Stable Suspension Research Articles

Development of Novel Biocomposites with Antimicrobial-Activity-Based Magnesium-Doped Hydroxyapatite with Amoxicillin.

Background/Objectives: A biocomposite based on magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite and enriched with amoxicillin (MgHApOx) was synthesized using the coprecipitation method and is presented here for the first time. Methods: The stability of MgHAp and MgHApOx suspensions was evaluated by ultrasound measurements. The structure of the synthesized MgHAp and MgHApOx was examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The crystalline structure was determined by X-ray diffraction. The FTIR data were collected in the range of 4000-400 cm-1. The morphology of the nanoparticles was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the biocompatible properties of MgHAp, MgHApOx and amoxicillin (Ox) suspensions were assessed using human fetal osteoblastic cells (hFOB 1.19 cell line). The antimicrobial properties of the MgHAp, MgHApOx and Ox suspension nanoparticles were assessed using the standard reference microbial strains Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231. Results: X-ray studies have shown that the biocomposite retains the characteristics of HAp and amoxicillin. The SEM assessment exhibited that the apatite contains particles at nanometric scale with acicular flakes morphology. The XRD and SEM results exhibited crystalline nanoparticles. The average crystallite size calculated from XRD analysis increased from 15.31 nm for MgHAp to 17.79 nm in the case of the MgHApOx sample. The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis highlighted the presence of the constituent elements of MgHAp and amoxicillin. Moreover, XPS confirmed the substitution of Ca2+ ions with Mg2+ and the presence of amoxicillin constituents in the MgHAp lattice. The results of the in vitro antimicrobial assay demonstrated that MgHAp, MgHApOx and Ox suspensions exhibited good antimicrobial activity against the tested microbial strains. The results showed that the antimicrobial activity of the samples was influenced by the presence of the antibiotic and also by the incubation time. Conclusions: The findings from the biological assays indicate that MgHAp and MgHApOx are promising candidates for the development of new biocompatible and antimicrobial agents for biomedical applications.

Ultrasonic-Assisted Marine Antifouling Strategy on Gel-like Epoxy Primer

Ultrasonic technology has drawn extensive interests for its great potential in marine antifouling applications. However, its effects on the adhesion behavior of marine fouling organisms on marine structures remain underexplored. This work investigated how ultrasonic treatment impacted the adhesion of Pseudoalteromonas on a gel-like marine epoxy primer. And the process parameters for ultrasonic treatment were optimized using response surface analysis with Design-Expert software 11. The results revealed that ultrasonic treatment disrupted the cellular structure of Pseudoalteromonas, causing the deformation and fragmentation of the cell membrane, leading to bacterial death. Additionally, ultrasonic treatment reduced the particle size and Zeta potential value of Pseudoalteromonas, which disrupted the stability of bacterial suspensions. It also increased the relative surface hydrophobicity of Pseudoalteromonas cells, resulting in a reduction in adhesion to the gel-like marine epoxy primer. This study demonstrated that ultrasonic treatment significantly disturbed the adhesion behavior of microorganisms like Pseudoalteromonas on the gel-like marine epoxy primer, which provided an effective approach for controlling marine biofouling.

The Effect of Sodium Hexametaphosphate on the Dispersion and Polishing Performance of Lanthanum-Cerium-Based Slurry.

A lanthanum-cerium-based abrasive composed of CeO2, LaOF, and LaF3 was commercially obtained. The effect of sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) on powder dispersion behavior was systematically investigated using the combined techniques of liquid contact angle, turbidity, zeta potential (ZP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) combined with Rietveld refinements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and polishing tests. The results indicated that the addition of 0.5 wt.% SHMP dispersant to the 5 wt.% lanthanum-cerium-based slurry produced the most stable suspension with a high turbidity of 2715 NTU and a low wetting angle of 45°. The as-obtained slurry displayed good surface polishing quality for K9 glass, with low surface roughness (Ra) of 0.642 and 0.515 nm (in the range of 979 × 979 μm2) at pH = 6 and 11, respectively, which corresponds to the fact that it has local maximum absolute values of ZP at these two pH values. SEM images demonstrated that after appropriate grafting of SHMP, the particle aggregation was reduced and the slurry's dispersion stability was improved. In addition, the dispersion mechanism was explained based on the principle of complexation reaction, which reveals that the dispersant SHMP can increase the interparticle steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsions. In an acidic environment, steric hindrance dominates, while electrostatic repulsion prevails under alkaline conditions. As expected, this polishing slurry may find potential applications in manufacturing optical devices and integrated circuits.

