Greater Surface Area Research Articles

Soil Organic Matter Influences Citrus Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Root System Architecture

Florida citrus production faces multiple challenges, including low nutrient retention, low soil organic matter (SOM) and, more importantly, the devastating impacts of citrus greening, which is a bacterial disease that impacts root growth and nutrient uptake. Growers are exploring management practices to improve SOM and hoping to enhance tree health, nutrient uptake, and yield. Despite these efforts, research of the effects of SOM on citrus root systems and nutrient absorption remains limited, particularly that defining a target SOM range for optimal production. This study investigated the influence of varying SOM levels on citrus tree root system architecture, biomass, and nutrient uptake. This experiment was conducted in a greenhouse where 1-year-old ‘US-942’ rootstocks were assigned to a completely randomized experimental design and exposed to one of six experimental treatments with differing levels of SOM as the growing media [0% (control), 1%, 2%, 3%, 5%, or >10% (100% compost)]. Each pot was considered an experimental unit and replicated six times (n = 6), for a total of 36 seedlings. The results indicated that although root biomass did not change significantly, lower SOM levels resulted in longer roots with greater surface area and volume, likely because of increased soil exploration for nitrogen. Higher SOM treatments, however, showed improved leaf nutrient content, with increased nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptake. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that 3% SOM may be ideal for citrus because it positively impacted both root system architecture and nutrient uptake, which are both of primary concern because of citrus greening. Further research is necessary to establish critical SOM thresholds and evaluate the effects under field conditions and in combination with different irrigation and fertilizer regimes.

Chromoionophores decorated silica-polymer hybrid monolith as the solid-state optical sensor for the simultaneous detection of Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+ in aqueous and cigarette samples

This work reports on fabricating a flexible and reliable three-in-one solid-phase ocular sensor to perceive and confiscate the trace Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+ using a structurally customized probe-anchored porous hybrid monolithic sensor. The dual combination of silica/polymer hybrid monolith was achieved from the bulk polymerization of 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TSPM) and pentaerythritol trimethacrylate (PETMA), i.e., poly(TSPM-co-PETMA). The monolithic template delivered a well-ordered porous structure and greater surface area that enabled the regular impregnation of chromophoric probe (TAN), i.e., (E)-1-(thiazol-2-yldiazenyl) naphthalene-2-ol onto monolith surface for sensing target analytes under lower ppb levels. FE-SEM, HR-TEM, EDAX, SAED, p-XRD, FT-IR, TGA and N2 isotherm were deployed to characterize the structural and exterior topographies of the hybrid sensor. The geometrically frozen TAN molecules onto the hybrid monolith form a charge transfer complex with the target ions, thereby rendering a consecutive color shift from light orange to brown for Pb2+, reddish maroon for Hg2+, and purplish pink for Cd2+. The sensor offered a linear response with metal ion concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 100 ppb with lower detection limit values of 0.42, 0.50, and 0.48 ppb for Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+, respectively. The hybrid sensor affords distinct ion sensitivity and selectivity towards Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+ with a quick response time of ≤ 80 s of contact. Furthermore, the sensor was tested with natural samples like environmental water and cigarette samples to validate the method’s real-time monitoring ability. The resultant statistical data demonstrated that the proposed colorimetric sensor was renewable and more feasible for practical application.

Enhanced Removal of Chlorpyrifos, Cu(II), Pb(II), and Iodine from Aqueous Solutions Using Ficus Nitida and Date Palm Biochars

This study explores the adsorption efficiency of biochar derived from palm trees and Ficus nitida for the removal of various contaminants, including Cu(II), Pb(II), iodine, and chlorpyrifos from aqueous solutions. Biochar was prepared using a two-step pyrolysis process for date palm biochar and single-step pyrolysis for Ficus nitida biochar. Characterization techniques such as SEM, EDX, and FTIR revealed a significant surface area and a variety of functional groups in both types of biochar, essential for effective adsorption. The date palm biochar exhibited superior adsorption capacities for Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions, achieving efficiencies up to 99.9% and 100%, respectively, due to its high content of oxygen-containing functional groups that facilitated strong complexation and ion exchange mechanisms. Conversely, Ficus nitida biochar demonstrated a higher adsorption capacity for iodine, reaching 68% adsorption compared to 39.7% for date palm biochar, owing to its greater surface area and microporosity. In the case of chlorpyrifos, Ficus nitida biochar again outperformed date palm biochar, achieving a maximum adsorption efficiency of 87% after 24 h of incubation, compared to 50.8% for date palm biochar. The study also examines the effect of incubation time on adsorption efficiency, showing that the adsorption of chlorpyrifos by date palm biochar increased significantly with time, reaching a maximum of 62.9% after 48 h, with no further improvement beyond 12 h. These results highlight the importance of biochar characteristics, such as surface area, pore structure, and functional groups, in determining adsorption efficiency. The findings suggest that optimizing pyrolysis conditions and surface modifications could further enhance the performance of biochar as a cost-effective and sustainable solution for water purification and environmental remediation.

