Addition Of ZnO Research Articles

Nanoparticles-Based Optical Chemosensors for Lead Acetate Sensing in Water: ZnO, Zn0.97Ce0.03O, and Zn0.97Nd0.03O.

This study reports the synthesis, characterization, and optical properties of ZnO, Zn0.97Ce0.03O, and Zn0.97Nd0.03O nanoparticles and their interactions with lead acetate solutions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that the nanoparticles were synthesized in a single-phase hexagonal structure, with crystallite sizes of 12.48nm, 50.79nm, and 39.00nm, respectively. Doping ZnO with Ce and Nd ions significantly enhanced its paramagnetic properties, as evidenced by squareness ratios of 11.18 × 10-3, 41.60, and 20.25 for ZnO, Zn0.97Ce0.03O, and Zn0.97Nd0.03O, respectively. UV-Vis absorption spectra revealed a redshift in lead acetate upon interaction with ZnO, indicating the formation of new chemical species. Ce and Nd doping further modified the optical properties by introducing additional absorption peaks and altering spectral profiles. Significant enhancement in photoluminescence (PL) intensity is observed due to the addition of ZnO, Zn0.97Ce0.03O, and Zn0.97Nd0.03O nanoparticles, as compared to the pure PbC2H3O2​ solution across various concentrations. The incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles increases the PL intensity by approximately tenfold (from 13 to over 100 a.u.). Similarly, Zn0.97Ce0.03O exhibits a comparable level of enhancement. Notably, the introduction of Zn0.97Nd0.03O nanoparticles achieves a remarkable 100-fold increase in PL intensity, establishing it as a highly effective material for detecting lead contamination in water. This exceptional performance highlights its potential for environmental monitoring and water quality applications. These results highlight the potential of ZnO, Zn0.97Ce0.03O, and Zn0.97Nd0.03O nanoparticles as sensitive and effective chemosensors for detecting trace lead levels in environmental samples.

Production, characterization and life cycle analysis of ZnO doped LDPE films

AbstractIn this study, virgin and recycled polymer films doped with ZnO in different proportions were prepared by extrusion. ZnO was first incorporated into LLDPE to produce masterbatches, which were then added to LDPE at a 10% ratio to fabricate the composite films. The produced films were analyzed using FTIR, SEM, TGA, DSC and tensile tests to evaluate their optical, thermal and mechanical properties. In addition, a life cycle assessment was carried out for each film and the environmental impacts were compared. A functional unit of 1 kg of film was selected and the process from raw material extraction to film production was analyzed in detail using the cradle‐to‐gate model. The findings indicate that the recycled film produced with 1% ZnO addition exhibits superior optical and thermal properties, high tensile and break strength, and offers positive environmental benefits. Therefore, recycled film produced with 1% ZnO additive was considered the most sustainable and suitable option for bag production.Highlights Virgin and recycled polymer films were doped with ZnO and produced. Films' optical, thermal, and mechanical properties were studied. The 1% ZnO doped recycled film exhibited high optical and thermal properties. LCA show 1% ZnO doped recycled film is the optimal sustainable product.

Calcium aluminate cement: a study on the effect of additives for dental applications

Recent dental material advancements have sparked increased interest in dental cements due to their natural tooth-like appearance, biocompatibility, and stability. These cements hold potential in dental fillings, enamel and root protection, and connecting dental implants. However, no single cement fulfills all application needs, necessitating multiple types. Ideal dental cements require resistance to degradation, strong bonding, high strength, fracture toughness, and optical transparency for imaging. In this study, the effect of the addition of ZrO2, Bi2O3, and ZnO on the mechanical was the solid-state method was used for the synthesis of calcium aluminate (C3A) cement powder, and additives of zirconia, bismuth oxide and zinc oxide were added at magnitudes of 10 wt.% and 20 wt.%. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), setting time, compressive strength (CS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microscopy, and radiopacity evaluation (RE) were performed for characterization and properties evaluations. With the formation of a new phase, C3ZA2, the compressive strength increased by up to 275% by reducing porosity and stabilizing phase transitions during hydration. The evidence showed that the amount of bismuth oxide and zirconia additive have high optical (7 and 3.5 mmA) and biological properties and a significant impact on strength in dental applications.

