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Reducing the carbon footprint of higher education institutions has become a global trend in recent years, as they are the axis of society's scientific and technological transformation that must be carried out with a sustainable approach. Among the many approaches that can contribute to this problem are the digital transformation of academic and administrative processes and its impact on reducing paper use. This study details the statistical analysis of the digital transformation process based on the modules and computer services implemented by the ICT department in a higher education institution and its incidence in reducing the use of paper by its teaching and administrative staff. For this purpose, an initial instrument was proposed, consisting of 18 ordinal, three categorical and two numerical variables. After applying statistical data processing and validation techniques, it was reduced to 13 ordinal variables, three categorical and two influential numerical variables. In addition, this study has proposed an appropriate statistical protocol for the design and extraction of information applicable in the context of higher education institutions, consisting of the techniques: Mahalanobis distances, confirmatory factor analysis, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney's U and Wilcoxon tests. The results showed the power of confirmatory factor analysis as a technique for obtaining models to measure indirectly observed latent variables, such as perceptions of digital transformation and paper reduction. In addition, it was found that the modules, systems, and computer tools implemented in the institution significantly reduced the execution times for performing administrative and teaching tasks in the institution, and significant differences were identified in the perception of digital transformation and reduction of paper use among staff.

Paper mulching films are affected by wind and rain in the field, which lead to the problems of water absorption, shrinkage, and friction with the soil surface. In order to achieve better hydrophobic durability and wear resistance of paper mulching films, a paper mulching film with ZnO/SiO2 composite coating was prepared by the brush coating method. Taking ceramic balls as friction pairs, reciprocating friction tests were carried out with two kinds of paper mulching films at different temperatures. The morphology of the raw paper mulch film and the ZnO/SiO2 composite-coated paper mulch film after rubbing at different temperatures and the reason of the hydrophobic durability of the coated paper mulch film were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope and a three-dimensional topography instrument. The results show that ZnO/SiO2 composite coating can improve the wear resistance and hydrophobic durability of the paper mulch film. Through surface morphology analysis, it can be found that the composite coating plays a role in modification and filling and improves the adhesion between the fibers by reducing the pores on the surface of the paper mulch film, finally improving the wear resistance and hydrophobic durability of the paper mulch film.

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015. The editorial office applies Checklist for open access publishers on implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. This document is part of the UNESCO Open Science Toolkit, designed to support implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. It has been produced in partnership with OASPA.

As water effluents are often highly contaminated with metals, having a quick and cost-effective method of analysis is crucial. This study used the supernatant derived from the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with Solanum mammosum to detect mercury, copper, and iron with a low-cost cellulose paper-based sensor and a rapid colorimetric method applying ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis). AgNPs in two precursor concentrations using silver nitrate, 1 mM (17.4 ± 9 nm) and 50 mM (and 22 ± 8.1 nm), were utilized to assess the efficacy of the analysis and removal of Hg2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+ from contaminated water. Cellulose paper-based sensor showed limits of detection (LODs) for Hg2+ of 2.46 and 123 μM using AgNPs at concentrations of 1 and 50 mM, respectively. For Cu2+, the LODs were 55 and 2750 μM, and for Fe3+, the LODs were 49 and 2470 μM using the respective concentrations. To differentiate and detect the cations with the naked eye, a potassium iodide and potassium ferrocyanide (1:1) aqueous solution was used, producing a yellow, pink, and blue color for Hg2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+, respectively. Additionally, the titration curves of Hg2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+ were examined by UV–Vis using the supernatant liquid. The LODs for the UV–Vis method using AgNPs at a concentration of 1 mM were 1.50 μM for Hg2+, 10.7 μM for Cu2+, and 4.33 μM for Fe3+, while the LODs for AgNPs at 50 mM were 5.75, 27.6, and 15 μM for Hg2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+, respectively. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were utilized to assess the efficacy of the removal of Hg2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+ from contaminated water. Removal efficiency with the solid 50 mM AgNPs was analyzed via flame absorption spectrophotometry; values over 95% were obtained for the three ions. The results underscore the effectiveness of a green synthesis approach to generating AgNPs, enabling efficient and economical cation analysis and water decontamination.

Excessive copper (Cu2+) causes adverse effects on human health and the ecological environment. Traditional methods for detecting Cu2+ have drawbacks such as high detection costs, complex operating conditions, and being time consuming. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop simple detection methods to better meet specific health and environment quality needs. In this work, a paper-based fluorescence sensor was prepared (herein referred to as the as-prepared method) by immersing filter paper in aqueous polyethyleneimine (PEI) solution, and its potential use in Cu2+ detection was investigated. The results showed that the as-prepared paper samples, with fluorescence properties obtained by aggregation-induced luminescence of PEI, have selective recognition of Cu2+ based on the internal filtration effect, and the lowest detection limit is 0.03 μM. In addition, the relative error of this method is in the range of 1.80~2.23%, which is relatively comparable to the national standard method (0.63~630 μM), demonstrating high accuracy. Therefore, paper-based sensors with a simple preparation method have potential applications in the detection of Cu2+ in water.

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015. The editorial office applies Checklist for open access publishers on implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. This document is part of the UNESCO Open Science Toolkit, designed to support implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. It has been produced in partnership with OASPA.

