Morphology Behavior Research Articles

Morphological, Thermal, and Mechanical Assessment of Polypropylene and Ammonium Phosphate Composites Enhanced with Lignosulfonate and Zirconium.

Polypropylene and ammonium phosphate (AP) composites were synthesized at a 25 wt% concentration. The changes in the morphological, thermal, and physical behavior of the composites were analyzed with the addition of lignosulfonate (LG) and zirconium phosphate (ZrP). Additionally, metallic zirconium was deposited onto lignosulfonate using the magnetron sputtering technique to develop polypropylene and zirconium-modified lignosulfonate (LGMod) composites. Thus, composites of PP/25AP, PP/25AP/8LG/5ZrP, and PP/25AP/8LGMod were synthesized. The synthesis involved mixing the materials in a Hake mixer, followed by compression molding. The composites were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with combustion parameters, a vertical burn test (UL-94), a thermal camera, and mechanical properties. All composites achieved a V2 rating according to UL-94 standards. The PP/25AP extinguishes flames more quickly compared to other materials, approximately 99.2% faster than PP and showed the lowest temperature variation and mass loss after burning. The PP/25AP/8LG/5ZrP composite exhibited a 7% higher rigidity and 84.5% better flame retardancy compared to pure PP. Additionally, substituting ZrP with LGMod led to a lower environmental impact and improved thermal properties, despite some mechanical disadvantages.

Novel High-Strength and High-Temperature Resistant Composite Material for In-Space Optical Mining Applications: Modeling, Design, and Simulation at the Polymer and Atomic/Molecular Levels.

This study explores the modeling, design, simulation, and testing of a new composite material designed for high-strength and high-temperature resistance in in-space optical mining, examining its properties at both the polymer and atomic/molecular levels. At the polymer level, the investigation includes mechanical and thermal performance analyses using COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1, employing layerwise theory, equivalent single layer (ESL) theory, and a multiple-model approach for mechanical modeling, alongside virtual thermal experiments simulating laser heating. Experimentally, porous Polyaniline (PANI) films are fabricated via electrochemical polymerization, with variations in voltage and deposition time, to study their morphology, optical performance, and electrochemical behavior. At the atomic and molecular levels, this study involves modeling the composite material, composed of Nomex, Kevlar, and Spirooxazine-Doped PANI, and simulating its behavior. The significance of this work lies in developing a novel composite material for in-space optical mining, integrating it into optical mining systems, and introducing innovative thermal management solutions, which contribute to future space exploration by improving resource efficiency and sustainability, while also enhancing the understanding of PANI film properties for in-space applications.

Deuterium plasma induced preferential erosion in ultra-high temperature ceramics TiB2 and ZrB2*

Abstract Steady-state deuterium plasma exposures were performed on ultra-high temperature ceramics titanium diboride (TiB2) and zirconium diboride (ZrB2) using the PISCES-RF linear plasma device (LPD) as early screening for first wall, plasma-facing applications. Deuterium plasma exposures were performed using 40 eV ion energies at 240, 525, and 800 °C sample temperatures and 90 eV ion energies at 240 °C sample temperatures to analyze TiB2 and ZrB2 surface morphology and chemistry evolution behavior. Post-plasma exposure chemistry characterization of the near surface ( < 50 nm) region of the samples all show transition metal enrichment, indicating boron preferential erosion. Transition metal to boron fractions vary with plasma exposure temperature under the 40 eV ion energy; metal enrichment is maximized at 800 °C and then minimized at 525 °C. SEM micrographs of all plasma exposed sample surfaces show no significant or noticeable plasma induced damage from cracking or blistering.

Cu-Zn layered double hydroxides as high-performance electrode for supercapacitor applications

Supercapacitors have evoked considerable attention nowadays under the realm of energy storage devices due to some of their intriguing properties such as long cycling stability, high power density, and low cost. Layered double hydroxides, known for their unusual structural and electrochemical properties, have gained prominence among electrode materials due to their high specific capacitance and exceptional cycle stability. This study investigates the viability of Cu-Zn layered double hydroxides (LDH) as electrode material for supercapacitor applications. Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) present in the LDH framework create synergistic effects that increase the material's electrochemical properties. The current study investigates the morphology and electrochemical behaviour of Cu-Zn LDH, emphasizing their suitability as supercapacitor electrodes. Furthermore, various characterization techniques such as XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM, and XPS were employed to uncover the material's inherent properties. A specific capacitance of 265 F/g was obtained at a current density of 1 mA/cm2 in the three-electrode configuration. Further, an asymmetric device furnished a specific capacitance of 51 F/g with an energy density of 7.14 Wh/kg and a power density of 121.94 W/kg. Additionally, the material maintains 75 % of its original capacitance after 1000 cycles, demonstrating its exceptional stability. The obtained electrochemical parameters for the as-synthesized material demonstrate its feasibility as an energy storage device.

