Phase Identification Research Articles

Cost-Effective Synthesis of MXene Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) for Heavy Metal Removal.

Background Environmental contamination resulting from the release of untreated industrial wastewater has emerged as a critical worldwide issue. These effluents frequently have high levels of heavy metals and antibiotics, which are bad for aquatic ecosystems and human health. Oftentimes, conventional wastewater treatment techniques fall short of effectively eliminating these pollutants. Innovative materials that may efficiently absorb or break down contaminants from contaminated water sources are, therefore, desperately needed. Hydrothermally produced MXene cadmium sulfide (CdS) composites have shown great promise as an adsorbent material because of their special qualities, which include high surface area, chemical stability, and customizable surface functions that improve their adsorption capacity for heavy metals and antibiotics alike. Aim The aim of this study is to produce MXene-CdS nanoparticles in a cost-effective method for the simultaneous removal of heavy metals from aqueous contaminants for water pollution control. Methods and materials MXenes were synthesized by selectively etching Ti3AlC2 MAX-phase ceramics using aqueous HF. CdS nanoparticles were synthesized separately and integrated with MXenes via a hydrothermal process. The resulting MXene CdS nanocomposites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphology, energy dispersion spectrum (EDS) for elemental composition, X-ray diffraction(XRD) study for phase identification, and removal of heavy metals viaMXene CdS. Results Consistent distribution of CdS nanoparticles on the MXene surface and the creation of MXene CdS nanomembranes with a well-defined shape were observed by SEM analysis. Ti, C, Cd, and S elements, indiciaries of a successful composite formation, were confirmed to be present by EDS. The crystalline structure of both the MXene and CdS phases was confirmed by the distinctive peaks seen in the XRD patterns. MXene-CdS composites facilitate the effective removal of chromium ions from contaminated water. The excellent hydrophilicity of the produced nanomembrane allowed for effective interaction with watery contaminants. Conclusion This study showcases the successful synthesis and characterization of MXene-CdS nanocomposites for environmental remediation, particularly in removing toxic metals like chromium from industrial effluents. SEM analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of CdS nanoparticles on the MXene surface, while elemental composition validated their integration. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline structures of both components. The nanocomposite exhibited excellent hydrophilicity, enhancing the efficient adsorption of heavy metals. Its large surface area and chemical stability contribute to high adsorption efficiency, making it ideal for wastewater treatment. The scalable synthesis process supports practical applications. This research highlights MXene-CdS nanocomposites as a cost-effective, sustainable solution for water pollution control.

Neodymium oxide-based hybrid phase few-layer MoS2 nanocomposite as high-performance symmetric supercapacitor electrode

The two-dimensional layered materials (for example MoS2) are potential electrodes for supercapacitors with their excellent lamellar structure, high surface area, mechanical flexibility, and potential redox activity. However, due to restacking of chemical structure and low electrical conductivity of the pure MoS2 electrodes are prevented for energy storage applications. Therefore the electrodes are made up of a composite by a mixture of MoS2 and rare-earth metals significantly addressing these issues with improved electrical conductivity, large electrochemical active surface, and shorter ion-diffusion kinetics. In the present study, the MoS2 and MoS2/Nd2O3 composite were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The structural phase identification of prepared samples was accomplished by using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Raman spectra. Furthermore, TEM reveals changes in the shape of nanosheets and interlayer spacing. The GCD of symmetric MoS2/Nd2O3 composite electrodes displayed remarkable charging/discharging performance, with increased stability and rate capability. The MoS2/Nd2O3 composite shows utmost Csp of 2528.18 Fg-1 at 1 Ag-1. In addition, the CV and GCD studies suggest that the electrodes exhibit pseudocapacitive behavior and excellent energy density(E) of 191 Wh kg-1 at 1474.1 W kg-1 power density(P) in 1M H2SO4. The supercapacitor device made up of MoS2/Nd2O3 composite shows greater performance in practical LED glowing applications. Therefore, the composites make advancements in energy storage devices like batteries and supercapbatteries due to their excellent energy storage, high electrochemically active surface area, and stability.

