Materials, Volume 12, Issue 19 (October-1 2019) – 225 articles

Solvents are widely used in organic synthesis. Sulfolane is a five-membered heterocyclic organosulfur sulfone (R-SO₂-R’, where R/R’ is alkyl, alkenyl, or aryl) and an anthropogenic medium commonly used as industrial extractive solvent in the liquid-liquid and liquid-vapor extraction processes. Under standard conditions sulfolane is not aggressive towards steel, but at higher temperatures and in oxygen, water, or chlorides presence, it can be decomposed into some corrosive (by-)products with generation of SO₂ and subsequent formation of corrosive H₂SO₃. This pilot-case study provides data from laboratory measurements performed in low conductivity sulfolane-based fluids using an industrial multi-electrochemical technique for reliable detection of corrosion processes. In particular, a comprehensive evaluation of the aqueous phase impact on general and localized corrosion of AISI 1010 carbon steel in sulfolane is presented. Assessment of corrosive damage was carried out using an open circuit potential method, potentiodynamic polarization curves, SEM/EDS and scanning Kelvin probe technique. It was found that an increase in the water content (1–3 vol.%) in sulfolane causes a decrease in the corrosion resistance of AISI 1010 carbon steel on both uniform and pitting corrosion due to higher conductance of the sulfolane-based fluids. Full article

There are several key requirements that a very good LED phosphor should meet, i.e., strong absorption, high quantum efficiency, high colour purity, and high luminescence quenching temperature. The reported Rb₂Bi(PO₄)(MoO₄):Eu³⁺ phosphors have all these properties. The Rb₂Bi(PO₄)(MoO₄):Eu³⁺ phosphors emit bright red light if excited with near-UV radiation. The calculated colour coordinates show good stability in the 77–500 K temperature range. Moreover, sample doped with 50% Eu³⁺ possesses quantum efficiency close to unity. Besides the powder samples, ceramic disks of Rb₂Eu(PO₄)(MoO₄) specimen were also prepared, and the red light sources from these disks in combination with near-UV emitting LED were fabricated. The obtained results indicated that ceramic disks efficiently absorb the emission of 375 and 400 nm LED and could be applied as a red component in phosphor-converted white LEDs. Full article

Fe₃O₄/CdWO₄ and Fe₃O₄/CdWO₄/PrVO₄ magnetic nanoparticles were prepared at different molar ratios of PrVO₄ to previous layers (Fe₃O₄/CdWO₄) via the co-precipitation method assisted by a sonochemical procedure, in order to investigate the photocatalytic performance of these systems and their cytotoxicity properties. The physico-chemical properties of these magnetic nanoparticles were determined via several experimental methods: X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy, using a vibrating sample magnetometer and a scanning electron microscope. The average sizes of these nanoparticles were found to be in the range of 60–100 nm. The photocatalytic efficiency of the prepared nanostructures was measured by methylene blue degradation under visible light (assisted by H₂O₂). The magnetic nanosystem with a 1:2:1 ratio of three oxide components showed the best performance by the degradation of ca. 70% after 120 min of exposure to visible light irradiation. Afterwards, this sample was used for the photodegradation of methyl orange, methyl violet, fenitrothion, and rhodamine-B pollutants. Finally, the mechanism of the photocatalytic reaction was examined by releasing ^•OH under UV light in a system including terephthalic acid, as well as O²⁻, OH, and hole scavengers. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of each synthesized sample was assessed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay against the human cell line PANC1 (cancer), and its IC50 was approximately 125 mg/L. Full article

