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Er[sup 3+] - Yb[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] films were prepared on fused silica by sol-gel processes. The Yb[sup 3+] codoping effect on the physical characteristics and ∼1.54 µm photoluminescence (PL) properties of Er[sup 3+]-doped TiO[sub 2] films was investigated. Maximum ∼1.54 µm PL intensity occurs in Er[sup 3+] (5 mol %) - Yb[sup 3+](30 mol %) codoped TiO[sub 2] samples annealed at 700 °C. However, when the concentration of Yb[sup 3+] ions is more than 30 mol%, the back energy transfer effect from Er[sup 3+] to Yb[sup 3+] will deteriorate the ∼1.54 µm PL efficiency. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements show that the average spatial distance between Er[sup 3+] ions is slightly decreased due to the partial substitution of Yb[sup 3+] for Er[sup 3+] ions in the local structure. The Yb[sup 3+] ion in the Er[sup 3+] - Yb[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] samples not only plays the role of disperser but is also a sensitizer of the Er[sup 3+] ion. This dual effect leads to larger PL intensity in the Er[sup 3+] - Yb[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] system in comparison with Er[sup 3+] - Y[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] samples. Compared with SiO[sub 2] films with Er[sup 3+] (5 mol%) - Yb[sup 3+] (30 mol %) codoped and annealed at optimal temperature of 985 °C, the Er[sup 3+] - Yb[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] film obtains better PL properties at lower annealing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium-doped strontium bismuth tantalate Sr[sub 0.8]Bi[sub 2.3](Ta[sub 2-x]V[sub x])O[sub ]9 (SBTV) (x = 0-0.8) have been prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO[sub 2]/Si substrates using a metalorganic decomposition method. Well-crystallized and dense SBTV films can be obtained at an annealing temperature as lower as 650-700 deg;C that can be attributed to the enhanced densification due to the addition of vanadium. With partial substitution of tantalum by vanadium up to x=0.15, a larger remanent polarization (2P[sub r]) of 30.5 µC/cm² can be obtained for the Sr[sub 0.8]Bi[sub 2.3]Ta[sub 1.85]V[sub 0.15]O[sub 9] film at 800 °C that is attributed to the larger grain size and increased "rattling space." Furthermore, the vanadium substitution for tantalum ion can effectively reduce the leakage current density as lower as 5 × 10[sup -8] A/cm² at an applied electric field of 100 kV/cm because of the reduced mobility of charge carriers. However, the incorporation of vanadium does not cause appreciable negative effect on the fatigue endurance of Sr-deficient Sr[sub 0.8]Bi[sub 2.3]Ta[sub 2]O[sub 9] films until more than 20 mol % (x=0.2) vanadium was added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Er[sup 3+]–Y[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] films were prepared on a fused silica substrate by the sol–gel process. The effect of Y[sup 3+] codoping on the ∼1.54 μm photoluminescence (PL) properties of Er[sup 3+]-doped TiO[sub 2] films are investigated. Enhancement of PL properties due to Y[sup 3+] codoping by a factor of 10 for intensity and of 1.5 for the full width at half maximum in comparison with the Er[sup 3+]–Al[sup 3+] codoped SiO[sub 2] system has been observed in the film annealed at Er[sup 3+]:Y[sup 3+]:Ti[sup 4+]=5:30(∼50):100. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements show that the local chemical environment of Er[sup 3+] ions in the Er[sup 3+]–Y[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] films is similar to that in Er[sub 2]O[sub 3]. The average spatial distance between Er[sup 3+] ions is enlarged due to the partial substitution of Y[sup 3+] for Er[sup 3+] ions in the Er[sub 2]O[sub 3]-like local structure. It is believed that the more intense PL emission of the Er[sup 3+]–Y[sup 3+] codoped TiO[sub 2] films can be attributed to the better dispersion and distorted local structure of Er[sup 3+] ions in the TiO[sub 2] host matrix by yttrium codoping. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which prepared ferroelectric thin films of bismuth-containing layered perovskite using the metalorganic decomposition method. Experimental procedures; Results and discussion; Conclusion.

Enhancement of exchange field (Hex) and thermal stability of the textured CoFe/IrMn with Os/Cu buffer layer and Os diffusion barrier layer were studied. As revealed by x-ray Diffraction (XRD), an Os (0002) surface mesh was observed to form on Cu (100)/Si (100). The growth of CoFe (111)/IrMn (111) on such a template is parallel to the Os (0002). With the Os/Cu buffer layer, the CoFe/IrMn presents an enhancement of 70 Oe on Hex larger than that without Os/Cu. The Hex of the textured sample was 230 Oe at room temperature and it was increased to 330 Oe after 250 °C annealing. When the temperature reached 350 °C, Hex vanished. The increment of the temperature at which the textured and the nontextured sample obtaining their maximum Hex and the vanishing temperature of Hex were 50 and 75 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the CoFe/Os (d)/IrMn slowed down the Hex degradation. The sample with d=0.3 nm obtained its maximum Hex at 250 °C and vanished when it reached 400 °C. The combination of CoFe/IrMn with Os/Cu buffer layer and Os barrier layer made the Hex higher and also better thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interference screw is a widely used fixation device in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgeries. Despite the generally satisfactory results, problems of using interference screws were reported. By using additive manufacturing (AM) technology, we developed an innovative titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) interference screw with rough surface and inter‐connected porous structure designs to improve the bone‐tendon fixation. An innovative Ti6Al4V interference screws were manufactured by AM technology. In vitro mechanical tests were performed to validate its mechanical properties. Twenty‐seven New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control and AM screw groups for biomechanical analyses and histological analysis at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postoperatively; while micro‐CT analysis was performed at 12 weeks postoperatively. The biomechanical tests showed that the ultimate failure load in the AM interference screw group was significantly higher than that in the control group at all tested periods. These results were also compatible with the findings of micro‐CT and histological analyses. In micro‐CT analysis, the bone‐screw gap was larger in the control group; while for the additive manufactured screw, the screw and bone growth was in close contact. In histological study, the bone‐screw gaps were wider in the control group and were almost invisible in the AM screw group. The innovative AM interference screws with surface roughness and inter‐connected porous architectures demonstrated better bone‐tendon‐implant integration, and resulted in stronger biomechanical characteristics when compared to traditional screws. These advantages can be transferred to future interference screw designs to improve their clinical performance. The AM interference screw could improve graft fixation and eventually result in better biomechanical performance of the bone‐tendon‐screw construct. The innovative AM interference screws can be transferred to future interference screw designs to improve the performance of implants. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:2633–2640, 2018. By using additive manufacturing (AM) technology, we developed an innovative titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) interference screw with rough surface and inter‐connected porous structure designs to improve thebone–tendon fixation in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgeries. Our results showed that the AM interference screw could improve graft fixation and eventually result in better biomechanical performance of the bone‐tendon‐screw construct. The innovative AM interference screws can be transferred to future interference screw designs to improve the performance of implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A proton-conducting BaCe 0.4 Zr 0.4 Gd 0.1 Dy 0.1 O 3− δ (BCZGD) perovskite is fabricated via a wet chemical route using precursors including Ba(NO 3 ) 2 , Ce(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O, ZrO(NO 3 ) 4 ·6H 2 O, Gd(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O, and Dy(NO 3 ) 3 ·5H 2 O. The synthesis process involves the dissolution of relevant precursors and glycine in deionized water at proper molar ratios. Subsequently, the mixture undergoes a heat treatment at 1300 °C for 10 h in air to form the perovskite powders. The as-synthesized BCZGD powders are filtered and pressed at 440 MPa, following by a sintering at 1450 °C for 24 h in air to render a free-standing proton-conductive disk with a thickness of 850 μm. Material characterization including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and electrical conductivity measurements are performed. The electrical conductivity of the BCZGD sample is recorded at 1.93×10 −3 S cm −1 at 700 °C in a humid hydrogen atmosphere with an activation energy of 0.41 eV. TGA results confirm chemical stability of the BCZGD against carbon dioxide without any decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: BiFeO3 (BFO) films were grown on LaNiO3-coated Si substrate by a RF magnetron sputtering system at temperatures in the range of 300–700°C. X-ray reflectivity and high-resolution diffraction measurements were employed to characterize the microstructure of these films. For a substrate temperature below 300°C and at 700°C only partially crystalline films and completely randomly polycrystalline films were grown, whereas highly (001)-orientated BFO film was obtained for a substrate temperature in the range of 400–600°C. The crystalline quality of BFO thin films increase as the deposition temperature increase except for the film deposited at 700°C. The fitted result from X-ray reflectivity curves show that the densities of the BFO films are slightly less than their bulk values. For the BFO films deposited at 300–600°C, the higher the deposition temperature, the larger the remnant polarization and surface roughness of the films present. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High-quality CuInS2/ZnS (core–shell) nanocrystals (NCs) were synthesized via a colloidal solvent process and characterized for their optical properties by UV–vis, room temperature solution photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and further obtained powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The obtained CIS and CIS/ZnS core/shell NCs are quasimonodisperse with an average particle size of 2.4 and 4.6 nm, respectively. All of the as-synthesized NCs can be well dispersed in toluene or hexane to form stable and clear colloidal solutions, which show strong visible emission (blue for CIS/ZnS core/shell NCs) under UV excitation. The growth of a ZnS shell on CIS NCs, that is, the formation of CIS/ZnS core/shell NCs, resulted in an impact enhancement in the PL intensity compared to that of bare CIS NCs due to the eliminated surface defects and the reduced lattice mismatch between the core and shell materials. A dramatic increase of the PL intensity can be obtained from the ZnS-capped CIS with respect to that of the bare CIS NCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: AlO x –ZnO core–shell nanorods arrays have been successfully synthesized by soaking the ZnO nanorods in the sol–gel solution of Al(NO3)3 and NH4OH at room temperature. It was found that both crystal growth and morphology of the AlO x –ZnO core–shell nanorods are strongly influenced by the solution pH value. SEM image shows that the AlO x –ZnO core–shell nanorods can be perpendicularly grown on the ZnOf/Si substrate under the solution only with a pH value of 6–7. High-resolution TEM observation demonstrates that the structure of the AlO x layer is amorphous and the ZnO nanorod core remains single crystal. After annealed at 400°C in N2 atmosphere, a strong photoluminescence peak corresponding to blue emission (∼450nm) was detected from the AlO x –ZnO core–shell nanorods that may result from the induced defects due to interaction between AlO x shell and ZnO nanorods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Ordered silver–nickel core-shell nanowire arrays were successfully fabricated by electrodeposition. The ordered silver nanowire arrays embedded in a porous alumina template were first fabricated from an aqueous solution of Ag(NO3)2 and Ac(NH3). After removing out the template, the obtained silver nanowire arrays were subsequently electrodeposited with nickel at 1.6–2.6V and 60°C using the electrolyte composed of NiSO4, NiCl2 and H3BO3. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that a ∼15nm thick nickel film was coated on the surface of the silver nanowires with about 200nm in diameter. It was found that the silver nanowires with nickel coating showed enhanced magnetic properties in comparison to that of pure silver nanowires. The magnetic force microscope image of silver–nickel core-shell nanowires showed magnetic domain state. In addition, the hysteresis loops of the silver–nickel nanowire arrays showed a coercive field of 180Oe, almost independent of the applied magnetic field. However, it was observed that a larger magnetic domain was found in parallel direction than that in perpendicular direction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanocrystalline Eu-doped powders, Ca5− x Sr x (PO4)3(OH):Eu3+, were prepared from chemical solutions at room temperature. The crystalline phase and photoluminescence (PL) properties of the halophosphate powders were studied in terms of solution pH value and annealing atmosphere. At pH=2, both Ca8.3Sr1.7(PO4)6Cl2 and Ca8.3Sr1.7(PO4)6(OH)2 phases were detected, but an increase in solution pH value over 7 led to the formation of only Ca8.3Sr1.7(PO4)6(OH)2 phase. After annealed at 850°C, the sample prepared in pH=2 solution shows stronger blue emission than that prepared in pH=10 in the reducing atmosphere. However, for the samples annealed in air atmosphere, the blue emission still can be observed that can be attributed to the reduction of Eu3+→Eu2+. The relative intensity of blue to red emissions is dominated not only by annealing atmosphere but also by crystalline phase formed in the sample. These results indicate that the PL properties can be tunable by controlling the solution pH value (crystalline phase) and changing annealing atmosphere. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To explore the effect of nanofiller–polymer interaction on the drug release behaviour from a monolithic membrane prepared by Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)/chitosan nanocomposite, release kinetics was investigated in terms of different synthetic processes, i.e. in situ and ex situ routes, and various amounts of CDHA. It was found that a higher value of diffusion exponent (n) was obtained for the membranes in situ synthesized compared with those ex situ prepared. In addition, the n value of the membranes in situ synthesized increased with increasing CDHA amount, which remained in the range below 10wt.%. However, as CDHA content exceeded 30%, the n value remained constant. It indicates that the drug diffusion mechanism is altered by the CDHA–chitosan interaction which is strongly influenced by both the synthesis process and the concentration of the CDHA nanofiller in the membrane. On the other hand, a lower permeability (P) value of the membranes was observed for those prepared via the in situ process. Furthermore, P value decreased and increased with increasing CDHA amount in the range below and above 10wt.%, respectively. It demonstrates that CDHA nanofillers act either diffusion barrier or diffusion enhancer for the CDHA/chitosan membranes, which is determined by the concentration of CDHA nanofiller and the synthesis route of nanocomposite. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) nano-crystals incorporated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to form BSA-loaded nano-carriers were synthesized via both in-situ and ex-situ processes. Amount of BSA uptake by the CDHA nano-crystals and subsequent release behaviors of the BSA-loaded nano-carriers were investigated. The amount of BSA uptake by CDHA decreases with increasing pH but a larger amount was observed in the ex-situ compared to in-situ process above pH=8.0. The release profile showed a bursting behavior for the nano-carrier prepared via the ex-situ process, which is probably due to the desorption of BSA molecules. In contrast, for the sample synthesized via the in-situ process at a higher pH level, a slower release profile without bursting behavior due to the dissolution of the BSA-incorporated CDHA crystal is seen from high solution TEM that indicates different extent of interaction between BSA and CDHA. On the other hand, for the nano-carriers prepared via the same process at lower pH level, a two-stage release profile was detected. An initial bursting release is due to the desorption of BSA from the CDHA surface, followed by a slow release as a result of the dissolution of the BSA-incorporated nano-crystals along its c-axis direction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A low-temperature synthetic route was used to prepare well-aligned arrays of oriented ZnO nanorods on organic substrates coated with polystyrene beads (PS) in an aqueous solution. The corresponding growth behavior and photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanorods were analyzed. It was found that the ZnO nanorods are initially nucleated from the ZnO monolayer under the concave regions of the PS layers and preferentially grown along [0001] direction. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observation reveals that the ZnO nanorods tend to coalesce together with other adjacent nanorods to form a larger ZnO crystal in the later growth stage. The room-temperature photoluminescence spectra demonstrate that a stronger ultraviolet (UV) emission with a broad yellow emission around 575nm was observed for the ZnO nanorods grown on the organic substrates and the relative intensity ratio of ultraviolet emission to yellow emission depends on the growth periods of time. This simple approach demonstrates great potential for optoelectronic devices because it can produce large-scale highly well-aligned ZnO nanorods on the flexible organic substrates at lower temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, nanotube arrays of nickel-phosphate have been developed by electroless deposition into sub-micro to nanometer sized pores of the porous alumina templates by hypophosphite electrolytic solution composed of NiSO4, NaH2PO2, NaC2H3O2 and Na3C6H5O7 at 80–100 °C and pH=3–6. The dimension of the formed nanotubes has 1 μm in length, 200–300 nm in diameter and 80–150 nm in thickness of tube walls. Transmission electron microscopy examination of the nanotubes clearly show amorphous hallow structure with a average grain size of . The hysteresis loops of the nanotube arrays show a coercive field of about 200 Oe under treatment in 95%N2/5%H2 atmosphere at 500 °C as the magnetic field was applied along parallel and perpendicular to tube axis. The nanotube arrays also exhibit an anisotropic magnetic property with easier saturation along the perpendicular direction. However, both coercive field and saturation of remanent magnetization of the nanotube arrays become lower while continually increasing heat treatment temperature up to 900 °C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pb1+xTiO3 (PT) thin films were deposited on Al2O3(10 nm)/Si using lead acetate trihydrate and titanium isopropoxide with the addition of glycerol (GL) chelating agent as precursors. It was found that perovskite PT phase can be well crystallized at a lower temperature of 600 °C and excellent memory properties are obtained. However, with increasing annealing temperature above 700 °C, charge-injection mode instead of ferroelectric behavior was detected. Cross-sectional TEM results illustrate that with an increase of annealing temperature and Pb content in the PT films, diffusion envelops and even composition separations were detected in the interface of PT/Al2O3/Si. It was believed that the degradation in the ferroelectric memory properties is strongly related to the change of microstructure and composition in the interface of PT/Al2O3/Si. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ZnO films were implanted with phosphorus in the range from 5×1012 to 5×1015 cm-2. Effect of phosphorus concentration on structural characteristics and photoelectric behavior of phosphorus-implanted ZnO films under different atmosphere and annealing treatment was investigated. It has been demonstrated that below solubility (1.5×1018 ions/cm3), the defect formation will be dominated by annealing atmosphere and more defects can be formed in oxygen ambient than in nitrogen atmosphere as revealed from PL spectra. However, excess phosphorus doping, above solubility (1.5×1018 ions/cm3), will induce the formation of the phosphide compounds in ZnO films and seriously deteriorate the crystallinity and optical property of the films. However, a high-resistive but not p-type ZnO film is obtained by phosphorus doping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanosized ceramic powder was prepared by laser ablation under different atmospheres using a ceramic target composed of ZrO2, TiO2, ZnO and Al2O3. Physical characteristics and microstructure of nanoparticles, including particle morphology, phase transformation, powder compositions and far-infrared emissivity, have been investigated. The laser-ablated nanoparticles exhibit two kinds of particle size distribution with 7–15 (70–90%) and 40–100 nm (10–30%). Nanoparticles synthesized at lower laser fluences show poor crystallinity but rich Zn composition. While increasing laser fluence, better crystalline nanoparticles with rich Zr composition were obtained. It was found that both composition and morphology of nanoparticles change with laser fluence. The average far-infrared emissivity of the nanoparticles varies with crystallinity of nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nanocrystalline zinc aluminate (ZnAl2O4) particles with a spinel structure were prepared by hydrolyzing a mixture of aluminum chloride hexahydrate and zinc chloride in deionized water. It was found that pH value and reaction temperature play critical roles in the formation of nano-sized ZnAl2O4. Depending on pH values in the precursor solution, ZnAl layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH), ZnO, boehmite or gibbsite could be formed. At pH 7 and T>120 °C, the nanocrystalline ZnAl2O4 particles with average particle size of ∼5 nm are easily synthesized through ZnAl layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH). After surface treatment with R–OH by using the cationic surfactant CTAB, the ZnAl2O4/Eu core-shell structure can be developed. The ZnAl2O4/Eu core-shell structure can show both emissions from 5D0 to 7F2 sensitivity energy level and 5D2 to 7F0 depth energy level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nano-sized calcium-deficient apatitic (CDHA) crystals with Ca/P ratios from 1.5 to 1.67 were synthesized using wet chemical method and of needle-like shape with 5–10 nm in diameter and 40–50 nm in length was observed. The structural environment of the Ca atoms in all the CDHA nano-crystals has been investigated using EXAFS, XANES and EELS. The results reveal that a maximum Fourier transform amplitude occurs at the apatite with a Ca/P ratio of 1.67 and the structural disorder increase following the sequence of 1.67>1.5>1.6>1.55. A similar phenomenon is also observed in both K-edge XANES and L2,3-edge ELNES in the Ca atom. The structural analysis further demonstrates that different chemical and biological properties among these CDHA nano-crystals with Ca/P ratio from 1.5 to 1.67 are primarily due to the effect of stoichiometry and non-stoichiometry as compared to the structural order–disorder. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Calcium-deficient apatitic (cd-HA) crystals with core-shell nanostructure with needlelike shape, 5–10 nm in diameter and 20–80 nm in length, were prepared via an in situ formation in the presence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) under aqueous solution of different pH values, ranging from 9 to 11. Nanostructure of the resulting crystals showing a core-shell configuration with a thin layer of PAA shell of about 1 nm thickness was investigated. Aspect ratio (AR) of the needlelike composite was found to depend on the concentration of the PAA and solution pH. At lower solution pH, crystal growth was inhibited, i.e., leading to a decreased AR, with increase of PAA concentration, while an increased AR was detected at higher solution pH, suggesting a preferential growth of the cd-HA nanocrystals. Mechanism of such preferential growth was tentatively proposed and is suggested to correct PAA adsorption along the long axis of the needlelike nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Both Er3+–Yb3+ and Er3+–Y3+ co-doped TiO2 films were prepared on fused silica by sol–gel processes. The effect of doping concentration upon the up-conversion fluorescence of Yb3+–Er3+and Er3+–Y3+ co-doped TiO2 systems will be focused in this investigation. Although the influence of Yb3+ and Y3+ ions on the structural of Er3+–TiO2 host material is almost the same, different up-conversion emissions are observed. Both Er3+-doped and Er3+–Y3+ co-doped TiO2 films exhibit the up-conversion emission with green and red light. However, much stronger intensity of red light relative to green light is observed for the Er3+–Yb3+ co-doped TiO2 system. For Er3+ (5 mol%)–Y3+ co-doped TiO2 samples, the relative intensity ratio (IR/IG) rapidly decreases with the increase of Y3+ concentration above 10 mol%. On the contrary, the relative intensity ratio (IR/IG) increases with increasing Yb3+ concentration for Er3+ (5 mol%)–Yb3+ co-doped TiO2 samples. The up-conversion emission in the Er3+–Y3+ co-doped TiO2 system belongs to a two-photon absorption up-conversion process. However, the overall up-conversion efficiency in the Er3+–Yb3+ co-doped TiO2 system could be contributed from the complicated mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ferroelectric thin films of bismuth-containing layered perovskite Sr0.8Bi2.3Ta2−xMxO9 (SBTM), where M is V, Ti, W, and Zr, have been prepared on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates using the metal-organic decomposition method. The effect of the incorporated B-site cations on pyrochlore phase formation and microstructure evolution of SBTM films was investigated. The pyrochlore phase formation has been identified due to out-diffusion of titanium from underneath platinum layer to participate in the reaction with the films. Furthermore, the formation of pyrochlore phase in the SBTM films has been observed strongly dependent on the characteristics of incorporated M cation. The substitution of both W and V for Ta leads to the formation of pyrochlore phase at lower annealing temperature (750–800 °C). On the other hand, the addition of Zr can retard the formation of pyrochlore phase from 850 to 900 °C. A model based on the binding energy of octahedral structure is used to elucidate the formation and stability of the pyrochlore phase present in the SBT film. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The annealing temperature dependent integrity of Sr0.8Bi2Ta2O9 (SBT) on ultra-thin 4 nm SiO2 and Al2O3 buffered Si was investigated in this work. Although the capacitance–voltage characteristics show hysteresis loops in both cases, the memory window of Sr0.8Bi2Ta2O9/Al2O3 capacitor is larger than that of Sr0.8Bi2Ta2O9/SiO2 capacitor. As increasing annealing temperature from 800 to 900 °C, the grain size and memory window of polycrystalline SBT increase both cases. At 800 °C, the leakage current density of Sr0.8Bi2Ta2O9/Al2O3 capacitor is 3.2×10−8 A/cm2 at −3 V, which is low enough for deep sub-μm application. With increasing temperature to 900 °C, the leakage current in both structures becomes smaller. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

(Ba0.7Sr0.3)TiO3 (BST) thin films doped with La, Nb, and Mg ions were prepared by metal-organic deposition method (MOD) on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. An intermediate phase formed under an annealing temperature of 550–650 °C, and disappeared at higher temperatures during the formation of BST. The intermediate phase was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectra and found to be an oxycarbonate with a chemical formula of (Ba,Sr)2Ti2O5CO3. The stability of this intermediate phase increased with the addition of dopants, irrespective of doping types. It is proposed that distortion of crystal structure, physical constraint in the two-dimensions and small grain size favor the existence of poor crystallized (Ba,Sr)2Ti2O5CO3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ferroelectric films of bismuth-containing layered perovskite Sr0.75Bi2.35(Ta2−xTix)O9 (x=0–0.8) have been prepared using a metal-organic decomposition method. The effects of Ti substitution on the microstructure evolution and ferroelectric properties of Sr0.75Bi2.35Ta2O9 films were investigated. A maximum remanent polarization of 2Pr=30.7 μC/cm2 was obtained for the Sr0.75Bi2.35Ta1.8Ti0.2O9 film as compared to Sr0.75Bi2.35Ta2O9 films (19.6 μC/cm2) annealed at 800 °C in air. The Ti substitution for Ta leads to charge compensation for the self-produced positive Bi⋅Sr due to the occupation of Bi on Sr vacancies and is responsible for the increase in leakage resistance. The leakage current density as low as 2×10−8 A/cm2 can be obtained at an applied electric field of 100 kV/cm. Substitution of Ti for Ta shows a positive effect on the fatigue endurance of Sr-deficient Sr0.75Bi2.35Ta2O9 film. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Ca-deficient apatite (CDHA) was prepared from the precursors of (CH3COO)2Ca·xH2O, Ca(NO3)2·4H2O and H3PO4, (NH4)H2PO4 to investigate the transformation mechanism of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP). X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the development of β-TCP is not via direct reaction between Ca and P for all the different combinations between Ca and P precursors. The activation energy of β-TCP formation with (NH4)H2PO4 as precursor was higher than that with H3PO4. Following the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami equation, the reaction kinetics of β-TCP phase formation is found one-dimension growth with interface-controlled and diffusion controlled growth depending on the annealing temperature. There exists a transition between 750°C and 825°C, and the transition rate from interface-controlled to diffusion-controlled growth is precursor-dependent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is one of the most common cancer types of the urinary tract. UC is associated with poor 5-year survival rate, and resistance to cisplatin-based therapy remains a challenge for invasive bladder cancer treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new drugs for advanced UC therapy. Auranofin (AF) was developed over 30 years ago for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and has been reported to exert an antitumor effect by increasing the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of AF on cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis, either alone or in combination with cisplatin. AF induced cell death in two separate cell lines, HT 1376 and BFTC 909, in a concentration- and time-dependent manner by inducing cell cycle arrest. However, the distribution of cells in different phases of the cell cycle differed between the two cell lines, with G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in HT 1376 cells and S phase arrest in BFTC 909 cells. In addition, AF induced apoptosis in HT 1376, as well as redox imbalance in both HT 1376 and BFTC 909 cells. Cell viability was rescued following treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine, a ROS scavenger. Furthermore, AF treatment synergistically increased the cytotoxicity of HT 1376 and BFTC 909 cells when combined with cisplatin treatment. These findings suggest that AF may represent a potential candidate drug against UC and increase the therapeutic effect of cisplatin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have revealed fascinating potential in multifaceted wearables. However, their reliance on physical contact and separation from human bodies presents drawbacks for efficient energy collection, especially over large areas. Herein, the first stretchable non‐contact TENG textile is proposed using a topological insulator nanocomposite coating (triboelectric layer) and a graphite‐like fabric (tribo‐charges reservoir). This design encompasses the capture, transporting, and storage of tribo‐charges, leading to enhanced device performance (452 V, 1.96 mA m−2, and 179 mW m−2) and prolonged tribo‐charges retention time (5000 min). During non‐contact operation, the output remained at 382 V (318 µA m−2), 123 V (59 µA m−2), and 94 V (23 µA m−2) for separation distances of 0.1, 0.5, and 1 cm, respectively. Additionally, it exhibits excellent stretchability (>100% strain). Notably, its performance during non‐contact operation and mechanical freedom surpasses those of previous reports, enabling both wearable non‐contact biomechanical energy harvesting and deformable self‐powered proximity sensing. Its applicability is comprehensively examined for non‐contact harvesting of body‐motion energy in garments and driving electronics. Finally, its application as a self‐powered touchless interface for system‐level applications is demonstrated. These results provide new directions for developing non‐contact biomechanical energy harvesting and sensing, enabling advancements in autonomous wearables and Metaverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts can greatly advance the commercialization of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. However, the unclear and disputed reaction mechanism and structure‐activity relationship of OER pose significant obstacles. Herein, the active site and intermediate for OER on AuIr nanoalloys are simultaneously identified and correlated with the activity, through the integration of in situ shell‐isolated nanoparticle‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy. The AuIr nanoalloys display excellent OER performance with an overpotential of only 246 mV to achieve 10 mA cm−2 and long‐term stability under strong acidic conditions. Direct spectroscopic evidence demonstrates that *OO adsorbed on IrOx sites is the key intermediate for OER, and it is generated through the O–O coupling of adsorbed oxygen species directly from water, providing clear support for the adsorbate evolution mechanism. Moreover, the Raman information of the *OO intermediate can serve as a universal "in situ descriptor" that can be obtained both experimentally and theoretically to accelerate the catalyst design. It unveils that weakening the interactions of *OO on the catalysts and facilitating its desorption would boost the OER performance. This work deepens the mechanistic understandings on OER and provides insightful guidance for the design of more efficient OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A newly-designed drug carrier with enzyme-triggered release behavior and the ability to circumvent multidrug resistance was successfully developed. By optimizing the ratio of lecithin and polysaccharide in reverse micelles, encapsulation efficiency and encapsulation stability can be significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoimmunotherapy faces challenges due to insufficient intratumoral accumulation of photothermal agents and the reversion of the cancer‐immunity cycle during treatment. In this study, an anti‐PD‐L1‐immobilized magnetic gold nanohut, AuNH‐2‐Ab, with photoresponsive, thermosensitive, and immunomodulatory properties to effectively suppress the growth of primary tumors, elevate immunogenic cell death (ICD) levels, reverse the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), and consequently inhibit metastases are developed. AuNH‐2‐Ab achieves high tumor accumulation (9.54% injected dose) following systemic administration, allowing the modulation of hyperthermia dose of over 50 °C in the tumor. By optimizing the hyperthermia dose, AuNH‐2‐Ab simultaneously target and eliminate cancer cells and tumor‐associated macrophages, thereby activating potent antitumor immunity without being compromised by immunosuppressive elements. Hyperthermia/pH induced morphological transformation of AuNH‐2‐Ab involving the detachment of the surface antibody for in situ PD‐L1 inhibition, and exposure of the inner fucoidan layer for natural killer (NK) cell activation. This precision photoimmunotherapy approach reprograms the TIME, significantly prolongs survival in a murine hepatocellular carcinoma model (Hep55.1c), and harnesses the synergistic effects of ICD production and checkpoint inhibitors by utilizing a single nanoplatform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have investigated the physical and electrical properties of Bi[sub 3.25]La[sub 0.75]Ti[sub 3]O[sub 12] (BLT) thin films on Pt/Ti/SiO[sub 2]/Si and on Al[sub 2]O[sub 3](6 nm)/Si, which are used for one-transistor-one-capacitor and one-transistor ferroelectric memory, respectively. The BLT thin films on both substrates show good capacitance–voltage characteristics and the same threshold voltage shift of 1.6 V at applied ±10 V bias. However, the leakage current of BLT on Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si at -100 kV/cm is two orders of magnitude lower than that on Pt. The comparable memory characteristics and much reduced leakage current of BLT on Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si are the strong advantages as compared with BLT on Pt because it is directly related to switching energy and device scaling down. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of annealing temperature, especially at high temperatures, on the physical and electrical properties of Bi[sub 3.25]La[sub 0.75]Ti[sub 3]O[sub 12] (BLT) thin films on A1[sub 2]O[sub 3] (10 nm)/Si has been investigated. The width of memory window in capacitance-voltage curves for BLT/A1[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si capacitors annealed at temperature range of 700 °C-950 °C increases with increasing annealing temperature. At the highest annealing temperature of 950 °C, a large ferroelectric memory window of 13 V is obtained under ± 15 V sweep voltage, and this large ferroelectric memory window should be related to the reduced leakage current. Owing to the excellent electrical properties, the high-temperature stable BLT/A1[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si capacitor is compatible with current very large scale integrated technology process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb[sub 1.2]Zr[sub 1-x]Ti[sub x])O[sub 3] (PZT) films with a variety of compositions were prepared by spin coating on Pt/Ti/SiO[sub 2]/Si substrate with sol–gel processing. The roles of composition (phase) and orientation in ferroelectric properties of PZT films have been determined. The Zr-rich PZT films with (111)-oriented PZT films have a higher remanent polarization but also show a higher fatigue rate as compared to (100)-oriented films in both Zr-rich(65/35) and Ti-rich(35/65) PZT compositions. The lower fatigue rate of (100)-oriented film can be attributed to its easier reversible domain-wall motions compared to (111)-oriented PZT films due to the absence of internal field stress and less dependence on electrical field. A mode based on domain-wall contribution instead of film–electrode interface is favored to elucidate the role of orientation in fatigue characteristics of PZT films. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sr[sub 0.8]Bi[sub 2]Ta[sub 2]O[sub 9] (SBT) ferroelectric film constructed on Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si to form metal-ferroelectricinsulator-semiconductor (MFIS) was prepared to study the degradation behavior of SBT films under forming gas annealing (FGA). Although the diffusion of hydrogen ions has been detected during FGA treatment, no significant differences in the microstructure and crystalline phase are observed for the SBT film compared to that without FGA treatment. However, the diffusion of hydrogen ions leads to the rapid decrease in the dielectric constant but shows no apparent influence on the memory window of Sr[sub 0.8]Bi[sub 2]Ta[sub 2]O[sub 9]/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si capacitors. In addition, it was found that FGA shows a positive effect on the leakage current of MFIS in contrast to that of metal/ferroelectric/metal structure. The leakage current density of MFIS dramatically decreases as much as two orders of magnitude after FGA at 500 °C compared to that without FGA treatment that was attributed to the reduced defects at the interface of Al[sub 2]O[sub 3]/Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts with excellent activity and robust stability presents a central challenge for the large‐scale commercialization of water electrolysis. Herein, a facile approach is reported for the construct of atomically thin amorphous RuM (MCo, Fe, or Ni) bimetallenes as high‐performance electrocatalysts toward both electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The RuCo bimetallene manifests excellent bifunctional activity characterized by low required overpotentials, superior price activity, robust electrochemical durability as well as a low cell potential water splitting performance, outperforming Pt/C and RuO2 benchmark catalysts. Combined operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy investigation and theoretical simulations reveal the synergism taking place between binary constituents, in which Co serves a promotive role along the HER/OER reaction pathway, contributing via optimal binding to *OH for facile water dissociation as well as modulating the Ru electronic structure favorably, hence rendering high activity catalytic centers for both the alkaline HER and OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human polyomavirus BK (BKPyV) causes associated nephropathy and contributes to urinary tract cancer development in renal transplant recipients. Large tumor antigen (LT) is an early protein essential in the polyomavirus life cycle. Protein acetylation plays a critical role in regulating protein stability, so this study investigated the acetylation of the BKPyV LT protein. Methods: The BKPyV LT nucleotide was synthesized, and the protein was expressed by transfection into permissive cells. The BKPyV LT protein was immunoprecipitated and subjected to LC-MS/MS analysis to determine the acetylation residues. The relative lysine was then mutated to arginine in the LT nucleotide and BKPyV genome to analyze the role of LT lysine acetylation in the BKPyV life cycle. Results: BKPyV LT acetylation sites were identified at Lys3 and Lys230 by mass spectrometry. HDAC3 and HDAC8 and their deacetylation activity are required for BKPyV LT expression. In addition, mutations of Lys3 and Lys230 to arginine increased LT expression, and the interaction of HDAC3 and LT was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation. Conclusions: HDAC3 is a newly identified protein that interacts with BKPyV LT, and LT acetylation plays a vital role in the BKPyV life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the ongoing development of portable/mobile electronics, sources to power have received widespread attention. Compared to chemical batteries as power sources, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) possess lots of advantages, including the ability to harvest energy via human motions, flexible structures, environment‐friendliness, and long‐life characteristics. Although many self‐healable TENGs are reported, the achievement of a muscle‐like elasticity and the ability to recover from inevitable damage under extreme conditions (such as a high/low temperature and/or humidity) remain a challenge. Herein, a "double‐terminal aromatic disulfide" on a structure with zwitterions as branched chains is reported to engineer the high‐efficient self‐healable elastomer for application in a flexible TENG. The as‐designed material exhibits a repeatable elastic recovery (at 250% elongation) and a self‐healing efficiency with an ultimate tensile stress of 96% over 2 h, representing an improvement on previously reported disulfide‐based elastomers. The elastomer can autonomously recover by 50% even at a subzero temperature of −30 °C within 24 h. The elastomer‐based TENG, as a self‐driven sensor for detecting human behavior, is demonstrated to exhibit stable outputs and self‐healing in the temperature range of −30 to 60 °C, and so is expected to promote the development of self‐powered electronics for next‐generation human–machine communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keloid scarring is an abnormal scar disease characterised by excessive proliferation of fibroblasts and over-deposition of collagen during wound healing. Although various treatments for keloid scars have been developed, preventive medicine is believed to be a promising strategy. The skin barrier limits the gentle topical administration of medicaments such as creams and hydrogel dressings, resulting in reduced therapeutic efficacy. In recent years, microneedles (MNs) have been regarded as an appreciable device for topical administration without inducing side effects, and they are painless and do not cause bleeding. In this study, an MN patch with controlled transdermal dual-drug release was developed to achieve combinatory treatment of keloid scars using a heterogeneous gelatin-structured composite MN. Gelatin hydrogel was used as a substrate to load gallic acid (GA) and quercetin-loaded amphiphilic gelatin nanoparticles to fabricate dual-drug heterogeneous composite MNs. The results of the insertion test and mechanical properties of the MNs showed that the heterogeneous composite MN patches could be self-pressed into the stratum corneum and control dual-drug release at different time periods. GA was released at an earlier stage to retard the proliferation of fibroblasts, and quercetin was released at a later stage as a strong antioxidant to erase the generation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction data indicated that the gene expression of fibroblasts (such as Col I and III) was downregulated in the dual-drug system. The above results demonstrate that using heterogeneous composite MNs with the combination of dual-drug pharmacology is beneficial for preventing keloid scar formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent article published in Advanced Energy Materials discusses the development of a stretchable and textile-based triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) that can harvest biomechanical energy in a contactless manner. The researchers achieved this by using a topological-insulator nanocomposite coating and a graphite-like fabric. The TENG not only allows for energy harvesting but also serves as a touchless self-powered interface. The design offers superior performance, excellent stretchability, and remarkable charge retention, making it suitable for wearable energy and sensing applications. [Extracted from the article]

