Recent Developments In Materials Research Articles

TRIGGER: A Lightweight Universal Jamming Gripper for Aerial Grasping

This work introduces TRIGGER, the first lighTweight univeRsal jammInG Gripper for aErial gRasping. TRIGGER is an omnidirectional, landing-capable aerial grasping system with resilience and robustness to collisions and inherent passive compliance. In particular, this work presents the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of a novel, intelligent, modular, universal jamming gripper specifically designed for aerial applications. Leveraging recent developments in particle jamming and soft granular materials, TRIGGER produces 15N of holding force with only a relatively small activation force of 2.5N. Experiments show the relationship between fill ratio and activation force and reveal that adding an additive to the membrane's silicone mixture improves the holding force by up to 52%. The concept is validated by mounting TRIGGER onto a multicopter performing a pick-and-release task under laboratory conditions. Based on the experimental data, a model for robotic simulators is introduced to facilitate future controller developments.

Recent developments in 2D MXene-based materials for next generation room temperature NO2 gas sensors.

MXenes with distinctive structures, good electrical conductivity and abundant functional groups have shown great potential in the fabrication of high performance gas sensors. Since the sensing mechanism of MXene-based gas sensors often involves a surface-dominant process, they can work at room temperature. In this regard, a significant amount of research has been carried out on MXene-based room temperature gas sensors and they can be viewed as one of the possible materials for NO2 sensing applications in the future. In this review, we focus on the most recent research and improvements in pure MXenes and their nanocomposites for NO2 gas sensing applications. First, we have explored the mechanisms involved in MXenes for NO2 gas sensing. Following that, other ways to tune the MXene sensing performance are investigated, including nanocomposite formation with metal oxides, polymers, and other 2D materials. A comparative analysis of the RT NO2 sensor performance based on MXenes and their hybrids is provided. We also discuss the major challenges of using MXene-related materials and the areas that can further advance in the future for the development of high-performance room temperature NO2 gas sensors.

Wireless Body Area Networks and Their Applications—A Review

In this paper, a comprehensive review of the wireless body area network is provided. A review of the WBAN architectures, standard network topologies, and WBAN communication protocols is discussed in detail. Also, the security requirements of WBAN, security threats and types of attacks, and authentications used in WBAN are discussed. The paper also includes very detailed coverage of antenna types, antenna designs, and flexible antennas used in WBAN with some design considerations and comparisons. Some new energy harvesting technologies, materials used for energy harvesting, and energy management are also discussed. Energy harvesting and power management is an ever-growing area of research. Despite the fact that there are many nanogenerator-based energy harvesting methods, the demand for more efficient energy harvesting mechanisms is ever-increasing. The paper has an extensive discussion of energy harvesting and power management methods. Subsequently, some reviews of recent developments in wearable sensors and novel materials for developing wearable sensors are discussed. Finally, the application areas of WBAN are discussed

Recent Developments of Organic Optoelectronic Functional Materials and Devices Based on Biphenyl Derivatives

Recent Developments of Organic Optoelectronic Functional Materials and Devices Based on Biphenyl Derivatives

A comprehensive review on the electrochemical parameters and recent material development of electrochemical water splitting electrocatalysts.

Electrochemical splitting of water is an appealing solution for energy storage and conversion to overcome the reliance on depleting fossil fuel reserves and prevent severe deterioration of the global climate. Though there are several fuel cells, hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) fuel cells have zero carbon emissions, and water is the only by-product. Countless researchers worldwide are working on the fundamentals, i.e. the parameters affecting the electrocatalysis of water splitting and electrocatalysts that could improve the performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and overall simplify the water electrolysis process. Noble metals like platinum for HER and ruthenium and iridium for OER were used earlier; however, being expensive, there are more feasible options than employing these metals for all commercialization. The review discusses the recent developments in metal and metalloid HER and OER electrocatalysts from the s, p and d block elements. The evaluation perspectives for electrocatalysts of electrochemical water splitting are also highlighted.

Recent Development on Determination of Low-Level 90Sr in Environmental and Biological Samples: A Review

In the context of the rapid development of the world's nuclear power industry, it is vital to establish reliable and efficient radioanalytical methods to support sound environment and food radioactivity monitoring programs and a cost-effective waste management strategy. As one of the most import fission products generated during human nuclear activities, 90Sr has been widely determined based on different analytical techniques for routine radioactivity monitoring, emergency preparedness and radioactive waste management. Herein, we summarize and critically review analytical methods developed over the last few decades for the determination of 90Sr in environmental and biological samples. Approaches applied in different steps of the analysis including sample preparation, chemical separation and detection are systematically discussed. The recent development of modern materials for 90Sr concentration and advanced instruments for rapid 90Sr measurement are also addressed.

