Surface Structure Research Articles

Graphene oxide-loaded rapamycin coating on airway stents inhibits stent-related granulation tissue hyperplasia.

To explore the safety and efficacy of a graphene oxide-loaded rapamycin-coated airway stent (GO@RAPA-SEMS) in a rabbit model. The dip coating method was used to develop GO@RAPA-SEMS and PLGA-loaded rapamycin coating airway stents (PLGA@RAPA-SEMS). The surface structure was evaluated by SEM. The in vitro drug release profiles of the two stents were explored and compared. In the animal study, a total of 45 rabbits were randomly divided into three groups and underwent 3 kinds of stent placement. Computed tomography was performed to evaluate the degree of stenosis at 1, 2, and 3 months poststent surgery. Five rabbits in each group were sacrificed after CT. The stented trachea and blood were collected for further pathological analysis and laboratory testing. The in vitro drug release study revealed that GO@RAPA-SEMS exhibited sudden release on the first day and maintained a certain release rate on the 14th day. The PLGA@RAPA-SEMS exhibited a longer sustained release time. All 45 rabbits underwent successful stent placement. Pathological results indicated that the granulation tissue thickness in the GO@RAPA-SEMS group was less than that in the PLGA@RAPA-SEMS group. The TUNEL and HIF-1α staining results support that the granulation inhibition effect in the GO@RAPA-SEMS group was greater than that in the PLGA@RAPA-SEMS group. GO@RAPA-SEMS effectively inhibited stent-related granulation tissue hyperplasia.

A thermodynamic model of the surface hydroxylation of γ-Al2O3.

Rational design of γ-alumina-based catalysts relies on an extensive understanding of the distribution of hydroxyl groups on the surface of γ-alumina and their physicochemical properties, which remain unclear and challenging to determine experimentally due to the structural complexity. In this work, by means of DFT and thermodynamic calculations, various hydroxylation modes of γ-alumina (110) and (100) surfaces at different OH coverages were evaluated, based on which a thermodynamic model to reflect the relationship between temperature and the surface structure was established and the stable hydroxylation modes under experimental conditions were predicted. This enables us to identify the experimentally measured IR spectra. The effect of hydroxyl coverages on the surface Lewis acidity was then analyzed, showing that the presence of hydroxyl groups could promote the Lewis acidity of neighboring Al sites. This work provides fundamental insights into the molecular level understanding of the surface properties of γ-alumina and benefits the rational design of alumina-based catalysts.

Template Evolution Induced Relay Self-Assembly for Mesoporous Carbonaceous Materials via Hydrothermal Carbonization.

Constructing carbonaceous materials with versatile surface structures still remains a great challenge due to limited self-assembly methods, especially at high temperatures. This study presents an innovative template evolution induced relay self-assembly (TEIRSA) for the fabrication of large polyoxometalate (POM)-mixed carbonaceous nanosheets featuring surface mesoporous structures through hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The method employs POM and acetone as additives, cleverly modulating the Ostwald ripening-like process of P123-based micelles, effectively addressing the instability challenges inherent in traditional soft-template methods, especially within the demanding carbohydrate HTC process. Additionally, this method allows for the independent regulation of surface architectures through the selection of organic additives. The resulting nanosheets exhibit diverse surface morphologies, including surface spherical mesopores, 1D open channels, and smooth surfaces. Their unexpectedly versatile properties have swiftly garnered recognition, showing potential in the application of lithium-sulfur batteries.

Freezing-Melting Mediated Dewetting Transition for Droplets on Superhydrophobic Surfaces with Condensation.

The water-repellence properties of superhydrophobic surfaces make them promising for many applications. However, in some extreme environments, such as high humidities and low temperatures, condensation on the surface is inevitable, which induces the loss of surface superhydrophobicity. In this study, we propose a freezing-melting strategy to achieve the dewetting transition from the Wenzel state to the Cassie-Baxter state. It requires freezing the droplet by reducing the substrate temperature and then melting the droplet by heating the substrate. The condensation-induced wetting transition from the Cassie-Baxter state to the Wenzel state is analyzed first. Two kinds of superhydrophobic surfaces, i.e., single-scale nanostructured superhydrophobic surface and hierarchical-scale micronanostructured superhydrophobic surface, are compared and their effects on the static contact states and impact processes of droplets are analyzed. The mechanism for the dewetting transition is analyzed by exploring the differences in the micro/nanostructures of the surfaces, and it is attributed to the unique structure and strength of the superhydrophobic surface. These findings will enrich our understanding of the droplet-surface interaction involving phase changes and have great application prospects for the design of superhydrophobic surfaces.

