Search

In this study, using a solution casting process, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) composites containing different contents of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ferroelectric particles were produced. The damping treatment of composites at high volume of fillers was investigated. SEM micrographs showed that PZT particles had a proper distribution in the PU matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms indicates that melting enthalpy decreases by raising PZT filler content. The results of the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) proved that the magnitude of loss factor (tan δ) strongly depends on PZT content, and it decreased from 0.51 to 0.27 as PZT content increased. The value of E0 increases to 0.32 GPa in the composite reinforced with 50 v% of PZT. The role of PZT on the acoustic behavior of TPU was measured using the acoustic absorption coefficient (a). The results showed that as PZT content increased from 0 to 50%, the acoustic absorption coefficient reached 0.25 at 6000 Hz frequency. The composites of PZT/PU with 0–3 connectivity were poled, and the optimal poling conditions that could be applied without sample breakdown were studied. Moreover, we prepared composites containing 70 vol% PZT particles by modifying the particles. Modification of PZT particles caused a decrease in both d33 and g33 constants of the PZT/PU composites.

Mixed-dimensional perovskites containing mixtures of organic cations hold great promise to deliver highly stable and efficient solar cells. However, although a plethora of relatively bulky organic cations have been reported for such purposes, a fundamental understanding of the materials’ structure, composition, and phase, along with their correlated effects on the corresponding optoelectronic properties and degradation mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we systematically engineer the structures of bulky organic cations to template low-dimensional perovskites with contrasting inorganic framework dimensionality, connectivity, and coordination deformation. By combining X-ray single-crystal structural analysis with depth-profiling XPS, solid-state NMR, and femtosecond transient absorption, it is revealed that not all low dimensional species work equally well as dopants. Instead, it was found that inorganic architectures with lesser structural distortion tend to yield less disordered energetic and defect landscapes in the resulting mixed-dimensional perovskites, augmented in materials with a longer photoluminescence (PL) lifetime, higher PL quantum yield (up to 11%), improved solar cell performance and enhanced thermal stability (T80 up to 1000 h, unencapsulated). Our study highlights the importance of designing templating organic cations that yield low-dimensional materials with much less structural distortion profiles to be used as additives in stable and efficient perovskite solar cells. Ministry of Education (MOE) National Research Foundation (NRF) Published version The authors would like to acknowledge funding from the Singapore National Research Foundation through the IntraCREATE Collaborative Grant (NRF2018-ITC001-001), Energy Innovation Research Program (NRF2015EWT-EIRP003-004 and Solar CRP: S18-1176-SCRP), and MOE Tier 2 project MOE2019-T2-2-097.

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been widely used in the pretreatment of biomass. However, the effects of residual ILs on the enzymolysis and fermentation of biomass are still unknown. Therefore, a large quantity of water-washing is usually followed after biomass pretreatment to eliminate the inhibition of residual ILs on subsequent hydrolysis and fermentation steps. In this work, the effect of choline glycine ([Ch][Gly]) concentration on the activity of cellulase and Bacillus sp. strain P38 was systematically investigated to explore the impacts of residual ILs on enzymolysis and fermentation. The results confirmed that the activities of them were almost not inhibited in low concentrations (less than 0.5 wt%) of [Ch][Gly]. Under optimal pretreatment conditions, the maximum cellulose digestibility was 99.23%. Enzymatic hydrolysate was suitable for l -lactic acid fermentation without appreciable inhibition, and the highest sugar-acid conversion rate of 96.33% was obtained by simplified detoxification. This work provides an economic route to produce fermentable sugar and l -lactic acid, which shows an industrial application prospect in lignocellulosic biorefinery.

A highly efficient photocatalytic dehydrogenative coupling (PDC) of amines to prepare value-added imines has been developed under the mild conditions. A complete conversion of benzylamine with a 99% selectivity of N-benzylidenebenzylamine could be obtained using the 2%Pt@g-C3N4 as photocatalyst in the absence of hydrogen acceptor at room temperature. Moreover, the relationship between the physical properties of different photocatalysts and their activities has been discussed according to the characterization results of the XRD, BET, SEM, TEM and XPS techniques. Next, the PDC of different amines have been further investigated, where ca. 70.2-99.0% yields of corresponding imines were attained. Finally, based on the experimental results and heterogeneous catalytic principle, a possible reaction mechanism for the PDC of benzylamine is proposed.

The need for self-referencing is extremely important in the field of biosensing. In this manuscript, we report on the study, design, and validation of a dual-region self-referencing fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance biosensor. One region is intended to measure and monitor the binding events of the biological sample under test, while the other one is designed to be used as a reference channel to compensate for external factors, such as bulk refractive index modifications and temperature oscillations, that can negatively affect the biomolecular interaction measurement. Two different configurations for the biosensor probe are presented and investigated here, both theoretically and experimentally. First, the theoretical performance of the proposed biosensor probes, in terms of surface plasmon resonance wavelength shift, was simulated using a numerical model. Afterward, they were experimentally validated in sucrose-water solutions and showed a response to refractive index and temperature changes with sensitivities up to 2000 nm/RIU and 1.559 nm/°C, respectively. Finally, an aptamer-based bioassay and a high-resolution melting assay were successfully implemented on the two proposed configurations, demonstrating the feasibility of analyzing the binding events and measuring other external signal modifications simultaneously using the same biosensor probe. ispartof: ACS SENSORS vol:7 issue:11 pages:3360-3368 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Packaging must have a good commercial appearance and is generally obtained by ink transferred to its substrate. It is important that the ink used in packaging printing is produced from environmentally friendly and sustainable raw materials as well as being suitable for the printing system. The increasing demand in the field of printed packaging and the scarcity of resources to meet this demand have accelerated the search for new sources for inks. For this purpose, inks produced in the laboratory using a modified cellulose-based binder, a commercial acrylic resin and a commercial soybean protein were compared with a commercial ink. As a result of the study, it was determined that the printability properties of the ink obtained by using the modified cellulose-based binder were better than the ink obtained with commercial soybean protein. It was determined that it showed printability properties close to the ink produced with commercial acrylic binders. By using modified cellulose-based water-based flexographic ink instead of other commonly used binders, more environmentally friendly sustainable inks can be produced.