A novel technique combining solid–liquid compound casting (SLCC) with arc spraying was designed to manufacture the arc-sprayed Al/AZ91D bimetals with a Zn interlayer. The Al/Mg bimetal was produced by pouring the AZ91D melt into the molds sprayed with Al/Zn double-deck coating, during which the arc-sprayed Zn coating acted as the interlayer. The effect of the Zn interlayer on microstructures, properties, and fracture behaviors of arc-sprayed Al/AZ91D bimetals by SLCC was investigated and discussed in this study. The optimal process parameter was acquired by analyzing the results from different combinations between the arc-spraying time of the Zn coating (10, 18, and 30 s) and the preheat time of the Al/Zn double-deck coating (6 and 12 h). The interfacial microstructures of the arc-sprayed Al/AZ91D bimetals with a Zn interlayer could be approximately divided into two categories: One was mainly composed of (α-Mg + Al₅Mg₁₁Zn₄) and (α-Al + Mg₃₂(Al, Zn)₄₉) structures, and the other primarily consisted of (α-Mg + Al₅Mg₁₁Zn₄), (MgZn₂ (main) + β-Zn), and (β-Zn (main) + MgZn₂) structures. In the interface zone, the (α-Mg + Al₅Mg₁₁Zn₄) structure was the most abundant structure, and the MgZn₂ intermetallic compound had the highest microhardness of 327 HV. When the arc-spraying time of the Zn coating was 30 s and the preheat time of the Al/Zn double-deck coating was 6 h, the shear strength of the arc-sprayed Al/AZ91D bimetal reached 31.73 MPa. Most rupture of the arc-sprayed Al/AZ91D bimetals with a Zn interlayer occurred at the (α-Mg + Al₅Mg₁₁Zn₄) structure and presented some typical features of brittle fracture. Full article

We have studied the influence of different SiC powder size distributions and the sublimation behavior during physical vapor transport growth of SiC in a 75 mm and 100 mm crystal processing configuration. The evolution of the source material as well as of the crystal growth interface was carried out using in situ 3D X-ray computed tomography (75 mm crystals) and in situ 2D X-ray visualization (100 mm crystals). Beside the SiC powder size distribution, the source materials differed in the maximum packaging density and thermal properties. In this latter case of the highest packaging density, the in situ X-ray studies revealed an improved growth interface stability that enabled a much longer crystal growth process. During process time, the sublimation-recrystallization behavior showed a much smoother morphology change and slower materials consumption, as well as a much more stable shape of the growth interface than in the cases of the less dense SiC source. By adapting the size distribution of the SiC source material we achieved to significantly enhance stable growth conditions. Full article

Desilication and dealumination techniques were used to obtain mesoporous ZSM-5 and mordenite zeolites. The study provides insight into specific structural, textural, and sorption properties of obtained materials with different Si/Al ratios. Subsequent dealumination and desilication procedures were found to be efficient methods of generating a secondary system of mesopores in mordenite and ZSM-5 crystals while preserving their microporous character. The investigated materials were evaluated in terms of their sorption properties of selected heavy metal cations (Cd²⁺, Cr³⁺, and Pb²⁺). Particular emphasis was placed on the structural examination of the materials via infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Other research methods included X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Full article

The foreseen high penetration of fluctuant renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, will cause an increased need for batteries to store the energy produced and not instantaneously consumed. Due to the high production cost and significant environmental impacts associated with the production of lithium-ion nickel-manganese-cobalt (Li-ion NMC) batteries, several chemistries are proposed as a potential substitute. This study aims to identify and compare the lifecycle environmental impacts springing from a novel Al-ion battery, with the current state-of-the-art chemistry, i.e., Li-ion NMC. The global warming potential (GWP) indicator was selected to express the results due to its relevance to society, policy and to facilitate the comparison of our results with other research. The cradle-to-grave process-based assessment uses two functional units: (1) per-cell manufactured and (2) per-Wh of storage capacity. The results identified the battery’s production as the highest carbon intensity phase, being the energy usage the main contributor to GWP. In general, the materials and process involved in the manufacturing and recycling of the novel battery achieve a lower environmental impact in comparison to the Li-ion technology. However, due to the Al-ion’s low energy density, a higher amount of materials are needed to deliver equivalent performance than a Li-ion. Full article

Titanium alloy product manufacturing is traditionally considered to be a rather difficult task. Additive manufacturing technologies, which have recently become quite widespread, can ensure the manufacture of titanium alloys products of an arbitrary geometrical shape. During this study, we have developed a methodology for manufacturing titanium alloys products using additive technologies on FL-Clad-R-4 complex of laser melting of metals by combined Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) methods. Ti–6Al–4V and Ti–6Al–4Mo–1V alloys were used for the manufacture of samples. We studied the microstructure of the obtained details and measured the microhardness of the samples. We discovered a gradient of the structure throughout the height of the details walls, which is connected with the peculiarities of thermal cycles of the technology used. This affected the microhardness values: in the upper part of the details, the microhardness is 10–25% higher (about 500 HV) than in the lower part (about 400 HV). Products made according to the developed technique do not have visible defects and pores. The obtained results indicate the competitiveness of the proposed methodology. Full article