The research results and evaluation of the applicability of the original composition of hybrid paper based on silver nanowires (AgNWs), cellulose pulp (CP), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are presented and discussed. The material tested was used to manufacture sensors for mechanical deformation resulting from external influences or related to human activity interactions. The sensors were fabricated using an AgNWs + CP suspension and additives by the vacuum filtration method. The substrate obtained was machined and then laminated with a layer of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). The recorded responses to selected types of imposed mechanical interactions in the form of changes in the relative resistance of the sensor throughout the tests showed a close cause-and-effect relationship. The response of the tested systems when applying an alternating magnetic field was also observed. The results indicate that the proposed solutions can find application in the monitoring of mechanical interactions resulting from the dynamic behavior of physical objects, as well as derived from selected human vital functions.

This year, several hot topics have emerged in alloy research and design; we have collected a few of these in this feature paper collection for your enjoyment [...]

The sustainable use of natural resources is becoming an increasingly important issue today. Stone paper, produced as an alternative to cellulose-based paper from the forest, is rich in minerals and produced without cellulose and water. This study focuses on the behavior of screen-printing ink on two different papers, stone paper and coated sticker paper. Properties such as ink adhesion, rubbing resistance, optical printing ink density, ink consumption, and lightfastness were measured on these surfaces. Solvent- and UV-based inks were used, and printing was carried out on cellulose-based (coated sticker paper) and mineral-based (stone paper) paper layers using three different mesh counts (90, 120, and 140 tpc). The rubbing resistance and lightfastness of the papers were also measured. The present findings revealed that stone paper had the same printability properties as cellulose-based paper. The study concluded that using a 140 tpc mesh with both types of ink results in a high-lightfastness ink layer and lower ink consumption. UV-based inks exhibited high rub resistance across all mesh counts. Additionally, when printing with stone paper, there will be a reduction in ink consumption, thereby achieving cost savings. Based on the present findings, it was concluded that water- and oil-resistant stone paper can be considered an essential alternative in many fields, including the printing industry.

The Japanese Society of Tribologists is pleased to announce that the 2023 Best Paper Award of the Society was awarded to the following papers from Tribology Online. The Award was presented to the authors by Professor Noritsugu Umehara, the President of the Japanese Society of Tribologists, at the award ceremony in the JAST Annual Meeting in Tokyo on 28th May, 2024. The titles and the authors of the awarded papers: ◊ “Experiment Study on the Influence of Lubricant Viscosity and Solid Additives on Irregular Cavitation Noise in the Oscillatory Squeeze Film,” by Xu Liu, Xiaoyang Chen, Rongyu Kang, Dehua Tao, Ben Ni, Tribology Online, Vol. 15, No. 5 (2020) 365-373. ◊“Proposition of Thermal-Diffusion-Induced Spiral Model for the Rapid Oil-Film Breakdown Process during Scuffing,” by Mamoru Tohyama, Takashi Izumi, Shuzo Sanda, Tribology Online, Vol. 16, No. 2 (2021) 89-98. ◊ “Synergistic Enhancement of the Lubrication Performance of Zinc Dialkyldithiophosphate by Coexistence with Ionic Liquid,” by Kaisei Sato, Hikaru Okubo, Shouhei Kawada, Seiya Watanabe, Shinya Sasaki, Tribology Online, Vol. 16, No. 3 (2021) 178-191. ◊ “Friction Reduction by Laser Irradiation for a Friction System Using Bearing Steel and Aluminum Alloy in Engine Oil,” by Kento Ihara, Koshi Adachi, Tribology Online, Vol. 17, No. 4 (2022) 335-347. Congratulations! The Best Paper Award is given annually to the author(s), either the JAST members or non-members, of the paper(s) judged as the best paper(s) published in Journal of Japanese Society of Tribologists (Toraiborojisuto) and Tribology Online (TROL) for the previous three years. All papers that appeared in Toraiborojisuto and TROL for the three years are reviewed by the JAST Awards Committee.

Bisphenol S (BPS) is a common, persistent, and mobile chemical found in everyday products such as thermal paper. BPS can easily enter the body by migrating from the paper to the fingers, disrupting the endocrine system by mimicking the oestrogen hormone, thus negatively influencing human health. Assessing BPS levels in daily life is of great importance. This study introduces a rapid and reliable approach for detecting BPS in thermal paper and tap water by developing an electrochemical analytical method. This method allows for in-situ, real-time measurements. We present a simple, low-cost electrochemical sensor for detecting BPS using screen-printed electrodes based on carbon (SPEC) and single-wall carbon-nanotube (SPE-SWCNT) working electrodes. BPS was detected over a wide linear range from 1 to 400 μM. The detection limits were 0.73 μM and 0.87 μM for the SPE-C and SPE-SWCNT electrodes, respectively. Good repeatability was observed for both sensors when using one electrode 16 times, which demonstrates its potential for real-time environmental monitoring. Additionally, traditional chromatographic methods, high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD), and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry triple quadrupole (LCMS), were incorporated to enhance analytical capabilities. HPLC-DAD achieved a detection limit of 3 nM after solid-phase extraction preconcentration, while LCMS triple quadrupole demonstrated a detection limit of 10 pM without preconcentration. Electrochemical screen-printed electrodes can be employed for on-site analysis and health-risk assessments in everyday settings, such as shops. However, for detecting very low concentrations where time is not a constraint, LCMS quadrupole remains the preferred technique.

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015. The editorial office applies Checklist for open access publishers on implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. This document is part of the UNESCO Open Science Toolkit, designed to support implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. It has been produced in partnership with OASPA.

