Ion Dose Research Articles

Highly stable, antiviral, antibacterial cotton textiles via surface engineering.

The unprecedented pandemic has highlighted the need for textiles that rapidly inactivate pathogens to protect public health. However, how to achieve rapid, effective and durable pathogen inactivation with the minimum antimicrobial dose loading has become a major challenge for cotton fabric modification. Here, a surface engineering cotton fabric (Co-CMC@Cu2+) was prepared by grafting carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) onto cotton fabric and then loading with Cu2+ via coordination. The Co-CMC@Cu2+ with minimal copper ion dosage achieved rapid inactivation, excellent comfort, good biosafety, and durability. Specifically, Co-CMC modified with 12.5 mmol/L copper ion solutions achieved impressive bacterial reduction (BR) rates of 94.3 % and 89.3 % against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, within 10 min of contact. Moreover, the bacteria were completely eradicated after 2 h of continuous contact. Additionally, Co-CMC@Cu2+ achieved excellent phage reduction (PR) rates of 98.9 % and 100 % against phi6 and phi-x174 bacteriophages, respectively, within 30 min of exposure, highlighting its potential for viral inactivation. Furthermore, Co-CMC@Cu2+ demonstrated exceptional durability for pathogen inactivation, with BR and PR values above 80 %, even after 150 washing cycles. This novel antimicrobial and antiviral cotton fabric will be a promising candidate textile to protect public health during a pandemic.

Ion-induced surface reactions and deposition from Pt(CO)2Cl2 and Pt(CO)2Br2.

Ion beam-induced deposition (IBID) using Pt(CO)2Cl2 and Pt(CO)2Br2 as precursors has been studied with ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) surface science techniques to provide insights into the elementary reaction steps involved in deposition, complemented by analysis of deposits formed under steady-state conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and mass spectrometry data from monolayer thick films of Pt(CO)2Cl2 and Pt(CO)2Br2 exposed to 3 keV Ar+, He+, and H2 + ions indicate that deposition is initiated by the desorption of both CO ligands, a process ascribed to momentum transfer from the incident ion to adsorbed precursor molecules. This precursor decomposition step is accompanied by a decrease in the oxidation state of the Pt(II) atoms and, in IBID, represents the elementary reaction step that converts the molecular precursor into an involatile PtX2 species. Upon further ion irradiation these PtCl2 or PtBr2 species experience ion-induced sputtering. The difference between halogen and Pt sputter rates leads to a critical ion dose at which only Pt remains in the film. A comparison of the different ion/precursor combinations studied revealed that this sequence of elementary reaction steps is invariant, although the rates of CO desorption and subsequent physical sputtering were greatest for the heaviest (Ar+) ions. The ability of IBID to produce pure Pt films was confirmed by AES and XPS analysis of thin film deposits created by Ar+/Pt(CO)2Cl2, demonstrating the ability of data acquired from fundamental UHV surface science studies to provide insights that can be used to better understand the interactions between ions and precursors during IBID from inorganic precursors.

Surface and bulk characterization of magnetic multilayers formed within a single layer FeRh by hydrogen ion irradiation

In modern spintronics, magnetic multilayers, such as a ferromagnet/antiferromagnet (FM/AFM) heterostructure, are essential for achieving novel and practical capabilities, including the exchange bias effect, spin-transfer torque, tunneling magnetoresistance, etc. As these functions are determined by the exchange interaction or the carrier transport across the interface, it is critical to optimize the magnetic interface usually formed between different materials with the chemical mismatch as well as the structural discontinuity. Here, we explored the potential of FeRh for creating the FM/AFM multilayer within a single material by exploiting its tunability of the temperature-dependent AFM-FM transition with a hydrogen ion irradiation. We investigated bulk and surface magnetic states separately based on a magneto-optical Kerr effect and magnetization-induced second-harmonic generation, respectively, and could reveal that FeRh can host the FM (surface)/AFM (bulk) magnetic multilayer within a single layer of FeRh even at room temperature prepared with a hydrogen ion dose of 2.0×1015 H+/cm2. As the FM and AFM states are stabilized with a well-defined spatial separation as manifested by the exchange bias effect, we expect the FeRh-based FM/AFM bilayer to alleviate limitations arising from the interfaces formed by otherwise different materials.