Printed electrical gas sensors are a low-cost, lightweight, low-power, and potentially disposable alternative to gas sensors manufactured using conventional methods such as photolithography, etching, and chemical vapor deposition. The growing interest in Internet-of-Things, smart homes, wearable devices, and point-of-need sensors has been the main driver fueling the development of new classes of printed electrical gas sensors. In this Perspective, we provide an insight into the current research related to printed electrical gas sensors including materials, methods of fabrication, and applications in monitoring food quality, air quality, diagnosis of diseases, and detection of hazardous gases. We further describe the challenges and future opportunities for this emerging technology.

Most of the global production of ammonia requires fossil fuels and is associated with considerable greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing fossil fuel ammonia with green or zero-carbon ammonia is a major focus for academia, industry and governments. Ammonia is a key component in fertiliser but is also attracting increasing interest as a carbon-free fuel for the maritime sector and as a hydrogen vector. This review describes the use of green (electrolysed) hydrogen in conventional Haber-Bosch plants and predicts adoption of the technology by 2030. Further into the future, direct green ammonia synthesis by electrocatalytic and photocatalytic means may present a cost-effective alternative to the Haber-Bosch process. Electrocatalytic and photocatalytic routes to ammonia are reviewed, the catalytic systems are compared and their potential for meeting the likely demand and cost for ammonia considered.

In this work, the structure and dielectric properties of flexible films composed of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) mixed with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer are irradiated with different fluence of argon ion beam (8 × 1017, 16 × 1017 and 24 × 1017 ions/cm2). The zinc oxide (ZnO)/PVA composite films were synthesised using the solvent casting preparation method and then characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The XRD showed that ZnO/PVA composite films were successfully fabricated, and the FTIR peaks indicated that ZnONPs had a chemical interaction with PVA polymer chains. Furthermore, the AC conductivity, dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and energy density efficiency of the un-irradiated and irradiated films were determined using an inductance, capacitance and resistance meter in the frequency range 102–106 Hz. The dielectric constant, ε′, of the composite film increased from 1.38 for un-irradiated ZnO/PVA to 1.88 after being irradiated by 24 × 1017 ions/cm−2, and the conductivity is improved from 7.8 × 10−5 to 10.6 × 10−5 S/cm. The obtained results demonstrated that the dielectric characteristics of the irradiated ZnO/PVA composite films were enhanced; hence, will support these materials in current electronic applications.

In this study, using a new polymer combination of Chitosan(CH)/Xanthan Gum(XG) has been exhibited for wound dressing implementation by the 3D-Printing method, which was fabricated due to its biocompatible, biodegradable, improved mechanical strength, low degradation rate, and hydrophilic nature to develop cell-mimicking, cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Different concentrations of XG were added to the CH solution as 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1, and 2 wt% respectively in the formic acid/distilled water (1.5:8.5) solution and rheologically characterized to evaluate their printability. The results demonstrated that high mechanical strength, hydrophilic properties, and slow degradation rate were observed with the presence and increment of XG concentration within the 3D-Printed patches. Moreover, in vitro cell culture research was conducted by seeding NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells on the patches, proving the cell proliferation rate, viability, and adhesion. Finally, 1% XG and 4% CH containing 3D-Printed patches were great potential for wound dressing applications.

In this study, Ti6Al7Nb titanium alloy has been subjected to micro-arc oxidation (MAO) process and hydrothermal (HT) treatment sequentially. MAO process was conducted in calcium acetate hydrate (Ca(CH3COO)2.H2O) and disodium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous (Na2HPO4) containing reference electrolyte with and without the addition of silver acetate (AgC2H3O2) to provide antibacterial efficiency along with good bioactivity. Subsequently, HT treatment was employed to MAO’ed samples in an alkaline solution (pH = 11) at 230°C. HT treatment induced the covering of the titanium oxide (TiO2)-based MAO coatings with 1–2 µm thick exterior layer composed of nano-rods of titanium oxide and hexagonal columns of hydroxyapatite (HA). The presence of silver (Ag) in the MAO coating refined the structure of the HT treatment-induced exterior layer. As the primary indication of enhancement of the bioactivity, HT treatment accelerated apatite formation in the SBF solution irrespective of the silver presence, which delayed the apatite formation on the untreated MAO coatings. Moreover, HT treatment reduced the release of silver from the coatings into the SBF solution.

Low-cost surfactants are of great importance for many applications. Chitosan is one of the abundant promising candidates as a raw material for low-cost surfactants. However, how to tune the molecular structure to achieve high solubility, low surface tension, and good foam stability is a great challenge. Herein, the ‘comb-like’ zwitterionic polymer surfactant based on chitosan by partial N-alkylation and quaternization was prepared. The experimental results demonstrate that the length and degree of substitution of the alkyl chain have a significant influence on the properties of the products. Such comb-type zwitterionic polymer surfactants have good water solubility, and the water solubility can reach up to 85 g/L. Surface tension and foam performance tests reveal that such ‘comb-like’ zwitterionic polymer surfactants have excellent surface activity and good foam stability, especially for the products with a degree of substitution of 20%; their surface tension can be as low as 27.1 mN/m, and the foam stability can be improved by 59.32%.

In our previous study, retinyl palmitate was successfully encapsulated by melt dispersion using waxes as shell materials. Herein, the objective of the present research is to evaluate the shelf life and kinetic release of the developed microcapsules. The study was conducted by measuring actual loading capacity over a period of time using spectroscopic analysis. The transfer percentage of particles from nonwoven facial wipes to skin-like surfaces was also investigated by simulating the rubbing mechanism with a robotic transfer replicator. Although particles stored as powder form under room temperature showed only eight days of shelf-life, particles stored as a dispersion in a refrigerator maintained 60% of the theoretical loading capacity after one month. The kinetic release profile of the particles in ethanol with shaking at 100 rpm and 37±2°C showed an initial burst in the first half an hour, followed by a sustained release. It also showed that 98% of the retinyl palmitate content released within 4 h. Particles incorporated into wet nonwoven wipes gave approximately 22% transfer to skin-like fabric. Thus, the study shows potentials of delivering skincare properties by means of retinyl palmitate capsule loaded textile substrates.

