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Transparent flexible display devices have attracted massive attention in recent years owing to their practical applications that can be compatibly adapted to human demand and technological development. Worldwide researchers have studied flexible transparent thin film transistors (TFTs) to qualify them for the backplane component of future transparent and flexible displays. Simplifying the fabrication process of a TFT can be considered a critical need for reducing consumed cost, time, toxic chemicals. In this study, sputtering was utilized as a major fabrication method for manufacturing a transparent oxide TFT device, which demonstrated good mechanical flexibility. A simple surface treatment process was applied to enhance the susceptibility of the sputtered Al 2 O 3 dielectric through multiple coatings of solution processed Al 2 O 3. It is noteworthy that the transparent oxide TFT device exhibits a high optical transparency of 81.12% and good electrical switchability at low operating voltage (3 V) with a decent mobility of 4.37 cm2 V−1 s−1 and proven mechanical durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithography process in semiconductor dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) fabrication plants (fabs) is usually a major bottleneck, and reticle scheduling is complicated by process-specific constraints such as diversity of the product mix and rapidly changing deadlines. This study proposes a three-phase scheduling framework to solve the multi-objective reticle scheduling problem, reducing capacity loss, maintaining line balance and meeting customer demand. The genetic algorithm (GA) and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) are used to optimize the scheduling with a trade-off among the multiple objectives. This study tests the proposed framework based on a real semiconductor DRAM (fab) in Taiwan, which has two unrelated parallel machines in its lithography process. The study finds that the proposed framework results in better scheduling reports, reduced computation times and improvements in the overall performance of lithography equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promising routes of metallic additive manufacturing favor the fabrication of refined functional components. Nonetheless, dealing with the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) parameters and costs for making the most of this technology is still an issue. The challenge gets bigger when considering less explored parameters, such as the process atmosphere and build location. So, this study aimed to address the main differences in microstructure, crystallography, mechanical properties, and surface finishing of maraging steel components manufactured under two different atmospheres (N2 and a mixture of 75%Ar-25%He atmospheres) and three build locations arranged along the gas flow direction. Based on experimental characterizations, the porosity fraction, microstructural constituents and metallurgical flaws, phase composition and martensite matrix crystallographic parameters, macrotexture, mechanical properties, roughness, and surface residual stress were investigated and compared for the different manufacturing conditions. The porosity fraction had the most expressive changes with the gas type and the build location, reaching a 53% overall reduction under N2 and a 112 to 302% rise for the front located sample compared to the others. The underlying mechanisms involved in the observed results, mainly related to process by-products behavior, were discussed. Broadly, the N2 atmosphere stands out over the analyzed properties. These findings underscore the role of atmospheric selection in the LPBF process, considering the overall quality and performance of the fabricated material and the possibility of cost reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater purification from wasted water and seawater is crucial in addressing the global problem of water scarcity. Porous fiber felt with a micro/nanostructure emerges as an efficient approach for water purification; however, its production usually relies on chemical postprocessing to create micro/nano structures on the fiber surface, which might pollute the environment. This study proposed an ecofriendly method to produce micro/nanostructured copper fiber felt without chemical treatment. First, a new transverse-feeding vibration cutting is proposed to fabricate micro/nanostructured fibers with controllable structure characteristics. Through the sintering of the structured fibers without postprocessing, the fiber felt can be produced in an ecofriendly way and exhibit special wettability and excellent photothermal properties. Felt-based freshwater purification, including oil–water separation and solar-driven seawater desalination, can be realized effectively. Results show an oil–water separation efficiency of > 90% and a high evaporation rate of water of > 1.08 kg m−2 h−1 at 73 mW cm−2 are achieved, demonstrating the application prospect of the produced fiber felt. Highlights: A transverse-feeding vibration cutting process is proposed to fabricate micro/nanostructured copper fibers. Micro/nanostructured based felts can achieve special wettability and corresponding wettability transition. Micro/nanostructured fibers can enhance the felts' photothermal conversion ability and reduce heat transfer loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, pure ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films at different concentrations were successfully grown on an ITO substrate using the SILAR method. The produced thin films were characterized by SEM/EDS, XRD, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. According to the XRD analysis results, it was observed that the produced thin films crystallized on a nanometer scale, and the crystallization quality varied depending on the concentration of Al doping. SEM/EDS analysis results indicated that Al-doped ZnO thin films affected the morphology, forming nano-root structures. UV-Vis analysis results showed that the band gap values of the thin films produced varied depending on the Al dopant, with decreased values, sharper absorption edges, and increased absorption intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of single-atom catalysts (SACs) represents a groundbreaking advancement in the field of catalysis over the past decades. With the in-depth exploration of relevant structure-activity relationships, the metal-support interaction (MSI) is widely adopted to elucidate variations in electronic structure and coordination configuration of atomic active sites on various kinds of supports. Herein, we briefly summarize the metal oxide supports for SACs fabrication, including the distinctive characteristics of metal oxide supports, enlightening advancements in metal oxide support-based SACs (MO-SACs), feasible preparation methods for MO-SACs and effective regulation strategies of MSI effect in MO-SACs. In addition, we present our viewpoints and outlook in this field to stimulate rational