Rock exfoliation in the unstable formations during underground mine working driving and selection of efficient adhesive compositions for strengthening

Purpose is to identify factors favouring rock exfoliation in roof of underground mine workings while operating Akbakay deposit and determine optimum structure of adhesive reagents for the rock strengthening taking into consideration mineralogical composition of the formation. Methods. The research was carried out in a lab environment. Chemical and ultimate composition of the rock mass samples was determined through x-ray diffraction method; the x-ray phase identification approach helped define their mineralogical composition. The optimum composition of adhesive reagents has been determined based upon the ambient temperature and hardening time. Viscosity durability of the adhesive compounds was assessed using a technique of uniaxial crack of the immovable samples. Statistical data processing involved determination of the required number of the samples to achieve the preset accuracy degree. Findings. Exfoliation of the fragments of both fractured and unstable rocks from Akbakai deposit depends upon availabi-lity of such chemically and mechanically unstable salts as dolomite, albite, and mirror stone. Epoxide reagent in 9 to 1 ratio with polyethylenepolyamine catalyzer has been identified as the most effective adhesive compound. Epoxy adhesives have demonstrated higher cohesive resistance to compare with polyurethane analogues, and better compliance with requirements as for viscosity and hardening time. Originality. Use of epoxy to strengthen both fissured and unstable rocks of Akbakai deposit containing mineral salts, helps increase tensile properties up to three times. Moreover, epoxies also demonstrate high adhesive characteristics; and they are resistant to moisture and temperature attacks being typical for mine environment. New logarithmic dependencies have been identified describing rock mass stability while applying the modified polyurethane with polyethylenepolyamine catalyzer in 9 to 1 ratio. Practical implications. Various types of reagents have been considered for safe and effective strengthening of underground mine workings in the fractured rock masses having a tendency to caving. The proposed adhesive reagents resist efficiently the external share loads and stresses increasing structural stability and safety of rock masses.

Aluminide Coatings by Means of Slurry Application: A Low Cost, Versatile and Simple Technology

The present study focused on demonstrating the versatility of the slurry deposition technique to produce aluminide coatings to protect components from high-temperature corrosion in a broad temperature range, from 400 to 1400 °C. This is a simpler and low-cost coating technology used as an alternative to CVD and pack cementation, which also allows the coating of complex geometries and offers improved and simple repairability for a lot of industrial applications, along with avoiding the use of non-hazardous components. Slurry aluminide coatings from a proprietary water-based-Cr6+ free slurry were produced onto four different substrates: A516 carbon steel, 310H AC austenitic steel, Ti6246 Ti-based alloy and TZM, a Mo-based alloy. The resulting coatings were thoroughly characterised by FESEM and XRD, mainly so that the identification of microstructures and appropriate phases was reported for each coating. The importance of surface preparation and heat treatment as key parameters for the coating final microstructures was also evidenced, and how those parameters can be optimised to obtain stable intermetallic phases rich in Al to sustain the formation of a protective Al2O3 oxide scale. These coating systems have applications in diverse industrial environments in which high-temperature corrosion limits the lifetime of the components.

High-Precision Instance Segmentation Detection of Micrometer-Scale Primary Carbonitrides in Nickel-Based Superalloys for Industrial Applications

In industrial production, the identification and characterization of micron-sized second phases, such as carbonitrides in alloys, hold significant importance for optimizing alloy compositions and processes. However, conventional methods based on threshold segmentation suffer from drawbacks, including low accuracy, inefficiency, and subjectivity. Addressing these limitations, this study introduced a carbonitride instance segmentation model tailored for various nickel-based superalloys. The model enhanced the YOLOv8n network structure by integrating the SPDConv module and the P2 small target detection layer, thereby augmenting feature fusion capability and small target detection performance. Experimental findings demonstrated notable improvements: the mAP50 (Box) value increased from 0.676 to 0.828, and the mAP50 (Mask) value from 0.471 to 0.644 for the enhanced YOLOv8n model. The proposed model for carbonitride detection surpassed traditional threshold segmentation methods, meeting requirements for precise, rapid, and batch-automated detection in industrial settings. Furthermore, to assess the carbonitride distribution homogeneity, a method for quantifying dispersion uniformity was proposed and integrated into a data processing framework for seamless automation from prediction to analysis.

