Larger Pore Diameter Research Articles

Expanded Graphite as a Superior Anion Host Carrying High Output Voltage (4.62 V) and High Energy Density for Lithium Dual-Ion Batteries

The demand for safer, sustainable, and economical energy storage devices has motivated the development of lithium dual-ion batteries (Li_DIBs) for large-scale storage applications. For the Li_DIBs, expanded graphite (EG) cathodes are valuable as anion intercalation host frameworks to fabricate safer and more cost-effective devices. In this study, three different carbon cathode materials, including microwave-treated expanded graphite (MW-EG), ball-milled expanded graphite (BM-EG), and high-temperature-carbonized carbon nanoflakes (CNFs), were developed by different synthesis methods. Li_DIBs were configured by employing 4 M of LiPF6 in a dimethyl carbonate electrolyte and MW-EG/BM-EG/CNF as an anion host cathode. After 600 cycles, a Li-MW-EG Li_DIB exhibited a reversible capacity of 66.1 mAh/g with a high Coulombic efficiency of 96.2% at a current rate of 0.05 A/g and an outstanding average energy density of 298.97 Wh/kg (with an output voltage of 4.62 V). The remarkable electrochemical results are associated with (i) moderate structural defects with a very low ID/IG ratio (0.848), (ii) degree of graphitization, which improves the mechanical stability and conductivity, and (iii) large pore volume and pore diameter, easy facilitating the accumulation of PF6− ions. The energy density characteristics demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing MW-EG as a promising cathode for energy-related Li_DIB applications.

The pinning characteristics of droplets and the self-repair mechanism of lubricating film on nanoporous surface: A molecular dynamics perspective

The nanoscale pore gives rich dynamic information to the flow behavior of the droplets exuded on the SLIPS (Smooth Liquid-Infused Porous Surface). The key to realizing fast self-healing of lubricating film is to understand the dynamic law of droplets at nano-orifice. In this paper, a dynamics model of the exudation and spreading behavior is established by the non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. The characteristics and the mechanism of pinning and spreading of nano-droplets were studied. We found that adjusting the wettability and pore diameter can change the liquid exudation and the pinning time of droplets at the orifice. The weaker wettability and larger pore diameter both can increase the exudation velocity and reduce the pinning time of the droplets, which then improves the spreading of exuded droplets and the self-repairing efficiency of the damaged liquid film. As the pore diameter increases, the spreading area of the droplets on the surface of the pore increases. The increase in the wettability also facilitates the spreading behavior, but the outflow rate of the liquid from the pore decreases. Under the combined effect of the two factors, the spreading area of droplets first increases and then decreases with the wettability increases. The results provide potential insights into the spreading mechanism of nanodroplets on porous surfaces.

Low temperature physical activation of raw charcoal for excellent dye adsorption kinetics

The current work illustrates the physical activation of raw charcoal to produce activated carbon (AC) at low temperatures (300 and 500 °C). Prepared ACs are tested for Methylene blue (MB) adsorption experiments at various adsorption conditions (e.g., pH, temperature) and discussed efficiency, kinetics, isotherm models, and adsorption mechanism to determine the optimal adsorption conditions for the removal of MB dye. The results show that the prepared ACs (AC1, AC2 at 300 and 500 °C) efficiently absorb MB and obtain removal efficiency of ∼100 and 83% in 1 h, respectively. When the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order adsorption kinematic models are used to test the adsorption data, the result fits the pseudo-first-order model better. The Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms are employed to model the isotherm data to get the maximum adsorption capacity (MAC). The MAC for AC1 and AC2 is found to be 39.14 and 40.98 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, MB adsorption has been analyzed using the Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm models, along with the inter-particle diffusion model. The Dubinin–Radushkevich model suggests that MB adsorption is a physical absorption process. The Temkin model showed that the Temkin constant (B) values are positive indicating that the adsorption is exothermic. The inter-particle diffusion model revealed that AC2 displays greater adsorption kinetics consistency due to its larger pore diameter. The results reveal that the Langmuir model captured the data better, demonstrating that monolayer adsorption dominated the absorption process. Additionally, prepared ACs are examined for reuse, and exhibit three cycles of recyclability. As a result, ACs made from oak wood charcoal are an easy affordable way to get rid of MB dye.