design and construction of novel MO-SACs applied in diverse renewable energy devices, while some universal suggestions are sincerely given to provoke thoughtful considerations during the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of missing components in incomplete instances precludes a kernel-based model from incorporating partially observed components of incomplete instances and computing kernels, including Gaussian kernels that are extensively used in machine learning modeling and applications. Existing methods with Gaussian kernels to handle incomplete data, however, are based on independence among variables. In this study, we propose a new method, the expected Gaussian kernel with correlated variables, that estimates the Gaussian kernel with incomplete data, by considering the correlation among variables. In the proposed method, the squared distance between two instance vectors is modeled with the sum of the correlated squared unit-dimensional distances between the instances, and the Gaussian kernel with missing values is obtained by estimating the expected Gaussian kernel function under the probability distribution for the squared distance between the vectors. The proposed method is evaluated on synthetic data and real-life data from benchmarks and a case from a multi-pattern photolithographic process for wafer fabrication in semiconductor manufacturing. The experimental results show the improvement by the proposed method in the estimation of Gaussian kernels with incomplete data of correlated variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injection moulding has been a pivotal technology in the mass production of polymer optics for many years. The surface quality of the moulding inserts exerts a significant influence on the quality of the optics produced. In the production of micro-structured polymer optics, such as Fresnel lenses, conventional isothermal injection moulding is unable to achieve the requisite surface accuracy. Variothermal injection moulding allows for improved surface accuracy and reduced residual stresses, but increases technical effort and cycle times. To reduce the cycle time and residual stresses of variothermal injection moulding, the potential of additive manufacturing of Al-40Si for the fabrication of moulding inserts is investigated. In order to achieve these objectives, the offered design freedom of additive manufacturing is investigated with a view to developing optimised conformal cooling channels. Numerical methods will be used for thermal and structural analyses. The performance of the newly developed moulding insert is evaluated experimentally by thermographic measurements and the measurement of stress birefringence on replicated PMMA samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in additive manufacturing enable fabrication of architected materials composed of microstructures with extreme mechanical properties. In the design of such architected materials, the parameterization of microstructures determines not just the computational cost but also connectivity between adjacent microstructures. In this paper, we propose a periodic composite function (PCF)-based approach for designing microstructures. The shape of the microstructures is characterized by the value of the periodic composite functions. The proposed method can program microstructures with both positive and negative Poisson's ratios by a small number of parameters. Furthermore, due to its implicit representation, the proposed method allows for continuously tiling of microstructures with different mechanical properties. Explicit geometric features of the PCF-based microstructures are extracted, and the condition to maintain connectivity between adjacent microstructures is derived. Based on the proposed approach, multiple groups of 2D and 3D microstructures with Poisson's ratios ranging from negative to positive are presented. Combining with a deep neural network (DNN)-based surrogate model to predict macroscopic material properties of the microstructures, the proposed method is applied to the design of architected materials for elastic deformation control. Numerical examples on both microstructure representation and architected materials design are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe treatment of recurrent genital herpes typically involves daily doses of acyclovir for extended periods. Additive manufacturing is an intriguing technique for creating personalised drug delivery systems, which can enhance the effectiveness of treatments for various diseases. The vaginal route offers a viable alternative for the systemic administration of drugs with low oral bioavailability. In this study, we produced different grades of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filaments through hot-melt extrusion, with acyclovir concentrations of 0%, 10%, and 20% by weight. We used fused filament fabrication to manufacture matrix-based devices, including intrauterine devices and intravaginal rings. Our results, obtained through SEM, FTIR, and DSC analyses, confirm the successful incorporation of acyclovir into the matrix. Thermal analysis reveals that the manufacturing process alters the organization of the TPU chains, resulting in a slight reduction in crystallinity. In our in-vitro tests, we observed an initial burst release on the first day, followed by sustained release at reduced rates for up to 145 days, demonstrating their potential for long-term applications. Additionally, cytotoxicity analysis suggests the excellent biocompatibility of the printed devices, and biological assays show a remarkable 99% reduction in HSV-1 replication. In summary, TPU printed devices offer a promising alternative for long-term genital herpes treatment, with the results obtained potentially contributing to the advancement of pharmaceutical manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a sensor array of microscale organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) using poly (3,4−ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) as the channel material. The devices show high sensitivity and selectivity to detect dopamine (DA) with platinum (Pt) as a pseudo−reference gate electrode. First, we describe the wafer−scale fabrication process for manufacturing the PEDOT:PSS OECTs, and then we introduce a dilution method to adjust the thickness of the PEDOT:PSS film. Next, we investigate the effect of the film thickness on the sensitivity of DA detection. Reducing the film thickness enhances the sensitivity of DA detection within the concentration range of 1 μM to 100 μM. The OECTs show impressive sensitivitywith a limit of detection (LoD) as low as 1 nM and a high selectivity against uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA). Finally, we modify the surface of the Pt gate electrode with chitosan to improve the selectivity of OECTs at high concentrations of up to 100 µM to expand the detection range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodological approach to conducting a literature review on additive manufacturing (AM), which is a groundbreaking manufacturing technique that involves the successive layering of materials to create components. The use of AM not only reduces manufacturing waste but also saves time and simplifies assembly processes. The current research focused on exploring the advances of AM in fabricating self-lubricating components. By using specific keywords, relevant data sources were extracted from databases. The literature review highlights the extensive exploration of AM in tribological research, demonstrating its successful application in creating self-lubricating components that have yielded positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the design of an on-chip integrated photon pair source based on Spontaneous Four Wave Mixing (SFWM), implemented on a ring resonator in the 4H Silicon Carbide On Insulator (4H-SiCOI) platform, compatible with a solid state quantum memory in the telecommunications band. Through careful engineering of the waveguide dispersion and micro-ring resonator dimensions, we found solutions where the signal photons are emitted at 1536.48 nm with a bandwidth of ∼ 150 MHz, enabling the interaction with the hyperfine structure of Er 3 + ions. Simultaneously, the idler photons are generated at 1563.86 nm, matching the central wavelength of a specific channel in a commercial dense wavelength division multiplexing system. The proposed device fulfill all the spectral requirements in a simple ring-bus coupled waveguide configuration with design parameters within the range of reported values for similar resonators, making feasible its manufacturing with current fabrication capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vat photopolymerization (VP) additive manufacturing enables fabrication of complex 3D objects by using light to selectively cure a liquid resin. Developed in the 1980s, this technique initially had few practical applications due to limitations in print speed and final part material properties. In the four decades since the inception of VP, the field has matured substantially due to simultaneous advances in light delivery, interface design, and materials chemistry. Today, VP materials are used in a variety of practical applications and are produced at industrial scale. In this perspective, we trace the developments that enabled this printing revolution by focusing on the enabling themes of light, interfaces, and materials. We focus on these fundamentals as they relate to continuous liquid interface production (CLIP), but provide context for the broader VP field. We identify the fundamental physics of the printing process and the key breakthroughs that have enabled faster and higher-resolution printing, as well as production of better materials. We show examples of how in situ print process monitoring methods such as optical coherence tomography can drastically improve our understanding of the print process. Finally, we highlight areas of recent development such as multimaterial printing and inorganic material printing that represent the next frontiers in VP methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio‐inspired approaches in materials science and systems chemistry are yielding a variety of stimuli‐responsive and dynamic materials that are gradually changing our everyday life. However, the ability to chemically program these materials to exhibit macroscopic higher‐order behaviours such as self‐assembly, contractility, swarming, taxis, chemical communication, or predator‐prey dynamics remains an ongoing challenge. While still in its infancy, the successful fabrication of bio‐inspired materials displaying higher‐order behaviours not only will help bridging the gap between living and non‐living matter, but it will also contribute to the development of advanced materials for potential applications ranging from tissue engineering and biotechnology, to soft robotics and regenerative medicine. Our Mini‐Review will systematically discuss the higher‐order behaviours developed thus far in bio‐inspired systems, namely (i) polymer networks (ii) microbots, (iii) protocells, and (iv) prototissues. For each system it will provide key examples and highlight how the emergent behaviour could be chemically programmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various techniques have been proposed to manufacture prosthetic sockets, which are essential in improving the quality of life among amputees and individuals with special needs. However, the fabrication of prosthetics using the available approaches is uneconomical due to the type of materials utilized during the production, as well as the direct methods that use expensive materials to produce prosthetic parts. Considering this, it is crucial to enhance the direct methods by exploiting cost-effective materials to produce prosthetic parts with desirable behaviors. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the fatigue performance of below-knee (BK) prosthetic sockets manufactured using three different techniques: laminate, direct, and novel. The three sockets specimens were first manufactured. Specimen A was made via the direct method using 4 layers of carbon fiber as the reinforcement and AX140401 as the matrix. Specimen B was also fabricated via the lamination method using 4 layers of carbon fiber as the reinforcement and lamination resin + hardener acrylic as the matrix. Finally, specimen C was made via the direct novel method using 4 layers of carbon as the reinforcement, and the matrix was composed of 20% polyurethane resin (part A: resin, part B: hardener) + 80% acrylic. Subsequently, the pressure distribution at the contact point between the socket and the residual limb was analyzed using the FSOCKET device. Furthermore, the numerical analysis included the distribution of the stress and the highest internal pressure, the number of cycles ascertained through the utilization of the SOLIDWORKS software. Based on the results, the S-N curves for each specimen show that all three specimens behaved similarly. Using the F-socket, the pressure during the patient's walking cycle reached its highest point at 190 kPa. In addition, applying ground reaction force from the bottom of the direct, lamination, and novel BK prosthetic sockets demonstrated the pressure distribution of the part that reacts to the loading condition. The SOLIDWORKS program revealed from the pressure distribution of the three sockets measured a maximum internal pressure of 191 kPa, 193 kPa, and 191 kPa sequentially, which was close to the pressure within the F-socket. Besides, the number of cycles for the direct, lamination, and novel BK prosthetic sockets was 1,332,345, 1,202,345, and 1,203,567 cycles. In summary, all three specimens fabricated via the direct, lamination, and novel methods achieved similar fatigue performance of BK prosthetic sockets. So, the novel BK prosthetic socket wad designed in which fabricated using a new matrix material was considered acceptable, similar to specimens A and B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized electrochemical deposition