Concentration Of Solution Research Articles

Experimental Study and Analysis of the Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Graphene Oxide Cement Soil Under Composite Salinity Erosion

In coastal and saline-alkali regions, cement soil materials face significant challenges from salt erosion and both dynamic and static loads, threatening their structural stability. To enhance the mechanical properties of cement soil, this study explores the incorporation of graphene oxide (GO). We subjected GO cement soil specimens to various concentrations of a composite salt solution (with a NaCl to Na2SO4 mass ratio of 1:1) in erosion experiments lasting 7 and 30 days. The specimens were analyzed through unconfined compressive strength tests, split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine changes in stress-strain curves, peak stress, and energy dissipation. The results indicate that the dynamic and static peak stresses, energy absorption, and energy absorption efficiency of the GO cement soil specimens are inversely related to the concentration of the mixed salt solution. Notably, in a 4.5g/L erosion environment after 7 days, an increasing trend was observed in static peak stress, energy absorption, and energy absorption efficiency. Additionally, when the salt concentration was fixed, these properties showed a positive correlation with impact gas pressure. SEM analysis revealed that the nucleation effect of GO and its strong bonding with the cement matrix significantly improved the microstructure of the specimens by reducing pores and defects, thus enhancing density and overall performance. Furthermore, in an 18g/L erosion environment, a notable presence of ettringite (AFt) was identified in the GO cement soil specimens.

Understanding the time-dependent rheological behavior of seawater mixed cement paste with fly ash

Due to the relative scarcity of freshwater resources in coastal regions, the use of seawater in concrete construction has great potential due to its benefits in cost and resource. To further advance the application of seawater concrete, a deeper understanding of its rheological properties is essential. This study investigates the effects of fly ash on the time-dependent rheological behavior of seawater cementitious paste, such as yield stress, plastic viscosity, and structural build-up rate. The underlying mechanisms are analyzed using the theories of water film thickness (WFT), ion concentration, and hydration heat. The research findings confirm that the rheological parameters of seawater paste are generally higher than those of deionized water paste, regardless of the cementitious compositions. As fly ash content increases, the plastic viscosity of seawater paste increase, while the fluidity and dynamic yield stress decreases. Further analysis reveals that the decrease in the yield stress with fly ash content is well related to the increase in the WFT, but it cannot sufficiently explain the change of yield stress over time. Instead, the amount of hydration products in seawater paste shows a linear increasing relationship with the dynamic yield stress at 65 min. By contrast, the plastic viscosity can be related to the ion concentration in the interstitial solution, wherein an increase in the concentration of Ca2+ corresponds to an increase in the plastic viscosity. Moreover, the rheological parameters increase over time, with the growth rates between 5 and 35 minutes being higher than those between 35 and 65 minutes, possibly due to the rapid early hydration of the binder materials. This study offers a fundamental theoretical support for the use of seawater in various concrete applications.

Preliminary Exploration of T1ρ and T2 Mapping in Porcine Articular Cartilage Using Very-Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The high prevalence of osteoarthritis emphasizes the need for a cost-effective and accessible method for its early diagnosis. Recently, the portability and affordability of very-low-field (VLF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, 10-100 mT) have caused it to gain popularity. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to quantify early degenerative changes in cartilage using VLF MRI. This study assessed the potential of T1ρ and T2 mapping for detecting degenerative changes in porcine cartilage specimens using a 50 mT MRI scanner. T2- and T1ρ-weighted images were acquired using a 50 mT MRI scanner with 2D spin-echo and triple-refocused T1ρ preparation sequences. MRI scans of porcine cartilage were also acquired using a 3 T MRI scanner for comparison. A mono-exponential algorithm was applied to fit a series of T2- and T1ρ-weighted images. T2 values for CuSO4·5H2O solutions measured via Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) and spin-echo sequences were compared to verify the algorithm's reliability. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis statistical test was used to compare T2 and T1ρ values. Experimental repeatability was assessed using the root-mean-square of the coefficient of variation (rmsCV). T2 values of the CuSO4·5H2O solutions obtained using the spin-echo sequence showed differences within 2.3% of those obtained using the CPMG sequence, indicating the algorithm's reliability. The T1ρ values for varying concentrations of agarose gel solutions were higher than the T2 values. Furthermore, 50 mT and 3 T MRI results showed that both the T1ρ and T2 values were significantly higher for porcine cartilage degraded for 6 h vs intact cartilage, with p-values of 0.006 and 0.01, respectively. Our experimental results showed good reproducibility (rmsCV < 8%). We demonstrated the feasibility of quantitative cartilage imaging via T2 and T1ρ mapping at 50 mT MRI for the first time.