Molecular dynamics mechanism of incorporating ZnO with varying particle sizes into ECTFE coatings and its impact on corrosion resistance

A composite coating of zinc oxide/chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ZnO/ECTFE) was prepared on the surface of carbon steel via electrostatic spraying and heat treatment at 260 ℃. The influence of ZnO particle size variations on the anticorrosive properties of ECTFE coating was investigated by characterizing the microstructure, adhesion, hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties, electrochemical corrosion performance, as well as the dynamics simulation analysis on water molecule and chloride ions diffusion in the coating. The results show that the ECTFE coating incorporated with 100nm ZnO has the highest surface roughness (Roughness coefficient Ra = 30.6nm), the most robust adhesion (Bonding pull-out strength = 5.22MPa), and the lowest corrosion current density after a 90-day immersion (Icorr,90d = 4.05 × 10⁻⁸ A∙cm⁻²). These improvements represent an increase of 81.67% and 59.9% compared to the pure copolymer coating (Icorr,90d = 2.21 × 10⁻⁷ A∙cm⁻²) and the coating incorporated with 200nm ZnO (Icorr,90d = 1.01 × 10⁻⁷ A∙cm⁻²), respectively. This phenomenon can be attributed to the addition of small-sized ZnO, which enhances the density of the coating, induces a hydrophobic transition on its surface, strengthens the double electric layer effect, thereby improving its resistance against water molecule and chloride ions diffusion and ultimately enhances the corrosion resistance.

Influence of ZnO on structural magneto-optical dielectric and antibacterial properties of NiFe2O4 (ZnO-NiFe2O4) nanocomposites prepared by sol–gel method

The present work investigates the structural, optical, magneto-dielectric and antibacterial characteristics of ZnO-NiFe2O4 nanocomposites (NCs). Spinel NiFe2O4 and ZnO powders were synthesized individually by the sol–gel method. Then by using the ultrasonification technique, a series of (1-x)NiFe2O4+xZnO (x = 0.0, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45) NCs were prepared. Powder XRD pattern confirms the existence of both spinel NiFe2O4 and ZnO peaks in the nanocomposites. The observation reveals that as the amount of ZnO in the nanocomposite, there is an increase in the lattice constant from 8.372 Å to 8.383 Å. The addition of ZnO in the nanocomposites broadens the light-absorbing range and raises the band gap (eV) energy from 1.7 eV to 2.5 eV. The dielectric constant measured at 1 kHz decreased from 496 to 403 as the ZnO content in the nanocomposite increased. However, the dielectric constant for NF0.4/ZnO0.6 NCs measured at 1 kHz increased from 403 to 583 for an applied magnetic field of 7000 Oe. Spinel NiFe2O4 with ZnO content shows lesser saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity compared to pure NiFe2O4. The magneto-capacitance (MC%) as a function of the magnetic field for all composition shows a positive response. NF0.55/ZnO0.45 (40 µg/ml) NCs showed better antimicrobial activity as compared to NiFe2O4 (40 µg/ml). This study may extend the scope of this composite as an electrode material in supercapacitors.

Enhancing hydration resistance and mechanical properties of dolomite refractory through ZnO nanoparticle incorporation

AbstractThe study aims to enhance the hydration resistance of dolomite refractory by investigating the influence of ZnO nanoparticles on their physical and mechanical properties. Four samples with varying ZnO concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 wt%) were prepared. The main identified phases were magnesia (MgO) and lime (CaO). The microstructure of the dolomite refractory shown irregularly shaped grains dispersed within a matrix phase, with an increase in ZnO nanoparticles, leading to larger and more abundant grains. The incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles resulted in improved density, hydration resistance, and cold compressive strength, attributed to a reduction in porosity. The sample containing 2 wt% ZnO nanoparticles displayed the highest cold compressive strength and thermal expansion coefficient compared to the pure sample. The addition of ZnO enhanced the dolomite's compressive strength by approximately 46%. These findings suggest that ZnO nanoparticles can enhance the properties of dolomite refractory, particularly in terms of hydration resistance.