Evaluation of protein-polysaccharide interactions through ζ-potential and particle size measurements to assess their functionality in wine.

Protein-polysaccharide-tannin interactions are important in every aspect of red wine production from physical stability to color, astringency, and body. For this model study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as the protein, while carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), mannoproteins, and pectin were the model polysaccharides. Each protein-polysaccharide combination was analyzed for zeta (ζ) potential and particle size at neutral pH and within the wine-like solution. Mixtures were assessed regarding their protective, affinitive, and aggregative behaviors. Based on their individual ζ-potentials, pectin and mannoprotein were most stable at lower concentrations. At higher concentrations, they reduced the suspension's stability and increased the aggregate sizes. CMC consistently increased the stability of any solution under neutral pH conditions. However, with increasing concentrations, these large aggregates are expected to precipitate. Fruit pectin (FP) and BSA interactions seemed to be the main factors in the formation of visible precipitates at neutral pH. FP and the mannoprotein decreased stability enough to cause precipitation without haze formation. The mannoprotein decreased particle sizes, in both the suspension and precipitation, which may indicate greater selectivity toward proteins. FP also decreased the suspended particle sizes under wine conditions. These findings demonstrate the use of ζ-potential and particle size values to characterize macromolecular interactions in model systems and can also be used to indicate effective fining agents. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This work demonstrates the capabilities of ζ-potential analysis paired with size particle measurements to predict and characterize the interactions between macromolecules in complex systems. The interactions between model wine macromolecules can be evaluated with this technology at a level that cannot be reached with any other analytical technique.

Aqueous dispersions of ‘green’ silver nanoparticles for eco-applications: Synthesis, structure and biosafety

Sustainable agriculture requires the use of intelligent compounds with multifaceted effect on soil and plants. Such conditioners can be hydrogels enriched with nanoparticles, but only those synthesized using ‘green chemistry’ methods. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to synthesize and characterize innovative ‘green’ silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for agricultural applications. AgNPs were created using water or alcohol extracts of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus viminalisLabill) and aloe (Aloë arborescens Mill) as well as tannin to reduce silver ions (Ag+) to zero valent form (Ag0). The synthesis was conducted under autoclave conditions or at room temperature, in the presence of potassium carbonate. The AgNPs characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) method, whereas stability of the AgNPs suspensions under various conditions was estimated using turbidimetry. Biosafety of the formed species was determined based on genotoxicity (comet test) and cytotoxicity (study with crystal violet and MTT) assays. The obtained results confirmed the presence of zero valent silver phase in the nanoparticles and showed that their crystallite size was 14–24 nm, with different degrees of polydispersity depending on the synthesis conditions. Hydrodynamic diameter of AgNPs and their aggregates in the aqueous dispersions varied from 6 nm to 103 nm, and the smallest aggregation degree was noted for the nanoparticles synthesized using tannin. All synthesized nanoparticles were biosafe. Thus, they can be applied in agro-industrial processes without damaging the environment.

1,4-cineole: a bio-derived solvent for highly stable graphene nanoplatelet suspensions and well-dispersed UHMWPE nanocomposite fibers

1,4-cineole: a bio-derived solvent for highly stable graphene nanoplatelet suspensions and well-dispersed UHMWPE nanocomposite fibers

Synthesized Crosslinking Suspension Stabilizer for Spacer Fluid in High-Temperature Conditions: Synthesis, Behavior, and Mechanism Research

