Range Of Applications Research Articles

Impact of surface treatments on the electron affinity of nitrogen-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond

In recent years, various forms of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) have emerged as an attractive group of diamond/graphite mixed-phase materials for a range of applications from electron emission sources to electrodes for neural interfacing. To tailor their properties for different uses, NCD surfaces can be terminated with various chemical functionalities, in particular hydrogen and oxygen, which shift the band edge positions and electron affinity values. While the band edge positions of chemically terminated single crystal diamond are well understood, the same is not true for nanocrystalline diamond, which has uncontrolled crystallographic surfaces with a variety of chemical states as well as graphitic grain boundary regions. In this work, the relative band edge positions of as-grown, hydrogen terminated, and oxygen terminated nitrogen-doped ultrananocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD) are determined using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), while the band bending is investigated using photoelectrochemical measurements. In contrast to the widely reported negative electrode affinity of hydrogen terminated single crystal diamond, our work demonstrates that hydrogen terminated N-UNCD exhibits a positive electron affinity owing to the increased surface and bulk defect densities. These findings elucidate the marked differences in electrochemical properties of hydrogen and oxygen terminated N-UNCD, such as the dramatic changes in electrochemical capacitance.

Automatic detection and characterization of discontinuity traces and rock fragment size distribution using a digital image processing method

Rock materials naturally contain cracks and fractures, which may produce rock fragments or grains under geological and engineering conditions. Identification and characterization of the spatial extent of discontinuity traces and size distribution of fragments/grains are prerequisites for accurate geomechanical assessments of the stability of rocks containing natural or artificial discontinuities. This study introduces an advanced image processing methodology that leverages color gradient analysis and multi-threshold criteria to effectively detect and delineate fracture traces or boundary outlines. Furthermore, this approach facilitates the acquisition of precise fragment or grain size distribution statistics. To comprehensively characterize these discontinuity traces, the methodology employs the calculation of fractal dimensions alongside the use of an equivalent diameter conversion technique. These tools enable the quantification of the complexity and size distribution of the fragments or grains. The efficacy of this approach has been demonstrated through a series of case studies, encompassing a wide range of applications including digital images from numerical simulations, experimental tests, field observations, and micrographic analyses of rock structures. In these studies, the method proved capable of satisfactorily calculating the fractal dimensions of fractures, cracks, and contacts. Simultaneously, it accurately and efficiently determined the size distribution, as evidenced by frequency histograms and cumulative distribution curves obtained from the images. In essence, the proposed approach provides an automatic quantitative methodology to identify and characterize macroscopic and microscopic rock structures containing discontinuity traces or comprised of fragments/grains. This advancement holds significant potential for enhancing the precision and efficiency of geological and geomechanical assessments.

A General Approach to Sylvester-Polynomial-Conjugate Matrix Equations

Sylvester-polynomial-conjugate matrix equations unify many well-known versions and generalizations of the Sylvester matrix equation AX−XB=C which have a wide range of applications. In this paper, we present a general approach to Sylvester-polynomial-conjugate matrix equations via groupoids, vector spaces, and matrices over skew polynomial rings. The obtained results are applied to Sylvester-polynomial-conjugate matrix equations over complex numbers and quaternions. The main role in our approach is played by skew polynomial rings, which are well-known tools in algebra to provide examples of asymmetry between left-sided and right-sided versions of many ring objects.