Morphological Characterization and Tribological Properties of TiCoNi Alloy Coatings on Ti–6Al–4V Alloy via Laser Deposition

The goal of this work is to improve the Ti–6Al–4V alloy's hardness and tribological behavior. Coaxial laser surface cladding was used to develop intermetallic layers of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and titanium (Ti). Laser power of 900 W, beam spot size of 3 mm, powder feed rate of 1.0 g/min, and gas flow rate of 1.2 L/min are the optimized parameters used for laser depositions. The laser scan speeds were adjusted between 0.6 and 1.2 m/min. Investigations were conducted into the effects of powder admixture and laser parameters on the fabricated coatings' microstructure, tribological behavior and hardness. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for the characterization of the microstructural evolution and phase identification, respectively. Additionally, the tribological experiment was conducted via UMT-2 –CETR reciprocating tribometer, and the coatings’ micro-hardness characteristics were examined using EmcoTEST DURASCAN. The micrographs exhibit no signs of porousness, cracks, or stress introduction, according to the results. For every manufactured sample, good metallurgical adhesion was obtained. By comparing the hardness of the ternary coating (Co–Ni–10Ti deposited at a scan speed of 1.2 m/min, with a hardness of 980 HV) to the substrate (Ti–6Al–4V, with a hardness of 330 HV), a hardness increase of approximately 2.96 times was observed. Furthermore, the Co–Ni–10Ti coating, deposited at a scan speed of 1.2 m/min, demonstrated a 51.1% reduction in the coefficient of friction (COF) compared to the base alloy, indicating superior anti-wear performance. The enhanced properties are attributed to the formation of hard intermetallic compounds such as Ti–Co, Co2Ti, Al5Co2, and Ni3Ti, along with their uniform distribution and finely tuned grain sizes.

Confined interfacial self-assembly of graphene-like carbon/MXene composite electrodes for capacitive deionization

Electrodes that have high desalting capacity, fast desalting rates and stable desalination performance are needed in capacitive deionization (CDI) technologies for water security. Herein, confined interfacial self-assembly of lignin-based graphene-like carbon (GC) precursors in Ti3C2-MXene interlayers was developed for forming GC/MXene composites. The formation of GC was generated in-situ by KHCO3-assisted pyrolytic carbonization which leads to exfoliation of multilayered MXene thereby forming GC/MXene heterostructures having strong interfacial interactions. GC/MXene exhibited tremella-like nanosheets morphology, accompanied by the formation of a TiO2 phase at the interface of GC and MXene hybridization, which confirmed formation of a heterostructure. Crystallographic phase identification of GC/MXene showed the exfoliation of MXene. GC/MXene had an ultra-negative surface charge of −39.3 mV, making it favorable for application as a cathode for Na+ removal. The GC/MXene heterostructure had high desalting capacity (54.2 mg g−1), high desalting rate (2.7 mg g−1 min−1), and stable cycling performance (90 % SAC retention after 30 cycles). The interfacial self-assembly strategy developed in this work is expected to enable green synthesis routes for graphene/MXene-based composite materials that allow construction of 2D/2D heterostructures for multilayer MXene and their analogues.