Summary High-temperature stability of spacer fluid is a vital prerequisite to ensure the safety of cementing operations in deep or ultradeep wells. Faced with this problem, the thermal stability of the suspension agent in the spacer fluid at high temperatures is improved from the aspects of polymerization monomer and molecular chain. A terpolymer SAD was synthesized by free radical polymerization of sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS), acrylamide (AM), and N, N’-diethylacrylamide (DEAA) in aqueous solution. The name of the terpolymer, SAD, is the initial letter composition of the three polymerization monomers. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) can improve the molecular chain structure of SAD by transamidation reaction with the amide group in SAD, so a high temperature suspension agent PSAD (polyethyleneimine + SAD) was obtained by compounding PEI with SAD. The structure and properties of PSAD were characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy, hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and viscosity test. In addition, the comprehensive properties of the spacer fluid under the action of PSAD are evaluated. The results showed that the crosslinking degree of PSAD gradually increased with the increase in temperature. After aging at 200°C, the decomposition temperature of PSAD was 305°C, which show terrific thermal stability. At the same time, the spacer fluid prepared by PSAD not only has excellent rheological properties in the range of 90 ~ 200°C but also keeps the density difference between the upper and lower parts of the slurry less than 0.02 g/cm3 and the filtration loss of the slurry less than 50 mL.

Proflavine binding to La-Sr perovskite manganite nanoparticles at temperatures above and below the Сurie temperature

The magnetic properties of La1-xSrxMnO3 (LSMO) nanoparticles within the ferromagnetic region (x ≈ 0.2–0.5) enable their application in two types of cancer treatment: chemotherapy drug delivery and self-controlled hyperthermia. Single-phase La0.80Sr0.20MnO3 nanoparticles were prepared by the sol-gel process followed by mechanical processing. Sample characterization was performed by using XRD, TEM, EPR, and DLS techniques. The encapsulation efficiency of proflavine to the nanoparticles was determined via spectrophotometry. The mean size of crystallites of LSMO nanoparticles is 18 nm, and the Curie temperature is 319 K. Bare LSMO particles do not form a colloidally stable aqueous suspension; they exhibit a zeta potential close to zero and provide micro-sized aggregates. Application of sodium citrate for their stabilization leads to a decrease in the size of agglomerates and to a highly negative zeta potential of –33 mV. The efficiency of proflavine sorption by LSMO nanoparticles increases significantly above the Curie temperature, from 16.1 % at 298 K to 26.2 % at 333 K. This increase is attributed to the partial disruption of nanoparticle agglomerates in suspension after the LSMO phase loses its ferromagnetic order. In summary, heating LSMO nanoparticles above the Curie temperature increases the degree of drug loading on the nanoparticles.

In vitro comparison of low-power diode pumping solid-state laser radiation at 589 and 650 nm on red blood cells suspension viscosity, stability, and deformability.

To investigate the effect of diode-pumped solid-state laser irradiation with yellow 589nm and red 650nm wavelengths on rheological parameters in vitro. The comparative study was conducted between November 2021 and April 2022 at the at the Postgraduate Medical Physics Laboratory, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised blood samples from healthy adult volunteers. The samples were divided into 4 aliquots. The first was preserved as a control sample, while the other 3 were exposed to a diode-pumped solid-state laser, delivering the beam for 589nm and 650nm wavelengths at radiation dose 15, 22.5, 33.5J/cm2 for 20, 30 and 45 minutes, and with each laser having a 50mW output power and a 4 mm2 spot diameter. Data was analysed using SPSS (version 24). There were 6 subjects aged 18-60 years. There was no significant difference in the viscosity values between laser wavelengths (p>0.05). Compared to the laser wavelength of 650nm, irradiation with a 589nm wavelength at the same dose resulted in a significant reduction (p<0.009) in deformability. The rigidity index of red blood cell suspension was reduced the most at a radiation dose of 22.5J/cm2 for both lasers compared to the control samples. No significant variations were found in suspended erythrocyte viscosity (p>0.05). The wavelength with 589nm lasers showed more effective influence than its 650nm counterpart in improving the rheological parameters of blood viscosity and erythrocytes deformability.