Resistance to both aphids and nematodes in tobacco plants expressing a Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and its crystal toxin or δ-endotoxins (Cry) offer great potential for the efficient control of crop pests. A vast number of pests can potentially infect the same host plant, either simultaneously or sequentially. However, no effective Bt-Cry protein has been reported to control both aphids and plant parasitic nematodes due to its highly specific activity. Our study indicated that the Cry5Ba2 protein was toxic to the green peach aphid Myzus persicae, which had a median lethal concentration (LC50) of 9.7 ng μL-1 and fiducial limits of 3.1-34.6 ng μL-1. Immunohistochemical localization of Cry5Ba2 revealed that it could bind to the apical tip of microvilli in midgut regions. Moreover, transgenic tobacco plants expressing Cry5Ba2 exhibited significant resistance to Myzus persicae, as evidenced by reduced insect survival and impaired fecundity, and also intoxicated the Meloidogyne incognita as indicated by a decrease in galls and progeny reproduction. In sum, we identified a new aphicidal Bt toxin resource that could simultaneously control both aboveground and belowground pests, thus extending the application range of Bt-based strategy for crop protection. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Revolutionizing healthcare with metamaterial-enhanced antennas: a comprehensive review and future directions

Abstract The state of the art for wearable antennas for wireless communication and biological applications is compiled in this article. It addresses a wide range of subjects, such as how to use novel materials like Artificial Magnetic Conductors (AMC) and Metamaterial (MTM) structures to enhance antenna performance. It also covers the design of dual-band and reconfigurable antennas and the use of machine learning to optimize aerial design. The main subject of this article is how wearable antennas could lead to advancements in wireless communication and healthcare in the future, perhaps improving lives worldwide. It includes implantable antennas, textile-based antennas, and various flexible graphene-based antenna varieties. The use of wearable antennas for brain stroke diagnostics, wireless body area networks, telemedicine, and breast imaging is covered in this study. Additionally covered are reconfigurable antennas based on Metamaterial (MTM)structures and Wideband on-body antennas inspired by Metamaterials (MTM), both of these applications are useful in the assembly of wearable antennas, which is the main goal of this work. The research also discusses how metamaterials (MTM) might raise the sensitivity of the bioelectric field, enabling precise bioelectric signal monitoring. Metamaterial (MTM) antennas function reliably in a range of biomedical applications and can adjust to the electromagnetic properties.

Isopropanol concentration by osmotically assisted reverse osmosis

Isopropanol (IPA) is a versatile solvent used in a wide range of industrial and consumer applications, and its disposal may pose high costs and environmental concerns. In this work, the osmotically assisted reverse osmosis (OARO) technology was employed to demonstrate the effective treatment and concentration of IPA wastewater. The effect of various operating parameters, including feed solution concentration, number of membrane modules, flow rate, and applied pressure, was systematically investigated. Both permeance and IPA rejection decreased with an increase in IPA concentration, due to increase of feed solution osmotic pressure and occurrence of membrane swelling. By adjusting the feed flow rate and applied pressure, we can effectively control the final IPA concentration. Specifically, lowering the feed flow rate will result in higher IPA concentration, and increasing the applied pressure will also lead to higher IPA concentration. Long-term operational stability was also investigated, and results showed that the OARO process could maintain stable operation over an extended period of 180 days. Lastly, real IPA wastewater sourced from an electronics devices factory was treated using the OARO system and the wastewater sample was concentrated for more than four times. The results of this work exhibit the great practical application potential of the OARO process for the concentration of IPA wastewater.

Viscoelastic Water-Based Lubricants with Nopal Cactus Mucilage as Green Metalworking Fluids

Recent green manufacturing demands have boosted the development of new biodegradable lubricants to replace petroleum-based lubricants. In this regard, water-based lubricants have been at the vanguard of recent research for a wide range of industrial applications, including metalworking fluids (MWFs). In this work, we present an experimental investigation on the performance of novel green MWFs based on aqueous nopal mucilage solutions. For this, fully biodegradable solutions with different mucilage concentrations (2.29, 4.58, and 6.85 mg/mL) were evaluated in terms of rheological, tribological, thermal stability, and turning (minimum quantity lubrication) performance and compared to a commercial semisynthetic oil-based MWF (Cimstar 60). Mucilage solutions exhibited viscoelastic shear-thinning behavior, which was enhanced along with mucilage concentration. The solution with the highest mucilage content studied resulted in the lowest wear, friction, and temperature in comparison to the other solutions and neat water in extreme pressure four-ball tests and a similar level of lubricity as compared to the commercial MWF in cutting tests. This performance is associated with the enhanced viscosity and elasticity of the solution, as well as the contents of lipids with fatty acids in the mucilage. Overall, the present results reveal the relevance of the viscoelastic behavior of the lubricant, elasticity in particular, in lubrication processes and point to nopal mucilage as an effective green additive to produce innocuous MWFs.

