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The strength and toughness of aerogel composites can be enhanced by incorporating alumina ceramic paper as a reinforcing material. However, the production processes often suffer from issues related to poor evenness and low porosity. Herein, alumina ceramic paper with high evenness and porosity was prepared using foam forming technology and utilized as a reinforcing material for alumina-SiO 2 aerogel composites. Initially, the hydroxyl groups (Al-OH) of the alumina ceramic fibers were adsorbed onto the hydrophilic moieties of bubbles via hydrogen bonding during the foam forming, which hindered the migration of the fibers and facilitated their dispersion. Subsequently, the alumina ceramic paper was fabricated through the optimization of the squeezing dehydration and defoaming processes. Finally, the alumina-SiO 2 aerogel composites were formed via the sol-gel method. The alumina ceramic paper exhibited excellent multifunctional properties, including high porosity and evenness, which significantly enhanced the mechanical and thermal insulation properties of the alumina-SiO 2 aerogel composites. In conclusion, highly porous alumina ceramic paper presents significant potential for application in various fields, including automotive, construction, and aerospace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) is the most commonly used silicon-based reinforcement agent for conserving art relics due to its cost-effectiveness and commercial maturity. However, the resulting silica gel phase is prone to developing cracks as the gel shrinks during the sol–gel process, potentially causing severe damage to the objects being treated. In this study, dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMS) was introduced into TEOS to minimize this shrinkage by adding elastic long chains to weaken the capillary forces. The gel formed from the DTMS/TEOS hybrid material was transparent and crack-free, featuring a dense microstructure without mesopores or micropores. It exhibited excellent thermal stability, with a glass transition temperature of up to 109.64 °C. Evaluation experiments were conducted on artificially aged, handmade bamboo paper. The TEOS-based hybrid material effectively combined with the paper fibers through the sol–gel process, polymerizing into a network structure that enveloped the paper surface or penetrated between the fibers. The surface of the treated paper displayed excellent hydrophobic properties, with no significant changes in appearance, color, or air permeability. The mechanical properties of the treated bamboo paper improved significantly, with longitudinal and transverse tensile strengths increasing by up to 36.63% and 44.25%, respectively. These research findings demonstrate the promising potential for the application of DTMS/TEOS hybrid materials in reinforcing paper relics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] An abundance of early warning graphene-based nano-materials and sensors have been developed to avoid and prevent the critical fire risk of combustible materials. However, there are still some limitations that should be addressed, such as the black color, high-cost and single fire warning response of graphene-based fire warning materials. Herein, we report an unexpected montmorillonite (MMT)-based intelligent fire warning materials that have excellent fire cyclic warning performance and reliable flame retardancy. Combining phenyltriethoxysilane (PTES) molecules, poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) nanofiber (PBONF), and layers of MMT to form a silane crosslinked 3D nanonetwork system, the homologous PTES decorated MMT-PBONF nanocomposites are designed and fabricated via a sol–gel process and low temperature self-assembly method. The optimized nanocomposite paper shows good mechanical flexibility (good recovery after kneading or bending process), high tensile strength of ∼81 MPa and good water resistance. Furthermore, the nanocomposite paper exhibits high-temperature flame resistance (almost unchanged structure and size after 120 s combustion), sensitive flame alarm response (∼0.3 s response once exposure onto a flame), cyclic fire warning performance (>40 cycles), and adaptability to complex fire situations (several fire attack and evacuation scenarios), showing promising applications for monitoring the critical fire risk of combustible materials. Therefore, this work paves a rational way for design and fabrication of MMT-based smart fire warning materials that combine excellent flame shielding and sensitive fire alarm functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chemija is the property of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Indoor pollutants, such as formaldehyde, pose an increasing threat to human health. Here, regenerated cellulose was combined with a novel visible light-responsive photocatalyst, La0.3Sr0.7TiO3, to prepare a cellulose-based filler that was used to prepare a visible light-responsive photocatalytic paper. The effects of the molecular formula of the photocatalyst, the amount of photocatalyst in the filler and the amount of filler incorporated into the paper on both the ability to degrade organic pollutants, including formaldehyde, and the physical properties of the photocatalytic paper were investigated. SEM, XRD and FTIR were used to analyze the structure and composition of the samples. La0.3Sr0.7TiO3, prepared by the sol-gel method, had a perovskite crystal structure, with a particle size of 100–150 nm. When the La0.3Sr0.7TiO3:cellulose ratio was 6:4, the composite filler had good photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic paper incorporating 30% cellulose-based filler had optimal photocatalytic efficiency and its mechanical properties were improved compared with normal paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We presented a three-step method for the preparation of superhydrophobic cellulose filter paper. It involved ZnCl 2 pre-treatment to activate the cellulose fibers, a SiO 2 sol-gel process to increase surface roughness and grafting of hexadecyl trimethoxysilane groups to chemically enhance the water repellency. The water contact angle of the modified paper reached 154.8°. XRD analysis confirmed silica as the product from the sol-gel process. EDS and SEM analysis