Effect of AlCrCuFeNi high entropy alloy reinforcements with and without B4C on powder characteristic, mechanical and wear properties of AA5083 metal-metal composites

This study presents a novel approach to enhancing the properties of the AA5083 alloy by incorporating a high entropy alloy (HEA), specifically AlCrCuFeNi, through mechanical alloying. The Al/HEA composites were thoroughly characterized in terms of powder morphology, microstructure, fracture and wear surface morphology, phase composition, and oxidation behavior using XRD, SEM-EDS, and TGA. The impact of HEA, both with and without B4C reinforcement, on the hardness, density, tensile strength, and wear properties of the AA5083 matrix composites was comprehensively evaluated. The findings revealed that the AA5083 alloy exhibited a baseline hardness of 74.7 HB and a tensile strength of 174.1 MPa. However, with the addition of HEA + B4C, these properties were markedly enhanced, with the hardness increasing to 150.1 HB (a 100 % increase) and tensile strength to 247.1 MPa (a 50 % increase). Furthermore, the wear resistance of the composite experienced a substantial improvement, with a nearly six-fold increase due to the HEA + B4C reinforcement.

The energy synergistic mechanism of coaxial heterogeneous-wavelength hybrid laser beam and its effect on welding molten pool dynamics for aluminum alloy

The coaxial heterogeneous-wavelength hybrid laser beam (HW-HLB) heat source featuring a “Gauss + Flat top” energy distribution, which integrates the 1080 nm and 915 nm laser beam, was employed in this paper to achieve excellent stability in the welding of aluminum alloy. The interaction mechanism between aluminum alloy and laser beams with different wavelengths was taken as a point cut to explore the synergistic enhancement mechanism of coaxial HW-HLB . A thermal-fluid coupling model for HW-HLB welding, considering the synergistic effect of dual lasers, was established according to the welding experiment results. The influence of fiber laser power (PF) and diode laser power (PD) on the molten pool flow behavior during welding process was investigated. The dynamic of the molten pool and the maintenance mechanism of the keyhole were elucidated through in-situ monitoring experiments and thermal-flow simulations. The results indicated that, in contrast to the single fiber laser beam (FLB), the power density of HW-HLB presents a significant increase, which results in the “avalanche-like” augmentation of the plasma plume, as well as deeper depth of the keyhole. The energy synergistic enhancement effect of coaxial HW-HLB with PF=2800 W and PD=2500 W performs stronger and thorough changes in the morphology and flow behavior of the molten pool. The introduction of 915 nm laser beam improves the multi-reflection behavior in the inner keyhole. The findings of our research provide a theoretical framework for improving the stability of the laser weld molten pool and the quality of welds in aluminum alloys through the implementation of HW-HLB.

Synergic Effects of Ordered Mesoporous Bifunctional Ionic Liquid: A Recyclable Catalyst to Access Chemoselective N-Protected Indoline-2,3-dione Analogous

SBA-15 and organic ionic liquid were incorporated in a post-grafting technique for generating a bifunctional ionic liquid embedded mesoporous SBA-15. The prepared heterogeneous catalyst was employed for the first time to synthesize N-alkylated indoline-2,3-dione at mild conditions to afford excellent yields in a short reaction time. The synthesized DABCOIL@SBA-15 catalyst was meticulously characterized by various techniques, such as FT-IR, solid-state 13C NMR, solid-state 29Si NMR, small-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), and N2 adsorption–desorption. Further, the morphological behavior of the catalyst was studied by SEM and TEM. The thermal stability and number of active sites were determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Hammett equation was used to analyze the synergetic effect of the catalyst and substituent effects on the N-alkylated products of 5-substituted isatin derivatives, which resulted in a negative slope. This negative slope indicates a positive charge in the transition state. Notably, the DABCOIL@SBA-15 catalyst demonstrated its practicality by being reused for seven cycles with consistently high catalytic activity.