A comparative study for optimizing photocatalytic activity of TiO2-based composites with ZrO2, ZnO, Ta2O5, SnO, Fe2O3, and CuO additives

Despite the widespread use of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in photocatalytic applications, its inherent limitations, such as low efficiency under visible light and rapid recombination of electron-hole pairs, hinder its effectiveness in environmental remediation. This study presents a comparative investigation of TiO2-based composites, including TiO2/ZrO2, ZnO, Ta2O3, SnO, Fe2O3, and CuO, aiming to assess their potential for enhancing photocatalytic applications. Photocatalysis holds promise in environmental remediation, water purification, and energy conversion, with TiO2 being a prominent photocatalyst. To improve efficiency and broaden applicability, various metal oxide composites have been explored. Composites were synthesized and characterized using techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, and zeta potential analysis to evaluate their structural and morphological properties. Photocatalytic performance was assessed by degrading herbicide Imazapyr under UV illumination. Results revealed that, the photo-activity of all prepared composites were more effective than the photo-activity of commercial hombikat UV-100. The photonic-efficiency is arranged according to the order TiO2/CuO > TiO2/SnO > TiO2/ZnO > TiO2/Ta2O3 > TiO2/ZrO2 > TiO2/Fe2O3 > Hombikat TiO2-UV100. All composites exhibited superior performance, attributed to enhanced light absorption and charge separation. The study underscores the potential of these composites for environmental remediation and energy conservation, offering valuable insights for the development of advanced photocatalysts.

Preparation and characterization of κ-carrageenan/dextran films blended with nano-ZnO and anthocyanin for intelligent food packaging

The κ-carrageenan/microbial-originated dextran-based multifunctional intelligent packaging films, integrated with natural anthocyanins as a colorant and ZnO as an antibacterial agent, were successfully developed using a casting method. Their applicability and functionality were systematically assessed through various analytical techniques. The addition of dextran, anthocyanins, and ZnO in the films resulted in an increased tensile strength (from 13.66 ± 0.53 to 29.70 ± 1.29 MPa) and elongation at break (from 16.69 ± 1.05 % to 39.49 ± 0.73 %), and decreased water solubility (from 64.94 ± 0.34 % to 32.84 ± 1.55 %) and water vapor barrier property (from 8.29 ± 0.12 × 10−10 g/m•s•Pa to 6.92 ± 0.1 × 10−10 g/m•s•Pa). Spectroscopic analysis revealed that the dextran, ZnO and anthocyanins were uniformly dispersed within the film-forming substrates, achieved through hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. The addition of anthocyanins and ZnO not only enhanced the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the film but also provided it with good pH sensitivity and color stability, making it highly promising for use in shrimp freshness monitoring. All the films were shown to be biodegradable, decomposing completely in soil within 30 days. Overall, these results suggest that the films could serve as a potential replacement for plastic food packaging and additionally monitor the freshness of food.

Dye Sensitized Photoactivation of ZnO/Zn(NCN) Nanocomposites Obtained via Solvent Free Mechanothermal Process and Their Photocatalytic Application

The current work describes the sustainable and ecofriendly synthesis of visible light active Zinc Oxide-Zinc Carbodiimide (ZnO/Zn(NCN)) nanocomposites under solvent free conditions via mechanothermal process. The photocatalytic proficiencies of the produced nanomaterials were investigated for the photo-mineralization of Rhodamine B (RhB) organic dye pollutant under visible light illumination. The synthesis of ZnO/Zn(NCN) nanocomposites were conducted using varying weight ratio of zinc acetate to urea as 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, and 1:8 and the resulting samples were named as ZnO/Zn(NCN) (1:2), ZnO/Zn(NCN) (1:4), ZnO/Zn(NCN) (1:6), and ZnO/Zn(NCN) (1:8), respectively. The XRD and FTIR results confirm that in the prepared nanocomposites, Zn(NCN) and ZnO nanoparticles coexist in a tetragonal lattice structure with a space group of . The addition of ZnO in the carbodiimide has surprisingly reduced the band gap of the later from 4.32 eV to ∼2.87 eV, thus enabling it photo-active under visible light radiation. In the present study, remarkable photo-mineralization activity for the prepared ZnO/Zn(NCN) nanocomposites was observed toward the RhB dye under visible light exposure. A maximum of 99% degradation of the dye was reported at a rate of 0.0505 min-1 over ZnO/Zn(NCN) (1:6) nanocomposite in acidic conditions (pH=2) with 20 mg catalyst dosage, 20 mg/L dye concentration and 90 min of visible light contact. The prepared nanocomposites were found to exhibit dye sensitized photoactivation under visible light irradiation. The photo-decolorization process was mainly regulated by •O2- followed by h+ oxidative species. The reusability experiment reveals the retention of 90.22% dye degradation capacity of the nanocomposite (1:6) even in the fourth cycle of reuse, demonstrating its good photostability and practical applicability.

