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We previously used a grinder to prepare cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) that were then added to pulp to improve the wet strength of paper, with subsequent alkali treatment further improving its wet tensile strength. However, mass production of CNF using ultra-fine grinders is not feasible; moreover, fabricating paper sheets by first preparing CNFs and adding them to pulp is a complex process. Therefore, in this study, we directly fibrillated pulp using a refiner instead separately preparing CNFs, with the refined pulp used to make paper sheets, thereby simplifying the process. The resulting dried sheets were subsequently treated with 8 and 16 wt% NaOH, after which the co-reinforcing effect of the refiner and NaOH treatments on the wet tensile strength of paper was examined. Unexpectedly, wet tensile strength of 39 and 45 MPa was achieved. These values are higher than values obtained using the CNFs and NaOH treatment, and comparable to the dry strength of untreated and unrefined pulp sheet. Moreover, the dewatering time of the refiner-treated pulp was significantly shorter than that of the CNF-mixed pulp, which reduces the time required to prepare paper. This study demonstrated that refiner-treated pulp is more suitable than CNF-mixed pulp for improving paper wet strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the engine of heavy trucks, the built-in fuel filter assumes the role of "lungs". The core of the filter, namely the fuel filter paper, acts as a filter for small impurities and separates oil and water. In order to be able to separate minute impurities from the fuel, in this study, we prepared a novel fuel oil filter paper with high efficiency and high dust holding capacity based on wet-laid forming by laminating PBT/PP two-component melt-blown nonwoven material and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC)-doped cellulose wood fiber pulp with the fiber mesh combination forming technology. The effects of the CNC mixing ratio, surface density of melt-blown nonwoven material layer, surface density of cellulose wood pulp paper layer and calendaring pressure on the pore size and filtration performance of the composite samples were investigated, and the filtration efficiency of the composite samples on the tiny impurities in the fuel were also studied. The results showed that the novel composite fuel filter paper material prepared by the combined forming technology of fibrous web had high filtration efficiency and dust holding capacity, and the filtration efficiency of the composite samples could respectively reach 99.90% and 99.52% for particles larger than 14 μm and 4 μm in diameter in the fuel. At the same time, the dust holding capacity of the composite sample can reach up to 27.63 mgcm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using nanostructured materials issued from renewable resources could be the key to the development of good-quality low-cost products that help reduce pollution. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were obtained by alkaline and bleaching treatments of Amazonian Paricá hardwood sawdust, a waste material from the Brazilian forestry industry. This study evaluated a process consisting in alternating layers of Paricá CNFs and cassava starch to coat standard writing and printing (W&P) papers with a skim-coating method, in which one face of each paper sample is passed over the surface of a suspension containing either CNFs or cassava starch, alternatively. The coated samples were then compared to the uncoated paper in terms of mechanical and surface properties. The mechanical properties of the papers coated with alkaline CNFs showed a declining trend as the number of coating layers increased (from 47 to 31 MPa). The papers coated with starch layers showed improved mechanical performance compared to the samples only coated with alkaline and alkaline bleached CNFs. All the coated samples showed excellent resistance to water degradation. The worst degradation (4%) was observed for the samples coated with a single layer of alkaline CNFs. A significant improvement in surface wettability was observed when gelatinized cassava starch was applied to the paper samples, irrespective of the type of CNFs eventually present on the surface. All in all, these results suggest that using gelatinized cassava starch as an alternating layer between successive CNFs layers on the surface of W&P paper samples may be promising for improving their overall properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibre-based specialty paper has become a promising candidate for high-performance insulating materials due to the remarkable properties of PBO fibres. However, the porous structure and poor interfacial interaction of PBO paper seriously weaken its mechanical strength and greatly limit its practical application. Herein, proposed for the first time, a homogeneous reinforcement strategy is developed to regulate the microstructure of PBO paper and efficiently enhance its overall properties. For this reason, flexible ortho-hydroxy polyamic acid (HPAA) was first synthesized and used to impregnate PBO paper. Subsequently, HPAA was thermally converted into a benzoxazole-containing resin, manifesting excellent interfacial compatibility with PBO paper. As a result, the compact structure and solid interface endow the composite paper with impressive performance. The tensile strength, modulus, and electrical breakdown strength of the composite paper are 116.86 MPa, 5.47 GPa, and 63.7 kV mm−1, respectively, increasing by 33.1, 8.1, and 1.1 times compared with those parameters of the original paper (3.43 MPa, 0.60 GPa, and 30.5 kV mm−1). Moreover, the composite paper also exhibits an ultra-low dielectric constant and loss tangent (1.6 and 0.004 at 106 Hz, respectively), as well as superhigh thermal stability (maximum decomposition temperature, Tmax ≈ 600 °C) due to the elaborate design of the structure. Thus, the mechanical strength has been successfully integrated with the outstanding insulation and thermal properties, rendering the lightweight PBO composite paper promising in the field of high-temperature and high-voltage electrical insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work brings in an eco-friendly, smart integrated miniaturized sensor system to determine the temperature of aqueous solution and soil in a more affordable way to yield quality farming, small-scale agricultural farming, greenhouse farming, domestic gardening, and hydroponics. Carbon-Graphite hybrid electrode-based planar disposable sensor strip is used for sensing the temperature over a range of 27 to 50°C. The temperature sensor element is compared to four