Assessment of supply chain efficiency through a sustainable supply chain management strategy in the textile sector

The textile industry processes fiber into yarn or fabric. Problems often faced by textile companies are delays in raw materials, which result in the production and distribution of fabrics not reaching the target, so consumers are unsatisfied and switch to competing companies. In addition, solid waste from the production process is still disposed of, potentially polluting the environment. This study uses the Green Supply Chain Operation Reference (Green SCOR) approach to evaluate the performance of green supply chain management (GSCM) in textile companies located in Yogyakarta. The findings of this study could significantly impact the textile industry as they provide a comprehensive evaluation of GSCM performance. Twenty-two performance indicators have been validated using the Item-Content Validity Index (I-CVI) method and weighted using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Based on the calculation results, the GSCM performance value is 60.208. Improvement recommendations are given for three indicators that need to be prioritized based on Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) matrix mapping and the actual condition of the company. Improvements can be made by using the Vacuum Flash Evaporation method so that recycled PVA can be reused, using natural materials or alternative auxiliary materials that are more environmentally friendly, increasing cooperation with companies engaged in processing weaving waste or textile waste appropriately and effectively, checking the concentration of starch solution not only when changing construction but every beam change, and forming a checklist form that is filled in for monitoring after machine settings and preparation of the production process.

Impact of Tuber Section, Steeping Solution, and Concentration on Physicochemical Properties of Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Flour

This study examined various factors such as Tuber Cutting (TC), Tuber Processing Method and Duration (TPM and TPD), Soaking Solution Type and Concentration (SST and SSC), as well as Parameter Analytical Temperature (PAT) on flour samples prepared from different parts of yam tubers.

Effects of oxidizer concentration and abrasive type on interfacial bonding and material removal in 4H-SiC polishing processes.

Determination of chemical effects involved in material removal during the polishing process of 4H-SiC has been a challenge. In this study, the polishing processes of 4H-SiC under the action of diamond and SiO2 abrasive in different concentrations of H2O2 solutions are investigated by reactive force field molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that 4H-SiC can be oxidized by H2O2 solution at the atomic scale, but the chemical reaction alone does not lead to material removal. An increase in the concentration of H2O2 solution and the mechanical action of abrasives can promote the oxidation of 4H-SiC. Since the mechanical removal dominates material removal when polishing 4H-SiC with diamond abrasive, there is no clear pattern in the effect of H2O2 solution concentration on material removal. Nevertheless, the removal of atoms associated with chemical bonds dominates material removal when polishing 4H-SiC with SiO2 abrasive. Therefore, the damage and atomic removal of 4H-SiC are lower. Since the H2O2 solution can increase the total number of bonds between 4H-SiC and SiO2 abrasive, an increase in the concentration of H2O2 solution can improve the material removal rate. These findings can provide guidance for the 4H-SiC polishing process in terms of abrasive and oxidizer selection.

The Synergic Effect of h-MoO3, α-MoO3, and β-MoO3 Phase Mixture as a Solid Catalyst to Obtain Methyl Oleate.