Comparative Corrosion Inhibition Test Study in Phosphate Buffer Saline for 316L Stainless Steel with Electrospun PCL Coating with Different Additives

In this study, ten different contents of PCL-based nanofibers containing ZnO, CuO, NiO, 2F TSC, 4F TSC and graphite additives (PCL+Graphite+CuO+NiO+ZnO, PCL+ZnO+Graphite, PCL+ZnO+NiO+CuO, PCL+ZnO, PCL+Graphite, PCL+ZnO+2F TSC, PCL+ZnO+NiO+CuO+4F TSC, PCL+ZnO+NiO+CuO+2F TSC, bare PCL, PCL+ZnO+4F TSC) 316L stainless steel (SS) surface was coated. After coating with these different types of nanofibers, measurements were taken with electrochemical techniques such as potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) for 1 hour to investigate the corrosion inhibition properties. According to the results, the PCL+Graphite+CuO+NiO+ZnO coating provided the highest corrosion inhibition with a protection efficiency value of 98.83%. The PCL+4F+ZnO coating had the lowest inhibition property with a protection efficiency value of 40.72%. At the end of the tests, Nyquist, Bode, Tafel, OCP diagrams of the coatings were obtained and equivalent circuit models were presented.

A biodegradable bi‐layer nano fibrous membrane fabricated by centrifugal spinning for active food packaging

AbstractTo solve the problem of cytotoxicity for most antimicrobial agents loaded in packaging materials, we developed a novel bi‐layer fibrous membrane by using centrifugal spinning, which of the outer layer was submicron native potato starch/polyvinyl alcohol (ST/PVA) composite fibers loaded with ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) for providing high antibacterial activity. The inner layer was nano‐based calcium alginate/polyethylene oxide (CA/PEO) fiber for providing excellent biocompatibility. The addition of ZnO caused the semicrystalline structures of ST/PVA fibers, while the CA/PEO fibers were shown semicrystalline structures due to the PEO. Fourier transform infrared indicated that posttreatment had not effect on the structures of ST/PVA/ZnO fiber, but the structure of CA/PEO fibers were affected by interaction between COO groups of alginate and Ca2+ ions. The results of mechanical property demonstrated that CA/PEO fibers showed highest stress of 3.83 ± 0.25 MPa and helpful for improving the stress of bi‐layer fibrous membrane. The obtained fibrous membrane had excellent antibacterial property with diameters of bacteriostatic zone against E. coli and S. aureus of 20.5 and 21.5 mm, respectively. On this basis, the shelf life of strawberry was improved up to 6th day by inhibit the growth of microorganisms, which indicated that the obtained fibrous membrane showed great potential for food packaging.

Hydrogen Storage Studies of Nanocomposites Derived From O‐Ethyl‐S‐((5‐Methoxy‐1H‐Benzo[d]Imidazol‐2‐Yl)Carbonothioate (OESMBIC) With ZnO and TiO2 Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT5‐Methoxy‐2‐mercaptobenzamidazole was used to synthesize O‐ethyl‐S‐(5‐methoxy‐1H‐benzo[d]imidazol‐2‐yl) carbonothioate (OESMBIC) by the reaction with chloroacetic acid ethyl ester in a KOH solution. The reaction product (OESMBIC) was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), melting point, and 1H‐NMR. The characteristic results prove the formation of the target compound with high purity. Furthermore, the work includes the synthesis of ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles via chemical methods in the high alkalinity solution. These nanoparticles were used to synthesize two novel nanocomposites named OESMBIC‐ZnO and OESMBIC‐TiO2. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by FTIR, SEM, EDX, TEM, and XRD. The results prove that the prepared titanium oxide as nanotubes with diameters ranging between 20 and 35 nm decorated with OESMBIC. The results prove that ZnO in OESMBIC‐ZnO was found as nanorods with different lengths and diameters of 40–65 nm decorated with OESMBIC molecules. The as‐prepared compounds; OESMBIC, OESMBIC‐ZnO, and OESMBIC‐TiO2 were used for the hydrogen storage application using the VTI method. The results prove that the addition of ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles enhanced the storage ability of OESMBIC as the OESMBIC gave only 0.50 wt% at an equilibrium pressure of 40 bar, while it reached 2.40 and 4.37 wt% at equilibrium pressures of 60 and 75 bar for OESMBIC‐ZnO and OESMBIC‐TiO2, respectively.

