X-ray Diffraction Characterization Research Articles

In situ growth of Bi-MOF on cotton fabrics via ultrasonic synthesis strategy for recyclable photocatalytic textiles.

Bismuth-based metal-organic framework (Bi-MOF) materials have shown potential for treating organic pollutants. In this work, multifunctional textiles were produced by in situ synthesis of CAU-17 on carboxymethylated cotton fabrics by solvothermal and ultrasonic strategies and employed as recyclable photocatalysts. The compositional and structural features of the dense MOF crystal coatings on cotton fibers were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and other characterization approaches. Under optimized conditions, the developed functionalized cotton fabrics achieved a photodegradation efficiency of 98.8% under visible light for RhB in water, as well as good recyclability. The described results have provided the basis and reference for the fabrication of MOF-functionalized textiles.

Neutral inverse-sandwich rare-earth metal complexes of the benzene tetraanion.

Rare-earth metal complexes of the parent benzene tetraanion and neutral inverse-sandwich rare-earth metal arene complexes have remained elusive. Here, we report the first neutral inverse-sandwich rare-earth metal complexes of the parent benzene tetraanion supported by a monoanionic β-diketiminate (BDI) ligand. Reduction of the trivalent rare-earth metal diiodide precursors (BDI)MI2(THF) (BDI = HC(C(Me)N[C6H3-(3-pentyl)2-2,6])2; M = Y, 1-Y; M = Sm, 1-Sm) in benzene or para-xylene by potassium graphite yielded the neutral inverse-sandwich rare-earth metal arene complexes [(BDI)M(THF) n ]2(μ-η6,η6-arene) (M = Y, Sm; arene = benzene, 2-M; arene = para-xylene, 3-M). Single crystal X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and magnetic characterization studies, together with density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that these neutral rare-earth metal arene complexes possess an [M3+-(arene)4--M3+] electronic structure with strong metal-arene δ interactions. The arene exchange reactivity shows that 2-Sm has higher stability than 3-Sm. Furthermore, 2-Sm can behave as a four-electron reductant to reduce unsaturated organic substrates. Particularly, while the reaction of 2-Sm with 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) yielded (BDI)Sm(η8-COT) (4-Sm), 2-Sm reacted with 1,4-diphenylbutadiyne to afford (BDI)Sm(η4-C4Ph2) (5-Sm), the first rare-earth metallacyclopentatriene complex.

Synthesis of TiO2/Fe2O3 Nanocomposites as Photocatalyst for Methyl Orange Degradation

Fe2O3/TiO2 composites were successfully synthesized using the sol-gel method. The photocatalytic performance of prepared nanocomposites to degrade methyl orange under UV light irradiation was systematically investigated. The Fe2O3 added and calcination temperature were varied to study their effect on psychochemical properties. Further, to study the effect of psychochemical properties of the prepared nanocomposites on photocatalytic activity, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) characterization were conducted. The visible light active Fe2O3 photocatalyst managed to decrease the bandgap energy of the prepared composites from 3.32 eV to 1.95 eV. This decrease in the band gap energy led to the composite being more active under visible light and less active under UV light irradiation. A composite with 6% Fe2O3 content exhibits the smallest degradation efficiency of 14% in 180 min, while the pure TiO2 nanoparticles are 94%. The results in this study provided important implications for further research on the preparation of composite TiO2 with Fe2O3 co-catalyst showing a promising route for improving the visible light activity of photocatalysts.

Magnetically recyclable spherical Cu2O@Fe3O4 S-scheme heterojunction for efficient tetracycline removal via visible light-activated peroxydisulfate.