Extensive research in the last few decades has conclusively demonstrated the significant influence of experimental conditions, surfactants, and synthesis methods on semiconductors' properties in technological applications. Therefore, in this study, the synthesis of molybdenum oxide (MoO3) was reported by the addition of 2.5 (MoO3_2.5), 5 (MoO3_5), 7.5 (MoO3_7.5), and 10 mL (MoO3_10) of nitric acid, obtaining the respective concentrations of 0.6, 1.10, 1.6, and 0.6 mol L-1. In this study, all samples were synthesized by the hydrothermal method at 160 °C for 6 h. The materials obtained were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and structural Rietveld refinement, Raman spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confirming the presence of all crystallographic planes and bands associated with active modes for the pure hexagonal phase (h-MoO3) when the solution's concentration was 0.6 mol L-1 of nitric acid. For concentrations of 1.10, 1.60, and 2.10 mol L-1, the presence of crystallographic planes and active modes associated with the formation of mixtures of molybdenum oxide polymorphs was confirmed, in this case, the orthorhombic, monoclinic, and hexagonal phases. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the occurrence of the states Mo4+, Mo5+, and Mo6+, which confirm the predominance of the acid Lewis sites, corroborating the analysis by adsorption of pyridine followed by characterization by infrared spectroscopy. The images collected by scanning electron microscopy confirmed the information presented in the structural characterization, where microcrystals with hexagonal morphology were obtained for the MoO3_2.5 sample. In contrast, the MoO3_5, MoO3_7.5, and MoO3_10 samples exhibited hexagonal and rod-shaped microcrystals, where the latter morphology is characteristic of the orthorhombic phase. The catalytic tests carried out in the conversion of oleic acid into methyl oleate, using the synthesized samples as a heterogeneous catalyst, resulted in conversion percentages of 52.5, 58.6, 69.1, and 97.2% applying the samples MoO3_2.5, MoO3_5, MoO3_7.5, and MoO3_10, respectively. The optimization of the catalytic tests with the MoO3_10 sample revealed that the conversion of oleic acid into methyl oleate is a thermodynamically favorable process, with a variation in the Gibbs free energy between -67.3 kJ mol-1 and 83.4 kJ mol-1 as also, the energy value of activation of 24.6 kJ mol-1, for the temperature range from 80 to 140 °C, that is, from 353.15 to 413.15 K, respectively. Meanwhile, the catalyst reuse tests resulted in percentages greater than 85%, even after the ninth catalytic cycle. Therefore, the expressive catalytic performance of the mixture of h-MoO3 and α-MoO3 (MoO3_10) phases is confirmed, associated with the synergistic effect, mainly due to the increase in the surface area and available Lewis sites of these phases.

Effects of Li concentration in the precursor solution on NiO thin films deposited using electrostatic spray deposition

Abstract Undoped and Li-added NiO thin films were deposited using electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) techniques. Initially, the NiO thin films displayed minimal contamination, predominantly C and H. The NiO thin films exhibited a flat surface morphology comprising grains of uniform size, approximately 20–30 nm in diameter, and reliable crystal growth, with a full width at half maximum of approximately 0.30 in X-ray diffraction analysis. Moreover, the NiO/ZnO diode demonstrated superior properties when a 5 at. % Li concentration solution was incorporated. The rectification ratio reached approximately 2.3 × 10³ at ± 1.0 V, with an ideality factor of 1.9. Additionally, the NiO/ZnO diodes exhibited remarkable photovoltaic properties even without detailed optimization. These findings underscore the potential of ESD in advancing semiconductor thin-film technology, thereby paving the way for more cost-effective and scalable production methods.

Synthesis and characterization of novel electrospun nanofibers based on taro starch: influence of solvent and isolation agent on morphology and diameter

AbstractThe utilization of natural polymers in producing electrospun nanofibers has received significant attention due to their biocompatibility, sustainability and diverse range of applications. This research focuses on synthesizing electrospun nanofibers derived from taro starch isolated from tubers. The investigation utilized SEM to examine the structure and size of the electrospun nanofibers. Formic acid and dimethyl sulfoxide solvents were tested to determine the most efficient solvent system for synthesizing taro starch nanofibers. The results demonstrated that the taro starch nanofibers can be effectively synthesized when using formic acid as the primary solvent. The study also investigated the impact of altering the volumetric ratio of formic acid to water on nanofiber morphology and size, finding that a lower formic acid fraction produced smooth fibers while a higher fraction resulted in fused fibers. The electrospinnability was further evaluated by comparing the effects of different isolation agents—distilled water and sodium metabisulfite—during the isolation process. The isolation agent significantly affected the fiber diameter, with notable differences observed in the smoothness of taro starch nanofibers at starch solution concentrations of 13, 15 and 17 wt%. Overall, the results of the study showed that the formation of taro starch fibers was influenced by the type of solvent, the volume fraction of the solvent to water, and the starch isolation agent. Successful fabrication of nanofibers from taro starch and its optimization parameters can contribute to the development of environmentally friendly nanofiber materials and offer a variety of applications in biomedicine, food and environmental engineering, such as tissue engineering, wound dressing, drug delivery, functional food delivery and food packaging. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Glass Surface Nanostructuring by Soft Lithography and Chemical Etching