showed that pre-treatment results in greater silica adhesion and retention on the paper surface. The modified paper proved to be self-cleaning and resistant to staining. Further tests under various conditions showed that ZnCl 2 pre-treatment improved the durability of the superhydrophobic paper. It was concluded that pre-treatment of the filter paper prior to superhydrophobic coating results in a disruption in the cellulose crystalline structure that favours greater silica adhesion and retention. Unlabelled Image • ZnCl 2 pre-treatment exposed more -OH groups. • ZnCl 2 -pre-treatment and silica functionalization resulted in strong hydrogen bonding. • ZnCl 2 -pre-treated paper retained more silica. • Operational in various solvent and pH conditions • The paper proved to be self-cleaning, anti-staining and oleophobic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To inhibit the photocatalytic degradation of organic material supports induced by small titania (TiO2) nanoparticles, four kinds of TiO2 nanoparticles, that is, commercial P25-TiO2, commercial rutile phase TiO2, rutile TiO2 nanorods and rutile TiO2 spheres, prepared from TiCl4, were coated with a thin, but dense, coating of silica (SiO2) using a conventional sol-gel technique to form TiO2/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles. These core/shell particles were deposited and fixed as a very thin coating onto the surface of cellulose paper samples by a wet-chemistry polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer approach. The TiO2/SiO2 nanocoated paper samples exhibit higher whiteness and brightness and greater stability to UV-bleaching than comparable samples of blank paper. There are many potential applications for this green chemistry approach to protect cellulosic fibres from UV-bleaching in sunlight and to improve their whiteness and brightness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to increase the filler content of paper without significantly sacrificing its mechanical strength is of high interest for papermakers. In this work, three samples of ground calcium carbonate (GCC), differing in size and in brightness, modified with silica via the sol-gel method, were used as fillers in papermaking. Handsheets were produced using a eucalyptus kraft pulp furnish and with a filler amount near 20%. It was found that not only were the strength properties of the handsheets produced with the modified GCCs always significantly better than those obtained with the unmodified GCCs (e.g., the tensile index exhibited improvements of 16 to 20%), but bulk also was increased (by 7 to 13%). Some decreases in the light scattering and opacity values were noted when using the modified GCC, but the brightness was roughly the same. The enhanced fiber-to-filler bonding may be attributed to the hydrogen bonding between the cellulosic fibers and the hydroxyl groups of the silica coating the calcium carbonate particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chemija is the property of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Publishers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: A new composite paper with high photocatalytic performance has been successfully manufactured by introducing titania-anchored porous silica into cellulose fibres. The silica particles with an average size of 700nm were synthesized via CaCO3 templating and further employed as support to grow titania nanoparticles (5.2nm) by sol–gel synthesis with variable weight ratios. The photocatalytic materials have been characterized using various techniques including BET, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM and TEM+EDX+ED microscopies. The composite TiO2/SiO2 particles have been further introduced in bulk paper to generate highly active photocatalytic TiO2-loaded papers. The activity of the papers has been demonstrated in the room-temperature degradation of ethanol (50–200ppm) under UV irradiation, showing a comparable activity to that of commercial TiO2-coated papers. The effect of the main textural variables during papermaking on the photocatalytic performance are discussed in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new concept for fluid flow manipulation in microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) is presented by introducing ionogel materials as passive pumps. μPADs were fabricated using a new double side contact stamping process and ionogels were precisely photopolymerised at the inlet of the μPADs. The ionogels remain mainly on the surface of the paper and get absorbed in the superficial paper-fibers allowing for the liquid to flow from the ionogel into the paper easily. As a proof of concept the fluid flow and mixing behaviour of two different ionogels μPADs were compared with the non-treated μPADs. It was demonstrated that both ionogels highly affect the fluid flow by delaying the flow due to their different physical and chemical properties and water holding capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Two silane-based coatings were developed to improve the hydrophobicity of the studied paper. [•] The surface properties of the silane coated paper were examined. [•] A series of paper was modified and film pressed onto plywood. [•] We evaluated the surface chemistry and water absorption of plywood after press. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Two organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel coatings were developed in order to modify the surface energy and moisture behaviour of the commercial impregnated paper. The surface characteristics of the paper samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS). It was found that the applied sol–gel coatings as well as the curing process changed the surface structural and chemical properties of the impregnated paper. The chemical bonding between the hydroxyl groups present on paper surface and silanol groups from sol–gel coatings was confirmed by the FTIR spectra. The measured surface energies divided into polar and dispersive components indicated that the coating B resulted in less polar surface than did the coating A which was more polar than the reference (the impregnated paper with water and heat treatment). Coating B brought about the lowest total surface energy. It was obtained that the water repellence of the impregnated paper was