A high-sensitive capacitive humidity sensor based on chitosan-sodium chloride composite material

Chitosan, as a hydrophilic, renewable, biodegradable, and cost-effective natural polymer, holds great promise in humidity sensor applications. This study proposes a green high-performance capacitive humidity sensor based on chitosan (CS)-sodium chloride (NaCl) composites. The CS-NaCl films were fabricated through a simple drip coating method, and their surface morphology and structure were characterized using SEM, XRD, FTIR and XPS techniques. The pure chitosan humidity sensor demonstrates an impressive response of 1180.17 % with excellent linearity. The introduction of NaCl markedly boosted the sensor response, with CS-50 wt% NaCl composites exhibiting a 72-fold increase (86, 492.84 %) in capacitance response compared to pure CS films. The contact angle test demonstrated that the chitosan film exhibited good hydrophilicity, which was further enhanced by the addition of NaCl. XRD and FTIR characterization confirmed that NaCl altered the structural properties of chitosan, disrupted hydrogen bonds, and consequently increased the mobility of polarizing groups and the dielectric constant. A water adsorption model was developed to elucidate the humidity sensing mechanism of the CS-NaCl sensor. The CS-NaCl composite material presents advantages such as easy preparation, high sensitivity, eco-friendliness, and promising practical applications in humidity sensing.

Black bioceramic scaffolds with micro/nano surface structure inducing mild hyperthermal environment for regenerating osteochondral defects

The treatment of osteochondral defects remains a huge challenge in clinic. The thermotherapy in traditional Chinese medicine is widely used in treating joint disease because the mild heat stimulation can promote the nutrient circulation. Inspired by the function of thermotherapy, we design a new thermotherapy strategy by using black bioceramic scaffolds to build local mild hyperthermal environment for treating osteochondral defects. Herein, black akermanite (B-AKT) bioceramic scaffolds with micro/nano surface structure and excellent photothermal conversion property are successfully fabricated. The temperature of scaffolds can be precisely controlled by near infrared (NIR) irradiation to construct a mild hyperthermal environment (～41°C). The micro/nanostructure on the scaffolds surface well promoted the cell adhesion and nutrition absorption by activating integrins and focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Meanwhile, the mild hyperthermal environment constructed by B-AKT scaffolds can simultaneously induce the chondrogenesis and osteogenesis both in vitro and in vivo by activating the expression of cellular heat shock proteins (HSPs) and corresponding signaling pathways. Furthermore, in rabbit osteochondral defects, mild hyperthermal environment induced by B-AKT scaffolds exhibits stimulatory effects on the integrated regeneration of cartilage and bone. This study proposes a novel therapy strategy of constructing local mild hyperthermal environment by black bioceramic scaffolds to treat osteochondral defects and other joint diseases.

Improving Hydrogen Release From Oxygen‐Functionalized LOHC Molecules by Ru Addition to Pt/C Catalysts

AbstractBimetallic PtRu/C catalysts have been prepared by depositing Ru onto a commercial Pt/C catalyst and subsequent thermal annealing. Different Pt : Ru ratios of 1 : 1, 2 : 1, 4 : 1, 8 : 1, and 16 : 1 have been investigated with annealing temperatures of 350 and 500 °C. Using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), synchrotron powder X‐ray diffraction (SPXRD) combined with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis and scanning transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X‐ray spectrum imaging (STEM‐EDXS), we show that diffusion of Ru into the fcc crystal structure of the Pt nanoparticles takes place during thermal annealing. Partial segregation and the formation of Pt nanoclusters on the bimetallic surface was observed depending on the Pt : Ru ratio. The annealing process does not only cause a high Pt dispersion but also affects the electronic structure of the Pt surface by broadening the d‐band thus facilitating the product's desorption from the surface of the bimetallic particle. These beneficial effects have been exemplified for the catalytic dehydrogenation of dicyclohexylmethanol, a promising hydrogen carrier compound with 7.2 wt% hydrogen capacity. The most active catalyst material among the tested supported alloys and monometallic reference materials was Pt4Ru1/C after annealing at 500 °C, which increased the hydrogen release productivity by 65 % compared to the unmodified Pt/C catalyst.

