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Introducing a segregated network constructed through the selective localization of small amounts of fillers can be a solution to overcome the limitations of the practical use of graphene-based conductive composites due to the high cost of fillers. In this study, polypropylene composites filled with randomly dispersed GNPs and a segregated GNP network were prepared, and their conductive properties were investigated according to the formation of the segregated structure. Due to the GNP clusters induced by the segregated structure, the electrical percolation threshold was 2.9 wt% lower than that of the composite incorporating randomly dispersed GNPs. The fully interconnected GNP cluster network inside the composite contributed to achieving the thermal conductivity of 4.05 W/m∙K at 10 wt% filler content. Therefore, the introduction of a segregated filler network was suitable to simultaneously achieve excellent electrical and thermal conductivities at a low content of GNPs.

In this study, high-crystallinity single walled carbon nanotubes (H-SWNTs) were prepared by high-temperature thermal annealing at 1800 °C and a self-heating shape memory polyurethane nanocomposite with excellent self-heating characteristics was developed within a few seconds by irradiation with near-infrared rays. With a simple method (heat treatment), impurities at the surface of H-SWNTs were removed and at the same time the amorphous structure converted into a crystalline structure, improving crystallinity. Therefore, high conductivity (electric, thermal) and interfacial affinity with PU were increased, resulting in improved mechanical, thermal and electric properties. The electrical conductivity of neat polyurethane was enhanced from ~10–11 S/cm to 4.72 × 10−8 S/cm, 1.07 × 10−6 and 4.66 × 10−6 S/cm, while the thermal conductivity was enhanced up to 60% from 0.21 W/mK, 0.265 W/mK and 0.338 W/mK for the composites of 1, 3 and 5 wt%, respectively. Further, to achieve an effective photothermal effect, H-SWNTs were selected as nanofillers to reduce energy loss while increasing light-absorption efficiency. Thereafter, near-infrared rays of 818 nm were directly irradiated onto the nanocomposite film to induce photothermal properties arising from the local surface plasmon resonance effect on the CNT surface. A self-heating shape memory composite material that rapidly heated to 270 °C within 1 min was developed, even when only 3 wt.% of H-SWNTs were added. The results of this study can be used to guide the development of heat-generating coating materials and de-icing materials for the wing and body structures of automobiles or airplanes, depending on the molding method.

In this study, the thermal percolation behavior for the thermal conductivity of nanocomposites according to the lateral size of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) was studied. When the amount of GNPs reached the critical concentration, a rapid increase in thermal conductivity and thermal percolation behavior of the nanocomposites were induced by the GNP network. Interestingly, as the size of GNPs increased, higher thermal conductivity and a lower percolation threshold were observed. The in-plane thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite containing 30 wt.% M25 GNP (the largest size) was 8.094 W/m·K, and it was improved by 1518.8% compared to the polymer matrix. These experimentally obtained thermal conductivity results for below and above the critical content were theoretically explained by applying Nan’s model and the percolation model, respectively, in relation to the GNP size. The thermal percolation behavior according to the GNP size identified in this study can provide insight into the design of nanocomposite materials with excellent heat dissipation properties.

To induce uniform dispersion and excellent interfacial properties, we adopted a strategy of combining both polyamide 6 (PA6) grafting for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and reactive extrusion of PA6 matrix, based on anionic ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactam (CL). Compared to –COOH and –NCO treatments of MWCNTs, enhanced MWCNT dispersion and tensile properties of the composites were achieved using the applied strategy, and the tensile strength and modulus of the PA6-grafted MWCNT-filled PA6 composites were 5.3% and 20.5% higher than those of the purified MWCNT-filled PA6 composites, respectively. In addition, they were almost similar to the theoretical ones calculated by the modified Mori–Tanaka method (MTM) assuming a perfect interface, indicating that the tensile properties of MWCNT-filled PA6 composites can be optimized by PA6 grafting and reactive extrusion based on the anionic ring-opening polymerization of CL due to uniform MWCNT dispersion and excellent interfacial property.