improved by both coatings and the curing process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Europium (III) with different concentrations (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8 %)-TiO doped silica composite systems were sensitized by sol-gel method. Different spectroscopic and microscopic tools characterized the composites. The Europium ion incorporated into the liquid silica-titania solution acts as red light emission center in the luminescent materials. This luminescent nano composite pigment has great potential of application in preparing luminescent ink. Inkjet printer loaded with the prepared ink to show its potential usage as tagging material performed the printing test on a white paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3C-SiC nanowires have been synthesized without any catalyst by carbothermal reduction method, which obtained silicon and carbon source from sol-gel impregnation and isothermal chemical vapor immersion (ICVI) process respectively. The microstructure analysis by SEM showed the nanowires with a diameter of ∼200 nm and a length of several millimeters were hierarchical. TEM images and XRD data from the nanowires revealed them to have the cubic 3C-SiC structure. The vapor solid epitaxial mechanism was also proposed to explain the growth process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper microzones method (PMZs) is a green chemical method that uses the principle of the three primary colors of red, green and blue (RGB) to detect the water quality of the droplets on white paper. However, this method is rarely used in the performance evaluation of photocatalysts. The paper details the first use of paper microzones utilized in the evaluation of photocatalyst performance. A sol-gel method was used to prepare molecularly imprinted modified TiO 2 photocatalysts for the treatment of different wastewaters, and characterized the catalysts using XRD and several other methods. The reliability of PMZs on the evaluation of photocatalytic activity and selectivity was also analyzed. The following results were obtained: EP-TiO 2 catalysts (EP, ethyl paraben, the imprinting molecule) with different S doping levels were synthesized using a one-step sol-gel method, and the best S doping ratio was found to be n(Ti):n(S) 3:1. S-EP-TiO 2 was found to be 100% anatase and showed excellent photocatalytic performance, while the PMZs method accurately determined changes in RGB levels for the photocatalytic degradation process of pollutants using S-EP-TiO 2 as the photocatalyst. A photocatalytic kinetic analysis showed the PMZs method was quite suitable for the evaluation of photocatalyst activity, but the evaluation of selectivity needs improvement. This method is a promising green chemistry way to evaluate photocatalyst performance and the rapid detection of outdoor sewage water quality. [Display omitted] • Innovative application of Paper microzones in the evaluation of photocatalytic performance. • Paper microzones method is compared with the traditional spectroscopic method. • Simple operation and green chemistry for environmental research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work was to make biodegradable plastics from renewable resources. Paper-based biodegradable plastics were produced via a sol-gel process by using zinc chloride solution. The optimum conditions were a zinc chloride concentration of 65%, reaction temperature of 70 °C, reaction time of 5 s, aging time of 3 h, and glycerol concentration of 10%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that no chemical reaction occurred and the crystal form of the cellulose remained cellulose I, but the degree of crystallinity decreased. Compared to other biodegradable plastics, these paper-based biodegradable plastics had better mechanical properties and greater biodegradability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The beneficiation of sludge from pulp and paper mills to produce high-value products such as crystalline nanocellulose will alleviate the challenges associated with conventional methods of sludge disposal, such as landfilling and incineration. In addition, the use of sludge will reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials in the synthesis of nanocellulose which is usually produced from high-purity cellulose pulps. In this study, fibres were cleaned and separated from sludge and then converted to crystalline nanocellulose using ammonium persulphate under optimised oxidative conditions. To extend potential applications of the crystalline nanocellulose produced, the crystalline nanocellulose was functionalised with zinc oxide, silver and hydroxyapatite to prepare crystalline nanocellulose-zinc oxide, crystalline nanocellulose-silver and crystalline nanocellulose-hydroxyapatite nano- and micro-composites powders using the sol-gel process. Transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermo-gravimetric analysis were used to investigate the properties of crystalline nanocellulose and functionalised crystalline nanocellulose. The transmission electron microscope and field-emission scanning electron microscope coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the synthesis of crystalline nanocellulose, and inorganic nanoparticles. Functionalised samples (crystalline nanocellulose-zinc oxide, crystalline nanocellulose-silver and crystalline nanocellulose-hydroxyapatite) showed better thermal stability than pure crystalline nanocellulose. This implies that the modified inorganic crystalline nanocellulose composites could be used in applications where thermal stability is desirable. The cost of production is economically viable as the raw material cost is cheaper compared to the use of wood pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Well-crystallized and chain-structured Li4Ti5O12/C composite is readily synthesized by a facile filter paper templated sol–gel route. The carbonization of organic precursor forms a highly conductive network and restricts the Li4Ti5O12 particle growth as well, while the filter paper directs the formation of chain structure. Such a chain structure maintains the integrity of electronically conductive paths in the electrode, which facilitates both electron and Li+ ion transportation. The electrochemical results indicate that the chain-structured Li4Ti5O12/C