Unveiling the molecular association of novel benzohydrazide-substituted Schiff base complexes with human serum albumin

So far, various Schiff base zinc (II) complexes with potential applications in biomedicine have been reported as medicinal agents in diagnosis, imaging and treatment of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer. Therefore, it is important to understand their interaction with carrier proteins, such as human serum albumin (HSA). The present paper focuses on synthesis, characterization and the binding interactions between HSA and two novel Schiff-base complexes, [Zn(SL)(N-N)](NO3)2 (SL = Schiff base ligand; N-N = 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy, C1), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen, C2)), using experimental and molecular docking techniques. The antioxidant performance of compounds increased as follows: C2 > C1 > SL. Two complexes quenched the protein fluorescence emission by the same mechanism (static quenching). The binding constant values obtained from the interaction of HSA and complexes were in the ideal range for biological applications (Kb = 0.07 × 104 M−1 for C1, 5.01 × 104 M−1 for C2 at 303 K). The binding of the C1/C2 somewhat reduced the stability of the protein structure and led to a change in polarity around tyrosine and tryptophan. In this research, we found that the increase of the planar aromatic part in the metallodrug can affect the strength of the interaction, the type of force involved during the interaction process, and the medicinal properties such as their antioxidant capabilities.

Tragacanth gum-based hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications

Natural polymers have many uses, and Tragacanth gum is just one of them. Many people are interested in natural gums because of their many attractive characteristics, such as being ‘green’ bio-based renewable materials, being easily accessible, inexpensive, and structurally diverse. One class of naturally occurring polysaccharides is called gum because of its tendency to create a gel or a thick solution. Among the many plant-based raw materials, these polysaccharide gums are abundant. Hydrogels, which are three-dimensional polymeric webs that can imitate live tissues, have demonstrated remarkable potential as adjustable biomaterials in numerous regenerative techniques due to their high water or biological exudate absorption capacities. Natural polysaccharides, often known as gums, are present in many different types of trees and possess many desirable properties, such as being renewable, biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic, and amenable to chemical modification. Many people are curious about certain parts of the food, water, energy, biotech, environmental, and healthcare sectors as of now. Gum, a type of very important and unique food ingredient, has many vital uses in the food business. Cosmetics, coating, photosensitive resin, fertilizer, casting, pharmaceuticals, and tobacco are just a few of the non-food businesses that make use of their strong water-affinity and structural plasticity. There are a lot of benefits to hydrogels made from natural gums as opposed to those made from synthetic sources. Synthesis hydrogel polymers have been the center of interest among these non-food applications because of their extensive use in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. The Tragacanth gum hydrogels used for medication delivery and tissue engineering have been the focus of this study. We also paid close attention to drug delivery, physical-chemical properties, and the extraction of Tragacanth gum. Our research has a wide range of biomedical applications, including tissue engineering for bone, skin, fixation of bone, periodontal, and cartilage. Possible futures based on hydrogels made of Tragacanth gum were likewise our primary focus.

60 Years of Open‐Celled Ceramics Based on Replica Technique: Applications, Obstacles, and Opportunities

Open‐celled ceramics look back on a remarkable history of development and innovation spanning around 60 years. Starting with the first patents to produce ceramic foams in the 1960s, the Schwartzwalder process became established industrially for manufacturing molten metal filters. Since then, a wide range of potential applications for these specific structured materials has been identified and discussed in the literature, such as porous burners, direct heaters, structured catalyst supports, filters, bone substitute materials, energy absorbers, preforms, and lightweight or acoustic construction components. For such high‐performance applications, ceramic foams require high quality in terms of purity, mechanical strength, high temperature, and chemical resistance or structural design. On this account, production technologies and material variety of ceramic foams have developed rapidly over the past few decades, and there are numerous applications in the industrial sector. This article gives an overview of the current state of development of open‐celled ceramic foams for various applications. Based on selected examples, it is demonstrated for which applications an industrial implementation is successfully realized and why some applications will never get beyond the proof‐of‐concept stage in research.