Evaluation of the dielectric, and piezoelectric properties and optimizing the figure of merit of the 0–3 KNN-0.8ZnO/PVDF-HFP piezoelectric composite by the Taguchi method

Piezoelectric ceramic and composite materials are attractive for various applications, but they can be challenging to process. In this research, KNN-0.8ZnO with high density (ρth=95 %), favorable microstructure, and suitable dielectric and piezoelectric properties (K=875, d33=125 pC/N, tanδ=0.01) was first synthesized. Additionally, polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) copolymer, known for its advantageous piezoelectric and mechanical properties, was selected as the polymer phase. subsequently, the KNN-0.8ZnO/xPVDF-HFP composite samples with a 0–3 connectivity pattern were made with the cold sintering method. The Taguchi design of experiment (DOE) was employed to determine the optimal condition for maximizing the figure of merit (FOM). Furthermore, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to evaluate the significance of individual factors on each measured property. Phase identification was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, while the microstructure was examined using scanning electron microscopy. Among the different composite samples fabricated using the L9 orthogonal array (OA) of the Taguchi method, the KNN-0.8ZnO/20PVDF-HFP composite containing 20 wt% polymer phase, that was cold-sintered under a pressure of 400 MPa at 200 ͦC for 2 h, exhibited the highest FOM value of 1.945Pm2/N. This result aligns with the optimal conditions predeicated by the Taguchi DOE method. The compressive strength of the KNN-0.8ZnO/20PVDF-HFP composite was assessed through a compression test, yielding a value of 207 MPa, while the elastic modulus was approximately 3 GPa. The findings of this study demonstrate that the cold sintering method is an effective approach for producing dense piezoelectric composites with favorable electrical and mechanical properties, along with a high FOM for energy harvesting applications.

An alternative approach in the synthesis of strontium-hydroxyapatite and strontium hydroxyapatite embedded in graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites for potential tissue engineering applications

Sr-hydroxyapatite has drawn much attention with promising applications in biomedical engineering especially in drug delivery and tissue repair. A novel protocol for the preparation of Strontium hydroxyapatite (Sr-HAP) and Strontium hydroxyapatite encapsulated by graphitic carbon nitride (Sr-HAP@gCN) with high purity and better homogeneity was adopted for potential use in orthopaedic surgeries. The physiological pathway of Strontium and calcium inside humans follow the same trend leading to the mineral deposition of the bone. In the present study, a novel attempt in synthesizing Sr-HAP and Sr-HAP@gCN by the hydrothermal method is proposed for obtaining an ideal biomaterial with potential biocompatibility and pharmacological activity. Phase identification by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infra-Red spectroscopic analysis (FTIR), Electron & atomic force microscopic studies, Thermogravimetric and Raman spectroscopic analysis was performed on the prepared Sr-HAP and Sr-HAP@gCN to characterize the incorporation efficiency of Strontium. Resazurin microtiter assay and MTT assay were used to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility and biocompatibility. The typical crystal phase of Sr-HAP and a phase change in Sr-HAP@gCN have been demonstrated with special reference to the interfacial connection between gCN and Sr-HAP through FT-IR studies. Raman spectroscopy revealed the archetypal signature of symmetric and asymmetric PO vibrations pertaining to linearity change with the addition of Strontium. The biological effect of Sr-HAP and Sr-HAP@gCN was quite significant in inducing mineralization when kept immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 21 days. Promising results pertaining to antimicrobial susceptibility and biocompatibility have been proved as an encouraging choice for drug delivery applications and bone filling applications.

Temporal and spatial resolution of magnetosome degradation at the subcellular level in a 3D lung carcinoma model

Magnetic nanoparticles offer many exciting possibilities in biomedicine, from cell imaging to cancer treatment. One of the currently researched nanoparticles are magnetosomes, magnetite nanoparticles of high chemical purity synthesized by magnetotactic bacteria. Despite their therapeutic potential, very little is known about their degradation in human cells, and even less so of their degradation within tumours. In an effort to explore the potential of magnetosomes for cancer treatment, we have explored their degradation process in a 3D human lung carcinoma model at the subcellular level and with nanometre scale resolution. We have used state of the art hard X-ray probes (nano-XANES and nano-XRF), which allow for identification of distinct iron phases in each region of the cell. Our results reveal the progression of magnetite oxidation to maghemite within magnetosomes, and the biosynthesis of magnetite and ferrihydrite by ferritin.Graphical