To investigate the relationship between surface microstructure and wear mechanism in D2/U71Mn wheel-rail material under different contact stress conditions, rolling wear tests using a GPM-40 wear machine to simulate the wheel-rail operation was performed. After wear tests, an optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and micro-hardness testers were used to characterize the microstructure and fatigue wear cracks. The results show that the thickness of the plastic deformation layer and surface hardness is increased with the increase of contact stress. Under high contact stress condition (1200 MPa), the severe plastic deformation layer led to the formation of fatigue wear of wheel-rail samples. Under a contact stress of 700 MPa, the wear mechanism of samples is adhesive wear and wear rate is low. With the increase of contact stress, the fatigue cracks are gradually severe. Under a contact stress of 1200 MPa, the wear mechanism of samples becomes fatigue wear and the fatigue wear cracks cause the increase of wear rate. The fatigue wear can accelerate the wear failure of wheel-rail samples. The fatigue wear cracks of wheel samples are severer than that of rail samples due to both the rate of plastic strain and the content of proeutectoid ferrite. Full article

(1) Background: valuation of the bioactivity and cytocompatibility of P₂O₅-free and CeO₂ doped glasses. (2) Methods: all glasses are based on the Kokubo (K) composition and prepared by a melting method. Doped glassed, K1.2, K3.6 and K5.3 contain 1.2, 3.6, and 5.3 mol% of CeO₂. Bioactivity and cytotoxicity tests were carried out in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution and murine osteocyte (MLO-Y4) cell lines, respectively. Leaching of ions concentration in SBF was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The surface of the glasses were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. (3) Results: P₂O₅-free cerium doped glasses are proactive according to European directives. Cerium increases durability and retards, but does not inhibit, (Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂, HA) formation at higher cerium amounts (K3.6 and K5.3); however, cell proliferation increases with the amount of cerium especially evident for K5.3. (4) Conclusions: These results enforce the use of P₂O₅-free cerium doped bioactive glasses as a new class of biomaterials. Full article

The cutting performance of cutting tools in high-speed machining (HSM) is an important factor restricting the machined surface integrity of the workpiece. The HSM of AISI 4340 is carried out by using coated tools with TiN/TiCN/TiAlN multi-coating, TiAlN + TiN coating, TiCN + NbC coating, and AlTiN coating, respectively. The cutting performance evaluation of the coated tools is revealed by the chip morphology, cutting force, cutting temperature, and tool wear. The results show that the serration and shear slip of the chips become more clear with the cutting speed. The lower cutting force and cutting temperature are achieved by the TiN/TiCN/TiAlN multi-coated tool. The flank wear was the dominant wear form in the milling process of AISI 4340. The dominant wear mechanisms of the coated tools include the crater wear, coating chipping, adhesion, abrasion, and diffusion. In general, a TiN/TiCN/TiAlN multi-coated tool is the most suitable tool for high-speed milling of AISI 4340, due to the lower cutting force, the lower cutting temperature, and the high resistance of the element diffusion. Full article