In Situ Transformable Fibrillar Clusters Disrupt Intracellular Copper Metabolic Homeostasis by Comprehensive Blockage of Cuprous Ions Efflux.

Dysregulation of copper metabolism is intricately associated with the occurrence and therapeutic management of colorectal cancer. Previous studies have attempted to induce cuproptosis by delivering lethal doses of copper ions into tumor cells, often with systemic safety risks. In vivo, transformable peptide is modular and designed for various tumor-related proteins, which can affect protein function and distribution. Here, a fibrillar transformation peptidic (FTP) nanoparticle is synthesized, which can bind ATP7B membrane proteins (cuprous ions transporter) and transform into nanofibrils/ATP7B clusters, inducing "copper-free cuproptosis" in vivo. Without adding exogenous copper ions, the spherical FTP nanoparticles bound the high distribution regions of ATP7B membrane proteins, transforming into fibrillar networks in situ with prolonged retention. The cage-like fibrillar network would further capture unbound or newly generated free ATP7B membrane proteins, thereby significantly and consistently preventing cuprous ions efflux. The FTP nanoparticles would not undergo in situ fibrillar transformation on the low expression region of ATP7B membrane proteins but enter the cell for safe degradation, which exhibited high specificity and safety in vivo. By disrupting intracellular copper homeostasis, the transformable fibrillar clusters displayed a long-term anti-tumor effect on subcutaneous transplantation and liver metastatic CRC models.

Dynamic annealing assisted near-surface structural and bond stabilization in high-temperature low-energy N2+ implanted diamond.

Nitrogen-rich ultra-thin (1-2nm thick) layers in diamond produced by high-temperature nitrogen ion (N2+) implantation at low N2+ energies studied by in situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are reported. Nitrogen bonding at the subsurface region and its thermal stability, as well as structural defects in polycrystalline diamond (PCD) implanted with 200, 500, and 800eV N2+ at room temperature (RT) and 600 °C at an ion dose of 4.5 × 1014 ions/cm2, are investigated. Implantation at RT leads to nitrogen bonding at interstitial and substitutional sites in the diamond lattice, which is associated with the C-N/C=N bond, lower intensity of the C≡N (nitrile-like) component associated with nitrogen bonding with carbon defects, and quaternary nitrogen. The relative composition of these chemical states varies with implantation energy, temperature, and post-implantation annealing temperature. Upon annealing the RT implanted layers above 500-600 °C, the interstitial nitrogen converts to substitutional nitrogen. This process competes with nitrogen desorption. The thermal stability of nitrogen increases with implantation energy. Implantation at 600 °C at 800eV resulted in a significantly lower concentration of nitrile-like bonds and a lower density of structural defects compared to RT implantation at the same energy. These effects are associated with dynamic annealing, which becomes more significant at higher implantation energies. Upon high-temperature implantation, nitrogen mostly populates directly substitutional sites. Nitrogen implantation at low energy and high temperature may be a viable way to nitride diamond surfaces with reduced density of defects where nitrogen is selectively bonded to substitutional sites. Finally, a comparison between nitrogen implantation into PCD and Diamond (100) [Di(100)] surfaces is presented.

Hydrogen implantation in lanthanum thin films for ambient pressure hydride formation

Near room temperature superconductivity of metal superhydrides has been shown both theoretically and experimentally at high pressures (>100 GPa). Taking advantage of room temperature superconductivity for engineering applications requires decreasing the pressure of formation while retaining the superconducting hydride phase. We implanted lanthanum thin films with various doses of hydrogen ions at ambient pressure in order to form a lanthanum hydride phase. We found evidence for granular superconductivity below 5 K consistent with the phase coexistence of lanthanum hydride and lanthanum. As the H+ dose increased, TC decreased from 4.6 K to 3.2 K with broader superconducting transitions. Transmission electron microscopy showed increased substrate damage with increased ion dose and confirmed the granular structure of the films. Although a superhydride phase requires a higher H+ dose than what was attained in this work, we have demonstrated that ion implantation at ambient pressure is a feasible technique for superconducting lanthanum hydride formation.

Development of an algorithm for proton dose calculation in magnetic fields.