composite displays a higher electrochemical activity in terms of reversible capacity and rate capability, compared to the Li4Ti5O12/C synthesized without using filter paper template. The Li4Ti5O12/C composite also shows excellent cycle performance when operated at a high rate of 5C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a Methylene Blue (MB)-coated tapered coreless (TCL) optical fibre sensor is proposed and experimentally investigated for oxygen sensing in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range of 993.5 nm. The effect of TCL diameter and MB sol–gel coating thickness on the sensitivity of the sensor was also investigated. A maximum sensitivity of 0.19 dB/O2% in the oxygen concentration range of 0–37.5% was achieved for a TCL fibre sensor with a 2 µm taper waist diameter and a 0.86 µm MB sol–gel coating thickness, with a response time of 4 min. The sensor provides reproducible results even after 7 days and is shown to be highly selective to oxygen compared to argon and ethanol at the same concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the synthesis strategies of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterials and their prospective applications in the fields of energy conversion and storage. Through a comprehensive analysis of various synthesis methods, including solvothermal and sol-gel processes, the specific impacts of these methods on the morphology and properties of MoS2 nanostructures are revealed. The study indicates that MoS2 nanomaterials with optimized electronic properties and surface activity can be fabricated by precisely controlling the synthesis conditions. These materials demonstrate exceptional performance in applications such as lithium-ion batteries and photodetectors, especially in enhancing battery charge-discharge cycle stability and improving photoelectric conversion efficiency. The paper further discusses the challenges faced in the development of MoS2 applications, particularly in terms of the scalability of material synthesis and consistency of performance. Lastly, the article presents a vision for future research directions, emphasizing the potential to broaden the application of MoS2 in high-performance energy devices through innovative synthesis strategies and material structure optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, NiMoO4 electrode materials doped with different concentrations of Nd rare earth metals were prepared by sol–gel method. Its morphology, structure, and spectral analysis were characterized by different scanning instruments, and the experimental results show that the NiMoO4 electrode material after adding 0.5% Nd doping showed excellent capacitance performance, with a specific capacity of 2182 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g. The capacitance retention was still 98.5% after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 5 A/g, which has a better electrochemical performance compared with the NiMoO4 material with superior electrochemical performance. In addition, an asymmetric capacitor device was prepared using 0.5% Nd-NiMoO4 material and CNTs as positive and negative electrodes, respectively, and the device showed a high energy density of 73.5 Wh/kg. In addition, the capacitor device still had a capacitance retention of 91.9% after 10,000 cycles. This paper provides an effective reference route for the preparation of rare-earth-doped bimetallic oxide electrode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and development of efficient nitride photocatalysts have attracted much attention. Herein, two-dimensional mesoporous Ta 3 N 5 is successfully synthesized through a simple sol-gel process with filter paper as a biological template and a combination of vacuum nitriding reactions. The prepared Ta 3 N 5 shows a wide light response range up to the near infrared (NIR) region due to the nitrogen vacancies generated from substitution of N3− for O2− ions during vacuum nitridation. Significantly, such a narrow bandgap (∼1.99 eV) still satisfies the redox potential of water splitting in thermodynamics. The experimental results show that the Ta 3 N 5 photocatalyst exhibits an enhanced hydrogen production rate of 34.6 μmol h−1 g−1, which is 3.9 and 2.1 times higher than that of Ta 2 O 5 and partial nitridation of Ta 2 O 5 (N–Ta 2 O 5), respectively. This enhanced photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the high specific surface area to provide reactive active sites, substitution of N3− for O2− ions to optimize the band structure, and special two-dimensional mesoporous structure to shorten the charge transfer distance. This work provides a new perspective for the preparation of two-dimensional nitride materials by a biological template method combining vacuum nitriding with enhanced photocatalytic performance. Two-dimensional mesoporous Ta 3 N 5 is synthesized by a simple sol-gel process with filter paper as a biological template and vacuum nitriding reaction, leading to an efficient photocatalytic performance. [Display omitted] • Two-dimensional mesoporous Ta 3 N 5 was prepared by a biological template. • The prepared Ta 3 N 5 shows a wide light response range up to the near infrared region. • The special two-dimensional structure shortens the charge transfer distance. • The Ta 3 N 5 photocatalyst shows a superior hydrogen production performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A train of bio-inspired nanotubular Na2MoO4/TiO2 composites were synthesized by using a natural cellulose substance (e.g., commercial ordinary filter paper) as the structural template. The TiO2 gel films were coated on the cellulose nanofiber surfaces via a sol-gel method firstly, followed with the deposition of the poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)/Na2MoO4 (PDDA/Na2MoO4) bi-layers several times, through the layer-by-layer self-assembly route, yielding the (PDDA/Na2MoO4)n/TiO2-gel/cellulose composite, which was calcined in air to give various Na2MoO4/TiO2 nanocomposites containing different Na2MoO4 contents (15.4, 24.1, and 41.4%). The resultant nanocomposites all inherited the three-dimensionally porous network structure of the premier cellulose substance, which were formed by hierarchical TiO2 nanotubes anchored with the Na2MoO4 layers. When employed as anodic materials for lithium-ion batteries, those