Designing calcium-fortified milk for improving stability and calcium bioaccessibility by solid dispersion emulsification

Approximately 70 % of the calcium intake in the adult diet worldwide is derived from dairy products. However, insoluble calcium salts, which are usually added directly during dairy production, have poor suspension stability and are prone to precipitation. The current study aimed to address the constraints of conventional production methods by utilizing solid dispersion emulsification technology to inhibit the aggregation of calcium salts. Calcium-fortified milk samples with different calcium content were prepared and compared with the commercial calcium-fortified milk, and their physicochemical, microstructural, and digestive properties were characterized. The results of this study demonstrated that all the prepared calcium-fortified milk samples exhibited a particle size of approximately 270 nm and a zeta-potential of approximately −40 mV. The calcium-fortified milk, which has been produced using solid dispersed emulsion technology, has been found to have 1.8 times more physical stability than commercial milk. Microstructural studies showed that aggregation of milk with more than 225 mg/100 mL calcium content occurred. During in-vitro digestion, it was found that the increasing calcium loading did not impact protein digestion without the creation of new fragments in the calcium-fortified milk. Calcium bioaccessibility was enhanced by approximately 50 % in comparison with the commercial product. While the release of free fatty acids was found to decrease with increasing calcium content. This study facilitates the development and utilization of calcium-fortified and low-fat foods and provides a new idea for the addition of milk minerals in dairy products.

Silica Nanoparticles Decorated with Ceria Quantum Dots Modulate Intra- and Extracellular Reactive Oxygen Species Formation and Selectively Reduce Human A375 Melanoma Cell Proliferation.

Nanomaterials show great promise for cancer treatment. Nonetheless, most nanomaterials lack selectivity for cancer cells, damaging healthy ones. Cerium dioxide (ceria, CeO2) nanoparticles have been shown to exert selective toxicity toward cancer cells due to the redox modulating properties they display as their size decreases. However, these particles suffer from poor suspension stability. The efficacy of CeO2 nanoparticles for cancer treatment is hampered by their innate high surface energy, which leads to particle agglomeration and, consequently, reactivity loss. This effect increases as particle size decreases; as such, quantum dots (QDs) suffer most from this phenomenon. In this study, it is proposed that silicon dioxide (silica, SiO2) nanoparticles can provide an inert platform for surface encrusted CeO2 QDs and that the resulting nanocomposite (hereafter QDCeO2/SiO2) not only will exhibit negligible agglomeration compared with CeO2 alone but also will improve the modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to selective reduction of human A375 melanoma cell proliferation. The SiO2 nanoparticles had a bimodal size distribution with median particle size of 66 and 168 nm, while the CeO2 quantum dots encrusted on their surface had a size of 3.2 nm. An elevated Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio led to the QDCeO2/SiO2 nanocomposite displaying synergistic superoxide dismutase- and catalase-like activity, favoring the accumulation of ROS at pH 6.5 which translated into QDCeO2/SiO2 exerting selective oxidative stress in, and toward, the melanoma cells. Treatment with 50 μg mL-1 QDCeO2/SiO2 significantly reduced cell proliferation by 27% compared to untreated control cells in the colony formation assay. Treatment with either SiO2 or CeO2 alone did not affect the cell proliferation. These results highlight the benefit of dispersing CeO2 QDs on the surface of core nanoparticles and the resulting enhancement of selective redox reactivity and proliferation arrest when compared to CeO2 nanoparticles alone. Furthermore, the method employed here to encrust CeO2 QDs could lead to the facile synthesis of new nanocomposites with enhanced control of ROS activity, not only for in vitro studies using other cancer cell lines of interest but also in animal models and perhaps leading to clinical trials in melanoma patients.