A high-energy ball mill was used to prepare lead (Pb) nanoparticles (NPs) using polyvinyl chloride as a process control agent to prevent metal-to-metal contact and agglomeration. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared and thermal gravimetric analysis were used to characterise the produced Pb NPs. The results show that Pb NPs are successfully prepared by high-energy ball milling with an average size of 32 nm. Pb NPs were added to natural rubber (NR)–waste rubber (WR) 50:50 blend. A good dispersion of Pb NPs in a polymer matrix is recorded with scanning electron microscope images. A composite containing bulk Pb was fabricated as a reference material. Both nano- and micro-composites were characterised for their mechanical and electrical properties and gamma ray shielding performance. The introduction of WR into an NR matrix decreased the tensile strength, the elastic modulus at 100% and the elongation at breakage but enhanced hardness, thermal stability, electrical conductivity and shielding parameters. Results further reveal that nano-composites show better improvement in the mechanical, electrical and shielding properties as compared to reference micro-composites.

Currently, the investigation on the interaction of cationic surfactants with proteins attract the wide attention of researchers. Proteins participate in the majority of important biological processes; therefore, they are essential for a living organism. The addition of proteins to a surfactant solution can significantly modify the adsorption layer properties at liquid/fluid interfaces. In turn, surfactants can markedly affect the conformational behaviour of proteins. Therefore, in this study, the cationic amphiphiles triallyldodecylammonium bromide and triallyltetradecylammonium bromide have been synthesised. Their aggregation behaviour in an aqueous solution, solubilisation capacity towards the hydrophobic azo dye and complexation with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were evaluated. The lower homologue has demonstrated an unusual two-step aggregation behaviour, controlled morphology aggregates and various solubilisation capacities for Orange OT. The increase in the length of the hydrocarbon tail from dodecyl to tetradecyl has resulted in the disappearance of the second critical point and the enlargement of the particle size. Both of the amphiphiles that were investigated effectively interacted with BSA and were bound to the tryptophan amino acid residue of the protein. For surfactants/BSA systems, it was shown that by varying the length of the hydrophobic tail, the dominance of the various types of interactions can be achieved.

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) focuses on the improvement of health or the prevention of further disease progression after an event. Despite the documented benefits of CR programs, the participation remains suboptimal. Home-based CR programs have been proposed to improve uptake and adherence. The goal of this study was to apply an end-to-end methodology including machine learning techniques to predict the 6-month adherence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients to a home-based telemonitoring CR program, combining patients’ clinical information with their actual program participation during a short familiarization phase. Fifty CVD patients participated in such a program for 6 months, enabling personalized guidance during a phase III CR study. Clinical, fitness, and psychological data were measured at baseline, whereas actual adherence, in terms of weekly exercise session duration and patient heart rate, was measured using wearables. Hierarchical clustering was used to identify different groups based on (1) patients’ clinical baseline characteristics, (2) exercise adherence during the familiarization phase, and (3) the whole program adherence, whereas the output of the clustering was determined using repetitive decision trees (DTs) and random forest (RF) techniques to predict long-term adherence. Finally, for each cluster of patients, network analysis was applied to discover correlations of their characteristics that link to adherence. Based on baseline characteristics, patients were clustered into three groups, with differences in behavior and risk factors, whereas adherent, non-adherent, and transient adherent patients were identified during the familiarization phase. Regarding the prediction of long-term adherence, the most common DT showed higher performance compared with RF (precision: 80.2 ± 19.5% and 71.8 ± 25.8%, recall: 94.5 ± 14.5% and 71.8 ± 25.8% for DT and RF accordingly). The analysis of the DT rules and the analysis of the feature importance of the RF model highlighted the significance of non-adherence during the familiarization phase, as well as that of the baseline characteristics to predict future adherence. Network analysis revealed different relationships in different clusters of patients and the interplay between their behavioral characteristics. In conclusion, the main novelty of this study is the application of machine learning techniques combining patient characteristics before the start of the home-based CR programs with data during a short familiarization phase, which can predict long-term adherence with high accuracy. The data used in this study are available through connected health technologies and standard measurements in CR; thus, the proposed methodology can be generalized to other telerehabilitation programs and help healthcare providers to improve patient-tailored enrolment strategies and resource allocation.

In this study, the chemical stabilization of moderately to highly plastic expansive soil using calcium chloride with added cement is introduced as an effective alternative to the conventional approaches using a single additive such as lime, cement, or a by-product of industrial processes. Using only calcium chloride may lead to its leaching or dissolution over time, leaving a collapsing skeleton with weak bonds. The chemical effect produced by additives is dependent on the constituents of the stabilized soil and the curing period considered. Herein, calcium chloride concentrations of 2%, 4%, and 8% with the addition of 2% cement by dry weight of the soil were considered. The main objective of this study is to investigate the addition of a low amount of cement as a binder to improve the strength and durability of a chemically treated expansive soil. The engineering properties were investigated at 3 curing times: 3 days, 7 days, and 28 days. A laboratory investigation was carried out to investigate the effect of the addition of calcium chloride with cement on the swell potential, swell pressure, compression index, suction, and unconfined compressive strength. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) testing was conducted. The X-ray diffraction patterns were recorded to observe the mineralogy of the material. The results confirmed that calcium chloride with cement is very effective for stabilizing the expansive soil. A reduction in the swell potential by 8% and 25% and a reduction in swelling pressure by 28% and 37.4% were observed for 4% and 8% calcium chloride with cement addition. The compression index decreased with the increase in the calcium chloride content.