Synthesis, optimization, electrochemical and electrochromic properties of Zr-doped NiO films by chemical spray pyrolysis

Zirconium (Zr)-doped NiO films with different contents were successfully synthesized via the chemical spray pyrolysis technique. The structure, morphology, optical and electrochemical behaviors of these films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), UV–Vis-NIR spectrophotometry, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and chronoamperometry (CA). XRD results suggested that the synthesized samples have the cubic crystal structure and a preferred orientation along the plane (111). Raman spectra further confirmed the successful incorporation of zirconium ions into the NiO films. SEM images explained that the surfaces of the doped films were composed of uniform and dense nanoparticles. EDS analysis suggested that Zr, Ni and O elements were uniformly distributed on the films. The optical results showed that the band gap decreases from 3.53 eV to 3.47 eV as the increase of zirconium doping content. The electrochemical analysis suggested that zirconium doping improved the specific capacitance of the NiO films (the NiO film with the Zr amount of 7 %, 59 F/g at 6 mV/s). In addition, the NiO film with 5 % Zr doped amount exhibited the largest ΔOD (81 %), the largest CE (60.37 cm2/C), and the fastest coloring time (tc =2.1 s) and bleaching time (tb = 2.4 s). These results showed that this film had the excellent electrochromic properties, suggesting that the optimal Zr doped amount of NiO films is 5 %. As a novel kind of electrochromic material, the Zr-doped NiO film has broad application prospects in smart windows, green buildings and energy efficient utilization fields.

C60 Functionalized Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube‐based Phototransistor for Efficient Detection of Visible Light Under Appropriate Gate Electrostatics

AbstractThe current study concerns highly reliable visible light sensing by C60 fullerene functionalized single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based phototransistor. The absorbance of visible light (532 nm) increases significantly due to the formation of an interlink between the SWCNT network and C60 clusters. Photogenerated excess electrons in SWCNT are trapped by the C60 clusters and increase the effective hole concentrations in the SWCNT channel, which eventually improves the photoconductive gain. C60‐SWCNT channel is further integrated into the back gated field effect transistor (FET) structure in which 90 nm SiO2 dielectric thickness is used. The responsivity toward visible light is further enlarged with appropriate negative gate electrostatic. In order to ensure the morphological and structural behavior of C60‐SWCNT, various microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations are performed. The C60‐SWCNT phototransistor exhibits responsivity of 1.219 A W−1 at Vgs = – 21 V. The detectivity and rise/fall time of C60‐SWCNT came around to be 2.34 × 1010 Jones, 86.42 ms/3.35 ms at the same Vgs. The maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the C60‐SWCNT phototransistor is very high, ≈274%. In the overall study, a comprehensive discussion is introduced on the effect of variable gate potential on the performance of the C60‐SWCNT phototransistor.

Impact of Different π-Bridges on the Photovoltaic Performance of A-D-D'-D-A Small Molecule-Based Donors.

Three small donor molecule materials (S1, S2, S3) based on dithiophene [2,3-d:2',3'-d']dithiophene [1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (DTBDT) utilized in this study were synthesized using the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction, traditional Stille coupling, and Knoevenagel condensation. Then, a variety of characterization methods were applied to study the differences in optical properties and photovoltaic devices among the three. By synthesizing S2 using a thiophene π-bridge based on S1, the blue shift in ultraviolet absorption can be enhanced, the band gap and energy level can be reduced, the open circuit voltage (VOC) can be increased to 0.75 V using the S2:Y6 device, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3% can be achieved. Also, after developing the device using Y6, S3 introduced the alkyl chain of thiophene π-bridge to S2, which improved the solubility of tiny donor molecules, achieved the maximum short-circuit current (JSC = 10.59 mA/cm2), filling factor (FF = 49.72%), and PCE (4.25%). Thus, a viable option for future design and synthesis of small donor molecule materials is to incorporate thiophene π-bridges into these materials, along with alkyl chains, in order to enhance the device's morphology and charge transfer behavior.

Smooth Muscle Tumor of Uncertain Malignant Potential (STUMP): A Systematic Review of the Literature in the Last 20 Years.