Mesoporous Silica Administration as a New Strategy in the Management of Warfarin Toxicity; In Vitro and In Vivo Study

Purpose: Warfarin is one of the most widely used anticoagulants that function by inhibiting vitamin K epoxide reductase. Warfarin overdose, whether intentional or unintentional, can cause life-threatening bleeding. Here, we present a novel warfarin adsorbent based on mesoporous silica that can act as an antidote to warfarin toxicity. Method: Amino-functionalized mesoporous silica (MS-NH2) was synthesized based on co-condensation method through a soft template technique followed by template removal. The prepared structure and functional group were studied by FT-IR, XRD. The morphology was checked by SEM and TEM. The capacity of MS-NH2 in the adsorption of warfarin was evaluated in vitro, at pH=7.4 and pH=1.2. In vivo evaluation was performed in control and warfarin-overdosed animal models. Overdosed animals were treated with MS-NH2 by oral gavage. Biomarkers of organ injury were assessed in animal serum. Results: The MS-NH2 were relatively uniform, spherical with defined diameters (400 nm) and homogeneous structure. synthesized particles had a large surface area (1015 m2 g-1) and mean pore diameter 2.4 nm which leaded considerable adsorption capacity for warfarin 1666 mg/g. In vivo studies revealed that oral administration of MS-NH2 in mice poisoned with warfarin caused a significant difference (p < 0.05) on International Normalized Ratio (INR) and prothrombin time (PT). Moreover, the warfarin with MS-NH2 group demonstrated a notable decrease in biomarkers associated with tissue damage, such as bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Conclusion: The results confirm that MS-NH2 administration can be an effective treatment for warfarin toxicity and could potentially mitigate the adverse effects of warfarin poisoning.

A general modeling framework for FO spiral-wound membrane and its fouling impact on FO-RO desalination system

Modeling fouling in forward osmosis (FO) spiral-wound membrane (SWM) is challenging due to the time-dependent nature of fouling and the complex flow patterns induced by baffle. This necessitates the development of a general modeling framework for FO SWM module that prioritizes both accuracy and ease of implementation. This framework was validated against FO SWM experiment data from previous work, demonstrating a reasonable agreement with a maximum error of 13.1 % in FO permeate flux. This validated model was used to study the impact of fouling on feed recovery, a critical factor influencing specific energy consumption (SEC) in FO-RO desalination systems. While improved operating conditions and membrane parameters (A, Ss and Cf) initially lead to increased water flux, this effect was significantly counteracted by accelerated fouling. Consequently, performance improvements in terms of flux and SEC remained minimal (<1 %) under severe fouling conditions. The results show that for foulant cake with larger pore diameter (>10 nm), the contribution of mechanical resistance is insignificant compared to osmotic resistance. However, the contribution of mechanical resistance becomes important for foulant cakes with pore diameter smaller than 10 nm. This paper shows that modeling have evolved to a stage that they can be used to understand membrane fouling phenomena at the SWM module scale.

Cationic-Modified diatomite as a novel carrier Material for enhanced Microbial-Induced carbonate precipitation in soil reinforcement

To address the low loading efficiency of mineralizing bacteria on conventional bio-carriers, a novel microbial carrier (SMD) was developed by cationically modifying diatomite with amino-modifying agents. The modification degree and surface potential of SMD were assessed using FT-IR and Zeta potential analysis, while thermogravimetric analysis and SEM evaluated the immobilization of mineralizing bacteria. The results indicated that SMD successfully grafted abundant –NH2 groups and, due to their protonation characteristics, carried a positive charge in solutions with a pH below 8.26. A significant amount of negatively charged Sporosarcina pasteurii (S.p) was firmly adsorbed onto the surface of SMD through Coulombic interactions. Compared to the unmodified carrier, the calcium carbonate content generated on the SMD surface after microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) treatment increased from 12.6% to 23.7%. Furthermore, soil reinforcement experiments demonstrated that this innovative bio-carrier significantly enhanced the repair efficiency of large-diameter pores in the soil, outperforming traditional MICP treatments.