Worldwide, lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death. Detected by computer tomography, it is usually removed through thoracoscopic surgery. During the surgery the lung collapses requiring some strategies to track or localize the new position of the lesion. This is particularly challenging in the case of minimally invasive surgeries when mechanical palpation is not possible. Here we undertake a preliminary study with numerical analysis of an ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology which can be employed directly during thoracoscopic surgery to localize deep solitary pulmonary nodules. This study was conducted through Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations, where a spherical target mimicking a nodule located between 1 and 6 cm of depth and an UWB pulse at several frequencies between 0.5 and 5 GHz was used for localization. This investigation quantifies the influence of several parameters, such frequency, lesion depth, and number of acquisitions, on the final confocal image used to locate a cancer in the lung tissue. We also provide extensive discussion on several artifacts that appear in the images. The results show that the cancer localization was possible at operational frequencies below 1 GHz and for deep nodules (>5 cm), while at lower depths and higher frequencies several artifacts hindered its detection., Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

Less energy consumption and more efficient use of renewables are among the sustainable energy targets of modern societies. The essential activities to be achieved under these objectives are to increase distributed generation (DG) structures’ applicability. DG systems are small-scale versions of the traditional power grid; they are supported by micro turbines, photovoltaics (PV) modules, hydrogen fuel cells, wind turbines, combined heat and power systems, and energy storage units. The aim of this research is to detail the performance analysis of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)-based grid-connected distributed generation system with the help of empirical calculations. To this end, we aimed to establish the system and analyze the performance of the reliable operation of the system with experimental verifications. The findings demonstrate how much power can be generated annually, through real meteorological data, to dispatch to constantly variable loads. While 53.56% of the total energy demand is met by the utility grid, 46.44% of the demand is met by the produced energy i.e., from the DG. The PEMFC-based DG system analyzed in detail in this study was located at Marmara University. According to the results of the performance analysis, significant points of this study will be highlighted to assist the researchers working in this field. Our results are encouraging and can be certified by a larger sample size with neat weather conditions in terms of the percentage of procurement of energy.

Ultra-high dose rate (UHDR) beams for FLASH radiotherapy present significant dosimetric challenges. Although novel approaches for decreasing or correcting ion recombination in ionization chambers are being proposed, applicability of ionimetric dosimetry to UHDR beams is still under investigation. Solid-state sensors have been recently investigated as a valuable alternative for real-time measurements, especially for relative dosimetry and beam monitoring. Among them, Silicon Carbide (SiC) represents a very promising candidate, compromising between the maturity of Silicon and the robustness of diamond. Its features allow for large area sensors and high electric fields, required to avoid ion recombination in UHDR beams. In this study, we present simulations and experimental measurements with the low energy UHDR electron beams accelerated with the ElectronFLASH machine developed by the SIT Sordina company (IT). The response of a newly developed 1 × 1 cm2 SiC sensor in charge as a function of the dose-per-pulse and its radiation hardness up to a total delivered dose of 90 kGy, was investigated during a dedicated experimental campaign, which is, to our knowledge, the first characterization ever done of SiC with UHDR-pulsed beams accelerated by a dedicated ElectronFLASH LINAC. Results are encouraging and show a linear response of the SiC detector up to 2 Gy/pulse and a variation in the charge per pulse measured for a cumulative delivered dose of 90 kGy, within ±0.75%.

Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) suffer from the unavoidable ‘shuttle effects’ of lithium polysulfides (LPSs) and the infinite volume change of the sulfur. Herein, the authors prepared a yolk–shell structured N-doped carbon nanotubes/sulfur/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanotube (N-CNTs/S@PEDOT) composite as a cathode for LSBs. The yolk–shell structure with void spaces can effectively buffer the volume expansion of sulfur, while the outer ‘shell’ can act as a physical barrier to minimise the ‘shuttle effects’ of LPSs. Moreover, the N-CNTs with high conductivity and superior structural stability are able to improve the electron transfer efficiency and cycling performance. Therefore, the specially designed yolk–shell structured N-CNTs/S@PEDOT composite cathode exhibits an extraordinary rate performance and enhanced cycling stability (602 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 0.1 C).

Copper (Cu) nanowires are a promising functional and structural material in electronics, optoelectronic devices and integrated circuits. The preparation and thermal stability of Cu nanowires are crucial for the functional realisation and performance stability of related devices. In this work, the authors particularly prepared Cu nanowires by a two-step approach and further studied the thermal oxidation behaviour of Cu nanowires in dry oxygen. It was found that the as-prepared Cu nanowires have a good (111)-oriented single crystal structure with a smooth and clean surface. With the increase of annealing temperature and time, the Cu nanowires were oxidised gradually in dry oxygen and the crystal phase of Cu nanowires underwent the evolution of Cu (111)→Cu2O (111)→CuO (−111)+(111). Furthermore, when the temperature was not higher than 400°C, the as-formed Cu2O and CuO layers or nanowires were slightly crystallised or nearly amorphous. However, when the temperature was higher than 400°C, the as-formed CuO nanowires were greatly crystallised. It was further observed that the oxidation of Cu nanowires arose from the wire surface and formed a non-dense, nearly amorphous layer of Cu2O nanoparticles therein. Such Cu2O layer on the surface of Cu nanowires greatly reduces optical transmittance.

This paper overviews the fabrication, microstructural characteristics, mechanical properties and tribological behaviour of B4C reinforced aluminium metal matrix composites (AMMCs). The stir casting procedure and parameters used to fabricate the Al-B4C composites are discussed. The influence of physical parameters such as applied load, sliding speed and sliding distance on tribological behaviour is analysed. The role of the mechanically mixed layer (MML) and wear mechanisms on the wear behaviour and friction coefficient are emphasised. The overview of tribological behaviour revealed that the Al-B4C composites possess excellent abrasion resistance and the ability to operate over a wide range of physical parameters. The Al-B4C composites exhibited better tribological behaviour when compared with the composites reinforced with conventional reinforcement particles (SiC).

The reaction of carbon dioxide with hydroxide to form carbonate in near neutral or alkaline medium severely limits the energy and carbon efficiency of CO2 electroreduction. Here we show that by suppressing the otherwise predominant hydrogen evolution using alkali cations, efficient CO2 electroreduction can be conducted in acidic medium, overcoming the carbonate problem. The cation effects are general for three typical catalysts including carbon supported tin oxide, gold, and copper, leading to Faradaic efficiency of as high as 90% for formic acid and CO formation. Our analysis suggests hydrated alkali cations physisorbed on the cathode modify the distribution of electric field in the double layer, which impedes hydrogen evolution by suppress the migration of hydronium ions while at the same time promotes CO2 reduction by stabilizing key intermediates.