Geomechanical properties of laminated shale and bedding shale after water absorption: A case study of the Chang 7 shale in Ordos basin, China

There are abundant oil and gas resources in China's continental shale formations, and these formations often contain sandy lamina, tuffaceous lamina and carbonate lamina parallel to the bedding planes, resulting in complex geomechanical properties. During the drilling process, the mechanical weak surface structure inside the shale and the hydration effect of drilling fluid may easily cause wellbore instability, which reduces the safety and benefit of drilling. To explore the geomechanical properties of laminated shale and bedding shale after water absorption, a series of tests were conducted on the Chang 7 laminated shale and bedding shale in the Ordos Basin. The result indicates that the compressive strength and elastic modulus of laminated shale and bedding shale show a trend of decreasing first and then starting to drop as β (the angle between bedding/lamina and the direction of stress) keeps increasing, and laminated shale has stronger anisotropy, lower compressive strength and elastic modulus. The moisture content of laminated shale and bedding shale increases as the soaking time increases, which leads to a decrease in the compressive strength. Compared to bedding shale, laminated shale reaches water saturation faster and has a higher moisture content. Based on the macroscopic and microscopic images before and after shale hydration, it can be concluded that natural microfractures are easily formed at the interface between the lamina and shale matrix, and brittle minerals at the edges of natural microfractures are prone to detachment, thereby increase the hydration area and intensify the hydration process. Compared to bedding shale formations, laminated shale formations have a higher hole-size elongation ratio and are more prone to collapse according to on-site data. This study reveals the geomechanical properties of laminated shale under the dual influence of anisotropy and hydration, provides support for drilling design in such formations.

Effect of bionic texture on the lubrication efficiency and mechanical efficiency loss for rotating gears

In order to enhance lubrication effectiveness and transmission efficiency in gear transmission, it is imperative to minimize mechanical efficiency losses and frictional wear of the gears during the lubrication process. This paper proposes a bionic design scheme for the tooth surface structure of gears based on the surface texture of bay scallop shells, considering the operational conditions within the gearbox. Firstly, the microstructure of the bay scallop shell surface is analyzed, and a bionic gear mapping model based on the bay scallop shell surface is established. Meanwhile, the oil coverage rate and convective heat transfer coefficient of gear surfaces with different textures was analyzed using finite element analysis. The results showed that the oil coverage rate of gear tooth surfaces with bionic fringes surpassed that of conventional gear lubrication. Thirdly, based on the jet lubrication test calculation, it is proposed that the bionic gear exhibits a lower mechanical efficiency loss and wear mass compared to conventional gears, while the mechanical efficiency loss and wear mass of arc groove gear type lower than that of vertical groove gears. Finally, the optimal structure of the arc groove gear was predicted through orthogonal data analysis, and the validity of the data prediction was verified through experiments and simulations. The optimal combination of texture parameters for the arc groove gear is as follows: a texture depth of 225 μm, a texture width of 275 μm, a texture interval of 275 μm, and a texture length of 1600 μm. As a result, compared with the conventional gear, the lubrication efficiency of the optimized gear is increased by 41.98%, heat dissipation efficiency increased by 32.21%, and mechanical efficiency loss is decreased by 89.39%, the wear mass is reduced by 74.33%.

Harnessing ion beam erosion engineering for controlled self-assembly and tunable magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial films

The engineering of the surface morphology and the structure of the thin film is one of the essential technological assets for regulating the physical properties and functionalities of thin film-based devices. This study presents an easy and handy approach to tailor the surface structure of epitaxial thin films utilizing low-energy ion beam. Here, we investigate the evolution of the surface structure and magnetic anisotropy (MA) in epitaxial Fe/MgO (001) model systems subjected to multiple cycles of ion beam erosion (IBE) after thin film growth. The growth of Fe film occurs in the form of three–dimensional islands and exhibits intrinsic biaxial MA. Following a few cycles of IBE, an induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy leads to a split in the hysteresis loop, and the film displays almost uniaxial magnetic switching behavior. More distinctly, we present a clear and conclusive evidence of (2 × 2) reconstruction of the Fe surface due to the atomic rearrangement by IBE. Furthermore, 57Fe isotope sensitive nuclear resonance scattering measurement provides insight into the depth-resolved magnetic information due to the modified surface topography. We also demonstrate that thermal annealing can reversibly tune the surface reconstruction and induced UMA. The feasibility of the IBE technique by adequately selecting IBE parameters for surface structure modification has been highlighted apart from conventional tailoring of the morphology for the tuning of UMA and introduces a new dimension to our understanding of self-assembled surface morphology evolution by IBE.