The advantages of proton therapy can be further enhanced with online magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. One of the challenges in the realization of MRI-guided proton therapy (MRPT) is accurately calculating the radiation dose in the presence of magnetic fields. This study aims to develop an efficient and accurate proton dose calculation algorithm adapted to the presence of magnetic fields. An analytical-numerical radiation dose calculation algorithm, Proton and Ion Dose Engine (PRIDE), was developed. The algorithm combines the pencil beam algorithm (PBA) with a novel iterative voxel-based ray-tracing algorithm. The new ray-tracing method uses fewer assumptions and ensures broader applicability for proton beam trajectory prediction in magnetic fields, and has been compared to Wolf's method and Schellhammer's method. The accuracy of PRIDE algorithm was validated on three phantoms and two practical plans (one single-field water plan and one prostate tumor plan) in different magnetic field strengths up to 3.0 T. The validation was performed by comparing the results against the Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, using the global gamma index criteria of 2%/2mm and 3%/3mm with a 10% threshold. PRIDE showed good agreement with MC in homogeneous and slab heterogeneous phantom, achieving gamma passing rates (%GPs) above 99% for 2%/2mm criteria when magnetic field strength is not greater than 1.5 T. Although the agreement decreased for scenarios involving high proton energy (240 MeV) and strong magnetic field (3.0 T), the 2%/2mm %GPs still remained above 98%. In lateral heterogeneous phantom, the accuracy of PRIDE decreased due to the PBA's limitation. For the two practical plans in different magnetic fields, %GPs exceeded 98% and 99% for 2%/2mm and 3%/3mm criteria, respectively. PRIDE can perform efficient and accurate proton dose calculation in magnetic fields up to 3.0 T, and is expected to work as a useful tool for proton dose calculation in MRPT.

Total ionization dose and electromagnetic pulse synergistic effects on low dropout linear regulator

As a power management chip widely used in various electronic systems, the low dropout regulator (LDO) plays a crucial role in the normal operation of electronic systems. Ionizing radiation and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) radiation can cause interference and damage to the LDO, posing risks to the proper functioning of electronic systems in large-scale scientific devices. In this study, through separate experimental investigations on the Total Ionizing Dose (TID) effects, EMP effects, and synergistic effect of the LDO, it was found that parameters such as the LDO output voltage decreases with increasing irradiation dose, with more severe degradation observed under grounded bias. The EMP effects mainly cause oscillations in the LDO output voltage and a slight increase in its mean value. The results of the synergistic effect experiments indicate that there is a certain synergistic interaction between the TID effects and the EMP effects. The synergistic effects lead to an increase in the amplitude of the oscillations and changes in the mean value of the output voltage.

Treatment of Organic Pollutant by Advanced Oxidation Processes

The investigation involved the oxidation of urea (UR) in a batch reactor, employing Fenton's reagent. Various parameters, namely reaction time, pH level, ferrous ion dose, and hydrogen peroxide dose, were scrutinized. The reaction time spanned from 30 minutes to 3 hours, revealing a notably positive impact. An optimal pH of 3 was identified for the medium. The concentrations of ferrous ions ranged from 0.2 g/l to 0.53 g/l, with hydrogen peroxide levels ranging from 1 g/l to 2.65 g/l. The impact of hydrogen peroxide was notably significant at a ferrous ion concentration of 0.3 g/l and a pH of 3. Evaluating urea removal efficiency through chemical oxygen demand (COD) calculations showed a maximum efficiency of 86.8%, with a minimum ammonia yield of 6%. Overall, the outcomes underscored the efficacy of the Fenton process in urea treatment.

DFT electronic structure investigation of chromium ion-implanted cupric oxide thin films dedicated for photovoltaic absorber layers

This study explores the enhancement of cupric oxide (CuO) thin films for photovoltaic applications through chromium doping and subsequent annealing. Thin films of CuO were deposited on silicon and glass substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering. Chromium was introduced via ion implantation, and samples were annealed to restore the crystal structure. The optical and structural properties of the films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. Results indicated that implantation reduced the absorbance and conductivity of the films, while annealing effectively restored these properties. Sample implanted with 10 keV energy and 1 × 1014 cm−2 dose of Cr ions, after annealing had sheet resistance of 1.1 × 106 Ω/sq compared to 1.7 × 106 Ω/sq for non implanted and annealed CuO. Study of crystalline structure confirmed the importance of annealing as it reduced the stress present in the material after deposition and implantation. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the electronic structure and optical properties of CuO with varying levels of chromium doping. Calculations revealed an energy gap of 1.8 eV for undoped CuO, with significant changes in optical absorption for doped samples. Energy band gap determined using absorbance measurement and Tauc plot method had value of 1.10 eV for as deposited CuO. Samples after implantation and annealing had energy band gap value increased to about 1.20 eV. The study demonstrates that chromium doping and subsequent annealing can enhance the optical and electronic properties of CuO thin films, making them more efficient for photovoltaic applications.