microadditive manufacturing (AM) (LECD-µAM) technology represents a nontraditional manufacturing method applied for the layer-by-layer fabrication of metal microstructures via a fully automatic feedback mechanism. In terms of material utilization and complex structure formation, the proposed technology exhibits great potential for microstructure fabrication. The LECD-µAM technology introduced in this study involves the reduction of metal cations in the electrolyte to form metal microstructures. This study showed the flow simulation of an electrolyte in the cantilever probe and pressure distribution at the probe tip. In addition, the effect of extrusion pressure on the deposition structure was investigated experimentally. Combined with the experimental results, we discussed the effects of LECD-µAM technology on deposition outcomes and optimized parameters and designed a printing route for the deposition of complex metal microstructure arrays with smooth surfaces. The proposed technology attained a deposition rate and a microstructural copper content of 0.961 µm/s and 99.5%. In addition, LECD-µAM technology can be performed at room temperature, has low environmental requirements and cost, provides a good deposition surface, and holds great potential for the manufacture of three-dimensional and other complex microstructure arrays. Highlights: The technology realizes micron level complex structure additive manufacturing based on the hollow atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilever probe. By designing the deposition path, adjust the extrusion pressure to control the deposition structure. The proposed technology attained a deposition rate and a microstructural copper content of 0.961 µm/s and 99.5%. It has the characteristics of faster speed and higher purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healing of damaged skin is a complex and dynamic process, and the multifunctional hydrogel dressings could promote skin tissue healing. This study, therefore, explored the development of a composite multifunctional hydrogel (HDCP) by incorporating the dopamine modified hyaluronic acid (HA-DA) and phenylboronic acid modified chitosan (CS-PBA) crosslinked using boric acid ester bonds. The integration of HA-DA and CS-PBA could be confirmed using the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The fabricated HDCP hydrogels exhibited porous structure, elastic solid behavior, shear-thinning, and adhesion properties. Furthermore, the HDCP hydrogels exhibited antibacterial efficacy against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Subsequently, the cytocompatibility of the HDCP hydrogels was verified through CCK-8 assay and fluorescent image analysis following co-cultivation with NIH-3T3 cells. This research presents an innovative multifunctional hydrogel that holds promise as a wound dressing for various applications within the realm of wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing technology has fostered its significant application in soft robotics fabrication due to the design freedom and ease of realizing complex geometries. The selection of an appropriate additive manufacturing process (out-of-material extrusion, vat photopolymerization, and powder bed fusion) is vital for the fabrication of soft robotics as the process greatly influences the quality of the part further affecting the functionality and service life. These pneumatically actuated robots in their service life are subjected to fatigue loading and handling of very delicate tasks; thus, the porosity (including pores characterization) and surface roughness are two critical quality parameters which should be considered while choosing the fabrication process. In this study, a three-way decision-making (a multi-criteria decision-making tool) approach is implemented for selecting an appropriate additive manufacturing process for the fabrication of high-quality parts for soft robotics applications. The results (ranking of AM processes) obtained using the proposed approach are compared with the conventional decision-making techniques, namely TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), MOORA (Multi-Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis), and VIKOR (VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija). The sensitivity analysis carried out in this work also suggests that three-way decision-making is as effective as other MCDM tools and the vat photopolymerization process is the most suitable out of all for fabricating TPU actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder bed fusion (PBF) is an attractive additive manufacturing option for fabrication of SiC object with complex geometries. However, the density and microstructure controls remain a challenge. This study is aimed at understanding laser–SiC interactions, with emphasis on microstructure‐processing relationships, to identify potential solutions for the process improvement. SiC tubes were fabricated by PBF of pure SiC powders without sintering additives. Comprehensive analysis by X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy indicated that binding of SiC particles was achieved by incongruent melting of SiC to a Si/C mixture containing SiC micro‐ and nanocrystallites. The phase evolution under laser irradiation of SiC was explained by phase diagrams. This study uncovered the PBF SiC microstructure at different length scales and the relationship between the microstructure and the processing parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable electrochemical sensors, which can track various biomarkers in real‐time, is one of the most promising bioanalytical devices in the point of care testing and health management. Sample collection modules, as the important front‐end of the sensors, capture and transfer enough sample so as to achieve real‐time, precise and accurate detection. Noninvasive and minimally invasive techniques for sample collection are highly desired. However, it is still a key challenge to realize a reliable sample acquisition. Herein, we provide an overview on the progress in the sample collection methods for wearable electrochemical sensors. It covers the conventional and emerging methods/structures including reverse iontophoresis, microneedles, as well as microfluidic chips. The working principle, fabrication materials and manufacturing technologies will be introduced in detail. Finally, the present challenges and the development trend in the future of these approaches are also put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely used in the analysis of analytes because of its unique fingerprint characteristics, high sensitivity, and fast detection response. MXene is widely used in SERS studies among the various substrates due to its ultra-high chemical stability, excellent conductivity, hydrophilicity, and low fabrication cost. This mini-review summarizes MXene's research in the SERS field from two aspects. We reviewed MXene materials used as SERS substrates alone and combined with noble metal particles primarily. Subsequently, we outlined