This study investigates the physical, mechanical, and structural characteristics of handmade paper samples derived from cellulose extracted from grass clippings using two distinct methods as follows: (1) alkali treatment and (2) alkali treatment followed by bleaching, coupled with the incorporation of barium sulfate as a mineral filler. Our investigation revealed that the handmade paper samples’ densities, moisture contents, and thicknesses varied within the ranges of 0.436 to 0.549 g/cm3, 5.60 to 2.51%, and 0.41 to 0.50 mm, respectively. The tensile strength and folding endurance of the papers produced through alkali treatment with barium sulfate were notably superior to those produced from bleached pulp and barium sulfate. Our analysis indicates that several critical factors, including paper density, thickness, the crystallinity index, and the microfibrillar structure of cellulose, intricately influence the mechanical and strength properties of the samples. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques, we identified characteristic cellulose bonds and examined cellulose’s crystalline and amorphous phases. Additionally, the crystallinity index of the samples was determined using both the Segal and peak deconvolution methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed interconnected networks of cellulose fibers with varying thicknesses and lengths, along with incorporated mineral filler within the cellulose fiber structure. Variations in mineral particle retention were attributed to the presence or absence of cellulose microfibrils. These findings contribute to our understanding of the observed strength characteristics of the paper samples and underscore the potential applications of cellulose derived from grass clippings, especially when combined with barium sulfate as a mineral filler in paper production.

This paper addresses the challenges of data sparsity and personalization limitations inherent in current recommendation systems when processing extensive academic paper datasets. To overcome these issues, the present work introduces an innovative recommendation model that integrates the wealth of structured information from knowledge graphs and refines the amalgamation of temporal and relational data. By applying attention mechanisms and neural network technologies, the model thoroughly explores the text characteristics of papers and the evolving patterns of user behaviors. Additionally, the model elevates the accuracy and personalization of recommendations by meticulously examining citation patterns among papers and the networks of author collaboration. The experimental findings show that the present model surpasses baseline models on all evaluation metrics, thereby enhancing the precision and personalization of academic paper recommendations.

Flexible paper-based materials play a crucial role in the field of flexible electromagnetic shielding due to their thinness and controllable shape. In this study, we employed the wet paper forming technique to prepare carbon fiber paper with a thickness gradient. The electromagnetic shielding performance of the carbon fiber paper varies with the ladder-like thickness distribution. Specifically, an increase in thickness gradient leads to higher reflectance of the carbon fiber paper. Within the X-band frequency range (8.2–12.4 GHz), reflectivity decreases as electromagnetic wave frequency increases, indicating enhanced penetration of electromagnetic waves into the interior of the carbon fiber paper. This enhancement is attributed to an increased fiber content per unit area resulting from a greater thickness gradient, which further enhances reflection loss and promotes internal multiple reflections and scattering effects, leading to increased absorption loss. Notably, at a 5 mm thickness, our carbon fiber paper exhibits an impressive average overall shielding performance, reaching 63.46 dB. Moreover, it exhibits notable air permeability and mechanical properties, thereby assuming a pivotal role in the realm of flexible wearable devices in the foreseeable future.

Environmental pollution is a significant problem and is increasing gradually as more and more harmful pollutants are being released into water bodies and the environment. Water pollutants are dangerous and pose a threat to all living organisms and the ecosystem. Paper waste is one of the most widespread and largest wastes in the world. This research aims to address two important problems simultaneously: the reduction in solid waste in the environment using activated carbon from paper waste as potential adsorbents and the removal of harmful contaminants from water. Carbon from paper waste was activated with H2O2, HNO3, and KMnO4 for the adsorption of Cr(VI) and MB. SEM, EDX, FTIR, Raman, and BET were used to determine the properties of the materials. The surface morphology of the materials consisted of amorphous particles. EDX shows that all activated samples have a higher content of (O) than carbon paper waste. Adsorption studies showed that there was a stronger interaction between the pollutants and the adsorbent at a higher initial concentration (200 mg/L) than at the lower initial concentrations. The contact time data show that uptake increases when the interaction time between the contaminant and the adsorbent is increased. The tests for the pH of the solution show that the adsorption of Cr(VI) decreases when the pH is gradually increased, whereas the adsorption of MB increases when the pH of the solution is increased. The results fit better with the Freundlich isotherm and PSO models. The temperature studies show that the enthalpy was positive, indicating that the uptake process is endothermic. The Gibbs free energy values were all negative, indicating that adsorption between the adsorbents and the pollutants was favored. After four consecutive cycles, all the samples retained more than 60% of their uptake capability.

A thermoelectric generator (TEG) is one of the important energy harvesting sources for wearable electronic devices, which converts waste heat into electrical energy without any external stimuli, such as light or mechanical motion. However, the poor flexibility of traditional TEGs (e.g., Si-based TE devices) causes the limitations in practical applications. Flexible paper substrates are becoming increasingly attractive in wearable electronic technology owing to their usability, environmental friendliness (disposable, biodegradable, and renewable materials), and foldability. The high water-absorbing quality of paper restricts its scope of application due to water failure. Therefore, we propose a high-performance flexible waterproof paper-based thermoelectric generator (WPTEG). A modification method that infiltrates TE materials into cellulose paper through vacuum filtration is used to prepare the TE modules. By connecting the TE-modified paper with Al tape, as well as a superhydrophobic layer encapsulation, the WPTEG is fabricated. The WPTEG with three P–N modules can generate an output voltage of up to 235 mV at a temperature difference of 50 K, which can provide power to portable electronic devices such as diodes, clocks, and calculators in hot water. With the waterproof property, the WPTEG paves the way for achieving multi-scenario applications in humid environments on human skin.