Degradation of Dyes Using Biologically Synthesized Nanoparticles by Aloe barbadensis Leaves Extract

AbstractNanotechnology has enormous, economic, social, and environmental ramifications. Due to their capacity to survive in complex processes, inorganic nanomaterials like metal/metal oxides have received substantial study during the past decade. Nanoparticles have antibacterial, magnetic, electrical, and catalytic characteristics due to their greater surface area. There are several methods to develop nanoparticles but environment friendly behavior with no toxic byproducts attracts researchers toward biological process of nanoparticles. This work synthesizes copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and zinc oxide (ZnO) with Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) leaves extract and successfully characterizes them with different analytical techniques. The catalytic activity of such nanoparticles tests over different cationic and anionic dyes like methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO), and methyl red (MR) for different intervals of time and reveals. The degradation efficiency of CuO nanoparticles for MB, MO, and MR dyes are 59.92%, 73.48%, and 73.10% respectively, and for ZnO nanoparticles it is 81.44%, 76.46%, and 63.30% for MB, MO, and MR dyes respectively under the exposure of sunlight for 8 h. The present work successfully develops an ecofriendly process of dye degradation by biologically synthesized nanoparticles.

Skin Barrier Function and Microtopography in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease whose incidence is increasing. Skin barrier dysfunction plays an important role in this disease. It has been observed that AD patients have higher transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and lower stratum corneum hydration (SCH); however, there is little information about skin microtopography in this pathology. The objective of this study is to evaluate skin barrier dysfunction and structural changes in patients with AD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including patients with AD. Parameters of skin barrier function were measured (TEWL, temperature, erythema, pH, skin hydration, elasticity) and also other topographical parameters (scaliness, wrinkles, smoothness, surface, contrast, variance) in both healthy skin and flexural eczematous lesions. Results: A total of 32 patients with AD were included in the study. Flexural eczematous lesions had higher erythema (369.12 arbitrary unit (AU) vs. 223.89 AU, p < 0.001), higher TEWL (27.24 g/h/m2 vs. 13.51 g/h/m2, p < 0.001), lower SCH (20.3 AU vs. 31.88 AU, p < 0.001) and lower elasticity (0.56% vs. 0.65%, p = 0.05). Regarding topographic parameters, flexural eczematous lesions presented greater scaliness (5.57 SEsc vs. 0.29 SEsc, p = 0.02), greater smoothness (316.98 SEsm vs. 220.95 SEsm p < 0.001), more wrinkles (73.33 SEw vs. 62.15 SEw p = 0.03), greater surface area (836.14% vs. 696.31%. p < 0.001), greater contrast (2.02 AU vs. 1.31 AU p = 0.01), greater variance (6.22 AU vs. 4.96 AU p < 0.001) and a lower number of cells (105.5 vs. 132.5 p < 0.001) compared to unaffected healthy skin, reflecting a decrease in skin quality in AD patients. Conclusions: Both skin barrier function and skin topography are damaged in patients with AD, with differences between healthy skin and flexural eczema.