Printed Wireless Sensing Devices using Radio Frequency Communication

Sensing technology in the Internet-of-Things (IoT) era is one of the key elements in the next industrial revolution. Especially, wireless sensors enable monitoring of various physical and chemical changes through wireless communication in applications like robotics, wearable devices, and biomedical and environmental sensing. Radio Frequency (RF) wireless sensors fabricated by printing methods with conductive materials have been recently spotlighted thanks to lots of benefits that they can provide like a simple operation, cost-effectiveness, customization, etc. Here, we focus on recent studies dedicated to the advances in various RF sensing technologies fabricated by cutting-edge printing methodologies for the realization of desired properties. By capturing recent developments in wireless sensor designs, sensing mechanisms, sensing performance, and printing materials, this Spotlight foresees the future direction of wireless RF sensors printed by industry-proven technologies in different applications.

Recent Developments in Zn-Based Biodegradable Materials for Biomedical Applications.

Zn-based biodegradable alloys or composites have the potential to be developed to next-generation orthopedic implants as alternatives to conventional implants to avoid revision surgeries and to reduce biocompatibility issues. This review summarizes the current research status on Zn-based biodegradable materials. The biological function of Zn, design criteria for orthopedic implants, and corrosion behavior of biodegradable materials are briefly discussed. The performance of many novel zinc-based biodegradable materials is evaluated in terms of biodegradation, biocompatibility, and mechanical properties. Zn-based materials perform a significant role in bone metabolism and the growth of new cells and show medium degradation without the release of excessive hydrogen. The addition of alloying elements such as Mg, Zr, Mn, Ca, and Li into pure Zn enhances the mechanical properties of Zn alloys. Grain refinement by the application of post-processing techniques is effective for the development of many suitable Zn-based biodegradable materials.

Recent Advances and Perspectives of Core‐Shell Nanostructured Materials for Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Photocatalytic CO2 conversion into solar fuels is a promising technology to alleviate CO2 emissions and energy crises. The development of core-shell structured photocatalysts brings many benefits to the photocatalytic CO2 reduction process, such as high conversion efficiency, sufficient product selectivity, and endurable catalyst stability. Core-shell nanostructured materials with excellent physicochemical features take an irreplaceable position in the field of photocatalytic CO2 reduction. In this review, the recent development of core-shell materials applied for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 is introduced . First, the basic principle of photocatalytic CO2 reduction is introduced. In detail, the classification and synthesis techniques of core-shell catalysts are discussed. Furthermore, it is also emphasized that the excellent properties of the core-shell structure can greatly improve the activity, selectivity, and stability in the process of photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Hopefully, this paper can provide a favorable reference for the preparation of efficient photocatalysts for CO2 reduction.

Proton storage chemistry in aqueous zinc‐organic batteries: A review

AbstractBenefiting from the advantageous features of structural diversity and resource renewability, organic electroactive compounds are considered as attractive cathode materials for aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (ZIBs). In this review, we discuss the recent developments of organic electrode materials for aqueous ZIBs. Although the proton (H+) storage chemistry in aqueous Zn‐organic batteries has triggered an overwhelming literature surge in recent years, this topic remains controversial. Therefore, our review focuses on this significant issue and summarizes the reported electrochemical mechanisms, including pure Zn2+ intercalation, pure H+ storage, and H+/Zn2+ co‐storage. Moreover, the impact of H+ storage on the electrochemical performance of aqueous ZIBs is discussed systematically. Given the significance of H+ storage, we also highlight the relevant characterization methods employed. Finally, perspectives and directions on further understanding the charge storage mechanisms of organic materials are outlined. We hope that this review will stimulate more attention on the H+ storage chemistry of organic electrode materials to advance our understanding and further its application.image

Stretchable One-Dimensional Conductors for Wearable Applications.

Continuous, one-dimensional (1D) stretchable conductors have attracted significant attention for the development of wearables and soft-matter electronics. Through the use of advanced spinning, printing, and textile technologies, 1D stretchable conductors in the forms of fibers, wires, and yarns can be designed and engineered to meet the demanding requirements for different wearable applications. Several crucial parameters, such as microarchitecture, conductivity, stretchability, and scalability, play essential roles in designing and developing wearable devices and intelligent textiles. Methodologies and fabrication processes have successfully realized 1D conductors that are highly conductive, strong, lightweight, stretchable, and conformable and can be readily integrated with common fabrics and soft matter. This review summarizes the latest advances in continuous, 1D stretchable conductors and emphasizes recent developments in materials, methodologies, fabrication processes, and strategies geared toward applications in electrical interconnects, mechanical sensors, actuators, and heaters. This review classifies 1D conductors into three categories on the basis of their electrical responses: (1) rigid 1D conductors, (2) piezoresistive 1D conductors, and (3) resistance-stable 1D conductors. This review also evaluates the present challenges in these areas and presents perspectives for improving the performance of stretchable 1D conductors for wearable textile and flexible electronic applications.

