropic nanopores are essential to regulate materials' anisotropic performance including thermal conductivity, ion blocking and so on. Nevertheless, fabricating anisotropic nanopores remains challenging because the formation mechanism is ambiguous, due to the lack of direct experimental evidence. Here, we reveal a unique strain-induced mechanism for the fabrication of anisotropic nanopores under electron beam irradiation. With the in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique, an initial symmetric nanopore, with another nanopore nearby, is found to expand relatively uniformly in the first stage. When the spacing between two nanopores reaches to a critical point, however, the area near to the reference nanopore is stretched drastically by a strong driving force along the spacing direction, resulting in an obvious anisotropic morphology. The surrounding environment, spacing and relative position between two nanopores significantly influence the shape of eventually formed nanopores by controlling the strain's uniformity, action range and direction, respectively. Our work demonstrates a novel mechanism and visual evidence for the preparation of asymmetric nanopores in real time, with the hope of assisting in the controllable fabrication of desired nanostructures.

Tailoring electrical properties of PVC/PEC/Co3O4 nanocomposites by electron beam irradiation for advanced medium voltage cable applications

This study aimed to investigate the effects of electron beam irradiation on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of polyvinyl chloride/pectin (PVC/PEC) nanocomposites incorporating hexagonal nanoplate Co3O4. Hexagonal nanoplate Co3O4 was synthesized and incorporated into PVC/PEC blends at 5 wt%. The nanocomposites were subjected to electron beam irradiation at varying doses (0, 10, 20, and 30 kGy). Various characterization techniques, including XRD, UV–Vis spectroscopy, AC conductivity, and dielectric measurements, were employed to analyze the irradiated samples. Additionally, electric field distribution simulations were performed for a 33 kV cable model. XRD analysis revealed the retention of Co3O4 crystallinity up to 30 kGy, while the polymer matrix showed degradation above 10 kGy. The optical bandgap decreased from 2.25 eV to 1.90 eV with increasing irradiation dose, indicating changes in the electronic structure. The optimized AC conductivity (37.17 × 10−6 S m−1) and minimum relative permittivity (2.28) were achieved for the 30 kGy irradiated sample with 5 wt% Co3O4. The electric potential distribution gradually decreased from 33,000 V to zero V. The systematic variations in structural, optical, and electrical properties demonstrated controlled tuning of charge transport mechanisms, making these nanocomposites potentially suitable for advanced cable systems. The simulation results showed that the inclusion of Co3O4 at 30 kGy helped maintain a uniform electric field distribution in the 33 kV cable model compared to an unfilled cable.

Effect of radiation cross-linked collagen scaffold in alveolar ridge preservation of extraction socket.

This study aimed to evaluate the properties of radiation cross-linked collagen scaffold (RCS) and its efficacy for alveolar ridge preservation (ARP). RCS was prepared from collagen dispersion by electron beam irradiation and freeze-drying. The microstructure, swelling ratio, area alteration and mechanical properties of RCS were characterized. Fifty-four New Zealand rabbits performing incisor extraction on maxilla and mandible were randomly assigned into positive, sham operation or treatment groups. Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans, performed after 1, 4, and 12 weeks of surgery, were to assess changes in ridge height at buccal and palatal side, in ridge width and in micromorphological parameters. Histological analysis accessed socket microarchitecture. The results showed that RCS had stable mechanical properties and morphologic features that provided a reliable physical support for ARP. Dimensional changes in treatment group revealed significantly greater vertical height at buccal (5.32 [3.37, 7.26] mm, p < .0001) and palatal (4.37 [2.66, 6.09] mm, p < .0001) side, and horizontal width at the maxilla (0.16 [0.04, 0.28] mm, p < .01) and mandible (0.33 [0.11, 0.54] mm, p < .01) than those in sham operation group after 12 weeks. The treatment group had advantage than positive group in vertical height preservation, quantitatively. The order and density of bone trabeculae were improved in treatment group. These findings indicated that RCS had the potential to serve as an effective scaffold for ARP.