Selective recovery of platinum from spent catalysts to fabricate platinum/amorphous manganese oxide/corrugated silica carrier for formaldehyde removal

The efficient recovery and reutilization of spent Pt catalysts have two huge challenges in the metallurgical and chemical industries. Herein, platinum was selectively retrieved from spent Pt/γ-Al2O3 catalysts by a microwave-assisted aqua regia digestion strategy, and the as-obtained platinum extract was utilized to prepare a novel Pt/amorphous MnOx/corrugated silica carrier (Pt/MnOx/CSC) catalyst for formaldehyde removal. To decrease consumption of toxic aqua regia, the γ-Al2O3 in the spent catalysts was converted to chemically stabile α-Al2O3 via high-temperature calcination. The high Pt leaching efficiency of 98.31% was achieved at a digestion temperature of 110oC and aqua regia concentration of 40vol%. However, the high leaching temperatures and aqua regia concentrations caused the part dissolution of α-Al2O3, and thus decreased the Pt leaching efficiency. The CSC in the Pt/MnOx/CSC catalysts served as a support, while both the Pt nanoparticles and amorphous MnOx microspheres acted as active catalysts. The synergistical effects between the Pt and amorphous MnOx endowed the composite catalysts with excellent catalytic activity, and the HCHO removal efficiency reached 100% even after five cycle tests. On the one hand, the nanostructured MnOx microspheres provided great surface areas and rich oxygen vacancies for heterogeneous catalysis. On the other hand, the Pt nanoparticles not only enhanced the low-temperature reducibilities of MnOx, but also decreased the apparent activation energies of HCHO catalytic oxidation. This work provided a new strategy for the selective recovery of platinum from spent catalysts and the reutilization of Pt-based catalysts for the HCHO thermal catalytic oxidation.

Spinel-type calcium manganese oxide adorned on g-CN composite: A highly proficient electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER)

A comprehensive study was performed on water electrolysis to address environmental challenges and energy issues. Eco-friendly and renewable energy systems are required to produce cost-effective electro-catalysts with long-term durability and higher electrocatalytic efficiency to enhance OER. Spinel oxide has recently been used as a promising substitute for transition metal catalysts. They can function as very effective electrocatalysts in water oxidation processes. In current study, the CaMn2O4/g-CN composite was prepared using the hydrothermal technique in 1.0 M KOH in primary media. Distinctive physical and electrochemical analyses evaluated the prepared material's morphology, structure and electrocatalytic components. The composite material showed enhanced electrocatalytic efficacy for OER having a reduced overpotential (η) of 220 mV than pure CaMn2O4 278 mV and possesses a minimal Tafel value (35 mV/dec) contrasted with pristine CaMn2O4 (57 mV/dec). In case of overpotential, the composite material revealed good performance than its pure material while the Tafel slope of CaMn2O4/g-CN exhibited lower value than its individual material (CaMn2O4). Additionally, cyclic stability and chronoamperometric studies measured the electrodes' durability over 30 h. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) investigations indicated that charge transformation at an electrode-electrolyte surface might be feasible with minimal Rct value (0.19 Ω) and it showed excellent improved performance (63 %) better than its pure material, leading it to boost OER properties, attributed to its remarkable electrical conductivity, greater surface area and outstanding stability. These outstanding electrochemical features of the CaMn2O4/g-CN differentiate as an attractive choice for future OER utilization.

Recent Advancements in Nanopharmaceuticals for Novel Drug Delivery Systems.

Nanoparticles have found applications across diverse sectors, including agriculture, food, cosmetics, chemicals, mechanical engineering, automotive, and oil and gas industries. In the medical field, nanoparticles have garnered considerable attention due to their great surface area, high solubility, rapid dissolution, and enhanced bioavailability. Nanopharmaceuticals are specifically designed to precisely deliver drug substances to targeted tissues and cells, aiming to optimize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing potential adverse effects. Furthermore, nanopharmaceuticals offer advantages, such as expedited therapeutic onset, reduced dosages, minimized variability between fed and fasted states, and enhanced patient compliance. The increasing interest in nanopharmaceuticals research among scientists and industry stakeholders highlights their potential for various medical applications from disease management to cancer treatment. This review examines the distinctive characteristics of ideal nanoparticles for efficient drug delivery, explores the current types of nanoparticles utilized in medicine, and delves into the applications of nanopharmaceuticals, including drug and gene delivery, as well as transdermal drug administration. This review provides insights into the nanopharmaceuticals field, contributing to the development of novel drug delivery systems and enhancing the potential of nanotechnology in healthcare.