distinct structures, and the meander geometrical structure is deduced as a result. The temperature sensing element is fabricated utilizing a prudent, efficacious, and inexpensive microfabrication methodology of screen printing. The temperature and resistance characteristics are plotted for the carbon-graphite electrode on PET and paper. The temperature coefficient of resistance is determined to be 1%/°C for PET and 0.8%/°C paper substrate in soil. Test experiment was carried out in water, oven and on field to find out the characteristic equation of study. The temperature sensor strip is integrated with a Wi-Fi SoC-assisted nodeMCU processor that is used in IoT platforms. An app is created using MIT app inventor user interface and is launched on an android smartphone. The app gives the suitable temperature range for sowing seed and germination of the plant growth information. The instantaneous temperature of soil or water is measured, and status information for plant cultivation is also provided by the app. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface structure greatly affects the material surface wettability. Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fiber paper was modified via regulation of thermally induced phase separation process to obtain interfacial nanofiber network-like morphology, which obeyed nucleate-growth mechanism with the PPS resin on the fiber surface as the core. PPS nanofiber network layer with rough concave surface feature endowed the modified PPS fiber paper with stable superhydrophobic properties, and it showed excellent oil absorption and oil/water separation performance. The separation efficiency of using P-2 paper to separate the five oil/water mixtures listed in this paper were more than 99.99%, and the kerosene flux was more than 7350 L m−2 h−1 driven by gravity. Excellent hydrophobicity and cycling performance made PPS fiber paper with excellent reusability. In addition, the PPS fiber paper had also been proved to be used in strong acid–base and organic solvents for a long time. This work provided a PPS fiber paper for oil/water separation with simple preparation process, which was expected to be produced in large scale and applied in industrial field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melamine-impregnated paper is made by impregnating paper with melamine-formaldehyde resin and can be hot-pressed and laminated onto the surface of wood boards. If the paper has antibacterial activity, it can prevent the spread of indoor bacteria, but impregnated paper with a long-term antibacterial effect has not been proposed. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been studied as a reservoir of metal ions. In this study, a silver-metal organic framework (Ag-BTC) was synthesized by a green and scalable method at 60 °C (A-60) and at room temperature (A-25). The structure and thermal stability of the Ag-BTC were characterized. Compared with A-25, the structure and particle size distribution of A-60 were more regular and uniform. The thermal stability and the compatibility of Ag-BTC and MF resin were suitable for hot-pressing process. Ag-BTC in the cured impregnated paper exhibited the sustained-release performance of Ag+. The antibacterial ratio of decorated blockboards with 0.10 wt% A-25 to E. coli and S. aureus exceeded 99.99%, reaching Level I antibacterial grade. Compared with A-60-decorated blockboards, the better antibacterial activity of A-25-decorated blockboards was due to the release of more Ag+. This study provides new ideas for the design of antibacterial melamine-impregnated paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of excellent insulation properties and thermal stability, meta-aramid paper can be commonly applied to a vast number of fields, like power systems. But poriferous and relatively lax structure of meta-aramid paper would limit its applications in high-voltage environment. This paper proposes a sandwich structure design to combine PDA@BNNS/PMIA film and meta-aramid paper with high breakdown strength. After coating with 6 wt% PDA@BNNS/PMIA solution, this kind of paper became more compact, so there were few pores in the paper and it further enhanced the mechanical and dielectric performances of specimens. The tensile strength in the cross direction increased from 31.3 to 40.5 MPa, and the performance in the machine direction was from 75.5 to 78.9 MPa. Furthermore, the breakdown strength of compound-coated paper achieved 55 kV/mm, which is much higher than meta-aramid paper. Additionally, compound-coated paper still remained outstanding thermal stability. Overall, our fabricated PDA@BNNS/PMIA compound-coated paper has excellent comprehensive properties, which provides a broad prospect for the applications in high-temperature and high-voltage transformers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) papers have attracted great interests in recent years because of their attractive performance and the green resource of CNF. However, the thermomechanical properties of CNF papers are insufficient for some sophisticated applications that require higher mechanical properties or smart functionalities. In this paper, a dual bio-inspired strategy is reported to improve the thermal and mechanical properties, as well as the humidity-responsive behavior of CNF papers. CNF is first functionalized by mussel-inspired polydopamine, and then, composite CNF papers with nacre-like layered structure are fabricated by the incorporation of graphene oxide (GO). In addition, Fe3+ is introduced into the composite CNF papers to provide coordination cross-linking for each components. By such compositional and structural design, the composite papers demonstrate significantly enhanced mechanical properties as compared to original CNF paper. Meanwhile, the improved thermal stability and humidity-responsiveness are also demonstrated. This study is expected to provide alternative approach for high-performance and functional CNF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Journal of Materials Science awards the annual Robert W. Cahn Prize to recognize the best paper published in the journal each year. The winner of the 2023 Cahn Prize is a research paper titled "Molecular modelling of graphene nanoribbons on the effect of porosity and oxidation on the mechanical and thermal properties." The paper presents molecular simulation models of graphene nanoribbons and examines the impact of porosity and oxidation on their mechanical and thermal conductivity properties. The paper is well-written and provides valuable insights for researchers in this field. Two other papers were selected as runners-up for the prize. All the monthly finalists for the Cahn Prize can be downloaded for free on the journal's website. [Extracted from the article]