Preserving the quality attributes of king oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii) through electron beam irradiation

SummaryThe preservation of King oyster mushrooms (KOMs) during storage remains a significant challenge due to their susceptibility to microbial spoilage, browning and quality degradation. This study explores the efficacy of electron beam irradiation (EBI) as a novel preservation technique for KOMs, targeting these specific storage issues. Employing a range of detection techniques, we evaluated the impact of EBI on microbial contamination, essential qualities and the browning of KOMs. Our findings reveal that EBI significantly reduces microbial contamination, including total aerobic bacteria and Pseudomonas spp., effectively inhibiting pathogenic spoilage and the formation of browning lesions. The treatment successfully preserved the moisture content, water activity and minimised weight loss, thus maintaining the mushrooms' textural and visual quality. Notably, doses of EBI up to 2 kGy did not adversely affect the firmness of KOMs. Additionally, we determined that photostimulated luminescence and thermoluminescence are effective methods for detecting EBI treatment in KOMs, whereas electron spin resonance proved unsuitable due to the lack of a distinctive irradiation signal in high‐moisture content foods. These findings contribute to the development of an efficient preservation technique for perishable KOMs, offering potential applicability in the food industry.

Clinical Applicable Carboxymethyl Chitosan with Gel-Forming and Stabilizing Properties Based on Terminal Sterilization Methods of Electron Beam Irradiation.

Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)-based hydrogels have great potential for clinical applications, but a critical sterilization process must be addressed to bring them to market. Compared to ethylene oxide sterilization or heat sterilization, irradiation sterilization avoids alkylation and heat damage, while available studies on γ-irradiated other polysaccharides show that solution polysaccharides are susceptible to degradation or cross-linking. Aiming at the challenges brought by the γ-irradiation process of polysaccharide aqueous solution, this paper innovatively proposes the lyophilized CMC using electron beam (EB) irradiation, which not only avoids the generation of free radicals in the irradiated water leading to the degradation and cross-linking of polysaccharides but also retains the properties of CMC in terms of gel formation, stabilization, and clinical application. We used FTIR, TG, GPC, and microbial load tests to demonstrate that lyophilized CMC did not have significant changes in structure and molecular weight after EB irradiation, complied with the requirements for sterilization, and still had gel stability, thus proving that lyophilized CMC could be used for EB irradiation and met the requirements for clinical application. Therefore, this work is expected to further advance CMC injectable hydrogels toward clinical applications and provide a new direction for the sterilization processes of other polysaccharide hydrogels.

Effect of electron beam irradiation on raw goat milk: microbiological, physicochemical and protein structural analysis.

Goat milk is considered a nutritionally superior resource, owing to its advantageous nutritional attributes. Nevertheless, it is susceptible to spoilage and the persistence of pathogens. Electron beam irradiation stands as a promising non-thermal processing technique capable of prolonging shelf life with minimal residue and a high degree of automation. The effects of electron beam irradiation (2, 3, 5, and 7 kGy) on microorganisms, physicochemical properties, and protein structure and compared with conventional pasteurized goat milk (PGM). 2 kGy electron beam irradiation reduces the total microbial count of goat milk by 6-logs, and the irradiated goat milk protein secondary structure showed a significant decrease in ɑ-helix content. Low irradiation doses led to microaggregation and cross-linking. In contrast, high doses (≥ 5 kGy) slightly disrupted the aggregates and decreased the particle size, disrupting the microscopic surface structure of goat milk, verified by scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopies. The irradiation of goat milk with 2 kGy of electron beam irradiation of goat milk may effectively inactivate harmful microorganisms in the milk and maintain/or improve the physicochemical quality and protein structure of goat milk compared to thermal pasteurization. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Application of the Effect of Nonthermal Technologies on the Oxidation of Proteins and Lipids in Pigeon Meat during Chilled Storage