The overuse of antibiotics in treating bacterial infections is a significant threat to the environment and human health. The utilization of visible-light-assisted peroxydisulfate (PDS) activation for eliminating organic pollutants is a promising approach. This study uses a straightforward hydrothermal method to prepare magnetically recyclable spherical Cu2O@Fe3O4. The efficacy of this material in removing antibiotic pollutants was assessed using simulated wastewater containing tetracycline (TC). TC removal was achieved by activating PDS with Cu2O@Fe3O4 as the visible light photocatalyst. Experimental findings revealed that under specific conditions-a pH of 9, a Cu2O@Fe3O4 concentration of 60 mg L-1, and a PDS concentration of 25 mg L-1-the removal rate of TC reached 97.67% after 30 min of irradiation. Moreover, Cu2O@Fe3O4 exhibited excellent recyclability, maintaining a removal rate of 93.33% after five recycling rounds. X-ray diffraction characterization of the Cu2O@Fe3O4 composite before and after cycling confirmed its robust stability and reusability. In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that electrons migrated from Fe3O4 to Cu2O during the photocatalytic reaction, indicating the formation of an S-type heterojunction in Cu2O@Fe3O4. Free radical trapping experiments demonstrated the active involvement of ·OH, ·O2 -, SO4˙- and h+ radicals in TC removal.

New Physico-Chemical Analysis of Magnesium-Doped Hydroxyapatite in Dextran Matrix Nanocomposites.

The new magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite in dextran matrix (10MgHApD) nanocomposites were synthesized using coprecipitation technique. A spherical morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization results show hydroxyapatite hexagonal phase formation. The element map scanning during the EDS analysis revealed homogenous distribution of constituent elements of calcium, phosphor, oxygen and magnesium. The presence of dextran in the sample was revealed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activity of the 10MgHAPD nanocomposites was assessed by in vitro assays using Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 microbial strains. The results of the antimicrobial assays highlighted that the 10MgHApD nanocomposites presented excellent antimicrobial activity against all the tested microorganisms and for all the tested time intervals. Furthermore, the biocompatibility assays determined that the 10MgHApD nanocomposites did not exhibit any toxicity towards Human gingival fibroblast (HGF-1) cells.

Study On the Uniformity Aluminum Nitrate Thin Film On 2-Inch Silicon Substrate Prepared by RF Magnetron Sputtering

Aluminum nitrate (AlN) has attracted the researcher's interest due to its unique properties in the semiconductor material and other high-performance devices. This results in numerous techniques to investigate the uniformity of AlN thin film. The deposition in this study is carried out on an AlN on a 2-inch silicon substrate using a magnetron sputtering technique. The RF magnetron sputtering can also produce better film quality and deposit a wide variety of insulators, metals, alloys and composites. In this study, the AlN film was deposited using the RF magnetron sputtering by using three different parameters for the growth of the AlN on the 2-inch Si substrate for uniformity analysis. The uniformity of AlN thin film includes analyses of the structural, thickness, topology and surface morphology by using the characterization of X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), surface profiler and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Based on the result from three parameters that have been done, parameter one shows the best results. For the crystalline structure results, the peak (100) AlN indicates the highly textured phases similar to a single crystal, and the cross-section result in FE-SEM shows the homogenous thickness.

Facile microwave synthesis of Zinc Ferrite@NCDs for photocatalytic degradation of fluoroquinolone antibiotics

Zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) composites have attracted growing interest in photocatalytic water purification. Herein, the hybrids of zinc ferrite and nitrogen-doped carbon dots (ZnF@x%NCDs) were synthesized via facile microwave synthesis. X-ray diffraction and Raman characterization confirm the formation of the spinel structure, and elemental composition has been analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of ZnF@x%NCDs was evaluated via the decomposition of ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin under visible light illumination. We noted that 20 % weight loading of NCDs led to the highest (∼79.2 %) ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation. Diffuse reflectance measurements demonstrate the reduction of the band gap in composites ZnF@20%NCDs (1.91 eV) compared with bare ZnF (2.03 eV); moreover, the hybridization of zinc ferrites with NCDs results in enhanced photocurrent density and surface area. The effect of experimental parameters, including the role of photocatalyst dosage, pH value, and initial concentration of pollutants on the degradation of CIP, have also been investigated.