representative applications of MXene-based SERS in biomedicine, food safety, and environmental monitoring. Moreover, we discussed the technical bottleneck and the prospect of future development in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies have transformed manufacturing, by providing greater control over material deposition and consumption. Thanks to greater customization and their high strength-to-mass ratio, the AM of composite materials has significantly grown over the past few years. The main focus in this research area is improving printing precision and higher production rates. However, there is a lack of thorough analysis on the energy consumption of fused filament fabrication (FFF) machines for composite manufacturing, especially when associated with mechanical and economic aspects. We designed an experimental method, based on flow analysis for measuring the impact of temperature parameters on total cost, energy consumption, and tensile resistance of composite parts made by FFF. The user should be able to improve FFF efficiency regarding economic, energy, and technical aspects and obtain recommendations for setting up and using the machine. This study confirms that combining traditional economic and technical indicators (total cost and tensile resistance) with emerging energy indicators (specific energy consumption) can be successfully applied to additive manufacturing to provide an overview of printing parameters impact. Results are yielding information to support optimization investigations depending on the need and goal. For example, two tested parameter combinations that offer similar tensile properties (4% reduction in tensile resistance compared to the best combination) show a 20% difference with lower energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bottom‐up fabrication of compartmentalized cell‐like entities represents a promising avenue for reconstituting hierarchical organization within cells and emulating life‐like behaviors. Integrating the creation of semipermeable membranes and membraneless artificial organelles has recently garnered significant attention, aiming to achieve cytomimetic properties. We briefly describe the concept of liquid‐liquid phase separation and review approaches for the fabrication of cell‐sized membranous protocells (e. g. giant unilamellar vesicles, polymersomes and proteinosomes). Three strategies are emphasized for the construction of advanced cell‐like structures consisting of liquid‐like subcompartments enclosed by a membrane: (i) adsorption and assembly of organic or inorganic species onto the surface of preformed coacervate microdroplets; (ii) interfacial assembly of a lipid or polymer bilayer on the surface of an aqueous pool containing preformed microdroplets; and (ii) triggering phase separation within a preformed semipermeable membrane with chemical or physical stimuli. This review underscores the significance of the hierarchical organization of these synthetic cellular structures in mimicking cytomimetic functions, including transmembrane signaling, protocell communication, prototissue formation, and their compelling biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorylated fibers offer a broad range of applications, particularly in thermal insulation, notably with wood fibers, provided they exhibit improved mechanical characteristics. Despite encountering challenges in applying traditional papermaking methods, the creation of paper or board sheets with phosphorylated pulp fibers remains a challenge. Findings suggest that phosphorylation-modified fibers show increased roughness. Moreover, in comparison with unbeaten kraft sheets (KF) and thermomechanical pulp sheets (TMP), those made from phosphorylated kraft fibers (PKF), using a cationic coagulant and a flocculant, demonstrate significant enhancements in burst index, break index, and tensile energy absorption by 2.12 times, 1.7 times, and 2.77 times, respectively. Similarly, phosphorylated TMP sheets, prepared with a dual polymeric system (coagulant/flocculant), exhibit improvements of 1.42 times, 1.33 times, and 1.82 times, respectively, in these properties. The study emphasizes the ameliorating effect of cationic polymeric agents on the charge impact of phosphorylated fibers on overall sheet quality, while also highlighting the substantial influence of hot-pressing lignin-containing paper on all determined physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of shape and size-dependent nanostructures for environmental applications. It highlights the role of nanostructured materials in areas such as green energy, environmental monitoring, and pollution treatment. The article emphasizes the impact of morphology and dimension on the catalytic properties of nanostructures and explores the potential of anisotropic and dimensional factors in addressing environmental challenges. The authors also discuss the synthesis strategies and applications of nanostructured materials in catalysis and CO2 remediation. Overall, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the topic and offers insights for future research in this field. [Extracted from the article]

Polymer filaments represent the fundamental materials employed in fused filament fabrication additive manufacturing. This paper uses an innovative nondestructive evaluation technique for gauging the elastic properties of these polymer filaments. The method hinges on acoustic wave scattering theory, wherein a polymer filament is immersed in water and exposed to an incident acoustic wave. The waves scattered from the cylinder contain crucial information concerning the elastic properties of the filament. To extract these properties, an inverse method is applied which compares the resonance frequencies of the scattered signal with those anticipated based on a theoretical model. To improve the performance of this method in identifying the resonance frequencies, the derivative of the unwrapped phase within the backscattered pressure spectrum is analyzed. This is an advantageous approach as it can be equally applied to both experimental and theoretical pressure spectra, simplifying the task of identification of resonance frequencies considerably. The method's effectiveness is exemplified through its application to an aluminum rod followed by its application to two polymer filaments. Comparing the elastic constants of the polymer filaments determined through the proposed method with values reported in the literature underscores the method's capability to accurately measure the elastic constants of polymer filaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in a suspension have been shown to change resistance by an order of magnitude based on an applied field. We have prepared the MNPs samples with matrices of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PDOT:PSS) or H2O, and Co MNPs and carried out the magnetoresistive measurements. A switch-based model is used to understand the mechanism for the change in resistance. We further propose devices for memory based on MNPs. Building blocks