A new synthesis method for organic–inorganic hybrid Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-SiO₂ cation-change membranes (CEMs) is proposed. This method involves mixing tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-mercapto-propyl-triethoxy-silane (MPTES) into a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sol-gel solution. The resulting slurry was used to prepare films, which were immersed in 0.01 M HCl, which caused hydrolysis and polycondensation between the MPTES and TEOS. The resulting Si-O-Si polymers chains intertwined and/or penetrated the PVDF skeleton, significantly improving the mechanical strength of the resulting hybrid PVDF-SiO₂ CEMs. The -SH functional groups of MPTES oxidized to-SO₃H, which contributed to the excellent permeability of these CEMs. The surface morphology, hybrid structure, oxidative stability, and physicochemical properties (IEC, water uptake, membrane resistance, membrane potential, transport number, and selective permittivity) of the CEMs obtained in this work were characterized using scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, as well as electrochemical testing. Tests to analyze the oxidative stability, water uptake, membrane potential, and selective permeability were also performed. Our organic–inorganic hybrid PVDF-SiO₂ CEMs demonstrated higher oxidative stability and lower resistance than commercial Ionsep-HC-C membranes with a hydrocarbon structure. Thus, the synthesis method described in this work is very promising for the production of very efficient CEMs. In addition, the physical and electrochemical properties of the PVDF-SiO₂ CEMs are comparable to the Ionsep-HC-C membranes. The electrolysis of the concentrated CoCl₂ solution performed using PVDF-SiO₂-6 and Ionsep-HC-C CEMs showed that at the same current density, Co²⁺ production, and current efficiency of the PVDF-SiO₂-6 CEM membrane were slightly higher than those obtained using the Ionsep-HC-C membrane. Therefore, our novel membrane might be suitable for the recovery of cobalt from concentrated CoCl₂ solutions. Full article

(1) Background: The stability of the dental implant–abutment complex is necessary to minimize mechanical complications. The purpose of this study was to compare the behaviors of two internal connection type fixtures, manufactured by the same company, with different connection designs. (2) Methods: 15 implant–abutment complexes were prepared for each group of Osseospeed^® TX (TX) and Osseospeed^® EV (EV): 3 for single-load fracture tests and 12 for cyclic-loaded fatigue tests (nominal peak values as 80%, 60%, 50%, and 40% of the maximum breaking load) according to international standards (UNI EN ISO 14801:2013). They were assessed with micro-computed tomography (CT), and failure modes were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. (3) Results: The maximum breaking load [TX: 711 ± 36 N (95% CI; 670–752), EV: 791 ± 58 N (95% CI; 725–857)] and fatigue limit (TX: 285 N, EV: 316 N) were higher in EV than those in TX. There was no statistical difference in the fracture areas (P > 0.99). All specimens with 40% nominal peak value survived 5 × 10⁶ cycles, while 50% specimens failed before 10⁵ cycles. (4) Conclusions: EV has improved mechanical properties compared with TX. A loading regimen with a nominal peak value between 40% and 50% is ideal for future tests of implant cyclic loading. Full article

The effect of silica fume (SF) in concrete on mechanical properties and dynamic behaviors was experimentally studied by split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device with pulse shaping technique. Three series of concrete with 0, 12%, and 16% SF as a cement replacement by weight were produced firstly. Then the experimental procedure for dynamic tests of concrete specimens with SF under a high loading rate was presented. Considering the mechanical performance and behaviors of the concrete mixtures, those tests were conducted under five different impact velocities. The experimental results clearly show concrete with different levels of SF is a strain-rate sensitive material. The tensile strength under impact loading of the tested specimens was generally improved with the increasing content of SF levels in concrete. Additionally, the tensile strength under impact loading of the concrete enhances with the increase of the strain rates. Finally, failure modes, dynamic tensile strength, dynamic increase factor (DIF), and critical strain are discussed and analyzed. These investigations are useful to improve the understanding of the effect of SF in concrete and guide the design of concrete structures. Full article

The prediction of the acoustic pressure field and associated streaming is of paramount importance to ultrasonic melt processing. Hence, the last decade has witnessed the emergence of various numerical models for predicting acoustic pressures and velocity fields in liquid metals subject to ultrasonic excitation at large amplitudes. This paper summarizes recent research, arguably the state of the art, and suggests best practice guidelines in acoustic cavitation modelling as applied to aluminium melts. We also present the remaining challenges that are to be addressed to pave the way for a reliable and complete working numerical package that can assist in scaling up this promising technology. Full article