Evaluation of rheo-viscoelasticity of magnesium-silicate-hydrate mixes incorporating different superplasticizers

This study investigated rheo-viscoelastic behaviors of MgO-SiO2 pastes with three phosphate additives (sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP), and sodium orthophosphate (SOP)) as superplasticizers. Static yield stress, dynamic yield stress, median differential viscosity, thixotropic loop area, structural recovery rate, and non-destructive structural build-up were analyzed. Furthermore, assessment of hydration and particle dispersion stability was facilitated by employing isothermal calorimetry, XRD, DTG, and zeta potential techniques. SHMP significantly decreased the static and dynamic rheology, thixotropy, and viscoelastic evolution. Samples incorporating 2 wt% SOP exhibited enhanced rheological parameters, particularly static yield stress, owing to increased brucite formation and a denser microstructure in the fresh paste. Adsorption of phosphate additives on MgO surfaces inhibited formation of brucite and improved interparticle electrostatic repulsion, thereby increasing suspension stability. High-efficiency adsorption of SHMP on MgO surfaces, coupled with the retardation of brucite nucleation-and-growth, and enhancement in suspension stability, greatly restrained the rheo-viscoelastic evolution of MgO-SiO2 system.

Synthesis and performance study of amphoteric polymer suspension stabilizer for cementing slurry at ultra-high temperature

As the number of ultra-deep wells increases, maintaining the suspension stability of cement slurry at ultra-high temperatures becomes increasingly challenging; the development of a suspension stabilizer suitable for ultra-high temperature environments is imperative. Therefore, this study synthesized a temperature-resistant polymer suspension stabilizer (LHAP) using 2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), N, N-dimethyl acrylamide (DMAA), 4-acryloylmorpholine (ACMO), and quaternary ammonium cationic hydrophobic long-chain monomer hexadecyl dimethylallyl ammonium chloride (DMAAC-16) as raw materials. It was applied to maintain the suspension stability of cement slurry at ultra-high temperatures. The molecular structure and molecular weight of LHAP were characterized and tested using infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic hydrogen spectroscopy, and Ubbelohde viscometer. The thermal stability and viscosity-temperature performance of LHAP were measured using thermogravimetric analysis and rheometer, respectively. Through the segmented density difference testing of cement stone columns, the suspension stability effect of LHAP on cement slurry under high temperature was evaluated. The suspension stabilization mechanism of LHAP was studied through fluorescence probe testing, variable temperature UV visible light testing, variable temperature particle size distribution testing, Zeta potential analysis, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The results indicated that the polymer suspension agent LHAP had excellent temperature resistance, and the molecules didn’t undergo significant thermal degradation below 302 ℃. At high temperatures of 220 ℃, LHAP could maintain the suspension stability of cement slurry, and the segmented density difference of cement columns was less than 0.01 g/cm3. Mechanism analysis revealed that in addition to enhancing temperature resistance by introducing sulfonic acid groups and rigid rings, LHAP also effectively maintains the stability of the slurry suspension at ultra-high temperatures by coordinating electrostatic interactions and molecular associations. LHAP can effectively solve the settlement instability problem of cement slurry under ultra-high temperature, which is beneficial for improving the safety and quality of cementing construction in ultra-deep wells.

Effect of pH on the fabrication of lauric acid/Ag phase change nanocapsules via liquid-phase reduction

Phase change nanocapsules can be dispersed in fluids to form latant functional thermal fluids (LFTFs), which can serve as effective coolants for extending the lifespan of electronic devices. For this purpose, it is significant to prepare phase change capsules that possess excellent heat storage capacity, thermal conductivity, and suspension stability. In this paper, lauric acid/silver composite phase change nanocapsules were prepared by liquid-phase reduction method. To investigate the effect of pH value on capsule synthesis, six phase change capsule samples were prepared between pH values of 2.6–4.6. The results indicate that the prepared nanocapsules exhibited good heat storage capacity and thermal conductivity under different pH values. However, as pH increases, the silver shell thickness on the nanocapsule surface initially decreases and subsequently increases. The silver shell thickness of L3 is the thinnest, measuring 12.5 nm. Correspondingly, the enthalpy and volume encapsulation rate of the phase change capsules first increase and then decrease. The lauric acid/Ag nanocapsules possess a thermal conductivity in the 1.77–4.32 W/(m∙K) range. Further, it is found that pH affects the formation of silver shell on the surface of lauric acid/Ag phase change nanocapsules by influencing the electrostatic interactions between particles, and diffusion in the system, which explains the variation of silver shell thickness with pH value for the six capsule samples. We also found that the thinner the silver shell of the nanocapsules, the more advantageous it is to reduce the density of the capsules, thereby improving their suspension. Therefore, controlling the pH value during the preparation to obtain lauric acid/Ag phase change nanocapsules with thin silver shell thickness plays an important role in improving the overall performance of phase change nanocapsules used for preparing latent functionally thermal fluid.

