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Due to the expansion in the global population, there is an increase in animal protein demand and waste generation. Currently, food waste derived from supermarkets, etc., which is used to produce biogas, is collected separately and can contain (micro)plastics deriving from food packaging, imposing potential risks to the environment. A possible solution to address protein, waste and plastic concerns can potentially be achieved by rearing black soldier fly (BSF) larvae on such substrates. In this study, we investigated the effect of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) (micro)plastics on the growth, survival, and bioconversion of BSF larvae. On the other hand, the impact of the larvae on the polymer structure and degradation was also assessed. This was carried out by rearing BSF larvae on artificial food waste spiked with micro-, meso-, and macroplastics, while measuring larval growth, survival, and bioconversion parameters. The remaining plastics were collected and analysed upon changes and degradation of their polymer structure. Generally, BSF larvae were not affected in terms of growth performance (179.9–210.4 mg), survival (77.1–87.3%), and bioconversion (FCR: 4.65–5.53) by the presence of (micro)plastics in the substrates. Furthermore, the larvae were also unable to significantly alter the polymer structure of the used plastic.

The hierarchization via desilication of a less studied zeolite, but with particular potential for catalytic applications, belonging to the TON type zeolite family, viz. ISI-1, and its impact on catalytic performance in hydroconversion of model long chain n-alkanes are presented. The diffusivity of heavy molecules within monodimensional micropore system zeolites with TON frameworks is limited and the activity is concentrated in the rim of the crystals, referred to as pore mouth catalysis. Desilication has proved to be an efficient strategy for hierarchization, increasing the number of pore mouths as revealed by HR-SEM and TEM. Though notable inhomogeneity in the dispersion of platinum nanoparticles over individual crystals was evidenced via SEM at high resolution, the catalyst presented high isomerization yields. ispartof: Catalysis Science & Technology vol:11 issue:4 pages:1519-1525 status: published

This work addresses the early stages ($\le$1000 h) of the dissolution corrosion behavior of 316L and DIN 1.4970 austenitic stainless steels in contact with oxygen-poor (C$_O$ < 10$^-$$^8$ mass%), static liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) at 500{\deg}C for 600-1000 h. The objective of this study was to determine the relative early-stage resistance of the uncoated steels to dissolution corrosion and to assess the protectiveness of select candidate coatings (Cr$_2$AlC, Al$_2$O$_3$, V$_2$Al$_x$C$_y$). The simultaneous exposure of steels with intended differences in microstructure and thermomechanical state showed the effects of steel grain size, density of annealing/deformation twins, and secondary precipitates on the steel dissolution corrosion behavior. The findings of this study provide recommendations on steel manufacturing with the aim of using the steels to construct Gen-IV lead-cooled fast reactors., Comment: 52 pages, 22 figures, 4 tables

A new zeolite, COK-24, which is an intergrowth of erionite (ERI) and chabazite (CHA), was successfully synthesized for the first time. This was realized via a mixed gel approach. The formation of an intergrowth was confirmed via XRD combined with advanced electron microscopy. The new zeolite intergrowth outperformed its individual counterparts in NH3-SCR reaction. ispartof: ACS Materials Letters vol:3 issue:5 pages:658-662 status: published

An approach to induce conductivity in immiscible polystyrene/polypropylene (PS/PP) blends is described using a percolated conducting polyaniline/polyamide (PANI/PA) filler combined with a polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene‐ran‐butylene)‐block‐polystyrene‐graft‐maleic anhydride compatibilizer. The approach is based on the ability of the compatibilizer to concomitantly stabilize the cocontinuous morphology and to improve the state of dispersion of the PANI/PA filler. Selective localization of PANI/PA in the PS phase with improved filler dispersion is achieved with the optimal master batch (MB) preparation technique followed by its optimized sequence addition to the blend components. This results in an increase in the dc conductivity by six decades as compared with that of the neat compatibilized blend at an effective 4.8‐wt % PANI concentration. An investigation of the effect of functionality and concentration of the filler and the compatibilizer on the filler connectivity in the blend is performed. The prevailing specific interactions are analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis of the MBs. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48433.