Fundamentals and Scientific Challenges in Structural Design of Cathode Materials for Zinc‐Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors

AbstractOne of the most exciting new developments in energy storage technology is Zn‐ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs). ZHSCs combine Zn‐ion batteries with supercapacitors (SCs) to address the energy and power needs of portable devices and electric automobiles. Low energy density and the development of cathode material are significant issues for ZHSCs. This review provides an in‐depth investigation of charge storage mechanisms from SCs to ZHSCs. The advantages/disadvantages of ZHSCs, the recent development of cathode materials, and the new design for device fabrications are critically summarized. New cathode materials should be developed to achieve high energy density while preserving the inherent power capability and stability. People increasingly engage with smart electronic and hybrid gadgets, demanding flexible, resilient, and highly safe energy storage devices. ZHSC has emerged as a complete alternative to risky sodium‐ion/lithium‐ion technologies. An overview of all reported carbon‐based, biomass‐derived carbons, metal oxides, MOFs, COFs, MXenes, graphene, and composite materials employed for ZHSCs is comprehensively provided. Furthermore, cathode materials for flexible, micro, wire‐shaped, printed, and photo‐rechargeable ZHSCs are also examined with their practical challenges. This review is anticipated to offer valuable recommendations for designing and manipulating cathode materials for high‐performance ZHSCs to achieve real‐world applications.

How Recent Developments in Smart Road Technologies and Construction Materials Can Contribute to the Sustainability of Road Infrastructure

How Recent Developments in Smart Road Technologies and Construction Materials Can Contribute to the Sustainability of Road Infrastructure

Phase Change Materials for Renewable Energy Storage at Intermediate Temperatures.

Thermal energy storage technologies utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) that melt in the intermediate temperature range, between 100 and 220 °C, have the potential to mitigate the intermittency issues of wind and solar energy. This technology can take thermal or electrical energy from renewable sources and store it in the form of heat. This is of particular utility when the end use of the energy is also as heat. For this purpose, the material should have a phase change between 100 and 220 °C with a high latent heat of fusion. Although a range of PCMs are known for this temperature range, many of these materials are not practically viable for stability and safety reasons, a perspective not often clear in the primary literature. This review examines the recent development of thermal energy storage materials for application with renewables, the different material classes, their physicochemical properties, and the chemical structural origins of their advantageous thermal properties. Perspectives on further research directions needed to reach the goal of large scale, highly efficient, inexpensive, and reliable intermediate temperature thermal energy storage technologies are also presented.

Advances in Materials, Sensors, and Integrated Systems for Monitoring Eye Movements.

Eye movements show primary responses that reflect humans' voluntary intention and conscious selection. Because visual perception is one of the fundamental sensory interactions in the brain, eye movements contain critical information regarding physical/psychological health, perception, intention, and preference. With the advancement of wearable device technologies, the performance of monitoring eye tracking has been significantly improved. It also has led to myriad applications for assisting and augmenting human activities. Among them, electrooculograms, measured by skin-mounted electrodes, have been widely used to track eye motions accurately. In addition, eye trackers that detect reflected optical signals offer alternative ways without using wearable sensors. This paper outlines a systematic summary of the latest research on various materials, sensors, and integrated systems for monitoring eye movements and enabling human-machine interfaces. Specifically, we summarize recent developments in soft materials, biocompatible materials, manufacturing methods, sensor functions, systems' performances, and their applications in eye tracking. Finally, we discuss the remaining challenges and suggest research directions for future studies.

Hydrogen permeation barriers and preparation techniques: A review

In the hydrogen energy industry, penetration of hydrogen into storage and transportation materials is a big problem because the process causes cracks, equipment damage, hydrogen leakage, failure, and even explosion. Hydrogen permeation barriers are, thus, necessary to improve the hydrogen resistance of materials and new coating materials and fabrication techniques are being explored. In this review, recent progress in the research of hydrogen permeation barriers is reviewed in terms of both the materials and preparation technology. The current research progress is first discussed based on traditional barriers such as metals and ceramics. Recent development of two-dimensional materials and composite coatings is described and the hydrogen resistance mechanism is discussed. The advantages and limitations of six common preparation methods: physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, solgel method, plasma spraying, electrochemical deposition, and plasma electrolytic oxidation are compared. Novel composite coatings with “hydrogen storage and barrier” structures are attractive and constitute one of the future research directions.