Advanced Electrospun Composites Based on Polycaprolactone Fibers Loaded with Micronized Tungsten Powders for Radiation Shielding.

Exposure to high levels of radiation can cause acute, long-term health effects, such as acute radiation syndrome, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. This is an important occupational hazard in different fields, such as the aerospace and healthcare industry, as well as a crucial burden to overcome to boost space applications and exploration. Protective bulky equipment made of heavy metals is not suitable for many advanced purporses, such as mobile devices, wearable shields, and manned spacecrafts. In the latter case, the in-space manufacturing of protective shields is highly desirable and remains an unmet need. Composites made of polymers and high atomic number fillers are potential means for radiation protection due to their low weight, good flexibility, and good processability. In the present work, we developed electrospun composites based on polycaprolactone (polymer matrix) and tungsten powder for application as shielding materials. Electrospinning is a versatile technology that is easily scalable at an industrial level and allows obtaining very lightweight, flexible sheet materials for wearables. By controlling tungsten powder size, we engineered homogeneous, stable and processable suspensions to fabricate radiation composite shielding sheets. The shielding capability was assessed by an in vivo model on prototype composite sheets containing 80 w% of W filler in a polycaprolactone (PCL) fibrous matrix by means of irradiation tests (X-rays) on mice. The obtained results are promising; as expected, the shielding effectivity of the developed composite material increases with the thickness/number of stacked layers. It is worth noting that a thin barrier consisting of 24 layers of the innovative shielding material reduces the extent of apoptosis by 1.5 times compared to the non-shielded mice.

Improvement in the Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production of Flower-Shaped ZnIn2S4 by Surface Modification with Amino Silane

ZnIn2S4 has attracted extensive attention in the field of photocatalytic hydrogen production because of its suitable band gap and excellent photoelectrochemical properties. However, its lower photogenerated carrier separation efficiency and high degree of photocorrosion severely restricts its photocatalytic activity. In this work, the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance of ZnIn2S4 modified with 3-aminopropylmethoxysilane was studied. Surface modification by amino silane not only regulated the band gap and enhanced the light absorption of ZnIn2S4 but it also increased the colloidal stability of the ZnIn2S4 suspension and enhanced the adsorption of H+ on the active surface sites, thereby improving the photocatalytic hydrogen production performance. Compared with that of unmodified ZnIn2S4, the photocatalytic hydrogen production rate of surface-modified ZnIn2S4 increased by 1.46 times, and after four cycles for 12 h, the hydrogen production efficiency remained at 75.14%.

The Characterization of a Low-Calorie and Lactose-Free Brown Fermented Milk by the Hydrolysis of Different Enzymatic Lactose.

The adoption of brown fermented milk in the normal diet and daily beverages is accompanied by significant sugar intake and a high public health burden. To reduce the sugar content in dairy products while maintaining optimal nutritional properties, a novel low-calorie, lactose-free brown fermented milk was developed through enzymatic hydrolysis and the Maillard reaction. The optimal product was achieved using low-temperature lactase, where the lactose and glucose content were reduced 33-fold and 2.4-fold to 0.06 g/100 g and 13.32 g/L, respectively, meeting the criteria for being lactose-free (<0.5 g/100 g). Meanwhile, hazardous compounds such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and 3-deoxyglucosone were reduced by more than 20%. After 28 days of storage, the water-holding capacity and suspension stability remained notably stable, and the protein composition was also more enriched compared to commercial milk. It is expected that this low-calorie dairy product may promote growth in the dairy market.