Advanced and Scalable Polyol-Mediated Synthesis Route for Highly Active Ni Metal Sulfides (M = Fe, Mn, Cr, Mo) As Efficient Electrocatalysts for Sea/Saline Water Oxidation

Recent studies have made significant progress in addressing oxygen evolution (OER), a bottleneck reaction in water electrolysis, by utilizing innovative electrode materials and catalysts to enable low-grade and saline water splitting, thus offering promising prospects for advancing sustainable hydrogen production systems.1 This study applied a modified polyol-mediated strategy2 to describe an advanced procedure for synthesizing NiMSx where M = (Fe, Mn, Cr, Mo). Several physical and chemical characterization tools are applied to investigate the obtained saline/seawater oxidation electrocatalysts, including XRD, SEM, TEM, and electrochemical characterization. The outcomes of these characterizations were displayed as graphs. The catalysts reveal nanoclusters morphologies. The figure below depicts the preliminary findings, illustrating the electrochemical performance and the physical characterizations. Figure 1 (a) and (b) represent the polarisation curves of the oxygen evolution activity of the synthesized MNiSx electrocatalysts on Carbon cloth and Ni foam working electrodes, respectively, in a three-electrode configuration with Pt wire serving as the counter and Hg/HgO serving as the reference electrode in 1M KOH plus natural seawater from the Galway Bay Ireland. The catalysts obtained a high current exchange density of above and close to the 200 mAcm-2. Figure 1(c) displays the images of the catalyst-coated working electrodes prepared via dip coating, both Ni foam and carbon cloth, while Figures 1(d) and 1(e) reveal the nanostructure-based clusters of the produced materials with the scanning and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. In addition, we are evaluating the efficacy of this high-performance anode electrocatalyst in a single cell with a working electrode area of 3 cm2 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and Pt/C as a cathode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Our research project aims to develop highly efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) catalysts.We will employ various ex-situ and in-situ characterization techniques, including, Impedance spectroscopy, chronopotentiometry/chronoamperometry, Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy. Impedance spectroscopy determines the system's impedance as a function of frequency and offers insights into electrochemical behavior, such as resistance, capacitance, and charge transfer resistance. Chronopotentiometry/chronoamperometry will be applied to check the long-term stabilities of catalysts. X-ray diffraction (XRD) will examine the crystal structure of the stimuli in real-time during OER. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) will be applied to analyze the materials' surface chemistry and elemental composition by measuring the energies of emitted photoelectrons from X-ray irradiation. In-situ Raman spectroscopy will enable us to study changes in the catalysts' electronic structure and coordination environment during the reaction providing valuable insights into the underlying mechanism of OER. FTIR spectroscopy will reveal information about the response intermediates and mechanisms during OER. We can obtain a detailed understanding of the reaction pathway by monitoring the changes in the vibrational spectra of the reactants and products. Finally, post-mortem analysis of the catalysts will be performed after electrochemical testing to assess their degradation. Above all will help us optimize the catalysts' design for long-term stability and high-performance OER. Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the ANEMEL Project funded by the Horizon Europe (European Innovation Council) Grant agreement 101071111. References Tong, W.; Forster, M.; Dionigi, F.; Dresp, S.; Sadeghi Erami, R.; Strasser, P.; Cowan, A. J.; Farràs, P., Electrolysis of low-grade and saline surface water. Nature Energy 2020, 5 (5), 367-377. Zhang, H.; Hyun, B.-R.; Wise, F. W.; Robinson, R. D., A generic method for rational scalable synthesis of monodisperse metal sulfide nanocrystals. Nano letters 2012, 12 (11), 5856-5860. Figure 1

NANO STRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF Zn FERRITE AND ZnCuNi FERRITE USING THE Co-PRECIPITATION METHOD

Zn Ferrite and ZnCuNi Ferrite with a composition of ZnFe2O4 and Zn0.9Cu0.05Ni0.05 Fe2O4 have been synthesis using the co-precipitation method. Zn Ferrite and ZnCuNi Ferrite have been synthesized at 100 oC. Structure, morphology and magnetic properties were obtained by the characterization of X-ray Difraction (XRD), Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) characterization showed the cubic spinel structure of Zn Ferrite and ZnCuNi Ferrite. The microstructure and magnetic properties have been changed with the addition of Cu2+ and Ni2+ to ZnFe2O4. The grain size increased from 13.4098 nm to 13.7184 nm. The VSM test results also showed an increase in saturation mangetization from 14.76 emu/g to 26.67 emu/g. Meanwhile, the magnetic coercivity value experienced the opposite, which decreased from 87.85 Oe to 87.65 Oe. The addition of Cu2+ and Ni2+ increases the magnetization of the spinel ferrite and decreases its magnetic coercivity.

Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F coated carbon nanotubes: A cathode material with high-specific capacity for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are one of the candidate technologies for large-scale energy storage systems due to their environmental friendliness, safety and resourcefulness. However, designing and synthesizing high-performance cathode materials with practical application value is currently a great challenge. Herein, we synthesize a carbon-nanotube-coated Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F (Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F@CNT) cathode material for AZIBs, which has a continuous and interconnected ion transport channel structure. A Zn2+/H+ co-intercalation mechanism is revealed by ex-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterizations. The Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F@CNT cathode material exhibits a high specific capacity of 143 mAh‧g Wan et al. (2019). at 0.2 C in the electrolyte of 3 M Zn(OTf)2 aqueous solution. In addition, Na3(VO)2(PO4)2F@CNT shows a good low-temperature electrochemical performance in the electrolyte of 2 M Zn(OTf)2 deionized water/ethylene glycol (DIW/EG) mixed solution with a different ion storage mechanism. This study provides a new polyanionic cathode material for AZIBs and an idea to modulate the electrolyte polarity to enhance the zinc storage capacity of the cathode material.

Treatment of Methylene Blue Using Ni-Al/Magnetite Biochar Layered Double Hydroxides Composite by Adsorption

Methylene blue dye is hard to degrade and requires treatment using Ni-Al Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) modified with magnetite biochar (MBC) to form Ni-Al/magnetite biochar composite in overcoming environmental pollution. Material attainment was identified by characterization using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform – Infra Red (FT-IR), Branuer Emmet Teller (BET), Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX) and Vibration Sample Magnetometer (VSM). XRD characterization displays angle 2θ at 11°, 60° is a typical angle of LDH, and angles 22° and 35° of magnetite biochar. FT-IR characterization analysis at wavelength 1381 cm-1 for NO3- group and M-O group at wave number 700 cm-1. C-H group on biochar at 1404 cm-1 and wave number 586 cm-1 for Fe-O group. BET characterization analysis of Ni-Al/MBC has a large surface area and pore volume of 127.310 m²/g and 0.1950 cm³/g. SEM characterization analysis of Ni-Al/MBC has large, coarse pores and non-uniform shape, EDX data shows that there are forming elements such as Ni, Al from LDH and, Fe, C elements from magnetite biochar. pH, kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics become influential in adsorption processes. The adsorption capacity of the composite reaches 68.493 mg/g by following the Langmuir equation and adsorption kinetics refers to the Pseudo Second Order (PSO) equation. Adsorption continuity is spontaneous and endothermic. Ni-Al/MBC has stability in the process of adsorbent regeneration up to five adsorption cycles and, therefore can be used as a potential adsorbent in the treatment of methylene blue dye in aqueous environmental pollution. Copyright © 2023 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

Ternary composite degradable plastics based on Alpinia galanga essential oil Pickering emulsion templates: A potential multifunctional active packaging