Smooth Muscle Tumor of Uncertain Malignant Potential (STUMP) is a rare uterine tumor primarily affecting perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, typically aged between 45 and 55 years. Characterized by ambiguous histological features, STUMPs present diagnostic challenges as they cannot be definitively classified as benign or malignant based on morphology alone. This systematic review aims to elucidate the clinical, pathological, immunohistochemical, and treatment-related characteristics of STUMPs through an analysis of the literature from the past 20 years. The study follows PRISMA guidelines, utilizing comprehensive searches of PubMed and Scopus databases, yielding 32 studies that meet the inclusion criteria. From the analysis of these studies, it was revealed that the clinical presentations vary from common symptoms such as abnormal uterine bleeding and pelvic pain to incidental detection of uterine mass. Histologically, STUMPs demonstrate features overlapping with both leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas, including mild nuclear atypia, low mitotic indices, and focal necrosis. Immunohistochemical markers such as p16 and p53 have been investigated for prognostic significance. Elevated p16 expression, often associated with aggressive behavior, was observed in a subset of STUMPs. Surgical management, typically involving hysterectomy or tumorectomy, is the primary treatment, though the extent of resection is variable. Adjuvant therapies are not routinely recommended, but long-term surveillance is advised, especially for high-risk patients. Recurrence rates for STUMPs are approximately 12%, with factors such as high mitotic counts and coagulative necrosis indicating higher risk. This review highlights the complexity of STUMP diagnosis and management, emphasizing the need for more precise diagnostic criteria and individualized treatment strategies. Understanding the morphological, immunohistochemical, and clinical behavior of STUMPs can improve patient outcomes and guide future research in this diagnostically challenging area.

Characterization of hybrid silicate materials based on ceramic glazes and waste London underground dust

In “London Underground” stations, a high concentration of dust particles containing organic and inorganic matter of varying chemical composition. “London underground dust” is created from train wheels and brakes grinding against steel tracks and collected in filtration systems. The experiment will focus on using “London Underground Dust” to colour the ceramic facing tiles intended for re-use in newly built London Underground stations. The phase composition, particle size distribution surface area, morphology, and thermal behavior of collected dust were studied by XRD, XRF, SEM-EDS, BET, heating microscopy, STA-MS, UV–VIS spectroscopy. The substrate tiles for glazing experiments were prepared from local London clay. The mixtures of glazes and collected or milled dust were sprayed on the substrate tile's surface, dried and finally fired at 1060 °C. The influence of used materials weight ratio and dust milling time were shown as crucial parameters to obtain optimal final glaze colour.

Effect of ordered N vacancies driven by increasing Mo content in multi-principal-element Ti-Al-Zr-Mo-N coatings

Multi-Principal-Element Nitrides (MPENs) are an emergent alternative gaining attention for protective coatings due to the promise of outstanding tribomechanical performance. However, the operational response of MPEN coatings depends on selecting constituent elements and determining proper composition ratios, which will determine their final microstructure and morphology. Herein, we report the deposition of MPEN sputtering coatings of the Ti-Al-Zr-Mo-N system following the microstructure and morphology behavior as a function of the variation of Mo from 0 to 31.5 at.%. The phase evolution evidences significant changes from a predominant B1 (NaCl-type) structure with disordered N vacancies for the lower Mo contents to a predominant β (tetragonal) phase with ordered N vacancies for the higher Mo contents, which leads to remarkable morphological changes in the coatings. In addition, we found the best tribomechanical performance in the coating with a mixture between B1 (disordered N vacancies) and β (ordered N vacancies), due to a synergistic effect based on the resultant texture in each phase. Furthermore, the best protective character against corrosion was found to have a decreasing trend as the Mo content increased. These results demonstrate the need for optimization strategies to determine the balance between opposing effects of phenomena that occur during the deposition of MPENs, mainly those driven by the nature of the metal constituents and their atomic ratio. The present work could contribute to the design, synthesis, and optimization of MPEN coatings based on predetermined properties of interest for specific applications of the protective coating industry.

Microstructure and corrosion properties of Al1-xWxN coatings for potential use in gas turbine blades

Herein, a numerical approach of Al1-xWxN thin film coatings on Inconel 738LC superalloys for thermal barrier applications has been studied and the experimental analysis includes deposition of Al1-xWxN films on Si (100), glass and transparent quartz substrates at 40 % N2 flow rate using a dual target DC reactive magnetron sputtering technique to investigate the morphology, microstructure, chemical bonding and corrosion behaviour. AFM analysis revealed the rms roughness, Sq and average roughness, Sa increased with the increasing W content from 22 to 70 at.%. It was found that Al1-xWxN films tend to form tiny valleys on the film surface because the values of surface skewness, Ssk lie below zero. The TEM image showed a branched snowflake structure for the specimen of Al0.58W0.42N films with discrete spots in the SAED pattern, confirming the microcrystalline nature. The blue-shifting of Ecorr towards positive potential confirmed the lower corrosion resistance of WN films than those of AlN. XRD spectra of Al0.58W0.42N films showed an amorphous nature devoid of peaks, which is also confirmed by the SAED pattern. The quasi-passive oxide layer formation was spontaneous for WN films compared to the AlN films. The bending vibrations of AlN and WN showed the coordination environment of the metal centre in the Al1-xWxN films. The computational results indicated that the thermal barrier properties of Al1-xWxN films decreased with the increasing W content, i.e., AIN > Al0.58 W0.42N > WN.