Concerning the structural applications of steel fiber reinforced expanded-shales lightweight concrete (SFRELC), the present study focuses on the flexural fatigue performance of SFRELC superposed beams with initial static-load cracks. Nine SFRELC superposed beams were fabricated with the SFRELC depth varying from 50% to 70% of the whole sectional depth, and the volume fraction of steel fiber ranged from 0.8% to 1.6%. The fatigue load exerted on the beams was a constant amplitude sinusoid with a frequency of 10 Hz and a fatigue characteristic value of 0.10; the upper limit was taken as the load corresponded to the maximum crack width of 0.20 mm at the barycenter of the longitudinal rebars. The results showed that with the increase of SFRELC depth and the volume fraction of steel fiber, the fatigue life of the test beams was prolonged with three altered failure modes due to the crush of conventional concrete in the compression zone and/or the fracture of the tensile rebar; the failure pattern could be more ductile by the prevention of fatigue fracture by the longitudinal tensile rebar when the volume fraction of steel fiber was 1.6% and the reduction of crack growth and concrete strain in the compression zone; the fatigue life of test beams was sensitive to the upper-limit of the fatigue load, a short fatigue life appeared from the higher stress level and larger stress amplitude of the longitudinal rebar due to the higher upper-limit of the fatigue load. The methods for predicting the stress level, the stress amplitude of the longitudinal tensile rebar, and the degenerated flexural stiffness of SFRELC superposed beams with fatigue life are proposed. With the optimal composites of the SFRELC depth ratio and the volume fraction of steel fiber, the controllable failure of reinforced SFRELC superposed beams could be a good prospect with the trend curves of fatigue flexural stiffness. Full article

The objective of the given work was to investigate abrasive wear behaviours of titanium (Ti) treated by ultrasonic surface rolling processing (USRP) pre-treatment and plasma nitriding (PN). Simulated lunar regolith particles (SLRPs) were employed as abrasive materials during characterization of tribological performances. The experimental results showed that SLRPs cause severe abrasive wear on Ti plasma-nitrided at 750 °C via the mechanism of micro-cutting. Due to the formation of a harder and thicker nitriding layer, the abrasive wear resistance of the Ti plasma-nitrided at 850 °C was enhanced, and its wear mechanism was mainly fatigue. USRP pre-treatment was effective at enhancing the abrasive wear resistance of plasma-nitrided Ti, due to the enhancement of the hardness and thickness of the nitride layer. Nevertheless, SLRPs significantly decreased the friction coefficient of Ti treated by USRP pre-treatment and PN, because the rolling of small granular abrasives impeded the adhesion of the worn surface. Furthermore, USRP pre-treatment also caused the formation of a dimpled surface with a large number of micropores which can hold wear debris during tribo-tests, and finally, polishing and rolling the wear debris resulted in a low friction coefficient (about 0.5). Full article

In this paper, the flower-like FeCo/ZnO composites were successfully firstly prepared by a two-step method, and their microstructures and microwave absorbing properties were characterized. The results show that with an increase of temperature, the content of ZnO loaded on a FeCo/ZnO composite surface was increased. The optimal reflection loss (RL) value can be reached around −53.81 dB at 9.8 GHz, which is obviously superior to results of previous studies and reports, and its effective bandwidth (RL < −10 dB) is 3.8 GHz in the frequency range of 8.7–11.8 GHz with a matching thickness of 1.9 mm. We considered that a large number of lamellar and rod-like ZnO loaded on nano-FeCo single-phase solid solution by two-step method can significantly improve the electromagnetic wave absorption properties. Full article

The results of the position analysis of the yield stress τ_0.3 on the "stress–strain" (τ–γ) dependences, received at the torsion of specimens of Ti_49.8Ni_50.2 (at%) alloy are presented. The critical stress τ_0.3 (IV), corresponding to the end of linear stage III and the beginning of the intensive development of plastic strain at stage IV, preceding the fracture of the specimens, were obtained as well. The structure of the specimens was transformed from coarse-grained to microcrystalline as a result of warm (723 K) abc pressing with a true deformation e of 8.4. The regularities of the development of reversible inelastic strain (superelasticity, SE, and shape memory effect, SME) and plastic strain γ_pl after isothermal (295 K) loading of specimens up to τ ≤ τ_0.3(IV), unloading, and their subsequent heating up to 500 K are studied. From the joint analysis of the “τ–γ” dependences obtained at 295 K and "plastic strain–total strain" dependences the yield stress τ_0.3 corresponding to the development of 0.3% of the plastic strain under loading of the specimens was determined. Critical stress τ_0.3(IV) was determined as equal to the stress corresponding to a deviation of 0.3% from the linear “τ–γ”dependence at stage III. It is shown that the yield stress τ_0.3 for all specimens is localized at the beginning of stage III for all specimens. The ratio τ_0.3(IV)/τ_0.3 is from 2.3 to 3.8. The accumulation of plastic strain at stage III (after loading with τ from τ_0.3 to τ_0.3(IV)) is from 2.4% to 4.7% (depending on the true deformation of the specimens during warm abc pressing). Thus, stage III is the stage of deformation hardening of specimens under torsion. On the basis of the results of this and previous works it is shown that, in alloys with thermoelastic martensitic transformations and with thermomechanical memory, the ratio τ_0.3(IV)/τ_0.3 can vary in a wide range: in reinforced specimens τ_0.3 can be close to τ_0.3(IV), and in more ductile specimens τ_0.3 can be significantly less than τ_0.3(IV). However, in order to correctly determine the yield stress of τ_0.3 and the corresponding strain γ_t(0.3), it is necessary to carry out a joint analysis of “τ–γ” and "plastic strain–total strain" dependencies. Full article