Properties of biocoal briquettes from mesoporous coals and rice husk and their effects on environmental pollution

This work assessed some properties and effects of biocoal briquettes on environmental pollution compared with utilising coal alone. A mixture of coal fines and rice husks was prepared, with cassava starch gel as a binder, before compaction in a briquetting machine and drying with a solar dryer. Samples of the coal fines, rice husk, cassava flour and briquettes were analysed for their elemental and oxide concentrations via an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analyser. The heat fuels were analysed for their thermal behaviour via thermogravimetric analyser (TGA), whereas the specific surface area, pore size and pore volume were determined using a Brunner–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyser. The conversion of the tested coals to biocoal briquettes resulted in a reduction in the level of arsenic in the briquettes. Additionally, the sulphur level decreased from 1.96 to 1.11% in the Okobo-Enjema briquettes and from 1.78 to 0.90% in the Onyeama briquettes. However, the levels of manganese increased from 0.04 to 0.22% in the Okobo-Enjema briquettes and from 0.04 to 0.21% in the Onyeama briquettes. Thermogravimetric analysis at different heating rates revealed that derivative weight loss increased with increasing heating rate, from 4.4% at 10 °C/min to 5.5% at 20 °C/min. BET analysis revealed that the briquettes had larger pore diameters, volumes and specific surface areas than did the coal samples. The coal samples have greater propensity to pollute the environment as the amount of potentially hazardous elements in the samples is greater than in their biocoal briquettes.

TiO2 nanoparticles synthesized on graphene nanosheets with varied crystallinity for photocatalytic degradation of MB dye

The incorporation of graphene into titania enhances photocatalytic activity, although the role of graphene remains debated. This study reconciles conflicting explanations in the literature and elucidates the improved photocatalytic behavior of titania nanoparticles supported on graphene sheets with varied crystallinity for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye. Specifically, crystalline graphene (ExG) and near-amorphous graphene (rGO, Ex-rGO), derived through physical and chemical methods, respectively, were employed as templates during the synthesis of titania (TiO2) nanoparticles. The rGO and Ex-rGO exhibited fewer graphene layers (∼3) than ExG (∼47 layers). The resulting TiO2/Ex-rGO and TiO2/rGO nanocomposites demonstrated significantly higher MB dye degradation (92.1 % and 79.2 %) than the unmodified TiO2 (60.5 %) and TiO2/ExG (70.7 %) after 2 hours of UV exposure. This study identified alterations in the mesoporous network of titania upon the incorporation of graphene, characterized by widely open pores in TiO2/rGO and TiO2/Ex-rGO with large average pore diameters of 12.99 nm and 13.78 nm, respectively, compared to the nearly blocked pores with a narrow diameter of 7.89 nm in reference TiO2. The enhanced photocatalytic activity in graphene-templated titania was attributed to rapid intra-porous molecular diffusion, a previously unreported factor. Additionally, nearly-amorphous rGO was identified as a superior template over ExG due to crystalline/amorphous heterojunctions in TiO2/rGO and TiO2/Ex-rGO, leading to reduced electron-hole recombination. Finally, a proposed computational approach estimated ‘accessible’ porosity, and Knudsen diffusion coefficients for the synthesized photocatalysts (reference-TiO2: TiO2/ExG: TiO2/rGO: TiO2/Ex-rGO as 1.05: 1: 1.48: 1.72), justifying the observed trends in MB dye degradation.