Influence of the ion irradiation at elevated temperatures on the novel preceramic paper-derived SiCf/SiC laminated composites fabricated by spark plasma sintering was investigated. The composites were subjected to high-dose simultaneous irradiation of silicon (Si) ions at 400 °C. Irradiation induces amorphization of the damaged area up to 30 dpa, and then recrystallization of amorphous regions with increasing dose occur. No evidence of cavities was found in SiCf/SiC composites irradiated by silicon ions up to 100 dpa. The irradiated composites pre-injected with 5000 appm He displays low swelling (~ 0.3%). The irradiation with Si ions may suppress the cavity nucleation and they growth in SiC layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical properties of fiber-based materials, such as paper, are governed by the heterogeneous microstructure induced by the formation process. For example, in paper materials during tensile tests, lower strains are observed in the flocs (fiber aggregates where the basis weight is larger than the average one) than in the antiflocs (complement of flocs). To explain such behavior, we investigated the mechanical and structural properties of both flocs and antiflocs. Using tensile tests on flocs and antiflocs, we measured their elastic modulus and found that the elastic modulus of flocs was larger than the antiflocs' one. To understand these differences, a multiscale structural analysis was conducted on 3D X-ray images of flocs and antiflocs at two different spatial resolutions. We found that the floc was thicker than the antifloc, whereas the microscale analysis showed the studied floc and antifloc exhibited the same bulk porosity. Then, it was concluded that the difference in elastic modulus between flocs and antiflocs is mainly due to their thickness difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The December 2023 cover paper of the Journal of Materials Science features a study by Xie and Luo from Chongqing Jiaotong University in China. The paper, included in the "Computation & Theory" Topical Collection, focuses on the use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) for construction projects. The authors aim to provide insights into the transport behavior of liquids in epoxy-modified C–S–H pores in cement-based materials, combining MD simulations with experimental measurements. Xie is currently pursuing a master's degree in civil engineering, while Prof. Luo is an associate professor at Chongqing Jiaotong University and a researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark, with a focus on reducing the carbon and energy footprint of civil engineering materials and infrastructure. The paper is published open access and can be widely shared with readers using the provided link. [Extracted from the article]

The hydrogel in this paper is designed to do just that, by using controlled release from a hydrogel to deliver the drug quickly and at a relatively high concentration to the interior of cancer cells. The paper describes the synthesis and in-vitro testing of a hydrogel composite that is designed to maximize toxicity to cancer cells by both efficiently delivering the cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and overheating the cells with magnetically induced hyperthermia. This makes it highly desirable to develop a delivery system that can encapsulate the drug, bring the drug directly to the cancer cells then release the drug into the cancer tumor or cells. [Extracted from the article]

Professor Grimes summarizes the winning paper and the two runners-up:"Machine learning is certainly of great current interest to address the multivariable materials design challenge. 10.1007/s10853-022-07499-9 5 Wang Z, Lai A, Schuh CA, Radovitzky R. Phase transformation and incompatibility at grain boundaries in zirconia-based shape memory ceramics: a micromechanics-based simulation study. The winner of the 2022 Robert W. Cahn Best Paper award is "Machine learning guided alloy design of high-temperature NiTiHf shape memory alloys" by Udesh M.H.U. Kankanamge, Johannes Reiner, Xingjun Ma, Santiago Corujeira Gallo, and Wei Xu. [Extracted from the article]

Of course, the paper complements the SEM imaging, which is intrinsic to the FIB, with imaging and diffraction in the TEM. The paper does also have a SharedIt link like all articles in JMS (https://rdcu.be/cWW0L) so it can be widely and immediately shared with readers; all papers published in JMS are free-to-read using the SharedIt link from the moment they appear online with their permanent DOI. The cover for the November 2022 issues of the Journal of Materials Science comes from the paper by Tunes et al. which appeared in issue #35 from September 2022 [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

A facile and cost-effective modified sol–gel synthesis is employed to synthesize flexible silica-cellulose hybrid aerogels (SCHA) using recycled cellulose fibers (RCF). The effect of cellulose fiber concentrations and ambient temperature conditions on the thermal, acoustic, and oil absorption characteristics was quantified comprehensively. The experiments were conducted by considering the range of weight fractions from 1–4 wt.% from waste tissue paper with a cross-linker and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as silica precursors. The SCHA aerogels were modified by a silylating agent with surface hydroxyl groups to achieve superhydrophobic behavior with a water contact angle (WCA) as high as 168°. The synthesized aerogels were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Test (BET) to identify the physical morphology. An excellent oil absorption capacity of 24.8 g.g−1 was also noticed with 4 wt.% of cellulose concentration in hybrid aerogel retained up to 5 cycles with an absorption capacity of 6.4 g.g−1. The average thermal conductivity of hybrid aerogels was estimated in the range of 0.038–0.032 W/m K. Slight enhancement in the thermal conductivity is noted with the increase in wt.