Due to its high durability and transparency, soda lime glass holds a huge potential for several applications such as photovoltaics, optical instrumentation and biomedical devices, among others. The different technologies request specific properties, which can be enhanced through the modification of the surface morphology with a nanopattern. Here, we report a simple method to nanostructure a glass surface with soft lithography and wet-chemical etching in potassium hydroxide (KOH) solutions. Glass samples etched with a polymeric mask showed a nanopattern with stripes of widths between 220 and 450 nm and modulated heights between 50 and 200 nm. For different solution concentrations or etching times, the obtained nanopatterns led to an increase or reduction of the water contact angle. The largest increment, ~20 degrees, was achieved by etching the glass for 180 min with 30% KOH concentration, while a super-hydrophilic glass (~9° contact angle) was achieved when etching for 90 min with the same concentration. Optical characterization showed a very low influence of the nanostructured pattern on glass transparency and an increment in UV transmittance for some cases.

Concentration of ground state solutions for supercritical zero-mass (N, q)-equations of Choquard reaction

We study the following singularly perturbed (N, q)-equation of Choquard type -εNΔNu-εqΔqu=εμ-N(∫RNK(y)F(u(y))|x-y|μdy)K(x)f(u),x∈RN,\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\begin{aligned} -\\varepsilon ^N\\Delta _Nu-\\varepsilon ^q\\Delta _qu=\\varepsilon ^{\\mu -N} \\bigg (\\int _{\\mathbb {R}^N}\\frac{K(y)F(u(y))}{|x-y|^{\\mu }}dy\\bigg )K(x)f(u),~x\\in \\mathbb {R}^N, \\end{aligned}$$\\end{document}where Δru=div(|∇u|r-2∇u)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\Delta _ru = \ ext {div}(|\ abla u|^{r-2}\ abla u)$$\\end{document} denotes the usual r-Laplacian operator with r∈{q,N}\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$r\\in \\{q,N\\}$$\\end{document} and 1<q<N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$1<q<N$$\\end{document}, ε>0\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\varepsilon >0$$\\end{document} is a sufficiently small parameter, K∈C0(RN)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$K\\in C^0(\\mathbb {R}^N)$$\\end{document} satisfies some technical assumptions, 0<μ<N\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$0<\\mu <N$$\\end{document} and F is the primitive of f that fulfills a supercritical exponential growth in the Trudinger–Moser sense. Due to the new version of Trudinger–Moser type inequality introduced in Shen and Rădulescu (Zero-mass (N, q)-Laplacian equation with Stein-Weiss convolution part in RN\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\mathbb {R}^N$$\\end{document}: supercritical exponential case. submitted), we aim to derive the existence and concentration of ground state solutions for the given equation using variational method, where the concentrating phenomenon appears at the maximum point set of K as ε→0+\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\varepsilon \\rightarrow 0^+$$\\end{document}.

Effect of Chloride Solution on Liquid Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soil in Selected Sites in Erbil /North Iraq

This study is an attempt to investigate the effect of NaCl, CaCl2, KCl, and NH4Cl solutions with different concentrations (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%) on the liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of Sarbasty and Mamwastayan soil samples /Erbil Governorate. The soil samples' liquid and plastic limits were found by using the cone penetrometer method. The Results showed that the soil's liquid, plastic limits, and Plasticity index decreased with increasing salt solution concentration. Maximum reduction of liquid limit and plastic limit in Sarbasty was from 53.6 to 34.3 and in Mamwastayan from 35.9 to 27.2, both accomplished by adding a concentration of 7.5% of KCl and CaCl2 respectively. According to the Unified Soil Classification System, the Sarbasty soils were classified as high plasticity clay (CH), and Mamwastayan low plasticity clay (CL). After adding different concentrations of salt solution to the soil, the Sarbasty soil classification changed from CH to CL. Mineralogically these soils are composed of non-clay minerals of calcite and quartz and clay minerals consisting of Montmorillonite, Chlorite, swelling Chlorite, Kaolinite, Illite, Palygorskite, and Illite- Chlorite. Sarbasty soil was the most effective salt chloride solution than the Mamwastayan soil sample swelling.