In this study, the development of lignin-based resins for wood adhesion applications was demonstrated. We investigated two lignin fractions: commercial Protobind 1000 lignin and methanol-soluble Protobind 1000 lignin fraction after mild solvolysis. Although lignin has previously been incorporated into various cross-linked systems, this is the first report on lignin-based thermosets obtained via thiol–yne “click” chemistry. In this approach, lignin was functionalized with terminal alkyne groups followed by cross-linking with a multifunctional thiol, resulting in polymeric network formation. The influence of the curing conditions on the resin characteristics and performance was studied, by varying the amount of reactive monomeric diluents. Additionally, a post-curing strategy utilizing the Claisen rearrangement was investigated. These resins were tested as a wood adhesive and were proven to possess a desirable performance, comparable to the state-of-art phenol-formaldehyde resins. Lignin-based thiol–yne resins turn out to be an alternative to phenol-formaldehyde resins, currently used as adhesives and coatings. Although it is possible to use lignin in phenol-formaldehyde resins, lignin addition is compromising the resin’s performance. The main benefits over the phenol-formaldehyde approach are that higher lignin loadings are possible to achieve, and no volatiles are emitted during the resin processing and use.

Zirconium diboride (ZrB2) and silicon carbide (SiC) composites have long been of interest since it was observed that ZrB2 improved the thermal shock resistance of SiC. However, processing of these materials can be difficult due to high and different sintering temperatures and differences in the thermodynamic stability of each material. ZrB2–SiC composites have been processed in a variety of ways including hot-pressing, spark-plasma sintering, reactive melt infiltration, pack cementation, chemical vapor deposition, chemical vapor infiltration, stereolithography, direct ink writing, selective laser sintering, electron beam melting, and binder jet additive manufacturing. Each manufacturing method has its own pros and cons. This review serves to summarize more than 60 years of research and provide a coherent resource for the variety of methods and advancements in development of ZrB2–SiC composites.

The effect of copper oxide doping (0.05–1 wt%) on the densification, microstructure evolution and mechanical characteristics of alumina toughened zirconia (ATZ: 80 wt% Y-TZP + 20 wt% Al2O3) ceramic composites was investigated. Green samples were pressureless sintered using a short hold time of 12 min at temperatures varying from 1250 °C to 1500 °C. The incorporation of up to 0.2 wt% copper oxide was beneficial in promoting densification at low sintering temperature and improving the mechanical properties of ATZ without affecting the tetragonal phase stability. It was found that 0.2 wt% copper oxide addition was most efficacious, and the samples could attain a relative density of approximately 92% at 1250 °C, approximately 97% dense at 1350 °C and above 99% dense at 1450–1500 °C. This approach was also accompanied by an improvement in the Vickers hardness (12.7 GPa) and fracture toughness (6.94 MPam1/2) when consolidated at 1450 °C/12 min. In comparison, the undoped composite exhibited relative densities of approximately 80% at 1250 °C, 87% at 1350 °C and approximately 97%–98% at 1450 °C-1500 °C. However, the study also found that higher dopant levels (0.5 wt% and 1 wt%) was not beneficial because the tetragonal zirconia phase was disrupted upon cooling from sintering, resulting in the monoclinic phase formation. In addition, low densification and poor mechanical properties were obtained.

The novel orange to red color Bi24Al2-xCrxO39 (0≤ x ≤ 0.5) compounds were successfully synthesized by the solid state method. With the increase of Cr content, the colors of compounds are tuned from orange red to dark red. The X-ray diffraction patterns of all samples are indexed with cubic Bi24Al2O39 structure with the space group of I23. The oxidation state of Cr in the oxide is confirmed to be +4 valence by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Based on the analysis of Cr oxidation state and UV–Visible spectrum, the red hue is due to the d-d transition of Cr4+ in tetrahedral sites. The as-synthesized red color compounds also show excellent stability in acid and base environments.

Nanocomposites of polyvinyl acetate and silica are prepared by sol-gel method. Samples are characterized using Infrared Spectroscopy, Thermal Analysis (TGA-DTGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In the hybrids with higher content of silica, it is evidenced the presence of hydrogen bonding between the residual silanols on the silicate network and the carbonyl of PVAc, this is determined by FTIR and XPS. It was also found that the hybrid containing 75% of silica suspension and 25% of polyvinyl acetate was the most thermally stable by TGA-DTGA.

In the present study, several novel three-dimensional (3D) ZnO–BiVO4 composites were prepared using the hydrothermal method, and their ability to detect nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas was assessed. The fabricated sensing materials were examined using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and surface-area and porosity analysis. The sensing material assessments verified that 3D ZnO–BiVO4 was successfully prepared; the sensing data revealed that 3D ZnO–BiVO4 exhibited excellent sensing response (24.6) to 1-ppm NO2 at room temperature. The composites exhibited a fast response (28 s) and short recovery time (75 s) when detecting 1-ppm NO2; they also exhibited long-term stability (decline of approximately 7% after 30 days) and selectivity to 10-ppm NO2 gas. A reasonable NO2 gas sensing mechanism for 3D ZnO–BiVO4 heterojunction was also proposed in this paper.