% of cellulose to the silica aerogel. However, about 40–50 °C improvement in thermal degradability (as concluded from Thermogravimetric Analysis) with a minimum weight loss was observed in hybrid aerogel over cellulose aerogel. A comparatively high sound absorption coefficient of 0.453–0.628 at low frequency (1500 Hz) and 0.86–0.94 at high frequency (3600 Hz) was achieved with an average thickness of 8 mm compared to cellulose aerogel. The compressive Young's modulus of hybrid aerogels was also enhanced by 94.12%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-situ formation and integration of graphene into MoS2 interlayer spacing: expansion of interlayer spacing for superior hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline electrolyte. The paper was handled by our Editor Mark Bissett and is entitled "In-situ formation and integration of graphene into MoS SB 2 sb interlayer spacing: expansion of interlayer spacing for superior hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic and alkaline electrolyte"; it is part of our "Energy materials" Topical Collection. The cover for the December 2022 issues of the Journal of Materials Science comes from the paper by Bui et al., which appeared in issue #40 from October 2022 [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) require efficient water management. Microporous layers (MPLs) are crucial to solve this problem due to their positive effects on the two-phase mass transfer process. The performance of MPLs is mainly determined by the properties of the materials used for their construction as well as other basic transport properties, including morphology, porous structure, wettability, and electrical resistivity. In this study, graphite and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were used as the main components to fabricate MPLs for use in PEMFCs because they are highly conductive and thermally efficient. Single-layer MPLs are prepared by compressing MPL powders with different proportions of ingredients. In contrast, two-layer gas diffusion layers were fabricated by applying MPL pastes to a benchmark Toray carbon paper using a screen-printing process. FTIR and XRD analysis of main components and some samples are performed to investigated functional groups and the nature of MPLs' surface, respectively. An analysis of the effects of graphite, rGO, and hydrophobic agents' constituents on the physical properties (electrical resistivity, contact angle, roughness, porosity, and permeability) of the fabricated MPL or MPL-coated carbon papers by screen-printing method has been performed. Also, the effect of different coating methods (screen-printing and spraying) on different properties of graphite-based and rGO-based MPLs has been investigated. The results show that composites based on rGO have higher electrical resistivity than that of graphite-based MPLs, but lower roughness. However, MPLs based on rGO exhibit better contact angle, higher porosity, and improved gas permeability. Moreover, as expected, the contact angle and electrical resistivity increase, while the porosity and permeability decrease when the hydrophobic agents (polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyvinylidene difluoride) which are also used as binders, are increased. On the other hand, screen printed graphite-based MPL has lower electrical resistivity, while screen printed rGO-based MPL has higher porosity percentage, roughness, and permeability than the sprayed one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-entropy borides are deemed robust candidates because of their complex combination of entropy-driven, multi-component disordered solid solutions. They are particularly remarkable for their unique single-crystal structures and significant bandgap. This structural adaptability positions them uniquely among materials, setting them apart from conventional transition metal diborides. Researchers have been fascinated by the appeal of high-entropy borides for a long time, driven by the groundbreaking idea of 'High entropy ceramics'. Nevertheless, the lack of thorough review papers in this field has hindered the progress of creating strong and durable high-entropy borides. This paper proposes adopting a collaborative strategy to properly negotiate this unexplored region. This perspective covers the up-to-date research on successfully synthesized high-entropy boride complexes. It examines compositional strategies, historical backgrounds, structural complexity, fabrication methods, mechanical, thermal, and oxidation properties, as well as emergent properties with potential uses, pathways, and future possibilities. This attempt challenges materials science traditions by introducing novel materials with superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific literature on Al-Si alloy materials is a rich source of factual information about various classes of entities (e.g., alloys, properties, and compositions) as well as various relationships between these entities. Automatically extracting this information using natural language processing (NLP) techniques to generate a knowledge graph for Al-Si alloy materials is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose ASaRE-Net (Al-Si alloy Relationship Extraction Network) to extract entities and relationships from Chinese scientific literature on Al-Si alloy materials, thus forming a triple (Entity 1, Relation, Entity 2) as the basic unit for constructing a knowledge graph. Due to the complexity of overlapping triples and many triples in a text sentence, this paper designs a triple-aware module based on knowledge representation learning, which is used to mine the correlation between entities and relations, and uses a simple and efficient labeling strategy to decode, so as to alleviate the problem of cascading errors. This paper defines 11 types of entity and 13 types of relationship for Al-Si alloy materials, and constructs ASaIED (Al-Si alloy Information Extraction Dataset). Experimental results show that compared to the strongest baseline, the proposed model improves the F1 score by 2.34% on the ASaIED dataset, and demonstrates better performance in scenarios involving SEO overlapping types and many triples. The proposed model can continuously provide credible data for constructing knowledge graphs in the field of Al-Si alloy materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of several tools and web engines trained for finding journal articles out of billions of research papers on millions of topics in different databases with a high degree of generalizability, it often leads to a loss of specificity. Scientific pursuits need a tool to extract data from selected resources for performing domain-specific tasks. Current algorithms and generalized tools lack specificity and are challenged by errors in analysing data from a bundle of specific documents selected eclectically. Current work addresses the need for such a tool, which focuses on specificity based on users' input keywords and phrases to find relevant information from bundles of articles from the web. Reseractor is based on a customized algorithm, Whitespace, in synergy with output from open-access tools for document image analysis and focused domain data extraction using NLP. The current tool is designed for the material science domain with the features of adopting various generalized and scientific corpora as layers. It is tested on two sets of different