Na2MoO4/TiO2 nanocomposites exhibited promoted electrochemical performances in comparison with the Na2MoO4 powder and pure TiO2 nanotubes, which was resulted from the high capacity of the Na2MoO4 component and the buffering effects of the TiO2 nanotubes. Among all the nanotubular Na2MoO4/TiO2 composites, the one with a Na2MoO4 content of 41.4% showed the best electrochemical properties, such as the cycling stability with a capacity of 180.22 mAh g−1 after 200 charge/discharge cycles (current density: 100 mA g−1) and the optimal rate capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing studies that show that composite materials can improve performance by making up for the defects of ceramic membranes made of a single material. This paper prepared ZrO2/Al2O3 and TiO2/Al2O3 composite coating sols using the sol-gel technique. Ceramic membranes were prepared by dip-coating process and calcined at 350 °C calcination. The physical-chemical properties of membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption-desorption measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The permeability and separation performance of membranes were analyzed by doping amount, dye type and pressure difference as reference factors, and the removal rates of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and chroma in the experiment were compared. These results showed that the modified composite membranes had better microstructure, and their retention rates on the dye solutes were significantly enhanced. When the Zr/Al and Ti/Al molar ratio (nZr, nTi) of the composite membrane is 0.5, under the experimental conditions of 0.2 MPa pressure difference and 30 min filtration time, the membrane rejection rates of the four 50 mg/L dyes reached more than 80%, which was much higher than that of the Al2O3 membrane of 57.9%. At the same time, the removal rates of COD and chroma were also greatly improved. The results revealed that the use of composite materials would be required to further explore their potential to improve the performance of ceramic membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), due to their superior performance, have been vastly applied in electronic, auto, and other industries, resulting in the generation of an increasing amount of spent LIBs. What's worse, LIBs contained potentially toxic substances, including heavy metals, toxic and flammable electrolyte containing LiBF4, LiClO4, and LiPF6. Conventional disposal of spent LIBs via landfill or incineration exerts tremendous pressure on the environment. It was necessary to adopt efficient, low-cost, and environmentally friendly approaches to valorizing spent LIBs, which could not only alleviate the shortage of rare resources by recycling valuable elements such as Cu, Li, Mn, Ni, Co, and Al, but also eliminate the pollution of harmful components in batteries and realize the recycling and sustainable industry related to consumer electronics and electric vehicles (EVs). Given this, this paper summarized the recycling technologies of spent LIBs, including pyrometallurgy (melting reduction and roasting methods) and hydrometallurgy (leaching, precipitation, extraction, ion-exchange, electrochemical, sol-gel methods), and electrolyte recycling (organic solvent extraction and supercritical extraction methods). Pyrometallurgy technologies had relatively decent metal recovery rates but were associated with high energy consumption and atmospheric emission issues. Hydrometallurgical technologies were more environmentally friendly and efficient in recovering spent LIBs, although disposing of the wastewater generated from the process remained a challenge. In addition, the different industrial processes and various countries' related policies of recycling spent LIBs were investigated. In the end, the outlooks and future directions of recycling spent LIBs were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a sol-gel method has been adopted to synthesize titanium dioxide (TiO) particles. In order to improve the surface properties of the TiO particles, vinyl triethoxysilane (VTES) has been used for their modification by silanization. The particles have been characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The results confirmed that VTES had been successfully grafted onto the surface of the TiO particles. The TiO particle size was not changed by the silanization modification, remaining at 100-200 nm. XRD results have shown the crystalline phase of the TiO particles to be of the anatase type, and this was also unaffected by the VTES modification. Dispersion properties and suspension stability characterization of TiO particles showed that VTES-modified TiO particles have better dispersion stability and suspension stability in the dispersant of tetrachloroethylene than that of unmodified TiO particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sol-gel method is presented to synthesize molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) composed with a copper-based metal-organic framework (referred to as MIP/HKUST-1) on a paper support to selectively recognize tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). The imprinting factor is 7.6 and the maximum adsorption capacity is 187.3 mg g−1. This is much better than data for other MIPs. The degradation of TBBPA is introduced in the procedure. Due to the selective recognition by the MIP, the enzyme-mimicking properties of HKUST-1 under the MIP layer became weak due to the decrease of residue imprinted cavities. And adsorbed TBBPA can be degraded under consumption of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The combined effect of H2O2 and HKUST-1 cause the coloration caused by catalytic oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine to become less distinct. This amplification strategy is used for the ultrasensitive and highly selective colorimetric determination of TBBPA. The gray intensity is proportional to the logarithm concentration of TBBPA in the range of 0.01–10 ng g−1. The limit of detection is as low as 3 pg g−1, and the blank intensities caused by TBBPA analogues are <1% of that caused by TBBPA at the same concentration, this implying excellent selectivity. The spiked recoveries ranged from 94.4 to 106.6% with relative standard deviation values that were no more than 8.6%. Other features include