Improved Risk Prediction in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Through Assessment of Binary Silva Pattern-based Classification: An International Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study Led by the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists (ISGyP).

Endocervical adenocarcinomas (EACs) are a group of malignant neoplasms associated with diverse pathogenesis, morphology, and clinical behavior. As a component of the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists International Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Project, a large international retrospective cohort of EACs was generated in an effort to study potential clinicopathological features with prognostic significance that may guide treatment in these patients. In this study, we endeavored to develop a robust human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated EAC prognostic model for surgically treated International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IA2 to IB3 adenocarcinomas incorporating patient age, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) status, FIGO stage, and pattern of invasion according to the Silva system (traditionally a 3-tier system). Recently, a 2-tier/binary Silva pattern of invasion system has been proposed whereby adenocarcinomas are classified into low-risk (pattern A/pattern B without LVSI) and high-risk (pattern B with LVSI/pattern C) categories. Our cohort comprised 792 patients with HPV-associated EAC. Multivariate analysis showed that a binary Silva pattern of invasion classification was associated with recurrence-free and disease-specific survival (P < 0.05) whereas FIGO 2018 stage I substages were not. Evaluation of the current 3-tiered system showed that disease-specific survival for those patients with pattern B tumors did not significantly differ from that for those patients with pattern C tumors, in contrast to that for those patients with pattern A tumors. These findings underscore the need for prospective studies to further investigate the prognostic significance of stage I HPV-associated EAC substaging and the inclusion of the binary Silva pattern of invasion classification (which includes LVSI status) as a component of treatment recommendations.

The impact of BBr3/TiCl4 ratios on the microstructural and mechanical characteristics of TiBN coatings deposited using a pulsed-PACVD technique

This study aimed to investigate the impact of precursor ratios on both the microstructural and tribological characteristics of TiBN coatings. Using the PACVD process, TiN, TiB2, and three variations of TiBN coatings with adjusted BBr3/TiCl4 ratios were applied onto H13 substrates. The coatings were characterized using XRD, FESEM, TEM, AFM, nanoindentation, and nanoscratch methods to analyze their microstructural properties, surface morphology, and mechanical behavior. The findings revealed that the TiBN coatings possessed a nanocomposite structure with TiN crystals dispersed within the BN matrix, which is amorphous. Moreover, the augmentation of the BBr3/TiCl4 ratio from 0 to 1/3 resulted in a significant rise in the hardness value, from 13.4 GPa to 25.7 GPa. However, a further increase in the ratio from 1/3 to 3/3 resulted in a decrease in hardness to 14.4 GPa because cracks were formed in the deposited coating. In comparison, the TiB2 coating exhibited a higher hardness of 19.7 GPa due to strong TiB bonds within the coating. The TiBN coating, applied with a BBr3/TiCl4 ratio of 1/3, demonstrated the lowest wear volume of 0.10 × 10−18 m3, attributed to its higher hardness and smoother surface texture.

Thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of oil palm cellulose nanofibril reinforced green epoxy nanocomposites

In this study, significant improvements in mechanical properties have been seen through the efficient inclusion of Oil Palm Cellulose Nanofibrils (CNF) as nano-fillers into green polymer matrices produced from biomass with a 28 % carbon content. The goal of the research was to make green epoxy nanocomposites utilizing solution blending process with acetone as the solvent with the different CNF loadings (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 wt%). An ultrasonic bath was used in conjunction with mechanical stirring to guarantee that CNF was effectively dispersed throughout the green epoxy. The resultant nanocomposites underwent thorough evaluation, comparing them to unfilled green epoxy and evaluating their morphological, mechanical, and thermal behavior using a variety of instruments. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to validate findings, which showed that the CNF were dispersed optimally inside the nanocomposites. The thermal degradation temperature (Td) of the nanocomposites showed a marginal decrement of 0.8 % in temperatures (from 348 °C to 345 °C), between unfilled green epoxy (neat) and 0.1 wt% of CNF loading. The mechanical test results, which showed a 13.3 % improvement in hardness and a 6.45 % rise in tensile strength when compared to unfilled green epoxy, were in line with previously published research. Overall, the outcomes showed that green nanocomposites have significantly improved in performance.