Energy-conversion efficiency for producing oxy-hydrogen gas using a simple generator based on water electrolysis

Producing hydrogen efficiently through water electrolysis could greatly reduce fossil fuel consumption. As well as this renewable energy source will also help combat global warming and boost economic investment opportunities. This paper studied some factors affecting the performance of oxy-hydrogen/hydroxy (HHO) gas generator, such as applied voltage (from 10.5 to 13.0 V) and electrolyte solution concentration (from 0.05 to 0.20 M), using a dry fuel cell based on the electrolyzing technique of water. The results revealed that the HHO gas production rate, power consumption, and temperature change of electrolyte solution increased significantly with increasing the tested applied voltage and electrolyte concentration. This study concluded that the optimum conditions for producing HHO gas ranged from 11.5 to 12.0 V for applied voltage and from 0.05 to 0.10 M for KOH concentration according to the lowest specific energy and highest HHO gas generator efficiency. Under the previous optimum conditions, the highest productivity, specific energy, and efficiency of the HHO gas generator were 343.9 cm3 min−1, 3.43 kW h m−3, and 53.79%, respectively, using 12.0 V for applied voltage and 0.10 M for electrolyte solution concentration. These findings provide an unambiguous direction for adjusting the operational factors (applied voltage and electrolyte concentration) for efficient HHO gas production and use in different applications. Furthermore, the required energy to operate the HHO gas generator can be obtained from renewable sources.

Soaking Water Of Pineapple Peel (Ananas comocus L. Merr) Solution On Reducing Formaldehyde Levels In Salted Fish

ABSTRACT Formaldehyde in salted fish processing is used to extend the shelf life of salted fish, potentially causing harmful effects on health. Before processing, such as soaking using pineapple peels can be done to reduce formaldehyde levels so that it is not harmful to health. The purpose of the study was to determine the decrease in formaldehyde levels in salted fish before and after soaking using a pineapple peel solution. This research is a pre-experimental study with a group Pretest and Posttest Design. The object of research is salted fish soaked in pineapple peel solution concentrations of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% with 4 replications. Soaking time is done for 60 minutes. The method of checking formaldehyde levels using the spectrophotometer method. The data that has been obtained is then analyzed using a paired t-test. The results of the examination of formaldehyde levels of salted fish before soaking amounted to 13.30 mg/kg. In contrast, after soaking the pineapple peel solution concentration of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% respectively amounted to 6.58 mg/kg, 4.16 mg/kg, 0.15 mg/kg, and 0.11 mg/kg, and tap water of 8.14 mg/kg. The Paired t-test obtained the P &lt; α (0.05), meaning there is a significant difference in decline. The highest formaldehyde content reduction of 99.14% occurred in the treatment of soaking in pineapple peel solution with a concentration of 80% with a soaking time of 60 minutes. There is a significant difference between formaldehyde levels in salted fish before and after soaking using a pineapple peel solution. The use of pineapple peel solution can be an alternative effort in reducing formaldehyde levels in salted fish before processing for consumption and using other fruit peels with different concentration variations and different soaking times in salted fish.

Bioactive electrospun zein fibers integrated with ZnO nanoparticles: In vitro investigations

The objective of the current study was the fabrication and characterization of electrospun zein-ZnO fibers containing various concentrations of cumin essential oil (CEO) (0, 1, 2, and 3% (v/v)). The electrospinning solution's apparent viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension were measured. Also, the electrospun's morphological, color, encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, thermal stability, and release kinetic were investigated. The results represented that following the increase in CEO concentration, the conductivity and surface tension of the electrospinning solution changed from 182.92 μS/cm to 145.22 μS/cm and 19.52 mN/m to 22.35 mN/m, respectively. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the homogenous and free-bead structure of electrospun fibers. Besides, the diameter of fibers enhanced with a rise in CEO concentration from 217.13 nm to 321.67 nm. The finding estimated the maximum encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity at about 95.09% and 25.65%, respectively in electrospun containing the highest concentration of CEO (3%). CEO inclusion in electrospinning fibers augmented the value of contact angle, color difference, TPC, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. The favorable interaction between the CEO ingredients and electrospinning fibers was confirmed through FTIR and XRD analysis. Furthermore, the incorption of CEO enhanced the thermal stability of fibers. Release kinetic in different simulant (aqueous, acidic, alkaline, and fatty) revealed that Fick's diffusion was the main release mechanism. The highest diffusion coefficient was observed in electrospun fibers containing 3% CEO in the fatty media simulant. These findings could present a new horizon into electrospinning fiber's application in various fields of medicine, tissue engineering, food, and pharmaceutical industry.

