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In this study, the precipitation and sonication methods were used to fabricate WO3–NiO/rGO nanohybrid. The structural, spectral and optical characteristics of the as-synthesized samples were confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–Visible spectroscopy. In comparison to pure WO3, NiO and WO3–NiO, WO3–NiO/rGO nanohybrid demonstrated increased photocatalytic degradation activity for rhodamine B and methylene blue under solar light irradiation. The percent degradation values for WO3, NiO, WO3–NiO and WO3–NiO/rGO nanohybrid for methylene blue were 64%, 81%, 86% and 95%, and for rhodamine B were 58%, 80%, 92% and 96%. The lower recombination of photo-generated holes and electrons as a result of the creation of a heterojunction between WO3 and NiO and the improved optical bandgap energy of WO3-NiO nanocomposite and its hybrid with rGO are the potential causes of this enhanced photocatalytic degradation. WO3–NiO/rGO nanohybrid demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic performance and positioned itself as a viable candidate in the catalysis industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 (LAS) glass system has high commercial values due to its very low thermal expansion coefficients and its very high chemical resistance among other properties. In this study, the preparation of LAS-based glass–ceramics (G-Cs) is reported, and the influence of P2O5 as a nucleating agent for crystallizing the amorphous glass structure at different rates into this glass composition, on the physical, structural, and mechanical properties is presented. The influece of different crytalization temperature on the crystal size and micreostructure as well as the radiation absorption abilities of the G-Cs were also investigated. The G-Cs were prepared using the melt and quench method and subjected to different temperature regimes to crystallise. The crystallinity of the prepared samples was examined with the aid of X-ray Diffraction analysis, while their chemical composition was probed using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The mass attenuation coefficients (MACs) of the samples were estimated for 15 keV–15 MeV photons using the well-known WinXCom software. Lithium silicate with the main phase formulation Li0.75Al0.75Si2.25O6 was identified as the main crystalline phase within the residual glass phase. The increase in P2O5 content slightly diminishes the photon absorption abilities of the G-Cs. However, the G-Cs showed better photon absorption prowess compared to some notable shielding materials. The G-Cs are thus important shielding materials useful for radiation control purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the optical properties and radiation shielding performance of borosilicate glasses containing chromium trioxide (CrO3) and strontium titanium oxide (SrTiO3). The optical characteristics, including refractive index, absorption coefficient, and transmission behaviour, were thoroughly analysed to gain insights into the transparency and light-carrying capabilities of the glasses. Additionally, the radiation shielding parameters were obtained by utilizing both FLUKA simulation and the XCOM program. The obtained radiation shielding data were then compared and discussed to assess the effectiveness of the glass compositions as shielding materials against ionizing radiation. The results provide a comprehensive understanding of the optical properties and radiation shielding capabilities of the studied glasses, contributing to the development of novel and efficient materials for radiation protection in various applications, including nuclear medicine, industrial radiography, and space exploration. The findings presented in this study offer valuable information for the design and optimization of borosilicate glasses containing CrO3 and SrTiO3 for effective radiation shielding in neutron-rich environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the optical properties and radiation shielding performance of borosilicate glasses containing chromium trioxide (CrO3) and strontium titanium oxide (SrTiO3). The optical characteristics, including refractive index, absorption coefficient, and transmission behaviour, were thoroughly analysed to gain insights into the transparency and light-carrying capabilities of the glasses. Additionally, the radiation shielding parameters were obtained by utilizing both FLUKA simulation and the XCOM program. The obtained radiation shielding data were then compared and discussed to assess the effectiveness of the glass compositions as shielding materials against ionizing radiation. The results provide a comprehensive understanding of the optical properties and radiation shielding capabilities of the studied glasses, contributing to the development of novel and efficient materials for radiation protection in various applications, including nuclear medicine, industrial radiography, and space exploration. The findings presented in this study offer valuable information for the design and optimization of borosilicate glasses containing CrO3 and SrTiO3 for effective radiation shielding in neutron-rich environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning (ML) analysis has gained huge importance among researchers for predicting multiple parameters and designing efficient donor and acceptor materials without experimentation. Data