Quantifying cathode biofilm resistance in a cdrAB modified Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

A range of biotechnological applications for converting electricity to fixed metabolic substrates is fuelling the study of cathodic bioelectrochemical systems. Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 has emerged as an important model system for extracellular electron uptake on cathodes, as many of the proteins involved in this process overlap with the organism's previously characterized extracellular electron transport machinery. However, there are still many questions surrounding the mechanics of electron uptake in Shewanella stemming largely from the challenge of quantifying biomass on electrode surfaces. This limits our understanding of the physiologic and kinetic constraints of electron uptake, as well as our ability to make meaningful comparisons across systems. To investigate the relationship between cathodic activity and biomass, we used a Shewanella oneidensis strain genetically modified with cell aggregation protein CdrAB behind a blue light-controlled promotor. Using blue light exposure to control cell deposition, we then investigated the relationship between cathodic activity and biomass. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) confirmed a decrease in biofilm impedance over a range of blue light exposures (i.e., 2 to 8 h). Consistent with previous results, after this timepoint, a drop-in electrochemical activity was observed, and impedances increased. For biofilms within the 2–8 h light exposure range, we observed a trend towards increased biological current consumption by quantifying the difference between pre and post kill currents. Comparing EIS data between pre and post kill experiments supported an increase in impedance post addition of killing agents and a trend towards the lowest biofilm impedances observed in the longest blue light exposed systems. Using an equivalent circuit model to extrapolate specific biofilm parameters we quantified the charger transfer resistance within the biofilm that corresponds to varying biofilm thicknesses and matches previously observed activities. For example, electrochemical activity was highest for the 8 h blue light exposed biofilm condition, with a maximum cathodic biologic current of -5.49 ± 0.85 µA, and a biofilm charge transfer resistance measured at 6909.5 ± 2136.5 Ω. On an individual reactor basis, we correlate this biofilm charge transfer resistance with biologic cathodic current. We observed a linear trend with a correlation score of 0.87 (r2 = 0.773). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation of biofilm physiology on Shewanella cathodes using EIS. Continued efforts in this direction will further our understanding of biofilm-electrode interface during extracellular electron uptake with the goal of enhancing applications to bioelectrochemical systems.

Control of mechanical and hydrophobic properties of silylated chitosan-starch films by cross-linking using carboxylic acids

We prepared polysaccharide films from silylated chitosan cross-linked with starch using six kinds of carboxylic acids (oxalic, maleic, citric, succinic, azelaic and sebacic acids) to explore the effects of molecular structures of cross-linkers on the mechanical, hydrophobic and water vapor permeability properties of these hydrophobicity-enhanced films. The films were analyzed by FT-IR, SEM, mechanical tests (stress versus strain, tensile strength and elongation at break curves) as well as the measurements of water contact angle, water solubility and water vapor permeability rate. We observed that the cross-linkers with a long chain provide a large mechanical strength; the tensile strength increases from 6 to 27 MPa with the chain length of dicarboxylates. The hydrophobicity, evaluated by the contact angle (ranging 80° ∼ 120°), increased with the chain length of the cross-linkers and was correlated well with the decreases of the solubility (94 ∼ 17%) and vapor permeability rate of water (14.5 ∼ 1.5 × 10−12 g s−1 m−1 Pa−1). We demonstrate that these mechanical, hydrophobic and water permeability properties are varied considerably only by the choice of the cross-linking acid also in the hydrophobicity-enhanced film by pre-silylation, which may widen the range of potential applications of polysaccharide film such as food packaging.