Hierarchically N-doped porous carbon synthesized from 3D cellulose alcogel decorated by in-situ growth of ZIF-8 for high performance CO2 capture

The physical properties and chemical compositions of porous carbons are crucial factors in determining their effectiveness in adsorbing CO2. Cellulose-based porous carbon has emerged as an outstanding candidate adsorbent for CO2 capture. The research involved the creation of hierarchically nitrogen-doped porous carbon (HNC) using a 3D cellulose alcogel (CA) as substrate, which was prepared through a thermal introduced phase separation (TIPS) method combined with hydrolysis treatment. The plentiful functional groups of CA offered abundant growth sites for the introduction of ZIF-8 crystals. CA/ZIF-8 composite alcogel (CZA) with greater surface area and superior thermal stability compared to CA was successfully fabricated and used as precursor for the production of HNC. The important effects of microporosity and surface chemistry of HNC samples on CO2 capture were discussed in-depth. HNC-350–850 displayed a hierarchically porous structure with a large number of micropores and abundant N/O/Zn-doped functional groups, exhibiting high CO2 uptakes at 1 bar (3.56 mmol/g at 25 °C), good IAST CO2/N2 (15/85, V/V) selectivity of 16.31 at 25 °C, and outstanding regenerability with ∼100 % CO2 adsorption capacity retained after ten cycles. In the two-component CO2/N2 (15/85, V/V) competitive adsorption process, the maximum breakthrough periods for CO2 (433.1 s) is significantly longer than that of N2 (3.8 s). The CO2 breakthrough adsorption capacity reached 1.79 mmol/g at 25 °C and 1 bar with the separation coefficient of 45.8 for CO2 over N2. These results confirmed that HNC, in addition to having excellent CO2/N2 selectivity, demonstrated good feasibility for practical use. The green and practicable synthetic route described in this study is not only expected to offer novel adsorbents for high performance CO2 capture, but also provide a new theoretical foundation for the development of cellulose-based porous materials.

Improved photocatalytic performance of cobalt doped ZnS decorated with graphene nanostructures under ultraviolet and visible light for efficient hydrogen production

Highly dispersed Cobalt doped ZnS nanostructures were successfully fabricated on the surfaces of graphene sheets via a simple hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photocurrent spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy (RS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were utilized to analyze the structural characteristics of the cobalt doped ZnS decorated with graphene CoxZn1-xS\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\rm Co}_x{\\rm Zn}_{1-x}{\\rm S}$$\\end{document} rGO nanostructures (NSs). UV-visible optical absorption (UV-vis) studies were conducted to investigate their optical properties. In laboratory studies utilizing water and visible light, the photocatalytic activity of CoxZn1-xS\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\rm Co}_x{\\rm Zn}_{1-x}S$$\\end{document}rGO NSs at (x = 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 atm.%) were evaluated. Graphite Oxide (GO) was successfully transformed into sheets of graphene and CoxZn1-xSrGO\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\rm Co}_x{\\rm Zn}_{1-x}{\\rm S \\, rGO}$$\\end{document} NSs possessed a crystalline structure according to the findings of XRD, RS and FTIR analysis. SEM investigation showed graphene sheets enhanced with ZnS NSs possessed cuboidal, spheroidal form of structure and displayed a paper like appearance. UV-vis confirmed a noticeable rapid increase in transmittance along the UV wavelength area and confirmed a highly transparent NSs in the wavelength range of (180-800 nm). Calculations using density functional theory (DFT) revealed that the Co NSs have more negative conduction bands than ZnS, allowing for effective electron transfer from cobalt to ZnS and exhibiting a band gap decrease as Co content increased. The Co0.04Zn0.96S\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\rm Co}_{0.04}{\\rm Zn}_{0.96}S$$\\end{document} rGO NSs sample had the highest photocatalytic activity, measured at 7648.9μmolh-1\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$7648.9 \\, \\upmu {\\rm mol} \\, {\\rm h}^{-1}$$\\end{document}. A combination of improved dispersion properties, greater surface area, increased absorption and enhanced transfer of photogenerated electrons, CoxZn1-xS\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$${\\rm Co}_x{\\rm Zn}_{1-x}S$$\\end{document} rGO NSs increased the photocatalytic hydrogen generation activity.

An Engineering Porous Spherical Carbon Cathode for High-Energy Sodium-Ion Capacitor.