for these devices are then fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques and measurements of change in resistance under the influence of a magnetic field are conducted. Niche applications of additive manufacturing techniques to the fabrication of these devices are proposed. The device uses MNPs suspended in a soft matter matrix. The application of a magnetic field is used to move the MNPs to or away from electrical contacts. Depending on the change of position of the MNPs, a connection is either made or broken, which can act as a 1 or a 0. The measured change in resistance observed in such devices is more than an order of magnitude depending on the matrix solution. The proposed device and its manufacturing process could be feasible for magnetic memory and in-memory computing devices on any flexible substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoelectric materials have advanced significantly in terms of machinery, manufacturing technique and technology over the last 10 years. However, conventional processing methods still necessitate a multitude of processing steps, thereby yielding material loss and imposing a substantial surge in manufacturing expenditures, which significantly obstructs the advancement of intricate and scalable thermoelectric devices. Additive manufacturing technology (AM) is an emerging and innovative technology offering rapid manufacturing cycles and efficient production of intricate geometries. While additive manufacturing has been utilized for fabricating thermoelectric materials, its application in the manufacturing of thermoelectric devices remains somewhat restricted. Although there have been some research reviews of AM thermoelectric materials in recent years, they are basically focused on the development and achievements of AM thermoelectric materials. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the research advancements of additive manufacturing technology in the fabrication of thermoelectric materials. It discusses the impacts of various processing parameters on the quality of the fabricated thermoelectric materials and their resulting thermoelectric properties. Simultaneously, each additive manufacturing technology for the fabrication of thermoelectric devices, as well as future research objectives and problems, is thoroughly examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filament winding method is the most commonly used method to produce profiles with different cross sections as composite product manufacturing. In this method, fiber material is wound with resin at different angles on a mold that has a suitable cross section shape. As a winding strategy, angled and helical winding can be done. Motion planning for this process is done with geodesic and nongeodesic theories. Requirement to use mold in the filament winding method increases the cost. Also, there is an obligation to helical windings. In winding of different layers, 90° angle cannot be given between the layers. To overcome all these constraints, UV curing can be achieved using photopolymer resin and continuous fiber glass fiber with the help of robotic additive manufacturing technology. Toolpath strategies for production has a key role in this work. As a tool path strategy, nonplanar slicing can be done and manufactured composite elbow in angular layers without mold. Then, under favour of 6-axis mobility of the industrial robot arm, layers can be obtained at exactly 90° angle. In addition, in this method, unlike other winding methods, internal voids, i.e. a filling rate, can be given within the cylindrical encircled layers. In order to verify whether the elbows produced with this method meet the requirements of the desired applications in the industry in terms of mechanical properties, at different filling rates (50%, 75%, 100%), winding turns (0 and 1/8), and different fiber densities (45%, 55% and 65%) 90° curved composite elbows were produced and their internal pressure strength tests were tested. Afterwards, an optimization study was carried out with the Taguchi method for the production parameters that will maximize the internal pressure strength. According to the results of the optimization study, it is seen that it is appropriate to choose the printing parameters that will obtain the highest internal pressure strength values for production with this method, 100% fill rate, 65% fiber density and 0° winding angle. The products made of this process have the advantage of easy-shaping, reasonable ratio of axial strength and encircled strength, specification easy-unifying, stable product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sputter deposition of thermochromic VO2 thin films for smart window applications has been faced with several challenges including the need for high deposition temperature, extremely precise and narrow range of oxygen/argon flow ratio and target poisoning during sputtering. Deposition of VO2 at room temperature without oxygen followed by post-deposition annealing has been cited as one of the potential mitigations to the challenge. In this study, the effects of post-deposition annealing conditions on the structural, electrical and optical properties of VO2 thin films are reported. The films were prepared on soda lime glass substrates using DC magnetron sputtering of metallic vanadium target in argon atmosphere, at room temperature without oxygen followed by post-deposition annealing. The working pressure and argon flow rate were 5.2 - 5.6 x 10-3 mbar and 76 ml/min, respectively. Thereafter, the films were annealed in a low vacuum environment at different temperatures and times. The XRD results confirmed that all films annealed at different temperatures and times were monoclinic VO2 except for films annealed at a temperature of 300 oC. The results indicate that 400 oC and 20 minutes are the optimum annealing temperature and time, respectively, for fabrication of highquality VO2 films with improved stoichiometry and crystallinity. The films had resistivity change between the semiconducting and metallic phases of one order of magnitude and the transition temperature between ~ 58 oC and 63 oC. The highest peak transmittance and best optical switching of the annealed VO2 films was 53% and 18%, respectively, at a wavelength of 2500 nm for film thickness of 44 nm. The results suggest that room temperature deposition without oxygen followed by post-deposition annealing in a low vacuum environment may be adequate for the fabrication of switching VO2 thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to investigate and analyze the implementation of marketing plans at Abrasion Resistance Plate stockist and steel fabrication companies in Indonesia. Abrasion Resistance Plate is a material that is needed in various industries, especially in construction and manufacturing, because of its extraordinary wear-resistant properties. Implementation of an effective marketing plan can be a key factor in a company's success in a competitive market. This study was conducted by analyzing the marketing strategies used by companies