Tuning the local structure of (Sm, Co) Co-doped Al2O3 system for optical band gap and low dielectric loss

This study is about the qualitative description of the high dielectric constant (>103) and low dielectric loss in a two co-existing phases. According to earlier beliefs, a material with high dielectric constant will exhibit high dielectric loss. However, this study gives the opposite, where a material with high dielectric constant can exhibit low loss. Herein, we report on the effect of tetrahedral – octahedral interaction in a γ- Al2O3 and CoAl2O4 biphasic system. Phase identification was carried out using Synchrotron x-ray carrying a wavelength of 0.7 Å. The disorder caused by varying cobalt (Co) concentration results in a two co-existing phase system with varying local polarizability due to mixing of cations in a host matrix. In addition, a decreasing trend in the band gap energy has been observed for both the phases as a function of increasing Co concentration, which is attributed to the intra-gap localized density of states determined from the UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS).

Thermodynamic investigation of reduced barium molybdates

Precise identification and thermodynamic assessment of the various phases in spent nuclear fuel are necessary for the accurate dynamic modeling of nuclear fuel. The Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels – International Database (TAF-ID) compiles high-quality, self-consistent, and reliable thermodynamic data of various phases in chemical systems of interest for the international nuclear industry, such as the Ba-Mo-O ternary system. The thermodynamic properties of compounds in the Ba-Mo-O ternary system, especially those of hexavalent Mo, have been extensively studied and included in computational thermodynamic assessments. In contrast, compounds with Mo in reduced oxidation states, such as BaMo6O10 and Ba3Mo18O28, have been excluded from such assessments due to a lack of experimentally assessed thermodynamic data. In this work, high-quality samples of the aforementioned compounds were synthesized, and the first experimental assessment of their heat capacities in the temperature range 300–600 K were obtained. Furthermore, a reversible phase transition was identified at ∼380 K for BaMo6O10. The collected experimentally-assessed thermodynamic data from this work and initial calculated estimations of standard enthalpies of formation and entropies for these compounds were successfully integrated into a preliminary, updated Ba-Mo-O thermodynamic assessment using the CALPHAD method. Key thermodynamic properties of the newly included compounds (i.e., standard enthalpy of formation and entropy) were calculated using the new Ba-Mo-O assessment.

Elucidating the photocatalytic mechanism of biomass-derived carbon dots nanocomposite for efficient degradation of MB and CR dyes: Insights into protein binding applications

This study introduces an environmentally sustainable method for synthesizing a nanocomposite using carbon quantum dots derived from green tea waste and zinc oxide. The single-step hydrothermal process not only addresses waste management but also yields a versatile nanocomposite with diverse applications. Rigorous characterization reveals its morphology, crystallinity, phase identification, structural behavior, optical properties, and chemical composition. Incorporating carbon quantum dots into the zinc oxide matrix reduces the band gap to 1.87 eV, enhancing charge separation and light-harvesting. This modification significantly boosts photocatalytic activity, achieving degradation efficiencies of 95.16 % for methylene blue (MB) and 93.21 % for congo red (CR) under visible light. The effects of pH, contact time, and photocatalyst concentration on dye degradation were explored. The nanocomposite, exhibiting both adsorption and photocatalytic performance, is poised for broad applications. Fluorescence quenching studies with lysozyme protein provide insights into potential applications across diverse fields, highlighting its environmentally friendly and multifunctional attributes.