Sodium-ion hybrid capacitors (SICs) are emerging as promising devices that can balance energy and power output. However, the lack of a high-capacity cathode that can match the anode has limited its further application. In this work, we develop an efficient method to prepare spherical porous carbons (SPCs) with great specific surface area and narrow pore size distribution from coal-based humic acid via spray drying and a subsequent chemical activation process. Thanks to this unique porous structure, the SPC cathode has a superb capacity of 223 F g-1 at 0.05 A g-1, as well as splendid rate performance and cycling stability. SICs constructed by an SPC cathode and hard carbon anode can exhibit a high energy density of 179.8 Wh kg-1 at 155 W kg-1 and achieved 89.4% capacity retention after 10 000 cycles at 0.5 A g-1. This outcome presents a viable approach to attaining high-capacity cathodes for constructing outstanding performance hybrid capacitors.

Tuning the structural and optical parameters of Li1.2Ni0.4Fe2O4 for efficient degradation of dye and pharmaceutical compounds

Sol-gel auto-combustion route was used for the fabrication of lithium and dysprosium co-doped nickel ferrite (LNDFO). The composite of LNDFO with gCN (LNDFO@gCN) was prepared via ultra-sonication method. The synthesized samples were tested by photodegrading organic pollutants. Different characterization techniques were employed to examine the structure, morphology, elemental composition, and bandgap of prepared photocatalysts. The optical bandgap energy of LNFO, LNDFO, and LNDFO@gCN was 2.92 eV, 2.73 eV, and 2.64 eV, respectively. LNDFO@gCN had the lowest recombination rate of charged species and greater surface area, which makes it an efficient photocatalyst. The degradation shown by LNDFO@gCN for panadol, MB, and phenol was 90.04 %, 93 %, and 89.5 % respectively. EIS and Mott-Schottky analysis revealed that the charge transfer resistance of fabricated composite was less than bare and doped samples, and they were n-type semiconductor materials. As compared to all fabricated photocatalysts, LNDFO@gCN was most efficient photocatalyst due to its high degradation ability, easy formation, and higher charge separation rate.

Synergetic Combination of Carbon Xerogels, Graphene Oxide and nano‐ZnO for Aqueous and Organic Supercapacitors

Three‐dimensional carbon xerogels were synthesised via a facile approach that included the use of ZnO nanostructures both as a templating agent and as a catalyst for resorcinol–formaldehyde resin polymerisation simultaneously. Graphene oxide (GO) served as a stabilising agent during the drying and pyrolysis processes, avoiding the collapse of structure and improving the area surface. The method enabled the asobtained materials to possess optimised 3D porous structures for energy‐storage devices, such as wires or spaghetti‐like structures. Also, a high BET surface area was obtained (1661 m2•g−1) without using an additional activating agent. This great surface area improved the specific capacitance compared to materials without GO (358.1 F•g−1 vs 170.4 F•g−1). The carbon‐containing devices derived from resorcinolformaldehyde resin, GO, and Zn oxide showed better performance than the devices without GO. In particular, the sample that contained 2.5% of GO in the synthesis showed a specific capacitance of 166.6 F•g−1 at 0.5 A•g−1 and remained at ∼120 F•g−1 at 5 A•g−1. Also, it showed interesting energy density values at 0.5 A•g−1 (14.8 Wh•kg−1) and a power density of 200.7 W•kg−1. This reveals that the synthesis process made it possible to obtain composite materials with large surface areas without using a supercritical drying process.

The development of exothermic surface reaction between coal and oxygen affected by methane during coal spontaneous combustion in gob

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) derives from the exothermic coal-oxygen reaction occurring at coal's surface. However, methane's influence on this process is still unclear in gob environments. To this end, non-isothermal experiments were performed to elucidate methane's impact on the exothermic effect, pore structure evolvement, and surface composite variation in CSC. Our findings indicated that methane inhibited the exothermic effect; however, low methane (<42.9 %) did not significantly reduce the danger of CSC, but increased methane explosion risk. Methane's influence on pore structure can be elevated by a higher temperature, leading to larger pores, greater surface area, and higher pore volumes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis revealed an increase in C1s, C-C and C-H bonds with rising methane and a decrease in O1s and oxygen-containing groups. C-O groups were the main structures affected by methane. O1s and oxygen-containing groups remained stable at low (<20 %) and high (>50 %) methane concentrations, because coal lay in oxygen-rich and fuel-rich oxidation states, respectively. Methane's influence on exothermic reaction originates from competitive adsorption. Methane competes with oxygen and other gases for adsorption sites. This changes the surface properties and affects the competitive adsorption between methane and other gases. This study can provide valuable insights for mitigating CSC risk.