in marketing their Abrasion Resistance Plate products. The research methodology involved analysis of primary and secondary data, including interviews with company management, customer surveys, and literature reviews. The results of this research provide in-depth insight into the marketing strategies used by this company, including market segmentation, pricing, promotion, and distribution. The findings of this research will provide valuable guidance for similar companies in the Abrasion Resistance Plate steel industry and also contribute to a better understanding of the dynamics of the steel market in Indonesia. Apart from that, the results of this research can also be a basis for these companies to improve and optimize their marketing plans in order to increase their competitiveness in the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A co‐continuous 50:50 blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) was compounded with 10–40 wt% hemp hurd microparticles (<250 μm) to achieve balanced material properties for additive manufacturing (3D printing) applications. The blend and composites were further compatibilized with maleic anhydride via an in situ reactive extrusion process to enhance the adhesion between the polymers and the fillers and subsequently improve stress transfer between the components. All composite samples were processed further via injection molding and 3D printing processes to analyze and compare the rheology, morphology, thermal, mechanical properties, and other physio‐chemical properties. For the unfilled polymer blends, the injection molded and 3D printed sample specimens displayed similar mechanical properties. However, in the hemp filled composites, the injection molded specimens demonstrated enhanced mechanical properties. This indicates that the 3D printing process requires further parameter optimization to eliminate potential gaps between the printing layers and enhance mechanical properties. Overall, the PLA:PBAT blends filled with hemp hurd microparticles provided balanced composite properties in addition to their sustainability attribute, which makes them an appealing alternative for the fabrication of compostable and tough materials via additive manufacturing processes. Highlights: Upon maleation, the blend components formed a co‐continuous morphology.Sustainable plastic filament with up to 40 wt% hemp hurd micro particles.3D printing can compete with injection molding in filled composites.Successfully 3D printed model furniture with 30 wt% hemp filler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing transforms the industry by integrating innovative and intelligent technology, resulting in less material waste and faster prototyping. However, qualitative ambiguities are a significant barrier to digital fabrication methods to manufacture essential parts that require great precision and accuracy. However, qualitative ambiguities are a substantial barrier to digital fabrication methods to manufacture crucial parts that demand higher precision and accuracy. As a result, process monitoring techniques during production are becoming increasingly important. Acoustic emission testing is a prominent nondestructive testing approach that has demonstrated its capacity to detect and locate minute and internal developing cracks, allowing for real-time damage monitoring. This study briefly discussed different additive manufacturing processes, their influential parameters, and monitoring techniques, with particular emphasis on acoustic emission techniques. This study provides extensive recommendations for process monitoring of fused deposition modeling, powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition methods using acoustic emission testing. The different approaches used for handling the acoustic emission data and the effect of defects on acoustic emission signal parameters are also reviewed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Untethered soft fiber actuators are advancing toward next‐generation artificial muscles, with rotating polymer fibers allowing controlled rotational deformations and contractions accompanied by torque and longitudinal forces. Current approaches, however, are based either on non‐recyclable and non‐reprogrammable thermosets, exhibit rotational deformations and torques with inadequate actuation performance, or involve intricate multistep processing and photopolymerization impeding scalable fabrication and manufacturing of millimeter‐thick fibers. Here, the melt‐extrusion and drawing of a 50 m long thermoplastic liquid crystal elastomer fiber with a ≈1.3 mm diameter on a large scale is reported. With the responsive thermoplastic material, rotating actuators are fabricated via easily exploited programming freedom resulting in large, reversible rotational deformations and torques. The actuation performance of the twisted fibers may be controlled by the programmed twisting density without complicated preparation steps or photocuring being required. The thermoplastic behavior enables fabrication of plied fibers, demonstrated as a triple helical twisted rope constructed from individual rotating fibers delivering up to three times as great rotational and longitudinal forces capable of reversibly opening and lifting a screw cap vial. Besides the programmability, the thermoplastic material employed lends itself to be completely reprocessed into other configurations with self‐healing properties in contrast to thermosets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through the active control of shield thrust system oil pressures, a synchronous shield tunnelling technology combining advancement and segment fabrication was proposed. The key to this technology was to completely exploit the additional stroke of the hydraulic jacks generated by the axial insertion of a key block to assemble the segments. Taking the tunnelling project of the Shanghai Airport Railway Link Line as a demonstration project, this paper uses a large model test platform for this synchronous technology. A single-ring construction process along a straight line was simulated, in which the theoretical external loads were implemented on the shield machine. The feasibility and reliability of this synchronous technology were evaluated considering the accuracy of total thrust force control, maintenance of tunnelling speed and shield postures and segment compression. The effectiveness of the redistribution principle for the missing thrust force due to the withdrawal of cylinders located in the segment fabrication region was discussed. Furthermore, some other interesting phenomena were observed in the practical application in addition to the model test. This technology primarily realizes synchronous assembly by improving the control of the propulsion system of conventional shield machines without any transformation of the shield machine's primary structure, segment patterns or excavation method. The proposed method has good adaptability and a low construction cost, which will be beneficial for future long-distance tunnelling projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of a new process and method to control the planarity of thin-walled parts can provide an important theoretical and application foundation for the high-precision, high-quality fabrication of thin-walled components in aerospace and other areas. A planarity control method based on ice fixation for the milling of thin-walled parts is proposed for thin-walled aluminum alloy 7075 flat parts. The heart of the method is the application of a low temperature of about -5 °C to a flat thin-walled part using a freezing tray to hold the workpiece in place in order to control the flatness of the thin wall face grinding process. Investigation of the influence of the machining process and workpiece shape parameters on the machining flatness of thin-walled parts was conducted based on the practicality and efficiency of the method. Experimental results demonstrate that: compared to traditional milling (non-ice fixation), this method of fixing the ice can significantly improve the milling flatness of thin-walled parts, with the reduction of flatness ranging from 16.4% to 60.0%; however, the reduction of flatness is accompanied by the phenomenon of increasing milling force, with the mean increase in milling strength ranging between 5.8% and 40.3%; the flatness of the machining process decreases with increasing workpiece thickness (15.6%--65.0%) and increases with an increasing aspect ratio of the workpieces (17.4%--48.7%). The orthogonal test results show that the best-machined flatness can be achieved at large spindle speed, high feed rate, and low cutting depth working conditions, i.e. spindle speed 3000r⋅min-1, feed rate 350 mm ⋅ min-1, and cutting depth 0.01 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to design a stretchable metasurface system that can adaptively change its wettability using additive manufacturing. The system consists of a stretchable specimen with micro-surface patterns and a bi-layer actuator based on compliant mechanisms. Both the specimen and actuator are manufactured using fused filament fabrication additive manufacturing methods. In the proposed system, the actuator stretches the specimen to modify the aspect ratios of the surface patterns. These changes in aspect ratios reduce the air gaps at the liquid/solid interface, which weakens the hydrophobic properties of the specimen surface. To investigate the effect of changes in pattern aspect ratios on surface wettability, experiment is conducted by dropping water droplets onto the specimen while the actuator stretches it. The contact angles of the droplets are measured to quantify the changes in wettability. Additionally, finite element simulations are performed to analyze the specimen strain distribution under various deformation conditions. This allows the evaluation of precise elongation values and prediction of surface wettability, displaying the potential for surface wettability control. These findings support the implementation of additive manufacturing to fabricate a stretchable metasurface system with adaptive wettability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional oxides have extensively been investigated as a promising class of materials in a broad range of innovative applications. Harnessing the novel properties of functional oxides in micro‐ to nano‐scale applications hinges on establishing advanced fabrication and manufacturing techniques able to synthesize these materials in an accurate and reliable manner. Oxidative scanning probe lithography (o‐SPL), an atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique based on anodic oxidation at the water meniscus formed at the tip/substrate contact, not only combines the advantages of both "top‐down" and "bottom‐up" fabrication approaches, but also offers the possibility of fabricating oxide nanomaterials with high patterning accuracy. While the use of self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) broadened the application of o‐SPL, significant challenges have emerged owing to the relatively limited number of SAM/solid surface combinations that can be employed for o‐SPL, which constrains the ability to control the chemistry and structure of oxides formed by o‐SPL. In this work, a new o‐SPL technique that utilizes room‐temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as the functionalizing material to mediate the electrochemistry at AFM tip/substrate contacts is reported. The results show that the new IL‐mediated o‐SPL (IL‐o‐SPL) approach allows sub‐100 nm oxide features to be patterned on a model solid surface, namely steel, with an initiation voltage as low as −2 V. Moreover, this approach enables high tunability of both the chemical state and morphology of the patterned iron oxide structures. Owing to the high chemical compatibility of ILs, which derives from the possibility of synthesizing ILs able to adsorb on a wide variety of solid surfaces, IL‐o‐SPL can be extended to other material surfaces and provide the opportunity to accurately tailor the chemistry, morphology, and electronic properties within nanoscale domains, thus opening new pathways to the development of novel micro‐ and nano‐architectures for advanced integrated devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the evaluation of material properties of the additively manufactured austenistic alloy 08CH18N10T, which is widely used in the Czech Republic nuclear power plants Temelín and Dukovany and other VVER reactors around the world. For purposes of utilization of additive manufacturing technologies for nuclear core components fabrication, two sets of samples were prepared from horizontally and vertically L-DED printed blocks from 08CH18N10T material. Experiments such as microstructure analysis, porosity and Vickers hardness were then performed on L-DED printed and heat-treated 08CH18N10T material, and the obtained material properties were then compared with the properties of L-DED printed 08CH18N10T material without heat-treatment for examination of its effect and also with material properties of conventionally made 08CH18N10T material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas shielded welding is a widely applied fabrication processes in manufacturing industry. The present study will elucidate on an investigative approach to find the mechanical properties, influenced by several input parameters like welding current, voltage and wire spool speed in the Metal Active Gas Welding (MAG) of Mild Steel. Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array has been employed to analyse the process parameters. The levels of consequences of input parameters were investigated by applying analysis of variance (ANOVA). The microstructural orientations and mechanical properties of weld specimen are explored in this work. Welding current is an influential parameter to control tensile strength followed by welding voltage and federate of electrode. Furthermore, hardness of weld material has a greater effect of voltage including wire speed and current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]