low costs, rapid response, easy operation and on-site testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereby, it is presented for the first time a method of producing holographic text and images using inkjet printing. For this purpose, colorless TiO2 ink with a high refractive index is used and deposited on top of exposed poly(ethylene terephthalate)-based microembossed paper by an inkjet printer. Nanoscale coating the paper containing printed text or graphics with transparent polymers or lacquers provides an optical effect of selective preservation of the holographic pattern. The resulting image is preserved only at the site of the colorless ink with a high refractive index from an inkjet printer, allowing to quickly generate any image with a holographic effect. Achieving these results has succeeded through the use of a colloidal dispersion of nanocrystalline titania with a refractive index of 1.75 ± 0.08 in the entire visible range, which meets inkjet rheological requirements. It is shown that the diffraction effect and optical transparency in the visible region are fully preserved. For the first time, it is demonstrated the importance of chemically prepared nanomaterials and nanostructures for an application in the field of holography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Recent Contributions to Physics is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Low-concentration antibiotic wastewater is difficult to treat rapidly using conventional photocatalysts. For this reason, this paper simplified the traditional sol–gel method to prepare Fe3+-TiO2/AC composites and characterized the properties of the composites using FT-IR, XRD, SEM, BET, and TEM. The results demonstrated that iron was uniformly dispersed on the surface of the composites, and the activated carbon (AC) was successfully loaded with iron-doped titanium dioxide. Afterward, ciprofloxacin (CIP) was used as the target degradant, and the effects of different activated carbon loadings, iron-doping, pH, initial concentrations, and UV light intensities on the removal of ciprofloxacin were investigated. The repetitive photocatalytic stability of the composites was studied, and the reaction mechanism was explored by using free radical quenching experiments. The results demonstrated that while iron doping reduced the rate at which photogenerated electrons and holes could combine, loading AC increased the usage efficiency of the composites' adsorption and catalytic active sites. According to the parameter tests, the circumstances that led to the highest CIP degradation efficiency (94.59%) were as follows: 10 mg/L CIP, 0.5 g/L 0.2%Fe3+-TiO2/20%AC, and solution pH of 7 under 40 min of UV light irradiation. In addition, the Fe3+-TiO2/AC composite material has excellent cyclic stability, the degradation rate of CIP can still reach 87.73% at 60 min after four repeated degradation tests under the same conditions. The applicability of this method could be expanded to the treatment of various industrial organic pollutants in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, composite thin films of barium strontium titanate (BaxSr1−xTiO3) with an acceptor modifier (magnesium oxide—MgO) were deposited on metal substrates (stainless steel type) using the sol–gel method. The composite thin films feature BaxSr1−xTiO3 ferroelectric solid solution as the matrix and MgO linear dielectric as the reinforcement, with MgO concentrations ranging from 1 to 5 mol%. Following thermal treatment at 650 °C, the films were analyzed for their impedance response. Experimental impedance spectra were modeled using the Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts function, revealing stretching parameters (β) in the range of approximately 0.78 to 0.89 and 0.56 to 0.90 for impedance and electric modulus formalisms, respectively. Notably, films modified with 3 mol% MgO exhibited the least stretched relaxation function. Employing the electric equivalent circuit method for data analysis, the "circle fit" analysis demonstrated an increase in capacitance from 2.97 × 10−12 F to 5.78 × 10−10 F with the incorporation of 3 mol% MgO into BST-based thin films. Further analysis based on Voigt, Maxwell, and ladder circuits revealed trends in resistance and capacitance components with varying MgO contents, suggesting non-Debye-type relaxation phenomena across all tested samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a titanium dioxide/covalent organic framework (TiO2/COF) composite was prepared and its photocatalytic removal of dye was investigated. Using tetrabutyl titanate as a titanium source, TiO2 nanomaterial was prepared by sol‐gel method. In the presence of TiO2, TiO2/COF core‐shell composite was prepared by solvothermal synthesis using melamine and 1,4‐phthalaldehyde as ligands. The prepared materials are characterized by SEM, TEM, XPS, XRD, TG, FTIR, BET, EPR, PL, and UV‐Vis‐DRS techniques. Using malachite green as a model of dye wastewater, the photocatalytic degradation performance of TiO2/COF composites was investigated under the irradiation of ultraviolet light. The results show that the modification of COF significantly improves the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2, the degradation rate increases from 69.77 % to 93.64 %, and the reaction rate constant of the first‐order kinetic equation is increased from 0.0078 min−1 to 0.0192 min−1. Based on the free radical capture experiment, the photocatalytic degradation mechanism of TiO2/COF was discussed, and the feasibility of its photocatalytic degradation of malachite green was theoretically clarified. Accordingly, a simple and practical method for photocatalytic degradation of malachite green was constructed, which has potential application value in the degradation of dye wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials are widely used in various fields because of their own advantages. When the particle size of the material is reduced to the nanometer level, it will lead to new characteristics of acoustic, optical, electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties. This will greatly enrich the research content of the material and is expected to get new uses. Therefore, the preparation technology of nanomaterials is one of the current research hotspots and has broad application prospects. At present, the