Development of Binder–free Ni3S2/CoS2 nano–composite as electrode material for Energy Storage Application

Global energy crisis imposes immense obstacles leading towards development of innovative devices, and supercapacitors (SCs) are thought to be a viable energy storage technology. The engineering of nanostructured materials with a distinct and consistent morphological design is seen as a better option for various range of electrochemical energy sources. This study reports novel binder-free Ni3S2/CoS2 electrode material that acquires higher energy, higher energy density, as well as its simple preparation method, low cost, and earth–abundant resources. The morphological, structural, and textural characteristics resulted in surface area of 46 m2 g–1 of Ni3S2/CoS2 that will increase active sites also. The synthesized nanocomposite has particle size of 41.1 nm that leads to enhanced active sites and greater surface area as confirmed through BET analysis. Ni3S2/CoS2 nanocomposite has high specific capacity around 828.14 F g–1 at 5 mV s–1 sweep rate using 2 M KOH, a high energy density around 115.01 Wh kg–1, and power density of 1000 Wh kg–1. Ni3S2/CoS2 acquires higher ionic conductivity of 5 S m-1, this will enhance the inter-layer transference of electrons, and these results perfectly correlates with EIS, resulting in charge transfer resistance value of 0.9 Ω for nano-composite. These enhanced electrochemical capabilities of Ni3S2/CoS2 hold significant potential in practical viability.

Biochar modified by ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate for high selective adsorption of copper in wastewater

Biochar application in wastewater purification is extremely appealing. Although heteropolysaccharides like Gum Seyal biochar (BC GS500) display great surface area and porosity, the adsorption capacity for Cu (II) was relatively low due to the week-binding surface functional groups. In this work, an innovative modification with the chelating agent ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) capable of selectively and effectively adsorbing Cu (II) was conducted. Gum Seyal biochar was grafted with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (C5H8NS2–), amine (–NH2), and imine (–NH) groups using APDC based on the “hard and soft acids and bases theory” (HSAB). Batch studies, along with characterization (FITR, XPS, and SEM-EDS), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) mapping, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, were implemented to investigate the adsorption performance and mechanism responsible for selectively adsorptive Cu (II) removal. It was found that Cu (II) adsorption by modified biochar occurred endothermically and spontaneously. The adsorption data at pH 5 matched the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm (211.24 mg/g). DFT calculations show that modified biochar selectively binds Cu (II) superior to common ions such as Mg (II) and Ca (II) through a unique chelating mechanism. Their performance in real electroplating wastewater was investigated, and the production cost was estimated. It was concluded that the modified biochar (BC APDC) could have high applicable potential for Cu (II)-laden wastewater purification.

Post‐fire sediment attenuation in beaver ponds, Rocky Mountains, CO and WY, USA

AbstractWe evaluated the post‐fire sediment dynamics in beaver ponds to examine these ponds' contributions to sediment storage following disturbance. Beaver dams and beaver mimicry structures impound water and sediment, a function that is of growing interest in wildfire‐prone landscapes. Wildfires typically lead to high sediment loading into rivers in the years following fire, constituting a disturbance to aquatic ecosystems and a challenge to water resource managers. Previous work establishes that beaver dams trap substantial volumes of sediment, but sedimentation appears spatially and temporally heterogeneous and it remains unclear the extent to which short‐term pulses of sediment are attenuated by these structures. We examine the conditions under which beaver dams and beaver mimicry structures store post‐fire sediment by quantifying the sediment volume of 40 ponds, about half of which were burned in large wildfires in the Colorado and Wyoming Rocky Mountains in 2020. The median relative volume of burned ponds is 85%, which is greater than the median for unburned ponds (58%), meaning that burned ponds store higher relative volumes of sediment when pond size is accounted for. Furthermore, sediment accumulated at a median rate of 3.0 cm/year over the entire history of the pond. Post‐fire sedimentation rates, with a median of 20.4 cm/year, were an order of magnitude higher than pre‐fire rates with a median of 1.8 cm/year. In addition, vegetation and geomorphic characteristics correlated with sediment storage in ponds. Sediment surveys confirmed that ponds with greater surface areas contain higher volumes of sediment. Additionally, older ponds and ponds abandoned by beavers stored higher volumes of sediment compared to recently constructed ponds, ponds actively maintained by beaver, and beaver mimicry structures. These findings demonstrate that beaver ponds and mimicry structures may function as sediment sinks capable of attenuating post‐fire sediment. The biogeomorphic context, defined across multiple scales from the pond to the catchment, provides additional explanation for the wide range of sediment storage observed and remains an important consideration for beaver‐based restoration, catchment sediment management, and resilience evaluation.