Physical, mechanical, structural, optical and gamma ray shielding behavior of (90-x-y)B2O3–5PbO–5BaO-xZnO-yTiO2 glasses

The influence of changing the concentrations of ZnO and TiO2 on the (90-x-y)B2O3–5PbO–5BaO-xZnO-yTiO2, x = y = 10, 15, 20 and 25 mol% glasses have been investigated. Their density rises from 3.469 g/cm³ to 4.207 g/cm³. The elastic modulus of the glass samples increased from 50.970 to 73.195 GPa for Young modulus, 45.540–64.107 GPa for bulk modulus, 20.640–29.732 GPa for the shear modulus and 73.060–103.750 GPa for the longitudinal modulus respectively. This is referring to the effect of ZnO and TiO2 on the structure of the glasses. The UV–Vis absorption behavior exhibits a decrease in the energy band gap values from 3.312 to 3.146 eV. The increase in cutoff wavelength in UV spectra is useful for many applications, such as UV shielding, where the objective is to effectively obstruct UV rays while preserving optimal visibility. The relation between the thickness of the glass and the transmission factor (TF) has been studied to evaluate their shielding behavior. The TF decreases with the increase in the thickness from 0.5 to 1 cm. Also, TF decreases with the addition of ZnO within the structure of the investigated samples. Therefore, it can be suggested that increasing the concentration of ZnO in glass samples is another good way to reduce TF values.

Preparation and characterization of ZnO modified solid state sintered 45S5 bioactive ceramics

In this research, the traditional 45S5 bioactive glass powder was modified using ZnO (<20 μm) by powder metallurgy route. Five different bioactive ceramics compositions (45BC, 45BC1, 45BC3, 45BC5 and 45BC7) were formulated containing varied amounts of ZnO in the step of 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt % respectively. Each body was thoroughly mixed in a porcelain-lined ball mill to ensure proper homogenization followed by an addition of prepared 2 % PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) and then again thoroughly mixed. The batch material was uniaxially pressed at 70 MPa using a cylindrical mould of 40 × 20 mm. A total of 20 samples from each body composition were produced and allowed to dry in an ambient temperature followed by sintering at 1000 °C for 2h at the rate of 5 °C/min. The samples were then allowed to anneal within the furnace to room temperature. Selected samples were later immersed inside simulated body fluid. Physical, mechanical, microstructure and phase evaluation were conducted to examine the developed bioactive ceramics. The results showed that the bulk density increased from 1.6 to 2.64 g/cm3 while porosity decrease from 95 % to 58 % across the series, with increasing ZnO addition. Sample 45BC7 showed maximum hardness and compressive strength of 7.98 GPa and 83.54 MPa respectively. The carbonate-hydroxyapatite/hydroxyapatite (CHA/HA) deposits were found to also increased with ZnO addition showing good bioactivity, which affirms that the developed bioactive ceramics can bond well with living tissues, thus its suitability for bone regeneration.

Additive manufacturing of bioactive and biodegradable poly (lactic acid)-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds modified with zinc oxide for guided bone tissue repair