The paper shows the possibilities of increasing the hydrophobicity of the paper surface by applying layers of hydrophobic material to the surface. Various application techniques and the following substances were tested: stearic acid, shellac and zinc-hydroxide. Hydrophobicity was tested using the modified Cobb method, measuring the contact angle and drop retention time. The presence of hydrophobizing agents was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. It was found that the methods of applying the hydrophobizing agent, used in this work, give much better results with stearic acid, compared to shellac. This manuscript presents novel possibilities of increasing paper surface hydrophobicity by applying layers of hydrophobic material to the surface. Various layer application techniques were examined, as well as substances including: stearic acid, shellac and zinc-hydroxide. Hydrophobicity was tested using the modified Cobb method, measuring the contact angle and drop retention time. The presence of hydrophobizing agents was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Based on the results achieved, it can be concluded that the methods of applying the hydrophobizing agent, used in this work, give much better results with stearic acid, compared to shellac.

This article presents the results of flame-retardancy tests conducted on cellulose sheets produced using a Rapid Köthen apparatus treated with retardants. The agents used were potassium carbonate (PC) K2CO3 (concentrations of 20; 33.3; and 50% wt/wt), monoammonium phosphate (MAP) NH4H2PO4 (concentrations of 35% wt/wt), diammonium phosphate (DAP) (NH4)2HPO4 (concentrations of 42.9% wt/wt), and bisguanidal phosphate (FOS) C2H10N6 (concentrations of 22.5% wt/wt). The agents were used to improve Kraft cellulose-based sheets’ flame-retardant properties and compare their performances. As part of the study, the flammability of the materials was determined by the following methods: an oxygen index (OI) test, a mass loss calorimeter (MLC) test, and a mini fire tube (MFT) test. All formulations showed an increase in flame retardancy compared to the control test. All protected samples were non-flammable for OI determinations, and DAP-protected samples showed the highest OI index. For the MLC test, DAP-protected and MAP-protected samples showed the best heat-release rate (HRR), total heat release (THR), and average heat-release rate (ARHE) (samples did not ignite for 600 s). In the MFT test, all treated samples had comparably reduced weight loss. The best parameter was achieved for MAP and DAP (15% weight loss).

The reliability and performance of technological equipment largely depends on timely and reliable diagnostics of less durable assembly units, which include rolling bearings. An effective tool for determining state of the mechanical rotational systems on rolling bearings is vibration diagnostics. The variety vibration diagnostic method which are used on practise is due to the complexity extracting an informative component for estimation and predicting the state of rolling bearings from the general vibration signal of the study unit. The article is dedicated information content study of narrow frequency ranges of the vibration signal operation bearing assemblies paper machines and their use as diagnostic parameters for vibration diagnostics of rolling bearings. The paper presents the analysis results of vibration diagnostics existing methods of bearing assemblies of the technological equipment and establishes the determination defects in rolling bearings by changing the vibration level on the characteristic frequencies components of the vibration spectrum and the bypass spectrum provides more specific information about the nature damage of the bearing and its operation. On the processing experimental data base i.e. the average vibration velocity spectra signal taken from the bearing assembly paper machine, we offer a relative indicator for current state bearing estimation and its state prediction progress, which helps to make a decision on the suitability or unsuitability bearing.

AbstractThis study seeks to profile the shoppers’ propensity to reuse shopping bags and the type of shopping bags they reuse on the basis of demographics. The study used an observation method to record the consumers’ shopping habits and a short questionnaire to record the participants’ demographics. A binary regression analysis and a multinomial regression analysis were used to analyse data. The results indicated that the mature aged, women, and low income shoppers were more likely to practice reuse of plastic shopping bags than their respective counterparts. There were no statistically significant differences in the likelihood of young aged shoppers compared to mature aged shoppers and low income shoppers compared to high income shoppers using cotton bags than plastic bags. There were also no statistically significant differences in the likelihood of young aged shoppers compared to mature aged shoppers and male shoppers compared to female shoppers using paper bags than plastic bags. However, the results indicated a statically significant result in how males compared to females differed in their using of cotton bags than plastic bags and a statistically significant result in how low income shoppers compared to high income shoppers differed in their use of paper bags than plastic bags.

The advance in the development of augmented reality technologies has attracted interest in their applicability in rescue scenarios. The characteristics of the different missions covered by First Responders, as well as the different objectives they can cover in a rescue operation, condition the importance of the additional information they can receive in these rescue processes through technology. This white paper aims to analyze the difficulties encountered when converging on the design of an interface that is adaptable to the professional and contextual circumstances in a rescue task.

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015. The editorial office applies Checklist for open access publishers on implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. This document is part of the UNESCO Open Science Toolkit, designed to support implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. It has been produced in partnership with OASPA.

To explore the application of cold-formed thin-walled steel-paper straw board(CTSPSB) composite wall in practical engineering and further meet people’s living requirements, it was proposed to open holes in the composite wall to simulate the doors and windows in practical applications. Two composite wall specimens were tested to study the shear performance of the CTSPSB composite wall. Through the analysis of specimens’ damage forms and experimental data, the characteristic values of bearing capacity and lateral stiffness were obtained. And then, the model of the composite wall was built by ANSYS, and finite element analysis (FEA) results were consistent with the experimental results, which could verify the feasibility of the finite element model. Moreover, the model needed to open holes and extensive parameter analysis was carried out. The FEA results indicate the most reasonable distance between screws around the opening is 150 mm; the most suitable spacing between the small studs is 400 mm; the position of the opening has the least influence on the shear performance, and the difference between the results of the five groups of models is within 5%; while the width of the opening has the greatest impact on the shear performance. Compared with the wall without opening, the bearing capacity of the wall with an opening width of 600 mm, 1200 mm and 1800 mm decreases by 38%, 46% and 52% respectively. Besides, the calculation formula of shear capacity of CTSPSB composite wall with openings was improved, which could be used as experience for practical engineering.