Investigations into the Impact of Deposition or Growth Techniques on the Field Oxide TID Response for 4H-SiC Space Applications

The total ionising dose (TID) reliability of a phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5) treated SiO2 (silicon dioxide) layer is compared for the first time to other industrially relevant oxides formed on 4H-silicon carbide (SiC). Metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors (MOSCAPs) are characterised before and after irradiation to ascertain changes in flat band voltage shift, leakage current, and dielectric breakdown (BV). Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) profiling reveals a significant phosphorus concentration near the SiO2/SiC interface, which led to improved TID resistance. The P2O5 treated oxide had the lowest leakage current at high voltage bias due to the high-temperature (1,000°C) anneal, though it had a significantly negative flat band voltage due to the high concentration of deposited phosphorus atoms. The thermal and P2O5 oxides demonstrated a TID resistance, suffering only minor shifts in flat band voltage, while the P2O5 oxide suffered the smallest decrease in its BV and the smallest leakage current rise, post-irradiation.

Exploratory Investigation of Zinc-Modified Borosilicate Bioactive Glass: A New Methodology for Its Biocompatibility, Immunoregulation, and Pro-Angiogenic Property Evaluation.

The assessment of biodegradable materials, such as bioactive glass, under the existing ISO 10993 standard test methods poses a significant challenge due to potential cell viability impairment caused by the accumulation of degraded products in a static environment. Therefore, innovative methodologies are urgently needed to tailor the unique biodegradation characteristics of these materials, providing more precise and scientific insights into biosafety and efficacy verification. Motivation by its bidirectional regulation of angiogenesis and immunity, zinc (Zn) was incorporated into sol-gel-derived borosilicate bioactive glasses (SBSGs) to fabricate Zn-incorporated borosilicate bioactive glasses (SBSG-Zn) to complement the tissue repair capabilities of bioactive glasses. Both SBSG and SBSG-Zn glasses consist of nanosized particles, slit mesoporous pores, high specific surface areas, and bioreactivity. In vitro comparative analysis, conducted according to ISO 10993 standards, demonstrates that only at suitable dilution rates─such as the 8-fold dilution employed in this study─do extracts of SBSG and SBSG-Zn glasses exhibit low cytotoxicity when cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Notably, SBSG-Zn glasses show optimal promotion of angiogenic gene expression in HUVECs. Furthermore, within an appropriate concentration range of released ions, SBSG-Zn glass extracts not only promote cell survival but also modulate the expression of anti-inflammatory genes while simultaneously inhibiting pro-inflammatory genes concurrently. After being implanted in rat subcutaneous defect models, both SBSG and SBSG-Zn glasses demonstrated the local immunoregulation and angiogenic effects. SBSG-Zn stands out by demonstrating superior modulation of M1/M2 polarization in macrophages as validated by altered secretion of key factors in macrophages and expression of relevant growth factors in HUVECs. These findings underscore the potential for convenient manipulation of localized angiogenic and immunoregulation through the incorporation of zinc into bioactive glass, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the appropriate ion doses are applied for achieving optimal therapeutic efficiency.

Developing an off-on fluorescence sensor based on red copper nanoclusters wrapped by sulfhydryl and polymer double ligands for sensitive detection of N-acetyl-L-cysteine

N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a class of thiols is commonly used in the treatment of lung diseases, detoxification and prevention of liver damage. In this paper, 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) coated and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) attached copper nanoclusters (4-MBA@PVP-CuNCs) were successfully synthesized using a simple one-pot method with an absolute quantum yield of 10.98 %, and its synthetic conditions (like effects of single/double ligands and temperature) were studied intensively. Then Hg2+ could quench the fluorescence of the 4-MBA@PVP-CuNCs and its fluorescence was restored with the addition of NAC. Based on the above principles, an off–on switching system was established to detect NAC. That is, the 4-MBA@PVP-CuNCs-Hg probe was prepared by adding Hg2+ to switch off the fluorescence of the CuNCs by static quenching, and then NAC was added to switch on the fluorescence of the probe based on the chelation of NAC and Hg2+. Moreover, the effects of metal ion types and mercury ion doses for the probe construction were also further discussed. The method showed excellent linearity in the range of 0.05–1.25 µM and low detection limit of 16 nM. Meanwhile, good recoveries in real urine, tablets and pellets were observed, which proved the reliability of the method and provided a convenient, fast and sensitive method for NAC detection.