An optimized mixture of polydopamine (PDA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is employed as the surface functionalizing agent and reducing agent to encapsulate individual polypropylene (PP) fibers of polypropylene micromembrane (PPMM). The functionalized PPMM becomes hydrophilic to allow the formation of Au nuclei for subsequent electroless Au deposition. The metalized PPMM is further deposited with IrO2 nanoparticles, and evaluated as a flexible and porous pH sensor. Images from scanning electron microscope confirms the uniform formation of IrO2 nanoparticles on Au-coated PP fibers. For pH-sensing performance, the IrO2-decorated metalized PPMM reveals a super-Nernstian response for a sensing slope of -74.45 mV/pH in aqueous solutions with pH value ranging between 2 and 12. In addition, the pH-sensing performance is properly maintained after 5000 bending cycles and hysteresis is modest in an acidic environment. The cell viability test indicates a negligible bio-toxicity. Our strategy of using a conductive polymeric membrane decorated with IrO2 nanoparticles enables possible sensing applications in wearable and implantable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Europium-activated barium magnesium aluminate (BaMgAl10O17:Eu (BAM)) phosphor particles were modified by surface coating with MgO using a polyol method. The photoluminescence (PL) properties of the MgO-coated BAM phosphors showed slightly improved blue-emission intensity compared to the unmodified ones, and reached a stronger peak intensity with 5.25% MgO coating, under vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) 147nm excitation. Upon microwave irradiation on the MgO-coated BAM phosphors, the PL properties of the MgO-coated phosphors exhibited a much enhanced relative PL ratio, and a maximum relative PL ratio can be achieved when as high as 10.5% MgO was deposited on the phosphor surface. However, for mechanically ground phosphor powder, it was found that although the intensity of the MgO-coated BAM turned stronger with increasing MgO concentration under microwave irradiation, the purity of the resulting luminescence was slightly disrupted by the presence of a new peak near 470nm, corresponding to BaMg3Al14O25 compound. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: BaMgAl10O17:Eu (BAM) has been an excellent blue-emitting phosphor due to its outstanding luminescence efficiency and purity for plasma display panels. An attempt of employing microwave irradiation to modify the surface properties including morphology and crystallinity of BAM powder was performed in this work. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the blue-emitting phosphors after microwave irradiation treatment exhibit better crystallinity and smoother surface. Furthermore, the vacuum ultraviolet photoluminescence spectra show that the luminescent intensity of BAM phosphors can be effectively enhanced by a factor of six times under microwave irradiation treatment. The enhanced luminescent properties can be closely related to the surface modification and reduced defects of the BAM blue-emitting phosphors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Highly arrayed nitrogen-doped ZnO nanorods were fabricated on Si buffered with ZnO film by combining wet-chemical process with post-treated by NH3 plasma. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement demonstrates that the nitrogen-doped ZnO nanorods have been formed due to nitrogen diffusion through surface adsorption or defect routes. The photoluminescence spectra indicate that a strong UV emission peak around 3.31eV with negligible deep level emission can be obtained for the nitrogen-doped ZnO nanorods compared to that of the untreated sample. The I–V measurements indicate that the p-type ZnO nanorods with a smaller threshold voltage of 1.5V can be obtained. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two substrates, Si and ZnO film-coated Si (ZnOf/Si), were used to investigate growth behavior and microstructure evolution of single-crystal ZnO nanorods (ZNs) in aqueous solutions at low temperatures. It was found that those ZNs present different growth behavior and characterization. On pure Si substrate, ZNs were scattered over the entire Si substrate with a preferred orientation in the (100) plane or grown along the direction. HRTEM observation demonstrates that the scattered ZNs exhibit a two-stage growth mechanism with a self-assembly process of ZNs in the later growth stage. In contrast, on ZnOf/Si, well-aligned ZNs were directly nucleated from ZnO film on Si and grown along the [0002] direction. In comparison with the scattered ZNs, a larger aspect ratio (length/width) up to 25–30 was obtained for the well-aligned ZNs. In addition, some planar defects such as stacking faults probably resulted due to faster stacking of a ZnO growth unit in the later growth stage. These observations and findings imply that the growth of the well-aligned ZNs from the solution is not related to the used substrates but strongly influenced by the surface treatment and characteristics on the substrate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Zn precursor synthesized from Zn(ClO4)2 solution was used as nucleation seeds for the growth of Zn polygon prismatic nanocrystals on silicon via a thermal vapor transport at low temperatures of 150–400°C (substrate) in Ar atmosphere. Depending on different reaction temperature and atmosphere, Zn–ZnO core-shell polygon prismatic nanocrystals with a dimension from nanometer to micrometer can be developed as evidenced from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and auger nanoprobe electron spectroscopy analysis. The Zn–ZnO polygon prismatic structure shows weak UV emission and strong deep-level emission. However, photoluminescence properties and crystallization of Zn–ZnO prismatic nanocrystals could be improved by suitable post-treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A simple route for synthesizing nano-sized β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) at room temperature has been developed in methanol solvent. The phase evolution from CaHPO4, intermediate amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) phases (including ACP1 and ACP2 with different structures) to final β-TCP with increasing aging time was observed. The formation of β-TCP phase is favored due to the incorporation of carbonate which can suppress the transformation of ACP1 phase. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy image along [1 –1 0 0] zone axis of β-TCP reveals two types of lattice fringes (straight and wavy fringes) in β-TCP structure due to structural imperfection. Furthermore, the observations of abnormal diffraction intensity and superlattice diffraction in selected-area diffraction patterns further confirm the chemical order–disorder characteristics in β-TCP structure and can be used to elucidate the resorbability of β-TCP in either in vivo or in vitro environment due to the imperfection in β-TCP crystal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]