Hericium erinaceus (HE), a culinary-medicinal mushroom, has shown therapeutic potential in many brain diseases. However, the role of HE in status epilepticus (SE)-mediated neuronal death and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of HE using a pilocarpine-induced SE model. Male C57BL/6 mice received crude extracts of HE (60 mg/kg, 120 mg/kg, or 300 mg/kg, p.o.) for 21 d from 14 d before SE to 6 d after SE. At 7 d after SE, cresyl violet and immunohistochemistry of neuronal nuclei revealed improved hippocampal neuronal survival in animals treated with 60 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg of HE, whereas those treated with 300 mg/kg of HE showed similar neuronal death to that of vehicle-treated controls. While seizure-induced reactive gliosis, assessed by immunohistochemistry, was not altered by HE, the number of hippocampal cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2)-expressing cells was significantly reduced by 60 and 120 mg/kg of HE. Triple immunohistochemistry demonstrated no overlap of COX2 labeling with Ox42, in addition to a decrease in COX2/GFAP-co-immunoreactivity in the group treated with 60 mg/kg HE, suggesting that the reduction of COX2 by HE promotes neuroprotection after SE. Our findings highlight the potential application of HE for preventing neuronal death after seizures.

It is very important to predict any defects occurring by undesired fiber deformations to improve production yields of resin transfer molding, which has been widely used for mass production of carbon fiber reinforced composite parts. In this study, a simple and efficient analytic scheme was proposed to predict deformations of a multi-layered fiber preform by comparing the forces applied to the preform in a mold of resin transfer molding. Friction coefficient of dry and wet states, permeability, and compressive behavior of unidirectional (UD) and plain woven (PW) carbon fabrics were measured, which were used to predict deformations of the multi-layered fiber preforms with changing their constitution ratios. The model predicted the occurrence, type, and position of fiber deformation, which agreed with the experimental results of the multi-layered preforms.

The pharmacological action of riluzole, a drug that has been approved as a neuroprotective agent for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has not yet been established. We examined the effects of riluzole on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)3 receptors in NCB-20 neuroblastoma cells using the whole-cell voltage clamp technique combined with a fast drug application method. Co-application of riluzole (1 – 300 μM, 5 s) produced a dose-dependent reduction in peak amplitudes and in the rise slope of the currents induced by 2 μM 5-HT. In addition, 5-HT3–mediated currents evoked by dopamine, a partial 5-HT3–receptor agonist, were inhibited by riluzole co-application. These inhibitory effects were clearly shown at low concentrations of 5-HT. The decay time constants of the receptor desensitization and deactivation were also significantly attenuated by riluzole. G-protein inhibitors (pertussis toxin and guanosine 5’-[β-thio] diphosphate) did not completely block these inhibitory actions of riluzole. These results indicate that riluzole inhibits 5-HT3–induced ion currents directly by slowing channel activation in NCB-20 neuroblastoma cells. Keywords:: riluzole, 5-HT3 receptor, ion channel, patch clamp, NCB-20 cell

The volume and toxicity of radioactive waste can be decreased by separating the components of high-level liquid waste according to their properties. An impregnated silica-based adsorbent was prepared in this study by combining N,N,N′,N′,N″,N″-hexa-n-octylnitrilotriacetamide (HONTA) extractant, N′,N′-di-n-hexyl-thiodiglycolamide (Crea) extractant, and macroporous silica polymer composite particles (SiO2–P). The performance of platinum-group metals adsorption and separation on prepared (HONTA + Crea)/SiO2–P adsorbent was then assessed together with that of co-existing metal ions by batch-adsorption and chromatographic separation studies. From the batch-adsorption experiment results, (HONTA + Crea)/SiO2–P adsorbent showed high adsorption performance of Pd(II) owing to an affinity between Pd(II) and Crea extractant based on the Hard and Soft Acids and Bases theory. Additionally, significant adsorption performance was observed toward Zr(IV) and Mo(VI). Compared with studies using the Crea extractant, the high adsorption performance of Zr(IV) and Mo(VI) is attributed to the HONTA extractant. As revealed from the chromatographic experiment results, most of Pd(II) was recovered from the feed solution using 0.2 M thiourea in 0.1 M HNO3. Additionally, the possibility of recovery of Zr(IV), Mo(VI), and Re(VII) was observed using the (HONTA + Crea)/SiO2–P adsorbent.