In situ formation of micro/nano phase composite for 3D printing clinically relevant bioresorbable stents

With recent developments in materials engineering and additive manufacturing, the feasibility of patient-specific biomedical devices has increased substantially. Bioresorbable vascular stents/scaffolds (BVS), implants which reopen narrowed blood vessels, have seen considerable research in freeform fabrication as one such potentially customizable medical device. However, clinical requirements for stents place significant limits on manufacturing; the device must maintain the vessel's natural diameter once it has been reopened and must have sub-100 μm radial thickness to allow proper blood flow in small diameter vessels. Recent commercialization challenges for BVSs have highlighted the importance of meeting these requirements. For example, the first BVS marketed in the U.S.A., made from polylactide, had a radial thickness of 150 μm, which potentially contributed to negative side-effects and reduced efficacy. Thus, new bioresorbable materials and manufacturing strategies are required to fabricate BVSs that have sub-100 μm feature sizes that are mechanically competent and safe. In this work, we report the innovative use of a two-phase system that enables in situ formation of semicrystalline poly-l-lactic acid nanofibrous networks within a 3D printed polymeric matrix of a bioresorbable citrate-based biomaterial used for the first time in a resorbable medical device recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The optimized composite ink is compatible with the high-resolution micro-continuous liquid interphase production method with demonstrated smallest printable features of 80 μm. The resulting composite material has a significantly improved Young's modulus of 969.55 MPa at the fully hydrated state, a 108% improvement over the previously reported pure citrate-based biomaterial materials. We have successfully fabricated the BVS with strut thicknesses less than 100 μm and demonstrated that the stent can sustain applied vessel loading under physiological blood pressure conditions. The fabrication method can potentially be broadly applied to other biomedical devices.

Recent development of carbon electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors

Supercapacitors have gained much attention due to their remarkable merits such as stable cycle performance, high power density and excellent charge and discharge performance at high rate. From this perspective, carbon-based materials are widely explored as the active electrode materials for supercapacitors by taking advantages of hierarchical porous structure, excellent chemical stability, multistage pore structure, high surface area, and excellent conductivity. Various studies have explored many methods to utilize carbon-based electrodes. The large amount of defects inside carbon materials including functional groups, heteroatoms, name as foreign-doping, can provide pseudocapacitance. Meanwhile, self-doping (voids, vacancies, defects, etc.) may also enhance the electric double-layer capacitance. In this context, a brief overview of carbon materials for supercapacitor is expounded, including their characteristics, development process and the future challenges, providing a referential guide to those new to this field.

Ontopanel: A Tool for Domain Experts Facilitating Visual Ontology Development and Mapping for FAIR Data Sharing in Materials Testing

In recent years, the design and development of materials are strongly interconnected with the development of digital technologies. In this respect, efficient data management is the building block of material digitization and, in the field of materials science and engineering (MSE), effective solutions for data standardization and sharing of different digital resources are needed. Therefore, ontologies are applied that represent a map of MSE concepts and relationships between them. Among different ontology development approaches, graphical editing based on standard conceptual modeling languages is increasingly used due to its intuitiveness and simplicity. This approach is also adopted by the Materials-open-Laboratory project (Mat-o-Lab), which aims to develop domain ontologies and method graphs in accordance with testing standards in the field of MSE. To suit the actual demands of domain experts in the project, Ontopanel was created as a plugin for the popular open-source graphical editor diagrams.net to enable graphical ontology editing. It includes a set of pipeline tools to foster ontology development in diagrams.net, comprising imports and reusage of ontologies, converting diagrams to Web Ontology Language (OWL), verifying diagrams using OWL rules, and mapping data. It reduces learning costs by eliminating the need for domain experts to switch between various tools. Brinell hardness testing is chosen in this study as a use case to demonstrate the utilization of Ontopanel.

Resource conservation and sustainable development in the metal cutting industry within the framework of the green economy concept: An overview and case study

The metal cutting industry has an important role in the growth of the global economy. In this industry, while research is made on factors such as cutting tool, cooling/lubrication environments, improved cutting parameters, etc., for increased productivity, serious efforts are also made to obtain environmentally friendly and healthy processes. Based on recent developments in tool materials, cutting speeds have increased significantly in machining operations. However, the increased temperatures with increasing cutting speeds have also reduced productivity and caused resource and product losses. The use of cutting fluids, especially in the machining of superalloys, has a vital task in reducing the problems. However, petroleum-based cutting fluids, which are still frequently used and have an important share in the industry, do not comply with the concept of a green economy due to environmental effects and costs. For this reason, the use of sustainable cutting fluids and optimum parameters in metal cutting industry processes has become a necessity. From this perspective, this study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, the outputs of the metal cutting industry were examined within the scope of the principles of green economy. In the second stage, a case study was then conducted involving the machining of Inconel 718 and Ti6Al4V alloys at different cutting speeds and under LCO2. In the case study, critical outputs, both from an economic and sustainability point of view, namely cutting tool wear, surface roughness, specific energy consumption, machining costs and carbon emissions are examined. The results obtained in the machining of both materials were compared with each other. Total cost and carbon emissions can be reduced by up to 35% and 7%, respectively, under the appropriate parameter combination and LCO2 cooling conditions.