Multifunctional and flexible wearable devices play a crucial role in a wide range of applications, such as heath monitoring, intelligent skins, and human-machine interactions. Developing flexible and conductive materials for multifunctional wearable devices with low-cost and high efficiency methods are highly desirable. Here, a conductive graphene/microsphere/bamboo fiber (GMB) nanocomposite paper with hierarchical surface microstructures is successfully fabricated through a simple vacuum-assisted filtration followed by thermo-foaming process. The as-prepared microstructured GMB nanocomposite paper exhibits not only a high volume electrical conductivity of ∼45 ​S/m but also an excellent electrical stability (i.e., relative changes in resistance are less than 3% under stretching, folding, and compressing loadings) due to its unique structure features. With this microstructured nanocomposite paper as active sensing layer, microstructured pressure sensors with a high sensitivity (−4 ​kPa−1), a wide sensing range (0–5 ​kPa), and a rapid response time (about 140 ​ms) are realized. In addition, benefitting from the outstanding electrical stability and mechanical flexibility, the microstructured nanocomposite paper is further demonstrated as a low-voltage Joule heating device. The surface temperature of the microstructured nanocomposite paper rapidly reaches over 80 ​°C when applying a relatively low voltage of 7 ​V, indicating its potential in human thermotherapy and thermal management.

As air pollution escalates, the need for air filters increases. It is better that the filters used be based on natural fibers, such as non-wood fibers, which cause low damage to the environment. However, the short fiber lengths, low apparent densities, and high volumes of non-wood materials can make it challenging to prepare filter paper with the required mechanical and physical properties. In that context, this study focused on utilizing bamboo fibers to fabricate filter paper by employing the anthraquinone soda pulping method. The pulp underwent bleaching and oxidation processes, with the incorporation of cationic starch (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to enhance resistance properties, resulting in the creation of handmade filter papers. The findings revealed that the tear, burst, and tensile strength of filter paper increased with the oxidation and addition of CS and PVA. Air permeability increased with addition of PVA and combination of CS and PVA. FTIR demonstrated the conversion of hydroxyl groups in cellulose chains to carboxyl groups due to oxidation. SEM images illustrated alterations in the fiber structure post-oxidation treatment, with CS reducing pores while PVA and the CS-PVA combination enlarged pore size and enhanced porosity. The BET surface area surface area expanded with oxidation and the addition of the CS-PVA blend, indicating heightened filter paper porosity. Notably, the combined inclusion of CS and PVA not only augmented mechanical strength but also increased porosity while maintaining pore size.

This paper discusses the results of the micro-Raman analysis performed on paper-like graphene oxide (GO) samples consisting of many functionalised graphene layers and annealed at moderate temperatures (≤500 °C) under vacuum conditions (p ≃ 10−4 mbar). The analysis of the standalone samples revealed that the obtained material is characterised by a noticeable disorder level but still stays below the commonly accepted threshold of high or total disorder. GO formed in a simple way showed two spectral bands above 1650 cm−1 recorded very rarely or not at all and their origin has been discussed in detail. The results also confirmed the metastable character of multilayer GO after the annealing process at moderate temperatures as the C/O ratio was kept between 2 and 3 and the spectral features were stable within the annealing temperature range.

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) may cause threats to native biodiversity in ecosystems. Researchers have been investigating all the possible ways that they can be used effectively for other purposes. Since IAPS are capable of forming cellulose fibre nets, in this research, papers were made from three different types of IAPS (Japanese knotweed, giant goldenrod, and black locust). This research examined these IAPS papers and their effectiveness when used as printing substrates. In comparison to commercial office paper, the differences in basic, surface, optical, and microscopic properties were measured. As a widely used technology, inkjet printing was applied. We tested a commonly used sans-serif typeface (which has been established as being more legible than other typefaces in previous research) in three different type sizes (i.e., 8, 10, and 12 pt). According to the results, paper made from IAPS could offer some usable properties and acceptable legibility, especially when printing typefaces with specific attributes, such as moderate counter size, higher x-height, and minimal differences in the letter stroke width, are used. An appropriate typographic tonal density should be achieved in combination with an adequate letter size, e.g., 10 pt type size when a sans-serif typeface is used.

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015.

Electrophotography is affected by several parameters, including printing machines and paper type, which determine the final quality of reproduction. For the investigation of those effects, tests were done on the three types of electrophotography printing machines and eight types of uncoated paper with different properties of weight, surface roughness, whiteness, brightness and opacity. Samples were printed with cyan, magenta, yellow and black toner under the standard, identical conditions. The assessment of standard print quality parameter (optical density) was done using spectrodensitometer Techkon Spectro Dens. At the same time, the paper substrates were characterized using the atomic force microscopy (AFM) as well as by spectrophotometric measurements (X Rite Eye-One, i1). Obtained results showed that the reproducibility significantly depends on the type of printing machine rather than optical and mechanical properties of paper.