are collected from literature and subsequently used for predicting impactful properties of organic solar cells such as power conversion efficiency (PCE) and energy levels (HOMO/LUMO). Importantly, out of various tested models, hist gradient boosting (HGB) and the light gradient boosting (LGBM) regression models revealed better predictive capabilities. To achieve the prediction effectively, the selected (best) ML regression models are further tuned. For the prediction of PCE (test set), the LGBM shows the coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.787, which is higher than HGB (R2 = 0.680). For the prediction of HOMO (test set), the LGBM shows R2 value of 0.566, which is higher than HGB (R2 = 0.563). However, for the prediction of LUMO (test set), the LGBM shows R2 value of 0.605, which is lower than HGB (R2 = 0.606). Among the three predicted properties, prediction ability is higher for PCE. These models help to predict the efficient acceptors in a short time and less computational cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exclusive features of two‐dimensional (2D) semiconductors, such as high surface‐to‐volume ratios, tunable electronic properties, and biocompatibility, provide promising opportunities for developing highly sensitive biosensors. However, developing practical biosensors that can promptly detect low concentrations of target analytes remains a challenging task. Here, a field‐effect‐transistor comprising n‐type transition metal dichalcogenide tin disulfide (SnS2) is developed over the hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) for the detection of streptavidin protein (Strep.) as a target analyte. A self‐designed receptor based on the pyrene‐lysine conjugated with biotin (PLCB) is utilized to maintain the sensitivity of the SnS2/h‐BN FET because of the π–π stacking. The detection capabilities of SnS2/h‐BN FET are investigated using both Raman spectroscopy and electrical characterizations. The real‐time electrical measurements exhibit that the SnS2/h‐BN FET is capable of detecting streptavidin at a remarkably low concentration of 0.5 pm, within 13.2 s. Additionally, the selectivity of the device is investigated by measuring its response against a Cow‐like serum egg white protein (BSA), having a comparative molecular weight to that of the streptavidin. These results indicate a high sensitivity and rapid response of SnS2/h‐BN biosensor against the selective proteins, which can have significant implications in several fields including point‐of‐care diagnostics, drug discovery, and environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass samples with contents P2O5-SiO2-BaO altered with different concentrations of WO3 have been manufactured by the traditional melt quenching method. X-ray diffraction investigations were achieved to affirm the amorphous structure of the samples. The density and the ultrasonic velocities variations were exploited to establish the elastic parameters of the glasses. The obtained results showed that the glass density (2.88–3.72 g/cm3), values of the investigated glasses were increased with increasing WO3 content, and molar volume (44.68–35.43 cm3 /mol) values of the investigated glasses were decreased with increasing WO3 content. The increase in density is due to the relatively larger molar mass of the substitution oxides than other glass components, while the large ionic radius of the substitution ions causes an increase in the molar volume. The investigations with the pulse-echo technique showed an increment of the ultrasound velocities, the Debye temperature, and the elastic parameters. The gamma-ray shielding parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), the tenth-value layer (TVL), the half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP) were determined for the prepared glass system using Phy-X/PSD software in the energy range from 0.015 to 15 MeV. Furthermore, the results present that the additions of WO3 to the glass network improve the shielding parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GeO2-doped magnesium-telluroborate transparent glasses were synthesized in the current investigation using the traditional melt-quench procedure. XRD and FT-IR were used to examine the glasses' structural properties. Following the measurement of the density, various physical parameters (including oxygen molar volume, oxygen packing density, etc.) were estimated and examined. From the FTIR results, one can deduce that clear structural alterations are seen which support the presence and conversion of BO3 and BO4 units. This is a result of the glass network forming more GeO4, TeO4, and BO4 units, which means that decreased NBO is forming, and more stiff networks are forming as a result. The increase in the overall stretching force constant of the glasses may also have an impact on the elastic moduli. The optical parameters were studied as optical energy band gap, Urbach energy and refractive index of the fabricated glass. According to the HVL data, the current glasses have a significant ability to lessen the intensity of gamma rays with lower energy. The glass with a small amount of GeO2 has a high HVL, whereas the glass with a higher amount of GeO2 has a lower HVL, as shown by the HVL data. The G5 glass demonstrated its superiority as a shielding glass over the other glass samples (G1–G4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]