Leaching behavior and release mechanism of pollutants from different depths in a phosphogypsum stockpile

Phosphogypsum (PG), a byproduct during the production of phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizers, is predominantly stockpiled with a height greater than hundreds of meters. In this study, the leaching behavior of pollutants from PG stored at different depths was systematically investigated through batch tests, column tests, and geochemical modeling. PG samples were collected at different depths within a range of 48 m from a large-scale PG stack in China. The results showed that the pH, electrical conductivity, and elemental concentration of the leachate exhibited spatial variability in terms of the depth distribution, with evident bottom enrichment effects for metals and soluble salts. The pH-dependent leaching tests investigated the impact of pH variations on the solubility of various elements in PG, with a specific focus on elements precipitation occurring within the natural pH range. The geochemical modeling of leaching tests conducted by PHREEQC enabled the identification of the dominant phases controlling the solubilization of the elements, as well as the dynamic process of changes in element forms and concentrations with pH variation. Column leaching tests reveal the differences in pollutant properties between the unsaturated and saturated zones within the PG stack and categorize the leaching mechanisms of elements into three models including dissolution, diffusion, and wash-off. This study aims to reveal the leaching characteristics of PG at different depths, so as to provide a data foundation for the design of liner system, leachate management strategies, and remediation of heavy metal pollution of PG stack sites.

AI-enhanced X-ray diffraction analysis: towards real-time mineral phase identification and quantification.

The use of convolutional neural networks can revolutionize XRD analysis by significantly reducing processing times. Demonstration against synthetic and real mineral mixture data provide a first assessment of the accuracy of such methods.

Chromoionophoric probe decorated porous polymer monolithic scaffold as solid-state colorimetric sensor and concentrator for target specific capturing of ultra-trace copper and cobalt ions

The present work reports on the development of an affordable aqueous-compatible two-in-one solid-state sensor engineered through the systematic suffusion of a chromoionophoric probe onto the porous poly(BTM-co-EGD) monolithic scaffolds for the selective colorimetric sensing of ultra-trace Cu2+ and Co2+ that are of industrial importance and environmental nuisance. The structurally regulated dual pore poly(BTM-co-EGD) template offers a high surface area for voluminous/homogenous imbuement of the probe molecules in a frozen geometrical alignment. The intriguing properties such as surface morphology, pore dimensions, structural network, phase identification, purity/elemental composition and thermal stability of the polymer monolith and probe-inoculated sensor were studied using XPS, BET/BJH, HR-TEM-SAED, FE-SEM-EDAX, XRD, FT-IR and DTG analysis. The ion recognition efficacy of the sensor material is evaluated through naked-eye color transformations and UV-Vis-DRS-based analysis. The sensor imposes a vibrant color transitional from pale yellow (blank) to intense olive brown and dark reddish brown for Cu2+ and Co2+, respectively, due to stable ligand-to-metal charge transfer complex formation. The sensor imposes high sensitivity with a response linear range of 0–200 and 0–150 ppb, with a detection limit of 0.13 and 0.16 ppb for Cu2+ and Co2+, respectively. The sensor exhibits impressive workability in the pH range of 7.0–8.0, with 0.05 mmol/g probe coating onto the poly(BTM-co-EGD) template, with an enriched response of ≤50 s, using 4 mg of the sensor material. Upon practical testing with natural/synthetic samples, the sensor executes stable characteristics with reliable and reproducible data (RSD ≤1.98 %). The proposed sensing methodology is simple, cost-effective and can be reused over eight sensing trails for the ultra-trace detection of Cu2+ and Co2+. The portable sensor has the potential for commercialization based on its effortlessness in real-time utility.