Glycerol dry reforming over Ni supported on fibrous ZSM5 and ZY: Correlation of structural properties on H2 production

This study investigates fibrous ZSM5 (FZSM5) and Zeolite Y (FZY) as supports for producing hydrogen via glycerol dry reforming. The fibrous ZSM5 and ZY were synthesized hydrothermally with microemulsion and impregnated with 10 wt% Ni via a sonication method. The catalytic test was conducted via a vertical stainless steel fixed-bed rig, at 800°C with a glycerol/CO2 ratio of 1. XRD and N2 sorption revealed the reduced surface area and crystallinity in Ni/FZSM5 compared to Ni/FZY. Ni/FZY catalyst displayed a larger surface area (264 m2/g) and aperture width (6.70 nm) in comparison to Ni/FZSM5, which had a surface area of 238 m2/g and an aperture width of 3.90 nm. Ni/FZY also had a smaller NiO crystallite size (8.73 nm) than Ni/FZSM5 (9.79 nm), suggesting well-dispersed Ni species on the wrinkle fiber of FZY’s surface. Ni/FZY outperformed Ni/FZSM5 with 52.49 % glycerol conversion, 44.87 % H2 yield, 71.31 % CO yield, and only 14.4 % carbon formation, attributed to robust Ni-O-Si contact and larger pore diameter. The discovery highlights the catalytic efficiency of the Ni-loaded fibrous zeolite in GDR, offering versatility for application in energy storage and catalysis.

Influence of Thermal Treatment on the Chemical and Structural Properties of Geopolymer Gels Doped with Nd2O3 and Sm2O3.

In this research, the influence of the thermal treatment of geopolymer gels at 300 °C, 600 °C and 900 °C when incorporated with 5% rare earth elements (REEs) in the form of (GP-Sm) Sm2O3 and (GP-Nd) Nd2O3 was investigated. Changes in the chemical and structural properties of the geopolymer gels during thermal treatment for 1 h were monitored. Physico-chemical characterization was performed using the following methods: diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Besides the characterization of the fundamental properties, some practical macroscopic properties were analyzed as well: sorptivity, open porosity, and Archimedean density. The stretching vibrations of Nd-O-Si and Sm-O-Si were confirmed at a value of around 680 cm-1and an Nd-O-Si absorption band at a higher value, together with the most dominant band of Si-O stretching vibration similar for all the samples. No significant chemical changes occurred. Structural analysis showed that for GP-Nd, the largest pore diameter was obtained at 900 °C, while for GP-Sm, the largest pore diameter was obtained at 600 °C. EDS confirmed the amount of dopant to be about 5%. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that for GP-Nd, the ratio of Si and Al changed the most, while for GP-Sm, the ratio of Si and Al decreased with increasing temperature. The contributions of both dopants in the GP-gel structure remained almost unchanged and stable at high temperatures. The atomic percentages obtained by XPS analysis were in accordance with the expected trend; the amount of Si increased with the temperature, while the amount of Al decreased with increasing temperature. The sorptivity and open porosity showed the highest values at 600 °C, while the density of both geopolymers decreased linearly with increasing temperature.

Utilizing silica fume and synthetically produced mesoporous silicas for simulated flue gas CO2 adsorption

ABSTRACT Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is crucial in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Solid adsorbents, notable for their reusability and corrosion resistance, are gaining attention in CO2 gas separation. This study uses Silica fume as an adsorbent and silica source for SiO2 and MCM-41 silica-based adsorbents. Silica was extracted via an alkaline dissolution method, and adsorbents were synthesized using a CO2-induced precipitation method, chosen for its shorter synthesis time and CO2 utilization. The effects of pore volume, average pore diameter, and specific surface area on amine loading and CO2 adsorption capacity were investigated using CTAB surfactant in SiO2 synthesis, resulting in MCM-41. The synthesized adsorbents were modified with TEPA and DEA amines due to their high affinity for CO2. After determining optimal amine loading, the impact of combining TEPA with DEA was examined. The highest CO2 adsorption capacity under simulated flue gas conditions (15% volume CO2 and 85% volume N2) was 198 milligrams per gram of adsorbent for the SiO2 adsorbent functionalized with 50% by weight amine (28% TEPA and 22% DEA). Variations in CO2 adsorption over time, the influence of adsorbent quantity on adsorption capacity, the affinity of the adsorbent for N2 adsorption, and the adsorption–desorption cycle were investigated. The 28%TEPA-22%DEA-SiO2 adsorbent emerged as the optimal choice due to its large total volume and average pore diameter, absence of a template in its structure, excellent performance in CO2 adsorption, lack of affinity for N2, and robust adsorption–desorption stability.