To reduce the use of petroleum-based plastics and explore multifunctional plastics, this study was conducted to prepare ternary composite plastics by doping Pickering emulsions containing Alpinia galanga essential oil into a polymer network consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol)-acetylated pullulan polysaccharides. Scanning electron microscopy results showed that although incompatible components were present in the composite plastic, compatibility improved with the addition of pullulan polysaccharides, resulting in smooth surfaces and cross-sections, which was consistent with the observation of continuous dark zones and low relative roughness (Ra = 5.51) in Atomic force microscopy. Further, Fourier transform spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction characterization revealed that the composite plastic disrupted the molecular and crystalline structures of the pure PVA, causing the stretching vibration of -OH and the decrease of relative crystallinity. Moreover, this plastic performed optimally at a PVA to pullulan polysaccharide ratio of 75:25, exhibiting good thermal (13.12 J/g) and mechanical properties, low water absorption (70.71 %) and water vapor transmission (1.80 × 10−3 g/m2 s), as well as excellent degradability. In addition, Alpinia galanga essential oil components in the composite plastic provided favorable antioxidant scavenging of DPPH and ABTS and inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Chicken meat packaging revealed that the plastic maintained sensory parameters such as pH and color by inhibiting the oxidation of proteins and lipids during shelf-life. The findings provide insights into developing innovative, green, multifunctional packaging and broaden the in-depth application of Alpinia galanga essential oil.

SLURRY EROSION PERFORMANCE OF COLD SPRAYED WC-12Co COMPOSITE COATINGS

In the current investigation, a cold sprayed WC-12Co (WC- Tungsten Carbide, Co- Cobalt) composite coating was deposited on CA6NM steel. Further, microstructural analysis was carried out by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) characterization techniques. Mechanical characterization was carried out to measure microhardness, bond strength and surface roughness. The value of coating hardness and surface roughness was measured to be 270 ± 15 Hv and 2.12 ± 0.5 [Formula: see text]m. Thereafter, slurry erosion test was performed under accelerated conditions and performance of coated samples was compared under different parameters such as erodent size, impact velocity, angle of impingement and slurry concentration. WC-12Co coatings show no phase transformation or de-carburization of the WC-Co particles as observed in other thermal spray techniques. The WC-12Co coatings was proved to have beneficial erosion reduction rate as compared to untreated CA6NM steel. The slurry erosion performance of coated samples was improved by 68%. SEM images of degraded coatings show the brittle characteristic of WC-12Co coatings.

Evaluation of microscale crystallinity modification induced by laser writing on Mn3O4 thin films

Defining microstructures and managing local crystallinity allow the implementation of several functionalities in thin film technology. The use of ultrashort Bessel beams for bulk crystallinity modification has garnered considerable attention as a versatile technique for semiconductor materials, dielectrics, or metal oxide substrates. The aim of this work is the quantitative evaluation of the crystalline changes induced by ultrafast laser micromachining on manganese oxide thin films using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Pulsed Bessel beams featured by a 1 μm-sized central core are used to define structures with high spatial precision. The dispersion relation of Mn3O4 optical phonons is determined by considering the conjunction between X-ray diffraction characterization and the phonon localization model. The asymmetries in Raman spectra indicate phonon localization and enable a quantitative tool to determine the crystallite size at micrometer resolution. The results indicate that laser-writing is effective in modifying the low-crystallinity films locally, increasing crystallite sizes from ∼8 nm up to 12 nm, and thus highlighting an interesting approach to evaluate laser-induced structural modifications on metal oxide thin films.

Separator functionalization enables high-performance zinc anode via ion-migration regulation and interfacial engineering

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) are promising energy storage devices. However, the formation of dendrites, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion reaction seriously affect their electrochemical performance. Herein, the synergistic effect of ion-migration regulation and interfacial engineering has been confirmed as the potential strategy by kaolin functionalized glass fiber separator (KL-GF) to alleviate these problems. The rapid and orderly Zn2+ migration was achieved to improve the transfer kinetics and induced uniform zinc deposition by more zinc-philic sites of KL-GF. Based on the interfacial engineering, the side reactions were effectively mitigated and crystal planes were regulated through KL-GF. The hydrophilicity of KL alleviated the corrosion and hydrogen evolution. Importantly, a preferential orientation of Zn (002) crystal plane by KL-GF was induced to further realize dendrite-free deposition by density functional theory (DFT) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization. Hence, the Zn|KL-GF|MnO2 cell maintained a high discharge capacity of 96.8 mAh/g at 2 A/g after 1000 cycles. This work can provide guidance enabling high-performance zinc anode for AZIBs.