Application of Textiles in Aerospace

Kevlar fibres are critical for use in aerospace purpose due to their ability to perform quality and consistency. In aerospace applications, G-suits is very much interesting and significant role to play for the same purpose. Mid-mountain’s products are innovative and enhancing towards overall fabric performance with manufacturing and applications. As an aerospace material, the manufacturing of aerospace textiles and structures of composites are most successful. In aerospace textiles manufacturing, high-performance textiles are most essential for processing. The textile cloths are considered next to skin has pivotal role to act under variable environmental conditions as well as gravitational force in aerospace operations. Highly developed textiles are mostly applied in building aircraft, spacecraft, etc for the last few years. Arville’s made aerospace fabrics are widely used in civil aircrafts throughout the world for wide big range of applications. Aerospace textile is defined as the combined effects of textile technology and aeronautical engineering. Textiles can play the important role as a clothing and safety performance from the view point of structurally in design with realization of optimal living conditions in space.

Quest for Multifunctionality: Current Progress in the Characterization of Heterometallic Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous, crystalline materials that have been systematically developed for a broad range of applications. Incorporation of two or more metals into a single crystalline phase to generate heterometallic MOFs has been shown to lead to synergistic effects, in which the whole is oftentimes greater than the sum of its parts. Because geometric proximity is typically required for metals to function cooperatively, deciphering and controlling metal distributions in heterometallic MOFs is crucial to establish structure-function relationships. However, determination of short- and long-range metal distributions is nontrivial and requires the use of specialized characterization techniques. Advancements in the characterization of metal distributions and interactions at these length scales is key to rapid advancement and rational design of functional heterometallic MOFs. This perspective summarizes the state-of-the-art in the characterization of heterometallic MOFs, with a focus on techniques that allow metal distributions to be better understood. Using complementary analyses, in conjunction with computational methods, is critical as this field moves toward increasingly complex, multifunctional systems.

Mesh-size adjustable hydrogel via light and pH induction

The ability of stimuli-responsive hydrogels to swell and shrink is an important property that enables their wide range of applications. We prepared a novel azopyridine-based hydrogel by free radical copolymerization and investigated its multi-responsive behaviors to pH and UV light. The hydrogel swelled rapidly in acidic environments, reaching 303% of its mass in neutral conditions at equilibrium. The hydrogel also swelled significantly in the presence of α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) due to host–guest interactions, reaching 276% of its mass in distilled water at equilibrium. The hydrogel shrank reversibly under UV light.

Graphene‐Based Lateral Heterojunctions for 2D Integrated Circuits

AbstractA method for patterning single‐layer graphene (SLG) and single‐layer oxidized graphene (SOG) within a continuous atomic layer to form lateral heterojunctions is presented. Raman spectroscopy is employed to investigate the evolution of defect‐related Raman peaks during excimer‐UV irradiation, facilitating the identification of structural changes and defect formation processes. Electrical transport measurements reveal that SOG‐patterned field‐effect transistors (FETs) exhibit varying characteristics depending on the degree of oxidation, thus offering the potential to tailor the electrical properties of graphene devices for specific requirements. Scanning Kelvin probe microscopy measurements reveal the surface potential and work function of the SOG regions compared with those of SLG. The effective functionality of the SOG pattern to operate as a resistor, allowing control of the electrical conductivity in the SOG‐patterned SLG channels, is demonstrated. This capability restricts the current flow while preserving the pristine electrical properties of the graphene channel. Moreover, the SOG pattern can serve as a potential barrier to constructing SLG‐SOG‐patterned integrated circuits, providing exciting opportunities for engineering advanced electronic components. This breakthrough in graphene devices simplifies the fabrication process of graphene‐based FETs and provides the foundation for developing atomically thin integrated circuits for a wide range of applications.