Influence of shale reservoir properties on shale oil mobility and its mechanism

Given the tremendous potential for continental shale oil in China, many oilfields in the central and eastern parts of the country are involved in the exploration and development of shale oil resources. Besides engineering factors, shale oil mobility is the key to determining its commercial viability. This study explores the Hetaoyuan Formation in the Biyang Depression as an example to determine the influence of reservoir properties on the movable oil volume and its mechanisms. Multiple techniques were used, including displacement nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), low-temperature nitrogen adsorption (LTNA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) bulk mineral analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the results suggest that large average pore diameter, high throat to pore ratio, single pore morphology, and small specific surface area can weaken the boundary layer effect and reduce the amount of adsorbed oil. Our observations reveal that compared to the dissolution pores and intergranular pores in brittle minerals, the intercrystalline pores in terrigenous clastic clay minerals are more affected by compaction. Furthermore, authigenic clay minerals notably block the intergranular pores in the interbedded sandstones. Clay minerals are identified as the main contributor to the specific surface area, with high clay mineral content enhancing the pore heterogeneity of the reservoir. Thus, positive shale oil mobility occurs in shale with a weak boundary layer effect, which is attributed to the high brittle mineral content, large average pore diameter, small specific surface area, single pore morphology, and reservoir homogeneity.

Pressure propagation mechanism of open-cell aluminium foam within a pipe under hypervelocity impact

Low-density open-cell aluminium (Al) foam exhibits a different deformation mode under hypervelocity impacts compared to being subjected to medium-low speed and quasi-static compression. In this case, material flows between cells in the form of metal jets and propagates forward. This paper establishes the open-cell Al foam model based on Voronoi tessellation. Using numerical methods, one-dimensional hypervelocity constant velocity impact experiments of 1–6 km/s inside a closed pipe are conducted on Al foam with different internal structure parameters (average cell diameter: 2–3.5 mm; ligament width: 0.251–1 mm). Propagation mechanism of pressure waves in foams and the key factors affecting the propagation velocity are investigated. Three zones are divided according to the condition of jet distribution along the impact direction: unaffected zone, jet influence zone, and particle accumulation zone. The variation of the length of different zones with impact velocity is discussed: higher velocities result in longer jet influence zones but shorter particle accumulation zones. Meanwhile, length of zones is closely related to the width of Al foam ligament and cell pore diameter: the larger the diameter of cell pores and the smaller the width of ligaments, the longer the length of the jet influence zone. Time dependence is exhibited in the length of jet influence zone for the large cell pore diameter specimens(≥0.03 cm). Particle pressures are extracted using the one-dimensional averaging method, which propagates forward significantly lower than in dense materials. Dominant factors affecting the pressure wave propagation of open-cell Al foam, i.e., the internal unloading space, are obtained by combining two-dimensional hypervelocity impact simulation experiments with different boundary conditions. A strong correlation between metal jet distribution and particle pressure propagation is observed.

Cu-BTC Derived Mesoporous CuS Nanomaterial as Nanozyme for Colorimetric Detection of Glutathione.

In this paper, Cu-BTC derived mesoporous CuS nanomaterial (m-CuS) was synthesized via a two-step process involving carbonization and sulfidation of Cu-BTC for colorimetric glutathione detection. The Cu-BTC was constructed by 1,3,5-benzenetri-carboxylic acid (H3BTC) and Cu2+ ions. The obtained m-CuS showed a large specific surface area (55.751 m2/g), pore volume (0.153 cm3/g), and pore diameter (15.380 nm). In addition, the synthesized m-CuS exhibited high peroxidase-like activity and could catalyze oxidation of the colorless substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine to a blue product. Peroxidase-like activity mechanism studies using terephthalic acid as a fluorescent probe proved that m-CuS assists H2O2 decomposition to reactive oxygen species, which are responsible for TMB oxidation. However, the catalytic activity of m-CuS for the oxidation of TMB by H2O2 could be potently inhibited in the presence of glutathione. Based on this phenomenon, the colorimetric detection of glutathione was demonstrated with good selectivity and high sensitivity. The linear range was 1-20 μM and 20-300 μM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The m-CuS showing good stability and robust peroxidase catalytic activity was applied for the detection of glutathione in human urine samples.