bundles of papers and gives an accuracy of 81.12% along with a recall of 78.38% and a precision of 84.06%. Owing to the simple and direct applicability of algorithms, users from other domains can directly use their corpora in algorithms and remodel the tool for their purpose. Current work fulfills the need for domain-specific experimental data extraction stored in organized and structured databases for upcoming computational researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric loss of Cu with high thermal conductivity is large at high frequency, which cannot meet the performance requirements in high-integrated circuits. There is an urgent need for materials to reduce its dielectric loss. In this paper, the thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of the AlN coating-Cu substrate system were controlled by changing the N2 pressure. The results showed that the crystallinity of hcp-AlN in AlN coating increased significantly when the proportion of N2 pressure was increased. With the increase of the N2 pressure, the particle size on the surface and the roughness of the coating improved. The AlN coating prepared at high N2 pressure had high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss at high frequency compared to those of the coatings prepared at low N2 pressure. At the same time, the AlN coating prepared under high N2 pressure on the Cu substrate did not decrease the thermal conductivity of Cu substrate. The AlN-Cu system prepared in this paper had high thermal conductivity and good dielectric properties, providing theoretical guidance for integrated circuit packaging and capacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive residues of tetracycline (TC) have caused serious harm to the human body and the environment, so it is urgent to explore a portable, on-site, sensitive and selective method to detect TC. In this study, a dual response ratiometric fluorescent probe (S,O-C3N4QDs-CitNa-Eu3+) for detecting TC was constructed by mixing sodium citrate (CitNa), europium ion (Eu3+) and sulfur and oxygen co-doped graphite phase carbon nitride quantum dots (S,O-C3N4QDs) solution in a specific proportion. The S,O-C3N4QDs was initially synthesized by using citric acid and thiourea as the precursors via a hydrothermal route. The blue fluorescence of S,O-C3N4QDs (λem = 445 nm) was decreased while the red fluorescence of Eu3+ was increased (λem = 620 nm) own to the synergistic effect of internal filter effect, static quenching and antenna effect when TC was added to the mixed system containing CitNa and Eu3+. As a result, the ultra-sensitive detection of TC was realized from 0.25 to 120 μM with a detection limit of 1.3 nM. An obvious color change of the solution from blue to purple to red with continuous adding TC was observed such that the semi-quantitative detection of TC can be realized. Moreover, a smartphone APP monitoring platform based on test paper was constructed by using color scanning application, demonstrating that the ratiometric fluorescent probe constructed in this work has great potential in medical and environmental fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper investigates novel approaches to the fabrication of fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) via additive manufacturing (AM), with a focus on improving mechanical properties in polymers, metals, and ceramics while reducing weight of the structures. FRCs have been regarded as the optimal material choice across the automobile, aerospace, and construction industries due to their exceptional characteristics, including high strength-to-weight ratio, elevated stiffness, commendable thermal stability, remarkable fatigue and impact resistance, as well as noteworthy chemical and corrosion resistance. AM plays a significant role in FRCs production by offering design flexibility, product customization, waste reduction, near net shape fabrication, cost-effectiveness, and fast prototyping. This paper initially categorizes AM of FRCs into three categories: AM of polymer-matrix, metal-matrix, and ceramic-matrix composites. These categories are further subdivided based on the types of matrix as well as fibers used. Subsequently, it emphasizes the roles of 4D printing and numerical simulation in AMFRCs. The review concludes by addressing potential applications, existing challenges, and scope of AMFRCs in future research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance and limitations of peer-reviewed journal articles in the scientific community. The author emphasizes that a single paper should not be seen as an indisputable scientific fact, but rather as part of an ongoing process of scientific discovery and refinement. The author suggests several ways to assess the trustworthiness of a paper, including evaluating the authors' track record, the number of citations the paper has received, and the reputation of the journal in which it is published. However, the author also highlights the importance of personal relationships and trust in assessing the quality of a paper. Overall, the article provides valuable insights into the peer-review system and the challenges it faces in the modern scientific landscape. [Extracted from the article]

Twinning is an important deformation mechanism for magnesium alloys, which has a significant impact on the texture evolution and mechanical properties. Pre-twinning deformation has been considered as an effective method for texture regulation. For each twinning mode, there are six crystallographically equivalent variants. Properly identifying the activated twin and understanding its variant selection criteria are essential for the development of high-performance magnesium alloys. As summarized in this paper, the observed twin variant by the commonly employed electron backscatter diffraction technique can be identified by several approaches, including misorientation analysis, trace analysis and matrix method. Schmid factor analysis was commonly performed to explain the selection of twin variants. To broaden the application scope under complex stress state, a generalized Schmid factor was derived by introducing a stress tensor. The efficiency of Schmid criteria to assess twin variant selection was confirmed to be influenced by the type of the applied stress. To consider the local effect on twin activation, in particular twin-twin transfer and slip-induced twinning, displacement gradient tensor calculation and geometrical compatibility factor analysis have been employed. It was demonstrated that local strain accommodation played a critical role in selecting the variants of cross-boundary twins in magnesium alloys. Assisted with crystal plasticity finite element modeling, the resolved shear stress on twinning