This study aimed to fabricate six different Copper(II) oxide reinforced Calcium-Borate glasses with different types of substitutions such as Al2O3/V2O5, BaO2/V2O5, and ZnO/V2O5. Accordingly, a depth characterization process has been performed for ACV, BCV and ZCV glasses with a nominal composition of 55B2O3–35CaO–9Al2O3-0.5CuO-0.5V2O5, 55B2O3–35CaO-8.5Al2O3-0.5CuO–1V2O5, 55B2O3–35CaO–9BaO2-0.5CuO-0.5V2O5, 55B2O3–35CaO-8.5BaO2-0.5CuO–1V2O5, 55B2O3–35CaO–9ZnO-0.5CuO-0.5V2O5, 55B2O3–35CaO-8.5ZnO-0.5CuO–1V2O5. Optical, structural, physical, and experimental neutron/gamma shielding properties of synthesized glasses were determined, respectively. Experiments measuring neutron exposure indicated how well glass samples attenuated fast neutrons. The RADACS software was used to record data from a BF3 gas proportional detector from the Canberra NP-100B series and a 241Am/Be neutron source with a 10 mCi activity. The absorption edge belonging to the samples are found between 420 nm and 480 nm. Our findings showed that the optical band gaps for the samples ranged from 1.179 to 2.022 eV. The wavenumber range of 400–1600 cm-1 was evaluated for the resulting peaks. The region with the highest band formation was approximately 760–1170 cm-1. While BCV0.5 and BCV1 glasses with 9% and 8.5% BaO2 insertion have the largest MAC values ranging between 2.255–0.076 and 2.156–0.076 cm2/g, the lowest MAC values varying between 0.361–0.0761 and 0.366–0.076 cm2/g belong to ACV0.5 and ACV1 glasses with 9% and 8.5% Al2O3 addition. Our results showed that the BCV glass family has superior material properties among the fabricated glasses. It can be concluded that BaO2/V2O5 glasses may be used in replacement of Copper(II) oxide glasses to provide monotonic behavior on crucial characteristics while maintaining the greatest density increase for large gamma ray shielding properties.

Aluminium nitride has good electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, and Al4C3 is the most important intermediate in the preparation of AlN through carbothermal reduction. Ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations were adopted in this study to elucidate the nitridation reaction mechanism of Al4C3, and an experimental study was conducted to verify the results of AIMD. Both the AIMD and experimental results showed that the nitridation pathway of Al4C3 was Al4C3→Al5C3N→AlN and that the nitridation of Al5C3N was considerably rapid. During the nitridation of Al4C3, the addition of carbon not only had a catalytic effect on the activation of nitrogen molecules but also promoted the aggregation of carbon atoms in the Al4C3 lattice to form elemental carbon.

Yttrium oxide was sprayed by a plasma torch using a coarse thermal spray powder, which must be in size range of tens of micrometers to ensure good penetration into the plasma stream. Thick coatings on steel substrates were produced with two sprays systems facilitating gas stabilized plasma (GSP) and hybrid water-argon stabilized plasma (WSP–H) techniques. Additionally, an ultra-fine yttrium oxide powder was sprayed from a suspension. Hybrid water-argon stabilized plasma system was used for this purpose. Markedly thinner compact coatings were produced this way. All three sorts of plasma sprayed deposits were studied by the same methods. Dielectric properties were studied in a broad range of frequencies and temperatures. The microstructure aspects as well as crystallite size were analyzed and discussed in relation to electrical properties. All coatings exhibited stable dielectric parameters versus changing frequency and temperature, comparable with literature values for various samples. Concerning sintered bulks, and especially their thermal stability of capacitance, the plasma sprayed coatings were slightly worse. However due to shape and size variability of the plasma spraying are yttria coatings prospective for technical applications.

Anisotropic porous boron carbide (B4C) structures were successfully produced, for the first time, using the magnetic field-assisted freeze casting method. The effect of the magnetic field on the structure and mechanical strength of the formed porous B4C was compared for two different magnetic field directions that were either aligned with ice growth (vertical), or perpendicular to the ice growth direction (horizontal). It was shown that applying even a weak horizontal magnetic field of 0.1–0.3 T noticeably affected the alignment of mineral bridges between lamellar walls. Both the porosity and the channel widths decreased with increasing horizontal magnetic field strength. In the case of a vertical magnetic field, a larger strength of 0.4 T was required for highly aligned lamellar walls and larger channel widths. Compression strength tests indicated that the application of magnetic fields led to more homogeneously aligned channels, which resulted in increased compression strength in the longitudinal (parallel to the ice growth) direction. Applying a vertical magnetic field of 0.4 T with a cooling rate of 2 °C/min during the freezing step of the magnetic field-assisted freeze-casting method was found to result in the best conditions for producing highly anisotropic structures with large channel widths and fewer mineral bridges, which led to an increase in the mechanical strength.

In this study, influence of magnetron sputtering on indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) ceramic target was studied to improve its performance and utilization. Results indicated that state of the target such as target grain uniformity, micro defects, C element pollution, and secondary phase showed significant influence on magnetron sputtering process. Atoms located in small grains were easily bombarded out of IGZO target, and grains with slow sputtering rate protruded from target surface. Porous microstructure of IGZO ceramic created abnormal electric field of the target during sputtering, resulting in the poisoning of target. Moreover, more indium atoms were sputtered from the target, and the proportion of In after sputtering decreased by 0.62–0.97%. The difference in sputtering rates between secondary phase and main phase led to the formation of IGZO cladding layer with poor conductivity under the combined action of sputtering and re-sputtering. In sum, these findings may provide strong guidance for further improvement and performance enhancement of IGZO sputtering target.

Pure and Ce-doped ZnO photocatalyst nanorods were both grown on α-Al2O3 ceramic foams manufactured using a polymeric sponge replication technique. A three-dimensional network of α- Al2O3 struts which served as the substrate for the photocatalyst material was first seeded via dip coating. The seed-mediated synthesis of ZnO nanorods with controlled lengths and diameters was then carried out at low temperature (∼95 °C) by chemical bath deposition (CBD). Their morphologies and crystallographic orientations were verified using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The effect of Ce-doping on the optical properties of the ZnO nanorods was investigated by ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. There was a modification in the band-gap structure with the incorporation of cerium atoms in the ZnO matrix as observed by the partial redshift at the absorption edges and by the blue and green light emissions. Color removal efficiencies of the samples were evaluated under UVA and visible light irradiations over the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red 88 (AR88) azo dye molecules dissolved in water. Enhanced degradation rates were achieved for the Ce-doped samples compared to those of the pure ones. Similarly, the extend of mineralization (i.e., total organic carbon (TOC) removal) reached the maximum value of 54% for the Ce-doped samples under UVA light. According to the scavenging experiment results, it was found that the most effective radical involved in the present photocatalytic degradation reactions was the superoxide anion ( · O 2 − ).