Growth and dissolution behavior and morphology evolution of γ′ precipitates in GH4742 nickel-based superalloy

This work systematically investigated the coarsening, dissolution, and morphological evolution behavior of γ′ precipitates in GH4742 superalloy through carefully designed heat treatment experiments. During long-term aging processes at 650 °C, 750 °C, and 850 °C, the coarsening model of γ′ precipitates followed the classic function of r3 vs. t, consistent with the classical Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (LSW) coarsening model (diffusion-controlled). Due to higher diffusion coefficients of γ′ forming elements at higher temperatures, the coarsening rate K increased with aging temperature. The dynamical models for the dissolution of primary γ′ precipitates were established during sub-solvus (1080 °C) and super-solvus (1120 °C) heat treatment processes. The results indicated rapid dissolution of primary γ′ precipitates in the initial stages of solution heat treatment, with the dissolution rate gradually decreasing as the treatment time extended, approaching the γ′ precipitate size at thermodynamic equilibrium. During subsequent slow cooling at 14 °C/min after super-solvus (1120 °C) heat treatment, irregular-shaped γ′ precipitates formed through “aggregation” of adjacent γ′ precipitates, followed by “splitting” into smaller γ′ precipitates during growing up. Conversely, during subsequent slow cooling at 14 °C/min after sub-solvus (1080 °C) heat treatment, irregular-shaped γ′ precipitates were mainly controlled by unstable growth and “splitting” of cubic-shaped γ′ precipitates. For individual γ′ precipitates, the portion undergoing unstable growth (protrusions) did not undergo further splitting.

Mechanical, Thermal and Morphological Study of Bio-Based PLA Composites Reinforced with Lignin-Rich Agri-Food Wastes for Their Valorization in Industry.

This study investigates the performance of different poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites incorporating agri-food waste additives and commercial lignin, comparing their properties with those of virgin PLA. The following composites were prepared using a single-screw extruder: PLA with 20% rice husk, PLA with 20% wheat straw and PLA with 20% olive pit. Additionally, PLA was blended with commercial lignin at the maximum feasible proportion using the same methodology. The resulting composites were injection-molded into specimens for analysis of their mechanical, thermal and morphological behavior. The primary objectives were to assess the dispersion of the additives within the PLA matrix and to evaluate the mechanical properties of the composites. The results indicate that the addition of high percentages of agricultural residues does not significantly compromise the mechanical properties of the composites. Notably, in the case of the PLA with 20% rice husk composite, the elastic modulus surpassed that of virgin PLA, despite the evident heterogeneity in filler particle sizes. It was feasible to incorporate a higher percentage of agricultural residues compared to commercial lignin, attributed to the larger volume occupied by the latter.

Investigating the effect of SiO2 thin films with sculptured topographies on the alignment properties of liquid crystals

In the present work, sculptured thin films (STF) based on silicon dioxide (SiO2) induced on the indium tin oxide (ITO) coated substrates via glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique using the physical vapor deposition (PVD) process. Our main motive to perform this work is to address the issues we have faced with the traditional alignment method and give a try to overcome those problems. Keeping these challenges in our mind, we are giving here an alternative to traditional method and explored this different alignment technique with GLAD process. We have fabricated a liquid crystal device (LCD) in a way of electrically-controlled birefringence (ECB) and placed the engineered substrates in anti-parallel alignment. Morphological, optical and electro-optic behaviour of resulting device has been studied in the ∼5 μm thick device. Effect of applied voltage on the morphology and electro-optic behaviour of liquid crystal has been established. Interestingly, LC material demonstrates electrically switchable birefringence colours viz. brown, green, pink, purple and mauve colour, under applied electric field in room temperature at 10X magnification under polarizing optical microscope. A very nice extinction and contrast has been obtained with fabricated ECB device, which elucidate the device quality with impeccable alignment without any disclination defects. Besides, the electro-optic characteristics it also shows a significant impact on the liquid crystal properties. The obtained results demonstrate nice optical retardation, a lower Frederick's threshold voltage i.e. 1.5 V and 19.03 dB higher contrast respectively. An impressive switching response time τon of 5.4 ms and τoff = 600 µs at 20 V has attained with respective device as well. Such change in parameters may correspond to the higher electrical torque experienced by the LC molecules on the application of applied field. Anchoring energy and pretilt angle of respective system has been calculated and correlated with observed behaviour. Thus, engineered device with this superior alignment method show remarkable electro-optic results which can open a new way for the development of fast LCD for advanced optical device applications.