Saturation Mobility of 100 cm2 V-1 s-1 in ZnO Thin-Film Transistors through Quantum Confinement by a Nanoscale In2O3 Interlayer Using Spray Pyrolysis.

In this study, we present a comprehensive study on the fabrication and characterization of heterojunction In2O3/ZnO thin-film transistors (TFTs) aimed at exploiting the quantum confinement effect to enhance device performance. By systematically optimizing the thickness of the crystalline In2O3 (c-In2O3) layer to create a narrow quantum well, we observed a significant increase in saturation mobility (μSAT) from 12.76 to 97.37 cm2 V-1 s-1. This enhancement, attributed to quantum confinement, was achieved through the deposition of a 3 nm c-In2O3 semiconductor via spray pyrolysis. Various In2O3 layer thicknesses (2-5 nm) were obtained by adjusting precursor solution concentration, flow rate, and number of spray cycles. Post annealing treatments were employed to reduce the defects at the interface and within the oxide film, enhancing device stability and performance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the uniformity of the c-In2O3 film thickness, while variations in thickness significantly influenced TFT performance, particularly the turn-on voltage (VGS) due to changes in the carrier concentration. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) supported the formation of a potential well with a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). The study of single and multiple superlattice structures of consecutive c-In2O3 and c-ZnO layers provided insights into the effects of multiple quantum wells on the TFT performance. This research presents an advanced approach to TFT optimization, highlighting high reliability, and environmental and bias stabilities. These lead to enhanced mobility and performance uniformity through the precise control of c-In2O3 layer thickness for the quantum confinement effect.

Arabic gum-grafted-polyaniline@MnFe2O4/UIO66-NH2 bionanocomposite as adsorbent for quercetin antioxidant: Efficiency, kinetics, thermodynamics and isotherm modelling

Quercetin is one of the most powerful antioxidants in nature and a major dietary flavonoid, so its efficient recovery by nanoadsorbents can be valuable for human health. In this study, the nanocomposite Arabic gum-grafted-polyaniline@MnFe2O4/UIO66-NH2 (AG-g-PANI@MnFe2O4/UIO66-NH2) was synthesized by in situ copolymerization. The physicochemical and structural properties of the AG-g-PANI@MnFe2O4/UIO66-NH2 nanocomposite were examined using various methods, including XRD, FE-SEM, FT-IR, EDX, VSM, TGA, and BET. The adsorption capacity of natural nanoadsorbent was evaluated for the adsorption of quercetin antioxidant from an ethanol-water solution (50 % v/v) in a batch system. The influence of controlling factors such as solution pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, initial quercetin concentration and temperature on the adsorption process was investigated. The highest adsorption capacity (9.1157 mg.g−1) was achieved at a pH of 8, with 0.025 g of adsorbent, a quercetin solution concentration of 20 mg.L−1, a 300 min contact time and at the temperature 298.15 K. In addition, the data from adsorption experiments were analyzed using different isotherm and kinetic models. The findings demonstrated that the Temkin isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model are the most suitable for representing the adsorption behavior. In addition, from analysis of the temperature effect was found that the adsorption of quercetin on AG-g-PANI@MnFe2O4/UIO66-NH2 is a spontaneous (∆G° < 0) and exothermic (ΔH° < 0) process. Finally, the reusability of nanoadsorbent and desorption kinetics of quercetin were investigated and it was specified that AG-g-PANI@MnFe2O4/UIO66-NH2 can be effectively renewed and recycled, maintaining its adsorption efficacy without significant reduction after five repeated cycles.

Pyrene-Functionalized Ru-Catenated Metallacycles: Conversion of Catenated System to Monorectangle through Aging.