Bioactive and biodegradable scaffolds that mimic the natural extracellular matrix of bone serve as temporary structures to guide new bone tissue growth. In this study, 3D-printed scaffolds composed of poly (lactic acid) (PLA)-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) (90-10 wt.%) were modified with 1%, 5%, and 10 wt.% of ZnO to enhance bone tissue regeneration. A commercial chain extender named Joncryl was incorporated alongside ZnO to ensure the printability of the composites. Filaments were manufactured using a twin-screw extruder and subsequently used to print 3D scaffolds via fused filament fabrication (FFF). The scaffolds exhibited a homogeneous distribution of ZnO and TCP particles, a reproducible structure with 300 μm pores, and mechanical properties suitable for bone tissue engineering, with an elastic modulus around 100 MPa. The addition of ZnO resulted in enhanced surface roughness on the scaffolds, particularly for ZnO microparticles, achieving values up to 241 nm. This rougher topography was responsible for enhancing protein adsorption on the scaffolds, with an increase of up to 85% compared to the PLA-TCP matrix. Biological analyses demonstrated that the presence of ZnO promotes mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) proliferation and differentiation into osteoblasts. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, an important indicator of early osteogenic differentiation, increased up to 29%. The PLA-TCP composite containing 5% ZnO microparticles exhibited an optimized degradation rate and enhanced bioactivity, indicating its promising potential for bone repair applications.

Evaluating the impact of ZnO doping on electrical and thermal properties of calcium-aluminosilicate oxynitride glass-ceramics

This study aimed to investigate the impact of ZnO content on the structure, thermal, and electrical properties of oxynitride glass-ceramic(s) within the Ca–Al–Si–O–N (CASON) system. The base glass had the composition of Ca7Al14Si17O52N7, with ZnO additions ranging from 3 to 15 % by weight. A pristine Ca7Al14Si17O52N7 glass was successfully prepared by melt-quenching technique followed by converted into glass-ceramic by incorporating various amounts of ZnO using the field-assisted sintering technique. XRD and FESEM analysis confirmed that increasing the amount of Zn increases the crystallinity in the glass matrix. The observed crystalline phases were formed mostly from ZnO and showed higher conductivity than the remaining dielectric matrix. IR spectra confirmed the presence of bands correlated with the presence of Zn and suggested the progressive depolymerization of the silicate-aluminate network as a consequence of increasing Zn content. Density values varied between 2.75 and 2.94 gcm−3 and increased with increasing the Zn content in the glass-ceramic. The thermal expansion and thermal conductivity values increased and decreased, respectively, with the increase of Zn content in the matrix. The electrical properties of the samples were investigated using impedance spectroscopy over a wide range of frequencies (10 mHz to 1 MHz) and temperatures (153 K–623 K). The results showed that in the glass without ZnO and glass-ceramic(s) with a small addition of ZnO, the conductivity is mainly dominated by the transfer of oxygen ions and, to a small extent, by the presence of electronic conductivity. As the ZnO content increases, continuous conduction paths are formed between the ZnO crystallites, and the electrical conductivity increases rapidly and becomes dominated by electron transfer.

Mesoporous aluminosilicate materials supported zinc oxide photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants

The current study focuses on the creation of catalysts that have several uses. Supports for attaching ZnO catalysts are made of mesoporous alumino-silicate materials with varying SiO2/Al2O3 ratios (type Siral), and the amount of Al in them ranges from 20 % to 70 %. The alumino-silicate support materials are great for loading active components because they have a lot of surface area, a well-defined regular structure, and few mesopores that are spread out. We carry out the synthesis of the mesoporous alumino-silicate-supported zinc oxide photocatalyst (Siral/ZnO) using a mechano-chemical grinding approach. Different characterization methods, such as UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), SEM, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), evaluate the properties of the heterogeneous catalysts and the effectiveness of ZnO addition. We use these supports to enhance their catalytic efficiency by examining responses related to the decomposition of pharmaceutical contaminants and pigments like Ibuprofen (IBP). The finding results revealed that mesoporous structure of Siral/ZnO NCs with an average crystallite size of 1–50 nm with the Type IV N2 adsorption and desorption isotherms show a noticeable photocatalytic activity under UV–visible light irradiation. The efficiency of the photo-degradation increases with increasing the weight percentage from 5 wt% to 60 wt% of ZnO NPs, and it reaches 85.18 % for Siral70/60 % ZnO after 4 h. Siral/ZnO NCs photocatalysts exhibit exceptional photostability and reusability when it comes to the degradation of organic molecules.