and a composite Schmid factor combining the global Schmid factor and geometrical compatibility factor were obtained to better explain the activated twin variants in magnesium alloys. All the above-mentioned Schmid law based criteria and some energy based criteria as well are summarized in this paper. Their applications in evaluating twin variant selection in magnesium alloys are critically reviewed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalloying has been an important method in aluminum alloy development for decades. Large number of papers have shown that the addition of trace element Erbium (Er) can effectively improve the comprehensive properties of aluminum alloys. Similar with the trace element Scandium (Sc), addition of trace element Er in aluminum alloys could form nano-sized L12-ordered Al3Er precipitates, which was coherent with the Al matrix. However, the dispersion precipitation strengthening effect of Al3Er was more significant than that of Al3Sc, at the same atomic content. In the case of the addition of both Er and Zr, core–shell-structured Al3(Er, Zr) precipitates formed instead of Al3Er precipitates. Those thermally-stable nanosized precipitates could significantly refine the grain size, retard the recrystallization, improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. This paper reviewed several typical Er-containing microalloyed commercial aluminum alloys, like 2xxx (Al–Cu) alloys, 4xxx (Al–Si) alloys, 5xxx (Al–Mg) alloys, 7xxx (Al–Zn–Mg–Cu) alloys, as well as selective laser melting aluminum alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional materials with unique properties have received much attention in recent years. Current research is exploring their potential applications in various fields. Acoustic topological insulators have been an emerging branch in the field of acoustic metamaterials in recent years. Its strong unidirectional transmission capability has potential applications in acoustic sensors, filters, and beamwaves. However, to realize a wide range of applications of acoustic topological materials, it is necessary to solve the problems of multi-band and wide bandgap. To this end, this paper proposes a jointly resonant acoustic topological insulator structure. The structure achieves multi-band filtering, and three filterable bandgaps can be obtained below 6200 Hz. Meanwhile, the total width of the three filterable bandgaps accounts for 65.5% at 6200 Hz and below. In this paper, the band structure is obtained by using the method of finite element simulation. The generation of topological phase transition induced by the rotation angle of the scatterer is analyzed. The pseudo-spin case of the valley hall effect is also analyzed from the point of view of acoustic energy flow, and the existence of edge states is verified. Finally, the unidirectional transport properties possessing backward scattering immunity are verified. The multi-band structure with a great bandwidth means that this work will have great potential for applications in filters. Also, since acoustic topologies based on the Valley hall effect do not possess strong defect immunity, this work proposes to utilize defect states as acoustic switches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of society and technology, machinery and equipment have enhanced our work efficiency but have also introduced various hazards, such as electromagnetic radiation, medical, industrial, and agricultural rays. The harms these radiations inflict on human health are significant, with severe cases leading to cancer, disability, or even life-threatening situations. Therefore, effective protective measures in some fields are crucial. This paper firstly summarized the basic principles of radiation protection for different rays, then systematically introduced the widely used manufacturing methods for flexible radiation shielding materials, including weaving with metal fibers, fiber blending, silver-plated fibers, and so on. Subsequently, the paper reviewed the testing methods of radiation-protective clothing materials. Finally, it comprehensively concluded the discussions on flexible radiation shielding materials and offered a perspective on their future development trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to increased environmental awareness, the depletion of fossil fuels, and expanding ecological concerns, today's society has a larger need for environmentally friendly materials. The idea of sustainable development of environmental material resources with enhanced economic activities was born from the rise in ecological consciousness. The textile industry generates enormous amounts of cotton waste. The environmental impact of disposing of this cotton waste makes it difficult for the textile sector to dispose of the vast amounts of produced cotton waste. As a result, all-cellulose composites (ACCs) have piqued the interest of researchers in recent years. All-cellulose composites are cellulose-based mono-component cellulose composites in which the reinforcing phase is typically composed of high-strength cellulose fibres, and the matrix is composed of regenerated cellulose. This composite type is distinguished by its exceptional interfacial compatibility and biodegradability due to the matrix and reinforcing phase having common cellulosic compositions. ACCs will become a more alluring option as enterprises prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility because they can be recycled and reused rapidly and simply. This will contribute to less waste and enhance the overall sustainability of our society. This review paper discusses various methods to develop ACCs, textile waste-based thermoset and thermoplastic composites and textile waste-based cellulose composites (TWCCs). This review paper emphasizes approaches to develop TWCCs and the challenges and opportunities in TWCCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to the individual fiber, the core problem limiting the mechanical strength of the aramid nanopaper is the weak interfacial bonding strength, and the hydrogen bond-induced aggregation is an important factor influencing the well compositing of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) with other enhancers. In this work, we introduced sodium alginate (SA) as a mechanical additive during the formation process of ANFs to realize the uniform wrapping of the SA on the surface of ANFs. The resultant ANFs/SA paper shows an ultimate strength of 308.23 MPa, a toughness of 42.33 MJ⋅m−3, and an elongation of 21.99%, which are 1.63, 5.16, and 3.12 times of the pure ANFs film. The excellent mechanical performances are attributed to the good dispersion of SA in the ANFs matrix, which can result in the fine physical