Simulation of femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on fused silica by considering intrapulse and interpulse feedback

The formation of laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSSs) on fused silica upon irradiation with plane wave, double pulse, spot processing, and scanning processing (pulse duration tp = 35 fs, center wavelength λ = 800 nm, low repetition rate ≈1 kHz) is studied theoretically with an improved three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain plasma model. The model covers both intrapulse feedback under single shot and interpulse feedback under multi-shots, thus enabling better prediction of transient responses during laser–material interaction and the evolution of the ablated morphology and accumulated defects’ density with more shots. In simulations of a single plane wave, a double pulse can modulate LIPSS periodicity. In simulations of spot processing with Gaussian beam, an increase in the number of shots results in a noticeable ablation pattern where high-spatial-frequency LIPSS surrounds low-spatial-frequency LIPSS at a fluence of 2.8 J/cm2. Moreover, simulations of scanning processing with Gaussian beam showcase the broad applicability of this model, revealing that the orientation of the LIPSS depends on the polarization direction rather than the scanning path. This new model provides a powerful tool to simulate the formation of LIPSS on silica, particularly when temporally modulated laser is involved or predicting the evolution of morphology dependent on the number of shots.

Formation of pea protein amyloid-like nanofibrils-derived hydrogels mediated by epigallocatechin gallate

This study investigated the interaction between pea protein amyloid-like nanofibril and epigallocatechin gallate, constructed and characterized the novel pea protein nanofibrils-derived hydrogel mediated by epigallocatechin gallate, and researched the functionalities of the hydrogel. Epigallocatechin gallate remodeled the structure of pea protein nanofibrils, and a stable and strong hydrogel was formed at a relatively low protein concentration (4.5%). Additionally, the hydrogels exhibited various surface structures and hydrogel properties dependent on the mass ratio. Strongest gel strength (51 g) was attained at 0.25 epigallocatechin gallate/pea protein nanofibrils mass ratio. Whereas, the hydrogels exhibited the highest water holding capacity (87%) at 0.05 mass ratio. The primary driving forces in the formation and maintaining of the hydrogels were hydrophobic interactions and ionic bonds. Progressive rise of β-sheet content of pea protein nanofibrils occurred increasing epigallocatechin gallate concentration. This hydrogel holds great potential for applications in food processing, targeted delivery of nutraceuticals and biomedicine.

Enhanced low-temperature CO oxidation activity through crystal facet engineering of Pd/CeO2 catalysts

Cerium dioxide (CeO2) supported palladium (Pd) catalysts have found widespread application in CO oxidation reaction owing to their exceptional catalytic performance. The morphology of the CeO2 support dictates the exposed crystal plane, exerting a profound influence on surface structure and redox properties. This is crucial as the atomic arrangement at the surface directly impacts catalytic activity. In this study, a range of CeO2 supports with diverse morphologies (e.g. nano-octahedra, nano-cubes, nano-particles, nano-spheres, and nano-rods) were successfully synthesized through hydrothermal methods and subsequently supported with Pd for CO oxidation. The spherical 1Pd/CeO2–S catalyst, revealing exposed (111) + (100) crystal planes, exhibited significantly higher CO catalytic oxidation activity compared to the catalysts with other morphological CeO2 supports. The results indicated a positive correlation between the content of PdxCe1-xO2-y species and catalytic activity. Notably, this species was most abundantly formed in the spherical 1Pd/CeO2–S catalyst with exposed (111) + (100) crystal planes. The presence of this active species facilitated the formation of surface defects, increased oxygen vacancy concentration, and enhanced metal-support interaction, consequently greatly improving the CO low-temperature catalytic oxidation activity. Consequently, the oxidation state of Pd in the Pd/CeO2 catalyst could be effectively regulated by controlling the exposure of (111) + (100) crystalline surfaces of the CeO2 support, further optimizing the catalytic performance of the Pd/CeO2 catalytic system.