Deciphering the Nd3+ environment and energy-transfer mechanisms in thermally stable novel calcium aluminate glasses: elucidation of broadband high-gain performance for laser applications

Rare-earth-doped barium calcium aluminate (BCA) glasses, having extended infrared (IR) transmission (6 μm), are attractive materials for near IR (NIR) photonic applications. Nd2O3-doped BCA glasses display broadband emission at 1.07 µm, but they are limited, with poor glass-forming ability (GFA) and low emission cross sections. In the present study, four different barium zinc calcium aluminate (BZCA) glasses are synthesized with varied ZnO concentrations (from 9.5 to 24.5 mol%) and doped with 0.5 mol% Nd2O3 to decipher the effect on GFA and spectroscopic properties. The addition of ZnO enhances the GFA, and the NdBZCA20 glass shows the maximum GFA. Ultraviolet (UV)–visible (Vis)–NIR absorption spectra reveal a decreasing trend in the nephelauxetic effect, while J–O parameters, emission, and gain properties lead to no significant alteration with increasing ZnO, and the structure–properties correlation is established accordingly. However, the emission cross sections for all ZnO concentrations are found ∼4.5 × 10−20 cm2 accompanied by broadband emission (Δλ eff ∼ 40 nm), which ensures the potentiality of these glasses for low-threshold high-gain laser applications as well as ultrashort pulse laser applications. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of 1.06 µm emission as a function of Nd concentration in the BZCA20 glass is reported here. The emission spectra and decay time indicate that 0.5 mol% is the optimized doping concentration. Inokuti–Hirayama and Burshtein equations are adopted to study the decay kinetics and energy-transfer mechanisms, which confirm that the energy-transfer process due to cross-relaxation is dominant up to 0.5 mol% concentration, whereas, beyond that concentration, excitation energy migration via the hopping mechanism supersedes.

Influence of ZnO and Pr6O11 incorporation on the structural, thermal, optical, mechanical, and magnetic properties of calcium lithium borate glasses

A new glass of calcium lithium borate with the chemical formula (62.75-x)B2O3 + 20CaO + 0.25Pr6O11 + 17Li2O + xZnO, where x = 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 (mol%) have been prepared by conventional melt-quenching process. The amorphous character has been confirmed by the very short-range ordering structural matrices demonstrated through X-ray diffraction.The Raman spectra of the prepared glass revealed an enhancement of host lattice distortions. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) estimated the glass transition temperature (Tg), the onset temperature of crystallization (Tc), and the melting temperature (Tm). The glass transition decreased from 441 °C to 431 °C with increasing ZnO content up to 10 mol%. The criteria of glass samples up to 10 % ZnO have higher strength, rigidity and higher level of thermal stability. The physical quantities as density, molar volume, inter-atomic distance, polaron radius, packing density, and oxygen packing density were calculated. The glass density increases while the molar volume decreases with ZnO content. The optical properties of glasses were investigated using UV–Vis spectrophotometer. The addition of ZnO enhances the light absorption in UV–Vis. The results of the calculated direct and indirect optical band gaps decrease from 3.663 eV to 3.233 eV for and from 3.167 eV to 2.648 eV for direct and indirect transitions respectively with the increment of ZnO addition. Additionally, the dispersion energy and static refractive index clearly increase while the oscillator energy declines. The Makishima-Mackenzie’s (M−M) method was employed to ascertain mechanical parameters, including elastic moduli, and Poisson’s ratio. The study revealed an enhancement to the mechanical properties as the content of ZnO increased. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) was used to investigate the magnetic properties of the prepared glass and all samples exhibited a ferromagnetic behavior. The incorporation of ZnO act as glass modifier controlling their physical, optical and mechanical properties making the investigated glasses suitable for various applications.

Microstructure and tribological properties of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with ZnO–hBN nanocomposite particles

Abstract In this study, pure and hBN-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by sol–gel method. ZnO–hBN nanoparticles were mixed with pure aluminum powders and samples were prepared using powder metallurgy processing parameters. It was observed that Al, ZnO, and hBN nanocomposite particles formed homogeneously. With the addition of ZnO–hBN, significant changes occurred in hardness, wear, and friction coefficient values compared to pure Al samples. The highest hardness value in the samples is mesh. It was obtained as 105 HB in 10 wt.% hBN added sample. In the wear tests, it is seen that the wear resistance is seven times higher in the 1 wt.% hBN added sample compared to the pure Al sample, while the friction coefficient decreases with the increase of the hBN additive.