cross-link and enhanced hydrogen bonding at interfaces. Meanwhile, the ANFs/SA composite also shows favorable electrical insulation behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the scientific community emphasizes the use of reversible and non-toxic materials in the field of cultural heritage. Biopolymers are one of the alternative materials to synthetic polymers and solvents that are dangerous for human health and for the environment, applied in consolidation and coating treatment. Natural biopolymers may be divided into polysaccharide, protein, and polyester: All of them are low cost, eco-friendly, and biocompatible, besides many physicochemical characteristics such as being transparent, soluble in water, hydrogel, and film-forming, and can be easily functionalized. The addition of nanoclay, essential oil, and active molecules improves the physicochemical properties of biopolymers and proposes smart response abilities to the new composite material. This work is intended to provide an overview of the development of biopolymers by considering the most general aspects and scanning the diverse substrates of application for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of tissue engineering involves various methodologies employed to improve or replace biological tissues with extracellular matrices (ECMs). Significant progress has been made, particularly in the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for replacing damaged tissues or organs. The current review broadly focuses on the various research works carried out involving the use of biomaterials (biopolymers, bio-ceramics and dopants) in this area. A detailed discussion on several scaffold-making modern technologies has also been provided, along with a demonstration of different characterization techniques. Though a number of review papers have been published on biomaterials and fabrication techniques, a very small number focuses on the clinical trials carried out and the commercialization of scaffolds in the biomedical field. Thus, a critical analysis and detailed discussion of some of the clinical trials, market growth, and future demands have been presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanowires find use in a myriad of applications, including communication systems, sensors, medical devices and electrical equipment. Temperature-dependent electrical and thermal properties of chemically derived silver nanowires are rarely explored. In the present work, seed-mediated synthesis of silver nanowires has been carried out, and their electrical and thermal conductivity at 300 K is found to be 1.848 × 107 S/m and 64.8 W/mK, respectively. A screen-printable ink of silver nanowires is formulated and printed on low-cost and widely used substrates like paper and cotton fabrics. Flexible printed electrodes could be made possible with uniform printed structures obtained in cotton fabric and paper substrate. The printed pattern exhibited sheet resistance of 0.7 Ω/sq. Screen-printed silver nanowires on paper show shielding efficiency of 99.9% in X band, which promotes them as excellent candidates in fabricating lightweight electronic devices by a one-step printing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are widely used to reinforce and repair buildings due to their high strength, corrosion resistance, lightweight, and convenient of construction. The interfacial properties between FRP and the reinforced buildings play a very important role in the effective transfer of stress and largely determine the service hours of the reinforced structures. Therefore, this paper reviews the research progress on the interfacial properties of FRP reinforced concrete. First, the composition of FRP reinforcement system is introduced. EB-FRP and NSM-FRP reinforcement methods are suitable for reinforcing different buildings. Then, the influence factors of the interfacial properties are highlighted. The choice of interfacial agent, roughness of the reinforced concrete surface, temperature and environment have very important impact on the reinforcement effect. Finally, the main damage modes and failure mechanisms of the interface between FRP and the reinforced concrete are summarized. The choice of the interfacial agent determines the main failure mode. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the further research on the interface damage mechanism of FRP reinforced concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. High-fidelity mannequins are increasingly used to train the medical staff on many medical procedures. Lately, a new challenge regarding echogenic materials to build ultrasound-responding phantoms has emerged. The challenge is to find materials with a suitable combination of ultrasound velocity and consistency to the touch. Methods. Bibliographic research was performed to identify materials with promising stiffness, shape retention, and ultrasound velocity combinations. As-standardized-as-possible specimens were realized and tested using an A-mode ultrasound machine to evaluate the US velocity through them. Four differently doped silicones, five gelatin-based materials, five synthetic gelatins, and a 3D printable resin were included in the study. After being tested, the materials were monitored for 12 days to assess their durability and shape retention and tested again to evaluate the ultrasound velocity's stability. In the paper, the results of the characterization and follow-up of the materials are presented. Results. Outcomes show that gelatins are exceptional soft tissue-mimicking materials in terms of ultrasound velocity and consistency to the touch, but are poor in terms of overtime stability and therefore suitable for disposable short-term phantoms only. Doped silicones present lower ultrasound velocity compared to the reference value of 1540 m/s found in the literature, but excellent overtime stability, and shape retention properties. Values close to biological ones were also given by the Elastic 50A and by polyvinyl chloride plastisol. Conclusion. The paper gives a quantitative overview of the fidelity of both already-in-use and non-conventional materials, focusing on the ultrasound velocity value through them and their longevity in terms of macroscopically observed dehydration, shape retention, and bacterial onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural waste is an economically and environmentally beneficial precursor material for the development of activated carbon (AC) due to its low price, wide sources, and large production scale. This makes it a crucial field for agricultural waste treatment and AC development. This paper reviews the research progress of agricultural waste-based activated carbon (AWAC), including the sources and