Initial oxidation of low index Mg surfaces investigated by SCLS and DFT

Magnesium (Mg) is a metal having a high structural efficiency and a very high chemical reactivity at the same time. Its potential areas of applications include the automotive industry, biomedicine, and energy storage and generation. Further developments in these very diverse application areas require a more detailed investigation of the behavior of Mg surfaces under oxidative conditions. The basic mechanisms of magnesium reactivity are not yet fully understood and therefore need to be further investigated by a combination of theoretical and experimental studies on representative surfaces with different crystallographic orientations.For this, we measured in situ high-resolution Mg 2p core level spectra at critical low-index Mg(0001), Mg (101¯0), and Mg (112¯0) surfaces to obtain surface core level shifts (SCLSs) at the early stages of Mg oxidation. We also used density functional theory (DFT) to obtain theoretical estimates of the SCLSs for respective surfaces and associated possible reconstructions to guide the analysis of the experimental spectra and to rule out un-reconstructed Mg (112¯0). DFT simulations were also used to reveal the energies of O atom adsorption, and the formation of evolving oxide structures in the Mg surfaces.

Fabrication of enhanced aerogel template oleogels with enzyme-hydrolyzed soy protein isolate and covalent cross-linking

In recent years, the utilization of aerogel templates in oleogels to replace animal fats has garnered considerable attention due to health concerns. This study employed a “fiber-particle core-shell nanostructure model” to combine sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMCNa) and soy protein isolate (SPI) or SPI hydrolysate (SPIH), and freeze-dried to form aerogel template, which was then dipped into oil to induce oleogels. The results showed that adding SPIH significantly improved the physicochemical properties of oleogels. The results of ζ-potential, FTIR, and rheology demonstrated a stronger binding of SPIH to CMC-Na compared to SPI. The CMC-Na-SPIH aerogels exhibited a coarser surface and denser network structure in contrast to CMC-Na-SPI aerogels, with an oil holding capacity (OHC) of up to 84.6 % and oil absorption capacity (OAC) of 47.4 g/g. The mechanical strength of oleogels was further enhanced through chemical crosslinking. Both CMC-Na-SPI and CMC-Na-SPIH oleogels displayed excellent elasticity and reversible compressibility, with CMC-Na-SPIH oleogels demonstrating superior mechanical strength. Additionally, CMC-Na-SPIH oleogels exhibited enhanced slow release of antimicrobial substances and antioxidant properties. Increasing the content of SPI/SPIH significantly improved the mechanical strength, antioxidant capacity, and OHC of the oleogels. This research presents a straightforward and promising approach to enhance the performance of aerogel template oleogels.

Optimizing the microwave-assisted hydrothermal extraction of pectin from tangerine by-product and its physicochemical, structural, and functional properties

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal extraction (MAHE) was optimized using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) of the response surface methodology (RSM) for optimal recovery of pectin from tangerine peel (TPP). The effects of three factors (pH, irradiation time and temperature) on extraction yield (EY), galacturonic acid content (GAC) and degree of esterification (DE) of pectin were investigated. The optimal extraction conditions were as follows: pH 1.7, irradiation time 12 min and temperature 109 °C. Under these conditions, the EY, GAC and DE were 30.4, 72.3 and 45.2%, respectively. The low methoxyl content of MHAE (45.2%) compared to CE is confirmed by the 1H NMR and FTIR spectra, and the emulsifying activity is 57.65% and 50.56% for CE and MHAE, respectively. The total phenolic content (TPC) of pectin produced using MAHE is 41.2 mg GAE/g, thus indicating higher antioxidant properties compared to pectin produced with CE, which had a TPC of 38.4 mg GAE/g. In addition, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and surface morphological analysis (SEM) results showed that TPP had a rough surface and crystalline structure. Overall, our findings show that TTP from MAHE can be used as a natural antioxidant ingredient in the functional food and pharmaceutical industries.

Experimental and numerical investigations on the intermittent heat transfer performance of phase change material (PCM)-based heat sink with triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS)