This study investigated the effects of low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF), electron beam irradiation (EBI), and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on protein and lipid oxidation of pigeon meat (PM) during chilled storage. The water-holding capacity (WHC) and color reflected that the difference between the LVEF-treated (1.20 kV/m) group and the fresh groups was the smallest. The oxidation analysis of protein showed that the LVEF-treated group had smaller values of carbonyl concentration (0.0551 ± 0.0048 μmol/g), larger values of sulfhydryl concentration (0.737 ± 0.0364 μmol/g), and higher Ca2+-ATPase activity (30.10 ± 1.52 U/g) than the C4 group (0.0649 ± 0.0013 μmol/g, 0.510 ± 0.0225 μmol/g, and 25.18 ± 1.42 U/g, respectively). SDS-PAGE demonstrated the ability of LVEF to inhibit the hydrolysis and cross-linking of proteins. Meanwhile, the LVEF-treated group had lower values of TBARs (2.26 ± 0.0371 μg/kg) than the other groups and had a lower lipid oxidation level. In addition, the fatty acids in the LVEF-treated group were similar to those in the fresh group and were beneficial to human health. In conclusion, LVEF (1.20 kV/m) could inhibit protein and lipid oxidation of PM during chilled storage.

Conversion of elemental phosphorus under the electron beam irradiation

Abstract This research article describes the results of studies of the processes occurring under the electron beam irradiation of elemental phosphorus in an aqueous medium. Comparisons of the results of white phosphorus samples irradiation using electron accelerators with different technical parameters are presented. The structure of the obtained phosphorus-containing polymers was determined using MALDI mass spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence analysis. A scheme of the formation of macroparticles in the process of irradiation of elemental phosphorus by a beam of accelerated electrons in an aqueous medium is discussed.

Blocking ion diffusion and minimizing electron charging in solid electrolytes under electron-beam irradiation for transmission electron microscopy analysis

Blocking ion diffusion and minimizing electron charging in solid electrolytes under electron-beam irradiation for transmission electron microscopy analysis

Electron beam irradiation-assisted preparation of oxidized konjac glucomannan and its structural and physicochemical properties

In this study, we investigated the effect of electron beam (EB) irradiation-assisted hydrogen peroxide preparation of oxidized KGM (OKGM) on its physicochemical properties. The results showed that treating KGM with EB irradiation and hydrogen peroxide affects the moisture content of KGM, reducing its water absorption, solubility, molecular weight, and viscosity and improving its transparency, thermal stability, and water-binding capacity. The chemical structure of OKGM has changed. There was no significant change in the crystal structure of KGM before and after modification. EB irradiation helps further enhance the effect of oxidative treatment on the rheological properties of KGM. In addition, the browning condition, textural properties, and water retention of the OKGM gels were significantly improved, and the ones pretreated by EB irradiation showed further improvement. In conclusion, EB irradiation can assist hydrogen peroxide in improving the physicochemical properties of KGM, which can further enhance the quality of OKGM.

Impacts of e-beam irradiation on microbial contamination and quality of Chinese medical formulas QingXuan tablets

Applying electron beam irradiation (EBI) technology to remove microbial contamination is a potential way to improve the efficiency of Chinese medical formula preservation. In this study, Qingxuan tablets (QXT) were irradiated at doses of 3, 5, 9, and 13 kGy of the electron beam, to investigate the impacts of EBI on the microbial load, physical properties, color, bioactive content, antioxidant activity, chromatograms, and spectral similarity of QXT. The results showed that EBI treatment at 13 kGy reduced the population of the total aerobic bacteria and the total molds and yeast of QXT to <200 CFU/g. Irradiation had no significant (P > 0.05) effect on the physical properties and color of QXT. However, the bioactive content of QXT was significantly lower at a dose of 13 kGy compared to unirradiated samples. The free radical scavenging capacity of QXT remained preserved after irradiation. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) analyses showed that the difference in the chemical content between irradiated QXT and unirradiated samples gradually increased as the dose was increased from 0 kGy to 13 kGy. These results suggest that EBI can be used to sterilize and preserve Chinese medical formulas, but the irradiation dose should be controlled to prevent changes in quality.