Inorganic nanoparticles promoted synthesis of oxygen-containing heterocycles

Abstract Since many of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications contain oxygen-containing heterocyclic molecules, they have been discovered to be quite important. Moreover, over the past 10 years, the field of reusable nanocatalysts has expanded quickly. Therefore, the development of nanotechnology has led to a wide range of applications for nanocatalysis in the synthesis of heterocyclic molecules. The domains of organic chemistry and pharmaceuticals have recently shown a great deal of interest in nanocatalyzed organic processes. Such nanocatalysts enable non-toxic, simpler, environmentally friendly, and more affordable synthetic processes that give only the most desirable compounds in higher quantities and provide simple catalyst separation. As a result of their efficient methods for separating catalysts and products, nanocatalysts were chosen over other catalysts for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds. This review emphasized the preparation of nanocatalysts, synthetic approaches, and recycling studies of highly excited catalytic systems employed for the synthesis of oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds.

Dual-polarization defogging method based on frequency division and blind separation of polarization information.

The current advancements in image processing have led to significant progress in polarization defogging methods. However, most existing approaches are not suitable for scenes with targets exhibiting a high degree of polarization (DOP), as they rely on the assumption that the detected polarization information solely originates from the airlight. In this paper, a dual-polarization defogging method connecting frequency division and blind separation of polarization information is proposed. To extract the polarization component of direct transmission light from the detected polarized signal, blind separation of overlapped polarized information is performed in the low-frequency domain based on visual perception. Subsequently, after estimating airlight, a high-quality defogging image can be restored. Extensive experiments conducted on real-world scenes and comparative tests confirm the superior performance of our proposed method compared to other competitive methods, particularly in reconstructing objects with high DOP. This work provides a quantitative approach for estimating the contributions of polarization light from different sources and further expands the application range of polarimetric defogging imaging.

One pot synthesizing of cobalt (III) and (IV) oxides/polypyrrole nanocomposite for light sensing in wide optical range

A highly porous potato-shaped nanocomposite, Co(111) and Co(IV) oxide/polypyrrole (Co2O3-Co3O4/Ppy), is synthesized employing a one-pot procedure involving the slow oxidation of pyrrole using Co(NO3)2. The exceptional physical characteristics of this nanocomposite are accompanied by impressive optical properties, marked by a bandgap of 1.72 eV. Its absorbance spans across the UV, visible (Vis), and infrared (IR) regions, making it a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors designed for light sensing within this extensive optical range that encompasses a substantial portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. This Co2O3-Co3O4/Ppy thin film photodetector is subjected to electrical testing under varying light conditions, leading to the determination of the photocurrent density (Jph) value of 0.26 mA.cm−2. When evaluated under different monochromatic light sources ranging from 340 to 730 nm, distinct Jph values are observed for each wavelength, reflecting the nanocomposite’s ability to effectively interact with photons across this spectrum. The measured responsivity (R) and detectivity (D) values further underscore the photodetector’s efficiency. At 340 nm, the R and D values stand at 1.22 mA.W-1 and 0.275 × 109 Jones, respectively. Similarly, at 730 nm, these values are 1.21 mA.W−1 and 0.270 × 109 Jones. The combination of these favorable findings, including cost-effectiveness and high stability, position the Co2O3-Co3O4/Ppy nanocomposite as an optimal choice for a wide range of industrial applications, attesting to its potential impact in the field.

Operational experience and new developments for industrial gas engines fuelled with hydrogen fuels

Since 2012 Horus-Energia has been developing the technology for the hydrogen fuelled industrial gas engines. First three units were commissioned in 2014 and in 2019 reached the forty thousand running hours milestone. The success of the first hydrogen project encouraged Horus-Energia to focus on further developments and improvements of the technology. Several R&D projects have been carried out since 2016 and resulted in two granted patents and another ones currently processed. The recent development project, carried out together with PGNiG Grupa Orlen, is in its final stage. The technology being developed creates a solid base for many new solutions that will cover wide range of fuels and applications. The paper reports experience from 40.000 hrs operation of the hydrogen fuelled industrial gas engines and presents the developments carried by Horus-Energia with its research partners as well as the future development paths for the technology.