Reliability of Machine Learning in functional assessment in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging

PurposeOur study aims at evaluating Machine Learning’s reliability to calculate ventricular volumes and functions in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR).Material and methodsEighty-five patients underwent CMR: forty healthy subjects, fifteen affected by myocarditis, seventeen dilated cardiomyopathy patients (DCM), and thirteen hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients (HCM). Left ventricle (LV) and right ventricle (RV) analyses were performed both manually by operators and using Cvi42 software, which automates the identification of telesystolic and telediastolic phases. Statistical analysis assessed the concordance between measurements obtained manually and through the software, considering the following parameters: end-diastolic volume (EDV-BSA), end-systolic volume (ESV-BSA), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF), and detection of telesystolic and telediastolic phases.ResultsIntraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis for LV volumes showed high concordance between manual and automatic measurements (ESV-BSA 0.97, EDV-BSA 0.98, SV 0.87, EF 0.93). ICC analysis for RV volumes presented high concordance between ESV-BSA and EDV-BSA measurements as well (ICC 0.90 and 0.91, respectively), whereas SV and EF measurements showed lower values (0.65 and 0.67, respectively). Statistical analysis also exhibited good concordance between manual and automated methods in the detection of telesystolic and telediastolic phases (ICC 0.80 and 0.84, respectively).ConclusionThe LV and RV analyses conducted using the automated tool provide non-inferior performance to manual analyses, in particular for LV volumes.

Assessing the Feasibility of EMG Biofeedback to Reduce the Upper Trapezius Muscle Excitation during a Seated Row Exercise, a Non-randomized Comparative Study.

The upper trapezius muscle is often excessively excited during resistance training exercises, increasing the shoulder's liability to musculoskeletal disorders of individuals participating in overhead sports or throwing activities. Different approaches have been proposed for reducing the potentially harmful loading of the upper trapezius. None, however, has been devised to deal directly with the main culprit: the muscle excitation. This non-randomized comparative study explores the feasibility of biofeedback based on surface electromyograms (EMGs) in suppressing undue excitation of the upper trapezius during a seated row exercise. Eight male volunteers were instructed to perform the wide-grip seated row exercise without and with the EMG biofeedback of the upper trapezius. Surface EMGs from the three portions of the trapezius and the serratus anterior were sampled with pairs of surface electrodes. A triaxial accelerometer was positioned on the weight stack for the identification of the exercise phase and repetition. This study showed that during the "with biofeedback" condition, the participants were able to activate the upper trapezius and serratus anterior to a lower degree (~ 10%) compared to the "without biofeedback" condition. Future studies should explore if this can lead to greater gains in muscle performance and/or reduce the risk of shoulder injury.

Incorporation of B and La oxides into bioactive glass: in vitro studies for bone regeneration applications

Bone tissue engineering seeks to regenerate damaged tissues using biocompatible scaffolds that mimic bone minerals. This study focuses on scaffolds based 45S5 bioactive glass (45% SiO2, 24.5% Na2O, 6% P2O5, 24.5% CaO) doped with boron and lanthanum oxides. These scaffolds, produced via conventional melting, form a hydroxyapatite layer, promoting strong bone integration. Result of DTA, XRD, FTIR, SEM, and EDS, showed doping led to crystalline phase identification, silicate network confirmation, and detection of calcium phosphorus deposits. Doping also increased pH, degradation kinetics, and antibacterial activity. These findings suggest that boron and lanthanum-doped 45S5 scaffolds have potential in bone regeneration applications.

Phase quantification of anhydrous CSA cements: a combined X-ray diffraction and Raman imaging approach

Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cements are known for their special properties, such as shrinkage compensation and high early-age strength. These properties are dependent on the hydrated phase assemblage, which in turn is governed by the phases present in the initial anhydrous cement. However, the anhydrous CSA phase quantification by X-ray diffraction (XRD) Rietveld can be challenging due to the presence of overlapping peaks, polymorphs and preferred orientation. To overcome this problem, an approach involving high-resolution large-area Raman imaging (5 mm × 5 mm, 250 000 pixels, with 10 μm/pixel resolution) complemented by XRD analysis is introduced. This integrated approach of combined XRD and Raman imaging is found to be crucial in the initial identification of phases that are present in a CSA system. Most importantly, quantitative analysis shows a strong correlation (R2 > 0.99) and agreement (variation <5 wt%) between the two independent methods, adding confidence and reliability to the phase assemblage obtained by this dual-technique approach.