Due to the progressive shortage of primary resources and growing environmental concerns over industrial and household residues, proper management of electronic wastes is of great importance in addressing sustainability issues. Spent batteries are considered as important secondary sources of their constituting components. In this study, the co-recycling of used zinc-carbon and lithium-ion batteries was performed aiming at the recovery of their manganese and lithium contents as compounds which can be used as precursors for the synthesis of spinel LiMn2O4. Manganese was recovered in the form of amorphous, submicron, spherical nodules of MnO2 after acid leaching of zinc-carbon battery pastes. Lithium was obtained from nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries as its monohydrate oxalate (C2HLiO4.H2O) through selective leaching in oxalic acid followed by crystallization. Lithium carbonate was also prepared by subsequent calcination of the oxalate. The synthesis of LiMn2O4 spinel cathode was carried out using the recycled Li- and Mn-containing compounds via solid-state synthesis method. The effect of such parameters as type of reactants (C2HLiO4.H2O, Li2CO3, Mn2O3, and MnO2), temperature (750, 800, and 850 °C), and time (8 and 10 h) on the synthesis of LiMn2O4 was investigated. The products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The crystallographic parameters used to predict the electrochemical behavior of synthesized cathode materials were derived from XRD patterns. Based on these, the spinel powder synthesized at 850 °C for 10 h was determined as the sample with the best potential electrochemical properties among the synthesized samples. The galvanostatic charge/discharge characterization within the voltage range of 2.5–4.3 V showed the specific capacity of the 850°C-10 h sample to be 127.87 mAhg−1.

We fabricated Bi0.5(Na1-xKx)0.5TiO3 (BNKT) [x = 0.16–0.24] relaxor ferroelectric ceramics that undergo a transition from the non-ergodic state (NR) to the ergodic state (ER) using a conventional solid-state reaction method. Structural analysis was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the electrical properties related to the polarization (P) and strain (S) resulting from the external electric field were analyzed. With an increase in the component ratio x, from 0.16 to 0.24, the remnant polarization (Pr) reduced continuously from ∼18 to ∼3 μC/cm2, respectively. Concomitantly, the form of the S-E loops changed from a butterfly-like shape to a sprout shape (in which the negative strain value (Sneg) that approaches 0 appears as a special feature), suggesting that the NR of the BNKT relaxor ferroelectric ceramic at x = 0.16 transitions to the ER as the composition ratio x increases. In particular, for x = 0.20, the inverse piezoelectric coefficient (d33*) achieved a maximum value of 386 p.m./V, while the value of the Pr was relatively low at ∼ 6 μC/cm2. To investigate the possible application as a wearable energy harvester, BNKT ceramic powders of various compositions were mixed with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to fabricate flexible generator devices. The change in the output voltage and current as a function of the composition ratio x had a similar tendency as the change in the value of d33*, suggesting that the ER of relaxor ferroelectric ceramics with a large strain value is suitable for application in wearable energy harvesters.

The current study aimed to generate Hf/Zr substituted In2O3 with the ultimate aim of realizing a potential transparent conducting oxide. We applied a co-complexation method to bring the reactively dissimilar In and Hf/Zr together in one oxide network. We prepared an EDTA complex containing an equimolar concentration of In and Hf/Zr and examined their characteristics with FTIR and TG-DSC traces. Rietveld refinement results of calcined complexes and their Raman spectra confirmed the formation of anion excess bixbyite structure for (In1-xMx)2O3+δ (M = Hf, Zr, and x = 0.50). The lattice expanded after substituting with Hf/Zr, and the optical bandgap increased from 2.87 eV (In2O3) to 3.20–3.60 eV. The high percentage reflectance in the visible region and absorbance in the UV region fulfilled some of the prerequisites of transparent conducting oxide. Electrical resistivity reduced up to two orders in magnitude with increasing temperature for Hf and Zr incorporated In2O3.

Novel photoluminescent paint was prepared for safety marking purposes using an emulsion system composed of an acrylic polymer, cellulose nanocrystals and lanthanide-doped strontium aluminate (LdSA) nanopaticles. The effect of LdSA concentration in the paint formula was investigated. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have been an attractive reinforcement material that can be incorporated into protective coatings due to their distinctive properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and renewability. The produced acrylic/cellulose nanocrystals/lanthanide-doped strontium aluminate paints were applied onto different surfaces of asphalt concrete and tinplate panels. LdSA was developed in the nano-scale form as described by transmission electron microscope (TEM) to allow a better dispersion in the paint formula. The applied paints were studied by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scan electron microscopy (SEM), and infrared spectra (FTIR). Both transparency and coloration measurements of the applied paints were investigated by luminescence spectra and CIE Lab. The resistance to scratching, hydrophobic and corrosion resistivity were investigated. CNCs were monitored to be a key component for the anti-corrosion activity. The best long-lived luminescence was monitored for more that 60 min in the dark for LdSA concentration of 12% w/w. The paints containing cellulose nanocrystals and sodium hexametaphosphate demonstrated satisfactory results upon mixing with acrylic emulsion.

Amine-functionalized ZnO nanorods@graphene oxide (ZnO-NR/NH2/GO) nanocomposites prepared by a facile solution route have been investigated through X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance spectra, Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The amine-functionalized ZnO-NR/NH2/GO-2 nanocomposite exhibits very strong visible light absorption. Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) made of ZnO-NR/NH2/GO-2 nanocomposite (with optimum 2 wt % GO) photoanode delivers a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.76% which is much higher than the efficiency of unmodified ZnO-NR/GO photoanodes based DSSC (2.27%). The enhancement of PCE is primarily caused by the increased current density, attributed to the incorporation of aminosilicate and GO on the surface of ZnO-NRs which facilitates rapid transfer of electron from conduction band of ZnO to conducting surface of FTO. This diminished recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes improve the electron transfer at the photoanode/electrolyte interfaces.