most commonly used preparation techniques are hydrothermal method and sol-gel method, but not all crystals grow in a hydrothermal environment, so this paper adopts the sol-gel method for preparation. However, in the preparation of nanocolloids, agglomeration often occurs between colloidal nanoparticles. In order to avoid the agglomeration between particles, this paper adopts an appropriate method to disperse the particles. In order to further explore the stability of nanocolloids, the colloidal film material prepared by the cadmium sulfide (CdS) sol method was used as the research sample. It also proposes a sol preparation method incorporating ultrasonic waves and further discusses the kinetic characteristics. The research results show that the sedimentation velocity of 1 nm cadmium sulfide nanocolloids in water is 1.3 × 10−12 (m/s) prepared by colloid of cadmium sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present structural, magnetic, magnetocaloric, and critical study of perovskite La0.7Ag0.2Bi0.1MnO3 (LABMO) nanocrystalline compound synthesized by the sol–gel method. Temperature dependent magnetization measurements reveal the significant suppression of ferromagnetism in the LABMO sample upon Bi-doping on a La-site. The downturn in inverse magnetic susceptibility (χ−1) observed just above TC (236 K) in the paramagnetic regime corroborates the presence of short-range ferromagnetic correlations, which is the characteristic of the Griffith like phase below 270 K. The deviation from linear paramagnetic behavior in χ−1 implies the strong Griffith singularity. Furthermore, we have employed an integrated Maxwell's thermodynamic relation numerically and used isothermal magnetization data to determine the change in magnetic entropy at various magnetic fields. For a magnetic field change of 5 T, the value of maximum magnetic entropy change is found to be ∼6 J kg−1 K−1. We have also explored the critical behavior of the LABMO sample at transition temperatures using different theoretical models. The value of exponents β, γ, and δ does not fall into any known universality class. Despite this, the scaling relations show that interactions are renormalized around the Curie temperature (TC). The exponent n ≤ 2 extracted from field dependency on the magnetic entropy change confirms the second-order phase transition in LABMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel waveguides with diffraction gratings at their input and output for light injection and extraction, respectively, constitute the key components for applications in integrated optics and photonics. Here, we report for the first time on such fluorescent micro-structured architecture entirely elaborated on glass by sol-gel processing. This architecture particularly takes advantage of a high-refractive index and transparent titanium oxide-based, sol-gel photoresist that can be imprinted through a single photolithography step. This resist enabled us to photo-imprint the input and output gratings on a photo-imprinted channel waveguide doped with a ruthenium complex fluorophore (Rudpp). In this paper, the elaboration conditions and optical characterizations of derived architectures are presented and discussed with respect to optical simulations. We firstly show how the optimization of a two-step deposition/insolation sol-gel procedure leads to reproducible and uniform grating/waveguide architectures elaborated on rather large dimensions. Then, we show how this reproducibility and uniformity govern the reliability of fluorescence measurements in waveguiding configuration. These measurements demonstrate that: (i) our sol-gel architecture is well adapted to the efficient channel–waveguide/diffraction grating coupling at the Rudpp excitation and emission wavelengths; (ii) it enables an efficient propagation of the emission signal in the core of the waveguide allowing its photo-detection after extraction through the output grating; and (iii) it is affected by very reduced parasitic mechanisms, such as propagation losses and photobleaching features. This work constitutes a promising preliminary step toward the integration of our architecture in a microfluidic platform for further fluorescence measurements in liquid medium and waveguiding configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, MFe2O4 nanoparticles (M = Ca, Mg) are synthesized by sol– gel method using different stabilizer (acetic acid, pectin and β- carrageenan). The stability of the formed gel is studied extensively by determining the affective conditions (type of stabilizer, molar ratio of stabiliser: M(OH)2:Fe(OH)3, time, and temperature) on the preparation process. The most stabilized gel obtained using β-carrageenan for both Ca, Mg with (1.2·10-2:1:2), (1.37·10-2:1:2) molar ratios, respectively, during 72 h at 25°C. The obtained gel is calcinated and analysed using DTA, XRD and IR spectroscopy. The results show that the calcium ferrite is formed at 493.2°C by orthorhombic lattice cell with particle size of 13.01 nm and the magnesium ferrite is formed at 621.4°C by cubic crystal phase with particle size of 15.93 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of thermal energy storage materials applied in various fields has been attracting considerable attention in recent years. In this paper, a series of 1,6-hexanediol (HDL)/silicon dioxide (SiO2) form-stable composite phase change materials (fs-CPCMs) with various mass percentage of HDL loadings were made through sol–gel technique. For HDL/SiO2 fs-CPCMs, HDL was served as PCM, and silica gel was acted as the supporting matrix to keep a stable state without leakage of the composites even the temperature was over 85 °C. The results from form-stability test and DSC measurements showed that the as-prepared fs-CPCM with the mass fraction of HDL at 70 wt% presented good form-stability, suitable melting point (43.5 °C), and reasonable fusion enthalpy of 130.9 J/g. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated that only physical adsorption existed between the HDL and silica gel. Moreover, the thermal performance tests showed that the thermal energy storage and release rates of the as-prepared HDL/SiO2 fs-CPCM was enhanced compared to pure HDL. In summary, the as-prepared fs-CPCMs exhibit reasonable latent heats, good thermal stabilities, and reliability, which are promising candidates for energy-saving construction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A porous anti-reflective coating (P-ARC) with average transmittance in the visible range of 97.9% was fabricated through the sol-gel method, followed by calcination at a relatively low temperature (220 °C) using the porogen of Laureth-5 carboxylic acid via a one-step approach. The results demonstrated the coating had an absolute value that was 7.5% higher than that of bare glass (92%). The prepared porous anti-reflective coating had a refractive index as low as 1.21. The coating remained undamaged during 3M tape stripping tests while maintaining excellent light transmittance. This work presents a film that has good thermal stability, chemical stability, and mechanical stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most common weed killer used worldwide in farms and home gardens or lawns, glyphosate's excessive discharge has caused serious harm to the water environment and human health. Therefore, effective treatment of glyphosate wastewater becomes a matter of emergency. In this paper, novel modified mesoporous silica absorbents were prepared and used to treat glyphosate wastewater. First, worm-like mesoporous silica (HECMS) was prepared using the sol–gel method with cheap and resourceful hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) as the template and sodium metasilicate as the silica source, respectively. After that, 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) was grafted on the surface of HECMS and then zirconium was introduced onto AP-HECMS through the coordination of Zr4+ with the amino groups in APTMS, denoted as Zr-AP-HECMS. For the adsorption of glyphosate on Zr-AP-HECMS, the optimal pH range was found to be 3–6, and the maximum adsorption amount was 107.38 mg g−1. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order dynamics model and the adsorption equilibrium followed the Langmuir model. The adsorption mechanism was also investigated as the electrostatic attraction of the protonated amino group on Zr-AP-HECMS to the glyphosate ion in water, as well as the ligation between Zr4+ and P–O in glyphosate, and the ligation is stronger than the electrostatic attraction. The preparation of the adsorption material is simple and the cost is low. What is more, it can effectively remove glyphosate in water. This work would provide some guidance for the modification and application of mesoporous silica in pesticide wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on the microstructure and magnetic properties of LaCoO 3 (LCO) thin films, and also the micropatterning of LCO thin films using a novel photo-sensitive sol-gel lithography method. It is found that higher heat-treatment temperature can promote the healing of cracks and filling of pores, resulting in refining the grains, and improving the density of LCO film. The film treated at 850 °C has a larger nucleation energy, which makes the distribution of nucleation sites more uniform, promoting the healing of cracks and filling of pores, refining the grains, and improving the density of LCO film. LCO precursor sol, metal chelates with UV photosensitivity were synthesized by adding BzAcH photosensitizer. LCO micro-arrays with diameters of 50 μm, as well as other fine patterns with a minimum line width of about 2 μm were successfully prepared by a UV mask lithography technique. In contrast, our novel lithography method eliminates the need for photoresist, as the fine pattern is formed during the preparation of the LCO gel film, which is the advantages of our lithography method over traditional techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper is focused to investigate suitable method for preparation of lead sulphide quantum dots (PbS QDs) based thin films for optoelectronic applications. To note, PbS QDs based thin films show controlled morphological, optical and electrical properties with variation in experimental parameters including types of substrates, synthesis methods, molar concentration, deposition methods and environmental condition. Hence, in this paper we have chosen two different preparation methods for synthesis of PbS QDs and also fabricate thin films using as-synthesized QDs solution to investigate the effect of preparation methods on the structural, morphological properties of the samples.To prepare PbS QDs through sol–gel method, we have used lead acetate as source material in both cases. However, the assistance for synthesis of QDs have been changed in both cases, i.e., DHLA is used for ligand exchange in sample 1 and SDS-CTAB-EDTA combination is used to synthesize monodispersed size QDs in sample 2. To fabricate thin films, DI water based liquid samples are directly coated on silicon substrate through spin coating. The morphological and optical properties of the as-prepared liquid samples are analyzed through TEM images, FTIR and UV–VIS-NIR spectra. Whereas the structural and optical properties of QDs based thin films are investigated using FE-SEM images, XRD and PL spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is aimed at investigation of electrical properties inherent to zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofilms prepared using the sol-gel method. The experimental samples consisted of a substrate (25×25×1 mm) made of microscopic glass brand "Voles" covered with the above films of the thickness ranging from 50 to 150 nm. Optical characterization was performed to calculate the bandgap width and to confirm the presence of zinc oxide in the nanofilms and demonstrate their optical activity. An oscillographic method was used to measure the surface resistance of nanofilms by using a galvanic elastic contact, which allowed determining their high electrical quality and resistance. Simultaneously, the high mechanical strength of these nanofilms was ascertained under the action of the elastic contact, enduring a series of 5 to 10 measurements without noticeable changes in resistance. Measurements were also carried out to observe the change in the electrical resistance of ZnO films, when they were heated from 25 up to 100 °C. The obtained results have indicated the potential of these nanofilms for applications in the fields of electronics, photoelectronics and sensor technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]