The excessive heat generated during the operation of electronic components leads to significant temperature increases, posing a significant risk to their service life. For the problem of efficient thermal management of electronic devices in confined spaces experiencing high heat flow, a scheme using triply periodic minimal surfaces and a phase change material-based active–passive cooling heat sink is proposed to control the temperature of electronic equipment. The apparent heat capacity method is employed to simulate the intermittent process of the phase change material-based heat sink. The optimization based on Box-Behnken Design and Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II is analyzed to obtain an improved triply periodic minimal surface structure. The effect of thermal performance (including base temperature, liquid fraction, and Grashof number) of an intermittent heat sink based on an improved structure is discussed. Visualization and temperature testing platforms are established. Through visualization experiments, the internal temperature and liquid fraction distribution of the heat sink are obtained, and the simulation results are in good agreement with the test results. The results show that the base temperature, liquid fraction, and Grashof number achieve a steady periodic variation during the intermittent process. Specifically, the base temperature remains stable in the range of 314 K to 340 K, the liquid fraction stabilizes between 0.8 and 1.0, and the Grashof number stabilizes between 100 and 1000. At heating power of 30 W or below, the base temperature of the heat sink exhibits a steady periodic variation. At the heating power of 40 W, the maximum base temperature of the heat sink exceeds 370 K.

Self-assembled oligomeric structures of an asymmetric molecular linker; 4-isocyanophenyl disulfide on Au(111)

Para-substituted benzenes, such as 1,4-benzene dithiol and 1,4-phenyl diisocyanide, have been observed to oligomerize on the Au(111) surface by incorporating gold adatoms extracted from the substrate. This work investigates if oligomerization occurs for an analogous but asymmetric linker, 4-isocyanophenyl disulfide (ICPD) on Au(111). This molecule is comprised of both disulfide and isocyanide terminal groups attached to the phenyl ring. The resulting surface structures formed on Au(111) following exposure to ICPD are studied using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). 1,4-isocyanophenyl thiolate (ICPT), formed through scission of ICPD’s disulfide bond, was also found to oligomerize on the surface, and potential oligomer structures and binding geometries are proposed with the aid of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, along with simulated STM images of the resulting structures. It is observed in this work that ICPT forms oligomeric structures that cover large sections of the substrate and appear to create etch pits resulting from gold atom extraction. Numerous potential binding geometries are investigated based on the distances between substrate gold atom adsorption sites compared to the monomer length. Selected structural candidates were optimized using DFT and were used to generate simulated STM images using the Tersoff–Hamann method to compare with experiment. It has been shown previously that the isocyanide- and thiol-connected oligomers conduct electrons, suggesting the possibility that the asymmetric oligomers found here might form the basis for fabricating molecular diodes.

Enhanced water permeability and antifouling properties of cross-linked graphene oxide composite membranes with tunable d-spacings

Low flux and membrane fouling are major challenges in membrane distillation (MD) for treating concentrated wastewater. This study compared the performance of GO composite membranes with different interlayer distances, by covalently bonding the terminal amine groups of ethylenediamine (EDA) and 1,12-diaminododecane (DADD) with the carboxyl groups present on the GO sheets. The results indicated that the GO-DADD/PTFE membrane, with longer carbon chain cross-linking, achieved the highest flux and antifouling properties. At 70 °C, the pure water flux reached 68.5 kg/m2·h, and the fluxes for treating NaCl, HA containing NaCl, and BSA containing NaCl were 29.8 %, 37.1 %, and 38.5 % higher than the uncrosslinked GO/PTFE, and 95.7 %, 121.2 %, and 146.9 % higher than the PTFE membrane, respectively. Through mathematical models for mass and heat transfer, the study identified the key to this enhancement as the increased d-spacing within the GO layer due to cross-linking, which weakened the Kelvin effect and enhanced the vapor partial pressure on the hot side. The unique surface structure and electrostatic interactions induced by long-chain cross-linking further boosted the antifouling effect. These modifications not only overcome the typical trade-off between retention rates and flux but also offer a scalable and efficient solution for advanced membrane distillation applications.

Terbium-reinforced alumina coating produced by plasma electrolytic oxidation and a new strategy for in-situ corrosion monitoring

The multifunctional optimization of traditional coating materials represents a pivotal strategy for expanding their applicability. Herein, we introduce terbium as an electrolyte additive during the plasma electrolytic oxidation process for alumina coating fabrication, aimed at refining both the porous structure and overall performance of the coating. Notably, the core reaction concludes in just 10 min. The resultant terbium-enhanced alumina coating exhibits a more homogeneous and denser surface structure, showcasing superior corrosion resistance compared to conventional coatings. Additionally, the incorporation of terbium endows the coating with anticipated photoluminescent properties. This advantageous combination of corrosion resistance and photoluminescence makes the coating ideal for protecting metallic materials from corrosion and shows great potential for monitoring corrosion in extreme conditions on-site.