Inflammable building finishing materials act as a major cause of fire propagation, and they, therefore, pose significant risks to life and can lead to property damage. To replace such flammable building finishing materials, many countries have established regulations limiting their use, which has led to extensive research on the development of flame-retardant building finishing materials. Such methods have included adding flame retardants to construction materials to reduce the heat release rate and total heat release. The present study aimed to enhance the fire performance of cellulose-based architectural finishing materials by creating a dual flame-retardant mixture using expandable graphite and magnesium hydroxide added to recycled paper waste. Specimen fabrication involves using a pressing method to apply uniform pressure to compress the mixture in a mold. The total heat release (THR), CO, and CO2 production of the produced specimens were measured using a cone calorimeter while varying the magnesium hydroxide additive ratio. The combustion gases were measured through NES 713 experiments to determine any changes in the Toxic Index corresponding to variations in the magnesium hydroxide content. The experiment results established a correlation between the magnesium hydroxide additive ratio and the total heat release, as well as the existence of variations in CO and CO2 production for the dual flame-retardant recycled paper material. A database for combustion gases was also obtained. It was confirmed that the fire performance was improved by confirming that the total heat release decreased by 52% from the previous one in the magnesium hydroxide content of 30 g, and it was confirmed that the inflection points of the Toxic Index value due to the change in CO and CO2 gas production occurred in the magnesium hydroxide content of 20 g due to the improvement of the fire performance. Through the ISO 5660-1 experiment data, we have secured data that can be used as foundational information for performance-oriented fire risk assessments, thereby ensuring the fire safety of cellulose materials that are vulnerable to fire.

The valorization of wastes as an alternative or secondary raw material in various products and processes has been a solution for the implementation of sustainability, a safer environment, and the concept of circular economy in the efficient use and management of natural resources. To promote sustainability through a circular economy approach, this work tries to demonstrate the environmental gains that are obtained by bringing together, in an industrial symbiosis action, two large industrial sectors (the pulp and paper and the road pavement sectors) responsible for generating large amounts of wastes. A sustainability assessment, based on a life cycle and circular economy approach, is presented here, and discussed using a simple case study carried out on a real scale. Two wastes (dregs and grits) from the pulp and paper industry (PPI) were used to partially replace natural fine aggregates in the production of bituminous mixtures used on the top surface of road pavements. The impacts at a technical, environmental, economic, and social level were assessed and it was shown that this simple waste valorization action is not only positive for the final product from a technical point of view, but also for the environment, causing positive impacts on the different sustainability dimensions that were evaluated.

In addition to printing techniques, there are various characteristics that affect the quality of printed products. Most frequently questioned features are line, dot, and text reproduction. In this paper it is investigated how different substrates, printed by the same printing technique, affect the quality parameters of printed samples. Print quality includes the process of obtaining the desired reproductions of color and image elements, important parameters of print quality are the quality of lines and dots, and the feature of the substrate that is significant for this work is the roughness of the substrate. This paper presents the testing of three different materials on to which the test form was printed by electrophotography, as a digital printing technique. The tests are based on analysis of line, dot and text reproduction, as well as analysis of the roughness of the substrate on samples printed in black. Based on the obtained results it can be concluded that the substrate affects the quality of printed products

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015. The editorial office applies Checklist for open access publishers on implementing the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. This document is part of the UNESCO Open Science Toolkit, designed to support implementation of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. It has been produced in partnership with OASPA.

Photovoltaic systems (PV) have been extensively used worldwide as a reliable and effective renewable energy resource due to their environmental and economic merits. However, PV systems are prone to several environmental and weather conditions that impact their performance. Amongst these conditions is dust accumulation, which has a significant adversative impact on the solar cells’ performance, especially in hot and arid regions. This study provides a comprehensive review of 278 articles focused on the impact of dust on PV panels’ performance along with other associated environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The review highlights the importance of modelling dust accumulation along with other ecological factors due to their interactive nature, and the differences between cleaning techniques and schedules effectiveness. Moreover, the study provides a review of statistical and artificial intelligence models used to predict PV performance and its prediction accuracies in terms of data size and complexity. Finally, the study draws attention to several research gaps that warrant further investigation. Among these gaps is the need for proper dynamic optimisation models for cleaning schedules and a more advanced machine and deep learning models to predict dust accumulation while considering environmental and ageing factors.

Spatially resolved fluid-flow modulation and its corresponding integration becomes a crucial aspect to consider when designing high-performing paper-based analytical devices. As such, high demand exists for cost-effective techniques able to selectively control flow in patternable regions of the device. In this regard, a solution composed of potassium alum and animal glue; sizing materials used in the fabrication of calligraphy Xuan paper, is successfully adapted for the first time in a revolutionary approach to efficiently modulate the capillary flow in paper microfluidic channels. Flow delays are achieved by coating the substrate systematically through the variation of parameters such as the ratio of alum to glue, the concentration of alum-glue in the solution, and the number of subsequent coating layers of alum-glue. Moreover, digitized patterning with alum-glue is developed to achieve programmable wicking profiles of accelerating, decelerating, and quasi-linear flow displacement by alternating coated and uncoated zones in the channel. Additionally, the influence of alum-glue when performing biometric assays is investigated by performing a horseradish peroxidase activity colorimetric assay and found to have negligible effects on reading, where a negligible difference of 5.2% was observed in an assay performed in a coated paper substrate, compared to an uncoated one.