Molecular transformation behavior within a mechanically interlocked system is often assisted by chemical manipulation, such as the inclusion of guest molecules, variation in the solution concentration, or swapping of solvents. We present in this report the synthesis of ruthenium metal and π-conjugated pyrene-based (2 + 2)2 catenated rectangles. Additionally, we discuss the structural conversion of these catenated rectangles into monorectangles through adjustments in concentration and solvent composition. In the presence of a methanol solution, a transformation into monorectangles was observed as the concentration declined. However, interestingly, in the presence of a nitromethane solution, an alteration in conformation to monorectangles was noted by just standing at room temperature for a few hours without any chemical manipulation. Furthermore, theoretical calculations were studied to provide insights into the formation of catenated structures over other potential ring-in-ring or Borromean-ring-type structures. The computational study with the GFN2-xTB method combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that the lower binding energy within the rectangles favors a catenated structure over other potential ring-in-ring or Borromean-ring-type structures. This work represents a new example of an intertwined structure that self-assembles into a catenated ring rather than a ring-in-ring or Borromean ring and transforms into a monorectangle in nitromethane without the use of any template, alteration in solution concentration, or exchange of solvents, but simply by standing at room temperature.

Temperature-triggered liquid metal actuators for fluid manipulation by leveraging phase transition control

ABSTRACT Small-scale pumps for controlling microfluidics have promising applications in drug delivery and chemical assays. Liquid metal (LM) demonstrates excellent flow pumping performance due to its simple structure and the electrocapillary effect under an electric field. However, LM droplets risk escaping from constrained structures, which can lead to pump failure. Temperature regulation is also a critical parameter in optimizing chemical reactions in fluidic systems, however, integrating it into a compact system remains challenging. Here, we develop a temperature-triggered gallium-based actuator (TTGA) by introducing a gallium (Ga) droplet wetted on a copper (Cu) plate as the core element for flow actuation. The Cu plate prevents the Ga droplet from escaping the chamber and significantly increases the flow rate. By leveraging the electrochemical method to inhibit the supercooling effect of Ga, the TTGA enables activation/deactivation for flow actuation at different temperatures. We investigate the impact of electrode position, solution concentration, and applied voltage on TTGA’s pumping efficiency. By dynamically tuning the Ga droplet’s temperature to control phase transition, TTGA allows for accurate flow actuation control. Furthermore, placing Ga and eutectic Ga-indium (EGaIn) droplets in different channels enables the expected flow divergence for fluids with different temperatures. The development of TTGA presents new opportunities in microfluidics and biomedical treatment.

Effect of Sodium Selenite Foliar Treatment on the Nutritional Quality of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batalin) Iljinsk

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batalin) Iljinskaja is a rare, endemic tree species in China. The leaves of C. paliurus contain a high concentration of biologically active compounds, and they are often used to make herbal tea. Exogenous selenium (Se) enrichment can promote the levels of active ingredients in C. paliurus. To explore the effects of exogenous Se enrichment, this study applied different concentrations of sodium selenite solution on the leaves (0, 40, 80, 120, 160, and 300 mg/L) and measured the changes in Se, secondary metabolites, soluble sugar, soluble protein, starch, and trace elements in the leaves at different treatment times. The results showed that with the increase in the concentration of sodium selenite spray, the selenium content in the leaves of C. paliurus gradually increased, and high selenium concentrations could cause seedling burning to the leaf surface (&gt;160 mg/kg). When the selenium treatment concentration was 80 mg/kg, the selenium content reached the maximum value of the selenium-rich tea standard (4 mg/kg). The content of polyphenols and most elements reached their maxima under the treatment of 40 mg/L Na2SeO3, except for Mg and Mn, which peaked at 300 mg/L. The content of soluble sugars (38.1 mg/g) and starch reached their maxima under relatively high selenium treatment concentrations, whereas soluble protein (10.63 mg/g) exhibited its maximum value in the control group. The optimal harvest time was mainly concentrated in the 10–20 day treatment period. The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of exogenous selenium application on the nutritional quality of C. paliurus leaves. The findings will provide guidance for the effective cultivation of selenium-enriched Poria cocos as a medicinal and health-promoting product.