Exposure to low (10 cGy) doses of 4He ions leads to an apparent increase in risk taking propensity in female rats

The planned missions to the Moon and Mars will present more significant health challenges to astronauts compared to low earth orbit missions. During deep space missions, astronauts will be constantly exposed to Space radiation (SR). Multiple rodent studies suggest that < 25 cGy of SR impairs performance in executive functions, which play a key role in advanced cognitive processes, but also regulate response inhibition and impulse control. There is the possibility that SR exposure may exacerbate aberrant behaviors evoked by psychological stress related to exposure to isolated and confined (ICE) hostile environment or independently induce additional aberrant behaviors. This study has determined that female Wistar rats exposed to 10 cGy of 250 MeV/n He had an increased risk taking propensity (RTP)\\compared to shams. The increased RTP of the He-exposed rats was associated with significantly increased reaction times during the trials, suggesting a SR-induced loss of processing speed. The response times of the He-exposed rats were even further reduced in trials that immediately followed a loss, raising the possibility that conflict and interference avoidance may be impaired after SR exposure. Whether these findings occur following other types of SR exposure, and/or in male rats remains to be determined.

Resistive Gas Sensors Based on 2D TMDs and MXenes.

ConspectusGas sensors are used in various applications to sense toxic gases, mainly for enhanced safety. Resistive sensors are particularly popular owing to their ability to detect trace amounts of gases, high stability, fast response times, and affordability. Semiconducting metal oxides are commonly employed in the fabrication of resistive gas sensors. However, these sensors often require high working temperatures, bringing about increased energy consumption and reduced selectivity. Furthermore, they do not have enough flexibility, and their performance is significantly decreased under bending, stretching, or twisting. To address these challenges, alternative materials capable of operating at lower temperatures with high flexibility are needed. Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as MXenes and transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) offer high surface area and conductivity owing to their unique 2D structure, making them promising candidates for realization of resistive gas sensors. Nevertheless, their sensing performance in pristine form is typically weak and unacceptable, particularly in terms of response, selectivity, and recovery time (trec). To overcome these drawbacks, several strategies can be employed to enhance their sensing properties. Noble-metal decoration such as (Au, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ag) is a highly promising method, in which the catalytic effects of noble metals as well as formation of potential barriers with MXenes or TMDs eventually contribute to boosted response. Additionally, bimetallic noble metals such as Pt-Pd and Au/Pd with their synergistic properties can further improve sensor performance. Ion implantation is another feasible approach, involving doping of sensing materials with the desired concentration of dopants through control over the energy and dosage of the irradiation ions as well as creation of structural defects such as oxygen vacancies through high-energy ion-beam irradiation, contributing to enhanced sensing capabilities. The formation of core-shell structures is also effective, creating numerous interfaces between core and shell materials that optimize the sensing characteristics. However, the shell thickness needs to be carefully optimized to achieve the best sensing output. To reduce energy consumption, sensors can operate in a self-heating condition where an external voltage is applied to the electrodes, significantly lowering the power requirements. This enables sensors to function in energy-constrained environments, such as remote or low-energy areas. An important advantage of 2D MXenes and TMDs is their high mechanical flexibility. Unlike semiconducting metal oxides that lack mechanical flexibility, MXenes and TMDs can maintain their sensing performance even when integrated onto flexible substrates and subjected to bending, tilting, or stretching. This flexibility makes them ideal for fabricating flexible and portable gas sensors that rigid sensors cannot achieve.

Probing Defectivity Beneath the Hydrocarbon Blanket in 2D hBN Using TEM-EELS.