Effect of Recycled Fine Aggregates on the Mechanical and Drying Shrinkage Properties of Alkali-Activated Recycled Concrete.

In this paper, the workability, mechanical, ion leaching, and drying shrinkage properties of alkali-activated concrete with recycled coarse and fine aggregates were studied, and the pore structure and micro-morphology of different alkali-activated recycled aggregate concretes (AARACs) were characterized by using the mercury intrusion method and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The experimental results showed that with the increase in the replacement rate of the recycled fine aggregate (RFA), the flowability showed a decreasing trend. Adding a certain amount of RFA improves the mechanical properties of the AARAC. The compressive strength at a curing age of 28 days was 65.3 MPa with 70 wt% RFA replacement. When the replacement rate of the RFA was 100 wt%, the maximum splitting tensile strength (4.5 MPa) was obtained at a curing age of 7 days. However, the addition of the RFA had little effect on the flexural strength of the AARAC. As an extension of the curing age, the splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, tension-to-compression ratio, and flexure-to-compression ratio all showed an increasing trend at first and then a decreasing trend. At a curing age of 7 days, the tension-to-compression ratio and flexure-to-compression ratio were both high (except for those of R100), indicating that the ductility and toughness of the specimen were improved. The addition of the RFA increased the drying shrinkage of the AARAC. At a curing age of 120 days, compared to the specimen without the RFA, the drying shrinkage rate of the specimen with the addition of 70 wt% RFA increased by 34.15%. As the curing age increased, the microstructure of the reaction products became denser, but the proportion of large-diameter pores increased. This study evaluated the application of RFA in AARAC. The experimental results showed that the RFA-based AARAC had acceptable mechanical and durability properties.

Effects of coagulant bath temperature toward separation performance and antifouling properties of PVDF/CA membranes for filtration of dyes

Phase inversion is used to prepare poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) microfiltration membranes by combining it with the hydrophilic polymer additive cellulose acetate (CA). For the filtration of methylene blue (MB) and acid yellow 17 (AY17), the effects of coagulant bath temperature (CBT) on the separation performance and antifouling properties are thoroughly investigated. SEM analysis shows that the membrane at higher CBT has a larger pore diameter than at lower CBT, resulting in differences in membrane surface hydrophilicity. It is found that the increase in surface hydrophilicity causes the permeability of PVDF/CA membranes to be higher at higher CBT than at lower CBT. Rejection values above 90% indicate that the membranes are more effective for MB separation at both lower and higher CBT. Otherwise, lower CBT provides better AC rejection than higher CBT. The Flux Recovery Ratio, which is higher at higher CBT, remains in the 75–95% range at lower CBT. As a result, lower CBT is better for membrane fouling resistance than higher CBT. In addition, the fouling observed at lower CBT is similar to the fouling observed at higher CBT, but lower CBT has a higher percentage of reversible fouling than higher CBT. The membranes with more reversible fouling are therefore easier to clean using the backwashing process. As a result, PVDF/CA membranes manufactured at lower CBT have better separation performance and antifouling characteristics than those manufactured at higher CBT.

Unravelling the effects of surface modification pre-treatments on porous hastelloy X supports for H2 selective Pd-based membranes preparation with a statistical approach

Metal-based supports require specific pre-treatments to reach the surface quality needed for achieving thin Pd layers deposition without defects. Hastelloy X supports with high surface roughness and large pore diameter are acquired and pre-treated via polishing and chemical etching. They are then asymmetrically filled with α-Al2O3 of decreasing particle size (18 μm, 5 μm and 1.5 μm) and equipped with a γ-Al2O3 interdiffusion barrier. Each pre-treatment step is thoroughly characterized and elucidated with ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) as statistical tool, introducing a hybrid observational-statistical approach to infer on a population of membrane supports.The analysis allowed to set average surface roughness (Ra) < 0.8 μm, average profile height (Rz) < 7 μm, in-pore leveling (Δ) < 6 μm, as targets for support pre-treatments reproducibility. The target average pore diameter after asymmetric filling was identified as 100–500 nm, while the target average pore diameter after interdiffusion barrier deposition was below 100 nm. The most effective particle size for in-pore leveling was identified as ≤ 5 μm, and the most effective particle size for average pore diameter reduction as 18 μm.