Continuous SiC fiber-reinforced Ti₂AlNb matrix composites have a great potential for high-temperature aviation structure applications, and their properties strongly depend on the microstructure of the interfacial reaction layer. Notably, introducing diffusion barrier coatings has still been a popular strategy for optimizing the interfacial structure and interfacial properties of SiC_f/Ti. In this work, C coating and C/B₄C duplex coating were successfully fabricated onto SiC fibers via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), then consolidated into the SiC_f/C/Ti₂AlNb and the SiC_f/C/B₄C/Ti₂AlNb composites, respectively, via hot isostatic pressing (HIP) under the condition of 970 °C, 150 MPa, 120 min, and finally furnace cooled to room temperature. The C- and C/B₄C-dominated interfacial reactions in the SiC_f/C/Ti₂AlNb and the SiC_f/C/B₄C/Ti₂AlNb were explored, revealing two different reaction products sequences: The different-sized TiC and the coarse-grained (Ti,Nb)C + AlNb₃ for the SiC_f/C/Ti₂AlNb; and the fine-grained TiB₂ + TiC, the needle-shaped (Ti,Nb)B₂/NbB + (Ti,Nb)C, the coarse-grained (Ti,Nb)C + AlNb₂ for the SiC_f/C/B₄C/Ti₂AlNb. Annealing experiments were further carried out to verify the different reaction kinetics caused by C coating and C/B₄C duplex coating. The reaction layer (RL)-dominated interfacial strength and tensile strength estimations showed that higher interface strength and tensile strength occurred in the SiC_f/C/Ti₂AlNb instead of the SiC_f/C/B₄C/Ti₂AlNb, when the same failure mode of fiber push-out took place. Full article

The hydrothermal fabrication and characterization of ternary palladium alloys PdNiCo and PdNiCo-rGO, which could be potential replacements to the expensive and corrosion susceptible platinum counter electrode in dye sensitized solar cells is hereby reported in this article. The synergy created by combining three metallic elements as well as the effect of carbon supports was investigated. The as-synthesized alloys consisted of agglomerated spherical particles. Comparison of the electrochemical analysis data showed that PdNiCo-rGO counter electrode could be a potential replacement for the platinum counter electrode with reduction current density, peak to peak potential difference, charge transfer resistance and power conversion efficiency of 21 mA∙cm⁻², 0.12 mV, 0.726 Ω and 4.36% respectively. Full article

In this paper, the effect of the equal-channel-angular-pressed (ECAPed) substrate on the coating formation and anticorrosion performance of the anodized Al–11Si alloy was systematically investigated. The ECAP process dramatically refines both Al and Si phases of the alloy. The parallel anodizing circuit is designed to enable a comparative study of anodizing process between the cast and the ECAPed alloys by tracking their respective anodizing current quota. The optimum coatings of both alloys were obtained after anodization for 30 min. The ECAPed alloy attained a thicker, more compact, and more uniform coating. Energetic crystal defects in the fine Al grains of the ECAPed substrate promote the anodizing reaction and lead to the thicker coating. Fragmented and uniformly distributed fine Si particles in the ECAPed alloy effectively suppress the coating cracks, enhancing the compactness of the coating. Overall, the ECAP-coated sample exhibits the best anticorrosion performance, which is evidenced by the concurrently enhanced prevention of coating and improved corrosion resistance of the substrate. Full article