The controlled creation and manipulation of defects in 2D materials has become increasingly popular as a means to design and tune new material functionalities. However, defect characterization by direct atomic-scale imaging is often severely limited by surface contamination due to a blanket of hydrocarbons. Thus, analysis techniques that can characterize atomic-scale defects despite the contamination layer are advantageous. In this work, we take inspiration from X-ray absorption spectroscopy and use broad-beam electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) to characterize defect structures in 2D hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) based on averaged fine structure in the boron K-edge. Since EELS is performed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM), imaging can be performed in-situ to assess contamination levels and other factors such as tears in the fragile 2D sheets, which can affect the spectroscopic analysis. We demonstrate the TEM-EELS technique for 2D hBN samples irradiated with different ion types and doses, finding spectral signatures indicative of boron-oxygen bonding that can be used as a measure of sample defectiveness depending on the ion beam treatment. We propose that even in cases where surface contamination has been mitigated, the averaging-based TEM-EELS technique can be useful for efficient sample surveys to support atomically resolved EELS experiments.

Measurements of atomic hydrogen recombination coefficients and the reduction of Al2O3 using a heat flux sensor

The knowledge of atomic hydrogen recombination coefficient (γ) is essential for plasma simulations to calculate accurate atomic hydrogen fluxes. However, γ is a complex material property, and it is affected by the experimental conditions under which it is measured. Therefore, values of γ can differ even by a few orders of magnitude for the same material. In this paper, we demonstrate measurements of hydrogen recombination coefficients at room temperature using an in-house-built catalytic sensor for two selected materials: aluminum Al-5083 (alimex) and stainless steel 316 l, under the load of low-temperature H2 plasma with an admixture of H2O or N2 gases. The plasma settings were carefully chosen to mimic properties of the so-called extreme ultraviolet-generated plasma.1 The measured γ values agree well with literature data obtained for similar plasma conditions and show a correlation with ion energy. Additionally, we show a novel application of the sensor for indirect measurements of the reduction of oxidized surfaces as a function of ion dose. In these experiments, a correlation between reduction time and background water pressure is observed.

Adsorption characteristics and applications of andesite in removing some pollutants from wastewater

Andesite was employed to effectively extract mercury(II) in an aqueous solution. After evaluating its characteristics, andesite was characterized by applying modern techniques such as BET and TGA methods. The study employed SEM and TEM measurements to analyze the variation in the surface shape and crystallinity of the metal due to adsorption. Using the EDX process, the chemical composition, weight, and atomic percentage of each element of andesite were determined. FTIR techniques were also used to confirm the TEM–EDX findings. Zeta potential was estimated. Cycles of regeneration and desorption have been examined. 99.03% was the highest uptake percentage. Adsorbent quantity (0.0025–0.05) g/L, contact time (5–60) min, pH (2–10), temperature (25–60) °C, and dose (0.0027, 0.0044, 0.0125, 0.0155, and 0.0399) mg/L all affect the amount of removal that increases with the increase in contact time, pH, dose, and temperature but drops as the metal ion concentration rises. The ideal values for contact time, pH, metal ion concentration, dose, and temperature were found to be, respectively, 30 min, 0.0155 mg/l, 0.02 g/l, and 40 °C. The calculation of thermodynamic parameters, including ΔH, ΔG, and ΔS, was imperative in establishing that the mechanism of heavy metal adsorption on andesite was endothermic, exhibiting a physical nature that escalated with temperature rise. The Freundlich adsorption equation's linear form is matched by the adsorption of mercury(II) on andesite; constant n was 1.85, 1.06, 1.1, and 1.1, whereas the Langmuir constant qm was found to be 1.85, 2.41, 3.54, and 2.28 mg/g at 25–60 °C. Furthermore, adsorption follows a pseudo-second-order rate constant of (3.08, 3.24, 3.24, and 13) g/mg/min under identical temperature conditions, as opposed to a first-order rate constant of 4, 3, 2.6, and 2. Hg2+, NH4+, Cl−, Br−, NO3−, SO42−, Na+, K+, H2S, and CH3SH were all extracted from wastewater by this application.

Gas Cluster Ion Beam-Assisted Deposition for Fabricating Dry Multilayers Containing Enzyme and Substrate with On-Demand Release.