Clean energy storage device derived from biopolymers with moderate charge-discharge cycles: Structural and electrochemical properties

This work explores a green biopolymer (GBP) energy storage system to address the growing problem of microplastics that can harm our health. A GBP was made using solution casting with chitosan (CHN) and starch from potato (SPC) as the polymer hosts. Sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) as Na+ cation provider and glycerol as an environmentally friendly plasticizer were mixed with CHN:SPC host polymers to prepare GBP electrolytes. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results confirm the boost in DC conductivity. From the AC conductivity spectra, regions ascribing to EP and DC contributions are demonstrated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR characterization provide evidence of salt dissociation and amorphous phase improvement. The determination of the ion fraction was achieved by means of TNM. The electrochemical stability of the conducting film was observed to be maintained up to 2.75 V. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), revealing no sign of charge transfer occurring through Faradaic processes at the interface between the electrode and electrolyte. The galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD) plot displayed a triangular pattern, indicating a low voltage drop and a notable specific capacitance of 70 F/g. Moreover, the EDLC (electrical double-layer capacitor) exhibited an average power density of 1120 W/kg and an energy density of 9.11 Wh/kg.

Nanophytosome formulation of β-1,3-glucan and Euglena gracilis extract for drug delivery applications

Euglena gracilis (EG) is a unicellular freshwater alga known for its high β-1,3-glucan (BG) content with well-known biological properties and immune response. The high molecular weight structure of BG traditionally poses a challenge in terms of its size and absorption. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a novel drug delivery mechanism of BG and EG to nanophytosomes (NPs) by converting the heavy molecular weight of BG and EG into lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC), which plays an important role in improving their bioavailability and entrapment in captivity. The BG and EG NPs were developed by the solvent evaporation method while varying time and temperature to optimize their drug delivery ability. The size of BG-PC and EG-PC obtained by the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) method was 134.62 and 158.38 nm, respectively. Chemical (Fourier Transform Infra-Red) and structural (X-Ray Diffraction) characterization of NPs improved the binding capacity and the amorphous nature of both NPs. The shape of the NPs by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed their spherical, vesicular nature. The encapsulation efficiency of BG-PC and EG-PC was 82 ± 1.62 % and 87 ± 3.22 %, respectively, which improves the bioavailability. The developed methodology has thus proven effective in synthesizing BG-PC and EG-PC, which may be useful as NP drug delivery carriers. Future research could demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of long-term storage conditions for medical and pharmaceutical applications.•Nanophytosomes are tailored in size, shape and composition to optimize the delivery of phytochemicals/phytocompounds through nanoscale size and surface modification for better physiological absorption.•Nanophytosomes increase the stability of phytochemicals/phytocompounds and protect them from degradation due to heat or chemical reactions, leading to longer shelf life and improved therapeutic efficacy.•In this method, optimal conditions were created for the formation of β-1,3-glucan and Euglena gracilis extract nanophytosomes for successful development of drug delivery system that can effectively deliver bioactive compounds.

Synthesis of corundum rich coating on 7055 aluminum alloy by micro-arc oxidation and its corrosion resistant property in a saline medium

The work researched on Micro-arc oxidation (MAO) coatings fabrication method using 7055 aluminum alloy as substrate. The electrolyte was an alkaline solution added by sodium hexametaphosphate with/without sodium tungstate additive. X-ray diffraction (XRD) characterization proved that the α-Al2O3 (corundum)/γ-Al2O3 (gamma alumina) ratio in the coating reached 0.929 with trace tungsten metal, which was produced by thermit reaction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization revealed craters up to 100 μm in diameter and micro-cracks on the coating surface. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results indicated that the coating surface contains 0.74 at.% Mg, undetectable Zn and Cu, and 1.39 at.% Zr element, which should be 1.04 at.%, 1.51 at.%, 0.43 at.% and 0.02 % theoretically. Zr element distributed spatially in the same region with P element. The corrosion resistant property of the samples was analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization in 3.5 wt% NaCl. Tafel extrapolation method was utilized to analyze polarization curves and the results revealed that the corrosion potential of the MAO-treated sample was 0.016–0.093 V higher, and the corrosion current density was one order of magnitude lower (1/9.10–1/19.06) than the base 7055 aluminum alloy. The Nyquist diagrams of samples were modeled by equivalent electrical circuits through ZsimpWin software. The iterated data verified a three-layer structure of the MAO coating and the intermediate layer exhibited higher electrical resistance than the barrier layer. The coating film containing the most α-Al2O3 phase displayed the largest open porosity (3.99 % by calculation) and the highest electrical resistance. The friction test revealed that the coating fabricated under a higher current density possessed better wear resistance when the outer layer contacted the counterpair of Si3N4 ball.