Convergence and divergence in neurostructural signatures of unipolar and bipolar depressions: Insights from surface-based morphometry and prospective follow-up

BackgroundBipolar disorder (BD) is often misidentified as unipolar depression (UD) during its early stages, typically until the onset of the first manic episode. This study aimed to explore both shared and unique neurostructural changes in patients who transitioned from UD to BD during follow-up, as compared to those with UD. MethodsThis study utilized high-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to collect brain data from individuals initially diagnosed with UD. During the average 3-year follow-up, 24 of the UD patients converted to BD (cBD). For comparison, the study included 48 demographically matched UD patients who did not convert and 48 healthy controls. The MRI data underwent preprocessing using FreeSurfer, followed by surface-based morphometry (SBM) analysis to identify cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA), and cortical volume (CV) among groups. ResultsThe SBM analysis identified shared neurostructural characteristics between the cBD and UD groups, specifically thinner CT in the right precentral cortex compared to controls. Unique to the cBD group, there was a greater SA in the right inferior parietal cortex compared to the UD group. Furthermore, no significant correlations were observed between cortical morphological measures and cognitive performance and clinical features in the cBD and UD groups. LimitationsThe sample size is relatively small. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that while cBD and UD exhibit some common alterations in cortical macrostructure, numerous distinct differences are also present. These differences offer valuable insights into the neuropathological underpinnings that distinguish these two conditions.

Construction of MWCNT nanoneedles decorated on NiCo2O4/MnO2 composite electrodes with high energy density for asymmetric capacitor applications

In this work, a nanocomposite electrode of MWCNT nanoneedles decorated on spheres like NiCo2O4/MnO2 on NF is designed by a hydrothermal method and ultrasonication technique. The resulting interconnected network has an open geometric structure and a porous nature. Furthermore, NiCo2O4/MnO2@MWCNT's greater surface area (174.2 m2/g) promoted ion diffusion and transport, which enhanced specific capacitance. Consequently, this hybrid composite demonstrates a remarkable specific capacitance of 1728 F/g at 1 A/g, in addition to outstanding durability, maintaining 93.83 % of its capacitance after 10,000 cycles. A NiCo2O4/MnO2/MWCNT hybrid composite is used as the positive electrode, while Activated carbon serves as the negative electrode in an asymmetric supercapacitor. This configuration achieves an energy density of 55.8 Wh kg−1 and a maximum power density of 4099 W kg−1. This outcome indicates that the NiCo2O4/MnO2/MWCNT hybrid composite shows promise as highly efficient electrodes in energy storage devices.

Carbonated calcium silicates as pozzolanic supplementary cementitious materials

This study examined the carbonation mechanisms and products of various precursors, including hydrated cement pastes and calcium silicate clinkers. Regardless of the materials investigated, all exhibited rapid carbonation reactions and achieved high degrees of carbonation. Calcium carbonate and siliceous gel were consistently formed as carbonation products. The starting materials significantly influenced the characteristics of the siliceous gel. Carbonated concrete pastes displayed a higher presence of alumina in the gel, resulting in greater surface area and nano-porosity compared to gels formed from calcium silicate clinkers. The pozzolanic reaction products also differed depending on the precursor, with carbonated concrete pastes forming C-S-H and AFm phases, while carbonated calcium silicate clinkers produced only C-S-H phase. Such variations impacted the evolution of mechanical performance in composite cements. Notably, carbonated composite cements containing recycled concrete pastes exhibited higher early compressive strength compared to carbonated calcium silicate clinkers. However, the final compressive strength is similar.