In-situ upgrading of Egyptian heavy crude oil using matrix polymer carboxyl methyl cellulose/silicate graphene oxide nanocomposites

This study delves into catalytic aquathermolysis to enhance the economic viability of heavy oil production by in-situ upgrading technique. It is known that introducing nanocatalysts would promote the aquathermolysis reaction. Therefore, in this study, the effect of matrix polymer carboxyl methyl cellulose/silicate graphene oxide nanocomposites (CSG1 and CSG2) in the catalytic aquathermolysis of Egyptian heavy crude oil was studied. Characterization techniques including Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to evaluate the structure of the synthesized nanocomposites. Results reveal CSG2 has higher crystallinity and superior dispersion compared to CSG1, and both exhibited a good stability in aqueous suspensions. CSG2 enriched with graphene oxide, demonstrates superior thermal stability, suitable for high-temperature applications such as catalytic aquathermolysis process. Single factor and orthogonal tests were used to assess the catalytic aquathermolysis performance of the prepared nanoparticles. The obtained results revealed that the optimum conditions to use CSG1 and CSG2 are 40% water concentration, 225 °C temperature, and 0.5 wt% catalyst percentage. Where, CSG2 showed better viscosity reduction (82%) compared to CSG1 (62%), highlighting its superior performance in reducing the viscosity of heavy oil. Numerical results from SARA analysis, gas chromatography, and rheological testing confirmed the catalytic aquathermolysis's efficacy in targeting asphaltene macromolecules and producing lighter hydrocarbon fractions.

Development of Test Methods in the Process of Electrically Conductive Concrete Production

Abstract Prevention of climate change, implementation of sustainable development principles in building industry, creation of Green buildings, Three-zero buildings (zero energy, zero emissions, zero waste), energy independent buildings maybe on the base of Smart Concrete. Electrically Conductive Concrete as type of Smart Concrete have the possibilities to create multifunctional hybrid structures for various purposes. The production of electrically conductive concrete is usually based on the introduction of carbon materials and carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) as electrically conductive fillers into its concrete composition. The theory of conductive percolation is used for design of electrically conductive concrete. To select electrically conductive carbon filler, it is necessary to summarize their electrically conductive characteristics. Today, there is no standard for determining the electrical conductivity of carbon fillers, nor is there a method for designing the composition of electrically conductive concrete; the development of both is imperative. Features of the preparation of electrically conductive concrete with hydrophobic carbon nanoparticles prone to aggregation are indicated. To obtain high quality electrically conductive products an operating system for quality control at the stages of the technological process of manufacturing must be proposed. Homogenization of the electrically conductive filler is very important. It is necessary to propose a method for assessing the stability of an aqueous suspension of a hydrophobic carbon material used for homogeneous distribution of a filler. Due to the lack of a standard, a method for determining the electrical conductivity of concrete is also needed.

The Optimal Parameter for Coating ZnO Nanoparticle on Orthodontic Molar Tube by Electrophoretic Deposition Method (An Invitro Study)

The fixed orthodontic appliance may enhance devious pathogens and increase biofilm accumulation around the orthodontic molar tube (OMT) surface, which may cause demineralization of the tooth surface. However, the stainless-steel OMT coated with ZnO nanoparticles may enhance antimicrobial efficacy and reduce biofilm accretion. The study aimed to identify the optimal parameter for coating orthodontic molar tubes with antimicrobial ZnO nanoparticles by the electrophoretic deposition (EPD)cell. 36 orthodontic molar tubes were included in this study. The coating process was carried out using an EPD cell. Various concentrations (7.5, 10, 20, 33) g/L of ZnO nanoparticles suspension were conducted in this study, in addition to multiple times and voltages. After the coating process, the samples were left to dry for 24 hours at room temperature. To confirm the coating and adhesion a qualitative tape test and the Scanning Electron microscope were used to study the morphological, topographical, and surface characteristics and the size of nanoparticles on the surface of the coated OMT. The innovative ZnO nanoparticles exhibit promising antibacterial properties against oral pathogens, leading to a decrease in plaque buildup, which may decrease tooth cavities and gingival irritation through orthodontic treatment. There was an increase in nanoparticle surface adhesion on the orthodontic molar tube surface at 2 mins deposition time while reduced surface adhesion as increased deposing time. The coating process was verified at a currency voltage of 30V, reducing nanoparticle agglomeration. A concentration of 10g/L of ZnO suspension shows the most stable and homogenous suspension.