This work addresses the effect of deformation twinning on the dissolution corrosion behaviour of 316 L austenitic stainless steels in contact with static liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE). For this purpose, plastically deformed 316 L steel specimens with distinctly different deformation twin densities were simultaneously exposed to oxygen-poor (

The mechanism governing the electrical properties for phase separating blends containing multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) is unravelled by tuning the compatibilization efficiency. Thereto, compatibilization by interfacially segregated block and random copolymers (cp) of poly(styrene-random/block-methyl methacrylate)(PS-r/b-PMMA) was achieved in phase separating blends of poly[(α-methyl styrene)-co-acrylonitrile]/poly(methylmethacrylate) (PαMSAN/PMMA) undergoing spinodal decomposition. A systematic study of the effects of copolymer architecture and molecular weight on the percolating network of selectively localized MWNTs is performed. Effective compatibilization is achieved with block cp irrespective of the ability of the blocks to entangle, whereas for random cp only long random cp having the ability to effectively entangle with the homopolymers are as efficient as long block cp. With increasing copolymer concentration, an increase and subsequent saturation of the electrical conductivity is attained. This originates from an increased connectivity and refinement of the MWNT laden PαMSAN phase, as confirmed by optical microscopy and the linear viscoelastic response of the blends. An effective compatibilizer led to an interfacial tension mediated suppression of an interfacial coarsening of the PαMSAN phase during phase separation, subsequently leading to percolation of MWNTs selectively localized in the PαMSAN phase. Furthermore, the copolymer having the ability to promote the development of a percolated network of MWNTs also allowed the network to be formed at a lower copolymer concentration as compared to that of blends with copolymers leading to restricted improvement in the connectivity of MWNTs. Our robust and simple procedure to tune the blend morphology via the efficiency of the compatibilizers can be used to achieve a synergistic increase in conducting properties.

DNA nanotechnology has a great potential in biosensor design including nanostructuring of the biosensor surface through DNA origami, target recognition by means of aptamers, and DNA-based signal amplification strategies. In this paper, we use DNA nanotechnology to describe for the first time the concept of real-time solid-phase monitoring of DNAzyme cleavage activity for the detection of specific single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) with a fiber optic surface plasmon resonance (FO-SPR) biosensor. Hereto, we first developed a robust ligation strategy for the functionalization of the FO-SPR biosensing surface with ssDNA-tethered gold nanoparticles, serving as the substrate for the DNAzyme. Next, we established a relation between the SPR signal change, due to the cleavage activity of the 10–23 DNAzyme, and the concentration of the DNAzyme, showing faster cleavage kinetics for higher DNAzyme concentrations. Finally, we implemented this generic concept for biosensing of ssDNA target in solution. Hereto, we designed a DNAzyme–inhibitor complex, consisting of an internal loop structure complementary to the ssDNA target, that releases active DNAzyme molecules in a controlled way as a function of the target concentration. We demonstrated reproducible target detection with a theoretical limit of detection of 1.4 nM, proving that the presented ligation strategy is key to a universal DNAzyme-based FO-SPR biosensing concept with promising applications in the medical and agrofood sector. ispartof: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces vol:11 issue:7 pages:6759-6768 ispartof: location:United States status: published

This work addresses the dissolution corrosion behaviour of 316L austenitic stainless steels. For this purpose, solution-annealed and cold-deformed 316L steels were simultaneously exposed to oxygen-poor ( −8 mass%) static liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) for 253–3282 h at 500 °C. Corrosion was consistently more severe for the cold-drawn steels than the solution-annealed steel, indicating the importance of the steel thermomechanical state. The thickness of the dissolution-affected zone was non-uniform, and sites of locally-enhanced dissolution were occasionally observed. The progress of LBE dissolution attack was promoted by the interplay of certain steel microstructural features (grain boundaries, deformation twin laths, precipitates) with the dissolution corrosion process. The identified dissolution mechanisms were selective leaching leading to steel ferritization, and non-selective leaching; the latter was mainly observed in the solution-annealed steel. The maximum corrosion rate decreased with exposure time and was found to be inversely proportional to the depth of dissolution attack.

This article reports on the development of thin films of p- and n-type bismuth telluride compounds which are suitable for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) thermoelectric energy harvesters. Films were prepared by the pulsed laser deposition technique. It is shown that the thin films of binary Bi-Te alloys outperformed considerably their ternary counterparts. Furthermore, the highest thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) was found to be 0.39 for the p-type Bi 32 Te 68 alloy, whereas the optimal n-type alloy was Bi 25 Te 75 , which was characterized by a relatively low stress gradient.

International audience; The potential and limitations of Rayleigh wave spectroscopy to characterize the elastic depth profile of heterogeneous functional gradient materials are investigated by comparing simulations of the surface acoustic wave dispersion curves of different profile-spectrum pairs. This inverse problem is shown to be quite ill posed. The method is then applied to extract information on the depth structure of a glass-ceramic ͑ alumina͒ functionally graded material from experimental data. The surface acoustic wave analysis suggests the presence of a uniform coating region consisting of a mixture of Al2O3 and glass, with a sharp transition between the coating and the substrate. This is confirmed by scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive x-ray analysis.