Electrochemical system centered on hierarchically carbon-based metal sulphide assemblies are of great fame for competent supercapacitors. Herein, the synthesis of a hierarchical CNT anchored MoS2–Bi2S3 nanocomposite is reported. Attractively, a vertically grown Bi2S3 nanorods supported on MoS2 nanosheets with carbon framework acts as a highly effective electrode in alkaline electrolyte. More interestingly, this hierarchical structure and synergetic upshot of CNT and composites provide excess coverage of active sites with improved conductivity and stability. Advancing from the physical and compositional properties of nanocomposites, the specific capacitance of MoS2–Bi2S3@CNT composites is measured to be 1338 F/g at 10 mV/s, columbic efficiency of 99.5% over 10000 cycles and long-term stability (60% retention at 0.5 A g−1 over 2000 cycles and 34.6% up to 10000 cycles). The success of this MoS2–Bi2S3@CNT composite may be attributed to the structural advantages, admirable cyclic stability, and better capacitance retention for supercapacitor applications.

It is increasing evidence that the synergistic effects of magnetic scaffolds and magnetic fields can accelerate bone repairing and regeneration, and the bone tumor may be treated using magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) with hyperthermia. In this study, in order to apply the magnetocaloric performance of MgFe2O4 to bone tissue engineering, porous MgFe2O4 magnetic scaffolds were successfully prepared by chemical coprecipitation method and 3D gel-printing (3DGP) technology. The printing slurry based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) system exhibited shear thinning properties, and its maximum solid loading was about 63wt%. When the slurry was squeezed out of the needle, the slurry viscosity was 0.58 Pa·s at the shear rate of 316.3 s-1. The scaffolds sintered above 1100 °C were superparamagnetic and their compressive strength was within 1.8–12.51MPa, which is suitable for human cancellous bone. The highest saturation magnetization of porous MgFe2O4 scaffolds printed by 3DGP was 10.63 emu/g when they were sintered at 1200 °C. The weight loss rate of the scaffolds was 2.15% after degradation in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 5 weeks, pH value of SBF was between 6.78 and 7.4. Preliminary biological experiment shows that MC3T3-E1 cells had good adhesion and proliferation on MgFe2O4 scaffolds surface, and MgFe2O4 scaffolds can promote alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activation, which explain that porous MgFe2O4 magnetic scaffolds may be used for bone repairing.

As main components of magnesia-based refractories, magnesia exhibits excellent properties such as high refractoriness and good basic slag corrosion resistance. However, magnesia produced from CaO containing cryptocrystalline magnesite has limited application owing to the low hydration resistance and poor thermal shock resistance (TSR). This work aimed to investigate the reinforcing effects of microscale monoclinic ZrO2 on free CaO containing magnesia for optimizing mechanical properties, TSR and hydration resistance. The results showed that adding ZrO2 could promote the removal of the open pores, strengthen the interface bonding between various grains and produce crack deflection, which improved flexural strength and fracture toughness. As a result, the TSR of the specimens was enhanced effectively due to increased strength and toughness and reduction in the thermal expansion coefficient. Besides, as the ZrO2 was introduced, hydration resistance of the specimens improved significantly, mainly attributing to the decrease in apparent porosity and elimination of the free CaO by forming CaZrO3 and cubic ZrO2 phases.

Adsorption is a simple and efficient phosphorus removal method used to control the eutrophication of water bodies. A simple and gentle atmospheric pressure hydrothermal method by adjusting the dosage of ammonium chloride and sodium hydroxide was used to synthesize amorphous, monoclinic, and tetragonal zirconia nano-powders with high specific surface areas (383.91 m2/g, 330.01 m2/g, and 234.36 m2/g) and particle size of about 40 nm for phosphate adsorption. When pH = 6.3, the phosphate adsorption capacity of the amorphous monoclinic phase and the tetragonal phase respectively reached 102.58 mg P/g, 68.11 mg P/g, and 37.25 mg P/g and the adsorption process of the three crystal forms of zirconia powders conformed to the Langmuir adsorption model. In the first 2 min of rapid adsorption, amorphous zirconia completed 76.23% of the adsorption process and the monoclinic phase also completed more than 60%. The adsorption process of the three crystal forms of zirconia was completed within 240 min and conformed to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Their adsorption characteristics of the three crystal forms of zirconia decreased with the increase in pH. While the pH was above than the isoelectric point of the solution, the adsorption capacity was significantly reduced. The large specific surface area and high hydroxyl content of the zirconia nano-powder made a great contribution to the adsorption process.

A novel negative material consisting of graphene nanotubes and ultrathin MoS2 is synthesized by a simple one-step hydrothermal method assisted with Sodium chloride. The MoS2/Graphene electrodes deliver a specific capacity of 1350 mAh g−1 under 0.1 A g−1 and high rate capability (retaining 85.5% capacity from 0.1 A g−1 to 0.8 A g−1). A high remarkable capacity of 820 mAh g−1 can still be recovered at 0.5 A g−1 after 500 cycles, and the average coulombic efficiency was as high as 99.98% during the additional 500 cycles. The excellent Li-ion storage performance of MoS2/Graphene nanotubes may be attributed to the ultra-thin MoS2 flakes and curled graphene nanotubes. This structural feature has a strong adsorption capacity for lithium ions, which can provide a broad space for ion storage. A large number of active sites dispersed in the layered molybdenum disulfide promote the kinetics of the electrochemical reaction, empowering the ultra-thin layered molybdenum disulfide to get a higher theoretical capacity. In addition, the existence of the tubular structure alleviates volume expansion and provides a way for the rapid movement of electrons and diffusion of Li+ during repeated cycles.

Materials with high thermo mechanical properties are required as laser media for high-powered lasers. One of such materials is lutetium-aluminum garnet (LuAG) doped with ytterbium. In the present work, we discuss for the first time a full comparative study of 5% Yb-doped LuYAG ceramics with variation Lu/Y ratio. Samples were prepared with addition of B2O3, MgO and SiO2 which were used as sintering aids. Grain sizes, shrinkage curves, lattice constants and transmission spectra were measured for all samples. Thermal conductivity was measured in a wide temperature range for all studied samples. Output power of 12 W and 60% slope efficiency were obtained on the 5% Yb:LuAG disk laser.