In order to study the direct shear properties of ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) structures, 15 Z-shaped monolithic placement specimens (MPSs) and 12 Z-shaped waterjet treated specimens (WJTSs) were tested to study the shear behavior and failure modes. The effects of steel fiber shape, steel fiber volume fraction and interface treatment on the direct shear properties of UHPC were investigated. The test results demonstrate that the MPSs were reinforced with steel fibers and underwent ductile failure. The ultimate load of the MPS is about 166.9% of the initial cracking load. However, the WJTSs failed in a typical brittle mode. Increasing the fiber volume fraction significantly improves the shear strength, which can reach 24.72 MPa. The steel fiber type has little effect on the shear strength and ductility, while increasing the length of steel fibers improves its ductility and slightly reduces the shear strength. The direct shear strength of the WJTSs made from 16 mm hooked-type steel fibers can reach 9.15 MPa, which is 2.47 times the direct shear strength of the specimens without fibers. Finally, an interaction formula for the shear and compressive strength was proposed on the basis of the experimental results, to predict the shear load-carrying capacity of the cast-in-place UHPC structures. Full article

A single-visit zirconia restoration can be easily achieved if direct milling of a fully sintered zirconia block can be performed without much effort. However, no studies have yet been reported regarding the evaluation of the trueness of crown fabricated from chairside-milling of a fully sintered zirconia block in the chairside computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD–CAM) system for single-visit dentistry. This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the trueness of crowns fabricated by milling a fully sintered zirconia block in the chairside CAD–CAM system and investigate the clinical implications for single-visit chairside restoration. Crowns were fabricated either by chairside-milling a fully sintered block of niobium oxide containing yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals ((Y, Nb)-TZP) without the sintering process (n = 12) in a chairside single-visit dentistry system (Chairside group) or by laboratory-milling a partially sintered 3 mol% block of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) followed by the sintering process (n = 12) in a conventional laboratory system (Labside group). Crown fabrication time, milling tool diameter and the trueness of each crown were evaluated. All trueness values of both groups were within the clinically acceptable range, although a significant difference between the Chairside (43.0 ± 3.67 μm) and Labside groups (37.4 ± 2.41 μm) was observed (P < 0.05). Mean fabrication time was 0.52 h and 1.42 h for Chairside and Labside groups, respectively. A decrease in the tool diameter was observed for the Chairside group. Full article

High-Cr hypo-eutectic white cast irons are used in very demanding environments that require high resistance to erosive wear. The influence on the microstructural variation and erosive wear resistance of several fundamental factors related to the thermal treatments of these cast irons was analysed by means of a fractional Design of Experiments (DoE). These factors included the ones related to the destabilization of austenite. The precipitated phases were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), while the Rietveld structural refinement method was used to determine their percentages by weight. Erosion wear resistance was calculated using the test defined by ASTM G76. It was concluded that the quench cooling medium does not significantly influence either erosive wear resistance or the proportion of martensite or retained austenite. The destabilization temperature is a key factor with respect to the percentage of retained austenite. In order to increase the amount of martensite and decrease the amount of retained austenite, temperatures not exceeding 1000 °C are required. An increase of 100 °C in the destabilization temperature can lead to a 25% increase in retained austenite. Moreover, tempering temperatures of around 500 °C favour an additional increase in the percentage of martensite. Erosive wear commences on the matrix constituent without initially affecting the eutectic carbides. Once the deterioration of the matrix constituent surrounding these carbides occurs, they are released. High tempering times provide an increase in resistance to erosive wear due to a second destabilization of austenite during the said tempering. Full article