Morin loaded mesoporous molecular sieves as novel devices to the potential treatment of tumor pathologies.

Morin is an antioxidant and anticancer flavonoid, extracted from natural sources, that may exert beneficial effects for several pathologies. Despite this, the administration of morin represents a challenge due to its low aqueous solubility. Mesoporous silica materials have emerged as biocompatible tools for drug delivery, as their pore size can be modulated for maximum surface area to volume ratio. In this contribution, we evaluate the ability of iron-modified mesoporous materials, for morin loading and controlled delivery. The SBA-15 and MCM-41 sieves were synthesized and modified with iron (metal content 4.02 and 6.27 % wt, respectivily). Characterization by transmission electron microscopy, XRD and UV-Vis revealed adequate pore size and agglomerates of very small metallic nanospecies (nanoclusters), without larger iron oxide nanoparticles. FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of silanol groups in the solid hosts, which can interact with different groups present in morin molecules. SBA-15 materials were more efficient in terms of morin loading capacity (LC) due to their larger pore diameter. LC was more than 35% for SBA-15 materials when adsorptions studies were carried out with 9mg of drug. Antioxidant activity were assayed by using DPPH test. Free iron materials presented a significate improvement as antioxidants after morin incorporation, reaching a scavenging activity of almost a 90%. On the other hand, in iron modified mesoporous materials, the presence of morin did not affect the scavenging activity. The results could be related with the formation of a complex between the flavonoid and the iron. Finally, biosafety studies using normal epithelial cells revealed that neither the loaded nor the unloaded materials exerted toxicity, even at doses of 1mg/ml. These findings expand knowledge about mesoporous materials as suitable carriers of flavonoids with the aim of improving therapies for a wide range of pathologies.

Au nanostructures with controllable morphology in porous anodic aluminum oxide templates

We report the controllable fabrication of Au nanostructures with different morphology inside the nanochannels of the Al-surrounded porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. It has been found that the morphology of the Au nanostructures is influenced by the pore diameter of the AAO templates and the bottom Au layer sputtering on the surface of the AAO templates. Au nanowires are formed in the AAO templates with smaller pore diameters (40–60 nm), and rice spike-like Au nanostructures are formed in the AAO templates with larger pore diameters (∼130 nm). When the AAO templates with bottom Au layer were used, almost all of the nanochannels were filled with Au nanostructures. As the AAO templates without bottom Au layer were employed, longer Au nanostructures are formed inside some nanochannels near the Al-AAO boundary.

Evaluation of Preparation, Characterisation and Release Properties of Thymol-Containing Gelatin-Based Hydrogels for Varroosis Control

The aim of this study was to investigate the swelling/degradation behaviour of controlled-release system using gelatin, thymol loading capacity, characterisation, morphology and thymol release level in terms of the recommended therapeutic dose for varroosis control. In this context, a series of hydrogels were first produced using glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinker and swelling tests were performed. Thymol loading was performed on the appropriate hydrogels with swelling values between 269% and 431%. Thymol loading efficiency was determined between 20.07% and 29.80%. The chemical structures of the hydrogels with and without thymol loading were compared by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and it was determined that thymol was loaded into the structure. The morphological structures of thymol loaded and unloaded hydrogels were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was observed that the non-thymol loaded hydrogel had larger diameter pores than the thymol loaded hydrogel. A model release environment and measurement system were developed to predict the release type, level and duration of the controlled release system in the hive air environment. In this model release environment, release tests were carried out for four weeks using different thymol application systems and the measurements were compared. As a result, it was determined that the controlled thymol release system developed for the control of varroosis infestation exhibited a more stable release compared to existing application systems.