Gas cluster ion beam (GCIB)-assisted deposition is used to build multilayered protein-based structures. In this process, Ar3000-5000+ clusters bombard and sputter molecules from a reservoir (target) to a collector, an operation that can be sequentially repeated with multiple targets. The process occurs under a vacuum, making it adequate for further sample conservation in the dry state, since many proteins do not have long-term storage stability in the aqueous state. First of all, the stability in time and versatility in terms of molecule selection are demonstrated with the fabrication of peptide multilayers featuring a clear separation. Then, lysozyme and trypsin are used as protein models to show that the activity remaining on the collector after deposition is linearly proportional to the argon ion dose. The energy per atom (E/n) of the Ar clusters is a parameter that was also changed for lysozyme deposition, and its increase negatively affects activity. The intact detection of larger protein molecules by SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis and a bioassay (trypsin at ≈25 kDa and glucose oxidase (GOx) at ≈80 kDa) is demonstrated. Finally, GOx and horseradish peroxidase, two proteins involved in the same enzymatic cascade, are successively deposited on β-d-glucose to build an on-demand release material in which the enzymes and the substrate (β-d-glucose) are combined in a dry trilayer, and the reaction occurs only upon reintroduction in aqueous medium.

Study of the efficiency of sodium silicate water softening processes

The current state of natural water resourses requires preliminary softening for almost all drinking waters and waters for energy purposes. Therefore, the search for effective softening technologies and reagents is especially relevant today. Researches in this field are constantly increasing every year due the intensive quality deterioration of the natural waters. The processes of calcium and magnesium ions removing from water are on central place in such researches. It is traditionally considered that magnesium ions are more difficult to remove from water than calcium ions because magnesium ions form less quantity of insoluble compounds. The total efficiency of water softening processes depends on the residual content of both cations. Therefore, researchers also pay a lot of attention to magnesium ions removing. Sodium hydroxide and sodium phosphate are considered as a perspective reagents in such processes. However, the use of first reagent is associated with a significant increase of pH index, and the use of second reagent requires a big quantity of the reagent and needs the alkaline medium for sufficient efficiency. Therefore, in this work, we investigated the effectiveness of sodium silicate in the processes of magnesium and calcium ions removing from the aqueous medium. A characteristic feature of the solid phase formation in reaction between magnesium cations and silicate anions is the significant reaction dependence on the pH index. In neutral environment, the formation of a solid phase in model solutions was not visually fixed. However, some decrease of water hardness after filtering through "blue tape" filter paper is still observed. And it is decrease with increasing of pH index. The most effective softening process can be obtained at pH levels &gt; 10. It was not possible to obtain any positive results during study of settling and filtering processes of the formed solid phase. At the same time, the ratio between the components and the initial water hardness does not affect the clarification process practically. However, sodium silicate can be quite effective in stoichiometric or higher ratios. But a significant disadvantage of such method is a pH index increasing when the components are mixed. It requires futher adjusting the pH level in the treated water. And this is aditional stage of water treatment. It was not possible to obtain positive results when aluminum hydroxide was used as a settling and filtering intensifier. With the ratio K = [SiO32-, mg-eq]/[Mg2+, mg-eq] = 1 and different doses of aluminum ions, there is no significant intensification of sedimentation processes in the range of aluminum ions doses from 10 to 70 mg/dm3. And with aluminum doses less than 30 mg/dm3, there is even inhibition of the settling process. Like in the case of sodium silicate silicate treatment of magnesium containing solutions, the precipitation of calcium silicate strongly depends on the pH level. High efficiency of process is observed only in a highly alkaline environment. Under other conditions, the softening efficiency is significantly reduced. With an excess or lack of a precipitant, more compact particles are formed. The settling process for such particles occur more faster. At the same time, for a stoichiometric or near ratio between the components, particles of the branched structure are formed. Such particles settle twice slowly and occupy a larger imaginary volume. With a stoichiometric ratio of components, the speed is significantly slowed down, and when K = [SiO32-, mg-eq]/[Ca2+, mg-eq] ≥ 1,0 all filter pores are blocked during the first 10 min and liquid phase transportation stops. Reducing the initial water hardness to 20 mg-eq/dm3 does not significantly change the situation. Clarification of the suspension occurs partially. A significant amount of suspended particles remains in the mother solution. The flocculating ability of silicon compounds does not appeared under these conditions. When the content of calcium ions is reduced to 10,2 mg-eq/dm3, treatment with an equivalent amount of sodium silicate does not lead to a solid phase formation. Although after filtering through the "blue tape" filter the water hardness decreases. At the same time, the filtration properties of the solid phase formed during the softening process are the same as the filtration properties of carbonates, phosphates and hydroxides, so the reagent cannot be recommended for use in low- and medium-productivity systems, where the filtration is a main phase separation process.