The aim was to isolate cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from commercialized oil palm empty fruit bunch cellulose nanofibre (CNF) through sulphuric acid hydrolysis and explore its safeness as a potential nanocarrier. Successful extraction of CNC was confirmed through a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transmission infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry analysis. For subsequent cellular uptake study, the spherical CNC was covalently tagged with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), resulting in negative charged FITC-CNC nanospheres with a dispersity (Ð) of 0.371. MTT assay revealed low degree cytotoxicity for both CNC and FITC-CNC against C6 rat glioma and NIH3T3 normal fibroblasts up to 50 µg/mL. FITC conjugation had no contribution to the particle’s toxicity. Through confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), synthesized FITC-CNC manifested negligible cellular accumulation, indicating a poor non-selective adsorptive endocytosis into studied cells. Overall, an untargeted CNC-based nanosphere with less cytotoxicity that posed poor selectivity against normal and cancerous cells was successfully synthesized. It can be considered safe and suitable to be developed into targeted nanocarrier. Full article

Experimental investigations were carried out with an Optimol SRV5 tribological tester in a flat-on-sphere scheme. The balls co-acted with the discs in a gross sliding fretting regime. The balls and discs were made from the same steel with a very similar hardness. Tests were conducted at 25–35% relative humidity, 30 °C, and a constant normal load and number of cycles (18,000). The discs had different textures after various machining treatments. It was found that the total wear level of the tribological assembly was proportional to the disc surface amplitude. The influence of the disc roughness on the coefficient of friction was evident only for the smallest stroke of 0.1 mm, and the frequency of oscillation affected this dependency. Full article

In this study, we have performed the preparation of reswellable amorphous porous celluloses through regeneration from hydrogels. The cellulose hydrogels were first prepared from solutions with an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl), in different concentrations. Lyophilization of the hydrogels efficiently produced the regenerated celluloses. The powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic measurements of the products suggest an amorphous structure and porous morphology, respectively. Furthermore, the pore sizes of the regenerated celluloses, or in turn, the network sizes of cellulose chains in the hydrogels, were dependent on the concentrations of the initially prepared solutions with BMIMCl, which also affected the tensile mechanical properties. It was suggested that the dissolution states of the cellulose chains in the solutions were different, in accordance with the concentrations, which representatively dominated the pore and network sizes of the above materials. When the porous celluloses were immersed in water, reswelling was observed to regenerate the hydrogels. Full article

We investigated the effect of simultaneous mechanical and electrical stress on the electrical characteristics of flexible indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The IGZO TFTs exhibited a threshold voltage shift (∆V_TH) under an application of positive-bias-stress (PBS), with a turnaround behavior from the positive ∆V_TH to the negative ∆V_TH with an increase in the PBS application time, whether a mechanical stress is applied or not. However, the magnitudes of PBS-induced ∆V_TH in both the positive and negative directions exhibited significantly larger values when a flexible IGZO TFT was under mechanical-bending stress than when it was at the flat state. The observed phenomena were possibly attributed to the mechanical stress-induced interface trap generation and the enhanced hydrogen diffusion from atomic layer deposition-grown Al₂O₃ to IGZO under mechanical-bending stress during PBS. The subgap density of states was extracted before and after an application of PBS under both mechanical stress conditions. The obtained results in this study provided potent evidence supporting the mechanism suggested to explain the PBS-induced larger ∆V_THs in both directions under mechanical-bending stress. Full article

The European Commission’s recommendation on the definition of nanomaterial (2011/696/EU) established an applicable standard for material categorization. However, manufacturers face regulatory challenges during registration of their products. Reliable categorization is difficult and requires considerable expertise in existing measurement techniques (MTs). Additionally, organizational complexity is increased as different authorities’ registration processes require distinct reporting. The NanoDefine project tackled these obstacles by providing the NanoDefiner e-tool: A decision support expert system for nanomaterial identification in a regulatory context. It provides MT recommendations for categorization of specific materials using a tiered approach (screening/confirmatory), and was constructed with experts from academia and industry to be extensible, interoperable, and adaptable for forthcoming revisions of the nanomaterial definition. An implemented MT-driven material categorization scheme allows detailed description. Its guided workflow is suitable for a variety of user groups. Direct feedback and explanation enable transparent decisions. Expert knowledge is held in a knowledge base for representation of MT performance criteria and physicochemical particle type properties. Continuous revision ensured data quality and validity. Recommendations were validated by independent case studies on industry-relevant particulate materials. Besides supporting material identification and registration, the free and open-source e-tool may serve as template for other expert systems within the nanoscience domain. Full article