Zinc and Silver-Infused Calcium Silicate Cement: Unveiling Physicochemical Properties and In Vitro Biocompatibility.

Calcium silicate-based types of cement have gained recognition in various dental applications due to their exceptional sealing capabilities, bioactivity, and minimal adaptability. However, these materials have certain shortcomings that can lead to mechanical failures and premature degradation. The inclusion of metal ions into their structure is expected to promote their biological activity. This article focuses on the preparation and characterization of calcium silicate cement to enhance its fundamental material properties, by introducing zinc and silver while retaining its biomaterial characteristics. This study aims to evaluate the biomedical potential of zinc and silver-impregnated bioactive calcium silicate cement. The calcium silicate powder was synthesized via the sol-gel method. Tetraethyl orthosilicate, calcium nitrate, silver nitrate, and zinc nitrate were sequentially added to create the bioactive calcium silicate material. The synthesized particles underwent physicochemical characterization using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and biological characterization through in vitro hemocompatibility assays. The study's results revealed the presence of multiple crystalline phases (Ag6Si2O7, Zn2SiO4, CaCO3) as indicated by X-ray diffraction. Raman spectra displayed vibrations associated with Si-O-Si and Zn-O bonding in the zinc and silver-infused bioactive calcium silicate. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed a mixture of spherical and sheet-like morphologies, while energy dispersive spectra confirmed the presence of elements Ca, Si, Zn, Ag, O, and C. In vitro hemocompatibility testing affirmed the material's biocompatible nature. In conclusion, the zinc and silver-infused calcium silicate cement was successfully synthesized through an in-house procedure and demonstrated biocompatibility. The inclusion of zinc and silver, known for their osteogenic and antimicrobial properties, is anticipated to enhance the cement's biological properties and broaden its utility in dentistry. Further in vitro and in vivo investigations are imperative to validate its clinical applications and elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying its efficacy.

Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquid-Assisted Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial Activity: Experimental and Density Functional Theory Studies.

The exclusive properties of ionic liquids (ILs) offer various opportunities to develop advanced materials with appreciable therapeutic applications. Imidazolium-based ILs have been frequently used as reaction media and stabilizers for the development and surface functionalization of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs). This study reports the citrate-mediated reduction of silver ions in three different ILs, that is, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methyl sulfate ([EMIM][MS]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([BMIM][OTf]), and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][TFSI]). The resulting Ag-ILs NPs were characterized using many analytical techniques, including UV-visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). DLS and XRD characterization revealed the negatively charged Ag-[EMIM][MS] NPs, Ag-[BMIM][OTf] NPs, and Ag-[BMIM][TFSI] NPs with mean hydrodynamic sizes of 278, 316, and 279 nm, respectively, and a face-centered cubic structure. These hybrid nanomaterials were subjected to in vitro antibacterial screening against three bacterial strains. The Ag-[BMIM][OTf] NPs exhibited significant activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterobacter cloacae. The lowest inhibition concentration of 62.5 μg/mL was recorded against E. coli using Ag-[EMIM][MS] and Ag-[BMIM][OTf] NPs. Further, the density functional theory calculations carried out on the computed Ag-ILs in the gas phase and water showed relatively stable systems. Ag-[BMIM][TFSI] exhibited the lowest Gibbs free energy change of -34.41 kcal/mol. The value of the global electrophilicity index (ω = 0.1865 eV) for the Ag-[BMIM][OTf] correlated with its good antibacterial activity.