The growing concern for environmental sustainability has created an urgent need for the development of innovative and environmentally friendly packaging materials. Among the various options available, clay-starch nanocomposites have emerged as a promising avenue for improving the barrier properties and mechanical strength of paper substrates. In this scientific paper the importance of clay-starch nanocomposite coatings on paper substrate and highlight the role of computer simulations, especially molecular dynamics, in elucidating their structural and functional properties. It has been shown that phyllosilicates with a layer charge < 0.4 electrons per stoichiometric unit can intercalate starch in the interlayer space, forming a barrier for water vapor in the covering layer. Phyllosilicates with a shell charge of > 0.4 electrons per stoichiometric unit were not able to intercalate starch. Thus, clay-starchnanocomposites can provide limited water vapor transfer rates and can be recommended asa promising material for dry food packaging.

The study and advancement of crank-slide actuating mechanisms based on four-link structural groups are promising for the development of new designs of crank presses and other stamping and forging machines [...]

Introduction: This study investigated the influence of indoor lighting environments on paper reading efficiency and brain fatigue to explore lighting parameters that benefit users during various reading durations.Methods: The study was conducted in the Smart Lighting Lab, where 12 participants were tested under different illuminance levels and correlated color temperatures (CCT) for three distinct reading durations. Reading efficiency during the task tests and objective measures of brain activity by monitoring participants’ electroencephalograms (EEGs) were used as key factors to assess participants’ fatigue levels.Results: By analyzing the subjective and objective results, we found that paper reading efficiency was significantly affected by changes in the lighting environment. Also, based on the results of this study, we propose lighting recommendations for paper reading tasks of different durations. For a 15 min reading task, the lighting condition of 500 lux-6,500 K were the most efficient for reading; for a 30 min reading task, 500 lux-4,000 K lighting environments were found to be the most effective; and 750 lux-6,500 K was the best lighting environment for a 60 min reading duration.Discussion: These suggestions can serve as a reference for designing indoor lighting environment. In addition, they provide guidance to researchers and reviewers conducting similar studies.

AbstractThe deterioration of fiber properties during recycling processes, especially the loss of tensile strength, raises concerns that paper products made from recycled fibers might not satisfy quality requirements. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the deterioration of tensile strength and the damage in paper sheets made of recycled fibers using the theory of damage mechanics and machine learning methods. Experiments were carried out to recycle wood fibers and non-wood fibers four times, and the physicochemical properties of the handsheets made from these fibers were measured after each recycling. Water retention value and relative bonded area were selected as the features to estimate and predict tensile strength during recycling because they had strong correlations with tensile strength. This paper proposed a damage index to quantitatively express the severity of the damage in paper sheets based on the experimental investigation and the theory of damage mechanics. Thus, the deterioration of tensile strength could be estimated and predicted. To determine the damage index, a curve fitting model based on the hyperbolic theory of pulp properties was developed. The proposed quantitative expression of the damage index is: [Formula: see text], where the coefficients were determined through the curve fitting model. This paper also developed a long short-term memory recurrent neural network model to determine the damage index according to the sequence of recycling. Both models were trained with the experimental data of water retention value and relative bonded area. The estimation and prediction by the curve fitting model were more accurate than those of the neural network model. The root mean square errors by the curve fitting model were 0.0278 for estimation, 0.1667 for prediction; and by the neural network model were 0.2445 for estimation, 0.2206 for prediction, respectively. After the damage index was determined, the deterioration of tensile strength then could be calculated as T = T0 (1–D).

Flexible inkjet-printed antenna is presented. The proposed antenna is designed on a synthetic paper substrate with an area of 35 × 40 mm2 to provide frequency bands for many popular wireless applications. Simulation and measurement are used to study the performances, including the frequency bands, radiation patterns, peak gains and efficiency, of the antenna in two severely bending conditions with a curvature radius of 20 mm in the forward and backward directions. The antenna printed in photo papers material could not be fully flexible due to cracks introduced to the coating material on the surface of the photo paper. Hence, the resin coated material was only suitable for curved devices. The synthetic paper material used in this paper does not have a resin coating, therefore, the antenna does not lose its flexibility and can be bent in both the forward and backward directions without any cracks. Results show that bending in these two conditions has insignificant effects on the performances of the antenna. With a curvature radius of 20 mm in the forward direction, the measured peak gain and efficiency of the antenna are in the ranges from −3 to +2 dBi and 40% to 60%, respectively. The results together with the low cost make the antenna most suitable for many flexible 5G communications devices.

Sponsored and organized by the International Open Benchmark Council (BenchCouncil), the IC conference is to provide a pioneering technology map through searching and advancing state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice in processors, systems, algorithms, and applications for machine learning, deep learning, spiking neural network and other AI techniques across multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary areas. IC 2023 invites manuscripts describing original work in the above areas and topics. All accepted papers will be presented at the IC 2023 conference and published by Springer CCIS (Indexed by EI). The IC conferences have been successfully held for two series from 2019 to 2022 and attracted plenty of paper submissions and participants. IC 2023 will be held on December 4-6, 2023 in Sanya and invites manuscripts describing original work in processors, systems, algorithms, and applications for AI techniques across multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary areas. The conference website is https://www.benchcouncil.org/ic2023/.Important Dates: Paper Submission: July 31, 2023, at 11:59 PM AoE Notification: September 30, 2023, at 11:59 PM AoE Final Papers Due: October 31, 2023, at 11:59 PM AoE Conference Date: December 4-6, 2023 Submission Site: https://ic2023.hotcrp.com/

Soil suction is one of the most important parameters describing the moisture condition of unsaturated soils. The measurement of soil suction is crucial for applying the theories of the engineering behavior of unsaturated soils. The filter paper method is one of the soil suction measurement techniques In this paper, five soil samples were collected from five sites within Baghdad city – al-Rasafa region. These soils have different properties and they were prepared at different degrees of saturation. For each sample, the total and matric suction were measured by the filter paper method at different degrees of saturation. Then correlations were made between the soil properties and the total and matric suction. It was concluded that the suction increases with decrease of the degree of saturation. The relationships between the total and matric suction and the filter paper water content are approximately linear and indicate decrease of suction with increase of the filter paper water content. The total and matric suction increase with the decrease of the soil shear strength.