characteristics of agricultural waste, and the effects of raw material characteristics and activation conditions on the performance of AWAC. It analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of various preparation methods of AWAC. Additionally, it explains the research status of AWAC in wastewater treatment, gas adsorption, catalyst carrier, and energy carrier. Finally, this paper summarizes the advantages and limitations of using agricultural wastes as raw materials for AC, and provides a prospect for raw material development, process optimization, and application expansion, taking into account the shortcomings of current research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnZrOx has been used in large quantities for the preparation of light olefins from CO2, but the relationship between structure and performance remains unclear at present. In this paper, ZnZrOx were prepared by co-precipitation method, and a series of oxides with different sizes were prepared by varying the calcination temperatures. Subsequently, these oxides were combined with SAPO-34 to create a composite bifunctional catalyst for the synthesis of light olefins by CO2 hydrogenation, in which the impact of nanocrystal size effect was examined. The catalytic performance significantly increased as the nanocrystal size reduced from 18 to 12 nm. However, when the nanocrystal size was further decreased to 8 nm, the catalytic performance decline. Characterizations revealed a gradual increase in the number of oxygen vacancies with decreasing nanocrystal size. However, the oxide with the smallest nanocrystal size, prepared by varied calcination temperatures, did not yield the optimal catalytic performance due to sintering occurring during the reaction process. The results show that the assumption that smaller nanocrystal sizes inherently equate to improved catalytic performance is not universally valid, and stability must be considered when the nanocrystal size is decreased. The bifunctional catalysts used in this paper for the prepared light olefins from CO2 in yield as high as 13.8%, which is higher than most previous reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small punch (SP) test has been widely used in applications where conventional mechanical tests cannot be performed; this paper predicts the material strength from the SP test results by empirical correlations method. The yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) models serve to associate the load–displacement (LD) curves of SP tests with the stress–strain data of uniaxial tensile tests, and then, the feasibility of these models at different temperatures is investigated. Using the Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC) method, the ideal strength equations are accessed from past studies for the cast superalloys, including ZG15Cr2Mo1, P91, 316H, and Hastelloy X, whereas the validation results of the additively manufactured (AM) GH4169 alloy are not satisfactory. As a result, considering the unique manufacturing process of AM GH4169, this paper develops a YS model with correlation coefficients higher than 90% between the calculated and actual values and proposes a UTS formula with estimation errors less than 3.5%. Furthermore, with the purpose of superior strength prediction results, the discussion of the SP test velocity reveals that 0.50 mm min−1 had wide adaptability to various strength models and operating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phagraphene is a newly proposed two-dimensional allotrope of carbon. Its structure resembles that of a defective graphene sheet. The unit cell structure of phagraphene consists of a 5–6–7 ring sequence due to which it possesses lower energy than most carbon allotropes. Phagraphene has properties, namely thermal conductivity of 218 ± 20 W/mK and 285 ± 29 W/mK, along armchair and zigzag directions, respectively, a tensile strength of 85 ± 2 GPa, the elastic modulus of 870 ± 15 GPa along armchair and 800 ± 14 GPa along zigzag direction, and fracture strain of the same order as that of pristine graphene. Density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations have proved the unique electronic properties of phagraphene, namely direction-dependent Dirac cones, tunable Fermi velocities, quasi-direct band gap, to be comparable with pristine graphene. Based on molecular dynamics and density functional theory investigations, phagraphene is capable of being used in Li-based batteries and thermoelectric devices as anode material due to its good adsorption properties and remarkably good doping characteristics. Such characteristics can lead to a future trend of analyzing such allotropes because phagraphene can provide potential applications in atmospheric pollutant-detecting and drug-carrying properties in ailments like cancer. This paper is a nascent one discussing all the previous works on molecular dynamics simulations of phagraphene and tries to serve as the leading one for researchers interested in this field. This paper summarizes the mechanical and thermal properties of phagraphene estimated using molecular dynamics simulations as studied in previous works. The study shows that molecular dynamics has a good application in studying such a novel carbon allotrope. The discussions made in this paper thematize phagraphene's properties as a next-generation material and can help the researchers in a qualitative overview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the induction heating process, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) exhibits anisotropic magnetic and thermal properties due to changes in fiber arrangement, which affect the variation of the temperature field distribution on the material's surface and reduce the magnetic field utilization rate. Therefore, this paper adopts the CFRP induction heating finite element microanalysis model to improve the heating efficiency of the material and regulate the temperature field distribution reasonably. The study investigates the coupling relationship between the magnetic field's spatial state and the magnetocaloric properties of the fiber texture, analyzing the mapping relationship between the magnetic field state and the material's calorific value and temperature field distribution. The intrinsic correlation between the magnetic field state and the material's magnetocaloric properties on the temperature field distribution is characterized, providing a theoretical analysis basis for designing and optimizing the temperature and magnetic field distribution during the induction heating process of CFRP. The study aims to achieve effective control of temperature field distribution during the CFRP heating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]