To investigate the effect of continuous multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the thermal and mechanical properties of composites, we propose a fabrication method for a buckypaper-filled flexible composite film prepared by a two-step process involving buckypaper fabrication using vacuum filtration of MWCNTs, and composite film fabrication using the dipping method. The thermal conductivity and tensile strength of the composite film filled with the buckypaper exhibited improved results, respectively 76% and 275% greater than those of the individual MWCNT-filled composite film. It was confirmed that forming continuous MWCNT fillers is an important factor which determines the physical characteristics of the composite film. In light of the study findings, composite films using buckypaper as a filler and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a flexible matrix have sufficient potential to be applied as a heat-dissipating material, and as a flexible film with high thermal conductivity and excellent mechanical properties.

A simple solvothermal reaction was used to prepare a 3-aminopropyl-functionalized silica-gel-based adsorbent for adsorbing Pd(II) from the nitric acid solution. Scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry analysis were performed on the as-synthesized adsorbent to demonstrate the successful introduction of Schiff base groups. Batch experiments were used to investigate the effects of contact time, nitric acid concentration, solution temperature, and adsorption capacity. It is worth noting that the prepared adsorbent exhibited a higher affinity toward Pd(II) with the uptake approximately 100% even in a 2 M HNO3 solution. At an equilibrium time of 5 h, the maximum adsorption capacity of Pd(II) was estimated to be 0.452 mmol/g. The adsorbed Pd(II) could be completely eluted by dissolving 0.2 M thiourea solution in 0.1 M HNO3. Using a combination of particle-induced X-ray emission analysis and an X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, the adsorbed Pd was found to be uniformly distributed on the surface of the prepared adsorbent and the existing species were Pd(II) and zero-valent Pd(0). Due to the desirable performances, facile preparation method, and abundant raw material source, the prepared adsorbent demonstrated a high application potential in the recovery of Pd(II) from simulated high-level liquid waste treatment.

A porous silica-based adsorbent was prepared by impregnating the pores of a silica support with the extractant 1,3-[(2,4-diethylheptylethoxy)oxy]-2,4-crown-6-calix[4]arene (Calix[4]arene-R14) and an additive agent 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (C2mim + NTf2−) as the materials to remove cesium(I) (Cs+) ions from seawater. The as-prepared adsorbent showed excellent adsorption performance toward Cs+ ions, with adsorption equilibrium reached within 2 h and an adsorption amount of 0.196 mmol/g observed. The solution pH, temperature, and the presence of coexisting metal ions were found to have almost no effect on Cs+ adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was considered to proceed via ion exchange between Cs+ and C2mim+. In addition, the particle-induced X-ray emission analysis results further clarified that the adsorbed Cs+ ion species on the adsorbent was in the form of both CsCl and CsBr.

Aiming at selective adsorption and separation of Y(III) from the Y(III)–Sr(II) group in acid solution, a silica-based TODGA impregnated adsorbent [(TODGA+1-dodecanol)/SiO2–P–F600] has been prepared. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted under the effect of contact time, acid concentration, solution temperature, and adsorption capacity etc. Chromatography recovery of more than 90% Y(III) was successfully achieved under elution with 0.01 M DTPA solution in nitric acid adsorption system, and 0.1 M HCl solution in hydrochloride adsorption system, respectively.

A hydrophobic ionic liquid including an amino moiety ([DiOcAPmim][NTf2]) was synthesized. Its extraction behaviors towards Pd(II), Ru(III), Rh(III) were investigated in nitric acid aqueous solution as a function of contact time, effect of concentration of nitric acid, effect of temperature, and effect of co-existing metal ions. The extraction kinetics of Pd(II) was fairly fast and extraction equilibrium can be attained within only 5 min under the [HNO3] = 2.05 M. When [HNO3]< 1 M, the extraction percentage of Pd(II), Ru(III), Rh(III) were all above 80%. When [HNO3] reached 2 M, all of the extraction percentage decreased and in an order of Pd(II)>Ru(III)>Rh(III). When [HNO3]> 2 M, the extraction performance gradually recovered. The effect of temperature can slightly affect the extraction performance of Pd(II). Furthermore, in simulated high-level liquid waste, [DiOcAPmim][NTf2] showed a better preference towards Pd(II) under the interference of various other co-existing metal ions.