India is the second largest producer of groundnut in the world. More than 85 lakhs of hectares of the land isapproximately used in groundnut cultivation. In 2022 groundnut is produced in 9.86 million metric tons in which 50% of waste has been produced. Agricultural waste can be recycled into different forms of energy sources. Groundnut crop residues were collected from Lattur located at Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu, India. The collected residues were separated as groundnut shell and plant residues. The plant residues are subjected to both vermicompost and natural composting processes. Groundnut shell is used to prepare paper by using the Kraft process (Chemical pulping method). Both the compost is mixed with soil with the ratio of 1:10, 2:10 and Nutrients like N, P, K were analysed. The results slow vermicompost having enriched nutrients. Comparing Natural compost, and the Groundnut shell were prepared as paper with a size of 210mm*297mm. Compost helps to improve the health and quality of the soil that is added to improve and maintain the environment. For the paper production trees were cut and used. This causes deforestation. To resolve this problem the better solution is preparation of paper using the non-wooden material. The groundnut shell is one of the non-wooden materials used for the production of the paper. These papers will be eco-friendly as well as it controls deforestation.

This review explores circular economy principles in regard to ethanol production from paper-mill sludge. Environmental sustainability and renewability over fossil fuels make second generation ethanol an attractive energy source in a rapidly growing population and consumption world. Paper sludge (PS), a by-product of the pulp and paper (P&P) industry, can no longer be recycled for paper production and is mainly disposed of in landfills. Therefore, it poses a major environmental challenge. However, it has shown potential as a valuable raw material for ethanol production, along with other pulp and paper products, due to its abundant availability and high cellulosic content. This waste-to-energy (WtE) technology for ethanol production is proposed as an alternative, aligning with circular economy concepts to maximize resource efficiency and minimize waste. This review underlines the circular economy aspects of bioethanol production within paper mill sludge management systems. Circular economy principles applied to ethanol production from PS offer a promising avenue for sustainable biofuel development that not only addresses waste management challenges but also enhances the overall environmental performance of biofuel production. Furthermore, economic benefits are described, highlighting the potential for job creation and community development.

The study aims to present the results of paper compression under an axial load. Different heights of samples subjected to compression were taken into account. The main goal of the analysis was to determine experimentally the maximum compression load. In addition, numerical models based on the finite element method (FEM) were validated to refer to empirical results. The performed numerical simulations were founded on Green–Lagrangian nonlinear equations for large displacements and strains. The progressive failure of the compressed orthotropic material after exceeding maximum stresses was based on Hill’s anisotropy theory. Nonlinear calculations were conducted by using a typical Newton–Raphson algorithm for achieving a sequence convergence. The accuracy of the developed model was confirmed experimentally in compression tests. The technique of analysing the shape of the compressed paper sample on the basis of images recorded during the measurement was used. The obtained test results are directly applicable in practice, especially in the calculation of the mechanical properties of corrugated cardboard and in determining the load capacity of cardboard packaging. Knowing the maximum compressive stress that packaging paper can withstand allows packaging to be properly designed and its strength assessed in the context of the transport and storage of goods.

In recent years, due to environmental awareness regarding the harmfulness of polymeric materials, there has been a growing interest in using papers, especially those from alternative raw materials. The importance of using all available raw materials is imperative today. Raw materials that were once viewed as waste are now of great importance because they have the ability to replace raw materials that are used irrationally or are lacking. Cereal straw is a lignocellulosic material that could be used in the paper industry and in the production of increasingly prevalent paper packaging. The aim of this research was to analyze the relationships between the qualitative parameters of straw-based printed papers containing 30% agricultural residues (wheat, barley, or triticale). The influence of two qualitative parameters (ink penetration depth and optical ink density) on the print-through was observed using multiple regression analysis on straw-based papers produced at the laboratory level. Throughout the research, 100% recycled wood paper was used as a reference sample. The results of the regression analysis showed that none of the variables individually make a statistically significant contribution to the prediction of the dependent variable in a linear context, that is, they indicate a non-linear interaction between the variables and the specific conditions under which the dependent variable reaches local extremes and changes in the gradient. Considering the results of the regression analysis and the visualization of the relationship, the model was additionally tested with other independent variables (paper type). From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the alternative straw-based paper with 30% barley pulp has the best interaction between ink and paper, which is the most similar to the reference sample in terms of printability, while the alternative straw-based paper with 30% wheat generally differs significantly from the reference paper when all three prints are considered.

The instructions to authors about the article preparation for publication in the Military Technical Courier are based on the Regulations on categorization and ranking of scientific journals of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No 159/20). This Regulations aims at improving the quality of national journals and raising the level of their compliance with the international system of scientific information exchange. The editorial policy of the Military Technical Courier is based on the COPE Core Practices, common COPE, DOAJ, OASPA and WAME Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing as well as on the best accepted practices in scientific publishing. The Military Technical Courier has been a COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) member since 2nd May 2018 and a member of OASPA (Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association) since 27th November 2015.